Photo from 1976 shows Pongakawa’s tobacco settlement

The Pongakawa tobacco settlement shown in this photograph from 1976. Photo / Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Community Archives

This photo had a fascinating history attached to it.

The village was built for the tobacco industry that had developed in the region and was known as the Pongakawa tobacco settlement.

A school was built at the settlement in 1933.

In 1937 the New Zealand Forest Service planted 24,000 acres (9.7ha) of pines in the surrounding area and the forestry industry began.

The school changed to Rotoehu Forest School in 1953, then changing to Rotoehu School in 1970 before it finally closed in 1986.

Notes that accompany the photograph have the manager as being Mr Champion and June Drabble as the school teacher. The photograph was taken in 1976, the photographer is unknown.

■ This photograph has been supplied by Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Community Archives team. Information accompanying the photograph is, to the best of the team’s knowledge, accurate. However, it may well be that there are inadvertent omissions or errors and anyone who might be in possession of more information is welcome to send details to news@tepuketimes.co.nz