Win Parkes speech for the book launch 6 February 2019.
This is a really exciting day for me! Now that we are officially launching this reprint and update of the book. But I cannot let the occasion pass without mentioning two wonderful women who laid the foundation for the telling of our community’s history. You will see this new book is dedicated to the memory of Gwen Sutherland and Kath Hislop. My involvement began in the mid 1970’s when I tried to obtain a copy of Gwen’s book Coast Road and River and found it was no longer in print. This may sound familiar to some of you here today.
Then I found that Kath Hislop was a personal friend of Gwen's and knew the history of Taieri Mouth like the back of her hand and she had a treasure trove of photos that she was bursting to share with others. I became her scribe and 5 years later the 1980 publication was launched on the day the new bridge was opened.
Most of the other things I need to say are already included in the preface to this wonderful new edition but I’d like to tell you briefly about a couple of things that AREN'T in the book.
It is only a year since I introduced Elizabeth to Jeannine hoping Elizabeth’s recent publishing experience might help the book committee push on with their goal of a reprint. Little did I realise just how much “help” Elizabeth would give and just how subtly she would draw me back into the fold to help with the new edition.
Five or six years ago, in making my full manuscript, photos and notes available to the book committee, I had said casually - “you’re welcome to it all but I’m not too keen on being involved again.”
So here I am six years later, shamefaced and blithely admitting what an exciting day this is and also confessing how much I have enjoyed working with Elizabeth, Maureen, Marilyn and Jeannine to help deliver this wonderful book to you all.
Elizabeth and both agree that today's celebration and launch of this new publication is due entirely to the early efforts of the Amenities Society who on the initiative of president Jeannine Basquin and a small committee, got the ball rolling a decade ago to make the reprint a reality.
And here is a snippet of information about Elizabeth that isn’t included at the beginning of the book but tucked away towards the end of Part two. People may not be aware that Elizabeth Cowie’s is a direct descendant of some of the district’s earliest settlers - The Bungard family who arrived from Poland to live at Waihola in 1872. That’s almost 150 years ago. So you won’t be surprised to hear that just as it was when I was working with Kath Hislop, who was a third generation settler from both sides of her family, I have had to recognise when working with Elizabeth on the reprint, that her heritage and knowledge of this area is as close to the heart of the region as Kath’s was. This has made my job of writing captions for new photos and making decisions about what is included, a real pleasure, knowing that the new information has been thoroughly researched.
I have been asked to talk about the original book that Kath and I hand wrote and I would like to add that one of the things that was NOT included in the original book was any mention of the wonderful examples of how people enjoy the natural environment in this area. Now in Part Two, there is a marvellous section with stories about Mum the Sea Lion, the development of several bush walks, the restoration of the precious wetland at Taieri Beach and the regeneration of rata growing on Moturata Island.
And with that in mind, I’d like to introduce Hannah Ashton to you. Hannah is the daughter of Robyn and Alan Ashton who have been involved with Robyn’s late father, Martin Palmer and the Moturata Taieri Whanau, successfully restoring Rata on the island. Hannah is also a Great Great Great Granddaughter of Ned Palmer who was the first punt man ferrying passengers and goods across the river at Taieri Mouth before the bridge was built. We have asked Hannah, representing the younger generation, to read you an extract that Elizabeth came across when browsing through Papers Past.
Reading by Hannah Ashton: This extract is from the Bruce Herald on the 27th April 1900
PROPOSED BRIDGE AT TAIERI MOUTH. After the election of the school committee the bridge question was discussed by those present.
It was decided to petition Parliament to grant money to erect a bridge across the river at Taieri Mouth. A committee was appointed to write the petition, get signatures, and through the proper channel present the petition to Parliament.
The reporter then commented: The people at Taieri Beach have been waiting for 40 years, for a bridge, but it has failed to come yet, and worse still, visitors who used to come, come no more, because there is no bridge on which to walk or drive across our beautiful Taieri River. Independent of the immense advantage a bridge would be to the farming community, the Beach could also rise to become a seaside resort, possessing as it does so many natural advantages in the way of magnificent scenery, boating, and fishing.
Well may visitors ask “Why is it you cannot get a bridge across your river?”
Win continues - Thank you Hannah.
This extract illustrates perfectly the frustrations that small communities have in getting something they want and need. For 30 years since the original book was out of print, people have been asking “Why is it you cannot get a copy of the book about Taieri Mouth?” It took 12 years from the newspaper report in the Bruce Herald in 1900 for the first bridge across the Taieri River to be completed and it has taken nearly as many years for the Amenities Society to realise their goal of having a new edition of the book available for their community.
Thank you Taieri Mouth Amenities Society for what you have initiated and seen through to completion.
Elizabeth Cowie's speech, 6 February 2019.
Thanks Ewi (Mihaka) for that song (Yellow River). The words in the song “it’s in my blood and it’s the place I love” connect with me because my mother, Pauline, grew up 50 meters from the river at Taieri Ferry and my husband’s mother, Dorothy, holidayed 50 meters from the river at Taieri Mouth.
Recently, having more time to spend at Taieri Mouth and I couldn't believe my luck when I heard that the Amenities Society was wanting to continue Kath and Win’s work and to reprint the book published in 1980.
The 1980s was a time when I was holidaying here with my family and our aunties, uncles and cousins and a copy of the original book was cherished within our family. It’s lovely to see my Bungard family here tonight.
My other two books had been family history related, so I was excited to work on a community based project, with a small committee who shared my passion for the people and history of the district.
I encourage you to see your copy of the book as a living document - This book is a summary of what was supplied to the committee and it was collated with the best of intentions. It is full of facts and information so please remember that any errors or omissions were not intentional. As a living document, you are welcome to add notes to your copy of the book, extend the stories, scribble corrections, add information and make it your own.
Writing takes a lot of time. I find myself rewriting things many times until I am happy with it. Again I encourage you to use the book as a catalyst and to write your own stories about the past and to get them down on paper. I always envy those who have family letters and diaries from the 1800s. This could be a time for you to write something or print off photos, of your Taieri Mouth adventures and slot them into your book for future generations to find.
I would like to thank the Otago Daily Times for their assistance and for allowing us to use so many of their wonderful images. When you flick through the pages of this book you will see that photos have truly made the book come alive. My mother always named and dated all of her photos. It is something that takes time, but as a genealogist and in my work producing books, I have found it very helpful, if photos are named and dated.
When I started the project I was fascinated to see how many original settler families, were still living or holidaying at Taieri Mouth. It's been very enjoyable to meet so many of you and I thank you for sharing your photos and stories with me and with our community.
Thanks to my husband Steve and my sons, for their support and the many hours of assistance they have given me.
It has been a privilege to work with the original author, Win Parkes. She embraced the new technology, which enabled us to work on one document, at the same time, while each being in different parts of the country. At first I didn't want to alter the original text as I felt it was so beautifully written, but as time went by and I became familiar with the content, I found places where I was able to slot in relevant dates and new photos to expand the family history side of the story.
Today Part Two, or the new section of the book brings us right up to date. It will be satisfying, for all of those who have contributed, to know that, as with the original book, families will be using it as a reference, in years to come.
I am sure you will enjoy reading the book in the larger format and font size and with the addition of the new images. The book is the result of the cooperation of a small committee keen to keep the stories of our vibrant community alive. Thank you to everyone on the committee, Jeannine, Win, Maureen and Marilyn- it’s been a busy year.
Thanks to those who prepaid for their books, you can collect them from Marilyn over here… The Lotteries Heritage Grant provided us with the opportunity to sell the book at the very reasonable price of $45. Please take this opportunity to get your copy of the book, and possibly another for future generations or to post overseas or as a gift. We have limited copies of this very well priced publication so please get your copies tonight. Thank you.