WHERE IN THE WORLD IS RANGIORA?

2. WHERE IN THE WORLD ISRANGIORA? contents

3. Contents: • Introduction • Location • Namesake • Maori Settlement • European Arrival • From Settlement to Borough to District • Street Name Origins • Industry • The Waimakariri River • The Ashley River • Today and Yesterday

4. Introduction • Rangiora is a beautiful and prosperous town. • It has one of the highest rates of population increase in New Zealand, and because of this, has become the largest centre in the Waimakariri District. contents

5. Location • Rangiora is located 7km off State Highway One and 10 minutes North of the Waimakariri Bridge. • It lies between the Waimakariri and Ashley rivers in the North Canterbury region of the South Island. • In early times this area was covered in dense forest, along with bush, flax, and grassy flats. • There were also swamps in the Southbrook section. • This landscape covered the coastal plains from river to river. contents

6. A magnified view of the Waimakariri District. contents

7. Namesake • The name ‘Rangiora’ comes from the small evergreen tree which bears the same name. • Rangiora [Brachyglottis repanda] is native to New Zealand and grows to a height of 5 to 7 metres. • It’s leaves were thought to have beneficial healing properties by Maori, who used them for remedying wounds and sores. contents

8. Maori Settlers • Moa-hunters were the first Maori inhabitants of the Plains and forests of North Canterbury. • The Waitaha and Te Rapuwai who followed them had villages near Cust and were thought to be the last to see the Moa before it’s extinction. • It is also thought that the residents of these villages started the destruction of the great forests that surrounded the Cust and Rangiora areas. • The abundance of food and shelter soon attracted other tribes to the Waimakariri region. • Rangiora became part of a large area occupied by the Ngati-mamoe, and later the Ngai-tahu tribes. • These tribes-people resided on this land for almost a thousand years before the first European arrival. Contents:

9. European Arrival (Photo: D.N.Hawkins 1993) • Before Europeans could officially commence the planning of a settlement in Rangiora, the Maori land title had to be extinguished. • The Europeans reached an agreement between themselves and the Ngai Tahu tribe with regards to the Waimakariri District, and the Crown was allowed to purchase the land South of the Ashley River in 1848. contents

10. The first dwelling was built for Charles Obins Torlesse in 1851, adjacent to the Rangiora Bush. • Charles Obins Torlesse and his assistant, John Cowell Boys, were responsible for surveying the Northern agricultural district for the Canterbury Association. • This was neccessary in order to map out the region correctly for marking out possible roads and habitation areas. • Torlesse’s colonial home was an important milestone in Rangiora’s history. • It was the turning point in establishing this settlement as a township. contents

11. Survey labourers built this house for Charles Torlesse. It was a simple construction with an attic but no dormer windows or verandah.(http://library.Christchurch.org.nz/Heritage/Photos) contents

12. Aplaque now stands in Johns Road where the first house of the Rangiora settlement was situated. contents

13. From Settlement to Borough to District. • Once settlements were established, the residents attempted to claim Rangiora as a borough. • This meant that Rangiora and it’s population would gain certain privileges and rights of self-Government. • However, the Provincial Government refused to acknowledge them. • Rangiora was thought of as just a series of unplanned and unorganised sub-divisions. • The town’s settlers struggled for this acknowledgement even though it was highly opposed. • Through this struggle, the settlers managed to divert the proposed northern and coastal railway westwards through their town. • This railway was planned to be part of the major network intending to link many areas and their branch lines. • The diversion meant that Rangiora became the end stop on the northbound train from Christchurch, while further tracks were completed. • This meant easier access and more settlers and visitors to the town. • Rangiora became recognised for what it was, and was granted Borough status in 1878. contents

14. The Waimakariri District was formed in 1989. contents

15. Street Name OriginsJ D Turvey Waimakariri District Libraries. • AINTREE PLACE:Arlington Park subdivision. Aintree is the site in Liverpool England of the Grand National. • ALBERT STREET: Albert, Prince consort of Queen Victoria. • ALFRED STREET: Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria. • AMBROSE STREET: Thomas Ambrose was headmaster of Rangiora Borough School from 1898 to 1921. • ANDREW STREET: Andrew Benton Blackett, son of Henry Blackett – Mayor 1899-1901. • AQUILA STREET: Aquila Ivory, early settler – Mayor 1883-85. • ARCHER PLACE: The Archer family of Southbrook. • ARLINGTON BOULEVARD: Arlington International Racecourse, Chicago, USA. • ASCOT PLACE: Ascot Racecourse in England. • ASHLEY STREET: Lord Ashley, member of the Canterbury Association. • AYERS STREET: Samuel Ayers, builder and subdivider of land north of High Street from King Street through to Ayers Street. • BALMORAL LANE: Racecourse in Illinois, USA. • BANKS PLACE: William Alexandra Banks, Mayor from 1921 until 1923. contents

16. BELL STREET: CharlesWilliam Bell – Mayor from 1908 until 1910. • BELMONT AVENUE: The Belmont Stakes is one of the Triple Crown Horse Races in the USA. • BLACKETT STREET: Henry Blackett, an early resident and the first Mayor 1878-80 and 1887-88. • BLAKE STREET: Mr Blake was the engine driver on the early trains on the Rangiora/Oxford line. • BOYD STREET: Hugh Boyd, Mayor 1885-87. • BOYS ROAD: John Cowell Boys – surveyed the land with Charles Torlesse. • BRIDGET LANE: William Bridget was a shoe factory and shop owner on High Street. Councillor 1908-1913. • BUCKHAM STREET: George Buckham, telegraphist and first full time Postmaster in Rangiora. • BURT STREET: William Alfred Burt, businessman and member of the first Council, 1878-79 and 1880-82. • BUSH STREET: The Rangiora Bush covered most of this area. • BUSS STREET: William Buss – land commission agent and establisher of the Victoria Street saleyards. contents

17. CARMANA GARDENS: Noel Carmana arrived in Rangiora in 1938, and established a fish and chip shop on High Street. • CHARLES STREET: Named after the Councilor, John Luxton’s son Charles. • CHURCH STREET: St. John Anglican Church built on the corner of High Street and this street. • COATES PLACE: The Coates family members served many years in the Rangiora Fire Brigade. • CONE STREET: George Cone, Mayor 1891-92. • DOGGETT STREET: Doggett family were early settlers in this area. • DONCASTER PLACE: Doncaster Racecource in England. • EARNLEY STREET: Named by Rev. B W Dudley after his first parish in England. • EBERT PLACE: Tony Ebert – Gold medalist in weightlifting at the Christchurch Commonwealth games in 1974. • EDWARD STREET: Edward, Prince of Wales. • EPSOM DRIVE: Epsom Racecourse in England and the Epsom Derby. • FOSTER PLACE: Thomas W Foster, first proprietor of the Red Lion Hotel. • FRASER PLACE: J M Fraser, long serving Town Clerk, 1926-51. contents

18. GERALD BEATTIE LANE: Gerald C Beattie taught at Rangiora High School from 1919-1955. • GOLDING AVENUE: John Golding co-built the Borough Council Chambers. • HAWKINS PLACE: Harry Hawkins began in the grocery business about 1910. Lawrence D Hawkins served with the St John Ambulance Brigade and Lance I Hawkins with the Rangiora Rugby Football Club. Donald N Hawkins wrote two text books on Rangiora’s history. • HINTON PLACE: Jack Hinton was licensee of the Plough Hotel for a period of time. • HOLCRAFT COURT: Harry Holcraft was the proprietor of Parrot’s grocery store on High Street in the early 1900s. • IVORY STREET: William Emms Ivory established a nursery garden here. • JENNINGS PLACE: Charles Ivory Jennings, Mayor 1896-1898. • KINLEY STREET: named after R R Kinley who owned this area of land. • KIPPENBERGER AVENUE: Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger was one of New Zealand’s foremost military commanders in World War two. • LEECH PLACE: George John Leech owned the first freehold farm in Rangiora. contents

19. LINDON STREET: John Lindon – Councilor 1923-27. • LUDLOW LANE: Ludlow Racecourse in Hereford England. • LUXTON PLACE: John Luxton, Councilor 1878-80. • MCALPINE PLACE: George McAlpine , timber merchant and Councilor 1938-53. • MCKENZIE PLACE: John A McKenzie, Mayor 1971-1980. • MARTYN STREET: Frank Martyn, farm owner in this area. • MATSON CLOSE: H Matson and Son were Stock and Station Agents. • MILESBROOK CLOSE: Bruce Miles, developer. • MURRAY STREET: Walter Lewis Murray, butcher and Labour Party stalwart – Councilor 1919-1925. • PALMER STREET: R A Palmer, owner and subdivider of this area. • PARKHOUSE DRIVE: Jaynie Parkhouse, gold medalist in swimming at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games in 1974. • PENTECOST ROAD: Named after the Pentecost family who have farmed in the Western Boundary of Rangiora since the 1980s. • PERCIVAL STREET: Westby Hawkshaw Percival was one of the businessmen at the forefront of having the railway pass through Rangiora. contents

20. QUEEN STREET: Queen Victoria. • ROWSE STREET: William Arthur Rowse, Mayor 1923-25 and 1931-36. • SEDDON STREET: Richard John Seddon – Prime Minister of New Zealand 1893-1906. • STEPHENS STREET: Soloman Stephens – first proprietor of the Plough Hotel and Councilor 1879-85 and 1888-91. • STRACHAN PLACE: James Ernest Strachan, Principal of Rangiora High School 1917-48. • THORNE PLACE: Frederick Thorne was on the first council 1878-1880. • TREFFERS AVENUE: Mark Treffers, Gold medalist in swimming at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. • TYLER STREET: Charles William Tyler – longest serving Mayor 1936-61. • WARD PLACE: Ronald Ward – town clerk 1956-1972. • WHITE STREET: William White – on the first council 1878-79 and 1880-82. • WILL PLACE: Named after Doctor Thomas Arthur Will who practiced in Rangiora from 1905. • TODDS ROAD: David Todd was one of the first to settle in the Rangiora Swamp area. • TORLESSE STREET: Charles Obins Torlesse – first settler in Rangiora 1851. contents

21. Industry • The primary industry for Rangiora was agriculture and farming. • Until the mid 1950s, the sale-yards for Rangiora were situated in the main street of town. contents

22. Other industries have grown since then, including the town’s central business district. • This meant less wealth was being lost to Rangiora’s neighbouring city of Christchurch. contents

23. However, farming is still very strong in this area. • Of the 225,000 hectares that make up the district of Waimakariri today, 177,000 are used in some sort of farming activity. contents

24. The Waimakariri River • The Waimakariri River is one of the largest rivers in New Zealand. • It’s source is the Main Divide of the Southern Alps in Arthurs Pass National Park. • It’s flows are controlled by the weather in the upper basin. Rain from the North-West and melting snow will generally swell the river. • The Waimakariri has a mean flow of 126 cubic metres per second (cumecs). • In flood this can increase to any range exceeding 4,000 cumecs. contents

25. The Ashley River • The Ashley River originates in the Puketeraki Ranges behind Lee’s Valley. • It is fed by the Southerly rainfall and snow. • It is the home for numerous species of wildlife, and is surrounded by native bush. contents

26. Today and Yesterday contents

27. Victoria Park. contents

28. contents

29. High Street – Rangiora town centre contents

30. contents

31. These magnificent buildings are still standing today contents

32. Rangiora,a small step into the past and a large step into the future! THE END