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NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Smith & Caughey's Queen St store to be sold after closure
The board's moves to sell could hardly come at a worse time. Auckland department store Smith & Caughey's has shut. Photo / Dean Purcell Many properties are for sale in the CBD, some sites staying empty for decades – including the Royal International on Elliott St and the Auckland Star site on Fort St. Widescale development of apartments has ceased and many older office buildings have vacant floors. Demolition specialist Ripout NZ showed mid-July how it was removing fixtures and fittings in the ground-floor cosmetics areas. Peter Alexander of the Smith & Caughey's board. Photo / Dean Purcell Andrew Lamb of Galaxy Property said his business was managing the building, but he preferred to talk about that later this year or early next year. What's it worth? Smith & Caughey Ltd owns the CBD properties and holds a number of titles. They include 253-261 Queen St, whose title was issued in 1965. It has a capital value of $39 million and annual rates of $283,000. Andrew Lamb of Galaxy Property. Photo / Michael Craig The property is made up of 2946sq m of land worth $35m and 1.3ha or 1329sq m of floor space worth only $4m. A second title at 20 Elliott St is a 1998sq m property and a third title at 9-11 Wellesley St is a 723sq m property. All titles are under one CV. Auckland Council holds no separate valuation or property information on the last two street addresses. Smith & Caughey's Queen St and Newmarket properties have a combined valuation of $53.5m. The Herald reported last year that if the Queen St and Newmarket buildings were sold, the money could be expected to be paid to shareholders. But nothing was said about the properties in last year's closure announcement, nor about the trust's future. The company Smith & Caughey is owned by Smith & Caughey Holdings, whose registered office is at 253-261 Queen St. Smith & Caughey Holdings was only incorporated in June 1988. Smith & Caughey Ltd's five directors are: Epsom's Peter John Alexander; St Heliers' Matthew Andrew Lovelace Caughey; Freemans Bay's Simon Fraser Dunlop; Epsom's John Nicholas Elliott and Remuera's Michael Howell Holloway. Historic buildings Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga lists the Smith & Caughey Building, Wellesley St West and Elliot [sic] St, as a Historic Place Category 1 building. Category 1 historic places are of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value. The building was entered on to the list in March 1986. One heritage website said Smith & Caughey's Wellesley St extension with its south facade and north elevation dated back to 1927. It was designed by architect Roy Lippincott, an American who designed a number of famous buildings. What next for the property? Some have suggested other retailers may be interested, including a supermarket operator, although that seems unlikely given the multi-level nature of buildings. A city centre school, offices and apartments have also been put forward as other possibilities. Plans for the St James Suites apartment block on Queen St. The tower was never built and the site is for sale. Apartments appear an unlikely prospect with so many already in town and the costs of conversion high. Plans for the $400m St James apartments never rose beside the heritage St James Theatre on Queen St. That empty site is understood to be up for sale. Tamba Carleton from CBRE specialises in research on apartments. Tamba Carleton of CBRE specialises in researching this area and is keeping totals of ditched schemes. Expansion remains sluggish, data from this year's first quarter show, although the build-to-rent sector is busy, Carleton has found. John Love is yet to pay $3m for the ex-Civic Administration Building, owned by the Auckland Council. It was the authority's headquarters but he converted it into 114 luxury apartments. He rebranded that The CAB. Not all units are sold. The $16.5m penthouse and sub-penthouses remain for sale. The CAB – 23 units are left to sell by developer John Love. Photo / Alex Burton Only when Love repays a loan standing last year at $70m does he have to pay the $3m. Are offices a possibility? Older office floorspace in that mid-town area is hard to lease. Big corporates are instead drawn to new, big-floor-space, green-star-rated, environmentally efficient buildings developed by businesses such as Mansons TCLM and Precinct Properties. Newmarket site In Newmarket, Smith & Caughey's traded from the heart of that suburb at a site near the end of Remuera Rd: the distinctive premises at 225 Broadway. That title is owned by Smith & Caughey Ltd. Council records show 219-225 Broadway is valued at $13.5m, has a land area of 1114sq m and a total floor area of 1846sq m. Rates there are $74,000/year. Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Bolt launches new Family Profile feature in New Zealand
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. European ride-hailing firm Bolt is launching in NZ " to shake up what has long been a duopoly in the New Zealand market, dominated by Uber". Bolt's NZ country manager Adam Muirson. 27 May 2025 New Zealand Herald photograph by Dean Purcell
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- NZ Herald
Police hunt for car involved in Whangārei bar robbery
27 Jul, 2025 07:49 AM Quick Read Police are seeking a white Toyota Aqua with stolen licence plates, registration KHA69, in connection to a violent bar robbery in Whangārei. Photo / Dean Purcell By RNZ Police are asking for help in locating a car involved in a violent bar robbery in Whangārei on Friday night. A shot was fired into the roof of the bar by an armed robber, who also assaulted a patron. Whangārei police said two suspects were sought, after entering the premises on Kensington Avenue with a firearm and demanding money. A man wielding a gun burst into the bar through the smokers' area about 9.30pm and demanded staff give him money from the till.
NZ Herald
19-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
All Blacks player ratings: How they rated in third-test win over France
13.) Anton Lienert-Brown – 8 Stalwart clocked up his 85th test, running on home soil, returning after 12 weeks with a crocked collarbone. Put his body straight back into the fray with grunty short-game work. Crucial try to end first half highlighted his strength and smarts. 12.) Quinn Tupaea – 6 Human battering ram battered away — he's at his best blazing on to his first-five's shoulder. A couple of handling errors. 11.) Sevu Reece – 7 Worked hard in his return after unlucky head knock in first minute of series. Brought trademark dash and hustled smartly for chances. Sevu Reece on the charge against France in Hamilton. Photo / Dean Purcell 10.) Damian McKenzie – 6 Organised well and was able to get his team in the right areas of the park. 9.) Cortez Ratima – 5 Produced a smart rolling boot for Will Jordan's try but sometimes seemed in two minds when delivering the ball from fast breakdowns. Halfback delivery seemed snappier when Hotham came on. 8.) Ardie Savea (c) – 5 A chip-and-chase 10m out from your own tryline? France were grateful for the three-pointer that followed; and again a few minutes later when he spilled the ball in his next carry in his own 22. First half was possibly one of his wobbliest in black. The Ardie we know so well — all leg strength, dash and breakdown bustle — returned in the second spell. Finished the match with the most carries (21). Ardie Savea takes the ball up against France, in Hamilton. Photo / Photosport 7.) Du'Plessis Kirifi – 7 Hurricanes skipper stepped up nicely following late call to the starting ranks. Loose pass in 13th minute hot on attack led to defensive scramble. In the second half, his old-fashioned breakdown skills came to the fore. Smart work to put himself in place to grab a crucial try. Another whose game improved as the night went on. Du'Plessis Kirifi goes over for a vital All Blacks try against France, in Hamilton. Photo / Dean Purcell 6.) Samipeni Finau – 6 Finally gets a chance to show his goods in the No 6 jersey after watching Chiefs teammate Tupou Vai'i impress in opening tests. Handled plenty and was accurate without being able to physically dominate the big Frenchmen. 5.) Fabian Holland – 8 Tallest timber on show at 2.04m, his giant frame looks even bigger in the black jersey. The Dutchman has been the find of the series for Razor. 4.) Patrick Tuipulotu (vc) – 8 Phenomenal effort from ABs locking duo who each played full match. The Blues skipper showed he has much to offer to a team that occasionally needs serious grunt work. 3.) Tyrel Lomax – 6 Returning from injury, he didn't get many carries. 2.) Samisoni Taukei'aho – 7 First lineout of the night went too long but the rest were better as he capitalised on hitting the taller locks. Contributed mightily with ball in hand. 1.) Ethan de Groot – 8 Handled the pill and bashed away well in an impressive first-half display. That half-chance try would have been well deserved. Reserves: Brodie McAlister – 7 George Bower – 7 Fletcher Newell – 8 Dalton Papali'i – 7 Christian Lio-Willie – NA Noah Hotham – 7 Timoci Tavatavanawai – 5 Jordie Barrett – 8
NZ Herald
05-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Operation Clementine: More than 200 work visas granted to defunct businesses linked to Vietnamese cannabis ‘grow houses' in Auckland
A joint investigation between the police and Immigration New Zealand uncovered how the organised crime syndicates exploited the visa system to bring in an illegal workforce. Operation Clementine identified 38 different registered companies with connections to the properties where the cannabis 'grow houses' were busted. Those businesses, often in the construction or hospitality industries, were then targeted in raids which uncovered more hidden cannabis crops. 'During the operation, it was discovered that 11 companies were found or believed to be inoperative,' according to an Immigration NZ briefing released under the Official Information Act. 'Despite this, 203 individuals who hold valid work visas are still present in New Zealand linked to these 11 companies.' The briefing said that 14 infringement notices were issued to companies employing staff 'in a manner that is inconsistent' with a work-related condition of that person's visa. Deportation liability notices were issued to 38 people, while two left New Zealand voluntarily. 'Operation Clementine has resulted in a number of interventions which are helping exploited migrants to exit illegal and dangerous situations,' the briefing said. Others who had been granted visas are now unable to enter New Zealand, the briefing said. Immigration New Zealand cancelled 62 visas before they left Vietnam, 14 were turned around at the border, and anyone connected to the network of 'grow house' companies is now on a watch-list. 'Warnings have been placed on Immigration New Zealand systems on all companies selected for Operation Clementine, and on all the directors or 'key persons' linked to these companies, to attempt to mitigate and prevent any future connections with non-compliance and or organised crime,' the briefing said. Police raiding a commercial cannabis operation running out of a residential home in Orakei, Auckland in October 2024. Photo / Dean Purcell. Immigration NZ also sent relevant evidence to Inland Revenue, Oranga Tamariki and the Auckland Council to follow up. Internally, referrals were also made to the Labour Inspectorate, the Companies Office, and the Tenancy Tribunal. Steve Watson, the general manager in charge of investigations and compliance at Immigration NZ, was reluctant to disclose how Operation Clementine started. But he said some patterns had been noticed that 'didn't seem quite right' and his staff worked closely with police to solve the problem together. 'We will use the information we've gained from this, the learnings, to help inform how we manage risk going forward.' Watson said many of the Vietnamese nationals caught up in Operation Clementine came into the country on legitimate grounds. 'Once they've got here, they've been talked into, or moved sideways, into illicit work,' Watson said. 'It's definitely something of concern because from a victim's point of view, we want to protect migrants and not see them exploited or involved in criminality. 'But sometimes they are complicit, or know what they're doing, and that's part of the investigation that does take a lot of time.' The joint investigation was also looking for connections between the directors and shareholders of the 38 different companies linked to the cannabis 'grow houses' that had been discovered. Going forward, Watson said the main focus of Immigration New Zealand was prevention of migrant exploitation before they even applied for a visa to live here. One of the concerns for Watson were stories of migrants paying large sums of money to 'unscrupulous' agents to obtain visas. 'We're talking $10,000 or $20,000. I've heard up to $30,000,' Watson said. 'That's something we want to put a stop to. The correct way to come to New Zealand is to come straight to us [Immigration NZ].' He referred questions about the issue of the cannabis 'grow houses' and Vietnamese organised crime groups to the New Zealand Police. However, a police spokesperson failed to respond to the Herald. Although Operation Clementine is an example of cooperation between two law enforcement agencies, a group of experts advising the Government on organised crime has warned that more needs to be done. 'Information sharing between government agencies is deficient. In some cases, that is because there are specific legislative barriers. In others, the willingness to share information proactively is due to the culture of organisations,' the advisory group wrote in March. 'We need to have a mature conversation about the privacy settings which balances the need to combat organised crime effectively, without compromising individual privacy interests.' Jared Savage covers crime and justice issues, with a particular interest in organised crime. He joined the Herald in 2006 and has won a dozen journalism awards in that time, including twice being named Reporter of the Year. He is also the author of Gangland, Gangster's Paradise and Underworld.
