Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 31, September 1987
WAIHI HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Annual Report was submitted by the Vice President, Mrs Margaret Wells, in the absence of the President, Mr E J Cunliffe, who was in hospital following a massive stroke in November 1986.
She reported that meetings had been very well attended during the year with an average attendance of 26 members at each meeting.
There had been speakers at most meetings, who spoke on various aspects of early Waihi days. These included Mr Ken Sutton who gave a most informative talk on 'Pioneering on the Waihi Plains', which was complemented later in the year by Mr Fred Pratt talking on Waihi Plains as he remembered it. Mr Fred Carbutt spoke about the year 1926, which was an important year to him, and Mr Oliver Pipe shared memories of his younger days in Waihi and when he worked in the Martha Mine. Memories of the Waitete area were shared by the President, Mr Ernie Cunliffe at a later meeting.
A number of field trips were undertaken, which included St Mary's Cathedral, Auckland and the Kelly Tarlton Under-Water Museum; a bus trip to Coromandel which included a visit to Rei Hamon's museum; a tour of the Toyota factory at Thames; the Buried Chinese Warriors exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery; Goodwin's Museum at Ongarue [Ongare ? – E] and the Museum of Technology, Beach Road, Waihi.
The year concluded with a pot-luck luncheon held in the No. 2 Gallery at the Waihi Arts Centre & Museum.
PAEROA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The President reported that the year had been active and attendance at meetings had been good. Holding meetings on a Sunday afternoon during winter was a success.
There were two bus trips during the year, one to Coromandel in October 1986 and one to Rotorua in February 1987. In October 1986 some members took part, together with the local Drama Club, in the Police Centenary gold escort celebrations. The Society's Annual Dinner was held on 4 December 1986 at the Tui Coffee Lounge. After dinner a panel of eight speakers, each with a time limit of five minutes, spoke on a variety of subjects.
The President extended sympathy to the families of members who had passed away during the year. He also thanked the Society's Office holders for their respective services during the year.