Hi from our small river port town of Waitara, i was born in Waitara in 1954, and went to school here,my parents Perce and Myrtle Duckett were in business here.I specialise in Waitara History,particularly colonial history,people and shops 1867-1970.So if you have questions about people who lived in the town during this period of time,or need info on shops or shopkeepers who were in business,or who worked in shops,ill try and help.Ive always been fascinated with maori history,but like to leave that to the appropriate historians here.Im particularly interested in Waipapa beach north of Waitara and have done a lot of research back to 1870.I have a very complete maritime history of ships which traded here from overseas and on the coastal run, and their histories from 1828 onwards.Feel free to ask questions,regards Graeme Duckett.Waitara Historian.

Hi Graeme, I was interested to read your article named Remarkable Pair who Swapped Sides in War, thank you :) One of those men mentioned is my GGG Grandfather David Cockburn / Rewi Coburn. I have been driving myself crazy trying to find anybody who knows something about him. I am descended from one of David Cockburn's 25 children. She was named Mary Coburn (she married an Ansell and lived in Aria)and was born in 1878 in Mokau. She had an older brother Robert Pou Coburn born in 1878, and a sister (don't know if she was older or younger) named Noni Coburn (she married a man with the last name of Mason. Mary, Pou & Noni had no idea who their mother was, but knew, of course, that David/Rewi was their father. They were raised in the village by various women I think. I have never heard about the other 22 Coburn children. I read that Bob Fletcher knew of many other Coburn Whanau, and I would love to get in contact with any one of them to swap stories and collaborate. I am wanting to find out how David Cockburn came to New Zealand (I've looked on passenger lists from Melbourne, passenger lists into Otago, lists into Australia, but to no avail...anyway thankyou for your story it was lovely to read.
Kindest Regards, Deb Embleton