Beginnings Of Bay P. & I. Association

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1947, Page 3

Beginnings Of Bay P. & I. Association

This is the Bay of Islands P. and I. Association’s 60th year of activity, although not its jubilee, inasmuch as, owing to two world wars, there haye been four show-less years. In attendance at the record-break-ing Waimate North Show last Saturday was the “father” of the association, the venerable Mr W. E. Bedggood who still recalls the erection o the present' show building more than half a century ago. . Every settler in the district then contributed —some gave materials, some their own labour, some born. Those who could not help in any other way hired an outside carpenter for a fortnight and put him to work on the job. . „ Only real cost was in the roohng iron, which is still wonderfully sound Mr Bedggood believes the total cost was about £6O. The building was designed by Archdeacon Williams, who was himself a Trojan worker on the job. It was planned from a Continental design, to give cross lighting from two oppoing rows of transoms. . Little change has been wrought m the original layout of the buildings, although it has been given an additional 20ft in length (without those highly effective transoms). Outbuildings and ante-rooms have grown up around it and beside it, but the building is substantially the same as the pioneers of those far-off days knew it.