Old news? Mortgages and vaccines top 1960s paper found hidden in wall

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

A 59-year-old newspaper found inside a house’s wall cavity shows Aucklanders in the 1960s were preoccupied with house prices and pandemics – much as they are today.

Mike and Julie Ann Sewell have been renovating their home in Torbay, on the North Shore, for the past two months.

Contractor Tyrin Perenara found the copy of the North Shore Advertiser, from November 14, 1962, in a wall cavity in the lounge.

It appeared it had been placed in the wall as a time capsule, as written on the front page was: “Ted Peters and Roger Broomfield put this here”.

Julie Ann Sewell said that they had found the newspaper “quite humorous”, especially the old advertisements.

“The prices in those days were really cheap compared to these days.”


According to an advert for Cross’ Supermarket, a can of Oak Spaghetti cost about 1 shilling and six pence – about 15 cents. Today, it sells for about $1.29 at Pakn’Save.

Much like 2021, there was a focus on mass vaccination in 1962, but for polio instead of coronavirus.

But unlike 2021, houses on the North Shore were “easily financed”, according to an advert by PTY Industries, which sold “architect designed homes” for mortgages of less than £3 per week.

Click 'read more' to see what else was in the news in 1962, including a high school "leg show" and a strange creature seen in Lake Pupuke.