Change of name to South Wairarpa Rebus Club

The former South Wairarapa Probus Club has celebrated its final occasion as a Probus Club following legal problems caused by Probus South Pacific Limited of Sydney recently trademarking the Probus name and regalia.

Probus in New Zealand had recently completed work to become a stand alone New Zealand organisation but this was challenged by Probus South Pacific Limited who had made a successful application to trademark the Probus name and regalia in the area.

Following a legal challenge the upshot is that no New Zealand clubs can now use the name Probus beyond 31 October 2016 unless they reaffiliate with Probus South Pacific Limited. The initial reason for disaffiliating from Probus South Pacific Limited was that we were required to pay fees to that organisation but were given no voting rights or representation. As part of that legal settlement the people in Auckland running the legal case agreed not to challenge the use of the Probus name in future.

Clubs were concerned that having worked so hard to obtain independence for New Zealand clubs, the very entity supposed to do that had let everybody down. A number of New Zealand Probus clubs have therefore for two years shifted away from the PSPL, with a recent count of 273 of 490 Kiwi clubs defecting from it.

Sometime ago Rebus NZ Incorporated, being an abbreviation of Retired and Business persons, was identified as an alternative name by a northern group of former Probus members. The South Wairarapa Club, after checking the credentials and calibre of the service and support offered by two competing organisations, decided to follow the Rebus NZ Incorporated national organisation.

We are a thriving Club of approximately 90 members who enjoy monthly meetings and social contact, with interesting speakers and occasional trips away.

The Probus aims of Fun, Fellowship and Friendship continue to be our guiding aims – in future when you see “Rebus” think Fun, Fellowship and Friendship!

Anyone who would like more information on our Rebus Club and our various interest groups are very welcome to contact Margaret Griffiths on 306-8102.