Minutes of the Waiheke Island Historical Society Incorporated
Annual General Meeting 12 June 2022
The meeting commenced at 2.05 pm.
Apologies: Don McKenzie, Dot Malan, Christine Beardon, Sam Shirley, Grant and Glen Adams, Marine Le Minor, Janet November
Resolution: that the apologies as tabled be accepted
Moved: Juliet Hay
Seconded: Alison Hunt
Adopted
Present: Heather Glover, Rosemary Burns, Jill Pain, Deborah Pain, Jan Vail, Margaret Milligan, Jan Betterton Smith, Mary Batten, Logan Moss, Don Baillie, Mark James, Sue Philcox, Juliet Hay, Alison Hunt, Tanya Batt
It was confirmed that there was a quorum of more than ten financial members. This was checked off against the list circulated at the door.
In attendance: Also present were: Kate Bryant, Alex Stone and Elizabeth Hiroki.
Proxies Received and accepted: Janet November, Christine Beardon, Dot Malan
Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting were available at the meeting and had been circulated to the members. (Attached)
Resolution: that the minutes of the AGM held on 11 April 2021 be accepted as a true and correct record
Moved: Sue Philcox
Seconded: Mark James
Adopted
Matters Arising: Nil
President’s Report: Sue Philcox read her report to the meeting. It had already been circulated earlier in the year, prior to the meeting. (Attached)
Resolution: that the President’s Report be approved
Moved: Logan Moss
Seconded: Don Baillie
Adopted
Financial Report: This was presented by Mark James, the Treasurer. Copies were also available at the meeting. Mark James reported that there have not been many donations this year, due to the impact of Covid on visitors, but we have had a successful fundraiser earlier in the financial year of $600+ thanks to the Mary Bumbee performance by Tanya Batt, as well as a “make an offer” sale day for unwanted items. The publication of the second edition of Waiheke Pioneers cost $900 odd but this was covered mainly by a local board grant - all of which resulted in a small surplus.
These accounts have been reviewed by Rocky Rhodes. (Attached).
Resolution: that Treasurer’s Report for the year ended 31 December 2021 be adopted as presented
Moved: Sue Philcox
Seconded: Margaret Milligan
Adopted
Nominations for the committee and election of officers:
The secretary announced that she had received signed nominations from Alison Hunt, Sue Philcox, Juliet Hay, Logan Moss, Margaret Milligan, Don Baillie and Mark James.
She then read out the nominations for the office holder positions:
President: Logan Moss
Nominated: Alison Hunt
Seconded: Don Baillie
Vice President
And Treasurer: Mark James
Nominated: Sue Philcox
Seconded: Logan Moss
Secretary: Alison Hunt
Nominated: Sue Philcox
Seconded: Mark James
The Secretary read out the nominations for the committee positions:
Juliet Hay
Sam Shirley
Margaret Milligan
Don Baillie
Sue Philcox
Resolution: that the following nominated members be accepted as officers for 2022 – Logan Moss (President), Mark James (Vice President and Treasurer) and Alison Hunt (Secretary)
and that the following nominated members be accepted as committee members for 2022 – Margaret Milligan, Don Baillie, Juliet Hay, Sue Philcox
Moved: Alison Hunt
Seconded: Deborah Pain
Adopted
The meeting congratulated Logan Moss on his new role. Sue Philcox then handed the chair to him for the rest of the meeting.
Logan Moss congratulated the new committee members and thanked Sue Philcox for her sterling efforts as President during a very difficult year.
General Business
Appointment of new Patron
Logan Moss explained that the Society’s long-time Patron, Kit Nelson had died and that at the last committee meeting, the outgoing Committee unanimously voted to nominate Sue Philcox as Patron in her stead.
Resolution: that Sue Philcox be appointed as Patron of the Waiheke Island Historical Society
Moved from the Chair: Logan Moss
Adopted by acclamation
Changes to the Constitution
Mark James read out these changes which had already been circulated by email and post. Copies were available in addition at the meeting. These were identified during the various Covid lockdowns when some requirements of the existing Constitution presented practical challenges. Once these changes are approved, the amended version of the Constitution will be submitted to the relevant registers (Incorporated Societies and Charities).
It was also noted that the Government has now passed a new Incorporated Societies Act and is currently working on regulations to implement its provisions. The new legislation is due to come into force in 2023. Further amendments to the Constitution may therefore be required at next year’s AGM.
The following amendments to clauses 14, 15, 16 and 17 were put to the AGM. Rule 20 of the Constitution requires amendment to be passed by a majority of at least three-quarters if the members present.
14. (e) Voting may be by show of hands, by ballot, or, in special circumstances by electronic or postal vote.
15. Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Secretary on the instructions of the Committee, or MUST be called if five members make a written request to the President. Circulars shall be sent to the last known addresses of members stating the business for which the meeting is called. No other business except that as stated may be transacted. Voting maybe by show of hands or by ballot, or, in special circumstances by electronic or postal vote.
16. Quorum – The quorum at any Committee meeting shall be five and at any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be ten members personally present. In circumstances where a face-to-face meeting is not possible or not practical, the Committee may authorise a meeting by teleconference. Attendees at such a teleconference shall be deemed ‘personally present’ for the purposes of these rules.
17. Bank Account – The Bank Account of the Society shall
be operated on by such person or persons as the Committee may from
time to time appoint. Cheques
shall be signed by the Treasurer and counter-signed by the President
or Secretary.
Resolution: that the amendments proposed to the WIHS Constitution be approved
Moved from the Chair: Logan Moss
Approved by more than three quarters of the members present.
Art Installation
Elizabeth Hiroki spoke about her upcoming art installation which will be held in Day Cottage during July. She is completing her thesis for her Doctorate of Fine Arts and the installation will concentrate on the interaction between Maori and Pakeha settler women. It will encompass four emblems – soaps, mirror, light and linen.
Logan Moss thanks Elizabeth for her enlightening talk.
Any Other Business – nil
Closing:
Logan Moss declared the meeting closed at 2.53 pm and invited those present to stay for the book launch of the second edition of Dixie Day’s Waiheke Pioneers and afternoon tea.
Launch of the second edition of Dixie Day’s Waiheke Pioneers
Mark James first acknowledged the presence of Ngati Paoa representatives, explaining that the expected kaumatua, Glen Tupuhi, had been taken ill. Other members of the Marae were present and were very welcome.
Mark James outlined the process for republishing of Dixie Day’s book “Waiheke Pioneers” which had been out of print since 2017. The second edition involved digitally scanning the original text using Optical Character Recognition software with the professional services of Logan Moss, which then had to be proofread. Fortunately, the old photos were able to be located and scanned at high resolution which has resulted in a better-quality finish than in the first edition of the book.
Most of the second edition text is the same, with a few minor alterations mainly to do with references to “last century” etc. More significant was the addition of a new chapter by Paul Monin describing the pre-European history of the island and how Ngati Paoa came to be mana whenua. There was a gap in the earlier edition as Dixie Day had in fact only dealt with Pakeha settlers. Ngati Paoa elders (including Glen Tupuhi and the late Morehu Wilson) were asked to review the chapter and agreement was reached on its inclusion into the book.
The Merrick family was another omission. That family was already writing their history when the first edition went to print and asked Dixie Day not to include a chapter on them. Since that book did not see the light of day, a new chapter has been included in the second edition, based largely on Dixie Day’s original notes.
The De Witte family from Belgium were mentioned only briefly in the first edition, but another Belgian, Annie Terlinck, visited Waiheke in 2014 and became fascinated. She wrote about the Belgian presence in French and sent a copy to Mark James, which has also been translated and summarised in the new edition.
The Society engaged the services of Lasavia Publishing on the island which arranged for the book to be printed in Sydney. It has taken longer than expected because of the impact of Covid. The Society is now proud to offer the new edition of the book at the price of $30.
Jeanine Clarkin then gave a blessing on behalf of Ngati Paoa and a karakia and waiata were performed by the other visitors from the Marae – a fitting finale to the book launch.