Prime December by Manuel Media

E E R F

ake t e s a e l p h you t i w e m ho y and enjo

December Issue

Hamilton & Tauranga

The lifestyle magazine for those in the Prime of their lives!

The History of Advent Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Book Celebrates The Secrets of Hamilton Gardens Government Declaring a Climate Emergency

e d i s n i also , Humour , , s e p i c Re ice History, rd, Events, Adv , , a i v i r T â&#x20AC;˘ g o C ro s s w e w s , G a rd e n i n Prizes, N ars, inment, Enterta sers, Health, C a Brain-Te d Much More! n A Shows,

e m o c l e W 2020

Merry Christmas Everyone Santa is nearly here and boy oh boy has he been giving early gifts to our Real Estate vendors in the past few months. Continuing lower listing numbers, record low interest rates and unprecedented demand in the Auction Room have resulted in some truly amazing results for our vendors which we are truly grateful for. If you are even remotely thinking about a move in the New Year, there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a better time to contact us for a free, no obligation market appraisal for your home or indeed just a chat about your options. We look forward to hearing from you. Merry Christmas!

Our message While we are always pleased to achieve a good result for any of our vendors or purchasers, we are especially pleased and proud of the reputation we have grown for our work and results with the more mature market.

WE ARE YOU We are very aware that as we or our parents and relatives

that both you and yours will receive the levels of service,

Michelle and Hutch were great to work with, they were both friendly and fun, great communicators and took all the stress out of selling for us and got a great result in a short amount of time. They were always in contact to answer questions and give feedback and made the whole process easy and low stress. We highly recommend them. Cheers xx

trust and results referred to below. We have many, many

- ROB AND GILL

approach the twilight years and perhaps contemplate a lifestyle change, the most important word is TRUST. We believe that our reputation in this area is your guarantee

more to share with you anytime. We offer a totally free advice package of recommendations of tradies, gardeners, legals who offer quality work we have experienced, at competitive prices. We believe our Harcourts totally FREE AUCTION MARKETING PROGRAMME (valued at over $3000) is unparalleled and includes exclusive social media exposure, along with photography, top property websites, publications etc. You do not spend a cent.

Team for the Times

In the challenging times we now live in it has never been more essential to deal with Reputable Trusted Companies. Harcourts is New Zealands biggest Real Estate Company and has been voted New Zealands Most Trusted Company for the eighth year in a row.

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU Advantage Realty Ltd MREINZ Licensed Agent REAA 2008

What customers are saying

Dear Michelle & Tony, Carol and I are just Over-The-Moon as you can imagine, with the sale of the house gone through, then the beautiful touch of flowers and a bottle of Moet. I have to say, that the whole sale process has been a very pleasant and memorable experience thanks to the professional guidance of you two. Your professionalism and experience has been so welcome and comforting during a really testing time for us both. Your patience has been tested and your response has been remarkable. We have been blown away with your marketing, and today with the very clever skills of the auctioneer, we got a very satisfactory result. What else can we ask for. Two things: We will always recommend you two guys to anyone selling their houses. We both feel that we will be staying in touch with you both as you have become more than agents, but close friends to us both It sounds trite, but THANK YOU both.

- CAROL & ERIC NEWMAN

Michelle and Tony Hutchby Marketing Consultants

M 021 901 504 or 027 442 7678 DD 07 579 9023 or 07 577 1336 E michelle.hutchby@harcourts.co.nz E tony.hutchby@harcourts.co.nz

Team Hutchby . Your Team .

Welcome to

Disclaimer

The views expressed in the articles and advertising are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reﬂect the views of Prime Hamilton and Prime Tauranga. Prime Hamilton and Prime Tauranga reserve the right to accept, edit or reject editorial and advertising material. All endeavours will be made to ensure accuracy at time of publication. Neither Prime Hamilton and Prime Tauranga accept responsibility for omissions or consequences that may arise from information published. For any queries regarding information that is published in Prime Hamilton and Prime Tauranga, contact names and information pertaining to that article is usually printed or supplied. Prime Hamilton and Prime Tauranga are happy to hear feedback regarding publications but will not accept abusive or derogatory correspondence to any staﬀ or persons connected.

Contact

Romano Manuel – 022 045 4892, romano@ manuelmedianz.com, www.manuelmedianz.com PRIME HAMILTON | PRIME TAURANGA

From the Editors

Welcome to the December edition of Prime.

This is our second Christmas managing Prime and both Lisa and I would like to thank all our advertisers, contributors, and readers for their support over the past twelve months. 2020 will certainly go down in the annals of history as an extraordinary year and, even though we do not ever want a repeat of the events of the past ten months, it has certainly made us pause and reﬂect on the important things around us.

Agnes Pharo once wrote: “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overﬂow with blessings rich and eternal and that every path may lead to peace.”

We’d like to wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Romano and Lisa Advantage Realty Ltd MREINZ Licensed Agent REAA 2008

GET

List and sell your property with

BABY WEBER Q 1200 BBQ

Michelle and Tony

between 1 October – 20 December 2020 and receive a BABY WEBER Q 1200 BBQ for

Christmas Conditions Apply

Talk to us about our FREE Auction Campaign Valued at over $3000 Michelle and Tony Hutchby Marketing Consultants

DD 07 579 9023 or 07 577 1336 | M 021 901 504 or 027 442 7678 E michelle.hutchby@harcourts.co.nz E tony.hutchby@harcourts.co.nz

Team Hutchby . Your Team . 3

The Crown Not Always Historically Correct With the great success of The Crown on Netﬂix over the past few years, we have been given a history lesson of sorts, not only about the royal family, but also about life and politics during the time of the Queen’s long reign. Season 4 covers issues dealing with the death of Lord Mountbatten, Lady Diana, and the Falklands War and even though the storyline is rooted in history, one should not assume that the show is historically accurate. Ultimately, the writers are producing a work of ﬁction, albeit based on some reality. As the audience, we need to be aware that the purpose of the show is not to educate, but rather to entertain. How accurate is The Crown season 4? 1. Did Diana really meet Charles dressed as a tree, talking about A Midsummer Night’s Dream? No – Charles was invited to Diana’s house as part of a hunting party organised her sister, Sarah. 2. Did the Queen really have cousins in an asylum? Yes – Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon were daughters of the Queen’s uncle – her mother’s brother. Princess Margaret did not uncover the truth about her cousins either. In Episode 7 the Queen Mother explains to Margaret they were locked away in an asylum because their illness would have had consequences for the monarchy after the abdication of King George. However, the cousins were not part of the Queen Mother’s bloodline. 3. Did someone really break in to the Queen’s bedroom? Yes – the intruder, Michael Fagan, was actually real. He broke into Buckingham Palace twice, in one of the greatest security breaches of the century. In a 2012 interview, he said she left the room immediately to seek security.

4. Did Charles really say “whatever love means” in the engagement interview? Yes – Although we can’t be sure what was meant, or how Diana really felt about it, it certainly didn’t sound good. 5. Did Diana really rollerblade around Buckingham palace? No – She actually rode a bike through the palace on the night before her wedding. When it came to making the show it was far too diﬃcult to ride the bike along the carpets, so they opted for skates instead. 6. Did the nine-month-old Prince William really play with a Buzzy Bee – while sitting on a blanket with his parents? Yes – However, it did not take place in the Australian outback, but on the lawns of Auckland’s Government House.

DID YOU KNOW? The hashtag symbol is technically called an octothorpe.

The speed of a computer mouse is measured in “Mickeys.”

The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

Not every Model T was black. For the ﬁrst few years of production, Ford’s famous car came in gray, green, blue, and red. From 1914 that customers could only order black, as the dark paint dried faster than other hues.

M&M stands for Mars and Murrie. Neil Armstrong didn’t say “That’s one small step for man.” (The astronaut insists he actually stated, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”) Four times more people speak English as a second language than as a native one. 4

About 700 grapes go into one bottle of wine. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Coca-Cola was the ﬁrst soft drink in space.

Marshall Funeral Directors Funerals of Distinction

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Children’s Book Celebrates The Secrets of Hamilton Gardens “A door!” said Cooper. “In a garden! Why have a door in a garden?” Doors, paths, secret winding places… Make some room on your book shelf! The Garden’s Secrets is a new picture book set at the iconic Hamilton Gardens. A delightful book for children aged two to six years, each page takes you on a magical journey around the beloved Hamilton Gardens. The playful story is presented as a beautifully illustrated keepsake of Hamilton Gardens, including a map illustration which will encourage readers to retrace Cooper’s footsteps themselves. “The Gardens are full of wonderful, mysterious doors,” says the book’s author, Sarah Johnson. “Any curious child, or adult, will wonder what’s behind them, want to explore – the perfect starting point for a story.” Likewise, illustrator Deborah Hinde says the “colour, texture, light and shade at the Gardens is full of inspiration for an illustrator.” “Regardless of this, the story is central to an illustrator’s work. It’s our job to add something special, something magical to bring that story to life.” Waikato-based creatives Sarah and Deborah are both long time fans of Hamilton Gardens. Sarah’s books for children have been shortlisted for and won several awards. She lives in Whāingaroa – Raglan and enjoys visiting schools to talk about her love of books, reading and writing.

Deborah has illustrated around 40 picture books including several award winners. She works from her garden studio in the village of Wharepapa South where the landscape and wildlife provide a continuous source of inspiration. A ﬁrm favourite with kids of all ages, Hamilton Gardens attracts one million visitors annually. “The book is dedicated to all the Hamilton Gardens volunteers and supporters – past and present,” says Hamilton Gardens Business Development Manager, Tamsin Webb. “Over the past 50 years this site has been transformed into a world-class garden through a sustained community eﬀort. That’s the real magic of Hamilton Gardens!” The Garden’s Secrets is available now at booksellers nationwide and is priced at RRP $24.99. Copies can be purchased locally from the Hamilton Gardens Information Centre or from Books For Kids at 310 Grey Street, Hamilton East.

Tauranga Tasting Tours & Charters December 6: Xmas Lunch Princes Gate Hotel, Rotorua December 10: Blewden Lilies & Shopping December 12: Waikato Xmas Market, Claudelands January 17: Vilagrad Winery Sunday Lunch

February 14: The Brantry, Taupo, Lunch March 11-14: Martinborough Winery Tour All Year: Local Tasting Tour (Gift Vouchers Available)

07 544 1383 ❦ 0275 224 607 ❦ tgatastingtours@xtra.co.nz ❦ www.tastingtours.co.nz 5

TE AWAMUTU MUSEUM Te Awamutu Museum is the Waikato’s first Museum located in the heart of the Waipa. It has been part of the local fabric since its establishment in 1935. The founding Museum was born from private collector Gavin Gifford, who donated his worldly artefacts to the Te Awamutu Historical Society to develop, collect, and display objects to add historical and cultural value to the district. The society took the Museum from its humble beginnings, in the upstairs of a shop on the main street of Te Awamutu, to the purpose built Museum we have today. Since then the aims of the Museum have continued to grow and evolve. Te Awamutu Museum now holds around 18,000 objects and archives that tell the stories of our local history. Whether this is looking at early agricultural practices by displaying mill stones that once belonged to the one of 37 flour mills that operated in the area and exported flour both nationally and internationally. Or, the emphasis on taonga (treasures) on display that are significant to Waikato-Tainui in showcasing it’s most prominent taonga Māori Uenuku, who’s carving has been carbon dated to 1200AD. It is believed the spirit of Uenuku was brought over to Aotearoa on the Tainui Waka. The New Zealand Land Wars are a prominent focus of Te Awamutu Museum, and this theme runs throughout our exhibitions and school programmes. We have a year-round education programme that caters for school children, and includes onsite and off-site experiences with chance to engage with objects and see the real artefacts used in our history.

Our New Zealand Land Wars Programme takes school-aged students outside of the classroom to visit signiﬁcant local sites such as Orakau and Rangiowhia, and gives opportunity to learn our cultural history with our local experts. In 2019, Te Awamutu Museum launched a self-guided tour to teach about the signiﬁcant cultural sites in the area; Te Ara Wai Journeys (https://tearawai.nz/). The website is in Te Reo and English and takes a visitor across six sites in the Waipa to learn more about our local history. The sites include Ngā Roto, Pirongia, Karāpiro, Kakepuku, Cambridge and RangiowhiaO-Rākau. Te Ara Wai is a self-directed interactive website which is prompted by QR codes at each site where audio, videos, graphic novels and related collection objects appear for users to explore. Each landmark has insight from Māori and local historian’s perspectives to tell the stories of our unique landscape and history. The tour is free to use online at any time, but recommended for use on a mobile device while on tour to gather in-depth information about each location. Our stories also make great keepsakes and can be purchased from our Museum shop. The merchandise we carry includes reproduction prints of our objects, books that relate and further explore the themes of our exhibitions, and Te Ara Wai Journey merchandise ready for your next history tour.

Prime Recipe

We also invite inquiries from visitors to view objects and archives from our collection for research purposes. Our collection is currently being digitised and available to view online (https://collection.tamuseum.org.nz/explore).

Entry is by koha (donation) and the Museum is open Monday-Friday 10am until 4pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm. Groups of 10 or more are advised to book in advance by calling 07 872 0085 or e-mailing Museum@waipadc.govt.nz

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

2 x 250g punnets strawberries, washed, hulled, halved 2 x 150g punnets blueberries 80ml (1/3 cup) apple juice or sweet sherry 500ml (2 cups) vanilla custard 250ml (1 cup) thickened cream, whipped 1 packet strawberry & raspberry jelly crystals A bought jam roll, cut into 1cm slices and quartered (or 14 jam rollettes)

Summer Berry Trifle

METHOD STEP 1 Prepare the jelly following packet directions. Pour into a large container and place in the fridge for 1 hour or until set. Coarsely chop. 6

STEP 2 Place half of the jam roll pieces in the base of a 3L (12-cup) capacity serving bowl. Drizzle half the apple juice or sherry over the jam rolls. Top with half the jelly and one-third of the combined strawberries and blueberries. Spoon over half the custard. Repeat with the remaining jam roll pieces, apple juice or sherry, jelly and half the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Top with the remaining custard.

STEP 3 Spoon the cream over the triﬂe and top with the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Place in the fridge until required.

Hamil�on & Camb�idge NZ’s Most Beautiful Street 2020

POSTCARD OF VICTORIA ST, CAMBRIDGE (Nov 1909) [Source: Cambridge Museum (3784.2)]

FRANKTON TORNADO (1948) – This photograph shows the aftermath of the 1948 Frankton tornado in the area of Hall Street, Kent Street and Rawhiti Street. Three people died and the tornado damaged or destroyed 163 buildings and 50 businesses. (HCL_00330)

UNITION EXAMINING BULLETS IN A HAMILTON AMM cts loaded FACTORY (1944) – An unidentified woman inspe Hamilton. .303 cartridges in a C.A.C. ammunition factory in (HCL_09002)

THE COMMERCIAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA AND THE BANK OF AUSTRALASIA (c 1939) – These two banks were located on the river side of Victoria Street near to Garden Place. On the left is the Commercial Bank of Australia (which became part of Westpac Bank in 1982). On the right is the Bank of Australasia Ltd (which merged in 1951 with the Union Bank of Australia to what is now ANZ Banking). (HCL_01096)

H&J COURT CHRISTMAS SHOP FRONT DISPLAY (Dec 1965) – A colour photograph of H & J Court Ltd’s 1965 store front Christmas decorations. This year’s decorations included a Santa Special train with four of Santa’s elves, and signs spelling out “A Merry Xmas to all”. The vehicle parked out front has Outland Industries written on its side. (HCL_14574)

south from VICTORIA STREET SOUTH (c 1905) – Looking just north of Collingwood Street. The Commercial Hotel’s verandah is visible at left. (HCL_08889) 7

Insurance Specialists FG Insurance Services is part of the Steadfast Broker network We can advise on your personal insurance needs including your house, contents, motor vehicles, private boats, launches, yachts, holiday homes, and any business needs including business and rural insurance. Call us and we can advise.

Phone 0800 344 700

430 Ulster Street, Beerescourt, Hamilton 3200 8

BAY CREMATION CARE Bay Cremation Care is a locally owned and operated funeral company providing compassionate, caring, cost conscious funeral care to Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty region by qualiﬁed and experienced funeral directors and embalmers. Bay Cremation Care are proud members of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand. With Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand members you can be assured of receiving expert advice from an authority in the ﬁeld – from someone whose understanding of the costs, processes and necessary care has been gained from industry experience. Members are subject to a strict Code of Conduct, underpinned by the Code of Ethics to which Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand subscribes. Their adherence to these codes gives you both peace of mind and quality assurance.

Bay Cremation Care does just what it says: • We are on your side • We care for you and your budget • No need to pay huge sums of money for a loved one’s funeral – we cut costs, not service • You and your loved one will looked after by caring and qualified professionals Bay Cremation Care complete the same tasks as any funeral home, we: • Transport the deceased from the place of death to the Funeral Home • Offer a book of remembrance, service sheets, photo presentations • Offer a range of caskets • Facilitate viewing of the deceased • Provide a hearse to transport the deceased to the funeral

• Offer a choice of either burial or cremation • Offer embalming by qualified and registered embalmers • Place funeral notices • Arrange casket flowers • Arrange catering • Provide a 24 hour service We offer pre-arranged and pre-paid funerals (through The Funeral Trust). If you have any questions or would like to know more, please do not hesitate to contact us. ALISTAIR BLACK

Funeral Director and Embalmer

Phone (07) 282 7922 or (0800) 777 433 info@baycremationcare.kiwi.nz www.baycremationcare.kiwi.nz

BAY CREMATION CARE Compassion. Care. Conscious of Cost.

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Fixed Price Farewell Plans, Pre-Arranged & Pre-Paid Funerals Available

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Funeral Director and Embalmer

(07) 282 7922 or (0800) 777 433 Email: info@baycremationcare.kiwi.nz www.baycremationcare.kiwi.nz 9

Hate Mowing? We Love it! We Oﬀer a Wide Range of Lawn Mowing and Gardening Services

Residential Lawn Mowing A well-groomed and maintained lawn is the foundation of your entire property. Wether if its a courtyard, 1/4 acre section of a lifestyle section, Lawn Rite has you covered. Lawn Rite can provide a regular mowing service, tailored to suit and designed to keep your lawns and property looking tidy and well presented. We are dedicated to exceeding your expectations. Lawn Rite police checks & trains all franchises before they step foot on your property. At Lawn Rite our experienced team is proud to provide the highest quality of residential lawn care services for your home, and commercial lawn care services for small and large businesses. Lawn Rite and its nationwide franchise network of Lawn Mowing experts are here to make the job of maintaining your lawns and gardens hassle-free.

Residential Lawn Services Weekly Lawn Mowing: Ideal for those who want a crisp green lawn all year round. 15% discount per cut for this option. Fortnightly Lawn Mowing: This is for the client who wants there property to be maintained and kept in a clean and tidy state all year round. 10% discount per cut for this option. • Lawn Clippings are removed free of charge • Lawn Rite are fully insured • We have a comprehensive Health & Safety Policy • At Lawn Rite are always on time

Take back your weekends back! • Lawn mowing

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• Seasonal garden work

• Rental clean ups

• Specialist lawn care

Freephone 0800 101 216 | www.lawnrite.co.nz 10

Paula Southgate Christmas Message As the 2020 year draws to a close I know many of us will be hoping for a more settled 12 months ahead. When Covid-19 hit New Zealand, we were forced to confront a situation none of us had ever encountered before. I know the national lockdown in March and April was particularly hard for those living alone, without family or friends close by. For me, being apart from my own family including my daughters and my mother, was the hardest part to bear. However, I was very grateful to have the support of my husband and of course, I was able to keep on working. I know some people were not so lucky. What I took great heart from during 2020 was seeing the extraordinary way in which people and voluntary groups in our city responded to the pandemic. So many people stepped up to assist those less fortunate. We saw wonderful relationships develop between neighbours and there was a growing sense of community that has somehow been lost over the years. With just days now until Christmas, and a brand new and exciting year on the way, I sincerely hope the sense of community spirit I saw in Hamilton during lockdown will grow. We have a wonderful city, with many beautiful parks and green spaces, able to be accessed by all. We have fantastic community facilities, active community groups, a thriving arts scene and opportunities for everyone to have an active and healthy lifestyle.

Prime Walks

Hamilton is also very fortunate to have an extraordinary number of volunteers who do a huge amount for our city. Many of those volunteers are older people, donating their time and expertise to a range of causes which beneﬁt us all. We are very lucky to have them and our city is a better place because they are here. As we head into a new calendar year, I am incredibly positive about the future of Hamilton. There will no doubt be challenges ahead but I am absolutely committed to doing all I can to ensure Hamilton meets those challenges, head-on. Covid-19 impacted on all of us, including Council and we will need very careful management to get us through some demanding times ahead. In the new year, Council will share our draft Long-Term Plan with you which I warmly invite you to provide feedback on. It will help us set a course for our city for the next decade and beyond. In the meantime, I thank you most sincerely for the support you shown me during the ﬁrst year of my Mayoralty. I continue to feel very honoured and privileged to represent you and our city. As the holidays approach, I wish you the very, very best for a relaxing and joyful time with family and friends. Seasons greetings and my warmest regards to all of you.

ALEXANDRA REDOUBT

By Ceana Priest

This incredibly well preserved redoubt is a hidden gem tucked behind Pirongia. Make a detour for this historic landmark. The redoubt was built in 1872 and was named after the township’s former name. Local settlers urged officials to provide the redoubt in case Māori, who had been forced south after the Government seized tribal land, returned to claim their homelands. Similar fortifications were built across the district but this is the most well preserved example remaining. Cross the small footbridge over the fortification ditch into the main area which once housed barracks and a flagstaff. Take a peek over the footbridge – it is two metres from the base of the ditch floor to the top of the escarpment. Keen to know more? There are more stories and maps available on The Waikato War Driving Tour available from www.thewaikatowar.co.nz There’s also an app called Heritage Trails available on Google Play or the App Store which has some great information and tours throughout New Zealand. CONTACT: hello@outdoorkid.co.nz, www.outdoorkid.co.nz

FACILITIES: No toilets. IMPORTANT: While exploring, please don’t climb on the escarpment walls to prevent damaging the redoubt. TIME: Allow 15 minutes return. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ceana is a Hamilton DOGS: No dogs here. mum raising an explorer called Finn who ACCESSIBILITY: Short walk across adores bugs and splashing in forest streams.

mown pasture onto the redoubt.

HOW TO GET THERE: The redoubt is on Bellot Street in Pirongia.

PRIzE GIVEAWAY

After struggling to ﬁnd accessible adventures, she has published family-friendly guidebooks for Auckland, Central North Island and Hamilton & Waikato.

Planning on exploring local these holidays? We are giving away two copies of the recently published Kid-friendly Adventures Auckland guidebook written by our monthly contributor Hamilton mum Ceana from Outdoor Kid. Discover more than 100 of the best kid-friendly adventures that Auckland has to oﬀer. Clamber up ancient volcanoes, squelch through tidal mudﬂats, walk through bush-clad gorges or picnic on Hauraki Gulf islands – it’s all in the books!

Along with all the adventures – from ﬁve minutes to a few hours – there are educational discovery sheets, Department of Conservation Toyota Kiwi Guardian activity trails and a sixpage te reo Māori nature language guide. And, don’t miss the City Adventures’ guide for the best playgrounds, splash parks, bike parks and mountain bike parks. Just email your details to outdoorkidprime.comp@gmail.com before 21 December to enter. 11

Humbly Yours By Chris Packer

Did you know that the image of the fat jolly Santa in the red suit was introduced to Christmas celebrations in the 1930’s by Coca Cola USA? Artist Haddon Sundblom was asked to create a happy Santa enjoying a bottle of Coca Cola as a festive promotion. That happy red cheeked Santa visits every Christmas ever since. Yes, of course Santa has been around much longer than that. He was either depicted as a gaunt serious man in a red suit accompanied by a couple of elves or the St Nicholas image carrying a mace and accompanied by a fellow dressed all in black that can still be seen in the streets of Eastern Europe at Christmas looking out for ‘naughty’ children. He doesn’t seem to upset the locals but I was terriﬁed when ﬁrst confronting one!!

Christmas shopping for gifts changed this year too because of disruptions on imported goods due to CO-VID situations overseas. But it has given us a wonderful opportunity to buy NZ made, to buy recycled good quality items, and to make gifts using skills we never knew we had. The shop shelves loaded with the latest ‘must haves’ have been depleted and according to many shoppers have not been missed.

Santa 2020 has added a mask to his face on some cards and toys this year. A COVID Santa that represents a year that will go down in history.

Happy Christmas to all Humble’s customers and visitors. We hope Santa’s helpers found some unique and wonderful gifts to ﬁll your stocking.

Waikato Region Urged To Conserve Water Ahead Of Hot Summer A forecasted hot and humid summer is concerning water suppliers in the Waikato, prompting a watchful eye on Lake Taupo water levels. While Hamilton city has a resource consent to take a limited supply of water from the river and if Waikato River levels drop signiﬁcantly due to low levels in Lake Taupo, it could limit how much water can be taken from the river during summer. Mercury has recently been managing storage in Lake Taupo to maintain river levels in response to the seasonally lower than normal levels at Lake Taupo. The past 12 months have been the driest on record leading to reduced inﬂows into the lake.

“Last year we had a particularly challenging year in Waipā, moving to Alert Level 4 for the ﬁrst time ever in Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Ohaupo. With below normal rainfall this winter, our catchments haven’t fully recharged yet, so we will need to be mindful of this starting now,” says Mould. “We need to be mindful that water is a precious resource that we need to value and use eﬃciently.”

Waipā District Council Water Services Manager Martin Mould said the district is also feeling the impacts of the severe meteorological drought.

Humble Gifts & Collectibles (the little shop in the corner of Cafe Fresca garden), 78 Alison Street, Hamilton Lake. Phone 0210 2334 7606. Open Wed-Sun 10-4 and Thursday until 6pm. Follow us on FACEBOOK.

Clean Rite are your experts for all things related to carpet cleaning Whether your carpet is new or old, we will clean it and get it to look its best again. We utilise the latest technology which allows us to remove most carpet stains fast and have your carpet ready to walk on as soon as we have ﬁnished. If you need your carpet cleaned by an expert, give Clean Rite a call. We currently oﬀer our services in Hamilton, Tauranga, Christchurch and Ashburton.

Carpet Stain Removal

Odour Removal

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We are able to get rid of most tough stains from your carpet.

Our odour removal service will help get rid of that stinky smell from your carpet.

If you have a ﬂood, we are able to respond quickly to clean and extract water from your home.

We can professionally clean your upholstery keeping it in good shape.

Freephone 0800 101 216 | www.cleanrite.co.nz 12

We make learning engaging and relevant so students feel empowered and this improves results. Homework is given on a regular basis.

CENTRE â&#x20AC;˘ 07 848 2262 2 Great Centres 89 Rimu St, Maeroa and 29 Hukanui Rd - Davies Cnr, Fairfield www.kipmcgrath.co.nz/hamiltonwest 13

Prime Walks

OROKAWA SCENIC RESERVE SHORT WALKING TRACKS Take one of the short walks in the reserve and get spectacular views of the Paciﬁc Ocean and Waihi Beach, see bays with mature pōhutukawa trees leaning over a sandy beach, and walks though coastal forest which includes kauri. The walk to Orokawa Bay starts at the northern end of Waihi Beach. It may not be possible to access this track from the beach at times of high tide and strong swell. The track is popular and skirts the coastal headlands before descending into Orokawa Bay. This beach is not considered safe for swimming due to the steep grade of the seaﬂoor, but is popular for picnicking with its lovely overhanging pohutukawa.

Orokawa Bay is located north of Waihi Beach, oﬀ State Highway 2 at the end of Waihi Beach road. The track starts at the northern end of Waihi Beach.

Good ﬁshing can be found oﬀ the rocks at the northern end of Orokawa Bay. Take care for tidal movements and wave conditions which can change suddenly.

You can contact the DOC oﬃce in Tauranga for any further advice 07 578 7677.

Government Declaring A Climate Emergency Climate Change Minister, James Shaw is declaring a climate emergency as a clear statement of the Government’s intent to address this crisis. Following on the Governor General’s Speech from the Throne during the recent opening of parliament the Minister announced that over the next three years the Government will develop policy to ensure that action is taken to bring emissions down. “Every part of Government will have an important role to play in this. And we know there is no time to waste. According to the world’s leading scientists we have just over nine years left to cut global warming emissions in half.

“And so, while the window of opportunity is small and the task is large, this Government has shown again and again that we are equal to the challenge ahead,” James Shaw said. If the climate emergency is passed, New Zealand will join countries including Canada, France, Japan and the UK which have taken the same course to focus eﬀorts on tackling climate change. (Beehive)

TIME: 45min one way WALKING TRACK: Easy DOGS: No dogs allowed

(Dame Patsy Reddy image supplied by NZDF)

Some Weird and Wonderful Christmas Traditions From Around the World It might surprise you to hear that no two countries celebrate the holiday period in the same way. Some regions acknowledge different histories of Christmas, while others celebrate the festivities on completely different days. In southern Italy and Rome in particular, you’ll find shepherds playing the… bagpipes, for the Japanese KFC on Christmas Day is a modern tradition and in Norway they hide their brooms for Chritmas Eve as it coincides with the arrival of evil spirits and witches. The Spanish all buy lotto tickets hoping to win ‘El Gordo’ (the fat one). Sometimes, whole families and villages enter together meaning that groups of people in the same area can become filthy rich overnight. The prize money is usually in the billions.

In Germany they celebrate St Nicholas’ Day, not to be confused with Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas) when Nikolaus travels by donkey in the middle of the night on December 6 (Nikolaus Tag) and leaves little treats like coins, chocolate, oranges and toys in the shoes of good children. All of this is great fun, however, St. Nick often brings along Knecht Ruprecht (Farmhand Rupert). A devil-like character dressed in dark clothes covered with bells and a dirty beard, who carries a stick or a small whip in hand to punish any children who misbehave. A similar tradition in Austria refers to St Nicholas’ evil accomplice as Krampus and in Switzerland (German part) as Schmutzli and Père Fouerttard (French part). They are said to capture the naughtiest children and whisk them away in his sack. In Iceland 13 tricksy troll-like (Yule Lads) characters visit the children across the country over the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. Each night children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule Lad visits leaving gifts for nice girls and boys and rotting potatoes for the naughty ones. In the town of Gävle, in Sweden, they build a 13-metre-tall straw Yule Goat for the Advent Season, but this Swedish Christmas tradition has unwittingly led to another “tradition” of sorts – people trying to burn it down. Since 1966 the Goat has been successfully burned down 29 times. Every year between 16 and 24 December in Caracas, Venezuela, roads are closed to traffic to let people roller skate to the early morning Christmas mass. Christmas is also time for single women to have their fortunes told by a rooster in the former Soviet state of Belarus. The single women have grains of corn laid out in front of them and a rooster from a nearby farm is placed among them. Whoever’s corn is eaten first will be the next one to get married. Whatever weird traditions you may follow over the Festive Season, keep in mind there is somewhere in the world where the local customs are much weirder!

SuperGold Card holders receive free bus travel in off-peak hours. Heading out shopping, to the doctors, or lunch out with friends? It’s easy to load your SuperGold concession to your Bee Card – visit beecard.co.nz, call 0800 205 305 or visit our counter at the Hamilton Transport Centre. From early 2021 you’ll need your SuperGold concession loaded onto a Bee Card to continue to receive free travel.

Four 16th Reinforcements troopers of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles line up on camels in front of the pyramids, November 1916. From left: 16610 Edward Brophy (Auckland), 16253 Percy Adamson (Tauranga), 16267 Jack (John) Budge (Maungatautari,Cambridge), 16261 Samuel Barriball (Waiuku), 20954 John Barriball (Waiuku)

From Weapons to Homeware – World War I Trench Art What does Cambridge Museum’s vibrant display of trench art tell us about soldiers’ experiences during World War I? The tradition of handcrafting war souvenirs goes back to ancient times, but the practice thrived during World War I (WWI). The abundance of items created by soldiers in WWI and in the years immediately after has given rise to the term “trench art.” Some trench art was actually made in the trenches. Other examples were made by soldiers convalescing in hospitals, or shortly after the war before they went home. The pieces were made as personal souvenirs, for family, or sold to other soldiers to earn money. Local civilians and labourers supporting the armies also crafted items from war debris they collected.

Waikato Mounted Rifles trace their origins to Cambridge in 1869 This summer, Cambridge Museum has pieces of trench art on display. Many were made by soldiers from Waipa who served during WWI. The Waikato Mounted Rifles (WMR) is the New Zealand Army’s only Territorial Force (Army Reserve) squadron of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps. The Squadron’s origins can be traced back to 1869 when the first mounted unit was raised in Cambridge. There remains a strong connection with the town today. 18 pounder shell cut and engraved to look like an officer’s cap

Military Room, Cambridge Museum

During WWI, the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles formed part of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment. They first saw action during the Battle of Gallipoli and later, as a part of the larger New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (of the ANZAC Mounted Division), they went on to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaigns.

“Liberty and Homeland” A cushion cover, stitched in purple silk, immediately catches your eye as you walk into the Military Room. Made in Egypt, it is decorated with the cap badge design of the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles – a native Kaka parrot within a wreath of kowhai leaves. The Latin motto, “Libertas et Natale Solum” is best translated as “Liberty and Homeland”. In another case is a model of a captain’s hat on a stand. Closer inspection reveals it to be the remains of an 18 pounder shell shaped into trench art by Jack Young. Also made by Jack Young is a swagger stick made from bamboo and bullets. It would have been carried by an officer as a symbol of authority. Excellent examples of homeware trench art include napkin rings and an ashtray made from a stirrup decorated with a Waikato Mounted Rifles badge.

When to visit Cambridge Museum is free and will be open every day this summer, except Christmas Day, Monday-Friday, 10am4pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 10am-2pm. Visit cambridgemuseum.org.nz for more details. All welcome.

Armistice Day

Led by a brass band, New Zealand troops march through a square in Verviers (Belgium) during the march to the Rhine after the Armistice ending World War I. (Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22835594)

Armistice Day marks the anniversary of the ceasefire that ended the First World War and commemorates the sacrifice of those who died while serving their country. The Great War of 1914 to 1918 (the First World War) was one of the most disastrous events in human history. New Zealand, with a population of 1.1 million in 1914, sent 100,000 men and women abroad. In total, the troops provided for foreign-service by New Zealand during the war represented 10% of its 1914 population between the ages of 20-45. By the time the war ended, 16,700 had died and over 40,000 were wounded – a higher per capita casualty rate than any other country involved. The Armistice was signed at 11am on 11 November (Paris time) so it was the morning of the 12th when the news reached the New Zealand public. On that day, New Zealand had 58,129 troops in the field, while an additional 10,000 were under training in New Zealand. The news of the Armistice was celebrated with spontaneous gatherings, formal events and even the production of commemorative objects. But the influenza pandemic subdued the celebrations in Auckland. By 11 November, schools were closed and the government was advising against public gatherings. The advice was heeded by Aucklanders who were facing high numbers of influenza victims – reported to be more than 1100 during the two month period. (Auckland War Memorial Museum) 16

They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We shall remember them. (Fourth stanza of Laurence Binyon's 'For the Fallen')

Tāpoi in Māori Means ‘To Travel’ Inspired by Māori and Aboriginal cultural values, Tāpoi Travel crafts distinctive and authentic travel itineraries featuring exceptional, connecting experiences throughout Australia and New Zealand. With over 20 years of specialised service and experience in luxury journeys; we pride ourselves on designing impressive, purposefully crafted travel itineraries for couples, families, corporate retreats, staﬀ incentives or simply to reward your team for being amazing through the challenging times that we are living right now. Tāpoi takes a thoughtful, holistic approach to understand your needs, values and goals ensuring that the journey completely captures your travel aspirations.

You’ll be matched with your preferred accommodation styling, transported as you like (be it with an exclusive guide, private vehicle, charter ﬂight, self drive or otherwise), coupled with distinctive and authentic activity encounters provided by an exceptional team of knowledgeable, passionate excursion operators throughout New Zealand and Australia. Reach out to Tāpoi Travel – we’d love to connect, to commence your travel conversation! Tāpoi Travel Limited, PO Box 239, Te Puke 3135, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Phone: +64 7 573 7666, Email: connect@tapoitravel.com

Walks, Whales, Wine & Wilderness 6-13 February 2021 – 7 Nights / 8 Days TOUR OVERVIEW • 7 Nights / 8 Days • Minimum of 4 guests, maximum of 8 guests • Selection of luxury accommodation throughout 8 x Breakfasts, 4 x Lunches, 6 x Dinners • Return Airfares, including checked luggage: Auckland / Christchurch / Nelson / Auckland (or alternate departure airport as required)

• Private Tour Guide & luxury transportation throughout

HIGHLIGHTS • Intimate touring programme • Food Foraging Experience • Explore cultural artworks along Kaikoura Coastline, Whale Watching Cruise • Coastal Pacific Rail Journey – Scenic Plus Class, Discover Marlborough’s wineries by bike • Fly Fishing Casting Tuition • Abel Tasman National Park in style • Guided nature walks • Meet local personalities along the way

Toni Davis | Tāpoi Travel - New Zealand & Australia Tel: +64 7 573 7666 | Cellphone: +64 21 945 822 Email: toni@tapoitravel.com | www.tapoitravel.com 17

Julie & Bruce Williams are changing Real Estate in Tauranga. Why Choose Julie and Bruce? Creative solutions that get results. With more than 30 years combined experience, helping clients buy and sell their homes, Julie and Bruce have achieved great success and gained many friends along the way. They are passionate and dedicated as anyone in the industry, plus have a unique ability to think outside the box and create win-win situations. if you need an ideas team with unparalleled experience, who will work extremely hard to get results, look no further than Julie and Bruce.

How so they work? Relax, Bruce and Julie are here. Buying or selling your home can be a stressful, overwhelming experience. Julie and Bruce have seen it all before and are experts at keeping you relaxed and calm throughout the process. Their infectious positivity and extensive industry knowledge means you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be in safer hands. Honest, open communication, quickly resolves any questions or concerns, so you can relax and enjoy a hassle-free journey.

Who are they? There is never a dull moment when Julie and Bruce are around. As proud parents to 7 kids, Julie and Bruce love spending their free time socialising with family and friends. Their favourite place to relax is at home on the farm with their small collection of cows, goats, chickens and sheep.

tallpoppy.co.nz/teamwilliams 18

Tall Poppy Crossword Across 4. What Tall Poppy promises 6. Tall Poppy sells 9. Your most valuable asset 10. Money set aside Down 1. New Zealand’s #1 FREE 2. Act of help or assistance 3. Word heard at an auction 5. Unusually good 7. Paying for 8. Exchange for money

Great Service From a Professional Agent “This is the third time I have worked with Julie. She always keeps me well informed, there is never any pressure and she is a person I trust. She has been in real estate many years and knows what she is doing which I find reassuring. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone wanting to sell.” - Auriel

Professional, Focused & Attentive to Detail “Market knowledge was excellent, very professional & extremely nice to work with. Should we, in the future require reality service we would look no further than Julie & Bruce at Tall Poppy to take care of the transaction. Thank you so much Julie for everything you did to make it all happen.” - Eric and Carol

Have a coffee on us! Thinking of selling? Let’s talk.

Julie & Bruce Williams Sales Consultants

J 027 299 8670 | B 027 299 8321 teamwilliams@tallpoppy.co.nz 4. Fair Fees, 6. Real Estate, 9. Property, 10. Savings, 1. Marketing Package, 2. Service, 3. Sold 5. Exceptional, 7. Buying, 8. Selling Crossword Answers: BULSARA T/A TALL POPPY LICENSED UNDER REAA 2008

ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW The Silver Shadow was designed to be less expensive to produce than its predecessors, a Rolls-Royce for both the nouveau riche and the old guard. Intended to succeed the increasingly dated Silver Cloud, the new car was revolutionary, and doubly so for a company so heavily invested in tradition. Six decades of body-on-frame construction was abandoned in favour of unit construction, a clear acknowledgement that the golden age of coachbuilding was truly dead. This was the ﬁrst Rolls-Royce designed around a V-8 engine and with four-wheel disc brakes, independent suspension and automatic level control. The new car was a sensation. Everyone who was anyone had to have one – heads of state, starlets, captains of industry, rock stars. Despite the increased production levels, demand could not be met – in fact, it was possible to buy a new Shadow and immediately resell it at a handsome proﬁt to someone who lacked the patience for Crewe’s two-year waiting list.

Demand held steady through a series of price increases driven by inﬂation, changing exchange rates, rising labour costs and Rolls-Royce’s need to make a proﬁt. What this meant was that the Silver Shadow was produced in numbers not seen before, or since. More than 25,000 standard-wheelbase four-door sedans were built, in addition to nearly 5,000 long-wheelbase models. There are only four of these vehicles still to be found in New Zealand today. The Rolls-Royce featured in the image is one of them.

Hamilton Vintage & Classic Car Club

On Sunday 1st November the Classic Breakfast meet was held at the Classic Museum in Hamilton. It was a ﬁne morning for drivers to show oﬀ their cars and although a few spots of rain threatened it luckily did not amount to any rain. Our numbers were a little down and only two boot sellers turned up – due to other swap meet events coinciding. What was really good was the great display of some very interesting cars. The Jukebox Diner Car of the Day went to a very nice Ford ute, with 2nd place for the yellow Reliant Scimitar. Furthest travelled car prize was awarded to the Rolls-Royce from Rotorua. Towards the end of the morning the Auckland Triumph Car Club also arrived en route to Raglan. Chris Jones, Vice President HVCCC

Prime Crossword Across 1 Calf bone (6) 4 Forbid (8) 10 Witch (9) 11 More pleasant (5) 12 Absurd (5) 13 Having no known name (9) 14 Skill (7) 16 A swinging barrier (4) 19 Sponge (4) 21 Prevent commerce (7) 24 Spectators (9) 25 Farewell (5) 26 Martial arts expert (5) 27 Senior administrator (9) 28 Thrilling (8) 29 Least (6) Down 1 Celebration (8) 2 Savage (8) 3 Vassal (5) 5 Answer (7) 6 Hive (9) 7 Summon (6) 8 Flail (6) 9 Bequest (6) 15 A travelling labourer (9) 17 Ruse (8) 18 Papers (8) 20 Not western (7) 21 Results (6) 22 Emotional pang (6) 23 Cultural (6) 25 Bad treatment (5) 20

Answers page 34

It’s time to reap the rewards of your efforts as you enjoy harvesting fruit and vegetables, picking flowers or just enjoying the abundance of colour and growth of all of your plants.

January IN YOUR GARDEN

Edible Garden Harvest summer vege crops of tomato, lettuce, cucumber, courgette, eggplant, new potatoes, onion, garlic, beans, peas, lettuces, radish, silverbeet and spring onion.

Pick veges every day to encourage continuous fruiting - especially peas, beans, eggplant, cucumbers and courgettes.

Weed, mulch, liquid feed and slug bait regularly to keep your patch in top shape.

Roses

Pick your sweet corn cobs when the end tassles have begun to dry brown.

Plant new lettuce and herbs regularly to ensure consistent harvesting. In season: dill, fennel, parsley and chives.

Flower Garden

Weeds grow as fast as plants do at this time and compete for valuable moisture so pull or hoe them out before mulching for best results.

‘Dead head’ rose bushes regularly to encourage more blooms. Water regularly to keep your roses in top condition and feed with Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic weekly.

For more inspiration and gardening advice head to PALMERS.CO.NZ

Don’t forget to remove new side shoot laterals from tomato plants and tie the main stem to the stake regularly. Removing old bottom leaves will help air circulation and reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Summer flowering annual and perennial plants can still be planted in gardens and pots, but will need to be watered regularly until established.

This is the best time to enjoy these beautiful blooms, especially in a vase.

Provided by

First summer flowing bulbs like gladioli will be ready to flower. Check these plants and their flower heads for insects or diesease and spray with Enspray Oil if required.

Pick flowers and ‘dead head’ spent or dying flowers to encourage new blooms on all flowering plants.

Water regularly and deeply during the month to keep the garden healthy and vibrant.

Watering restrictions in your area? Try these tips: • Soak your garden every four days, instead of short shallow watering

• Water early or late to ensure the water gets to where it needs to

• Water the roots not the leaves for maximum plant benefit

• Use a sprinkler with a timer to deliver just the right amount of water

• Mulching with Tui Mulch & Feed around your plants can reduce the need to water, keep roots cooler and even conserve up to 70% of the available water.

All our plants are of the highest quality, but if something fails to grow in your garden, we’ll simply replace it for you – that’s our Palmers Promise. For more inspiration and gardening advice head to PALMERS.CO.NZ 21

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Lake Karapiro, Cambridge | 5-7 February 2021 Kiwigrass, New Zealand’s National Bluegrass Festival, returns to Lake Karāpiro on the Mighty River Domain in Cambridge from the 5th to the 7th of February. All of the best New Zealand bluegrass bands will be joined by Old Timey and Americana acts for a weekend of celebrating the music pioneered by Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt. Organised by members of New Zealand’s top bluegrass bands and spearheaded by Paul Trenwith of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, Kiwigrass brings the best of the bluegrass festival experience right into the heart of New Zealand. The global pandemic means booking US acts is diﬃcult, but fortunately for us the incomparable Catherine “BB” Bowness is returning to New Zealand with her equally talented partner Alex Rubin just in time to complete quarantine and play for us at Kiwigrass. BB is a member of the multi-award winning bluegrass band Mile 12, recent recipient of the IBMA 2020 New Artists of the Year. BB and Alex will be performing as a duo, and supported by the best bluegrass musicians in New Zealand. The line-up of New Zealand bluegrass acts is outstanding as usual: • The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band

• Rhode Works

• You, Me, Everybody

• Melling Station Boys

• Wires and Wood • The Pipi Pickers

• Hot Diggity • Kaimai Express.

This year, Kiwigrass will be adding some Old Timey and Americana (or, as we call it “Bluegrass Adjacent”) acts to spice up the mix. Your toes will be tapping with the brilliant Old Timey stylings of Shindig Trio (Featuring multi-instrumentalist phenom Dave Kahn) and Cotton Daisy Backstep. The Downunderdogs will be returning to Kiwigrass in 2021 with their blend of bluegrass, old-timey, country, and swing. Cat Tunks will be appearing with her Americana ensemble The Barnyard Bangers. Expect some stomping good tunes! As part of the festival experience, the two days before the festival opens will see Camp Kiwigrass. Open to all bluegrass and old time musicians and those who would like to learn, Camp Kiwigrass is an opportunity to expand your musical horizons through collaboration and interaction with other practitioners of the genre. Expect impromptu sharing of knowledge, lots of jam sessions, a band scramble competition with fabulous prizes, and many opportunities to perform. Camp Kiwigrass replaces Kiwigrass Academy this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the unavailability of instructors from the US. The format will be diﬀerent, but the experience will be every bit as exciting and enjoyable!

More information about purchasing tickets and booking accommodation is available at the festival website www.kiwigrass.nz, and you can stay up to date with all the latest news by following the festival Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/kiwigrass/

Blackboard Concerts & Jam Sessions

Instrument Makers & Workshops

All of New Zealand’s Top Bluegrass Acts BOOK ! NOW

5–7 February 2021 Lake Karapiro, Cambridge

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facebook.com/kiwigrass 23

Sean Bean – The Art Of Dying Sean Bean is sick of always dying in movies. Over the past 35 years the actor has had 25 screen deaths.

1. Which continent has no active volcanoes? 2. What is a group of ravens known as? 3. British stamps are diﬀerent to any other stamps in the world as they are the only ones to not bear what? 4. Which New Zealand prime minister had the middle name Jacka? 5. Which soft drink did John Pemberton invent? 6. Many tourists travel to which country to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? 7. Who was the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion? 8. What is the ﬁrst element in the periodic table? 9. What is the name of the area of Antarctica administered by New Zealand? 10. Sound travel faster in water than air? True or false? 11. What song was released in 1964 and begins with the lyrics, ‘Hello Darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again’?

Some of his most noteworthy deaths happened in the James Bond film, Goldeneye, where he gets crushed by a falling antenna of a satellite dish and in Games of Thrones where he is beheaded. Sean, who turned 60 last year said in an interview with The Sun newspaper that he’s had enough of being killed off – and has taken the brave step of rejecting roles that see him being killed. “I’ve played a lot of baddies, they were great but they weren’t very fulfilling – and I always died.”

Some of Sean Bean’s Best Dying Moments (apart from the ones mentioned above): 1. 1986 Caravaggio: Throat cut 2. 1989 War Requiem: Stabbed to death with a bayonet 3. 1990 The Field: Forced oﬀ a cliﬀ by stampeding cattle 4. 1991 Clarissa: Impaled with a sabre 5. 1992 Patriot Games: Impaled on an anchor

Recently Sean has starred as a compassionate priest in the British TV series Broken and in the World War II drama World on Fire. In both, he manages to stay very much alive. “In a lot of ﬁlms, I’m always causing the problems and getting killed. This is the other way round. It’s not disappointing – it’s quite refreshing!”

6. 1994 Scarlett: Stabbed to death while sleeping

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly Bean revealed that his favourite death was one shot in New Zealand – that of Boromir in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The actor recalled that Peter Jackson initially wanted to use CGI arrows but in the end decided on a more realistic alternative, with him wearing a metal breastplate under his costume in which the arrows were embedded. For that ﬁnal moment with Aragorn, he and Viggo Mortensen met with Jackson and Fran Walsh the night before shooting. Over beers and a bottle of wine, they came up with Boromir’s dying words: “My brother, my captain, my king.” “It’s my favourite death scene, and I’ve done a few,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a more heroic death.”

THE ALL NEW

7. 2000 Essex Boys: Shot in the head 8. 2001 Don’t say a word: Buried alive 9. 2002 Equilibrium: Shot in the face 10. 2005 The Island: Choked by a scaﬀolding chain

THERE’S A NEW MODEL IN TOWN

12. Which well-known location near Hamilton was named because an armed robbery took place near there in the 19th century and was never solved?

13. In Netball, for how long can a player hold the ball? Answers on page 34

As an expert in death scenes, Bean has a few words of advice for anyone trying to act out a ﬁnal moment. “You can’t show oﬀ,” he said. “You can’t be vain or posing…. Because every time you die, it’s a big ... moment!”

11. 2010 Black Death: Torn to pieces by horses.

THE ALL NEW

THE ALL NEW THERE’S A NEW MODEL IN TOWN

THE ALL NEW

THERE’S A NEW MODEL IN TOWN THERE’S A NEW MODEL IN TOWN

$30,990+ORC is the price for the $30,990+ORC MG ZST Excite Model. shown for is thethe MG ZST Model at $33,990+ORC. Available at participating MG Dealers. isVehicle the price MGEssence ZST Excite Model. Vehicle shown is the MG ZST Essence Excludes fleet, gov’t and rental buyers. ^Warranty & roadside assistance. T&Cs at www.mgmotor.co.nz/warranty

Model at $33,990+ORC. Available at participating MG Dealers. Excludes fleet, gov’t and rental buyers. ^Warranty & roadside assistance. T&Cs at www.mgmotor.co.nz/warranty

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$30,990+ORC is the price for the MG ZST Excite Model. Vehicle shown is the MG ZST Essence Model at $33,990+ORC. Available at participating MG Dealers. Excludes fleet, gov’t and rental buyers. ^Warranty & roadside assistance. T&Cs at www.mgmotor.co.nz/warranty

Tauranga

GREETINGS FROM TAURANGA POSTCARD, 1912 – Pink roses embosse d and outlined in glitter on a postcard printed in Germany. Sent by Annie Hodges of Oropi, Tauranga to her mother Mrs Amos in Sydney, dated 15 December 1912. On the back is written, ‘Dear Mother, Just a card to wish you a very happy Xmas. We are all well. I was in town last Friday. The girl I have had to go down (she is under the Dr) so we drove. Dick knocks off work for the Xmas next Friday He is going to take us down town before Xmas. He can have Mr Rogers [?] buggy & horses whenever he likes while they are away, they left Auckland for Sydney last Monday, then on to Tassy, they will be away three months Love from D & A’. (Tauranga City Libraries Image Number: 08-015)

Mount PIPE BAND AT MOUNT MAUNGANUI, 1952 – Pipe band playing at 03-317) Number: Maunganui during Christmastime in 1952. (Tauranga City Library Image

MOUNT RAILWAY WO RKSHOPS CHRISTMA S CARD, c.1922 – A ‘Christmas Greetings fro m New Zealand’ card fea turing a photograph of the Mount Railway Worksho ps from the Haymarket Sto re. (Photographer: John Welsh (1891-1964) / Welsh Photo. Tauranga City Librar

ies Image Number: 04-550

)

CHRISTMAS DAY PICNIC, 1937 – The Armstrong family picnicking beside Tauranga Harbour on Christmas Day in 1937. (Tauranga City Libraries Image Number 01-259)

TAURANGA CHRISTMAS CARD, 1922 – A ‘Christmas Remembrance from Maoriland’ card featuring a pho tograph of ships lying alongsid e Tauranga’s Town Wharf in 1922. ([Acc No 844]. Photogr apher: John Welsh (1891-1964) / Welsh Photo. Tauranga City Libraries Image Number: 04-518)

in either OTŪMOETAI STORE, c.1951 – The Otūmoetai Store Christmas parade is parked truck a) Taurang of Carriers l 1951 or 1952. The Kirk & Graham Ltd (Genera George d Raymon by owned was time the outside the Four Square store which at back of and situated on the corner of Otūmoetai Road and Sherwood Street. On the fronds. ponga and tree as Christm a with the truck is throne for Santa Claus, along (Tauranga City Libraries Image Number: 09-141)

All images provided by Tauranga City Libraries

Hamilton City Council Wins Social Impact Award A fast-tracked project which re-opened a section of Hamilton’s river path and provided work for 50 people after the COVID-19 lockdown has won Hamilton City Council the 2020 Infrastructure New Zealand Excellence in Social Impact Award. The award was announced last night at a gala dinner as part of the ReBuilding Nations Symposium in Auckland. Mayor Paula Southgate said she was “hugely proud” of the team which pulled the project together under extreme pressure. “This recognises the practical, can-do attitude and commitment of all involved. And it shows again that our city can and does achieve much more by actively seeking opportunities to work alongside partners in an innovative way.”

Earlier this year Hamilton secured $1.5M in funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The funding supported immediate works to create jobs for people unemployed because of COVID-19. Within days, Council had planning under way to use the funds to repair and re-open the Te Awa River Ride path in Hamilton between London Street and Bryce Street which has been closed due to slips since mid-2018. Funding was also used to replant and enhance the existing path from Hamilton Parade to the Waikato Museum.

Prime Recipe This is an old family favourite and serves four, but double up the recipe since they are eaten very quickly!

Crumpets

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups self-raising ﬂour • Salt • 150ml castor sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten • 300ml milk • Oil for coating pan

The History of Advent Many churches will light the ﬁrst of their Advent candles on Sunday, 29 November this year. Even churches averse to liturgical practices ﬁnd a way to mark the Advent season, if only by marking the days remaining until Christmas.

The earliest dating of Advent is impossible to determine. The start of Easter in Christian history is far more obviously tied to Passover, and Christmas came to be associated with the birth of Christ as a result of it falling during the December Solstice, the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The coming of the Light of the World made a lot of sense in so much darkness. Within a few centuries of church history, both Easter and Christmas took on special meaning due to their use in commemorating the life of Jesus. In the early centuries of the church, Advent almost certainly arose as a result of the fixed dating of Christmas. Once December 25 became Christmas, it was the center of gravity for the later half of the year – a perfect balance to Easter in the first half. In this way, Advent took on significance the same way Lent did: both were preparation for the more significant season on the horizon. By the fourth century, the first written evidence of Advent is found in modern Spain and Europe.

Probably the earliest official mention of Advent practices comes as the Council of Sargossa (AD 380) suggested people attend church daily between December 17 and 29. By the fifth and sixth centuries, more firm dating of the Advent season can be found in historical records – as well as Advent sermon series. For the first two weeks of Advent, the church would reflect on the Second Coming. Disciples would chasten their hearts, confess sins, and spend time hoping for the quick coming of the Lord. The last two weeks of Advent would then transition to focus on the first parousia, (arrival, coming), Christ in the manger. This double meaning in Advent history signals an important reality in the liturgical calendar: Advent and Christmas are never held as a full re-enactment of the life of Christ but point to our place between the Resurrection and Second Coming. Advent and Christmas are not merely about the coming of Jesus, but about everything since the birth of Jesus.

METHOD Sift ﬂour, salt and sugar. Add milk and the beaten eggs. Mix well and spoon onto a heated pan. When the whole surface has bubbles, turn over and cook for a little while longer.

Prime Riddles 1. A man describes his daughters, saying, “They are all blonde, but two; all brunette but two; and all redheaded but two.” How many daughters does he have?

2. If there are three apples and you take away two, how many apples do you have?

Answers on page 34

9. If two’s company, and three’s a crowd, what are four and ﬁve? 10. I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

3. What has 13 hearts, but no other organs? 4. What is cut on a table, but is never eaten? 5. What can ﬁll a room but takes up no space?

Crumpets originated in the 17th century as thin pancakes made from a ﬂour, milk, and egg base. However, today’s version likely developed in the Victorian era, when bakers added yeast and then baking powder to the recipe. Traditionally, the mixture is poured onto a griddle or baking sheet ﬁtted with special crumpet rings and then baked on one side only, leaving the uncooked moist, spongelike top full of its distinctive nooks and crannies.

6. I turn once, what is out will not get in. I turn again, what is in will not get out. What am I? 7. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? 8. What goes through cities and ﬁelds, but never moves? 27

Your Taupo property expert Distinguished by its lakefront setting and outdoor sports ranging from fishing to jet-boating Taupo no longer needs to tackle State Highway 5 to get the VERY BEST SERVICE in real estate, because Tremains has come to you.

WHY TREMAINS AND HUSK HALLIGAN TO SELL OR BUY A HOUSE? Because we’re your Taupo property experts Tremains has been providing exceptional real estate services to our local communities for nearly 18 months now and the results talk for themselves. The new Real Estate company taking the town by storm. Our standard of excellence, community values and cutting-edge marketing is what sets us apart. We understand that success is determined by results. For you, that means getting your ‘for sale’ sign changed to a ‘sold’ sign, in the shortest timeframe and for the best possible price. At Tremains, results is our specialty. When you list your home with us, know you’re working with a company that: • Believes in giving back to the community by supporting local clubs and events. • Brings a team approach to marketing your property. • Employs highly skilled people from the wider business community. • Offers the personal guarantee of the owner.

THE TREMAINS STORY Founded by All Black and rugby legend, Kel Tremain in Hawke’s Bay in 1970, Tremain Real Estate is a market leading real estate company that is renowned for its family values, involvement in its local communities, exceptional quality of marketing and top tier sales consultants. Tremains is now led by Kel’s middle son, Simon Tremain, who took over the reins of the business in 1992 upon Kel’s passing. Since then Simon, alongside his business partner, Cam Ward, has significantly grown the business to include five offices across Hawke’s Bay. 2018 saw the expansion of the brand into Taupo, Rotorua and Tauranga through partnerships with existing leading real estate businesses.

With a commitment to family values of trust, excellence, community and fun, Tremains is an avid and well-known supporter of its local communities, sponsoring a large array of clubs, organisations and events. Tremains also runs a number of its own community initiatives including the Tremains Triathlon, Tremains Christmas Lights and the Tremains Community Trust.

Tremains sits under the Tremain Group of Companies umbrella, which includes a number of real estate businesses. This unique collaborative allows a large background support team to constantly work to deliver cutting edge marketing, service and technology solutions and to support our agents in delivering a seamless customer experience and exceptional sales results.

Your Taupo property expert Husk Halligan Sales Consultant

Dynamic, enthusiastic and professional, Husk embodies the real estate industry’s best qualities.

www.tremains.co.nz

M 027 722 4446 E husk.halligan@tremains.co.nz

Nominations Open For Tauranga By-Election Candidates Nominations open today for candidates wishing to stand in next year’s Tauranga by-election.

New Species of Monk Seal Discovered A new species of monk seal has been identiﬁed in Te Papa’s fossil collections, and the discovery radically changes scientists’ understanding of how seal species evolved around the world. The new species is named Eomonachus belegaerensis (dawn monk seal from Belegaer), after the sea of Belegaer which lies west of Middle Earth in JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

The by-election is being held to ﬁnd a replacement for Tenby Powell, who resigned as mayor in late November, and for former Otumoetai/Pyes Pa councillor Jako Abrie, who resigned in October. Electoral Oﬃcer Warwick Lampp said candidates had until midday on December 22 to complete the formal nomination process and the election will take place on 17 February.

The easiest way is to visit the Electoral Commission’s website, where voters can check their enrolment details and conﬁrm which ward they are in.

It was identiﬁed based on seven specimens found on south Taranaki beaches between 2009 and 2016 by local fossil hunters.

“Several people have already announced they are keen to stand for council,” he said. “A healthy democracy relies on participation, so it’s great to see this amount of interest at an early stage.”

People can vote in the byelection only if they are enrolled to vote in Tauranga or pay rates on a property here but live outside it.

Also from today, members of the public are oﬃcially being encouraged to make sure they are enrolled to vote.

Any questions about the byelection can be directed to the Electoral Oﬃcer on 021 498 517.

Around 2.5 metres in length and weighing around 200–250kg, Eomonachus belegaerensis lived in the waters around New Zealand some three million years ago.

It was previously thought that all true seals originated in the North Atlantic, with some later crossing the equator to live as far south as Antarctica. Te Papa curator of marine mammals Dr Felix Marx said the discovery was a triumph for citizen science. “This new species has been discovered thanks to numerous, exceptionally well-preserved fossils – all of which were found by members of the public,” he says. “New Zealand is incredibly rich in fossils, and so far we have barely scratched the surface. Who knows what else is out there?” he says.

Kākā Monitoring Reveals Four-Fold Population Increase The Department of Conservation has been monitoring the indigenous forest parrots in Pureora Forest’s 1150ha Waipapa Block for 20 years, with the aim of determining if DOC integrated predator control work correlates to species protection and population growth, DOC Science Advisor Monitoring Terry Greene said in a recent interview. “What the long-term monitoring has shown is a four-fold increase in the population of kākā at this site – from an estimated 640 birds in 2000, to an estimated 2,600 birds in October 2020.”

Want to Play Together

“This is a very impressive result from our work to protect this species over the past twenty years.” The North Island kaka found in Pureora are classified as “At Risk– Recovering”. Although common in New Zealand in pre-European times, by the 1930s they were reduced to localised populations in a small number of areas – including Pureora. Kākā are known for their boisterous morning and evening group socialising, with amusing antics and raucous calling. The major threat to the kākā is predation by stoats and possums, with hole-nesting female kākā particularly at risk. The observers who did the monitoring work in the field said it was immediately apparent the kākā were very common in the forest. “Our observers also noted plenty of other birdlife in the area – a very positive sign our long-term conservation and predator control work is paying off,” Terry Greene said.

Petanque is a fun, non-impact and competitive sport that couples can play together. Join us at Tauranga Petanque: • Tuesday 4pm till late • Thursday 11am • Saturday 1pm Located at the Mount Club, 45-47 Kawaka Street, Mount Maunganui. Boules and all the help you need are available ALL we ask is that you wear fully covered shoes 022 309 9143 petanquetauranga@gmail.com Tauranga Bay of Plenty Pétanque Association

Multi disciplinary clinic in TAURANGA Body Mechanix is a multi disciplinary clinic and offers a ‘one stop’ Health shop approach to treating your pain or health issue.

Our Services • Physiotherapy • Acupuncture • Manipulation • Massage Therapy • Nutritional Health Products • Natural Pain Solutions • Podiatry & Orthotic Footwear Clinic

Phone: 07 578 6080 www.bodymechanix.co.nz 31

‘Tis the season for...

If Christmas is leaving you stressed, check out Staying on Track. Take a break with this free online therapy course to help your wellbeing this season, as we continue to recover from COVID. Give it a go–it’s positive, private and completely free.

justathought.co.nz

Never Too Old To Choose Happiness Frances was only months away from retirement when her life-savings were stolen, turning her life upside down. Her plans to retire and her dreams for her future were shattered, and Frances found herself walking through fog, dealing with grief and depression. A counsellor introduced her to a free online therapy course, called Just a Thought. At ﬁrst, Frances was skeptical about going online for help. ‘I thought, “My situation is so unique, how could it help me?” But it’s actually about changing your thought patterns. It wasn’t immediate, but over time I found it invaluable.’

Just a Thought provides free lessons on anxiety and depression using a proven therapy called CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), which helps you look at your thoughts and how they aﬀect your emotions and behaviour. Age was no barrier to using online therapy

For Frances, a lightbulb moment was when she heard the word ‘ruminating’: ‘I was so excited to find out that those thoughts going round and round had a name. And I learnt to let those thoughts go through my head, but then distract myself by looking around and saying, “Oh look at the birds in the tree, look at the leaves”. Over time, it becomes a habit.’ Frances also found herself becoming isolated, feeling fearful of social situations. ‘The course taught me to push through and just socialise in short bursts, so you gradually build up your confidence,’ she explains. Being older wasn’t a barrier to using the online tool – Frances found it helpful to print out the resources, so she could go back to them anytime. ‘It was just so simple and well thought out and the resources fit any situation.’ Frances says you are never too old to be able to change your mind: ‘You don’t have to think, “This is it”. You can think, “No, I’ve enjoyed life before and I can enjoy it again”. Taking care of her mental health is a decision Frances continues to make. ‘Even just appreciating a lovely sunny spot to sit in and read your book, and just viewing life as a miracle, really,’ she says. For free online therapy courses go to justathought.co.nz (The name in the article has been changed)

Aging Population People worldwide are living longer. Today, for the ﬁrst time in history, most people can expect to live into their sixties and beyond. By 2050, the world’s population aged 60 years and older is expected to total 2 billion, up from 900 million in 2015. Today, 125 million people are aged 80 years or older.

By 2050, there will be almost 120 million living in China alone, and 434 million people in this age group worldwide. By 2050, 80% of all older people will live in low- and middleincome countries. The pace of population ageing around the world is also increasing dramatically. France had almost 150 years to adapt to a change from 10% to 20% in the proportion of the population that was older than 60 years.

However, places such as Brazil, China and India will have slightly more than 20 years to make the same adaptation. By 2051, there will be over 1.14 million people aged 65 years and over in New Zealand. This represents an increase of 715,000 or 166% over the base (1996) population. They are expected to make up 25.5% (or 1 in every 4) of all New Zealanders (4.49 million). (WHO and StatsNZ)

Season’s Greetings – Let’s Be Safe Out There Writing a Christmas message is usually a pleasant and straightforward task, but after the year that 2020 has been, few things are straightforward. So much has happened and so many things are unresolved as we approach the festive season that it’s simply not possible to encapsulate the year into a nice tidy summary – so I won’t attempt that. Of course, COVID-19 has been a dominant influence on all our lives, not just in Aotearoa, but around the globe. The fight against the pandemic goes on, with the promise of effective vaccines now providing a brightening light at the end of the tunnel. Here in the western Bay, we escaped relatively lightly, but the impacts were still severe. People lost their jobs, many businesses lost significant income and life under lockdown was difficult for all, but particularly for our elderly and people with mobility issues. The positives we can take from this are that community spirit and caring for each other have had a major say in our success in dealing with the pandemic. We will need more of that spirit in 2021, so please keep doing what you have been doing – be alert, use the contact tracing app to record where you’ve been, be kind and take care of the people around you, and please don’t hesitate to ask for help.

I also want to acknowledge the behavioural issues which have aﬀected Council’s governance team this year. As a result, two elected members have felt that their only option was to resign, and that’s deeply saddening. I sincerely hope we can put those issues behind us in 2021 and conduct ourselves in a way that will begin to restore the community’s trust and conﬁdence. In February, we will have a by-election for the two vacant roles – Mayor and Ward Councillor for Otumoetai/Pyes Pa – so please do get involved and vote for the people you believe can lead the city forward. Like many people, I will not be sad to see the end of 2020. In saying that, however, let’s remember the things we can be grateful for, and the true meaning of Christmas. Be generous of spirit, be kind, be thankful for the beautiful city we live in and continue to do what you can to protect and enhance it. Take care on the road, don’t ‘over-enjoy’ your New Year celebrations and let’s focus on making 2021 a year we remember for all of the right reasons. Merry Christmas everyone! Nga mihi nui

Tina Salisbury, Deputy Mayor of Tauranga 33

History aka Something That Happens to Other People As you might surmise from the title, Gentle Reader, one’s mind is currently turned to things historical, not least due to our recent sojourn with Armistice in Cambridge (at Mighty River Domain, Karapiro), wherein the Regiment runs Paciﬁst Battles for children of all ages. We endeavour to give them a faint taste of the recruitment process whereby they are duly measured, vision and hearing are checked, as is their health, names are enscribed in The Book, and they are given rigorous training before plunging into the meat of the experience itself. Always good to hear that the Auckland Harbour Bridge connects New Zealand to Australia, for instance, clear evidence that West Island is a part of New Zealand, but with kangaroos and dingoes.

What has been alarming over the last few years is the level of general ignorance of New Zealand’s history at large, let alone anything happening before the birth of the participant, which seems to ﬁt the phrase “since Time Immemorial” rather too well. A few years ago, one young chap, who was trying really hard, announced that during the Great War, we were on the same side as England, Italy (was not expecting that little nugget!), and, he thought, the Americans. And who was on the other side? The French (understandable bias, if somewhat erroneous), Australia (fairly certain he meant Austro-Hungary, but perhaps not), and, er, China? No mention of the Hun at all. Not a stupid child, just one who either had not listened during the brief mentions at school, or for whom the past is a meaningless void.

While our education system is certainly doing far better with our history than it did when one went through school in the distant past of party lines, boiling washing in the copper, one television channel, AM radio, weekend closing, the six o’clock swill, no advertising on tellie at said weekend and 2130 hours broadcast shut-down, it could still do better. History forms us: without its pervasive presence our cultural mores do not exist. Without past experience, the uniquely kiwi voluntary sector that we have – run by highly skilled amateurs, and without whom much of the economy would start to groan under the pressure – would not exist, most of it inherited by today’s unknowing generations from those who returned from the Great War determined that new Zealand would be a better place, a place ﬁt for the sacriﬁces made by their mates.

Last, but not least, history is all around us: what is our today, becomes history when we time travel into the future and reach tomorrow. We have seen some truly historic events in the last two years, not all of them good, but all of them helping to continue forming what it is to be kiwi. How we respond to events locally and internationally is all coloured by the history that happens to other people, and sometimes those other people are us.

What alarms one the most is that far wiser souls than I have often said that if we fail to learn our history, we are doomed to repeat it, and I would rather avoid that if possible. The world has certainly changed a great deal since the 1920’s and 30’s and yet not a lot has really changed.

History anchors us: it gives us a sense of place and purpose in the examples given by others. Success, failure, trials, tribulations, and victories all merge into a whole that makes us unique in the world: kiwis – although often confused with Austo-Hungarians (or should that be Australians?) by the more insular or distant nations.

Major Blunder, Oﬃcer Commanding Fifth Waikato Dragoons Regiment Northern Command, Alf’s Imperial Army Humour in Uniform. Phone 07 855 3851, email alfs@hnpl.net, www.alfsarmy.hnpl.net

Kākāpō Wins Bird of the Year 2020 The nation has voted and Aotearoa New Zealand has a new Bird of the Year. In New Zealand, eighty percent of our native birds are in trouble or facing extinction, including the kākāpō. New Zealand’s moss-coloured ﬂightless parrot has climbed to the top-spot for the second time in Forest & Bird’s annual Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau/Bird of the Year competition.

Those qualities worked great in the island of birds the kākāpō evolved in, but they don’t fool introduced predators like stoats, rats and cats,” says Laura.

“Our kākāpō is the heaviest, the longest-living, the only ﬂightless, and the only nocturnal parrot on the planet,” says Laura Keown, spokesperson for Bird of the Year.

Kākāpō used to live throughout Aotearoa, but today they only survive on predator free islands.

“This is the ﬁrst time any bird has won the Bird of the Year title more than once, so New Zealand’s mighty moss chicken can add yet another feather to its cap,” says Laura. Kākāpō took its ﬁrst Bird of the Year title back in 2008, and has remained a popular bird in the competition.

Laura added “these birds were literally brought back from the brink of extinction. There were only 50 birds in the 1990s and they’ve been saved by intensive conservation eﬀorts. Today there are 213 kākāpō.”

“The things that make kākāpō unique also make them vulnerable to threats. They are slow breeders, they nest on the ground, and their main defense is to imitate a shrub.

Bird of the Year is run by Forest & Bird to raise awareness of New Zealand’s unique native birds and the threats they face.

Crossword Answers Our WINNERS of the tickets to the Dancing Queen: A Tribute to Abba show are Dinah from Hamilton and Pieter from Tauranga.

Riddle Answers 1. Three: A blonde, a brunette and a redhead 2. You have two apples

Answers

3. A deck of cards

1. Australia

9. Ross Dependency

2. Constable

5. Coca-Cola

10. True (Sound travels faster in water compared with air because water particles are packed in more densely)

6. Tanzania

11. Sound of Silence

7. Mike Tyson

12. Mystery Creek

9. Nine

8. Hydrogen

13. 3 seconds

10. Seven

3. Country name 4. Sir Keith Holyoake

4. A deck of cards 5. Light 6. A key 7. Footsteps 8. A road

Rural & Residential Real Estate

HUNTLY

Rural & Residential Real Estate (2018) Ltd trades as Century 21 Huntly and is part of the worldwide Century 21 group of companies yet we consider ourselves to be a ‘boutique’ agency offering rural and residential services together with Property Management. Located on Huntly’s Main Street, Century 21 Rural & Residential Real Estate has taken out several top office awards over the years, with local franchise owners Ian Pepper and Barbara Craig long recognised for their success. The Waikato real estate market has been really healthy. In fact, Waikato median house prices continue to enjoy good growth. For Huntly, like many of New Zealand’s smaller towns that are in commuter proximity to much larger cities, the future only looks bright. As well as having Auckland just an hour or so up the motorway, Hamilton is only about 30 minutes down the road.We are keen to establish a reputation of providing first class stress free service whilst not dampening the excitement that real estate has to offer. The entire North Waikato is our area so call us for a “No Obligation”, property appraisal. Directly across the road from our office is a public car park. Century 21 is located in 80 Countries making us the largest real estate company “World Wide”.

Choose the best, choose Century 21. The Team

Barbara Craig 021 38 38 58

Ian Pepper 022 1266 852

Michael Cresswell 027 494 0645

Katrina Pepper 027 208 5002

HUNTLY

Robyn McGuire 027 709 7060

Licensed REAA 2008

110 Main Street, Huntly | 828 8549 | www.century21.co.nz/huntly Each ofﬁce is independently owned. 35

New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Trusted Real Estate Brand

A small team,

BIG on results

Tokoroa Information With its central location and some of the cheapest housing in New Zealand, Tokoroa is known as an excellent location to retire. their family home and find the laid back lifestyle and the fact they can buy a property and have a motor home or caravan as well very appealing. Being able to travel to various destinations all within close proximity takes the stress out of driving those long hours.

Taupo is merely a 45 minute drive, while Rotorua is only 58km away so day trips are a big possibility. Many great walking and biking tracks are in our great views to be seen along the way. The community spirt is alive and well with many community run events and festivals.

Meet the Team

Ben Johnson

AREINZ

Managing Director/Salesperson 40 Million Dollar Member

Barb McMullen

Salesperson 60 Million Dollar Member

Katrina John-Tautari Salesperson 20 Million Dollar Member

Licensed under the REAA 2008

31 Swanston Street Tokoroa 3420

P 07 886 8064 E reception.tokoroa@harcourts.co.nz