Teens prefer 1950s Hastings

LAWRENCE GULLERY
Hastings was a better place 50 years ago than it is today.
At least, that's what a team of Hastings youth councillors successfully argued during the Great Debate held at Lindisfarne College last night as part of the Hastings City 50th anniversary.
The youth councillors, Sophie Duggan, 16, of Iona College, Andrew Beacham, 16, and Abraham Ropitini, 14, of Lindisfarne College, dressed in 1950s clothing to face their senior counterparts.
The affirmative team of Hastings deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers, former Hastings councillor Mike Donnelly and Havelock North ward councillor Dinah Williams tried hard to argue that Hastings was a better place now than 50 years ago.
Cr Bowers opened the debate by pointing out her team had first hand experience of what Hastings was like 50 years ago because she said "we were there".
"We were there in 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986 and 1996. One of us was even there in 1946," Cr Bowers said, though she would not reveal who.
"In 1956 children were seen but not heard, so think yourself lucky to be here," she told the youth councillors.
Later in the debate, however, her face dropped when she heard the youth of Hastings had no intention of staying in town when it was time to leave school.
Leader for the negative team, Sophie Duggan, won points for carefully defining the Hastings city area whereas the affirmative team often drew comparisons with nearby towns to support their case.
"We are not talking about Havelock North or Waipawa we are talking about Hastings, not the Hastings district," Sophie said.
Crime and pollution levels were minimal during the 1950s while community safety was considered paramount, she argued.
"Gangs didn't come into Hastings until the 1960s. Today we have cameras in the CBD to capture crime, but crime is happening in places where the cameras are not policing," Sophie said.
Mr Donnelly opened as his team's second speaker by saying God was on Hastings' side, "and still is".
"Hastings is a place of opportunity and it has become a better place," he said.
Mr Donnelly based his argument on the number of wealthy investors that had come to town to put money back into the city, developing wineries such as Craggy Range and Sileni.
"It's a time of great excitement," he said.
Andrew Beacham, the second speaker for the negative team, concentrated on crime statistics and the damage from big box developments.
"Putting golf courses on Cape Kidnappers, they are destroying our land," he said.
Cr Williams wasted no time in turning the tables on the negative team.
"This (the negative) team is a shining example of why Hastings is a better place now than it was 50 years ago and I really want to thank them for handing this debate to us on a platter," she said.
Cr Williams pointed out the valuable input women have on society now compared to 50 years ago.
Quoting from the Good Women's Guide from 1955, Cr Williams went one step further to illustrate how little input women had on day to day life 50 years ago.
"Let the man talk first. Don't question his judgement. We have no right to question him, a good wife knows her place," she read from the book.
Abraham Ropitini, the third speaker for the negative team, concentrated on the changes in Hastings' streetscape and the advent of super retail centres such as Harvey Norman.
"These concrete monstrosities have taken over the city ... Hastings is just a shadow of what it used to be," he said.
It all hit home for the councillors, however, when Abraham asked a youth council member in the audience if she would stay in Hastings when she left school.
"No, I would move," she said.
"Our own youth, the future of our declining city, don't want to stay here," Abraham said.
In summing up, Sophie Duggan said she supported the ideals of the 1950s, such as the six o'clock swill when pubs closed early.
"That's great, keeping people off the street," she said.
Cr Bowers said it was appropriate the opposition team be called the negatives.
"Their comments are of great fear to me as their deputy Mayor," she said.
She went on to clear up the argument about whether the debate should include areas outside of the Hastings city.
"Let me remind you of our coat of arms ... it means urban and rural living in harmony, that's what Hastings is all about." she said.