Peter Miller suggests greater recognition of Te Puke's historical sites

Peter Miller, left, and Ron Spratt in 2018 at the then newly installed story board at the "little white bridge" in Landscape Rd.

A former chairman made a guest appearance at last week's Te Puke Community Board to urge the board to take up a project he initiated.

Peter Miller spoke during the public forum section of the meeting about a project dear to his heart.

As board chairman, Peter was an advocate of the installation of story boards at historically significant locations around the town.

During his time in the hot seat, only one such story board had been put up - next to the ''little white bridge'' in Landscape Rd.

At the time Peter had put out the call to the community asking them to suggest other locations for similar story boards. The idea, however, didn't seem to get much traction.

At last week's community board meeting he said the idea was one that was still very dear to him.

He said he felt the Old Te Puke Cemetery, Constables Gallery, the historic gates at Te Puke Primary School and the old dairy factory were all deserving of similar story boards.

''It's not going to be long before a whole generation don't realise it was a dairy factory,'' he said

Now a member of the public himself rather than an elected representative, Peter put forward his own idea for a story board - to recognise the Crete Olive Tree in Jubilee Park.

''The people of Galatas [on Crete] donated it as a symbol of friendship between the people of New Zealand and Crete,'' said Peter.

Additionally, Peter would like to see the story board recognise John Andrew Jamieson, who died on Crete on June 2, 1941 and was a member of Te Puke Borough Council at the time he enlisted. Jamieson Oval, the sports ground in Jubilee Park, was named for him.

Also of local significance is the fact that the Māori Battalion's B Company, many members of which were from Maketū, served in Crete.

Peter said he had sought and gained permission to use a Peter McIntyre watercolour on the suggested story board.

Current board chairman Richard Crawford suggested later in the meeting that Peter's idea be discussed by board members at a future workshop.