SPRING 2019
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Waitangi National Trust chair Pita Tīpene, at right, receives the wakahuia from Dame Rangimarie (Naida) Glavish and Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Grant Robertson. (CREDIT: JESS BURGES/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
New Zealand’s first National Historic Landmark
Te Pitowhenua Waitangi Treaty Grounds is the country’s first National Historic Landmark, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Grant Robertson announced at a moving ceremony at Waitangi on 27 June.
The new programme to establish National Historic Landmarks will help protect New Zealand’s defining moments in time and the special places that are the cornerstones of national identity. “Some of these sites are associated with important and sometimes challenging discussions about the events that have shaped our past and will influence our future,” says the Minister. CONTINUED OVER >
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“Given the cultural, historic and social significance of this place, both before and after 6 February 1840, it’s appropriate the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is New Zealand’s first National Historic Landmark,” he says.
Contents 1
NORTHLAND
New Zealand’s first National Historic Landmark
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CONTENTS
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3 EDITORIAL
Heritage New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew Coleman
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FEATURE INTERVIEW
Pam Bain: Plenty of positives in heritage
BAY OF PLENTY
Seventies celebration of tourism architecture recognised
16/17 MID-CANTERBURY Recognition for rare market garden site
Wāhi tūpuna status for Pāpāwai Marae
SOUTHLAND The man who drove a gold mining revival
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Kaupokonui crème de la crème
Standing the test of time
Cathedral team focus on planning upfront
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18/19 CANTERBURY
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TAUPŌ DISTRICT Remembering Te Kooti and caring for Te Porere
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6/7 WAIRARAPA
Heritage owner profile: Mik Smellie – Shortland Flats
Treaty Grounds ceremony a wonderful day
All set for Kerikeri bicentenary celebrations
Editor: Jamie Douglas. Designer: Mui Leng Goh. 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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Te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta says places such as Waitangi have deep significance to New Zealanders and its safeguarding is important to us all. “Following discussions with site owners, iwi and the community, further Landmarks will be identified and added to the programme to recognise and preserve the heritage value of these places throughout the country,” Nanaia Mahuta says. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Chief Executive Andrew Coleman says the National Historic Landmarks programme adds another valuable layer to the recognition and safeguarding of our country’s most valuable built and land-based taonga. “National Historic Landmarks have long-term safeguarding so they can remain key historic places for future generations to visit and enjoy,” says Andrew. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga oversees the National Historic Landmarks Ngā Manawhenua o Aotearoa me ōna Kōrero Tūturu programme, recommending places to the Associate Minister for approval following public and Ministerial consultation. “National Historic Landmarks enhance our ability to recognise and celebrate our heritage and history along with the Heritage New Zealand List/Rārangi Kōrero and the Tohu Whenua programme we have in partnership with Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage and Department of Conservation,” says Andrew. The programme works with site owners, iwi and community stakeholders to identify, recognise and protect the heritage values of these places. Last week’s announcement reflected the importance of the Treaty Grounds and its many layers of history, says Waitangi National Trust CEO Greg McManus. For more information about the programme please visit www.historiclandmarks.org.nz
Writer: Jamie Douglas
EDITORIAL
Significant heritage
ANDREW COLEMAN
It is very pleasing that this edition of Heritage Quarterly acknowledges places of significant heritage, telling their stories and describing why they are important to New Zealand. The listing of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds as a National Historic Landmark was a rightful designation for this significant historic place. It was a wonderful event, described and depicted well in this edition. It is pleasing that the significance of Pāpāwai Marae has been recognised as a wāhi tūpuna. This marae sits at the heart of a quiet Māori community near Greytown. A dedicated community effort initially led by Te Manihera Rangitakaiwaho from the 1850s saw it become a bustling centre of several thousand people and a place of significant and national political importance. The significance of the Whakatane Airport listing was recognised through a ceremony that was very well attended. The opportunity was also taken to present a ‘Listing Information Pack’ that is intended to be given to heritage property owners across New Zealand. The significant heritage stories of all of these places deserve to be told and celebrated. Heritage buildings, places or areas are often described as being ‘significant’. The perception is that they are more important, of greater value and warranting higher status. But interestingly, ‘significant’ is not a word that is defined in the Heritage
New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. It does not describe why we have National Historic Landmarks, it is not a prescribed characteristic of a wāhi tapu, a wāhi tūpuna or a wāhi tapu area, it is not a reference to a historic area or place and nor is it one of the criteria for the Heritage New Zealand List Rārangi Kōrero Category 1 or Category 2. But it is a word that is often used to describe heritage; it is in our everyday language.
Grounds as an example; currently it is a listed heritage place, it is a wāhi tapu, it is one of the heritage sites in Northland that are linked to Tohu Whenua, a programme highlighting special places that tell our stories. The trustees and directors of the Treaty Grounds have aspirations of the site being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, initially on the tentative list and then formally and fully as a World Heritage site of significance.
‘Significant’ and ‘significance’ are referred to in the Act in the context of other things, such as “cultural significance” and “significant heritage value”, but without definition they are open to
Words associated with heritage often require interpretation and it helps if there are guidelines. It is for this reason that the ‘Significance Assessment Guidelines’ were compiled and endorsed by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board and Māori Heritage Council.
The significance of the Whakatane Airport listing was recognised through a ceremony that was very well attended. The opportunity was also taken to present a ‘Listing Information Pack’ that is intended to be given to heritage property owners across New Zealand. interpretation. So what might all this mean? Maybe we are all entitled to an opinion on the status of significant. If individuals have a personal and deep heritage connection to a place, building, site or area then it will be significant to them. As we can read in this edition people such as Pam Bain, Te Manihera Rangitakaiwaho, Mik Smellie and Keith Paterson have made significant contributions to heritage. The archaeological area declaration for the Ng King Brothers Market Garden in Ashburton was a significant event, particularly for the community that witnessed their forebears being recognised. Heritage places have a number of ways of being acknowledged and recognised for their significance. Taking the Waitangi Treaty
The ‘Significance Assessment Guidelines’ remind us of the thresholds that identify levels of heritage significance or value. At the highest value, they may be ‘special’ or ‘outstanding’. At the least value, there may be little or no heritage value, or even adverse or negative value. The degree of significance is established by assessing the historic place or area against criteria to explain why it is important. They also remind us that a method is required to assess the level of significance for a historic place or area. An assessment is made where two factors are determined: first, the nature of the heritage values ascribed; secondly, the degree of their significance. We welcome your use of these guidelines. They are available on the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga website (www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/nominate-ahistoric-place). They are also used to assist in determining the significance of the places and people that you will read about. n
ANDREW COLEMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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FEATURE INTERVIEW
Plenty of positives in heritage Heritage New Zealand’s Director Regional Services, Pam Bain, still has a strong passion for archaeology. In her new position she keeps a trowel handy should the need arise to scrape the surface off an exciting outreach opportunity that promotes heritage. She talks with Jamie Douglas. 4
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So what do you do at Heritage New Zealand? I was born in Ōamaru so I guess it was just a matter of time before I ended up working with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. You can hardly grow up in Ōamaru and be oblivious to New Zealand’s heritage, ranging from the amazing Māori rock art to the white stone buildings. I joined Heritage New Zealand in December 2012 as the Senior Archaeologist and oversaw the implementation of the archaeological processes associated with the new 2014 legislation. One of the aspects of that role I was passionate about was getting the really interesting archaeological information out to the community. In 2018, an opportunity came up with the role of Director Regional Services to be involved
in celebrating heritage protection and heritage stories. The role really requires lots of engagement across the organisation and with the wider community. Before coming to Heritage New Zealand I worked for the Department of Conservation (DOC), in the Gisborne office for over 20 years in a range of roles relating to heritage protection. This heritage role required strong community relationships and I have carried these relationships into my work at Heritage New Zealand.
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What staff do you oversee in the Regional Services team? The Regional Services team is all about engagement internally and externally. We are the team that supports regional initiatives across the country, working together to extend the reach of heritage protection and stories.
(FAR LEFT) Pam Bain at a happy place, surrounded by water and heritage, in Venice. (LEFT) Pam with students from Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti during work to map Hungahungatoroa Pā on the East Coast. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
Whether it is the legal team’s efforts for heritage protection, the outreach and media staff involved in celebrating heritage stories or Tohu Whenua (a joint programme with Heritage New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and DOC) working with communities to provide great visitor experiences at heritage places, we can do this so much better with others involved. The role of Director Regional Services is an exciting new position. It allows us to be innovative and creative in working with others to protect heritage and tell important heritage stories.
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Was it difficult to move away from archaeology, or do you keep an eye on what’s going on? Oh yes, it was a really big decision for me, but really you never move away from archaeology or the archaeological whānau. I still try to keep up to date with what is happening to make sure we promote interesting archaeology work where appropriate. Now I get the best of both worlds – I still get to be involved in archaeology through promoting and supporting archaeological stories. Recently I was involved with our regional staff and Ngāpuhi in nominating the Kerikeri Mission Te Reo slates for inscription on UNESCO’s Aoteoroa/New Zealand Memory of the World Register. These slates are significant early examples of te reo written by Māori
women around 1830. Once accepted on the register we celebrated this recognition with an amazing event at Kerikeri attended by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. I was also lucky to be involved in supporting the funding application, public open day and filming of the Mangahawea excavation in the Bay of Islands in January this year. So I still get out and about supporting, promoting and being involved where I can.
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How important is engagement with the wider community in promoting heritage? Extremely. The whole kaupapa of the Regional Services team is about engagement. I believe the connection with people and a place must be maintained for it to be heritage, otherwise all you have is a place. Working with communities to support heritage protection and celebrate heritage stories is really exciting. This offers an opportunity to introduce new people to the importance of heritage. Last year Heritage New Zealand was involved in a Suffrage 125 community art project with artist Janet de Wagt and Creative New Zealand which was all about linking the suffrage story to heritage places, people and communities. We are increasingly focusing on making heritage accessible and interesting to a wider audience so that they also relate to the stories and places around them.
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What do you like doing away from work? I am currently back living in Gisborne and once again getting engaged in the community. There are so many things happening in regional communities and the Gizzy weather lends itself to lots of outdoor activities. And if you are ever in Gisborne on a Tuesday night I can recommend the Pub Choir at Smash Palace Bar!
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Do you have a particular heritage place special to you? Oh yes, I really do. It is Ōpoutama Cooks Cove, at Tolaga Bay, just north of Gisborne. Ōpoutama is an amazing microcosm of New Zealand heritage; it’s a very early Māori settlement, witnessed the arrival of the Endeavour and Tupaia who left his mark on the land, years of farming and increased environmental protection. This has all been set against a background of the land which has been in continuous Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti iwi ownership.
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How important is heritage really? Incredibly. It is a really important way of setting people in the landscape, and recognising people’s association with stories and places. Our heritage is what makes our country what it is today, warts and all. Everyone’s stories and associations with heritage places contribute to understanding who we are. And it is different for everyone. Acknowledging those connections is important. n
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WAIRARAPA
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Wāhi tūpuna status for Pāpāwai Marae Pāpāwai has become the first marae in New Zealand to be listed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga as a wāhi tūpuna. 6
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Pāpāwai Marae sits at the heart of a quiet Māori community, five kilometres east of Greytown in South Wairarapa. It is a place imbued with the mana of its rangatira (chiefs) and tūpuna (ancestors) and is associated with the surrounding papakāinga (village). The whare tūpuna (ancestral house) is Hikurangi, and the whare kai (dining room) is Te Waipounamu. The marae is where the hapū and iwi of Pāpāwai, led by Ngāti Moe, Ngāti Kauhi, Ngāti Pateika, Ngāti Muretu and Ngāti Kahukura-awhitia, all Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, give life to the concepts of
kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, whakapono, tikanga and kawa. Historically, this was most evident in their hosting of large multi-iwi Kotahitanga hui in the 1890s and early 1900s. These nationally significant events were attended by thousands of Māori and by leading Pākehā political figures, in order to discuss critical social, political and cultural issues. A dedicated community effort initially led by Te Manihera Rangitakaiwaho saw it become a bustling centre of several thousand people
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and a place of national importance with its own newspaper in the 1890s. Te Manihera Rangitakaiwaho emerged as an early leader at the Pāpāwai township, to the extent that it was briefly known as Manihera Town. He promoted it as being mo ngā iwi kātoa inaianei (for all the people today), but after a dispute over control of a local flour mill, Ngatuere and Wi Kingi Tutepakihirangi settled their people elsewhere. Te Manihera maintained the vision of Pāpāwai as a political, cultural and economic centre, although this did not come to fruition until shortly before his death in 1885. After the whare Tūpuna Hikurangi was opened in 1888, an agreement aimed at settling disputes over Wairarapa Moana and lands around it was made at Pāpāwai by Ngāti Kahungunu and Native Minister, Sir James Carroll, in January 1896. Larger buildings capable of seating gatherings of over 1,000 people were put up beside Hikurangi in time for Pāpāwai to host Te Kotahitanga’s annual Māori Parliament in 1897 and 1898. The “Te Kotahitanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi” political movement was established by many iwi to further self-determination and to resist land loss. Those who gathered at Pāpāwai were visited by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord Ranfurly, and Premier Richard John Seddon. The large purpose-built-T shaped structure at Pāpāwai comprised two whare: Aotea was a
large meeting hall capable of holding 1,000 people, and Te Waipounamu was a two-storey building with sleeping quarters on the top floor and a wharekai below able to seat 300. The weatherboard buildings were a fusion of Māori and Pākehā traditions. Pāpāwai had a national Māori newspaper, Te Puke ki Hikurangi, which published from 1897 to 1913. It promoted Kotahitanga, Treaty of Waitangi issues, and a range of cultural and political matters. This newspaper was managed for a time by Niniwa-i-te-rangi, a mana wāhine, a woman of high standing in the community who, working with her cousin Tamahau Mahupuku, played a leading role in Kotahitanga and at Pāpāwai. Although the largest parliament buildings were lost to damage from a storm in 1934, the marae buildings and unique carved figures of rangatira standing around its perimeter (whakapakoko) still remain. The 18 carved figures erected in 1904 originally stood atop posts mounted around the perimeter and represented leading rangatira of the hapū, iwi and wider district including Nukupewapewa, Ngātuere, and Te Wharepōuri (of Te Āti Awa in Whanganui a Tara). One represented the early settler William Mein Smith. The whakapakoko stood facing inwards towards the marae to represent peace and unity, rather than outwards in a defensive stance. The whakapakoko reflect the unique
tikanga of Pāpāwai. The marae and its community continue to carry its legacy today. Pāpāwai Marae is vested in elected trustees who administer the marae on behalf of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa. The marae trustees set out their broad aspirations to ensure Pāpāwai Marae is nationally recognised and to restore and upgrade the marae and its taonga. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will be providing further technical advice to assist the marae in the conservation of these important taonga and explore other ways to express their kaitiakitanga and share their stories. n
Writers: David Watt, Xavier Forde, Bruce Stirling and Brian Ruawai-Hamilton.
1. Pāpāwai wharenui, at left, and wharekai. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
2. Whakapakoko following restoration work, October 1993. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
3. Pāpāwai Marae waharoa, c.2012. (CREDIT: BRUCE STIRLING)
4. ‘Māori group at the opening of meeting house at Pāpāwai Pa, Greytown,’ 1897 (Premier Richard Seddon front left in top hat with beard). (CREDIT: PACOLL-1892-77, ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY) 5. Tamahau Mahupuku and his wife Arete at Pāpāwai, c.1900. (CREDIT: 1/1-007843-G, ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY)
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TARANAKI
Kaupokonui crème de la crème The comprehensive group of dairy factory buildings and hydro-power installation created by the Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Company Limited, at Kaupokonui in south Taranaki, has recently been added to the New Zealand Heritage List/ Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 1 historic place. Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Factory Complex (Former) is the most intact remaining example of a dairying complex in the region, which contributes to the outstanding heritage significance of the complex.
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New Zealand’s dairy industry was well established by the 1880s, but was relatively slow to take hold in Taranaki. By the beginning of the 20th century the province’s dairy industry was flourishing though, including the Kaupokonui cooperative. The cooperative was founded in 1897 and immediately set about building its Kaupokonui factory, which rapidly became the parent location to many branch factories the company subsumed or established throughout the district. The Kaupokonui cooperative was also quick to establish private hydro-power capabilities at Kaupokonui, giving it a distinct advantage over many of its competitors. The original 1897 timber factory burnt down in 1910 and was rebuilt in reinforced concrete, as were subsequent additions and other auxiliary buildings. Despite incremental additions the factory building, a landmark along the Surf Highway/State Highway 45, retains its characteristic dairy factory appearance due to features such as the large 1952 loading bay. Unlike the factory, the 1911 reinforced concrete general store, and other associated utility buildings have not been significantly
altered. However, the hydro-power scheme, which was developed from 1900 onwards, was modified out of necessity to continue to make it viable. One example of this was the building of a new weir in 1941 after a destructive flood. The Kaupokonui cooperative became widely recognised as the most successful dairy cooperative in New Zealand and, some said, the world. However, after 30 years of discussions the Kaupokonui cooperative finally amalgamated with one of its once bitter rivals in 1963. The end product of this and subsequent amalgamations was the creation of the dairying giant Fonterra Cooperative Dairies in 2001. The Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Factory Complex (Former) has particular heritage importance because of the pervasiveness of dairying in Taranaki, as well as the outstanding historic contribution the Kaupokonui cooperative and factory complex made to this industry locally and nationally. n
Writer: Karen Astwood
(ABOVE) Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Company – Main Factory, 2012. (CREDIT: RON LAMBERT)
November conference in Cromwell
CANTERBURY
The Earth Building Association of New Zealand’s national conference is being held in Cromwell from 2-3 November. “For many years natural building has been seen as a fringe construction technique, but in Central Otago we have many repurposed earth buildings, outstanding examples of new work, and comfortable accommodation in bed and breakfasts, homes and campgrounds,” says association representative and Alexandra-based sustainability consultant, Nigel Murray. The association’s conference theme is ‘Standing the Test of Time’. “We want to show off the number and variety of earth buildings still doing fine service,” says Nigel.
Standing the test of time Coton’s Cottage in Hororata was built of cob more than 150 years ago. Labourer Bentley Coton and his wife Sarah Jane had no children, so the five-room dwelling was remarkably spacious for a small-holder couple at the time. The cottage became a historic reserve in the 1970s, and was then largely rebuilt by the Hororata Historical Society. The cob building suffered extensive damage during the earthquake on 4 September 2010. The cottage is currently closed for repairs. Heritage New Zealand has contracted M C Jackson Plastering to do the work, which involves stripping the previous render and re-plastering all the walls, inside and out, as well as digging out and replacing the earth floor.
Traditional lime plastering specialist, Mike Jackson, says few tradespeople these days have much experience with cob. He learnt his trade in Dorset, in consultation with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. He also draws on the expertise of Rose of Jericho, which has analysed the composition of lime, mortar and paint on some key heritage buildings in New Zealand to identify the appropriate materials for repairs.
Members’ interests include adobe, cob, rammed earth, poured earth, pressed earth and straw bale construction. “We mean to show that earth building has a functional history that is still being used, and is being further developed today.” For more information please visit www.earthbuilding.org.nz
Writer: Michele Hollis (BELOW) The homestead and outbuildings at Hayes Engineering Works, Oturehua, are mostly mudbrick. The complex is managed by Heritage New Zealand. (CREDIT: GRANT SHEEHAN)
When the work is complete the Hororata Historical Society will once again open the cottage and nearby museum for the public to visit on fine Sunday afternoons.
Listen to Mike Jackson discussing cob construction at Coton’s Cottage with Heritage New Zealand Outreach Advisor Michele Hollis: https://soundcloud.com/withonelmichele/ interview-with-mike-jackson-traditional-limeplastering Writer: Michele Hollis (ABOVE) Coton’s Cottage is undergoing specialist repair. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
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Treaty Grounds ceremony a wonderful day It was a moving occasion at Te Pitowhenua Waitangi Treaty Grounds on 27 June when it was formally announced as the country’s first National Historic Landmark. The National Historic Landmarks/Ngā Manawhenua o Aotearoa me ōna Kōrero Tūturu programme was introduced by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 as a way to better recognise and protect this country’s most outstanding heritage places. It acknowledges those places that New Zealanders demonstrably care about as cornerstones of national identity. The aim is to protect heritage places most important to New Zealanders through long-term risk planning and management,
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including from natural disaster. These places have rich historical, physical and cultural significance, and without them we are losing something special that identifies us as New Zealanders. A key policy objective of National Historic Landmarks is to help prioritise the Government’s heritage conservation efforts, including earthquake strengthening. Heritage New Zealand works in partnership with Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage and other stakeholders to deliver and promote the programme. For more information about the programme please visit www.historiclandmarks.org.nz n
1. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Māori Heritage Council Chair Tā John Clarke blesses the wakahuia, a carved treasure box holding the certificate of Landmarks status as a symbol of National Historic Landmarks recognition. 2. The wakahuia takes pride of place ahead of the ceremony. (CREDIT: MICHELLE HORWOOD/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
3. Waitangi National Trust chair Pita Tīpene with the wakahuia. 4. Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Grant Robertson speaks at Waitangi.
5. Te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta speaks at Te Whare Rūnanga at Waitangi. 6. The flagpole at Waitangi adds to the many centuries of history at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. 7. The poutokomanawa (central post) standing within Te Whare Rūnanga at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. (CREDIT: JESS BURGES/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
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Heritage owner profile: Mik Smellie Shortland Flats, Auckland Shortland Flats – a sense of a living persona in the concrete jungle. Self-described city centre fanatic and heritage apartment owner, Mik Smellie, shares his love of his heritage apartment building in Auckland and what makes it so special. He talks with Antony Phillips.
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Tell us about your property. The Shortland Flats were built in 1923, completed in 1924 and designed by Auckland architects McDonald, Mullions and Smith. Located in the heart of the Auckland city centre, it’s a rare example of an apartment building in neo-gothic style and one of a few of the early purpose-built apartment buildings still remaining in Auckland.
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What drew you to the Shortland Flats? Previously we lived in the Endeans Building at the bottom of Queen Street. Heritage apartments have a greater sense of volume, invariably because the stud is much higher. Older buildings have a sense of a living persona in their own right; you can have a greater sense of engagement with the building because of its heritage identity.
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What are some of the special features of the Shortland Flats? Our building is a group of flats that were built specifically for the intention of living, as opposed to retrofitted buildings. Flats have an entrance area where people transition before entering the larger rooms, not found in modern apartments, along with separate kitchens and laundry rooms.
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What makes the Shortland Flats so unique? The (interior) wood panelling which isn’t found in many places and the fact that the building hasn’t been impacted by a penthouse or ‘top hat’ structure on the roof. The roof is still intact with a washing line and communal spaces. Michael McKeown, co-chair of the Board of Directors, has been a strong advocate for maintaining the original features. The Shortland Flats Limited is a flat-owning company and was incorporated in December 1922. These days, most buildings are run by a body corporate, but in 1922 there was no provision in the law for ownership of a multi-unit complex – a rather unusual and rare feature in 2019 New Zealand that works extremely well for us as owners.
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Compared to many modern apartment buildings, the Shortland Flats are quite small. Is there a sense of community in your building? With a high owner-occupancy rate this building is very cohesive because everybody has a vested interest in the care of Shortland Flats – because it’s very much our home. In our building we have had progressive dinners and a Neighbours’ Day event on the roof top. There
is a communal DVD library in the basement and residents meet together on occasion. The Shortland Flats has opened its doors to the public on a number of occasions, last year in conjunction with Heritage New Zealand as part of the heritage festival.
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Shortland Flats are in close proximity to a number of Heritage New Zealand-listed places. What does living in the city centre mean to you? We live within a nice little enclave around Emily Place. The former Four Seasons, Brooklyn Apartments and 1YA Building are all around us. One aspect about living in a heritage building with quite a bit of history is that it’s very easy to have pride in the place – a curatorial aspect.
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What kind of advice has the Shortland Flats received from Heritage New Zealand? Heritage New Zealand advocated quite strongly for the building to be included in the Auckland Unitary Plan heritage schedule, which is helpful for the long-term protection of our building. On another occasion, a telecommunications company wanted to clamp provision for fibre broadband on the front of the building. With Heritage New Zealand’s intervention and guidance, a more willing and appropriate building was found.
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Finally, are there any upcoming projects in the pipeline? Our electric (not electronic) cage lift is in need of upgrading, raising the issue of a refurbishment that marries compliance with current regulations, with the appropriate look, feel and integrity befitting this fine building. n 1. The Shortland Flats in central Auckland. 2. Flat owner Mik Smellie. 3. The beautiful heritage entrance to the flats. 4. The old switchboard, a piece of art in its own right. (CREDIT: ALL IMAGES SUPPLIED)
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TAUPŌ DISTRICT
Remembering Te Kooti and caring for Te Porere On 4 October 1869, Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki and his followers faced off against a combined force of more than 500 government troops and Māori allies, from an uncompleted earthen redoubt dug into the slopes above the upper Wanganui River. The government forces had attacked a rifle pit and lower redoubt defended by Ngāti Tūwharetoa before taking the upper redoubt. The confrontation was a last ditch battle designed to catch the elusive Te Kooti, but he escaped into dense bush. Thirty-seven of Te Kooti’s supporters fell during the battle and were buried in the upper redoubt and years later a memorial plaque was placed on-site to acknowledge the lives lost. Te Porere was to be one of the last major engagements of the New Zealand Wars. Today, 150 years on, Te Kooti is recognised as one of the 19th century’s most significant Māori leaders in war and peace – with his legacy extending to the continuation of the Ringatū faith. The site of the battle at Te Porere is recognised as a wāhi tapu area (sacred site) and is also registered as a Category 1 historic place. Yet beyond the famous battle, Te Porere is also deeply significant to the people of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Heritage New Zealand’s Central Manager Heritage Assets, Paulette Wallace, says that the great thing about a milestone such as the 150th anniversary of the battle at Te Porere
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is that it helps refocus on the day-to-day management of Te Porere. It also reopens the lines of communication between Heritage New Zealand and the hapū of Ngāti Hikairo Ki Tongariro. “We’re excited to be working with Ngāti Hikairo and the larger Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi to work towards a weekend of events to commemorate the Te Porere battle on 4 October,” says Paulette. “We’ve also got heritage management consultancy, Geometria, assisting us to answer some questions posed by Ngāti Hikairo, such as how much of the original Te Porere earthworks exist. We know that a lot of reconstruction happened in the 1960s and 70s, and we’re thinking carefully about how we look after the redoubts into the future.” In June 2019, Geometria recorded the two pa sites as high resolution digital 3D models,
using a combination of drone-based aerial photogrammetry and ground-based laser scanning. The resulting models will be used for interpretive purposes and monitoring the status of the site at a very fine scale. Future surveys will help monitor the effectiveness of conservation strategies undertaken at Te Porere. The turn-off to Te Porere Redoubts is marked by a road sign on the left of SH47 (if travelling northwest towards Turangi). Visitors can park and walk 10 minutes up the track to the first redoubt and then another 10 minutes up to the upper redoubt. n (TOP) Early results of the aerial photogrammetry of the lower redoubt. (CREDIT: GEOMETRIA) (ABOVE RIGHT) Heritage New Zealand’s Anna Maria Rossi examines part of the upper redoubt. (CREDIT: PAULETTE WALLACE/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
BAY OF PLENTY
Seventies celebration of tourism architecture recognised A building that captures the innovation of 1970s architecture in all its splendour has been added to the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 1 historic place.
The Whakatāne Airport Terminal – described variously as “ugly”, “Disneyland” and “something out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales” by some locals when it first opened in May 1974 – has been formally identified as a place of outstanding heritage value. “The iconic example of 1970s award-winning architecture has sparked debate from day one,” says Alexandra Foster of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, who worked on the listing. “Designed by Wellington architect Roger Walker, the brief for the terminal building was to come up with a distinctive design that sought to make the ‘Sunshine Town’ of Whakatāne appealing to visitors as a holiday destination, and to contribute to a distinctive regional identity.” Inspired by the ultra-modern Japanese Metabolist movement, the then 29-year-old’s design met the brief brilliantly.
With its concrete pipe windows and skylights, exposed timber, mix of cellular forms and roofs, and strong colours, Walker’s terminal was about as far removed from ‘conventional’ airport architecture as was possible. In 2011, when the Whakatāne Airport’s new master plan appeared to indicate that the terminal building could be at risk of demolition, architects and architectural historians came to its defence. In 2013, the building received an NZIA Bay of Plenty Enduring Architecture Award, and in 2017 was included as a heritage building in the Whakatāne District Plan. The addition of the terminal to the New Zealand Heritage List represents a number of firsts – it is the first airport terminal on the List, the first Roger Walker-designed building on the List, and the first Category 1 Listing in Whakatāne.
To celebrate the listing, Heritage New Zealand was hosted by Ngāi Taiwhakaea and Whakatāne District Council at the airport. Claire Craig, Heritage New Zealand’s Deputy Chief Executive, presented Whakatāne Mayor, Tony Bonne, with a new owner welcome pack, and Heritage New Zealand Board member, Chris Cochran, presented the Mayor with the Listing Report. Architect Roger Walker, who also attended the celebration, said he was honoured by the news. “I thank Heritage New Zealand for recognising the terminal’s value as an iconic example of what we were doing in that decade so that people in the future can experience the 70s in all its glory.” n
Writer: John O’Hare (LEFT) The Whakatāne Airport Terminal. (RIGHT) Architect Roger Walker celebrates the listing of the Whakatāne Airport Terminal. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
heritage.org.nz
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MID-CANTERBURY
Recognition for rare market garden site A Chinese market garden settlement in Ashburton has joined the small list of 20th century sites to gain the full legal protection of archaeology.
The Ng King Chinese Market Garden Settlement on Allens Road dates from 1921, so is not automatically protected by the law, which covers pre-1900 sites. After extensive investigation and consultation, the Board of Heritage New Zealand exercised its powers to declare the Ng King Bros site an archaeological one under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. Although the buildings were already protected under the Ashburton District Plan, the archaeological declaration extends protection to the entire site, including features below the ground. Any earthworks or proposals to develop the land will require permission from Heritage New Zealand along with the land owners. In its heyday, mid-century, Ng King Bros was a bustling enterprise, servicing Ashburton and neighbouring townships, trading produce in Christchurch, sustaining a dozen families on-site and serving as a focal point of community life.
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"This is a rare, and probably unique, example of a Chinese market garden settlement in New Zealand that still has much of its fabric intact,” says Heritage New Zealand Senior Archaeologist, Frank van der Heijden. “There is the potential to learn a huge amount from this site, and I am very grateful to the families for their help while I was working on the archaeological assessment.” The buildings are managed through a partnership arrangement between the descendants of the original owners and the Ashburton District Council. n
Writer: Michele Hollis
SOUTHLAND
The man who drove a gold mining revival ‘Pluck’ does not appear much in newspaper copy these days, but in the 1890s, gold miner and entrepreneur Choie Sew Hoy seems to have been the very embodiment of “spirited and determined courage”, an indomitable man: “I am told Sew Hoy and party have struck it rich in their gold-mining speculations at Nokomai … I don’t think anyone will grudge them their rich reward for such plucky enterprise.” Otago Witness, 17 October 1895 “Mr Sew Hoy is one of the most enterprising men in this part of the colony, and it is gratifying to hear that his pluck and energy have met with success.” Tuapeka Times, 26 February 1896 Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has now added Sew Hoy’s gold workings and water race system at Nokomai (Southland) to the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 1 Historic Place. (TOP LEFT) Heritage New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew Coleman addresses the families at the Ng King Bros Market Garden Settlement. The large traditional pig oven, lined with firebricks, is visible behind the crowd: food was lowered on the pulley for cooking. Descendants recall that on Sundays the men cooked and families came from across Canterbury for generous lunches. The oven was restored in 2013 by the Ashburton District Council with funding from the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust, and is thought to be the only original functioning oven of its type in Australasia. (CREDIT: CHRIS HOOPMAN)
(TOP RIGHT) Raceman’s Hut. The miners lived an isolated life. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
Nokomai in northern Southland was an important thoroughfare for Ngai Tahu, with ara (traditional trails) connecting Te Papapuni (Nevis River) and the Mataura River, and it was Tuturau chief Reko who led the first European pastoralist into this remote area. After farmers came the gold rushes of the 1860s and 70s, and Nokomai was briefly a bustling settlement with three hotels, a shop, stable, smithy and school. When Choie Sew Hoy and his son Choie Kum Poy (usually known as Kum Poy Sew Hoy) went to Nokomai in 1894, however, the place was all but abandoned. The Sew Hoys were the first to successfully use hydraulic sluicing and elevating to extract gold in the district. Their companies, restructured several times, worked the Nokomai Valley until 1943, led by Choie Sew Hoy and then his son Kum Poy. Theirs was the largest and longest running gold mining enterprise of its type, and their success attracted large numbers of miners to return to the area. Choie Sew Hoy’s innovations extended to his business affairs. “He could see that changing technology required greater investment. Like the Sew Hoy gold dredging operation at Big Beach, the Nokomai venture was significant in being a private Chinese-led investment that was later floated as a public company,” says Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew.
Mrs Agnew and husband Trevor have written a book about the life and times of Choie Sew Hoy (publication forthcoming). They point out that under the direction of Kum Poy, the company’s attempt to introduce a massive drag-line bucket system in the 1930s, although a technical failure, was “an interesting example of the early use of modern publicity techniques, including a touring workingmodel, punchy advertisements, and special news items.” Choie Sew Hoy’s story is all the more remarkable given the legal discrimination and widespread prejudice against Chinese people at the time. Historian James Ng could think of no other 19th century Chinese individual who gained as much wealth from gold mining and only one other (Chew Chong in Taranaki) who gained as much wealth or standing in New Zealand. Part of the Roaring Lion race is accessible via a private walking and mountain biking trail: www.welcomerock.co.nz n
Writer: Michele Hollis
heritage.org.nz
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CANTERBURY
Cathedral team focus on planning upfront Visitors to central Christchurch might see little activity on-site but work to reinstate the earthquakedamaged Christ Church Cathedral is underway. Reinstatement will involve a combination of repair, restoration, reconstruction and seismic strengthening, including a base isolated foundation to help protect against future earthquakes. Project Director, Keith Paterson of the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project, says they are “going like the clappers” behind the scenes. “Our focus is on critical planning to ensure the project enhances the functionality and flexibility of the cathedral, while respecting its heritage.” Mr Paterson says planning is covering all parts of the project simultaneously – the main building, the ancillary buildings, and the tower and spire. Consideration is being given to improving conditions for worship in the main cathedral including comfort (acoustics, lines of sight, and heating), and improving the connection between the cathedral and Cathedral Square and the visitor experience. “The building cannot be entered due to its structural condition. The first challenge is to stabilise the damaged building so it can be worked on,” Mr Paterson says. “We have working on stabilisation and a building and concept design in tandem because the two are interdependent. This is to ensure that the temporary stabilisation won’t get in the way of the permanent reinstatement work that follows later. This is the most effective and efficient way to progress the project and provides a coordinated approach across the entire site.” In the meantime, on-site activity is confined to some maintenance, tree pruning,
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Bringing back the bells With a limited physical presence on-site this year, the project team has brought back the sound of bells broadcasting recordings of genuine cathedral bell-ringing on Fridays at lunchtime each week. Bells have been rung at the cathedral since 1881 (although women were not permitted to be bell-ringers until 1930). The 13 bells in the cathedral at the time of the earthquakes were sent back to the English town of Loughborough, where they were originally cast in 1978, for checking, polishing and new fittings. Many of the dents were deliberately kept as part of their earthquake story. An additional bell was made in memory of those who lost their lives in the earthquake. The bells are in storage until they can be re-hung. “We wanted to remind people that there is a reinstatement project underway and the cathedral will once again be full of people, prayer, music, song, and the sound of bells,” says the project’s Communications and Engagement Manager, Annemarie Mora.
In a nutshell
Q:
Who is running the project? The reinstatement project is being run by a joint venture company, Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited. Its two shareholders are Church Property Trustees, which owns the cathedral on behalf of the Christchurch Anglican Diocese, and the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Trust, an independent trust established by the Crown to raise the anticipated shortfall in funding and oversee the use of public funds. The project is being supported by the Bishop, the Dean and the cathedral community.
Q:
How long will it take? The project is expected to take between seven and 10 years, as traditional material and techniques will be used as well as modern ones.
Q:
How much will it cost? There is no definitive project cost as yet. The company says costs will be clearer once the concept design phase is complete. Funds will come from insurance proceeds, the Crown, Christchurch City Council and donations. A fundraising campaign will be launched next year.
Q:
How different will the cathedral look in the end? The company says that for most people, the reinstated cathedral will be visually similar to the original neo-Gothic Revival building.
Writer: Michele Hollis
Bringing back the bells heritage fabric protection, and geotechnical investigations. People can expect to see stabilisation begin in the first quarter of 2020, taking 12 to 18 months to complete. Techniques are expected to include propping the external walls first then progressively installing temporary supporting framework to columns, walls and arches inside the building. After this, the main cathedral structure will be fully strengthened, reinstated and reconfigured internally. Updates: https://reinstate.org.nz n
Writer: Michele Hollis
Rose window detail
(FAR LEFT) Christ Church Cathedral, May 2019.
Designed by architect Benjamin Mountfort, the rose window contained more than 4,000 pieces of glass and measured 7.5 metres in diameter. During recent heritage protection work, a substantial section of intact stained glass from the rose window was found lodged between the internal and external wall layers. Measuring about 13cm by 12cm, the piece depicts the head of one of the heavenly hierarchy of angels and is one of the largest pieces recovered to date.
(CREDIT: OLIVIA SPENCER-BOWER/PROJECT STORY)
(CREDIT: ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH)
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NORTHLAND
Dawn ceremony to start bicentennial celebrations Tūhono Kerikeri! – a programme of events marking Kerikeri’s bicentennial – will be launched on 27 October with a dawn blessing and official opening at Kororipo Heritage Park.
The ceremony will be the curtain-raiser for the six-month programme of celebrations. “This will be a significant occasion that will wrap a korowai of blessing around the bicentennial,” says Tūhono Kerikeri! Coordinator, June Pitman.
“We are grateful to Ngāti Rēhia – who are kaitiaki/ahi kā for the Kororipo Basin area – for leading this all-inclusive event that will weave together tangata whenua as well as representatives from the Government, regional and national organisations, the Anglican Diocese, interfaith fellowships, local schools and the wider community.” Weaving is central to the kaupapa of Tūhono Kerikeri! whose tagline is ‘standing together, weaving our future’. “We are celebrating 200 years of a shared history that incorporates some of the earliest encounters between Māori and European settlers, right through to the Kerikeri we know today,” says June. One of the symbols of this relationship is Kororipo Basin itself. Hongi Hika’s pā – Kororipo – and the site of his kainga overlook the Stone Store and Kemp House – two of New Zealand’s oldest surviving European buildings. The remnant buildings from the Church Missionary Society mission sat very much
within a Te Ao Māori landscape, and today provide evidence of two different worlds coming together at Kerikeri two centuries ago. “This is where modern New Zealand began. The small frontier mission that was established at Kororipo pre-dates Te Tiriti o Waitangi by over 20 years, and is one of the oldest – if not the oldest – settlement where Māori and Pākehā have continuously lived together,” she says. “That’s why Tūhono Kerikeri! has significance for all New Zealanders, and represents a heritage that we all share, irrespective of where in the country we live.” To learn more about Tūhono Kerikeri! events visit www.tuhonokerikeri.nz n
Writer: John O’Hare
(ABOVE) The entrance to Kororipo Heritage Pā. (CREDIT: GRANT SHEEHAN/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
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 6140 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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