Museum pays tribute to sculptor Paul Dibble

The Gold of the Kowhai, Paul Dibble, 2014 [2014/46] gifted by the MTG Foundation

Last week we were saddened to hear about the passing of Paul Dibble. Dibble, based in Palmerston North, was a powerhouse in the New Zealand sculpture world and his works grace many cities around the country. Thanks to the work of the MTG Foundation there are two of his works in the MTG collection – both permanently on display. One, The Gold of the Kowhai, was purchased in 2014 and can be viewed across from the entry to MTG Hawke’s Bay and in front of the Masonic Hotel. A second work, The Garden, is situated in Havelock North by the i-site building. Both are displays of artistic talent and philanthropy coming together to enrich the community. We, like many, mourn the passing of Dibble.

Completely coincidentally, we also held a function last week to celebrate the exhibition Paintings and Other Works, which shares a taste of the amazing collection of works acquired by the MTG Foundation over the last 10 years. Contemporary and mid-century works sit cheek by jowl in this exhibition, with some beautiful and stunning juxtapositions along with complimentary elements highlighting colour, style, content, etc. This is a showing of a rich range of art all brought together by the generosity and passion of the MTG Foundation and its members. We’re incredibly grateful for their continued energy and support.

Some works purchased by the MTG Foundation are not included in the display as they are already earmarked for other exhibitions. One such exhibition will use the art and archive collection to tell some of the history of Te Matau-a-Māui. It will include two fairly recent acquisitions made by the MTG Foundation. 

Meanwhile work is seriously underway on the building project in Hastings. This new facility will provide a permanent safe and appropriate home to store our collection, including artworks, when they are not on display at MTG. Those who have driven past will see that demolition work is all but completed and we are now left with a shell – pillars and a roof. We’ve even had the first of many concrete pours this week, which will form the foundations of the ‘darkhouse’ the collection store area. It’s hard to envision, looking at it today, the facility that it will become, but such an exciting prospect.

Staff at MTG have a lot of work ahead of them preparing the collection to move. So, while the building progresses, so will the preparation of the collection. To have the collection ready for the big move we do have to stop our normal services – this means enquiries, visits to the collection and accepting acquisitions are all impacted in the short term. We acknowledge this will impact people who expect the normal level of access to the collection but we hope you will appreciate that this is for the greater long term good.

Having permanent fit-for-purpose storage for the collection, away from the tsunami zone, with the right environment and space for researchers and visitors has been the dream for a long time and it is finally within reach. We aim to have the new facility up and running by the end of 2025. We look forward to welcoming you then.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 16 December 2023 and written by Laura Vodanovich, Director at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Rough journey for early immigrants

Bebington Immigration records, 1874

A fascinating collection of immigration archival material from the 1870’s-1880’s, including passenger lists, medical journals and letters, was found in the Browning Street Police Station’s ceiling when it was being dismantled. Thankfully those-in-charge perceived the archives’ historical value and took them to the Hawke’s Bay Art Gallery and Museum (now MTG Hawke’s Bay). These records, which contain a wealth of information about our colonial past, have proven a goldmine for researchers.

During the 1870s hundreds of immigrants set sail from England to Aotearoa. Colonial Treasurer, Julius Vogel’s ambitious vision of assisted immigration recruited workers from Northern Europe as well as the United Kingdom. Initially there was little interest, until 1873 when the adult fare was waived and an immigrant, once resident in New Zealand, could nominate friends and relatives to come and settle. 

On Friday afternoon 20 November 1874, the Bebington arrived in Napier after a voyage of 117 days. On board were 317 immigrants, including 60 single women, all “in the bloom and beauty of youth”. Among them was Canadian Lydia Phillips, (28) travelling with her two brothers.

Built in 1859 the Bebington was commonly known as an “old tub” and had the undesirable reputation of being the slowest to make the voyage direct to Aotearoa.

Working conditions on board were considered “rough and dangerous”, especially the wheel which was “so high up” the steersman could easily be thrown overboard. This almost happened when on 29 October, during a severe gale, huge waves swept over the deck injuring two sailors at the wheel and causing damage to the ship.

The Bebington’s captain was W Knight assisted by Dr Dale and matron Hannah Jones. On board, the immigrants were strictly segregated into three groups: married couples, single men and single women (whom the matron chaperoned). Four births and four deaths occurred during the voyage. Of those who died, three were infants, the fourth being a sailor Edward French, found dead while at work with his arm clasped round the yardarm high above the deck – his sailor friends reported he “died in harness”.

Immediately on arrival, one of Lydia’s brothers (on her behalf) lodged a complaint of harsh treatment by the captain and doctor, which they both empathically denied. An enquiry was held before the Immigration Commissioner. Reporters were forbidden to attend the enquiry and the “definite complaints were not made public”.  However, the main charge accused Captain Knight of placing Lydia in “irons and keeping her there for a fortnight.”

Tucked in the back of the Bebington’s medical journal is a summary of events leading-up to Lydia’s incarceration, signed by both captain and doctor. The contents state that Captain Knight was informed about Lydia keeping a diary detailing events of the voyage. When Dr Dale demanded she hand it over, Lydia refused and using “most foul and abusive language threatened to strike him or anyone that attempted” to take it from her. According to the newspaper Lydia concealed the diary “about her person” until she was “seized, tied-up and stripped” and the diary removed.

When restrained and forced into irons she became “very violent” making a “tremendous uproar.” The matron’s berth, (no larger than a small person lying down) was turned into a make-shift prison by the ships carpenter. Once complete, Captain Knight checked there was adequate ventilation for survival and instructed the prisoner be incarcerated.

Contrary to newspaper evidence that she was constrained for a fortnight, the captain stated that “the following day” Lydia was removed from her prison because the berth was required for an invalid. She was taken back to the single women’s compartment with instructions she would be escorted onto the poop (small deck located at the back of a ship) for a few hours of fresh air each day.

Captain Knight alleged that Lydia and her brothers had given trouble from the beginning of the journey, when they found out they were to be separated. The siblings were adamant that before boarding, the “Government had led them to suppose” that they could spend each day together. However strict rules onboard disallowed the groups to mingle.

Lydia ignored these rules roaming “where she liked”, particularly disregarding instructions that single women were only allowed onto the poop. When chastised she became unrepentant and insolent. The captain threatened to inform the Napier Immigration Commissioner of her “repeated willful misconduct, causing dissention among the passengers as well as creating trouble for his crew”.

On 17 December Lydia’s case went in front of Napier’s Supreme Court. Captain Knight, too ill to attend, settled “out of court” paying Lydia £30 equivalent to $8,700 today.

During the same month, Captain Knight’s name again appeared in the newspaper when he accused five of Bebington’s sailors of refusing to “obey lawful commands.” At the Resident Magistrates Court, each sailor admitted the offence citing mitigating circumstances – they had been badly treated, threatened and excessively punished over simple misdemeanors. One had been put in irons for “grimacing” when forbidden to communicate with immigrants.

Each was given a three-month prison sentence with hard labour. Such was the sailors dislike of Captain Knight that, when offered a trip to the next port in the Bebington “working or idle”, they refused, one citing that if they went “it would be in the capacity of ballast.”

At the beginning of February 1875, Captain Knight, while travelling to Melbourne on board the Tararua, died of dropsy and heart disease.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 25 November 2023 and written by Gail Pope, Social History Curator at MTG Hawke’s Bay

Preparing for a busy summer

To prepare for the influx of visitors MTG has been stocking the museum shop with items
to tempt visitors from overseas and locals alike.

With the arrival of cruise ship season we’re looking forward to a busy time for MTG Hawke’s Bay and the region. After two years of Covid-19, followed by cyclone Gabrielle, Te Matau-a-Māui deserves a good summer! With the first of the large cruise ships arriving on Wednesday we’re hoping it will bring much needed benefit for all. It’s always lovely to see the streets full with the buzz of many people enjoying this beautiful part of the country.

To prepare for the influx of visitors we’ve been stocking our museum shop with items to tempt visitors from overseas and locals alike. Our retail space is stocked to the brim with great options for christmas gifts and stocking stuffers so come in and have a look at what we have on offer.

Last week we opened a display of photography work completed by EIT students who have been based at MTG following Cyclone Gabrielle. These students are level 6, so halfway through their studies for a design qualification. It was a pleasure having these students at MTG and, while they’ve had to compromise on the space available to them, they worked diligently with good grace in their somewhat constrained temporary home. The work they’ve produced is on display close to the entry to Napier library. While this is a display of photography work from the students there is also a delightful 3D miniature scene that was created on display. While we had to give up some space and undergo constrain ourselves, I do miss having the students and all their creative energy around the place. We invite you to visit and see some of their work while it’s on display.

2023 has seen multiple groups making MTG their home for one reason or another. Napier library has been with us for a number of years now and, while work is underway on creating the new library, they’ll be with us for a while yet. EIT students from design and performance found a home at MTG while their campus was devastated following the cyclone. More recently the i-site team have had a base here while rebranding work was happening in their site. They have their last day with us tomorrow, Sunday 19, and will reopen with a new look and feel back in the i-site building on Monday. It’s certainly created some challenges fitting all these people into the building but we’ve been really happy to have them here and pleased to be able to help our community when help is needed.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the team is busy working on the final two exhibitions for the year. Pictures and Other Works celebrates ten years of the MTG Foundation who have raised funds to acquire items for the collection. This exhibition features a sampling of the 87 works acquired over the years by this group, who continue to support the museum and grow the collection for the benefit of the region. Pictures and Other Works opens to the public on Saturday 25 November. Pūrākau ō Te Whenua will share stories behind some of the place names in Te Matau-a-Māui. Some stories may be familiar to you – others less so. This exhibition will open to the public just before Christmas. Why not come in over your summer break and learn about the whenua on which we stand.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 18 November 2023 and written by Laura Vodanovich, Director at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Farewell to Hawke’s Bay fashion designer

Babs Radon – The Elegant Moment exhibition, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

This week we were sad to hear of the passing of Barbara Herrick.

Herrick was the founder and designer of the fashion label Babs Radon, which created garments synonymous with style, elegance, and glamour in 1960s New Zealand.

Barbara had a close relationship with our museum. We were lucky to have partnered with Barbara in 2008 to do the exhibition Babs Radon – The Elegant Moment which was about the Babs Radonclothing label and brought together a beautiful display of her designs. The museum also has a wonderful collection of over 20 Babs Radongarments (and the wonderful matching fabric coat hangers that the brand was renowned for). Over half of these garments were kindly donated to the museum by Deanne Spiro. Deanne was Barbara’s assistant at Babs Radon. The Babs Radon fashion archive holds a key position in our 20^th Century costume and textiles collection.

Barbara’s first boutique opened in Auckland in 1957 in partnership with her husband Don Penberthy. The name Babs Radoncombined the couple’s Christian names – Barbara and Don. Barbara was the sole designer, while Don, whose background was in engineering, became skilled in bias cutting. While formal and special occasion gowns were initially the mainstay of her range, Barbara quickly developed a reputation for elegant, well-cut suits and daytime dresses which offered young New Zealand women a modern alternative. For Barbara, fashion represented confidence and self-esteem, qualities which attracted clientele with similar values. In Barbara’s words “I wanted to make beautiful clothes for women to feel good in.”

Barbara and Don built their small boutique up into an exclusive wholesale business, distributing Barbara’s designs to department stores around New Zealand. The first competitive recognition of a Babs Radon design came as a commendation in the 1962 Golden Shears Awards. In 1964 Babs Radon received the premier award for Racewear – the Silver Shears. The New Zealand Wool Awards were an even more significant accolade, and in 1963, competing against a field of more than 5300 garments, the Babs Radon‘Lambda’ dress and jacket ensemble received the Supreme Award. With these major national awards and publicity, Babs Radon was firmly established as one of the leading high fashion labels.

Barbara took over the business in its entirety in the late 1960s, and as an independent working mother continued to build on her already significant reputation as a designer. A regular in New Zealand and Australian Vogue, her designs were high-profile. In the later 1960s she completed prestigious design commissions such as the air hostess uniforms for airline New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC), the bridal outfits for a Vice-Regal wedding, and the personal outfits for pioneering female broadcaster and spokesperson Cherry Raymond. We have two Babs Radon dress and jacket sets worn by Cherry Raymond in our collection.

By the 1970s fashion was changing. The high-quality fabrics which Babs Radonand its contemporaries based their reputations on had become too expensive for a market looking to get more for their fashion dollar. As the emphasis in local fashion moved from couture towards design-led manufacture, Barbara’s interest waned, and in the mid-1970s she retired the Babs Radon label.

We will remember Barbara through collections like ours where her legacy as a fashion icon will live on and inspire generations of new designers.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 11 November 2023 and written by Sara Perrett, Collections Care and Access Manager at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Bringing the huia back into the light

Taku Tahu, MTG Hawkes Bay, 2022, Fiona Pardington. Collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi

We’re thrilled to announce that two works by Ngāti Kahungunu artist, Fiona Pardington, have been gifted to the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust collection.

Fiona and her representatives, Starkwhite Gallery, have donated the work pictured, and the MTG Foundation, have funded the purchase of a second work; Manawarahi Female Huia, MTG Hawkes Bay. The actual feathers and female huia, subjects of these fine works, are held in the Trust’s collection.

A finalist in the Forest and Birds ‘Bird of the Century,’ the huia has been extinct now for over 100 years. MTG is supporting and championing the huia for Bird of the Century and we’d love you to help us by voting for the huia through the Forest and Bird website or just search for bird of the century. Please tell your friends and whānau and help us get the spectacular huia recognised in this way.

To say that the huia bird is culturally and symbolically charged is an understatement. Its mana and significance are underlined by the story of its whakapapa, which sets it apart from other birds that dwelt in the realm of Tāne-mahuta. The huia is a sacred bird.  

At one time the bird was worn by rangatira and their whānau as a symbol of mana. Feathers were worn in the hair, dried skins and heads worn from the ears. Walter Buller noted about the heads, “the beaks of which, hanging down all round and coming into contact make a rattling sound as the wearer moves about. These are called ‘pōtae huia’ and only a woman of high rank would presume to wear one”.

To an extent, huia numbers declined through the early days of Māori settlement in Aotearoa, the birds being traded across the country in return for other valuables.

Sadly, for the huia, its distinctive beak also saw it prized by European collectors and international trade of the birds in the nineteenth century saw its numbers decline even further. In 1901 the gift of a huia feather to the heir to the British throne made the feathers so widely desired it ultimately set in place the bird’s extinction. The last huia seen were two males and a female, in 1907.

Like a rescue operation, Fiona is concerned with giving the huia new life. The act of photographing them brings them into the light, back into the living world and reinvests them with mauri.

As a symbol of rangatira too, the feather seen at such a large scale makes a statement about the allocation of wealth and power in this country. Like time travellers, they’re reminders of a place where Māori were rangatira and able to govern themselves in their own lands.

Last week, I wrote about the new collection access and storage facility in Hastings. As a reference to the sacredness of the huia, the outside of this building, along Queen St East and Hastings St North, will be faced in a protective cloak of large scale steel huia feathers, each 6m high.

These significant feathers, glowing at night, will turn the building into a Hawke’s Bay landmark. Each feather will be laser engraved with a single name: be it an individual, a family or an organisation. The names of eighty generous supporters will be preserved permanently, a record of the people who understand the value of protecting and caring for Hawke’s Bay’s collection of precious objects and taonga. Contact https://www.themtgfoundation.com if you’d like to support this heritage project and donate a feather.

In the meantime, we’re wishing best of luck to the huia becoming the ‘Bird of the Century’. You still have a chance to see these photographs in all their glory, in Tāku Huia Kaimanawa – Fiona Pardington, on display at the museum until 3 December 2023.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 4 November 2023 and written by Laura Vodanovich, Director at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Irish regiment’s doctor’s ‘kindness’ recalled in Napier

Gilt button from Dr Spencer’s 18th Royal Irish Regiment officer’s tunic, circa 1860

Safely stored among the collection of the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, is Dr William Isaac Spencer’s 18th Royal Irish Regiment officer’s tunic. This red tunic is beautifully embroidered in gold thread and fastened with gilt buttons, each stamped with the Regiment’s insignia – a winged female supporting the Irish Harp (Harp of Erin) surmounted by the Imperial crown.

The Second Battalion of the 18th Royal Irish Regiment of Foot (nicknamed Paddy’s Blackguards) was formed in 1858 and a year later consigned to England.

At the request of New Zealand’s Governor Grey, the Regiment, along with detachments from the 43^rd, 50^th and 68^th regiments, totalling 3000 soldiers, were dispatched to Aotearoa. Most of the Second Battalion boarded the Elizabeth Anne Bright at Portsmouth on 2 April 1863, arriving in Auckland three months later.

During the New Zealand Wars, Dr Spencer’s regiment was involved in military action at Waikato and Whanganui. In April 1864, they fought at Ōrākau (near Te Awamutu), where an estimated 160 Māori died, along with 17 British soldiers and a further 51 wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Carey wrote:“The wounded received the greatest possible attention on the field from the senior medical officer, Dr White, 65th Regiment, ably seconded by Assistant-Surgeon Spencer, 18th Royal Irish.” Further commendations regarding Dr Spencer’s surgical skill were recorded when “the warrior Tepene Ti Waru, taken prisoner at Ōrākau, had his left arm amputated by Dr Spencer.” 

In early 1865, seven companies of the 18th Royal Irish Regiment arrived in Whanganui where they were stationed for over two years, mainly in charge of the military posts securing the road between Whanganui and Pātea. Dr Spencer featured again in official reports, when Forest Ranger Gustavus von Tempsky, “immediately sought out Doctor Spencer, a highly respected and clever doctor attached to the 18th Regiment and begged him to take over the care of (one of his men) who, after a bad bout of the disease, did recover.”

In November 1867 six companies of the Royal Irish left Whanganui – four departed for Auckland and two for Napier. The Hawke’s Bay Times recorded that Whanganui bemoaned their departure which would be “a loss to storekeepers … in particular the beer trade which will be materially affected and suffer most.”

The steamship Ahuriri arrived at the Iron Pot wharf on 17 November, “having on board two companies of the 18th under orders to be stationed at Napier.” The detachment consisted of several officers, including Spencer, along with 129 non-commissioned officers and privates. Seventeen women – one of whom was Anna, Dr Spencer’s wife – and forty-four children accompanied the detachment. On arrival the Regiment marched up Main Street to the Gore Browne Barracks on Mataruahou / Bluff Hill where they were stationed for the duration of their stay.

The Regiment was “compelled by Imperial Orders” not to “to be employed in hostilities between colonists and natives.” They were instructed instead to protect the area, so pickets were sent out daily and “strong and efficient” nightly patrols conducted. The Regiment assiduously practiced their musketry skills, putting up military butts on Marine Parade’s foreshore.

Despite being made to “chafe in the barracks”, the regiment very quickly became involved in community affairs: helping with harvesting, as there was a “scarcity of labour and farmers were anxious to get their crops in”, cleaning up Napier cemetery from a “mass of undergrowth which had crept over graves” and their excellent band performed regularly, “a treat looked for and heartily enjoyed by the lovers of harmony in our midst.”

Again, Dr Spencer’s surgical expertise was noted. Provincial Surgeon, Dr Hitchings, reported to the Hawke’s Bay Provincial Government, “that the boy Robert Willis, whose shoulder was completely denuded (by machinery), the arm only hanging by a single tendon … has since got completely well, the arteries at the time being promptly secured by the timely arrival of my friend Dr Spencer.”

On 6 July 1869 General Chute ordered the 18th Royal Irish Regiment to leave Aotearoa’s shore. The influential men of Hawke’s Bay determined to hold two farewell dinners in the Regiment’s honour, (one for the officers and the other for non-commissioned officers and privates) such was the “universal feeling of esteem and respect”, which the “uniformly good conduct of the men” evoked.

During speeches at the officer’s ceremony, Dr Spencer was described as “a gentleman who while in Napier had performed innumerable acts of unostentatious kindness, and who … would be greatly missed after his departure.”

On Wednesday 19 January 1870, the 18th Royal Irish Regiment stood at attention in front of the Gore Browne Barracks. They then marched in formation “through the town, up Shakespeare Road to the Spit” accompanied by the music of the Napier Brass Band. The embarkment was “managed with great expedition … and the utmost order and regularity.” In fact, it was noted, that not a single soldier was seen intoxicated or performing an “irregularity of any kind.” Once at the Spit the soldiers boarded HMS Virago, which set sail for Wellington, reuniting the Napier contingent with the remainder of the Second Battalion and from there they left Aotearoa’s shores permanently, bound for Australia.

However, 18 men chose to be discharged, ten of whom settled in Napier, including Dr Spencer. Many Napier locals, desperately seeking a second doctor, had encouraged him to resign his army commission and take up private practice in Hawke’s Bay. Although no longer affiliated to his Regiment, Dr Spencer acted as surgeon for the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Militia.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 21 October 2023 and written by Gail Pope, Social History Curator at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Summer a busy time in shearing sheds

Shearing gang, Elmshill Station, Patangata

Daylight saving and the long, lazy days of summer are on their way. With this comes a sense of freedom as time marches steadily towards Christmas and family holidays. However, during the 1850s onwards for those living on Hawke’s Bay sheep stations, the summer months heralded one of the busiest times in the farming calendar – the shearing season. Prior, all would be quiet around the shearing shed, except perhaps for birdsong, the rustling of leaves in the trees and the occasional bark of a dog.

Anticipation of the shearing season began the day the musterers’ left the homestead block to herd sheep from the station’s furthest boundaries to the homestead paddocks. A team would set out, each with five to seven working dogs, and once at the musterer’s hut tramp in different directions searching for sheep. The work was arduous, lonely and depending on the terrain, often dangerous. A packman would load his packhorse with all the necessaries required for the group to survive. At the musterer’s hut he was cook and butcher, in-charge of killing a few sheep to feed the men and the dogs.   

In the ensuing days all those left behind would listen keenly for the loud cacophony of bleats, strident whistles and barking of dogs, indicating the return of the men. Suddenly the welcome sight of a huge flock of sheep moving like an enormous wave would appear over the horizon. The peace that had reigned for so long was shattered and all the familiar sounds and smells of shearing would begin.

This Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust’s photograph captures Elmshill Station shearing shed during the late 1880s – 1890s. Shearing has possibly come to an end, enabling the group to pose together in their best clothes. There are various humourous and playful moments in the photograph: a sheep laying on its back wearing a hat; a man holding a handful of playing cards as though in the middle of a game and four men posed along the front seemingly in the middle of shearing sheep with hand-blades. The photograph exudes warmth and familiarity – the group at ease and enjoying each other’s company after a long day of hard work.

Most of the shearing gang pictured are Māori men, women and children. Māori shearing was particularly prevalent on the East Coast during the 1880s, with shearing gangs able to contract to the big Hawke’s Bay coastal and inland stations. For Māori, contract rural work enabled them to be employed seasonally in their extended whānau groups. Shearing, in particular, provided a steady source of income each spring and summer.

In November 1859 when Frederick John Tiffen purchased Elmshill, situated approximately 17 miles or 27 kilometres from Waipawa, most of the land was swamp. It took many years of hard work to drain the area and turn it into farming land. An entry in the Cyclopedia of New Zealand (1908) under Patangata, stated that on the property was 364 acres (147 hectares) of native bush, amongst which were “some splendid totara, white pine and matai”. The main stock on Elmshill were made-up of 11,977 Lincoln-Leicester cross-bred sheep, of which 6,000 were ewes. English Leicester rams were also bred on the station and the lambing season averaged an eighty-five percent success rate.

Tiffen built a “comfortable dwelling house” which was pleasantly situated on a rise. Below it was the wool-shed with sixteen shearing stands, several sorting tables and night pens which could accommodate up to 900 sheep. Next to the wool-shed were four whares in which farm-hands and the shearing gang slept and cooked, stables, and a storage building along with a concrete sheep dip.

Throughout Aotearoa New Zealand shearing sheds had a similar floorplan. One of the earliest descriptions was by Lady Barker who in December 1865 visited a new shearing shed close to Christchurch. At first she did not like “the sights and sounds” – however she forced herself “to bear it”. The shed had 25 shearing stands and beside each was a trap-door through which the shearer pushed shorn sheep down a ramp into a small outside pen. It was here that the manager would inspect the quality of shearing and count any cuts on the sheep’s skin.

Using hand-blades the average daily tally of sheep shorn was about 80, whereas a fast shearer could remove 120 fleeces a day. Lady Barker inspected the wool tables to “which two boys were incessantly bringing armfuls of rolled-up fleeces”. These were laid on the tables for the wool-sorter to open-up and inspect the quality of wool. From there the fleeces were carried to bins which were constantly emptied and taken to the press. “Once tumbled in”, a heavy screw-press forced the fleeces down into a bale which was kept “open in a large square frame” until full. The top of the canvas was then tightly sewn together, then four long iron pins removed so that the sides of the frame fell away disclosing a symmetrical bale. This was then “hoisted by a crane into the loft above”, where the weight, class and brand of wool was painted on the canvas. Everything was done with the utmost speed and precision.

Lady Barker remarked that she was “much impressed by the silence in the shed; not a sound was to be heard except the click of the shears, and the wool-sorter’s decision as he flings the fleece behind him, given in one, or at most two words”. All the noise was outside; “there the hubbub, and dust, and apparent confusion are great – you can hear nothing but barking and bleating, and this goes on from early morning till dark”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

So, if travelling throughout the valleys, plains and along the coastline of beautiful Hawke’s Bay this summer keep an eye out for historic shearing sheds and yards. Like old bones they stand proudly, their weatherworn exteriors seemingly at one with the land. Built of native timber at a time when it was plentiful, they have withstood the test of time – their slightly battered and bleached appearance give an indication of the longevity of their years. Inside, the yard gates and tongue-and-groove floorboards are ingrained with years of lanolin from the wool, smells permeate the senses and the walls throb with the echo of memory.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 30 September 2023 and written by Gail Pope, Social History Curator at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

Actors in the limelight

Hastings Amateur Operatic Society handkerchief, 14-17 October 1895

Recently MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland) gifted a cotton handkerchief to the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust collection. Although seemingly a simple clothing accessory, this particular handkerchief had a surprisingly different use. Printed on it was an advertisement proclaiming the impending Hastings Amateur Operatic Society’s performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s nautical comic opera H.M.S Pinafore, otherwise known as The Lass that Loved a Sailor, to be held between 14-17 October 1895.

The advertisement is divided in two: the left hand side lists members of the Society, dates and performance details in both Hastings and Napier along with an image of the president, Captain Russell, and on the right is a line-up of cast members along with their particular role within the opera and members of the orchestra. Bizarrely, around the edge is a repeated pattern printed in red showing a comical rendition of an adult with two children pulling the reins of a donkey, while on its back lays a sleeping baby. Dividing each repeat is an excited dog and the corners feature a child holding a whip.

The Hastings Amateur Operatic Society was officially formed Friday 28 June 1895, when a “well-attended meeting of musical people” gathered to inaugurate the society. At that meeting a committee was elected and Mr Sheath was unanimously appointed conductor, as he had “music of all the well-known operas at his fingers’ ends” and understood the “difficulties which amateurs often labour”.

At the end of the meeting it was agreed to perform the “ever popular Pinafore” as the Society’s first venture. The initial rehearsal was held at the Hastings Oddfellows Hall on 15 July and casting decisions made known three days later. Prior to the decision, it was widely rumoured, that the part of Captain Corcoran had been offered to a gentleman “who is a distinguished light in sporting circles” and well-known locally for his dramatic ability.

Aotearoa / New Zealand has a tradition of amateur music-making, which from 1870 led to the establishment of many operatic societies throughout the country. These groups performed both light and serious works but Gilbert and Sullivan provided the staple repertoire until about 1900. Librettist William Gilbert, a witty satirist, and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan were a British duo who created fourteen operas in a collaboration that lasted 25 years. One of the duo’s most beloved comic works, H.M.S. Pinafore, tells the classic tale of forbidden love and struggles the hero and heroine overcome before they are finally united.

As opening night inched ever closer, the Hawke’s Bay Herald lyrically wrote on 25 September that, “the good ship Pinafore is now under the musical command of Commodore A.A (Alfred Amory) George”, Hastings newspaper proprietor, editor and controversial journalist. They wished the society every success hoping that “after all their hard work the good ship and its gallant crew will have a very prosperous cruise”.

Opening night was held Monday 14 October at Hastings’ Princess Theatre. The following day, the newspaper critique enthused that the performance was a great success, being brilliant from “first to last”. The staging and scenic effects were exquisite and the choruses “excellently rendered”. A special highlight was the hornpipe dance performed by Petty Officer, P Stuart which was “enthusiastically received and encored”. On the following two nights the performance was held in Napier to give Napierites an opportunity of watching “the musical talent of the City of the Plains” which the newspaper conjected would “no doubt come as a pleasing surprise”.

Napier locals came out in droves to attend the Royal Theatre performance – the dress circle, stalls, and middle seats were packed while the “back seats were a misnomer” there being standing room only. Again the performance by the Hastings amateurs proved an unqualified success and the opera “so superior that it would put professionals upon their mettle”. Mr Thornton was also credited with his “quiet dignified acting” in the part of Sir Joseph Hooker and congratulated on a “very meritorious piece of stage work”.

The write-up did provide a couple of subtle criticisms: J G Hughes who played Dick Deadeye “did full justice to the drollery of the part”, however his singing voice was rather weak; and while S Ridgway’ rendition of Fair Moon “fairly brought down the house”, his acting was slightly stiff.

On what was to be closing night – performed again in Hastings – management arranged for lime-light effects to be shown during two particular scenes. Before the advent of electricity, lime-light effects (an intense illumination) were used to highlight sole performers. The process was created by super heating a cylinder of quicklime (calcium oxide) with an oxy-hydrogen flame which gave off a bright greenish tinted light. From this technique evolved the term “in the limelight”.

The scenes chosen to be illuminated were when Captain Corcoran sang “Fair Moon to thee I Sing” and during the elopement of his daughter Josephine with sailor Ralph Rackstraw. Keen not to disappoint those previously unable to get tickets, and at the request of “many leading residents”, the Society added an extra performance the following evening. To encourage Napierites to attend, a special train was run leaving Napier at 6pm and returning 11.30pm.

Although H.M.S. Pinafore proved very popular, financially the Society suffered. In February the following year the group determined to perform Iolanthe also by Gilbert and Sullivan. The Society’s intention was to stage the opera in early October and to “sustain the reputation of their previous production or better still to eclipse it” the cast was encouraged to attend every rehearsal. Although Iolanthe was again a noted success, the Society never regained financially and by 3 May 1897 the newspaper was asking, “Is the Hastings Operatic Society dead and if so, where is it buried?”

By 29 May, a new group, made up of virtually the same people, had been formed. Officially named the Hastings Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, its committee agreed to sell off any assets from the previous society to help pay off creditors and to donate a portion of future performance proceeds until all debts were paid off. Surely a courageous beginning for a group of passionate Hastings musical and dramatic amateurs.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 2 September 2023 and written by Gail Pope, Social History Curator at MTG Hawke’s Bay.

First MTG director writes vivid and powerful eyewitness account of World War I: ‘A beast of burden’

Stretcher-bearer Squad, after the Somme Battle, October 1916.

Most people with a sense of Hawke’s Bay history know of Leo Bestall, who was the first Director of MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri. He helped raise money to build the museum, and he rose to become national president of the Art Galleries and Museums Association of New Zealand. In 1949 he received an MBE for his work. However, few know Leo as a younger man who predates MTG.

In December 1915, with the First World War bogged down in the trenches of the Western Front, Leo left his architectural apprenticeship and enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He joined the Medical Corps – “I am a stretcher bearer, a beast of burden” he wrote. He was aged barely twenty, Army Service Number 3/2088, and he served 3 years and 4½ months.

Leo was on duty during the Battle of the Somme in September/October 1916. The photo shows him with his squad of four stretcher-bearers. They did 34 carries in 19 days – long journeys of stretcher-bearing through terrible bombardments and mud. In October 1917 he was gassed at Passchendaele (mustard gas), then spent three months recovering. By March/April 1918 he was back in the thick of it, tending the torrent of wounded at an Advanced Dressing Station in a French village called Mailly-Maillet, facing the German Spring Offensive.

There is a photograph of that Advanced Dressing Station taken by the NZ official war photographer Henry Armitage Sanders. It’s an interesting photo and in 2018 I decided to research it. A simple internet search revealed there was a copy in the MTG archives, alongside a diary by one Leo Bestall. That was the first I had heard of Leo.

From London, I emailed Napier asking what this man Leo had written in his diary. The Archivist at MTG sent me some cellphone photographs of a letter Leo had written home to his parents describing his work. Here’s some of what he wrote:

The cases come in within an hour or so of being hit … They come in just with the first rough dressing on, inches thick with mud and dripping with rain and we give them dry blankets, hot water bottles, cocoa and cake, cut off their puttees and boots and put on thick bed sox. Redress wounds that are still bleeding and then send them on in cars to the Main Dressing Station.

Sometimes it’s pretty rotten though, especially in the cases of abdominal wounds. A case just went through just now. A poor beggar very white and repeating over and over again under his breath “O my God help me, please God do something for me” etc, etc. They moan for water so much too and you daren’t give it them. A large percentage of abdominal cases don’t recover.

Leo’s writing is very vivid, a powerful first-hand eyewitness account. I found his narrative very helpful for my historical research into WW1 stretcher-bearing and medical evacuation.

When I returned to Aotearoa New Zealand, I came to Napier to check Leo out. What I found were three ring binders of hand-written material, hundreds of pages – diary pages, hand-written letters, photos and postcards, plus bits and pieces from WW1 – a leave pass, a telegram home, a German bank note, etc. The diary was chronological but copied onto fresh sheets of paper. The letters home were the originals, on fragile 100+ year old paper, kept by Leo’s parents. Occasionally the censor’s crossing-out was present and sometimes Leo had restored the obliterated wording. Most letters were dated and numbered. (The quoted letter from Mailly-Maillet is No.103, from the third ring binder.) Leo also took many photos, mostly before he crossed into France. However, there were even a few from the front line, where cameras were strictly forbidden.

When I saw the extent of Leo’s WW1 writing, there was a decision to make. I estimated that to transcribe and to write up all his material would take about five years. Did I have 5 years of my life to devote to this project? I already lead a busy life, work fulltime, and besides I live in Auckland. But it seemed to me that the wealth and quality of Leo’s experience was worth it. It should be in the public domain. And I knew I would learn a great deal from doing it – about the New Zealanders in WW1, about Leo, and about myself. So, I accepted the challenge. That was 2019.

Four years on, I am now very familiar with the energetic, intelligent and observant, intensely social and likable young man Leo Bestall. Covid lockdown proved a bonus, with long evenings to work on transcription – it helped keep me sane. Recently I was at MTG archives again – Leo’s material in the third ring binder is loose (not ‘ring-bound’) and pages had clearly become mingled together. That affects the fundamental integrity of the source material, the order in which the pages should be read, and thus the transcription. An interesting puzzle, but we’ve sorted it, with special thanks to the Archivist’s support and expertise. It was a deeply satisfying day, and I think Leo Bestall would have been pleased. He clearly wanted to have his story told, and it won’t be long now before we have this ‘taonga’ uploaded and available online.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 28 July 2023 and written by Dr Graham Howie.

Dr Graham Howie is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the Paramedicine Dept, School of Clinical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology. He researches paramedic emergency care, both current and historical – with a particular interest in the First World War. In October he will travel to Europe to walk the villages and battlefields that Leo Bestall described.

Image: Leo Bestall is sitting front left, his arms clasping his knees. Sitting to the right is his close friend ‘Mac’ McCarthy (3/2063), also from Napier. Standing upper left is EdwardSkivington (23/281), who was to die of wounds in May 1917. Standing upper right is Wally Carruthers (3/85), leader of the squad, who was awarded a MM for ‘setting a fine example of courage and coolness under fire’ at the Somme. Collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, 19242. Public Domain

Exhibition says a lot about how land changed hands

Te Poho o Kahungunu heke crated ready to travel

The upcoming exhibition on Te Poho o Kahungunu at the Hastings Community Art Centre, set to open Monday 24 July at 4pm, has ignited a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement among the local community and beyond. It represents more than just a mere display of artifacts; it symbolises a reconnection to ancestral roots and a celebration of an enduring spirit that has withstood the trials of time.

Carvings which have been on loan to MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri since 1986 will form part of the exhibition. The carvings’ return to Pōrangahau marks a profound step towards reconciliation and healing. For too long, these taonga were separated from their rightful home, scattered across the country in various museums. Now, as they are brought together for one final exhibition, the significance of this moment cannot be overstated. It is a time for reflection, appreciation, and a reawakening of cultural identity.

The story of Te Poho o Kahungunu echoes through generations, reminding us of the resilience and strength of the people who fought for their land and culture. The whare stands not just as a testament to architectural brilliance but as a living testament to the determination of Henare Matua and those who dared to resist foreign dominance.

The Auaka Tumutumu Te Kura i Awarua Archives and Taonga Māori Symposium that follows the exhibition presents a unique opportunity for scholars and researchers to delve deeper into the historical context surrounding these carvings. The symposium promises to be a gathering of minds, fostering discussions on indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, and the importance of reconnecting taonga.

Taonga from the house Te Poho o Kahungunu were scattered across Otago Museum, Whanganui Regional Museum, MTG and the homes of Kuia Kauia Tipene Stevenson, and Dr. David Tipene-Leach. All parties worked together to realise the vision to reunite these taonga after being apart for 37 years.

The broader public, regardless of ethnicity, is encouraged to participate and witness this significant moment in history. This exhibition stands as a bridge, fostering understanding and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage that defines Aotearoa.

As the doors of the Hastings Community Art Centre open for the exhibition, it also opens hearts and minds to the deeper connection between taonga, people, and the land. The return of Te Poho o Kahungunu marks a turning point in acknowledging the past, while paving the way for a more inclusive and culturally enriched future.

The stories etched in the intricate carvings come to life once more, captivating visitors with their tales of triumph and perseverance. With reverence, the community stands united, paying homage to the legacy of those who came before and the promise of a brighter, more culturally vibrant tomorrow.

Published in the Hawke’s Bay Today newspaper on 22 July 2023 and written by Te Hira Henderson, Curator Taonga Maori at MTG Hawke’s Bay.