Michael Fowler: How the Veronica Sunbay came to be

The Pergola Sunbay (Veronica Sunbay) in the 1930s on Napier’s Marine Parade. Photo / Alexander Turnbull Library

Michael Fowler is a Hawke’s Bay author and historian

OPINION

Charles Ormond Morse had convincingly beaten sitting mayor John Vigor Brown in the elections held after commissioner control (appointed to direct Napier’s affairs after the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake) had ended May in 1933.

When his term ended in 1939, Morse abruptly left Napier to go into business with his son as C & A Morse Limited as builders in Dargaville. It was a stark change from being a mayor of Napier, and a member and chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board for 16 years, but a review of his time as mayor over the six years, it is perhaps not surprising this occurred.

As those in politics well know, differing community views traverse any issue, and Morse had still many to deal with post-1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake – even though the commissioners had successfully dealt with many of them – Morse, and his new council, therefore, had a hard act to follow.

The Marine Parade, as most know, had a sufficient uplift of land to enable its foreshore – which in the past had been subject to an inundation of heavy seas during storms, to now be built on.

One of the two commissioners, John Barton, saw a great future for the Marine Parade, and while walking one morning along the Marine Parade promenade with surveyor Mr Barlow, he remarked to him “Why are we dumping earthquake rubble on the Junction of Taradale and Hyderabad Roads, when it could be used to build up Marine Parade frontage?” So that’s what they did.

On top of the earthquake rubble was laid soil from the Bluff Hill (Mataruahou) slip, and soil and clay were bought from the water reservoirs being constructed on Bluff Hill.

Charles Corner, superintendent of reserves for Napier Borough Council was asked if he could turn the area into a place of beauty.” Corner replied that he could, and Barton said, “If I am not happy, I’ll let you know.” He never did.

The long stretch of lawn section and rock gardens on Marine Parade today is largely untouched from when it was created in 1932, and still beautifully looked after by council staff.

Three cement companies had donated 12,192kg of cement to Napier after the earthquake. Using this, what they called a concrete auditorium was created next to the lawned area, and an Art Deco geometric pattern was incorporated. This area, which was completed in late 1932, became very popular for skating, as well as acting as a town square for Napier. (This is today the area enclosed by the colonnade).

Adjacent to the auditorium a large semi-circle was created using the leftover cement. We now know this area as the Veronica Sunbay.

When the commissioners left Napier in 1933, the Thirty Thousand Club – a service organisation, which planned to exist until Napier reached a population of 30,000 people, started eying up this area.

The club had always had a long interest in Marine Parade’s development, right back to its formation in 1913.

Caption: Charles Morse Credit: Michael Fowler Collection

Morse and his council would come into direct conflict with the Thirty Thousand Club (and many of the Napier community).

One thing Napier people loved about their city was coming onto the Marine Parade and seeing the “sweep of the bay.” That is the view from Mahia to Cape Kidnappers unimpeded.

The Club stated in 1933 that they wanted to put a large 1000-seat theatre on Marine Parade – on the vacant semi-circle area.

An immediate reaction was received from not only the Napier Borough Council and mayors, but many citizens in Napier as well as all the leading architects in Napier – nothing should impede the view of the “sweep of the bay.”

Napier Borough Council had £500 to spend on the area – and wanted the Thirty Thousand Club to contribute the balance for a pergola that wouldn’t impede the views.

What followed was around 18 months of discussion, with an arbitrator – an Auckland planner, to help find a conclusion.

A resolution resulted in the pergola sunbay (seen in the photo). Glass windows were originally used between the colonnades.

The King’s son, the Duke of Gloucester, was to visit Napier in December 1934, so the Napier Borough Council were especially keen to get it finished before he arrived.

In 1937, in recognition of the HMS Veronica’s contribution to Napier during the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, it was renamed the Veronica Sunbay. One of the two ship’s bells donated to the Napier in 1934 was originally hung in the sunbay.

Mayor Morse would face many other contentious issues during his time as mayor – many of them on Marine Parade, such as the soundshell and the double lane of Marine Parade roadway.

He lived until he was 89 in Dargaville, passing away in 1975.

Charles Morse received an OBE in 1949 “in recognition of his services in the civic sphere in Hawke’s Bay following the 1931 earthquake.”

The Veronica Sunbay was reconstructed in 1991 due to the efforts of the Napier Rotary Club.