Grieving families should be able to scatter ashes in peace

18 December 2014

Funeral directors are relieved that Wellington City Council has finally dropped plans to charge families for permits to scatter ashes in public places.

Funeral Directors Association Chief Executive Katrina Shanks says the idea was never going to be accepted by the public and the council has done the right thing.

“This is good news.

“Requiring people to pay to book a place on a beach or in a park to gather to remember and scatter ashes would have been offensive and stupid.

“The practice of gathering to scatter ashes of loved ones in public places has been performed for centuries and should never have been contemplated.

“It’s part of who we are as New Zealanders. It’s part of our ritual of saying goodbye.

“We gather, remember and celebrate someone’s life, that is how we grieve.
“This would have affected the many families who wish to discreetly gather to farewell a loved one in this way, and I’m glad that common sense has prevailed.”

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