The shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of NZ history. Join William Ray as he explores history through the lens of Kiwi dirtbags in NZ's most awarded podcast.
Host William Ray interviews himself about the "NZ Wars Collection," offering history fans a deep dive into New Zealand's conflicts.
5 Mar 2026
Original Westie: the story of Don Buck
The founding father of West Auckland - Don Buck was notorious in the early 20th century for his hard drinking, hard living gum digging camp in the foothills of the Waitakere ranges. Black Sheep investigates the legend of this enigmatic and feared folk hero - the original Westie.
Watch the video of Marianne Simpkins reading her poem The Ballad of Don Buck's Hill (https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6390355718112)
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details (https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/black-sheep?share=0b4b5ce9-69bd-4916-8deb-e3933b3f1358)
26 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Defective: the story of Dr Theodore Gray
“Oh Mummy save me from Dr Gray, because teacher says he’s coming today, and if I’m stupid he’ll take me away”. William Ray looks at the life and legacy of Dr Theodore Gray, a staunch eugenicists who was head of New Zealand's Mental Hospitals Department for 20 years.
Further reading:
Statement of Hilary Stace to the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care (https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/24448/12.-hilary-stace.pdf)
A Brief History of Disability in Aotearoa by Dr Hilary Stace (https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/assets/Guidance-and-resources/History-of-Disability-in-Aotearoa-NZ-final.pdf)
DBNZ Biography of Dr Theodore Gray by Dr Warwick Brunton (https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4g19/gray-theodore-grant)
The Fertility of the Unfit by Dr William Chapple (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/16254/pg16254-images.html)
Mental Defectives Amendment Act 1928 (https://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/mdaa192819gv1928n23320/)
Statement of Tony Ryder to the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care (https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/library/v/451/statement-of-tony-ryder-for-the-uhia-te-maramatanga-disability-deaf-and-mental-health-institutional-care-hearing)
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details (https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/black-sheep?share=2ea85021-6e64-466a-8f8d-353cc9183f5f)
Inside a recent episode
What to Listen to Next: NZ Wars Collection
Published 2 Jun 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Fearing for the safety of its citizens, the British Empire caught on thousands of troops from England, Ireland, Wales, India and Burma. They all landed in Auckland supposedly to defend against a Maori invasion. On July 9th, 1863, Gray sent a letter to Māori living immediately south of Auckland, demanding they give up their weapons and swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown. Which is a bit rich, because remember, these are the same Māori who'd shifted closer to Auckland to protect the settlers from attacks during the Northern War of 1845. And many of them assume that if they sign the oath of allegiance, they would be required to fight for the crown against their own kin. […]
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