PURCHASE OF SHOWGROUNDS SITE OF 52 ACRES IN 1899

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 7 November 1933, Page 12

PURCHASE OF SHOWGROUNDS SITE OF 52 ACRES IN 1899

Regarded as one of the finest properties of its kind in' New Zealand, the Egmont A. and P. showgrounds are used for many and varied public gatherings during the year and reacn the height of their popularity at show time each November.

Bounded by the Technical High School grounds, King Edward Park, Turuturu Road, Wailii Road and private property fronting Egmont Street and Camberwell Road, with two entrances from the latter, the property has an area of 52 acres subdivided along the whole of the northern boundary into 18 holding paddocks for show stock. Access to these paddocks is provided by way of a private road. On the showgrounds proper are the ring and the two stands for members and the public respectively, and immediately adjacent ample space for outdoor and sideshow displays. On the southern boundary is the produce shed atm to the west along that boundary sheep yards,' cattle pens, pig pens and judges’ rings and behind the buildings eight cropping paddocks from which large quantities of hay and iucerne are taken each year for bedding and feeding purposes. Swinging in a long line around the western and northern boundaries and affording the grounds a measure of shelter from the prevailing winds are the horse stalls. For the valuable property the association now possesses a heavy debt of gratitude is owing to a few far-seeing men who were imbued with an excellent spirit and were willing, for the public good that they could do, to make some personal sacrifice. By an agreement dated November 7, 1888, Mr John Brown arranged for the sale of section 153, block 5, Patea Survey District to Messrs. W. fc. Dive, J. R. Lysaght, Moore Hunter, and J. Davidson. At the time of making the agreement Mr Brown hnu mortgaged the land to the New Zealand Government Life Insurance Office for £7OO Mr Brown died on December 6, 1890, and he had appointed Messrs. W. G. White, bank manager, and Moore Hunter trustees for liis estate. The gentlemen who had pur-, chased the land had already given an i undertaking to sell at the original pur-} chase price to the A and P. Asso-I ciation, and on October 1 1894, an | agreement was executed bv which the} land was sold to Messrs Hunter, Dive.i Davidson, J. Mason, F. Riddiford, W. j Wilson, J. Livingston and A. W.: Budge as trustees for the association. I The conveyance was made on June j 26, 1899. By a subsequent survey the I area of the land proved to be 52 acres 2 roods 28 perches. The price was} £756, and the amount paid in cash was! £56. On the date on which the land ( was sold the trustees executed a de- ;

• cla ration of trust—that they held the , lands in trust for the Egmont A. and ; P. Association, and that they would : deal with the same by consent of a two-thirds majority of the whole of the members. Mr Wilson died on July 9, 1899, and Mr ltiddiford' on February 22, 1961, and Mr John Mason desired to be relieved of bis trusteeship. A general meeting of the association was held on May 7, 1910, and Messrs. Alex Hunter, A. S. Tonks and P. Best were appointed to the vacant lies. The next .step was the bringing of the property under the Land Transfer Act, by which it is now vested in the association as a corporate body. This was accomplished on April 9, 1921. Mr. Sutton took over the Life Insurance mortgage on September 27, 1897, and the mortgage , passed to Miss Livingston on Novem- ' her 4, 1901. Later the association required more money and borrowed £ISOO, of whicli £7OO was lent by Mrs Baker (formerly Miss Livingston) and £BOO by Mr J. S. Oughton. In November, 1914, Mr Oughton took over the whole of the mortgages. The present mortgage to Mr W. J. Arundel of £IO,OOO is I dated March 11, 1921. On July 5, 1916, Mr Davidson died, and Mr Livingston died on May 7, 1915, but no new trustees were appointed. The association then acquired land giving several different entrances to the ground At the time the grounds were purchased a strip of land near Mr. Grave’s property and now forming the main entrance was bought. At the same time a piece of land was purchased for an entrance at the northern end, and later another piece of land was purchased giving access to the centre of the ground. The last piece of land was purchased on January 26, 1917. The association was incorporated on October 19,. 1885, and a copy of the Gazette notice, which was published when Sir William F. Drummond Jervois was Governor and Mr Foster Goring clerk of the Executive Council, has been preserved. The first amendment of the A. and P. Societies’ Act of 1877 was 'by the Amendment Act of 1893, which interpreted the words “live stock” in the principal Act. A further amendment was made in 1900, when power was given to acquire land and raise money by way of debentures or mortgage with power to manage lands and buildings by way of a sub-committee of three members and providing for the disposal of profits accruing from farm lands. The next Statute was the A. and P. Societies’ Amendment Act, 1903, *.hicn gave extended powers of borrowing, The new main Act of 1908 consolidated all the above Acts.