DRAINAGE OF THE CEMETERY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 534, 1 May 1878, Page 2

DRAINAGE OF THE CEMETERY.

The following letter, by Mr. Clarke, C.E., clearly shows that the drainage of the cemetery will not prevent it from being a source of danger. The theory that all ill effects would be removed by the construction of a system of drains appears iEusory “April 24,1878. “ To the Worshipful the Mayor of Wellington,—Sir,—Herewith I return a letter addressed to you by the Chairman of the Trustees of the Public Cemetery, dated_l6th mst., which was handed to mo by the Town Clerk for my opinion whether by a dram or drams the present cemetery might be prevented from causing any injury to the health of the inhabitants of the city. I have visited the cemetery, and find that it is situated on an eminence around which are at present many habitations, and where the building operations in progress indicate that the population is increasing. In two places I saw sections of-the ground. Viz., in Bolton-street, for a road improvement, and at the back of some brick houses now.in course of erection in, I think, Bowen-street, for levelling the back yards. In both cases the soil appears to be dry, and of a fairly absorbent character. It is, however, to be observed that where fluids are present within the sides of steep acclivities, such as the cemetery ground presents, they naturally drain

in the direction of the least resistance; and -when the absorbent power of the soil is exhausted it is in this direction that the fluid will flow (see diagram). It may be, then, that if interments continue in such a soil, and it becomes saturated, that the direction of the drainage will be as above indicated, not downwards, but towards the nearest surface of the hill side ; and if the ground be liable to crack in dry periods, I can imagine that fluid from a grave may be brought to the surface of the hill side by this operation, so I 'slowly, however, that it would evaporate as fast as it appeared ; and it would not be difficult by actual excavation to ascertain how far this supposition is correct. To intercept this fluid by contour drains would be quite possible, keeping the graves of a certain depth and distance therefrom (see diagram). It is, however, doubtful, if these drains be effectively earned out, whether the presence of a graveyard could he deemed incapable of injury to the healths of the inhabitants of. the smrounduig houses. Fluids may doubtless be intercepted, but gases, cannot. This is apart of the suhj-.ct which can better he dealt with by the medical profession : but, in my opinion, the continued use of a cemetery on a hill in the midst of a population cannot be considered safe, or rendered so by any drainage operation. 1 haVe ' & ° ' ‘ W. CIARKE. “Wellington, April 15th, 1878. » Sir,—l do myself the honor to suggest to you the desirableness of submitting Mr. -Clur’ ,'e the question-whether by. a dram or the present cemetery might be prevented from causing any injury to the health of the inhabitants of this city. I venture to point outthatfew if any of the arguments that are used against intra-mural interments in the cities of,lCngliihd or Australia are at all applicable to the circumstances of this city; and that the only danger to be apprehended is through the percolation of deleterious matter through the soil, which a drain, properly constructed, might intercept, and thus avert such danger. It may also be observed that if the cost of drainage would ;bo somewhat increased by the special sewers now suggested, that expense would be far more than'counterbalanced by the saving of public funds that would be effected by obviating the necessity for a new cemetery, to say nothing of the saving, both present and prospective, to individuals, by the retention of the cemetery on its present site.—l have, &c,, “J. Woodward, “ Chairman of trustees of the public .-- i . ■ cemetery. <• His Worship the Mayor.”