Kahukuranui Opened

To have one Governor-General at the hui which marked the start of demolition of the old house, and the next Governor-General present to open their new house was the good fortune of the people of Omahu. Hawke's Bay.

In April 1967, the Maori Council farewelled Sir Bernard and Lady Fergusson at their ‘Meet the People’ hui, and at the conclusion of the discussions, Dr Pei Te Hurinui Jones lifted the tapu off the building and Sir Turi Carroll withdrew the first nail. The people had hoped to have their new house up within a year, but the job proved longer and more costly than expected, and the opening ceremonies took place in December 1970.

It would have proved an even longer and more costly job to use traditional materials inside the 100ft by 30 ft house, but the ceiling timber has been well chosen to resemble kakaho, or pampas reed. The poupou are not carved, but painted in red, black and white. The tukutuku panels, all in the stairway pattern, are in black and white plastic on a red background. Half of the new building's main beam is from the old house and the other half from the old Aotea house at Tahoraiti. Only a few of the old carvings have been used in the present house, and the rest have been carved by Mr Taka Walker of Havelock North, a past pupil of Mr John Taiapa. An unusual

TOP: Just an hour before the opening, the final touches are added. CENTRE: His Excellency opens the door for Mrs Bella Gillies to enter. RIGHT: Inside are Mrs Gillies, the Hon. Duncan MacIntyre, Mr Taanga Tomoana, Mrs MacIntyre and Dr Pei Jones N.P.S. photos

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