100 years of memories at Pirongia War Memorial hall
Asmall gathering to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the Pirongia War Memorial hall on Franklin St was held at 2pm Wednesday, August 16.
This was to the exact hour it was opened in 1922.
The opening of this ceremony began with a karakia by Haupai Puke while president of the Pirongia Heritage Association, Marilyn Yeates, laid a wreath created by Margaret Main from the Mt Pirongia Lions Club.
The hall was originally opened by Mr J. T. Johnson as a dual-purpose space. The primary purpose was to be a war memorial. The secondary purpose was to be a space for the people in the community to gather.
“The hall was built as an initiative of the local people; they made donations, raised money and donated resources, such as the gravel that was put into making the concrete that the building was made from,” says Allan Hall, a member of the Pirongia Heritage Association.
“They did this without the help from external grants and at a time of economic stagnation in New Zealand, this was a major undertaking by the locals.”
Mr J. T. Johnson said when it was opened that “it is not a stone (like many other war memorials built at the time), but it was a memorial of utility”.
Two marble tablets flanking the entrance list the 42 men from the district who had given their lives.
The hall was rededicated as a war memorial in 1946 when two smaller marble panels listing the names of 13 men who had died during the Second World War were added to the roll of honour.
Over the years this memorial of utility has served its community adequately. It housed meetings, social functions, picture shows, dances, concerts, wedding breakfasts, patriotic functions during World War II, indoor sports, school functions, and lunches provided on sale days when the sale yards were over the road.
The building continued to be maintained and upgraded by the community. Toilet and kitchen facilities were added by the domain board, which in some cases paid for the materials but expected members of the community to do much of the work with them.
The main board office, which is the room in the front of the hall, for a long time was also used as the very first Plunket rooms and clinic in Pirongia.
For 70 years the hall was used and maintained by the domain board and the community which continued up until the 1990s, when government legislation transferred the powers and assets of domain boards to other local government bodies.
This meant that the ownership of this hall was passed to the Waipa District Council, which also became responsible for its maintenance.
“However, it’s important to say that this building is still Pirongia’s War Memorial, it’s not the council’s war memorial. As evidenced each year by impressive Anzac services, that are remarkable,” says Allan.
A recent earthquake assessment revealed that work is needed to conserve the hall and upgrading is required in the future to continue to make the hall truly fit for purpose in the changing world of its second century.
“We need to think about how members of this community might complement the roles of the district council to ensure that the building continues to be used and fittingly honoured as our war memorial, all while meeting the changing needs of our community,” says Allan.
November 19 from 10am till 4pm there is to be picnic day for all clubs, and school organisations to take part in.
Live music will be playing in the morning and during lunch.
Picnic tables and chairs will be assembled on the grass on the Memorial Hall grounds for people to enjoy morning tea, and lunch which is served free of charge outside.
The hall will be open from 8am for the assembly of exhibitions in which local schools are also participating in the centenary celebrations. Ngutunui, Pirongia and Te Pahu schools are supportive and have enthusiastically agreed to participate in the programme.
There is $750 worth of prize money and koha up for grabs, with the opportunity for prize winners to donate 50 per cent back to a local community organisation of their choice. All entrants are to include a statement of “if I won a prize I would give 50 per cent to my selected community organisation, and state why”.
All principals of the schools said this is an excellent idea and are very keen to support the celebration.
Competitions within the schools
The hall was built as an initiative of the local people; they made donations, raised money and donated resources, such as the gravel that was put into making the concrete that the building was made from.
will be held, including an arts, essay and speech competition.
There will also be kapa haka or waiata performances presented in the hall, which is not a competition.
“When we recall and celebrate the times of this centennial it is also important for us to look ahead at how it shall continue to serve the community and what we might do to help,” says Allan.