#0060
March 2017
P O Box 458, LEVIN 14 Tiro Tiro Road, LEVIN
Patron
Tom Hayes
Chair
Colin Brooks
04 298 5458
Deputy Chair
Mark Morgan
06 368 4735
Secretary
Michael Gaffaney
04 905 2402
Treasurer
Colin Geange colin.geange@xtra.co.nz
06 323 0933
Club Captain (Joint)
John White Bob Barton bobandthegaffer@gmail.com
06 368 3299 06 367 8216
Branch Delegate
Warren Birch
04 9052130
Committee
Derek Ransom Callum Farmer Fred Foothead
06 368 1011 06 364 7238 06 368 7667
Custodian Groundsman
Andrew Judd Wayne Thrower
06 368 6891 06 368 5611
Spares Team
Callum Farmer callumfarmer77@hotmail.com Rex Williams Mike Khull Mark Morgan Jeff Fox Colin Brooks Robert Cammish
06 364 7238
Library Archives
Peter and Bev Kelly
06 368 3474
Spark Editor
04 971 2858
Spark Distribution
Mark Gibson thegibbos@paradise.net.nz Bob Barton
VIC Team
Verdon Heath, Ivan Horn, Jeff Fox and Mark Morgan
06 367 0613 06 363 5633 06 368 4735 06 362 6013 04 298 5458 04 905 0772
06 367 8216
Meeting Branch Night - 1st Wednesday of the month at 7.30 pm Committee Meeting - Last Wednesday of the month at 7.30 pm Working Bee - Saturday following Branch Night at 8.30 am Spare Parts - Open Saturday following Branch Night
Over the last month we have finally had some good weather, which is just as well with plenty of events to take part in. To start with the All British Car Day at Trentham, which saw a good cross-section of vehicles on display, both big and small. It was a great opportunity for our Club to advertise our Swap Meet, with flyers being placed behind everybody’s windscreen-wipers, including the Rollers! Our members enjoyed meeting up with owners of similar makes of vehicles to their own. th
Saturday 18 February was the Grand Opening of our long-awaited Mackays-PekaPeka Expressway! Members from the Horowhenua, Wellington and Manawatu Clubs were the first vehicles to officially drive over the road. For some it will be the only time their vehicles will be seen on the road because of speed limitations. As you can see from the front cover, our 40 allocated vehicles represented a good cross-section of types and years. My sincere thanks go to Mark Gibson for organising and persevering with the officials to make it happen. It was not an easy task! The next day (Sunday) was the Shannon Car Show, with over 500 vehicles participating. This was a great day out for our Club run, and my thanks go to Bob and John for setting up the Club site. This is a good way of advertising our Club, and for posting more Swap Meet flyers. I myself struck it lucky! Our 1929 Erskine was first registered in Shannon and stayed in the town for the next 37 years. At previous car shows we have asked for people to come forward if they knew of any previous owners (we have their names!) but with no luck. This year a resident of Shannon knew of Mr and Mrs Woodmass who live in Grey Street. When the show was over, I went round to look them up. They almost fell out of their chairs when I pulled up the drive! They couldn’t believe the car was still going. We had a good chat about it, but unfortunately they had no old photographs to show me. It was sad to hear that Les Heath, father of our member Verdon, passed away last week. Les was a past member of our Club, with an interest in motor cycles. Our thoughts are with Verdon and his family. Our thoughts are also with the Cuthbert family on the passing of their daughter, and with the Southward family after the sad passing of Lady Vera. th
Planning is under way for our 40 Anniversary celebration, which will be a catered th luncheon at our Club rooms on 25 June. Our VCC President, Diane Quarrie and her husband Geoff will be in attendance, and will present two recipients with their 50 year badges. th
The most important upcoming event is our Swap Meet on the 18 of this month. An extra th working bee will be held this coming Saturday (11 ) to make sure everything is in order for the big day. I will definitely see you there for that, and on Swap Meet Day!
Colin
Roster for April 2017 Doug Ashwell, Ian Bade, Dave Bang, Roger Begg, John Beldham. If you cannot make it for either kitchen duties on Club Night on the 5th April, or the Working Bee on Saturday morning 8th April (9 am till 12 noon) please let myself or Cheryl know on 04 298-5458.
Speaker for April 2017 As the advertised Speaker for the March Club Night had to be postponed, Sergeant Bruce Wilson will now be our guest at the April Club Night. He has a passion for keeping our kids safe, and will talk about carrying children and fitting seat belts in our old cars. This is a murky area, so his talk should be very informative.
…to Graeme Tulloch on the very recent passing of his mother. …to Verdon Heath, his father Les Heath passed away aged 95 years. Les’s life was celebrated at Harvey Bowlers on Tuesday 28 February. …to Marjory and Nigel Cuthbert on the passing of their daughter Judith. Judith, of Foxton succumbed to cancer on 28 January 2017 aged 45 years. Judith leaves behind four adult children. Her life was celebrated at The Funeral Home Levin. We also extend our condolences to Jean and Dennis Nicholson, Leah and Alton Harrison, Aunts and Uncles to Judith.
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We were saddened to hear of the passing of Lady Vera Southward in her th 98 year. She was at Kena Kena Rest Home, Paraparaumu. She passed away on Wednesday 15 February 2017. Our condolences to John Bellamore and his family. Lady Southward was our Patron for many years and attended many of our rallies with husband Sir Len Southward. Your archive in the library has a series of articles and photos about the Southward participation in our Branch. Start with the Scrapbook for Members under ‘S’ and move on through ‘Runs and Rallies’. Bev
________________________________________________________________
On a less than pleasant note, Colin Geange raised the matter of Club Night Raffles. The money paid for these tickets is short every month! He is convinced there is nothing sinister, however would like to take the opportunity to let all know, each ticket is‌‌.
THIS
NOT THIS
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE HOROWHENUA BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB NZ INC HELD AT 14 TIROTIRO ROAD, LEVIN ON 1 MARCH, 2017 AT 7.30PM PRESENT: Colin Brooks (Chair) and 57 members APOLOGIES: Warren Birch, Bruce Scott, Verdon Heath, Rex Williams, Robert Cammish, Richard Caldwell MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Printed in Spark, Taken as read. Moved Michael Gaffaney/ Andrew Judd CORRESPONDENCE: Reply from Club President, Diane Quarrie accepting invite to attend Branch 40th Anniversary lunch. Fire Service warning re laptop batteries. Stolen Model A and Erskine parts. Executive Committee Meeting papers. Two Notices of Motion for discussion. TREASURER’S REPORT: Colin Geange reported. Moved to approve. Colin Geange/Pete Collins CLUB CAPTAIN: Bob Barton advised report would be in Spark. Branch had a stand at the British Car Day, the Shannon car show was a very good day. Outlined forthcoming events. John White asked for remaining Swap Meet leaflets to be distributed. SPARES: Callum Farmer reported. Asked members to refrain from bringing spares in before the Swap Meet. LIBRARY: Bev Kelly advised several scrapbooks on display including the memorial one. SWAPMEET: Pete Collins thanked members for the good response to the call for volunteers but did require another 6 people to help on the day. GENERAL BUSINESS: Andrew Judd demonstrated a new speaker system that the Club could purchase. It is portable, cordless, easy to set up and the speakers can be up to 70 metres from the microphone. Cost $5459. Discussion followed and it was decided to hire a system for the Swap Meet and reconsider whether a purchase was justified. The 2 notices of motion for the Executive Meeting were further discussed. The decision was to support Resolution 1 and oppose Resolution 2. Secretary to advise Branch Delegate of decisions. Chairman talked of successful opening of Expressway with a good turnout of cars and thanked Mark Gibson for all his work. Civil Defence will be using Clubrooms and grounds this coming Saturday. There will be a Working Bee on 11 March, the week before the Swap Meet. Meeting closed at 9pm
The son of Robert Laing Heath and his wife Isabella White, Les was born in Foxton 7th February 1922. He left the Foxton DHS in October 1936 to take employment. He later qualified as a motor engineer and set up his own business in Oxford Street North, opposite the Oxford Hotel. His speciality was brake and clutch work. Les and his wife Vera have two sons, Robert and Verdon who both became motor mechanics and worked with their father. Robert later became a school teacher and Verdon worked for several years as a textile technician and then at the Levin Testing Station. I moved to Levin in December 1967 and met the Heath family when they lived in Winchester Street. Les and Verdon helped with a lot of rebuilding of many parts of my 1930 Harley Davidson. Les was recognised as an expert on Scott motorcycles and he owned several of them. He was a contemporary with Ken Douglas, Jim Oed, Ted Jarvis and Lionel Rapley who were all avid motorcyclists. Les was one of the “Four H’s” who were active in Levin and the NZ Vintage Car Club prior to establishment of the Horowhenua Branch, Les Heath, Trevor Hudson, Gavin Hicks and John Harvey. Les was a ‘walking encyclopedia’ of knowledge on motor cycles and it has been a privilege to know Les for just short of fifty years. It is difficult to isolate Les from Vera, Robert and Verdon and on behalf of the executive and members of the Horowhenua VCC, I thank you. Tom Hayes Patron and life member
Trentham, a very windy start to the day, our gazebo blew away so we moved near to the fencing at the entrance and lashed the gazebo to that. It did keep dry until after lunch and then it started to rain and the wind started to gust again causing people to pack up and go home. Our trusty Chairman, Colin managed to bring the Hillman along, how he got it out of Cheryl’s hands I do not know! Our Treasurer Colin Geange came and also our Secretary Michael Gaffaney. Also Des and Pauline St Clare (I hope that I have managed to write their name correctly this time) who were press-ganged into handing out hundreds of Swap Meet Flyers along with our Magazine Editor Mark Gibson. Thanks Guys (and Pauline) you did a marvelous Job. There were some really nice examples of British Cars at the show ranging from Morris Minor to Rolls Royce and also a good selection of Motorcycles. I must mention our stalwarts who drove down from Levin in their old classics, Pete and Sandra Collins with the Austin Ascot and Nigel Wheeler and his Lotus 7. Well done you deserve a medal! A few of our other members were seen with their various makes of vehicles on the individual makes stands, well done one and all for turning up and having a good time. Shannon Spectacular Car Show, what a show!!!! It gets better every year! A good turn out by our members, some going directly to the Showground and others following me from the Club Rooms. John had arrived at first light and got the gazebo up and kettle on ready for our team to arrive. Too many to list, to those who turned up, a big THANK YOU, you make this club a pleasure to be a part of! Great weather, great food, drinks and great company, who could ask for more!!!! My special thanks again must go to Des and Pauline who dished out another five hundred Swap Meet Flyers, thank you for all your hard work. SWAP MEET - Saturday 18th March. Have you contacted Pete or Linda yet? Please offer to help even if it is only for half an hour, it is our only way to collect as much money as we can to keep our club in running order. It is very important for our members to get involved. Bring your vehicle and have it on display. Help in the kitchen, work with the Swap Meet team, help to sell books from our Library. Chat with the customers, give it a go, you might even enjoy it! Half an hour or as long as you want, let’s see you there. TED GREEN RALLY - Sunday 9th April. Get your names down and let’s see all our motorcycles on display! Hopefully mine should be there; if I can get it running properly. I have a MISFIRE, and I am struggling to get it ready for re-vinning, WoF and Rego etc. Sounds like a cry for help…
DEVONSHIRE CREAM TEA RALLY – Sunday 16th April. Turn up at the Clubrooms and see what a couple of our members have organised for you. This Rally is very special, it will go through parts of the countryside that most of us have never seen before, private land, this is a Rally that is not to be missed! It’s Top Secret, so if you don’t turn up you will never know what you have missed. GYMKHANA and BBQ at the Club Rooms - Sunday 21st May. With the Vintage Machinery Club members and their machines. Also, subject to the weather conditions we will hold a gymkhana, just to keep you amused. Come and enjoy the day. Last but not least,
PLEASE NOTE - Cost $25. Places need to be booked in advance. THERE ARE ONLY 60 PLACES, on a first come first served basis, so get your name down as soon as possible! See me or John, or e-mail/phone. It will be a great occasion with plenty on offer. 60 PLACES ONLY, NO EXCEPTIONS. STRICTLY FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.
Bob and John Club Captains
When insuring your valuable items (property, car etc) with Vero, quoting this number results in a commission being made to the Horowhenua Branch. Thank you for your support.
Number HO/300137
Our Patron, Tom Hayes has sourced three interesting photographs from a delicate yellowing original copy of The Auckland Weekly News dated 1925. All three will be duplicated in Spark. This photograph of Oxford Street, Levin on Market Day is the only Levin picture. The others are differing subjects but equally interesting from New Zealand and England.
Horowhenua Branch 14 Tiro Tiro Road Levin
MEMORIAL
Sunday 9 April 2017 Entries Close Monday 1 April 2017
Horowhenua Branch invites you to enter the
This is a relaxed event, is run with straightforward instructions and covers approximately 80 miles. Entrants will need to bring their lunch, tea and coffee will be provided at the lunch stop. Assembly, briefing and start-point will all be from our clubrooms at 14 Tiro Tiro Road Levin. Entry Fee: $20.00 Briefing: 9 45 am First Bike Away: 10 00 am Entries posted to:
The Rally Director 13 Seddon Street Levin Entries to arrive no later than 1 April Enquires to: The Rally Director Graeme McKenzie 06 3684888
(2017)
Registration and Entry Form Name of Entrant Address Home Phone Rider’s Name
Cell Phone (if not Entrant)
VCC No Class entered
(circle)
1
Veteran
2
Vintage
3
Post Vintage
4
Post War
5
Post 60
6
Post 80
Make of Motorcycle Year and CC rating Numbers Attending Total Entry Fee Post To: All Cheques Payable To:
$20.00
The Rally Director, 13 Seddon Street, Levin Horowhenua Branch VCC Inc
Horowhenua Branch Rally Rules 1 Those entering vehicles must be financial members of the VCC of NZ Inc. 2 All entered vehicles must be of an acceptable standard and condition. 3 Members must produce VCC Membership if requested. 4 The Rally Director’s decision is final
Booklets available for sale at Paper Plus and New World in Levin. Or any Rotarian member will be holding copies. Contact: Barry Rollinson President – Levin Rotary Ph: 06 3681015 or 027 2775619 or email barry.rollinson@gmail.com
We require your Vintage Cars and Trucks, Motorbikes and Classic Cars for the display! They are being promoted in the local papers and in pamphlets around town, please contribute by showing your vehicles! Bring them down to the Club Rooms as early as possible.
This is our only fund raiser and will keep the Club functioning for another year. The Swap Meet, requires input from all members please. Help is required on the gates, with parking, at the BBQ and in the kitchen. The kitchen is managed by Linda Barton, please contact her and offer assistance. Pete Collins co-ordinates the gates, BBQ etc. We need your help please!! All members, please contribute, muffins, scones, slices, cakes, and loaves toward the sale of refreshments on the day. All goodies to please be delivered to the clubrooms kitchen prior to 8am.
Linda Barton 06 3678216
Pete Collins
06 3688656
The National Easter Rally is being held in April. They have planned a great weekend of motoring and socialising at a low cost. Our Secretary has received the Rally Programme and this advertisement. There is no entry form received at this stage. Further details are available on the Auckland Branch website. Or contact the Rally Director. Tracey Winterbottom (Rally Director) 09 2320246 or 0211024360 vintagesunbeam@hotmail.co.nz
SUNDAY RUN – 26th March 2017 Meet at 11.00 am at the Chesters Plumbing and Bathroom carpark in Tremaine Avenue (Palm Nth) for a 25 mile (40 km) drive to a local picnic spot. Bring your lunch, hot water, chairs and whatever else you might need to settle in for a sociable al fresco lunch. If the weather is against us on the day still come as a route to an alternative venue has been prepared which will allow us to go ahead with our picnic plans under shelter. th
POST VINTAGE RALLY - 6 May 2017 The entry form for this years’ Post Vintage Rally will be in the April Tourer. The route is currently being finalised and will take the Rally on an approximately 70 mile (110 km) run to a picnic destination on the other side of the ranges. For those after a bit of friendly rivalry the rally will be competitive but for those who would rather just participate and not be competitive there is plenty of picturesque rolling countryside to appreciate. Mark your calendars and when you get back from the Ruahine Ramble don’t pack your thermos flasks and picnic chairs away in an out-of-the-way place – they will need to be pulled out for another enjoyable day out.
Answer later in this issue of Spark
Donations to the Library in February included 133 Motorcycle Sport magazines from 1963 to the 1990’s. Your Library also received 8 new books for the library shelves. See the Latest Arrivals folder in the library for their titles. Amongst these were 2 books about Bill Richardson: ‘Trucks - a Vintage Collection’ about Bill’s Truck and Motorcycle Museum in Invercargill. ‘Wheels and Deals’ a journey through Bill’s business life. We have a copy of ‘Wheels and Deals‘ in the For Sale section if you would prefer a copy of your own. The For Sale section of the library also has an excellent ‘As-new’ copy of Steve Reid’s ‘Veteran Cars’, an amazing New Zealand collection. With the Swap Meet looming, it was great to see some of you making the most of the For Sale books at half-price on club night and again at the Working Bee on Saturday. We will be at the library on Friday March 17th getting ready for the Swap Meet on Saturday March 18th. Yes we know! It’s St Patricks Day on Friday March 17th. Watch out for the Kelly’s frogs! They [the frogs] are leprechauns you know or so says a song/ballad from Val Doonigan. Isn’t that right Tom! ‘To be sure, to be sure, to be sure!’
Bev and Peter Kelly Librarians and Archivists
With only three weeks to the Swap Meet, its full steam ahead! Spares Department are working extra hard, with one or two working bee’s still to come. By the time the 18th of March rolls around we will be ready! During the course of the last month we had more Ford Model A and T parts arrive for our members to look over, ahead of the Swap Meet. We are busy finishing off the two bumper racks, three front axle and diff racks in the new part, along with the installment of Work Place Safety Signs. On a final note, to the Club Captains, since when has a single ice cream become a full English breakfast. See last month’s Waiouru run report for more information on that. I can report that one of the Club Captain’s has purchased from Spares an unrestored early Mk II Mini. Safe motoring everyone.
Callum
Kapiti Coast Mid Week Run (Last Wednesday of the month)
Wednesday 29 March 2017: Visit to see the “Unbelievable Bug Lab Exhibition”, Te Papa 11.30am
Meet in the foyer. We will then proceed to the lower café for lunch. Lunch will be a selection of platters of food to choose from. The Café will section off an area for us to use. Cost per person for lunch is $20 including a tea and coffee station.
1.00pm
View the exhibition. Concession price is $10 per person with a Gold Card. th
If you would like to join us, please contact John or Alison Kinvig by 26 March. Either E-mail, jakinvig@xtra.co.nz or phone (04) 234 1262 or (John 027 4524326)
CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS March March
March April April April
May May
June June July
18th
Swap Meet. At Levin Show Grounds. Gates open at 7am. Help required, please see Coming Events. 26th Rotary Cave Tour. Fund raiser for Arohanui Hospice. Not a club run but involves personalities from VCC. See Notice this issue of Spark. $25 entry. th 29 Kapiti Coast Mid Week Run. 5th Horowhenua Club Night. th 9 Ted Green Memorial Motorcycle Rally. See Entry Form this issue. Briefing 9 45am. First bike away 10am. th 16 Easter Sunday Devonshire Morning Tea. No cost! A run south of Levin utilising back roads avoiding the highway where possible. Planning well under way. TBA. rd 3 Horowhenua Club Night. st 21 Gymkhana and BBQ at the Club Rooms. The Vintage Machinery Club will be there along with their machines. This is subject to weather conditions. Further TBA. th 7 Horowhenua AGM and Club Night. th 25 40th Anniversary Dinner. Limited spaces. $25 per head. Contact the Club Captains. Come & celebrate 40 years. Night Owl Rally and Supper. Further to be advised. Any enquiries to: John White Phone 06 368-3299
ISSN
the print bureau 06 367 9330