Early Settlers Celebrate Golden Wedding

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1949, Page 4

Early Settlers Celebrate Golden Wedding

Residents of the Koputaroa district for half a century, where they are held in high esteem, Mr. and Mrs. H. Pene recently cele- « brated their golden wedding anniversary. Mr. an'd Mrs. Pene were married at Koputaroa, then known as Kereru, on August 30, 1899, by the minister for the Rangiatea parish, Rev. Arona Te Hana. Mr. Pene was a son of Ihe late Mr. Pene Amine, "a well-known settler in Te Kura, Hawke's Bay. Mrs. Pene's maid'en name . was Margaret Carlotta Sciascia and she was the' eldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. N. Sciascia. Her father was for many years lighthouse keeper at Portland Island. FoLowing'his death Mrs. Pene ac- .i companied her mother to Koputaroa to reside. With the . excep- • tion of a brief period spent at Te Kura, Mr. and Mrs. Pene have resided at Koputaroa, throughout vheir married life. This unique event was the occasion for a fitting celebration arranged by members of Mr. an'd "Mrs. Pene's family. In a large marquee erected at their residence

for the purpose some 150 relatives and close family friends sat down to a sumptuous dinner prepared and cooked in traditional Maori style. The usual toasts were honoured, that to the bride and bridegroom of 50 years ago being proposer by Mrs. Pene's brother, Mr. J. Sciascia, of Levin. Mr. Pene suitably responde'd and Mrs. Pene thanked members of her family for arranging ,the enjoyable function. Mr. and Mrs. Pene have six sons and four daughters surviving. They are Mesdames W. Jury, N. Perawiti, K. McDonald (all of Koputaroa.) , and T. M. Kopua (Hicks Bay) ,• and Messrs Reihana Pene (Wanganui)., Frank Pene . (Te Kura), Arthur Pene (Opiki), Charles Pene (Feilding), Nicholas Pene (Koputaroa) and H. Pene .(Wellington). Two sons, Messrs P. an'd J. Pene, paid the supreme sacrifice during the Italian campaign in World War II. *