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The Otago Boys' High School Foundation
PO Box 11,
Dunedin, New Zealand
Tel +64 3 477 2546
Fax +64 3 477 5468
Foundation members
* Since the September newsletter, the following Old Boys and connections with the school have made pledges or donations and have been registered as Members of the Foundation –
Pledges and donations have now passed $740,000.
Sir Archibald McIndoe Bequest Society
* Indicating they’ll be making a commitment to the Foundation through their will and, therefore, becoming members of the Society in the last month, are –
Dinner with Merv Hughes
* Last week’s Biennial Dinner, featuring former Australian cricket Merv Hughes as guest speaker, was a spectacular success.
Hosted in the Dunedin Convention Centre, the dinner attracted 420 guests with this being a mixture of Old Boys, their families, friends and work mates, and the general public.
Our thanks to the dinner’s major sponsors – Radio Dunedin and HRV Otago (in the innovative hands of Matthew Strang (1987-92) and Simon Dickson (1987-91) – along with DB Breweries, Villa Maria Estate, Cableways Tavern and Liquorland (Dave Lamont 1966-70 and Murray Galland 1969-73), the Mornington Tavern and the Dunedin Convention Centre with the support of all seven ensuring a successful evening of entertainment.
The Foundation’s former chairman, Jonathan Usher (1983-87) kick-started the night with his world class magic act which had the crowd enthralled and intrigued. Jonathan’s range of tricks, illusion and banter was met with amazement with most of the men wanting to know how he could regenerate a crushed and empty beer can into one full of freshly brewed ale while the women especially enjoyed his ability to turn a $5 note into currency of $100.
Merv was our guest speaker and he regaled us with stories from his playing days and from around the Australian national selection panel table (he was on the ‘phone immediately after the function, involved in a conference call with his fellow selectors as they named their latest side for the one day series against India), commentary on his days as perhaps the pre-eminent sledger in world cricket, and with his thoughts on the game globally.
His address was very funny and his personality engaging.
The evening ended with the call on a horse race, from deepest northern Queensland. ‘Merv’s Maiden’ was staged in honour of our guest with some significant dividends paid out to the three successful tables.
It was a terrific night.
Merv also spoke in Wanaka the previous evening, where 150 Central Otago Lakes Old Boys’ Society members and the general public gathered at the Lake Wanaka Centre.
Getting him into Wanaka was interesting. Merv’s Qantas flight was unable to land at Queenstown Airport due to poor weather and carried on to Invercargill. No problem for the intrepid event organiser Mat Andrews (1975-78) though – he organised for Wanaka Helicopters to fly a two pilot Squirrel to Invercargill to rescue our Australian guest and we were underway less than an hour later than originally scheduled.
The Wanaka event was generously supported by Parker Warburton Team Architecture (Ken Warburton 1959-63) and Wanaka Lanscapes Ltd (Don McKinlay 1959-63). The assistance given by Wanaka Helicopters was also pivotal to the success of the evening.
Lost contacts
* In recent weeks we’ve lost contact with the following Old Boy and any help in determining his new addresses would be welcome –
Congratulations
* Celebrating a milestone birthday this week was former Dunedin Mayor and Foundation Senior Fellow Stuart Sidey (1922-25), who turned 99 on 8th October.
Reunions
* The 50th Reunion of the 1957 intake will be held in Dunedin this weekend with about 50 Old Boys and their wives or partners set to enjoy each other’s company.
* The Reunion for the year groups 1964 to 1967 will be hosted on 16th and 17th November in Dunedin.
Good numbers have registered for this weekend but there is always room for more.
Your points of contact are Ross Graham (rmgraham1@aapt.net.au) and Michael Esdaile (mail@takeme2.net)
Where are they now?
* Tim Gibson (1972-75) is the Chief Executive of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, based out of Wellington.
After initiallycontemplating following his father into law, Tim worked briefly in industrial relations and then returned to Dunedin, enticed home by the then Donaghys managing director Nat Craig and later working under Graeme Marsh (1947-51), the Foundation’s Patron.
In 1990, he began a career with the Dairy Board’s mergers and acquisitions division, rising to Chief Executive of North Asia, based in Tokyo, before returning home to a key role overseeing the dairy industry’s interests in the deregulation of producer boards. He later oversaw restructuring of the Anchor business in the United Kingdom, before having what he called a gap year, to run Kapiti Cheese in the North Island.
It was his varied business experience which prompted an approach in 2003 to oversee the merger of Trade New Zealand, Industry New Zealand and Invest New Zealand into what is now New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
Tim says his private enterprise experience gave him ideas of what NZTE clients wanted. His latest position is a mix of excitement and an appreciation at what New Zealand businesses are achieving, but tempered by some concern at the lack of acknowledgement by the wider population of the importance of exporting.
He believes New Zealand needs to be better at celebrating industry and companies that are prepared to invest capital and take the risk of going into the international market place. He is also an advocate of the view the manufacturing sector was healthy and far from a spent force, as some believed.
Looking to the future, Mr Gibson said the core of New Zealand’s economy would remain pastoral based, but there would be a significant industry built on technology associated with sustainability, climate change, traceability and production yields. He says a key to the future was to get a greater appreciation of the need to export and to encourage more people in to science and technology careers.
Recent deaths
* We extend our condolences to the families of the following Old Boys –
Dr Alan Herbert Caselberg (1940-42), died in Wellington on 29th August 2007, aged 81.
Dave (David Howard) Millar, who taught at Otago Boys’ from 1951 to 1954 inclusive before taking up a long and distinguished career at the Dunedin Teachers’ College, later known as the College of Education. Dave was a popular and finely performed rugby referee over a first-class and test career stretching more than 20 years. He was the last New Zealand referee to control test matches involving the All Blacks, the final series before the introduction of neutral referees being the three-tests in 1978 against the Wallabies. Dave died in Wanaka on 31st August 2007, aged 75.
Dr Murray Lionel Benson (1930-33), died in Paraparaumu on 8th September 2007, aged 90.
Duncan Robert Campbell (1944-46), died in Mt Maunganui on 18th September 2007, aged 76. Duncan was the brother of Murray (1948-50) and the late Keith (1941-44) and David.
Mike (Michael Frederick) Kinraid (1965-68), died in Dunedin on 24th September, aged 56.
* We also extend our sympathies to –
Barry (Noel Barry) Davenport (1953-55), Tony (Anthony Keith) Davenport (1956-59) and Russell Judd Davenport (1957-61), their mother Dulcie having died at Ross Home in Dunedin on 10th September 2007.
Wayne John Skene (1969-71) whose father Wayne died in Dunedin on 15th September 2007.
Conway Llewelyn Powell (1965-66) whose mother Judith died in Dunedin on 18th September 2007. Judith was the grandmother of Benjamin Thomas Powell (1993-97), Timothy John Powell (1996-2000) and Michael Conway Powell (1998-2002).
Devon Stewart Chisholm (1976) and Eldon Hazlett Chisholm (1978-81) whose father Bernard died in Dunedin on 19th September 2007.
Tony (Anthony Saba) Farry (1978-81) and Paul Anthony Farry (1978-81), their aunt Lioma having died in Dunedin on 24th September 2007.
Ray (Raymond Francis Monson (1959-61) whose mother Dorothy died in Dunedin on 25th September 2007.
Blair Johnston Kearney (1982-86) and Scott Nathan Kearney (1986-90), their father Colin having died in Dunedin on 25th September 2007.
Andrew McKay Moffat (1974-77) whose father Robert died at Fulton Home in Dunedin on 29th September 2007.
Richard Wiltshire (1973-74) whose father Ron died in Alexandra on 1st October 2007.
Grant Maxwell Motion (1969-73) whose father Bill died in Dunedin on 5th October 2007. Bill was the grandfather of current pupils Christopher and Marc Motion.
Jeremy Alexander Cluny Pearson (1987-91) whose father Evan died in Palmerston North on 8th October 2007.
Vern (Vernon Crawford) Daniel (1944-45) whose wife Averil died in Palmerston on 9th October 2007.
Atha Naziris, long-serving member of the staff, whose mother Ana died in Dunedin on 9th October 2007.
Steve Davie
Chief Executive
