Preparation

Te Ao Hou, June 1966, Page 24

Preparation Scores of willing workers spent almost 12 months preparing for the 5th reunion, which was organised like a military operation. All parts of its administration were delegated to sub-committees carrying military titles. Commanding Officer of the whole occasion was former Major, Mr T. M. R. Tomoana. Another former Battalion Major, Mr Ossia Huata, was Regimental Quartermaster, and Mr Bill Toroa, of Gisborne, was Regimental Sergeant-Major. Mr Anzac Pearse, of Haumona, was Transport Officer, Mr Riki Smith was Provost-Marshal, Mr Henry Matthews was Orderly room Sergeant, Dr L. W. Broughton was Medical Officer and the Rev. K. Te Paenga was Chaplain. The NCO's were Messrs George Henderson and George Tawhai, Mess Sergeant was Mr John Pene, and Sergeant Cooks were Messrs S. Pineaha and T. Cooper. To reduce traffic, guests were asked to leave their cars at home. They were transported to and from reunion functions in buses hired by the committee. Mr Tomoana, the reunion's Commanding Officer, said that the people of Hawke's Bay had been very generous in their donations of money and food for the occasion. The organising committee had received money totalling £1,400 as well as many gifts of food, including 18 bullocks, 29 pigs and tons of vegetables. In addition, local people had given hundreds of man-hours of free labour to build a cook-house and an ablutions block on the Waipatu marae. Mr Tomoana said this was a permanent asset, valued at something like £5,000.