An enigma beside the Otamatea River

My good friend from Mad Bush Farm has been chasing down info on the Queen Victoria bust at the Otamatea Marae for some time now,  longer than Timespanner's been in existence. So, I'm not posting this to steal thunder or other stuff like that, but -- this is certainly a mystery and a half. I'd like to know more.

The known facts are these: Dick Scott in his book Seven Lives on Salt River (1987) wrote:

A concrete plinth standing before the Ngati Whatua meeting house opposite the 'Cathedral of Gittos' at Tanoa is waiting for the return of a plaster and wood bust of the young Queen Victoria that Governor Gore Browne gave to the tribe as a reward for loyalty to the British during the wars for the land. Until the royal head is set in place, aluminium frame windows are the only feature of this unusually bare wharenui set in an empty paddock.

The plinth is outside a plain building Scott says was Aotearoa, a meeting house once at Aotea or Shelley Beach in South Kaipara, shifted by raft and bullock team from Shelley Beach to the mission village at Kakaraea (Tanoa). A shift which happened, according to Scott, in 1887. The bust had been store, Scott said, at Whare Maori, the "Devil's House" at Ratana Pa, then held on deposit at Auckland War Memorial Museum for the Otamatea Marae. Today, it appears, it has been restored to reside inside its aluminium and glass enclosure.

The enigma is the plaque applied to the plinth below the bust's latest home. Right now, I suspect that it is either a historical red herring, or an indication that the bust came from further afield than even Shelley Beach to begin with.

QUEEN VICTORIA

THIS SCULPTURE OF THE

YOUNG QUEEN VICTORIA

TOGETHER WITH UNION JACK

WAS PRESENTED BY

GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE

(1855-1861)

TO NGATIWHATUA CHIEFS AT

AOTEA (SHELLEY BEACH) KAIPARA

Scott provided a handsome photo of the bust in his book, sitting on and surrounding by the Union Flag. The photo was taken by David Reynolds, from the Auckland Institute and Museum Library, with permission of the Otamatea Marae Committee. I suppose the plaque pre-dated the move back to Tanoa, because Scott does appear to have used it as a source (reference to "young Queen Victoria", and that flag which is no longer in evidence at the Tanoa site.)

But ...

I have yet to find a reference to any meeting Governor Gore Browne had with Ngati Whatua chiefs at Shelley Beach. He did meet with them -- but at Kohimarama, here in Auckland, in the winter of 1860, at the first of the Maori Parliaments discussing the Land Wars issue. No record found, though, of the Governor reciprocating in the face of gifts given to him by the visiting chiefs, with a wood/plaster bust of young Queen Vic.

The earliest description of the bust in situ at Shelley Beach comes from a report in the Weekly News of 28 February 1885, two years before things were shifted up north. The report is that of a railway and steamer excursion to Helensville and surrounding districts:

At Shelley Beach the excursionists were speeedily and comfortably landed in two boats, and immediately spread out to do the "lions" of the locality, which consisted of the large Runanga House, or Native Parliament House of New Zealand, an obelisk, in the recessed faces of which (protected by glass) are inscribed the text of the Treaty of Waitangi in English and Maori, and the native settlement. The obelisk is surmounted by a bust of the Queen.

There's no mention there of union jacks, unless they were behind the Treaty of Waitangi plaques (which are not together with the bust today). Sadly, also, no mention of the Governor Gore Browne connection -- but this was just a smidgen of a longer report on the whole exciting day. Those plaques, though, might date the bust and obelisk. In 1880, another obelisk including memorial plaques to the Treaty was designed by Buchanan of Auckland and installed at Paihia, in the Bay of Islands. That one still exists at the Waitangi Treaty Monument. Perhaps the original plinth at Shelley Beach looked like that, without the surmounting obelisk -- instead, the bust of Queen Victoria? Maori worked to increase awareness of the Treaty in the period both immediately before and after the 40th anniversary of the Treaty's signing. Not hard to see why, after the land confiscation record and the activities at that time of the Native Land Court mopping up much of the remainder.

There is one event I have yet to look into: a Maori Parliament of some note held at Shelley Beach in late November 1884. Papers Past references sadly mention it only in passing (another one of those so-called 'Parliaments' the natives kept holding, in the minds of European settlers, hardly worthy of much note on the national scale). The only reference I found there was from the North Otago Times, 14 November 1884:

The Northern Maori parliament will meet at Kaipara on tho 22nd inst. This is a gathering of Ngawhatua under the auspices of Paoro Tuahera, and Tawhiao has promised to be present. 

 This is an echo of what the Helenville & Districts Historical Society have recorded on their website:

In 1884/85 Aotea, as it was formerly called, was the venue for an important meeting between Ngati Whatua and King Tawhiao of the Waikato. The issue was whether or not the local people should join the King movement. After much discussion they did not. At this meeting the Council Hall, Te Tiriti, was opened and a four sided memorial with a copy of the Treaty of Waitangi set under glass on two sides was erected with Government funds. It was surmounted by a likeness of Queen Victoria. It stood there for many years and was regarded with great reverence by Maori. Later the buildings and memorial were barged to Batley near Maungaturoto.

 So ... I need to see what the NZ Herald, Auckland Star, and Weekly News recorded, if anything much, about that meeting of the Maori Parliament. By that stage, however, there was little if any connection with Governor Gore Browne. 

So -- a red herring? Or something more ...?

Update 28 April 2011:

Liz from Mad Bush Farm has found the following on Papers Past about Shelley Beach and the bust. Thanks, Liz.

Monument at Tanoa references

The party, shortly after arrival of the train, proceeded by the s.s. Aotea to Dargaville, being accompanied as far as Shelly Beach by Messrs Jas. McLeod, J. A. Wilson, Jas. Hand, and F. Tucker (acting Town Clerk). Mr McLeod pointed out the improvement that had been made to the Kaipara River by the removal of rocks in the channel, and asked for a landing stage at Shelly Beach, where he intended to offer a reserve of 26 acres to the people of the district as a pleasure resort. He also pointed out that the monument erected on the beach in honour of the Treaty of Waitangi, some 25 years ago by the Government, was sadly in need of repair, and that the copy of the Treaty which was let into the monument and mounted with glass, was almost obliterated by exposure to the weather. Mr Massey, who seemed pleased with the outlook of Shelly Beach as a camping ground, said although it did not come within his department, he would do what he could in the matter of forwarding the project and getting the monument put into repair.

Kaipara & Waitemata Echo 15 January 1913

SHELLY BEACH.
AS A PEOPLES' RESERVE.
There is not the least doubt of the suitability of Shelly Beach as an ideal camping ground and pleasure resort and a reserve there of 26 acres offered free to the people of the district should be accepted without hesitation. The proposed area takes in practically all the beach including a large piece of flat ground on the top of the cliff which could be made into a very nice park, having near the edge old Maori redoubts and rifle holes, which with very little expense could be reserved. The face of the cliffs are covered with native bush which affords excellent shelter, and on the beach there still remains the old Maori Church and a Monument in commemoration of the Treaty of Waitangi. Mr Jas. McLeod who is offering the gift to the people, informs us that it could be invested in three trusts representing the Helensville Town Board, and Kaukapakapa and Maratahi landings of the Waitemata County Council. In his opinion the area, although large enough at the present time, may be found a small reserve in the future and that if the people of the district took the matter up, it would be to their advantage to acquire another fifty acres, which could be done, at a very low price, and therefore have a suitable reserve for all times. What makes the proposed reserve of more importance is that a read could be brought from the main road right on to the Beach, allowing of easy access by land as well as by water, and with a suitable landing stage erected by the Government, people for all parts should be attracted to this spot.

15 January 1913

30-Acre Public Reserve.
At Shelley Beach
Given by James McLeod
Reporting to the Waitemata County Council on Friday, the Engineer (Mr R. G. Jackson), in. reference to the South Head road deviation, stated that when surveying this road some time ago he also laid off a branch road to Shelley Beach—the only deep water in the district. This road crossed a block of Maori land known, as Aotearoa, and it was intended to take the road by warrant. The block had now been acquired by Mr James McLeod, and there is some prospect of a portion of it being re-sold. If the block was sub-divided there would then be trouble and expense in getting the road. He had persuaded Mr McLeod to offer the road to the Council, and be recommended the offer be accepted.

Cr McLeod said that ever since it had been intended, to put that road there it had always been argued that it was at the only deep water between there and South head. It was in the interests of district residents that dedication of this road should be taken. If he parted with portion of the land another owner may want compensation for a road, but he was prepared to give it at the present time, his only stipulation being that a gate should be left on the boundary; otherwise it would cost him a good sum for fencing. Besides the road he was also giving Shelley Beach Reserve, a piece of land comprising 30 acres, for a public picnic ground. The only question was as to whether the Council was prepared to take the road, which would prove useful, although the people of Helensville had access to Shelley beach by way of the river. The Chairman said the offer was a generous one. The Council decided to accept dedication of the road; and on the initiative of Cr Poynton passed a further resolution expressing the Council's appreciation of the generous gift.

Kaipara & Waitemata Echo 2 July 1913

Update 6 June 2011:

Liz found the second item, which made me dig for the first, of the following:

(At the Orakei Parliament)
Te Keene Tangaroa said he would build a Parliament House for next year at Kaipara. As the preparations would occupy all his time, he would not be able to go to Te Kopua.

Auckland Star 6 March 1879

Another old and loyal Maori chief has just passed away in the person  of Te Keene Tangaroa, of Shelly Beach, Kaipara. This chief was a  consistent friend of the Europeans, and his loyalty to the Queen led  him to oppose successfully the proposal to shift the venue of the  Maori Parliament to the Waikato. He had an obelisk erected at Shelly  Beach in honour of the Queen, and to commemorate the Treaty of  Waitangi. He was a Government Assessor, and was in receipt of a Government pension.

Auckland Star 8 December 1885

Which puts the bust as dating (possibly) somewhere between 1880 and 1884 at Shelly Beach.

Guest Post: The Charlotte Museum

I got to visit the Charlotte Musem recently, curious to see just what a thematic collection of artefacts on the lesbian contribution to the history of New Zealand looked like. Set in an area of light industry, in Mt Albert, the museum takes advantage of the concrete floors to help preserve their collections. They have much to engage the social historian  in terms of timeline and photographic displays. I do recommend to anyone to pop on down there to take a look. -- Timespanner.

The Charlotte Museum of lesbian history is organising what it expects to be the first of many local history events on Sunday September 12.

It will describe what is involved in the founding of a community museum, and different attitudes to women who loved women from the time of colonisation to the present. The event starts at 2pm, and will be followed by nibbles and drinks. Entry is by koha.

The Charlotte Museum, the only lesbian museum in the world, is tucked away in suburban Mt Albert. It moved from its original site in Grey Lynn in November 2009 and opened again in February in a small industrial estate off St Lukes Rd at unit 7a, 43a Linwood Ave. 

It is open to the public on Wednesdays from noon to 4pm and Sundays from 1.30 to 4pm. The museum was founded by Miriam Saphira, and is run by the Charlotte Museum Trust.

The local history event is part of a regular programme of public events and exhibitions. Volunteers are cataloguing its significant collection of lesbian books, magazines, posters, records, coasters, and other ephemera.

Its first exhibition, a survey of lesbian life in New Zealand from the 1800s, was followed by ones on theatre and sexuality. Volunteers are working on forthcoming exhibition about lesbian music and lesbians in sport.

The museum is a treasure trove of fascinating images, artifacts, memorabilia, posters, artwork and information.

The wall displays include prominent New Zealand women who had relationships with women, significant lesbian events from the 50s and 60s, two quilts made out of lesbian and lesbian and feminist t-shirts, and panel from the opening and theatre exhibitions. 

Museum staff and volunteers are knowledgeable members of the community who can expand on aspects of the exhibitions for members of the public who want more information.

Events in 2010 included an Anzac Day talk and photos about the Pramazons, a lesbian feminist peace group that pushed prams from Whakatane to Gisborne in 1983, performing puppet shows, concerts and theatre about a nuclear-free and independent Pacific at local halls every night. 

In May, the museum celebrated the centenary of the birth of Tuini Ngawai, a prolific Ngati Porou songwriter, composer, kapa haka teacher and champion shearer who had relationships only with women. 

In June and July, the museum hosted gay community events talking about the different experiences and perspectives of older and younger lesbians, gay men, takataapui and transgender people, and encouraging dialogue between the generations. 

Contact the museum on 847 5327 or 021 237 0613, email charlottemuseum@gmail.com or see http://charlottemuseum.net.nz

A walk through Fowlds Park, Mt Albert

Fowld’s Park has been a place I’d wanted to see for quite some time, at least since I started chasing down information on Forbes Eadie and saw references to the park under its former name, Morningside Reserve, when I was researching for Wairaka’s Waters. Thanks to Carron Boswell of the Mt Albert Historical Society who took me on a walk one day recently along the by-ways of suburban Mt Albert, I finally came upon the place – and decided to check into its story.

Dick Scott in his book In Old Mt Albert and subsequent texts and reports (including the latest Auckland City Council Management Plan for the park, 1992) that slavishly followed his work without checking with primary sources have provided inaccurate information about how the park came to be in Council hands. Scott wrote that the land was swapped between Asylum authorities (as an endowment reserve) and the Mt Albert Borough Council in 1912 for land held by the Council near the Asylum over at Pt Chevalier. All with the assistance of the local MP George Fowlds, who was Minister of Education up until he resigned his portfolios in September 1911.

Not entirely correct, though. The park, Lots 176 and 177 of Section 10 Suburbs of Auckland, tucked in below part of the Western Springs Road ridge, was Asylum endowment reserve until 1892 when there was a land swap between the Asylum authorities, and the School Commissioners who administered education reserves in the Auckland area (Transfer No. 13878, LINZ records). The land granted by transfer to the Asylum lay between the Oakley Creek and Great North Road in Waterview, so was never land owned or controlled by Mt Albert’s territorial authorities (actually, it came within the boundaries of the Avondale Road Board). The land at Morningside is still, for all intents and purposes, Crown land, coming under the Reserves Act 1977 as gazetted in March 1980. (NA 65/189, LINZ records) But Mt Albert Borough, later Mt Albert City, and still later Auckland City Council have maintained and administered the reserve since 1912.

Back in early 1911, the Mt Albert Borough councillors had their eye on the reserve, leased out at the time to a local cattle owner by the name of Edmund George Sandall (Sandall may have been the son of a butcher named R S Sandall who had a long-established business in Auckland from at least the late 1860s). Fowlds, then Minister of Education, interceded with the Lands Commissioner who administered the former education endowment reserves in the district, and there are references in the Borough’s minutes of transfers expected to be completed shortly as at mid 1911. But, Fowlds then split from his party in Parliament, striking out on his own in early 1912. Possibly this was one of the reasons why the i’s were not dotted, nor the t’s completely crossed in terms of the official transaction. Sandall still retained his grazing lease over part of the reserve, at least up until 1926 when he complained that his cattle were escaping due to poorly maintained fencing, and 1927 when there were reports of a “dangerous cow” menacing the public, and his lease was reviewed by the Council.

The reserve was sizeable – 29½ acres – but wasn’t considered in 1892 to be of great value (the land it was swapped for was only 9½ acres, described in the transfer as being of “equal value”). That was probably much the case as far as the Mt Albert council was concerned in the early years, although right from the start, they hoped to turn it into a recreation area, a place to be beautified, perhaps with croquet or bowls in mind. But along with Sandall’s grazing rights on part of the area, the council through its Mt Albert Domain Board also permitted quarrying and metal breaking by the firm J E Martin and Co from 1913, and it seemed to be a good place to use as a rubbish tip from that time on.

Now, this is not an exhaustive history of the park, not by any means, so please excuse me while I skip ahead to the mid 1920s. This is a time after the emergence of the Morningside Residents and Ratepayers group, led by rabble rouser Forbes Eadie, who took on the Council over rats and filth at the tip in 1921, then campaigned afresh to have the tip closed after the 1922 typhoid outbreak. Eadie, who lived on Malvern Road backing onto the reserve, ended up being declared an Honorary Warden of the Morningside Reserve from at least 1929 until 1932. From the time of the rubbish tip protests, the Mt Albert council began to see their Morningside Reserve in a new light, and with great possibilities.

Playing areas and shelter sheds were already in existence by 1926. In 1927, Wilfred Ernest Begbie drew up a plan for the redevelopment of the reserve which, if actually carried out, would have made a stunning feature on the Mt Albert suburban landscape. His plan (MAC 001/540/182, Auckland City Archives), including ferneries and pavilions, terraces for watching sports matches, fields set aside for hockey, football, bowls, croquet and a cycling and athletics track, even an ornamental pond with its own island connected by walkways, would have turned the reserve into a smaller version of the Auckland Domain. Soil and spoil from other quarries in the area were trucked in to fill the reserve from 1926, and rock excavation for the football field was in progress by 1929.

(MAC 029 No. 55  Photograph of opening of commemorative gateway at Fowlds Park by Mayor Raymond Ferner, 

2 March 1935, Auckland City Archives, by kind permission)

Ornamental gates were first planned for the Asquith Avenue entrance, but by the early 1930s, these had shifted to be constructed at the top of Rocky Nook Avenue. George Fowlds, knighted in 1928, died in August 1934 but was aware before his death of the Mt Albert Council’s intention to name the Morningside Reserve Fowlds Park after him, and to construct a special memorial at the gates to the park. Mt Albert Mayor Raymond Ferner opened the gates on 2 March 1935 – and was the one in his speech to start the ball rolling on the misinformation passed down as to the park’s origins.

“It was as a result of Sir George’s foresight while he was Minister of Health that the park area, originally a mental hospital endowment, was secured in exchange for another area.”

(NZ Herald, 4 March 1935)

Ah, well. Such is the way historical misinformation starts to bloom.

Ferner went on:

“The land was originally rough, but successive administrations had laid down tennis courts, children’s playgrounds, croquet lawns, and netball and cricket grounds. Carriageways were now constructed through the park and plantations of trees established. One of Sir George’s last public appearances was made last Arbor Day, when he participated in a ceremony and planted a tree only a few yards from the gateway.”

Could this have been a monument for that last Arbor Day of George Fowlds life? I'd need to try to track that date down, and see if I could find a report (and then perhaps look at the Council minutes), but -- the quote is definitely one that was associated with Arbor Day from the late 19th century, according to Papers Past.

Who does his duty is a question
Too complex to be solved by me,
But he, I venture the suggestion,
Does part of his who plants a tree.

James Russell Lowell

No mention in Ferner's speech, of course, of the quarries, the dangerous cows, the rubbish tip and the rats …

(MAC 001 No. 555 Item 197 Monumental entrance to Fowlds Park, M K Draffin, half elevation, Auckland City Archives, by kind permission)

The gateway was voluntarily designed by noted architect Malcolm Keith Draffin. This from the Who’s Who, 1938 (via this site on the Draffin family):

A.R.I.B.A., F.N.Z.I.A., Architect 810 Sth. British Insurance Building, Shortland St, Auckland. Member Architectual Assoc. London and Town Planning Institute of NZ. Born Auckland 1890. Son of William Henry and Sarah Emma (nee Fox) Draffin, both of Manchester, Eng. Educated in Auckland. Commenced his professional career, articled to John M Walker, Auckland 1906-1910. 1910-1914 with Edward Bartley as Second Draftsman, and later Chief Draftsman. Enlisted 1914 as Sapper with NZ. Enginerrs; saw service in Egypt, Gallipoli and France; decorated with M.C., twice mentioned in despatches and gained Lieutenancy in France. Returned 1919 and resumed profession as partner in the firm of Edward Bartley, Son & Draffin, of which he became the Proprietor. Practised under his own name 1920-1922. Amalgamated with Grierson & Aimer, 1922, and the firm name became Grierson, Aimer & Draffin. In 1932 this firm dissolved partnership and he again practised under his own name. Married: Terepa Pera, only daughter of William Graham Jackson, of Nelson, NZ., 1921. Issue: Two sons. As M.K. Draffin, Architect - general practise; War Memorials, Factories, Warehouses and Residences; as Grierson, Aimer & Draffin - Architects for Auckland War Memorial and Museum, Wellington War Memorial, Theatres, Warehouses, Office Buildings, Factories, Flats, Residences, etc.

The gates, and that tree Fowlds planted (if it still exists) should be considered for the Auckland City Council schedule on the District Plan, along with the Arbor Day plaque (probably beside the tree).

They seem to be missing the MABC shield-shaped plaques on the arches – but the photo from 1935 doesn’t show them in place. Were they ever there, or just simply too expensive in the end?

Today’s Fowld’s Park, somewhat sadly, bears little resemblance to Begbie’s dream from 1927. It is a pretty park, and pleasant to walk through, but the grand ideas of carriageways, winding paths to islands in the middle of ornamental ponds and vast multi-sports grounds seems to have gone the way of most things when things like recessions and Great Depressions come along to derail plans.

Where the clubrooms are at the left was supposed to be Begbie's ornamental pond, with island and walkway bridges.

Here, were to be open terraces, where people could come to watch athletics and cycling at the left.

Perhaps something of Begbie's Pond still lurks, and rises up during wet winters to sit on the surface, amidst the lined-up rocks (perhaps from the quarrying carried out here in the early day? Who knows?)

But -- Fowlds Park is a nice place. Probably not well-known unless you're a neighbour, or one who uses it for sports or walking. Definitely worth more than just one look, both in terms of what is there today, and its fascinating story.

Sources:
Mt Albert Borough Council minute books, MAC 100 series, Auckland City Archives
Plans and letters from Mt Albert Borough Council Records, Auckland City Archives (who also gave me permission, greatly appreciated, to reproduce the photo and design detail for the gateway here.)
NZ Herald, Auckland Star
My own research on Forbes Eadie
Fowlds Park Management Plan, 1992, Auckland City Council
In Old Mt Albert, Dick Scott (2nd edition)

Goodbye to the Swinging Cow?

Well, I hope not, but there's a "For Sale" sign in one of the windows.

This is a landmark for travellers along SH1 in Brynderwyn, Northland. I like it because of the name, mainly. I don't think I've actually had anything to eat or drink there, more's the pity. Would have loved a chance to have done so before progress made changes.

These days, the InterCity buses (Northliner Express etc.) stop at Kaiwaka -- here, at the "Gateway North Motel & Cafe":

Now, yes, I have had two items from here. Heading up on Saturday morning, I bought a mince & cheese pie for $3.50. The pie was barely lukewarm, and the grated cheese inside still looking a lot like it had just come off the grater, and not its proper gooey-ness. Still, food is food, I was hungry (no brekkie before I left), so I ate it.

On the way back, purchase of choice (both made mainly so I didn't have to feel guilty when I saw the sign over the loos saying they were for customers only) was a cheese & onion sandwich. It was a bit on the dry side. I didn't finish it at my quick lunch break back in Auckland.

InterCity may have decided to stop at Kaiwaka since 2007 because of the bus bays in the carpark. Maybe the whole development was designed around that feature. But aside from the great woollen scarf I bought at a stall outside the cafe on Saturday morning -- there's not a lot going for it except the toilet stop. I'm not sure what I'd buy next to assuage my pangs of guilt next time. Maybe just a soft drink. I don't think I'd like to try facing the tucker again.

Joseph Gordon Coates memorial, Brynderwyn

In the process of being dropped off at the Swinging Cow Cafe at Brynderwyn on Monday, I spotted this memorial. Carefully checking the carpark that I wasn't about to step out into oncoming traffic coming in (the turn-off to Dargaville from State Highway 1 can be a rather dangerous spot if you're day dreaming), I headed over to the above.

It certainly tells you exactly where you are in the scheme of things.

"18 miles west of this corner at Matakohe, Joseph Gordon Coates was born and had his home, and there in the churchyard he lies at rest."

"To the memory of the Rt Hon Joseph Gordon Coates PC, MC and Bar, MP (1878-1943), Prime Minister of New Zealand 1925-28. Member of Parliament for this district from 1911 until his death. Farmer, soldier, statesman. He was indeed a Man.

"Takoto e pa i runga i au mahi nunui mo te Pakeha me te Maori." ("Rest thou, O father, upon the great work you have performed for Pakeha and Maori alike.")

 But, this was the truly intriguing part:

"The Channel Island granite of this memorial is from piers of the old Waterloo Bridge, London."

Part of London's Waterloo Bridge ended up at Brynderwyn, near a truck and coach stop? Well, yes, and according to this article from Wikipedia, it wasn't the only bit that made it all the way to these shores, on the other side of the world:

"The first bridge on the site was designed in 1809-10 by John Rennie for the Strand Bridge Company and opened in 1817 as a toll bridge. The granite bridge had nine arches, each of 120 feet (36.6 m) span, separated by double Grecian-Doric stone columns and was 2,456 feet (748.6 m) long, including approaches ... From 1884 serious problems were found in Rennie's bridge piers, after scour from the increased river flow after Old London Bridge was demolished damaged their foundations. By the 1920s the problems had increased, with settlement at pier five necessitating closure of the whole bridge while some heavy superstructure was removed and temporary reinforcements put in place ...

"The new crossing was partially opened in 1942 and completed in 1945 ...Granite stones from the original bridge were subsequently "presented to various parts of the British world to further historic links in the British Commonwealth of Nations". Two of these stones are in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, sited between the parallel spans of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, one of two major crossings of Lake Burley Griffin in the heart of the city. Stones from the bridge were used to build a monument in Wellington, New Zealand, to Paddy the Wanderer, a dog that roamed the wharves from 1928 to 1939 and was befriended by seamen, watersiders, Harbour Board workers and taxi drivers. The monument includes a bronze likeness of Paddy and drinking bowls for dogs."

And, added to that list -- a memorial breezed past by traffic in a rush from A to B every day.

According to Michael Bassett in his book Coates of Kaipara (1995, pp. 280-281), a so-called "group of anonymous well-wishers" decided to erect the memorial at the Dargaville turn-off in 1944, at the point where Coates, whenever driving north, said to whoever was with him at the time, "Well, I'm home again." The anonymous well-wishers are no longer so anonymous: they were Sir Ernest Davis, Oliver Nicholson and Noel Cole.

They did indeed leave behind a worthy memorial to the man.

Love will find a way

Another not-really-heritage post. Spotted today on the pavers outside the Pt Chevalier Community Library -- no other scripting in the vicinity, just this. Wonderfully random, outside of whatever context this may have.

Click to enlarge.

Kakaraea - the remains of the Gittos Cathedral at Tanoa

OTAMATEA PROGRESS

The native members of the Wesleyan connection, with the assistance of their European friends, have built a beautiful church, near the Tanoa point, and close to the settlement of the chief, Adam Clark. The church is built in the Gothic style of architecture. The services are conducted by the Rev. Mr. Gittos, who has been resident some eighteen years amongst the natives, and has acquired the native tongue with that degree of proficiency so necessary to one in his position. It is astonishing with what deference, nay, affection, the natives address him. His power over them appears almost unlimited.

The natives have a considerable amount of cultivation, taken as a whole, but it does not average more than a quarter of an acre per adult. The land is a rich flat, of limestone formation, which grows heavy crops of maize, &c. The river is navigable for large vessels quite up to the settlement.

Mr. Gittos holds English services at stated intervals, when settlers from the adjacent districts, viz., Paparoa, Maungaturoto, Kaiwaka, Hakaru, &c, are present in considerable numbers. … The residence of Mr. Gittos is opposite the church, and in a snug nook by the river-side, most conveniently situated, and commanding a fine view. There is a capital orchard, and the flower garden is most tastefully laid out. There are several very choice shrubs and flowers amongst the numerous sorts, which flourish beyond expectation. To the left, across the river, on the side of a high cliff, is Mr. Masefield's hotel, where the steamer stops, and discharges her freight on the pier erected there. Lower down the river, to the right, is Mr. McMurdo's late residence, now occupied by Mr. Peace, who has a small factory for preserving fish in tins, principally mullet. The district is thriving steadily, and must certainly be of great importance.

Southern Cross, 20 May 1875

At Tanoa, beside the Otamatea River, is Kakaraea, a place of great beauty. I was very, very privileged and fortunate to be taken there last Saturday by my good friend Liz from the Mad Bush Farm. You'll see her earlier post on this place here.

From the outside, you'd reckon the old church has seen better days. It was once much grander, but time has seen it altered to a more prosaic form.

But, while this cathedral no longer has its gracious butresses, no glorious stained glass windows illuminating and illustrating the faith of parishioners, it has something much better: it has a deep and far reaching essense of soul, a sense of place that is indescribable, yet captures mind and heart.

And who needs stained glass artifice here, when  the beauty of nature just beyond the walls offers a vaster view than any that could be conceived by man?

Update, 1 May 2011: Kakaraea Church has been registered as Category II by NZHPT.

Shell service station, Pitt Street

Early morning, about 7.30 am last Saturday, I was on my way from Karangahape Road down to the InterCity bus terminal on Hobson Street. Wheelie case rattling along behind me, I spotted the above.

This used to be a service station. A Shell one, to be precise. 16-24 Pitt Street, a good place to duck in and buy a soft drink on my way from appointments further up the street as I head down to the Queen Street valley.

It did look like this:

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But now, it looks like this:

A workman  there, shifting orange barriers around so we pedestrians could make our way along the footpath, told me it was destined to become another liquor store. (Sigh) Sorry to sound liked a wowser, but I really do thin we have enough liquor stores around, ta very much. Still ... a drive-in service station like this, at a busy intersection, probably had its days numbered anyway.

The present building probably dates from the 1960s/1970s. Before thatr, a Victorian/Edwardian block of shops was here, best seen at the Auckland City Library's Heritage Images Online pages, reference 4-2000. Wises Directories tell us a grocer and a Chinese laundry were on the site in 1905. By 1930, the block of four shops included a service station, J S Dickson & Sons, at the same corner as this one, so about 80 years or so of association with petrol and motor vehicles has come to an end.

Trees, history and politics

 Photo: Neville Exler collection, Avondale-Waterview Historical Society

Once upon a time, there was one last remaining market garden on Avondale's Rosebank Peninsula. Just one -- known to all here as the Connell Property. It had outlasted the others, swept away with rating changes which changed the landscape of vegetables and orchards to industry at one end, and residential at the other. The land was purchased a piece at a time from 1902 to the 1920s by Dan Connell senior, and sold all at once by the remaining family members to developers for $12.5 million, who in turn left their mark on the landscape with the future meaninglessness that is Jomac Place.

The developers came in, and removed the former hedges of pines which had screened much of the large property from roadside view -- and revealed two trees, an oak and a pohutukawa, which have been catalysts for battle between locals, the Tree Council, Auckland City Council, Citizens & Ratepayers councillors, City Vision councillors, the Green Party and the developers for many months now.

You'll see a picture of the trees here.

While my historical society, Avondale-Waterview, endorse the stand by those who'd like to see the trees preserved (and hopefully with at least a bit of greenspace left, if possible, and my own opinion is that they are a remnant of the market garden period of Avondale's history (a working market garden would have been better, but in this day and age, you take what you can get) -- I did question the ages bandied about by both the supporters, and the Council. That "80 to 100 years old" thing for the trees.

The Auckland Regional Council have aerials on their site from 1940, c.1959, 2001 and 2008. This is from 1940 -- and the trees, if there, aren't really substantially evident.

The site in 2008. They're there now.

I reckon the trees are around 75 years old, at best. Maybe 75-80 years old. Not touching the century, though. That age seems to be backed up by former Rosebank residents recalling Dan Connell junior as the one who planted an acorn which became the oak. You really can't judge the age of a tree by the sale date on a property title.

The fuss about the trees did come as a bit of a surprise to me. Completely out of the blue (well, I don't drive, so I don't drive past the development, and see suddenly bare ground with two trees remaining ...). I was approached by the Green Party's David Clendon (I took the train to Kingsland one day, walked to the Green Party offices to meet him after he said he wanted info on the Connells), then the Tree Council's Sigrid Shayer. All around me, at meetings of the Avondale Community Board, came the expressions of "Oh, look! We can see the trees now, let's save them!" Gives rather renewed meaning to the old saying, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Oh well. The trees are "in sight" now, highly visible, on political radar all over the place. Maybe the developer will say "Yes, I'll leave them both alone", or say no. Maybe there'll be an expensive Environment Court tussle over them. Very expensive for the losing side.

The politics of tree preservation, in this case, is not over yet.