THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1983
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ON CREMATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT CONSTRUCTION OF THE $26.5 MILLION SHA TIN CREMATORIUM WOULD BE STARTED NEXT MONTH, WHILE PLANS FOR BUILDING MODERN CREMATORIA AT WO HOP SHEK, TUEN MUN, SAI KUNG, CHEUNG CHAU AND LANTAU ISLAND WERE ALSO IN HAND.
A TOTAL OF 7 967 CREMATIONS OF EXHUMED SKELETAL REMAINS WERE RECORDED AT WO HOP SHEK CREMATORIUM LAST YEAR.
THE KWAI CHUNG CREMATORJUM ALSO CARRIED OUT 5 789 BODY CREMATIONS IN 1982, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
MEANWHILE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED THE REVISION OF FEES FOR BURIAL, CRÉMATIONS AND OTHER SERVICES RELATED TO THE DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF INCREASING WORKS IN PROVIDING THE SERVICES,
WITH EFFECT FROM TODAY (THURSDAY), THE FEE FOR A BURIAL SITE AT A PUBLIC CEMETERY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL BE $800 FOR AN ADULT AND $400 FOR THE INTERMENT OF A CHILD UNDER 12 YEARS OF AGE, COMPARED WITH THE OLD FEES OF $250 AND $125 RESPECTIVELY.
ALL HUMAN REMAINS INTERRED IN PUBLIC CEMETERIES ARE REQUIRED
TO BE EXHUMED AFTER SIX YEARS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AS FOR THE PERMANENT URN GRAVE SPACES IN THE PUBLIC CEMETERIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE NEW CHARGE WILL BE INCREASED FROM $430 TO $1 100.
IN THE CASE OF CREMATION OF AN ADULT AND A CHILD UNDER
12 YEARS OF AGE. THE FEES WILL BE $250 AND $125 RESPECTIVELY. THE OLD FEES WERE $120 AND $60 RESPECTIVELY. THIS WILL BRING THEM IN LINE WITH THE FEES FOR CREMATION IN THE URBAN AREA STARTING APRIL 1.
FOR THE PERMANENT PLACING OF CREMATED ASHES IN A COLUMBARIUM IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, A SUM OF $1 300 WILL BE CHARGED FOR EACH STANDARD NICHE AND $5 200 FOR EACH FAMILY NICHE CAPABLE OF HOLDING FOUR URNS. THIS COMPARED WITH THE OLD FEES OF $1 000 AND $4 000 RESPECTIVELY.
CHARGES FOR THE PLACING OF A MEMORIAL TABLET ON THE WALL OF A COLUMBARIUM IN THE NEW TERRITORIES OR A TREE PLANTED IN THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE OF A CREMATORIUM IS REMAINED UNCHANGED AT $50, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
FOR THE CREMATION OF THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF AN ADULT OR CHILD, A CHARGE OF $90 HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE REVISION OF FEES FOR BURIAL AND CREMATIONS IS TO REFLECT MORE REALISTICALLY GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON THESE SERVICES AS OPERATIONAL COSTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
NEVERTHELESS, A 20 PER CENT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY ON BURIAL FEES IS RETAINED. THERE IS ALSO A 50 PER CENT SUBSIDY ON CREMATION FEES IN ORDER TO FURTHER ENCOURAGE THE USE OF CREMATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BURIAL, HE ADDED.