Auckland’s post-war housing policy

I've been approached by John Fountain who is undertaking research into the topic of post-war housing policy in Auckland. You'll find his own blog post here.

"Here is an open letter to anyone with knowledge of New Zealand’s regulatory policy on self contained accommodation units in residential “zones" ...

"I  would like to find out what special measures – especially at local levels – have been  taken in New Zealand urban areas (esp Auckland, possibly other main centers) during the post-war period in times of housing shortages . I am particularly interested in local community initiatives to help returning servicemen/women and their families obtain housing, either rental or ownership, in the main urban areas in New Zealand.  I don’t mean in State provided housing or  in purpose built camps/compounds, but  in options for self contained accommodation  provided by existing residents in the areas where returning servicemen and their families would have wanted to live – ie in proximity to good  transport,  schools, parks, shopping and other services – but found both rents or house prices  in these places unaffordable. An archivist at the  Alexander Turnbull  pointed me to a Dept of Housing booklet “Buy, Build or Rent: housing assistance for the ex-serviceman” (1946)  . This booklet mentions the existence of many initiatives at local community levels – but has no further information about them.

"I suspect  there may have been some significant and interesting local community changes in regulatory policies that either actively encouraged or turned a blind eye to initiatives taken by existing residents to provide secondary suite type self contained accommodation …but am only guessing at this stage. By “secondary suites” I mean self contained accommodation units (could be as small as a studio size apartment these days, or more substantial 2 or 3 bedroom units with separate living areas, bedrooms, kitchen facilities, toilet/shower, etc) , internal  to or external to an existing dwelling- eg  renovations of an existing house/garage/sleepout  to create a second  self contained accommodation unit  . In NZ and OZ these go by the name “granny flats “, but of course their tenants, or owners, could be anyone but granny herself!"

 More at the link.

Street Stories 23: Homage to a business partner

Detail from DP 123, LINZ records, crown copyright reserved.

My friend Margaret Edgcumbe alerted me to an article in the NZ Herald last week, about Logan Terrace in Parnell.

"The Logan Tce section is near the village centre, known for its galleries, cafes, restaurants and boutique stores. Before being subdivided, it was part of the homestead belonging to Auckland founding father Sir John Logan Campbell."

Uh, no. The original name of the street was Campbell Terrace, before a change in 1917 to the current name, and both "Campbell" and "Logan" do stem from a tip of the hat, as it were, to John Logan Campbell, who lived nearby and was a businessman of note in 19th century Auckland (there will be many commemorating the centenary of the death of the "Father of Auckland" this year).

But ... JLC didn't own the property, so it wasn't given his name or part thereof for that reason. The owner at the time of subdivision was one Patrick Comiskey (thanks again, Margaret), an Irishman who had done quite well for himself out here in the colonies. Including a business relationship with JLC.

Patrick Comiskey, son of Joseph Comiskey of Castleblaney, County Monaghan turns up in the early 1860s in the Papers Past records as a partner with Michael Abbott Cassius in the firm of Cassius & Comiskey, storekeepers in Greymouth and Hokitika, selling “Quicksilver, Blasting powder & fuse, Gunpowder, shot and caps, Axes, adzes, drills, hammer.” (West Coast Times, 26 July 1865) By 1867, the partners on Mawhera Quay were also selling Peruvian guano. In 1866, Comiskey was one of the directors of the Hokitika and Greymouth Railway Company. The business closed in Greymouth in December 1867.

Comiskey ran for election representing Greymouth on the County Council in 1868, but pulled out of the contest in December that year. Cassius & Comiskey dissolved in July 1869, leaving Cassius to continue on his own. By November that year, Comiskey was trying his luck on the Thames goldfields.

“The people must surely be mad to keep coming here,” he wrote to Cassius. “I do not know what they are going to do. Nine tenths of the claims on the Thames are not worth a penny. I could name hundreds of claims that have been formed into companies and then … sold at big prices, that are not worth anything to-day. Unless something turns up soon, there will be lots of people glad to return to Hokitika.” (reported in Westport Times, via North Otago Times, 26 November 1869)

He was back on the West Coast by early 1870, but left soon after to go to England (and possibly his hometown in Ireland).

In September 1873, Comiskey while in England married Mary Ann Bamford, daughter of Robert Hanbury of Bole Hall. “The tenantry on the Comiskey estates in Greymouth have reason to congratulate themselves upon the circumstance of their landlord (at second hand) having been elevated to the condition of a married gentleman, and of the probability, according to the Hokitika papers, of his better-half and he visiting them in the course of their, marriage tour. A notice of the matrimonial alliance appears in the usual column. On the authority of the West Coast Times a private letter from England, received in Hokitika, states that Mr Comiskey (formerly of Cassius and Comiskey) has married a lady of wealthy family.” (Grey River Argus, 9 September 1873) Mr & Mrs Comiskey arrived in Auckland as saloon passengers on board the Cyphrenes on 19 April 1874. In Newmarket, they had an accident in June when a horse drawing a buggy they had hired from Crowther’s shied on the Parnell Road, sending the couple over and down an embankment. Patrick Comiskey appears to have been knocked unconscious, and suffered worse injuries than his wife. He returned to Hokitika in September, and resumed his interest in West Coast affairs and politics.

He was back in Auckland by April 1876, now a JP. The whole of his household furniture was up for sale at Remuera in February 1877, and by June he was in Whakatane, assuming the office of coroner there (and running a company called the Whakatane Cattle Company). But, as if he wore a rubber band, he was back in Auckland by November that year. He still maintained his West Coast interests as well, but by 1881 styled himself as a gentleman, from Auckland.

The other principal shareholder of the Whakatane Cattle Company with Comiskey was John Logan Campbell (Bay of Plenty Times, 16 August 1881) – hence, quite likely, the reason why Comiskey named the street through his 1881 Parnell subdivision Campbell Terrace. (He was also a co-director, along with Campbell, of the NZ Frozen Meart and Storage Company in 1883, so the two men knew each other at least reasonably well. From 1878, Campbell was a fellow Parnell landowner).

Meanwhile, the Comiskeys had a residence somewhere along St Georges Bay Road (Auckland Star 19 October 1881). He was involved with development along part of Rutland Street East (now bounded by Cleveland and St Georges Bay Roads) in 1882 (Star, 14.3.1882).

 

 Star, 17 June 1884

 

His business career here in New Zealand was quite detailed, beyond the scope of this summary. He travelled again to England in the late 1880s, to secure additional finance for his enterprises in the South Island. While in Brighton, Mrs Comiskey fell, bruised her leg, and it had to be amputated. Sadly, she later died there in May 1888. Comiskey sold up any remaining effects in Auckland, and from that point on resided in England. He died in December 1906.

Patrick Comiskey, news of whose death was received by last week's English mail, was a prominent man in Auckland twenty years ago. At that period he was one of the largest investors in mining and business enterprises in the city. In the earlier days of the colony Mr Comiskey had been a member of the mercantile firm of Cassius and Comiskey, on the West Coast goldfields, and had laid the foundations of his fortune in mining and commercial enterprises there. And when he transferred himself to Auckland, there were not many speculation schemes of importance with which he was not in one way or other associated. Merely to mention a few of them involves a glance at historic concerns that were of the first importance in their day, but have long since passed out of existence.

For example, Mr Comiskey was one of the directors of the Thames Valley- Rotorua Railway Company, which commenced the construction of the railway from Morrinsville towards Rotorua, and eventually disposed of its interests to the Government. Then, he was for some time chairman of directors of the old Union Sash and Door Company, now absorbed in the Kauri Timber Company. Another venture in which he held a directorship was the New Zealand Frozen Meat Storage Company, which took over the meat business carried on by Fisher and Company, and engaged in export trade, sending away the first big cargo of frozen meat that was loaded in Auckland. During the booms at the Thames in the early eighties the time of the Prince Imperial and Cambria patches Mr Comiskey was an extensive and successful speculator. Before he left Auckland to take up his residence in England, New Zealand fell upon bad times, and Mr Comiskey suffered in common with others who had risked their money in business enterprises. It is understood, however, that he subsequently prospered in South African mining speculations, and that he died in affluent circumstances.

Observer, 9 February 1907

By the way, Comiskey’s old partner Michael Cassius, who had amassed a considerable fortune from his West Coast dealings and retired to Europe in 1874, died in November 1891.

Some moments with the Loafers

"Loafers", by Francis Upritchard, is a brand new art installation on Symonds Street's overbridge with Wellesley Street.  You can read more about it here and here.

(And, by Blogger's reckoning, this is post 1500 since Timespanner began in September 2008. Cheers to all the readers, contributors and commenters over the years. Couldn't have got this far without you.)

War, water and birds at Western Springs

Seeing as I was in the vicinity on Saturday, heading for MOTAT, I took a detour in search of a plaque in the park.

The Council put this plaque up, actually next to the main area which had been a motor camp from 1933, an American rest base 1942-44, and an emergency house transit camp from 1944-1961. A pity only the rest base is commemorated -- the Western Springs transit camp was the first of the areas set up from 1944 by the Council to address the chronic need for emergency, intermediate shelter for the city's citizens (the one at Titoki Street at the Domain started later).

Anyway, here's a plaque at least. A bit sad for the wear, corroded in places, and right next to a loo.

There are still patrols here, in a way. These days, a black rooster strolls past, utterly unconcerned by either people of proximity to a children's playground. Nice bird -- I wondered where he came from. An escapee from the zoo?

Motion's Creek Weir, at the edge of Western Springs lake. No fishing.

Peering out from the green ...

... a pair of painted pukekos on the back of another loo.

The men's have cormorants ...

... while the ladies have another pukeko and black swans.

The day's weather wasn't all that clement, the feathered residents going to ground just before the showers broke. I thus headed off, back to my route to MOTAT.

McKenzie's: variety store of my memory

THE GIFT PROBLEM 

Wide Range of Articles From Which To Choose 

"WHAT to give?" is the puzzling problem of the moment, but for the wise shopper, all worry is eliminated by a visit to any store of J. R. McKenzie. There the problem is solved and the search ends! ALL tastes and all ages are catered for, and there are a thousand and one gifts, designed to please, from which a choice can be made. Whether it be for father, for mother, for sister or brother, or somebody else's sister or brother, at McKenzie's will be found the very thing that is wanted. Established throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion, J. R. McKenzie's have been able through mass buying to land in New Zealand probably a more comprehensive range of toys, general fancy goods, and other suitable gifts, than has ever been imported into this country, and these represent the very latest from the overseas markets. Value and genuine bargains, together with prompt and smiling service, are the features for which the J. R. McKenzie Stores have gained a reputation.

NZ Truth 11 December 1930

Leigh Kennaway sent the above image the other day, a photo he took of a piece of the past of Auckland's retail history, this one in Takapuna. Instant nostlagia for me, as I remember being entranced by the variety on the shelves at the Queen Street store, with the barker rallying up the customers to buy-buy-buy this or that special item. To me as a wee nipper at my mum's side, the place just seemed wonderful. A smaller version of the giant multi-storey Farmers. All just memories, now, lost to corporate takeover and changing times.

The stores began with one man: Sir John Robert MacKenzie, knighted in 1949. Born in Victoria, Australia 5 August 1876, he began his business career in Melbourne, after serving in the 2nd Boer War with the Third Victorian Bushmen's Contingent. In 1910, he moved to New Zealand after being impressed by the country while taking a cycling holiday in 1909. He started a shop in Dunedin which was to be the first of a chain of 75 stores nationwide by 1980.

In 1910 Mr. McKenzie opened the first McKenzie fancy goods shop in George Street, Dunedin, to be followed shortly afterwards by a similar shop in Christchurch. The first Wellington store opened in Willis Street in 1913, Wanganui branch being next in 1915. By 1929 the [firm] had 18 fancy goods shops in the various towns of New Zealand, from Auckland to Invercargill. During 1929 Mr. McKenzie decided to adopt the more modern trend of retail business by converting the business into the modern self-serving department stores. Today there are 21 McKenzie department stores in every large town, from Whangarei to Invercargill, and a total staff of over 650 is employed by the company throughout the Dominion. To commemorate the occasion of the firm's silver jubilee, Mr. J. E. McKenzie has authorised that one extra week's salary be paid to every member of the staff, this gift involving payment of approximately £1400. Last year the company donated £500 to charity, and this year the directors have allocated £1600 to this cause. 

Evening Post 24 October 1933

Evening Post 12 December 1913

Always on the lookout for improvements and developments, Si John's observations during a trip overseas led him to the revolutionary decision to change his fancy goods stores to the department type of store which was proving so successful overseas, and which would provide the average family with many of their main needs at reasonable prices.

The first experimental department store was initiated shortly afterwards in Cuba Street, Wellington. The change was completed in three years ...

Auckland Star 3 November 1962

In 1938, the business was registered as a public company. Sir John died in 1955, renowned as a philanthropist (the name living on in the J R McKenzie Trust) and a successful businessman.

View of High Street Lower Hutt, November 1956, from the footpath beside Hill Brothers grocery store. Three women can be seen on the pavement, one of whom wheels a baby pram towards the camera. Photographed by Morrie Hill. Ref 1/2-177164-F, Alexander Turnbull Library.

By 1979, however, the business came to be controlled by a company called Rangatira Ltd, holding 52% of the shares. In July that year, Rangatira accepted a takeover bid by L D Nathan & Co, Ltd, owners of the Woolworths brand of variety stores in the country.  With "an air of quiet acceptance", although with unfavourable comments nonetheless from a shareholder and former McKenzies employee, the final meeting of McKenzies (NZ) Ltd was held on 20 July 1979. The stores all became part of Woolworths (a chain established here in 1929) -- I remember them as well, but they didn't hold the same magic for me. "Woolies" drifted away during the late 1980s-early 1990s.

I took this photo in June last year, the upper Symonds Street branch of McKenzies, which opened in late 1938.

If anyone else has any images or memories of the stores they'd like to share, feel free to contact me.

White elephant at the culvert

A quirky bit of street art down at the Oakley Creek culvert alongside Bollard Road between Mt Albert and Avondale.

Aether & Iron

I went along to check out MOTAT's "Aether & Iron" day today. Wasn't there too long (about an hour) as I had to get into the city afterwards, but -- saw some interesting stuff.

From the Auckland City Harbour News, 27 April:

"Steampunkers from across the upper North Island will descend on MOTAT for the Aether & Iron: a Time Traveller's Day Out. The neo-Victorian themed sub-culture has never been so popular ... The concept behind steampunk is that the Victorian era never ended but progressed through another time period. Steam, iron and corsets are big factors in the sub-culture which has a large focus on the beauty of the period."

I wrote here back in August 2009: "One of my favourite things at MOTAT -- the Baldwin Steamer, No. 100. Built in Philadelphia for the NSW Government Tramway in Sydney, it was brought to Wanganui in 1910. It was restored at MOTAT from 1971-1996." Over the past year it has been under refurbishment once again, and come back to the tracks just this month.

Two percheron horses and carriage were part of the attractions. Here are the horses being unloaded in the rain which hung around from just after 10 am today.

Then, fortunately, the rain lifted.

Coming out from the Pioneer Village.

And other stuff. They're working on the Otahuhu Railway Ambulance...

... and they have a 1937 "British Post Office Kiosk No. 6" phone box which, according to the interpretive panel inside, was designed in Britain by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who "won a competition mounted by the British Post Office for a cast-iron kiosk. The design incorporated many improvements on the previous kiosk including  the perforated crown for ventilation." It was adopted by the NZ Post and Telegraph Department, and was the first to feature bright red "Post Office" livery.