By Virginia Winder

When Margaret Smith became Taranaki's first woman mayor she ruffled a few egos on the way.

Margaret won the Eltham local body post in October 1980 then chose Audrey de Jong as her deputy. This sparked a few jocular remarks: "How are we going to get on with two women at the top?"

Margaret remembers Audrey's swift reply: "What's the difference? Forever, we've had two men."

Although Margaret has never seen herself as a feminist, she has made inroads for women. When the Catholic mother of six took the helm of the former Eltham Borough Council she was one of six women mayors nationwide.

Until October 1980, Jean Sampson of Northcote was the nation's only female mayor. She was voted in during a by-election in 1979  – 86 years after the suffragettes helped Kiwi women become the first females in the world to earn the vote.

Anzac address

Eltham's first lady made her own mark on the nation in 1982. On 25 April that year, Margaret became one of two women who became the first to deliver an Anzac address in New Zealand. 

Don Drabble, who was a councillor during Margaret's reign, admits it took time to adjust to being ruled by a woman. "I think there was some apprehension. It's not easy for men to suddenly find themselves under a new leadership, but we soon warmed to her."

However, the town can't have shared his early fears because Margaret beat two men to gain mayoralty.

"I think she cast a new light on proceedings of the past. She was something of a pioneer. She was the first or second woman mayor in New Zealand – she led the charge in local body work as mayor," Mr Drabble says.

Flushing out

Over a cup of tea, Margaret reluctantly talks about the past. Flicking through newspaper clippings to prompt memories, she recalls how she came to be in local body politics.

"I was approached by a male deputation to stand for council. I later discovered my friend Audrey had also decided to stand for election."

They also had issues in common - especially dirty washing and the desire not to hang theirs out in public.

The two women were sick of having their laundry soiled because the council would flush out the town's water supply on Mondays, the main washing day of the week.

Margaret and Audrey were elected to council and, consequently, the flushing was changed to Fridays.

Back to the clippings.

'Original greenie'

Margaret hands over another keep-it-clean article written in 1980. This one shows that during her three-year stint as deputy mayor, she voted against the use of 2,4,5-T to eradicate weeds in the borough. Despite her stance against the chemical, Mrs Smith and three other councillors lost their move to have it banned.

One of her daughters describes her mother "as the original greenie". While this is not a label Margaret feels comfortable with, she does admit to having used soap to wash dishes instead of harsh detergents. She now has a dishwasher.

And she probably sings as she stacks.

One of Margaret's greatest loves is music. "My life has revolved around singing," she says. In her younger days, she made radio broadcasts from 2YA in Wellington and later, was involved in musicals and theatre in Blenheim and Eltham.

Restoring the town hall has been another passion, and she set up the Friends of the Town Hall.

Community service has always been part of Margaret's life. She has been a JP since 1981, earned a ministerial appointment to be the Eltham member on the Stratford Children's Board from 1974. The board is now defunct. She was on the Central Taranaki Arts  Council and its president for seven years. She is still on the Eltham Patriotic Welfare Committee and is secretary.

On top of all this, she has been a member of the Eltham Catholic Women's League for 40 years and also served as president.

Pope dream

One of Margaret's most treasured achievements involves her husband, Peter.  

In 1981, they received a Papal blessing in St Joseph's Church at Eltham for their outstanding contribution to public service. At the same Margaret became Eltham's mayor, Peter was re-elected as chairman of the Taranaki Hospital Board.

Sadly, Peter died on 21 July 1998 after a short illness.

Margaret retired from her civic duties in 1986, before the local body amalgamation went ahead.

She hung up her chains a much wiser person. "I learnt that men and women think differently," she says. "Women could see right through very quickly to the point at issue. The men wanted to take all the steps."

Because of this she believes men and women complement one another. "Never did we feel as if we were in competition. We all have our strengths," says Margaret, forever the dignified diplomat.

In May 2004, Margaret Smith left Eltham. She now lives in Wellington, closer to family and nearer the arts world she loves so much.