Tawa Historical Society Incorporated

 

The Tawa Historian

Newsletter #7 – March 2003

 

INTRODUCTION
This newsletter will serve not only to bring members up to date on matters discussed at our last two committee meetings, (on 27 January and 3 March) but also as an invitation to attend a members’ meeting on 7 April 2003 at 7.30 pm in the Tawa College Parent Teacher Associations Centre at Tawa College.

7 APRIL 2003 MEMBERS’ MEETING
Members will know that our Constitution requires us to hold a members’ meeting early each year.   Much of what follows in this newsletter will be dealt with in a little more detail on 7 April, and members will have opportunity to question committee members on the work thus far.

It may also be an opportunity to put some minor constitutional matters to the meeting.   Most of these relate to recommendations made to us by the Inland Revenue Department to allow members to qualify for tax exemptions on donations to the Society.   If we are in a position to do this we may well form ourselves into a Special General Meeting for this purpose, before proceeding with regular business.

AGM – 4 AUGUST 2003
Members are advised that our AGM will be held on 4 August 2003 in the TCPTA Centre, Tawa College.

TAWA COLLEGE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS
As members will note, the committee is now meeting on a regular basis at Tawa College.   It had been our intention to meet in the Old Council Chambers, but there was a significant cost attached to this, and it required that a security firm open the building for us at each meeting.   On two occasions the security person did not arrive at the appointed time.   Additionally we were going to have to pay the equivalent of a member’s sub to the security form each time and this did not seem to us a good use of your money.   Tawa College has very kindly offered us space in which to meet at a very minimal cost.

It seemed appropriate to the Executive (in view of the Constitution’s aims) that we should try to broaden interest in the Society, and make some contribution to Tawa College at the same time.   We therefore resolved to offer Tawa College students the opportunity to do some research into any aspect of Tawa’s history; to write it up; and to submit that research to the Society.   This we have done after discussion with the Principal, Mr Lucas, and we will offer prizes of $100, $50 and $25 for the best three research topics submitted to us.  

We have also offered a place on the Executive to a member of the History Department of Tawa College.

FINANCIAL REPORT
Club funds at present stand at $2,335.  We have 56 members.   Subscriptions are still outstanding from 18 of our founder members and these will be followed up on an individual basis.   As you will see, the Society will need funds for some of the exciting projects listed below.

OUR THREE MAJOR PROJECTS FOR 2003
Members will be aware, since our last newsletter, of the three projects we are pursuing with as much vigour as we can muster during 2003.   They are:
1.   Publication of a new or expanded version of the WCC’s Northern Suburbs Heritage Trail,
2.   Placement of an “Information Board” showing two possible Heritage Walks through Tawa,
3.   Plaques marking the alignment of the Old Porirua Road through Tawa.

Progress to date has been :
Barbara Fill of WCC Heritage staff has met with the Chairman.   She has spent some time in our district and has prepared a revised version of the Northern Heritage Trail which she will submit to the relevant historical societies, including our own, for comment.   The committee has discussed two possible historical trails through Tawa.   Both will start at the Mervyn Kemp Library.   The first walk will be a “Northern Circuit”, and the second a “Southern Circuit”.   Barbara Fill has been given this information and we have settled on the routes.

We have obtained the good services of Mr Rod Clark who is preparing a draft mockup of a possible board, which will not only include the suggested walkways but also some text and pictures.

At our last meeting it was resolved to make applications to a funder to ascertain what level of support there would be to finance this project.   Rough quotes we have received indicate a cost of some $10,000 to make and install brass markers in footpaths to mark the route of the Old Porirua Road.

THE AMMUNITION DUMP – TAKAPU VALLEY
Phil Harland has received a good response to our request for information on this subject and we hope to be able to determine its exact location shortly.   More information will be given at our meeting on 7 April.

MEETINGS FOR 2003
The Executive will be meeting at Tawa College’s PTA Centre at 7.30 pm on the following dates : 7 April, 5 May, 16 June, 7 July (if required), 4 August (AGM), 1 September, 6 October (in the College Library), 3 November and 8 December.   All these dates are Mondays.   Members are most welcome to attend any of these meetings.   In general they finish by 8.30–9.00 pm.

With best wishes

Yours sincerely



Bruce Murray
Chairman

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