Families fear for HB bush graves

JANELLE KIRKLAND Bushland in Jervoistown's suburban heart is facing an uncertain future and families who buried loved ones there fear it may one day be sold.
Jim and Trish Peters buried their son Timothy's ashes on the peaceful plot of private land, on the outskirts of Napier, four years ago, reassured that the site would always be there and they could visit any time.
That was before the value of surrounding residential proper ties skyrocketed, tripling the rates and causing the landowner to rethink its future.
Colin Harvey-James, who owns the acre of land dubbed The Bush, says he is not sure what will happen when he can no longer afford the rates and that he may have to consider other options, including selling the land.
``It is hardly affordable but I will manage. While I'm working, it's fine. It has been in my family for 100 years,' he said.
When he could no longer afford its upkeep, he would look at gifting the land to a trust or seeking sponsorship to ensure the land could remain as it is.
Although families had offered to financially back it, he did not want that to happen.
``I would feel so guilty, I wouldn't let that happen. I wouldn't accept that. It's my problem, nobody else's.
``Had I realised the situation as it was going to unfold today, I would have said no.'
He has started turning down requests for burials there.
Mr Harvey-James established the bush in 1981, when he was in his 20s, developing it ever since with kauri, rimu, totara and white pine, and offering it as a venue for outdoor weddings, ceremonies, school visits and as a peaceful place for people to scatter the ashes of their loved ones.
The land has attracted tui and bellbirds to the suburban street.
Mr Peters said they chose the land for their son's final resting place after much consideration.
Timothy Peters died aged three in an accident.
The Bush fit all the criteria as ``an ongoing, if not permanent place of quiet and peace where we could visit as and when we wanted'.
It was also in Napier where they had lived for many years and an easy drive from their Waipukurau home.
``It was all so beautiful and peaceful and we thought for him, at such a tender age, it would be an ideal place to put him to rest,' said Mr Peters.
``We were given to understand in good faith by Colin that the land was held in perpetuity and that nobody, but nobody, would ever touch it.'
Wellington couple Terry and Christine Vaughan buried both her parents there, as well as her aunt and her husband's nephew and say they were shocked to hear the land could be in peril.
Mrs Vaughan said: ``I sort of feel quite sick, actually ... I think there will be a lot of other people up in arms about this.'
The Vaughans and the Peters said they would be prepared to make payments to sustain the land.
Mr Harvey-James said he had tried to gift the land to the Queen Elizabeth Trust but the land size was too small and he was looking into other options.
The land, separated into three plots, is rated as ``rural' by the Napier City Council.
``If I can leave it to some trust then it would be fine. I intend to contact people whose ashes are buried to explain the situation when it comes to that.'
He said he had not yet been contacted by any concerned fam ilies but that he would work to do what was right.