St Bathans Post Office (Former), ST BATHANS (List No.2254, Category 1 historic place)
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New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero – Review Report for a Historic Place St Bathans Post Office (Former), ST BATHANS (List No.2254, Category 1 historic place) St Bathans Post Office, 19 March 2020, Sarah Gallagher, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Sarah Gallagher Last amended 8 March 2021 Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURPOSE OF REVIEW 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
1. IDENTIFICATION 4
1.1. Name of Place 4
1.2. Location Information 4
1.3. Legal Description 4
1.4. Extent of List Entry 4
1.5. Eligibility 5
1.6. Existing Heritage Recognition 5
2. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 6
2.1. Historical Information 6
2.2. Physical Information 14
2.3. Chattels 23
2.4. Sources 27
3. SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT 28
3.1. Section 66 (1) Assessment 28
3.2. Section 66 (3) Assessment 29
4. APPENDICES 32
4.1. Appendix 1: Visual Identification Aids 32
4.2. Appendix 2: Visual Aids to Historical Information 36
4.3. Appendix 3: Visual Aids to Physical Information 41
4.4. Appendix 4: Significance Assessment Information 54
Disclaimer
Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero identifies only the heritage values of
the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment
of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary
conditions.
Archaeological sites are protected by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, regardless of
whether they are entered on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero or not. Archaeological sites include
‘places associated with pre-1900 human activity, where there may be evidence relating to the history of New
Zealand’. This List entry report should not be read as a statement on whether or not the archaeological
provisions of the Act apply to the property (s) concerned. Please contact your local Heritage New Zealand office
for archaeological advice.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 2
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of this review is to change the category of the listing from Category 2 Historic Place to a
Category 1 Historic Place. This review was requested by application from a member of the public to
acknowledge the unique character of the St Bathans Post Office and to recognise its outstanding and
nationally significant interior.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Set in the historic gold mining town of St Bathans in Central Otago - a rugged landscape and climate of
extremes - the St Bathans Post Office (Former), designed by Public Works Department architect John
Campbell in 1909, is an elegant two-storied timber building in Imperial Baroque style. It stands on a
prominent site at the eastern end of the township. This building was the second post office to be
constructed on the site and operated as such from 1909 until 1937 during which time it was largely
managed by resident Postmistresses. From 1937 until 1981 the post office was a private residence.
Since 1981 it has been a historic reserve, administered first by the Department of Lands and Survey
and then its successor the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. From 1995 to 2008 the post
office was a popular tourist attraction and shop named ‘Despatches’. A commission in 2011 nearly saw
the post office building converted to boutique accommodation; however the community rallied and
were overwhelmingly opposed to what would have resulted in a lack of public access and removal of
original heritage fabric, fixtures and fittings. In 2020 the St Bathans Area Community Association
(SBACA) obtained a ten-year concession from DOC to use the building as a community space. The St
Bathans Post Office is a rare and outstanding example of a Victorian post office with the majority of
the interior fabric of the public and private residential spaces largely intact. The patina of age creates a
‘time capsule’ of the building. The St Bathans Post Office has outstanding aesthetic and social values
and the public esteem for the building continues to increase in significance.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 3
1. IDENTIFICATION1
1.1. Name of Place
Name:
St Bathans Post Office (Former)
Other Names:
Post Office
Old Dog-Box
Despatches
1.2. Location Information
Address
1680 Loop Road
St Bathans
Central Otago
Additional Location Information
E 1348118 N 5026340
Local Authority
Central Otago District Council
1.3. Legal Description
Sec 11 Blk I Town of St Bathans (RT OT4C/1354 NZ Gazette 1982, p. 3480), Otago Land District
1.4. Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as (RT OT4C/1354 NZ Gazette 1982, p. 3480), and the St
Bathans Post Office (Former), its interior decoration, fixtures, fittings, outbuildings, and
chattels thereon. (See plan in Appendix 1 of the Review Report for further information).
1 This section is supplemented by visual aids in Appendix 1 of the report.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 4
1.5. Eligibility
There is sufficient information included in this report to identify this place. This place is
physically eligible for consideration as a historic place. It consists of a combination of land,
buildings, structures, or associated buildings or structures that are fixed to land which lies
within the territorial limits of New Zealand.
1.6. Existing Heritage Recognition
Local Authority and Regional Authority Plan Scheduling
Central Otago District Plan, Operative, (last updated April 2008). Heritage Buildings, Places,
Sites, Objects and Trees Schedule19.4: Register of Heritage Buildings, Places, Sites, Objects
and Trees Items, Ref. 158.
Demolition or removal of a Category 1 building or structure is a non-complying activity.
St Bathans Post Office is also noted in Schedule 19.10 Historic Reserves and Protected Private
Land for Historic Purposes, Item 6.
Reserve
This place is part of St Bathans Post Office Historic Reserve, NZ Gazette 1982, p. 3480.
Site Specific Legislation
This place is protected by site specific legislation:
Section 315 Land Act 1924
Reserves Act 1977
s98 of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998
New Zealand Archaeological Association Site Recording Scheme
This place or sites within this place have been recorded by the New Zealand Archaeological
Association. The reference is – H41/277.
Other Heritage Recognition
St Bathans township is recognised as part of the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trail.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 5
2. SUPPORTING INFORMATION
2.1. Historical Information
Early History
There is little information about early occupation of the St Bathans area by Māori; current
archaeological records reveal no evidence of occupation, and early histories consulted
provide no oral or documentary tradition of occupation. Land-locked and not immediately
near awa (river) for travelling, or gathering of resources and kai, may indicate why there is
little archaeological or other evidence of early settlement by tangata whenua. Māori place
names between Central Otago and the Rangitātā drawn by Rāwiri Te Maire in 1898 do not
reveal any Māori names in the specific area.2
North of St Bathans is Te Poho-o-Rakitāmau / Mount St Cuthbert, east of Te Ao Mārama
(Lake Benmore). Te Poho-o-Rakitāmau was an ancestor on the Ārai-te-uru waka that
capsized near Matakaea (Shag Point) on the Otago coastline who was transformed into this
maunga.3 West of St Bathans lies the Dunstan Range over which the Māori Pass / Thompson
Pass crosses. Early Māori used this passage between Moeraki and Makarora.4 South of St
Bathans lies Ōmakau / Blackstone Hill. The name has also been applied to the wider region,
and the nearby settlement located between Alexandra and Ranfurly on the north-west bank
of the Manuherikia River.5 The awa flows into Mata-au / Clutha River and is a recorded
kāinga nohoanga and kāinga mahinga kai where tuna, pora, weka, pārera, pūtakitaki, and
kōareare, were gathered.6 Weaving its way from mountains to the sea, the Mata-au has
been used as an ara tawhito by successive iwi from the earliest, Hāwea and Rapuwai; then
Waitaha and Kāti Māmoe before Kāi Tahu became the dominant iwi in the late 18th century.7
Early Māori had settlements in other areas in Central Otago – there were six settlements at
Lake Hāwea (Te Taweha o Hāwea, Mahaea, O tū Purupuru, Turihuka, Te Taumanu o Taki
and Pakituhi) and one near Cromwell (Wairere). The moa-rich area was known for camps
2 Rāwiri Te Maire, Māori place names between Central Otago and the Rangitata, 1898, AAFV 997 62 G298, Rāwiri Te Maire
Collection, Ngāi Tahu Archive
https://kareao.nz/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/ANON_DESCRIPTION/WEB_DETAIL_DESCRIPTION_REPORT?SESSIONSEARCH
&exp=sisn%2014529 accessed 8 December 2020.
3 Kā Huru Manu https://www.kahurumanu.co.nz/atlas accessed 8 December 2020.
4 ibid.
5 ibid.
6 Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act, 1994, Schedule 22 Statutory acknowledgement for Kā Moana Haehae (Lake Roxburgh),
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0097/latest/DLM430855.html accessed 8 December 2020.
7 David Grant, 'Southland region - Early settlement', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand,
http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/southland-region/page-5 accessed 19 Feb 2020. Kōrero with Pouarahi Huia Pacey.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 6
where moa were butchered and cooked (for example there were large sites in
the Hawksburn and Happy Valley areas, as well as the Nevis Valley, and there were quarries
used for stone tools in the region of Tiger Hills and Mount Benger. The swampy plains in
the Maniototo provided eels and other food resources. These seasonal activities continued
through multiple generations prior to a change in land tenure when the controversial sale of
land occurred during early colonial-Kāi Tahu encounters. Once colonists found their way to
the interior (ironically assisted by Māori) these activities were curtailed, especially once
European colonists ‘discovered’ gold. Though Māori are known to have joined the gold
rushes, nothing is known about their participation in the gold rush at Dunstan / St
Bathans.8 The resulting mining works devastated the landscape beyond recognition and any
evidence of early occupation by Māori is unlikely to have survived.
From Dunstan Creek to St Bathans
Gold mining began in Central Otago with Gabriel Read's discovery of gold in Gabriel's Gully,
near present-day Lawrence, in 1861. Gold discoveries in 1862 pushed into inland Otago, with
bustling settlements springing up to service the miners. In 1863 there was a rush at what
would become St Bathans, leading to the birth of the town.9 First known as Dunstan Creek,
the name was changed to St Bathans in 1866 by John Turnbull Thompson, Chief Surveyor,
after a place of the same name in Berwickshire where his maternal grandfather lived.10 At the
height of the gold rush, the population in the area numbered around 2,000, with thirteen
hotels catering to local demands during the 1860s. The town had two banks, a police station,
courthouse, jail, hospital and many businesses. The first Post Office, forming an important
part of the infrastructure of such Central Otago towns, opened during the gold rushes of
1864, operating from storekeeper John Campbell's premises.
An 1873 Survey Office Plan records that a plot of land (Section 11 Block I, Town of St Bathans)
was reserved for the site of a Telegraph Station. In 1874 a purpose designed Post and
Telegraph Office was built on the present site. Its location did not please the townspeople.
On 14 March 1874 the Mount Ida Chronicle reported that the new post office was, ‘situated
on the rise at the east end of the street, just beyond Murray's old bakery and a more
inconvenient site can hardly be imagined. It is quite outside the township, and in winter can
only be approached through a sea of mud.’
8 A Māori miner is mentioned as finding gold in Bendigo, ODT, 20 Nov 1863.
9 Department of Lands & Survey, St Bathans an Historic Town. Otago Goldfields Park, 1985, p. 3.
10 A.W. Reed, Place Names of New Zealand. A.H & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1975, p. 371.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 7
The construction of the 90-kilometre-long telegraph line between Naseby and Clyde, with a
loop line to St Bathans, was started in June 1874. The telegraph office at St Bathans was
opened in October of the same year, and a money order and savings bank department in
1876. Prior to coaches running to St Bathans in 1879, mail was carried on horseback. In 1898,
20,020 letters and postcards were dispatched from the office, and 22,563 letters and
postcards delivered; 2,946 telegrams were dispatched and 2,626 received.11
The St Bathans people were fervent Liberal Party supporters and in 1906, when Joseph Ward
(1817-1892) became Prime Minister, there was much rejoicing. Ward was Postmaster
General in 1891, and in 1899 when he was Deputy Prime Minister he also held the portfolios
of colonial secretary, industries and commerce, to which were soon added railways and
public health. Sometime after 1906 Ward, who had introduced the penny post in 1901,
visited St Bathans and rewarded the town for its support by granting a permit to call for
specifications and tenders for the erection of a new post office.
A New Post Office
The St Bathans Post Office (Former) was designed by Public Works Department architect John
Campbell (1857-1942), first draughtsman (1889-1899), then architect from 1899 until his
retirement in 1922. Campbell was responsible for the standardisation of the architecture of
government buildings, particularly evident in the design of post offices. During a post office
building boom between about 1900 and 1914 he was largely responsible for two major post
office buildings of similar design (the Auckland and Wellington chief post offices), and many
smaller post office buildings. In 1900 Campbell had also designed the post office for Naseby,
another small town in the Maniototo region of Central Otago. Writer and architect Lewis
Martin reported the design for the St Bathans Post Office displayed, ‘Light touches of
Campbell's characteristic decoration transform domesticity into a modest public building’.
In 1908 the postmaster, Reginald Noake (1877-1951), rented the premises of the former Bank
of New Zealand, located some doors down Loop Road during the construction of the new
building. 12 Noake was Post Master at all three iterations of the post office, and apparently
the best remembered of all the postmasters for his engineering and mechanical skills, as well
11 Gladys Nicolson-Garrett, St Bathans, John McIndoe, Dunedin 1977, p. 61.
12 Historic files regarding Post Offices – St Bathans, Archives New Zealand, R21727736, Box 214.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 8
as for the many practical jokes he liked to play on his customers.13 The post office was
relocated to the former BNZ in January 1909, when the old building was demolished. The
new post office was opened on 26 November 1909. The tender to build the post office was
won by Jeremiah Drummery with a construction cost of £6,854 ($1,196,860), Drummey ran
over time by six months and was penalised £3 ($526) per week.14
The new post office had public functions on the ground floor, with a mailroom and public
space separated by the counter (see Figure 1). Telegraph and telephone areas along with
post boxes were also on the ground floor, with the post master's residence (two bedrooms,
sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and scullery) on the top floor, accessed via a stairwell from
the rear of the mailroom. The schedule of works describes the material used in construction
including rimu for window and door architraves, sarking, stair treads, risers and stringers, TG
& V panelling and rafters. All dados, architraves and skirtings and all woodwork in bedrooms,
sitting room, passage and staircase were oiled, stopped and varnished with three coats ?.15
Pumice was used in the walls to provide sound proofing and Muranese glass at the public
counter and privacy screens.16 The service rooms were painted and the hallway, sitting room
and bedrooms were wallpapered in colours and designs typical of the period.17
The 21 private letterboxes were accessible from the porch, and kauri posting boxes for letters
and newspapers were set in the east elevation of the building. A handwritten note in the
schedule of works suggests the addition of snow strapping to the spouting. 18 Outbuildings,
originally identified as a washhouse, coal room and earth closet were also constructed.
In 1915 Mrs Coffey obtained permission to add a room on to the building at her own expense
and providing it was removable. She did and subsequently removed it in 1918. 19 The building
was later extended, with a small sunroom added on the west corner which was demolished
in the 1980s (see Figure 6). Rain damage in 1922 saw the removal of the water tanks and a
13 Nicolson-Garrett, 1977, p. 58.
14 J. Drummey, Erection of St Bathans Post Office. Archives New Zealand, R16564705, Box 1; Note all cost conversions in this
report have been made using the Reserve Bank Inflation Calculator https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary-policy/inflation-
calculator accessed 9 December 2020.
15 Post Office Contract at St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R2475699.
16 ibid..
17 Christine McCarthy, Domestic Wallpaper in New Zealand: A literature study. Centre for Building Performance Research,
Wellington, 2009, p. 6. https://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/1226/Paper.pdf accessed 8
December 2020.
18 Post Office Contract at St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R2475699.
19 Letters 12 April 1915 and 15 March 1918, Post Office Contract at St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R2475699.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 9
new iron cover installed. It also required the removal of damaged scrim and wallpaper.20 On
15 March 1923 it was decided that the level of business at St Bathans no longer warranted a
permanent Post Mistress. Mrs Coffey retired in November that year.21 Miss Gladys Nicolson
took over in April 1924 (she became Mrs Garrett in 1932).22 A site inspection in 1927 noted
severe smoke damage in the passage and kitchen, and damage to the wall papers in a
bedroom and the sitting room.23 Two years later, a relieving postal cadet noted in his report
that only one of the 21 private boxes was in use, and that by the police. He did note that
school children collected mail after school. “This being an old mining town which is now
worked out, there are no means of increasing the revenue from the office in any way.’24
The Big Downturn
Mining operations ceased after the 1930s and as the population dwindled, buildings were
either demolished or moved elsewhere. St Bathans suffered a downturn. An infestation of
bees in the post office was noted in 1932, their hive was later discovered in the wall beside
the fireplace in the main bedroom. The following year, Mrs Sabina Nicholson (mother of
Gladys) purchased the post office for £100 ($12,775).25 The St Bathans Post Office closed on
5 February 1937, the telephone exchange was removed at a cost of £76 ($8,618), and the
business was transferred to the local store, owned by John Enright at the time who became
an agent. His wife, Elizabeth Enright also became an agent in May 1942. The office closed
permanently on 15 November 1952.26 Following Sabina Nicolson's death in 1952 the
property was inherited by her daughters Gladys Nicolson-Garret and Hilda Nicolson. In 1971
it was transferred to Thomas Duffy, who acquired freehold title in the same year.27 The house
remained in the family until 1981.
Historic Reserve
In 1981 the St Bathans Post Office was transferred to the Crown as an historic reserve, under
the management of the then Department of Lands and Survey in order to, ‘protect the
historic vista of the main street and for its intrinsic worth.’ The post office was described as
20 Post Office Contract at St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R2475699.
21 ibid.
22 Letter 30 May 1974 – brief history of the Post Office, Historical files regarding Post Offices – St Bathans. Archives New
Zealand, R21727736.
23 Post Office – St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R11357868.
24 Letter 22 June 1929, Post Office – St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R11357868.
25 OT251/124; Post Office – St Bathans. Archives New Zealand, R11357868.
26 Historical files regarding Post Offices - St Bathans, Archives New Zealand, R21727736.
27 OT251/124
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 10containing, ‘most of its original fittings. The upstairs flat is much as it was when occupied by
the postmaster. Original fittings and wallpapers remain.’ 28 The management plan outlines the
use of the building as an historic post office with the restoration of postal service, and the
maintenance of the flat ‘in its present condition’.29
Community Support
When the St Bathans Post Office became part of the Otago Goldfields Park, there was
concern within the community about its future.30 At this time the building was somewhat
dilapidated. There was particular concern about the plan to restore the building as the locals
valued its ‘well weathered patina of age’ which gave it ‘the majesty it deserves in its position
towering over the rest of the town.’ The proposed coat of paint and the demolition of the
later sunroom addition caused much debate in the local paper and resulted in the Otago
Goldfields Park Advisory Committee to mount a public defence of its plans. The Committee
explained that they wanted to show the building as an ‘an authentic example of an early
twentieth century post office’ and that it would be ‘unrealistic and historically inaccurate to
present the site in a state of decay and disrepair. Buildings of this type and function were
always maintained regularly throughout their working life.’ Sympathetic restoration followed
in 1984, when the ground floor was refurbished as a post office of the 1915 - 1920 era. The
building was re-piled and painted in 1984.31
‘Despatches’
On 12 December 1995 local resident Sharon Hinds officially opened her retail business
‘Despatches’ in the St Bathans Post Office. The business operated successfully selling
antiques and memorabilia, and providing postal services until June 2008.32 During this time
the post office was repainted and repiled again. The post office was visited by thousands of
people during this time. The many visitor books in Keith Hinds collection are testament to the
enjoyment of access to the St Bathans Post Office, the ability to send post from there, the
experience of the building and its ambiance were all greatly appreciated. Under the
management of Sharon Hinds, the St Bathans Post Office saw thousands of visitors. From the
28 ODT, 12 Sep 1981, Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file 12005-080; Department of Lands and Survey, St Bathans
Reserves Management Plan, 1985, p. 7.
29 ibid, p.14-15.
30 ODT, 26 Nov 1984; Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file 12005-080.
31 Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file 12005-080.
32 ibid.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 11collection of visitors’ books, a number of comments stand out in their reference to the use of
the building, their sentiment often repeated throughout the years,
‘Great usage for the old PO’, ‘It’s great to see the PO open for business again’,
‘Wonderful to see new life in the old building’, ‘Great to see the Post Office open and
in such a good state’, ‘A wonderful step back in time’, ‘Great to see history being cared
for’, ‘Has an authentic, historic air to it.’
Several comments were written by former residents or descendants who expressed pleasure
at seeing pictures of family, or the importance of visiting where ancestors lived and worked
for example, ‘A happy nostalgic return of a nephew of Israel Jewiss who worked here in
1913’.33 Following the death of Sharon Hinds, ‘Despatches’ closed. The final entry in the
visitors’ book for 2008 reads, ‘The end of an era. Always loved, never forgotten.’34
Concessionaires
A concession was applied for in 2010 to transform the St Bathans Post Office into boutique
accommodation. There was an overwhelmingly negative response to the proposal – 190
submissions against, four in favour and one neutral.35 The refurbishment of the post office
for this purpose would have meant a lack of public access to the building.36 More concerning
for many in the community, it would have seen the mailroom converted to a bedroom, the
conversion of a bedroom to a bathroom upstairs, changes to the kitchen and overall changes
to fixtures and fittings and losses of heritage fabric. Jeremy Salmond provided an informed
and passionate critique of the proposal in favour of retaining the important heritage fabric.37
There followed a period of inactivity; several small businesses used the space after this but
until 2019 the St Bathans Post Office lay empty. In 2020 it was utilised by the St Bathans Area
Community Association (SBACA) who obtained a short concession from the Department of
Conservation Te Papa Atawhai to trial the space as a community museum. A feasibility study
was conducted by the SBACA in 2019 which stated the purpose of the ‘Post Office Proposal’,
33 Despatches Visitor Book, 12 December 1995 – 16 January 1997. Collection of Keith Hinds.
34 Despatches Visitors Book, 17 October 2007-19 December 2008. Collection of Keith Hinds.
35 ODT, 5 Dec 2011, p. 13.
36 Letter 20 June 2012 Michelle Pearce to Owen Graham, Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file 12005-080, ODT, 21 Jun
2012, p. 11.
37 ODT, 20 Mar 2012, p. 11; Evidence of Jeremy Salmond opposing application for the grant of Concession, 5 Mar 2012,
Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file: 12005-080. Note: Salmond had been commissioned by the St Bathans Heritage
& Environment Preservation Trust to write this report.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 12‘St Bathans is a growing community. It needs a space where it can continue to
celebrate and showcase its history and heritage. The St Bathans Area Community
Association aims for a vibrant space that attracts more people and activity to celebrate
our heritage and landscapes, promotes local pride and visitor interest. We need to
breathe new life into the St Bathans Heritage Precinct, so that it’s [sic] well-known as a
visitor destination and celebrated more by locals. We also need to think about the kind
of facility the community requires.’38
The SBACA received a, ‘great response from the community in trialling this initiative’, have
sourced collections for display, and ‘have welcomed visits from groups in the local
community and further afield and have provided guided tours to explain the local history and
gauge interest in this venture’.39 During this short period, the visitors’ book expresses the
community, and visitors’ appreciation at the building being open,
‘Great usage for this old PO’, ‘Its [sic] great to see the PO open for business again.’40
The SBACA successfully applied to DOC for a ten-year concession to develop the space as a
museum, information centre and community hub. Their application to use the St Bathans
Post Office and former Gold Office were supported by the community. Their application
included letters of support from the community, one statement of support read,
‘I would be very happy to see the St Bathans Post Office building regain its place as a
focal point in the community. It makes no sense to have a landmark building such as
this effectively standing idle. Considerable care and expense went into its restoration
in the early 1980’s. Some years later, Sharon Hinds operated a paper-themed business
on the ground floor. This was a sensitive use of the building, celebrating its previous
function. ... I wholeheartedly support this application as a way of returning the St
Bathans Post Office to a useful role in the community.’41
Their period of tenure began on 1 December 2020.
38 H Raymond, Post Office Proposal Summary, 2019. Dunedin Office file: 12005-080.
39 St Bathans Area Community Association., St Bathans Post Office Mission, p. 1. Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file:
12005-080.
40 Visitors’ book 2020, St Bathans Area Community Association Collection.
41 Letters of support for application by St Bathans Area Community Association. Heritage New Zealand Dunedin Office file:
12005-080.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 13Associated List Entries
Bank of New South Wales Gold Office, St Bathans (List No.331)
2.2. Physical Information
Current Description
Setting
St Bathans in Central Otago is a unique, small, historic gold mining town. Dramatically
changed by mining activity, it is a landscape of extremes: flush with growth from the heritage
trees in spring, blisteringly hot and dry in summer, awash in golden leaves and light in
autumn, and in winter, freezing cold with drifts of snow. The St Bathans Post Office (Former)
sits on a prominent site on Loop Road, the main street. It is the first and most prominent of
the buildings. Other public buildings include the former Bank of New South Wales Gold Office
(List No.331) and Public Hall (List No. 2256). Private buildings include the Vulcan Hotel (List
No.2259), the former Vulcan Hotel billiards rooms and stable (List No.2255), the former jail
and a number of residences. The Anglican (List No.2252) and Catholic churches (List No.3210)
stand at either end of the town, and the stone ruins of the school (List No.3208) are located
above the main street. The view from the post office is easterly, directly across the road to a
reserve and a road that leads down to the Blue Lake formed by historic mining activity.
The St Bathans Post Office is a two storied timber building clad in rusticated matai
weatherboards with a hipped corrugated iron roof (Figure 9).42 The building is painted a light
mustard yellow with dark green facing boards, window frames and doors; window sashes are
painted the same colour as the weatherboards. Many of the windows feature decorative
brackets beneath the sills. The east elevation facing the street has steps up to the main
entrance, and at the northern end, stepped back, there is the entrance to the residence
(Figure 11). There are two brick chimneys, a massive external chimney breast on the
southern elevation set almost flush with the weatherboards, and the second, an internal
chimney connected to the scullery and mailroom fireplaces. Both are finished in plaster
above the roof each with two ceramic chimney pots. The majority of the ground floor space
was allocated to the postal and telegraphic services, with a wing on the north side providing
a staff entrance to the post office and stairs to the residence on the first floor.
42 Schedule of Works. Post Office Contract at St Bathans, Archives NZ, R2475699.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 14The main east elevation faces Loop Road. A double hung sash window with four panes in the
upper portion sits adjacent to the main entrance. The main door is a four-panelled door with
a six-pane light above it (Figure 9). A pair of six-pane double-hung sash windows are situated
to the right of this beneath which are two mail slots; there is a flight of three concrete steps
up to these slots. The second storey has a pair of six-pane double-hung sash windows above
the entrance to the porch, and one six-pane double-hung sash window positioned
symmetrically above the lower pair. Between these is fixed the ‘Post Office’ sign.
Set back at the northern end of the elevation there is a four-panelled door with a side light
covered by a porch – this was the private entrance to the residence; above this is a four-pane
double-hung sash window.
The north elevation has one small sash window to the stair landing and two windows on the
first floor (Figure 11 & Figure 12).
The west elevation has two six-paned double-sashed windows in the mailroom and a four-
paned double-sash window in the telephone exchange. The second storey has three
windows; two six-paned double-sash windows flanking a four-paned double sash window.
The south elevation is dominated by the large brick chimney breast set just proud of the face
of the weatherboarding; either side of this there is a six-paned double hung sash window at
ground floor level, with a small three-paned window through to the telephone exchange in
the western corner. There are no windows on the second storey (Figure 13).
Interior
It is important to note that there is a high level of authenticity throughout the interior of the
building in terms of the fabric, fixtures and fittings. This was ascertained more than a decade
ago by Guy Williams in his 2009 Heritage Inventory, and this level of authenticity has largely
been maintained despite some damage in two upstairs rooms. Walls are a combination of TG
& V boards fixed horizontally and painted, TG & V dados, and wallpaper. Ceilings are 12 inch
boards with moulded battens and cornices.43
43 Guy Williams, St Bathans Post Office Heritage Inventory, 2009, p. 4-5, 8.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 15Ground Floor – public space The ground floor forms the public area of the post office and consists of a public area with a telephone bureau, two counters through to the mailroom, and a telephone exchange. On entering the building, the original private boxes would have been on the immediate right of the porch. This has been infilled with T G & V board (Figure 15). Ahead against the left wall are public writing desks with turned legs and glazed privacy partitions in two groups of three separated by a nib wall. The glazing is reeded/striated glass (Figure 16). To the immediate right is a door leading to the mailroom, and ahead on the right is the kauri service counter separated into two cubicles. Two double hung sash windows enable the counter to be closed off to the public. The star-spangled glass allows light through but would also have provided privacy (Figure 17). At the rear left of the room is the lush green baize lined telephone bureau with a double door for the purposes of sound proofing. A wall mounted Ericsson telephone with bakelite mouthpiece hangs on the western wall. The floors throughout the building are kauri and the ceilings are rimu. On the ground floor the ceiling timber is varnished. Remaining original joinery includes doors, skirting boards, tongue and groove lining on the walls in public areas and in the postmistress’s quarters upstairs. Switches are ceramic and bakelite, as are the power outlets. Above the dado, walls are clad in horizonal rimu boards painted a light green and beneath this is a varnished rimu dado which reaches to window sill height. Rimu window and door frames are thickly beaded with shellac. The original glass in the modesty screens separating the desks, and the internal sash windows into the mailroom from the public area diffuse and soften the light. The floor in the public area is covered in carpet tiles. Ground Floor – mailroom The mailroom is dominated by the expansive timber ceiling, timber dado and large kauri counter (Figure 18). Like the public area, the walls are clad in horizontal timers painted green. The telephone exchange is in the south west corner. A door in the north west leads outside. In the north east corner, a fireplace sits at an angle to the room, it has a cast iron coal fire insert and a timber mantlepiece with carved corbels (Figure 20). A significant fixture is the timber mailbox cupboard in the eastern wall (Figure 19). The floor in the public area is covered in carpet tiles. Much of this room is now used as a display area for local history material. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 16
Entrance and Stairwell The stairwell is located on the north side of the building. A doorway leads to it from the mailroom and another, private entrance, from the street. This door has two top panels of glazing, one with a relief leaf pattern and one with a mottled glazing. The side lights and light sashes are of star-spangled glass. The small hall space is atmospheric with light from the fan and side lights casting on the rich though fragile Japanese style wallpaper, in places sagging on its scrim, and the timber balustrade and stairs heavily beaded with dark stippling of shellac (Figure 37 & Figure 38). A heavily patterned thick carpet is a contrast to the utilitarian areas adjacent. The timber dado flows up the stairs with a balustrade of delicate turned balusters and carved newel post (Figure 21, Figure 22 & Figure 23). First Floor The first floor was built as a residence for the postmaster or postmistress. It consists of a sitting room, two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and a scullery. A long hallway bisecets the upstairs into kitchen and sitting room to the left facing the street, and two bedrooms either side of a small bathroom facing the rear of the section. First Floor – hallway The hall is narrow and the timber dado and Japanese style wallpaper over hessian (dating to 1922 when repairs were required after water tanks leaked) continue up the stairs and along the length of the hallway. Areas of wallpaper are damaged to the point that multiple layers can be seen down to the boards beneath, the original being red. A half round arch with turned corbels marks the transition from the top of the stairs to the adjacent doorways. The original fuse box hangs at the end of the hall to the right of the doorframe into bedroom 1. Kitchen and Scullery To the left is the kitchen which is clad in horizontal timbers from ceiling to floor, painted primrose. The ceiling of wide boards and architraves are painted white with a green trim, and the skirting, door and window frames are painted green. There is linoleum on the floor. A four-panel door through to the scullery is painted green with primrose panels. A Shacklock coal range firebox and wetback are set into a fireplace with a simple timber mantlepiece with carved brackets (Figure 24 & Figure 25). The scullery floor is rimu boards, there are three original open shelves on the left wall, a bench with an enamel basin and doors with vertical panelling (Figure 26). Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 17
Sitting Room The sitting room is the next room on the left off the hallway. The walls are papered (possibly dating to 1927) and the ceiling of wide boards and architraves is painted white. The skirtings are shellacked. There is loose linoleum on the floor overtop of rimu floorboards. There are three windows casting light from the east and south. A fireplace surround in the south west corner is black painted timber and has a cast iron coal fire set in. Under the window facing the street, a bolt attaches a length of hemp rope to be used as a fire escape. The Victorian chaise longue and chair are original furnishings (Figure 27 & Figure 28). Bedroom 1 Bedroom 1 is adjacent the Sitting Room, the walls are papered (possibly dating to 1927) and the ceiling of wide boards and architraves are painted a light green. There is loose linoleum on the floor overtop of rimu floorboards. Skirtings and the window frame are varnished with shellac. There is a window casting light from the west. A fireplace surround in the south east corner is pink painted timber and has a cast iron coal fire set in (Figure 29 & Figure 30). Bathroom The bathroom is situated on the right side of the hall between the two bedrooms and like the other rooms in the building has a wide board timber ceiling and characteristic architraves. Significantly, this room has retained its original lead floor. The room is clad in horizontal timbers painted yellow. The bath was on the left side of the room, clearly discernible by difference in paint colour on the wall. A wood seated toilet is situated south west corner. A board with four coat hooks is situated on the western wall (Figure 31, Figure 32 & Figure 33). Bedroom 2 Bedroom 2 is closest to the stairs on the right side of the hall. The ceiling of wide boards, the architraves and window frames are painted white. The skirting is varnished with shellac and the rimu floorboards are bare. The floorboards have suffered some damage. The walls are papered (c. 1927). A hemp fire escape rope is installed under the window (Figure 34). Outside Adjacent to the south west corner of the post office is a small mudbrick shed with corrugated iron roof. This is in poor repair. Behind the post office is a single height rectangular building comprising three spaces: a toilet on the left, and two storage sheds (Figure 10). Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 18
Construction Professionals
John Campbell, Government Architect44
Jerimiah Drummey, Builder
John Instone, Painter - 2000
John Symons Ltd, Builder - 2000
Construction Materials
Brick, timber and corrugated iron
Key Physical Dates
Note: a detailed list is available in St Bathans Post Office Historic Reserve Archaeological
Assessment.
1874 – First post office constructed
1909 – Original construction
1915 – Addition added by Postmistress
1918 – Addition removed by Postmistress
1918 – Redecoration of the kitchen
1919 – Possible painting of the interior
1922 – Tanks above entrance removed. Paper stripped, scrim re-stretched, new paper
applied in stairwell and entrance hall. Fire escape ropes installed in sitting room and
bedroom.
1923 – Plumbing work conducted
1927 – Possible repapering in residence
1930s – Two windows added to the north façade in scullery and in bedroom 2.
1937 – Private boxes removed from the porch? Lean-to added at the rear of the
accommodation entry/staircase
1984 – Department of Lands and Survey carried out restoration - painting and repiling, and
demolition of an outbuilding
1984 – removal of lean-to at the rear of the accommodation entry/staircase
1988 – Flush toilet and septic tank
1991 – Window glass replaced (frosted pane in teller area, two lounge windows and kitchen
window)
1995 – Window fixed and doors eased
2000 – Repiled and repainted, ground water drain installed
44 https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c3/campbell-john
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 192000s – Carpet squares laid in public areas 2003 – Repacking of piles 2004 – Chubb fire sprinkler system installed and drainage on north side of the post office building 2010 / 2011 – Removal of bath 2011 – Phone and powerlines placed below ground. Honeycomb removed from upstairs wall cavity beside the chimney, replacement weatherboards, sash windows freed up and cords respliced. Roof guttering replaced and lead reformed. Underfloor insulation installed. Air vents replaced. Picket fence replaced on east, west and southern boundaries. Internal concreting of the two chimneys. 2015 – Utilities upgraded Uses Civic Facilities – Community Centre Civic Facilities – Museum Communication – Post Office (Former) Trade – Shop Comparative analysis Heritage New Zealand has nearly 90 former post offices on the New Zealand Heritage List/ Rārangi Kōrero across Aotearoa New Zealand. They vary enormously in size, style and age. At time of writing there are a total of 19 listed as Category 1 historic places, and 69 registered as Category 2. Rural post offices from the stable of John Campbell varied across the country, though many tended to be small, single storey and constructed of permanent materials. The following post offices have been chosen as comparators with the St Bathans Post Office (Former) because they are most similar in age, form and style. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 20
Post Office (Former), Collingwood (List No. 5111, Category 1 historic place)45
Completed in 1904, the Collingwood Post Office is a fine example of the Government post
offices erected throughout New Zealand in the early twentieth century and like St Bathans
Post Office, was designed by John Campbell in Imperial Baroque style and built using native
timbers. Larger than the St Bathans Post Office, with the kitchen and dining room downstairs
and four bedrooms and a sitting room upstairs.46
Like St Bathans Post Office, the public spaces retain their original post office counter,
tongue-and-groove wall lining, doors, skirting and flooring and staircase. St Bathans Post
Office however retains more of the original fabric of the building and the patina of age that
creates an atmosphere of authenticity, and the exterior has retained traditional paint
colours. Both post office buildings continue to serve their communities; Collingwood as an
art gallery, and St Bathans as a museum and research centre.
45 Post Office (Former), Collingwood (List No. 5111, Category 1) https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/5111
46 Collingwood Post Office (wooden building), block plan, plans elevations and sections of Post Office and out buildings,
Collingwood, scale 8 feet to 1 inch, one helio [heliograph] - Specification 21476
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE37753712 accessed 4 December 2020.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 21Kaeo Post Office (Former) (List No. 9519, Category 2 historic place)47
Former Kaeo Post Office, Bill Edwards, Heritage New Zealand, 18 March 2020.
Like Collingwood and St Bathans, the Kaeo Post Office is a two-storey timber structure
designed by John Campbell. The former Kaeo Post office was built in 1911, and is similar to St
Bathans in layout, with the public spaces downstairs and all of the private spaces on the
second storey. 48 The front elevation of Kaeo is more similar to St Bathans that Collingwood
with its stepped design, however a major deviation to the original design is an extension to
the building. A further major difference is the significant interior renovation that has meant
the loss of original wall linings and surface finishes.
The design for Kaeo Post Office was based on one of two standard approaches for smaller
post offices, which consisted of a two-storeyed block of three bays with a hipped roof. Unlike
earlier examples of this type, which generally emphasised the middle bay by incorporating a
central gable and front porch, it was more aligned with designs created in the second decade
of the 1900s which provided an entrance in each of the end bays and paired windows in a
47 Kaeo Post Office (Former) (List No. 9519, Category 2) https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/9519
48 Plan, PWD 32649, ACHL 22541 W5 Box 577 32649/2, Auckland Post Offices – Kaeo Post Office, Amended – Plan, Elevation
and Sections, Archives New Zealand, Wellington; Peter Richardson, 'Campbell, John', Dictionary of New Zealand
Biography, first published in 1993, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand,
https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c3/campbell-john [accessed 10 Mar 2020].
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 22central bay.49 At Kaeo, the design dispensed with visual symmetry, incorporating a public
front door in the western part of its front elevation and a secondary entrance for staff in a
set-back bay on the east side. Like many of the later examples, its appearance was simpler
and less ornate than the earlier types.50 Its timber construction differed from Campbell’s
general preference for more durable materials, although many Northland post offices of the
period were similarly erected of wood.51 Its two-storey design contrasts with many of
Campbell’s timber post offices, both in Northland and elsewhere, which were generally a
single storey in height.52
2.3. Chattels
This List entry includes chattels that contribute to the heritage significance of the place. Guy
Williams noted, in his 2009 inventory, that, ‘The building chattels appear to have a very
highly authentic state to when it was used as a Post Office and Postmaster’s residence.’53 All
photos by Sarah Gallagher, Heritage New Zealand, 3 December 2020 unless otherwise stated.
49Richardson, Peter, ‘An architecture of empire: The government buildings of John Campbell in New Zealand’, PhD Thesis,
University of Canterbury, 1988, p. 148 https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/6700 accessed 4 December 2020.
50 ibid.
51 ibid, p. 142.
52 ibid.
53 Williams, 2009, p. 8.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 23Ericsson wall mounted telephone
An oak Ericsson telephone c. 1946-
48. Magneto polished hardwood case
with a writing desk and bakelite
micro - telephone.54
Bath
Bath removed and stored in storage
shed outside. This is the second bath
in the property.
54 https://www.britishtelephones.com/ericsson/n2515.htm
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 24Fire escape 1
Knotted hemp rope
installed as a fire
escape from the
Sitting Room. This
was installed c. 1927.
Fire escape 2
Hemp rope installed
as a fire escape from
Bedroom 2. This was
installed c.1927.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 25Victorian ladies chair
Victorian Ladies Chair with turned legs
on casters. Matching chaise located in
the Sitting Room.
Victorian Chaise Lounge
Victorian Chaise
Lounge with turned
legs on casters with
matching chair
located in the Sitting
Room.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 26Victorian metal hat box
An unpainted Victorian
metal hat box
containing brown paper
parcel wrappings
addressed to Ms
Nicholson, a previous
Post Mistress. The box
is located in Bedroom 1.
2.4. Sources
Sources Available and Accessed
A variety of material has been used in compiling this report; primary sources from Archives
NZ including the original scope of works and plans, visitors’ books from the time of the Post
Office as a retail outlet from 1995-2008, newspaper articles, and a number of secondary
publications.
Further Reading
Department of Lands and Survey, St Bathans Reserves Management Plan, 1985.
Janet. C. Cowan, Down the Years in the Maniototo: A Survey of the Early History of Maniototo
County and Naseby Borough, Otago Centennial Historical Publications, Whitcombe and
Tombs, Dunedin, 1948.
R. Gilkison, Early Days in Central Otago, Whitcoulls, Christchurch, 1978.
N. Harwood and P. Woodmansey, Historic Buildings Appraisal, St Bathans, Otago,
Department of Conservation Science Internal Series 185, 2004.
Lewis E. Martin, Built for Us: The Work of Government and Colonial Architects, 1860s to
1960s, Dunedin, 2004.
G. Nicolson-Garrett, St. Bathans, John McIndoe, Dunedin, 1977.
Richardson, Peter. An architecture of empire: The government buildings of John Campbell in
New Zealand, M.A. Thesis, University of Canterbury,1988.
https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/6700
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 27Peter Richardson, 'Campbell, John 1857 - 1942', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
updated: 7 April 2006, http://www.dnzb.govt.nz
Marion Sutton, St Bathans Post Office Historic Reserve Archaeological Assessment of
Proposed Site Upgrade Work on Sections 11 and 12 Blk I Town of St Bathans, January 2011.
Guy Williams, St Bathans Post Office Heritage Inventory, commissioned by Department of
Conservation, 2009.
3. SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT55
3.1. Section 66 (1) Assessment
This place has been assessed for, and found to possess, aesthetic, architectural, historical,
and social significance or value. It is considered that this place qualifies as part of New
Zealand’s historic and cultural heritage.
Aesthetic Significance or Value
The Post Office has outstanding aesthetic significance due to the remarkable preservation of
the majority of the original fabric of the interior. The warm timbers of the administrative area
and green baize covering on the telephone booth, make way for decorative wallpapers and
linoleum as the viewer moves through the building into the domestic area. The timber dado,
doors, door frames and the balustrade of the stairway are heavily beaded with the patina of
crazed shellac. The textured glass privacy panels and interior windows in the mail room
diffuse light creating a particular atmosphere, which intensifies in the narrow wallpapered
stairwell with its lushly patterned carpet. The many examples of early 19th century wallpaper
are delicate and in places fragile and friable where it is lifting from the walls with the scrim.
Up to three layers of papers can be seen in some places, evidence of the postmistresses who
spent time negotiating interior upgrades. The lead floor in the bathroom and utilitarian hemp
fire escape ropes in the Sitting Room and Bedroom 2 provide a visceral feeling for life in a
wooden Victorian building. The patina of age, visible through fixtures and fittings, layers of
paint, paper and shellac leave the visitor with a palpable impression of life in the Post Office.
Architectural Significance or Value
The St Bathans Post Office (Former) has special architectural significance as a government
building in the Imperial Baroque style. This style was representative of government buildings
55 For the relevant sections of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, see Appendix 4: Significance Assessment
Information.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 28of the era under the auspices of New Zealand’s first government architect, John Campbell.
Clearly the most impressive building in the town of St Bathans, the building maintains a
vernacular feel through its use of materials which connects it to the surrounding
architecture. Its formal function is downplayed in its styling, a significant departure from the
formality of earlier post office buildings such as those in Ophir and Clyde. It is particularly
significant due to its state of interior authenticity when compared with other remaining post
offices and this elevates its heritage value to being of national significance.
Historical Significance or Value
The St Bathan’s Post Office (Former) has historic significance. Post Offices once formed an
important part of the infrastructure of small rural towns, being the centre of government
functions, including banking, telegraph and telephone services. The post office played an
important role in communication in the years prior to current forms of electronic
communication, when the postal and telegraph service was vital to its community. This was
also important in an era when travel was slow. The building is a reminder of the social
importance of the post office to the community, illustrated by Sir Joseph Ward's involvement
in the initial commission of the building.
Social Significance or Value
The Post Office has outstanding social significance in the St Bathans area community and has
only increased in value this century. A strong community response against a concession
proposal in 2011 prevented a potential development of the Post Office into boutique
accommodation that would have restricted public access and renovated the building with
ensuing loss of heritage fixtures and fittings. Owned by Department of Conservation Te Papa
Atawhai, the building is currently held under a ten-year commission by the St Bathans Area
Community Association (SBACA) who intend to develop it as a museum, information centre
and community hub. Their initiative has received a favourable response from the community
in trialling this initiative.
3.2. Section 66 (3) Assessment
This place was assessed against all criteria, and found to qualify under the following: a, b, e, f,
k. It is considered that this place qualifies as a Category 1 historic place.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 29(a) The extent to which the place reflects important or representative aspects of New Zealand history The Post Office is representative of important aspects of New Zealand's history, when this service played a vital role in the infrastructure and communications of small rural communities. It was important for its postal and telegraph services, connecting isolated communities with their neighbouring towns and other national centres. The authenticity and integrity of the fabric of the building, particularly the interior elements of the public and private spaces, reflect both the formulaic approach to designing post offices of the time and the materials used, but also the latitude allowed by resident staff to decorate over decades of occupation. As a post and telegraph office it provides an outstanding example of what members of the community would have experienced in its days of operation. With the dwindling number of intact rural post offices in New Zealand, this example only serves to increase in heritage value. (b) The association of the place with events, persons, or ideas of importance in New Zealand history The Post Office has an association with two people of particular importance in New Zealand's history. The Post Office was constructed following the visit to St Bathans of Liberal deputy Prime Minister Joseph Ward, who also held the role of postmaster general. On this visit, Joseph Ward authorised the construction of the new post office, a reward for the town’s support of the Liberal Party in the 1906 election. The building is also associated with Public Works architect John Campbell, in charge of the design of government buildings throughout New Zealand from 1889 until his retirement in 1922, becoming in 1909 the first person to hold the position of Government Architect. (e) The community association with, or public esteem for the place The community hold their Post Office in high esteem, as is evidenced by its inclusion in the Otago Goldfields Park, and in the concern expressed when the building was restored. It remained in use as a postal agency until 2008 and is recognised as significant in its status as a historic reserve in the town of St Bathans. A strong community response against a concession proposal in 2011 prevented a potential development of the Post Office into boutique accommodation that would have seen the renovation of the building, loss of heritage fabric, fittings and fixtures. The recent success of the SBACA to obtain at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – List Entry Review Report for a Historic Place, List No. 2254 30
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