Taphophilia.(dot) Com - Families distressed by coffins not fitting graves

Families distressed by coffins not fitting graves

Thursday, 07 October 2004

05 October 2004

A growing number of South Canterbury funerals are being marred by graves which are the wrong size and in some cases the coffin won't fit.

The problem came to a head for Betts Funeral Services director Dick Ireton recently when a baby's coffin was unable to be lowered into a too-small grave. "This is the most distressing thing that has happened to me in my whole career," Mr Ireton said.

"This is a huge problem at the moment. We have had a number of situations where the plots are not big enough or wide enough. This is most distressing."

Other funeral directors have experienced similar problems.

Problems have included a variation between oblong and shaped graves. In a few cases the grave was so wide the pallbearers had trouble lowering the coffin.

Catholic priest Father Earl Crotty had also been at funerals with wrong-sized graves. He said this could be upsetting for families.

Mr Ireton said the graves were supposed to be dug to a standard size. If the casket was oversized the funeral director would ring to confirm measurements.

Problems started when the council contracted out the service about 18 months ago, Mr Ireton said. Up until then sexton Bob Lee dug all the graves.

"Now we have anyone who can drive a digger digging the graves.

"In 22 years I have only previously experienced two problems with graves, but in the last 18 months it's about two a month."

Mr Ireton has contacted the council several times but with no result.

Today he was told by the council it was up to him to check the graves before a service. Mr Ireton is contemplating charging the council for this inconvenience.

"You don't have to check with the florist that the flowers are okay, or with the newspaper that the death notice will be correct."

Mr Ireton said time constraints meant it was difficult to check a grave at an out-of-town cemetery the morning before a service.

He said the families could often see the funny side of a wrong-sized grave, but this wasn't the point.

"It's a funeral and we pride ourselves on having everything run spot-on."

Timaru District Council parks and reserves manager Bill Steans said he was aware of three occasions over the past year when there had been specific problems with burials.

Mr Steans said in two of those instances the grave was not prepared to specification. He was unsure about the third incident.

"Council does have a responsibility to provide this service, but cannot influence which staff a contractor uses to prepare a grave.

"The fact that these occasions occur at all is deeply regretted ... we will continue to do everything we can to improve the situation."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3054324a4560,00.html

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