Maori Traffic Officer Of Polish Descent

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31091, 21 June 1966, Page 12

Maori Traffic Officer Of Polish Descent

Early last century, the members of an old Polish family fled their native land because of political upheaval.

One of their descendants is Mr Charles Subritzky, who is employed as a traffic officer by the Lyttelton Harbour Board, but is perhaps better known in his secondary role as a diver. Mr Subritzky said bis family’s original name, Sobieski, was changed to Subritzky when the family settled in North Auckland.

Although he has a strong Polish strain and is deeply interested in his Polish background, he is of predominantly Maori blood. Mr Subritzky said the family was led from Poland by its matriarch, "Old Sophie Sobieski,” who chartered a small ship and wandered far. Their journeys took them to England, France, Italy, Spain, America, the Pacific, Australia and finally New Zealand, where the Subritzkys are today a large clan. For a while the family settled at the Australian gold-mining town of Maldon, but in 1859 a brig was chartered and all but one member who stayed to run the family business came to New Zealand.

The family tried to buy Kawau Island, but this was impossible so, in 1860, it settled in Houhora Harbour (North Auckland). Under the leadership of “Old Sophie’s” son, Ludolph John, the family prospered. In 1865, grazing rights were acquired for 25,000 acres, and horses, pigs and hundreds of head of cattle were raised. Members ventured into gum buying, and at one time owned several small craft trading to Auckland.

Although there were some brushes with the Maoris, the relationship was mainly good because of the respect in which Ludolph John was held, Mr Subritzky said. The home the family built still stands at Houhora Heads and has been handed over to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. In it the Su-

britzkys entertained bishops, magistrates and Maori chiefs. After Ludolph John’s death in 1884 the family met hard times. The ships were sold. Land holdings and other interests went.

Since then, however, the Subritzky family has generally prospered in New Zealand. The Auckland Subritzkys, who are mostly European, have interests including lighterage, tugs, farming, building and commerce.

One member of the Aucklan d branch is a prominent professional diver. Questioned about his Maori blood, Mr Subritzky said his grandfather and father both broke away from the Polish line and married Maoris. Mr Subritzky said he spent several years working as a carpenter in Auckland but returned to Awanui where he met and married Miss Rima Tikao, a schoolteacher from Rapaki. In 1951, they came to Christchurch where Mr Subritzky joined the Lyttelton Harbour Board as a carpenter. In 1954 he was promoted to diver for the board. Last July Mr Subritzky was appointed a traffic officer. He was taught diving by an experienced diver, Mr M. J. Tasker. For relaxation, Mr Subritzky enjoys gardening and skindiving.