President: Sue Eckworth, 1 Liddell St, Foxton 4814. Ph 06 363 8629.

Vice-President: Allan Inglis, 17 Mokau Place, PN 4410. Ph 358 5985.

Secretary: Dean Halford, 10 Redwood Grove, PN 4410. Ph 354 5795.

Treasurer: Adrian Turner, 82 Florence Ave, PN 4414. Ph 355 5203.

Club E-mail Address: rebuspn@outlook.com

Mobiles: Sue 027 433 5896, Dean 021 054 8611.

NEWSLETTER

2018

No. 1 January

HAPPY NEW YEAR

NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY 7 February 2018 at 9.30 am, PN Community Leisure Centre, 569 Ferguson St.

Club Speaker: Reita Barrow.

Guest Speakers: Jenny & Alex Davies on Eastwoodhill National Arboretum.

Door Greeting: Allan Inglis, Judy Mabey.

Kitchen Duty: Gordon Stuart, Neil Andrews.

Morning Tea: Ladies to bring a plate of food, please: Marie Good, Raewyn Hardman, Lorrene Langer, Janet McDonald, Yvonne Parkes.

THE REBUS CLUB OF PALMERSTON NORTH, NZ

Founded in 1984

REPORT ON THE 5 DECEMBER 2017 MEETING OF THE CLUB

New Members: Bob & Desma Isles were welcomed by the President and presented with their regalia. Almoner’s Report: Best wishes were extended to Colin Rush and Lance Hogan.

90th Birthday: The President congratulated Gordon Stuart and members sang “Happy Birthday”. President’s Report: Sue Eckworth thanked all for their support and wished members a Merry Christmas. Treasurer’s Report: Monthly report received.

Secretary’s Report: 2018 programme available today. Rosters to be e-mailed. Committee meets 11 Feb.

Rebus NZ Inc: Chronicles & Club News (Nov). New travel insurance policy (Allianz) via Rebus web site. Lunch: Tuesday 23 January 2018 at 11.30 a.m. Hokowhitu Café & Bar, Manawatu Golf Club.

Trips: Wellington 22 Nov. Gordon Stuart thanked Keith & Sue Eckworth for their excellent organisation. Gisborne 18—21 April 2018 to the Eastwoodhill National Arboretum. Space for more people.

Dinner Group: Next dinner on Friday 9 February 2018 at the Hokowhitu Café & Bar, Manawatu Golf Club. Car Rally: Tuesday 13 February 2018.

Thanks: Keith Eckworth thanked the ladies who have provided morning tea food throughout the year. Club Speaker Don Robertson was born within the sound of Bow bells, London. While attending elementary school in

Camberwell in 1939, Don was evacuated to Worthing, West Sussex, but the Germans dropped bombs there, so Don was

sent to a boarding school in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. After the war, the Robertson family lived in Morpeth,

Northumberland. From there, Don went to an army apprentice school near Harrogate. A mechanic, Don went to Munich

with his army team. His CO warned them of the dangers of sexual disease—”For Sir, there was only one cure: a glass of

water; not before, not after, but instead of!”

Don was part of the army wireless chain and remembers valves in transmitters being huge compared with the

nanotechnology of today. He passed through Egypt to the Sudan and then to Cyprus for four years before returning to

Edinburgh to work in a territorial unit.

Don served in the Kenya police as a regular officer and in communications. After that, he went to Malta and Singapore

working for the army in communications.

In 1969, Don arrived in New Zealand and eventually became a NZ citizen. He worked in the hospitality industry, first in the

Hutt Valley, then in Wainuiomata. He bought his first business, the Linton B & B, in Palmerston North A couple of changes

later saw Don and his wife Elizabeth as owners of Grandma & Pa’s Backpackers. He joined Grey Power and is a strong

supporter of the RSA. Don retired in 2016.

No Guest Speaker. Instead, a very enjoyable Quiz was run by accomplished quizmaster Keith Eckworth.

LUNCH Tuesday 23 January, 11.30 a.m. at Hokowhitu Café & Bar, Manawatu Golf Club. Come if you can.

NOTICE BOARD

CAR RALLY: Tuesday 13 February. 1 p.m. start from Waldegrave St car park. Great fun! Be in it!

DINNER GROUP: Friday 9 February, 5.30 p.m. at the Manawatu Golf Club, Centennial Drive. All members, spouses & friends welcome. Great menu, affordable prices. Enquiries to Adrian 355 5203. Numbers at 7 February meeting, please.

ERIC’S CINEMA: Wednesday 21 February. 50 North St, Feilding. Meet there at 9.45 a.m. Film: The Plank (1967 British comedy) & On Denniston (1999 NZ documentary). Lunch at KR’s Café.

LADIES GROUP: Tuesday 27 February, 11.30 a.m. Lunch at the Aqaba restaurant, 186 Broadway Ave. Enquiries to Marilyn 329 8762.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Tuesday 6 March 2018. Together with this newsletter are the last AGM Minutes plus a nomination form for Officers and the Committee. Proposed amendments to the Club Rules must be made in writing to the Secretary by 7 February. Nominations may be made up to the commencement of the AGM.

Arch’s Column

A Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of 10 million euros. His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place. It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing and would therefore never have to testify in court. When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about the missing 10 million euros, he takes along his lawyer, who knows sign language. The Godfather tells the lawyer, ‘Ask him where the money is.’ The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, ‘Where's the money?’ Guido signs back, ‘I don't know what you are talking about.’ The lawyer tells the Godfather, ‘He says he doesn't know what you are talking about.’ The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido's head and says, ‘Ask him again or I'll kill him!’ The lawyer signs to Guido, ‘He'll kill you if you don't tell him.’ Guido trembles and signs back, ‘OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno's house.’ The Godfather asks the lawyer, ‘What did he say?’ The lawyer replies, ‘He says you don't have the courage to pull the trigger.’ Don't you just love lawyers?

Quote: ‘It is difficult to free fools from the chains

they revere.’ Voltaire.

NEW YEAR’S DAY officially became 1 January in 45 BC with

the introduction of the Julian calendar. In medieval Europe,

1 January celebrations were considered pagan and New Year

was observed at various other times according to locality. It

was reinstated to 1 January by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. In

some countries the lunar cycle or religion determine the

date. E.g. the Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar

calendar, falling between 20 January and 20 February. Jews

celebrate New Year in September or October.

NZ QUIZ Answers next page.

Cricket was first recorded in NZ in 1832. An English team toured NZ in 1863-64. The first team representing NZ played New South Wales in 1894 in Christchurch. NZ played its first Test in 1930 against England, There are 12 nations now playing test cricket.

a. Name two other forms of outdoor cricket besides ‘Test’.

b. The NZ men’s & women’s cricket teams are named what?

c. Who is currently regarded as NZ’s best ever batsman?

Laugh with Lorrene MURPHY'S LESSER-KNOWN LAWS

1. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well. 2. He who laughs last, thinks slowest. 3. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 4. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries. 5. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. 6. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get

out of jury duty.

REBUS CALENDAR: Would those who ordered please pay $10 per copy to Adrian at 7 February meeting, if you haven’t already done so. Thanks.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH 13 DECEMBER 2017 Photos by Allan Inglis

Combined Web Site is run by Richard Scott (Fitzherbert Club) for the 14 clubs in our local area. There you can find newsletters, information and links to other relevant web sites. Address: www.sema4manawatu.com Go there!

Thanks to Property Brokers Real Estate for sponsoring our newsletter. If you want information about the property market, please give Andrea O’Donnell a call on 351 2825.

Rebus NZ Inc. Go to their web site rebus.nz for news-letters, travel insurance information, events, official docu-ments.

NZ QUIZ Answers: a. One Day International (ODI), Twenty20 (T20). b. Black Caps, White Ferns. c. Kane Williamson. Test fig. (Jan 2018): 5214 runs,

17 centuries, highest score 242, average 50.62.

Good health and best wishes Dean Halford

Regent on Broadway

NZSO Summer Pops—Music from the Movies. Saturday 10 February, 7.30 p.m. Ticket: Senior $30—$53.

Happy Chinese New Year Gala Performance. Wednesday 14 February, 7.00 p.m. Ticket: Senior $15.

Foster and Allen. Sunday 22 April, 5.00 p.m. Ticket: Adult $65—$75. (Group 8+, $60—$70 pp.)

Book at EventTICKETINGCentre at the Regent on Broadway or email bookings@regent.co.nz