Waipā, Ōtorohanga and Waitomo district councils have agreed to share regulatory services staff in the latest hint Waikato local authorities are thinking “bigger picture”.
The three councils signed an over-arching regulatory shared services agreement last month. The details were shared with Ōtorohanga and Waitomo councillors this week.
Not covered in the agreement is animal control which has its own shared services deal.
Sharing building consents workload could soon follow.
An existing agreement between Ōtorohanga and Waipā for environmental health – water and food quality, waste disposal, housing and vermin control – has been replaced by the new deal.
Under the agreement, any one of the three councils can
request additional regulatory support from any of the other councils, on a cost recovery basis.
A council can also offer spare capacity with building consent inspections and processing, compliance and enforcement investigations and response and resource consent processing.
The savings come by not engaging external consultants and the agreed hourly rate is about 60 per cent of what they would usually cost.
The agreement is nonbinding and only on offer if councils have spare capacity. Whether Waipā will take up the offer is unknown as staff no longer make “information only” reports available in council and/or council agendas.
The District Growth Quarterly report, usually prepared by District Growth and Regulatory Services group manager Wayne Allan for the Strategic Planning
and Policy committee was always the go to place for that sort of information.
The period from October 1 to December 31 would usually have been covered off in a report to the committee this month and include updates on growth cells, major resource consent applications, building consents, District Licensing Committee applications and quarterly statistics.
The deal with Waitomo and Ōtorohanga would potentially have been included in that report.
For a growth council like Waipā, the information was of value not only to media, but developers, businesses, retailers and chambers of commerce.
The News has asked Waipā District Council for the regular Transportation and Property reports which used to go to Service Delivery and Finance committees.
The request was
forwarded to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings (LGOIMA) Act team.
Under the act the council has 20 working days to respond.
Good Local Media has also asked for Allan’s quarterly report.
Tony Quickfall, a former Waipā staffer now group manager Regulatory and Growth at Ōtorohanga council, reports this week his
Councils to share load
council issued 30 resource consents between July 1 and December 31.
The council approved 55 building consents in the six month period including 22 at Waikeria Prison.
Work at Waikeria Prison has kept his staff busy. More than 2000 inspections have been undertaken and 183 building consents issued over five years, he reported to his councillors.
Waitomo Strategy and
Environment general manager Alex Bell told his councillors he hoped to see wider collaboration for building consents across a range of councils.
“This collaboration is looking at how we can share resources… for overflow processing of building consents,” the Te Awamutu born and raised Waikato University law graduate and environmental planner said in his five-page report.
Firefighters deal to Ōhaupō blaze
By Roy Pilott
farmer Andrew
was full of praise for firefighters – but less for New Zealand Rail - after fire broke out beside a track bordering his property this week.
Eighteen firefighters and five appliances went to the scene at Ōhaupō late Monday afternoon to deal with a fire which had stretched to 200 metres and had jumped the tracks.
Reymer dialled 111 after being alerted to the fire by a neighbour and said firefighters from Te Awamutu and Pirongia were on the scene quickly.
Te Awamutu’s senior station officer Danny Smith said further checks would be made at the scene on Tuesday after this edition went to press. He said the vegetation in the area was
particularly dry and it was likely the fire was ignited by a spark from a train.
“We’ve not had that many vegetation fires this season – but there is a month to go,” he said.
Reymer pointed the finger at New Zealand Rail, saying they were the worst of neighbours and should clean up the land alongside tracks.
“They started mulching the gorse a while
back and left a nice two inch layer of it to dry out – it is a problem waiting to happen,” he said.
The farm is on peat land and the failure to deal with vegetation increased the risk of a fire engulfing peat and spreading.
Had that happened, it would have compromised the track, Reymer said.
• Go to teawamutunews.nz to see photos and a video of the firefighters at work.
Tony Quickfall – Ōtorohanga
Alex Bell - Waitomo Wayne Allan – Waipā
Dairy
Reymer
110 Jack Russell Drive, Te Awamutu
Why ‘Space Dave’ backs Nasa
On the beat
By Chris Gardner
Te Awamutu’s “Space Dave” has complete faith that Nasa and other space agencies can deal with a rogue asteroid heading towards Earth.
He says we should treat the emergence as a planetary emergency drill.
Astronomers warn there is a two per cent chance of space rock 2024 YR4 hitting our planet in 2032.
“Nasa and other space agencies are always on the lookout for potentially dangerous near-Earth objects,” Te Awamutu Space Centre astronomer and founder Dave Owen told The News.
Owen has operated the space centre in Lyon Street, Kihikihi, since 2014.
“As they find new ones, it takes time to figure out their exact orbits,” he said.
“During this early tracking stage, it’s normal for the odds of hitting Earth to fluctuate. That’s what’s happening with this asteroid. While the odds are currently
Catches and con artists
Family harm is present in every community, and much still goes unreported. This may be because a victim of harm does not feel able to stand up to their aggressor, they are fearful of making the situation worse for themselves or don’t know which avenues to take.
Last Thursday I was proud to be part of a presentation to survivors of family harm at week three of the inaugural running of the “I am Me” programme.
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Together with a family court lawyer, I presented around the topics of police safety orders (PSOs), protection orders, parenting and associated occupancy orders.
We looked at the difference between a PSO and a protection order, how to recognise and report breaches and the processes that follow on from that.
The following day, I joined in as a facilitator for the “Loves Me Not” programme being delivered to Year 11 students from Cambridge High School.
The programme was originally developed by the Sophie Elliot Foundation to educate young people around consent, power and control and how to recognise a healthy and unhealthy relationship.
This year’s version was updated to focus on the Grace Millane story.
The course also looked at what we can do as bystanders, where we see unhealthy or harmful behaviour happening around
us with students discussing ways that they could step in, to stop the harm from continuing or escalating.
Early education enables our rangatahi them to recognise harmful relationships in their own lives and also where those characteristics may be present in their friendships or others’ relationships.
The issue of consent is something that applies across all aspects of our day to day living. Knowledge definitely is power in that situation.
Crime never sleeps. Over the seven days prior to Tuesday this week in Cambridge, police responded to three family harm incidents, five burglaries, three car thefts/ attempted car theft, recorded see7 bail breaches, trespass, 2 reports of wilful damage, fraud and traffic offending as well as fielding various queries over the public counter. In addition, the impairment prevention team caught 5 drunk drivers locally.
Te Awamutu police dealt with 7 family harm incidents, 4 assaults including 1 serious, 3 incidents of threatening behaviour, fighting in a public place, 6 burglaries, 2 mental health incidents, fraud, 3 bail breaches, 3 thefts from cars, a traffic crash, drug offending and again, receiving stolen property, various front counter queries at the station.
around two per cent, my best guess is that this will come down to virtually zero soon. However, it could be as late as 2028 before we know for sure.”
Even in the unlikely event 2024 YR4 is on a collision course with Earth, Owen said there lots of time to prepare.
“…we know what to do. We just need to send a rocket to the asteroid and give it a little nudge to change its direction enough to miss Earth. Nasa has already tested this procedure, and it worked.”
Nasa tested and proved the technology for redirecting asteroids in 2021.
“There are also other space agencies such as the European Space Agency, who would likely be involved. Even New Zealand’s Rocket Lab could potentially play a part.”
In the absolute worst-case scenario, Owen said, humanity had time to calculate where it would hit Earth and evacuate that area.
“This could mean displacing a city-sized population, which is bad, but it’s not an existential threat,” he said.
“Whether or not this asteroid turns out to be a problem, one thing is almost guaranteed: It’s only a matter of time before we do face a serious asteroid impact. That’s when everyone will suddenly be happy that we have a spaceflight programme because that’s what will save us.
“Any concerns I have are not with Nasa, they’re with politicians.”
Owen said he had seen US apocalyptic political satire black comedy film Don’t Look Up and its message was a serious one.
“This is a completely solvable problem, as long as politicians and the general public are willing to fund the solution.”
with Senior Constable DEB HANN
Te Awamutu Space Centre’s “Space Dave” says Nasa, the European Space Agency, and Rocket Lab could all play a part in deflecting an asteroid impact.
Council shuffle
Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk has been replaced as chair of the Strategic Planning and Policy by mayor Susan O’Regan and removed from the Chief Executive Performance Management committee in a Waipā District Council position reshuffle. Mike Montgomerie is promoted to chair the Finance and Corporate committee, replacing Andrew Brown, who doesn’t plan to seek re-election in October. The announcement followed the news that the council’s deputy chief executive Ken Morris had resigned
New priest
Philip Billing has taken over as St Peter’s Parish Catholic priest from Monsignor Leonard Danvers who had been in Cambridge since 2013 and recently celebrated 50 years as a priest. A Book of Memories with messages from parishioners will be presented to Danvers.
Road closure
Work to rebuild both lanes of a section of State Highway 3 between Rukuhia Road and Narrows Road will involve reducing the road to a single lane for about four weeks.
School closes
Ōtorohanga College turned to online learning for two days last week as authorities investigated a brawl that started after a car full of young people drove onto school grounds. College board co-chair Duncan Coull told The News the Bledisloe Ave college had decided to pivot to online learning for two days to enable a thorough investigation after the fight broke out between 15 and 20 youths on college grounds on Monday morning last week.
In the running
The winner of a Māori farming award is Waikato’s hope in the New Zealander of the Year Awards. Three finalists were named in each of seven categories yesterday and include Tīrau based Ben Purua (Tainui) in the young New Zealander section.
Gordon figures out bus stats
By Mary Anne Gill
A Waipā district councillor finally got the bus figures he has been asking for in more than a year, but the answer was not what he expected.
Roger Gordon told Waikato Regional Council’s Future Proof Public Transport subcommittee last week he had tried unsuccessfully to drill down into the numbers catching buses from Cambridge and Te Awamutu to Hamilton.
He had asked Waipā staff to source the information, but they had not done so. Instead, he asked the regional council’s Public Transport manager Trudi Knight for the figures which she did last week.
“The thing that really hits me is that 25 per cent and 22 per cent (of bus patronage) is actually within Hamilton,” he said.
“That’s really surprising to me. We as a council have got some work to do to understand that.”
Passenger numbers rose 33 per cent to 118,303 in Cambridge last year and 28 per cent to 127,182 in Te Awamutu-Kihikihi.
Finding out that a quarter of those passengers were
within Hamilton city was an eye opener, Gordon told The News.
“I will be sharing this with my fellow elected members and a lot of questions will be coming out of this.”
Public Transport team leader Vincent Kuo told the subcommittee his staff regularly supply data to each
of the territorial authorities, including Waipā. Gordon said elected members needed to understand the dimensions and profiles associated with public transport, and that was why he had asked for a breakdown of journeys within Cambridge and Te Awamutu and in Hamilton.
Waipā deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, who was also at the meeting, said while patronage was up 38 per cent between the two towns, she also wanted to understand the issues given the district’s high growth.
She was disappointed to hear evening patronage was still low.
“We fought hard to get those extra services,” she said.
Regional council staff have prepared a paper on funding Real Time Passenger Information Displays for $300,000 on the urban public transport network.
Stolwyk assumed that meant Hamilton. Transport Policy and Programmes managers Sarah Loynes said the report was Hamilton-centric, but the council could look at an opportunity for Waipā when it went out to tender.
Air and health prime concerns
Chris Gardner continues our series of reviews of submissions and reports on the proposed Te Awamutu waste to energy plant.
Nearly two thirds of submissions on the proposed Paewira Waste to Energy Plant in Racecourse Road, Te Awamutu, are concerned with the effects the operation could have on air quality, emissions, and human health, according to a new report.
A total of 1353 submitters made 2173 submissions on the application and 1266 want to be heard by the Board of Inquiry. Among the submissions, 2115 are oppose, 36 support it and 10 are neutral.
Sixty-four percent of the 2173 submissions received regarding resource consent for the project received by Waikato Regional Council, Waipā District Council, and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) raised concerns about air quality, emissions, and human health, the EPA
report written by Wratt Resource Management special adviser Carolyn Wratt says.
“Air quality and emissions to air was one of the most common concerns raised by 1393 submissions,” Wratt said.
“The comments ranged from concern in general that the proposal will generate air emissions, to concern about specific contaminants being released into the atmosphere such as dioxins and nanoparticles.”
The report said the submissions made a clear distinction between emissions arising from combustion of waste, trucks transporting waste and dust from earthworks and construction.
“Often all three generators of air emissions were raised in an individual submission. The submissions
raised concerns about what happens to those emissions, particularly the contamination of water supply collected off roofs and contamination of land.”
Human health was one of the most common and emotive matters raised in submissions.
“Many were deeply concerned about the effect of chemical and particle emissions on the health of their children and other vulnerable members of society.” Wratt said.
“While a large number of submitters expressed concern about the potential for bioaccumulation of chemicals in future generations, it was not often clear whether they considered this would result in a health effect. A large number of submitters noted the absence of a health impact assessment in the application. Another aspect
Celebrating
of health impacts was sleep deprivation for shift workers caused by increased truck movements.”
A large number of submitters expressed concern that “inexperienced operator” Global Contracting Solutions proposes to use “untested technology” and “the latest technology is not being used”.
“The most common positive effect identified is that the proposal reduces the amount of waste going into landfills.
"Other submitters recognised the generation of electricity as a positive by-product, by increasing not only the availability of electricity but diversifying the generation of electricity. A number of submissions identified other locations in the world where similar plants have established,” Wratt said.
Waipā District Council and Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board are among those opposing the development.
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The Te Awamutu-Kihikihi bus makes its way through lush rural land.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
More than 1200 submitters on the plan to build a plant which would look like this want to be heard in person.
Get Gardening
Autumn is nearly upon us, but the weather is still very hot and dry. Deadhead or cut back summer flowers to encourage fresh flowers. Pick hydrangeas, roses, dahlias, sweet peas, sunflowers and other perennials for the vase. Keep feeding strawberries and other berries to give them a boost for more fruit into Autumn. Fruit will be ripening so pick them before the birds beat you. Many summer crops will be harvested and pulled out of the ground in the coming month. While the garden is empty, take time to replenish the soil with a new layer of compost. You can start refreshing your flower gardens with Autumn flowers now. Poppies, primulas, violas, and cyclamen are becoming available and will flower through the winter months. Happy Gardening!
National RSA post for Hill
By Viv Posselt
Several months into his role as one of two national vice-presidents with the NZ Returned Services Association Cambridge’s James ‘Tony’ Hill MBE is contributing to guiding the organisation to better fit with today’s world.
In his time as president of the Cambridge RSA and district president for Waikato, King Country and Bay of Plenty – positions he still holds – Hill has reinvigorated the local RSA, streamlining its processes to deliver swift support to veterans when needed.
“I’m currently wearing all three hats, but they all dovetail,” he said. “If you have a good committee and people are team players, it just works. Our Poppy Trust is making a real difference in the lives of veterans and their families.”
Hill’s is one of the biggest RSA regions in the country, made up of 35 groups across the Waikato, King Country, Bay of Plenty, Thames Valley and Coromandel. As district president – one of eight in the county – his role is to advise the national board on the interests of local RSAs.
In January the association returned to Piopio as a sub-branch of Te Kūiti and Districts RSA after closing in 1987.
The sub-branch was following similar examples of the Te Kūiti branch, which meets in the Waitomo Club, the Ōtorohanga branch, which meets in the
Ōtorohanga Club, and the Cambridge branch, which meets at D’Arcy’s Garden Restaurant, Club Lounge & Bar at Hidden Lake Hotel and Apartments.
By national standards, Cambridge is big. Its RSA has 188 members, 131 of them having seen service in the defence forces. Hill said having members who had never served wasn’t always the case; today they are seen as invaluable members of the team.
“We’ve had some great people joining us, people who really want to be part of the RSA.”
At national level, the RNZRSA is implementing a modernisation programme intended to broaden support of veterans and their families. It aligns perfectly with Hill’s regional approach.
The organisation was founded in 1916 to ensure New Zealand soldiers returning from the Gallipoli Campaign could share their experiences and access support. In the 108 years since, the RNZRSA has grown to encompass 180 associations and has more than 250 trained support advisors.
Each association (RSA) is an independent entity that follows national guidelines. It’s a complicated structure currently being reviewed to strengthen the relationship between the national body and local RSAs. What won’t change is the current structure that keeps assets and money belonging to each RSA within its community, or decisions by local RSAs to continue operating hospitality venues should they want to.
“A lot of RSAs are transitioning from the hospitality-centric model to focus on support for veterans and their families, and being good community citizens,” he said.
Hill did more than 30 years with the New Zealand Army, serving as an officer
with the Royal New Zealand Engineers. His military career covered multinational coalition operations to logistics, human resources and a diplomatic role. On leaving the military, he worked for a private firm based in the Middle East, seeing service in Kenya, Somalia and Yemen. His three-year role as vicepresident also calls on him to stand-in when required for the national president, Sir Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford.
Premium places
They call them destination playgrounds for a reason, people want to go there.
These premium places cater for the wider community not just children in the immediate neighbourhood offering more than just physical activity and play.
They are meeting places for all generations with special environmental significance.
One is the $3.7 million Papatakohe Park Destination Playground in the Bridleways Estate, west of Cambridge. The playground – on a 9000 square metre section was built using money from developers 3Ms and $2.7 million of developer contributions made to Waipā District Council.
It was created by Lynley and Kent Fife of Cambridge landscape architects Line and Design –and built by Fluhler Contracting of Hamilton, to have three distinct areas for pre-schoolers, young and older children.
Enjoying the littler area was Myles Paduch, 15 months, with mother Dominique (nee Cornille) who are recent arrivals in Cambridge from Mount Maunganui.
Dominique - originally from Te Awamutu and an old girl of St Patrick’s Catholic there and Sacred Heart Girls’ College in Hamilton - and husband Simon recently acquired the G.J. Gardner franchise and were keen to check out the destination playground for Myles and their two older school-aged children.
The council recently ran its third annual playground data project collecting information at eight playground sites – four in Cambridge, three in Te Awamutu and one in Kihikihi – to decide how to upgrade and develop play spaces.
By Mary Anne Gill
Tony Hill
Dominque and Myles Paduch, 15 months, at Papatakohe Park Destination Playground. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Cullen, Metcalfe boost fundraising
By Jesse Wood
Two former international rugby fullbacks, Christian Cullen and Glenn Metcalfe, spoke at a Te Awamutu Sports fundraiser breakfast auction on Sunday.
The event was held to raise funds for the senior rugby trip to the Scotlandbased Melrose Sevens tournament in May.
Te Awamutu Sports have a 33-year history with the historic Melrose club. Several players have represented both clubs across that time.
The Te Awamutu team will compete in the unique knockout tournament under the guidance of former Samoan sevens representative Sam Gibbens and technical advisor David Fox – one of the 1990s Sports
players who journeyed to Melrose. Cullen, 49, was the draw card for the breakfast event, while Metcalfe, 54, is a Te Awamutu College alumnus with many ties to the area.
Paraparaumu-born Cullen played for the All Blacks from 1996-2002 and Metcalfe played for Scotland from 1998-2003.
The two former players crossed paths at provincial level in 1995, with Cullen representing Manawatū and Metcalfe on the wing for Waikato.
They also met on the international field and in European club rugbyMunster v Castres.
Here they were again under the same roof almost two decades later, in Te Awamutu.
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Te Awamutu Sport players, including former King Country Rams loose forward Matthew Towers and Waikato Sevens player Logan “Woody” Karl, served the breakfast and helped with the auctions.
A silent auction was held before the event and a group of winning bidders got to play a round at Te Awamutu Golf Club with Cullen after the meal.
The community showed their support of the club, with a full house of attendees and lots of interest in auction items.
Both speakers shared about loss and spoke in depth about their careers.
They share the commonality of wanting to give back and help people in need.
Recently, Cullen was inspired to go on Celebrity Treasure Island, although it wasn’t his cup of tea.
He did this to raise funds for charity after the death of his sister-in-law from a brain tumour.
Metcalfe is a big ambassador of the Doddie Weir Foundation which aims to raise funds for motoneuron disease research.
Weir was his longtime friend and Scotland
teammate who died with the illness in 2022.
Metcalfe also spoke about his former Scotland teammate Bryan Redpath. Redpath was a former Te Awamutu Sports representative who Metcalfe described as quite the prankster.
Auction items included a 2025 signed Crusaders shirt donated by Te Awamutu Sports and Crusaders rep Taha Kemara; a Christian Cullen signed 2003 Hurricanes jersey; signed 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup shirts donated by Te Awamutu Sports legend and former All Black coach Ian Foster; a signed 1999 Scotland Five Nations winners jersey donated by Mike and Tanja Allen; firewood and self-care packs.
The 1999 Scotland jersey, originally from Metcalfe, had a heartwarming story attached to it.
“Nearly 20 years ago I offered a signed Scotland rugby jersey from the 1999 Five Nations champion team as an auction item at a Lions club fundraiser,” Metcalfe said.
“A lovely man by the name of Dick Allen had bid and won it. He clearly looked after it very well for
many years.
“Sadly Dick passed away, then his son Mike and daughter-in-law Tanja became custodians of the jersey, They paid it forward and offered it as an item for their local rugby club Te Awamutu Sports at a fundraiser to send a group of young men to the Melrose Sevens in Scotland this May.
“The jersey was a popular item and was won by my brother Ant.
“So, 26 years after I got my teammates to sign a jersey for me at Murrayfield it has travelled quite a few miles, created some smiles and raised a few dollars for some great causes. Now it’s back in the family.
“Dick would be proud.”
Take as prescribed to treat bacterial
Not usually recommended for infections like colds, coughs, flu and most ear, nose and throat infections; antibiotics won’t make you get better any faster. If you have generally good health, your body’s immune system can easily fight these infections without antibiotics.
Normally antibiotics are only prescribed for more serious infections caused by bacteria, like pneumonia, whooping cough and meningococcal disease. In these situations, antibiotics can be lifesaving.
You should always take antibiotics according to the instructions, and complete the entire course even if you’re feeling better.
For more info, go to: healthnavigator.org.nz
Glenn Metcalfe (left) with former All Black Christian Cullen at Te Awamutu Sports.
Some of the jerseys auctioned. The 1999 Scotland Five Nations winners’ jersey is third from right. Photo: Jesse Wood
Historian with church in his DNA
By Viv Posselt
Monsignor David Bennett, pastor at Cambridge’s St Peter’s Catholic Church for 13 years before he took retirement, died earlier this month, aged 81.
Not only was he Pastor Emeritus of St Peter’s Church in Cambridge, but also of St Mary’s Church in Rotorua – where his farewell service was held – and the Catholic Cathedral in Hamilton. He also served in parishes in Auckland, Tokoroa and Te Awamutu.
In addition, he spent many years as chaplain with the New Zealand Police.
Had his story turned out differently, Mons Bennett may never have been a Catholic priest who went on to hold the titles of Vicar General and Prelate of the Papal Household.
His grandfather, Bishop Frederick Augustus Bennett, became New Zealand’s first Anglican Māori Bishop in 1928, and earlier records tell of an earlier Bennett Methodist minister in Ireland. One of Bishop
Frederick’s 19 children from two marriages, and David Bennett’s uncle, became the Anglican Bishop Manuhuia ‘Manu’ Bennett.
Mons Bennett was born in Hamilton in 1943. His mother died when he was eight, and when his father remarried, it was his Catholic stepmother who may have been influential in his shifting from the family’s Anglican heritage.
In a 2018 interview with The News, one that marked the 50th anniversary of his entry into the priesthood, he said the church was in his DNA. He claimed that with the middle name Tiwha –loosely translated to ‘sign of the heavens’ – his path was set early.
After leaving school, he spent three years at the Holy Name Seminary in Riccarton, then completed a theology degree at the Holy Cross College in Mosgiel. He told The News that he particularly enjoyed the ecumenical principals espoused by the college that encouraged Catholics, Presbyterians and Anglicans
to study together.
Mons Bennett was ordained in June 1968 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland.
For much of his retirement, he lived quietly at Cambridge Resthaven in Vogel St, with his beloved Swedish Vallhund, Aneke.
It was there that The News discovered he was widely considered to be the family historian. His cottage was
rotation
Rotating your tyres, ensuring proper wheel alignment, and balancing are essential for maintaining vehicle safety, performance, and prolonging the lifespan of your tyres.
Tyre rotation ensures that all tyres wear evenly, as front, and rear tyres experience di erent levels of stress due to steering and braking.
Regularly rotating them every 10,000–12,000 km promotes even wear, prolonging tyre life and ensuring consistent traction. It’s important to note your tyres should match in terms of make and model, certainly in width. Uneven tyre wear can reduce grip on the road, especially in wet or slippery conditions. By rotating your tyres, you maintain optimal tread depth across all wheels, which improves braking and cornering performance, making your vehicle safer to drive. This regularly prevents premature wear, reducing the need for early replacement. This not only saves
money on new tyres but also improves fuel e ciency by reducing uneven drag. You also need to think about wheel alignment. What this does is ensures your tyres are set to the correct angles, so they meet the road properly. Misaligned wheels cause uneven tyre wear, poor handling, and can lead to increased fuel consumption. Regular alignment ensures your car tracks straight, improving driving comfort and safety. Next is correct balancing. Unbalanced tyres cause vibrations, uneven wear, and stress on suspension components. Balancing distributes the tyre weight evenly, ensuring a smoother ride, longer tyre life, and better handling. By rotating tyres and maintaining proper alignment and balance, you enhance vehicle safety, performance, and save on long-term costs.
filled with genealogical references, including one that affirmed his family name, Bennett, as meaning ‘blessed’.
Those at his funeral service spoke of his endearing cheeky smile, his gentlemanly manner and his shock of white hair.
Following his funeral, Mons Bennett was buried at his family urupa in Ngongotaha.
Monsignor David Bennett
Denniston model heads south
By Viv Posselt
A model of the brakehead at the top of the Denniston Incline is moving today to Westport, where it will be donated to the ‘Friends of the Hill’ Museum.
The Greater Waikato Railway Modellers (GWRM) model’s completion has been a passion project for the Cambridge modellers. It was started a few years ago by the late modeller Colin Robinson. He and his wife Paddy were both members of Friends of the Hill, a community group created by former Denniston residents. Colin’s original intention was to donate
the completed model to the museum at Denniston, which is housed in the settlement’s former high school, but he died before he could finish the work.
The project was then adopted by the Cambridge crew with the blessing of Colin’s widow.
Leading its modification was retired British mining engineer Alf Stubbs, who had visited Denniston several times. He enlisted the aid of fellow GWRM members.
The famous incline, known to some as the eighth wonder of the world, is considered a triumph of engineering. It opened
in 1879 to move coal in railway wagons from the steep Mt Rochfort Plateau to Denniston, covering a drop of 518m over 1670m distance. The gradient in some places is 1:1.25 (80 per cent).
Key to its operation was the brakehead at the top the incline, and it is that section that has been replicated by railway modellers. Its story has numerous join-the-dot coincidences.
The Mt Rochfort Plateau –also known as the Denniston Plateau – was named after English-born John Rochfort, a surveyor-engineer who helped map and open up early New Zealand. His discovery of coal at Denniston led to the naming of the plateau. Rochfort later moved to the North Island where he continued surveying in the Waikato until his death at 60. He is buried in Kihikihi.
Another link ties the model to Ōhaupō’s Val Millington. The News covered last November’s launch of her book ‘Ellen of Denniston’, telling the story of her mother’s life at Denniston.
Alf has been reading the book, and on a recent visit to the modellers’ clubrooms in Leamington, Val stumbled
upon another of Alf’s passions – a model of Middleton Colliery, outside Leeds in Yorkshire. It was where Alf lived and started work on the mines straight after school.
Val’s great-grandparents had come to Denniston from Middleton Colliery, where Ellen’s grandfather Allan Moseley was a miner. When they arrived at Denniston and saw the steep walk to get to the plateau, they put the youngest of their nine children and a few possessions into a coal
wagon to scale the incline.
Mining at Denniston has long since ceased and the settlement, once home to over 1500 people, now houses just a handful of stalwarts.
Taking the model down to Denniston today will be modellers Alf Stubbs, John Curtis and Rex Beech. Accompanying them will be Hamilton father and son, Graham and Sam McClung. Sam was introduced to the Cambridge modellers when visiting with Alf’s son and has followed the model’s
development with interest because his grandparents were residents on the plateau and worked the Denniston mine.
Val Millington will also be there – as guest speaker in the very classroom in which her own mother’s tragedy at age 17 unfolded. Three years in hospital and 30 operations later, Ellen’s life changed dramatically. She moved from ‘The Hill’ and went on to achieve recognition for developing the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek.
United through a shared mining history, railway modeller Alf Stubbs and Ōhaupō author Val Millington at the modellers’ clubrooms in Leamington.
Former mining engineer now railway modeller Alf Stubbs, pointing out some of the detail in the model of the Denniston Incline.
Photo: Viv Posselt
Welcome to our library
By Julie Guest, Parish vicar, St John’s Te Awamutu
I am an avid reader. When we moved to Te Awamutu, I was delighted to discover that for a small town, it has a great library.
Since we have been here, the services provided by our library have moved and grown with technology and demand.
There is now no cost to borrow a book, and no fine when it is returned late.
What foresight the council has shown in encouraging readers in such a way. With no cost to borrowing, there is no decision as to whether rent should be paid or a child’s book borrowed.
The coming generation of readers can continue to read without restriction even when a parent loses a job or when income is threatened.
Who knows how much comfort and imaginative freedom that free book might provide to people in such a situation?
We could answer that with access to the internet, knowledge and escape are well catered for in ether-land.
Not in the same way as with a book, I would argue and could back that up with research showing that the difference in emitted light levels between a book and screen, and the way information is delivered to our brains, a book is more conducive to retention of information and to rest following reading. Is better all-around in my humble opinion.
But a library is much more than a place to read or find books.
Have you been into Te Awamutu library recently and popped a piece into the puzzle laid out on a table for collective building?
Have you browsed a newspaper or magazine?
Have you been to one of the story times, or seen youngsters building on a Lego Club afternoon?
Our library provides many free activities for children and families.
It is also a warm and welcoming space for people who need somewhere to be where they can meet or at least see others.
The staff are abundantly helpful and friendly.
What is my point? I’m writing as a church leader.
A church seeks to offer the same kind of care and welcome that our library does but with a major difference.
The library is a place you can pop in to when there is something you need - a new book to borrow, new research to do, or a club for your child.
A church is a group of people who want to welcome you to join them on a journey of spiritual discovery.
It is a journey that could change your life’s direction as you meet with the One who loves you so completely that he gave his life for you.
Just as you can enter a library to explore what you find there and leave when you’ve found it, so you can with a church. There’s nothing to be feared, and much to be gained from joining such a community.
Just as in a library, everything is free. Jesus gave his life for us, so as Christians we give what we have to invite others into His story.
ON SHAKY GROUND
Understanding deformation
By Janine Krippner
Measuring deformation is an important part of the volcano monitoring toolbox. Deformation is a change in the ground surface or shape, whether that’s up (inflation), down (deflation), or sideways.
Understanding what the cause could be, the uncertainty involved (what we don’t know, or errors introduced by processing the data), and incorporating information from other monitoring techniques allows us to narrow down what might be happening below the surface.
We can measure deformation using highprecision GPS (Global Positioning Systems). Another way is using radar satellites, a technique called InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) that allows us to measure down to millimetres or centimetres of change from space.
After experts process this data, we can then investigate different causes behind the change while taking into account the local geology and hydrology.
One cause is magma movement. If magma is rising towards the surface as an intrusion, it can push the ground upwards and/or outwards. As magma reaches shallower depths the pressure on the magma is reduced (deeper in the crust equals more pressure). At lower pressures gases are released from the magma and they expand, increasing the pressure within the magma and on the surrounding rock, which can cause slight movement of the surface. This is often millimetres to centimetres in scale.
Sometimes this is much more obvious. Leading to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the north flank bulged outwards at about two metres each day. Magma was pushing up into the volcano, erupting with catastrophic consequences on May 18.
Magma rising does not mean an eruption
will happen. It can stall and stop, slowly cooling and solidifying into crystalline rock over time. It can remain an intrusion. This process can cause some slow subsidence of the land above it.
Another cause is fluids, like geothermal water. Volcanoes often have geothermal systems because of remnant heat from older eruptions heating water at shallow depths. This water can be rainwater percolating down through the ground, it can also be fluids released from the magma.
Volcanoes can also be in areas with a lot of faults, and they can produce deformation when they move. Faults can move because of processes that have nothing to do with the volcanic system, or they can become active because of magma or fluids moving within the ground.
The ground can also subside when fluids or gas are removed, like magma erupting or the extraction of water or geothermal fluids.
The removal of groundwater in California’s San Joaquin Valley resulted in about 8.5 metres of ground subsidence from the 1920s to around 2015. A single storey room is typically 2.4 metres high. We have seen similar subsidence with geothermal steam extraction in New Zealand. Spread out over large distances, this can be difficult to see just by looking.
The surface itself can also slump because of gravity and instability, or sinkholes can form.
While we think of the ground below our feet as solid and stable, it still moves. This is sometimes very slow, other times very fast, and geoscientists study all aspects of it to understand what has happened, what is happening, and what might happen next.
Planes, plums and prints
Two of the luckiest men alive climbed unscathed from a pile of twisted wreckage after their Tiger Moth aircraft crashed on a hillside near Te Awamutu.
The men came to grief during a flight from Te Kūiti to Rukuhia. The Tiger Moth ran out of fuel above Ōhaupō, lost height before the pilot could locate a suitable landing place and struck heavily near the top of a hill. It careered through two fences, one covered in a barberry hedge, slewed around, and came to rest in a paddock about 50 yards from the fence. It was smashed beyond repair.
A plum developed by a Ōhaupō orchardist, Mr Sage, was described in the fruit catalogue of the leading nursery firm in America as “the most delicious plum on earth.” The plum, known as the MacVerna, was named after Mr Sage’s two sons who were killed during the Second World War. The American firm of Stark Bros propagated the plum where it was met with a great response.
Representatives of this firm stated that the plum from the Waikato was the finest variety since the world-famous Luther Burbank plum introduced during the first half of the century.
Mr Sage had 112 trees of the MacVerna plum in his orchard. He had sold several thousand trees since he propagated the new plum seven years previously after 40 years’ effort to produce an improved plum. Mr Sage also sent plum stock to both America and England and trees grew well in both countries. Stark Bros was so impressed with the plum that it purchased propagating rights
A Snip in Time
from Mr Sage and took out patent rights for the fruit.
More than 2000 people lined Pirongia’s main street outside the little one-roomed library to watch a centennial pageant. The pageant ended in a re-enactment of the laying down of arms between King Tāwhiao and Major Gilbert Mair in 1881. The re-enactment was held on the spot where the two races first agreed to peace after the devastating Waikato wars. As the pageant progressed, from the arrival of the Tainui tribe to the peace ceremony, Māori women chanted welcomes, and the chants continued as Māori dignitaries ascended the steps of the library where Prince Mahuta Tūmate, representing King Korokī, unveiled a marble memorial plaque.
When acid was poured into a time clock at a Te Awamutu dairy factory it led to the fingerprinting of 14 workers out of 40 employees. Two of the 14 protested, so only 12 were finger-printed. The Federation of Labour objected saying the inherent law of British Justice assumed a man was innocent until he was proved guilty, whereas mass fingerprinting assumed people guilty until proven innocent. This method of deduction was not in line with the thinking of free and democratic people, said Mr Skinner, president of the federation. If a more serious crime had been committed in any other area would the residents have been mass fingerprinted? Mass fingerprinting was something the Federation of Labour would not agree to under any circumstances.
TALKING ECONOMICS
Is this confidence justified?
By Peter Nicholl
Three central banks, the US Federal Reserve, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand have announced decisions on their Official Cash Rates in recent weeks.
The US Fed was first and was also the most cautious. On January 29 it left their cash rate unchanged at 4.25 to 4.5 per cent.
The reasons given were that inflation remained ‘somewhat elevated’ and the future path of global inflationary pressures had become uncertain.
They did not mention the Donald Trump effect, but you could see his shadow behind the caution.
Australia was next. On February 18 it reduced the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1 per cent.
The bank said the ‘turmoil in global inflationary pressures could derail further easing’. It had also become cautious about the global inflation outlook.
New Zealand was the last of these three and the most optimistic.
On February 19 the reserve bank reduced the cash rate by 50 basis points to 3.75 per cent.
Our reserve bank now has a rate significantly below the other two. What’s more, it predicts further cuts this year and that the cash rate could come down to 3 per cent by the end of 2025. The bank did refer to ‘geopolitics, including uncertainty about trade barriers’ in their statement. But their concern was that this was likely to weaken global growth.
Unlike the Fed and the RBA, our reserve bank did not seem to see these geopolitical events and uncertainties as also having
inflationary risks.
It said the Consumers Price Index was near the mid-point of their 1-3 per cent target band and ‘the economic outlook remains consistent with inflation remaining in the band over the medium term’. This is a more optimistic and confident view than shown by the other two banks recently.
The domestic component of our inflation is still above the top of our reserve bank’s target range. The reason that our CPI is within the bank’s target band is that imported inflation has been low, at times even negative.
The Fed and the RBA are worried that could be about to change. But our reserve bank, rather than becoming more cautious because of these global uncertainties, said it now expected to cut the OCR faster through 2025 than it had announced last November.
Lower interest rates here could put further downward pressure on our exchange rate. Our dollar has fallen almost 6 per cent on a trade-weighted basis in recent months. A lower exchange rate is good for exportersbut it isn’t good for inflation.
The reserve bank took the OCR too low during the Covid period and kept it low for too long. At the time, they referred to this policy as one of ‘least regrets’. They seem to have dropped that phrase.
But I fear they are starting to make the same mistake of claiming victory over inflation just as other central banks have become worried that the beast could be waking up again.
Learn more at www.waipikolanding.co.nz
Show Home Grand Opening
Explore our amazing show home, perfectly positioned in a prime location, close to everything you need.
Chat with our team and get inspired for your future build. Enjoy complimentary nibbles and refreshments while you explore. See you there!
Explore our amazing show home, perfectly positioned in a prime location, close to everything you need. Come chat with our team and get inspired for your future build.
When Taane Aruka Te Aho first joined the Tuia Leadership Programme last year, he knew it would be an eye-opening journey.
Te Aho (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura), the latest young Māori leader from Waipā to complete the nationally-recognised programme, said being mentored by Mayor Susan O’Regan was a “gamechanger”.
“She was always in my corner, gave me the freedom to be myself and the support to tackle challenges head on. Her encouragement helped me grow, and this incredible opportunity has broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of leadership, culture, and what it means to be connected to the land and people.
“I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.”
O’Regan said working with rangatahi such as Te Aho is a highlight each year in her role as mayor. “It’s humbling, it’s rewarding, and the learning goes both ways. Taane is a simply outstanding young man, well on his way to becoming one of the next generation of Māori leaders.”
The Tuia programme’s mission is to nurture rangatahi Māori (aged 18 to 25) into confident leaders actively shaping their communities.
“Tuia gave me the chance to learn, grow and affirm the power of being Māori today. Being surrounded by other Māori leaders with different perspectives reshaped my views on culture, connection and leadership.
“I would encourage anyone to apply.”
Tuia encourages past participants to return and guide the next generation. For Te Aho, this year’s first
wānanga [learning forum] at his marae, Pōhara, will be a milestone.
“I’m super-excited that Ngāti Korokī Kahukura is hosting for the first time, and I can’t wait to help lead the way.”
Since finishing Tuia and graduating from the University of Waikato with a degree in te reo, Māori and indigenous studies, Te Aho has been working as a contractor for Te Mātawai and also interning with Waikato-Tainui.
“Where my career goes from here, I’m not entirely sure, but I am certain it will focus on strengthening our language, empowering rangatahi to become leaders and promoting our culture every way I can.”
Lake Ngā Roto RMP
Have your say on the draft Lake Ngā Roto Reserve Management Plan to help shape the future of the reserve.
Come along to our drop-in session at Lake Ngā Roto on Saturday March 1, from 9am – 1pm, to chat to the project team and check out the plan.
Shakespeare Street to get interim repairs
Great news for residents and drivers who use Shakespeare Street regularly — repairs are on the way.
The stretch of road between Fergusson Bridge (low-level bridge) and the Cook Street roundabout is scheduled for a major rebuild later in the year but in the meantime interim repairs will be carried out next week, making sure the road is safe and more comfortable to drive on.
These repairs will take place overnight to minimise disruption and keep the road in good shape until the full repair can be completed in the upcoming construction season.
The work is scheduled for Wednesday March 5, and the road will remain open under stop/go traffic management between 7pm and 6am.
In the event of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the work will be postponed until the next suitable day.
Parks Week
Waipā is celebrating Parks Week with a range of fun, free activities to recognise the vital role open spaces play in creating liveable cities and thriving communities.
Story time: Stories and Sunshine
Bring your tamariki along to our kids’ storytime. Location: Selwyn Park, Te Awamutu (next to the library)
Date/time: Thursday March 6, 10.30am – 11am
Location: Cambridge Library
Date/time: Thursday March 6, 10.30am – 11am Zumba in the Park
Location: Centennial Park, Te Awamutu
Date/time: Tuesday March 4, 6pm – 7pm
Location: Lake Te Koo Utu (lakeside), Cambridge
Date/time: Thursday March 6, 6pm – 7pm Novels in Nature
Bring a book or borrow one of ours and join us to read in the park.
Location: Gwyneth Common, Cambridge
Date/time: Wednesday March 5, 6pm – 7.30pm
Location: War Memorial Park, Te Awamutu
Date/time: Friday March 7, 6pm – 7.30pm
For more information and to check out the selfguided activities, visit waipadc.govt.nz/parksweek or scan the QR code below.
Tuia graduate Taane Aruka Te Aho with Mayor Susan O’Regan and members of the council’s Strategic Planning and Policy Committee.
TE MAPARA 65 Arapae Road
RECEIVERSHIP SALE
Dairy Property - Piopio - Very well located 248 hectare (more or less) flat to easy to medium contoured dairy farm. High input generated from other two supporting properties have let the vendors achieve good production however this farm is at the size it can easily be a production standalone dairy farm. 42 ASHB shed, feed pad, 10 bay calf shed, one dwelling. Milking 670 cows - 150 of which are winter milkers. Three year average -231826kg MS. Historically 300 calves have also need reared. Easy access throughout this farm, including across the road via the underpass. Good soils throughout.
pggwre.co.nz/TEK41179
TE MAPARA 37 Napinapi Road
RECEIVERSHIP SALE
Large Lifestyle 20 hectares (more or less)
Three bedroom single storey dwelling
Two log burners and central heating
• Double garaging
• All flat contour
TE MAPARA Nohonoa Road
RECEIVERSHIP SALE
GST (if any)
Sold Prior)
11.00am, Friday 28 March
Support Property. Located 9km northeast of Piopio, this 141 hectares (more or less) property is used for supplement growing, winter cow grazing and calf rearing. Maize and silage are grown on and transported to the vendors dairy farm at Arapae Road which we are also marketing. It is bare land with yards and load-out facilities. Water is from a legal easement across the Tikirau Road. Contour and location is very good here.
pggwre.co.nz/TEK41182
TENDER
Plus GST (if any)
(Unless Sold Prior)
Closes 11.00am, Friday 28 March
VIEW
11.30-12.00pm Wednesday 5 & 12 & 19 March
Combination of maize and oats has been grown, maize then transferred to the vendors dairy farm - located on nearby Arapae Road. Oats are fed to dry dairy cows
• House water is ex roof and ex river for farm
Well located just off State Highway 3, north of Piopio
pggwre.co.nz/TEK41181
Peter Wylie
M 027 473 5855
E pwylie@pggwrightson.co.nz
OHAUPO 1270 Paterangi Road
Paterangi Prime
Superbly situated in the popular Paterangi district, these 38 hectares (more or less) offers the next owners plenty of options. The four-bedroom homestead is set well back from the road and is very private with northern rural views. Currently, the property is a support farm for a nearby dairy farm. The majority of the farm is suitable for cropping however, it is also very well fenced, watered and laned for running cattle. This is a very easy to run property with outstanding soils. Permission has been granted to plant two hectares of Kiwifruit on the property.
Oh, so practical, this one bedroom home is not short on space. Situated close to town with a lovely outlook to the church across the road. The home has the choice of ramp or steps entry, a sunny deck for reading the morning paper, raised vege gardens, a concrete drive and single car port. With open plan living the updated interior is lite and airy, with near new carpet and good insulation the heat pump warms the whole home. Double glazing in the bedroom, a bathroom with shower, vanity, bath, a separate toilet and separate laundry complete the interior package.
Contact Vayle to arrange a viewing.
ACCOUNTING OPPORTUNITY
PROOFTIME 13/11/202312:34:51PM
LASTRUN: 11/30/23
We currently have an opportunity for an intermediate or senior accountant to join our team.
SIZE: 10X2
The role will provide you with the opportunity to work within an experienced, collaborative team. You will be providing a range of services and liaising with partners, clients and our friendly, approachable staff.
You will be preparing tax returns, financial statements and GST returns for companies, partnerships and trusts. Depending on your experience, you may also be preparing budgets, forecasts, cashflows and monthly management accounts.
We can offer you access to the latest business technology, training and support from our friendly, professional team. We are an Approved Training Organisation with CAANZ so we can help you to progress your accounting qualifications should you wish to do so.
Please forward an application and your CV to:
Accounting Position
McKenzie Strawbridge P O Box 37 Otorohanga 3940 Or email to: rebecca@msca.co.nz
CLEANER
As a member of our Community team, you will play an important role assisting our Elderly Community clients to keep their homes clean, tidy and safe.
For this position you will need to have:
• your own vehicle
• a clean driver’s license
This is a full time Monday to Friday position (with flexible hours if required).
If you are honest, hard working and like to clean
call Andrew on 0275 532614 for an initial chat
Bowers & Son Limited is a family-owned concrete manufacturing and ready mix business based in Te Awamutu and Otorohanga. We are looking for causal ready-mix truck drivers for our Te Awamutu and Otorohanga plants.
The successful applicants will:
• Be a team player and show initiative;
• Be reliable and punctual;
• Be physically fit;
• Hold a New Zealand class 4 drivers’ licence;
• Be available to work on Saturdays (not all but most); and
• Have recent truck driving experience and if possible, ready mix concrete truck experience (although training would be provided).
You will need to be prepared to undergo a driving assessment, as well as health monitoring and health and safety requirements. Applications are to be sent to rebecca@bowersconcrete.co.nz with a cover letter and CV which should include current employment status and a minimum of last five years of employment. Applicants for this position should have
RELIEVERS WANTED
We are looking for casual relief teachers to add to our relieving pool. Maihiihi School is a fantastic little country school with amazing children and friendly staff. Situated only 15 mins from Otorohanga, 20 mins from Te Awamutu and 45 mins from Hamilton.
Please contact principal@maihiihi.school.nz or give us a call to discuss 07-873-2887
CARE GIVER
AM and PM shifts
If you are an empathetic person with the “X” factor that all good care givers have and would like to join a committed caregiving team in a supportive work environment.
TE AWAMUTU COMMUNITY MENZ SHED
Notice of Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting will be held at the Shed, located at 132 Raeburne Street, Te Awamutu, on 19th March 2025 at 10:30 am.
Agenda:
• Adoption of the constitution
Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Te Awamutu Community Menz Shed
The Annual General Meeting will take place immediately following the Special General Meeting.
Agenda:
• Apologies
• Presentation of Annual Reports
• Election of Officers
• General Business
Sincerely, Rod Bent (Secretary)
TE
AWAMUTU CONTINUING EDUCATION
Wednesday 5th March 2025 10am
Entry: $4 on arrival Waipa Workingman Club Speaker: G Williams Topic: From Builder to Ageing Consultant. Everybody Welcome More info phone 07 870 3223
PUT YOUR HAND UP
E TU TO RINGA
Volunteer for Citizens Advice Bureau Tuao mai mo Nga Pou Whakawhirinaki Want to make a difference to people’s lives?
Pop in and see us in the Ray White Arcade, 2/213 Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu or call us on 07 871 4111 Find out more at www.cab.org.nz/getinvolved or call 0800
RUAPUHA UEKAHA HAPU TRUST (Hauturu East 8)
Tertiary, Work Related & Apprenticeship 2025 Education Grant Round NOW OPEN
Karanga mai - calling all descendants of Tanetinorau Opataia, Te Aroa Haami Haereiti, Te Riutoto Aihe & Whatakaraka. You are invited to apply for education grants in the following areas; Tertiary, Work Related & Apprenticeship for 2025 You can download an application from the RUHT website www.ruht.co.nz.
To be eligible for a grant you must be registered with the Ruapuha Uekaha Hapu Trust. If you are unsure whether you are registered, please email register@ruht.co.nz
Please ensure all sections of the form are completed and you have supplied all the required documentation before sending in.
Applications close Friday, March 14, 2025, 3pm. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Dedicated to providing personalised and meaningful funeral services.
Garth Williams Funeral Director, Owner
Our team is caring and compassionate. We give the utmost attention to detail in all aspects of our service.
WANTED
WANTED for cash - estate
jewellery, all types and art, in the Waikato area. Contact Mike 0272793408
GOBLE, Lilian Mabel –Passed away on 11th February 2025, aged 97 after a short illness. Loving wife of the late Ivan. Loved Mum of Clarry, Irene, Shirley and Maxine. Loved by all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Alexandra House Chapel, 570 Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu on 1st March at 11am. “Lily, we will always love and miss you, but it is time for you to be with Ivan. You will forever be in our hearts.”
Te Awamutu Funeral Services, FDANZ
HOLLAND, Fay (nee Loader) – Born 4 May 1924. Died 10 February 2025 at the incredible age of 100 years. Fay has been laid to rest at Kawerau Cemetary alongside her dearly loved husband, Arthur. Fay’s family offer heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful staff of Matariki Continuing Care for their incredible kindness during her stay.
