Waikato-Tainui “strongly opposes” plans for a waste-to-energy 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 Hamiltonbased 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 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.
“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 Waikato-Tainui, 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
Tainui opposes plant
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.
Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated Tumu Whakarae (chief executive Donna Flavell with Te Arataura executive board chair Tukoroirangi Morgan.
An artist’s impression of the proposed plant.
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
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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 11,118only run on weekdays. They leave early in the morning and return later in the afternoon. They pick up and drop off
the beat
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.
A sad start to the year
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 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.
with Senior Constable DEB HANN
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.
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
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.
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 .
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.
O’Regan: ‘I’ll 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.”
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.
Rosetown
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.
Jim Goddin JP Funeral Director
Susan O’Regan
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.
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.
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. waipanetworks.co.nz/safety/
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.
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.
Best: bar none
By Mary Anne Gill
The top story on Te Awamutu News website last year was the closure of Pirongia’s Five Stags Restaurant and Bar following the loss of its appeal to losing its liquor licence.
A story about how Rural Support Trust is busier than ever as farmers struggled with mental health, stress, employment and financial issues came in at second in a year where website visits were up 133 per cent.
Columnist Janine Krippner was third with her column on move number 25 in 21 years. A career in volcanology did not translate into stability, she wrote.
The death of motorcyclist Donna Gaye McCauley, who days before had spoken to The News during International Female Ride Day about how much she enjoyed riding motorcycles, was poignant.
Rounding out the top five was Don’t Burn Waipā lobby group’s appeal to the dairy industry to speak out against plans for a waste-to-energy plant in Te Awamutu.
Other popular stories came from the council led by an unbudgeted $57 million on wastewater plants, mayor Susan O’Regan’s appeal to the Department of Conservation over funding for Maungatautari and replacing town signs.
The story about Pieta Bouma, who comes from a big Dutch, Catholic, farming immigrant family and who grew up on a lifestyle block in Ngāhinapōuri, and her call for a global revolution also made the top 10.
Good Local News editorial director Roy Pilott said the numbers showed residents were increasingly turning to the Te Awamutu News website in between the weekly publications to be kept informed of news.
The company’s other websites –cambridgenews.nz, waikatobusinessnews.nz and kingcountrynews.nz – had also shown healthy readership increases, he said.
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
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 people involved
in the sport valued her involvement was emotional, she said.
Campbell had recently joined the Waka Ama board adding to her significant achievements competing on the water and coaching off it.
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.
She brought up 699 last week at the Cambridge Raceway in race three driving 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.
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).
“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.
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.”
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.
A section of the crowd during the pōwhiri held at Lake Karāpiro on Sunday. More photos teawamutunews.nz
Highway closure a mixed bag
By Chris Gardner
A two month closure of the Desert Road (ictured) 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.
Anti-fluoride lawyer from USA to speak
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 bowing to the Ministry of Health’s requirements
by adding fluoride to Cambridge’s supply.
Proponents of fluoride in Cambridge will doubtless take umbrage at Titchener’s involvement as his political interests are not in the town. He is deputy chair of the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board.
The Ministry of Health recommends adding fluoride to drinking water and the requirement to do so in Cambridge 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. Ironically, 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.
“There have been claims water fluoridation can negatively affect children’s neurodevelopment, but these results provide consistent evidence this is not the case,” Professor Loc Do from UQ’s School of Dentistry said. 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.
He said Connett, who is touring New Zealand this month and next, would explain all the science and what it means.
Titchener has called on the Waipā District Council to put a hold on plan to introduce fluoride.
water supplies and expects it will take about nine months. The work will involve installing plant.
The council is one of 14 instructed to add fluoride to
Current Director-General of Health Diana Sarfati, in a letter to the council last month confirming the order said, “according to the available scientific evidence, water fluoridation within the optimal rage provides protections against dental caries…” and “community water fluoridation is an effective public health measure”.
CLOSINGSOON
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.
We welcome you to a new and exciting year for 2025.
The office will be open: Wednesday 22nd January 9.30am - 3.30pm Thursday 23rd January 9am -12noon Tuesday 28th January 9.30am - 3.30pm
School starts Wednesday 29 January 8.55am
Please come prepared wearing your full uniform including correct footwear. Remember to bring your stationery items and your PE gear. Uniforms can be purchased directly through NZ Uniforms https://teawamutuint.nzuniforms.com Click - SHOP ONLINE or from the store at 244 Tristram Street, Hamilton
Don’t forget to download the HERO app and use the email you provided on enrolment.
646 Hazelmere Crescent, Te Awamutu 3800 P O Box 357, Te Awamutu 3800 07 871 6377 www.teawamutuint.school.nz office@teawamutuint.school.nz by LINC-ED
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.
Systems to suit starting students Back to School 2025
Is your child ready to start school? Or are you considering a move that will see your child in the one school for a matter of weeks or months before having to move into a new one? New Zealand has a unique way of sorting out how best to get a child into school at the right time of their development, while still working within the legal timeframe.
The start of a child’s school year depends on their birthdate and traditionally, follows a staggered school entry system. This is managed by allowing children to begin school on or shortly a er their fi h birthday, but attendance isn't legally required until they reach six years of age.
Most children in New Zealand start school as soon as they turn five, even if it’s partway through the school year. This is referred to as a "continuous entry" system and one still in use for a percentage of primary schools.
For example, if a child turns five in August, they can begin school soon a er, joining an existing class.
However, in 2018, the Government introduced the cohort entry system, that allows schools to group new entrants to start at the beginning of the term closest to their fi h birthday. What this means is a child can start at the beginning of a term rather than immediately a er turning five.
It is believed that psychologically, it is easier on children to start as new entrants in a group, rather than individually, when children have already begun to sort out their place in groups within their peers.
Back-to-School
For example, if children turn five in mid-February, they may begin school at the start of Term 1 (late January/early February), or Term 2 (late April) depending on the school's policies. The same applies to children whose birthdays are mid year for example, or a child whose fi h birthday is in November can wait until the following first term of the New Year. Cohort entry is optional and is implemented at the discretion of the school, so not all schools use this system and it would pay to check.
Although children can start at age five, New Zealand law states that they must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. This provides some flexibility for parents who might choose to delay school entry.
The New Zealand school year runs from late January/early February to mid-December, divided into four terms. The child's birthdate determines which point in the year they begin schooling.
When the most expensive time of the year isn’t Christmas
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.
Our first day of school for 2025 is Monday 3rd February, at 8:55am Nau Mai, Haere Mai to our new and existing whānau. The office will be open for enrolments, stationery and uniform sales on: Tuesday 28th January
Wednesday 29th January Thursday 30th January 9:30am to 1pm
For more info or for further queries, email office@pekapekarau.school.nz or visit www.pekapekarau.school.nz
For more information, visit our website at Hamiltonpools.co.nz or reach out to us via email at hamiltonpools@hcc.govt.nz
Waipā women’s hub launched
By Viv Posselt
The Waipā Women’s Hub marked its first year in operation with a preChristmas bash that also served to thank businesses and organisations that have supported them.
The soirée at Te Awamutu’s Lyceum Club premises served also as the Hub’s official launch to a wider public.
Group founder Vicki Willis said they had been operating in partnership with the Te Awamutu Lyceum Club for much of the past year, offering
women the club’s spacious Bank St venue to gather socially, listen to speakers and attend activities and workshops.
The idea, she explained, is to help women enhance their lives via virtual and in-person events across four core pillars – heal and nurture, learn and develop, grow and empower, and love and support.
She would also like to see the Hub become the venue of choice for women’s events across Waipā.
“We’re about helping women fulfil their potential. We want them to be happy
and effective citizens who contribute positively to their family and their community. This has been my passion project for a while… I want to see it grow in 2025.”
The Hub started after Vicky spoke about that ‘passion project’ to Te Awamutu’s Carmen van Straalen, who thought it was a great idea. Vicky and husband Pete had moved from Auckland to Waipā in early 2021, and it was Vicky’s moves to find a new circle of friends and embed herself in the community that brought her into contact with Carmen.
Work bearing fruit
By Samuel
Last Summer was my first attempt at building a garden and growing something worth eating out of it. About mid-way through December, though, I realised I had made a big mistake.
My tomato plants had nothing to climb on. I quickly wrangled together a makeshift rack, made of a leftover piece of trellis which, again I realised, was not tall or strong enough to hold the weight of the plants. They ended up pulling the trellis over and growing out over some ferns I had beside the garden. Although it looked terrible and I had to search under layers of vines to try and find tomatoes, it worked out enough to give me something to have on my toast in the mornings.
This year I decided to put a bit more effort in. I built a scaffold over the whole garden, tying up strings which lead down to each off-shoot. Now, I have this mass of green climbing up towards the deck and we get to watch as the yellow flowers quickly turn into big green fruit. Hopefully soon, it will become a crop worthy of my morning toast. Growing food in the garden, even if it is as simple as one tomato plant, is beneficial in many different ways. Though I get to enjoy the end product, there is a fulfilment, a sense of pride and expectation that you get as you care for the garden, watering and weeding. For a Christian, we believe that we were created to be stewards of God’s creation. In the creation story, right at the beginning of the Bible we read of a God who
The Hub has a healthy online following and about 50 paid members.
Hamilton born Vicky nurtured early thoughts of becoming an architect but ended up training as a primary teacher, attaining a certificate in horticulture and landscape design, and further qualifying in career development. She taught at various Auckland schools before heading the
careers department at Mr Albert Grammar, working with the Auckland branch of Cate (Careers Advisors and Transition Educators), and then leading careers guidance at three other Auckland high schools. She ended up opening her own life coach business, applying a holistic approach to helping people craft or reignite their career and life plans.
A hotel with history
The worm-eaten and rat-ridden state of the Star Hotel at Kihikihi compelled the police in 1916 to apply to have its licence cancelled. The place was in a state of great disrepair, patched with tin to prevent rodents overrunning it, and completely unfit for human habitation.
It was a far cry from the elegant edifice which had opened in July 1883. The new hotel had 22 rooms reached by wide and lofty passages. On the upper floor were 12 single and double bedrooms, a good bathroom, and a cosy drawing room. Wrapped around the upper storey was a balcony from which there were splendid views.
takes what is chaotic and moulds it into something ordered. God splits the waters from the below and above, forms the earth and carefully places creatures on it. Finally, God creates humans in God’s image and instructs them to care for all that God has created.
This picture offers us a framework within which to view the world. We are created to be in relationship with God, ourselves, other people and the rest of creation. Within these four relationships we are called to care and empower all things to flourish.
Jesus becomes the ultimate fulfilment of this purpose, showing us that through him we can flourish in all four areas.
As I look at my garden, then, I am encouraged to do something with it. Having already found fulfilment in the growing of these crops, I wonder how these can be used to care for others as well. Here in Te Awamutu we have several different ways that we can do this. We have the recently rebuilt Sharing Shed where we can offer the extras that we have to whoever needs it. We also have a Crop Swap which is being run out of the Anglican Church’s Hall off George street. The next will on January 25. This is a great place to share what you have grown and enjoy what others have grown too. Finally, we can simply look over the fence to our neighbour and possibly build a new friendship through the offering of fresh food.
A private staircase led up to the balcony, so that lady visitors could have discreet access. The staircase was also a fire escape, a thing which was then frequently overlooked. On the ground floor were four private sitting rooms, a billiard room, a dining room for 26, a bar and kitchen. The billiard room had one of the best and fastest tables procurable in the Auckland district. Few country hotels could compare with Kihikihi’s Star Hotel.
In 1887 fire threatened the hotel when straw and compressed hay in the hotel’s stable loft caught alight. The horses and harness were
safely removed and the iron roof kept the sparks and flames from rising and landing on the hotel itself.
When Tom Porter became licensee of the Star in July 1898 his introduction to Kihikihi was fairly startling.
The Rev Walter Smith, on horseback, had collided with a barbed wire fence, some of the barbs catching in his leggings and he was thrown violently over the fence. He was carried into the Star Hotel in great pain to await medical assistance.
Tom Porter had been the publican of the Railway Hotel at Mercer where he was a popular host. He had come to Kihikihi with his wife Lucy and their three young children. One of his initial tasks was to write to the Kihikihi Town Board complaining of a bad smell arising from a cesspit. The Board had the pit inspected and arranged to “remedy the evil”.
Another fire, in 1899, in a house close to the Star Hotel, destroyed the house, but with the assistance of willing helpers Tom Porter was able to prevent his hotel catching fire too. But Tom Porter was not well and within 18 months of coming to Kihikihi he died at the hotel aged 39. He was taken by train back to Mercer for burial.
His widow Lucy applied to the Waikato Licensing
Now working with husband Pete and a member of the Te Awamutu Rotary Club, she is keen to use some of that wider experience to support Waipā women to do the same.
“The Hub isn’t a service club, it’s not here to fundraise … I simply want to help women make the best of their lives and am very open to hearing what Waipā women want.”
Committee for permission to continue the Star Hotel for three months, as the will of her late husband had not yet been proved. Lucy’s health began failing and in October 1899 she left Kihikihi with her children. She planned a lengthy holiday spent with relatives and friends previous to settling down to business again. In early 1900 the license for the Star Hotel was transferred from Lucy to George Farquhar. But Lucy, too, died, in December 1900 at her father’s residence, Mangatawhiri Valley, aged 32, leaving the three children orphaned. She was also buried at Mercer.
The Star Hotel continued on, its grandeur gradually fading over time and in 1916 a proposal to amalgamate the Star with Kihikihi’s Alpha Hotel into one large hotel was made. It was considered far better to have one good modern hotel than to continue tinkering with the present building. Renovations, though, considerably improved the fate of the Star Hotel and it has survived to this day.
FAITH IN WAIPĀ
Pullenger, Ministry Assistant, St John’s Anglican Parish
The Star, decorated with flags, in the 1900s
Vicky Willis, left, with other Waipā Women’s Hub committee members Linda Rumbles, Lesley Egglestone, Dee Wilson, Monique Venn, Sarah Wrightson, Carmen van Straalen, Di Johnston and Katrina Hudson. Photo: Viv Posselt
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
At Te Awamutu Funeral Services our dedicated team is passionate about providing valuable guidance and a personalised service at a time when you need it most.
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Across 1. Divulge (4) 4. Tie (6) 8. Paper fastening device (7)
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.
HALLOW
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HARLEQUIN HARMONY HAVOC HAZE
HEARTACHE
HEDGE
HELIPORT HELIUM HELM HEPTAGON
HERB HEROIC
HERSELF
HIGHLIGHT
HIKE
HILL
HIPPIE
HIPPOPOTAMUS
HISS
HOBBY
HOG
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HOLIDAY HOMESICK HUMBLE HUNDRED HURRICANE HYMN
HYPNOSIS HYSTERIA
Tall tales and short stories from the long way round from the Australian rock legend
Highways and Byways
by Jimmy Barnes
From larger-than-life adventures to vivid and poignant tales of the imagination, Highways and Byways is a collection of stories taking readers on an enthralling tour (complete with the odd detour) through the raucous, well-lived life of one of this country's most successful and beloved artists. Told with Jimmy's signature verve and flair, and richly coloured by his distinctive voice and wit, Highways and Byways sees him sharing a 1970s Texas stage with a dream line-up of US musicians; flirting with disaster in a Hawaiian high-rise; discovering a life-changing cassette tape; unearthing shattering family secrets in Glasgow; encountering charismatic and not-so-endearing superstars, ghosts of the recent and distant past, superfan traffic cops and shady salesmen; and confronting his own mortality - while pondering the more amusing effects of hospital medication. Charming, personal and poignant, Highways and Byways is a collection that celebrates Jimmy's Scottish heritage, family, friends, music and the adventure of a grand life.
JIMMY BARNES is a Scottishborn rock singer-songwriter who grew up in Adelaide. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist of the legendary band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most successful and distinctive artists in Australian music history. A prolific songwriter and performer, Jimmy has been a storyteller for more than forty years, sharing his life and passions with Australians of all ages at over ten thousand gigs throughout his adopted homeland. Across his career Jimmy has sold over 12 million albums.
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.
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 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
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-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
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.
Contact
Spicy shakshuka and tomatoes
Paneer with spinach
WANTED TO LEASE
GRAZING LAND for cattle wanted to lease. Interested in any size from 5 - 100+ ha. Contact Taylor if any interest. Ph 021 805 421.
PROOFTIME 13/11/202312:34:51PM
LASTRUN: 11/30/23
SIZE: 10X2
CLEANER
As a member of our Community team, you will play an important role assisting our Elderly Community clients to keep their homes clean, tidy and safe.
For this position you will need to have:
• your own vehicle
• a clean driver’s license
This is a full time Monday to Friday position (with flexible hours if required).
If you are honest, hard working and like to clean
call Andrew on 0275 532614 for an initial chat
Newspaper Deliverer Wanted
for delivery of the Te Awamutu News, your local weekly community newspaper. Deliveries are to occur every Thursday. Are you honest and reliable and would like to earn some money while keeping fit? Our runs are suitable for either youth (minimum age 11 years) or adults.
Delivery runs available in the following area:
• Hazelmere Cresent/Park Road area
Please contact us on E: admin@goodlocal.nz
Provide your name, phone number, and the area you are located.
Agenda: Chairman report Orsarna Flavell, Treasurers report Lay Karekare, Secretary general report Tania Heke 2024 summary Election of officers, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer; Komiti Delegates and social media
WAIPA DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING NOTICES
MILLS, Gordon Howard –Passed away peacefully at home on 23rd December aged 80. Brother and brother in law of Margaret (deceased), Graham, Peter and Colleen, John and Wendy, Michael and Christine. Deeply loved husband of Michelle for 40 years. A private cremation has been held and a celebration of his life will be held at the Raglan Club on 14th January at 1.00pm.
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
Executive
3Brm with separate garage 8Ks North Otorohanga Available 1st Feb No Dogs
$550 pw plus Bond, references etc 0272338237
Willing to stand again 2025, Orsarna Flavell, Tania Heke, Lay Karekare, Duran Karekare, Victor Heke (Club Development)
