From 1903 to 1949, Ashburton was one of a small number of no-license electorates in New Zealand, which meant that the sale of alcohol was forbidden. This, combined with the choices of activities and prevalent pastimes of the period, meant that New Year’s Day, 1923 was about as far from raucous and rowdy as you could possibly get. It was a subdued affair by today’s standards of course, but there was no lack of fun to be had for families, clubs, and sports teams around the District.
Parties and pastimes
New Year’s night for 1922-1923 was very peaceful in Ashburton. A good number of people took to the streets and saw the old year out, but very few people lingered. The bells of St Stephen’s Anglican Church rang at midnight and a large quantity of fireworks were let off to mark the start of 1923, but that’s just about all the excitement that occurred that night.
According to the Ashburton Guardian, 2 January 1923, New Year’s Day was: “except for the weather conditions, characteristic of those of many years past – quiet and uneventful.” The weather was drizzly and cloudy, but the rain was not heavy enough to hinder any outdoor activity. The Guardian described the events of the day as follows:
“Crowds left by the early trains for the Christchurch trots, and for Timaru to the sports and attractions of Caroline Bay. Heavy rain was falling as the first trains reached Timaru, but it cleared very soon, and travellers by the express remarked at the Ashburton station that Timaru was the only bright spot between Dunedin and Ashburton. Dozens of picnic parties had their headquarters in the Domain, while motor cars and motor lorries conveyed other parties to favourite haunts along the coast line and to the [foothills].”
Fishermen lined the mouths of the Hakatere/Ashburton and Rangitata Rivers, and at the first of these locations a children’s sports meeting was held. Ashburton played South Canterbury in a cricket match at the domain, and there was a tournament at the bowling green too. Tennis clubs around town were also “sparsely patronised.”
To illustrate the sorts of activities that were enjoyed during New Year’s and other holidays in Ashburton, we hope you appreciate the photographs on this page. How did you celebrate New Year’s Day? Did you do some of the things that Ashburtonians did a hundreds years ago?
By Connor Lysaght
Unless otherwise stated, photographs and research materials on this page are owned by the Ashburton Museum & Historical Society Inc. This post was modified for this blog and was originally published in the Ashburton Guardian, 7 January 2023.
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