Popular "ride" for 90 years

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32702, 3 September 1971, Page 1

Popular "ride" for 90 years

(By

P. HIDE)

“Riding around on a I carousel, trying to catch > up with you,” says a | popular song, and child- i ren have been doing just that for possibly 90 I years on a merry-go-round which is working at the New Zealand In. dustries Fair again this year. Surrounded by more mod- ; em amusements such as rac- ■ ing go-karts and houses of : horrors, the merry-go-round, I which was imported for the j New Zealand Exhibition held in Hagley Park in 1906, continues to be one of the most popular “rides” at any fair ground. The exact details of the origins of this venerable piece of fair ground equipment are uncertain, but it is believed to have been built some 90 years ago in Germany, since the organ which provides the distinctive carousel-style music is German-made. It was imported for an exhibition held in Christchurch soon after the turn of the century by the late Mr J. F. (Jack) Lumby, whose early carnival experience was with a camera with , which he “worked” numer- ' ous shows and fairs round ■ the country. About 1914, Mr Lumby . imported a second “ride,” an . English “big wheel” which also is in use at the Industries Fair now. Even when ! bought by Mr Lumby, this ’ equipment was second-hand, but it too is very reliable still.

Mr Lumby was joined in partnership about that time by a Mr Norman Miller, and with their equipment they toured New Zealand, being welcome at any show or fair; without such attractions there was little of the carnival atmosphere. | Originally • these “rides” were steam driven —this included the merry-go-round’s German organ—but petrol engines long since have I superseded this.

However, a similar organ with its' gaily-painted and intricately-patterned front, ! which has been given to the i Ferrymead Historic Park, ■ maintains its authenticity, being operated with steam produced in a boiler there. The octopus which* is owned by Lumby’s, Ltd, and also working at the Industries Fair, is a much more recent acquisition. This was bought by Mr Lumby from an Australian who brought it ; to New Zealand for the Canterbury centenary celebra- , tions in 1950. In the South Island, this fair ground equipment used to “work” shows and fairs from Invercargill to Nelson, and has been at Timaru’s New Year carnivals at Caroline Bay since they were begun about 60 years ago.

“We used to go round all the shows,” said Mrs T. Wilkins, of Waltham, who, with her husband, worked on the equipment for more than 30 years for Mr Lumby. “They showed me how to work the gear and I used to run the men-y-go-round. It was all right if you had [ood weather, but wasn't much fun if it turned cold,” said Mrs Wilkins. The Timaru carnival was one of the busiest and most arduous times of the year, she said. The work was particularly hard when the evening concerts finished and there was a sudden surge of patrons. Mr Wilkins feels that the fairs and shows today lack much of the quality and atmosphere of the early days. She recalled the small ani-

mated gnomes which were a favourite display for many years, but which no longer were available to give pleasure to young and old. An old identity of fairs and shows, Mr J. F. Andrews, of Linwood, who has been a space-holder at Canterbury shows since 1926, said the principle of working fair ground equipment was to keep the machinery turning. In the early days there were a few picked children known as “gees” who acted as decoys, said Mr Andrews. This practice ceased after the Second World War, with free spending and demand exceeding the capacity of the "rides.” Thus fixed charges replaced prices regulated to the availability of money as during the depression years.

Mr Lumby died about four years ago, and his son, Mr L. Lumby, died soon after. Today most of the shares in Lumby’s, Ltd, are held in trust for the three children of Mr and Mrs R. I. McDonald, of St Martins, grandchildren of Mr and Mrs Wilkins.

Because of the cost of transporting the heavy equipment and tire work in erecting and dismantling it, the “rides” are not taken to as many of the smaller country shows as was the practice in earlier days. But the old but trustworthy merry-go-round and the other equipment still are popular attractions at agricultural and pastoral shows at Rangiora and Christchurch, and the Timaru New Year carnival.