Terminus 3 Mattsons Flat

Terminus: Lives at the mouth of Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek)

Part 3: Mattson’s Flat Lisa J Truttman

Updated 30 July 2012

For £134 15/-, the value of his land elsewhere offered in exchange, George Frederick Russell residing at the Hokianga purchased the Crown Grant title for 40 acres of land in 1845, part of what was to become part of Pt Chevalier from the 1860s – Allotment 19, of the parish of Titirangi. In the 1850s, early survey plans described the property as comprised of “subsoil argillaceous clay” towards the Pt Chevalier Road, with a “substratum” of scoria closer to the creek. 1 By 1871, an Auckland shipwright named Alexander Cromwell held the title to Allotment 19, which he sold to a baker named John Mattson in 1874.

2

From that point on, this part of the northern shore of the

Oakley Creek would be called “Mattson’s Flat” by locals.

Little is known about Mattson. He may have built a farmhouse around the time of his purchase from Cromwell, sited close to the end of Alberta Street.

3

The site is now

completely obliterated by the motorway interchange. In February 1880 he leased at least part of his property to a Pt Chevalier farmer named George J Auger. 4 The scoria lands closer to the Oakley Creek may have been sub-let by Auger to the Garrett Brothers as a place for their tan pits and to access the freshwater spring running across the property, but as referred to earlier no record of this arrangement has been found.

From 1885-1886, Mattson began to subdivide his 49 acre property, first selling to a builder named Robert Horsley, then to Richard Henry Chester.

5

This was the

“Springside” estate sale, which led to the establishment of both Morton (Montrose) Street and Albert (Alberta) Street. According an auction plan drawn up by surveyors W F Hammond & Son at the time,

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not only is the freshwater spring shown (as a

stream arching across the bottom of Allotment 19), but the words “stone quarry” appear, at the location of the later Waitemata County Council quarry (see below). Mattson’s scoria grounds, therefore, were being worked to some extent as at the mid1880s. The first known quarrying may have been that in January 1879 by Messrs Brewin, Davison, Burke and Reed, along with Josiah Martin when a shaft was sunk 20 feet in a bed of lava “close to Oakley Creek, for the purpose of getting out stone for the new wing of the Asylum.” The explosion was set off with electricity, and “the earth was upheaved in huge blocks over the charge, forming a crater about 30 feet in diameter, and the solid rock was rent in all directions to a radius of 100 feet, large portions of the stone wall being thrown down.” 7 The location of the quarry was never described, neither on the Asylum grounds nor those close to the Gittos tannery near

today’s Phyllis Reserve. It is possible therefore that this was the first report of quarrying along the north coast of the Oakley Creek.

The story of Mattson’s property brings up a historical coincidence. The only time anyone by the name of Garrett is referred to on Mattson’s title documents is when Mattson refinanced an existing mortgage he had with the estate of one Philip Wright living in London by taking out another in 1887 with a solicitor named Thomas Hall and a merchant named Robert Garrett.

8

However, in a quirk of history, this Robert

Garrett was neither the Robert Garrett who operated the tannery and Oakleigh Farm just across the creek from Mattson’s Flat, nor does he appear to have been closely related to the Garrett Brothers. This Robert Garrett, a kauri gum dealer, died 1 April 1894, shooting himself in the head at his residence in Otahuhu. He arrived in Auckland in 1880, years after the Garrett Brothers, but according to his obituary did have some interest in the Avondale Jockey Club which had formed just five years before. 9

John Mattson died in May 1892, and the Pt Chevalier property which remained after the 1885-86 sales passed to Herman Mattson and a farmer from Pakuranga named Alexander Bell. A Henry Mattson was to later serve as the roading contractor for the Pt Chevalier Road Board;

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it isn’t hard to see that he wouldn’t have had to go very

far for the raw materials of his trade.

In 1904, Mr H Mattson of Pt Chevalier wanted to build a bridge across the Oakley Creek. He wrote to the Auckland Harbour Board on 26 June; his letter was read at the Board’s 5 July meeting, where it was resolved “The Mr Mattson be requested to forward details of bridge, and plan showing locality where same is proposed to be erected.”

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Mattson responded on 14 July, and his information was referred to the

Harbour Board’s Works and Tariff Committee, with the request for a report from the Board’s engineer.

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This committee discussed Mattson’s bridge application on 28

July and agreed “That permission to erect bridge be granted, in terms of Engineer’s report, and upon the condition that such bridge shall be removed upon Mr Mattson receiving three months’ notice to that effect.” Harbour Board meeting on 2 August 1904.

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This was approved by the full

Where would this bridge have been? That Mattson sought permission from the Harbour Board tells me it was across the estuary, in the tidal area administered (as part of the harbour) by the Harbour Board. Is there any other spot, other than where the Birkenhead Quarry was later to be established, directly across from the southern rock walls and scoria boulders traditionally associated with the Star Mill site, where this bridge might have been built? I can’t see any evidence to date of another site – and the use of the rock would point to having originated from Mattson’s quarries. Unfortunately, the Auckland Harbour Board didn’t retain Mattson’s plans, so the question will always be one for historical conjecture. But, there is, I feel, a strong case for Mattson’s bridge being the one illustrated in 1913 in the Todd survey plan of Allotment 18A. (See Part 2)

By 1905, Herman and Brandt Lowry Matson owned the property,

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but it was with

Herman Matson from 1912 that first the Birkenhead Borough Council, then Waitemata County Council, did business with regarding securing rights to quarry from the north coast of the Oakley Creek.

Auckland City Council’s valuers, on amalgamation with Pt Chevalier in 1921, noted in their records:

“H and M Mattson intend subdividing their property, part of

Allotment 19. At this point, they advise Auckland Council that they are the registered owners of parts “A” (2 acres, sold to and used for some years by Birkenhead Borough Council but title is not in that name) and “C” (18 acres, 3 roods, 9.3 perches). The right of way leading from the quarry to Moreton (now Montrose) Street was granted to Waitemata County Council in 1920.” 15

Mr and Mrs Mattson proposed subdivision of their remaining 18 acres in 1946. Auckland City Council were already interested in acquiring this land as part of a recreation reserve. Spoil had recently been taken to provide back-fill for the Albert Park tunnels by contractors Benjamin McKenzie and Thomas McLean Hughes. (Some was also used on an extension of Meola Road). McKenzie and Hughes had proposed in March that year that the area be developed for roading and subdivision, but Council felt the area’s development would be difficult. The site was purchased on the 9 March 1946 for £3000 by McKenzie, heading a partnership including Hughes (1/4 share), Colin Albert Crum, Harry Albert Crum, Gordon Albert Crum and Jack

Crum (1/8 share each). The partnership dissolved in Feb 1949, and the property again sold in May 1950 for £3600. 16

Birkenhead’s Oakley Quarry

The Birkenhead Borough Council was, in 1907, having some difficulty securing a supply of metal for the forming and maintenance of their roads, bridges and wharves.17 By 1908, they were using Trayes Bros. as their contractors, 18 who sourced their supply from Rangitoto Island primarily, as well as “from Tamaki”. 19

By 1911, Birkenhead’s Council was looking further afield for their raw materials. In that year, they had apparently spotted the shell banks at the mouth of the Whau River, and asked the Auckland Harbour Board for permission to take the shell from there (the Board’s response was that the area at the “Whau Creek Junction” was outside their jurisdiction, and that the Council would have to seek ministerial permission.)

20

It may be that while they were looking at the Whau River’s shell banks (the greatest of which could be found at Pollen and Traherne Island, to the east of the Rosebank Peninsula, rather than in the Whau River itself), they may have seen the scoria fields of the north shore of Oakley Creek. By July 1912, we read in the Council’s minute books that the Mayor reported on a committee having taken an option to purchase from one to five acres “along the Oakleigh Creek including certain Quarries now being worked.”

21

If the Council wished to take an acre only, Mattson would charge

them £300 per acre, but taking more than five would bring the price down to £250 per acre. In August, the purchase of the Oakleigh Creek Quarry was approved (this at the same time as a quarry was being purchased at Takapuna.) 22

We next see reference to the quarry at the end of 1915. The Mayor reported on his visit to the quarry with the quarry foreman, and finding everything satisfactory. “Mr. Brodie had taken out 2,040 feet of kerbs and pitches, and about 300 yards of spalls were available.” The Council agreed to purchase the spalls, having them hand-broken at Oakley Creek, then transporting the metal to Birkenhead.

23

By 1916, however, the

contractors to whom Birkenhead was apparently leasing the site were not meeting expectations. The foreman reported to the Council that the quarry “was not being opened up in a systematic manner, which would militate against future operations.”

An arrangement the Council had with a Mr. Wooton was cancelled.

24

(Mr. Wooton

also operated quarries near Western Springs, at the Asylum Reserve, for Pt Chevalier Road Board during this period.) 25

In the same meeting, they gave a Mrs. Hayward, who was in need of good soil at Birkenhead, permission to take one scow load of soil from the quarry site. 26

As well as concerns over how effectively the quarry site was being used, the Council had issues with Mattson over when he was going to grant them title to the land. They requested that his solicitors survey the area immediately.

27

However, Herman

Mattson advised the Council through his solicitors that he didn’t “intend to bother much more” about completing a survey of the area, stating that the matter “stands where it is.” He was prepared to convey a strip of land along the creek’s edge to the council, but the Mayor and Council found this unacceptable. Mattson then compromised by agreeing to an “area of 2 acres running two or three chains further back, as the land held by the Council for a Quarry Site.” This would allow the land held by the Council to be cut up into sections at any time, adding “considerably to the value of the Council’s property.”

28

But such a title would have to wait – Mattson

wasn’t prepared to construct or dedicate the necessary roading. I do wonder just how many of the councillors agreeing to such a deal had actually seen the rough, broken nature of Mattson’s Flat before agreeing to such a scheme.

Earlier that year, Pt Chevalier Road Board asked the Council for rates on the quarry site, only to be informed that Birkenhead Borough considered themselves exempt under the Rating Amendment Act 1913 (exempting land and buildings used by a municipal authority for its own business) and the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act 1913 (that a Council may quarry, purchase and sell road metal or other material for road making, on such terms as it thinks fit.) 29

In 1917 came the suggestion to dispose of the quarry “as the Council is not utilising the land.” 30 The earliest date for the Waitemata County Council to express an interest in quarrying in the area comes from April 1918, 31 so it is possible that the Birkenhead quarry originally covered much of the creek-edge portion of Mattson’s Flat and the scoria fields there. By 1919, though, the quarry was on the two-acres or so opposite

the site of the old Star Mill, closer to the culvert and the Great North Road. A Mr Davidson was hard at work there then, clearing gorse. Soil from the quarry was to be offered for sale, “probably [to] be disposed of to residents in the locality” and was to be advertised. 32

A resting bed for the scow at the Oakley Creek landing was needed, and the Mayor offered to confer with the foreman and the scow owner as to what was required.

33

The scowman may have been one Mr Nixon, who was conveying spalls from the quarry to Birkenhead at 5/6 per yard. His boat was apparently too large to negotiate the creek (which must have started well and truly silting up from the time of construction of the culvert bridge – remember back in the early 1860s, 20-ton cutters delivered wheat to Thomas’ Mill). He had sub-contracted to a Mr McGinn who in turn wasn’t making enough on the deal to actually do the job profitably. Both Nixon and McGinn asked for an increase in rate. used at the quarry,

35

34

By November 1920, a truck was being

as Birkenhead apparently had common rights to use a right-of-

way connecting the adjacent Waitemata County quarry with Montrose Street. At the end of that year, Kirby was now working the quarry, and advised the council that sufficient arrangements to supply air with an air-compressor would be needed to work the drill there.

36

By March 1921 the Council still awaited Waitemata County’s

response with regard to a request to use their air-compressor. Birkenhead instead considered purchasing their own from NZ Coromandel Granite for around £200.

37

This was approved later that month, along with a shed to be built to house it, measuring 20 feet by 8 feet with concrete foundation. 38

By 1922, however, as recession started to bite into municipal funds, Birkenhead Council considered closing the quarry down completely. The last order for 250 yards of spall went out on 14 November, and the order came down to lock up the compressor shed and move all portable equipment to the Borough Shed at Birkenhead.

39

The Council changed their minds in January 1923, re-opening the

quarry to supply 50 spalls per week, and asking for tenders for freighting the spalls from the quarry to Birkenhead wharf.

40

Come September 1923, another change – the

quarry was closed again, with tenders advertised for the purchase and removal of the stone crusher “and any moveable parts to the Engine”. Tools were to be stored in the Council’s machinery shed.

41

The shed at the quarry was ordered boarded up in

February 1924.

42

Two years later, Waitemata County offered to sell their quarry to

Birkenhead, but the latter authority wasn’t about to take up the offer. Council accepted an offer of £4 for the quarry machinery in 1930.

43

44

Instead, the

The Council

again sought to formalise title to their quarry in February 1931. There was no direct road access from their site (they shared the right of way), but sufficient access afforded “by Oakley Creek”. Auckland Council approved the subdivision, provided no dwelling house erected on the site. 45

Birkenhead Borough Council finally received the long sought title for the quarry from Mattson and his lawyers in June 1931,

46

long after the quarry itself had ceased

operations. It is doubtful that it was ever worked officially by the Borough Council ever again. By 1945, the quarry was described by Auckland City Council valuers as worked out, with reference made to it being a “lake”.

47

The site was eventually sold

to the Crown for use as part of the future north-western motorway in 1950. 48

The Waitemata County Oakley Quarry In April 1918, the Waitemata County Council voted to inspect a quarry site just beside and to the west of the one already being worked by Birkenhead with view to purchase. Not without much discussion and disagreement, however – the purchase proposal, in that war period, was controversial and just two months later was deferred sine die. 49

The County Council finally agreed to purchase either 5¾ acres for £1000 (which they decided to take up) or 8¾ acres for £1450, with “Council to have right to enter upon the land with all necessary machines and quarry, break and remove metal at royalty of 9d per cubic yard.”

50

Matson gave the County Council a one year term of option,

ending in December 1919, and the Council decided that the deposit paid for the purchase should be split between the county’s ridings of Wainui, Takapuna, Kumeu, Waitakere, Waikumete & Waipareira.51

By 1920 the County Council, like their Birkenhead counterparts, sought to have clear title for their purchase from Mattson. Once again, there was a snag: this time the Council was informed that Mattson’s mortgagor wasn’t keen on the Council taking over the mortgage still outstanding and needed the sum paid off.

52

Then Mattson

realised, possibly after a survey for the title purposes, that area of the quarry site was more than the agreed 5¾ acres (the final area for the Council title was nearly 7 acres). He required payment of an additional £100, which the Council agreed to. Waitemata County eventually obtained their title in August 1921,

54

53

and took out a

further 10-year lease over an additional part of Mattson’s land from 1925. 55

The quarry was in operation until 1930, often sporadically affected by what the council’s minutes described as “financial stringency”

56

during which periods it was

shut down. The following was taken from the minute books of the Waitemata County Council, tracing some of the issues and expenses that arose from the council’s Oakley Quarry:

16 April 1920: A boiler at the quarry required repair, with a new smoke box necessary.

26 November 1920: Birkenhead Borough Council to be asked for ½ share of the cost of dredging the creek in connection with boating of metal from the quarries.

16 September 1921: Oakley Creek boating contract tenders received.

21 October 1921: Elevators and a screen to be completed so hoppers were ready for use. The City Council’s crusher was to be removed, with the County’s crusher to be installed.

18 November 1921: Trayes Bros win boating contract to carry rock from the quarry.

2 December 1921: Contractors to be paid £20 each in respect to Oakley Quarry spawling contract prior to holidays.

17 February 1922: Shepherd’s spawling contract to be “cleaned up” by putting on extra boats as soon as possible. Cost of production 15/5½ per cubic yard.

20 July 1923: The quarry is reopened. Tenders were called for supply and delivery of 5,000 cubic yards of rock from quarry.

14 February 1924: The District Engineer was dissatisfied with metal supplied from Oakley. “Metal too coarse and would have to be hand knapped on the roads.” Blame is placed on the contractors who, according to the District Engineer, are “allowed to run rejects into the bin.”

20 March 1924: The contractors threw up their contract, complaining that they were not able to make job pay at the contract price. The county council agree to have them work to wages.

20 March 1924: A No. 1 Baxter Improved Crusher & Bowes, Stott & Western crusher is used at quarry.

16 April 1924: The original foreman was apparently C Farmer. The new foreman, C H Reid is paid £1 per day.

19 June 1924 An 18” Jaw crusher was to be installed, but this was later deferred the following month.

24 July 1924: An access road to quarry was to be formed.

28 August 1924: A power plant was to be supplied instead of the existing steam one, at a cost of £712 10s. The old plant was to be sold.

23 October 1925: A “competent Quarry Working Manager” was to be employed.

22 January 1925: An electric transmission line was to be erected to quarry, as well as new plant by Booth MacDonald & Company Ltd.

23 April 1925: The foreman C H Reid met with an accident. His place was temporarily filled by M Patterson.

28 August 1925: A boating contract was signed with W Dyson for all destinations except Okura; with F Hosking to Okura.

The county council’s Quarry Committee minutes end with resolution 25 November 1926 to sell quarry as going concern.

In the middle of 1930, the costs of operating the quarry over any expected returns finally meant permanent closure for the second Oakley Creek quarry. Quarry boating contractors who had already spent money on two launches and three barges used to convey the rock from the coast of the creek out to the county’s ridings were immediately disadvantaged.

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Kaipara MP and former Prime Minister J. Gordon

Coates made enquiries to the County Clerk

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and was advised that the quarry

temporarily closed down in July 1930 but then started up again with a contractor named Stanaway barging out the metal. Then it closed again in August 1930, and permanently by 1932. Metal for the county was supplied from the Prison Quarries, Wharekawa Shingle Co & McCallum Bros from 1930 onward.

For most of the 1930s, the county-owned property at the edge of Oakley Creek remained disused. Then, in 1938 came an offer from an entrepreneur named Esmond Henry Savage, who was keen to build a box factory on part of the county council’s land, and offered to lease it for £10 per year.

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Savage had two territorial authorities

to negotiate with: the county council who owned the land, and Auckland City Council to whom he applied for a building permit. The City Engineer of Auckland City reported to the Town Planning Committee on the site in August 1938: the 6¾ acre site, owned by Waitemata County Council, had up until 4-5 years previously been used as a quarry. It was located in Residential “B” zone, but “ …the area is low-lying, most of it being within the 10 foot contour, and some of it is actually tidal and the site is not a desirable one for residential purposes.” There was water access for barge transport. Apparently, although there was land zoned for heavy industry alongside the Whau River, Savage chose the Waitemata County quarry as it lay within the automatic telephone area. 60 By September Savage had received his building permit 61 (although with a fifteen year limit as the building did not comply with city council by-laws)

62

and offered to buy

the quarry site outright from the county council for £400.

63

The council’s Oakley

Quarry Committee agreed, made arrangements with Savage for him to pay the purchase price over the course of the next 15 years and for the council to have access to remove quarry bins when demolished.

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However, legal issues surrounding the

council’s power to sell the land on extended terms under the Counties Act, meant that the arrangement had to change to a 3-year lease, at £1 per week (a note in the file that Savage couldn’t pay in cash), with agreement to purchase at the end of the term for £300. 65

Come World War II, Savage took out another permit to build a further wooden factory in 1940,

66

and was negotiating a new 3-year lease with the county council. 67

Just as he was contemplating selling his business, he was called up for service in the Naval Volunteer Reserve.

68

Until 1946, he then leased his business to Trevor

Seabourne Harris; once released from service that year, he applied to purchase the site outright from the county council. The council agreed to finally sell the land for £150.69 The land was then on-sold by Savage, followed by the buildings in 1947. The City Council considered forming a recreation reserve on Mattson’s property, as part of the Area No. 2 part of the City Reserves extension scheme, but difficulties regarding land acquisition forced this to be abandoned in July 1949. 70

A brass foundry may have operated from the site from 1947 to 1950 (the new owner being Harry Orlando Hessell, a brass founder). Hessell applied to the City Council for permission to establish a motor camp there in 1950 but this was not approved, especially as the route of the planned north-western motorway absorbed the southern portion of the property. 71 The land was taken by Ministry of Works later that year. 72

1

SO 833, LINZ records CT 1/63, LINZ records 3 Valuation field sheets, Auckland City Archives 4 CT 1/63, LINZ records 5 ibid 6 NZ Map No. 2695, Special Collections, APL 7 From A H Walker, Rangi-Mata-Rau, Pt Chevalier Centennial, 1961, p. 31 8 CT 1/63, LINZ records 9 NZ Herald, 5 April 1894, p. 4 & p.5 10 Minutes, Auckland City Archives 11 Auckland Harbour Board minutes, 1904, p. 368, Auckland Voyager Maritime Museum 12 AHB minutes, p. 374 2

13

Committee minute book 1902-1905, p. 395, AHB records, Maritime Museum CT 1/63, LINZ records 15 Valuation field sheets – ACC 213/103a, Auckland City Archives 16 ibid 17 Birkenhead Borough Council minutes, BCC 111/5, 29 April 1907, p. 81, North Shore City Archives 18 BCC 111/5, p. 181, 4 November 1908, North Shore City Archives 19 BCC 111/5, facing p. 291, North Shore City Archives 20 BCC 111/5, 27 November 1911, p. 452, North Shore City Archives 21 BCC 111/6, 11 July 1912, p. 10, North Shore City Archives 22 BCC 111/6, 8 August 1912, p. 21, North Shore City Archives 23 BCC 111/7, 1 December 1915, p. 44, North Shore City Archives 24 BCC 111/7, 3 May 1916, p. 84, North Shore City Archives 25 PCRB 1/1, 26 November 1914, p. 15, Auckland City Archives 26 BCC 111/7, 3 May 1916, p. 84, North Shore City Archives 27 ibid 28 BCC 111/7, 4 October 1916, p. 128 29 BCC 111/7, 12 July 1916, p. 103, North Shore City Archives 30 BCC 111/7, 27 June 1917, p. 204, North Shore City Archives 31 WCC minutes, #38, 19 April 1918, Waitakere City Archives 32 BCC 111/8, 3 December 1919, pp. 113-114, North Shore City Archives 33 ibid 34 BCC 111/8, 11 December 1920, p. 130, North Shore City Archives 35 BCC 111/8, 18 November 1920, p. 210, North Shore City Archives 36 BCC 111/8, 22 December 1920, p. 217, North Shore City Archives 37 BCC 111/8, 2 March 1921, p. 238, North Shore City Archives 38 BCC 111/8, 16 March 1921, p. 245, North Shore City Archives 39 BCC 111/9, 22 November 1922, p. 24, North Shore City Archives 40 BCC 111/9, 11 January 1923, p. 31, North Shore City Archives 41 BCC 111/9, 26 September 1923, p. 115, North Shore City Archives 42 BCC 111/9, 13 February 1924, p. 148, North Shore City Archives 43 BCC 111/9, 20 October 1926, p. 435, North Shore City Archives 44 BCC 111/11, 4 June 1930, p. 26, North Shore City Archives 45 ACC 213/103a, City Archives 46 CT 626/62, LINZ records 47 ACC 213/103a, Auckland City Archives 48 CT 626/62, LINZ records 49 Waitemata County Council minutes, #38 19 April 1918 & #184 21 June 1918, Waitakere City Archives 50 WCC #329 24 September 1918, Waitakere City Archives 51 WCC #398 18 October 1918 & #453 6 December 1918, Waitakere City Archives 52 WCC #1466 26 March 1920, Waitakere City Archives 53 WCC #1829 15 October 1920, Waitakere City Archives 54 CT 335/39, LINZ records 55 Lease No. 11911, CT 451/149, LINZ records 56 WCC #2255 17 June 1921, Waitakere City Archives 57 Letter 25 July 1930 Meredith Hubble to County Engineer, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 58 13 August 1930 County Clerk to Hon J G Coates, MP, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 59 Letter 17 August 1938 E N Saunders, Secretary, Auckland Box Co to County Clerk, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 60 22 August 1938 Report to Town Planning Committee from City Engineer, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 61 Valuation field sheets – ACC 213/103a, Auckland City Archives 62 Letter from Town Clerk to R G McElroy, 2 September 1938, ACC 275 Box 233-38/412, Auckland City Archives 63 Letter 22 September 1938 R G McElroy to Clerk, WCC, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 14

64

30 September 1938 & 27 October 1938 Oakley Quarry Committee minutes, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 65 6 December 1938 McElroy to County Clerk, file ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 66 Valuation field sheets – ACC 213/103a, Auckland City Archives 67 File ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 68 19 March 1942 Letter from Newberry to County Clerk, File ref TY280, WCC records, Waitakere City Archives 69 WCC minutes 26 September 1946, Waitakere City Archives 70 Memo to Town Clerk from Town Planning Officer, 14 April 1950, ACC 275 136/28-254, Auckland City Archives 71 ibid 72 Valuation field sheets – ACC 213/103a, Auckland City Archives