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Masterton's Toilet TaleBy Marlene Ditchfield The early history of Masterton toilet facilities is somewhat sketchy, dominated by a European pissoir or gentlemens' toilet which moved to a variety of places around town depending on the attitudes of the time. Constructed of cast steel, the pissoir was a highly decorated urinal commonplace in France. It was thought the idea of providing one for Masterton came from men returning from World War One service in Europe. It was sited outside Masterton's post office on the corner of Lincoln Road and Church Street. In the early 1930s, it was moved to outside the Masterton Town Hall. However, following complaints mainly from female residents, about its prominent position, it was moved to Queen Elizabeth Park near the bowling greens. Eventually it went into storage and has only recently been discovered by a number of enthusiasts wanting to restore it to its original grandeur as a millennium project. To date, the pissoir has been water blasted and will be on display in Bannister Street throughout this week as part of the festivities to mark the opening of Masterton's newest toilet facility. Amongst the decorative work discovered while cleaning are the words inscribed into the steel "Please adjust your dress before leaving." A ladies' facilityIt was not until the 1930s that the Masterton Borough Council made a concentrated effort to provide a "fitting" facility for ladies. Many months of planning and debate resulted during 1938, and in May 1939 a renovated and refurbished impressive brick building on the corner of Dixon Street and William Street (now the Warehouse carpark) was opened with great fanfare by the mayor Mr T. Jordan. The rest rooms were cared for by Matron, Mrs G. Nissen, who was paid 35 shillings a week. Amongst the facilities offered for a nominal sum were tea or cocoa with biscuit, a darning room, reading room, kitchen, and toilets with penny-in-the-slot machines. A meeting room was available to women's organisations such as the Masterton Townswomen's Guild, the Country Women's Institute and the Women's Patriotic Committee during the Second World War. Meantime, men were catered for with toilet facilities next to the former YMCA building in Church Street. Central locationIn 1967, it was decided to bring the women's restrooms closer to the central shopping area and the facility opened in Queen Street. This was set 30 feet back from the street to provide outdoor seating and garden plots. It featured alleyways down both sides allowing access to a men's toilet at the rear of the buildings and also to the Masterton Licensing Trust's Pioneer Bar. Irene Burgess was custodian of the women's rest rooms and she became a familiar face to the many women and children who used the facility over the 30 years. The restrooms were demolished in 1998 as part of a development of the area which saw a wider walkway created to the Warehouse store on Dixon Street. Retaining a central location for the public toilets was a priority for the Council and it was decided to use a vacant site between the new Warehouse building and the existing Tower Building in Bannister Street. Property Officer, Pam Cockburn says toilet facilities throughout New Zealand were examined and the latest trends and developments were investigated before the original plan was finalised. Up with the timesThe new toilets adopt the increasingly popular concept of being an all-gender facility. This means that both men and women use the same facility under one roof. Mrs Cockburn says that when the former public toilets were separated into men's and women's, several problems began to be experienced as trends in society changed. Male caregivers had problems when caring for babies, because they could not use the changing facilities without asking permission. If only the toilet was needed, they had to hover outside and rely on the custodian to take their daughter in. If an elderly woman felt unwell and wanted to rest, she would have to leave her husband waiting outside not knowing the situation. If the male toilets needed servicing by the female custodian, they were often unavailable. The new toilets will provide six cubicles, each with its own handbasin and mirror and large enough to take an average pushchair. The cubicles will include a disabled unit and one with an after-hours entrance. There will also be a separate urinal room. A feature of the new facility will be a central reception area from where the custodian will be available. "This will enhance security and create a more welcoming atmosphere," says Mrs Cockburn. A spacious waiting area will be available and caregivers are catered for with an enlarged area for baby feeding and changing. A welcome addition to the toilets is a public shower room, which can also cater for the disabled. Mrs Cockburn says she has often been asked for such a facility, especially by rural people in town for the day, and requiring a freshen-up for an evening function. The Bannister Street toilets opened to the public on April 19, 1999. |
