Original birth records - Dannevirke 1918

[SpudKiwi]

Hello.

Does anyone know where I could find the original birth records books for Dannevirke 1918?

I ask as the NZBDM has the wrong details on my grandmothers birth certificate. Date, place, and mother are right (father not recorded), but her name is spelled wrong and the gender is wrong as well. I suspect an early transcription error. DIA-NZBDM have said that it's not their problem, so I would like to find the original record to provide to them to get the register corrected.

I'm not sure of the relevance of this, but the printout NZBDM gave me was a typed one and not the handwritten one you normally get.

My mum remembers looking at the books at the council office in Dannevirke many years ago when investigating who her grandfather was and her recollection is that it was all correct there.

I rang the Dannevirke Service Centre of the Tararua District Council but they were strangely unhelpful and a tad unpleasant.

Any help or guidance would be most appreciated.
Thank you.

[AbbyKatNZ]

Request a Printout from NZBDM, this is a photocopy of the register entry. I am surprised they will not assist you to make amendments to their database, I have found them to be very helpful when I have requested changes to incorrect transcriptions.

[SpudKiwi]

AbbyKatNZ, I did order the printout from NZBDM. I did not get a copy of the handwritten register, but a typed version on plain paper.

[AbbyKatNZ]

AbbyKatNZ, I did order the printout from NZBDM. I did not get a copy of the handwritten register, but a typed version on plain paper.

Did they explain why it wasn’t a copy of the register entry?

[SpudKiwi]

No explanation was forthcoming, other than this text which accompanied the printout...

Attached is an Adobe PDF of the printout you ordered. A printout is a copy of the information from the registration and is not a legal document. Printouts are usually used for genealogical information purposes. A printout is either typed or a copy of the handwritten entry. Whether a typed or copy of the handwritten entry is issued depends on the record - this is not an option.

[AbbyKatNZ]

I suggest you ask them to explain why you didn’t get a copy of the register entry as you want to see what was in the original entry due to the errors. The only time I have ever seen this type of printout was when the child was adopted after being placed in a children’s home.

[SpudKiwi]

I have asked them. Here is the response 90 minutes afterwards...

Thank you for your email.
I understand that you have queries regarding the printout that has been issued to you.
I can advise that the information we were provided with at the time the birth was registered has been recorded correctly on the printout you have received.
The only record I have found is the record that has been issued to you.

I don't really believe that between 11:30am and 1:00pm that there was time to look up anything. Whatever records they have contain the errors. Hence why I think the errors occurred very early on in the transcription process, and why I would like to find the original registration books if possible.

[Fresh Fields]

Hello.

Will probably find that for preservation reasons the original register is no longer being photo copied, and more recent typed transcripts are being used for the record.

Historic records are now held in central archives, and not at the agency that took the original registration.  Eg Local Post Office or Court.

Others on the forum, better informed than I, will be along soon.

Alan.

[minniehaha]

Hello,

I suggest you set out 'chapter & verse' in another e-mail. BDM are usually very good at responding and correcting where they can. Their hands are however tied where the the spelling in the original record is wrong. Hopefully the gender issue can be sorted, perhaps by providing her marriage details?

bdm.nz[at]dia.govt.nz


Minniehaha.