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! 

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.”
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