You are here : Home : News & Events : Newsletters : Newsletter - May 2009
Update Your Profile
By Filling In This Form
Update Your Profile
By Filling In This Form
The Otago Boys' High School Foundation
PO Box 11,
Dunedin, New Zealand
Tel +64 3 477 2546
Fax +64 3 477 5468
May newsletter –
Breakfast with Richie McCaw
* Tickets are still available to Old Boys and their connections (family, friends, work mates and the like) for breakfast in Dunedin with the All Black captain Richie McCaw (1994-98, Head Boy 1998) on Tuesday 9th June.
The All Blacks will be in the city preparing for the first test against the French at Carisbrook on Saturday 13th.
The Foundation is joining forces with the Otago Secondary School Sports Association which is hosting its annual sports leaders’ breakfast with the function scheduled for the Alhambra Union rugby clubrooms at the North Ground on Great King Street. Richie will talk about leadership before answering questions from the floor and posing for photographs.
Tickets are priced at $40. If you wish to attend, please contact the Foundation – 03/4778977 or info@obhsfoundation.co.nz with your name and the number of tickets required.
Old Boys’ tracking
* Thank you to those who came forward with contacts for ‘lost’ Old Boys after the sending of the April newsletter link. This was greatly appreciated.
Our database continues to grow with about 7,000 Old Boys now receiving the newsletter and being kept up to date with Foundation, Old Boys’ Society and school activities. With the 150th celebrations now just over four years away, it is imperative ALL living Old Boys are tracked along with details about those who have passed on.
To help speed the process, the Foundation would appreciate any information with regard to the location of those still unaccounted for. Please check the Class Lists (top left side of the Foundation website’s Home Page – www.obhsfoundation.co.nz) where the names of those still missing are easily identifiable.
The Foundation (+64/34778977, info@obhsfoundation.co.nz) would welcome an email or postal address or even a telephone number. Thank you.
Thank you again.
Registrations for 2013 sesquicentennial
* Registrations for the school’s 150th celebrations are being taken and almost 150 Old Boys have so far indicated their attendance in August 2013.
If you wish to note your interest in being involved, please do so through an email to the Foundation (info@obhsfoundation.co.nz) or a telephone call (+64 3/4778977), the message to include your full name and years of attendance.
Foundation members
* Since the April newsletter, the following Old Boys and connections with the school have made pledges or donations and have been registered as Members of the Foundation –
Old Boys’ Society
* A reminder from the Society’s President Norcombe Barker that 2009 subscriptions are now due.
Annual subs are set at $30 while a one-off payment of $350 will secure a Life Membership as well as an entry level membership of the Foundation.
The bulk of funds generated this year will be put towards repair work and maintenance at the Mt Aspiring lodge along with helping Year 10 and Year 13 boys who face hardship issues in being able to assistance with visit the lodge with their classes.
Congratulations
* Professor John Danesh (1986) has recently learned his University of Cambridge Department of Public Health and Primary Care has been rated the best institution in the United Kingdom for research in Epidemiology and Public Health.
The ranking has been made by the Research Assessment Exercise which evaluated the research output of all UK universities – in all disciplines – between 2001 and 2008.
At 32 years of age John, who was Dux in 1986 and awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1992, was the youngest person ever to be appointed a professor of medicine at Cambridge University. This appointment was made back in 2000.
John trained at the University of Otago and the Royal Melbourne Hospital before specialising in Epidemiology at the London Hospital School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at the University of Oxford. He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 2007.
Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine.
He leads a research group of over 30 staff and students investigating the genetic, biochemical and lifestyle determinants of cardiovascular disease in large-scale epidemiological studies. He has authored over 100 scientific publications that have attracted about 7000 citations to date and he leads several international data pooling collaborations.
John has been the head of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge since 2001, a department comprising about 200 staff and graduate students and annual research grant expenditure of about £5 million. Major developments in the department during this time have included:
John is also a member of the project grants committee of the British Health Fund; the study design expert advisory group of the Wellcome Trust; the UK MRC College of Experts; the UK Biobank International Scientific Advisory Board and the editorial boards of PLoS Medicine and Human Genomics. He is co-director of the Strangeways Research Laboratory.
While Otago Boys’ High School is eagerly looking forward to its 150th celebrations in 2013, Cambridge University is currently marking its 800th anniversary, having been established in 1209!
* John Wilson (1962-66), a Dunedin-based anaesthetist who has served in the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps in the Vietnam War, East Timor and Afghanistan was promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel this week.
Col Wilson’s military anaesthetic and surgical work had varied widely from working in local hospitals to ‘‘full on military stuff’’, dealing with people whose legs had been blown off, or who had suffered gunshot and mine-inflicted wounds.
While the actual work was not that different from civilian work, where doctors could be dealing with major trauma from events like road accidents regularly, a major difference in the military work was having the ability to work under difficult conditions. Often, there was less back-up, less equipment, demanding workloads and sometimes less than safe conditions.
One goal Col Wilson is working towards is trying to get a deployable surgical team for times of conflict or disaster, but ‘‘it is easier said than done’’.
Unlike in the United Kingdom or the United States, the defence force does not employ full-time surgical and specialist staff, and military specialists get their training and work in the civilian sector. Col Wilson works mainly at Mercy Hospital with a smaller amount of time at Dunedin Hospital.
To attract doctors to the job and maintain their interest, significant and meaningful exercises had to be held regularly, otherwise they were likely to go and work with other organisations, such as Save the Children or Medicines sans Frontieres, he said.
Col Wilson had a family history of military involvement. His father was in the Royal New Zealand Medical Corps during World War 2. His own association with military began in 1962 when he joined the New Zealand School Cadet Forces. From 1968 to 1972, he served in the Otago University Medical Company. He was deployed to Binh Dinh, in Vietnam, with the 1st New Zealand Services Medical Team in 1971. On return, he served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force Active Reserve from 1972 to 1977, and then served as a regular force officer in the air force with the rank of squadron leader from 1978 to 1983.
In May 2000 and August 2001, he served in East Timor with the New Zealand Defence Force as a civilian. He joined the Territorial Force of the New Zealand Army in 2002 as a medical officer in the rank of major, and was posted to the 4th Battalion (Otago and Southland) Regiment. He was deployed to Afghanistan from December 2004 to February 2005. In August 2005, he was posted to the 2nd Health Support Battalion in Linton and, in October 2005, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and posted to army general staff as one of the assistant directors of medical services.
With his promotion to colonel, he will assume the role of assistant director of medical services, providing specialist input to army policy on medical matters and capability development. He will play a critical role in the development of Territorial Force medical capabilities that will support the regular force.
* Geoff Davies (1961-63) has become the first person in the United Kingdom’s Agricultural Engineers Association’s 134-year history to have been elected for a second term as President.
His re-election caps a fine beginning to 2009 with Geoff, the Managing Director of the massive Alama Group Europe, completing his Doctorate in Business Administration in February.
Interestingly, despite the gloom of the current global economic climate, farm incomes in Britain had increased 36% in 2008 with Dr Davies suggesting in his address to the AEA annual meeting that the situation should remain positive.
With agri-businesses looking to again fulfill the conventional role of food production and with top quality machinery needed to achieve the best results, AEA members ‘be cheerful’ he said. He told the annual gathering the key to providing ultra-productive and inherently safe and enduring reliable machinery lay with effective research and development.
Dr Davies is a Trustee member of the Foundation.
School news
* Matt Aitken (Year 12) has been named the top male athlete at the South Island Independence Games after playing a major role in the Otago’s team success.
Matt won 10 gold medals - five in athletics and five in swimming at the championships in Christchurch. It was his fourth Independence Games and he displayed experience and maturity to help his younger team-mates perform at their best with Otago winning the team’s event for the first time.
The Independence Games are staged for children with intellectual and physical disabilities.
‘‘It was special for me to win the top male trophy and to help Otago win the teams event as well,’’ Matt said.
His gold medals came in the 100m (15.50sec), 200m (31.50sec), 600m (2min 08sec), shot put (9.16m), discus (22.19m), 25m freestyle (24.38sec), 25m backstroke (29.82sec), 25m breaststroke (35.31sec), 50m backstroke (1min 07sec) and 50m breaststroke (1min 27sec).
He is now the leading figure in sport for the disabled in Dunedin and is seen as a shining light in the two sports and Independence Games movement with his dedicated approach to training.
* Otago Boys’ is one of six Otago secondary schools are blazing a trail for others to follow as they convert their old coal-fired school heating boilers to burn wood pellets.
The school is one of the first in the country to make the conversion and is part of the Government’s pilot study of the impact it has on the school and surrounding environment.
It was hoped most schools across New Zealand would convert to wood pellet-fired boilers by 2013, which had a significant impact on carbon emissions. Some reports suggests schools using the pellets have slashed their carbon footprint to a 40th of what it was.
Silent Auction – Friday 15th May in the Shand
* The hard working Parents’ Association will be staging a Silent (and live) Auction on Friday night.
Funding raised will go towards resources at Mt Aspiring Lodge (new mattresses, kayaks etc) and school classroom resources.
More than 100 items will be on offer with viewing available from 6.30p.m. onwards, refreshments and nibbles will be served and a fun and entertaining night is guaranteed.
Among the items to be offered are - original pieces of artwork by John Toomer, Bruce Hodgson, Ron Esplin, Maria Kemp, Salu Acklin, Elizabeth Marshall, Kirsty Clayton, Alvin Pankhurst and designer jewellery by Kirsty Clayton, Sandie den Dulk, Kendall Allum. Garden shed, snowboard & discount voucher for bindings, Gyro water biscuit, duvets and pillows, delicious food: meat, produce, honey, pickles, home baking, chocolates, hampers, a grand selection of wines (cases, magnums, bottles), mirrors, shelving, bags, clothing, homeware products, tools, umbrellas, sleeping bag. A enormous range of vouchers – gourmet food, tourist attractions, a bungy jump, jet boat rides, Milford Sound day trips, gold mine tours, Larnach Castle, Monarch Wildlife Cruise, Albatross Centre, Sports Hall of Fame, ski, boot & poles or snowboard & boot hire, Rebel Sports voucher, beauty products, accommodation for holiday home use, hotel & motel (various destinations), NumberWorks tuition, petrol, movies, warrant of fitness, Commercial printing, 2 hour colour & design consultation, ODT subscription, compost, firewood, cat & dog vaccinations, teeth whitening, eye examination, professional golf lessons.
Please support the Parents’ Association whose very fine efforts make a tangible difference to projects funded for present-day pupils.
Tea pot adds to school’s archival treasure trove
* A great deal of energy is now being expended in sorting through the school’s vast archival store with a long-term view to the construction of a purpose-built museum.
This is likely to be housed in the Shand Building.
Photographs will be catalogued and will be available for downloading from the school and Foundation websites, all manner of archival material will be on display in the museum itself and the real problem for our archivists, Dave Goodman and Barry Stoddart, will be deciding what to include rather than what to leave out.
In recent days Dave has uncovered a rare treasure.
A teapot (seen by clicking here) complete with the Otago Boys’ High School logo was imported, possibly almost a 100 years ago.
Made by Grafton and Sons in England specifically for Arthur Barnett Ltd in Dunedin its history remains largely unknown. Grafton and Sons is no longer in existence and many of the Arthur Barnett records were destroyed in a fire in 1959.
If anyone else has one of these teapots and knows when it was acquired new– one suggestion it was for the school’s 50th or 60th anniversary – then Dave would be delighted to hear from you. He can be contacted at the school (+64 3 4775527).
Old Boys’ news
* Thank goodness for Dunedin’s bowls stadium!
The annual Otago Boys’ versus King’s High Old Boys’ bowls confrontation was shifted indoors after the Tainui greens flooded due to a deluge of rain and hail … and it was only early autumn.
Both school’s fielded seven foursomes, although there were some grumbles with Bill Butler (1946-49) ‘leading a hand’ to King’s by playing for them after a late withdrawal. Whether Bill was ultimately influential has yet to be determined but King’s again won the contest, this year rather too easily, giving them three successes in a row.
Included in the Otago Boys’ representation was again a team from Owaka. One of the suggestions for next year is to include a team of present day boys from each school, allowing a full rink of eight teams and 64 players to enjoy the day.
The results were – King’s 9 wins and 2 draws (108 points), Otago Boys’ 3 wins and 2 draws (76 points).
Old Boys in the news
* Cricket coach Mike Hesson (1988-92) has revealed he will likely make his next season with Otago his last but is excited about his future after being invited to join a new Sparc coaching programme.
Mike is one of six rising coaches included in the programme which is aimed at honing their skills where Sparc, under its Coach Accelerator concept, says good coaches will be turned into great ones’’.
The inaugural intake consists of Hesson, Willmott, All Black assistant coach Steve Hansen, Central Pulse netball coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, New Zealand track cycling assistant coach Dayle Cheatley and New Zealand junior rowing coach Dave Thompson.
Mike, who is also in charge of New Zealand A, was one of 40 coaches to apply for the six positions and is delighted to have been included in the frist intake. After a number of years under the guidance of cricketing great Glenn Turner (1961-64), Mike took the reins of the Otago side four years ago and has built an impressive record.
Under him, Otago has won a State Shield and a domestic twenty/20 title, has contested three other finals and has promoted six players into the Black Caps.
The Coach Accelerator programme is aimed at addressing a shortfall of world-class coaches in New Zealand. Financial support and professional development training will be provided for the six coaches, while a further five coaches will be selected each year.
* Dr Jim Salinger (1961-65), one of New Zealand’s top climate scientists and possibly the school’s only Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been fired from his job at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
The high-profile scientist is reported to have been sacked for ignoring a new Niwa policy against speaking publicly without approval.
Jim, principal scientist on climate at NIWA and a world-renowned authority in climate change and variability in New Zealand and the southwest Pacific, was one of a handful of New Zealanders on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which has been awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. The IPCC, which works closely with the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Programme, combined the expertise of 500 weather and climate specialists from around the globe with the work completed forming a blueprint for the ways needed to slash gas emissions in the years ahead to prevent disastrous consequences.
In reporting Jim’s sacking, TV One stated NIWA had accused him of serious misconduct after he took part in a programme the channel produced about glaciers. He was said to have assisted TVNZ weatherman Jim Hickey with climate-related inquiries.
The Green Party has been vocal about Jim’s removal, suggesting all government scientists would now be nervous about their jobs and New Zealand is on a slippery slope when trying to provide Kiwis with a greater understanding of our climate is a sackable offence.’
Party co-leader Jeantette Fitzsimons said scientists should be able to help the public and the media with scientific problems, particularly around issues like climate change.
‘‘An investigation is needed into how it came to be that one of New Zealand’s foremost scientists was frogmarched out of his job for what appears to be trivial and petty reasons,’’ she said.
And Greenpeace said it wanted answers from Niwa and the Government.
‘‘Dr Salinger has done some amazing work to educate New Zealanders about climate change and he is highly respected internationally,’’ Greenpeace senior climate campaigner Simon Boxer said.
Only 18 months ago, Jim was praised by NIWA for his working relationship with the media — the very reason given for his firing.
Documents seen by The Press newspaper showed the Crown research institute principal scientist was highly regarded by his employers as late as last year. In his employment review for the year ended June 30, 2007, Jim was congratulated for his expertise, teamwork and communication abilities, The Press reported.
‘‘Well-known by public as an expert on climate matters, [Dr Salinger] has a very responsible and accountable attitude to his work,’’ the review said.
He also had ‘‘a high public profile as a climate expert and [is] the face of Niwa to the media’’. A handwritten note last year acknowledged Dr Salinger had ‘‘rebuilt the relationship with TVNZ’’.
Jim is taking a personal grievance against NIWA over his sacking, and is considering whether to extend the case to include a claim of unjustified dismissal.
In recent days Jim has taken up an unpaid Honorary Research Fellowship in the School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Auckland. His Presidency of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology for the World Meteorological Organisation will continue, not being affected by his dismissal from NIWA.
* Old Boys and their sons played a part in continuing a legal tradition in Dunedin last week as six second and in some cases third generation lawyers were admitted to the bar.
Twenty-two lawyers were admitted to the bar in a ceremony in the High Court at Dunedin on Thursday
High Court judge Justice Christine French said Dunedin had always been known for its legal families and that ‘‘wonderful, proud tradition’’ continued with a ceremony where six fathers moved their children’s admission to the bar.
‘‘It must be a record to have so many at one time,’’ she said.
It was great to see that the ‘‘love of the law proved to be so enduring’’, she said.
The families were Walter Rutherford (1955-59) and Tommy Rutherford (1998-2002), Gary and Michael Stocker, David and Andrew More (1999-2003), Cliff and Victoria Brunton, Geoff Mirkin (1965) and Jonathan Mirkin and Catherine and Len Andersen.
Andrew was the third generation of his family to be admitted to the bar and was moved not only by his father but also by an uncle, Fergus More, and an aunt, Mary More.
‘‘It’s an honour to follow in their footsteps,’’ he said in his speech.
* Two Old Boys were among those made life members of the Otago Peninsula Trust last week.
Ben Naylor (1937-41) and Laurie Stewart (1949-53) formed part of a quarter which met on Tuesday for afternoon tea at Glenfalloch Woodland Gardens, an appropriate place considering it was one of the trust’s first major projects.
The trust is the oldest private charitable trust in New Zealand, and some of those awarded life memberships are tied to its establishment in 1967.
Chairman John Jillet described them as ‘‘exemplary’’, very deserving people who had made a longstanding commitment to the trust.
Laurie was part of the group that formed the trust and served on its first board. Among other things, he organised the tracks on private land leading to Lovers Leap, and in recent years he had been ‘‘very much involved’’ with Fort Taiaroa.
Ben had made a major contribution to Glenfalloch Woodland Gardens through fundraising and volunteer gardening. He had also served as chairman of the board and was central to reducing the trust’s debt after it built the Royal Albatross Centre.
Recent deaths
* We extend our condolences to the families of the following Old Boys –
John Alexander Russell (1942-45), died in Christchurch on 16th April 2009 aged 80. John was a retired lawyer, a past President of the Otago University Law Students’ Association, served on the Otago University Students’ Association executive and was a Lieutenant (Reserve) with the Royal New Zealand Army. A Memorial Service was held in Queenstown conducted by the Rev Keith Robertson (1942-46), a fellow student with John. Keith, who later was a Master at the school, made reference to their time at Otago Boys' as students with the Watt brothers - Arthur 'Dreamy' and Michael 'Mick'. They were the first brothers to teach at Otago Boys' at the same time while Keith and his brother Gray (Horse - 1940-44) were the second set of brothers to teach together at the school.
Justin Rennie Robinson (1993-96), died in Auckland in early-May as the result of a brain haemorrhage, aged 29. Justin was the son of Rennie Robinson (1969-73) and the brother of Nick Robinson (1995-98) and Tim Robinson (1998).
Toni Leamoni Ramsay (1987-89), died in Charters Towers, North Queensland on 3 May 2009, aged 35.
Ham (Thomas Hamlin) Lusk (1936-39), died in Palmerston North on 7th May 2009, aged 86. Ham was a retired bank manager and served as the treasurer of the Palmerston North branch of the Old Boys’ Society for a number of years.
* We also extend our sympathies to –
Murray Ryalls (1945-47) whose brother-in-law Ray Adamson died on 16th April 2009.
Brian Priggen (1969-70) whose father George died in Ranfurly on 16th April 2009.
Alister Sutton (1980-81) whose father Emeritus Professor Richard Sutton died in Dunedin on 17th April 2009.
Bill Boyd (1939-40) whose daughter Helen Boyd died in Dunedin on 19th April 2009.
Ben Jaquiery (2001-05) and Jed Jaquiery (2003-07) whose grandfather Bill Bailey died in Dunedin on 20th April 2009.
Mark Sheridan (1975-76) whose father-in-law Mike Whitty died in Dunedin on 21st April 2009.
Cory MacDonald (1990-94) and Shane MacDonald (1993-97) whose father Rex died in Dunedin on 22nd April 2009.
Roy McKenzie (1957-58) whose mother Tui died in Christchurch on 23rd April 2009.
Robert Mawson (1969-73), Gregory Mawson (1972-76) and Bruce Mawson (1974-78) whose aunt Betty Crawford died in Invercargill on 24th April 2009.
Stewart Jenkins (1949-52) whose father-in-law Eric Jones died in Oamaru on 27th April 2009.
Carl Acklin (1981-82), Paul Acklin (1983-87) and Christopher Acklin (1986-90) whose grandmother Margaret Acklin died on 27th April 2009. Mrs Acklin was the great grandmother of Daniel Acklin (Year 12).
Vaun Alexander (1987-88) whose father John died in Dunedin on 28th April 2009.
Ken Pow (1970-74) whose father Robbie died in Dunedin on 1st May 2009.
Brian Race (1956-59) and Alan Race (1963-66) whose mother Jean died in Dunedin on 2nd May 2009.
Robert Semke (1965-69) whose father Henry died in Dunedin on 7th May 2009.
Peter Nixon (1972-76) whose aunt Eunice Nixon died in Dunedin on 8th May 2009.
Griff Humphreys (2000-04) whose grandfather Harry died in Dunedin on 9th May 2009.
Wayne Hill (1960-61) whose mother-in-law Pat McGee died in Oamaru on 10th May 2009.
Steve Davie
Chief Executive
