Poukawa School 75th Reunion 1996 (2024)

Poukawa School

75th Reunion 1996

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Page 1

POUKAWA SCHOOL

75th

JUBILEE

1921 – 1996

Page 2

JUBILEE COMMITTEE

Chairperson Mr. R. Phillips
Secretary/Treasurer Mrs. B. Duff
Research Person Mrs. R. Stead
Committee Members Mrs H. Titchener (Principal), Mrs M. Harrison, Messrs J. Shaw, T. Stead, T. Simons, C. Wrightson

1877 THE NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION ACT

Primary Education becomes free, secular and compulsory. School Districts defined, School Committees elected and Education Boards established. A Department of Education under a Minister of Crown constituted.

The Poukawa School is a full primary co-educational state school. It is set in approximately 1-5 hectares of land and is approximately 16 kilometres by road from Hastings, the nearest provincial centre.

COMPILED BY THE JUBILEE BOOKLET COMMITTEE

Mesdames B. Horn, L. Scoular, R. Stead and Mr J. Shaw
The typist – Sally Hansen

Printed by Central Hawke’s Bay Printers and Publishers, P O Box 21, Waipukurau

Photographs on cover
Front: Poukawa School 1950’s. E. Dixon (E. Cody).
Back: Poukawa School 1932 A.B.D.J.
Accession W3568, Box 194, Poukawa 1932
(National Archives Head Office Wellington)
Poukawa School 1996. R. Stead.

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CONTENTS

Page
4 Chairman’s Message
5 Donation of School Land, A. Hape
5 Principal’s Welcome
6 Board of Trustee’s Report
7 Naming Poukawa Lake
7 Early European History of Poukawa
8 Interview with Zoe Curran, Daughter of Jas. A. Curran
9 Jas. A. Curran and his Time
10 The Poukawa Church Hall
10 The Poukawa Post Office
11 Poukawa School History selected from School Records 1921-1996
17 Flora Struthers – Original Pupil
18 Doris Malcolm – Early Resident
18 Basil Dutfield – Early Pupil
21 Ted Preston – Headmaster 1968-1972
24 Trevor Hollis – Headmaster 1974-1985
25 Sport – Roy White All Black
27 Other sporting achievers
31 Peter Horn – Poukawa Lake about 4000 Years Ago
32 David Buddo – Poukawa School and the Railway
33 Syd Jago – My Memories Poukawa 1942-1958
38 Programme of Celebrations
39 Location Map
40 School Bus
42 The Shaw Family
43 John Shaw’s Memories
44 Miniature Rifle Club
45 David Campbell – Poukawa School
46 The Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle
46 Poukawa Social Club
48 Camp Kaitawa
49 Camp Kaitawa Memories
49 The Wireless Station
50 Lucy Scoular’s (Douglas) Memories
50 Grounds Development
51 Sonia Hawea 1974-1982
52 Principals and Teachers
56 Chairman of School Committees and First Board of Trustees Chairperson
57 Poukawa School Roll 1921-1996
73 Fund Raising Committee
73 Acknowledgement
74 References
74 Tribute
75 Autographs and Addresses
76 Sponsors

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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

On behalf of the Poukawa School 75th Reunion Committee, I would like to welcome everyone taking part in the Reunion and thank you all for your participation. We hope you enjoy the events we have in store for you.

On Friday night we start off with an informal gathering at the school to prime everyone for the Reunion. Saturday starts with a formal welcome followed by a display put on by the present pupils. Lunch and a photo session commences the afternoon with ample free time to catch up on old days. Saturday evening sees us out for dinner, and dancing for those who are keen. A Church Service on Sunday at Poukawa Hall with mark the closing of the event.

Your support and attendance will ensure this event to be the occasion you will be talking about at the 100th Reunion!

Lastly, I would like to give the Reunion Committee my most sincere thanks for the invaluable support they gave to the organisation of the Poukawa School 75th Reunion.

May the future be kind to all.

Russell J. Phillips
Chairman
Reunion Committee.

School Photo 1933 with Principal Mr Jas. A. Curran

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NGAHINA AKENEHI HAPE

Ngahina Akenehi Ratima of Poukawa met and married a farmer from Wairoa – Whanui Hape.

They settled in Poukawa in the late 1890’s and lived in the old homestead south of the School. The shell remains of the home can still be seen standing today. They had twelve children, most of them attending the Poukawa School. Their son Jame Hape and his wife Raiha occupied the Homestead after Ngahina and Whanui died and all their children attended the school during the years 1935 to 1955.

Ngahina was a very wise and humble woman with a kind heart and a willingness to help others. It is because of these attributes that she saw the need to encourage and foster the education of all the children within the district.

The land where the Poukawa School now stands was gifted by Ngahina Akenehi Hape. Her descendants take this opportunity in thanking our Tipuna for her gesture and also to extend our acknowledgement and remembrance on this special occasion of the Poukawa School’s 75th Reunion.

Arohanui
A.A. Hape.

PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga waka
Haere mai, nau mai, haere mai ki o kura, te kura of Poukawa

On behalf of the school I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all past pupils, staff and parents of Poukawa School, to Poukawa Community members, both past and present, and to their friends and families who have accompanied them on this important occasion – the 75th anniversary of the school. How wonderful to be celebrating this birthday and acknowledging the importance of this school as a focal point of this rural community. Welcome back to your school.

I also take this opportunity to remember and acknowledge those who have passed on, and those who are unable to be with us this weekend. Our thoughts are with them as we enjoy our celebrations.

I am pleased to report that 75 years after it began, Poukawa School is very much alive and well. These days a mixture of rural and urban pupils attend Poukawa School and the commitment of our school community is as strong as ever.

Many of you will have striven to provide the assets which we all now enjoy – assets like the swimming pool, the library, our pine plantation and many of the resources which we utilise in the school. The present staff, pupils and community are most appreciative of the facilities we enjoy, and we too, are committed to doing our bit for the further development of the grounds and for the provision of modern, up-to-date equipment and resources so that our children can benefit from a broad, well-rounded education.

I’m sure you will enjoy your weekend, meeting up with old friends and reminiscing over past deeds. I personally look forward to meeting many of you and to hearing tales of how school was in your day.

Thank you for helping to make this weekend a great success. We look forward to another 75 years of successful education at Poukawa School.

No reira te whanau o tatou kura, kia ora koutou katoa

Heather Titchener, Principal

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT 1996

The Mission Statement in the Poukawa School Charter reads … “to create a safe, attractive and friendly environment that is stimulating and challenging, where all children are encouraged to take a growing responsibility for their own quality learning and behaviour and to achieve this in the partnership of the home.”

These are the aims that the Poukawa Board of Trustees has, in consultation with the school and local community, set for education at Poukawa School in the 1990s.

However, reading back through some of the historical log-books of the school it is obvious that these have been objectives in the past as well. Our Mission Statement of the day is a natural progression of what has come before us.

From within the school there is a feeling of a very proud history and a very high level of personal and educational achievement of the pupils. Also the feeling of a strong sense of belonging to the community.

In recent times the school has felt the overwhelming support of its local community. In 1994 with our roll at 12 pupils we looked at the viability of remaining open and the Board of Trustees took our concerns to “Poukawa”. From within the community we gathered the courage, support and expertise to sustain us. The School now owns its own bus and we transport children from Hastings. The roll in 1996 has increased to 45, we have a junior roll of 22 and the senior roll of 23.

The town/country ratio has remained stable at half each, with the country numbers just up at the moment.

Poukawa’s caring community, which has been a strong thread throughout the school’s history, has been there for us once again.

While we grapple with the everyday realities of running a school in the 20th Century it is most important for us to remember that the needs of the children and their learning be paramount.

On behalf of the 1996 School Board of Trustees and parents of the school, I salute those of our past and wish every success, happiness and great achievements to those who will follow.

Angela Hewitt,
Chairperson,
Poukawa School Board of Trustees.

POUKAWA SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT

“To create a safe, attractive and friendly environment that is stimulating and challenging, where all children are encourage to take a growing responsibility for their own quality learning and behaviour and to achieve this in partnership with the home”.

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THE NAMING OF POUKAWA LAKE

POUKAWA

pou – post or pole, kawa – lean

The district of Poukawa takes its name from the Lake Poukawa, named after a fishing rights discussion between two Maori chiefs, as follows.

Te Rangihirawera, the lesser ranking chief at Te Wheao Pa situated behind Te Hauke, left the pa with a small following and built a pa north-east of the lake. He asked the higher ranking chief Te Rangikawhiua for their fishing boundaries in the lake to be established. This demand, Chief Te Rangikawhiua found insulting and he disregarded the request. Te Ragihirawea thrust a long totara pole as a Rahui into the lake, marking boundaries, and giving himself the best fishing grounds, leaving the tuna kawa or lean eels for the others. The lake was from then on known as ‘lean pole’ or Poukawa. Needless to say, Te Rangikawhiua disregarded the Pou Kawa, and fished wherever he liked. Following these events much strife occurred.

EARLY EUROPEAN HISTORY OF POUKAWA

The Douglas Family, Te Mahanga
Originally known as Ngawhakatarata, the station was 19,000 acres of limestone hills, foothills and flats on the eastern side of the Poukawa stream. The southern boundary was the South East shore of Lake Poukawa.

About 1860 William Douglas was farming the Te Mahanga block. He was very interested in racing and soon established a racing stud. At the time of the yearling sales up to 200 people would arrive by train, being transported from the Poukawa Railway Station to the Douglas’s for the yearling sale and lunch. Horse racing has always featured in the Douglas family.

Over the years the size of the station has been much reduced, but families who worked on the land, or who bought the land, had need of a school in the district for the education of their children.

The Carlyons, Koparakore
The Carlyons of Gwavas Station at Tikokino also had the property at Poukawa known as Koparakore, with boundaries including the Poukawa stream, Horonui and the Hassall Estate.

The Campbells, Poukawa, Horonui
The name of the original station, Poukawa, was taken from the name of the lake. Mr Hugh Campbell bought the station in 1867 and at this time it was approximately 20,000 acres with boundaries touching Te Mahanga, Raukawa, Maraekakaho and Paki Paki [Pakipaki]. Mr Campbell’s children were taught by a governess and after school they helped their father with stockwork. Mr Campbell’s son Mr Hugh McLean Campbell M.P. made his home at Horonui and after his father died, managed the Poukawa block as well. Eventually Poukawa and Horonui became divided between members of the family.

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FROM ZOE CURRAN – MR JAS. A. CURRAN’S DAUGHTER

School in 1930’s

Before entering the School, the children lined up outside and everyone had to produce a handkerchief. There was to be no sniffing or using a cuff. Those without for two days in a row would get the strap. Hands were then looked at and any one with dirty hands went round the back to the basins. Rona Hawley would be at the basins with gentian violet for any impetigo.

Schools always began with times tables which were written on concertina doors. There were permanent smaller panels on the bottom of these days. Then spelling.

For morning tea Mr Curran and the assistant teacher went over to the School House through the school gate and along the road for tea and hot scones, Mr Curran watching the children from the School House.

Mr Curran thought it important to be neat and tidy and to set a good example he wore two clean shirts a day.

On one occasion an Inspect of Science and Nature came to the School and Mr Curran took him for a nature walk up Camping Hill and down again. Mr Curran had hoped to show him Huhu grubs but found children had eaten them.

War Years

During the war the school children stood on a hill to wave the men off. The train didn’t stop at Poukawa, it just slowed down. During this time Mrs Curran had a running battle with the Education Board because she wanted fly-screens and running water. The School House had only rain water tanks. Later a small spring was found and water pumped up. Mr Curran was always battling on this subject.

The first school house was built in 1931. Mrs Curran always thought the place was unfinished because concrete wasn’t around the house. Eventually pink concrete was placed.

The boarding situation at Poukawa was always acute. One teacher came every day by train from Napier although getting back was tricky. Others stayed with families in the district.

On Friday afternoon Mr Curran would walk to the Mission School at Te Hauke where the Misses Aplin taught. On occasions Mr A. Smith would take him down by car and there he would help teach the young boys at the school. The Te Hauke Mission School closed in 1937. Some of the children went to Pukehou and some to Poukawa. The Te Hauke School was built in the sixties absorbing the Te Hauke children.

School Concert at Church Hall 1931
Florence (Flo) Clarke 1st on left. Gwenna McDonald 3rd on left
Lawrence McDonald Page Boy

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JAS. A. CURRAN AND HIS TIME

ZOE CURRAN

James Curran (Baldy) came to the Poukawa School in May 1932 and started an 18 year battle with the then Hawke’s Bay Education Board to get improvements to the school. The school was a stark building standing on a slight rise catching all southerly wind. The area surrounding the school was covered in limestone which when mixed with mud in the winter term made a lovely ‘claggy’ mixture which was carried into school by feet and shoes. Sometimes as much inside as outside!!

Eventually, after great discussion and recrimination, concrete was laid around the school and the house. The great difficulty at all times was, of course, the lack of water. This bone of contention was never resolved in my Father’s time. The rain water-tanks were woefully inadequate for the school’s needs. The country was coming out of a depression and there was little extra money around. After that, of course, the catch cry was ‘Don’t you know there is a war on?!’

Over the years many improvements were made but the one thing that would have made life easier would have been water and being able to do away with the ‘long drops’.

My Father enjoyed his years at Poukawa and I am still able to use the watch he was given when he left the school.

Photo caption – Jas. A. Curran

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THE POUKAWA CHURCH HALL

The Poukawa Church Hall was built by Charles Hennum for the Campbell Family on land given by the Campbells and opened in 1907 by the Rev. Alex. Whyte of Havelock North who conducted the first service. Previously services were held at both the Campbell’s Horonui Homestead and at the Douglas’s Te Mahanga. It was intended for the use of all denominations and it has been used on many occasions since for a variety of functions. School was taught at the Church Hall prior to 1921, and Sunday School has been taught there on a regular basis.

From an extract of a child’s diary written by her Mother “Sunday school party. For tea – jelly, ice-cream, sandwiches, buns, little sausages, orange drink. Balloons”.

THE POUKAWA POST OFFICE

From “The Bay to Bush Postal History”

The Post office was opened 13 August 1913. It was a very small corrugated iron-clad building adjacent to the railway.

James Corless, a local farmer was created first Post-Master. He lived 100 metres from the railway. His salary was 18 pounds per annum which included 4 pounds for rent of the building. James Corless was killed on the railway crossing in May 1929. The position of Post-Master was taken over by his son John, known as Jack, in November 1929. The Post Office was the social centre for Poukawa with farmers and wives gathering for their daily mail. Jack retired in 1971 at the age of 81. The office was closed on 2 April 1971 and Rural Delivery introduced from Hastings from then on.

The Poukawa mail arrived by train and was dropped off at the Poukawa Railway Station at 8.30 am. Three bags were dropped, one for the Smith, one for Horonui, and one for Poukawa. Eventually the train drive would drop the three bags off to Jack at the Post Office, north of the Railways Station, and return mail was picked up at the Station. Latterly the Post Office was locked when not in use; many people had postboxes at the Post Office. Jack Corless did not marry and stayed on at Poukawa until he took ill and died.

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POUKAWA SCHOOL

1 June 1921
Poukawa School officially opened in the Poukawa Church Hall, a temporary building. It was rent free from Mr H. Campbell, M.P., Roll 13 and Mr Curran, the Teacher, stayed only one month. An inspection 1 August 1922 found “that the building was most unsuitable for the purpose. On both occasions of my visit the room was bitterly cold”. He teacher at this time was D.C. Webber.

5 November 1923.
The School moved into their new building. The roll went up to 24 and the Headmaster was Mr A.W.C. Kinch. An inspection found that the school was well in hand and doing well in a number of subjects.

1928. Classes being taken in the porch or shelter shed. Funds obtained to erect a picket fence and gates in front of school, also a doorstep.

1929. (June). The teacher reported that the weather was getting bad and that it was difficult to teacher with 56 people in the room with seats for only 40. At school the juniors sat on the left and progressed to the middle of the room before sitting on the right as seniors. Reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and history were the core subjects.

4 June. Standards 2-6 taken down to the Smith’s Home, Poukawa, where school was taught in a large room attached to the single men’s quarters. The other classes were left at school, but unable to do much because of building operations. The standards returned after three weeks.

July. The school was painted, interrupting classes again and the teachers taking turns teaching on the porch when weather fine.

December. Prize-giving and concert/play in the Church Hall held at night.

1929. The County Grader employed to level the school grounds. Top soil levelled with a horse and dray. A portion of the grounds fenced for a horse paddock. Accordion doors installed to divide the class room and School added on to.
Roll 60 – attendance 50.
A new residence for Headmaster applied for.

1930. Enquiries were made on cost of tar-sealing the Basketball Court. Estimated cost 50 pounds.
In 1930 the children came out of school in winter months at 3.15 p.m. The children travelling by train at 3.45 p.m.
The annual Children’s Fancy Dress held at the Taheka Grannery on 3 October 1930.

1931. School picnic planned for 6 February. However, owing to the February 3rd earthquake the school was closed until 16 February and picnic postponed indefinitely. A teacher reported “tremendous earthquake, seniors were outside, juniors inside the school, all safe”. Chimneys were broken, 3 tanks damaged, a south gable end and spouting damaged. Many children had been moved out of the district and school was held outside as earthquakes were still being felt.

Steps were taken this year to obtain dental treatment for the children
– Pipes and drains laid in sportsfield
– Native trees planted in school grounds
– Money was forwarded to help re-build the Hastings Dental Clinic

1932. – School picnic held on school grounds
– hot cocoa to be supplied for children at cost of one penny per week
– a wireless speaker fitted to the school
– unemployed men levelled the sportsground
– addition made to shelter shed
– no prizes give to children this year – instead the money allocated was spent on books for the school library

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1933. Annual School Picnic held in Napier
Te Hauke established as a side school to Poukawa. School roll – Poukawa 40, Te Hauke 23. Start was made on tennis court.

A dance held at Te Hauke, with proceeds for school funds to purchase books. An Inspection Report of the side schools Poukawa-Te Hauke “The outlook is promising. The classrooms in both schools are in very fair order and have suitable provision for warming and ventilating them. The grounds are well looked after at the main school and pleasing to see tree planting. Order, tone and discipline good throughout. Jas. A. Curran, Headteacher, Poukawa, 23 pupils. Miss R. Hawley, Assistant, 22 pupils Poukawa Side School Te Hauke 25 pupils”.

1934. A Trespass Notice placed on school grounds. School closed in May because of a measle epidemic. A 10 foot gate purchased for horse paddock.

1935. Grounds improvements included spreading 20 yards limestone on playground and planting trees. School closed on Election Day 27 November.

1936. Side School of Te Hauke closed. Mr Timu ploughs school playing areas ready to be put down in grass. Sowing of seed left to Mr B Hennum. Application for a well to be sun in school grounds. School lowered to one teacher status. Roll 45.

1937. A request to the Education Board for a sign on road bend between the Church Hall and School. Suggested that Poukawa School line up with free milk delivery, but instead a free cocoa service was begun.

1938. Mr Hennum topped the trees.

1940. Children to have ice-cream and sweets at the end of the year.

1942. A portion of the grounds were ploughed up for a garden. Sugar-ration coupons needed for cocoa service. On 22 October the school closed for the Grand Patriotic Carnival held at Tomoana.

1943. Spinning wheels were bought for the children to use.

1944. The school used for Maori Religious Instruction. The District Nurse came to school and commented favourable on the general health. A working-bee was held to clear blocked drains and clean and repair water spouting.

1945. School Committee recommended that pine trees be cut out and replaced with macrocarpa. Two new water tanks installed.

1946. Water tanks empty (March) 600 gallons of water were carried in and Mr A. Smith supplied water to relieve the crisis. School roll – 70. Mr R. H. Locks bus run discussed.

1947. Innoculations [inoculations] for protective treatment of diptheria [diphtheria]. School closed early on account of polio scare.

1948. A letter was written to the Education Board intimating that the school would close if water supply failed.

1949. Proposal that a fund be started with the object of building a swimming pool.

1950. As a possible school uniform – blue shorts and grey shirts for the boys was decided on. Application to the Education Board for bicycle stands was made. An appeal for the Poukawa School Baths Fund was opened at the Post Office.

1952. Physical Education equipment bought – jungle gym, horizontal bar, six rubber balls.

1953. School Library Service to continue. Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Two framed photographs of the Queen and Royal Family bought – one for each room.
Application to the Education Board for a telephone for the school. Mrs Campbell donated a new flag to the school.

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1954. Funds canvassed for a sewing-machine and installation of a telephone. Education Board made 300 shelter tree plants available for the school.

1955. Poukawa School joins the Hastings & District Primary School Sports Association. A school bus run proposed.

1956. Working bees on topping trees at the School House, clearing a plantation on west side. Department of Scientific Industrial Research would advise school if enough water under the school grounds to supply a swimming pool. Mr S. G. White donated a full set of Encyclopaedia.

1957. A dance was held in the Poukawa Hall on 13 July to raise funds for the school.

1958. A house to house appeal for school funds was most successful, and some of this spent on library reference books, matting for junior room, footballs and basketballs, physical education equipment, art material, projector parts and woodwork tools. A dance held to raise funds for the Christmas Party and School Picnic.

1959. 43 pupils on the roll. A new water tank installed. A jumble sale organised at Te Hauke by Mesdames Chapman and Horn to help finance a projector for the school raised 40 pounds and three pence. Sports at Raukawa School. A geography trip on 11 December

1960. Junior Red Cross formed. Te Hauke School visited with Football & Basketball teams. Gala Day 16 October. Children swimming at the Pukehou School Pool.

1961. Manual training began 21 February, the Education Board providing transport. Projector finally arrived and in use. Film showing at Hall every second Tuesday and fundraising used for school funds. Lynette King won the quarter finals Off-Road Safety Quiz. A grant received from Cabinet for the conversion of two small classrooms into one, the erection of a new classroom and provision of staff and ancillary accommodation. Gala Day 18 November.

1962. School Picnic Windsor Park 20 February 1962. Supplies – 6 doz. ice cream, 4 and ½ doz. small pies, 9 doz. small cakes, 4 and ½ dozen coca cola, 1 bottle cordial, 16 doz. Sandwiches, 8 doz. cheerios, 3 doz. buns. School lawn to be ploughed and levelled as it is too rough for mowers. Girls going to Waipukurau, Waipawa for basketball and the boys going to Pukehou for football. Fence around concrete to keep sheep on grass. Gala put on by pupils. Swimming pool plans start again. School given half day holiday by Governor General, Lord Cobham, on 24 May.

1963. Owing to the baths being built the grounds not ploughed this year. New language, social studies, infant reading and number syllabuses introduced, dental nurse comes to the school. 1 June – Committee parents and Head Teacher spent day working on the baths. Walls poured 12 July, 6 August floor of pool poured. Flower Show held in September. 18 October concrete poured for base of pool. A Pet Show held in October. Plastering of pool completed in November,

1964. Unsatisfactory drilling for water. 8 April a working bee to clean up around baths, fill and level for shed foundations. 18 & 19 August foundations for filter and changing sheds poured. 25 April under Mr L. Horn’s guidance boxing and pouring of concrete floors for changing sheds. 29 April, erection of sheds commenced. In September a kiln was constructed and fired for the first time in November. Poukawa School flower show in October.

1965. 1 March school baths completed and children had their first swim. Official opening 15 March by Mr E. Ormond, Education Board member for the district. School house painted and papered in May and two new water tanks installed. Working bee to put battens on new fence and erect aluminium fences at the end of school. New 1,000 watt Aldis Tutor Film Strip Projector arrived.

1966. School Roll – 28. Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle initiated. Red Cross started at the School. A Record Player and a Polisher arrived from Education Department. New electric wires connected to northern end of school and power changed to new lines. Plans for new toilet block to be attached to the school.

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1967. Skill set stands cemented in. School painted in May. Musical instruments purchased. Trees at top end of shelterbelt cut down. Shelter belt on front lawn planted.

1968. Roll – 34. Health Department representation tested pool water and investigated pool facilities with a satisfactory result. Olympia 18 inch carriage typewriter donated by Ladies’ Social Circle. Five felled macrocarpa trees converted into firewood by a dozen men with chainsaws. Standard 3 and Form 2 pupils to Nelson Park to meet Sir Arthur, Lady and Joanna Porrit [Porritt] who granted a holiday to the school. A stock drive held, Gus Parsons, Brian Bain and Tony Robson collecting stock and donations. Twyford Sports. Hastings and District Sports. Swimming pool painted thanks to Rex and John Malcolm Anne Bain, Lorraine Hare, Gloria Bartlett and Mr and Mrs Preston. Proposal in hand from New Zealand Railways to install flashing lights and bells at Station Road, Poukawa. The school grounds commented on for their good condition during a school inspection.

1969. New toilets. More trees planted around the school. Items required for the school include musical instruments, new fence, flag pole to road, phone extensions for school house to school, new typewriter, school painted, gym equipment. Working-bee to erect fence around native trees. Moa bones found at Poukawa. Kiln in final stages of reconstruction. Permission given to dismantle old toilets.

1970. Mr Preston arranges to take 13 children to Camp Kaitawa. Maori Festival – Poukawa combined with Te Hauke for a successful evening held at the Napier Boys’ High School. Guy Fawkes bonfire and fireworks display. Twyford Sports. Committee members cut and laid carpet in the Library. Committee men broke up and removed concrete block from the old toilets and also cleaned up around plantation area. Garage floor concreted.

1971. Head Teacher, Mr Preston, on Sabbatical Leave for 1971. 50th year of Poukawa School. Hastings and District Primary Swimming Sports Association – Richard Bartlett and Linda Cowan representing Poukawa. Nurse Nelson – dental nurse – inspected children’s teeth. New goal posts erected. Te Aute and Te Hauke-Poukawa Maori concert at Te Hauke. Shop Day raising money for Save the Children – children bringing home-made sweets and comics for a stall. At A & P Show Megan Stowe and Annabel Waretini gained places in A & P Art Competition. Andrea Gray and Jennifer Cavell gained places in printing and handwriting. Several other children’s work was highly commended. Swimming pool painted by Noel Porter, Chris Long, Peter Lincoln and Don Dixon. Roll – 43

1972. Swimming incentive awards completed. Board plumber replaced guttering along north and south sides of school. Painting of school and school house. A working-bee to provide wood for the fires. Mrs Jacobs giving up the bus run. Meeting called to discuss new bus run. Amiria Waretini selected for the Hastings under 16 Girls’ Hockey Team. Raukawa and Poukawa hockey teams visited Heretaunga Intermediate and played against the top intermediate teams. The girls beat Intermediate by 3-0 and the boys were beaten by 2-0. At A & P Show winners were Andrea Gray (printing), Nicola Phillips, Sally Scoular, Anderson Waretini, Debbie Long, Jennifer Cavell, Lyne Campbell, Eric Long, Mark Porter. Red Cross Youth Group pupils from the school helped preparations for a garden party held at Mana, Poukawa.

1973. Roll – 45. Temperature 7 February 102 degrees Fahrenheit/39 degrees Celsius in the Porch. Head Teacher gains his bus licence. School baths painted by senior children. Windows repaired in the school. Tenders called for the repiling of the school house. A Red Cross Youth Croup survival day programme held in school grounds, Paki Paki, Te Hauke and Poukawa Red Cross members attending. Doors fitted in the playshed. Guy Fawkes celebrations with B.B.Q. beforehand. Mrs Jacobs ending her bus contract.

1974. Floors sanded in both classrooms ready for carpeting. Senior class made two visits to the Peka Peka Swamp. Brian Spencer and Mark Porter selected as Hastings hockey reps. Fire extinguishers delivered to the school and their use explained to the children. Camp Kaitawa visit in third terms. Pet Parade. Third bedroom requested for school house.

1975. School bus fully loaded on both runs. Mark Porter, Brian Spencer, David Campbell, Dean Mohi, Eric Long, Anderson Waretini all selected for the H.B. Hockey Squad. Staff attended a course on Natural Science. Ladies’ Social Circle purchased new curtains for staff room. School gymnastic team performs well. Library painted and new carpet laid. Whole school participated in a Cookout as part of their study on fire. Guy Fawkes celebrations. 10 children pass gymnastics grade 2 badge, 10 children pass grade 1 badge.

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1976. Plumbers installed a new pressure tank in the pumpshed. Square dancing lessons in the school. Two teams entered in the Saturday morning netball competition. Windows replaced in staffroom and junior room. Standard 2 to Form 2 pupils have a week’s trip to Wellington.

1977. The gymnastics team invited to perform for the Queen. New fence line erected below the school by Derek Brownrigg and his men. School roll at 51. 5 April, 1000 gallons of water trucked out to the school. Motor replaced in filtration plant. 12 December three truck loads of water brought out.

1978. Chemical store shed completed. A Tulip tree planted by Form 2 pupils. Senior class children participating in a Club’s programme. A mini Commonwealth Games held at school. Three hundred new pine trees planted. A Mumps outbreak. Governor General grants a school holiday.

1979. Extended licence for bus – 19 children can now be accommodated. 13 February water tracked out to school. An emergency door to be built into east wall of the Senior Room. School house on replacement list. School roll 61 on 6 July 1979. Swimming pool sandblasted. Sports Day at School – parents and pupils. Camp Kaitawa. New classroom confirmed. One of the specimen trees had to be shifted to make room for new classroom. Tank sites developed by the house to take two new 5000 gallon tanks.

1980. Roll – 67. Religion Instruction begun. Visit from 90 children from Irongate School. David Tilyard and Shane Hollis selected for the H.B. ‘B’ Hockey Team. Mr L. Horn’s water system connected for swimming pool. Poukawa School takes the merit award for writing in the first of the A & P competitions. School painted.

1981. School receives a new piano. Rooms 1 and 2 class trip to Puketitiri.

1982. New record player for the school. Maximum school bus roll to be 18 pupils. Sufficient players to form a cricket tea. Good results in Cross Country event.

1983. Dramatic downturn in school roll. Total fire ban inn operation in district. 12 children passed their 1500m swimming test. 11 April water trucked out – top tanks drained. A Maori Arts demonstration held for Mrs Harwood’s class. Calculators arrive. Although rolls below minimum Poukawa a three teacher school Camp Kaitawa 6/11/83 – 12/11/83. Christmas Social held in the District Hall.

1984. School house tenanted. Successful swim-a-thon held. 18 June necessary to have water trucked to the school. School T-Shirts purchased. Front bank levelled and planted in succulents. Geoffrey Pilcher reaches Quarter Finals in a Chess Tournament. Well drilling at Hall site reported to be a success. Water found at 300 feet and pumped out at 480 gallons per hour. Swimming pool painted by parents. 11 December 1984 more water trucked out to the school. Christmas Party to commence 5.30 p.m. at Hall

1985. 28 January 1985 school again out of water. School remains three teacher but could drop to two teachers in 1986. Rumour that Te Hauke and Poukawa Schools to combine with combined school at Te Hauke. 17 May 1985 school house from Te Mata school transported to Poukawa. Wasps in the classroom. School raised $36.14 for Telethon. School official designated G1 (two teacher) for next year. September – Hall well water supply connected to the school.

1986. Several families took the opportunity to take children to the Royal Visit. Flag pole completed by Committee. Building renovations of senior and junior classrooms. Pines in plantation pruned. 16 July 1986 removal company put relocatable classroom on truck ready for removing the following day. Difficulties experienced getting truck out between house and school. Brad Thompson and Katie Hansen competed in the Country Schools Speech Semi-finals. Seven schools participated with Katie Hansen being placed first. Visit by two Hastings Central School Special Classes. School Speech Contest finals at Heretaunga Intermediate School Hall. Katie Hansen representing Poukawa School placed second overall, winning a prize for herself and $150.00 for the school – Tourist Kelt sponsorship. Geoffrey Pilcher selected in the North Island Primary School Hockey Tournament. Old building site cleared by Mr J. Lane and Mr J. Campbell. School used for neighbourhood watch meeting. Approximately $1500 raised by parents on crutching work days for school funds. Christmas concert and supper held at the hall.

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1987. Roll – 25. Working-bee held by Committee and parents to thin trees in plantation and cut up wood for fires. Beach Study Day at Pourerere Beach. Visit to Wakarara Outdoor Education Centre. Camp for Standard 3-F2 children at Central Hawke’s Bay Outdoor Centre at Camp Wakarara. Notification of end of School Bus Service at end of term. Combined Poukawa-Te Hauke Cross Country held on Mr J. Lane’s property. New lawn mower – Masport Commander 610. Two teams successfully participated in the Hastings Tabloid Sports at Nelson Park. Belinda Bourke placed third in 9-year girls sports. Four children participated in Hastings and District Primary Schools’ Twilight Athletics at Nelson Park. Final placings were Jared Thompson 1st 800m, Belinda Burke 1st 9-yr old 100m, and 3rd 9-year old 200m. Christmas Concert at the Hall. Supper at the school.

1988. Swimming sports held in conjunction with Te Hauke at Poukawa pool. Trees felled in the plantation. Inter-School Swimming Sports at Aquatic Centre, Hastings, 11 children participated. Certificates won by Cameron Lane, Elaine Lowe, Sarah Lane, Myra Edwards, Kara Campbell. Ladies’ Social Circle made donation of $100.00 for the School Library. School acquired a computer. A team of three children competed in the Hawke’s Bay Mathletics competition – Sarah Lane, Kara Campbell and Charlton Brownrigg. Their score was 65%. Sports visit from Mahora School. Pool waterblasted in preparation for painting. A craft week was held. Twilight Athletics at Nelson Park – Belinda Bourke finished 1st in 10 year old 100m and 2nd in 10 yr 400m. School break-up at the Poukawa Hall followed by a social B.B.Q. at home of Pauline and John Campbell.

1989. Roll – 13. Changing sheds and back sheds cleaned and painted. Address by Mr Bob Heron on “Tomorrow’s Schools”. A cabbage tree planted just inside the main gate, sent by the Education Ministry and Department of Conservation to mark the start of Tomorrow’s Schools. New television, video and lawnmower purchased from locally raised funds. Joy Cowley, author, visited, reading several stories and talked about writing and producing them. The school went on a day trip to Porangahau to see the war canoe being built. Mr Trevor Hollis bought two classes from Raureka School for an overnight camp. Poor weather meant many children slept in the school as their tent leaked. Children performed two short plays at the Annual Break-up.

1990. V. Crisp, principal, to train as Reading Recovery Tutor, Wendy Taylor, acting principal. 16 June 1990 a climbing rose planted by front fence in memory of Rena Pilcher. Concrete laid over new trench for underground power cable. Whole school went to Te Hauke to farewell on the marae Phillipa Thompson. This was the first marae visit for some pupils. Underground cables put in by Telecom. Medieval afternoon – parents invited, children in costumes, dances medieval food and games, Pet Day. Bicycle Safety Day – children encouraged to wear helmets when riding. Working-bee to tidy up school following a B.O.T. meeting. A totara tree planted, donated by the Hastings District Council. Whole school went to an exhibition of Central Hawke’s Bay Maori Artefacts by invitation of Nga Taonga O Tamatea Trust. Coming Together Project at the Tomoana Showgrounds. A display of children’s work throughout Hawke’s Bay.

1991. School opens with 18 pupils. 5 March National Census Day. School Camp at Waimarama Beach. Ramon Joe, Maori Adviser visited to discuss the content of our Maori Unit, beginning Term 2. Whole school travelled to Napier to go sailing on S.V. Tradewind. Mangaorapa School visited Poukawa School. 19 August 1991 snow falling in Poukawa. 31 August 1991 Poukawa Social in Poukawa Hall. Primary School Art Exhibition in Hastings – Poukawa School represented by all pupils. 28 November visit to Mangaorapa School.

1992. Combined Swimming sports with Pukehou at Poukawa. Field Trip to Dennis Brownrigg’s property to study the pond and swamp. Poukawa Fundraising Committee established. Office reconstruction almost complete. Photocopier purchased and installed. 7-aside tournament at Onga Onga. Bark put down at the adventure playground by John Malcolm and Rob MacPhail. Springhill Cross Country – Poukawa winning three 1st two 2nds and three 3rds. Children’s art work exhibited at the Hastings Y.M.C.A. – all children exhibiting. Older children taken sailing in an Optimist yacht at Pandora Pond. Robin and Joyce Stothart farewelled.

1993. Roll – 17. All children visiting the Dental Nurse. Whole school went into Hastings to practise “Safe Walking” around busy city streets. Whole school goes on camp to Wellington. Seniors taken to a Science and Technology Show. A new Acorn A4000 computer acquired through the Write Price docket collection scheme.

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1994. Playgroup began fortnightly sessions. Beach education day at Ocean Beach. Swimming carnival with Pukehou School held at Poukawa. Kiwi Sport Day at Elsthorpe School. A medieval Day held – children dressing up and enjoying a medieval feast. A school bus purchased and Mrs Arna Ogg keen to get licence to drive the bus. School roll climbing. Second teacher appointed. Kite Day with Phillip Dean.

1995. Roll – 34. Softball tournament at Waipawa – Poukawa entered a team. Eight children taken to Gym Festival. A Californian Big Tree planted, donated by the Hastings District Council. Major working-bee at school. Field marked out for rugby and soccer. A Concert Day held at school. Seniors went to a camp at Taupo.

1996. Roll – 37 at beginning of year. Advertising for Poukawa School 75th Re-union underway. Softball tournament Waipukurau Primary School. Visit to Raukawa by netball team. Combined Poukawa School and Raukawa School Netball team called Kawa Kawa. Mini-ball starts again. Onga Onga 7 Aside.

NOTES FROM AN ORIGINAL PUPIL –
FLORA SEPHTON nee Struthers

Flora Struthers’ family lived at Te Mahanga where her father managed the Station. Flora and her younger sister walked to school each day – and she still walks whenever she is able. Mr W.A.B. Goodwin, a Headmaster at Poukawa School, boarded for a time at Te Mahanga and although he had a motorbike he sometimes walked to school with the children. Mrs Sephton remembers planting the macrocarpa trees for shelter and Torry Saunders says “wont it be good to see these trees when they have grown up!” She remembers crossing over a style past the Church Hall on the way to school, and that the School was just a building in the middle of a paddock with a shelter shed and garden. Heating the school was by a kerosene heater placed in the middle of the floor. Mrs Sephton remembers the Fancy Dress Event which was held at Charlie Hennum’s woolshed. Music was played by a Maori group and adults danced in the evening too. She was very keen on sport and the Poukawa children played basketball against Paki Paki and Paki Paki beat them hollow. Mr Goodwin, the Headmaster had arranged transport for the Poukawa children – the Te Mahanga truck with no sideboards!! Mrs Sephton can remember walking to the top of Camping Hill, a day’s excursion to marvel at the view, and find the remains of Maori camp-sites which included shells. Mrs Sephton now lives in Hastings and her philosophy is “Life is full of challenges, and Give it a Go”, also “Life is what you make of it”.

Photo caption – Poukawa School Bus 1996
Bus Driver: Mrs Arna Ogg
Children Left to Right: Anna Franklin Staci Jackson, Katherine Ogg, Jordan Anne Hawea, Kirsty Malcolm, Hollie Burridge, Natalie Ogg, Paul Walsh, Peter Hewitt, Nicholas Hewitt, Brendan Malcolm, Guy Hammond, Digby Hewitt, Gene Ogg.

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DORIS MALCOLM – EARLY RESIDENT

Doris Malcolm’s family, the Barnes, came from Lower Hutt. They came to live at Poukawa in 1919 after the First World War, and by the time the Poukawa School opened, Doris had already completed her primary schooling.

Mr Barnes, at the age of 40, bought a four year old orchard which had been planted by Wilson and Sweeny. As a twelve year old he had visited the Poukawa area and Doris remembers him telling her that the Te Mahanga hills, then covered with manuka and scrub were cleared by a host of bullocks which trampled the scrub underfoot also that there was a great deal of swamp and only a track to Hastings one either rode or walked, and that the hill which has a channel at the back of it – on the right hand side as you go into Hastings, was caused by a massive earthquake last century and used to be joined to the big hill behind it.

Doris remembers the 1931 earthquake clearly as she and her husband Dave, had just recently married. They had planned to go into Hastings, but as it was such a fine day Dave decided to spray the orchard. “What luck!” says Doris. When it struck Doris was thrown to the ground, all the doors in the house opened and shut and Dave came in from the orchard to see if she was all right. It was terribly noisy and the trees in the orchard went up and down like waves. The hills behind were invisible being covered in dust and beginning to slide. As Dave had intended to spray his water tanks were full to the top so no water was lost with the shaky ground. Those with half filled tanks lost most of their water and the Malcolms were able to keep everyone nearby in water until power was restored. They wondered afterwards if they would ever get straight again and Doris says “It’s something you’d never forget”.

Doris’ younger sister, Hazel, attended the Poukawa School and Doris and Dave’s son, Rex, his children and grandchildren. Doris used to take Rex to school on a motorbike. Dave had made a side-car for the motorbike and she took Rex and Margaret Huddlestone in it for two years. Then Rex rode a pony to school, leaving it in the horse paddock which is now planted in pines.

Having asked about the naming of Cohrs Road, it was told that Mr Cohrs was a land agent who bought up and from the Douglas Estate, then subdivided and planted it before selling.

Doris has always maintained her property meticulously and has been responsible for painting her house and caring for her garden.

We salute a remarkable woman.

War Effort

Euchre evenings were held at the school to raise money. Women and children made balaclavas and petty squares.

SOME MEMORIES OF POUKAWA SCHOOL DAYS

BASIL DUTFIELD 1928 – 1935

While the memory dims some things stick there but hope that accuracy still remains.

Of walking on limestone roads two kilometres to school every day, wet or fine from before 5 years old – you started school at the beginning of the term in which you turned 5. This went on until getting a half size bicycle about 7 years old which, after having an argument with a strainer post at high speed, I learned to ride. No more walking – great – no school buses then.

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Of the horse paddock, between the school and the headmaster’s house, which I later used alternating between a pony and the bicycle, and of cocoa being brewed in a shed every winter (I can still smell it).

The biggest and most lasting memory of the Hawke’s Bay earthquake in 1931 when I was still in the Junior room (Standard 2) and we were still in the room while the seniors had already gone outside for playtime. I can vividly remember that the teacher was first out with a few pupils then the piano moved across the doorway but moved back again to let more pupils out. This apparently happened a couple of times but once outside it was quite alarming to see 5-6cm cracks in the playing field. we were only about half a kilometre from a significant fault line so that was the major cause. Trying to get into Hastings a couple of days later was a problem if you took the north outlet out on to State Highway One as the car could not get over the uplift at the end of the bridge.

Communications were poor in those days so our parents did not know what was happening to us. We eventually told to go home walking on the opposite side of the road to the power lines (we only had power a few years before). That was OK until the lines crossed the road. Confusion in an 8 year old’s mind. It was solved after considerable thought by walking the rest of the way home through the paddocks.

Memories of the fights under the pine trees beside the road and the vigorous playtime Rugby. Of the Maori children from Te Hauke coming across the cold frosty paddocks in the middle of winter – barefoot. Mind you we were all barefoot in the summer-time. Of not only our own school picnics which included adults, but of the combined primary school picnics on the Waipawa River at Waipawa. Long trains (13 or 14 carriages) which I think started in Napier, full of exuberant children and their minders, returning home tired, sunburnt and with sore feet from the hot stones in the riverbed.

Remembering that Frank McKenna and I (the only ones in Standard 6) sitting our first external exam – Proficiency – so that we could gain a Junior Free Place in High School. Frank went on to Waipawa District High due to Railway workers family concessions on the trains but it didn’t suit me.

While I have very vague memories of the Duke of Gloucester’s visit in 1934, such as sitting on the grass at McLean Park, Napier and watching a procession go past, I do remember we went in and home on the train but the greatest memory of that day is that when I got home there was a brand new full size B.S.A. bicycle. $25.20 in today’s terms but a lot of money in those days.

Basil Dutfield – First day at Poukawa School 1928

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Sad memories of when the father of the railway family White was killed on the railway line one morning towards Paki Paki and the Postmaster Corless who was also killed by a train when he was crossing the line where the post office was about one kilometre north of the station. Although no family he was a well known identity in the area. The Post Office was a shed about 3m x 3m on the opposite side of the railway line to the road and was never locked so that you went in and picked up your mail. One of my later chores – to pick up the papers at the railway station and the mail and deliver up our road.

One the way home from school being fascinated by the long special trains (race days, picnics, etc) that were put onto the long loop south of the road crossing to pass the normal trains. If I remember correctly the Wellington-Napier Express passenger steam train went hurtling through about 4 pm. If you dawdled a bit you could see this. Other very long trains were the stock trains after the Stortford Lodge and Waipukurau sheep and cattle sales.

Of the dances held in the big woolshed on the Carlyon Estate back station where, while the adults were enjoying the dancing, us children were getting into fights and other mischief underneath. I have vague memories of the school fancy dress dances held there and the embarrassment, as a boy, being subjected to ridicule because of the particular fancy dress and having to be in the Grand March.

A faint memory of a very popular teacher, Miss Drummond, sitting on the floor of the school amongst a heap of presents at her farewell.

For a last memory of the Poukawa area; of cycling to Hastings High School (co-educational then – now Hastings Boys’ High School) every Monday morning to board with Mrs Maisey (nee Miss Drummond) and cycling home on Friday afternoon wet or fine. It was certainly no fun riding into southerly rain particularly in the winter. Incidentally the board was ten shillings per week – $1 in today’s terms.

Looking back, we had a lot of country fun and a good general education in a great situation and atmosphere that the “townies” could never understand.

Poukawa School Picnic c. 1930

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POUKAWA – FOUR OF THE BEST

Four of the best years – well, four and a bit, really – that’s my experience of living and teaching at Poukawa School in the late sixties and early seventies.

That’s the time when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon while eleven year old Peter Horn was helping Russell Price find archaeological proof of early Maori occupation down by the lake, when Keith Holyoake was the PM and Brian Bain was the Chairman of the School Committee, and when Simon and Garfunkel sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water” while the Waretini kids played “A Whiter Shade of Pale” on the old pedal organ. That’s the time when real men wore long hair and Noel Porter had more fuzz in his sideburns than elsewhere on his head, and when Kirk, Spock and Scotty were learning to use transporters and phaser while Jack Corless dispensed the mail from his little tin Post Office. It’s also the time when Anne Bancroft was frightening a young Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate” while Lyn Robson (an actress only slightly less famous than Ms Bancroft) was frightening a young teacher as green as the grass that grew under Rob Knottenbelt’s irrigation system.

And green but keen I was, when Jan and I arrived at Poukawa for the start of the 1968 year. Poukawa was a two-teacher ‘dual appointment’ school, so called because it was intended to be staffed by a married couple who would live in the school house. A school like Poukawa, so close to town, classified as ‘country service’ (in those days a substantial incentive both in terms of salary and career opportunity), with a low rental house was considered by teachers to be a plum position. I was in my mid-twenties and the school roll was just a little more.

Looking back, I have, on many occasions, told people that the period from ’68 till mid ’72, was the most exciting of my teaching career. I’ve been fortunate in my professional life to have had many interesting and rewarding experiences but those few years at Poukawa are golden for two reasons – for educational buzz and for community involvement. Although the two were closely interwoven at Poukawa there are, for me, very special flavours to each.

The late sixties were vintage years for primary education. The tutorial approach, typified by the Janet and John readers and the Schonell spellers, was replaced by child-centred, activity-based philosophies and techniques where teachers were encouraged to focus on each child’s learning needs and to customise the programme for each kid. Where better to do this than Poukawa, a well resourced school with interested and encouraging parents and, of course, great kids who were a teacher’s dream.

It was rewarding but it was hard work. Then, as today I guess, Poukawa parents were both supportive and demanding. They wanted to see results and they wanted to be assured that their kids got an education at least as good as that offered in town or at boarding school. Some didn’t like the look of “this playway stuff” and wanted to see more of ‘the basics’. I very quickly learned of the pricelessness of the trust that parents give teachers when they choose to send their children to spend their precious childhood time with us – it’s humbling, it’s scary but it’s the reason why teachers are teachers.

Let’s turn to the community which, in terms of school catchment, meant Poukawa itself, Horonui and Te Hauke. Although I grew up in a country town I was not prepared for the localised culture of this district, that rich mix of landowners and leasers, of managers and workers, of contractors and the few others who were not directly associated with the land, of Maori, pakeha and those of recent European connection. As the teacher of your children I was granted hospitality in your homes and, in many cases, access to your lives. Your community’s goodwill was freely given by people no longer directly connected with the school. In short, as a result of a few years’ residence in your district, I have some life-long friends who visit, write or call with the inevitable update of the Poukawa scene.

Here are some of my memories expressing the hospitality imbued in your community.

* Brian and Judy Bain’s careful induction into school and district life, and Len and Barbara Horn’s special neighbourliness.

* The real socialisation process, such as the rifle club (which centred on Monday evenings in Tony Robson’s woolshed), the claybird shoots in preparation for the duckshooting season (neither the clay nor the feathered sort were ever in any danger from me – and Tom Lane JP

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added his bit to protect them by landing me a cripple-stock full-choke gun!), and the various elevenses, lunch, afternoon and evening gatherings to either mark an occasion or to make one.

* The vehicles, like Len’s stylish green MG, Chris Long’s souped-up Mini Cooper, young John Malcolm’s go-kart, and Ben Jacob’s school bus (which when I was driving one day, stalled on the railway crossing by the hall and I had to jump it off on the starter motor).

* The meals, like Betty Porter’s mid-week specials, Kitty Hayde’s Sunday curries, Anne Parsons’ soirees and Meta Knottenbelt’s family events.

Schools, first and last, are about education, that institutionalised way in which we parcel up knowledge, skills and attitudes to pass on one generation’s culture to the next. Individually we each know what we want from our schools, we know what the curriculum should be what parts of it are more important than others, what shouldn’t be there at all and, critically, we know how things should be taught.

Poukawa parents are no different. On reflection I now wonder just how some of you coped with the style and programmes which Jan and I brought to your school. It’s my view that a school, like a family or a club or a business must declare what it stands for and what it will do or produce, it must make a statement, through its environment, its principles, its communications and, ultimately, through its performance. And it’s got to evolve and change because it’s in the futures business – the future of those kids – and teachers are the change agents who manage those previous opportunities which rich curricula, stimulating environments and quality relationships ignite.

At Poukawa then our trademark or theme was the language arts, that amalgam of talking, listening reading, writing and moving. Probably the most visible aspect of that theme was the various art media that we employed. I retain strong memories of juniors making jewellery by melting enamel onto copper with searing propane torches; of the old outside loos being converted into sloshy claythrowing area where Hilde Knottenbelt and sometimes mums could be found up to the elbows in a wonky pot; of the almost Maori gatepost which glared at visitors (the product of a fallen willow and enthusiastic carving by Ian Laidlaw, Peter Horn and Richard Bartlett); of the large field-looms made from green baling twine interwoven with gathered grasses, lichens, wool, bark, etc; of the imaginative bridges which were constructed over the green swimming pool in mid-winter; of the roaring kiln which was previously the remains of a chimney in Horn’s paddock; as well as the many screenprints, paintings and photographs which communicated the world as our children saw it. The creativity that Paul Hayde showed in his clay constructions could be seen years later in his internationally acclaimed culinary creations.

One of the conventional ways of arranging multi-level teaching where one or two teachers work with a group of children of various ages is through so-called family grouping. A feature of this approach is the learning that younger children get by modelling on the older ones. At Poukawa this was particularly effective with seniors such as Gloria Bartlett, Amiria Waretini, Frans Knottenbelt, Julie-Anne Malcolm, Lyn Campbell, Margaret Stothart and Lorraine Hayde smoothly taking over the helm on the numerous occasions when teachers were diverted elsewhere. These young leaders took considerable initiative, and were so comfortable with the responsibility that I had to remind them that I, too, had to be involved in some of their decisions. On one occasion, when an inspector or adviser had called unexpectedly, one of these kids had tended to an injury, decided that a trip to outpatients was advisable, and had rung the injured child’s mother. The first I knew about it was when Mum arrived at school to pick up the child. “You were busy, so I thought that was the best thing to do”, was the disarming response to my query about what had happened. Although it wasn’t obvious at first X-rays showed a fracture. I was left wondering if my treatment of the situation would have been as effective as that of my young deputy.

I have vivid memories of the awesome hockey team – the multi-talented Waretinis (Amiria, Adrian and Anderson), Mark Porter, Martijn Knottenbelt, Eric Long, ‘Little’ Bird and the rest. What an example of skill, teamwork and pride – tiny Poukawa blowing away the city intermediates (although we had monumental struggles with Raukawa School). Here was proof that kids learn in spite of their teacher, because I didn’t know one end of a stick from the other. It all started one day when someone found a set of sticks buried away under the school and, fortuitously, the art advisor who was visiting at that time just happened to be a Hawke’s Bay hockey rep and coach. For the next few months we enjoyed many Art/Hockey lessons from Kerk Taylor.

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When I think of Poukawa as a place I recall the ribbons of roads which defined its geography – Poukawa Road, Cohr’s Road, Horonui Road and the highway to Te Hauke. Then I think of the heartbreak associated with other roads that have tragically taken the lives of my young friends Adrian Waretini, Mark Hayde and, of course, Jan Preston, not to mention the other tragedies shared in the Poukawa community.

So the years have passed and lives have been won and lost. My main reason for returning to Poukawa School at this reunion time is to find out how things have worked out for some of those young lives and to see how that fresh and full-on joy, exuberance, honesty and talent has grown.

And there are some young old people that I want to meet again. Perhaps there’s another page or two in the Poukawa story.

My best wishes to you all. Ka nui nga mihi ki a koutou.

Ted Preston

From Poukawa Ted moved to Mahora and Hastings Central schools. He then worked in the Department of Education in Wellington, where he administered the development of Professor Marie Clay’s Reading Recovery programme from its pilot phase in Auckland to a nation-wide activity. For eight years he was an Inspector of Schools and, through his specialist interest in the teaching of gifted children, set up the Programme Enrichment Centre.

Ted has tried his hand at consultancy (while working in Melbourne he met up with Hilde Knottenbelt) and, with the arrival of Tomorrow’s Schools, was an inaugural Director in the Education Review Office. He is no longer in the education system, and now works as an HR strategist, specialising in the development of senior managers.

He still lives in Wellington, is married to Anne Cornege, and has a teenage daughter and son.

Douglas Road c. 1928

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MEMORIES

TREVOR HOLLIS

After 12 years at Poukawa School, there are many pleasant memories. Mainly of the friendly, polite and dedicated pupils, who strived mightily to reach high standards in their studies and their sport. Memories of nervous excited children waiting for the Show Competition results to be published in the paper. Their record of success in that competition was envied by most town schools. And in hockey, the many H.B. Reps from the school reflected our players high skills, determination and team work.

The Christmas Party performances in the District Hall and on the front lawn, were varied and of a high standard and became an eagerly awaited event. Some performances were particularly outstanding, thanks to the talented and dedicated staff that taught at the school over the years. Father Christmas always turned up with his Goodies. The Guy Fawkes night B.B.Q. and Bonfire was another event that was excitedly awaited. Firstly the children building the huge bonfire, and then each classroom constructing their own Guy – a great social event. Pet Day – when those usually obedient pets seemed to have a mind of their own, providing delightful entertainment with their naughtiness.

Camp Kaitawa was a highlight for many children and parents. Initially many children approached the Camp with trepidation, a week away from home, but once there the camaraderie and excitement took over – every night the cry was “stop talking and go to sleep!” They enjoyed the strenuous camp activities so much, that the day to come home was always a sad one. I have memories of Rueben Parahi, our bus driver, being a tremendous help to us all and his enjoyment of playing 500 until late at night. Of a parent gnawing on a large mutton bone one dinner time. Of the entertaining Social Night when different groups performed humorous skits. Why did I lose my voice every camp and spent the next two day sleeping when we arrived home? The trips to Wellington were also a highlight and a revelation – the country bumpkins let loose in the big city. I remember one young lady who wanted to get a better look at the monkeys and fell into the low hedge and became stuck. Also the monkey that took a shine to Trev. And cried when he walked away. These were enjoyable ties for the pupils and parents and I guess will remain in the memories of all that participated. I have not mentioned some of the antics the parents got up to!!

Other events that stood out involved the swimming pool. Who was the teacher that was demonstrating racing dive techniques, overbalanced and fell in fully clothed much to the enjoyment of the kids in the pool. The roar of laughter would have been heard in Hastings. Another time, the same teacher organised a trip into Hastings to see a full length nature film. Cars were organised, in we went, but a WEEK TOO EARLY! What a red face!!

Probably one activity more than any other stands out in reflecting the attitudes and perseverance of Poukawa School children and that was the annual testing for their Swimming Certificates. Into the Aquatic Centre we went to test for the longer distances. How the children strived with great determination and success to pass their 1500m test. I still have a great deal of admiration and respect for their achievements, for I only passed the 200m test when I was their age.

A camp-out held on school grounds started with a disaster as heavy rain and strong winds on the first night flattened most tents – children ended up sleeping on the Library Primers Room Carpet. Ended up with no-one wanting to return home but a marvellous weekend.

Lastly I must reflect on the wonderful support from the School Committee, Ladies’ Social Circle and the District as a whole, your keen involvement and interest in the School made my 12 years at Poukawa a very memorable one.

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SPORT
Sporting Achievers

WHITE, ROY MAXWELL
Educated Poukawa Primary School – enrolled 1922
Born: Dannevirke 18 October 1917
Died: Wellington 19 January 1980
Side-row Forward
Represented NZ 1946, 47
10 matches (4 internationals)
Points for NZ: 3, 1 try

Provincial record: Wellington 1939, 44, 46, 48 (Petone), 1945 (Trentham Army) also North Island 1944, 46, 47; N.Z. Trials 1947, 48; NZ Combined Services 1945

Educated Hastings Boys’ High School. A regular Wellington representative during the years of WWII. White played for New Zealand in both Tests against 1946 Wallabies, scoring a try in his debut, and the following year toured Australia holding his place in the Test scrum for the two-match series. His tour statistics were given as 6’1” and 14st 6lb.

White captained Wellington 1945-48 and the North Island 1946. He served on the Petone club’s committee for 19 years; president 1968, 69, 76-79. Wellington selector 1961, 63 and a member of that union’s junior management committee. New Zealand R Class yachting champion. An engineer.

14 September 1946 at Carisbrook (scored a try)
28 September 1946 at Eden Park
14 June 1947 at Brisbane
28 June 1947 at Sydney

A quote from Winston McCarthy “R.M. (Roy) White had been Wellington’s Captain for some time and was at his peak, it was thought, when there was no big rugby being played (war years). He showed the following year (1947) when paired on the flank with K.D. Arnold in Australia, what playing in the big time can do to a player. In 1947 he was a good a flanker as could be found.

Photo caption – Roy White, All Black 1946-1947

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Paki Paki – Poukawa School Football Team. Winners McKee Shield 1930
Standing: Lesley Milne, Mr F.N. Emmett, Torry Saunders, Tommy Timu, Johnson Whare, Verdun Bartlett, Mr E. Riley, Roy White.
Sitting: Willie Patton, Fred Hapi, Colling Coghlan, Roy McLeod, George Patton
Front: Luke Cooper, Nelson Carroll, Jimmy Puriri, Phillip Parahi, Willie Mohi.

Netball Team 1946 or 1947
Front Row Left to Right: Betty Lock, Shirley Epplett, Heather Tasker.
Centre: June Hapuku, Olivia Hapuku.
Back: ?

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OTHER SPORTING ACHIEVERS

Representing Hawke’s Bay in Hockey – Geoffrey Pilcher, David Tilyard, Mark Porter, Shane Hollis, Stephen Campbell, Richard Shaw, Anderson Waretini. Mark Porter became a New Zealand Representative.

Photo captions –

1977
Back Row Left to Right: Charlie Bartlett, Russell Phillips, David Campbell, Anderson Waretini, Matthew Caccioppoli, Mark Mohi.
Front Row Left to Right: Dean Mohi, Tama Campbell, Mark Porter, Richard Shaw, Erik Long.

T.R. Hollis and Hockey Team 1981
Back Row, Left to Right: Callum Wrightson, Murray Collins, David Tilyard, Shane Hollis, Shane Crawford, Graham Taka, Tim Thompson, Mr Trevor Hollis, Headmaster.
Front Row, Left to Right: Delvar Robinson, Matthew McGlinchy, Roman Greening, Andrew McGregor, Quentin Hawea, Zappa Greening, Beaven Clark, Malcolm Olsen.

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Several pupils did well at Athletics and the following pupils, Matthew McGlinchey, Andrew McGregor, Sonya Taylor, Richard Collins, Natasha Caccioppoli – represented Hastings Schools at the Central Hawke’s Bay Cross Country I their time at school.

Matthew McGlinchey, Shane Hollis, Natasha Caccioppoli, Sally Scoular all did well at the Hastings Primary Schools’ Cross Country.

Natasha Caccioppoli went on to win titles at secondary level in Athletics, Cross Country and Triathlon and also for the Hastings Harrier Club.

Netball Team 1977
Top Row Left to Right: Andrea Gray, Jane Porter, Tracey Hollis, Janice Shaw
Front Row: Sally Scoular, Annabelle Waretini, Joanne Reeves

B Netball Team 1981
Back: Nicola Lane
Middle: Andrea Crawford, Monique Caccioppoli, Victoria Robinson
Front: Debbie Hal, Mariet Kersjes, Natasyha Caccioppoli, Kristen Campbell.

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Netball Team 1985
Teacher: Maxine Harding
Nichola Lane, Sandra Proctor, Pippa Campbell, Kirsty Duff, Michaela Caccioppoli, Katie Hansen, Penny Gray, Henrietta Tuhi, Frith Campbell.

Gymnastics Team.
Third H.B. Gymnastic Schools’ Competition, Country Grade – 1975
Back Row Left to Right: Sally Scoular, Janice Shaw, Andrea Gray, Annabelle Waretini, Tracy Long.
Front Row: Margot McErlich, Jane Porter, Debra Long.

KIRSTY DUFF

Swimming. When representing HB for the first time at age 9, Kirsty won a NZ Teleprinter title. She continued to swim for HB for 7 years, breaking over 45 records, some of which still stand today. She represented NZ at the Pacific School Games in 1988.

ANDREW DUFF

Swimming. Represented HB for 4 years and also broke several HB records.

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Junior Gymnastics 1984
Back: Frith Campbell, Michaela Caccioppoli, Henrietta Tuhi, Penny Gray, Katie Hansen
Front: Cameron Lane, Kara Campbell, Daniel McGlinchey, Charlton Brownrigg, Fiona Campbell, Sarah Lane, Adrian Brownrigg

SPORT 1996

Girls have Saturday morning sport taken by a junior teacher and a parent, boys join different sports clubs – soccer, rugby, cricket.

During the Week – girls and boys play at Flaxmere Community Centre – Indoor soccer, basketball, mini ball.

Volley Ball at Community Centre on a Tuesday usually,

Swimming – part of the school day in the season. Swimming sports with other schools.

Softball – Central Hawke’s Bay Softball Tournament at Waipawa an annual event in February or March.

7-aside held at Onga Onga Primary School in August. All C.H.B. primary schools participate – about 1-15 schools. Netball, hockey, soccer, rugby. School banner paraded in. B.B.Q. sausage sizzle. Cake Stall.

Poukawa-Pukehou-Argyll Annual Cross Country. All children encouraged and children get a certificate to say they have taken part.

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IMAGINE

PETER HORN

Imagine sitting near a lake shore in the late afternoon. The sun will soon sink behind the larger matai and totara trees on the forested ridge. On the lake, a flock of several kinds of duck appear to be drifting aimlessly in the light breeze, their feeding complete for the day. They seem hardly to notice the pair of pelicans dipping for small fish. A giant swamp hen feeds in the weed at the lake margin, watched intently by a small group of white herons which has already settled for the night in the branches of an old kahikatea that toppled in a storm last winter. Coots and takahe fossick amongst the ferns and grasses in a small clearing previously shaded by the ancient tree. Their actions startle a snipe and cause it to sprint to the cover of some scrub. High in the canopies of the large trees, flocks of kokako, tui, and wood pigeon forage noisily for their preferred fruits or nectar. Below them, on the lower branches and trunks, fantails and riflemen hunt for insects. Kaka screech at each other as they rip bark from a rotting tree in search of grubs. An eagle soars overhead with a small weka in its talons, and lands clumsily near its nest in a tall tree.

As light begins to fade, a small group of moa approach the lake along a well worn path through the bush. They drink and browse on young shoots and berries from the bushes near the shore before ambling back up the path to their night roosts. The approach of darkness heralds a change in the sounds of the forest. The calls of the tui and other songbirds are replaced by the occasional squeal and grunt of a kakapo and the shrill whistle of brown kiwi. In the distance, two laughing owls call to each other. A tuatara emerges from its burrow to begin its nocturnal quest for insects.

This is the image of Poukawa Lake about 4000 years ago, as indicated from investigations conducted in the 1960s and 70s by Russell Price. Russell had a lifetime interest in science, but particularly New Zealand’s natural history and anthropology. Although he never had the privilege of an advanced education he read prolifically and could confidently discuss topics as divergent as Greek history and astrophysics. He was an astute observer of his surroundings, and his jobs as a forester and surveyor with the Catchment Board enabled him to see much of natural New Zealand. I think it was his investigation of moa biology that ignited his interest in Poukawa when the deepening of the stream that drains Poukawa Lake produced a large quantity of moa bones.

When I first met Russell, he was 68 and spending one day each weekend systematically excavating a low ridge just north of Poukawa Lake. In the soil over much of the site was a clearly defined layer of small pumice lumps identified as ash produced about 1900 years ago when a volcano erupted and produced the crater that is now Lake Taupo. Ash layers from other earlier major eruptions in the central North Island were also identified deeper in the peat. Finds of Maori artefacts and extensive middens of freshwater mussels proved the site had been occupied in pre-European times. However, artefacts, cut and burnt moa bones, and evidence of cooking fires were recovered from beneath the Taupo ash layer, suggesting human occupation much earlier than the accepted arrival date of Maori. This caused some controversy in archaeological circles but despite several independent investigations, Russell’s claims were never comprehensively refuted.

From a natural history point of view the site produced a wealth of information. Over 12,000 bird bones were identified to species. The approximate age of individual bones could be determined from their position in the soil relative to the volcanic ash layers of known age. A picture of the bird communities present in the Poukawa area, and how those communities changed over the last 7000 years, was developed. Six species of moa and 55 other bird species were identified, more than from any other New Zealand site. The moa and 12 of the other species are now extinct, and a further 16 species are now rare or absent in the North Island.

Despite being an ‘amateur’ investigator, Russell’s work contributed significantly to our knowledge of New Zealand natural history, and put Poukawa on the map in this regard. Some of his ideas were controversial, and although he wasn’t always right, he always had a damned good argument. I was very fortunate to be able to work with Russell at Poukawa from 1969 to 1976.

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POUKAWA SCHOOL – THE RAILWAY

DAVID BUDDO

One of the hazards of riding ponies or biking to Poukawa School in the early days was crossing the Railway Line. When I started school in 1937 there were no lights or bells so my parents were very insistent that I took great care in looking both ways before crossing. There had been a fatality when Mr Jack Corless’ father was run down while walking the track between the Post Office and the Railway Station, so my Mother and Father were understandably nervous. Mind you, I never worried a jot – you could hear and see those large steam engines coming for miles. Sometimes you could experience those belching monsters well after they had gone through, as the fireman periodically got rid of the kinkers from the firebox by tipping them on to the track. In the middle of Summer they started many a grass fire.

The Rail was a very important part of Poukawa. To start with there was a daily passenger train which travelled between Waipukurau and Napier every morning returning in the afternoon. It stopped at every little station along the line including Opapa, Te Hauke and Poukawa. I think it was well patronised until most families acquired motorcars.

Freight trains were ore the norm with livestock and fertiliser being carried. We used the Rail for older sheep and cattle going to the Works, and received sheep and cattle from places such as Gisborne, Taihape and Manawatu. Our prime lambs went by road transport which was much dearer. We would order the railway trucks two or three days in advance and they were always there waiting for us. The Rail was very reliable in this respect but you couldn’t rely on the trains themselves being on time. They were a sort of national joke, everything could and would be blamed on them.

Loading was a breeze, the loading race worked well. Sheep trucks were double deckers and carried about 60 sheep. These wagons had very solid creates made of steel with wooden bars and sliding doors. Unloading on the other hand could be a real pain. There was a lot more weight to move along the track to the race. A large crowbar was provided and kept at the station. It had a sort of wedge on the business end with a heel and toe. The idea was to lodge the toe under the wheel and using the heel as a fulcrum bear down on the other end. Once the wagon was moving you dropped the bar and frantically put your shoulder to the wagon to try to keep it moving. You also had to remember to let the air out of the Westinghouse brakes which could be a trap for the uninitiated. It was easy enough to see the foot brake, but that stupid piece of wire hiding under the wagon was something else.

When stock arrived it was usually at night and Mr Allen Smith would kindly ring you when they had arrived. Mr Smith owned Poukawa Station and lived opposite the Poukawa Railway Station. Mrs Crisp lives there now. At that time Poukawa homestead had two storeys with a large balcony around the top storey so it was easy to see and hear the train shunting wagons on to the siding. When we had heard from Mr Smith we would go and unload immediately and return again at daybreak to drive the stock home. Mr Smith was the only person I heard of who had sheep on the crossing when the express came through. I can’t remember how many sheep were lost in the accident but I can remember feeling that it was quite unjust that he should be fined for holding up the train, sort of insult to injury.

The Railway families who lived in the two houses at the Poukawa Railway Station contributed lots to the sporting and social life of the District. The White family provided Poukawa School with it’s only All Black to date and Tom and Francy Jago organised monthly dances and weekly indoor bowls and table tennis in the Hall. All the events were great fun and it was a privilege to know all those wonderful characters who lived by the Railway.

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POUKAWA 1942 – 1958 – MY MEMORIES

SYD JAGO

Arriving from Eketahuna at age 2 when my Father, Tom Jago, was transferred with New Zealand Railways from Eketahuna to Poukawa in 1942 in charge of the section of railway track from the railway crossing half way up the ‘Opapa Bank’ to a point along the straight between ‘The Kennels’ and the brick works later to become Amner’s Lime Works, I have long and pleasant memories of the district, the life, the people, the railways and the school.

My pre-school memories are rather vague, but looking through old photographs has reminded me of many things, one being the Thursday shopping trips to town (Hastings) by train.

As Poukawa was considered to be ‘isolated’. Railways wives were entitled to free travel to their nearest shopping town once a week for shopping. On a Thursday, Mum and I would catch train No. 912 (a Woodville to Napier passenger express running Monday to Friday) at the Poukawa Station at 10.30 a.m. returning by train No. 636 which had a couple of passenger cars attached to the rear of a Napier to Woodville goods train, arriving back at Poukawa at about 6.15 p.m. My grandparents, Allan and Ellen Stephens, lived at Paki Paki, and we sometimes got off the train there, went to town with them and caught the train again at Paki Paki for the return journey.

Although considered isolated, there were several services available in the district. The bread van would call at your gate with shelves loaded with delicious, and often still warm loaves. The fish van selling fresh fish, and the butcher’s van which called on a regular basis, and of course Jock Shaw delivered milk to those without a cow. Later in the day Jock would deliver the evening papers on his motorbike. We had a co*cker spaniel which would trot off down to the station after the paper had been delivered and was able to tell the difference between the Daily Telegraph and the Herald-Tribune. She never did bring the wrong one back. I’m told they were wrapped differently, but at the time I was certain we had the cleverest dog in the world.

Other very early memories of Poukawa railways are the steam engines hissing and clanking in the night while shunting goods wagons into the Poukawa siding right outside our front door, visits from drivers and guards who used to ‘swap’ ‘much needed commodities’ for eggs, baking and other produce which would be left on the front verandah for them during the night, railway staff living in huts on the siding at Poukawa and their problems with being moved during the night during shunting movements in the yard, and of course the morning in 1951 when the district awoke to find a thick covering of snow over the entire countryside. Summertime memories include the water tanks which were delivered by rail, to our front door and the task of pumping, by hand, the much needed water into our household tanks which were supplied from our house roof, and the couple of summers when the fire risk in the district was at danger level and the Smiths set up a truck with water tank and pump in case of an emergency.

Other vivid memories revolve around the staff who travelled from Opapa each day to man the Poukawa ‘Tablet Hut’ which was located on the southern side of the Poukawa railway road crossing about half way between the crossing and the rail cutting. This tiny building was used to control the crossing loop where north and south-bound trains ‘crossed’. One was put into the loop while the other passed through. Remember the old semaphore signals, one at the rail crossing and another just around the curve in the railways, just north of the railway houses. These were controlled by wires which were pulled by large levers at the tablet hut.

The Poukawa Station with its busy stock yards and loading bank saw much activity with the farming community sending and receiving wagon loads of stock which was loaded from the yards onto rail wagons via the little stock race, and unloading suer and other farm requirements. A lasting memory is Dave and Rex Malcolm loading wagons with apples bound for places unknown. Also much pleasure was had by checking wagons in the morning to see what had arrived overnight, and from the card at the end, seeing who would be arriving at the station to unload their goods that day.

Every day saw activity which brought much excitement. One of Dad’s daily morning duties was to check the wagons in the yard, and phone the “YT” (Yard Tally) to the Napier Wagon Supply Office. These days the wagons are checked electronically through stations. ‘Another vivid memory is the fact

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that whenever there was an earthquake Dad would have to go out in the middle of the night and inspect his section of the railway track before any further trains were allowed to use it. This also occurred at time of heavy rain and possible flooding. At times the track was inspected prior to any passenger train being due. These were the days that safety was considered to be paramount by N.Z. Railways.

Shearing time at the Smith’s woolshed was exciting, with the shearing gang living-in at the shearers’ quarters and all the excitement of the shearing, baling the wool and then watching it being loaded onto rail wagons at the station.

Living so close to the railway track gave one an early respect for the dangers of trains, something which proved to be valuable in later years when I chose a career in Railways in the Communications Section.

Memories of Railways people at Poukawa include Jack Keogh, the Tablet Maintainer, who would arrive on his hand trolley (Jigger) to balance the tablets, a ritual I never really understood until I joined Railways in Napier in February 1958; Albert and Jack Hapuku who worked on the track; Johnnie Walker from the house next door, also a surfaceman (Track Maintenance Worker); Jack Haye, Ray Polly and Don Haggarty, also from the Signals Department come to mind as other visitors from afar (Napier) who seemed to just arrive, do some magic things to the signals and telephones, and then just disappear on their jigger.

One of the fascinating and daring things to do was listen in on the ‘train control” telephone at the station and listen to the voices from places as far away as Gisborne and Woodville receiving their instructions from “God”, the Train Controller in Napier. I well remember the day when I was allowed, on a visit to Napier, to go into the Train Control Room in the old wooden Napier Station and actually see where it all came from.

Large passenger express trains were always exciting, and I was always privileged to know when they were due as Dad always had copies of the “train advices” telling him when all trains were due on his section of track. The passenger trains that spring to mind, other than the regular services, are the “Troop Trains” bringing servicemen home after the 2nd World War, and of course those famous Blossom Day specials bringing hundreds upon hundreds of happy excursionists, in the early hours of the morning, from Wellington to Hastings for the day of the Annual Blossom Parade on the second Saturday in September for many years, and returning to Wellington leaving Hastings at around midnight the same day.

Home for me from 1942 to 1958 was the northern most of the two railway houses which were of the standard railway design. They, along with all those identical from North Cape to the Bluff had been pre-fabricated at the Frankton (Hamilton) Railway Depot and then transported onto site and reassembled by railways builders. Ours today is still at Poukawa, although considerably altered. It is the last house on your left as you drive down Poukawa Road towards the Main Road.

Our house seemed to be a gathering place for many over the years, and we often had boarders, primary school teachers featured high on the list of boarders, and included Marie Foley who later married Len Jones, Pam McKee who arrived from Nelson, Ngaire Wibley, and Elsa Cody who later married Don Dixon. I still maintain contact with Marie who lives in Napier and her eldest daughter Sue, who until recently lived in Hastings, and has now moved to Waipawa where she and her husband Warren have bought a small property on the outskirts of the town. As well as boarders, we often had extras in for meals, especially the single guys who worked on the local farms. Among these are Bill Trewheellar (now in Napier) all of whom I still have regular contact with. Bill and Brian worked for some years on Tony Robson’s farm, later moving on to own their own properties.

My parents’ involvement in the Poukawa Social Club brought many into our home over the years, with the table tennis club, the indoor bowls club and of course the monthly dances at the Hall. Don McKay, the regular pianist at the monthly dances is one I have maintained contact with over the years. These dances, with their fabulous home-made suppers were an institution, and were attended by people from far afield who loved the casual atmosphere, the great company, and of course the food. Cars were often parked on both sides of the road from the rail crossing up to the school corner. It was amazing how many people could squeeze into the hall. A feature of these dances was the fact that the MC was often required to announce the bracket outside, as most were usually at the tree-stump bars between dances. Perhaps this is how so many could attend, as I guess some spent very little time actually inside the hall.

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Since it was a church-hall, festivities were required to end at midnight on Saturday nights, and groups usually gathered afterwards at the near-by homes into the wee small hours.

As well as their involvement in the social activities of the district, Dad was for some time Chairman of the School Committee, details of which I have no recollection.

As I write this, names keep popping up in my mind. The names then remind me of the vehicles they drove on the dusty shingle road.

Stan White and their huge American De Soto Station Wagon; Davie and Doris Malcolm and their Jaguar which Dave drove very fast; Donald Campbell and his Alvis; Lemin and Martha Cameron’s green Ford Consul; Tony Ronson in his Ford Popular; the Smiths, Buddos and Campbells in their large English cars. Les and Peggy Rich and their Model T Ford, and Jim and Dott Little’s Morris Minor. So the list goes on as I recall visions of the past, many over 50 years ago.

People I remember well are Mrs Rich (Peggy) and Mrs Buddo running the Sunday School, Stirling and Maureen Collison and David and Shirley, Doris, Dave and Rex Malcolm, Jim Curran – my first headmaster (I still see his daughter Zoe from time to time in Napier) and then Bob McKelvie who followed him, Margaret and Jocelyn McKelvie, Bob’s two daughters, Tom (Chocolate) Timu, Annette, Robert and Kevin Little, Joe and Mihi Hape, The Karaitianas, the Hapuku girls (June and Olivia), Kuini from Te Hauke who I later met again when working in Wellington in 1973, Tate Kupa, Archie and Mrs McDonald from the Poukawa Store on the Main Road, the Brownriggs, Shorty from Te Hauke who travelled regularly on Fred White’s bus, the staff at the 2YZ Transmitting Station at Opapa (Noel Ellison, Pont Wiffen and Ted Gawn), Barbara Smith (now Horn) who when she got tired of her lambing beat would sneak in our back gate for a cuppa and a chat without her Dad (Allan Smith) knowing, Jack Corless who ran the Post Office, Kathleen and Mr and Mrs Carter who lived in the old house across the paddock behind the railway house, Barney and Mrs Hennum, Margaret and Tom Lane, Lucy Douglas, Donald and Mrs Campbell, Ewen Campbell and Johnnie, and Mary, Simon, Elizabeth and Sally Stead from Horonui, Jean Chapman and Brough and Rachel, Jock and Mrs Shaw and Graeme and Barrie. One regular visitor to the district was Ned Barrett the county grader driver who attended to the needs of the road prior to it being sealed. I will always remember him towing his car behind the grader. All are characters I will always remember from my early days at Poukawa.

A memory I treasure is the night Donald Campbell, for reasons unknown to me, organised a roast bird as a prize at the Bowling Club function at the Hall. When it was presented on a silver meat tray and covered with a silver meat dish cover, there in all its splendour was a roast sparrow.

Perhaps the most famous of Poukawa’s meeting places was the Post Office, no longer there, but able to be located by the Railway Gates both sides of the railway and a widening inn the road for Post Office parking. Every week-day morning the problems of the world were discussed, and usually solved, and the district’s news was distributed by the large crowd who would gather to collect their mail. In the early days the green mail bag was thrown off a train from Napier about 8.30 in the morning, but, alas, when road transport took over it became much less reliable and one often had to wait for ages. Time however went quickly on those waits, and the district lost something marvellous when rural delivery took over. Being a “mate” of the Postmaster had its advantages. Stamp collectors were allowed to get a look at new stamp issues prior to their release, were allowed to postmark their own first-day covers, and even, if you were lucky, Jack Corless would allow you to help sort the mail. I even did it all myself one time when Jack was either away, or sick.

The annual school pupils fancy dress dance held at the Hall, with its best costume competition and dance routines is a memory which was re-kindled when looking through old photographs. Some of these I would rather not ever see again. These nights were always fun and enjoyed by all.

Thinking of the Hall reminds me of the huge working-bees which were organised by the Social Club to totally replace the hall floor, paint the exterior and the roof, and generally restore the building back to great condition. What a shame that the more recent restoration work which was carried out has failed to re-kindle an interest in the Hall.

When leaving Poukawa School some children’s parents opted to send their children to Hastings High School rather than to Waipawa District High School. This entailed a considerable amount of

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travelling and rather long days. Parents (Jago, Little, and Rich) took it in turns to take us (myself, Lesley Rich and Annette Little) to the Paki Paki Store (no longer there) where we caught the Bridge Pa High School bus to Hastings, returning home on Fred White’s Hastings to Waipukurau Bus Service leaving Hastings at 4.45 p.m. each day.

From the time I started working for Railways in Napier (1958) until we moved to Napier when Dad was appointed to a position also in Napier, I had no difficulty catching the Sunday Evening Wellington to Napier Railcar which was not allowed to stop at Poukawa, for my return to Napier after a weekend at home. Passengers would often be amazed when a passenger stepped into the passenger compartment with a suitcase in hand when the railcar had never appeared to stop. A wave to the Gisborne-based driver as he headed south during the afternoon would let him know that I would be waiting for him that evening when he returned. Slowing down, but not actually stopping, was all that was needed.

Our farewell from the district in 1959 took the form of a social and dance in the Hall, to which were invited, along with the locals, many of those who were regular attenders at the monthly dances. The district presentation, a canteen of cutlery is still in my possession.

The Poukawa district will always remain in my mind as a perfect place in which to grow up. A place where everyone worked together regardless of their position in life and where life-long friendships were made.

1951 Snow Fall (Syd Jago Photo)

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Poukawa Railway Station. (Syd Jago Photo)

Tom Jago controlling traffic at Poukawa rail crossing prior to passing of Royal Train during 1953 Royal Visit of Q.E.2. (Syd Jago Photo)

Royal Train passes through Poukawa – 1953 (Syd Jago Photo)

Jago’s Railway House (Syd Jago Photo)

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PROGRAMME

FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 1996
7.00 P.M. WINE AND CHEESE EVENING AT POUKAWA SCHOOL IN MARQUEE ON FIELD

SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER 1996
10.00 A.M. OFFICIAL OPENING AT POUKAWA SCHOOL WITH GUEST SPEAKERS. ITEMS PRESENTED BY PRESENT DAY PUPILS.
1.00 P.M. CUTTING OF THE CAKE FOLLOWED BY DECADE PHOTOGRAPHS
6.30 P.M. PRE-DINNER DRINKS AT THE ANGUS INN, RAILWAY ROAD, HASTINGS
8.00 P.M. DINNER IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, ANGUS INN. DANCING UNTIL 1.00 A.M.

SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 1996
10.30 A.M. THANKSGIVING SERVICE IN POUKAWA HALL
FOLLOWED BY MORNING TEA AT THE POUKAWA SCHOOL.
ALL WELCOME

Senior Room 1962

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LOCATION MAP
1. School
2. Church Hall
3. Post Office
4. Railway Station
5. Railway Yards
6. Store
7. Blacksmith
8. Later site of Store

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THE SCHOOL BUS

The bus service began about 1942.

Bert Lock began the bus run. He had a large long black box-shape car which had a yellow painted band around the middle. He could take all the children in his car.

Bert Fleming took on the bus route followed by Headmaster Alan Ingram who would teach and then take the children home. He drove a silvery-blue Super Sipe.

Keith Hubbard, Headmaster 1960-1962 drove the children in his own car.

Ben Jacobs drove a Commer van. Ben always wore a cloth cap and a spotted bow-tie. He and his wife, Phyllis lived in Colin White Road and Phyllis would do the run at times. Eventually she took on the run full-time, taking the High School children to Paki Paki first, then picking up the Primary children on the way back.

Ted Preston, Headmaster, sometimes did a bus run.

Dawn Wright drove the school bus for 14 years beginning First Term 1973. She would leave Hastings at 7.30 a.m. every morning, and bike, wet or fine five miles to Havelock North to take charge of her bus. She would pick up High School children from Poukawa first, leaving them at Paki Paki, then return to Poukawa for three separate runs of primary school children. She was allowed to carry 17 primary school children. After the Poukawa run Dawn would call back to Paki Paki to pick up I.H.C. children and take them to Te Kowhai School. On the return trip the I.H.C. children were picked up at 2.30 p.m. and each one left at their own home. Children were then collected from Poukawa, then the High School children were picked up from Paki Paki. Sometimes Dawn would be waiting for them until 5.00 p.m.

When the bus broke down (not very often) the family in the nearest house would ring the school. The Headmaster would ring parents and they came to collect the children.

A lighter side to bus driving was going up the Horonui Road in the mushroom season after the children were taken to school and filling the bus with mushrooms. Bringing them home, giving some away and eating them – also with water cress. Also Dawn would always stop and pick up any cast sheep if she saw any.

Dawn Wright, children school bus and view of lake outside school gate
1987

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Dawn would sing multiplication tables with the children and helped them with their spelling and she always kept sweeties in the bus.

Dawn drove a Nimons bus and she was allowed to take the Poukawa School children to Swimming Sports held at other centres.

A farewell function was given to Dawn at the Poukawa School and she will always be remembered with affection by many in the district.

Sometimes biking to and fro between Hastings and Havelock North, other Nimon bus driver’ would tease Dawn by driving slowly behind her, then giving a good blast on the horn, or get a passenger to ticle [tickle] her with the bus cleaning broom in passing, or, if delivering newspapers, toss the odd one at her.

POUKAWA PRESENT SCHOOL BUS

The new bus service began in 1994. Between the time that Dawn Wright retired and the new bus, parents would drive their children to school, often taking it in turn to transport children from neighbouring families.

The Government Education Development Initiatives enquired into School Rolls and some schools were considered as possibly closing. At this time Poukawa School had only twelve pupils, and ways of increasing the School Roll were urgently considered. It was obvious that the only way to increase the roll was to buy a school bus. Funds had accumulated and a Daihatsu Van was bought and adapted to seat 19 children each with seat belts. Many man hours, often till the wee small hours, were put into the new bus seating arrangement by three dedicated fathers, Kim Hammond, Guy Hewitt and Mike Walsh.

Nineteen children come in the School Bus from Hastings each day, driven by Arna Ogg, and nineteen children are picked up from the Poukawa area. One rule on the bus is to keep the noise levels down and town children have ten minutes “quiet time” at school before boarding the bus

A Bus Sub-Committee handles all bus matters and funding for servicing the bus is raised by direct resourcing, donations and fund-raising managed by a Fund Raising Committee.

Poukawa School has a School Charter, a School Profile and a Community Profile.

Photo caption – Poukawa School 27.08.87
Dawn Wright’s Farewell, Dawn is 8th from left.

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THE SHAWS

Charlie Hennum, John Shaw’s grandfather was a carpenter from Denmark who came to live in Poukawa. He built the Poukawa Church Hall, many building at Horonui and among other buildings the house where John and Jeanette Shaw now live, the land being purchased from Mr H. Campbell. He married an English woman and one of their daughters, Anne married Mr Jock Shaw from Dunbarton, Scotland. Charlie Hennum and his wife kept poultry, pigs and a small herd of jersey cows which gave plenty of milk, cream and butter. People came to collect milk from the Hennums bringing their billies. Milk sold for about 4 pence per pint, the cream was separated and the pigs had the skim milk. Cows were milked by hand. Cream was separated using a hand separator.

Eventually Jock and Anne Shaw took over the dairy cows and in 1939 Jock began the paper run, riding his motorbike with the paper bag held on the petrol tank in front of him. Jock and Anne had four boys, John, Brian, Graeme and Barrie and in 1953 John took over the paper run and in the late 50s the dairy cows. Prior to this, John used to help his father by delivering papers on foot, or horse, or bike to the Horonui families. The country roads at this time were metal and constantly graded by Neil Barrett, the grader driver. Bundles of papers were dropped on specified corners on the paper run and there was always someone waiting to receive them.

John married Miss Jeanette McLeod in 1961 and they have two children, Richard and Janice.

A disastrous fire in 1966 destroyed the Shaw’s milking shed, workshop and hayshed and in 1969 Jeanette began helping deliver the newspapers taking her small children with her.

The district and the Poukawa School are immensely grateful to the Shaws for their willingness and cheerful distribution of Community and School Notices, which arrive wrapped around the newspapers and delivered to the gate. This is a great service and much appreciated. Jeanette has taken notices for the Poukawa School, Red Cross, Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle, Poukawa Social Club, Mr Knottenbelt and others.

The Shaws drive Mini Minor cars on the paper run and they are a most familiar sight and sound in the district.

“MINI ON THE RUN”
1996

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MEMORIES OF POUKAWA SCHOOL

By John Shaw

Some of my earliest memories of walking from our house on the main highway – a quarter mile of tarsealed road to the corner of Poukawa Road and then three quarters of a mile of rough limestone and red metal (crushed rock and red clay). In those days spread by small trucks (Allan and Graham) for the Hawke’s Bay County Council – followed by a large grader to level off (approximately once every three months – mostly driven by a jolly chap, Ned Barratt).

I still remember our Headmaster, James Curran, boiling an urn of hot water for making a mug of hot cocoa. You had to bring your own milk – of which we always had a plentiful supply as Mother milked a herd of jersey cows. School milk (bottles) arrived per railway truck at 1.30 p.m. daily, so it was warm when we drank it.

In later years we had to be very careful what we told our parents as sometimes a teacher was boarding. Other teachers stayed with Francie Jago, near the Railway Station. Unfortunately, the railways houses and stock yards are gone now. One house moved to near the Main Road.

A popular game during breaks at school was called ‘rounders’ – similar to American baseball. A tennis ball was used with a length of willow stick as a striker baton, then after hitting as hard as you could, you ran a marked circle, without being branded with the ball coming back. The yard at school was originally limestone but had been concreted and coated with red ochre which if you fell over covered your clothes in a red colour.

Outside toilets had to be cleaned once a week! (By the pupils). Pupils had turns splitting wood for school heating also. Winter time saw woodfires warming the school. One point we always remember our headmaster having to hold his upper lip when coughing or sneezing to keep his false teeth in place.

Some years later we had an old pony (15 & ½ hands) which I rode to school. It was left in the horse paddock (now planted in pines) during school hours. At times the pony stumbled with a head low, many a time I came off to be told “get up and go on”. Some pupils rode Shetland ponies. Sometime later we acquired our first bicycle to ride to school. Many years later, before the first school bus (that I remember) a large American car with a long seat installed behind the front seas to allow more seating for children and driven by Bert Lock.

Summer weekends sometimes included climbing the limestone hills not far from home with friends. We would knock off a bunch of cabbage tree leaves, then use them as a slide to go down the hill on dry grass. The alternative was a small piece of roofing iron flattened to use as a slide, but it produced many cuts on the hands.

The Headmaster was always warning pupils of Police prosecution for using a “shangie” – a Y shaped stick with a piece of rubber between, to fire stones off the road at telephone or power insulators on poles en route to school. Occasionally we had problems with magpies nesting in willow trees, divebombing and crowing your head on the way to school.

Eventually my brother and I left school having reached Standard Six to go to College at Wellington.

5th July 1996

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THE POUKAWA MINIATURE RIFLE CLUB
A SHORT HISTORY

TOM LANE

From the lawns of Waipiropiro to the battens of Buteland – with whispers of a muted fanfare in the background.

A stretch of 33 years, just one of the measures of changing times in our district.

In December 1950 a small group of “Guns” got our Club off to a prone start with “Rabbit” rifles and a lot of optimism.
Our first Range was the open paddock in front of Donald Campbell’s home.
The same man and Sim Heighway each loaned a target rifle to the fledgling club, our membership grew, we got ourselves organised.

For a brief period we used F.G. Douglas’s Te Mahanga woolshed as an indoor Range, but uncontrolled draughts made it uncomfortable for people, inadequate safety provisions with uncontrolled .22 pellets made it decidedly dangerous for horses which may have been beyond the paper targets.

Sim Heighway helped out yet again. The Club was given the use of the floor of his orchard packing shed – then used as a store for bulk goods for Sim’s factory. Our weekly club nights became quite social events where members, from school kids to grandpas assembled to test their marksman skills.
Inter-club competitions were held even “Postal” shoots at Dominion level. We held our own amongst the elite. Team spirit was high.

Shame!! – Disbelief!! Bolts of canvas, stored in that shed and destined to become tents for the “Great Outdoors” were found to have perforations rendering them useless for their intended purpose. Errant shots?? No doubt!!

Forgiven – we cut a great trapdoor hole in the floor of the shed and constructed a SAFE range beneath, with the concrete foundations providing ideal confinement for the flying lead.

Nothing lasts for ever; the packing shed was required – as a packing shed.

Tony Robson’s “Buteland” woolshed was to be our next and final club house.

We built an elaborate shooters mound and a target area complete with curved steel back stops and sand traps to collect the spent lead; all about head height, over the sheep pen battens.

Now that particularly piece of Kiwi ingenuity, that shooters’ mound, was designed to test the skills of true marksmen,

The ladder to it was steep, the light above it was uncertain, head room was limited. It took agility and dexterity to shuffle one’s load of rifle and wee tray full of “Rounds” into the firing positions.

Local knowledge was the key element to success, as visiting club members used to firm foundations, elbow pads, shoulder harness and Optometrist’s wizardry were to discover.

They could not understand our tolerance of such a “Snake Gully” approach to fundamentals – essentials to scoring those ten inner bulls they expected, but we seldom achieved. I am sure we had more fun just trying.

Co-ordination was the key. Not just of hand and eye, not just of your own breathing but of every minute movement of others sharing your “detail”. Two other “Davey Crockets” would be shifting elbows and hips, flicking feet to grasp the best grip to anchor rifle and rifleman into an unflinching unit as they focussed upon that little black dot twenty metres down the track!

No. 3 was the mound to get – against the wall – something solid close by. No. 1 was next best – at the head of the ladder. The middle one, No. 2 was shunned by the knowing. It was “sprung” rather than supported by less than substantial beams below. It was the one which responded to each inhalation and exclamation as other bodies dared to move to squint through telescopes to observe the score of the previous shot. A lot of shooting skills were learned on those mounds. They held us together for a lot of years.

Page 45

Our annual final nights became social events of some moment, with B.Y.O. suppers. Scores recorded over the year were added, divided, assessed and averaged to determine the winners of different categories.

Best score of that night was a competition which tested nervous trigger fingers and shaky foresights.

Trophies were presented with due deference and accepted with suitable pride.

Formalities over, rifles and ammo carefully stowed away; it was time to relax!

Nights and times to remember – by those still able.

The lights went out on 3rd October 1983.

POUKAWA SCHOOL

DAVID CAMPBELL

Although I have written history books, I seem to have a poor memory when it comes to my days at Poukawa. I have vague memories of the school bus and the playground, but the day it snowed stands out clearly. Snow was not a common event in the Poukawa district, and we needed no encouragement to rush out to the playground to make snowmen, chuck snowballs around, slide up and down. I don’t remember how much time we spent in class that day, but I doubt if it was very long.

My other memory of Poukawa is the devotion and perception of Miss Elsa Cody who married Don Dixon about the time I left Poukawa for Hereworth. I had been short-sighted and sometimes hopelessly clumsy from birth but my parents had accepted it as just part of the family scene. It was Elsa Cody who realised that I needed glasses. She noticed that my work in class improved as I moved closer to the blackboard and deteriorated as I moved away from it. She told my parents who took me to Shattky & Webber (now Shattky, Donaldson & Eagle) for my first pair of glasses. I still remember the sudden clarity of vision when I put my glasses on and I am glad to have an opportunity to thank Elsa Dixon for her aid, even it if has taken me over forty years to do it in writing!

Apart from snow and sight, me memories of Poukawa School are benign but vague. I liked the teachers and the headmaster, Mr Curran. The atmosphere comes back as easy-going but not lazy in class, knockabout in the playground, a small friendly school, quite a contrast to boarding school. I lost some time at Poukawa through asthma, and that may account for the vagueness of some of my memories now. It’s a pity, but best wishes for the reunion anyway.

Photo caption – Poukawa School 1996

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POUKAWA SOCIAL CLUB

JOHN LANE

In the late 70’s Terry and Rena Pilcher moved to Poukawa and instigated the formation of the Poukawa Social Club.

This band of fun loving, hard working district people worked to raise funds for the purchase of much needed equipment for the school and hall. During the Committee’s heyday many thousands of sheep were crutched after work hours and at the weekends, which generated money to purchase the first photocopier followed by TV and video for the school. The ball also benefitted by having a new fence erected.

These material things aside, many district functions were organised. These included the bi-annual New Year’s Eve celebrations and inter-district sports days. Soon a friendly rivalry developed between Horonui and Poukawa, the trophy being the Dowel Konn Challenge Shield.

Team colours were quite distinctive with Horonui taking the field in the Celtic livery and Poukawa in a simple black singlet (woollen of course) with a Tui label attached, in fact John Lane is still short of a few outstanding team ‘jerseys’.

The Social Club as such is now disbanded and $1000 went towards the school reunion and the balance $300 has gone to the Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle.

THE POUKAWA LADIES’ SOCIAL CIRCLE

The Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle is open to all women in the district and was the idea of Mrs Irene Stockley, the then Headmaster’s wife. The first meeting was held on 10 March 1966. Meetings were held monthly at the school and the group’s aim was to help anyone in the community in need and later to raise funds for school equipment. A programme was organised for the year with two hostesses for each evening. A raffle was provided and there would be a small charge each evening plus a supper plate. Programmes would include a guest speaker or a demonstration, sometimes a fashion parade. Once a year a jumble sale would be held at the L.D.S. Hall Te Hauke and these sales were very popular. Here are some prices from a jumble sale: Big preserves 30 cents, small preserves 15 cents, jam 20 cents, pickles 20 cents, sauce 10 cents.

Notices for the Ladies’ Social Circle have been distributed by Mrs Jeanette Shaw on the paper run since 1968.

The Poukawa School has benefitted greatly by the Ladies’ Social Circle fund raising equipment and gear donated include shrubs, a Singer sewing-machine, daylight screen, skill set, multiply unit, plastic tumblers, Christmas decorations, flutter boards, skill set nets, number equipment, volley ball, soft ball glove and mask, cups and saucers, aluminium ladder, court marker, teaspoons, towels and tea-towels, bibs and sashes, typewriter, encyclopedia, preserving jars tools, kiln, fireworks, dessert plates, gymnastic equipment, 1/3rd share of a bus for Camp Kaitawa, Poukawa Playcentre equipment, pottery glazes, ½ share in lawnmower, scrambling net, rompers, football jerseys, bands for sport, gymnastics beat board ½ share, 6 paddle tennis bats, groceries for a camp at Clifton Beach, Library books, etc. Each year the Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle has provided soft drinks and chippies for the children and ladies have contributed groceries for the popular hamper raffle.

Although the Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle no longer exists as originally conceived, an annual get-together is retained and on June 24 1986 a 20th Anniversary luncheon was held at the Hastings Club to celebrate 20 eventful years of fellowship and fundraising created by the Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle. In 1996 a 30th Anniversary Dinner was celebrated at the Hibernian Club in Hastings.

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Poukawa Ladies’ Social Circle 20th Anniversary June 24th 1986

Jeanette Shaw, Betty Porter, Bev Caccioppoli, Shirley Malcolm, Irene Stockley, Judy Bain. 1986

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CAMP KAITAWA

ROBIN PHILLIPS

What a week!! An experience pupils and adults would remember for a long time.

Poukawa and Te Hauke Schools combined to attend Camp Kaitawa, situated in the Waikaremoana area.

Fund-raising activities such as comic and sweet stalls were run by the children at school. Raffles and contributions from the Ladies’ Social Circle helped with costs.

A team of camp cooks had the responsibility of catering for up to 50 people at the camp. Food was donated by parents residents and some firms. A Camp Mother had the task of patching up spills and ills – and probably a touch of homesickness. Children had camp chores to carry out before the day’s activities began.

Activities included tramping around Lakes Kaitawa and Waikareiti; a walk along Hinerau’s track to view the beautiful falls; climbing Mount Ngamoko, a touch climb to 1,600 feet up a very steep track but what a beautiful view from the top! Visiting caves in the area; the Tuai Power Station and the Armed Constabulary Redoubt; Lectures on survival if lost in the bush; Campouts and sleepouts.

Children and adults all joined in to make the Camp Social on the last night a very happy time indeed.

Everyone arrived home tired, but agreed it was a very successful and enjoyable camp and a great experience.

Camp Kaitawa 1974 Camp Kaitawa

Page 49

From “Camp Kaitawa” Poukawa School Fifth Magazine
The Most Memorable Experience of the Kaitawa Trip.

The Ngamoko climb.
“When I had reached the summit I felt a sense of satisfaction” (Peter)
“I thought I’d never reach the top” (Amiria)

The Onepoto Caves.
“I saw a cave weta, glow-worms and moa bones for the very first time” (Martijn)
“It was dark and spooky” (Lynne)

Lake Kuriopuke
“I fell in” (Adrian)

Mrs. Malcolm’s best (or worst) experiences:
Climbing Ngamoko
Completing the obstacle course
Going through the caves

Mrs. Hape’s best memories
Observing the children develop independence
Seeing the friendships grow

Mr. Preston’s most memorable times:
Trying to sleep in the same hut as Mr Taylor
Adjusting the hot water mixture for the cooks’ showers
The long run (beaten by three boys)

THE WIRELESS STATION

The Wireless Station plays music on air from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s era, 24 hours a day on 1530 A.M. and involves the whole Gane family from Poukawa.

Through doing on-air announcing at the Community Radio Station in Hastings, Chris Gane met two people from Havelock North who had decided to start up a new Radio Station. They wanted someone to join them and with Chris’ knowledge of computers and his huge collection of old-time music he was an ideal choice. Commercial automation systems for the station proved to be unsuitable; however the Ganes two teenage sons who had attended the Poukawa Primary School, were adamant they could do something better. With the amazing trust of their business partners, and against dire predictions from outside parties, Michael and Stuart wrote the Computer program which runs the Wireless Station. This was while sitting School Certificate and Sixth Form examinations. They are still doing work on it and Chris, though working on another job is also the Program Director of the Wireless Station and in charge of recording music on to computer, scheduling songs, advertisem*nts and serials. The Wireless Station phone is answered by Trish Gane who is also copywriter for most of the advertisem*nts. The Wireless Station Programme can be heard from Wairoa to Dannevirke and livens up many households in the area.

The Ganes, as other parents in the district, have assisted the school in many ways.

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MEMORIES OF POUKAWA SCHOOL

LUCY SCOULAR (DOUGLAS)

My lasting memories of the Poukawa School were getting to … and home again from school. I had an old fluffy brown poly named Captain and we used to gallop to … and home again from school jumping every ditch and log along the way, with my leather school bag flapping on my back. Of course in those days the roads weren’t tarsealed and luckily there was not much traffic. We used to have Pony Club nearly every weekend at Mr Stirling Collison’s farm or ride there all weekends and every Monday morning Captain would turn in there and nearly unsaddle me – the rest of the week we always went straight to school.

Another memory was climbing the huge macrocarpa trees on the southern side of the school to escape from the senior school bullies!! Poukawa was a great Thoroughbred horse nursery and all the owners used to congregate at the Post Office full of the latest news on their hopefuls. It was no wonder our Headmaster Mr Jim Curran was an avid follower of the horses. My father, Denys Douglas, always made sure he gave Mr Curran a good tip for the races before the end of the term, and it was amazing what a good report one achieved after that tip.

GROUNDS DEVELOPMENT

A. Titchener has produced draft plans free of charge. A lot of work has been done by M. Walsh and P.D.s coming in on Thursday and Fridays. The macrocarpa trees have been cut down and replaced in pine.

The General Development Plans include a long jump; goal posts for soccer; gardens around the school building; a shade feature over the sand pit which has been moved; a new fence at the car-park area making a new car-park and agapanthus planted around the swimming pool.

The swimming pool was fenced to standard recommendations in 1994, Kim Hammond, Guy Hewitt, Mike Walsh and Mike Heard being responsible with work being done mostly in the evenings.

Photo caption – Douglas Road 1996

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SONIA HAWEA 1974 – 1982

When I think back to my years at Poukawa, I see long, warm summer days spent playing non-stop cricket or patter-tennis. But then I also remember winter hours spent around the pot-belly stove listening, very alert, while Mr Hollis recounted the Drama in Real Life from the latest Readers’ Digest, about how a man lost both legs in a shark attack and lived to tell the story!

Poukawa was always a very community-orientated school. I can recall countless occasions when parents were supervising this, or raising money for that. It was during these times that I developed an unhealthy partiality for hokey pokey and chocolate fudge! Nevertheless, Poukawa parents were a special bunch, always there for the kids be it dragging themselves to the top of Mount Ngamoko at Camp Kaitawa, building climbing forts or trudging through the plantation of Guy Fawkes night looking for itinerant Form 2s! Other events, such as Pet Days and Christmas Shows are also remembered with some pride, plus some tinges of embarrassment at the memory of a mischief goat!!

Something else I remember well was the importance of school rules and ‘duties’. I remember sitting around while duties were dished out. For some reason the ‘bell’ always went first (probably because the lucky sod could hide the patter-tennis ball!) and ‘rubbish’ last (well, you can guess why). There was also early practise at waiting in lines, like at assembly and waiting for the bus. This well prepared one for endless queuing at University!

While I want to avoid offending anyone by missing them out, I want to mention a few of the significant characters from my time at Poukawa. Of course, there was Mr Hollis, equally comfortable in front of a blackboard as lying on the grass providing a hiding place for a game of go-home-stay-home! Mrs Hollis, who was also so nice, and willing to lend a sympathetic ear, as well as very efficient with the banking! And Mrs Wright, our bus driver. Always smiling and friendly, and willing to buy those endless pots of fudge, Mrs Wright was also always willing to go the extra distance for a tired pair of young legs. Mrs Williams and Mrs Harwood, wives of (then) traffic officers, these women didn’t realise it, but they were my first ‘examples of fashion’! It was through observing the developments in both their wardrobes that I learned to appreciate loafers, frocks and the importance of accessories.

There are a couple of things I remember with some unease. First, those awful rompers that us girls had to wear. Thinking about it now, Trevor Hollis would probably have the Commissioner for Children on his doorstep if he tried to get kids to wear those things today. Besides, it’s all lycra and polar fleece these days. Second, it was as a result of a rule (another one for the Commissioner!) that girls couldn’t play hockey that, of course, I deliberately avoided netball at high school, eventually making captain of the senior A Hockey Team!

With my parents still living in the district, memories of Poukawa are never far away, and it’s great to have a constant reminder of where it all began. After Hastings Girls’ High School I followed a good friend to Victoria University in Wellington, where I completed degrees in Lawn and History. After being admitted to the Bar I felt that I needed a bit more experience outside the legal environment and for some reason, I thought that a spell in the public sector might do it for me. Hence I’m now working as a senior policy analyst for the Ministry of Maori Development in Wellington which I enjoy very much

I’m pleased to see that Poukawa School is still open, and now offers “townies” the opportunity to benefit from a country schooling. Memories of the lessons, the pupils, parents and teachers will always be positive and I wish the school another happy 75 years.

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POUKAWA PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS
1921 – 1996

TAKEN FROM REGISTERS OF ATTENDANCE

1921 Jas. A. Curran

1922 E. Steers

1923 A.W.C. Kinch

1924 A.W.C. Kinch

1925 W.A.B. Goodwin

1926 W.A.B. Goodwin

1927 W.A.B. Goodwin

1928 W.A.B. Goodwin

1929 W.A.B. Goodwin

1930 F.N. Emmett Boys & Girls Std. 3 – 6
E.B. Drummond Prim – Std. 2

1931 F.N. Emmett
Kathleen E. Bishop Prim – Std. 2

1932 F.N. Emmett Term 1
Jas. A. Curran Terms 2 & 3

1933 Jas. A. Curran

1934 Jas. A. Curran Seniors
G.R. Hawley Prim. & S. 2
Kathleen E. Bishop Prim. & S. 1

1935 Jas. A. Curran Seniors
Kathleen E. Bishop Prim. – Std. 2
E.M. Ridgway Prim – Std. 1

1936 Jas. A. Curran

1937 Jas. A. Curran

1938 Jas. A. Curran

1939 Jas. A. Curran
M.E. Nace Prim – Std. 2

1940 Jas. A. Curran
E.J. McIvor Infants – Std. 1

1941 Jas. A. Curran
E.J. McIvor

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1942 Jas. A. Curran

1943 Jas. A. Curran

1944 Jas. A. Curran Seniors
E.M. Nicholl Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1945 Jas. A. Curran
E.M. Nicholl Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1946 Jas. A. Curran Std. 1 – Form 3
E.M. Nicholl Prim. 1 – Std.

1947 Jas. A. Curran Std 1 – Form 3
Joan S. Booth Primers

1948 Jas. A. Curran Std. 1 – Form 2
Primers

1949 Jas. A. Curran Std. 2 – form 2
Primers

1950 P.M. McKee
K. Treacy (Relieving)
R.T. McKelvey

1951 R.T. McKelvey Std. 2 – Form 2
E.D. Cody Infants – Std. 1

1952 R.T. McKelvey Std. 2 – Form 2
E.D. Cody Infants – Std. 1

1953 R.T. McKelvey Std. 2 – Form 2
E.D. Cody Infants – Std. 1

1954 Not signed Std. 2 – Form 4
R. Goodwin Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1955 C.A. Walker Std. 2 – Form 2
Miss M. Hutchins Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1956 A.H. Ingram Std. 2 – Form 2
Miss Sinclair Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1957 A.H. Ingram Std. 2 – Form 2
B. McIntyre Primers

1958 A.H. Ingram Std. 2 – Form 2
B.K. Randal Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1959 A.H. Ingram Std. 2 – Form 2
B.K. Randal Junior Room

1960 K.W. Hubbard Std. 2 – Form 2
Bruce Randal Junior Room

1961 Keith W. Hubbard Std. 2 – Form 2
Colleen Edwards Junior Room

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1962 Keith W. Hubbard Std. 2 – Form 2
J.R. Braithwaite Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1963 A.C. Hill Std. 2 – Form 2
J.R. Braithwaite Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1964 A.C. Hill Std. 2 – Form 2
C.M. Harkness Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1965 M. Lankovsky Std. 3 – Form 2
C.M. Ancell Prim. 1 – Std. 2

1966 C.E. Stockley Std. 2 – Form 2
Miss Cooper Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1967 C.E. Stockley Std. 2 – Form 1
Miss Cooper Primers

1968 E.G. Preston Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs J. Preston Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1969 E.G. Preston Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs J. Preston Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1970 E.G. Preston Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs J. Preston Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1971 E.G. Preston Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs J. Preston Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1972 E.G. Preston Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs J. Preston Prim. 1 – Std. 1

1973 T.R. Hollis Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs N. Gribben Primers – Std. 1

1974 T.R. Hollis Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs N. Gribben Primers – Std. 1

1975 T.R. Hollis Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs H. Lay Primers – Std. 1

1976 T.R. Hollis Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs H. Lay Prim. – Std. 2

1977 T.R. Hollis Std. 3 – Form 2
Mrs H. Lay Prim – Std. 2

1978 T.R. Hollis Std. 2 – Form 2
Mrs Natalie Hema Prim. – Std. 1

1979 T.R. Hollis Std. – Form 2
Mrs Natalie Hema Lower Junior – Upper Junior

3 September – 14 December
New Entries to Primer 4 – Mrs Williams
9 July – 14 December
Std. 1 – Std. 2 B.M. Glinchey
Mrs Natalie Hema

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1980 T.R. Hollis Std. 3 – Form 2
Mrs L. Williams Upper Junior & New Entrants

1981 C.M. Harwood Stds 1, 2, 3
Mrs L. Williams Infants

1982 T.R. Hollis Std. 4 – Form 2
C.M. Harwood Stds 1, 2, 3
Kevin Ryan New Entrants/Upper Junior

1983 T.R. Hollis Form 1 – Form 2
Mrs C.M. Harwood Stds 1, 2, 3
K.G. Ryan J.1, J.2, – Std 1

1984 T.R. Hollis Form 1 – Form 2
Mrs C. Harwood Stds 2, 3, 4
K.G. Ryan J.1, J.2, Std. 1
T. Simons 2nd Term

1985 T.R. Hollis Form 1 & 2. Term 1
P. Mathieson

Terms 2 & 3
Miss M. Harding Stds 2, 3, 4
May 1985 T. Simons New Entrants – Std. 1. Relieving Principal

1986 K. McKenzie Stds 3, 4, Form 1, Form 2
Miss K. Sweetapple New Entrants, Std. 2

1987 K. McKenzie Std. 3 – Form 2
Miss K. Sweetapple Juniors – Std. 2

1988 Alan D. McDonald Std. 3 – Form 2
Heather Lay New Entrants – Std. 2

1989 Victoria Crisp New Entrants – Form 1

1990 Victoria Crisp New Entrants – Form 2
Wendy Taylor Relieving Term 2 & 3

1991 W.M. Taylor New Entrants – Form 2

1992 W.M. Taylor New Entrants – Form 2

1993 W.M. Taylor New Entrants – Form 2

1994 Heather Titchener New Entrants – Form 1
School became two teacher – Term 3:
Heather Titchener Std. 1 – Form 1
Liz Reid New Entrants – J1, J.2

1995 Heather Titchener Std. 1 – Form 2
Liz Reid New Entrants J.1, J.2.

1996 Heather Titchener Std. 1 – Form 2
Liz Reid New Entrants J.1, J.2 Terms 1 & 2.
Janine Pohe Term 3

Page 56

POUKAWA SCHOOL COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN

A. Tait 1928-1929
W. Barnes 1929-1931
A.W. McDonald 1931-1932
J.L. Saunders 1932-1933
W.F. Fleming 1933-1934
D.J. Malcolm 1934-1936
B.A. Hennum 1936-1940
L.W. Jones 1940-1948
J.R. Arnold 1948-1951
S.T. Jago 1951-1955
R.B Stothart 1955-1959
L.E. Horn 1959-1961
R. Knottenbelt 1961-1963
A.R. Robson 1963-1965
S.G. White 1965-1967
T.B. Bain 1967-1970
N. Porter 1970-1971
R.B. Stothart 1971-1972
D. Collinson 1972-1977
D.S. Brownrigg 1977-1985
J. Lane 1985-1991
R. McPhail 1991-1993
D. Goulding 1993- end of 1993

Chairperson Poukawa School Board of Trustees
A. Hewitt 1994 –

Camping Hill
1996

Page 57

POUKAWA SCHOOL ROLL
1921-1996

JUNE 1ST 1921

PRIM.
Adamson Jean
Condon Vida
Struthers Flora
Byrn Douglas
Taylor Willia [William]

PRIMA 3.
Smith Arthur
Kennedy Donald

S.2
Whare Mabel
Corless Frederick

S.3
Flemming Bessie
Condon Norman
Hay Mavis

S.5
Barnes Hazel
Condon Gordon

DURING 1921

PRIM.
Lewis Dolly
McQuilkin Eion
Te Atua Mihi
McQuilken Mavis

P.3 Whare Mary

S.4 MacKenzie Melva

FIRST PUPIL REGISTERED – CONDON GORDON

1922
Joseph Cox
Lewis Gertrude
Saunders Torrence Leslie
Russell Luke
Hape Alfred
Lewis Dolly
Douglas Ronald
Byrn Cynthia
White Roy Maxwell
Russell Fanny
Russell Vini

1923
Struthers Ella Agnes
Hape Fred
Carmen Bessie
Whare Johnston
Taylor Norman
Franklin Herbert Joseph
Whare Lizzie

1924
Savage Eric Oscar
Handly Dorothy
Greenfield Leonard Tracy
Nepia Millie
Hape Naomi
Greenhalgh Constance
Saunders Aleen James

Page 58

1925
White Grace Dorothy
McCormick Eileen
Byrn Jack
Cooper Luke
Hapuka Ivanhoe Te Nahi
Lord Eileen
Franklin Hugh
Wereta Annie
White Edward J.C.
Greenfield Betty
Bewick David
McCormick Mervyn
Franklin Flo
Harmer Jack
Raru Albert

1926
Corless Dorothy
Greenhalgh Edna
McDonald Jessie Catherine
Greenfield Benita
Campbell Mary
Campbell Dorothy
Sutton Geoffrey
Saunders Molly
Karena Billy
Whare Eina
McDonald Freda Gwenna
Greenfield Queenie
Rapihana Toki
Sutton Olive
Tait Janet

1927
Cracknell Amy
Robson William Jobson
Hape Baba
Timu Willie
River Jim
Wood Kathleen Edith
McDonald Laurance Arch
Robson Anthony Ridley
Campbell Nola
Hape Wiwa
River Sonny
Ngawiki Rangi
White Nancy Rosalie
Wood Irene

1928
Fearnley John
Cooper Hianga
Timu Lilly
Karena Hori
White Daphne
Timu Marjorie
Harmer Sarah
Lewis Mihi
Harmer Reed
Wi Kani Bany
Hapuku Sonny
Cooper Neil
Cooper Dick
Eagor Eric
Dutfield Basil
Smith Beth
Harmer Minnie
Wati Tilly
Pakai Iate
Pakai Ben
Wi Kani Rohu
Takerei Leone

Sand Castles

Page 59

1929
Smith Margaret
Chase Polly
Pahu Nikiora Price
Milne David Mitchell
Milne Gordon Rennie
Hapuku Jack
Malcolm Joyce
Bartlett Alice
Bartlett Mike
Kara Phil
Baker Merehana
Raihania Mollie
Corbet Arthur
Hone Mereana
Boihi Arihi
Chase Niki
Pakai Jerry
Wilson Watene
Milne Leslie
Nikera Bullie
Malcolm William
Himona Lemnos Madros
Bartlett Ione
Bartlett Verdun
Grey John
Campbell Patricia
Heneriti Pepina
Lewis Huki
Hone Pohe
Putahi Mama

1930
Carroll Nelson
McQuilkin Jean
Harmer Bella
Nikora Ellen
Nuia Phyllis
Moananui Bella
Nuia Boyboy
Headly Maureen
Pinihi Mary Ann
Ratima Marara
Pakai Matilda
Baker Merehana
Moananui Margaret
Hawea Lena
Hewitt Pauline Mary
Moffat Howard

1931
Lewis Walter
King Josephene
Rangi Thomas
Duncan Reina Vivia
Clark Florence Mildred
Timu Georgie
Hawes Pepina
Beckett Jean
Lewis Margaret
Kara Rosie
King Winnie
Hawes Maud
Moananui Karal
Hennum Robert Bernard
Pakai Captain
Cosgrove Jack
Moffatt Denise
Timu Karani
Jones Tutu
Moffatt Victor
White Betty Jackson
Thompson Polly
Wati Jack
Hope Walter
Wilson Margery

1932
Bartlett George
Harmer Charlotte
Hart Kenneth
Price Mary
Naita co*cky
Tunnecliffe Noel
Timu Albert
Timu Jim
Lewis Adelaine
Bartlett Bertie
Aplin James
Nikora Royal Boy
Timu Agnes
Tunnecliffe Merle
Chase George
Clark Rita
Timu Mary
Hawea Tom

Page 60

1933
Harmer Teddy
Hapuku Ada
Wairama Kara
Hapuku Queenie
Hapuku Violet
Revet Sonny
Pakai Billy
King Billy
Martin Sonny
Bartlett Gloria
Karaitiana Rotoera
Wati Tilly
Timu Janie
Chase Joyce
Elers Polly
Hapuku Takapuna
Martin Thomas
Hapuku Maku
Hapuku Billy
Cooper Jim
Elers Rangi
Rotahi Nuki
Pakai John
Hennum Thelma
Hapuku Edith
Timu Rangi
Headly Charles
Nuia Mary

1934
Curran Alice Zoe
Saunders Clem William
Nicholls Doris Louise
Harmer Charlotte
Pakai Billy
McKenna Janet
McKena Catherine
Parkes Audrey
Smith Jean Vida Joy
Smith Donald Victor
Wairama Ana Tipu
Thompson Lucy
Timu Dinah
Walker Clifford Reginald
Harmer Amy
McKenna Frank
McKenna John
Wilson Hupata Melvin
Smith Grace Katrina Gladys
Smith Coral Betty
Martin Nancy

1935
Hape Wikitoria
Timu Noel
Watene Variety
Marsh Desmond
Parkes Allan
Anderson Teddina
Hape Ropoma
Timu Robert
Watene Hatepi
Marsh Catherine
Huddleston Margaret
Hennum Melva
Timu Re

1936
Le Comte Kenneth Newton
Jones Moria
Hauku Latoe
Pakai Roley
Ratima Hoani
Timmu Mick
Wilson Jimmy Whareata
Wilson Georgie
Redwood Dawn Alison
Malcolm Rex
Hewett Mildred Katherine
Hewett Betty Emily
Buddo David
McKenna Agnes
Willetts Iris
Ratima Jack
Hawea Daddy
Hape Mihi
Timu Jackie
Flutey Rachel
Redwood Lexine Cynthia
Watson Robb Lester
Timu Wiripina
Hewett Frederick Wallace
Hewett Phyllis Nita

Page 61

1937
Ratima Kiriwai
Mikaera Jimmy
Hape Jackie (Tuki)
Carroll Mary
Clark Rita Margaret
Poole Margaret
Wairama Aporina Ngaio
Spooner Rovina
Karaitiana Reihana
Lay Nancy Dorothy
Edwards Olive

1938
Stacey Dawn
Karaitiana Riki
Karaitiana Billy
Hape Huia
Monk Margaret
Watene Wiremu
Watene Hemi Reginald
Hape Kura
Greenfield Denis Keith
Russell Arthur
Hape George
Toroaiwhiti Mabel
Timu Peter
Harmer Hilda
Greenfield Pat
Monk Doreen
Watene Ngapuke
Watene Kingi Hori
McKay Douglas
Greenfield Allan
Blight Keith
Jones Allan Leslie

1939
Wati Heni
Watene Rumoana (Jack)
Wairama Rangipaia
Shaw Leonard John
Greenfield Ruth Winsome Judith
Karaitiana Lester
Holden Denys
Tamehana Bobby
Douglas Mark
Greenfield Jansen Bertram Reeve

1940
Pango Rai
Harris Kathleen
Clifford Peggy
Lock Lawrence
Lock Thelma June
Panapa Ngairo
Taihana Rangi
Lock Raymond Leslie
Archer Pamila
Harris Adelaid
Hapuku Albert
Greenfield Ronald
Lock Robert Martin
Lock Mervyn Douglas
Randle Dennis
Jones Margaret
Hape Lester
Timu Marie

1941
Shaw Brian
Taylor Dick
Hawkins Rebecca
Greenfield Kenneth John
Hape Vera
Wood Kelvin Donald.
Wood Rex Earle
Hindrup Inrei Virginia
Hindrup Philip John
Hindrup Neil Malcolm
Williams William Henry
Jones Moira
Wairama Tarati Owen
Timu Maiki
Tipu Sonny
Ngawiki Maudie
Whatarau Edward
Watene Matekini
Wood Terrence Gordon
Wood Trevor Ernest
Wood Ian Maurice
Hindrup Katherine
Hindrup Elaine Patricia
Riach Gordon
Edwards Mihi
Greenfield Peter
Hyde Peter
Hapuku June

Page 62

1942
Timu Eli
Harmer Tony Mathew
Wairama Rangipaia
Pratt Joan
Andrews Mona
Lock Betty May
Hapuku Oriwia
Watene Penitana (Ben)
Harmer Patricia
Ratima Maehe
Catton Peter Edward
Aranui Kereama
Hawkins William
Hindrup Ewen David

1943
Streeter Annette
Karaitiana Eunice
Tasker Ralph Lorrimer
Tasker Dawn Julia
Hawkins Edward James
Hart William
Bartlett Colin
Eagen John
Karaitiana Nikorima
Holden Jill
Tasker Heather May
Shaw Barrie
Hape Hona
Timu Thomas
Thompson Rachel Joyce

1944
Tasker Howard Donald
Wairama Laurie Penetana
Pratt Billy
Hape Mihi
Hapuku Roly
Wairama Claude Caldwell
Wairama Leslie Moroati
Watene Manu Atiarita
Douglas Lucy

1945
Tonihi Marvin
Cribb Jackson
Pratt Betty
Winiata Campbell
Henare Bella
Carter Joyce Mabel
Carter Kenneth Ronald
Walls Judith Aileen
Jago Sidney Allen
Henare Norma Dorothy
Beckett David
Cribb Maria
Beckett Brian Charles
Shaw Graeme Francis
Cribb Mary Helen
Hikawai Keite
Carter Maureen Rona
Carter Edith Lorraine
Hape Joseph
Lock Allan
Hill Hariata
Collison David

1946
Arnold Keith
Hapuku James
Pratt Barbara
Hapuku Jerry Owen
Arnold Judith
Turi James Carew
Rich Irene Lesley
Tasker Lorraine
Karaitiana Ivan
Harmer Bruce
Campbell Wini
Watene Moana
Karaitiana Harvey
Hilton Sam
Hapuku Geoffrey Turongo
Greenfield Robin
Turi Reid Tawiri
Elers Alice
Epiha Frederick
Greenfield Timothy
Turi Robert
Henry Blossom Puawai
Hapuku Ivan

Page 63

1947
Epplett Shirley
Epplett Anthony
Baines John William
Carpenter Dennis
Hapuku Ralph
Rutene Horomona
Hape Thomas
Karaitiana Kinga
Epplett Kenway
Baines Kay Mary
Carter Deidre
Hapuku Margaret
Rutene Ruth
Cuthbert Michael Anthony
Harmer June Lilian

1948
Hapuku Toko Lane
Turi Donald Edwin
Wimuta Willie
Hart Eric Leslie
Timu Raihania
Tonahi Anthony
Cribb Rita
Tunnicliffe Annette
Wooding Sirley
Greenfield Bruce
Hart Ella Leslie
Tipene Eunice
Chadwick Vonny Joanne

1949
Harmer Daniel
Watene Gable
Haenga Lavinia
Mason Murray
Ching Margie
Donovan Beth Constance
Thompson Delma
Waitere William
Stead Sally Catherine
Spooner Te Aroha
Tasker Barry Maxwell
Holden Mary-Lou
Jillings Ellen Lola
Hape Georgina
Donovan Patricia Helen
Donovan Geoffrey Francio
Waitere Kawa
Stead Elizabeth Mary
Gribben Annette

1950
Cuthbert Annette
Harmer Hilda
Lock Maru
Greenfield Lynette
Thompson Zelma
Little Kevin Alred
Timu Leoni Phillipa
Millar Brian Donald
Harmer Amilia Nola
Arnold Robert Graham
Harmer Mila
Campbell David
Greenfield Marilyn
Timu Marguerite
Little Annette Arini
Little Robert John
Johnston Allan
Boyle Neil William
Roberts Kathleen Louisa

Annette Little, Lesley Rich, Elizabeth Stead in school gardens (Lesley Evetts Photo)

Taite Kupa and Jill Bennie playing Maori Stick Games (Lesley Evetts Photo)

Page 64

1951
Kupa Tutu
Bennie Jill Kay
Page Janis Edith
Buddo William Menzies
McKelvey Margaret
Bennie Stuart Keith
Woods Pamela Beatrice
Griffen George
Campbell John

1952
Mihaere Harry
McClutchie Caroline
Kennedy Ailsa
Gill Ian Claude
Harmer Judith Edward
Saunders Bryan
James Rosanna
Harmer Claire
Stead Simon (Tim)
Karaitiana Ivan
Harmer Mark Wiari
Packer Graham
Saunders Betty
Waitere Derek

1953
Gilbertson Donald
Pakai Arona
Phelan Kerry Patricia
Hutchison James Clark
Karaitiana Hana
Kennedy Alison Mary
Williams Adrian John
Gilbertson Richard Dennis
Phelan Mark Allan
Lane Paula
Karaitiana Atereta
Harmer Mary Lou
Little Wayne Tait
Harmer Manuera Puku

1954
Kupa Barney
Beere Brian
Chapman Eleanor Rachel
Andrews Michael
Broadcondon Lionel
Walker Catherine
Campbell Dallas
Beere Anthony James
Stothart Lynette
Kahukore Wikitoria
Beere Barbara
Williams Janise Anne
Andrews Gail Patricia
James Susanne Mary
Walker Nicholas
Lane John
Campbell Martin
Hope Merrilyn Shelley
Webby Rosie

1955
Timu Nema
King Lynette
Wall John
Wall Patricia
Wyllie Myra
Crowley Pauline
Harmer Bobby
Astridge Cristopher
Wall Heather Lyn
Timu James
Davies Gary
Wall Terrence
Chapman Brough
Harmer Peter
Ruwhiri Elizabeth Annette
Howard Kim
Hope Jennifer

1956
Shirnack Allan James
Hura Albert
Thompson Graeme
Wilson Waenangi
Meadlarkin Roderick
Airay Bryan William
Harmer Pauline Sherry
Thompson Wayne
King Laurence
Johnston Allyson
Airay Susan Margaret
Guild Lindsay

Page 65

1957
Kaiwahie Margaret
Hewson Fay Christine
Harmer Honey
Hawkins Silkie
King Graham
Meadlarkin Lorraine Seth
Horn Wendy Lorraine
Matheson Kathleen
Hape Keith
Hope Alison Linda
Hura Sally
Hawkins Tootsie
King William
Greaves Patricia Dorothy
Timu Joanna Dorothy
Lane Judith Anne
Lucas Deborah

1958
Randall Kathleen Joy
McClutchie J.
Hope Glenys Brenda
Kupa Christine
Randall Lewis John
Fever Rachel Sydney
Ingram Susan
McClutchie David
Hape Maureen Elizabeth
Kupa Rosalie
Dyer Kaye Marion
White Janet

1959
Percival Phillip Clayton
Timu Sally Ricki
King Raymond John
Knottenbelt Maaike
Ratima Henare
Ratima Neil
Gough Sharon Ann
Percival Warren Kendrick
Tipu Tiria
Knottenbelt Jobert Jan
Knottenbelt Anneke
Ratima Lorraine
Horn Lesley

1960
Hubbard Nichola Sue
Bartlett Mark
Hall Dennis
Hall Lee
Maxwell Anne Sandra
Smale Karen Irene
Harmer Christopher
Sutton Lynette Margaret
Dixon Mary Elsa
Bartlett Henry ho*roa
Hall Janice
King Lorraine
Hart Christine
Hape Lillian
Davidson Lois Margaret

Photo captions –

Tim Stead

Morning-break Milk 1953

Page 66

1961
Buddo Catherine Rosalind
Bartlett Gloria Tokorangi
Stalker Irene Jean
Bain Judith Anne
Parsons Virginia
Rautu Tangi Ata
Mason Ruby
Hubbard Michael James
McKay Wendy
McKay Hugh
Knottenbelt Frans
Stalker Penelope Rae
Stalker Christopher John
Chrisstoffels Wendy Joan
Heighway Trevor James
Rautu Tira Wiremu
Leicester Robert Lindsay Finch
McKay Pamela
McKay Peter
McKay Jill

1962
Wilkins Madeleine
Wilkins Norman
Walsh Wiremu
Franklin Louise
O’Brien Jeremy Michael Cole
Lee Rowan
Davidson Sandra Lynne
King Rebecca
Robson John Anthony
Buddo Bridget Alexandra
Wilkins Garry John
Wilkins Robert
Franklin Mihitai Elizabeth
Franklin Daphne
Percival Warrick Gary
Horn Peter Lennox
King Anne
Bartlett Wititi
Knottenbelt Hilde
Martin Jacob Norman

1963
Bain Murray
Walsh Maree
Maxwell Shona
Sandilands Russell
Walsh Peter Geoffrey
Miller Lynnette
Hill David Stewart
Stothart Margaret Joyce
Walsh Christine
Temperton Garry
Sandilands William
Hill Keith Allan
Miller Gaye Patricia
Anthony Grant David
McLauchlan Jean Isabel

1964
Malcolm John William
Bartlett Richard
Wilson Cristina Maree
Ormond Gordon
Harmer Jacqueline Henrietta
Panapa James
Robson Hamish Andrew
Cudby Wendy Anne
Ormond Richard Kingi
Parsons Michael Edward Douglas
Tawera Irene
Panapa Peter
Pink Michael Keith
Pink Sheree Margaret

1965
Heighway Christina May
Mason Roy Taylor
Renata Colin Tai
Maxwell William Robert
Knottenbelt Martijn
Waihai Peter Minahi
Davidson Stephen Douglas
Maxwell Jenny Dianne
Malcolm Julie Anne

1966
Cowan Linda
Sandilands Philip
Mortier Monique
Buckley Denise
Bain Wendy Margaret
Peters Stephne Rose
Waretini Adrian Tutuira
Harmer Paul
Sandilands Emily
Buckley Leslie
Buddo Robert David Roy
Weaver Sharon
Waretini Amiria-Belle

Page 67

1967
Laidlaw Ian
Nagel Tony Grant
Nagel Maurice Robert
Shaw Richard
Turberville Lynnette
Long Eric Martin
Jacobs Edwin Teruna
Nagel Annette Joy
Nagel Llannys Gwen
Stockley Marie
Campbell Emaraina Lynne
Tuberville Frank Justin
Rolleston Elizabeth
King Richard Ewen

1968
Porter Mark Darrell
Campbell Rongo Allan David
Smart Karen
Andrews Tania
Hayde Mark Raleigh
Hayde Grante Michael
Kani Margaret Phillipa
Long Debra Anne
Waretini Anderson Te Aranui
Smart Lorraine
Cowan Victor
Hayde Lorraine
Hayde Paul Driscoll
Cowan Peter Johnson
Kani Johnny Benjamin

1969
Caccioppoli Matthew Bernard
Waretini Annabelle Lois
Haye Peter Frederick
Philips Russell John
Campbell Tama Andrew
Scoular Andrew Douglas
Collison Edward Peter
Orr Kenneth Gordon David

1970
Shaw Ann Janice
Webb Deirdre Anne
Porter Jane Maree
Shailer Robert Dennis
Shailer Joanne Merle Patricia
Caccioppoli Donna Maree
Webb Lindsay Charles
Giles Donna Myra
Shailer Penelope Jane

1965

Page 68

1971
Campbell Stewart Tia
Berrigan Sally-Anne
Mohi Mark Anthony
Gray Andrea Irene
Cavell Michael Bruce
Stowe Shelley-Marie
Collins Marlaine Josephine
Gray Phillipa Jane
Berrigan Dawn Marie
Mohi Riki Dena
Lincoln Raewyn Diane
Cavell Jennifer Susan
Stowe Megan Payne
Jillings Gregory Peter
Phillips Nicola Marie

1972
Scoular Sally Jean
Long Tracy Jane
Bartlett Charles Robert
O’Shea Susan Maree
Taehen Pieta Mary
Tangohau Jack Arama
Tangohau Wayne David
Edwards Leonie Dixie
Milne Debbie Kathleen
Avery Philip Norman
O’Shea Karen Leigh
Taehen Raewyn
Buddo Benjamin Roland
Tangohau Philip Grant William
Edwards David Maera
Edwards Pauline Joy

1973
Hollis Tracy Lee
O’Brien Shaun Michael
Mohi Linda
Waretini Alton Huia Afton
Hollis Shane Alexander
Harley David Robert
Harley Peter Cameron
O’Brien Sharon Marie
Hodge Denise Margaret
Brownrigg James Seabrook
Caccioppoli Tanya Letitia
Collison Wendy Jane

1974
McErlich Margot Jan
Campbell Lesley Ann
Crawford Shane Elliot
Styles Thomas David
Hawea Sonia Tui
Caccioppoli Natasha Anya
Spencer Brian William
Gray Elizabeth Ann
Styles Ronald Mark
Styles Christopher Peter
Tait Margaret Jane

1975
Waretini Ani Taane-Mate
Puke Alan Hone
Wallace Mark David
Stevenson Michael Charles
Reeves Kane Sydney
Collins Murray Gilbert
Mathew Caroline Maria
Puke Tony Tukatahi
Wallace Garry Allan
Reeves Taryn Isabel
Olsen Malcolm Alexander

1976
Reeves Joanne Iritana
Campbell Kristen Patricia
Clarke Bevan Allan
Brownrigg Jeanette Florence
Sullivan Peter David
Eggers Graeme Trevor
Parnell Joyce
Smith Sheyne Bernard
Brownrigg Roger Brough
Crawford Andrea Marie
Eggers Darrell Peter

Page 69

1977
Dalrymple Ella Jane
Wrightson Bruce Craig
Collins Richard William
Goile Lindsay Deane
Goile Simon Leslie
Campbell Stephanie Marie
Campbell Pippa Ovena
Wrightson Callum James
Caccioppoli Monique Sheree
Waretini Elisa
Goile Kim Warrick
Goile Peter Ronald
Hawea Quentin Rangi
Lane Nicola Ann

1978
Hema Tania Joyce
Tilyard David Craig
Marsh Christopher Ginn
Brownrigg Matthew Haydn
Reeves Kelly Robin
Smith Priscilla Louise
Greening Zappa Henare
Caccioppoli Justine Michaela
Thompson Kimm Arthur
Hema Donna Lena
Tilyard Marcia Gaylene
Marsh Michelle Aroha
Grieve Susan Jane
Brownrigg Gavin Isaac
Dalrymple James Keith
Greening Roman Charles
Thompson Tracy Margaret
Greening Parris Reid

1979
Hawea Adeodata Mariama
Gray Penelope Faye
McGlinchey Matthew John
McGlinchey Claire Louise
Waretini Moana
Kerrigan Frank
Taka Alan Samual
Kani Michaela Charmaine
Robinson Delvar Christopher
Taka Daniel Paul
Aitcheson Lynlee
Gibbs Angela Kelly
McGlinchey Emma Kate
McGlinchey Finton Patrick
Tuhi Henrietta
Kerrigan Judy Anne
Taka Graham Richard
Kani Michael Winston
Hansen Katie Claire
Robinson Victoria Sarah
Campbell Frith McLean
Aitcheson Toni-Ann

1980
McGregor Andrew Paul
Caccioppoli Roxanne Tamlyn
Smith Sonja Helene
Campbell Steven Neil
White Tony
White Zane
McGregor David Wayne
Campbell Christine Marie
Duff Kirsty Jean
Grieve Mary Elizabeth
White Matthew
Brownrigg Charlton Ross

1981
McGlinchey Daniel Timothy
Kersjes Mariet
Hall Debbie Gaylene
Gibbs Daniel Ray
Hastie Nigel Andrew
Duff Andrew Graham
Edwards Myra Marama
Taylor Sonya Elise
Kersjes Anneloes
Campbell Kara
Hall Leona Wendy
Lane Sarah Helen
Hastie Debbie Margaret
Campbell Fiona Joy
Mason Damian Wayne
Taylor Aarron Lindsay

Page 70

1982
Pilcher Melanie Kay
Leeks Diana Maree
Anderson Timothy Rangi
Hall Aaron
Brownrigg Adrian Dean
Ash Melody Victoria
Ratima Joanne
Pilcher Geoffrey Janes
Pereka Kalwyn Clarke
Pereka Rhys, Renata
Edwards James Morgan
McGregor Christopher John
Farrelly Benjamin Francis

1983
Hastie MacLean
Ratima Joanne Atereta
Lane Cameron Hamish
Robertson Jonathon Raymond

1984
Gane Michael Lawrence
Evans Ashley Damien
Henderson Dion James
Carroll Clinton Peter
Ayre Joseph David
Thompson Jared William
Kingi Bronson
Evans Joshua Abraham
Evans Honey Ruth
Henderson Bryce David
Carroll Glen Dean
Thompson Brad Victor
Thompson Rohan

1985
Robertson Bridget Raechel
Gane Stuart James
Edwards Henry Paratene
Eagle Geoffrey Mark
Eagle Juanita
Hooper Kimberly
Proctor Sandra Gay
Sibley Jackueline Ann
Eagle Stephen John
Eagle Richie Wayne
Hooper Daniel

1986
McKenzie Bevan Robert
Jordan Nathan Earl
Thew Katherine
Jordan Craig David
Bird Jessica Naomi
Thew Stuart

1987
Lomas Riki Roy
Bourke Belinda
Gane Vicky Lisette
Bartlett Richard Erihana
Bourke Anthony
Raue Aja Rose Lily Pearl

1988
Lowe Elaine Patrica
Tuhi Moori Rangi
Ward Rebecca Marie
Macphail Duncan Robert
Lowe Marianne Margaret
Hensman Anneke Helen
Lay Emily Jean Francis

1989
Northe Stuart George Lindsay
Devlin Tyneall Andrew
Meeks Fiona Robin
Meeks Lisa Michelle
Hensman Joel
Gane Debbie Celeste
Devlin Karen Amanda
Meeks William Robert
Macphail Jeffry Craig

Page 71

Arrival of new Classroom 1982

1990
Wolland Eileen Marie
Williams Emily Jane
Taylor Matthew
Ward Daniel Steven
Wolland Shannon Tiemi
Malcolm Kirsty
Hewitt Nicholas Guy

1991
Goulding Hayley Fiona
Wood Jennifer Louise

1992
Te Kahu Joshua Wallan Walker
Knight Alivia
Taylor Erin Elizabeth
Knight Edward
Northe Adam John Earl
Knight Laura
Hewitt Peter Philip Guy
Malcolm Brendan John

1993
Poulgrain Jimi
Haerewa Ivanna
Northe Kaine
Goulding Lorna
Hammond Guy Donald

1994
Walsh Paul Trevor
Toms Joel Kenneth
Ogg Natalie Rose McPherson
Rawnsley Thomas Zachary
Rawnsley Robert James
Christie Jason Caine
Christie Joshua John
Jackson Staci
Dean Richard Robert
Hewitt Digby Daniel Guy
Burridge Renae
Gazzard Matthew Daavid
Wolland Shannon
Walsh Hayden
Hales Anthony Charles
Ogg Gene McPherson
Ogg Katherine Mary McPherson
Rawnsley Jessie Jill Cherie
Williams Sarah Anne
Christie Sequoia-Lee
Grew William
Haerewa Atanita
Barnett Trent
Burridge Hollie
Sackfield Angus William
Gazzard Benjamin Kailin
Rainsford Nicole Joanne
Heard Caleb Michael

Page 72

1995
Kenrick Janie-Lee Cullan
Therkleson Corey Devon
Cavell Rhys John
Brown Shaun Wayne
Sneddon Samuel John
Black Taare Piripi
Penberthy Alyssa Brooke
Williams Benjamin Thomas
Welch Samara Lee
Herrick Duane Mike
Buddo Sophi Maryke
Therkleson Nicole Casey
Cavell Ryan Ray
Brown Lee William
Hales Megan Louise
Ogg Ashleigh June McPherson
Penberthy Daniel Edward
Farrow Tyson Vincent
Frater Kevin John George
Cook Gareth Gene-Paul
Franklin Anna Hayley

1996
Hammond Guy Donald
Phillips Amanda Jenny
Williams Bradley John
Hawea Jordan Anne
Koutsos Mahina
Stewart Mark
Roberts Richard
Smith Nicole Valerena
Phillips Kent Douglas
Hogarth Tracey Marie
Hammond Lachlan Samuel
Stewart David
Hamlin Josephine
Roberts Joshua

Mr. Goodwin, Back Row: Jean Carter, Flora Struthers, Douglas Byrn, Grace White, Donald Kennedy, Vida Condon, Eileen McCormick
Middle Row: Neil Kupa, Torrence Saunders, Cynthia Byrn, Nora Greenfield, Naomi Hape, Baba Hape, Jack White, Ella Struthers, Jack Byrn
Front Row: Alan Saunders, Dorothy Campbell, Gwenna McDonald, Betty Greenfield, Jessie McDonald, Leonard Greenfield David Bewick.

Page 73

FUND-RAISING

A Fund-Raising Committee was established in 1994.

1994 Fiona Northe – First Chairperson
1995 Hamish Adie
1996 Arna Ogg

The Committee consisting of between three and five members meet once a month and are constantly fund-raising for the school.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

When I moved to Poukawa in October 1988 I knew only a few people in the district. It was a busy time settling back into country life.

Jeanette Shaw was most kind and offered to take me with her on the paper run. Somehow, even then I sensed the changes that had taken place at Poukawa, even though I was ignorant of the Early Days. When a notice appeared last year for a meeting of all those interested in the Poukawa School 75th Reunion, I went along to support Tim. Tim was elected to the Reunion Committee and somehow I became co-opted on too. From there I progressed to Research Person of the Reunion Booklet Committee.

In my efforts to compile an historical record for the Poukawa School over the past 75 years, District history inevitably became included.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who have helped in any way with my research, Barbara Horn for her constant encouragement, enthusiasm and support and for her generous hospitality in hosting most of the Committee meetings held over the past year. My thanks to Lu Scoular and John Shaw also on the Reunion Booklet Committee. All have given great support and helped with information and general knowledge of the area. Without the support and computer knowledge of our wonderful typist, Sally Hansen, I don’t know where we would be and to Heather and Patsy at the School, thank-you for always being so helpful when I came to look for research material. I never felt in the way. My thanks to all who took time to write an article and researched photographs for inclusion in the booklet and to those who have spent time with me answering my many questions and helping put names to faces. My research included the National Archives where early photographs and material were found.

I feel that this booklet is only the beginning of recording the history of Poukawa and I hope someone else will take it from here and write, while memories are still fresh.

May the School continue to flourish as we enter the twenty-first century and I take this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable and happy 75th Poukawa School Reunion.

My greetings to you all.
Rosemary Stead,
Research Person.

Page 74

REFERENCES

MacGregor, Miriam. “Early Stations of Hawke’s Bay” 1970
pub. Reed

Liliput [Lilliput] Maori Place Names 1962
pub. A.H. & A.W. Reed

J.D.H. Buchanan “The Maori History and Place Names of Hawke’s Bay 1973
edited by D.R. Simmons
pub. A.H. & A.W. Reed

100 Years in the Parish of Saint Columba, Havelock North
compiled by the Rev John Hodder M.A.B.D.

The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby

The H.B. Education Board Photographs and Negatives ABDJ Accession W3568
(National Archives Head Office, Wellington)

A TRIBUTE TO THE BOOKLET

On behalf of the booklet committee, I wish to place on record our deep appreciation for the untiring efforts made to make this publication interesting and informative to both young and old readers alike.

Many hours of meetings and proof-reading have been involved, also the numerous photos and contributions received. While every endeavour has been made to include as much information as possible, limitation on space excludes all being able to be printed. Our apologies for some information and photos not being used. In particular our humble thanks for the long hours and dedication into research by Rosemary Stead, who has made this booklet possible.

Photo caption – Postmaster Jack Corless photographed on his retirement 1971

Page 75

AUTOGRAPH AND ADDRESSES

When you have selected a committee from those who are willing to stand
Don’t criticise everything they do, but give a helping hand.
They have tried to do their best for each and everyone
Don’t whine with all the rest, come up and say “Well Done”.

Page 76

SPONSORS
Brownrigg Agriculture
Mr and Mrs Denis Brownrigg and Family
Mr Derek Brownrigg
Mr and Mrs Bill Buddo
Mr and Mrs David Buddo
Mr and Mrs David Campbell
Mr and Mrs John Campbell
Mr and Mrs Peter Collins
Mr and Mrs Malcolm Crawford
Mr and Mrs Peter Dalrymple
Farmlands Hastings
Mr and Mrs Chris Gane and Family
Mr and Mrs Ivan Grieve
Mr and Mrs David Hansen
The Hastings and District Scots Society
Hill Country Beef
Mr Denys Holden
Mrs Barbara Horn
Bryan Hutchinson Furnishings
Mr and Mrs John Lane
Mr Tom Lane
Lowe Walker Meat
Mr and Mrs Rex Malcolm
Mr and Mrs Gus Parsons
Mr and Mrs Doug Phillips
Richmond Meat
Mr and Mrs Hamish Robson
Mr and Mrs David Ritchie
Mr and Mrs John Scoular
Mr and Mrs Tim Stead
Williams and Kettle Ltd
Mr and Mrs Tony Wrightson
Wrightson Stock and Station

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