Honnor Place

In a 1986 interview, John Honnor described his father, Alf, as a "doer, not a talker". Alfred George Honnor crammed so much into his 79 years there probably wasn't much time for talking.

He was born in New Plymouth in 1899, and after finishing New Plymouth Boys' High School, he entered the building trade with his father, Harry Honnor.

Shortly after his marriage to May Jones in 1924, Alf Honnor and his new wife left to farm in the King Country. It didn't take him long to become involved with the local community and eventually, as chairman of the Waitaanga Dairy Company, he helped negotiate its merger with the Piopio Dairy Company.

The Honnor family returned to New Plymouth in the early 1930s. Mr Honnor also returned to the building trade, eventually becoming president of the Taranaki Master Builders' Association.

He then turned his attention to local body politics. He was elected to the New Plymouth Borough Council in 1947 and after three terms as a councillor, including one as deputy mayor, he decided to stand for mayor in 1956.

As he was the highest-polling candidate in the 1953 election, then Mayor Edward Hill must have known he had a battle on his hands. So it proved on Election Day. Mr Honnor soundly defeated Mr Hill by 1500 votes.

Mr Honnor went on to serve 12 years as mayor of New Plymouth, retiring at the 1968 election. During his time in office, he oversaw the building of the Kawaroa Pool complex, New Plymouth Airport and the Taranaki Crematorium. As well as leading the city, he managed to find the time to serve on numerous local boards and committees.

His contribution to civic affairs was rewarded with an OBE in 1967. He died in 1979, survived by his wife and five children.

Honnor Place, a short cul-de-sac in upper Westown, is a fitting tribute to the long-serving mayor.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.