Tinui Times

Tinui Times Local news, events, history, shopping and places to visit. And a bit of history as well.

Our localities: Tinui, Whareama, Blairlogie, Mangapakeha, Whakataki, Castlepoint, Mataikona, Riversdale Beach, Homewood, Kaiwhata News and events for Eastern Wairarapa - from Tinui, Castlepoint, Riversdale, Whareama, Blairlogie, Annedale, Mangapakeha.

BLAIRLOGIE HOTEL Many older readers will recall the custom of stopping at the Blairlogie Hotel on the way home from town...
19/09/2025

BLAIRLOGIE HOTEL
Many older readers will recall the custom of stopping at the Blairlogie Hotel on the way home from town. Parents went inside for a pint or two, while their offspring were supplied with raspberry fizz and chippies, enjoyed in the back seat of the car without parental supervision.

The Blairlogie Hotel started life as the Blairlogie Junction Hotel in 1884 and had 20 rooms. At a time when a trip to town and back could take forever because of the poor roads, many spent the night at the hotel to break their journey. Horse-drawn public transport changed horses at Blairlogie, too.

For a time the hotel was known as Carswells Junction Hotel.

On 7 May 1931 fire destroyed the original hotel and in a very short time a single-storey replacement hotel was built.

During WW2 the licensee was prevailed upon by some US Marines to provide a cask or two of beer after hours. The beer was taken to a house at Te Ore Ore, where it was enjoyed. Unfortunately a bit of biffo ensued between the Marines and locals. Police investigated and discovered that the beer had been supplied illegally after hours and taken into a no-licence district (Masterton). The publican was fined.

In June 1969 the second Blairlogie Hotel burnt to the ground. Attempts were made to house the pub in a farm shed, but that fizzled out and the site is now occupied by three lovely Red Devon bulls and various sports signs.

Some of Team Castlepoint Station enjoying the last of the afternoon sun and converting grass into protein.
19/09/2025

Some of Team Castlepoint Station enjoying the last of the afternoon sun and converting grass into protein.

19/09/2025

On 11 January 2023 Cyclone Hale hit the East Coast. There was considerable flooding at Blairlogie, Whareama, Homewood Road and at Riversdale Beach. The approach to a bridge in the Okautete/Homewood got washed away and lots of farmland was under water at Kaiwhata.

Lots of people sent in photos from that day. Those of us in Tinui were not so badly affected. - little did we know that our turn was coming on 14 February 2023.

The video shows the Motu Wairaka Stream at Riversdale Beach in flood.

More photos / https://photos.app.goo.gl/CvFqaQE4wKy3hjCG9

A well-deserved accolade for the Snelgroves
19/09/2025

A well-deserved accolade for the Snelgroves

Taking a horse-drawn buggy along the Mataikona Road must have been an interesting experience in early days, particularly...
19/09/2025

Taking a horse-drawn buggy along the Mataikona Road must have been an interesting experience in early days, particularly during a howling north-westerly gale. The photo is dated between 1890 and 1920.

Foreman photos, Tinui HIstorical Society Collection, Wairarapa Archive - 05-39/P-H-1-2

18/09/2025

Our son Monty (now 13) had his first pet lamb at the age of 1 named Baa. Baa was one of those sheep that would always know where the green grass was, she would push out of any paddock. She stayed friendly. Baa had twins as a hogget, triplets as a 2 tooth, then quads, then the following 2 years had quintuplets (5)!!!!! We didn't let her see the ram after that, as that was enough for her. Unfortunately with quintuplets one was born every year still in the bag. But her track record of rearing all the others was outstanding!!! A sheep we will remember for years come.❤️
The photo below is a daughter of Baa with her set of quads. We look at her and it's like we are looking at Baa all over again.💕

Agricultural and horticultural courses are to remain after Education Minister Erica Stanford reversed her previous decis...
16/09/2025

Agricultural and horticultural courses are to remain after Education Minister Erica Stanford reversed her previous decision to drop these courses from the year 11-13 curriculum.

The ag courses are an important part of the curriculum at Wairarapa College, Rathkeale and Solway as many of these students are from rural backgrounds and go on to study and work in research, farm management, agribusiness, and environmental policy.

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360825056/wairarapa-schools-express-relief-ministrys-u-turn-dropping-agricultural-science-courses

Intense concentration by the Tinui Kaimanawas team at the July 2015 grand final of the Agrikids competition, held in Tau...
14/09/2025

Intense concentration by the Tinui Kaimanawas team at the July 2015 grand final of the Agrikids competition, held in Taupo. They just missed out on a medal.

The two Tinui School Agrikids teams were: the Kaimanawas - Samantha Marriott, Molly Wi******er and Georgia Higinbottom; and the Giddy Ups featuring Maddie Taylor, Laura White, and Ana Whitehead.

East Coast Hockey finished the season on Saturday with the annual parents v kids match. Then it was off to the Tinui Bar...
14/09/2025

East Coast Hockey finished the season on Saturday with the annual parents v kids match. Then it was off to the Tinui Bar and Cafe for a seriously good, all-you-can-eat feed.

TINUI SCHOOL ALUMNI CLEAN UP IN YOUNG FARMERS' UNIVERSITY DEBATEThe NZ Young Farmers university debate: “New Zealand sho...
13/09/2025

TINUI SCHOOL ALUMNI CLEAN UP IN YOUNG FARMERS' UNIVERSITY DEBATE

The NZ Young Farmers university debate: “New Zealand should prioritise feeding itself before feeding the world” was held last night at Massey University, who argued the affirmative, Lincoln University (NZ) the negative.

We had two top Tinui School alumni in the debate: one each in the affirmative and negative teams - Georgia Higinbottom and Summer Didsbury. Georgia is in her honours year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Lincoln and was a recipient of a government scholarship in 2024, and Summer is in the final stages of her veterinary science degree at Massey.

The judges report: "About 150 students packed the room, with 50 flying up from the South Island to back Lincoln. The energy was electric, and it was great to see a resurgence of Young Farmers Clubs.

"The debate was fierce and the judging tight.

"Tonight’s scores were the closest we’ve ever seen. But both judges landed on the same winner.

"Congratulations, Lincoln University! You earned it."

--

Photo / Our two Tinui-ites are: Summer Didsbury, fourth from the left; and Georgia Higinbottom second from the right.

ILLEGAL HUNTING - POLICE WARNINGWairarapa Police would like to remind the public that trespassing on private land to hun...
11/09/2025

ILLEGAL HUNTING - POLICE WARNING

Wairarapa Police would like to remind the public that trespassing on private land to hunt is illegal and carries consequences.

Police take reports of people shooting from the roadside, poaching, and spotlighting on farmland and forestry blocks very seriously. Participating in such activities could cost you your fi****ms licence.

Wairarapa Area Prevention Manager, Senior Sergeant Gill Flower says the rules around firearm use have changed and are strictly enforced.

“We understand how passionate people are about hunting, but the old times of being able to shoot a deer on your way into a spot, or from the road are over.

“We don’t want hunters to make a mistake that may end up with your fi****ms licence being revoked,” she says.

When you hunt without permission, and cross someone’s land, you are putting yourself and other legal hunters at risk.

Lawful hunting parties are often not expecting to come across other hunters when they are operating on private property. The chance of a hunting-related injury, or even death, increases significantly for all involved.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe on their property; if someone came onto your property uninvited with a firearm, you would be concerned too.

“With Spring grass and better weather arriving, we know hunting activities will increase – and so will Police presence.

“Police will be actively patrolling rural areas with pine forestry and access to local forest parks, with particular focus on illegal hunting with spotlights, and CCTV will also be operating in high-risk areas,” Senior Sergeant Flower says.

Information on the rules around hunting can be found on Te Tari Pūreke – Fi****ms Safety Authority: Hunting access and unlawful hunting activities http://bit.ly/4nrAIJa

“We understand majority of hunters are following the rules and don’t want the ones participating in illegal activities to ruin it for everyone.

“Please report any suspicious activity to Police immediately, including suspicious vehicles or people in your local area – this will also assist us with where our patrols need to be,” she says.

You can report any illegal hunting activities by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.

If you see trespassers on your property with fi****ms, do not approach them, call Police immediately on 111.

LABOUR-INTENSIVE HARVESTINGIn days when horses were used for just about every aspect of farm activity lots of oats were ...
11/09/2025

LABOUR-INTENSIVE HARVESTING

In days when horses were used for just about every aspect of farm activity lots of oats were required. Local farmers with a nice paddock on the flats sowed a crop of oats to provide winter porridge for the family and a fast-release energy burst for working horses.

REAPER-BINDER
The first stage of grain harvesting was running the reaper-binder over the crop. That cut the oat stem close to the ground and formed a collection of stems into sheaves.

Then manual labour stacked the sheaves into stooks of about 12 sheaves, with the grain at the top where it would dry out for a number of days before it could be milled.

Weather forecasts were carefully scanned in the hope that there weren't going to be any summer showers while the crop was still on the ground.

THRESHING
When the oats were dry threshing could begin. In the second photo (1939) you can see a dray lined up with a load of oats for threshing, a traction engine with a huge belt driving the threshing machine.

At a time when fuel for vehicles was really scarce, traction engines could run on both wood and coal, which New Zealand had in abundance. (From the black smoke I suspect coal was being used).

Apparently five different drays kept the supply of oat sheaves to the thresher going all day. Harvest involved lots of horses and lots of workers.

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