RUNANGA MINERS HALL - corner of Mills and McGowan Streets,opened 4 December .1908.

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DescriptionRUNANGA MINERS HALL.Built on the corner of Mills and McGowan Streets and opened on 4 December 1908. A train brought people from Greymouth to Runanga for the opening. It was the country's first co-operatively built building with input from the State Miners' Union, the mines, Greymouth businesspeople and the state. The building was designed by the mines engineer George Millar and built by Walter Murray of Cobden.
In January 1937 fire destroyed the hall and adjacent union office. It was suspected to be politically motivated arson but no one was ever charged. Nine months later the building was replaced with another design by George Millar and built by J. McMillan of Cobden.Date of Photo1908Map^[1]ContributorTony Kokshoorn

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)RunangaLandmark (Place)McGowan StreetMills streetOrganisation (eg business)RUNANGA MINERS HALL

Category Information

Category TagCoal Mining

From Facebook

Date Created14th November 2022Comments
Les Holmes Germanicus
The burning down of this Hall in 1937 was not a political statement at all. It was arsoned to cover an embezzlement crime. We know now who the perpetrator was and why it was done. The Hall that has survived and being restored was built within 9 months in the same year. Now there's what you can really call a political act by the local community.

Geoffrey King
Les Holmes Germanicus Nothing has changed today with respect to the embezzlement.

John Van Pomeren
Les Holmes Germanicus
Very intriguing!
Given that the perpetrators would now likely be deceased,are you able to tell us a bit more about the (alleged) embezzlement?

Vern Pattinson
John Van Pomeren that would be awesome if you did mention

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RUNANGA MINERS HALL - corner of Mills and McGowan Streets,opened 4 December .1908.

Editing is temporarily disabled