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Te Rau Aroha Dining Hall was opened at Omaio Marae on 4 January 1969. The hall was dedicated to Te Whanau-a-Apanui servicemen who had died during both world wars, while the name was chosen to acknowledge the contributions of Māori children towards funding the YMCA canteen van known as ‘Te Rau Aroha’ during the Second World War (‘The opening of Te Rau Aroha Dining Hall’, Te Ao Hou, no. 66, March-May 1969, pp. 41-2).
The hall currently lacks any indication of its memorial status on the exterior, but the roll of honour inside lists the names of 27 men who served during the Second World War, including Victoria Cross winner 2nd Lieutenant M. Ngarimu.
Credit
Images and text: Bruce Ringer, 2018