President John Bolto welcomed Rotarians and our guest speaker to another Club Zoom meeting due to the lock-down provisions of the current pandemic.
Hope you all have your beverage and appetiser ready to tuck into.
At last week’s board meeting it was decided that the club would not reopen for face to face meetings till meeting limit was lifted above 50 people and even then we will keep the Zoom meeting going thereafter.
- Recordings to website
- More electronic social engagement
DG Quarterly Meeting – District looking at how it can assist clubs that are under financial duress
Zoom version 5. Don’t use the same password on your Zoom account as your other more critical accounts.
Welcome Guest Speaker:
Pres John welcomed our speaker tonight - Ms Kaylene Poon who will talk to us regarding Chinese ANZACs this evening.
Attendees: At peak time we had 39 participants, that is 38 members & 1 guest speaker.
Michael Bisset & Bruce Jeans are apologies.
Family & Friends News:
No news.
Birthdays & Anniversaries: (Bob Davis)
- Denise Goh’s Birthday today
Anniversaries:
- Ron & Michelle Wilson 21 May 45 years
- Craig & Collette James 22 May 44 years
- Bill & Barbara Charlton 21 May
Reports:
Charitable Trust: (Russell Hawkins)
There will be a Board meeting next week for the Charitable Trust.
The portfolio is holding up as well as could be expected.
2 Cases of SSB available $135/ case Flying Fish Cove. See Russell.
Club Services : (Anthony McGrath)
A Zoom meeting will be convened shortly just to touch base. Stay tuned.
I have emailed just about everybody to confirm committee structure and membership recently. Please let me know if there are any comments and/or changes/issues.
Community Service: (Tim Humphry)
There will be a Zoom meeting this week.
RI & International : (Ken Ilett)
Since we have not applied for a District Grant this year. Ken is putting in an application for a Grant for the John Fawcett Foundation to run two Eye Clinics in Bali at a total cost of $5,000. $2,500 from RCD and $2,500 from District 9455. We propose to raise our $2,500 by requesting a direct donation from members from the money that would have otherwise been spent on Dinner Fees. An email will be forwarded shortly. Please consider. This worked very successfully for the Foodbank drive.
Youth : (Kim Smith)
Kim will organise a meeting of the committee shortly.
President’s Report: Pres John Bolto
- Membership Communication Team & Membership Support Team, any feedback?
- Virtual Meetings of other Rotary Clubs – list being prepared but security is an issue that has not been addressed yet.
- District Leadership Assembly – 9 am to 4.30 pm 6 June 2020, all welcome, virtual meeting, go to whichever sessions you so choose. Encourage executive and interested members to attend.
- RAWCS District Coordinator Nominations – asap to take over on July 1 2020.
- Youth Protection & Insurance workshop – 28th or 31st May, AMcG will contact those that need to attend.
- AGM 25th May – elect a new executive.
- Rotary Down Under Subscription – electronic unless otherwise notified.
- Covid-19 Actions for Wellness:
- Exercise and relaxation are good for your mental as well as your physical health, eg my routine
- Seek social support from your friend or Rotary alumni. A problem shared is a problem halved.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle, eat, sleep and get outside to your regular schedule, don’t become a couch potato.
- Cultivate acceptance, control what is controllable and live in the present. Use wellness principles.
RI International Conference goes virtual – Planned for 20th to 26th June, no more news yet.
Guest Speaker - Ms Kaylene Poon
Pres John introduced Kaylene.
Kaylene Poon is a third-generation Australian-born Chinese. Northbridge was her childhood stamping ground, as her parents took over the only Chinese grocery shop in James Street in 1954. Being next door to the Chung Wah Hall meant her father was instrumental in assisting many elderly Chinese living out their final days, far from family and loved ones.
She has a Certificate of Museum Studies from ECU.
Currently, Kaylene is the Local History Officer for the City of Melville, based at the Wireless Hill Museum. She previously worked for the WA Museum at the Fremantle History Museum (the former Lunatic Asylum) and the Maritime Museums. In 1999 together with the National Trust, she assisted in the development of an educational package for secondary and primary students and for a decade offered interactive visits to the Chung Wah and James Street.
Her previous roles involve:
- Research local history pertaining to the City's 18 suburbs.
- Answer enquiries relating to current and past events and history.
- Document, collate and preserve items & material relating to the City.
- Conduct tours of Wireless Hill Telecommunications Museum, Heathcote Museum and the Melville Discovery Centre.
Kaylene is a busy person and we welcome you to the club and look forward to learning more on your topic – Chinese Anzacs.
 |
Kaylene spoke about Chinese ANZACs in WA. Salient points from her talk are below;
The first Chinese in WA dates from 1829. This was one person and seems to have been accidental.
From then there were very few in the ensuing years.
In 1901 just over 1600 Chinese (0.1% population).
By 1911 just an extra 200 Chinese were added mainly through interstate migration.
|
In WWI restrictions on who could enlist were;
- 1914 18-35 years old min 168cm tall
- 1915 18- 45 years old min 157cm tall
- 1917 18 -45 years old min 152cm tall
Initial restrictions precluded Chinese Australians from joining. They also faced the 1909 Defence Act which said that they would only accept people from substantially European Decent. Hence this excluded most Chinese Australians. This aggrieved many Chinese Australians.
Kaylene’s list showed about 9 West Australians who did enlist into WWI. Only two came back unscathed. Some of the people were;
Alfred Shanhan - Lived in WA. Born in 1875 in Vic. Enlisted in 1915 at Black Boy Hill. A farmer and eventually went to Egypt. He was wounded in France in 1916 and died there. KIA.
The Gipp family contributed greatly. Elizabeth Gipp was married to a Chinese man 23 years her senior. Two of her Sons enlisted.
- Francis landed in Gallipoli was wounded and eventually repatriated to Australia.
- Richard (28 Batt) in 1915. He seemed to have had many ailments. This led him to miss the Battle of Pozieres. Which was probably lucky.
- Charles (Ah You) Killed in the Battle of Pozieres.
- Brother in Law Victor Hiah. Married a Gipp Sister. Wounded in France in 1918.
The Chinese have always tried to become a part of the WA Community but there has been a fair amount of discrimination.
For a good book on the Chinese in the Australian armed forces please see the book by Morag Loh, called Dinky Di.
Pres John Thanked Kaylene for an interesting talk about Chinese ANZACs. Thank You.
Future Events: President John Bolto
|
May 25th – Club Forum – Wine Evening and Special Meal (hopefully we are back meeting in person otherwise we will get inventive).
|
|
June 1st – Public Holiday
|
|
June 8th – Bernie Foley – Life Education WA
|
|
June 15th – Club Forum
|
|
June 22nd – Anthony McGrath – Life Story
|
|
June 29th – Handover Dinner??
|
THANK YOU
President John thanked the Rotary Club of Dalkeith members who have made the effort to embrace a new way of doing things! Keep safe and as this shows Keep Connected!
Recognise our very generous Sponsors;
- Lizzy Bee-supplier of flowers
- Butler Settineri – Hon Club Auditors
- Paragon Consultants -Our Foundation’s Auditors
- PSZ Accounting for providing Xero Accounting software and Sharesight Portfolio reporting software to the Charitable Trust.
He called on members to recognise RI President Mark Maloney’s Presidential theme for the year, Rotary Connects The World.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
