Archives to be stored under one roof

The desire of local bodies to share services for increased efficiency takes another step forward next month with the opening of the Archives Central building in Feilding.

It will house archives from the Rangitikei, Manawatu, Horowhenua and Tararua district councils, and from Horizons Regional Council.

It is to be opened by Local Government Minister David Carter on October 4. After that it will be open to the public for tours in the afternoon of October 5, and then every afternoon from Tuesday to Friday for people doing research.

The documents to be stored at the new archive are listed online at www.archivescentral.org.nz. Archives from Wanganui and Ruapehu district councils and Palmerston North City Council will not be stored there, but will be listed online at the Archives Central website.

The former Coach House Museum building in Bowen St, Feilding, has been altered to hold the archives.

They include council records, property records and photographs of interest to historians, genealogists and teachers.

Archives Central is just one initiative of MW LASS (Manawatu Wanganui Local Authority Shared Services). Chairman Michael McCartney said it achieved more by collaboration than any of the councils could as individuals.

MW LASS started in 2006 and is a bigger project than archives alone. It is also working on better insurance deals, shared legal and human resources services, and shared fleet management, debt recovery and aerial photography.