Dale Street (Alton)

When Alton, in South Taranaki, was first surveyed in the 1870s, it was decided the new town there would be called Woodville. One of the prominent landowners in the area was a man who lived in Pātea.

William Dale was born in 1821 and immigrated to New Zealand with his wife Mary and their small children. Little is known of his early years except that in 1864 he joined a division of the Taranaki Military Settlers. He served for three years, at least some of that time with his son, William junior.

Dale operated a saddlery business in Pātea, then went on to establish a successful auctioneering and commission agency in the town. Business was so profitable he was able to buy land, including about 30 sections in the proposed new Woodville township.

It’s said Dale Street was named after the Dale family. Unfortunately, William junior would bring disgrace to their name.

In 1883, the Pātea Building Society went to the police, alleging Dale junior, to whom it contracted several duties, altered a bank passbook and cheques. When he was due to appear in court, he disappeared. Rumours spread around the district and before long his family received a letter. He had absconded to Sydney because he “might be imprisoned” and “could never have stood the disgrace of the hard-labour gangs in Taranaki… I never expect to see New Zealand again.”

When the town of Woodville was first established, concern was expressed about confusion with Woodville in Manawatu. Matters were brought to a head when a post office was opened in 1887. It was decided to change the town’s name to Alton.

Despite Dale junior’s improprieties, Dale Street retains its name to this day. William Dale senior died in 1886.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.  

Related plans:

Alton DP16

Alton DP803