100 Years - Centennial Celebrations for Tūātapere - featuring Edith Miller's Poem, first set of posters

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Copies of posters for Tūātapere Centennial Celebrations, 3rd February 2006 - First set: These posters, which were put together by Alan Johnston, can also be seen in physical form, on the folding doors at the more recently re-named "Tui Base Camp" Cafe/Restaurant/Bar on the on the cnr. of McFeely Street and the Main Road of Tūātapere. There are heritage photos with the poem imposed over them as posters. Typed in full below, the poem was written by local farmers wife, Edith E Miller - who in her lifetime, wrote a variety of history poems on the Waiau & Tūātapere: TŪĀTAPERE’S GREATEST MILESTONE Tūātapere celebrates its first one hundred years So lift your glass and have a drink, remember to say “cheers” Built on solid rock foundation by pioneers who passed this way It came from little hole in bush to what it is today The story of this little place is full of ups and downs Who should have the accolades and who should wear the crowns the Railway and the Saw Mills I think will pass the test To bring us all prosperity they truly did their best The Railway now has done its dash, it helped us on the way we have still got a Water Tank and Station here to stay One thing we remember is good old Railway Row Jacksons, Baldwins, Tanners all made the whistle blow We had sawmills up the Alton, the Groveburn and the beach One tucked in behind the town, with Happy Valley still in reach Dean Forest was community with sawmill all its own Then Dixon joined with Evans and now in our Town has grown Although we’re miles from anywhere, we’re never short of beer There’s doctors, nurses, ambulance, that seem to be right here We’ve had visits from the dentist, the physio came too The lawyers and accountants all proved what they can do We used to have a traffic cop who popped in now and again But now they seem to live here, and they don’t tell you ‘when’ Tūātapere has been moulded by four great ‘Copper’ men McCulloch, Skippy, Hibbs and Tong, but I’ve lost track since then It was ‘Dr Gillies, Dr Dodds, then Dr Elder held the fort He tended us for 50 years, he called at every port Danie and then Clem were next, we bid them fond farewell Now they seem to come and go, but Sue, you beat the bell We’ve had many nurses, and many midwives too But none that was more versatile than Bev Pratt was with you The Trust has been tremendous, we give thanks for their care Jack Munro was good Samaritan, no better anywhere McClymont was the chemist, with his shop beside the Bank Then he moved to shoe shop before John Fraser said ‘I thank’ John later built his own shop, now it’s so full of gifts While he is now in Riverton, prescription he still sifts We recognise the Councillors, Steve was before our Jack Then Thwaites and Ashcroft had a go, before Anne had a crack Now George is quite a Harpur, so I guess he’ll get things done Promotions could be going Gray, But Ngarita holds the gun. Hinchcliff had the Bakery till Don and George came down Then they supplied the daily bread and sold pies round the town They seemed to know the adjectives that fitted with each noun Had the Bakery been a Kingdom they would both have worn a crown McLeod Bros, owned the Tearooms, and Eva did her best To keep them running smoothly until Blossom passed the test That little kitchen out the back, was quite a meeting place So many hearts were lost or won if they couldn’t make the pace The first Pub that was in the town was by river way out “West” Then they built a new one and put it to the test The first time I was in this Pub, Bruce Brooks was not here long Skippy bet us he wouldn’t shout, Johnnie Walker proved him wrong Next the Pub was full of LOVE Bill shouted night and day Then George Harpur took it on before Pam and Dave McNay Quinton Donnelly is the new man, I haven’t met him yet But Quinton I must warn you Skippy’s not here now to bet Charlton sold to Cameron and Finn, who with Langmuirs made a pair ‘Til Ivan Brocket was so Smart, and opened up Four Square Murray Dowling beats them all, Motels, Backpackers too Super Market Restaurant, what a BAA for you The Sausage Capital of the town, has had a real sex change Prendiville, Brown and Henderson, leave the girls to re-arrange The Dairy too has filled the bill, I go back to Mrs Dewe Then Lex and Betty had a swing, now others follow through Andy Hughes did sell the shoes, and Cecil was a Payne But if you needed shoes on horse, call Charlie Chamberlain Dave Jenkins told the stories, and we laughed until we cried But he just went on telling them until the day he died there were Egertons a plenty with or without the D I’m told it was the state of mind when Dad went to registry And what about our dear old Len, who opened a Cafe He used to sell the coffee but he gave the gas away The National Bank did serve us well until it all closed down But Wayne has brought it back to life, and brightened up the town Let us now give thanks to Shaun, for the Murals he did paint To celebrate the Hump Ridge Track, he really was a saint The glory and the wonder where the Waiau meets the sea The whitebait and the flounders take a look at what the see There were Hamiltons, McKenzies, Howdens, Ridders and Bennetts who Knew the Erskines and the Normans and the Baker family too Tūātapere was saddened to lose the Office of the Post But Crafties opened up their shop, and compete to sell the most We’ve had Postmasters and Posties, Elaine stood the test of time The exchange controlled by Elwyn, Hold, I’ll put you on the line We had buses for the people, Dick Ritchie too the coast Reg and then Bill Evans, “in the NEWS”, were right on toast Of stock agents there were many, Dick Smith could take a bow For while the others moved away, Dick stayed on somehow Jack Managan “Ping the Painter”, Keith would do his best But Charlie Jackson was the one who put them through the test Then we had Bob the Builder, when a Sherriff he was not And Stacey was a Walker so he built up quite a plot The Evans boys were builders and one was quite a Dick Syd Buckfield used the mortar and West would lay the brick Bill Henderson and Robin, with Des would switch us on While Shepherd with his pipes for sheep would somehow tag along Schools have chopped and changed a bit, now we have but one Many Schoolies too have passed this way, to them we say “Well done” The Carriers were many Excell, Austin, Bennett, Ryley, King. McIntyre and Robins, Peek and Unahi did take and bring We’re almost self sufficient, with many volunteers in the pack There was no room for hangers on when we built the Hump Ridge track We’ve got Marshall’s hydrangeas, almost given up the spuds The gentians are still blooming, but forget about the floods We treasure now our library, it services the community well It also is memorial to all the Servicemen who fell Tūātapere will remember the part those young men played And do the best to carry on in the footsteps that they laid We’ve had Stancomb’s Garage, and Thomsons one, two, three Andersons, and Chambers and Egertons without a D The Dairy Factory has all gone, no milk now in a pail It flows into a tanker, and ends up in Edendale Les Brumby was the barber before Bill Rodgers’ day After having hair cut it was billiards you could play We’ve an information centre they tell you all they know But there’s toilets in the Main Street if you want to go The Jenkins had the milkcart and delivered round the town But Willie Winkie had the Dunny cart and a “Nightie” gown We have our own fire engine and a mighty good Brigade The men are always ready and of great stuff they are made A big event we have each year is the Waiau A & P Show The grand parade brought out the best, that’s where the prizes go The Tūātapere Sports Meeting is held each New Year’s day It draws the crowd and entertains in quite a different way Remember man on tight rope, now the choppers imitate They’re riding on their high horse, and call everyone a mate If the running and the cycling is not what it used to be We’ll always hear the shooters if the target they can’t see We’ve had net and basketball, tennis, rugby, cricket too Squash and badminton and the baths are there for you The Golf Club it was started, on top of Bob Scott’s Hill Now it’s on Clifden Domain they chase the little pill We’ve even got two bowling clubs, one is played inside The Community Theatre entertains, the door is open wide Remember when the Peace Bells rang, we danced around the town But what of the millennium, we watched the sun go down The Tūātapere Pipe Band has a history all of its own It warms the cockles of our heart, and steals our narrow bone Sandy Robertson, Irwin Skioch and Donald Campbell who Go back into its very roots, so I’ll test your memory too God bless them in the future, as at Waimatuku they grow Can’t beat McPherson tartan but Val let the Erskine flow All credit now to Helen, who for fifty years has shown Damsels how to Highland Fling like where the heathers’ grown We’ve had many other bands, Reg and Roy leave memories here And Diacks still have their band to get you into gear Joe Lawson had the picture hall and drove cream lorry too But John Davies was the one who built a cinema for you Ron and Gwyn did play their part, the pictures they did run While dad wrote to the paper and had a lot of fun We’ve had many churches, and halls we’ve had galore But now we have the Country Club it seems to be the core The Bushmen have a museum, with a mural on the wall Where you can view many things that helped them with their haul Let us show our gratitude to those who’ve passed away And left behind a monument of all their work and play Imelda edits, Barry prints the Wanderer just for you Any Daggy Dog is not content till he has his say too I know we all enjoy a PUNT, and some just Bridge the gap But Waiau river tried them all, now has it all on TAP I’ll simply have to finish, of this chaff you’ve been well fed But I’ll be there to celebrate, and paint the whole town red We thank the main committee for all the work you’ve done Sit back now, enjoy yourself, and have a lot of fun Cherish all you have and hold, that money cannot buy Never cease to enjoy the beauty of our land, our sea and sky Standing tall with others, and always play the game For Tūātapere has a heart, it’s more than just a name Edith E M AUTHOR: According to our fabulous Patron, Margaret Thomas, Edith was a local farmer’s wife who had a real penchant for poetry. She has written a few lengthly poems about Tūātapere and the people and places around it, including one for Dr Elder's farewell, which is already in another entry in these Community Archives. Edith spent her last years at the Rowena Jackson Retirement Village, but was present at the 100th Centenary Celebrations for Tūātapere in 2006 and here she had her Centennial Poem about the town, as featured in this entry, read out to much enjoyment from the crowd. MILLER, Edith Elsie: She passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in her 104th year. Loving wife of the late Ian. Loved mother and mother-in-law of Helen and Alan Carman, Lex and Wendy Miller. Hopefully this entry will be added to as more information comes to hand. If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of the 100 year Centennial Celebration of Tūātapere or the district and township during the last 120 odd years of its existence, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page.