First funeral for New Zealand mosque massacre victim

The first funeral for a victim of New Zealand's twin mosque massacre was set to take place Wednesday as authorities vowed to return more bodies to their loved ones following criticism over delays.

An Australian white supremacist gunman killed 50 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in the southern city of Christchurch last Friday in a murder spree he broadcast live.

Muslims whose loved ones were gunned down have had their grief compounded by the failure of authorities to return bodies to families in time for a speedy burial, as required under Islamic custom.

Only six of the 50 victims have been returned to their families so far.

On Wednesday, Christchurch City Council confirmed the first funeral would take place later that morning in a cemetery not far from Linwood Mosque, the second of the two places of worship targeted.

"After a short time for prayers, family and friends will carry the body to the grave site where it will be laid to rest," council official Jocelyn Ritchie told reporters.

Authorities say they are doing all they can to speed up autopsies and the formal identification of those killed.

Police commissioner Mike Bush said that the process had been slow because of the need to identify victims conclusively and to avoid hindering the prosecution.

In a briefing on Wednesday, he said he hoped a further six bodies would be returned to families by midday.

So far 21 victims have been formally identified by the coroners and he added that he hoped the majority of identifications would be concluded by Wednesday night.

"We are doing all we can to undertake this work as quickly as possible and return the victims to their loved ones," police said in a statement.

"While identification may seem straightforward the reality is much more complex, particularly in a situation like this." - 'Dont speak his name' -
"I implore you: Speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them."
Hart said it was an easy decision for him to hand in his semi-automatic and tweeted: "on the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn't outweigh the risk of misuse. We don't need these in our country."