REIKORANGI FIRST FAMILIES – Kāpiti and Coast Independent

Early Settlers of Reikorangi

3rd May 2012

Do you have stories or photos?

The descendants of the early settlers of Reikorangi are preparing material for a book about the first families and their memories.

The group have already met once and some contributions are well under way.

Convenor Christine Clifton grew up in the Reikorangi Valley and is working together with the Kapiti Coast Museum in Waikanae to create a valuable source of memories and information for the generations who will follow.

Christine, along with Diane Richards from the museum are very keen to hear from others who may wish to contribute photos or stories about their time in the valley or information about their settler families, to be included in the book. It is hoped the book will be published some time next year.

If you would like to be a part of this exciting project please contact Christine by email: ewoki@xtra.net.nz or contact Diane at the Kapiti Coast Museum 9 Elizabeth Street Waikanae, ph 04 905-6313 or email kapitimuseum@gmail.com.

Photo: Diane Richards (left) and Christine Clifton with a photograph of George and Ruth Monk who were amongst the first early settlers to the Reikorangi Valley.

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STORY OF THE WEEK

Kāpiti Coast councillors have toured of one of Aotearoa's unique buildings, the heritage - listed Rotunda at the former Otaki Health Camp, the country’s first.

Jeremy Smith reports that the 105-year-old, eight-sided rotunda predates the Health Camp.

It wasn't actually built in Otaki, but was one of two built in Rotorua in 1915 as part of a military hospital, on the site of Rotorua’s present public hospital.

Later they were taken to Otaki for the opening of the health camp in 1931.

Full story in the main column (December 19).

100 Years Ago — and the Maori Long March begins

Māori politics was dominated by the influential MPs (and sometime Cabinet ministers) Māui Pōmare ( Waitara statue photo above) and Apirana Ngata.

The 1920's also saw the rise of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana’s religious movement, and the emergence of Te Puea Hērangi in Waikato.

Ngata worked hard to foster Māori scholarship and education and preserve traditional arts and culture.

He convinced the government to establish a Board of Maori Ethnological Research (1923), a Maori Purposes Fund Control Board (1924) and a School of Maori Arts and Crafts in Rotorua (1927).

The Reform government also took the first, tentative steps towards settling longstanding Māori grievances.

Agreements with Te Arawa in 1922 and Ngāti Tūwharetoa in 1926 recognised their respective rights over the Rotorua lakes and Lake Taupō, and led to the establishment of trust boards with some government funding.

Commissions of inquiry which examined Ngāi Tahu grievances (1920–21) and the Waikato and Taranaki confiscations (1926–27) recommended that modest compensation be paid.