Rotorua as seen in the News
October 1889 & 1890
Bay of Plenty Times (BPT)
Local talks and
negotiations with Government continue as they seek to purchase the new Town. See the Fenton
Agreement.
BPT 12 October 1891: The
Town Board offers a £5 reward for information on the person or persons who
destroyed recently planted willow trees on the Esplanade.
BPT 26 Oct 1891: Many
applications are being received for business and residential sections in the
new Town. Minister of Lands assures them he will arrange matters to the
gratification of the applicants.
BPT 26 Oct 1894: An
Auckland builder W.H. Holman’s tender to build the Rotorua Court House is
accepted.
Hot Lakes Chronicle 2 October 1895 :
‘The Town Board calls for tenders for the
formation of Pukuatua & Hinemoa Streets between Fenton and Tutanekai
Streets, and for grubbing the extension of Hinemoa Street’
‘Town Board has estimated that the cost of
water pipes to be extended along Tutanekai and various cross-streets would cost
£972 and a further sum of £500 would be required to extend the Postmaster’s
Bath’
‘Stray cattle &
horses might still be seen at large about the streets, in spite of the
‘stringent’ instructions to the Poundkeeper. He recently manifested his zeal in
impounding the [Town Board] chairman and secretary’s horses and it was
gratifying to see that he showed not fear nor favour’
‘Mr Dansey proposed a
‘Fire Brigade’ for the town and asks for funding from the Town Board. The
Chairman, Mr Malfroy, said “that in the meantime it was only a moral support
that could be given, but he believed that in a measure now before the House
[Parliament], power would be given whereby the Board could aid them
financially.” Mr Corlett one of a
deputation for the Fire Brigade, stated that some work had already begun to
form a Brigade and would like assistance from the Board in “obtaining a site
for a fire station in the new town” in the conversation that ensued, it was
suggested that there would be plenty of room in the Courthouse enclosure and it
was not likely that the Dept. of Justice would make any objection’ [This did
eventually occur in c1905 after the Grand Hotel burned to the ground on
October 24th 1904]
 |
| Fire brigade outside station, Haupapa Street, Rotorua; Circa 1921; OP-864 Owner of Photograph : Rotorua Museum |
Hot Lakes Chronicle 7 Oct 1896 the Local news includes the following:
‘The
Native Land Court has been engaged during the week in dealing with succession
orders, and the partition of the Paeroa Block, Waiotapu. The Horohoro cases
will be taken on the 15th.’
‘The
Whakatane-Te Teko road is now advanced to within five miles of the Tarawera
River. The construction party is now working about two miles to the westward of
Rotorua and Rotoiti-paku, between which lakes the road will pass’
‘The
highly mineralised atmosphere in this locality has a most deleterious effect on
the delicate mechanism of watches and enquiries are frequently made as to which
watch is best adapted to withstand the sulphur fumes. Mr Kohn a watchmaker of
Auckland… supplies a particular make of stem-winding watches… which are
warrented impervious to the influences in question’
‘The
Prospecting Association held a meeting to receive reports from the prospectors
who have been at work at Horohoro and in the neighbourhood of Tapuaeharuru on
Lake Rotoiti. In regard to the former a Mr Macdonald stated that he had found
nothing which would indicate the presence of gold.’
‘A
highly successful tea and social took place in the Schoolhouse on Wednesday
evening last in aid of the funds for the erection of the Presbyterian church’
In the
Hot Lakes Chronicle 21 Oct 1896 an article appeared on ‘Work at Whakarewarewa’
The
Geyser Area at Whakarewarewa as surveyed by Mr Baber, work had already begun
and further work planned to open up the area by road and footpaths. The article
mentions a rickety bridge by which access is currently gained to the area and
it was expected that a new bridge, ‘strong and wide enough for vehicular
traffic’ would be built. The article goes on to say ‘In regard to Pohutu, Mr
Malfroy informed us [the people in this entourage] that he intends to do
something which will cause it to play regularly every day at a certain hour.’
In the Hot Lakes
Chronicle 28th October 1896 a report was published outlining the
Library and Reading Room Annual Report.
One of the income items
was listed as ‘Sales of Waste Paper’ and they received a sum of £1 and 8 pence.
The listed expenses
included Newspapers, Magazines, Kerosene, Insurance, concerts expenses, coal,
solicitor’s fee’s and stamps. This all came to the grand sum of £59. The Library and Reading Room at this time was
in a small building next to the Comet Store, as seen in a photo published in
our October 2018 blog post.
Auckland Star 3 October 1912:
Lands for selection ‘Certain areas of town and village will be offered for sale
or lease by public auction by the Crown Lands Department at the Assembly
Hall…the greater portion of the land is situated in the town and suburbs of
Rotorua.’
Lyttelton Times 7
November 1914: Rotorua Tenures Commission formed. “It has been ascertained that
under the ‘Thermal Springs Act, 1881 there were 386 leases’ a further 429
leases were issued under subsequent acts in 1892 and 1908… the ‘Commissioners
are of the opinion that it would be in the interests of the State that any holder of leasehold Crown
lands other than the occupiers of the Education Reserve desiring to obtain
freehold should be afforded the opportunity’
Evening Star 31st
October 1922: Rotorua Borough Act is passed, this enables the first Councillors and
Mayor
of Rotorua to be elected. This also is when the Tourist Department ceases
to administer the affairs of the town.
Rotorua Morning Post 14th
October 1937: The First State Houses are built (next to Council Housing
Project)
Rotorua Morning Post 14th
October 1940: The new Library was officially opened (in the Municipal Building)
Rotorua Morning Post 5th
October 1942 : The avenue of Gum trees lining both sides of Fenton Street are
to be felled because the Electricity Dept. says they are too tall and are
encroaching on the lines.
Rotorua Morning Post 29th
October 1945: The Dedication of the Bell Shrine at Ohinemutu takes place. This
is a memorial to Mr Tai Mitchell.
Rotorua Post 11th
October 1955: Mr Ed Hillary is in town to raise funds for his NZ Team to
Antarctica.
Rotorua Post 13th
October 1956: The Rotorua branch of the National Council of Women is
inaugurated.
Daily Post 3rd
October 1964: The new Rotorua Airport is officially opened.
Daily Post 14th
October 1966: The premier of Howard Morrison’s film “Don’t let it get to you”
is shown.
Daily Post 4th
October 1967: Alfred Hitchcock visits Rotorua.
Daily Post 13th
October 1969: The new Kiwanis Club receives their Charter.
Daily Post 6th
October 1971: The Rotorua Association of Paraplegic and Disabled Persons is
formed.
Daily Post 15th
October 1973: The Rotorua Supreme Court is officially opened by the Chief
Justice of New Zealand Sir Richard Wild.
Daily Post 3rd
October 1978: The Citizen’s Advice Bureau officially opens in Arawa Street,
with a trained volunteer staff of 44. They will be open 6 days a week.
Daily Post 1st
October 1980: The Ritz Hall on the Cnr of Fenton & Amohau Streets is
demolished.
This Blog Post by Alison with thanks to Papers Past for access to the online copies of the Hot Lakes Chronicle and other New Zealand Newspapers, Rotorua Museum and the Rotorua Library Don Stafford Collection.
