Tomoana name befits showgrounds' history

The lake at Tomoana Showgrounds was apparently created by removal of shingle to create early Hastings roads. Photo Courtesy Margaret Walmsley

Hastings' first mayor, Robert Wellwood (1836-1927), purchased in the 1870s, 200 acres (81ha) which he farmed and called Maxwell Lea. This area now forms part of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural & Pastoral Society's Showgrounds.

A significant Hastings enterprise was Nelson Bros' 1881 boiling down works established on land owned by James Nelson Williams - which was directly opposite Robert Wellwood's property.

When a small railway station was opened near the works in early 1881, it was named Karamu by the railways, and this name was put on a sign board.

However, when local Maori found out about this a few days later, they took down the sign and put up another one.

The Hawke's Bay Herald reported: "The Maoris are responsible for the nomenclature of the new railway station at Messrs Nelson Bros factory near Hastings.

"The station was named Karamu by the railway authorities, and a board intimated as much to passengers. The board remained for some days, when the Maoris took it down and put up another name bearing the name of Tomoana. And Tomoana it remains."

The area according to Maori should be named Tomoana, and the railways, it appears, was not going to argue with that.

The Nelson Bros boiling down works and subsequent freezing works both took the name Tomoana.

Robert Wellwood decided to sell Maxwell Lea in 1884, and this was purchased by Nelson Bros who operated directly opposite the now-named Tomoana Freezing Works.

The manager, William Nelson (1843-1932), made this property his home in late 1884, with his second wife Emma naming the homestead Waikoko.

When the A & P Society were looking for new premises they purchased in 1911, 62 acres (25ha) from William Nelson "on favourable terms".

William Nelson had suggested to the secretary Charles Douglas that they should "walk across the Tomoana paddocks" to see their suitability for a showground.

Charles would later write, "There was only one answer to that, and I left him that morning walking on air, because I could not think of any site more suitable for our purpose - ideal for the public, ideal for the railway siding, and ideal for exhibitors."

When the A & P held its first show there in 1925, it was called the Tomoana Showgrounds.

The A & P society would purchase more land around the area, including William Nelson's homestead Waikoko in 1934.

The news the showgrounds would be reverting to the name Tomoana Showgrounds from Showgrounds Hawke's Bay has been well received by William Nelson's great-granddaughter, Margaret Walmsley.

She is pleased that William Nelson's association with the Tomoana name through the Tomoana Freezing Works will be restored in the title of the showgrounds.

It was largely through the Nelson Bros Tomoana Freezing Works that William Nelson became such a generous benefactor to Hastings.

* Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a chartered accountant and heritage officer at the Art Deco Trust.