BOPDHB History Whakatāne Hospital History Book | Page 22

Whakatāne’s First Primary School (1891). Photo: Whakatāne District Museum & Gallery (1570)

It appears likely, well before the start of the 20th Century, that Education
Department officials in Wellington were already planning to use some of the
Domain land for their future Education needs. In 1891, the first Primary School
and Headmaster’s residence was built on Domain land. In the photograph
above, Commerce Street runs along the front of the school grounds branching
off up the Mokorua Gorge. In 1920 the Whakatāne District High School was
established31 and in 1921 the Whakatāne Infant School was also built on
Domain land ‘situated opposite the Church of England’ on Domain Road.
After the first Primary School burned down, some of the land was acquired
for the site of the War Memorial Hall which, in a modified form still stands on
that site today. The remaining land was set aside as sports playing fields and
was, for many years, the venue for the Agricultural & Pastoral (A&P) Shows.
The Board was soon to learn that the Domain Reserve site was not the first choice of the Department
of Health and early in 1919, more out of frustration than anything else, the Minister for Public Health
was asked to select a site for the proposed Hospital at Whakatāne from the four sites suggested by
the Whakatāne County Council. These were the Kirk site, the Webster’s Hill site, the Domain site and
Soutar Bros. site.
As an aside, archival material32 held at the Whakatāne Museum contains a Telegram indicating that
on 25 November 1918 the Hospital was formally opened but there is no mention of this in the Board
Minutes. It has to be assumed that this opening marked the recognition of the agreement between the
Māori Mission Hospital and the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board to share the Mission facilities because, as
indicated later, the official opening of Whakatāne’s first Public Hospital was late in 1923.
During 1919 there were a number of submissions made to the Board on preferred sites. One came
from the Whakatāne Chamber of Commerce supporting the Kirk site, another from Tāneatua residents
who preferred the Webster’s Hill site. Very attractive financial inducements were offered in each case.
The subject received very full consideration by the Board but, as several members had not actually
been over the two sites, it was decided to defer a final decision until an inspection of the sites had
been made by all of the Members of the Board.

Diamond Jubilee Reunion of the Eighties, Ed Pat Rafter, (Whakatāne: Whakatāne High School
Board of Governors), 1982
32
Media clippings scrapbook “Hospital” , Whakatāne District Museum & Gallery, p3
31

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