Selwyn Times: August 04, 2021

Willis said there are at least
four names. They are hard to
read, but one appears to say
“Jamie Rasmussen.” Rock
underneath had fallen off, and
it appeared that originally there
may have been more names.
There is also a date, which may
be a year. It says 18 then a line
then a zero, which could signify
1810, 1870 or 1890.
Willis said the mariners could
have perished in the area of the
beach. It was also possible they
were seen by local Māori or
sealers. However, these potential
rescuers would not be in the area
very often due to its extreme
remoteness.
Willis and his fellow team
members, which also included
Taranaki farmers Terry
and Heather Nelly who are
Willowbank supporters, were
at Chalky Bay to install and
then retrieve birdsong and trail
camera equipment used to try
and find the South Island kōkako.
The cannon find has followed a
tradition for the team of making
great discoveries while searching
for something completely
different.
The Nellys sighted a kōkako
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
shipwreck mystery
about four years ago as the team
searched the area for evidence of
an obscure pig population.
“Fiordland is just full of
mysteries, there is so much going
on there that no-one knows
about,” Willis said.
Willis said team members were
now waiting for the Ministry of
Culture and Heritage to get back
to them about how to go about
retrieving the cannon. It had
been too heavy to lift into their
helicopter when they found it.
He said Willowbank hoped
to obtain custodianship of the
cannon and display it.
UNCOVERED: Writings in the cave at Chalky Inlet, discovered while searching for the elusive
South Island kōkako.
PHOTOS: WILLOWBANK, DOC
NEWS 5
‘Legend’ status for Selwyn
Netball Centre stalwart
SELWYN NETBALL Centre
stalwart Kathy Hely has been
named an ANZ Local Legend,
Local Legends was introduced
for the first time this year to celebrate
the thousands of unpaid
volunteers.
Hely was named a legend for
her tireless support and
thousands of hours of
volunteer work in top
administrative positions
within the Selwyn
Netball Centre and Tai
Tapu club over the past
32 years.
“I was very humbled to
even be nominated for an award
like this. I don’t do things for
rewards; my reward is seeing
everybody enjoy themselves,”
she said.
She accepted a new premier
court on behalf of the Selwyn
Netball Centre, and $1000 for
herself.
Selwyn Netball Centre president
Andrea James nominated
Kathy because of her long standing
commitment and efforts
to keep netball thriving in the
district.
“She absolutely deserves it. It’s
just wonderful that she’s getting
this recognition. She’s an incredibly
humble person so she’ll
often be doing things behind the
scenes that people have no idea
about.”
Wednesday August 4 2021 Selwyn Times
Kathy Hely
Hely’s netball journey began
when her daughters began playing
for Tai Tapu. She had never
played herself. When a Tai Tapu
Club team needed a coach, she
put her hand up.
Hely has been a uniform coordinator,
registration steward,
vice president, and club
president at the Selwyn
Centre.
“Out of 32 years there
has only been one year I
didn’t do anything. I decided
I would stand down
from the centre, and just
come in and be there with
my girls, but that only lasted 12
months. I missed the friendship
and the camaraderie.”
When she fractured her back
in an accident earlier this year,
the hardest thing about recovery
was that she couldn’t show up to
Saturday games.
“Six weeks after I’d done it, I
got my husband to drive me so
I could sit and watch the girls
play. I really missed not going
but I knew I wasn’t well enough.
I enjoy my coaching, but I love
watching netball. It’s a great
sport to meet people and I’ve
made some really great friends
through the netball system.”
Hely received a Netball New
Zealand service award in 2016.
• More sport, pages 22, 25,
27, 28
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