New Zealand, D9930

St Joseph's Maori Girls' College

Since the early days of the Club's history, a strong link has been maintained between the Club and the school through a regular inter-change of visits and the oratory contest.   In 1964 Eric Mason presented a cup for oratory to be contested between girls of the College. Originally the contests were held in front of Club members, with the members voting for the winner.

 

Club member Des Lanigan had a strong link with the school and served on it Board of Governors for several years in the late 1980's. A Maori speaker, he provided a valuable cultural link during exchange visits, a role later taken on by Duncan Jamieson, Richard Spence and Hans Hollis.

 

By 2000, with the strong development of Maori speaking, the winner has been decided by the school, with the winner repeating the speech to members at the school's annual visit to the Club.

Early Assistance. The following are Bulletin extracts.

  • 1968 Club give $36 to cover sports affiliation fees.

  • In 1969 the Club purchased a microscope for the school funded by a project selling name plates.

  • A report in the Bulletin 14th May 1970, reports that $40 was paid to cover the school's basketball and hockey affiliation fees. Generally however the Club has assisted through providing Job Interview training and vocational advice evenings, as well as provided prizes for the winners of the Mason Cup for Oratory.

  • July 1970, Invitation to Club members and wives to a School function in appreciation for $40 donation for sports fees.

Eric Mason, Foundation Member and donor and judge of the Mason Cup

Des Lanigan served on the school's Board of Governors

  • 1972 Club pay school's sports affiliation fees.

  • 1973 the school received $150 to replace piu piu skirts.

  • Mock job interviews have been held at the school at frequent intervals, with members giving of their time and experience to help the girl's gain skill and confidence in handling job interviews.

  • More recently the Club has adopted a program of supporting girls to the Waikato Summer Science School. This has been a very successful for the school as it gives the girls great confidence to move on to tertiary education in the sciences.

The Eric Mason Cup

The origins of the Cup go back to 1963 when a contest in public speaking was held between girls of Colenso High School and St Joseph's Maori Girls' College. This kind of inter-school contest was changed the following year, with Past President Ron Munro donating a cup for public speaking to Colenso, and Eric Mason did likewise for St. Joseph's. The link with Colenso died with the building of Taradale High School in 1970.

  • 1964 Eric Mason presents a cup for public speaking.

  • 1968 Ann Greatorex. Her topic was a tribute to Sir Apirana Ngata. Ann presented her talk to a full Club meeting at the Club rooms. This is reported to be the first Mason Cup talk to be given at the Club Rooms.

  • 1971 Stephanie Henderson; cup presented personally by Eric Mason.

  • 1975 Laura Hond; 3 speakers attended a Club meeting with Sister Maureen.; cup presented personally by Eric Mason.

  • 1978 Nannette Wehipeihana; cup presented personally by Eric Mason.

  • 1979 Tracy McIndoe

  • The Cup was lost for a period of time but a new one was purchased to replace it. Jim Dine told the story in a 3 Minute talk he gave to the Club in late 1999. He had been given the honour of presenting the new cup to the school at a combined meeting with the school in 1989.

In March 1989 I had the honour of presenting to St Joseph's Maori Girls' College on behalf of the club. The trophy that will be presented tonight to the winner of St. Joseph's College Speech Contest is a replacement as the original  cup was lost about 1980. The cup is known as The Eric Mason Cup and it was first presented round about 1964.

 

The format for the contest at that time was for three girls, selected by the College as the three best orators, to speak to the Club at the St Joseph's Night. Voting was by club members, the winner receiving the cup and all contestants were given book tokens.

 

Of the man who donated the original cup, Past President Eric Mason was an Englishman in the true sense of the word, cultured in both speech and bearing. He was, I might add, a particularly good orator himself being able to talk with authority on almost any subject. He could fill the guest speaker's place on club nights at a moments notice and always gave an interesting and entertaining address.

 

Eric first visited New Zealand in 1953 and liked the country so much that when he returned to England he sold up and came back to settle permanently at Poraite. He was a Charter Member of the Club in 1959 with the classification of Horticulture, Director of Community Service in the 62--63 year and President for the 64--65 year. He was a Senior Active member of the club when he passed away in 1983.

 

I will conclude with the sentence I used at the re presentation, "May this cup continue the memory of a very fine man and the friendly association between St Joseph's College and The Rotary Club of Taradale". Thank You.

Jim Dine. 14/10/1999 (3 minute talk)

  • 1989 K Tahana

  • 1990 R Stockman

  • 1991 T Komene

  • 1993 Trish Davis

  • 1995 Veronica Stone

  • 1997 Rawhia Pohe

  • 1998 Nikki Hall.

  • 2001 Hinenui Tipoki Lawson.

  • 2002 T Nugo

  • 2003 Marara Paku.

  • 2004 Courtney Rose Davis

  • 2005 Jade Peterson

  • 2006 Chelsea Claasen

  • 2007 Bailey Crown

  • 2008 Rangimarie Rautjoki

  • 2009 Katariena Faiers

  • 2010 Estelle Sword

  • 2013 Alana Broughton

  • 2014 Mere Kingi Harvey-Brewster

  • 2018 Ti Hirea Douherty

The Summer Science Schools

Since 1998, the Club has supported the school by nominating girls to attend Summer Science Schools, the most common of which is at the Waikato University. Attendance at this school has had a great impact on the girls attending and an even greater impact on the school and its community, because the girls have been very successful an this success has inspired other girls to study science at University.

  • 1998 Racheal Viles

  • 2003 Hester Goodwin, Naedene Ngoungou

  • 2004 Marama Paku; Kelly Ratana

  • 2005 Hester Goodwin & Manawa Roa Sproat

  • 2006 Teremoana Metuamate and Kataraina Reihana

  • 2008 Gina Reed, Kataraina Faiers

  • 2009 Deena Tapara

  • 2013 Madison Clark-Taylor, Kema Hawke and Karangawai

    Paringatai-Hare (Waikato University).Lyric Bird & Te -Waihuka Herewini-McDougal (Rotary National Science Technology Forum Auckand

  • 2015 Hinewai Hosford & Elsa Hug-Nicol

  • 2016 Ranera Keepa and Hiraia Haami-Wells

  • 2017 Marie Scott, Daria Bell and Paretao Tipoki-Hansen

Recent History

  • Each year visits have been exchanged between the Club and School. For many years, the Club held one meeting at the school every second year, but recently the meeting has been held in the Main Hall of the Taradale Town Hall, where members and their wives have greatly enjoyed the girls performances  of Maori songs and poi action songs.

  • In the past members have assisted the girls by putting them through mock interviews, and the Club sponsors the school senior speech prize with a Cup (called the Mason Cup in memory of a past member, Eric Mason) and a financial award.

This photo was taken at a meeting in the old Town Hall in 1975. Girl's from St Joseph's were guests of the Club and competed for the Mason Cup.

Eric Mason can be seen rear.

 Sister Maureen Richardson in the centre.

Laura Hond, Mason Cup winner 1975

 

Jim Dine.

Represented a new cup to replace the lost

Mason Cup 1989

 

Rangimarie Rautjoki receives the Mason Cup from President Richard Howell, 2008

Katariena Faiers Winner of the Mason Cup 2009

 

Alana Broughton receives the Mason Cup from Director of New Generations, Paul Bee, 2013

  • In 1977 Debbie Marshall was selected for a Student Exchange to USA. In 2009, Debbie was appointed Principal of Hato Pora College.

  • Recently President John Aikman welcomed Georgina Kingi  as Principal of St Josephs and inducted Georgina as an Honorary member of the Rotary Club of Taradale which was warmly received. Georgina replied and thanked the club for this honour and the friendship & association with St Josephs. 

  • In 2007 Georgina Kingi lead club members together with the kapa haka group in the singing of "Hoki Mai". This was captured on video by Bob McCaw who placed the clip on YouTube. It can be viewed at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MfblVU9yeU

Kapa Haka group perform at the Club's 50th Jubilee Dinner


 

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