The opening of the Taiporohenui meeting house near Hawera last May was attended by the Minister of Maori Affairs, the Hon. E. B. Corbett, who made this the occasion for his farewell speech to the Maori people of Taranaki.
The meeting house, named Whareroa, was dedicated by the Superintendent of the Methodist Maori mission, the Very Rev. G. Laurenson.
It stands on the site of a formerly very important Taranaki meeting house on the Taiporohenui marae.
The name Taiporohenui was originally given to a very large conference house—180 feet long—which was built in 1853 when the Maori King movement was first mooted. This building be came the first pillar of the movement; others being the beautifully carved storehouse (Pataka) at Wi Tako, Lower Hutt; another at Papawai, near Greytown, under the chief Potangaroa; and still another at Waihiki (Taradale) at the pa of Tareha There was another at Pukawa, Lake Taupo, the pa of Te Heuheu Iwikau.
Three other meeting houses of the same name (Taiporohenui) have been built since the original one was destroyed by fire.
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