News Reports and Articles

50th Anniversary of UFO Research in New Zealand

PRESS RELEASE
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(written by Murray Bott 8th October, 2002)

50th Anniversary of UFO Research in New Zealand

New Zealand's largest collection of UFO material is preserved in Auckland

The 12th October 2002 is the 50th Anniversary of UFO Research in New Zealand.

On the evening of the 12th October, 1952, a group of people interested in flying saucers met and formed the research group Civilian Saucer Investigations (New Zealand) - or CSI (NZ) for short. RNZAF Sergeant Harold Fulton was elected President and remained the group's driving force throughout its operation.

Initially the group had a closed membership. It opened public subscription the following year. Within a few months its membership increased to 150 and eventually to 500.They published a quarterly newsletter called "Flying Saucers" (later "Spaceprobe") and held public meetings. Several branches were formed around New Zealand wherever local members were concentrated. Correspondence with overseas groups was established and magazines were exchanged.

In 1953 California based George Adamski produced a sensational book Flying Saucers Have Landed. Adamski's account told of meetings with Venusians and other "space people" with names like Orthon. In 1954 Fred Dickeson formed the Adamski Correspondence Group in Timaru. Audio tapes made by Adamski were played at meetings.Later Henk Hinfelaar formed an additional Adamski Correspondence Group in Auckland. Many smaller ACG's were formed in towns around New Zealand. Hinfelaar co-ordinated those in the North Island, and Dickeson those in the South Island.

Fulton initially tolerated the Adamski approach. In 1959 Adamski had a popular tour of New Zealand and Fulton openly challenged his claims. Co-operation between Fulton and the Adamski groups ceased. CSI went into recess for two years in December 1959, prior to Fulton's posting overseas to Singapore. No one else at CSI was prepared to run the organisation.

After the Adamski tour the ACG's changed their name to New Zealand Scientific Space Research Group (NZSSR). By this time both the North Island group and South Island group published their own independent newsletters.

In 1961 the South Island Group (under Dickeson) suggested Adamski's story was a hoax and his photos were faked. They changed their name to Scientific Approach to Cosmic Understanding (SATCU) and changed their magazine's name to "SATCU" - later "Xenolog". (It ceased publication in 1980.) Hinfelaar's North Island group continued their own publication "Spaceview" until the early 1970's.

After two year's in Singapore, Harold Fulton was posted to Ohakea Air Force Base (near Palmerston North). Being away from a major city and potential support base, he chose not to re-start CSI. He continued UFO research independently. During the 1960's he was New Zealand Consultant to the American based Aerial Phenomenon Research Organisation (APRO) and the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon (NICAP). In 1973 Fulton joined the newly formed American group Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) as New Zealand Director, a position he held until his death in 1986.

The only surviving UFO group from this era is the former Tauranga Adamski Correspondence Group. It was later re-named the Tauranga UFO Investigation Group. Its driving force, since its founding, has been Harvey Cooke. They held three highly successful UFO conferences during the 1970's. The group still holds monthly meetings after more than 40 years of active investigation - probably a record for any UFO group in the world.

Significant New Zealand UFO events include the 1959 "Close Encounter" case reported by Mrs Eileen Moreland near Blenhiem, and the 1978 radar/visual case when balls of light were filmed near Kaikoura.

Fulton's records still survive. They are stored by Murray Bott (now MUFON's New Zealand Director). These records form the central core of a large UFO archive that Murray continues to add to with donated material. His archives comprises New Zealand and overseas books, magazines, newsletters, original UFO reports, photographs, audio and video recordings, and newspaper cuttings.This archive also contains the administration records of CSI. Additional material has been received from Hinfelaar's New Zealand Scientific Space Research, the Auckland UFO Research Association, and others. Bott would welcome receipt of any similar material for inclusion into the archive.

Wellington based UFO researcher Peter Hassall has also established a much smaller UFO archive. He is a keen recipient of both current and historical UFO material for research purposes. Bott and Hassall exchange any duplicate copies.

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Current UFO Functionaries in New Zealand.
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Mutual UFO Network (New Zealand)
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and the New Zealand UFO Archives Project.
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Murray Bott,
P.O. Box 27117,
Mt. Roskill, Auckland.
Phone (09) 6345285 (evenings after 7pm)
Email: murrayb@win.co.nz

Unusual Data Investigation Service
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Peter Hassall,
P.O. Box 27432,
Marion St., Wellington.
Email : rowlf@paradise.net.nz

Tauranga UFO Investigation Group
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Harvey Cooke,
44 Townhead Crescent,
Cambridge Heights,
Tauranga
Email contact:- cookie.bear@zip.co.nz
Phone (07) 577-6011

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Email : murrayb@win.co.nz
Voice : 64-9-6345285
Snail : PO Box 27117, Mt Roskill, Auckland 1030, New Zealand