ORIGINAL HOMECRAFT AT MANGONUI

Te Ao Hou, June 1959, Page 79

ORIGINAL HOMECRAFT AT MANGONUI by R. WILSON Recently for the first time a Maori homes competition was held in the Mangonui County, North Auckland. This competition was made possible by the generosity of a Kaitaia businessman, Mr Reg. West. There were 41 entrants for the competition and they were spread from Te Hapua, New Zealand's northernmost settlement, to Whangape in Southern Mangonui. At the prize giving ceremony, Mrs Buckle, the judge, spoke very highly of all entries and praised the way in which Maori arts had been combined with western comforts. The function was attended by Mr T. A. McKain, District Officer, Department of Maori Affairs, Whangarei, and some of his colleagues. The prize winners were: First Prize, £35: Mrs M. Smith, Kaiaka. Second Prize, £15, Misses M. H. and M. Pikaahu, Parapara. Ten Prizes of £1: Mesdames J. Larkins (Peria), R. Peterson (Kareponia), J. Nathan (Te Kao), W. Petera (Ngataki), E. Walker (Ahipara), M. Dudley (Panapuria), P. Samuels (Waiharara), J. Neho (Te Hapua), F. H. Smith (Manakau), and M. Marsh (Ahipara). Mrs Smith, the first prize winner, lives in a farming settlement approximately 17 miles from Kaitaia. She was a Miss Williams from Omanaia and she came to Kaiaka with her husband about 25 years ago. Mrs Smith, who has been a widow for the last 11 years, has eight children and she has put the six girls in the family through secondary school. Mrs Smith is dependent on her widow's benefit and the produce she gets from her large garden. The competition was an outstanding success and it appears that there will be an even larger number of entrants next year. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ Miriama Cooper won the recent Wairoa queen carnival held as part of the Hawkes Bay centennial celebrations.