DescriptionIn 1942 the Homewood Trust was established with farm properties totalling 2300 acres (930ha), and several life insurance policies.
The farms in the Te Puke district were on No 2 Rd at Mangatoi, No 2 Rd opposite Dudley Vercoe Drive, No 2 Rd at Otaikaka, Mark Rd, Brown Rd (now marked by Homewood Drive), Alley Rd at Manoeka, Waiari Farm (between the Waiari Stream/te Matai Rd), and Quarry Rd. He also had various smaller town properties.
The Trust bought the Montgomery House, now the site of the Te Puke Holiday Park, and returning servicemen were trained in farming so they could take up farms of their own.
Over time the Te Puke farms were sold, though the Mark/ Brown Rd property was not sold until 1973. The trust also helped ex-trainees on to farms.
Under a later Trust amendment, payment was made to the Western Bay of Plenty Returned Services Association to establish club rooms and pensioner units for the RSA at Katikati, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Te Puke.
From 1973 the trust began charitable donations to buy various medical equipment which would be available to returned servicemen, as well as for mobility scooters, hospital grants, welfare grants and travel expenses. When the trust was eventually wound up in 2013 a large grant was made to the Waipuna Hospice.
From 1960, educational scholarships and bursaries were awarded to children of deceased Western Bay of Plenty ex-servicemen to attend university or agricultural college and a number of these were taken up
Related Information
Geotag[1] Manngatoi property.[2] No. 2 Road property (opp. Dudley Vercoe Drive).[3] Otaikaka property.[4] Te Puke Holiday Park.[5] Brown Road property.[6] Waipuna Hospice, Te Puna.[7] Katikati RSA & Citizen's Club.[8] Tauranga RSA in Greerton.[9] Mt. Maunganui RSA.[10] Te Puke RSA & Citizen's Club.[11] Mark Road property.PlacesThe Katikati RSA and Homewood Trust VillagePersonALLEY GeorgeBENNETT, BrianCLEMENT Christine