Big Prize to Raetihi man

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 2, 10 June 1986, Page 1

Big Prize to Raetihi man

A Raetihi man has won first prize in a nationwide NZ Police Centennial Trust Lottery worth more than $150,000. Mr Keepa Makatea bought the winning ticket from Dowman's Four Square supermarket in Raetihi for $10. At the end of May he was glancing through a newspaper and noticed the winning number in the lottery looked like his.

"I just about fell over," he said when talking to the Bulletin yesterday. It was the first big thing he had ever won in his life. Mr Makatea lives in a rented house in Raetihi with his 11-year-old daughter, Christina, who attends Raetihi Primary School. The pair are travelling to Auckland by bus tonight to make a difficult choice among the five big prizes which are offered. Choices are two Ford cars, a top-of-the-range

Sierra Cosworth and a Telstar TX5 together valued at $150,000; Ford farm equipment, including two tractors, a truck, a ute and a car, valued at $164,000; a $1 10,000 McCrae home and land to the value of $40,000; a $150,000 yacht; or a cruiser valued at $160,000. Mr Makatea has'lived in Raetihi for much of his life. He has been back in Raeithi about six months helping "Joker", Mr Makatea 's father who is-in his 80s, with his house.