W.D. Mouat, Mr J.H.N Pine & Mr P.M. Hill led the College through the 1970's.

W.D. Mouat:

Lindisfarne College Council Chairman #2 , 1971 – 1975.

Mr Mouat retired as Chairman of the College Council, after a highly satisfying term at the helm. His tenure carried Lindisfarne through a time of unprecedented growth and advancement, much of which was brought about through his common-sense business skills, complemented by his knack of being able to make the right decision at the right time.

His quiet, assured manner, his dynamic leadership and his enthusiasm for all things Lindisfarne, contributed to the remarkable and historic results that he and his Council achieved.

Mr J.H.N Pine:

Rector, 1971-1977.

Mr.Jim Pine piloted the College through a pivotal period of growth and change, during which Lindisfarne more than doubled its roll, growing  to accommodate 276 students. Growth on this scale had numerous consequences; more staff were employed, more subjects could be offered, new buildings were needed, a four house structure was introduced with the addition of Oswald and Durham houses, success on the sports field increased dramatically and academic results improved. For many, however, Mr Pine’s legacy was less about numbers and results and more about ethos.

Many old boys have fond memories of this period and recall it as a time when the discipline became less military and more inclusive and boys were encouraged to take more responsibility. As one Old Boy put it, “Instead of being treated as ‘boys’ we were being treated as ‘men’”. For the first time, boys were given the opportunity to wear  ‘civilian’ clothing after school instead of their uniforms. Prefect meetings were held in Jim Pine’s sitting room over a cup of coffee and students were consulted in the decision-making process. The cane was used more sparingly in this period and boys were given the opportunity to prove themselves and to grow into confident young men.

The Assembly Hall/Chapel was completed at the beginning of Mr Pine’s tenure in 1971 and in his end of-year address, he thanked the parents for their fund-raising activities which had made this new facility possible. Other physical changes to the College saw the construction of two villa-style boarding hostels to accommodate the increased boarding roll. These were  named Campbell and Kirkpatrick villas to recognise the contribution made by these two men. A new Chemistry laboratory was also added to accommodate increased numbers.  A very popular innovation of Mr Pine’s was the introduction of Clubs on alternate Wednesday afternoons. Clubs rapidly developed to encompass a wide variety of boys’ interests including Tramping, Fly-fishing, Model Railway, Astronomy and Sailing Clubs. Clubs were always popular with the boys and were retained on Wednesday afternoons for nearly 40 years.

Possibly Mr. Pine’s most significant and far-reaching innovation was the introduction of the Te-Whāiti-Nui-Ā-Toi Scholarship in 1973. This was done in collaboration with the Presbyterian Church’s Maori Synod and involved considerable input from Mr. Rodney Gallen who went on to become Sir Rodney Gallen.  This scholarship had an enormous impact on the boys selected and on the College itself and has now become an integral part of Lindisfarne College, producing a series of outstanding leaders in an extraordinary range of activities.

Jim Pine and his wife Norma left Lindisfarne to take up the headship at a school in Honiara in the Solomon Islands. At his farewell, with his customary modesty, Jim Pine made the following comments: “Mr. Chairman, your remarks today and others made recently almost convince me that I have been a successful Headmaster. All I know is that with such teamwork, in Hawke’s Bay, we were bound to succeed.”

Mr P.M. Hill:

Rector, 1978-1979.

Mr Hill arrived at Lindisfarne from St Paul’s Collegiate with his wife and two sons in the year that Lindisfarne turned 25.

The school was bursting at the seams necessitating the addition of several new buildings including the four classroom Mouat Block. During Mr Hill’s tenure at Lindisfarne, the strong roll was maintained, the curriculum was broadened and the house music competition was introduced with Aidan winning the inaugural round.

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