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:

View Larger Map

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.

End of the hoofbeats? AJC last day, 3 July 2010

We have a racecourse here in Avondale. It started in 1890, was enlarged in the early 20th century, and today was the stage for the last meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club, for at least a year. Hopefully. There's no real telling, at this stage, what will happen, due to huge debts, and the nature of gambling in this country.

I doubt that anyone local is terribly surprised to have learned of the venerable institution's woes. It's had tough times, really, since the night racing fiasco late last century. We've watched, and waited, witnessing the decline. Expecting a day like today to come.

So, on the last day of Avondale racing for this year, I wandered on down to say goodbye to a place that is a big part of my love for my home suburb.

The bloke who opens the gate to let the horses onto the track, studying the form.

I'm sure this used to be a tote. Now, it's simply a marker for executive carparks.

The stables used to be where my mum and I would stand, by the fence, watching the horses.

To me as a kiddy in the late 1960 and early 1970s, Avondale racecourse seemed to be huge, vibrant, and packed with people. I was nearly lost one time, in a sea of adult legs. Those days, though. are gone, and not just because I'm one of those adults now.

These used to be totes as well, I'm sure. There used to be so many people attending meetings here, they needed all the totes going that they could possibly fit in. These have been shut up for years.

It was a good day's racing, withn the weather more akin to early spring than the middle of winter. A nice day to say goodbye.

The last race of all.

The starting gates not put away just yet, as we punters, we farewellers of a long-standing part of Avondale's history, wend our way home.

Sunset at the racecourse. We're all crossing fingers, but -- the future will tell whether we're ever here again.

Update 19 December 2010: Just spotted this messageboard which linked to the post -- Racechat.

Newmarket's gun: an update from Auckland City Council

Further to this post and preceding ones.

I received a .pdf letter today from the Group Manager, Arts Community and Recreation Services, regarding the fate of the old gun.

His Worship asked that I investigate the concerns raised and respond to you on his behalf.

The Hobson Community Board resolved at its meeting on 18 April 2006 to support the relocation of the cannon from Lumsden Green to its current location in Olympic Reserve, as part of the upgrade of Lumsden Green.

The new location was suggested by the Newmarket RSA as it provides a connection to the War Memorial in Olympic Reserve.

Auckland City Council recognises the historical significance of the gun that dates back to 1885, when it was installed as part of the fortifications to defend Waitemata Harbour against a feared Russian invasion.

The cannon was placed on a temporary flat base, as the previous wooden support had deteriorated over the years. Work is commencing on constructing a new support for the cannon, which will include a plaque. The new support is expected to be in place towards the end of August.

I'm looking forward to returning to Newmarket in September, then, to check out the gun in its new home. I'll report back with photos.

Update: I see the Herald has put in an article as well today -- and the Newmarket RSA still don't realise they approved the move to Olympic Reserve, apparently.

Newmarket gun hits the headlines

Further to earlier posts here and here.

NZ Herald published this article yesterday.

Newmarket residents are miffed that a historic 125-year-old cannon has been "dumped and forgotten" while the Auckland City Council has approved $120,000 for a book on its own history.

Joan Morrow, who was secretary at the Newmarket RSA before it closed three years ago, is disappointed the cannon has been left "completely out of sight" at Olympic Green, having previously stood at Lumsden Green.

She said old soldiers had approached her wondering what had happened to the seven-tonne cannon, which dates back to 1885 and was part of fortifications overlooking the Waitemata Harbour to defend against a feared Russian invasion.

"It's just been dumped up there and left out of sight. It's ridiculous because it is such an important part of our history," said Mrs Morrow. "We want it mounted and with a plaque in front so that people can have the pleasure of seeing it and understanding it."

More at the link.

I did get a .pdf letter from the Mayor's office last week, promising that the matter had been referred to "senior Council officers" and that I could expect a reply in ten working days. Now, it might be sooner than that, I reckon ...