Whites Pictorial Reference of New Zealand Excerpt

NEW ZEALAND

FOREWORD BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE S. G. HOLLAND, C.H.

“There is a Divinity that shapes our ends; rough-hew them as we may.”

ONLY in glancing back along the path we have trodden, is it possible to appreciate its milestones. Only from the vantage point of today can we assess yesterday’s progress. While great events crowd in on us, no man can measure their full significance. That is for history to judge. One of the greatest milestones along the road of New Zealand’s yesterdays was a date – the 6th of February, 1840, when the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi joined Maori and Pakeha in a bond of brotherhood, owing a common allegiance to the Throne. On that day, the real development of New Zealand as a part of the British Commonwealth of Nations, commenced. A Queen – Victoria – was on the Throne of England.

By a coincidence, or – as I prefer to think – by the design of  “. . . a Divinity that shapes our ends,” that same date, the 6th of February, has come to hold equal significance in the lives of today’s generation a little over one hundred years later, for it is the date upon which our own beloved Queen Elizabeth II ascended the Throne.

Here then are two milestones peculiarly linked in New Zealand’s history. In all the years which separate them, not one single event has ever in any way impaired the tenuous but immutable links that bind this lovely land to the Throne. Since that first February 6th, when Captain William Hobson, R.N., signed the Treaty of Waitangi in the name of his Queen, as Lieutenant-Governor of the young Colony, New Zealand has virtually never been without a direct representative of the Throne. The names of many other famous Governors come to mind.

The young Colony developed particularly around Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, Auckland remaining the seat of government until 1865, when Wellington became the Capital. Distances in those days were formidable – aviation had yet to annihilate them – but although the Colony was scattered and it lay further from Buckingham Palace than any other part of the Empire, the Royal Family’s warm-hearted interest in its welfare and development never wavered. In 1869, H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh visited New Zealand to see for himself how this youngest member of the Empire was faring. It involved him in such personal discomfort as no modern tourist could conceive. In 1901, T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, later Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary, made a Royal Tour of the country.

Following World War I, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, toured the Dominion (as since 1907 it had become). In 1927, T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of York – later to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth – came to New Zealand and the year 1934 marked the visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester.

A score of years has since passed. A second World War has undermined the foundations of practically every monarchy, yet the British Throne has emerged steadfast and enduring. The illness and tragic death of our late beloved King George VI prevented the fulfilment of his wish to revisit this Dominion of his, but one of the first announcements made by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her accession on February 6th, last year, was that she would visit New Zealand as soon as possible after her Coronation in 1953.

Thus dawned for New Zealand a new Elizabethan Age; an age pregnant with great promise. And among the first of its milestones is the visit for the first time in history, of a reigning British Monarch – a memorable and stimulating occasion.

And what will our beloved Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, see? They will see and meet a people who are their own folk, who are “more English than the English.” They will see a countryside that is a living monument to a democratic way of life jealously guarded by the elected representatives of those people throughout the century; a monument, too, to the wisdom, love and leadership of great men elevated by the Crown to vice-regal status. The names of Jellicoe the sailor, Bledisloe the farmer, Newall the airman, and Freyberg, the soldier, are but a few of the more recent ones.

Her Majesty will see, too, upon what sound foundations early colonization took place. The first settlers imposed their own pattern upon the countryside, and to such effect that today, acre for acre, it has become one of the greatest primary producing areas of the wide world. “There is a Divinity that shapes our ends . . . . ”

Her Majesty will see something of what has been captured for all time in the pages of this book. It illustrates many aspects of the developments of the century. The pictures alone are eloquent testimony to the genius of British empire building. These are some of the outward and visible signs of an inward and invisible link with the Throne no power on earth can ever sever.

S.G. Holland

28th April, 1953.

Whites
PICTORIAL REFERENCE
OF
NEW ZEALAND

Representative Airviews of New Zealand
CITIES and BOROUGHS

Includes selected views of towns, county settlements, lakes, rivers, mountains, coastal and harbour scenes, tourist and scenic resorts

Compiled by Leo White

PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED BY WHITES AVIATION LIMITED. HEAD OFFICE: DILWORTH BUILDING, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
(COPYRIGHT)

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PREFACE

WHITES PICTORIAL REFERENCE has been produced to tell a new story – a modern story. Aerial photography has been utilised to show where New Zealanders live and the countryside from which comes their wealth. Most important, it also illustrates most vividly the Dominion’s growing cities and towns, but perhaps more to the point it shows that there is still plenty of room for further development.

New Zealand reached maturity during World War II when, in addition to being basically a primary producing country, local manufacturing took its place in the economics of the country – manufacturing to give protective independence in global conflicts. In the reshuffle, the establishment of factories, the improvements in roads and in methods of transport, on land, sea and air, brought other changes. Cities grew, towns spread out, settlements developed out of villages and counties found themselves in some cases with urban areas that almost gave them city status. Local body government was faced with new problems. In the country there were greater areas with the “fertile look,” and food production for home and overseas became vital. Vast afforestation areas and forest tracts assumed new importance and there were hydro-electric schemes to speed industry. Holiday and tourist resorts became valuable dollar-earning assets.

In this PICTORIAL REFERENCE there will be found dozens of places never illustrated in the usual type of view book. A city is usually a large centre of commerce, but the urban areas such as boroughs, town districts or even a county town all add to the progressiveness of a young country.

The far-seeing eye of the aerial camera emphasises for us many features of New Zealand which we might be prone to overlook from the ground. Auckland, we know is a large city – the largest in New Zealand. In our pictures Auckland has been stripped of the familiar harbour scene with the holiday atmosphere and the pretty view from the top of one of its famous volcanic cones, but nothing can take away the appearance of size and importance. There is never any need to extol the rural attractiveness of the Waikato, Taranaki and Manawatu districts, but here are shown all the towns and the countryside beyond. This is the dairy farm of the Empire, contributing greatly to the seasonal production of approximately 500,000 tons of dairy produce.

With Wellington, the Capital City, we felt compelled to illustrate Parliament Buildings, but here again, instead of a photograph of some massive columns, the “House” is shown in its commanding situation in relation to the oldest and largest wooden office building of its kind and the huge new structure, housing Government offices, the largest in New Zealand. Canterbury’s famous Harewood international airport now vies for fame with the millions of acres of arable Canterbury countryside. We show both.

The population of New Zealand grows steadily and at the end of 1952 exceeded two million. The concentrated development of settled areas has frequently brought the necessity for changes in local body control. The Local Government Commission is continually active and there is ample scope for the student of local body administration. Auckland urban growth has been remarkable and our views provide visual evidence of the large number of boroughs surrounding the city. Wellington has two cities almost side by side. Christchurch is surrounded by a large number of counties and one, the Waimairi County, has a population of 27,300 in 48 square miles, with boundaries right in the city. In the very far south around Invercargill City is the Southland County with a population of 25,000, but an area covering 3724 square miles. Here the views show pleasant towns and an agricultural countryside.

The details under the photographs posed a little problem. The photographs were taken to tell the story at a glance with only the necessity of a line or two of statistical data, but we thought a little more was required. Here again it was a problem of where to start and where to finish, so we compromised and have given some extra information not strictly the province of a directory. There is firstly the data concerning status of the area depicted. Where necessary we have occasionally explained the photograph. In other captions we have spoken of the rich history of a district.

The first printing of the Reference late in 1952 was an unqualified success; letters and unstinting praise being received from all parts of the world. There were very few requests for changes, other than to include well-known landmarks. It was considered by businessmen and educational authorities, as well as those who purchased copies for home use, that the Reference was unique in pictorial publishing and unmatched in any part of the world. This printing carries 1953 amendments.

June, 1953

LEO WHITE.

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NEW ZEALAND: The Dominion of New Zealand lies in the temperate zone between latitudes 34˚and 48˚ S and has a total area, exclusive of Island Territories, of 103,736 square miles and a population of 2 million. Island Territories include the Tokelau Group, Cook Group and Niue Island which, with the Trust Territory of Western Samoa and the Ross Dependency bring the total area to 176,336 square miles.

New Zealand has a mild and pleasant climate, with ample sunshine and plentiful rainfall. Consequently it has proved a fertile area for primary production and today the Dominion is Great Britain’s largest supplier of butter and cheese and in addition sends her almost the whole of her large production of frozen meat and wool.

New Zealand is small in compass, but within its two principal islands, the North and South Islands there is packed a wonderful variety of scenery. The Alps of Switzerland and the fiords of Norway may be the equal of the Southern Alps and Sounds and Yellowstone Park may provide thermal wonders rivalling those of Rotorua, in the North Island, but nowhere else in the world can the tourist see all these wonders, and more, within the compass of two small islands.

Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand in 1642 but did not land. From 1769 onwards Captain Cook made three visits and surveys, landing and taking possession of the new land for Great Britain. British Sovereignty of New Zealand was proclaimed on January 30, 1840. Whaling and sealing activities with trading in flax and timber had already proved the possibilities of the new country. Regular trade followed the arrival of English and Scottish emigrants. The discovery of gold precipitated much of the intercolonial transport development but gradually the importance of ships for the regular carriage of agricultural produce and a development of passenger trade brought about the formation of many well known shipping companies which now have almost a century of service behind them.

In 1870 there was regular sea communication with North America. Pacific Islands trade also developed with Auckland as a natural centre for island shipping. Today ships of the seven seas ply to and from New Zealand, while great fleets of modern refrigerated vessels carry New Zealand’s primary produce to the United Kingdom and other markets. Antarctic explorers traversing the Ross Sea made New Zealand their final port of call, and two American expeditions which carried aircraft to fly over the Antarctic also passed through New Zealand. In 1928 the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea were conquered by air. Following World War II air transportation has played an even more important role in bringing New Zealand nearer to its Pacific Island neighbours and the whole world. With jet airliners no country in the world is more than 30 hours’ flying time away. The first flight over the South Pole taking off and landing in New Zealand or a flight from one side of the world to the other over the South Pole has yet to be achieved.

[…]

Page 122

WAIROA (Borough). Pop.: 3440. Householders: 850. Area: 1603 acres. 43m. NE of Napier. A riverside town approximately half-way between Napier and Gisborne, Wairoa serves the Wairoa County (Pop.: 7860. Area: 1373 sq. m.) The Wairoa River drains Lake Waikaremoana, 40m. NW. There is a total of over 90,000 station cattle and 661,000 sheep grazing in the grassed hilly country. There is a large freezing works (Swifts) on the north bank of the river. A dairy factory has an output of 580 tons of butter each season while there is also a brick and pipe factory. To the north are Nuhaka (20m), Morere Springs (25½m.), a tourist resort set amid bush-clad surroundings, Mahia Peninsula and Opoutama, a seaside resort and the port of Waikokopu. Crayfish caught at Waikokopu are frozen and exported. To the south is Mohaka (27½m), where the east coast railway passes over high viaducts.

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NAPIER (City). Pop.: 20,100. Householders: 5409. Area: 2545 acres. 168m NE of Wellington. Napier is the capital of the Province of Hawke’s Bay and is one of New Zealand’s newer cities in two respects. Elevated from borough status in 1950, it was rebuilt after a disastrous earthquake which practically demolished the business area and surroundings in 1931. Nature compensated for the disaster as, with the upward thrust of the earthquake, new areas became available for farming and residential settlement, and the city was rebuilt. Napier is the port for the extremely fertile Hawke’s Bay Province and is also the administrative headquarters of the Hawke’s Bay County (Pop.: 17,100. Area: 1747 sq. m.). In the county, which includes Napier City, the suburbs of Marewa, Onekawa and Westshore, Hastings and Havelock North Boroughs and the town district of Taradale, there are a large number of industries. Sheep, dairying and cattle raising, with fruit growing and market gardening activities are carried out extensively. There are two freezing works, as well as an old-established tobacco factory. Wool is the main export of Hawke’s Bay, which is the largest crossbred wool centre, the yield being estimated at 45 million lbs. Six woolbroking firms operate in the Province and buyers from all parts of the world bid for the local clip. Livestock sales are among the largest in New Zealand. The largest fruit-producing districts in New Zealand are situated in the county and an average yield per apple tree is 4.75 bushels, the highest in the Dominion. Over 1¼ million bushels of first-grade fruit are harvested each year mainly in the Hastings district. The processing of fruit and vegetables, first established in 1936, now runs into millions of cans of fruit, vegetables and jam each year. Vegetable production from market gardening is in the vicinity of 20,000 tons and modern quick-freeze processing has been established. Wine is another important production from vineyards on the sunny slopes of the hills behind Napier and near Hastings. The Port of Napier is now the third largest exporting port of New Zealand and many overseas ships make their last loading there. Napier is a city of modern buildings with a Marine Parade (in foreground) which is the scene of gay festivities during holiday periods. As a tourist and holiday resort, Napier draws many visitors from both Auckland and Wellington provinces, Wellington being 202m. by road and Auckland 296m. Overseas tourists visiting the thermal regions include Napier in their schedules and Taupo is 95m. and Rotorua 148m. distant. Napier is well served with road, rail and air services linking with the main transport systems. The airport at Beacons was formerly the Ahuriri lagoon, but the sea-bed was lifted during the earthquake to make a perfect airfield.

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NAPIER. The overseas port, Breakwater Harbour, which lies close to the City, has been developed extensively during the past 15 years. Over 300,000 tons of produce is shipped each year. Vessels of approximately 15,000 tons can work the port, the low water depth being 35 feet. The Bluff Hill with its bold cliffs immediately behind the Harbour Board offices is the best-known feature of this portion of Hawke’s Bay coast-line. Wool stores can be seen beyond the open reclaimed area, with the Inner Harbour, or Ahuriri Lagoon, to the rear. This area was under water prior to the 1931 earthquake but now nearly 8000 acres have been reclaimed and are being farmed for the Harbour Board by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The undulating land beyond the expanding Napier City area contains the Wakarara, Kaweka and Te Waka ranges and is limestone sheep country.

Page 125

NAPIER. A comprehensive view of a portion of the business area (left) and the residences on Bluff Hill. These homes mostly command magnificent views of the Bay. The Public Hospital and several schools are also situated on the hill. While the land on Bluff Hill, known as Scinde Island, is undulating, the city business area and surroundings are on flat land. The streets of Napier are named after celebrated men of literature and poetry. Hastings Street, Tennyson Street and Emerson Street are some of the attractive main business thoroughfares. In the distance and on the right is portion [a] of the Ahuriri Lagoon, now an 8000-acre block of farming land which was formerly the sea-bed. The road to Gisborne and Taupo passes out to the extreme right and on the extreme left are the new suburbs of Napier South, Marewa and Onekawa, with Greenmeadows and Taradale beyond. In the distance are the Ruahine Ranges.

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TARADALE (Town District). Pop.: 2630. Area: 1469 acres. 5m. SW of Napier. The neighbouring townships of Greenmeadows and Taradale seen in this photograph are richly productive dairy farming areas towards which the city of Napier is expanding. Situated on flat land but backed by rising hills, there are numerous orchards, some of them established nearly 50 years ago. There are splendid artesian water supplies. The district is noted for the extremely productive vineyards and wine cellars. Very few visitors to the district fail to visit the Hawke’s Bay Acclimatisation Society’s game farm at Greenmeadows, where several kiwis live in captivity. Pheasants are bred for liberation and hill country provides excellent shooting. There is a Roman Catholic Seminary at Greenmeadows. The district, including nearby Meeanee, was established by early military settlers from India.

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HASTINGS (Borough). Pop.: 17,700. Householders: 4900/ Area: 2612 acres. 12m. S of Napier. Hastings is one of the largest provincial towns in New Zealand and its business area is the centre of a large volume of trade. The borough amenities, which are most modern, include one of the largest and best appointed theatres in the Southern Hemisphere. Government and other commercial buildings are imposing and modern, the town having been rebuilt since the 1931 earthquake. There are 104 acres of parks and reserves and a well-equipped motor camp. A great wool-producing district, the saleyards of Stortford Lodge pen as many as 50,000 sheep at a ewe fair. Fruit and vegetable-growing yield phenomenal returns and rye-grass production exceeds 4 million pounds annually. Horse-racing, hunting and polo are favoured equestrian sports. The famous Cape Kidnappers, a gannet rookery, is 17 miles from Hastings.

Page 128

HASTINGS. The countryside shown is typical of the fertile Heretaunga Plain, with Whakatu, one of the two large freezing works in the Hastings district dominating the foreground. Tomoana, the other works, is nearer Hastings, which is in the right distance. These works kill to export over 100,000,000 lbs. Annually and during the season the daily killings in the two works exceed 26,000 lambs. Cattle were formerly grazed on the plains chiefly to break in the pastures, but there is now a large export trade in chilled beef. Some of the world’s best pedigree stock has been imported, principally from Great Britain, and the prime condition of the 74,000 carcases now passing through the two meatworks each season has meant much to the people of Britain. The river in the foreground is the Ngaruroro. It flows into the sea near the settlement of Clive, which is on the road midway between Hastings and Napier.

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HAVELOCK NORTH (Borough). Pop.: 2210. Householders: 560. Area: 835 acres. 2½m. SE of Hastings. A garden township frequently called the “village” where, on the slopes of Havelock Hills, are some of the finest schools and residences in New Zealand. There are sheep stations in the hills and orchards on the flat. This view looks down on the residential area with the “village” square on the right centre, with Woodford House (Anglican School for Girls) and Iona College (Presbyterian School for Girls) on the upper left. The unusual outline of the Havelock Hills is one of the most interesting and noble sights, and is a distinctive feature of the countryside. A road leads to the summit of Te Mata Peak, from which there is a magnificent panorama of plains, rolling downs and the famous sweep of Hawke’s Bay. The rugged hills themselves present a profile which the Maoris likened to a recumbent giant.

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WAIPAWA (Borough). Pop.: 1440. Householders: 550. Area: 1710 acres. 35m. SW of Napier. Waipawa is one of the larger towns on the main Napier-Wellington State Highway which can be seen in the foreground leading to Hastings 23m. away. The leading county town in the Waipawa County (Pop.: 3730. Area: 524 sq. M.), the land is nearly all sheep country, with State Forests established in the back country. The Waipawa River runs through Waipawa, its willow-lined banks adding to the attractiveness of the district. The borough’s sporting amenities are set in picturesque surroundings and there is a District High School. There is a town water supply, a complete sewerage system and a municipal gas-works. Townships within easy reach of Waipawa are Onga Onga (12m.), Tikokino (12m.), Otane (5m.), and Pukehou (8m.) where Te Aute Maori College is situated.

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WAIPUKURAU (Borough). Pop.: 2570. Area: 971 acres. 42m. SW of Napier. A busy Central Hawke’s Bay town on the main State Highway between Napier and Wellington. The surrounding country side is devoted to sheep-raising and dairy farming. The Waipukurau County (Pop.: 1100. Area: 128 sq. m.), and the Patangata County (Pop.: 3090. Area: 651 sq. m.) both have their administrative offices in Waipukurau. The countryside through the Patangata County is rolling country carrying large flocks of sheep. It extends to the east coast. The business area shown in the photograph looks south-west. The Tuki Tuki River flows through the town and with Hatuma Lake nearby provides good fishing. On the road to Dannevirke (32½m.) is Pukeora Sanatorium (6½m.) and the towns of Takapau (21m.), Ormondville and Norsewood.

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DANNEVIRKE (Borough). Pop.: 4750. Householders. 1500. Area: 1300 acres. 66m. SW of Napier. Dannevirke is the gateway to Southern Hawke’s Bay, and is unique in that it was a planned settlement surveyed and made ready 80 years ago for a party of Scandinavians who were allocated the then bushland. Surrounding Dannevirke is a large district which includes the counties of Dannevirke (Pop.: 4500. Area: 426 sq. m.), and Weber (Pop.: 330. Area: 118 sq. m.), both having their administrative offices in Dannevirke. Akitio, a coastal county (Pop.: 1240. Area: 321 sq. m.), has its office in Pongaroa (Pop.: 350) but Dannevirke is looked upon as the business centre. The chief Aberdeen Angus Bull sale in New Zealand is held at Dannevirke. Secondary industries flourish. By road Palmerston North is 36m., Wellington 123m., Hastings 66½m.

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WOODVILLE (Borough). Pop.: 1290. Householders: 461. Area: 1054 acres. 82m. SW of Napier. Woodville is the most southern town in Hawke’s Bay Province but is only 17½ miles from Palmerston North City along a first-class highway through the Manawatu Gorge. The countryside is devoted to dairying and the Woodville County (Pop.: 1820. Area: 156 sq. m.) has its administrative offices in the borough. The above photograph was taken from a north-easterly direction. Vogel Street, the main street running east and west, is part of the State Highway from Palmerston North to Napier. The State Highway, through the Wairarapa to Wellington (114m.) runs north and south. In addition to these important highway junctions, Woodville is the junction of the Palmerston North to Gisborne railway and the line from Woodville to Wellington via the Wairarapa.

Whites
PICTORIAL REFERENCE
of
NEW ZEALAND

The photographs reproduced in this publication are from a selection from over 35,000 New Zealand air views taken by Whites Aviation Limited. Whites are New Zealand’s leading outdoor photographers specialising in views of commercial, local body and pictorial projects . . . . For administrative and decorative purposes air and ground subjects can be supplied in coloured enlargements and murals in Whites exclusive “Colortone.” The photographs in Whites Pictorial Reference and others from Whites library are available in all sizes. By special arrangement prints can be supplied for use in brochures, company reports, calendars, etc.
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