Editorial It was pointed out in the recent AGM that we have been living beyond our means. In the past, we could cope with a $20 subscription which was enough to enable us to print and mail out our Annuals and newsletters. The subscription was raised to $25 some years ago, which kept the wolf from the door. But inflation has taken its toll and unfortunately, the subscription has been raised again. It should now be some $38, but we have kept the increase to $35 for now and are seeking further sources of income. As well, we would like to send out our newsletters by email to all those who have email addresses. This will cut our postage bill considerably, a necessary step since the cost of postage is due to increase in July. This newsletter has been formatted to allow us to eliminate the cost of envelopes for those newsletters which must be posted. It may be necessary to charge members whose newsletters are sent by ordinary mail, an extra amount to cover postage. AGM There were about 25 members present at the AGM, which was held at the Riverboat Centre on April 17th, 2016. Three of our committee stalwarts: Pauline Walton (Treasurer/Membership); Gloria Barr (Secretary), and Murray Laing offered their resignations which were accepted with regret. They, plus Alan Donald (our Chairman), were given Certificates of Appreciation for their service over the years. Robert Wills was also to have received a Certificate, but he unfortunately was absent. Pauline Walton was also made a Life Member as a reward for her very many years of service to the Friends. The cost of printing our Annuals and postage are our big-ticket items in our spending for the year, and they barely cover our income from subscriptions. After discussion, in which it was pointed out that the subscription has not kept track with inflation, there is a need to make the Annual reflect present day expectations of a publication by having colour illustrations between the covers, and a general desire for the Friends to be able to do more within the community, it was decided to increase the subscription rate to $35 as well as to actively seek new members. Alan Donald was re-elected as Chairman, Graeme Moffatt was elected as Treasurer/Membership and Wayne Shaw was elected as Secretary. Committee members are: Jim Parnell (Editor), Julie Paques, Robert Hoyle, Jonathan Parson, Murray Ware, Jim Campbell, and Robert Baldwin. Jim Campbell spoke about the Tama Upoko at the Whanganui District Council, and the upgrade of the viewing point at the top of the Gentle Annie. This is a joint WDC and DoC project, to which the Friends are making a donation from its Arthur Bates and Ada Liddell legacy investment account. Jim then introduced Jasmine Hessell, Operations Manager at DoC in Whanganui. DoC’s restructuring has given Whanganui a District Team in the charge of Jasmine. She spoke about some of the projects that DoC are doing in the Whanganui River catchment. After the recipients of the Certificates had cut the very tasty Cake of Appreciation, afternoon tea was served. OTHER NEWS At its last meeting, the Committee decided to support four projects by way of donations from its Arthur Bates and Ada Liddell legacy investment account. These projects were considered to be fully in line with the wishes of Arthur and Ada, and are as follows: $500.00 to the Friends of the Mangapurua - to help with their initial set-up costs etc. $5000.00 to the Taumarunui Museum Trust to help them finance a commemorative memorial at the Mangapurua trig. This is dedicated to the Returned Servicemen who worked the 3 valleys. The memorial was unveiled at this year’s Anzac Day service at the trig. $6000.00 (which is still to be invoiced), towards improving the view site at the top of the Gentle Annie lookout to the entrance of the Whanganui River adventure zone. $500.00 (which is still to be invoiced by Dept of Conservation) for a new map of the river journey in the entrance to John Coull Hut. Anzac Day Ceremony 2016 at the Mangapurua Trig They came on foot, on horseback, trail bikes, on quad bikes and other farm vehicles - even by helicopter, some 200 of them, to the Mangapurua trig to remember the servicemen who survived the Great War and settled in the Mangapurua area. Some 200 descendants of those settlers, members of the Friends of the Mangapurua, the Friends of the Whanganui River and the Taumarunui Museum Trust were there for the ceremony. On the roadside by the trig corner, now stands a memorial to those servicemen. They arrived one hundred years ago and sweated their hearts out to turn the bush country into pasture, only to have their efforts turned to nought by land which never should have been cleared and a world-wide depression. Many walked off their farms with nothing to show for years of hard labour. Those that stayed to the end were beset by extreme weather conditions which wrecked the road access and so were evicted by an un-sympathetic government. The valleys in the Mangapurua were truly valleys of ruined dreams. The memorial, which the Friends helped to finance, is a black triangular pyramid with an axe embedded in its apex. It is on a concrete plinth which continues the lines of the memorial stone to the ground. On the sides of the stone are listed the names of the settlers in the north, south and east valleys of the area. The axe symbolised the means by which the bush was cleared. The first picture shows the side of the memorial which displays the names of the settlers of the north valley. The second one is of our Chairman, Alan Donald, addressing the gathering, and the third is of the plaque at the bottom of the memorial. Congratulations to Trevor Gibson. We know him best as the skipper of the Waimarie, but he is also heavily involved in maritime safety and for this, he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in the latest Queen’s Birthday honours list. In the past, he has been a commercial fisherman, Whanganui Harbourmaster, and a Sea Cadet Officer (he is still with them, but as a civilian instructor). Also, he is a life member of the Whanganui coastguard. Pictures Wanted Pictures on, in, or about the River, with descriptive captions which tell (if possible) of their what, where, when and why (if there is a why). Please send them to the Editor of the Annual. Also wanted are pictures of the stairway that once gave access from the beach up to the lookout on the isthmus at Kirikiriroa. It was removed as part of the fall-out from the Cave Creek disaster in 1995. Message from Pauline Walton (ex Treasurer, now retired): I'd like to acknowledge the many members I have got to know during my time as Treasurer for Friends of the Whanganui River. Thank you for your notes and letters. It has made the job very personal and interesting and I wish you all well. Pauline. FOTWR Executive for the Coming Year Chairman: Alan Donald. 06 345 0895. [email protected] Treasurer/Membership: Graeme Moffatt. 027 660 3094 [email protected] Secretary: Wayne Shaw. [email protected] Annual Editor: Jim Parnell. 06 345 1642. [email protected] Mailing Address We are in the process of getting a Post Box address. In the meantime, mail may be sent to: c/o 8 Titter Place, Springvale, Whanganui 4501. Email Addresses As we wish to save money on postage, we would like to send your newsletter to you by email. If you would like them to be sent to you by this medium, please let us know your email address. Proposed Film Night We have booked the Davis theatre for the evening of the 12th July, for a film evening and supper. Details will be published in the Wanganui Chronicle, Midweek and the River City Press closer to the event. An interesting evening is assured. Temporary Slipway Proposed The Waimarie must pass its five yearly survey before it can take passengers again, and this necessitates drawing the boat out of the water so that the underside of the hull can be cleaned, inspected and painted. But this year it can’t use the Q-West facilities as the area in front of the slipway would need to be dredged first. And anyway, their yard is busy. So the PS Waimarie Riverboat Restoration and Navigation Trust is proposing to create a temporary slipway on the riverbank adjacent to Kowhai Park near the Dublin St Bridge. Railway tracks will be laid down the bank into the water, and the Waimarie will be hauled up them on specially designed cradles. The work will take about three weeks, and is timed for August. They intend making it a public occasion and will be inviting everyone to come and see the old ship pulled up out of the water. Lighting Up The Bridges The suggestion was made late last year that the bridges should be painted in vivid colours to help make Whanganui a brighter place to live in. Subsequently, a proposal was put up by Councillor Rob Vinsen that the Dublin St bridge should be illuminated. A span of that bridge has been fitted with a trial lighting installation. Initially, it was inadequate and further lights were fitted. Public comment is now being sought. Mr Vinsen said that the intention is to continue the blue theme used further downstream [eg; between the iSite and the riverboat Museum], but what has been provided has the versatility of changing the colour when wanted.