Scattering ashes raised as issue in proposed changes to Whanganui cemeteries bylaw

Submissions on the Whanganui District Council's cemeteries and crematoria bylaw review close on April 16. Photo / Bevan Conley

A water feature for scattering ashes could be added to Whanganui’s Aramoho Cemetery to prevent human remains being tossed in the Whanganui River.

The Whanganui District Council is reviewing its cemeteries and crematoria bylaw, with community members calling for a more suitable body of water to scatter ashes in.

Council policy manager Elise Broadbent said a public survey conducted by the council received more than 500 responses from the community.

“We also worked directly with community groups who have a special interest in this area, including tangata whenua, the Hindu and Christian communities, the New Zealand Remembrance Army, natural burial advocates and funeral directors,” Broadbent said.

The groups formed an advisory panel to assist with the review.

The bylaw sets out the rules for how cemeteries and memorials are managed, and how the disposal of human remains impacts the environment.

The council is also seeking the authority to tidy up graves without the consent of family ownership.

For older graves, getting in contact with family owners can be very difficult and the present bylaw prevents those graves from being easily cleaned.

Alcohol will not be banned from cemeteries in the new proposal, although it was outlined as a disruptive issue for mourners.

Broadbent said management of the cemetery spaces needed to be sensitive and respectful of the subject matter.

“Cemeteries and crematoria are really important spaces for mourning, remembering and celebrating our loved ones.

“Our review has kept this in mind at all stages.”

Whanganui community members can submit feedback on the proposal via the council’s website whanganui.govt.nz or pick up a hard-copy submission form from the council building at 101 Guyton St or the Davis and Gonville libraries. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, April 16. There will be a public hearing in late April or early May.