Natural burials now possible

Those people who wish to have a ‘‘natural burial’’ can now do so at the Eastern Cemetery in Invercargill.

Following growing demand for the environmentally aware practice locally, an area of the cemetery has been designated for natural burials, with the first occurring a fortnight ago.

In line with a nationwide trend towards the practice - which aims to have as little environmental impact as possible when a body is buried - the Invercargill City Council had been receiving an inquiry as to local provision, on average, every two months during the past two years, parks manager Robin Pagan said.

As a result, an area of the cemetery where traditional burials were difficult to conduct had now been set aside.

‘‘I think some people are becoming more conscious of the environment and how they might change burial practices to put something back into the earth,’’ Pagan said. ‘‘Our area abuts some trees and ... is set to become an attractive part of the cemetery for all users.’’

A natural burial is defined as the interment of a body in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition, and allows natural recycling to occur.

Pagan said embalming chemi- cals were not usually allowed to be used, in an aim to speed up the natural processes of returning the body and its nutrients to the soil, and to reduce the amount of artificial and toxic chemicals and materials introduced to the soil.

The planting of trees or shrubs within the site of burial was also common practice for natural burials.

‘‘This will be the case at Eastern Cemetery, where the long-term vision is to create a lasting legacy of flourishing plant life,’’ he said.

About 30 natural burials would be able to occur in the newly designated area, with a gradual succession of trees and shrubs.

Pagan said the city council had always sought to accommodate those with special wishes for burial, including designating an area of the cemetery for Jewish people, and ensuring that those of the Muslim faith were laid to rest facing toward Mecca.

‘‘This is just another way we can help ensure people’s wishes are respected.’’

Although he expected the new area to fulfil demand for natural burials for ‘‘quite a while’’, additional land was available nearby.

Memorials, such as headstones, were not permitted in the natural burial area. Burial plots would be located with the use of GPS, with co-ordinates entered into the cemetery register and onto a natural burial map.

SDC financial report

The Southland District Council released its financial reports for the month ended May 31, 2017 (with the financial year ended June 30) at a council meeting on Wednesday. Both operating income and operating expenditure were slightly under budget as of May 31, with income at $65.9 million compared to $66.5m budgeted, and expenditure at $46.3m compared to $48.9m budgeted. Capital expenditure was $4.3m under budget ($16.4m actual versus $20.7m budget), mainly because of water, sewerage and roading projects that have yet to get under way.

Teens charged

Two Gore boys, aged 17 and 14, were arrested on Friday night following a spate of burglaries from houses and cars in the north Gore area. Senior Constable Pete Gear said the teenagers will both face charges for a number of offences in the Gore Youth Court on Thursday. Gore police would like to thank the public for information that leads to the offenders being caught.

Marae redevelopment

Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is welcoming nearly $390,000 of funding from Te Puni Kokiri to support the redevelopment of Mataura Marae – Te Hono o te Ika a Maui ki Ngai Tahu. Flavell said the investment will enable the marae to be fully utilised and finally bring it to life for the community. In conjunction with Te Taonga Mauri Trust and the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, the work will be undertaken by a team of carvers, led by master carver James Rickard, weavers and artists.

Finalists named

Queenstown tourism operators feature highly in the finalist named for this year’s New Zealand Tourism awards. The Queenstown Resort College, Real Journeys, Queenstown, Skyline Queenstown, Real Journeys – Walter Peak Land Restoration Project, Queenstown, all feature in different categories. The winners will be announced in Christchurch on September 7.

Four people ID

A public meeting to unveil the initial findings of a Milton cemetery exhumation project, will be held on August 15 at 7pm. Four people have so far been identified in the project, which was initiated by the Miltonbased Tokomairiro Project 60 research group, and the Anglican Church, at the disused St John’s Burial Ground, at Tokoiti. The four identified are: Lieutenant Robert Rowley Thompson, Flora Clementine Weber, Flora’s husband, Gustav Adolph Weber, (the researchers have found descendants of his brother) and Henry Pim. Excavation of unmarked graves was carried out by a University of Otago research team, in November-December.

Gordon consent

Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village founders Peter and Dee Gordon have received resource consent for a 23-lot residential subdivision on a block of land behind the village in Wanaka. However, the outcome of a proposal for a supermarket and commercial activities on part of the block will depend on what rezoning decisions are made in the ongoing district plan review.