Pauper graves condemned

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 1

Pauper graves condemned

(New Zealand Press Association)

NELSON, June 18.

Nelson city councillors have condemned the burying of the destitute in a special area at the Marsden Valley cemetery, Stoke, and have voted to end the practice.

In future, such burials will be in the main area, and the use of a “potter’s” field will be stopped. < "Many people have expressed shame about this field to me, and I must say it was a bit of a shock to find that we still continued the practice,” said Cr E. Pearce. “It is a great worry for some elderly person that they may be buried as paupers in a ’potter’s field.’ ” Cr W. L. Mclvor said: “I am completely opposed to this segregation at death and branding for all time.” Wellington’s destitutes were buried in unmarked plots in "potter's fields” at Karori cemetery, sometimes six to a grave, the sexton (Mr P. Shorter) said today. In Auckland, paupers were buried in an area of the Waikumete Cemetery set aside for indigent persons, the Deputy Mayor (Mr W. M. Tongue) said tonight. This area is not segregated exclusively for pauper burials. “Anybody who says they can’t afford to pay for a plot is buried there. There’s nothing like a ‘potters’ field’ in Auckland.”

Only a temporary marker wqs provided by the council. Christchurch’s destitutes

were buried in unmarked graves in special portions of city cemeteries, said a Christchurch funeral director last evening. The graves were unmarked as no-one had bought the plots, but relatives had the power to buy the plots and reinter the dead. If no relatives came for- ■ ward, the cost of the funeral : service would be paid by the i North Canterbury Hospital ’ Board’s hospital aid departi ment, he said. i The number of such I funerals was very small; they were no longer called i paupers’ burials, but ehari--1 table aid funerals.