Hastings civic emblems and insignia

The first coat of arms for the Municipality of Hastings adopted by Council in 1927.

The idea of adopting insignia for Hastings was raised in 1919, when it was suggested that a coat of arms should be placed over the Mayoral chair in the Council Chamber, although this was not progressed.

The idea was raised again in 1922 when the Dominion Industrial Exhibition in Christchurch asked for the coat of arms or insignia of Hastings to include in an exhibition of municipal heraldry with the names, insignia, and population of the principal towns of New Zealand.

Eventually, the first coat of arms for Hastings was approved by Council in October 1927 based on the Mayor’s suggestion that the design depict dairy, agriculture, meat, and fruit industries.  The escutcheon was surmounted with the crest as a Kiwi, and the motto was ‘Urbs cum Rure’ meaning ‘Town and Country’ in a scroll beneath the arms.

This was the principal insignia for the Municipality of Hastings until it gained city status in 1956. The escutcheon can be seen today publicly displayed above the doorway to the Hastings Clock Tower.

The coat of arms became popular for Hastings’ jewellers to produce souvenirs emblazoned with their town insignia – cufflinks, teaspoons, plates, ashtrays, hand mirrors, matchboxes and other trinkets that could be used as gifts.

Granted by Letters Patent dated 28 September 1956

Hastings Borough Council decided Armorial Bearings would be an indicative symbol of its new city status, and planning for one began in the early 1950s as they awaited the population to exceed 20,000 residents – the criteria for being proclaimed a city.  It was decided in these early stages that the design would be based on the arms for Hastings, Sussex, England.

Gaining rights to have registered arms required approval from Sir John Heaton Armstrong, Chester Herald of Arms Extraordinary, for the "issue of Letters Patent" from the Earl Marshal.  The bureaucratic nature of the process came with a cost - £160 - which was paid by the Borough of Hastings, England.  They wrote, "In gratitude to the citizens of Hastings, New Zealand, for their kindness during the war years ... and in appreciation of the long years of friendship between the two towns."

The shield is based on the ancient arms of Hastings, Sussex. These arms in turn were based on those of the Cinque Ports, the corporation of five original towns responsible for providing ships for defence.  The Cinque Ports arms featured the Royal Lions of England halved with three ships’ hulls.  One of these ‘lion hulks’ and two royal lions are seen on the City of Hastings shield, within a border of New Zealand fern in white and green.

Above the shield is the esquire’s closed helmet which is always used for civic arms, with its crest wreath and mantling or decorative tournament cloak in the colours of the shield, green and white.  On the helm stands the crest, the New Zealand Kiwi standing between two sprays of yellow kōwhai.

The arms are supported by a ram, representing the importance of the woollen industry to Hawke’s Bay and Hastings, and by a Māori dressed in piupiu holding a taiaha, and wearing chieftain’s feathers.

The motto Urbis et Ruris Concordia signifies the harmony between city and countryside and was suggested by Professor H.A. Murray of the Victoria University College.  The motto is an extension of the previous motto ‘Urbs cum Rure’ ‘Town and Country.’

Heraldic Blazon:

Arms: Per pale Argent and Vert a Lion passant guardant dimidiated with the hulk of a Ship between two Lions passant guardant in pale within an Orle of Fern all counter changed.

Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a Kiwi proper beaked Or between two branches of Yellow Kōwhai flowered also proper.

Supporters: On the dexter side a Ram and on the sinister side a Māori holding in the exterior Hand a Taiaha proper.

Motto: URBIS ET RURIS CONCORDIA (TOWN AND COUNTRY IN HARMONY)

Granted by Letters Patent 5 October 1966

Havelock North was declared a Town Board on 1 April 1912 and became a borough on 1 April 1952.  It was named after Sir Henry Havelock of Indian Mutiny fame and was settled at the time of that mutiny.  Many of the early settlers were in fact soldiers who had been brought from India during the New Zealand Wars.  A number of the streets in the Borough are named after famous battles fought during the mutiny.

The open book symbolises the schools in the Borough.

The Lymphads are derived from the arms of New Zealand and of Sir Donald McLean prominent as Land Purchase Commissioner in the area in the 1850s and later as a member of parliament for the district.

The gold cross crosslet with fitchy (spiked foot) is derived from the arms of both Sir Henry Havelock and Sir Donald McLean.

The seahorse in the crest is derived from the arms of Admiral Hawkes, after whom Hawke’s Bay is named, differenced by the substitution of the cross crosslet for a banner.

Heraldic Blazon:

Arms: Per chevron Or and Vert in chief an open Book proper bound Gules between two Lymphads sails furled oars in saltire before the mast Sable pennon and flags flying Gules in base a Cross Crosslet Fitchy Or.

Crest: The Crest on a wreath of the colours is a Sea Horse sejant Or holding between the fins a Cross Crosslet Fitchy Or.

Supporters: There are no Supporters.

Motto: SERVIAMUS (LET US SERVE) 

The design of the Hawke’s Bay County Council coat of arms was decided upon in 1936 as a result of a competition in which there were 14 entries.  The judge was C.F.H. Pollock and the winner was W. Baker of Auckland, formerly of Napier, who received 3 guineas as his prize.

His design featured the arms of Lord Hawke, after whom the province was named.  The arms surmounted a shield in four quarterings which depicted the leading primary industries of Hawke’s Bay – a sheep, a bunch of fruit, a milking cow, and a sheaf of wheat.  In the centre of the shield was a sun symbol.

The Councillors, when they saw the design, did not like the look of the sheep as it was not typical of the sheep of the district.

Mr Logan: I move that the coat of arms be adopted provided that we can get a decent looking sheep.

Mr Smith: Is the cow alright?

Mr Logan:  I have no fault to find with the cow.

At the next meeting Councillors were shown a new drawing of the coat of arms with a better looking sheep.  It was a sheep of impeccable aristocratic lineage at which no one would quibble.  It was Sir William Perry’s Royal Champion Romney ram, champion at Auckland in 1934.