Ngā mate

Andrew (Andy) George Vincent – 11 March 1914 – 27 July 2012
07531; Merchant Seaman, Merchant Navy. Andy was born at Mabel Bush, Southland. When he was three months old, the whānau shifted to Ruatapu on the West Coast. Four years later the whānau moved to Greymouth, where Andy was educated.

After leaving school he worked as a bushman; and in 1936, he married Velma Armstrong in Greymouth. They had one child, their daughter Helen. This marriage lasted two years.

Andy left the West Coast in 1938 and went to Wellington, where he joined the Seamen’s Union. He met his second wife Julia (Bunny) Ward-Holmes and they married in Wellington in 1942.
After the war Andy obtained a rehabilitation home in Naenae, Lower Hutt. He remained with the Union Company for 38 years and retired in 1977.

In 1990 when Bunny became ill, they shifted to a flat at Bell Block so that they could be near their daughter Julie, son-in-law Bruce and their grandchildren. Sadly Bunny passed away on 23 September 1993.

In 2006, the Year of the Veteran, Andy received recognition for his service during the war. He received a framed certificate along with a medal at the ceremony in New Plymouth. It was a time of immense pride for Andy, who was also the oldest veteran present on the day.

Uncle Andy passed away at New Plymouth on 27 July 2012 aged 98 years. Nō reira, e te tupuna, pāpā, karanga maha. Haere, hoki atu koe ki ō mātua, ki ō tīpuna o te pō. Moe āio mai i roto i te hirikapo o tō whānau kua mahue mai ki muri.

Andrew George Vincent.

Andrew George Vincent.

Māori freehold land for sale in Puketeraki

Waikouaiti Block XII Section 58 has come up for sale. The area is 17.1991 hectares – big enough to build a house. This land is at Brinns Point between Puketeraki and Seacliff. It is in two parts divided by the Coast Road.

Also for sale is Block III Section 75. Area is 9460 square meters. This land has woolshed, sheep yards and cattle yards. It will only be sold with Section 58. Please contact Vicki Offen on (03) 465 7124 or (021) 212 7842 or at [email protected] for further information.

New website

Watch this space as we go through the planning and design stages of redeveloping our website. The launch is pencilled in for the last week of October so if you have any great ideas or additions, (after all the website is about and for you), get in touch with the office with your suggestions.

Motoitoi reunion

A reunion is being held for descendants of Motoitoi and her three daughters, Maria, Emma and Mere, at Easter 2014 at Puketeraki Marae from Friday 18 April. To register your interest in attending, please contact Nicola Taylor at [email protected] or Anne Robertson at [email protected]

Emma and Maria.

Emma and Maria.