Hastings – New Zealand’s Most Friendly City

HASTINGS
New Zealand’s Most Friendly City

HASTINGS HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING ONE OF THE YOUNGEST CITIES IN NEW ZEALAND, and was proclaimed the Dominion’s fifteenth centre with city status on 8th September, 1956.

Its progress has been marked since the first settlement days when the centre of the present business areas was swamp, and since the formation of the first Town Board in 1883. Three years later borough status was achieved – twenty two years after the first settlement of the Heretaunga Plains took place. Within ten years – actually in 1874 – the first railway ran from Napier to Hastings. It was this event which gave the town the impetus which has marked its rather remarkable development during the following years. For instance, it was about a year after the arrival of the first train that the first school was opened, and when the Town Board gave way to the Borough Council, the fire brigade, which now ranks among the most efficient in the Dominion was formed.

A GLANCE THROUGH EARLY HISTORY REVEALS THAT HASTINGS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES IN NEW ZEALAND TO HAVE ELECTRIC POWER, for in 1912 the Borough Council’s plant came into operation and served the town for many years. It was sold to the Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board, which established it headquarters in Hastings, in 1938.

Considered to be among the best equipped in New Zealand, the Municipal Theatre – a monument to the foresight of the “city fathers” of the day – was erected in 1915, and in the following year the present Council Chambers and Municipal Buildings, which are the envy of many local bodies, were constructed.

THE FUTURE OF HASTINGS IS SECURE, AND THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PROGRESS OF THE PROVINCE AND THE DOMINION AS A WHOLE. Farming operations on what is regarded as “some of the best farming land in the world,” together with the fruit-growing and quick-freeze industries, alone will ensure that. It is industries such as these which are the backbone of the province, and both the Tomoana and Whakatu freezing works are constantly enlarging their works to accommodate the ever-growing amount of stock to be handled each year. The cool stores which provide the largest cool storage in the Dominion, the four fruit and vegetable processing companies which operate in the immediate vicinity of the city, with the accent on “quick-freeze” production which finds its way to all parts of the Dominion and overseas, will play a major part in the economy and prosperity of the district. Industries of all kinds have sprung up throughout the city and its environs. One important industry is our “Visitor Industry.” Thousands of visitors are attracted to the city each year through the famed camping ground amenities at Windsor Park; the annual Hastings Blossom Festival in September, and the Hastings Highland Games at Easter have reached the forefront of the Dominion’s attractions. It is things such as these which will ensure the continued prosperity of –
HASTINGS – “THE FRUIT BOWL OF NEW ZEALAND.”

PLACES of INTEREST, ENTERTAINMENTS and SPORTS

ANNUAL HASTINGS HIGHLAND GAMES (the Braemar of Australasia).
Easter Saturday and Monday: “The Gathering of the Clans.”

WINDSOR PARK – New Zealand’s Ace Motor Camp (Selwood Road).
This lovely Park of 62 acres, with beautiful shady trees, swimming baths, children’s paddling pool, canoes, outdoor skating rink, tennis courts and cabins, is a Campers’ Paradise; New Zealand offers nothing better as your camping “Home away from Home.” Each Easter it is the venue for New Zealand’s premier Highland gathering, the “Hastings Highland Games,” and for the “Annual Hastings Blossom Festival and Carnival” in September. The Hastings Public relations Office gives a full service during the Christmas and New Year holiday period – Camp Concerts, Film Evenings, Skating Carnivals, Band Recitals, Campers’ Own Sports, Delivery of Mail and Daily Papers, together with information on all topics and places of interest.

CORNWALL PARK (Tomoana Road).
A restful retreat, with spacious lawns bordered by colourful beds of flowers and shrubs. Stately trees, winding streams and beautiful birds add to the interest of the Park. Here our cricketers have ideal recreation grounds. Organised picnics by societies and families make this lovely Park an ideal recreational playground for young and old alike.

FRIMLEY PARK (Frimley Road).
One of the many outstanding features of this Old English type Park, in its typical New Zealand setting, is the large number of specimens of beautiful rare trees and shrubs, together with its impressive gardens and spacious lawns.

SHOWGROUNDS (Tomoana).
Set in lovely avenues of silver birch and plane trees, with weeping willows shading cool streams, Hastings has the loveliest Showgrounds in Australasia. Alongside is Waikato House, a memorial to William Nelson, pioneer of New Zealand’s frozen meat industry. The grounds have fine old trees, spacious lawns and glorious gardens.

OAK AVENUE (Omahu).
Unique and uniform, with more shady spots to the square yard than any other Hawke’s Bay offering. Via Stortford Lodge – pass the Memorial Hospital en route.

HASTINGS BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL (Karamu Road South).
A fine school with a fine record, it has beautiful grounds, impressive buildings and wide playing fields.

HASTINGS GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.
A new school situated in Pakowhai Road (next to Frimley Park).

HAVELOCK NORTH (2½ miles from Hastings).
A typical English village and home of education, with its well-known colleges, Woodford, Iona and Hereworth. Hawke’s Bay’s most delightful residential area, two and half miles from Hastings, it nestles comfortably at the foot of the Havelock Hills. The only place in New Zealand where six roads converge.

TE MATA PEAK, 1285 feet (Havelock North).
The highlight of your visit to Hawke’s Bay. See Hastings, see Napier, see the coast, see the rivers, see the fertile Heretaunga Plains. Definitely a drive to Te Mata Peak for the finest panorama in Hawke’s Bay.

ANNUAL HASTINGS BLOSSOM FESTIVAL CARNIVAL AND PROCESSION.
During the first two weeks in September, Hastings demonstrates its right to be called “the Fruit Bowl of New Zealand” when it presents the colourful “Salute to Spring” during our Annual Blossom Festival.

CAPE KIDNAPPERS AND GANNETS (Clifton).
Visit this unique bird sanctuary by a lovely walk round the beach to Cape Kidnappers. Trips can be made only at the proper tides, so contact the Ranger at Clifton before starting out on this fine walk. ‘Phone HMN 762.

THE GAME FARM (Greenmeadows).
Make it a round trip via the orchards of Pakowhai, Napier and back to Hastings. Take in the Game Farm at Greenmeadows.

WAIMARAMA (22 miles from Hastings).
A run of 22 miles over the hills take you to the open sea and a magnificent view of the rolling waters of the Pacific. Lovely sandy beach and surfing.

HAUMOANA, TE AWANGA, AND CLIFTON DOMAIN.
Nine miles from Hastings, by good roads, to the lovely seaside spots of Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton, where gracious views of the coastline are obtained. Good swimming and fishing at these beaches.

SWIMMING.
Maddison Baths, Harding Baths, Mahora Baths, Havelock Nth. Baths, Windsor Park Baths.

TENNIS.
Hastings Club, St. Joseph’s Club, West End Club, Parkvale Club. Campers wishing to play at Windsor Park please apply at Windsor Park Branch, Public Relations Office, during holiday period Christmas-New Year.

BOWLING.
Hastings Club, Kia Toa Club, Heretaunga Club, National Service Club.

CRICKET.
Summer season. Matches played at Cornwall, Nelson and Windsor Parks each Saturday.

SOFTBALL.
Summer season. Matches played at St. Leonards Park each Saturday.

FOOTBALL.
Winter Season. Rugby, Nelson and Akina Parks. Association, Windsor Park.

GOLF.
Hastings Golf Club, Bridge Pa.

FISHING.
Tuki Tuki, Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri Rivers offer good sport for anglers.
HAWKE’S BAY A. & P. SHOW.
Held in October (three days).

HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB – RACES.
New Year, April, June, August and September.

HASTINGS CITY
A GRAND PLACE to LIVE, or
to START INDUSTRY, or
JUST RELAX

HASTINGS IS RENOWNED THROUGHOUT NEW ZEALAND FOR ITS GLORIOUS CLIMATE, rich fertile soils and its productivity. The latitude of Hastings, 39deg. 38in., corresponds approximately with that of Central Spain or Southern Italy in the Northern Hemisphere. Hastings’ mild and genial climate is therefore comparable with that of Mediterranean tourist resorts. Cool sea breezes temper the summer warmth, and winter days, though crisp, invariably are bright and sunny. The average temperature is 55 deg., and the average rainfall is 32.01 inches.

With a stabilised economy by reason of the extensively irrigated orchard and farmlands in the area, and because of the industrial activity and fine retail and wholesale establishments permanently located in Hastings, new industries and businesses are growing up here and moving here because of the encouraging atmosphere which prevails in Hastings.

THERE’S PLENTY OF GOOD BUILDING SPACE AVAILABLE IN HASTINGS for commercial and industrial use. Inquiries addressed to the Hastings Public Relations Office will bring immediate action and all-out assistance for industries, businesses and individuals interested in Hastings and district.

Our beautiful churches serve congregations of virtually all faiths, and we have excellent schools and other educational facilities.

The Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune, the Daily Telegraph and Radio Stations 2ZC and 2YZ serve the people of Hastings and the surrounding area by providing them with accurate news, weather reports and radio entertainment. Residents of Hastings can also receive most other radio stations in the Dominion.

The new and modern Hastings Public Library provides cultural education and entertainment for all ages through its wide selection of books and publications.

Our folk work hard, and so we provide them with plenty of room for them to play. We have 304 acres of fine parks for picnics, skating and other sports, and just plain relaxing. Plays, concerts and other entertainment in the Municipal Theatre and Assembly Hall, along with four cinemas, provide a wide variety of entertainment for all.

There are also plenty of sporting events at attend in Hastings.

HASTINGS CLIMATE IS JUST […] low utility rate to […] and business. […] gas, electricity and water are sufficient just about any type of commercial industrial enterprise.

[…] are economy-minded and keep our […] rates low. There’s plenty of skilled and unskilled work, work-willing labour available.

Our folks are self-reliant and willing to give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay without asking anything beyond what they earn. Ask our present employers about that – they’ll tell you plenty of good things about our workers.

HASTINGS IS GROWING AT A PARTICULARLY FAST RATE, our construction programme is making every effort to keep up, and there are adequate housing and industrial sites available. Rents and purchases prices are reasonable in our beautiful residential suburbs. The cost of living is low here, and that means lower operating and production costs. The nearby farming areas keep us well stocked with fresh produce, and other goods and services are kept at attractive prices in our competitive system.

Hastings City has the unique distinction of sponsoring and promoting two of N.Z.’s outstanding annual attractions – the Hastings Highland games at Easter, and the Hastings Blossom Festival in early September. These premier annual events have done much to publicise Hastings as a progressive centre, a good place in which to build a home or locate an industry, or to just plain relax. These functions have also given our citizens an opportunity to prove Hastings as the friendly city that it is and have helped to develop a “Welcome Neighbour” policy and to attract new industries and residents to our city and province.

IN HASTINGS YOU WILL FIND A WARM, WHOLESOME ATMOSPHERE in which people and businesses thrive and prosper. We’re vitally interested in all new-comers to our community, whether a new family or a new business, and we make sure that the surrounding in which we live and work with one another contribute to a rewarding way of life and harmony with our neighbours.

You’ll want to visit Hastings and see for yourself why we’re New Zealand’s fastest growing city.

Come and meet our folks – and stay a while in Hastings. You’ll find that Greater Hastings is an “on-the-ball” Community Public Relations Organisation ready to help you in any way possible, because –

A Greater Hastings means Advancement and Prosperity for all, in the most progressive and most prosperous province in New Zealand.

GREATER HASTINGS
reminds you of

HAWKE’S BAY’S PREMIER ANNUAL ATTRACTIONS

Plan now, and enjoy your Easter Holidays at New Zealand’s Premier Highland Gathering

THE ANNUAL HASTINGS HIGHLAND GAMES
(The Braemar of Australasia)

WINDSOR PARK   HASTINGS
EASTER SATURDAY AND MONDAY

For that Spring Vacation see the Dominion’s most colourful attraction.

THE ANNUAL HASTINGS BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
(First and Second week of September each year).

Don’t Miss the
GRAND BLOSSOM FESTIVAL PROCESSION

And remember that the
HASTINGS CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES
will be
BIGGER, BRIGHTER and BETTER THAN EVER

Public Relations Office
Information Bureau Service,

Outdoor Concerts, Film Evenings, Canoeing, Tennis, Outdoor Skating, Band Displays, Swimming, Sports, Sightseeing, Children’s Paddling Pool and Playing Facilities all at

WINDSOR PARK MOTOR CAMP
Selwood Road, Hastings.

Spend a Holiday in
HASTINGS CITY
THE FRUIT BOWL OF NEW ZEALAND

Further information from
KEN SPARKS,
GREATER HASTINGS PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
P. O. Box 478 HASTINGS.
TELEPHONE: 86-001