WAIRARAPA MOANA
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More memories from the 1970s John Stevens continues with memories of visits to Mangakino in the 1970s and beyond. Driving all the way to Mangakino on a Friday evening and returning on Sunday was not my favourite sport after a week at work and so, after a number of journeys, I persuaded the committee to think about flying to Taupò and renting a car from there. In those days there was no direct flight. The Friendship service went through Whanganui. It’s interesting to note how Air New Zealand’s support of a Wellington-Taupò service has waxed and waned over the years. As the secretary, Donald Spiers, always went to Mangakino a few days before a meeting, it fell to me to organise the team, getting some down from Wairarapa and getting us checked in and on the way. For some it was a new experience as they had never flown before. We often joked about the possibility of a direct charter flight to Mangakino and did take up the charter option on one occasion when committee members were keen to get to Taupò earlier on a Friday afternoon for interviews for a new general manager. As our charter flight approached the Central Plateau we were faced with a wall of black cloud. Our pilot said: ‘I’m not going there!’ and contacted Whanganui airport for a diversion, being told that the Friendship from Wellington had just touched down. Somehow, he was able to arrange for us to transfer to the Friendship on the tarmac and we eventually arrived in Taupò at the usual time. There was no more talk about charters after that! The general manager appointed at that time was George Evans, who had been a farm supervisor for Mangatu Blocks for many years. Unfortunately, George was not universally accepted into the Mangakino/Pouàkani team but my own
Mangakino 1976
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John Stevens
experience was favourable. He knew his stock. A property for which I was a trustee was struggling and the owner was obsessed with pasture development and the Land Development Encouragement and Livestock Incentive Schemes. When I visited the property with George the owner was waxing eloquently about the green swards of new pasture but George took me aside and showed me how unhealthy the stock was. Meanwhile, where was Mangakino going. The first signs of further decline in the viability of the township were becoming evident as families who had remained after completion of the hydro works were moving on, job opportunities at Kinleith were decreasing and the people moving in were either beneficiaries looking for cheap rents or cheaper houses to buy. After the closing of the clothing factory, the committee of management and marae committee were keen to see some diversification away from residential and commercial leasing. Among initiatives explored, unsuccessfully, were a toy factory, a slink skin factory, flower growing and horticulture, including grapes. Some will remember the Leucadendron flower export project. That is a long-stalked woody plant which was in favour overseas for large floral arrangements. Export prices were very attractive. The main planting was near dairy farm 18 but some were also planted
