Takamore battle: Family to keep guard over body

Jame Takamore's family remain on guard at his gravesite today.

The family of James Takamore are vowing to remain vigilant after an unsuccessful attempt by authorities to remove his body in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

His sister Josie Takamore said up to 30 police officers were on the road near Kutarere Marae about 5am today for the planned disinterment of Mr Takamore - although police say there were far fewer.

She said police arrived at the Kutarere urupa (cemetery) and spoke to a kaumatua, who refused to move.

"He was saying, 'No, absolutely no way you're moving my moko'," Ms Takamore said.

"We had blocked the road down the bottom to the urupa just so [any] digger and excavator couldn't get through."

Ms Takamore said police left soon after speaking with kaumatua.

Area commander for Eastern Bay of Plenty, Inspector Kevin Taylor, said only four police staff in total went to the marae.

A further 10 officers were on standby in vehicles away from the marae in case the need arose but they were never deployed, he said.

"We were extremely mindful to be sensitive the situation with a low-key police presence. The local senior sergeant and iwi liaison officer who have been liaising with all the parties were present at the urupä with a local community constable."

Up to 60 whanau members were at the marae last night and early this morning. Most have now gone home to rest but the whanau plan to take turns sitting by the gravesite of Mr Takamore.

"We're tired but we're still on edge and still have our guard up in case they come back. One whiff of them here and all it will take is one phone call and we'll all be up there again.

"This has opened new wounds but there's a positive feeling among us, this whanau feeling that we all believe absolutely that he needs to stay here," Ms Takamore said.

Mr Taylor said police made the decision to abandon this morning's planned disinterment for safety reasons.

"The role of police from the outset has been to keep the peace, and we have been liaising closely with the court, the Marae Committee and all the parties involved to try to achieve a peaceful outcome.

"Our aim was for the disinterment to be carried out in a dignified and non-confrontational way. Safety was a priority and when it became clear that tensions were escalating, and there was a risk that the safety of the contractors might be in jeopardy, a decision was made to withdraw from the site."

Long battle

The seven-year battle between Mr Takamore's former partner Denise Clarke and his Tuhoe whanau flared up again yesterday when Ms Clarke, the couple's two children, police, lawyers and funeral staff turned up in the small Eastern Bay settlement to assess how today's scheduled disinterment of Mr Takamore's body would take place.

Mr Takamore died of an aneurism in 2007. He had been living in Christchurch for 20 years prior to his death and Ms Clarke, the executor of his estate, planned to bury him in the South Island city.

His Tuhoe family travelled to Christchurch and, after finding Mr Takamore's body alone, brought him back to Kutarere where he was buried beside his father. Since then a bitter legal war between Ms Clarke and the Takamore family has waged with the Supreme Court having the final say in December 2012 when an appeal lodged by Mr Takamore's sister Josie Takamore to keep Mr Takamore in Kutarere through tikanga or Maori customs was dismissed.

Last month Ms Clarke said it had been agreed the disinterment would happen by August and that Mr Takamore's body would be returned to Christchurch for reburial on August 17, the seventh anniversary of his death.