Horse racing at Orakei

Barraud, Charles Decimus 1822-1897 :Maori hack race in full costume. C. D. Barraud del. ; G McCulloch lith. - London ; C F Kell [1877] Reference Number: B-080-031-2-2 Two young Maori men racing horses, one clad only in a shirt, the other in cap, open-fronted shirt shirt and jodhpurs. Alexander Turnbull Library.

From c.1894 to c.1908, there was once organised horse racing meetings at Orakei, behind the settlement at Okahu Bay. For Aucklanders in the 1890s to early years of last century, these country meetings would have provided both a destination for excursions out over the Waitemata Harbour to the wharf at Takaparawha Point -- and a source of entertainment, beyond just the thrill of the bet.

The settlement at Okahu Bay, 1920s. Ref. 4-4439, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

Auckland Star 22 December 1894

Auckland Star 5 March 1898

What drew my attention to the story of the Orakei races was the following long descriptive and lively piece from the NZ Herald.

This is a true story of a day at the Orakei race meeting.

A hot sun beamed down upon the little breeze-cooled valley, at the seaward end of which the Maori settlement lay lazily fronting the still waters of the bay. At the rear of the village an open space surrounded on three sides by rising ground, which formed a natural coliseum, wore an animated appearance on Saturday last as a guileless representative of the Herald jumped a muddy creek and joined the crowd of people there assembled. The usual fraternity to be seen “on the outside” at other race meetings had foregathered – two or three hundred of them – ranging from the city man to shabby tout. In and out amongst the throng passed Maori officials, phlegmatic, gravely, and with infinite circumlocution going about their various businesses, as though serious matters were afoot, but there was no hurry. The uninitiated pressman commenced to take his bearings.

Nothing visible was there to indicate where the races were to be run from or to, where the numbers were to go up, or from whence the flag signals were to be flown. In the middle of the ground a large Maori, in a wideawake straw hat and his shirt-sleeves, was helping two wahines to supply thirsty visitors with “soft tack” and watermelon. To him the scribe appealed. The large Maori turned out to be the secretary – a most obliging person – but preoccupied. He pointed out a shed at a little distance where, between two roughly nailed-up bits of kauri, three mystic numbers had been hung. “That the first race,” he said; “three starters.”

Oh,” said his questioner, “and where do they stick up the results?”

Same place,” was the laconic reply.

THE “BOOKIES” SCORE

At that stage one of a group of men carrying large bags, which jingled when they moved, accosted the secretary. “You’d better take it while you can get it,” he said. “None of them will bet if you insist on the ‘two ten’ racket.”

Then the pressman remembered having seen an advertisement, which set forth that bookmakers desiring to bet at this meeting must pay £2 10s for a license, or “stay at home”. They had refused to be domestic, but were in no mood to let their outing cost them more than was necessary. At their spokesman’s blunt statement of the case the preoccupied one fought a silent battle with himself. Good-nature – or was it business instinct? – won the day. “All right,” he ejaculated with startling suddenness, “announce it.”

“Boys,” said the bookies’ representative, in a loud, triumphant voice, “you can bet for a pound.”

“An one shillin’,” chipped in the astute secretary.

“A guinea, boys,” corrected the bettors’ mouthpiece; “come on, pay up, and get a start.”

And they did. Within a few minutes the familiar cry of “Even money on the field” resounded in the air.

Over towards the little shed a native official walked serenely around, looking for the starters for the first race. An old fellow in a white suit acted as his “go between,” and helped to saddle the three horses when they had been found. In the shed upon which appeared the numbers the three riders donned their colours. This was a very useful shed – everybody used it – jockeys, stewards, and public. It was weighing-in room, dressing-room, and stewards’ stand in one. Out of it popped a Maori horseman. He wore a scarlet jacket, with a white stripe, and a pair of long pants. “Lend me a coat,” he cried; “I got to make up 3lb.” Someone filled the order, and he put it on, the tails of the red jacket jauntily flying in the wind from beneath it as he rode away.

Then came the preliminary canter. A comfortable-looking Maori on a sturdy pony cleared the course, which was merely an unevenly trodden track around the pa. The three candidates for a stake of four sovereigns rattled down the straight amidst the cheers of the crowd. Dogs of all sizes and descriptions, awakened from drowsy slumbers by the noise of the clattering hoofs, scuttled down the hill-sides, rushed blindly from diverse bushes, and dived madly yapping, into the clouds of dust raised by the disappearing steeds. Away on the other side of the valley the three riders pulled up. The starter on a Maori “scrubber” got them into line, and hit his hip.

“They’re off,” yelled the people on the rise, from sheltering tea-tree, and the like. The crowd on the green made a rush for the track, and several crossed and ascended to points of vantage. This, of course, gave the clerk of the course some work to do. He did it with as little exercise of muscle and tissue as possible, merely sitting statuesquely on his pony and issuing commands to “keep back there,” like a captain on the bridge. The first time past the winning post, and it was clear to most of the spectators that the chestnut mare must win. She had a lead of many yards, and the other two were, as the racing writer puts it, “under punishment”. Roars of delighted laughter rent the air as the pakehas saw the gallant mare run along the back like the wind, her opponents furlongs to the rear. At the bend her rider pulled her up to an easy amble, and at that pace passed the post, the others nowhere.

“Another round,” shouted some wit in the crowd.

“Yes, another round” – a hundred voices joined in the cry.

The jockeys on the last two horses, who had made a merry “go” of it for second place, were quite willing but as they were about to whip their mounts into renewed efforts, the judge climbed down off his hencoop, and remarked finally, “All over.”

So the crowd was baulked.

Maori group (at a country horse racing meeting?), [ca 1901] Reference Number: 1/1-001882-G Maori group (at a country horse racing meeting?), circa 1901. Photograph taken by the Auckland studio of Hemus and Hanna, probably in the Auckland region.Alexander Turnbull Library.

HORSE OR PONY?

The horse is a sagacious animal. Someone has uttered the same remark before, but that does not make it any the less true. An instance of the sagacity of a horse who was entered for a pony race will now be given. The story of this pony race deserves to go down in posterity in the form of profuse illustrations and accompanying text, a la “Darktown Races” series. It was the third race of the day. The pressman had received priceless information as to the two former events from a small boy with a black body, a red tie, and a white nature. He learnt from him in consultation prior to the pony race that the best “horse” in it was a certain bay mare. “But,” said the knowing youth, “if she wins she’ll be measured after the race.”

Now, the unsophisticated scribe hadn’t the remotest idea why it would not be good for the bay mare to be measured, but he winked slyly at his young friend to cover up any sign of ignorance he may have displayed. The mystery was explained afterwards. To commence with, there was what the pressman would have described as a bad start. The starter had scarcely smacked his hip before the bay mare rose up on her hind legs, with her mouth open. When she did get away she was well in the rear. Curiously enough she forgot to shut her mouth again during the race, and this induced some unkind people to say nasty things about the jockey. That measuring business was blamed for it too. Anyway, the brown gelding won. He was having his photograph taken, with the proud owner “up” when there came a swirl of the crowd towards the stewards’ dressing-weighing shed, and a heated Maori on the grey gelding, which had run second, urged his nag towards the shed door with a cry of “protest” on his lips.

Someone stuck a tattered and faded flag up over the lintel of the door. “What’s the blue flag for?” asked a spectator on the outskirts of the now jocularly excited crowd.

“Blue,” scoffed the man nearest to him. “It’s green. There’s a protest.”

A Maori of proportions which a Frenchman would describe as “embonpoint”, leisurely thrust his huge bulk through the mass of pakeha spectators who were storming the shed in their desire to hear the fun. “where are the stewards?” he said. From several points of the compass coatless Maoris, figuring in the required capacity on the programme, edged their way into the shed of many uses.

“Run it again, no race,” yelled the mob deliriously.

Out on the green, stamping a profusion of penny-royal beneath his feet, and thereby filling the adjacent air with the pungent smell of peppermint, a Maori backer of the bay mare waxed wrath. “Wha’ for?” he gesticulated.

“No race, I tell you. I go for the police. The mouth came like that – wide open.” And he proceeded to give an imitation with his hands of the open mouth of a horse.

Whilst the stewards were in the shed deliberating over the protest, a pakeha official (self-constituted, unless the race-card lied) was measuring the grey that had come in second. A length of timber, with a rough cross piece nailed on at a pony’s lawful height, was requisitioned. The grey passed comfortably beneath it, amidst cheers from the onlookers.

Then the winner was wanted. He had disappeared. Not a whinny betrayed his hiding place. Fast sped the moments, but he could not be found. The scribe was beginning to wonder if it could be possible, as was hinted in some quarters, that the owner did not want the brown measured. Of a sudden an exultant yell arose. “Here he is!” and someone dived into a clump of willows, and dragged forth the missing quadruped. Was it a horse or a pony? The all-important question took a lot of settling. Eventually the man with the stick declared that it failed by three or four inches to pass under the crossbar. The news was broken to the stewards, who were about to decide that the protest must be upheld, when the owner of the horse that had been declared not to be a pony appealed to the secretary, nearly coming to blows with an angry member of the crowd whose money was on the grey. The secretary, assuming supreme powers, and over-riding those of the stewards, seized the measuring stick. The people surged round him, and the brown gelding sent them scattering with uplifted hoofs. He seemed to dread that measuring-stick. He would not stand still. Ultimately the sagacious animal espied a ditch. He promptly stood in the bottom of it – stood there like a lamb. The timber measure was placed on the ground. It rested on the bank of the ditch, as the gelding has designed that it should. The crossbar showed inches above his back. “He’s pony all right,” decided the secretary, flinging the stick down, and the gelding was seen to furtively wink at his owner as the latter led him away. In the shout that went up were mingled execrations. One man said something reflecting on the secretary. But the secretary – he who had so firmly carried out his work, and with such supreme contempt for all other authority – said nothing. It was not his fault if the brown gelding did stand in a ditch. It merely proved that a horse’s sagacity is equal even to making out that he is a pony.

THE DISAPPEARING JOCKEY

The running of the Orakei Cup of 9 sovs was another feature of the meeting that was not without interest. Hard-hearted people declared that it was a “schlenter”, whatever that may mean. They said that the horse that was leading most of the way was not meant to win, and that the horse in second position for the greater part of the distance was. As it turned out, a Maori horse, which, cruel report had it, was blocked all the way, got home first, and there was great glee amongst the natives in consequence.

Just before the three horses entered the straight the jockey of the leader, who was running strongly, disappeared. When he limped painfully into the open space where the crowd was, a little later, with sand in his hair and a woebegone expression, he was heartily jeered.

“Booh,” remarked a Maori in his ear, with infinite scorn, “you jump off the horse. Wha’ for?”

The poor jockey, with a “not understood” expression, wildly resented the aspersion, but the spectators showed a similar spirit to that of the Maori accuser, though they were good-natured enough about it. The fact that the rider “left” his saddle in a nice, soft, sandy place was beyond doubt true, but how the poor young man must have suffered to hear someone say that he had rubbed the sand into his head and gone voluntarily lame!

The element of happy-go-lucky haphazard ruled everything. Maori riders cheerfully went “another round” when the spectators urged them to do so. The clerk of the course most agreeably furnished reliable tips to all inquiring investors, and so did all the other inhabitants of the village. Wahines strolled around in gaudy greens and resplendent yellows; mongrels chased the racers round the course; children romped, and everybody was in a laughing mood.

The difference between the Orakei races and musical farce-comedy is that in one case there is no music.

NZ Herald, 20.1.1908

Programme advertising a Maori horse racing meeting in Karioi, Waikato, 1 January 1870 Reference Number: 1/1-000855-F Programme advertising a Maori horse racing in Karioi (Whaingaroa/Raglan region) January 1, 1870.Alexander Turnbull Library.

The end of 1908. though, seems to have been the end of this part of Auckland's horse racing history.

A MAORI RACE MEETING 

LUDICROUS INCIDENTS AT ORAKEI. 

[From Our Correspondent.] 

AUCKLAND, December 26. 

For some time past there had been portentous signs of trouble for the Maori Christmas Day races at Orakei. Mysterious and contrary advertisements had assured bewildered race goers that the race meeting would and would not take place. Intending patrons were definitely told that an eighteen-penny fare would admit them to the course and in the next advertisement they were informed that if they set foot on the course on Christmas Day they would be prosecuted as trespassers. An interesting account of the sequel is given in the Herald report of the races.

When the racegoers went to catch the ferry steamer to Orakei they were confronted by a remarkable notice, which conveyed the information that the course had been ploughed up, by whom it was not stated. Notwithstanding this depressing manifesto large numbers went out anticipating some fun. They were not altogether disappointed. The course had been ploughed up right enough. The situation was earnestly discussed by many Maori but nobody seemed to be able to indicate the perpetrator of the fell deed but the Maoris who had gathered together for horse racing were not going to be stopped by a trifle like the want of a course. Some ingenious brown individual pointed out that the stretch of beach would do as a makeshift, and the joyful news that races were to be held was spread abroad and the first race was started.

There were horses of sorts from the twelve hand pony to the seventeen hand horse that would have looked more at home in a spring cart. There were also a few good ones in the motley lot. They went up under the cliff to start, about twenty-five of them, but they were thinned out. Three bolted off and had a race of their own. Several dashed into the sea, two darted across a field and were seen no more. Then a vicious little pony scratched at least three for all engagements with hind hoofs, in making room for himself. One horse started to browse so greedily that his rider could not get his head up and was left at the post. They started, or some of them did. The field swept along in gallant style, some in the water and some out of it. A desperate finish ensued. As the ti-tree winning-post was neared, the tumultuous mob cheered madly, the struggle was terrific, but blood told. A dashing little animal, pakeha rider up, finishing gamely under punishment, just got his nose in front of the hope of the Maoris, a long raking bay beast ridden by a barefooted Maori boy.

"No race"' It was the voice of a Maori judge who sat still and impassive in all the excitement, sheltered from the rain by a huge umbrella. There was a furious outburst of wrath from the pakeha rider.

“No race be damned! This is a bit tough. Why, I won the race fair enough."

“They didn't all start," said the judge.

“Well, the starter gave to the word to go and we came away. Why, some of them are messing about there, I ain’t to blame for that, am I?” The judge declined to argue the question further. He called up the starter, who had paced along with the field, probably to see that they raced fair, and in a dignified tone demanded an explanation. The starter gave a loquacious account of affairs that apparently satisfied the judge, and he ordered the race to be run again. He also showed his supreme authority by limiting the number of the field.

“Six of them no more," was his brief mandate to the starter.

There were more races, including an event which was dignified with the title of the Orakei Cup, but one Maori horse race is very like another, and the pakeha spectators who had gone out from curiosity began to drift back to the wharf for the ferry boat.

Christchurch Star 28.12.1908

Around 1914, the sewer line was installed along the shore of Okahu Bay. Native Land Court judgements and government legislation began the breakup of the Maori-owned lands at Orakei, and the days of the "anything goes" races were gone forever.

If the one-time Maori race meetings were still being held at Orakei it might be worth while keeping some of the horses who raced at Ellerslie in training.

NZ Truth 15.6.1918 

Detail from NZ Map 7013, 1920s, from Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

Researching the NZ history of magic

I've received an email from Bernard Reid, currently engaged on a quite magical line of research.

I have been a professional magician for the last 50 years working mainly overseas and I became particularly interested in the history of magic in New Zealand. For 20+ years I have been working on a comprehensive history on this art. 

Preceding the introduction of motion pictures in New Zealand in 1898, the most popular forms of commercial entertainment were Minstrel Shows and Magicians. It may be surprising, but between the founding of New Zealand in 1840 and 1904, there were 88 internationally recognized magicians and illusionists who toured the country. All of these I have documented in detail but the brick wall I have hit is tracking down ephemera. I am well known among the magicians of New Zealand and so have had access to many private collections. I have haunted the libraries of N. Z. from the  Hocken Library in Dunedin to the Turnbull Library in Wellington to the Auckland Library and War Memorial Museum Library and have not unearthed one poster or handbill from the 19th century

During the 19th century the preferred method of advertising shows was by means of posters, handbills and town criers. Posters and handbills were date sensitive and hence were printed on the cheapest quality of paper which may account for the reason that none have survived. The best source of material so far has been the Will Alma collection in the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne. 

My plea is this: I desperately need copies of photos and/or ephemera of magicians from the 19th century including any photographs that may include posters or publicity of magicians of the era. I also need copies of photos of interiors or exteriors of theatres of the era. 

Any assistance you can give would be sincerely appreciated and, of course, acknowledged. 

Contact: bernardlreid@gmail.com

Small box at Hurstmere Road

These Hurstmere Road Takapuna photos were taken and very kindly sent through by my friends Bill and Barbara Ellis. Thanks, folks!

Bear days at Auckland Zoo

Darian from the Long White Kid mentioned a cool item of Trade Me the other day, so I tried my hand at online auctions for the first time. I lost out on what Darian gave me the head's up on -- but I found this, and succeeded. Meet "The Cadger", an animal at Auckland Zoo c.1939 (date of message on the back of the card) which seems to be a black bear from America.

Closest article in Papers Past which may relate, at least in part, to the Cadger is this:

BITTEN BY BEAR 

ATTENDANT AT ZOO 

ATTACK QUITE UNEXPECTED 

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) 

AUCKLAND, February 2. 

Attacked by a ten-year-old black bear at the Auckland Zoo this morning, a keeper, Mr W Hawke, suffered severe lacerations to the left leg. He was carrying out the usual daily cleaning of the pit when the animal attacked him without warning, gripping him behind the knee with its teeth. 

The bear is a member of a species common in America. It was born at the zoo ten years ago and at no time showed signs of viciousness. It was held in such trust, in fact, that it was allowed to roam loose, in the pit while cleaning was carried out. Another occupant of the pit, a bear newly arrived from California, was not sufficiently well known to the keepers to be trusted in such a way, and it was locked up, each time they entered. 

Mr Hawke entered the pit this morning in company with his brother, Mr Alan Hawke, who is also a keeper. Apparently the animal had the traditional bear's "sore head" and was "out of sorts" for the time being, for turned suddenly on the keeper and its sharp fangs tore into the flesh of his leg. His brother came quickly to his assistance and drove the bear away. He then helped his brother to climb out of the pit. Medical attention was given while the arrival of an ambulance was awaited. Mr. Hawke was taken to the Auckland Hospital, where his condition this afternoon was satisfactory.

Accidents of this kind in zoological gardens are extremely rare. It is believed, indeed, that never before has a keeper at the Auckland Zoo been attacked in such a way by any animal. In Yellowstone Park, United States, the black bear roams wild in forest preservations and is a constant attraction to tourists.

Evening Post 3.4.1938 

Ten years before, when the bear who attacked the keeper had been born, two bear pits were constructed at the zoo, one for polar bears, the other for the black bears. With today's eyes, the one holding the Cadger looks especially bleak.

Adjoining the pit for the Polar bear, is the pit for the black bears, not quite so big and differently built, to allow of more scrambling up and down. There are laddery walks in concrete, and at the top will be a pile of logs for claw sharpening. In both pits the bears will be in sight except when they are in the dens. A walk is being built right round both these concrete bear palaces, and when the levels have been reached the walls fronting tho walks will be about three feet high, crowned with strong curved iron spikes, though the bears will not be able to reach them. Netting will prevent eager youngsters from toppling into the bears' baths. These pits are worthy of any zoo in the world.

Evening Post 3.10.1928 

The bear born at Auckland Zoo appears to have been female, according to a report in the Hobart Mercury, 29 April 1936, when the Council bought a black bear from America as a companion.

The Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Library have some images of bears in the zoo's black bear pit (these were found by Liz -- cheers, my friend):

Ref. 35-R183

Ref. 35-R171

The polar bears and their pit -- is a whole 'nother story in itself. A very sad one, too.

Commemorating Elizabeth Yates

Back in 2009, I posted about Elizabeth Yates, the first woman mayor in the British Empire back in 1893. On February 3, while passing through Onehunga, I came upon two commemorations for this woman. But thought it somewhat odd that they were hidden away in a corner behind the main shopping street (Onehunga Mall), to the side of the church grounds of St Peter's, and on a walkway leading to the local supermarket.

My attention was attracted by one of the old Maungakiekie Community Board signs ...

... and then an Auckland City Council ceramic plaque by a tree. I did wonder if the tree was special in some way. Well, no, it wasn't for the tree ...

First, the sign. Closer examination revealed it was referring to Elizabeth Yates, although with one strange statement: "The event made world news as it was also the year New Zealand women were given the right to vote, and subsequently Elizabeth Yates was the first women [sic] to vote in the general elections, the day before she was elected mayor."

Really?? How on earth did whoever compose the wording for this sign come up with the "fact" that Elizabeth Yates was not only the first woman mayor, but somehow voted ahead of every other woman in the country? Most odd.

The sign was probably erected after the installation of the plaque, which dates from 1993, and also recognises Elizabeth Yates as the first woman mayor.

But it's a pity that these two markers are separated by quite a distance from her actual gravesite, facing Onehunga Mall.

How to suggest a historic place to a Council?

In response to a comment from Dennis at the bottom of my post on the Reo Carpark building at 15 Federal Street in the city, I asked Auckland Council for some guidelines as to how members of the public can suggest historic places. This is what I received today as a response:

"For the moment should a member of the public wish to propose an item for scheduling it is best they provide this in a written format and address this to the manager of the Heritage department- Mr Noel Reardon.

"We request that the following base level of information is provided from someone wishing to nominate an item/site place:

· Name & contact details of the proposer.

· Site number and address of the site being proposed

· Is the property owner of the site they wish to nominate? 

· Certificate of Title (where applicable) 

· Any photographs (both of the item in its existing state and also include any historical pictures if these are at hand). 

· Any other forms of historical documentation that would assist Council with commencing research etc… photocopied newspaper articles. 

· And most importantly we require a paragraph detailing the reasons why they are nominating the item. As a guide the matters that could be considered may relate to the following significance areas/values: 

-historical, 

-social , 

-tangata whenua , 

-knowledge, 

-technology, 

-physical character, 

-visual, 

-context."

Actually, the more detailed (and sourced!) information you can provide to any Territorial authority with regard to suggesting a site be included for protection under a District Plan, the better. This goes for trees as well. I've been involved with my own society at Avondale-Waterview in the past regarding the Roberton Road area, and right now I'm part of a group trying to save an old cottage. I've said before to other societies that "Knowledge is Power", and in terms of heritage protection campaigns, that really does ring true.

And yes, folks, detailing exactly which site you're talking about is key. Get an address, legal description, print out a GIS aerial from the website and draw a circle -- anything to prevent any misinterpretation.

Remembering Miss Newey

Further to Miss Newey's Cottage.

Last night, Trevor Pollard (immediate past-president of West Auckland Historical Society), Graham Foster (president of the Henderson & District Garden Club) and I attended the first meeting of the Henderson-Massey Local Board for the year, to ask for their help in preserving Miss Newey's cottage. We presented a submission from Graham, a letter of support-in-principle from West Auckland Historical Society, and a brief summary about Miss Newey and her family I put together from Archives New Zealand sources, as well as West Auckland Council Archives, BDMs, death notices, electoral rolls -- whatever I was able to scrap together in as quick a time as possible.

The result was Remembering Miss Newey, now loaded up on Scribd. If anyone wants a copy, but has a bit of a hard time with Scribd, drop me a line at waitemata@gmail.com. I can either email the .pdf to you (11mb +), or send the text.

Right now, our action committee of three would really appreciate public assistance in the way of any memories of Miss Newey and her time at Henderson School. Our next step is to await the publication of the Board's minutes from the meeting (they've asked Council staff for a report as to the feasibility of shifting the cottage to Tui Glen), then we'll make contact with the current owner of the cottage, and start work on preparing a funding application from the likes of the Waitakere Trust.

I, for one, am crossing my fingers in the hope that we can see a 90-year-old piece of Henderson's story come back home.

4 March 2012: An update.

The REO building's 75 years

Yesterday, getting off a bus on Hobson Street near St Patrick's Cathedral, I decided to take a walk through the Square and down Federal Street towards downtown Auckland. Enjoying an ice cream purchased from a small store nearby ($3.80! I remember ice blocks in my day being no more than 10 cents or 20 cents ... eh. Enough of that) my eye was caught by this:

A mosaic well-worn by the passage of feet over time. It led to me being intrigued as to what the building looked like. I looked up ...

... with the thought coming to mind: this is an Art Deco period building in the back streets of Auckland City. Actually, these days it's a carpark, with a tavern at the ground floor corner called Mo's. But its remaining features intrigued me. Why "Reo Carpark", for starters?

And there's also the side door off Federal Street (left. The street to the right is Wolfe Street):

So, I visited Auckland Council Archives, looked up the valuation field sheets, and viewed their permit records.

The REO building was constructed in 1937 for A B Donald Ltd, a firm established in 1875 by Alexander Bell Donald with the building of the schooner Agnes Donald. Over the years, the shipping and merchant firm, trading in the South Pacific, became a business empire diversifying into various trading divisions. One of them, headed by Norman Donald from 1926, was the firm's REO agency for vehicle importing and assembly here in New Zealand.

Motoring enthusiasts would be well aware that REO stands for Ransom Eli Olds, after whom not only the REO brand and REO Motor Car Company was named, but also the Oldsmobile. REO was established in 1904 in America; by 1905, the ads had hit this country.

Manawatu Standard, 31 October 1905

Progress, 1 March 1906

In the second decade of the 20th century, Ormond's was the sole agent for importing and distributing Reo brand motor vehicles in the country.

 Poverty Bay Herald, 6 November 1918

When A B Donald first branched out as Reo agent, the subsidiary Reo Motors Ltd was located at Customs Street West.

 NZ Truth 27 February 1930

NZ Truth 4 September 1930

Then, on purchasing two lots on the corner of Federal (then Chapel) and Moore (now Wolfe) Streets, the firm arranged for architect J O Owen to design a garage and showroom. This was completed by May 1938. (Letter to registrar, 16 May 1938, Company file, BADZ 5586 1923/81, Archives New Zealand)

Permit No. 11449, Auckland Council Archives

Note the mast on the roof. The distinctive side door I'd noticed was also part of the original design, with only the "REO" logo removed from above the stylised wings, perhaps linked to this, from an Reo Speed Wagon badge:

"Badge and part of the radiator grille on an REO Speedwagon at the Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. Photograph taken during November 2004, CC-BY-SA-3.0-MIGRATED; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License," via Wikipedia.

See also the logo in the September 1930 ad above.

A good image of the building in its heyday is available on the Auckland War Memorial Museum site. Note the bowsers where the tavern is now located at the corner.

But, the clear lines of the building's 1930s origins are still visible. Thing is, the building doesn't seem to be scheduled by Auckland Council, registered by Historic Places Trust, or included on the Art Deco Society's website under notable commercial buildings in the style.

I think the exterior of the building, still showing most of its style after 75 years, should be recognised.

The many names of Herald Island

  

 Detail from "Waitemata", 1840-1841, NZ Map 3566, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries.

Updated 29 January 2012.

There’s an island in the Upper Waitemata which I’ve often wondered about. Seeing an article about a now-vanished small cinema of all things, I decided to look into the records. 

Right from 1840, the island between Hobsonville and Greenhithe on the Waitemata River has been known as Herald Island. But it had, of course, a Maori name (Pahiki), and since 1840 has gone through a series of other names before the second name, possibly applied in honour of a ship the HMS Herald, stuck. John Logan Campbell and William Brown were almost the first purchasers of the island from Ngati Whatua – if not for a bit of miscommunication between one of Campbell’s companions and Te Hira of Ngati Whatua over the remains of a meal in a pot. The chief was accidentally accused of being a thief, due to the other man’s lack of accurate Maori language, and Te Hira remembered the slight when Brown & Campbell later expressed interest in the island. 

“ … we came to an island called Pahiki … with only a narrow boat channel to get at it, and this choice spot Te Hira would sell. But it was ourselves, and not the land, he was ‘selling’; for Wepiha, getting hold of some of the other Orakei natives who had come with us, soon found out that Te Hira was in the sulks. He had been called a tahae (thief), and he was only leading us a dance, and he would not consent that any land should be sold, and it would only be a fool’s errand to go any further.” 

 (John Logan Campbell, Poenamo, p. 71, orig. pub. 1881, 1973 edition.) 

Detail from OLC 390 (1845), LINZ records, crown copyright

According to a letter from National Archives (now Archives New Zealand) to a Mrs M H Brands (dated 4 December 1981, lodged in Auckland library scrapbooks) Herald Island was subject to an Old Land Claim (No. 1198) by businessman Thomas Weston, as trustee for the infant Ellen Maria Wood (claim actually for S A Wood):

"Samuel Wood purchased the island for his daughter then still an infant, on 28 September 1844, and made Thomas Weston her trustee ..." 

See the map above, showing "Maria Island".

The first house on Herald Island, along with its landing place. Detail from OLC 390.

"The land", the letter goes on, "was purchased from chiefs of the Ngati Matua [sic] tribe resident at Orakei near Auckland for the sum of £22 10s. The native deed was dated 12 days prior to the date on which Wood claimed to have purchased the land which led to some difficulties in the giving of a government grant. By 29 September 1849, Mr Wood had spent some £250 on building a cottage, laying out a garden, an orchard and several paddocks, sinking a well, erecting a landing place etc. Mr Wood indicated his willingness to purchase the grant at the cost of £1 per acre -- of the area claimed, 87 acres 3 roods 7 perches, only 20 acres were granted on 6 November 1849." He got the rest in 1853, for around £38. 

According to a chronology by Diana Masters and Margaret Edgcumbe, Samuel Allan Wood was born in Dublin in 1813, had arrived by 1836, and was in the Bay of Islands by 1837. He was one of the first purchasers at the Auckland land sale in 1841 and ran a number of hotels until the early 1850s, including the Royal Hotel on Princes Street, then took on a land agency business. He died in 1884.

In 1845, one John Weavell was resident on the island. Weavell is still very much an unknown. Was he involved with timber milling undertaken by Wood on his nearby land claim at Paremoremo alongside Lucas Creek (Wood was unsuccessful with that claim, receiving only £45 compensation -- OLC 316). Or was Weavell simply on the island, at the house which existed in 1845 on the north-eastern point, keeping up some show of residency for Wood's claim to it? That year of 1845 is where we see the earliest references appear to “Wood’s Island”, anyway. According to Archives New Zealand, Weavell applied for a bush licence for the island in 1845 (again, why? Because of nearby timber milling just across at Lucas Creek?) Two years later,  a “bush licence” or license to sell liquor, was reported to have been granted to someone on the island. (Advertisement, SC 16.12.1853, see below) 

As for little Ellen Maria, whose name was not to be fixed to the island after all (another Maria Island, in Tasmania, was at that stage a prison, so perhaps Wood had second thoughts) was to marry into the Kinder family, be accused of murdering her husband in Australia, and become the subject of scandal sheets and Victorian-era gossip in the middle of the century. See Diana Master's booklet,  Maria Ellen -- The Other Mrs Kinder (2008).

Somehow, the Western Leader in 1969 obtained information that “Henry Charles Holman, a timber merchant” milled on the island under lease from Wood from 1847 to 1850. The only Henry Charles Holman I’ve found is a man who lived in Whangarei, but visited Auckland around this time with his ideas on preparing NZ flax for export (New Zealander, 7.11.1849) I’d say that from 1845 through to the 1870s, anything could be said about what happened on the island. It’s a wonder there aren’t more legends attached to it than there are already.

Updated (29 January 2012): Margaret Edgcumbe sent through the following passages from The Journal of Elizabeth Holman published in Tales of Yesteryear: including Oral Histories of Northland, ed. Madge Malcolm, Kororareka Press, Russell, 1994, pp. 18 & 20

About this time a Mr F A Wood (sic) wanted to let Wood's Island (Pine Island), up Riverhead. My husband leased it for 3 years and we went up there to live. In a few months I became quite strong. At that time the island was prettily laid out. Mr Wood had spent a lot of money on it. He bought some land in Lucas Creek, opposite, which was covered with bush. My husband leased this along with the island. He also put men to cut this for firewood, and he built a big boat and used to take the wood to Auckland, sold it and made a lot of money out of it. All the people for the Wairoa, Kaipara, came to the head of the river and made a smoke signal to my husband to send his boat and take them to Auckland. This paid him well.

He also built a number of small boats and sold then very readily to people about there. And the Deborah, Capt. Wing's brig, came up to Wood Isle and my husband loaded him with sawn timber, which we got from Lucas Creek. The vessel took this cargo to Sydney. With one thing and another, we did not do badly ... 

Mrs Ford and her children often came to the island to visit me but I did not go to Auckland all the time I was on the island. I did not like boating and unless it was a fine day, it was too far for me to return the same day, and I did not like to stay anywhere but the Fords...... I felt very lonely when my husband was away at night, I felt nervous about people landing on the Island. There were a number of sawyers around about us, they were a drunken lot. A man killed his wife in a drunken spree just opposite us. I did not like my neighbours....   etc etc etc .....so we went back to Auckland to live.

As Captain Wing only had the Deborah to 1846, and the Holmans would have spent some time after evacuation from Whangarei in April 1845 in various homes in Auckland, it is likely that the period Mrs Holman referred to, from her recollections put together when she was quite elderly and in 1897, was from c.1846-1848, with the Holman's reinstalled at Whangarei by 1849. If Henry Holman had a boat, it may have been the Charles, plying between the Coromandel and Auckland, 1845-1846. Margaret advises that one of the Holman children was born on the island in 1847. Holman may have succeeded Weavell as lessee, all while the island was profitable as long as the Paremoremo timber held out and Wood was still able to contend for title there. Once the Holmans returned to Whangarei, there they stay. Their brief break in Auckland was missed from Holman's obituary.

THE LATE MR H. C. HOLMAN.
Mr Holman who passed away at his residence in Auckland, on the 21st inst., after a long and eventful life, was a very old colonist, being one of New Zealand's oldest pioneers. He arrived in the Bay of Islands on the 29th of January, 1840, with Governor Hobson and Lieut. Shortland, and held the position of Government architect for a number of years. At the time the natives in the Waikato threatened to destroy Auckland if Governor Hobson hung Makito (the first native hung in. New Zealand) for the murder of Mr White and family of the Bay of Island, Mr Holman had command of the fortifications in Mechanic's Bay, also took a prominent part in saving the lives of the inhabitants of Whangarei, during the Hone Heke War. Excepting the last six years of his life he had resided in Whangarei, and his last remains were brought up from Auckland by the Wellington, and interred at the cemetery in Kamo, according to a wish expressed by him before his death. Mr Holman leaves a widow, two sons, and two daughters; his eldest son Mr H. R. Holman, still resides at Kamo and the remainder of his family are well known to the oldest inhabitants of Whangarei district. 

Northern Advocate 9.12.1893

TO BE SOLD, OR LET, HERALD, OR WOOD'S ISLAND. 

THIS beautiful ISLAND is situated about 7½ miles above the town, and comprises 100 acres of almost level land, part of which has been laid down in grass. The resident, some six years ago, held a very profitable Bush License, and was much resorted to by pleasure parties, and invalids, as also by the farmers and sawyers of the neighbouring mainland. And there remains a long neglected Garden and Orchard, formed walks, &c. Its waters abound with fish, and its adjacent deep creeks, and timbered lands with pigeon and duck. To a retired person of means, it offers a delicious, and salubrious retreat, with delightful water and forest landscape;— an ample field for floral and botanical pursuits, and the never-failing resources of the fishing-rod and the fowling piece. It is eminently fitted for sheep farming, as it would need no fencing, and would be easily covered with English grasses, which thrive well. To a person of enterprise and tact, willing to hold a Bush License, it would be a speedy fortune. For plans and particulars, apply to S. A. Wood. 

(SC 16.12.1853)

Margaret Edgcumbe also found the following on the ENZB site, from Overland from Auckland to Wellington in 1853, by Lt. F W MacKenzie, p.3.

We took a boat to-day and went ten miles up the river. We landed on an island called Wood's Island  --a pretty spot, where there had been a garden. There were a great many rose trees in full blossom, and also an immense quantity of strawberry plants in flower. The place was also covered with fine English grass, and there were a great many wattle trees, but all in confusion. It had evidently been allowed to run to waste for years. The boatman told us the island belonged to a person of the name of Wood. He thought it had been given to a Native half-caste daughter of his by a Native chief, and although he wished to sell it, he could not. 

This garden may well have been the work of the Holman family.

Detail from chart, "Waitemata River from Kauri Point, Auckland Harbour to its sources", 1954, NZ Map 3909, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries.

Wood sold the island to master mariner Hugh Clark for around £800, according to the Western Leader (4.11.1969). The only master mariner I’ve found around this period is a Captain Hugh Clark – who drowned in July 1857, along with his wife, daughter, and five of his crew (Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 5.9.1857) when his ship, the brigantine Helen, was wrecked off Pitt Island in the Chathams. Three young children were left behind in Hobart, Tasmania (Melbourne Argus, 14.9.1857). 

If so, this means Herald Island was probably leased out. Exactly who the lessees were is at this point unknown. But -- we do see the start to the island's reputation as an excursion destination.

A group of Aucklanders who didn’t quite make it to the opening of the Wade Presbyterian Church in May 1860, seem to have been early excursion visitors to Wood’s Island instead. A party of friends in town interested in the prosperity of the Wade district, had chartered the steamer Emu for the purpose of proceeding thither to take part in the services advertized for Monday, the 30th; but owing to the boisterousness of the weather the steamer could not venture outside the North Head. A considerable number, however, resolved on not being wholly baffled by the winds, engaged the steamer to go up the Waitemata as far as Wood's Island, where they spent the day very pleasantly, reserving their purpose to visit the Wade on another occasion. (May 4.) 

(SC 25.5.1860) 

A correspondent suggests that amongst the very many places near Auckland whose natural beauties point them cut for pleasant sites for picnic and pleasure parties none could be rendered more attractive than Wood's Island in the Waitemata, about seven miles; towards Riverhead. This beautiful little Island is, we believe, the property of Mr Stebbing, of Queen-street, who may perhaps think the suggestion which is now thrown out, worth consideration to improve its natural capabilities of a fruit orchard and pleasure ground, to vend milk, tea, coffee, lemonade, and non-intoxicating drinks there, and to make arrangements with the river steamers and other craft to call there at frequent intervals during the summer. That it would soon become a favourite resort of holiday-makers there can be no doubt whatever, and the public and the proprietor might be both mutually benefited by adopting some such course pointed out. All who know the locality are aware how well adapted and situated Wood's Island is for the purposes indicated. 

(AS 10.11.1873) 

(Update 19 February 2012: Margret Brands, Herald Island's current historian, pointed out to me two days ago that there is a family connection between Hugh Clark and Thomas Maxwell Henderson, of Henderson's Mill fame. According to Rootsweb, Hugh's wife Jane Jean Clark, nee McArtney, was the daughter of Ann Henderson of Dundee, who in turn was the daughter of James Henderson of Dundee, the father also of Thomas Henderson. So Jane was Thomas Henderson's niece. He must have felt the loss of his niece and her husband in 1857 as a blow.)

The Clark family’s agent F E Compton advertised that the island was for sale from 1872, for £150. (SC 17.9.1872) In May 1873,  Henry William Stebbing purchased the island by "agreement" for around £110 – a bargain price. The Stebbing family apparently came from Charleston and Mokihinui, according to one birth notice before the sale, and seems to have arrived in Auckland in 1868. Initially a storekeeper, Stebbing then became a publican, operating the Globe Hotel at Wakefield Street in 1868, then the Coach and Horses Hotel, Queen Street, from 1870. From 1873, he ran the Cosmopolitan Hotel, also in Queen Street, then the Eagle Hotel in Albert Street until September 1875. There followed a period of bankruptcy, from which he was discharged by June 1877. (AS 25.6.1877) By September 1879, he was mine host at the Oratia Hotel at Henderson (now the Falls Hotel). It looks like Henry W Stebbing died the following year. (AS 28.6.1889) 

Whoever he had as resident on the island, it seems to have lost its charm to visitors.

Yesterday the members of the various Masonic Lodges in Auckland had a water picnic …it was decided by the committee of management to abandon the trip to Motutapu, and turn the bows of the steamer up the harbour instead of down. This was clone, and the boat steamed up the Waitemata, until itarrived off Wood's Island, belonging to Mr H. Stebbing. Here the party landed, but the spot not being so attractive as could have been wished a move was proposed to the grounds of Mr Fordham, a gentleman living on the other side of the creek. Permission first being asked for and obtained the move was made, and the change proved most acceptable … 

 (AS 9.12.1873) 

In 1876, the Bank of New South Wales sold the island to Thomas Francois Gerard Constantine De Leau. (NA 8/225) One resident on the island around 1880 was identified in the newspapers as Mr Demoidrey, who assisted some whale hunters from Auckland with hospitality at his home there (AS 8 June 1880). De Leau himself was naturalised in 1871 (SC 30.11.1871), and was apparently a “French Shirt Manufacturer” based in Mount Street from c.1870, and corner Durham and Albert Streets from c.1875. He was president of the French Literary Association in Auckland in 1881. Ill-health led to him selling his shirt making business in 1888. He had died by May 1890. But, he seems to have had something to do with an immigration scheme aimed at attracting French speakers from Europe to Auckland province. 

The Provincial Council will be asked this evening to consider a message from his Honor the Superintendent in relation to the proposed settlement of people from Belgium, Alsace, and Lorraine, in the province of Auckland … A special settlement is not a heap of incongruous materials thrown together by chance, but the transplanting of a young shoot full of life and vigor. There is, however, one aspect of the subject which we think ought to weigh in this evening's debate. Mr De L'Eau, although occupying in Auckland a far from prominent position, is, we are informed, a man of liberal education and of good position in his native land. He is, it is certain, a man of considerable ingenuity and intelligence. Among other discoveries made by him is that of cheaply reducing the phormium tenax to a pulp suitable for the manufacture of all classes of paper, and by advices lately received by him from Sydney and Melbourne it is certain that, once properly introduced to the notice of paper manufacturers in Europe, this discovery will provide a new and profitable market for all the flax of New Zealand. He is at the present time in correspondence with scientific men in Europe as to more than one of our natural productions, concerning some of which he has received favorable replies … 

(AS 15.6.1874) 

The Provincial Council decided to back the scheme. (SC 29.5.1875) 

A sample of dried pulp, the product of New Zealand flax … manufactured by a process discovered and applied experimentally by Mr. De L'Eau of this city, lies before us … We undertake to say that if Mr. De L'Eau, with a couple of his bricks of white pulp in hand, were in London now, he could raise a company with any amount of money to supply the market. It is shown to be worth in England £25 to £30 per ton, and these figures are given guardedly, and merely on the evidence, not of a large quantity to test it fully, but of a very small sample, merely to show what it is … 

(SC 8.7.1875) 

Whatever he was doing on Herald Island -- De Leau didn't appreciate visitors. Once again, the excursionists were turned away.

Auckland Star, 24 December 1877

His plans must have fallen through, for De Leau had the island back up for sale in 1882. 

 Auckland Star, 20 March 1882

It was around this time that around 6000 shelter trees were planted all around the edge of the island's coastline. (Sales ad, AS 8.3.1889) 

WANTED, a Man, with or without family, to take charge of Wood's Island eight miles from Wharf.- Apply W. L. Roth, Victoria-street East.

(AS 22.5.1883) 

From now on, the island with its 6000 trees was called Pine Island -- and would remain so in the popular mind for the next 65 years. Even though, officially, it was Herald Island.

The most striking feature is the island formerly known as Wood’s Island, now known as Pine Island, which seems to block the entrance to the river, leaving it a matter of surmise to the visitor whether that forms the termination of the harbour, or whether it can be passed. This is a question which for us was soon set at rest, for our smart little yacht passing through a narrow entrance now rounded the end of the island, and were once again in wide waters heading up the river … 

The island contains an area of 100 acres, and a portion of it has for some time been under cultivation. There is a fair landing wharf alongside, and the steamers can come at low tide, and on proceeding up this we soon found ourselves in cultivated lands and an orchard, in which there were some splendid varieties of apples. It is needless to say that these were tested by the visitors. Proceeding further we found ourselves amongst newly-planted fruit, a fine crop of maize, and shelter trees of growth varying from three to one year of age. There was also a considerable crop of vines. These, I learned, had been planted for some years, and the vines had been fruitful. I can only say that such is not the case now, and it bears out my pre-conceived opinion that this place is not favourable to the growth of vines outdoors. So far as the apples were concerned, however, they were excellent, and there are some good pears, although it seemed to me that more attention might have been bestowed on this fruit. There were also some peach trees, but the fruit, like all others in the province for some years past, showed a marked deterioration. Proceeding about a quarter of a mile, we reached the homestead of Mr and Mrs Heims, pleasantly sheltered and surrounded by a belt of high tea-tree. Included were a poultry yard, with some choice fowls. 

We then took a tour of the island, but beyond what I have mentioned, and the fact that a double row of shelter trees has been placed around the island, there was nothing to specially attract attention. The soil, especially on the flat table land in the centre, seemed to be well-adapted for the growth of cereals. It was tea-tree land, and a recent fire which, unfortunately, in its progress had destroyed a number of shelter trees, laid it pretty bare. There are, however, numerous little bays, nooks and crannies in the island eminently adapted for picnic parties, and its admirable situation for marine residences should soon bring it into prominence. I was informed that since its last purchase for £450, £1000 has been offered for the island, and I can quite believe it, for the situation is unique. 

(NZH 16.3.1885) 

 Auckland Star 26 November 1887

In November 1887, the island up for private sale by George Cozens, after transfer from William Boylan. It was the start of a long process to find a buyer during the country's Long Depression -- but it was also the start of the main period of Pine Island summertime excursions and picnics.

Messrs Brown, Barrett, and Company entertained their employees on Saturday afternoon last, when they proceeded to Pine Island in the steamer Maori. The owners of the island kindly threw their house and ground open, and good sport was enjoyed by all. An excellent spread was provided by Messrs Brown and Geddes, and the party returned to town about 8 p.m. On the voyage down some singing and other amusements were indulged in, and cheers were given for Messrs Brown and Geddes (coupled with the names of Mesdames Brown and Geddes), for the liberal manner in which the entertainment had been carried out. Messrs Brown and Geddes responded, and the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" brought a very pleasant party to a conclusion. 

 (AS 9.1.1888) 

Messrs Tonks and Co. offer for tomorrow at noon the property known as Pine Island. It is in a splendid position and contains 100 acres, on the upper waters of the Waitemata. It is in close proximity to Auckland, being about an hour’s sail from the wharf. There is a good house, two orchards and garden, and about 6000 shelter trees. 

(AS 24.1.1888) 

The sales and auctions didn’t work. Cozens decided to try simply leasing the island for a period from February 1888. He tried selling it again in March 1889. Then William Boylan came back into the picture, offering to sell or lease the island in September 1889. (Ad, AS 14.9.1889) In June 1890, Cozens finally did sell the island, to builder Alexander George Lee (with the title in his wife Eliza’s name). 

According to a letter written in 1949 by Auckland City Library (lodged in their Auckland scrapbook collection), Lee “built a large house, introduced sheep and commenced a profitable business in giving permission for excursions to be run up to the Island.” 

 Auckland Star 22 December 1894

Indeed, in the early 1890s, the island became a popular spot by which to hold organised rowing races. But, there were also tragedies. 

BOY DROWNED AT PINE ISLAND. 

A sad bathing fatality occurred yesterday at Pine Island, which cast quite a gloom overall who had gone to that locality to spend the holiday. Amongst the excursionists by the Stella and Invincible were Mrs Reston (wife of Mr G S Reston, chief gaoler at Mount Eden Gaol) and two of her sons, one being James Mather, 16 years of age. After dinner the last mentioned, in company with two of the sons of Mr Smith, of the s.s. Clansman, went to bathe in the sea, but after he had swum out a little, he cried out that he was getting cramped, and he appeared to be sinking. The other lads not being able to render any assistance immediately raised an alarm, which brought some persons to the spot, unfortunately, however, too late to be of any use in preventing the lad from being drowned. The accident took place, it is stated, only a short distance from the shore. As soon as it became known, Mr Christian, mate of the Stella, and several others went to the spot and dived for a considerable time trying to recover the body, but without success. The vicinity of the accident was dragged for some hours, with the same result. About 7 o'clock, however, as the steamers were leaving, two young men cruising about in a boat, noticed the body lying on a ledge, washed in by the tide, and it was then brought along the beach to the steamer, and brought to town. On its arrival at the wharf, it was taken in the Ambulance waggon to Mr Reston's residence, pending the customary inquest. A singular coincidence in connection with yesterday's accident in that three years ago yesterday the deceased was in company with a son of Mr Flannery, chief warder at Mount Eden Gaol, when the accident occurred by which young Flannery was run over by a dray near Helensville and killed. The inquest on the body will be held tomorrow, commencing at 10 a.m. at the deceased's father's residence at Mount Eden. Two other inquests being held by the coroner to-day prevent it being held any earlier. 

(AS 27.12.1895) 

After the Lees took out three mortgages between 1890 and 1896, all three were discharged when the Lees sold the island to the Devonport Steam Ferry Company Ltd in 1897.

Group portrait of the teachers from Holy Trinity Church school, Devonport on a picnic at Pine Island (Herald Island), 1897, ref 4-3062, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

Other uses were thought of for the island, with a sudden downturn in excursions by the ferry company. For a brief time in 1898, it was proposed that the island could be used to store explosives. (AS 20.4.1898) L L McDermott, nightsoil contractor for Auckland City, made an appeal to the council for another depot – and suggested the island. He had “… made inquiries from the owners of Pine Island with a view of securing the same as a suitable site for a depot, with the result that the owners are agreeable to lease for a period of 10 years. If your council are favourably impressed with the above-mentioned site, the cost of erecting a new depot, including steaming plant and water carriage, would have to he considered.” (AS 3.10.1902) The council later declined. (AS 31.10.1902) 

 

Herald Island, 5 October 1902. Amalgamation of images 1-W1534 and 1-W1535, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

According to a Mr F Tubb, writing to the Auckland Library in 1949, a man named Bill Marsh “lived on the point facing Albany Creek in 1908.” 

In 1926, the Devonport Steam Ferry Company subdivided most of the island into 246 lots, with reserves. The following roads were dedicated in 1928 (NA 416/40): The Terrace, Coleman Avenue, Duncan Avenue, George Avenue, Holgate Avenue, Alison Avenue, and Ferry Parade.

The progress of development for the island after the Ferry Company sales was slow. The company laid out all the roads and named them (with associations back to the company and the Allison family of Devonport); shell footpaths were laid down (apparently all gone by 1970) and simple surface drains. Even so, according to resident P D Buffett (Western Leader, 17.12.1970), there were only two houses on the island when he and his wife bought their section in 1942 (price, possibly £30). Within two years though, more houses had spring up, along with a store. Buffett claimed he required a building permit for an old army hut he relocated to his section in 1945 (around £15), even though at the time there was no territorial authority governing Herald Island. 

“A number of other houses and baches were already on the island and none of them had been required to gain permits. However, the authorities somehow got wind of my building and I was asked to explain my actions. I was issued with a permit for the hut, which was already sited, and there was no further trouble. Funnily enough, other buildings still continued to go up without permits. The next permit was not issued until around 1950 when the Pine Island Boating Club was erected.” 

The island's first territorial authority of sorts may well have been a Pine Island Domain Board, apparently gazetted as being in control of part of the foreshore from 1949 (Note on DP 31409, LINZ records)

As at 1950, the island had around 100 permanent residents none of whom paid property rates, as Herald Island had not been included in the boundaries for the Waitemata County Council, all the way back to 1876. With no building permits required, development was “haphazard”, with no water reticulation, no electricity, and no drainage. They did have however two stores, a post office and a school, and a lot of community awareness. (AS 7.7.1950) They were finally incorporated into the Waitemata County 20 September 1953, with 198 residents. (“Boundary Changes Since Census 1926”, Auckland Scrapbook May 1966 -, pp. 160-161, Auckland Research Centre, Auckland Libraries) Electricity was switched on for the islanders in 1955. (WL, 17.12.1970) The cable laying had to be done in the mud of the mangrove swamp separating the island from the mainland by workers from the Waitemata Electric Power Board, all pre-causeway; “a particularly muddy task” says the caption to an image of workers picking their way along the line of cable in Northwards March the Pylons (1975) p. 81. 

What started my journey into the background of Herald Island’s story was a couple of pages from the late Jan Grefstad’s unpublished Cinemas of Auckland (2000), where he wrote about “the only little island in the Upper Waitemata Harbour with its one small cinema.” This was the Harmony Theatre and Hall, made from a Nissen hut on property owned by Cyril and Hazel Thickpenny, owners of the Snug Harbour Store. It included a small projection room, with vestibule beneath, and took local residents six weeks to build. This was 1952, before electricity had come to the island, so the Thickpennys relied on a power generator – with the audience bringing along their own seats for the show from their homes. Thickpenny received an exhibitor’s licence a year and a half after opening. 

“Enthusiasm and excitement usually overcame any problems, like the time the full reel of the film fell off the projector and rolled down the floor, down the stairs and into the hall, startling the people in the back rows, a stream of film following the reel. Mr Gary Thickpenny, son of the proprietors, remembers with fondness a certain Mr Nitty Whiskers who was something of a hermit who lived on the island and loved cowboy movies. He always attended every one screened and usually sat on his own and talked or muttered to the actors on the screen.” 

The inside of the hall was decorated by artist Rix Carlton. In 1956, 100 dancers crowded the hall, moving to the music of Len Larigan’s Band. Hank Nabor purchased the hall and took over the licence in 1961, but the licence was cancelled in 1963, and the hall dismantled and relocated to a farm in Kumeu. Some of the Carlton murals ended up at Te Rangi Hiroa Park, Massey. (Grefstad, Vol II, pp. 147-148) 

Another hall, probably on the island's Domain, burned down before 1971. Residents complained that year of the sad state of The Terrace, the main access to Christmas Beach, while the Waitemata Council did say that they were working on things, and building a new $14,000 hall on the domain. Upgrading The Terrace though, they advised, would require a "substantial rise in rates." (WL, 4.5.1971)

The Herald Island Ratepayers Committee campaign long and hard for a causeway to be built connecting the island with the mainland. Eventually, in August 1957, came the news that they had been successful. A short causeway, a couple of hundred yards linking them with Hobsonville, was built for £9000. Their hope were at the time that there would be two causeways – the Hobsonville one, and the other linking them with Albany and the northern motorway. Only part of that dream was ever completed. State Highway 18, part of today’s ring route, spans the Waitemata River to the south of Herald Island. 

Situated only about 200 yards or so from the mainland and approached by a causeway wide enough for two cars to pass each other, Herald Island will now no doubt attract motorists as their goal for a pleasant Sunday afternoon drive … A road circumnavigates the island, which is still pleasantly wooded, and in summer its beaches will probably attract picnickers. 

 (AA Official Bulletin, July 1958) 

Proof that the island's community spirit is not yet faded into the background came when Herald Islanders campaigned alongside Whenuapai residents against Waitakere City Council's suggested airport idea for Whenuapai airbase in 2003 (WL 5.6.2003).

And lastly -- Herald Island and its shipping graveyard.

The shallow water round Pine Island covers the shattered hulls of another half-dozen or so old-timers. There lie the ship America, the barque Tobias, the barquentine Retriever, and the steamer Senator. Of the Senator it has often been said, that she carried more than her weight in gold from Sacramento down, to San Francisco in the old days. 

(EP 5.5.1934) 

The Herald Island Residents and Ratepayers Association lobbied for years for the removal of the wrecks off the coastline of the island. In 1991, the ARC finally did the clean-up.

 Western Leader 3 September 1991

A slave-trader and a former brothel are among the historic ships being dredged up from around Herald Island. Auckland Regional Council is "cleaning up" the graveyard of ships in the upper Waitemata Harbour. Some of the old wrecks dumped at the island have lain close to shore for more than 90 years ...

One of the wrecks is believed to be the Principe de Lucideo, built in 1876. She was probably dumped in the 1900s between Herald Island wharf and Christmas Beach. The barquentine Retriever is thought to lie in the same area. She was abandoned in the mid-Pacific in an insurance scam before being towed to Herald Island in the 1920s.

Mystery surrounds two of the most interesting ships off Christmas Beach. One may be the Columbia, also called the Showboat, which was a "den of iniquity" at Auckland's waterfront in the 1920s. She had three decks, one for gambling, one for drinking, one for "loose women". The Showboat was sunk by unknown saboteurs in the early 1930s then raided and dumped at Herald Island.

Contractors have found kauri timbers and copper sheathing during their clean up operation. this suggests the America also lies off Christmas Beach. She was an Oregon schooner built in 1868 and weighed a massive 1345 tons.

(Western Leader 3.9.1991)

I doubt that Herald Island's stories have ended, or that this piece of the Auckland Region will ever be quite like the rest. The island, I reckon, will always be unique in its own way.

From Auckland Council aerial, GIS website, 2008