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RESULTS OF OUR NEWSLETTER QUESTIONAIRE
Eighty nine (89) people responded to the questionnaire on the future of the GSNZ
Newsletter. This number represents about 12% of the membership and adds to the
5% who voted at the 2006 AGM where a motion carried for an on-line newsletter.
Thirty two percent (32%) of those responding favored an on-line version of the
newsletter, which indicates the importance of the society making an effort to reach
out. A pity we could not ask their age, as they might best represent our future.
Fourteen percent (14%) might abandon the society if a paper Newsletter was
dropped. These people too, represent a constituency we cannot ignore.
Of all respondents
• 74% accept advertising, most if it helped hold costs.
• 68% favored a continuation of the paper newsletter.
• 65% approved of color pages, most if the cost were covered by advertising.
• 64% would accept an increase in subs, few demanded to see justification.
• 53% wanted to leave the content of the paper newsletter unchanged.
• 49% would accept cutting the page count (21% only if it saved costs).
• 47% would accept a reduction of the number of issues to two per year.
• 24% said they would accept stapled notes. Others registered horror!
• 11% wanted to see society news and finances on-line only.
One overseas response proposed that we have a section entitled “Where are they
now” This seems a good idea; we will be emailing a random selection of members
inviting you to submit a potted history of yourself with a sentence or two on what
you are doing now. You are invited hereby also, to volunteer such information with
a photograph of yourself.
The editor would also love to hear from one or more people who have their finger on
the pulse of things geological, willing and to pen perhaps irreverent whimsical and
fun opinions on people, projects and events. If you chose, your anonymity would be
guaranteed! The first-read page in Skillings Mining Review in the US many years
ago were the ramblings of the “One-eyed Explorationist”.
We need more in the style of the “Paleo Potpourri” of Phil Maxwell, who is
remembered both in the last and this issue. A “a sort of blogging ” he called it.
Editor
GSNZ Newsletter 143 (2007) Page 2