2005 Lampstand

The

LAMPSTAND

THE ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE WELLINGTON COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION Number 15 • September, 2005

WELLINGTON COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER & THE UNVEILING OF THE PREFECT BOARDS Wednesday, 12 October, 2005 - Firth Hall, Wellington College - 5.00pm Entry: $20.00pp - Details on Page 5 WELLINGTON COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION PO Box 16-073, Wellington, New Zealand • Telephone: (04) 802 2537 • Facsimile: (04) 802 2541 E-mail: oldboys@wellington-college.school.nz • www.wellington-college.school.nz 1

WCOBA Executive News In This Issue WCOBA Executive News News from the Archives Letters from Old Boys Pieces of History Old Boys in the News: Achievements, Business, Cultural, General and Sporting Forth-Coming Reunions Obituaries Classifieds

From the Editor

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esponse from the 2004 Lampstand has been overwhelming, and I extend my thanks to all Old Boys who have contributed stories, contact details, death notices and general news.

Much appreciated and utilised in many ways, including reproducing many of the stories in the 2005 Lampstand.

I thank you also for your patience in waiting for me to respond and reply to your queries and contributions.

As you can see, The Lampstand is even lengthier this year - up four pages to 48.

Keep those stories, letters and photos coming in!

Special thanks are also due to Paddianne Neely, our College Archivist, who I work in conjunction with to source information and photos in response to queries and for articles in The Lampstand and to Ted Clayton who also assists with research for the Association and proff-reading the copy for me.

Working for the WCOBA is very satisfying, but unfortunately, I also have a ‘day job’ at the College which absorbs much of my time. Old Boys’ administration usually gets my attention in any spare time I have. My primary role at the College is as Transition Manager; assisting senior students prepare for their next stage of life and I assist in CV preparation, part-time and full-time employment applications, driver licence education, work experience as well as facilitating and teaching the life skills programme for all Year 12 students in which we cover Drug and Alcohol Use, Sexuality and Relationship issues and Career Planning. I am also the Manager of our 1st XV Rugby Team, arrange the Year 13 Leavers’ Dinner and produce the College’s annual magazine, The Wellingtonian.

Hopefully in the near future, there will be a change in circumstances and thus I will be able to concentrate on the WCOBA and its related activities and administration (and have some ‘free’ time)!

Stephanie Kane

Purpose of the WCOBA The Wellington College Old Boys’ Association was founded to: • Further the interests of Wellington College and its past and present members and, to keep former pupils in touch with each other and with the school.

• Maintain a register of names of all who have passed through the College since 1867 and endeavour to record the addresses of all those alive.

• Arrange reunions and other functions for Old Boys.

• Support current students at the College where needed.

These aims are met by the Association undertaking the following tasks: • Production of The Lampstand each year, covering activities of Old Boys and other relevant information.

• Maintenance of a computerised database giving details of all Old Boys of the College including teaching staff. This includes addresses where known.

The Secretary will release addresses to bona fide Old Boys but will not allow any access for commercial purposes.

• Financial support for College activities including sporting and cultural activities,sponsorship and academic prizes as well as supporting the Archives.

• Organisation or assist with various reunions or other social functions either at the College, nationwide or internationally for members which the Association wishes to encourage and extend.

• Administration of charitable funds managed by the Association for current and past students including assistance with fund-raising appeals.

The WCOBA is situated at the College and is run by the Association’s Secretary during term time. Communication can be made by telephone, e-mail or facsimile.

WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU DO? Ever wondered what your old classmates are up to? Ever thought they may be interested in what you do? This newsletter belongs to you, Old Boys from Wellington College. We need your help to make these pages more interesting and informative. Write a few lines to fill us in on what you have been doing since leaving school, or what you are about to do, a recent achievement, a momentous event or any other item of interest. Alternatively, we also welcome more in depth articles, as appear on these pages. You may also have news on other Old Boys; family, friends, staff associated with the College. If you read about other Old Boys in the newspapers, magazines or on the Web, please send us a copy or let us know the source.

Pictures speak a thousand words. In this digital age, it’s really easy to provide a photo, but please e-mail all digital pictures at maximum resolution. Alternatively send us a photo, which will be returned if required. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Secretary, WCOBA, PO Box 16-073, Wellington.

Tel: (04) 802 2537• Fax: (04) 802 254. E-mail: oldboys@wellington-college.school.nz

WCOBA Executive 2005-06 President • RD (Bob) Slade (1954-58) bob@slade.co.nz • PO Box 13-551. Johnsonville, Wellington • Telephone: (04) 477 0027 Immediate Past President • KR (Ross) Macdonald (1952-56) • Fax: (04) 232 5494 Secretary • Stephanie Kane • E-mail: s.kane@wellington-college.school.nz Treasurer • R H (Richard) Taylor (1956-60) • E-mail: RTaylor@lecg.com MEMBERS RW (Rob) Anderson (1969-73) • E-mail: r.anderson@wellington-college.school.nz RJ (Ray) Arbuckle (1953-57) • E-mail: rj.arbuckle@xtra.co.nz NPA (Nick) Baker (1994-98) • E-mail: nick.baker@russellmcveagh.com MD (Matthew) Beattie (1970-72) • E-mail: matthew.beattie@insteplimited.com ID (Ian) de Terte (1975-80) • E-mail: ian.deterte@paradise.net.nz CJB (Chris) Lendrum (1994-98) • E-mail: chris.lendrum@nzrugby.co.nz RJ (Roger) Moses (Headmaster) • E-mail: r.moses@wellington-college.school.nz ER (Ernie) Rosenthal 1957-60 • E-mail: e.rosenthal@wellington-college.school.nz RP (Richard) Townley (1994-98) • E-mail: thouse27@hotmail.com

Missing Lampstands

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f you don’t have past issues of The Lampstand and would like a copy, please contact the WCOBA Secretary to order a copy/ies. You can also download The Lampstands for 2002, 2003 and 2004 by going to: www.wellington-college.school.nz and entering the Communities /Old Boys Section and click on the Lampstand year. You will need Adobe Acrobat and the link for this free download is also included.

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WCOBA Executive News

President’s Report

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have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report of the Wellington College Old Boys’ Association for the 2004-2005 year.

• Lampstand

• Assistance

The Association is pleased to offer continuing financial support to the College towards the maintenance of the Archives, a subsidy towards the Annual Prize Giving and donations for various other activities. As WCOBA President I am also interested in establishing closer links with the College Foundation and have been invited to attend their trustee meetings.

The Foundation holds funds similar in total amount to ours and by a closer working relationship with them consider that both can be more effective on various prospective projects for the benefit of the College.

Publication

This annual newsletter to Old Boys was mailed in October 2004 and with 44 pages was by far the largest ever issued.

The high quality of its contents covering a wide range of news of Old Boys and events at the College continues to impress. As a result there has been a tremendous feedback of e-mails, letters, photos and memorabilia from Old Boys to Editor Stephanie Kane who is also Secretary of the Association. Stephanie’s work in the preparation of the publication has been outstanding.

• Old

• Friendly

Boys’ Database

In late 2003, the WCOBA Secretary Stephanie Kane took on the huge task of updating the database. This involved cross checking from original school registers, (1867 to 1919), and student registration cards (1919 to 1990). A to Z has now been completed and all current addresses are presently being checked and amended where necessary, with thanks to the Electoral Rolls and referrals from Old Boys.

The next stage is to define the achievements and activities of each Old Boy and their family connections. The updating work is being done in conjunction with the Foundation and our grateful thanks are extended to Stephanie for her excellent work to date. Please ensure you keep us up-to-date on your details.

• Reunions The ‘Class of 1964’ held a magnificently successful ‘40 Years On’ reunion in October 2004. A most wonderful spirit prevailed throughout and 1964 Head Prefect John Marshall and his organising committee are to be congratulated. It is hoped that the success of this event will inspire further “40 Years On” reunions, and other reunions generally. I know that plans are well underway for the Class of 1965 Reunion, to be held in October this year and I look forward to hearing of others, either in Wellington or around the country or world.

Stay in the Loop via e-mail

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f you would like to be informed of WCOBA events via e-mail, please send your details to: oldboys@wellington-college.school.nz or fill out the enclosed feedback form.

Please include your full name, e-mail address, years at Wellington College and your telephone number.

Ensure you add areas of interest/s, ie AGM, functions, rugby, cricket, McEvedy, hockey, Shakespeare, prizegiving etc.

To The College

Old Boys are also always welcome to contact our Secretary Stephanie Kane to arrange a tour of the College and to attend an assembly.

Cup Cricket Match

WCOBA hosted this historic and traditional match against St Pat’s Old Boys on 3 April 2005, narrowly won by our visitors. A most enjoyable day was had by all and many good stories and yarns were told.

• Executive

• Archives Of increasing concern to many Old Boys is the totally inadequate area provided at the College for our Archives. Paddianne Neely our Archivist, is to be commended for her fine work under difficult and cramped conditions.

What is needed is a permanent home for the archives and with this in mind the ‘Class of 1964’ during their reunion raised by way of raffle and donations about $4,000 to start a fund towards this objective. Also taking up the challenge is the WCOBA UK Branch who are planning an Archives Fund-raising Competition, involving also Old Boys in New Zealand and elsewhere, based on the forthcoming British and Irish Lions rugby tour.

It is important that the momentum be kept going and depending on the level of funds raised so far by Old Boys who have already made donations to the Archives; and in the future there is a possibility that a home for the archives will be built.

Committee

My sincere thanks are extended to the Committee and to our Secretary Stephanie Kane for their loyal support during the year. I also wish to extend tribute to retiring committee member Barry Jobson for his faithful and energetic work for the Association over many years. Barry was also the WCOBA President for several years and more recently President of the Centennial Trust.

• Conclusion After nearly two years as President I continue to be impressed with the camaraderie that Old Boys have for each other and their pride in Wellington College which is so well led by Roger Moses and his excellent staff.

Old Boys are reminded that our Association has its own website containing current Old Boys information and the last three issues of The Lampstand.

Bob Slade - May 2005

The Lampstand is a Registered Newsletter of the Wellington College Old Boys’ Assoc.

Correspondence can be sent to: Stephanie Kane • WCOBA Secretary PO Box 16-073, Wellington, NZ Telephone: (04) 802 2537 • Facsimile: (04) 802 2541 E-mail: oldboys@wellington-college.school.nz The Lampstand is edited, designed and produced by Stephanie Kane.

Please support The Lampstand by joining the WCOBA today. Your support assists in producing The Lampstand, Old Boys’ activities and events, as well as funding College awards, buildings, activities and maintaining the Archives.

Annual Membership.......$25.00 (Converts to Life Membership after five payments) Life Membership........................$100.00 (Includes a Certificate of Life Membership) If you would like a replacement Life Membership Certificate, please contact the WCOBA Secretary for a new one. Details are on the enclosed feedback form.

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WCOBA Executive News AGM News

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he 2005 AGM was held in conjunction with the Traditional Fixture against St Patrick’s (Silverstream) featuring the College’s 1st XV’s and 1st XI’s on Wednesday 1 June. The meeting, was attended by 26 Old Boys and members of the WCOBA Executive.

Three new members were elected to the Executive; Nick Baker (1994-98), Ian de Terte (1975-80) and Ernie Rosenthal (1957-60).

Following the fomalities, the visitors enjoyed their lunch whilst watching the two Traditional fixtures; unfortunately the 1st XV went down but the 1st XI won their match.

The AGM always take place in conjunction with the Traditional fixture against either St Patrick’s (Town) or (Silverstream). The 2006 AGM will precede the Town Traditional in the Cricket Pavilion - the date yet to be set.

Advertising of the AGM will feature in The Dominion Post at least three weeks before the meeting but if you would like to receive a personal notification, please complete the enclosed feedback form. All Old Boys are welcome to attend the AGM and Luncheon.

If you would like to join the Executive (younger Old Boys in particular) or add an item to the Agenda, please contact either Bob Slade (President) or Stephanie Kane (Secretary). Contact details on page two.

Some AGM Attendees @ 1 June, 2005

Bob Slade (WCOBA President), left and Bob Pope

Paddianne Neely (College Archivist) with Barry Jobson

Barry Jobson (left) and John Cook (right)

(L-R): Richard Boon, Nick Baker, Chris Lendrum and Robert Ander-

Marcus Poole and Morrie Deterte

(L-R): Gerry Barnard, Stephanie Kane and Garth England

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WCOBA Executive News

The Executive Committee of the Wellington College Old Boys’ Association extends an invitation to all Old Boys, and past and current staff to join them at the

2005 WCOBA Annual Get-Together to be held on Wednesday, 12 October, 2005 from 5.00pm in Firth Hall, Wellington College.

Cost: $20.00pp (Covers Beer/Wine/Juice and Finger Food).

RSVP Essential by completing the enclosed Feedback Form.

An excellent opportunity to catch up with Old Boys from all generations and to see first hand, the restored Firth & House Prefect Boards.

WCOBA Contacts World-Wide

‘Spread the Word’ to Old Boys everywhere and get a group together to attend.

AUCKLAND: WAIKATO: BAY OF PLENTY: MANAWATU: HAWKES BAY: NELSON: CANTERBURY: AUSTRALIA (NSW): AUSTRALIA (VIC): AUSTRALIA (QLD): UNITED KINGDOM:

Graham J. Ade • 56 Vivian Wilson Dr, Bucklands Beach. Tel: (09) 537 5682 (H) (09) 273 5311 (W). adeconsult@clear.net.nz or David Lawson • 1/293 Tamaki Drive, Kohimarama. Tel: (09) 528 8970. dnlawson@xtra.co.nz Alain Harper • 15 Bunyard Road, Rotokauri via Hamilton. Tel: (07) 848 4091 Fax: (07) 838 0082. apralain@wave.co.nz John Sherring • 18 Claremont Tce, Otumoetai, Tauranga. Tel: (07) 576 5354 Don Bowers • Pohangina Valley East Road, RD, Ashhurst. Tel. (06) 329 4759 Merv Ewing • 8 Waikonini Place, Havelock North. Tel: (06) 877 8371 or Dave Halliday • 14 Jervois Road, Taradale. Tel: (06) 844 7590 Brian Hurst • 190B Nile Street East, Nelson. Tel: (03) 548 4456. hurstbchallenge.nel@xtra.co.nz John Veale • PO Box 669, Christchurch. Tel: (03) 351 5510. john.h.veale@xtra.co.nz or Peter Morrison • Mansfield House, Merivale, (03) 355 3730. mansfieldhouse@xtra.co.nz Ron Jeffs • 3/40 White St, Balgowlah, NSW, 2093. Tel: 61 2 9437 4411.Fax: 61 2 9906 8146. Email:bscaansw@bscaa.asn.au Dr Peter Osvath • 75/8 Perth Street, Prahran, VIC 3181 Tel: (03) 9521 4430. Mob: 0418 107 903. E-mail: peter.osvath@csiro.au David Cope • qamdkc@hotmail.com or Dirk Mouton • dmouton@bigpond.net.au Martin Conway • 1 Sycamore Lodge, Gipsy Lane, Putney, London SW15 5RH. Telephone: +44(0) 20 8392 2566 Facsimile: +44(0) 20 7542 9024Email: martin_conway1410@yahoo.co.uk

If you would like to be the contact point for Old Boys in your town/city/country, please contact the WCOBA Secretary. We will include your details in the next issue of The Lampstand.

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WCOBA Executive News

Database Update

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reported in the last issue of The Lampstand of the mammoth task to update the WCOBA Database. The existing database has been in circulation since 1992 and was found to have many discrepancies.

Since last year, the alphabetical checking of all Old Boys from 1919 – 1990 has been completed using the registration cards. It is unfortunate that some details were omitted from the original registration cards including forenames and dates of birth. The original school registers from 1867 to 1919 are still to be cross-checked against the database and corrections made.

go through all the past Wellingtonians to record details of Prefect Status, and sport and cultural representation at the College, as well as academic awards achieved and any other notes of interest. Form classes for each year of attendance also need to be added as we tend to get many requests for class rolls over many years. I would also like to add the school each student came from and the student’s post school/tertiary education path.

Details for students from 1991 to date are being added but for some unknown reason, students from 1991-1995 only had their preferred name entered and did not record when they actually started and/or left the College. A frustrating exercise to source this information and one currently on hold until we can go through each personal file for those students.

Utilising the current Wellington and surrounds electoral rolls, I have been able to find a vast number of addresses for Old Boys whom we had lost contact with, so if this is your first issue of The Lampstand, this is probably why. The search continues as time permits.

I would also like to utilise other publications including Death Registers, electoral rolls beyond Wellington and the New Zealand Who’s Who to assist in locating Old Boys. If you have access to any of these publications and can lend them to me, it would be much appreciated.

Following the formal details, I then wish to

I have been extremely fortunate to have had

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assistance from Old Boys including Garth England (1941-45), Bob Balchin (1943-45), John Sherring (1942-46) plus many, many others who have made time to look for Old Boys from their era. It has certainly been much appreciated and it’s a bit like solving a jigsaw, adding piece by piece to get the big picture.

Once completed, the database will give the WCOBA and the Foundation an historical record that will be as correct as can be and will be much easier to maintain and keep upto-date.

Please contact me if you have any information that may help in completing this massive task. Even though this is a fulfilling exercise, it is unfortunate that time constraints limit me in working full time on this project, as well as attending to general WCOBA administration.

I extend my thanks to the Foundation for purchasing a laptop to work on the database and to them and the WCOBA for recognising the work completed so far.

Stephanie Kane • WCOBA Secretary

2004 Leavers’ Dinner

ollowing the successful format of the 2003 Leavers’ Dinner, another very memorable Leavers’ Dinner was held in November, 2004 for the Year 13 students.

The build-up began weeks before, when ID photos of the students from their Year 9 form classes were displayed on the school walls, showing just how these ‘young boys’ had developed into fine young men.

The evening began with around 220 students sitting in their 2000 Year 9 form class, with some still having most of their original class in attendance and others down to a few remaining at the end of their five years at school. More recent arrivals to the College sat at their own ‘Afters’ table.

As the form class photographs of 2000 flashed up on the screen, representatives from each class spoke on their experiences over the past five years. Stories emerged of Killerball challenges, haka practices, McEvedy, Annual Sporting Fixtures as well as other entertaining tales that emerged over the five years.

Teachers from the Y e a r 9 form classes s p o k e on their

fond (and not so fond) memories of these millennium boys.

The guest speaker was Old Boy, Myles Gazley (1985-89) [pictured].

Myles was accompanied by his younger brother Oliver Gazley (1989-93). Myles has been selling cars since he was in short pants. Now with a handful of used car firms under his control, the 33-year-old swapped school shorts for sharp suits and has emerged as one of the capital’s leading entrepreneurs.

Old friends from Wellington College remember being green with envy as they watched a teenage Myles driving flash sports cars to school. It was really impressive to see him using his spare time, including lunch breaks, to sell cars at a nearby yard.

He would take off his school tie and blazer and put on a car yard jacket and sell cars at lunchtime and after school.

Teachers realised that he had found his true vocation and never really bothered him - especially after he sold a car to the headmaster. It also helped that his little brother Oliver, who partners Myles, was a good talker, would spin yarns to teachers to cover for big brother who was often delayed dealing cars.

After leaving school, Myles got a job in a small yard in Adelaide Road and was basically given the keys to run the place selecting, buying and selling cars all at the tender age of 17. At the age of 24, Myles was ready to set up his own business and in 1996 established Aro Motors. He opened another yard in 1998 and was soon selling up to 50 cars a month. Monty’s 4WD dealership and Tory Motor Company soon followed and 6

the Gazley name was established among the heavyweights of Wellington used car dealers.

Myles entertained the audience with his tales of life at the College and spoke of his business activities and pastimes since leaving Wellington College, and was a most entertaining and humorous speaker.

Bob Slade, WCOBA President, also spoke to the students and touched on his enjoyment of being an Old Boy and treasuring the memories of years gone past. His encouragement to become a Life Member of the Association was well received and it was pleasing to see the number of students sign up to become Life Members, receive their Old Boys’ lapel pin and join the ever-growing family of 30,000 Old Boys.

Headmaster Roger Moses concluded the evening by wishing all the boys the best in their futures as they go on to greater things.

He mentioned how particularly proud he was of each and every one of them by their spectacular efforts in academic, sport and cultural achievements.

Following the formal proceedings, senior students from the Kapa Haka performed a very moving haka to their peers and staff to end the emotionally charged evening.

It certainly was a memorable evening, celebrating a lifetime of friendships to be carried on around the country and the world until the class of 2000 meet again at their next reunion.

News from the Archives

“The Memory of the College”

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aurice Deterte’s letter regarding the Archives in the 2004 Lampstand was much appreciated and I thank him for his concern. The points he made are valid, the Archives are in crisis. The need for a solid, secure stand alone building to house our valuable history, display material, have room to work and most importantly to provide facilities where our present boys and staff can utilise the Archives as a teaching resource and help develop pride and a sense of history in our College, is now long overdue.

Another Old Boy, Ted Percival, (1946-1950) was so concerned he offered his architect’s skills and drove down from the Hawkes Bay several times this year to draw up plans for a proposed Archives so that we could have some idea of what was needed and what costs might be involved. The figure of $400,000 was mooted on a stand alone concrete air-conditioned spacious single storey building, to cover all necessary requirements. My thanks to you, Ted, for your generous efforts.

The Class of 1964 kindly donated the sum of $4,305.60 from their Reunion to start an Archives Building Campaign, along with two other rather generous donations from Ken Porter (1935-37) and Ray O’Connor (194246) (both from Australia). My sincere thanks to you and to other Old Boys who have also contributed.

We have a long way to go but I am an optimist and aware that Old Boys would want something that will preserve the goodly heritage, the proud traditions and cherished memories of Wellington College.

It was pleasing to be able to attend the

Annual School Archives Conference held this year at Dilworth School. Their Archives has made great strides since our last visit in the good hands of Evan Lewis. As always a most worthwhile conference and my thanks to Wellington College for making my attendance possible.

It was an honour to be asked to speak at an Australasian Archives Conference in Wellington and at the Catholic Archives Conference in Hamilton. My first power point production of photographs illustrating “The Establishment of an Archives” showing work done before and after at Wellington College along with some of my other Colleges, was well received.

Ted Clayton, my loyal friend, has been an enormous help to me with his continued work in the Archives. So too, Stephanie Kane, WCOB Secretary. Both have made my return to work after so much time away during 2004-2005 easier.

Headmaster Roger Moses continues to offer his constant support. I thank them all.

The mountain of correspondence is slowly decreasing. If you are concerned that I have not answered your requests and queries, please drop another note, but include your land address. We do not have e-mail facilities - there is no room for a computer in the Archives and the last one was drowned in the flood! Thank you for your patience.

My best wishes to you all for the rest of the year and the Festive Season to come.

Paddianne W Neely College Archivist

We are Seeking...

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re you an Old Boy or former staff member of the College? Do you have relatives or know friends who are, or have been? If so, you may be able to help the Archives obtain some of the following: • Memoirs.

• Photographs/Snapshots: College Life: pupils, staff, Old Boys.

• Head Prefects & Duxes.

• Original Uniforms: School Cadets, ATC, Sea Cadets, Pipe Band.

• Caps: Colours & Sports, Caps, Straw Boaters.

• Sports Gear.

• Medals: Dux Medals, Badges, Awards. War Medals.

• Book Prizes.

• Art Work by Old Boys.

• Books: Old Boy authors.

• Musical recordings by Old Boys.

• School Reports, Certificates.

• Papers: Board of Governors, Headmasters, Parents’ Association, College Mothers, Correspondence, WCOB Newsletters, class magazines.

• Firth House Crockery.

• Architectural Plan Drawers, mannikins.

Please contact: Paddianne W. Neely Wellington College Archivist Telephone: (W) [04] 802 2520 (F) [04] 802 2542 Telephone: (H) [04] 386 2072 (F) [04] 386 2076.

The Archives Barometer

Ted Percival works on the plans for the Wellington College Archives Building 7

News from the Archives The plans below are just suggestions made by Ted Persival for the Archives.

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Your Letters is at the School of Mathematics at Victoria University, and who was a class mate of mine at Wellington College, to visit the School of Mathematics for three months. Exactly which three months is not yet settled.

WA (Bill) [Goldie] Goldstone 1939-43 (Head Prefect 1943) E: wgoldstone@shaw.ca Resides: BC, Canada

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ecently, while browsing on my computer I went to the WCOB site. A few years ago I had sent a cheque for $100 Canadian towards the restoration of the Prefects Honours Boards. When no decision had been made about the Honours Boards I told them to forward it to the Old Boys’ Association. I have now received the 2004 Lampstand and in it the article on the outcome of the restoration and, to my delight, a photo of the Board when I was Head Prefect in 1943. My name would also appear as Head Prefect of Firth House in 1942, 1943, and as School Prefect in 1942. I was also on the track team from 1939 to 1943 and played for the 1st XV 1940-43, captain for the last two years.

I was a member of the armed forces in 194445 and played rugby for the NZ Combined Services in 1945. I represented Wellington for three years and played for Old Boys’ RFC for a number of years.

My wife and I and our three sons came to Canada in 1955 and I coached rugby in Vancouver for five years. I was transferred to Calgary, Alberta, in 1960 and coached a team made up of Canadian born players, most of whom had never played rugby before. What a pleasure it was to coach a team with no bad habits! After three years we won the Senior Championship in a 10-team league. I later coached a Calgary representative team which was the first Calgary team to beat a touring English club side. I played my last game when I was 50, alongside my youngest son.

Nine years ago we retired to Penticton, BC, a city situated between two lakes in the Okanagan Valley which is known for its wine and orchards and great weather. The local high school has had visits from two New Zealand school teams; one from Upper Hutt and the other from North Auckland.

Our second son (55) is a school teacher here, also an active member of the local yacht club.

Our youngest son (54) still lives in Calgary and works for a warehouse distributing company.

Our eldest son (57) is regional business manager for a computer systems company in SE Asia and Australasia. They will all be here in April this year to celebrate my 80th birthday and our 58th wedding anniversary.

Beth and I attended the celebrations at the College in 1992. It was quite an emotional time for the old Firth House boys and brought back many memories. I recalled the red mark on the Assembly Hall, two feet from the Memorial Window. That mark was from a cricket ball hit by Tommy Beard (Master and 1st XV coach) from the Master’s pitch in front of the Headmaster’s residence! I also remembered a House Master (Murray Roberts) who created many problems and was finally run off the property (literally) by the boarders. He came back later in the night to retrieve his car. It was later established that he had falsified his credentials. Another memory was of talking to Quentin Angus

Bill (Goldie) Goldstone celebrates his recent 80th Birthday (1942-45) (now deceased) while he was standing in the fire place in Firth House prep room smoking a cigarette with his head up the chimney. Quentin was crippled, and very innovative. I also remember Stuart Jones (1939-41) riding his bike around the Assembly Hall parapet on Sundays. Another memory is of having difficulty with Theorem 9 in my early years. Jimmy Hall, my teacher, never forgot that and on my last day of school he asked me to recite it for him. I did!

Would it be possible to include in a future copy of Lampstand a map of the school grounds showing the location of the buildings? There have been so many changes that it is difficult for me to visualise the campus as it is today.

[Aerial views are included in this issue] I am enclosing a cheque for CA$100 to be applied to the restoration of the Prefects’ Honours Boards and I hope the required funds are quickly realised. ___________________________________

FP (Peter) Cass 1954-56 E: fcass@uwo.ca Resides: Ontario, Canada

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y name is Peter Cass (full name: Frank Peter Cass). I was a student at Wellington College from 1954-56 and boarded at Firth House during those years.

I have been receiving The Lampstand for a few years now and thought that it would be a good idea to take out a Life Membership in WCOBA. I understand the fee is $100 (NZ).

Since I live in Canada I was wondering what the best way might be to send you the money.

I assume a cheque drawn on a Canadian bank would not be helpful. Perhaps a money order made out to Wellington College Old Boys’ Association is the way to go? [Internet Banking is in the process of being set up refer to the feedback form - Editor].

I obtained a BSc and MSc in Mathematics from Victoria University and, in 1963 went to Canada to do a PhD in Mathematics. Since then I have worked (apart from sabbatical leaves spent at various universities in Canada, the United States and Germany) in the Mathematics Department of The University of Western Ontario. I have my last sabbatical leave granted for the period July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 at which point I retire from UWO. I have an invitation from Philip Rhodes-Robinson (1954-58), who 9

For the past six years I have organised an annual three-day ‘Math Camp’ for local high school students who have done well in the Pascal Mathematics Competition run by Waterloo University in Waterloo, Ontario. The camp took 32 students each year who had just finished Ontario Grade 9. The students, at any rate, are 14 to 15 years-old. We also took some younger ones who showed special promise. This is part of a National Programme under the auspices of the Canadian Mathematical Society, with funding from the three mathematical research institutes in Canada and from private industry. It has been a most successful venture. I thought perhaps I could share my experiences with Mathematics teachers at Wellington College if they are agreeable. I intend to keep active in Mathematics after retirement from Western and one of my projects is to produce mathematical materials to assist high school teachers dealing with bright and enthusiastic students.

Are there any reunions planned, in the near future, for those who were students in my years at Wellington College?

I have enjoyed reading The Lampstand, although I find the death notices sad, especially when fellow students, my former teachers, or young students are on the list. I was in some regular touch with Sam Meads until shortly before his death. _______________________________

RH (Ronald) Hayward 1941-45 E: Taputranga@aol.com Resides: Texas, USA

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graduated from the College in 1945. My main credits included; two years with the 1st XV. I believe I received a Turnbull and Rhodes Scholarship, the Edward Espy Martin French Prize and the Sefton Adams Memorial Essay Prize. Having decided to enter Medical School, I then completed my intermediate year at Victoria University and moved to the Otago Medical School in 1947 graduating in 1951.

Because I had developed an interest in surgery I decided to spend a year as a Demonstrator in Anatomy at the Medical School. This decision was made because the primary examination for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons required a very complete knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology. At the end of the year I took their exam in Melbourne and was one of seven out of around 56 candidates who were fortunate enough to pass. I then spent three years at Dunedin Hospital where I became Resident Surgical Officer in 1955. That May, I also passed my final examination and became a Fellow of the College. My Professor informed me that I was the youngest person in New Zealand ever to have achieved membership.

At that time, the Chair of Surgery in Dunedin

Your Letters was held by Professor Michael Woodruff.

After discussing my further career with him and whether it would be best to choose a programme for further surgical training in England or the United States, at his suggestion, I settled on the Mayo Clinic and he made arrangements for me to obtain a Fellowship at that institution.

I ended up spending six years there. Some of that time was in surgical research, which proved profitable for me in that I received the Alumni Award for Meritorious Research and also my PhD in surgery from the University of Minnesota. On September 16, 1961 I married a girl from a neighbouring town and by the end of September 1962 had completed my training in cardiothoracic surgery. In my last 18 months I was flattered to be offered several different positions at the Clinic but finally decided to decline them mainly for two reasons. Firstly, I did not enjoy the freezing climate of that region where snow could be on the ground from October to May each year and, also, in those days the salary offered was rather pitiful. I accepted a position in a partnership surgical practice in Fort Worth where I remained for two-and-a-half years.

Unfortunately, I did not find this position very rewarding professionally. In those days Fort Worth lived under the shadow of Dallas and Medicine was essentially controlled by the large group of general practitioners who, almost to a man during that era, did not believe in heart surgery. In 1964 I was offered a position at the Scott and White Clinic in the Temple. This had been known for some time as the Mayo Clinic of the South because of a large proportion of Mayo trained doctors on the staff during that time frame. It was here that I began the new field of cardiac surgery for that institution. It was a slow process to begin with, but today the Clinic has become a well-known centre for cardiac procedures.

In 1976 I relinquished leadership of the cardiothoracic program and became head of the Department of Surgery, a position which I held until 1989. In 1976 I was also elected to the Clinic Board of Directors. In 1979 a medical student teaching contract was developed with the newly formed Texas A&M College of Medicine where I became Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery, a post I held until 1989. The number of medical students has now grown to around 90 and they have regularly topped the state of Texas in their examinations. I formally retired from practice in 1993.

I was born at Island Bay in Wellington and was introduced to the sea and boating at an early age. Also, my parents owned a cottage in Queen Charlotte Sound where we spent our vacations, and from time to time my father owned a power boat. After planning to move to the United States, I first examined a map of the country and noted the area known as Puget Sound in the Northwest. I decided that this was a territory I must visit because I expected it would be very much like Queen Charlotte Sound. I don’t know why I delayed so long, but it was not until 1991 that I finally did visit this region and crossed through this enthralling territory on the ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo. I immediately became hooked and decided I had to boat this area after retirement. By

visiting the Seattle boat show in January 1992, I found a boat built by a company just north of this city and decided its design would fulfil my requirements. Construction was begun in June 1993 with much of the interior being customised. I took possession in January 1994. For the next ten years we cruised the waters of the Northwest including two lengthy trips to Alaska. This was a most rewarding experience, but at the end of the boating season in 2003 I decided I was not really up to running a boat any longer. Also, maintaining a boat at a marina while living in Texas, first in Seattle and during the last two years at Sidney on Vancouver Island, certainly gave rise to maintenance problems. By this date, I no longer felt physically interested in the labour involved, so the boat was sold in 2004. Naturally we will miss this part of our lives but all good things come to an end.

Following retirement I had found time to broaden the range of my reading as medical journals no longer took precedence. Also, in the Northwest, particularly in Canada, I found numerous antiquarian bookstores that introduced me to a new world of information.

During these years I found time to think and recognised a need to re-evaluate many of the archetypal concepts held by the human mind. After many delays and false starts, I finally completed a book the title of which is, Mind, Self, and Spirit. Exposing Immortal Images. This has been under production for a number of months and should be ready for printing probably within the next four weeks.

I’m not sure how it will be received.

So this is an outline of my biography since leaving Wellington College. ___________________________________

Anthony (Tony) Leverton 1962-66 E: tonysal@bigpond.net.au Resides: Brisbane, Qld.

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write to advise you of two Old Boy membership changes. First, I’m sad to report that my older brother, John David Leverton (b 18 July 1947) died in Melbourne on 11 January 2003. He was a pupil at Wellington College from 1961-64.

During that time he was a member of the College’s 1st XI soccer team (for three years, I believe). When John left College, he trained as a secondary teacher in Auckland and taught for about a year (Wellington High School and Horowhenua College) before succumbing to a chronic illness. He often spoke to me about how much he enjoyed his time at Wellington College and reminisced about the friends he made there. He would have been a member of the “Class of 1964” (reported in your 2004 edition).

I’d like to think he was present at the Class of 1964 reunion in spirit - an “absent friend”.

I moved to Brisbane with my family in 2003 after many years of living in Wellington. I was a pupil at Wellington College from 1962-66. I recall with fondness the Centenary celebrations and the more recent 125th celebrations.

May I also take this opportunity of congratulating you for the excellent quality of the annual Lampstand. The editions make inspiring reading.

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PCC (Peter) Keeton 1941-45 heritagepaintings@xtra.co.nz Resides: PO Box 14, Waihi Last year, Peter Keeton wrote an extremely interesting letter including his memories of the College and of his life since leaving.

Peter was interested in locating classmates from 3C, 1941 and records the response he has received from some of them and other Old Boys of that era. We share Peter’s letter with you.

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hank you for your note, it was marvellous of you to print the whole article and I have had some response. I have heard from Russell Graham, He came up to Waihi and we had lunch and it was marvellous to see him after all these years. I have also heard from George Fraser and Graham (Shorty) Martin and I am making arrangements to see him in Wellington this coming week.

Shorty gives a lot of information regarding past pupils as follows: Ellin Arvanitis; I can’t find him in the Wellington telephone book. If I recall he and Erik Cameron were made Class Captain with Cameron second-in-command because we could not decide so the Master made them so. They did not last long in the class as they were taken away for car conversion.

Perhaps the College tipped the police off as it was not usual in those days to come to College in a car.

Jack August was a nice chap and had a swarthy skin. Nevill Batton, threw his weight around a bit. James Baxter was bright and cheery. Graham Carkeek was in 3C and 4C but not in 5C. Robert Charlton I think died years ago, he was slim and his father was an inventor of a rifle. Maurice Cunningham (deceased) played on the wing for Wellington.

I remember knocking him out of the ring.

Ronald Dunford was picked on sometimes.

George Hewitt is not listed in the telephone book. Philip Jackson; I was walking along the Terrace one day and we met so kept on walking together. We both turned into Kelvin Chambers and discovered he had been working there for about ten years and we had never met till then. He was an architect.

Alexander McDonald; I beat him in boxing, I did not like it one bit because of being Class Captain. Warwick Toomer took life very casually. Stuart Williamson ruined a good cricket future as he lost a finger or fingers on a farm. I recall he was well ahead of us socially and one of the lady teachers at the Ball made a bit of a fool of herself with him.

The last I heard of Peter Hobson and his brother was they lived in the Wairarapa.

My comments on Shorty’s letter - the only additional information I have for you regarding the people mentioned by Shorty are as follows: George Hewitt lived in Kelburn. Phil Jackson lives in Silverstream. Stu Williamson, I believe was married to the Mayor of Taupo, who I think is still Mayor. A brilliant sportsman, he died some years ago.

Shorty also mentioned Peter Hobson and his brother Bruce Hobson who were not in

Your Letters our class, Peter has recently died in Auckland and I know that Bruce had a serious illness. _______________________________

FW (Fred) Coad 1943-46 Resides: Ngaio, Wellington

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hank you so much for your letter and for the ‘class lists’ for the years 1943-46, when I attended the College. It must have involved many hours of work and research and I am most grateful. I was quite surprised to know that out of some 30,000 Old Boys you have only around 8,000 addresses on file!

I have retained my copies of The Wellingtonian for the years 1943-46 and have often wondered what has happened to the boys who were in the same form as me. I am aware that several boys were boarders at Firth House. Perhaps, once they left College and lived away from Wellington, they were not so interested in retaining a link with the College and thus, did not join the Old Boys’ Association. Hence, so many missing addresses on your files!

I am able to pass on information concerning two former pupils whom I remember. One, M.C.C. (Michael) Gifford-Moore left College before me. He was interested in going to sea and joined the crew of the ‘Pamir’ for several voyages. Several years ago, I saw his death notice in The Evening Post. Evidently, he was then living in Auckland. Secondly, R.A. (Bob) Spence presently lives in Miramar, Wellington and is a curate at St Aidan’s Anglican Church, Miramar.

I am sorry I have no clues as to where many of the Old Boys for whom you have no addresses, now live. I am sure, many will be living away from Wellington. Perhaps, many may have died.

So, thank you again for all the trouble you have gone to and for giving so much of your valuable time - just for me. _______________________________

Roy Burke 1946-47 E: burker@clear.net.nz Resides: Hamilton

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hank you for sending me copies of The Wellingtonian (2004) and The Lampstand.

They have made interesting reading and freshened my interest in Wellington College. I was a pupil there for only two years, 1946-47, before my family transferred to Palmerston North and I switched to Palmerston North Boys’ High School. It was a sad culture shock as Wellington College was steeped in tradition and respect.

In your records you will have the name of a revered teacher, Jimmy Hall. Jimmy was aged – probably about my present age - and deeply respected. He never taught me and never knew me, but I knew him from afar, and respected him. Jimmy retired (to my memory) at the end of 1947. Two years later he turned up at PNBHS, putting his gnarled shoulder to the wheel in a time of desperate teacher shortage.

Years later I returned to Wellington to join The Evening Post’s reporter’s room. I attended one Old Boys’ dinner, but my heart wasn’t in it. Demolition of the lovely old Assembly Hall had destroyed too much for me. It had been a hallowed place. There I had taken my first scraping swipes at a borrowed fiddle in the College orchestra, and learned the harmonies of Jesus Joy, which we sang at a presentation in the old Wellington Town Hall, and of course Forty Years On.

Robert Wade 1957-61 E: R.Wade@lse.ac.uk Resides: London, UK Robert H Wade (featured in the 2003 Lampstand following a visit to the College), has kindly provided us with an update of his career since leaving Wellington College in 1961.

Last year, I paid a visit to Wellington College on one of my infrequent brief stays in the Capital. Unfortunately it was some sort of a holiday, but a kindly teacher from the ‘stinks’ department volunteered to show me around.

So much was totally unfamiliar. The loved old Library gone. The Quadrangle - where as a brand new third former I was initiated, dragged in a traditional circuit by a fourth former, locked on to a large pinch of meat from my left chest - gone. The fives court, gone, but replaced by something much smaller. But on one of the walls inside was a picture of Jimmy Cuddie, one of the excellent old masters. Today’s Wellington College is much changed and no longer mine, but the Wellington College of 1946-47 remains my Alma Mater.

And reading The Wellingtonian confirms that for all the change, Wellington College has progressed from strength to strength.

These days, in a journalist’s green pasture (contracted to write obituaries for deserving causes for publication in The Waikato Times) I was still a little shocked to learn of the death of Alan Preston (1946-50) [2004 Lampstand]. We were classmates at Wellington College and a few years earlier I’m sure we were classmates at Kilbirnie School. One gets used to the Grim Reaper taking harvest, but when the death of a chap I liked is announced in The Lampstand I’m a little taken aback.

I was warmed to read Roger Moses’ account of the bat presentation to Brad Jones (199701) - so typical of the old culture I’m delighted to realise still lives. In the same article I note the name of former teacher Eric Flaws. That would be ‘Fanny Flaws,’ an impressive man who demonstrated to College Cadets live firing from the hip with a bren gun. We thought he was marvellous, this giant returned soldier now dedicating his time to us.

Wellington College raised heroes, but so many disappear. I recall a particular student hero of mine, John Hunt (1942-46), a superb athlete. I remember him in an intercollege athletics event holding about third or fourth as they moved into the final lap of the mile. With half a lap to go John turned on a withering sprint, blew the rest of the field into the middle distance, and won (in my memory) by 100 yards or more. I would have been a third former, and my God it did me good!

Keep up the good work. _______________________________

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Robert Wade (centre) with Ernie Rosenthal (left) and Headmaster Roger Moses [c2003]

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attended Wellington College from late 1957, Third Form, till 1961, Upper Sixth.

The first two years at Firth House, while my parents were on diplomatic service overseas.

Prefect and 1st XV, 1961, when we achieved bottom in the Tournament. Then on to Otago University, 1962-65, Victoria University, 1966, Sussex University, 1967-1971.

Then Fellow of the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University, 1972 to 1995.

But for many years during the time at Sussex University I was on leave of absence, as economist at the World Bank, 1984-88, Office of Technology Assessment (US Congress), 1988, visiting Professor of political science at Princeton University, 1989-90, visiting Professor at the Sloan School, MIT, 1992, Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton, 1992-93. I resigned from Sussex to take up a chair of International Political Economy, Brown University, 1995-2000; during which time I was a visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation, New York City, 199798. In 2000 I resigned from Brown. Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Study, Berlin, 200001. Professor of Political Economy, London School of Economics, 2001 to present.

During this trajectory, I lived together, separated, married, two children now young adults, divorced, now happily partnered in lovely house in Camden, central London.

Train for the triathlon sports, play the classical guitar, and write about the big trends in the world economy and the world polity (such as it is) with an accent on the fate of developing countries. Main book, Governing the Market (1990, 2004), won the American Political Science Association’s award for best book in political economy.

I look back at Wellington College of the late 1950s as a dour, repressed place presided over by a dour, repressed headmaster. A few of the teachers, ‘masters’ inspired, including Evan Thomas, sixth form English teacher, and Mr Hart, fifth form English teacher (who later taught at Christ’s College). I treasure their enthusiasm. I did not have Richard Campion (father of Jane) as a teacher, but he illuminated the corridors with his style of

Your Letters unasserted elegance (what the Japanese might call ‘shibumi’). On the other hand, Firth House and its masters were especially cold and loveless, and I was relieved to hear some years ago that the place had been knocked down. My visit to the College in 2002 suggested that it has improved vastly in facilities and generosity of spirit.

The contrast between the ebullience of the present headmaster, Roger Moses, and the clenched jaw of his 1950s predecessor could scarcely be greater. The atmosphere today is captured in the personality of Ernie Rosenthal (1957-60), in my class all the way through, who stood out then for his warmth, wit and leadership and who continues to radiate these qualities as a member of the teaching staff. _______________________________

1997-98, in which role I initiated a network for ‘Asian Studies in Asia’. I am currently one of the two nonAsians on the initial Advisory Committee of the Asian Studies in Asia Fellowship Program being administered by the Institute for International Education and also had a period as International Secretary for the Australian Academy of the Humanities, and led a delegation of that Academy to China in the aftermath of the Tien An Mien crisis.

A J S (Tony) Reid 1952-56 E: aridir@nus.edu.sg Resides: Singapore

In addition to this appointment in the History Department, I am Director of the new Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at UCLA. In 2002, I was awarded the Academic Prize of the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes.

Anthony (Tony) Reid, Professor & Director of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at UCLA replied in response to receiving a belated copy of the 2004 Lampstand after we tracked him down. I asked him to bring us up to date on his life after Wellington College.

My principal research and teaching interests include: early modern Southeast Asia; economic, demographic and social history; modern Indonesia and Malaysia; slavery and freedom; ethnicity and identity in Southeast Asia and Chinese diaspora studies.

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As an author, my publications include: The contest for North Sumatra: Atjeh, the Netherlands and Britain, 1858-1898. OUP, 1969. The Indonesian National Revolution, 1945-1950. Longmans Australia, 1974. The Blood of the People: Revolution and the End of Traditional Rule in Northern Sumatra.

Kuala Lumpur, OUP, 1979. Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, 1450-1680. Vol.I: The Lands below the Winds. Yale University Press, 1988. Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, 1450-1680. Vol.II: Expansion and Crisis. Yale University Press 1993. Charting the Shape of Early Modern Southeast Asia.

Chiang Mai, Silkworm Books, 1999, 298 pp.

(North American and European rights with University of Washington Press, Seattle)

have spent most of my life in the Southwest Pacific, between New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia.

I completed my first degrees in History and Economics in Wellington and a PhD at Cambridge. I then taught Southeast Asian History at the University of Malaya (196570), Hasanuddin University in Indonesia (1980-81), Hawaii, Yale, and Auckland.

Most of my career however was at the Australian National University in Canberra, where since 1989, I was Professor of Southeast Asian History and Director of Projects on Southeast Asian Economic History and on the Chinese Diaspora.

After early research on the history of Sumatra, of Sulawesi, and of the Revolutionary period (1945-50) in Indonesia, I began to focus on the Early Modern Period in Southeast Asia as a whole. My Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, c.1450-1680 (2 vols, Yale University Press, 1988-93) sought to give coherence to the whole of Southeast Asia as a major player in world history. Subsequently I edited a number of books which looked at problems in Southeast Asia as a whole or in broader comparisons. Essential Outsiders (1997) compared the experience of Chinese in Southeast Asia with that of Jews in Central Europe in the transition to capitalism and nation states. The Last Stand of Asian Autonomies (1997) looked at the ways in which states and societies in Southeast Asia and Korea coped with the pressures of modernity in the century before they were overcome by colonial powers. Asian Freedoms considered how far the idea of freedom was indigenous to different Asian intellectual traditions.

As editor: (with Marr), Perceptions of the Past in Southeast Asia. Heinemann, 1979. Slavery, Bondage and Dependency in Southeast Asia.

Queensland UP/ St.Martin’s, 1983. Southeast Asia in the Early Modern Era: Trade, Power and Belief. Cornell University Press, 1993.

Witnesses to Sumatra: A Traveller’s Anthology, OUP, 1994. Sojourners and Settlers: Histories of Southeast Asia and the Chinese in Honour of Jennifer Cushman, 1996, 232pp. Early Modern Indonesia. Editions Didier Millet, 1996. The Last Stand of Asian Autonomies. Responses to Modernity in the Diverse States of Southeast Asia and Korea. Macmillan, 1997. (with Chirot), Essential Outsiders: Southeast Asian Chinese and Central European Jews in the Modern Transformation of Southeast Asia and Central Europe. Seattle, University of Washington Press, 1997 (with Kelly), Asian Freedoms: The Idea of Freedom in East and Southeast Asia.

Cambridge University Press, 1998. _______________________________

I was one of the founders of the Asian Studies Association of Australia in 1976, and edited its first newsletter and Publications series.

I became President of that Association in

RE (Bob) Balchin 1943-45 E: rebalc@gc.quik.com.au Resides: Surfers Paradise

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any thanks for publishing my snap of 6AL 1944 in the 2004 Lampstand. I have received numerous emails from fellow students in 1943, 1944 and 1945 but, strangely, only two from classmates.

Each of these did, however, lead to useful information about two others. The amazing thing was the responses from others not in the class who reported ‘sightings’.

The end result is that four of us now live overseas and have done so for nearly all of our working lifetimes. Three live in Australia (Graeme Brooks, a retired journalist in Victoria, Ivan Cher, a retired eye specialist from Sydney, in Victoria also and myself, retired to Queensland from Sydney where I worked in superannuation) and Ron Hayward, a retired heart specialist in Texas, USA. I hope to meet up with Graeme on the Gold Coast at the end of this winter. Sadly, four classmates have passed on; these are George Gay last year, a retired solicitor in Waihi, Ross Gandar (registered surveyor, I believe) Gwynn Nicholls (general insurance and accounting, I think) and Doug Turney (an ex-mayor of Wanganui) all some time ago.

Peter Malone is a retired veterinarian and an ex-mayor of Nelson and he has reported on Clyde Smith who worked in public service in southern Africa for much of his working lifetime but is now retired and living in Motueka. I had caught up with Denis Danaher (a retired civil engineer now living in Auckland) last year and I have had spasmodic contact with Bill Shirer (a retired vascular surgeon still living in Wellington) over a number of years. I have received two reports of George Swafford retired from tourism administration and living in Auckland and another of Alex Neale (a retired weather forecaster living in Masterton who is the class member missing from the snap).

It has also been suggested that Bruce Heywood is a retired farmer living in Marton and Dick Steele is retired from the Ford Motor Co. now living in Southland. I have not received any information on John de Voil, Frank Kwok (an ear nose and throat specialist who was practising in Wellington), Brian Phillipps, Ron Gray (possibly retired from school teaching) and C.S. (Pup) Collins.

A spin-off from this exercise for me has been the identification of all of the members in the M5A 1943 snap I hold and some detail of members of 6A 1945. In relation to the former class I should add that I was greatly helped by Graham Neill (a former class member who now lives in Auckland) and Ezric Slow (a retired pharmacist living in Titahi Bay for the last 40 years). In relation to the latter class I need to report that Bob Coleman who died in 2003 was a professor of Latin (not psychology) at Cambridge University, England. I am indebted to Bruce Tolley (a retired lecturer in French at Oxford University, England) for this correction.

It would be nice to know something of the

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Your Letters missing persons. Thank you once again for publishing my snap.

Yesterday, a fellow member of our Probus Club who attended Wellington College 1944-1947 and who has kept all of his Wellingtonians produced them for me to re-read.

As a result I have noticed what I believe is an error in the Prefect Board for 1944. One of the prefects that year was the headmaster’s son, F.B. (Brian) Hogben. I believe there has been an error made by the board-writer in transcribing the ‘F’ as a ‘J’.

There is something for the board restorers to debate - the need for a posthumous correction to a board. I know nothing about Brian except that I suspect he ended up working in Australia for the Murdoch organisation, was a very much respected journalist and that he died in Australia some years ago. There is a very funny ex-journo Brisbane author called Hugh Lunn and, if I have the correct person, Brian gets a mention in Lunn’s autobiography. My Wellingtonian helper is - Ian Robert Blow (1944-47). Ian worked for the Ford Tractor Company both in New Zealand and Australia before he retired to the Gold Coast.

It has all been very interesting. Bruce Tolley tells me that he used to live across the road from me in Austin Street but for the life of me I cannot associate his person (a prefect in 1944) with his statement (but I now well remember his face).

_______________________________

Barry Brooks 1946-50 E: bbrooks@paradise.net.nz Resides: Waikanae, Kapiti Barry sent us a copy of a letter he wrote to Bob Balchin regarding the item Bob wrote seeking classmates from their 1941 class.

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n The Lampstand 2004, I noticed an article about Class 6AL 1944. My brother Graeme Brooks was a member and I have written to Bob Balchin with such information as I can give him. I shall write to him again when I have a reply from Graeme, who should be able to supply something about Ron Hayward. I was at the College 1946-50. I am proud of the fact. My career in the Foreign Service was interesting, so I enclose a copy of my CV. Retirement in Waikanae seems so settled and comfortable nowadays.

My brother Graeme went to Lincoln College to study Veterinary Science. But he didn’t complete the course, due largely to the effects of an accident when he was thrown from a horse. He then went into journalism and public relations, moving to Melbourne in 1949 and has been there ever since, apart from a period near the NSW/Queensland border. He has made only four (I think) short visits to New Zealand over these 55 years.

Graeme has four children and five grandchildren, all living in Victoria. Graeme keeps pretty good health now, though he did have a totally unexpected quadruple bypass some two years ago. He made a quick and good recovery.

We meet up only infrequently, usually at intervals of about a decade. I last saw him

when he and his wife stayed with us in Vienna in 1991, when I was the New Zealand Ambassador there. My wife and I plan to visit him in Melbourne next year. Meanwhile, we keep in touch with letters a couple of times a year, and never fail to exchange Christmas cards.

Graeme’s closest friend during school and university days and for some time afterwards, was Ron Hayward. I know that they kept in touch for a long time after Ron went to the Mayo Clinic and it may be that Graeme knows where he is now. I shall write and ask him, and let you know what he tells me.

I am also an Old Boy, having been at Wellington College 1946-50. Most of my career was in our diplomatic service. It was an interesting profession that kept us out of New Zealand for more than 25 years. We lived in eleven other countries and, with cross accreditations, I was Ambassador to 16 different countries.

I married Joan in 1961 and we have two daughters, one son and four grandchildren.

After leaving Wellington College, I went to Victoria University and graduated with a Master of Arts in French, with equivalent second class honours.

I then joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1952-54, then spent three years with Dunlop (New Zealand) Limited, before returning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1957 until my retirement in August 1992.

Highlights of my diplomatic duties included: September 1992 - January 1993 - engaged

by Ministry of Foreign Affairs on contract to complete policy review of relations with Latin America.

1959-60: Attaché, Kuala Lumpur.

1960-61: Attaché, Jakarta.

1963-67: Second Secretary, Washington (administrative and consular affairs).

1969-73: First Secretary, Paris (economic affairs).

1975-77: Deputy High Commissioner, Suva.

1977-81: Deputy High Commissioner, Ottawa.

1981-82: High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, Ambassador to Nepal (resident in New Delhi).

1983-85: Ambassador to Iraq (resident in Baghdad).

1985-88: Ambassador to Chile and Brazil (resident in Santiago).

1988-90: Ambassador to Peru, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia (resident in Lima).

1990-91: Ambassador to Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, German Democratic Republic and Romania (resident in Vienna).

Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Vienna Office of the United Nations (UNOV).

February 1992: Led New Zealand delegation to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCT AD) in Cartagena, Colombia.

March 1992 Visited El Salvador, Honduras, 13

Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela and Ecuador as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister to seek support for New Zealand’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council.

My work was predominantly in the economic field. In 1974-75 I was Deputy Head and Acting Head of the Economic Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During my term in Paris, I was responsible for economic affairs and delegate to many meetings at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). I was New Zealand’s first representative on OECD’s Committee for Agriculture. In 1973, I was elected Vice Chairman of the Organisation’s Joint Committee Trade/Agriculture (trade in agricultural products).

Outside business, I won the gold medal for singing at the Wellington Competitions Festival in 1958 and a gold medal for ballroom dancing in the same year. I am also keen on Philately and Computation and continue my interest in singing, and was a member of Peter Godfrey’s Kapiti Chamber Choir until retiring in 2003. I also play a number of wind instruments, performing regularly at the Classical Music Performing Group of the Waikanae Music Society and from time to time singing solos at the Waikanae Presbyterian Church, of which I am a member.

I am a member of the Waikanae (Men’s) Probus Club and of Waikanae Presbyterian Church, and a former member of Rotary International. In August 1993, I was elected Chairman of the Waikanae Community Health Group, a position which I held for the first four years of the Group’s existence.

I am also Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Parkwood Trust, a large retirement village in Waikanae.

For several years after retirement, I lectured parttime in international relations (particularly Latin America) at the International Pacific College, a tertiary institution near Palmerston North.

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GJ (Gerry) Barnard 1941-45 E: jandgbarnard@xtra.co.nz Resides: Seatoun, Wgtn.

Gerry sent us a copy of a letter he wrote to Ian Aarons, whose letter appeared in the 2004 Lampstand.

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ear Ian, Ian is the name I have always remembered you by as do many of our class-mates that I meet from time to time.

There has often been argument about your first name, now it is settled! Aarons, Aburn, Bailey, Barnard, etc however is still indelibly printed in my mind.

This year is ‘60 years on and a far and asunder’ for us and I hope for many of our class-mates. My memories of 1941-45 are similar to yours but many are more related to my primary school educational experiences.

At Island Bay primary school we had an exWorld War One Regimental Sergeant Major

Your Letters Jimmy Kirby teaching us in Forms 1 and 2. When in 1940 I told him I was applying to continue my education at Wellington College, his response was similar but at a different level to that given to you by Mr Hogben regarding your ambition for a career as a Doctor. He said in front of our class, girls included Barnard you will end up like your father working on the wharves.

He must have been unaware that dad had been a Master Mariner until he went deaf and had then been re-employed on the wharves by the Union Steamship Company as compensation. This was of course during the final years of the depression when one was lucky to be employed at all.

He also told me I did not have enough brains and did not have the professional qualities or background needed to succeed at an Academic College and that I should proceed to Wellington Technical College or work.

Perhaps he had a point at that time!

My education both primary and secondary was very much effected by the Depression and the War. The need to pull my weight in the family by working and earning during those times, delivering groceries and papers, selling ice-creams at the Empire Theatre Island Bay in the evenings, collecting and selling bottles and collecting clean newspaper to sell to the fish and chip shop certainly did not assist my level of or interest in academic achievement.

The good song says shorter in wind and in memory long I am finding the reverse now, the memory is short but I don’t seem to run out of wind still playing golf and skiing. My fading memory (backed up by the Wellingtonian) tells me I started in 3C then went to 3B where I joined up with Aarons, Abum, Bailey etc. My academic success at College you may remember was limited to being presented with the A.B.Withers Science Prize for the Fourth Form, passing UE on the second attempt in 5R and being granted the Higher Leaving Certificate in the 6th Form.

Although I still have the A.B.Withers Science Prize awarded to me by Mr Armour I regret that in the list of prize winners in the Wellingtonian of 1942 Long John Silver from 5B was named as the winner not Gerry Barnard in 4B! John and I have always been good friends however, often meeting at athletics and in libraries until his recent demise.

Remember the adventures (I don’t dare mention them) we had in the alternative accommodation in the Catholic Church Hall in Patterson St when the Army occupied the College in 1942 and College was located in other colleges’ spare classrooms and halls.

That was the year many keen athletes and rugby players learnt to use a scythe to cut the athletics track and the playing fields as the Army had not taken care of them.

My only credible achievements at College were in the wind area, making the 1st XV in 1945 and winning the Junior and Senior Athletic Championship in 1943 and 1945 respectively.

Peace with Japan was declared, you will remember on 15 August 1945. The 1st XV arrived in Wanganui on the 17th to join in the celebrations and play in the Quadrangular Tournament. I was billetted with the Warnock

family who owned a large menswear store and was asked by the Warnock’s to accompany Miss Warnock to the celebrations. At the request of the Warnock’s I did so in mufti despite Mr Hogben’s declaration that we were not to be seen in the company of local girls and that we were at all times to wear our formal not casual clothes. On return to College after the holidays I was called into the Head’s Office and threatened with expulsion and told to report to him at his office daily which I did.

He repeatedly ignored me so I gave up trying to report to him and having a good excuse for being late for the first period.

I then decided with our classmate Dick Trevethick to apply for Teachers College.

To my amazement Mr Hogben gave me a wonderful reference. A friendly prefect however intimated to me that the principal was pleased to know I was not returning for the next year.

I remember the toll that the war took on us all.

I recollect vividly a senior Policeman visiting our neighbours the Cresswells in 1942 to tell them that their son, an Old Boy of the College had been shot down over Britain. Then there were announcements at Assembly of the names of Old Boys who had been killed in the war some of them 6th and 7th formers when we had started at College. I also remember the toll it took on many friends and families in Island Bay. The building of the Air Raid shelters on the western side of the middle ground was a continual reminder to us all at that time of the gravity of the situation.

Personally I have no regrets concerning the teaching staff at the College. I believe they did their best in difficult circumstances my only regret is that I did not take full advantage of their skills.

While at the Teachers’ College I attended Victoria University part-time and graduated BA Dip Ed and later qualified for a Diploma in Teaching. Once again I spent a great deal of valuable study time, working on the wharves and in the woolstore, driving for the Public Service Garage and the Post Office to finance myself through University. I was also able to build up a small reserve to enable my wife Jeanene whom I met at Teachers’ College in 1947 and I to marry in 1951.

After four years in the Primary teaching service, in 1954 I applied for and was accepted as a Graduate Officer entrant in the NZ Army.

In 1977 I retired as a Lt Col and later was made an Honorary Colonel. The highlight of my service and especially of the family was a posting to Malaya for two years during the Emergency. For them the experience of living in and with the local community of Malay, Chinese and Indians is unforgettable.

While in the Army I became interested in the administration of Education. The Services encourage servicemen to join in community activities and I was given permission to stand for membership of the Wellington Education Board.

I was successful and represented the primary schools in the Eastern Suburbs of Wellington.

I also represented the Education Board on the Board of Governors of Rongotai College and Wellington East Girls’ College and became Chairman of the Wellington East Board.

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I took the opportunity to retire from the Army at age 50 years and having been a member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Boards Association’s Executive applied successfully for the position of secretary which had become a full-time appointment and ensured me a new career. It also gave security to the family, my wife, and two sons both of whom attended Wellington College.

The role of secretary involved among other things negotiating teachers salaries and conditions of service as well as other nonprofessional staff I represented the Association on many education committees including a Ministerial Inquiry into Curriculum, Assessment and Qualifications in the Senior School and the Minister of Education’s Consultative Committee on Computers in Schools.

The Education Department tasked me to establish the Wellington Multi-Cultural Resource Centre at Buckle Street in the vacated Buckle Street Army buildings. I chaired the Centre’s Council and was the Facilitator at Cultural Meetings for three years - truly a wonderful edifying learning experience for an innocent Pakeha.

As secretary of NZSSBA I became very involved in the Tomorrow’s Schools proposal in an advisory role because of my knowledge of both the primary and secondary school systems.

The secondary school Board of Governors responsibilities were the basis of the new Boards of Trustees. We proposed the establishment of a Board of Trustees Association representing both primary and secondary schools which was agreed. I was contracted in 1989 to set up the organisation and the first conference in May 1990. This was not an easy task as it was opposed initially by some of the existing and soon to become redundant parent and community based Associations. The first Conference of the NZ School Trustees Association was held in May 1990 and the Association has grown from strength to strength ever since.

On the 24th of October 1990 I was honoured by the Queen with the award of the Queen’s 1990 Commemoration Medal for Services to New Zealand and Education. I retired from employment after the AGM in 1990 and shortly after my retirement my wife retired from the appointment of Primary Principal of the Correspondence School. We then went on our great overseas experience for three and a half months.

On retirement we joined Grey Power. I have been President and Secretary of our local Branch and am a member of the NZ Federation’s Health Committee. I sit as a member of advisory committees on the health needs of older people to the Minister of Senior Citizens and to the District Health Board.

We have a grandson at College in his third year. Through him Mr David Ashby, one of the Deputy Principals became aware of my past record in Athletics at the College and on the 12th of May I was given the honour of presenting the Senior and Junior Athletic Championship Cups which I had won 60 and 63 years ago respectively, I also presented

Your Letters the College Blues and other Sports Awards.

My wife Jeanene accompanied me and we were both very impressed by the ceremony and by the appreciation that the boys gave their sporting heroes. The whole school (some 1500 students) were assembled in the sports centre seated mainly cross-legged on the floor. Their behaviour was exemplary and illustrated the high standards demanded and attained at the College today.

I owe a great deal to Wellington College not only for the education it gave me but for the feeling of belonging to and the ability to participate and cope with large organisations.

Ian, I did enjoy so much your sharing with us your life experiences that I felt obliged to share some of mine with you especially those shared by our classmates at college.

Sincere regards and best wishes for your future. ___________________________________

Dr M B (Bryce) Gunn 1936-42 (Head Prefect 1942) Resides: Cambridge, A lovely letter was received from Dr Bryce Gunn on receipt of his Lampstand after we ‘located his son Graham Gunn in the Bay of Plenty’. Dr Gunn says he is still practicing but not for much longer due to policy. Dr Gunn has only been back at Wellington College once (at the Centenary) since leaving in 1942. Dr Gunn extends his best wishes to all members of the WCOBA and best wishes to the Association itself for its continuing success. His son Graeme (Firth House) has persuaded Dr Gunn to become a Life Member of the Association and thus Father and Son have both signed up.

Prefect under Mr Armour. It was a sad and very troubling year. First of all we lost our school for a time to the Army. Mr Armour was unwell and had the worry of having his sons in the forces (one already a POW). His health deteriorated and he retired at the end of 1942.

I found him to be a very fair in his treatment of his pupils and staff even though he gave me ‘six of the best’ for smoking earlier in my career. Finally, there was our own General Sir Bernard Freyberg who after his recent military honour was severely wounded in action in the western front. At Mr Armour’s request I wrote to General Freyberg conveying our congratulations on his elevation and our sympathy and wishing him a full recovery. He kindly replied with an extremely uplifting and emotional letter – the original I understand is in the College Archives.

In January 1943, I was conscripted to the Army and spent most of the year in their capacity as the Japanese Advance began to retreat. I was discharged to continue with my medical studies as I already passed my medical intermediate Latin. 1944 was therefore spent at Victoria University and I entered Otago University in 1945 finishing in 1949. During my Otago years I was awarded a NZ University ‘Blue’ and played for Otago in a few games. I also had an Otago ‘Blue’ in hockey as well.

From 1950-52 I worked at Palmerston North Hospital, the last year as Medical Registrar.

Thereafter I applied for and was appointed to Coromandel Hospital as part-time medical superintendent and sole practitioner of the top half of the Coromandel Peninsula including Whitianga. After six year, in 1958 I

In my last year, 1942, I became Head

PS: My apologies for my handwriting. I no longer have staff and do everything myself apart from answering the phone which my wife does admirably.

Family Reunion 2002 Graeme Gunn (1962-64) and Bryce Gunn

W J (Warwick) Bringans 1951-54 wbringans@xtra.co.nz Resides: Onehunga, Akl Kit Powell (1951-54) kit.powell@solnet. ch and Warwick Bringans have been in communication with each other via www. oldfriends.co.nz and have forwarded their initial emails.

Vice Regal visit to Cambridge, 1970; (L-R) Mayor Hunt, Sir Denis Blundell and Bryce Gunn was persuaded by some Cambridge holidaymakers to transfer to Cambridge as the local doctors were all elderly.

I solo practised between 1958-97 and am now working part-time, caring for a few elderly patients following closure of Tokanui Hospital and a couple of ‘hands on’ patients.

Although I was in solo practice, I still managed to find time to play golf, having been President of Coromandel Golf Club and in Cambridge, also for one term. I also played cricket for Cambridge Senior XI in the Hamilton competition for three years retiring because of my age in 1962.

Bryce Gunn on his 21st Birthday, 1944

During this past twenty years, I have been involved in breeding trotters, (two of which have been quite outstanding) and am associated with the Cambridge Harness Racing Club since 1958 as medical officer (sole) resulting in the award of Life Membership and I still attend regular (20 meetings per year) in the above capacity.

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y name is Malcolm Bryce Gunn, born 1923 and educated at both Karori and Kelburn Schools then Wellington College in 1936. I was a ‘model’ pupil for some seven years in 3C, 4C, 5D, 5C, 5R, 6C and 6A. No scholar but I passed matriculation and UE. In retrospect, during my years at school, I seem to have spent a lot of time playing hockey under Eddie Hobson and cricket under Frank Joplin and Bernie Paetz.

not for me. However it helped me onto the invitation list on two occasions when Old Boys Sir Denis Blundell (1919-19) and Sir Paul Reeves (1946-51) both attended Vice Regal duties in the area and I was able to speak to them both when the ‘old school’ came up in conversation.

I was a Borough Councillor for one term in the 1960s but I soon found our politics were 15

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i Kit. I have recently joined old friends and was interested to see you are also registered. I moved from Wellington to Auckland in 1986. My brother Trevor is also in Auckland. After working with corporates’ for a number of years we both went into our own businesses about 20 years ago. Trevor has an importing business whereas I have a manufacturing plant producing long run steel roofing. The businesses have grown and we both have sons involved. My wife and I were in Europe last year and spent two days in Lucerne on the way from Nice to Paris. Would love to hear from you. Kind regards, Warwick Dear Warwick. Good to hear from you.

Lucerne - that must have been a very circuitous route: Nice - Lucerne - Paris.

However it was, I hoped you enjoyed it - Lucerne is lovely, we don’t get there very often, takes us about an hour and a half from here, which we do sometimes when there’s a good concert on there in their brand new

Your Letters concert hall, which you may have seen, right on the edge of the lake.

Where we are is also very beautiful: Eglisau is in Canton Zurich, north of the city of Zurich and right on the Rhine. We have a wee chalet that sits at the top of the vineyards overlooking the Rhine. It is also not far from the German border - we often go shopping there, some things are much cheaper than in expensive Switzerland.

We came here twenty years ago. First we stayed with Brigitte’s family until we found a place of our own. She and I both worked in the conservatory in Winterthur (second biggest city in Canton, Zurich), she as secretary and I as part time theory teacher and our two children (Philip and Fiona) went to the secondary school. This was not easy at the beginning because the teaching was now all in German but they managed very well and are now bilingual. Now both parents are retired (do you still work full time?) and both children are musicians, Philip is a trombonist and finds work in all possible musical departments from classic to jazz to pop and recently he’s been playing the Swiss Alphorn as well which brings in quite a bit of money. Fiona is a soprano, and is teaching in the same conservatory where we started 20 years ago. She’s also doing an English degree at the university and has just settled in with her friend who’s an architect and whom she also helps in his business.

Do give my very best wishes to Trevor. I’d love to hear a bit more about what both of you are doing. By the way, I assumed because you mentioned your roofing iron business that I would find something on the Internet about it.

But I all found under Warwick Bringans was that you had run in a half Marathon in 2001 (I think!) and had come 88th - not bad for an over 60 year old! Cheers, Kit. _______________________________

John Sherring 1942-46 Resides: Tauranga Tel. 07 576 5354 John Sherring is the WCOBA representative for the Bay of Plenty region. He has kindly provided us with a listing of Old Boys in the region for whom he has addresses and for whom we didn’t. So it has been of much delight to be able to add addresses to the database and subsequently send out the past issue of The Lampstand.

Page 30: 6AL 1944 – (Pup) C S Collins (his first name was Crenold). I was with him in Firth House and as a Prefect both there and the College. Pup came about from the House name for his older brother ‘Kuri’. No doubt not at all PC today. Crenold was at Canterbury University doing his BA when I was there and we kept in contact but he became quite reclusive and lived in a hut behind a factory. I had a year away to make some money to continue in engineering and when I returned, Pup had gone. Bob Balchin was also at Canterbury with me.

I am the contact for Old Boys in the BOP area which covers Taupo, Rotorua, Whakatane, Waihi and Tauranga districts, however some prefer to also travel over from Auckland and Hamilton for the gatherings because of personal friendships. The local committee consists of Ollie Nixon, Tim Broad, John Newman and myself and any of us can be contacted for information on the next gathering. Please call me in the first instance if you would like to be kept up-todate on events in the region. ___________________________________

L R B (Robt) Mann 1954-58 E-mail: robtm@maxnet.co.nz Resides: Remuera, Auckland RUSSELL C SMITH, 1950s SCIENCE TEACHER

by A K (Keith) Fleming (1954-58) and L R B (Robt) Mann (1954-58).

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t is natural enough that memories of the 1950s at Wellington College concentrate on main leaders - Heron, Cuddie, Meads, Quartermain, Flaws, etc. However, let us not forget the contributions of less famous men; the main body of teachers, less than heroic or glamorous, deserve memories too. We offer here some glimpses of one - our 5A and 6th form science master Russell C Smith.

Chemistry was studied systematically for the first time in Form V general science under Smith’s forceful tutelage by Duncan Morrison MSc; Peter Jarvis BSc; John Rhodes BA, BSc; Tom Richards D Phil; Tony Messenger BE; Alan Gibbs failed

BE; Bill Barker MSc; and yours truly Keith Fleming PhD (chem eng) and Robt Mann PhD (chem), and many others who pursued science one way or another.

We prospered under his tutelage. He knew his stuff and taught with panache the systematic knowledge requisite in Chemistry.

Smithy walked with a limp and was rumoured to have a wooden leg. A shuddering story went around one annual Sports Day - beefy Duncan ‘Slug’ Cameron had put a shot far enough and wide enough to hit a leg of the master - ‘Limpy’ - who was presiding over this event from an apparently safe distance. The leg then behaved more like wood than flesh.

His corporal punishment was perhaps more painful than most, which may be one reason it was unusually feared and correspondingly rare. The other, stronger reason was his sarcastic wit - entertaining if you weren’t on the receiving end, but severe punishment if you were. He went about as far as we would think wise in the direction of Captain Bligh who’d reduced flogging from the already low level of his mentor Cook but greatly expanded tongue-lashings, provoking the famous mutiny.

But usually Smith’s wit was not hurtful. In one memorable example, 5A was following under Smith’s guidance the textbook’s description of one way of producing hydrogen H2 from water H2O viz. slam steam-laden air through a bed of hot coke C. Main consti1tuents of the ‘water gas’ emerging are carbon monoxide CO and hydrogen H2. Smith asked the class how to get rid of the CO leaving (mainly) H2. One of us (RM) kept a straight, or more likely po, face in proffering you could burn it off. Smith slumped on his desk, suddenly far more tired than his usual ‘tired, peeved’ air. He intoned wearily, ponderously the hydrogen, meanwhile, ... would remain een-EHRT ! [inert] - springing like a startled frog, eyes bulging accordingly, at the final syllable.

Another example of this idiosyncratic style, in the same peculiar pseudo-drongo tone, occurred when PJ, a keen chem student who has now probably made more money than any of us from applying his science,

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was working alongside John Little (1941-44) in getting the BOP addresses when unfortunately he became ill and passed away in September last year. John was instrumental in arranging the annual lunchtime gathering of Old Boys in the region and did a remarkable job in having his affairs in order before passing away, including arrangements for the 2004 gathering which took place on December 1, with 42 present.

Frank Crist told tales on a number of his staff contemporaries, many of those in attendance probably having had like ideas in their time.

Some comments to make on the 2004 issue of The Lampstand include:

Limpy Smith is captured by this photo taken in the chemistry lab in October 1957, the week before the acid incident. This picture comes from a gallery of candid photos taken furtively by one of us (AKF) with an old 120 roll-film folding camera concealed in a pencil box.

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Your Letters tried on a similar smart suggestion. Smith’s means of indicating to PJ the detection of his malefaction was to intone What the devil are you playing at, bwah? Though not what you might call a universal joke, this line has remained for a half-century a jocular greeting among those who were present.

Much as we liked Smith, he occasionally pushed the boundaries a little too far. Meek Ian Fleming (Ah ... I. N. as Cuddie’s roll-call intoned), too often the butt of our own callous humour, was once accosted by Smith. In an attempt to gain Ian’s attention from one of his unresponsive trances, Smith picked up a chair, thrusted it at Ian and shouted Boo! Ian gracefully acknowledged this outburst with his characteristic puzzled smile. We pause to recall this fellow pupil. Ian was one of the most saintly persons we have ever known, and deserved a better example from the staff of how to treat him. We learned sadly of his death (of asthma) a decade ago from his cousins Roger (our class) and Adrian Blackburn.

But Smithy had a caring side to his personality. In the chemistry Lab in October 1957, one of us (AKF) managed to illustrate the fact that careless youth and chemistry don’t mix, by dosing several fingers with hot concentrated sulphuric acid. Curiously, there was little pain though the dehydrating flesh swelled alarmingly. At the same time, another lad had splashed a little acid in his eyes. Smithy rushed both to hospital in his green Austin A40 where treatment forestalled lasting damage. As much as he was concerned for our well-being, he may also have been thinking of the possible consequences to his teaching status from an accident to pupils under his control. We doubt this latter ‘defensive teaching’ mentality had taken hold by then, let alone with such a truculent character as Limpy.

Limpy was chronically late for school, as was one our class (JR). Limpy came in the green A40 from Karori, JR by bike from Kelburn, racing Limpy helmetless down Raroa Road and on a few cherished occasions overtaking him.

Russell became a colleague at the Correspondence School of our Khandallah neighbour, the late Eric Pain, and retired about 1965.

We honour Russell Smith as an early mentor in our ventures among the dance of the atoms. ___________________________________

Dr Joy Drayton Staff Member: 1942-44 Resides: Tauranga I wrote to Dr Drayton after Ted Clayton advised me that she had been awarded the DCNZM in the New Year Honours for services to education and local body affairs. Dr Drayton was one of the first women staff members at the College, appointed during WWII, when many of the male staff were away on duty.

There are now 26 female teachers compared to 63 male teachers.

I am now connected with The Elms, initially as Treasurer of the Family Home Preservation Trust in 1987 and became a Trustee in 1998 when the Foundation was set up and more recently as Director

The First Women Staff Members at Wellington College c1942 (L-R): B Turner, M Bell, L McNeur and J Drayton

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hank you for your letter and the Lampstand.

It was sad to read of the death of Betty Turner as I knew her. She and I were two of the four females appointed to the College staff early in WWII. I also recognised a number of names in the Lampstand of boys whom I had taught in my time at Wellington College.

I recently had a hip replaced and was not active for awhile and thus did not collect my mail from The Elms. I have enclosed a brief biography of myself and a photo of my sister and I taken at the Investiture for my DCNZM. Born in Dunedin, I grew up in Wellington where I studied at Victoria University. There I won the Lissie Rathbone Scholarship and the Lady Stout Bursary. After graduating with a MA(Hons) in History I gained a Teacher’s Certificate from the Wellington Teachers’ Training College and later added a Diploma of Education.

I enjoyed secondary teaching and held several positions of responsibility before being appointed as Principal of Tauranga Girls’ College. As the town grew rapidly into a city, so the school roll expanded. The needs of the students also expanded so the innovations were frequent. I was active in the Post Primary Teachers’ Association and represented Secondary School Boards on the University of Waikato Council. Later I represented the alumni. This led to a term as Pro-Chancellor and then Chancellor and a continuing interest in the University. A bright spot in my time was being awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for travel to the United States to observe schools there.

When I retired as Principal, I became interested in local body politics and was elected to the Tauranga District Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. I served one term as Deputy Mayor of Tauranga and chaired various committees on both councils.

I have participated in many community organisations; artistic, historical, environmental and ones supporting the welfare of women and children. I have also continued to work for the National Council of Women and was a founding member of the Soroptimist International of Tauranga, the Kaimai Youth Camp Society, BOP Women’s Refuge, BOP Historic Places Trust and Friends of the Library.

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Joy Drayton (right) at her Investiture, with her sister ___________________________________

Anonymous: 2000-04 Searching the Web for articles on Wellington College, I came across the following blog, written by a student following his attendance at the Leaver’s Dinner, the previous evening (November, 2004) and I felt it epitomises the feeling that many Old Boys have when they walk down the driveway for the last time.

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ast night the Leavers’ Dinner was held at our school. Up until this point I’ve felt emotional at times, but I’ve never felt like I was going to cry or anything. While leaving school is emotional in the respect that there are so many people with whom I have spent five years of my life, I also have looked forward to leaving, and going to university, and the extra freedoms that come with it. But it seems like the time to reflect on five years of Wellington College.

In fact I’m going to be brutally honest, I didn’t think that it would hit me until after the exams.

And yet half way through that first paragraph, tears gathered in my eyes. Despite this, I maintain that I am not a French pansy. I like women and beer.

I wasn’t going to make this post until I saw what another student had done, which was set up a web site some of his photos of our year. I must say it definitely means a lot to me, and I’m sure it does many others.

And that, I feel, is indicative of Wellington College. I hope I’m not going to try to analyse our school and in so doing ruin it by trying to express feelings that can’t be. But Wellington College is a community in its truest sense.

We don’t all get along. We don’t all like each other. But at the end of the day the place links us all. Mr. Moses says it is the ‘tone’ and ‘spirit’ that make our school what it is. But it’s not. It’s the people and the humour of the place. The people, because of our diversity, and the sense that the people make this school. What I mean here is that I love my school, and yet I know that if I stayed it would never be the same. Because it wouldn’t have the people that I have hated and loved. It wouldn’t have the people I have grown to know. It wouldn’t have you.

Your Letters 7th form has been a really great year for me, outside of things like culture, and certainly outside of things like academia. The amount of people who have changed what I thought of them is quite astounding. I went into 7th form being a prick, and came out being a funny one. And yet now there are people with whom I feel I get along that in 3rd form I used to not get along with at all. I don’t think that this is just me, but I feel that it’s some kind of unity created in 7th form.

All those kind of barriers seem stripped away, and the friends of your friends become your friends too. My eyes are dry now, but when I try to think of stand out moments I’ve had with people, none come to mind.

That’s because every moment with someone from Wellington College is important. An argument is just as important as the next, as is a moment of ridiculing a teacher. All those moments add up to who we are. It makes me so sad to feel that in twenty years I might not know who you are anymore.

Responses include: “Here’s to all the good times we have had... and the good times to come!”

“I think there’s a lot of respect amongst our form, and I think respect is the highest compliment you can give someone”. “ I know many Old Boys who look back on their days at WC as the best of their life, I know I will”.

“A school community is like one big organism.

By 7th form, everyone has their place, function and personality. But as we move out into the big wide world, that big organism of our school, is mixed with other big organisms, like the unique genetic combinations formed at fertilisation. We, like a fertilised egg, must

once again grow and flourish into a big organism in whatever we do in life. But will carry some of that genetic material from our past big organism here at Wellington College.

Hence we will be naturally selected.” _______________________________

Beryl Reynolds

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have just been reading your 2004 edition of The Lampstand sent to my husband George Reynolds who was a pupil at Wellington College from 1928-1930 and has been a Life Member of your Association since 1962. How I know this, is that since that time the certificate has been on the wall of the spare room.

George died on 28th January of this year just on 90. He was in the 1st XV and 1st XI for a couple of years and played in the senior team of the Old Boys’ Rugby Football Club and was a Wellington Representative. Of course then the war intervened and when he came back five years later, he did some coaching of lower teams. He enjoyed going to all the reunions as did I; [I went to Wellington Girls’ College 1929-33], and I think at the last Old Boys’ Dinner, George was the second oldest there.

I have really enjoyed reading this year’s issue as I did your previous issues. All his mates are gone now especially Alan Wright (1928-29) . George was a great supporter of the College; four of his five brothers went there too; Bill, Frank his twin, Syd and Ian. I got a computer after George died to keep my brain going and am just loving it. I would enjoy receiving future copies of The Lampstand, if at all possible? _______________________________

Ian Aarons 1941-45 E: vivianaa@twpo.com.au Resides: South Australia

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truly meant to write to you ages ago but events took over, both general and medical.

The latter related to severe back problems coming on late last year and ultimately resulting in laminectomies of all my lumbar spines, landing me in hospital and rehabilitation for many weeks - felt like an eternity. I’m not allowed to bend for a total of 12 months and that’s bad news! That will teach me to behave as though I were Hercules, stupidly carrying heavy weights, digging clay soils to great depths etc. The good thing is that I’m recovering, though to my mind too slowly!

Anyway, firstly, many thanks for printing my letter in The Lampstand. Comments I’ve had from my erstwhile classmates have been very positive. Coming to the present. I presume you know what Garth England has done [in locating Old Boys and addresses] and is trying to get us all together - or at least obtaining as much information of those of us still around! I’m proud of him and his efforts.

As many as possible are meeting in Ian Doyle’s home for a Reunion on 29 August, 2005. Very regrettably I can’t make it but will certainly be with them all in spirit. I would hope that his efforts will be also rewarded by a short note in one of the forthcoming Lampstand - after all it’s not merely 40 years on but indeed 60 years on this year! Not a bad effort.

For better or worse my letter (and hence the article) in The Lampstand has brought me contact with a number of my ‘old’ classmates per e-mail. For that alone, I am most grateful to you. I hope you are well and happy! My very best wishes. [Ian’s original letter was in the 2004 Lampstand].

Basketball Reunion Fundraiser Match - Peter Tolo (1975-79) Saturday, 24 September, 2005

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y brief encounter with the Intercity Basketball League in Wellington allowed me to meet up with old friends and Old Boys from St Patrick’s (Town) and Rongotai College. It also showed me that the same problems that occurred 25 years ago still existed in the 21st century.

John St, Newtown).

The Old Boys will be asked for a $40.00 donation and this will entitle them to entry to the Old Boys’ Corporate box, finger food and a couple of complimentary drinks, as well as an AND1 promotion pack for every Old Boy in attendance. After the Matches there will be an auction for sports memorabilia, goods and services.

Money raised from entry and Auction will go to the two schools’ Basketball teams (Wellington College fields 13 teams in the 2005 Competition).

Exorbitant subs to play a sport that you want to play meant that many players either didn’t bother playing or decided to sit on a computer and lead the sedentary lifestyle that I didn’t take up till my mid thirties.

It was here that the “AND1 Old Boys Cup”, was born. This is a Tri-Series between Wellington, St Pats and Rongotai Colleges.

The trophy is being donated by the family of Rewi Thompson (1974-78), a New Zealand Basketball Representative and now Resident in New Jersey, USA. After years of playing Basketball at the College level and then coaching and now residing with family in the states.

For registration and more information please phone Peter Tolo (04) 976 3103, (021) 843260 or e-mail bravado91@gmail.com

The Match is between Wellington College and St Pats Old Boys at 5.15pm and the main event is the Wellington College and St Pats Senior teams at 7.00pm at the South West Stadium (The Old Show Buildings, 18

Any donations of goods and services for the fundraiser auction are welcome and bragging rights are free. Parents are welcome to join the Old Boys and guests for the Fundraiser Auction.

Pieces of History The Unknown Warrior

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n Remembrance Day, November 11, Rupert Randall, David Elliot, Tom Shillson and Assistant Principal Robert Anderson represented Wellington College at the funeral service held in the Wellington Cathedral for The Unknown Warrior. It was a service that was both splendid and moving. Following the service they were invited to the Internment Ceremony at the National War Memorial which was also a memorable occasion.

All four had been members of the History and French Trip in 2004 and had visited Caterpillar Valley Cemetery on The Somme from where the soldier’s body was exhumed.

On the school trip, Tom had been the first member of his family to visit the New Zealand Memorial on Chunuk Bair, Gallipoli which has his great, great uncle’s name on it. Tom was invited to join the group following behind the cortege as it made its way through the streets from the Cathedral to Buckle Street. The day was a further reminder of the sacrifice in both World Wars of so many fine young men from Wellington College.

(L-R): Rupert Randall, Tom Shillson and David Elliot

VJ Day 2005 Commemoration

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n VJ Anniversary Day this year, twelve senior students and myself attended the service in Wellington Cathedral commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific. It was an impressive service with the Cathedral full of politicians, diplomats, representatives of the armed forces and of course veterans of the war in the Pacific. As they came into the service many of the veterans who were obviously Old Boys expressed their pleasure at seeing their old school represented by the senior students resplendent in the dress uniforms.

During the service, Year 13 student Aidan Kennerley shared with Her Excellency the Governor General in reading recollections of New Zealanders who had lived through these grim times.

In celebrating this anniversary, the media has been full of images and the recollections of people describing this joyous day. It seems like VJ day generated the biggest spontaneous street party ever known to Wellington. One person I talked to had a slightly different perspective on the occasion. In August 1945, David Dentice (a Rongotai College Old Boy) was an 18-year-old electrical apprentice.

On VJ Day, the electrical firm that he was working for received a phone call from the housemaster at Firth House. The main fuse was blown and an electrician was urgently required. All the electricians however had decided to join the growing celebratory party in downtown Wellington so young Dentice was dispatched to do the job. He cut a forlorn figure as he made his way to Firth House to fix the fuses and maintains to this day that

Robert Anderson (left) with senior students in front of the Cenotaph on VJ Day 2005 he was the only person in Wellington working on VJ Day. The school diary of the 1945 Wellingtonian reports ‘on Wednesday 15 August, at midday, a special assembly was called to announce that Mr Attlee had just broadcast the surrender of Japan. One and a half days holiday was granted but we are to return on Friday before dispersing for the term vacation’.

However, the following day, the 1st XV set forth for Wanganui for the Quadrangular Tournament, which they won. At the start of the third term, the school was advised that Old Boy Sir Bernard Freyberg was to be the next Governor General.

Robert Anderson (1969-73) Assistant Principal

The 1909 1st XV - Our Invincibles

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he last twenty minutes of the Wanganui match will be long remembered by those who saw it and still longer by those fortunate enough to play in it.’ (Wellingtonian April 1910).

Long forgotten now, the brilliance and legendary status of the 1909 Wellington College football team permeated the early folklore of the school’s sporting history. They were our Invincibles.

1909 was the first year of the new pitch.

The headmaster Mr Firth and the Board had finally given up the ghost on the quagmire that had been endured for decades. At considerable expense they had managed to finance its replacement. It had been touch and go whether it would be ready for the first game of the season. It had not disappointed them. Even in the dirtiest weather it was fit for play. It was apt therefore that such a pristine sporting arena was graced with a football team eminently worthy of it.

By late August, its Captain Bill Stainton could think the unthinkable. The 1905 team had come within just one game of the perfect season. They’d been undone by an agonisingly close defeat by St Patrick’s College in their penultimate game. Stainton’s

boys had already easily defeated them. All that stood before them now was the annual tournament. This year it was in Wanganui.

Their first Tournament opponents, Christ’s College were easily despatched 23-5. Alex McColl had been outstanding. Just the home side now stood in their way. The backline had shone all year. At halfback was the talented Harry Childs. A good deal younger than the others, he’d captain the side two years later in 1911. Already he’d shown ample evidence of his greatness. Malcolm Stewart the team’s reliable goal kicker stood at first five-eight with Philip Gray outside him. At centre the team captain Bill Stainton was a good sort. A natural leader and an all round sportsman he’d always lead by example.

Clifton Ramsden, stood dependable and steady at fullback. The speedsters, Jack Williamson and Guy Natusch on the wings completed the line-up. It was the envy of all who’d faced them that year.

The forwards were the team’s engine room, guaranteeing a season long supply of good ball for the backs. The front row of Arthur Martin, Tom Beard and Frisky Fitchett provided a rock solid base to the scrum and a hard tough edge in loose play. The two locks Victor Gallie and Alex McColl had 19

impressed all who’d seen them play that season. McColl at twelve stone eight pounds and standing well over six feet tall knew his defensive tackling against Christ’s had been a particular highlight. A back row of Norman Bartholomew, Charlie Capper and Norm Cameron completed the pack. Norman, a boarder from Masterton was a quiet and rather silent type of chap, yet the transformation to come over him when he ran out on a footie pitch was remarkable to behold. He’d already had an outstanding season and would go on to play representative football with the Wairarapa Bush the following year.

Wanganui Rec was firm underfoot. It promised a fast open game. The evidence of the first half suggested that the Wanganui team had not read the script for this epic. At half time the score was 9-6 in their favour. Wellington College’s team mentor Tibby Brodie, almost beside himself with anxiety and despair on the sidelines, watched as his charges readied themselves for the second half. They didn’t fail him. From the off, Stewart’s clever kick put Gray in to dive over out wide and level the scores. Stewart gave a masterful display throughout. Firstly a solo try under the posts and then the clinching pass to Ramsden who in turn put Gallie in under the posts. Then the best move of the game. A now dominant

Pieces of History and rampant scrum hooked one against the head giving Harry Childs good ball in midfield just inside halfway.

He passed to Stainton who off-loaded to Stewart running at pace. He broke the line finding Ramsden coming up into the line and creating the overlap to put Guy Natusch in unopposed under the posts.

Minutes later Childs broke around the blindside scoring the game’s seventh and final try. Victory was assured.

The remaining minutes were a heady, blurred mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation.

It was a moment to savour.

They’d all remember the triumphant journey home the following day, stopping at many stations en route to accept the congratulations and acclamations of waiting Old Boys. Late that evening WELLINGTON COLLEGE 1st XV • 1909 their train slowly shunted Back: J J Williamson, T Pairman, N D Cameron, G Natusch, T Beard, P O Gray, A B Martin into Wellington. Bill Stainton Seated: M R Stewart, C L Ramsden, W H Stainton (Captain), A B McColl, C H Capper roared three cheers for Mr Front: H P Childs, N J Bartholomew, W B Fitchett, V J Gallie, R L Manoy Brodie. The memory of Frisky memorial looking down towards the shores of survive the war.

Fitchett’s loud and raucous ANZAC Cove. Enteric fever got him. A hardy ballads would resonate in their memory for Tom Beard survived too. He returned home physique and four seasons of representative years to come. to Wellington in 1918 and joined the teaching football with Otago meant little as he shit staff of Wellington College. He would teach himself to death. Few of the team escaped Six years later in October 1914, most of that the Dardanelles unscathed. McColl, Fitchett, there for the rest of his life. For seventeen team departed New Zealand on a seven years he devoted himself to coaching the 1st Stewart and Bartholomew were wounded. week voyage to Europe and the First World Bill Stainton and Charlie Capper got through XV. He died in August 1945, just days before War. They were part of the largest single untouched. Charlie won a Military Medal, Bill VJ Day. He’d taught all his classes the day body of people ever to depart New Zealand’s a Military Cross for bravery in the field. They’d before. shores. To a man; those on board believed both survive the Western Front too. they were bound for France to fight in the Colm McNulty rapidly developing trench systems of the Twelve of the team reached the trenches of Teacher of History @ Wellington College Western Front. More than ninety thousand the Western Front in 1916. Alex McColl and c.mcnulty@wellington-college.school.nz New Zealanders would enlist and fight, often with distinction, for King and Empire in all the Frisky Fitchett were there, recovered from their wounds and returned to the fray. McColl militarily significant theatres of the war was killed leading a trench raid in June 1916.

He was mortally wounded, courageously The war would claim the lives of eighteen rescuing a fallen comrade in no man’s land. thousand New Zealanders. A further 30,000 olm McNulty (who wrote the arHis men desperately dragged his body into returned home with often debilitating wounds and ticle on the 1909 1st XV) is rethe trench. Their mad dash to the nearest a life in ruins. With the exception of the Scottish searching the role of Wellington dressing station was a forlorn hope. A no other part of the Empire suffered greater College and its Old Boys and staff medical orderly pronounced him beyond casualties in proportion to their population. during WWI. He is anxious to obtain redemption. Bill Fitchett hurried to reach any information that current Old Boys him. He could do little but watch Alex die.

Practically every boy and a good proportion Frisky’s war ended just over a year later. A may possess on any of the 1,600 of the teaching staff at Wellington College lungful of mustard gas sent him home with greeted the outbreak of war with patriotic Old Boys and staff who fought in the seared throat linings and a wheezing chest enthusiasm. In four and a half years it would war. In particular, he is seeking any send more than 1,600 of her Old Boys to war. as painful and permanent mementoes of his relevant letters, diaries, photographs war. Reggie Manoy had always been the Two hundred and twenty two never returned. and newspaper articles on the followteam’s perennial substitute. He was killed on ing individuals to include in a book he the second day of the New Zealand Division’s The years upon which the war inflicted the is planning to write. first major attack in France; the Battle of the heaviest toll on College Old Boys were those Somme in September 1916. from 1907 to 1912. Those Old Boys were aged WB Fitchett, A McColl, OW Williams, between 22 and 26 in 1914. The year 1909 AJ Cross, H Grace, AE Caddick, H News of Victor Gallie’s brave exploits on the headed the list with a total of 25 killed.

Fathers, C Taylor, JP Firth, K Luke, B battlefield enraptured the whole College. By Records thus far indicate that sixteen of the Purdy, D Harle, E Porritt, N Shrimp1917 he’d won a Military Cross, a DSO and 1909 team went to the war. ton and A Conningham. from the French, a Croix de Guerre before he too was wounded and invalided home.

He left Norman Cameron was the first to die.

Please contact Colm at the College if behind his brother Oscar, killed in October Serving with the Wellington Mounted Rifles you can assist. Telephone (04) 802 1917 amidst the mud and carnage of the he fell to a Turkish bullet at Gallipoli in May Third Battle of Ypres. The war experiences of 2520 or c.mcnulty@wellington-col1915. The fiery halfback Harry Childs died Arthur Martin, Phil Grey, Clifton Ramsden an ignominious death. Buried at sea, his lege.school.nz. and Tom Pairman remain sketchy. They did name etched in stone on the Lone Pine

WWI Old Boys

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Achievements Wellington College has a Top Teacher

Fulbright Award

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ive Wellingtonians including Keith Bolland (1994-98) have won Fulbright awards worth US$15,000 (NZ$22,084) for postgraduate study in the United States.

Victoria University student Keith Bolland will study for a PHD in political science at the New School University in New York.

Life After Wellington College and Victoria University

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t just 32 years old, Vikramaditya Khanna (1986-87), BCA [1991], LLB(Hons) [1993] has recently become a Full Professor of Law at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Law School. Vikramaditya was a top scholar during his time at Victoria and the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships and went on to complete graduate legal studies at Harvard Law School. He then joined the Boston University School of Law in 1998 and received the John M Olin Faculty Fellowship in 2002-03. He has also been a Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School, Senior Research Fellow at Columbia Law School and Visiting Scholar at Stanford Law School.

His articles have been published in the Harvard Law Review, Boston University Law Review, American Criminal Law Review, Regulation, and Georgetown Law Journal. Now a Full Professor of Law, his areas of teaching and research include corporate law, securities law, corporate crime and corporate liability, corporate governance in emerging markets and law and economics.

Reeves to Head AUT

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ormer Governor-General and Old Boy Sir Paul Reeves (1946-51) has been elected as Chancellor of Auckland University of Technology in March this year.

Sir Paul was a professor and a special adviser to the vice-chancellor of AUT before being appointed to the university’s council last year.

Victoria University picks new Chancellor

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meritus Professor Tim Beaglehole (194650) has been chosen as the new head of Victoria University.

Professor Beaglehole was elected as chancellor by the University Council in December, 2004. The appointment will be effective from January 1.

Professor Beaglehole has had a long association with the University. He was a professor in the history department, deputy vice-chancellor, warden of Weir House, dean of arts, and is a life member of the student association.

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ellington College was thrilled that Miss Gillian Thomas was nominated for an excellence in teaching award. Gillian is HOD Special Needs and also teaches Geography and Social Studies. The ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA) is a biennial event to promote public recognition of the thousands of teachers who bring excellence to their work.

This year, over 460 nominations were submitted and an independent selection panel honoured teachers (from Early Childhood, primary and Secondary) with NEiTA Regional Awards. Twenty of those nominated went on to the next stage.

In late June, all 20 award recipients were required to give a five minute presentation at Turnbull House on a subject of their choice. Gillian’s topic was How Boys Learn: Implications for a Female Teacher in a Boys’ School.

Peace and Rotary meetings. Duncan says that Bob has an outstanding reputation in the Hawkes Bay.

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ormer Taradale High School Principal Bob Twaddle says while his Queen’s Service Medal was an endorsement for his efforts, a lot more other people had made far more substantial contributions to their communities.

Born in Gisborne, Bob was educated at Wellington College and Palmerston North.

He was appointed Principal of the new Taradale High School in 1969.

For six months, Bob juggled being principal of Paeroa College, Thames, being part of the Ministry of Education’s inspectorate and trying to get Taradale High School up and running.

During his teaching career, Bob was also involved in scouting and sports coaching. When he retired as principal in 1984 he threw himself into Taradale community affairs.

Education Minister, Hon Trevor Mallard (left) with Robert Anderson and Roger Moses with Gillian Thomas From that 20, six were selected as outstanding national teachers; Gillian being one of them.

Gillian said she felt incredibly humble, because there are many, many wonderful teachers out there. The secret to her success was making sure that people came first and forming successful relationships with students.

He was a foundation member and served several years as President of the Taradale and District Community Development Association, a committee member of the High School and School Foundation, was one of those instrumental in having the community’s library relocated to the former Taradale Rugby Club building and drive a campaign to retain the community policing centre.

Bob was a member of the 1986 Taradale centenary committee and is a life member of the Probus Club and Taradale Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow.

One of Bob’s more recent projects was his involvement with the Taradale RSA to have the Taradale’s Memorial Clock tower lit.

More Honours Bestowed

Gillian came to Wellington College in 1986 and is a worthy recipient of this prestigious award.

Also recognised in 2004/05:

Education Minister, the Honourable Trevor Mallard presented the teachers with their awards at a special ceremony at Parliament.

Dr Paul Christopher (Chris) Lane (197477) of Paraparaumu for services to the Community.

Old Boy Awarded Queen’s Service Medal

Raymond Stuart Labone (1960-61) of Wellington for services to the design industry.

We received a letter from Duncan Hyde (193740), [from Waipukurau], which accompanied the following article on Bob Twaddle (193941). Duncan was in Firth House in 1937 and left in 1940, being a House Prefect that year.

He played rugby with Bob, who went on to play for the 1st XV in 1941 as well as being appointed as a College Prefect. When Bob moved to the Hawkes Bay, Duncan met up with him again at the Hawkes Bay Old Boys’ Annual Dinner, as well as at Justice of the 21

Richard Harold Cathie (1957-61) Wellington for services to the arts.

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Dr Donald Charles Stewart (1951-54) of Palmerston North for services to the NZ Defence Force as a medical officer.

Leading Marine Technician (Electrical) Matthew David Overton (189-93), Royal NZ Navy

Cultural News Another big Viking Role for Karl Urban

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arl Urban (198690) is to star as a Viking in a US$30 million epic set in North America 500 years before Columbus.

The Hollywood film Pathfinder has Karl raised by Indians after being accidentally left behind in a skirmish between Indians and Viking explorers about AD1000. He ends up defending the Indians against Viking invaders.

The film, from the screen writer for Oliver Stone’s Alexander will be Karl’s second involving Vikings. He is also about to star as a fugitive alien who crash-lands on Earth during the Viking age. That film, Outlander, is likely to be shot in New Zealand.

Karl also stars in Hollywood film Doom based on the sci-fi computer game – to be released in October. He will fly to Vancouver in Canada next week for four weeks of rehearsals for Pathfinder.

“This is an opportunity and a character that I have been working for my whole career to get,” he told The Dominion Post.

“It’s a project that I’m very enthusiastic and passionate about. In fact, the week before [being cast] I had four offers on the table and some of them very, very lucrative. I actually took a substantial pay cut to do this film,” To prepare for the role Karl read a lot about Vikings and the Vinland Sagas, which tell of the Norse discovery of North America 500 years before Christopher Columbus in 1492.

“I’m under no illusions. It’s probably going to be the most arduous and difficult shoot that I’ve undertaken to date. We are shooting 100 per cent on location at the beginning of the Canadian winter. There will be a lot of snow and a lot of heavy action-orientated pieces.

I’m just training 24/7 at the moment.”

A Legend in His Lifetime Alexander Grant CBE

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lexander Grant, is considered one of the world’s greatest ever male ballet dancers. He was a character dancer of infinite variety, technically strong enough to dance Symphonic Variations in his younger days, but remembered principally for the huge number of roles he created and for the new life he gave to characters he took over from.

He was born in New Zealand in 1925 and attended Wellington College 1939-41. He started dancing classes at six years of age.

After having trained under Jean Horne of the Royal Academy of Dancing in New Zealand, he won a Royal Academy of Dancing Scholarship to study in London.

Because of the war, he was 21 before he was able to travel to England to continue his training at Sadler’s Wells School. Within a few months he joined the newly formed Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet. After two weeks of his first tour he was recalled to Covent Garden to join the main company.

Less than a year in London he was a soloist Alexander Grant (1987) and had already created his first Frederick Ashton role, “the boy who jumps through a hoop” in Les Sirènes.

In 1947 he became firmly established when he was given the leading role in a revival of Memźelle Angot. So successful was he that two new roles were created for him. His first and most famous characterisation was The Jester in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella. Because of his uniqueness and brilliance in his role, no one has ever been able to reach the quality of his performance. Numerous Ashton roles followed: Byraxis in Daphnis & Chloe; Eros in Sylvia, which requires him to stand perfectly still impersonating a statue for almost all of the Act One; a romantic lead in Madame Chrysanthěme, Bottom in The Dream and the best known of all, Alain in La Fille mal Gardée, where he provided an element of sadness to temper the comedy and romance; William Meathe Baker in Enigma Variations and Yslaev in A Month in the Country. In Massine’s ballet he performed the Miller, the Dandy in The Three Cornered Hat. These are only a few of the many ballets he has danced.

In 1964 Alexander returned to New Zealand and danced the role Petroushka every night for six weeks. New Zealanders were ecstatic with his performance as audiences had been in Great Britain. He was awarded the CBE for his services to dance in 1965. In the early 1970s Alexander directed the Royal Ballet’s educational group, Ballet for All and in 1976 he left the company for a seven year stint as Director of the National Ballet of Canada. He was also responsible for the successful Scottish Ballet revival of Fille. He is an irreplaceable source of information and advice and still directs.

For those fortunate enough to have seen him perform his name conjures up spectacular dancing and above all the wonderful range of characters he brought to life before our eyes. Alexander Grant in 1948 said to a journalist that “what I want is to develop myself to the limit of my capacity”. Surely a lesson for everyone connected with Wellington College. He was for the world of ballet what Colin Meads was to rugby and Peter Snell was to athletics. In 2005 it was announced by the Arts Council of New Zealand that Alexander Grant receive an Icon Award as a Ballet Dancer.

Karl has been getting bigger and bigger Hollywood roles since he played Eomer in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. Since filming finished three years ago, he has been away from New Zealand for most of the time.

A start date has yet to be named for Outlander, a retelling of the Scandinavian Beowulf legend. “They definitely want to shoot in New Zealand and the opportunity to work at home [is something] I would definitely jump on”.

Alexander Grant as The Jester in the ballet Cinderella 22

Paddianne W Neely College Archivist

Aerial Shots of Wellington College

Wellington College 1957

Wellington College 1997 23

Cultural News MAUI - One Man Against the Gods Written by Nathan Gray (1988-91)

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ost of us at some stage in our lives have found ourselves pitted against the forces of divine providence. Even though we may not be fishing up continent sized fish, or commanding the sun to stop in its orbital tracks, (more-so ceasing the earth to spin), life and its daunting challenges can sometimes make it feel as if all the elements are against us.

“Maui was been the culmination of a four and a half year journey thus far. It’ was a lot of work, a lot of closed doors, and a lot of perseverance”, admits Tane.

After pitching the idea at a ‘show and tell’ for Carla Van Zon in London June 2001, the pilot production was performed in Wellington at the beginning of 2003 to packed houses. It won three New Zealand Fringe Festival Awards and Tane was nominated for the prestigious Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for the category of best emerging director. However the show was unable to secure a spot for the 2004 Festival of the Arts as was hoped. No stranger to setbacks, Tane explains philosophically, “It gave us time to mature”.

Tanemahuta Gray’s (1988-92) journey in the world of dance has faced many challenges. Punished by a career threatening knee injury in the middle of his two-year training degree at the New Zealand School of Dance forced him to shelve childhood dream’s of performing for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and focus on his school studies instead. Reading stories of the great dancers such as Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fontein, taking acting and choreographic classes, and immersing himself in tikanga Maori. (Becoming an ahorei regional taiaha instructor under the mantle of Te Arawa’s Mita Mohi at the camps in Mokoia), Tanemahuta eventually came out of school in 1994 with a set of completely different skills from most.

With a significant amount of funding required but unavailable in New Zealand, multi-tasked Tane was forced to look for overseas investors.

Teaming up with close friend Richard Boon (1978-82), a merchant banker with Merrill Lynch in New York and responsibility for a stock portfolio of over a billion dollars, Richard was able to use his contacts to secure the one million required to stage the Wellington show.

“It was a real hard time. Forced to lie in bed for months recovering from knee surgery isn’t what I wanted to be doing during those youthful years. Yet the time taught me patience, and the wider reading gave me a sense of the dimensions as to what lay out there”, says Tane.

Wellington College Old Boy Sir Ron Brierley (1951-54) came to the party when he learned that Richard, Tane and one of the main cast members Te Puoho Katene (1998-02) were all former Head Prefects of the College in 1982, 92 and 2002 respectively.

In addition to Tane, brother Nathan, Richard and Te Puoho, other WCOB involved include: John Peterson (1985-89), stage manager, and Prefect 1989; Nick Creech (199295), climber; Marty Roberts (198080), the lighting designer and Alister Moss (1977-81), also an investor.

With knee fully recovered, Tanemahuta headed to London with the intention of furthering his dance training. He decided, however to first gauge the West End dance market by auditioning for several shows. “I met all these wanna be dancers working for four pounds an hour ushering at the theatres. They all talked night after night about how they were going to make it. Eventually I got fed up with all the talk and just went out and tried. It was hard getting culled with all the rest bar the best one or two chosen during those first auditions, but one learns with experience and when I got as far as the last round in The Lion King my hope and faith in myself began to soar”.

With funding secured, albeit through the comradeship of influential friends and former school acquaintances, the opportunity to tell Maori legends like they have never been seen before with a combination of spectacular aerial theatre, gripping Maori performing arts and sensual contemporary dance was now a reality.

Up in front of the directors of De la Guarda, one of the world’s leading aerial theatre companies, Tane was asked to show them something that made him unique from the other 1,800 contenders. He decided to perform a haka. They were so impressed with the strength and power of his performance; they selected him for the company. Travelling for five years to Las Vegas, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Berlin, Seoul and finally Sydney, Tane returned home with the aerial skills he acquired and a mission to take Maoridom into the theatrical heavens.

Maui featured a cast of some the country’s most dynamic performers including Mere Boynton, Toni Huata, Taiaroa Royal, Tamati Te Nohotu and Dolina Wehipeihana (named best female contemporary dancer by The Listener in 2003).

The stage, set, and lighting designers were amongst the countries most elite and the evocative, haunting music score was composed by well known New Zealand composer Gareth Farr.

Like an ambitious assault on Everest, Tanemahuta needed all the help he could get and the voyage become a family journey - siblings from various whanau came together to build the show.

This was an opportunity he believed would put people into full time work and achieve his greater vision in getting Maui to the West End and Broadway. But like Maui the character, the pathway to the big jobs was fraught with challenges and for this 10-year plan to eventuate, the impending Wellington show in June this year, was Tanemahuta and the cast’s big chance to clinch the support they so desperately needed.

Tanemahuta’s elder sister Merenia co-choreographed the show. “You put more heart into it. Everyone grows together”.

Although the legends of Maui are reasonably well known, snippets 24

Cultural News Prior to the launch of Maui, Wellington College had a visit by four of the Old Boys involved with the production; including Tane and Nathan Gray, Te Puoho Katene and Richard Boon. The four attended the school assembly and were welcomed by a rousing haka, performed by the Kapa Haka students.

of the show immediately conjured up anticipation was everything but cliché.

Opening at the time before time itself, before the separation of Papa and Rangi, their Godly children huddled between their parents’ suffocating embrace. Learning to unite through haka, the Gods combined their collective strength to throw off the constricting ties of their parents’ bond and awaken the world unto change and light.

Te Ao Marama. The story of Maui began with his premature birth to Taranga, who, believing him dead, winds his tiny limp body into the severed knot of her hair and casts the bundle out to sea. As Maui is dropped into the ocean, a giant sheet sweeps from the back of the auditorium over the audience like a passing wave.

With Chris Lendrum (1994-98) and Head Prefect in 1998 also at the Assembly, it was a unique opportunity to have four head prefects under the same roof at the same time.

The Maui four addressed the assembly and invited both students and staff to attend the show.

Richard also attended the WCOBA’’ AGM and extended an invitation to those in attendance to see the show.

A quick black out ensues before the theatre’s lighting turned blue taking the audience into Tangaroa’s realm. Sea creatures and jellyfish floated on aerial ropes suspended from the roof as the audience watched Maui fall to the bottom of the ocean where Hine Nui te Po, the goddess of death awaited...

From all reports, the show was attended by many members of the staff and families, as well as numerous current and past students and all who attended were fortunate to see this very ambitious and theatrical production by these talented Old Boys.

From here many of the legends are re-enacted. Collecting fire from the volcanic realm of Mahuika is a visually vibrant world of flying aerial flames cloaked in silken orange sheets. But snippets are only what we are privileged to here, suffice to say, Maui’s fishing up of the North Island and the taming of the sun God are equally poised and guaranteed to make unforgettable theatre.

It is thought the production may take place in Auckland in 2006.

Maui is the strong and self-defining title of this ambitious theatrical production that has had huge publicity and equally huge funding to help it on its way.

The dream of Tanemahuta Gray and four years in the making, this production has not only an intention to entertain, but also tell the stories of Maui, demigod of Polynesian mythology.

The special effects were stunning – swirling aerialists and a floating sea, flames that spun upwards and a waka that lurched on seas of the Pacific. Unearthly rumblings set the stage of unreality and the haka movements shrouded as Papatuanuku and Ranginui are separated and the first dawn casts light into a new world was a powerful image.

The importance of the aim for this work is unique and the Maui whanau is committed and talented people that Tanemahutu Gray credits for the development of this whariki (mat of dreams) has certainly gone a long way to fulfilling his vision. Deirdre Tarrant (Capital Times; 07/06/05).

Current Head Prefect Michael Hobbs (centre) joins the four past Head Prefects of the College, when they visited the School Assembly

(L-R): Te Puoho Katene - Head Prefect, 2002; Nathan Gray, Headmaster Roger Moses, Chris Lendrum - Head Prefect, 1998; Richard Boon - Head Prefect, 1982; Tane Gray - Head Prefect, 1992 and Mike Pallin, Deputy Geadmaster 25

Business News 3WISEMEN have Internet Shirt Selling Sewn Up

M

en need shirts, right? But what if shopping for them is an expensive chore that could be so much more and cheaper?

In May 2004, three great mates were enjoying too much red wine when the topic of business shirts was raised. After some discussion and debate, they all concluded that the selection and cost of business shirts in New Zealand prohibited them buying them on a regular basis.

All three of them had lived abroad where selection, price and the ability to buy on-line made shirt shopping a pleasure.

Eventually a property was found in Newmarket, close to other fashion retailers, with Miles at the counter. Being there to serve customers at the outset is critical says Miles.

“I want to know what people are saying about our products, the retail environment… I like to be based here to get all the feedback”.

Stock includes business shirts that are both fashionable and well made. The brand features high quality men’s shirts, ties and other accessories such as cufflinks, boxer shorts The other partners, a merchant banker and a corporate finance specialist with a large accountancy firm, are effectively silent investors - Miles handles most of the day-today work including shirt design.

“I don’t have a background in design,” he says, “but a shirt’s a shirt.”

Production is done by a firm in China; finding someone willing to make such relatively small quantities was a struggle. The chosen manufacturer makes three million shirts, “we’ll hopefully sell 5000 in the first year”.

The plan is to add more retail outlets.

“We think growing and establishing the brand will benefit the online business.”

Another glass of wine and 3wisemen was born. Why 3wisemen?

Well, when you are enjoying the company of good friends over a few wines, it is easy to solve the problems of the world.

Skip to July 2005 and the brand 3wisemen is finally here delivering high quality, affordable and fashionable business shirts to NZ (and the world!)

3wisemen, a shirt retailer started by experienced rag trader Richard Miles (1986-87) and two old mates. The three have known each other since school and university - Miles was at Wellington College and Lincoln University - and all spent some time in Britain where “buying shirts online was something we’d all done and found convenient”, says Miles.

When his mates returned to New Zealand last year, Miles, then sales manager for lingerie maker Bendon, asked where they buy their working clothes and was told “not in bloody New Zealand”. Thus Miles, who had spent six years with Pacific Brands before joining Bendon, found a niche for his own business.

The concept is loosely based on a British retail chain, TM Lewin, 107-year-old shirt maker which has shops and online shopping. For Miles, having a physical and internet presence was important – the net to expand the potential market, the real estate to give the brand a foundations.

“You need a retail presence before people will trust the brand” says Miles.

The website was the easy part, aided by another friend from University who had set up an online store in Britain. But finding a site for a retail outlet in Auckland was ‘hard yakka’.

Break-even, according to the budget, is 21/2 years away, but Miles is thrilled to be open.

‘I’m loving it,” he says, “absolutely loving it… and I’ve a new found appreciation for retailers.”

3WISEMEN 2A Balm Street, Newmarket, Auckland Telephone (09) 524 4400 3wisemen@3wisemen.co.nz

Old Boy is CEO

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eter Hughes (1972-76) has worked in the New Zealand government sector for 20 years - in policy, operations and organisation development roles.

He was educated at Wellington College, Victoria and Massey Universities before gaining a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University.

Peter began his career working as a clerk with the Department of Social Welfare. Over the next ten years he was promoted into senior policy and operations roles. He later moved into executive management, initially as the Southern Regional Manager for the New Zealand Income Support Service.

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In 1995 Peter became Deputy-Director General of Health, heading the Ministry of Health’s corporate, information, policy and regulatory activities. Following this he took over managing the $7 billion health and disability services spend, which at that time was allocated through the Health Funding Authority (HFA).

In 2000 Peter became Chief Executive of the HFA. He implemented organisation- wide change involving disestablishment of the HFA, moving staff into Ministry of Health and District Health Board positions.

The following year Peter was appointed Secretary for Internal Affairs. Then, on October 1, 2001 there was another new appointment - Chief Executive of the newly formed Ministry of Social Development.

There’s No Place Like Hell

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rom small beginnings in Wainuiomata back in 1991, Callum Davies’ (198689) pizza business has grown to a North Island-wide operation with 27 outlets. Now known as Hell Pizza, Callum has ten outlets around Wellington and ten in Auckland, as well as seven around the regions.

Callum, a former Wellington College student got into the pizza trade aged 15 and it wasn’t long before he owned a small shop in the Hutt Valley suburb. He sold the Wainui business several years later and opened another outlet in the Wellington suburb of Kelburn in 1994.

His mother operated a cafe at Club Kelburn by day, so Callum began making pizzas at night. Back then the business was known as Pizza Place, but a name change wasn’t far away and Hell Pizza was born in 1996.

The Hell brand was Callum’s brainchild, which he describes as a “fun theme”. “At first I thought it was a bit risky and could be detrimental to the business, especially in a place like Kelburn where people are a bit snooty,” he says. But a visit to a graphic designer produced some concepts on the lighter side of Hell and away from anything “too evil”. And things certainly did take off.

Callum introduced the first online ordering systems in New Zealand and a portable Eftpos machine. “People just freaked out.

We had to keep the phone off the hook because we couldn’t handle the amount of calls coming in.”

Soon after, a school friend Stuart McMullan (1985-89) approached him and suggested he open another outlet in Wellington. The pair launched one in Hataitai in 1999, followed by Northland in 2000, Petone in 2002 and Webb Street in 2003, which replaced the Club Kelburn outlet. “It’s all a bit of a blur,” says Callum in hindsight.

The success story doesn’t end there. An Auckland man approached Callum saying he loved the product and brand so much that Callum should franchise the business to

Business News Auckland and other places. However, the first franchise opened in Khandallah in 2003. There are now 27 around the North Island.

“The goal for 2004 was 30 outlets and we will get there.

The first year was definitely hard going from four to 14,” says Callum.

He gets about ten enquiries a week from people interested in buying a franchise. “We try and anti-sell it. We only want people who are really interested.”

But the road to success hasn’t been plain sailing. “The major thing is definitely capital when starting up. The banks would not help us even though we had a good track record.”

He recollects going to one bank seeking a $32,000 loan for a new coffee machine and being turned down. “I remember saying to mum, ‘we should have gone to plan B and brought the shot gun and balaclava’. The bank manager didn’t even smile.”

There’s plenty on the horizon for Hell Pizza in future. Expansion across the Tasman is imminent - probably in 2005. The UK and the United States are also on the Hell agenda.

Footnote: Callum Davies, Hell Pizza’s Marketing Demon, took away top honours being named Marketer of the Year at the Marketing Awards in July this year.

Davies beat out some very stiff competition including the Vice President of Marketing for McDonalds and the Marketing Director for Griffins. With a miniscule marketing budget (relative to market norms and his competitors), it took the fresh, daring, and bold talents of Davies to lead Hell Pizza to the phenomenal success and growth the company has experienced recently.

Graham Medcalf, editor of Marketing Magazine, stated that “the branding which may, to some observers, appear as chaos, was seen (by the judges) to be underpinned with a strong, disciplined strategy and a remarkable customer sensitivity. The founder of Hell Pizza has created a marketing assault that is so different and so edgy, that in the face of some extremely strong competition the judges were compelled to vote Davies the winner”.

“Callum” the judges said, “has gone out and taken a big risk in breaking into a highly competitive market. In doing so he has managed to achieve distinctiveness and a differentiation for Hell, which he has been able to manage and develop”.

Davies has never been one to play by the rules. This refusal to conform to industry norms in any way has seen Hell Pizza grow from one store in 1996 (opened by Davies at 18) to 38 stores today. He is incredibly passionate about what he does, and takes

providing “damn fine food” very seriously.

Medcalf went on to state that “Davies’ vision for Hell Pizza and his ability to communicate and develop a personality for the brand are turning the company into a marketing success story”. This is an innovative, creative and resourceful Marketing Demon who will be ensuring we all see (and taste!) a lot more of Hell Pizza in the near future.

Handling a Problem of Substance

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t’s mid-morning, but staff at Matthew Beattie’s (1970-72) stylish Wellington office have already taken two calls from companies asking for help to sort out employees with drinking problems.

That is not unusual.

Matt’s company Instep, deals with numerous calls each week from companies needing help with managers and executives whose illegal drug or alcohol use is out of control.

At the most serious end, Instep staff directly intervene, going to workplaces to tackle the problem head on.

Matt says Instep now has relationships with about 300 companies and substance abuse of all kinds is “a big issue” statistically.

Among other measures, Instep helps companies set up employee assistance programmes to deal with anything that cuts into productivity. That includes helping staff overcome problems with illegal drugs, alcoholism, marital breakdown, stress, anger or financial pressures.

He says 6 per cent to 10 per cent of New Zealanders are alcohol or drug dependent, though fewer than 1 per cent are aware of their addiction. More than 70 per cent of drug abusers have jobs. There are five levels of addiction: use, misuse, hazardous abuse, abuse and dependency. As an example, Matt says abuse is when people cannot cut down, despite knowing it is affecting their body, their relationships, and their ability to keep a job or win promotion.

and deteriorating relationships, particularly with staff reporting to that person.

“Performance – people’s performance with alcohol in particular, but drugs generally will decline”.

Though drink is a problem at all levels and in all workplaces, Mr Beattie says among young professionals it is just as likely that an employer will be faced with illegal drug use - ecstasy, methamphetamines or fantasy.

Drug-testing for alcohol and illegal drugs is becoming more common. Last year, 19,000 workplace drug tests were done, up from 6,000 five years ago.

Nine per cent of pre-employment and 8 per cent of post-accident tests came back positive. Cannabis was the most common drug identified, but 8 per cent of tests revealed amphetamine use, up from 4 per cent in 2002.

The forestry industry began testing in the late 1990s, and fishing and mining have also introduced it. Even professional service industries - some law firms and accountants - are considering it, Mr Beattie says.

Matt was Head Prefect in 1972 and currently serves on the Executive of the WCOBA. He was President for two years; 1998-2000.

Retirement after successful career as Patent Attorney

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om Syddall (1952-56) has recently retired from A J Park (Patent Attornies). He was principally involved with chemical patent work. He practiced in the preparation, filing and prosecution of patent applications in all areas of chemistry, including pharmaceutical and agricultural chemicals, polymer chemistry and industrial chemical processes.

Tom was involved as a Patent Attorney and Barrister in opposition proceedings, in compulsory licence and extension of patent term proceedings before the Patent Office and on appeal to the courts, and in patent litigation before the High Court.

Giving people more information about what is happening is the key to dealing with the problem, he says. But as an employer, what should you be looking for?

Tom joined the firm in 1960 and was made a Partner in 1966. In 2004 Tom retired from the partnership and became a consultant for the firm. Tom is a Fellow and Past-President of NZIPA and is currently Chairman of the Institute Examination Board. He is a member of the New Zealand groups/sections of AIPPI, APAA and FICPI, and a British Overseas Member of CIPA. Tom is also a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry and of the New Zealand Association of Scientists, where he has been on the council since 1992.

He lists Monday morning “sickies”, physical change, and an inability to meet deadlines

He obtained a`BSc in1960 at University of New Zealand

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Business News and a LLB in 1966 at Victoria University. He became a NZ Patent Attorney, 1963 and appointed Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of NZ in 1966.

‘Real’ building apprentices winners on the day

industry qualifications for the building and construction sector. There are almost 3500 employers and more than 7000 trainees currently involved in industry training with the BCITO. Its inaugural Building Careers Week is to raise awareness of the building industry as a career choice for school leavers.

Out of the pain, some gain

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father and son who supported each other through paralysis and cancer have left behind a legacy for patients and nurses at Wellington Hospital.

In the early 1980’s, the Bowie family were told that their older son Sam (1990-94), then a 16-year-old student at Wellington College, had leukaemia.

The family were dealt with a second blow when father Richard (1960-63) was in a bodysurfing accident during a family holiday in Mt Maunganui. The accident left Richard a tetraplegic and for the next five years, the Bowie house was turned into a “hospital at home with pills everywhere”.

Nick White (centre) in his best builder pose

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hen the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) needed fresh talent for their Building Careers Week campaign they decided against hiring professional models. Instead, Communications Manager Rachel Winter and the BCITO team sent out text messages to 250 carpentry apprentices in the Wellington region asking them ‘do u reckon u look like a builder?’

“Within twenty minutes, 45 building apprentices had responded. The replies were really enthusiastic with one apprentice claiming he was ‘az keen az mustard’,” Rachel said.

The entrants took part in a photo shoot and answered a short questionnaire about their apprenticeship. “This highlighted that many apprentices enjoy the physical and outdoor nature of their job, working with power tools and seeing the result of their hard work,” Rachel said.

Three winners have been identified; including Nick White (2000-04), 19, who works for Martin Goulden (1972-76). “Our three winning apprentices possess the genuine, friendly, down to earth attitude that BCITO was searching for,” Rachel said.

The apprentices will feature on billboards in New Zealand’s major centres and in magazine advertisements. As well as fame in the building world /construction world, the winners also receive $1000 to spend at a store of their choice.

BCITO is an organisation appointed by the Government to develop and implement

But it never occurred to anyone in the family to bemoan their doubly tragic circumstances – least of all Richard and Sam. Although Sam’s illness meant he couldn’t always enjoy the same things as his friends, he stayed positive and was known for his jokes and good humour among the cancer centre nurses, who became like a second family.

USA comes to Wellington College

I

n late May, Wellington College was privileged to host for an afternoon, the United States Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr Charles Swindells and his wife Mrs Caroline Swindells.

The Swindells were welcomed with a rousing haka by the Kapa Haka group and were then introduced to those students with a United States background.

After afternoon tea with the Head and Deputy Head Prefects, Mr Swindells took part in a forum discussion in Firth Hall with a number of senior students. The students asked a range of questions on American foreign and domestic policies which generated lively discussion with the Ambassador. He was quick to appreciate the high level of interest and opinions held by the students and remarked on how much he had enjoyed the forum. After this, the Swindells toured the school, spending time at the Gifford Observatory, the Girvan Library and in a number of classrooms. Upon their departure, they gifted some books for the Library.

The visit was a good blend of formality and informality and the Ambassador and Mrs Swindells both commented on how much they had enjoyed meeting the students during their afternoon in the school.

By 2000, Sam’s cancer had gone into remission and he landed an overseas marketing job.

Richard was so grateful for the hospital’s efforts to help his son that, from his wheelchair, he planned the Bowie Cancer Education Centre, which was launched in 2000 and included facilities for cancer researchers.

Richard died a month before the centre opened. Two days after his death, the family learned that Sam’s cancer had come back.

Sam died in July, 2004, aged 27. Like his father, he left behind a legacy for future patients, as well as a thank you to the nurses.

This May, in what would have been Sam’s 28th birthday, The Sam Trust was launched.

With more than $100,000 already raised, it will help fund research and training for oncology nurses, as well as providing the Internet and fridges for patients, better visitor seating and better facilities for the nurses during their breaks.

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Mr Swindells takes a look through the telescope in the Gifford Observatory

Business News A Well Deserved Honour

T

he news that WCOB Tom Gault (1952-55) was to become the next Captain of The Royal & Ancient St Andrew’s Golf Club came as a real surprise to him. He was thrilled that one of the great sporting institutions of the world had recognised New Zealand in this way and referred to his appointment as “being the lucky recipient’.

His star continued to rise with his appointment as Queen’s Counsel and Judge of the High Court and Court of Appeal of New Zealand.

This humble man whose passion for golf has been part of his life since early childhood and his career in law that has seen him soar like a rising star to illustrious heights has earned this honour.

During these years golf continued to play an important role in his life.

While at University he was the NZU Champion and a Victoria and NZU Blues.

He was created DCNZM for Services to Law in 2001, further appointments followed culminating in him becoming a Judge of the Supreme Court in 2004.

He served as a Member of the Council of New Zealand Golf Association 1977-93 and has been its President and is now its current Patron and a Life Member.

Tom made the arduous journey from Paraparaumu Beach to Wellington College by bus, train and tram five days a week leaving home at 7.10am and arriving back at 6.00pm. He also helped his mother in the family business both day and night.

For 18 years from 1978 he was a member of the Advisory Member Rules of Golf and Amateur Status Committees of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrew’s and 1993 was made a Referee of the British Open Championship, a role he continued until 1998. This has led to his current appointment as Captain of the Royal & Ancient St Andrew’s Golf Club, the first New Zealander to hold this position.

During those years, boys at Wellington College were not permitted to play rugby for outside clubs. They had to play for the College or not at all. Tom did not wish to travel to Wellington for a sixth day each week; he preferred to play golf at Paraparaumu. There was no inter-school golf competition then.

After four years at College he entered Victoria University to study Law. He graduated LLB, LLM and in 1961-62 was admitted as a Solicitor and Barrister to the Supreme Court.

Paddianne W Neely College Archivist

Pictured are five Old Boy Judges at a gathering in 2002 (L-R): Hon John Laurenson (1951-55), Hon Hugh Williams (1953-57), Rt Hon Tom Gault DCNZM (1952-55), Hon Tony Ellis (1948-52) and Hon Andrew McGechan (1956-59).

We believe there are three other Judges who are also Old Boys; Hon Ian Borrin (1948-51), Hon David Sheppard (1952-55) and Hon Simon Lockhart QC (1959-52). Please let us know if we have overlooked anyone else.

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Sports News Sports Round-up on current Wellington College Teams Foundation Sport & Cultural Awards

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change of venue from the Westpac Stadium to the Duxton Hotel and guest speakers Georgina and Caroline EversSwindell were among the noteworthy features of the annual Sports and Culture Awards Dinner, hosted by the Wellington College Foundation, which continues to be a major highlight of the school year if the enthusiasm by which tickets were sought is any indicator.

As in years past, awards in all categories were keenly contested, - evidenced by the number and variety of activities, both cultural and sporting, which were represented. Often nominees were participants in a variety of both cultural and sporting disciplines, and the twins remarked on this feature.

Thirty students were nominated for the Dominion Post College Sport Awards for 2004 with 16 being finalists in their respective sports. Seven students won their category which included Lawn Bowlers, Swimmer, Tennis Player, Windsurfer and Yachtsman of the Year.

McEvedy Shield

The McEvedy Shield was retained by Wellington College despite the margin closing to five points after the hurdle races. The final points were: Wellington College 175.5, Silverstream 135, St Pat’s Town 129.5 and Rongotai 95.

The McEvedy Shield was donated by Dr F F McEvedy in 1922 to promote the spirit of athletic competition and has become one of the highlights of the sporting calendar for the schools involved.

Winner of the Junior Cultural Person of the Year was Joseph Moore for his participation in Public Speaking, Debating and Drama. His sporting counterparts, in a shared award, were Sam Peters for his achievements in Soccer, and Dion Prewster in Basketball and Athletics.

Competition was very fierce in the Senior sections of both categories, with high-profile candidates such as Elliot Travers (Drama), Lewis Bollard (Public Speaking) and the eventual joint winners – Nic Sampson (Drama) and James Wylie (Music) – vying for the Senior Cultural Person of the Year. Equally strong competition was obvious in the Senior Sports Person Award, and from a field of 18 nominees, Jono Ross, New Zealand Waterpolo representative, was a popular and merited choice.

The Sport and Cultural Group awards are always keenly contested, and this year’s sporting winners were the Under-17 Novice Coxed Four Rowing Team. They won a gold medal in the Maadi Cup, the première competition for secondary school rowing in New Zealand. Their cultural equivalents were the Senior Premier ‘A’ Debating Team who went undefeated through the year, and who won the Wellington Regional Debating competition – the Henning Cup. The College Mothers’ Award for Contribution to Sport and Culture was won by Lewis Bollard, for his contribution to Rowing and Public Speaking.

Blues Awards

Blues were awarded to 13 students who in 2004 achieved the highest level of their sport i.e. selected for New Zealand (represented New Zealand at the highest secondary school or above age group), won a National title or set a New Zealand record. 32 students in total represented New Zealand in their chosen sport. A further six Blues were honoured in May 2005 at the Summer Blues Assembly, and there will be a number more at the Winter Blues Assembly in October.

Rowing

The Rowing team has had a very successful season. At the North Island Secondary Schools’ Regatta they reached 16 finals and collected a silver medal in the Under 17 Double, and a bronze in the Under 18 Quad and gold in the Under 18 Double Sculls. At the Maadi Cup at Lake Karapiro, the Rowing team performed well making seven B and seven A finals, winning a bronze in the Under 18 Double Sculls, and silver in the Under 17 Double.

Rugby

In pre-season matches the 1st XV beat Hastings Boys’ High School 20-10, Napier Boys High School 27-10, and in the curtain-raiser for the Hurricanes at the Westpac Stadium beat Palmerston North Boys’ High School 18-17. In the Traditional versus St Pat’s Town they showed their best form by winning 39-15 and scoring six tries. However, they went down 13-11 against a fired-up Silverstream team. Another successful Quadrangular Tournament, this time in Nelson saw the 1st XV beat Christ’s College on the first day by 356. They went on to the final to face Nelson College and in an

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extremely close match, came out the victors by 28-19. It was a fantastic three days away, with warm, sunny winter weather and well supported by our Old Boys, both local and those who travelled to Nelson to give support.

It was wonderful to meet up with Malcolm Perrett (1952-56) and John Grocott (1951-55) at the Tournament, as well as enjoy the company of Morrie Deterte (1941-45) who with his wife June have been at every 1st XV match this season. It was also Coach Chris Wells (1971-75) last Quad as he stepped down at the end of the season after six years coaching the team, and with three consecutive Quad wins.

Assistant Coach Lincoln Rawles and team manager Stephanie Kane were also in Nelson with Chris and have also been part of this successful 1st XV squad. The 1st XV went on to win the Wellington Premier One Competition, beating Mana College in the final 23-3 which took them into the National Top Four Competition. The team beat Francis Douglas Memorial College (New Plymouth) by 23-0, and then faced Palmerston North Boys’ High School the following weekend in Palmerston North in the next round. However victory was snatched away when PNBHS scored a dropped goal with ten minutes to go. With a few injuries amongst the team, they just couldn’t get up to win, losing 13-11 in one of most evenly-matched and tightest games of the season.

Soccer

Playing away, the 1st XI Soccer team played extremely well and beat Auckland Grammar 2-0. In the Traditional versus St Pat’s Town, they also continued their unbeaten run to win

Sports News 2-0, and drew with Silverstream 3-3. The 1st XI comfortably won the Premier Youth Grade Championship. Having won the league by 12 points they beat Tawa College in the final. On the way they have qualified for the Nationals and are looking pretty good prospects and are off to Tournament this month in Napier.

Swimming

At the NISS Swimming Championships, the College team made 19 finals, winning 15 medals. They were placed second.

At the Quadrangular Swimming Champs against Rongotai College, Scots College and St Pat’s Town, Wellington College swimmers dominated the meet, winning 41 of the 46 events and setting 9 of the 10 new records that were set. The Regional Relay Championships saw the team win 8 out of the 10 events, retaining the trophy for the 15th time against particularly strong opposition.

Tennis

After cleaning up the opposition locally, the senior A Tennis team won the silver medal in the NZSS Championships. They beat St Peter’s College, Kavanagh College, King’s College and Tauranga College en route to the final where they came up against St Kentigern’s. Three out of the four singles went to three sets with Robert Foy beating the New Zealand number one in an epic battle.

Unfortunately the doubles saw St Kentigern’s come through, but it was a fantastic effort by the team.

Waterpolo

It was a great season for the Senior A Waterpolo team who won the North Island Championships and a silver medal in the NZSS Championships. Led by Captain Jono Ross, who won Player of the Tournament at the North Island Championships, the team were at the top of their game in the nationals coming a very close second to Auckland Grammar. In a vigorous final, the turning point came when Jono had to sit out the third quarter and some of the fourth due to a bleeding nose, and Auckland Grammar managed to scrape through to a 3-2 win.

Five boys have been selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team - Jono Ross, Sefa Tuiaseau, Alex Ross, Josh Potaka and Roger Wilson.

Hockey

The 1st XI season has been very successful in the run up to Nationals beating three Rankin Cup teams in a row. The prospects of success at the India Shield is increasing.

One of the highlights to date at local level has been beating last years’ local champions Tawa College.

40-Hour Runathon

The annual World Vision 40 Hour Runathon took place in March with around 1,000 students running around the Basin Reserve over the 40 hours (Not all at once!). Many of the boys camped at the Basin and arranged other fundraising activities to get them through the weekend. In 2004, Wellington College raised $74,000 - the biggest contribution by a school in New Zealand. This year’s total was slightly lower but still a worthy contribution to the Tsunami victims.

Old Boys feature in the Sports News Tristram Lupo Samoa (2000-04) has been selected in the New Zealand Junior Men’s Softball team which competed in the Junior World Championships in June in Canada. The Junior Black Socks finished fourth in the series and Tristram was an integral member of the team.

He first played for New Zealand in 2002 on a tour to Australia with the Under 16 side and went on a tour to Japan last year with the Under 19 side.

Recent Old Boys Piers Gordon (Underwater Hockey), Tim Gyles (Hockey), Tim Hawkes (Athletics), James Hill (Cricket) and Richard Maxwell (Underwater Hockey) are part of the list of 15 Wellington athletes awarded a Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarship. Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard presented the awards at the New Zealand Academy of Sport in Wellington in April. The scholarships are aimed at helping athletes pursue academic or trade careers, as well as their sporting careers by having their full tertiary fees paid up to $10,000 per year.

Former Wellington College runners have been in the news lately; Ben Revell (1994-99) [Head Prefect 1999], was placed 4th in the New Zealand Mountain Running Championships and 6th in the Australian Champs which was good enough for him to get selected in the New Zealand team to contest the World Champs to be held in Wellington in September. Nick Buck (199600) [Head Prefect 2000] has just finished a successful Cross-Country season finishing 3rd in the North Island Champs and 2nd in the Wellington Champs. Tim Prendergast (1992-96), who won gold in the 800m in the Athens Paralympics, is starting to prepare for his build-up to the World Champs for the blind to be held in Holland in 2006. Tim Hawkes (1996-00) is also preparing for the 400m at the World Athletic Champs to be held in Turkey.

Tim Gyles (1998-02) has been selected to trial for the New Zealand Hockey Team and we wish him all the best for his selection into the team.

In Cricket, the Wellington Emerging Players men’s team will travel to India in April 2006 to experience subcontinent playing conditions. The team includes recent Old Boys’ Andrew Corliss, Ashley Newdick, Chris Spring, Hamish Templeton, James Hill and Jeremy Dean. Coach, Mark Borthwick was at Wellington College for a number of years in the 1990s as Assistant HOD, PE and coached the Under 15 Open Rugby Team.

Stu Mills (1996-00) has been offered a contract by Cricket Wellington for the 2005/6 season.

He represented the State Wellington Firebirds last summer.

The Wellington Regional Under 19’s squad also includes recent Old Boys’ Nicholas Angus, Nick Johnson, Scott Mudgway and Ashley Newdick.

New Zealand Cricket selection manager Sir Richard Hadlee named the New Zealand A team to tour Sri Lanka in September 2005. The team includes James Franklin. (1994-98). “We have selected James as an all rounder as we believe all rounders will have an increased role under the new rules”. said Sir Richard.

James played his first two Tests in the 2000/01 season, but it was not until the last Test against England on the Blackcaps 2004 tour that he played his third. He took six wickets in that match and showed he was up to the riggers of international cricket.

His effort in the third Test was backed up by some promising bowling in the NatWest Series, including a career-best five for 42 against England, at Chester-Le-Street. However, his runsper-over in the series were high at 5.41.

He impressed on the Blackcaps tour of Bangladesh in November 2004 where James became the second New Zealander to take a hat-trick in a test match when he took 5-28 in the first innings of the first test. It was only the 35th time a hat-trick had been taken in 1,760 tests played over 128 years. A rare club to be a member of.

Three tests followed against world champions, Australia and he collected a further 12 test wickets with a career best of 6-19 in the test match at Eden Park.

In the two tests late in the season against Sri Lanka, James captured a further nine wickets, this cementing his position in the New Zealand test side.

A pleasing feature of his play over the last season was the improvement in his batting. With further work he has the ability to become a genuine all round player whose batting will become as respected as his left-arm medium fast swing bowling.

James re-emergence as an international bowler saw him named as Wellington men’s Cricket, Cricketer of the Year 2004-05.

Currently in Zimbabwe, James, as part of the Blackcaps team who dismissed Zimbabwe twice in one day to record an emphatic victory in the first test at Harare, began the assault, taking the wicket of debutante Neil Ferreira (5) with the score at nine. He then took another two wickets in the space of his next three deliveries to have Zimbabwe in serious trouble at three for 10.

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Sports News Rower goes from Strength to Strength

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aikato University a t h e l e t e s received the highest number of awards at the 2005 New Zealand University Blues Awards. The role of honour included George Bridgewater (1996-00) and Nathan Twaddle (Rowing).

George was a member of the NZ Olympic Team last year and is a finalist in the Sportsperson of the year category.

George was a member of the Men’s Coxless Pair who narrowly missed out on the Bronze Medal in Athens. He first started rowing in 1999 and Athens was his first Olympic Games. George picked up three titles at the National Championships at Karapiro in 2004 including a win in the Pair. He has been a member of winning crews at the last three National Championships. George began rowing while at Wellington College. In 2000, he was a member of the Under 17 Novice 4 crew that won the Wellington College’s first ever gold medal at a Maadi Cup.

Prendergast is a Legend

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im Prendergast (1992-96) is a legend. The visually impaired runner faced adversity and overcame it in the most dramatic of fashions at the Athens Paralympics last year.

He began his campaign with disaster. His right shoe came off in his 1500m heat. He scrapped through to the final but strayed from his race plan and went out hard, only to finish fourth and get stretchered off.

With only six days to pick himself up for the 800m, he shone through. Qualifying first for the final, he ran a strong race, kicking away from the field with 300m to go and blitzing the next runner by eight metres.

New Zealanders followed Tim’s Athens journey thanks to his regular updates and back in New Zealand, he has had time to reflect on the events of the past few months and refocus on what he wants to do next. “It is hard to get yourself motivated after achieving what you spent so long working towards,” Tim says.

“Words can’t describe the feeling of having the National Anthem played after winning a Gold Medal. When I won, I grabbed a New Zealand flag and did a victory lap. It was a spur of the moment thing.”

In Sydney 2000, the former Wellington College student won Silver in the 800m and 1500m but says his Gold in Athens was a whole lot better.

Under perfect conditions - mild, calm and fair weather - on the Rotsee ( “lake of the gods”) Lucerne, Switzerland, the black singlets of New Zealand dominated the ceremony podium with the Kiwi Team winning two Gold and two silver Medals at the 3rd BearingPoint World Cup Rowing regatta. Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater were on a roll. The New Zealanders trademark sprint over the final 750 metres wasn’t needed as George and Nathan took off at a cracking pace leaving Athens Olympic silver medalists, Croatian brothers Sinisa and Niksa Skelin to play catch up. The Croatians attempted a challenge at the 1500 however it had little effect as the strength of George and Nathan completely demoralised their European opposition as Croatia settled for second and Italy for third, four boat lengths back.

Inspiring as he is, Tim is going to have to continue to improve if he is going to reach his longtime goal of becoming the first partially sighted runner to cover a mile in under four minutes.

His best time is 4min 9s. “Only 29 guys in New Zealand have managed to go under the mark,” he says.

The New Zealand Rowing team again demonstrated their consistency at the Holland Beker Regatta, Amsterdam. George and Nathan were all class in winning comfortably the Men’s pair. At the end, Nathan indicated his intentions to aim for Beijing. “I hope George and I can stay together in the pair until the Olympics in Beijing, but for that we try to be faster than people coming up.” said Nathan.

Sporting Achievements: Silver 800m - 1998 IBSA World Championships, Madrid; Silver 1500m - 1998 IBSA World Championships, Madrid; Bronze 400m - 1998 IBSA World Championships, Madrid; Gold 800m - 2002 World Championships, Lille; Silver 1500m - 2002 World Championships, Lille; Silver 800m - 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games; Silver 1500m - 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games and Gold 800m - Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.

Currently Tim is preparing for the nationals and other road races around Wellington and New Zealand. “It seems like a bit of a step down, after racing in front of 40,000 people in Athens,” he says.“Before we left we were warned that the Greeks don’t accommodate those with disabilities but the whole experience was fantastic. “It never rained there and the temperature was always around the late 20s, early 30s.”

In 17 years of running, the 25-year-old says nothing could have prepared him for losing a shoe in the 1500m. “I’ve been involved with sports psychology preparing for any sort of scenario that could happen in a race,” he says. “I went into panic mode. I just have to learn from it.”

When Tim was eight years old he was diagnosed with a condition known as Stargardt’s disease which has left him with five percent of his normal vision. He is a representative for the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind and finds ways to get visually impaired people involved in sport. It is a rewarding job for him and something he is passionate about.

George was named ‘Wellington Sportsman of the Year’ at a ceremony held in Wellington late last year.

George is currently in Japan at the World Championships, and as as we go to print, is preparing for the Men’s Pairs Final with Nathan Twaddle.

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Sports News Retirement Finally...

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mesh Parag (198589) bowed out of top level hockey a happy and contented man late last year. After a “wee think” about extending his 12-year international career to take in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in December 2004, New Zealand’s most capped player decided the Olympics were a fitting swansong.

Umesh, 33, departs with 214 caps to his name and a reputation as not only the fairest player to don the black shirt but also one of the fastest. “I pretty much knew after Athens that that was going to be it,” Parag said. “I had a wee think about staying on for the Champions Trophy but not really seriously.

It’s been a huge part of my life, but it’s time.”

Umesh was not overly emotional at his announcement, partly because during the past few days he had informed family, friends and team-mates of his plans. He described the hard part being the post-Olympics holiday with his wife, where it dawned on him that his career - comprising two Olympics, two Commonwealth Games and two World Cups - was over. “It sunk in a bit on holiday; even though I’d been gearing up for it for a while,” he said.

Umesh’s highlights were predictably the Silver Medal won at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and his two Olympics campaigns - on debut in Barcelona in 1992 and Athens this year. His chief disappointment was failing to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Umesh first picked up a stick as an 11-yearold, inspired by the playing deeds of his older brother Jitu and Uncle Has Dullabh who were both Wellington representatives. “I played soccer at first then got into the hockey, but I was a bit of a late bloomer,” he said.

New Zealand coach Kevin Towns paid tribute to Parag noting that he was also in charge in 1992 when Parag debuted alongside current Wellington coach Peter Miskimmin.

“He’ll be remembered for his pace, his deft stick work and his ability to create opportunities in the scoring circle,” Towns said. “His organisation, the lines he ran and the knowledge he had were also immense.

It really is the end of an era.” Towns even disputed a concession by Parag that during the past couple of years he wasn’t the whippet over the turf that he once was.

“If you asked any defender in the world if Umesh had lost pace, they’d laugh at you. Umesh had lost nothing.” Miskimmin described Parag’s retirement as the “passing of a true champion”. “The Wellington sporting community ought to realise this guy epitomised everything you could ask for in an athlete.” Umesh is so understated and I don’t think he realises the respect the current and older players have for him. “I also remember him as a young kid joining us from Wellington College when I was playing. We nick named him ‘Zoomie Umee’ because (his incredible speed, and he never lost it.”

Umesh will not be lost to hockey completely.

He plans to continue playing for the Wellington Indians Club probably alongside a group of friends in the premier two side.

Off South to Prove a Point ane Thompson (1998-00) is flying south for the winter, but he’s hoping it’s not a permanent migration. The Wellington forward will don a Southland jersey during this year’s NPC after being released on a one-year term as a loan player.

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the door to the Super 12. “Plum promised me that if he couldn’t guarantee me game time this season I could go on loan and he’s been true to his word.”Wellington’s been good to me; hopefully I can come back and be part of the team in the future.”

A 1.97m lock-loose forward, Kane’s preference was to stay in his home town, but felt his career was stalling in the capital. “Back in 2002 I played four games for Wellington, but I haven’t really done much since then.

This is a chance to push for a place in the Super 12,” he said. “It’s definitely been really frustrating not getting a chance to perform.”

Kane could technically be called back to the capital during this year’s NPC in the event of injuries to Wellington’s locks but a more likely homecoming to Westpac Stadium will be when the Lions meet Southland in round six on September 17. He was courted by several NPC sides, but chose chilly Invercargill. “I think it’s a strong forward pack down there with a good chance of doing well in the NPC.”It’s going to be cold, but I’m looking forward to a new environment and trying to get the best out of myself on the field.”

A New Zealand Colt in 2002 and 2003 Kane has played seven times for Wellington including an appearance at openside against the British and Irish Lions last month. But he has had few chances to push his claims for the Super 12 with Ross Kennedy (199800), Luke Andrews, Ross Filipo and Kristian Ormsby blocking his path to Wellington’s NPC starting side.

Now the 23-year-old hopes a move by Wellington coach John Plumtree will open

Also playing NPC rugby this season in Division One are former 1st XV Members; Ross Kennedy (1998-00) and Neemia Tialata (1999-00) for Wellington, Ben Castle (1993-97) for Waikato and Brendan Watt (1996-01) for Taranaki.

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Keeping up Appearances

hat’s in a name? Quite a bit, if you share it with someone famous.

Take Wellington Cricket’s long-serving scorer Ian Smith (1959-61), who is not and never has been an international wicket keeper or Sky commentator.

The man whose name is on the cover of every New Zealand Cricket Almanac since 1983 has seen a few records take place in front of his scorers’ box at the Basin Reserve and has notched up a few of his own in the past 12 months.

He’s been one of the two compilers of New Zealand’s version of Wisden for over 21 years and can now boast 40 years as a club, firstclass and international scorer since starting with the Kilbirnie Club in the mid-sixties.

However, it’s his familiar moniker that attracts the most interest to the softly spoken statistician.

The original Ian Smith has been dogged by his younger counterpart since he got started as a scorer, when the future international was a pupil at Rongotai College.

It really started getting confusing for both Ian Smiths when Ian Snr. joined Francis Payne in compiling the New Zealand Cricket Almanac, an annual round-up of stats and happenings, having previously been the statistician for Don Neely’s DB Cricket Annual, while Ian Jnr. sealed his place as a test wicketkeeper.

“For the first three or four years I would often get letters from kids asking what it was like to keep to Richard Hadlee.” Things haven’t really got any less confusing since, with Ian Snr. getting speaking invitations and Ian Jnr. getting obscure statistical mail.

Even the publication of the former keeper’s biography Drummer in the Band, complete with a photo of both Ian Smiths at the Basin didn’t stop the wires getting crossed.

Ian Snr. is in no doubt who the real Ian Smith is though. “I always say that he [Ian Smith Jnr.] was named after a cricket statistician.”

Sports News On the Ball

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ttending the AXA New Zealand International Sevens Tournament in Wellington is high on the list of thousands for Kiwis, given its iconic status.

Steve Walters (1979-83) is the Tournament’s Commercial Manager (based at the Wellington Rugby Union’s offices) and responsible for the Tournament’s revenue generation. It is a huge role. Costing millions to stage, it would be impossible to stage without major sponsorship from AXA, Air New Zealand, Lion and Telecom The Sevens is an iconic event and was recognised recently at the Gold Awards, taking out the Supreme Gold Award; something that has been the icing on the cake.

To get to this high profile position, there have been a lot of steps along the way for this Wellingtonian. He attended Wellington College, well known for its strong rugby environment, and still remains close to friends he made there.

His background includes a business degree from Otago University, with a major in economics. He also has a law degree.

So, with these under his belt, in 1992 he joined Saatchi and Saatchi to work on the large Telecom account. He remained in advertising for five years, later becoming a communication skills consultant, training people to be better public speakers and negotiators.

It was after a meeting with friend Allan Garner, who was working at the New Zealand Rugby Union, that Steve was offered a job there. He started as the sponsorship account manager and then went on to become the business development manager.

In 2003, management of the Sevens changed from the NZRU to the Wellington Rugby Football Union, so Steve continued as the event’s commercial manager out of the WRFU offices.

He says: “The Sevens have gone from strength to strength, with effective

At the Wellington Rugby Football Union’s offices are Craig Griffiths (left), Jono Phillips (centre, and Steve Walters (right) management, sponsorship and the great relationship they have fostered with TVNZ, the Radio Network and The Dominion Post”.

Enormous support from Positively Wellington Tourism has also ensured the major success of the event. Over half the attendees come from out of town, on top of which, as many as 129 million potential households worldwide can view the event.

Steve spent his university holidays ski instructing in Colorado. He now keeps fit by cycling, surfing and playing 80:80 rugby for Poneke.

With his outgoing, vibrant personality, Steve is highly motivated and positive. A cancer scare in 1996 changed his outlook on life. Stress is now kept to a minimum and enjoyment is a high priority. He loves Wellington with a passion and says “it has a great spirit and I especially love the wind.

Working in the same offices at the WRFU are two other Old Boys; Craig Griffiths (198286) who is the Manager - Sponsorship and Marketing for Wellington Rugby and the Hurricanes as well as developing new ones, creating new commercial opportunities and overseeing the season pass and corporate hospitality programmes and Jono Phillips (1979-83) who is the Hurricanes Regional Rugby Development Officer. Jono especially, is often seen on the sidelines of the College’s 1st XV home fixtures.

Completing the infiltration of Wellington College people is David King, who was Head of Commerce 1986-99 and was Coach of the 1st XV 1991-96. David is the Rugby Development co-ordinator, which includes developing and implementing all rugby development and talent identification programmes for the Union.

Wellington College Old Boys at the New Zealand v Australia Test Match in Auckland March 2005 (L-R): Ken Brierley, Bryan Waddle, Sir Ron Brierley, Trevor Beyer 34

Sports News Since When Has Rugby Been Boring?

January 20, 2005 Keith Quinn (1960-64)

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f New Zealand rugby is boring as the famous Justin Marshall told us a few weeks ago then I have to own up here to having been duped all of the seasons I have been watching and reporting it. I must have been mistaken to have had an abiding interest in all the rugby action and events which I have seen, first as a kid, then as professional reporter all my working life.

I must have been bored to have been a lifetime follower of the All Blacks v South Africa games. Not to mention All Blacks v Australia, All Blacks v England, All Blacks v Wales, and all the others; Ireland, Scotland, and not to mention the All Black battles with France. What about the Rugby World Cup? - That must have been boring too, to have been watching all those games all those years and to have stayed awake! Fancy, our team travelling all those miles to just play that same old same gang of nations every four years.

And all of the following domestic rivalries must, by association, have been boring too; Wellington v Auckland, Auckland v Canterbury, Waikato v Auckland, Otago v Canterbury - all of them monotonous and unexciting, that’s if I use Justin Marshall’s repetitive-is-boring claim.

I could have sworn I saw fighting and squabbling in the streets of Christchurch (well, not quite fighting, more like long queues really, starting at daybreak in winter) as thousands of punters were waiting, desperate for tickets to see Justin’s Canterbury Crusaders play in the big Super 12 matches. And did I not see an average crowd of over 30,000 at every Hurricanes game at Wellington’s beautiful Westpac Stadium since 1996? Those matches against the same Super 12 teams, surely must have been sleep inducing too? And John McBeth tells me that in the old days Timaru Celtic v Zingari was always extremely dreary to go and see each season. Fancy the crowds on the sideline going through the smokescreen of shouting and cheering and making out they were enjoying themselves!

My Christchurch friends say those crowd scenes at Christ’s College v Christchurch Boys’ High School games are so tedious every year as to want one to stay home and play tiddlywinks instead. Come to think of it Christ’s College v their 100-year rivals Wellington College, Wanganui Collegiate and Nelson College are other annual tedious college quadrangular games. Those schools have to force their kids to go along and support their mates. We know that most of the boys would prefer to stay indoors and swot geometry and algebra instead. And do not ever mention to Oamaru people the Waitaki Boys’ v St Kevin’s College game.

Unanimous will be the cry from them about how dull it is too see each other play off every year.

In Wellington I must have been dreaming when I was a kid that time when 24,000 silly, dull, folks turned up to watch a Petone v University club game. These days it is MSP v Petone which brings on attacks of catnapping among the hordes who are bored to tears but still are frog-marched from their homes and compelled to watch.

and therefore give himself reason to take off.

And as for the poor souls in Auckland well, Ponsonby v Grammar has never been anything more than monotonous for the cheering crowds down the years. And the Gallaher Shield? Played for every year since 1922, somnambulistic would be the word to describe the annual ritualistic rugby rubbish of the competing teams.

I hope in a way that is all it is. I hope Justin Marshall has not been swindling us all these years, leaving us believing he was giving us, his admiring public, only a public version of his talents while inside he’s been bored stiff.

And Kaierau in Wanganui - how tiresome it has been to see them win their local championship so often? And Otago University in Dunedin - how dull it is when another of their club players makes the All Blacks?

West Coast v Buller? East Coast v Poverty Bay? Dull, dull, dull. Boring, boring, boring.

When any New Zealand rugby player signs to go and play in another country and makes some disparaging remarks on departure it is, in essence, that person saying “my time is up here, so here is a reason why I am leaving.”

Or maybe it is, “if my heart is not in it then the sky is no longer the limit for me here.”

But Justin has been a ten-year All Black, so I guess he must know. Well, I don’t know if I agree.

I would like to think that is all it is for Justin Marshall. I’d like to say thanks for all the years of excitement you gave us. But I will never believe you found our rugby boring.

Not the way you played each game.

What I actually think Justin is saying one thing, but meaning another. If you believe, using Justin Marshall’s published logic, that rugby in New Zealand gets boring when two teams play each other regularly (such as when the All Blacks play the Springboks twice in a year, or when the Super 12 teams don’t change, or in any of the other deep-seated rivalries mentioned above) then we should not expect any repetitive rugby disputes to be passionate about or be decent enough to want to go and see. Such a notion of course, is silly. Crowds each year seem to be on the up. And TV viewing figures, we are told, are handsome as usual.

Let me say this; I know Justin Marshall a bit, and I feel sure he doesn’t totally believe what he himself has been quoted as saying. He cannot possibly believe what he says. On the field of rugby battle I have seen Marshall too often in the feistiest confrontational of sporting struggles - so many in fact that there is no way he could have found them boring.

Quite the opposite I would say. He has been one of the most spirited rugby players the All Blacks colours have ever seen.

I wonder instead, has he been searching for a way to say goodbye for a time to New Zealand as he heads offshore to wind up his playing days? Or does he have a fear that the All Black selectors are not going to want him in their 2005 test teams? So instead he has decided, subconsciously maybe, to call the whole home rugby scene ‘rubbish’

There might be some letters of support in the papers for Marshall’s published beliefs but I for one will never concur that tests, rep games, Super 12 or club games in our country are ever boring. Why not say instead that when it is the same teams meeting each year their traditions add spice to each other. Rivalry is great in all sport. It is what tradition is all about. And I’ll go for a continuation of tradition any day. And never get bored with it.

So, roll on the next McBain Shield match in Lower Hutt; I’m not sure what the date of this year’s game between Petone and Hutt Old Boys’ Marist is, but I’ll try to be there to see that game played. It’s always the same two clubs facing off against each other; same colours; fantastic. It’s one of any number of the same games all over our crazy rugby country in any season. And none of them are ever boring.

1st XV Boring? Never!

35

General News Old Boys in Parliament

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lthough Wellington College has produced four Governor-Generals and one in Northern Ireland and five High Commisisoners to London as well as its share of Chief Justices, it has never produced a Prime Minister. (It was even suggested by F H Renouf some years ago that he might endow a scholarship to enable a boy from Wellington College to proceed to the study of political science; it was felt, however, that this could be less of a stimulus to a political career than respect for the art of politics and those who practice it ought be). A W Beasley The Light Accepted.

Role Leader of the Opposition Speaker Chairman of Committees Deputy Chairman of Committees Whip (Labour)

Name Term Thomas Mason Wilford 1920-25 Sir Matthew Henry Oram MBE 1950-57 Thomas Mason Wilford 1909-10 Trevor James Young 1984-90 Trevor James Young 1974-76

@ WC 1881-85 1898-04 1881-85 1939-43 1939-43

Ministers of the Crown & Parliamentary Undersecretaries

Thomas Mason Wilford (1881-85) 1917-19 Massey Ministry Justice, Stamp Duties, Marine 1928-29 Ward Ministry Justice, Defence Henry Greathead Rex Mason ( 1899-02) 1935-40 Savage Ministry Attorney General, Justice 1940-49 Fraser Ministry Education, Attorney General, Justice, Native Affairs 1957-60 Nash Ministry Attorney General, Justice, Health George Frederick Gair (1940-41) 1969-72 Holyoake Ministry Under Secretary Education, Science 1972 Marshall Ministry Customs 1975-84 Muldoon Ministry Housing, Regional Development, Energy Resources, Electricity, Mines, National Development, Health, Social Welfare, Transport, Civil Aviation, Railways and Met. Leslie Walter Gandar (1934-37) 1972 Marshall Ministry Science, Electricity, Mines, Fuel & Power 1975-78 Muldoon Ministry Education, Science & Technology Anthony George (Aussie) Malcolm (1958-58) 1975-84 Muldoon Ministry Health, Immigration Geoffrey William Fleetwood Thompson (1956-57) 1978-84 Muldoon Ministry Internal Affairs, Local Government, Recreation & Sport, Civil Defence, Arts William Lambert Young (1927-29) 1975-81 Muldoon Ministry Works & Development

Members of Parliament

Field, William Hughes (1861-1944) [1874-81]

Liberal and Coalition Reform: Otaki 1900-11 & 1914-35 Gair, George Frederick (1926-) [1940-41] National: North Shore 1966-90 Gander, Leslie Walter (1919-95) [1934-37] National: Manawatu 1966-72 & Ruahine 1972-78 Hancock, Hamish Stewart (1947-) [1961-64] National: Horowhenua 1990-93 Malcolm, Anthony George (Aussie) (1947-) [1958-58] National: Eden 1975-84 Mason, Henry Greathead Rex KC, CMG (1885-1975) [1899-02] Labour: Eden 1928-28, Auckland Suburbs 1928-46, Waitakere 1946-63, New Lynn 1963-66 Oram, Matthew Henry (1885-1969) [1898-04] National: Manawatu 1943-57 Peck, Mark Everett (1953-) [1968-71] Labour: Invercargill 1993-2005 Seddon, Thomas Edward Youd (1884-1972) [1898-02] Liberal: 1925, National: Westland 1906-28 Tait, Peter OBE, KBE (1915-1997) National: Napier 1951-54 Thompson, Geoffrey, William Fleetwood (1940-) [1956-57] National: Horowhenua 1978-84 Wilford, Thomas Mason KC, KCMG (1870-1939) [1881-85] Liberal National: United Suburbs of Wgtn 1896-97, 1899-1902, Hutt 1902-29 Young, Trevor James (1925-) [19xx-xx] Labour: Hutt 1968-78, Eastern Hutt 1978-90 Young, William Lambert (1913-) [19xx-xx] National: Miramar 1966-81 Wellington College c1965

School Zoning

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chool zoning is back on the political agenda this election as National promises to end Labour’s ‘rigid’ zoning restrictions.

The party’s policy is to give parents greater choice and to allow schools and communities to decide whether to use zones. Schools should be able to use other enrolments schemes - such as having a list of criteria that could include geographical location, siblings and children of former pupils - to select students.

Schools would also be encouraged to specialise in areas where they had strong skills, such as performing arts, and select students with interests in those areas. At present zoning is used at crowded schools that allocate any remaining places by ballot.

After local students, children accessing special programmes have first right of entry, followed by siblings of current students, siblings of former students, and children of board employees.

Labour says its policy is based on the concept that all students should have a right to attend their local school and to attend any other school they choose where possible. The party says if zoning were removed schools would be able to “cherry-pick” the students they wanted.

Many parents (including sons and grandsons of Old Boys) often opt for Wellington College and if they live out of the zone, have to apply under the ballot system. For other than traditional reasons, Wellington College appeals because of the single-sex education and because it offers the best opportunities, both academically and sporting.

Education officials say more families are shifting to the ‘right zones’, some even faking addresses to try and get their children into Wellington College.

Demand to get into Wellington College, says Headmaster Roger Moses, has been extremely high. A significant number of families have moved into the zone to get into Wellington College. More than 200 students living outside it had applied in 2004. Under the ballot system, only 18 were accepted and the 2005 ballot is much the same.

One of Wellington College’s great strengths historically has been the link with Old Boys, and the current act prevents sons of Old Boys having automatic right to enter the College.

Under the current legislation, schools such as Christ’s College, St Patrick’s (Town) and Wanganui Collegiate are able to foster family connections but we can not.

The school receives calls and emails every day from people trying to get their sons into the College.

Turning people away was sad, particularly if they are sons or grandsons of Old Boys.

Zoning was introduced in 1999 to stop overcrowding and to guarantee every student a place in their local school. Zones are good for real estate prices but appalling for education, especially in terms of parental choice.

36

General News The Friendly Cup Annual Cricket Fixture

T

he Friendly Cup Cricket fixture was established between Old Boys of Wellington College and St Patrick’s (Silverstream) on April 1, 1933 at Wellington College with annual matches taking place alternatively at Silverstream and Wellington College grounds. In 1939, being the occasion of the annual game at Wellington College, Mr Leonard McKenzie (1892-96), then Deputy Mayor of Wellington and President of the WCOBA presented for the first time what is known as ‘The Friendly Cup’. In presenting the cup, he emphasised that he wished it to be an outward symbol of the friendship existing between the two schools. He stressed the hope that the cup might never engender any spirit of competition for its possession, rather he felt; it should change hands automatically at each annual game. Thus if a batsman

looks like getting a feast of runs should retire at about (say) 30 runs, unless his side really needs his assistance so that each player has time at the crease. Similarly the bowling should be arranged to ‘temper the wind to the shorn lamb’ when an elderly batsman goes in to bat. The teams should maintain a preponderance of veterans or ‘Old Timers’ but a few young members are entitled to carry the strain of the bowling.

Thus the 2005 match took place at Wellington College on 3 April between these two teams.

Silverstream had the added advantage of including Old Boys from St Patrick’s (Town), which certainly assisted them in taking the victory for 169/9 over Wellington College (all out for 152) in the 30-over match. Our batting statistics included Scott Mudgway 45, Glen

Pocknell 15, Alan Sherlock 23, Chris Lendrum 22, David Sherlock 14, Richard Townley 7, Barry Jobson 4, Brett Windley 4, Neville Trendle 1 and Matt Beattie 0.

The day concluded with the presentation of the trophy by Captain Matt Beattie to the visitors and all players enjoyed afternoon tea in the Cricket Pavilion. The fixture was a glowing tribute to that fine body of Old Boys, who regardless of their particular ‘Alma Mater’, believed that friendship is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

If you would like to be part of the 2006 WCOB team to face Silverstream at Silverstream (date to be confirmed, but usually at the end of summer), please contact the WCOBA Secretary.

The Friendly Cup Aftermatch in the Wellington College Cricket Pavilion. Players from both teams enjoy the refreshments while Wellington College Captain, Matt Beattie recounts the score book, before presenting the Cup to St Patrick’s (Silverstream)

37

Reunions & Gatherings Class of 1965 Reunion plans are well underway

F

ollowing the overwhelming success of the 1964 reunion, we wish to ensure that reunions for ‘Forty Years On’ become an annual event for Old Boys of Wellington College. Around 30 Old Boys of the 1961-65 era have already registered their intention to be at this gathering, to take place on the weekend of 28-30 October, based at the College.

The weekend begins on Friday morning, with a full school Assembly, followed by a tour of the College. The afternoon will feature a golf match which should be highly contested.

That evening, a Cocktail Party will take place in Firth Hall with attendees and partners.

Saturday is an opportunity to catch up with classmates, tour the school and visit the sites of Wellington.

Saturday evening will see a formal dinner again in Firth Hall and the weekend will conclude with an informal BBQ for those staying on, on`the Sunday.

Going by the reports received from the Reunions covered in this issue of The Lampstand, new friendships have been formed and renewed, spanning 40 years plus. Memories have been revived and we hope that many year groups will consider meeting up again.

Please express your interest to be involved in the 2005 Class of ’65 Reunion to The Secretary, WCOBA, PO Box 16-073, Wellington or e-mail: oldboys@wellingtoncollege.school.nz. ____________________________________ Class of 1966 - start planning. We would like to carry this event around the same format in late October, 2006. Suggestions and notice of interest would be much appreciated.

Seeking Old Boys in Canterbury

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eter Morrison (1970-75) is hoping to hold a gathering of Old Boys at his establishment Mansfield House in Merivale. If you are living in Christchurch, whether permanently or whilst at University, or happen to be passing through, please contact Peter so an event can be formalised. Telephone (03) 355 3730 or mansfieldhouse@xtra.co.nz

Quadrangular 2006 - Wanganui

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he dates for the 2006 Quadrangular in Wanganui have yet to be finalised (keep an eye on our Website) but if you would like to arrange a reunion or gathering in Wanganui, please contact the WCOBA Secretary and we will endeavour to get a function in place as well as support our 1st XV in their quest for four Quad wins in a row.

Sixty Years On! - by Garth England

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t the end of August, eight members of 6R 1945 gathered at the home of Ian Doyle in Paraparaumu for the first reunion of this class in 60 years.

Four members in Australia were unable to come as were five in the north of New Zealand, but Eric Freeman rang from Perth and all eight had a brief chat with him. Eric has retired from a position of Ombudsman there.

We stood in silence while a roll of those who had died was called and we later drank a toast to the 18 absent friends.

The class details are: Ian Aarons (South Australia), Gerry Aburn (Paraparaumu), Alan Adams (D 1996), Eric Adams (D 2002), Gerry Barnard (Wellington), Graeme Bennett (Hamilton), Rex Bott (NSW), Ward Burnett (no information), Graeme Coates (deceased), Owen Conway (no information), Lewis Cornish (deceased), John Craig (Waikanae), Ian Doyle (Paraparaumu), Fred Duckworth (deceased), Garth England (Karori), Dick Fowler (D 2005), Eric Freeman (Perth), David Gifford (Havelock North), John Gwynn (deceased), James Henderson (deceased), John Hutton (Tauranga), Keith Jacobs (no information), Ian Johnstone (D 2004), David Lawson (Auckland), Bill Murray (no information), Wallace Neilson (no information), Euan Roberts (Sydney), Frank Rogers (D 1997), Hank Schwimmer (no information), Bryan Simpson (England), Mervyn Svensen (D 2003), Sydney Thomas (D 2005), Alister Thompson (no information), Dick Trevethick (Auckland), Walter Watkins (no information), Donald Welch (Lower Hutt), Edmund Williams (Pukekohe) and John Wylde (D 2001).

Garth has done a fantastic job in locating so many of his 1945 class and we extend our thanks to him for this very time-consuming but rewarding exercise. if you have any information on those for whom Garth cannot locate, please contact him on garthengland@paradise.net.nz.

Other Reunions...

If you would like to plan a weekend or gathering for any number of reasons; any era, sports, cultural, please drop the WCOBA Secretary a line. Younger and older Old Boys have queried such gatherings and we welcome of course any Old Boy to the College for a visit, tour, social gathering etc.

There was at one stage a proposal to have a ten-years’ on reunion but in recent years, interest has waned. Perhaps 15-20 years on may be a good place to start? Feedback Welcome!

Attention: Class of 1962-1966. Are you keen to follow the above format in late October 2006,? Please let the WCOBA Secretary know so dates and venues can be booked.

What was the Number One Song of 1966?

‘Good Vibrations’ The Beach Boys

Back: (L-R) Gerald Aburn, David Gifford, Jack August, John Craig, Gerry Barnard Front: Ian Doyle, Don Welch, Garth England 38

Lives of Note John (Jack) Barr 1932-36

Born: Wellington, 1919; Died: Waikanae, November 16, 2004.

J

ack Barr can take some of the credit for Wellington institution Kirkcaldie and Stains remaining the little Harrods of Lambton Quay. When he became managing director in 1961, the store was financially and stylistically in the doldrums and facing the challenge of a proliferation of boutique and mall shopping.

Kirks, as Wellingtonians affectionately call it, also had its age-old problem of position.

Shoppers had to be tempted to cross to that side of the street on the city’s golden mile.

Jack had no experience in retailing when he joined Kirks as company secretary in 1951.

His background was in the precise but dry world of accounting. He had graduated BCom from Victoria University, a degree he did parttime while working for the Guardian Trust in Wellington,after leaving Wellington College.

He pursued an accounting career in London, where he met his English wife, for four years before returning to become chief accountant at Leyland Motors. Then he joined Kirks.

He described his new job as a steep learning curve, but he learned quickly. In a decade, at 43, he succeeded the flamboyant Al Beuth as managing director. Mr Beuth had begun to bring Kirks into the 20th century and Jack, with his accountancy training and a frugal nature, ran the store as an even tighter but more attractive ship. He was a man who took a bus rather than a taxi and, in fact, walked to work from his home in Karori.

His skill - apart from his parsimonious financial approach - was in encouraging his employees.

Key people who mirrored his dedication included the creative Graham Roche, in charge of display, merchandising manager John Hargreaves and staff manager Helen Parnell.

“My role”, he said, “is to create the environment where people do their best work”.

He gave buyers complete control over their departments, believing what buyers buy, buyers sell. That did entail risk-taking and mistakes. When a young kitchenware buyer ordered ice-cube trays shaped as topless women, he laughed and said, not quite Kirkcaldies. The buyer sold the trays from under the counter.

Jack knew the store’s aging female clientele needed to be joined by younger cohorts with an eye for quality if Kirks were to survive for many more decades. The tight management team he orchestrated was able to engineer ongoing change and an up-to-date image without sacrificing the store’s reputation for high quality service and merchandise.

He quickly saw the benefit of storegenerated razzamatazz. When, in 1963, Kirks celebrated its centenary, cakemaker Adams Bruce in Palmerston North was commissioned to make the country’s biggest birthday cake. The crowd jostling for the 1000 pieces of cake upset Wellington traffic. While the cake was being cut, Jack was accosted

Jack was, in his retirement years, chairman of the New Zealand Kidney Foundation. He had had a kidney removed as a child because of illness.

thesis was based on a study of Wellington Hospital patients with peptic ulcers. After learning he had been awarded his MD, he travelled to England as a house physician at the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Heart and Lung, witnessed the first heart operation undertaken in England performed

by Lawrence O’Shaughnessy at the nearby Lambeth Hospital. Before returning to New Zealand he worked at the National Heart Hospital in London. In 1941, he became assistant professor in the department of medicine at Otago Medical School then served from 1943-46 in wartime hospitals in Cairo and Italy. He was resident physician at Wellington Hospital from 1946-1974. He was a Fulbright lecturer in medicine at the Harvard Medical School for six months in 1954. After retiring from Wellington Hospital he worked as a physician at Silverstream Hospital from 197482 and as medical superintendent in 1979. He also did a BA in history at Massey University in his later years. He was the author of Principles of Medicine, at one time a compulsory text for trainee New Zealand nurses.

JB (John) Bullock 1930-31

KR (Ken) Cassells 1937-41

by police, who told him he had contravened the lottery laws. His reaction was to speed up the distribution of the cake. The store was duly convicted of holding an illegal lottery, the fine went to charity, and 100 token-bearing cake-eaters collected their prizes.

The extensive centenary celebrations gave the store a fillip and within two years, Kirks was reported to be, on the basis of earnings growth, easily the best-performed quoted retail stock in recent years. Its performance outstripped that of leading stores in all other main centres, a great beginning for Jack Barr’s era.

He retired in 1985 and took a seat on the board (which he retained till a few years ago).

He had been with the store for 34 years and head of it for 23 and had seen it recover from financial uncertainty to solid profitability.

Actor. Born: Bromley, England, Ju1y 17, 1917; Died Wellington, November 3, 2004

J

ohn Boisleux Bullock played Arthur Alan Thomas’ father in the film Beyond Reasonable Doubt.

An accountant, Bullock was better known as an actor, often in tandem with his wife Marie, who was a playwright. Bullock was the only child of the Reverend William Bullock, later the Archdeacon of Wellington. The family moved to New Zealand from Britain in 1919 when Bullock was a small child. He worked in the head office of Boots the Chemist for more than 30 years. He and his wife were involved with the Thespians, Unity Theatre, Wellington Repertory Theatre and Bats Theatre. He appeared in many of his wife’s British Drama League award-winning plays. In the 1950s he was in the cast of the radio comedy It’s in the Air. After his retirement in 1978 he became a regular actor on television’s Close to Home, playing farmer Russell Digby. He also played the part of the bus driver in Vincent Ward’s film State of Siege and the heroine’s father in Gillian Armstrong’s Mr Wrong.

JV (James) Cable 1922-25

Born Wellington, March 24, 1908; d Wellington March 15, 2005.

J

ames Verney Cable undertook the first haemodialysis in Australasia in 1958 and founded the first renal unit at Wellington Hospital. The unit preceded renal units established in the four main centres by 1964.

As resident physician at Wellington Hospital, James Cable was in a powerful and respected position. He had been an outstanding student at Otago Medical School, topping his class in second year anatomy, passing with distinction and winning a gold medal. His MD 39

Local historian and rail enthusiast. Born: Wellington February 28, 1926; Died: February 2, 2005

F

or generations of Tawa kids, Ken Cassells’ home was the place to be when he was having a ‘steam up’.

For hundreds of others in more remote parts of the country, Ken, 80, was their teacher at the Correspondence School. He was away from home for up to two months at a time, visiting children in their homes and running the residential school for them at Massey College - tasks, teachers at the school are no longer required to do.

He also wrote a string of books, mainly on historical subjects – the New Zealand Navy, and railway history, especially on trains that ran in the Wellington and Manawatu regions, as well as the history of Tawa.

Unusually, during World War II, he served in four branches of the armed services - the home guard, the army and the navy and ended up as an officer cadet in the Fleet Air Arm in Britain when the war ended. He undertook all these tasks conscientiously - though his family remember him as a kid at heart.

Ken loved wearing a New Zealand Railways engine driver’s hat when he was running his live steam locomotives around the elevated multigauge model railway line that encircled his home - which, not surprisingly, was near the main trunk line. His son, Ross, recalls kids and their parents would come from miles away when they heard “Dad was having a steam up”. He would set up wagons behind the loco for the kids to ride on.

Ken was born in Wellington and was a greatgrandson of George Nye, who came to Wellington in 1840 and was an early settler at Foxton, where he built two schooners. Mr Nye helped build early railways in the Foxton area, which sparked Ken’s interest in the subject.

Three of his books, The Sanson Tramway,

Lives of Note The Foxton and Wanganui Railway and Uncommon Carrier, the history of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company 1882-1908, documented the history of railways in the lower half of the North Island.

Coolahan, Gwen Morris, Penny Ormerod and John Lethbridge.

John was born in Karori in 1930. He went to Wellington College, taking weekend art classes at the old Technical College.

He went to Brooklyn School and The first art book he bought was on Wellington College, where he Picasso, who became an important won the Stanley Hutchen Prize role model- not for his style, “but that for research on the history of New he seemed to me to stand for a kind of Zealand Railways. After leaving freedom for people to be themselves”. school in 1941, he joined the railways as an engineering cadet and, being In 1948 he went to Wellington Teachers’ too young to go overseas, he served created Training College, which he found to be ge id br w ra D hn in the signals corps of the home Hall. Artist Jo ted aluminium an ‘extraordinary, enlightened’ place ive Reception ade up of pain m guard. Part of these duties included Beeh is It .

73 19 for viewers where he was introduced to music and mural in wall of colour reestablishing the phone lines after the the ides a shifting contemporary literature as well as a wider ov pr d an ll. s ha strip the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake. moving across sphere of art. He also met artists such as Colin McCahon and Gordon Walters.

After a year in the Army, he was accepted quintessential works of their time. by the Navy at 18, and served in the Pacific, In a subsequent year of teacher training in including the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Dunedin he met poet Charles Brasch, who His luminously coloured paintings and and Bougainville, as an able seaman on precise prints were largely exhibited in became an important patron, publishing the sturdy New Zealand-built kauri-hulled his prints and photographs in Landfall and dealer galleries in the capital. The large Fairmile patrol vessels, whose duties retrospective of his work, Wide Open Interior, buying his work. included chasing Japanese submarines. mounted at the City Gallery in Wellington in In 1993, he published the book Fairmile In the summer of 1949-50 he produced a 2001 and a small version of which showed Flotilla that detailed the construction of these later in Masterton, never made it north to series of watercolours for a National Film Unit vessels, their war service and what later production, The Ascent of Mount Aspiring, Auckland, where he was less well known. became of them. and spent six weeks in the Southern Alps Drawbridge was not a self-promoter. with cinematographer and later famous He was a foundation member and later photographer Brian Brake, composer As an artist he was independent and president of the New Zealand Railway and Douglas Lilburn and James K Baxter, who concerned with beauty and harmony. The Locomotive Society, and in 1946 was involved was to compose a verse commentary for origins of much of his work, he said, lay in in setting up the New Zealand Model Railway the mm which, because of the death of an the atmospheric elements of the earth and Association. He was involved in other clubs, actor, was never completed. An hour-long in humanity. A break in the clouds from including the Hornby Association. documentary for television on the expedition, 20,000 feet, looking down on to snow; the much of it narrated by John, was recently sun beating hard on the sea in the evening; On his return he decided to be a teacher and produced by Gibson Group. flat country and trees under flood waters; studied at Wellington Teachers College and a barmaid in Paris; these are a few of the Victoria University as a rehabilitation student, impressionable moments.

In 1957, John was awarded a National Art Gallery graduating in 1952. He taught at a number of travelling scholarship and studied at the Central primary and secondary schools before joining “My work is about the feeling of a thing, be it a School of Arts and Crafts in London, where he the Correspondence School in 1953. In 1961 met his future wife, Tanya, a silversmith and landscape or an indefinable idea. I do not like he was a foundation teacher at Tawa College sculptor, before moving to France. to be categorised at all. Freedom to express and later rejoined the Correspondence School. whatever idea I have is very important, and In London in 1963, he had a successful solo as my range of thought is wide my work may In 1967 he joined UNESCO and, after seem enigmatic to some people”. exhibition at the Redfern Gallery and saw his a period in Paris, was commissioned to New Zealand House mural unveiled by the develop a correspondence-based teacher Queen before heading back to Wellington to He was impervious to the post-modernism training programme in the newly independent paint and teach. of the 1980s and 90s, following his own Botswana, which won considerable praise. direction. Contemporary fashions did not He later went to Tanzania to help set up a He was often asked why he returned to New distract him. Printmaking did not command similar programme. He then returned to the Zealand after his early success in London. the same kudos as painting but that did not Correspondence School, becoming a Deputy keep him from a form explored by artists he Years later he observed that he did not relate Principal in 1976. to the way British artists needed to become admired, such as Rembrandt, Goya, Bonnard typecast before being recognised and and Picasso.

He retired in 1983 to pursue his interests in promoted by critics and the art fraternity. “I writing and historical research, producing the He was very concerned with the formal was scared that the price of possible fame in book Tawa - Enterprise and Endeavour in that society would limit my freedom to paint aspects of printmaking, and was the first 1988. as I felt. I knew then that perhaps the best printmaker in New Zealand to win what was then a major international prize at the way for me to retain artistic freedom would JB (John) Drawbridge be to return to New Zealand”.

10th International Exhibition of Drawings 1944-47 and Engravings at Lugano in Switzerland in MBE, Artist. Born: Wellington, December And to Wellington. He and Tanya lived at 1968. Previous winners had included David 27, 1930; Died: Wellington, July 24, 2005.

Island Bay and his relationship with the sea Hockney, Picasso and Jacques Villon. and skyscapes there influenced much of his ohn Boys Drawbridge, 74, was one of work. Artist friends also enjoyed the stark, John experimented with a range of the country’s finest artists, a printmaker, beachfront location. McCahon, for example, techniques, including etching, but in his painter and muralist. The huge aluminium a fellow-teacher, stayed there. Drawings for later years confined himself to mezzotint mural he completed for the Beehive in the the famous Rita Angus painting of the boats and drypoint in which he found a vehicle for at Island Bay were done from the porch. lightness and precision.

J

1970s and his earlier work for New Zealand House in London - returned to hang in the National Archives building - will remain very much a part of the country’s history,

He taught painting and printmaking and was a generous and supportive communicator of technique and beauty. Pupils who later excelled in printmaking included Kate 40

In 1967 his abstract evocation of Island Bay, given by the New Zealand Government as a gift to Canada on its centenary, sparked a newspaper controversy because of its non-

Lives of Note representational nature. It still hangs in Ottawa.

Just as he did not set out to be controversial nor did he set out to deliberately forge a high profile. His modesty, his love of printmaking and his creative life centering on Wellington probably militated against him having the high-priced reputations of many of his contemporaries. But his place in the country’s creative history as a remarkable artist with great skills is undeniable.

FF (Frank) Evison 1937-38

OBE, FRSNZ. Seismologist and Geophysicist. Born: Christchurch, March 20, 1922; ed Christchurch West High School, Wellington College, Victoria University, Imperial College of Science and Technology London. Radar Officer RNZAF 1942-45, Geophysicist DSIR 1950-60, Superintendent Seismological Observatory DSIR 1960-64, Director Geophysics Division DSIR 1964-67, Professor of Geophysics Victoria University 1967-88, Emeritus Professor 1988-2005; Died: Wellington, January 25, 2005.

F

rank Foster Evison was born in Christchurch. He graduated from Victoria University with a BSc in Physics in 1944 and an MA(Hons) in Mathematics in 1946.

During this time he also served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, becoming commissioned and the commanding officer of a radar station. After the war he gained a Diploma from the Imperial College of Science & Technology and a PhD in geophysics from the University of London.

On his return to New Zealand, he worked in exploration geophysics with the newlyformed Geophysics Division of DSIR. He contributed to the International Geophysical Year of 1957 by demonstrating, using surface wave dispersion, that Antarctica was a continent with a crustal thickness of 30-40 km (Nature 1959, v.183:306-8). He gained a Nuffield Fellowship in 1957 and a Fulbright Award in 1963.

In 1960 he became superintendent of the Seismological Observatory, a section of Geophysics Division, and in 1964 he became the Division’s director. He was an able administrator. During his directorship, the New Zealand seismograph network had a major upgrade, and many new stations were installed. At the same time he suggested an alternative explanation for observed palaeomagnetic pole rotations, namely that they resulted from the slow flow of continental rocks under gravity (Nature 1962, v.194: 644-46). As a reason for poles’ rotation it may have been wrong, but the idea that continental rocks could behave as fluids anticipated such thinking by decades.

An example of Frank’s direct approach to science is given by Evison’s Wall. In the 1960s, there were many scientific questions about

the newly important Alpine fault, including whether, like parts of the San Andreas Fault, it was creeping. Frank considered that periodic surveys to test this would have been very expensive. Instead, he arranged to have a wall built across the fault at a location near Maruia. The wall still stands there, unbroken.

The Alpine fault did not creep!

In 1967 he was appointed inaugural Professor of Geophysics at Victoria University of Wellington. Four years later he established the Institute of Geophysics. His vision was for an interdepartmental Institute with associate members outside the university, to provide a linkage for all those in Wellington who were active or interested in geophysics. It remains today as an area of research strength at Victoria, notwithstanding many institutional changes over the years.

In the early 1970s Frank began research into earthquake forecasting which continued until his death. His interest in earthquake occurrence was firmly rooted in his view that because earthquakes were a social threat that caused loss of life and suffering, it was the job of science to do something to mitigate this threat. He was persuaded that the Earth signalled its preparation for large earthquakes. If one could read those signals, warnings could be given and lives and property saved. The fact that prediction was difficult, that others tried and failed, and that yet others were sceptical that it was possible at all, did not deter him. An idea must be persisted with until it was proved to be wrong.

This persistence led him into many heated arguments. His suggestion that earthquake faults may be ‘but a gross form of earthquake damage’ (Bull. Seism Soc. Am 1963, v.53: 873-91) enraged his geologist colleagues.

Later he admitted privately: “I was wrong, of course, but I had a lot of fun.”

His first interest in earthquake precursors was in the then newly proposed idea of dilatancy: that at a critical state of stress cracks would open in rocks, thereby altering their mechanical properties. Fluctuations in a precursory swarm could, Frank believed, be used quantitatively to forecast the subsequent main event (Nature 1977, v.266: 710-712). At about this time he started his collaboration on this work with a statistician, David Rhoades. The partnership continued until the day of his death.

Prediction of consequences from a theory is intrinsic in science. He firmly believed that an assessment of reliability had to be part of any forecasting method. He was so firm on this point that he successfully persuaded a New Zealand Prime Minister that a public announcement of a forecast was inappropriate because the method was inadequately tested. In discarding what he rightly called the anecdotal approach to earthquake prediction and insisting upon what is now known as prospective testing, Frank was decades ahead of the rest of the world.

In the late 1970s, scientific enthusiasm for earthquake prediction burgeoned. Frank helped to formulate an International Code of Practice for Earthquake Prediction. In 1979 he headed a UNESCO conference on earthquake prediction in Paris, and was secretary and later chairman of the 41

Commission on Earthquake Prediction of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth’s Interior.

In time, scientific enthusiasm waned; the view that earthquake prediction is impossible began to prevail. The arguments for this did not persuade Frank. As time went by and new data came to hand, the model for precursory seismicity evolved, reaching its culmination with the Precursory Scale Increase (Pure and Applied Geophysics 2004, 161:4772) in which Frank and David provided 47 examples of an increase in seismicity prior to large earthquakes in California, GreeceTurkey, Japan and New Zealand.

He made a full contribution to the academic life of the university through teaching, research and administration, and was an active member of the Professorial Board.

He retired from the chair of Geophysics in 1988, but remained an active researcher as Professor Emeritus. He also continued to make a collegial contribution through social intercourse with staff and students, debating not only science but also the events of the day, politics, music, and any of his other interests that happened to be under discussion.

Outside his work, Professor Evison was a man of many interests. His love of music made him a frequent attender at New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and chamber music concerts, and at home he was a keen pianist.

He was also an avid climber and tramper, in early years taking his family for summer tramps in the Orongorongo Range, east of Wellington. Skiing was another passion he enjoyed till the last two years of his life.

Even while ill he remained interested in movements under the earth, checking data from the Boxing Day earthquake that led to the Asian tsunami for more clues that could help predict the big ones in future.

WS (Bill) Fraser 1942-46

Born: Lower Hutt, 1929; Died: December 2004.

W

illiam Smyth (Bill) Fraser, 75, was managing director of P&O New Zealand, a company he joined in 1946, from 1985-92 and was a key figure in New Zealand shipping throughout his career. He played a leading role in the introduction of containerisation into New Zealand in the 1970s, the setting up of the Shipping Corporation of New Zealand, the move to deregulating the waterfront and the conversion of the old harbour boards to company structures throughout the country.

In the 1980s he was involved in the move to shipping produce on the basis of contracts directly negotiated between shipping lines and exporters. He was passionate about maintaining traditional trading links and helped ensure there were strong shipping services between New Zealand and Europe.

To this end he fought many a successful battle with his London colleagues. He retired in 1992 as head of a company which, with consolidation of the shipping industry, including the acquisition of the Shipping Corporation of New Zealand and ACT, was the largest in the country.

Lives of Note Eric Geddes 1945-47

Salvation Army bandmaster.

Wellington March 19,1931; Wellington, February 8, 2005.

Born: Died:

B

rass bandsmen all over the country knew Eric Geddes, 73. He also had an international reputation, travelling with the Wellington Citadel Band twice to Japan, and to Canada and Britain, where one of the band performances was at Buckingham Palace.

Eric joined the band as a teenager in the late 1940s, initially playing the cornet. Thirty years ago he became the bandmaster and conducted till a few months before his death.

For many years from the 1940s, New Zealanders regularly heard the band play live over the radio.

It was an era when live music was common on the wireless and 30 or so band members would gather for regular performances.

This national exposure for the Salvation Army band created an appreciative support base that grew with regular concerts and a succession of long-play recordings.

Apart from its regular Salvation Army commitments, the band also played at hospitals and institutions and, on a Saturday evening, outside that den of drunken souls, the old Royal Oak in Dixon St. It was a form of musical evangelism in hope the gospel message and spiritual values would be absorbed.

Eric was a singer as well as a musician and bandmaster and was largely selftaught in these skills. His interest in music surfaced early. At nine he was playing brass instruments. As a teenager he played the cornet to a level that saw him promoted to E flat soprano cornet in the band, no place for the musically or temperamentally insecure.

He swapped his cornet for the baton in 1974 on the retirement of legendary bandmaster Bert Neeve.

Highlights of his long conducting career were the trips to Japan and the one to Canada and Britain two years ago. When Pope John Paul II visited Wellington, Dame Malvina Major invited the band to accompany her at the main indoor service and they also played outdoors at Athletic Park.

Eric also conducted the Salvation Army’s national youth band till a few years ago, and the Wellington divisional seniors’ band from its inception in 1999 till late last year when ill health prevented him from carrying on.

His parents and grandparents were also members of the Salvation Army so it was no surprise he chose a similar path in life. He grew up in Wellington and went to Wellington College, where he excelled at cricket. In his teens he represented Wellington in the Brabin Shield and at the end of the tournament was named the finest Colts

batsman in the country. He played first-grade cricket till he was well into his 30s and was a premier rugby player after leaving school.

His working life was spent in management positions in the clothing trade in Wellington.

BR (Brian) Gibson 1942-44

Information Technology Specialist. Born: Wellington, August 11, 1928; Died Christchurch March 20, 2005.

W

hen computers were in their infancy and took up vast amounts of space, Brian Rees Gibson, 76, was a government specialist in them. He was already competent in electronic data processing when he was sent by the DSIR for further training in England in 1964 and subsequently installed what was the fastest computer in New Zealand. The Elliott 503 was valued at the time at £140,000. It was a marvel of its era.

Data had to be fed into it after being printed on to fast paper tape. It sprawled across a floor of the Rankin Brown building at Victoria University where the DSIR had its applied mathematics division. The university and the DSIR both used it. Earlier, while he was managing the New Zealand Time Service for the DSIR in the Dominion Observatory in Kelburn, he was instrumental in converting the official clock from mechanical to electronic. Mr Gibson began his working life as an apprentice electrician with Wellington Hospital, which was not far from his family home in Island Bay. In his eight years there he made improvements to several pieces of equipment, including inventing a lightweight earphone more user-friendly for fragile patients than the cumbersome one generally in use. He left the hospital for the DSIR and then, in 1969, took a job with the State Services Commission where he was involved in managing several significant installations, including the Cumberland, Pipitea, Wanganui and Trentham computer centres. By 1982 he was the Government’s senior adviser on information technology. He managed, as acting general manager, the transition of the computer service division of the State Services Commission to an autonomous agency, Government Computer Services.

Mr Gibson retired in 1986 and consulted on computer technology.

AM (Alistair) Macleod 1933-37

Born: Wellington, 25 February, Died: 20 January, 1999.

1921;

A

listair Mackaskill Macleod was educated at Wadestown Primary School and Wellington College (1st XV 1937). He then went on to Victoria University and Wellington Training College. In 1942 he was called up for military service and served in the NZ Army Ordnance Corps (Radar), rising to the rank of lieutenant and was discharged in 1945.

Alistair returned to complete his degree in Radiophysics and his MB ChB at Otago University, completing his medical degree in 1953. Alistair then spent three years with the Northland Hospital Board, followed by one year as a GP locum in Auckland.

In 1958, Alistair commenced his radiology training at the various hospitals under the 42

auspices of the Auckland Hospital Board and completed his DMRD at the Sheffield Royal Hospital in 1961. Alistair was elected MRACR in 1969. On his return to NZ in late 1961, he was employed by the Auckland Hospital Board until he was invited in 1964 to join Ken Mayo at the Middlemore Hospital where they worked together until Ken’s premature death in 1981. Their radiological skills complemented each other’s and both of them enjoyed their work and uncomplaining did an on-call roster of one in two.

Alistair introduced arteriography and the other interventional procedures appropriate to the 1960s-mid 1980s. Some of the tasks were performed on equipment less sophisticated than those available to the radiologists at Auckland Hospital. Alistair quietly got on with the task at hand and this was characteristic of any task he undertook. In addition, he took a special interest in the gynaecological and obstetric work that was performed at Middlemore and also the polytomographic studies for anatomy and pathology of the inner and middle ear.

Alistair took over as the Head of the X-ray Department in 1976 and held this post until 1987. Although a reserved and private sort of person with a droll sense of humour, he performed this leadership task well and was a strong advocate for modern equipment. He succeeded in obtaining a CT scanner for Middlemore in the year of his retirement, which must have been a pleasing achievement with which to end his full-time, long commitment to Middlemore. Alistair had a part-time appointment at Middlemore until his retirement in 1989.

D

CA (Cathel) Macleod 1940-44

r Cathel Alexander Macleod, died on March 14 at Piper Shores, Scarborough at age 78. He attended Wellington College and was an accomplished athlete winning the 100 yards and second in the 220 yards in 1944. He was also in the 1st XV that same year, as well as winning the Middle Weight Title in Boxing and being in the 2nd XI, these accomplishments bringing him the E O Hales Prize for All Round Sport. A knee injury ending his rugby career, followed by a kidney injury. Later in life, Cathel developed arthritis and had a knee replacement.

He took up refereeing and coaching and in his forties – waterskiing.

In 1953, Cathel graduated from Otago University School of Medicine and completed a residency in medicine, and received a fellowship in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic 1957-59. Cathel sometimes took positions in medicine that were not popular, but that he felt were right. This sometimes put him at odds with his colleagues but even the people he disagreed with acknowledged that he was highly principled.

Cathel was present at some pioneering moments in the history of cardiac medicine.

He was an early flag bearer in interventional cardiology and Cleveland was the cutting edge place to be for it.

He taught the early cardiologists in Maine and they subsequently taught others in the state. There

Lives of Note was a huge teaching component to his career.

Another unique aspect to Cathel’s career was more political than technical. He insisted that cardiologists were specialists and needed to do just cardiology and not internal medicine.

He didn’t envision the techniques that were to come, but he knew that in order to be as good as they could and to provide the best service, they need to do just cardiology, and not hernias or gall bladder operations.

After Cleveland, Cathel obtained a position as cardiac research fellow at Guy’s hospital in London in 1960. He then returned to New Zealand, but the desire to pursue interventional cardiology caused him to leave. He returned to the Cleveland clinic, but subsequently took a position at case Western Reserve University in 1965 because of the opportunities to run a catheterization lab, become involved in paediatric cardiology, and teach.

In 1973, Cathel was recruited to go to Maine to run two new catheterization labs, and to teach the existing cardiologists coronary arteriography. The Maine Medical centre became the busiest lab in New England, participated actively in research trials of new therapies, and trained the current generation of practicing and teaching cardiologists.

In 1990, Cathel stepped down as director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. He retired in 1995.

CW (Chris) Nyberg 1957-61

Businessman. Born: Antwerp Belgium, May 27. 1912; Died: Wellington, January 7, 2005. hristian Wayne Nyberg, 92 came to New Zealand from Belgium in 1915 as a threeyear-old with his mother and brother. The three had travelled to join his father, banished to New Zealand after he had guaranteed, as head of his family’s commercial interests, his family’s substantial forestry and shipping fortune on an investment that failed. The reunion between his father and mother was not successful.

C

Mr Nyberg was brought up by his father in Wellington, attended Wellington College, and then worked for two cigarette companies before moving to the printing industry in 1946.

In 1950 he set up his successful printing business, Packwell Cartons Ltd, in Feilding.

He served three terms as a Feilding Borough councillor. He held high office in the Masonic Lodge and was active in the National Party; in 1962 he became district governor of the local Rotary Club and in that year was reunited with his older brother Gunnar, who had been taken to Melbourne by his mother when the family split in 1915. The two had ultimately returned to Belgium.

An Apology

I

t is with much regret that we record an error made in the 2004 Lampstand by recording that Warwick de Bathe Brandon has passed away, when in fact he has not. We extend our sincere apologies to Mr Brandon for any distress or embarassment this unfortunate error may have caused him.

I

t is with regret that we mention the passing of the following Old Boys, recorded since the 2004 Lampstand was issued. Some are recent, some we have only just been notified of. There will also be some names missing, of whom we have not been notified of.

We wish to extend to each family, our deepest sympathy in their loss.

Surname, Forenames Allan, Arnold Howard Anderson , Lester Harald Bailey, John Patra Lauder Baird, Bruce Wallace Barr, John (Jack) Bellamore, Kenneth Noel Bookman, Bernard Bramwell, Richard Warwick Bramwell, Morris Digby Brown, Arthur Maxwell Bullock, John Boisleux Burbush, Eric Henry Cable, James Verney Carkeek, Graham Cassells, Colin Winton Cassells, Kenneth Ross Collins, Crenold (Pup) Stephen Collins, John David Dodson, Dennis Alan Drawbridge, John Boys Elorfi, Omar Evison, Frank Foster OBE Flux, Harold George Fraser, William (Bill) Smyth Geddes, Eric Gibson, Brian Rees Gifford OBE, Peter Townshend Graves, Brian Briton Haworth, Roger William Hitchcock, Dennis Robin Hobson, Peter John Hollyman , Kenneth James Holmes, David Wakefield Jackson, Albert Alfred Maxwell Keall, Norman Cross Law, Richard James Leverton, John David Lockie, Ian Macdonald Macleod, Alistair Mackaskill Macleod, Cathel Alexander Martin, Kenneth Alexander Maunder, Lindsay Healey McAllum, William Brereton Fenwick McGuire, James Willaim McIntosh , Douglas Charles Nalder, Donald Nicholls, Gwyn Wallis Nicholls JP, George Medhurst Nyberg, Christian Jean Alphonse Pocknall, Derek James Reeve, Murray Leonard Reeves, William John Reynolds, George Thomas Saunders, Ross Steele, Ian Cunningham Thomas, Sydney Herbert March Turney, Douglas George Underhill, Noel Scott Upham, Kevin Wells, Glenn Peter

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Years’ at College 1937-1938 1954-1956 1949-1950 1938-1940 1932-1936 1941-1944 1934-1934 1952-1955 1949-1952 1948-1951 1930-1931 1920-1921 1922-1925 1941-1942 1962-1966 1937-1941 1942-1946 1931-1935 1948-1950 1944-1947 1993-1994 1937-1938 1917-1920 1942-1946 1945- 1947 1942-1944 1935-1939 1959-1963 1935-1937 1958-1962 1943-1945 1934-1938 1965-1968 1941-1942 1934-1936 1988-1989 1961-1964 1944-1948 1933-1937 1940-1944 1912-1913 1953-1957 1938-1942 1923-1925 1928-1929 1944-1948 1941-1945 1943-1945 1926-1930 1933-1936 1942-1946 1941-1944 1928-1930 1944-1946 1931-1931 1941-1945 1941-1944 1946-1950 1954-1956 1968-1972

DOB 19/12/19 30/11/39 03/08/33 18/04/23 20/03/19 21/06/27 27/12/17 17/11/38 24/08/35 14/09/35 17/07/17 12/08/06 24/03/08 02/02/27 02/01/49 28/02/24 04/07/27 18/07/17 27/04/34 27/12/30 17/01/80 20/03/22 28/01/04 05/10/29 19/03/31 11/08/28 03/05/22 16/01/46 10/06/22 02/10/44 06/02/29 28/01/22 12/02/52 30/04/28 01/05/21 13/08/74 18/07/47 23/10/30 25/02/21 05/02/27 22/01/98 30/09/38 15/02/25 26/03/09 23/03/16 17/02/31 09/12/28 10/03/30 27/05/12 04/03/20 04/07/26 16/02/28 10/03/14 27/06/28 23/02/16 30/11/27 29/06/28 24/12/32 30/07/40 14/05/54

DOD 13/04/04 Date not adv.

24/10/66 08/10/03 16/11/04 27/05/04 Date not adv.

22/10/04 07/2005 10/06/04 03/11/04 23/10/75 15/03/05 29/08/05 22/03/05 28/02/05 27/04/03 03/2001 07/01/05 24/07/05 2005 25/01/05 Date not adv.

12/2004 08/02/05 20/03/05 04/06/03 Date not adv.

14/09/04 04/05/05 20/03/04 26/08/04 15/05/05 1958 03/04 2002 11/01/03 05/2002 20/01/99 14/03/05 1958 2001 27/04/05 1998 Date not adv.

07/11/03 1995 11/12/04 07/01/05 19/05/05 Date not adv.

2003 28/01/04 08/11/04 12/03/04 23/06/05 Date not adv.

11/10/03 21/02/05 08/2003

Classifieds

L

ast year, we gave you the words to Forty Year’s On. This year we give you the words to the school song, which we unearthed in the Archives.

However there was no music, so if anyone knows the music, please contact the College Archivist, Paddianne Neely.

LUMEN ACCIPE ET IMPERTI Our fathers toiled long through the darkness, To win us the blessings of light.

By the sweat of the brow oft they triumphed, And we must continue the fight.

Notwithstanding their brilliant achievements, There are millions of heights still to climb, Endless powers of Nature to harness, Vast fields to explore in brief time.

So through all the days before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us in the cause of progress Take the light, and hand it on.

Some led by the lure of endeavour .

Took their lives in their - hands and sped far Over ocean or wilderness, ever Making knowledge their bright guiding star.

They discovered new lands o’er the waters, They founded new nations therein, They made the grain grow in the desert, Thus lightening’ the lot of their kin.

So through all the days before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us help in pioneering Seize the torch, and hand it on.

Some, seeking perfection of beauty, Made loveliness live in our sight.

They welcomed hard tasks as their duty, And steadily pressed towards the light.

By the power of inspiring example, They taught us the value of art In portraying the glories of Nature Can we, in our turn, do our part?

Yes, through all the days before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us, in the cause of beauty, Bear the torch, and hand it on.

Some taught us the magic of language In rousing the spirit of men, And brought untold pleasure to millions By the pathos that flowed from the pen.

By their eloquence hard hearts were softened, By their power great causes were won, They directed the conduct of nations; Let us follow where they have begun.

And through all the days before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us seek our nation’s welfare, Bear the torch, and hand it on.

Some, seeing in Nature unfolded A hint of the reign of a plan, Discovered the marvels of science, And raised the whole outlook of’ man.

Some freed the mind from its errors, Some made the body more whole, Some bestripped death of its terrors, Each steadfastly pressed towards his goal.

So through all the days before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us, in the cause of knowledge.

Seek the light, and hand it on.

Some made their mark in the playground, Winning many a game that seemed lost.

For famous fifteen or eleven Never counting the personal cost.

When the Empire itself was in danger, They hastened to answer its call.

And in countless grim struggles in Europe, They valiantly risked and gave all.

So through all the ages before us, Like our sires in ages gone, Let us, in the cause of freedom.

Take the light, and hand it on.

Memorabilia

The Wellington College Uniform Room stocks a selection of College memorabilia including badges, pens, umbrellas, beer mugs and scarves. Please call the Uniform Shop on 04 801 5069 for more details.

The WCOBA office stocks Old Boy Ties and Lapel Pins and can be ordered using the WCOBA feedback form.

Silver Lapel Pins WCOBA Tie

$3.00 $22.00

WCOBA ANNUAL FUNCTION Wednesday, 12 October 5.00pm Firth Hall, Wellington College $20.00pp Details on Page 5 All Old Boys Welcome!

Old Friends

Ever wondered what happened to all those people you shared your school days with? Where are they now? Register on the www.oldfriends.co.nz website and you may be able to find that team-mate, the kid you bullied or conversed with around the school.

The site (free for the basic package) requires you to register, but once sorted, you can find those who have registered under Wellington College.

Moving? News?

Please keep us infomed of your changes. Any change in your details, or news you may have can be phoned, faxed, emailed or mailed to the WCOBA Secretary at the address below. Please help us to keep the database up-to-date and accurate.

WELLINGTON COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION PO Box 16-073, Wellington, NZ Telephone: (04) 802 2537 • Facsimile: (04) 802 2541 E-mail: oldboys@wellington-college.school.nz www.wellington-college.school.nz 44