Auckland Libraries has recently added a further selection of
photographs from the South Auckland Courier
files of the late 1960s to the Footprints
database. These images provide a visual feast of local events, people and
fashions at the time.
Here a group of young people model
the latest styles during an open air promotional event organized by the Otahuhu
Business Association, Eve's Apple Boutique and Radio Manukau in September 1969.
The garments include a knitted jumpsuit, miniskirts, fringed jerkins and
jackets, and a variety of hats and headbands.
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This photograph, like many others in the newly released
collection, was taken by the well-known local photographer Murray Freer. Murray
began providing photographs to the Courier as a freelancer in 1958, then
progressed to reporter, and finally became editor of the Courier’s southern editions. Murray has provided us with a
fascinating account of his years behind the camera (Murray
C. Freer: A Photographer’s Life).
In another example of Murray’s work, children from the East Tamaki School are depicted singing an
Austrian folk song during the Otara Schools Music Festival at Otara (later
Hillary) College in August 1968. The conventional schoolchildren’s clothing
provides a striking contrast to the far-out styles shown above. |
Below Murray has captured a group
of checkout operators competing in the 'checker of the year' competition at Woolworths’
Otahuhu branch. Entrants were assessed on personality, accuracy, speed and
personal appearance.
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Below, a new convert is baptised in the open air during a Jehovah’s Witnesses assembly held at the Pukekohe War Memorial Town Hall on 9 February 1969.
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Despite Murray’s ubiquity, many of
the photographs published in the South
Auckland Courier were uncredited. Nonetheless every image had a story to
tell, whether personal or public. Here’s a view of a controversial State housing
development underway in Bader Drive, Mangere, in June 1969. A local builder had
warned that building houses and units of this standard would turn this part of
Mangere into a shanty town. Local ratepayers’ organisations also expressed
their concern to Manukau City Council, only to be told that, since it was a
State subdivision, the council had no control over the quality of the buildings.
Finally, here’s a scene in a men's
hair stylists shop in Otahuhu. Muri Waata attends to a customer while his
partner Charles Tumahai takes a few minutes’ break to enjoy a quiet cigarette.
In 1969 it was obviously still okay to smoke on the job.
Author: South Auckland Research Centre staff