Treasures of the Auckland Town Hall

Photos taken from when I was part of a group guided around the Auckland Town Hall, 15 December. See also my previous post on the Town Hall's centenary.

Plaques extolling the work of former city councillors are everywhere in the vestibule areas of the Town Hall. If your name ends up in bronze or marble -- and it isn't in a cemetery -- you've made it in the world.

But this one is special: in honour of Lieutenant-Commander William Edward Sanders, VC, DSO. I've come across him before when looking at the Takapuna War Memorial.

Kate Sheppard is here as well. Roderic Burgess' bronze from 2009, donated by Parisian Neckwear Co Ltd "in recognition of the contribution of women in society, and in particular those who have worked in the company since 1919."

In the South Lightwell area, a rather large irregular-shaped piece of kauri.  It looks somewhat like an oversized woodwork off-cut. This was donated to the city by retired cabinetmaker George F Saunders at Arbor Day, July 1950. Saunders, after working for Garlick & Cranwell since 1886, struck out on his own in May 1898 (Auckland Star, May 16 1898) as a "practical cabinetmaker", as well as a joiner and an undertaker. By 1900, business must have been good, as he advertised for other cabinetmakers to work with him, and a french polisher. His house (he only rented it) in Portland Road Remuera burned down in 1901. But, he remained in business through at least to the 1930s-1940s, living by that time in Lincoln Street, Ponsonby.

The provenance for the kauri board is given as having been originally part of a large tree in the Kaureranga Forest near Thames, floated to Auckland by the tug Lyttelton in 1915 to be cut up by the Kauri Timber Company. "The tree from which it came", according to the Herald on 4 August 1950, "measured 50ft to the first branch and towered another 45 ft above that. It was reputed to be more than 3000 years old."

Of course, with 21st century hindsight, the word "vandals" comes to mind, but -- such was the way of the timber trade back then. See something big and old, cut it down ...

Saunders may have purchased the timber direct from the company -- and probably used a fair bit in the course of his trade. There may even be the remains of coffins at Waikumete Cemetery made from the wood of that same tree. This remaining piece measured 13ft 10 inches long by 7ft 4 3/4 inches wide when donated. Initially, Council considered incorporating the board in the vestibule of the Pioneer Women's Hall, Freyberg Place. But, as with other items offered to the Council, such as stone sculptures from off old Post Offices, this was stored "for the time being" at the Town Hall. Probably due to its dimensions, it never left.

One thing about the wording on the board: "The polishing of the board was the gratuitous work of the Auckland Disabled Servicemens Re-establishment League." Now, reports at the time described the League's work as "generous" rather than "gratuitous". Sign of a changing slant to the meaning of our words, that "gratuitous" these days is seen as more "unjustified, uncalled-for", than freely given.

Just as an aside, here's the story about the tug Lyttelton according to the NZ Maritime Index:

"Paddle tug built for Lyttelton Harbour Board. She made her way out to New Zealand under sail rigged as a brig, arriving at Lyttelton 21 Nov 1878. Whilst in service she was involved in several notable salvage feats. 1901 reboilered. Sep 1907 sold to Devonport Steam Ferry Company. 1912 sold to Kauri Timber Company and was active between Whangaroa and Coromandel ports towing rafts of kauri logs. 1941 laid up inside the Western Viaduct. 1945 superstructure destroyed in fire. 5 Oct 1955 towed north and run ashore at Lagoon Bay, Takatu Peninsula, for use as a shingle hopper. When shingle trade ceased mid-1970s the hull was left to become slowly buried in the shingle drifts."

Images of her can be found here.

This is now historic, displayed in the old Council Chambers. The Super City came into effect in 2010 just before the last space could be filled. Has a new board been started for the Mayor of Auckland Council?

I didn't quite catch the name of the room during the tour, but Rendell McIntosh of Parnell Heritage advised that this, the chandelier remnant of Sir John Logan Campbell's Kilbryde house, now resides in the Ngati Whatua Room, part of the municipal offices section of the Town Hall.

The thought that went through my mind on seeing this was -- it is also one of the last remnants of one of the temporary hospitals used during the 1918 'flu epidemic here in Auckland, with Kilbryde, then owned by the Council, called into service.

Next year is the centenary of Sir JLC's death -- mark the calendars, folks.

Sir John Logan Campbell's funeral cortege. Auckland Weekly News, 4 July 1912, ref. AWNS-19120704-7-3, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Council Libraries.

Finally, on display in the front section of the Town Hall, by the reception area to the meeting rooms, there is a small collection of artifacts from the history of territorial authority in Auckland. Here are some of them.

Above, a silver jug to commemorate the last year of the Auckland Harbour Board before amalgamation in 1989 as Ports of Auckland.

Petrified wood, estimated to be 40,000 years old, from a puriri tree, found during the formation of the Balmoral to St Lukes regional road in 1971.

Crown Lynn crockery for the Auckland Regional Authority.

The switch used to turn on electric current for Birkenhead, 1926.

The most intriguing of all: "Trowel used by Governor Hobson when he laid the foundation stone of old St Paul's Church, Britomart Point, in 1841. Presented to the city of Auckland by Geo. S Graham on behalf of the builder, William Greenwood."

Old St Pauls Church, ref 1-W471, Sir George Grey Special Collections

The trowel, so the Auckland Star reported on 11 June 1894, appears to have been kept by William Greenwood until returned to the St Paul's Trustees by that year, when it was used to lay the foundation stone for the second St Paul's church, on Symonds Street. Then, two and a half years later in February 1897, George S Graham presented the trowel to the Auckland Art Gallery, at the request of William Greenwood, who had recently died. If Greenwood did manage to keep the small trowel in such condition for over 50 years, before passing it along -- he did very well indeed.

Another very old settler of the Auckland district passed away at his home at Epsom this morning between one and two o'clock, in the person of Mr Wm. Greenwood, one of our most respected residents. He had been ailing for the past four days from an attack of bronchitis, and had been carefully attended by Dr. Lewis and Knight, but without avail. For some years, he was in partnership with the late Mr Charles Lawson in the stone masonry trade, but for many years past he had lived in retirement at his home at Epsom. He was about 89 years of age, and had been a resident of Auckland for over forty years. An interesting fact in connection with the deceased, as illustrative of the fruits of early settlement in some, if not many, cases, is that over 30 years ago Mr Greenwood became the owner of that block of buildings between the Thistle and Albert Hotels in Queen-street opposite the Auckland Savings Bank, and about six months ago sold the property to Messrs Ehrenfried Bros, for £14,000. 

 Auckland Star 30 September 1895

Thanks in part no doubt to such shrewd dealings, Greenwood's estate was valued at £20,000.

More of the vanished: Auckland's Market Building c.1917

Updated 31 May 2012: David has installed another version of his work, on his own YouTube account.

David Hirtzell, who gave us long-gone Kilbryde in digital format, and roves around looking for remains of the past, has also prepared a very cool animation: a fly-through tour of the Market Square block in central Auckland c.1917, the site of today's Aotea Square, Civic Building, Aotea Centre, and the Civic Theatre. Working on the base provided by the 1908-1919 City of Auckland map from Auckland Council Archives, David searched through the Heritage Images Online from Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Central Library, especially those from the James D Richardson collection depicting the old market building in the centre of the block in 1921. Together, the collection of images applied to what was known of the buildings and the layout come to an estimated date of c.1917.

Here's the animation, best seen in full-screen mode, viewable via YouTube:

And, of course, some history ...

In 1855 an area of just over 6 acres, bounded by Queen, Grey, Cook, Albert and Wellesley Streets, was secured as a Market Reserve for the citizens of Auckland, during the period of the first Auckland City Council. Hardly a great place to have a  public market, many felt: the area was the swamp formed by Wai Horotiu, the Liger Creek, and was still in a swampy, “unsanitary” condition into the late 1860s. Plans were made to drain the market reserve by the City Board which preceded the later (second) Auckland City Council. The “filling in” of the reserve was to continue until 1872.

The laying of the foundation stone for the market building in November 1872 didn't exactly go without a hitch.

The preliminary arrangements for laying the first stone were completed early in the morning. A stand with seats had been erected for the accommodation of those ladies who had received invitations from the contractor. ... A platform had been erected for the accommodation of the Mayor and those speakers who might follow him ; as also for the representatives of the Press. The framework had however been so temporarily put together, and was altogether composed of such slender materials, that no sooner had the reporters taken their seats than it came down with a crash. Several hands were put on to repair damages, but these were as temporary as the original structure, and, before the proceedings had terminated, there was a second and irreparable breakdown. 

At the rear of the ladies' stand a refreshment stall had been put up by Mr. Williams, landlord of the Anchor Hotel. This was specially intended for the Volunteers, who were regaled, by order of the Mayor, on behalf of the City Council. A strongly-framed timber triangle had been erected, to which were attached a crab-winch and chain for hoisting a scoria block intended to cover the basement stone, out of which an oblong square hole had been cut to allow of the deposits which will be hereafter mentioned. ... Outside of the military square from 1,300 to 2,000 of the citizens were present to witness the ceremony, but of this number only a small percentage could see what was taking place, and none could catch the words of the speakers. 

Southern Cross 12 November 1872

David, who found this piece on the laying of the foundation stone, wondered what became of it when the building was later demolished. Good question.

Mr. Anderson, the City Surveyor, now presented his Worship with the plans of the building, and in accordance with the usual custom expressed a hope that his Worship would lay the foundation-stone properly, as upon it depended tho stability of the structure. Mr. Brodie, the Town Clerk, handed his Worship the articles to be deposited in the stone, consisting of a copy of the Daily Southern Cross newspaper, of the New Zealand Herald, the Evening Star, the Weekly News, and the Weekly Herald ; and also the different coins of the realm, from a threepenny piece to a five shilling piece. He also read the following parchment-scroll, which was likewise to be deposited in the stone :— " The Foundation Stone of the Auckland Market was laid by his Worship the Mayor, P. A. Philips, Esq , on Monday, the 11th of November, Anno Dommi, 1872. Tricesimo Sexto Victoriae Regina. Sir G. B. Bowen, KCB., Governor of the Colony ; T. B. Gillies, Esq , Superintendent of the Province. The following are the names of the City Councillors in office at the time:—Henry Isaacs, Esq. ; Richard Hobbs, Esq. ; F. L. Prime, Esq. ; Stannus Jones, Esq. ; Thomas Williams, Esq. ; John Cosgrave, Esq. ; W. J. Hurst, Esq. ; J. M. Dargaville, Esq. ; George Holdship, Esq. This Building is erected by the City Corporation at a cost of £3,500. Architect, William Anderson, City Surveyor; Contractor and Builder, M. Donaher. (Signed) Philip A. Philips, Mayor; P. Brodie, Town Clerk." The box containing these articles was then placed in the receptacle for the purpose, and His Worship then performed the ceremony of laying the stone in the customary manner, declaring it at the conclusion to be truly laid; after which cheers were given for the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Mayor, the Superintendent, the contractor, and the ladies. The Volunteers then marched off to their respective Drill-sheds ; the people dispersed ; and his Honor the Superintendent, the Mayor and Municipal authorities, and those invited, adjourned to luncheon.

The market was completed in 1873, a cruciform timber building with corrugated iron roof, 270 ft long with a thoroughfare 37 feet wide. From 1875, under the “Auckland City Endowments and Reserves Act” of that year, the City Council were empowered to lease the street frontages around the Market, and lay roads through the land.

The Market itself was not as successful as had been hoped. By the 1890s, it seemed to have become a bit of a battleground between European growers of produce, and the Chinese growers who were gaining numbers, and seemingly more successful. Still, this was where the firm which was to become Turners and Growers established one of their earliest bases of trade. By 1912 the old building was described as “distinctly discreditable to such a city as Auckland”. A report in that year by the Mayor, C. J. Parr, noted that the buildings around the Market were “mainly of a poor class, and some of them are now approaching an almost ruinous condition.” Parr made a recommendation in his report that the Market Reserve could be the site for a Municipal Theatre and Opera House, along with warehouses and new buildings along the Queen and Grey Street frontages “of a height, style and character to be fixed by the City Council.” 

Once the temporary leases for the Market Building had expired the building was demolished in 1921. It had already been replaced by new City Markets closer to the wharves. Elliot Street was continued through to Cook Street, the new portion being named Bledisloe Street, and the Market entrance or Market Street became Myers Street. A grand civic centre was planned, and most of the old Victorian buildings on the Queen Street frontage, earning rental income for the city, were demolished along with the market building -- but the Mayor at that time had miscalculated. A vote among the ratepayers to approve a loan for the scheme declined the proposal, and so the former market space became mostly open air carparks for the next three or four decades.

My sincere thanks to David Hirtzel, Auckland Council Archives, and the Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Central Library, for permitting me to post David's movie up online. Frankly, I hope someone can come up with funding to allow David to proceed further into this, perhaps working on more of the old city blocks, giving us a taste of what it once was like to live and work in old Auckland.

Remains of the vanished

David Hirtzell, who recently sent through the stunning work he's done on capturing Kilbryde's glory, has spotted another couple of pieces of Auckland's lost architecture, now only remnants.

Swainson's Cottage

William Swainson (1809-1884) was the second and last Attorney-General of the Crown Colony of New Zealand, and instrumental in setting up our legal system.

In 1878 Charles and Sophie Street purchased the block of land which is now the Parnell Rose Gardens from William Swainson on the proviso that he could remain living there for the rest of his life in his small cottage overlooking the harbour. He died there in 1884. The Gillies family used the cottage after his death as a summer house.  Emily Gillies died in 1913 and the “Gillies Estate” which included Swainson's old pre-fabricated cottage and the surrounding land, totalling 9 acres and 2 roods came onto the market.It was taken over by Auckland City Council, and became Parnell Park. As with Kilbryde, the cottage was demolished, and the park created with later rose gardens.

Click to enlarge. Parnell Park plan, Auckland Council Archives, Field Sheet No 34. City Engineers plans. Series No ACC 015,  Record No 4058-34a, Record ID 502712. Used here with permission.

 Swainson's Cottage, photographer Henry Winkelmann, dated 4 April 1916. Reference 1-W583, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Central Library. Used with permission.

From David's email:

"While doing some research on Kilbryde I noticed some old stone steps in the park just above judges bay
I think these belonged to Swainson's cottage. Have a look at the 1916 map from Council Archives and see if you agree. So this means the cottage actually sat on that nice little grass terrace under the trees. And notice many of the paths around the park are still the same today."

Image credit: David Hirtzell

Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company

Wellesley Street West,  photographer James D Richardson, dated 26 Jan 1928. Reference 4-2141, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Central Library. Used with permission.

Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, unknown photographer, dated 4 November 1964. Reference 7-A926, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Central Library. Used with permission.

The Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company dates from the year 1878, when with a capital of £15,000 a very small beginning was made. The growth and expansion of the works have progressed with successive years, until the nominal capital of the company has been increased to £200,000, £100,000 of which has been fully paid up. The splendid mills, which occupy a section of ten acres in extent, are situated on the Cam river, a confluent of the Waimakariri, within the borough of Kaiapoi ...

Branch warehouses are established in Auckland and Wellington, from which the more immediate wants of the trade in those centres are supplied ...

 Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1903 (Canterbury Provincial District)

Right now, the site is alongside the Bledisloe Building. But David has found a remnant still visible to today's view.

Image credit: David Hirtzell

From his email:
"Here’s another little remnant on Wellesley Street West people walk past but never notice. A single column remaining from the Kaiapoi Woollen building  (built in 1913, demolished in 1964)."

Image credit: David Hirtzell

Viewing the vanished: Kilbryde

Sir John Logan Campbell's home "Kilbryde" is, today, long gone. It was demolished in 1924 by Auckland City Council, who felt that restoring it would be too expensive, as they could see no use for it.

One thing I think is marvellous -- the use of today's technologies to bring the past back to life so we can appreciate what once was. The subject of this post is a case in point.

Image from Cyclopedia of New Zealand.

Earlier this month, architectural designer David Hirtzell contacted me out of the blue to show me a project he has been working on -- to create a digital 3-d image of the lost Kilbryde within Google Sketch-up and Google Earth. Here are some screen shots of his work.

Kilbryde's location:

David is keen to hear from anyone who has information as to the interior and layout of the house, and any colour scheme it may have had.

Thanks, David, for sharing your wonderful work. Apologies for the delay in putting this online.

26 April: An update from David.

Anyone interested in Kilbryde must visit the fully restored Monte Cecila Pah Homestead in Hillsborough. It was designed by the same architect (Mahoney) a couple of years before Kilbryde and  is very similar in style inside and out.

Influenza City

Recently, whiling away a bit of time between appointments, commitments and the usual scheduling stuff, I had a bit of a browse through the oversize collection of reference material at the Central Auckland Research Centre at the Central Library. I’ve always found that collection on the general shelves in the CARC a source of wonderful chance finds. This time, I had a nosey at a folder entitled:

Influenza Epidemic – Mayor’s Memorandum Covering Reports of City Solicitor and Council Officers.

Walter Bush, the City Engineer, provided in his report to the Mayor dated 27 November 1918 a day-by-day run down as to his department’s response to the crisis.

8 or 9 October

The epidemic first attracts notice in Auckland, although Bush noted that 24 deaths had been recorded in the four metropolitan and nine suburban areas in the 6 months preceding 30 September. From 8 October, the daily papers contained references to the influenza’s spread.

12 October

The RMS Niagara arrived in Auckland. The number of passengers under treatment was between 30 and 40, according to Bush, and the Health Authorities put the ship effectively in semi-quarantine for a time. Passengers and crew were “obliged to pass through an inhaling chamber improvised on the ship by the District Health Officer, and the quarters thoroughly fumigated.” 26-28 members of the crew and 2 passengers were admitted to Auckland Hospital for isolation treatment.

15 October

Five more crew members of the Niagara were admitted to hospital, with at least 8 of those already admitted developing slight pneumonia. By now, 9 Auckland residents were receiving treatment as well. The isolation ward was crowded, the nursing staff reported as “fully taxed”.

16 October

A conclusion, startling to our eyes with the benefit of hindsight, made by a Conference that day between the Hospital Board’s Visiting Committee, and the District Health Officer. “ … It was made clear that the influenza was of a very mild type … not “Spanish” Influenza, the more virulent kind.” Dr E Graham Russell, Port Health Officer, “stated that the type was the mildest he had experienced.”

Dr Russell wasn’t alone with that opinion. The district health officer told the Education Board “that the epidemic went through a community like a flash, usually lasting from 6 to 8 weeks, and that at least 50% of the population was ordinarily attacked. He was of the opinion that the epidemic had been in Auckland for three or four weeks, and had not been introduced by the Niagara, and … that the disease was not present in a serious form, and “Spanish Influenza.”

17 October

The District Health Officer advocated “thorough ventilation of schools, etc. especially during week-ends, picture theatres etc., tram cars, and other public conveyances, and also the wiping of straps and seats in tram cars with cloths moistened with antiseptic, while counter railings, etc. in shops and desks in schools should be similarly treated.”

20 October

A fireman from the Niagara died from lung complications from influenza at Auckland Hospital, but other patients from the Niagara were reported as improving. Out of 26 in hospital on the 18th, 10 were discharged on the 19th, and another 8 in the 21st. But …

21 October

A steward from the Niagara dies “from pneumonia supervening on influenza.”

22 October

At the meeting of the Board of Education that day, a report was submitted to the effect that out of 4887 pupils attending seven lading schools in the city, 1032 were away due to the epidemic, with 21 out of 92 teachers affected.

23 October

“The epidemic was assuming a worse form”, the NZ Herald reported.

24 October

During that week, members of the City Fire Brigade came down with the disease, 17 men reported off duty on 24 October. That day, 25 of the Aucland Hospital’s nursing staff were ill.

29 October

The NZ Herald reported a “slight abatement” of the epidemic.

30 October

The Mayor of Auckland ordered that the Minister of Labour be telegraphed, asking that, while the epidemic was in effect that the law requiring chemists to close at certain hours not be enforced, allowing them to remain open at night “to meet the generally increased demand for medicine. The Minister replied that if the majority of chemists indicated that they wanted to stay open an extra hour, the Department wouldn’t interfere while the epidemic lasted. Bush reported that the extra opening hours reduced the workload significantly at the all-night pharmacy.

31 October

The Mayor was waited upon by a deputation of community representatives who asked for a meeting to be convened “to consider the prevalence of he epidemic [and] … what measures should be taken in its abatement.” The meeting took place at 4 pm that day, resulting in the formation of a Citizen’s Committee “to take such steps as were necessary to help sufferers and to cope with the epidemic”. The executive, with powers to co-opt as required, were:

The Mayor: James Henry Gunson

Cr. Andrew Jack Entrican [Deputy Mayor]

Cr. William John` Holdsworth [Elected to the Grey Lynn Borough Council in 1907, he became its Mayor in 1910, and then Auckland City Councillor in 1914]

Ernest Lilly: City Districts Schools Committee

E Phelan

G Davis

F Potter

P M Mackay

S Milroy, and

H P Kissling

1 November

The NZ Herald reported that three more deaths had occurred, including George Moore, an employee in the City Engineer’s Department, as well as an auxiliary fireman at the City Fire Brigade station. The Tramway Company was obliged to take several morning and evening special cars off the rush hour runs as a result of 66 tramway motormen and conductors reporting in as ill.

The Citizens Committee met again, this time with the Chairman of the District Hospital Board, the Medical Superintendent and the District Health Officer present. The committee decided to telegraph the Minister of Defence suggesting that the Medical Boards be released to provide additional medical assistance to the city. They also resolved to contact the Minister of Public Health asking that, finally, the disease should be subject to quarantine regulations.

W J Holdsworth, the first secretary to the Citizens Committee, came down with the ‘flu himself. In his place, H D Robertson was co-opted onto the committee. He was Secretary of the Joint Committee of the British Red Cross and the Order of St John.

That evening, the Auckland Hospital Board held a special meeting to consider steps to combat the epidemic, “and to provide additional hospital accommodation for patients dangerously ill from the disease.” The outbreak was no longer being considered as a non-serious form.

2 November

Bush’s plan which saw the city and suburbs divided into 22 blocks came into effect, as submitted to the Citizens Committee the day before. Members of the committee were appointed “to supervise the work of rendering assistance in he representative areas.”

The Auckland Education Board met that day, a Saturday, to consider the District Health Officer’s advice that the district’s schools be closed, “in view of the increasing seriousness of the situation”. The Board decided to close the schools for a week, and to reconsider the situation at the end of that period. The three city Manual Training centres, as well as those at Devonport and Otahuhu, were also closed. “Any assembly of children,” during the epidemic period, “was undesirable.”

The streets in the central ward are disinfected. Other streets are similarly treated on 6 November, in conjunction with watering of the streets and flushing of the cesspits.

3 November

Dr Joseph Patrick Frengley, the Acting Chief Health Officer for New Zealand, arrived in Auckland and conferred with the Mayor, the Chairman of the Hospital Board, and the Auckland Hospital medical superintendent. Auckland’s Mayor placed Kilbryde, the former home of Sir John Logan Campbell in the new Parnell Park at the disposal of the Hospital Board. Auckland Hospital at Grafton and the Costley Home at today’s Greenlane Hospital site were closed to visitors, in an attempt to minimize the spread of the virus. The Board also arranged for a supply of medicines, day and night, to Henderson & Barclay’s pharmacy in Queen Street.

C T Haynes, the Chief Sanitary Officer, was appointed “to take charge of the office of the [Citizens] Committee at the Town Hall for the purpose of tabulating the returns from the various blocks.”

His own report to the Mayor (27 November 1918) was concerned primarily with the state of Auckland’s slum housing at the time of the influenza pandemic in late 1918.

“… many of our citizens engaged during the past few weeks in combating the influenza epidemic, an obtaining for the first time an insight into the state of affairs under which numbers of people are living, have been surprised and shocked that such conditions exist, and strongly impressed with the necessity of adopting some measures for their removal.”

Over the course of the 16 years immediately before the ‘flu hit the city, around 600 houses had been either been already condemned and pulled down, or demolished by arrangement with the owners. So by the time the Spanish ‘Flu came, the policy and process of urban renewal by Auckland City Council had been well underway. Influenza spreads from public gatherings and the airborne transmission of the virus rather than from the obvious source of sanitary risk, residential overcrowding. It could be said that the sanitary inspector’s department was using the epidemic as an opportunity to bang that department’s particular drum.

The department did report that half their number was away on Active Service during the war, and the workload had been increased due to the amalgamation of boroughs and road boards with the city, such as Parnell, Epsom, Remuera, and Grey Lynn.

4 November

Doctors provided by the Defence Department, in response to the Citizens Committee request of three days before, started work from a central bureau opened at the Auckland Hospital Board’s Kitchener Street office. Advertisements were inserted in the NZ Herald and the Auckland Star regarding applications for medical assistance. A fumigation room was set up in the District Health Office at Albert Street.

At noon, the Citizens Committee met again, making final arrangements with Dr Frengley and the Hospital Board Chairman.

The block committees were already at work, establishing centres in each area to accept applications for assistance. Appeals were made for assistance from volunteers, trained nurses, and “those able to undertake domestic duties in homes where the epidemic had laid aside the inmates.”

“By this date,” Bush recorded, “the situation was very grave, and the large number of applications received for admission to the Hospital indicated that there was no diminution in the number of serious cases. On the contrary, in numerous instances whole households were simultaneously affected, and in consequence of the lack of assistance the position became very acute.”

5 November

The owners of Auckland’s cinemas met with the mayor and the Acting Chief Health Officer in the mayoral offices, and agreed not to admit any children aged 14 and under to their premises. They also agreed to fumigate the cinemas daily.

The Minister for Public Health, G W Russell, arrived along with Dr. Frengley and three doctors, two others which been released by the Defence Department to assist with the epidemic, and another four from the Medical Boards. The Minister of Defence had been requested to obtain nurses from other parts of the North Island to assist as well.

The Mission Hall at the Sailor’s Home on Quay Street was opened as a temporary hospital. By the next day, this facility was looking after 20 patients. The Women’s National Reserve opened an emergency kitchen at their Rutland Street premises.

6 November

No less than 90 nurses at Auckland Hospital were off work through influenza. Up to 10 pm that day, 600 applications for assistance were received by the Citizens Committee at the Town Hall.

A “Gazette Extraordinary” was issued declaring the influenza as a dangerous infectious disease, authorizing the health authorities to exercise all the powers laid down under the Public Health Act. This meant that instead of limited opening of places like picture theatres, all such places were to be completely closed, from the following day, along with billiard saloons, other public gatherings and entertainment, and schools.

The Vermont Street Girls’ School, capable of accommodating 150 patients and a complete nursing staff, was placed at the disposal of the Auckland Hospital Board by Bishop Cleary and Rev Father Carran. This was opened as a temporary hospital on 8 November.

The Mayor of Auckland came down with the ‘flu, and instructed Bush to confer with Dr. Frengley with regard to the Public Health Act regulations. From that point on, Bush effectively became a CEO, at all hours, day and night. He convinced the Superintendent of Telegraphs late at night to make all telephone lines connected with the epidemic relief works available, despite the planned closure of the telephone exchange between noon and 3pm.

7 November

“Following Dr Frengley’s conference with the Crown Solicitor and myself on the 7th inst., a notice was issued by him requiring the immediate closing of all places of entertainment, Public Halls, Billiard rooms, and shooting galleries for a week. This included the Auckland Racing Club’s course and buildings and in consequence no race meeting was held at Ellerslie on the 9th idem. In addition, the list of places ordered to be closed included the Chamber of Commerce, Society of Arts Hall, Trades Hall, friendly societies’ meeting places and many other public and church halls.” (Bush)

The Acting Chief Health Officer requested that all denominations hold only morning services “of the shortest possible denomination”. [Apparently Bishop Cleary went one better, ordering all Catholic services suspended during the epidemic.]

Bush also conferred with Dr Frengley over the opening of fumigating stations as soon as equipment could be manufactured.

It was decided to insert an advertisement in the newspapers urging all those not engaged in the central city to stay in their homes.

8 November

The Armistice was prematurely reported in the country’s media. This added to the strain of dealing with the epidemic in Auckland.

“Work in connection with the various Block Committees was in full swing when the cable prematurely announcing the signing of the terms of the Armistice was received on the morning of the 8th inst., and for a time this seemed to arrest the valuable work being done in combating the epidemic. My first action on receipt of this news was to proceed to the Council’s depot and arrange for the detention of sufficient men and carters, and the keeping open of the stores and offices there, so that any urgent calls that might be made for special services might be made … In consequence of the universal holiday observed and the resultant closing of shops and warehouses, necessary stores were found a matter of great difficulty.”

Waikumete Cemetery sent out a call for more gravediggers. Eight men, along with the necessary tools, were dispatched out to Glen Eden in motor cars.

An inhaling station was set up on Queen’s Wharf, with two of Bush’s assistants in charge.

The City Library and Art Gallery, along with all branch libraries and the Old Colonists’ Museum, were closed from that date until 2 December on the orders of the Deputy Mayor. (Barr’s report – see below)

9 November

Victoria Park Pavilion was opened as a temporary morgue, fitted up with tables and disinfecting apparatus. Bush’s department also saw to a request from Vermont Street hospital for screens, a dispensary and provision of electric lights.

Kilbryde at Parnell, as well as the Technical College in Wellesley Street, were opened as more temporary hospitals.

10 November

“Arrangements were made for the transport of extra grave diggers to and from Waikumete Cemetery and also for the pegging out of extra grave spaces…” (Bush)

An inhalation chamber opened at the Town Hall.

12 November

The Tabernacle Sunday School was found to be unsuitable as a children’s hospital, so Bush and his team contacted the secretary for the YWCA. Two lower floors of their Queen Street building were placed at the Hospital Board’s disposal “as a home for healthy children whose parents had been incapacitated by the disease.” (Bush) Conferences also began with the Women’s National Reserve with the view to converting the Myers Kindergarten Building in Myers Park as a hospital for sick children.

The Acting Chief Health Officer ordered the immediate burial of all known victims of influenza. Special funeral trains were organized, at 10 am and 1.45 pm each day as required. Bush also approached the General Manager of the Railways for reduced rates of carriage of the bodies. The demand for additional grave diggers at Waikumete was met by sending out 12 more men, reinforced on 14 November by another 6, on the 15th by still another 6, and 3 more on the 25th November.

The real Armistice was signed. This meant that government offices were closed, and so too (temporarily) was the telephone exchange. Bush contacted the Superintendent of Telegraphs again, who assured him and the secretary of the Citizen’s Committee that “all special telephone numbers would be kept open for use through the day.”

“From this date,” Bush reported, “the Health Authorities, Hospital Board, Citizens Committee and other organisations may be said to have had the epidemic in hand, and although numerous calls were still being received for assistance, and many serious case were being admitted to the various hospitals, the organisation provided was adequately coping with the situation.”

13 November

The Mayor had recovered sufficiently to discuss with Bush various Council matters, including his decision to postpone a planned loan poll, and the election of a councilor to fill a vacancy. The Mayor returned to his official duties on the 18th.

Another inhalation station was set up, this time at the Leys Institute in Ponsonby.

14 November

A Citizens Relief Committee was established, presided over by the Deputy Mayor A J Entrican. They held their first meeting on the 18th.

During the epidemic, “collections of refuse were made twice daily and on Sundays from the temporary hospitals… and also from the food kitchen in Rutland Street… Mattresses, clothing etc., from private houses were either collected and conveyed to the destructor or else burned in the back yards. Sprays and disinfectants were provided to the men engaged in the collection of refuse, and the dust bins were disinfected, and the carts washed out and disinfected. Fruit was also collected from premises closed in consequence of the inmates being laid aside with the complaint, and conveyed to the Destructor for burning.” (Bush)

469 interments took place at Waikumete Cemetery from 1 November to 26 November, “this large number of interments necessitated the pegging out of graves in the area recently cleared and ploughed on the Western Boundary, the number of new graves utilised to date in such ground being 131.”

137 out of 380 Council workmen were laid aside with influenza during the epidemic. Bush attributed the relatively lower number than expected to “the healthy nature of their occupation.”

John Barr, Chief Librarian, also prepared a report (28 November) on what his staff did during the enforced closure of the libraries from 8 November to 2 December.

The senior messenger was left behind to care for the library, while those of the staff who were still fit engaged in relief work with the supporting institutions. One member had to give up work after contracting influenza, while another (Mr Collins) had blood poisoning while nursing. Books and magazines were supplied to convalescents at the various temporary hospitals, and in conjunction with the Women’s Patriotic League Mr Barr called for more donations of books and toys through advertisements.

“During the time that the Library and Art Gallery have been closed the Messengers have been engaged thoroughly cleaning the building. The Chief Sanitary Inspector at my request undertook to disinfect the Libraries with formalin, but as the use of a chemical solution might have had injurious effects upon pictures and frames in the Art Gallery it was not treated in this manner. The washing of floors with a solution of Jeye’s Fluid was considered sufficient, especially as the roof lighting of the galleries provided plenty of sunlight, the best of disinfectants. I have also arranged with the Chief Sanitary Inspector to have all books which are at present “out” from the Lending Departments of the various libraries disinfected at the Town Hall before being returned to the shelves. These precautionary steps should reassure the public that the libraries are perfectly free from infection.”

Auckland’s official death toll during the epidemic is established to have been 1,128, or 7.6 per thousand head of population, the largest metropolitan toll in the country.

See also: Black November, Geoffrey W Rice (2005, second edition)

Waikumete graves

Avondale's influenza hospital

Street Stories 14: William Paterson, not quite remembered

Postetrity doesn't always go quite to plan.

The death of Mr. Wm. Paterson, founder of the firm of W. Paterson and Co., ‘bus proprietors, occurred yesterday. The late Mr. Paterson, who was a native of East Kilbryde, Scotland, was 62 years of age, and came to Auckland in the early sixties. In 1865 he started to work for Mr. A. Bell, of this city, and in the seventies Mr. Bell purchased the business of Belcher and Co., grain and forage merchants, on Mr. Paterson’s account. Here he laid the foundation of a most successful business as a ‘bus and cab proprietor, with branches at Auckland, Mount Roskill, Mount Eden, Avondale, Devonport, and Rotorua. He was at one time proprietor of the horse tramcars, at the same time carrying on his grain and produce business. He took a keen interest in politics, and followed the various political changes of his day with close attention, although he sought no public office. He was a benevolent man, but carefully concealed from the public gaze his many charitable acts. Mrs. Paterson and a family of four sons and three daughters survive him. The funeral will leave his late residence at Mount Roskill for Purewa cemetery tomorrow.

(NZ Herald, 2 August 1905)

William Paterson owned several pieces of land in Auckland, North Shore, Avondale, Onehunga ... on two part of his estate, when his family later subdivided and solkd off sections, he had a real chance of being remembered.

A William Street was so-named through part of his Balmoral/Mt Eden paddocks -- but at some point, it had a name-change to Wiremu (the Maori equivalent), so that link is largely severed.

At Sandringham, Patterson Street runs alongside a large amount of what was once Paterson's land -- but somehow, the single T became double. (A Paterson family history researcher the other day brought both examples to my attention the other day.) Not something easily corrected, if at all possible -- four other Patersons already exist among our region's street names. A shame, really.

1902 Cyclopedia of New Zealand

Some photographs, taken with a camera from off the pages of the 1902 Volume 2 of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.

"Kawaka, representing Inland Kaipara." As Mad Bush points out in the comments below, this is Kaiwaka (that's what is etched on the photo itself) but in the caption, they missed out the "i".

"Gumdigger's Camp." Not sure where, exactly. My money's on Northland, somewhere.

"Kilbryde, the residence of John Logan Campbell." The Auckland Harbour Board bowled it and the rest of the point for reclamation, and so eventually the Tamaki Drive and souther-eastern Main Trunk Line could be built. Pity -- it was a lovely home, and look at the views! The tourists would go nuts for a place like that.

The Auckland Art Gallery when there wasn't as many buildings in the way.

This one is of the hall at Te Tii Marae at Waitangi. Some info about it, from NZ Historic Places Trust site:

"The original hall built on the site where Te Tii stands today was erected in March 1881, in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty, and was appropriately called “Te Tiriti O Waitangi”. The opening of the Treaty hall was a well-occasioned event, and an excerpt from missionary Henry William’s diary shows that the same issues that concerned Maori in the 1880s still resonate today:

“The meeting was outside by the hall. It lasted about three hours and passed off quietly. The principle talk was for a new Maori Parliament and for the foreshore to be ceded to the Maori.”

Sadly, the Treaty Hall was destroyed by a gale in 1917, so the decision was made to build a new hall in its place."

It's called the Waitangi Treaty House in the photo caption -- this from the days when the Treaty House we know today was slowly rotting away, forgotten.