KUMARA CEMETERY.

Kumara Times, Issue 255, 30 July 1877, Page 2

KUMARA CEMETERY.

Notwithstanding the very brief notice which was given on Saturday of the meeting to be held in the Public Hall, to take steps for securing a cemetery for Kumara more than a hundred assembled, and manifested the greatest interest in the proceedings. Mr Dcngan, who was moved to the chair, briefly explained the object of the meeting. Of late, as they well knew, there had been sad and dreadful occurrences here, which had deeply touched the public feeling. These occurrences had brought into prominence the fact that there was in the district no cemetery in which the dead could be laid to rest. The object of the present meeting was to urge upon those who have the power to lay off a cemetery and fit it for its purpose -immediately. He believed that the Waste Lands Board had set aside a piece of ground, and that the Chief Surveyor of the County had been authorised to attend to it. Up to the pres-int time, however, aa far as was known, the matter had been neglected. People asked whose neglect it was. His own opinion was that officials very often were very dilatory in attending to their duties. They required a little public pressure, to let them know that this work of the cemetery should be carried out. Kumara was in an exceptional position. They would not find any place like it in New Zealand. It was twelve or fifteen months old, and had a large population, and yet had no cemetery. That meeting was an offspring of the indignation felt by the public. He concluded by calling upon Mr Hannan to move the first resolution. Mr Hannan said the resolution he had to propose was a very simple one, and after the remarks of the Chairman, he would at oncegread it:—

"That whereas the inhabitants of the Kumara district are Buffering considerably through loss of time and money, in consequence of being obliged to effect burials at Stafford, this meeting desires to mark its disapproval of the apathy shown by the authorities in not having a site for a cemetery surveyed and set apart at Kumara."

As to the first part of the resolution, it was a well-known fact, that if they were to calculate the loss of time and amount of money expended within the last month, through miners and others going to Stafford, they could count it at £1,500 to £2,000. He thought everv one would agree with the latter part of the resolution, and admit that there had been a certain amount of apathy. If the Waste Lands tjoard had not paused a resohvion ordering ita surveyor to attend to this, and if the County Council had not done the same, the people <>f Kumara would themselves have taken the necessary steps.

Mr Maloney reconaVd the resolution. The Chairman put the resolution to the meeting, who agreed to it unanimously. Mr S. M. George proposed : " That a committee of six be appointed from thi3 meeting for the purpose of taking immediate steps to interview either the Education, or Waste Lands' Board, touching the survey an! procli'nation of a cemetery at Knmara."

He thought it unnecessary to say any? thing upon the matter, as the previous speakers had done it ample jus f ice. There was no doubt a=j to the great loss suffered by the community. They should wait upon the Wa3te Lands B >ard, to get the proper authority to survey the cemetery as soon as possible. Ht trusted the meeting would have the effect of getting it done without delay.

Mr Ahcher seconded the resolution.., Mr Bannan supported the raoti6n. Probably this; committee woiild have little to do except to communicate with the Waste Lands Board with respect; to having a site surveyed. The Cemetery might be vested in the Borough Council or the Road Board. He recollected that a committee of four was appointed at Stafford, one to represent each of the principal denominations. They were gazzetted at the recommendation of the Warden. They raised at. subscription of a shilling each from the people. This was supplemented by a vote of the Council. The committee then set to- work and got the Cemetery cleared, divided, and fenced, aud hence it was now the principal Cemetery of the district.

The Chairman informed the meeting that the Surveyor for the County had been in Kumara within the last week. It was his (the Surveyor's) special business to attend to this work, and if he could not do it himself, in the ordinary course of business he should have appointed a subordinate to do so. He was very well aware of the negligence often occurring in public departments. This was a most glaring in. stance and public indignation had been roused by the manner in which the Surveyor had come to the district and left it without attending to so pressing a necessity as the Cemetery. The , undermentioned gentlemen were then elected to form a committee:— Mrssrs Dungan, Hannan, Anchor, Drnmmond, George, and O'Hagan, and the resolution was agreed to unanimously.

. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the business.