Cambridge News | May 23, 2024

By Mary Anne Gill

Anchor, an iconic global brand with century-old links to Cambridge, is up for sale.

It is expected to fetch millions of dollars and boost dairy giant Fonterra and its suppliers’ bottom line by millions of dollars.

But before it goes, Pukekura residents want more done to acknowledge Anchor’s humble beginnings in Cambridge so the thousands of people who pass by the old buttery to and from Lake Karāpiro every year can appreciate its role in creating a global superstar.

And the Te Awamutu grandson of the man who came up with the Anchor name back in 1886 agrees and reflected on how much he would be worth today if Henry Reynolds had not sold the name for £10,000 in 1896.

“I’d be a billionaire, that’s for sure,” said Richard Reynolds this week.

In typical corporate speak, Fonterra announced last week it was “exploring divestment options for its global consumer business”.

What the company meant was it is ditching brands like Anchor, Mainland, Kāpiti, Anlene, Anmum, Fernleaf, Western Star, Perfect Italiano and others to concentrate on its dairy ingredients business – processing, collecting and selling milk.

A new owner could help Anchor and the other commercial brands to flourish, the dairy co-operative announced, free up 15 per cent of the milk solids used to service them and potentially sell milk back to the new owners for more.

Paul and Lynne Garland, who live in the historic nearby Trecarne House, which was built by Richard Reynolds in 1877 and is

now a Category two listed house, say they doubt most people in Cambridge have any idea about the links to Anchor.

At the site is a plaque – unveiled in 1961 - commemorating the 75th anniversary, a story board put up by Waipā District Council four years ago at the insistence of former councillor Grahame Webber and a Te Ara Wai sign with a QR code to find out more about the site.

Neighbour Robbie Hughes said after the factory closed in 1975, many of the adjacent buildings and houses were either removed or demolished. All that remains today is part of the factory which has been converted into a house.

Underneath the white paint on the house, you can still see from the road a large Anchor logo, said Paul Garland.

“If the factory was still a working factory or perhaps if someone had looked after it and kept it, it could have been a tourism attraction. But it’s a house now.”

The factory employed a lot of people in the district at its heyday.

The story goes that when the first 100 pounds of butter were produced in November 1886, Reynolds chose the name Anchor when he saw a tattoo on an exsailor’s arm.

Within years Anchor butter was in Australia, China, Hong Kong and England with Reynolds building a special cool store at Hay’s Wharf in London where he distributed the butter himself to prevent it being sold as Danish butter.

New Zealand Dairy Association – the pre runner to Fonterra – purchased the Anchor brand when Reynolds struck financial difficulties. It transferred to Fonterra when the mega merger between Waikato-based New Zealand Dairy Group and Kiwi Co-operative Dairies took place in 2001.

Birthplace of Anchor butter: From left, dairy farmer Garry How, contractor Paul Garland and wife Lynne with Robbie Hughes who all live near the spot Henry Reynolds first produced Anchor butter. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Dairy farmers line up outside the Pukekura creamery in 1905.

Photo: Cambridge Museum.

Letters…

Board’s voice

I read with interest your front page item on Waipā’s community boards. What amazed me was the attitude of Waipā’s bureaucrats who seem to think that the community boards should be propaganda outlets for the council rather than be a voice for the ratepayers the boards represent.

Rather than the chairs of the boards needing “mentoring and training” it is Waipā managers who need mentoring and training in democracy!

If Waipā is concerned at the adverse reactions and comments from the ratepayers then it should look at its actions and decisions and understand that they, and their employees, are out of touch with the ratepayers and renters of the district.

Geoff Boxell Kihikihi

CONTACTS

News/Editorial

Roy

editor@goodlocal.nz 027

Mary

maryanne@goodlocal.nz

viv@goodlocal.nz

janine@goodlocal.nz

david@goodlocal.nz

Leamington appeal

I started to take notice of local body matters when I saw an advertisement in your paper for a proposed new bridge for Cambridge. What I saw seemed to have been hatched in a universe far far away!

I won’t dwell on that debacle, but it made me wonder about representation. I was shocked to learn that only one of our councillors lives in urban Cambridge. At the time of the

last election the others all resided rurally or outside the ward. The law allows for that. Also none of our community board members reside in Leamington.

In short, Leamington with a population of roughly half of Cambridge and comprising nearly a fifth of the total district has absolutely zero representation.

I then started to dig deeper and began to realise that the entire Waipa District Council seems to be run and controlled from Te Awamutu.

I do understand that councillors are pledged to act for all citizens, not just within their own ward, however that is not the case for community board members. I was therefore very concerned to see a member of the Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board lecturing the Cambridge Community Board at their recent meeting.

I was then astonished to learn that the Te Awamutu Community Board presented to the council Service Delivery committee an issue that was solely within the Cambridge ward. A glance at the LGNZ website convinces me that ward elected community boards have an advisory role only, within the boundaries of their ward. They are the voice for their community.

Leamington and Cambridge people need to stand up and say enough!

Leamington residents particularly should think very carefully who they vote for in November 2025.

I have become concerned enough to attempt to have people from Leamington represented in local government in future.

Murray Reid

Leamington

Editor’s Note: Since that advertisement appeared, another Cambridge ward councillor has moved into town.

My car, a bicycle?

Maybe it’s Generation X thing, but much of the 1+1=3 PC world remains frustratingly beyond my apparently archaic comprehension. However, I genuinely want to get on amicably with others. As such, in seeking to embrace that which might have been considered a bit “quirky“ in my day, and in light of Waipa District Council making Cambridge roads evermore congested, I’m wondering if my car can identify as bicycle? To fit in properly, I promise not to pay road user charges just like the other bicycles. But do I need paint a rainbow or some such symbol, on it? I’m not sure on the etiquette. Come to think of it, is there a such a thing as etiquette these days?

Shaun Robinson

Cambridge

Great news to start, the vehicle responsible for the burnouts on Shakespeare Street by Kingsley Street that I mentioned in a recent column, has been identified, located and impounded last week. Investigations continue into the identity of the driver.

The team have been following up on people for whom the court have issued warrants to arrest.

A warrant to arrest is most commonly issued when a person has failed to attend court for a hearing on the day to which they have been bailed or summonsed. A warrant may also be issued for a witness if they similarly do not attend a court hearing to give evidence when they have been summonsed to do so.

The Family court may also issue a warrant, for example if a respondent to a Protection Order has not met the course completion requirements set by the court before their hearing. In some circumstances where a (usually recidivist) offender has been unable to be located for a crime and the strength of evidence is strong, Police may opt to lay a charge with the courts and apply for a warrant to be issued, in lieu of summons, to bring them before the court.

Did you know, when a person has a warrant to arrest, Police have the right to enter - without (search) warrant - any

premises in which they have reasonable cause to believe the person who has the warrant is located, to look for them? Any person with an active warrant for their arrest, could be arrested at any time and at any place.

Once arrested for a warrant, the courts require that Police hold the person in custody until appearing in court at the earliest opportunity. This means if you are arrested for a warrant on a Saturday afternoon, you would stay in the cells until court on Monday.

So, what do you do if you have a warrant? The best thing to do is obviously avoid getting one in the first place – take note of court dates and attend them. The next best thing is to make a voluntary appearance at a Police station at the earliest opportunity so the matter can be dealt with.

If you arrive early in the morning, you will likely be processed and appear in court the same day.

In other news, when this column goes to print, we will have just held our Police recruitment seminar at Cambridge Police Station. If a career in policing interests you but you missed out on Wednesday, additional seminars are scheduled in the district in the coming month providing further opportunities to go along.

Lastly a reminder to cyclists on pack rides; the Victoria Bridge pedestrian walkways are

not suitable for you to use. Please cycle on the road and onto the main bridge lanes.

Briefs…

Tick Tock

Specialist plastering material scheduled to arrive via shipping routes from Italy has been delayed due to conflicts in the Red Sea area and is holding up completion of the Cambridge Town Clock. Despite this, good progress has been made on the tower structure – multiple, detailed tasks including cleaning of all surfaces, repair of cracks on rendering, repairs/ replacement of glass clock faces, clock mechanism servicing and clock housing repairs.

Work consented

Cracks have appeared in the brick cladding on some of the units at Dr Tod Court pensioner housing in Cambridge. Consent has been lodged, with work scheduled to take place in November and December as the scope includes some roofing work. Meanwhile the 10 new units at Vaile Court in Leamington are scheduled for completion next month. They will not address the pensioner housing shortage in Cambridge where there is a waiting list of 23.

Road safety

Students at Karāpiro and Tamahere schools had visits from the Road Safety Week team yesterday (Wednesday). More than 200 schools around the country are taking part in the week coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity, but only 16 got visits from the team, made up of volunteers from Beca and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. The theme was ‘Be a road safety hero.’

Motorcyclist dies

A Te Awamutu motorcyclist who participated in the International Female Ride Day in Cambridge earlier this month has died in a crash on Te Poi Road near Matamata.

Donna Gaye McCauley, 51, featured in The News after the event. Police say a serious crash investigation is underway.

Income up, more needed

By Mary Anne Gill

Cambridge Town Hall is about to have its most successful income year in a decade, but it needs a seven figure injection of funds to preserve and activate it further.

In a presentation to Waipā District Council’s Finance and Corporate committee last week, Cambridge Town Hall Trust chair Kirsty Johnson and general manager Simon Brew pulled no punches in laying out the size of the challenge.

“Overall maintaining fiscal responsibility while ensuring the successful execution of the renovation project remains a top priority,” said Johnson.

“We want the Cambridge Town Hall to be at the heart of the evolving community.”

Further upgrades to the Town Hall were among several projects put on

hold when the council opted for an Enhanced Annual Plan rather than a 10-year Long Term Plan.

The $2.1 million the council was to spend on the Town Hall in the 2024-2025 financial year was taken out – along with money for other big spending projects.

Councillors instead voted on giving the trust operating funds of $502,999 as part of its Enhanced Plan hearings this week..

That funding uncertainty was making it difficult for the trust, said Brew.

“This has been a really challenging time and I know it’s been challenging for the council too.”

A longer view of what funding looked like was necessary, he said.

The trust would embark on an annual appeal next month.

“We have no option but to ask people for large sums of money,”

said Brew who said the Town Hall needed at least $25 million to give it more than just a face lift.

“We make no apology, we are after people who can give us seven figures. We won’t get there on small grants.”

Work will start from November on upgrades in the side Victorian and Edwardian rooms utilising funds previously granted by the council.

Income from the Town Hall netted $60,000 at the end of April, two months out from the end of the financial year.

The year would end up being more than double the previous year, said Johnson, without an increase in fees.

Nearly 70 per cent of available days were now booked with weekends almost sold out. Trustees are considering whether those times should attract a premium.

In the past year the trust – which

was established in 2021 and comprises volunteers – introduced a new online booking system and hired a project manager to progress the capital spend.

Three recent workshops gave the trust the opportunity to understand the hall’s usage and bring the community along for the journey, said Brew.

Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, who was instrumental in getting the Town Hall Trust formed, said trustees were doing an “incredible job.”

“Keep your heads up high.”

Finance chair Andrew Brown also congratulated them while acknowledging their frustrations over funding.

Yet they were confronting the problem head-on and despite the big numbers, had the aspiration to achieve progress.

Burning ring of chilli fire

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

It’s a fine line between pleasure and pain, as the Divinyls’ song goes, but it’s a line Jim Thomassen gets a kick out of walking.

Jim, 55, is a competitive chilli eater who will take on the best at the New Zealand Chilli Eating Championships this weekend.

“When you’re competing there’s an incredible amount of pain, which some of the female competitors

liken to childbirth,” the Wise Group procurement specialist said.

“Your body releases as many endorphins as it can to counter the pain, so you find yourself in a very happy state of mind – you can even hallucinate.”

He loves the challenge of pushing his mind and body to the limit and says chilli eating is an extreme sport.

“After the competition you basically go and make yourself sick, because if you keep it in, it really

Rotary rocks the hall

By Viv Posselt

A specially adapted performance of ‘Something Tells Me You’re in for Something Good’ by Cambridge Rotary’s own band, The Bruised Brothers knocked the socks off hundreds of Rotarians gathered in Cambridge last weekend.

The social evening at the Cambridge Town Hall was a precursor to the business events of the weekend - two days of an intensive programme put together by the Cambridge-based District 9930 Governor, Bill Robinson and held at Sir Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karāpiro.

The welcome social also presented an opportunity for members to meet visiting Rotary International President representative Johnny Yu from the

Philippines, who was here for the event with his wife Veronica.

Robinson welcomed all those attending and thanked Dave Blewden for helping him pull the event together over the past three years.

“We had a strategic plan from day one … and now here we are,” he said.

Cambridge Rotary Club president David Partis said the occasion was made particularly memorable as this was the first time in years that the local club was hosting the club of the District Governor.

“The last time that happened was in 2008 when John Tarbutt was District Governor and Andrew Bateman was club president,” he said. “I am very honoured to do that here tonight.”

The News will cover the conference in full next week.

hurts,” he said.

“You literally feel the chillies travelling across your stomach and whenever you go to the loo next it’s as the Johnny Cash song says, ‘the burning ring of fire’.”

Jim first developed a taste for chillies while dining in overseas restaurants and began growing his own plants about 15 years ago.

In 2021 he decided to spice up his life by entering the Waikato regional chilli eating championship. He won and qualified for the nationals, repeating the feat in 2022 and achieving fifth-equal, his best result so far.

This Saturday marks his third crack at the New Zealand title.

In front of a crowd of about 500 chilli fans at Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen in Auckland, he and nine other finalists will chomp through an increasingly fiery selection of chillies, starting with a jalapeno measuring 5000 Scoville units.

“You are eliminated when you give in, are sick or have a drink,” Jim said.

“The last person standing is the winner. To be New Zealand champion you’ll need to eat 50-plus super-hot chillies over 90 minutes. These include red ghosts, Carolina reapers and the big black mama,

which are all around 1.5 million Scoville units, or 300 times hotter than a jalapeno.”

With the Oceania title also on the line, he’ll be up against some real firepower – New Zealand champion Shannon Leigh and Australian champion Gaby Del Castillo.

“Gaby is absolutely world class –she eats chillies like they’re pineapple lumps,” Jim said.

Although it was possible to build tolerance to the heat, he had not been training because it was “a little bit sadomasochistic”.

The final will be streamed live online.

In his spare time Jim also loves playing football and often takes a bowl of chilli to the local club to share during after-match functions.

Jono Gibson Funeral Director

Cambridge man Jim Thomassen is competing in the national chilli eating championships in Auckland this Saturday.

Chiefs for a day at Goodwood

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

Last week was one of the greatest of Harrison Bear’s life.

After returning from school camp last Wednesday, the nineyear-old got the chance to meet three of his rugby heroes – Chiefs players Hamilton Burr, Gideon Wrampling and Kaleb Trask.

The dream day happened thanks to his mum Lea-Anne, who won a competition run by Ingham Hyundai and nominated Goodwood School for a visit from the sports stars.

After arriving at 1.30pm last Thursday, the players attended a whole-school assembly and answered student questions.

Burr, a towering loose forward who lives in Cambridge and plays

for Hautapu, said he had moved to New Zealand from Scotland five years ago to play for the Chiefs. He grew up playing football and could eat 12 Weetbix.

Wrampling, a utility back, said he loved cookies and reading and his sporting hero was Michael Jordan. He liked to recover from games by taking his dog for a walk and soaking in water.

Trask, a first five-eighth, told students he felt “quite nervous” before games and liked to listen to music. Currently injured, he said he would love to get back on the field playing and have a crack at making the All Blacks.

After assembly the Chiefs players treated about 40 students to an outdoor skills and drills session. Bear loved the experience and

said they had taught him to “have fun and keep passing quicker”.

The year five student had been a Chiefs fan since he was two years old and had played rugby since he was five, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and brother at Hautapu Sports Club.

He and classmate Munesu Tsimba, who got a piggyback from Wrampling during one game, love talking sport with their teacher, Donna Miles.

“Every single Monday morning we unpack all the sport that’s happened over the weekend,” said Miles, a passionate Crusaders supporter.

She said it was “amazing” to have Burr, Wrampling and Trask at the school.

“I would have preferred some

of the Crusaders team, but that’s okay,” she said.

“Last year we had a huge debate in the classroom about which was the best team and of course they faced each other at the end of the season. There was me and one other person in the whole school who were Crusaders fans and all the rest were Chiefs fans. However, this season things aren’t going quite as well as we’d like, but I said to the children, they need my support even more now.”

Principal David Graham said the visit had been a fantastic experience for students.

“For students to see their heroes up close and be able to ask them personal questions like how many Weetbix they eat is special,” he said.

New ute for tree trust

By Mary Anne Gill

It might have already racked up the kilometres and seen its fair share of dirty gardening business, but Cambridge Tree Trust is happy with its new ‘old’ ute.

The 2011 Mitsubishi Triton will go quickly into service once the Waipā District Council livery has been removed. And according to deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk she and mayor Susan O’Regan have seen first-hand just how much the group of trust volunteers do around Cambridge.

“They cover so much of our community land. It’s incredible,” she said after the council’s Finance and Corporate committee approved gifting the ute to the trust.

The ute was part of Waipā’s ageing fleet and due to go to auction where it was expected to get between $8000-$11,000. Trustees pounced, checked the ute over and asked council if they could have it.

In the interim, they had already secured $2000 from the Cambridge Community Board towards funding a truck. That money will now go into the council’s fleet disposals account.

Te Awamutu councillor Lou Brown said he was “absolutely happy” with gifting the ute saying it aligned with the council’s stance around anchor institutions.

Nine-year-old Munesu Tsimba wins a game of ‘paper, scissors, rock’ with Chiefs rugby player Gideon Wrampling at Goodwood School last Thursday.

Chiefs players (back, from left) Hamilton Burr, Gideon Wrampling and Kaleb Trask with (front) students Harrison Bear (left), Munesu Tsimba (right) and teacher Donna Miles.

What you need in a woodburner

Selecting the best woodburner for Waikato’s conditions needs a bit of research when choosing the right one for your home.

This includes looking into the region’s climate, which can range from mountain to coast, compliance with local and regional regulations, and then ef ciency, and suitability for your speci c home.

Ours is a temperate maritime climate generally characterised by mild winters and moderate rainfall. However, temperatures still drop markedly during winter months, necessitating effective heating solutions for homes.

While extreme cold with snow is rare except in higher altitudes, a woodburner capable of quickly heating a room or entire house ef ciently ensures comfort during colder spells and is recommended. Look for models with high Energy Star ratings or those certi ed by environmental agencies for their ef ciency and low emissions.

Compliance with New Zealand’s stringent regulations governing woodburners is essential. Your woodburner needs to meet emission standards set by the Ministry for the Environment and both district and regional councils. Manufacturers

typically provide emission ratings and compliance information for their products, making it easier to choose environmentally-friendly options that meet regulatory requirements.

Opt for a woodburner that can ef ciently burn dry, seasoned wood, as it produces fewer emissions and maximizes heat output. Be very careful here as some of the cheaper woodburner manufacturers advise against burning

hard wood as this can damage the rebricks more quickly, requiring replacement ones. Burning coal is never an option in any woodburner.

Consider the size and layout of your home when selecting a woodburner, because these do work on a kilowatt output range. Bigger does mean more heat – and if you have a small home, you can heat yourself right out of the lounge area if you install a large one,

even with adjustable heating systems.

Larger homes will require a higher heat output effectively heating all living spaces and you can heat your entire home using ducted ceiling systems if you have the right sized woodburner. Consult with heating specialists or installers to determine the optimal size and capacity for your speci c needs.

Woodburners are not just functional heating appliances but also contribute to the overall aesthetics of your home. Choose a design that complements your interior decor while providing ef cient heating.

Proper installation is required and a building consent is a necessary part of that process, both for your safety and for insurances purposes – even replacing an old one. This will mean hiring quali ed professionals (usually plumbers) experienced in woodburner installation. Proper ventilation, ue placement, and compliance with building codes are crucial for safe and effective operation.

Additionally, prioritize models with easy access for cleaning and maintenance to prolong the lifespan of your woodburner and ensure optimal performance; your chimneys should be cleaned annually.`

At last, a place of their own Lily flourishes at worlds

By Mary Anne Gill

Menzshed in Cambridge finally has a new home, but members are going to spend the first few months of their tenancy doing it up.

The 122-year-old Leamington Dairy Factory in Carlyle Street is a shadow of its former self with a leaking roof, rotten timber weatherboard cladding and broken windows.

The tagging and graffiti have made the Category C Waipā-listed building “something of an eyesore”, Waipā District Council Property Projects specialist Andrew Don told the Finance and Corporate committee last week.

But that has not put the 27-strong Cambridge Menzshed members off their stride, secretary Myles Prebble told The News.

“I was a bit like a stunned mullet when they (councillors) made the decision.”

Now all he and the rest of the Menzshed needs in the short term is “a very good donor” so they can make a start on fixing the building up.

Having a home will make it easier to attract new members but Prebble is confident they already have the skill-set to do the work needed.

“The inside has been untended for years and it’s pretty grotty. There are a few boards that need replacing as well,” plus a lick of paint should do wonders, said Prebble.

A local contractor is currently leasing the building for three months, but the building is falling into disrepair. The heavy vehicles used by the contractor are causing high wear in Lamb Street at the building’s entrance.

A roundabout will be built at the intersection of Carlyle and Lamb streets which will require a small piece of land from the corner but that would not affect the property’s utilisation.

Councillors agreed Menzshed could enter into a community lease with the council for $430 per year and be responsible for ongoing maintenance.

Don said council had set aside $15,500 for preventative maintenance but nearly $40,000 was needed to fix it up. It is that balance the Menzshed would have to fund, he said.

Maungatautari councillor Mike Montgomerie said it was a great use of the building and supported the proposal.

Menzshed Cambridge held its inaugural annual meeting in November last year –following an article in The News which appealed for interest - is an incorporated society and has 27 signed up members with 46 other people wanting to get in.

“The concept of a Menzshed brings men together in one community space to share their skills, have a laugh, seek fellowship and work on practical tasks individually or as a group for the shed or the community,” Prebble said in his application to the council.

Some sheds have women members or have sessions catering for women who wish to get new skills.

“The Cambridge Community Menzshed is a community orientated group focussed on its members health and wellbeing and can only be an asset to our community,” said Prebble.

“We’re dependent on grants and donations for the work we have to complete on the building.”

Cambridge BMX prodigy Lily Greenough picked up silver in the junior women’s final at the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in the United States on Sunday.

The 16-year-old St Peter’s School student and Australian Teya Rufus dominated their semifinals and in the head-to-head, it was Rufus who edged her Kiwi rival by .56s.

Brother Jack, 18, was fourth in the under men’s final after he was squeezed to the back of the field on the first turn while their older brother Bennett, 20, who had looked in outstanding form, slid out on the challenging first turn while leading his semifinal.

Other Cambridge riders had mixed fortune with elite rookie Leila Walker, 19, finishing seventh at the Rock Hill course in South Carolina.

Walker, who made a late start to the season recovering from injury, is yet to develop into world-class rider out of the gate, but possesses outstanding speed and racecraft around the track. Time and again at Rock Hill, Walker was forced to ride through from the back. She was quite superb in her semifinal, rushing from last at the first turn to finish fourth to qualify for the final. And again she was squeezed at the first turn in the final,

but fought back to finish seventh.

“It is very surreal and has not sunk in yet. The racing was fast, tough but I am super-happy with my riding,” said Walker.

“This definitely exceeds my expectations. I am proud to wear the fern, proud to put New Zealand back in an elite women’s final after Rebecca (Petch) went to track. It’s great to represent New Zealand and put us back into the elite women’s main.”

Cambridge rider Finn Cogan had mixed fortunes, winning his qualifying heat in junior men but edged by one spot in his push for a place in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

20, both bypassed the under 23 category to go into elite. Bearman, the 2023 under-23 world champion, was in compelling form, consistently among the fastest one-lap times, although he had to show his fighting spirits when he found himself battling from behind. He finished sixth in the final. The championship brings to completion the qualifying period for the Paris Olympic Games, with Cycling New Zealand awaiting advice from the UCI on the official allocation of qualifying spots.

Te Awamutu’s Brooke Penny also went out in the under-23 women. Walker and North Harbour’s Rico Bearman,

Lily Greenough on the podium with winner Teya Refus of Australia and bronze medallist American Ava Corley. Photo: Cole McOnie.

Bumper turnout for creative fibre

By Viv Posselt

It’s another thumbs up for all at this month’s Cambridge Creative Fibre Exhibition and Fibre Fair held in the Cambridge Town Hall.

More than 400 people came through the doors on the only Fibre and Craft traders’ day of the five-day event, with around 250 visiting on the other days.

All those involved in the traders’ day – which attracts buyers from around the region and had them lining up across the piazza before opening time – said it had been another bumper occasion.

Cambridge Creative Fibre’s secretary and exhibition convenor Anne Curtis said holding the event once again in the Town Hall, with the benefits of being central, had been a triumph.

The awards given out this year went to Jean Welch (Best Use of Fleece); Erica Guicherit (Best Use of Colour); Raeleen Bain (Outside the Square); Beverley Beetlestone (Domestic Excellence); Jan Soanes (New Skill); Tracey Sparke (Selector’s Choice); and Beverley Beetlestone (Bess Aston Weaving Award). A new award this year (Joy Mahood Spinning Award) went to Cynthia Read.

The selector was Te Awamutu’s Kathy Mitchell.

Tower’s fate uncertain

By Mary Anne Gill

The bricks will stay but the neglected metal tank and outdoor walkway framing could go.

That seems to be the fate of Cambridge’s historic Water Tower despite 62 per cent of the 223 submitters to Waipā District Council’s Enhanced Annual Plan happy to see the whole thing go.

Others, including Grey Power, respected architect Antanas Procuta, Cambridge Community Board, Te Awamutu Business Chamber and Creative Waikato wanted to see it stay, with other options investigated, such as a targeted rate on Cambridge residents.

The 24m high tower’s Heritage New Zealand Historic Place Category two listing was first made in February 2010.

The 21-metre circular structure – built in 1902 with handmade bricks, hauled by an old black horse named Darkie - is a rare example of civil engineer Ashley John Hunter's design work, being both decorative and functional.

The bricks were laid in the

English bond pattern, renowned for its strength, with decorative features that included a regular pattern of bluestone topped ventilation windows and several horizontal rows of brick dentil pattern.

Heritage NZ has approved capping the tower and replacing the frame, but sources say is unlikely to approve the bricks’ removal.

The council estimates it would cost more than $6 million to restore the tower and about $810,000 to demolish it.

Council’s preferred option is the lower cost one – councillors confirmed that this week at its enhanced plan hearings - but it has a potential fight on its hands with Heritage NZ saying it is a “rare example” of a brick water tower and an “impressive landmark” greeting those arriving in Cambridge.

Internationally water towers are being increasingly recognised as important heritage landmarks that are rapidly disappearing. Invercargill has the only other registered example in New Zealand.

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There are only 5 one-bedroom or two-bedroom supported living apartments still available in the new Hanlin Building. These easy-living apartments are in the heart of our established retirement village with its own café and village shop right on your doorstep. Enjoy the community vibe and great lifestyle with the added benefit of care and support as you require.

Contact: Sandra Fairhurst 07 827 6097 E: sales@resthaven.org.nz 6 Vogel

Cambridge Creative Fibre’s Anne Curtis, left, and New Skills award-winner Jan Soanes, take a breather after the rush on traders’ day.

Paddler's dream shot

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

Cambridge paddler Nick Collier flew to Europe this week to have a crack at qualifying for the Olympic Games.

If he succeeds, he will celebrate his 21st birthday in Paris where the Olympics start on July 26.

“It’s been a pretty incredible 12 months,” the driven athlete said.

Collier made history in Krakow, Poland, last August when he became the first kiwi paddler ever to win a medal at an U23 Canoe Slalom World Championship event.

He has since been selected for the New Zealand senior men’s and New Zealand U23 canoe slalom and kayak cross teams.

He is in Europe preparing to compete at World Cups in Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland, and the U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Liptovsky Mikulaš, Slovakia.

The second World Cup in Prague doubles as an Olympic qualifier and he will need a podium finish to win a spot in New Zealand’s Paris Olympics team.

He expects it to be tough but believes he’s in with a chance.

“Fortunately, at this race you can only compete if you haven’t already qualified a spot … which means the cream of the crop won’t be competing,” he said.

“It’s certainly a challenge, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”

Originally from Alexandra in Central Otago, Collier moved to Hamilton in 2021 after winning a Sir Edmund

Hillary Scholarship to study at Waikato University. Two years ago, he moved to Cambridge because it was an ideal training base, close to Okere Falls, near Rotorua, and Canoe Slalom New Zealand’s high performance training centre in Auckland.

The 20-year-old may be the only high-performance canoe slalom athlete here, but he feels like the Waipā town is behind him, “big time”.

“You couldn’t beat the Cambridge community in terms of a supportive environment,” he said in an interview with The News last week.

“High performance is a high-pressure environment; you’re only as good as your last race, so the pressure is always on to perform and then outperform that performance. But there’s such a density of athletes here in the Waikato, here in Cambridge, that we all get to, I guess, share these experiences together and we can relate to each other.”

Local athletes, he says, “lean on each other and help each other to thrive”.

“This morning I caught up with Bryony Botha, an Olympic track cyclist, and there would be countless stories like that, where I’ve met up with these people that have been there and done it and are continuing to race and perform at that highest level – and to hear their stories and to chat with them really makes me feel a part of this community,” he said.

He’s also met sprint track cyclist and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Sam Dakin, who shared valuable mental health advice.

“Sam created the Slow coffee company and essentially the message behind it is, in such a fast-

paced, dynamic environment that we’re living in today, sometimes you just need to slow down.”

For Collier, catching up with other high-performance athletes at local café Daydream Espresso and spending time outdoors are favourite ways to do that.

But right now, his focus is on trying to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games.

“Having a community behind me, watching me compete on the highest stage, would be like nothing else,” he said.

TUESDAY

2:42am, 1 Car MVA, Tirau Road WEDNESDAY

11:26am,

FRIDAY

11:28am,

Nick Collier working out in the Waikato River. File photo, Steph Bell-Jenkins.

Nick Collier

St Helen’s, the aftermath

By Janine Krippner

It is difficult to imagine how much a landscape can be transformed by an eruption, rendering large swaths of land unrecognisable to locals who knew it well. It is the task of volcanologists to understand the impacts before it happens.

This time 44 years ago, Mount St Helens in Washington State had just unleashed a devastating eruption on May 18, 1980.

Fifty seven people had lost their lives. Families and friends were reeling from the shocking loss.

Volcanologists were grieving the loss of their colleague David Johnston while having to continue working on understanding what had just happened and what might happen next. Would there be more powerful eruptions?

The cataclysmic eruption had begun with a large flank collapse. The upper 400 m of the volcano now lays broken across the landscape, depositing 2.5 km3 of fragmented rock out to 23 km as a debris avalanche deposit. This was overtaken by a catastrophic sideways blast (pyroclastic flow) of hot rock and gas that raced across the landscape at speeds of at least 430 km per hour, toppling mature trees like they were twigs in sand. The peak speed of an F1 race car is about 375 km per hour.

Around 2.3 billion cubic meters (405 million tons) of rock had just come to rest in the North Fork Toutle River valley. Additionally, the mountain ice within these hot deposits was rapidly melting. More issues were on their way. Volcanic material + a lot of water = lahars. Those lahars would destroy over 200 homes and more than 300 km of roads.

The debris avalanche had crashed into the nearby spirit lake, raising its resting

elevation by 64 m and forming a dam. A dam built of broken rock fragments that could release disastrous amounts of water if action wasn’t taken.

Scientists rushed to calculate how long the dam might hold, what the impacts would be to populated areas downstream with the increased flood risk, and how to prevent that from happening. A tunnel would eventually be excavated to manage this risk, and this will be maintained well into the future.

Once an eruption ends, the recovery can take decades. The more that people are prepared, the faster and more effective this process can be. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction says that “every US$1 invested in making infrastructure disaster-resilient saves US$4 in reconstruction”.

We know that understanding impacts then investing in preparedness benefits us. Part of my work is understanding how eruptions impact society, including our homes and infrastructure, so that we can learn from the experiences of others and be more prepared to act when it’s our turn. And our turn will come.

The altered landscape can continue to adjust and produce new dangers for decades after a volcano stops erupting. This is a natural process for our beautiful, active planet.

Understanding these processes means we can empower ourselves by taking action to reduce our risk and be out of the way while our land does what it does, then work together to pick up the pieces.

Cambridge Tree Trust

www.treetrust.org.nz

‘A Radically Non-human Thing’

Show someone a picture of a forest with a deer peering out from behind a tree and ask them what they see – the answer will likely be the deer, not the trees. Trees outnumber humans by 400 to one but they are easy to miss; they are a familiar sight, and we are highly dependent upon them, but they are in many ways an alien presence. When the Spanish philosopher, George Santayana visited the Californian redwoods in 1911, he was awed; the place was a ‘standing chastisement to European philosophy’, he declared, marking the ‘vanity and super ciality of all logic.’ Trees can be unsettling; one source of this strangeness is their size – as saplings they meet our gaze, but they continue to grow to ten times our height; also they

Getting untangled…

By Murray Smith, Bridges Church

If you’re into fishing with a rod and reel, it’s likely you’ve seen a ‘bird’s-nest’ occur. It’s a horrible tangle of bunched up line that forms when an excessive amount of your line flies off the reel. It can happen because the drag on the reel is light, allowing the spool to spin too freely -faster than the line going out.

I’ve witnessed nightmare examples end the fishing expeditions of one or two ‘hopefuls’ since it’s usually a time consuming mission getting the rod usable again.

A ‘bird’s-nest’ is reminiscent of the tangle that people’s lives can get into. The Bible has lots to say about how messed up humans are, though not exactly using my analogy of a ‘bird’s-nest’! The Bible uses vocabulary for this topic which is foreign to many people - using words like: sin, iniquity, or transgression.

Since such language describing the human condition appears ancient and dated, it’s often dismissed as backward and irrelevant. That’s unfortunate, because those Bible words offer a profoundly accurate diagnosis of human condition.

‘Iniquity’ describes crooked and ingrained patterns of wrong-doing that keep cropping up- often generationally. To ‘transgress’ refers to over-stepping a known boundary and breaking trust. ‘Sin’ is actually the most common of these bad words in the Bible. The origin of our word ‘sin’ comes from Hebrew and Greek words meaning “to fail” or “miss the mark.” It’s an archery term actually, describing an arrow falling short, missing its destination.

“Sin” has massively entangled humanity. Each of us, individually. It’s wrecked havoc in our ability to ‘do’ life well and

to understand our true identity- it’s caused us to forfeit (fall short) of our purpose. How? The Bible describes every human as made in the image of God- a sacred being with dignity, designed for relationship with Him. Our sin severely damaged that- you see, sin is doing bad things, but it’s more than that. Sinful actions flow out of choosing to operate independently from God. That inbuilt bias to write our own rules about right and wrong have alienated us from Him. From there, we readily justify ourselves and spin illusions to redefine our bad decisions as good ones, thereby making a false ‘god’ of our own desires.

Perpetually breaking God’s laws with little recognition of how tangled up we are, most people conclude they’re doing okay. This prompted one writer in the Bible, to describe our predicament as being “slaves to sin.” Take lying for example - everyone’s lied. Who hasn’t created a ‘bird’s-nest’ trying to cover that one lie, by telling more?

Not a pretty picture of ourselves. But being honest, it is realistic.

That’s why as explained in the Bible, the record of Jesus coming is such good news. He came to earth fully God, yet truly human in every way. He never failed at any point- that is, He never sinned, moreover He took responsibility for humanity’s history of failure. His death paid the penalty for our sin. Being raised from the dead He extends salvation and forgiveness, restoring our track record of failure.

Getting untangled, we’re able to live doing what is right.

outlive us by orders of magnitude – millenia to our decades; and the tops of old trees are often an ‘unexplored eighth continent’ of grasses, ferns, aquatic crustacea, even other trees, inhabiting an unknown ‘sky world.’

Despite recent debates about how mothertrees nurture their young, and how trees communicate through the ‘woodwide web’, they are not our kin, but remain fundamentally di erent from us. And it is their di erence that enlarges our horizons, reminds us that we share our world with many species that have a radically di erent way of living in it.

Contemplating trees, xed in place, older, larger, more numerous than we are, should be an exercise in humility, a reminder that ‘we are not everything, and everything is not us.’

(Daniel Immerwahr, Guardian Weekly May 3 2024)

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

Let Tiles Make Your Statement

New Builds, Renovations, Indoor/Outdoor Tiles, Swimming Pool Tiles. 57 Alpha St Cambridge cambridgetiles@xtra.co.nz PHONE 07 8275686

CountryLife

Reach a targeted rural & lifestyle audience each month by advertising your business in CountryLife; featured inside the Cambridge News & Te Awamutu News

Distributed to EVERY rural & urban letter box across the Waipa region each month.

Next Publication Date Thursday 6 June

Booking Deadline: 28 May

Copy Setting: 29 May

Finished Artwork: 3 June

TO BOOK YOUR SPACE: Janine Davy Advertising Manager janine@goodlocal.nz • Ph 027 287 0005

Advertorial

Hey Waipā!

Does THIS look like recycling to you?

What about THIS?

These metal pieces were included in someone’s recycling bin in February. As they came across the sorting conveyor belt, they jammed into the chain drive and shut down the whole facility for four hours.

How about THESE?

Single use coffee cups, popcorn and dish rags can't be recycled and end up contaminating bins, trucks and the sorting line. These items were put out for recycling last month.

‘Long-lasting’ hard plastic items like these are not accepted in your kerbside wheelie bins. Buckets, plant pots, storage racks, laundry baskets, and Sistema containers cannot be recycled.

Contaminated recycling cost $52,525 in February alone. This is why recycling bins on the street are audited at random, to catch contamination before it is collected. For everything you need to know about recycling, and how to get your recycling right, head to wastelesswaipa.co.nz/recycling

In Waipā, only seven things are accepted in the yellow wheelie bin: NO Lids! NO Lids!

Across 1. Palm leaf (5) 4. Warp under pressure (6) 7. Epoch (3) 8. Powerful (6) 9. Rant (6) 10. Sedative (13) 14. Be (5) 15. Heavenly creature (5) 18. Process of experimentation (5-3-5)

Last week

23. Horrified (6)

24. Soak for flavour (6)

25. Affirmative (3)

26. Type of cricket bowler (6) 27. All square (5) Down

1. Completely confound (5) 2. Large sea (5) 3. Diversion (6) 4. Combat (6)

5. Royal dog (5) 6. Large spoon (5) 10. E-message (5) 11. Legal defence (5) 12. Sweetener (5)

Measuring stick (5)

One who dies for a cause (6)

Give counsel (6) 19. Scallywag (5) 20. Siren (5)

Firearm (5)

Waterhole (5)

Across: 1. Across, 5. Subdue, 8. Cap, 9. Pallor, 10. Old-hat, 11. Skip, 13. Eyeliner, 14. Braid, 15. Admit, 19. Cakehole, 21. Need, 22. Silent, 23. Afraid, 25. Hem, 26. Feisty, 27. Powder. Down: 2. Cracker, 3. Owl, 4. Screen, 5. Spoken, 6. Bedridden, 7. Usage, 12. Priceless, 16. Itemise, 17. Worthy, 18. Revamp, 20. Arise, 24. Raw.

UDMVVEMOHLMMUEFGOX MELFDACSCYYMGLOOMY MMILDMIYVYMCYMIRGF YYFPTYJQMYMHRRYMVY

AGRONOMY ALCHEMY

PYGMY RHEUMY

RUMMY

SEAMY

This newspaper is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. A complaint must first be directed in writing, within one month of publication, to the editor’s email address.

If not satisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council P O Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Or use the online complaint form at www. mediacouncil.org.nz Please include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication.

CountryLife

Nithmount Farm Cow 494

affectionately nuzzles 2024 New Zealand dairy trainee of the year Kirwyn Ellis.

The encounter in a paddock on Hamish and Sharee Germann’s 130ha dairy farm - nestled between Mt Pirongia and Mt Kakepuku in the Waipā districtillustrates how Ellis, 20, cares for his herd and its environment.

The fifth generation Pirongia farmer takes his roles in Kaitiakitanga, guardianship and conservation, very seriously. He knows he must if his family is to continue to thrive by making a living off the land.

In his two seasons on Nithmount Farms Number Two, named after the River Nith in Canada where the Germanns hailed from and Mt Pirongia, Ellis has helped shepherd a riparian planting scheme.

Around 2000 plants, grown by Pirongia Primary School through the Trees for Survival Trust, have been planted on the farm’s 1.5km waterway to filter nutrients and sediments.

“It’s pretty cool for the kids to learn about the plants,” he said.

“They learn about the whole process of the plant. That guardianship of the land is really important to me. I believe in leaving the land in a better condition than what you found it in.”

Twenty years ago, Ellis would have been labelled a greenie.

“I think things have changed,” he said. “There’s more of an understanding. Farmers have always cared for the environment

that they have farmed in.”

Ellis won the award earlier this month. Described by judges as a relaxed, thoughtful, and mature young man who absorbs knowledge from those around him, he is a strong team player with a heart for his community.

He excelled across all categories, demonstrating effective communication skills.

He maintains a good work-life balance and enjoys outdoor activities. Judges praised him as a down-to-earth farmer who genuinely cares for others and serves as a role model for the industry.

Ellis grew up on his parents Malcolm and Jody Ellis’s 150ha family dairy farm five minutes down the road in Pirongia attending Pirongia and Rukuhia primary schools and St Peter’s School in Cambridge. Grandparents John and Ann are also dairy farmers.

The Germanns, sixth generation farmers – currently milking 475 cows - picked Ellis as their herd manager two seasons ago having known his family forever.

“It’s all I ever wanted to do,” Ellis said.

“I can’t pinpoint one moment when I became interested in farming. Mum and Dad were more than happy to take me out on the farm. I’m sure I got in the way.”

Ellis has been building on that foundation, soaking up knowledge like a sponge, ever since.

Kirwyn Ellis, New Zealand’s dairy trainee of the year, on the Pirongia farm where he gets to soak up his knowledge.

Well known auctioneer mourned

By Paul Charman

A man described as an iconic stock agent, Alan Douglas (Hizzy) Hiscox died at his Taumarunui home on May 2.

In a career stretching back to the 1970s, Alan became a top Central North Island auctioneer, following humble beginnings as a National Mortgage Association (NMA) trainee from Feilding.

As one of the company’s front men, he was regarded as a talented operator, telling Country Life in a 2016 interview that he prided himself on always doing his best for both client and company.

“‘Hizzy’ always did things his way,” fellow auctioneer and friend Carl White said.

“He was truly iconic in my view; though he only really sold in the Central North Island, he was second to none, definitely under-utilised.”

Carl said Alan outshone many so others due to his presence and his diction –you could always understand him.

“Beyond that, one of his greatest assets was knowing the market. He had orders; he always knew where to place cattle and sheep.”

After being promoted from general office duties as a young man, Alan naturally took to the role as a stock agent and never looked back.

After finding his feet in Feilding, Alan was transferred to Wrightsons in Taumarunui in 1984 and felt right at home.

He accepted a transfer back to Feilding in 1987 but after a week he wanted to go back to Taumarunui.

Because he had resigned from Wrightson, he set up Alan Hiscox Livestock - one of the first independents in New Zealand – and returned to Taumarunui where he remained until his death.

Soon after his return, Taranaki Farmers purchased Fagan Farmers in Piopio and Te Kuiti renaming it King Country Farmers who then approached Alan to buy his business.

They instead agreed on a 50-50 partnership and King Country Farmers Livestock was born.

Through it all Alan specialised mainly in sheep and beef because of the down-to-earth way that industry does business. His area covered Te Kawa to Mokau.

Carl said Alan had both an amazingly high IQ and a dry sense of humour and was capable of lively repartee.

“But this was never cruel; it was always just banter.”

Alan was made a life member of the Taumarunui Eels Rugby and Sports Cub about a week before his death from cancer, receiving his jacket at a ceremony at his home. Over the years he had taken on many roles within the club.

Alan is survived by his wife Arlene, their children Nathan and Kelly and their grandchildren. His funeral was held at the Taumarunui Cosmopolitan Club last week.

Alan Hiscox worked around the central North Island and was a familiar face for farmers.

Tight rein on farm data

By Chris Gardner

Logan Dawson used data driven decision making to double dairy farm revenue.

Dawson, who with his wife Sian was runner up in the 2024 Dairy Industry Association Awards Share Farmer of the Year Award, is making $10,858 in gross farm revenue per hectare compared to the average $5856.

Judges said the Dawsons were continuously looking for more efficient and accurate ways to do things.

“I have managed to move from 13 kg of dry matter per kg of milk solids down to 11 kg,” he said. “That’s a 15 per cent reduction in feed for the same production.”

They’ve done this keeping a tight rein on every possible piece of farm data, feeding it daily into Google Sheets and sharing access across the entire Ngāhinapōuri farm team.

Data-driven decision making enhances accuracy, insights, and organisational effectiveness.

“Because it’s cloud based it means that our staff can access it at the same time as us,” he said.

The Dawsons are equity partners and 50/50 share milkers for leading dairy farmers Jim and Sue van der Poel on their 333ha, 1350-cow

farm.

They employ six full time staff who, thanks to a Starlink satellite connection, have access no matter where they are on the farm.

“All of our planning and calculation can be done remotely. If I am doing sports, I can make sure that everything is being successfully monitored. There’s a lot of scope for successful on farm management.”

Dawson created his system from scratch after searching for a software solution and finding nothing that fitted his specific needs.

His bespoke spreadsheet

system includes a grazing plan detailing how much supplement to include in different sized GPS tagged feed bins, a fertiliser plan showing how much nitrogen and effluent has been applied, a mating plan, and a staff roster.

“I update it and the staff check it daily,” he said

“One of the benefits of Google Sheets is that you can go back in version history and see what has been happening. It’s just these little things that simplify everything. I am in the process of exploring how to turn it into an app to make It simpler and marketable I have not met many people

that looks at things the way I do. I am really enjoying challenging thinking,” said Logan.

“His spreadsheets make his job a heck of a lot more efficient,” said Sian.

“Having five kids aged 10 months to 12 years it means we get more with him home a little bit more and makes for a better work and life balance.”

She describes herself as her husband’s sounding board, also supporting farm income with off farm photography.

“I love to take family portraits. A lot of the time I do it on farm. It’s a great little side business.”

Of being placed as a runner up, Sian said: “I am stoked. To be recognised on a national stage is amazing. To be second in all of New Zealand is a massive achievement.”

The Dawsons won two merit awards: the Federated Farmers Leadership Award and the Honda Farm Safety, Health, and Biosecurity Award and more than $28,000 in prizes.

“Logan and Sian are on a large-scale, high input system 5 farm and are guiding a lot of people, adding another level of complexity,” said DairyNZ judge Steve Canton. “Through the use of technology and careful monitoring, they are really getting the most out of what they do.”

Born to be a farmer

Continued from page 13

“The whole soaking up knowledge thing has been a real focus of mine.,” Ellis said.

“I have made so many connections in the local community, as a result people have been more than willing to pass knowledge on. A rising tide rises all boats.”

Ellis works closely with the Germanns and one other staff member on farm.

Farm management is a team effort.

“I really love the role that I am in, there’s a lot of support and affirmation in the role. There’s the opportunity to take on as much responsibility as you want to.”

He is also a member of Te Kawa West Young Farmers’ Club whose members meet regularly for netball and touch rugby, as well as monthly meetings.

Ellis received several awards, including the Federated Farmers General Farming Knowledge Award and the DeLaval Community and Industry Involvement Award, along with nearly $12,000 in prizes.

“It’s pretty bloody good,” said his boss Hamish Germann of the win. “We are very proud of him for what he’s achieved in the short time that he’s been here.”

REAL STEEL FARM BUILDINGS

Riparian farming on Nithmount Farm with owner Hamish Germann, left, and award winner Kirwyn Ellis.

Photo: Chris Gardner.

Logan and Sian Dawson on the Ngāhinapōuri farm.

A lack of political leadership

By Peter Nicholl

I do not understand why the idea of imposing a capital gains tax is such a political no-no in New Zealand.

Amongst Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, some form of capital gains tax is almost universally applied.

Singapore and Switzerland are two of the few from that group of countries not to have done so.

There are at least 130 countries that have such a tax and only around 30 that don’t.

International organisations like the International Monetary Fund and the OECD keep pointing out in their reports on New Zealand that we are overly reliant on income taxes for government revenue.

They have been recommending for some time that New Zealand should broaden its tax base to also include taxing most income people receive as capital gains.

In international jargon, capital gains taxes are now regarded as ‘best international practice”, both for fairness and for revenue-raising reasons.

Our near neighbour, Australia, introduced their capital gains tax in 1985, almost 40 years ago. It doesn’t seem to be a contentious issue there. It has recently been cited as one of the reasons Australia has had a budget surplus in each of the last two fiscal years.

New Zealand on the other hand has had fiscal deficits for the last five years.

Most of the other countries in the world that don’t have a broad capital gains tax are either very small states (Monaco, Andorra), offshore financial markets (Cayman Islands) or have no need for the additional revenue the tax would raise (oil producing states).

I can’t understand why New Zealand is in this set of countries. We don’t fit any of those

categories, and certainly not into the third one.

We are all becoming uncomfortably aware that we have a huge infrastructure deficit and some significant demographic trends such as our ageing population. Where will the tax revenue come from to deal with the major financial implications of these future demands?

An opinion poll in NZ earlier this year found that a slight majority of respondents supported the introduction of some form of capital gains tax. Such a poll result would usually make politicians more comfortable about discussing the issue but so far, our politicians still run a mile from the subject.

The final thing I find ironic about the debate on capital gains taxes in NZ is that we already have some elements of capital gains taxes in our tax system such as the bright-line test for some property investors and some elements of trading in shares. Also, the government itself taxes the inflation-adjustment element of the return on inflation-adjusted bonds but this element is not paid out to bond-holders as income but is an adjustment to the capital value of the bond. This piece-meal approach to taxing capital gains is probably the worst of all possible approaches to the issue.

A broad capital gains tax can’t stay in the politically-impossible basket in NZ for ever. It can’t actually stay in that basket for very much longer without causing severe problems of one type or another. The problem may be that our infrastructure deficit continues to plague us or tax rates on ‘income’ will have to go back up again. If the tax base isn’t broadened, we will definitely face one or other of these problems –and possibly both.

Call for independent scrutiny

By Clyde Graf, Waipā-King Country Councillor

When I previously wrote about the Environmental Protection Authority’s Annual Report on 1080 poison (The News January 25, 2024), I commented on an incident involving dead bees and stated that 1080 may be contaminating honey.

King Country News published a response headlined “Contaminated honey claim refuted.” In the story Apiculture New Zealand Communications co-ordinator Karen Allan stated: “To the best of our knowledge, there is no evidence or record of 1080 contaminating honey in New Zealand.”

Considering the response from ApiNZ, it’s important to note that New Zealand doesn’t have an accredited method for testing 1080 poison in honey (OIA). Despite this, Landcare Research records show that 1080 poison residues have been detected in bees and honeycomb.

On 20 December 2002, a sample of honeycomb was received by Landcare Research, and was tested for 1080 poison (Ref T1837). The test result was positive. Two more samples of honeycomb were tested for 1080 in January 2003 (Ref T1843). Both samples were positive for 1080 poison.

Oddly, despite 1080 being detected in honeycomb in 2002 and 2003, no further tests for 1080 poison residues in honeycomb have been undertaken. (OIA)

Another poisonous bait widely distributed across New Zealand by hand and via bait station is Pindone, a first-generation anticoagulant toxin. It’s different in its killing process to 1080 poison, but similar in its cereal formulation. To wildlife, including bees, they’re both food.

Information provided by the Department of Conservation states that “Pindone residues were recorded in honeybees found alive and dead in bait stations containing Pindone

Possum and Rat Pellets on the Ohau River, Twizel in August – September 2014 (VPRD 18622-18629). There was also evidence that they had been collecting bait to take back to their hives.” (OIA Ref 19-E-0439/ docCM6022211)

On 31 October 2014, Research Priority Leader - Wildlife Ecology and Management Team (Landcare Research) wrote by email to DOC that “many of the bees in the samples were carrying bait as they would pollen.”

In November 2014, test samples made up of 157 bees, alive and dead, were tested for Pindone residues (Ref T5678). All returned a positive result.

On 12 November 2014, the same Landcare Research Leader, stated by email that “the first four, Lab Nos 18622-18625), were individual bees that had visible green pollen sacks (as in the photos I sent) and were selected at random – so this group of results reflects relatively high concentrations being carried by one bee, potentially going back to the hive.”

The author goes on to say, “The difference between the “sampled dead” and “sampled live” results does suggest that ingestion of pindone bait was contributing to bee mortality.” Correspondence from Landcare Research states it has not tested honeycomb for Pindone.

The biggest advocates of poisons like 1080 – the Department of Conservation, and TB Free – fund the research that supports their ongoing use. The company that imports 1080 poison and manufactures the bait (Orillion), is government-owned. Testing is undertaken by a Crown Research Institute. Perhaps it’s time for independent scrutiny when it comes to monitoring our food chain.

Fantastically Generous Living

BOASE, Barry Sidney –Passed away peacefully at Hospice Waikato, on Wednesday, 15th May 2024. Aged 73 years. Dearly loved father and father-in-law to Emma & Jaron. ‘Treasured memories always’. Special thanks to Hospice Waikato for the love and care shown to Barry over the past 10 days. A celebration of Barry's life will be held at Raleigh Street Christian Centre, Raleigh Street, Leamington, Cambridge, on Saturday, 25th May 2024 at 12:00pm followed by a private cremation. All communications to the Boase Family, c/- 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434.

HARRISON, Frances

Dawn (Fran) – Suddenly at Cambridge on Friday, 17 May 2024. Dearly loved Wife of Roger and Mother of Paul (deceased) and Tina.

“She was our heart, and we are broken.”

In lieu of flowers, a donation in memory of Fran to www.stjohn.org.nz would be appreciated. Messages to the ‘Harrison Family’ can be sent c/- Legacy Funerals, PO Box 844, Cambridge 3450 or in Fran’s online tribute book at www.legacyfunerals.co.nz A private family service has been held.

KERKHOF (nee O’SHEA), Dawn Patricia – Passed away peacefully in Cambridge at Lauriston Park Care Home, on Monday 29th April 2024, aged 76 years. Dearly loved wife of Hans, much loved mother and mother-in-law of Zane and Louise, Nikki and Andrew. Cherished grandmother of Treigh, Noah, Daniel, James and Thomas. Great grandmother of Everly and Savannah. Loved sister of Colleen (deceased), Diane and Gael. ‘Thank you to the staff of Hospice Waikato, Lauriston Park Care Home and Dr David de Beer for looking after Dawn’. All communications to the Kerkhof Family, c/Legacy Funerals, PO Box 844, Cambridge 3450. At Dawn’s request, a private family farewell was held on Saturday 18th May 2024.

Family Notices

• Engagements • Weddings • Births • Anniversaries

• Bereavements

• In Memoriam etc

TROTTER, Trevor Stanley (Trotts) – Passed away peacefully at Waikato Hospital on Saturday, 18th May 2024, aged 76 years. Dearly loved husband of Sue (Babe). Much loved father of Debbie, Paula & Illya, Kirstyn, Kiley and Shea. Loved Poppa of Ethan, Jay, Morgan, Amber, Aidan, Fraser, Connor, Meg, Brodie, Indy and Olivia. A memorial service for Trevor has been held.. All communications to c/- The Trotter Family, 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434.

WOHLERS, Shane Eric

– Passed away peacefully at home, with his partner, Colleen by his side on Friday 10 May 2024 after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Much loved and loving soulmate of Colleen for 34 years. Loved son of the late Eric and Heather. Adored brother of Carolyn and Debbie and loved uncle of Nicole (Bowsey), Jenna, Callum, Sean and Amy. In accordance with Shanes wishes, a private cremation and service has taken place. Special thanks to Hospice Waikato inpatients unit for their support and compassionate care.

Help with your problem is as close as your Citizens Advice Bureau. Just walk in or phone.

MOBILITY Scooter Heartway Mirage PF6 with canopy. Good order. $1200. Ph 07 827 8314 Call Janine 027 287 0005 e: janine@goodlocal.nz

Of an application for Renewal of On-Licence Kaipaki Promotions Limited, C/- Omega Hospitality, PO Box 50, Kumeu, has made application to the Waipa District Licensing Committee for the renewal of an on-licence in respect of the premises situated at 2/125 Mystery Creek Road, Ohaupo known as Mystery Creek Events Centre.

The general nature of the business conducted under the licence is Event Centre. The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is sold under the licence are: Monday to Sunday 8am to 1am the following day.

The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the office of the Waipa District Licensing Committee, 101 Bank Street, Te Awamutu or 23 Wilson Street, Cambridge.

Any person who is entitled to object and who wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the date of the publication of this notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee at: Waipa District Council, Private Bag 2402, Te Awamutu 3840.

No objection to the issue of a renewal licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 131 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

This is the second publication of this notice. This notice was first published on 16 May, 2024.

Jono Gibson Funeral Director

Section 101, Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 PUBLIC NOTICE

WAIPA

DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING NOTICES

Pursuant to Section 46 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 notice is hereby given that:

The following meetings will be held in June 2024 –

Wednesday Strategic Planning & Policy

5 June 2024 Committee 9.10am

Council Chambers 101

JOB VACANCY

Learning Assistant Vacancies

We have two positions available for Learning Assistants to work at our Kura up to 10 hours per week (negotiable). This is a fixed term position until the end of Term 3 or 4 2024.

The successful applicants will be able to work well with others, demonstrate a high level of empathy and be physically fit. Experience preferred supporting students with autism. Visits to the school by appointment welcome.

All enquiries about these positions should be made to the SENCO. Completed applications by CV and letter must be received no later than 12noon on Tuesday 28th May 2024 to:

Leamington School SENCO, 249 Lamb Street, Leamington, Cambridge 3432. Email: senco@leamington.school.nz

Garry Dyet Chief Executive

Know your hairdresser Know your

barber,

can walk in for a

the

Hair On Duke is a salon combining many years of knowledge on styles, fashion and techniques. Owner Anna has been qualified for more than 26 years, owning the business on Duke St since 2017.

“I am particularly passionate about colouring and cutting,” she says.

and full barber services, with no appointment. Formerly from Wayne's Barbers, Desirée is accomplished in the traditional hot towel shave. Hair on Duke has gone from strength to strength since opening 18 months ago. The salon now caters for the hair needs of all family members and offers a range of complementary

Kylie also specialises in cutting, keeping up with modern trends and styles, with 24 years of hairdressing behind her.

Some 37 years of barbering sees Desiree with a great skillset of all types of traditional barbering, including hot towel shave.

And if you have a head of curls – or want one – then the stylist to see is Rachel, who has 30 years of experience in all facets hairdressing.

Anna says Hair on Duke is a fun team all passionate about what they do, and are always able to offer what their clients need, from kids to grandparents.

“We are open from Tuesday through to Saturday, with late nights on Wednesday or as required.”

One of Cambridge’s longest serving haircutting salons, Henriette’s Crew on Empire St is well known for offering quality work and excellent customer service.

Offering unisex styling in both modern and traditional techniques ranging from barbering to women’s cuts, there is no appointment necessary – you can just walk in, tell the stylists what you are looking for and as regular customers know, it can be done there and then.

Owner Henriette, who opened the business in 2008, has been ably assisted by familiar faces Verity and Lisa ,and they have lately welcomed new senior stylist Katherine.

Recently arrived from Chile, she is looking forward to getting to know the many familiar faces who know the top quality work Henriette’s Crew has long been known for.

The salon is open from Tuesday to Friday every week from 8.30am until 5pm.

We are super grateful for all the love and support we have received from the community and we have enjoyed supporting our local community, we have some awesome clients that have pointed us in the right direction which has meant we have donated prizes to the local pony club gymkhana & local school's thank you to Regent Park, the new pop up shop in the main street of town and the timeless brand Harri & Sam which is from Cambridge! It's exciting to have our second sister salon open in Cambridge. Lots has happened since we opened. We have won 2 National Industry awards and were nominated for NZ HAIR SALON OF THE YEAR!

Our team has a wealth of experience and our newest team member Matthew has recently been accepted onto the Wella Assistants program and we couldn't be more proud!

Left to Right Kylie, Desiree, Rachel, Anna Call us on 07 823 1020 80 Duke Street, Cambridge Stylists – left Petra, right Anna, front Barber Desiree

Experienced

Desirée Middleton, has joined

Hair on Duke team. This is great news for men who

haircut