Ferrymead Park Campaign Opened

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31323, 20 March 1967, Page 12

Ferrymead Park Campaign Opened

The Ferrymead historic park would provide “a visual recitation” to present and succeeding generations of what the pioneers and their successors had done for Christchurch, the Mayor (Mr’G. Manning) told more than 600 people attending the opening grand ball of the Ferrymead Queen Carnival campaign at Cowles Stadium on Saturday night.

The Queen Carnival campaign, which was officially opened by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk), at a fair at Ferrymead on Saturday afternoon, aims to raise £50,000. Guests of honour at the ball, which was organised by the Number 4 Round Table, were the Minister of Defence Mr Thomson) and Mr Kirk.

The Ferrymead project would provide not only another attraction to an already attractive city, but also an extension to the Canterbury Museum, Mr Thomson said. The 15 Queen candidates were presented to Messrs Thomson, Kirk and Manning. Deafening applause and whistles from supporters drowned out the names of the candidates, announced by the organiser of the Ferrymead project, Mr F. Betts, as each girl reached the stage. The candidates presented were:—Miss South Christchurch Jaycees, Miss Beverley Cornelius; Miss Christchurch Junior Chamber, Miss Larraine Stollery; Miss RiccartonHoraby, Miss Paula Ryan; Miss Beverage, Miss Kathie McCormack; Miss Workshops, Miss Janet Baker; Miss O’Brien Footwear, Miss Deidre Veal; Miss Empire, Mrs Margaret Liggett, Miss Andersons, Miss Alisa Clephane: Miss Marathon, Miss Diane Williams; Miss Linwood Depot, Miss Rosalee Legett; Miss Workingmen’s Clubs, Miss Denise Ayson; Miss Progress, Miss Libby Harrop; Miss Science Museum, Miss Ferne Williams; Miss Woolston Sports, Miss Susan Shortt ock; Miss Kaiapoi-Petone, Miss Jennifer Whittaker.

Earlier in the day, the opening fair at Ferrymead, site of the first railway in New Zealand, was attended by about 15,000 people. The fair had three main sections —a locomotive display, a small area devoted to providing pony and buggy rides for children, and a large collection of colourful booths from which queen candidates sponsors sold tickets in a variety of “instant raffles” and other money-raising endeavours. One unusual exhibit was a cycle equipped with television, radio, tape recorder and other extras, and valued at more than £5OO. A short film show was offered by the Tramways Historical Society, in an old tramcar which will be preserved. In the locomotive display were two engines of great significance. One was a WD class tank loco, built in 1901 by the Baldwin Loco Works, Philadelphia, and is the last remaining United States produced steam locomotive in New Zealand. The other machine was a D class engine, built in 1880 by Scott Brothers, Engineers, Christchurch, from an English design. To accommodate the display, eight chains of track were laid, and trains ran at Ferrymead for the first time in 100 years. The only interruption to the casually dressed crowd’s efforts to win boxes of chocolates or trips to Australia, was the 15 minute official opening of the Queen carnival campaign at 2 p.m. Other speakers at the opening were Mr N. Frazer, chairman of the project’s finance committee, and Mr C. D. Le Compte, chairman of the Heathcote County Council.