SOME TIMARU PIONEERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18008, 13 July 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

SOME TIMARU PIONEERS.

ford to build in stone, and no bricks were then available. As early as 1863 an effort was made to form a Fire Bridgade in Timaru. A Volunteer Brigade was formed, officers wore appointed, and rules adopted, bin. the difficulty Was to secure money with which to carry on. The equipment was estimated to cost £'l6o, not including freight from Dunedin, or clothing'. The town was canvassed, the appeal resulting in the collection of £6O of the £l6O required. Two years later the Borough Council received a letter stating that an Insurance Company would send a fire engine to Timaru, provided the Council would guarantee to look alter it. In those days as now, there wore different opinions on the Council, and though it might be supposed that such an offer would he readily accepted, one Councillor urged caution in giving such a guarantee; another said they might build a small shed for £5 or £lO, while another asked if a tarpaulin would not do as well as a shed. But final’y the collective wisdom of the Council decided that the guarantee should be given, and the first, fire engine arrived in Timaru on September 27, 1870. It was one made by Mesa.,>. Merry weather, London, and was .capable of being worked by 16 hands. Accompanying it were the necessary suction pipe and delivery hose. The shed which had been erected by the Council to house the fire engine, was rebuilt in 1871, and in the same year there was built in George Street an 8,000 gallon under-ground fire, tank, lined with concrete. Other similar tanks were made later in other parts of the town. 1 Jn 1871 one of the Insurance Companies (a different one from that which lent the fire engine) gave the Council a fire hell; and a new engine arrived from England in 1873. The Fire Brigade, which was formed in 1870, was entirely a volunteer body and numbered S? 0 men by. 1874, with one officeri'TtiS numerical strength was the same in 1878, but in the three following years it was recognised that the Brigade was of great service to the

town, and the voluntary work of the fire fighters was so much appreciated that the Borough Council decided to pay the Brigade £IOO per annum. Later this amount was increased to £IBO, three fire stations being maintained. Just prior to receiving its first payment from the Council the Brigade held .. torch-light procession to celebrate its disbanding as a volunteer body.

It is interesting to note here that the Borough Council’s contribution to the Timaru Fire Brigade this year is £1,450. THE BUILDINGS OF THE TOWN. In no branch of the Borough’s activities has there been more marked progress than in the nature' and quality of the buildings which have teen erected during the period under review, and the architecture in recent years especial y, has been of a striking nature, both as legards private residences and business premises. The pioneers, though called upon to put up a stern fight for materia! things, did not forget the spiritual side of life, and quite early in Timaru they set about the erection of places of worship for different denominations. “Beautiful Sr. Mary’s,” as it is now known, standing oil a commanding site at the junction cf Church and Sophia Streets, quite close to the business centre, was not, in its original form, of such nriistic proportions as is the. present-day edifice. The first church was a wooden structure, but, with Hie growing requirements of the place it was found necessary to build a larger church, and the original building lias since given place to the present fine example of Gothic architecture, and fifteen years ago the Transept, Tower, and Chapter House were .added, in comp etion of the original design. The main portion of the sacred edifice is fashioned after tiro pattern' of such buildings in the ear'y English period, and the tower was completed to correspond with the 14ch century work. For its style, material, and size, St. Mary’s is justly describ. ed by critics as one of the best Church buildings, of the Gotliie style, in this country. The handsome Basilica, built by tho Roman Catholics, on Craigie Avenue, replaced its wooden predecessor, which did duty until it was destroyed by fire about fifteen years ago. On the shoulders of the late Dean Tubman fell the heavy task of collecting the

wherewithal to erect the hew church, but the work was undertaken clieerfu’ly, and its completion was looked upon as a splendid culmination to the late Dean’s long and useful labours among the Catholic community of this district. The Basilica is constructed of brick and Oamaru stone, its style being that of the Italian Rennissar.ce. There is a fine'y-balanced portico ct the eastern entrance; the nave is flanked by two bold transepts; while the crossing of the nave and transepts is crowned by a well-balanced arm impressive dome. The site of'the Basilica was well chosen, being a rising piece of ground opposi.e the end of a wide street, so that a full view of tn« eastern facade is obtained from main arterial streets (Stafford and Browne, in the southern end of iho town. ’file two Brushy erinn churches in the Borough are good examples of their type of work. Trinity church in Barnard Street being one of the earliest concrete structures in the Borough ; and it hrs one of the finest GreeiunDoric styles of porticos in New Zealand. Chalmers Church also stands on a commanding site, at the angle where Sophia and Elizabeth Streets meet. It is built in the later Gothic sty e, its eastern facade being composed of a square tower and spire. The. sunny aspect and picturesque situation of the outskirts of the Borough has induced the home builder to beautify and perfect the most pleasing type of domestic architecture; and this repeatedly calls forth warm admiration from visitors to Timaru. The type of house principally elected in the Borough in recent years is one which appeals, part y hv reason of the rich and warm looking local red brick, of which is is made, the bricks being relieved in some cases by roughcast and half timbered work in the upper storeys, while the roof is of elegant looking Marseilles tiles. Most of these homes have well placed sun balconies and sleeping porticos, and the interiors are fitted with many excellent domestic conveniences. The best New Zealand red pine is used, and the homes are

finished in such a way as to combine artistic effect with comfort, in a delightful way. In the main street the commercial prosperity of the Borough is evidenced by the number of four-storeyed and three-storeyed blocks of buildings devoted to the requirements of the varied commercial undertakings. That Timaru keeps abreast of the commercial requirements of the times is shown by the fine array of retail premises with plate glass and marb'e shop fronts, sheltered by cantilever verandahs, in the Continental style. In regard to public facilities the bnildintrs have a’so kept pace with the

growing requirements of the Borough. The Government offices include a large three-storied Post and Telegraph block, with clock tower, a solidly built Customs House near the water front, and a two-storied b’uesioue building in the main street, where the Lands and Agricultural Departments are housed. During all this period Timaru has advanced as ' a manufacturing town, and there is probably no other town in the Dominion that can excel it in the manufacture of flour, biscuits, woollen goods, and boots and shoes. The approach to Timaru from the sea. is quite impressive, with its four lofty flour mi ls standing along the waterfront. Another feature of the waterfront is seen in the great corrugated iron stores, which have been built there for handling and storage of the grain and woollen products of the district. Most of these buildings, though unpretentious in external appearance, have been built upon the best principles for lighting and convenience of working, and are well placed in their relation to the railway system. WEATHER CONDITIONS. Complaint is sometimes heard concerning the prevalence of nor’-west winds, hut the winds which are experienced to-day are mild compared with those of the early days, when there were no shelter-trees to break them up, and to nullify their effects, and then, it was jocularly remarked, “the sheep had to learn to hang onto the tussocks to save themselves from being blown away.” This is mentioned to indicate that there was a dust nuisance in the town, then as now. The necessity for streec watering was urged by the townspeople ; hut water was not over plentiful, and it was not until 1877 that the first street watering was done.