New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero – Review Report for a Historic Place Palmerston North Technical School (Former), PALMERSTON NORTH (List No.1266, Category 2)
Palmerston North Technical School (Former), Karen Astwood, Heritage New Zealand, 14 Jan 2021
Karen Astwood 4 June 2021 Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURPOSE OF REVIEW 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
1. IDENTIFICATION 5 1.1. Name of Place 5 1.2. Location Information 5 1.3. Legal Description 6 1.4. Extent of List Entry 6 1.5. Eligibility 6 1.6. Existing Heritage Recognition 6
2. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 7 2.1. Historical Information 7 2.2. Physical Information 18 2.3. Chattels 25 2.4. Sources 25
3. SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT 27 3.1. Section 66 (1) Assessment 27 3.2. Section 66 (3) Assessment 28
4. APPENDICES 30 4.1. Appendix 1: Visual Identification Aids 30 4.2. Appendix 2: Visual Aids to Historical Information 36 4.3. Appendix 3: Visual Aids to Physical Information 38 4.4. Appendix 4: Significance Assessment Information 42
Disclaimer
Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions. Archaeological sites are protected by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, regardless of whether they are entered on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero or not. Archaeological sites include ‘places associated with pre-1900 human activity, where there may be evidence relating to the history of New Zealand’. This List entry report should not be read as a statement on whether or not the archaeological provisions of the Act apply to the property (s) concerned. Please contact your local Heritage New Zealand office for archaeological advice.
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PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of the review is to assess whether it is appropriate to vary the extent of the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero (the List) entry for Palmerston North Technical School (Former), Category 2 historic place (List No.1266).
The reason for the review is that Palmerston North Technical School (Former) has undergone significant modification since it was first added to the List. It is also located in the immediate vicinity of an associated building, the Palmerston North Technical School’s former Workshops, which has been identified through the Crown Land Disposal process as contributing to and extending the understanding of the overall heritage significance of the place.
This review assessment concludes that clarifying and broadening the extent of the List entry is warranted and appropriate because this will suitably recognise the significance of Palmerston North Technical School (Former) and the parts of the former main school building and the workshops building which contribute to its importance.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Palmerston North Technical School (Former) was built on the former site of a large forest clearing, called Papaioea, where a pā associated with important Rangitāne tūpuna was located. The place has historic and social significance because the various educational institutions based there since 1909 have catered to rural and urban Māori, as well as others seeking vocational and tertiary education opportunities. Located within the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) Manawatū’s central city campus, Palmerston North Technical School (Former) comprises the remnants of the school’s 1909 red brick main building and the neighbouring 1928 reinforced concrete workshops which was extended a few years later, in 1936-37. Prominent architect, Frederick de Jersey Clere’s distinctive two storey Edwardian building’s façades and cupola have landmark qualities and architectural values, which are complemented by the single storey Stripped Classical workshops, designed by influential architect John Thomas Mair’s Government Architect's office.
The remains of the pā in Papaioea were present when the Crown acquired the wider area in 1864 and surveyed the town. Settlement intensified from the 1870s and by the end of the nineteenth century calls for greater educational opportunities became louder. Like many places around New Zealand, vocational training for Palmerston North’s young adults and school leavers was topical at the time. After a haphazard start under the Wanganui Education Board’s leadership, in 1905-06 the recently established High School Board took over responsibility and the Technical School was earnestly established. With community and governmental financial support, they achieved the goal of purpose- built facilities in 1909. The popularity of the day and night courses, ranging from art classes, dressmaking and secretarial studies to carpentry and plumbing, meant that additions to the school quickly followed. Capacity issues continued as the city’s population steadily grew and in 1928 resulted in the new workshops building, on a site donated by the Borough Council.
In the mid-twentieth century there was a nationwide move to better define the roles of technical high schools and senior technical schools. In 1955, this led to the creation of a new secondary school in Palmerston North. All the courses, except those in the workshops, then moved to the new Queen Elizabeth Technical College campus and soon after Palmerston North Teachers’ College (1956) was created and had its first home in the former main technical school building. The perennial problem of space continued and in 1971 the college moved to its Hokowhitu campus, with the new Technical Institute taking its place. The 1909 building and workshops formed the historic heart of the city’s vocational training facility and this continued through the Technical Institute’s subsequent incarnations as Manawatū Polytechnic (1983) and then UCOL Manawatū (2000) – vocational learning providers with
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a regional focus and a much broader range of courses and degrees than envisioned in the early twentieth century.
By the late 1990s a centralised and expanded campus was long overdue. As part of that project the 1909 façade of the original building was retained and restored in 1997, with a new building constructed behind its red bricks and its cupola and distinctive gable-ends reinstated. The former workshops building, which was adapted for use as a performing arts space in the late twentieth century, was closed after a seismic assessment spurred by the 2010 Canterbury Earthquake indicated structural deficiencies. These have yet to be resolved (2021).
1. IDENTIFICATION1 1.1. Name of Place
Name: Palmerston North Technical School (Former)
Other Names: Administration Block (Former); Classroom Block; Manawatū Polytechnic Building (Former); Manawatū Polytechnic (Former); Palmerston North Technical Institute (Former); Palmerston North Technical College (Former); Queen Elizabeth Technical College (Former); UCOL Palmerston North Campus Block 1; UCOL Palmerston North Campus Block 5; UCOL Palmerston North Campus Buckman Building; UCOL Palmerston North Campus Opie Building; Workshop Block; Workshops.
1.2. Location Information
Address 135 and 150-154A King Street and Princess Street/State Highway 3 Palmerston North Manawatū
Additional Location Information N/A
1 This section is supplemented by visual aids in Appendix 1 of the report.
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Local Authority Palmerston North City Council
1.3. Legal Description
Legal Road, Lots 53-54 DP 223, Lot 1 DP 87609 (RTs WN56A/398, WN56A/400), Wellington Land District
1.4. Extent of List Entry
Extent includes part of the land described as Legal Road, Lots 53-54 DP 223, Lot 1 DP 87609 (RTs WN56A/398, WN56A/400), Wellington Land District, and parts of a building and a building known as Palmerston North Technical School (Former) thereon. The extent includes: the north, east and southern façades of the original 1909 main school building (Lots 53-54 DP 223); its reconstructed gable-ends; and roof cupola; and the exterior and interior of the former workshops building (Lot 1 DP 87609). Excluded from extent is the section of road known as King Street, located between the 1909 building remnants and the former workshops.
1.5. Eligibility
There is sufficient information included in this report to identify this place. This place is physically eligible for consideration as a historic place. It consists of land and buildings that are fixed to land which lies within the territorial limits of New Zealand.
1.6. Existing Heritage Recognition
Local Authority and Regional Authority Plan Scheduling Manawatu Polytechnic Building: Scheduled in Palmerston North City Council District Plan Operative, May 2019, Reference 60 in Section 17A Schedule of Buildings an Objects of Cultural Heritage Value, Category 2, Demolition is a Discretionary Activity and relocation is a Restricted Discretionary Activity.
Palmerston North Technical School Workshops: Not scheduled in Palmerston North City Council District Plan Operative, May 2019.
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2. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 2.1. Historical Information
Palmerston North’s location was previously a large forest clearing known as Papaioea, where Rangitāne people had a pā.2 Rangitāne o Manawatū descend from the eponymous ancestor and grandson of explorer Whātonga, who arrived in Aotearoa / New Zealand in the Kurahaupō. The iwi established itself in the Heretaunga / Hastings area before moving south, settling and intermarrying with other iwi throughout the Manawatū, Horowhenua, Wairarapa and also across Te Moana o Raukawa / Cook Strait to Wairau.3 The pā at Papaioea was associated with ‘rangitira Rakaumaui and was a significant site for Rangitāne o Manawatu’.4 Rākaumauī was among Rangitāne’s descendants who ‘were the first of his line to settle in Manawatū’.5
In the mid-nineteenth century the lower North Island’s European colonisation moved upwards and inwards from Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington and Whanganui, with eyes eventually settling on the Manawatū. By this time the pā at Papaioea had been abandoned but some structures and buildings remained.6 The negotiation process between iwi and the Crown for the area’s purchase was protracted, but was eventually acquired in 1864.7 Before then there was limited European entry into, or settlement of, the Manawatū.8 However, in 1866 Palmerston township (renamed Palmerston North in 1873) was surveyed and The Square was created at the location of the former pā.9 Settlement in Palmerston North and the surrounding district gained momentum in the 1870s when the government’s immigration and public works scheme enticed more people to the area.10
2 ‘Rangitāne o Manawatu and the Trustees of the Rangitāne o Manawatu Settlement Trust and the Crown’, Deed of Settlement of Historical Claims, 14 Nov 2015, Clause 2.28, https://www.govt.nz/assets/Documents/OTS/Rangitane-o- Manawatu/Rangitane-o-Manawatu-Deed-of-Settlement-14-Nov-2015.pdf, accessed 19 Nov 2020; New Zealand Archaeological Association Site Recording Scheme ref. T24/13 3 Mason Durie and Meihana Durie, ‘Rangitāne’, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/rangitane, accessed 27 Oct 2020 4 ‘Rangitāne o Manawatu…,’ 2015, 2.28 5 Malcolm McKinnon, ‘Manawatū and Horowhenua region - Early Māori history’, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/manawatu-and-horowhenua-region/page-4, accessed 19 Nov 2020 6 Michael Taylor and Annetta Sutton, ‘Initial Inventory of Rangitaane Heritage Sites in Palmerston North City’, Archaeology North, Dec 1999, Section 13, n.p. 7 ‘Rangitāne o Manawatū Claims Settlement Act 2016’, New Zealand Legislation, 8.3, http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2016/0100/latest/whole.html, accessed 20 Oct 2020 8 ‘Palmerston North’, Manawatu Standard (supplement), 26 Feb 1927, 2 9 Opus International Consultants Ltd et. al., ‘Palmerston North Landscape Inventory: Stage One of the Landscape Study’, Palmerston North City Council, Oct 2011, 41, https://www.pncc.govt.nz/media/2630582/dms-_849846-v1- palmerston_north_landscape_inventory_2011.pdf, accessed 19 Nov 2020 10 Malcolm McKinnon, ‘Manawatū and Horowhenua places - Palmerston North’, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/manawatu-and-horowhenua-places/page-5, accessed 27 Oct 2020. For example, the census
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Being centrally located, the Palmerston North Technical School’s future neighbourhood was developed for commercial and residential purposes in the late nineteenth century. For example, the site and surrounding area was up for auction in 1881 and described as ‘valuable…[and] so quickly and well-settled’, contributing to Palmerston North becoming ‘the most flourishing and important [town] in the North Island’.11 At the time, the parcels either side of King Street at its intersection with Princess Street (called Duke Street at the time) were owned by prominent businessman Joseph Edward Nathan (1835–1912).12 By the early twentieth century various residences, shops, stores, offices, a private school and private hospital were in this part of Palmerston North.13
Palmerston North Technical School As the town’s population grew, so did its educational institutions. Around 900 people were living in and around Palmerston North in the late 1870s and Central School (later called Campbell Street School) had opened.14 By the beginning of the twentieth century, when the population had risen to approximately 6000, there were further public schools – College Street and Terrace End – as well as privately run schools.15
Vocational training in Palmerston North began, in a faltering way, at the beginning of the twentieth century. This was the result of mounting local pressure in the late 1890s, including raising funds towards a school building and the cause being taken-up by Member of Parliament Frederick Pirani (1858-1926).16 The Wanganui Education Board was offering
recorded 193 people living in and around Palmerston North in 1874, but this had risen to 880 four years later: ‘Chapter 14 Cities and Towns, 1874 and 1878’, Census of the Colony of New Zealand, Feb 1880, n.p., https://www3.stats.govt.nz/historic_publications/1878-census/1878-results- census.html?_ga=2.895475.398488339.1605746790-1417294207.1603071752#idchapter_1_8158, accessed 19 Nov 2020 11 ‘Borough of Palmerston North’, Manawatu Times, 9 Nov 1881, 3 12 Record of Title (RT) WN65/223; RT WN117/220, Wellington Land District 13 Wise’s New Zealand Post Office Directory, Dunedin, H Wise and Company, 1909, 706, 708-09 14 ‘Chapter 14 Cities and Towns, 1874 and 1878’, Feb 1880; ‘First Public School in Palmerston North’, Manawatū Heritage, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4fec8059-13a9-4ae5-bdf4-76deb44f0d92, accessed 19 Nov 2020 15 The 1901 census information puts the population of Palmerston North Borough at 6534, a rise from 5910 in 1896. It should be noted that Māori were not included in these population statistics, but they do record numbers of ‘Half-castes’ and people of Chinese descent: ‘Chapter 21 Boroughs and Town Districts, 1901 and 1896’, Census of the Colony of New Zealand, Oct 1902, n.p., https://www3.stats.govt.nz/historic_publications/1901-census/1901-results-census/1901-results- census.html#d50e39165, accessed 19 Nov 2020. ‘Educational’ in The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay and Wellington Provincial Districts], Christchurch, Cyclopedia Company Ltd, 1908, 669, http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc06Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d27.html, accessed 19 Nov 2020. A private school for boys opened in 1891 and by the beginning of the twentieth century there was also one for girls, the Craven School for Girls: Zelda Tucker, ‘The establishment of public secondary school education in Palmerston North’, Research presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, Massey University, 1979, 6-7, https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/14970, accessed 13 Jan 2021 16 ‘Technical School Education’, Wanganui Herald, 1 Oct 1898, 6. Pirani was a staunch advocate on educational matters and, among other roles, later became a member of the Palmerston North High School Board in 1903: Steven Oliver, ‘Pirani,
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weekly art and technical drawing classes, under the heading of technical classes, in 1900 and then some day and evening classes began in 1902 at the newly created District High School.17 There were several public meetings to gauge support for a technical school’s creation.18 That same year Cabinet granted the Education Board £700 for a technical school building in addition to money it had set aside; to the £220 raised within the community; and £800 the High School Board committed to the project.19 However, the project stalled for several years, apparently because student numbers were not consistent enough to convince the government of its feasibility.20 Amid growing frustration at the lack of progress, in 1905-06 the High School Board determined it would take up the mantle, formally establishing Palmerston North Technical School and managing it.21
The establishment of the technical school was part of a growing nationwide trend in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to provide young adults and school leavers with additional educational opportunities in work-related areas. At the time, the vast majority of New Zealanders went ‘straight from primary school to work’, so vocational training was considered important for on-going personal development.22 An added benefit for Palmerston North was ‘a marked decrease in larrikinism…The fact that youths were attending the evening classes for two or three hours a night and were under discipline had good effect on civic orderliness’.23 Palmerston North’s school followed in the footsteps of those in Wellington (1886), Dunedin (1889), Whanganui (1890), Auckland (1895), Invercargill and Masterton (1896), Napier (1899) and Timaru (1901).24 Within the Manawatū there was another technical school which opened in Feilding in 1907.25
Frederick’, Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated Jan 2012, in Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2p19/pirani-frederick, accessed 27 Nov 2020 17 ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 18 Dec 1900, 2; Tucker, 1979, 25 18 Palmerston North Technical School 1906-1956: Golden anniversary souvenir booklet, Palmerston North, Queen Elizabeth Technical College, 1956, 17 19 ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 2 Sep 1902, 3 20 Tucker, 1979, 26 21 Palmerston North Technical School, 1956, 13; ‘Palmerston North Technical College (now UCOL)’, Historic Manawatū- Horowhenua, 2013, 27, http://www.historicmanawatuhorowhenua.org.nz/Records/Technical%20College.pdf, accessed 9 Oct 2020 22 Ian Dougherty, Bricklayers and Mortarboards: A history of New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology, Palmerston North, Dunmore Press, 1999, 14; Palmerston North Technical School, 1956, 18 23 ‘Journeymen who know their job’, Manawatu Times, 13 Mar 1928, 8 24 Dougherty, 1999, 14 25 Feilding Community Centre, Category 1 historic place (List No.7437)
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New Zealand’s early technical schools were generally established as a result of local persistence and drive.26 Palmerston North’s institution was no different. Local service industry employers were particularly keen for technical classes to be available for training their apprentices.27 Once set-up, the institution depended on donations from the local councils and groups, such as: the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Citizen’s Lunch Club, Farmers’ Union, New Zealand Society of Accountants and the Plumbers Association.28 Support came in other ways as well, such as public donations towards specific projects and scholarship funding from groups like the Palmerston North Working Men’s Club.29
Despite being earnestly underway in 1907, it was several years before Palmerston North Technical School had a permanent home.30 In early 1908 the technical school was described as ‘a very large institution, but it is housed in rented premises in various parts of the town, and difficulty is found in obtaining accommodation for the increasing numbers’.31 After the appointment of Francis Dudley Opie (1872-1924) as the school’s Director, student numbers went from strength to strength and creating purpose-built facilities became imperative.32 Within a few weeks of announcing its intention to find a site, the school’s committee raised £600 through local and district subscriptions for the purpose and purchased sections on the corner of Princess and King Streets in May 1908.33
Having moved quickly to secure a site, the High School Board were keen to maintain the momentum. Fundraising continued and prominent architect Frederick de Jersey Clere (1856- 1952) completed the plans in late 1908 for the building anticipated as being ‘a striking addition to the architecture of the district’.34 Aspects of the main building were said to have been based on Clere’s recent design for Petone’s technical school, although that was a smaller scale structure and less ornate.35 The ‘up-to-date in all respects’ red brick, two-
26 Dougherty, 1999, 13 27 Tucker, 1979, 27 28 The Farmers’ Union donation was specifically for the shearing classes offered and, likewise, the New Zealand Society of Accountants donated towards accountancy-related classes. Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 Nov 1914, 5; ‘Journeymen who know their job’, Manawatu Times 29 ‘Journeymen who know their job’, Manawatu Times 30 ‘Journeymen who know their job’, Manawatu Times 31 ‘Technical School wanted’, Taranaki Herald, 25 Apr 1908, 2 32 Tucker, 1979, 28-29; Sheila Jolley, Our Place: naming the Palmerston North campus buildings, UCOL, 2005, 5 33 ‘Technical School wanted’, Taranaki Herald; ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Hawera and Normanby Star, 9 May 1908, 5; ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Wanganui Herald, 16 May 1908 5; RT WN117/220, Wellington Land District. The funds raised were matched by the government. 34 ‘Architecture and Building’, Progress, 1 Jul 1909, 314 35 ‘Technical School’, New Zealand Times, 12 Dec 1908, 13; Exterior of the Petone Memorial Technical College building [Dec
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storey, centrepiece of the school would include administration and library spaces and cooking, science and general classrooms.36
Tenders for the building contract closed in late March 1909 and the successful contractor was the Union Timber Company.37 This company was a local business which, despite its name, had experience with brick construction. Some of their earlier contracts for brick buildings included additions to the Club Hotel and hospital.38 Clere’s son Edmund Herbert de Jersey Clere (1884-1967) supervised the work.39 A workshops building, located behind the main building, was completed first and opened in June.40 The contractor’s work on the neighbouring main building was described as splendid and ‘the closest and most critical inspection fails to reveal any bad workmanship’.41
The Technical School’s official opening was celebrated on 29 September 1909 and was undertaken by Minister for Education George Fowlds (1860-1934).42 A large crowd gathered in front of ‘the finest technical school building in the dominion’, for the opening and other dignitaries included Member of Parliament David Buick (1848-1918), representatives from local councils, as well as the architect and Opie.43 After the ceremony the building was ‘thrown open for [public] inspection’ and student work was on display.44 The celebrations included an evening concert in the building.45
1935], Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper, Ref: PAColl- 6301-37, Alexander Turnbull Library, https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22913245, accessed 3 Feb 2021. The building Clere designed for the Petone school was demolished in the mid-1930s 36 ‘Technical School’, New Zealand Times 37 ‘To builders’, Manawatu Standard, 11 Mar 1909, 8; ‘The new Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 6 Sep 1909, 5 38 “The Club Hotel’, Manawatu Standard, 28 Oct 1905, 5; ‘Palmerston North Hospital’, Manawatu Times, 26 Sep 1907, 5. As early as 1904 the company had advertised for bricklayers: ‘Wanted’, Manawatu Standard, 6 Oct 1904, 1 39 ‘Palmerston North Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 29 Sep 1909, 5. This article notes the supervisor as ‘Mr H. Clere’. Edmund Herbert is said to have usually gone by his second name: ‘Clere, Edmund Herbert de Jersey, 1884-1967’, National Library, collection record, https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22375830, accessed 19 Jan 2021 40 ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Evening Post, 16 Jun 1909, 3 41 See Figure 1: Pupils outside Palmerston North Technical College, circa 1923, RP Moore, Palmerston North City Library, 2007N_Scs69_SCH_0438, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/b3a6c9ec-1b67-412e-8d40- 808ffab6cd61, accessed 20 Nov 2020. This image shows the main Technical School building (right) and the vacant section opposite (left) was the future site of the school’s Workshops.; ‘Palmerston North Technical School’, Manawatu Standard 42 ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Evening Post, 7 Sep 1909, 3 43 ‘Technical Education’, Lyttelton Times, 30 Sep 1909, 9 (quote); ‘Palmerston News’, New Zealand Times, 30 Sep 1909, 6; Palmerston North Technical School, 1956, 4 44 ‘Palmerston North Technical School’, Manawatu Standard 45 ‘Palmerston News’, New Zealand Times
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The local population rose from 10,000 in 1911 to 20,000 in 1930, earning Palmerston North city status.46 The steady population growth across 20 years coincided with a national trend of increasing interest in vocational training opportunities.47 By 1913 Palmerston North’s was the largest of New Zealand’s provincial technical schools.48 This was physically reflected at the school through additions to the buildings.49 By 1926 the school had a roll of 1000. Classes ran from 9am to 9pm and students came from a wide catchment, including Dannevirke, Marton, Ōtaki and Pahīatua.50 However, before more students were accepted the facilities needed further expansion.51
The capacity issues were not Palmerston North specific – there was ‘a continual cry’ around the country about overcrowding.52 In 1925 the Board approached the Borough Council about purchasing their vacant section opposite the main building. However, the asking price was too high.53 Subsequently, the Council had a change of heart, possibly influenced by Councillor Matthew Henry Oram (1885-1969) who was their representative on the Board at the time. In December 1926 the Council donated the land for new Workshops, on provision that it ‘shall only be used for educational purposes’.54
With the site secured it was time to campaign for the Workshops building’s construction.55 In July 1927 Minister for Education Robert Alexander Wright (1863-1947) gave approval for a
46 McKinnon dates the city status to 1927: McKinnon, ‘Manawatū and Horowhenua places - Palmerston North’. However, Thorns and Schrader put the date as 1930: David Thorns and Ben Schrader, 'City history and people - New cities', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/city-history-and-people/page-8, accessed 19 Oct 2020. This year tallies with information in contemporary newspaper articles: For example: ‘Palmerston a city’, Manawatu Standard, 17 Jun 1930, 9 47 Dougherty, 1999, 20 48 Tucker, 1979, 30 49 Tony Ussher and John Craig, ‘Manawatu Polytechnic’, March 1997, section 2.3, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074. There were additions in 1911, 1915 and also in the 1920s 50 ‘Journeymen who know their job’, Manawatu Times 51 ‘Thousand students’, New Zealand Herald, 16 Jun 1926, 10 52 ‘Bigger Technical Schools’, Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 Jun 1927, 5 53 See Figure 1: Pupils outside Palmerston North Technical College, circa 1923, RP Moore, Palmerston North City Library, 2007N_Scs69_SCH_0438, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/b3a6c9ec-1b67-412e-8d40- 808ffab6cd61, accessed 20 Nov 2020. This image shows the main Technical School building (right) and the vacant section opposite (left) was the future site of the school’s Workshops.; Memorandum to Mr Caughley, 25 Sep 1925, Archives New Zealand (ANZ), Secondary School Buildings – Palmerston North Technical College, R20133058 54 Palmerston North Technical School, 1906–1956, Palmerston North, Queen Elizabeth Technical College, 1956, 26-27 (quote from 26); ‘Gift to Technical School’, Manawatu Times, 14 Dec 1926, 7; Jim Lundy, ‘Oram, Matthew Henry’, Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, 2000, (updated Apr 2015), in Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5o5/oram-matthew-henry, accessed 20 Jan 2021 55 The Board are said to have ‘many representations’ to the Education Department about the project: ‘New Work-shops for Technical School’, Manawatu Times, 17 Dec 1927, 6
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purpose-built single storey building and provided a government grant.56 It was several months later before Government Architect John Thomas Mair (1876-1959) signalled the plans were ready and the Public Works Department called for construction tenders in December 1927.57 Messrs Anderson and Williamson’s tender was accepted and work had begun by late February 1928.58 The contractors described themselves as ‘long standing’ in Palmerston North, and in the 1920s and 1930s completed important buildings such as additions to the Chief Post Office, the Public Library and Masonic Lodge.59
It was anticipated that the Workshops would ‘constitute a very handsome addition to Palmerston North’s growing number of educational buildings’.60 The building was nearing completion in mid-August.61 Unfortunately, the Minister for Education could not attend a proposed opening ceremony in September so the school’s committee decided to forego an official opening altogether.62 However, completion of the building was timely because trades courses received a big increase in enrolments that year.63
Technical school classes in this period were reasonably gendered, with girls and women generally taking courses in cooking, dressmaking or secretarial skills.64 The Workshops’ facilities included carpentry and plumbing workshops, as well as classroom space where skills such as architectural drawing were taught.65 However, in 1928 at least one woman took a trades course there: ‘In the woodwork class is a lady teacher who motors fifteen miles [for evening classes] to make herself proficient enough to give elementary instruction to boys away from the manual centres’.66
56 Palmerston North Technical School, 1906–1956, 1956, 39; ‘Facilities for P.N. Technical School’, Manawatu Times, 30 Jul 1927, 6 57 ‘Erection of new workshops’, Manawatu Times, 7 Dec 1927, 12 58 Memorandum for the Director of Education, 8 Sep 1927, ANZ, R20133058; ‘Tenders’, Manawatu Times, 8 Dec 1927, 12; Memorandum for the Director of Education, 27 Apr 1929, ANZ, R20133058; ‘Secondary Schools’, Manawatu Times, 22 Feb 1928, 8 59 ‘Messrs Anderson and Williamson’, Evening Post, 20 Jun 1928, 22; ‘Messrs Anderson and Williamson’, Manawatu Standard, 11 Jun 1929, 4 (quote); ‘Important building scheme’, Manawatu Times, 12 Dec 1930, 2. Category 2 historic places: Chief Post Office (List No.1255); United Manawatu Lodge (List No.7378) 60 ‘New Work-shops for Technical School’, Manawatu Times 61 Memorandum to the Director of Education, 26 Mar 1928, ANZ, R20133058; ‘Palmerston North’s Secondary Schools’, Manawatu Times, 15 Aug 1928, 8 62 ‘General News’, Manawatu Times, 19 Sep 1928, 6. Robert Alexander Wright was still Minister for Education at the time. 63 ‘P.N. Technical School’, Manawatu Times, 24 Oct 1928, 6 64 For example see: ‘P.N. Technical School’, Manawatu Times, 24 Oct 1928, 6 65 ‘New work-shops for Technical School’, Manawatu Times; ‘P.N. Technical School’, Manawatu Times 66 ‘Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 24 Oct 1928, 2
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The fact that this was unusual enough to be reported about in the Manawatu Standard indicates the teacher’s presence probably raised eyebrows in the predominantly male domain of the Workshops.
In the 1930s technical schools around the country could not keep-up with demand and Palmerston North was no exception. The technical school enjoyed a very good reputation and speaking there in 1932 Sir Apirana Ngata (1874-1950) emphasised its importance in expanding the opportunities available to young people, especially the rural Māori students who travelled into town to attend.67 There was a wide range of weeknight classes for those who wanted to ‘Learn More to Earn More’ in addition to high school manual classes during the day.68 Further pressure was created when the first Labour Government abolished the policy of a proficiency exam, which made vocational training opportunities even more accessible.69 Therefore, despite the recent construction of the Workshops, expanding the school was an on-going issue throughout the decade and into the 1940s.70 This included extending the Workshops, by adding two rooms in 1936-37, ‘complet[ing] that building as it was originally intended’.71
The technical education sector went from strength to strength in the mid-twentieth century, driven by schemes like compulsory apprenticeships. In the same period there were secondary school sector changes and moves to better define the roles of technical high schools and the tertiary education sector’s newly termed ‘technical institutes’.72 Changes at Palmerston North Technical School reflect this shift. In 1945 it was recommended that, along with others in main centres, functions be split to create a separate technical high school and the existing school would ‘assume more of the character of senior technical institutes’.73 However, it was several years before the technical high school was realised, with the
67 ‘Palmerston Technical School’, Otaki Mail, 24 Jan 1930, 2; ‘Flying High 1927-1936’, in Queen Elizabeth College Palmerston North Technical School: 90th Jubilee 1996, Palmerston North, Queen Elizabeth College, 1996, n.p. 68 The full advertising slogan was ‘Learn More to Earn More. Join the “Tech”’. For example see: Manawatu Times, 8 Feb 1930, 8. ‘Director’s Report’, Manawatu Times, 12 Dec 1935, 8. The ‘day school’ officially became a Technical High School in 1934: ‘Flying High 1927-1936’, 1996, n.p. 69 Dougherty, 1999, 14 70 ‘Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 22 July 1935, 6; ‘Visit of Minister’, Manawatu Standard, 16 May 1940, 8. The accommodation issue was described as ‘acute’ in 1935, even with the prospect of additions to the Workshops: ‘Reports on Secondary School activities’, Manawatu Times, 17 Aug 1935, 6 71 This included an engineering shop: Palmerston North Technical School, 1956, 39; ‘New workshop’, Manawatu Standard, 18 Mar 1936, 11; ‘Technical School’, 22 July 1935 (quote). Tenders were called for in Oct 1935 and the building permit was issued that year too: ‘Palmerston North Technical School’, Manawatu Standard, 29 Oct 1935, 2; ‘Building permits’, Manawatu Standard, 24 Dec 1935, 7 72 Dougherty, 1999, 20, 24 (quote) 73 ibid., 25
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creation of Queen Elizabeth Technical College. The college opened at its new campus in 1955, but its students continued to use the Workshops for manual classes.74
Palmerston North Teachers’ Training College In 1956 further tertiary education opportunities became available in Palmerston North, through the establishment of the Palmerston North Teachers’ Training College. This had been on the cards for a while because of the increased demand for teachers as ‘baby boomer’ children became old enough to enter the education system.75 The use of the main technical school building was mooted in 1954 and costs for alterations were explored.76 The necessary works were approved in July 1955, resulting in a convenient and relatively cost- effective place for the new teachers’ college.77 It opened in March 1956 after a ceremony officiated by Prime Minister Sidney Holland (1983-1961). In a replay of 1909, a large crowd gathered in front of the former technical school’s building and Princess Street was temporarily closed for the event. The initial in-take was 160 aspiring teachers - mostly young women.78 The opening of the college has been described as ‘a pivotal event in the history of the city and of education in the region’.79 The trainee teachers came from the Manawatū and surrounding provinces such as Taranaki, Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay.80
The Princess Street site was meant to be a temporary home for the teachers’ college. In 1962 there was speculation the college, already pushed for space, would end-up at Hokowhitu. Until the mid- to late-1960s teacher training consisted of two years, but students could opt for a third year in a specialised subject. However, with the introduction of a standard three years of training in 1969 space at Palmerston North’s college became critical.81 This prompted a purpose-built teachers’ college campus at Hokowhitu, which the college began
74 ‘A Quiet Revolution 1967-1976’, in Queen Elizabeth College Palmerston North Technical School: 90th Jubilee 1996, Palmerston North, Queen Elizabeth College, 1996, n.p. The students appear to have used the Workshops until the Palmerston North Technical Institute’s creation in 1971: Pers. Comm., Ian Matheson to Susan Campion, fax, 9 Jun 1998, Ian Matheson Community Archive, UCOL (1983-1999), A175/196 75 Roger Openshaw, Between Two Worlds: A history of Palmerston North College of Education, 1956-1996, Palmerston North, Dunmore Press, 1996, 27, 30 76 Secretary to the Treasury, Training College at Palmerston North, Memorandum, 23 August 1954, ANZ, Education – Palmerston North Technical School (old): now Teachers Training College, R10370169 77 Pers. Comm., Secretary to the Treasury to Commissioner of Works, 7 Jul 1959, ANZ, R10370169; Openshaw, 1996, 27 78 Of the first in-take of students, 120 were women: Janine Rankin, ‘Palmerston North’s first teacher trainees mark diamond anniversary’, Manawatū Standard, 13 Mar 2016, https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/77826544/palmerston- norths-first-teacher-trainees-mark-diamond-anniversary, accessed 18 Feb 2021; Margaret Tennant et. al. ed., City at the Centre: A history of Palmerston North, Palmerston North, Massey University Press, 2020, 222 79 Openshaw, 1996, 26 80 Rankin, 2016 81 Openshaw, 1996, 27, 101-02, 123, 125
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moving into in 1971.82 At the end of this interlude the technical school (rebranded as Palmerston North Technical Institute) found itself back at the site traditionally associated with vocational education.83 In 2016 the diamond anniversary of the college’s establishment was celebrated its foundation home, with the Mayor Grant Smith unveiling a commemorative plaque.84
From Technical Institute to Manawatū Polytechnic and UCOL The technical school’s establishment in the early twentieth century was part of a national trend. By the 1960s communities were advocating for technical institutes (the forerunners of polytechnics) to be established in provincial centres, but the feasibility threshold was high. However, in 1969 the National Government lowered it and Palmerston North was the first to benefit when the vocational courses offered by Queen Elizabeth Technical College were taken over and expanded by the Palmerston North Technical Institute in 1971.85
The creation of the institute meant that Palmerston North became like New Zealand’s other university cities, with a full complement of tertiary education options: a university, teachers’ college and technical institute.86 The technical institute opened with 23 full-time equivalent tutors providing courses for nearly 1300 students. ‘Significant additions’ to the range of courses offered included: ‘horticulture, forestry, recreation and sport, hospitality and catering, and the only national courses in fellmongery and leather tanning and dying’.87
In 1983 the technical institute changed its name to Manawatū Polytechnic, ‘anticipating a trend towards the widespread use of the name [‘polytechnic’] from the late 1980s’.88 The choice of Manawatū, rather than Palmerston North Polytechnic, recognised the institution’s regional reach.89 The 1980s also saw growth in health-related courses, such as nursing – training had previously been hospital-based. The use of the Princess and King Street buildings was, again, only meant to be temporary, because they were ‘considered to have a
82 Palmerston North Technical College (now UCOL)’, Historic Places Manawatū-Horowhenua, 28, http://www.historicmanawatuhorowhenua.org.nz/Records/Technical%20College.pdf, accessed 21 Jan 2021 83 ibid.; Dougherty, 1999, 143-44 84 Rankin, 2016 85 Dougherty, 1999, 31-32, 145 86 ibid., 143. The other five centres to have all three types of tertiary facility were Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton. 87 ibid., 145 88 ibid., 144 89 Pers. Comm. G O Moltzen to Director of Continuing Education, Jun 1982, ANZ, Buildings and Sites – Technical Institutes – [Palmerston North] Manawatu Technical Institute, R7223980
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limited structural life’.90 However, there was much debate and indecision about other potential sites. Therefore, the polytechnic ended up staying put, but taking over further property to cater for its growing student and staff population. This included sharing the Hokowhitu campus with the teachers’ college from the early 1980s, which had its own issues.91
In the early 1990s more than 40 per cent of Palmerston North’s population were involved in the education sector as students or staff, leading to it being dubbed the ‘Knowledge City’.92 It was important that the polytechnic could continue to contribute to that status and it was given a boost of confidence in 1996 when the development of a single central city campus became feasible through a $22 million dollar contribution from the government.93 The character and role of the institution had changed significantly since 1909 and this was reflected by the campus’ expansion in the late 1990s through the construction of new buildings and acquisition and adaption of existing buildings. The former technical school main building was substantially demolished as part of the project, but three façades were retained.94 The new campus helped to consolidate the polytechnic’s facilities at its traditional home and opened in 1999.95 That year the institution reported a 23 per cent growth in enrolments, over the previous two years.96 It was also in this period that a new workshops facility was created and performing arts courses began being based in the former Workshops.97
Manawatū Polytechnic became known as the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) in 2000.98 From its Palmerston North base UCOL subsequently incorporated or set-up campuses within its wider region, including in Whanganui, Masterton and Levin.99 The broader tertiary education sector faced challenging times in the early twentieth century, including
90 Pers. Comm. Kevin Morahan to Mr Moltzen, 20 Jun 1983, ANZ, R7223980 91 Jolley, 2005, 2; Pers. Comm. Minister of Education to H S Harrod, 8 Oct 1982, ANZ, R7223980; Pers. Comm. Regional Superintendent of Education to Director Continuing Education, 9 Jan 1987, ANZ, , Buildings and Sites – Technical Institutes – [Palmerston North] Manawatu Technical Institute, R7223981 92 Tennant, 2020, 229 93 Dougherty, 1999, 145-148 94 See Figure 4: Manawatū Polytechnic building, Palmerston North, Oct 1997, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074 95 ‘Polytech plans praised’, Evening Standard, 28 Aug 1996, Ian Matheson Community Archive, UCOL (1983-1999), A175/196 96 Manawatu Polytechnic Annual Report 1999, Palmerston North, Manawatu Polytechnic, 1999, 7 97 ‘Workshops environmentally friendly’, Evening Standard, 4 Mar 1999, 19. For example: ‘UCOL grads take to Wellington stage’, The Guardian, 20 Feb 2003, 14 98 Palmerston North Technical College (now UCOL)’, Historic Places Manawatū-Horowhenua, 28; New Zealand Gazette 2000, 3379 99 ‘About UCOL’, UCOL, https://www.ucol.ac.nz/about-ucol, accessed 9 Oct 2020
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government funding cuts and reforms in 2006 and 2019.100 However in 2019, UCOL confidently described itself as: ‘a high performing government funded Institute of Technology and Polytechnic, covering a large geographic area of the lower North Island’.101
Associated List Entries N/A
2.2. Physical Information
Current Description The UCOL Manawatū campus, which the two former Palmerston North Technical School buildings are the nucleus of, is situated on flat ground within Palmerston North’s central business district. There is a range of adapted or purpose-built buildings within the campus, including the 1909 remnants of the Technical School’s main building and its former Workshops. The majority of the campus buildings typically reflect the popular architectural styles and principles of their respective eras, dating from the 1920s and through to the early twenty-first century.102 The main focus of the campus is the area bounded by Queen, Princess and King Streets, with five connected buildings, between two and four storeys high. The other buildings tend to be single storey. The late 1990s campus development was designed by Designgroup Elliott Architects, led by architect Brian Elliott.103
Because the two Palmerston North Technical School (Former) buildings were within the boundary of Palmerston North’s ‘brick area’ they needed to be constructed in permanent materials. This bylaw had been in place since 1891, as a response to increasing fire risk as the central business area developed. Palmerston North’s Borough Council was ‘one of the earliest councils in the country to regulate building in this way’.104 Arguably Frederick de Jersey Clere would have designed the 1909 building in brick regardless, because red brick was traditionally associated with educational buildings in the United Kingdom and his recent technical school building at Petone had been constructed in that material. Likewise,
100 Lee Matthews, ‘Polytechnic able to weather funding cut’, Evening Standard, 30 Jun 2004, 4; Duncan Milne, ‘Chairperson’s Foreword’ in Annual Report 2006, Palmerston North, Universal College of Learning, 2006, 5; ‘About UCOL’, in Annual Report 2019, 4, https://www.ucol.ac.nz/Documents/UCOL%20Annual%20Report%202019.pdf, accessed 22 Jan 2021 101 ‘About UCOL’, 2019, 9 102 The majority of the later buildings were constructed between 1997 and the early years of the twenty-first century. The campus architects during this period were Designgroup Elliott Architects 103 Jolley, 2005, 2 104 Jim Lundy, Nine Thousand Bricks a Day: The Hoffman Kiln and the brickworks of Palmerston North, Palmerston North, Manawatu Branch of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, 2005, 20
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industrial-type buildings, such as the Workshops, were generally constructed in permanent materials because of the increased risk of fire due to the nature of the activities inside. The brick area rules were in place throughout the early twentieth century, so the campus’ earlier buildings and remaining buildings from this era in the surrounding streetscape are all brick and concrete structures, including the original Palmerston North Technical School building/Block 1/Opie Building and the former Workshops building/Block 5/Buckman Building.105
Technical School façades The former Palmerston North Technical School building is located on a prominent corner site at the intersection of King and Princess Streets/State Highway 3. Dominated by running bond red brick, the street-frontages and northern side featured gabled sections with large arched windows and the façades were populated with Classical features, such as pilasters with simplified capitals, and rusticated bands of brickwork in place of quoins. At the time of its opening, it was said the building’s ‘severity of style is fitting’ and ‘the whole handsome exterior is finished in brick, relieved only by the reinforced concrete piers in the windows and lintels which are plastered in white sand’.106 These elements provided a sense of tempered importance benefitting that main building’s educational use. The building’s double-hung sash windows were originally a single pane of glazing in the lower sash and the upper sash was divided into six panes. A practical and attractive feature of the original building was a central cupola, topped with a wind vane – the largest and most ornate of the building’s original roof- top Boyle ventilators.107
Despite the building sustaining no ‘vital structural damage’ as a result of the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake, classes were disrupted and changes were made to the main school building for the purposes of reducing seismic risks.108 The 1909 building was strengthened and its roof was reconfigured to remove the original gables, their impressive gable-ends and arched
105 The Technical School building and Workshops were given the names Opie and Buckman, respectively, in the early 2000s. These reflect the uses of the buildings and connect them to associated historical figures of importance to Palmerston North. Therefore, the Opie building is named after the Technical School’s Director at the time the building was constructed. The Workshops, used as a performing arts space at the time of re-naming, was named after a Palmerston North local, Rosina Buckman, who became a well-known performer in the early twentieth century. Jolley, 2005, 5, 12 106 ‘Palmerston North Technical School’, 29 Sep 1909 107 See Figure 1: Pupils outside Palmerston North Technical College, circa 1923, RP Moore, Palmerston North City Library, 2007N_Scs69_SCH_0438, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/b3a6c9ec-1b67-412e-8d40- 808ffab6cd61, accessed 20 Nov 2020. This image shows the main Technical School building (right) and the vacant section opposite (left) was the future site of the school’s Workshops.; Ussher and Craig, 1997, section 2.3 108 Palmerston North Technical School, 1956, 34 (quote), 39
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windows.109 This resulted from seismic assessments which stated the building was ‘incapable of wholly resisting the forces induced by violent earthquake movement’.110 The works were completed in early 1932.111 Subsequent changes to the front/Princess Street façade included the introduction of fire escapes and an entrance canopy when Manawatū Polytechnic occupied the building.112 The building’s lower windows sashes had been changed to multi- pane glazing by the late twentieth century as well and the front entrance had been altered to a glazed entranceway.113
An aim of the late 1990s project was increasing seismic resilience as well as creating a focal point for the Manawatu Polytechnic’s central city campus development.114 To establish the King Street extension involved demolishing all of the former Technical School main building with the exception of its north, east and southern façades. Demolition also included the brick addition to the former main building (1926), which linked the main school building to the original workshops building (1909). The project also involved reconstructing the building’s gable-ends that had been removed in the early 1930s.115 A concrete-framed building was then constructed within the envelope created by the remaining façades. Heritage New Zealand’s advice was sought at the time and there was no objection to this approach.116
Work began in 1996, with demolition started by early September 1997. This resulted in the loss of original internal layout, features and fabric (predominantly timber), as well as subsequent changes and accretions from 90 years of the building’s use for educational purposes.117 The façades’ reconstructed concrete and brick gable-ends and the replacement structure behind the façades, designed by Designgroup Elliott Architects, were completed in
109 See Figure 2: Technical High School, circa 1937, Snapshots Unlimited, Palmerston North City Library, 2014N_Scs63_007999, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/aeb19146-1c4e-4012-a32d-65459b4da3a9, accessed 20 Nov 2020; Pers. comm., A I Duurloo to Government Architect, 5 Jul 1948, ANZ, R10370169 110 ER Hodge to the Chairman, 14 Apr 1931, ANZ, R20133059 (quote); Ussher and Craig, 1997, section 2.4 111 Memorandum for Director of Education, 14 Mar 1932, ANZ, R20133059 112 ‘Palmerston North Technical Institute’, Manawatu Branch of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, 2007, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074; Front of Manawatu Polytechnic Brick Building, 21 Feb 1996, Cindy Lilburn, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074 113 ‘History of the Manawatu Polytechnic: an album presented to Mr R S Lockwood on his retirement from Manawatu Polytechnic Council [1972-1988]’, UCOL Manawatū Campus Library, n.p. 114 Pers. comm. Scott Blain to Designgroup Elliott Associates, 28 Feb 1997, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074 115 ‘Brick facades to be retained in revamp’, Manawatu Evening Standard, 28 August 1997; Tony and Craig, 1997, n.p. 116 Pers. comm. Julia Gatley to Brian Elliott, 9 Apr 1997, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074; Brian Elliott, Submission to Heritage New Zealand, May 2021, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074 117 Elliott, Submission to Heritage New Zealand; Kirsty McTamney, ‘Building not demolished’, Evening Standard, 5 Sep 1997, 1
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early 1998.118 A replacement Princess Street entrance door appears to have been installed at this time, which was sympathetic in style to what would have been the original timber door. However, the main access point was reorientated to King Street. A cupola was also reinstated on the new roof, in its traditional position at the centre-point of the building’s main aspect. The vintage of the cupola is not confirmed in the associated documentation on file at Heritage New Zealand, but it appears to be the original ventilation cupola.119 The resulting building was subsequently described as ‘the brick heritage heart of the UCOL campus’.120 The 1909 building’s remnants are prominent in the streetscape - they are not overshadowed by the other campus buildings, which are a similar height and set well back from the road-front.
Subsequently, some seismic strengthening work was completed in 2011.121 In 2016 a relatively discrete bronze plaque was attached to the front façade, just north of the former Princess Street main entrance. The plaque reads: This plaque acknowledges the establishment on this site of the PALMERSTON NORTH TEACHERS COLLEGE February 1956 Placed here by the 1956 Foundation Students in March 2016.
Workshops building The Workshops building was constructed in 1928 using reinforced concrete framing with infill reinforced concrete panels for the exterior.122 The building features Stripped Classical detailing on the Princess and King Streets frontages, including stylised pilasters with roundels above, cornicing, parapet and pediments above the entranceways. ‘Technical Workshops’ is
118 ‘Restoration on track’, The Tribune, 22 Feb 1998, 3 119 The cupola does not appear to have been removed as part of the 1930s seismic resilience works: see Figure 1: Pupils outside Palmerston North Technical College, circa 1923, RP Moore, Palmerston North City Library, 2007N_Scs69_SCH_0438, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/b3a6c9ec-1b67-412e-8d40-808ffab6cd61, accessed 20 Nov 2020. This image shows the main Technical School building (right) and the vacant section opposite (left) was the future site of the school’s Workshops. and -Figure 2: Technical High School, circa 1937, Snapshots Unlimited, Palmerston North City Library, 2014N_Scs63_007999, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/aeb19146-1c4e-4012-a32d- 65459b4da3a9, accessed 20 Nov 2020. It is assumed this is the same structure that was present just prior to the redevelopment of the building and it was then removed and reinstated during the late 1990s project: Front of Manawatu Polytech brick building, 21, Dec 1996, Cindy Lilburn, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074 120 See Figure 6: Technical School main building’s eastern and northern façades with 1997-98 building behind, from Princess Street. and Figure 7: Technical School main building’s southern façade with 1997-98 building behind, from King Street.; Tina White, ‘Clere left his mark on the city’, Manawatu Standard, 9 Jun 2012, https://www.pressreader.com/new- zealand/manawatu-standard/20120609/281547992957446, accessed 9 Oct 2020 121 Pers. comm. Kirsten Ward to Karen Astwood, email, 11 Oct 2018, Heritage New Zealand file ref NP2019-045 122 Pers. comm. G R McKay to K Cunningham, 13 Jun 1983, ANZ, R7223980
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denoted on the King Street façade. This detailing struck a balance between being a purely utilitarian industrial building and its educational use. The original building was approximately two thirds of the current (2021) building, and when it was extended in 1936-37 the earlier exterior detailing and glazing units were repeated. As well as providing as visual link to the 1909 main school building opposite, forming a pleasing and complementary pairing, use of a Stripped Classical architectural language was a characteristic of designs coming out of Mair’s Government Architect’s office in this period. Examples of this approach include the Post Offices at Marton (1927), Westport (1931) and Taumarunui (designed 1931).123 A similar treatment was also used at another technical school workshops building, Petone Technical School (1932).124
The original Workshops’ facilities in 1928 included woodworking and plumbing workshops, as well as office and storage spaces. Steel roof trusses support the Workshops twin gables and it had interior brick walls.125 The centrally placed entrance from Princess Street provided direct access into the carpentry shop, store and office area. The main entrance was from King Street and had an associated porch and hall.126 The building’s light and ventilation, provided mainly by the large areas of multi-pane glazing units around the building (except the southside), was highlighted as a notable feature of the Workshops.127 These windows appear to have consisted of central projected windows and top and lower rows of awning windows and hopper lights, respectively. The entrance door fanlights each featured four triangular panes forming a cross-shape.128
In 1936-37 the building was extended west along King Street to create room for additional workshop spaces.129 The extension is demarcated on the interior with a matchlined wall
123 Category 2 historic places: Post Office (List No.2842); Post Office (Former) (List No.5031); Taumarunui Post Office (List No.7623) 124 Petone Memorial Technical College (Former), Category 2 historic place (List No. 9752) 125 See Figure 9: Interior of Workshops, showing middle former workshop space on King Street/north side of the building and Figure 10: Interior of Workshops, showing the building’s transverse wall, southern side between the front/Princess Street space and the middle room: the original brick columns and infill (lower middle); post-1948 upper/gable alteration; and example of subsequent concrete block (left).; Pers. comm., A I Duurloo to Government Architect, R10370169 126 ‘Technical School additional Workshops now being erected’, Manawatu Standard, 3 May 1928, 7 Palmerston North Technical School new Workshops, lighting plan, 21 Dec 1927, ANZ, R20133058 127 ‘P.N. Technical School’, Manawatu Times; ‘New work-shops for Technical School’, Manawatu Times 128 See Figure 2: Technical High School, circa 1937, Snapshots Unlimited, Palmerston North City Library, 2014N_Scs63_007999, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/aeb19146-1c4e-4012-a32d-65459b4da3a9, accessed 20 Nov 2020, Figure 3: Manawatū Polytechnic Workshop, Oct 1983, Manawatū Heritage, 2010_IMCA-DigitalMaster_4007, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4e4ed78d-1359-419b-9c95-d1d2a53dd420, accessed 4 Feb 2021 andFigure 9: Interior of Workshops, showing middle former workshop space on King Street/north side of the building 129 Applications for and Payments of Grants, 11 Jul 1935 (card 8) and 4 Feb 1937 (card 10), School Buildings and Sites: North
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between the two sections on the south side of the building. The upper office space, located towards that end of the building in the gable valley of the roof, is likely to have been constructed as part of that project or relatively soon thereafter.130 It, as well as the associated dog-legged stair, is similarly matchlined (walls and ceiling) and the staircase and landings have exposed timber boards.
The interior layout of the building is similar to what it would have been in 1936-37, with the exception of: the removal of an original office space which was adjacent to the hall and store; and the store (south side, front section) has been divided.131 Works appear to have been completed after an inspection in 1948 determined that ‘the brick screen walls in the workshop block appear to be in need of urgent attention’ because of strain and, in some places, cracking caused by earthquakes.132 The Public Works Department’s Acting District Architect recommended reducing the brickwork of the main transverse wall to make it level with the exterior walls’ upper band, and replacing the brickwork with battened plasterboard.133 It seems that some internal alterations were also completed in the building in the mid- to late-twentieth century because of the presence of concrete block walls and plasterboard partitions in the central and southern parts of the building.134 These could have been part of the project to ‘substantially refurbished’ the Workshops in 1999, converting it to performing arts use.135
A large roof-mounted ventilator unit, installed in the mid-twentieth century and positioned in the gable valley adjacent to the Princess Street entrance, was removed around the mid- 1980s, as were the roof lanterns.136 However, what appears to have been a substantial
Island Secondary: Palmerston North Technical (Queen Elizabeth), ANZ, R85383 130 The office space was in place by 1947: Palmerston North, Manawatu-Whanganui, showing housing and streets [25 Feb 1947], Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs, Ref: WA-05652-F, Alexander Turnbull Library, https://natlib.govt.nz/records/30628796, accessed 4 Feb 2021 131 See Figure 5: Block 5 [Workshops building], existing floor plan, Designgroup Stapleton Elliott, 11 Feb 2011 132 Pers. Comm., Acting Director of Education to Government Architect, 12 May 1948, ANZ, R10370169 (quote); Pers. Comm., A I Duurloo to Government Architect, ANZ, Education – Palmerston North Technical School (old): now Teachers Training College, R10370169 133 Pers. Comm., A I Duurloo to Government Architect, R10370169; Technical School Workshops Palmerston North, 18 Oct 1948, plan, AWDO 17837, ANZ, R10370169 134 See Figure 10: Interior of Workshops, showing the building’s transverse wall, southern side between the front/Princess Street space and the middle room: the original brick columns and infill (lower middle); post-1948 upper/gable alteration; and example of subsequent concrete block (left). 135 Manawatu Polytechnic Annual Report 1999, 1999, 52 136 The ventilation unit is not present in images of the building from the late 1930s, but appears to be present in 1956: Aerial image, 3 May 1956, Survey SN893, Run G, Photo 13, RetroLens, accessed 4 Feb 2021. The unit and lanterns are pictured in Figure 3: Manawatū Polytechnic Workshop, Oct 1983, Manawatū Heritage, 2010_IMCA-DigitalMaster_4007, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4e4ed78d-1359-419b-9c95-d1d2a53dd420, accessed 4 Feb
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timber casing for the unit remains, on an elevated platform adjacent to the Princess Street former entrance. There is an associated timber casing/ceiling lining extending centrally through the former woodwork shop space, supported by columns.
The Princess Street entrance was probably altered at the unit’s installation, with the fanlight glazing replaced with timber. In 1937 the King Street side of the building featured the original entrance as well as a smaller doorway leading into the addition. Glazing units on the King Street frontage, alternating between the 1928 and 1937 entrances, were partially removed by 1983 to create roller-door loading bays.137
Some UCOL Manawatū campus buildings, including the Workshops and neighbouring former Plunket Rooms, were assessed for seismic resilience following the Canterbury earthquake in 2010 and closed as a result.138 It was anticipated that strengthening works or other solutions would be undertaken by early 2012.139 The Safer UCOL Buildings Project was completed with the exception of work on the Workshops and Plunket Rooms, ‘pending developments in construction techniques so that we can make these buildings safer in an economic way’, according to UCOL Chairperson Trevor Goodwin.140 As well as resolving the seismicity concerns, there are several areas of deterioration and minor cracking on the former Workshops’ exterior, including loss of concrete and exposure of steel reinforcing on window sills near the corner of Princess and King Streets. The Workshops building has remained closed and is currently (2021) used by UCOL as a storage facility. A concept design for strengthening the building to 80 per cent of New Building Standard (NBS) has been completed by Designgroup Stapleton Elliott (2021).141
Construction Professionals Anderson and Williamson (builder, Workshops)
2021. They had been removed by 1988: Manawatū Polytechnic Workshop, Oct 1988, Manawatū Heritage, 2010P_IMCA- DigitalMaster_4008, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/aaf75cf7-5d25-471c-abdd-3487ba307505, accessed 4 Feb 2021 137 See Figure 3: Manawatū Polytechnic Workshop, Oct 1983, Manawatū Heritage, 2010_IMCA-DigitalMaster_4007, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4e4ed78d-1359-419b-9c95-d1d2a53dd420, accessed 4 Feb 2021 138 Lee Matthews, ‘Shake and rattle and but not roll’, Manawatū Standard, 23 May 2012, https://www.pressreader.com/new- zealand/manawatu-standard/20120523/281925950056809, accessed 23 Nov 2020 139 Paul McElroy, ‘Chief Executive’s Report’, in Annual Report 2011, Palmerston North, Universal College of Learning, 2011, 6 140 Trevor Goodwin, ‘Chairperson’s Report’, in in Annual Report 2012, Palmerston North, Universal College of Learning, 2012, 4. In 2019 UCOL announced it would strengthen and restore the former Plunket Rooms: ‘Old Plunket Rooms restoration’, UCOL, 8 May 2019, www.ucol.ac.nz/news/2019/05/08/old-plunket-rooms-restoration, accessed 23 Nov 2020 141 Elliott, Submission to Heritage New Zealand
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Messrs Anderson and Williamson were building contractors, active in Palmerston North area in the early twentieth century. In the 1920s and 1930s the firm completed important Palmerston North building projects, such as the Masonic Lodge, Palmerston North Technical School Workshops and Public Library.
Designgroup Elliott Architects (architect, Technical School’s reconstructed gable-ends) Frederick de Jersey Clere (architect, Technical School) John Thomas Mair (architect, Workshops) Public Works Department (architect, Workshops)
Union Timber Company Limited (builder, Technical School) The Union Timber Company was based in Palmerston North and active around the beginning of the twentieth century. As well as working on the brick additions to the Club Hotel and hospital, this company was also the contractor for the original 1909 Palmerston North Technical School building.
Construction Materials Brick, concrete, glass, steel, timber
Key Physical Dates 1909 Technical School main building constructed 1928 Workshops constructed 1931-1932 Technical School main building’s gable-ends removed 1936-37 Workshops extended circa 1948 Partial demolition of Workshops’ transverse brick wall and rebuilding using plasterboard Mid-twentieth century Installation of roof-mounted ventilation unit and associated changes to the Princess Street entrance and interior of the Workshops Between 1983-88 Removal of Workshops ventilation unit and roof lanterns 1997-98 Technical School main building demolished except for north, east and south façades. Cupola reinstated on replacement roof and gable ends reinstated in style of 1909 building. 2011 Seismic strengthening work on Technical School main building’s façades
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2016 Plaque commemorating Teachers’ College placed near former Technical School main building’s Princess Street entranceway
Uses Education [Adult education/training] (Former) Education [Polytechnic] Education [Teachers College] (Former) Education [Technical Institute] (Former) Manufacturing [Factory workshop] (Former) Manufacturing [Industrial Office/Admin building] (Former)
2.3. Chattels
There are no chattels included in this List entry.
2.4. Sources
Sources Available and Accessed The main source of information on the history of Palmerston North Technical School, the subsequent incarnations of the educational institution and general contextual information about technical school/institutes/polytechnics, is Ian Dougherty’s Bricklayers and Mortarboards. This is amply supported by other secondary sources specifically about the school and also Palmerston North’s Teachers’ College, as well as primary sources ranging from newspaper articles, historic photographs, and plans and files at repositories such as Archives New Zealand and the Ian Matheson Community Archive in Palmerston North. Heritage New Zealand files also feature background information and assessments collected as part of the Crown Land Disposal process for UCOL’s Manawatū campus. Despite some gaps in the information regarding mid- to late-twentieth century changes to the Workshops, the sources consulted have rendered sufficient information to make an assessment of this place’s significance.
Further Reading Palmerston North Technical School 1906-1956: Golden anniversary souvenir booklet, Palmerston North, Queen Elizabeth Technical College, 1956
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Dougherty, Ian, Bricklayers and Mortarboards: A history of New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology, Palmerston North, Dunmore Press, 1999
Openshaw, Roger, Between Two Worlds: A history of Palmerston North College of Education, 1956-1996, Palmerston North, Dunmore Press, 1996
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3. SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT142 3.1. Section 66 (1) Assessment
This place has been assessed for, and found to possess architectural, historical and social significance or value. It is considered that this place qualifies as part of New Zealand’s historic and cultural heritage.
Architectural Significance or Value Palmerston North Technical School (Former) has architectural value as a cohesive pair of characteristic educational structures dating from the twentieth century’s early decades, which complement each other stylistically and provide a focal point within their streetscape. The 1909 former Palmerston North Technical School’s red brick façade, including sympathetically designed late 1990s reconstructed gable-ends, and its distinctive cupola, has local architectural significance for its landmark qualities. These remnants are significant because they are indicative of important New Zealand architect Frederick de Jersey Clere’s approach to educational buildings, which included frank but not overly ornamental Classical detailing. Likewise, the school’s former workshops, dating from 1928, has architectural value as an example of the Stripped Classical architecture typical of Government Architect John Thomas Mair’s office in the late 1920s and into the 1930s.
Historical Significance or Value Developed from the single corner site in 1909 through to the much larger UCOL Manawatū campus in the late 1990s, the two Palmerston North Technical School (Former) structures are milestones in the city’s vocational and technical education history. The school reflected the broader growth in this sector of New Zealand’s education system in the early twentieth century. As demand from Palmerston North’s increasing population for technical and trades training gained momentum so did the local school’s facilities, firstly with the hard-won original main building and then with its accompanying workshops in the late 1920s, resulting from critical space shortages. The two buildings at the corner of King and Princess Street continued to be the traditional heart of the institution through its subsequent incarnations of Palmerston North Technical Institute, Manawatū Polytechnic and then UCOL Manawatū.
142 For the relevant sections of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, see Appendix 4: Significance Assessment Information.
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Palmerston North Technical School (Former) also has regional historic significance because the main building’s remnants are intrinsically linked to the foundation of Palmerston North’s Teachers’ Training College. The college, created in response to ‘baby boomer’ demand for teachers after the Second World War, was based there from 1956 until the early 1970s, while the workshops remained in use by Queen Elizabeth Technical College for manual classes. Use of the buildings by these separate institutions has historic significance because it is indicative of a transitional period, dictated by government policy, for the local education sector which eventually led to Palmerston North Technical Institute being established back at its traditional home.
Social Significance or Value Since its establishment in 1909, Palmerston North Technical School (Former) has contributed to the social and economic vitality of Palmerston North, and the wider Manawatū area, by being the base of learning for generations of rural and urban students seeking vocational and tertiary education. Local demand and support enabled the purchase of property and construction of the main and workshops buildings, and Palmerston North Technical School (Former) has on-going relevance as a socially important community asset through integration into UCOL Manawatū’s campus. This place has social value because the founding and on- going aim at Palmerston North Technical School (Former), through its various incarnations and uses, is to provide a range of vocational courses for young adults and job seekers, so they can up-skill and apply themselves within local industries and sectors.
3.2. Section 66 (3) Assessment
This place was assessed against the Section 66(3) criteria and found to qualify under the following criteria a and e. The assessment concludes that this place should be listed as a Category 2 historic place.
(a) The extent to which the place reflects important or representative aspects of New Zealand history Palmerston North Technical School (Former) reflects the growth of New Zealand’s vocational and technical training institutions in the early twentieth century. Palmerston North Technical School (Former) is a longstanding Palmerston North institution whose foundation was the result of community action, such as local business community donations and support, and evolved over the course of the twentieth century in-step
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with education sector developments. The 1909 former main school building’s remnants are the earliest markers of the drive to establish a suitable environment for vocational training in Palmerston North. Considerable expansion of the technical school, with the workshop facilities in the late 1920s and then further additions in 1936-37, represents the coming of age of the institution in line with its counterparts around the country in that period. (e) The community association with, or public esteem for the place Although generally associated with the longstanding vocational training institution which has evolved since 1909 into UCOL Manawatū, Palmerston North Technical School (Former) is also linked to the establishment of Palmerston North Teachers’ Training College. That community recognised its connection with the former Palmerston North Technical School’s remnants in 2016, through the installation of a commemorative plaque.
Summary of Significance or Values Palmerston North Technical School (Former) is a pairing of early twentieth century educational buildings with historic and social values reflecting the development of the vocational and technical education sector locally and throughout New Zealand. Generations of students and staff have an association with the longstanding institution that had community support from the outset. Palmerston North Technical School (Former) has played a part in broader education sector shifts and trends demonstrated by its various names and changes to its structure, including the re-shuffle of Palmerston North’s vocational and tertiary educational facilities in the 1950s-1970s. Some of the physical effects of these vicissitudes include the construction and significant changes to its buildings, which have architectural significance as representative examples of their types and of the oeuvres of their architects.
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4. APPENDICES 4.1. Appendix 1: Visual Identification Aids
Location Maps
Palmerston North
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Maps of Extent
Extent includes part of the land described as Legal Road, Lots 53-54 DP 223, Lot 1 DP 87609 (RTs WN56A/398, WN56A/400), Wellington Land District, and part of a building and a building known as Palmerston North Technical School (Former) thereon. The extent includes: the north, east and southern façades of the original 1909 main school building (Lots 53-54 DP 223); its reconstructed gable-ends; and roof cupola; and the exterior and interior of the former workshops building (Lot 1 DP 87609). Excluded from extent is the section of road known as King Street, located between the 1909 building remnants and the former workshops.
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Current Identifiers
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Appendix 2: Visual Aids to Historical Information
Historical Photographs
Figure 1: Pupils outside Palmerston North Technical College, circa 1923, RP Moore, Palmerston North City Library, 2007N_Scs69_SCH_0438, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/b3a6c9ec-1b67-412e-8d40-808ffab6cd61, accessed 20 Nov 2020. This image shows the main Technical School building (right) and the vacant section opposite (left) was the future site of the school’s Workshops.
Figure 2: Technical High School, circa 1937, Snapshots Unlimited, Palmerston North City Library, 2014N_Scs63_007999, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/aeb19146- 1c4e-4012-a32d-65459b4da3a9, accessed 20 Nov 2020
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Figure 3: Manawatū Polytechnic Workshop, Oct 1983, Manawatū Heritage, 2010_IMCA- DigitalMaster_4007, https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4e4ed78d-1359-419b- 9c95-d1d2a53dd420, accessed 4 Feb 2021
Figure 4: Manawatū Polytechnic building, Palmerston North, Oct 1997, Heritage New Zealand file 12015-074
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4.2. Appendix 3: Visual Aids to Physical Information
Current Plans
Figure 5: Block 5 [Workshops building], existing floor plan, Designgroup Stapleton Elliott, 11 Feb 2011
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Current Photographs of Place Photographs taken by Karen Astwood, Heritage New Zealand, 14 Jan 2021
Figure 6: Technical School main building’s eastern and northern façades with 1997-98 building behind, from Princess Street.
Figure 7: Technical School main building’s southern façade with 1997-98 building behind, from King Street.
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Figure 8: Workshops from intersection of King and Princess Streets
Figure 9: Interior of Workshops, showing middle former workshop space on King Street/north side of the building
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Figure 10: Interior of Workshops, showing the building’s transverse wall, southern side between the front/Princess Street space and the middle room: the original brick columns and infill (lower middle); post-1948 upper/gable alteration; and example of subsequent concrete block (left).
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4.3. Appendix 4: Significance Assessment Information
Part 4 of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014
Chattels or object or class of chattels or objects (Section 65(6)) Under Section 65(6) of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, an entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero relating to a historic place may include any chattel or object or class of chattels or objects – a) Situated in or on that place; and b) Considered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to contribute to the significance of that place; and c) Proposed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga for inclusion on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.
Significance or value (Section 66(1)) Under Section 66(1) of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga may enter any historic place or historic area on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero if the place possesses aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, cultural, historical, scientific, social, spiritual, technological, or traditional significance or value.
Category of historic place (Section 66(3)) Under Section 66(3) of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga may assign Category 1 status or Category 2 status to any historic place, having regard to any of the following criteria: a) The extent to which the place reflects important or representative aspects of New Zealand history b) The association of the place with events, persons, or ideas of importance in New Zealand history c) The potential of the place to provide knowledge of New Zealand history d) The importance of the place to tangata whenua e) The community association with, or public esteem for, the place f) The potential of the place for public education g) The technical accomplishment, value, or design of the place h) The symbolic or commemorative value of the place
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 1266 43 i) The importance of identifying historic places known to date from an early period of New Zealand settlement j) The importance of identifying rare types of historic places k) The extent to which the place forms part of a wider historical and cultural area
Additional criteria may be prescribed in regulations made under this Act for the purpose of assigning Category 1 or Category 2 status to a historic place, provided they are not inconsistent with the criteria set out in subsection (3).
Additional criteria may be prescribed in regulations made under this Act for entering historic places or historic areas of interest to Māori, wāhi tūpuna, wāhi tapu, or wāhi tapu areas on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero, provided they are not inconsistent with the criteria set out in subsection (3) or (5) or in regulations made under subsection (4).
NOTE: Category 1 historic places are ‘places of special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value.’ Category 2 historic places are ‘places of historical or cultural heritage significance or value.’
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