Kaiwaka Cemetery

Kaiwaka Cemetery is one of those places you wouldn't know existed if drive along the road. The only thing just seeable is the building just inside the gates. On that building is a plaque which reads "In memory of the early pioneers of Kaiwaka District who erected the first church".

There's not alot of information that I could find online except that apprently the first burial was in 1915 and the brick building, above was dedicated on 2 April 1959.

Inside the brick building on the wall are some more plaques which say "In Memory of Harold Keith Leslie 21.11.1894 - 2.12.1987", "In Loving Memory of Olive Mary Leslie 1909 - 1989" and "In Loving Memory of William Bruce Leslie 1903 - 1993".

Upon my research on these 3 individuals, btw the Leslie surname is very well known in the Kaipara area, I've found that Harold Keith was active during the First World War and returned to NZ in 1916.

William Bruce served in World War 2 and was part a gunner in the Army, it seems Olive Mary was his wife.  Apparently there was a church on the site built in 1878 but was later moved to the Kaiwaka Te Pounga Marae on Nathan's Road -  I will write up a separate post about this.

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