Signposts - a blog about Te Ara the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

The Wizard – an essential part of Christchurch's city life

Progress on Theme 5 of Te Ara – The Economy, Business and City Life – is now steaming ahead. The city part will feature entries on such topics as street life, city language and fashion, parades and protest marches. The first bunch of the 100 planned entries are now entering Te Ara’s ‘furnace’ to be carefully shaped and polished before being officially launched in late 2009.

In the meantime, you can find fascinating insights into the economic, social and cultural life of cities in the Places entries on Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

It is perhaps no surprise to learn that property has been the basis of Auckland’s economy since 1840 – the first land sales bringing in a massive £555 per acre! Where there’s a bubble, it inevitably bursts. A long boom in the 1880s ended with a dramatic crash. The ‘father’ of Auckland, John Logan Campbell, was one of the few entrepreneurs to survive. He’d wisely diversified his property interests by moving into booze.

Wellington never went ahead until it was made the political capital in 1865. This reliance on the state sector makes the city susceptible to politicians’ cost-cutting knives.

Until the 1960s Christchurch was a farming town, experiencing the same booms and busts as its hinterland. Even now, its anniversary is not celebrated on the day it was founded, but on the first day of the annual Agricultural and Pastoral Show.

Auckland is sometimes derided for its flashiness and lack of culture, but the arts have always thrived in the city, which boasts annual festivals like Pasifika and artists like Che Fu.

With its susceptibility to earthquakes and wild weather, Wellingtonians like to think they live life ‘on the edge’. Coming into Wellington airport, passengers can sometimes be forgiven for thinking they’re about to fall off it.

Featuring cultured parks and fine buildings, Christchurch is said to be the most English of New Zealand’s cities. It has been suggested that it has an inclination for eccentricity – among its most famous residents are The Wizard and Mabel Howard, who will be forever remembered for her whopping bloomers.

We’ll be posting regular updates on our progress as we make our way through The Economy, Business and City Life.