Know your town

‘What’s the weather like’

A Martinborough promotional brochure from 1960 -61 indulged in a little embellishment of the facts (and lack of punctuation) as it read: ‘Martinborough enjoys sunshine like Nelson, which makes for comfortable living. The town is 52 miles, only an 1 ½ hour drive, from Wellington. If you are looking for a place to live that’s going to make for happier, healthier, relaxed living well Martinborough could be the place. Are you looking for an attractive , well designed town where people are friendly and a relaxed atmosphere, Martinborough is the place to be. Going to live there, here are some questions to ask. What businesses, work opportunities, sports, School, medical or spare time activities.’

Facts outlined in the brochure included that the town’s population was 1,550. The previous census had shown it to be only 1,192 however the 1961 census showed that it had risen to 1,422 so it was not too much of an exaggeration. Interestingly the 2013 census showed a population of 1,470 – a net gain of only 48 in 52 years.
Residential sections cost between one hundred and fifty and four hundred and fifty pounds ( 2015 = $6,410 – $19,228). It informed that plentiful local raw material kept building costs down. Plus the soil was rich loam and there was an excellent water supply, so good for home gardeners.

There were plenty of work opportunities. Along with farm jobs there were two saw mills, the flax mill, lime works, two engineering works, a joinery, several fruit and market gardens and shop work.
When to came to shopping the brochure said; ‘there is a high standard of shopping in modernised premises around the town square’. Adding; ‘ The good local primary school has 400 pupils and the newly opened nearby Kuranui college had 800 pupils’.

The new fully equipped and permanently staffed maternity hospital with its pleasant surrounds was promoted along with the town’s resident doctor, chemist shop and St John ambulance.
Much of the brochure was given to community organisations and recreational opportunities. Playcentre, Plunket. County Women’s Institute, library, Red Cross, I.H.C, R.S.A., Jaycees and Progressive Association were all mentioned. As were Martinborough’s four churches: Anglican Presbyterian, Catholic and Gospel Hall.

The town’s sporting clubs listed included rugby, soccer, athletics, cricket, hockey, basket ball, swimming, bowling, tennis, and golf, along with a claim that National Tournaments were played at Martinborough ‘at times’. Leisure opportunities included The Baths, camping ground and parks ‘to enjoy picnics and the sun’. The fact that the road to Lake Ferry was sealed was highlighted along with the good fishing along the coast, which was served by a ‘good metal road’.

Would you have chosen to live here in the 60s?
The town map shows a Mace Street between Daniel and Esther streets which I have no information on. If anybody can help about the origins of the name of the now deleted street I would be pleased to hear from them