Curling Extract

From WJ Inder's account of '100 years of curling at naseby'

"On May 31st 1878 a public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Naseby to consider the possibility of introducing the game of curling to Central Otago. After deciding, on the motion of Messrs Robert Johnstone and William McHutcheson, that a curling club be established to be known as The Mt Ida Curling Club...The entrance fee was fixed at one Guinea and it was resolved that as soon as twenty fees were paid, the committee be authorised to procure 10 pairs of stones.So prompt was the response that by June 20th, 10 pairs of stones were despatched from Dunedin". ..The first challenge between Dunedin and Mt Ida took place August 4th 1881. The long journey by coach was accomplished safely and on arrival a warm welcome was extended by the local curlers . rising early the next morning, the Dunedin men were officially welcomed on the ice at 8.30am and greeted with cheers.Mt Ida won both games and the match and the medal for which the competition had taken place, sent out by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club fro competition among New Zealand Clubs.The evening was spent back at the Hotel with a dinner and social when all appropriate toasts were honoured, interspersed with items from the curlers. There had been a light rain on Friday evening followed by a heavy frost which made conditions perfect for curling and a good day's amusement was enjoyed by all. Play commenced at 8.30am and continuing to 5pm, was so enjoyed by everybody that one of the visitors remarked that it alone was worth a journey of twice the magnitude of that from Dunedin to Naseby and that it was beyond doubt the grandest days curling that had taken place tis side of the equator. In the evening an initiation ceremony took place at the Hotel when 13 novices were admitted into the mysterious precincts of the curlers Court over which Mr Callender presided. After the initiation several toasts were honoured, the first two, the president of the Dunedin Club, Mr Brydone, and the president of the Mt Ida Club Mr Inder were replied to by both gentlemen. Mr Brydone, replying to the toast "The Dunedin Curling Club", said he could assure them that the present was one of the happy moments of his life and that he and his brother curlers would go back to Dunedin well pleased with the games they had taken part in that day, with the good feeling that prevailed and with the hospitable and brotherly way in which they had been received. He said he3 was pleased with the result even though he would have been better pleased if they had been able to take the medal with them. ..that game was of great imnportance as it was the first time the only two clubs ion New Zealand had met and it was the first official match played in the southern hemisphere..The Nasebyites, although gratified at the local teams success, could not help but admire the perfect good nature with which the visitors accepted defeat which was nonetheless hard on them, having travelled one hundred miles to receive it. Thus the first official match in the southern hemisphere had been accomplished in Naseby and the trip, the match, the dinner and the drive around the area were all fully reported in the Mt Ida Chronicle on the 11th August 1881 inder the heading "Curling. Historical Contest" the first match played south of the equator between two clubs, 5th August 1881. The players taking part in this memorable game were Dunedin: Thos Callender, Thos Brydone, William Smith, David Baxter, A. McDiarmond, W. Wright, J. McNeill and J. Hardie. Mt Ida: W. Hutcheson. R. Johnstone, James Dawson, R.H. Browne, W. Guffie, M.Young, R. Hosie, W.H. Ash "

Up until then it seems that most of the curling was played on one of Mr Youngs dams on Ballarat Hill. That the club have a permanent dam of it's own was imperative and with this end in mind it was decided on 6th October 1881 that tenders be called for the levelling of site 1, cost not to exceed 10 pounds and work to be completed in time for next season's play. Late in the 1882 season two new clubs were welcomed in Central Otago ( Kyeburn and Clyde) and they played a friendly game. A rink for Mt Ida was also sent to play a friendly game against the newly formed Kyeburn Club.
Another site dam was selected in May 1883, and its construction tendered.
A general meeting was convened in 24th September 1883 when a discussion regarding the formation of another club in Naseby took place. It was moved and seconded that the Mt Ida Club disband to assist the new Club being formed. However it was pointed out that this could not be given effect until all the liabilities of the club were cleared so it was then decided that if not less than six members resigned and formed a new club, the following property be handed over to them; all spare handles and stones, ladder and old crampits and that the Rink Medal and the McLeod Medal be played for by the two clubs annually or as may be arranged. The meeting then adjourned to allow the new club to get underway and at a special meeting held on 2nd October 1883 a letter was received from Messrs Dawson, Guffie, Young, Hall, Paisley, and McLeod in which they tendered resignation as members of the Mt Ida Club. They formed the nucleus of another club - the Otago Central Club. And in 1883 the supervision of the pond construction was left in the hands of Messrs Browne, Johnstone, and McHutcheson until next season. An adage was to stick with these two clubs for many years; the Otago Central Club were referred to as the "Moleskins" and the Mt Ida the "Boiled shirts", i.e. Miners and Professionals. This was a jocular way of describing the members of each club.

In 1890 five clubs took part in the Grand Tournament for Curlers ( Bonspiel) in the NZ Province; Kyeburn, Mt Ida, Otago Central, Blackstone Hill, and Upper Manuherikia. Three trophies were competed for in this Bonspiel donated by:
1. Mr T. Callender, President of the NZ Curling Council
2. Mr. Gibson of Liggins and Gibson, Dunedin.
3. Mr Dawson of Speight and Co., Dunedin.

Another new club took part in 1891 -Tairei Lake.

During 1902 there was a move among some members to from another club and on 2nd August 1902 a motion by Mr E. Newman, seconded by Mr. J. Hore saw the Naseby Curling Club formed, to be affiliated with the Royal Caledonian Club. Thirteen players gave their names as members of the new club thus depleting the Mt Ida ranks still further.

Taken from W.J. Inder's account in '100 years of Curling at Naseby'

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