Funeral firm must apologise for coffin swap

A Blenheim funeral company was "naive" and "morally wrong" in its handling of an elderly man's funeral, and has been ordered to apologise to the family by the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand.

The family of the late Ronald Smith, of Blenheim, said they felt Cloudy Bay Funeral Services breached their trust when Mr Smith's casket was swapped for a cheaper model after his funeral on April 8, and when his cremation failed to go ahead as planned.

"We feel there has been a breach of trust with Cloudy Bay and that it robbed our father of his dignity," Mr Smith's daughter-in-law, Sharyn Smith, said.

The company's owner and funeral director David Buckley said he had never tried to deceive anyone.

Cloudy Bay's membership of the association, which had been suspended, has been reinstated with the release of the findings.

Police and the association investigated Mr Buckley's actions after the Smith family complained that their father's rimu veneer casket was changed to a cheaper customwood model before it arrived for cremation at Sowman's crematorium, without their knowledge or approval.

Mr Buckley has said he transferred the 75-year-old Mr Smith into a new coffin after the original was damaged when it slipped off a trolley after the funeral.

The Smith family were also upset they were unable to travel to the crematorium to make their final farewell, and that there was an undue delay in cremating Mr Smith.

Blenheim police and the association found that Cloudy Bay had no intention to defraud, but the association described the company's actions as "naive".

The substituted coffin did not meet the association's code of conduct, because it was more basic than the type of coffin which should have been used, and the association's disputes committee believed "Cloudy Bay was morally wrong not to have used an identical substitute casket".

The delay in cremating Mr Smith was caused partly by the funeral being on a Thursday afternoon before the crematorium closed for Good Friday, the association said.

While the disputes committee was unable to ascertain beyond doubt whether the Smith family had arranged to attend the cremation, and Cloudy Bay had never taken a family to the crematorium before, Mrs Smith was of Maori descent and would have expected to stay with Mr Smith until his body was cremated, it said.

Cloudy Bay should have discussed the possibility of an after-hours cremation with the crematorium, and the Smith family should have been offered that option. The committee believed a lack of communication played a significant part in the complaint.

"Mr Buckley should have told the family straight away that as the time frame for the cremation could not be met, that the cremation was to be delayed.Similarly, when the casket was damaged, Mr Buckley should have advised the family straight away."

The family had called for Cloudy Bay to receive the highest form of penalty - expulsion from the national association - and ideally not be allowed to practise again. National president John Duncan said there was no regulation of the funeral industry in New Zealand, so it was in the public interest that Cloudy Bay remain a member.

As a provisional member of the association, working toward full membership, Cloudy Bay would be required to participate in professional development, and would receive guidance from an industry mentor, he said.

The company was ordered to make a written apology, which Mr Buckley has undertaken to do, and to waive all of Mr Smith's funeral costs. Mr Buckley has also been required to enrol in the 2005 National Certificate in Funeral Directing course.

Mrs Smith said her family had been caused great stress. They had to formally identify Mr Smith's body again 11 days after he died, and hold a second funeral service.

However, the family would accept the apology.

- NZPA