Addington cemetery

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 20

Addington cemetery

Sir,—What is happening to Addington cemetery? When I returned to Christchurch recently, I visited the cemetery to find that the grave of my grandparents had gone. When last seen it was in good condition. I was shocked to see the state of the graves. Vandals have

smashed the headstones and ivy is growing rampant over some graves. Headstones have been removed and earth dumped over them so that any record is obliterated, and there is nothing left to show that these pioneers have passed this way. These people faced many difficulties under very adverse conditions and without any Government help. Many lost children with diphtheria and scarlet fever, while young adults often died of tuberculosis. When the motorway was put through the Bolton Street cemetery in Wellington the headstones were carefully removed and replaced elsewhere with records intact. Who is responsible for this cemetery and can nothing be done to allay this destruction? — Yours, etc., DOROTHY HALL. Wellington, June 10, 1983.

[Mr J. H. Gray, General Manager and Town Clerk replies: “Vandalism, particularly to headstones, is a continuing problem in the older cemeteries administered by the council. A further problem at Addington is that there are now very few burials and it is not practicable to undertake constant supervision of the cemetery. Furthermore, although the vehicle entrance is kept locked, the cemetery is open to the public. Regarding the ivy, this does have some value in as much as it helps to suppress weed growth although it is acknowledged its intrusion over headstones is not desirable. General maintenance is carried out periodically and it is intended to undertake a further clean up with the assistance of job creation scheme labour in the near future. Regarding the suggestion to relocate headstones, this could possibly be done eventually, but only if the cemetery was officially closed. It is unlikely this will be possible for some years yet.”]