OBITUARY

TRIBUTE

PETE BLOXHAM

Murray Horton

I can’t remember if Pete was ever an actual CAFCA member. If he was, it was so long ago that we no longer have a record of it. But what I do know is that he took part in CAFCA’s foundational activity, the 1975 South Island Resistance Ride. I don’t have to remember that—the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) did it for us. Included in CAFCA’s copious SIS file - spanning a quarter of a century, from the 1970s until the 90s—there is a complete list of names and addresses (and phone numbers, in some cases) of Resistance Ride participants, obviously copied and/or stolen from our files. Pete Bloxham is listed there, as one of the Auckland contingent on the Ride.

In the half century since then, I knew Pete as part of my extended circle of friends and mates. In the first few of those decades it was a very active social scene, with plenty of parties and a regular cabaret night. And I knew him through the combination of social life and cricket. As Paul details, below, Pete was a stalwart of the Heathcote Cricket Club.

He was a driving force in the regular Communists versus Terrorists cricket matches that were played in the 80s at Heathcote Domain and various other picturesque picnic spots that we descended on by the busload (CAFCA’s very own Bill Rosenberg used to be one of our bus drivers, as he did that for a living in a previous life). I fancied myself as a dashing batsman but the scoreboard kept reminding me otherwise; I didn’t do too badly as a demon fast bowler. Those were the last cricket matches I ever played and they were enormous fun (very much of the hit one, drink one variety). Rest in peace, Pete.

OBITUARY

PETE BLOXHAM

31st December 1953 - 26th February 2026

Paul Corliss

Early Life

As with many others, Pete’s life was enacted on several geographic stages. The statistical bare bones include: Pete was the son of the late Tom and Mary Bloxham, born on New Year’s Eve (which would later provide ample excuse for celebration and socialising to see in every New Year). Sister Kay noted that the 31st of December is St Sylvester’s Day and their Mum recalled she was afraid that her formidable Aunty Kitty was going to insist that he be called after her late husband Sylvester. A shame really, but the other siblings always wished Pete a Happy Saint Sylvester’s day on the 31st of December each year.

He was born in Waiuku which was based in Franklin District between the Auckland metropolitan area and the Waikato Plains. He was raised on a small, hard-bitten farm in Patumahoe, between the Waikato River and Manukau Harbour. They all grew up on the farm in fairly archetypal 1950s and 1960s New Zealand. As Pete’s sister Kay noted: “…Although none of it seems as idyllic, looking back, as Country Calendar…”. He was the exact middle child of the child-infused family, number four of what would eventually be seven children.

His first attempt at education saw him at Mauku Primary School in Union Road where he was eponymously and delightfully known as Peach Blossom. Pupils were supplied from Franklin District towns such as Pukekohe, Patumahoe and Waiuku. There was a wood burner in his classroom, and, with a mate, he thought it would be of “scientific” interest to throw paper darts up the chimney and rush outside and watch the resulting spark show—much fun and lots of fiery paper darts flying up like meteors. That night, coincidentally or otherwise, the chimney caught fire and burnt the class room down. Thankfully, the wood burner copped the blame and science had another convert.

For Pete, it was then on to Pukekohe High School—the district was reputedly the spud-growing capital of New Zealand. Pete recalled at least one of his former secondary school teachers, a Merv Wellington who, when he had disposed of Pete’s inhibited progress, went on to become Minister of Education for a National government from 1978 to 1984, a rather quantum leap in activity. It was “Marvelous Merv” who attempted to enforce a statutory daily pupil salute to the NZ flag and an honouring of the Queen. His love of royalty did not permeate down to Pete. The Principal’s comment in Peter’s last school report noted, rather exasperatedly, that “…Bloxham’s interests lie somewhere outside the school curriculum…”—which was true.

When Pete left school, he took up a photolithography apprenticeship as a result of becoming interested in the printing industry through Kay’s husband, Paul Taylor. Unsurprisingly, Pete’s social and political activism sometimes got him into strife with his employer and they were going to fire him when he was near the end of his apprenticeship and they at the end of their wits. Big sister Kay visited his workplace and pleaded with them to “please let him finish” and then he would “get out of their hair” … and that is what happened.

PYM

Peter developed his social conscience at quite an early age and always had the courage of his convictions. Learning his radical ropes early in the piece, Pete had joined the Auckland Progressive Youth Movement (PYM) and the People’s Union based in Ponsonby. I believe he flatted in Crummer Road, Grey Lynn. Political storms and associated actions were frequent in the late 1960s-early 1970s (at least they appeared so) and oppositional pickets and protests were accordingly bordering on habitual. He joined protests against New Zealand’s involvement in the Vietnam War, French nuclear testing in the Pacific and visits of nuclear armed ships to New Zealand.

Avon Loop

Pete moved to Christchurch in 1974 at age 21, and took up a continuance of his photolithography commitment. Respect for his skills was evident and was reinforced by his employment with the company he had served his slightly abrasive apprenticeship with when they expanded and opened a branch in Christchurch. Pete, and Ruth Corliss, later with skate-king son Gerard, of course, lived for some years in the close-knit community that was the Avon Loop.

Located on a distinct bend of the Ōtākaro/Avon River in central Christchurch they were actively involved with helping develop its rich legacy of community spirit and environmental activism. “The Loop” has a long legacy of peace and environmental advocacy and cooperative community projects. Through their active involvement they came to know and learn from renowned peace activist and prolific writer Elsie Locke¹ who lived there for 50 years, and her husband Jack Locke², who was much respected, a freezing worker unionist and an active-to-the-end member of the former Communist Party.

Of course, there were such other committed community identities as the late Green Party Co-Leader Rod Donald³, who, in his early years, helped establish the city’s first Environment Centre within the Loop. Pete and his family were active in a community that rightly prided itself as “not just another small suburb”. I suspect it was similar, even if in a smaller way, to the equally close community of Lyttelton to where Pete, Ruth, and Gerard later transferred. Pete found an equally fond enclave of delightful friends and community closeness when he slipped his moorings across Te Whakaraupō to Diamond Harbour. It was a pleasure to hear and meet just some of the Diamond Harbour whanau at his farewell, including Jac Moir and Ian Findlay and Anita Cox.

81 Tour

The divisive and unwelcome Springbok rugby tour of 1981 provided Pete with another key focus on which to bring his political commitment to the fore. Other than the marching, demos and sit-ins, perhaps the most fearful action in retrospect was the inside divisible tennis balls⁴ “action within an action” at the Lancaster Park First Test. The fan fury, not long after the cancellation of the Hamilton game due to pitch occupation, was startlingly real and likely bordering on potential serious injury if not worse consequence, but the game struggled on.

Lyttelton; Diamond Harbour

Pete was a cryptic crossword solver, very creative artistically, quick witted and loved all genres of music. His frequent one-liners were always smile-splitting crackers, if a little intellectually convoluted. He was generous to people with both his time and his graphic art skills. He would supply retouched blown-up photographs, hand colourised, particularly in his Lyttelton Port days. I recall one early etching of the port that required literally days of painstaking handwork to return it to its glory days.

The great, for a short time, London Street-domiciled Lyttelton pub The Rat & Roach (run by ex-seafarer Prisky and retiring unionist Graeme Young), had walls full of large-scale early wharf labouring, industrial and historic port scenes courtesy of Pete. Another renowned Lyttelton-bred seafarer was a close mate while alive, Bill “Pincher” Martin, National President of the NZ Seamen’s Union.

Pete was an accomplished socialiser who early learnt the lesson of drink driving consequences. If lifts weren’t forthcoming at 3 or 4 in the morning, he would sort-of walk home to Lyttelton over the Port Hills’ Bridle Path. Often a bit squiffy and it would usually be in the dead of night after an excellent bout of committed socialising at the Heathcote Cricket Club or the Valley Inn. He would somehow still manage to dodge and balance the two and a half kilometres of up-and down-hill ruts, rocks and steep pit-falls. But, staggering up the final few metres of the gentle homeward path, he somehow managed, unerringly, to find a hose or a clothes basket to fall face-flat over.

Cricket

Pete joined the local Heathcote Cricket Club (HCC) in the mid-1980s to team up with a dodgy group of chaps: Allan Sutton, an organiser with the then Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, John Fisher of the Journalists and Graphic Processors Union, Mike Pannell from the Workers Union and the Hotel & Hospital Workers Union, Ged O’Connell late of E tū, Engineers Union delegate the late Ken Corliss,⁵ and Paul Corliss of the Rail & Maritime Transport Union.

A Leftwing cabal indeed but sadly more skilled industrially than cricketing-wise. As old pal Ken Lomax has quoted: “Together, they formed a formidable team, albeit mainly in the bar afterwards, rather than on the field of play… Pete was primarily a top order batter, although he was also known to have the occasional bowl. I could highlight his less than impressive statistics, but that seems unfair.”

As Lomax, long-time HCC President, also said at Pete’s farewell: "Pete wasn’t about statistics, he played cricket for the love and drama of the game, and the camaraderie that came with it. However, I have talked to a number of contemporaries prior to today, and unfortunately, none of them can remember an innings of note from Pete, not one! In fact, the best I can come up with is a 19 not out recorded as his highest score in the 1985/86 season. Upon receiving the inevitable umpire’s raised finger, Pete was renowned for going to sit on his own behind a tree, or if at Hillsborough, behind the roller, contemplating life and the vagaries of cricket.

As son Gerard was growing up Pete took charge of the Junior teams at Heathcote. In the late eighties and early nineties, he was our Junior Club Captain. He coached the teams, and he umpired and/or scored their Saturday morning games. Tiki Taane was one of Gerard’s teammates, although of course he went on to be famous for his musical skills rather than his cricketing ones. As an occasional bowler, Pete was (mercilessly) described as bowling ‘left arm droppy things’ which more often than not led to a wicket, usually caught on the boundary edge…"

Poster Designer

He was generous with his time and his creative talents. In addition to designing and printing off artful posters for a range of clubs, community activities and special occasions he had an inherent understanding of the support needed for a wide range of social justice causes. As good an example that comes to mind: for many years Pete designed and produced superbly elegant and eloquent posters for each (International) Workers’ Memorial Day.

This was for the members of the Rail & Maritime Transport Union, many of whom he knew through the Lyttelton Port and the Christchurch Railways. He always captured the spirit of respectful commemoration and political progress—reinforcing the “Don’t Mourn—Organise” ethos that greatly contributed to the long-overdue positive health and safety outcomes for workers, particularly in rail.

I’m sure he would have preferred to be shovelling river gravel with his late mate Graham Monk. They sought to extract enough gold out of their “secret pozzies” on the Coast, to pay for their accommodation and liquid refreshments at Graham’s Uncle Bernie’s Paroa Hotel. A lot of gold at those prices, but then they socialised a lot of liquid refreshments too.

Skilful Tradesman With Strong Sense Of Social Justice

For someone who had little time for the usual human heartlessness and consumerism of capitalism, Pete was surprisingly diligent with his work, other tradesmen acknowledging the support and knowledge he shared with them about the photolithography trade in their formative years. He was viewed as being a particularly skilful tradesman who refreshingly cultivated a very healthy disrespect for some of the less humane actions and treatment of workers and their managerial practices.

As one former photolithographer noted, “…I came down to the South Island with a vague, ill-informed National-leaning political bent, inherited from my mother. After a couple of years under Pete’s tutelage, I had somehow evolved into a near-raving Leftwing radical and was the Union Secretary of JAGPRO—the Journalists & Graphic Processors Union… I haven’t really gone back! Pete had a deep-seated sense of social justice and would go into the trenches for people who he thought had been industrially hard done by. I really admired that…”.

Part of the industrial and political influence for Pete was also a likely product from association with the amiable, much respected and whisky-sipping Max Bollinger. A printer, freezing worker and active trade unionist, Max was the cartoonist for the illegal bulletins produced during the 1951 Waterfront Dispute, among other contributions; brother to Con Bollinger, the writer, journalist, trade union publicity officer, academic and Leftwing activist. Pete was a photolithographer at several places but Christchurch firms included Bascands, Colortonics, Sabre Graphics and Colorite. There were some eight or nine decades-hence photolithographers at his farewell.

Humorous Bastard, Politically Staunch

Pete died on the 26th of February 2026, at his home in Diamond Harbour, aged 72 years. There are only three surviving siblings - Kay, Stephen and Linda. I record Pete’s late sister Moira and his late brothers Gerard and Kevin. Son Gerard (“Garage”) is still ollying, popping and boning in his home-created skate dude rags… A mate and comrade of many in the close and supportive communities of Heathcote, Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour.

He will be sadly missed by extended family and his many friends, Lost Boys and Loose Girls inclusive. A clever bloke, a good friend, a humorous bastard and politically staunch with it. For 20 years he was the partner of Ruth Corliss (Paul’s sister. -Ed.). It is fitting to end with a brief selection from the lyrics of one of the songs played at Pete’s farewell—“Spinning Away” by Brian Eno and John Cale.

"One by one, all the stars appear

As the great winds of the planet spiral in

Spinning away, like the night sky at Arles

In the million-insect storm, the constellations form

On a hill, under a raven sky

I have no idea exactly what I’ve drawn

Some kind of change, some kind of spinning away

With every single line moving further out in time…"

TERRY HOLTON

Murray Horton

Terry Holton, who died in March 2026, aged 90, in Nelson, was a CAFCA member from 1995 until his death. And, as with so many other CAFCA members, I know nothing about him. I met him when I held public meetings in Nelson during my various national speaking tours. I tried to find someone to write his obituary or, at least, tell me something about his life but to no avail. I asked for help from a long-standing CAFCA member in Nelson but all I got back was that he had been a supporter of the former Alliance and “wore shorts throughout the winter” (I also noted the shorts when I met him).

I found a little bit about him online - “A much loved environmentalist, lifetime member of the Nelson Male Voice Choir, Supporter of the School of Music and many musicians worldwide”. One of the comments on his memorial page highlighted his “talking about music and politics”. Thank you, Terry, for your 30 years of CAFCA membership and support. Rest in peace.

“The balls, of course, could be thrown well over the barricade of wire and police onto the field. It was expected this would be noticed and cleaned up, which it was, reports indicating the game was delayed some 20 minutes while an already-prepared bucket brigade scoured the balls’ landing points. This time also allowed for officials and police to deal to/drag off the on-field attempted occupying ‘cadre’. A clear perspex block containing a handful of the contents sits (or at least sat) on display at the Rugby Union Museum”.

Watchdog 172 -- August 2026

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