E H McCormick Mystery Cache

A cache to honour the memory of E H McCormick, a New Zealand writer who was a long-time resident of Green Bay. The cache is not in the middle of the roundabout. It is now a pill container (at its 4th hiding spot in this area!). This cache has been muggled twice previously and the council has cut down the branches of the last hiding spot. Now in new spot. Puzzle is much the same with a few adjustments. Use the solution checker to make sure you get the correct location!!

Dr Eric McCormick was one of New Zealand’s most distinguished writers and scholars. He is best known for his works surrounding the life of one of New Zealand’s most famous artists, and also compiling the first book detailing New Zealand’s literary background and history.

Born in 1906, his first occupation was a teacher at sole-charge schools in the Nelson province. During his life he was also a librarian, an editor, Chief War Archivist, art curator, historian, academic and writer.  He achieved an MA in English and Latin and a MLitt from Cambridge University, and received honorary DLitt degrees from both Victoria University of Wellington and The University of Auckland.

From a personal perspective he was a quiet, courteous neighbour who took in a cat that insisted on leaving a perfectly good home and making his place hers. Dr McCormick (and Miss McCormick) will not be forgotten by the long-time residents of Harrybrook Road.

“I never wanted to be an engine-driver or an explorer or an All Black. I had no desire to be a bootmaker like my father or a carpenter like most of my uncles or a farmer like some of my cousins. But even in my school-days I longed to be a writer and in the barren years that followed I went on cherishing the absurd ambition.”

To find the cache you will need to answer these questions:

A = Last number of the year EH McCormick died.

B = Add together the last two numbers of the year he joined the army.

C = Number of letters in the suburb of Auckland where he lived in his later years.

D = Number of letters in his middle name (plus 1).

E = Number of siblings he had (plus 5).

F = Number of letters in his sister’s name.

G = Last number in the year Letters and Art in New Zealand was published.

H = Number of letters in the surname of the NZ painter who EH McCormick extensively researched and wrote about.

I = Number of letters in place he was born (minus 3).

J = Number of letters in the first name of the library where EH McCormick’s papers were bequeathed after his death. (minus 3)

Where South 36 AB.CDE,  East 174 FG.HIJ