Annual General Meeting

Forest and Bird, Volume 18, Issue 3, 1 August 1987, Page 18

Annual General Meeting

The Society's 64th Annual General Meeting and Council meeting were held in Wellington on June 13. Urgent work on the vital issue of Crown land allocation had prevented Head Office staff from completing the Annual Report in time to give sufficient notice to members of the date and time of the AGM. However, at the wish of the members present the meeting proceeded. The remits advertised to make changes to the rules of the Society were not dealt with, and it was decided to call a Special General Meeting in November to consider these remits. At the Council meeting following, three new Executive Committee members were elected, Sandra Lee, Fergus Sutherland, and Geoffrey Mills. The retirement of Professor John Morton was accepted with regret. Through the remits, the Council decided to ensure that all Society reserves would be made Private Protected Land, and to seek National Reserve or National Park status for Waipoua Forest Sanctuary, to seek adequate funding for national parks and the Department of Conservation. They voted to increase the annual subscriptions for 1988 to keep pace with inflation, and to ensure that the standard of professional work done by staff was not curtailed. The Sanderson Memorial Address was presented by Guy Salmon who reflected on the history of the conservation movement, and spoke of the battles to come in protecting forests on private land. At a dinner in the evening Professor John Morton and Mr Stewart McKenzie were both presented with a small token of appreciation for their many years of dedicated service, and both spoke eloquently of the enjoyment of their association with the Society.

Molesworth Labour Weekend trip

As a follow up to an extremely successful Kaikoura Queen’s Birthday gathering, Forest and Bird is organising a Labour Weekend (October 24-26) gathering. This will be based in the hot springs town of Hanmer, with focus of attention Molesworth and pastoral leases. Molesworth, the 182,000 ha Crownowned block in southern Marlborough, is virtually unknown botanically, but what has been discovered to date has shown that it is a very special place. Members will be aware of the battle that we won last year to retain the huge block in public control. Other than a few tourists who have travelled the private road through Molesworth, the station workers and a few scientists, the public have largely been excluded from the area. Plans are now afoot to open it up, with a management plan due to be put together soon. We hope that you will be able to show that the public are interested in access to Molesworth. One of the best ways to

Start is by having a good turnout to this Labour Weekend meeting. For details, please contact Lyn Prattley, Canterbury branch secretary, Ellesmere Rd, RD2, Christchurch, (03) 252-685.