Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 14, October 1970
CHRISTINE HANDLEY
OUR CONTRIBUTOR: CHRISTINE HANDLEY, at present a Student Teacher at the Waikato Training College, is the eldest daughter of Matt and Dora Handley who farm at Netherton. She is a grand-daughter of Kathleen and the late Bill, and great-granddaughter of the late James Handley who came to Paeroa about 1902 and farmed first on Puke Road and then on Mill Road and Old Netherton Road. He later returned to Puke Road and managed his farm properties from there. In his family of ten there were three daughters, Kate (Mrs. R. Clark), Maude (Mrs. T. Masters) and the late Penelope (Mrs. W. Taylor) and seven sons, Wilfred and Ned and the late Jim, Frank, Bill, Claude and Bert.
MR. W. HANLEN
OUR CONTRIBUTOR: MR. W. HANLEN who died this year, was keenly interested our district. In 1898 he began his school days at Karangahake where his father (Abe) and Uncles (Bill and Fred) were not only valued members of the mining community but also accomplished musicians, both played brass and stringed instruments. Mr. Hanlen was the father of our Waihi President (Mr. Hank Hanlen). His sister Mrs. D. Grubb of Waihi lived only a few weeks after her brother's death.
CLIFF FURNISS
OUR CONTRIBUTOR: CLIFF FURNISS spent his early years on the Hauraki Plains and an unformed Road bounding one side of their former property at Torehape is shown on maps as "Furniss Road". Cliff had a changing career till after World War II when he joined the Waterfront Industry Commission in Auckland - first in the pay office now in the Contracts Section (Stevedoring Accounts Div.) where he has served in various capacities and has become an authority on marine historical matters.
MR. GEOFFREY ROCHE
MR. GEOFFREY ROCHE is a retired schoolmaster who spent many years in the Waikato where his services as an historian have been of inestimable value. A little gold badge tells of his life-membership of the Society. After serving in World War I he taught in the far north where he mastered a working knowledge of the Maori tongue and customs. Our district is familiar to him for he spent 3 years at the early Tairua School and a further year at Tapu. We deeply appreciate the loan of his "Scrap-books" containing many articles by this versatile writer and lecturer.
MR OWEN MORGAN
OUR CONTRIBUTOR: MR OWN MORGAN, has spent his whole life in Waihi, apart from his years in the Forces during World War II. In 1905 his father the late A.H.V. Morgan who was Director of the School of Mines for 45 years, followed his brother P.G. Morgan who had been Director since its foundation. P.G. Morgan later became the Director of the N.Z. Geological Survey where he greatly extended the knowledge of the minerals in New Zealand, publishing over 100 papers and reports, many of which are still standard works of reference.
Both brothers married daughters of Thomas Gilmour who had come to Waihi from Thames in 1890 to take up an appointment as the Waihi Co.'s first Mine Manager. He was prominent in many aspects of public life and was the town's Mayor from 1904 to 1908. His son, James became Mine Manager at an early age. Mr. Owen Morgan helped to record Waihi's history and development for three diamond jubilee booklets, and has also served as a Borough Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Waihi.
GARY STAPLES
ENGLISH-BORN GARY STAPLES (employed by the Social Security Department) is a young man who has earned our admiration and gratitude for his genuine interest in historical matters. His explorations by land rover and on foot into little known areas, his painstaking research and his geological and photographic records, make him a most valued member of the Paeroa Society, as are his parents - reliable Committee Members.