Riverside seat honours drowned duo

Michelle Harron (Gt Grand-daughter of Takiau Kiriona Williams) and Tirimoana Tuarea-Fletcher (Gt Grand-daughter of Kaporangi Raupa Wharemate), unveiling the Memorial Seat. Photo / Supplied

There's a bench along the river bank, recently installed, to remember two men who drowned in the Whanganui River 85 years ago.
The seat was unveiled on Saturday, February 6, with all due ceremony.

Takiau Kiriona Williams and Kaporangi Raupa Wharemate were cousins and close companions. On February 18, 1936, the men left Putiki Marae to go fishing, but their boat was unseaworthy and both drowned. Kaporangi was found a few days later on Castlecliff Beach, but Takiau was lost forever. It was Takiau's 42nd birthday.

Caron Graham, descendant of Takiau, says it was Ratana himself who told Kaporangi's wife where to find him.
Kaporangi's wife, Irihapiti (Jane) Tane, the daughter of Matiu Tane, Ratana's secretary, and Turaiti Tane, a missionary, told her parents she had heard Kaporangi return home on his bicycle but he never came into the house. They told Ratana what their daughter heard and he told them where to find Kaporangi's body.

"Takiau, my grandfather, had 13 children, and a lot of the younger ones didn't really know their father. We thought it was time to bring him home and acknowledge that he was a real person.
"He's not just a story in a newspaper or stories we've heard handed down."

Caron went to the family and told them what she felt they needed to do.
"We felt it was appropriate the two men be honoured together, because they did so much together."
The two men were close, even to the point where two of Takiau's 10 children were given over to Kaporangi and Irihapiti to raise as whangai children.

"They both farmed in Taranaki, hence the reason why we have the Taranaki maunga in the background on the programme (printed service sheet)." The mountain appears behind photographs of the two men.

On the reverse of the programme is a map of Castlecliff showing where the families lived – Carson St and Morgan St.
Portraits of the two wives – Waerata Rangitooto Williams and Irihapiti Wharemate Tane, are also in the programme.

"We approached Council – Wendy (Bainbridge) was just brilliant – she was on board, there, available." Wendy suggested they build something like the seats put along the riverbank pathway 20 years ago. They were designed and built by George Russell.
"We managed to find him and asked him if he would come out of retirement and build this seat for us." When he heard the story, George agreed.
Caron says Rodger Low of the Community Projects Team has also been particularly helpful. He and his team made the concrete base for the seat.

The unveiling service was held at the seat by the river, with two ministers, one for each of the families of the drowned men.
Their eulogies were read out before the seat was unveiled by Michelle Harron, Takiau's great grand-daughter, and Tirimoana Tuarea-Fletcher, Kaporangi's great grand-daughter.
Whanau were invited to speak at the service then to throw a flower into the Whanganui River as a final farewell to their tupuna.