GIFTS TO MASTERTON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1938, Page 4

GIFTS TO MASTERTON

STATEMENT BY COUNCILLOR CHALLENGED. (To the Editor.) Sir,—When the Borough Council accepted the gift made by the family of the late Mr. T. C. Williams, Councillor Kemp (who should by now have reached years of discretion) commented on the fact that Masterton had not been very fortunate in the gifts made by its citizens. While it is impossible to give any comprehensive list of substantial donations a few occur to the memory-. The Ladies’ Baths were the gift of the late Dr W. H. Hosking. Mawley Park was given by Mrs. Mawley. The Memorial Park was largely the gift of members of the Cameron family. Councillor Kemp knows the donors of and the workers for South. Park. Twenty years -ago the Crown lease of the Lansdowne Hockey Grounds was purchased by,.l think, Mr A. McDonald and handed to the Hospital Board. The Y.M.C.A. is where it. is as the result of gifts made by prominent settlers and the work done by good citizens. St. Matthew’s College, Solway College, the Methodist Children’s Home and the Convent owe their birth and combined existence to publicspirited men and women. The Masterton Borough and Wairarapa College have both received splendid gifts from Mr and Mrs Nops. The Hospital Suspension Bridge was the acknowledgment by many citizens of what the community owed to the Hospital staff. The Solway Showgrounds and the Masterton Racing Club are monuments raised by willing donors. The Plunket Society owes its site to Mr L. B. Maunseff. I am not a member of the Presbyterian Church, but' rumour has it that this church has received marvellous support in its recent trouble. The late Mr A. P. Whatman made gifts almost unparalleled in New Zealand. The list of substantial donors to the Hospital groUs yearly. During the war a flag was sold in the Masterton Opera House for £23,000. I remember at the first meeting of the people of the Wairarapa, held in August, 1914, one of the gifts was: “£5OO, all the suitable horses on my station, and my eldest son.” This, of course, is not an exhaustive list, but when one ff our elected representatives makes loose statements, not to correct such statements would be discourteous to oast donors and discouraging to possible future ones. —I am, etc., H.H.D. Masterton, September 23.