Southern View: September 26, 2017

8 Tuesday September 26 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
SOUTHERN VIEW
TEAM EFFORT: Students from Linwood College and pupils from St Anne’s Catholic School
planted 1000 trees in Charlesworth Reserve last week. ​
STEPPING UP to enhance
their community, pupils from
St Anne’s Catholic School in
Woolston and year 7 and 8
students from Linwood College
came together to plant almost
1000 natives at Charlesworth
Reserve last week.
Both schools are recipients
of the Kiwi Can values and life
skills programme, delivered by
the Graeme Dingle Foundation.
A requirement of the programme
is that each year the
students undertake a project for
their wider community.
This year the schools elected to
come together and work together
at the Charlesworth Reserve,
a 20ha area of land between
Linwood Ave and Humphries
Drive.
Restoration of the area as a
wetland began in 1991. Since
then over 100,000 trees, shrubs
and marsh plants have been
planted at this site. This is an
important habitat for native
wetland birds.
Students demonstrated what
they have learned about respect
for their community and respect
for their environment while also
role-modelling how to be leaders.
SCHOOLS
Team effort plants 1000 trees
“It’s really exciting to see the
students working on a project
like this,” said Kiwi Can leader
Nicky Cameron. “We teach the
theory and now we support them
to get out and do it in the real
world.”
Ross Smith, Kiwi Can leader
at Linwood College said the students
had been very responsive
to the project.
“They know they are making
a genuine contribution to their
own community and are now
able to monitor the success of
their contribution. This type
of initiative really helps our
students to develop community
pride along with self-esteem,” he
said.
Lyttelton ‘seagull’
leaves union legacy
Raymond Fergus
• By Sarla Donovan
ONE OF the last remaining men
involved in the 1951 waterfront
dispute, Raymond (Ray) Fergus,
passed away in Ashburton on
September 12, aged 90.
Mr Fergus worked
as a casual labourer or
‘seagull’ on the Lyttelton
docks, and later
became a ‘walking
delegate’ who liaised
with the port company
on health and safety
matters.
He was 24 years of
age when, on February
15, 1951, the unionised
wharfies were locked
out after resolving
to work only their contracted
hours.
The lockout continued for 151
days. Arguing that New Zealand’s
export trade was under
threat, the National Government
declared a state of emergency.
Troops were sent onto the
Auckland and Wellington
wharves to load and unload
ships and draconian emergency
regulations imposed rigid censorship,
gave police sweeping
powers of search and arrest and
made it an offence for citizens to
assist strikers – even giving food
to their children was outlawed.
Mr Fergus was interviewed
for a 2002 documentary on the
lockout called 1951, along with
wharfie Baden Norris.
Mr Norris, 90, of Sumner,
started in the union with Mr
Fergus, where they were both
rank and file members during
the strike.
“We all had various roles (such
as) going and digging potatoes
and onions from farmers that
were friendly to us. He was a
good guy, a worker. He could
have moved up the ladder but
he chose to stay within the
union movement. He was a good
workmate, and that’s the best
accolade you could have.”
Mr Fergus went on to become
national president of the Waterfront
Workers Union from 1969-
79 as well as a Lyttelton branch
secretary and president.
He was president of the Lyttelton
Waterfront Workers
Union during 1979 and 1980,
and served on the executive for
many years.
Maritime Union Lyttelton
branch secretary
Gary Horan said he
was a workmate to
hundreds of watersiders
during his career
on the wharf.
“A lot of the conditions
that present
members enjoy are because
of the hard work
and battles Ray and
members like him fought for
over the years,” said Mr Horan.
“I remember as a young
watersider listening to Ray
make many speeches at the
stop work meetings held at the
old centennial hall. He was an
eloquent speaker and had a vast
knowledge of the politics and
legislation ruling our industrial
relations at the time.”
Mr Fergus was married for
more than 60 years to June,
who he first spied at the age of
15 while at cricket practice in
Waltham Park.
The pair tied the knot at St
Saviour’s Church, Sydenham in
1953 and went on to have two
children, Robyn and Mark and
two grandchildren, Francis and
Heather.
Said Heather in the eulogy
given at her grandfather’s funeral
on September 18:
“Granddad tread with purpose
the path that unfurled itself
for him. He was whole of heart;
wholehearted in his work, his
life and his love.”
She told Bay Harbour News
she was an “incredibly proud
granddaughter of a man who
stood up for true equity, and
fought injustice howsoever
small, and wherever found. Nor
was he quelled by the magnitude
of an aggressor, but sought harmonious
resolution, always.”
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