The Weekend Lifestyler, March 19th 2021

Page 1

March 19 2021

More than jack-o’-lanterns They’re versatile, come in many colours and taste delicious. Whether it’s scrambling across an old wall or the edge of the garden, there’s something delightful about squash and pumpkins. Their heritage goes back to South America. From there, these adaptable plants have taken hearts and filled stomachs for many generations. With the start of autumn kicking in, the harvesting will soon begin, and with it the thought of delicious pumpkin pie and soup. Check out Jessica’s pumpkin soup recipe in last week’s publication on page 9 for some inspiration. continued on page 6…

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March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER IS PUBLISHED WITH PRIDE BY INTEGRITY COMMUNITY MEDIA, A PRIVATELY OWNED KAIPARA COMPANY.

Free online learning for all u by Andy Bryenton

Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville Editor: Deb Wright | 021 639 696 Journalists: 0800 466 793 | Andy Bryenton | Liz Clark | Ann van Engelen Marketing: Betty Willetts 027 525 8197 | John Pickworth 027 525 8189 | Andy Bryenton 021 439 947 Creative Director: Jessica Keesing Design Team: Sacha Freeman | Gavin Bainbridge | Kelsey Hansen

The Kaipara, Whangarei and Far North district councils are joining forces to deliver a new digital education service through our region’s libraries, perhaps the biggest online education initiative ever seen in the north.

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p The upside of Covid-19; the potential for digital learning and remote mentoring has been realised, expanded on and embraced, with new services offering a pathway to fresh career choices

“Kaipara Libraries are joining with Far North and Whangarei libraries in promoting the Connected Northland programme,” says Dargaville’s chief librarian Lisa Salter. “This shared service initiative is funded by three civic councils, the Northland Regional Council, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Northland Inc.” Drive is an online learning portal free to all Kaipara residents. It offers a wide range of technology courses for all levels of competency and experience. These vary from beginner-level classes, such as how to use a mouse and navigate a user interface like Windows, all the way through to basic programming. There is a focus on employment capabilities; classes cover a raft of skills that can help a person gain confidence and computer literacy for all kinds of modern workplaces. Once again, the range of options is varied, from marketing on social media to coding your own website and using HTML. Drive also offers a suite of ‘life skills’ classes to assist people with their day-to-day activities; how to access government services, budgeting, investment and scheduling courses

that can be of benefit to anyone. The next step for this ambitious programme is known as Digital Works, a four to six-week one on one remote mentoring programme, which aims to match job seekers with new employers in Northland. Right now, stakeholders in the Drive initiative are talking to potential employers about how to engage with this next step. The aim of project organisers is to achieve an 80% placement success rate, as candidates will be mentored

Drive is an online learning portal free to all Kaipara residents through pre-work training by people with inside knowledge of the industries and even individual companies they want to work for. Full information is available at local Kaipara libraries, with the roll-out happening in mid-autumn from April onward. You can find out more by paying them a visit or accessing the Kaipara Libraries website. ¢


THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

Library on the move

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u by Andy Bryenton

For east Kaipara residents, one of the most important issues to speak up on in the Kaipara District Council’s proposed Long Term Plan is the relocation and rebuild of Mangawhai’s library. This civic amenity is currently attached to the Moir Street town hall and has all but outgrown its small footprint. To achieve better opening hours and to accommodate more literature, a new building is suggested in the LTP. It’s a microcosm of the pressures engaged by rapid growth; pressures addressed at the hearings for a private plan change to accommodate the construction of the new Mangawhai Central development. The town’s population sat at 3,144 in 2013, growing to 5,031 in 2018, and is forecast to climb to 9,041 in 2031. By mid-century, the seaside community could be a busy minimetropolis of 15,000, according to statistics published by the KDC. It means a need for improved infrastructure in many areas, including civic improvements such as libraries. ‘Over the next three years, Council proposes to secure a site to develop a new library and plan the development,’ states the LTP document, detailing the costs and likely location of the new construction. ‘Council has recently looked at potential locations for a new library in Mangawhai. While several options such as Wood Street and Mangawhai Community Park were considered, Council believes the two locations that provide the best outcome for now and the future to be in Mangawhai Village or at Mangawhai Central.’ The KDC says that acquiring this land and building a new library could be funded from a variety of sources, with a price tag of an estimated $5 million.

p Mangawhai’s small library could find room to grow if the KDC’s Long Term Plan is adopted as written

Some will be covered by developers’ contributions, but it’s anticipated that 50% of the multimillion-dollar build will impact ratepayers. Once a site is finalised, the relocation is planned to begin in 2025. Like all options in the proposed LTP, the move of the Mangawhai library is up for public consultation. You can have your say

by visiting your library to access a hard copy of the LTP documents or go online to kaipara.govt.org for a digital version. Follow the links or fill in a submission

form to express your opinion on all the changes outlined for the next decade in our district; submissions close at the end of the month. ¢

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4 March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

Kaipara District Council is seeking your feedback now to develop their Long Term Plan 2021 – 2031. To have your say visit kaipara.govt.nz/LTP You can talk to us at: Saturday 20 March 8.30am - 1pm - Mangawhai Tavern Market Friday 26 March 4-7pm - Dargaville Twilight Market


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THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

Saving lives in the surf u by Andy Bryenton

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand, the organisation that supports the more than 4,500 volunteer surf lifesavers patrolling Kiwi beaches each summer, has released a critical report highlighting life-threatening ignorance about the power of the sea. According to the Beach & Coastal Safety Report published by SLSNZ, there are on average 36 drowning fatalities each year around our coastline. It’s a number that is growing, not shrinking, despite the hard work and resource deployment of surf lifesaving professionals and volunteers. SLSNZ chief executive, Paul Dalton, says the new findings are deeply upsetting, both for loved ones of the deceased and for volunteer surf lifeguards who are at the coalface of the issue.

“The number of fatal beach and coastal drownings in New Zealand has actually increased by 18% over the past five years compared to the previous five years. “Our fatal beach and coastal drowning rate is 48% worse, per capita than Australia’s,” he says. Shockingly, 87% of drowning victims were men. “Every person who dies on our beaches and coastlines is someone with a whanau and a community who loves them and misses them. What’s particularly gut-wrenching is that, as

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with the road toll, most fatal drownings are preventable.” The reason, highlighted by the people who must risk their own safety to rescue those in trouble, is ‘a critical lack of public awareness around beach and coastal safety’. In the decade to 2020, surf lifeguards rescued more than 10,000 people on beaches and coastlines across New Zealand. This figure does not include the almost 1,000,000 preventative actions taken by surf lifeguards on the beach, nor the 20,400-plus first aid

responses conducted by lifeguards for the same time period. “These are incredibly sobering figures, but they’re just part of the picture,” says Dalton. “Surf lifeguards do more than patrol between the red and yellow flags over summer. Through emergency call-out squads, they conduct search and rescue operations year-round — often in difficult and dangerous conditions. Surf lifeguards also utilise their skills in non-beach events, such as car crashes or medical events.” ¢

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March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

More than jack-o’-lanterns u by Liz Clark

Recently, I had a surprise when I found a self-sown butternut squash seedling struggling to grow in a crack in the clay. Rather than pull it out, I gave it a dressing of blood and bone, covered the soil with some fine mulch and gave it a good watering. A week later, the tiny plant had put on a burst of growth and had flowered. Two weeks on, at the time of writing, there is now a robust vine with several fruitlets forming. Autumn and a crack in the ground isn’t the best start for either seeds or young plants. Whether it’s squash or pumpkin, both come from the same family and need the same soil conditions and the right season for optimum growth. Choose a location in a sunny spot at the edge of the garden or a wall for best light conditions. Pumpkins require a lot of growing space. The vines can grow up to two metres long and grow either on a trellis or along the ground. Once a location has been chosen for planting, fork in a lot of compost, old manure and a good dressing of blood and bone. The plants do well in warm growing conditions. Seeds can be started indoors in late winter and planted out once the danger of frost has passed. Mound up the soil above the ground level and

place your seeds or seedlings two metres apart to allow some growing room. Protect the young plants from slugs and snails with an appropriate non-toxic bait if you have pets or young children. During the summer months, place mulch beneath the vines to maintain the soil moisture and reduce the time spent watering. Mulch will also protect the forming fruit from having direct contact with the ground and prevent them from rotting before harvest. Pumpkins and squash need a long growing season, around four months, to ensure large fruit. Restrict the vines to three fruitlets on each lateral; it will produce large healthy fruit instead of many small, weak ones. Harvest after the vine has died back and store in a cool dark place with a length of stalk left attached. With many types and varieties available, it comes down to preference when choosing a type to suit taste and use. In the pumpkin range, try out Confection, Kumi Kumi, Small Sugar and Triamble. For squash, consider Burgess Buttercup, Honeynut, Pink Banana Jumbo and Ronde de Nice.


From cargo to oysters

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

7

u by Liz Clark

On January 22 1912, at the boatyard of Brown & Sons of Te Kopuru, a small vessel built for the river trade was released down the slipway. The Toiler was christened by the wife of its owner, Lionel Thomas Kitching, who had commissioned its building for use in the local river trade. Built from kauri, the steamer had a length of 22.86m and was powered by two 130hp engines. The vessel’s service as a ferry for the Dargaville to Ruawai run carried passengers and goods between the two townships. In March 1916, the papers reported the death of Frank Thompson, who drowned after crossing from the Toiler to the Bellbird. His body was never recovered from the Northern Wairoa River. Two months after the incident, the steamer assisted the threemasted schooner Maroro after she was caught up in heavy seas. The Maroro was towed into the safety of the Kaipara Harbour by Kitching. He later claimed salvage fees from the schooner’s owner, Sydney-based Union Box & Packing Company. However, the company refused to pay the £1,000 the Toiler’s owner had asked for. The resulting dispute headed for the courtroom in November 1916 and into the newspapers of the time. ‘The statement of claim based the sum claimed upon the estimated value of

the Maroro’s hull at £2,300, and her cargo at £1200, the value of the Toiler being assessed at £3,500. It was also stated that the Toiler was not insured except against fire risks.’ In December 1916, Kitching’s case was upheld. However, he was awarded a far lesser amount of money £250 instead of the initial £1,000 claimed. In August 1917, Toiler was purchased by the Auckland East Coast Freezing Company for use at its Whakatane freezing works. She was surveyed in Auckland by the Marine Department in 1920 and was still owned by the same company. However, her usefulness as a steamer for the freezing works at Whakatane soon came to an end. In 1925, she was laid up in the Whakatane River and put up for sale by her owners. Two years later, in 1927, the vessel was sold to the Bluff Crayfish & Oyster Company in Southland for use as an oyster boat. The company used her until 1929 when she was again laid up and put on the market. The vessel was used for several years more before some time after 1960, she was beached on an island off Ocean Beach near Bluff and left to the elements. ¢

p The Toiler saw life as a river vessel, lighter for a freezing company and finally as an oyster boat based in Bluff, Southland

p Launch day in Te Kopuru for the Toiler was a colourful affair

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March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

Jessica’s kind of quick beef pho u by Jessica Keesing

Pho is just so dang good I wanted to share it with you. It takes a few steps, but trust me — it’s totally worth it. This pho certainly isn’t a traditional pho at all; that takes much more skill and patience than I have. If you’ve got hours and hours on your hands, you can slowly bring this broth to life and let it cook for the entire day, adding the brisket early, so it’s absolutely fall-off-the-bone delicious. I’m such a haphazard cook, take the measurements with a grain of salt, and trust your gut. Add a little more of this and a little of that if that’s what feels right for you. This does have the controversial coriander in it, so if you aren’t for coriander, give it a miss. It’ll still be fine. Still, go on, live a little, give it a whirl! The beauty of this dish is once it’s cooked, you can customise it however you like, as I touch on at the end of the recipe. This would probably be enough for four people with reasonable serves but if you’re all eaters, just do a bit more. I’m a feeder, so I love people being content and full. INGREDIENTS 1 brown onion 1 fresh ginger (around 7cm) 4–5 whole star anise 8 cloves 2 tbsp black peppercorns 2 tbsp whole coriander seeds 2 beef briskets (I get these from the supermarket with the bone in, the bone adds a bit of delicious flavour) 1 500g–600g Rump steak 1 Chilli ½ c fish sauce ¼ c rice wine vinegar ¼ c soy sauce 2 handfuls dried mushrooms 1.5 litres of beef stock (either use box stock or the concentrated stock) BEEF MARINADE 1 tbsp chilli paste 2 tbsp soy sauce 4 c boiling water (for adding to the stock when it’s reduced) FOR THE GARNISH 1 pkt Vermicelli noodles (prepare as per packet) Half a red onion (finely sliced) Fresh Thai basil or normal Mint Mung beans Hosin sauce Lemon or lime Chilli paste

METHOD Preheat the oven to 200C grill. Put rump steak in the freezer in order to firm up for cutting later. Cut onion and ginger in half and put into the oven, you’re looking for a bit of caramelisation on the outside, around 5–10 minutes. Alternatively, if you’ve got a gas hob you can char it. In a large pot, put coriander, peppercorns, star anise and cloves and toast for about five minutes, or until fragrant. Once toasted, add stock, chilli, dried mushrooms charred onion and ginger, then add fish sauce and rice wine vinegar. Let boil for around 10 minutes. Taste, you’re looking for a lovely deep flavour with an umami undertone. Once this is achieved, add your brisket and simmer for as long as you can. I like to give it a couple of hours, but at a push an hour and a half does the trick. Check on it as you don’t want it to reduce too much, if it does, add some water and check flavours. Tweak here and there when adding water, you don’t want it to end up too salty. The brisket won’t ever be totally tender, but boy — has it got some flavour going on. Once the brisket is cooked, remove from the pot and cut into chunks then strain the broth into another pot to remove the aromats and return to low heat. Return the brisket back to the pot. Prepare all garnishes, pick the basil and mint leaves, finely slice red onion and prepare noodles as per package instructions. Combine the beef marinade and set aside. Remove rump from the freezer and slice finely, add to marinade for five minutes. Once marinated, dip into the broth for two–three minutes until the meat is cooked through and take back out again. In a bowl, lay down your noodles, add brisket, rump and fresh herbs then pour over broth, then add mung beans and red onion. From here, you can doctor it however you please by adding some hoisin, lemon fresh chilli and chilli paste to your taste. Then, sit back and enjoy the delight.


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THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

Before you do — make a plan u by Liz Clark

It’s one of those dreams many have; alternative living away from the pressures and demands of urban life. A few will enjoy the lifelong goal of owning a lifestyle block complete with a life of bliss and relaxation. It’s a dream this writer achieved back 17 years ago, the 10-acre dream and the idyllic life — it wasn’t without its challenges. Kaipara District has been experiencing an upsurge in lifestyle blocks during the last few years, and with it, new owners — some with no experience. It’s fine to want to have a few acres, gardens and animals to match the dream. However, reality and dreams are two very opposite things, especially when it comes to having animals.

First of all, take a look at fencing; different animals need various kinds of containment. Most importantly, check your boundary fences first before you do anything else. Ensure the battens, posts and wires are all sound; get in a professional if repairs are needed. You can prolong the life of your fencing by using an electric wire on the inside. Internal fences can be expensive. The most cost-effective is an electric fence using posts, tape or wire. See your local farm supply store for advice or get in touch with a local fencing contractor. Once your fences are prepared and secured,

depending on the animals you want to have, the next thing to consider is — how many can the land carry? If you’re planning to get cattle, as an example, it’s one cow for each hectare. It’s better to understock rather than overstock your land. For instance, run two cattle on your 10-acre block rather than 10. Trouble comes in winter if you overstock your land. With the keeping of stock also comes responsibility and sometimes veterinary care when needed. Often novice lifestylers will post on open forums asking for advice on care for sick or injured animals. The rule

is simple — call a veterinarian first. Goats, horses, sheep and cattle also need regular drenching and footcare. Set aside a budget for your animals’ care. Last but not least — never be in a hurry. It’s better to wait than to rush into getting animals to stock your land, especially if you’ve never had them before. Get advice from experienced farmers and lifestyle block owners first before going ahead. Animals are a 24/7 year-round commitment. Do your homework first and get it right the first time around. It will save trouble in the long run. ¢


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March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

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THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

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12 March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

p Jill, Nicole and Shane have collected an incredible cornucopia of vintage, retro, interesting and useful items that defy easy categorisation

The element of surprise u by Andy Bryenton

It started life as an unassuming grey corrugated iron workshop opposite Maungaturoto’s historic tavern. However, all that changed when Nicole Williams and her family moved in, bringing the space to life as a one-of-a-kind emporium of ephemera. That’s an old-fashioned word that means ‘anything and everything’, a fitting turn of phrase for a shop that is a little bit unique, retro, and vintage, but a whole lot less curated and singleminded than a true ‘boutique’ collection of vintage goodies. Nicole says that the most prevalent expression on her customers’ faces when entering the multi-layered displays of Maungaturoto Second Hand is a surprise. “Word of mouth has spread, and people often tell me that they were told to come here. “That they must stop, and take a look, because you never know what you’ll find,” says Nicole, holding a cup of the coffee that her eclectic store also serves to travellers. “That creates a bit of an expectation, but re-rise to the challenge!”

Situated where they are, just around the corner from the ‘crossroads of the Kauri Coast’, Maungaturoto Second Hand catch Aucklanders headed for the beaches, explorers headed for the

For many, it’s a trip down memory lane

west coast and Waipoua Forest, and those curious about what lies on the sunny side of the Brynderwyns. Armed with an old Italian espresso machine, a can-do attitude and a massive supply of quirky, vintage stock, Nicole and her team make fitting ambassadors for the Kaipara west of the highway, welcoming the curious and adventurous.

“For many, it’s a trip down memory lane,” she says, with a nod to a wooden steam train toy this reporter once owned at the ripe old age of three. “You never know what might spark off whole chains of memories and fond reminiscences. It’s neat when people get excited about things from their past. You can go years without thinking of something, and suddenly, there it is.” Certainly, some of the items here pop out as icons of Kiwi kitchens, lounge rooms and homes of the 60s, 70s and 80s. A glimpse of brown and orange floral patterning or goldsparkled white formica, and you’re back at grandma’s table, waiting for scones to cool. Then there are the lost toys, old records and vintage clothes you might recall taking to an op shop or


13

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

That got too small too fast, and we had to move to bigger premises. Not just because of the floor space, but also because of the work my husband Shane does behind the scenes

garage sale. ‘Oh, my goodness! I didn’t know that was worth something!’; there’s another phrase Nicole hears a lot of. She’s often busy sourcing new stock, picking up houselots or single items, seeking the interesting and the odd. “However, mostly, it just comes to us,” she admits. “People might not want to have a garage sale or use online marketplaces; too many questions, too much hassle. They get me to pick things up, and sometimes people even rent the truck to move house and leave things inside for us on purpose when they hand back the keys.” Not everything is cool, retro-chic. There’s plenty of useful but mundane things, too; cutlery, plates, tools, blankets, books and more. All of them

find homes, and the prices suit the provenance. Right now, Maungaturoto Second Hand has a $4,000 chandelier for sale, as well as old-school desk lamps, and vintage coloured light bulbs, of the kind you’d see on an old circus marquee. They’re just $5. Of course, Nicole can’t do it on her own. From day one of her second-hand odyssey, she’s had help from family, friends and staff (who come to fit in both categories, she says). Beginning in Ruawai with her aunt and selling clothes, Nicole moved to Maungaturoto and set up shop in Hurndall Street. “That got too small too fast, and we had to move to bigger premises. Not just because of the floor space, but also because of the work my husband Shane does behind the scenes. He services motors, checks electrics,

restores items, and of course, there’s plenty of heavy lifting. Our sons, Reece and Zac, used to be a big help with that side of things, but they are grown now and pursuing their own careers.” Not that the family business is any less busy. As well as full-time staff member Jill, who Nicole credits with helping create the image and layout of the store, there’s help from Anna, the ‘next generation’ and Nicole’s daughter, nearly eight years old. She helps out on Fridays after school, learning the trade and developing the same skills, which make her mum an entrepreneur spanning hospitality and retail. “We’re the welcome at this end of town,” says Nicole. “That’s why the coffee is so important. We’re often the first stop for travellers heading north

when they turn off the main highway. A place to relax, stretch their legs, grab a hot drink, and hopefully find something interesting.” During the years, there has been plenty of that, from bromeliads in flower to hard-to-find old vinyl, tin signs from vintage auto brands, gold-framed baroque paintings the size of table tennis tables and even a full-sized land sailer with all the rigging. It’s a busy life, meeting new people, figuring out what strange kitchen utensils and Victorian-era tools are actually for, and heading out to replenish the stockpile of goodies yet to see a price tag. One thing it never is, though, says Nicole, is boring. That’s as good an endorsement as any to come and take a look; you literally don’t know what you may find. ¢


14 March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

Helping hands for food bank

OPINION

An invisible species

u by Andy Bryenton

u by Cam O’Flage

During 2020, an election year, you could hardly turn around in the Kaipara without bumping into an earnest and concerned politician. Covid, business confidence, farming issues, social ills; all had their champions, with a soapbox on every corner. There was even the grand spectacle of New Zealand’s larger-than-life veteran of the halls of power, Winston Peters, accompanying his protege and colleague Shane Jones on a tour of massive wealth disbursement, the biggest Northland had ever seen. The Provincial Growth Fund was Santa’s sack, and the millions were handed out to promote all kinds of projects for local betterment. “Huh,” said the cynics. “It’s a bribe. We won’t see more of this after the election.” The cash has come through for PGF projects, despite the exit of New Zealand First and a change in power structures in Wellington. What nobody predicted was the deafening silence that has descended on our region. We’ve got two elected representatives in power here, and they have become all but invisible. “Northland has for decades been forgotten,” said Shane Jones in the summer before Covid, announcing funding for new Mangawhai footpaths. Now it seems it’s back to that old status quo. When can you last remember one of our elected representatives getting out and about to ask what we want talked about in the Beehive? Better yet, where are the clinics to meet with farmers over planned reforms? Where are representatives of the central government to weigh in on big issues that are being fought by grassroots

EITHER WAY IT’S 20K

groups? Where’s the advocacy for local business, and rural business, which has gotten us through Covid? Say what you like about Shane, but he at least delivered the dollars. Now Northland seems to have once again gone back to being the appendix of Auckland, and both our voices in parliament and those in opposition are nowhere to be seen or heard. Make no bones about it; we’re a region facing challenges and a lot of change. Take a look at the Kaipara District Council’s Long Term Plan and rates proposals, and you’ll see that we’re headed for what Confucius would have called ‘interesting times’. In such straits, leadership is an important thing. Having a voice at the big table is equally vital. Nevertheless, if we’re not seeing our elected representatives and their opponents, hearing their points of view, or being able to see transparently what our votes have equated to, representative democracy means getting elected to act as a spokesperson for your voters. That might mean you have to talk to them. We’re not looking for a massive windfall, though some investment in regional prosperity would be nice (it’s also part of your job). Show up. Get interested. Or the silence we’re hearing now from our alleged leadership will be echoed at the polling booths. ¢

MIND YOUR SPEED AROUND SCHOOL BUSES

At the old church just up from the Mangawhai Museum To book go to www.mangawhaimovies.com

MADE IN ITALY M

Adults $12 Under 15s $5

THE WAR WITH GRANDPA PG13

Saturday 20th March 7.30pm

Saturday 27th March 7.30pm

2020 Romance/Drama 1h 34m

2020 Comedy/Family 2h 21m

Kaiwaka’s food bank helps approximately 50 people a week, feeding families in need with the support of community donations. Now a new opportunity shop is pitching in, with a groundswell of goodwill.

p Alison and Milly are getting proactive to help their community, turning second-hand goods into food for the needy alongside the food bank and op shop team

Organised by a committee of wellmeaning locals and situated at the corner of State Highway One and the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road, the new opportunity shop is being run by a familiar face in the area, Milly O’Leary. She’s previously been the instigator of the St John opportunity shop at the top of Kaiwaka’s hill. “I like to help, so I got involved, and I have ended up running it,” says Milly. “It was 11 years ago when I started the St John shop, so after that, I took a short break. After a spell of about a year, I came back to help our food bank.” The shop officially opened on January 13. Two months in, the stock is plentiful, the donations generous, and the customers increasing in numbers. The small shop, adjacent to Kaiwaka’s memorial hall and beauty salon, has little space for large items of whiteware and furniture. However, even in the time it took to interview Milly and volunteer Alison Christie, another local person had

Delivering personalised goodbyes for over 70 years. Thank you Northland, for the trust you place in us.

THE CALL OF THE WILD PG Saturday 10th April 7.30pm 2020 Adventure/Family 1h 40m

arrived with armfuls of paper bags full of donations, and customers were queueing to sign in with the Covid tracer at the door. “Because of the size, we can’t really take anything large, but we welcome good quality small items, homewares, blankets, clothing, books and toys,” says Alison. Milly says that the other vital component of the op shop ‘recipe’ is in ample supply; willing volunteers who give freely of their time to help their fellow citizens. “We put out the call to the community, and the response was amazing,” she says. “We have a roster of days which gives us time to work with many volunteers. Young or old, it’s good to see them all coming through. For the young folks, it can be a valuable work experience, too.” Every cent of profit from the store goes directly to the food bank and is turned into meals on tables for those struggling to make ends meet. ¢

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$15 Blechnum ‘Silver Lady’ PB5

$30 Tray of 40 Manuka in biopots

Plus many more!

09 437 5799 office@morrisandmorris.co.nz morrisandmorris.co.nz

Don – 021 983 560

Kirstin – 021 983 565

Tues – Sat 9-5 Monday by Appt. www.greenspaceplants.co.nz 243A Mountain Road, Kaiwaka


15

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER March 19 2021

PUZZLE TIME

Jumbo crossword ACROSS 1 Be totally unfeeling (4,1,5,2,5) 10 Disappears (8) 15 Rectangular (6) 16 Rousing device (5,5) 17 Large neckerchief (8) 19 Area of fruit trees (7) 21 Intended (5) 22 Sway (9) 25 Decorate with needlework (9) 27 Staying power (7) 29 Posture (6) 33 Imperfection (5) 34 City in Canada (8) 36 Feeding on both plants and animals (10) 39 Rim (3) 41 Entourage (7) 42 Intelligent (6) 43 Window shade (6) 44 Side (4) 45 Madden (7) 48 Links (4,6) 53 Boating event (7) 57 Wheel shaft (4) 58 Lodge a protest (6) 59 Cowardly (6) 60 Brief garment (1-6) 62 Moose (3) 64 Past times (10) 65 Defensive fence (8) 66 Grey-faced (5) 69 Irritable (6) 70 Hairy (7) 71 Confound (9) 76 Waterproof cover (9) 77 Fritter away (5)

206

38 Arithmetic (4) 40 Match up (4) 45 European country (5) 46 Cabbage salad (8) 47 My robe (anag)(6) 48 Fond of company (10) 49 Old stringed instrument (4) 50 Pilot’s compartment DOWN (7) 2 Hair colour (6) 51 Incapable (6) 3 Era (5) 52 Casts off (5) 4 Embrace (3) 54 Effortless (4) 5 Absent (4) 55 Spray can (7) 6 Circus swing (7) 7 Severe food shortage 56 Oil ship (6) 61 Party pooper (3,7) (6) 63 Sun-dried brick (5) 8 Slant (4) 67 Rough guess (8) 9 Sobriquet (8) 68 Cipher (4) 11 Became less 69 Card game (7) intense (6) 72 Decorative style 12 Sign (10) (3-4) 13 Employee (4) 73 Alternative (6) 14 Surprise (7) 74 Atoll lake (6) 18 Sweet opaque gelatinous dessert (10) 75 Heart (6) 79 Fire prod (5) 20 Uncommon (4) 80 Leg joint (4) 23 Rock climber’s 81 Tangle (4) spike (5) 82 Celebrity (4) 24 Rude and 85 Long thin feathered disrespectful (8) scarf (3) 26 Mild illness (7) 28 Huntsman’s cry (5-2) 30 Public house (6) 31 Conviction (6) 32 Champion (6) 35 Trunk (5) 37 Dance from Brazil (5) 78 Enticed (7) 83 Ancient Hindu language (8) 84 Steamy jungle (10) 85 Going by cycle (6) 86 Assisting in wrongdoing (8) 87 Trade on past glories (4,2,4,7)

Sudoku

Previous crossword solution

1 7 9 2 4 3 8 5 5 8 6 9 7 3

4

MEDUIM

3

5 9 6

4 1 7 3 6 57 28 9 41 8 95 22 47 6 2 99 5 2 8 4 3 6 9 81 6 78 14 32 5 Previous solution

Fill 6 the 1 grid 7 so 9 that 4 2 3 every column, every 8 2 5 3 6 7 4 row and every 3x3 9 contains 4 3 8the1digits 5 7 box 12to 9. 6 9 5 7 1 8

3 6 5 1 2 9 8 7 4

829 48571 35 87 64 56 93 12 5 2 4 7 6 8 9 1 3 17 398 2 9 1 4 6 5 6 1 9 4 3 5 7 2 8 648 57223 69 51 72 31 84 96 31 946 8 4 3 2 5 7 5 3solution 8 6 9 4 1 2 7 Previous 4 7 1 2 8 3 9 5 6 1 9 6 7 5 8 2 4 3 7 8 2 4 3 6 5 9 1 Puzzle 3 5 4 All1puzzles 2 ©9The 6 7Company 8 www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz

ACROSS: 1 Close, 4 Pull one’s socks up, 14 Shaft, 15 Unlit, 16 Cloudburst, 17 Total, 19 Ire, 20 Jealous, 21 Bride-to-be, 22 Primed, 25 Penthouse, 27 Pirate, 28 Serene, 33 Ballooning, 35 Boo, 36 Static, 37 Stag, 39 Vow, 41 Coerced, 42 Muesli, 43 Untrained, 44 Scrim, 45 Carefree, 50 Co, 51 Infantry, 55 Delta, 58 Principle, 59 Salver, 60 Corrupt, 61 Soh, 63 Eyed, 64 Porous, 65 Ilk, 66 Spellbound, 68 Setter, 69 Censor, 71 Apologise, 76 Acumen, 77 Apportion, 79 Stalked, 81 Odd, 84 Shine, 85 Interweave, 86 Humid, 87 Adept, 88 Daylight robbery, 89 Fever. DOWN: 2 Landed, 3 Swill, 5 Ugly, 6 Louvres, 7 Nobody, 8 Strut, 9 October, 10 Kite, 11 Upturn, 12 Rapid, 13 Steeple, 14 Slumber, 18 Auctioneer, 23 Motif, 24 Stratum, 26 Enlarge, 27 Proviso, 29 Extinct, 30 Pagoda, 31 Obese, 32 Kitten, 34 Glut, 36 Sward, 38 Giddy, 40 Data, 45 Copse, 46 Raiment, 47 Fact, 48 Employ, 49 Bliss, 50 Cashier, 52 Footlights, 53 Nervous, 54 Ripens, 55 Devotee, 56 Fluke, 57 Lens, 62 Sells, 67 Request, 68 Scholar, 70 Sapling, 72 Proverb, 73 Retina, 74 Stereo, 75 Revise, 76 Added, 78 Octet, 80 Louse, 82 Feel, 83 Over.

5x5 V S R V I S O R

N U

E N N U I

S

E

I

E

S S L I T S

T E P E E

S T E R N

S E

O L R Insert the missing letters R M to complete ten words F the D — five across grid S and five down.V N More than one solution R N S may be possible.

N Previous solution

O F F E R

G R A V E

L A D E N

E M E N D

R E S T S


16

March 19 2021 THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER

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