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Kōrero: Building and construction industry

Charles Luney, early 1930s

Charles Luney, early 1930s

Christchurch builder Charles Luney’s distinctive white truck is loaded up for the journey to Nelson, where he had secured a contract to build a large villa for psychiatric patients in Stoke. While completing the villa he tendered for another job building a laundry and boiler house alongside Stoke Hospital. He had made a tidy profit on the first job, but the second netted him £850 (over $90,000 in 2009 terms).

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Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Carl Walrond, Building and construction industry – Commercial construction companies, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/24187/charles-luney-early-1930s (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Carl Walrond, i tāngia i te 26 February 2010.

Comments

John Charles William Luney Qso . Patriarchal Heir .
16 May 2022
That's Not Charles !!! That's His Youngest Brother My Father Jack ! Soldier 5th Engineers - Egypt Italy Germany & Japan ! Under Fryberg from Monte' Casino Right up into Strasbourg Germany . After the 28th Showed the World again ! Maori Toa ! Jack - the Photographer for His Unit & 60 Years Working with His Older Brother Charles ! Whom never touched the "Tool's" after fixing Window's in Lyttelton & His Father "Charles Senior" Layed Bricks with the 2 Younger Brother's while the Younger Sister Irene was th e "House Maid Wet Nurse" Tat Charlie chased Down when She ran away to get Married "They Couldn't Run the House without Her " ! all Worked on the Princess Margarete Hospital that Charles did a Silent Partner Deal with Mr McSkimming for the Bricks from His Local Works & The Plumber Fritz & His Sister Hilder Wengler did the Same Deal "Credit until Full Payment Received" This Photo is Taken By My Father's Camera Zeis Ikon & as a "Clever Joke" My Father placed Charlies Vest ! over His Arm to Show He wasn't one of His "Look a like Brother's ! But Jack & Bill (William ) Actually did the Work , even the "Court Theatre" was Built by Bill & Staff ! & Charles Daughters Eulogized "We never saw Him with a Tool in His Hand" But His look alike Younger "5th Engineer & Slain Daily Whipping Boy Bill" were mistaken for Charlie everywhere we went ! John Charles William Luney Qso "Patriarchal Heir" !