Stickers at cemetery upset families

Hamilton widow Shirley Robinson has accused city council cemetery staff of insensitivity after they threatened to remove terracotta pots from her husband's grave, saying they were a health and safety risk.

Easter visitors to the Newstead cemetery found hundreds of stickers pasted on pots, crosses, rocks and bowls with the message: "Please contact manager at administration office, as items will be removed."

"It looked like the meter maids had been along there with parking tickets," Ms Robinson said.

When Sandra Campbell visited the grave of her brother, Paul Ginns, she found a sticker stuck across a white cross with his name on it and another on a plastic fish bowl the family had created a floral arrangement in.

She said it was insensitive to place "such an awful, semi-permanent sticker on our precious cross" when there were other places it could have been stuck.

"It seemed cruel and incredibly hurtful."

Staff later told the women the Labour Department's Occupational Safety and Health service (OSH) had warned them the items were a risk and should be removed.

But OSH national operations manager Mike Cosman said his organisation had made no such warning.

The council had met OSH in April 2003 about possible risks. Cemetery staff suggested reconsidering the appropriateness of having jars and pots but at no stage did OSH ask for them to be banned, Mr Cosman said.

"In light of what has happened over the weekend OSH will be contacting Hamilton City Council to discuss alternative ways that both cemetery workers and the public can be kept safe during mowing without personal items, such as vases and pots, being removed."

Mr Cosman said there were other steps the council could take to minimise risk.

City council community support unit manager Jane Moore said there were concerns items could be strewn over the grass and be caught up in the lawnmower and injure people.

She said it appeared the stickers had been placed in unfortunate places and she would talk to staff about that.

Ms Moore said Easter was always an emotional time for families and the stickers had added to their grief.

- NZPA