Newspaper Article 1951 – Gift to Hastings

Gift To Hastings

FRIMLEY ESTATE AREA

49 Acres For Purposes Of Public Park

“BREATHTAKING” STEP

A gift described by the Mayor of Hastings as “breathtaking in its magnificence” has been made to the people of Hastings. The gift is 49 acres of the well-known Frimley Estate, scene of the disastrous fire which destroyed the Frimley homestead last year. It is to be developed as a park for the people and is to be known as Frimley Memorial Park.

In announcing the gift at last night’s meeting of the Hastings Borough Council, the Mayor, Mr. R. D. Brown, said that this was unquestionably “one of the most wonderful and magnificent gifts” ever made by public-spirited people to any town.

MEMORIAL PROPOSAL

“Miss Elsie Williams and her brother, Mr H. B. Williams, desire the citizens of Hastings to accept their remaining holdings as a gift,” said the Mayor, who referred to the fact that 19 acres of the estate had already been sold to the Education Board and that six acres had been sold privately.  The remaining land, comprising 49 acres, he said, at the moment of the gift was subject to a mortgage of £5000 from Miss Elsie Williams to Mr. H. B. Williams, and this £5000 mortgage had been included in the gift, having been assigned to the borough.  In addition, there was an insurance policy for £1400 on the remaining buildings, which included a cottage insured for £650.

“There are practically no conditions to the gift,” said Mr Brown, “except that it be called Frimley Memorial Park and that a memorial, possibly in the form of a fountain, sun-dial or such, to be approved by the Williams family, be erected in the park recording the fact that the land was gifted to the people of Hastings in memory of the late James Nelson Williams and Mary Margaret Williams by their children. We will be more than pleased to do that, and the Williams family will be happy to provide the cost of the memorial.

“MAGNIFICENT GESTURE”

“It is a magnificent gesture emanating from public-spirited citizens, and it is not the first time we have had reason to be grateful to the Williams family,” said Mr Brown.  He stated that Mr J. N. Williams was the original builder of Frimley and was associated with the first canning and freezing enterprises.  He was one of the “Twelve Apostles” who purchased and developed some of the main properties in Hastings.  He was an original partner in the Nelson Bros. and Williams Company which had since become the Tomoana works, and had opened up the Waipiro sheep station.  Beautiful Cornwall Park, he said, was a gift to the borough from Miss A. L. Williams and Miss Lucy Warren, descendants of Mr J. N. Williams.  This park was handed over in 1901 – 50 years ago.

Two minor conditions of the gift are that the undeveloped portion will continue for 12 months to be farmed by Mr H. B. Williams, the property to be leased from the council at a rental to be fixed, and that the Girl Guides’ tenancy of one of the buildings be left undisturbed as long as possible by the council.

The deputy-mayor, Cr. A.  Kirkpatrick, seconded the Mayor’s motion of grateful thanks for the gift.  He was supported by Crs. S. L. Gilkison, A. D. Ross and H. M. Lochhead.