On looking back through this literary effort I cannot blame the reader for concluding that I often had a different point of view to my contemporaries, is it called “thinking outside the square?” or is it being “cantankerous?”
Bill ploughing with the 2-ton at Hunterville 1956
Main Trunk Railway in background
It started as a rural subdivision, but when the owners decided to turn the Ohau property into a vineyard, people mocked them.
Now they are having the last laugh, with Bishops Vineyard scooping a top wine award with its first vintage.
The vineyard has won the Brother Cyprian Trophy and champion pinot gris award, as well as a silver and bronze for its sauvignon blanc at the Romeo Bragato wine awards in Napier last week.
Executive director Dave Munro knew the wine was good, but did not think it would scoop so many awards at the vineyard's first competition.
"It was only bottled just over three weeks ago so it almost went straight from the bottling plant to the wine show. We are absolutely rapt because we did not expect to have this much success.
"With the early tastings we had done we were pleased with the quality and once it had been bottled we thought it may have had a chance of a medal, even if just bronze, but to get so many awards is brilliant."
He said when it was decided to turn the property near State Highway 1, just south of Levin, into a vineyard, there were plenty of doubters who thought it was a waste of time.
"There were a few ill-informed opinions expressed. There are always people that try to knock you when you try something, especially as we are the first commercial vineyard, but we were confident that we knew what we were doing.
"There is a very good climate around Ohau and we have soil equal to the best in Marlborough. The climate is virtually the same as Nelson's but without the frost and there's plenty of water. It's an ideal area to grow grapes."
The owners do not intend to rest easy, already making plans to expand the vineyard to more than double its size.
Back left: Fraser Wright
Back right: Heather Wright
Front left: Greg Wright
Front right: Bill Wright
Hawera in background.
Glover Road runs into Ketemarae Road, Pethigrews in foreground.
Our farm is on the right hand side of Glover Road.
Bill Wright constructed this shed at his Pretoria Road block, Shannon from the remnants of the haybarn from Ashford Park.
Staff outside the Otaki Office:
From left: Robyn Mudge, Alan Bagley (valuer) and Jenny Hyland (horticulture consultant).
An elder of the Rangiatea Chirch, Mr Muri Winiata describes the history of the T Rauparaha Memorial outside the grounds of Rangieatea Church to the visiting members of pony clubs. Next to Mr Winiata is the president of Otaki Pony Club, Mr W. Wright.
At Table Hill, there was an aerogen lighting plant.
This picture was obtained from PapersPast - it was in an advertisement in the Progress newspaper on 1 July 1910.
Two new bocce courts that were built out of necessity at Levin Adventure Park are all but completed.
After three years of transporting portable bocce courts a Special Olympics group decided it was time for a more permanent venue.
Levin man Bill Wright, the mover and shaker behind the new courts, said the new courts simply meant more people of all abilities participating in sport.
The beauty of bocce as abona-fide sport was that people of all abilities were able to participate.
"The lesser able are able to take part in a sport. The beam on their face is the only reward," he said.
The new courts had wheelchair access and competitors could play the game from chairs.
The club were dependant on trailers and man power to move transportable bocce pistes in the past.
The bocce venue was ideally located next to St Josephs School where the club holds its athletics.
The bocce project had the support of Levin Adventure Park instigators Helen and Collis Blake and was helped financially by HDC and a Driscoll Trust grant.
Voluntary work led by Mr Wright had kept costs to a minimum, while local companies had provided discounts on materials and service.
The courts would officially be opened on Sunday, February 9 at 1:30pm followed by a tournament for Special Olympians and invited guests.
Today's game of bocce was a modern game with an ancient history that originated in Italy centuries ago. Apart from the courts the basic equipment includes eight grooved balls in two different colours, a palance (jack) and a ruler.
Over the years countless variations of bocce had developed into sports in their own right.
Bowling, rolle bolle, shuffleboard, petanque and lawn bowls were all descendants of bocce.
In more recent times bocce had become a popular sport for disabled people in wheelchairs, special Olympians and senior citizens.
It appealed as a low impact and low cost activity that could provide hours of stimulation.
Greg's pony Raffles at his new home in Levin 20 years we sold him. Raffles came up to Greg when Greg called him.
The near Land Rover was the one I took to Santoft in August 1949
Marriage of Heather Dalziell to Bill Wright on 11 November 1950 at Hunterville Presbyterian Church.
From Left: Tom Lees, Joan McPhee, Murray Findlater, Sally Heyward.
Back Row: Left to Right
Murray Mander, Jack Graham, Bill Wright, Eugene Davies, Tom Molesworth, Reece Park
Front Row: Left to Right
Tom Lees, Peter Wheeler, Eric Gibson, R H Bevan, Murray Findlater, Don Middleton, Dick Western
Ploughing match at Stewart Meyers Farm.
Johnny Halls 22 Cat. HF plow (now in the Waimate museum).
This photo shows the Hearder Harvester that Bill Wright's father had and that Bill worked. Shown at Wairau Downs / Table Hill.