Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
wednesday 28 July 2021
Carnival at retirement home
New Mako lineup revealed
Page 6
Page 23
School fights page removed Kate Russell Reporter
kate@nelsonweekly.co.nz
A social media page glorifying school-yard fighting in Nelson has been swiftly removed. The Instagram page ‘nelsonfights._’ was taken down last week with support from Netsafe after local schools were made aware of it, according to John
Maguire, president of the Top of the South Secondary Principals’ Association. The page contained videos of students from local schools fighting each other, with the page encouraging people to “send through any fights/hidings from Nelson”. John says many of the incidents referred to on the page were of a “historical nature” and have been “managed seriously by the
schools and police”. He says, on such occasions the outcome for a student may result in a stand-down or suspension. Principal of Nayland College, Daniel Wilson, says he fully supports the move. “Schools treat this sort of vile and repulsive behaviour extremely seriously. Both the participants and spectators face high levels of disciplinary consequences.”
Nelson’s two intermediate school principals say they were also made aware of the page. “As a school, we are aware of these pages being set up on Instagram and regularly contact the provider to have them shut down,” says Diane Webb, principal of Nelson Intermediate School. Diane says the has been a decline in fighting at NIS. “We take this very seriously and
act accordingly.” Principal of Broadgreen Intermediate, Pete Mitchener, says pages such as nelsonfights._ are “incredibly concerning.” He says shutting the pages down “does nothing” to address the behaviour. “They often just re-create another page with a different name, and
see page 2
Triumph and tribulation at historic tournament Jonty Dine
The region’s most prestigious hockey tournament returned at the weekend with the Maadi Cup pitting the best of Nelson, Marlborough, Buller and the West Coast against each other in a two day tournament at Saxton Turf. The tournament dates back to 1924 with Nelson winning the inaugural Pope Shield. It has been a long wait for players with the 2020 edition cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the first time it was not held since the end of World War 2.
see page 25
Additional copies $1
Nelson’s alisha Lewis celebrates during her side’s pope shield clash. Photos: Chris Symes/Shuttersport.
100% locAlly owned And operAted
www.nelsonweekly.co.nz