February 19, 2020
localmatters.co.nz
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What’s inside No, no, no to landfill page 3
New park for Mahurangi pages 9
Retail therapy
page 25-28 Student Anna Hanley, 20, was over the moon when hundreds turned up to a garage sale she organised to raise money for Australian bushfire relief. The sale raised more than $10,000. See story page 27.
localmatters.co.nz
Desperation as big dry turns to drought As Mahurangi Matters went to press, Auckland Council’s Emergency Management team was negotiating with private milk tanker providers to find a fleet to assist north Rodney with water deliveries. Residents on water tanks from Puhoi to Mangawhai are facing eight weeks without water as drought conditions choke the district. Although many
have bores, some rural schools, which depend on water tanks for drinking and flushing toilets, may face closure if they run out. Community events including the annual children’s fun day in Centennial Park in Wellsford have been cancelled citing “hardship on the rural community”. Residents without flushing toilets
have been forced to dig holes in their backyard, while those without showers have had to bathe their babies in untreated bore water. There have been reports across the district of water theft, with thieves siphoning tanks. Meanwhile, farmers have been culling stock, purchasing feed and switching to once-a-day milking.
RD Construction Master Tradesmen
Last week, agriculture minister Damien O’Connor declared the drought an “adverse event”, unlocking $80,000 in funding provided to Northland Rural Support Trust, which assists rural residents in emergencies. Inland Revenue is also allowing farmers to make late deposits and early continued page 2 WWW.RDCONSTRUCTION.CO.NZ
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