RETURNING TO N.Z.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 12

RETURNING TO N.Z.

Move To Save Old House (N Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 30. A man is coming from England to Auckland to defend a “grand old house” from a demolition order issued by the Onehunga Borough Council. The man, Mr Victor Ivanhoe, received the 90-day demolition order on a property in Inkerman street, Onehunga, in London, where he has been residing for some years. He has written to the council alleging that the demand arrived “without the slightest previous indication of anything wrong.” This, said Mr Ivanhoe, was “completely unBritish.” “However, I am quite prepared to disrupt my career here in London, to come back to New Zealand to save this grand old house. “I am prepared to spend large sums of money over the years to restore this historic house to its original glory,” he said. To carry out the council’s order “would be nothing short of vandalism,” so he asked that “the clock be stopped until his return.” The Onehunga council has decided to defer the subject until a fuller report is received from its inspector on October 19. Mr Ivanhoe left London on Sunday.

The house has no historic significance and is not listed by the National Historic Places Trust. There is nothing in the council records to show its age. The two-storeyed house is wooden, with an iron roof, has seven bedrooms and Is being used as a boardinghouse. It was bought by the present owner in 1958.