Person:Paerau Batley (1)

Mr A O P Batley

Pakeha and Maori mourners paid their last respects to the late Mr Arthur Olding Paerau Batley at funeral services held at Moawhango near Taihape recently. Mr Batley, a retired farmer with a long association with Moawhango and district, was in his 86th year when he died at his residence in Pukeko Street, Taihape. The Maori service on the marae was conducted by Rev. J, Rushworth of Feilding, Rangitikei Maori pastor, with orations by two Maori elders, Mr Huia Chase and Mr Para Wereta. The pall-bearers were Messrs Moffat Gray, Tony Martin, Dixie McCarthy, Stan Cashell, Tahu Whenuroa and Para Wereta. The Maori service was followed by an Anglican service at the Memorial Chapel which was packed to its full capacity in a very shorttime and many mourners being unable to gain admission, waited outside the chapel. The service was to have been conducted by the Vicar of Taihape, Rev. W L Bell-Booth, but owing to an attack of laryngitis, he handed over to the Anglican padre at Waiouru Military Camp, Capt L. F Steel, who read a panegyric written by Mr Bell-Booth, stating that Mr Batley was a man of deep abiding faith who evoked friendship and love wherever he went. For most of us Mr Batley’s death has meant the loss of a true and very dear friend, Mr Bellbooth wrote. He was present at the service though unable to officiate. The mourners inc1uded Mr Bartosh who is in his 91st year. The Pall bearers included four grandsons, Messrs Owen and Michael Batley, Harvey and Manson Bell, John Batley (great nephew) and John Gummer of Auckland (nephew). Six members of Otainape Lodge, Messrs R. Raleigh, D. Somerville, G.W. Ryan, A.C. Fookes, R.A. Jones and Keith Reid, acted as pall-bearers at the crematorium service at Palmertston Nth which was conducted by the Rev. Talbot of St Peter’s Anglican church, Terrace End. Mr Batley was born in Napier on December 9, 1884, the eldest surviving son of Mr R. T. Batley, pioneer of the Moawhango district. Paerau was only six weeks old when he was carried by horseback on his mother’s back across the old bullock track from Napier to Moawhango. After private tuition his was the first name on the Moawhango School roll in 1897. He attended the Wanganui Collegiate School from 1899 to 190l when school was situated in the Avenue and at the end of each term holiday he rode from Moawhango to Mangaonoho to catch the train, for Wanganui. SHORT COURSE After leaving School Mr Batley took a short course on farm machinery maintenance with Levin and Co, and this enabled him to service the wide variety of machinery on the properties where he farmed with his father and brothers at Moawhango, Awakino. Tongaporutu and Mokai-Patea. He took over the farming of his own properties in 1926. Mr Batley married Rosalie Carr of Bay View near Napier, in 1914. He retired in 1955 and settled in Taihape but maintained his keen interest in farming and the Moawhango settlement till his death. Mr Batley’s interests were many and varied. He was a keen musician and singer and contributed vocal items at many local functions. He was a member of the Moawhango Brass Band earl in the century. Mr Batley was a former Past Master of the Otaihape Masonic Lodge and was the Lodge’s organist for many years. He was a foundation member of the Otaihape Club and was subsequently elected a life member. He was a keen supporter of the Moawhango dog trials in the early days and later became patron of the Moawhango Collie Club. PATRON He was also patron of the Taihape Arts Society and an honorary lifemember of the Taihape A & P Association. He served on the Moawhango Rabbit Board from 1922 to 1954 and was treasurer during the whole of that period. Mr Batley’s elder son Arthur was lost in the Mediterranean in 1942 while serving in the Air Force during the Second World War. Mr Batley is survied by his son, Robin and daughter Jane (Mrs Rio Bell) and their families.

Photo at the front door of Paerau's old home in Moawhango about 1968. Robin and Paerau

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