Masterton: Town name writ large

THE RIGHT TOUCH: Painter Kerry Bennett from Rigg-Zschokke puts the final touches to "Masterton", giving the south wall of the Town Hall a proper designation. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

The creation of a Town Square in Masterton has led to the Town Hall getting a recognition denied to it for nearly 100 years, at least as far as its south wall is concerned.

In mid 1915, the hall's foundation stone was laid but, until yesterday, the south wall had been emblazoned only with the words "Town Hall".

Now, largely due to the popularity of the square for photographs and also to the initiative of a ratepayer who wrote to the council, the word "Masterton" has been added.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson said ratepayer Maureen McEwen had written, saying it was a shame the photographs and videos being taken in the square showed the building as a background but with no town name attached.

"Ninety-nine and a half years ago, when construction of the fine old building began, the world seemed a much larger place and people spent far more time closer to home, with opportunities for travelling pretty limited.

" Maybe it was for this reason that the architect chose to etch the words "Town Hall" in concrete above the entrance to the building, with no reference to Masterton.

"It wasn't necessary to say which Town Hall it was. It was located in Masterton, so it was blindingly obvious that the building in question was Masterton Town Hall.

"Times have changed radically since then and this area now attracts many visitors each year, all armed with cameras and smartphones," Mrs Patterson said.

The Town Hall was photographed far more often than it used to be, she said.

"A major reason for this is the development of our wonderful Town Square. Maureen McEwen wrote to me some weeks ago and said she felt that it was a real shame that all those pictures and videos of events don't have any direct reference to the name of the town.

"Once she had pointed this out - in the form of a poem - it seemed so obvious just to add in the word 'Masterton', which actually looks like it should have been there all along."

The town recognition comes just in time for 12 Nights of Christmas, which starts in the square on December 13.