22 minute read
North Shore History: David Verran
North Shore Bohemians? By David Verran
I recently read Murray Edmond’s ‘Time to make a song and dance; cultural revolt in Auckland in the 1960s’ (Atuanui Press, 2021) and really enjoyed his depiction of Auckland and Aucklanders at that time. I particularly appreciated his description of the involvement of Wynne Colgan (1922-2011) in Auckland cultural matters. He was Deputy City Librarian at Auckland City Library until 1982, and originally hired me at that Library back in 1977.
It was fascinating to recall and learn new things about such people as Arepeta Awatere (1910-1976), Bob Lowry (1933-1963), Anna Hoffman (1938-2014), theatre’s Ronald Barker (1913-1968), Tom Pearce (1913-1976), the Art Gallery’s Peter Tomory (1922-2008) and Barry Crump (1935-1996). Also of interest were locally produced films at that time and the Auckland Festival. I was also drawn to Edmond’s descriptions of the North Shore.
I have previously written about North Shore based authors Greville Texidor (1902-1964), Anna Kavan (1901-1968), Karl Wolfskehl (1869-1948), and their links with amongst others Frank Sargeson (1903-1982). Of course, Janet Frame (1924-2004) spent fifteen months living at Sargeson’s in Esmonde Road in 1955 and 1956 and then from October 1963 flatted in Northcote and Devonport. Edmond notes Frame’s poem ‘The road to Takapuna’, which was published in the literary periodical ‘Mate’ (Number 12, 1964, pages 33 and 34).
However, I couldn’t readily find that poem re-published anywhere else. It’s a pity it isn’t more widely known, and more available. Michael King’s ‘Wrestling with the angel; a life of Janet Frame’ (page 258) confirms that Frame would walk from her flat in Northcote across Shoal Bay to visit Sargeson in Esmonde Road, likely via the Exmouth Road footbridge at low tide. That journey no doubt prompted her to write ‘The road to Takapuna’ to reflect her reactions to the dramatic changes to that part of Takapuna between the mid1950s and the early 1960s.
The poem describes the environmental impact of the reclamation of Shoal Bay from 1957 to 1959 for the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge’s approach roads. That particularly affected the Onepoto Basin, the Tuff Crater, Barrys Point and Esmonde Road. As well as referring to the deleterious effects on the local flora, particularly trees and mangroves, Frame’s poem also notes the encouragement that reclamation had now given to motor-mowers, as a metaphor for suburbanisation.
Edmond also widens the North Shore frame to include George Haydn (1919-2005), a builder and arts patron who married the sculptor Molly Morell Macalister (1920-1979) in 1945. They lived in Purchas Road in Hauraki, while writer Maurice Duggan (1922-1974) lived in Forrest Hill Road. The Haydn’s house is listed amongst those built by ‘Group Architects’ and dates from 1970.
From 1947 onwards, the ‘Group’ provided new perspectives to New Zealand architecture and some of their houses and other buildings were constructed across different parts of the North Shore. In 2010, Julia Gatley edited ‘Group Architects; towards a New Zealand architecture’ which covers at least some of those houses in greater detail.
However, Edmond’s description of a pre-Bridge ‘North Shore Bohemia’ of the literary and socially unconventional, really only applies to a limited number of individuals, and not to residents of the North Shore in general.
I also disagree with Edmond’s notion that before the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened in May 1959 the North Shore was more for holiday homes than suburbia. In fact, while in 1931 there was just under 25,000 people living on the North Shore, by 1945 that population had reached around 30,000 and by the late 1950s had jumped significantly to around 50,000. That was particularly in the Takapuna and East Coast Bays areas, and in anticipation of the Bridge.
Spring brings new beginnings
Sonia Thursby.
We are nearing the end of winter, meaning some new beginnings on the horizon with the coming of spring! There is so much happening at Yes and I.Lead that the next few months look to be action-packed leading into the end of the year.
I.Lead took to Wellington to present our song, “Movin’ On Up”, at the Involve Youth Workers Conference 2021. It was awesome to reconnect with old contacts, but even better to meet new faces! We were stoked to receive so much support for the song and for I.Lead, with some even coming to our stall afterwards to inquire about how they can be more “involved” (no pun intended).
And with the I.Lead Conference coming up on 14th and 15th September, there is no better time to jump on the I.Lead band-wagon! There are still spaces for registrations and expressions of interest to join the conference. This time around, we will be working on specific recommendations set out by the first conference back in 2019. This will hopefully set out clear outcomes and inform the mahi we will be undertaking over the next two years as members of I.Lead.
And while all this is happening in Wellington, we are still smashing it on the home front back in North Shore, Auckland. I.Lead represenatitives continue to do good work on the ground, delivering another batch of Disability Awareness talks to our future educators training at AUT North Shore.
And finally, we have a challenge for our I.Lead familly across the country. We are looking for a name for our new song; one that represents the ideals of resilience, recovery and man, as portrayed in our song. We are also looking for some professionals who specialise in videography to help us bring this song to life as part of an official music video! For any ideas or tips, and to stay updated on the latest in Yes and I.Lead news, follow our social media or contact us: ilead@yesdisability.org.nz
Spring – are you looking for a wedding venue?
Are you planning your wedding and looking for a wedding venue? Then the St Leonard’s chapel and gorgeous gardens are available to hire.
There are still a few spots left for this summer so please contact Justine on 022 1211 477 or email weddings@wilsonhometrust.org.nz to book a viewing or for more information.
This month the team are going to be busy out and about from Northland to the Bay of Plenty as well as attending the Disability Connect Transition Expo at the Auckland Netball Centre on 8th September. We are looking forward to connecting with both our new and regular families.
We offer quarterly information sessions on site, and the next session is scheduled for Tuesday 21st September. If you would like to find out more about the Wilson Home Trust and attend this session, then please contact Felicity at FelicityHendricks@wilsonhometrust.org.nz or call 09 488 0126.
Thanks again to our amazing knitters and crocheters; the beanies and blankets are still being distributed to our families across the region.
If you would like to know more about the Wilson Home Trust and the work we do, please check out our website www.wilsonhometrust.org.nz or facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wilsonhometrust1/
News from Charlie Pollard and Jenni Gilbertson – Educators Getting the message across to our children and young people: We are in this together
In these challenging and uncertain times supporting tamariki with their health and wellbeing has never been more critical. Here on the North Shore, our educators have been busy over lockdown communicating with and supporting schools, their students and their whanau.
Life Education North Shore supports the mental health and hauora (wellbeing) of tamariki through teaching children about resilience, along with strategies to think critically and manage emotions positively. Our aim is to create long-term impact in the lives of tamariki and rangatahi by empowering them to make positive choices now and into the future.
This is why we are supporting Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), 27th September - 3rd October (https://mhaw.nz).
This year's theme is take time to kōrero/mā te kōrero, ka ora - a little chat can go a long way. This MHAW is all about connecting with the people in our lives and creating space for conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Our children need to know that it’s okay to talk about how they’re feeling. MHAW reinforces this by helping us to realise that, over time, these small chats create meaningful connections, help us understand each other better and ensure we have people we can count on when times are tough.
At Life Education we recognise that health and wellbeing are intrinsically linked with all aspects of our life and we help students to understand this by using the Te Whare Tapa Whā model. So we are really pleased to see that MHAW 2021 is underpinned by Te Whare Tapa Whā, the model designed by leading Māori health advocate Sir Mason Durie in 1984.
The model describes health and wellbeing as a wharenui/meeting house with four walls. These walls represent taha wairua/spiritual wellbeing, taha hinengaro/mental and emotional wellbeing, taha tinana/physical wellbeing and taha whānau/family and social wellbeing. Our connection with the whenua/ land forms the foundation. When all these things are in balance, we thrive. When one or more of these is out of balance, our wellbeing is impacted.
We want to help our children and young people feel in balance, as much as possible, no matter what they may be facing. Just as importantly, we want them to realise that they are never on their own, that there is always support there to help them navigate their life journeys.
Now and always, Life Education supports schools and families with online learning resources to inspire and educate tamariki and rangatahi. Access to these resources is free and available to everyone. • Activities for tamariki and whanau supporting learning and wellbeing: www.smallchanges.org.nz • Ask Harold a question or learn about food and nutrition with Harold's
Food Analyser: www.healthyharold.org.nz • Keep up-to-date with the latest resources, articles and links to our partners, including Anxiety NZ: https://www.facebook.com/Lifeeducationtrust
Contact us: secretary@lifeeducationnorthshore.nz Visit: www.lifeeducationnorthshore.nz
By Bronwyn Bound, Sunnynook Community Centre Manager Greetings from Sunnynook Community Centre
Bronwyn Bound.
Well what a strange month August turned out to be. The Lockdown of course meant that the doors of the Community Centre closed and were locked up tight.
We missed our groups and of course the children at the Early Learning Centre. When you work at a busy Community Centre like Sunnynook you are always connecting with people and no two days are the same. During lockdown I continued to assist the Community whenever possible with shopping and prescription pickups, I attended lots of zoom meetings and managed to catch up on some admin.
We are hopeful that we will be running our October Holiday Programme in the school holidays and our staff are so amazing that they had already confirmed most activities by the time lockdown happened.
On a personal note I just want to say that I once again immensely enjoyed my walks on Pupuke Golf Course with our (almost) 2 year old puppy Django. Django is missing his ‘Pets & Pats’ family which he attends on Mondays and was a bit confused as to why ‘Mummy’ was home all the time, but loved having 6 adults in the house to entertain him.
Looking forward to reopening the Centre whenever it is safe to do so. In the meantime stay safe and remember during Lockdowns we are only an email away. All the best, Bronwyn Bound, Centre Manager
Check out www.sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz where you will find more information about the classes that are being run at the Centre. Email: office@sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz for more information or phone (09) 410 4902.
Do you have this pest plant in your backyard?
SEP/OCT PEST PLANT OF THE MONTH: English Ivy
Pest plants, such as ivy and moth plant, are invading Auckland’s North Shore – your gardens and your nearby bush reserves. Controlling them when they are small is easy and cheap. If they are left to grow, they can spread across your property onto your neighbours’ gardens and to nearby reserves.
Auckland Council has recently introduced new rules that require people in some areas to remove some pest plants from their property, in order to protect our native biodiversity.
English ivy is a fast-growing, creeping vine with hairless, dark green or green/white leaves. Roots and stems can reach up to 30 metres, strangling host trees, smothering the forest understory and preventing native forest regeneration. Ivy is spread by birds dispersing the seeds as well as by dumping of garden waste, as it can regrow from stems.
If you notice english ivy on your property, take action as soon as possible: • Report the weed using the EcoTrack.nz app. • Dig out small infestations, trying to remove all parts of the root system – ivy can regrow from stem fragments that are left in the ground. • Hand release off native trees where possible. Make a cut at the base of the stem and apply a thin film of Met Gel to the cut stem – can be purchased from most garden centres and hardware stores. • Large vines can be left on the tree after applying Met Gel to both ends of the cut stem. • For large infestations and ground cover, spray the leaves with 0.5 g/L metsulfuron with glyphosate (15 ml/L) plus 2 ml/L penetrant.
Always wear appropriate Personal Protection Equipment and read the manufacturer’s label for guidelines and recommendations. • Follow up in three months to reapply herbicide and ensure all regrowth has died. • Talk to your neighbours and encourage them to take action too! • Dispose of any seeds, roots and stem fragments in your rubbish bin to go to landfill, securely tied inside a plastic bag - to stop it spreading to other areas. • Stop pest plants invading again by replanting with non-pest plants (preferably native plants) once regrowth is no longer a problem. • Talk to your neighbours and encourage them to take action too! • For more information and guides on weed control, visit restorehb.org. nz/resources-pest-plants/ • Download the Forest and Bird weed control guide at bit.ly/ forestandbirdweedguide
There are several environmental networks across Auckland’s North Shore that support communities to recognise, report and remove pest plants and restore our native wildlife.
East Coast Bays and Hibiscus Coast
Restore Hibiscus & Bays, info@restorehb.org.nz restorehb.org.nz/resources-pest-plants/ Facebook.com/RestoreHB
Kaipātiki
Pest Free Kaipātiki (PFK), enquiries@pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz/pest-plant-resources Facebook.com/pestfreekaipatiki/
Takapuna
Pupuke Birdsong Project, enviro@takapunatrust.org.nz Facebook.com/pupukebirdsongproject
Devonport Peninsula
Restoring Takarunga Hauraki, pestfreedevonport@gmail.com Facebook.com/restoringtakarungahauraki/
Upper Harbour
Upper Harbour Ecology Network (UHEN) upperharbourecology@gmail.com Facebook.com/UpperHarbourEcologyNetwork
For advice on a chemical-free approach
Kaipātiki Project, community@kaipatiki.org.nz kaipatiki.org.nz, Facebook.com/kaipatikiproject
This Pest Plant of the Month feature is a collaborative initiative between Restore Hibiscus & Bays, Pest Free Kaipātiki Restoration Society, Pupuke Birdsong Project, Restoring Takarunga Hauraki, the Upper Harbour Ecological Network and Kaipātiki Project. Building on Te Ao Māori principles of kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga, these environmental networks bring our communities together to foster guardianship, care and respect towards our whenua, natural world and indigenous wildlife.
By Ralph Davies, Law Clerk, Schnauer and Co. A dedicated and committed practitioner with a great sense of humour, who loves giving back to the community.
Being alert to trustee liability
Ralph Davies.
While trustees are the guardians or caretakers of the trust assets being held or utilised for the benefit of the beneficiaries of a trust they must act with the necessary skill, prudence and diligence of an accountable trustee. However, trust deeds typically contain a limitation of liability and indemnity clause limiting the liability of trustees to the assets of the trust. A common misconception held by many trustees is the extent of protection this indemnification provides as a trustee is not indemnified outright for all their actions.
The Trusts Act 2019 provides a restriction on trustee exemption and liability clauses. Trust deeds must not limit or exclude a trustee’s liability or indemnify them for any breach of trust arising from the trustee’s dishonesty, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence. The purpose of this is to ensure beneficiaries have the ability to hold trustees personally accountable for certain misconduct. If the trust deed indemnifies or limits the liability of trustees to this extent, it cannot be relied upon to defend a trustee against a claim by a beneficiary.
Trustees must therefore take a higher level of care in administering the trust to ensure they meet their obligations under both the Act and the trust deed in order to minimise any risk of personal liability for beneficiary claims. However it is not open season on trustees. The trust deed may limit a trustee’s liability other than for dishonesty, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence. If the trust deed does not currently do this then it may be possible to include it by way of variation.
However, trustees need to be aware these provisions only apply to claims by beneficiaries. These clauses do not offer the trustees protection against claims from third parties. As Lally v Edgecumb provided, personal liability of trustees is not automatically limited within third-party agreements, simply because the party is identified as a trustee in the relevant documentation. Therefore trustees must ensure their liability is expressly limited in third parties agreements. For example, if the trust’s assets are given as security against trust borrowings and the trustees provide a guarantee for that security, the guarantee will not be automatically limited to the assets of the trust and may be joint and several, meaning all or just one trustee could be pursued for all or any part of the debt. Care should also be taken when retiring a trustee if such guarantees have been provided by the trustee, as they will still be liable for such borrowings unless there is an express provision to the contrary within the guarantee.
Trustees must be careful when managing the affairs of the trust to avoid any unnecessary risk exposure. They should carefully review the trust deed’s indemnity and liability clauses along with the detail of any third party agreements i.e. bank loans and guarantees.
These are just some of the things a trustee needs to be aware of. If you are unsure about your own situation, the terms of the trust deed or the implications of any agreements or contracts you have in place, give us a call and we can have a chat.
. Schnauer & Co, 1 Shea Terrace, Takapuna 09 486 0177, www.schnauer.com
Authenticity
Being your true self
Dave Scott
I often speak to students and parents about authenticity and how a vital aim of a Middle School education at Kristin is to develop our students in ways that allow them to be their authentic selves.
To do this, they must learn many things: speaking opinions honestly in healthy and constructive ways, making decisions that align with their values and beliefs, pursuing their passions, listening to their inner voice guiding them forward and finally allowing themselves to be vulnerable and open-hearted. Perhaps the most important of these is to learn how to be vulnerable and open-hearted. I believe in leadership by example and that by demonstrating vulnerability to students, they will learn and understand the power of this trait.
Last term, I firmly grasped the vulnerability nettle by performing a traditional Morris Dance along with several colleagues at Kristin's International Peace Night as part of our International Week. I think the students appreciated seeing their teachers join them and participate in this event, and it helped to remove the mask that all of us can sometimes wear.
I think that society sometimes tells us that we need to wear a mask, act a certain way, and say certain things to be accepted. So, a question I often ask students is, are you wearing a mask? Are you just playing a role to fit in or impress others?
As adults, most of us have gone through times like this. Instead of behaving genuinely, we tell people what we think they want to hear and act in ways that go against our true nature. The problem is that living and working like this is limiting and holds us back from reaching our true potential. Instead, we should strive to live and work authentically, to permit ourselves to be ourselves. That way, we can choose our life course and not be tied to others’ expectations. I love this quote from Roy T. Bennett: "You were born to stand out; stop trying to fit in."
What this says to me is, in simple terms, that authenticity means being true to your personality, values, and spirit, regardless of the pressure you're under to act otherwise. If you're honest with yourself and with others, and you take responsibility for your mistakes, then your values, ideals, and actions align. The result is, you come across as genuine, and you're willing to accept the consequences of being true to what you consider to be right.
At Kristin, we believe that for our students living an authentic life is infinitely more rewarding than hiding your true self. When you live authentically, you don't have to worry about what you said (or didn't say), how you acted, or whether you did the right thing. Living authentically means you can trust yourself and your motivations implicitly.
In short, you can be your true self.
Accountancy with Graham Lawrence of Bellingham Wallace.
Tax Department focus on foreign exchange paper gains
Graham Lawrence.
Throughout of Covid-19 we have seen the New Zealand dollar continue to bounce around the place, and unbeknown to many New Zealanders (including those who have been living abroad and who have returned), this can cause paper tax liabilities on foreign denominated bank accounts and overseas borrowings (the most common examples).
There are a number of matters to consider: 1. If you are a returning Kiwi or new migrant, are you a transitional resident and exempt from this tax on paper profits? 2. If you are already in New Zealand what are the New Zealand tax consequences on having foreign denominated bank accounts or overseas borrowings?
The returning Kiwi / New migrant - Transitional Residency Rules
If you are coming home after 10 years, or you are a new migrant, there is a once in a lifetime exemption for a 4 year period on your overseas assets and liabilities. The good news is this exemption should mean you can ignore the foreign exchange movement on these overseas denominated assets and liabilities. Careful planning is still needed.
So, when does this exemption start and finish? A bit of detail here but essentially the exemption period will start and end depending on how you have qualified as a New Zealand tax resident either through the 183-day test or the permanent place of abode test (which takes precedence over the 183-day test). Your exemption period will end depending on whether you qualified under the 183-day test or the permanent place of abode test and will be four years.
Tax consequences in New Zealand on having overseas bank accounts, rental properties, and mortgages abroad
If you are a New Zealand tax resident or your transitional tax resident exemption period has ended, you will be subject to tax on your worldwide income in New Zealand which will include: • Rental income from overseas • Foreign currency movements on bank accounts or debt • Overseas interest and dividends • Withdrawals from foreign superannuation schemes.
There is sometimes a misconception that if foreign sourced income is taxed offshore, it is not taxed in New Zealand. This is not the case.
Offshore bank accounts and mortgages come under specific rules which can require you to account for any unrealised foreign exchange gains or losses.
In order to come within these rules, calculations are required. Broadly speaking, you are exempt from these rules if: • Your income is NZ$100,000 or less and on every day in the income year (this includes the foreign exchange movements); and • The total absolute value of all your financial arrangements is
NZ$1m or less.
If you don’t meet these criteria, you will be required to return tax on unrealised foreign exchange movements.
Separately, if you own a foreign residential rental property, you will probably need to pay tax on the rental income in both New Zealand and the country where the property is located. As a result, you must be able to calculate your New Zealand tax correctly to ensure you can claim any available credit for foreign tax paid. If you have an overseas mortgage you may need to withhold tax on the interest you pay and pay this to Inland Revenue – you need to be wary of this.
What currencies should you be concerned about?
The exchange rates for the past year for four major currencies are shown below:
Date AUD USD GBP EUR
30 September 2020 0.9225 0.6606 0.5114 0.5635 31 October 2020 0.9409 0.6612 0.5106 0.5675
30 November 2020 0.9543 0.7017 0.5259 0.5874
31 December 2020 0.9333 0.7193 0.5265 0.5883
31 January 2021 28 February 2021 31 March 2021
30 April 2021
31 May 2021
30 June 2021 31 July 2021
31 August 2021 0.9462 0.7229 0.5275 0.5956
0.9387 0.7235 0.5195 0.5993
0.9175 0.6987 0.5064 0.5950
0.9291 0.7169 0.5181 0.5957
0.9408 0.7281 0.5123 0.5954
0.9309 0.6977 0.5053 0.5887
0.9495 0.6973 0.5015 0.5875
0.9636 0.7040 0.5121 0.5967
On the basis you hold the foreign denominated assets or liabilities for the whole year the following general tax positions could arise:
The above is a general indication but the exact result will depend on your balances throughout the year and then the year end revaluation. In a lot of cases taxpayers are caught out in the last month of the year.
Where to next?
In summary, these rules can be complex depending on your personal circumstances, and overlaying the tax department focus in this area, you should seek advice if you are unsure about your tax position. Penalties can apply if you fail to report these items.
If you would like to discuss the implications of your foreign currency borrowings or bank accounts, please contact Bellingham Wallace to find out what your obligations are.
Date
AUD
USD
GBP
EUR
Asset Liability
Taxable gain Deductible loss Taxable gain Deductible loss Neutral Neutral
Taxable gain Deductible loss
By Graham Lawrence (Director) and Caroline McNeill (Senior Tax Consultant). Visit: www.bellinghamwallace.co.nz
