Raetihi resident recalls ninety eventful years

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 16, 18 September 1984, Page 7

Raetihi resident recalls ninety eventful years

A luncheon celebrating long time Raetihi resident, Ewen Butler's ninetieth birthday, was held on 9 September. Organised by his next door neighbour, Mrs Wyn McCarthy, the celebration included speakers who were able to tell of Mr Butler's great hunting adventures. His brother Con accompanied him on many shooting trips and both earned the reputation of being fine hunters. Ewen Butler was born in Roxburgh and moved with his family to Raetihi in 1909 where his father had leased a stand of bush on the Pipiriki Road. The Butler family with help from local contractors, cleared the bush to farm it. When World War I broke j out, Ewen was drafted into the Mounted Rifles as a trooper and served in the i Palestine for two and a half 1 years. He was one of the lucky

ones who returned home unscathed from the 'Great War'. In 1921, he joined the

Raetihi Dairy Company where for forty-two years he collected cream and worked in the factory.

Initially, he drove around the run in a Model T Ford, one of the first seen in the area. Mr Butler noticed an increase in cream collection during the depression as many residents owned cows hoping to bring in extra revenue. The factory was able to buy in new vats and churns to make the butter, most of which was exported to New Zealand's traditional markets. His father, Ewen Snr,

died in 1939, whilst his mother, Rosann lived to the ripe old age of 88, before dying at the Home of Compassion, Wanganui in 1957. Older brother Con died at Titahi Bay in 1981 whilst younger brother Albert drowned whilst fishing on Lake Waikaremoana in 1927. Ewen's sister, Rose, married Augustine Laloli and they jointly owned a tailor shop on about the site where the RSA stands today, in Raetihi. Their son, Ewen, now lives in Auckland whilst daughter Rona married Tony Whale. They are now farming in Ohaupo, After his retirement in 1963, Ewen Butler, continued his keen interest in gardening producing many of the region's finest vegetables, before earlier this year, a slight heart problem slowed him down. He is now recuperating at home bemoaning the fact that he cannot J work in his garden. Mr Butler is able to mow his large section one portion at a time and is still a remarkably fit man. According to Mr Butler, he is the area's oldest driver. He is still to be seen driving the streets around Raetihi in his Triumph Dolomite car. The birthday celebrations were attended by his surviving family, Rose Laloli's two children and Tony Whale.