’The site where Whanganui's former mayor shot a returned soldier who was threatening to expose him as homosexual is New Zealand's first rainbow listing of a significant building
The site — 23 Ridgway Street in Whanganui - was the private office of the city's former mayor - Charles Mackay.
In 1920, Mackay shot returned soldier Walter D'Arcy Cresswell through the chest because Cresswell was threatening to out Mackay as homosexual, if he did not resign as mayor immediately.’
Read the full story on RNZ here, and you can read the full telling of the events in 1920 and beyond in Paul Diamond’s Ockham-shortlisted book, Downfall: The destruction of Charles Mackay.
