Northern Advocate -  Centennial Issue   

1 June 1975


email:  transcriptionsnz@gmail.com
email for a copy of any of these pages.  quoting, page no. 

to find a name on this page use  Ctrl+F

Home page:   http://www.transcriptions.nz

page  11  -     39 years of relentless newspaper war    -
                    then comparative peace  - 
             photo  -  Mr W.H.Crawford. - 2a

page 12  -  photos  -
                       Interior of the Advocate office  November 1897
                       Advocate building in 1900,  cnr Bank and Vine streets.  03a

page 13  -     Growing Up Together  -
                photos  -  Water street building and staff of the Advocate in 1921
                                  a press, a rotary  Cossar  in 1928   leaning on the Cossar is Mr H.W.Crawford
                                  Its delivery fleet ready to roll,  the Advocate had by 1932 expanded on Water st to its present day frontage.

page 14  -     Development determined by sail - lifeline of the North -
                photos  -  
coal carrir "Clio"  1894 picture
                                   beached at low tide to take on sawn timber  an unnamed  scow,  during the 1890's

page 15  -  continuation of  Development determined by sail - lifeline of the North -
            photos  - 
Aratapu on the northern reach of the Wairoa River was in mid 1890's  a flourishing timber port
                            one of the 1st vessels built in Northland,  the herald was launched in Paihia in 1826
                            paddle wheeler tug Lyttelton belches smoke as she hauls a Craig line ship away from Grahamstown  wharf in 1908 ---
                            this vessel photographed in 1897  was loading sawn kauri  for Sydney.

page 16  -  Legacy of know-how led to industry unique to Whangamumu
             photos -  Mr E.W.Cook, of Hikurangi well remembers the day nets were first used to catch whales.
                            Humpback whales lie rotting on the beach below the Whangamumu processing factory in 1901
                            blubber chunks from a flensed carcass litter the end of the factory jetty --- paid 2 pounds and 4 biscuits a day
                            It was from such small boats as these that the Whangamumu whalers laid flax, then rope and later steel nets to trap the whales -------

Page 17  -   We suffered  our share of disasters at sea -  Sail era saw men and ships lashed by storms.
                  This one page Northern advocate extra reported the first serious maritime mishap on Whangarei Harbour - the loss of the yacht Minerva and 8 lives ----
                  only survivor  John Pearson,  those who drowned were -  J.P.Tucker Albert Tucker H.F.Sealy,  Clifford Wilson,  Ed Courtney (jun) 
                  Frank Ramsay,  Albert Brooker,  Alex Gallie.
        photo  -  the 3 masted Forrest Hall litters Ninety Mile Beach where the vessel  met her end in 1909,  all aboard got to shore safely.


Page 18 -      A Lucky few were able to step ashore  - 
                    Some, like Waiti Dunn battled to live and won
                     But luckless lingered and died
            photos  - 
                     Holed by rocks at Kaiwaka Point,  Grahamstown,  on 24 April 1897, the Huon Belle was the 1st trading vessel wrecked in Whangarei Harbour  
                     Northern Wairoa swimming champ, sole survivor of the 1902 wreck off the west coast of the barquentine May
                    The  debris from Kaitawa  bears mute testimony to her final moments as she sank  with total loss of crew of Cape Maria van Dieman  in 1966
                    Captained by Mr J.McIntosh, this Houhora whaleboat travelled 56 kilometres   -- to intercept the steamer Zealandia  with news of the
                    Elingamite
disaster. The Zealandia rescued  89 castaways
 
page 19 -  Continuation of page 18 story
           photos -
                    Survivors  from the Elingamite wreck who reached Houhora in an overloaded ship's boat  pictured aboard  the vessel Clansman  after being picked
                     up by Master of the Endeavour 11,  Captain J.F.Berry,  broken arm in a makeshift sling  --- 
                    aground just off the entrance to Parengarenga Harbour  --  near her final moments  21 February 1972.  -----

Page 20 -   Rail began with tramway tracery in the bush - 
                    History of Rail - the evolvement of rail transport in Northland was woven with 2 of the regions biggest and earliest industries  timber and coal mining  ----
                     the most important rail development in Northland was the 1872 construction by Mr William Bedlington ---  Mr Joseph Bennett  followed Mr                
                     Bedlington's example and built -------
           photos - 
                    One of Northland's many logging tramways    1899  picture, 
                    a small ex-NZ railways locomotive steams across a trestled dip on the Kauri timber coo's Puketi bush line towards Kerikeri ---
                    an incline tramway at the Panopa coal mine, Kiripaka, near Whangarei.  1901 picture
                    moving a long load of big timber, the Puketi bush steamer snakes out of the hills near Whangaroa -------

Page 21  -  Grew to much grander things  - and eventually linked the land
            photos -
                  Gullroost  which from 1911  to 1933 bridged Whangarei Harbour  between Kioreroa and Grahamtown,  now Onerahi  ---   1912 picture
                  Whangarei railway station in 1925
                  the Prime Minister Mr W.F.Massey officially open the Kaikohe - Otiria branch line
 
Page 22 -    Wheel-rutted tracks pointed the way. - 
              photos 
                    The Herekino -Whangape road in 1902  when it was negotiable only in good weather and with bullocks.
                    Corrugated, potholed and patched  this was Bank st,  or Fireball Hill as it was then called  in 1897 Whangarei.
                    Turn of the century scene between Springs Flat and Kauri  shows a road  --------

Page 23 -    Pick,  shovel and rubble formed first rocky roads. 
            photos -
                    this 1897 scene shows the pick, shovel and barrow removal of part of the Bluff  ------
                    Mr Phil Torley is seen with his 1st service car
                    street metalling and grading in Whangarei began in James st in 1911  -----

Page 24 -   Gaps were bridged but it remained NZ's "Roadless North"  
            Photos
                  1st Victoria bridge in 1898    replaced in 1938  -----
                    Commerce st,  Kaitaia  in 1919    ----  1st stormwater pipes laid in the street.
                    Horse-buses  and private vehicles throng Water st  in 1912  ------

Page 25  -   Motor tour influenced passengers  "political pull"
               photos
                  4 photos on page of old cars stuck in the mud  etc. and men pulling them out,  this page is about roading.

page 26 -   Remember when -
             photos -
                   getting to Auckland  in 1909 meant waiting on Marsden Point wharf for the steam ship Mania
                   the floral fete at Kensington 1898 
                   we all went skinny dipping on school picnic day at Smugglers?
                   Kamo in 1887  was just as big as Whangarei

Page 27  -
        photos 
                 around 1928 the bus to Auckland went through Waipu Gorge
                 1885   - Whangarei school photo, everyone had to have boots and bonnets for the school photo
                 1913 -  Whangarei philharmonic Society's opera "Doris" opening of the Town hall,  bowman Mr Charlie Smedley

Page 28  -      Your Mail Sir  - by seaplane  -    Captain Bob among the first 
            photos  -
                    Mr Philip Going,  better known as "Captain Bob" pioneer pilot, instructor, aeroplane builder, wireless operator, and pathfinder
                    Dargaville, scene of this Boeing seaplane Royal Mail flight mishap ---
                    Ex Air Force Waco --used by the Northland Aero Club   in 1948
                    Boeing piloted by George Bolt carried the Bishop Cleary 

Page 29  -     Axe and gumspear shaped the land  -  and future -  story of the gum industry 
            photos  -

                    Grading gum for auction in Auckland -- these 1900 gumstore workers --------
                    photo of a typical gumdigger of 1890

Page 30  -    Northland gum worth more than Otago gold
                    good gum saw everyone in the hunt  but it was probe,  dig, drain and sweat.
            photos  - on page
                    4 photos of gum digging  but no names.

Page 31 -     Rundown path was rapid when men opted for land  -  Timber "destroyed for a mess of pottage"  faced parallel course
            photos  - 
                    Working the Kaihu region around 1910-12  these Dalmatians were among the
                    1st in the gum industry to mechanise.  Their mobile pump was used to drain diggings and wash spoil for gum chip  ---

Page 32    -   Realisation came  too late 
            photos  -
                    Yoked to a log so far behind  a 20 bullock team plods through the bush ----
                    Traction engine  were used for log hauling  this one operated just north of Whangarei  in 1917.
                    Logs perched at the top of the Wairua Falls  ----  in 1896
                    Boomed next to Onerahi wharf from which logs were tipped from their railway bogies into the tide --------

Page 33    -   Flour,  beer,  flax and gold momentarily flourished,  then flopped
            photos 
                    Mr Robert Mair's flourmill in 1900  ---  Mr Gilbert Mair ran commercially a stone towered mill near Hatea Drive - Drummond st corner.
                    High hopes for a tung oil industry based on these trees at Kerikeri and plantations in the Awarua area. 
                    These 1898 Parahaki gold prospectors were slated when they found colour  within sight of Whangarei ----  
                    Waders and yoke were during the 1930's standard equipment for shellfish diggers on Ninety Mile beach  -----  

Page 34 -     Then Came the stayers  - 
             photos
                     shipment to mills for rope, twine and paper manufacture, hanks of stripped flax are carted away from a drying paddock ------
                    The Whau Valley coal mine in the 1870's  the tramline  -- along Kamo Rd and Donald st to the Shute on the banks of the Hatea River.
                    Getting wool to market was a long slow haul,  this 16 bullock team  --- ----outside the Waiotira hall in 1920 
                    One of the small steamers owned by the Northern Dairy Company between 1909 and 1933    ---at the Mangawhare wharf in 1915. -----
                    One of the old Hokianga Dairy Co. barges loaded with butter  ready for the Hohianga harbour  ------ sometime between 1910-15

page 35   -   Oil Industry came from different direction
             photos  -
                    Kaiaka near Kataia was to see Northland's first determined search for oil in 1972 -----
                    Whangarei Freezing Co.  works at Reotahi  in 1916  ------
                     The predecessor of the Wilson NZ Portland Cement Ltd works at Portland -----

page 36 & 37  -     Nation's cradle saw many firsts  -  time line -----
               photos -
                   Whangarei's first school opened  in 1857

page 38 & 39   -   Great fire in Whangarei  -  10 shops destroyed  ----
             photo  - 
                      of Cameron st fire
                      the morning after the fire in 1899

page 40   -  Northlanders the first to fight -
             photos 
                     a successor to Whangarei Calvary Corps,  a dour Marsden Mounted Rifles unit ---- 1902
                     Whangarei Volunteer Rifles unit members parade in Bank st 1901
                     Bank  outside what was then the Post Office waiting official confirmation of the Boer War
                     Northlanders all,  the 1-15th Company 1st Auckland Battalion just before Messines battle,  Belguim in 1917

page 41 -     then Front runners for battle Honours in three wars.
             photos  - 
                   patrol boat Q08  was one of the many small and not so small vessels fitted in Whangarei for a W.W.11 coastal surveillance role.
                   The Queen's and Northland regimental Colours ----
                   Victoria valley farmer and volunteer bomber pilot Flying officer Lloyd Trigg ----  033a
               
page 42   -   Though strange in character, Northland sport scores high.
             photos  -
                      Sports editor  Garry Frew  - 034a
                      NZ prof. single sculling champ Jim Mason  of Whangarei and NSW champ. and challenger George Cerutty who in 1926 -----
                        big game angler Bill Pockington.  -  034f
                       table tennis champ Neti Traill  -  034a
                      Wrestling champ  Lofty Blomfield -  034b
                      Games cyclist  Laurie Byers - 034c
                      NZ Open champ.  Jim Galloway  -  034d
                      NZ hockey rep  Brian Maunsell 034e

page 43  -    Those "wizard" days of the 1930's    -    over the Falls - minus barrel
             photos 
                    1st world speed record set on ninety mile beach  18 Jan. 1930  Mr Norman Smith  ----
                      lightweight amateur Harry Hughes  of Whangarei ----
                      John Kake Davis  of Kiripaka  -----

page 44  -  Northland names figure in title records of the world -
                         Senior topliners from A  to Y  ----
              photos  -      
                       weight lifter Peter Ridgley, -- Empire Games ---
                      sawyers  -  Nelson Thorburn and Mervyn Reed
                      Moerewa  athlete Bob Thomas  ---  long jump record holder and high and broad jump champ.
                      Bryce Beeston,  NZ team captain ----   Northland sportsman of the year
                      axeman  Innes Davidson  -  national rep and champ.

page 45  -    No end to Champions of the past 20 years  -
                      Senior topliners  from A  to Y.     long list of names  -  037a

page 46  -   In Great Grandma's day  - 
                photos  - 
                      1908 members of the Whangarei Golf  Club  -   038a
players from left -  Miss Hogwood,  F.Mander,  Miss Steadman,  T'H;Steadman,  Miss A. Mander,  Miss Marshall, Rev Patulio
centre row  -  Mrs Sissons,  Mrs Marshall,  Mrs Patullo,  Mrs Mander,  Mrs Steadman,  mrs mair,  mrs Harington
front row  -  Mr White,  Miss Patullo,  J.R.Richardson,  H.C.Rishworth
                    
                 Pirates Hockey team  -  1907  -  038b
back row  -  E.  Le Ruez,  W.Bentley,  H.Fraser,  J.Woolley,  A.R.Pickmere,  N.Drummond.
front row  -  A.Eccles,  ---     -----   C.Eccles,  ----  C.E.Woolley.

                Whangarei Rowing Club 1927-28  Heavy Maiden tour  -  038d
left to right  -  R.Peacock,  Major A.D.Jack (coach)  L.Hall,  J.Webber,  J.Butt, (cox)  F.Cotton

                Paparoa Tennis Club  in early 1900's  -  038c
back row  -  Ernest Goodall,  Frank Goodall,  Herbert Slater, 
centre  -  Molly Stewart,  Bernice Tibbits,  Elsa Cliff,  Bessie Gerrand,  Amy Wilson,
front  -  Bertha Pendray,  Mary Pendray.

Beverley Evans
Christchurch NZ
7 June 2010
Go to top
email:   transcriptionsnz@gmail.com
email for a copy quoting page no.  and no. if in blue.

Home page:   http://www.transcriptions.nz