dead -- and now live -- Bermuda cedar trees in the graveyard and rectory garden, a St. George's resident claimed yesterday.

She was the second Old Town resident to speak out against the Rev. Anthony Hollis' clean-up effort of church grounds over the last few weeks.

Meanwhile, Government Conservation Officer Dr. David Wingate scolded Rev.

Hollis for having "no regard for the Bermudian tradition of valuing our cedars''.

Rev. Hollis' clean-up was defended last week by the church's groundskeeper, who said there was concern large and dead cedars in the graveyard could fall on visitors.

The trees were also infringing on graves, Mr. James Pitt said. Their roots had broken up several historic gravestones and tombs.

But Dr. Wingate declared that a centuries-old gnarled cedar to get the axe this week after bees are removed from it was a "historic monument''.

Standing in a corner of the graveyard, it had inspired an internationally famous painting and was the "bell tree'' (where the church bell once hung), he said.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, claimed Rev. Hollis was now turning his attention farther up the road, to St. Peter's Rectory where he lives.

Not wishing to give her name, she said Rev. Hollis had "totally cleared out bushes and small cedars'' in the rectory garden, located behind the unfinished church off Government Hill Road.

"He's pulled out all the small trees and he's now hacking out the slave quarters next door,'' she said. "He's going berserk.'' Rev. Hollis responded to complaints by saying it was his garden, she claimed.

"His garden is now a pile of dead trees waiting to be burned,'' she said.

Dr. Wingate said he was going abroad today, but would alert an assistant to the problem.

He said cedars were one of the best trees to have in one's garden so he could not understand why Rev. Hollis wanted to uproot them.

"I'm amazed no one in his church congregation has raised concerns about what he's doing,'' he said.

He added cedars were "durable'': "Just because they're dead doesn't mean they're going to fall down.'' Rev. Hollis could not be reached for comment yesterday. PHOTO Dr. David Wingate.