Whanganui Mayor Mackay: Malefactor?
A DigitalNZ Story by Kevin Double
It was early 1920 when Whanganui was rocked by the shooting scandal of the decade!
Whanganui, Mayor, Shooting, Walter Darcy Cresswell, Charles Mackay, Blackmail, Scandal, Gay rights, law, public judgement, LGBTQI+, Wanganui, Arrested
16 May 1929
Whanganui mayor arrested!
MAYOR ARRESTED (Taranaki Daily News 17-5-1920)
National Library of New Zealand
Who were involved?
MR. C. E. MACKAY, THE NEWLY-ELECTED MAYOR OF WANGANUI
Auckland Libraries
Walter D'Arcy Cresswell
Alexander Turnbull Library
View of Ridgway Street, Wanganui
Alexander Turnbull Library
Newspaper coverage across New Zealand
SHOOTING AFFRAY (Marlborough Express, 17 May 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
MAYOR AND SOLDIER. (Poverty Bay Herald, 21 May 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
THE WANGANUI SENSATION. (Taranaki Daily News 22-5-1920)
National Library of New Zealand
Mackay convicted of attempted murder
WANGANUI MAYOR ARRESTED (NZ Truth, 22 May 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
WANGANUI'S NEW MAYOR. (Grey River Argus, 26 May 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
MACKAY TRIAL. (Taranaki Daily News 28-5-1920)
National Library of New Zealand
WANGANUI SHOOTING CASE (Hawera & Normanby Star, 28 May 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
MAYOR MACKAY: MALEFACTOR (NZ Truth, 05 June 1920)
National Library of New Zealand
Mackay to be released after 7 years
Ex-Mayor Mackay Again (NZ Truth, 06 January 1927)
National Library of New Zealand
Mackay, Ex-Mayor Of Wanganui, Released From Mount Eden Gaol (NZ Truth, 09 September 1926)
National Library of New Zealand
What happened to Mackay after his release?
SITUATION IN BERLIN (Evening Post, 02 May 1929)
National Library of New Zealand
RIOTS IN BERLIN (Evening Post, 04 May 1929)
National Library of New Zealand
STATE OF SIEGE ENDS (Evening Post, 07 May 1929)
National Library of New Zealand
Chequered Career Ended (NZ Truth, 09 May 1929)
National Library of New Zealand
Controversial ex-mayor killed in Berlin riots
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
What happened to Cresswell afterwards?
Walter D'Arcy Cresswell
Alexander Turnbull Library
Cresswell, Walter D'Arcy
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Group, including the parents of Walter D'Arcy Cresswell, at Avondene, Stratford-on-Avon, England
Alexander Turnbull Library
Walter D’Arcy Cresswell, 1948
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
More poetic coverage
Whanganui Mayor shoots poet, 1920
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Whanganui mayor shoots poet
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Charles Mackay
Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga