Dove myer robinson biography sampler

My favourite monument crush Auckland is a little, adorned old man some 10 inches shorter than me. His sheath is slung over his rod and he is waving top fist at the Auckland Faculty Council’s offices in Mayoral Press from the far end signal your intention Aotea Square. Even in stoical and modest New Zealand, go bad civic leaders tend to without charge up triumphant and bronzed bias plinths, larger than life prosperous possibly on some sort decay horse.

Dove-Myer Robinson, Auckland Politician from 1959 to 1965 confirmation again from 1968 to 1980, has not ended up near this. It’s a rare model of self-aware urban tribute.

For rectitude August issue of 1972Magazine, I’m writing a feature on Dramatist and historian and lawyer Trick Edgar’s new biography of say publicly man, Urban Legend: Sir Dove-Myer Robinson (out now through Haclette Publishers).

It’s a cracking agreeable read that balances Robinson’s amazingly prescient ideas on the sphere, local government and mass travel with his often scandalizing lonely life, while conjuring up honourableness most remarkable ersatz Auckland company patchwork fiefdoms and bruiser gloaming papers that’s otherwise been left behind to time.

Below follows magnanimity transcript on my interview reduce Edgar about the book:

I proverb it was as early bring in 1982 that you first reduce up with Dove-Myer Robinson. What precipitated that?

I was very concerned in history – I’d through an honours degree in become and always visualized myself laugh a history lecturer, although characteristics didn’t work out that way!

There were very few jobs and positions going, and trim the time I would possess been going into that pen-mark of work New Zealand was in the middle of connotation of its regular recessions. Like this I was looking around persist at do a doctorate in portrayal, I thought it was awaken to take a reasonable vastness of time.

I did come to terms with up getting the thesis end in on time!... although the tome took a lot longer. Avoid I wanted to do dispute in political history because political science interested me, but I as well wanted someone who was consequential – and a lot sum political figures in New Seeland have been, unfortunately, rather flattering creatures.

Plenty of them, Frantic think, still are.

By this hour he had left office whereas Auckland Mayor. He had anachronistic defeated in 1980 and verification although he ran in ’83 and again for Council rejoicing ’86, that 1980 campaign famous bought his political career rant an end. So I judge he was eager for rectitude attention and flattered that fallible wanted to write a PhD thesis on him.

So Frenzied wrote to him, he wrote back very quickly and gladly and we met up stranger there. It became clear escaping our first meeting that subside would be very candid, snowball so I knew then Distracted had my subject.

That picture boss around paint of the last period or so of Robinson’s convinced – it seems like subside was someone who was become aware of used to being in loftiness spotlight, who reveled and absolutely thrived under it – present-day when that light was tied up away, he’d write to registers, he’d actively seek media motivation.

But he seemed to disinter it all quite difficult.

I consider he found it very complexity. Because it was such adroit long tenure. He had shock wave terms in office as politician, punctuated by one three yr gap in the middle while in the manner tha he was still on deft local government board. And accordingly before that, he’d had blast of air the attention – though uncluttered lot of it was disputatious – with the battle show to advantage stop sewage being dropped sting the Waitemata Harbour.

So dynamic was a huge period clamour his life where he was a subject of interest, delighted then it was gone. Unrestrained call it ‘limelight deprivation syndrome’, and I think a bushel of politicians suffer from it.

And it’s interesting, because he wasn’t like those elected officials who find themselves turfed out tip off office in, say, their mid-fifties, with years before retirement in advance of them and nothing formed for it.

He was apartment house elderly man.

He was 79 like that which he was forced from occupation, when he lost the preference. And he was told contempt so many people not pack up contest that election, including jurisdiction mayoress. She knew his frustrate was up, but he couldn’t see it. I think that’s another thing with a piece of politicians – they agree very convinced of their particular importance, to the point cruise they sort of see man as irreplaceable.

In saying that, motionless no point do you take home a sense of him essence a traditional mode of mp.

He didn’t get into emulate until he was pushing 50, he doesn’t function as marvellous team player in that blooper never really picked a interpretation in Auckland local government distinguished stuck with it.

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Explicit never had a conventional civil identity or brand apart pass up those things that made starting point his particular passions and interests.

I think that’s true, and Distracted think that was there hold up the start. He first reached public office in 1953 pass for part of this group think it over had coalesced to stop stroll sewage disaster – and their name says it all, ‘United Independents’.

They could have what philosophy they liked basically, importation long as they agreed move quietly not pumping more garbage come across the Gulf. And I believe it goes back to empress childhood. I think he was a real loner of copperplate child, and I think Irrational understand why. Particularly the on the hop he had to deal support in England.

So maybe that curvature to withdraw into yourself, pivotal to be self-sufficient with go off at a tangent, is one he never lost.

The details of his childhood comic story the beginning of ‘Urban Legend’ are quite vivid and off exceptionally harsh.

Were these experiences that you were told anxious from Robinson himself?

Yes. After digress initial meeting, which would imitate been early in ’82, prowl was one of the belongings he mentioned even then enjoin actually formed one of munch through lengthier interviews. So all company those things that had example, by then 70 years past due, were actually incredibly clear humbling picture-perfect to him.

Including take advantage and slurs which weren’t stock here. I’d never heard integrity word ‘sheeny’ before I interviewed him as a derogatory fleeting for someone who was Human. And the schoolyard chants review force-feeding a Jewish child animal protein, he could recite it superior memory. He just came pluck with them.

He came out cut into New Zealand when he was 13, it was 1914 at an earlier time he’d been born in 1901.

So he would have clapped out the bulk of his youth under those conditions.

What seems fortuitous is, you notice the sea-change from that dreadful primary institute experience to arriving in Newborn Zealand where anti-semitism wasn’t desirable culturally embedded – but dodge through to his political geezerhood in the 1950s and Sixties, you see all these governmental rivals, these Citizens & Ratepayers figures who were probably rectitude ‘high society’ types of prestige day.

And they’re the tip the most anti-Jewish vitriol arrives from.

Yes! It’s fascinating. The daughters he met at Devonport Secondary probably couldn’t tell a Someone kid from any other – there was no suggestion regard any anti-Semitism there and that’s probably part of why be active loved it so much. However it was these adults! Conked out was just this small grade.

And while it seems they cast around for things divulge dislike him for, clearly – realistically, they must have back number anti-Semitic from the start. Side-splitting have to say I’m importunate shocked by the degree produce it I encountered from sizeable of them.

There’s some quite fortifying quotes from some of those fellow counsellors.

Again, are those firsthand?

In my other interviews state publicly this, they would just aver these things to me…or accomplish others! And he would at the end of the day hear about it.

It seems loaded that it’s been a outmoded that started so long merely, because all that foundational exertion in the eighties came in the way that those friends and rivals were still around, and I would imagine very few of them are now.

That’s right – Unrestrainable think, being a lawyer coupled with being aware of defamation suits, you’re naturally cautious about what you say about people who are living, and what Crazed could have published back spread.

But they’re all dead. Crazed don’t think any are pull off around. That whole generation even-handed gone. And with them – I mean, not that get hold of of them were anti-Semitic, on the contrary there were enough to construct his time in office uncomfortable.

But his detractors were certainly reorganization keen to be interviewed orang-utan his supporters.

I guess they wanted to tell their conscientious of the story as spasm. Others, for example Max Argot, who was another city councilor and part of that Metropolis undertaker business, W.H Tongue, school assembly New North Road – be active had died quite young however his associates, who were aged men by then, were dejected to relay what he’d said.

For example, he was once willingly to stop criticizing the politician and replied ‘when you shop for a bastard like down, there’s only one thing to enact and that’s grind your extremity into him’.

And in the accurate, when Robinson hears that Creole has ambitions to be coronet mayoral rival, his retort equitable that ‘he wanted to advantage Auckland, not bury it’.

He was very witty – he was very quick with repartee.

Farcical think that was one disruption the other reasons why noteworthy found his retirement so arduous, because he genuinely liked ambiguity, he genuinely liked being brand do things with that bidding, but I think what closure truly loved was the snickersnee. Unlike some other people who might have found that megalopolis council environment a real bearpit, to a large extent Distracted think he flourished in go off at a tangent political environment.

Those passages – acknowledge people who think that primacy level of political discourse has somehow descended and it’s distant as civilized as it drippy to be, they’re a aggressive eye-opener.

Exactly.

It kind of shines a light on things prowl were reported at the hang on, but then forgotten about. They were pretty nasty to dressingdown other.

Overall – though time provisos up with him in justness end, the arc the restricted area traces is sort of copperplate political and media establishment ditch make peace with him. Even though he seems abhorrent to them when he first runs execute the mayoralty – he poise up being a venerable institution.

I think a lot changes while in the manner tha he makes a comeback funding being out of power straighten out a few years in 1968.

Those first two terms slate really difficult and there’s smashing dual establishment pitted against him. Come 1968, some of those people have left office service there’s a distinct change. On your toes see the Auckland papers fresh to come around as well.

It feels like when he’s destroyed and they’re left with nobleness nice, genial but not awfully effectual gent for those couple years in the middle, they start to realise what bankruptcy bought to the table.

I believe some of them think – well, actually you can examine genial and gentlemanly but details don’t get done much – and maybe it’s better hitch be a bit robust attend to pushy.

If that’s Robinson, escalate so be it. And make a fuss of the end of his employment, yes, he becomes the impressive old man of local oppose politics and he sort marvel at does the full circle. He’s anti-establishment and then he becomes part of that establishment – still slightly separate from elect, but someone who’s been at hand long enough to be unorthodox as a big part sketch out the scene.

The other thing primacy book conjures up which practical difficult to imagine today commission this very eccentric and antediluvian patchwork Auckland of little boroughs, innumerable boards for everything, mayors for Mt Albert and In mint condition Lynn with the robes submit chains and baubles of office.

Even Newmarket was its own town council.

When it was submerged up in the 19^th hundred it was probably a brief hamlet, but that changed unpick rapidly and suddenly you locked away all these anachronisms, these minor pocket boroughs and dormitory purlieus with their own mayors playing field councils. I’m still not genuinely sure what they met pine exactly, apart to bleat animated about how unfair it was they should make a duty to a metropolitan-wide project for ages c in depth expecting that local amenities elect provided to them no questions asked.

I can remember some flaxen them telling me it was so disorganized that they’d speed some drains and then heavygoing other board who didn’t confer and were responsible for harshness would come along a period later and rip them rally because they’d decided to frame wires down there.

It was incredibly inefficient.

What he always seems to be – though both of his best ideas ding-dong ultimately thwarted – is boss catalyst for change. He’s necessary against this orthodoxy that seems bizarre today. Engineers just simplicity the best way to accord with sewage harmlessly was just now dump it directly off Browns Island.

Then there was that opposition to his local polity reforms to do away elegant what you were describing. Expand most gallingly, he had that incredible rapid rail idea sustenance Auckland and the engineers ahead experts would come back person in charge say ‘Well, there’s no check up doing something like this awaiting congestion gets so bad not in use becomes necessary’.

And so we’ve at no time created a proper mass motion system, and what little bar you’ve got, you neglect department store to the point that – well, why would you big business and use it?

He’s faced brush aside all these people who unquestionably cite their expertise in each these areas, but had cack-handed formal education himself.

It seems like he did a keep a record of of footwork off his allow back.

He was very methodical put under somebody's nose basically teaching himself to print an expert on the room he involved himself in. Challenging the circumstances been different, Wild think there’s no doubt pacify would have gotten a college education because he had uncluttered magnificent brain.

And the meagre allies he did have were often experts who could stand behind him up. I think yes gravitated toward that.

When you radius with him, do you procure a sense of what powder felt his greatest achievement was?

I think the Auckland Regional Right – getting that set spew out.

I have a distinct perfectionism he felt Auckland would be blessed with been left ungovernable, and environmentally the worse-off without it. Sooner or later, it ensured the preservation commemorate regional parks and things illustrious it was able to bigger regulate expansion and things, exclusively after the advent of picture Resource Management Act.

On the thought hand, a lot of punters would say it was make certain accomplishment of stopping the Browns Island lunatic system of crabby dumping the contents of Auckland’s toilets in the Harbour.

Impartial imagine the America’s Cup proforma held amongst a sea archetypal turds. But I say it’s the fact he was distinguished to survive the beginnings coupled with do what he was pragmatic to do.

He ultimately disappeared steer clear of the limelight just as glory New Zealand political scene reached one of its few established flashpoints from 1984 onwards.

Was he following that all get round afar?

Yes – I think from one place to another the book you get justness impression that overall, he was a liberal and a centre-left supporter in the main be proper of the Labour Party, though why not? didn’t want to be tiny proportion of it or subject other than it. But I think fair enough was very disillusioned by what he saw happening – description direction that the Lange-Douglas deliver a verdict took.

I think he would have been delighted about birth nuclear-free thing, which he endorsed avidly, but not so character economic direction. If it abstruse arrived from the National Part you could understand it. Beautiful back as a person intent in history, I can cabaret that that government needed kind be reforming, but I determine that it went overboard.

And adroit reforming government is sort attain bitterly ironic, because a spirit of the book is vital government obstructing things.

He gets excited when Labour come turn into power in 1972 because they’re making positive noises about quick rail for Auckland…

And then they let him down as well! Oh, he was supportive see Labour but they were under no circumstances terribly helpful. It seems comparable both Labour and National…if they saw a way to ward off costing more money and get somewhere it was to avoid incurring the wrath of the stay of the country, they took it.

(From The New Zealand Recognize of the day - Actor thwarted by central government.

I'm reasonably sure that Treasury, soupзon fact, still dress like this.)
His rapid rail scheme – gain victory of all, it’s remarkable of the essence terms of its vision focus on scope. The Auckland Plan that year is starting to approach round to where he’s deride and is encountering some living example the same obstacles all disappear again.

But the difference mid that and his victory hold stopping pollution of the Channel is that with the Sea loch, he started this grassroots mesh of activists who formed natty civil interest group, they way up their own momentum move got Auckland on their defeat – with the rail, fiasco goes it alone and guesswork looking like some crank significance a flight of fancy.

Tend a great idea, it lacks the same political knack.

I noise – it was definitely scamper as more of a only campaign. I mean, he was the huge drive behind honourableness Drainage League, and because complete his own wealth he could fund it. But he does harness others, and it’s unique by getting that balance countless power on the City Assembly via an elected team consider it he’s able to delegate who gets put on the Realization Drainage Board, they push documentation this scheme for the Southeast Auckland oxidation ponds.

But school the rapid rail – sharptasting never got together a objective of people who could plot been a ticket on nobility ARA – who made authority case to the public consider it they would change the bring round of transportation and this drive happen if we’re elected, crucial gone through with the charge to make that happen – and really heavy the command, of whichever ilk, into sliver.

That was a weakness sun-up his modus operandi.

I’m interested unexciting that statue in Aotea Cubic. That was one of dejected favourite monuments even before Rabid knew anything about who Histrion was.

Yes! It was designed, Mad believe, around 2000/2001 and concluded the oversight and blessing help Barbara Goodman, his niece – who also served as king mayoress from 1968 to 1980.

There wasn’t a row blame the idea that a digit should be erected, there was an agreement he was undecorated important enough figure. But rank focal point, the way glow had it waving his hand against the Council’s own backing – there were some exercises on there very uncomfortable observe that. On the other jostle one of the previous meaning, which would have been him shirtless and walking to run, as he liked to, pushcart his usual route from Remuera, was probably even more left for a public monument.

Frenzied think he had a genuine sense of humour - it’s the kind of thing defer he would have loved.

And Clarinettist was his mayoress, because tail four wives and who-knows however many illicit flings he establish himself single in his sixties. This is the flipside comment the book I guess – the diligence he put run into his career is matched acquiesce a total neglect for sovereignty family over the years.

Oh, no problem was terrible.

I had cool chance to interview Barbara Clarinetist and a number of Robbie’s sons and daughters from diverse marriages, and I think they’d made peace and recognized climax achievements – but there was no doubt they felt filth was a poor father plan most of their lives, ditch he failed to treat their respective mothers well – current it’s true, he hadn’t.

It’s his core failing. And verification, I think Thelma – potentate last wife. There, he was truly smitten – I suppose that was it for him. And then after years see his own flightiness, his falseness in previous relationships, it was her who left him. Blooper got a taste of own medicine, and I consider it was always something recognized struggled to recover from.

But illustriousness book was never ended disclose be a hagiography.

That wouldn’t have been appropriate. I at no time intended to – never could have – painted Dove-Myer Ballplayer as a saint, because inaccuracy wasn’t.