LAUNCH OF TE ARA'S SOUTH CANTERBURY ENTRIES
It is a great pleasure to be here this evening to launch the South Canterbury entries of Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
The 'Places' strand of Te Ara is about to expand by 25 percent. Tonight's launch brings one step closer the completion of this valuable resource, which will eventually tell the stories of 22 distinctive regions.
As of tonight, with a few clicks of the mouse we can learn all there is to know about the geology, climate, flora and fauna of South Canterbury; its Mâori and European history; the development of industry; the lifestyle South Cantabrians enjoy today.
We can learn about the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, the Mackenzie Country and the region's major settlements.
We can follow the image trails, enhancing the stories with stunning pictures of life in South Canterbury. We can follow links to further sources to deepen our understanding.
This is New Zealand the Te Ara way - comprehensive information, engagingly presented. There is no other source of knowledge quite like it.
And there is no other place quite like South Canterbury. Literally - no other region in New Zealand can match the extraordinary altitudinal range from Caroline Bay to Aoraki, New Zealand's highest peak.
South Canterbury's Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is a truly iconic landscape, inspiring awe with its harsh but majestic scenery. Caroline Bay is the quintessential New Zealand sunny swimming beach, and the site of many happy summer outings through generations of South Cantabrians.
These contrasts are matched by the South Canterbury climate - from fierce cold to those long hot months that are the envy of those of us accustomed to less temperate summers. And then of course there's the infamous nor'wester that alters the personalities of all in its path.
South Canterbury with its smooth limestone outcrops and caves is the Mâori rock art centre of New Zealand. There are several hundred known sites of this precious heritage, giving a unique glimpse into the history of Mâori settlement in the region.
The South Canterbury entries tell the story from the years of Mâori settlement through to the arrival of Pakeha and the development of a modern economy.
The economy has grown up around agriculture, and though two-thirds of the population now work in the services sector, agriculture is still what we associate with South Canterbury today - an image reinforced by the region's famous historic sheep runs and the fact that it boasts two meatworks and the only milk plant from North Canterbury to Otago.
The people of South Canterbury have made their mark on history. We can read about some of the region's memorable characters in the entries, a notable one from a Labour point of view being Norman Kirk who was born and buried in Waimate.
Another is Margaret Cruikshank, the first New Zealand trained and registered woman GP. The Waimate entry tells the rather grim anecdote that during the 1918 flu epidemic when her driver fell ill she travelled to her patients by bicycle, before herself succumbing to the disease.
South Canterbury has given us some great sporting icons: Jack Lovelock, winner of the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; and Bob Fitzsimmons, New Zealand's only boxing world heavyweight title champion. And of course the famous Phar Lap.
And it boasts one of the country's most illustrious writers, Owen Marshall who moved to Timaru at 12 and has spent much of his life here. His writing is said to exhibit a true affinity with the people and landscapes of this region.
And one who certainly left his mark was the infamous but rather admired James Mackenzie, an early entrepreneur in getting away with sheep theft.
It is fitting that tonight's launch is taking place here in Timaru. As the region's main urban centre Timaru is described in these entries from its earliest days when the arrival of over 100 settlers on the Strathallan increased the population ten-fold. On coming in to shore, one passenger is reputed to have called out, "Timaru at last! Five houses in sight."
From which point there was only one way to go and the town rapidly grew. It got its first local newspaper the Timaru Herald in 1864 which is still going strong today; it was constituted a town district in 1865, a borough in 1868 and a city in 1948.
From a culture and heritage perspective, the Edwardian architecture that has developed here and survived to this day gives Timaru simply some of the finest early 20th Century streetscapes in the country. Past meets present here also with Timaru's still operational 19th Century flour mill, the last surviving one of its kind in New Zealand.
Timaru's lively culture and heritage is reflected in the Caroline Bay Carnival where people have gathered in celebratory mode each summer for an impressive 97 years. One of the interesting snippets in the Timaru entry is that Caroline Bay was once described as a "dreary and uninviting line of rock under a cliff over which was dumped night soil and rubbish". What a difference that artificial harbour made.
I imagine that one of the joys of researching for a work like Te Ara is the discovery of all sorts of these quirky local facts. Like the fact that those bracing South Canterbury winters have generated the biggest jersey in the world, proudly displayed at the "Giant Jersey" knitwear shop in Geraldine.
Or that those tasty custard pies you can buy all over New Zealand - a true cultural icon if ever there was one - originate from Pleasant Point.
Or for a piece of historic trivia, the publican at Fairlie Burkes Pass used to serve 30 meals a day to people going by coach into Mckenzie Country.
I don't want to spoil all the surprises though, so suffice it to say that these entries are guaranteed to be an engaging read, and I wish you all much pleasure in going home, logging in and having a look for yourselves.
This pleasure we owe in large part to writer John Wilson. Congratulations, John; it must be a great feeling to see a project that has absorbed you over the past two years go live.
I know it was a labour of love for you - and what an opportunity to leave a lasting tribute to the homeland of your childhood.
Congratulations too to the Te Ara team at the Ministry: Jock Philips (General Editor), Malcolm McKinnon (Overseer of Regional Entries), Ben Schrader who checked and revised the entry; and Shirley Williams (Team Leader, Resources) and all the others involved in the South Canterbury entries.
Te Ara has just had its second birthday [launch of first theme 8 February 2005] and is going from strength to strength with close to 300 entries completed.
I am told the next major theme, "the Bush", is three quarters of the way there and due to be launched this September, celebrating another important feature of New Zealand life.
New Zealanders can be very proud of Te Ara. It plays an important role in acquainting New Zealanders with the land in which we live and our unique cultural heritage.
While equivalent projects are now happening in a few places [Sweden, Taiwan and Sydney], we got there first. Te Ara positions New Zealand as a world leader in this field and has gained us international recognition.
Its popularity is a measure of its success: Te Ara has had close to two and a half million visits since first going live, and is now being accessed at a rate of over 6,000 visits on an average weekday.
This is not the first Te Ara launch I have attended and is unlikely to be the last. It is relatively early days yet and an exciting time lies ahead as our online encyclopedia continues to take shape.
I have great pleasure now in significantly increasing the scope of Te Ara by officially launching the South Canterbury entries.
The 'Places' strand of Te Ara is about to expand by 25 percent. Tonight's launch brings one step closer the completion of this valuable resource, which will eventually tell the stories of 22 distinctive regions.
As of tonight, with a few clicks of the mouse we can learn all there is to know about the geology, climate, flora and fauna of South Canterbury; its Mâori and European history; the development of industry; the lifestyle South Cantabrians enjoy today.
We can learn about the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, the Mackenzie Country and the region's major settlements.
We can follow the image trails, enhancing the stories with stunning pictures of life in South Canterbury. We can follow links to further sources to deepen our understanding.
This is New Zealand the Te Ara way - comprehensive information, engagingly presented. There is no other source of knowledge quite like it.
And there is no other place quite like South Canterbury. Literally - no other region in New Zealand can match the extraordinary altitudinal range from Caroline Bay to Aoraki, New Zealand's highest peak.
South Canterbury's Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is a truly iconic landscape, inspiring awe with its harsh but majestic scenery. Caroline Bay is the quintessential New Zealand sunny swimming beach, and the site of many happy summer outings through generations of South Cantabrians.
These contrasts are matched by the South Canterbury climate - from fierce cold to those long hot months that are the envy of those of us accustomed to less temperate summers. And then of course there's the infamous nor'wester that alters the personalities of all in its path.
South Canterbury with its smooth limestone outcrops and caves is the Mâori rock art centre of New Zealand. There are several hundred known sites of this precious heritage, giving a unique glimpse into the history of Mâori settlement in the region.
The South Canterbury entries tell the story from the years of Mâori settlement through to the arrival of Pakeha and the development of a modern economy.
The economy has grown up around agriculture, and though two-thirds of the population now work in the services sector, agriculture is still what we associate with South Canterbury today - an image reinforced by the region's famous historic sheep runs and the fact that it boasts two meatworks and the only milk plant from North Canterbury to Otago.
The people of South Canterbury have made their mark on history. We can read about some of the region's memorable characters in the entries, a notable one from a Labour point of view being Norman Kirk who was born and buried in Waimate.
Another is Margaret Cruikshank, the first New Zealand trained and registered woman GP. The Waimate entry tells the rather grim anecdote that during the 1918 flu epidemic when her driver fell ill she travelled to her patients by bicycle, before herself succumbing to the disease.
South Canterbury has given us some great sporting icons: Jack Lovelock, winner of the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; and Bob Fitzsimmons, New Zealand's only boxing world heavyweight title champion. And of course the famous Phar Lap.
And it boasts one of the country's most illustrious writers, Owen Marshall who moved to Timaru at 12 and has spent much of his life here. His writing is said to exhibit a true affinity with the people and landscapes of this region.
And one who certainly left his mark was the infamous but rather admired James Mackenzie, an early entrepreneur in getting away with sheep theft.
It is fitting that tonight's launch is taking place here in Timaru. As the region's main urban centre Timaru is described in these entries from its earliest days when the arrival of over 100 settlers on the Strathallan increased the population ten-fold. On coming in to shore, one passenger is reputed to have called out, "Timaru at last! Five houses in sight."
From which point there was only one way to go and the town rapidly grew. It got its first local newspaper the Timaru Herald in 1864 which is still going strong today; it was constituted a town district in 1865, a borough in 1868 and a city in 1948.
From a culture and heritage perspective, the Edwardian architecture that has developed here and survived to this day gives Timaru simply some of the finest early 20th Century streetscapes in the country. Past meets present here also with Timaru's still operational 19th Century flour mill, the last surviving one of its kind in New Zealand.
Timaru's lively culture and heritage is reflected in the Caroline Bay Carnival where people have gathered in celebratory mode each summer for an impressive 97 years. One of the interesting snippets in the Timaru entry is that Caroline Bay was once described as a "dreary and uninviting line of rock under a cliff over which was dumped night soil and rubbish". What a difference that artificial harbour made.
I imagine that one of the joys of researching for a work like Te Ara is the discovery of all sorts of these quirky local facts. Like the fact that those bracing South Canterbury winters have generated the biggest jersey in the world, proudly displayed at the "Giant Jersey" knitwear shop in Geraldine.
Or that those tasty custard pies you can buy all over New Zealand - a true cultural icon if ever there was one - originate from Pleasant Point.
Or for a piece of historic trivia, the publican at Fairlie Burkes Pass used to serve 30 meals a day to people going by coach into Mckenzie Country.
I don't want to spoil all the surprises though, so suffice it to say that these entries are guaranteed to be an engaging read, and I wish you all much pleasure in going home, logging in and having a look for yourselves.
This pleasure we owe in large part to writer John Wilson. Congratulations, John; it must be a great feeling to see a project that has absorbed you over the past two years go live.
I know it was a labour of love for you - and what an opportunity to leave a lasting tribute to the homeland of your childhood.
Congratulations too to the Te Ara team at the Ministry: Jock Philips (General Editor), Malcolm McKinnon (Overseer of Regional Entries), Ben Schrader who checked and revised the entry; and Shirley Williams (Team Leader, Resources) and all the others involved in the South Canterbury entries.
Te Ara has just had its second birthday [launch of first theme 8 February 2005] and is going from strength to strength with close to 300 entries completed.
I am told the next major theme, "the Bush", is three quarters of the way there and due to be launched this September, celebrating another important feature of New Zealand life.
New Zealanders can be very proud of Te Ara. It plays an important role in acquainting New Zealanders with the land in which we live and our unique cultural heritage.
While equivalent projects are now happening in a few places [Sweden, Taiwan and Sydney], we got there first. Te Ara positions New Zealand as a world leader in this field and has gained us international recognition.
Its popularity is a measure of its success: Te Ara has had close to two and a half million visits since first going live, and is now being accessed at a rate of over 6,000 visits on an average weekday.
This is not the first Te Ara launch I have attended and is unlikely to be the last. It is relatively early days yet and an exciting time lies ahead as our online encyclopedia continues to take shape.
I have great pleasure now in significantly increasing the scope of Te Ara by officially launching the South Canterbury entries.