Heritage Quarterly Spring 2020

KŌANGA • SPRING 2020

canterbury

Pou whenua commemorates iwi connections A pou whenua celebrating the navigational achievements of Māori, and commemorating the ancestral connections of iwi to Whakaraupō (Lyttelton harbour), was unveiled at the site of the Lyttelton Timeball on 16 July.

Carved by Caine Tauwhare of Ngāti Wheke, the pou represents traditional knowledge and navigational tools Māori have held for centuries. It was formally unveiled at a special ceremony coinciding with Matariki.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board Chair, Marian Hobbs, acknowledged the most generous funding support from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke for their support and generosity in the creation of the pou.

“There is no doubt now that this site acknowledges all the layers of history, heritage and rich culture that make it a truly representative story of Aotearoa New Zealand,” Marian said.

The pou whenua at Timeball Station. (Credit: Arini Poutu/Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

“This is particularly appropriate as we acknowledge, and discuss, how many of our most familiar places and markers of history should tell an inclusive story. While the Māori CONTINUED OVER >

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New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Chief Executive

< FROM PAGE 1 Andrew Coleman.

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AUCKLAND CANTERBURY

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Pou whenua commemorates Ōtuataua Stonefields confirmed iwiCategory connections as 1 historic place

CONTENTS CONTENTS

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EDITORIAL EDITORIAL Heritage New Zealand Chief

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FUNDING NORTH AND CENTRAL

Incentive OTAGO fund applications sought for 2020 round Hayes inventions keep on coming

Chief Executive Andrew Coleman Executive Andrew Coleman

14/15 CANTERBURY

FEATURE FEATURE INTERVIEW INTERVIEW

14/15 NORTHLAND cathedral

Progress at Christchurch's

Caroline Toplis:the Tohu Whenua No two days same for telling defining Alex Bellstories of Aotearoa

WEST COAST MĀORI HERITAGE

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Early astronomical observatory Significant new steps to preserve receives heritage recognition Whanganui heritage

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WHANGANUI WAIRARAPA

Tohu Whenua Hokitika launch Wāhi tūpuna status for Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou MĀORI HERITAGE and Te Kamaka o Arowhenua Knowledge of Matariki grows each year

WELLINGTON Taking care of a wonderful NORTHLAND

legacy Photographers focus on snapshots in time at Ruatuna

8/9 WELLINGTON 10/11 Centenary WELLINGTON of public good

celebrated Spirits rise with saving of historic Basin grandstand

Kaeo Post Office building listed

16/17 NORTHLAND 16 NORTHLAND Dog’s body reflects taxing times Two-decade commitment for the Hokianga comes to an end

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CANTERBURY

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It may be gone, but never NELSON forgotten Nelson’s Italian history honoured

19 AUCKLAND 18/19 AUCKLAND AND OTAGO Heritage creativity in lockdown 20 20

‘Loo Ladies’ to the fore in Auckland and Dunedin CANTERBURY

Digital tours great way to tap into rich heritage OTAGO Recognition for key building in women’s history

10/11 CANTERBURY Red and black pride

Please note that due to the uncertainty posed by COVID-19, some information shines through in the stories, and accessibility to places, may have changed from the time of writing to the date of publication. For the latest information, please visit heritage.org.nz.

Editor: Jamie Douglas. Acting Designer: Mui Leng Goh. designer: Alice Bell.

Heritage Quarterly is printed with mineral oil-free, soy-based vegetable inks on Sumo paper. This paper is Forestry Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, manufactured from pulp from responsible sources under the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Please recycle.

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Members of Heritage New Zealand can visit its properties for free, visit www.heritage.org.nz 2

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“A range of opinions were expressed regarding navigational story was told at the Timeball the extension of the boundaries of the Station prior to the earthquakes, today listed land – both for and against. Generally, formally acknowledges its rightful return in a though, the feedback in the submissions physical, permanent and meaningful way. reflected strong awareness of the outstanding heritage significance thisare place andofthe “And I’m sure many ofofyou aware the need totiming recognise these valuesand accordingly.” perfect as we celebrate commemorate MatarikiPouhere and theTaonga Māori Heritage New Zealand new year. ” undertook further research of the Ōtuataua Stonefields listing following requests from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga members of the public. On the basis of that Chief Executive, Andrew Coleman, said work it was proposed that the listing be the organisation was very proud to have changed from Category 2 to Category 1, this wonderful taonga at this site, and was and the boundary of the listed land extended. delighted to host this historic event.

“This review was confirmed by the Board “The pou is the of fourTaonga years’ hard of Heritage Newculmination Zealand Pouhere work, dedication and carving craftsmanship. and the Māori Heritage Council in line with It references and our acknowledges traditional processes under Act,” says Andrew. narratives from the centuries of navigation by “The level of quality theofdepth of research Māori prior to the and arrival Pākehā and the our staff carried out in the listing review report has creation of the Timeball Station.” been supported by the majority of submissions.”

The Whakaraupō Carving Centre and The listing review under the Heritage Ngāti Wheke proposed having a pou New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act allowed situated at the Timeball as part of the for assessment under a wider range of oncriteria site interpretation after being approached than was used for the 1991 original listing by Heritage under New Zealand Taonga assessment previousPouhere legislation.

The in 2017.assessment Ngāi Tahu Funds subsequently revised included consideration of approved a considerable grant for spiritual, cultural and traditional significance Ngāti to carve the pou. as wellWheke as historical, archaeological and other values – all of which added to the depth of The pou replaced a temporary pou – a knowledge and the significance of the area. tryptic panel – that was installed at the Under the Heritage New Zealand reopening of the Timeball StationPouhere timeball Taonga Act, the purpose of 2018. listingThe is to inform and flagpole in November the public places, historic areas, tower was about rebuilthistoric with the support of the wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu and wāhi tapu areas, community and key donors and supporters notifythe owners about the of their after earthquakes of significance 2010 and 2011 heritage place and be a source of information significantly damaged the much-loved about heritage places for the purposes of the iconic structure.

Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). ”Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will Protection for these places comes under the always remain grateful for the support of the RMA through heritage places being scheduled community which enabled the organisation on council district plans. The review of the to return whatHeritage we see List/Rārangi today to theKōrero Lyttelton New Zealand streetscape.

The building and daily dropping listing will not alter the status of the Special of the timeball 1pm is partresource of Lyttelton’s Housing Area oratany existing history and heritage that needed to be consents. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere returned and maintained, ” Andrew Taonga had no legal mandate to be said. involved in discussions around the plan change that A particular highlight of the day was the enabled land to be earmarked as a Special presence of a kererū – a sign of Māui – in a Housing Area; nor did it have a statutory role tree overlooking the ceremony. n at the resource consent stage of the process for the residential development proposal.

Writer: John O’Hare

EDITORIAL broad our heritage connections can be, especially now that the Timeball Station has representation and acknowledgement of pre- and post-colonisation. The coming together of these historical periods in Aotearoa New Zealand was profound – they do not compete, they connect.

Andrew Coleman

The importance of heritage connections In early July we offered these words – tēnā koutou I tenei wa o Matariki – welcome everyone to Matariki.

Matariki te tipua Matariki te tawhito Tau mai te wairua Mai ngā ira atua Ki te ira Tangata Haumie e, Hui e, Tāiki e!

Matariki the sacred Matariki the old Welcome the spirit Welcome the life force from the essence of spiritual beings to us of the human kind Join together to celebrate It was very poignant during Matariki this year that we, along with others, commemorated the unveiling of the pou taonga at the Timeball Station in Lyttelton.

We are reminded of the connections between Matariki, the stars, maritime voyaging, a site of significance to Ngāti Wheke and Ngāi Tahu whānui and the place of the Timeball Station.

The front page article on the Timeball Station and the pou taonga highlights how

Every now and then there is an event, a day or a moment that make us sit back and think hard about our heritage and the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand’s past and future. The rationale for the construct of the pou taonga as told by Caine Tauwhare from the Whakaraupō (Lyttelton harbour) Carving Centre and his team provides one of those moments.

“The pou is carved from tōtara sourced from Tai Poutini (the West Coast) with a special stylised corten steel insertion. The pou waka shape reflects a waka upended in the whenua and heading to the sky. This symbolism, or epitaph, refers to an ancient and special practice that occurred for a rangatira or ariki who had passed away. His waka would be upended in the whenua reaching towards the sky, symbolising and assisting his journey towards Ngā Mata Ariki which enabled easier travel for this person to reach Io Matua Kore, the penultimate destination.

“The corten steel insert shows Mata Ariki with his hoe and the water over which he travels. The notches on the edge of the insert symbol represents Kōpiri, the constellation dedicated for the atua Rongo-mā-Tāne who is a kaitiaki of the kūmara which has its own planting and harvesting mātauranga relative to the season and place where kūmara can be grown. The mātauranga that is represented in the three notches reflects the three mounds made when planting and husbanding kūmara. The first mound is for the kūmara bug; the second for the atua and the third for tangata.

“The upoko represent kōtare, the kingfisher whose characteristics like other manu, inspire us to not be afraid to go into other realms. Just as a manu can be comfortable

on land or airborne and be completely at home diving into water, so too should we be unafraid to venture across the moana.

Both eyes on the upoko are different on each side. Representing Mata Ao and Mata Pō, this reflects the range of senses and sensory input required for navigation, which are not just the visual. The currents; the winds; the sounds; the temperature and other tactile and aural sensors are all important navigational tools to employ if you want to get where you want to be.

“The spiral on the forehead of the upoko represents Rauru, the carver of the Tākitimu who was known to be a man who didn’t speak a lot but was trusted as a man of integrity, who did what he said he would do and stood by his mahi when he had done it.”

These are inspirational words, more so when we can see and experience the pou taonga and the Timeball Station facing each other on this important heritage site.

Connections as a theme run through many of the stories in this edition of Heritage Quarterly.

There are connections of interests, such as with the work on Turnbull House and at Old Government Buildings in Wellington.

There are connections of people, such as the role undertaken by Alex Bell and the properties that he leads and the long, dedicated heritage service of Mary Stevens at Ruatuna in Northland.

There are connections of the past and the future, such as the Otago Pioneer Women’s Hall in Dunedin and the Carkeek Observatory in Wairarapa.

Connections will always be important to heritage. Tapuwae reminds us that there are footsteps that have been left by ancestors at various places and sometimes those footsteps are left jointly and together.

The Timeball Station is now one of those connected places. n

Andrew Coleman

Chief Executive

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FEATURE INTERVIEW

No two days the same for Alex Bell Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Property Lead Hokianga Properties, Alex Bell, caught up with John O’Hare recently.

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Q:

What is your heritage background?

I’m a former ‘scarfie’ (from the University of Otago) and trained as an archaeologist.

I spent my early career working across Western Australia with Aboriginal groups recording archaeological sites through the wheat-belt, mid-west and the Pilbara. I loved being in the middle of the outback. It’s vast and a landscape with a living history, running back tens of thousands of years.

When I returned to New Zealand I went farming for a couple of years and worked as an archaeologist in Northland. I saw the Property Lead role advertised and I chucked my hat in the ring straight away because the opportunity was too good to pass.

Q:

How long have you worked for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga?

Just over two years. My role is so diverse. Just when you think you’ve got it sorted you find something new. I am a stickler for scheduling work so I can indulge in all the research and project work, which I love.

Q:

What does heritage mean to you?

You don’t have to be rich or famous to matter and you don’t need a statue or an autobiography to leave a lasting impact. The personalisation of history is important, when you can bring some of the emotion and experience back into a place or a building.

You don’t have to have the definitive answer.

(left) Alex Bell (centre) at Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan. (Credit: R. DARABI, IRAN) (right) Archaeological work in Pilbara, Western Australia. (Credit: alex bell)

You can say “here’s what we know, here are these perspectives”; and then as we learn more about a place we share more about those stories. There is fluidity to history – as we change, and in how we reflect on our heritage changes.

Q:

What’s your favourite part of working in heritage?

I love landscape heritage – how people modify and construct their surroundings so that a building or a town has a relevance that extends beyond its immediate boundaries.

All these different elements shape and modify a place over time.

Q:

What are some of the particular rewards working with properties?

I have keys to all the cabinets and secret cupboards; I love finding different bits and pieces. There is an insane amount of history associated with the properties which are almost bursting at the seams with collections and stories reflecting an emerging bicultural nation. We are currently focused on making those treasures and stories accessible to New Zealanders.

Q:

What are some of the challenges?

You have to be adaptable and hands on. On any day I could be working, safely, inside, on top of, or underneath our buildings. I know where the buildings leak, creak and rattle but it means sometimes sharing a workspace with a possum or a mouse. It’s like holistic heritage – the gardens, farms, buildings, collections, stories, archaeology – you’re curating it all because each element is a part of that experience.

You have to keep those elements gelling with each other and that means knowing your sites inside and out.

Q:

What have been some of the highlights of your role?

In 2019, I spent a month in Japan with support from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), working with other students and lecturers from across the globe. We worked through different elements that come into play with properties – identifying and preserving the site’s values, technical approaches to recording sites, living heritage sites and community engagement. I’ve incorporated a lot of this into the planning and management of my sites.

Q:

What inspires you about your role?

People often remark about the age of our buildings being young compared to the United Kingdom or Greece. That’s irrelevant.

These sites are important because of the stories they tell; there’s a shared multicultural history there and the buildings and collections are a vehicle for those stories. If you think about how many people visited these places historically – lived there, worked there, died there – there are all these different angles on history. The stories aren’t linear and the stories are not tidy.

Historic accounts are often reflective and written much later. I love going back to the letters and journals, contrasting those with newspapers and books of the same period.

Finding different threads at our sites, and making them accessible, is one of the best parts of my job.

Q:

What are you working on at the moment?

A large project is underway at Māngungu Mission to preserve the 19th and early 20th

century wallpapers, and record construction details to help manage the building in the future. We’ll be opening it to the public this summer as ‘conservation in action’. Keep an eye out online as we bring the public into the conservation process to show what we do behind the scenes. We’re using ‘CSI’ UV light tech to identify almost invisible, unrecorded writing on the timbers – 19th century signatures, text in English and te reo, children’s drawings, builders’ notes – hidden layers of the houses we can bring to life. We’ve also worked with the public to record stories and influences that changed these places over time so that when we do work we know what might have impacted or modified the site. Te Waimate has a Māori horticultural landscape, a European mission farm, a theological school, a military camp, a modern farm, a parsonage, a private home and a museum all in the same space, impacting the archaeological landscape. We have also been testing 3D modelling with the Edmonds Ruins site as a conservation tool and developing sustainable heritage gardens at Clendon House following the recent drought.

Q:

You’ve always got the office car booked – where are you going?

The properties under my care extend coast to coast through the north, so I spend quite a bit of time on Northland’s roads. You have to have a cracking Spotify playlist so when it’s raining you’re mentally prepared to go and work out in the wet and the cold! n

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MĀORI HERITAGE

Wāhi Tūpuna status for Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou and Te Kāmaka o Arowhenua Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has added Foxton’s Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou and Te Kāmaka o Arowhenua at Temuka to the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero as Wāhi Tūpuna listings.

Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou Ihakara Tukumaru, the rangatira of Ngāti Ngārongo of Ngāti Raukawa, built Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou in 1862 on his land to serve as a courthouse alongside many other business and public amenities. He was trying to attract Pākehā settlement to the growing town of Te Awahou (later renamed Foxton), which he had founded.

Ihakara Tukumaru was appointed a Native Assessor for the colonial government, and gifted the courthouse to the Crown. A number of significant Māori land dealings were dealt with here in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Through questionable purchases and confiscatory laws, the Crown alienated the vast majority of Ngāti Raukawa tribal lands at Te Awahou and in the wider Kāpiti region, which continues to affect the hau kāinga today.

The Foxton courthouse, cenotaph, Howard Teppett Memorial Rose Garden and the Foxton Police Station are situated on land

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which Ihakara Tukumaru held title to, and which he gifted to the Crown for the Foxton township. The area became a gathering place for Māori of different iwi to wānanga their concerns. Opposite these sites is the Wāhi Tapu and urupā known as Ihakara Gardens where Ihakara Tukumaru was laid to rest in January 1881.

The old courthouse was replaced by the current courthouse building in 1929, which continued to hear cases until it became a museum in 1971.

It was closed in 2014 as it requires earthquake strengthening. The Foxton Historical Society is raising funds to purchase the courthouse from the Horowhenua District Council.

Te Kāmaka o Arowhenua At the highway turnoff to Arowhenua Pā, at Temuka, stands a unique limestone archway.

The Arowhenua kāmaka was built in 1934 to commemorate three significant strands of identity for the Waitaha- Kāti Huirapa hapū of Arowhenua.

Thought to be the only limestone block archway of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand, the archway honours the memory of the rangatira Te Hipa Te Maihāroa who passed away in 1855, the transformative leader Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, of the Rātana Church, as well as 12 Māori soldiers of Te Wai Pounamu who fell in the Great War. The foundation stone for the memorial kāmaka was laid on 13 December 1934 by Eruera Tirikātene, MP for Southern Māori, on behalf of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, who was ill at the time. A year later, on 14 November 1935, Rātana himself unveiled the completed kāmaka.

The consecrated Ōamaru limestone block kāmaka stands on the corner of the Arowhenua Māori Reserve, on a reservation land block that (along with a portion of neighbouring land) were gifted and reserved for a model pā and meeting house in 1939.

The kāmaka has remained an integral part of the history and identity of the Arowhenua Waitaha- Kāti Huirapa hapū and Rātana faithful for over 80 years. n Writers: Annemarie Gillies, Xavier Forde, Huia Pacey and compiled by David Watt.

(top left) Te Whare Kooti o Te Awahou.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

(top right) Te Kāmaka o Arowhenua.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

wellington

Taking care of a wonderful legacy The Old Government Buildings in Wellington, which date from 1876, have had more than their fair share of attention by officials and advisors over the decades, from substantial regular maintenance through to major upgrades and restoration. At times, challenges with the building’s roof design led to buckets being used to contain the intrusion of water in periods of very heavy rainfall.

Since Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga took over the management of the Old Government Buildings from the Department of Conservation in 2017 it was recognised that thorough investigations were needed around the structure of the building to guide future conservation measures. This includes what actions need to be taken with the roof.

Over the past summer two research programmes were supported by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and expert staff at the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) School of Architecture. The first was led by architecture student Tatiana Ermenyi, using laser scanners and drones to document the roof of the building, inside and out. The second, a water harvesting feasibility study, was carried out by Rachel Paschoalin, an architect and PhD student. Both of these research projects have subsequently been accepted for presentation at the 54th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association and will be internationally published. They have directly contributed to the investigative research work led by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Central Region property team into the roof’s history and materials used over the years.

(ABOVE) An aerial view of the roof at Old Government Buildings.

(Credit: VUW School of Architecture)

(left) Old Government Buildings.

(Credit: Grant Sheehan/Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Property Lead Wellington, Ronnie Pace, says a comprehensive roof report has been completed exploring the roof’s history, materials used, changes in technologies over the years, and the potential for a new roof and how this should be approached for the future.

“The investigation of water harvesting is a ground-breaking study for urban resilience in a heritage building, and we are very excited about its potential for the Old Government Buildings, an iconic heritage building in New Zealand,” says Ronnie.

Rachel Paschoalin says population growth and climate change are imposing challenges on the built environment and urban communities, including managing growing water demand.

“A VUW thesis research from 2012 had already highlighted that the demand for potable water in New Zealand was rapidly increasing on domestic and non-domestic buildings, as well as for irrigation and recreational uses. Rainwater harvesting would be beneficial under the future scenario of water scarcity in many areas of our country,” says Rachel.

Both pieces of research illustrate the potential for new approaches to improve the resilience of heritage buildings. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will be drawing on this research in planning future maintenance and renewals for the roof at Old Government Buildings. n Writer: David Watt

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WELLINGTON

Turnbull House in Wellington. (Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

Centenary of public good celebrated Another chapter was recently written in the history of Turnbull House in Wellington as the centenary of the Alexander Turnbull Library – an internationally recognised historic collection originally located in the building and later central to the formation of the National Library of New Zealand – was marked on 28 June.

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The three-storey brick building on Bowen Street, directly across from the Beehive, was built as a combined private home and library in 1916 for nationally significant collector and bibliophile Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull.

When he died in 1918 his collection was bequeathed to the government and two years later it was opened to the public as the Alexander Turnbull Library.

In 2009, Turnbull House – an eclectic mix of Scottish Baronial, Queen Anne and Medieval stylistic elements – was deemed earthquakeprone by Wellington City Council and the

doors have remained closed since 2012 pending further strengthening work.

“An early centenary present was delivered to Turnbull House in Budget 2020 when Finance Minister, and Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Grant Robertson, announced $250,000 of funding to prepare a business case for the seismic upgrade and refurbishment of the property,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Director Central Region, Jamie Jacobs.

“This will be the catalyst for bringing new life, and another chapter, to a much-admired

and highly significant heritage building that will benefit all New Zealanders, and international visitors, when it returns as a living part of the community.

“In addition to its visually appealing architecture and siting, the building has generous and attractive interior spaces, so there are many future use options that can be explored.”

The additional funding for the development of a business case has accelerated planning work already in process. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has established a core internal project control group that will remain in place for the duration of the project. This group oversees all aspects of the project and is collaborating with a range of experts to fully understand the unreinforced masonry building and its complicated urban site. This current work underpins and strengthens the business case, while also constituting preliminary design work, and includes: a damage assessment, conditions assessment, refinement and peer review of conceptual strengthening schemes, and advice on conservation, spatial planning, building systems and ‘constructability’ by building industry experts.

(ABOVE) The entrance to Turnbull House.

(Credit: Sam O’Leary/Department of Conservation)

(LEFT) Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull. (by William Henry Scott Kinsey, c 1900. Ref: PA7-14-35)

Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

In 1994, the Department of Conservation, as previous owner, undertook a restoration that included reinstating architectural features, such as the roof and roofline, along with ensuring the building had resiliency against damage by fire.

“The business case will not only look at options strengthening the building, but also adapting it to meet 21st century requirements without compromising on the heritage values that make the place special and unique,” says Dr Jacobs.

“Located on a prime location with high visibility, it is intended that the building will have a public use and could include exhibition space, research rooms for art and heritage collections, event space, meeting rooms for community groups, and offices – there are myriad possibilities.”

Alexander Turnbull was an important collector who left an impressive and valuable legacy. His collection included works by John Milton, Māori and Pacific artefacts and clothing, coins, and volumes relating to New Zealand, ocean voyages, naval history and drama. His interests also extended into sports and recreation. In 1913, he donated his collection of artefacts to the Dominion Museum, and at his death

he bequeathed his library to the nation. The Alexander Turnbull Library officially opened 100 years ago on 28 June 1920 in Turnbull House.

The National Library of New Zealand continued to use Turnbull House until vacating in 1973, after which time various tenants and community groups utilised the building, which also functioned as event space. Turnbull’s collection and the Alexander Turnbull Library are today housed within the National Library in Wellington.

Turnbull House was transferred to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga on 30 June 2017 as part of a property portfolio realignment with the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai and Manatū

“We are really excited about the future of Turnbull House,” says Dr Jacobs. “It is a Category 1 historic place and an important part of the Government Centre Historic Area, both of which are entered on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.”

“Together with newly strengthened and upgraded Old St Paul’s, and Old Government Buildings – both of which are cared for and managed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – Turnbull House will be a focal point for a heritage triangle in Wellington’s CBD where the public is encouraged to visit and learn about significant parts of New Zealand’s history.” n Writer: Jamie Douglas

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CANTERBURY

Red and black pride shines through Ten years on from the Canterbury earthquakes, Christchurch looks different. Many historic buildings are gone and new buildings continue to fill in the gaps. But there is still plenty of heritage.

Current and former members of the Christchurch office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga reflect on some of their favourite heritage places.

Compiled by: Rosemary Baird Photo credits: All Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga

Robyn Burgess, Heritage Assessment Advisor: Sign of the Kiwi u The views and coffee are reason enough to make the hike, but these days the main reason I love frequenting the historic Sign of the Kiwi café atop Christchurch’s Port Hills is because it symbolises so much about overcoming adversity. This beautiful Arts and Crafts rest house, built of volcanic stone in 1916-17, sustained serious damage in the Canterbury quakes. It was repaired and strengthened, eventually reopening in January 2017 only to be closed for a time again a month later when the Port Hills fires came perilously close. These days it is again a humming heritage café.

Win Clark, Consulting Engineer for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga: McLean’s Mansion u The standout project I worked on related to the Canterbury earthquakes was McLean’s Mansion. I contributed to an Environment Court appeal where Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga defended their decision not to grant an archaeological authority to demolish the house. Although the building had differentially settled and lathe and plaster linings were damaged, the original timber framed structure, materials and craftsmanship of the building were very high quality. I was able to use my engineering knowledge to come up with an innovative structural repair plan. The decision of the Court agreed with our argument and I feel proud this magnificent building was saved.

Rosemary Baird, Outreach Advisor: Old Stone House at Cracroft t During lockdown I biked with my four-yearold son, Eric, to Cracroft Reserve. When I told him there was a historic house around the corner he was adamant he must see it. We had to inspect every side of the Old Stone House. Eric climbed up stairs, squeezed under little gaps and peered through the windows.

We read how John Cracroft Wilson built it as communal accommodation for his Indian and Eurasian servants. I’m grateful that this historic building, along with others, has been strengthened and restored. We need places like this so our children discover their city is full of stories and meaning.

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Jan Titus, Promotions Advisor: Provincial Council buildings q I do love walking or driving past the Provincial Council buildings in Christchurch. This wonderful group of buildings are mothballed until, I presume, there is the capital available to repair them. The work to deconstruct some of the badly damaged parts of the building was a textbook conservation exercise. I think of all the people who took care to ensure it was well looked after, stored and neatly tidied up. I like to walk past and see the safe containment of the badly damaged parts of the building and know that it is a wonderful ‘chocolate box’ of heritage waiting to be restored at some time.

Sheila Watson, Director Southern Region: Riccarton House u Riccarton House, its surrounding gardens, and Riccarton Bush became a focal gathering place following and throughout the earthquake events. For many, including myself, the on-site Canterbury Farmers Market was a lifeline when the city was cordoned off and shopping options were fairly non-existent. We could go to the market on Saturday and get fresh produce, meat, specialty baked goods, a decent coffee. The house and grounds are an uplifting setting to stock up on cheese from the Canterbury Cheesemonger, some Posh Porridge, an Italian pastry or a pie. You can also take a tour of the restored Riccarton house or visit Deans’ original two-room cottage (the oldest building on the Canterbury Plains).

Helen Osborne, Property Lead Kate Sheppard House: Arts Centre q Before the earthquakes, the Arts Centre was a second home to me – I was always to-ing and fro-ing my daughter to Southern Ballet. I spent hours making costumes in the sewing room or waiting in the quad or cafe for her lessons to end. It was an end of an era when it closed and was boarded up. Now two-thirds of the Arts Centre Te Matakikī Toi Ora has been restored, a new place I really love is the Lumiere Cinema, tucked into the old West Lecture Block. It is named after the brothers who gave birth to the big screen in 1895 using a revolutionary camera. I plan to see lots of movies in its two boutique cinemas, and enjoy a cocktail in the new lounge bar above the cinemas.

Christine Whybrew, Manager Heritage Assets South Island: The Laboratory, Lincoln p After the earthquakes, large quantities of historic building elements were salvaged during the demolition of damaged heritage buildings. Incorporating these pieces into new builds would have added character and a layer of history, but few owners and developers took up the opportunity. Martin and Lisa Bennett’s new pub, The Laboratory, bucked the trend by incorporating heritage elements throughout. They used the bar of the former Hororata Pub, the trusses from Wards Brewery and the staircase from a boarding hostel. Other finds followed: floors from the Lane Walker Rudkin factory, Wigram Bros. bricks, a pressed-tin ceiling and salvaged weatherboards, doors and sash windows. In 2015, The Laboratory was opened – a celebration of a re-born business in a new building of strangely familiar parts.

Dave Margetts, former HNZPT Conservation Architect: Community of the Sacred Name q The Community of the Sacred Name site at the corner of St Asaph and Barbadoes Streets housed an order of Anglican sisters.

I was fortunate to visit the listed heritage buildings and concealed garden oasis before the earthquakes. Seldom visited by outsiders, the complex contains a rare jewel, the Category 1 listed chapel designed by Benjamin Mountfort. After the earthquakes, as part of my work at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, I worked closely with the new owners, House and Family, to advise on retaining the social and architectural history of the site. Attending the recent reopening of the restored and repurposed timber complex was a highlight. n

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WAIRARAPA

(LEFT) Carkeek Observatory.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

(ABOVE) Stephen Carkeek, circa 1865.

Photographer unidentified. Ref: 1/2-038563-F. (Credit: National Library of New Zealand)

Early astronomical observatory receives heritage recognition The Carkeek Observatory, on a farm south of the Wairarapa town of Featherston, has been listed on the New Zealand Heritage List/ Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 1 historic place.

Built about 1867 by civil servant, Featherston sheep farmer, and amateur astronomer, Stephen Carkeek, it serves as the nation’s earliest surviving astronomical observatory building. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Heritage Assessment Advisor and researcher for the listing, Kerryn Pollock, says the observatory reflects the crucial role of amateur practitioners in the foundation and development of science in this country.

“Following organised Pākehā settlement, science in New Zealand was dominated by amateurs like Carkeek until the early 20th century. The Carkeek Observatory is an excellent representation of early amateur science in this country,” she says.

Carkeek built the timber observatory on the

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farm he bought following his retirement from the civil service in 1866. He was a dedicated astronomer, establishing latitude and longitude points by astronomical means and tracking planetary satellites, eclipses and culminations. His expertise was recognised in the lead up to the 1874 transit of Venus, which attracted many international astronomical expeditions to New Zealand.

“Astronomy became very popular in New Zealand following the transit of Venus and by the mid-20th century it was claimed that this country had the most astronomical society members per head of population,” says Kerryn.

Stephen Carkeek was also an active member of the Featherston community,

providing meteorological observations to the local newspaper and serving on various committees.

The structure was typical of modest, low cost observatories built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was comprised of two main parts – an octagonal equatorial room with a revolving canvas dome and a rectangular transit annex. The equatorial room housed a refracting telescope used to monitor astronomical objects while the north-south path of stars across the meridian was tracked with the transit telescope.

“Carkeek died suddenly in 1878 and the farm was leased and subsequently sold.

The observatory was used to store farm equipment and by the 21st century it was a partial, yet authentic ruin, but enough original fabric survives in-situ for the structure’s original function to be discernible,” says Kerryn.

“Because of their lightweight structure, observatories of this kind and era are rare internationally, making the Carkeek Observatory a remarkable survivor in a global context.” n Writer: David Watt

NORTH AND CENTRAL OTAGO

Hayes inventions keep on coming A fifth generation descendant of Ernest and Hannah Hayes has added a new chapter to the story of his family’s ingenuity.

Ross Hayes, of Anvil Engineering Ltd in Ōamaru, is supplying Hayes Engineering Works and Homestead with a foot-operated hand sanitising station he researched and created from scratch.

Ross’ grandfather was the late Clive Hayes, the last Hayes to run the family engineering works in Oturehua. Ross is proud of the family history.

“Clive has been a huge inspiration through my life. At least one person in the Hayes family per generation has been an engineer, because that’s how our brains work.”

That family creativity was put to the test when Maheno School, where his son attends, asked Ross if he could help make a foot-operated hand sanitiser as the available products were too expensive. Ross jumped at the chance and made a prototype.

The school loved the sanitiser station and immediately requested another.

Rather than trying to make a big profit, Ross sees the product as a community service.

He has kept the cost low to support local businesses and schools. Ross’ wife, Ailsa, put the hand sanitiser on their business Facebook page, and orders started to come in from cafés, marae and schools. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Property Lead for Totara Estate, Keren Mackay, soon discovered the product.

“My first thought was that this was just what we needed for visitors at our properties. The Hayes family connection made them even more special.”

(ABOVE) Totara Estate Property Lead, Keren Mackay, with the hand sanitiser.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

(BELOW) Ross Hayes with his children Dylan and Abby. (Credit: Ailsa Hayes)

Four of the foot-operated dispensers have now been ordered for Hayes Engineering Works, Totara Estate, Clarks Mill (south of Ōamaru) and Fyffe House (in Kaikōura).

Ross is thrilled that Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga properties, including Hayes Engineering, are using the product. Ross, and other family members, often try to donate a day of free labour to projects at Hayes Engineering Works. In the past they have relocated or fixed windmills on the site.

“We love the place,” says Ross. “We really appreciate the fact that Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is looking after it.”

For Ross, it is an absolute highlight to have something made by the current generation of the Hayes family going back to support the history of past generations. n Writer: Rosemary Baird

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NORTHLAND

Kaeo Post Office building listed Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has listed the former post office in Kaeo as a Category 2 historic place to recognise the landmark building’s heritage significance.

“Postal services began operating in Kaeo in 1857 – only 17 years after New Zealand’s first post office was established in KororārekaRussell,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland Manager, Bill Edwards.

“Originally based in the general store of William Spickman, the Kaeo sub-post office was only one of four in Northland. Spickman and his successors provided postal services to the community for over 50 years before Kaeo’s ‘official’ post office building was completed in 1912.”

After the death of the second postmaster, Richard Gibbs, in 1876, his wife Miriam assumed the role. She operated her general store business and postal service for 12 years before selling the store and moving the service to a side lean-to at her house.

“Miriam was not the only postmistress in New Zealand. The post office was a pioneer in women’s employment in New Zealand, although women were paid less than their male counterparts,” says Bill.

“They were also required to resign if they got married – an incredible imposition by today’s expectations. Interestingly, Miriam was one of several women in Kaeo who signed a nationwide petition in 1893 seeking the right for women to vote in parliamentary elections; legislation that was passed later that year.”

Besides managing mail, Kaeo’s postal services included collection of Government duties, taxes and fees; payment of pensions and advances; and operating as agents for Government bodies like the Public Trust.

“These places were important hubs, and increasingly became symbolic of community progress. A major period of new post office

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construction in New Zealand took place between 1900 and 1914, and the Kaeo Post Office building was constructed during this boom,” says Bill.

Originally designed as a single-storey building, plans were finalised for a two-storey timber structure designed in the Edwardian Baroque style, which drew on architectural features of classical influences like Rome.

“In Kaeo the post office was built from wood – a decision influenced by the abundance of timber in Northland,” says Bill.

“Timber was supplied locally, and the building itself was constructed by Kaeo builders Joseph and Wesley Hare.”

The result was an impressive amenity that inspired community pride when it opened for business in May 1912. One observer wrote

that its polished rimu and totara linings ‘looked more like a handsome piece of furniture than a public office’.

With its telegraph bureau room, large mail room and small telegraph exchange the post office represented state of the art technology.

“The first occupant was postmistress Emily Adams who lived in the specially-built residence upstairs,” says Bill.

“In 1916, the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Association – one of the largest employers in the country with more staff than the rest of the public service combined – passed a remit supporting equal pay for female employees.

At a time when jobs were filled in greater numbers by women due to men enlisting to fight in the First World War, this proposal was supported by many men who believed it would result in them being preferred over women for the same position.”

(OPPOSITE) The Postmaster’s Office door.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

(BELOW) The stairway at the former post office.

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

The former Kaeo Post Office. (Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

Besides social change, the post office reflected changes in technology. In 1920, a new telephone exchange opened in Kaeo with 42 subscribers. Operated predominantly by female employees – some as young as 14 – the manual switchboard became a coordination centre for childbirths, local emergencies and fires.

During the Second World War, the post office fulfilled vital functions for servicemen and residents connecting servicemen at nearby Army, Navy and Air Force camps. Many parcels for local servicemen stationed overseas also passed through the mail room.

The postmaster at the time, Percy Miller, was generally the first to be notified of a local soldier’s death, and it often fell to him to visit bereaved families to inform them of their loss.

“After the Second World War, the post office remained a community hub with staff undertaking informal roles, including translation between Te Reo and English for Māori residents drawing their pensions,” says Bill.

Mail volume at Kaeo peaked in the 1970s.

During the global fuel crisis of 1979-80, Carless Day stickers were issued from here as part of government efforts to economise consumption. Weddings were carried out, and the manual telephone exchange – which included some party lines – remained in use until November 1989; the last of its type to be used on the mainland.

“Changes during the Fourth Labour Government of the 1980s impacted the service as functions of the post office were divided into three state owned enterprises – New Zealand Post, Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and PostBank,” says Bill. “Kaeo Post Office closed for business in May 1989.”

It wasn’t the end of the road for the local landmark, however. In 2012, the building was refurbished to commemorate its centenary, and today functions as a library and community centre operated by the Far North District Council. n Writer: John O’Hare

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NORTHL AND

Mary Stevens at Ruatuna. (Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

Two-decade commitment comes to an end

The collection includes correspondence belonging to Gordon Coates, the country’s first elected New Zealand-born Prime Minister, including letters from his years as leader and later when he served as part of New Zealand’s wartime government.

A 20-year labour of love has come to an end for Pahi resident Mary Stevens.

“Coates’ time as Prime Minister was important for New Zealand,” says Mary. “He spearheaded basic infrastructure which we take for granted today – roading, railway, hydro-electric power and institutions like the Reserve Bank.”

After spending two decades recording and cataloguing collection items at Ruatuna – the historic farm and homestead of the Coates family who established themselves in Matakohe in the 1860s – Mary has called it a day.

“Ruatuna has well over 6000 collection items catalogued, some of which date back to the earliest days of Ruatuna’s existence,” she says.

“With such a unique collection, it’s really important to have accurate information about the artefacts.”

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Over the years, Mary has became familiar with the collection items and the stories of the people associated with them.

Completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies also helped raise her awareness of the significance of the stories associated with Ruatuna.

“Besides Gordon Coates, the lives of many other members of the family are also represented through the collection items,” she says. “Gordon’s younger brother William,

for example, died in the First World War. We have letters when both men were serving in Europe, and a particularly precious item – a gold replica of William’s cap badge made for his mother Eleanor, which she treasured.”

Ruatuna’s collection tells the story of an extraordinary family spanning over 150 years in New Zealand, and includes early farming diaries through to 20th century social history.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Director Northern, Sherry Reynolds, praised Mary’s professionalism and commitment over the years.

“Mary has done remarkable work cataloguing the collection at Ruatuna – a major task given the sheer number of items and the physical environment of the house, which has been preserved in the exact same state as when the last members of the Coates family were living there,” she says.

“We are very grateful for all the hard work that Mary has done at Ruatuna over the years.” n Writer: John O’Hare

nelson

Nelson’s Italian history honoured The story of Nelson’s Italian community has been commemorated with a heritage panel in The Wood suburb.

In early July a two-sided panel was unveiled at the intersection of Tasman and Grove Streets in Nelson, including information about the history of The Wood and in particular the contributions made by members of the Italian community.

The panel, jointly funded by the Nelson City Council and City of Nelson Civic Trust, takes its information from Karen Price and Karen Stade’s history of the Italian community in Nelson – Pasta, Prayer and Promise, the Story of Nelson’s Italian Community 1860-2014.

While Italian emigration to Nelson extends back as far as the 1860s, when Italian fishermen settled there, it was during the early decades of the 20th century that the main bulk of migrants came to the area in a series of chain migrations. They were joined by an influx of compatriots following the Second World War. The centre of the Italian community settlement was The Wood which, with its frost-free environment, was the ideal location for Italian market gardeners to grow and sell tomatoes, along with other crops like peppers and aubergines. By the 1980s The Wood appeared to be a sea of glass when viewed from the hills surrounding Nelson city, as glasshouses replaced outdoor gardens.

However, rising rates eventually made land in The Wood too expensive for horticultural use and, with the expansion of tomato production in Auckland and Christchurch, and the impact of younger generations of Italian descendants looking to work

The centre of the Italian community settlement was The Wood which, with its frost-free environment, was the ideal location for Italian market gardeners to grow and sell tomatoes, along with other crops like peppers and aubergines. outside of horticulture, their parents and grandparents, second and first generation New Zealand Italians, made the tough decision to sell their gardens. From the mid-1990s the glasshouses were gradually dismantled and the land redeveloped into residential subdivisions, many of which bear the names of the families who once owned and cultivated the land.

John Esposito, chairman of the Italian community’s social club, Club Italia, said the new heritage panel was a timely reminder of the extraordinary deeds carried out by very ordinary people when they came to New Zealand.

On his first visit to Nelson, Italian Ambassador, Fabrizio Marcelli, said it was great to see the

recognition of the contributions these Italian families had made to the city.

“I am really pleased with the way you have kept the Italian fire alive over all these years,” he said. n Writers: Karen Stade, Karen Price and coordinator David Watt

(ABOVE) Pictured with the new heritage panel, from left, City of Nelson Civic Trust trustee, Karen Stade, the Italian Ambassador, Fabrizio Marcelli, and Nelson City Councillor, Gaile Noonan.

(Credit: Martin De Ruyter/Nelson Mail/Stuff)

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AUCKLAND AND OTAGO

‘Loo Ladies’ to the fore in Auckland and Dunedin It’s always a relief when a public toilet is in sight. They appear around New Zealand in varying forms, from relatively grand to the most basic structures. For many, so long as function is working then form can be overlooked.

During Auckland’s Heritage Festival, from 26 September to 11 October, the exhibition ‘Flushed out – the secrets of the public toilet’ will feature at the Te Atatu North Community Centre, 595 Te Atatu Road, Te Atatu Peninsula.

Last year, heritage and research graduate and former Visitor Services Co-ordinator at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga property Highwic, Samantha Waru, and Auckland Council Senior Archivist Outreach, Vicky Spalding, took on the mantle of Auckland’s ‘Loo Ladies’. Samantha researched the history of Auckland’s public toilets from heritage facilities through to more modern designs, while Vicky curated the resulting essay into an exhibition. The exhibition is divided into several themes: toilets as art, eco toilets, underground facilities, accessibility and architectural design.

Why public toilets? There is always interest in this quirky, and slightly taboo, topic. These modest, and often overlooked, structures can tell fascinating stories about Tāmaki Makaurau and the people who lived and worked there.

Public toilet designs also reveal changing social attitudes towards health and hygiene.

Since 1891 Auckland has been New Zealand’s largest city. With the resulting

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growth in population, issues due to the lack of sanitation soon became apparent.

Besides the need for proper drainage and sewerage, there was also a growing need for public toilets to help clean up the city streets. On 18 August 1863, the City Board of Commissioners decreed that work to build the first men’s public toilet in Auckland should be started. This first toilet was a urinal and water closet located at the beginning of Queen Street Wharf on Custom House Street (now Customs Street).

Public conveniences were built in places used by many people and the 19th and 20th century saw a huge increase and progress in the provision of public conveniences. Over time, conveniences have evolved from very basic facilities to architecturally designed

structures. While the designs may have changed, the expectations of public toilet users have not. People expect public toilets to be clean, accessible, convenient, and to have a certain degree of privacy.

Today, public toilet design is an opportunity for architectural flair, telling local stories, being environmentally friendly and to be more than just buildings with a toilet.

Dunedin also has its ‘Loo Lady’ in Dunedin City Council Digital Archivist, Alison Breese.

Alison has researched the old toilet at the intersection of Princes Street and Manor Place in Dunedin and her application for a heritage listing with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has been accepted for review.

(ABOVE) Durham Street toilet entrance, 1996.

Auckland Council Archives AKC 325/68l (opposite) Durham Street latrine and urinal, City Engineer’s plan, 1906. Auckland Council Archives ACC 015/1662-1 (ABOVE right) Manor Place Public Urinal plans, 1912. Dunedin City Council Archives, City Engineers Series, 12/2/2d – Flickr.com CC BY 2.0 (RIGHT) Manor Place Toilets, 1919. Dunedin City Council Archives, City Engineer’s Department, CE Correspondence Series 2, Vol 18 – Flickr.com CC BY 2.0

The convenience in Dunedin was built in 1912 and still retains its original tiles and urinals. It was built following a petition being signed by concerned neighbouring residents and ratepayers, complaining about the convenience that preceded it.

The community was concerned about its aesthetics within the cityscape and its offensiveness to members of the public. They called for an underground convenience for both sexes, especially due to its proximity to two of the city reserves.

The Dunedin City Council agreed that a more modern structure could replace the old one and a new, modern, above ground convenience (for men only) was constructed.

The Manor Place urinals lined the walls and formed the octagonal shape of the structure itself. In 1919, the city engineer described the Manor Place structure as an “object of beauty, draped as it is in lovely native shrubs”.

The shrubbery was even more important to the aesthetics of an above ground station, as it provided concealment for selfconscious patrons.

After largely being ignored for decades, the Manor Place urinal was identified as being redundant and costly to maintain.

It was marked for demolition in 1976, but was saved only temporarily as a place for Transport Department staff to use. After they no longer needed it the doors were bricked up in the 1980s.

The Manor Place Convenience is unique in that it has never been upgraded and has retained its original 1912 interior, with the arts and crafts tiles and Twyford urinals providing a time capsule into early 20th century Dunedin. It is a rare reminder of the original style and fittings of the long-removed underground toilets in the Exchange and Octagon. n Writer: Antony Phillips (with assistance from Auckland Council Archives and Dunedin City Council Archives)

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(left) The Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association building.

otago

(Credit: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga)

(right) OPWMA president, Irene Mosley, with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff Sarah Gallagher and Rosemary Baird.

(Credit: Sue Graham)

as a monument to women. Outreach Advisor, Rosemary Baird, also attended to officially hand over the listing report to Irene Mosley, the new president of OPWMA. “It’s really important for our staff to connect with our List owners if that’s what they want,” says Rosemary.

“We value the opportunity to support the incredible work they do in caring for our heritage places.”

Recognition for key building in women’s history The Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association (OPWMA) is looking forward to the future. As changes beckon, the organisation has appreciated recognition of their building in Moray Place, Dunedin, as a Category 1 historic place on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.

The OPWMA building came about through the efforts of gutsy Otago women to create a space specifically for their needs. Attempts to erect a building as part of the 1940 Centenary celebrations were foiled by the Otago Provincial Centennial Council. But the group of women did not give up and, after vigorous fundraising, they purchased an existing Art Deco building on Moray Place. It was opened in 1942 as a venue for women to pursue social and educational interests.

The recent OPWMA Annual General Meeting was a great opportunity to celebrate the listing. OPWMA members enjoyed an inspiring talk from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Listing Advisor, Sarah Gallagher, about the building’s significance

The event also highlighted new challenges the OPWMA faces as it contemplates the future. The OPWMA building is not earthquake compliant and a new feasibility study will investigate strengthening options and possible uses for the building.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff from the Otago/Southland Area Office look forward to helping support the OPWMA to preserve this special building for future generations.

“This is a special place, notable for its feminist social history and beautiful art deco design elements,” says Sarah.

“We hope the OPWMA will find an ongoing solution to will keep this building alive for future generations.” n Writer: Rosemary Baird

Published by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Heritage Quarterly keeps you up-to-date with heritage work from around New Zealand.

For more information or to subscribe, write to PO Box 2629, Wellington 6011 or contact the Editor, phone: 04 470 8066 or email: mediamarketing@heritage.org.nz. ISSN 2324-4267 (Print) ISSN 2324-4275 (Online).

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