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The Coat of Arms was donated to the Masterton Borough by the Sellar family who have a long association with the town. An abiding interest in heraldry and pride in the town he has always lived in, encouraged Mr W. Michael Sellar to begin negotiations with the College of Arms in London. Due to the ensuing work of Mr Sellar, the Borough Council adopted the Coat of Arms as its official crest on 18 December 1953. On amalgamation of the Borough and County Councils in 1989, the Coat of Arms was adopted by the newly- formed Masterton District Council. The green and gold colours in the shield symbolise the importance of pastoral and agricultural activities and the district's prosperity. The two golden fleeces further reinforce the significance of pastoral industries, while the open book emphasises Masterton's role as an educational centre. In the lower part of the shield, the black martlet flying horizontally on a golden background between the two green chevronels is a heraldic bird of the swallow family. The charges allude to the name Masters, in recognition of Joseph Masters, the town's founder. The tui identifies Masterton as a New Zealand town. The motto - Let prosperity follow - reflects the optimism of Masterton residents since 1854. |
