(adapted from the diaries of foundation member, Eric Grimes)
For some months the Rationalist Association ha been holding a drop in evening, every Friday, at Rationalist House, Symonds Street, Auckland, run by Wayne Facer and a group of mainly younger members of the Association. This activity was not popular with older members.
June 25
At the AGM it became obvious that they did not wish it to continue.
June 30
We again met at Rationalist House
July 21
We met and discussed forming a Humanist Society
July 28
We decided to call a meeting for this
July 30
Sunday:the meeting took place at Ray Carr's house and was attended by Ray Carr,
Eric Grimes, John Beadle, Paul Heylen, Tony Jones, Ces Worsley, Keith Langdon,
Eeme Sikkema, and one or two others. A working committee was formed.
August 1
The first meeting of the new Society was held.
August 4
Friday: the final drop insession in Rationalist House.
August 11
Friday, we found that we had been locked out of Rationalist House, and
adjourned to the Australia Coffee Bar.
August 13
Sunday:we phoned prospective members to meet at McLaurin Chapel, University of
Auckland on the next Sunday.
August 20
The first public meeting of the Humanist Society of New Zealand.
August 25
Friday: we began HSNZ drop in meetings at the Horticultural Hall across
the road. From then on we met each Friday night. Eric Grimes convened these
meetings.
September 3
The Rationalist Association Trustees met. Ray Carr and some other Humanists
were evicted by the police as trespassers.
October 1
We met at the home of Mabel Wilson (previously Rationalist association
Treasurer) and prepared stencils stating our case to be sent to all Rationalist
Association members.
October 3
The first meeting was held to write our constitution. (After a few such
meetings we left it to Keith Langdon and Eeme Sikkema to finish.)
Friday night attendances varied from 1 (the convener) to 30.
March 8
Weekly meetings moved to the loft of the Unitarian Church and the following
week passed the constitution at a general meeting.
May 3
AGM - Ray Carr elected Prsident, Eric Grimes, Vice President.
May 25
The Council elected a small committee - Ray, Eric, Keith, Eeme adn Ces, to deal
with the day to day running of HSNZ.
In November we moved back to the Horticultural Hall.
February 6
Eric Grimes asked to convene and establish an Auckland Branch of HSNZ.
March 14
Auckland Branch formed at a general meeting of 20 people, with Mabel Wilson as
Chairer. (The Christchurch Humanists had agreed to become a branch of HSNZ
after discovering that the title had already been assumed by the group in
Auckland.)
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