Glen Massey Explained

Glen Massey
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:New Zealand
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Coordinates:-37.6722°N 175.0731°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:New Zealand
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name1:Waikato region
Subdivision Name2:Waikato District
Total Type:Territorial
Elevation M:100
Population Total:237
Population As Of:2013 census
Timezone:NZST
Utc Offset:+12
Timezone Dst:NZDT
Utc Offset Dst:+13

Glen Massey is a former mining village, 9.5km (05.9miles) west of Ngāruawāhia, which was, until 1958, terminus of the Glen Massey Line. It then went into decline, but is now becoming a home for Hamilton commuters.

Name

There is no official name.[1] Various names appeared on maps and in reports of the area.

Mangahoa is the only name in the area shown on an 1859 map,[2] probably applying to what was later called the Mangaohe Stream,[3] called Mangaohei in an 1867 report, and used on maps up to 1966,[4] but officially named Firewood Creek in 1976.[5] As early as 1909 a report referred to Firewood Creek.[6]

Kupa Kupa was the name used at the 1860s compensation hearings for the 9280acres[7] area north of Te Awa o te Atua (River of God[8] - now Firewood Creek), and stretching to what is now Huntly,[9] as it included the former village of that name near Huntly.[10]

Te Akatea (translates to white rata, which was plentiful) village settlement of 22 settlers was formed in 1887, spread along much of the route between Ngāruawāhia and Waingaro. The name is still retained by a hamlet about 4km (02miles) north of what is now Glen Massey.[11]

Glen Massey seems to have first appeared in 1914.[12] One source asserts there was a large Scottish population in the area, the name ‘Glen’ means ‘valley’, and the name ‘Massey’ honoured the Prime Minister, William Massey, elected in 1912.

Geology

The geology of Glen Massey accounts for its rise and fall as a former coal mining centre.

The 1925 map below shows a simple layout. Since then, maps of 1966 and 2005[13] have differentiated more strata, as in this list, starting with the oldest rocks -

Triassic (L on the map - 250-200mya), in the Newcastle Formation. They are -

Jurassic (T - 200-145mya)

Eocene (CM - 33-27mya)[14] Waikato coal measures[15] (see next section).

Oligocene (K - late Whaingaroan - 30mya) Glen Massey Formation, named after this locality -

The Late Pliocene to Middle Quaternary (3.6-0.8mya) in the lowlands -

The Late Pleistocene (0.13-0.012mya) also in the valleys -

Coal mining

Although the Kupakupa, Renown and Kemps Seams are all present, only Kupakupa has been worked to any extent. Kupakupa Seam reserves are estimated at less than 40 000 tonnes, although 2m tonnes may be concealed under the northern area, and over 1m in 'sub-economic' seams of the old Waipa Colliery.

The beds are in a graben and dip gently N or NW. Major faults strike N or NNW and minor faults NE.[19]

Glen Massey's coal was known of by 1867, when it was suggested a tramway should be built down the Mangaohei valley.[20] However, seams closer to river transport were available, so no significant exploitation began until 1907.

Between 1914 and 1977 about 3.5m tonnes of coal were dug in the Glen Massey coalfield,[21] as follows -

OpenCloseCollieryTypeTons
19141930Waipamine1,071,346
19301958Wiltonmine2,033,232
19441949Kempsopen239,340
19481948Heworthmine505
19491950Hillcrestmine54,073
19521961Huntersmine6,794
19521952Dunphailopen945
19621969Hughesmine40,412
19671968Hughesopen2,468
19701973McDougall 1open9,853
19721973McDougall 2open15,433
19731974McDougall 3open6,998
19741977McDougall 4open5,552
A 1976 estimate said 30,000 tons might remain in the coalfield, but a 1984 report suggested it was too deep for economic opencasting.

Waipa Colliery

In 1907 a request was made to transport coal by motor vehicle[22] and, in 1908, the Ngaruawahia Dairy Association took 3 tons of coal a week from the seams that were to become Waipa Colliery,[23] during a strike at Huntly mines.[24] A start was made on a tramway in 1908,[25] soon described as a light railway[26] for the Co-operative Coal Co Ltd, set up by 3 farmers,[27] soon renamed Ngaruawahia Coal Co Ltd.[28] and merged into Waipa Railway and Collieries Ltd.[29] An adit into an 11feet seam had been started by 1911.[30]

Clay

The China Clay and Porcelain Co Ltd was formed in 1924 to export china clay and make bricks, tiles and bathroom-ware. It probably only made bricks in any quantity. It went into voluntary liquidation in April 1930.[31]

History

The archaeology map shows no sites between Ngāruawāhia and Waingaro,[32] though many stone axe heads were found on nearby Te Akatea farm, which was largely bush until it was burnt after 1905.[33] Therefore, it's likely the area was largely bush until the arrival of the first settlers, being used by the surrounding populations for food and clothing, including birds, bracken, karaka, hinau, nīkau, kahikatea, raupo, kiekie; flax, dyes from muds, bark, or berries and oils from seeds such as titoki.[34]

Te Akatea settlement

After confiscation in 1863,[35] the area was next mentioned in 1879 as not belonging to the Waste Lands Board.[36] At Te Akatea, in 1887, a village settlement of 22 families was formed. An 1888 report said, "I determined when opportunity presented to see if the solution of the problem here was to be a success. These settlements extend from Firewood Creek to within 7 miles of the Hot Springs, and about the same distance from Ngāruawāhia. The land being of fair quality, consisting of both bush and open fern land. They erected 12 timber houses, felled bush, sown grass, orchards, gardens, fenced, grew wheat. Around this settlement 20,000 acres of Government land are now being surveyed for settlement."[37] Te Akatea post office opened in 1889.[38] The first mention of Te Akatea in the annual sheep returns was in 1891.[39]

Mining village

At its peak Glen Massey had a general store, butcher, post office (replacing Te Akatea in 1914),[40] hall, church and a fire station.[41] The medical association had 120 members in 1919[42] and 90 in 1920.[43]

A 1919 Board of Trade report described Glen Massey's poor housing, saying it, "is totally inadequate for the needs of the workers, and overcrowding exists. In one case, a miner, with his wife and five children, is living in a two-roomed cottage, and in another ease there are five persons (three children) living in two rooms. At least 10 roomy houses are required for immediate needs. The huts provided by the Waipa Company at present have no fire-places or water tanks, and both these necessary conveniences should be provided."[44]

The village also had a sawmill, brickworks and a pottery. The butcher closed in 1962, the store in 1967 and the post office in 1984.

Roads

By 1886 there was a route between Waingaro Landing on the Raglan Harbour and Ngāruawāhia via the Waingaro Hot Springs. In 1888 it was still only a bridle track and the settlers were asking for government employment on the roads. By 1929 it was said to be in "fair order" and metalled. Road improvement is being carried out.[45] relief work on the road.[46] inspected by minister.[47] The road from Ngāruawāhia to Te Ākau was sealed by 1976.[48]

Buses

In 1921 Bob Gibb of Ngāruawāhia took over the mail run to Waingaro and Te Akau and cream run to the Ngāruawāhia butter factory, with a solid tyred International.[49] Daily buses ran from 1930[50] until between 1958 and 1961.

Education

The first school in Waingaro was opened in 1892. Education was for 3 days, the other 3 days of the week was given by the same teacher at Te Akatea. Te Akatea School was renamed Glen Massey School in 1914,[51] when the church was moved across the road for use as a school, a marquee was erected and the permanent school opened on 1 February 1915.

Glen Massey School is now a state full primary (years 1-8) school, with 5 classrooms, 6 teachers, a principal, a deputy principal, special needs teacher and 2 teacher aides.[52] Pupil numbers rose from 58 in 1915 to a peak of 146 and 4 teachers in 1957, falling to 64 in 1960. The school had a roll of as of In the 2018 Education Review Office report, a third of the students were Māori.[53]

Utilities

A private telephone line was being planned in 1914,[54] though a public phone was provided that year and arrangements were being made for a line in 1902.[55] The 1905 estimates had provided for a line from Ngāruawāhia to Waingaro,[56] on which a loss was reported in 1907.[57]

Electricity supply was investigated in 1925[58] and, in 1930, it was said a line to Wilton Collieries and the village, "would be undertaken as early as possible".[59] Electric street lights came in 1936.[60]

Demographics

At its peak Glen Massey was home to about 400, but declined after the colliery closures. It is now growing slightly and becoming more prosperous, presumably as, like other parts of the Waikato Western Hills area (up from 1026 in 2006 to 1242 in 2013), it has more commuters to Hamilton.[61] In 2013 19.6% of the Western Hills population was Māori.[62]

Glen Massey was in meshblocks 0853300 (NW), 0853400 (NE), 0853500 (SW) and 0853600 (SE), which had these census figures[63] -

PopulationHouseholdsAverage incomeNational average
YearNWNESWSEtotalNWNESWSEtotalNWNESWSE
2001664227932282118123384$14,200$12,500$21,300$14,400$18,500
20065739391142492115153990$20,400$13,300$27,500$20,400$24,100
2013813036902372715153693$28,300$36,300$62,500$32,500$27,900
In the 2018 census the area was in blocks which covered a larger area - 7011120 (99 people), 7011117 (150) and 7011124 (165) - total 414.[64]

External links

Photos -

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Zealand Gazetteer: Search for Place Names. Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). en-NZ. 2018-02-04.
  2. Web site: The southern part of the province of Auckland : explanatory of the routes and surveys by Dr. Ferdinand von Hochstetter, 1859 / from the original drawings, sketches and measurements by Dr. von Hochstetter and the Admiralty surveys by Stokes and Drury compiled by A. Petermann.. ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz. 2018-02-04.
  3. Web site: Current and historical topographic maps (topomaps) of New Zealand. www.mapspast.org.nz. 2018-02-03.
  4. Web site: Ngaruawahia geological survey 1:63,360. 1966. University of Waikato.
  5. Web site: New Zealand Gazetteer: Search for Place Names. Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). en-NZ. 2018-04-15.
  6. News: A New Industry in Hamilton. 1909-08-27. Waikato Argus. 2018-02-05. 2.
  7. News: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives 1865 Session I Return of land taken under "The New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863.". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. en. 2018-02-03.
  8. Web site: The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions: Tai-Nui. [Vol. IV] Chapter III]. 1888. nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 2018-02-03.
  9. News: Page 5 Advertisements Column 1. 1866-10-05. New Zealand Herald. 2018-02-03. 5.
  10. Web site: routes and surveys by Ferdinand von Hochstetter, 1859. www.aucklandcity.govt.nz. 2018-02-03.
  11. Web site: Te Akatea, Waikato - NZ Topo Map. NZ Topo Map. en. 2018-02-02.
  12. News: Glen Massey Notes.. 1914-05-15. Waikato Times. 2018-02-04. 4.
  13. Web site: 1:250,000 geological map Waikato. 2005. IGNS. 27 February 2018. 21 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180721043747/https://www.gns.cri.nz/static/qmapdata/newmaps/QWaikato.zip. dead.
  14. Timing of normal faulting in the Waikato Coal Measures, New Zealand, and its implications for coal-seam geometry. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 49. 101–113. Steven L. Hall, Andrew Nicol, Tim A. Moore & Kari N. Bassett. 2006. 10.1080/00288306.2006.9515151. 128746235. free.
  15. Web site: Economic Geology of the Waikato. Kear. David. David Kear (geologist). 1967. Earth Science Journal.
  16. Book: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 1959. The Royal Society of New Zealand. en.
  17. Web site: Geology of the Waikato Area 1:250 000 geological map 4. EDBROOKE. S. W.. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences. 27 February 2018. 21 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180721043747/https://www.gns.cri.nz/static/qmapdata/newmaps/QWaikato.zip. dead.
  18. Web site: HOROTIU LANDFILL STAGE 6B: DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSURANCE. Nigel Edger. Opus International Consultants.
  19. Web site: Waikato coalfields : Glen Massey Coalfield. Scale 1:15,840. GNS Online Shop. en. 2018-02-02.
  20. News: The Daily Southern Cross.. 1867-12-18. 2018-02-03. 3.
  21. Web site: Summary of coal resources - Waikato coal region. New Zealand Geological Survey. 1988. University of Waikato.
  22. News: County Councils.. 1907-07-29. New Zealand Herald. 2018-02-05. 7.
  23. Book: Jones, Gwyneth. The end of an era: the history of the coalmines and village of Glen Massey and the surrounding districts. 2010. English. 870958566.
  24. News: Country News.. 1909-02-12. New Zealand Herald. 2018-02-05. 8.
  25. News: Waikato Argus. 1908. 2018-02-05. 2.
  26. News: A New-Coal-Mine.. 1908-04-30. Auckland Star. 2018-02-05. 5.
  27. News: Coalfield at Te Akatea.. 1908-06-04. Waikato Argus. 2018-02-05. 3.
  28. News: Mining News.. 1908-08-12. New Zealand Herald. 2018-02-05. 5.
  29. News: Waikato Argus. 1909-10-23. 2018-02-05. 2.
  30. News: Waipa Collieries.. 1910-10-17. Auckland Star. 2018-02-06. 6.
  31. Web site: China Clay and Porcelain Co. Ltd. Auckland War Memorial Museum.
  32. Web site: NZAA Site Viewer. nzaa.eaglegis.co.nz. 2015-12-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20090626044726/http://nzaa.eaglegis.co.nz/NZAAPublic/. 26 June 2009. dead.
  33. Book: Farms and Stations of New Zealand, Etc. (Editor, G.A. Tait. Associate Editor, Keitha M. Alison.-vol. 3. Assistant Editor, L. Higgins.) [With Illustrations.].]. 1957. Auckland. en.
  34. Web site: Maori customary use of native birds, plants & other traditional materials. 1997. DoC.
  35. Web site: Confiscation map, 1869. Taonga. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. teara.govt.nz. en. 2018-02-03.
  36. News: Waste Lands Board.. 1879. New Zealand Herald. 2018-02-03. 6.
  37. News: Te Akatea Village Settlement.. 1888-06-19. Waikato Times. 2018-01-30. 2.
  38. F-01 Post Office and Telegraph Department. (report of the) for the Year 1889. . Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. Papers Past.
  39. News: Parliamentary Papers Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives 1891 Session II The annual sheep returns for the year ended 30th April, 1891.. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. en. 2018-02-03.
  40. News: Country News.. 1914-07-02. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 10.
  41. Web site: Glen Massey Community Plan 2007–2017. Waikato District Council.
  42. News: Glen Massey Medical Assn.. 1919-10-10. Waikato Times. 2018-01-29. 4.
  43. News: Waikato Hospital Board. 1920-11-19. Waikato Times. 2018-01-29. 6.
  44. News: Miners' Homes.. 1919-06-26. Sun. 2018-01-29. 3.
  45. News: On the Roads.. 1929-02-22. Auckland Star. 2018-01-29. 9.
  46. News: Unemployed Relief.. 1930-12-26. Auckland Star. 2018-01-29. 5.
  47. News: Tour in Waikato. 1934-06-18. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 10.
  48. Book: CW Vennell & Susan Williams. Raglan County Hills and Sea 1876–1976. Wilson & Horton for Raglan County Council. 1976. 978-0868640020.
  49. Book: Seavill, Geoffrey. PACK HORSE TO JET the story of Waingaro from 1868.
  50. News: Regional Planning.. 1930-05-10. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 13.
  51. News: Board of Education. 1914-10-01. Waikato Argus. 2018-01-29. 2.
  52. Web site: Glen Massey School: A History from 1887 The New Zealand Journal of Public History Volume 2, No. 1. Retter. Lauren. November 2013. University of Waikato.
  53. Web site: Glen Massey School - 14/12/2018. Education Review Office. en-NZ. 23 August 2019.
  54. News: The Waikato Times. Monday, June 29, 1914. Day by Day.. 1914-06-29. Waikato Times. 2018-01-29. 4.
  55. News: Raglan County Council.. 1902-11-28. Waikato Times. 2018-03-07. 2.
  56. News: Parliamentary Papers Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives 1905 Session I Public works statement. by the hon. w. hall-jones, minister for public works, 29th August, 1905.. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. en. 2018-02-03.
  57. News: Raglan County Council.. 1907-07-25. Waikato Argus. 2018-02-05. 2.
  58. News: Ngaruawahia News.. 1925-09-28. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 7.
  59. News: Hydro-Electric Power.. 1930-05-15. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 7.
  60. News: Power Board Affairs. 1936-11-12. New Zealand Herald. 2018-01-29. 15.
  61. Web site: SNZ Commuter View. archive.stats.govt.nz. 2018-02-05.
  62. Web site: 2013 Census QuickStats about a place. en-nz. 2018-02-06.
  63. Web site: 2013 Census map – QuickStats about a place. archive.stats.govt.nz. en-nz. 2018-01-29.
  64. Web site: Data SA1 Census 2018 SA1 Dataset GIS Map Data Datafinder Geospatial Statistics. 2021-09-19. datafinder.stats.govt.nz.