Tales of flax fibres and big fires
I had a request recently seeking information about an ancestor who had managed the New Zealand Shipping Co store in Foxton.
Although I couldn't help much with the inquiry, I feel that information about that store and the other built at about the same time (around 1907) by Levin and Co might be of interest. Both of these were erected as a result of the decision by the Department of Agriculture to appoint two hemp graders for the flax trade to Foxton.
They were described as hemp graders as, back in the 1870s, the New Zealand Flaxmillers had decided to call their flax fibre New Zealand hemp. Why? Because hemp was generally the favoured fibre for rope making.
The Levin and Co store was built on the river front just downstream of the Harbour Board wharf and had its own wharf as part of the project. This building was destroyed by fire in 1922 and the Harbour Board replaced it with the structure which is now the home of The Loop Hall.
Other uses it has had are storing woolpack and textiles products, and playing indoor bowls and other sports. The New Zealand Shipping Co built their store in Harbour Street on the section that now lies vacant between Nye House and Whare Manaaki.
This burned down in 1933 but a careful look along the boundary reveals the base of its front wall. These two fires were part of many that occured in the town during this period — accident or not we don't know.
The Shipping Co also built a large house next door for the manager. This wasn't burned down, but moved to the Historic Village in Manukau.
There was another large store built nearby. I am not too sure of its history but I know that when petrol first came to Foxton in the 1920s it came in 4 gallon (10 litre) cans that were stored in this building by A.S. Paterson and Co.
It was in Wharf Street and has had various uses since, such as the building parts of the De Molen windmill. Some of it is still there but impossible to discern. In 2002 Te Awahou Nieuw Stroom was built on the site.
That might not store bales of fibre but it does let visitors learn about the town's history.