MUNICIPAL CREMATORIUMS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2737, 16 February 1910, Page 7

MUNICIPAL CREMATORIUMS

AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL

'the question of a municipal crematorium again came before the Auckland City Council last Aveek. Mr. R. R. Hunt, secretary of the Auckland Cremation Society, Avrote reminding the Council that the matter of assistance towards the installation of a crematorium in Auckland -was deferred until' the success of the Wellington one was mad enkoAvn. The Society hoav had a letter from the Town Clerk of Wellington, stating that cremation there had been a great success, and th-at four bodies had been cremated in the Wellington furnace. The fee for cremating a ratepayer Avas £2 12s 6d, and for a non-ratepayer £4 4s. The Auckland Society therefore again approached tiie Auckland City Council to ask assistance in establishing a crematorium, and intimated its desire of making it a Greater Auckland movement. If tihe City Council would contribute pro rata to its rates, the society believed the adjoining boroughs and road boards avo ll ld do likewise. The society Avould also agree to raise not less than £l5O, to be paid towards the cost of the crematorium. The Wellington crematorium cost £1433 for the building, and £540 for the furnace. In Wellington gas was used, hut the Auckland Society had a report from the electrical engineer of the city (Mr A. Wyllie), stating that cremation was being carried out in America Avitli the electrical current, at a "cost of £350 for the electrical plant and 10s pen hour for the heat, so that the very latest system might be adopted by Auckland, under which the Council might be able to reduce the fee to the same as the Hull Corporation crematorium —namely, £1 Is for ratepayers and £3 3s for nonratepayers. As tile city engineer (Mr Bush) favored a system of cremation, ,tlip society hoped the Council would take the matter up earnestly. The city engineer (Air Bush) reported that Avhile in Wellington lie availed himself of the opportunity of inspecting t-lic Wellington Municipal Crematorium, Avhich is situated in Karori Cemetery ,and is Avorking very successfully. Air .Wyllie had confirmed the information in regard to cremation being successfully carried out in America by means of electric current. The matter Avas referred to the Finance Committee.