Renaming Newton Borough, 1898

 

Image: Ponsonby, Auckland, featuring the Newton Borough Council Office, and Fire Station.
Beere, Daniel Manders, 1833-1909 :Negatives of New Zealand and Australia. Ref: 1/2-096250-G.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23024816

I used to think the Whau Highway District Board in 1882 went through quite a few hoops in choosing their new name of Avondale back then (with proposals for Greytown and Salisbury in between.) But nothing at all, by miles, like the controversy of 1898 when Newton Borough Council felt the need for their own change.

They were getting a bit fed up with folks confusing their area for that other Newton in the gully beside Karangahape Road. So, the council embarked on their search for a new moniker.

At first: "Windsor" (Auckland Star 31 May 1898)

Then: "Westville" (Auckland Star, 13 June 1898)

The Observer (18 June 1898) noted: That the Newton Borough Council, in deciding to change the name of the borough from Newton to Westville, must have ignored the alarming fact that they have made it easy for the inhabitants being branded as ' Westvillains.'

The Auckland Star (28 June 1898) noted: “The Mayor gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move that the resolution re changing the name of the Borough from Newton to Westville be rescinded in order to enable him to move that the name be Surrey Borough. The Mayor said Westville had met with almost universal condemnation. He never hoped to please everybody, but he had had a lively time of it for the last fortnight over the name of Westville.”

And then, it was all on.

Auckland Star, 12 July 1898: “The Newton Borough Councillors had another long discussion last evening on the question of changing the name of the district. On the motion of the Mayor the resolution fixing the name as Westville was rescinded. The Mayor mentioned that one ratepayer had suggested Martinborough, in memory of the late Sir William Martin. Another name submitted was Ngatitamatewakatituki, but neither of these found favour with the Council. Westbury, Richmond North and Richmond-cum-Surrey were likewise rejected, and at length the motion, was adopted changing the name to Surrey.”

Auckland Star 18 August 1898: “The Post Office authorities object to "Surrey " as the new name for the Newton Borough, and suggest "Tokaroa," which is the original Maori name of the reef which stretches from Motion's Creek across in the direction of Kauri Point.”

Auckland Star 23 August 1898: “The suggestion by the Government officials that the name of Newton borough should be changed to Tokaroa did not find favour when considered at the Council meeting last evening. The two Richmond ward members present, Messrs Warnock and Donald, each expressed disapproval of the name "Surrey," but the rest of the Council were unanimous in resolving to ask the postal authorities to withdraw the objection raised to that name. Not one of the Council spoke in favour of Tokaroa.”

Auckland Star 4 October 1898: “Naming the Borough.—A letter was read from Mr A M Smith, Wellington, stating the postal authorities still objected to the name of the Borough being changed to Surrey for reasons already stated. Letters were read from various people suggesting the names of Moekau and Onslow.—On the motion of Cr. Ambury the matter of selecting another name was referred to the Legal Committee to report.”

Auckland Star, 1 November 1898: “Whareou.—It was agreed to change the name of the borough to Whareou, and that necessary steps be taken to have the name gazetted.”

Auckland Star, 29 November 1898: “Naming the Borough.—Mr A M Smith wrote regretting that the Government would not gazette the name of Wharehou for the borough, as it was not a true Maori word. The names of Tokaroa and Te Rehu were suggested, Mr Smith stating that the latter was the real Maori name of the borough. The Mayor suggested that consideration of the matter had better be deferred for six months. Cr. Warnock said they had better give in with good grace and call the borough Tokaroa. Cr. Brown moved that the borough be called 'Greylynn.’ In doing that they would commemorate the name of one of the greatest men who had been in New Zealand, who was also the last member who represented the Newton electorate in Parliament. Cr. Stewart seconded the motion, which was supported by Cr. Davenport, who asked all who favoured an English name to support Greylynn. Cr Sexton moved that the borough be called Te Rehu. This was seconded by Cr Warnock, but was negatived. Cr. Donald proposed Roseborough, which, however, was not seconded, and ultimately Greylynn was adopted unanimously. Cr. Warnock saying it was the best English name suggested.”

Auckland Star 17 January 1899: “Naming the Borough.—Mr A M Smith wrote stating the Postal authorities had no objection to the name of Greylyn [sic] for the borough, provided it was spelt Grey Lynn in two words, otherwise it might be mistaken for Greytown. The Mayor said the Postal authorities were very fearful of making a mistake. Cr. Brown moved that the name of the borough be changed from Newton to Grey Lynn. This was seconded by Cr. Sexton, and agreed to.”

In search of the Grafton Ghost

This spirited article from one of my favourite 19th century Auckland newspapers, the Observer, 10 August 1889.

OBSERVER EXPEDITION OF FREE LANCERS.

Who has not during the past week heard of the ghost that is said to be haunting the Grafton ward of our fair city? The Grafton Ghost has been a veritable nine-days' wonder, and has caused more talk and excitement than the "Stonewall," which is saying a great deal.

It is the Unknown that is terrible, and it is the Unintelligible that people can tell most glibly about. Dozens of "nippers" and bread-and-butter misses can give forth endless yarns regarding the terrible apparition that has been haunting the precincts of Carlton Gore Road, Grafton Road, and Cemetery Gully; but it is noticeable that they all become reticent when asked to describe it. It is nine feet high, it is white, and it jumps and yells, they say; but there the description ends.

The plain fact is that nobody appears to have seen the Apparition. We have questioned all sorts and conditions of people, and not one of them claims to have clapped eyes on the mysterious visitant from the pale realm of shades. It seems to be a very "shady" customer, indeed!

In the multiplicity of tales regarding the Grafton Ghost, it is allowable for us to tell how the Observer got on its track; the tale is a thrilling one, and is as true as — well, as true as any other ghost story.

It was the office boy who aroused the daring spirits of the Observer staff to go forth and grapple with the visitor from the spirit world. "I seen it!" he exclaimed bursting into the sanctum sanctorum the other day, his hair on end, his eyes and tongue protruding, and his breath coming in short terrified gasps. "I seen it!"

Pressed to tell what he had seen, he gave a realistic description to the assembled literary and artistic staff of a horrible-looking monster, clad in a shirt-tail arrangement, who leaped over a fence, with a blood-curdling yell.

There was no shaking of the circumstantial narrative of the veracious office boy, so a council of war was held, and it was resolved to equip an Observer Expedition to annihilate the haunter of Grafton, and the terrifier of our beloved boy.

Soon the Expeditionary Force was ready to start, for our weapons are ready to hand. The illustration shows the determined band in full battle array. No. 1 is the Artist; No. 2, the Police Reporter; No. 3, the Sporting Editor; No. 4, the Chief (that's us), conspicuous by his lordly presence and superior equipment; No. 5, the Society Editor, the giddy young fellow who does all the balls and weddings, and causes such havoc among the brides' cakes; No. 6, the Religious Editor, as anyone can see by his pensive look ; and No. 7 the fighting Editor, trained down to feather-weight, and a regular terror, we assure you. Leading the force is the real "boss" of the concern, the Printer's Devil or office boy aforesaid.

On our way to the deadly and the imminent breach we meet Sergeant Gamble and ask him for the latest news of the ghostly enemy. The Sergeant tells us how he spent a whole night crouching behind a fence, but the ghost did not walk.

"Forward, Free Lancers!" was the command, and in due course we reached the identical fence over which the Ghost had jumped at our imp. We seated ourselves on the fence in the murky night, all armed cap a pie, and determined to capture the "goblin damned" or perish in the attempt. See how the Sporting and Fighting Editors are on the qui vive, how "Blo" and the Police and Society Reporters are cracking witticisms, how the Religious Editor, free from fear, is quietly dozing, how the boy is alert, important, and determined, and how We — well, never mind what We were doing!

As we kept our vigil, many people passed, all seeking for ghostly comfort and finding none. There was a Political Quidnunc, toddling on two sticks, and with a tall white tile that was suggestive of a nine foot ghost; there was an Inventor with a bee in his bonnet, or a windmill on his hat; there was a Detective, an Archdeacon, and a City Councillor — all on spiritual business bent; but the ghost came not.

Didn't it? It did. The unexpected happened as usual. When nobody was looking or thinking of it, Something suddenly rose up behind us, weird, white and sepulchral, and uttered one long shrill cry, as of a lost soul in direst extremity.

What followed "Blo" has portrayed with a correctness which I should not have expected from the brief survey which he took of the scene prior to bolting. The Religious Editor stuck to his post the longest — perhaps owing to his having sat down on a particularly big and healthy nail, and to the fact that his pants were an extra (strong) pair of Dalton's. The Sporting Editor maintained his reputation as a marksman by potting the Office Boy, and the rest of us showed our military training by executing a brilliant strategic movement to the rear. The Fighting Editor is not visible in the picture; he is a brother of Sullivan, and had probably received a pressing invitation at that stage to attend a prayer meeting.

The Expedition retreated — not exactly in good order, and in an incredibly short space of time reassembled at the Observer Office. Few recriminations were indulged in, for it was generally admitted that all had acted heroically. The Fighting Editor did not appear till next day, and then he had one eye bunged up, and the other nicely blacked. He is very reticent, however, as to the manner in which he came by his injuries.

The Grafton Ghost is not yet laid, but we give it fair notice that if it continues to disturb the peace of Auckland, the Observer Regiment of Free Lancers will once more take the field, and rush on to death or glory, as they have done before!

The unfinished St Pauls of Symonds Street

 

Google street view image 2022, and artist's impression of the intended full project from NZ Herald, 12 June 1894.

I've often wondered why St Paul's in Symonds Street, Auckland Central, looks so unfinished. Well, that's because it is.

Back in the mid 1890s, it was decided not to complete William Skinner's design due to cost, according to Heritage New Zealand. Along with the missing steeple, the chancel at the rear was initially completed in wood, to save money. The foundation stone for a permanent chancel in stone was laid in 1915, but the addition didn't proceed until 1936.

In 1945, the proposal for that distinctive tall steeple and tower though was back on the drawing board, as a war memorial project.

"Support for the proposal to appeal for £10,000 to complete the tower and erect a steeple on St. Paul's Church, Symonds Street, in accordance with the original conception of the architect, was given unanimously at a meeting of parishioners. The vestry recently suggested that this work should be carried out as a thank-offering from Auckland citizens for New Zealand's deliverance and preservation. In order to comply with building regulations it will be necessary to strengthen the present foundations of the church before the new work can begin."

NZ Herald 11 October 1945

The proposal, though, did draw criticism. This from a letter published in the newspaper.

"I was amazed to read in the Press that it is intended to spend £10,000 on the erection of a steeple for St Paul's Church as a thanks-offering for New Zealand's deliverance and preservation. What a shameful waste of money when so many of our young men have nowhere decent to live with their wives and kiddies. Surely the congregation of St Paul's can worship and thank God for deliverance and preservation without a £10,000 steeple, and to my way of thinking a more Christian effort would be to negotiate to purchase property opposite the church and convert it into comfortable flats for deserving returned servicemen. Such an effort would have God's blessing, the wholehearted approval of the general public, and would be an everlasting monument of thankfulness to those who, Christ-like, died that we might live. J.R.B."

Auckland Star, 19 October 1945

 Looks like the idea quietly died.

A New Zealand Senior Citizen Advocacy timeline

 

"Elderly man and woman," Berry & Co, 1920s, Wellington. B.046771, Te Papa Museum collection. 

This will definitely be a work in progress for some time. I have yet to get to visit the archives at the Grey Power Federation's head office (it's a bit of a trek by public transport!), and I have no doubt that folks reading this may well have their memories of this period to relate and add to the narrative. 

I found the history leading up to the beginnings of the current Grey Power movement in New Zealand fascinating. That the moves to provide a voice for our senior citizens dates from 1938 at least shows that the need transcends time, governments, and even the economic situation in the country.

My interest is in the beginnings of Grey Power, what led to the start of the organisation. I didn't realise it was the second, but still the longest lasting, of the political advocacy organisations in its field, as it heads toward its 40th anniversary in 2025.

The first wave of political senior citizen advocacy

A Pensioners’ Association was inaugurated at Whangarei in 1938, to enable “pensioners with common interests to fight more effectively as a united body for the achievement of mutual benefits.” [1]

By 1942, a number of such local associations appear to have formed. The Auckland Social Security Aged Pensioners’ Association met in February, demanding “an increase in pension of 10/- a week for each pensioner.” The Dunedin branch of the association had already passed a similar motion. [2]   The following month, this association was also pushing for housing to be provided for single pensioners. [3]  The Association waited upon Auckland Mayor John Allum to emphasise the urgent housing need. [4]  This was quite a vocal association, and much of what they said then in 1942 would be echoed 40 years later: 

“Alleging that the Government has not carried out promises made to pensioners at the last two general elections, a statement has been issued by the Auckland division of the Age Pensioners' Association, threatening to take concerted political action against future candidates for Parliament who refuse to give satisfactory pledges. We of the old guard are an army of 100,000, not counting widows," the statement continues.” [5]

Around this time, the senior citizen advocacy movement had found its first personality: Thomas Henry Megann of 40a Ponsonby Road in Auckland, a retired clerk who’d shifted from Wellington after 1935 and who became President of the Auckland association. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Auckland City Council in 1944, [6]  but between 1944 and 1949 the various local associations appear to have coalesced under his leadership as a national advocacy and lobbying organisation. In 1949, local associations protested against the government’s social security tax. [7]   Megann passed away in 1957 at the age of 84, but had stepped down as President long before that. How long this national organisation lasted beyond Megann’s presidency is not known, although national meetings were held and committees appointed during the 1950s. It is possible, by the early 1970s, that the New Zealand Pensioners Association had become a spent force, local associations becoming involved with their own area’s charity drives etc.

The interim period: moves toward senior citizen’s welfare

As a contrast to the Pensioners Association’s political activism, moves instead to work toward improving the quality of life for senior citizens began in earnest in Otago in 1948. In July that year, a public meeting proposed to be called in Dunedin to set up a local Old People’s Welfare Council. This arose after a meeting of “interested social workers in the honorary staff members’ room in the Public Hospital” was held. [8]   This organisation was set up and founded in September that year. [9]

Just before leaving for England, Dr J A Oddie, medical superintendent of Auckland’s Cornwall Hospital, spoke in December 1949 about the importance of keeping older people as both active members of their families and useful members of the community, and suggested the setting up of an Auckland “old peoples’ welfare committee.” [10] This apparently led to an Old People’s Welfare Council being set up in Auckland. 

Come 1955, when the Government agreed to set up an advisory committee on care of the aged, the committee membership included representatives from the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Otago Old People’s Welfare Council committees. [11]  This committee functioned from 1956 until 1970 when it was replaced by a sub-committee of the Board of Health. The response to that was the setting up of a National Old People’s Welfare Council. [12] This was incorporated in July 1972, and later in 1987 renamed itself Age Concern New Zealand. 

The second wave of political senior citizen advocacy 

When T H Megann spoke in 1942, he referred to an “old guard” army of 100,000, not counting widows. By 1981, those receiving National Superannuation numbered some 350,000, and they had just been told they would not get an increase of 5% which was to be granted to wage and salary workers, until well after inflation would have eroded its value. 

At the time, there were some local Beneficiaries and Superannuitants Associations, such as one in Christchurch. The head of that association, Mr T R Hill, “said that the 350,000 superannuitants represented a lot of votes. ‘There is enough power in the grey vote to seat or unseat any politician.’” [13]

Whether reference to a “grey vote” influenced the next part of this wave of political outspokenness amongst groups concerned about effects of government policy on national superannuation is not known, but in March 1982 the “Grey Panther” movement began, creating a national “60s Up Movement” organisation, headed by William Sievwright from Birkenhead in Auckland. [14] This was incorporated in June that year. Bill and Margaret Sievwright had learned of the American Grey Panther movement while on holiday there, and returned to New Zealand bringing the idea with them. The movement began with a public meeting in March 1982. [15]

Sievwright spoke out against taxation levels for those on minimum wage, and described the existing tax regime “unbecoming in an affluent society.” [16] With the announcement of the snap election in June 1984, Sievwright was again at the forefront. 

“Superannuation was of considerable concern to at least 21 per cent of voters. He called on parties to pledge themselves to payment of universal superannuation based solely on age and residential qualifications; a rate of payment not less than the existing one; acceptance that it is not a hand-out but a recognition of the contribution this age-group had made; and no means testing or other discriminatory devices. The movement also calls for statements of provision on health services and tax reduction to remove the burden from those on the lowest incomes.” [17]

With Labour’s win in the July election that year, the new Minister of Finance Roger Douglas set-to with drafting a budget to cut the Government deficit and reduce inflation pressures. Amongst the measures was the removal of a tax exemption on new life insurance and superannuation schemes, but he did put through an increase to the rate for National Superannuation. [18]   However, the proposed Income Tax Amendment Bill included a fish-hook; a surcharge on the income above $5200 a year for National Superannuitants, [19] which meant it took effect only once the income surpassed $100 per week above the level of the national superannuation payment itself. The surtax amount would cease once it equalled the full weekly superannuation payment. 

Sievwright responded immediately, saying the move toward the surcharge had frightened people and confused many more. He claimed that a number of those not affected had still hastily withdrawn their money from banks and hidden it in their homes. He described the “poor presentation” of the budget details as “vicious and punitive.” [20]

The newspapers and radio talkback channels filled with stories of senior citizens panicking, cutting down on their household expenses, and the organisation of protest marches. Around 200 superannuitants marched on Parliament on 29 November 1984, led by Mrs Dee Maunder. A petition was organised in Nelson, and a march planned in Auckland. [21]

In December 1984, the 60s Up Movement and the Retired Persons Association held a public meeting in Auckland, opposing the selective taxing of the incomes of national superannuitants. Sievwright also spoke against other measures in the budget. [22] The 60s Up Movement would become formally incorporated in October 1985, and still exists today. 

But they weren’t destined to become the organisation best known for its advocacy and lobbying role on behalf of superannuitants today. 

The rise of Grey Power 

Ray Cody, a prominent sportscaster, retired at the end of 1982. [23] He was interviewed by the Women’s Weekly in April 1985, [24] which is fortunate for those tracing the beginnings of the Grey Power movement.

“When last year’s controversial Budget measures affecting superannuitants were announced, he was stunned,” the Women’s Weekly tells us. “Cody’s silence was only temporary. In the months since, he has become “a bit of a one-man band,” rallying senior citizens to the cause … Ray is emphatic that he didn’t become embroiled in the surcharge furore because his superannuation was threatened. “I had no axe to grind, but I was incensed. Totally angry at the Government’s action. I think they reneged on a major election promise.”

His first actions, as described in the article, probably took place in November and December 1984. He wrote to the Department of Social Welfare. His letter was “passed on to the Finance Ministry, as he received what he considered a less-than-satisfactory stock letter.” Next, he phoned a Sunday paper asking if it would publish an open letter to the Minister of Finance (he got nowhere with that request), and “began talking to people who would be affected by the proposed legislation.”

He then held a meeting at his Mt Albert home “of representatives of senior citizens organisations and welfare groups, who agreed the needs of superannuitants should be widely publicised.”

After his request to have an open letter published was turned down, he did succeed in having an interview with the newspaper – and that received a “heartening” public response. An invitation followed to debate the super surcharge on Christchurch’s 3ZB.

“Within two months more than 1000 letters flooded the letterbox of Ray’s neat Mt Albert home. He logged more than 2000 phone calls, and received unsolicited donations for fighting funds. A morning session on Auckland’s Radio Pacific allowed Ray three solid hours of super debate. There were calls from anxious superannuitants, business people, and the not-so-elderly about the effect of the intended surcharge.”

In January 1985, Cody even debated with Roger Douglas on Radio Pacific.

By April 1985, plans were “underway to develop both a nationwide movement and an Auckland-based ginger group to press for the legislation’s repeal.” By mid May, this had come to pass. Ray Cody was by then President of the National Superannuitants Association, with Ron Hubbard (also from Auckland) as its secretary, flying to Timaru to join the local campaign there to canvass by-election candidates. [25] Jack Thessman, Wellington representative of the National Superannuitants Association, was planning a protest meeting there in September 1985. This was attended by both Cody and Hubbard as President and Secretary of the national association. [26]

In March 1986, the National Superannuitants Association formally incorporated as the New Zealand National Superannuitants Federation, a name altered in 1991 to New Zealand Superannuitants Federation, and then in 1994 to Grey Power New Zealand Federation. By that time Ray Cody had already stepped down as President in March 1991. [27]

Source notes

1.  Northern Advocate, 14 November 1938, p. 3
2.  Auckland Star, 26 February 1942, p. 6
3.  Auckland Star, 13 March 1942, p. 7
4.  NZ Herald, 1 April 1942, p. 6
5.  Auckland Star, 22 May 1942, p. 4
6.  NZ Herald, 7 June 1944, p.4
7.  Press, 15 December 1949, p. 8
8.  Otago Daily Times, 21 July 1948, p. 4 

9.  Otago Daily Times, 10 September 1948, p. 4 

10. Gisborne Herald, 15 December 1949, p. 6
11. Press, 29 September 1955, p. 12
12. Press, 14 September 1971, p. 16
13. Press, 26 May 1981, p. 1
14. NZ Herald 27 May 1982, p. 3; Auckland Star 4 June 1982, p. 6
15. About Us page, 60s Up website. Accessed 7 July 2024
16. Press, 5 August 1983, p. 7
17. Press, 29 June 1984, p. 4
18. Press, 9 November 1984, p. 1
19. Press, 10 November 1984, p.8
20. Press, 12 November 1984, p. 8 

21. Press, 30 November 1984, p. 3
22. Press, 13 December 1984, p. 30
23. NZ Listener, 20 November 1982, p. 136
24. New Zealand Women’s Weekly, 22 April 1985, p. 17
25. Press, 18 May 1985, p. 6
26. Press, 26 August 1985, p. 2; Press, 2 September 1985, p. 8
27. Auckland Star, 17 March 1991, p. A1

The October 1897 Breakwater Road accident

 

Map from the City of Auckland Plan, 1908. Inset image of T W Leys senior: photo of a painting by C F Goldie, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1285-10016

Thomson Wilson Leys (1850-1924) was a philanthropist, editor of the Auckland Star, and originator of the Leys Institute Gymnasium and library. He was also, with a considerable number of my DNA matches pointing toward his great-grandfather and great-grandmother in mid 18th century Aberdeenshire, likely my fifth cousin five times removed. His bio here.

On 1 October 1897, his son also named Thomson Wilson Leys, was killed in a level crossing accident in Downtown Auckland, on Breakwater Road.

“CASUALTY AT A RAILWAY CROSSING

‘BUS RUN INTO BY A TRAIN

THREE PERSONS KILLED

STATEMENTS BY PASSENGERS

“One of those terrible accidents which cast a gloom over the whole community occurred last night at the railway crossing in Customs Street. The performance of the Flying Jordans Company, on the Reclamation Ground, had just concluded, and a Ponsonby bus with a full load of passengers was crossing the railway when it was run into by the 10.20 train on its way out of the station.

“The engine struck the ‘bus by the right front wheel, and knocked it completely around, parallel with the railway line, carrying away the front wheel and cutting into one of the horses. The occupants of the outside seats were hurled on to the ground by the force of the collision, some of them falling on the railway line, right under the wheels of the engine. It all happened so suddenly that those inside were quite unaware of their danger until they felt the crash, while the outside passengers, although they heard a warning cry just before the collision, had no time to jump off before the train was upon them.

“The train pulled up as quickly as possible, and as the news spread there was a great rush of people to the scene of the disaster. Constables Boreham, Potter, and some of the railway employees hurried to the spot and made a search among the debris for the injured. These were found to be eight in number, and three of them -- Thomson Leys, son of the editor of the Star, aged 13, a boy named Charles Akast, and the driver of the ‘bus William Ness were seen to be seriously hurt. These three died from their injuries after admission to the hospital, where they were taken after the accident… The driver, William Ness, was lame. He had been for a long time in the employ of the Tram Company and it is stated that he was a most fearless man in handling troublesome horses. He was only recently discharged from the Hospital owing to injuries through a fall from a horse on the Ponsonby Road.”

Auckland Star 2 October 1897

“Shortly before 11 o'clock the injured were taken to the Hospital in cabs, at intervals. They were received by Dr. Pabst. The first to be brought up was Akast, then Leys, Ness, Holmden, and Parkin. Akast was sensible but suffering from shock. He lived until 1 o'clock. It was found that his right arm was torn off and both legs badly crushed. Leys only lived a few minutes after admission. He was unconscious. His skull was badly fractured and he had several scalp wounds. Ness was insensible and never rallied. He died about 3 o'clock, Holmden was suffering from shock and was much dazed. He walked into the operating room with assistance. It was found that he was suffering from a wound of the left leg, The man Parkin who was the last to arrive had only a scalp wound. The Hospital resident staff, together with Drs. Challinor Purchas, Girdler, Marsack, and Coates with additional nurses were kept busy until an early hour in the morning operating and dressing the wounds of the sufferers. For two hours the Hospital was beseiged with anxious friends and inquiries by persons through the telephone. The authorities did all they could to meet the exceptional demands made upon them and relieve the anguish of relations and others.”

Auckland Star 28 October 1897

“The driver of the train, Howardson, interviewed after the return of the train from Onehunga at half-past eleven, stated that when the signal was given for the train to start, the line, as far as could be seen ahead, was perfectly clear, and no vehicle appeared to be approaching the rails at the crossing. The whistle was blown, and the train was steaming out at the rate of about four or five miles an hour when the collision took place. Neither he nor the fireman saw anything of the omnibus until the engine was quite close. The fireman, George Hill, corroborated the statements made by the engine-driver, and said that everything appeared all clear until the 'bus suddenly shot across the line, when the collision took place …

“The hearing of the evidence occupied several days. After a short consideration the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," and exonerated Ness, the 'bus driver, and also the railway employees from all blame.”

NZ Herald 29 October 1897

"With intent to injure or annoy ..." The 1949 Blockhouse Bay milk poisoning case

 

Highlighted in this snip from a 1947 White's Aviation aerial photo is the house where Gilbert and Adrienne Honey lived with their children. Donovan Street at the bottom, right is Blockhouse Bay Road. WA-10778-G, National Library of NZ

It was around 5.30 in the quiet of a still-semi rural Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay, on the morning of Labour Day, 24 October 1949. At a gate at the end of a long pathway, which led to a simple house at the rear of the section, a woman stopped, lifted the lid of a billy can, and dropped barbiturates, broken drugs capsules, and ground glass into the milk that had been delivered there an hour before. Then, replacing the lid, she headed down the road to her own home, and waited for the results of her early morning’s work.

Her name was Una Jean Riga Corin, born Una Brasting in 1916, the youngest of nine children. Her father Jānis Brastiņš or John Brasting as his name was Anglicised, was born in Riga, today in Latvia but when he was born, it was still part of the Russian Empire. Brasting arrived in 1892, became a naturalised British subject in Christchurch in 1899, and died in Auckland in 1937.

In 1936, Una married a builder named Kenneth Noel Corin, and together they would have three children, living in Hillsborough, Auckland. But, the marriage didn’t last long. In 1941, a neighbour of the Corins showed Kenneth letters written by Una to another neighbour, with whom she was having an affair. Una admitted it all, and the marriage dissolved into separation. As a result, Una tried to kill herself. For that, she was convicted on 4 August 1941, but discharged without penalty.

Just over a year later, in October 1942, the uncontested decree nisi was granted, and the Corins divorced. Una had custody of the three children. By 1943, she had moved to a house on the northern side of Donovan Street, before settling in a house further along on the road almost opposite Whitney Street by 1946. By that stage, she was receiving a regular monthly supply of pheno-barbitone on prescription, as well as dilantin, an anti-convulsant.

Around 1946 was when the Honey family moved into two small houses off Donovan Street, near Blockhouse Bay Road. Today, the local supermarket carpark lies across where the family lived and their children played, set against the backdrop of the pine plantation at the Avondale South Domain. Gilbert Hartley Honey (1924-2010), a carpenter, his wife Adrienne (died 2012) and their children lived in one house, while Hartley’s brother Leonard (1923-1995) and his wife Cora lived in the other. Gilbert and Leonard’s parents, George James (1881-1947) and Hannah Honey (1881-1962), lived just across the way at 4 Donovan Street.

Another newcomer couple to Blockhouse Bay around this time were the Mittons, Harry (c.1888-1957) and his wife Letitia Mary. Harry, born in England, came to New Zealand at some point before 1911 as a jockey, and lived initially in Northland. Also at some point, he had to have his left arm amputated at the elbow – at least before 1913, when this distinctive feature appeared alongside his occupation still as a jockey in the NZ Police Gazette report on his conviction for theft in Kawakawa with a sentence “to come up if called upon.”

By 1919, Harry had shifted to Fairy Springs near Rotorua as a farmer, and married Letitia Mary Scott in 1924. Then in 1927 he was fined £5 in Putaruru for attempting to bet with a bookmaker. Letitia meanwhile set up an accommodation house at Whakarewarewa in 1930, and Harry ran a store – but in 1932 both Harry and Letitia were fined for brewing without a license and selling sly grog. In 1944, one-armed Harry Mitton was fined £10 in Rotorua for “mischief.” After that, he and Letitia moved to Auckland, and settled at Blockhouse Bay.

Harry, noticing that the Honey’s property had lots of pine needles from being so close to the domain, called upon them to pick up the pine needles for his wife’s strawberry patch. Through this, he came to know Adrienne Honey, but they remained simply casual acquaintances. When asked later, Harry denied ever entering the Honey family home during his visits to the property.

Soon after, Una Corin came to live on Donovan Street, and she “became quite intimate” with Harry Mitton around June 1948, according to him. Around this time, he began to have marital problems with Letitia, perhaps due to the affair, and they separated. Harry was now living in a house on Blockhouse Bay Road near the school, just around the corner from Donovan Street, his wife Letitia on Matata Street.

In March 1949, Harry was prescribed 30 nembutal tablets, and later said these were in his room when Una came to visit him. He denied, though, giving any to her. She may have simply taken them.

In June or July of 1949, Una started her jealous fixation on Adrienne Honey. She accosted Adrienne in the street, accusing her of “having associations with Harry Mitton,” which Adrienne firmly denied. Later Una told Adrienne that “detectives were watching her,” and that she knew she (Adrienne) would be going to Rotorua with Harry. Adrienne and her husband went round to Una’s house so she could make the accusations in front of him – but Una said then she was unwell, so things went no further.

Twice though, Una was seen entering the Honey’s property, heading for the pine trees at the back, standing there for a time, watching the house, then disappearing into the bush. Another time, Una sent one of her sons around to the Honey’s home just to see if Harry was there. One Friday, Adrienne returned home from shopping to find Una just inside the front door, agitated and saying she was looking for Harry, while pushing a piece of paper into an overcoat pocket.

Una took things a step further though, when she headed to Gilbert Honey’s mother’s home in late August. There, in front of Gilbert, she told his mother that Adrienne was “having an affair” with Harry Mitton. She added that she didn’t want trouble, but that Gilbert should “watch his wife.”

Two weeks later, in September, Una was still apparently “worrying” and pestering Adrienne. Gilbert and Adrienne went to Una’s house again to see her about this and tell her to stop the nonsense. There, it was Harry who opened the door, and talked with them for around 10 minutes. Una, according to their later testimony, briefly “came out, appearing to be half dazed as if sick, and went back again.”

Three weeks after that, possibly early October, Una and Harry turned up at the Honey’s house. Gilbert Honey later told the court he thought Una and Harry may have had an argument about the whole situation just before they decided to go to the Honeys . Once there, however, Una started up yet again about her belief that Adrienne was seeing Harry behind everyone’s back and sleeping with him, and Gilbert angrily ordered Una and Harry to leave.

Then came the morning of Monday, 24 October 1949.

One of the Honey’s sons went down the path to the gate around 7.30 am to retrieve the milk billy can and carry it to the house, for the family breakfast. There, Gilbert poured some into a jug – and noticed a “yellowish substance” (also described as a brown colour, part red and green) floating at the top and “sediment” at the bottom of the can. He scraped at the sediment, and found that it was glass. Together with “another substance” he put both into a jar and took it to the police. The remains of a capsule was floating in the milk.

Later, a government analyst would testify as to finding pheno-barbitone and nembutal (from Mitton’s prescription) in the milk sample. Samples of soil taken from around Una’s Donovan Street home “contained pieces of glass of a specific gravity identical with that of the glass found in the milk.” The analyst doubted though that the ground glass would have been deadly, although it might have penetrated the walls of the stomach and intestine “especially of a young person.” The amount of drugs present in the milk would have been harmless to a healthy adult, and in his opinion its bitterness would have put children off from drinking much of it.

Una Corin was arrested and charged with attempted murder on Monday 5 December. At that stage, it was believed that there was enough barbiturate in the milk to kill the Honey family. Una freely admitted to tampering with the milk. In her written statement, she said that she had indeed put “some of the nembutal capsules and 40 or a dozen pheno-baritone tablets and some ground glass” into the milk at the Honey’s gate at around 5.30 or 6 am on Monday 24 October. “When I put the stuff in the milk I had not the intention of killing or doing serious injury to anyone. I just thought that if they found that their milk had been interfered with it might stop Mitton associating with Mrs Honey.

“I did not put all the nembutal capsules in the milk. I emptied about four of them into the billy and threw the capsules away in the grass and placed two of the capsules in the milk, so that they would be seen. My intention was to let the Honeys know there was something in the milk and it would probably frighten them.”

The next day, Una appeared at the Auckland Magistrate’s Court, charged with attempting to murder Mrs Adrienne Honey. Her counsel applied for her to be remanded and released on bail, and her name to be suppressed as “she is living apart from her husband and has three young children.” The remand was granted, but no bail was set, and no order granted for name suppression. Her three children were placed in the care of their father.

Two weeks later, on 20 December at the Police Court hearing, the police downgraded the original charge of attempted murder. It became that Una “with intent to injure and annoy, did attempt to cause to be taken by Adrienne Honey a noxious thing.”

Finally, on Friday 17 February 1950, Una was found not guilty at her Supreme Court trial. It came down to the jury deciding whether or not “these drugs comprised the use of a noxious thing in a noxious way,” as the judge summed up, and clearly they did not think Corin actually meant to injure or harm Adrienne Honey. Doubt would have been there as to whether the relatively harmless pheno-barbitone and nembutal was actually “noxious,” but the judge did have his doubts as to the “harmlessness” of the ground glass.

Una remained in her Donovan Street home through to her death in 1964. Harry’s divorce from Letitia was finalised around 1952, but by then Una seems to have moved on from him. Around 1954 she had married an Australian WWI veteran 21 years her senior named Ernest Joseph Ross, who died in 1961 leaving her a widow. Harry Mitton died in 1957 at the age of 70.

The Honeys lived at their Donovan Street home through to around 1963, when they moved away from Blockhouse Bay to Mt Eden.

And today, after more than 70 years and changes to the landscape all the participants would have known as their neighbourhood, the rather odd incident where imagined jealousy led to tampering with the contents of a billy can at a gate has been long forgotten.

The disappearance of Walter Ashton, 1948

 

Portrait of Walter Ashton by Clifton Firth, 21 April 1941. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 34-A32.

Walter Ashton disappeared from Piha one night in 1948.

He was described, according to Graeme Hunt in his book Spies and Revolutionaries (2007) as "a happily married man in his forties" and by the Communist Party of NZ as "an outstanding trade unionist with a remarkable record of consistent service." Also described as stodgy and solid, according to Hunt: "he had the name of a wowser, almost puritanical in his attitude towards drinking, and appeared meticulous in his handling of money."

Ashton was considered a rock-solid bloke among the local communists. National committee member since 1938, candidate for the Auckland Hospital Board in 1941, parliamentary candidate 1943, and was elected secretary of the Auckland Trades Council that year.

Then in April 1948, the communists lost control of the Trades Council. Ashton had an appointment with his replacement to hand over the books -- he didn't show. His car was instead found abandoned at Piha, then a two-hour drive from the CBD, containing "a quantity of Communist literature", a book called Flowers in the Dust, and his diary, with no recent entries.

Over the next few weeks, with records at the Trades Council examined, £521 of union funds was found to have either been stolen or misappropriated by Ashton, along with £1623 in money raised during a 1943 "Sheepskins for Russia" appeal.

As Hunt put it: "He had cheated not only rank-and-file unionists but Moscow as well."

A warrant was issued for his arrest. It was found that stodgy and solid Ashton had falsified accounts at the Trades Council for two years, assisted by another office-holder's habit of signing blank cheques. Months after his disappearance, the Auckland Woollen, Hosiery and Knitting Mills Employees Union instructed their solicitors to have the missing Ashton declared bankrupt in order to seize assets to distribute among the affected union organisations. There was a court hearing over the abandoned car, claimed both by Ashton's brother Alfred Charles Ashton, who paid the last installment owed on it of £35 and therefore claimed it for the Ashton family, and the president of the Auckland Trades Council. The judge hearing the case ruled that the car be sold, and money lodged with the Public Trustee, less £35 to be given to the claimant brother.

There were even rumours Walter Ashton been smuggled across the Tasman. Some stories drifted back of a man depositing large sums of money in a bank in Sydney. Then there were theories put about that he'd been picked up by a Soviet sub offshore.

But with no real traces found, the verdict came down that Ashton had simply parked his car, and walked into the surf, knowing that his dealings would be discovered in the transition of power.