Assid Corban

For the New Zealand vigneron, see Assid Abraham Corban.

Assid Khaleel Corban OBE JP^[1] (1 February 1925 – 16 September 2018)^[2] was a New Zealand local-body politician and company director. He was the first Mayor of Waitakere City and previously Mayor of the Henderson Borough Council.

Assid Corban OBE JP
1st Mayor of Waitakere City
In office 1989–1992
Preceded by	new office
Succeeded by	Bob Harvey
4th Mayor of Henderson Borough
In office 1974–1989
Preceded by	Reginald Keeling
Succeeded by	position abolished
Personal details
Born	Assid Khaleel Corban (1925-02-01)1 February 1925
Died	16 September 2018(2018-09-16) (aged 93)
Nationality	New Zealand
Spouse	Miriam Khouri ​ (m. 1948)​
Children	Four (1 son, 3 daughters)
Residence	Henderson

Biography

Early life

Corban was descended from Assid Abraham Corban, who emigrated in 1892 to New Zealand from Lebanon^[3] and in 1902 established the first commercial vineyard in New Zealand.^[4] In 1948, Assid Corban married Miriam Khouri, and the couple went on to have four children.^[4] Corban worked as an orchid grower, and as a director of Corbans Wines.^[5]

Political career

Corban was first elected as a councillor for Henderson Borough Council in 1956–1959, and again in 1965–1971. In 1971–1974, he held the position of Deputy Mayor, and he was elected Mayor of Henderson Borough Council in 1974. He held that position until the 1989 local government reforms when Henderson became part of the newly formed Waitakere City.^[6] As mayor, Corban oversaw the development of Henderson Square, a large-scale shopping centre (now known as WestCity Waitakere).^[5]

In 1989, Corban was elected as the first Mayor of Waitakere City, winning against former Waitemata City mayor Tim Shadbolt.^[5] He held the position for one term until 1992.^[7] He was then elected as a councillor to Waitakere City 1998–2001, and from 2007 to 2010.^[6]

In the 2010 local elections, he successfully stood for both the Henderson-Massey Local Board^[8] and the Waitakere Licensing Trust Ward 4 – Henderson.^[9]

Community involvement

Corban was a longstanding member of the New Zealand Orchid Society and the Auckland Horticultural Council.^[6]

Honours and awards

In 1977, Corban was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.^[10] In the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to local government and the community.^[11] In 1990, both Assid and Miriam Corban received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.^[10] Miriam Corban also was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993,^[10] and in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.^[12]

Death

Corban died aged 93 of cancer^[4] on 16 September 2018 and was buried at Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland on 25 September 2018.^[2] His wife, Miram Corban, died in 2021.^[13]

References

1. "Assid Khaleel Corban". Elections2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
2. "Giant of wine making and local politics remembered in emotional and poignant farewell". Stuff. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
3. Greco, Shelley (28 February 2014). "We are the Corbans". Auckland Western Leader. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
4. "Political and wine-making giant Assid Corban felled by cancer". Stuff. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
5. Reidy, Jade (2009). "How the West Was Run". In Macdonald, Finlay; Kerr, Ruth (eds.). West: The History of Waitakere. Random House. p. 248. ISBN 9781869790080.
6. "Cr Assid Corban". Waitakere City Council. Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
7. Bob Harvey (29 September 2010). "Report of the Mayor" (PDF). Waitakere City Council. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
8. "Auckland Council – Henderson-Massey Local Board". Elections2010. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
9. "Waitakere Licensing Trust Ward 4 – Henderson". Elections2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
10. Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 106. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
11. "No. 51367". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 11 June 1988. p. 34.
12. "Queen's Birthday honours list 1999 (including Niue)". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 1999. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
13. "Miriam Corban death notice". The New Zealand Herald. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.