Undated, ?September/October 1978
A six-weekly (or thereabouts) newsletter put about by Leigh Edmonds, PO Box 103, Brunswick, Victoria 3056, AUSTRALIA concerning the progress of GUFF.
FUNDS: Only three votes have been received since the first issue of this newsletter – this extremely disappointing effort has been offset to some extent by the fact that the amount in the bank in Australia has more than doubled since the first issue. Due largely to the efforts of John Foyster in emptying the pockets of those at ANZAPAcon to the tune of over $200 at various auctions GUFF is now $74.05 richer (DUFF made over $100 out of the auctions and TAFF made just over $60 as well). A large stack of votes is promised from Adelaide any day now so we may reach the $200 mark by the time of the next issue.
In the UK GUFF had over sixty Pounds by the middle of August so although we do not yet have money to burn we aren't doing too bad.
It currently looks as though the target figure we are trying to reach is around $870, this being approximately what the return air-fare from Australia to the UK will be next August. It has been suggested by some people that since the GUFF winner will be so close to the US it would be a nice idea if they could come back that way – however the approximate figure for that (the cheapest we can possibly manage) is $1230, a figure which is possibly well outside our reach. (There had been thoughts that if DUFF did not operate next year some of the surplus could be drained off to GUFF to allow an "around-the-world" trip but since DUFF will now be operating in both 1979 and 1980 this is not likely to take place and DUFF is liable to soak up the money that might have given us a $500 surplus to spend. So she goes...)
RAISING FUNDS: I have two projects vaguely in hand and a couple of other little tricks up my sleeve. Firstly I have a couple of spare copies of the 10th Anniversary mailing of ANZAPA that the OBE has given to GUFF and which I will sell off for the right price. Currently the "right price" is $5, for that you get 413 pages made up of 38 contributions – a great deal of it very good. If you can't wait to see me at a con to get a copy of this then you'll have to pay the postage as well (which will not be cheap). Perhaps not quite so exciting are some extra copies of the contributions that I put into that mailing, 100 pages mainly composed of DIPPING INTO ANZAPA which reprints items from all but two of the first 22 mailings of ANZAPA together with an index to the contents of the whole ten years of mailings arranged by contributor. $1.50 for this includes the postage.
Looking further ahead I shall be producing before the end of the year a fanzine introducing the GUFF candidates which should be fairly interesting and cost a dollar or so.
At EASTERCON next year I will be conducting an auction the most important items of which will be a selection of various authors' manuscripts. I have the promise of a couple of manuscripts from the UK already and similar support from two local writers. If there are enough manuscripts I hope that some can also be offered for auction at WAYCON in Perth next March.
AND NOW A WORD FROM THAT OTHER FUND: There will be a DUFF contest run early next year to get an American fan to the Sydney National Convention. There will be a DUFF contest to take an Australian to the 1980 WorldCon in Boston, nominations for this one will close next Easter and you will need the usual five nominators, platform, deposit and pledge to stand. All the details are to be had from Paul Stevens, the Australian Administrator, at Space Age Books, 305 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000.