Kaipara Lifestyler, September 19th 2023

A flipping good time in Ruawai

p Students at Ruawai College got to grips with a set of giant tractor tyres last week, challenging a team from the community to flip the massive wheels end over end in a noisy and colourful race. Kimberley Rope-Battcher, Tyla O’Sullivan, and Helena Thompson (pictured) were just some of the contenders who tackled the tyre. The tyre-flip concept has become a Ruawai tradition over the past few years. It was first pioneered as an exercise to illustrate how better mental health is a matter of teamwork, in talking to your mates and getting help with those challenges which, like hefting a two-metre tractor tyre, are too big to face alone.

Rally of Dargaville taking shape

u by Andy Bryenton

Dargaville business and civic representatives are on the same page as the organisers of a planned motor rally next March.

“We wanted to make a strong economic benefits case, and this works for Dargaville,” said the chair of the newlyformed Rally of Dargaville committee, Marty Roestenburg.

“This morning, we drove eight special stages and chose four. The important thing now is to get local support from the Kaipara District Council, iwi and local

residents. We want to make this a family and community event, which the rally itself is part of.”

The proposed event will cover four special stages on carefully selected gravel roads outside of Dargaville, from the Te Kōpuru-Poutō area to Ruawai and to the north of the town. Roads used by the rally will be remediated directly afterwards,

and a representative from road builders Ventia was at the table on Friday. If all goes according to plan, the Rally of Dargaville will welcome 60 teams and hundreds of spectators and crew. There are plans to add live music, street food and a party atmosphere to this unprecedented event, which may return if the 2024 rally is a success. ¢

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Cooking competition

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10,450 copies, distributed on Tuesday to every residential and rural home throughout the district including Dargaville, Ruawai, Paparoa, Matakohe, Maungaturoto, Kaiwaka, Mangawhai and Wellsford.

p Schools across west Kaipara attended the Delta Produce-sponsored cooking competition at Te Kōpuru School. The culinary creations were judged by Dargaville Blue Light team Rueben Cohen (left) and Trent Bradley (right) at the Northern Wairoa Kāhui Ako organised event. Matakohe School representatives Blake Hardisty and Charlotte Gooch (pictured above) competed against Dargaville Primary School, TKS, Kaihū Valley School and Arapohue School. “It is amazing to reduce barriers between schools, children and staff,” says NWKA across school teacher Anne Heappey.

Creating links through song

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p Family Link Child Care Centre children performed a waiata (song) and dance for Northland MP WillowJean Prime last Friday. She joined them in the fun, singing and dancing with them and reading them some books. The opportunity began when centre manager Hana Takulua asked for some billboards to be placed at the front of the daycare, resulting in a request for Willow to visit the centre. Willow delivered the signs and spent time with staff and children.

Election vandalism

MASPORT MOWER

p Election season signage supporting local Te Tai Tokerau candidate Paturiri Toautu has been systematically vandalised in Dargaville, the latest attack on billboards amid a tight election campaign. Hoardings for other candidates in Mangawhai were spray-painted with fascist images earlier this month, while some signs have been removed entirely. Images of another political party leader in Dargaville had been attacked with a knife. Candidates questioned about their response to such behaviour were unimpressed, calling the vandalism ‘cowardly’ and ‘immature’.

Council staff speak out on violence

u by Andy Bryenton

The Kaipara District Council has launched a campaign against violence directed at its staff amid concerns that abuse and threats are rising.

Tensions can run high in some interactions between the council and citizens, especially when the authorities are called on to enforce rules about such things as stray animals, excessive noise, illegal parking or rubbish dumping. Straitened economic times and the council’s role in collecting rates, fees and fines may also play a part.

However, violence and abuse of council staff is intolerable, says CEO Jason Marris.

“Our people have described being intimidated, subjected to racial slurs, and even physically attacked by members of the public,” says Mr Marris. “Around 16% of hazards reported in the last year involved workplace aggression and violence. I have heard first-hand from our people the impact these incidents have on their wellbeing and the way they do their job.”

Similar incidents in hospital emergency rooms have recently sparked a call by nurses and doctors to post security guards or police in such places permanently. However, the KDC is opting for a campaign of education and tolerance instead. Called Our Council, Our Community, during the coming weeks, this campaign

Medical centre closing Sundays

u by Andy Bryenton

Acute staffing shortages have forced Dargaville Medical Centre to temporarily suspend Sunday services, from GP visits to surgeries.

“Despite extensive and ongoing efforts to recruit new staff, the difficult decision has been made that as of October 1, there will be no GP, urgent or emergency care services on Sundays at the Dargaville Medical Centre. This will allow us to continue to provide full services from Mondays to Saturdays,” says administration team leader Dallas Taylor.

Sunday medical care. Initially, a call to 09 439 8079 will provide advice on how to proceed.

will introduce council staff to the public with a brief profile, what they do, and why they love Kaipara.

“We are always looking for ways to improve the services we deliver and welcome constructive feedback from our community. However, we’re asking people to be polite and respectful to staff so they can address your concerns and work on a solution,” Mr Marris said. ¢

Recruitment efforts are ongoing, but the lack of experienced GPs and other qualified medical professionals highlights what has become a major election issue this year. The shortage of doctors and other specialists in rural practices has led to policies by major parties, including greater funding, incentives to serve in rural New Zealand, and the establishment of a third medical university in Waikato.

Meanwhile, Dargaville residents are left with a choice of options for

Non-urgent matters are urged to simply wait for Monday morning, while acute cases are advised to visit White Cross Whangārei. However, this comes with a fee of more than $120, not counting travel expenses. Severe medical emergencies mean it’s time to call 111 or visit a hospital.

Dargaville’s pharmacy, now located at the corner of Hokianga Road and Victoria Street in the old BNZ Bank building, will remain open on Sundays from 10.30am until 12.30pm.

p Kaipara District Council CEO Jason Marris is adamant that violence and abuse directed at council staff is unproductive and unacceptable

Campaign of the century

u by Amy Fifita

Two groups of Arapohue School students are championing their chosen native avian species for the Forest & Bird Bird of the Year.

“I wanted to campaign for a seriously endangered bird, and my team chose the wrybill. It is cute with a chubby body and skinny legs, and it is the only bird with a sideways beak. It lives in foreshores, shallow channels and on rock edges,” says student Heidi Hart.

Rowan van den Berg is campaigning with Heidi to increase the awareness of their flighted fancy. Their mothers are supporting them by displaying wrybill posters at their workplaces.

“I love the wrybill’s colourings and think it is beautiful. I researched facts about the noise it makes, what it eats and its appearance. We are working on how to raise awareness.”

Leon Simpkin and Jariah Wilkinson are speaking up for the New Zealand fantail and are in the early stages of their drive.

“The pīwakawaka (NZ fantail) is small and fast like us,” says student Jariah Wilkinson. “We discovered that birds flick

their tails in the direction they want to fly. Awareness is important because they are our native birds, and we don’t have many.”

This year marks a century of the Forest & Bird competition that celebrates New Zealand’s native birdlife. To find out more or to vote, visit birdoftheyear.org.nz. Voting is online and starts at 9am on Monday, October 30. ¢

u by WRMK Lawyers

Trust law underwent a significant overhaul in 2019, and many families are reviewing whether their family trust is the right fit for their current needs.

Firstly, it’s important to take stock and consider why you created your family trust in the first place. Generally speaking, the main reasons to form a family trust are to resolve inheritance issues and gain greater protection from creditors or future relationship property issues.

If you can no longer see how your family trust is serving its core objective(s), it may be time to speak to your legal adviser about whether you should wind up your family trust (and distribute the trust capital out to the beneficiaries).

Although there are costs associated with the winding up process, you can save on your trust’s ongoing administrative costs, which have risen in recent years due to the increased obligations brought about by the Trusts Act 2019. Do any of the following statements ring true for you?

You are no longer in business and do not require the benefits of creditor protection.

Your accountant has advised there are no tax benefits from retaining the trust.

Your children are grown up and are in stable relationships of their own.

You are comfortable leaving your assets via your estate (and are happy to ensure your will is up to date).

You are comfortable that your estate will not be challenged, and you intend to split your estate fairly amongst your spouse/de-facto partner and children. You are concerned that by retaining your

family trust, (which holds modest assets), it may actually be preventing you from obtaining a residential care subsidy or residential care loan should you need assistance in the future.

You would like to cut down on the trust’s administrative costs.

Every situation is different

It is important to remember your situation is specific to you, and there is often no ‘right’ answer. A family trust is still the best vehicle to transfer assets between generations, as it provides the greatest flexibility and control over timing. There is always a ‘cost v risk’ type of analysis that has to occur when deciding whether winding up is the best course of action for you.

Your legal adviser can talk about this with you and help guide you through the process if you decide to go ahead winding up your trust. Please contact one of WRMK’s experienced, and friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help. ¢

p Jariah Wilkinson, Rowan van den Berg, Heidi Hart and Leon Simpkin have dedicated weeks to researching and creating ideas to drive their avian favourites to the Bird of the Year top spot

The big election issues — tax

In the second of our series of questions on the tough topics facing the country ahead of October’s general election, we quizzed Northland campaign hopefuls on their policy for filling the government coffers and how taxation can be made fair and affordable for all.

Question — Taxation is a contentious issue this election, with everything from tax cuts to the removal of GST on fresh produce mentioned in policies. How do you propose to make the tax system fairer, harder to ‘loophole’, and more apt to deliver the necessary funds for government works while still promoting a healthy economy?

Shane Jones, New Zealand First Party

NZ First will adjust tax thresholds for inflation to ensure Kiwis are paying what is fair. This is a policy position which we have maintained since 2005. Inflation decreases the spending power of households. We will also exempt a range of essential foods from GST to reduce cost of living pressures.

This policy is already used in Australia, and the systems to implement it already exist. We will also have a robust depreciation schedule to incentivise businesses to invest and grow productivity. This will be a welcome boost to firms seeking to reduce carbon and increase their efficiency.

Grant McCallum, National Party Hard-working Kiwis are being hammered by high inflation and interest rates thanks to a cost-of-living crisis fuelled by wasteful government spending. We’ll shift income tax brackets to compensate for inflation and increase after-tax pay for the squeezed middle. National’s changes will make an average-income family with

Fire brigade looking ahead

u by Andy Bryenton

Dargaville’s chief fire officer says a predicted long, hot summer has firefighters looking ahead and advises locals to be prepared for a season with restrictions on open fires.

kids up to $250 a fortnight better off. We’re laser-focussed on rebuilding our economy to reduce the cost of living, and providing tax relief for people struggling to get ahead is a key part of that.

Willow-Jean Prime, Labour Party

Labour’s number one priority is to make life easier for New Zealand families.

Our cost-of-living plan will deal with the pressures whānau are facing right now while laying the foundations for a better future — without making inflation worse, like tax cuts would.

Our tax policy is aimed at helping New Zealanders with the cost of living. We’re taking GST off fresh and frozen fruit and veggies to help with household budgets, and to make it cheaper to get good, healthy food. Plus, we’re increasing the In Work Tax Credit by $25 a week to help families out. Across-the-board tax cuts don’t help the people most in need, and they have a big impact on inflation. That’s why our tax policies are targeted to give assistance where it’s needed most.

Plus, we’ll continue to fund Inland Revenue to chase after tax cheats. When we’ve got a cost-of-living crunch, it’s important that everyone pays their fair share to fund the services we all need.

Representatives from Te Pāti Māori, the ACT Party and the Green Party were emailed but were unable to respond by the deadline. ¢

After a year of damp weather, a hot and dry summer is predicted, mirroring conditions in the northern hemisphere, which have seen wildfires ravage Hawaii and Greece. While it’s currently damp enough to make burn-offs and outdoor fires possible, the onset of daylight savings and the equinox will herald a rapid shift toward tinder-dry conditions, says Jason Campbell.

“For example, last week, we attended a major bushfire at Mahuta Gap. We believe it was caused by nothing more than thoughtless behaviour and could have been disastrous.

“If a fire can take hold in the current, somewhat damp, conditions, think of what could happen in a hot, dry summer. We want to advise people to plan ahead and get necessary fires out of the way before the big dry.”

With a lot of debris left over from Cyclone Gabrielle, it’s worth clearing up branches and green waste to burn sooner rather than later. Even with rain still falling in many parts of Kaipara these recent weeks, Dargaville’s CFO

says it’s still highly advised to have precautions ready to extinguish a fire that gets out of hand.

Another important seasonal reminder comes with the turning forward of clocks to daylight saving time. That is coming soon, on Sunday, September 24. As well as gaining more time to safely barbecue and tidy up outdoor areas, the shift is a reminder to replace batteries in your smoke alarms and to fit them in rooms where they need replacing or have always been missing. ¢

p Dargaville fire chief Jason Campbell says that a dry summer is predicted, with fire bans an almost inevitable result

Council report card — Eryn Wilson-Collins

We continue our weekly series of interviews with your local councillors, detailing how they feel the first nine months of their tenure have unfolded.

Have you managed to achieve, or make progress, on your election promises?

During both of my campaigns, I was careful not to make ‘promises’ and stated so in my publicity. I’m not one to make grand statements for projects or changes that may or may not be able to be achieved. Local government is complicated, with different factors changing the game regularly. Instead, I campaigned on representing my community, commitment to the role, and leaning into decision-making.

Though this term has taken a trajectory I did not plan for, I am still striving and working hard for these qualities. I appreciate that residents from all over the district, not just from my ward, reach out to me for help, consultation and assistance. I do my best to represent groups at the council table that now feel underrepresented and unheard, and I vote for decisions that are right for our future, not just today. What have been the obstacles to achieving change?

Besides pandemics and extreme weather events? Three-year terms in local government are a real obstacle for change. It takes time to get projects over the line, and when the council changes

New beginnings at gallery opening

u by Andy Bryenton

Dargaville has welcomed a new cultural and artistic presence.

Gallery founder, artist and carver Mark Lang will debut his work and that of his fellow Generator artistic peer group creators with an exhibition and auction event for the whole community to enjoy. Mark has transformed the space in what was once a gymnasium. After a blessing by kaumātua Rex Nathan with appropriate karakia and waiata, locals can to enter to appreciate the breadth of artistic vision encompassed by him and his contemporaries.

so often, the direction can shift, and projects don’t always get completed. Government rules and regulations can also be prohibitive or cause delays. For example, there is a lot of frustration in the community regarding our recycling and waste collection services, but upcoming government mandates made it uneconomical for Kaipara to change its level of service when the community asked us to.

On a micro level, every elected member has the challenge of only being one vote at the table. If the council majority is not with you, that is the biggest obstacle of all. ¢

The exhibition’s name, Ao te Pō, reflects Mr Lang’s own journey to this point. As he stands ready to open an art gallery, the translation ‘from the darkness into the light’ is representative of his path from prison to redemption through creativity. Skills in carving and a deeper respect for te ao Māori were both things he says he learned while incarcerated.

“I’m so proud of how far I have come, and feel incredibly humbled by all the people that have rallied in behind me to help make this moment a reality,” said Mr Lang.

The grand opening of the Tika Pono Toi gallery will feature an address by

Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis, a kapa haka performance by Otamatea Roopu, Hehenga’s Pasifika dance group and live music, among other entertainments. There will also be a charity auction of artworks to support the performance groups. It will all begin at 9.30am at the new Tika Pono Toi Gallery, next door to the Dargaville Library, on Saturday, September 23. ¢

We can help you access government websites and forms. Assist you to make

and access

p Mark Lang, artist and gallery founder

Dargaville’s heartland outreach

u by Andy Bryenton

Dargaville’s Whānau Focus Centre will host a new and expanded service.

Heartland Services is a widespread, not-for-profit organisation which has already had great success working in Mangawhai alongside the Te Whai Trust. Its mission is to improve access to social services in rural New Zealand and to do this, it employs local coordinators who have a thorough knowledge of the full range of assistance available, no matter what you’re trying to achieve.

“This is a wonderful opportunity. We are very pleased to welcome Heartland Services to our town, under the Whānau Focus umbrella. We have seen just how much good they have achieved in other neighbouring communities,” says Whānau Focus Centre spokesperson Rachael Ashford.

The centre has long been a hub for social services, serving as the joint offices of Kaipara Abuse Prevention, Age Concern, a Justice of the Peace desk and many more. Now, Heartland Services is set to bring its free service to the same location on Dargaville’s main street, facilitating connections with government and independent agencies.

Immunisations need response

u by Amy Fifita

Te Whatu Ora is sending a drop-in immunisation van to the Dargaville Plunket rooms from 9am to 3pm on the second Monday of every month until December.

“I love working as a team to support each other and the communities we service, and it feels like we are part of them,” says vaccinator Lynda Matthews. “We are here to remove barriers and cover everything from babies to elderly people.”

People are welcome to go into the Plunket rooms for a hot beverage and use the lounge area with a children’s play area.

“Plunket is a good connection for children because they can come to the clinic and see us, too. We are combining need and going to places that don’t have easy access to medical care.”

there is an outbreak or a need. There is no area in Northland that we wouldn’t go,” says vaccinator Carmel Henry.

Currently, it’s in the process of hiring two part-time representatives who will build relationships between locals in need and sources of assistance, funding, education, support, healthcare and cultural learning. ¢

The team was part of the larger Covid response, and when that ended in June, they moved on to the immunisation response.

“Covid has impacted the immunisation rate worldwide. We target areas where

“Education is good for people to make an informed consent, and sometimes they will come back later to be vaccinated. We work with community providers, iwi, hospitals and aged care residences.”

The initiative has been in effect since April. For further information, visit northlanddhb.org.nz to see when they will be in your area. ¢

Five Ways, Five Days.

Ngā ara e rima.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing are a set of proven tools to boost our mental health when we need it. Put the Five Ways into practice this Mental Health Awareness Week and begin to feel the benefits.

mhaw.nz

Tune in to the simple things that bring you joy.

Me aro tonu ki ngā mea māmā noa, i ngākau harikoa ai koe.

Your time, your words, your presence.

Te wā ki a koe, ō kupu, ko koe tonu.

Do what you can, enjoy what you do, move your mood.

Whāia te mea ka taea e koe, kia pārekareka tāu i whai ai, kia pai ake ō piropiro.

Talk and listen, be there, feel connected.

Me kōrero, me whakarongo, me whakawātea i a koe, me rongo i te whanaungatanga.

Embrace new experiences, see opportunities, surprise yourself.

Awhitia te wheako hou. Kimihia ngā ara hou, me ohorere koe i a koe anō.

p Immunisation response team members Carmel Henry, Colleen Tamati and Lynda Matthews, with Plunket nurse Seleisa Kolone

p Whānau Focus Centre spokesperson Rachael Ashford is enthusiastic about the expansion of Heartland Services into Dargaville

Candidates discuss significant issues Possum purge nets 900

u by Amy Fifita

Last Friday, Kaipara Grey Power hosted a Northland candidate debate for the community to view policies and voice their questions.

u by Paul Campbell

The eastern Kaipara enclave of Paparoa and surrounding farmland is down some 900 possums this year after the Paparoa Primary School annual Possum Purge fundraising event.

The fur was flying into specialised plucking machinery as the participating hunting teams came in with their respective catches to vie for various prizes and participate in a gala in the school grounds well attended by family groups, volunteer workers and school staff.

“It was a big community turnout for the gala on Sunday,” says school principal Karyn Taylor.

Many issues were on the agenda, with significant topics discussed surrounding health care, crime, transport and cost of living.

“I am a farmer and a policeman, and I have watched crime go through the roof,” said Democracy NZ candidate Matt King. “The state of our roads is the state of our country.”

Northland candidate Grant McCallum shared National’s desire to make State Highway One a four-lane road as a transport upgrade.

“Our state highway network needs an upgrade. If we are going to have logging trucks going to the port — we need better infrastructure,” Mr McCallum said.

Northland’s railway network was also

discussed at great length by all party candidates, some in favour of using it to transport logs in place of trucks.

“We need to fix our railroads to get the logging trucks off our roads so they stop destroying our roads,” said Legalise Cannabis candidate Jeffery Lye.

The health system was another contentious issue, with questions from the audience and statements from party candidates.

“We have reformed the Health Act. There is a need, particularly rurally, that we get the same level of care that our city counterparts have. I am proud of what we did but acknowledge there is more to do,” Labour Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime said. ¢

“This year, we had new events such as face painting, Mr Whippy ice cream, Flossie’s coffee van and Helium balloons. We had overwhelming support for the sponsor raffles, particularly the meat and bulb prizes — so a huge thank you to the organising committee

“This year, the fundraising proceeds are going to repurpose a classroom into a kitchen so that our students are able to cook as part of our Garden to Table programme, as well as providing workshops and a cooking venue for Paparoa community groups. Also, this year, we had a novel possum poem competition won by 12-year-old Rawiri Phillips.”

The Les Tilby Trophy went to Jimmi Begg — showing responsibility and resilience, while the first team overall

was Brothers in Arms, second Usual Suspects and third, Mission Im-possible. The school fundraiser has been held for more than a decade and has attracted national attention, featuring on television’s Seven Sharp. Possum fur finds a ready market in the fashion industry. It has been exported across the world spun with Merino wool to retain unique heatretaining qualities. ¢

p Attending candidates were Legalise Cannabis’s Jefferey Lye, Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime, National’s Grant McCallum, NZ First’s Shane Jones, Green’s Hūhana Lyndon and Democracy NZ’s Matt King

p Young Jimmi Begg won the Possum Purge Responsibility Trophy

An opportunity to serve Welcoming in the community

u by Amy Fifita

Hato Hone St John is looking for volunteers to crew its firstresponse ambulance team to service the Northern Wairoa area.

“I grew up in Ruawai and moved to Dargaville recently. The area is home to me, and I enjoy the beaches, my friends, family and the close-knit community,” says HHSJ ambulance volunteer MacKenzie Jenyns.

“I am a registered nurse at the hospital and saw the ambulances come and go from there every day. That spiked my interest in volunteering for St John, and at the station, the main pull was the family atmosphere.”

St John is searching for positive and caring people with a heart to help their community in the quest to build resilient localities. Effective communication skills are also needed for this high-pressure role.

“For six years, I have been volunteering for the Northern Wairoa ambulance service. We want more people to join our volunteer crew to make it large enough to crew the second unit.”

The initial process requires volunteers to have an interview, written and physical test, police vetting and health

questionnaires, including information on the organisation’s child protection policy.

“The ambulance service is important to the area because we are an isolated community, and I love that we can be that one person who can help someone.”

Accepted volunteers do an observership in the Northern Wairoa area, and full training and ongoing regional and clinical education are provided. To join the St John volunteer family, visit join.stjohn.org.nz/search and search Dargaville. ¢

u by Andy Bryenton

Ruawai College’s community open day was a chance to share the school’s values and spirit with visitors, including young students who will enrol there for 2024.

Principal Raeleen Harré welcomed parents, guests and future students amid a day of activities and performances, showcasing what Ruawai College is all about.

“We’re very pleased to be able to welcome the community in and to let them see that we are very studentfocussed,” said Ms Harré.

That focus was apparent during guided tours of the school’s newly renovated classrooms, where a new modular curriculum has increased student engagement across a variety of subjects. It was also clear that there’s a spirit of enthusiasm at Ruawai College, with art and positive messages by the young attendees covering the walls and massive participation in hosting the open day.

The day’s centrepiece was the variety show, which greeted children from nearby Ruawai Primary School and their parents. Hosted by student leaders Reuben Eve-Rumsey and Emma Philips, the show featured everything

from waiata to kapa haka performances, traditional Indian dance, Polynesian dance, and renditions of modern songs by talented singers. There was even a chance for student musicians to go solo, getting the crowd clapping along.

Afterwards, parents, students, teachers and guests mixed and mingled at a free barbecue, where hundreds of sausages were sizzled by volunteers from the school prefects team and staff. The open day culminated in a challenge laid down to the community — the Ruawai College tyreflipping event. Students brightened up the rainy afternoon with their house colours as they raced against a team of parents to flip the heavy tyres 200 times. ¢

Caring for our community

Atawhaitia Te Takiwa

DARGAVILLE MEDICAL CENTRE IS FACING A WORKFORCE SHORTAGE WHICH IS IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK.

Despite extensive and ongoing efforts to recruit new staff, the difficult decision has been made that as of 1 October 2023, there will be no GP, urgent or emergency care services on Sundays at Dargaville Medical Centre. This will allow us to continue to provide full services from Monday to Saturday.

We’d like to reassure you that this is a temporary measure while we actively continue to recruit new staff, as well as exploring options to appoint relief medical staff cover. In the meantime if you need GP services on a Sunday please call 09 439 8079 and you will be put through to our afterhours triage service.

They will triage you and make a recommendation on options of care for you –for example:

· Wait until Monday morning.

· Go to White Cross Whangarei, who are open from 8am- 8pm - White Cross will charge an after-hours fee

· If you or someone else has a medical emergency or life threatening condition dial 111

Unsure whether your issue is a medical emergency?

Free-phone Health line on 0800 611 116 anytime 24/7

Orrs Unichem Pharmacy in Dargaville will continue to be open Sunday from 10.30 am – 12.30

For more information on where to find care, visit www.dargmed.co.nz or northlanddhb.org.nz

This arrangement will be reviewed in one to two months’ time and then we will advise further.

We appreciate your understanding, patience and cooperation and we’ll advise you of any change to this situation

p Ashleigh Ashford, Kenzie Jenyns and Troy Savage are ambulance officers in the Northern Wairoa area

p The assembled performers at Ruawai College’s open day variety show take a bow

Second-hand discoveries

u by Amy Fifita

The annual St John Trash and Treasure will return to the Centennial Hall, 44 View Street, Maungatūroto, from October 2–6 and donations are now being accepted.

“In 1980, when we were aiming to purchase the building we now occupy in Maungatūroto, we started this fundraiser,” says organiser Eileen Parsons. “Apart from two years missed because of Covid, this has been an annual event, which is supported by a wide section of the community.”

“We always run it in the October school holidays as it gives youngsters a chance to get some bargains with their pocket money. Initially, we held the week-long event at the ambulance station, but we

outgrew that venue, so it is now held it in the Centennial Hall. It gives us more space as well as providing better parking.”

Eileen said the week always draws in a variety of goods for the St John Otamatea Area Committee fundraiser.

“Some items are returned in subsequent years. Among the donations we sell are furniture, household, garden, sporting items, books and toys. Already, we have a large amount of stock on hand, which will be sorted on the Sunday prior.

“While our Otamatea Area Committee

p Last year’s Trash and Treasure event was a success, with the total amounting to more than $9,000 for the St John Otamatea Area Committee personnel run the event, we have a number of community members who are prepared to help during the week. Some are on hand all week, but we are also grateful to those who can offer a few hours to help us sort, collect or deliver items. Without this community support, this event would be impossible to run.”

The hall will be open daily from 9am to 5pm during the event. Anyone wanting to donate to the annual fundraiser

can contact Terri Donaldson on 021 0222 0218.

“Profit for the week is usually in the vicinity of $10,000, which has been used for a variety of purposes, including resources for Cadets when they were operating, provision of AEDs (defibrillators) throughout Otamatea and purchases of training materials. We will decide what to use this year’s profit for at a subsequent area committee meeting.”

Floral farm fun

u by Amy Fifita

Maungatūroto Primary School is hosting its annual Flower Show and Pet Day on Wednesday, October 13, with an extended invitation to preschoolers and Otamatea High School students.

“Pet Day is a fantastic community event. We always have a good crowd of parents and supporters, and it is a great way for staff to mix and mingle with the school community,” says deputy principal Rose Cave.

“The morning is spent with the children all creating flower and craft exhibits. School staff organise the flower show section, and the Maungatūroto Garden Club provides the flower show judges.

“The whole school is involved. Even if you don’t have a pet, you can watch and help with your friends’ pets. We have a colouring competition and a pet story for children to complete if they do not have a pet to bring to pet day.”

The pet event is organised by the school’s Parent and Teacher Association. Animals on the day are lambs, calves, goats, chickens and snails.

“The annual snail race is hotly contested. The children love watching the pet judging and joining in with the PTA activities, and they adore doing the flower exhibits and being creative. The flower arrangements are great to practise over

the holidays as they keep you off your device.”

Students Felix Fish, Ellise MacKenzie, Milly Lowe, Zene Prinsloo, Xavier Wintle, Rebekah Hosford and Waituhi Crosby relayed what they loved about the day. They enjoyed dressing up and looking after their pets, and bringing them to school to show off their skills.

“Even if you don’t win a certificate, it’s OK because you know you tried your best, and that’s Kia Kaha — one of our school values. The school’s PTA often organise activities for the children to do, such as guess the poo and a petting zoo,” Rose says.

Next year, the school will celebrate the 150th school jubilee in conjunction with the annual pet day.

p Carter Peeni, Finn Smith and Beau Wall preparing to start their flower arrangements at last year’s Flower Show and Pet Day

“We decided to do this because the show has such a long history and is a school event that most past students and staff will remember fondly.” ¢

Booze, taxis and pictures

u by Liz Clark

There’s something quite naughty in the background of the town I live near, stories of the local pub, a minister planning to smash its windows, and of course, the sly grog stories.

As with the Maungatūroto Hotel back in 1902, it seems any progress made in the township, such as bringing electricity to light up the streets, came with trouble.

It was now 1936, not long after the cooperative dairy company had opened its

new factory to replace the old timber one a year before.

The trouble began at the Public Works Department’s Maungatūroto transmission camp, where labourers engaged to put up the power poles and electricity lines were housed. The camp’s cook, William Bell, and his assistant, Desmond O’Connor, landed themselves in legal hot water when it was discovered by the PWD management that the kitchen mess accounts weren’t quite adding up.

Hauled before the magistrate in the Whangārei District Court to answer several charges, Bell and O’Connor had a lot of explaining to do.

Both accused men entered guilty pleas. At the time when the men were based at the camp, the workers appointed a mess secretary, who took their payments and then gave the money to Bell to purchase the food for the cookhouse. Bell, however, had other ideas. He made loans to the men in the camp, then had a jaunt to Auckland, where he had a rather entertaining time. When questioned about what had happened to all the money his reply was ‘booze, taxis and pictures.’

p The Maungatūroto Hotel’s story isn’t the only tale to tell about a town’s mischievous past

After returning from his binge in Auckland, Bell took his assistant cook, O’Connor, into his confidence and told him the accounts were ‘in a mess.’ Despite that, after short-paying the tradesmen’s accounts at the post office, the pair withheld £10. They then laid a bet on a

racehorse named Lord Brierley that ran dead last in the 1936 New Zealand Cup. The guilty pleas thus noted the main offender, Bell, was sentenced to two years probation while O’Connor was imprisoned — sentenced to three months of hard labour. ¢

Tribute to a legendary traveller

u by Andy Bryenton

The Otamatea River reaches northeast from the mighty Kaipara Harbour, up into the hinterland of Maungatūroto providing an anchorage and a connection to trade, fishing and transport.

Otamatea is a name of great antiquity and one commanding respect, connected as it is to Otamatea Marae, Otamatea High School, the Otamatea Hawks rugby club, and, of course, the old county taking in the rolling hill country and harbourside of the east Kaipara. It is a reference in tribute to perhaps the greatest explorer in New Zealand history, a man who has become inseparable from the many myths about his curiosity, cleverness and endurance.

Tamatea-Pokai-Whenua, or Tamatea who encircled the land, sailed to Aotearoa on the ocean-going waka Takitimu and is a celebrated ancestor and legendary figure in Māori tradition. Like many historical characters who have become larger-thanlife due to tales of their exploits, TamateaPokai-Whenua didn’t just travel through early pre-European New Zealand, he also gave his name to many places along the way.

Legend has it that when the Takitimu made landfall in Turanga, modern-day Gisborne, Tamatea decided to set off overland. His travels through the heartland

of the country led many places associated with his story to gain their names in te reo Māori, notably the longest place name in the world, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. This 85-letter name refers to a picturesque hill where Tamatea played his flute for his beloved.

There’s a place-name tale associated with Otamatea as well, and it explains the ancestral explorer’s connection to the Kaipara’s northeastern shores. When Tamatea travelled north to Ranganui, near the site of Kaiwaka, he found himself surrounded on all sides by Ngāti Whātua warriors. Calling out to the god known as Raiera to protect him, he was saved when this supernatural entity manifested a large rock, carrying him to the middle of the stream.

Curious about this obviously blessed traveller in their midst, the warriors invited Tamatea to enjoy the hospitality of the nearby Raepare pā site. Tamatea showed his gratitude for this welcome by leaving the divine manifestation of Raiera in the

42 JUMNA ROAD, MAUNGATUROTO

Thus, the river that sustains and connects this part of Kaipara is also linked, through the legendary exploits of Tamatea-Pokai-Whenua, to places all across the North Island. ¢

IS

$590,000

021 2333 796 for further details.

p There’s a special connection between Otamatea in Kaipara’s northeast, and this, the place with the longest name in the world river to serve as a crossing. Because of this, the river was named Otamatea in his honour.

Run away with the circus

u by Andy Bryenton

Circus Kumarani students have been working hard for the entirety of term three to be ready for a spectacular show in late September.

The community circus hosts classes for youth across three locations in Paparoa, Dargaville and Whangārei. They also work closely with Greenways Trust in Dargaville, bringing confidence and enjoyment to the people there by teaching the arts of circus entertainment.

“We have been having big rehearsals together, with people from all our classes. Getting together has been amazing, as we’ve seen the bonding which this inspires, and the way people have grown by working together,” says circus spokesperson and ‘ringleader’ Tania Whetū.

“Preparing for our big Whangārei show has been the main focus of our term three activities, and as the show comes together, you can see that it’s going to be fantastic. Our aim was to make a cohesive and themed show, an idea which grew from our 2022 Fringe Festival experiences.”

On September 27, Circus Kumarani will bring its Break the Mold circus show to Forum North, a large venue for a massive and seamlessly flowing performance.

Tania says that international circus sensation Cirque du Soleil has been a major influence, and their ability to combine many circus arts into a dreamlike, uplifting experience has had its impact on the show’s design. Some members of Circus Kumarani even attended a Cirque du Soleil performance to get inspired.

Tania and her team chose a theme of growing self confidence, finding one’s community among people who understand you, and being yourself through the support of others. It’s a powerful message, and one which is applicable to life as well as to being an entertainer through circus.

“There’s an invitation there, as well,” says Tania. “We invite those who come to watch one of your two shows, at two

and six on September 27, to come and run away with the circus too.”

That is easier than it may at first appear, because Circus Kumarani is also set to run a free school holiday programme during the second week of holidays in early October. There will be classes in all the skills which make up a modern circus, hosted in both Mangawhai and Dargaville, for no charge. They are a perfect way for youngsters to experience first-hand what it’s like to be in the limelight, under the big top.

Tickets will sell fast, so search Circus Kumarani on Eventfinda soon or visit their website, circuskumarani.co.nz. ¢

Visit Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Children up to 18 are free if accompanied by a caregiver.

School Holiday Programme: Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Endless fun waiting at the Mangawhai Museum. Call or email to sign up your little curator. To book into the museum, phone (09) 431 4645 or email info@mangawhai-museum.org.nz

p Circus students Greta and Samarah take to the stage; this school holidays, the entire Kumarani team will unite to host a gigantic show

HOLIDAYS FUN

Library celebrates te reo Māori

u by Andy Bryenton

Last week heralded an official celebration of Māori language across New Zealand, and Dargaville’s library was at the forefront.

“We have all kinds of resources for those who want to learn te reo Māori and ways to make it fun,” said librarian Molly Molving-Lilo. “This doesn’t just mean books in te reo on all kinds of topics, but also other activities and even games you can borrow.”

The library and its team of staff are passionate about their role as a storehouse of language and knowledge, so they have made a big effort to support te reo Māori, not just for the week but yearround. That has begun with restructuring the non-fiction section to gather all books about te ao Māori, history and culture into one place for easier reference.

Across fiction and children’s books, there are volumes written entirely in te reo, and others adding new words to help build a larger vocabulary in Māori. There’s even a version of the classic Edmond’s cookery book in te reo, and on a more serious note, books to borrow that provide a full course to help anyone become fluent in the language.

New Zealand-made card game Takaro is available for loan, which also has a strong te reo Māori component. There

are activities to enjoy at the library which continue the message of Māori Language Week throughout the entire month of September. These include crafts, colouring, and a kupu o te rā or word of the day to help expand visitors’ repertoire of conversational Māori words.

To make the school holidays even more interesting, the library team would like to remind families about their free-to-borrow Tutu collection, a range of interactive games, puzzles, tools and learning activities. This holiday season, you could build and program your own robot, take a

look at the microscopic world, learn about electricity and magnets, dive into virtual reality, or many more adventures. The entire collection is free to anyone with a library card and teams up with books that can further your journey into discovery. ¢

p Librarians Jo and Molly have decorated Dargaville Library with displays and selections of books which celebrate Māori language

The return of El Niño and what it means

u by Andy Bryenton

Weather watchers, including almost everyone who lives in rural New Zealand, have often heard the Spanish terms El Niño and La Niña. In direct translation, they mean ‘the little boy’ and ‘little girl’, though there have rarely been less appropriate names for such huge events. Both El Niño and La Niña are opposing ends of the ENSO cycle, which disrupts the normal flow of the trade winds at the equator and changes the weather in New Zealand dramatically. This ‘little’ boy and girl are

vast climatic events spanning a quarter of the planet or more.

The name El Niño came from South American fishermen in the 1600s, who noticed that some years brought warmer waters and different fish around Christmas time. Superstitious about mentioning Jesus, who was famously a patron of fishermen in the Bible, but attributing this miraculous event to him nonetheless, they called the phenomenon ‘El Niño de Navidad, the ‘little boy born at Christmas’. Meteorologists thought it only fitting to give the opposite effect the opposite gender.

We’re coming into an El Niño year now, meaning Northland is in for a hot, dry summer. Here’s how it works. When the trade winds weaken, they cease to push west toward Asia. Warm water flows back toward South America, and New Zealand is the last stop before those shores. The ocean heats up, and what happens down there happens up in the sky. There’s less rain and hotter temperatures all over. The dry years of 2018 and 2019 were classic El Niño, with no rain from November until March.

“This should be a welcome change for areas at the top of the country, whether that’s people wanting to get outside and enjoy more tranquil, drier conditions,

p Ships like the US research vessel Okeanos Explorer have been important in discovering just what triggers and sustains the cycle of El Niño and La Niña phenomena or farmers hoping for a decrease in their paddocks’ soil moisture levels,” Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said on the topic.

Of course, there’s the desire to get those paddocks a little drier, and then there’s the threat of not enough water at all. It’s been unusually rainy during this very La Niña past year or two, and right

now, the wisdom of investing in water storage is being borne out. Projects such as the Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust dams in Kaikohe and Red Hill will prove their worth on the cusp of such swings between La Niña and El Niño, but so, too, will measures on a smaller scale like extra tanks, bigger dams, and even fixing up leaks and inefficiencies in reticulation.

Election issues in farming

u by Andy Bryenton

This is the first of two articles detailing the top-polling issues rural New Zealand is talking about ahead of the general election.

Over-regulation — This catch-all term has become a rallying call covering many issues, from winter feed-out rule changes to some of the bigger issues detailed below. Over-regulation has been met with resistance by farmers who believe Wellington knows little about the practicalities of farming, nor the costs involved with it.

The emissions trading scheme — A tax on emissions from ruminant animals is heralded as an environmental ‘silver bullet’ by some but roundly criticised for a raft of reasons by those in the primary sector. The government’s numerous backtracks on aspects of the scheme, pricing described as ‘out of touch’, and an initial failure to compensate carbon uptake by on-farm flora have led to a rocky road for this legislation. The latest scandal surrounding the ETS is the call for methane emissions recording to be brought into line with scientific thought. Combined with accurate reciprocation for carbon absorbed by on-farm flora, a recalculation might mean some farms are already carbon neutral.

The replacement to the RMA — Building and resource consents can be torturous processes, so a streamlined

new Resource Management Act should be a good thing for the rural sector. However, the Natural and Built Environments Act has been met with scepticism, especially its removal of local democracy governance of aspects of the process, and a raft of additional environmental regulations. The opposition has promised to scrap this, along with water reforms, if they are elected.

Staff shortages — The rural sector has been starved of international staff due to Covid, and there’s a shortfall proving hard to recover from. Any party promising easier access to international labour, international skilled migrants in technical roles, and training for young future farmers will meet with approval in rural New Zealand. It’s not just farming that suffers from staff woes; rural towns lack medical professionals due to similar pressures.

p If any of these issue affect you, the way to express your opinion is through the ballot box in October their minds. Plans to enforce water purity standards across tanks that service two or more homes on a farm have led to consternation, as has the entire concept of Three Waters, with its centralisation of amenities. Farmers have opined that this will move water governance to big cities and rural areas will suffer from higher prices and less maintenance. ¢

Water regulations — While the rural industries have made great strides, largely voluntarily, to improve riparian planting and fence off waterways, other water-related matters weigh heavy on

A dog’s tail …

Pies ina skies sez Boss

“Well Dog, yer mite be lucky yer not involved in this genral ’lection ’cos I reckin it’s turning into a kids’ argy-bargy fite ina skool playground.”

Gidday readas. Me ana Boss were waitin’ ona woolshed step ina sun, nice an’ warm, wile we waited for his gerlfrend Sharlene an’ tha smoko cuppatees .

Boss was readin’ the paper froma road gate kattlestop, after we did tha lambin’ beet again — still more twinnies out ina paddicks, so he was pritty pleased.

But he looked atta paper as Sharlene arrived and said: “Deah, like I tole tha Dog, this politikal bickering is an exampil of young kids bickerin’, not much else rilly.”

Sharlene gave me half a scone before he looked up. O’corse, she’s a skoolteecher for a job, so she shood no.

“Yes Deah,” she sed. “Those pollys are just scorin’ points off each other cos they rilly got nothing much to offer anyway. I was atta suprmarkit yesterday, an’ our grocry bill is through the roof.” (I looked atta roof, readas, but nothing was going thru eh?) Sharlene give me a pat. “Nah Billy, just a sayin’ witch meens rilly high up.” So I decided it was time for a snooze ina sun, just lissening to stuff.

”Lookit that Chippy Hipkins, shooting down his Greenies when they sposed to

be together against other parties,” seda Boss then. “Greenies want five weeks holiday, and Chippy says no, can’t afford it. Then that Marama Davidson says she just wants ter ‘keep the other lot’ out of government. No good reel reasin, though.

An’ then Luxon said he and ACT Party leader David Seymour are ‘good friends’, and he doesn’t exactly support no cogovernance in public sector, but he not rilly saying definite.”

Sharlene had the papa now. “All these pollys just havin’ a go at each other, ’cos wen the country is broke, there’s not much they got to offer anyway.” Boss agreed.

“It’s all rilly pies ina sky,” he said. (An’ I checked readas. No pies I cood see, Boss must be konfused eh?)

“Anyway,” sed Sharlene. “That Chippy has admitted for tha first time that old Winnie Peters mite get ’lected. He told reporters that ’a National, ACT and NZ First govinmint would mean thousands of public servants would lose their jobs by Christmas because of the parties’ proposed cuts to the public service spendin’.”

Boss said that it was farmers that made ’lection sense. “We want politishins ter stop talkin’ about what they reckin will suit one part of the public and play the grown-up role, and make long-term plans.”

Well readas, Boss is grown up an’ so is Sharlene, an’ I am, too. Duzzin’t sound like them polly peeple are tho’ eh?

Anyway from wot I here, prices gone through a roof and ther’s pies ina skies, not much grown-up stuff seems ter be happining.

Glad it’s not my problim. Zzzzzzz …

Cheers — Billy ¢

Wildlife Act repeal debated

u by Andy Bryenton

A long-overdue overhaul of the government’s Wildlife Act is set to be one of the last bills to enter parliament before October’s elections, with big changes to protect native species.

Among the species which will now be more rigorously protected are some Kaipara denizens of note, including the rays giving Mangawhai its name, wētā, katipō spiders, and a total of 394 bird species, 136 frogs and reptiles, 44 insects and nine fish. Other fauna are listed as being protected except for in

certain extenuating circumstances; these can include introduced species like mallards and quail, which are protected outside of hunting seasons.

“New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” said Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime.

“More than 4,000 of our native species are currently threatened, with some at risk of extinction. A new act will help to address threats they face, including impacts from climate change, invasive species and habitat loss.”

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the implications of wide-reaching protection for native species. Some anglers and hunters believe that a more all-encompassing Wildlife Act may have a negative impact on hunting and fishing sports and the ability for people to access wild game.

“We are alarmed at what this means for Fish and Game, thousands of anglers and hunters, freshwater species, game birds and their habitats,” says Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan.

It’s the fear of her constituents that the organisation may lose its statutory mandate.

“Fish & Game supports the protection of endangered or threatened species and agrees that legislative frameworks need to provide the tools to ensure these species exist now and into the future.” ¢

p Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime has announced an overhaul of the Wildlife Act, which will see many iconic Kaipara and Northland fauna gain new protections

YOUR

WHAT’S ON?

September

Kelly Street Gallery Spring Show — Opening night

Thursday 21st September 5.30pm. Gallery open 22, 23 and 24 from 10am to 3pm.

Grand Opening Tika Pono Toi Gallery and Studio

Saturday 23rd September at 10am, 3 Poto Street, Dargaville.

Ruawai Promotions & Development Group Ruawai Spring Fundraiser — 23rd September 2023 at 6.30pm

Ruawai Tokatoka Memorial Hall. Continuous supper, auction, live band. Contact Silvia to book 021 253 5684. Bookings are essential, no door sales.

Live Comedy Kaihu Tavern — Saturday 23rd September 6pm to 9pm at The Kaihu Tavern. Book at Eventfinda.

October

Grayson Masefield and The Aotango Quintet — 2 October, Dargaville’s Methodist Church Hall.

3 Lakes Trail Run — 14 October 2023 at Taharoa Domain, Kai Iwi Lakes, Sport Northland Event, Do the half marathon, 14k or 5k. For more info and to register go to 3lakes.nz.

Markets

Kaihu Hall Market — 3rd Saturday each month 10am–noon. Phone Robin 09 439 4878.

Monthly Market — 1st Saturday of each month, 8am–noon at the Kaipara Community Centre, Hokianga Road (opposite the Town Hall).

Paparoa Artisan Market — 4th Sunday monthly 11am–3pm. Paparoa Memorial Hall.

Paparoa Farmers’ Market — Every Saturday 9am –12pm. Genuine local produce, vegetables, seafood, olive oils, meats, patisserie, plants and more. Village green, Paparoa.

Te Kopuru Market — 2nd Saturday of each month, 8am–12pm at Coronation Hall. Stall holders ring Rachel on 021 133 7560.

Clubs/Organisations

57 Squadron (Dargaville) Air Training Corps — Mondays 6pm–8pm at the Dargaville Aero Club. For boys and girls aged 13–18 years Phone Gordon 021 262 0547.

Alcoholics Anonymous — Dargaville AA meetings held at The Lighthouse Church, cnr Normanby & Parore Sts. Use Parore St entrance. Monday 4.30pm & Thursday 7.30pm Contact Bernie 027 212 2148, Ladies 020 4082 1373, Murray 09 439 5248.

Alzheimer’s ‘Carer’ Support Group — Contact Maxine on 022 691 6068.

Anger Management Group — Thursdays 6pm–7.30pm 1/12 Kapia Street, Dargaville. Helena 021 564 618 or 09 601 4153.

Badminton — Wednesday evenings 7pm–9pm at the Dargaville High School Gym. Phone 021 439 157.

Baylys & Beyond Gardeners — All welcome, 2nd Monday of each month, Garden ramble, shared lunch, trading table phone 021 063 3444.

Dargaville Aero Club — Learn to fly, free of tuition charges, Gyrocopter, Texan, Stork. Contact Peter 022 025 0235 for further info.

Dargaville Bowling Club Tuesday Bowls — Names by 9.30am, start 10am, finish 2.30pm. Contact Ray King 09 439 5509.

Dargaville Contract Bridge Club — Tuesdays 12.45pm and Thursdays 6.45pm at the Kiosk, Memorial Park, Logan St, Dargaville. dargavillebridge@gmail.com or phone Peter 09 439 2437 or 022 405 6439.

Dargaville Floral Art Club — Meets on the 3rd

Wednesday of the month at 1pm at The Lighthouse Church, Cnr Normanby & Parore Sts, Dargaville. Enquiries to Dawn Donald 09 439 5413.

Dargaville Friendship Club for seniors — meets 2nd

Tuesday of month at 10am at the Kiosk, Memorial Park, Logan Street. For info phone Brian 09 439 5959.

Dargaville Tabletop Wargames and RPGs – the Warrior’s Lodge — Interested in games like Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer, or other strategy games with models? Thursdays 6.30pm, upstairs, Hokianga Road above the cinema. Learn to 3d print, paint, play and design.

Dargaville Girls Brigade — For girls 5–15 years. Thursdays after school — 3.30–5pm held at The Lighthouse Church. Contact Pauline Taylor 021 263 7446 or 09 439 7505.

Dargaville Mainly Music — Interactive music and movement for preschoolers and their carers. Wednesdays 10am Baptist church, Victoria St, during term time. Contact Rebecca 021 969 626.

Dargaville Menz Shed — is open Tuesday and Thursday each week from 10am to 3pm and Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. New members are welcome. For more info phone Paul 027 459 3098 or Brian 09 439 6175.

Dargaville Museum — Open every day except Christmas Day and Anzac morning. Hours 9am–4pm April to October, 9am–5pm October to April. Volunteers, visitor hosts and members welcome. Phone 09 439 7555.

Dargaville Scout Group — For boys and girls aged 5–99 years at 23 Onslow St. All info on door or phone Johnnita 027 296 5889.

Dargaville Women’s Group — New members are welcome to join our social group. Held every third Tuesday of the month 10am @ The Methodist Church, corner of Awakino and Normanby. Morning tea & guest speakers. For further info contact Michelle: 09 439 2930.

Grandparents raising grandchildren — First Tuesday of every month except during school holidays. Noon at Whanau focus, Victoria St, Dargaville (next to bakehouse). Contact Sandy dargaville@grg.org.nz or 021 044 6214.

Hikuwai O Kaipara Waka Ama Club — Meet at the NW Boating Club 5pm Mondays and Thursdays from 5pm for Awa training.

Justices of the Peace — available every Thursday from 12–1pm at the Whanau Focus offices, 61 Victoria Street, Dargaville.

Kaihu Valley Music Club — 3rd Sunday of the Month at Kaihu Hall on Woods Road. 1pm–4pm. Enquires to John or May 09 439 0827.

TIDE CHART

Kaipara Cycling — Calendar of Rides — Thursdays 3.15pm–5.15pm Junior Rides 10 years and older; 5.30pm–7pm Women’s Rides; 5.30pm–7pm Adult Rides. Meet at Time To, Normanby Street. If you are riding the Kauri Coast Mountain Bike Park or you want to join the Kaipara Cycling Club go to join.hivepass. co.nz or email kaiparacycling@gmail.com.

Kaipara Heritage Machinery Club — Open and operating Wednesday and Saturday. New members and volunteers welcome. Something to interest both men and women, come and get involved. Phone 021 106 3635 or 09 439 4614.

Kumarani Creative Centre – Creative Dance! — 5pm Thursdays, 15 Onslow Street. For all ages and abilities, fun and inclusive. Koha.

Kumarani Productions — Tuesdays Circus Kids 5–10 years at 3.45pm–4.45pm, Youth Circus 10–18 years at 5pm–6.30pm and Dargaville Fire and Circus Jam 6.30pm–8pm. 15 Onslow St. Through school terms only. Koha.

Lions Club of Ruawai — Meets 3rd Thursday of the month (social night) and 1st Thursday of the month (business meeting). For more info contact Dorothy on 09 439 2557.

Lions Dargaville — Meeting 2nd Wednesday of the month in Lions Den, Hokianga Road. Contact John for more information 09 439 5937.

Mt Wesley Angels — Meets 2nd Sunday of the month at Old Mt Wesley Cemetery to preserve, record and care for this historic cemetery. Wear suitable footwear, bring water, gardening gloves and a friend.

Narcotics Anonymous — Tuesdays 1pm–2pm. 1/12 Kapia Street, Dargaville.

Northern Wairoa Country Music Club — 1st Sunday of the month at the Scout Hall, 23 Onslow Street 1–4pm. Enquiries to Bruce 09 439 5513.

Northern Wairoa Genealogy Society — Learn how to trace your family history or understand DNA at the Research Rooms, Dargaville Museum, 4th Sunday of each month, 12.30–2pm. Phone Sue 021 608 606.

Northern Wairoa Indoor Bowls Assn — Starts at 7pm Mondays at Anglican Church Hall, Tuesdays at Ruawai-Tokatoka Hall, Wednesdays at Dalmatian Hall. For more info contact Warren Younger 027 478 5102 or evenings 09 439 6155.

NZ 60s Up Movement — Dargaville Social Meetings held at the Lighthouse Function Centre on 1st Tuesday of the month. Contact President Margaret Pinny 09 439 4560.

Paparoa Box Fit — $10. Stretching/cardio/boxing.

Paparoa Memorial Hall, every Wednesday 6–7pm.

Paparoa Dance to Music — $5. Stretching/balance/ resistance bands/Zumba, Paparoa Memorial Hall, every Tuesday 10.30–11.30am.

Paparoa Kids Fun Class — $5. Learning/music/ dodge ball/limbo, Paparoa Memorial Hall, every Friday 3–4pm.

Peggy Purls in our Community — Every 3rd Wednesday 10.30am at Dargaville Sewing and Curtain Centre, 59 Normanby St. Ring Charlene 09 439 6120. Petanque — social play. Mondays 9.15 till 11.30, $2, fun exercise, beginners welcome, all equipment supplied at Sportsville. Judy 09 439 7920.

Pono Lodge Yoga — Pono Lodge, 41 Hokianga Road, Dargaville. Mondays: Hatha Flow 5.30pm, Yin 7pm. Tuesdays: Body Focus 9.30am. For more info contact Anisha 021 301 860 or see our Facebook page Dargaville Yoga.

Practising Presence — Mondays 6–7pm Coronation Hall, Te Kopuru. Led moving and sitting meditations. Remaining in the present moment is the key to inner peace but it takes practice! Exchange: $10 or what you can afford. Maureen 021 0231 8008. www. bringbalance.co.nz.

Recovery Support Group — Mondays 6.30pm– 9pm. 1/12 Kapia Street, Dargaville. Chrissy 09 601 4153 or 021 564 618.

Rotary Club of Dargaville — meet weekly at 11.30–1pm at the Lions Centre in Hokianga Road. New members always welcome, men and women. If you want to join a Service Club with nearly 85 years to Dargaville. Phone Brian 09 439 6175.

RSA Women’s Section — Social meeting held at the Clubrooms, 4th Monday of the month with guest speakers and afternoon tea. Contact President Noeline Wright 027 733 7396.

Ruawai Gardening Club — Meetings or other activities held on 3rd Thursday of every month, Feb to Nov at the Ruawai Bowling Club, 10am start. New members welcome. Phone Merele 09 439 2335.

Stepping Out Leisure Marching Team — Tuesday 4pm–5pm at the Yugoslav Hall, 20 Normanby St. Contact Sharon 027 439 5634 or 09 439 5634 for more details.

Stitches and Craft — 5 Cranley St, Dargaville. 10am–4pm Tuesday and Friday. Contact Lois 027 384 1223 for further details.

Strength & Conditioning — Baylys Beach Community Centre, Mondays and Fridays. Small class groups. 9am–10am, $10 per session. If you’re 50+ and want to improve your movement as you age, this is the class for you. With some commitment you can gain strength as you condition your body for aging. Call Tony 022 311 8447.

Te Kopuru Community Library — access through St Peters Hall. Open Tue 2.45pm–4pm, Wed 10am–noon and Sunday 3pm–4pm. Books for all ages, and jigsaw puzzles, DVDs, CDs and magazines available. All welcome.

Wednesday Crafts — Every Wednesday 10am. Morning tea and lunch will be served. Variety of crafts. The Kiosk at Memorial Park. All welcome. $10 per session. Contact Judy 027 316 3940.

DARGAVILLE

KAURI COAST LIFE CARE

• Short Stay - Respite Care • Day Care Services

• Rest Home Level Care • Hospital Level Care

BROUGHT TO YOU BY…

PUZZLE TIME

Contact our Care Home Manager, Karen on 09 439 6367 to arrange a time to visit our Home. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sudoku

ACROSS: 1 Ashes, 4 Figurine, 9 Jargon, 14 Abuse, 15 More often than not, 17 Fetid, 18 Hop, 19 Mystery, 20 Triggered, 21 Malady, 24 Pretender, 25 Layers, 26 Script, 29 Celebrated, 31 Tot, 32 Degree, 33 Slip, 35 Hue, 37 Bare, 39 North Pole, 40 Trafalgar, 41 Rogue, 42 Foreseen, 47 Globally, 51 Sonic, 55 Unsavoury, 56 Loveliest, 58 Open, 59 Eve, 60 Tart, 61 Stupor, 62 Air, 63 Barefooted, 66 Seethe, 67 Doodle, 69 Northerly, 72 Onrush, 73 Maintains, 75 Fanatic, 77 Rum, 80 Exile, 81 Fit to wake the dead, 82 Often, 83 Snared, 84 Speckled, 85 At sea.

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

DOWN: 2 Storyline, 3 Event, 5 Idea, 6 Uttered, 7 Inauguration, 8 Ernie, 9 Jittery, 10 Rife, 11 Outlay, 12 Pushy, 13 Seaport, 14 Advance, 16 Forbearance, 22 Pester, 23 Frigate, 24 Precede, 25 Lather, 27 Illegal, 28 Recall, 30 Dahl, 32 Deign, 34 Party, 36 Lamb, 38 Ado, 42 Fault, 43 Reserve, 44 Save, 45 Equity, 46 Anger, 48 Out of breath, 49 Apology, 50 Lie, 51 Symptom, 52 Cleave, 53 Over and above, 54 Club, 57 Earthy, 64 Extricate, 65 Sharpen, 66 Sparrow, 68 Dwarfed, 70 Ransack, 71 Assign, 72 Omits, 74 Notes, 76 Audit, 78 Near, 79 Cede.

Insert the missing letters to complete ten words — five across the grid and five down. More than one solution may be possible.

All puzzles © The Puzzle Company www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz

THUMBS

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

CARAVAN EWOF (and marine). Call your local inspector today at A+ Electrical Inspections and Security on 021 240 6764.

CARPET, VINYL and hard flooring. Full supply and installation service. Mobile showroom. Free measure and quote. Phone Christine — Kaipara Flooring Co 021 515 415.

PLYWOOD V-GROOVE, Interior 9 & 12mm. Scooters Plywood 09 438 6565.

SUZUKI ESCUDO Vitara/Grand Vitara — car parts, WOF parts, 4x4 parts etc. Good parts, good prices. Phone Derek 09 439 7573.

TOP SOIL, top quality, $85 per m³ onto your trailer, or truck deliveries available for larger orders. Phone 021 132 4107 or 09 439 5141.

PHONE 09 439 6933

Closing date for classified advertising for the September 26 2023 edition is Monday, September 25 2023

TREE SERVICES

TREE REMOVAL, pruning, chipping & stump grinding. Qualified & Insured. Phone Scott 0800 468 9663, Arborcare Tree Maintenance.

TREE TRIMMING Truck using Grapple/Saw – 26m reach — Pruning, Removal, Chipping, Qualified Arborists

SEPTIC TANK SERVICES

SIMPLE – FAST – SAFE – QUALIFIED – EXPERIENCED

– VALUE FOR MONEY. Servicing KAIPARA CALL Team

WORK WANTED

ENTERTAINMENT

MAGIC PROPERTY Services, effluent & septic tank cleaning. Servicing the Kaipara. Phone Chris 027 480 0110 or Mary 027 459 1544. 7 Days. WE ARE THE ONLY CODE COMPLIANT OPERATORS IN THE KAIPARA. WANTED TO BUY

TRADES & SERVICES

CARPET CLEANING, repairs, re-stretching, and patching. Flood drying and small carpet laying work and upholstery cleaning. Very fussy and reasonable prices. Phone Darren, Alltrades Carpet Services 0800 425 587 or 027 286 8584.

WATER TANK Cleaning. Phone Pete 027 444 3053 or 09 405 9510.

Vegetation on 09 439 0050.

HONDA QUAD 4x4 300cc to 420cc. Contact: c.house@ xtra.co.nz.

OUTBOARD TWO stroke 3.3 or similar wanted. Also one for parts wanted. Phone Derek 09 439 7573.

SUZUKI 4X4 Wanted to buy — parked, damaged or unwanted, Escudo Vitara/Grand Vitara. Phone Derek 09 439 7573.

Ph 09 439

Dry Aged Beef

SITUATIONS

2020

Tautoko Programme Facilitator

(In-school Youth

30 hours per week

Term time only

A MUSICAL JOURNEY through the evolution of Tango. Do not miss the AOTANGO QUINTET — Methodist Church, Monday 2nd October 2023, 6pm. Tickets: Phone Christine, Dargaville Museum 09 439 7555. Adults $30, Students/Children $15, Cash Only. DARGAVILLE’S

Role)

We are seeking a person who is passionate about helping reconnect young people to education, discover their passions, and guide them to be successful.

This is an exciting role, contributing and making a real difference to the success of our youth and positively impacting their lives.

You are part of a support network where empathy, communication and being a positive role model are paramount. Come and join the team at Ruawai College and work alongside our young people to reach their potential. The start date is negotiable. Applications close Thursday 5 October 2023, at 9:00 am. Contact Tyla O’Sullivan at: pa@ruawaicollege.school.nz for more information

CLASSIFIEDS

PHONE 09 439 6933

Closing date for classified advertising for the September 26 2023 edition is Monday, September 25 2023

SITUATIONS VACANT SITUATIONS VACANT

Head of learning Art

1.0 FTTE | Permanent 1 Management Unit (1 MMA) and 1 Middle Management Allowance (MA)

We are a friendly, well-resourced, futurefocused, rural College catering for Years 7 to 13 in the beautiful Kaipara, Northland seeking a passionate, experienced and inspiring teacher to lead visual Arts in the school.

The school values of respect, responsibility, and resilience guide our teaching and learning alongside our PB4L restorative practices. The successful applicant will be student-focused and lead in providing inspiring teaching and learning opportunities in line with our innovative curriculum. They will be expected to contribute to the co-curricular life of the school and have an excellent understanding of the New Zealand Curriculum and NCEA changes.

When applying, please state your other curriculum strengths.

School visits are welcomed.

The start date is Term 1 2024.

Applications close Wednesday 11 October, at 9:00 am. Contact Tyla O’Sullivan at: pa@ruawaicollege.school.nz for more information

Heartlands Coordinators (Two

positions)

We are looking for great communicators to join our team. There are two part time positions available – 1 x 20 hours per week and 1 x 30 hours per week.

The successful applicants will be able to engage with people, understand an individual or wha¯nau needs and connect clients with services and information they need. They will be able to plan, organise and problem solve and will be competent with computer skills including video conferencing and using other digital technology platforms. They will have good knowledge of different government agencies and understand key processes. They will build partnerships and networks with other community/government agencies and organisations.

Please apply in writing to whanaufocusmanager@gmail.com by 29 September 2023.

Healthcare New Zealand is looking for an empathetic and passionate Female Support Worker to work within our Community Services for a specific male client based in Dargaville

Our client is a 48-yearold man, living with his family in Dargaville. We are looking for someone to provide Personal Cares and Household Management. Training will be provided, and commitment to the shifts is vital. You will have the ability to work one on one with our client, to ensure he lives the best life possible.

Requirements:

• Must have a clean and valid

NZ driving licence.

• Must be eligible to work in NZ.

• Subject to clean police clearance check. Varied Shifts available and relief work:

• Mon to Sun 3 Visits a Day - 1 Hour Per Visit (TOTAL 21 HRS) *with an opportunity to pick up more shifts around the area.

What we can offer you:

• FREE ongoing NZQA equivalent qualifications in Health and Wellbeing

• FREE EAP service anytime you might need counselling support and advice

• FREE mobile phone

• Travel reimbursement between your clients

Kindly email your CV and Cover Letter to marian.mascarenhas@healthcarenz.co.nz or 0800

RURAL

TWILIGHT GOLF

Pahi Reserve

PUBLIC NOTICES

ANNUAL GENERAL HUI

PUBLIC NOTICES

A MUSICAL JOURNEY through the evolution of Tango. Do not miss the AOTANGO QUINTET — Methodist Church, Monday 2nd October 2023, 6pm. Tickets: Phone Christine, Dargaville Museum 09 439 7555. Adults

$30, Students/Children $15, Cash Only.

ACOUSTIC MUSIC Blackboard Concert — First Thursday of the month — 7–9.30pm, next is 5th October 2023, Kaipara Community Centre, Hokianga Road, Dargaville.

$2 entry, $2 raffle. Performers and audience welcome. Phone Allan 09 439 6933 or 021 439 697. An enjoyable night to be part of, sit back and be entertained by some great local talent.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS both Dargaville AA Meetings are held at the church, corner Parore and Normanby Streets. Use Parore St entrance. Monday 4.30pm & Thursday 7.30pm. Phone Bernie 027 212 2148, Ladies 020 4082 1373, Murray 09 439 5248.

ARE YOU having problems with a mobile phone or other device? The next Digital Clinic is Friday 22 September. Call in or phone the Citizens Advice Bureau, for more information and to make an appointment. 37 Hokianga Road, phone 09 439 6100.

COATES MEMORIAL Church AGM will be held on Wednesday October 4th at 4pm, at the church.

DARGAVILLE HEALING rooms 7pm Tuesdays. No charge & no appointment necessary. Lion of Judah Building, River Road. All Welcome. Check us out on Facebook.

GUITAR LESSONS. Fast track your guitar journey with Brian Baker. Face to face lessons, beginners to advanced. Phone 027 223 8998.

PAHI HALL - Notice of Annual General Meeting. The Pahi Community Hall Society Incorporated will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 10th October, 11am at the hall. All welcome.

Snowmass (NZ) Limited of Mangawhai, Grocery retailer has made application to the Kaipara District Licensing Committee for the renewal and variation of an Off License in respect of the premises situated at 43 Moir Street, Mangawhai known as Supervalue Mangawhai

The general nature of the business conducted under the licence is grocery store

The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is sold under the licence are: Monday to Sunday 7am to 10pm.

The current conditions to be varied are to increase the licensed footprint area to include the store shed, portacom office and container situated at the rear (but not) in the grocery store.

The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the Kaipara District Licensing Committee at 32 Hokianga Road, Dargaville or Unit 5, 6 Molesworth Drive, Mangawhai.

Any person who is entitled to object and who wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the first publication of this public notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee, Private Bag 1001, Dargaville 0340.

No objection to the renewal of a licence may

Public notice

(Section 101, Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012)

D Town Ltd of Dargaville, has made application to the Kaipara District Licensing Committee for the issue of an On License in respect of the premises situated at 75 Victoria Street, Dargaville known as D Town Indian Fusion Restaurant

The general nature of the business conducted under the licence is Restaurant

The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is intended to be sold under the licence are: Monday to Wednesday 11am to 3pm & 4.30pm to 9pm. Thursday to Saturday 11am to 3pm & 4.30pm to 10pm. Sunday 4pm to 9pm. The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the Kaipara District Licensing Committee at 32 Hokianga Road, Dargaville or Unit 13, 6 Molesworth Drive, Mangawhai. Any person who is entitled to object and who wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the first publication of this public notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee, Private Bag 1001, Dargaville 0340.

No objection to the issue of a licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 105(1) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

This is the second publication of this notice. The first was published on the 12th September 2023.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and Te Topu Ika o Ngāti Whātua

Notice is hereby given that the 2023

Annual Hui of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and Te Topu Ika o Ngāti Whātua will be held on:

Saturday 25 November 2023 commencing at 10.00 am at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua

193 Lower Dent Street, Whangarei

AGENDA

• Karakia-Mihimihi

• Apologies

• Confirmation of MinutesMeeting held 2022

• Presentation of 2022/2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements

• Te Topu Ika o Ngāti Whātua report

• Presentation of 2023/2024

Annual Plan and Budget

• Confirmation of Appointment of Auditors

• General Business

• Karakia Whakamutunga

Printed copies of the above documents will be available at the Annual General Hui and electronically on Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua website following the huihttps://www.ngatiwhatua.iwi.nz/

In the event that we cannot hold the AGM kānohi ki te kānohi, we will revert to the online MSTeams format, as was done for the 2021/2022 AGM.