Patrick, Margaret G. From Bush to Suburb: Karori 1840-1980. 1990. 72p. Out of print, but available from the Wellington Public Library and several of the branch libraries. The library call mark is 993.141 PAT 1990.

Chapter 1: 1840-1865 Pioneers in the Bush

Karori — derivation of name.

Settlers arrive.

Primitive road.

Some bush cleared.

Small Chapel 1844.

Judge Chapman builds first Homewood 1846.

Maori unrest, fires, earthquakes.

Mental Hospital 1854.

Karori School 1857.

Timber.

Small farms.

St Mary's 1866.

Reservoir 1872.

Coach service 1878.

Parochial Hall 1881.

The Deviation (Chaytor Street) 1885.

South Karori School 1887.

First major subdivision 1888.

Goldmining days.

Raroa Road planned.

Farming continues.

First meeting Borough Council 2 October 1891.

Cemetery 1891.

Raroa Road 1892.

Methodist Church 1895.

Boer War Camp 1899.

Karori Tunnel 1900.

Electricity from 1900.

Kelburn Viaduct 1902.

Council Chambers 1904 (stone laid 1902).

Trams to Cemetery 1907 and to Park 1911.

Influenza epidemic 1918.

Amalgamation with City 1 April 1920.

Water and sewerage 1926.

Suburban housing.

The Depression 1930s.

World War II, Wright's

Hill defences.

Tram route via Bowen Street 1940.

Trolley buses 1954.

New schools, churches, baths, halls, a cinema, parks and reserves.

From Chapter 4: 1921-1980 A Wellington Suburb

We come now to the last section of the history of Karori, during which it has been a suburb of Wellington. In 1920 Karori was still largely a rural community. The trams were running, and many people went into town for school and to work; but only part of the valley was developed. There were a great many empty paddocks, and cows were still wandering on the streets. There was no water supply, no sewerage and no gas — things that the suburb particularly wanted. There were some occasions during the early 1920s when the need for water particularly had been felt very seriously. 1924-1925 was a very dry summer, and the Wellington City Council had to send water carts around Karori offering to sell a load of water to people whose tanks were empty. It was not until 1926 that water, sewerage, and gas were really established in Karori. It was then that the population began to increase. In 1920 it was about 1,850. During the next ten years there was a great deal of building.

Another improvement that was badly needed was to the roads. Photographs of the roads in the '20s and '30s showed what bad surfaces there were. For a long time the only sealing had been between the tramlines on the Main Road. At least one old lady was killed because, like many others, she walked on this bitumen surface because the rest of the road was so rough.

One minor change was that some Karori streets had to be renamed to avoid duplication with city streets. This was irritating to Karori people, but was necessary. Some people still use old names, and we can hear reference to "the Main Road", which was the name of Karori Road before amalgamation. View Road (originally MacDonald Street) became Messines Road; Johnston Street turned into Nottingham Street, and so on.