The National Council meeting.

• Position: INSTITUTE NOTES

At the National Council meeting on 25 July, former Foreign Minister Hon Russell Marshall was elected as President in succession to the retiring Sir Kenneth Keith, whose flight schedule prevented his attendance at the meeting. The new President paid tribute to the immense contribution his predecessor, as a former Director and President for seven years, had made not only to the NZIIA but also to New Zealand. The council agreed to send a message of congratulations to Sir Kenneth on his recent appointment to the Order of New Zealand.

The NZIIA'S other office-holders were re-elected: Bruce Brown as Vice President, Athol Mann as Treasurer, and Dr Rod Alley as Chair of the Research Committee. Ian McGibbon was confirmed as Managing Editor of the NZIR for another year. The contribution to the NZIIA of Andrew Wierzbicki, the chair of the NZIR'S Editorial Committee and member of the Standing Conunittee for more than a quarter of a century, was recognised with his election as an honorary vice president. The full list of office holders is provided below.

The council had before it an annual report that was, in a new departure, in printed form. In commenting on his report, Director Brian Lynch drew attention to the scale of the NZIIA's activities in 2006. The National Office had been very busy in arranging this programme. He mentioned the possibility of producing a monthly newsletter to keep members better informed. He also secured the council's agreement in principle to the preparation of constitutional proposals designed to enhance the governance of the NZIIA, focusing in particular on the role of the honorary vice presidents. These would include the introduction of a new category, life membership.

When the council turned to the NZIR, Ian McGibbon noted the recent passing of the magazine's second editor, Bruce Wallace, after a long battle with cancer. (An obituary is to be found elsewhere in this issue.) He noted that the NZIR's financial position was sound, that there had been an encouraging rise in circulation and that several younger members had recently joined the editorial committee. There was some discussion of the question of peer reviewing of articles that are submitted to the NZIR.

Reporting on the Research Committee's achievements in 2006, Rod Alley noted the appearance of several important publications, including the fourth volume of New Zealand in World Affairs. He also drew attention to the impending publication of Professor David...