BIG - Auckland Grammar School

A u c k l A n d G r A m m A r S c h o o l m A G A z i n e 

Grammar’s tradition of 

academic excellence 

continues 

May 2007 - Volume 15 No. 2 

Ad Augusta 

Ad Augusta

Editor 

Amanda Harkness 

Contact Details 

Editor 

Ad Augusta 

Auckland Grammar School 

Private Bag 999 0 

Newmarket 

Auckland 

Email: a.harkness@ags.school.nz 

Contents 

The Headmaster ........................................................................................................Page 

Report from the Board ..............................................................................................Page 4 

A Grammar first: Three perfect CIE scores ...............................................................Page 5 

University Entrance Scholars 2006 ............................................................................Page 5 

Academic: Top CIE results and Sam George Honours Board ....................................Page 6 

Academic: Examination Entry and Fees ....................................................................Page 6 

Comment: Credit accumulation v intellectual challenge (John Morris) .....................Page 7 

Sports: Roundup ........................................................................................................Page 8 

Sports: The cricket season ........................................................................................Page 12 

Sports: New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Head Coach, Grant Hansen ..........Page 1 

Sporting Fixtures: 1st XV rugby and 1st XI soccer ....................................................Page 1 

Arts: Music Roundup .................................................................................................Page 14 

Arts: New Zealand Chess Champion, Puchen Wang ................................................Page 15 

Events: School production ‘Cabaret’ .........................................................................Page 16 

Events: Art Exhibition, Gala Dinner, Dancing with the Staff, Careers Evening ..........Page 17 

Foundation Trust .......................................................................................................Page 18 

Staff: Lyn Rawlinson from Learning Support .............................................................Page 20 

International Department, the Parent Tutor programme ...........................................Page 21 

Transition Education ..................................................................................................Page 22 

Voice Box: Director of Guidance, Terry McKain .........................................................Page 2 

Notices: Youth 07, Term Dates, Prefects...................................................................Page 24 

Old Boys’ News 

Pavilion progress .......................................................................................................Page 25 

Old and new: Vintage Old Boys and Recent Leavers Reunions ................................Page 26 

Regular Year Group Reunions ....................................................................................Page 28 

Events and Branch News ..........................................................................................Page 29 

Grammar Families: Doo family ..................................................................................Page 0 

Old Boy profile: Writer James McNeish ....................................................................Page 1 

News of Old Boys .....................................................................................................Page 2 

Fred Orange, Wayne Carpenter and Ron Mayhill, Old Boys Directory ......................Page 

New OBA President and Executive Members, Honorary Life Members ..................Page 4 

Augusta Fellowship ...................................................................................................Page 4 

Forthcoming Events ..................................................................................................Page 5 

Obituaries ..................................................................................................................Page 5 

Front Cover: Annual prizegiving ceremony 

This term has been dominated in the 

media with the revival of the NCEA 

debate following a number of large 

secondary schools in Auckland hinting 

that they may well join the move to 

offering international qualifications. 

The Grammar community will 

be well aware of our move to a dual 

pathway of qualifications in 2001. In 

effect we have therefore been lobbying 

for change to NCEA for the last six 

years. My involvement on the Principals’ 

Lead Group on Qualifications set up by 

the government in the mid-1990s and 

a three-year stint on the NZQA Board 

alerted me to the impending problems 

with NCEA as envisioned by the NZQA 

bureaucrats who designed it. 

Despite my best efforts to influence 

change from within, all our ideas for 

improvement fell on deaf ears. I am 

afraid ideology overrode common sense 

and pragmatism in the design of NCEA. 

Hence my decision to look overseas for 

a qualification that was: 

• Provided by a reputable examining 

board 

• Based on rigorous worthwhile 

syllabuses, providing challenging 

courses of study 

• Assessed in the main externally 

• Affordable for students and school 

• Recognised nationally and 

internationally 

I am afraid ideology overrode common sense 

and pragmatism in the design of NCEA. 

The Headmaster 

Eventually, after much research, CIE 

was the system we plumped for and we 

are delighted that we did. 

This does not mean that NCEA 

is regarded in the School as a 

second-class qualification. Whatever 

programme we put in front of our boys 

we aim to teach and assess rigorously. 

The issue for me is that I want NCEA 

to be fair to all our boys. As it stands 

currently there are so many systemic 

weaknesses in NCEA that allow for 

manipulation by both schools and 

students, manipulation that is even 

encouraged by NZQA advice. 

Parents at AGS can be certain that 

we do not take advantage of such 

advice and that boys studying NCEA 

at Grammar have to work hard for the 

credits they get and as a consequence 

will be well prepared for further study. 

I am hopeful that the Minister of 

Education is sufficiently motivated 

to address these issues and that 

consequent reform will happen in the 

very near future. The independent 

review of NCEA carried out in 2005 

recommended over 200 improvements 

to the system. These recommendations 

have remained ‘on the table’ since 

the review because NZQA had no 

motivation to make any change at all. 

The recent furore will, I hope, have 

changed their mind about this. 

Aside from this, Term One has been 

very successful with outstanding exam 

results from the 2006 sessions in both 

CIE and Scholarship, and improved 

results generally in NCEA. The sporting 

side of the School continues to prosper 

with cricket, tennis, athletics, softball, 

volleyball, swimming, waterpolo and 

rowing all achieving some excellent 

results. Music performances both within 

the School and in the community have 

been, as usual, quite excellent and the 

rehearsals for the joint school production 

with EGGS, ‘Cabaret’, are well under way. 

The end of term exams have just 

been held and will have demonstrated 

to the senior boys what is required to 

succeed in the end of year external 

exams, and for our juniors they are vital 

in inducting them into the academic 

requirements of AGS. 

I hope the year is very successful for 

you and your family. 

Regards 

John Morris – Headmaster 

Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page

Report from the Board 

Thank you to all of the parents who 

voted in the recent Board of Trustee 

elections. 

Those elected as parent 

representatives are Deborah George, 

Grant Helsby, David Simcock, Simon 

Longuet-Higgins, Mack Storey and 

Robert Kirkpatrick. All these individuals 

were members of the previous Board. 

Warren Lincoln was elected unopposed 

as the staff representative. Professor 

Andrew Pullan has been reappointed 

by the University of Auckland as their 

representative on the Board. The 

appointment of three additional Board 

Members by the Auckland Grammar 

School Old Boys’ Association and the 

Headmaster’s Council is being progressed. 

The thanks of the previous Board and 

the School go to retiring Board Members 

Noel Ingram (Deputy Chair), John Burns 

(Education and Finance), Graham Jackson 

(Finance) and Scott Milne (Property, Finance 

ands Tibbs) for their combined 40 odd years 

of service to the Board of Trustees. 

We are very fortunate to have many 

Board Members who are prepared to 

serve the School for three or four terms 

of three years. It is pleasing to see newer 

Board Members with young sons who are 

just starting at Grammar who also have 

other younger sons still a few years away. 

On the enrolment front, the School 

is continuing to progress and improve 

our systems to fairly manage new 

entrants. Progress on clarifying the 

annulment process for those parents who 

intentionally use a temporary address to 

gain entry to the School for their sons 

has been slow. Outside legal advice 

has confirmed our rights as regards 

annulments. The School’s annulment 

decisions can only be challenged in the 

High Court. 

There is less clarity surrounding the 

Ministry of Education’s process, which 

may in some circumstances allow the 

Ministry to ‘redirect’ the school to take 

back a student who has been annulled. 

This process is currently under outside 

counsel review with recommendations to 

be placed before the new Board. 

For those wanting some certainty on 

these issues, the best current suggestion 

would be to intend to live in the School 

zone for the duration of your son’s time 

at Grammar. If unexpected circumstances 

occur, please discuss these with the 

School prior to leaving the zone to avoid 

any unexpected outcomes. The intentional 

use of temporary residence to gain access 

will continue to attract considerable 

attention and firm action by the Board. 

Thank you for your continued support 

and, as always, we welcome input from 

the School community. 

Robert Kirkpatrick 

Chair AGS Board of Trustees 

N Ramachandran, M Milne and K Wong 

In last year’s 2006 CIE exams, three 

Grammar boys gained perfect scores 

– a feat never before attained at our 

school. They were N Ramachandran 6A 

with 100% in AS Mathematics, MLE 

Milne 7G with 100% in Art and Design 

(Painting) and KWL Wong 7C with 100% 

in Art and Design (Graphic Design). 

Head of Maths Gerard Leeuw 

says that N Ramachandran is a 

dedicated, astute boy who has always 

strived for perfection. As the year 

Perfect Scores 

progressed, he showed a natural 

talent for mathematics as well as 

the ability to work independently and 

consider problems in a critical way. 

“He was always prepared to stop 

and ask questions and his attention 

to detail and clear methodology will 

have helped him win this thoroughly 

prestigious achievement.” 

CIE Design exams are spread over 

five sessions totalling 15 hours. During 

this time, students have to complete 

three A2 boards while making sure 

the intense time pressures do not 

compromise the quality of their work. 

A large amount of preparatory work 

leading up to the exam also counts 

towards the overall mark. 

“As a subject, graphic design 

requires constant hard work 

throughout the entire year and there 

are many design theories to learn 

and apply fluently,” Ka Wai Wong 

says. “The previous year I’d received 

a Cambridge award for design and 

technology, so I’d set the ambitious 

goal of getting another award. The 

news of 100% definitely fulfilled my 

goals and boosted my confidence 

– I felt very grateful and lucky and of 

course amazed” 

University Entrance Scholars 2006 

Master of Junior Art Blair 

Heaton says M Milne’s outstanding 

achievement is the result of his 

passion and utmost commitment to 

the visual arts. “Mike has been my 

pupil for the last two years and his 

hard work and artistic talent also saw 

him come first in year 11 art at AGS in 

2005,” he says. “In 2006, Mike took 

his work to a higher level and with the 

added tuition of AGS artist in residence 

Keren Cook, he produced a body of 

work that was both experimental in 

artistic processes and technically 

sound in application.” 

Back Row: J Lin, M Ou, OW Hobbs, RAD Nelson, JRA Farrant, D Chen, BW Matuschka, P Sittisart and JC Park 

Fourth Row: TJZ Cheng, CSL Lam, TJ Chin, JO Kumar, K Lee, R Qiu, BT Li, DH Lim, TC Chen and KL Huang 

Third Row: CC Cui, AE Vink, NW Dobbs, T Zhang, DHS Cho, JQH Ma, EHY Lai, P Mithraratne, P Hung, RHL Mak and MG Fraser 

Second Row: TCH Tse, MAH Chowdhury, AFM Fernando, TJ Giffney, MH Ng, H Tran, GY Qian, S Anandabaskaran, 

DYT Lu and RWM Wong 

Front Row: NPP Quek, Dr CS Casley, A Balachandra, Dr R D Kirkpatrick, SC George, Mr J Morris, Q Gong, Dr NW Ingram QC, TAC 

Wong, Mr WD Moore and P Puvanakumar 

Absent: PP Chao, S H Choi, C Morimoto, MR Wentz and C Liu 

page 4 | Auckland Grammar School | www.ags.school.nz Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page 5 

> Academic

Academic < > Academic < 

2006 

Scholarships 

AGS students again topped the 

country in the elite scholarship 

exams gaining an amazing 95 scholarships 

in total, four greater than second placed 

Wellington College. The second highest 

in Auckland was Epsom Girls’ Grammar 

School with 75. 

Three of the top five schools in New 

Zealand were boys’ schools, which goes 

some way to dispelling the myth that 

boys are perennial underachievers. What 

it does show is that given the motivation 

of a competitive and challenging 

examination, boys rise to the challenge 

and strive for excellence. 

The top 10 schools in Auckland for 

number of scholarships gained were: 

1 Auckland Grammar School (95) 

2 Epsom Girls’ Grammar School (75) 

3 Macleans College (7 ) 

4 St Cuthbert’s College (68) 

5 Rangitoto College (62) 

6 Mt Roskill Grammar School (59) 

7 St Kentigern College (5 ) 

8 Avondale College (51) 

9 Westlake Girls’ High School (48) 

10 Diocesan School (4 ) 

TRAFFIC 

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In top form 

Deputy Head Prefect for 2007, SC 

George, is an all rounder with 

exceptional academic strengths. 

A consummate scholar, Sam now 

belongs to a very special category of boys 

who have topped the Academic Honours 

Board in their 4th year. This was last 

achieved in 1996. 

The fact that he has also topped 

his Form level every year at Grammar 

elevates him to an even higher plane of 

scholastic attainment. 

Examination Entry 

And Fees Collection 2007 

NCEA Levels 1, 2 and and New Zealand Scholarship are national qualifications 

awarded by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). IGCSE, AS Level and A- 

Level are international qualifications awarded by University of Cambridge International 

Examinations (CIE). 

It is school policy that all students studying senior qualification courses will enter 

for examinations. The schedule of examination fees is as follows: 

NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 $ 

Domestic students 75 

Foreign fee-paying students 375 

New Zealand Scholarship NCEA students: 

Entry for up to subjects Nil 

New Zealand Scholarship CIE students: 

Entry for up to subjects 75 

NCEA and CIE students: additional subject entries 75 per subject 

Foreign fee-paying students 100 per subject 

IGCSE 85 per subject 

AS and A2 Administration Fee: $40 60 per subject 

A-Level (when taken in a single examination session) 100 per subject 

Invoices will be issued to all students during week 8 of Term Two. The final date for 

payment is 27 July 2007. 

Deputy Head Prefect Sam George 

The Government provides financial assistance to students entering NZQA 

qualifications if hardship criteria are met. In Term Two, students will be issued with 

a separate notice that sets out the eligibility criteria and includes an application form. 

Forms are also available from the NZQA website (www.nzqa.govt.nz in the ‘For 

Learners’ section). Completed application forms must be returned to the School by 

27 July 2007. Financial assistance cannot be claimed for foreign fee-paying students. 

Credit accumulation and credentialism 

vs intellectual challenge 

Forty percent of senior students at 

Auckland Grammar School study 

and enter for NCEA qualifications so we 

want qualifications for these boys that are 

robust, challenging, motivating and fair to 

all students, as the CIE examinations are. 

Hence I am bewildered and 

bemused by recent recommendations 

and directives from NZQA and Ministry 

that are patently leading us down the 

path of mere credit accumulation and 

credentialism in qualifications rather than 

putting the challenge in front of students 

of qualifications that must be gained by 

hard work, ability and on merit. 

At the recent Principals’ Nominee 

Seminar run by NZQA, a meeting where 

senior teachers are inducted about 

NCEA developments and policies, yet 

another flag was hoisted by the NZQA 

to signal the move to increased internal 

assessment over the next few years. 

Comments such as “we all know 

that internal assessment is more reliable 

than external assessment” and “we’d be 

happy if, in time, everyone passed” signals 

strongly the future direction of NCEA. 

Schools are also admonished for 

entering students into courses that they 

might fail – ‘predictive failure’ is the NZQA 

jargon – hence again discouraging us 

from providing our students with the sort 

of academic challenges that stimulate, 

stretch and enhance the intellect. 

Add to this the encouragement from 

NZQA to teachers “to broaden strategies 

used to collect evidence of achievement 

to enable opportunities for the recognition 

of a student’s best effort”, which 

translated means “look for any reason 

to pass a student”, and it is easy to see 

that intellectual challenge, striving for 

excellence, hard graft and learning how to 

cope with failure are no longer essential 

features of our national qualification. 

When we combine these policy 

comments and directives with the Ministry 

of Education’s recommendations released 

in December last year, there is a clear 

intention on the part of the Ministry to 

move to allow schools to totally internally 

assess all achievement standards so that 

pass rates are uniformly high. 

The key recommendation of this 

Ministry paper states: “That consideration 

be given to all external achievement 

standards being also available as internal 

achievement standards so that schools 

have a choice of assessing internally or 


externally.” 

If this recommendation is 

implemented, and there is good evidence 

to suggest it will be, this will inevitably 

result in a qualification that will, by virtue 

of its assessment regime, be second rate 

and lacking comparability because not all 

schools will totally internally assess. Given 

that pass rates for internally assessed 

standards are so much higher than 

externally assessed standards there will 

be no national standard possible. 

It was even displayed in meetings that 

I was part of with regard to the debacle 

over the Scholarship examination in 

2004. At this and a subsequent meeting 

over Scholarship, the NZQA and Ministry 

staffers were the only ones around the 

table who were not prepared to see that 

perhaps they just might have got it wrong 

and that if they were going to commit to 

a competitive, elite exam for top scholars, 

then it was absolutely essential to rank 

students and the only certain way to 

get sufficient discrimination between 

students to ensure accuracy and fairness 

in this ranking was to have marks. 

At the point that they refused to 

accept this I lost all faith in the education 

bureaucrats who make the decisions in 

these matters. Thankfully, with some 

forced last minute input from some 

university assessment gurus, the Ministry 

reluctantly accepted the need for marks in 

Scholarship. 

This latest policy flag is a strong 

indication though that these same 

bureaucrats are continuing to search for 

an assessment and qualification system 

that suits the prevailing philosophy 

of laissez-faire and school-centred 

assessment, and will only lead to more 

schools looking at adopting international 

qualifications. 

Already schools like St Kentigern 

College and Diocesan School that were 

previously committed to NCEA have 

announced they will be offering the 

International Baccalaureate in 2008. It 

would be no surprise at all if St Cuthbert’s 

College, who have staunchly defended 

NCEA over the years, also joins the move 

to international qualifications. 

If the directives we have been given 

and the recommendations of this Ministry 

report are carried through in full or in part, 

then our senior assessment programme 

will become even more of a shambles 

and will undoubtedly lead the universities 

to introduce their own entrance exams 

or do what the University of Auckland 

has had to do and make previously 

prestigious courses like Law open entry 

because NCEA does not allow them to 

discriminate the best scholars; it will make 

which school you went to much more 

important; it will remove any remaining 

vestige of national standards; it will 

worsen the de-motivation that is already 

apparent amongst many senior students; 

it will teach students the ‘wrong’ values 

regarding the need for hard work by 

reducing the need for conscious and 

sometimes considerable effort on behalf 

of the learner; it will dissipate essential 

rigour by the introduction of watered 

down new curricula and smorgasbord 

style approaches to assessment; it will 

be easier for students to opt out of things 

they dislike or tasks that require some 

hard work and focus. 

If our education bureaucrats have any 

vision, they need to provide a qualification 

system that stimulates, intrigues, motivates 

and challenges our students and provides 

them with a qualification that is credible, 

internationally recognised and equivalent, 

regardless of the school attended. 

John Morris 

Headmaster, Auckland Grammar School

Sports < > Sports < 

Sports Roundup 

The Intermediate 3000 metres 

Athletics 

Grammar athletes are on track for a 

vintage year, demonstrated in fine style at 

this year’s Zone meeting held on March 8 

at Mt Smart. That so many of our athletes 

qualified for the Auckland Championship 

finals in ten days is in no small measure 

due to the efforts of the staff involved, 

who worked very hard behind the scenes 

to produce such good results. 

Top juniors on show were Holding 

and Herbert, who were successful in a 

number of events and contributed to an 

excellent relay victory. Holding’s discus 

throw of 40.17 metres was excellent, as 

was Schouskoff’s personal best in the 

javelin. S Morreau was the pick of the 

under 14 distance brigade. 

The intermediates showcased many 

of Grammar’s true stars. Verburg won 

the long jump from his team-mate Vaoa 

and then took out his specialty triple 

jump with a superb personal best of 

1 .24 metres. In this event, Slaimankhel 

also recorded an excellent mark of over 

12 metres. Athletics captain T Toki was 

sheer class in the 100 and 200, winning 

with consummate ease, while Mitchell 

and Wilkinson were both impressive over 

400 metres. M Morreau secured a family 

quinella. Coles was to the fore in the 

sprints and the 4 x 100-metre relay team 

was, not surprisingly, a winner. 

In the senior grade, Walton, Seagar 

and Uffindell were in great form in their 

middle distance events, while Lawton and 

Riley netted superb personal bests in the 

400 metres. Once again, the relay team 

won, with a storming anchor leg from 

Record breaking Captain of Athletics T Toki talks to Coach Thom 

rugby player Henry. 

Scott and Winitana showed the 

benefit of attending coaching sessions 

with solid performances in the jumps. 

One Auckland final was decided at this 

meeting – the senior 110 metres hurdles 

in which Woods was placed a close 

second. 

The day’s only record came from 

senior champion Kalamafoni, who threw a 

magnificent 17.25 metres in the shot put. 

Although the School won a healthy 

10 titles at the Auckland Championships 

at Mt Smart, only one of those went to 

the seniors – the ever-dependable W 

Riley in the 400 metres. 

Star performer T Toki won the 

intermediate sprint double while J Verburg 

set two personal bests in winning the 

long and triple jumps. In the latter event 

his last-round effort was a massive 1 .44 

metres and a silver medal. We also won 

the 4 x 100 relay in fine style. 

The junior grade was our most 

successful, winning five titles. S Morreau 

ran brilliantly to take the 1500 metres 

crown to add to the 000m he had won 

earlier. Another double winner here was 

Herbert, for the 80 metre hurdles and the 

triple jump. Our final gold medallist was J 

Schousckoff in the javelin. 

Our elite athletes then went on 

to perform magnificently at the North 

Island Championships, winning nine 

medals, including five golds. Toki won 

the intermediate 100 and 200 metres 

titles and Verburg won the long jump 

then triple-jumped the superb distance of 

1 .60 metres to break the North Island 

record which has stood for 16 years. 

S Morreau won the junior boys’ 000 

metres while intermediate distance 

runner D Smith got silver in the 000, 

nearly half a minute under his previous 

best time. J Schouskoff’s personal best 

of 42 metres in the javelin earned him a 

silver in the juniors. 

M Herbert managed a bronze in 

the triple jump and both W Riley and B 

Stanley won medals as part of Auckland’s 

4 x 100 teams. 

Cricket 

The 1st XI had a mixed term with some 

outstanding victories and some upsetting 

losses. 

The Auckland One Day 

Championship, the RH Marryatt Cup, saw 

Grammar record wins over Takapuna, 

Westlake and Avondale. The Avondale 

match was notable for a piece of history 

– a Grammar record partnership for any 

wicket as R Turner and J Rosenberg both 

registered fine centuries in an opening 

partnership of 262. 

A rained-off result against Rangitoto 

saw the 1st XI needing to beat Kelston to 

make the final, but a fiercely determined 

Kelston side posted 190 from 50 overs; 

a target Grammar did not threaten at any 

stage of their innings. 

The much anticipated and keenly 

contested three-day traditional fixture 

was completed with one win and two 

losses. The XI started superbly, defeating 

New Plymouth Boys High School outright 

by 127 runs to erase the memory of last 

year’s heavy defeat. 

Next up, Christchurch Boys High 

School shaped up to be a tough test and 

it was. Currently the top 1st XI in the 

country, Christchurch won outright by 

an innings and 2 runs at the end of the 

second day and also the one-dayer that 

was played on the scheduled day three. 

For Grammar, A Newland’s 5-75 was the 

highlight. 

Away at Palmerston North next with 

hopes of repeating the previous year’s 

excellent win, the 1st XI also came 

away from the fixture empty-handed. 

The young but mature home side won 

outright by 180 runs, despite Grammar 

bowling them out first-up for 1 7, a 

similar margin to Grammar’s 2006 win. 

The Two Day Championship 

began against Rosmini with the 1st XI 

determined to start with a win and move 

on after the early exit from the onedayers. 

They made a fine start, posting 

an outstanding 16/8 on a difficult 

wicket at the end of the first day. P 

Helsby’s superb 105 was in vain as the 

second day did not go according to plan. 

Rosmini played superbly and managed 

to chase down the big target for the 

loss of 7 wickets, with 5 overs to spare, 

as Grammar was guilty of dropping a 

number of key catches. 

In other matches, a nail-biting Gillette 

Cup win over Avondale has set up a 

quarter-final away at St Kentigern, who 

are also Grammar’s opponents in the 

second and final two-day game of the 

term. Batting first again, Grammar posted 

another excellent score of 299 thanks 

to half-centuries by McChesney (75), 

Goddard (76, including three consecutive 

sixes) and Malhotra (56) before Newland 

ripped through the opposition top 

order to have them 20/ at stumps. 

Unfortunately for Grammar the second 

day was rained out. 

Rowing 

The 06/07 rowing season has now 

ended, with another successful campaign 

behind our Grammar oarsmen. 

At the recent Maadi Cup National 

Championships, our crews made six A 

finals and five B finals, ending the week 

with two silver medals. With over 2000 

competitors and 1 0 schools competing, 

this was a fine effort. 

The silver medals went to Under 18 

quad Michael Arms, Geoff Cornell, Mark 

Clemo, Mark Pardington and Thomas 

Knight and Under 16 Coxed 4 Jean-Paul 

Smit, Malone Blaikie, Oliver Rosser, 

Patrick Pethica and again Thomas Knight 

as cox. 

In the Under 18 8+, we went into 

the A final ranked rd fastest and, locked 

with King’s in a stroke for stroke battle to 

the finish to decide the bronze medal, a 

video referee confirmed the rd placing 

to King’s College, a mere half a second 

ahead. 

Season results have also been strong 

and include the Takapuna Cup Best 

School on Points at the Waitemata/TSG 

Regatta, overall winner against King’s and 

St Kentigern at the Tamaki Boat Race, 

Head of Harbour’s winner of Under 18 8 

and Head of Harbour trophy, North Island 

Grammar’s Senior Eight heading out for the 

U18 coxed eight A final at the Maadi Cup 

page 8 | Auckland Grammar School | www.ags.school.nz Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page 9

Sports < 

Club Championships bronze Under 21 

8+ and seven medals at the North Island 

Secondary School Championships. 

Our thanks are extended to the 

Teacher in Charge of Rowing Mr 

Michael Poulsen for his help throughout 

the season and Mr Des Cutler for his 

continued support. 

John McDermott, OBA Executive 

Member, sent us the following after the 

Maadi Cup: 

Of little consolation, however an 

interesting irony... In 1976 ( 0 years ago 

to the weekend!) I was the proud stroke 

of the AGS Premier 8. We had had a fairly 

good season up to the Maadi Cup week 

(ironically also held at Karapiro), having 

regularly beaten our local rivals, namely 

King’s College. 

Having made the final, we felt we 

had a good chance to take out at least 

Bronze (hot favourites Westlake weren’t 

touchable and Collegiate as always were 

strong). I recall vividly holding a clear third 

with about 500 to go only to be pipped on 

the line by King’s College. 

Therefore it was with a sick sense of 

deja vu that I viewed the Maadi Final this 

weekend. My story can be substantiated 

by Des Cutler, then Master of Rowing 

(coached by Westend’s Colin Cordes). 

For what it is worth, my heart goes out to 

those boys... I have never fully recovered 

from that regatta back in ‘76! 

Swimming 

This year’s school swimming sports 

was a successful meet in mid-February 

with 21 events being swum. The School 

Champions for 2007 are Junior: FD 

Bassett, GDV Ham and SJ Benson; 

Intermediate: MB Turner, GS Davis and 

TK Kocks and Senior: KP Bassett, MN 

Burbury-King and ZJ Moser. 

Four new records were set; one in the 

intermediate grade and three in the senior 

grade. The new record holders are MB 

Turner for the Intermediate 50m Freestyle 

(25.9s) and KP Bassett for the Senior 50m 

Backstroke (28. 9s), the Senior 100m 

Freestyle (55. 2s) and the Senior 200m 

Freestyle (2m 0.0 .0 s). 

The Central Zone East meet saw a 

Grammar team of 2 boys compete in 

all 25 boys events. Facing some stiff 

opposition from Mt Albert Grammar, 

Sacred Heart, St Peters and King’s 

College, the team acquitted itself very 

well, especially in the senior events. 

But for some difficulties experienced 

with the starting blocks Grammar would 

undoubtedly have done even better, but 

the results achieved were heartening and 

bode well for the Champion of Champions 

Meeting to be held at the West Wave 

Aquatic Centre on 26th April. 

From the 12 individual events, the 

team gained three 1st placings, six 2nd 

placings and four rd placings. The team 

won seven of the 1 relay events and was 

placed either first or second, or first and 

second, in all of them. 

In the Boys 16–18 years 50m 

backstroke, KP Bassett was first with 

26.28s and LT Benson was second 

with 28.16s; both Bassett and Benson 

bettering the school record Bassett had 

just set. 

Tennis 

The first term is always a very busy time 

for the top tennis players with school, 

interclub and tournament commitments. 

The Senior A1 squad this year is P Tapper 

(captain), N Lowery, B Huxtable, B Norris, 

B Hayr, D Babenkov and D Wilson. In the 

Auckland competition, AGS has had some 

pleasing wins including a win over King’s 

on the first Saturday and a comprehensive 

win over last year’s champions Westlake, 

9–0. AGS were well beaten by St 

Kentigern though and finished the term in 

2nd place. The finals and semi finals will 

be in Term Four. 

The zone play offs for the Nationals 

were held on March 28 and proved to be 

very tense and controversial. The four top 

schools in the Auckland zone played a 

round robin to decide on the two schools 

to go through to the Nationals. After some 

very close matches, Grammar missed out 

when St Kentigern defaulted a match to 

leave Westlake ahead of Grammar. This 

was very disappointing and, in Grammar’s 

opinion, quite unsporting. 

In the traditional fixtures, Grammar 

played Christchurch BHS at Grammar 

this year and scored a comprehensive 

win 19–2, the second biggest winning 

margin in over 0 years. In the 0th 

Annual Quadrangular involving Grammar, 

Wellington College, Palmerston NBHS 

and Hamilton BHS, Grammar came 

out winners in a closely contested final 

against Wellington College, 6– . 

Overall, it has been a very pleasing 

season so far. Captain Patrick Tapper is 

leading by example and playing solid tennis 

and the team looks forward to Term Four. 

Volleyball 

The premier volleyball team started the 

year with a much younger and more 

inexperienced side than last year. They 

did however have the advantage of three 

very experienced players in Kalamafoni, 

Slade and Nepomuceno, who helped the 

younger players bed in. 

The AGS Senior A1 tennis team at the 30th Annual Quadrangular Tennis Tournament 

The victorious Auckland Waterpolo Champions 

The side performed very well in 

the premier league, winning 8 of its 11 

matches to secure third place in the 

league behind Penrose and Avondale. 

S Kalamafoni, after a superb season, 

made the premier league MVP team. 

The Auckland Championships was 

a slightly different story with Kalamafoni 

and two others out, and it took the new 

combinations a while to gel. However, 

we secured re-entry into the premier 

league for next year which was the 


main aim. 

Waterpolo 

The team’s pre-season South African 

tour in January was an excellent build up 

to the season, with many of the younger 

more inexperienced players gaining 

valuable game time. 

In the Auckland competition, a 

strong, co-ordinated game saw a 

number of wins and in the North Island 

Championships the team finished 

second, losing to Westlake Boys High 

School in the final. 

In the Auckland Champs, Grammar 

produced a commanding display of 

waterpolo, dominating in all areas of the 

pool and went on to a convincing win 

against Rangitoto College in the final 6–2. 

The National Championships took 

place in the holiday break as we went to 

print. The team was T McVicar (captain), 

J Davies (vice captain), S George, 

J Kidd, S McElroy, W Mahon-Heap, 

M Holder, M Baker, M O’Connell, W Parr, 

R Small, H Liggins, A Mahadevan, coach 

K Goldsworthy and manager B McCrea. 

Yachting 

The School’s yachting team began 

with the fleet racing regatta and after 

two days sailing in ideal conditions we 

finished second overall. 

Next, four of our more experienced 

boys competed in the inaugural Harken 

Schools Fleet Racing regatta, run by the 

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in 

their fleet of small keel boats. Here we 

won six races and came second in two 

others from a series of nine races, to win 

the trophy. 

The boys who won the trophy were 

T Adams 5C, G Kool 6D, R Ellis 7E and 

the captain of yachting, T Bilkey 7H. 

We then began the teams racing 

series. Having won the right to represent 

Auckland South in the nationals, our 

team showed very good skills in 

coming from a poor start to win vital 

races, winning seven out of eight 

George Kool and Simon Stanley-Harris 

running before the wind in a 420 

races. At time of going to print, the 

team was competing in the National 

Championships in New Plymouth over 

the holidays. We wish them all the best. 

Meanwhile Harry Reed of 5C1 has 

been selected to represent New Zealand 

at the World Splash Sailing Regatta to be 

held in Split, Croatia at the end of July. 

We wish him all the best also. 

> Sports

Sports < > Sports < 

A cracking good cricket season Rugby Head Coach 

Left to right, back row, are JZ Glamuzina, 

PA Helsby, HC McChesney and RJ 

Turner. Front row are DA Allonby, JEJ 

Armstrong, MA Wouldes, JR Rosenberg 

and SJ Crooks. Not pictured are JL 

Bowden and CN McCutcheon 

Cricket at AGS is still going strong. At 

the end of the 2006 season we had 

winners or joint winners in all the morning 

A grade cricket competitions. This included 

the 2A1 competition, which we have not 

won for over a decade. There were also 

several notable performances with the bat 

and ball (10 hundreds and 4 bowlers with 7 

or more wickets in an innings). 

Already this year 11 boys (pictured 

above) have scored a hundred for the 

School. 

There have been trips to Adelaide for 

the 1st XI, the development squad went to 

Nelson and the top Form 4 side competed 

in the National finals in Taupo. 

The School has 21 teams playing this 

year (over 270 pupils) and much of the 

success is due to the time and effort of the 

staff and parents who manage and coach 

these teams. 

Adelaide Tour January 2007 

In preparation for the 2007 cricket season, 

the 1st XI undertook a week-long, four- 

match tour of Adelaide. The tour was very 

successful with the XI winning all three of 

its games after the first was rained off. 

First up Grammar defeated the 

prestigious St Peter’s College, which boasts 

around 50 Australian test playing old boys, 

including the Chappell brothers. The second 

match against Westminster School saw 

Grammar posting a very competitive 214/9 

and Westminster ended up 7 down for 

156 after their 50 overs. In the final match, 

Prince Alfred College was dismissed for 82, 

a target easily achieved by the XI, who lost 

just 4 wickets in the process. 

The 1st XI Squad is R Turner (captain),  

P Helsby (vice-captain), A Newland, 

J Nicol, D Goddard, K Bunting, J Neesham, 

H McChesney, J Rosenberg, C Pausma, 

G Malhotra, L Ferguson, M Wouldes 

and N Karyawasam. 

Nelson Tour January 2007 

During the Christmas holidays, Grammar 

Cricket sent a development XI to play in the 

Nelson College Cricket Festival, to uncover 

talent, nurture players with potential and 

expose younger boys to an intensive period 

of high quality cricket. 

In the first game, Grammar comfortably 

accounted for Hillcrest College’s 1st 

Grammar’s player of the tournament, Stuchbery, playing a defensive 

shot during his innings of 50 against Napier Boys’ High 

XI. The next game saw the team play a 

developmental side from Waverley College, 

Sydney, dismissing them for 129. We then 

faced a Waimea College selection and 

eventually dismissed them 8 runs short of 

their target. The last game against Nelson 

College saw the opposition quickly blast all 

our bowlers to every corner of The Botanics 

ground, finally being dismissed for 2 

while only managing to post 12 . 

The team, made up of mostly juniors, 

performed exceptionally well and were 

a credit to the School both on and off 

the field. While the last game was a 

disappointment for all, overall three wins 

from four was an excellent result. 

Year 9 NZCT Cricket Tournament 

During Term Four 2006, Grammar’s 5A1 

cricket team qualifyied in the country’s 

top eight for the National Junior Cricket 

Tournament in Taupo in Term One this year. 

In Taupo the team was placed in pool 

B alongside teams from Napier Boys’ 

High, Hamilton Boys’ High and St Bedes 

College. The team started off positively but 

a determined Hamilton side effectively put 

Grammar out of title contention. 

A pool placing of second gave Grammar 

the opportunity to play for third in the country, 

but bad weather and no game saw Grammar 

share third place with Tauranga Boys’. 

Thanks to Mr Dangwell and Fabtech for 

their financial contribution and all parents 

and supporters that travelled to Taupo, in 

particular Mrs Stuchbery, Mrs Hayes, Mrs 

Majurey and the manager Mr Pringle. 

hELp wANtEd 

If any parent helpers would 

like to help out with cricket 

next year (in any form), please 

contact Master i/c of Cricket 

John Bonneywell on 623 5404 

or email j.bonneywell@ags. 

school.nz. we are always in 

need of coaches and managers. 

Grant Hansen, Director of Sport at 

Auckland Grammar School, has 

recently been appointed head coach of 

the New Zealand Secondary Schools 

rugby team for 2007–2008. 

Grant was Grammar’s 1st XV coach 

from 1998 to 2005, during which 

time the team won four Auckland 

championships. 

In 2005 he was appointed selector 

for the New Zealand Schools, playing 

a large role in the test victories against 

the Australians in Canberra in 2005 and 

last year in the test played at Auckland 

Grammar School. 

This is a huge honour for both Grant 

and the School. Other Grammar Masters 

to coach this side have been Graeme 

Syms and Graham Henry. 

The 2007 New Zealand Schools 

team will assemble in Auckland in the 

September holidays before undertaking a 

three-game tour of Australia that includes 

tests against both Samoa and Australia. 

The School wishes Grant the best of 

luck in this new role. 

AGS 1st XV Rugby Fixtures 

Date Opposition Venue 

5 May St Peter’s College SPC 

12 May Papatoetoe High School PTOE 

19 May Tangaroa College TAN 

2 May Hamilton Boys’ High School HBHS 

26 May Sacred Heart College SHC 

9 June Tamaki College TC 

16 June Kelston Boys’ High School AGS 

2 June De La Salle College AGS 

0 June St Kentigern College AGS 

21 July Mt Albert Grammar School MAGS 

28 July St Paul’s College AGS 

4 August King’s College Eden Park 

11 August Semi-final 

18 August Final 

AGS 1st XI Soccer Fixtures 

Date Opposition Venue 

5 May Maclean’s College AGS 

12 May Avondale College AVD 

19 May Rangitoto College AGS 

26 May Mt Albert Grammar AGS 

2 June King’s College KC 

9 June St Peter’s College / Kelston Boys HS SPC/KB 

16 June Westlake Boys’ HS AGS 

2 June Maclean’s College MC 

0 June Avondale College AGS 

21 July Rangitoto College RC 

28 July Mt Albert Grammar School MAGS 

4 August King’s College AGS 

11 August St Peter’s College/Kelston Boys’ HS AGS 

18 August Westlake Boys’ HS WB 

Head of Sport, Grant Hansen 

We would like to thank the following 

parents and friends of Grammar who 

have given up their time to assist 

and support our sports teams over 

summer and during Term One 2007. 

Cricket 

David and Marion Turner 

Bettina Latham 

Giselle McLachlan 

Andrew Williams 

Richard Webb 

Stuart Bowman 

Martin Pringle 

Tim Akroyd 

Rowing 

Craig and Anita Blaikie 

Alan and Karol Brooks 

Jocelyn Donougher 

Nalini Kesha 

Simon and Libby Longuet-Higgins 

Brian and Karen Knight 

Genny Stephens 

Vee Smit 

Scott and Jenny Milne 

Heather and Michael Cornell 

Andrew Mitchell 

Distance Squad 

Scott and Debbie Burridge 

Mandy Bird 

Phil Morreau 

Swimming 

Nicolas and Jan Burbury-King 

Shane and Lorraine Moser 

Tag Team Triathlon 

Mary Richardson 

page 12 | Auckland Grammar School | www.ags.school.nz Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page 1

Arts < > Arts < 

Musical 

performances 

Term One’s music activities were 

numerous and essentially focused 

on getting each of the performance 

groups established; Symphony Orchestra, 

Chamber Strings, a number of small 

Chamber Groups, String Quartet, Concert 

Band, Stage Band, Jazz Ensemble, Pipe 

Band, Barbershop Quartet and the large 

vocal ensemble Grammar Voices. 

In addition there was preparation for 

Assembly performances, Anzac Day, our 

AGS/EGGS major musical ‘Cabaret’ for 

early Term Two and our AGS Music Tour to 

Brisbane at the end of Term Two. 

The music staff’s preparation of the 

groups culminated in a Performance 

Day at two contributing primary schools; 

Victoria Ave and Parnell. These were 

hugely successful and helped the boys 

really appreciate what everyone else was 

doing. All boys are now outfitted in music 

uniform with blazers, which adds to our 

performance image. 

Performances and activities completed 

in Term One included the String Quartet 

(Wedding of an Old Boy), Jazz Ensemble 

(Form Parents Evening), Pipe Band 

(Auckland Cup Day Procession), 

Barbershop, (Workshop), Symphony 

Orchestra and Concert Band (Assembly). 

Performances to come include Anzac 

Day, Big Sing Competition for Grammar 

Voices in the Town Hall, Barbershop 

competitions to be held in our Centennial 

Theatre and the Winter Concert on June 6, 

also in the Centennial Theatre. 

Stage Band at Parnell Primary with Mr Brown 

page 14 | Auckland Grammar School | www.ags.school.nz 

Concert Band at Assembly, with Mr Barnes conducting 

Pipe Band at Victoria Avenue Primary 

Performance schedule 

Term Two 

Weeks 2/ Wed 2 May – Cabaret opening night 

Sat 12 May Final night 

Sat 5 May Grammar Voices: Boys’ Vocal Workshop, 

David Beatty Centre, Dilworth School, 1pm–6.45pm 

Week Mon 0 April, Pipe Band lead University of Auckland 

Wed 2, Fri 4 May Graduation Procession 

Week 6 Fri 1 June Grammar Voices: YSIH Barbershop contest 

Centennial Theatre, 9. 0am– . 0pm 

Week 7 Wed 6 June Winter Concert/Plate Finalists 

Week 8 Tue 12–1 June Grammar Voices: The Big Sing choral 

contest, Auckland Town Hall 

Week 9 Wed 20 June Chamber Music Auckland Regional Contest 

Holidays Sun 1 July 

to Sat 7 July Bonyi Music Tour to Brisbane 

Term Three 

Week 7 Sun 26 August Showcase Finals KBB Festival 

Holiday Tues 25 Sept Pipe Band Graduation Procession 

Week 1 

Term Four 

Thurs 27 Sept 

Week 9 Thurs 6 Dec Prize Giving 

New Zealand 

Chess 

Champion 

Puchen Wang 7F became the 114th 

chess champion of New Zealand 

in January when he won the 2007 

New Zealand Chess Championship in 

Wanganui. Probably the youngest ever 

to win this prestigious title at just 16 

years old, he went through the entire 11 

rounds of the tournament without losing 

a match. 

That same weekend, Puchen went 

on to win both the New Zealand Rapid 

Championship and the New Zealand 

Lightning Championship. All three 

trophies are pictured with him here. 

Puchen learnt the game of chess 

from his father at the age of six and 

has always hoped to one day reach 

International Master status, the level 

below Grand Master. He has already 

played for the New Zealand Open Team 

at the last two chess Olympiads in 

Spain 2004 and Italy 2006. 

His next championships are the 

Oceania Zone Championship in Fiji in 

May and an invitation-only tournament 

in Holland in August. Anyone willing to 

assist Puchen financially with airfares to 

and from Fiji, please contact Bob Grover 

(Master i/c Chess) on 62 5400 or at 

r.grover@ags.school.nz 

Puchen Wang 

Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page 15

Events < 

Come to the cabaret! Gala 

character while the chorus has put in the 

Dinner 

This year’s joint Epsom Girls and Auckland 

Grammar production of ‘Cabaret’ 

features more than 80 actors and a similar 

number of students involved backstage. 

Set in Berlin in the 19 0s just before the 

Nazis come to power, ‘Cabaret’ uses a seedy 

nightclub as a metaphor for society’s uncanny 

ability to fiddle while Rome burns. 

The Kit Kat Klub is a Berlin cabaret 

where each night the Master of Ceremonies 

introduces a jazz-driven girlie show to his 

debauched audience. Sally Bowles, a singer 

at the Klub, is an English girl caught up in the 

faux-glamour of pre-war Berlin. American 

writer Clifford Bradshaw visits the sleazy 

Kit Kat Club, meets Sally and the writer and 

singer soon fall in love. 

As love stories go, ‘Cabaret’ offers a little 

of everything – the sweet, the sordid, the 

uncertain, the unrequited. As musicals go, 

it is heart-rending, bittersweet, cool, catchy, 

naughty yet chillingly sweet propaganda. It 

reminds us that many are still judged by their 

race, religion or whom they choose to love 

and that the decisions of a few can still lead 

the whole world into war – which is why the 

show holds relevance today. 

Paul Hung and Christopher Blackburn 

take the part of the Emcee in the production 

while Olivia Tennet and Katie-Rose Fraser 

play Sally. All four have worked very hard and 

are showing incredible talent. The various 

other leads are also working hard to get into 


hours during the second week of the Easter 

holidays. 

This year we are lucky to have Kendra 

Oxley as our choreographer, currently in 

New Zealand for a short while after dancing 

professionally and studying dance in Australia. 

Mr Barnes (Head of Music) is running 

the musical side of the show, rehearsing 

the singers as well as the orchestra, while 

Mrs Hellens and Miss Candy are working on 

the acting scenes. Once again the producer 

is Mrs Law (EGGS) and she is doing a 

wonderful job. 

The production will take place in the 

Centennial Theatre from Wednesday 2 May 

to Saturday 12 May. For bookings, please call 

62 5409. 

Part of the Epsom Girls’ Grammar cast 

Paul Hung and Christopher Blackburn 

rehearsing as Emmcee 

When it comes to travel, we’ve gone the distance 

For further information on our services please contact Keryn Smith, Managing Director 

Call: 09 520 9197 Mob: 021 990 122 Email: ksmith@cavaliertravel.co.nz Web www.cavaliertravel.co.nz 

Saturday 16 June 6pm. Main hall 

(For more details, please see enclosed 

registration form in Ad Augusta). 

Careers: Now you can do anything… 

One of the great challenges that 

faces today’s Generation Y students 

is, ironically, the immense choice of 

career options now available – job titles 

that didn’t exist five years ago, training 

courses increasing at an explosive rate 

and the seemingly endless demand for 

workers to fill the skills gap worldwide. 

It sometimes seems like a shopping 

mall with too many goods to choose 

from and school leavers are encouraged 

more than ever to ‘shop’ according 

to their skills, passions and life goals 

without the traditional expectations that 

their parents experienced. 

Meanwhile the ever-present student 

loan reminds us what a major investment 

education is and what the consequences 

of an unwise choice can be. As Canadian 

poet and business advisor Bruce Mau 

asks: “Now that we can do anything, 

what will we do?” 

A major goal with careers work in 

schools is to map out this mega-mall of 

career options in as clear and informative 

a way as we can, to help our ‘shoppers’ 

to make informed choices. While this 

is an ongoing exercise through career 

education and counselling, a major event 

is the Careers Evening. 

This year, wednesday 13 June 

marks the date for this special occasion 

in the careers calendar. As with previous 

years’ events, it will be a partnership 

between Grammar and St Cuthbert’s 

College, with Grammar hosting the 

evening this year. 

The familiar format of a keynote 

speaker followed by specialist 

presentations will see Mr Cameron 

Brewer, Chief Executive of the 

Newmarket Business Association, open 

the event in what promises to be his 

usual entrepreneurial spirit. 

In the specialist presentations, 

we have always been privileged to 

have outstanding speakers from the 

media, professional and academic 

life and, equally importantly, a strong 

representation from the Services and 

2007 Art 

Exhibition 

Friday 31 August – Sunday 2 September 

Main hall 

Opening night with wine, food and music 

Friday 1 August 6. 0pm – 9. 0pm $50 

Saturday 10am – 4pm Free 

Sunday 10am – pm Free 

Dancing 

with the Staff 

Saturday 13 October 

School Sports Centre 

Dance the night away with your favourite 

stars... our Staff! Watch them strut their 

stuff and dance alongside TV and other 

well-known personalities. 

For more information on these three 

events, please phone the Development 

Office on 62 56 9 or email 

development@ags.school.nz 

Industry Training Organisations. 

This year will see a slight change of 

focus in the presentations, making them 

more skills and interest-based, such as 

“Where will Maths get me?” or “Who 

cares about the planet anyway?” 

As always, this is an event where 

our school community is our very best 

resource, and once again we appeal for 

your help in a variety of ways. Anyone with 

a Grammar connection, if you feel that 

you may have a contribution to make as a 

presenter, host or helper, please contact 

either Ian Wilson or Marie Richardson at 

the Careers Office – phone 62 5402 (extn 

506) or email careers@ags.school.nz. We 

look forward to hearing from you. 

And it goes without saying that we look 

forward to seeing many parents, or people 

with an interest in the career prospects of 

our young people, supporting them by your 

attendance on this occasion. Please put 

that date in your diaries now – June 13, 

6pm to 9.30pm – and we hope to give you 

a memorable and useful evening. 

Ad Augusta | May 2007 | page 17 

> Events

Campaign < > Campaign < 

Annual Appeal 

The Foundation Trust would like to 

thank the following people for their 

generous support of the 2006 Annual 

Appeal. The Annual Appeal helps fund 

distributions to Staff, recognising 

the extra effort put in outside the 

classroom implementing the co-curricular 

programme at the School. 

In 2006 the Annual Appeal had an 

additional focus, which was the purchase 

of retractable bleachers for the Sports 

Centre. These have further enhanced 

this wonderful facility. Some donors have 

asked to remain anonymous. 

Mr G A Abbott 

Mr D & Mrs L Adams 

Mr P Agarwal 

Mr S P & Mrs L Agnew 

G Aho 

Mr M R A M Al-Kabban 

Mr E R Anderson 

Mr S Anselmi & Mrs L Reynolds 

Mr A & Mrs J Archer 

Mr C K Au 

Mr N Barfoot 

Mr P G Bartrom 

Mr G R Beckman 

Mr A J Bedford 

Dr S Bell 

Mr B & Mrs F Bennett 

Mr C G Bennett 

B & M Bennetto 

Mr S & Mrs L Best 

Mr J Bhana 

Mr R Bian 

Mr S L Bonniface 

Mr C & Mrs M Boyle 

Mr M J & Mrs J L Bradley 

Mr A H Bradly 

Mr A G Brainsby 

Mr H S B Brooke 

Mr J G Brown 

Mr A R Brownhill 

Mr G Bryant & Mrs M Church 

Mr S J & Mrs J Bufton 

Mr T M D Butts 

Mr D Cameron-Brown 

Mr J & Mrs V Carter 

Mrs S Ng 

Dr C Chao & Mrs J Chang 

Dr P Charlick 

Mrs A Chen 

Mrs J P Fan 

Mr X Y Chen 

Dr S & Mrs C Chin 

Mr Y C Chiu 

The new bleachers 

Mr C G Cho 

Mr D R Cho 

Mr S P Clegg 

Mr B E Cocker & Mrs J Cocker 

Mr D W Colby 

Mr J H Colby 

Mr B J Colmore-Williams 

Mr P M Corner 

Mr G N Coughlan 

Mr A W R Dalton 

Ms K Davenport 

D & D D’Costa 

Mr D G de Jaunay 

Mr G de Malmanche 

Mr G A Dibley 

Mr N J Dodd 

Mr D V N & Mrs M Dorrington 

Mr J R J Dowling 

Ms L D’Souza 

Mr I R Dunning 

Mr M F Dykes 

Mr A Eady 

Mr M J P Elliott 

Mr W M Elliott 

Mr G M Faull 

Mr D & Mrs J Ferguson 

Mr G & Mrs T Fernandez 

Mr W R & Mrs V Fletcher 

Mr G S Franks 

Mr R F Frater 

Mr D & Mrs C Friedman 

Mr G R Froggatt 

Mr R & Mrs B Gamage 

Mr R M & Mrs V Gapes 

Mr J & Mrs M Gerard 

Mr R S Gibbons 

Mr K M Giffney 

Mr G Gin 

Mr E & Mrs S Gordon 

Mr G R Graham 

Mrs C Greig 

Mr A H Grey 


Mr J Gu 

Dr M S & Mrs K Gudex 

Mrs M C Guo 

Mr J C Hagen 

Mr G Hansford & Ms C 

Elsegood 

Mr H Harding & Mrs P Smart 

Mr T Harrison & Ms J Riddiford 

Mr C F Hart 

Ms W L Hart 

Dr R K Haydon 

Mr S C Hazard 

Mr C & Mrs K Heng 

Ms S Hinds 

Mr J G Holland 

Dr J B Howie 

Mrs Y Hua 

Mr H P Huang 

Mrs L Hung 

Mr C P & Mrs J Hunt 

Mr K Huynh & Mrs H Truong 

Mr G L & Mrs Z Johns 

Mr H W Johnston 

Mr H R Johnstone 

Mr D & Mrs J Jones 

Mr G J Jones 

Mr R J & Mrs L Justice 

Mr & Mrs A S Kamboj 

Mr J R K Kelly 

Mr J Kim 

Mr M T Kirkpatrick 

Mr T Klink 

Mr T Krishna 

Mr & Mrs K H Kuan 

Mr K Kwon 

Mr H G Lai 

Mr J Lee 

Mr S & Mrs A Lee 

Dr M E Legget 

Mrs D Levinson 

Mr W Li 

C Y Yang 

C-M Lin 

X R Lin 

Mrs V Lin-Chang 

Mrs M Liu 

Mr Y Liu 

Mr S J & Mrs V Lobb 

Mr P & Mrs S Lods 

Mr D B H & Mrs A Loos 

Mr T Lu 

Mr Y G Lu & Mrs H E Lin 

Z Luo 

Mr H B Lusk & Ms C M 

Caughey 

A Chen & Z Ma 

Mr J B Mackenzie 

Mr M J Mackey 

Dr T H Marshall 

Mr M J Martin & Ms S R Archer 

Mr J & Mrs S Mathias 

Mr C & Mrs L Mathieson 

Dr T & Mrs L Matuschka 

Mr N R Maylor 

Mr M McCartney 

Mr N & Mrs J McGillivray 

Mr B J McMeekin 

Mr R & Mrs B McRae 

Mr D Melrose & Ms B Allen 

Mr C Mignacca & Mrs J F 

Gordon 

Mr J & Mrs J Mildenhall 

Mr R G Mills 

Dr D G Milne & Dr M F Edwards 

Ms P Milne 

Mrs J Mohanakrishnan 

Mr K J Mok & Ms L M Lim 

Mr J B & Mrs P A Monteith 

Mr P W & Mrs D A Moody 

Sir P W Eisdell-Moore 

Mr D G & Mrs M Morpeth 

Mr J & Mrs A Norris 

Mr S & Mrs H Norton 

Mr J M & Mrs K A Novak 

Mr P Oades & Ms S Edmonds 

Mr K J O’Sullivan 

Mr M D & Mrs S E Owen 

Mr R G & Mrs G Pardington 

W J Park 

Mr R & Mrs M Pausma 

Mr B L Peak 

Dr A D Perrett 

Mr B S Pollard 

Mr J L & Mrs L D Porus 

Dr A G Poynter 

Mr W G Price 

Mr B Reeve 

Mrs C H Renata 

Mr J M Rennie 

Mr P B Riley 

Mr A Rogers 

Dr D B Rogers 

Mr L A S Ross 

Mr B & Mrs N Rowsell 

Mr D P Roxburgh 

Mr J Rutherfurd 

Mr N Ruygrok 

Mr P & Mrs R Ryoo 

Mr S & Mrs S Saxena 

Mrs R Scott-Vincent 

Mr G & Mrs M Sidnam 

Dr H & Mrs J Sillars 

Dr D M Simpson 

Mr P Sinhalage 

Dr Y Sinnathamby 

Ms M K Stanton 

Mr S Sonkin 

Dr R J Sorrenson 

Mr J R Stevenson 

Mr P & Mrs J Stewart 

Mr B & Mrs A Sullivan 

Mr J H Taylor 

Dr P I Thompson 

Mr M E Thornton 

Mr D E Turner 

Mr M J Turner 

Mr M Venville 

Mr A Walker & Dr R Marks 

Mr & Mrs F Walker 

Mr S & Mrs P Wall 

Mr D G Watt 

Mr A West 

Mr M J & Mrs D Whale 

Mr W & Mrs D Wilson 

Mr B G Wong 

Dr S Wong 

Y Wang & J Q Wu 

W Wu 

Mrs J Wu Chung 

Mr K C Yap 

Mr L V Yeats 

Mr W Yeung 

Mr H & Mrs J Yin 

Mr H Yoon & Mrs J Jeong 

Mr G K Young 

Mr F Zamani 

Mr S Zhao 

Building on Tradition 

campaign 

In August last year, the Board of Trustees resolved to extend this capital 

campaign beyond the planned 12-month period. Parents and old boys alike 

continue to support the campaign and the School is focused on reaching the $5 

million target, a) to relieve bank debt against the Sports Centre and Pavilion, and b) 

to continue to grow the Academic Endowment Fund. 

Thank you to the following people who have made contributions during the 

period 16 September 2006 and 1 March 2007. A number of donors have asked to 

remain anonymous. 

Mr R B Adams 

Mr C D Aidney 

Professor J Altman 

Mr N J Atkins 

Barfoot & Thompson Ltd 

Mr P & Mrs T Bassett 

Mr C D & Mrs P Batts 

Mr T & Mrs K Benson 

Mr S & Mrs A Brealey 

Mr G M J Brown 

Mr R I Chadwick 

Mr D & Mrs K Cleal 

Dr P J Clemo 

Mr L E Coghlan 

Dr P B Cornish 

Mr C R & Mrs J Dargaville 

Mr T W Doo 

Mr L J Drummond 

Mr J R Eady 

Mr B M Elder 

Mr M J P Elliott 

Mr E D Fielden 

Sir James M C Fletcher 

Mr T M Fox 

Friedlander Foundation 

Mr R & Mrs D George 

Glaister Ennor 

Grammar Carlton Rugby Club 

Mr D G Gribben 

Mr R M Harris 

Mr J Hart 

Mr D S Hay 

Headmaster’s Council 

Mr R R Heale 

Mr D & Mrs D Hitchcock 

Mr J J van Eden 

Mr A H Jolly 

Mr M G Kenealy & Dr L Kane 

Mr J, Mr D & Mr G Kernohan 

Mr T & Mrs B Kool 

Mr D P Kranz 

Mr L H & Mrs B Kwek 

Mr G Landon 

Mr G L & Mrs V Lang 

Mr J & Mrs J Littlejohn 

Dr D A Lowe 

Mr C R and Mrs D Mace 

Mr B Marshall 

Dr G N Marshall 

Mr P D McConnell 

Mr H M McIsaac 

Mr D Montgomery 

Mr P E Mortensen 

Mr R Narev 

Mr J A Nelson & Ms K P Haydock 

Mr G A Neutze 

Mr F H Ofa 

Mr I M Packer 

Mr G W Painter 

Mr J D Partridge 

Mr A & Mrs R Patel 

Mr F A & Mrs C M Perry 

Mr J L & Mrs L D Porus 

Dr P J & Mrs B A Raudkivi 

Mr B C & Mrs J E Robinson 

Mr P & Mrs T Roys 

Mr H J Rumbold 

Mr J W & Mrs H K Rutherfurd 

Dr A L Smith 

Dr R J Sorrenson 

Southern Trust 

Mr J T Sparling 

Mr W S Speight 

Dr M Stone 

Mr A M & Mrs A Storey 

Dr A Taneja 

Mr G W Thomson 

Mr P S Watson 

Mr R L & Mrs G Webb 

Mr L P B Weir 

Dr S Whineray 

Sir W J Whineray 

Mr D N & Mrs J Wiles 

Mr D M Williams 

Winter Developments Ltd 

Mr F C Wolfgramm 

1955 Prefects 1st XV & 1st XI Reunion 

Group 


Staff < > International < 

Department of Learning Support Grammar’s international contingent 

Situated under the Art Block, Learning 

Support offers support in literacy and 

numeracy to all students, encompassing 

ESOL and Special Needs teaching. 

New arrivals to the country with very 

little English join the Foundation English 

class and have intensive English until 

they understand enough to cope in the 

mainstream. They then move to the ESOL 

English classes and do parallel programmes 

to the mainstream. 

The Asian Cultural Group runs a very 

successful tutoring programme for all boys 

every Thursday lunchtime, covering all 

subjects, on an individual and group basis. 

Other students using the facilities 

come for a variety of reasons, intellectual 

and physical. The most common reason 

though is dyslexia and the related 

difficulties of dyspraxia and dyscalculia. 

Dyslexia 

There are as many definitions as there 

are educationists but generally, dyslexia is 

an inability to learn to read and write at a 

level commensurate with one’s age and 

intelligence. 

It is a group of symptoms which 

manifest themselves in any combination. 

Some boys have difficulty reading 

accurately and interpreting instructions, 

others have difficulty committing their 

thoughts to paper, and still others have 

Head of Learning Support, Lyn Rawlinson 


difficulty seeing the patterns in numbers. 

But whatever the combination 

of difficulties, dyslexia causes great 

frustration. The knowledge is there 

somewhere, but finding it when you want it 

is like finding a file in the filing cabinet once 

all the labels have fallen off. It takes time. 

Last year, Head of Learning Support 

Lyn Rawlinson travelled to England on a 

staff travel scholarship to learn more about 

dyslexia. She visited two independent 

schools for children with dyslexia. The first 

used the traditional phonics, multi-sensory 

method of teaching and provided reader 

writers for assessments. 

The second worked on the principal 

that not phonics but morphemes (syllables 

with a specific meaning, which does not 

change) hold the answer to language 

learning. The school used a unisensory 

approach, where just the one sense 

involved is used. So when the boys 

are being taught handwriting, they are 

blindfolded. And the school has a very high 

success rate. None of the students are 

given reader/writers for assessments, and 

the great majority move to regular colleges 

and sit and pass their IGCSE exams. 

So what can we do here? 

Firstly, the boys with learning difficulties 

are identified – by parents, teachers and 

diagnostic tests. Most cope well in class as 

long as the teacher is aware of the problem 

and ensures work is recorded accurately. 

Form boys who are badly affected 

will not learn another language but will take 

Extra English in that option line. Here they 

gain reading mileage and practise writing 

and responding to written questions. They 

also work on enlarging their vocabularies. 

The Parent Tutor programme is also 

very beneficial. For an hour and a half a 

week all year, the boys are tutored by 

the same volunteer. It’s a time when they 

can ask questions and clarify any class 

work difficulty. 

Specialist teachers take small groups 

of boys who are not yet able to cope 

with mainstream Maths. We work on 

programmes that run parallel to the regular 

classes, but take the boys back to fill in the 

gaps so they are able to move forward. 

Teacher Aides attend classes to give 

in-class support; note taking, organising 

and encouraging. 

Special exam conditions are also 

available for those with severe difficulties. 

Extra time, use of computers, readers 

and writers are all provided when the 

need is there. Of course the benefits of 

reader/writers have to be carefully weighed 

against the disadvantages. 

The small group of boys at Grammar 

with more challenging needs have joined 

the Special Olympics programmes and 

have had success in table tennis, soccer, 

softball and swimming. This gives them 

a chance to compete with their peers 

and they experience a great sense of 

achievement when they win their ribbons 

on the competition days. 

pARENt tutORS 

If you would like to join 

Grammar’s parent tutor 

programme, please contact 

Lyn Rawlinson on 

623 5400 ext 520 

Just 43 of the 76 international boys with Sandra Heslin 

The School’s International Department 

has 74 students at present, coming 

from Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, 

Japan, the USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, 

China and Singapore and as far afield as 

Ireland and Germany. 

It is Sandra Heslin’s job as Manager 

of International Students to make sure 

they attend school, behave, are happy in 

and out of school, send reports to their 

parents and be their surrogate ‘mum’ 

while attending Grammar. 

We asked her for a bit of background 

on her boys. 

“Most of our boys find out about 

Grammar from overseas visits made by 

the Director of International Students, 

Allan Faull. We’ve always enjoyed good 

enrolment numbers because of the 

history behind the School and Allan’s 

impressive marketing. 

When they come to the School, these 

boys generally live with a parent or relative 

but we also have 15 who are currently 

living in home stay situations. Some 

come for a short time, mostly those from 

The Parent Tutor Programme 

Grammar’s parent tutor programme was 

set up in the mid-eighties and now 

consists of 60–65 volunteers each week 

tutoring one or two boys for two periods on 

a given day. 

Our longest serving parent tutor, Alison 

Geldard, has been tutoring for 2 years and 

says she’s delighted to be part of such a 

helpful and supportive initiative. Now with 

two grandsons at the School, she finds the 

programme very rewarding personally. “The 

boys emerge with more confidence and 

ability and enhanced communication skills,” 

she says. “It’s a wonderful programme.” 

Kath Novak, who has tutored for 19 

years, says for her it’s all about inspiring the 

boys. “They need the whole package so I 

get them involved in school activities, make 

sure they try hard and do the best they can 

and, most importantly, get them to listen 

to their teachers. I also like to have a laugh 

with them!” 

Germany as a ‘gap’ year or an adventure, 

but the majority come long- term from 

Form through to Form 7. 

It’s great to see a number of 

our international students excelling 

academically as well as playing on a 

number of sports teams, including rugby 

and soccer. The Ogura boys from Japan 

are a good example, with Keishi in the 

1st XV and Kampachiro in the 2nd XV.” 

Grammar’s international students pay 

an annual tuition fee which contributes 

significantly to the School’s budget. 


Transition Education: 

Building the Student as the Brand 

We are now underway with our 

Certificate in Employment Skills 

programme, recognising achievement 

in a broad range of skills identified by 

employers as being important in the 

workplace. 

These include literacy, numeracy 

(undertaken in normal classes) and 

communication, as well as personal goal 

setting and career planning. 

The focus of this class is to ‘build each 

student as a brand’, training students in 

real world skills such as the Certificate in 

Safe Forklift Operation (pictured). 

The freight and logistics industries are 

always on the look out for people with 

a forklift certificate and this is an ideal 

opportunity for late developing students 

to enter their first career. The Certificate 

in Safe Forklift Operation involves the 

students in a day’s theory and assessment 

in the classroom followed by a day’s tuition 

in the field, with a practical assessment 

– walking the talk. 

“It’s very black and white,” as one 

student put it. “It’s one thing to be able 

to write about it on paper, but it’s another 

thing to get the coordination between 

my brain and the arm doing the steering, 

with the assessor grading us against adult 

workers who use machines everyday.” 


It’s a good example of building skills, 

capabilities and confidence into each 

student – real life skills an employer can 

use from day one. 

This programme would not exist 

without the funding through the 

Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource 

(STAR) provided by the Ministry of 

Education, for linking students with 

vocational learning, or the goodwill 

and support of employers, both locally 

and in the broader Grammar 

community. 

If you or your company feel you can 

offer support for this very important 

programme, please contact Mr Graham 

Edwards on 62 5402 (ext 569) or by 

emailing g.edwards@ags.school.nz 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voice Box 

full time counselling service has 

A been available in the school since 

the year 2000. It was introduced by 

Headmaster John Morris who wanted to 

do something for the students that ‘were 

falling through the cracks’. 

The counsellor, Terry McKain, is a 

registered teacher who came to the 

school in 1988 from Wairarapa College, 

Masterton. He was 4th Form Dean 

and then 6th Form Dean at Auckland 

Grammar School before returning to 

university to complete a Masters in 

Education (Counselling), prior to taking up 

his current position. 

If the world were a perfect place, 

all the students would come to school 

and spend the day in a safe, secure and 

stimulating environment. They would 

go home to two loving and supportive 

parents promoting pro-social behaviour 

in their offspring. They would secure 

qualifications commensurate with their 

abilities and progress into the wider world 

as mature and responsible adults. There 

would be no accidents to take away loved 

ones, no cancers or heart attacks, no 

drugs, and no family breakups or violence. 

But the world is not a perfect place 

and schools have to recognise that and 

take it into account as they go about their 

task of educating the young. 

A school’s primary function is 

academic. This should be the main 

function of every school and everything 

should be geared to maximize the 

learning outcomes of all its students. 

However, there are many barriers 

to learning and sometimes a school 

may appear to be more of a welfare 

institution than an educational one. 

Auckland Grammar is fortunate in that it 

doesn’t have to worry about poverty and 

students arriving at school with an empty 

stomach and without the materials 

needed to learn. However, this doesn’t 

mean that we are free to focus solely on 

the academic curriculum. 

Things happen to students. 

Sometimes it is of their own making, 

Director of Guidance, Terry McKain 

but, in many cases, something happens 

such as the sudden death of a loved one, 

a family breakup, or a bully in the class, 

that is out of their control. 

This impinges directly on their ability 

to do their studies and perform to their 

academic potential. Teachers, and the 

Deans, have not got the time, the training 

or the expertise to deal adequately 

with all of these issues. Their job is to 

deliver the curriculum to the students. 

But, these particular students are in no 

position to learn. The issues going on in 

their lives are getting in the way of their 

school performance. These are barriers 

to learning and the school needs to do 

something before progress can be made. 

Over the last four years about 400 

students a year have been accessing the 

service. Some have only needed advice 

over option choices but others have 

suffered serious loss and disruption to 

their lives. 

Since the introduction of the service, 

the number of students who are self- 

referring, (that is, seeking a counsellor 

out of their own volition), has increased. 

By 200 it had reached approximately 

70% and for the last 2 years has been 

running at close to 80%. 

This is a good sign on a number 

of levels. It means that the service is 

meeting a need and the students are 

recognising this. It is also good to see 

adolescent males utilising the service as 

they tend to be more reticent than girls 

and reluctant to admit to any perceived 

weakness or inability to deal with their 

issues themselves. This is unfortunate 

because a key survival skill in today’s 

high pressure world is the skill to access 

support. There are many students at 

Auckland Grammar demonstrating the 

emotional maturity to do just that. 

However, the downside of this is that 

there is little time to seek out students 

who obviously need support but are 

reluctant to access a counsellor or are 

unaware of the service. These students 

are performing below their potential and 

are often battling away on their own or 

disrupting others because that is how they 

have chosen to deal with their issues. 

These students are the real challenge. 

Before they can be helped they need 

to understand that if their situation is to 

improve, they will need to change. 

Auckland Grammar School is an 

extremely successful school. Every year 

it proves to New Zealand, and the rest 

of the world, that it holds a successful 

recipe for realising the academic potential 

of adolescent boys and young men. 

The pastoral care system of Auckland 

Grammar, of which the Guidance 

Department is a part, works very hard 

in support of this ethos and we are 

united in providing the best opportunities 

for student to achieve to the best of 

their abilities. 


Notices < 

Youth’07: The National Survey of the Health and 

Wellbeing of New Zealand Secondary School Students 

Auckland Grammar School is one of a sample of 100 secondary schools in New Zealand that has 

been randomly selected to take part in this national survey – the second such study to be carried 

out by researchers from the University of Auckland on the health and wellbeing of secondary 

school students. 

The students who are randomly selected to take part will use handheld computers with touchsensitive 

screens to answer questions on the screen while listening to questions through head 

phones. Apart from the novelty of the technology, these handheld computers provide students 

with greater privacy and anonymity essential for them to be honest in their answers. 

Information will be collected on a wide range of issues, from physical and mental health through 

to connectedness to school and family. The results of the survey will help everyone to understand 

better not only the risk-taking behaviours that affect the health and lives of teenagers and their 

families but also other factors in their lives that provide protection for them. 

The results of the survey will be of value to government departments and agencies, and also 

to principals, teachers, Boards of Trustees, parents/whanau and communities. The first national 

health study of New Zealand secondary school students was carried out in 2001 and the results 

are available on www.youth2000.ac.nz 

Contributions 

to Ad Augusta 

If you would like to 

contribute information for 

possible inclusion in the 

next issue of Ad Augusta, 

please email to Amanda at 

a.harkness@ags.school.nz 

or post to The Editor, 

Ad Augusta, c/- the 

Development Office, 

Auckland Grammar 

School, Private Bag 999 0, 

Newmarket, Auckland. 

All contributions 

received by Wednesday 

5 September will be 

considered for inclusion in 

the October 2007 issue. 

Term Dates 


10 May Form 4 Parents Interviews ( –6pm) 

16 May Form 5 Parent Interviews ( –6pm) 

22 May Form 6 and 7 Parent Interviews ( –6pm) 

6 June Winter Concert and Minister’s Plate (7pm) 

13 June Careers Evening (6–9pm) 

16 June Gala Dinner (6pm) 

22-29 June Senior Exams 

26-29 June Junior Exams 

End of term 2 29 June 

term 3 16 July – 21 September 

4 August AGS vs King’s 1st XV game, Eden Park 

31 August Art Exhibition opening (6. 0pm) 

1–2 September Art Exhibition open to public 

30 – 31 August Teacher Only Days 

term 4 8 October – 7 December 

2007 

Prefects 

RJ Albuquerque 

MAN Arms 

KP Bassett 

LT Benson 

CWA Blackburn 

TM Boderick 

ML Bond 

SW Bufton 

MN Burbury-King 

JM Burns 

WI Chan 

MG Cho 

MJ D’arcy 

PRK Dassanayake 

NM Dawson 

KJ Dennerly-Minturn 

BT Dennison 

NW Dobbs 

G Duff 

RBM Ellis 

AW Frieswijk 

NTP Gamage 

SC George Deputy Head 

Prefect 

HB Halpin 

IC Hogg 

LX Huang 

P Hung 

MJ Job 

MJ Lawton 

HA Liggins 

WBG Mahon-Heap 

HG Mathias 

VB Maxwell 

AS McCutcheon 

TC McVicar 

RM Monteith 

ZJ Moser 

RAd Nelson Head Prefect 

BT Norris 

JD Porus 

P Puvanakumar 

DJ Seagar 

TJ Stringfield 

JSJN Taiaroa 

PCP Tapper 

L Tsang 

RJ Turner 

HR Wilson 

TAC Wong 

KP Woods 

The Old Boys’ Pavilion 

The Old Boys are on target to raise 

$1,000,000 for the new Pavilion, with 

an incredible $850,000 raised so far. 

In the final phase of the campaign, 

the Association this month launched a 

major appeal to 6000 old boys to raise the 

balance and help seal its commitment to 

a wonderful new facility for the School. 

“As an old boy you can make a 

difference. Imagine if 1500 old boys 

donate $100 each, the pledge to raise $1 

million will be fulfilled,” says President 

Jeff Blackburn. 

With the roof now on and the 

complex due for completion in August, 

plans are well underway for the opening 

ceremony later in the year. 

The Association has a long and 

proud history of giving to the School. 

Old boys have generously contributed to 

the Centennial Theatre, the swimming 

pool, the Honours Boards, the Hockey 

Pavilion, the Sports Centre and Academic 

Endowment Fund. 

The Association appeals to the Old 

Boy Family to continue this great tradition 

by supporting the Pavilion project. 

To make a donation simply call 

the Association on 62 5420 or print 

off a donation form on the School 

website www.ags.school.nz, Old Boys’ 

Association page. 

With the roof now on, we’re in the home straight 

Imagine if 1500 old boys donate 

$100 each, the pledge to raise 

$1 million will be fulfilled. 

Old Boys’ News | May 2007 | page 25

Coming back to school 

Whether 18 or 80, Grammar old boys 

relish the chance to come back to 

their old school. 

Past pupils from very different eras 

recently gathered at the School for two 

special reunions. 

The inaugural Vintage Reunion in 

December attracted 150 Grammarians who 

had attended the School pre–1945, some 

from as far back as the 1920s. These very 

special gentlemen had a group photograph 

on the front steps, after which they were 

welcomed by the Headmaster in the 

Centennial Theatre. 

Lunch was enjoyed in the adjacent 

Library followed by a tour of the school site. 

Many stories were recounted, memories 

revisited and memorabilia shared. Some 

anxious wives even called the School 

enquiring after their husbands, who had lost 

track of time in the course of the afternoon. 

The most senior old boy in attendance 

was Mr Lindsay Drummond, Class of ’26, 

the son of the first old boy Headmaster, Mr 

James Drummond 1922–28. 

Vintage Old Boys reassemble on the main steps of the School 


Old Boys catch up at the inaugural Vintage Reunion 

Not so old boys 

In February, the Old Boys’ Association 

resurrected a popular event of 

yesteryear, a gathering of junior 

old boys. 

Close to 250 former students who 

left Grammar during the last five years 

attended the Recent School Leavers 

Reunion at the Hockey Pavilion to 

catch up with their old schoolmates 

and Masters. 

When the school bell rang for this 

group of Grammar men, there were 

no tucked in shirts, pulled up socks or 

roll call. Instead it was beer, sausages 

on the BBQ and much animated 

conversation. 

Deputy Head John Blyth rang the 

school bell to call the gathering together 

John Morris and Mark Vella 

catching up with recent leavers 

Recent school leavers get together 

to hear a few words from the President 

of the Association, Mr Jeff Blackburn, 

and the Headmaster, Mr John Morris. 

Mr Morris said he was delighted 

to welcome the school leavers back to 

school and reminded them that they 

now belonged to an invaluable network 

of old boys in New Zealand and all parts 

of the world. 

Such was the success of both 

events that the Recent School Leavers 

function will be held annually and the 

Vintage Old Boys Reunion will be held 

again in February 2008 in the brand new 

Old Boys’ Pavilion. 

For more photographs, please 

visit www.ags.school.nz, Old Boys’ 

Association page. 

Hockey 1st XI Captain 

Hamish Wilson has 

everything under control 

for the fundraising sausage sizzle 


Regular 

Year Group 

Reunions 

This year the reunions for Forms of 

1947, 1957, 1967 and 1977 took place 

in the first term. 

1957 Richard Simpson, Russell Hooper and Dennis Lowdon 

1967 Meeting in the Library before dinner 

1977 Checking out the photo board 


1947 Just as it was 60 years ago 

1957 Old friends have a drink together in the Library 

1967 Enjoying an amusing speach 

1977 Former Master Merv Fairgrey and Simon Roberts (both at left) at the start of dinner 

Events 

AGS v King’s Old Boys’ 

Tennis Day 

This inaugural tournament took place on 

November 19 last year at the Auckland 

Grammar courts. Players from the Senior 

A1 teams from the 1960s through to 

2005 enjoyed a great day of tennis 

and socialising as they volleyed and 

reminisced about matches of yesteryear. 

Grammar’s line up featured the 

wider range of ages, with Athol Tills 

competing strongly and the 60s being 

ably represented by David Theyers, 

Dennis Irvine, John Skeen, Don Cotter, 

Peter Jenkins and Rick Cutfield. The 

70s era included Dexter Loos and Sam 

Dean while Matt Baber was the sole 

representative of the 80s. Rod Cook and 

Nigel Allen relived National Champions 

times of the 90s and the afternoon 

concluded with a relatively serious match 

involving top class players Jacob Olsen 

and Nigel Allen from Grammar against 

Mark Nielson and James Pilbro from 

King’s, which Grammar duly won to 

square the tie up to 12 matches all. 

Everyone played plenty of tennis and 

enjoyed the day thoroughly. We plan to 

make this an annual event and it will be 

at King’s this year. Watch out for further 

notices later in the year. 

THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT 

WAS SPONSORED BY 

A business owned by Barry Schmidt 

and his wife Sherean Loomb. 

Come in to discuss all your hearing needs 

and ask about the Grammar discount. 

SHEREAN LOOMB 

B. Soc.Sc M.Aud (Hons) MNZAS 

12 Sunnynook Rd, Forrest Hill 

09 4109241 

www.northshoreaudiology.co.nz 

Old Boys’ Golf Day 

When AGS Master Alan Calvert officially 

handed over the School’s Annual Golf 

Tournament to the Old Boys’ Association 

in December, he didn’t expect Kiwi 

golfing hero Michael Campbell to be 

on hand. 

Michael had been at the Remuera 

Golf Club for a special promotional event, 

with the AGS Tournament coincidentally 

teeing off later that day. 

The world-class golfer was only 

too happy to oblige Alan and plant his 

moniker on Alan’s t-shirt. And although 

Alan admits the autograph emblazoned 

across his chest didn’t give him much 

luck on the course that day, he did enjoy 

the best of golfing company. 

Alan has been running the popular 

tournament for a number of years and 

was pleased to officially hand it over into 

the care of the Old Boys’ Association. 

OBA President Jeff Blackburn 

congratulated Alan on his support and 

contribution to the School and said 

the Association aimed to build on the 

tournament’s success and keep it out of 

the “rough”. 

Held at the Remuera Golf Club on 

December 4, the Auckland Grammar 

GRAMMAR TASTES 

the Big Apple 

John Morris and his wife Jan are 

hosting a cocktail function for Grammar 

old boys in New York on 28 June. 

This is the first time the School has held 

a function in the US and those we have 

contacted by email have been excited 

about the prospect. 

There will however be many old boys 

living in the US who we have no contact 

details for so if you know of anyone 

who may be interested in attending 

this event, please call the Development 

Office on 62 56 9 

or email development@ags.school.nz 

Robert Laing clearly enjoyed his game 

School Old Boys’ Association Golf 

Tournament attracted a field of 85 

players including old boys, friends of the 

School and staff. 

The Association thanks the many 

supporters who provided items for the 

prizegiving evening. It also sincerely 

appreciates the School’s golf boys who 

helped out with on course activities. 

For photos, view www.ags.school.nz, 

Old Boys’ Association Page, Gallery. 

Hamburg Reunion 

The inaugural reunion of old boys in 

Hamburg last year was organised by 

Andrew McCowan, who is an old hand 

at bringing old boys together, having 

organised a reunion in Sydney a few years 

ago and before that a reunion in Dunedin. 

Back row, from left Robbie McIntyre, 

Andrew McCowan, Allan Faull and 

Kulathat Teanjaung and front Max Dohse, 

Philipp Drissner and Casper Dohse 


Grammar Families 

Three generations of the Doo family, from left to right: back row are Thomas CK (’39), Ron (’42), 

Arthur (’44), Allen (’47), Gordon (48) Dennis (’50) and Ernest (’50). Middle row are Stephen (’67), 

Michael (’75) and Kelvin (’79). Front row are Nicholas Joe (’94) and James (’07). 

The Doo Family 

The Doo family quite literally made a big 

bang on the Auckland scene. Many 

will remember the Thomas Doo and Sons 

thriving fireworks business in Hobson Street 

while other family members made their 

mark in various other business activities and 

professions. 

Here we take a look at the enterprising 

lives of the Doo family, which has had 

four generations and 17 boys educated at 

Grammar to date. 

In 1901, Thomas Doo (I) came to New 

Zealand as a market gardener, working 

on the slopes of Chinaman’s Hill in Point 

Chevalier leading up to Surrey Crescent. 

The first generation of Doos to attend 

Grammar were his sons Norman (’27) and 

William (’ 2). His other son, Thomas II, was 

busy establishing a food importing business 

with his father in the 1920s but despite not 

having attended Grammar himself, all of his 

Doo Family Grammarians Tree: 


five sons did: Thomas CK III (’ 9), Ronald 

(’42), Arthur (’44), Allen (’47) and Gordon (’48). 

The first Doo to have attended Grammar, 

Norman, went on to establish the Norman 

Doo & Sons importing business, with his 

sons Dennis (’50) and Ernest (’50). Third 

son Victor (’51) graduated from the Otago 

University Medical School as a doctor. 

Norman’s brother William established 

the Wong Doo Health Clinic in 195 and his 

son Selwyn (’68) joined him in later years. 

Meanwhile Thomas II with his sons 

Thomas CK III, Ronald, Allen and Gordon 

established the well-known Thomas Doo & 

Sons and Thomas Doo Jnr fireworks, textile 

and furniture importing business. Fifth son 

Arthur also graduated from Otago University 

Medical School to become a doctor. 

The Doo family soon became known 

throughout New Zealand for their amazing 

fireworks displays, which first started in 

the 1950s and continued until the 1980s, 

including much charity fundraising. Thomas 

CK was later awarded the Queens Service 

Medal for Community Service in 200 . 

The third generation of Grammar Doos 

belonged to Thomas II’s sons Ron and 

Gordon. Ron’s son Stephen (’67) left school 

and joined the automotive industry and 

his other son Bernard (’79) completed a 

Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of 

Science at Auckland University and now 

works as a paramedic. Gordon’s son Michael 

(’75) is an accountant while second son 

Kelvin (’79) is in business IT. 

Thomas CK III’s grandson Nicholas Joe 

(’94), a fourth generation Doo, also went into 

business IT while Stephen’s son James (’07) 

has just joined Grammar this year. 

Thomas CK III Doo, now 82, has many 

memories to share. He was AGS Junior 

Athletic Champion in 1940 and attained two 

inter-secondary school titles in the 100 yards 

and 110-yard hurdles. 

Amongst his contemporaries were 

Noel Bowden, Bryce Rope, Don Carnachan, 

Hugh Kawharu, Ken Grenville, Cliff Williams, 

Murray and John Tanner, Don Stevens, Ron 

Don and Tui Cowling. 

He recalls ‘with pride’ form masters 

Henry Cooper and ‘Streaky’ Nichols and 

teachers Jock ‘Strap’ Bracewell, Opae Asher, 

Lyn Lucena, ‘Stinga’ Ray and Gerry Lee. 

Thomas says he has met many 

Grammar old boys from all walks of life 

in many parts of the world and he feels 

a special camaraderie with these men. 

“Grammar has been a blessing to our 

Doo family and we are proud to boast four 

generations of connection with such a 

great school.” 

Thomas Doo II Norman Doo 1927 William Doo 19 2 

Thomas CK III 19 9 Ron 1942 Arthur 1944 Allen 1947 Gordon 1948 Dennis 1950 Ernest 1950 Victor 1951 Selwyn 1968 

Pamela Joe Stephen 1967 Bernard 1979 Michael 1975 Kelvin 1979 

Nicholas Joe 1994 James 2007 

J A M E S M c N E I S H 

A man for all seasons 

Photograph by Bruce Foster 2003 

When interviewing well known 

novelist, biographer and 

playwright James McNeish (‘44–’49) 

about his life, he seems more interested 

in talking about what he describes as 

“one of the brightest and best to come 

out of Grammar”, Paddy Costello (’2 ). 

As is often the way with self-effacing 

writers… 

But steering him back to the subject 

at hand, James admits that he perhaps 

spent too much time in the gym or 

playing tennis and rugby during his 

Grammar years, which resulted in him 

failing School Cert at least once. “I 

couldn’t write an essay to save myself.” 

He recalls Grammar during the war 

as having “no teacher under the age of 

100”. With all of the young men away, 

the masters under Headmaster Littlejohn 

were a venerable group, including Henry 

Cooper and Gerry Lee, “who owned a 

stationery shop and advertised his wares 

– a display of gleaming fountain pens – in 

his waistcoat pockets.” 

James remembers a real camaraderie 

at school. “It was a homogeneous and 

happy place, intensely competitive, but 

in the best sense of the word, both 

academically and sporting.” 

George Marshall, a young master 

who pioneered the teaching of German 

and was barely older than the pupils, 

inspired him with a love of French 

and after Grammar, James went on to 

university to complete a BA in Modern 

Languages while working part-time at 

the Herald. 

He worked his passage to Europe 

on a freighter, became a fireman in a 

London theatre and, after a spell teaching 

in south London, took a tape recorder 

around Europe recording folk music 

for the BBC. His teaching experience 

produced a novel, The Glass Zoo (1976), 

published in New York and London, 

but he notes with equal pride how he 

changed the curriculum at one school 

where he taught from soccer to rugby in 

the space of five years. 

He married in Norway and moved 

with his first wife to Sicily in search 

of warmer climes. It was here James 

met and worked with the anti-Mafia 

campaigner, Danilo Dolci. James’s 

biography of Dolci, Fire Under the 

Ashes, published in London in 1965 and 

translated in several languages, won him 

international recognition. 

After ten years he returned to New 

Zealand, to an isolated, rocky peninsula 

in the King Country, beset by storms at 

all seasons. He described this home and 

his base for the next 15 years as Godwit 

Bay, its only amenity a public telephone 

box. The outpost, where he lived with 

his second wife Helen, is recalled fondly 

in two books, As for the Godwits (1977) 

and An Albatross too Many (1998). 

James has published more than 

twenty books and plays, among them 

Mackenzie (1970), My Name is Paradiso 

(1995) and The Mask of Sanity: the Bain 

Murders (1997). 

His Dance of the Peacocks (200 ) 

was about a group of New Zealand 

Rhodes scholars who went to the UK 

in the 19 0s. One of these was John 

Mulgan, author of Man Alone, who 

fought behind the lines in Greece and 

took his life in Cairo aged , a few 

days before the war ended. Mulgan and 

Costello were classmates at Grammar. 

And here James brings us back to 

Costello – scholar, soldier, diplomat, and 

alleged Soviet spy. Perhaps, he says, 

“the most brilliant linguist and ablest 

diplomat New Zealand has produced”, 

and the subject of James’s soon-to-bereleased 

book, The Sixth Man. 

“Interestingly,” he says, “another of 

Costello’s classmates at Grammar, the 

mathematician Griff Maclaurin, features 

in the book. Griff Maclaurin and Paddy 

Costello sailed for England together, 

graduated from Cambridge University 

in the same year and fell in love with 

the same woman. Costello married her. 

Maclaurin died fighting in the Spanish 

Civil War. It’s a remarkable story.” 

The Sixth Man is the celebration of 

a man with “enormous charisma and 

infinite gifts” as well as an attempt to 

rescue him from his detractors. “In 

much of my writing,” he says, “I seemed 

to find myself trying to rescue people 

from oblivion or their detractors. It’s a 

recurring theme.” 


News of Old Boys 

Dr Peter Watson 

Promoting New Zealand globally 

The Honourable Dr Peter Watson ONZM 

‘66 is the only New Zealander to have held 

several senior leadership positions in the 

United States government. 

First he was the National Security 

Council’s director of Asian affairs for 

President George HW Bush, followed 

by his service as chairman of the US 

International Trade Commission, and 

finally as the chairman of the US Overseas 

Private Investment Corporation. Currently 

he is President and CEO of the Dwight 

Group, which supports global transactions. 

In 2002, the Queen named him an 

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit 

for his service to New Zealand and the 

international community. Recently he was 

one of the first two New Zealanders to 

receive a Woodrow Wilson Award. His 


was a Public Service award for his efforts 

in promoting New Zealand internationally. 

Earlier this year the University 

of Auckland honoured Peter with a 

Distinguished Alumni Award. Before the 

ceremony at the University, John Morris 

and representatives of the wider Grammar 

community were joined by Peter in the 

Headmaster’s study to acknowledge his 

remarkable career and to celebrate his 

most recent distinction. 

Oxford Chair of Latin 

Denis Feeney ‘68 has recently been 

appointed to the Corpus Christi Chair 

of Latin at Oxford. This professorship is 

regarded by many as the most prestigious 

Latin appointment in the English speaking 

world. Since he left Grammar with a 

University Scholarship in 1971, Dr Feeney 

has worked at a number of universities: 

Auckland, Oxford, Edinburgh, Bristol, 

Wisconsin and Princeton. 

Michael Farrell, his teacher in F5 1970, 

recalls him: “He was a quiet presence 

at the back of B6 (now B5). When I 

was writing the Latin translations to the 

homework on the board, I would observe 

Feeney through the corner of my eye. 

If he frowned, I would reconsider my 

version.” 

Dr Feeney’s prime interest is 

the poetry of the Augustan Age. His 

publications and lectures have been 

internationally acclaimed. Dr Feeney 

follows in the footsteps of a number of 

old boys who have achieved renown in 

Classical Scholarship. 

Star film and television producer 

John Barnett ’59, film-maker and chief 

executive of South Pacific Pictures, has 

been responsible for several of the films 

and television series New Zealanders are 

most proud of, notably Sione’s Wedding, 

Whale Rider, Shortland Street and 

Outrageous Fortune. Now John is about 

to add an honorary doctorate to his list 

of achievements, which he will receive 

from Victoria University on May 17 for 

his contribution to our film and television 

industry. 

From busking to earning a doctorate 

John Millar ‘77 gained his BE Mechanical 

at the University of Auckland and worked 

in Auckland for several years before 

busking his way around Europe with 

his clarinet. Eventually he settled with 

his partner in Helsinki, and in 2006 was 

awarded his Doctorate with Distinction 

in electrical engineering, specialising 

in the effects of heat on underground 

electrical cabling. 

A young achiever 

Nick Philp ‘99 was recently announced as 

the winner of the Customs Brokers and 

Freight Forwarders Federation of NZ’s 

Young Achiever Award for 06-07. Nick 

is grateful for the strong work ethic that 

Grammar instilled in him. 

Award-winning IT solutions 

Brisbane businessman John Puttick ‘61 

was honoured with a doctorate from 

Queensland University of Technology 

(QUT). With a career spanning 5 years 

in business and computing, John is the 

founder and chairman of GBST 

Holdings Ltd. 

He has built the company from a 

general software house into an awardwinning 

developer of IT solutions for the 

finance, banking and securities industries. 

John has also shown a commitment to 

student mentoring at QUT as well as 

making huge contributions to Rotary and 

the welfare of the blind. 

Top achiever targets cancer 

Dong Jun (Danny) Lee ‘98, a PhD 

student at The University of Auckland, 

has received a Top Achiever Doctoral 

Scholarship to fund his research into 

cancer vaccine targeting. 

He is looking to develop glycopeptides 

(molecules made from sugars and amino 

acids), which could activate the immune 

system against melanoma. 

Danny says his research is an 

interaction between biology and 

chemistry, which could produce an end 

product with the potential to cure this 

particular cancer. 

Fred Orange 

The Eagle has Landed 

Here Wayne Carpenter (’58) recounts 

how he recently took 8 -year-old 

former master Ron Mayhill up in his 

vintage Nanchang. 

Last year I came across an old 

Grammar Master, Ron Mayhill. Ron 

taught at Grammar when I was there in 

the 60s and ran the school ATC along 

with Jack Stevenson, Arthur Sames, Tom 

Heeps and Nev McMillan when I was in 

G Squadron. 

Ron was a bomb aimer on Lancasters 

during WWII and has written a book called 

Bombs on Target, see ‘Bombs Away’ at 

www.nanchang.zoomshare.com 

Fred Orange ‘ 5 taught Physics, Maths, 

Additional Maths 1947-54 and 1957- 

67. He was Second Master 1966-67. He 

then took charge of first year Physics at 

the University of Auckland. He retired in 

1980 and now lives in Taupo. Last year the 

Upper Sixth Form of 1966 sent him a letter 

of appreciation. 

Dear Fred 

It is now forty years on from our being 

members of your various classes. This 

letter is an appreciation. 

As lifetime beneficiaries of good 

and even great teaching, we are writing 

to express our appreciation for the 

exceptional year we had in the Upper 6th. 

All of us in the Science strand had you 

teaching us for two of our subjects, and 

most of us had you for three. 

That several times a week we could 

spend most of the day in the same 

After leaving Grammar, I trained as 

a commercial pilot and after instructing 

at Ardmore, Gisborne and Palmerston 

North and a brief spell on the night mail 

for Airwork, I emigrated to the UK and 

retrained at CSE Oxford to obtain the UK 

licenses. I then worked for Express Air at 

Bournemouth flying DC s, Dart Heralds 

and Viscounts. 

Now back in New Zealand, I’m a 

member of the Nanchang Syndicate 

at Dairy Flat and fly on a regular basis. 

The Nanchang is a radial engined, 

supercharged, advanced trainer used by 

the Chinese Airforce to prepare pilots to 

convert to jet fighters – fully aerobatic 

and a delight to fly. 

On our flight together, I handed 

control of the Chang over to Ron, on 

condition he didn’t try to drop anything 

on anyone; old habits die hard. We had 

a wonderful day together and later this 

year we’re going to fly to Tauranga in the 

Warbird CT4 to have lunch with friends. 

I may even let him drop something, if no 

one is looking. 

classroom at the same desk and with the 

same teacher, without ever being bored, is 

testimony to your capabilities as a teacher 

and of your influence on us. 

Teachers communicate a basic set 

of facts needed to make sense of a 

discipline, but more importantly they build 

on this to communicate an ethos and an 

intellectual framework which is key to 

understanding the material. And, for all 

that mastery of disciplines is important, 

the most important thing that teachers 

can teach is to cultivate and develop the 

capacity to “think for oneself”. How this is 

achieved is probably forever a mystery, but 

in our cases we believe you succeeded. 

We are now distributed around 

the world and engaged in a diversity of 

careers. We have done, and are doing, 

what we wanted to do. 

Thanks Fred. 

The Upper 6th of 1966 

Old Boys 

Directory 

free service for all AGS old boys, 

A the Old Boys Online Directory is 

aimed at providing you with information 

and better access to each other. 

With the help of the Directory, old 

boys can now network with members 

from around the world and from class 

years, search for businesses, find 

out about upcoming events, share 

information with members via diary and 

bulletin board messages and strengthen 

ties with Grammar by joining the Old 

Boys’ Association. 

For first time users, simply go to 

www.ags.school.nz, then the Old Boys’ 

Association page. Go to the ‘Old Boys’ 

Login’ box at the right and click on ‘First 

Time Register’. Fill in the information box 

and follow the instructions. 

To help grow this directory, please 

feel free to enter the email address 

of a Grammar old boy who is not yet 

registered with the system and we’ll send 

them an introduction message. 

Old Boys’ News | May 2007 | page

Honorary Life Members 

Dr Nigel Evans ’55, Mack Storey ’70 

and Graham Jackson ’75 have joined a 

special category of old boys. 

At the Old Boys’ Association AGM 

in November they received Honorary 

Life Memberships for their exceptional 

service and outstanding contribution to the 

Association and the School. 

Since the Association’s inception in 

189 , this honour has been reserved only 

for the most deserving of its members. Graham Jackson 

Mack Storey 

Thirty-five years ago, Jeff Blackburn left 

Grammar as a student but it seems he 

can’t get away from his school leadership 

roles. 

A former school prefect and captain of 

the School’s 1st XI cricket team, Jeff is the 

new President of the Auckland Grammar 

School Old Boys’ Association. 

He looks forward to leading the 2000 

strong membership and building on the 

special character and remarkable heritage 

of the School. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time 

Dr Nigel Evans 

New OBA President 

Headmaster John Morris with Jeff Blackburn (centre) 

and the outgoing President Scott Milne 

at Grammar and appreciated the 

opportunities given to me by the School. 

It’s a privilege to be able to make a small 

contribution in return,” says the Epsom 

family man who has been a member of 

the Association since leaving school and a 

member of the Association’s Executive for 

the past three years. 

Jeff has two sons at Grammar and is a 

consultant in trade law and policy. 

He succeeds Scott Milne ’69, who 

served a two-year term culminating in the 

success of the 1st 50 Grammar All Blacks 

event which raised a record-breaking 

$ 10,000 towards the new Pavilion. 

Jeff ’67 was elected President at the 

Association’s AGM in November, along 

with three new members to the Executive; 

Melville Killip ’59, Rajiv Sharma ‘98 and 

Jim Whineray ’74. 

They join the following members on 

the Executive: vice-presidents Randal Hills 

’72 and John McDermott ’72, treasurer 

Andrew Williams ’74, Richard Adams ’71, 

Bill Price ’48, John Carroll ‘72, Dan Hewitt 

’87 and John Chisholm ‘74. 

Augusta 

Fellowship 

The membership of the Augusta 

Fellowship now numbers 42 and 

includes representatives from the 19 0s 

through to the 1980s. 

Augusta Fellows have a passionate 

belief that bequests have the potential to 

become Grammar’s greatest and most 

regular source of additional financial support. 

We asked two Augusta Fellows why they 

decided to make a bequest to Grammar: 

“Maintaining the high standards of 

excellence set at the School in teaching 

and learning, and a range of co curricular 

activities requires financial support and 

commitment from Old Boys and Friends 

over and above that available from the 

usual government sources. Joining 

the Augusta Fellowship was a tangible 

way in which our family could assist 

the School to maintain its demanding 

educational standards and important 

Grammar traditions. It was also a means 

of saying thank you to a school which has 

educated three generations of our family 

and which we hope will continue to serve 

Auckland, and indeed New Zealand, as a 

leading educational institution for many 

generations to come.” 

Hon Justice Lyn Stevens 1960–1964 

“When one is in their eighties they 

are often considered past their use-by 

date. However it does give time to reflect 

on various things that have shaped and 

influenced one’s life. Education was an 

important part of my teen years and 

Auckland Grammar School with its many 

dedicated masters was a great start for 

me as it has also been for my sons and 

grandsons. I can see however that with 

the current level of government support, 

schools like AGS need help to retain 

qualified and inspirational staff. This is the 

prime reason my wife and I have arranged 

a gift to the School. I have made this 

bequest public to enable me to enjoy the 

fellowship of like minded members of the 

Augusta Fellowship.” 

Noel Kirkpatrick AGS 1938–1942 

Grammar 1st XV 

v 

King’s 1st XV 

This year’s Grammar King’s match is a home game to be 

battled out at Eden Park on August 4th. 

Traditionally this match has been played on the Number 1 

ground but the recently upgraded top field will not be ready to 

withstand the wear and tear of this fiercely competitive match, 

now in its 110th year. 

A bigger crowd and intense atmosphere is anticipated as both 

schools and supporters will be seated side by side in the 

south stand. 

The after-match function will be hosted at Eden Park, enabling 

more supporters to share in the fun and friendly rivalry. 

Plans are also underway for a warm-up, pre-match Old Boys 

lunch. Keep an ear out for more details to follow. 

Obituaries 

Jack W Davies ‘40 

Many old boys will remember Jack’s 

baritone voice from their days at Remuera 

Intermediate School. He was a life 

member of the Ponsonby Rugby Club 

and Auckland Referees. At Monday night 

meetings he reminded all present about 

the frequent victories of the Blue and 

Blacks. His dedication on three occasions 

each week, until his death, to coaching, 

motivating and assessing premier 

referees was outstanding. Jack and his 

wife Marge were very involved in the 

production of operas and other musical 

events in Auckland. Monday meetings will 

not be the same without him. 

Kenneth Gilbert ’67 

Ken died suddenly in the course of 

pursuing his hobby of paddling outrigger 

Tours of the School 

canoes. During his two years at Grammar, 

he made a significant contribution to 

school music. Ken had a successful career 

as a chartered accountant with his own 

practice, Gilbert Accountants Ltd. 

Bruce Hosking OBE ‘37 

A great all-rounder, Bruce excelled at 

sport, loved farming and was involved 

in many community projects. A farmer 

for many years, Bruce was also a former 

President of the NZ Cricket Council and 

manager of the NZ cricket team. Awarded 

an OBE in 1984 for his services to cricket 

and the power industry, he spent many 

years on the Franklin Electric Power 

Board, later Counties Power. 

Owen Smith ‘40 

A keen sportsman, Owen played cricket 

and rugby at Grammar and went on to 

play representative cricket, hockey and 

bowls, winning a number of gold awards 

Michael Farrell Heritage Officer, Lloyd McGrevy ’35, Peter 

Bissett ’38 and Noel Kirkpatrick ’38 return to the Development 

Office, Augusta House, after a tour of the School grounds. 

Calendar of Events 

Saturday 4 August 

AGS v King’s 1st XV Game 2. 0pm Eden Park 

Friday 7 September 

Opening ceremony Old Boys’ Pavilion 

Thursday 11 October 

Wellington Old Boys’ Function 

5. 0pm, venue to be confirmed 

Thursday 1 November 

Old Boys’ Association Annual Dinner, Ellerslie Event Centre 

and titles in bowls. After leaving school, he 

completed an MA at Auckland University 

and also studied at the University of 

Strasbourg. Owen was Head of Languages 

at Takapuna Grammar School. 

Sir Laurence Stevens ‘33 

Retired managing director of Auckland 

Knitting Mills and a former president 

of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ 

Federation, Laurence Stevens was 

born in 1920 and educated at Auckland 

University (BCom) after leaving Grammar. 

He married Beryl Dickson in 194 and had 

three children, one of whom is Justice Lyn 

Stevens ’60. Sir Laurence received a CBE 

in 1979 and was created Knight Bachelor 

in 198 . During his career, he was director 

at a number of leading institutions 

including, Lane Walker Rudkin, Reserve 

Bank of NZ, Fay Richwhite, Wormald 

International, Thorn EMI (Chairman) and 

Auckland International Airport (Chairman). 



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