eyes have it
Hināia Waretini-Huata is a four-year-old with, say those who know her at Ōtorohanga’s Iti a Rata Kōhanga Reo, the spirit of her people. She was on stage as part of the opening performance during the Waipā Kapa Haka Festival – Te Taituperepere – at Te Awamutu last Friday. “Hināia - or as we call her at kōhanga “nanny” has the spirit of her people, proud to be Māori every day,” Te Arai MillarHetet told The News. “He ngākau manawa nui - she has a kind heart, the ability to capture hearts, whether she knows you or not.” The News can vouch for that - she regularly smiled at our camera through the performance and even blew photographer Roy Pilott a kiss. Millar-Hetet said Hināia had been looking forward to the day and performing to her whānau. “She loves kōhanga and kapa haka, followed closely by her younger brother Te Ahi a Whakaaha who hits the mark every time with his singing.”
• See story and pictures from the festivalPages 6.
Donations buy maunga extra time
By Chris Gardner
Philanthropists have met Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari’s cash flow crisis head on with $250,000 worth of funding.
“We’ve moved our cash position out from what ended up being around four weeks to around 20 weeks,” said chief executive Helen Hughes. “So that’s great.” Hughes, who has been at
Introducing our new selection of flowers, called the ‘Pick Me!’ range! Grow your very own cut flowers at home. Available now.
the helm of the operator of the world’s largest predator proof fence on Mt Maungatautari for just under a year, went public on the crisis in June sharing fears the operation might have to cease in six weeks after the Department of Conservation changed its funding model.
The project is partially funded by the Department of Conservation, Waikato Regional Council and Waipā District Council. But DOC’s
withdrawal of its community fund left the project in a precarious position and Hughes making staff cuts and campaigning for funds.
“We have had several of the philanthropic funders from around the Waikato lean in and provide support to us. Over the last few weeks, we had landed around $250,000 worth of funding, which is amazing.
“The Len Reynolds Trust and the Rodmor Trust have all helped
us significantly and we’ve seen an increase in donors giving regularly.”
That includes proceeds from a Donate the Weight campaign in which the donor is encouraged to donate the weight of a bird on a one off, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. The campaign is already a fifth of the way to achieving its $500,000 goal.
Hughes said the support had given the operation some
breathing space.
“We are now turning our heads to the bigger issue. We now need to land the plane with longer term sponsors that can work alongside us over a threeto-five-year programme as we start to transition the business to strengthen tourism, education and other revenue streams to make us more self-funding.”
MFT Taxis Te Awamutu
Local Travel for Locals
870 1332
E: admin@mftaxis.co.nz www.mftaxis.co.nz
CONTACTS
News/Editorial
Roy Pilott editor@goodlocal.nz
027 450 0115
Mary Anne Gill maryanne@goodlocal.nz
021 705 213
Viv Posselt viv@goodlocal.nz
027 233 7686
Chris Gardner chris@goodlocal.nz
027 231 7007
Advertising Director
Janine Davy janine@goodlocal.nz
027 287 0005
Owner/Publisher David Mackenzie david@goodlocal.nz
Office/Missed Deliveries
07 827 0005 admin@goodlocal.nz
Boost for Pirongia brigade
Pirongia Fire Chief Roan Gouws was thrilled when he was told to make room in the station garage.
It was so he could park a Mitsubishi Triton utility donated by Waipā Networks to improve the volunteer brigade’s ability to respond to emergencies.
The ute, presented last week by chief executive Sean Horgan, is a former Waipā Networks fleet vehicle.
“We kicked off a fundraising campaign in February this year to get a new emergency vehicle and to have the network jump in and do what they have done for us is just amazing,” Gouws said.
“The target we had set was $90,000, and when everyone out there is doing it tough, we knew
Letters
1080 issue
it was a big ask.
“This ute will make an enormous difference and improve our ability to protect and serve our growing Pirongia community. We’re grateful to Waipā Networks for their generosity and ongoing support for our brigade and our community members. This will have a massive impact.”
Pirongia’s population growth and the rise in the number of fire calls have made the donation timely. – the 25-strong brigade responds to 90 to 100 fire calls each year.
Callouts can range from structural and scrub fires to road crashes, medical emergencies and natural disasters, including landslides, flooding, and fallen trees.
Cr Graf’s anti-1080 rant, yet again, in the regional councillor column (The News, September 19) represents a very small view of a few individuals, and cannot go unchallenged.
If the silent majority who support protection of our native wildlife had listened to his misinformation nonsense, and then advocated to stop 1080 use across New Zealand, many of our taonga species, such as mohua/yellowhead, kōkako, kākāpō, whio/blue duck, pīwauwau/rock wren and titipounamu/rifleman, to name just a few, would be on the brink of extinction.
Former Prime Minister Norm Kirk once said “you can never argue someone out of an illogical position if that’s how they got there in the first place”. So true. We are lucky to have the world class predator free wildlife sanctuary at Maungatautari right on our
It is the second time Waipā Networks has supported emergency services recently. In August last year the company partnered with other funders to provide funding to the Kawhia Volunteer Fire Brigade for a new emergency response utility vehicle.
Pirongia Fire Brigade’s new ute will be fully equipped with firefighting and rescue gear and will give firefighters access to reach difficult terrain and remote locations inaccessible by larger fire trucks.
Peter Russell Cambridge
Bihoro visit
Maybe my advancing years are affecting my powers of deduction more than I thought as, having read your report (The News, September 19) about the delegation heading off to Bihoro in Japan a number of times, it is still not clear to me whether the seven person “delegation” are all paying their own way or whether the four elected people involved will be enjoying yet another junket at ratepayers expense. I have spoken to a number of people who are similarly confused on this point. If they are paying their own way then that is well and good. However if ratepayers are going to have to stump up yet again (as they have in
On the beat with Constable Ryan Fleming
See you later…
This week’s column will be my last for a while as I am taking up a development opportunity in Hamilton for six months. At the time of writing it is unclear who will be taking over my role.
I will be returning to Te Awamutu at the end of my secondment.
This is the first time I have worked away from Te Awamutu since I moved here in 2014 so policing in the city will be a big change. During my tenure as the community
constable I have formed some fantastic relationships which I value and will miss while away.
Being the community constable is a privileged position as most of my work is surrounded in positivity rather than every job being someone’s worst day as it can be on frontline.
I will especially miss out on assisting Operation Christmas Hampers this year. Although I withdrew from the planning
the past for trips to France and paying for people from France and Japan to come to Cambridge) while essential services like unblocking drains, repairing damaged footpaths, improving inadequate street lighting, repairing water leaks (one of which has been wasting water since at least August 20 and probably before) then that is again unacceptable. In the absence of absolute clarity in your report I lean towards the possibility of a nice little junket. But I would be elated to be proven wrong. Over to you! Kelvin Dunn Leamington
Editor’s note: They are paying their own way. Homestay accommodation will be provided in Bihoro as part of the sister city relationship, but travel and other expenses will be funded by candidates, with any council costs limited to an official $200 gift for the delegation.
committee this year I know how hard they have been working behind the scenes. My favourite part of the year is always the chaos that is the packing and delivering of the hampers. Thank you to everyone who tells me they read my column., I appreciate you and I look forward to returning in six months with some new skills.
Waipā Networks staff handed over the vehicle to the Pirongia brigade last week.
doorstep. 1080 and other toxins played a vital role in this achievement.
Review decision?
Waipā District Council received 109 submissionswith only 23 in favour - on its proposed representation review. The proposal would reduce the number of councillors from 10 to seven and combine the rural wards of Pirongia-Kakepuku and Maungatautari.
Fines rise
Illegal parking in Waipā disability spaces will incur a fine of $750 from next month –up from $150 after government changes to parking fines. The council has issued 42 infringement notices this year, 16 were later cancelled because the person had forgotten to display their permit.
Ammunition found
More live ammunition has been found in recycling at the Te Awamutu sorting centre. A shotgun cartridge was found the day after a helium tank was pulled out of another load of recycling on its way to the sorting line. Both items were collected from Cambridge properties.
Concession debate
A Waipā resident who bought a $200 year-long concession card for pools in Te Awamutu and Cambridge but was unable to use all of it because of an injury has started a petition asking Go Waipā to reconsider extending concession cards under those circumstances.
Fund open
Waipā’s District Promotion event fund – which aims to support events that drive economic activity and promote Waipā as a great place to live, work, invest in, or visit - is open for applications. The amount available has reduced from $150,000 to $75,000.
White Christmas
Te Awamutu’s Rotary Christmas Parade will switch to a Saturday event this yearon December 7 - after being a Sunday parade for the last two years. The theme will be “It’s a White Christmas’ and there will be three categories for floats – commercial/business, service clubs and societies, and children and youth.
Squeezing in the students
By Chris Gardner
Te Awamutu Primary School has converted its staff room and library into three classrooms to meet record enrolments.
School principal Sharon Griffiths told The News of the measures taken as enrolments had already busted last year’s record 600 and were expected to reach 650 by the end of this year.
The Teasdale Road school board and Ministry of Education have responded with a proposal to shrink its existing enrolment scheme home zone.
The move comes after Te Awamutu College said it would not accept students from outside of its zone next year, including siblings of current students, as it is full.
“Over the last six years we have steadily grown every year,” Griffiths said.
“Last year we got to 600. Today we have 628, and 650 by the end of the year. We have to take everybody that’s in the zone.”
The board and ministry’s proposed zone amendment removes from the school’s home zone an area southwest
of the school between State Highway 3 or Kihikihi Road, Park Road, and Golf Road.
The proposed change is intended to reduce the pressure on the Te Awamutu Primary School roll, resulting from significant growth in Te Awamutu.
“A lot of people are moving into Te Awamutu,” Griffiths said. “A lot of people from South Africa and the Philippines. We are trying to minimise our growth by minimising our zone.”
Under the proposal, currently out to public consultation, second priority will be given to siblings
of current pupils, third priority to siblings of former students, fourth priority to children of former pupils, and fifth priority to children of employees and board members.
The removed area sits within the enrolment zone of Pekapekarau School in Te Rahu Road.
“Pekapekarau is a vibrant school which is growing,” said Pekapekarau School principal Tania Bagley.
“We do have spaces for students and this amendment doesn’t negatively impact us. We welcome visits of whānau who are interested in enrolling and being part of our school.”
Kihikihi School will also be implementing a home zone next term, to help manage enrolments.
The school roll is currently 28 pupils above the Ministry of Education’s recommended 185 pupils, principal Sunny West said.
“I am pretty excited about the growth in the area,” West said. “It’s great news for all of us. But we are very limited in capacity.”
The News asked the
Ministry of Education whether all of the changes in Te Awamutu meant that the town needed new primary and secondary schools to keep up with the growth.
Ministry of Education Hautū (deputy secretary) Te Tai Whenua (central) Jocelyn Mikaere said there was no immediate requirement for new schools in Waipā.
“Increases in school rolls in Te Awamutu are managed through effective use of enrolment schemes, which provide schools with the ability to manage overcrowding. If growth exceeds the capacity of existing buildings, investment in additional teaching spaces will be considered,” she said.
“Proposals to increase a schools roll and add year groups require ministerial approval. We work with schools on these applications, timeframes differ depending on the information provided.”
Consultation on shrinking Te Awamutu Primary School’s enrolment zone opened last week and closes on October 25.
Cheese cutters to be surpassed
By Andy Campbell
Centre road median barriers are expected to become obsolete as new vehicle technology becomes more readily used, councillors heard at the September regional road transport committee meeting.
Ōtorohanga District councillor Rodney Dow asked if new technology could replace the ‘cheese cutter’ median barriers.
“The new trucks we are buying have all got lane departure, if you go outside your lane they beep and turn the steering wheel back. Is there any thought that NZTA might make it that for every new vehicle that goes on the road has to have that sort of technology?
“Putting wire ropes down the middle of the road is going to take years, but even to put lane departure on cars will
take years - but it might make it faster.
“Potentially if it was made mandatory now it might get done faster than putting wire ropes in the middle of every road.”
David Spiers from NZTA/Waka Kotahi said New Zealand’s problem was it has one of the world’s oldest vehicle fleets, cars and trucks.
“And the process to upgrade those would take a really, really, long time. We are actually doing some work on exactly that… technology will surpass the need for actual physical barriers.”
In some Australian states trucks were now required to have anti-collision braking, so if a truck gets too close to a vehicle in front, it braked automatically, Dow said.
The committee heard earlier that a central median barrier reduced deaths and serious injuries by 65 per cent.
Donations buy maunga extra
Continued from page 1
The Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, which has run the operation for two decades, has also applied for funding from the Lotteries Commission and is expecting to hear next month.
Hughes will meet the board later this month.
“We will start that process of looking at how we build strong relationships with partners that really value the work that we do, and that we can provide kind of a win for them in their business by sponsoring us.”
The Maungatautari team is preparing for another year of moving kiwi from the mountain to other projects around the country.
asked how the median barriers could be extended on Waikato highways.
Of about 11,000km of highway in the country, only about 680km has a centre median barrier.
“You really need to advocate as a regional transport committee that you want to see more of those barriers retrofitted. New state highways will have them as a matter of course,” Spiers said.
“There was a process for retrofitting centre line barriers but the regional transport committee would have to advocate pretty strongly. Fair to say that that programme has less priority than it had previously.”
Since 2014 across the region there has been 1661 crashes into barriers –167 in Waipa 167, 81 in Waitomo in 18 Ōtorohanga 18.
Meanwhile, Niwha Jones was due to be appointed the Department of Conservation’s representative on the Maungatautari Reserve Committee by Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan on Tuesday. DOC’s seat on the committee was vacant at May’s meeting having been filled at the previous February 16, 2022, meeting by district operations manager Ray Scrimgeour. Scrimgeour has since been replaced by Jane Wheeler.
The committee, tasked with receiving operational reports from Hughes and her team, met once in the two years before the current cash flow crisis. The trust will hold its annual meeting next month.
Celebrating Life - Your Way
We believe that each funeral service should be as unique as the life you are celebrating. When a funeral is personalised, it creates a special space for sharing precious memories, telling stories, and simply being together with friends and family.
Rosetown Funeral Home are dedicated to providing personalised and meaningful funeral services, and are happy to discuss new ideas, pre-planning and/or pre-paying for your funeral. We are here for you in your time of need, so please get in touch anytime to discuss your options.
Ohaupo Road, Te Awamutu
Jim Goddin JP Funeral Director
Helen Hughes
Ministry of Education Hautū (deputy secretary) Te Tai Whenua (central) Jocelyn Mikaere.
Waipā District councillor Mike Pettit
Geology of Karioi revealed
By Viv Posselt
Excitement around this month’s launch of a book linking the geology and whakapapa of Raglan’s Mt Karioi attracted over 160 people to the town’s Stewart St Hall.
An exhibition on the extinct volcano, the new book and its 1:25,000 fold-out map, presented by Raglan Naturally, ran at the Old School Gallery from September 7-19.
‘Geology of Karioi Volcano, Aotearoa New Zealand’, was written by Hamilton-based volcanologist Dr Oliver McLeod and published by the Geoscience Society NZ. Additional input came from Waikato University’s Dr Roger Briggs, and kiwi volcanologist Chris Conway and Osamu Ishizuka, both from the Geological Survey of Japan.
McLeod was in the news in 2020 when his book covering the geological history of Mt Pirongia was published. That task represented the final requirement of his PhD, and the completed book offered the first detailed study of Pirongia. This second book follows on from that and marks the first time the Karioi area has been mapped in such detail.
While researching and writing on Pirongia, McLeod was with the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Waikato. He is now part of the science team at Waikato Regional Council where he brings mātauranga Māori (inherited cultural knowledge) to the table across numerous regional projects.
“My role here is linking together indigenous knowledge and science,” he said. “This project has unlocked the potential of that. Almost all of New Zealand has been geologically mapped, but Karioi hasn’t been done before... the map is the first ever of this
mountain. I’ve wanted to study it for a long time but couldn’t take it further until I finished Pirongia.”
The 756m Mt Karioi formed some 2.6 million years ago. The area has strong cultural links to Tainui, whose 750-year history of settlement on its slopes are evidenced by remnants of stone gardens and storage pits. McLeod collaborated throughout the project with kaumātua and others affiliated with the area.
His map includes place names (often linked to land use) that have been preserved in centuriesold oral histories but don’t appear on topographical maps. It also shows the location of ancient pā sites.
Referring to his close working relationship with Māori communities on this project, McLeod said: “It was about honouring a cultural landscape by incorporating the best science with indigenous knowledge to convey the power of the landscape and its importance to people.”
Several unexpected findings came up while mapping Karioi. One was the discovery of multiple volcanic vents within the Raglan hills, indicating the sites of previously unknown volcanoes.
The book was blessed at Poihākena Marae prior to its public launch, and McLeod gave a presentation to kaumātua from along the west coast.
A framed map of the geology of Karioi is part of an exhibition on until November 29 at Hamilton East’s Welcome Swallow Gallery.
Karioi was a four-year task for McLeod. It was a heady time –researching and writing the book alongside starting a family with his wife, Julieta.
“Producing a book with two children under two is tough… I was up all night and writing all night.”
Waitomo Group in the running
Group looks odds on favourites to feature in the Waikato Chamber of Commerce business awards after making five of 10 finals.
The announcement the Te Kūiti-founded company was in the running for the Business Growth & Strategy, Innovation, Marketing, Sustainability and People & Culture awards came at an invitation-only event in Hamilton last week.
The gala dinner, where the winners will be announced, will be held at Claudelands Event Centre on November 15.
Desmond Ormsby founded Waitomo Group in Te Kūiti 77 years ago and since then it has been run by three generations of the Ormsby family, with a period of joint ownership with Mobil Oil New Zealand, before reverting to 100-percent family ownership.
Waitomo's initial expansion started when deregulation opened up the oil industry in the late 80s and Desmond’s son Grey joined the business.
He convinced son Jimmy to return from the UK in 2003 and join the by now Hamilton-based company
which embarked on a no-frills approach to selling petrol. Jimmy Ormsby who lives in Cambridge, now owns the firm and is its rangatira.
The company describes itself as a market disruptor which offers competition and choice to New Zealanders claiming that because its fuel stops are unmanned, without a retail offering, its overheads are low and is able to pass savings on to its customers.
Finalists:
Business Growth & Strategy: Cater Plus, Pure Lighting, Wade Group, Waitomo Group. Community Contribution: Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust, Kora, Ninja Valley. For Purpose: Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust, The Cake Detective Charitable Trust, Wild Bamboo. Innovation: Vertex Engineers, Waikato Milking Systems, Waitomo Group Ltd. Marketing: Gallagher Animal Management, Hobbiton Movie Set, Rabobank, Waitomo Group.
People & Culture: Livingstone Building, Longveld Limited, Pure Lighting, Waitomo Group Ltd. Service Excellence: Connect Health, Groundcover Landscaping, Whites Powersports. Small Business of the Year: Brainchild, Confinement Escape Rooms Hamilton, Stapleton Consulting.
Sustainability: Pact Steel Limited, Restore Native, Waikato Regional Airport, Waitomo Group.
Emerging Leader of the Year finalists: Ashley Mason, Claire Williamson, Jonty Rae.
Get Gardening
Spring is here and it’s time to remove old winter annuals and look at replacing these with Spring annuals and perennials like Marigolds, Petunias, Cosmos, Zinnias, Lavender and Daisies, the list is endless. In the garden don’t forget to give everything from fruit trees and hedging right through to the border gardens, a top dressing of fertiliser to see them through the next few months, while everything has a burst in growth. It’s also a good time to get your summer vegetable garden started. You can plant lettuces and salad crops, peas, beans, beetroot, onions, cucumbers, zucchinis and many herbs. We have various thymes, Cat Grass, a selection of basil, Nasturtiums and Mesclun mixes just to name a few.
Happy gardening!
Dr Oliver McLeod, centre, with kaumātua Sean Ellison; Angeline Greensill, chairperson of the Tainui o Tainui Trust; Lisa Thomson, Whāingaroa general ward councillor; and Diane Bradshaw (Ngāti Te Wehi) of The MacDiarmid Institute New Zealand.
Photo: David Loughlin
By Mary Anne Gill
Waitomo
Rangiaowhia artwork donated
By Mary Anne Gill
A benevolent Te Awamutu resident has donated a piece of artwork to Waipā District Council’s art collection depicting the atrocities of Rangiaowhia in 1864.
It was painted by Hamilton artist Richard Lewer who now lives and works in Melbourne, Australia.
The acrylic painting on canvas was part of the ‘What they didn’t teach me at school’ exhibition held at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington this year.
It is one of 14 in the artist’s The Waikato Wars series which also included Rewi’s last stand at the Battle of Ōrākau and Kīngi Tāwhiao laying his patu down before being forced into the King Country.
“It truly was an incredible body of work
to have made and looking back now I would have to say the best in my painting life,” Lewen, 53, told The News.
Waipā Museums and Heritage director Anne Blyth told the council this week the donor wanted to ensure the painting remained in the district. The work was valued at $18,000.
Her staff undertook an assessment of the artwork against the council’s Public Art Acquisition Criteria and it scored 28 out of 39, meeting the criteria for public art.
They also consulted Ngāti Apakura Runanga Trust chair Orrin Kapua who was supportive.
The work will initially hang adjacent to mayor Susan O’Regan’s office on the first floor so staff can see and learn about the stories associated with the art.
“Richard’s work frequently investigates difficult subjects. He felt it was important to acknowledge and explore the local wars to help him better understand New Zealand’s complex colonising history,” said Blyth.
The contemporary artwork created by a pākehā artist interpreted a significant and sensitive event in Māori history.
“The addition of this work to the council art collection will provide a challenging and thought-provoking piece regarding a key event in the history of Waipā,” she said.
Curator, writer and arts leader Blair French, a New Zealander also living in Australia, said Lewer created dramatic, dynamic but impressionistic scenes stained with colour.
“Māori defenders appear to fall from hillsides in bursts of red or are consumed in flames (based on the burning of a whare at Rangiaowhia with inhabitants trapped inside). The imperial and colonial forces are like manic, menacing apparitions,
the most disturbing products to date of Lewer’s stripped back, stylised approach to rendering figures as ciphers of energy.”
In his description, Lewer - who was educated at Hamilton Boys High Schoolsaid General Duncan Cameron ordered his troops to march around Paterangi defence and onto Rangiaowhia.
“Rangiaowhia was the economic hub of the Waikato, with the largest settlement of Māori, critical to supply the Kingitanga in the war effort. However, this was the place they’d sent their women, children, elderly and disabled. There was panic and terror amongst the people. There are conflicting views on how a whare with people inside caught fire.
Several people died in the burning building.
Lewer said when he was growing up in
Hamilton he had no idea about Waikato’s history.
“I knew absolutely nothing and it’s embarrassing, it’s shameful.
“As an artist, I place myself in environments that challenge me to confront who I am, and where I fit in the world, this includes the past. It was really important for me to learn what happened in the Waikato in the 1860s and to try and process it,” he told the exhibition website.
“It might be a failure of our education system but it’s also a personal failure. I decided it was just as much my journey as anyone’s. It wasn’t easy and I still don’t know if it was wise. But I think as New Zealanders we all have a responsibility to understand, and I think my job, as an artist, is to uncover things.”
• More teawamutunews.nz
Rachel and Anika are experts on medicines. They are available for appointments, and can help you:
• Review your mix of medicines for different conditions
• Help you understand how your medicines work and why you have been prescribed them
• Help you to use your inhalers, along with other respiratory medicines
• Discuss any problems with your medicines, e.g. dosages, side effects
• Help you manage your medicines for gout, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions
• Help you to understand any potential drug interactions and recommend changes
30 minute appointments available now
Same fee as for a single GP consultation Phone
The Atrocities of Rangiaowhia on display at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington. Photo: Jess O’Brien.
Richard Lewer in front of his exhibition at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery. His Rangiaowhia work is pictured right.
Photo: Jess O’Brien.
A festival full of stars
By Roy Pilott
It was a day for proud whānau – but none would have been prouder than Rangimarie Waitai to see their stars of kapa haka.
Thirty minutes before the start of Waipā’s schools kapa haka festival in the ASB Stadium in Te Awamutu on Friday she did what everyone else was doing - talk to the person sitting next to them.
That happened to be me, camera in hand, waiting to get a series of pics – and also to see whānau perform. And here started a quick history lesson.
Waitai recalled how she was a teacher at Pekarau (now Pekapekarau) School when the first festival was staged 2006 – and she helped both her and other schools with their kapa haka.
“I always dreamed for our kids would have an opportunity to celebrate their Māoritanga,” she recalled.
There was influential help from the like of tikanga Māori and te reo Māori advisor Paraone Gloyne as more and more
schools became involved. Not just Waipā. Kāwhia joined in. “Kāwhia was part of the journey – it was important to include our tribal homeland,” Waitai said – while pointing out the Kāwhia contingent behind us as Pirongia students walked in.
She has been helping with Te Awamutu College more recently, and as student came in and acknowledged her, she
told one his hoodie would have to be removed. It clearly wasn’t up to her standard.
On this day at a free event with no tickets you couldn’t put an entirely accurate count on the number of those proud whanau who came to watch – but 2500 wouldn’t be an unreasonable.guess.
“And 80 per cent of the students here speak te reo,” Waitai added.
She was particularly proud to see the event under its name – Te Taitūperepere – and humbled to have been part of it.
The event was this year hosted by Te Kura o Kihikihi, whose principal Sunny West celebrated a fantastic event. Her highlight? ”So many to choose from – but it’s seeing an entire community come together and the success and smiles of all the children.”
Not just the children. Raukawa Trust’s support extended to setting up a special place in front of the stage of kaumātua.
Ōhaupō kura hosts the 2025 event.
Among the youngest darlings of the show were, from left, Maikara Koroheke-King, Hināia Waretini-Huata and Amohau Harrison from Iti a Rata kohanga reo.
In focus from Pirongia School were, from left, Hope Payton, Maia Davis-Uerata, Hannah Ashwell, Sia Joshi, Nellie Muckle, Zalaya-Rose Stevens and Payton Collins
Pirongia School’s Nixon Taukiri’s voice could be heard throughout the stadium.
Rangimarie Waitai watches on with pride at a festival she has seen grow over almost a 20 year period.
From left, Peyton Rogers, Agam Mahal and Anthony Gibbes on stage for Te Awamutu Primary School Te Awamutu Primary School was well represented at the festival.
Nellie looks for a deck truck
December.
Rosetown Lions took over the Christmas Sleigh Raffle last year from the now closed Pakeke Lions group. This will be Rosetown’s second year running the event, and Nellie wants to smooth the way for it to raise as much money as possible for charity.
The decorated sleigh, which is packed with goodies provided by Te Awamutu’s business sector, sits atop a flat-deck truck for its pre-Christmas drive through the town’s streets.
for 45 years, but it was only about seven years ago that she joined Rosetown Lions.
She knew all about the value of service organisations, primarily through her service-orientated parents who had migrated to New Zealand from the Netherlands. “I saw my father on school committees … it was his way of giving back to his new country.”
Nellie assured any potential lenders that the vehicle would be stored in a closed garage when not doing its Christmas run.
The Christmas Sleigh Raffle is one of Rosetown’s bigger fundraisers. It starts with members approaching businesses seeking goods which can be raffled during those first two weeks in December. The sleigh gets parked outside wherever tickets are being sold in the CBD.
“We sold out early last year, so we’re looking at bumping up the number of tickets this time,” she said, “and we are considering increasing the value of some of the prizes.”
Nellie’s year in office started in late July. Te Awamutu has been home
Nellie grew up in South Auckland and completed training as a hospital nurse at Middlemore. She moved to Te Awamutu after marrying, and when her family grew up, she worked at Tokanui Hospital for 12 years. When that closed she moved into support work in the disability sector, initially fulltime and now across three days a week. It’s a role she finds deeply rewarding, and one that works well with the community-oriented work done by the all-female Rosetown Lions. They volunteer their support to a variety of different organisations, events and groups throughout the year, always with a view to giving back to the community and helping others do the same.
Nellie doesn’t have a project as such for her year; instead, she hopes to bump up their numbers and keep the flow of community support strong.
Rosetown Lions president Nellie Harris wants to swell the club’s ranks during her year in office. Photo: Viv Posselt
All power and precision
By Mary Anne Gill
Imagine threading a needle while piloting a helicopter.
That’s the job Warrick Wright, Ōtorohanga aviation company HeliA1’s deputy chief pilot, successfully completed for Waipā Networks in Cambridge on Saturday.
The mission involved stringing new earth wires from the Otahuhu to Whakamaru 220kV overhead line above Hautapu through transmission towers to connect with Waipā Network’s new 33kV substation which in turn hooks into Transpower’s new 220kV grid exit point substation.
Waikato Expressway was closed between Cambridge Road and Hautapu for four hours so the transmission wires could be pulled across the highway.
Watching on from a safe distance was Waipā Networks’ projects delivery manager Dan Linton, born and bred in Te Awamutu, who has the job of ensuring the company’s new substation gets completed on budget and in time.
When switched on it will treble the electricity capacity for Cambridge and cater for future growth across the district.
The substations are on land Waipā Networks bought in Forrest Road and directly underneath the national grid.
“Cambridge is obviously a fast growing and developing area both industrial and
residential,” said Linton who said the project was part of a 30-year plan which would see more than 13,000 new homes across Waipā. Demand is expected to grow from 42 megawatts at peak to 50 megawatts.
Megawatts measure power and while usage needs vary among users – factories like the giant APL one or Fonterra in Hautapu need more than the average household – a megawatt of power can light up to 1000 homes.
“They don’t just build for what is happening, to cater for the now or next year. It’s definitely long term planning to cater for the future, future growth,” said Linton.
Waiting on the towers were contracted staff who caught the wires pulled by the helicopter.
Wright’s passenger, spotter Andy Curtis, had the job of ensuring the handover was completed successfully while perched on the chopper’s boarding step.
They had completed two other earth wires the week before.
“Safe as houses up there,” said Wright, a 12-year helicopter pilot veteran.
“The wind is a very important factor,” he said. But fortunately, it was windless on Saturday and there were more concerns about sunburn than windburn.
Ironically pilots train to
stay away from power lines but in this instance, they were right above and beside them, he said.
“Most of our business is agricultural work but we are doing more and more of this utility work all over the place.”
Work on the substations began 12 months ago.
The Transpower substation is on track for commissioning in December while the Waipā one will start commissioning in April next year.
Waipā Networks is an electricity distribution utility providing electricity to over 40,000 customers in Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Kāwhia and surrounding areas.
Transpower is the owner and operator of the national grid, a high-voltage transmission network that connects areas of power generation with towns and cities across New Zealand.
HeliA1 Helicopter Services deputy chief pilot Warrick Wright and spotter Andy Curtis in the AS350B3 “Squirrel” powerline stringing for Waipā Networks on Saturday in Hautapu.
HeliA1 Helicopter Services deputy chief pilot Warrick Wright and spotter Andy Curtis in front of the AS350B3 “Squirrel” the Ōtorohanga company uses for powerline stringing. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Sheddies join war on pests
Te Awamutu Community
Menz Shed is putting its best foot forward to support the destruction of pests in the “pest free” corridor between the Maungatautari and Pirongia mountains.
Last week the Menz Shed completed an order for 110 Doc100 traps - a model chosen for its strength and reliability - for Go Eco predator-free hub. The finance for these traps filters down from Environment Waikato regional services account, and comes from the protecting and restoring natural biodiversity vote.
Project manager Malcolm Perano said it was a great effort by the men, some of whom are new to the shed. They all found themselves learning new skills and working in a team environment.
The traps will be delivered to lifestyle block owners and will also be spread amongst farmers who have bush on their property.
Ellen Webb from Go Eco said the traps will also form part of the Bush to Burbs project.
The project revolves around the spillover, or halo, effects from Sanctuary Mountain by reducing predator numbers in fragmented bush in the adjacent rural landscape.
Monthly catches are recorded by the trap owner and figures appear on their social media page.
This project is one of many the Menz Shed takes part in around the town.
There is a charge for the traps which goes towards paying for the power, and buying new machines, allowing ‘Sheddies’ to take on further work for schools, kindergartens, and similar organisations.
The Te Awamutu Community Menz Shed was
Council gets say in power elections
By Mary Anne Gill
Two Waipā councillors and a former district council staffer will rely on votes from mayor Susan O’Regan and chief executive Steph O’Sullivan to get onto the local electricity network trust.
The council has 230 connections with Waipā Networks – 100 per cent owned by Waipā Networks Trust - acting group manager Business Support Georgina Knapp told councillors this week.
There are eight candidates for six positions on the trust including Philip Coles and incumbent Marcus Gower, both elected district councillors. The trust is chaired by Sarah Matthews who was the council’s Finance manager until July 2021 and now works at Taupō District Council as group manager Organisation Performance.
“In the view of council officers, it is important that council exercises its ability to vote in an effort to ensure good candidates
are elected,” said Knapp. The trust has been operating with five trustees since last year when previous chair Craig Sanders resigned after moving to Dunedin.
The other trustees are Judy Bannon – who is standing down - Ray Milner and David McLean – Te Awamutu chartered accountant Jarrod Godfrey, Cambridge director Pip Kempthorne and Cambridge accountant Rollo Webb are also standing.
Voting papers were sent either by mail or electronically to the nearly 30,000 eligible customers about a fortnight ago. Voting closes at 5pm on Tuesday October 1. Knapp recommended giving O’Regan and O’Sullivan delegated authority to cast Waipā council’s votes.
“They will do this with due regard to the skill and experience of the candidates, and the likelihood of the candidate to act in the interests of both council and the Waipā community as a whole,” she said.
established in 2012 and now has more than 50 Members. It is one of more than 135 such sheds around the country.
Shed president Richard Cato says one of the main values of such sheds is the comradeship and sense of belonging and community involvement they provide, especially for older men, some of who are either living along or have recently retired and feel they want to be doing something interesting and useful.
Neglect linked to economy
The SPCA has drawn links between animal neglect and the economy
In response to the prosecution of a Te Awamutu resident, SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said people were under pressure, “they’re hurting and trying to make ends meet - sadly, animals get drawn into that and we see this outcome all too often”.
The owner of a dog named Sole who pleaded guilty to ill treatment of an animal was last week sentenced to 100 hours community work and disqualified from owning animals for three years.
The plight of Sole, a male black labrador retriever cross, was exposed by a member of the public in June 2023. He was emaciated,
and had muscle wastage, from poor nutrition, and there was strong evidence of long-term self-trauma.
SPCA contacted the owner who gave consent for Sole to be put down. He said due to working two jobs he fed Sole once a day and noticed he was losing weight but didn’t know what to do about it. He said he had tried to wash Sole’s sores but didn’t seek help or advice.
“A neglected animal is deeply affected by their environment, pain, and distress. Sole is sadly another who was left to become so woefully unwell that experts determined death was his only reprieve from suffering.” Westwood said.
Boxing on: Malcolm Perano and Ellen Webb with some of the Doc100 traps made in Te Awamutu.
Payments out of balance
By Peter Nicholl
I wrote a column in June 2023 under the title “Worry about the balance of payments, not the recession’. At that time, New Zealand had a current account deficit of $31 billion, or 8.5 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product - GDP. I wrote another column on this topic a few months later the title ‘New Zealand’s current account deficit is huge’.
The September deficit was a little lower at $29.8 billion or 7.5 per cent of GDP so the trend was in the right direction. But it was still one of the largest current account deficits amongst developed countries. What makes the New Zealand situation worse is that it has had a current account deficit every year this century – that is over 20 years in a row. The average annual deficit over that period was around three per cent of GDP. So recent levels at around eight per cent are enormous – and should be of huge concern to policymakers.
Balance of payments data for the year to June 2024, was released recently. The annual current account deficit was $27.8 billion. It is still trending down, which is good, but at a slow pace. The release of the data got very little media attention. We don’t seem to realise just how badly our external sector is performing. We are living beyond our means – and have been doing so for a long time. Maybe we have been doing it for so long that we now think this is to be expected and is okay. It isn’t.
A current account deficit has to be financed in some way. Because we have been running current account deficits for so long, New Zealand’s net financial position with the rest of the world has been deteriorating rapidly. As at June 2024, New Zealand’s net financial
position with the rest of the world was -$205 billion. That is not a misprint. It is billions not millions. And it is a negative sign. That means we have $205 billion more liabilities to the rest of the world than we have assets in the rest of the world. That is close to 50 per cent of our GDP. This negative level has doubled in the last 20 years. This is a trend and level that will worry Rating Agencies – and should worry everyone else too.
The most recent ratings from the big three Rating Agencies, Standard and Poors, Moodys and Fitch, all left New Zealand’s sovereign credit rating unchanged (AA+) and also left the outlook stable. That is also good but if our current account position doesn’t start to improve more rapidly than it has been doing recently, I expect the Rating Agencies to react negatively. What worries me more is that we have been living beyond our means even though our economic growth has been relatively slow and we have built up a huge deficit in infrastructure investment in a lot of areas – hospitals, schools, roads. Unless we improve our export performance substantially, we will not be in a position to finance accelerated expenditure on infrastructure.
In a small, open economy like New Zealand, the export sector is the key to our growth. In the last decade or so, many of our key export industries have been lumbered with additional costs rather than promoted. We can see the impact of this in our poor balance of payments performance.
Did you feel the mountains tremble?
By Christine Bryant, Lay Minister, St John’s
On September 23, 1995, I was waiting at Wellington Airport for a German exchange student to arrive on the 8am flight from Auckland. When he landed, he was very excited because he had seen a volcano. I assumed he meant he had seen some steam from Ngauruhoe, but no. This was the major eruption of Ruapehu which marked the start of the biggest eruptions on the mountain since 1945. A truly awesome sight.
I am fascinated by Janine Krippner’s articles about the moving and shaking of the earth. I enjoyed her articles about the eruptions on Tenerife and what she learned from them. They remind me that, despite 40 years of living in Wellington and becoming accustomed to regular shakes, I know little about the ongoing processes which constantly re-shape the earth. I am reminded also of the immense power inherent in God’s creation. Mountains blow their tops, rivers change course and tidal action erodes massive cliffs. How small we are in comparison to such awesome forces.
For many peoples, mountains are sacred places where they can encounter their God: Mt Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments, Temple Mount/the Dome of the Rock with Al-Aqsa Mosque because Muslims believe that Mohammed ascended to heaven from here, Machu Picchu, high in the Andes, was sacred to the Incas, and Uluru, sacred to the Pitjantjatjara people of the Northern Territory, are just a few examples.
In Aotearoa, every iwi has a mountain with which it identifies. In fact, it is usual to begin a greeting with: “Ko (name of mountain) te maunga”, thus placing yourself in the context
Te Awamutu AUTO DIRECTORY
Seasonal check a good thing
At HTSL, we o er a variety of services for heavy vehicles.
• Pre vehicle inspections (PVA), COF inspections
• Maintenance and regular servicing intervals
• Diagnostics for engines, transmission, drive train, braking and electrical components
Spring has arrived and with it, the wild and woolly weather of the changing season. In the Te Awamutu and surrounding area, it’s essential to check your car for a variety of reasons. Changing weather conditions can impact vehicle performance. With warmer temperatures and increased rainfall, ensuring your tyres, brakes, and wipers are in good condition is crucial for safety.
Spring brings longer daylight hours through daylight savings, encouraging more road trips and outdoor activities.
A thorough check can help prevent breakdowns, ensuring you enjoy your adventures without interruptions.
Check your sticker on your windscreen
to be sure your car is not due a service.
It is an ideal time to assess your vehicle’s fluids. As winter can be tough on engines, checking oil, coolant, and windshield washer fluid levels helps maintain optimal performance. Moreover, pollen and debris can accumulate, a ecting air filters and visibility. The big thing is, many of us are starting to plan road trips for the upcoming holiday season. A spring check ensures your car is road-ready, reducing the risk of unexpected issues. Taking the time now for maintenance can save you money and stress later, making it a smart investment for your vehicle’s longevity and reliability.
of the most imposing local landmark. It is little wonder, then, that Maungatautari, which most of us see every day, is known in English as Sanctuary Mountain. Not only is it a place of safety for endangered native birds, but also it is a place where the diversity of creation is recognised and honoured.
Last Sunday was the fourth in the season of Care for Creation. The theme was mountains. Mountains have been some of the most exploited of nature’s features, mostly because of the minerals they contain. Mt Isa and Broken Hill in Australia have massive open-cast mines which deface the environment for kilometres.
Mining also creates hills of waste. In Wales, there are still huge slag heaps, one of which collapsed on a school in Aberfan with devastating results.
Yet, we need to value our mountains and recognise that their pristine environments are a symbol of the promises of God. In the words of a well-known (Christian) song: Did you feel the mountains tremble? Did you hear the oceans roar, When the people rose to sing of Jesus Christ, the risen one?
No matter what obstacles arise in life or what crevasses we fall into, God’s love is always available to sustain us and lift us again to the mountain top. As the prophet Isaiah said: They shall neither hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord.
I hope that next time you stand on a hilltop or a mountain, you will look down and marvel at creation before you.
Getting your car checked with the change of seasons is always a good idea, especially with the looming holiday season.
Community Connect
Sept. 26 2024
Heroes’ welcome for Waipā Olympic champs
Don’t miss the chance to celebrate with our champion Paris Olympic and Paralympic athletes in December, with Mayor Susan O’Regan leading an official Civic welcome at a family-focused celebration in Cambridge.
Our Waipā heroes will be welcomed back to the Home of Champions at a twilight community event on Friday, December 13, so save the date!
The five silver medallists from the women’s cycling sprint and pursuit teams have confirmed they will be taking part, along with para-cyclists, sailors and rowers. More athletes and coaches from other codes are expected to confirm closer to the time.
Mayor Susan said it is not every day that you get a chance to meet an Olympic champion – let alone see a medal up close!
“We were incredibly lucky to have 48 athletes representing Waipā on the world stage at these Games. This event will help build connections for our community and these sporting heroes, inspiring the next generation of Waipā champions.”
Menzshed transforming council building
The Cambridge Menzshed is full steam ahead transforming the historic Leamington Dairy Service Factory into a welcoming community space.
The council-owned building requires nearly $40,000 in repairs to bring it back to a basic standard. Council is providing $23,000 for preventative maintenance and the Menzshed is fundraising the remainder.
Mayor Susan O’Regan said Menzshed is on a mission to make the building its home base.
“Multiple community groups and individuals have come to the party to help with supplies, window repairs and fencing.
“It’s a win for everyone, the community will benefit from the awesome mahi the Menzshed will be able to do with a permanent base, and the upgrade to the building will save ratepayers money by reducing the long-term maintenance costs.”
Menzshed is a charitable group that brings local men together to share their skills, support each other, and work on practical tasks for the community.
Free movies, television shows and music for Waipā library members
A huge new selection of digital entertainment is now available to Waipā library members. More than 1.5 million online movies, television shows, music, eBooks and digital audiobooks are being offered through the library’s new e-platform, Hoopla.
The new service went live on Monday and allows all library card holders to borrow and enjoy most titles for free from anywhere they can access a screen. Hoopla syncs across users’ devices – computers, tablets, smartphones and televisions.
Joining the library is free if you live or pay rates in Waipā. You can join on the website waipalibraries.org.nz or visit either Te Awamutu or Cambridge library to join in person.
Funds open for grassroots projects and events!
Calling all Waipā community clubs, organisations, not-for-profit groups and event organisers, we’ve got funding rounds opening for you!
District Promotion Fund
The District Promotion Fund aims to support events that drive economic activity and promote Waipā as a great place to live, work, invest in, or visit.
Opens: Now!
Closes: 5pm Friday, October 11
Scan the QR code to find out more:
Community Discretionary Fund
The community boards and ward committee are keen to hear from local clubs and groups who need a funding boost for projects or events that benefit the people of Waipā.
Opens: Monday, September 30
Closes: 5pm Wednesday, October 30
Scan the QR code to find out more:
Te Awamutu and Kihikihi clean-up morning
Ready to make a difference in your community?
Join the Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board in transforming their neighbourhoods into a cleaner, greener paradise!
When: Sunday, September 29 from 8.30am
Where: Meet the clean up crew and other community members at either:
• Te Awamutu Bunnings Carpark
• Alpha Hotel in Kihikihi
Gloves and bags for picking up litter will be provided. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect, contribute, and clean up our beautiful spaces.
Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan and Cambridge Menzshed members.
By Meghan Hawkes
Thirteen-year-old Kenneth Taylor was riding home from school at a canter along with Charles Cruickshank around four on a September afternoon in 1897.
The boys were between the Cross Roads and Greenhill – the Taylor family’s famed Clydesdale horse and Shorthorn cattle stud which extended from Ngaroto into Te Awamutu. On turning a corner of the road a four-horse wagon driven by William Head came in sight. Suddenly Kenneth’s pony stumbled and fell, and Kenneth was thrown to the road. The unconscious lad was picked up and taken home.
Dr Pairman, who was soon in attendance, found Kenneth in a critical state suffering from a concussion from which he never recovered. The inquest, which was held at Greenhill, recorded a verdict of accidental death, occasioned by a fall from a horse, and no blame was attachable to anyone. Kenneth’s funeral took place after the arrival of the Auckland train, which brought several family friends. The cortege left Greenhill at 1pm. The coffin was carried to St John’s Church by four of
the Greenhill employees and carried out to the grave by six of the Kenneth’s schoolmates. William and Elizabeth Taylor had toiled together to make Greenhill one of the landmarks in the district. They had six sons and two daughters – one of whom, Mary, died aged four months in 1891. An immense crowd had attended the funeral demonstrating the sympathy that was felt all round the district for the bereaved parents.
By March 1908, with her five sons now grown and between the ages of 20 and 30, and one daughter aged 11, Elizabeth left for a visit to her home in England. There was a big crowd at the farewell held in the Te Awamutu Town Hall including a large number of settlers who had known Elizabeth ever since she came to the district. Speakers testified to the high esteem in which she was held by the whole community – a lady whose charity knew no bounds. She was presented with a pair of binoculars, and all wished her a pleasant voyage and a safe return to Greenhill. Three mighty cheers for her almost shook the roof.
In August, with his mother
five months into her trip, 28-year-old Charles Taylor was in Te Awamutu township in his usual jovial spirits despite having some slight chest pains. He deteriorated fairly rapidly though and was placed under Dr Henderson’s care. His heart was found to be in a weak state and on top of this bronchitis set in. His condition became somewhat alarming; but fatal results were not anticipated. Nine days after his cheery visit to town he died shortly after midnight in the presence of his father and brothers, and Dr Henderson. Charles a few years previously had contracted rheumatic fever which affected his heart; but subsequently he enjoyed fairly good health. The funeral left Greenhill, again after the arrival of family friends on the Auckland train, for St John’s Cemetery. “The saddest feature of his death,” noted the Waikato Argus, “is that his mother is at present on a visit to England and the news will be a great shock to her.”
The Greenhill tragedies Your
HAMPTONS WITH LOCAL VIEWS
Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac with open views from the elevated position, mountains feature on the landscape. The modern villa with rolled veranda starts the classic feel, the wide entry and flow through to the open plan of the main living encompassing the defined areas for family, formal or dining. A welcoming kitchen forms the heart of the home, the dining connects to a portico with sunshade and winter blind for all year round use, high ceilings, wide doorways, ceiling heat pump, attention to details show throughout this home. You will want to come home to the Hamptons feel. Contact Vayle to arrange a viewing.
By Janine Krippner
We have five geological features in New Zealand that have recently received recognition for being “of the highest scientific value”, with “the world’s best demonstrations of geologic features and processes”. That’s pretty cool.
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGG) has released its second list of 100 sites, aptly named The Second 100, and this includes Rotorua’s geothermal fields (Ahi-Tupua), our mighty Ruapehu volcano, the Muriwai megapillow lava flows, Maruia Falls, and the Fjords and towering sea cliffs of Fiordland.
I have to admit that I hadn’t even heard of the Muriwai megapillow lava flows and I don’t know how I missed this impressive formation. Pillow lavas form when lava is flowing through water. A solid crust forms around the leading edge of the lava, causing it to continue forwards as lobes that look a bit like pillows, form a pile of them in the end. These were erupted from an underwater volcano near Waitākere 17 million years ago, and are particularly impressive for their size, with the individual “pillows” reaching five metres across. This is not common. There are pillow lavas at many spots around the world, but they are usually up to one metre across.
This gorgeous outcrop (exposed section of rock) also show a crazy assortment of lava columns that form when a lava flow cools and contracts, with the most famous of these being the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. I will have to go check these out for myself.
It’s great to see the geothermal features of Rotorua getting the appreciation they deserve. While living in the United States it was often assumed that I had been to Yellowstone,
but honestly it was not high up on my list of volcanoes to visit. Having experienced the incredible geothermal features near home many times over the years, plus the impressive caldera volcanoes also in our back yard, I don’t feel like I have missed out. It would be incredible to visit Yellowstone, especially for the wildlife, but there were so many other volcanoes I want to see more. We are spoiled here with world-class geological features, and I am happy to see them recognised.
Ruapehu is a very deserving volcano for this list. It is a mix of incredible, diverse eruptive history, a rich cultural context, and our relationship with it through the ski fields and hiking. It is also the source of our worst volcanic incident with the 1953 Christmas Eve Tangiwai rail disaster. The cross-over of humans and volcanoes brings so much more complexity to the science, and it also enriches our lives in the many ways that I touch on through this weekly column.
This is a good reminder of how fortunate we are here in New Zealand. With all the struggle that so many of us are facing right now, it can be hard to remember. With similar struggles playing out around the world, and many that are much, much worse, we are here in a relatively peaceful, relatively safe, and undeniably beautiful country.
As I am working to figure out my next steps with the lack of job options in my field, one thing is certain. After 11 years overseas and the many incredible places I have visited, there is nowhere else I would rather be.
ACCOUNTANCY ROLE
We are looking for a person to join our team either fulltime or part time, who has a people first attitude and understands the importance of delivering in a positive, timely manner.
You will be joining an accountancy firm with a large farming client base along with many progressive businesses. Flexibility to work from either our Hamilton and/or Ōtorohanga office as well as from home, as our offices are cloud based.
About us
We are more than just about numbers. Our mission statement is ‘Making a positive difference in your life’ which relates to both staff and clients. We are a small growing innovative accounting firm of 12 providing a fun, friendly, flexible working environment. Check out our awesome website for the history of the firm and testimonials.
Qualifications & experience
• Minimum of 2 years experience in a New Zealand Chartered Accountant’s office.
Benefits
• Flexible working environment
• Offices in Hamilton and Ōtorohanga
• Payment of professional membership fees
• Staff savings scheme and paid day off for birthday
• Fun progressive team environment
• Being totally cloud based the team are all able to work remotely from home
Send your CV and covering letter to Osbornes Chartered Accountants Ltd team@osbornesca.co.nz
Waipa District Council will consider an application to close the following road to ordinary vehicular traffic on Saturday, 7 December 2024.
Between 7:00am and 1:30pm
• Selwyn Lane – whole Street
• Gorst Avenue – whole Street
Between 8:00am and 1:00pm:
• Mahoe Street – between Churchill Street and Selwyn Lane
• Alexandra Street – between Mutu / Rewi Streets and Sloane Street
• Churchill Street – between Mahoe Street and the Squash Club (335 Churchill Street)
Between 10:30am and 1:00pm:
• Arawata Street – between Mahoe Street and Alexandra / Sloane Streets
• Sloane Street – between Arawata / Alexandra Streets and 35 Sloane Street
• Mahoe Street –between Arawata Street and Selwyn Lane
To enable the organisers to hold the Te Awamutu Rotary Christmas Parade 2024.
The application will be considered under the Tenth Schedule of the Local Government Act 1974.
Emergency Services will have complete right of way at all times during closure.
Any objections to the proposal must be lodged with Waipa District Council, in writing, to events@waipadc.govt.nz before 4.00pm on Friday, 11 October 2024. Please include the nature of the objection and the grounds for it. See the Privacy Statement on the Council’s website for further information.
For more information, please contact Waipa District Council on 0800 924 723.
Steph O’Sullivan CHIEF EXECUTIVE
LAND wanted to lease 20 minutes from Te Awamutu for stock. Kevin 0274
DOGS for sale. Huntaway pups. 3 months old. Top working parents. Ph or txt 027 478 1783.
Notice of Proposed Reserve Revocation and Disposal Section 24(2) Reserves Act 1977
Waipā District Council intends to notify the Department of Conservation under section 24(1)(b) of the Reserves Act 1977 that it considers that the following reserve should have its reserve status revoked to enable its disposal, as it is not required for its stated purpose:
Taotaoroa Road Reserve held in Record of Title 504093 with an area of approximately 1.5743 ha and is located on the southern side of Taotaoroa Road.
Any person a ected by this proposal has the right to provide written notice of any objection to the proposal, including the grounds for that objection, any time before 25 October 2024 to Waipā District Council. Written objections should be addressed to: Reserve Revocation, Waipa District Council, 101 Banks Street, Te Awamutu. Attention:
Property Projects Specialist - info@waipadc.govt.nz
OPEN HOMES
TE AWAMUTU OPEN HOMES
Contact listing agent prior-visiting as Open Homes times can change.
KING, Arthur Robert Leslie, Reg No: G751991
Lance Bombardier, Lance Corporal
R.N.Z.A.F –Passed away at Matariki Continuing Care surrounded by his family on Thursday, 19th September 2024, aged 65 years. Dearly loved husband of the late Julie. Much loved father to Robert, Hone, Manawa, Huriona, and Koro to many. Following Arthur's wishes a private service has been held. All communications to the King Family c/- 262 Ohaupo Road, Te Awamutu 3800.
Down: 2.
EZDXHSPFVPIAKBDMBEA
WQAFFBZUEEHDORABRLT NGOUGWOYNDLETDEQUEI ZRBEXLISBBOEESGABEC KIHXLODRDMPSTLGCBTO CLSIWBBTIRQEKZSBESI LLASNQARANNGCQEKREG UEDTGGTCANGUIWUGXUN TESNHNEMOEPATSGMATS CYUICRIBDZGGSPAREZK HSMOTHORNOVRPTDSGOC
Across: 1. Sudoku, 5. Unsure, 8. Nun, 9. Kindle, 10. Starve, 11. Josh, 13. Sanitary, 14. Smirk, 15. Tipsy, 19. Delicate, 21. Garb, 22. Humane, 23. Almond, 25. Rum, 26. Sleepy, 27. Either.
Uniform, 3. Old, 4. Uneasy, 5. Unsung, 6. Startling, 7. River, 12. Hurricane, 16. Strange, 17. Bakery, 18. Defame, 20. Equal, 24. Met.
