Cambridge News | June 29, 2023

Track pays dividends

By Mary Anne Gill

Andy Cruickshank had less than five hours’ notice on Saturday to set up a race meeting at Cambridge Jockey Club’s $13 million synthetic track.

Weather and track conditions in Tauranga were appalling for the prestigious Seeka Kiwifruit Cup Day and so the decision was made to move the meeting over the Kaimai Range.

Two days before, with a weather bomb predicted in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing had asked the Cambridge Jockey Club’s chief executive whether the polytrack was available for the scheduled Tauranga meeting.

Cruickshank put the call out to his staff – who usually only work weekdays – and asked if they could help out.

“We had to organise caterers and bar staff. It was a little bit of mucking around but fortunately everyone was really good in putting their hands up and doing what’s right for the industry.”

The final go ahead did not come until 7.30am on Saturday.

The stopwatch was ticking.

When the 1550m first race got underway at 12.05pm, everyone was ready. And to add to the fairy tale, apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey had a career-first riding Te Awamutu’s Debbie Sweeney-trained Chattahoochee to a three and quarter length win over Bulleeze One.

The big race – the last on the cardcapped the day off in style with Cleese, trained by John Bell in Cambridge, running the 2000m in 2:07.72, a record for the twoyear old track.

“The weather has been unprecedented – there wasn’t another grass track in the northern region from Taupo north that could host it,” said Cruickshank.

Plus, because there are more horses

between Cambridge and Matamata than are trained in the whole of the South Island, the trip was an easy one for horses and trainers. Getting off and on the Waikato Expressway so easily made Cambridge an attractive destination, he said.

The all-weather track was a joint project between the club, Racing Industry Transition Agency and Provincial Growth Fund, which allocated $6.5m.

One of the eight scheduled races for Tauranga could not go ahead because it was

a listed or black type race which must be run on grass.

“It was a really pragmatic decision by Tauranga to surrender their licence,” said Cruickshank. It is not the first time Cambridge has stepped in – earlier this year Cyclone Gabrielle saw two meetings moved to the synthetic track.

The surface is a mix of sand and fibre, bound together with wax. It‘s not only easier to look after, but safer and more reliable.

Damage to the Alexandra Park track in Auckland during the cyclone also resulted in trotting meetings being transferred to Cambridge Raceway.

“People can get used to the idea that meetings can be transferred.

“We’ve got to do all we can to make the whole industry more sustainable long-term,” said Cruickshank.

Racing Tauranga estimates it lost $60,000 by forfeiting the meeting. It had a giant midwinter Christmas party planned with 150 punters booked to attend.

“They put the industry ahead of the club’s personal situation,” he said.

Cambridge Jockey Club probably made little money on the deal because the club was unable to advertise or promote the meeting.

“It is a template for the future. Provided the call is made early enough, we can advertise and promote.”

When The News spoke to Cruickshank, he had little time to recover.

Trials were being held on the Tuesday and another race meeting yesterday.

“There’s not another track in the country that could do all that.”

And in between all that, horses continue training on the track – as many as 1300 a month.

“Primarily we’re a training centre and we’ve developed into the primary winter racing area.”

• See: Fruitful haul for local trainers, page 21.

Marc van den Heuvel Partner

Cambridge jockey Crystal Lindsay heads back to the scales after winning race six on Windspeed at the Jockey Club’s synthetic track. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

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Sophie’s saddling up

By Diana Dobson Equestrian Sports New Zealand

Sophia Stratford is on a mission to improve horse welfare in New Zealand, the long way round.

In August the Cambridge 19-year-old will head to the United Kingdom to start her studies to become a qualified saddler and saddle fitter.

Her journey actually started when she was 14 and read an article about saddle making but the only full time saddlery course, she could find was at Capel Manor College in England.

And that’s where she is heading.

At the college, in north London, she will study the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers’ Diploma in Saddle, Harness and Bridle Making. The college does not have international student accreditation and post Brexit, only those eligible for a five-year British visa can attend. Capel Manor takes a maximum of 12 students a year.

It’s not cheap - with a cost of nearly $50,000 for the first year and Sophia has set up a saddle maker givealittle page.

Sophia isn’t eligible for a student loan and hasn’t had much luck applying for scholarships and

grants, finding most charitable foundations don’t support individuals.

She is working full time at a supermarket and is trying to sell her beloved horse Digger.

It was Digger who inspired her to follow her dreams. “I could easily go on forever about him,” she says.

Sophia’s equestrian journey started when she was just five years old after pestering her parents to let her attend a riding school. She loved a few ponies as her own before buying Digger.

“We’ve taught each other a lot

This week’s good catch story relates to a street robbery that occurred early last week. A teenager was walking in Leamington when he was approached by four youths in a vehicle. They stopped, got out and robbed him of some personal items. They drove off initially, then returned for a second time, and took further items.

Police were called and the vehicle was found driving not far away. Police stopped the vehicle and it along with the occupants were searched. The stolen property was recovered and returned to the victim. The youth are being held to account, including appearances before Hamilton Youth Court. Quick reporting by the victim with vehicle and offender details was key to ensuring a swift and positive outcome in this case.

On the topic of youth, it is the last week of

and he got me into saddles and showjumping,” says Sophia.

But it has also been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

“I took him from bucking me off at the quietest of practice days to falling asleep ringside at Takapoto and competing at 1.1m. He is built like a brick and is a very expressive lad so that is how he sparked my interest in saddles. I wound up getting him something completely custom made.”

Sophia’s own journey hasn’t been without hiccups. Her dad died suddenly when she was

term and school holidays are upon us. Keep an eye out for the younger members of our society who will be out and about, riding, scooting and walking on our roads. They can be unpredictable and don’t always have the experience or road sense of older peers.

With regard to those 16 years and older, we are regularly having reports of youth on restricted driver’s licences carrying their friends around as passengers. This is even more likely during school holidays. It is an offence for a restricted driver to carry any passengers unless they have a fully licenced driver - who has already held the full licence for 2 years - supervising in the front passenger seat. A restricted driver does not have the skills or experience to react in the same way to a traffic incident the way a more experienced driver would.

just 17 and enroute to a show, so it has just been her, elder sister Maddy, and mum Sarah Fraser for a couple of years now.

She’s lucky she has family and friends in the UK but admits living on her own in a foreign country is a bit scary. “Moving so far away from my family and having to fend for myself is daunting.”

The saddlery course is a two year full time course followed by a one year apprenticeship.

“I have tried to shadow many fitters but it has never really worked out so I just sneak into as many saddle fitting appointments as I can to watch and learn.”

According to the Society of Master Saddlers website there are just six full qualified saddle fitters in New Zealand. Sophia says there is so much more to saddle fitting than seat and gullet size.

“Because there is no industry regulation for most measurements or really any way to measure the other aspects, it often gets boiled down to those but there is a reason saddle fitters have a job,” she says. “I would really love to make a difference and improve horse welfare but more specifically I want to make this career more accessible to Kiwis.”

With friends on board, there is a big chance of distraction or the driver feeling peer pressure to drive in a more reckless way than they normally would. Both of these factors increase the risk of a driver engaging in dangerous driving and a traffic crash occurring. Whether young or old, we do not want anyone to end up as a statistic on our roads these school holidays. All drivers should follow the road rules, drive to the conditions and follow the two second road (four in inclement weather or any situation where it would take you longer to stop than normal). Be patient, allow plenty of time for your trip and take regular driving breaks. Have a good break and if you see any dangerous driving that is likely to cause a crash, call 111.

Sophia Stratford is selling her beloved horse Digger to fund her UK studies.

Photo: Serena Wyers.

Briefs…

On the watch

Cambridge is to bolster its CCTV coverage next month.

Chamber of Commerce members were told last week Waipā District Council is waiting on specialised equipment to mount cameras on streetlight columns and use their power supply. They will be installed in Shakespeare St , Leamington, and on the Cambridge-Tirau Road.

First Aid training

Cambridge Neighbourhood

Support is offering subsidised emergency first aid training courses. Community Engagement Lead Eileen Hawkins says the courses will run monthly starting next month. She said first aid knowledge is an asset that aligns with neighbourhood emergency plans that CNS has been establishing. The plans enable communities to be selfsufficient in the days after an emergency.

Knits on display

This year’s annual display of hundreds of knitted blankets and children’s clothes for Operation Cover-Up’s charitable activities in Eastern Europe will take place at the Cambridge Baptist Church next Thursday, from 10am1pm. The work has been done over the past year by members of the Knitters and Natters group. The items will be packed and sent via the Christian charity Mission without Borders to orphanages and struggling communities in countries that include Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Croatia.

French connections

New Zealand Liberation Museum -Te Arawhata chair

Sir Don McKinnon gave an update to the CambridgeLe Quesnoy Friendship Association last week on the progress of the museum project in France. Also present in Cambridge were French Ambassador Laurence Beau and Mayor Susan O'Regan. The mayor and Cambridge Community Board chair Jo Davies-Colley will travel to Europe for the October 11 opening and Cambridge will host a delegation from Le Quesnoy in November.

New councillor elected… Now for the mahi

By Mary Anne Gill

Dale-Maree Morgan is under no illusion she has a lot of work ahead of her following her election to the vacant Māori ward seat on Waipā District Council.

The result was confirmed earlier this week after only 13.11 per cent of the 2368 eligible voters returned their papers. Morgan secured 124 votes with Bill Harris second on 91, Gaylene Roberts with 77 and Barney Manaia 18.

While Morgan was disappointed with the turnout, she was not surprised - saying it showed Māori engagement with local government needed some work.

“We don’t see ourselves in council visually as well as (in) voices.”

However, she praised the council for taking the step to establish a Māori ward saying it showed it was not afraid to share power for the betterment of all.

And it followed on from several years of co-governance in Waipā, she said.

There were other factors behind the poor return. People had told her they had not received their voting packs, even some who got them at last year’s local government election.

The numbers on the Waipā Māori roll had also gone down by 50.

Morgan says that shows a systemic communication problem because Māori were confused about what roll they were on, and the wording was problematic for them.

“These layers that can be detrimental to us as voters are, one we don’t see ourselves visually and, two, we’ve not necessarily had a voice for us in these spaces. We’ll start disengaging when we can’t see how we can make a difference with our voices. That’s a common theme and a common response.”

It was a key point she was going to address with her people.

“I say to them ‘This is the system you don’t always like. It isn’t a system I like at the moment but while we are still having decisions made for us in the system, we need people in there’.”

Morgan will be sworn in tomorrow at her first council meeting in Te Awamutu. By then

she will also know whether she has been successful in buying a property in the town for her and partner Steve Hutt. They currently live in Ngāruawāhia.

The two had a commitment ceremony in Raglan eight years ago bringing their blended family of eight children together. Morgan, who turned 50 in January, is also a grandmother of three – two in Australia and one in Turangi.

Hutt is an award-winning special effects’ graphic designer for Wētā Workshop. His work includes Fist of the Condor, Black Panther and The Big Friendly Giant, modelled on him.

“When you see a picture of my husband and you see the BFG, they’re the same,” she says.

“For Māori mokopuna I hope for the future they’re not having to strive for places that they should already be in.”

The tide was turning very slowly towards people existing well together

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in one country.

“I always have faith. That’s a credit to Māori as a people. We’ve always come with the best of the intentions. We operate for the betterment of them all.”

Morgan’s support of Three Waters is no secret, as is her commitment to consultation between the territorial authorities bordering the Waikato River.

“I take my hat off to Nanaia (Mahuta) because there was no minister who had a backbone or a uterus to take on such a huge subject.”

When Nick Smith deregulated the water, that expediated the pollution of our waterways.

“It mind boggles me that we’ll keep investing into strategies where we are flogging the horse and we end up with Hastings, Tairāwhiti, Auckland and all these infrastructure problems.

“But Māori and Nanaia are looked at as these iwi grabbing people for the

water when actually we will not be taking the infrastructure. It will still be owned by those who own it.”

Collaboration around the table on issues like Te Arawa Lakes and the Waikato River were “stunning” examples of co governance.

“(They) take the fear out of the propaganda machine that’s being perpetuated by the alt-right and by those who choose not wanting to share power.”

That refusal to share power was another systemic problem which was a choice made by those who felt they knew better, she said.

Morgan works as a contractor at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Apakura Campus in Te Awamutu, one of “101 different places” she jokes she has worked at. That has helped her create a network of contacts.

“I’m precious about my networks too and that is one of the attributes to take into council.”

Her whānau has also been in Waipā for 26 generations.

“So, we’re kind of solidified around here.”

Morgan hopes to enlist the help of the other candidates on issues.

“I’m pretty isolated, one Māori to 11 non Māori. I’ve got a lot of work to do because our seat has been empty for a while.”

She has previously made her opposition to the proposed Paewira waste-to-energy plant in Te Awamutu known.

Morgan is supportive of Ahu Ake – the 30-year Waipā Community Spatial Plan – which the council has had a “good go” at getting consultation on with a wide spectre of the community.

Her key priority though is communication, an irony not lost on her given the poor turnout.

“That’s a fair call when you’re on limited resources,” she said. Hers included social media and an A5 pamphlet to secure 124 votes.

Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan said she expected Morgan to be a strong voice at the decision-making table.

“I think it’s particularly good to have a young, strong voice around the table. Dale-Maree will bring a different perspective and I really welcome that. I very much look forward to working with her.”

Dale-Maree Morgan after her election.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Market seeks extended lease

By Mary Anne Gill

Waipā residents are being asked to comment on a plan to extend the lease for the Farmers’ Market in Victoria Square, Cambridge but the organisation behind it is withholding information which could help in making a submission.

The Hamilton and Cambridge Farmers Markets Trust is a charitable organisation which runs markets in Cambridge on Saturday mornings and Hamilton on Sunday mornings. Information obtained by The News suggests the trust pays commercial rates to Hamilton City Council for its home at Claudelands Park but a reduced community lease rate in Cambridge.

It effectively means Cambridge is subsidising the Hamilton market.

Trustee Greg Kirkwood said he felt it was “inappropriate” for the trust to disclose its annual accounts to The News despite seeking submissions on a five-year extension for Victoria Square with two rights of renewal for five years each.

The market does not pay ‘rent’ to Waipā District Council as the land is leased to the Cambridge Cricket Club.

It is able to occupy a designated area of the oval for a limited number of hours every Saturday morning for a $612 licence fee plus an annual administration fee of $357.

The land it occupied was repaired in the last two years after council installed new fire hydrants and the grass wore out in that corner.

The cost to ratepayers was $2750.

Hamilton City Council spokesperson Dan Silverton said H3, the operators of the Claudelands Events Centre, had negotiated a special rate venue hire with the market.

It was in line with other commercial arrangements, he said.

“H3 venues do not have community rates.”

The advertisement seeking comment on the council’s intention to extend the licence ran in a regional newspaper and not The News.

It is asking anyone wishing to make a submission or objection to the proposal to do so in writing or by email to the council no later than 5pm on July 10.

The Hamilton Farmers’ Market started in Hamilton in March 2006 with 15 stallholders and moved to Claudelands in 2016.

The Cambridge market started in 2010. • Committee decides how to spend promotion fund - Page 31

Public Places Bylaw

The Cambridge Farmers Market has the use of Victoria Square for a reduced rate available to charitable trusts.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Hamilton Farmers Market.

Photo supplied.

The state of the nation

By Peter Carr

As the weeks rush by we hurtle towards a national election.

There is huge unrest politically, socially and economically and the various (can they be trusted) polls all have a material common theme with Labour and National hovering at around 35 per cent, Greens and ACT in the 8 to 10 range with NZ First and the Māori Party in that uncomfortable less-than-5-percent threshold.

Mainstream parties have been going through their national conferences – in election year Labour somewhat strangely label their gathering as a ‘congress’. It’s not necessarily aligned with ‘congruous’ although they possibly would wish it to be so.

All are thundering their feelings from the microphone adorned lectern either in slamming the policies of the opposition or perhaps even announcing something serious that they want to achieve post-October.

The party faithful lap it up, the balloons pop, the raunchy music blares and the soggy sandwiches are consumed as though food has not been seen for weeks. The mayors of the host cities rub their hands at the increase in hospitality income and then everyone scatters to the four winds to await the media scrum’s postmortem on the laboured utterings from the stages.

Regardless of your political persuasion I think that we are all of one mind in accepting that the country has several problems which collectively come together to give a perception of a big muddle economically and socially. A health industry that has a problem announcing that there is a crisis, new housing developments well behind the planned target, ministers of the Crown scattering – or being pushed – to the four

Finding a reason for living

By Murray Smith, Pastor, Bridges Church

winds and a likely lottery as to how that U-shaped seating plan on the TV will be coloured by early November. And will ACT sit on the cross benches?

Unlikely bed mates may have to share the same sheets – metaphorically at least – for early advances by parties to tango together may have been rebuffed too soon in the process.

And layered over all this is the mess associated with the current census where over 60,000 residents have not attempted to complete the requisite record. Even with tantalising promises of hot and deep-fried high cholesterol food – or tickets to the Warriors - this latter telling you how the census organisers view those who have not bothered to undertake a very simple civic duty.

Now call me churlish if you will but nobody offered me any goodies, of bellyfilling consumption or sporting seat type, to fill in the papers that I dutifully sent into the nice people who run the huge databases that are being compiled. Somewhere well in excess of $100 million above the budget has been spent to attempt to coerce recalcitrant form completers.

Somewhere this mess is immoral. Looking at my trusty Oxford dictionary I see that perhaps this inaction by those 60,000 - who could not care less - is possibly construed as amoral which is defined as being unconcerned whether something is right or wrong.

Jack Tame on Sunday morning tried to get the minister in charge of the census debacle to fall on her sword, but she forgot to bring it to the TV studio.

Our culture’s fixation with physical health, diet, nutrition and fitness has assumed such priority. Fair enough, if it’s kept in balance. A massive industry with ‘influencers’ and gurus has emerged expounding lists of things claimed as essentials for wellbeing… some of it’s helpful, yet to me it’s glaringly incomplete.

Debate has been around forever about what really ensures health, wellbeing and longevity, with theories frequently being contradictory.

An English pensioner, Dorothy Howe, reached her 100th birthday, despite her love of alcohol and smoking half a million cigarettes during her life.

“Whisky and 15 cigarettes a day is the secret of my good health,” proclaimed Dot when she celebrated her 100th birthday a while ago. Her dodgy formula (from a medical point of view), for health and vitality, was also hugely expensive. This retired secretary took her first drag at 16 and puffed her way through 15 ciggies every day since then - smoking nearly half a million cigarettes during her life. That’s around 460,000 cigarettes over the last 84 yearscosting over $NZ900,000 at today’s prices.

Dorothy’s health ‘advice’ totally flies in the face of medical consensus so her becoming a major international influencer was unlikely. It’s scientifically compelling that abusing our bodies, doesn’t deliver great outcomes.

There’s considerable anecdotal evidence indicating that staying busy and engaged with doing stuff that produces a sense of purpose is essential for a healthy and long life. Stories abound of people who had worked hard then ‘retired’ - only to fade away.

I read about a high-flyer in the finance

industry who was at the top of his game after four decades. He had everything he needed and looked forward to relaxing, gardening and playing golf. Within months, concerned friends expressed dismay that he’d lost his purpose. All that self-directed focus had gone, along with the motivation to even get up in the morningthe challenge, that kept him functioning had gone. I’ve heard it expressed that retirement is deadly for the mind.

Taking it easy and cruising through life is detrimental because, put simply - God designed us to be purposeful. Right there is one of those intangible aspects of ‘health’ that you rarely hear doctors mention. Yet studies prove conclusively that without a strong life purpose, the risk of dying early, dramatically increases.

It’s the overlooked reason why I stated that the loud messages from the health, fitness and wellbeing industry are incomplete in my view. People with a large purpose are persistent, tenacious and unwilling to quit. They are much harder to beat down than the average person.

Jesus walked along a lakeside once and encountered fisherman operating a family business. With a few words, He radically changed their lives - “follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!”. They became His disciples, with new ideals and goals that were ‘others’ centred - a higher purpose with eternal perspective, possessed them to literally give their lives for the cause.

History records they “turned their world upside down.” Like them, to live for a cause we’re willing to die for, may sound extremeyet that’s actually how we‘ll find our life.

Measuring up for The Globe

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

Cambridge High School drama student Hamilton Kay has been given his dream shot after winning a place in the 2023 National Shakespeare Schools Production.

“I was extremely happy when I found out; it was an amazing feeling,” the 17-year-old said.

“If I do well, there are 24 people selected to then go to the UK next year and perform at the Globe Theatre in London in Stratfordupon-Avon. I’ve talked to some of the people who have done it and it just sounds amazing. That’s what I’m really, really hoping for.”

Cambridge High’s head of drama Larissa Peters said “incredibly excited” that he had been given the opportunity.

Hamilton was selected following performances at the Sheilah Winn regional Shakespeare festival on March 17 and national festival on June 3.

He and fellow Cambridge High student Jesse Tweddle performed a five-minute scene from Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure and jointly collecting an award for the strongest and most truthful performance between two actors.

Judge Gabrielle Moleta said the pair stood out because “when they began, we knew they were in the middle of something”.

“There was a history already there – previous circumstances – a

whole world of something that had gone on before,” she said. “There was a palpable danger in the air between them – in an exciting way.”

Hamilton won a second award for his outstanding delivery of text in his portrayal of Angelo, who offers to spare a man’s life in exchange for a beautiful woman’s virginity.

His efforts were also noticed by an agent, who he is now in discussions with, potentially opening the door to paid work in film, television and theatre.

“This whole thing has already led to so much development of me,” said the year 13 student, who is determined to pursue a professional acting career.

“I have all my cards on being an

actor; that is what I want from my life.”

He is hoping to attend New Zealand Drama School Toi Whakaari in Wellington next year.

“It’s quite rare for people to get in in their first year out of high school; from what I’ve heard they normally prefer people with life experience,” he said.

“You never know what they’re

looking for each year, but I’m hoping that this will help me a considerable amount in getting my application through.”

Hamilton discovered drama in year 6 after signing up for lessons at Leamington School and first hit the stage as Pinocchio in Cambridge Middle School’s production of Shrek Junior.

“There’s something to be said about being another person, but in a way that helps you explore yourself,” he said.

“You have to pull on so much of your own experience, so much of your own emotion, for anything to work.”

He has been in 10 community theatre productions since 2019, many with Riverlea Theatre groups Hamilton Musical Theatre and Hamilton Playbox. Recent roles included Bobby C in Saturday Night Fever and the photographer in Calendar Girls, a comedy about women who pose nude for a calendar.

“That was a small role, but really fun,” he said.

Hamilton is now looking forward to heading to Wellington in September with 47 other year 12 and 13 drama students to take part in the week-long National Shakespeare Schools Production workshop.

He will be joined by fellow Karissa Wan from Hillcrest High School and River Keely Park from Hamilton Girls’ High School.

Cambridge High School students Hamilton Kay and Jesse Tweddle perform their award winning scene.

Photo: Memory of Light Photography.

Prems have a friend in Octopals

By Viv Posselt

The Cambridge arm of the international ‘Octopus for a Preemie’ organisation is one of the recipients of recently distributed funds from last year’s Christmas festival.

The organisation exists to ease the early days of premature babies by providing tiny crocheted octopuses known as Octopals. The comfort aids work by giving babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) something safe to cling to that prevents them from trying to pull out the tubes that are keeping them alive.

Cambridge’s Dawn Harpur, who runs the Octopus for a Preemie NZ charitable trust, said the welcome $1000 donation from Christmas Festival Funds will go towards the cost of the yarn and the postage and packaging of Kiwi Octopals made by her team of voluntary crocheters.

Dawn first came across the organisation when her cousin in the UK sent her a link to a news article over there.

“The concept started in Scandinavia in 2013 when it was discovered that newborns in neonatal units were less stressed when they had an Octopal than babies who didn’t have one. They have gone on to win global acclaim and are now used in hundreds of hospitals around the world.

“The crocheted tentacles give the baby something safe to grip and squeeze … some think it may be because the spiral tentacles feel like the umbilical cord. Babies with them are reportedly calmer and don’t pull out their tubes and wires.”

British-born Dawn, who was learning to crochet around the time the organisation came across her radar, wanted to join a New Zealand

group. When she couldn’t find one, she started her own in 2017, working closely with the UK-based side of the organisation to ensure she follows stringent safety requirements. The Octopals are made to a specific size and standard using materials that are washable at high temperatures for sterilisation purposes.

“Quality control and safety standards is absolutely crucial,” she said. “Each Octopal is made to a specific pattern. They’re all a specific size with the same tentacle length… there can be no holes in them, no spaces for tiny fingers to get through. Each one is meticulously checked and sterilised before it is packed and sent out.”

Dawn, who is a registered valuer with her own business, has added a matching crocheted heart with the Octopal, intended as a keepsake for parents when they can’t be in the NICU unit with their baby.

After publicising the new group on social media, she was contacted first by Middlemore Hospital, then others. Middlemore now regularly take Octopals through Dawn’s group, and many hundreds of the tiny crocheted comforters have been gifted to neonatal units around the country.

An interesting twist is that the rhythmic comforting benefits of Octopals are also being noticed in areas outside neonatal units. They

GREENWASTE WE ACCEPT

are included in some care packs made up by Kids in Need Waikato, and previously by Violence Free Waipā to comfort children in stressful situations. They are being used to calm older babies, refugee children and others seeking solace and are helping people living with dementia.

Dawn Harpur with some of the Octopals.

Neonatal babies holding on to an Octopal are less likely to pull out life-saving tubes.

Inside a disaster zone

In the past four days I have seen more destruction and loss than across all my life combined.

Walking across sharp, rubbly lava flows, stepping over debris from houses. Seeing an entire three-storey house reduced to about one metre thick below solid rock. Coming across a little yellow toy dump truck with rocks in the back, located where lava has been cleared to provide access to what houses are still standing. Roofs collapsed. Walls collapsed. Living rooms filled with lava. The smell of burned homes. I have passed warning signs about volcanic gases and hot surfaces. I have quickly dropped a chunk of rock that was still too hot to hold. It will take years for these lava flows to cool in places. “It was so beautiful here” a local tells us.

Back in late 2021 after days of seismicity shaking the ground, there were cheers when a small ash plume shot into the sky. The eruption had started. They had some certainty about what was happening and where. Hearing this recollection brought over a wave of emotion, at that moment they had no idea what was to come. The new vent had opened far up on a mountainside, and these volcanoes tend to produce lava flows. Molten rock over 1000 degrees, metres thick, that flows all the way to the ocean. Between the new vent and the coastline were well over 1000 homes that would be lost over the next three months. People had 15 minutes to grab as much of their lives as they could and run, some of these people woken in the night for this gruelling but rapid process of taking what they could think of in a state of total

By Janine Krippner

crisis. Some had an opportunity to go back for more while others already had nothing to go back to.

Out in the field documenting damage I keep thinking “this could be Auckland, what can we learn from this that could help other people?”

As I write this with my morning coffee the new cone is not far away, and I am looking out over the landscape transformed by lava flows up to 70 m thick, and volcanic ash that had also covered the property I am in. During the eruption, the military worked tirelessly to clear this heavy ash from roofs to try to save them from collapse. This was an

enormous effort to help communities around the volcano in an intensely stressful and ever-changing situation. Now the volcano continued to release gases from the cooling magma, but all is quiet, except for the many people who are still working to put their lives back together.

There will be more eruptions like this around the world. We don’t know where or when; we just know we need to learn about each one to help people in the future and move forward with compassion and care for the long term struggles involved with a crisis of this scale.

Briefs…

Trees felled

The conservation department is asking the public to be their eyes and ears after discovering rogue loggers had felled native trees in the central North Island. Principal Compliance Officer Matt Davis says dozens of trees and shrubs at sites in the Pureora Forest Park and Tongariro Forest Conservation Area have been removed or hacked down. One felled rimu in Pureora was thought to be up to 600 years old.

Lotto win

A total of 23 Lotto players, including one who bought a ticket in Te Awamutu, won $23,939 in Lotto’s second division on Saturday. One player also won Powerball Second Division, taking their total winnings to $64,250. The winning Te Awamutu ticket was sold at Pak‘n Save.

Wrong cemetery

Waipā council could sell or repurpose Puahue Cemetery, not Pukeatua Cemetery as reported in The News last week.

Out with plastic

Waipā District Council’s waste minimisation team is distributing 4000 cotton mesh reusable produce bags to help the push to phase out single-use plastic bags. The government has banned the sale or manufacture of single-use plastic produce bags from July 1. The free bag initiative is funded by the Ministry for the Environment and council’s waste minimisation advisor Sally Fraser said most food stores and markets had been quick to jump on board.

Whether

get your job done right, and at the right price!

A child’s toy carrying its last load.

Blue light gets active

Blue Light is flashing in Cambridge with plans to get young people on a national leadership voyage.

The charity organisation, which has been supporting youth programmes across the country for 35 years, was established in Cambridge earlier this year to provide a coordinated response to youth specific challenges.

It is spearheaded by the town’s youth aid officer constable Dani Hibdige.

She chairs the Blue Light Cambridge committee which consists of representatives from police, Cambridge Community House, High School, Middle School, Neighbourhood Support, Raleigh Street Christian Centre and Blue Light New Zealand. A community advisor from Waipā District Council also attends meetings.

Plans for Blue Light Cambridge include raising funds for a Blue Light Disco, life skills camps, a day a Rainbow’s End and to sponsor youth to go on a national leadership voyage or adventure camp.

This year it has supported the Cambridge skate park opening, a leadership camp and a Future Blue Day where 10 students each from Cambridge High School and St Peters Cambridge interested in a police career were provided the opportunity to experience different facets of policing.

Another group went to Taupō for the chance to celebrate achievements with a bungy jump. As part of youth engagement in schools, Blue Light is at Cambridge Middle School with Big Brothers Big

a youth mentorship programme - and it has promoted the Youth Driver Navigator Programme –which provides lessons to assist youth get a learners or restricted licences.

Sister act on stage at Riverlea

Playbox Theatre‘s Fantastic Mr Fox is a first for Nicole and Hayley Sherwin.

The sisters are students at St Peter‘s School and while they enjoy school productions, Playbox is on a whole different level, they say.

Nicole, 16, is a year 12 student and has been in lots of shows for St Peter‘s along with performances in Morrinsville‘s community theatre. In Fantastic Mr Fox she plays Mabel the house keeper for the cantankerous farmer Bean where she copes with Mr Fox‘s habits of nicking the poultry and cider - along with keeping the rats under control.

Hayley, 13, has enjoyed other Roald Dahl tales and plays the only badger child. She decided to get involved following encouragement from mum Tania who appeared in the recent production of Calendar Girls for Playbox, also at Riverlea.

Rehearsals have been going on for about six weeks and it‘s lots of fun making new friends. It‘s good

for my confidence and I enjoy the atmosphere,‘‘ Hayley says.

Nicole says performing with Playbox is ‚‘100 percent‘‘ different from school productions with a greater opportunity to gain a good part.

Fantastic Mr Fox, directed by Lorna Ashton, opens on July 1.

CAMBRIDGE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE CALLS OVER THE LAST WEEK

FRIDAY

MVC - Car o road in ditch, Tauwhare Road

Building alarm sounding, Arnold Street

Barn re, Kentucky Road

THURSDAY:

Flooding threatening house, Dey St, Hamilton

WEDNESDAY:

Building alarm and activiation, Hamilton Road

Sisters –

Youth Aid officer Constable Dani Hibdige and senior constable Deb Hann are right behind the Blue Light initiatives.

Taking the stage - Nicole (left) and Hayley Sherwin.

Photo: Geoff Lewis.

Temporary road in place

A diversion road to minimise traffic disruption during construction along Cambridge Road, Cambridge is now in place, three weeks after it was originally scheduled.

The diversion road, part of the future developments in Cambridge West, starts just west of the Te Awa Lifecare entrance for approximately 200m and divert backs onto Cambridge Road.

The diversion is expected to be in place for 16 months while contractors lay storm water pipes and complete the construction of the new single-lane roundabout.

The new temporary road won’t add any travel time to road users and will allow for traffic flow and less traffic disruptions than originally planned.

The road works support the C2/ C3 growth cell, that when completed

Rate issue

will hold 2500 houses, Cambridge Ryman Retirement Village, a new primary school, a recreational reserve and playground, neighbourhood shops and supporting underground infrastructure.

A temporary shared path on the southern side of Cambridge Road has now been constructed to provide pedestrians and cyclists a safe route through the construction site.

One has to ask why the Waikato District Council decided to consult their ratepayers about financing the Tamahere gully restoration. The respondents gave a slight majority against paying $520 a year towards this, yet astoundingly, the council goes against the majority and undemocratically chose to impose this charge anyway. And in a recession year. Somehow the meaning of 'consultation‘ must have changed.

Delwyn Smith Hautapu

Wrong priorities

Our highly competent council is giving us water restrictions, even though our water supply is now the Waikato River. Roads in Te Awamutu badly need repair, congestion on the Cambridge streets has been caused by a massive influx into all their housing, and now people want

another multi million bridge. Now this lot want to spend at least $27 million upgrading a building for a museum, plus pay $123,000 a year land rent.

How can anyone with a functioning braincell want to add another year to the council term?

The American system of recall would be a good idea if they do push this fourth year, then we can then have a bit more control other than the triennial vote. The damage they can do with this extra year is worrying.

We need to go back to small councils. Cambridge had a special character of an English village, the green belt was put in place to prevent expansion and keep this character. Look what we have now, mass inward migration destroying this character. A town‘s own council can retain this, councils like Waipā lose sight of this.

(Abridged)

Bernie Fynn Te Awamutu

The first of the traffic using the new diversion on Cambridge Road.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill

On deck for Jonah's fishy tail

By Harriet Di Maio

Drama productions

at St Peter‘s Catholic School are always a team effort and this year‘s high seas extravaganza is no different – with teachers, parents and students all heavily involved, making it a real community affair.

With its spectacular costumes and colourful sets, ‚Jonah, a Fishy Tail‘ – which showcases magical underwater sea creatures, toe tapping sailors, villainous pirates, Spanish dancers and a seaworld kapa haka – is a visual feast.

Every child in the school takes part in the production, with the main roles played by Year 7 and 8 students, and with teachers Liz Sudfeldt directing and Cusha Hounsell producing the show.

Nyla Mayne plays the title role Jonah as he navigates his way to the ancient city of Nineveh, with help along the way from Charlotte Sparrow and Charlotte Ross as the two dastardly pirates ‚Peg it‘ and ‚Leg it‘ as well as a Spanish senorita played by Valentina Di Maio, and a cheeky crab played by Issie Kavanagh.

The story is one of reform; of seeking forgiveness and making a change for the better. It has been given a distinct Aotearoa twist with Koroua and Kuia, played by William Hayde and Zara Sudfeldt, telling the age-old story to their grandchildren Tai and Kara, played by Jaiden Molina and Grace Littlejohn.

Traditional NZ music and te reo versions of songs are sung by the students as well as a mix from the Beatles, the Carnival of the Animals, Spanish Flamenco and the Pirates of the Caribbean

Cambridge Tree Trust

www.treetrust.org.nz

Pokies and surveys

By Jo Davies-Colley, Chair, Cambridge Community Board

Waipā District Council is reviewing its Gambling Policy. The Waipā district has 232 gaming machines (also known as pokies) at 15 venues.

We understand that a portion of money spent on pokies is returned to the community by way of grants to clubs and community projects.

The board acknowledges that for some members of the community, gambling can be a fun and safe leisure activity, but we also know that for others, gambling can be incredibly harmful. After reviewing and workshopping the policy review, we unanimously agreed to support the ‘sinking lid’ policy option.

hope will capture the community’s thoughts and opinions on the need for a new Cambridge library and community hub, and what you would like to see in this space. We are looking forward to reading how our community feels on the matter.

We have continued to work closely with council’s Community Services team and will be sharing the results of the survey with them and in our LongTerm Plan submission in early 2024.

For more details on the survey go to cambridgenews.nz .

soundtrack.

This year the school was fortunate to be awarded a grant from ‚Creatives in Schools‘ (CiS), a Ministry of Education initiative designed to support creatives working in schools, giving students and staff access to professional artists.

The grant enabled the school to hire local creatives Polina Loman and Jonty Climo from Ignite Academy, along with parent Nerina Sommerville.

“Not only was it incredible for the students to learn alongside these creatives but the tamariki had the opportunity to be inspired for future careers. It was also fabulous to be able to support our local artists with the mahi,” Principal Anita Asumadu said.

“The dance flair and range of choreography, and stage direction and acting guidance from Polina and Jonty was a huge support to our teaching staff. And Nerina‘s creative vision and genius with costumes is a show stopper”, says Asumadu.

The final show is tonight at 7pm at St Peter‘s School Auditorium.

Don’t Scalp your Street Tree

If you are fortunate enough to have a street tree near you, please take care of it to get the most attractive tree. Here are a few simple suggestions.

1) It is good for the tree to be mulched with wood chip, leaves, lawn clippings or a mixture of these. However, don’t let mulch touch the tree. Over a few weeks or months this can result in collar rot; where it is in contact with the mulch the bark dies and falls o , and eventually the tree will die. Be particularly careful about this when using lawn clippings alone for mulch and only apply and inch or two at a time to avoid overheating.

2) Take care when mowing your berm that you don’t scalp the bark at the base of the tree. The bark is like our skin and if it is damaged infections can get in. Also the

area between the bark and the wood is important for nutrients to rise up from the roots to the branches. If the bark is scalped this process will cease and your tree will eventually die.

And if you don’t have a street tree and would like one phone the council and ask. They have a selection of approved trees, and also some requirements about where to plant. Maybe get your neighbours together, and plan to plant the street; usually a single species will look best, and generally a tree that does not spread too wide but has some height will be most aesthetically pleasing.

Cambridge Tree Trust would like to thank Mitre 10 for their support for these monthly articles which are intended to raise interest and awareness of trees in Cambridge.

This means the cap on the number of gaming machines or Class 4 venues (premises where pokie machines are held that are not casinos) allowed in the district gradually sinks as venues lose their licences or close.

We believe this option allows the machines to be phased out slowly, over a period of years, and will also give community groups time to seek alternative funding. The wellbeing of the community, our future generations and the harm caused through gambling, were all factors in our feedback.

The board believes our current library, although loved and well used, has outgrown its location.

The library staff do an incredible job with the room they have but space is running out for both the books and places to hold events and programmes.

This week the board launched a quick three minute survey that we

Your Vision. Our Expertise.

It is also available through both a QR code and paper copy at the library, and you’ll see Community Board members asking for feedback at the library and out and about in the community.

We are pleased to see council has adopted the Cambridge Pathways Plan. This significant piece of cycling and walking infrastructure will be crucial to many commuters, school children and walkers as Cambridge continues to grow and develop. It creates safer pathways and streets for Cambridge residents and will link with existing paths.

We know, however, that Leamington residents have been asking for safer pathways in their neighbourhood too. Council is looking at and planning safety improvements for that area and the board is taking an active role in promoting the needs of the Leamington community and advocating for permanent safety changes.

Cambridge Kitchens Ltd is not only dedicated to providing the best in available products for your new kitchen, but also an exceptional experience in service and support so that you will have a stress-free and enjoyable journey with us.

kitchens

We’re offering exclusive pricing on a selection of brand-new townhouses at our Cambridge Village.

We have two bedroom townhouses, due to be completed soon, priced from just $770,000.

We are flexible and can tailor options to suit your personal circumstances. Plus, purchase an occupation right to any Ryman independent apartment or townhouse by 30 June 2023 and receive a $20,000 credit on settlement.*

Be in quick to secure these special prices, as this exclusive offer is only available for a limited time.

*Terms and conditions apply, visit rymanhealthcare.co.nz/ts&cs

Foster checks the club scene

By Mary Anne Gill

The presence of All Blacks coach Ian Foster at the HautapuHamilton Old Boys premiership match at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday might have added some extra spice to the game but he was there to see one player.

Versatile lock Josh Lord was a shock selection for the All Blacks when the team was named at Te Awamutu Sports the previous week given his year-long bout with injury and more recent concussion.

Unavailable for the Chiefs-Crusaders final, Lord, who plays for Taranaki in the national championship, was instead given game time for Hamilton Old Boys, hence Foster’s presence.

Hautapu beat Old Boys 41-5 with the Owhango-raised Lord visibly flagging as he tackled anything that moved for 80

minutes and buried himself at the bottom of a few rucks and mauls.

Foster was impressed with the Hautapu performance, telling The News, as he held his grandson, that hooker Nicolas Jeffcoat had a great game.

Other members of Foster’s family, including wife Leigh and Football Ferns daughter Michaela, wearing her Wellington Phoenix gear, also experienced true grassroots rugby sitting on a hard bench in front of the grandstand.

Waipā teams Hautapu Sports and Leamington hold top spots in Waikato Rugby Union’s Premier Premiership, Division One’s Mooloo Shield and Division One B.

Te Awamutu Sports is second behind Hautapu in the premiership having lost to them 17-12 last month.

Hautapu has sewn up top spot and plays third-placed Hamilton Marist in the last game of the series on Saturday while Te Awamutu has the bye.

Meanwhile, Hautapu Colts beat University 31-5 at Memorial Park after the game was transferred from water-logged Hamilton. They remain third on the table.

The Hautapu B side languish in last place in the Premier B premiership following a 63-5 thumping to Old Boys, also at Memorial Park.

Results - Colts (round robin): Hautapu 31 University 5, Morrinsville 45 Leamington 34, Te Awamutu 24 Hamilton BHS 51.

Under 85kg: Leamington 14 Fraser Tech 19.

Division 1 (Mooloo Shield): Leamington 17 Southern United 15, Pirongia bye.

Division 1 B: Leamington 35 Southern United 31.

Premier (Premiership): Te Awamutu 33 Hamilton Marist 31, Hautapu 41 Hamilton Old Boys 5.

Premier B (Premiership): Te Awamutu 19 Hamilton Marist 27, Hautapu 5 Hamilton Old Boys 63

‘Summer’ in Hautapu

Around the grounds

Waipā riders to the fore

North Harbour’s Rico Bearman won the Under-23 men’s final of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Papendal, Netherlands last weekend.

Waipā riders were also prominent making the final stages of their events.

Rico D’Anvers finished seventh in the semifinal in the Under-23 men’s event after wins in the first three rounds.

By Mary Anne Gill

Evan Cram loves rugby so much he’s spending what would be his summer holidays in Atlanta playing down under for Hautapu.

The 17-year-old halfback made his debut for the Colts as a substitute in their 31-5 win over Varsity in Cambridge on Saturday.

The match was played in typical Waikato conditions, boggy field, biting wind and a scattering of rain adding to the atmosphere.

Evan arrived last week with his father Christian, an advisor for JP Morgan and head coach for Atlanta Youth Rugby.

Christian, who played rugby as a fullback in Europe, and Evan went to the Super Rugby final in Hamilton on Saturday night and saw the Chiefs lose to the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final in Hamilton.

“We didn’t have a New Zealand team but now we’re lifetime Chiefs fans,” said Christian, who returned to Atlanta on Sunday to rejoin wife Wendy and daughter Elsa, leaving his son in Cambridge until the end of next month.

Why Hautapu? Christian is friends with former National Party candidate Jake Bezzant who was born and brought up in Cambridge and now lives and works in Atlanta.

“We were talking about Evan playing somewhere over the summer and we talked about South Africa but Jake said no way, got to be Hautapu,” said Christian.

He put him in touch with his parents Buzz and Angela who own the Instone Café and they in turn linked them up with club officials.

“Everyone’s been wonderful,” said Christian who watched on proudly as his son finally got a run.

“He might be number 22 today but he’s number one in our hearts.”

Evan has one more year in high school and will then explore which college he wants to attend in the US. There are several that offer rugby as an option.

His two month experience at Hautapu in Cambridge might well hold him in good stead.

Following excellent qualifying rides, Greenough brothers Jack and Bennett both went out in the second round of the same event while Cole McOnie and Hamilton’s Baylee Luttrell both missed out in the last chance rounds for Under-23 women and elite men respectively.

The next major event for the New Zealand contingent is the UCI BMX World Championships in Glasgow in August.

The UCI World Cup action returns in September in France and is finalised with two double-rounds in Argentina.

Attention will then turn to the 2024 Olympic year, which will start with a double UCI BMX Racing World Cup round in Rotorua. It will be one of the key final qualifying events for Paris.

All Black and Hamilton Old Boys lock Josh Lord, right, claims the lineout from Scottish lock Hamilton Burr during Hautapu’s 41-5 win over Hamilton Old Boys at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster, wife Leigh and daughter Michaela watching the action sideline between Hautapu and Hamilton Old Boys at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Xavier Nisbet wins lineout possession during an Under-14 rugby derby on Saturday. Boasting rights went the way of his Cambridge High team which dominated the second half to run out 41-24 winners over Te Awamutu College. The college side fought back with a late first half try to turn 19-17 down, and led soon after thanks to an early second half try before Cambridge piled on 22 points in response.

On the sideline: Evan and Christian Cram at Hautapu Rugby Club in Cambridge on Saturday.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Harlequin centre Ella Carrington gets the pass away under pressure from Leamington wing defence Hannah Paterson and centre Courtney Sprott with goal defence Jess Meade waiting to intercept at the Cambridge Netball Centre on Saturday. Leamington won 46-36.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Leamington Junior Year 8A Kahikatea’s Pavneet Kaur vies for possession with Kahu Quinlan of Hautapu watched by Mila Steenkamp. Leamington won 17-7.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

KNOW YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER

Having a healthier home

The Healthy Homes Standards Act (HHSA) is a significant piece of legislation aimed at improving the quality of rental properties and ensuring healthier living conditions for tenants. The Act was introduced in 2017 and has since been implemented in several stages, with the final compliance deadline for some landlords and situations set for 2024.

The HHSA sets minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress, and drainage in rental properties. So your home needs to be well insulated, requires a rangehood for cooking in the kitchen and extraction fans in bathrooms – and if being rented, needs a HHSA certificate to say it has been passed – all of which your property manager can attain on your behalf.

These standards were designed to address common issues such as cold and damp homes, known to have a detrimental impact on occupants’ health. By enforcing these standards, the Act aims to reduce respiratory illnesses, improve overall wellbeing, and enhance the living conditions of tenants.

Under HHSA, landlords are required to meet the specific criteria, including proper moisture barrier installation. Landlords must also address any issues related to drainage and maintain the property’s condition to prevent dampness and mould.

Compliance with HHSA is essential for landlords, as failure to meet the requirements can result in penalties and fines. Additionally, tenants have the right to request a statement of compliance

from their landlord, ensuring that their rental property meets the healthy homes standards, and have the right to issue 14 day remedy notices if the criteria for such is not met. These can be enforced by Tenancy Services, and could, if ignored, result in compensation paid by the landlord to their tenant. The expertise of a property manager ensures that such certificates can be obtained and that any work required can be undertaken in a reasonable timeframe.

Regulation welcomed The Act that governs

The property management market is moving inexorably towards being regulated and for Fraser Coombes, managing director of Ray White in Hamilton, he’s happy to see it happen.

“We are already working with an eye towards that; our 13 property managers throughout the Waikato have all either passed their Level 4 Property Management certificate or well on their way to it,” he says.

“There are property managers…. And there are property managers.”

“I definitely think it is something that will happen in the short term, the next few years.”

“Property managers have specific resources and access to high powered training. This includes really good software which allows us to have the entire history of a property to providing easy to understand statements for landlords – a number of ours find these amazing.”

He says with the ever-changing landscape

of rules and regulations for landlords and tenants, it’s important for people to do their homework and this relates to both landlords and tenants.

“It’s [property management] quite a crowded space these days, so you want a wellestablished company and property managers who raise the bar and provide peace of mind for both landlords and tenants alike.”

For the most, it’s the knowing of what you can and can’t do – for example, the legal requirement to have a property manager to look after your property if you plan to leave the country for more than 21 days, through to what constitutes minor changes to a property that tenants can now do that landlords cannot decline.

And being comfortable in knowing, as a landlord or as a tenant, that your home is in knowledgeable and safe hands.

The New Zealand Tenancy Act, also known as the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, is a vital piece of legislation that governs the relationship between landlords and tenants in residential properties across the country. The act was introduced to provide a fair and balanced framework for both parties, ensuring their rights and responsibilities are upheld.

One of the key features of the Act is the establishment of minimum standards for rental properties. Landlords are required to ensure that their properties meet certain criteria, including being insulated for warmth, heating to a World Health Organisation standard, and in good repair.

This also includes maintaining essential services like plumbing, and electricity, along with fixed appliances such as stoves and others that are in place at the time of the tenancy starting.

Another significant aspect of the Act is the protection it provides to tenants against

unfair practices. It outlines the rights and obligations of both parties, including rules regarding rent increases, bond payments, and notice periods for termination of the tenancy. The act also prohibits discriminatory practices and ensures that tenants cannot be unfairly evicted or subjected to unjustified rent hikes.

To further promote transparency and accountability, the Act requires landlords to provide a written tenancy agreement to tenants, which clearly outlines the terms and conditions of the tenancy. It also established a tenancy tribunal, where disputes between landlords and tenants can be resolved in a fair and impartial manner.

The Act has undergone several recent updates in the past two years to adapt to changing rental market dynamics and address emerging issues. The latest amendments focus on providing greater stability of tenure for tenants, while at the same time, providing security for landlords.

KNOW YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER

The role of property managers Why a property manager

The role of a property manager has become a vital tool for landlords, especially given the ever-changing rules and regulations. Property managers play a crucial role in managing both residential and commercial properties, acting as intermediaries between property owners and tenants. Their responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks, including tenant screening, property maintenance, rent collection, and lease agreements.

One of the primary duties of a property manager is tenant screening. They are responsible for nding suitable tenants, conducting background checks, verifying references, and ensuring that potential tenants meet the necessary criteria. This screening process helps to minimise the risk of problematic tenants and ensures a harmonious relationship between property owners and tenants.

Additionally, property managers can easily handle property maintenance and repairs. They coordinate routine maintenance tasks, such as landscaping, cleaning, and general upkeep, to ensure that properties are well-maintained and in good condition, using respected and often agencyretained services. They also address tenant maintenance requests promptly, ensuring that repairs are carried out e ciently.

Rent collection is another critical aspect of a property manager’s role. They ensure that tenants pay their rent on time and in accordance with the lease agreements.

Property managers also handle any late payments, issue reminders, and, if necessary, initiate eviction proceedings for noncompliant tenants. If needed, they will

TRUSTED

CAMBRIDGE

represent the owner in Tenancy Tribunal hearings, often places where landlords do not know enough to protect themselves or their asset.

They ensure that the lease terms are fair and comply with tenancy laws – and these can include the laws in relation to tenancies and domestic violence, or death. They also handle lease renewals, rental increases, and lease terminations, ensuring that both the property owner’s and the tenant’s interests are protected.

For the peace of mind of all concerned, property managers must stay updated with local regulations and legislation governing the rental market. They must have a thorough understanding of the Residential Tenancies Act and adhere to its requirements, including managing bonds, conducting property inspections, and addressing tenant disputes. Overall, the role of a property manager is multifaceted and demanding. They are essential in maintaining the value and pro tability of properties for owners while ensuring a comfortable and secure living environment for tenants. By taking care of tenant screening, property maintenance, rent collection, and lease management, property managers contribute signi cantly to the e cient and e ective operation of the real estate market.

If ever there was a time for landlords to be turning to property managers, now is it says Gerda Venter of Cambridge’s LJ Hooker.

“Regulations change almost every month and as property managers, we have to stay of top of those for the bene t of both landlords and tenants.”

“Everything from the Healthy Homes Act, notice periods – we have to be very proactive in [those changes],” she says.

For both landlords and tenants, the need to know what is legislatively required is paramount and Gerda says her team keeps up-to-date with a variety of tools.

It is easy for landlords to not know about changes, or things they can and cannot do when it comes to a raft of issues ranging from notice periods to remedying problems areas and the time frames required to x them, she says.

“Many don’t know about the rules or the changes and they come unstuck.”

Fraser Coombes, managing director of Ray White in Hamilton, which looks after the Waipa region, agrees.

These are the biggest changes since the RTA [Residential Tenancy Act] came into being in 1986. Unfortunately, if a landlord is not using a professional property manager, where are they nding the time to upskill –most investors simply do not have the time required to know the changes and what they mean,” he says.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AREA SPECIALISTS

Are you considering renting out your property, or perhaps you are not happy with the service you are receiving from your existing property manager?

Give us a call to discuss a free rental appraisal or how easy it is to shift to us!

It’s not just the changes relating to tenancies from the HHA, or the 10-year Brightline test which means a form of Capital Gains Tax is paid if a property purchased from November 2021 and sold within a decade of its purchase.

There are changes, he says, in the Privacy Act, changes to how insurance companies see rentals in that if inspections are not done four times a year, it could give rise to an insurance claim being turned down. “A property manager takes care of this, but more importantly, as a middleman, there is objectivity in dealing with di cult circumstances between landlords and tenants; we can manage both sides to avoid con ict.”

Both Gerda and Fraser believe there needs to be a better understanding between tenants and landlords when it comes to what the market demand is and what the circumstances of a landlord’s outgoings might be.

Both say there is a shortage of investors in Waipa attributable to the Government’s changes including no interest deductibility and the ve times increased Brightline Test. “It’s tough on landlords at the moment, [with these changes] coupled with rising interest rates meaning the yield isn’t there – and this is particularly important in the new build area. The costs of a section and build and higher interest rates simply do not make renting a new build out possible,” Fraser says.

“ We have been with Glasshouse for over two years and we also have other properties in NZ managed by other companies. Over this time Glasshouse has by far always been the best at communicating, the quality of inspections and keeping all the compliance and statements up to date. Would highly recommend getting in touch with them. ”

Ali has recently celebrated 10 years of service as Property Manager for LJ Hooker Cambridge. She has a background in frontline customer service and bring this experience to her role. Having lived in Cambridge for over 30 years, she is familiar with the town and many of its people. Her passion for people and property is what motivates her to grow and manage the Property Management portfolio.

Ali has a pro-active approach in dealing with all the new rules and regulations and take the hard work and stress away from the landlords. She finds the best tenants for properties and treats all tenants with utmost respect. She is loved by tenants and landlords. We hardly ever have damage or arrears in our substantial rental portfolio. She has the equally competent Kirsty Kaiser helping her to give the ultimate service to our clients.

Ali and Kirsty believe taking the time to talk to people and to go that extra mile is what makes a successful business grow. They live and breathe our motto “ PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST IS THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO”

Contact Ali on 027 311 3005 to take the stress out of your investment portfolio and leaving you time to do the things you love.

07 827 7188 cambridge@ljhooker.co.nz 34d Lake Street, Cambridge

Maryke Liebenberg 027 225 5164 maryke@glasshousenz.com

Gerda backs this up by saying that in Cambridge, property investors coming into the area have vanished.

“What this means is we have a lot of tenants and not enough homes. So as a landlord, knowing a property manager has access to the tools needed to be able to make good choices when it comes to tenant selection, is vital,” she says.

“We can’t keep putting rents up and we do try and give our tenants stability by preferring a xed term tenancy of a year.”

This is bene cial to both landlord and tenant, she says.

“Most of our investors are mum and dads who have bought one property for their retirement. So they need to know their asset is being looked after, that outgoings can be met.

“As property managers we make sure [prospective tenants] references are strictly checked, that they are aware both entry and exit meth testing is done, and of course credit checks are done too.”

Gerda says the facts that property managers talk all the time, and in being in close knit communities which make up Waipa, means everyone gets to know who the good tenants are – and who are not. And in today’s times, those good ones are worth a lot to any landlord.

Considering switching property managers? It’s easier than you think.

A good property manager is worth their absolute weight in gold. However, not every landlord finds the perfect fit first time. We understand; you’ve invested in property, and you want to do everything you can to protect your investment.

At Lodge City Rentals, we make switching property managers incredibly simple, with just three straightforward steps.

Property manager relationships matter

Creating a good relationship with your property manager is a necessity in today’s rental market, according to Alison Scho eld*. At 40 years of age raising three school aged children on her own, she’s looking for a new rental property with her current one having gone on the market.

“It’s hard out there on both sides,” she says.

“The rental housing market in Te Awamutu is still somewhat shaky – from owners selling up due to a combination of factors such as the Healthy Homes Act compliance, changes to the Tenancy Act, to higher interest rates, local government rates meaning their outgoings are seeing the need for increased rent that tenants simply can’t manage.” Although, she says, this is being balanced a bit by the new subdivisions.

“Still, not many of them are rentals either, I’ve found. I’d have liked to have gone to Cambridge, but the rents there for a reasonably decent property are out of my reach now whereas Te Awamutu is still a ordable, so I’ll stay put here.”

She says buying isn’t an option because most of her income is taken up by rent and so she has to be careful with how she looks after the property she rents.

“If you are a tenant like me who isn’t going to be in the market for a rst home purchase for some time yet, the market is such you have to ensure you can tick every box a prospective landlord and or property manager is looking for.”

She says this includes making sure everything is “squeaky clean” from no appearances before a Tenancy Tribunal hearing that have gone against you, through to a good credit rating and most importantly to landlords, keeping

STEP 1 – GET IN TOUCH

a property in very good condition. Even with that, she says, the relationships with past and present property managers must be taken into account.

“I make sure when I move into a property that I am really familiar with it; that I take photos of everything in and on the property, before I move in and pass them onto the property manager as well as keeping them for my own records.

“I make sure the existing damage reports are done for the Tenancy Agreement within the rst day or so.

“I also make sure if a problem arises that requires a PM’s attention, I do so straight away by phone or text, and email, so a paper trail is always available. I know a lot more about rentals and rights than I used to 20 years ago. I’ve got great references… but there is a lot of tenants out there desperate for a property, so it works for me having property managers that know me and think I’m a great tenant.”

Alison says she would prefer to deal through a property manager than a private landlord because they have the record keeping of past tenants to help them decide on property assignment –and because there is objectivity that is important for everyone.

“Property managers these days have to know what the law is and how it should be applied. There was an instance where a 14-day to remedy action was issued to a landlord who didn’t know the regulations – it is much easier to deal with someone who knows the rules than with someone who often does not or doesn’t care, or one who has a real emotional attachment to their investment and can be di cult to deal with when it comes to who should pay for what.”

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Simply give us a call, email or pop into one of our offices to let us know you’d like to switch. Our business development manager Nic Elliottyson will meet with you to explain the process and answer any questions you may have.

Nic’s contact: 021536435 nice@lodge.co.nz

STEP 2 – MAKING THE SWITCH

Nic will sort the standard paperwork, finalise the switch with your current management company and sort the change of bank details; ensuring no payments are missed in transition.

STEP

3 – RELAX!

Once you’re signed up as a landlord client, we’ll go about managing your property the way it should be done; with care, expertise and commitment. With decades of industry experience, our legislative knowledge is up-to-the-minute and we have strong, trusted connections with Cambridge tradespeople.

Meet our Cambridge local, property manager Renee Beard

“It’s a pleasure working with people local to where I live. My clients here – many of whom are referred by someone else in the Cambridge community – like that there’s someone local looking after their properties.”

Nic Elliottyson Lodge Rentals

Manager

Manager

Rentals in the Waipa district make up roughy 2% of the entire housing stock, most of which was built in the 1950s decade, particularly for Te Awamutu.

KNOW YOUR PROPERTY MANAGER

Tips to get a rental

Acquiring a rental property has become an often prolonged and di cult process as Kiwis head towards a decade of demand outstripping supply when it comes to rental properties. Here are some guidelines for tenants looking to secure a rental property.

 RESEARCH: Begin by researching the rental market in your desired location. Understand the average rental prices, availability, and location of such things as schools and shops.

 BUDGET PLANNING: Know your nancial situation and determine a realistic budget for rent. Consider additional expenses such as utilities, insurance, and maintenance costs. It’s important to ensure your income can comfortably cover these expenses.

 PROPERTY SEARCH: Utilise online platforms, local real estate agencies, and property management companies to search for available rental properties. Almost all require a comprehensive background including references and it helps to have everything they need on hand in order to get through to the next stage of being listed as a prospective tenant.

 APPLICATION PROCESS: Once you nd a suitable property, submit a rental application to the landlord or property manager. Prepare necessary documents like identi cation, proof of income, references, and a rental history if applicable. Ensure all information provided is accurate and complete.

 VIEWING AND INSPECTION: Schedule a viewing of the property to assess its condition. Take note of any existing damages or maintenance issues and inform the landlord or property manager. Request repairs or negotiate terms if necessary.

 TENANCY AGREEMENT: If your application is successful, carefully review the tenancy agreement before signing. Ensure you understand all terms and conditions, including rent amount, lease duration, notice periods, and responsibilities of both parties.

 BOND AND RENT IN ADVANCE: Pay the bond, which is typically four weeks’ rent, and any required rent in advance. This amount is legally held in trust by Tenancy Services and serves as security for the landlord.

 TENANT INSURANCE: obtaining tenant insurance to protect your personal belongings and liability for the nonxed chattels of the home particularly is necessary. Most insurance companies will sue for damages against a tenant who does not have insurance in their rental.

 MOVE-IN AND CONDITION REPORT: On the day of moving in, conduct a thorough inspection of the property and document its condition in a condition report. Take plenty of photographs and note any pre-existing damages to avoid disputes when you move out.

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Across

Routine (6)

Roll of parchment (6)

9. Solitary type (5)

10. Boozy soft drink (7)

11. Plant farm (7)

13. Reserve (4)

14. Limitation (11)

17. Stun (4)

18. Different line of thought (7)

21. Besotted (7)

Last week

22. Blissful period (5)

24. Lacehole (6)

25. Thing used to inflict harm (6)

Down

1. Give in (6)

2. Distilled spirit (3)

3. Butter substitute (abbr) (5)

5. Pilot’s area (7)

6. Deliberate (2,7)

GMBACKGAMMONBMDATE

TBARBECUEPOOLAEIWJ

COBPFTYFGZQEMKLENL

LBUQOFCARFTYLRZLTE

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SIPFHRILSIEULRARII

TDACHATVSLTEUITYHC

AERGBVHXAMATTVLTIC

UPTGKECZSLVRREWJKK

RWYNQLSLDPEPDINNER

7. Run in bounds (4)

8. Looking after children while parents are out (11)

12. Look at again (2-7)

15. Pop up table (7)

16. Taken illegally (6)

19. Sound (5)

20. Small island (4)

23. Bark (3)

Across: 1. Mesh, 4. Normal, 8. Sharpen, 9. Leave, 10. Gate, 11. Long shot,

Cornflour, 17. Mortuary, 19. Clue, 21. Chide, 22. Isolate, 23. Septet, 24.

Down: 2. Elastic, 3. Hope, 4. Nonconformist, 5. Religion, 6. Awash, 7. Petty,

Sage, 12. Argument, 14. Release, 15. Smack, 16. Cede, 18. Raise, 20.

AGSHOPSYACRCARDSRN

NAXWKBNENNNCPRGINL

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NAHJLMCPEDUGYXEBXG

GUERNSEYWUTENERIFE CHIYNAXAHSARDINIAM JPAIRACSAGADAMDNWU EUBIZNNEXMAJORCAGL REEBTOUDIRPACXACRL SRRKHIACRGOTLANDES ETMAYBEAUHSUYKIJET YOUZULNSXYOKKTBDNE HRDCASSYANAAIQOALW GIANDRKTCOVHAHXTAA FCDZOIYUMAACROAHNR GOYBKLEAJTAUSSOODT AZIBIASRVHFBMEZBBU MVXCNNIWTVAANUIIFL EAIRAKWIZLNRLKJRRG LSLEWAEGIIOWIIOSED BHCTATLHABXNFCKPSS AISEASWTBGICYPRUSD

Fruitful haul for local trainers

Torrential rain in Tauranga during the week forced the transfer of racing on Saturday to the Cambridge synthetic track and locals made the most of the change in venue.

With more rain forecast in the Bay of Plenty on the day itself, race meeting organisers booked the Cambridge Jockey Club instead.

It was fruitful for Cleese, as the Cambridge galloper won the Seeka Kiwifruit Cup (2000m), the Stephen Marsh-trained Windspeed won the Aongatete Avojects (1300m) and Ralph Manning’s Caledonie the Kiwi Bus Builders 3YO (1300m).

Cleese had won his only start on the surface last year and trainer John Bell welcomed the venue change.

“It (venue change) had to happen,” Bell said. He booked former South African champion jockey Warren Kennedy to ride the five-year-old bay gelding.

“Tauranga would have been abandoned and everyone would have missed out. Half of the Tauranga fields got a run and there were horses in there that trainers gave their first try on the poly.

“Half of the people would have been happy and the other not, but they have got facilities there to cater for this and there were still seven races, so people would have had a bet and a bit of fun.

“My syndicate were over the moon. A lot of them are from Taupiri Rugby Club and evidently, they blew the roof off it, so it was a great thrill for them.”

Cleese dominated the race and kept his unbeaten polytrack record intact with a 4-3/4 length victory and Bell said he would have expected a similar result at Tauranga.

“When the two youngsters took off in front, he just sat in behind and did a great job. He has been working really well and I think he would have done a similar job on the grass at Tauranga,” he said.

The Tavistock-sired Windspeed defied the odds and erratic form to win race six for the Marsh stable with Cambridge apprentice jockey Crystal Lindsay on board the fouryear-old bay mare. Ralph Manning-trained Stand Tall was third but out of the money with payouts on first and second only.

Earlier the Cambridge trainer’s Caledonie secured her third career victory winning the Kiwi Bus Builders 3YO (1300m) with Kennedy in the saddle.

His front-running ride saw Caledonie cross the line for a length win and a rest in the paddocks until the spring.

“It was quite fortunate for us that they transferred from Tauranga to the synthetic track here, as I wasn’t really convinced she would handle a very heavy track at Tauranga,” said Manning.

“We thought if we could get an early race we would give it a try, but coming back to the synthetic really played in our favour.” –Mary Anne Gill and Loveracing.nz.

Cambridge 53 Robinson Street

3 1 1 1

A Cambridge Classic

The kitchen is a chef’s delight, boasting sleek countertops, ample storage space, an amazing gas cooktop and double oven. Whether you’re a culinary enthusiast or simply enjoy preparing delicious meals for your family, this kitchen will surely inspire your inner chef. The three spacious bedrooms o er tranquillity and privacy for a restful night’s sleep. Each room is thoughtfully designed with large windows that provide natural light and a peaceful view of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Te Kowhai 70 Woolrich Road

4 2 2 1

For Sale Deadline Sale 13th July 2023, 12:00pm unless sold prior View by appointment or scheduled open home times

Shelby Garrett M 027 622 4166

you’ll immediately notice the care and attention to detail that has been put into its presentation. The open-plan layout creates a sense of airiness and connectivity, perfect for modern family living. The kitchen boasts high-quality appliances and ample storage, making it a pleasure to cook and entertain in. The adjoining dining and living areas provide a warm and inviting atmosphere, ideal for gatherings with family and friends. The property’s shed and man cave is a true standout feature. Whether you’re a car enthusiast, a DIY enthusiast, or simply in need of extra storage space, this impressive facility will exceed your expectations. Call Gary today to arrange your viewing!

Taupiri 530a Tenfoot Road

0.8ha

We are delighted to present to you three truly exceptional rural sections. Each expansive section spans across a generous 0.8 hectares, o ering an unparalleled canvas for your bespoke country abode. With scenic vistas surrounding these blocks, every corner is designed to delight your senses. Nestled amidst the captivating beauty of the rural countryside, these sections boast breathtaking views that can only be found in our beloved country. Imagine waking up to the melodious chirping of the birds, spending the day amidst nature, and retiring to the night with a sky full of stars. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? Call Kevin or Gary today for more information.

Gary Stokes M 021 351 112

For Sale $650,000 View by appointment www.harcourts.co.nz/CB6285

Gary Stokes M 021 351 112

Kevin Deane M 021 970 902

Clerk of the course Terry Wenn on the grey Von Tunzelman, a former champion racehorse himself, brings in Windspeed ridden by Cambridge jockey Crystal Lindsay to salute the judge after their win in race six on the Cambridge synthetic track.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

What A Spot! Large 3 Bedroom

Deadline Sale

6 Austen Place, Leamington

- Set on a generous 1,001m² (more or less) section in a quiet cul de sac, step inside this 210m² home & discover endless possibilities.

- Large living area & open plan kitchen/dining space with new flooring.

11.00 - 11.30am

Private, Secure - Cambridge East Treat

A fairer commission rate of 2.8% to first $300,000 then 1.8% on balance + gst Plus FREE, tailor-made marketing worth $2,500+

Secluded, Schools Handy, Quiet Auction

21 Kowhai Drive, Cambridge

- A quiet secluded location; sundrenched living area & private deck; cleverly linked living areas with plenty of choices for relaxed conversation zones.

Open Homes Saturday & Sunday 12.00 - 12.30pm

Quintessential Relaxation at Number 37

$950,000

16A

- The high ceiling in the lounge and open plan living radiates the feeling of space and attraction of light, welcoming living.

- Comforts here - generous bedroom sizes, attractive bathroombrand new; a small easy managed garden area; refreshed decor.

Attractive, Spacious & 5 Bedroom

37

- Seamless indoor-outdoor flow as you step out onto the covered decks, complete with roll-down blinds that transform the outdoor area into an inviting and comfortable additional “room”.

- Pets and children are secure within the well-fenced property.

- 1.30pm

Tremendous Treat on Brancaster

Auction

54 Norfolk Drive, Cambridge

- 268m² attractive home built 2018; wonderful indoor/outdoor flow from dining and kitchen area through to the wrap around deck.

- 5th bedroom is ensuited and has its own outside entrance.

Open Homes Saturday & Sunday 2.00 - 2.30pm

Delightful,

Secure - Move in Ready

Deadline Sale

2 Brancaster Place, Cambridge 4 2 3

- Three living areas, triple garage in this 254m² home displaying indoor/ outdoor flow to a sun blessed privatised deck.

- Kitchen has a brand new oven and dishwasher & super bench space.

Open Homes Saturday & Sunday 2.00 - 2.30pm

Cleverly Designed

Deadline Sale

5 Morton Place, Leamington

- Bigger than you would believe ( 150m² plus 74.5m² more or less)!

- Warm sleepout/office (heat pump) with separate toilet and basin within the garage/workshop building is such a bonus.

- New carpet and flooring, spacious kitchen and open plan living. Open Home Sunday 3.00 - 3.30pm

$1,649,000

51 Baxter Michael Crescent, St Kilda

- Thoughtfully designed floorplan offering a master and family bedroom wing separation, linked with central open plan living and a formal lounge/ media room.

- Built 2017, an Urban Home – ready for your landscaping ideas. View By Appointment

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Locally owned and operated

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• Over 25 years experience in aluminium

• Over 25 years experience in aluminium

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Call us today for your free quote

• Call us today for your free quote

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• Window and Door Repairs

• Window and Door Repairs

Simon Whale 022 469 2423 waipaali@gmail.com www.waipaaluminium.co.nz

garden resurrection rose pruning hedge trimming

SENIOR, Julie Evelyn, (nee Wright) – Passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, 7th June 2023. Aged 66 years. Dearly loved wife of Colin. Loved mother and mother-in-law of Darren & Natasha, Megan & Stephen, Chris & Brooke. Loved Nana of Riley, Kaitlin, Zoe, Colton and Flynn. Special thanks to the staff of the Intensive Care Unit, Waikato Hospital. A celebration of Julie’s life has been held. All communications to the Senior Family, c/- 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434.

TAYLOR, Jesse Alexander

Ruru – Passed away peacefully at home holding his wife’s hand and surrounded by family on Sunday, 25th June 2023.

Aged 46 years. Adored husband of Teresa and dear father of Louis. Loved stepdad to Sigournie, Luke and Hollee. Best lifetime friend of Aaron. Special thanks to the Hospice Waikato team, and all Jesse’s friends who have given continued support over the past 15 weeks. A celebration of Jesse's life will be held at the Hamilton Park Chapel, Newstead, Hamilton, on Friday, 30th of June 2023 at 1.00pm. All communications to the Taylor Family, c/- 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434.

DONKIN, Rob

4/9/1952 - 26/6/2010

Treasured memories of our dearly loved husband, Dad and Poppa, always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts.

'Sweet dreams hon' – your loving wife June and family; Jayme, Rylee, Emersyn, Reed, Briar and Hadleigh; Kimberley, Charlotte, Elliott, Cassie and Alan.

Family Notices

• Engagements

• Weddings

• Births

• Anniversaries

• Bereavements

• In Memoriam etc

Jono Gibson Funeral Director

Cambridge,

GRAZING WANTEDshort term for dairy cows. Also for yearling heifers or calves. Good management required. Within one hour of Cambridge preferred. Ph 027 278 9532.

HOUSES WANTED

Houses Wanted for removal

Great

CAMBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

ENROLMENT SCHEME 2024

Because of our growing in-zone roll, Cambridge High School has an enrolment scheme in place. A limited number of out-of-zone places have been made available by the Cambridge High School Board. If the number of applicants exceeds the places available, a ballot will be conducted. For further enrolment scheme information, please visit our school website.

Closing date for Out-of-Zone Applications

Thursday 31 August

Ballot, if required - Friday 1 September

Parents notified - Tuesday 5 September

Any enquiries: Tel: (07) 827 5415 ext. 0

Email: enrolments@camhigh.school.nz www.camhigh.school.nz

CAMBRIDGE Next Meeting

Wednesday JULY 5 1:30pm Start

Taylor Made Community Space 22a Taylor Street

Speaker: Ginny Anderson Minister for Seniors

FOR SALE

FIREWOOD – Dry mac mix

$140 per metre. Delivered.

Ph 027 492 0601

Pouako - Kura Takawaenga (Tau 7-8)

“He Taonga te Tamaiti”

He tangata mōhio ki te manaaki i te mauri me te wairua o te tangata? He tangata e ngākaunui ana ki ngā tamariki? He pūkenga pouako rawe āu? Kei taumata kē tō arero tūpuna me ngā kōrero tuku iho? Tēnā, tono mai!

E rapu ana mātou i tētehi pouako e kaingākau ana ki ngā mahi whakaako tamariki. Me mōhio hoki te tangata ki ēnei kaupapa:

• Behavior Management (PB4L)

Visitors aged 50+ keen to become Greypower members are welcome to attend.

• Differentiated teaching and learning

• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

• Mahi tahi, hei painga mō te katoa o ngā tamariki o te kura mai i te tau 0-13

We are seeking a kaiako to support the wellbeing of our tamariki. Our aspirations are to uplift, inspire and nurture our young leaders within the context of our Poutikanga and kaupapa matua, he taonga te tamaiti.

Our kura is located within the takiwā of Ngāti Apakura, Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga. If you are interested in being part of a dynamic team who focus on the mauri of our tamariki and strive for excellence.

Tukua tō Tātai Oranga (CV) ki te Tumuaki: tari@npota.school.nz

Tukua mai mā te poutāpeta rānei ki: attention: Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o te Aroha. Enquiries 021 225 7577

CAMBRIDGE OPEN HOMES

Light show on latest grant list

Te Kura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha

Kaiāwhina/ Associate Teacher Part-time (30 hours per week) Te Awamutu:

He tūranga e wātea ana ki te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha. E kimi ana mātou i tētehi Kaiāwhina mō te kura, e mōhio ana ki ngā mahi whakaako tamariki. Me ū te kaitono ki te reo māori me ōna tikanga. Me matua mōhio hoki te kaitono ki ngā mahi whakahaere i te akomanga, me ngākaunui hoki ki ngā mahi whakaako tamariki. E whakapono ana mātou, he taonga te tamaiti, ko rātou hoki te pūtake o tā mātou kaupapa.

Ka kati tēnei tono hei te 09 o Hune, 2023

Tukua tō Tātai Oranga (CV) ki te Tumuaki: tari@npota.school.nz

Tukua mai mā te poutāpeta rānei ki:

Attention:

Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha. Enquiries 021 225 7577

Call Janine 027 287 0005

Fifty one Waipā organisations have shared more than $190,000 worth of promotion and event funds and next year’s Waka Ama national sprint championships gets $15,000, the highest grant. The council’s District Promotions committee this week allocated $165,200 from its 2023/24 fund and $26,000 from the community events pot.

The money goes to applicants who demonstrate their event can promote Waipā as an attractive place to live, work, invest in or visit.

The events’ fund supports grass-roots events which create opportunities to build and celebrate community pride and for communities to connect and celebrate diversity.

Notable grants were made to the Rangiaowhia 160 years commemoration next year and a Cambridge Light and Sound Show.

Four events missed out including the Cambridge Festival of Sport which was told to come back to the committee when organisers had more event details confirmed.

The committee had $150,000 to distribute plus another $29,000 rolled over from unspent funds last year.

Thirty eight applicants requested $320,000.

Event and Marketing advisor Claire Culph said the events team planned and executed seven council-run events during this financial year.

The Balloons over Waikato was planned but cancelled due to the weather.

Others which went ahead were Te Awa River Ride cycleway opening celebration, Cambridge Skatepark opening, IBCPC Dragon Boating street parade and community party, Leamington Domain reserve management plan engagement, Kihikihi playground opening and the King’s Coronation.

Committee members were: Marcus Gower (chair), Liz Stolwyk (deputy mayor), Clare St Pierre (councillor), Kevin Burgess and Merv Gyde. Roger Gordon was absent overseas.

District Promotion Fund grants:

Waka Ama National Sprint Championships 2024 $15,000, Great Kiwi Summer Festival Armistice (GKSF) 2023 $7000, Black Friday Blowout $12,000, Kihikihi Speedway Opening Meeting and Fireworks 2023 $8000, Long Course Weekend $10,000, AGRN - NZ Age Group Road Cycling Championship 2024 $8000, North Island Rowing Club Championships 2024 $3500, Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder NZ Championship Series 2024 $5000, Karapiro 100 K Flyer $2000, Wake NZ 2024 National Championships $2000, Balloons Visit Waipā 2024 $5600.

Dressage by the lake 2023 $6000, Race to Tieke - Brian Perry Classic 2024 $5000, Orchids & More 2023 $4000, NZ Polo National Club Championships for the Savile Cup 2024 $4000, Cambridge BMX Twilight Meet $1000, National Track Series (NTS) 2023 $2000, Christmas Regatta 2023 $2000, Frazzled Kiwi Adventure Race Cambridge 2023 $3000, Rangiaowhia 160 years Commemoration 2024 $10,000, Dirt Drags 2023 $3000, North Island Secondary Schools Rowing Championships (NISS) 2024 $3500, Canoe Racing Sprint National Championships 2024 $5000, New Zealand Fitness Festival 2023 $5000.

Misty Flicks Film Festival 2023 Should be CEF $5000, New Zealand National Rowing Championships 2024 $3500, Rotary International District 9930 Annual District Conference 2024 $2000, Waipari Climbing Festival 2024 $3000, International Female Ride Day 2024 $2000, 50th Anniversary of the Te Awamutu Music Federation 2023 $1100, North Island Schools Cycling Championships 2023 $3000, Clive Steenson Memorial Regatta $1000, Cambridge to Hamilton Paddle Race $1000, Club Regatta 2023 $1000, Cambridge Light and Sound Show $7000, Stragglers Charity Car Show and Community Fun Day $2000, Pirongia Trail Run $2000.

Community Event Fund grants:

Cambridge Cycling Festival $6000, Cambridge Autumn Festival $2000, Te Awa River Ride Matariki Night Light Ride $3000, Combined Cambridge Schools Kapa Haka Festival 2023 $1000, Karāpiro Flyer Party in the Park $1000, Waipā Fun Run $2000, Cambridge Half Marathon 10km and 5km Run/Walk $1000, Cambridge Christmas Parade $500, Cambridge Christmas Festival $2000, Kihikihi Community Day $2500, Cambridge Diwali Festival $2000, Youth Orchestra Waikato presented by Orchestra Central as part of the Cambridge Autumn Festival $500, Te Awamutu Golf Course Fun Run $1000, Op Shop Ball $1000, National Daffodil Show $500.

No funds:

Cambridge Festival of Sport 2023, Junior Regatta 2024, Memorial Regatta 2023, Ngāti Apakura Matariki Celebration 2023.

Make your ride better

H TS138 Tractor

Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 19.0 hp - 38” Cutting Width

User-friendly lawn tractor with foot-pedal operation, side ejection cutting deck and powerful engine to tackle smaller blocks.

$5,290

H TS142 Tractor

Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 19.0 hp - 42”

Ideal for small to mid-size gardens. Side ejection, smart design plus a powerful engine and pedal-operated hydrostatic transmission.

$5,990

H TS142T Tractor

Cutting Width

H TS142TXD Tractor

Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp - 42”

Ideal for homeowners with larger gardens who need a durable and comfortable tractor with high manoeuvrability.

$7,390 $7,690 rrp

H TC138T Tractor

Cutting Width

Husqvarna Series™ V-Twin Engine - 23.0 hp - 42” Cutting Width

Compact side discharge tractor with smart, user-friendly design, developed for use in small to mid-size gardens.

$6,590 $6,990 rrp

Husqvarna Series™ V-Twin Engine - 23.0 hp - 38”

An e cient garden tractor that o ers excellent collection of grass clippings giving tidy cutting results.

$8,790

L TS242TX Tractor

Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp - 42”

A powerful and comfortable tractor with integrated rear collector, pedal-operated, hydrostatic transmission and low vibe deck drive.

$9,090 $9,390 rrp

L TS242TXD Tractor

Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp - 42”

Ideal for regular use in medium-sized to large gardens with an e cient ClearCut™ deck, intelligent design and simple starting process for ease of use.

$9,090 $9,390 rrp

L TS248TXD Tractor

Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 23.0 hp - 48”

A powerful and comfortable side discharge tractor with sturdy ClearCut™ deck for medium to largesized gardens.

$9,090 $9,390 rrp

Cutting Width

Cutting Width

Cutting Width

Cutting Width