Hoe-o-Tainui School _________________________|Memories of Early Hoe-o-Tainui and School By C W Kendon On my first visit to Hoe-o-Tainui in 1918-19 the road had just been formed and was being metalled with shingle from the Mangawhara River. Me Tamati, of the Waiti Road, had the contract, and sublet it to other Maoris. At that time settlers on the Tahuna side of the Mangawhara Road called the district Hoe-o-Tainui, while those on the west side of it referred to it as Hapuakohe, the name of the hill at the back of our place. I believe the meaning is the valley or hollow of the kohekohe trees. When there was talk of the district getting a school and post office, there was a meeting of the settlers at the corner of the Mangawhara Road, to decide on a name. On account of its historical associations, we decided to call it Hoe-o-Tainui. Legend had it that at one stage the Tainui canoe had paddled up the Piako River to Tahuna. The crew had then portaged it across the low hill to our district, where they were the guests of the local tribe for a while. When they left, they had either lost or left behind a paddle, or hoe. So the place was called the “Paddle of the Tainui”, while the adjoining district was Te Hoe, the Paddle. For this reason I always advocated spelling the name with a capital letter for Tainui, as we would for example with the name of a steamer. It is gratifying to see that this spelling has been retained apparently by all except the post office. About 1914, my father-in-law, Mr William Eddowes, went to Auckland railway station to meet some friends. One of them was holding a giant mushroom. Mr Eddowes said, “Where that came from must be good land! Where is it?” So he went to see it. The upshot was that he bought a block of land from the Maoris at the Tahuna end of the valley, fenced and improved it, and sold it. In this way he bought and sold several areas, ending up with the 660 acres now owned by the Mohring family, as well as a half share of the 950 acres opposite Jack Laing's, also sold to Mr Mohring. I believe Dan Brown’s farm is part of this block. In the process of buying native land, Mr Eddowes got to know the Maoris well, and was very popular with them. At one stage a ceremony was held at which he and his wife were made chieftain and chieftainess of the Ngatipawa tribe. After we went to live there, their chief, probably a rangatira, gave me a green stone article for my father-in-law to give to a friend of his who was going to America. The full name of the old chap was Pohutuhutu Tarapipi Te Harare Opawa. (He was related to the famous Tarapipi.) Apparently he was under the impression that it was Pawa (Eddowes) that was going overseas. My name is given as ‘Kenetana’. In 1918 I was invalided home from Britain, and shortly discharged from the army. Although the doctor advised me not to resume work for several months, within one month I had taken a relieving job at the Auckland Technical College, and the following year took up an appointment at the Thames South School. However, after about three months I had a complete breakdown, and was ordered by my doctor to take six months rest, and then take up outside work, preferably farming. So in 1920 we moved to Hoe-o-Tainui and began breaking in our thirty-three acres – later almost forty-three – bee-keeping and working into dairying on a small scale. Ever kind of bad luck dogged us, and in 1924 I went back teaching, relieving at Te Hoe. The next year saw me at the Grafton School, but in 1925, when the sale of land had fallen through I obtained a transfer to the Hoe-O-Tainui school, which had in the meantime, been built. If my memory serves me right,
the first teacher was Ms Parker. I
had the school for ten and a half years first as a sole charge, then as
two-teacher, finally with two assistants. (Right: School Basketball Team 1938) I believe I am right in saying that the original school was built to accommodate twenty-eight pupils. When the roll reached thirty-six the Board enlarged it to hold thirty-two! When asked why, their reply was that as the Maori children were such poor attendees they were discounted! It would be at this time that the school was also turned to face north instead of east. The contractor had to add about ten feet to the length. While this was taking place, the school committee decided that schools should be held in Mr Harrison’s shed. But, as it turned out they had omitted to inform the Board of this. When I complained to the Board of the length of time the alteration was taking, they wanted to know by whose authority we had moved, and why they had not been consulted! As the roll increased, it at length became necessary to provide a second building. The names of some of the assistants come to mind. Miss Dulcie Morrison, I think she was the first and she stayed three years. She left to go to a school near Napier, and stayed overnight in a hotel that was destroyed the next day in the earthquake. She is now Mrs E H Cochrane of Cambridge. Others were Gwladys Gwilliam, of Paeroa: Elva Bauman (pronounce Bowman): Miss Byers: Edith Grey, who later married one of the McIntres of Te Hoe: and relievers Miss Kitty Wharfe and Miss Sleep.
School Committee elections were usually very quiet affairs. I remember one occasion when only three turned up. They elected themselves and two others, subject of course, to their acceptance. But it was a different story when there was anything controversial to be decided, as when the matter of the tennis court came up. So long as Sunday play was barred, the Board would subsidise local contributions; but many wished to be independent of this. The school was crowded. Possibly a quarter of an hour was taken up wrangling as to who should be elected as chairman. As far as I remember, I was chosen to preside ‘til a vote could be taken on the matter. Then I was asked to look after somebody’s baby in a car while the mother took part in the discussion. Once the decision was taken, residents worked with a will laying the concrete. One feature of the school I shall always remember was the lovely singing we had. The Maori pupils in particular just loved to sing and most of the others were musical too. To raise funds for a piano we decided on a concert. Our own piano was lent to the school for the practices, and we put on a very successful concert, first at Te Hoe, and then at Tahuna as there was no hall in our own district. I think that I am correct in saying that we raised twenty pounds at each of these concerts and were able to buy a good piano for thirty-six pounds from Mrs Balme of Mangateparu. Some funds left over bought a gramophone and some records. Towards the end of my stay there, we embarked on an ambitious programme – a school operetta, “Princess Chrysanthemum.” We were getting on famously, learning one song after another, and well through the list when our accompanist, Miss Grey, left and I was not quite proficient enough to keep up with the piano parts, so we abandoned it. When it was a sole-charge school, for a while we had one or more of the children doing the cleaning. One afternoon, as I was working at the table, Mihi Matetaika was sweeping, and singing as she worked. I was greatly taken with the song and asked her to repeat it several times, till I was able to write down both tune and words – Maori and English. A few weeks later it was published and sung on the radio. It was “Poata Rau” or “Now is the Hour.” The Maori children would naturally harmonise. There was one boy who, if I had them singing up and down the scale, would sing a third below. Some of them were natural elocutionists too. In particular I remember Pangu Matahaere reciting “The Owl; and The Pussycat.” When we were leaving we were given a china cabinet, still a valued piece of furniture, and a suitcase, mementoes of many happy days at Hoe-o-Tainui. (Copy of translation of note sent by Pohutuhutu
Tarapipi Te Harare O Pawa to his friend William Eddowes, accompanying
gift of Greenstone.) Te Hoe-o-Tainui (The Oar of Tainui) February 10, 1928 To Pawa To Pawa greetings to thee in this New Year, wherein delight the old men and old women on the arrival of the newly wedded spouse who hath brought with him the Sun – who dries up the land, and the food of mankind perishes, and the grass food for beasts withers away. – Thus ill fare the doings of this New Year. – This is me here pondering in remembrance of thee – and in great joy because of the strength of thy body, reminiscent of thy youthful years verily again returned to thee, such is the strength of thy bones and back, and thy general agility. – That being so, it is indeed fitting that thou shouldst be given this New Year to prosper in health. – May God thee preserve on the surges of the ocean wastes, so that thou mayest safely arrive where are thy wife and thy fine daughters. I have given to KENE TANA that which we spoke of at Morrinsville – a true MAORI – originating from Pawa, and descending in lineage even unto me. - Look unto the marks of age, indications of antiquity – the name being TE PUKU O PAWA, - THE EVIL STOMACH OF PAWA. From Pohutuhutu. |
(Right:
Undefeated School Football Team 1939)