Conchology Section
Auckland Museum Institute

Seasons greetings to everyone and plenty of happy shelling in 2001.

AGM

Glenys welcomed everyone to the meeting. She presented the President’s report. The outgoing committee members, Zeb Ahmed, Celia McCloughlin and Neville Hudson were thanked for their work and especially Peggy Town who has served unstintingly in various capacities on the committee for over 25 years. In the treasurer’s report Nick stated that the finances are in a healthy state. The Shell Show made a small profit. There was some discussion on the two memorial funds on the books. It was decided to retain these and use them as grants for research. It was agreed that the first grant would be to Bruce Hazelwood for land snail research on Great Barrier Island.

2001 OFFICERS
President - Glenys Stace was re-elected unopposed. She pointed out that this will be her third and therefore last year in office.
Immediate Past President - Glenn Carter
Vice Presidents - Bruce Hazelwood, Fiona Thompson
Treasurer - Nick de Carteret
Sectretary - Glenn Carter
Publicity Officer and Librarian - Peter Poortman
Editors Poirieria - Tony and Jenny Enderby
Committee - Doug Snook, who will arrange the speakers, Margaret Morley newsletter (also her last year), Nancy Smith, Peter Poortman web site, Frank Boulton, Rae Sneddon and Betty Headford.

At the close of the meeting and speaker gifts were exchanged and the Christmas supper enjoyed. Joan Coles made the cake which was delicious as always. Thank you Joan.

SPEAKER
Kathy Campbell spoke on deep sea vents and the biota with them in this insalubrious habitat. They are commensal with the bacteria generated by the gas emitted. The bacteria produce the necessary food to sustain the molluscs. Where the earth’s crust is thin or being pushed by tectonic action, escaping gas from the earth’s mantle develops its own community able to exist in anaerobic conditions.
There are sea mounts in Russia for instance that are recognisable as such but which have been in the middle of a land mass for millions of years. It is now recognised that life forms are not just carbon based and can exist in a hostile environment in other forms. More details may appear in an article in a future Poirieria.

Kathy was thanked for her interesting talk.

POIRIERIA

The Editors, Tony and Jenny Enderby, are planning the next journal to be posted with the April newsletter. Your contributions should be in their hands as soon as possible. Both long articles and short notes of interest are most welcome.
Post to Tony and Jenny Enderby, PO Box 139, Leigh.
Any queries phone 09 422 6127 or Email enderby.t.j@xtra.co.nz

They have recently become volunteer rangers for DoC having completed a course on compliance in marine reserves.

SUBSCRIPTIONS 2001
They remain at $20. If you have not already paid please post to:
Nick de Carteret, 117 Wood Bay Rd, Titirangi, Auckland.
Enquiries ph. 817 7018

REVIEWING THE MARINE RESERVES ACT 1971
Any individual or group wishing to make a submission on this important topic can obtain the discussion document from the local DOC office, local Ministry of Fisheries office or public library. It is well set out for comment, interesting, in colour and free. The closing date for submissions has beeen extended to 19 February.

NEW ADDRESS

Nancy Smith can now be contacted at her new home;
43 West Tamaki Road, Glen Innes, Auckland.
Phone (09) 521 3405

T SHIRTS BY MAIL ORDER
The shirts sold at the Shell Show are now available by mail order. Royal blue polo shirts with collar and small logo on the pocket are $20 and indigo T shirts with large logo are $15. Send your cheque, size, S,M,L or XL, please include $2 for postage, to Glenys Stace, 41 Coatesville Highway, Albany.

BOOK OPENING

Members are warmly invited to the opening of the fossil book by Glenys Stace and Michael Eagle on Wednesday, February 7 from 6-8 pm at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Origins gallery, Natural History displays on the first floor.

WANTED
Barbara Jouvernaux has a collector in Holland who wants Tawera rosa and Pleurigens phenax. She also wants New Zealand fossil shells, especially 2 nice ammonites, for a friend who would exchange for specimens from Chipola River, Northern Florida. Barbara would like to contact a fossil collector who can give her information on New Zealand fossil localities and where she can buy fossils.
Contact Barbara (07) 827 7808 or Email barbaraj@hnpl.net

NEXT MEETING
13 February 7:30pm. Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Entry by the Administration door between 7:15 and 7:45pm. No late admittance.
The topic will be holiday finds, recent additions to the collection or shells you need identified. Items already promised include news of the Far North and slides of Whananaki on the east coast. More contributions are needed please. We can discuss possible times or locations for field trips or any other matters you would like to air.

Please bring a tray of Muricidae, New Zealand or overseas.

• November 2000
• October 2000
• September 2000
• August 2000
• July 2000
• June 2000
• May 2000
• April 2000
• March 2000
• February 2000