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Dunedin Public Libraries and the Dunedin Lebanese Community Present:
HE PURAPURA MARARA SCATTERED SEEDS
HE PURAPURA MARARA SCATTERED SEEDS
Early Searches
Main details
Early searches
Before the 1900s, searches were carried out when ships were wrecked, but people who got lost in the back country were often never rescued, or were found only by chance. Many of the reports describe that it was usually the local farmer, minster or if Police officer nearby would take charge of locals to effect a rescue.
From the 1890s volunteer coastguard organisations in Canterbury and Auckland helped people in trouble at sea.
By 1961, sub-committees in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin coordinated searches within those regions. Three classes of rescue were defined, and police managed the first two, the second with help from the government and volunteer organisations. Class III searches were controlled by the civil aviation division through rescue coordination centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and a sub-centre in Dunedin.
Increasing demand for search and rescue
In the 1960s more people were taking part in outdoor activities, and in places like Auckland, pleasure boating became more popular. Search and rescue incidents grew by 140% from 1963/64 to 1965/66. Although the police theoretically controlled operations, in practice these were often run by volunteers with experience of local conditions. This changed from 1964 when the police set up special search and rescue squads.
Police and volunteers
Police and volunteers continued to work closely together. In 1971 the police decided that separate volunteer groups were needed to help with marine rescues. They encouraged the formation of more coastguard organisations. The New Zealand Coastguard Federation was formed in 1976.
The Federated Mountain Clubs set up a search and rescue committee in 1966 to make policy and arrange training. The committee became a separate organisation, New Zealand Land Search and Rescue Inc (NZLSAR), in 1994. NZLSAR has an agreement with the police on the management of land searches.
Coordinating rescues
The quest for efficiency led to administrative change. In 1989 the rescue coordination centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch were replaced by the National Rescue Co-ordination Centre, run by the Civil Aviation Authority. This was in charge of wide area Class III searches. However, a fatal boating accident off Oamaru in May 2003 exposed problems with communications. In 2003 government provided funding for a 24-hour, seven-day service, to be provided by a new body, the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) in Lower Hutt. It began operations in 2004.
The New Zealand Search and Rescue Council was established by Cabinet in 2003 to give strategic guidance for all of search and rescue in New Zealand. It is supported by a secretariat, which advises on policy, and a consultative committee, which links the council with providers of search and rescue services.
Before the 1900s, searches were carried out when ships were wrecked, but people who got lost in the back country were often never rescued, or were found only by chance. Many of the reports describe that it was usually the local farmer, minster or if Police officer nearby would take charge of locals to effect a rescue.
From the 1890s volunteer coastguard organisations in Canterbury and Auckland helped people in trouble at sea.
By 1961, sub-committees in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin coordinated searches within those regions. Three classes of rescue were defined, and police managed the first two, the second with help from the government and volunteer organisations. Class III searches were controlled by the civil aviation division through rescue coordination centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and a sub-centre in Dunedin.
Increasing demand for search and rescue
In the 1960s more people were taking part in outdoor activities, and in places like Auckland, pleasure boating became more popular. Search and rescue incidents grew by 140% from 1963/64 to 1965/66. Although the police theoretically controlled operations, in practice these were often run by volunteers with experience of local conditions. This changed from 1964 when the police set up special search and rescue squads.
Police and volunteers
Police and volunteers continued to work closely together. In 1971 the police decided that separate volunteer groups were needed to help with marine rescues. They encouraged the formation of more coastguard organisations. The New Zealand Coastguard Federation was formed in 1976.
The Federated Mountain Clubs set up a search and rescue committee in 1966 to make policy and arrange training. The committee became a separate organisation, New Zealand Land Search and Rescue Inc (NZLSAR), in 1994. NZLSAR has an agreement with the police on the management of land searches.
Coordinating rescues
The quest for efficiency led to administrative change. In 1989 the rescue coordination centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch were replaced by the National Rescue Co-ordination Centre, run by the Civil Aviation Authority. This was in charge of wide area Class III searches. However, a fatal boating accident off Oamaru in May 2003 exposed problems with communications. In 2003 government provided funding for a 24-hour, seven-day service, to be provided by a new body, the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) in Lower Hutt. It began operations in 2004.
The New Zealand Search and Rescue Council was established by Cabinet in 2003 to give strategic guidance for all of search and rescue in New Zealand. It is supported by a secretariat, which advises on policy, and a consultative committee, which links the council with providers of search and rescue services.
Team
Relates to
GroupDunedin Marine Search and Rescue IncSubjectSearch and Rescue
SubjectSearch and RescueContributors
ContributorRowan Leck
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Dunedin Public Libraries (15th Mar 2016). Early Searches. In Website Dunedin Public Libraries. Retrieved 19th Mar 2026 01:44, from https://dunedin.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/199835