Some Fiordland History Recalled

Posted 12 July 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

I am trying to see if we can entwine some of our unique Local History along the Cycle Trail From Te Anau to Manapouri
And there are some names that might need to be included that are not enshrined by the New Zealand Geographic Board on the Maps.
Run-holder Freeman Jackson who owned the Balloon Loop Homestead and Sheep Run is obvious as is Elizabeth Bowes–Lyon the reason Queens Reach was named.

There where a lot of smaller players on the Upper Waiau and Cycle route as well a few tragedies  I dare say Wilson Campbell, Richard Henry,
And the Explorers Charles Nairn and William Stephen came this way in 1852 Guided by George and Rawiri from Riverton who stopped on the River to do some Fishing for Eels
En route to a camp where the Dam is today.

David Comer made the River well known to movie-goers this century by borrowing it for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of Films.
Ted Roberts dreamed of a Steam railway along the Shore from the town to the Dam. Wilson Campbell dreamed of a New Zealand Disneyland and Frana Cardno dreamed of a Te Papa type Museum
Near the trail head  And the dream Township of Murikura somehow became the Te Anau Golf Club.

At the Manapouri end Les Hutchins dreamed of building a Boat Marina at Supply Bay and Christine Sheard dreamed of a Tea Rooms at View Hill,  (a hill mentioned in Maori Folklore) that for some reason aligns with the Summit of the Monument Summit over at Hope Arm.   And there are more names from Stage Coaches, Road Building and Power Projects now all but forgotten.

So if anyone remembers the people that where part of this route it would be good to hear about them.

A E Nicholson.

Wikipedia Volunteers need thanks

Posted to 19th May to Jesse Mulligan Radio New Zealand Afternoons

 Jessie,
 I Love that the Department on Conservation is setting up a team to Catalog NZs indigenous Fauna
I try to Volunteer some of my spare time to getting more of Fiordland National Park on the Internet.
I have added to Wikipedia in the past but it is awkward for one with limited resources as you need reference details from actual Published Material
And supply your own photographs put into pubic dominion, if you have news cutting with no date they are not useable.. And most modern news print is about sensation and not boring facts or History.
Also Journalist can speculate and get printed but that is not a tool one can use on Wikipedia.

Still, Good on all the Volunteers that keep this grand Idea of Communal Knowledge alive  you deserve some kind acknowledgement.. 

A Southlander's Bucket List - New Zealand

Posted 16th May 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

I see your writer Dave Nicoll wrote a piece on the Best Tourist Spots in the Southland Region last week
But there is also a Southland Bucket list of Interesting Places that any keen Southlander should have.
Here is my modest attempt.. The Southland Museum, The Richardson Transport Museum, Isas Sea Cave (Catlins) Golden Bay Stewart Island,
The Mavora Lakes, the Riverton Museum, Cosy Nook, Lake Hauroko, The Rowellan Totara, Giger’s Rock Garden on Mt Titiroa
Climb the Monument (Manapouri Hill) Cross the Percy Pass (missing link to Doubtful Sound) Visit the Lowest Point in the Manapouri Power Station.
Fly into Campbell’s Kingdom (Doubtful Sound) See the Twin Falls of the Aurora Cave System, Visit Glade House, Cross the McKinnon Pass,  See lake Alabaster
Land on Mt Tutoko’s Ice Field and Pack Ice lake (summer), Visit Gunn’s Camp, See Lake Marion, walk through the Homer Tunnel, Stand on the Key Summit, I could go on but I will run out of space.
But it would be good to leave some for others and some to be secrets..  like Dusky Sound & Preservation Inlet. 

Hollywood Film Crews in New Zealand

Posted 4th May 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

 I must say as a follower of both Science Fiction and Local History I found the disrespect to our local media by Film crews has been confusing..
Since Peter Jackson Hit Te Anau in the early 2000s Film Crews have been acting like they are “Special Ops” for the CIA.
Even the Duel Survival TV crew that Filmed a silly bugger Survival Episode up the North Arm of Manapouri where making every one they talked to sign secrecy agreements
that turned out to be non binding bits of Xeroxed scrap paper put out, it seems, for their own ego gratification.

I think, not letting the Local media on the sets for the sake of recording of History is in-fact arrogant type behavior with no real commercial context.
It could even be seen as trying to cover up potential wrong doing for Studio Lawyers .

As for Ridley Scott, he now works to the Hollywood formula as his last film attests there are no secrets worth stealing from the discount DVD bin of history.
Where even the great Peter Jackson eventually ends up.

America's Gun Violence Solution - NY Times

Posted 28th June 2015 to the New York Times Opinion Page.

 there is no way to get past the NRA when it comes to curbing the Gun Violence and Accidents the USA but maybe It can be dealt with as a Health Issue.
In New Zealand all Cigarette Packaging has to show graphic Pictures of Health Problems that product inflicts on the Human Body... Why not Ammo Packets..
If you ever see medical Textbook Picture of What stray Bullets do to the Human Body you would not find the Idea of Guns SEXY at all.

Also  It is an occupational Heath and Safety issue..
If a “tool” shot out random bits of lead at the speed of sound it would certainly be banned from the Market except for all but skilled operators.

In New Zealand Guns are treated as tools. Dangerous Tools that should be taken seriously!

Invercargill Airport - 1960s Heritage Area

Posted 19th June 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

I have to say...
I think its sad we can’t preserve the Old Invercargill Airport Terminal as a 1960s Heritage Building....  It is so quintessentially 1960s that it stands out like an Icon of the Era.
So before it is Bulldozed into oblivion someone should have a 1960s Party there with some bootleg Beatles and Classic 1960s Cars....

It could actually make a theme Restaurant if it wasn’t for the lack of affordable parking.. Sort of  Like they did with the classic 1960s Viewing Structure at Los Angeles International Airport..

Yes Invercargill is not LA but it has a certain Retro Charm missing in other cities. Somehow I could just see 1960s Kiwiana on display and 1960s Stewardess’s waiting tables as guests watch the 1960s Style Cessna Planes come and go across the Runway... Reflecting of the days when The Smelter wasn’t on life-support and we had a District Health Board and John Key was just a Schoolboy with a crazy dream.

*Published 22nd June under "Airport Terminal" page 6

Southland's Solid Energy Future - Debate 2015

Posted 3rd June 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Good on David Russell for his opinion on Solid Energy May 30th. I recall saying a word or two to Jack Murrell in this Paper a while back,
Argueing Southland’s Coal Reserves are a strategic reserve best left in the Ground, looks like That’s a good plan now.
The World is a changing too fast now to plan ahead we are living on borrowed Money and Borrowed Time the traditional lines of
Race, Politics and Culture are globally changing into a Divide between the Narcissists and the Empaths, one side say steal from our Children an the other
Says we can ALL have a great life with less greed.  Our Energy needs and our employment Prospects all depend on the outcome of this struggle. It is Clear that Southland and Westland industries are going to be greatly effected by Energy Issues so some sort of contingency plan might be in order that dare I say involves a level of social empathy not seem here since the 1970s ! 

(photo: Jack Murrell)

*Published June 4th titled An Empath Writes

the Odentroll Narcissism test

Here is a simple test to see if you have empathy for your fellow Humans:

Read this Facebook Post below...

If it makes you happy you are a Narcissist if it makes you sad you are an Empathic

Invercargill & Aluminium-Ion Battery Breakthrough

Posted 12th of April 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Your reader Mr Brian Campbell has brought up an interesting Development on Aluminium-Ion Battery Development out of California,
It’s no wonder the US Energy Barons like the Koch Brothers have together put up a almost a Billion Dollars in Campaign money to get a Politicians to go to bat for them. Because It’s not cliché Rocket Science that if this new Battery dovetails into new sustainable Energy Sources there will be a massive power shift in the Western economies. And that will shift political Power as well, right down to its roots.

As for Invercargill and Manapouri Power... If the World can stand such an upheaval you might be making more Rio Tino Ingots that one can imagine and Invercargill can carry on into the future on the same 1970 track.

The only problem is the dysfunctional American Political system is now flooded with un-capped Energy Extraction Money.


Published 

Dominion Post - LED Lighting Breakthrough

Posted 7th of April 2015 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

This Morning on Radio NZ Kathryn Ryan stumbled across the environmental Black Hole that is Capitalism..
The Wellington City Councils Power Saving LED street lighting has thrown light on the fact that our Modern Capitalist System is fueled by stupid WASTE... And it is literally choking the Planet!

It’s quite clear now we can either waste resources like there is no tomorrow  or go on living
with a functional society that we can hand on to our children.

Our Government HAS to take responsibility to fight for it’s people and not just it’s Corporations.
Massive Energy Saving opportunities should only be positive turning point.

They are literally subsidizing the degradation of Nature if they take away the ratepayers energy saving windfall made by new technology.

There is an expectation that one day in the future there will be a Nuremberg type trial for those committed heinous Crimes against Nature.

So lawmakers beware.

Green Political Revolution - Waste Not!

Posed 15th April 2015 to the Southand Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

  
Hamish Rutherford wrote a piece for you March 30th about the NZ Green Party in a state of Indecision
I always though that the Green Revolution was not going to come from the Intellectual Left
but from the conservative elements in our society. After all what could be more conservative than conservation!
The Green Party should be there to cross the t’s and dot the I’s  and they need to hold wrong doers to account.
I can never figure out why we have not gone back to Reusable Bottles in New Zealand. One thing the Green Party should
Do is get the community involved in stopping waste and in other countries Bottles are seen as a priority.
So why is WASTE no Green enemy number one ? Making an Automobile uses as much energy as the fuel equal to Seven Years driving
So why are there no incentives to recondition Cars ?  I think the Green Revolution will come from the People that are the owning class as they don’t want to loose everything for the Luxury of Waste. This will be a silent revolution and it will not be televised.
However conservative America currently is a sticking point because they need directions from Jesus first. But the Idea of “Free Will” will eventually kick in, when faced with oblivion..


Published

Southland Times - Natasha Holland

Posted 20th March 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

 I would just like to say congratulations to Natasha Holland on becoming the New Editor of the Southland Times
The official historical Record of the Southland Province.

It’s not a great time for the print media today but a local News and Information team can still be a great asset for
It’s community especially if it can ask the hard questions of the powerful and keep our elected representatives on task.

A good Editor not only has to record the passing of history but guide us through to the future as well, while turning a profit.
Best of Luck with That. 

NZ Herald - Aaron Nicholson's Flag

Posted 18th Jan 2014 to the NZ Herald Auckland NZ.

There has been some debate about New Zealand Flag proposals on the Internet of late
I would just like to point out that my "NZ" Flag was in fact a cartoon parody of all the things
Kiwis said the New Flag should be. I had been a cartoonist of sorts when I drew it,
People should not take it too seriously.

They can still run it up the flagpole if the Government ever declares a national don't take yourself too seriously DAY : )

Spiritual Fascists of Invercargill

Posted 13 Jan 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill by A.E.Nicholson

Sir:
I don’t really want to be conversing with Spirtual Facists at this point considering what has happened in Paris
but if any one wants to know about Richard Dawkins you can find his Material in Bookshops
And on line, I suggest that the Aussie CJ Wherelman’s Books are also enlightening for those people fascinated with
Bible Stuff from a more local perspective. Due to editorial limits I can not explain the views of these writers in a small Public Opinion
Window.

And  BTW I don’t need to have the answers to EVERYTHING as I don’t think it is a constructive use of my time. I do like to observe life and on occasion, share my thoughts.

Richard Dawkins - Un Answered Questions

Posted 6th December 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

I see the subject of Richard Dawkins has come up for discussion in your Public Oppinion It seems there ARE some things Mr Dawkins has failed to answer about Evolutionary Biology:
For example Why do Humans have the physiology of Marine Mammals ?
I know we can swim & dive in the Ocean and use our Breath Control to Talk and control our body Temperature
better than Chimps and Bonobos but if it came to a Bare Handed Fight they would break us in half.
And they are much better at falling out of trees without ill effect.

Despite this I have to say Richard Dawkins really cares about all Humans and wants the best for them
Most Really Cleaver People Ignore Religion and won’t bother talking to its followers unless
For purposes of Manipulation, just look at old Newsreels of NAZIS Burning Jewish Books
There are illuminated Christian Crosses around the Fire, The Thing Dawkins Says is that the World is a Complicated Place
and People Shouldn’t try and simplify to one shot easy answers as it is intellectually laziness.

Richard really wants to save people from the danger of Closed Minds or demanding definitive answers to Everything.

Where Now for Middle Earth - Thierry Jutel

Posted 4th of January 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper NZ

Thierry Jutel of Victoria University wrote a article on the effect JRR Tolkien’s Film Trilogy
Will have permanently on New Zealand ?

I think thanks to the Late Dave Comer and the very much alive Sir Peter Jackson there will be some money thrown into
Presenting Middle Earth Pilgrimage Sites around the Country now that the movie presentation story is finished.

I would like to Challenge the Southland Mayors to try and do something positive in Presenting these Places with some Modest infrastructure such as Information Signage and walkways...

I know Mayor Frana was not keen on this kind of Tourism from her words in the Sunday Star Times but she is retired now.
Fiordland Southland and West Otago have some very Special Places for the Middle Earth Tourist and they are also nice for Regular people as well, in fact they are the Best outside of Hobbiton and the Volcanoes.

Fiordland two very special Places to Tolkien Devotees: the Anduin River Reach and the Mythical Mount Tolkien

The NZ Flag Debate 2014

Posted 30th October 2014 to Alex Fensome Fairfax Media NZ

Interesting Conversations about the Cost of Changing of the Flag today..
Our design has the upper hand as it is so similar it could be used simply as an alternative or phased in as needed : )

ODT - Top of the Lake - Kinloch

Posted 1st February 2014 to the Otago Daily Times

I have to say I just read Doreen McKenzie's History of the Kinloch Glenorchy Area in the farthest Corner of Otago. That it seems somewhat odd that
so much Film and TV footage has been shot there but nobody has bothered telling the colourful story of the century before the first Movie Cameras arrived
It was Nice of Jane Campion to make a TV series based on a somewhat dark and Twisted remote settlement which is also the home of Mainland Cheese adverts, Water Horses, Wolverines, Himalayas and Hobbits but there was world of drama and tragedy as people struggled in real Isolation for a hundred years before the road was pushed threw in 1962 particularly the Bryant Family of Kinloch who where the Hosts of the Routeburn Track until 1971 when the Dart River was bridged and the Modern World consigned them to the History books with the help of the Aspiring National Parks Board. Reduced to a Brass plaque where their “Glacier Hotel” Still Stands today as a B&B.

Southland Times - Bad Truths!

Posted by email 23rd January 2014 to the Southland Times

No Change in the Climate?
As the great atheist writer Daniel Dennett said to Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens
There is some knowledge that we should never know, because Humanity would harmed by it.
Good to see the Southland Times and the Australian Media Barons who own it understand that view.
You have been tested well and you admirably protect the people well from dark secrets, (with the possible exception of Gwen Dyer’s Dispatches)
for you know everyone must feel that we all live in a STATE of slightly flawed perfection in order for it to work in balance.
What’s the saying: It’s not just innocence that protects it self, it’s Ignorance as well... That’s gotta be Bliss!

Thank you Fairfax for your services to the Nation’s General Happiness.

Mountain Scene - Aspiring New Lake

Posted 13th January 2014 to the Mountain Scene Queenstown NZ

I wrote to the Southland Times to ask if the spectacular New Lake at Dredge Flat on the Dart River has been given a Working Title yet.
Some suggestion have come my way I picked New Years Lake due to the time of it’s creation but other suggestions have been Lake Evo
And Haggunenon (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy) Lake due to the fact is constantly evolving. Dredgewater and Crème de Menthe due to it’s colour.

Maybe there are more Ideas from your readers, could even be a fun competition and Non official as it is not permanent...
The winner could get a jet boat ride to see it : )