Guerren's Millstone. Whakatane. New Zealand.
S 37° 59.460 E 176° 59.390
60H E 499106 N 5795183
This roadside millstone lies 100m from the original Te Poronu Flour Mill site, and now stands as a memorial to a Frenchman who defended the mill in a Maori battle in 1869.
Waymark Code: WMGMCW
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 03/19/2013
Views: 1
Guerrin's Mill Site Memorial - Unveiled on June 1965 the memorial celebrated the memory of the gallant Frenchman Jean Guerren who defended Te Poronu Flour Mill to the death.
The Memorial is situated on the roadside of the Whakatane-Taneatua main highway and lies some 100 metres from the actual site of the mill. The monument contains one of the millstones supplied by the Government to replace those destroyed by Te Kooti in 1869.
"Every large community in the corn-raising districts had a flourmill driven by water-power to grind the wheat, and here on the Poronu Stream, flowing from the ferny hills to the Whakatane River the Ngati-Pukeko tribe built theirs. They employed Guerren to erect and work it. The mill and his house stood on the mound above the dam that supplied water to turn the wheel.
The Ngati-Pukeko brought in their wheat, by sledge and bullock-cart and canoe, and Te Poronu was a happy scene of industry and contentment. But not for long. The age of peace was rudely broken by a Hauhau invasion, early in 1869. Jean Guerren was killed defending the Mill. " Excerpt from Victoria University of Wellington website.
Type of mill: Water Mill
What did this millstone make?: Flour
Status of Stone: Public Display
Website containing relating information: [Web Link]
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