Summary of Events.
MID APRIL 1995: Telephone the Smithfield Freezing Works and obtain permission to visit the Gun Emplacement site.
SUNDAY 30 APRIL 1995: Russell Cook and John Watson visit the site of Timaru's second world war defense, comprising two (2) Gun Emplacements and one (1) Battery Observation Post, situated on land owned by the Smithfield Freezing Works.
MAY 1995: Russell and John discuss what might be done to protect the structures from further deterioration.
EARLY JUNE 1995: Obtain copies of documents stored at National Archives Christchurch from Mr. Doug Drake, Timaru author, and former Timaru Herald reporter.
EARLY JUNE 1995: Russell and John visit Mr. Andrew Collett who was stationed at the site during World War Two.
SUNDAY 18 JUNE 1995: Write to the Royal New Zealand Navy regarding origin and whereabouts of the two six inch guns used at the Smithfield site.
SATURDAY 8 JULY 1995: Receive reply from Royal New Zealand Navy Museum regarding guns. (No help)
JULY 1995: Obtain necessary forms from the local branch of the Historic Places Trust to make application.
FRIDAY 28 JULY 1995: Write letter to the Mayor of Timaru, regarding the Gun Emplacements and Battery Observation Post.
FRIDAY 11 AUGUST 1995: Receive letter of reply from the Mayor of Timaru.
AUGUST 1995: Word, and reword, application to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
LATE AUGUST 1995: Send application to New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1995: Receive letter from New Zealand Historic Places Trust thanking us for our application and requesting further information.
MONDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 1995: Send additional information to New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
MONDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 1995: Receive letter from New Zealand Historic Places Trust thanking us for the additional information which will be assessed and we will be notified in due course.
WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER 1995: Receive a telephone call from the Mayor of Timaru, expressing interest in our proposals and requesting information on our New Zealand Historic Places Trust application be sent to the Timaru District Council, District Planner.
FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER 1995: Letter sent to Timaru District Council, District Planner, enclosing a copy of the application to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and information on the Gun Emplacements and Battery Observation Post.
EARLY DECEMBER 1995: Speak with Timaru District Council Planning Department regarding a District Plan Submission.
EARLY JANUARY 1996: Lodge submission with Timaru District Council on District Plan to have the two Gun Emplacements and Battery Observation Post shown on Map U8 as Heritage Buildings - Category A.
MAY 1996: Visit National Archives in Christchurch and view the Fort Record file. Make notes of information.
FRIDAY 24 MAY 1996: Received letter from Timaru District Council regarding proposed District Plan - Summary of Decisions Requested.
MONDAY 1 JULY 1996: Write to Royal New Zealand Navy Museum requesting help in locating the 6 inch guns which were mounted at the Timaru site.
MONDAY 26 AUGUST 1996: Letter received from Royal New Zealand Navy Museum advising they have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the guns used at the Timaru site.
EARLY OCTOBER 1996: Received letter from Timaru District Council regarding preparations for the holding of submissions and asking if we require time to speak to the submission and time of day that suits.
EARLY OCTOBER 1996: Return form to Planning Department, Timaru District Council, requesting ten (10) minutes for District Plan Submission Hearing.
EARLY NOVEMBER 1996: Received from Timaru District Council: Proposed District Plan:- Reports for the hearing of Submissions and Further Submissions on Part B: Heritage Values.
EARLY NOVEMBER 1996: Visit Timaru District Council Planning Department and obtain copy of aerial photograph of the Gun Emplacement site.
EARLY NOVEMBER 1996: Visit chairperson of the South Canterbury committee of the Historic Places Trust regarding District Plan hearing. Obtain views and ideas on proposed hearing.
MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1996: 10:20am. Attend hearing at Timaru District Council Chambers. Provide information to all hearing committee members and reads prepared statements. Answer several questions.
WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 1996: Request photocopying expenses assistance towards District Plan Hearing. from South Canterbury branch of the Historic Places Trust
DECEMBER 1996: Receive with thanks a cheque towards expenses incurred for our application to the Timaru District Plan submission, from the South Canterbury branch of the Historic Places Trust.
THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY 1997: Visit the chairperson of the South Canterbury branch of the Historic Places Trust. Learn that the Trust is proposing registration of the Gun Emplacements and Battery Observation Post. He comments that the Trust was impressed with our application.
FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY 1997: Phone the secretary of the South Canterbury branch of the Historic Places Trust and learn that the proposed registration of the site is for a Category 2 classification.
SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 1997: Advertisement in the Public Notice section of The Timaru Herald regarding New Zealand Historic Places Trust proposal to register the Gun Emplacement site as a Historic Place - Category 2. Submissions on the proposal to be received by 25 March 1997. (See the newspaper pages at this site for a copy of this notice)
MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1997: Phone call from a Timaru Herald reporter wanting an interview and photograph at the Gun Emplacement site.
MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1997: Telephone Smithfield Freezing Works manager, regarding a visit to the Gun Emplacement site with reporter and photographer.
MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1997: Contact Mr. Andy Collett, a former gunner at the site, and take him to the Gun Emplacement site for photograph.
TUESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 1997: Photograph and article appear on the front page of The Timaru Herald. (See the newspaper pages at this site for a copy of this article)
THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY 1997: Visit the secretary of the South Canterbury branch of the Historic Places Trust and obtain a copy of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust proposal documents.
FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY 1997: Photocopy sets of documents for Russell and John.
WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY 2008: Mr. Peter Cooke and John Watson visit the site. Mr. Cooke, a well known New Zealand historian, was contracted by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to carry out an assessment to see if criteria were met to register the site as an historic place.
WEDNESDAY 23 APRIL 2008: New Zealand Historic Places Trust, through a newspaper public notice, (shown elsewhere on this website), call for submissions on registration of the site.
MONDAY 05 MAY 2008: Newspaper article (shown elsewhere on this website) about the landowners intention to oppose the registration proposal.
TUESDAY 13 MAY 2008: Newspaper article, mostly with information from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust report prepared by Mr. Peter Cooke, appears in “The Timaru Herald”.
SATURDAY 10 MAY 2008: Post submission supporting registration of the site as a Historic Place to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
THURSDAY 15 MAY 2008: Receive letter from New Zealand Historic Places Trust confirming receipt of our submission supporting the proposal to register the site as an Historic Place.
THURSDAY 03 JULY: Receive letter from New Zealand Historic Places Trust informing us the site has been registered as a Category II Historic Place as of Saturday 28 June 2008.
WEDNESDAY 09 JULY 2008: Notice, (shown elsewhere on this website), appears in the newspaper public notices announcing final registration of the site as a category II historic place.
WEDNESDAY 09 JULY 2008: Newspaper article, (shown elsewhere on this website), informs of final registration of the Category II historic place.
WEDNESDAY 16 JULY 2008: Approach Timaru District Council regarding placing aerial photos on the website. Response is helpful and supportive. (Photos appear elsewhere on this website).
