Speech by Stan Kane at Luggate Hall, 1997

Luggate

14 May

The following has been transcribed from Stan Kane’s hand-written notes for a speech he made on 21 June 1997 at the Luggate Hall. Stan was Chairman of the hall building.

The text has not been edited from the original.

It’s 43 years since I stood on this stage for the opening of this building. A real red letter day in Luggate in 1954. The old hall had done duty for many years. I was told it had been built as a woolshed so had no conveniences. You boiled the copper out under the willows and you can imagine what else under the willows. During the war it bid farewell to all the gallant lads leaving for overseas and the big welcome homes. So as the war came to an end, we looked at replacing it. At the first public meeting Leo Hall got up and said if all the farmers in Luggate were sold up, we would not raise enough finance to build a new hall. However, we decided to give it a go. By 1948 the Government had decided to grant $1 for $1 subsidy to build memorial halls instead of monuments as in the past. But the building of the hall can now be looked back on as great days in Luggate. We started with a bazaar as we called them in 1945 and raised £300. We thought it could never be repeated, but next year we did the same again. In all 4 bazaars were held, raising £300 - £400. We used to sell rabbits dressed ready for the pot and make wooden toys etc. and even some gambling. We overdid that on one occasion when we had a visit from Sir William Bodkin and his entourage. After our meeting we retired to the hotel down the road for a drink where his secretary remarked on a big brandy bottle on the top shelf. I confided we were raffling it, whereupon he bought a ticket. That night it came over the air from Wellington that Sir William had it brought to his notice that raffles were being run without a permit.

In all we raised £2,755 plus $1 for $1; that sounded good till you start to build. After the war only essential buildings could get a permit so to get around it, we said we would use mud brick. If anyone thinks that’s cheap, we can enlighten them on that thought. We only got the iron for the roof because it had been saltwater-damaged on the boat out. As time went on Jack William construction gifts were at work and he suggested we use the new innovation of steel portals, and being so community minded we put steel portals over the whole building to allow for expansion as Luggate was sure to expand and need a bigger hall in years to come. We thought we designed a building to cater for the needs of Luggate but at that stage we had never heard of indoor bowls and within a few years they were the rage and it so happens it's about all it is used for now and it proved to be rather narrow for comfort. It was an ideal use for badminton which was played for some years.

So to get back to the building of the hall records say what a great day we had laying the foundations with 25 men and 4 power milkers and barrowfuls of concrete leaned in all directions That day put new heart into the community and in no time we had this building. The whole Upper Clutha area supported our effort, and it was a great community effort. I can recall saying at the opening we may look back on this as the greatest days in Luggate and I think today I can say that forecast was right. Just the same, for some years the hall got a lot of use. Card evenings regularly, fire brigade meetings, farmers meetings as Luggate was the center of the district.

And the institute turned on some great concerts with the district matrons doing the can-can, kicking up their heels and singing their lungs out. I remember one night the lights suddenly went out and someone shouted: “everyone put their hands up”, whereupon the lights came on again. “Many hands make light work”, was the reply. Betty Willion used to turn on items with dancing girls she was training. I heard someone recently ask was there ever an old hall here, and Leo Studholme replied yes and there was a lot more fun in it than this one. The floor with no foundations used to bounce up and down, and the gaps in the flooring snared many high-heeled shoes. In those days dances every week used to be the rule. I remember a 25th celebration of the opening. We had a fancy dress or rather we were supposed to dress as the opposite sex. Elsie got down on my cricket whites and cap and didn't look too bad, and I was supposed to look like a hospital matron with a bunch of keys in my hand. Good job I couldn't be myself!

So, we look back over the years and it is somewhat disappointing to see so little demand for it now. I spent 10 years getting this and as well was on the committee of the Hawea Hall as County Rep for 20 years, all the time improving it and now both of them are almost redundant. I have heard suggestions it be put to a commercial use, but I would be strongly opposed to that. The fire brigade have their own rooms and the hotel is often used for meetings which take away some of the use. When we were building it, we didn’t know whether we were building an asset or a liability as in those days halls paid rates and as we got to the opening, the County decided to waive the rates. In recent times I gather the QLDC even contribute to the upkeep which helps to keep the hall in such splendid condition along with the efforts and enthusiasm of Seb Simpson. We occasionally hear suggestions a mortgage should be left so that future generations can help pay for it. Imagine the mess it would be now with so little interest if you had to raise funds in Luggate to pay it off.

However, it is great to be here 40 or 50 years later and seeing the building so well maintained. Thank you to all.