Paul Griffiths - What I Should Have Said

I wish I had said this on the night. My congratulations to you Paul, and my thanks, in writing.

Recently I wrote a profile of a storyteller for a local magazine I contribute to and it began,

"Economies may run on oil but stories are the lubricant of culture and society."

Those words have never seemed more accurate to me than tonight as I listen to the stories told by the speakers and around the table in between. Beekeepers are great storytellers. I would say this is because they spend much time working by themselves, they are in the bush a lot exposed to inspiration from the natural world, they spend a lot of time on the road driving long distances, and the nature of their business is challenging, with problems of many kinds, some confronting them suddenly and unexpectedly, others of gravity are constant and affect the industry generally. Beekeepers are thinkers, and they have a build up thoughts and tales to tell, just waiting for the opportunity.

(I would hope that the story of the NEAA can be written up, starting with recorded interviews with people such as those who have spoken tonight. Social history can be easily lost with time passing.)

The first time I met Paul Griffiths was in May 1976. I met Laurie Braybrook and Linton Briggs who have both spoken so well tonight, for the first time on that same day. Laurie picked me up at the Apicultural Research Unit at Scoresby in Melbourne where I had spent a week in orientation before moving to Wangaratta to take up my position as apiary inspector for northeast Victoria. My second week was to be on the road with Laurie learning the ropes. We had lunch at Len Cumming's at Alexandra and Laurie said we should call in on Linton Briggs at Glenrowan on the way through. Linton was president of the VAA and Laurie said it would be courteous as we were going past that he should introduce the new inspector to him first, before the NEAA function that evening.

"Linton is an absolute rock." Laurie said. "If you have anything you want to talk over, or any problem, you can rely on him for help, no matter what it is, and if it's something that should remain confidential you can be sure it will."

Linton, queen cell producer and farmer was down on the creek cutting a large tree limb into firewood late in the afternoon and repairing a fence that the tree limb had broken, with his father Jack, an ex policeman at Glenrowan.

At the function in the evening at the Council Club Hotel to introduce me to the beekeepers, some of whom had come long distance to meet me, I first met Paul. Most of the beekepers were twice my age or older and I was more than a little daunted at my future prospects. I was just turned 24 years old and had scantly more than two years in beekeeping, one year at QAC and one working for Ron Tonkin and Norm Redpath.

Paul, younger than most of the other commercial beekeepers, was assuring in his welcome. As time went by we related well as our outlook on many things was similar. Always encouraging and supportive, Paul told me the whereabouts of numerous neglected beehives around the district and was invaluable to me for his amazing knowledge of every nook and cranny, and some of the idiosyncrasies of  local beekeepers, which I must say, with benevolence, were considerable.

I reiterate all that the other speakers have said about Paul's beekeeping expertise and his generosity to share his knowledge and assist you in any way that he could. He was not pushy or self opinionated, the reverse in fact. He was just there if you needed him, reliable, rock solid.

So here I am after an abscence of 32 years from NEAA business, to honour Paul's wonderful contribution and qualities, elaborated so clearly by Laurie, Linton, John McMonigle, Helen Briggs, Mick Leahy, Ron Rich, Donald Whitehead and Elwynne Papworth.

Five days ago, before any knowledge of this dinner, I wrote a piece on integrity in which I said that most of us had only a small number of occasions in our lives where our integrity was really tested, when we had a real choice between the right which may be costly and difficult, and the alternative which may be easier and less costly, or even profitable. It is how we respond at these times that measures us as people.

Tonight's testimony demonstrates that Paul Griffiths came through with flying colours on every occasion when his turn came. It was my good fortune on that day in 1976 to meet three rocks in the foundations of the beekeeping industry, and it is my good fortune and great pleasure to have been invited tonight.