13 minute read
North Shore History: David Verran
“A fit country for heroes to live in”?
The 1930 report of the Ex-Soldiers Rehabilitation Commission. By David Verran
I have previously written about the industrial awards, with the co-operation Takapuna Ex-Service Men’s Club, of labour unions.” The response was that which later became the Takapuna under-rate permits were already accepted RSA and ultimately ended in 2014. in awards and no change was advocated. In particular, I noted that from its “Workshops should.be founded for the beginning in 1927 the Takapuna club employment of disabled ex-servicemen.” had a concern for disabled returned The last submission received the most soldiers. reported attention from the Commission,
In 1929, the Ward government and was presented by a Takapuna club established the Ex-Soldiers member and ex- Royal Air Force officer Rehabilitation Commission, which was to Captain James Ernest Wain (1878-1956). report on the “position of physically and Wain had himself received a disability grant economically incapacitated soldiers” in England in 1919 and had come to New from both the Anglo Boer (1899-1902) Zealand in the early 1920s. and First World (1914-1918) Wars. The Among other items, Wain exhibited Massey government’s Repatriation examples of toy building and learning Department had been dis-established in blocks (showing colours, letters and 1924, with the view that New Zealand’s numbers), dominoes, anti-glare goggles, First World War soldiers had now been successfully reintegrated into civilian AWNS_19181003_36_4 courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection. beads, bowls, trays, wall brackets, small file boxes, ornaments, dolls and table games. life. Nevertheless, there was some continuing financial assistance to Necessary skills included moulding, simple woodwork, sheet metal individual ex-soldiers across different government departments. This work, wire working, soldering, cardboard and paper work, celluloid included war pensions, financial advances to acquire farms and houses, working and painting and varnishing. He agreed there should be a craft loans for establishing or purchasing businesses, or loans for business- brand and that purchasing facilities and retail outlets should be set up. related furniture, tools and/or equipment. Customers would include householders, professional and business
The three-man Rehabilitation Commission visited Auckland offices, schools, warehouses, and motorists. between 12th and 19th November 1929 and heard submissions from Wain also suggested that workers be encouraged to form themselves both interested local organisations and individuals. As well as from the into groups for reasons of economy and efficiency. Even just two men Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, working together would, he believed, provide a beneficial psychological they also heard from the separate Takapuna Ex-Service Men’s Club. I effect. He also offered his services to help with tuition, suggestions and can’t locate any submission from the only other former servicemen’s organisation. club on the North Shore at that time, at Devonport. In civilian life, Wain was an engineer and inventor, who among other
The Takapuna club’s submissions were made on 14th November things patented ‘Vidite’ wallboard. 1929 and were reported in the ‘Auckland Star’, the ‘Sun’ and ‘New Ultimately, the Commission presented its report in 1930, and Wain Zealand Herald’ on following days. They were as follows: and his presentation of toys was briefly mentioned. The report found
“Insurance, relieving the employer of liability, should be provided for that around 5,000, or just 6% of returned soldiers, needed additional ex-service men whose disabilities made them more than ordinarily liable assistance, whether because of disability or economic circumstance. As to accident.” However, there were no specific recommendations made well as changes to various pensions, the Commission also recommended in the report. the creation of a Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League, with an
“Special permits, free of charge, should be issued to disabled emphasis on employment assistance and vocational training. The Act ex-service men canvassing for the sale of products of ex-service setting up that League was passed in October 1930 and the present day men's workshops or home employment schemes.” Instead, a special Workbridge (formed in 1990) traces its origins back to that League. trademark or seal was recommended.
“Disabled men should be exempted from the provisions of all david.verran@xtra.co.nz
Bronzed & Brave
THIS ISSUE: Out & About on the Shore Celebrating Spring Community Gardening Real Estate People Retirement Living
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Distributed to higher socio homes with welcoming letterboxes in Devonport, Cheltenham, Stanley Bay, Stanley Point, Vauxhall, Narrowneck, Bayswater, Belmont, Hauraki, Takapuna, Milford, Westlake, Forrest Hill, Crown Hill, Castor Bay, Sunnynook, Campbells Bay, Mairangi Bay, Murrays Bay, Northcote, Birkenhead, Chatswood, Northcote Point, Birkenhead Point, Hillcrest and to businesses, shopping centres and foyer/reception areas in these areas and Shore-wide. We also have many magazine stands throughout the North Shore. SEPTEMBER 2022ISSUE 134SEPTEMBER 2022ISSUE 134
Our next issue: November 2022 - out Friday November 4th
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ISSUE 133 – August 2022
Summer is coming! Summer is coming!
EDUCATION
NORTH SHORE’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR NEWS, VIEWS, EVENTS AND PEOPLE Proudly published by 21 ,500 Copies monthly Distributed to higher socio homes with welcoming letterboxes in Devonport, Cheltenham, Stanley Bay, Stanley Point, Vauxhall, Narrowneck, Bayswater, Belmont, Hauraki, Takapuna, Milford, Westlake, Forrest Hill, Crown Hill, Castor Bay, Sunnynook, Campbells Bay, Mairangi Bay, Murrays Bay, Northcote, Birkenhead, Chatswood, Northcote Point, Birkenhead Point, Hillcrest and to businesses, shopping centres and foyer/reception areas in these areas and Shore-wide. We also have many magazine stands throughout the North Shore. AUGUST 2022ISSUE 133 OUT & ABOUT ON THE SHORE COMMUNITY NEWS
Simon Gundry is a Devonport and North Shore identity, and character, who is known for calling a spade a spade. He is a director of contracting company Gill & Gundry, is an enthusiastic sailor (past crew-member of Ceramco New Zealand, Lion New Zealand and Shockwave) and is a life member of the North Shore Rugby Football Club. He has been writing this thought-provoking column for Channel ever since the very first issue (well over a decade ago!).
Devonport since the early 1950s...
Simon Gundry.
My family moved to Devonport in the early 1950s. My mother, father, my brother and two sisters. We moved to a two bedroom house at 43a Church St, which had a magnificent view of the harbour. The house was owned by a Reverend Blamires who was a Reverend at the Presbyterian Church in Devonport. He had a small corner room, and as part of the rental agreement my mother had to cook his dinner every night and take it into his little corner room. We also shared the house with a tenant downstairs called Clarry Webb. I didn’t know what Clarry Webb did, but he seemed to just come and go in his own space. I remember as a kid we shared a party telephone line with him, and I used to listen in on his conversations on occasion; that’s how I found out that Lee Harvey Oswald shot President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on 22 November 1963.
In 1965 my parents bought a house at 19 Fraser Road, for 5000 pounds. Fraser Road was a government housing area constructed during the 1950s. It was a two storey house with a huge back lawn, and my father kept an immaculate lawn, vegetable garden and fruit trees, as most people did in those days.
It was my first year at Takapuna Grammar School. Fraser Road is a cul de sac road off Old Lake Road in Devonport. We were surrounded by young families in the street. Across the road from us was the Gill family. That’s where I met Walter Gill, who is a great friend and has been my business partner for over 50 years. Also across the road was the Wilson family at number. 13, and the Collie family lived at the end of the cul de sac. The Hilbrons lived down the right-of-way at the back of our house and the next door neighbours were the Saundersons. At number 8 was the Hansen family. It was indeed full of kids, and we had a lot fun during summer evenings. Next door to number 19 which our family owned was a big empty paddock until they built pensioner units there in the late 1960s. Walter Gill and I used to walk to school down the track to Lake Road, up through Belmont and along Lake Road, or occasionally we would go through the western track onto Wicklow Road, right onto Montgomery, left onto Seacliff and across the top fields of Takapuna Grammar School. Pretty simple lifestyle it was, getting to and from school.
Last week I read that Simon O’Connor, of the applicant Sentinel Planning, said Auckland Council had granted nonnotified consent last week for a seven-home, two-storey terraced housing development for a 789 m2 site at 12 Fraser Road. This property was owned for some years by the Tankard family where they brought up their two sons. The building will infringe some height to boundary controls and rules around landscaped areas and outdoor living spaces. There will be seven houses and six parking spaces. In Simon O’Connor’s wisdom he stated “This development will be a great addition to the Narrow Neck community.”
Personally, I can’t see how it can be a great addition with seven houses and six carparks, when every house will have at least two cars. Where the hell is everyone going to park their cars in such a small cul de sac? It is absolute madness. There has been no renewal or addition to basic infrastructure to deal with all these new dwellings. And, another 14 extra cars heading onto Lake Road at 8am and home again in the evening.
With a combined number of some 200 female players, the North Shore Cricket Club and North Shore Rugby Club desperately need changing rooms and made an application to take over the now defunct bowling club. These two clubs submitted an expression of interest to the local Board to reconnect access to the full Devonport Domain, develop female changing facilities, construct a new multi- lane indoor facility, develop outdoor all-weather surfaces for recreational use and eventually establish a community sports centre. Council staff endorsed this application. My understanding is that the Local Board voted for the clubs to have the opportunity to go ahead with this, but Jan O’Connor, Trish Deans and Ruth Jackson voted for the Devonport Museum to have the use of a little block building for storage. This decision means that the proposal for the community sports centre cannot go ahead. So, I will not be voting for Heart of the Shore in the upcoming local body elections, and I will be voting for the Fresh Approach people, including Toni Van Tonder who is an advocate for the clubs’ proposed use and has said they will rescind the decision made by the current Board.
I’ve had some pretty positive response from North Shore people in regard to the repair of the Devonport Sea Scouts ramp and the repairs on the heritage hall, which was built in the 1800s on Duder’s Beach opposite the previously much-loved Masonic Hotel. Trust me, Auckland Transport would love to remove it, but we must fight to the bitter end to preserve this beautiful bit of heritage architecture. I had a gentleman come up to my home two weeks ago and give me $500 towards the repairs, and that was wonderful, but to be fair we will need a lot more as a community than that.
By Shore Junction’s Youth Development Specialist Josh Martin Shore Junction with e-Sports
Josh Martin.
Did you know that e-Sports is quickly becoming one of the most viewed tournaments in the world? It’s even being recognised by Sports New Zealand. E-Sports got a boost, especially at grass-roots level, during the pandemic.
Between at-home learning and the shutdown of youth sports, a high-tech generation found even more escape and engagement on its smartphones and consoles.
We have seen this passion and enthusiasm reflected at Shore Junction and recently we have had an active group of members who are extremely interested in e-Sports. Working with these young people we helped them facilitate the final of the Westlake Boys and Girls e-Sports tournament at Shore Junction. Our auditorium space was transformed into gaming central and all the “Franken-PCs” moved down so groups of 10 players could compete at a time.
Twenty young people competed in 'Valorant' and 'League of Legends', and these games were also streamed online with a live commentary running alongside. We were pleased to have the support of Kingfisher Media, a fledgling video streaming company. Kingfisher Media was started by two young men from Westlake Boys and this company is certainly one to keep an eye on!
You also may be wondering what a Franken-PC is? Well, sustainablility is huge amongst the Shore Junction members and for a while we have been collecting old PCs (donated by local community members) to refresh and rebuild with the idea of being able to donate them to young people who need their own device. One afternoon three young people came in and wanted to play League of Legends with their friends. However we only had two gaming P.Cs. What this led to is our youth workers and young people working together to make new computers. Thus the storage cupboard was opened, an old PC pulled out and tools collected. From seven old PCs we now have four of these Franken-PCs!
We are so grateful to those generous community members who have donated their old laptops and PCs to Shore Junction and especially to the incredible Smales family who continuously support us and the tech space upstairs. Shore Junction is only possible thanks to this kind of incredible support. Thanks to this generosity we have begun this journey toward an interschool e-Sport competition and a collection of Franken-PCs to give away to rangatahi who are in need. Check out @shorejunction on Instagram to keep up-to-date with all things PC and e-Sport.
By Kathryn Robertson, Takapuna Residential Bayleys Real Estate Ltd
Waiting to buy…?
Kathryn Robertson.
I have been dealing with a lot of buyers recently who tell me they are waiting for the market to reach its lowest point before they purchase. My question to them is, “How will you know when that is?”
Many experts use sales statistics for forecasting and calculating patterns and trends. The danger with that is they are all taken from the past, which means we won’t know it was the bottom of the market until we look back and compare those sales statistics with other months and years. It was the same when the market spiked postCovid; no one could have predicted how fast or high that market would rise, until it did. We can look back now and see exactly when the market peaked, plateaued, and then dropped - November 2021.
17 Winscombe Street, Belmont.
So, we know the market will rise again. It may take months, it may take longer, it may have already flattened out. No one can confidently say; it will only be obvious to most in hindsight. As agents, we see changes as they occur in real time: positive sentiment from buyers, an increase in weekly open home attendees, improved auction results (across various agencies) and an increase in multi-offers and pre-auction offers. This is how we monitor what is occurring week by week. Who knows how long this current market will last? But if you want to buy a home to live in and enjoy for years to come, and you have your finances sorted, then now is a great time to buy!
