PARK AND CEMETERY 
]18 
solicitor, auditors, architects, and sec- 
retary appointed. We delayed issu- 
ing as long as it was possible to the 
public because our chances were jeop- 
ardized by the serious financial strain 
which existed at this period, the bank 
rate being 7 per cent. 
Inundated by applications for 
situations, shoals of letters had to be 
written in answer to a thousand and 
ane enquiries. 
We had to pay fees to counsel and 
for the registration of the company, 
and everything and everybody con- 
nected with the company expected 
and have had their reward. We paid 
for stamps on allotment letters, and 
solicitors’, surveyors’, and other costs. 
We disbursed large sums for ad- 
vertisements, clerical help, stationery, 
printing, postage, etc., the last being 
a very heavy item. Some of the folk 
insisted on their checks in advance, 
others helped materially at this crit- 
ical period by giving us credit. Most 
of these expenses occur to private 
companies only and not parochial 
bodies. 
At the appearance of the first ad- 
vertisement we were approached by 
agents of newspapers from all parts 
of the country; outside brokers wired 
and begged a few prospectuses to 
forward to clients certain to sub- 
scribe large amounts — all they re- 
quired for their disinterestedness was 
a certain sum to cover postage; — and 
gentlemen, the response to all this 
forethought and outlay was a sub- 
scription (after the list had been open 
to the public for four days) of less 
than £5,000. 
I began to think it was a good 
thing to have a little money, but it 
was much better to know how to use 
it. In short, gentlemen, failure to 
achieve our purpose, the purpose per- 
haps of a lifetime, stared us in the 
face. “Thought you were taking on 
a big thing,” said one. “Ever3^body 
knew it would be a failure,” said an- 
other. “If you had onl}^ approached 
us at the onset, there would have 
been no trouble,” exclaimed a third- 
So far as we were able, and policj’’ 
permitted, we had taken into our con- 
fidence the trade and our friends. We 
found that some folk who promised 
support either failed entirely to ful- 
fil that promise or subscribed only a 
part of the original amount named; 
while others who had remained silent 
came splendidly, I maj^ say almost 
heroically, to the rescue. 
But if the response did not come 
up to our expectations, the worst that 
could happen was to return the sub- 
scriptions; one redeeming feature, 
however, being that Mr. Kellaway 
and the speaker held the license, a 
fact overlooked by all except our- 
selves. 
When the time of the option ex- 
pired, one of the things we felt most 
was the humiliation of having to ap- 
pear in person and hand in a notice 
terminating the agreement with the 
vendors to save further complica- 
tions. 
Recovering from this shock, how- 
ever, we soon made arrangements for 
an extension of time and the taking 
of 50 instead of 80 acres of the land; 
but £1,000 further deposit was to be 
paid, so it was decided to at once call 
a meeting of shareholders to offer 
either to refund their money or ob- 
tain their sanction to proceed on 
these lines. The meeting was unani- 
mous; Proceed said they. 
this action, gentlemen, if fail- 
ure had come, it meant losing about 
50 per cent, of their money. Imag- 
ine our anguish at the thought of 
helping one’s friends to lose so much 
cash; — yet no one knew our thoughts. 
Try as we would we could not ob- 
tain either the necessary money or a 
mortgage to complete the purchase, 
and again, a few days prior to Christ- 
mas, IMr. Kellaway and myself had 
to present another notice terminating 
the second agreement. 
Soon we again obtained another 
and final extension of time, and it 
was here the tide seemed to turn in 
our favor. Our genial chairman, af- 
ter several visits to the manager of 
bank, helped the situation, and on 
the morning of July 3rd, 1908, I re- 
ceived the following card from Mr. 
Bodkin : — 
“Dear Mr. Field, — I have made it 
all right up to £4,000 at the bank to- 
day. Will call and see you one day 
early. — Yours truly, 
Fred. F. Bodkin. 
The moment soon arrived -when we 
met at the vendors’ solicitor’s office 
to complete the purchase and, by 
the help of the L. & S. W. Bank, 
hand over a check for £8,900, the bal- 
ance due. This placed the land and 
the license under our control and one 
administration. We had accomplished 
what others had failed to do. 
Although verj' gratifying, it was 
not the end of our aim. More mon- 
ej' dribbled in; a sixth director, Mr. 
Parr, was co-opted to the Board. This 
gentleman added nearly a thousand 
pounds to the bank balance, and here 
it was our architects — who, by the- 
wa3', are shareholders and had been 
working assiduoush' at the plans — 
introduced Messrs. Kavanagh, the 
contractors, and the chief, a genial 
gentleman, listened to all I had to sa3'. 
Fventuall3' the firm undertook at 
competitive prices to do £2,200 of 
work, and spread the pa3'ment over 
eighteen months. 
The cemetery was opened on Feb- 
ruary 27th of this year. After several 
weeks of frost had prevented Messrs. 
Dallyn completing a really fine chap- 
el, pa3'ments for same to be made 
over a similar period, we had to 
thank Mr. Sherry for using his good 
offices in inspiring confidence in this 
direction. 
I forget to mention that a seventh 
director, Mr. Spittle, had been co- 
opted to the Board in August, 1908, 
with a consequent strengthening of 
our resources all round. Subscrip- 
tions and deposits continue to come 
in, and it is satisfactory to state that 
the directors have been able to meet 
all obligations up to the present. 
Plans had to be prepared and 
schemes for la3dng out the cemetery 
thought out, notices posted to the 
trade, price-lists arranged, receipt 
books, agency forms, re-opening 
forms, masons’ orders, and proper 
sets of books started, all of which 
claimed ver3' careful and earnest at- 
tention. 
It is onl3^ fair to say here that in 
the early stages my son proved most 
helpful, ever and anon coming for- 
ward with fresh, 3-oung, and practical 
ideas, which have been instrumental 
in solving man3' difficult problems. 
All this while no salaries were paid, 
no office expenses were being in- 
curred, not a penn3’ was being spent 
that could be saved. 
I must not divulge all the differ- 
ences we have had with individuals, 
councils, and other bodies. Suffice 
it to sa3" there were reasons for vis- 
its to the Local Government Board. 
It was a relief to find some one, 
and that person in authorit3y who was 
more than interested, who settled 
man3' points, who was passing cour- 
teous, and asked me if we had not 
an association, as before, framing 
fresh regulations, the3' were willing 
to listen to suggestions, as they 
wanted information. I learned that 
it was found that cemeteries were 
reall3- ver3- well conducted, and that 
no fault could be found. The Local 
Government Board, b3'-the-bye, act 
in succession to the Home Office in 
these matters. 
It was instantl3’ discovered, when 
the gates were opened for business, 
what a boon the place would prove 
to the trade and their clients, and it 
instanth' jumped into popularit3^ 
Threats numberless there have 
been — threats for being excessive 
users of the roads, threats to do away 
