We'll drink to that

Kakatahi School's 100th birthday was celebrated on Saturday.

Almost 100 people with links to the school gathered to mark the milestone, including one who travelled from Germany.

"It was like locals gathering," said one of the event's organisers, Teresa O'Neill.

When Ms O'Neill attended Kakatahi School in the 1980s, pupils filled out two classrooms and there was talk a third classroom would be opened. Now, it has a roll of nine children.

Ms O'Neill said the school was the hub of the Kakatahi community and she was very interested in its future.

"I really hope it carries on," she said. "It used to be booming."

Ms O'Neill said the decline in the school's roll was "a sign of the times".

These days, shearers and musterers were generally employed on a casual basis and did not settle in the area. Also, families tended to be smaller.

The event has been a couple of years in the planning.

Ms O'Neill said: "It ran really smoothly. The weather was good, though, we wouldn't mind rain."

Attendeesheard a short history of the school and invited to sign a memorabilia book. The day was followed by a dinner and dance at YMCA Camp Raukawa.