Historic HB: When Sallies were a nuisance

Last weekend the Salvation Army in Hastings celebrated the opening of its new citadel, to replace the 1929 building. This year is also significant for the Salvationists, in that they celebrate 125 years of being established in Hastings.

When the Salvation Army established here in 1887, members certainly made their presence felt by street preaching and playing their instruments loudly.

One who took an instant dislike to the Salvation Army was the Hawke's Bay Herald's Hastings correspondent from 1881 to 1893, H H Murdoch (Murdoch Road, Hastings, is named for him). During many years his columns (and letters) called them, among other things, a "nuisance", and he tried to rid Hastings of them. It appears Murdoch's dislike was mostly driven by the Salvationists' opposition to alcohol, and their music startling horses.

On one occasion Murdoch claimed that beer sales were down in a certain public bar due to the Salvation Army holding meetings across the road.

A by-law was indeed passed in 1889 by the Hastings Town Board to prohibit actions which might cause "obstructions", and "that a certain section of the community must be protected" - meaning the publicans from the Salvationists (the mayor who drafted the by-law was a brewer).

This meant open-air meetings held near public bars could be called obstructions, and some Salvationists were prosecuted. Many in Hastings thought this was hypocritical, and felt street performers and the Hastings Brass Band should also be prosecuted.

In an answer to Murdoch as to why the beer takings were down, the following was received in a letter to the editor. The Army had become very attractive, he wrote, especially to the young men, due to the blue-uniformed female officers stationed there. The publican's diminished takings, he said, "should be put down to the attractiveness of the army".

Michael Fowler will be giving a repeat of his talk on the history of Havelock North, with some new material, at the Havelock North Function Centre on August 23 at 7.30pm to commemorate 100 years since the forming of the Havelock North Town Board in 1912. Gold coin entry.