More grave damage found

A Masterton woman is urging contractors working in cemeteries to take more care with the discovery of further damage in Archer Street cemetery.

Lorraine Crothers featured in the Times-Age in March after her parents headstones were damaged but has since found many graves with similar damage.

She said contractors fixed her parent's headstones within about two weeks of the story being published as a gesture of goodwill, although Masterton District Council never gave her a reason for the damage.

"They've done a good job and it hasn't been damaged again."

But Mrs Crothers said there had been similar damage to the corners of multiple headstones.

She would like to see council contractors take more care with the graves.

"The guy driving the mower said he didn't do it but to me it seems so, from the damage on the other graves that look exactly the same," she said.

"Just a little bit more care would be good."

She emailed photos of the damaged headstones to council earlier this year and was told council would investigate the matter but has heard nothing more.

Parks and Recreation services manager Grant Hathaway said council inspected the cemetery and found the damage which was mainly to the concrete strips the headstones rest on, although it had not determined what caused it.

"A previous mowing contractor may have caused some of the chipping of the concrete strip, but not any of the headstone damage."

He said if the damage has been caused by contractors they would be liable for it.

If the damage was caused by others there was little council could do but "highlight the offensive nature of the damage and distress it causes".

Mr Hathaway said council has received other feedback about headstones in the cemetery which had been dealt with.