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Old Government House

Old Government House, Auckland (1856)

Centre of colonial social life

‘Auckland is never happier than when the Governor-General is in residence at historic Government House, in Waterloo Quadrant’, the Auckland Star gushed in December 1952 as a new vice-regal family, the Norries, paid their first official visit to the city. In fact, most of Auckland neither knew nor cared. A small elite still hankered after the vice-regal summer residency with its garden parties and debutantes’ balls, but for decades this building had merely symbolised what its historian called ‘the personal prejudices of the editor of the Auckland Star and the injured parochialism to which Aucklanders were prone’.

Two governors’ houses have occupied this spot. The first, loaded aboard the ship Platina at London in kitset form, arrived in Auckland in 1840 after surviving not only the perils of the deep but also William Wakefield’s desire to land it in Wellington, which the southerners wanted to be the capital. Auckland won that round and by mid-1841 had reassembled the long, low, single-storey wooden building on a prominent ridge, ready for the ailing governor, who irked many by spending thousands of pounds embellishing it while his embryonic colony slid into recession. It burned down in June 1848, removing what a pro-Wellington New Zealand Company journal called ‘one of the ugliest abortions which have entered into the heart of man to conceive’.

Southerners liked the next one even less. Auckland lacked an official gubernatorial residence when its politicians approved work on William Mason’s two-storeyed wooden building. Lambasted by Canterbury politician Henry Sewell as a ‘large, pretentious building … above all, a sham, a wooden building affecting to look like stone’, Mason’s Government House offended the southern settlements, who won the war by moving the capital in 1865. After that the building survived as a northern residence for the governor and official guests. Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, stayed in it in 1869. Queen Elizabeth II broadcast to the Commonwealth from it in 1953.

Not everyone liked it. In 1897 Governor Ranfurly wondered how anyone could live decently in a house made of wood and set up in the nearby Northern Club until the government had made improvements.

Critics remained, for the building cramped the neighbouring university’s expansion plans. In 1910 Parliament sent in the Public Works Department to strip the building prior to demolition. Auckland politicians prevented this ‘robbery’ and even had it refurbished. In 1916, however, fire badly damaged the roof and upper floor. After decades of trying, the University of Auckland took over the old building in 1969. Academics, seldom accused of sartorial flair, now slouch where plumed helmets and ball gowns once glided.

Video about Old Government House created by the University of Auckland:

Further information

This site is item number 21 on the History of New Zealand in 100 Places list.

Websites

Book

Gavin McLean, The Governors: New Zealand’s Governors and Governors-General, University of Otago Press, Dunedin, 2006

Credit:

Text: Gavin McLean, 2013

Main image: Gavin McLean, 2001

Historic images:

Alexander Turnbull Library
References: PA1-q-250-02, PAColl-8794, PA1-f-194-38 (photographer probably Herman John Schmidt) and PA1-f-194-27
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any reuse of their images.

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Date established:

1856

The Queen’s constitutional and public ceremonial roles

Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg

On 11 February 1952 New Zealand’s Governor-General, Lord Freyberg, stood on the steps of Parliament Buildings, accompanied by dignitaries and the public, and proudly ‘wearing the same scarlet tunic that he had worn as a Grenadier Guard thirty years before, which fitted him perfectly’. He proclaimed ‘the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary’ to be ‘Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God, Queen of this Realm and of all her other realms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith.’ She had succeeded her father, King George VI, on the day he died, 6 February.

While the language of the proclamation may sound old-fashioned, much had changed over the preceding half-century. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, New Zealand was a self-governing colony (although the governor could refer legislation to London for a final decision if he thought it breached imperial interests). The colony became a dominion in 1907, and in 1947 it ratified the Statute of Westminster, making the country – now no longer a ‘dominion’, and soon to be called a ‘realm’ – fully independent. We were now New Zealand citizens, not Britons.

The Royal Standard of New Zealand

Under the concept of the ‘divisible Crown’, the Queen is the head of state of 16 countries. She reigns as Queen of New Zealand independently of her position as Queen of the United Kingdom. The Sovereign and the House of Representatives together make up the Parliament of New Zealand. As a constitutional monarch, the Queen of New Zealand acts entirely on the advice of New Zealand government ministers.

Reigns, not rules

In 1867, English constitutional expert Walter Bagehot drew a distinction between what he called ‘the dignified parts’ of the British constitution – ‘those which excite and preserve the reverence of the population’ – and ‘the efficient parts’ – ‘those by which it, in fact, works.’

The monarchy is at the centre of the ‘dignified parts’ and has been since Britain granted New Zealand responsible government in 1856. Modern New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the monarch (usually through her representative, the governor-general) acts on the advice of the elected government. In other words, she reigns, while the government rules.

In Britain, the Queen meets visiting New Zealand prime ministers and governors-general designate. Many former prime ministers have shared John Marshall’s belief that the Queen is ‘well informed and keenly interested in our position.’ Marshall noted that the Queen talked knowledgeably about New Zealand without displaying political partisanship. But these discussions can be meaty. In 1994, for example, she had a 45-minute meeting with Prime Minister Jim Bolger, who ‘talked in detail about the reasons why I believed New Zealand becoming a republic was inevitable.’

The Queen also honours special achievements by New Zealanders in the United Kingdom and sends messages to New Zealand in times of triumph and tragedy. She also maintains important links with New Zealand military units. And even today, many New Zealanders watch or listen to her Christmas broadcast, a tradition initiated by George V in 1932.

Queen Elizabeth reads the Christmas message, 1953

In addition to meeting visitors to Britain, the Queen meets our prime minister whenever she attends Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) around the world.

Although the Queen confers royal honours on the advice of the Prime Minister, she can independently bestow certain honours on New Zealanders for personal service to the monarchy.

On occasions when the Queen has been in New Zealand she has formally opened Parliament and read the Speech from the Throne. Before New Zealand discontinued appointments to the Privy Council, she also presided over local meetings of that body.

Governor-general

Because the Queen spends most of her time outside New Zealand, she is represented by the governor-general in her absence.

On the advice of the New Zealand prime minister, the Queen appoints governors-general, who have essentially the same powers that she does, for a five-year term. All governors-general appointed since 1972 have been New Zealand residents.

Although most communication between the governor-general and the monarch is through official channels, the governor-general has usually maintained the custom of writing her a regular personal letter.

Two heads of state in the same place?

During the Queen’s reign, ‘the divisible Crown’ has been applied domestically. During earlier royal tours, the governor-general met the distinguished visitors at selected official occasions and hosted them at Government House, but was otherwise expected to keep a low profile while the royals toured – ‘disappear to the South Island’, Government House officials suggested. As late as 1986 Prime Minister David Lange advised Governor-General Sir Paul Reeves (a former Anglican bishop) to be ‘a bit like the Holy Ghost, Your Excellency’ while the Queen and the Duke visited.

That changed shortly afterwards. ‘In previous times, it had been expected that the resident Governor-General would dematerialise when the Queen was in the country’, Reeves’ successor, Dame Catherine Tizard, recalled. ‘There could be only one New Zealand head of State at a time! Fortunately for me, that bit of stuffy protocol was quietly dropped, so I didn’t have to clear out every time she came to stay, though I did move down the hall to let her have the main suite … Bills were still signed, engagements kept, correspondence dealt with.’

Paul Reeves

The Right Reverend and The Honourable Sir Paul Alfred Reeves ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, QSO, KStJ.

Paul Reeves was born in 1932 in working-class Newtown, where his father D’Arcy worked for the tramways. Mortgage payments on his parents’ small house left little money to spare, but that did not prevent their son from excelling at Wellington College and at Victoria College (now University), where he earned a MA before going to St John’s Theological College in Auckland to train for the Anglican priesthood.

Nineteen fifty-nine was a momentous year for Paul Reeves. He married Beverley Watkins, whom he had met at Victoria, resigned his Tokoroa curacy and travelled to Britain on an Oxford scholarship. After working in British parishes, in 1964 the family returned to New Zealand where Paul became vicar of Ōkato. There, in this small Taranaki community, he rediscovered his Māori heritage – his mother, Hilda, whose Māori name was Pihemana, was Te Āti Awa from Taranaki – his whānau, and New Zealand history. In 1971 he capped his rapid rise in the church by becoming Bishop of Waiapu, a diocese he rejuvenated while boosting Māori participation in church governance. In 1979 he became Bishop of Auckland, then Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand the following year.

Five years later, Reeves returned to Newtown as governor-general. It had been a difficult decision for the couple, since it meant relinquishing careers they loved, but on 20 November 1985 Sir Paul became New Zealand’s first Māori governor-general. They brought a new atmosphere to Government House. ‘I’ve tried to hitch the house onto the life of the community’, Sir Paul said in 1990, ‘so that it flows in and out’, remembering a successful public open day and nights when 100 Māori camped in the ballroom.

The 1980s were turbulent. In his church days, Sir Paul had supported progressive causes but now he had to deal with Labour’s market-driven reforms and ministers’ views on Waitangi Day. He modelled his governorship on the role of a bishop: ‘a bishop travels, a bishop stands alongside people and searches for a common ground’. He paid special attention to hard-hit rural and small town New Zealand.

Although most of his predecessors had reduced their public role after leaving Government House, Sir Paul launched himself into another two decades of service at the very highest levels, starting with three years as Anglican Observer at the United Nations. Later, on behalf of the United Nations or the Commonwealth, he observed elections in Ghana and South Africa, helped write constitutions for Guyana and Fiji, and chaired the Nelson Mandela Trust. He earned wide respect throughout the Pacific.

At home, Sir Paul continued his work for Māori, race relations and Treaty settlements. Amongst other things, he became Ahorangi of Te Rau Kahikatea, St John’s Māori theological college, chaired the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust and the Bioethics Council and helped to select judges for the new Supreme Court. He continued his lifelong commitment to education through visiting professorships and becoming chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology. In 2007 New Zealand awarded him its highest honour, membership of the Order of New Zealand.

Sir Paul died in Auckland on 14 August 2011 after a short battle with cancer. He was survived by his wife, Beverley, Lady Reeves, and three daughters.

By Gavin McLean

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Government House after renovation

Government House on 24 March 2011, the day it was opened after undergoing extensive renovation work.

Credit:

Gavin McLean, 2011

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Vogel House

Vogel House in Lower Hutt. From 1976 to 1990 this house was used as the official prime minister's residence.

Credit:

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/4-023548-F
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.

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Keith Holyoake

‘Kiwi Keith’ Holyoake, the first officially designated deputy PM (1954), was our third-longest serving leader. Although critics derided his ‘plummy’ voice, this populist kept his number listed in the phone book and usually walked to work. He was an economic nationalist. Although criticised for sending troops to the Vietnam War, he is now seen as ‘the most dovish of the hawks’, doing the bare minimum to keep America happy.

Holyoake ended his formal education aged 12. In 1932 he entered Parliament for Reform, lost his seat six years later but was earmarked for the safe seat of Pahiatua, which he held from 1943. National’s rising star became deputy leader four years later and PM in 1957 when Sid Holland reluctantly resigned. Weeks later Labour’s victory ended Holyoake’s prime ministership, but he led National back in November 1960 and became its longest-serving PM.

The early ‘Holyoake Years’ were prosperous, but the country’s terms of trade deteriorated in the late 1960s and National barely won in 1969. Holyoake stepped down in February 1972 months before the Labour victory.

When National returned to power in 1975, Robert Muldoon made Holyoake minister of state, a role he still held in 1977 when Muldoon controversially appointed him governor-general for three years. Holyoake served competently if not brilliantly, though no subsequent PM has repeated the experiment of sending a politician straight from Cabinet to Government House. In 1980 Sir Keith became a Knight of the Garter, a rare honour.

Written by Gavin McLean

The Governor General's flag

The dark blue flag contains the Shield of the New Zealand Coat of Arms surmounted by a Royal Crown in the centre.

Find out more on the Governor-General website

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Wikipedia

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Bernard Freyberg

Bernard ‘Tiny’ Freyberg was born in London in 1889, immigrating to New Zealand with his parents when he was two years old. He was educated at Wellington College and became well known for his swimming prowess, winning the New Zealand junior and senior swimming titles. It was a skill that would prove useful early on in his military career.

Freyberg left New Zealand for San Francisco in March 1914 and travelled to Mexico, possibly becoming involved in the civil war raging in that country. But on hearing of the outbreak of the First World War in August he immediately left for England to volunteer. He secured a commission in the Royal Naval Division's Hood Brigade. By September 1914 he was on the Belgian front.

Freyberg was awarded numerous honours for his actions during the First World War. Early in the Gallipoli campaign he won a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for swimming ashore and setting flares at Bulair (Bolayir). It was the evening of 24 April 1915 and the intention was to divert Turkish attention from the main landing. By 1918 he had added two bars to his DSO, won the Victoria Cross through ‘splendid personal gallantry’, and been appointed a Companion to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG). He was mentioned in dispatches on several occasions and wounded nine times.

He ended the war as a Temporary Brigadier with the 29th Division but soon ‘settled into peacetime soldiering’ with staff appointments at the headquarters of the 44th Division (1921–5), Headquarters Eastern Command (1929), Southern Command (1931–3) and the War Office (1933–4). In 1934 he was promoted to the rank of major general, and the following year was appointed a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB).

Freyberg ‘seemed headed for the highest echelons of the army’ but was obliged to retire in October 1937 after medical exams revealed a heart problem. Fortunately following the outbreak of the Second World War he managed to have his medical grading restored to a level that would allow active service overseas. He offered his services to the New Zealand government and was appointed to command the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and its fighting arm, the 2nd New Zealand Division. He led their campaigns in Greece, North Africa and Italy.

Freyberg was criticised, particularly for his role in the fall of Crete in May 1941, and for the destruction of the Benedictine Monastery above Cassino in 1944. But he was also an admired figure at home and abroad, credited by his men for his concern for their welfare and readiness to be at the forefront of any enemy action. During the Second World War he added a third bar to his DSO and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. He was also appointed a Knight Commander to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) and elevated to Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB). The latter was for his leadership of the New Zealand Division during the decisive second battle at El Alamein, which marked a major turning point in favour of the allied forces.

Following the war Freyberg was invited to be New Zealand's Governor-General. A popular choice for the post, he was our first Governor-General with a New Zealand upbringing. He left London on 3 May 1946, bringing with him material to assist in New Zealand government in its compilation of an official war history. He maintained a strong interest in the project during his term, which was extended from five to six years in light of an impending royal visit and other issues. He left New Zealand on 15 August 1952.

On his return to England Freyberg frequently sat in the House of Lords, having been raised to the peerage in 1951. From 1953 until his death he acted as Deputy Constable and Lieutenant Governor in charge of Windsor Castle. He died at Windsor on 4 July 1963 following the rupture of one of his war wounds.

Adapted from Dictionary of New Zealand Biography entry by Ian McGibbon.

Silvia Cartwright becomes governor-general

The swearing in of Dame Silvia Cartwright as New Zealand’s governor-general (the local representative of the British monarch) completed a remarkable female clean sweep of the country’s most powerful political and legal positions.

Present at the ceremony were Prime Minister Helen Clark, Opposition leader Jenny Shipley, Chief Justice Sian Elias and Attorney-General Margaret Wilson.

The first woman governor-general of New Zealand was the former Mayor of Auckland, Dame Catherine Tizard, who held the post between 1990 and 1996.

Dame Silvia came to prominence when she headed an inquiry into the treatment of women with cervical cancer at National Women’s Hospital, Auckland. In 1993 she became New Zealand’s first female High Court judge. Her term as governor-general ended in 2006 when she was succeeded by Anand Satyanand.

Lord and Lady Cobham

Lord and Lady Cobham are carried ashore at Pukapuka Island in the Northern Cooks in 1959. Lord Cobham, the governor-general, turned down an invitation to become patron of the Wolfenden Association (later the New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Society).

Credit:

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: F-76200-1/2
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any reuse of this image.

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