Newspaper Article 2013 – Clive to hit shelves

Clive to hit shelves

BY TIM WAKELY

Clive, a historical book charting the significance of the area, will have its official book launch next month at the Clive Rugby Club.

The project, which received financial backing from Clive Charitable Historic Trust, has taken authors Gary Baines and Craig MacErlich more than 10 years to complete.

The historical document, which covers the political, structural, environmental and social changes of the area from 1839 to 2012, simply started from general interest.

Gary Baines, who started off the project, says he has always had a strong fascination with the township.

However, without the help of the others the team never would have been able to do the project. “It’s a fantastic story of Clive, the area has such a fascinating history.

“The book also looks at some of the significant people who lived in the area.

“The more we got into the project, the more we realised the historical significance of the place.”

The authors of the book, which starts off looking at the European settlement of East Clive, say the book should have been written 40 years ago.

“It’s about 40-50 years too late. The people we would have wanted to talk are dead. The elderly have been really supportive about the project.

“Everything that we have put in the book is well referenced and documented, everything has at least three references.”

Craig MacEurlich [MacErlich], who was born and raised in the area, was surprised by a few things he uncovered.

“I thought I knew all there was to know about Clive. But what I now know has at least doubled and when people read the book there will be a few surprises they never knew existed. The book will put Clive in such a different light for the  people of Hawke’s Bay.

“One of the great discoveries was uncovering that there were two breweries in Clive. One of them was owned by Joseph Khutzee.”

Clive is the first and only book which focuses on the cultural, social and historical significance of the area.

“When you consider that Clive was here 40 years prior to the settlement of Hastings or the fight between Napier and Hastings being the principal town. It’s a great history. After doing all the research it was really hard not to include everything, there is only so much history you can put in the book.”

Before working on the book together, Gary and Craig did not know each other.

“It’s been really surprising,” says Craig. “We were a couple of strangers. We have gone from not knowing each other to meeting each other four or five times a week.

“We’ve had a great team behind us, it’s been such a great experience.

“We have all become really good friends,” says Craig.

Photo caption – HISTORIC: Clive Charitable Historic Trust members Craig MacErlich (author), Jim Crook, Tom Libby, Don Sorenson (chairman), Myles Girvan (secretary) and Gary Baines (author) all helped to put the historical book about Clive together.
PHOTO: WARREN BUCKLAND

‘The book also looks at some of the significant people who lived in the area. The more we got into the project, the more we realised the historical significance of the place.’

If you would like to order a copy please contact:
Myles Girvan
Clive Charitable Historic Trust INC
PO Box 82, Clive 4148
myles[@]girvanaccounting.co.nz