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Each year a conference is held at various locations throughout New Zealand. An affiliated society takes the responsibility to arrange a weekend programme, including time for an annual general meeting. Programmes vary from district to district but cover both learning and social activities, thus increasing heritage knowledge of those who attend.
2008 Conference Report
A very successful conference was organised by the team from Helensville this year, as their district catered for and hosted 60 delegates and observers from 22 member societies of the NZ Federation.
Proceedings began on Friday evening at the Masonic Hall on Kowhai Street in Helensville
township with an official welcome from the Mayor of Rodney District, Mrs Penny Webster and society reports by those attending, followed by a supper.
Saturday morning found Federation members breakfasting at the historic Helensville Railway Station café, which included a look at the fascinating collection of railway memorabilia and exhibits on show. The large group divided up to go on the Helensville Heritage Trail, and then had morning tea at the Pioneer Museum. Later that morning (what a packed morning it was!) an illustrated lecture on the history of Parakai was given at the museum's old Courthouse building. Parakai is noted for its domain, hot springs, and in the past its beautiful boarding houses.
After lunch at the Masonic Hall, staff from the Wellington office of Archives New Zealand made a slideshow presentation of the variety and scope of the vast amount of records held by the department in their offices at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. As they said that afternoon, it would be a very uncommon New Zealander who would not
find records lodged in Archives New Zealand relating either to themselves or their relatives.
The Annual General Meeting then took place. A proposal to increase all fees across the board by $10, with the exception of those societies with 20 members or less, was approved by the delegates.
Our patron once again is Dame Anne Salmond.
The new committee for 2008-2009 is: Neil Algar (President - Matamata); Kenneth Stringer (Vice President - Waikato); Neil Curgenven (Secretary-Treasurer); Robin Astridge (Cambridge); Wynne HaySmith (Helensville); Jack Ingram (Tauranga); Noeline Lofthouse (Waikato); Lisa Truttman (Avondale-Waterview).
Terry Sutcliffe was welcomed as a new member of the Executive Committee. Robin Astridge stepped down as President and was heartily thanked by those present for his 
tremendous work. He will be engaged as the Federation's liaison officer, helping to establish contact and network links between the Federation and other historical societies in New Zealand. Our financial reviewer is John McKay.
That very busy Saturday continued with a visit to Silverdale Museum, and concluded with an excellent catered dinner at the Masonic Hall, which included wonderful musical light entertainment and sing-along.
On Sunday, those of us who stayed on met up at the Helensville Museum once again to be bussed out to Parakai Wharf for a wonderful boat trip up the Kaipara River and out onto the South Kaipara Harbour, before returning to disembark at Helensville close to the museum. Commentary from Margaret Kawharu of Ngati Whatua and European historians including Wynne HaySmith made the trip fascinating, and certainly increased an understanding of the history of the district for those who came along.
The conference finally ended with a packed lunch at the Helensville Museum, followed by brief congratulatory speeches and expressions of thanks to Wynne HaySmith and the Helensville Society's team. They put in a lot of time and hard work to make the 2008 an acclaimed success. Well done, Helensville – the 2008 Conference will not be forgotten for some time to come.
The 2009 NZFHS conference will be hosted by Matamata Historical Society - and for 2010, West Auckland Historical Society have offered to be hosts.
List of all AGM dates and locations [ 
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