Mayor will stand again
By Chris Gardner
Waipā district mayor Susan O’Regan is planning for a second term and will seek re-election in October.
The News sought comments from mayors in the Good Local Media readership area following Paula Southgate’s announcement she would not seek a third term in the Hamilton mayor’s office.
“It’s no real secret,” said O’Regan, 52. “There’s such a need for continuity with water reform.”
O’Regan, with other mayors, has been involved in leading the exploration of options for water reform. Waipā and Waitomo were the first district councils to agree to sign the Waikato Water Done Well agreement last year to investigate the establishment of a councilcontrolled organisation (CCO) to deliver water and wastewater services.
Seeing through the LongTerm Plan, the council’s submission against Global Contracting Solutions’ application to build a waste to energy plant on Racecourse Road, Te Awamutu, reestablishing the youth council, and Cambridge Connections were all on O’Regan’s agenda.
“It’s not like it’s business as usual,” she said.
O’Regan was elected mayor in 2022, succeeding
Jim Mylchreest, after serving the council as Kakepuku Ward councillor for two terms. In her second term O’Regan chaired the council’s Strategic Planning and Policy Committee.
Judge Valley Dairies, which Regan runs with her husband John Hayward, has won multiple Waikato Farm Environment Awards.
Waikato district mayor Jacqui Church will become the first female incumbent to stand for re-election in the district.
“I would like to do a second term, if people think I have done a good job,” she told The News. “It’s a privilege to serve the people.”
The biggest issues in her district were water infrastructure and affordability, she said.
“Affordability is not something we can fix,” she said. But it is something the council can be mindful of.
“With water the opportunity is ongoing. There’s a real opportunity in the Waikato for longer term bipartisan agreements,” she said.
Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter will hang up his mayoral chains this year.
When Baxter leaves the council offices in Maniapoto Street for the last time in October he will have completed four three-year terms or 12 years in the role.
“After 12 years I have decided that we have achieved all we set out to do,” Baxter, 60, told The News.
He and his team had worked hard to turn Ōtorohanga District Council into a high-performance territorial authority.
“We are doing extremely well,” he said.
“It’s time for someone else to take it on and put their impression on it.”
Baxter was elected mayor in October 2013, after Dale
Williams decided not to stand again and moved away from the district.
Baxter will continue with his business interests. He is owner and director of Stanleigh Farms Ltd, a dairy operation which follows environmental best practice, and founding executive director of pyrolysis plant operator Waro Preta GP Ltd producing biochar for agricultural use.
Waitomo district mayor John Robertson intends to
hold on to his mayoral chains for another term.
“I am planning to run again,” Robertson,73, said.
He will have served the district for two terms, or six years, by the time the election results are announced on October 14. He was elected in 2019, succeeding Brian Hanna.
“There’s a lot going on in local government, including the water reform, and we have got some big decisions to make.”
Waka ama greetings
Susan O’Regan
Under the sacred mountain Maungatautari and beside Lake Karāpiro, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura’s Rangipuhi King greets Sharon Hawke from Ngāti Whatua, Auckland, following the pōwhiri for the Waka Ama Sprint championships on Sunday. Waiting from left are: Poto Davies, Luana Tauroa, Rosalie Ellis, Lee-Ann Muntz, Liz Stolwyk and Ringi Fifield-Morgan, both partially obscured. See: Waka ama queen remembered, page 7.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
LUNCH: WED-SUN NOON -
It’s 699 wins… and counting
By Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge harness racing legend Nicky Chilcott is on the cusp of another personal milestone.
The 53-year-old veteran trainer needs one driving win to notch up 700 wins in the sulky, cementing her place as the country’s second best female driver.
favourite Showtym Girl and had a chance to bring up the milestone in race eight behind Idolou but was well beaten.
Chilcott doesn’t have a drive tomorrow night (Friday) at her home track on Cambridge Raceway, but will be in action at Otaki next week.
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She brought up 699 last week at the Cambridge Raceway in race three driving
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A Happy New Year to all from me. I am dropping back in this week to give you a bit of an update. I hope you have had a safe and happy festive season with some quality relaxation involved at some stage. Cambridge Police were pleased with a relatively uneventful Christmas holiday period overall.
We were all however deeply saddened at the loss of our Nelson colleague Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming after an incident on New Year’s Eve. Having spent New Year’s Eve myself conducting similar foot patrols over in Raglan, I was certainly reminded of the risks of the job. We were fortunate that no such incidents happened in Raglan however, with crowds being generally well behaved. On my shift, a male was arrested for the wilful damage of a parked police vehicle and a few others received warnings and fines for few breaches of the liquor ban. It was good to see people having a fun but safe celebration and enjoying the fireworks.
In Cambridge and Te Awamutu, New Year’s Eve was good overall. While a quiet one in Cambridge, in Te Awamutu staff were called to deal with three family harm events, two disorderly behaviour incidents, an intoxicated person, boy racers and the theft of a quad bike.
Moving into January, in the past week
“To be honest I’m not a numbers’ person,” said Chilcott. “I’m pretty proud of the achievement though.”
From 7902 starts since her first win behind Local Choice at Auckland on July 2, 1993, she has notched up 699 wins, 760 seconds and 746 third placings for stake money of $5.342 million.
The 700 total will be 121 short of South Island-based Samantha Ottley’s mark and well behind the only drivers to have more than 3000 career wins – Te Awamutu’s Tony Herlihy (3693), Maurice McKendry (3410) and Ricky May (3146).
She is also in the exclusive 500 trainers’ club with 558 wins from 4945 starts.
Chilcott doubts she will get to 800 driving wins but reckons she still has another 10-15 years in the sulky ahead of her mostly driving the horses she trains.
“I’m starting to slow down, and I don’t freelance anymore. I used to actively ring around for drives, but I don’t anymore.”
She has 22 horses in her White Star Stables next to the Cambridge Raceway and Village Rebel is arguably the best in what she describes as a “bread and butter” crop.
“I don’t have stars as such but we’re ticking away nicely.”
Cambridge staff have dealt with 11 family harm incidents including assaults, three mental health incidents, four burglaries, three reports of vehicle crimes, threatening behaviour, four traffic crashes, a civil dispute, two breaches of bail, firearms offences, theft, three drivers fleeing from police and there were two incidents of dangerous and careless driving.
In Te Awamutu, staff dealt with 16 family harm incidents some including serious assaults, three incidents of threatening behaviour, eight burglaries, five reports of car crime, four breaches of bail, seven mental health episodes, a fraud matter, three drink drivers and one fleeing driver.
While many people have returned to work this week, school holidays and associated holiday travel continue on our roads.
Please continue to drive safely and defensively. Keep to the speed limit, be patient and only overtake in passing lanes, or when otherwise permitted - and safe - to do so. If you are towing or otherwise travelling at a slower pace, make use of slow vehicle lanes and pull over to let those following pass. Take your time and enjoy the journey.
I will be taking a break next week, but columns will resume as usual thereafter.
One of them is Messenger Buoy who won an emotional race on December 19 driven by Leah Hibell. Ten days earlier, part owner Alan Messenger of Taranaki died and his fellow owners – wife Lyn and daughter Maree – were on hand to see the win.
Chilcott has one horse entered tomorrow night – Blazing Louie in race seven – but Andre Poutama usually drives the six year old gelding.
Meetings on the grass in Otaki on Sunday and Tuesday loom as the likely opportunities for Chilcott to bring up the milestone. It is one her favourite tracks and she is taking down a team of 10 to compete at its first full race meeting since the pandemic.
“I’ve had some good results there over the years so that will be a good place to do it,” said Chilcott.
Nicky Chilcott drives Showtym Girl home at Cambridge Raceway last week for her 699th winner in the sulky. Photo: Angelique Bridson, Cambridge Raceway.
Driver sought
Police are looking for the driver of a black BMW car which was driven dangerously through Cambridge on Sunday and later found abandoned on Swayne Rd. The car, without number plates, was driven at high speed around Cambridge, was involved in two incident with police patrols and narrowly avoid crashing into a police car and other vehicles. Police have asked that anyone with cell phone or dashcam footage of incident involving the car to call 105 and cite the reference number 250112/1648 .
Rāhui placed
Raukawa has placed a rāhui over the Arapuni and Bulmer’s landing and the Jones landing on the Waikato River following the drowning of a man there last Friday. Waipā District Council this week asked “everyone to respect the rāhui by refraining from swimming, fishing, or engaging in any waterbased activities at these sites during this period”. The rāhui will remain until 9am Saturday.
Warning lifted
Public health warning issued for Lake Kainui in December 2021, and Lake Hakanoa in August 2023 have been lifted by the National Public Health Service after tests showed cyanobacterial levels are below the warning level. An extreme risk health warning remains in place for Lake Ngā Roto and warnings remain at lakes Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake), Waikare, and Whangape.
Balloons return
The annual Balloons over Waikato festival, running from March 18 to 22 this year, will feature a 30 metre high owl balloon – known as Owlbert Eyenstein. The highlight of the event, the nightglow, will be held at Claudelands
Big rise in Waipā bus use
By Mary Anne Gill
The investment made into Waikato public transport is bearing fruit with the numbers of people catching the bus last year from regional towns to and from Hamilton well up on 2023.
The big mover was the Cambridge 20 service. Passenger numbers rose 33 per cent to 118,303 and August’s 13,731 head count nabbed the monthly record.
Te Awamutu-Kihihiki 24 service had more passengers overall though with 127,182 - a 28 per cent increase on the previous year. August was also the big month there with 14,622 people.
While the Te Kūiti and Tokoroa connector services also saw increases – up 55 per cent and 27 per cent respectively – they are coming off a low base and do not include January 2023 when the services were not operating.
Regional and district councillors in those communities will have some tough decisions to make about the services’ viability in an election year where funding is tight.
Both services - Te Kūiti 24 with 10,095 passengers and Tokoroa 32 with 11,118 - only run on weekdays. They leave early in the morning and return later in
the afternoon. They pick up and drop off passengers in Ōtorohanga, Kihikihi, Te Awamutu and Cambridge which are included in the connector services figures.
Cambridge and Te Awamutu have both benefited from the introduction of electric buses and a doubling of weekly services while an increase in bus fares from July 1 last year did not appear to have the impact experts predicted.
Maximum fares capped at $43.20 a week seem to have dealt to those fears. But numbers released to The News show there is still room for growth particularly with cross town patronage in Cambridge – between the CBD and Leamington - and between Te Awamutu and Kihikihi.
Regional council Customer Focus team leader Sandra Sesto-Dekic is confident those numbers can increase particularly given the new double decker buses operating on both sides of the Waipā district.
As part of its 10-year plan for public transport, regional councillors signed off on a plan for services to become carbon neutral by 2050 and spend up to $225 per person annually on public transport.
Highway closure a mixed bag
By Chris Gardner
A two month closure of the Desert Road (pictured) through the central North Island is a mixed bag for Waipā.
In Te Awamutu and the King Country retailers and tourism operators are hoping for a busier than normal summer as the closure pushes more traffic into the King Country and Waipā.
But traffic numbers coming off the Waikato Expressway to visit Cambridge could be reduced.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency closed State Highway 1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru on Monday for road works and to replace the wooden deck of the almost 60-year-old Mangatoetoenui Bridge about 20km south of the State Highway 46 turn off.
This means between 3000 and nearly 6000 drivers will take alternative routes from north to south and back again over the next two months.
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan
did not expect to see a significant impact in the district but Waitomo mayor John Robertson expected established stops like Piopio to be busier as a result of the road closure.
Murray Hunt furnishers manager Bev Cooper thought the road closure could bring more people through Ōtorohanga and into the branch there.
“It will be interesting to see,” she said. “Mostly we get people stopping off who are driving Auckland to Wellington.”
She didn’t expect any extra traffic through the Te Awamutu branches which generally attracted Cambridge and Hamilton shoppers.
Meanwhile, work has started on State Highway 3 from between Ryburn Road to Forkert Road in Ōhaupō.
The work is expected to take seven weeks, and one lane will remain open for southbound traffic at all times while a detour will add about eight minutes to the journey for light vehicles.
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Cambridge-based driver Craig Matthews with Waikato Regional Council’s Customer Focus team leader Sandra Sesto-Dekic and the new electric double-decker bus.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Friday the 13th ‘disaster’
By Mary Anne Gill
A Waipā District Council organised event to congratulate the district’s Olympians and Paralympians has been described as a “disaster” by the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.
The Friday event held in Victoria Square, Cambridge on December 13 was dubbed Party in the Park by the council and supposed to run for three hours but it flopped when fewer than 500 people showed up – some suggest it was only 200 at most.
The News has asked a number of questions of the council including how much the event, which included a pre-event invite-only function at the nearby Good Union restaurant, cost.
Sources have suggested a total cost of $40,000.
The same sources said food trucks were disappointed at the numbers that attended while a free bus service, using the new electric buses, from Te Awamutu and Hamilton had fewer than a dozen passengers.
Waikato Regional Council staff were on hand to promote its regional transport service and confirmed there were only two people on the bus from Hamilton.
Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk was disappointed the party went ahead as a standalone event when the same weekend there were visiting rowers and cyclists competing at Lake Karāpiro and the Velodrome.
She suggested it could have been held earlier in the month as part of the town’s Christmas Parade or the Great Kiwi Summer Expo at Karāpiro in November.
Chamber chief executive Kelly Bouzaid said her organisation was not consulted and also called the event a disaster. Destination
Cambridge general manager Ruth Crampton said she told the council the Christmas parade on December 1 was a good option.
Hundreds of people packed the streets to see 51 floats, the most since 2017, despite steady rain.
“That was the answer, it would have cost (the council) nothing. Stick to your knitting
council,” she said.
Another with no involvement was Cambridge Community Board. Chair Jo Davies-Colley said council’s focus should be its core business.
“I believe it also has a role to play in ensuring Waipā is a great place to live and visit. However, in these austere times, that needs to be financially sensible and balanced.”
Stolwyk said having the celebration at the same time as another event would have been cost efficient.
“Those other options might have been more viable because the crowd was ready to celebrate the Olympians."
The council in a media release before the event said December 13 was the only time it could get so many athletes together in one place.
Stolwyk, who manages Mighty River Domain through her company and formerly managed Cambridge i-Site, is a veteran organiser of past parades celebrating athletes’ success but said she was not consulted.
Hotel tops list
By Mary Anne Gill
The top story on Cambridge News website last year was our exclusive about a new hotel planned for Hautapu.
While it didn’t go anywhere near to exceeding the hits to 2023’s viral news story about Supergran – who single handedly foiled a robbery in the main street - it was comfortably number one ahead of the Shakespeare Street roundabout debacle.
An attempted robbery at a dairy in Leamington came in third with News in Brief from October 10 – where it was revealed the St Peter’s School head Marcus Blackburn had resigned - was fourth.
Rounding out the top five was the police’s appeal for names for five juvenile suspects who broke into a Hamilton Road superette.
Other well read stories were local body issues – news of an unbudgeted $57 million spend on wastewater plants, the Blue Blob fall out and parking issues in the CBD. Then there were the feel good stories – two mums Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors picking up gold medals at the Olympics in Paris and one from our last edition of the year, Te Miro principal Michaela Phillips stepping down after seven years and Cambridge Menzshed finally getting its own home.
Good Local News editorial director Roy Pilott said the numbers showed residents were increasingly turning to the Cambridge News website in between the weekly publications to be kept informed of news.
“These figures don’t include activity to the Cambridge News App which is also another tool for residents to stay on top of what’s going on,” he said.
The company’s other websites –teawamutunews.nz, waikatobusinessnews. nz and kingcountrynews.nz – had also shown healthy readership increases.
Elected representatives, Waipā staff and the athletes’ families formed part of the official party as did parents of Cambridge Middle School’s kapa haka group which provided the welcome.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
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Waka ama queen remembered
By Mary Anne Gill
A woman described as the “queen of waka ama” was honoured during an emotional pōwhiri at the start of the week-long sprint championships at Lake Karāpiro on Sunday.
Members of Kiwi Campbell’s whānau including people from Waipā, Waikato and King Country were present as several speakers recalled the Gisborne woman’s contribution to the sport.
Campbell, 43, a competitor, coach and administrator from the Horouta Waka Hoe Club - and a regular visitor to Karāpiro - died last November.
Four years ago, the mother of two boys Mairangi and Maia, and wife of Bruce Campbell, was inducted into Waka Ama New Zealand’s virtual hall of fame for her outstanding contribution to the sport.
With a spine-tingling call, fellow club member Cynthia Sidney led the visiting teams towards Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā iwi, waka ama officials and local competitors.
Just over two hours later, the Tamariki pools got underway highlighting the phenomenal growth of waka ama since Mareikura, the first club in New Zealand, was established in Gisborne in 1985 followed five years later by the first national outrigger canoe paddling champs at Karāpiro.
A record 3868 competitors and twice as many spectators are at the lake all week and more than 1400 of them are aged 13 years and under.
Competitors have come from throughout New Zealand with internationals from Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, United Kingdom and Australia.
Campbell’s aunty Liz Reedy of Hamilton said her niece’s death came as a shock to her whānau. Seeing how highly
to her significant achievements competing on
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people involved in the sport valued her involvement was emotional, she said.
Campbell had recently joined the Waka Ama board adding
the water and coaching off it.
A section of the large crowd during the pōwhiri held at Lake Karāpiro on Sunday. More photos cambridgenews.nz
Celebrating Kiwi’s life, from left: Averalle Paenga (Porirua), Shyree Garland (Auckland), Liz Reedy (Hamilton), Milla Takao, Emma Merce and Luca Takao (all Ōtorohanga). Photos: Mary Anne Gill
Horouta Waka Hoe Club’s Cynthia Sidney leads the visiting waka ama teams into the pōwhiri at Lake Karāpiro.
Tarawera Outrigger Canoe Club, left, and Raahui Pookeka Waka Sports Club Tamariki make their ways towards the start line in the Taitamāhina six seater race won by Gisborne’s Horouta Waka Hoe Club. Tarawera was second.
Together in disasters
By Janine Krippner
Eons ago, humanity began to learn from natural events and understand our Earth in incredible ways. We evolved through tragedies like impactful eruptions and earthquakes. Valuable stories were passed down to teach descendants how to recognise warning signs and how to act, preserving records of disaster through time.
Through exploration and early science, we got curious about our planet and started asking bigger and better questions, a driver of knowledge.
In the past few centuries there have been enormous growth spurts in understanding how our world works and what we can do to be less impacted by disasters and recover more effectively.
Organisations like volcano observatories and emergency management agencies grew, ensuring we have people dedicated to understanding the complexities of hazards, disasters, and society. We even began to work together, joining with fields like engineering and social sciences, and learned the necessity of working alongside utilities and governments organisations. Hard-won lessons have fuelled progress through the Earth sciences and studying the human aspects of how we react, how we are impacted, what our needs are, and examining how have we made these situations better or worse.
We now understand the importance of all aspects of Reduction (know what our risks are and take action to reduce how they will harm us), Readiness (having systems and services in place), Response (jumping into action when an event happens), and Recovery (immediate, medium, and long-term).
We slowly move from just telling people what to do during an event, to empowering people to protect and care for themselves. We just don’t have the resources to attend to everyone when
disaster strikes.
Unfortunately, we also take many steps backwards. Financial gain is put ahead of protecting our people. Funding for important programmes and research is cut. We don’t take the ongoing time needed to make sure relationships are in place before we need them.
Vulnerable people and those who have different, valuable cultural views are left out of discussions and planning. Trust in science and governments is eroded.
Technology grows by leaps and bounds and creates more problems to solve, like what happens when the internet goes down during a large earthquake when we now depend on it?
Progress requires working together. We know that stronger and better-connected communities hit with disaster are so much stronger. Experts need to work more within our communities, not just publish research papers that most people can’t access, in a language full of jargon. We need to better include and respect the magnificent diversity of humanity.
This entire process is just that – a messy, complex, evolving process that continues to improve. There will be the “unprecedented” events that leave us with our jaws on the floor, and there will be new discoveries. We don’t have all the answers yet and we certainly do not have the means to implement what valuable lessons we have already learned.
My hope is that the future sees all of us working together so that when, not if, disaster strikes, we are ready. This can be through increasing our personal knowledge, knowing what to do, having clear but flexible plans, taking action, and being there for our neighbours.
We live on a very active planet, but we are not powerless.
It’s about productivity
By Peter Nicholl
I had hoped to write positively for my first column of 2025. But since my last in early December, there hasn’t been much positive economic news.
The data for GPD in the year to September 2024 showed New Zealand had its worst recession (except for the Covid-induced slump) in over 30 years. GDP per capita fell 2.7 per cent. Some other countries, like the US and Australia, seem to be having ‘soft landings’ - they are getting inflation under control without totally stifling economic growth. We are not landing so softly.
I think the reason is that New Zealand’s most significant economic problem isn’t inflation. The big problems we have is a lack of competition in many key sectors, poor productivity, and regulations that impose significant costs on farms, industries and financial institutions.
Our productivity levels have been poor for a long time and in recent years have fallen further. Productivity is now about 30 per cent below the level in Australia. That’s all you need to know to understand why many New Zealanders are shifting to Australia. There are only two ways a country can increase the prosperity of its citizens. It can create or find a scarce asset everybody else wants. We are probably going to have to rely on the second way – which is to increase productivity.
Treasury’s recent set of forecasts for the next several years made gloomy reading. It identified poor productivity as one of the main causes of the gloomy outlook. It said “several factors are likely to have contributed to this productivity slowdown, including poor diffusion
of innovation, weak investment and a slowdown in international trade and connections”. Really? These things are not the causes, they are the channels through which poor productivity spreads. The causes are much more fundamental. They are a lack of competition in many key sectors and the crippling impact of New Zealand’s web of costly regulations on the costs of doing business for farmers and companies.
Until organisations like the Treasury start focusing on the fundamental causes of poor productivity we will make little progress. I was encouraged by the focus the government gave to eliminating unnecessary regulations in their initial plans. But about the only story of action in this area I have noticed referred to the hairdressing industry. There has been little sense of urgency given to the task. When I was working in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, set up a Bulldozer Committee with the sole task of identifying and eliminating regulations that imposed more costs than benefits. New Zealand needs to adopt a bulldozer approach too.
One of the few public organisations the Government eliminated in its first year was the Productivity Commission. That could have been a good thing as I was sceptical of the value of its work. But it does have a degree of irony given our biggest and most long-lasting economic problem is low and falling productivity levels.
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Tainui opposes plant
By Chris Gardner
Waikato-Tainui “strongly opposes” plans for a waste-toenergy plant in Te Awamutu.
The tribe’s view are spelled out in a submission from Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Tumu Whakarae (chief executive) Donna Flavell in a submission to the Environmental Protection Agency.
“While Waikato-Tainui acknowledges the potential economic and operational benefits of this proposal, we have significant concerns regarding its environmental, cultural, and social implications,” she said.
The plant, to be called Paewira, would incinerate 150,000 tonnes of rubbish trucked in from around the Waikato to generate electricity. Waipā and Waikato councils asked the Environmental Protection Agency to make a decision on the application.
The Waikato-Tainui submission is one of 1350 in response to Hamilton-based Global Contracting Solutions’ plans for the plant in Racecourse Road.
It was made on behalf of 33 hapū, 68 marae and more than 94,000 iwi members.
“The discharge of contaminants such as PM10, PM2.5 and greenhouse gases poses risks to both human health and ecosystems,” Flavell said.
Waikato Regional Council measures the amount of both PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometres in size) and PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres) in the air.
While PM10 levels pose a risk to human health, the finer
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PM2.5 provides better evidence of effects on human health.
“The lack of comprehensive assessments of cumulative impacts and long-term monitoring plans is concerning,” Flavell said.
“The discharge of stormwater and its potential impact on the Mangapiko Stream and the Waikato River raises questions about compliance with Te Ture Whaimana’s objective to restore and protect water quality.
Te Ture Whaimana is the primary direction-setting document for the restoration and protection of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers.
Continued on page 18
By Roy Pilott
American lawyer Michael Connett has been booked to speak in Cambridge early next month.
Connett has been a prominent figure in a legal crusade against fluoride in drinking water in the US, and he will add firepower to Fluoride Free NZ campaigner Kane Titchener’s push to stop Waipā District Council adding fluoride to Cambridge’s supply.
The Ministry of Health recommends adding fluoride to drinking water and the requirement to do in Cambridge so was made in July 2022 by outgoing Director-General of Health Sir Ashley Bloomfield. It has not been added to supplies in Waipā before.
Connett has argued, as
does Titchener, that fluoride presents an unreasonable risk of neurological harm.
News of his visit comes on the heels of the release of a University of Queensland study which found no link between exposure to water fluoridation as a young child and negative cognitive development. A study of 357 people, now aged 16 to 26 years old, found those who consistently drank fluoridated water had an IQ score 1.07 points higher on average than those who did not.
Titchener responded that a subsequent paper released this month said that 52 of 59 studies linked higher fluoride levels with lower IQ and the average loss was 7 points.
Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated Tumu Whakarae (chief executive Donna Flavell with Te Arataura executive board chair Tukoroirangi Morgan.
CLOSINGSOON
Can I really change?
By Murray Smith, Bridges Church
We’re only about halfway through January 2025, yet the weeks which have transpired thus far may possibly already have provided a decent test for many who made New Year’s Eve resolutions.
If you challenged yourself making resolutions for the year, it’s likely you could be in good company with others whose intentions are by now somewhat ‘bent’… maybe even broken?
“I always resolve to be nicer to people, but each year some situation frustrates me, and then I’m not as nice as I’m supposed to be. So I just start again.”
“I wanted to stop eating sugar. But I just kept eating sugar.”
Without posturing as a master of selfdiscipline, there’s three simple fundamentals that I know by experience will make the difference in implementing personal goals.
One: start where you are at. If for example, you set a goal to read three books a month for the next year and currently you’re not even reading one, make one a month your start point. Persevere with that - then increase your ‘performance’ from there.
The desire for shaping a better version of ourselves and making private contracts to change and improve how we go about life is pretty universal. Each year unlimited numbers of resolutions are made relating to diet, health and fitness, relationships, discipline around personal conduct, habits and behaviours, or engaging in new interests and perhaps learning new skills.
I’ve joked sometimes with people who have sworn off making resolutions because of past ‘setbacks’ and the sense of failure they felt through over-projecting with goals they’ve concluded were too ambitious.
As someone quipped, “I just realised that my expectations were way too high and damaging to my mental health…”
Two: remove any and all temptations. As in the case above with reading more books, Netflix has ‘destroyed’ good resolutions for decades. Flirting and ‘running the gauntlet’ with little compromises or distractions, hijacks efforts to change, shipwrecking the best of intentions.
That rationale becomes a bit like, “No more resolutions, means no more broken resolutions”. But is setting the bar as low as possible really a valid approach to protecting yourself from failure?
Three: last but not least - bringing God into the equation makes up for the weakness of human resolve alone to effect transformation. Karl Marx once proclaimed communism could ‘put a new coat on every person’. To Karl Marx, I’d say Jesus puts a new person into every coat.
Overcoming our negative predilections can be confronting but failing along the way shouldn’t be allowed to disqualify us from trying again and starting afresh.
Here’s a few real-life struggles acknowledged by people tempted to believe their battle for change was waging a war to achieve seemingly impossible goals…
“Every year I made a resolution to lose weight and then I - ooh is that a cookie?”
Consider those groups advocating certain ‘steps’ for resolving addictions - they propose embracing a ‘higher power’ concept, or ’God as you understand Him’.
However, real power for thorough and total change exists in reaching out to God personally, for who He actually is - Jesus the Saviour who still breaks bondages, bringing freedom, new life and victory in all our struggles.
your local tradespeople. Visit our new website which showcases our outstanding range of tiles as well as offering trend and design inspiration, valuable tips and advice on FAQs.
CountryLife
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Community Connect
January 16, 2025
kōrero wai – talk water
Waipā District Council has a big decision to make about how our water services are delivered.
The Government has told every council across the country to take a good look at the options for water delivery to make sure everyone is getting a high-quality service that is affordable for the future. This plan is called Local Water Done Well, and it aims to address New Zealand’s long-standing water infrastructure challenges.
The hard truth is that without change, to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across Waipā is going to get more expensive. Our district is growing, more rapidly than most. We want to look after what we’ve got, protect our precious environment, and make sure we get what is best for Waipā.
So, we’ve done our homework and are further exploring our options to make sure we do the right thing for our Waipā communities.
Three waters, three options
Working with other councils is the best option. We’re better together, and economies of scale bring benefits. There’s a wider-regional approach:
We’ve signed a Heads of Agreement as part of Waikato Water Done Well. This is a group of Waikato councils who have worked for many months to negotiate what a future Council-Controlled Organisation could look like, and how it will be governed. Signing the agreement hasn’t committed us to this option, but if this becomes our preferred choice,
we want to go directly to forming an organisation that owns all of the councils’ water assets and delivers all of the water services.
There’s a sub-regional approach:
This involves collaborating with the two other highgrowth councils in the Waikato – Hamilton City and Waikato District. We are looking at this in parallel with Waikato Water Done Well and still have a lot of work to do so we know what this could look like
There’s a back-up approach:
This would see Waipā set up its own CouncilControlled Organisation and operate its water services alone.
Next steps
What will this mean for you? Fresh and clean water will still flow from your taps, and your toilet will still flush, it is just who provides the service that is likely to change. So, same, same, but possibly different!
We’re required to deliver our Water Services Plan to the Government by September, setting out how we intend to operate in the future.
The plan will show how we will deliver services that meet the new water quality and infrastructure standards, support growth and urban development, that will be financially sustainable and can meet new regulatory standards by June 2028.
It’s not just about today, or tomorrow, it’s about what’s best for Waipā and generations for decades to come. We’re working hard on the options and will seek your feedback over the coming months.
What’s on?
Waka Ama 2025 National Sprint Championships
The 35th annual event with 3,875 participants expected.
Free entry for spectators
Racing each day 13 – 18 January
Lake Karāpiro
Ladies International Polo Match
New Zealand vs. Zambia
Free entry for spectators
Friday 17 January
Cambridge Polo Club, Leamington
Family Workshop: Summer Puppets with ReCreators
In this workshop, kids will create summer puppets! Free entry, bookings essential via the What's on Waipā website.
Saturday 18 January
Te Awamutu Museum
Summer Outdoor Movie Series at the Raceway
Cambridge Raceway’s outdoor movie series!
Tickets are $5 per person (free for under 12s) via the Cambridge Raceway website.
Sunday 19 January and Friday 14 February
Cambridge Raceway
Native Bird and Flora Identification
Workshops
Venture out into Te Tūī a Tāne, the Southern Enclosure, to put your bird watching or flora spotting skills to the test.
Tickets: $25 children, $75 adults. Available now on What’s on Waipā website.
Birds: Wednesday 22 January
Flora: Thursday 23 January
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
The competition for space
By Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge roads, cycleways and footpaths are under siege from cars, trucks, motorbikes, tables and chairs, billboards, horses, bicycles, walkers, prams, buggies, dogs on a lead, wheelchairs and scooters of all types –either foot propelled or motorised.
On any given day you can see them all competing for space and somewhere in the middle of all those are our pedestrians.
Each has an opinion on the other’s right to space.
Car drivers have been known to wind the window down to abuse cyclists taking up too much of the road, cyclists often angrily ring their bells when something blocks their passage on the cycleways and pedestrians shout angrily at kids scooting in and around them at pace on bikes and scooters.
The problem seems to one of entitlement – who has first dibs on the footpath for example?
The word itself gives us a clue, it means a type of thoroughfare intended for pedestrian use and not cars, bicycles and horses.
But footpaths have morphed into cycleways and shared spaces, defined as paths to be used by pedestrians, cyclists, mobility devices and wheeled recreational devices. Add the name ‘multi-use’ before path and it can also include horse riders.
There is no set order from a hierarchal point of view unless signage specifically spells it out – for example “bicycles only” signs as appears in Hamilton Road and Bryce Street.
Cyclists should not expect to see pedestrians and push chairs on them, but there often are.
Those in our community who say no one ever uses the cycleways – despite Waipā counters saying otherwise –argue that is a good reason pedestrians can use them.
Conflict between users is common in our community caused by speed, lack of space and - in the case of young children on bikes, or teenagers on scooters – unpredictability.
The expectation is we should respect each other on these new-fangled paths. But some users simply don’t bother,
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don’t care or don’t know what the R word means on the paths and that conflict is quickly coming to a head.
Little wonder so many of our young, ageing and disabled population fear walking on footpaths, shared paths, multi-use paths or whatever term our road engineers have now produced.
While we see the benefit of shared paths and cycleways and applaud the council and New Zealand Transport Agency for championing them, the rights of non-pedestrian users should not have come at the expense of pedestrians, and I fear that tipping balance might have occurred in Cambridge.
While our engineers grapple with those competing users, I believe there is still a place for the humble pedestrianonly footpath so those vulnerable people in our society can feel safe.
In the meanwhile, can we all just calm down and respect each other on our roads, footpaths, shared spaces and cycleways in 2025?
WEDNESDAY
TUESDAY
9:55am, Cardiac Arrest, Bryce Street
4:49am, Cardiac Arrest, Thornton Road
Christmas spirit
By Viv Posselt
Forty-two Cambridge residents enjoyed Christmas a little more last year thanks to the efforts of Cambridge Altrusa Club and the generosity of locals.
They were presented with gifts given through the club’s second ‘Santa to a Senior’ initiative. Launched in 2023 by club president Alison Burr, the project sees the club collaborate with an aged-care facility and Unichem Pharmacy to collect gifts for seniors who would be without family at Christmas.
The recipient seniors are identified by the aged-care facilities, and are gifted presents purchased by members of the public and left under the ‘Santa to a Senior’ Christmas tree put up in Unichem.
The gifts were collected by Altrusa members and distributed just before Christmas. While the seniors remain anonymous, the public is alerted to generic gift ideas through tags on the tree.
“We had a great response again this year, both from the public and the staff at the pharmacy who helped people find suitable gifts,” Alison Burr said. “People are very generous, and some go to quite a lot of effort. We know that several of the gifts were well over the $25 value we use as a guide on the tags.
“We are so grateful for everyone’s support. Once again, we didn’t have enough gift tags to meet the public demand so we will look at providing more this year. We would like to reach more people in our community.”
The project also benefitted from a grant from Jumble Around.
1:09pm, Building Alarm and evacuation, Ruakura Road
WEDNESDAY
11:56pm, Building Alarm and evacuation, Hautapu Road
FRIDAY
THURSDAY
6:17am, Fire in the Vicinity Silverwood Lane 1:06pm, Animal Rescue, Hunt Grove
8:42am, Building Alarm and evacuation. Maungatautari Road
5:35pm, Building Alarm and Evacuation, Cambridge Road
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
3:53am, Medical assistance, Karapiro Road CAMBRIDGE
10:24am, Boat trailer Fire, Waikato Expressway
Starting in good spirits…
By Mary Anne Gill
Just towards the end of a karakia aimed at reawakening the spirits in the Cambridge Town Hall on Monday, a door slammed shut in the distant.
To those gathered, there was little doubt that was one of the spirits leaving the historic building so work could begin on the Victoria Room renovation.
Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā - who have been working closely with the trust set up to breathe new life into the Town Hall - presided over the karakia.
Outside the Victorian Room entrance, Ricky Winikerei used a conch shell to reawaken the ancestors and then accompanied by Haimona and Ramari Samuels, Gladys Tomlinson and Luana Tauroa walked around the hall to make the building safe for contractors.
The room is the first off the blocks for the $4.4 million renovation work which will see the “old lady” refurbished over eight months.
The room on the western side opposite Victoria Square will have a new kitchenette and more toilet facilities making it more suitable as a standalone space for events.
The Edwardian Room –
where work will start in March – will have a new commercial kitchen and bar with space for a moveable grand piano.
A new heating and cooling system are going in throughout the hall, the roof replaced, while new tables, digital TV screens, urns, kitchen appliances and glassware have already been added.
Woodview Construction was granted the contract last month.
Town Hall Trust general manager Simon Brew said the construction plan allowed for the hall to be used.
“It was important that the works were completed in a way that allowed the venue to continue operating. We aim to minimise disruption, prioritising bookings and maintain a full schedule of events,” he said.
Winikerei said it had been “awesome” to be part of the journey with the trust.
“Moving forward is all part of this journey. I can’t wait to see what happens next,” he said.
Haimona Samuels said the Town Hall, built in 1909, was a landmark building with a lot to share.
The renovations would open it up to everyone, he said.
NEW REGULATIONS FOR TREES NEAR POWER LINES
New regulations are in place to ensure power lines are kept clear of trees and people stay safe.
They identify four key zones for property owners to be aware of. Check out our website to find out more about the zones.
If you have trees that you ’ re concerned about, contact Waikato Tree Services.
Tainui opposes plant
“The proposal’s alignment with circular economy principles is unclear, and the reliance on incineration may hinder waste reduction efforts in the region.”
She said engagement with WaikatoTainui, Te Nehenehenui, and Raukawa had been limited.
“A site-specific Cultural Impact Assessment, prepared by mana whenua, is necessary to understand and mitigate cultural impacts adequately,” Flavell said.
The tribe said it found insufficient
information in the application to support the project’s purported intention to support the restoration of the Waikato River through the restoration of a stretch of the Mangapiko Stream.
“The detail relating to improved mitigation measures to achieve the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River is lacking and therefore is unclear on how the proposal will align to achieving Te Ture Whaimana,” Flavell said.
“The potential health risks from emissions and odour have not been
adequately addressed, leaving significant uncertainty for local residents.
She said a lack of transparency in assessments and the absence of a social impact assessment had created distrust among community members, who feared adverse impacts on Te Awamutu’s liveability and economic development.
The application requires consent from the Waikato Regional Council.
A board of inquiry will decide on the application in June.
Karakia complete: Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā who reawakened the ancestors and rid the Town Hall of the spirits, from left: Gladys Tomlinson, Luana Tauroa, Haimona Samuels, Ricky Winikerei and Ramari Samuels.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Road safety in numbers Back to School 2025
Sending your small one o to school for the first year or more is one all parents look at with a fair degree of apprehension.
Unless you are prepared to navigate the minefield of parent parking at any school these days – and there is never enough of it – then getting your child or children to school safely can be a headache.
Children are not as safe on the roads as the generations before them for any number of reasons and this is why the successful system of the walking school bus was implemented by many schools and/or parents some years ago.
Walking school buses (WSBs) have gained popularity in
New Zealand as a safe and e ective way for children to travel to and from school. How it works is, a group of children walk to school together, supervised by adult volunteers, o en parents or community members. This initiative not only promotes physical activity but also enhances safety for young pedestrians.
One key aspect of the safety of walking school buses is the structured nature of the program. Routes are pre-planned and o en involve familiar and busy streets, which are generally safer for children.
The presence of adult supervisors helps to ensure that children follow safety rules, such as looking both ways before crossing the street and staying with the group. Furthermore, the visibility of a group of children walking together can deter potential dangers, such as tra ic accidents.
In addition, walking school buses foster a sense of community among parents and residents. This community involvement leads to improved road safety measures, as local authorities may be prompted to change pedestrian crossings or reduce speed limits in areas frequented by children. The social aspect of walking school buses also helps to build relationships among families, encouraging a supportive environment for children.
While walking school buses are generally safe, it is crucial for organisers to conduct regular safety assessments and training for volunteers. This ensures that all participants are aware of potential hazards and know how to react in emergencies.
Communication with parents about the routes, schedules, and safety protocols is equally important to build trust and encourage participation.
And above all, it gives every parent peace of mind about the safety of their little ones.
When the most expensive time of the year isn’t Christmas
For more information, visit our website at Hamiltonpools.co.nz or reach out to us via email at hamiltonpools@hcc.govt.nz
SUMMER can be the most stressful time of the year for families – getting through the costs of Christmas and school holidays, starting in December, is finished o with the big financial bang of back to school in February.
Plunket believes the average cost to raise a child is in excess of $304 a week and unfortunately, the beginning of the school year tends to be one of those times when the costs are higher than usual, and are multiplied by the number of children you have when it comes to uniforms, learning resources from books to laptops, sports equipment, school fees right down to bags and shoes.
So, what can be done to ease the financial load?
These days almost all schools require their students to wear uniforms, so the added cost of this plus stationery, puts a strain on the family budget. While new uniforms are expensive, most schools have secondhand uniforms that can be purchased, and classifieds in your local paper or marketplace on facebook, can be a great place to find those.
Work and Income can help for those on a low income, provided there is documentation from the school about the requirements and costs.
Some schools will allow parents to deal directly with the supplier which can save money, and some will allow parents to stagger payments. These are all things you will need to enquire at the school your child attends.
Perhaps the biggest way to help get through this most expensive time of year, especially when there are multiple children, is to set up an account and put money into it throughout the year to help ease the financial load.
Heading to the Australian Open
Cambridge tennis player Wotjek Czyz is at the Australian Open in Melbourne to represent New Zealand. Wotjek will compete in the “Above Knee Amputee” event (“S3”).
Wojtek says at this point he is only competing in the singles event but may have an opportunity to enter doubles in the future.
Wojtek started playing tennis in Germany as a 10yr old with friends who were practicing – tennis was thought of more an elite sport in Germany at that time. After a short period Wojtek became more interested in tennis and started playing more but playing football was his main sport.
At the young age of 21, Wojtek about to start his professional football career, received a significant injury to his leg leading to the decision to amputate his leg above the knee. It was from there that Wojtek pursued other sporting challenges. Wojtek’s achievements are very impressive. He was a German para-badminton player and has represented NZ at the Paris Olympic games and previously was a former Track and Field athlete from Poland. Wojtek has attended four Olympic Games.
In addition, Wojtek holds the world record for Free Diving to a depth of 50 metres,
Wojtek has joined the Cambridge Racquets Club as his son is coaching there on a regular basis. In addition, his wife, is on the Board of the Botanical Art Society that operates from the Cambridge Art Club next door to Cambridge Racquets Club.
Wojtek says he joined the Cambridge Racquet Club because his first interaction showed him how inclusive the club culture was which is very important to him.
Ski club stays afloat
By Chris Gardner
A club which was left homeless after its lease expired is surviving on the water.
Brooklyn Water Ski Club, which had built clubrooms on leased land at Taumatawiiwii Reserve, on the banks of Lake Karāpiro, and celebrated a “last hurrah” there in late June, has been using Keeley’s Reserve over the summer.
Club committee member Glenn Harrop said the club had continued to meet monthly at Keeley’s Reserve on Tīrau Road and members brought barbecues and gazebos.
The club has responded to the fact it now lacked facilities by slashing membership fees, and “we have had between 35 and 40 rejoin”.
“The core membership and the committee is still very much active. We are still getting together and going boating, doing a lot of cool stuff without a home,” Harrop said.
Club president Tom Pickford said the club had been in discussions with Waipā District Council and had asked it for land to build a new club house.
Iwi renamed the Taumatawiiwii site Ahikāroa - the long-burning fires - in a dawn ceremony recently.
It is now being used by Karāpiro Waka Ama.
Ironically, fire was a feature of the ski club’s last hurrah at the side in June. The clubroom’s deck was removed and burnt in the evening.
“We did that when we were moving out,” said Harrop. “The
decking was removed for health and safety reasons. It was due for replacement and needed a lot of work. It was 28 years old.”
The club had occupied the site since 1964 and developed it from a hill covered in blackberry bushes and gorse.
Initially it leased the land from the Department of Conservation, then Ngāti Koroki Kahukura after the land was returned to mana whenua in a Treaty of Waitangi Settlement in 2014.
The club was asked to vacate the space in June after discussions on sharing it with other tenants failed.
The club also retained assets it had put into the clubrooms where members had installed a full kitchen, dining room, showers, and barbecue facilities.
“We had just put in a new stove,” said Tom Pickford. “We have hung on to that.”
The club also disconnected its electricity connection and removed electrical wiring which Pickford said was not up to standard.
Waipa District Council property services manager David Varcoe said the council and Sport Waikato had been working closely with the Brooklyn Water Ski Club to explore its options.
“These options could include taking on a community lease on a council-owned parcel of land elsewhere on Lake Karāpiro,” he said.
The News has sought comment from mana whenua.
Wojtek Czyz
Across 1. Divulge (4) 4. Tie (6)
8. Paper fastening device (7)
9. Separate (5)
10. Wind up (4) 11. Dead centre (8) 13. Consequently (9) 17. Watcher (8) 19. Light bluish green (4)
Last week
21. Form (5) 22. Toilet (7) 23. Sore to touch (6)
Period of time (4)
Flyer (7)
Hairless (4) 4. Clairvoyant (7-6) 5.
Across: 1. Droop, 4. Accept, 8. Scatter, 9. Vicar, 10. Barge, 11. Pergola, 12. Defend, 14. Escort, 17. En route, 19. Adage, 21. Crumb, 22. Sultana, 23. Cannon, 24. Wreck.
Down: 1. Disobedience, 2. On air, 3. Pattern, 4. Abrupt, 5. Cover, 6. Piccolo, 7. Break the bank, 13. Formula, 15. Swallow, 16. Person, 18. Urban, 20. Aware.
HABIT
HACKLE
HAGGLE
HAIKU
HAIRSTYLE
HALFWAY
HALLMARK
HALLOW HAMMER
HANDICAP
HANDKERCHIEF HANDSHAKE
A sad farewell with lots of stories
By Viv Posselt
Teacher Lynne Douglas lived a robust life… rich with family, friends, travelling and musicals, all washed down with a not inconsiderable amount of shopping and Sauvignon Blanc.
Stories of her escapades lifted some of the sadness at her packed farewell at the Raleigh Street Christian Centre last week.
Lynne’s sudden passing on December 29 left a sense of shock … just two weeks earlier, she had been cruising the Murray River with her closest ‘Thelma and Louise’ type mate Nola Hickey. They were cooking up travel plans for 2025, carefully crafted around Lynne’s work schedule as a relief teacher at Leamington School.
She had been teaching there for roughly 40 years. After retiring as a full-timer at the end of 2014 she continued as a reliever and, in September 2023, received an NZEI award recognising 50 years of service to teaching.
In a story The News did at the time of that award, Lynne said she was deeply humbled and said she still derived a great deal of
pleasure from teaching.
Leamington School principal Mike Malcolm described her as a ‘dear friend and highly respected colleague, a vibrant, active and sharp member of the team’.
“She never lost her ability to have fun with children, make allowances for each child’s quirks, and engage children in meaningful learning tasks,” he told The News.
“We will let things settle and then discuss how we will ensure the impact of Lynne continues across our school.”
She took her passion for the profession to a new level. Son Campbell said at the service that his mum had ‘forged friendships, mentored younger staff and impacted thousands of students for the better’ over her four-decade teaching career.
“She wanted to see kids progress and succeed,” he said. “She always understood that not every child had the same starting point.”
Lynne was born in Hawera in 1949. Taranaki always held a special place in her heart, which is why sons Matt and Campbell have pledged to take her home.
After completing her teacher
training in Palmerston North, she returned to Opunake for her first teaching job. It was there she met the boys’ dad, Bob Douglas and the family was started. Matt and Campbell remember halcyon days filled with laughter, wine, card games, dancing… and their mum’s spoon playing skills. It was also there that the Douglas pair met Nola and Paddy Hickey, beginning what became a lifelong friendship.
The Douglas family moved to Cambridge in 1975 and after taking time to re-settle the boys, Lynne joined the Leamington School teaching staff. She was the antithesis of ‘all work and no play’. She enjoyed staff parties and coffee mornings, and together with her teaching chums, would see off most weeks with a Friday wine at Onyx.
She was said to have possessed a ‘restless energy’ and outside school, was an intrepid traveller. It was a passion she often spliced with her love for musical theatre and shopping her socks off.
Her brother Greg said she was always happy, never judgemental, while collective memories from her grandchildren celebrated her
special personalised gifts, her skill at Articulate and Cornhole games, and the oddball jobs she sometimes gave them.
One of those Friday friends reckoned Lynne was about six degrees of separation from most people in Cambridge, so widely was she known. “She was a dedicated professional and a fantastic friend,” they said, “and boy, could she whip up an amazing shortbread and a mean vegetable soup!”
Rebekah
Lynne Douglas pictured on one of her many travels.
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Community’s rapid response
By Chris Gardner
Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade’s new first rapid response medical vehicle was among the units that went to a Te Pahu shed blaze on Sunday night.
It took about two hours for Pirongia firefighters to extinguish the flames of the Waite Road shed, saving the neighbouring home from being engulfed by flames.
It was the fourth time, since the brigade took delivery of the Mitsubishi Triton in late December, that the medical vehicle had been used to save property and lives.
Its defibrillator had already been used twice at separate call outs.
Pirongia Fire Station chief fire office Roan Gouws said the new vehicle, brought following more than a year of community fundraising, gave the brigade more flexibility when responding to an emergency. In many cases it would be sent to an emergency first, in other cases it might be the last vehicle to arrive on the scene bringing backup.
“It improves the brigades capability in the community,” he said. “It’s not just this community. We offer back up to Hamilton, Ōtorohanga, and Te Awamutu brigades.”
Pirongia firefighters can also find themselves responding to emergencies in Kawhia, Raglan, Ngāhinapōuri, and as far afield as Lichfield in the South Waikato.
The station has a team of
20 who are called to nearly 100 emergencies a year and Gouws said he expected the rapid response medical vehicle to be used for up to 75 per cent of this year’s calls.
Deputy chief fire officer Roger Grylls, who led the fundraising committee, said fundraising began August 2023, and he was amazed how quickly the $120,000 funds needed for the project were raised.
Once the vehicle was purchased, at a discounted rate from Mitsubishi Ingham Te Awamutu, it was fitted out by Camco Industries in Cambridge, also at a discounted rate.
Support came from businesses and organisations, and pub charities, and the brigade sold burgers at the town’s annual craft fair.
Earlier in the year the station was provided with a used utility vehicle by Waipā Networks which it uses to transport personnel to incidents. It also has an appliance supplied by Fire Emergency New Zealand in 2023 and an appliance supplied in 2022.
“I really want to acknowledge all the hard work that the people in the brigade went to in order to get this for us,” Gouws said.
The rapid response medical vehicle will be blessed at 10am on Saturday, February 1, when the station will host a morning celebration.
The station is also recruiting new firefighters.
Pirongia Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy chief fire officer Roger Grylls, pictured behind the wheel of the new rapid response medical vehicle Chief fire officer Roan Gouws stands by the vehicle while his son, firefighter Josua Gouws, rides in the back.
CHATFIELD Enid Margaret
– Passed away peacefully at CHT on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, aged 87 years. Dearly loved wife of the late Albert (Bert) Chatfield, loved mother and mother in law of Nigel and Lynda and respected Grandi to Shaun and Jodi, Kylee and Craig Mora, Vanessa and her five great grandchildren.
“Through memories you will be in our hearts forever”
A special thanks to the staff at CHT. A private family service to farewell Enid has been held.
Te Awamutu Funeral Services, FDANZ
EMERSON, Colleen Jeanette
– Passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family on 20 December 2024, aged 85 years. Much loved and loving wife of Roy for 65 years. Loved mother and mother-in-law of Candy and Alastair, Joanne and Alf. Adored grandma and great-grandma of Hannah, Nathanael, Jesse, Isaac, Emma, May and Jasmine, and their families. Loved and loving big sister of her 17 siblings. In accordance with Colleen’s wishes, a private burial has taken place.
FRANKLIN, Alvin Lloyd (Paddy, Patrick) – Passed away peacefully on the 6th of January 2025 aged 85 years. Loved husband of Khuanprai and all of the wider Franklin family. At Paddy’s request a private cremation has taken place. Communications to the Franklin family C/- Legacy Funerals Cambridge, PO Box 844 Cambridge 3450.
HANHAM, Jim – passed away on 22 December 2024 aged 72 years. Dearly loved by his wife Robyn, children and grandchildren. Jason, Maria, Brody, Emma, Stacey, Ben, Lewis and Piper. The best Dad and Pop you could wish for, but the WOF finally ran out. A private service for Jim has been held.
DEMPSEY – Ian and Jill Married 60 years ago in Kaikoura on the 16th of Jan 1965. Congratulations Mum and Dad.
Much love from your children and grandchildren.
TO LET
3Brm with separate garage
8Ks North Otorohanga
Available 1st Feb No Dogs
$550 pw plus Bond, references etc
0272338237
GRAZING LAND for cattle wanted to lease. Interested in any size from 5 - 100+ ha. Contact Taylor if any interest. Ph 021 805 421.
Tuesday January 28
Teacher Only Day & Enrolments
WAIPA DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING NOTICES
The following meetings were cancelled in December 2024 –Wednesday 11 December Te Awamutu-Kihikihi 2024 Community Board
6.00pm
Monday 16 December 2024 Strategic Planning & Policy Committee 9.10am Council Chambers 101 Bank Street TE AWAMUTU
The following meetings will be held in January 2025
07 827 7649 legacyfunerals.co.nz
Wednesday 29 January 2025 Council 9.10am
Council Chambers 101 Bank Street TE AWAMUTU
Please visit the Council website for all meeting information. Electronic copies of Council agendas are available on the Waipa District Council website prior to meetings.
Steph O’Sullivan Chief Executive
Cambridge Seventh-Day Adven�st Church
Cr. Shakespeare & Browning Streets Bible Study Each Saturday: 9.30am – 10.45am
Worship Service: 11.00am
Like us on Facebook: h�ps://www.facebook.com/cambridge.sda.9 email: cambridge.sda.nz@gmail.com
Phone: 027 677 6433
Hope Channel – Freeview Ch 27, Sky 204
We offer detailed study of the Bible and inspiring worship experiences. All Welcome.
SCHOLARSHIPS
2.00 – 3.30 Enrolment time for in-zone students who have not yet enrolled at the school, please phone from 22 January for an appointment (827 5415 ext 0)
Wednesday January 29
9.00 – 11.30 All students who wish to make a subject change come to the School Hall and M Block
2.00 – 3.30 Enrolment time for in-zone students who have not yet enrolled at the school, please phone from 22 January for an appointment (827 5415 ext 0)
Thursday January 30
9.00 – 9.30 Assemblies - Year 12 in New Gym, Year 13 on Old Gym
9.45 - 12.30 Course confirmation Year 12 & 13 When course confirmation is completed, students are free to go home. This may not take long.
Friday January 31
8:40 - 9.45 Powhiri for Year 9 students and Peer Support Leaders; meet at the front of the school.
9.45 - 12.45 Form class activities and class photos 12.45 - 3.15 Year 9 BYOD Training. Please bring your device
(incorpora ng the Tom & Rose Milnes Bev Smale Tex les Technology Award Zoe Green
Monday February 3 - Whole school attends Timetables will be provided, they will not be available before then.
Jono Gibson Funeral Director
CAMBRIDGE OPEN HOMES
My family sometimes criticizes my ‘obsession’ (their term) with my veggie garden. Especially tomatoes and lettuces. ‘Why grow them,’ they ask, ‘when in summer, veggie shops and farmers’ markets sell them so cheaply?’ Well buying veggies simply doesn’t compare with the pleasure of seeing my tiny plants develop into tasty, colourful treats.
Every year I experiment with different varieties of tomatoes, but I’m hooked on ‘dwarf’ varieties that don’t grow into sci-fi type triffids. And a few cocktail varieties that add colour to my salads.
Tomatoes are really fruits. A fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains the seeds, while a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves and roots of the plant.
I also enjoy growing radishes as they can be ready to pick in four to eight weeks. And although they add delicious crunch and tang to raw combos, they are almost better cooked: sautéed in butter with a dash of chilli; grated into fritters; or roasted with meats. The leaves also add interest to salads.
Spinach is a ‘must have’ all year round. It adds an earthiness to green salads that plain lettuce doesn’t. Young spinach leaves are crisp, yummy and should be enjoyed raw. Large leaves are excellent cooked. It’s certainly a versatile green.
Spicy shakshuka & tomatoes
It is thought that the recipe shakshuka originated in Tunisia, but there are now as many variations of shakshuka as there are recipes for pavlova.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced 1 teaspoon each: curry powder, fennel seeds, diced chilli
4 large ripe tomatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon tomato paste freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste
4 eggs
cooked.
Great garnished with coriander leaves and served with crusty bread. Serves 2.
Paneer with spinach
Paneer is an important food in south Asian countries.
It is a fresh, non-melting, vegetarian curd cheese made by clotting heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar or other food acids. I used a New Zealand made paneer with chilli added. You could also add a little chilli to the spinach mixture, if preferred.
Sauce: 700g young spinach leaves
2 tablespoons each: water, canola oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large onion, diced 2cm knob root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 teaspoons ground coriander salt and pepper to taste
Paneer: 250g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
stick frying pan. Add the cumin seeds and heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook on medium heat, until softened. Stir in the ginger, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper. Add the spinach and a little water if too thick. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the paneer and cream and heat through. Serve with the lemon wedges on the side. Serves 4 as part of an Indian meal.
Radish and salmon salad
Dressing: 2 tablespoons lime juice
1 long green chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
1 shallot, diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salad: 250-300g potatoes, peeled and cubed
100g sliced smoked salmon
3 large radishes, thinly sliced 1/2 cup each: coriander leaves, mint leaves flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a medium frying pan. Sauté the onion, until softened. Add the spices then the tomatoes and stir well. Cook for 15 minutes on medium low heat, until thickened. Stir in the tomato paste. Season. Make 4 hollows in the mixture. Break in the eggs. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, until just
6 tablespoons cream lemon wedges to serve
Wash the spinach and chop finely. Place in a large microwave bowl with the water. Cover and microwave on high power for 2-3 minutes, until wilted. Stir halfway through cooking.
Cool then drain well. Place in a blender and process until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large non-
To make the dressing, place the ingredients in a small blender and process until well mixed.
Steam or microwave the potatoes, until tender. Drain. Toss in 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Cool. Julienne the salmon and combine with the potatoes, radishes, herbs and seasonings. Drizzle with the dressing. Serves 2.
Spicy shakshuka and tomatoes
Paneer with spinach
