Newton King

Granddaughter pushes plan for memorial 19 April 2006
By ROCHELLE WESTA memorial to pioneering Taranaki businessman Newton King is planned for New Plymouth.
But just what kind of tribute and where it will be placed is uncertain.
King's granddaughter, Adrienne Tatham, said yesterday that she had been contacted by various people about erecting some kind of memorial to her grandfather, who set up a Taranaki stock and station agency that bore his name.
"I think it should be done. There are quite a few memorials around the place for lesser people. Newton King did a lot for Taranaki. He helped the farming community get on its feet. He was a good businessman. Times were tough and he would keep people going who were not in the money.
"Throughout Taranaki he made his mark, and many older folk still talk about the help he gave them," she said.
King died in 1927, aged 72.
One of New Plymouth's most loved parks – Brooklands – was a gift from King, in lieu of an unpaid bequest. When King died, he left E10,000 for parks and reserves in the city. But because all of King's money was tied up in his business, buildings and in land, the trustees discovered there was not enough cash to give the city.
His family, therefore, decided to give King's 21.5ha property and house. The two-storey, five-bedroom home, overlooking what was to become the Bowl of Brooklands, was later demolished.
Mrs Tatham said that, while Brooklands Park could be a location for a memorial, there were other possibilities.
"Some memorial ideas already suggested to me include a statue centrally located within New Plymouth. His offices were situated where Centre City is now in place.
"Perhaps another idea to consider would be to name the Huatoki development after him, especially as it is so close to King's Building, which he built," said Mrs Tatham, who has written a letter to Mayor Peter Tennent and councillors about the memorial idea.
New Plymouth deputy mayor Lynn Bublitz, who is the chairman of the Huatoki development working party, said a memorial for Newton King was a good idea.
"Newton King played a very important role in early New Plymouth. I think it's important that we recognise these pioneers in a formal way.
"Whether that memorial be the Huatoki development named in his honour, that's one of the things we could consider," Mr Bublitz said. »PRINTABLE VERSION »SUBSCRIBE TO FREE HEADLINES »SUBSCRIBE TO ARCHIVESTUFF