Family History 1.139

Gaze History

NSG Memoir

continued, Graham Bond writing:

 

Noel retraced his route only to find his boat acting as a silent policeman in the centre of the intersection of Gt South Rd & Greenlane Rd. 

 

OFFICE 1946.  I soon learnt to appreciate his wisdom, his integrity and his sense of humour.  He was a great mimic and many was the time that we shared a good laugh. Money was not the sole aim but making friends and helping those in need was a priority.  Noel was highly respected both in the legal and in the Christian community. It was a privilege to work beside him.

 

In the early 50s Noel subscribed to TIME magazine. His interest in Constitutional Law had continued since the days of his graduate studies, and specially his regard for the American system.  He followed the 1952 Presidential Election in the pages of TIME and discussed it with colleagues and with Franklin, who read TIME after Noel had finished it.  There was general satisfaction when Eisenhower was elected.  As ever, the Gaze home was often open to visitors and friends.  And in these years there was on such occasions a sing-song around the piano, all the old songs being trotted out, from Lily of Laguna to Riding Down from Bangor. 

Noel had again been persuaded to help with youth work, this time as an officer of the Auckland Baptist Young Men’s Bible Class Union. Franklin was a Bible Class leader at Epsom, and also attended the Union meetings. In 1953 Noel was President of the Union, and Franklin was elected Secretary. The basement of the Grange Road house became the Union office, with a Gestetner duplicator churning out newsletters and minutes. The highlight of this partnership was a successful Easter Camp at Eastern Beach in 1954, the first time a combined young men’s and young women’s camp had been held.  450 young people packed the campsite. 

Stuart had enrolled at Epsom Primary school when the family shifted to Grange Road, and by now he was completing his primary education at Normal Intermediate. Olwyn had completed her secondary studies at St Cuthbert’s and decided to try dental nursing, so enrolled at the Training School not far from the old Bellevue Road home where Auntie Dot (Doris) lived.  It took only a few weeks for Olwyn to find she was not happy looking at people’s mouths all day, and she switched to general nursing and started her training at Green Lane Hospital in July of 1954, finding this much more to her liking. Noel was always fully involved in supporting and encouraging his children whenever there was a decision or a new step to be taken. 

At the end of 1954, there was a General Election.  Noel took Franklin to a political meeting in Dominion Road to hear a speech by the local National candidate, Duncan Rae.  And on the day before the election, Franklin turned 21 and so qualified to vote.  He also sat his last University exam on his birthday.