Mohaka School Information

1855   Brothers Walter and Robert Riddell and cousin, Hon. Herman Stapleton.  Wealthy titled families from Morpeth, Northumberland.  Coquet River flows through the estates.

Coquet Creek runs off Kiwi Creek (Mohaka Station) near Mohaka rivermouth on the Old Coach Road).

Mohaka Station partnership dissolved 1861.  Mill operating at rivermouth.  Robert already had share in neighbouring Springhill Station with Alexander Allen who latter drowned 1862 when he fell of coastal boat “Gypsy” near Waikari.

1865   Mohaka Station sold to Francis and Ann Bee

1877   Bee Bros and Ross sold Mohaka Station to Robert Norman Strachan (1854 Geelong – 1927 Toorak).  Member of another wealthy wool manufacturing family.

Mohaka School – early misc. information (Tait/McIver family at Waikare Station 1864. Purchased Mohaka Station 1904)

1869, 9 February – Hawke’s Bay Herald, Wairoa news – first mention of education charge on settlers for establishment of school at Mohaka and other areas.

The Educational Rate

Mr Pearce returned yesterday from his collecting tour to the north of Napier.  He has been on the whole, successful – having had comparatively few absolute refusals, and keen, in many instances, promptly satisfied by payment of the rate.  In Mohaka even – a district which has not, and never had, a school – every settler, but one paid the demand of the collector.  We are truly glad of this.

We do not uphold the Act as perfect; it has no pretension to be anything but a temporary measure; but we do uphold education as all important to the welfare of the community, and would not, without a pang of deep regret, see the schools of the province shut up for want of pecuniary assistance, even it that assistance had to be raised in a form that might be deemed objectionable.

£1 in 1867 = £93 in 2023 (is a variable calculation up to £2,000+)

1869 11 February – Hawke’s Bay Times

THE RATE OF EDUCATION – To the Editor of the Hawke’s Bay Times

SIR,  The correspondence that has appeared, as well in your contemporary’s columns as in your own journal, may be fairly accepted as indicating that the attempt to levy payment in a direct form of a pound annually for education, has done more to rouse our somnolent settlers from their political lethargy in provincial matters, and to remove from their eyes the film that has hitherto obstructed a clear view of the waste, extravagance, and general mismanagement characteristic of our local Government, than all that has been said or sun on these fertile subject.

The bringing us face to face with taxation has been a wholesome process, and it is to be regretted that it did not occur earlier, ere the Treasury chest had been submitted to so drastic a course of depletion.  The authors of the act have thus so far conferred a benefit on us, even though it has been done unwittingly, and the said benefit does not flow in a channel of their construction, nor one they desire to see it take.

That opposite opinions should prevail in regard to the expediency of the rate, gives me no surprise, not that advocates anent it, pro and con, should resort to the Press for promulgation of their views.  Editorial paragraphs, however, ought, I conceive, to place the matter in a fair light before the public, and it is because I believe a breach of this justice was committed by the Editor of the Herald – in his last Tuesday’s issue, when referring to the rate-collector’s return from a triumphant foray at Mohaka – that I write you.

The words used are as follows:- “In Mohaka even, a district which has not, and never had a school, every settler but one paid the demand of the Collector.  We are truly glad of this.”

Now, Sir, I submit that this style of writing is not ingenuous, and serves to foster in the minds of our community (the vast majority of whom really know nothing about Mohaka) first, that some unaccountable yet gross wrong has been done to our friends there by the non-establishment of a school in their midst; and, second, that despite this injury, such is their love of the rate – such their patience and long-suffering – that all is forgotten and overlooked; they hail the collector with cheers, and “fork out” without a murmur.  The brightness of this picture is dimmed, (perhaps on should say enhanced) by the obstinacy of one solitary recalcitrant.  How far the blandishments and persuasiveness of Mr Pearse [Pearce] may have contributed to so happy and successful a result we in Napier will probably soon have an opportunity of forming a personal estimate.  Had the Herald told us the exact number of pounds collected at Mohaka, regarding which so jubilant a cry is raised, we would have known better whether to join in chorus, or to hang down our heads in meekness and contrition.

I venture a guess that the number does not exceed TEN – for the district, I believe, has not a greater number than that of rateable dwellings it in; and these abodes lie miles apart.  Such being the population of Mohaka, the maintenance there of a school-master would not be easy, and I leave it to the Herald to show how one could ever have been supported without undue pressure elsewhere.  A school-master would not be easy, and I leave it to the Herald to show how one could ever have been supported without undue pressure elsewhere.

In one way that paper’s great influence with the Provincial authorities might be of marked service at this juncture.  Let it distinctly, resolutely, and with no faint nor uncertain sound, advocate such retrenchment as it demanded by our financial condition.  Let it earnestly urge that this be set about at once; beginning where it can be most effectual, viz, in the Superintendent’s department itself.  A reduction there of one-half of the £1,000 per annum it costs, would supersede the necessity for an educational rate at all, or at least till we get breathing time in our difficulties; and the loss would fall on those whose duties are more sinecures.  If this be not done, we may yet have to raise a vote to maintain the said office in its present lusty over-fed vigour.   ARGUS

HB Education Board June 1877.  A letter from Eustace Fannin stating that the inhabitants of Mohaka were desirous of building a school, towards which object subscriptions and land had been promised; he therefore wished to be informed what amount would need to be subscribed in order to obtain 100 pounds from the Board towards the erection of the building.   It is proposed to place the land and building in the hands of trustees, and when it was not used as a school, it would be devoted to church service.   Reply was that proper consideration will be given when application was forwarded in due form.

1878, 18 July – Public meeting was held at Mohaka at which the sum of £50 was subscribed for erecting a building suitable for a church or school.  The latter commends itself to the Board of Education

1878 – We (Wairoa Free Press) are glad to notice that our Mohaka friends are making a move towards getting a school established in that district.  The proposed district includes whole of the Mohaka Riding and a committee has been appointed to urge the Board to take some action in the matter.  Seeing that the Mohaka people have offered to devote the church on week days to school purposes, we think the Education Board is duty bound to provide a teacher and school appliances and knowing what we do of Mr Hill’s zeal in school matters, we believe the petition of the Mohaka people will receive every consideration as far at least as he is concerned.

18.11.1879: Mohaka School committee offering to guarantee salary of £100 per annum to school mistress.  Andrew Craig chairman of settlers group for school establishment

1880 – Presbyterian church records for St Georges Church, Mohaka:

Rev W. Nichol [Nicholl] was ordained by the Presbytery to Wairoa on June 4th, 1878.  In 1878 a church costing £500 was built.  Services were held at Frasertown, and at Mohaka a church was erected.

24.4.1880 – Bible presented to St George’s Church, Mohaka by Robert Norman Strachan – held in Wairoa Museum.  Norman Strachan returned to Melbourne in 1884.

1888, 19 December – HB Education Board – From Mohaka, stating that the Presbyterian church was re-offered for school purposes at £15 a year, the old lease having expired.  The Board agreed to offer £12 a year.

1894 – 22 Aug – HB Educ Board – From Mohaka, reporting that the old church in which the school was held, was rotten.  Received

1896 – School shifted to building on land higher above river.

William Tait married Margaret Noble Sim at St George’s Church, Mohaka.
(Marriage mentioned in school log book)

Hawke’s Bay Herald, 24 December 1998

Mohaka School District

Starting at the mouth of the Arapawanui River on the sea coast thence up that river and the Waikoau Stream to the south boundary of Maungaharuru Education Reserve, thence west along the southern boundary of that reserve to the north-east corner of Kaiwaka block thence on the west generally by the Pohui School District, hereinbefore described to the junction of the Te Hoe River with the Mohaka River thence up Te Hoe River to the north-west corner of Maungataniwha Block, thence by the western boundary of that block to the Waiau River, thence down the Waiau River to the eastern boundary of Pihanui No. 1, thence by the eastern, southern, and eastern boundaries of Pihanui Bos 1 and 2 to the northern boundary of Mohaka Block, thence by the northern boundary of that block to the Waihua river, thence down that river to the sea coast, thence southerly along the sea coast to the starting point.