The renovation of Pataka Museum’s storage area in 2017 brought to light two documents that are probably the oldest existing paper records of early Porirua.
In 1856 the village of Pahautanui (now called Pauatahanui) was the only settlement in the Porirua area. Thomas Hollis Stace, who had arrived with his family from Tasmania in 1853, bought a piece of land on the southern edge of the village. He saw that the village lacked a school, church and cemetery; so he donated an acre of his land to help fill these gaps.
The details of this generous gift were set down on two sheets of parchment on 6 December 1856, and it is this 161-year-old Trust Deed that has emerged from the Pataka storeroom.
This year’s AGM features a keynote from Michael Upchurch, Publisher at Te Papa Press, the award winning publishing arm of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Kia ora St John’s whānau, This Sunday is Matariki Weekend, and we will consider how much our willingness to share comes from expecting to receive something.
Our Tree Fundraiser is back for 2026! Thanks to everyone who supported Wellington City Chorus last year. We're excited to offer our trees again at the same great price: ...
