Notable Events in our "First 100"

This month we celebrate our centenary - not of years, but of issues. That we have done so speaks volumes for the faith and support given to us by the public of Nelson in the last eight years and a few months, and little for the prophets of doom who were certain that we wouldn't last six months. To celebrate the centenary, we've gone back through our files and on the next four pages reproduce pix of some of the most notable events to occur in the Nelson province since we started here. We could have filled a whole issue with such pix, but of course space precludes us from doing so. And so we've picked over the pictures very carefully to give as representative a collection as possible.

We commence with a rather sad picture - machines leaving the site of the Nelson railway yards after the rail link was abandoned early in 1961.

Another blow to Nelson's progress, the abandonment of the $10 million cotton mill project. And if ever there was a case of a Government yielding to outside pressure, this surely was one. The year was 1962.

The same year, after torrential rain and earthquakes, part of the Tahunanui hillside was undermined and several houses were badly damaged. Worst hit was the home of Mr and Mrs F. A. Lister. The house was later demolished and the section stands empty to this day.

The year 1962 also saw the return of the Seddon Shield to Nelson from the West Coast (6-3). Vice-captain Bruce McPhai1 and captain Jim Wilson hold the trophy.

Work on the Maitai reticulation scheme continued. One day it may be completed.

In 1962 the new rail-road ferry service commenced at Picton. The inaugural berthing of the Aramoana was accomplished in a near gale and the ship was damaged, as was the wharf.

A visit from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was the highlight of 1963.

The tragic death of taxi-driver Peter Banham, who was murdered at Hope in February, 1963, sparked off a manhunt which ended many weeks later with the arrest and subsequent conviction of a man for this foul deed.

A happier event, in 1965, was the consecration of Bishop Sutton as Nelson's 8th bishop.

The Rawson quads, born early in 1966. From left: John, Anne, Peter and Mary.

Early in December, 1965, an arsonist commenced a fire which gutted the Valet building in Trafalgar Street and severely damaged Keith Walker's building. Another fire was started by the same youth the next night and this caused severe damage to Harley's furniture shop in Bridge Street. He was arrested shortly afterwards.

The year 1967 was not kind to the Golden Bay district. A few months after Takaka township and the country area were inundated by floodwaters, a fire at Collingwood almost burned out the town (bellow), The hall, a hotel and a store were all consumed by the flames. And 1968 was little better. Inangahua township was razed by an earthquake which also caused widespread damage throughout the West Coast and the Nelson province (bellow center). And for the Nelson fishing industry, another tragedy - the cessation of operations of Sea Products at Port Nelson.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 100 : March 8, 1969

Notable Events in our "First 100"