Kete Horowhenua

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Birds Garage Limited- Cinema Advertising Slide

The Volkswagen Type 3 (1500) was introduced in 1961 and would have been a fancy vehicle to have in your New Zealand driveway- IF you had overseas funds! To protect the local car assembly industry, most car buyers could only purchase a locally made model (and would face a long waiting list). BUT- if you held money overseas and could afford the import tariffs you could import a fully assembled car through a dealer much more quickly. You often got an exotic model which was not common locally.


If you had lots of money overseas (such as a farmer who sold wool in the UK) then you could import a car, sell it for more than you paid for it and then buy another! Little wonder that when John Clarke's comic creation Fred Dagg did a spoof of 'God Save The Queen' he added 'long live our overseas funds'. By the time those words were sung the requirements for importing a car had loosened somewhat, but overseas funds were still an advantage.

Birds Garage was established by Mister H. Bird in 1940 and by the time this slide was made it was owned by N.H Bird. They were among the first Volkswagen dealers in the country. By 1981 the firm had sold Toyotas for some years. 

Frost Motors Limited- Cinema Advertising Slide

This dealership was owned by none other than Ron Frost, a New Zealand motorsport legend who not only raced cars in Levin and around the country but who also organised races and attracted new motorsport talent to New Zealand.

Ron Frost was born in England and served in the British Army during the Second World War- including many years as a POW until he escaped a German prisoner of war camp in 1945.

Frost Motors started out selling new cars from the Rootes group (including Hillmans, Humbers and Sunbeams) but they later opened a used car yard near their first location. The new car showrooms and petrol pumps were on Oxford Street South. The used car lot was on Oxford Street North. The business remained in the family until the late 1970s.

There is a wealth of knowledge about Ron Frost online.

The car on the slide has a number plate which reads '1966' which is a great indication of when this slide was made! 

Foxton Motors (1959) Ltd- Cinema Advertising Slide

Whether you were driving a Ford Model T, Austin A40, Leyland Mini, Honda Civic or Toyota CH-R, the garage on Foxton's Clyde Street was ready to repair it! There has been a motor mechanic on the site almost continuously from 1915 and (as of May 2023) Lee Mason Motors carries on the tradition.

'Foxton Motors' traded there from around 1950 to around 1975 according to Kete records. It should be noted that this slide is from 'Foxton Motors (1959) Ltd' so there would have been a few ownership changes during this time.  

The big news on this slide was the new Silex muffler. A look at the names of the brands it fitted shows that many of them are long gone. Ford still remains in the New Zealand market but the others are consigned to history here (as of 2023!).

Foxton Motors- Cinema Advertising Slide

Every cinema advertising slide has a story to tell- and the story behind this one has changed a few times! Local businesses loved cinema advertising as it was reasonably priced and could be targeted towards local audiences- this slide would have only screened in Foxton.

However, a few of the words on this slide have been edited out with tape. Foxton Motors still does panel beating, welding and engineering but the option of 'Duco Spraying' has been edited out and the breakdown crane service is not longer 'at all hours'. Another stickers shows that the business changed hands to a Mister/Misses 'Woodcock'. Did the new owner get sick of pulling cars out of ditches at 2am in the morning?

The Foxton Historical Society shows a garage on Clyde Street as early as c.1909 and a garage is still on the street today. Due to the lack of images on this slide it is hard to date just when it was made.

Oxford Street, Levin, 1990

Penciled on back: “42 Oxford Street, Levin looking south from near Queen Street intersection. Made by B. Eykel, Horticultural Research Centre, Levin. Negative on file H.H.S.”

Stamped on back with black ink – Horowhenua Historical Society. Acc. No. Date 20/10/90

See also – Acc. #2000.269 (Traffic Survey, set of 25 colour photos)

The eastern side of Oxford Street, Levin, looking south towards the Bath Street lights, 1990. Taken at 4:45pm this photograph shows the large volume of traffic on Oxford Street which is also State Highway One. The two storied building which was the Arcadia Hotel is visible at the end of the business premises at the Bath Street intersection.

1 Colour photo print copy, mounted

See also 2000.269 Collectin (Traffic Survey, set of 25 colour photos)

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

Plimmer Terrace, Shannon

Written on backing board: “(with oak frame, see #s2001.019.0002) – Return to N. Clayton, Centennial Committee.”

Plimmer Terrace, Shannon. The street has been decorated with flags and bunting for opening of the Mangahao Power Station (Monday 3rd November 1924) by Prime Minister W.F. “Bill” Massey. The road is unpaved and there are several cars parked on both sides.

1 B&W photo print, mounted

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

A.W. Allen Ltd., cnr. Oxford & Bath Sts., 1970

Penciled on back - A.W. Allen Ltd. Drapers & Furnishers.

Drapers & Furnishers. Levin’s largest Departmental Store.

Taken from upstairs in ‘Central Building’. When added to #.0112 forms mini panorama.

A.W. Allen Ltd., cnr. Oxford & Bath Sts., 1970 1 B&W photo print

Drapers & Furnishers. Levin’s largest Departmental Store.

Taken from upstairs in ‘Central Building’. When added to #.0112 forms mini panorama.

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

Oxford Street, east side, 1970

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen – Oxford St. P.Office, Commercial Bank, Bowman’s Bookshop, Tip Top Milk Bar & Tearooms, Worsfolds Jewellers, Hanlon Dentist upstairs.

Oxford Street, east side, 1970 1 B&W photo print

Left – right : Post Office / CBA (Commercial Bank of Australia) / Bowman’s (bookshop) / Levin Milk Bar & Tearooms (Tip Top sign) / Worsfolds Jewellers / M.L. Hanlon, Dental Surgeon (upstairs).

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”

South Service Lane, looking south from Bath St., 1970

Written on back with blue ballpoint pen - Looking along Service Lane from Bath St. Railway Crossing.

Sign above building (centre) – Dalgety Loan Ltd. Dalgety & NZ Loan Ltd, Oxford St. – Showroom, Office, Stock, Land, Produce, Hardware, Insurance & Travel Depts., also Data Processing Dept. (see 1967 Telephone Directory).

South Service Lane, looking south from Bath St., 1970 1 B&W photo print

Sign above building (centre) – Dalgety Loan Ltd. Dalgety & NZ Loan Ltd, Oxford St. – Showroom, Office, Stock, Land, Produce, Hardware, Insurance & Travel Depts., also Data Processing Dept. (see 1967 Telephone Directory).

Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”
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