Latest as at 31.1.01
Recent Photos of the Waipori Cemetery
TOP:
(Top) THE NEW GATE! Somewhat mysteriously, a new gate appeared recently at the other end of the fence to where the Read house is. Presumably authorised by the Clutha District Council, it has obviously been put there so that complaints by many who objected to having to 'squeeze' past the Read house to get into the cemetery, could be avoided. This seems to show the continuing long-term comitment by the CDC to supporting the house remaining there. We have asked the council for details,of authorisation, cost, and the reason for it being there, but nothing has been forthcoming yet.
(Middle) Dr Dawson Cotton, whose ancestors are buried in the cemetery. He has a 'reference' number on the cemetery list ansd expects to be buried where he likes in the cemetery. He stands on the spot, indicating a very old grave. Having grown up in the area, he recalls there being several graves inside the area where the Ground Penetrating Radar was done at considerable cost to ratepayers recently. The survey allegedly found no graves there. Dr. Cotton has sworn an affadavit testifying to this, copies of which will be given to the various authorities involved, including the local conservator who will be deciding on the council's application to revoke the reserve status of part of the cemetery the Read was allowed to illegally occupy. There is other recorded information about graves in this 'tested' area, so it can be assumed that the veracity of the GPR survey can be called into question. In fact, that survery was probably worthless. There may indeed be old graves under the house.
(Lower) Marguerite Parson's (nee Cotton) huts in the fenced area of the cemetery. There were two huts there, one of which was blown away by the storm in late 1999 - the same storm which severly damaged the original Read huts further up prior to them suddenly burning down. Despite promises by the Reads and other owners of the house to clean up the cemetery, cut the grass, and fix the fences - in exchange for being allowed to keep their house there, they have done nothing. It cost $900 for the burial plot for Marguerite Parson in September 1997, in fees paid to the council. But despite many complaints about the disgracefullly unkempt condition of the cemetery, the council hasn't been anywhere near to cemetery to carry out essential maintenance. You would think at least they would fix the fences, where cattle have been roaming through into the cemetery (this of course, is highly illegal).
Questioned, the Clutha District Council abandoned the 'hearing' of submissions that they had organised before 'independent chairman' Stephen Christenson of the law firm, Anderson Lloyd. Plainly it was illegal (as most of the CDC's actions have been to date in this affair) so they decided to 'summarise' the submissions far, and objections against revocation of reserve status, then send them to the local conservator for decision. This too, is illegal. So this hapless charade continues on the part of the Clutha District Council, piling illegality upon illegality. They were supposed to send on objections only, having disqualified themselves as an 'interested party' determined to allow the Read house to stay, and therefore incapable of 'summarising' anything objectively to do with representations on this matter.