Councils face grave problem as cemeteries fill up

Kiwis may have to change "six feet under" to "12 feet under", as cemeteries around the country gradually run out of room.

The shortage of land is particularly acute in Auckland, prompting some cemeteries to consider the possibility of allowing older graves to be lowered to allow more people to be buried on top.

Clifton Thomson, general manager of the private Purewa Cemetery, predicted New Zealand will introduce a "dig and deepen" policy in the future where older graves are dug up and lowered.

Some Australian cemeteries were already doing this to cope with similar land shortages, he said.

Mr Thomson said Purewa, the largest cemetery in Auckland City, had just six years of traditional burial space left on its Meadowbank land.

The only other cemetery at Hillsborough has already run out of room for traditional burials because people have booked what little space remains.

This means some existing graves are being reopened so family members can be buried with loved ones.

Waitakere City Council says its Waikumete Cemetery is also under pressure and it is surveying residents on how to tackle the problem.

The easy solution is cremation, popular with about 75 per cent of New Zealanders, particularly European and Asian immigrants.

However, not all Kiwis want to be cremated, with much of rural New Zealand, and many Christians and Polynesians, still opting for burial.

Mr Thomson said how people wished to be buried was a personal and often cultural decision, and one his staff did not interfere with.

Cost was sometimes a factor, with a full burial averaging $3000. A cremation and ash garden memorial costs around $1000.

Auckland City Council will consider the need for additional burial sites during next week's combined committees meeting.

It is considering extending the existing Purewa Cemetery into nearby Tahapa Reserve.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY