September 18, 2015
Art exhibition rejected for empty wharf space… p2
Toxic waste at ex-dump costs $100,000 per year… p4
Interview: refugee advocate Tracey Barnett… p18
Competition open for Fullers’ Devonport run Fullers’ stranglehold on the DevonportAuckland ferry run seems set to be broken with other operators being encouraged to compete on the route. Fullers and its various predecessors have operated the lucrative service for generations. Many assumed Fullers had exclusive berthing rights at Devonport Wharf. However this may
not be the case. The Fullers service has been under pressure this year with the March crash of the Kea – its main Auckland-Devonport boat – leading to months of delayed sailings. Research by Auckland Councillor Chris Darby has revealed old Harbour Board leases appear to show that there are no exclusive berthing
rights at the wharf. The extent of Fullers’ exclusivity extends to the ramps its boats tie up to. “At present, no operator has exclusive access rights to Devonport Wharf,” says Darby. He has written to various other ferry encouraging them to consider entering into competition with Fullers. To page 3
Development destruction: trees axed for childcare centre
Chainsaws replaced birdsong… Ben and Darcy (right) McNicoll couldn’t believe it when virtually all trees were removed from their neighbour’s property. Full story p3. Phil Clark P 09 446 2125 M 021 940 041 E phil.clark@harcourts.co.nz
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 2
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September 18, 2015
Blank canvas, but no art allowed Organisers of a community exhibition planned for Auckland Artweek have been refused space at Devonport Wharf. The newly renovated part of the wharf has been empty since March. Devonport Business Improvement District (BID) manager Judy Grieve told a meeting of the board last week that the knock-back for the Devonport painters’ exhibition was disappointing. Especially so, as Auckland Transport was more than happy to use the space for a $19,000 ratepayer-funded party to celebrate the completion of various works around Devonport, she said. Overall, planning for Devonport’s contribution to Artweek was going well, Grieve said.
An Auckland Transport spokesman said Devonport Wharf is currently undergoing “refurbishment and deconstruction works, which are continuing as funding becomes available. “There are often site surveys and assessments being carried out to determine further refurbishment plans, and it is important these are unobstructed.” The northern pavilion end is currently unoccupied, but contract discussions are being finalised and tenant designs are under investigation on-site – all with an expectation of construction starting almost immediately once a lease is agreed, the spokesman said. “Consequently we are unable to provide any space for any exhibitions of any sort at this time.”
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The possiblity of a permanent Santa’s grotto in Devonport in the lead-up to Christmas is being investigated by Devonport businesses. Santa entertains hundreds of children when he traditionally arrives during the annual Devonport Santa Parade. But Devonport Business Improvement District (BID) board member Donna Gustafson said there was a wider opportunity of
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hosting Santa in Devonport during the entire Christmas lead-up. She said that many local parents took their children to visit Santa in Takapuna or at Smith and Caugheys in Auckland, when Santa could be hosted in Devonport. • On the day of the Christmas Santa Parade the business association is looking at funding street entertainment to encourage people to move back to the shopping area after the event. •The possiblity of having a large Christmas tree in Devonport was considered, but with a price tag of $13,000 it was outside the BID’s budget. • The specially designed Devonport decals, which appeared in shop windows last festive season, are likely to extended to banners and flags, and even to wrapping in the lead up to Christmas 2015.
Sale of old borough council building unlikely Although council services have moved out of the old Borough Council building in Victoria Rd, there are no imminent plans to sell the building, according to Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member Mike Cohen. While the ground floor of the building is now vacant, any move by council’s property arm to sell it would have to come before the local board, Cohen told a meeting of the Devonport BID board last week. Council was busy selling off surplus assets but was focusing on easy sales first, he said. More difficult properties, such as 27 Lake Rd and the former council offices, which was heritage-protected, tended to go to the bottom of any list. “Council would be hard-pressed to sell this building,” Cohen said. Devonport BID manager Judy Grieve said it had been advocating to keep the building in public ownership.
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 3
September 18, 2015
Tree removal shocks Devonport
The near-complete clearing of trees from a property last week has shocked Devonport residents. Seven days after the government passed an amendment to the Resource Management Act (RMA), effectively removing all blanket tree-protection rules across Auckland, Jo and Paul Blair, the new owners of the house, took out the trees, bushes and hedges on the property. The Blairs are planning to turn the villa into a childcare centre for 60 children, from babies to five-year-olds. Robyn and Darcy McNicoll moved next door six years ago and are appalled by the decimation. The McNicolls also don’t want the childcare centre as a close neighbour. Darcy, who works shifts as a pilot, has calculated that the centre will have at least 240 people walking past his bedroom window every day during drop-off and pickup times. “My profession has strict The prominent Victoria Rd site before (above) sleep requirements and this will have a devastating effect.” Not to mention the cars. Darcy says the villa is sited at a and after (below) traffic pinch point, with 1,300 cars per hour driving past in the morning and around 1,400 in the afternoon. A school and commuter bus stop is located between the entrance and exit gates of the property’s circular driveway. Getting in and out is not safe. Meanwhile, the Blairs, also a local family, agree that the property looks “bare” at the moment, but say the felling was necessary. The front hedge covered up sightlines, a tree with poisonous berries was breaching safety guidelines and a large non-native tree was unstable in high winds. But they say they are “aiming to create a high-quality, much-needed community facility, which will create jobs and options for working parents.” Renovations are expected to start early in 2016, for a mid-2016 opening.
Another Fullers ferry crash disrupts services Fullers ferry The Osprey crashed at Auckland ferry terminal last Tuesday - putting it out of action and causing disruption to the Bayswater and Stanley Bay ferry services. Fullers confirmed the Osprey has suffered damage to its hull and was out of service undergoing repairs. The Stanley Bay and Bayswater services were combined following the crash, with readers reporting numerous hold-ups and delayed From page 1
sailings. An eyewitness to the crash told the Flagstaff the boat was turning to reverse into the ferry terminal and drove into a pier on the western side. “It got the pontoon stuck under a beam and ripped the top off it.” Passengers were taken off, then “a dingy came round and fished peices of plywood from the water.” The incident comes after the Kea crashed in March, putting the boat out of action for months.
Competition to Fullers encouraged
“With some work, space could be secured at either or both of the terminal’s piers,” Darby says. Almost two million passengers pass through the Devonport terminal each year. “One way to capitalise on the Devonport opportunity is to operate a Downtown–Waiheke service via the Devonport terminal. “Another possibility is an inner-harbour link service. For example: Downtown, Stanley Bay, Bayswater, Northcote, Downtown. “The Devonport terminal and the surrounding Marine Square have recently seen a $7 million upgrade…there is ample potential for an additional operator to tap into the council’s considerable investment and expand the passenger ferry market,” Darby said. A number of ferry operators would find the Devonport-Auckland route attractive, including Explorer, which recently set up a sailing to Waiheke in competition with Fullers, and
Ritchies Transport, which ran ferries in the Bay of Islands. In October a number of routes contracted out by Auckland Transport will be put out for tender, including: • Bayswater to Downtown • Hobsonville via Beach Haven to Downtown • Birkenhead via Northcote Pt To Downtown • Rakino Island to Downtown • West Harbour to Downtown • Gulf Harbour to Downtown • Pine Harbour to Downtown • Half Moon Bay to Downtown Devonport-Auckland is a commercial route, so is not going out for tender. Asked if the ideal future outcome was for Auckland Transport to operate all ferries, Darby said this was “an unlikely option. “There are some very good operators out there, who are capable of providing us with the level of service we expect.”
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 4
September 18, 2015
Toxic-dump discharge costs almost $100,000 per year
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Ngataringa Park is leaking 20,000 cubic metres of contaminated stormwater per year at an annual cost to ratepayers of $96,000. Auckland Council says it’s time to fix the leak, strengthen the clay cap and clean up the old dump for good. Field investigations are scheduled to start this year and remedial works are expected to take place between 2016 and 2018. The park’s popular skatepark is likely to be closed for some of that time. The cost of the remedial work is unknown at this stage. James Corbett, council’s Closed Landfills and Contaminated Land Response Manager, says a lot of rain penetrates the clay cap that was installed when Devonport’s old open dump was transformed into a park. It is the amount of leachate that leaks through the park that is becoming a concern, not the degree of leachate contamination, he says. Currently, three pumps around the edge of Ngataringa Park work around the clock and “draw leachate through a pipe network located in the base of the landfill inside an external containment bund,” he says. The collected leachate is then discharged
into the wastewater network and processed at water treatment plants, he says. To reduce the ongoing discharge and cost of pumping, the park’s cap will have to be strengthened. Council is likely to recontour the site to improve drainage and grass will have to be pulled up. Corbett says the amount of topsoil removed depends on the cap design, and that it may be easier and cheaper to remove a larger area than several smaller ones. “Physical works will probably necessitate temporary closure of the site and the skatepark,” says Corbett. He adds that council is not planning to move the skatepark or close it for good. Corbett says the Ngataringa Organic Garden is likely to be affected by the works as well. But Dacre Park, where North Shore United plans to install Astroturf and floodlights, has not been part of the council’s investigation. Ngataringa Park is one of three urban coastal closed landfills with clay caps that need fixing. The other two are at Barry’s Point Reserve and Whangateau (near Omaha).
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 5
September 18, 2015
Listening in: truth is stranger than fiction Sue Orr is a good listener and credits her observation skills to journalism experience. The journalist turned speech-writer turned author has just published her first novel, The Party Line. Secretly listening in on or peeking into other people’s lives is a central theme of book. The Party Line is set in 1972, in the fictional farming community of Fenward, on the Hauraki Plains. Gabrielle, the young daughter of a newly arrived share milker, rattles the seemingly stable local community, as well as the life of her new friend Nikki, a local famer’s daughter. When the two girls share secrets on the communal phone line, they never know whether someone else is listening in, and if so, who. “It leads to a situation where no one knows who knows what about anything,” says Orr, who launched the novel at Paradox Books last week. Eavesdropping has been on Orr’s mind for the last three years while she has been working on a PhD in Creative Writing at Victoria University in Wellington. Her novel is the creative half of the degree; a literary analysis of Maurice Gee’s writing is the academic half. Gee used eavesdropping as a literary device in many of his novels, in an innovative way, Orr says. “Traditionally writers use covert listening as a plot device to drive the story forward. Gee uses it to create uncertainty or a void of knowledge, which the listener tries to fill,” she says. Orr hopes to hand in her academic thesis this summer before starting work on more fiction. She started writing The Party Line straight after her second collection of short stories – From Under the Overcoat – was published in 2011. “I arrived at the PhD with a very rough and unfinished draft and the entire time since then was self-doubt and near abandonment.
Expert listener… author Sue Orr No one read it until I had a second draft,” she says. Orr is reticent to talk about her next project. “All I am prepared to say is that I am thinking about an iconic Devonport institution that may have a surprising secret
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 6
Catching up with Tina Frantzen likes to look forward and says reflecting on the last 18 months is hard. Frantzen was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, only days after her 69th birthday. That February and March, she underwent six weeks of chemo and radiation therapy, followed by surgery in August. But not before she went rowing on Lake Pupuke one more time and painted Untitled Figure in acrylic on canvas. This small painting is one of 50 finalists in the Wallace Art Awards this year, and will spend the next eight months travelling the North Island as part of the awards’ Exhibition Winners and Travelling Finalists. The exhibition is currently on display at the Pah Homestead in Hillsborough. “I had a feeling that this painting was a good one,” says Frantzen, whose technique is to rub off the top layers of paint to reveal what is underneath. “It’s intuitive and this figure’s face just appeared and his demeanour reminded me of that of a 19th century Maori chief,” she says. Frantzen hasn’t painted or rowed since. Three weeks ago, she had a full stainless-steel hip replacement and is well on her way to recovery. “I can’t pick up things yet, so I use our barbecue tongs for that. I even manage to put on my socks with them. The doctor doesn’t advise rowing with hip replacements but I hope to be the exception to that rule,” she says. In 2013, Frantzen won three gold medals and one silver medal at the masters national rowing championships in Twizel. The glass remains half full for Frantzen, and after the cancer diagnosis she put her creative energy into a new project. “I celebrated the year, which was the year before I turned 70, by taking a photo every day of something that was relevant to that day. It made me look outside myself as the good, the bad and the ugly was happening to me,” she says. Frantzen ended up taking hundreds of photos on her SLR (a small point-and-shoot camera) or her phone. Early shots include one of Frantzen’s grandchildren playing in the garden, of her
September 18, 2015
Artist Tina Frantzen
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Multifaceted… Tina Frantzen hospital bed, portraits of her massage therapist and her PET scan team, and a view across the oncology ward’s display case of Life magazines. Frantzen has started to collate them into a book she wants to call The Last of the Sixties. Then last December, Frantzen turned 70 and celebrated with a bang. “We were at Duders with a hundred people and instead of bringing gifts, everyone had to perform anything and everything from flamenco dancing and piano playing to poem reading or song adaptation,” she says.
What is her next project? “I want to paint again. Lots of empty canvases are awaiting me,” she says. • The 24th Annual Wallace Art Awards are at Pah Homestead until 8 November, before moving to the Pataka Art + Museum in Porirua and then the Wallace Gallery in Morrinsville.
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 7
September 18, 2015
Businesses opposed to height increase: survey Most Devonport businesses appear to oppose proposed allowable height increases of commercial buildings to 12 metres, according to a survey. This is despite a Devonport Business Association (DBA) submission to Auckland Council wanting the allowable height limit increased from the current 9 metres to 12 metres. While it appears there was some initial consultation, the association failed to send the final submission (lodged with council on February 28, 2014) out to members. It came as a surprise to many when it was reported in the Flagstaff and the submission appeared on council’s website prior to hearings on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan. A survey of 52 Devonport busineses found 41 were against the height change, nine were for it and two were unsure, said Fiona Startup from Bookmark, who conducted the survey and presented it to the Devonport BID Board meeting last week. Letters opposing the submission were also received by the Association from Sue Johnson of Kevin Johnson Boat Builders, Chris Sharpe
Sorry isn’t good enough While there was some hand-wringing, an apologetic tone and a promise to get things right next time, there was no U-turn by the Devonport Business Association (DBA) on its submission to Auckland Council supporting a height increase of commercial buildings to 12 metres. As it stands, Auckland Council still thinks the DBA wants 12 metres for Devonport buildings, which clearly is not the case for all members. The Flagstaff will be sending all the stories and letters it received on the issue to the planning commissioners, to make sure they know there was no mandate from the wider membership on the height increase. Rob Drent, Editor.
of Firefly and Noelene Craig of the House of Toys, and were read out at the meeting. With the amount of opposition to the submission, Board members conceeded on balance there had not been sufficient consultation on what was sure to be a contentious subject. The submission had been worked through by the old Devonport Business Association in 2013. Chairman John Waugh said Board member Ken Davis had worked pro-bono on the submission. Over two years, $3300 of DBA money had been spent on the preparation of the reports by Lane and Associates (which went to council) subsequent meetings and mediation. Waugh summed up the tone of most members when he said: “The lesson we have learned… going forward we need better consultation and communication.” He said prior to the BID formation last year, the Devonport Business Association had been run by volunteers, had a low membership base and there had been a degree of apathy among the wider membership. Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member Mike Cohen said the business association should perhaps have realised it would be a thorny issue and handled it accordingly. The was no harm in putting in a submission that said some members agreed with a height increase while some didn’t, Cohen said. www.devonporthealthandgym.co.nz
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 8
September 18, 2015
Tidy Kiwis clean Devonport beaches
Devonport Primary School pitched in to collect rubbish on the beach at the bottom of Church St (above), while (below left) Isla Cutts found a way to recycle rubber gloves, and (below right) Molly Prinsep fills her bag with the help of mum Kate Alexander.
Devonport Primary School (DPS) beach cleaners were surprised to find the Torpedo Bay coastline fairly free of rubbish. Deputy Principal Lesley Brewer said the 300-plus students’ haul included bits of metal and plastic, straws, polystyrene, small pieces of concrete and cigarette butts. But the area generally had less rubbish on it than in previous clean-ups. Last Wednesday, DPS and seven other local schools cleaned all the beaches between Devonport and Hauraki as part of the Devonport Peninsula Beach Clean-Up organised by Devonport Community Coordinator Maria Teape. More than 1,000 children lent a hand on the day, accompanied by parent helpers and teachers. Vauxhall School sent 300 students to Cheltenham Beach. Principal Gary Lawrence also felt there was less rubbish on the coast compared to a year ago when the
school cleaned up Narrow Neck beach. “I heard from Auckland Council that the recent king tide may have swept some of the rubbish away,” he said. A group of 20 International Baccalaureate students and Enviro Club members from Takapuna Grammar School took on the entire length of Takapuna Beach. Teacher Steve Smith had less encouraging news to report: “We found hundreds of cigarette butts and picked up a total of 20 kg of rubbish, of which the majority was plastic.” Hauraki School Principal Clarinda Franklin said her team of 140 students collected about the same amount of plastic and glass as two years ago during the last peninsula-wide initiative. “Our children participate in the clean-up enthusiastically and learned about the difference between man-made and natural rubbish,” she says.
William Goodger found a mysterious rubber object
September 18, 2015
The Flagstaff Notes By Rob Drent
The refusual by Auckland Transport to allow Devonport painters to have an art exhibition at the wharf during Artweek is churlish and mean-spirited. Artworks are low impact in the extreme, and rather than detract from the newly refurbished wharf would add some colour to the empty space. Moreover the whole wharf development cost Devonoport businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. Now Auckland Transport seems to be hobbling efforts by the Devonport BID to liven the place up a bit. The artists could perhaps surreptitiously put their works in the wharf despite the ban. But then maybe I’m being selfish. The sight of wharf security chucking out artworks would make for great photos. An open appeal to all community and sports groups in the lead-up to summer: take a leaf out of North Shore United Football Club’s book. Their initiative re kids cycling to matches was a tremendous success over
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 9
winter, and worked marvels in cutting down some of the sport-generated congestion of Lake Rd on a Saturday. Do any readers have practical suggestions on how to get more cars off Lake Rd? If you have any, the Flagstaff would love to receive them and give them a wider airing. The weekend papers are full of adverts encouraging shopping at malls and megastores, through very attractive loss-leading pricing, to tempt consumers to have a look at the very least. But when you factor in time (say an hourly rate of $25) and petrol, is that impulse trip to a King Plants Barn or Mitre 10 Mega really worth it when the same stuff for the weekend gardener or DIYer could just as easily be found at Devonport Hammer Hardware or the Devonport Garden Centre on Lake Rd? Months after the Devonport Library opened, Auckland Council still can’t come up with the final cost of the building. Last week its communications department supplied the Flagstaff with the building’s asset value of close to $8million. Under the Official Information Act, we had sought the actual cost of construction and final reports that summed up those. Quite different from asset value. We will keep asking.
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All ages and levels welcome.
Book your place now! Contact Janet to find out more:
personaltrainerjanet@gmail.com 021 101 9695 www.janetklee.co.nz
Stop holding yourself back – make a change today 3
OPEN 7 DAYS Ph 445 6236 154 Lake Rd, Belmont
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 10
September 18, 2015
AUCTION SUNDAY
Narrow Neck 15 North Avenue Ticks All The Boxes In Narrow Neck North Ave - world famous in Devonport as one of the best streets to live! A great neighborhood, very close to Narrow Neck Beach- swim, walk the dog, paddle board, fish, play golf, squash and tennis, go to the local gym, all without getting in the car! This welcoming home set on 584m2 has a relaxing vibe, with a great kitchen/family area opening out on to a gorgeous lawn and private garden which is West facing, perfect for Summer barbeques and el fresco dining. There is a fantastic large lounge, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, office, double carport, polished floors and French doors. Remember the golden rule - ’location, location, location’ you don’t get any better than this, so don’t hesitate!
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On site, Sunday 20th September 2015 at 1.00pm (unless sold prior) www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7959 Sat 2.30 - 3.15 & Sun 12.30 - 1pm Phil Clark P 446 2125 M 021 940041 Peter Ayton P 446 2109 M 021 336 300 E peter.ayton@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
OPEN HOME
Devonport 31b Stanley Point Road
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Position, Tradition And Views At the end of a secluded driveway surrounded by prestigious properties, this charming Stanley Point home has views that will stop you in your tracks. Built to maximise the site this property has a special location, clever design and delightful presentation making it a very desirable home for the next lucky owner. Viewing is highly recommended. Call today for a private viewing or visit me at the open homes.
Auction View Open
On site, Sunday 27th September 2015 at 5.00pm (unless sold prior) www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8229 Saturday & Sunday1.15 - 1.45pm Diana Murray P 09 446 2115 M 021 911522 E diana.murray@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Contributor to realestate.co.nz
www.harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 11
September 18, 2015
NEW LISTING
Devonport 7 Achilles Crescent
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Their Sadness Your Gladness This family friendly home is on the market for the first time in ten years. A classical English style property, perfect for entertaining, relaxation and harmony. Well presented with generous accommodation, good sized bedrooms and bathrooms on both levels, an open plan kitchen and dining with indoor outdoor flow to a covered entertainment area. Sheltered with fully fenced grounds the home is nicely situated for easy family living with all the extras, large gas fire and a deck from the main bedroom where one can relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the view of the park. The added attraction at the rear of the garden offers further accommodation and work opportunities with an office. Act quickly.
Contributor to realestate.co.nz
Auction View Open
On site, Sunday 11th October 2015 at 12.00pm (unless sold prior) www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8257 Sat & Sun 11.00 - 11.45am Anne Iremonger M 021 443 959 E anne.iremonger@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
www.harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 12
OPEN HOME
September 18, 2015
OPEN HOME
Bayswater 106 Beresford Street
Belmont 27 Egremont Street
Serene Seclusion On A Reserve Concrete block 1950’s character home next door to a stunning reserve. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, wood burning fire. Sunny and quiet.
Beginner Winner In Belmont! Sited on a lovely flat piece of land, this bungalow is ideally set up for family life. Three bedrooms and loads of potential!
For Sale $1,085,000 View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7967 Open Sat & Sun 1.15 - 1.45pm Jackie Mark & Jane Hastings P 09 446 2113 M 021 458 797 P 09 446 2116 M 021 735 263 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Auction On site, Sunday 27th September 2015 at 6.00pm (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8237 Open Sat & Sun 2.00 - 2.30pm Diana Murray P 09 446 2115 M 021 911522 E diana.murray@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
OPEN HOME
OPEN HOME
Belmont 1/15 Bardia Street
Devonport 11 Vauxhall Road
Entry Level Do-Up In Belmont A rare find indeed, in this sought after location, so close to Belmont Primary, Belmont Intermediate and Takapuna Grammar.
Charming Early Villa - Central Devonport Cosy 4 bedroom, 2 living villa on north west facing section. A brilliant home for downsizers, families or people wanting the Devonport lifestyle.
Auction On site, Sunday 27th September 2015 at 4.00pm View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8233 Open Sat & Sun 12.00 - 12.45pm Phil Clark & Peter Ayton P 09 446 2125 M 021 940041 P 09 446 2109 M 021 336 300 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Auction On site, Sunday 27th September 2015 at 11.00am (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8245 Open Sat & Sun 2.00-2.45pm Gary Potter & Glenice Taylor M 021 953 021 M 021 943 021 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
OPEN HOME
Devonport 3a Wesley Street
Devonport 44b Old Lake Road
Coastal Masterpiece Contemporary four bedroom home on a secluded, low maintenance, well landscaped site with views to the city and private access to the water.
Perfectly Positioned - Peaceful & Private Home Perfectly positioned down its own private shared drive way this well presented single level three bedroom home will tick all your boxes.
For Sale $2,295,000 View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7885 Open By Appointment Gary Potter & Glenice Taylor P 09 446 2106 M 021 953 021 P 09 446 2112 M 021 943 021 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
For Sale $847,000 View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7928 Open Sat & Sun 12.00 - 12.45pm Peter Andrews P 09 446 2105 M 0274 931 826 E peter.andrews@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Contributor to realestate.co.nz
www.harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 13
September 18, 2015
OPEN HOME
NEW LISTING
Devonport 2/49 Glen Road
Devonport 20a Waterview Road
Sunny Cottage With Views Pretty character bungalow offering 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas, a delightful sunroom, and deck with views. Freehold 450sqm site.
Rare Land For Sale Seldom do you get the opportunity to own a 693sqm subdivided section in Stanley Bay Devonport. Plans available for five bedroom home.
Auction On site, Sunday 11th October 2015 at 1.00pm (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8263 Open Sat & Sun 12.00-12.45pm Glenice Taylor & Gary Potter P 09 446 2112 M 021 943 021 P 09 446 2106 M 021 953 021 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Auction On site Sunday 4th October 2015 at 12.00pm (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8249 Open Sat & Sun 3.00 - 3.30pm Glenice Taylor & Gary Potter P 09 446 2112 M 021 943 021 P 09 446 2106 M 021 953 021 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
OPEN HOME
OPEN HOME
Devonport 17 Rattray Street
Devonport 3/179 Victoria Road
Captivating Classical Central Devonport - Price Reduced $150,000 Immerse yourself in this 1885 Double Bay Kauri Victorian Villa standing proudly in 2015 as an enviable family home with 5 double bedrooms.
Very Rare Find! A special 2 bedroom unit with a garage positioned in a private, peaceful setting. Lovely and bright with large windows that look over the garden.
For Sale $2,300,000 View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7865 Open Sun 12.00 - 12.30pm Peter Restall P 09 446 2114 M 021 808 808 E peter.restall@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
For Sale By Negotiation View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP7995 Open Sat & Sun 1.00 - 1.45pm Maria Stevens P 09 446 2111 M 021 979 084 E maria.stevens@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
NEW LISTING
AUCTION MONDAY
Devonport 1/134 Calliope Road
Takapuna 5a Waitemata Road
Stanley Bay Unit At the front of a flat site, this two bedroom unit with recently renovated kitchen and bathroom offers an excellent opportunity.
Heavenly Home In Hauraki Character 4 bedroom home plus study with views of the city and harbour. Excellent indoor outdoor flow at the rear and a garden on the northern side.
Auction On site, Sat 26th September 2015 at 3.00pm (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8253 Open Sat & Sun 11.00 - 11.45am Glenice Taylor & Gary Potter P 09 446 2112 M 021 943 021 P 09 446 2106 M 021 953 021 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Auction On site, Monday 21st September 2015 at 5.00pm (unless sold prior) View www.harcourts.co.nz/DP8247 Open Sat & Sun 11.45am - 12.15pm Jane Hastings & Jackie Mark P 09 446 2116 M 021 735 263 P 09 446 2113 M 021 458 797 Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Contributor to realestate.co.nz
www.harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 14
Letters
Letters to the Editor
September 18, 2015
Site cleared with no consent required
Letters to the Editor are welcome. They should relate to Devonport issues. Unsigned or nom-de-plume letters will not be published. Email letters to devonportflagstaff@ orcon.net.nz or post to Devonport Flagstaff, PO Box 32-275, Devonport.
I was dismayed to be woken up at 7am this morning, to the sound of chainsaws at 159 Victoria Road (next door to Sigdi Restaurant). This feeling was compounded at the end of the day, with a view of the whole site completely stripped of every last scrap of tree and vegetation, including a large and very beautiful deciduous tree about 12 metres tall. Apparently no consent was required to reduce the residential site to this state. No trees were protected, and yet the whole streetscape has now been irrevocably altered. We understand the owners of the site have an intention to develop 159 Victoria Road into a childcare centre, accommodating more than 60 people. Speaking with the council today, it is likely the public will not be involved in the consent process. I would encourage the council to allow the public to speak about the impact this proposed
2 for 1 Devonport Squash Club
use will have on our community. Without discussing the implications for the heritage zone in terms of appearance, Victoria Road is the main arterial route into Devonport. Traffic is heavy already, and congestion will be significant if potentially as many as 60 cars are pulling in and out of the property during peak hours, many of them twice a day. Sandwiched between bus stops on either side of the road, of obvious concern is the safety of the people crossing the road and using the footpath, including the proposed centre’s preschoolers and schoolchildren trying to negotiate their way through traffic from the bus stops. At best, this proposal is ill-advised, at worst completely irresponsible. Hopefully council cares more about the safety of our children, than it does about our trees, and will not allow the proposal to go forward without consultation with the community it serves. Daryl Veal
Flower beds should be preserved
Opposite 70 Wairoa Road
It was sad to read in the Flagstaff of 4 September that Devonport’s annuals flower beds may be changed to perennials (probably native grasses) next year. The flower beds always look lovely, and those near the ferry building give such a welcoming impression to visitors. Peter Raos Gallery and the Esplanade Hotel also have flower displays, and flowers will brighten up even a dull day. But then we come to Victoria Road and the remains of the flower tubs originally situated, and planted with flowers, to welcome visitors here for the Rugby World Cup 2011. I don’t know who provided the tubs, soil, and flowers; but I do know that the planting was done by volunteers - I was one of them. Surely the Devonport
Get a full membership and join a friend for FREE Valid unl the 30 Sept 15 ($20 per swipe card)
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Get Fit Play Squash
Business Improvement District (BID) could organise - and pay - a professional gardener to renovate (or replace) these tubs, fill them with suitable flowers and maintain them. Depending on shop owners is not an option, though there are a few tubs that have been looked after, and they show what could be done. I feel sure that attractive, well maintained flower plantings would enhance the promotion of Devonport as a ‘beautiful historic village by the sea’ (taken from the Visitor Guide). This would probably cost the BID less than some of the suggested ‘events’. Tourist strategy workshops have been mentioned, but it might be an idea to involve residents in the decision-making. Pat Habgood
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Harcourts of Devonport Property Management Put the management of your rental property in safe hands. www.harcourts.co.nz
CONTACT Larissa Williams P 446 2108 M 021 960 313 E larissa.williams@harcourts.co.nz ©Copyright OceanFun Publishing Ltd
www.ofu.co.nz
September 18, 2015
Letters
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 15
Speed restriction limited to small area I would like to correct an error in a story from your previous issue. Bike Devonport is NOT proposing a 30 km/h zone for the whole peninsula south of the golf course as stated in your article. We are proposing a 30 km/h zone just for the village shops - Victoria Rd from the Calliope Rd intersection to Windsor reserve plus the side streets – Rattray, Fleet, Clarence and Wynyard. We are not anti-car. We all own cars and recognise that the private motor vehicle is often the only practical option for many journeys.However, for short, local journeys riding a bike or walking is practical, often quicker and definitely more enjoyable and healthier than driving. We want to give people the option to walk or ride, but they need to feel safe before they will take it. A 30 km/h zone will help pedestrians and people on bikes feel safer without disrupting traffic flows. When the pedestrian crossing was added at Fleet St, some people predicted carmageddon. In fact it made virtually no difference at all, apart from the fact that pedestrians now feel much more safer crossing there. There is already a 30 km/h zone at the bottom of Vic Rd - we just want to extend it up the hill to Kerr St. Our vision is for the village to be safe enough to allow our children to walk unsupervised to ballet practice or ride their bike to the library. We can’t do this without changing things.
Remember every person walking or on a bike is not in a car holding you up on the crawl up Lake Rd. Chris Werry, Bike Devonport
The proof is in the pudding
OUT & ABOUT with MARIA TEAPE 445445 95339533 | maria@devonportpeninsulatrust.nz | dportcomm@xtra.co.nz
WINTER FUN PRESCHOOL PLAY MORNINGS Tuesdays 9:30am-11am (and Thursdays 9:30am-11am, but only during the school holidays) Bayswater School Hall, Bayswater Ave Toddler time to play with big toys, be active and make new friends. Sessions are casual/free entry, caregiver supervision required. Please note the school holiday sessions will be held in the classrooms by the hall. Tuesday sessions continue until the end of October. For more info, contact Moira or Maria ph: 445 9533 or email: maria@ devonportpeninsulatrust.nz
STANLEY BAY QUIZ NIGHTS
The photo above was sent to us by an eagle-eyed Flagstaff reader. Seen anything odd or interesting out on your travels around Devonport? Email it in to the Flagstaff: devonportflagstaff@orcon. net.nz. The best submission every month will receive a bottle of wine.
So much more than just returns… Consider a
Friday 18th September, quiz starts at 7:30pm, clubhouse/bar opens at 6pm Stanley Bowling & Petanque Club, 20 Stanley Point Road, Devonport Stanley Bay Quiz Nights are fun, team-based events where obscure facts and trivia abound! Door charge $5.00 per person. Nibbles on the table and refreshments at the bar.
BUSINESS ON TOAST – ANNAH STRETTON FASHION DESIGNER Friday 25th September, 7am – 8am Corelli’s Café, Victoria Rd, Devonport Come and listen to Annah Stretton talk to her vision for social change through her highly successful RAW initiative, where she has taken essentially non-integrated, recidivist incarcerated women, and brought them back into mainstream society through supported housing and education. The charge for breakfast will be $20 - please RSVP to: info@devonportrotary.co.nz with ‘Business on Toast’ in the subject line. Numbers are limited, so booking is essential.
WELCOME TO DEVONPORT
Queenstown investment property and invest in your lifestyle as well as your future.
Investment properties from $439,000 Talk to me today to discuss your options.
Friday 25th September, 10:30am Corelli’s Café, 46 Victoria Rd, Devonport New to Devonport or interested in meeting others from your community? You are warmly invited to find out more about what’s on and meet some new faces. For more info, contact Rebecca ph: 445 3068 or Maria ph: 445 9533.
Devonport Peninsula Community eNEWS
To receive the Devonport Peninsula eNEWS, a monthly email listing of community events, and other community notices, please email us at maria@devonportpeninsulatrust.nz
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Carol Wetzell
027 245 3392 c.wetzell@barfoot.co.nz
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0800 248 521 i.cunliffe@barfoot.co.nz
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nicole@hoamz.co.nz www.hoamz.co.nz 021 898 326 hoamz Ltd, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)
Devonport 09 445 2010 | www.barfoot.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 16
September 18, 2015
Local Board dragging the chain on cycling says Bike Devonport Cycling activists have attacked local-board members for the lack of progress on cycling improvements on the Devonport peninsula. Bike Devonport spokesman Chris Werry challenged the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board to get moving on a long list of small-scale cycling projects he proposed to the board more than a year ago. “It’s my fourth time speaking to you today. Over the last 18 months, I came to you with 17 micro projects and none have been achieved. I come here to achieve something, but nothing happens,” he said. “You talk a lot in your Local-Board plan about improving cycling, but now we are half-way through your term and there is absolutely no progress,” he said.
“All that has happened is that I have been fobbed off by Auckland Transport about any suggestion we had. They just tell us everything we can’t do,” he said. Cycle Action Auckland spokesperson and Devonport resident Barbara Cuthbert supported Werry. “We have been hugely impressed with Bike Devonport. Other local boards, like the Whau and Waitemata one, have stepped up to the plate on cycling, she says. To make things happen, the board has to “front up to AT,” said Cuthbert. Board members said they were frustrated with a lack of response on cycling issues by AT as well. “Let’s approach them one more time,” said board Chair Joe Bergin.
A quick fix to improve cycling lanes Cycle lanes on Lake Rd should be moved inside parked cars to improve safety, says Bike Devonport. The change could be made with a coat of paint, the action group says. A car door opening on to a cycle lane can have fatal results. A cyclist on Tamaki Drive was killed in 2010, when a car door opened and she was pushed under a passing truck,. Cycle lanes should be moved onto the inside of parked cars, not near the traffic, says Bike Devonport spokesperson Chris Werry. One area where cycle lanes are still located on
the outside of parking lanes is the western side of Memorial Drive, he told the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board. “We can fix this with paint and it’s quick, easy and cheap. It wouldn’t be perfect but it has clear advantages,” he said. Auckland Transport’s recent Lake Road survey showed that 80% of vehicles have single drivers. “This means dooring by passengers is already a much-reduced risk, plus should cyclists get doored, they would be pushed onto the footpath, not the road,” he said. Werry asked the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board to move the cycle lanes as a pilot project.
New roundabout for Victoria and Calliope Roads gets green light On-road cycle lanes have been included in a roundabout planned for the corner of Victoria and Calliope Rds at the entrance to Devonport village. Installing the cycle lanes will see 10 parking spots go. The roundabout will also include pedestrian crossings. The changes are required “to improve road safety of this intersection for all users,” Auckland Transport project coordinator Rachel Smith says. Seven crashes have occurred at the site in the last five years. “Right now there are no proper facilities for pedestrians and cyclists,” she says. Controversially, only neighbours have been consulted on the plans so far. North Shore Ward Councillor Chris Darby says that’s not good enough. The wider Devonport community should have had a say and the plan should have been publicised through a letterbox drop, a display at the Devonport Library, and a “comprehensive spread with graphics in the deeply read local paper The Flagstaff.” Darby says the limited consultation was “outright rude and insulting to the Devonport community.”
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September 18, 2015
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 17
HARCOURTS OF DEVONPORT
Thank you for helping make us the country’s largest real estate group and for voting us the most trusted real estate agency brand 2013, 2014 & 2015. We’re proud to be New Zealand founded with over 125 years’ experience looking after our clients… and we’re just getting started! Let’s Create Your Future Together. www.devonport.harcourts.co.nz Phone: 09 446 2030 Email: enquiries.devonport@harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 18
Interview
September 18, 2015
Creating a climate of empathy for refugees Columnist Tracey Barnett has been a refugee advocate for years – speaking out in print, on radio and television, and online. Last week, she was invited to speak to a Parliamentary select committee about the current crisis levels of displaced people. Barnett spoke to Maire Vieth. Awareness of the plight of refugees can come like a slap in the face, says Tracey Barnett, a well-known human rights advocate. Recent images of refugees stranded in Budapest’s train station and of a young Turkish policeman lifting the body of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi off the beach have made front pages and shocked the world. Barnett had a similar wake-up call five years ago, which propelled her to speak out about the lives of refugees. To celebrate her 50th birthday party, Barnett, originally from the US, went on a threemonth trip to America, Europe, Bhutan, Laos, Thailand and Japan. “I didn’t want a party, so instead I saved up for a good six years to travel, which is my idea of heaven. I ditched the family and husband and flew the coop,” she says. While in Thailand she was introduced to an illegal immigrant from Myanmar. “I really wanted to interview him. We met in a garden café. I ordered some sort of ‘stupid-assed’ red mocktail and bolted it down. He ordered coffee and didn’t touch it. He was probably in his late 20s. He told me about having been thrown into prison when he was 12 for distributing leaflets. The Myanmar junta had imprisoned him and 14 other boys to show that you can’t do that and they had tortured them; so much so that one of the boys died. This man had just been released,” she says. Looking at the man’s cold coffee, Barnett says her journalistic curiosity turned into self-reflection. “I have never felt so obscenely rich and uncomfortably privileged in my entire life as in that moment. Here I was seeing my polar opposite sitting in front of me. He had gone to jail for holding a political leaflet in his hand. My job was to express my voice and view. I actually got paid to say what I think,” she says. Barnett returned to Auckland determined to help and joined the Auckland Refugee Council, which put her on its board. Barnett
www.scapetech.co.nz scapetech@clear.net.nz
Out of their comfort zone… Tracey Barnett says refugees’ lives are the polar opposite of her own also started to mentor a recent refugee family from Iran. The father was a successful young film-maker, his wife an actress and their son was the same age as Barnett’s own son Piers. As Barnett showed them around Auckland during their first few months here, she saw their initial joy, at having arrived to safety and freedom, turn into homesickness. “The reality was that they were missing everything they knew - their people, their country, their family, the food, traditions. They mourned Iran, and I learned that less than one per cent of refugees worldwide seek to actually be permanently resettled. Ninety-nine per cent want to return home again, and many will,” she says. Barnett started to speak out about refugee issues. “I realised that it wasn’t that New Zealanders didn’t care. They simply didn’t know the issues at hand and I felt that it was really imperative that the inherent goodness in Kiwis came through when they learned what was really in front of them.” She wrote columns in the NZ Herald, was interviewed on radio and television and asked to give public talks. In 2012, when John Key announced measures to curb the arrival of asylum seekers via boat to New Zealand, she launched the We Are Better Than That campaign that opposed Australia’s approach to boat arrivals. Barnett also produced a short video featuring Hamish Keith, Michele A’Court, Jeremy Elwood, Oscar Kightley and Dave Dobbyn, who also questioned the policy.
Then she wrote a book, The Quiet War on Asylum, in which she more thoroughly made the case against detaining asylum seekers. A self-described “news junkie,” Barnett reads widely about refugee issues. “I read anything from Public Address, Scoop, Radio New Zealand, the NZ Herald to The Spectator, the BBC, The Guardian, The Independent, The New York Times, Atlantic, Vox, Slate and Salon. I read them when I wake up and then check in again throughout the day,” she says. Earlier this year, Barnett started a new campaign called WagePeaceNZ to share what she learns with others. “I started it as a refugee awareness initiative to explain basic facts to New Zealanders; like what’s the difference between migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, but also what happens in terms of refugee issues in the world,” she says. Last Thursday, she addressed the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade select committee in Wellington. “I pleaded with them to take leadership in our region and not follow Australia’s disastrous contagion. I asked them to double New Zealand’s refugee quota up to 1,500 and to implement step changes after that,” Barnett says. New Zealand’s quota has remained at 750 refugees per year since 1987. “If we take New Zealand’s 40 per cent population growth (since 1987) into account, doubling the quota will get us back on track,” she says. Barnett grew up in Illinois. The grand-
September 18, 2015 daughter of Jews chased out of Russia during the pogroms, Barnett grew up with two older brothers in the town of Waukegan near Chicago. Her father was a realtor and her mother a travel agent. “By the time I got to high school, many upper-class whites had fled the town and moved to wealthier suburbs and over 60 per cent of students were black, Hispanic and working class. We had race riots at school that were pretty significant in their day, with black and white kids facing off on the street, black students issuing demands to the administration, demanding soul food in the cafeteria. It was radical and amazing stuff then,” she says. Barnett studied Speech Communications and Literature at the University of Illinois and got a one-year scholarship to the University of Sussex in Brighton, south-east of England. “I had a full stipend and the English Pound was strong, so I travelled to Israel and Egypt and all over Europe that year as well,” she says. She started working as a speech-writer for a not-for profit organisation back in Chicago and volunteered on a National Public Radio show at night. “It was called The Entertainment Den and was one horrible piece of work, but I got to interview people like Charlton Heston and Jack Valenti and then they would just edit my questions out,” she says. It led to a freelance career in television production, first in Chicago, then Los Angeles. “The first thing I worked on was a comedy short for Saturday Night Live with Jim Belushi. Over the years, I worked my way up to become a producer on commercials such as a McDonald’s one with Billy Crystal or one for the 1994 Fifa World Cup in the US,” she says. In her late 20s, she threw the job away to travel. “I hiked in Nepal and travelled through China, which had just opened up. I ended up in some obscure places where I would be the only white face for miles, and children would be horrified at my blue eyes while adults laughed at them,” she says. Barnett ended up teaching English in Kyoto, where she also met future Kiwi husband
Interview
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 19
and architect Simon Mrkusic. In 1988, they moved to New Zealand. Life was fancy free. “We were still young and groovy and lived in Ponsonby for a couple of years,” she says. But Barnett missed the US. “I saw New Zealand as someone coming from a really big pond to a really tiny pond. I remember I went to the grocery store and asked for pesto and nobody had any idea what I was talking about and I desperately wanted to be in that bigger pond,” she says.
“I realised that it wasn’t that New Zealanders didn’t care. They simply didn’t know the issues at hand,” says refugee advocate Tracey Barnett Barnett and Mrkusic spent 12 years in Portland, Oregon furthering their careers. They had two children, Mattea and Piers, and in 2004 decided to give New Zealand another go. “There came a point when I couldn’t respect the culture I was part of any more. When I worked in LA in TV packaging, I would meet people and they would look at my shoes, then my boobs and my face and they would be wondering how much I paid for each of those things,” she says. Back in New Zealand, Barnett reinvented herself as a columnist. She wrote her first opinion piece after George W. Bush was re-elected late in 2004. “I did it just for fun and sent it to the Sunday Star Times and they ran it. I wrote another piece and sent it to the Herald and they ran it. Then I started submitting to newspapers all over the world and they started picking me up too in Hong Kong, South Africa, Canada,” she says. Barnett says raising children Mattea and Piers in Devonport has been “like a drop of honey on the perfect chocolate cookie.” Piers,
a senior member of the Takapuna Grammar School cycling team, is in his last year of high school. Mattea, TGS head girl and Dux in 2012, has gone back to the US. No doubt influenced by her mother’s passion, she is in her third year of studying Government and Environmental Policy at Harvard. Then last year Barnett did a U-turn and wrote about herself. She took significant moments in her life by the scruff of the neck as part of a Masters in Creative Writing at AUT. For her thesis, she wrote a collection of personal essays called Small Slaps. Barnett wrote about moments in her life that shook her up, such as giving birth, spending a week with a dying friend or being sexually harassed at a party at the age of 12. “It was great fun and humbling as hell. I can spout off from here until tomorrow about any social issue, am happy to stand in front of the crowd and shout about it. But it’s a whole different story to write about what you feel. Without my social-issues hat on, I felt pretty damn naked – in a good way,” she says. Is she missing the US or her own ethnic traditions? Not really, Barnett says. As for her Judaism she claims to be the worst Jew in the world. “If you ask me anything about Judaism, I would probably tell you about Protestantism and the Baha’i faith by mistake,” she said. She admits that she feels nostalgic for the “small and superficial” things about the States. “I miss the heft of the New York Times on my lap. For all its warts and bruises, I miss the progressiveness, seeing a line-up of 3D printers going at full blast in Boston, seeing people test-driving a Tesla in a mall in Arizona, chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds for sale in a Brooklyn corner store, things like that,” she says. But for now Barnett is enjoying being in New Zealand, helping to bring refugee awareness to the surface of a small pond. • As the Flagstaff went to press, the New Zealand government confirmed an emergency intake of 600 refugees.
Takapuna 128 Hurstmere Rd Takapuna 09 486 4747 www.takapuna.harcourts.co.nz
Takapuna
5
3
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Exclusive Waterfront Home On 1467sqm With sensational views of the Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto, this immaculate five bedroom home offers large-family space and seclusion. Built to maximize the clifftop site, the gardens provide the perfect setting for alfresco entertaining. The main level offers formal and casual living linked by the dining room and kitchen. Four bedrooms are joined by an open gallery allowing both separation and inclusion. On the lower level, the fifth bedroom, with bathroom and large lounge opening to the garden is an ideal area for extended family. Auction View Open
On Site, Sunday 27th September 2015 at 2.00pm www.harcourts.co.nz/TK26477 Saturday & Sunday 1.30pm - 2.30pm
Pauline Dudasova P 09 486 9215 M 021 882 884 E pauline.dudasova@harcourts.co.nz Cooper & Co Real Estate Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008 Contributor to realestate.co.nz
www.harcourts.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 20
Devonport 09 445 2010
September 18, 2015
September 18, 2015
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Devonport 09 445 2010
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Devonport 09 445 2010
September 18, 2015
September 18, 2015
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Devonport 09 445 2010
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September 18, 2015
Council out of step with Westwell neighbours Council inaction is trying the patience of Winscombe St fathers Julian Mitchell and Rob Vanderlaan. With four young children between them, they have not been able to walk to their local beach for two summers in a row - and they fear this summer will be no better. In June 2013, Auckland Council closed off public access to the nearby beach, at Westwell Reserve, after rocks had fallen off the cliff face and landed at the bottom of the steps. Nobody was injured. “My beef is with the council. What’s so difficult about sorting this out? It seems a pretty easy thing to do,” says Mitchell who used to walk down the steps to the beach several times a week. “I used to go down there in bare feet and togs every weekend and most days after work. Our 10-year-old son Miro often came with me to practise standing up on his surf board, but for the last two summers he hasn’t” Miro’s sister Amalea (8) also likes the beach, Mitchell says. Vanderlaan, father of Arlo (7) and Milo (9) echoes Mitchell. “Julian and I used to go down there with our kids quite a bit and I am sure there are other many other neighbours who did the same. Three summers is too long, so let’s get some action going on this,” he says. Mitchell, an architect, and Vanderlaan, a high-school teacher, are can-do Kiwis. They have their own ideas for solutions, such as putting netting up on the cliff or using shotcrete to stabilise the cliff face. “Or maybe just
No step changes at Westwell Road… Julian Mitchell (left) and Rob Vanderlaan shrug their shoulders at council inertia redirect the last few steps away from the cliff,” says Mitchell. Mitchell wonders whether council has gone safety mad. “Part of me doesn’t understand what the issue is. Rocks fall on that beach anywhere from Narrow Neck to Hauraki every day and when the tide is in, you are pushed pretty close up to the cliff face where it is most likely to happen. Maybe it’s just one of the dangers of walking along the coast and the pinch point of the steps is part of it,” he says. Council disagrees. An engineer’s risk assessment completed after June 2013 found the steps a safety risk and called for a new design. The
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board last month allocated and approved $285,000 to the project in its 2015/16 budget. Martin Van Jaarsveld, Manager Local and Sports Parks North, hopes the steps will reopen by Christmas, but can’t promise anything “It will be dependent on the consenting process and we cannot give a definite date at this stage,” he says. Meanwhile Mitchell remains doubtful. “We moved here seven years ago and this is our third summer coming up that we can’t walk to the beach. Maybe I sound spoiled but it was part of why we moved here,” he says. Vanderlaan, who bought his home four years ago, agrees.
RUGBY WORLD CUP Approx. times
7-9am Sat. 19 September England vs. Fiji 3.45-5.45am Mon. 21 September NZ vs. Argentina
BOOK NOW! 7-9am 8-10am 8-10am
Fri. 25 September Sat. 3 October Sat. 10 October
NZ vs. Namibia NZ vs. Georgia NZ vs. Tonga
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 25
September 18, 2015
No rush to repair Devonport footpaths, despite residents’ complaints Recent complaints by Devonport pedestrians about the poor state of local footpaths seem to have fallen on deaf ears within council. This July, the Flagstaff featured a story about Elly van der Zwaag, a Devonport Plunket nurse, who called on council to urgently upgrade local footpaths after breaking her left arm three times within four years through tripping up. Numerous letters were received from residents who responded with similar tales. However, Auckland Transport’s (AT) “indicative footpath renewals programme” for the coming year shows only a small budget for footpaths on the Devonport peninsula. A budget of more than $5 million is set aside for 3,376 metres of “Pavement Rehabilitation” in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area. More than $900,000 of this is earmarked for rebuilding parts of Jutland Road. A further $188,000 for other renewals does not include any peninsula footpaths. AT Spokesperson Mark Hannan says that there is no schedule for simpler surface
WHAT’S
ON
BACK TO WORK
work on local footpaths. “That is done as ordinary maintenance, as it pops up; a bit like a light bulb that needs replacing in your house,” he says. Complete rebuilding of footpaths on the other hand is major construction. AT’s Dai Bindoff says it “usually involves digging out the entire carriageway, stabilisation, relocation of services and pipes and cables if required, and relay of the actual base before then adding the surface layer back on.”
Mondays 11am-12pm Are you currently looking for work, want more work or thinking about returning to work? Join us for “Back to Work”, a free networking and discussion series. 14th Sept Getting Started, 12th Oct Exploring Options, 16th Nov What Next Supported by Sam Standley, Clarity Careers and the Devonport Peninsula Trust.
HER ITAGE Lucrative advertising space now available AW ARDS
MINI MOVERS Tuesday 9.15am Do you have a toddler or preschooler who loves to dance, move and wiggle? Then come along to our Mini Movers, only $7 p/lesson. No need to book a space, casual drop-in. For more info contact Chloe on chloe.pryor@gmail.com or www. madetomovedance.com
Our tradies have generated too much business, so slots in our Trades and Services section can be yours for less than three dollars a day. “The advertisement we have in the Flagstaff has been so successful that I have enough work for the next 12 months.” - Peter Clayton, Clayton Construction
SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
BC4968
Contact the Flagstaff for our rates and dates. devonportflagstaff@orcon.net.nz
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board
HERITAGE AWARDS 2015
Honouring our heritage heroes We want your help in finding our area’s heritage heroes. These awards aim to celebrate and promote excellence by individuals or groups in energising, preserving and supporting our unique historic heritage. Nominations and applications close on 20 October.
So many great activities lined up. Book now for Camouflage Party Day, Lego Day or Bouncy Castle Olympics. We also have trips to Megazone, Motat and Movies at the Vic, plus loads of art, craft, sport, baking, science and more. Be quick to book, at www.devonportcomhouse.co.nz for a copy of the enrolment form and programme
BABYSITTING WORKSHOP FOR 13 TO 17-YEAR-OLDS Thurs 8th Oct – $40 Enrol now for The Parenting Place’s Babysitting Workshop to be held at the Community House. 10.30am-12noon - The babysitter that gets booked and 1pm-2.30pm – First aid for babysitters, a concise First Aid course specifically designed for babysitters, covering child safety and accident prevention, life-saving techniques and emergency first aid. Last course for the year, only 14 places available. Check out our website for more details. Phone or email to book.
32 CLARENCE ST, DEVONPORT Ph: 445 3068 | Fax: 445 6888 e: devonportcomhouse@xtra.co.nz
ON FACEBOOK DevonportCommunityHouse Proudly supported by
Catharina Andersson
09 446 2110 or 021 812 621 catharina.andersson@harcourts.co.nz
Find out more at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/devonporttakapuna
LICENSED AGENT REAA 2008
Trades & Services
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 26
den electrical ltd
Piper Painters Ltd
OEL EST1971
OGDE N ELECTRICAL LTD
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phone 0274 937380
Call Carl for all your electrical needs 0274 937380 or 445 7528
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Phone Paul: 445 3154 027 493 8592 zipzap@ihug.co.nz
• Interior/exterior house painting • Roof painting • Specialised coatings and textures • Spray painting • Water blasting
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021 410 766 P 021 410 766| Freephone 0800 023 296 luke@piperpainters.co.nz www.piperpainters.co.nz
Sick of flushing money down the... Repairs, refurbishments and new work for both Plumbing and Gasfitting.
• Quality workmanship • Interior and external • References available
Including gas heaters, instantaneous hot water systems and more. Full project management and pensioner rates. For all your Plumbing and Gasfitting needs Call the boss (Bruce) today on 0274 472 742
McMinn Plumbing
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YOUR LOCAL CRAFTSMAN
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Jim McBride
Painter and Decorator • • •
Member of the Master Painters interior and exterior quality workmanship • no job too big or too small
Ph Jim on 021 244 6990 or a/hrs on 441 6990 email jim.sandy@xtra.co.nz
Professional Quality Service Craftsman Plumber and Gasfitter
Ph 021 841 745 David Mortimore New installations Repairs and Maintenance
Precision Plumbing 2010 Ltd
david@precisionplumbing.co.nz www.precisionplumbing.co.nz
Painting and Decorating All commercial and domestic decoration undertaken. Interior and exterior decorating. All wallpaper and fabrics. Expertly hung. Skim coat plastering and stopping Specialist in decorative paint finishes, carried out by a tradesman with 25 years experience. Competitive pricing. All work guaranteed.
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September 18, 2015
DEVONPORT DEVONPORT DEVONPORT AUTO AUTO CENTRE CENTRE
� Servicing � Full Full Vehicle Vehicle Servicing � Full Vehicle Servicing and Maintenance � WOF WOF and Maintenance and Maintenance � � WOF ANDRE WENDY CUMISKEY CUMISKEY ANDRE & & WENDY ANDRE & WENDY CUMISKEY
Ph 445 4456 4456 Ph (09) (09) 445 Ph (09) 445 Fax (09) 445 7629 Fax 445 4456 7629 Fax (09) 445 7629 1A Fleet Street, Devonport
Trades & Services
Barnett Bros. SPECIALISING IN VILLA/BUNGALOW Barnett Bros. RESTORATION, RENOVATION & ALTERATIONS SPECIALISING IN VILLA/BUNGALOW Qualified RENOVATION builder and & craftsman RESTORATION, ALTERATIONS
Andrew Holloway Floorsander • Floorsanding • Polyurethaning and staining • Tongue and Groove repairs • Serving Devonport since 1995 Please phone for a free quote Phone 027 285 4519 ahfloorsanding@xtra.co.nz
KASPA
TRANSMISSION RECONDITIONERS
Alan Michie Ph 445 3013 • 0274 957 505
ON ” EN CK SE LO B HE “T
AS
Your local NZ qualified electricians for: Renovations Maintenance LED changeovers Garden Lighting Ultrafast Broadband
Call Jordan
022 4567 367
www.kitchenvision.co.nz
55 Barrys Point Rd, Takapuna 09 486 0811 Free 0508 22 55 58
DEVONPORT GLASS
For bins and skips
LOCAL AND RELIABLE All sizes available Ph 486 3885 www.discountbins.co.nz
Scott 021 188 7189 AllBarnett work guaranteed s.barnett.builder@gmail.com Licensed building practitioner Scott Barnett 021 188 7189
Barnett Bros. Devonport s.barnett.builder@gmail.com
Qualified builder and craftsman Carpenter available now for door/window/sash/cord/sil Contact Mike Pita replacements on 021 050 3894 for a free quote All joinery repairs All carpentry and associated building services - NEW ROOFS - RE iROOFS Home nspections - LEAK REPAIRS - FLASHINGS Bathrooms - MAINTENANCE Highly experienced residential and commercial painting services Top quality finish References available
• Automatic and manual Recondition and Service specialists • Free pickup and delivery
165a Sunnybrae Road, Glenfield
Carpenter available now Qualified builder and craftsman for door/window/sash/cord/sill Carpenter available now replacements for door/window/sash/cord/sill All joinery repairs replacements All carpentry and associated All joineryservices repairs building All carpentry and associated Home inspections building services Bathrooms Home inspections All work guaranteed Bathrooms
SPECIALISING IN VILLA/BUNGALOW Painters RESTORATION, RENOVATION & ALTERATIONS
TRANSMISSIONS
Phone 441 4500 email glenfield@kaspa.co.nz www.kaspa.co.nz
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 27
For all your glazing requirements Competitive Rates and Free Quotes Double Glazing New Glazing & Re-Glazing Re-Putties Mirrors Insurance repairs Pet doors – supply and fit
PH 445 1974
Mobile Showroom devonportglass@xtra.co.nz
QUOTES AllFREE work guaranteed PH ADAM 021 927 663 Scott Barnett 021 188 7189 www.relayroofing.co.nz
s.barnett.builder@gmail.com
Villa Masonry Ltd • Brick work • Block work • Paving • Cobble driveways • Paved Patios • Repair work No job too small!
Ph 09 478 8948 021 465 460 villamasonryltd@gmail.com
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 28
With community constable Jackie Strickland Greetings to all readers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the community for their support and let you know that this will be my last article. I am moving back to the main station, North Shore Policing Centre, in Parkway Dr to take up a position as a Family Violence Investigator. Constable Jasmine Bundle will take over the Devonport position from September 28. Please stop and have a chat with her when you see her walking around Devonport. After having a relatively quiet July and August, we have had a spike in criminal activity again. At the end of August, two vehicles in North Ave were damaged, possibly in an attempted theft. Around the same date there was another attempted vehicle theft in Eversleigh Rd and also a report of someone trying door handles in that street.
On the beat Over the space of three days, there were three daytime burglaries to residential homes where jewellery was the main target. These burglaries occurred between the 3rd and 5th September and the locations were Elderwood Lane, Merani St, and Lake Rd (Belmont). Property from one of the burglaries has since been identified at a pawn shop and we now have a very strong line of enquiry to follow. Overnight on Friday 5th/Saturday 6th September, three properties in very close proximity (Corella Rd, Moa St, Bardia St), had attempted break-ins. The offender was not successful in gaining entry to any of the premises, and in fact cut himself on glass at one and then left blood at each of the properties he went to. It does not appear, on the face of it, to be a legitimate burglary as such, but rather a case of someone being extremely intoxicated to the point where they have not been fully aware of their surroundings. In their befuddled state they have tried to force their way into a residence, oblivious to the fact that it was not the right home. The person has been described as a male, Caucasian, early twenties with short black hair and pale skin. Police forensics officers have collected blood samples from each location for DNA testing. If you know of anyone that fits this description, and who has recent cuts or lacerations, please let us know. It would be good to get to the bottom of this matter, especially for the residents involved to know what the exact scenario was.
September 18, 2015 Lastly, we have had some thefts of shoes, from outside front doors, around the Northboro Rd/Eversleigh Rd area. Sounds odd doesn’t it but some sports shoes can cost several hundred dollars and if you lose three or four pairs it can add up to a fair bit. If you have expensive sports shoes, it pays to keep them inside rather than leave them out. If you ever see someone that looks out of place in your neighbourhood, maybe visiting a neighbour’s address, you are quite within your rights to politely ask them who they are looking for, what they are doing and who they are. Legitimate businesses provide their employees with either uniform or photo ID cards, which can be produced immediately. A high-vis vest is not a uniform as such: they can easily be purchased, so don’t assume someone wearing one is necessarily a genuine worker. Don’t forget, if you see anything suspicious call 111 immediately and where possible take photos and/or record any information to do with the incident for Police reference. If you have any information that might help Police, you can also call “Crime Stoppers” anonymously on 0800 555 111 or for more information go to the Crime Stoppers website http://www.crimestoppers-nz.org/. Thanks to everyone for your support during my time here as Community Constable. I have really enjoyed working in such a fantastic community.
Trades & Services
Do you need to downsize?
Sam the Floor Sander
Are you dealing with a deceased estate? Do you just want a new sleeker minimalist look?
Floor-sanding Polyurethane Water base Chemical base Stain
Call Mo on 0212 064 462 or email declutterdevonport@gmail.com
for FREE Quote Call 021 672 641
EYE FOR DETAIL LIMITED
Renovations or new projects 1. Foundations 2. Building 3. Gibbing and stopping 4. Painting 5. Tiling 6. Landscaping 7. Repairs and maintenance Your ‘one-stop’ building company Licenced Building Practitioner
Contact Bernard Phone 445 1331 or Mobile 0274 471 132
Athol’s Lawnmowing Devonport
“Because your gardens are worth it”
12 YEARS IN DEVONPORT • Lawnmowing • Gardening • Hedge Trimming • Property Maintenance
DINGO & EXCAVATOR RETAINING WALLS POSTHOLE BORING TRENCHING LAWN PREPARATION DECKS & FENCES PAVING BASEMENT DIGOUTS TIGHT ACCESS SPECIALISTS
Phone 021 239 7848
REUBEN SAFFER Mobile: 022 043 4526
SERVING DEVONPORT SINCE 2001
EMAIL: reuben@aucklandoutdoor.co.nz WEBSITE: www.aucklandoutdoor.co.nz
atholsmowing@outlook.com
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 29
September 18, 2015
Beaver inspires North Shore rugby prizewinners
Best player in J1... Evan Williams
Beavering away… Hunter Rice, the best player in J2, is recognised by Stephen “Beaver” Donald
The NSRFC CUP (person who gave most to a team): Pam Laird; The George Coffin Trophy (non-committee member who contributed most): Graeme Milne; NSRFC Cup (J8 - J5 most sporting and conscientious coach of the year): Dan Ryder; Malcolm Iversen Memorial Cup (J4 - J1 most conscientious coach of the year): Ash Cooper; John Bell Memorial Cup (most sporting team): J3 Steve Avery; Curtayne Eagles Cup (outstanding team J4 - J6): J4 Robbie Ford; Wilcox Cup (outstanding team J1 - J3): J1 Chris Davies. ATTITUDE PRIZES: Trevor Lyall Cup (fair play J5 - J8): Cooper Clarke; Roy Buchanan Memorial (fair play J1 - J4): Oliver Reid; Gartside Cup (most conscientious player in the club): Taine Walker-Blanchette; Colin Harvey Trophy (the energetic player who was always in the game); Ollie Arthur-Hunt; McKenty Family Award (hardest working forward): Evan Williams; Colin Parry Trophy (most loyal to the club): Hunter Rush. PERFORMANCE PRIZES. Evergreens Cup (outstanding player J8): Cash Gibson;
Clayton Pipson Memorial (outstanding player J7): Kane Te Whiu; Scratchams Cup (outstanding J6): Felix Johnson; NSRFC Cup (outstanding J5): Seth Peters; NSRFC Shield (outstanding player J4): Harrison Tu’isila; Kauri Cup (outstanding player J3): Heath Tomlinson; NSRFC Cup (outstanding player J2): Hunter Rice; NSRFC Cup (outstanding player J1): Evan Williams. ROLLER MILLS: Hunter Rush, Rory Tapsell, Taine Walker-Blanchette, Sam Davies NORTH HARBOUR UNDER-14s: Evan Williams. Team prizes: (KEY: most outstanding (MO), most promising (MP) and most improved (MI). RIPPA J8. Rippa Carter: Angus Sims (MO); Sam Hellund (MP); Luke Nyhoff (MI). Rippa Kaino: Baxter McNaughton (MO); Mackenzie Anderson (MP); Mia Riddington (MI). Rippa Savea: Cash Gibson (MO); Quin Seaburg (MP); Dylan Robinson (MI). Rippa Read: Jonny Ford (MO); Jenson Burton (MP); River Matheson (MI). Rippa Woodcock: Kanye Griffiths (MO); Connagh McClintock (MP); Oliver Rumball (MI). Rippa McCaw: Carter Paine (MO); Oliver Ryder (MP); Finn Trevett (MI). RIPPA J7: Rippa Cruden: Justin Fox-Gordon (MO); Theo Robinson (MP); Max Bailey (MI). Rippa Mealamu: Cooper McNaughton (MO); Ruben Newton (MP); Jesse Frazerhurst (MI). Rippa Nonu: Connor Brady (MO); Aiden Shaw (MP); Max Laing (MI). Rippa Retallick: Will Robson
Best player in J5… Seth Peters gets a handshake and cup from Stephen Donald
(MO); Mackenzie Campbell (MP); Luther Watkins (MI). Rippa Whitelock: Vincent Wright (MO); Ryan Atkins (MP); Josh Greenway (MI). Rippa Williams: Kane Te Whiu (MO); Alexander Clayton (MP); Kleon Lorenz (MI). J6. J6 Green: Felix Johnson (MO); Kobe Gibson (MP): George Langley (MI). J6 Black: Rhys Honiss (MO); Mac Loretz (MP); Tom Third (MI). J6 White: Blue Eakin (MO); George Glass (MP); Alex Craig (MI). J5 White: Seth Peters (MO); Adam Towns (MP); James Lynch (MI). J5. J5 Green: Oliver Jewell (MO); William Leonard (MP); Aidan Simpkins (MI). J5 Red: Sam Gillies (MO); Caleb William-Childs (MP); Mikey Cotter (MI). J5 Black: James Bullians (MO); Ethan Honiss (MP); Tiaki Greenstreet (MI). J4: J4 White: Nick Davies (MO); Adam Wright (MP); Joshua Baard (MI). J4 Green: Heath Barrett (MO); Harrison Tu’isila (MP); Luke Robertson (MI). J3 Green: Tom Meade (MO); Johnny Cole (MP); Frano Ryan (MI). J3. J3 White: Jack Tucker (MO); Toby Cotter (MP); Joshua Fitzsimmons (MI). J3 Blue: Thomas Fitchett (MO); Heath Tomlinson (MP); Daniel James (MI). J2. J2 Fairbairn: Noah Eakin (MO); James Fairbairn (MP); Josh Porter-Day (MI). J2 Blair: Noah Tu’isila (MO); Gene Garea (MP); Jakob O’Hearn (MI). J1: Peter Percakovski (MO); Sam Davies (MP); Thomas Street (MI).
In good voice... young rugby players at the prize-giving sing North Shore Rugby Club’s song Pride of the Union
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 30
September 18, 2015
Classifieds
September 18, 2015 ACCOMMODATION
REST HOMES
Classy 3 bedroom, 2 full bath, fully furnished Devonport house on Achilles Reserve near Narrow Neck. More information go to www.devonporttuihouse.weebly.com or www.sabbaticalhomes.com. Ph: 445 7895. Devonport short let. Large, comfortable, 4 bed fully furnished family home available for rent short term. Great location, close to Vauxhall shops and views down Cheltenham beach. Phone: 022 3175 401. Flat, central Devonport, 1 brm, part-furnished. Garden, beach 150m. Short-term until Christmas, possible continuation long-term, $450pw. 027 545 3060 House for rent short-term in central Devonport. Available 10 August - 1 November. Phone Margaret 021 101 4940. House-sitter available. Mature lady. Good references from other Devonport families. Cats ok. December and January. 021 023 59913 Jan. Relatives visiting? Spacious garden studio with en-suite and kitchenette; minutes to Narrow Neck beach. Reasonable rates. Ph Pauline 445 6471. Stunning Cheltenham Beach Cottage, metres from the beach. Available for short or long-term holiday accommodation. Beautifully refurbished, one bedroom, self-contained cottage with a private garden. Phone Rebekah 027 694 3933 or email devonportbeks@gmail.com
Komatua Care Centre – We care for older people who have memory loss and behavioural difficulties. Professional care is given in a nurturing environment. For all enquiries - phone 445 1707.
REST HOMES Ascot House Retirement Home, quality care with dignity in a friendly, family atmosphere. Phone Shona, 445 2518.
SERVICES OFFERED
10 YEARS’ experience. Home cleaning. Husband and wife. Honest, reliable, careful workers. All equipment supplied. References available. Ph Joyce 022 073 1550.
At Your Request Home Cleaning. Our local team is ready to deliver 5-Star services in your home for weekly cleaning, spring, moving or open-home cleaning. Call Yvonne for a free quote 415 0028.
Builder available Small job specialist, repairs and maintenance. Skilled, reliable and local. Please phone Clive Melling. Hm 445 2485, Mob 027 29 222 84. Cars wanted dead or alive. Top dollar paid $360 to $1700 for any small car, $800 to $15,000 for vans, utes, HWD and trucks. Free retrieval 0800 3333 98.
Cleaning Maid Easy Use own cleaning products and gear. Reliable/trustworthy/mature lady. References available Please contact Sharon - 021 405 596. Curtains & Roman Blinds Free measure, quote and design advice. 20 years’ experience. Phone Sara 027 625 5844.
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 31
SERVICES OFFERED
SERVICES OFFERED
Devonport Window Repairs. Sash and casement windows, wooden doors. Rotten sills and window components repaired or replaced. General carpentry. For your local window specialist. Phone Hubert Strang 446 6174 or 021 274 4191.
SERVICES OFFERED Housekeeper. Home cleaning, including windows, washing, ironing, furniture polishing. Experienced. References. $25 per hour. Ph 442 2273, 027 4926220 Housewashing, prof. service, 10 years-plus experience, reliable and prompt. Free quotes, Diggadrain. Drain unblockers also decks, driveways, paths, and drainage experts. CCTV fences, roof moss treatments etc. drain locating. Repairs. New Phone Rod 021 390 800. drains. 0800 your drain. Ironing: Professional, reliable, Dog grooming available. Full fast turnaround. Call Denise or groom, bath and blow dry, pupPeter 486-1614/0223-552-350. py introduction to grooming. Devonport-based. Call Barbara Landscaping – Format Land021 141 0331. scapes, 18 years’ experience, Dip. Landscape Design. DeGardener Available Qualsign and build. We underified and experienced landtake all aspects of hard and scape designer. Enjoys getting soft landscaping including his hands dirty. Good plant decks, paving, fences, retainknowledge. Hardworking, ing walls, planting etc. Small reliable and creative with to large projects. Free quote plantings. Contact Paddy www.formatlandscapes.co.nz. 022 502 2122 or 446 6188 Call Matt 021 599107. paddyvogt@gmail.com Locksmith, Devonport’s Gardening. Do you need own Scott Richardson. regular help? No time for a mob 021 976 607. tidy up? Let me help. Experienced gardener. Ph Mobile Therapy Massage Carolyn on 446 6517 or Release muscle tension, 027 292 8167 for a free on-site headaches backache, stress. NZ Diploma. Experienced. consultation.CEO References. $80 per hour. Handyman. Mature profes- Ph 442 2273; 027 492 6221. sional in Devonport, Bayswater Tagbuster, graffiti looked after area. Repairs, painting, those Devonport to Hauraki Corner. jobs you just don’t have time Call the Tagbuster 0800antitag, to do. Free quote. References. 0800 2684 824. Ph. Brian 021 150 8898.
Small biz solutions the light at the end of the tunnel! From Book Keeping and Office Administration to Design and Illustration to Print-ready Artwork. Local resident with 25+yrs experience, $30/hr. Sharon - 027 272 5977. http:// sharonfergussonart.wix.com/ smallbizsolutions SITUATIONS VACANT Part-time Fashion Sales Person, three days a week, Monday to Wednesday. Annah Stretton Devonport. If you are sales focused, and have retail experience please apply! tony@strettonclothing.co.nz TUITION Acoustic and classical guitar, music theory. Fun, comprehensive, tailored to you! Devonport-based. Michelle Birch, BMus (Hons) michellebirch@zoho.com, www.michellebirch.com Art Classes - @ Devonport Community House, Clarence St. with tutor Lucy Bucknall B.F.A Hons (pick up brochures there). Mastering Art -Thursday or Friday mornings $340 - per 9 weeks. New - Art for Teens - Wednesday after school - $260 per 8 weeks & Life Drawing - Wednesday evenings - $240 per 8 weeks. Some materials, refreshments, model fees provided (currently
signing up) Tel - Lucy 446 0389. lucybucknall@clear.net.nz www.lucy-bucknall.co.nz TUITION Experienced Biology and Science tutor available for junior Science, NCEA Levels 1-3 Biology and Science, Scholarship, and Cambridge Biology. Email: devobiotutor@gmail.com or txt /call 021 073 6768.T Learn piano/keyboard. Lessons from $17.00. Private, Professional, Affordable, Enjoyment for all ages. Competitions, Practical, Theory Exams. NZ Modern School of Music 0800-696-874. Mathematics Tuition, Sensitive tutoring offered at all levels of the secondary school curriculum. NCEA, IB and Cambridge welcomed. 97% pass rate in 2014. NCEA 3 calculus specialist. Ph Peter Ridge BE,Dip Tchg (sec) 445 2283. SLSS Swim School, 11 Evan Street, Belmont (off Eversleigh Road). Specialists in pre-schoolers. Phone 486 6728 for more info.
Special needs arts and crafts project commencing in October at the Devonport Community House for special needs adults willing to be a part of a team to create crafts that they can go on to sell. For further information please call Kelly on 021 116 09101.
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Tips for trouble-free computing Q: I keep on getting a notice from Microsoft to get a free upgrade to Windows 10 – should I do this? A: This is the question of the month !!! Whilst some people have reported to me that they have upgraded to Windows 10 painlessly and seamlessly, people have also reported the following problems: For example, in one case after upgrading to Windows 10, the version of Microsoft Office they were using no longer worked properly, so you may need to purchase Office 2013 (~$360) to keep Word and Excel working. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Some other examples: • After doing the upgrade, one person’s printer no longer worked. They looked for the software on the the Brother website to get their printers to work– but the drivers have not been written yet and won’t be available Upcycle your laptop until November! Wanted: old laptops still in working condition to refurbish and donate to the • After installing Windows 10, one person’s scanner no longer worked. Red Cross Refugee service. If you are upgrading, I will pass on • After upgrading to Windows 10, another person’s AntiVirus software no longer worked. your old computers to help refugees • In another case, in performing the upgrade, Windows 10 corrupted Windows Live Mail and their emails were lost and/or irretrievably damaged. The worst case I have encountered so far is a new (three-months-old) computer running Windows 8.1 on which the Windows 10 upgrade installation failed part way through. This corrupted the computer so totally, it could not be repaired or recovered and all programs, data and files were irretrievably lost… You have been warned! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it….. Q: What do you suggest I should do about the attached AVG ad? I thought I was on AVG Free….. Why go anywhere else?! A: You have inadvertently downloaded and installed the paid product, AVG Internet Security. Go to Control Panel > Programs & Features, find AVG and uninstall it. As you uninstall it, you will get an option to ‘downgrade to the Free version’ - click on that. Then this advert will no longer bother you!
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 32
September 18, 2015
Takapuna
Grammar
SCHOOL NEWS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
IKA poetry winner A poem by Year 11 student, Emilly Fan, has won the inaugural IKA Creative Writing Prize. ‘Starlight’ was chosen from four finalists to take first prize in the written-page category. It is a poignant poem about the heartbreak between two young lovers. “The traditional Ma-ori references masterfully undercut the brevity of the relationship in your poem so I thought that was quite genius,” commented the judge, Robert Sullivan. This competition was open to secondary school students in Years 11 to 13 and marked the launch of the IKA 3 Journal.
“I tried to create a balance between telling a story and letting the reader figure things out for themselves,” says Emilly, “I also wanted to acknowledge the beauty of Te Reo Ma-ori and incorporate subtle aspects of it into my poem.” Emilly attended a prize-giving ceremony held at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) as part of its Faculty of Creative Arts Open Day, on September 5th. At the event, Emilly was invited to give a reading of her poem. Her prize is either a $2,000 scholarship to MIT, or an iPad Mini 3 and a Creative Arts Short Course voucher, valued at $230.
Sisters doing very well The talented synchronised swimming duo of Katie and Luci McDougall have returned with a silver medal for the duet from the Commonwealth Festival of Synchronised Swimming in Perth. This competition attracts competitors from 11 differ-
ent countries. Katie also performed her Technical Solo where she placed fourth; she was seventh for her Junior Solo and came tenth in the Figures competition. Unfortunately Luci did not compete in her other events through illness.
Emilly at the awards ceremony
Works on paper TGS is known to have an incredible range of talented students and in the visual arts this is especially true. Last month, a student art exhibition ‘Works on Paper’ was installed in the Depot Art Gallery, in Devonport, for three weeks. Over 200 people attended the official opening event and just under half of the works were sold then and there. Organised by Art History and Visual Arts teacher, Sandra Cammell, and Deputy Head Girl, Augustine Morgan-Guthrie, the exhibition was intended to promote the highly talented body of work senior students produce every year in the visual arts.
The exhibition consisted of practical art, photography and design pieces. All works were printed and up for sale, with most of the profits going back to the students. Those interested in attending the exhibition and revelling in the sight of young artists creating such a high calibre body of work, can attend next year’s exhibition, which will again be in August. The organisers would like to thank The Depot for its continued support of our students, and its beautiful gallery - and of course the young artists themselves, for their contributions to the exhibition. BY AUGUSTINE MORGAN-GUTHRIE
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 33
September 18, 2015
Takapuna SCHOOL NEWS
Finance Festival
Grammar SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
TGS Business and Enterprise students enjoyed a day of fun, frivolities and finance, at Massey University recently. Students from Years 10 to 12, in teams of four, participated in a Finance Festival run by UHSSC and the Financial Education & Research Centre at Massey University. This event coincided with New Zealand’s annual Money Week and was designed for students to gain a deeper understanding of the role of finance in their day-to-day lives. The main activity in the Years 7 to 10 division was called “Project Fundway”, and involved the creation of a garment that could be modelled on the catwalk. The financial aspect was that students had a limited budget to ‘buy’ resources from the ‘shop’ to create their outfit. The financial ideas that underpinned this challenge were recycling, needs and wants, sales, marketing and budgeting. “The core business ideas were presented in a creative way which, made the learning process much more fun,” said Kate Fan, a Year 10 participant. In the Years 11 to 12 division, teams competed in “The Investment Challenge”. After listening to a series of mini lectures covering investing in shares, fixed term deposits, bonds, and property, students were required to give financial advice to a client who wanted to invest a sum of money. The conclusion was a four-minute presentation to a panel of teachers and investment professionals. A delicious morning tea and a variety of spot prizes were provided as well, to further maintain the festival-type atmosphere. Students engaged in a variety of action-packed activities that proved to be an enjoyable experience for all. BY EMILLY FAN
Representing us with pride Winter Tournament is the busiest week on the winter sports’ calendar with over 20,000 athletes taking part. Competitions are held in venues around the country and six TGS teams competed in a variety of sports, bringing back several top-10 finishes. The 1st XI Girls Hockey team made a significant improvement on their ninth placing last year, finishing fourth in Wellington. “I think we played really well and we are all proud of beating the top seed, Kuranui
High School,” said Year 11 student Natalie Morrison. The 1st XI Girls Football team finished fourth in the Premier Tournament, in Taupo, after a 0-1 loss in the play-offs to Rangitoto College. After a 4-0 playoff win against Hutt Valley High School, the 1st XI Boys Hockey team finished in fifth in the Woolaston Tournament, in Palmerston North. “I really enjoyed representing the school for the first time at Tournament; it was a really good atmos-
phere,” said Ollie Gent. This TGS team was also second on the goal-scoring list, and Year 12 student Mitchell Bremner was the third highest goal scorer in the tournament. The 1st XI Boys Football team finished fourth after a close 5-6 penalty shoot-out loss to Mt Roskill Grammar School, while the Senior 1 Girls Netball team finished 16th in the Upper North Island Tournament, in Hamilton, and the Senior Boys Basketball team finished 12th in the Premier grade. BY DOUGAL BURDEN
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 34
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 35
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Relatives coming to visit over Christmas?
John Davis: Faith Paintings and installation that explore a cosmological vision informed by Lao-Tse’s Tao Te Ching.
Cottage to rent within walking distance of village and ferry. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms. Pretty garden. Would suit one or two couples. Available mid-December to mid-January.
Claire Delaney: The Story Starts Here Delaney reveals some of her storybook characters through paintings, etchings and mixed media.
Ph 446 1085 or 021 844 517
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Greg Smith: Behind These Walls – Auckland’s Modernist Murals A brief history which reveals some of the vast collection of murals that adorned this city’s walls, and some that still do – although often hidden!
www.depotartspace.co.nz Monday 12pm to 5pm Tuesday - Saturday 10am to 5pm Sunday 11am to 3pm 28 Clarence St, Devonport Ph 963 2331
The Devonport Flagstaff Page 36
Letters
September 18, 2015
Don’t scorn the critics: they care about Devonport Our local paper has a number of well-meaning people, like Ms Hickton and Mr Ferguson and many others, who rally to demand a more accountable council and government. Some of you label these commentators as negative people. The reality is these complainants are citizens, intelligent people, and other commendable groups rally on occasion: they saved North Head and stopped the harbour board vandalising our seabed. Those so apathetic that they don’t care about wasted rates, accountability or corrupted deals, but moan about the critics, are aiding and abetting corruption carried out blatantly by our MPs, councillors and administrators charged in law to carry out business, using
proper practices. Not a week goes by and another fiasco rears it head. The party on the wharf is a symptom of the arrogance: the dollar value, low in that case, is not too significant, but symptomatic. This month council, which allowed the sea wall to collapse into Stanley Bay for years, had it repaired. The contractor said openly (to me), it made him good money, and he had done another one by the dockyard at the same time. He did not need resource consent and he trashed the drip line areas under the sacred trees; he did the job effectively. Two full weeks, five guys, rocks, diggers, concrete, geotextile, gravels, shell, grass seed, and temporary fences: $450,000.
Who’s the real culprit here? I think the story about accessing porn via the library Wi-Fi was in bad taste and diminished the positive impact of the new library. This area has historically been a hotspot (bus shelter) for free Auckland Wi-Fi so you could use this access when in the library. What seems to have been overlooked, and not raised by anyone else, is that your story was dangerous because it actually told every young person in the Devonport area that they could access porn sites at the library, over what appears to have been
BAYSWATER
an isolated incident or two. So who was the real offender here...? The library or the Flagstaff. Graham Edwards • Flagstaff editor Rob Drent responds: This month the book Into the River was banned and taken off library shelves after a complaint about sex scenes in it. But porn images can viewed using a Google search on the library internet. Kind of doesn’t make sense to me. The Flagstaff stands by its story.
Those of you that scorn the critics are a threat to the future of your children’s well-being and to democracy in Devoport. You are allowing Devonport and Auckland corrupted politics to exclude your family in future from being able to afford to live here: only the most wealthy will remain with the foreign speculators. We have the best country, and arguably Devonport is the best small town in NZ. Demand honest management of your town and don’t dare criticise those that care about it. Ron Dykman •Abridged, editor
Unreliable ferries at Stanley Bay As if the crapshoot of commuting via the possibly mythical Stanley Bay ferry wasn’t soul-crushing enough, workers at Devonport’s finest military-industrial complex are piling on the pain by persisting on occupying the wharf parking spots, despite the fact that every bay is clearly and unambiguously marked as being for ferry passengers only. While they could be forgiven for assuming the ferry service has become defunct given its current level of reliability, if you can’t rely on members of a notoriously hierarchical organisation to obey the rules, who can you rely on? Colin Jackson
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 37
Stars shine in Devonport Devonport was treated to a concert of rare quality when two of Auckland’s leading string players joined the Devonport Chamber Orchestra at Holy Trinity Church. Miranda Adams, Assistant Concertmaster and Robert Ashworth, Principal Viola of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, were the soloists in a magical performance of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. The orchestra was directed by Adams from the violin. Arguably even finer than his five concerti for solo violin and orchestra, the Sinfonia Concertante is held in deservedly high regard by music lovers. Nobody could possibly have been disappointed with this scintillating performance from soloists and orchestra. Adams’ beauty of tone, incisiveness of rhythm and sensitivity of phrasing were matched in equal share by the warmth and eloquence of Ashworth’s playing and the mellow timbre of his instrument. The work was most skilfully accompanied – the orchestra was supportive without ever dominating the solo lines. The second movement, with its poignant sense of grief, may well have reflected Mozart’s mood as its composition coincided
with the death of his mother. The sombre sense of loss was put aside and hope and exhilaration came to the fore in the presto. While the Mozart was the highlight of the concert, it was preceded by two other works – both little gems. The first was Haydn’s Divertimento in G, an early work that deserves more frequent playing. Scored for strings, horns and oboes it was played with elegance and charm. The horns and oboes appeared in the outer movements and hinted at music for an outdoor occasion – reminiscent of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, although painted in gentler colours. The orchestra performed this without conductor and were impeccable in following the lead of their concertmaster Helen Van Druten. The group maintained a good sense of ensemble. Speed and volume were very well balanced between sections of the orchestra. Cellos and bass provided strength and stability. Phrasing and articulation of melodies as they passed around the group were well done. Adams and Ashworth played Seven Duos for Violin and Viola by Bela Bartok. Written in the period before World War Two, these were based on folk melodies from Hungary
and Romania. Played with humour and a sense of fun, the quirky rhythms and interplay between the instruments made them audience favourites. The audience was welcomed by the vicar of Holy Trinity Charmaine Braatvedt. She said at the morning service earlier that day that recognition was given to all those who give their support in all manner of ways to maintain the church and its outreach into the community. She included the orchestra in that – a sentiment I think the audience heartily agreed with. How fortunate Devonport is to be able to attract such world-class talent as Adams and Ashworth to play with its orchestra. Congratulations to Roger Booth for his dedication and efforts in managing the orchestra and arranging programmes and engaging soloists. By Rogan Falla • The DCO’s next concert is on Sunday 4th October at 2pm in Harmony Hall, 4 Wynyard St. It will include Salieri’s joyful Sinfonia Venezia, and Sarah Spence as soloist in Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major. Tickets $10 at the door. Children under 12 free.
THE NAVY COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
NAVY MUSEUM Have you been to the Navy Museum lately? We have a new exhibition showing in our temporary gallery – Old, New, Borrowed, Navy Blue, curated by Art History students Georgia Casey and Maree Schwencke. The exhibition focuses on weddings, using photographs, documents and items to show how Navy traditions intertwine with the personal lives of Navy men and women. Don’t forget the school holidays are coming up at the end of the month and the Navy Museum will be running a fabulous school holiday activity, Sea Scopes. Join us to make your own kaleidoscope, and be awed at the wonderful designs that change before your very eyes. Conditions do apply, so visit www.navymuseum. co.nz for more information. The Navy Museum will be celebrating the opening of The Boatshed on Saturday 3rd October. The Boatshed is filled with beautifully maintained small boats from the Royal New Zealand Navy’s past. There will be nauticalthemed family activities and entertainment for all. Lock the date in your calendar and keep your eyes open for more information.
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 38
September 18, 2015
Jean Day’s book a labour of love There’s a man who hasn’t left Jean Day alone for 55 years. This year, the 87-year-old put a stop to the pestering and published her book The Search for Thomas Kerr. Thomas Kerr, the English missionary, mariner and map-maker, was also a local vicar, who helped build Holy Trinity Church in Devonport and Bayswater’s O’Neill’s Point Church in the mid-1800s. He is also the man after whom Kerr St is named. Kerr was a Naval officer turned South Seas missionary, before his stint at Holy Trinity Church, and finally worked as a scientist when he returned to England. His maritime charts of approaches to Auckland Harbour were used until 1970. Jean Day became interested in Kerr after finding three original diaries with the initials TK and dated 1860 and 1872, while clearing out her parents’ basement in Mt Eden in 1962. “They were in a brown paper bag on a shelf in the clay bank, amidst a rocking chair and saucepans,” she says. The diaries were shabby looking and water-stained, but Day knew instinctively that she had come across a treasure. It took her years to figure out who TK was and decades to transcribe his ink and quill writing. “I started doing it by hand, then by typewriter and finally on a computer,” she says. Born in England in 1928, Day says she wasn’t put off by Kerr’s illegible writing. She had learned to write using pen and ink as a child.
The Kerr diaries… book followed Day around for 55 years From the mid-1960s onwards, Day worked on Kerr’s diaries whenever she had time. She was also running three fashion shops in Marton and later planting a vineyard in Blenheim. She moved to Devonport to retire, “but it has been head down for the last four years,” she says. Day’s daughter Jacqui Goldingham helped with research on the Mount Eden house, Naval school and ships’ records requested from the UK, Holy Trinity church records, and much
more. “She started out by going to Mangere to look at the wills, while I did a lot of background reading on the church, the Navy, Pacific history and things like that,” says Day. Day self-published The Search for Thomas Kerr and is launching it at Devonport Library on 22 September at 6.30 pm. It won’t be her last publication, she says. She is currently working on an autobiography and a novel.
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The Devonport Flagstaff Page 39
North Shore an inch away from promotion North Shore United all but secured promotion to the North Premier League last Saturday with a solid 3-1 win over Mangere United. North Shore are second on the table with their season technically completed. But Tauranga City have two catch-up games to play and can still get promoted if it wins each match by five goals or more to head North Shore off on goal difference. North Shore looked like it would run riot last Saturday after three first-half goals in quick succession from Chris Bryson, Reid Drake and Marcel Nolde, who was the side’s top scorer in 2015 with 13 goals to his credit. However, Mangere had the slightly better second half, scoring a goal and dominating the midfield. Jonathan Lewis had a strong game for North Shore on defence and shut down many Mangere attacks. Coach Paul Temple was pleased with his side’s showing and its season. “It’s not a done deal - but we are in strong position,” he said. The young North Shore side has won 14, drawn four and lost four this season – a huge improvement on 2014 when the side finished towards the bottom of the table with only five wins. Temple said the side would stay together for 2016, especially if promotion was achieved. Last Saturday’s game had to be rescheduled to QBE Stadium from home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, as the pitch was in too poor a condition Heads you win… North Shore United forward Chris Bryson controls a to play a Northern Division One match. cross during last Saturday’s match against Mangere
IMPORTANT NOTICE MISSING PERSONS Are you a business owner within this area? If so, you automatically belong to the newly formed Devonport BID (Business Improvement District), and this is already paid for in your rates. There is no additional cost. We are updating our membership data and are asking all of our business owners to please complete a membership form at www.devonport.co.nz/Membership or email Judy Grieve at manager@devonport.co.nz Many benefits are available to you and your business, and we look forward to hearing from you.
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September 18, 2015
PREMIUM.CO.NZ | FINE HOMES AUCTION SUNDAY 2PM
B AY SWAT ER | 52A NOR WOOD R OAD LO W M A I NTE NANCE, ALL DAY SUN… PER F ECT ! Be quick to snap up this petite but perfectly formed stand-alone two-bedroom home in prestigious Norwood Road, Bayswater. Private, north-facing back yard with lovely sun, low maintenance, ground level and internal access garage should instil further confidence. See you at the auction on Sunday! FINAL VIEW | SAT/SUN 1.30 - 2 PM AUCTION | ON SITE SUNDAY 20 SEPT 2015 AT 2 PM PREMIUM.CO.NZ 60455
UNLESS SOLD PRIOR
GRANT SPEEDY 0274 511 800 GrantSpeedy@premium.co.nz DEVONPORT: 445 3414 PREMIUM REAL ESTATE LTD LICENSED REAA 2008
KATHRYN ROBERTSON 021 490 480 KathrynRobertson@premium.co.nz DEVONPORT: 445 3414 PREMIUM REAL ESTATE LTD LICENSED REAA 2008
NARROW NECK | 98B LAKE ROAD | GREAT VALUE IN NARROW NECK Affordable, tidy, warm home in Narrow Neck. This three bedroom Initial home with double garage is a great opportunity for you to get into a fantastic area, at a reasonable price. The private and quiet outdoor areas are warm and inviting with their northerly aspect and have great indoor outdoor flow. DVS system, two heat pumps, fantastic location, top schools, local shops, parks nearby. VIEW | SUN 1 - 2 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT PRICE | $879,000 | PREMIUM.CO.NZ | 60457 KURT PIPER 021 137 6450 | DEVONPORT: 445 3414 PREMIUM REAL ESTATE LTD MREINZ LICENSED REAA 2008
STANLEY BAY | 92 CALLIOPE ROAD | OUTSTANDING VALUE – STUNNING HOME A huge price reduction means this tastefully renovated transitional villa, highlighting the very best of central Devonport living, will be sold. A clever layout over the two storeys means the three or four bedrooms are spread, allowing for separation or individual spaces for children, extended family, overseas visitors or even flatmates. VIEW | SUN 11.45 AM – 12.30 PM OR BY APPT PRICE | $1.595M | PREMIUM.CO.NZ | 60454 GRANT SPEEDY 0274 511 800 KATHRYN ROBERTSON 021 490 480 PREMIUM REAL ESTATE LTD MREINZ LICENSED REAA 2008
EVERY DEVONPORT PROPERT Y IS A PREM I UM PROPERT Y