David Lange's ashes were disinterred from Waikaraka Cemetery in 2019 and scattered in the Hokianga Harbour two years later by his daughter Edith. Composite photo / NZME
David Lange's ashes were disinterred from Waikaraka Cemetery in 2019 and scattered in the Hokianga Harbour two years later by his daughter Edith. Composite photo / NZME
David Lange’s remains were moved from an Auckland cemetery and scattered by his daughter in the Hokianga Harbour more than 15 years after his death – something his widow says is what “he always wanted”.
The Herald on Sunday revealed the former Prime Minister’s headstonewas recently removed at the request of widow Margaret Pope – his second wife – after his ashes were disinterred from Waikaraka Cemetery in Onehunga. It came as a surprise to Lange’s brother Peter and other family members.
Lange and Pope’s only child, Edith, has defended her mother’s decision, adding that her poppa would be heartbroken by “how his family has treated mum”.
Lange’s younger brother Peter said he was shocked and upset about not being informed, and that the former Labour leader would “probably be laughing from wherever he’s looking down” about the situation.
In a statement sent to the Herald, Edith defended the decision to remove her dad’s remains.
“My Uncle Peter ... has misrepresented both of my parents,” Edith said.
“My poppa would not be laughing, he would be broken-hearted seeing how his family has treated my mum.
“She is the best thing that ever happened to him. The bravest thing my poppa ever did was tell my mum for the first time how special she was. He lived as long as he did because she loved him.
“My parents deserved to be happy, and they were, even if his family were not. I am proud that my mum took his ashes, she owed no notice.”
David Lange's widow, Margaret Pope, at his public art memorial in Ōtāhuhu. Photo / NZME
Pope said it was what Lange wanted.
“He always wanted to be scattered at the heads,” Pope told the Herald.
“He always talked so much about Hokianga and how much he loved it there.
“The place he wanted to be was either in the church yard of the church that he helped rebuild at various times there, or across the heads. So that’s where we put him.”
Lange’s ashes and headstone were removed from the Waikaraka cemetery due to fears of flooding.
“I was never very happy with Waikaraka as the cemetery for David, even though I chose it. Mainly because I thought it was going to get flooded,” Pope said.
She said his headstone, described by Lange’s younger brother Peter as “a lovely, handsome stone”, was removed by a nearby stonemason.
“I think it was Jacobsen [Headstones], the stonemasons nearest to the Waikaraka Cemetery.
“I just asked them to get the permit or whatever from the council and take it away. I don’t know what they will do with it, if there is any value to them or what.”
The disinterment of Lange’s ashes and the subsequent removal of his headstone came as a shock to Peter, who had only recently visited the cemetery late last year to pay his respects.
Artist Peter Lange is happy that his ex-Prime Minister brother David's ashes were scattered on the Hokianga Harbour - as he wanted. Photo / NZME
Peter was pleased to learn where his politician brother now rests, when informed by the Herald.
“That’s kind of what he wanted, to be honest. It’s just a shame that we didn’t know any of this stuff, but it’s good that that’s happened.”
The accomplished artist said Lange had wanted his ashes to be scattered in the Hokianga since he was a young man studying law at university.
“I remember when we were very young … he said, ‘I’ve written my will and when I die I want my ashes to be taken up [in] a top-dressing plane and spread over the Hokianga, and if there’s any left, to go up the Whanganui River’.”
Peter said he was invited to a memorial service at Moria Marae in Whirinaki more than 10 years ago for Lange’s old friend Bob Wynyard, where there was also a tribute to the late Prime Minister.
At the service, he was asked why Lange’s ashes weren’t in Hokianga as he wished.
“They said … ‘We’ve got a burial plot all ready for him up in the hill there’,” Peter recalled.
“I had to explain to them that it was out of my hands, it was in the hands of Margaret and his new family.
“I gave them my speech, and the next guy stood up and said, ‘well if we can’t have him we’ll have you’,” he added with a laugh.
Asked about Peter’s initial surprise and disappointment about the shifting of Lange’s remains and grave, Pope said: “It goes back a long, long way and really it shouldn’t be dredged over in public.
“The real reason I don’t want to talk about it is it hurts my daughter Edith enormously.”
Peter was now at peace with where his brother now lies.
“Edith did the right thing by taking the ashes up there. That’s really good.”
