NEW ZEALAND CHINA FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY
Hamilton Branch
SPECIAL FEBRUARY GENERAL MEETING
Editor’s Comments.
This newsletter is following the January Notebook much quicker than would be expected. This is on account of the fact that we have two very important notices to bring to your attention. Firstly our Hamilton Branch links with the city of Changsha are exceptionally strong and go back over twenty years with the involvement of many of our members in several differing capacities,. We are delighted to announce that two of our oldest friends there, Xiao Aili and Liu Baiyi are at present here touring New Zealand with their son Xiting and their daughter in-law Sarah Details of a projected get together with them are detailed below.
Secondly, For many years now we have had an annual Consulate / Branch picnic usually held at Raglan. Invitations to Northern Area Branches sees members from Auckland, Tauranga, and Rotorua joining us on these occasions. This year our local General Meeting is being replaced by the outing to Miranda. Again details are given below. A date is yet to be set in March for our AGM. Perhaps now is the time to consider putting yourself or a friend forward to join our committee.
One other matter. The general format of our Newsletter is to change quite radically and it is appropriate that a change of editor take place at that time. We hope to encourage greater input from the membership For the past twenty odd years I have enjoyed this task immensely but now is the time for a new outlook and a new editor
Stan
DETAILS OF OUR FEBRUARY GENERAL MEETING / PICNIC AT MIRANDA FIRTH OF THAMES.
We now have a firm date for our much-anticipated visit to the Godwits at Miranda Shorebird Centre in the Firth of Thames Saturday February 26 is the date arranged by the Auckland NZCFS The threat posed to the godwits by development encroaching on the wetlands at Yalu Jiang in Northern China is very real. It is here they stopover before completing their extraordinary migrations. It is a dire situation indeed and our Society’s support of the Chinese environmentalists is imperative.
Shore Bird Centre Manager and author of the recent book on Godwits Keith Woodley will be providing a special presentation for Society members on recent discoveries about these extraordinary birds. High tide will be at 2.20pm. We are planning on arriving around 11am. Once again we will be joined by members of other branches and staff from the Chinese Consulate. This replaces our annual picnic to Raglan.
As usual we will take some picnic food to share.
A VERY SPECIAL POT LUCK DINNER HOSTED BY JENEVERE FOREMAN FOR OUR FRIENDS FROM CHANGSHA, XIAO AILI, LIU BAIYI and FAMILY.
TO BE HELD AT 1154 VICTORIA ST ON SUNDAY 13th FEBRUARY AT 4 PM
Please bring a plate of goodies to share. NB Would those attending please park up on Victoria St.
As mentioned earlier our association with Changsha goes back over twenty years. Members have had continued contact with Chagsha in differing capacities but, central to our involvement there has been on going friendship and and support from Aili and Baiyi..
In 1989 Xiao Aili came to New Zealand as an American Field Scholar
Exchange teacher. During her time in Hamilton she stayed with Meryl and the Lanting family for six months. In 1994 Baiyi came to New Zealand for six months and toured both Islands with the Lanting family In her many visits to China Meryl has always made a point of going to Changsha stayed with them, further strengthening her friendship with them.
President Ian has led a Branch delegation to Changsha and Frank. Jenevere and I, have taught there for varying periods of time. In my case it was due to their help and recommendation that I secured teaching positions over a period of seven years. and in a sense opened the door to China for me. Here is an opportunity to renew old friendship
AGM: As a result of having to change our financial year to fit with the National Society, the AGM will be held on Wednesday, February 23rd at 37 Thompson Avenue, Dinsdale at 8pm.
Supper will be provided.
NZCA Waikato Putonghua (Mandarin) Classes
WCA held successful evening classes in spoken Mandarin in our Chinese Community Centre last year. Our professional teacher is a native Mandarin speaker and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics at Waikato University.
Last year our study terms followed that of NZ secondary school terms. We are looking at starting two classes this year – a continuers class, for people who already have some knowledge of Mandarin (some ability to read characters can be an advantage, but is not at all necessary), and a beginners class, for people with no or very
little knowledge of Mandarin, but are interested in learning.
Emphasis in both these classes is on practical spoken language. If there is sufficient interest we can consider starting Chinese writing (Hanzi – simplified form) classes. Several students in our classes last year were fluent in Cantonese (and a couple of them could read and write characters), some had studied a little Mandarin before, and some had had no experience at all with Mandarin.
We do need a sufficient number of students to keep our classes economically viable. We are looking at starting classes early in the Chinese New Year, but negotiate with students at to suitable day(evening) and time of classes to best suit the majority. If you are interested in learning Putonghua and/or Hanzi, or know of someone else who could be interested, please provide contact details to
Ian Howat 855 9431 or Stan Boyle 847 4504
Congratulations: May Dean has reached the wonderful age of 90 years and we extend to her our best wishes for many more happy years.
