WAIPAWA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 36, 5 November 1937, Page 8

WAIPAWA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Our Own Correspondent.

Historical Review

From

WAIPAWA, Last Night. Some very interesting information concerning the early days of the Presbylerian Church in this distriet are ■ contained in the souvenir booklet which was prepared to mark the 70 th anniversary of the Hawke's Bay Presbytery. On December 10, 1865, the Rev. Alexander Shepherd was ordained to the pastoral charge of Waipukurau and Waipawa. In July, 1869, he was translated to tho pastoral charge of Havelock, Clive, and Puketapu, and this distriet was without ,a settled minister for some years. The Rev. G. Morice, of Napier, conducted a monthly serviee for some time, and from 1872 to 1876 the Rev. Alexander Shepherd held a monthly evening service at Kaikora (now Otane). On February 9, 1876, the Rev. Robert Fraser was inducted to the charge of Waipukurau, Waipawa and Otane, wit-h, the surrounding districts, were and on October 15, 1877, Waipawa and Otane, with the surrounding districts, -were disjoined from Waipukurau and constituted a charge, and the Rev. J. M. Fraser was inducted. From that time the following ministers have served in the parish: — Rev. J. M. Fraser, inducted October, 1877; Rev. J. W. JSpenee, inducted June, 1878; Rev. W. O. Robb, inducted, February, 1881; Rev. S. Douglas, inducted October, 1882; Rev R. McLean, inducted May, 1887; Rev. K. W. Johnston, inducted August, 1889; Rev. G. K. Stowell, inducted August, 1902; Rev. J. T. Gunn, inducted August, .1909; Rev. J. D. Smith, inducted May 1914; Rev. F. W. Robertson, inducted, October, 1917. The Otane Church was opened on October .15, 1877, practically free of aobt, and the iirst settled minister of the parish, iLe Rev J. M. Fraser, was inducted. A commodious vestrv was added in 1924, snd many improvemenfcs have s:nce been efl'ected to the grounds. The Waipawa Church was opened on Marqh 9, 1884, free of debt. Unfortunately a great dealil of white pme was asod in the mterior. In 1922 this was taken out and repiaced by hand-dress-heart rimu, while the roof was tiled and a large vestry built. A manse purebased in 2878 proved a cosfciy bargain. It is still possessed by the church and is one of the oldest houses in Waipawa. The present manse was built in 1900 and it was cleared of debt in 1911. In 1910 the interior country, with Ongaonga as tv centre. was formed into a Home Mission htatior. A church w&3 built and in the cuurse zf time cleared of debt. The .'.tatipn was e.osed in .1926 owing to loss of population and difliculty of finance and the distriet was attached to W ».iv&wa.