Meeting proves unnecessary

A public meeting about the Papatowai Cemetery has been labelled a waste of time and unnecessary.

Papatowai resident Don Sinclair told the Otago Daily Times he called the "urgent'' public meeting in Tahakopa on January 30 because he was concerned about what was happening with the cemetery, including its ongoing maintenance.

About 30 people turned up to the meeting, which broke down into shouting and "disquiet'', according to minutes.

Under the Burial and Cremation Act 1964, cemetery trusts are public entities subject to audit.

Mr Sinclair alleged at the meeting the Papatowai Cemetery Trust had failed to meet its obligations under the Act, as it had submitted audits late.

But trust chairman John Galbreath told the meeting the trust had, to the best of his knowledge, kept all paperwork up to date.

The trust still had one month to complete the latest audit, which Mr Galbreath said would "absolutely'' be completed on time.

Mr Sinclair said the trust should make annual reports available to the public, but trust secretary Gayle Hammond said that was not required by law.

Mr Sinclair also asked for a new committee to be formed, as he believed the cemetery had fallen into disrepair.

He asked that a lawnmower be bought so lawns could be mowed.

Mr Galbreath said the sexton, Pip Martin, could not do his duties at present because he had been injured in a quad-bike accident, but others in the community would do any work required.

If the grass became too long, sheep would be moved on to the site to graze it.

This saved the cost of a caretaker.

He believed the support from the community would continue, and a volunteer had stepped in as sexton in Mr Martin's absence.

Mr Sinclair told the meeting that had he known these details earlier, there would have been no need to call the public meeting.

Mr Galbreath told the ODT after the meeting the whole need for the meeting had been "bulls...'' and a waste of time.

The trust had, however, agreed to hold another public meeting within six months.

No new committee would be formed, as it had been clarified the trust was acting within the law.

samuel.white@odt.co.nz

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