Twelve years and one month

Armed with this and other information provided by the Licensing Control Commission, Rue Colson called a meeting of those interested to decide on the next step. The minutes note that after discussion both for and against, he succeeded in getting the meeting to support the motion: "That this meeting would support further efforts to obtain a licence for Kaiwaka." Colson then proposed that a committee of five be set up "to find ways and means of furthering the project". This passed, and Tom Hall, Jack Litten, Brian Linnell, Eric Judd and Rue Colson were elected to that first committee.

Three and a half years later the Licensing Control Commission advised that Kaiwaka's application would be heard at a sitting of the commission in Whangārei on 30 April 1958. The committee leapt into action, assembling evidence for the hearing. Kaiwaka's arguments for the licence were opposed by every hotel within reasonable driving distance, and by New Zealand Breweries, owners of the Maungaturoto Hotel. The Licensing Control Commission thought differently, and a few weeks later granted the licence.

It was to take another four years before a publican's licence was awarded to Mr E.C. Pipe of Avondale. The publican's licence was not part of the Licensing Commission's business; it was issued by the Northland Licensing Committee. Not realising that this second licence would take so long, the hotel committee had continued planning.

Two years later there had been no progress on the hotel. The hotel committee had been disbanded and the Country Town Committee was taking an overview of the project. They wrote to Pipe: "We are perturbed by the lack of progress over the last two years and would appreciate some definite assurance from you as to when Kaiwaka will have an hotel operating." Seven months later, in October 1963, Pipe received a letter from the Northland Licensing Committee advising that the time in which they required him to build and open his hotel had expired, and asking whether he intended to take any further steps. Evidently he did not. Late that year the Northland Licensing Committee advised Jack Litten that "there is no application before the committee concerning hotel premises in Kaiwaka".

A year later Jack Litten wrote to the MP for Rodney, saying that it was now five years since Kaiwaka's licence was granted, and asking if he could ascertain the position, because "we are concerned that Mr Pipe may be just holding his advantage in that he has the licence granted". Back came a note from the Minister of Justice, saying Pipe had given an undertaking that the hotel premises would be proceeded with without delay.

In March the Northland Licensing Committee advised the Licensing Control Commission that no apparent start had been made. By August, Jack Litten was writing to the MP for Rodney again. He voiced fears that there was a conspiracy to hold up Kaiwaka's hotel: "Mr Pipe, I understand, is backed by NZ Breweries, and I suspect that with the brewery interested in Wellsford, Maungaturoto and Mangawhai to some degree, they are keeping others out." In October 1965, Pipe received notification from the Licensing Commission calling on him to appear and show cause why his licence should not be revoked.

the finishing post

Eight months later, in June 1966, Kaiwaka had its pub. Twelve years and one month since Rue Colson, who did not live to see the hotel completed, took the first step. In press coverage of the official opening, a jovial Mr Pipe was asked why he had called the hotel the Three Furlongs. He answered that as a keen racing man, he had found his horses usually stopped at the three-furlong post, well short of the finishing post — "so I hope that many travellers to the north will do the same."

the Sparkies

Since its opening in 1966, the Three Furlongs hasn't changed too much, until we — "the Sparkies" — took ownership in 2015. We hope that the recent changes have improved this quintessential country pub, with great grub and a fun, friendly atmosphere. We hope, like Mr Pipe did, that people travelling north will stop short of their finishing post and call in.