Chinese University Students' Football Tour - Rotorua, 1924

你好 nǐ hǎo

新西兰中文周 New Zealand Chinese Language Week (23 – 29 September 2018) is coming to a close and to celebrate we are looking back at an event from 1924 - the Chinese Universities Association Football Tour of New Zealand.

In 1924 the New Zealand Football Association organised the Chinese University Students’ Tour, which saw them play 22 games across New Zealand, including one game in Rotorua.

In the 1920s, Rotorua had a relatively small Chinese population. In the 1921 Census there were 30 Chinese residents living in the Bay of Plenty of which 14 lived in Rotorua. This event was covered favourably and widely by the media at the time, and drew interest from locals.

Source: Hawera & Normanby Star, 6 June 1924, p. 7. Courtesy of Papers Past.

On the 11^th August the Chinese soccer team arrived in Rotorua by rail from Auckland. The team played a game in Rotorua on August 13^th before returning to Auckland on the 15^th.

The Press Association reported that despite the strong wind and cold rain attendance at Arawa Park was good. The Rotorua team won the toss and had the advantage of the wind in the first half. Despite this no one scored in the first half.

In the second half Kennedy scored for the home team and Lowe scored for the Chinese team. The New Zealand Herald reports that a player named Tai kicked a second goal, while the Press Association reports that a player named Jap scored the second goal. Regardless of who did kick that goal the game ended China 2, Rotorua 1. This was only one of four games they won. They drew six and lost twelve during their 22 game tour.

Another point in the game reported was that during the second half one of the Chinese players was knocked out and a substitute had to be brought on.

Source: The New Zealand Herald, 14 August 1924, p. 6. Courtesy of Papers Past.

While in Rotorua the Chinese team visited many of the thermal sights and enjoyed local Māori performances. The New Zealand Herald reported that the team was ‘delighted with the reception extended to them.’

This was reiterated at the New Zealand Football Association committee meeting where it was decided to write to Mr. M. L. Richards to thank him for arranging the Rotorua part of the tour, and express that the Chinese team ‘much enjoyed the programme of entertainment.’

New Zealand Football Association. [New Zealand Football Association] :Chinese Universities Association Football. N.Z. tour 1924. Souvenir programme. [Chinese Universities v Wairarapa. Masterton. 17 July 1924]. Published by Geo Hunt, Gladding and Co., 24-25 H.M. Arcade, Auckland.. Ref: Eph-A-SOCCER-1924-01. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23052246

This post was written thanks to Papers Past, a free resource offering access to millions of pages of digitised New Zealand newspapers.

This post was written by Graeme.

Suffrage Centennial Celebrations in Rotorua

Today marks the 125^th anniversary, when on the 19^th of September 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women over the age of 21 the legal right to vote.

There are many events being held across the country this month to mark #Suffrage125. This blog post looks back at how Rotorua celebrated the Centennial celebrations in 1993.

Rosemary Michie with a list of local women registered on the electoral roll for 1893.
Source: The Daily Post, September 17, 1993, p. 3

Rotorua hosted a weekend long suffrage programme that kicked off on Friday 17^th September 1993 with The Great Suffrage Centennial Debate at The Civic Centre. The debate organised by the Rotorua Toastmasters and Mokoia Jaycees saw Brian Gillespie, Emily Schuster and Daphine Frizzell take the affirmative that women have achieved positive change since the vote, against Johnny Lepper, Anne Mackay and Ben Benfield. The affirmative team won of course.

On Saturday morning there was a chance for women to tackle a new confidence course at the opening of the Banks Challenge Course at the Agrodome. The course was designed by ex-army major and the then director of the New Zealand Māori Arts and Craft Institute John Mark.

Rotorua MP Paul East with Lyn Preston at the Banks Challenge Course at the Agrodome.
Source: The Daily Post, September 20, 1993, p. 2.

A Saturday afternoon garden party was hosted at the Te Runanga tearooms in Government Gardens. Members of the Suffrage committee dressed up in period clothing. The Daily Post reported that Mrs Dorothy Pountney, 100, was the oldest person present. A time capsule signed by those present is kept here at Rotorua Library.

Women's Suffrage Centennial Time Capsule held at Te Aka Mauri Rotorua Library.

An interdenominational service was held at St Lukes Church on Sunday evening, where several guests gave accounts of early women settlers to Rotorua.

A suffrage dinner was held that night at the Skyline Restaurant with special guest Dr. Bev O’Keffe, a graduate of Auckland Medical School’s first intake. Betty Mollgaard was also presented with a life membership by the National Council of Women at the dinner.

On Monday evening author Sandra Coney gave a talk and slide show presentation on the history of New Zealand women since the vote to promote her book Standing in the Sunshine: a history of New Zealand women since they won the vote.

Sandra Coney promoting her book Standing in Sunshine in Rotorua.
Source: The Daily Post, September 22, 1993, p. 18.

Local businesses were also encouraged to join the festivities by decorating their windows with the suffrage colours of purple, white and gold.

To mark the Centennial, The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 was awarded to women and men who had made a contribution to the rights of women.  545 people received the one-off medal, including nine women from Rotorua. They were Anne Bowie, Inez Haereata Kingi, Areta Koopu, Dorothy Huhana “Bubbles” Mihinui, Christine Shelia Peacocke, Lyn Preston, Emily Rangitiaria Schuster, Elizabeth Marjorie Urquhart, and Rangitamoe Louie Waaka.

The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993.
Source: New Zealand Defence Force

The Zonta Group of Rotorua, an organisation committed to empowering women through service and advocacy, planted trees in Centennial Park establishing the Suffrage Grove.

Daughters of the Land, Nga Uri Wahine a Hineahuone: a glimpse into the lives of rural women in the Rotorua region 1893-1993 was an exhibition held at The Bath-House Art & History Museum. A book by Joan Boyd that was published to compliment the exhibition.

The Rotorua Women’s Suffrage Centennial Committee also published a book Women to Remember, that profiled local women. 

A writing competition ‘Profile of a Memorable Woman of the Bay of Plenty’was run by the Rotorua Writers Group. A compilation of 10 selected entries was published in book form (Memorable Women of the Bay of Plenty).

We have loan copies of both Daughters of the Land and Women to Remember available at Rotorua Library. There is a reference copy of Memorable Women of the Bay of Plenty available to view in the Don Stafford research room at the library.

Memorable Women of the Bay of Plenty, Women to Remember, and Daughters of the Land.

If you have any photos or memories of the 1993 Suffrage Centennial Celebrations please add them to Rotorua Kete, our online community space.

This post was written by Graeme.

Family History- Adoption

Adoption Records; how to access 

With Family History month comes the awareness that for some people their search is that much more difficult because they have been adopted. So this week we’ll look at what resources can be used to locate either birth parents or a child adopted out at birth.

Access the NZ Government website. Click here

Finding your birth parents: Those born in NZ, and over 20 years of age, can request their original birth certificate, which may include birth mother and father.  If the adoption was pre 1968 and you live in NZ you need to nominate an adoption counsellor. To access adoption records, contact an adoption social worker at Oranga Tamariki, giving them a copy of your original birth certificate. They will find your adoption records, giving you details recorded at the time of placement. You may choose to use the counsellor to contact your birth parents or do it yourself.

Sometimes there are vetoes in place. Birth parents may have put restrictions in place. Adoptions after 1 March 1986 can’t have a veto applied.

Finding your birth child: To locate a child placed for adoption you need to contact Oranga Tamariki and ask for a Section 8 form. Once that’s filled in they will try to find the birth child and ask if they wish for their name and address to be given out. If the child is under 20 years of age and has asked for the information to be kept private, you will not be able to access the information. Birth children (pre 1986) may also have placed a veto on their information. Vetoes last 10 years but may be removed or renewed at any time. Working with an adoption social worker means they can tell you if there’s any information at all available.

With thanks to New Zealand Government website for the above information

Rotorua Library has produced a resource titled Finding Your Birth Mother.

As well as online resources, we have some books on adoption topics.

Adoption and its alternatives: a different approach and a new framework New Zealand Law Commission (348.0178 NEW) New Zealand Heritage, 2^nd floor

New Zealand Adoption: history and practice, social and legal, 1840-1996  by Keith Griffith (346.734 GRI) New Zealand Heritage, 2^nd floor

Ideas for adopted people searching and contacting Rotorua Adoption Information & Services Unit (362.734 ROT) Genealogy Reference, 2^nd floor

A question of adoption: closed stranger adoption in New Zealand 1944-1974 by Anne Else (362.734 ELS) Genealogy Reference, 2^nd floor

Healing for adults who grew up in adoption or foster care: positive strategies for overcoming emotional challenges  by Renee Wolf (306.874 WOL) 1^st floor

Websites:

Adoption NZ

Belonging & whakapapa thesis

TV3 Lost & found show

  This blog post compiled by Trish