City of Hastings “The Fruit Bowl of New Zealand” 1961

VISIT HASTINGS
“The Fruit Bowl of New Zealand”

KEN SPARKS
Public Relations Officer

GREATER HASTINGS
PHONE 86001   P.O. BOX 478
Public Relations Office – Russell Street, Hastings
ANNUAL PROMOTIONS – EASTER HIGHLAND GAMES – SEPTEMBER BLOSSOM FESTIVAL – CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES

CITY OF HASTINGS “THE FRUIT BOWL OF ZEALAND”

HASTINGS is one of the largest provincial cities in New Zealand with an urban population of 32,479, and is renowned for its glorious climate, rich fertile soils and high productivity.

As the distributive centre and market town of the fertile Heretaunga Plains, Hastings has grown rapidly in keeping with the increasing prosperity of the Hawke’s Bay Province. Of all provincial cities of New Zealand, Hastings has the greatest density of population and greatest proportionate rate of growth.

Ninety years ago, the centre of Hastings was little more than a swamp. About 1870 Mr Thomas Tanner owned the land in the centre of which is now Hastings, and he offered an acre of land at £3 an acre for every three acres ploughed – and to accept payment in labour. In 1871 he offered a block of 640 acres between Hastings and Havelock North at £4 an acre without getting a buyer! In 1910 The Capital Value of the Borough was £1,370,000; today the Capital Value of the City is over £29¼ million.

Although experts consider that 4 per cent of city area should be required for industry, which would be 128 acres of Hastings, there are 179 acres zoned as industrial under the Town Plan in the old city area. On the present City boundaries, in the County there are an additional 62 acres zoned as industrial and a further 72 acres in the new City area in Omahu Road.

This means a total of 313 acres available for industrial development.

Eleven hundred houses are planned for State housing in the Omahu area to provide accommodation for a labour force.

Within the 3,211 acres of the City boundaries are: –

THE LARGEST FOOD PROCESSING ORGANISATION IN NEW ZEALAND – with total assets in excess of £3 million, comprising factory and warehousing establishments, harvesting equipment and canmaking plant, farmlands and orchards. In the 1 960-61 season, an intake of 20,000 tons of fruit and vegetables was processed and packed for local and overseas consumption – a total in excess of 50 million units of 88 varieties of packs, canned and quick frozen, One million pounds was paid out to growers in wages and services locally in the last financial year.

THREE QUICK FREEZE FACTORIES – producing packages of vegetables for export aNd local consumption.

A DAIRY FACTORY – established in 1892. The butter manufactured for the year ended 31st March 1961, was 946 tons, all sold locally. Also 382 tons of butter received from elsewhere, was patted and sold locally. Three hundred and sixty suppliers serve this co-operatively owned factory.

A MODERN MILK TREATMENT STATION – servicing the urban areas of Hastings and Napier, pasteurising and bottling for the year ended 31st March, 1961, 2,265 gallons of milk and 47,541 gallons of cream, wahsing [washing] and filling 15,300,000 pint and half-pint bottles. To cater for the increasing population, the factory has been considerably enlarged and equipped to handle the needs of the district for the next ten to fifteen years. Visitors are welcomed at 10.15. am daily to witness the complete operation.

THE LARGEST FRUIT RECEIVING DEPOT IN ZEALAND – The Apple and Pear Boards, building has an area of 60,000 sq. ft., there being cool storage space for 250,000 cases of fruit. During the 1961 season 850, 000 cases of apples and 245,000 cases of pears were handled of which 480,000 were exported.

A PUBLIC LIBRARY – with a total membership of 9,730 subscribers at 31st March, 1961. A total of 435,165 books were issued, representing 21 books per head of population a standard eight to ten is considered satisfactory.

PARKS AND RESERVES – 304 acres total area. These are used as follows: –

(a)   Windsor Park – 64 acres. 2,461 Campers during the year, hockey, Girl Guides, model aeroplanes, pipe bands, skating, cricket, nuseries [nurseries] and general playground.
(b)   Cornwall Park – 21 acres: Cricket, gardens, nurseries, aviary and general playground.
(c)   Akina Park – 16 acres: Rugby, pipe bands and city Brass Band, softball and general playground.
(d)   Ebbett Park – 8 acres: Basketball, soccer, tennis, Maori carvings and general playground.
(e)   Nelson Park – 11 acres: (only charge ground) Rugby, athletics, cricket, girls marching.
(f)   St. Leonards Park – 11 acres: Softball, soccer, Boy Scouts and general playground.
(g)   Frimley Park – 31 acres: Gardens, Girl Guides and general playground.
(h)   Mahora Park – 3 acres: Boy Scouts and playground.
(i)   St Aubyn Street Playground – 3 acres: Playground.
(j)   Mayfair Park – 9 acres: Three school soccer grounds. athletics.
(k)   Victoria Square, Civic Square, Rangiora Street. Playground and Massey Street playground. Tamatea Park 6 acres: Playground.
(l)   Town Gardens and Railway Reserve – 3 acres.
(m)   Cemetery and Crematorium grounds – 15 acres.
(n)   Undeveloped reserves at Frimley Park – 7 acres.
(o)   Mangaroa Forest – 83 acres.

GREATER HASTINGS INC. This Society conducts the Public Relations Office for the City and also the annual “Highland Games” at Easter, the blossom Festival in September and the Christmas Functions, which attract many thousands of visitors from all parts of New Zealand. A “Rose Sunday is held in Cornwall Park and “Horsechestnut Sunday” in Frimley Park, in association with the Parks Department of the City Council.

AN ULTRA-MODERN BREWERY – supplies draught beer over a wide area in the North Island. This fast growing Hastings company has now entered the bottled beer field. Affiliated with important overseas brewing interest in Holland and Singapore, development has been financed entirely with sterling funds. A subsidiary has constructed a £120,000 air conditioned hotel in Hastings, the first new Hotel to be built for over fifty years.

POST OFFICE. having 8,775 telephone subscribers at March 31st 1961, who have an average of 1,300 outward toll calls daily outside the Hastings-Napier area, 1.100 telegram calls daily, and with 47,487 postal articles daily. There are over 40,800 Post Office Savings Accounts. Thirty schools operate School Savings Accounts in Hastings, having 56,904 deposits per annum for credit of £24,560.

INDUSTRIES OF 164 FACTORIES in the industry groups of food, wood manufacturers, furniture and fittings, clothing machinery, transport, non-metallic mineral products, beverages, textiles, printing publishing, leather etc. The value of the output is in excess of £17¾ million annually.

AN EGG FLOOR – receiving 1,219,450 dozen eggs this year (an increase of 30%) pulped for export and local consumption, chilled and sold in shell. The total 28lb tins pulped was 11,277 (an increase of 50%) for use in bakeries.

STOCK SALEYARDS. – where more livestock is sold annually than at any other centre in New Zealand – 452,674 sheep and 33, 555 cattle.

A RACECOURSE – of 84 acres, with seating accommodation in imposing stands which, outside the main centres, are easily the best in New Zealand. Many of New Zealands famous racehorses have been trained here.

A CAMPING GROUND – recognised among the best appointed and most popular in New Zealand in a park of 64 acres.

FIVE SAWMILLING AND TIMBER YARDS – dealing with the dressing, drying and treating of timbers (rimu, matai, and totara), New Zealand exotics (Radiata pine and Douglas fir) , Australian hardwoods and American softwoods.

A MUNICIPAL THEATRE – with a seating capacity of 1, 350 and one of the largest stages in the Southern Hemisphere.

SEVEN STOCK AND STATION AGENTS STORES – the CELLARS OF LARGE VINEYARDS and an AERIAL MAPPING COMPANY – the only one in New Zealand.

CHURCHES OF ALL DENOMINATIONS – including one constructed by Maori members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

THE FALLEN SOLDIERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL – with 283 beds and a total staff of 380 of which 200 are nurses.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT HASTINGS.

Hastings City Population.   23,230
Urban Population.   32,479
Area of City.   3,211 acres
Urban Area.    21,300 acres
Density of Settlement in City Area   7.24
Births per 1.000 of Population.   25.19
Deaths per 1.000 of Population.   8.55
Hours of Sunshine.   2,416
Rainfall.   32.56 inches
Water Pumped.   910 mil. gallons
Number of New Dwellings in the last 10 years.   1,682
Building Permits Issued.   723
Value of New Buildings.   £1,274,849
Average Cost of New Dwellings.   £3,128
Drivers Licences in Force.   7,161
Motor Vehicles Registered.   17,428
Length of Water Mains.   88.16 miles.

HOTELS – Decontrolled graded 4*plus or higher   3
Graded 3* plus   2
Graded 3*   2

INFORMATION REGARDING HAWKE’S BAY AND THE DISTRICT OF WHICH HASTINGS IS THE CENTRE AND MARET CITY.

THE FRUIT BOWL AND VEGETABLE BASKET OF ZEALAND. SHEEP run totalled over 5¾ million at June 1961 , of which 3¾ million were breeding ewes, 99.000 rams, 296.000 wethers and 1½ million hoggets, there being 3,294 sheepowners, occupying an area of 2¾ million acres of farmland. More sheep are run to the acre in Hawke’s Bay than elsewhere in New Zealand. The lambing percentage is nearly 100.

WOOL sold in 1960-61 totalled 217.323 bales – the greatest number in New Zealand – realising about at an average of £57 a bale – 3/5 a lb. Six of the seven wool-brokers firms operating in the district have their head offices in Hastings. This wool is among the finest crossbred in the world, is bid for by buyers from all over the world. The district is also a most important centre for scoured wools, 15.073 bales realising £874,943 at 4/5 a lb.

CATTLE: There are nearly 1.000 dairy farms of over 90.000 acres carrying 43.000 dairy cows in milk. In addition [addition], there is a total of about 465.000 beef cattle, mostly Aberdeen Angus.

ORCHARDS: For the 1961 season over 2¼ million bushel cases of fruit were harvested from the 372 registered orchards (50 trees and over). With over 230.000 pip fruit trees, 150.000 stone fruit trees and 1, 34 citrus fruit trees covering 3,454 acres, the yeild [yield] is easily the highest in New Zealand, as set out below. This year, over 480,000 cases of pip fruit were exported. Pallet loading (40 bushel cases) enabled fruit to be taken from the Apple and Pear Boards cool store in Hastings direct to the ships cool space and then direct to many countries all over the world, which ensured the fruit being in prime condition when bought by housewives thousands of miles away. Fruit opens up in London in the same condition as loaded in Hastings, New Zealand.

Approximate average yields per care are as follows: –
*Apples   1,150 Bushels
Peaches    445 Bushels
Plums    240 Bushels
Quinces   640 Bushels
Pears   725 Bushels
Nectarines   400 Bushels
Cherries   150 Bushels
Apricots   100 Bushels

The 1961 production has been: –
Apples   1.350.000 Bushels
Peaches   411.500 Bushels
Plums   82,850
Quinces   7.000
Pears   360.000 Bushels
Nectarines   16.500 Bushels
Cherries   1,400
Apricots   7,400

*Probably the highest in the world!

MARKET GARDENS AND SMALL FRUITS: Over 13,000 acres were planted for the 1961 season and the yields and production for this season of some of the vegetables and fruits were: –
Peas: 7,000 acres – 10.000 tons – average yield per acre 1½ tons.
Asparagus: 1,500 acres – 1.000 tons – average yield per acre 1½ tons.
Tomatoes: 1,000 acres – 12.500 tons – average yield per acre 12 tons.
Grapes: 500 acres – 3,000 tons – average yield per acre 6 tons.
Beans: 560 acres – 1,734 tons – average yield per acre 3½ tons.
Potatoes: 1,700 acres – 13.600 tons average yield per acre 8 tons.
Sweet Corn: 110 acres – 372 tons – average yield per acre 3 tons.
Carrots: 34 acres – 408 tons – average yield per acre 11 tons.
Berry Fruits: 65 acres – 80 tons average yield per acre 1½ tons.
Onions: 300 acres – 300 tons – average yield per acre 1 ton.

Fruits and vegeatables [vegetables] of [all] kinds are grown and despatched to all parts of New Zealand as well as being canned, deep frozen and bottled for export and local consumption. An additional 463 acres of mixed vegetables produce 3,500 tons.

WINERIES: There are ten large wineries in the district, some being of recent construction and of very modern design. Ten years ago there were 84,000 vines planted now there are over 170.000 vines.

CORN AND GRASS SEED: The area sown down in wheat for 1961 is over 4,500 acres, for barley 1,750 acres, rye, corn acres, oats 300 acres and lucerne 10,000 acres. Grass seed production exceeds 4 million pounds annually, the yield of perennial ryegrass being the highest in New Zealand at 487 lbs per acre.

Just outside the present Hastings boundaries are: –

TWO OF THE LARGEST FREEZING WORKS in New Zealand which kill for export over 100,000,000 pounds annually of the finest Iamb and mutton, daily killings during the season exceeding 28,000 Iambs, 75000 head of cattle are killed annually for the chiller beef trade. This season was a record one with over 2 million carcases killed to date.

THE HAWKES BAY AGRICULTURAL AID PASTORAL SOCIETYS SHOWGROUNDS, regarded as the most beautiful in New Zealand, with an area of 133 acres. The 1960 annual Spring Show was the 101st with an attendance on “Peoples Day” of over 4.000. At the December 1960 Ram Fair there were entries of 785 flock Romneys, 1,591 flock Southdowns and 165 other breeds.

THE HAWKES BAY AND EAST COAST AERO CLUB AND AERODROME AT BRIDGE PA: Founded in 1918 following the visit of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, the Club now has seven aircraft – a Cessna 180, a Piper P.A. 18, two Miles Whitney Straights and three Tiger Moths.

The aerodrome is also the headquarters of eleven aerial topdressing and spraying companies and their aircraft, and also the N.Z. Aerial Mapping Company, making more than thirty planes using the aerodrome.

We cordially invite you to SPEND A HOLIDAY, START AN INDUSTRY OR COME AND LIVE, in friendly Hastings City – The Fruit Bowl of New Zealand.

Further Information from: –
Ken Sparks,
Hastings Public Relations Officer
P.O. Box 478,
HASTINGS.
Phones: –   Office – 86-001.    Residence – 82-727.