Editorial: Paper salutes a man of principle

Anna Wallis Photo/File

Sorting out a photo to go with the front page story on Chris Cresswell's death we were spoilt for choice.

A personal favourite was with a pile of lambs' tails delivered to his front door as a protest, probably for his environmental activism and stating who he would vote for in the October elections.

But there was also Chris with Whanganui river water in a jar, barefooted after a court appearance, sitting in the family's new electric car, working at the Curtainbank or in Auckland festooned with posters of the visiting Dalai Lama.

There was even a shot in a onesie. And that was just a few. But they said it all really.
Chris Cresswell did a lot.

It is amazing that someone with such an intense and stressful job running an emergency department turned around and pitched in with a dozen other groups and causes. He seemed to know anyone and everyone.

And then he also started writing for the paper, presumably with the 10 minutes of free time he had in his day. The Chronicle newsroom was as gutted as the rest of the city by Chris Cresswell's death. Some of us knew him a little and others a lot.

He was a friend, contact and columnist; always good to deal with, helpful and resourceful and with a sense of humour. Not many people in his position like the Chronicle calling but he didn't seem to mind.

But mostly he will be remembered here - as elsewhere - as a man of principle.
There aren't many of those - and now one has gone.