Far North Focus
September 2020
You never know what you’ll come across on a VCC rally.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
Far North Focus Who’s Who for 2020/21 Chairman
Winston Matthews
win@matthewsvintage .com
09 4060203
Vice Chairman
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 4061288
Secretary
Gloria Cormack
m.g.cormack@xtra.co.nz
09 4077255
Treasurer
Robyn Mackay
wmackay116@gmail .com
09 406 1955
Club Captain
Warren Mackay
wmackay116@gmail.com
09 4061955
Editor
Peg Hills
comstockdowns@gmail.com
09 406 1077
Communications Officer
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 4060 392
Beaded Wheels Scribe
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 406 1288
Area Rep North
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 406 0392
Area Rep South
Warwick Woollams
w.woollams@gmail.com
09 407 7494
Committee
Murray Cormack, Robyn Mackay, Winston Matthews, Graeme Moore, Vince Mason, Mike Pooley, Gloria Cormack, Warwick Woollams, Warren Mackay, Dave Duirs, Keith Lyndsell
Building Officer
Warren Mackay
09 406 1955
A full list of elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting
Club meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at the Aurere Clubrooms at 7.30pm.
CLUB CLEANING ROSTER 2019-2020 During the month, and preferably before the main calendar event, please give the clubrooms a thorough check over, as in: Clean the toilets and hand basins, check kitchen, window ledges etc, and sweep the floors. Window cleaning, washing walls etc will be done at working bees.
Note any required maintenance and pass on to the Building Officer– Warren Mackay, ph 09 4061955 If your date doesn’t suit you, please swap with someone else. For any other enquiries please contact the Club Captain.
Graeme Moore July
C Brownlie
January
D & P Hills
August
D & D Duirs
February
Graeme & Margaret
September
Graeme Moore
March
N & V Mason
October
Everyone– working bee
April
R & W Mackay
November
R & W Mackay
May
M & T Deverell
December
Graeme & Margaret
June
P O’Dell
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Calendar of Events 2020 / 2021 September 5th
Father’s Day Run/Lunch
Winston
October 3rd
Open Day
Warren
October 31st
Club Working Bee
Everyone
November 7th
Far North Tour
Northland Branch
November 28th
Dunny Run
Dave & Dorothy
December 12th
Christmas Event
TBA
January 16th
Summer Picnic
TBA
February 20th
Run/Event North
Margaret & Tom
March
Mangonui Waterfront Festival
Club Captain/ Vice
April 17th
Brian Parker Rally
Murray & Gloria
May 9th
Mother’s Day Run/Lunch
Terry & Sue
May 11th
Club AGM
Everyone
June 26th
Molloy Trophy Run
Rex& Sandra & Team
Monthly 3rd Sunday
Taipa Bay Caffeine & Classics
Rosco
Ramada Resort, Taipa Monthly 2nd Tuesday
Club Meeting Aurere Clubrooms 7.30pm.
Just a reminder to all members that the Club’s Bank, Kiwibank has gone cheque free. We no longer have a cheque book and are unable to accept cheques so all payments must be done on line. We are still able to accept cash.
The Far North Branch of the VCC does have a policy that pets are not brought to any Club events. We do ask that this policy is respected.
We were all new members once-
Please extend the hand of friendship to all who come along after you.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
From the Chair……. Hi Everyone, What a disappointment to have Covid back in the Community again! It meant that I was not prepared to risk travelling to the AGM in Whanganui. Unfortunately I have not yet received the minutes of this meeting so am unable to report.
rare car, and others needing a complete body rebuild, and of course afterwards at the Bay View restaurant to celebrate Fathers Day. Because of this event our Northern Nog n Natter on Friday night has been cancelled.
Great to see a good turnout at Judy and Peter’s Look-in, even though the weather report was not the greatest.They have an impressive collection and Peter has done a tremendous job of obtaining so many of the local trucks, going back to the 40’s and 50’s, and restoring them to pristine condition, a real credit to him.They must also be very proud of their collection of cars. Many thanks to them for allowing us to visit. Also many enjoyed the ‘catch-up’ and lunch at the ‘Bakerman’ afterwards.
I hope you remember that this month’s meeting is being held at Waipapa Sports complex at 7.30 on WEDNESDAY 9th September, owing to the venue not being available on Tuesday night. Instead of our normal Nog n Natter on the 2nd October we are planning to have a sausage sizzle lunch on Saturday 3rd with the Club Parts shed open, and invite other car Clubs and friends to come and enjoy a pleasant time together. Happy Motoring Win.
I look forward to seeing you at Vince’s panelbeating workshop on Saturday at 11 am to see his body building skills on the Minerva 23 1920’s Isota Fraschini, a very
THE FATHERS DAY RALLY
The September meeting of the FNVCC will be held at the
SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER
Bay Sport Complex building MEET AT VINCE MASON’S PANELBEATING SHOP
Harmony Lane, off Waipapa Road
MATTHEWS AVENUE, KAITAIA
Wednesday 9th September 7.30pm
11.00AM
Please note the change to Wednesday , as the venue has a prior booking for Tuesday.
THEN LUNCH AT BAY VIEW RESTAURANT STONEGRILL, AHIPARA Please let Robyn Mackay know by Wednesday 2nd September if you are coming.
Remember the Taipa Bay Caffeine & Classics
Ph 09 4061955
Next date Sunday 20th September
3rd Sunday every month 10 to 12.30
Email robynmackay4@gmail.com
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Club Captain’s Report….. Another month closer to Christmas and we are into spring and another COVID-19 lockdown lifted in Auckland allowing Northlanders to get thru Auckland again to venture South if that’s what you had planned. We had a great turnout for the visit to Peter and Judy Matthews to look at his large collection of trucks and classic cars. The presentation of the vehicles is outstanding and a credit to Peter. Some of us enjoyed a visit to Bakerman in Awanui for lunch.
We are organising an event at the Clubrooms on Saturday 3 October where we will invite club members from the Rod and Custom Club and Caffeine and Classics group. We will have the parts shed open to sell bits and bobs and will have sausage and bread with chips available at a small cost per head. ($5 for an Adult and $3 for a child). rd
A good chance to get your car out for a run and mix and mingle.
Looking forward to the Fathers Day Run and Luncheon Saturday 5 September organised by Winston.
Warren
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OPEN DAY Kaipara Vintage Car Tour
SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER CLUBROOMS OPEN FROM 12.00
Kae and Paul Bond with Gloria and Murray Cormack have planned a 3-day, 2-night Kaipara tour on 15 to 17 November. We wonder if any other FNVCC members would wish to join us.
ROD & CUSTOM AND
Sunday morning 15 Nov: leave Waimate North for Dargaville, and from there explore the Pouto Peninsular, staying in Dargaville that night.
th
th
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CAFFEINE & CLASSICS FOLK
Monday 16 Nov: Tinopai, shed visit, Matakohe Kauri Museum, Totara house and gardens, staying in Matakohe/Paparoa that night. th
INVITED FOR SAUSAGE SIZZLE (modest charge)
Tuesday 17 Nov: Shed visit, local touring, then drive home. th
AND GET-TOGETHER PARTS SHED OPEN
Kae and Paul have a long family history in this area, with a great knowledge of the district.
Come along and see what the other
If you would like further details, please phone Kae and Paul at 09 4059993, or Gloria and Murray at 09 4077255.
half drives.
We would like a commitment by 15 October. th
Kae and Paul, Gloria and Murray.
Heads up:
CLUB SHIRTS AVAILABLE:
The Working Bee has been changed to the
Contact Ruth- see her at a meeting, call her on 09 406 0392, or email her at r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
31st of October
There will be samples at the Clubrooms to try on for size.
Make a note and come and give us a hand if you can
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BERTHA BENZ Bertha Benz is the first female automotive pioneer to be inducted into the automotive hall of fame. As of July 2016, 32 years after her husband Karl and 132 years after her achievements, Mrs Benz finally received the recognition she deserves. Bertha Benz was the visionary business partner and investor of husband Karl Benz, founder of Mercedes Benz. She played a significant role in demonstrating the daily road capability and the suitability for general public use of her husband’s invention, leading to world-wide attention and Benz PatentMotorwagon’s first sales. Setting out in 1888 with her two eldest sons and unbeknownst to her husband, Mrs Benz became the first person to take an automotive road trip. Travelling roughly 106kms from Mannheim to Pforzheim in Germany, she was determined to prove her husband’s construction had a future. As the newly constructed Benz Patent-Motorwagon had only a 4.5 litre supply of petrol in the carburettor and no gas tank, Mrs Benz stopped off to find ‘Ligroin”, a cleaning solvent, to keep the car running. Thus making the pharmacy in Weisloch the world’s first fuel station.
the wooden brakes began to fail Mrs Benz stopped in on a cobbler to apply leather, making the first ever pair of brake pads. After successfully completing the trip and reporting everything to her husband, the pioneering couple introduced several improvements to the car’s development. Introducing an additional gear for climbing hills and brake linings to improve brake power, the Benz Patent-Motorwagon became a success on the market. Mrs Benz’ highly publicised trip also proved to the growing motor industry that test drives are essential to their business. Around the turn of the century Benz and Company became the leading manufacturer of automobiles worldwide. According to the United Nations Educational. Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the automotive patent of Karl Benz is a major contributor to the world’s cultural heritage. Karl and Bertha Benz are the first married couple to be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Along the way the engine’s two gears struggled on inclines, (Taken from the September/October 2016 edition of The Automoforcing her two boys to push the vehicle often. She even tive Engineer.) cleaned a blocked fuel line with her hat pin and used her garter for insulation material for a wiring problem. Then when Our very best wishes to Raewyn Pennell as she travels the path back to full health– may the road rise to meet you Raewyn.
We’ve heard that George Coulson is not so well and can no longer live independently. Our thoughts are with you George.
In earlier days, at taverns, pubs and bars, people drank from pint and quart sized containers. A barmaid’s job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in pints and who was drinking in quarts, hence the phrase ‘Mind your P’s and Q’s’.
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HOW TO BE A GOOD PARLOURMAID In 1901 a writer in the New Zealand Graphic explained how double goffered frills, and turn down cuffs and collars, comto train servants. The following extract describes some of the plete her outfit. skills that had to be developed in a trainee parlourmaid. ‘It is very necessary that the parloumaid should clearly and ‘To keep the silver entrusted to her in excellent condition, it properly give the names when announcing visitors, so as to is necessary for her to wash it after each meal in very hot avoid awkward mistakes. water, into which has been placed a small quantity of com‘In most households the table linien is kept in repair by the mon soda. parlourmaid. This will require great attention. Everything ‘She should soap a good sized piece of flannel and proceed must be carefully inspected on its return from the laundry, to wash each piece separately, and to wipe them with a dry and anything damaged…… should be laid on one side to be cloth while they are still hot; and before placing each in the mended. plate basket, she is to rub them with a chamois leather. ‘When cleaning any grates, gloves must always be worn by Washed in this manner, and cleaned with a plate powder the servant as, unless this is done, the paint of the doors will once a week, all silver will keep in perfect order. suffer at her hands. ‘The glass should be washed in warm, soapy water, then ‘The drawing room carpet should be brushed with a small wiped dry and…… polished with a selvyt. brush and the dust swept into a pan. ‘The parlourmaid should take great pride in the laying of the ‘An abundance of clean cloths will be required in the prepatable, and never be slovenly in any detail, however small. ration of a room, because each ornament must be carefully The tablecloth should be spotless and without wrinkles and removed and dusted. Feather brushes are best for pictures. the glass and silver polished to their utmost brilliancy. It is well to cover up as much of the furniture as possible with ‘In waiting at the table she must pay great attention to the clean dust sheets. wants of each individual. Nothing is so bad as to be repeat‘Among the requirements of a parlourmaid are that she edly asking he servant for what one wants. should be able to cut thin bread and butter, and dainty sand‘The parlourmaid should study neatness, and be quiet in ful- wiches– the necessary adjuncts to the five o’clock tea. For filling her duties. Her afternoon dress must be black, and this purpose the knife should be very sharp, and if the bread devoid of trimmings; it should just reach to the ground. Her is new, she should, before commencing cutting, place the aprons are best large, not made of lawn, for, if they are so, blade for a few seconds in boiling water, when the bread can they are soon damaged in the laundry. Plain white caps, with be easily sliced.’
The Knowing Servant In 1917 a dairy farmer’s wife, writing under the pen name Rita, mourned the passing of a domestic golden age in the columns of the New Zealand Dairyman:
In good old days the servant lass Was meek and mild and staid; She always worked her very best, And never disobeyed. She toiled all day and never thought To get an evening out, And if she ever asked for one, “You lazy girl!” they’d shout. But now the tables have been turned– We daren’t say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ To anything our servant asks, Or she’ll pack up and go. I had never heard of a sylvet,, but I did know about goffering , thanks to my seamstress Grandma. Ed.
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She knows too well her value, and Puts on a saucy air, Alas! We can’t retaliate While servants are so rare.