18 TUESDAY 15 February 2011
This Week
Letters to the editor Do you recognise the people? The setting? The event? Can you tell us more? Please contact: history@museumnp.org.nz or phone 03 5489588
Each week two photos of the museums “glass plate” collection will run in Nelson Weekly with the goal of exposing the photographs to more people and get some feedback on the collection. Left: Unnamed boys, Nelson Provincial Museum, Fletcher Collection: 2796. Below: Motorcycle and sidecar, Nelson Provincial Museum: Collier Collection: 32. Can you tell us more about these photos?
You can support this project with a $10 donation, to find out more visit www. nelsonmuseum.co.nz/collection or contact: 3for$10@museumnp.org.nz Nelson Weekly and Waimea Weekly are proud to support this exciting and significant project
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Dear Editor, Thank you for advertising our recent Bumper Summer Booksale in your Community Notices. We also appreciated the explanatory article in your paper and the eye-catching photo by Andrew Board. The publicity meant the sale was well attended over its one and a half days. The Friends of the Nelson Library group made over $3,000 which will be used to help fund library projects. Regards, Jeannie Woodhouse Chairperson, Friends of the Nelson Library. Sir, It is disappointing that after Nelson council has spent one million plus investigating specifications for a performing arts centre, council wants to spend yet more money without giving any proper criteria for assessment. The Local Government Act requires councils to do a cost/ benefit analysis when proposing such projects. The costs, and benefits, to ratepayers must be presented to the public. Only then can a legitimate referendum on the issue be put to the ratepayers who will be paying the costs. It is time for council to stop wasting money on more expensive “investigations.” Put the proper criteria before the public, then hold a referendum in which only ratepayers --who will bear the costs--can vote. Yours sincerely, Dan McGuire, Nelson. Dear Sir, I should like to respond to Rosalina McCarthys letter to the editor dated the 8 February 2011. I refute her claim that I appear to ignore official documentation and reports from that period. I did research and study articles from the Nelson Examiner of 1863, Nelson Evening Mail 1963 and read the Report on the Inquiry of the Mates Death. In June 2007 I interviewed Mr Dennis Richardson (resident of Delaware Bay and read the Mail article of 1963 written by his wife, Lesley (now deceased) of the rescue. Having gleaned this evidence I then spoke with Kaumatua and Kuia of the Ngati Koata Iwi and was referred to the Wakatu Marae where the Ngati Koata Iwi have a poupou which depicts their version of the rescue. I agree with Rosalina – the rescue was a joint ef-
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fort. Where we disagree is that she states Huria Matenga had a brother Ropata Matenga. Ngati Koata history states that it was Hohapeta Te Kahupuku who retrieved the lead line from the “Delaware”. This version is agrees with the comments made by Lesley Richardson in her newspaper article. “But no matter how correctly recorded at the time, history often becomes distorted down through the years, and this is one such case – for Huria has often been credited with catching the lifeline thrown from the stricken vessel …….full honours for this heroic deed must go to the man who has simply been recorded as Ropata or Robert. His full name was Hohapeta Te Kahupuku (known affectionately to the Pakeha Settlers as Big Bob), a member of Ngati Koata Tribe and a man of incredible strength. When Able Seaman Bill Morgan succeeded in throwing out the ships lead line, it was Hohapeta who swam out and secured this rope which was then hauled ashore,” Nelson Evening Mail, 3 Sept 1983 I have never attempted to demean the memory of Huria Matenga but rather raise the profile of one so brave and written out of history – Hohapeta Te Kahupuku. I am disappointed that being a researcher that Rosalina McCarthy subscribes to and continues to perpetuate the colonial myth rather than have a more investigative approach to this story. I never said that I was trying to rewrite history. Alan Turley used those words in his comments when he responded to my first letter to the editor. I am unaware of Roselina making contact with either the Ngati Koata Trust Board or the Ngati Koata Kaumatua Council to interview any iwi members to verify or disprove their Iwi history. Ngati Koata however believe that Hohapeta Te Kahupuku deserves a place in history as he swam the raging sea and obtained the lead line which lead to the ultimate rescue of the crew and passengers. Allen Hippolite, Researcher Ngati Koata Trust. If you wish to send a letter to the editor please email your letter to editorial@nelsonweekly.co.nz by 9am Monday morning, or send a hard copy to Nelson Weekly, Trafalgar House, Selwyn Pl, Nelson. Word limit is (usually) 150 words - Editor.
Free Private Sale Workshop Selling your home without paying those horrendous costs to real estate agents is now within the reach of Nelson people, thanks to a workshop being held next week. The free, no-obligation workshop will enable you to sell your property yourself, meaning no agents and no commissions. Spend one hour and learn all the tips and tricks that smart, savy homeowners use to sell their home themselves, and save tens of thousands of dollars in the process. Light refreshments and workbooks are provided. Topics covered will include marketing, understanding buyer behaviour, unique selling points, pricing, presen-
tation, managing offers and how to deal with real estate agents. Where: The function room at The Prince Albert Hotel (& the Fern Lodge) 113 Nile St, Nelson. When: Thursday 24th February 2011 start 6.00pm finish 7.00pm. Host: Helena Barrow – Homesell (NZ’s largest private sale property company). This is an interactive workshop. Numbers are strictly limited, so book your seat early. Please RSVP to nelson.tasman@homesell.co.nz, or phone 545 0064. Bookings/registrations close at 5pm on Tuesday 22nd February 2011. Be quick to register as the last workshop was booked solid !