LEAVE DRUGS ALONE, MOURNERS TOLD

Gangs Attend Funeral

Auckland: A Highway 61 member made a desperate plea for the gang to leave
behind the world of drugs at the funeral of his leader, Kevin Weavers.

"Richard", a Highway 61 member now based in Sydney, said Mr Weavers was his
fellow gang brother and a mentor for 25 years. He said the gang was going
through a hard time, especially in New Zealand.

"There is a lot of aggro, a lot of mistrust and it is all due to
overindulgence in things we should leave behind."

Mr Weavers had patched Richard 20 years before and had been best man at his
wedding, even agreeing to wear a suit and tie for the ceremony.

He was one of a strong core of friends, but "there's been a few accidents
and our crew is getting smaller".

"There is good and bad in each of us and each of us should strive to look
after ourselves and not lose ourselves to drugs and alcohol. Those rob us
of our integrity and self-worth," Richard said.

"Unless we use self-control, our world will become a dark place. We only
get one chance at life but we get many choices along the way. There is no
need to dull our senses."

He said there was no need to turn to drugs.

"We live in a wonderful age where the highs can come from little things
like riding your bike, walking your dog."

Richard's words were spoken to members of at least four gangs, packed into
the Waikumete Cemetery chapel, in west Auckland, yesterday.

As well as Mr Weavers' family, friends and fellow Highway 61 members, rival
gangs including King Cobra, Tribesmen and the Headhunters sat among the
pews, hats doffed and sunglasses pushed on top of heads.

The coffin carrying Mr Weaver was driven from his older brother Noel's home
in Manurewa to Waikumete Cemetery. It was escorted by many gang members, on
about 35 motorcycles, their riders unhelmeted for the cortege as a mark of
respect.

Speakers told of the Mr Weavers they knew beyond the gang. Not one
pretended Mr Weavers had kept his hands clean. But they said he could not
be judged solely by the length of his criminal record.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry said a few plainclothes police
officers kept a low profile at the funeral.