Harry Dansey - Papers, 1913 - 1970

1913-1970

Parent

MS-1749
MS-679

Provenance: The Dansey papers came to the Library in two separate consignments. The first collection, MS-873, was presented by Harry Dansey in 1976 and includes papers chiefly relating to the war service of his father, Captain Harry Delamere Dansey, in World War I. MS-1749 comprises the bulk of Harry Dansey's own papers, reflecting both his professional and extracurricular roles in civic and cultural affairs, and was presented to to the Museum Library by the family after his death.

Box 1 -- Miscellaneous papers, letters, etc.

Box 2 -- Miscellaneous papers, letters, etc. - First World War pamphlets and letters, 1913 - 1918.

Box 3 -- Miscellaneous papers, bound books, etc. Includes two volumes of apparent land court notes relating to Ihakara Kahuao.

Box 4 -- Miscellaneous papers - Maori Affairs Committee, 1964 - 1966.

Box 5 -- Scrapbooks 1947, 1954 - 1955.

Box 6 -- Miscellaneous papers - First World War maps.

Box 7 -- Maps - First World War.

Box 8 -- Letters, 1946 - 1957.

Box 9 -- Manuscripts - 1947 and 1964.

Boxes 10 and 11 -- Miscellaneous papers and reports - Young Maori Conference 1939, 1960 - 1964, 1970.

Box 12 -- Miscellaneous papers, letters, press clippings, etc.

Harry Delamere Barter Dansey, soldier, journalist, author, artist, broadcaster, local body politician, and New Zealand's first Race Relations Conciliator, was born in Auckland, the eldest son of Harry Delamere Dansey and Winifred Patience Dansey (nee Barter). On his father's side, he belonged to Ngāti Rauhoto, a sub-tribe of Ngāti Tūwharetoa of Taupō, and Tūhourangi, a sub-tribe of Te Arawa, Rotorua. After working briefly as a clerk at J.R. McKenzie Ltd., he joined the army in 1940 and served overseas with the 28th Maori Battalion in the Middle East and Italy. He began his journalistic career in 1947 as a cadet reporter with the 'Hawera Star' and worked for various newspapers in Taranaki for the next 15 years before joining the 'Auckland Star' in 1961 as senior reporter and feature writer, specialising in Māori and Pacific Islands affairs. Beside his publishing and broadcasting activities, Dansey took a very active part in community affairs and was elected to the Auckland City Council in 1970. In 1975 he was appointed Race Relations Conciliator, from which post he was forced to resign in 1979 due to ill health. He died shortly after his retirement.

28 Apr 2026