Historic HB: Everyone had a ball at Hastings Assembly Hall

Debutantes in 1947 at the first ever Māori debutante ball in New Zealand at the Hastings Assembly Hall. / Credit: Tessa Robin Collection

The anticipated reopening of the former Hastings Municipal Buildings as part of Toi Toi in the coming two months, will include the former Hastings Assembly Hall.

Built as part of the Hastings Municipal Buildings, which opened in April 1917, the Assembly Hall became a focal point for gatherings of the community.

As it was opened during World War I, many of the first events held were mayoral send-offs of Hastings boys to war, and balls to raise funds for the war effort.

Celebrations which would have taken place due to the end of the war in 1918 were affected by the deadly influenza pandemic, and the Assembly Hall – instead of being a space of great joy and relief, was turned into an inhalation chamber. Queues formed to inhale in the glass chamber a warm mist containing 2 per cent of sulphate of zinc.

Due to the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake damaging the Assembly Hall, extensive repairs were completed – including its strengthening and the opportunity was also taken to recondition and improve it.

Both the supper room and stage were enlarged, and the domed plastered feature on the ceiling was added then, as well as reconstructing the ceiling. The foreman in charge of the job, who had experience on buildings all over New Zealand, said "the Assembly Hall, when it is ready for reopening, will be one of the finest halls in the country".

The Assembly Hall has a sprung dance floor, specifically constructed to absorb shock, giving a softer feel, and balls held there were plentiful.

While Europeans had staged hundreds of balls in the hall since it had opened in 1917 – 30 years later in May 1947, the first Māori debutante ball held in New Zealand occurred at the Hastings Assembly Hall.

Debutante balls have long gone from being fashionable in New Zealand (many countries still have them). They were a held as a celebration of a daughter's entrance into the adult world, generally aged between 17 and 21.

Thirty-three Māori debutantes made their appearance and were supported by friends and relatives from all over the North Island.

The Hastings Assembly Hall stage, as can be seen, was decorated with native ferns, and skirted with massed flowers and potted plants. Above the ballroom floor were suspended hanging baskets of chrysanthemums.

As for the debutantes, they were dressed in white gowns, and wore coloured posies and "were heralded on their arrival and led in by their escorts".

They all proceeded up the red carpet to the stage and were presented and "made their curtsies to his Lordship, the Bishop of Aotearoa, and Mrs Bennett, and his worship the mayor, [Algernon Rainbow (1885-1969)], and Mrs Rainbow.

Each debutante was announced by the Reverend Wi Huata, while background music played softly.

The bishop referred to was Frederick Augustus Bennett (1871-1950), who was New Zealand's first Māori bishop.

Bishop Bennett lived at Kohupātiki, near Clive, but was originally from Rotorua, and became Bishop of Aotearoa from 1928 to 1950, the year of his passing. Of great concern to Bishop Bennett was the welfare of his people, and it appears he was the prime mover behind the debutante ball.

He moved freely in the world of the Pākehā, and had many friends among them, and promoted wherever possible, co-operation and unity between the two races.

Bishop Bennett wished the debutantes well on behalf of both Pākehā and Māori. His granddaughter, from Kohupātiki, Miss Evelyn Bennett, was one of the debutantes.

He noted the appearance of Algernon Rainbow and said this was indicative of the "close harmony of the two races … and such gatherings would help to work out the future destiny of the country".

When Hastings Mayor Algernon Rainbow was 5 years old, he witnessed in 1889 the drowning of his father, William Rainbow, the headmaster of Heretaunga School (now Hereworth), in the Ngaruroro River.

Two pupils had got into trouble in the water, and despite not being able to swim, William went to assist. The boys managed to cling to a tree trunk, and were rescued by Māori in a canoe, but William disappeared into a hole and sank. He was found hours later after the river's bottom was dredged.

Algernon would never forget the frantic attempts of Māori to try and find his father, as they dived continuously into the Ngaruroro. This no doubt fostered his life-long love of the Māori people.

When Algernon spoke to the debutantes, it was in his words, "on behalf of Pākehā".

He was, I believe, ahead of his time, not only in his concern for Māori ‒ but also the preserving of their culture.

After offering his compliments and best wishes, he said the debutantes were:

"… fitting representatives of the Māori people, and they should never cease to be proud of their race, for in the blood of their ancestors and contemporaries there was courage, chivalry and courtesy. Never cease to foster your pois and waiatas, for they are essentially beautiful and essentially Māori. If we lose this mode of expression used since the first of your people, then this country will be the poorer for it."

After the speeches, photographs were taken (as shown) and the debutantes and their partners promenaded in a waltz followed by a programme of old-time dancing to the music of Harry Brown's orchestra.

Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a writer and researcher of Hawke's Bay history. Follow him on facebook.com/michaelfowlerhistory