The end of a long road has been reached for the Wairarapa branch of the New Zealand Founders Society with the jasper stone and memorial plaque now firmly back in place at the lychgate entrance to Masterton's Pioneer Cemetery.
The stone has been cemented in place and in contrast to how it used to be before it was unexpectedly taken away four years ago is now horizontal.
Removal of the stone and plaque which was done in conjunction with the bulldozing of a seat and stone wall caused outrage to Founders Society members.
The stone had been sourced from the Waingawa River and was regarded as a symbolic building block for the settlement of the Masterton district complementing the memorial plaque honouring the pioneers.
After much to-ing and fro-ing Masterton District Council agreed to reinstate the stone and plaque in more or less the original position and to help in that regard the founders donated $1000 to the reinstatement project. A re-dedication ceremony is being planned.
