TAUPO-NUI-A-TIA WAR MEMORIAL HALL

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 152, 24 December 1954, Page 1

TAUPO-NUI-A-TIA WAR MEMORIAL HALL

OPENING CEREMONY Plans which have been in hanc for several years came to fruitior on Saturday last, December 18 with the opening of the Taupo-mri-a-Tia War Memorial Hall Erected as a memorial to all members of the armed services from the Taupo County who gave theii lives on active service, the hal] faces Tongariro Street, opposite the Horomatangi Street intersection. Set back a little distanee from the street, it forms a notable addition to Taupo 's main street and marks the first step toward the plan of a civic centre. The architects for the hall were Messrs Alleman and Land, of Auckland, and the contractor was Mr L. W. Ward, of Taupo. The exterior of the building is painted in pastel shades, primrose yellow, two shades of grey and white. The opening ceremony began at 2.30 p.m. in the presence of between f our and five hundred citizens, those present including the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs J. E. Story, members of the Borough Council and their wives; the Rt. Rev. W. N. Panapa, Bishop of Aotearoa; Mr R. Boord, M.P. and Mrs Boord; Mr Arthur Grace (chairman, Tuwharetoa Trust Board); Mr H. B. Rickard (vicepresident, Taupo R.S.A.) and Mr W. L. Fulljames, past president, R.S.A. ; the Town Clerk, Mr S. Torepe and Mrs Torepe. Drawn up on either side of the front of the hall were detachments > comprising members of the Taupo R.S.A., the Taupo Troop of the Legion of Frontiersmen, and the Taupo Volunteer Fire Brigade. Addressing the gathering, the Mayor, Mr Story, referred to the events leading up to the erection of the hall as a War Memorial, commencing with the original plan of the Taupo Returned Services Association to erect a hall and club rooms, leading to the holding of two queen carnivals. In view of costs and in order to secure the subsidy offered by the Government, the Association had handed over to the Town Board (now the Borough Council) several hundred

pounds of their own funds, and the proceeds of the first carnival. These sums, with the proceeds of the second carnival, amounted to over £7000, on which the £ for £ subsidy had been received. His Worship said he wished to thank the R.S.A. and both the Ngati-Tuwharetoa tribe and the Tuwharetoa Trust Board for their support, and also the people of Taupo and district who had worked for the project., He then asked Bishop Panapa to speak. The Bishop, after a few words in Maori to the Maori people present, spoke briefly, referring to the new building as a worthy memorial. Mr R. Boord, M.P. spoke of the men of both races, and all arms of the service, who had given their lives to preserve our freedom. He hoped those present would give some quiet thought from time to time to the memorial nature of the building. Mr Arthur Grace said that the Maori people were particularly proud of having given some small help to the erection of the hall. The name of the hall, "Taupo-nui-a-Tia" was a very appropriate one, he thought. Tia was an ancestor

of the Tuwharetoa people, and the name was descriptive of the whole tribal area round Lake Taupo. Mr H. B. Rickard, for the Taupo Returned Services Associatiojn, speaking in the absence of the president, Mr E. F. Wright, thanked the Mayor and Council for their co-operation, and said the Association would make the best use of the club rooms in the hall which had been set aside for them. The Mayoress, Mrs Story, then cut the ribbons across the main doors of the hall, after which the Mayor, Mr Story, turned the key and opened the doors, and invited those present to enter and inspect .the building. Afternoon tea was served in the supper room.