BY ROBYN PARKES
The Wakefield Progressive Society was formed at a meeting held in May 1909 for the purpose of advocating for improvements in the district.
Mr E. Hodgson was voted as the first president with Dr Pearless and P. Baigent as vice-presidents.
Several matters were immediately raised as being of high priority for the township: 1 - there was a need for lighting in the Main Street due to an increase in traffic and the narrowness of some of the roads; 2 - the current library building was outdated and the need for a new one was recognised; 3 - the increasing danger of the encroachment of the Wai-iti River near the Domain; 4 - better drainage and 5 - the formation of a volunteer fire brigade.
With great speed a meeting was arranged with Councillor Hoult to discuss matters and sub committees were set up to deal with each issue.
A deputation from the association met with councillors to lay before them each point, and this resulted in several more meetings over the following months with the association members continuing to push for the betterment of the district.
By the end of the year progress had been made, due entirely to the hard work of the Progressive Association.
The Council agreed to install lighting in the town and by the beginning of May 1910, the contractor had made a start on erecting acetylene lamps. These were turned on the evening of the 7th May 1910.
The want of a new library on a better site was a bit more complicated. Firstly, subscribers were canvased concerning the sale and removal of the then current site and building. Agreeance was given for this, but the necessary authority to do so was needed. A clause to be inserted into a Reserves Disposal Bill was required and then placed before Parliament to allow the trustees to sell the current site.
With this completed, the sub-committee of Dr Pearless and Messrs E. Hodgson and P. Baigent was authorised to take steps to advance the matter a stage further. The old site was sold to Mr J. Gibbs but an arrangement was made to allow the use of the old library for six months, free of charge. On securing a new site, both Messrs E. Hooper and Son and Mr J. Gibbs had generously offered sites for the new library and it was decided by ballot in favour of Messrs Hooper and Son’s offer being accepted. By March 1912 the new library was open for the issue of books and by November it was well stocked with over 12,000 books.
A fire brigade was formed with twenty-three persons handing in their names to be volunteers and sufficient funds were collected to allow for the equipping of a fire brigade.
Mr T. Hunt granted permission for the erection of a necessary shed for the purpose on his section between Messrs Hodgson’s and Harris’s. By May 1910 the brigade was complete with a fire engine, buckets, ladders, a new fire-bell and a full complement of officers and fireman, captains and vice captains and deputy foreman.
As to the issue of river protection, the association was informed that they should put in writing what their concerns were and send it to the Council.
Some work was completed by the Council but it was deemed to be inadequate, still leaving the town in danger of flooding.
Further representations were made to the Council on this important issue, but it took some years before satisfactory improvements were made.
