Forestry Service – Part 3

In this part:

• Albert and Ethel Ardern
• Percy Allen and the Allen Family
• Jean Lodge, nee Allen
• A. Murray Linton, Mayor of Rotorua
• H.A. (Dick) Spurdle
• Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and the 'Southern Cross'
• Jean Batten
• Rotorua Thrills to the Advent of N.Z.'s Earliest Aviation
• Rotorua Aero Club, 1930
• Stan Blackmore, Aviator, and the Rush Family
• A Boy's Dream Comes True
• The Rush Family
• Arthur Bellingham, County Council Clerk

Albert and Ethel Ardern

1920s, Albert & Ethel Ardern, newly weds, settled in Lightheart St. by the Catholic Church, with mainly paddocks round it, off Ranolf Street.

Bert trained as a Trimmer in Ak., where the Depression hit so hard, so he set up his own upholstery business in Pukuatua St. before moving to Amohau St. opp. Railway Station. He mainly trimmed for Ford cars – hoods, seats, screens etc. In the 1940s, with wartime petrol shortages, he changed to bicycles, often hiring to American Servicemen. They moved to Seddon St. in the 1960s. Ethel, widowed, is now in her 90th yr., in a rest home. Ron Arden continued & modernized the bike business, doing very well. June Arden, his wife, has been awarded for 23 yrs. with the Guide Association. Their 4 children, Jane, Sarah, Neil, Emma, have achieved interesting careers.

Percy Allen and the Allen Family

Percy Allen, by 1920, came to Rotorua as a child, living in Rangiuru St. 1946, Sophia St. became his home area with his wife Peggy & 2 children. This was just after his return from W.W.2 and when the Urquharts cut up their big nursery, selling Percy a section bordering their entrance.

A man of the people who charted the destiny of Rotorua is how Mayor John Keaney describes former Bay of Plenty M.P. Percy Benjamin Allen, who died at the weekend. Mr Allen, QSO, JP, who died at his home in Whakatane, aged 79, was one of the achievers of his era, said Mr Keaney.

After serving on the Rotorua Borough Council, Mr Allen entered Parliament in 1957 and held the Bay of Plenty seat until his retirement in 1975. He was in the National cabinet from 1963 to 1972 and held the works, police and electricity portfolios. Mr Keaney said Mr Allen was extremely popular with his electorate because he was approachable. “My impression was he was able to have a feel for the average person’s situation and was always very much in touch with the man in the street,” said Mr Keaney. Mr Allen was born in Auckland but attended Rotorua Boys’ High School. During the Second World War he was a major in the New Zealand 21st Infantry and 18th Armoured Brigade. Before going into Parliament he ran a plastering business in Rotorua. Mr Allen is survived by his wife, Peggy, a son and a daughter.

Percy was eldest in a family of 6 children: Percy, Jean, Lillian, Keith, Gloria & Fay. In W.W.2, both Percy and Keith served in the army, Percy becoming a major, but Keith was killed in action – a lovely-natured person, deeply missed by family. Lillian’s husband was a high-ranking military man of Auckland, and after the war. Jean’s husband, Rotorua’s Tom Lodge, was in the airforce, and killed in action.

Fay Allen married the son of Rotorua’s Dr Hethrington, early owner of land above Springfield Golf Course by the shops, Otonga Rd.

Jean Lodge, nee Allen

Jean Lodge – nee Allen, continued a passion throughout her active life for basketball (netball), which began at High School. 1933, the first Kurungaituku Tournament in Rotorua began for Jean; 9 yrs. team involvement as leader, coach, selector, referee, then for about the next 30 yrs., President of Rot. Netball Ass., finally honoured with Life Membership of that, as well as for New Zealand Netball Assoc. & Rot. Referee Ass. 1970, Jean received the M.B.E. for her services.

Jean & her sister Gloria Oldham ran Rotorua’s first modelling and deportment school. 1950, Jean opened Vogue Boutique fashions. Now in a Rest Home, after a life of deep commitment and in spacious grounds, Jean recalled daily a.m. netball training with her team, to Ngongotaha and back! Eyes welled up, remembering the loss of loved ones. Calming herself, she stated, “We must just go on & DO BEST WE CAN.”

A. Murray Linton, Mayor of Rotorua

Murray Linton, 1939, came to Rotorua as a qualified surveyor, opening the first office for the Rotorua Lands and Survey Department. From 1953-1971, he was one of Rotorua’s most dedicated Mayors over the period of Rotorua’s greatest expansion. He died aged 80 yrs., his lovely home and rose gardens being on the cnr. Old Taupo Rd.-Rimu St., land once Dr Bertram’s, Glenholme. In his youth he had represented Auck. Province and N.Z. Universities at Rugby. Rotorua sporting bodies owe many of their facilities and grounds to his enthusiasm.

Beautification of Rotorua was of great interest to him, being an authority on roses and very involved with Horticulture Societies. “Murray Linton Garden of Appreciation.”

1944-61, he was Land Utilisation Officer for the Dept. of Maori Affairs, Rot., earning great respect from the Maoris, serving for many years as Chairman of the Ngati Whakaue Incorporation. He was probably more closely associated with Maori Land Development than anyone else. This land, owned or occupied by Maoris, was now on the same development scheme as unoccupied Crown land, due to Sir Apirana Ngata, M.P. Murray Linton considered that Rotorua’s development lay not towards the east coast but south & west, Ngakuru, Waiotapu and at Reporoa.

Quote from Don Stafford’s book, “The New Century in Rotorua”: ‘During Murray Linton’s tenure as Mayor, Rotorua changed from a modest little town into a vibrant, bustling city. Much of this change was due to his tenacity, dedication and foresight.’

Business increased, Borough streets sealed to avoid clouds of dust. During the 1950s-1960s, 3019 acres of County Council land went to the Borough, including Lynmore, Sunset and Clayton Rds., & Kawaha Point. This meant more Kindergartens, Primary Schs., Intermediate, High Schools. 1950 saw the introduction of Aerial Topdressing and the growth of tourist flying, necessitating a new aerodrome. After a deputation in 1958 to Parliament by Linton and Neil Hunt (County Council Chairman), the Rotokawa site on the lake side of Te Ngae Rd. was proposed.

H.A. (Dick) Spurdle

1950, H.A. (Dick) Spurdle, accountant since 1943 in Rotorua, living well up Otonga Rd. – dirt track, appointed Publicity Promoter and later, 1958, Public Relations Officer. He did this most successfully for many years, dying in 1981. 30,000 Club attracted people into Rotorua. 1953, Queen Eliz. & Duke of Edinburgh visit. 1958-59, new Sound Shell for celebrations. 1957-64, professional Maori entertainers, famous Howard Morrison Quartet & others, up-grading of Whaka for the tourists, 1962. 1963, ROTORUA CITY CELEBRATIONS!

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and the ‘Southern Cross’

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, renowned aviator, ‘Southern Cross’. 1928, epic Trans-Tasman crossing, Australia to N.Z., first ever! 17-1-1933, his visit made Rotorua’s most exciting day in aviation.

Rotorua united in making great preparations for ‘Southern Cross’. About 5 p.m. Kingsford Smith circled the town before he came down at Te Ngae’s old mission farm, thundering overhead as the huge crowd of about 2000 went wild with excitement and were restrained, as planned, by the Territorials, Boy Scouts, Returned Soldiers’ Ass. members. At touchdown, when Kingsford Smith and crew appeared, the cheering was so unrestrainable that it was some time before the official welcome could be given by the Mayor, Thomas Jackson, and County Council Chairman H.P. Ford, which had been organized by R.S.A. Major Dansey and Mr J. Painton. The crowd spontaneously sang, ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ and Maori groups entertained with song.

Flights were given all next day to those eager to fly in this very special plane. Refuelling was carried out by Rex Norman of Vacuum Oil Comp. with special mix – free for that one day!

Jean Batten

1934, Jean Batten (born Rotorua), famous for solo flight, England to Australia, and famous for ‘First to Complete the Return Flight’. 1934 she visited Rotorua and was proudly given a civic welcome and the honour of adoption by the Arawa Maoris. When she returned again in 1936, at Chief Mita Taupopoki’s suggestion, she was named Hinerangi.

1936, Jean Batten’s famous solo flight, England to New Zealand. The last stage, crossing the Tasman Sea to N.Z., was the first for a woman. Batten St. off Devon St., Glenholme area, was named in her honour.

Rotorua Thrills to the Advent of N.Z.’s Earliest Aviation

Aviation in association with Rotorua’s first residents to fly aircraft goes back to the end of W.W.I. In 1918 two Rotorua men trained as pilots in Auck.: Eric Roe (legal profession), 19-8-1918, and P. Arthur Kusabs (Charles’s son), also certificated pilot, 16-12-1918.

Rotorua was visited by aircraft on a few occasions in the early 1920s. In Ap. 1922, Capt. L. Brake, in an Avro 504K for Canterbury Aviation, thrilled residents at the Race Course for a day. Flights!

1922 also, George Bolt, in a Clerget Avro seaplane, gave rides from Lake Rotorua.

1929, Squadron-leader ‘Mac’ McGregor. He used Vaughan’s farm at Te Ngae. 1929, Gerry Cowper, well-known aviator, gave some residents flying lessons.

Frank Chichester (later Sir Francis C. when he sailed round the world, solo), had formed ‘Goodwin & Chichester Aviation Co.’, securing the ‘Avro’ agency. His pilots, Gerry Stedman, Jim Hewett, George Bolt, were often seen in the district.

Rotorua Aero Club, 1930

Jan. 1930, enthusiasts in Rotorua had formed their own aero club. Lands and Survey Dept. granted permission to use the land on the east side of Fenton St. between Maida Vale and Sala streets, bounded on the east by the cemetery. This was all thick ti-tree and scrub so they cleared about 300 square metres in preparation for a planned Pageant, Easter being the celebration occasion but with no plane of their own. They worked hard towards achieving this.

May 1930, Rotorua Airways Ltd. formed. Their Puss Moth ZK-ABG, called Te Arawa, arrived for Labour Weekend. Their pilot was Ray Money, a W.W.I English pilot. They began commercial operations.

Ulm at Te Ngae on Copeland Smith’s old Mission property, taking flights during his five days. Ulm had been a member of Kingsford Smith’s original crew of ‘Southern Cross’. Plane was refuelled by Rex Norman of the Vacuum Oil Co. who had to take out the specially prepared mix of fuels. His aircraft was an Avro 618 Ten. In Dec. 1933, a Rotorua man Dinny Iles and pilot Hugh Curlett flew in Rotorua for several days.

Stan Blackmore, Aviator, and the Rush Family

Stan Blackmore, 1935, Hamilton aviator, established in Rotorua his fine flying service, lasting 15 years, with a Desoutter Monoplane. He was a licenced instructor, using the Fenton St. aerodrome. In 1938 he purchased a second aircraft, reviving the Rot. Aero Club, which had become inactive. A steering committee was formed, the new name being ‘Rotorua Bay of Plenty Aero Club’. Many learnt to fly. He advertised by circling over the town. On Sundays this made the church folk most irate, but Stan was well able to speak up for himself, according to Rex Norman, who refuelled for his Oil Company.

A Boy’s Dream Comes True

Alphonsus Rush (Phonsy) in 1935 came to live in Sumner St. close to the aerodrome. He was enthralled, like any lad of 9 years, watching the monoplane. He spent hours in all kinds of weather at the fenceline, glued to every performance longingly, especially the stunts – looping the loop, spiralling downwards, flying upside down and landing. Years later Stan Blackmore met Phonsy in connection with flying and said, “You aren’t the little boy who used to sit on the fence just watching!”

W.W.2 gave Phonsy his chance. He trained in the South Is. for the airforce. He was navigator for pilot Bill Hewett. Leaving N.Z. for the war zone, they only reached Canada when the war ended so did not actually see action in war. These two remained like brothers throughout life. They flew together in Sth. Otago, often dangerously, rounding up sheep on big stations.

The Rush Family

Mr & Mrs A.F. Rush m. 1923 at Taihape, moved near Tauranga, living in a mill camp. They had four children including Alphonsus. Olive recalls their early married life when her husband worked at Pongakawa Valley, in a timber mill. He had 2 kms. to walk before getting a taxi into Te Puke. Here he also had to do the household shopping as they had no car. Otherwise the Farmers Trading Co. would deliver to the mill’s nearest contact point – the railway station – where the truckies would pick it up and take it to the mill. All families got food that way once a month.

Mrs Rush boiled up outside in kerosene tins, having no copper, as the house was too small. Mr Rush had had to build the house first, himself, as none supplied with the job. Olive baked the bread in a camp oven over the open fire – the hot embers heaped all round & over the camp oven. They burnt slab timber, having no coal. Their stove did not arrive till six months later. There was a Sole Charge school.

1928, they moved to Rotorua and began a carrying business, to and from Auckland mainly for vegetables, Mrs Rush doing the business. They also did wood and coal cartage. At first they rented homes. 1930 they were near La Trobe Hill’s place, Old Taupo Rd. by Utahina. There was mainly vacant land. Behind there by the stream was the Grand Hotel farm. Powells lived near, Mrs Powell being the supervisor of St. John’s Ambulance, and Olive Rush now the last foundation member left. Wally Monk’s mother had a grocery store at Pererika Cnr. 1935 they had their own home built by Jack Lee, now 34 Sumner St. It was very country, only three other houses in the street and almost none on wasteland down from there to Grey St. in low lying swamps. Mrs Rush thinks she must have been Rotorua’s first jogger. She loved those country runs! She now lives in High St., in her 80s, alone but serene and happy after an active community life helping others.

Arthur Bellingham, County Council Clerk

Mr Arthur Bellingham, County Council Clerk 1925-1959, of Ranolf St., lived in the 3rd house past the Malfroy round-about towards the Convent. This grand old man was entering his 99th year when visited by myself, Peggy (Ford) Allen, at his Rest Home several weeks before he died. I was greatly impressed by his vital personality and strong, crisp voice with a ring in it as he recounted his W.W.I Gallipoli experiences with such a clear memory and a shining enjoyment in his eyes as he would catch mine in sharing the laugh. He recalled also with pleasure, his long working association with my father, H.P. Ford of Malfroy Rd. West, who was County Council Chairman from 1925-1947. I was able to tell him how greatly my father had appreciated his exceptional ability, which was a great asset to the County.

His attitude to life was typified when recalling how determined he was to do what he needed to further his career by returning to England from Malta to complete his training towards becoming a clerk. After months of invalidism in Malta resulting from warfare in Gallipoli, he was told he was to be sent back to N.Z. via Alexandria. The manner of this English Officer annoyed him so he asked him who his superior officer was, and when told condescendingly that that could only perhaps be the Governor of Malta, Bellingham asked permission for an appointment and, when refused, asked for permission to put it in writing. As a result of this, his application, when returned from the Governor, had the order at the bottom, ‘Ship this man back to England.’ Thus he gained English qualifications for N.Z.

Arthur and Beatrice Bellingham married in 1921, N.Z., having two children before coming to Rotorua – Pauline and Robert (known as Bob). Neil, 6 years younger, was born in Rotorua with the help of the well-known midwife, Nurse Naumann, who lived almost opposite on Ranolf St. Pauline became a dental nurse, and both boys pilots in the airforce.

Bob passed Airforce preliminary exams in his last Rot. High Sch. yr., 1942, with 3 mates who also became pilots. They went to the Pacific war zone, Bob to North England in reinforcements and radar, being too late for the ‘Great Battle of Britain’. 1. Alan Ewert. 2. Eric Geddes. 3. Bob Barnett. Two pilot mates were killed, the part-Maori Douglas boys, Clayton Rd., of the renowned father for Wairoa rescue work in the Tarawera Eruption.

Bob Bellingham married Betty Kingsland, whose parents had a hotel. Amongst their Ranolf St. memories is the W.W.I Mr Burton, known as ‘The Walking Miracle’, due to German surgery – a steel plate in head, wired-up limbs causing puppet-like walking, as he carried his chimney sweeper’s brushes.

Gallipoli Man Dies Aged 99

Daily Post, 9-2-1992. One of Rotorua’s last two Gallipoli survivors, Mr Arthur Bellingham, died this week aged 99. Mr Bellingham, born in Te Aroha, was in England when the call came for volunteers for the First World War. He chose to serve with the New Zealand Army and went to Egypt with the first New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. Mr Bellingham died peacefully yesterday at Riverholm Rest Home, in Rotorua. He was the County Clerk in Rotorua from 1925 to 1959, and the County Clerk in Tauranga for three years before that. A member of the Rotorua R.S.A. and life member of the Citizens’ Club, Mr Bellingham was the secretary for Rotorua’s Fire Brigade for a number of years and was involved in bowls and golf. Mr Bellingham is survived by his three children, 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was married to the late Beatrice (Trissy) Bellingham. A service will be held at the Joseph H. Gray Memorial Chapel on Friday, to be followed by private cremation.

The address given at the funeral of Arthur Bellingham by the Reverend Tony Gerritsen, Vicar of St. Luke’s Church, Rotorua, and based on the scripture read from 1 Peter 1:3-9.