Historical display at show

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 7

Historical display at show

Many items of historical interest formed an impressive display at the Hawarden Show on Saturday.

The Waipara County Historical Society arranged the display and is hoping to stimulate interest in its work. The society aims to have a permanent building to house the varied, items it has been given.

A recent donation, in the form of a Gladstone bag full of odds and ends, was left anonymously at the front gate of the society’s president (Mrs B. H. Little). As well as the collective : displays this year there were I two exhibits of particular interest.

In earlier years race meetings were held in the Hurunui area, and there was an exhibit of racing mementoes with racing silks, picnic baskets, binoculars, and photographs grouped round a large poster advertising a meeting in 1938—one of the last meetings to be held in the area.

The second exhibit showed a typical bedroom at the turn of the century. It included a fine wrought-iron and brass bedstead covered with a white, hand - crocheted spread; a washstand with a matching ewer and bowl; and a dressing-table with cutglass and silver accoutrements.

Standing near the bed was a kauri rocking-chair, made in Dunedin in the 1860 s, and lovingly restored. The original cane-work seat and back are ■still in good condition.

■ A figure of a woman wearing a richly embroidered; jettrimmed, black suit, and holding a shawl, stood beside an open work-box; and items of underwear were casually thrown over a screen.

The wails of the room were papered with wallpaper of the period, and appropriate paintings and other accessories were used, among which a long-handled copper warm-ing-pan attracted attention. A novel collection box—an old butter chum—stood near the door to receive contributions, although no admission Charge was made.