N E W S L E T T E R February 2018
SCNZ ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 24-26 MAY 2018, LOWER HUTT
From the board Introducing Luke Qin, SCNZ advisor Luke Qin is an international trade manager with one of New Zealand’s leading banks. Luke is originally from Sichuan China, the “Province of Abundance”, home of world famous spicy cuisine and pandas. He first arrived in Christchurch as an international student and played 1st XV rugby for Linwood College in his first year in New Zealand despite not knowing the rules of the game previously. Aside from occasionally taking players out without the ball and pretending he did not speak English while playing rugby, he was a school prefect and received
many academic and contribution awards. After graduating from Canterbury University, he worked as a reporter and editor for a bilingual community newspaper, and in B2B sales in Christchurch before relocating to Wellington to work in banking, and gaining a Master of Applied Finance from Victoria University. Luke currently serves as National Vice President, Chair of Finance Committee and Wellington Branch President at the New Zealand China Friendship Society, an executive committee member of the New Zealand China Trade Association and a Board member of Transparency International New Zealand, with delegated authority in Affiliations & Financial Integrity Systems Assessment.
Redwood Forests- an unexpected (train) connection By Marilyn Gibbs, Wakefield, Nelson The Nelson Society of Modellers hosted over 300 delegates to their “Steam & Cinders” international model train convention at the Tahunanui Beach, Nelson in early January 2018. These model trains are large enough to carry passengers which both children and adults love to ride. There were approximately 80 different trains that attendees had brought to ride the wonderful train tracks at Tahunanui and to share rides with the public. In addition there were 16 traction engines and road vehicles also offering rides. The event was extremely well patronised by the public and the trains and traction engines were busy. At the same location is also a large Modellers pond which boats were sailed on as well. It was a very family orientated event. So where do Sister Cities come in? Nelson City and Eureka in Northern California share a Sister City link. Marilyn Gibbs, a member of the Nelson Eureka Sister City group, is also a quilter and her son Nigel and his family are actively involved in model trains
and organising the Convention. Marilyn offered to make a quilt for a raffle for the convention. After searching the web she found a fabric panel called “Redwood Express” designed by Marc Desobeau which featured a train travelling through the redwood trees. It also featured eight smaller panels showing different trains in different locations throughout the States. The panel was purchased from equilter.com in the USA. One American attendee at the convention could not believe what he was seeing when he came to check in for registration and saw the quilt hanging on the wall. He said he had ridden the train in the central panel and two of the others shown, as well. It was something he did not expect to see when visiting New Zealand. On the reverse of the quilt the maker’s label included that statement “Nelson City has a Sister City relationship with Eureka in Northern California which is part of the world renowned Redwood Forests”. The quilt was won by Ken Sullivan of Christchurch.