XN000022-1976-10-02 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1976

CREMATION BECOMES MORE POPULAR

******

THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIVATE CREMATION BEING CARRIED OUT AT TWO OF THE THREE GOVERNMENT CREMATORIA IS EASING THE DEMAND FOR BURIAL SPACES IN PRIVATE CEMETERIES.

DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, SOME 6,300 PRIVATE CREMATIONS TOOK PLACE AT THE CAPE COLLINSON (HONG KONG ISLAND) AND DIAMOND HILL (KOWLOON) CREMATORIA, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 23 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S FIGURE.

1,000.

IN 1965-66, THE NUMBER OF CREMATIONS TOTALLED LESS THAN

ACCORDING TO THE STAFF OFFICER (CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIA OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT), MR. CHIN YIU-CHEONG, CREMATION CONTINUES TO BECOME MORE GENERALLY ACCEPTED AS A SIMPLE BUT DIGNIFIED METHOD OF DISPOSING OF THE DEAD.

CURRENTLY, HE SAID, 35 PER CENT OF ALL BODIES WERE BEING DISPOSED OF IN THIS MANNER IN THE TWO CREMATORIA.

THE THIRD CREMATORIUM IN WO HOP SHEK IS USED TO CREMATE EXHUMED SKELETAL REMAINS. DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW, 2,628 PRIVATE SKELETAL CREMATIONS TOOK PLACE THERE.

MR. CHIN EXPLAINED THAT EVER SINCE CREMATION WAS INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG MORE THAN 13 YEARS AGO, THE DEMAND FOR THIS FACILITY KEPT ON RISING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

HE ATTRIBUTED ITS POPULARITY TO THREE MAIN FACTORS: SHORTAGE OF BURIAL SPACES IN PRIVATE CEMETERIES, ECONOMIC AND CONVENIENCE,

AT PRESENT, HE SAID, FIVE CREMATORS IN CAPE COLLINSON AND TWO IN DIAMOND HILL CREMATE 20 BODIES A DAY.

+THE CREMATORIA OCCASIONALLY OPERATE 12 HOURS A DAY BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND, MR. CHIN SAID,

BECAUSE OF THIS, HE POINTED OUT, AN ORDER HAD BEEN PLACED FOR TWO MORE CREMATORS TO BE INSTALLED AT THE CAPE COLLINSON CREMATORIUM.

+THEY ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG FROM BRITAIN THIS MONTH, HE SAID, +AND THE INSTALLATION WILL BE COMPLETED IN TWO MONTHS' TIME.+

MR. CHIN ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE STAGE FOUR OF THE EXTENSION TO THE COLUMBARIUM AT THIS CREMATORIUM, TO PROVIDE ANOTHER 6,000 NICHES, (FOR THE DEPOSIT OF CREMATED ASHES) WAS PLANNED.

/AT THE PLANNING