In 1864, the Premier at the time, Alf Domett, asked for three representatives from the Australian colonies to pop over and do a bit of a survey on where the best place would be for the country’s capital, as everyone except the northern members wanted it out of Auckland. Three commissioners arrived from the Big Island and the Little One - New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
These chaps, Joe Docker, Frank Murphy and Ron Gunn, toured the Cook Strait region looking at sites. This included Whanganui, believe it or not. This, of course, was right in the middle of the New Zealand Wars, and Whanganui was a ‘hotspot’ in those days. Probably a bit risky for the tender souls of the nation’s deep thinkers.
While Whanganui and Nelson were considered appropriate places for the new capital, Wellington was recommended by Joe, Frank and Ron as the safest and most accessible option at that time.
The populations of all three towns at that time were similar.
Wellington it was to be from 1865. So, it’s Australia’s fault that Whanganui never became the capital city of New Zealand.
Roll on nearly 160 years, and there is still chat about this. One article I read recently recommended Hamilton as the optimal site for our capital. Reasoning included the fact that a third of New Zealanders live from the Waikato north, the country’s business hub is two hours away by car, and there is sufficient available land to build a new Parliament and all the added buildings all capitals need - the higher courts of the land, office buildings, museums, galleries, all that important stuff.
If these notions to move our capital for the fourth time are taken seriously, we should ask Australia for another three or so commissioners to pop over first. The first three did a reasonably sensible job of it for the times. Besides, if it goes wrong, we can always blame Australia.
I believe Whanganui should be in the mix again. You may shudder at this, but there will be good points, and we already have a decent museum, a nice old opera house, a pretty smart art gallery, and we are getting a really flash new courthouse, too. I am sure there will be room for the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court wallahs to sit and pontificate on matters of moment.
Parliament buildings could be built on the racecourse. Not many go to the races now, so apart from losing a race track and some footy fields which could easily go elsewhere in a city surrounded by farmland, I do not see the problem.
This means we would also score an international airport and maybe a decent rail link.
But think of all the houses and office buildings that will be needed. Embassies, ministerial mansions, flash shacks up St John’s way for all the top public servants, perhaps a new private school or two for all the children coming to live here.
Think of all the restaurants around the new Parliament buildings, where our politicians can relax over a flat white or two away from the pressures of running the country.
Imagine the national press gallery descending on Whanganui, all those journalists gathering for quiet drinkies in the city’s bars.
This would do wonders for our local tourism industry - more hotels and conference centres. Tour groups all arriving to wonder at our new Parliament.
We may even get that university we were rumoured to be getting nearly 100 years ago.
Downside. Of course. We would lose all our charm as a lovely place to live and raise children. The town would quickly become impersonal.
On second thought, Hamilton, or as I call it Foggy Bottom, can have the capital.
