Ashburton Borough Centenary

Front matter

ASHBURTON BOROUGH CENTENARY

THE DOMAIN

OUR HERITAGE

Messages

Advance - The Mayor's Message

To condense the events and happenings of 100 years into a booklet such as this is an almost impossible task. However, Mrs Silverwood, after many hours of research, has written a most interesting account of Ashburton and its residents.

There is no doubt that we in Ashburton today, owe a great deal to the foresight, sound planning and hard work of our pioneers and forefathers. Since September 9, 1878, when Thomas Bullock chaired the first Borough Council Meeting, Ashburton has been well served by men and women of great sense of purpose and dedication.

This booklet mentions some of them, but to all, I would, on behalf of the present citizens of Ashburton say “Thank you”. Our town today is evidence of their untiring efforts and at this time, entering our second century we have the challenge of building upon their well-laid foundations.

To Mrs Silverwood and her helpers, I would express our grateful thanks for I would like to conclude this foreword with the well-known words of the 1920–1940 period — ADVANCE ASHBURTON.

Our Local Member Contributes …

As a member of Parliament and a resident of the Ashburton Borough, I have great pleasure in contributing to the Official Publication celebrating 100 years of growth and development of our Borough.

Ashburton's first Mayor, Mr Thomas Bullock, and his nine Councillors, would indeed be proud of the foundations they laid 100 years ago. Each period of Ashburton's history has seen service from dedicated residents who have given of their enthusiasm and dedication to build a town with a reputation of good administration, and loyalty to the ideas of community involvement and good citizenship.

In 1978, the Ashburton community reflects all the positive images of a thriving town, not only servicing one of the most diversified farming counties in New Zealand, but also a town becoming involved in resource-based regional development.

Preparedness to accept change reflects the attitude to development which has earned Ashburton the reputation of one of the most progressive towns in New Zealand.

Throughout its history, Ashburton has given priority to building a pleasant environment for its citizens with emphasis on the provision of educational, sporting and cultural facilities. It continues to retain a prominent position in the visual and performing arts, with artists and administrators contributing to New Zealand's cultural development.

The Centennial Year has presented a new and exciting challenge for a second century of progress. Within the Southern and Northern boundaries of the Rangitata and Rakaia Rivers, we now have a population of over 25,000 with public opinion strongly supporting increasing understanding and liaison between our two territorial authorities. The future will undoubtedly bring changes, but we are in a strong position to retain the Ashburton-Mid Canterbury framework which has served our people so well for 100 years.

I am sure that as we move into the second century, our young people are well placed to meet the challenges of the future with the same determination as those who laid the foundations of Ashburton in 1878.

Appreciation of a Job Well Done

For several years the Ashburton Borough Council has been quietly preparing for our Centennial Celebrations in 1978, and noting various aspects that would require future planning.

Photographs, ideas and people were slowly moulded together to form the basis of a Centennial Programme.

After the Local Body Elections last year, a Centennial Committee was formed as a Standing Committee of the Ashburton Borough Council, and consists of the following:—

His Worship the Mayor (Geoff Geering), Councillors Betty Oakley, Russell Anstiss, Bevan Stroud, Town Clerk (Scotty Watson), and myself being asked to act as Chairman of the Committee. At a later date, Alex McLennan was added as Co-ordinator.

A combined committee of all concerned was formed and named “Centennial Service Club Committee.” With tremendous enthusiasm, this group accepted the challenge to make our celebrations worthy of our own Ashburton.

“Something for Everyone” may well be their slogan. To single out people for special mention is normally very difficult, and often a dangerous thing to do. But I feel special mention must be made of the great work our Town Clerk “Scotty” Watson carried out, especially during the initial planning period.

To all visitors from many parts of New Zealand, | wish you a pleasant sojourn in Ashburton and trust you will join with us to commemorate this happy and historic occasion.

I must thank all those who have assisted in any way, both in the smallest measure and the largest for their untiring efforts towards ensuring that the final results will make 1978 a year to remember. May all who have worked so diligently towards the success of this Centennial! Celebration, derive much satisfaction and enjoyment from their labours.

We are all participants, and I am sure we will gain much pleasure in celebrating our 100 years of growth.

What of the Future …

What does Ashburton Need?

One hundred years is a long time in anyone's language and I congratulate the Borough in reaching this milestone.

Ashburton is a pleasant place to live in and those pioneers who established Ashburton and those who have developed it over the years must be congratulated on their planning. Stop and think for just a moment how lucky we are. There are plenty of open spaces, trees and greenery and fine wide streets which many other Boroughs and Cities in New Zealand would be pleased to have. Most facilities have been provided by our forefathers and our existing residents and Council.

What of the future? What does Ashburton need? Not too many things come to mind. Possibly a large indoor stadium, a heated covered swimming pool and the completion of the Council's streets and footpaths programme. These will come with the continued progress of our wonderful town and I wish Ashburton a happy, progressive and successful second one hundred years.

The County Council Reciprocates

I am pleased to have the opportunity to convey publicly my congratulations to the Ashburton Borough Council on the occasion of its Centenary.

In one of its roles as the major servicing centre for an agriculturally based region Ashburton has remained Mid Canterbury's focal point since 1878.

The fact that it has grown to its present stage of development shows the sound administration and progressive attitude adopted by Councils over the last 100 years.

The functions undertaken by present Local Authorities have placed widespread demands on Councils and the need for co-operation and sharing of resources is of increasing importance.

In wishing His Worship the Mayor and Councillors best wishes as they start the second century of Borough administration I assure them of every co-operation from the County Council and am confident we can provide local government under which our district will continue to prosper.

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL CHAMBERS

The old building was demolished in 1971, when the present one was begun, to be officially opened in 1974.

Foreword

Foreword

It has been an absorbing interest to compile this booklet and live again through the tussock years.

What of the future? The Council is enthusiastic about making 1978 as memorable a year as is 1878: the re-development of Baring Square will be a fitting tangible tribute. All citizens are united in wanting something worthwhile accomplished — new buildings or facilities, houses, gardens and streets in tidy order and in October and November, celebration of our hundred years of progress.

Only a large volume could have done justice to those who guided that progress and the reader is asked to bear with us through our “diary of events”. Humble apologies are tendered to the cultural organisations and service groups that have not received due recognition. Their work is immeasurable, their labours so often not of the dramatic type that reaches the news. Perhaps they are well epitomized by the activities of a branch of Toc H formed in Ashburton in 1938. Its origins were in the wartime armed forces and its purpose fellowship and service for which thanks and publicity were shunned. (Its first project was funding the shifting of the rose gardens in the Domain). In 1940, the Toc H free Hospital Library was stocked with public donations of books and helped by the Hospital Board. As we repeat, “What of the future” it is warming to realize that, although Toc H as such is now locally defunct, the books continue to be distributed two nights a week by the remnant few.

For those who would wish to know more of the Borough's Century, we suggest you read the Canterbury volume of “Cyclopedia of New Zealand”, John Brown’s “History of Ashburton”, Dr. Scotter’s “Ashburton” and Emily Bayliss’s “Tinwald”. In the compiling of this booklet the files of “Ashburton Guardian” and minutes of the Borough Council were checked against these books.

We thank the author, Mrs Beatrice Silverwood, for the research and writing, Councillor Russell Anstiss, Town Clerk Scotty Watson, Librarian Miss Jill Watson for their help, the Historical Society, Mr Peter Hickman, the Library and “Ashburton Guardian” for photographs, and Borough Council Staff, Misses Helen Langdon and Anne Harcourt who typed the manuscript.

We wish a happy Centennial Season to all and may the Borough flourish throughout its second hundred years.

Ted Tarbotton Editor

Grass Roots

Grass Roots

Today Ashburton is a town of 14,000 inhabitants. It bears the name of the Hon. Thomas Baring, later Lord Ashburton, who had bought a large tract of land from north of the river to as far as Waipara from the Canterbury Association. When our history really began (although most of the Association’s runs in the County were already taken up in 1853–4) there was not even a sign of a dwelling.

In 1858 William Turton, his wife and young family, arrived to establish a ferry service at the ford over the river near where the traffic bridge now stands. They quickly set up an accommodation house and stables on 300 acres leased from the Canterbury Provincial Government. Their licence to sell liquor was granted only on condition that they operated a ferry over the sometimes turbulent Ashburton River and offered accommodation to travellers breaking the 100-mile journey between Christchurch and Timaru. The Turtons were renowned for their hospitality and this, the first house in Ashburton, became a recreation centre for runholders and their workers and flourished amid the flax, tussocks and matagouri.

In between ferrying travellers across the river, William Turton acted as postmaster and storekeeper. In 1869, he left the accommodation house after 11 years of service, but remained in the district and died in 1906, respected as the founder and earliest citizen of Ashburton. A small stone monument on the East Street green, near the northern approach to the traffic bridge, marks the site of his accommodation house, the first building in Ashburton.

The names of many Ashburton streets are associated with the surrounding runholders, e.g., Moore, Grigg and Kermode. Park Street was named after Robert Park, who managed the Winchmore Station for his brother-in-law, George Hart. He was also a surveyor and, in 1860, surveyed and laid out the town. Baring Square, of course, took the family name of Sir Thomas Baring, Lord Ashburton.

Not All Settlers!

Slowly, more houses began to appear. In 1865 Louis Berliner operated the first store which was later to be destroyed by fire in his absence, but not before his wife had removed the most valuable stock. He claimed a large insurance and was later charged with arson, but managed to escape conviction. He then bought the “Ashburton Arms” (William Turton having been declared bankrupt) and, in spite of owning successful race horses, was being pursued for debt. This colourful character next appeared in Australia, where he was again setting up a business, this time in Melbourne.

At about this time too, John and Thomas Turton, William’s brothers, were operating “The New Inn”, a stopping place for the through coach.

First Local Government

The need for a controlling body became apparent as the runs were developed and a meeting at Turton’s accommodation house in 1864 formed the Ashburton Road Board consisting of Benjamin Moorhouse (Shepherd’s Bush), Percy Cox, Robert Park (leasing the Winchmore Estate), Edward Chapman (Acton) and Alexander Lean (Lendon). Edward Chapman was Chairman for two meetings, followed by Alex Lean and after meetings held on the various estates in 1871 they came back to Turton’s accommodation house. In 1873 the Road Board built its own offices in Moore Street and continued to hold all meetings there till it went out of existence in July, 1879, after the County Council had been formed in December, 1876, and the Borough Council in September, 1878.

Some road formation through Ashburton had been done by the Road Board. Following plans and specifications by C. E. Fooks, I. Greenaway had formed and shingled the Great South Road through the budding town and some side streets had also been laid out. However, tussocks waved and gorse flourished within a stone’s throw of the main street. The early Borough Council minutes continued to be full of works directions to remove tussocks and stones and for the householders to grub gorse and broom from their sections for many years to follow.

Railway Boost

With the coming of the railway in 1874, sales of land flourished, homes were built, businesses sprang up like mushrooms, along with hotels. Ashburton needed a controlling body to look after the welfare of the townspeople. Meetings were held and on July 18th, 1878, the Government granted a request for Ashburton to be constituted a Borough, the Gazette notice being passed through on August 1st, 1878.

A public meeting on August 13th then passed the resolution: “In the opinion of this meeting, it is expedient that the township of Ashburton be proclaimed a Borough under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, and that His Excellency the Governor be petitioned to proclaim the same”.

A petition was signed by those present who were householders within the Belt for blocks of land to be reserved for Municipal purposes, and the member for the district was asked to present it to Parliament.

The infant Borough had proudly taken its first step.

AN EARLY MODE OF TRANSPORT — Drays bring wheat to West Street in 1890.

First Borough Council

FIRST BOROUGH COUNCIL

The first Mayor of the Ashburton Borough was elected on September 2nd, 1878. Two stood for office; both were keen businessmen and had already served on the Ashburton Road Board. Mr Thomas Bullock was also a member of the County Council. On this occasion he defeated his friend, Mr Donald Williamson, by 111 votes to 49 to become the first Mayor of Ashburton.

On September 4th, the first election for nine Councillors returned: Donald Williamson, Joseph Ivess, Edward Saunders, Robert W. Shearman, Weymouth Roberts, Andrew Orr, Rudolph Friedlander, George Parkin, James Campbell. The seven unsuccessful candidates were: Messrs Robinson, Fowler, Leggett, Firth, Quill, Chapman and Sandoe. A procession of varied vehicles drawn by horses and donkeys and accompanied by a brass band wielded all sorts of devices such as brooms, paint brushes and loaves in celebration of the occasion, and to the vast amusement of the onlookers.

Town Hall

The first meeting of the new Borough Council was held in the Town Hall, privately owned in spite of its title, which had just been built on the site now occupied by the Bank of New Zealand, on Monday, September 9th, 1878. The Mayor presided and, with the new Councillors, signed the declaration. J. Ivess and E. Saunders were absent.

The minutes of the first meeting were signed by Mr Charles Braddell, though he was not actually appointed clerk till the second meeting on September 23rd, from among several applicants. He was an accountant with offices in Montgomery’s Buildings on the southern side of the Burnett and East Street corner. There were doubts about the capacity of his office to cater for the new Council and the clerk was instructed to have a press for newspapers and a table and 12 chairs ordered.

A sub-committee of Councillors Campbell, Shearman and Friedlander was set up to arrange for the taking over of funds in hand from the Road Board for the sale of land and these amounted to £1,140 in all. Fourteen immigration cottages in the Borough were also handed over.

The new Borough needed bylaws and a committee of Councillors Ivess, Orr, Williamson, Roberts and Friedlander was set up to attend to this task.

Messrs Roberts and Parkin were appointed a committee to supervise a survey map of the town to be compiled by a licensed surveyor, showing the levels of all the streets. Tenders were invited for this work. At the next meeting, C. E. Fooks and Son were appointed and duly completed the map after an extension of six weeks because the north-westers were so fierce that they were unable to take the levels necessary. Fooks and Son were also commissioned to make a tracing on cloth of 2,000 acres of railway reserve between Tinwald and Rangitata to be forwarded to the Government with a request that the same be reserved as an endowment for the Borough. This application was finally blocked.

A Valuation Roll had to be prepared, and it was decided to call tenders for the job. At a later meeting Mr Mutch was appointed to complete the task by November. Needless to say, there were some deficiencies and objections from section holders, but these were ironed out later by the same valuer.

It was decided to write to the Government for an account of the reserves in the Borough, together with the reason for which they were reserved. This list was sent by the Crown Lands Department on October 21st, 1878, but did not include the reserves set aside for educational purposes. The Road Board surveyor complained that the gravel pit at the corner of East Street and the North Town Belt was encroaching on the Waste Lands adjoining and advised the Borough Council to apply for a bigger reserve.

The County Council offered a grant of £5,000 to the infant borough to set up a water supply, a vexed question that is causing just as much concern in 1978 as it did in 1878. We have always had either too much or too little and problems have continually arisen from both.

THE SOMERSET CORNER (perhaps 1912). The Clock has been returned very close to its original position.

At this first meeting, the matter of a seal was considered. Land leases and bylaws had to carry the Borough Seal. It was decided to call tenders for the design and six designs were submitted later by Mr Ivess for the Seal Committee. One by Mr Watkins at the cost of £6 was chosen and the execution of the work was done by Edwards, Dunlop and Co., of Sydney, for £17/12/6. The splash of bright red has livened up the Council Minute Books many times in the ensuing 100 years.

Applications were to be called for the position of Town Clerk at £100 p.a. and at the next meeting, Mr C. Braddell was officially appointed.

So ended the first meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council.

Growing Pains … The First Decade

GROWING PAINS... THE FIRST DECADE

The first 50 years of the Ashburton Borough’s history is the story of a small town growing rapidly, plagued by constant pleas for an efficient water supply, for streets to be formed, gravelled and channelled, for stones and tussocks to be removed; complaints about the dust nuisance from “nor’ westers” on unsealed streets; about potholes and puddles when it rained; the need for more street lighting; the need for building by-laws to ensure that the growth of the town was not haphazard. The Borough fathers suffered from a chronic shortage of money because the town wanted all its amenities at once. The finances were in overdraft for most of the early years. The Council carried a heavy load with street formation work and the installation of essential services such as lighting, drainage and sanitation. It insisted valiantly on building standards, park and reserve maintenance, street cleanliness and reasonable public behaviour. At the same time, it had to attend to the education, culture and general welfare of the residents.

This herculean task the early Councils tackled with vigour: nor were they discouraged by disappointment. If one method of attack failed, they waited and approached the matter from a different angle. They argued with the Government, petitioned, protested, went directly to the Prime Minister on occasions, by-passed obstructive officials, fought their way out of entanglements of red tape time and again, but they did not give up the struggle.

After a century of existence, only one essential problem seems to be less than satisfactorily resolved—the water supply. It has its up and downs with the seasons and the weather. Sometimes problems with the sewerage system crop up, again largely in connection with stormwater disposal or with the breakdown of piping systems laid in times of a much smaller population. In some cases, age has caught up with them. The Borough fathers did indeed try to plan ahead, but were frequently bogged down in problems of finance.

Men With A Mission

They were fortunate in one aspect — the electoral representatives were only too willing to offer their services if required. They went to endless trouble at times, lobbying to secure the passing of some bills or to prevent the passing of others. Sir William Nosworthy, to become Minister of Agriculture in 1919, was a politician with a conscience whose name comes to mind in connection with requests from the Borough Council. As politicians, the local Members of Parliament may not have been in world class, but they did lend a sympathetic ear to the wants of the Council.

The early Councillors were very able men, used to coping with business in a vigorous, quickly developing community, and they made their views known in no uncertain terms. The early Mayors had no easy task in reconciling Councillors with strong, opposing views. They were all pioneers and well aware of their own wishes for the town. There was sometimes a sudden resignation, following a disagreement at a Council meeting. Among the early Mayors with considerable ability were Thomas Bullock, the first Mayor, Hugo Friedlander, David Thomas and later, Henry Davis who remained as Mayor for 12 years from 1903 to 1915 and was returned unopposed for most of that time.

The new Borough Council in 1878 was dedicated. Its path was paved with good intentions. Along the way it was often frustrated. It had funds from the Ashburton Road Board and plenty of land for town sections and reserves, granted by the Government. At its second meeting on September 25th, 1878, the Bank of New Zealand was appointed to take charge of its finances and the first Finance Committee comprised the Mayor (Thomas Bullock), Edward Saunders and Rudolph Friedlander. The first Works Committee included Donald Williamson, George Parkin, Weymouth Roberts, Robert William Shearman and the Mayor.

Work On The Basics

Mr Bullock suggested that something would have to be done to remedy the disgraceful state of the streets, with reference to drainage. A sanitation reserve was set aside in the riverbed and the Mayor, W. Roberts, D. Williamson and E. Saunders were appointed a committee to tackle the problem.

Water was necessary for fire prevention as well as for household and business purposes and the first wells were sunk, one opposite Andrew Orr’s, one opposite the Town Hall and one in Bullock’s block. The Council considered the purchase of a fire engine. It also wanted a Magistrate’s Court set up and new Council offices built (it was operating from Charles Braddell’s accountant office). Mr C. B. M. Branson was appointed Borough Solicitor, and by-laws were drafted and sent to the Governor for approval. Land was reserved along the riverbed for the protection of the town.

The water problem was becoming more urgent and Fooks and Son offered to superintend a scheme to bring water through the dry gully in the Domain, but this was dropped. The Gas, Coal and Coke Company were given permission to lay gas pipes through the town and to fit 17 gas lamps at £1/10/- each. They were to be lit 30 minutes after sundown till 1 a.m., not at full moon and not for seven weeks before and after December 22nd. At last a £15,000 loan for the outfall drain and channelling was granted. The Council “felt the pinch”, decided to retrench, dismissed some of its lesser officers and suspended the surveyor for three or four months. On July 8th, 1879, Mr Crisp was appointed solicitor and Hugo Friedlander became Mayor at the end of that year.

Milestone

At this time cab drivers were occupying a stand in East Street on the railway side between Havelock and Burnett Streets. They must have been kicking over the traces a little because Councillor St. Hill proposed at a meeting on February 9th, 1880, that “the Town Clerk write to the cab proprietors in the town stating that it had come to the knowledge of the Council that some of the cab proprietors were driving prostitutes and other improper characters through the streets, and informing them that, should this occur again, their licences would not be renewed.”

At last a licence was granted to the Council to take water from Saunders’ Mill race. The gully crossing the West Town Belt (Oak Grove now) at Cox Street (Elizabeth Street today) was filled in and James Wilkie’s tender for the outfall drain and water supply was accepted at £285/10/-. The waterworks were formally declared open on September 27th, 1880, and a banquet was held later.

Ratepayers were asked to find half the cost of their footpaths. An Industrial Exhibition was held, towards which Ashburton contributed, and the next excitement was the visit of the Governor on March 24th, 1881. He was tendered a banquet at half a guinea (10s 6d) a ticket and two triumphal arches were erected outside the Town Hall. At this time shrubs had been planted in Baring Square East and some trees along the Town Belts.

Council needed its usual overdraft: £1,000 this time. The Bank of New Zealand wanted to charge them 9%. Inquiries were made and the account was changed over to the Union Bank of Australia which offered better terms.

The Council members were most perturbed to hear the report that children’s bodies were being buried in gardens in the Borough and decided to have the matter investigated. They were much relieved when the local police sergeant assured them that there was no cause for this complaint.

(Free?) Enterprise

The first request to the Government for a new railway station was made in July and the Council considered buying a new steam fire-engine for the town. It also debated the purchase of the Gas, Coal and Coke Company to produce its own gas for heating and lighting. It was always very tussock-conscious and at an October meeting, decided that tenants in arrears with Borough rents were to clear tussocks from the streets in the town. It was practical as well as poverty-stricken!

VISIT OF GOVERNOR.—Sir George Grey, Premier of New Zealand, had in March, visited Ashburton, but these decorations welcomed the Governor, the Earl of Normanby, on the first train from Christchurch to Dunedin, 6th September, 1878. The Mayor, Thomas Bullock performed the first ceremonial act for the Borough in presenting him with a Loyal Address. Visitors who had left at 6 a.m., and hosts had breakfast in the Town Hall — 350 of them. The Hall and the Somerset Hotel are pictured in the photograph. At the end of 1881, Donald Williamson became Mayor. Borough and County wanted to have a separate Charitable Aid Board for Ashburton quite apart from Christchurch, and the Tinwald and Hampstead Town Boards, as well as the Upper Ashburton Road Board, supported them. This was a continuing fight.

Hugo Friedlander’s plan for a high pressure water supply was declared to be unfair to the ratepayers as a special rate would have to be imposed, so it was abandoned. Council decided to sell the immigration cottages that had been given to it, on its inauguration as a Borough, by the Ashburton Road Board. They were offered at auction for removal, but one was transferred to the west side of the town to act as a fire station.

Site For Library Sought

Now in 1882, Councillors Ivess and Orr were appointed to find a suitable site for a library and a section was granted to them. A loan was raised for it from the Ashburton Permanent Building Society and paid off at the end of 1884. Again the Council asked for a resident Magistrate and, at the beginning of 1888, W. M. Price was appointed for Ashburton and Rakaia, to reside in Ashburton. A new hospital was to be built at last, and Fooks and Son were appointed superintending architect and surveyor to the project for £25 p.a.

The eyesore alongside the railway lines — coalyards and timber yards — annoyed Council (and has for almost a hundred years) and it now asked to have them removed, but met with no success. It tried once more to have a crossing constructed at Moore Street, but was refused — another continuing struggle. The traffic bridge also required widening at the approaches and Borough and County combined to share the expenses (£4,000) on a 50–50 basis.

Time was passing. In 1885 the Working Men’s Club was granted a charter and the Woollen Factory was opened on Monday, October 19, that same year. On this occasion a half holiday was granted in the town. “The Mill” has been a great asset for almost a century. At this stage the Volunteer Fire Brigade resigned en bloc, but Council advertised and immediately another one was formed. The first watercart was bought to combat the dust from the northwesters in the business areas. There were no efficient shelter belts yet.

Neck To Knee

A petition was received from 70 residents for a swimming bath to be formed in the Domain and after much discussion at a meeting on October 31, 1887, Councillor Joshua Tucker moved that “the Council requests the Domain Board to allow bathing in the Domain on the upper side of the reservoir in a line with Park Street from sunrise till 7.30 p.m., provided bathers are properly clad”, and this motion was carried.