The story of Kaiwaka’s last 50 years

The story of Kaiwaka’s last 50 years, as seen through the eyes of the people who were there, forms the narrative for a book that will be launched on November 7 by the Kaiwaka Historical Society.

Authored by seasoned journalist Roger Smith, who has lived in Kaiwaka for the past 14 years, the book picks up the story of the Little Town of Lights in 1959 when it celebrated its centenary.

Its launch is one of the highlights of the town’s 150th Anniversary Grand Finale Weekend, from November 6 to 8 (see story this page).

“About two years worth of work has gone into the book,” Roger says. “All the significant events of the last 50 years are there, but I’ve injected the ‘human view’ rather than the dry stuff you find in official records. It’s full of first-hand anecdotes; some of them are screamingly unfunny.”

Roger started in journalism as a cadet reporter on the now-defunct Napier Daily Telegraph. His career took him to Australia, New Guinea and England. But it was a too-close encounter with the 1994 bushfires in New South Wales that prompted him and his wife Peg to return to NZ. A sister living in Kaiwaka, Barbara Riley, brought him to the north.

“I’ve used my experience as a journalist to dig deeper and find the stories-behind-the-stories of Kaiwaka’s last five decades,” he says. “It’s been an enjoyable project and I am astonished at the sheer ability of the people of Kaiwaka to raise money to develop their community.”

Some of the events covered in the book include “the great bridge handrail scandal”, the formation of the St John ambulance centre and the volunteer fire brigade, the closure of the post office, the development of the Kaiwaka Sports Complex, Te Uri o Hau and its treaty claims, and the emergence of Transition Towns. Roger says his interview with three former telephone operators about the closure of the local exchange produced some hilarious stories, but mostly unprintable!

Funds to cover costs were contributed to the project by the Kaiwaka Sports Association and the Matakohe Museum.

“This is such an enterprising community, writing the book was our way of contributing to the celebrations,” Roger says. “As well as the stories, the book also includes about 150 photos, both historical and present day.

Stories Tall, Stories Short, Kaiwaka 1959 - 2009 by Roger Smith will be launched at the Kaiwaka Memorial Hall on November 7, at 5pm. All welcome.

PHOTO: Although Peg Chiu gives her husband Roger Smith all the credit for the book, he says it was a team effort.