The Weekend Sun 21 March 2014 by Sun Media

21 March 2014, Issue 692

INSIDE Sideline safety

Boardwalk banquets

P7 P18

P11

Bathtubs to race

Farm on show

Plus so much more!

Trick or training? Peter Broxholme’s eye-catching motocross skills have seen him win races all over the world – but the Greerton rider has more than trophies on his mind. Peter now travels the country, and the world, training riders to use safe techniques. This week he visited a Tauranga kindergarten to help more local children learn bike safety early. See page 23 for more. Photo by Alick Saunders.

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The Weekend Sun

The Weekend Sun is published every Friday, circulating throughout the Western Bay of Plenty, delivered free to 64,180 homes of more than 159,700 residents from Waihi Beach, through Katikati, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, Papamoa and Te Puke including rural and residential mailboxes. The Weekend Sun is produced by Sun Media Ltd, an independent and locally owned company based at 1 The Strand, Tauranga.

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Sun Media Ltd Directors: Claire & Brian Rogers General Manager: Ross Brown Editorial: Andrew Campbell, Hamish Carter, Letitia Atkinson, Phillipa Yalden, Corrie Taylor, Elaine Fisher, Zoe Hunter, Luke Balvert, Merle Foster. Photography: Tracy Hardy, Bruce Barnard. Advertising: Kathy Sellars, Suzy King, Lois Natta, Kirsty Hutcheson, Rose Hodges, Aimee-Leigh Brunsdon, Tasha Paull, Abby Taylor, Lucy Pattison, Bianca Lawton. Design Studio: Kym Johnson, James Carrigan, Sarah Adamson, Kerri Wheeler, Kyra Duffy, Amy Bennie. Digital Media: Lauren McGillivray, Jay Burston Office: Julie Commerer, Melanie Stone, Kathy Drake.

Crocs, and the end of the world 2014/15

Annual Plan DRAFT

at Tell us wh

you think

The 2014/15 draft Annual Plan is being consulted on now. Your Council heard a clear signal for change. We are proposing a range of new ways of doing things in order to control rates and debt, while investing in Tauranga’s future.

open days

A summary document and submission information will be delivered to your home in the next few days. You can also meet with the elected members at one of the following events: 3pm-6pm Thursday 27 March Greerton Village Square 11am-2pm Saturday 5 April Bayfair Shopping Centre 9am-midday Sunday 6 April Bethlehem Lions Market 11am-2pm Thursday 17 April Tauranga Waterfront

ft The dra and Plan Annual ocument ry d summa le to view on ab il a v a site are il's web Counc ga.govt.nz, auran s www.t librarie ouncil r e m or at C to s Cu and the Centre. Service Image supplied by GPS-it

I really hope you can read fast. Because the End of the World is coming and I’d hate you to be half way through a Rabbits column when suddenly, whammo. The world ends, in a chaotic maelstrom of chaos and maelstrom. I have no idea exactly what maelstrom is, but it probably goes well with garlic and a wee glass of chardonnay. I must look it up in Rogers’ Thesaurus. Anyway, back to our untimely demise. NASA, the people who successfully convinced us that they put a man on the moon and a probe on Mars, and faked Sarah Palin’s intelligence, have digressed from their usual rocket and space stuff, and come up with a study that concludes that civilisation is heading for a nasty catastrophe. Why an organisation that we all know as a space agency would consider it necessary to digress from making big whooshing rockets and suddenly get all whimsical and doomsday-ish, is anyone’s guess. But they have put a lot of effort into a study, only to find out we’re all screwed, basically. I won’t bore you with the details, mainly because a mathematician was involved and anything involving maths, beyond working out how much parking time a dollar will get me in Grey St, is mindnumbingly uninteresting. I’ve been known to fall asleep in the build-up to Play School*, after only reaching the window count of two. But suffice to say, the NASA picture is not flash. It basically says that the elite of the world will suck up all the resources (presumably, including all the Double Happy sausage rolls from Bethlehem Bakery) and the “masses” will go without. Using theoretical models to predict what will happen to the industrialised world during the course of the next century or

so, mathematicians found that even with conservative estimates things started to go very badly, very quickly. And that’s not even counting a disappointing outcome of NZ’s ‘Masterchef ’. They’ve studied other great civilisations including the Romans, Han and Gupta empires and concluded that they all came unstuck in spectacular fashion. Personally, I blame the sandals. Could it be that as soon as a civilisa-

tion invents sensible shoes, all hell breaks loose? Should we read anything into the growing success of Crocs? Why we need a mathematician to decide these things is completely beyond my simple grasp of what makes the world go round.

This maths dude, Safa Motesharri, explored the factors which could lead to the collapse of civilisation, from population growth to climate change, and found that when these converge they can cause society to break down because of the “stretching of resources” and “the economic stratification of society into Elites and Masses”. I’ve another answer for the threat. All of those so-called civilisations had smart ass mathematicians. That’s the common denominator (ha, I did learn something, Henry Dixon!) in this puzzle. Put all of the mathematicians on the next space probe to Mars, or maybe for a dinner party in Alaska with Sarah, and the problem is solved. Easy. When it comes to mathematical dilemmas, you can count on Rogers. Hard to believe that people can trot out this end-of-civilisation garbage. Trust me, it is complete nonsense. Civilisation might not be perfect, but it’s not the end of the world. The timing of this load of bull couldn't be worse. It comes in the same week the United Nations declared Thursday the International Day of Happiness. How were we meant to be happy on Thursday when we were told on Monday that civilisation was going to self-destruct? And are any of you still happy today? Did you not know that Thursday was your allocated Happy Day and if you are still happy going into the weekend, you are in breach of UN policy, and could be censured for being joyful out of season. Hey, you’ve got The Weekend Sun, what could possibly make you happier! And a bonus, it looks like you made it through to the finish of this column, before the world ended. *Here’s a house. Here’s a door. Windows, one, two, three, snore.

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IMPORTANT STUFF: All material is copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Sun Media makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information and accepts no liability for errors or omissions or the subsequent use of information published. Footwear played a major role in the development of the Roman Civilization. Better shod armies travelled further across rougher terrain. As the empire expanded however supplies to the outposts from Rome became impractical. Roman sandal and shoe making and vegetable tanning were therefore introduced to the conquered. The Roman Empire stretched far beyond Greek boundaries and the terrain and weather conditions necessitated more sturdy footwear. The Greeks were preoccupied with elegance and grace whereas during the Republic (circa 509 BCE – 43AD), the Romans were more pragmatic and devised thongs suitable for military activities.

The Weekend Sun

Alleyway antics A cul-de-sac community’s decade-long battle to prevent unruly youths in a nearby alleyway is finally gaining traction with Tauranga City Council agreeing to shed some much-needed light on the anti-social behaviour.

Tauranga City councillors have agreed to install security lighting in the path after hearing 92-year-old Mary Marshall’s detailed letter at council’s city delivery committee on Tuesday. Mary is one of 41 residents who live in the area around the alleyway, between Francevic Ave and Ocean Downs Reserve, petitioning for TCC to close the path because of anti-social behaviour problems. Mary says she’s twice caught children climbing the fence into her property and her house has been burgled. “As well as all the graffiti, there are bottles smashed in the walkway after drinking sessions, leaving a dangerous mess. Beer cans have been thrown over the fence; and a few years ago a bottle was thrown over the fence,” says Mary. Other issues include eggs and rotten fruit being thrown at the side of her house and stones thrown at the garage door. TCC councillor Steve Morris say this is the third time the petition has come before council in the last 10 years, with no solution sought yet. But he admits the problem is not as simple as closing the accessway because it doubles as a stormwater flow path and could have a negative impact on run-off

Mary Marshall petitioned to close the alleyway between Francevic Ave and Ocean Downs Reserve. Photo by Bruce Barnard. during heavy rain, resulting in nearby properties being flooded. Steve says council is looking to move a street light at the end of the walkway closer, as well as installing a sensor light to provide more illumination in the walkway. “From my perspective the rights of the residents to not have that nonsense going on outweigh the ferals, who are doing that [drugs and drinking] in the walkway. I think it’s not too much to ask to get the thing lit up at night. “This has been going on for a decade and I think we need to send the message across that good people going about their daily lives are a higher priority than troublemakers and their freedom.” A Francevic Ave resident, speaking after the decision, still prefers council to investigate closing the accessway, believing additional lighting will only present further problems. A council report states the 33metre-long accessway has good visibility from one end to the other and is designated as an overflow stormwater path with adjacent properties sitting about one metre above the level of the accessway. By Luke Balvert

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4 A selection of some local breaking stories featured this week on...

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0800 SUNLIVE

Grieving mum wants legal high ban

In a sport where size really does count, Tauranga Boys’ College’s rowing captains are taking a different approach.

A Tauranga woman who recently lost her son is mounting a campaign to ban legal highs in New Zealand. Katie Bayliss' 23-year-old son Russell Harley Pataka, known as Harley to friends and family, died suddenly last Monday. His death has now been referred to the Coroner. Katie says he was always an up-beat young man who had no history of mental illness. But Katie believes Harley, just like his friends, had been smoking synthetic cannabis prior to his death. She is now on a mission to have legal highs banned in NZ and has since started a Facebook page – Ban Synthetic Cannabis Nz Wide.

After training for 10 months, the college’s rowing co-captains Nathan Oakley and Isaac Crockett-Powell are determined to finish the season strongly at next week’s Maadi Cup – and they’re not just talking about their own double sculls events. Nathan says the trick of lifting performance in a sport dominated by the big, is all about polishing your technique. “That’s our whole approach. “We’ll be digging deep and trying to lead from the front,” says Nathan, who along with Isaac, hopes a solid performance by the 27-strong rowing team will

Arrests in Pongakawa burglary

Two people have been arrested following an attempted burglary and high-speed chase through the Pongakawa area. A 26-year-old Te Puke man is facing charges of burglary, driving dangerously, and failing to stop, and a 23-year-old Te Puke man is charged with burglary. The pair were arrested after three men were disturbed inside a house in Pongakawa on Wednesday afternoon.

Nathan Oakley, 16, and Isaac Crockett-Powell, 16, get in practice at Memorial Park. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

lay strong foundations for next season. Tauranga Boys’ College – which has a strong tradition in rowing – is in the process of rebuilding this year following the departure of its senior rowers. This season there is no senior eight – in fact it looked like they may have only one senior crew when half of the under-17 four dropped out. Unsure of what to do, Year 12 students Nathan and Isaac, both 16, turned to a double scull. “It’s great to be doing well after struggling earlier in the season,” says Isaac, who refers to their recent success at the North Island Secondary School Championships where they competed in two age groups – placing fifth in the under-17 and fourth in the under-18 lightweights age-group. A handful of other Tauranga Boys’ College crews also finished strongly.

The co-captains – who’ve been training 10 sessions per week in the lead-up to Maadi Cup week which begins Monday in Twizel – take their responsibility of supporting the other rowers equally seriously. “I know just how important the role is. Some of the guys can get a bit down on it if they don’t do as well as they want. That’s where we come in.” Both recall how the encouragement motivated them in their early years to keep putting in long hours training, including 6am sessions. After hundreds of hours’ training, they’re determined to win medals in both events and oversee a successful regatta. As for all of the hard work, Nathan says it’s paid off by making him more disciplined. “Having to get up at 5am, it’s bedtime by 8.30pm, so there’s no time for By Hamish Carter mucking around.”

Millions owed in outstanding reparation A total of $4,545,833 in reparation money is overdue in Tauranga.

Third vet robber jailed

The total figure is broken down by reparation that is still under arrangement: $2,858,838 and reparation that is not due yet: $563,654. These figures, obtained by The Weekend Sun from the Ministry of Justice, are current as of January 31, 2014. Reparation is where a judge can order an

Robbing the Brookfield Veterinary Clinic with an extendable baton has landed a Tauranga woman a four year and two month prison sentence. Cathy Anne Davies appeared in Tauranga District Court on Wednesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to count of aggravated robbery for her role in the robbery in July last year.

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The Weekend Sun

A vested interest

Bay of Plenty Rugby Union operations manager Neil Alton demonstrates the new high visibility vest, aimed at reducing sideline abuse at club and secondary school levels. Photo by Ross Brown.

“For our game to grow, abuse must go.” That’s the new slogan the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is using to begin a concerted effort in reducing harmful sideline abuse at rugby matches across the region this season. Each season the rugby union deals with sideline abuse cases of players or spectators ‘losing their rag’ – which is affecting the game’s ability to attract and retain volunteers, referees, spectators or players, says Bay of Plenty Rugby Union operations manager Neil Alton. “Aggressive and loud spectators on the sideline embarrass the players. No one likes to hear abuse towards the coach or referee,” says Neil. Taking a proactive approach to the verbal issue will see 24 Bay of Plenty secondary schools and 39 rugby clubs, from Katikati to Te Kaha, receive three high visibility vests each, one for each water carrier to wear at the games. The vests have the anti-sideline abuse message

branded on one side. All Western Bay of Plenty junior referees will also receive a vest. Neil says the concept is supported in a code of responsibility, signed by the clubs and schools, which is a positive step forward in controlling the issue. “I wouldn’t say it’s growing, but I would say there is a growing awareness of it – and it’s our responsibility to make the sideline as safe as possible, and in doing so there will be a positive spin-off for people to come to the game or get involved. “I think whether you’re a club person or a referee or someone involved in junior rugby, you see the incidents happen each week and you cringe and think it’s not good and it turns people off the game.” Neil says it is coaches, managers, and secondary schools at the “coal face” of the sport holding the key to helping make the game more enjoyable for not only the players, but everyone involved on game day. The high visibility vests will be seen on the sideBy Luke Balvert lines at all matches this season.

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Boardwalk banquets

Cyclone Lusi moves events A number of events scheduled for last weekend were postponed due to Cyclone Lusi, and are now running this weekend. Last week’s edition of The Weekend Sun has all the details and can be viewed online at www.sunlive.co.nz The Amazing City Race, organised by Tauranga City councillor Catherine Stewart, is postponed until Saturday, March 22. ASB Baypark’s Red Ant Design Sprint Car Gold Cup and Engineering Ramp Demolition Derby is now on March 22 also. The Junior Tiger Golf Tournament to be held at the Tauranga Golf Club will go ahead on Sunday, March 23, at 10am. The same goes for the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival screening of The Endless Summer at Mount Drury Reserve. The free outdoor screening, run as part of the festival celebrations last week, is now on March 23.

HUGE SAVINGS direct from the manufacturer Jessica Payne from Pizza Library and Pearl Bishop, 4, enjoy pizza in Pilot Bay while artists Wendy Pedersen, Simon Anderson, Jannine Bishop , Kate Steeds and pianist Rosalie Crawford entertain them. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Tunes will be heard from the Pilot Bay Boardwalk as the latest in a series of colourful community piano projects comes to life in Mount Maunganui. The Boardwalk Banquet Piano is the seventh piano to be revived by local artists through The Incubator and placed out in the community for residents to play at will. With its sunset theme, the idea behind the new piano came from resident Rosalie Crawford, who hopes to incorporate it into her boardwalk busking and encourage people to enjoy picnics while listening to the music. Rosalie purchased the old piano for $30 from TradeMe, and Stewart Fleming from Mount Backpackers donated $450 for new wheels. A passionate sunset photographer, Rosalie thought of the idea for a banquet-style piano after her mother set up an impromptu birthday dinner at the beach.

“The whole idea gelled of creating a Mount-themed piano out on the boardwalk in Pilot Bay, and to have people enjoy the music and eating together. “The heart of a lot of what I do is about inspiring and building community; and I really wanted people to feel uplifted and encouraged when they saw or heard the piano.” Rosalie keeps the piano in her garage and rolls it to the boardwalk when weather conditions are right. “I plan to take it out on any opportunity possible in the evenings between 5.30pm-7.30pm.” The Incubator director Simone Anderson says six artists worked on the Boardwalk Banquet Piano, taking about six weeks to complete. “Artists come in when they can, some of them haven’t met one another; they just carry on from where the other left off.” Seven revived pianos are now placed throughout the Western Bay of Plenty. The idea is people can play the pianos in public, encouraging creativity and comBy Corrie Taylor munity interaction.

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The Weekend Sun

Red appeal for sight Living blind for 15 years, David Monk knows the immense value of his guide dog Warner. And he’s hoping to share this value during Red Puppy Appeal, from March 28-29. Warner is David’s second guide dog after he was diagnosed with glaucoma and told he’d lose his sight in 1987. Being totally blind for 15 years, David says Warner – who is nearly reaching retirement age at 10 years old – plays a big part in his day-to-day life. “I’m on an orchard and he takes me around different parts of the orchard. I can get around with a walking stick, but he’s much quicker. “First of all he’s a companion, and then he’s a guide dog.”

Having owned Warner for about eight years, David says they bonded very quickly and Warner goes nearly everywhere with him. “I take him with me when I go out, especially to the bowling club. He enjoys that.” David last year became a world blind bowls champion, and has about 10 national bowling titles to his name. The sport is one of the things he is grateful to be able to continue. “I was fully sighted and going blind was a gradual process. I have met people who have gone through the windscreen of a car and lost their sight instantly; that’s a lot more traumatic.” Currently, the Blind Foundation is appealing for volunteers to help collect donations on March 28-29. David volunteers each year and says taking Warner along with him always attracts a little “extra attention” and donations. Funding goes towards training about 120 new guide dog puppies each year. To join David, sign up to be a volunteer on March 28 and 29 by visiting redpuppy.org.nz or phone 0800 120 254. By Corrie Taylor

David Monk with guide dog Warner. Photo by Chris Callinan.

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The Weekend Sun

Testing the waters

Rates deadline on way The second instalment of Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s rates for the 2013/2014 year is due on March 28, 2014, to avoid a 10 per cent penalty. Residents’ rates invoices were mailed to properties at the end of August 2013. For more information, visit www.westernbay.govt.nz

Councillor resigns from board Western Bay councillor John Scrimgeour is resigning from the Te Puke Community board. A full WBOPDC meeting yesterday saw the council accept John’s resignation and thank him for his service on the board.

Nathan Capp crosses the line in second place at Wellington’s State Capital Classic in January. Photo by Simon Watts, BW Photography Ltd.

Water is set to boil with fierce competition at Mount Maunganui beach as a record 1100 swimmers don a cap and wetsuit in tomorrow’s State Sand To Surf race. The 2.6km journey taking the swimmers around Rabbit Island and Moturiki Island, ending on the Mount Maunganui Main Beach, is the penultimate round of the six-part nationwide State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series. The record number of competitors will take part in three distance options; the 2.6km, a 1km and a 300m, while six to 10-year-olds can enter a State OceanKids 200m event. But all eyes will be on the star-studded elite field, with the vital competition points on offer heading into next month’s finale; the King of The Bays on Auckland’s North Shore. Different race winners in each of the four events so far this season, in both the women’s and men’s series, means there are plenty of contenders heading into tomorrow’s event. In the men’s series, three of the four race winners will be on the start-line this weekend: Harbour Crossing winner Kane Radford, Capital Classic champion George O’Brien and La Grande Swim winner Rhys Mainstone from Australia. But one swimmer keen not to be taken lightly is Greerton’s Nathan Capp, who is returning from his Auckland training base for a tilt at the title.

Fresh from a Swimming New Zealand four-week altitude camp at Northern Arizona University, the 1500m national record-holder is feeling fighting fit and keen to stir up the competition standings. “The trip was for Commonwealth Games qualifying on April 8-11. I know it takes a little while to adjust back to sea level, but I’m ready,” says Capp, after returning home on Tuesday. Capp, competing in his second Sand To Surf, says he always looks forward to coming back to the Bay of Plenty and supporting local competitions despite spending most of his time in the confines of a pool. “I don’t really know if hometown advantage gives you any benefit or not, but I’m looking forward to it. I don’t really have a race plan, so I will just try and go out with the likes of Rhys and Kane and see what happens.” For Rotorua’s Radford it’s another chance to show he’s a serious contender against quality opposition, even in conditions he’s not used to. “If you catch a wave on the swim in to the finish at Mount Maunganui, it can often decide the race,” says Radford. “But having said all that, I haven’t entered to come second in this race.” The 2.6km race begins 9.30am, followed by the three shorter distances between 11.15am and noon. By Luke Balvert

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Taking the plunge Charitable teams are ready to brave the icy water this weekend when they plunge into the annual Heart Stopper Challenge. On Saturday, March 22, the event which raises money for the local and national @Heart charities will take place at Coronation Park in Mount Maunganui. It’s the first time the event will be run outside, and has already attracted record entry numbers, says organiser Rachael Parkes. Anyone is invited to watch, and donations are encouraged. The Heart Stopper Challenge begins at 10am.

The Weekend Sun

Spotlight on sustainability Sustainable living comes to the forefront this weekend in a dedicated environmentally-friendly event – the first of its kind in Tauranga.

Tania Gaborit-Haverkort makes a banana smoothie using a pedal-powered smoothie maker, one of the attractions at Envirofest. Photo by Chris Callinan.

This Saturday, Envirohub Bay of Plenty’s Envirofest will take over Historic Village – with 25 sustainable stalls and workshops, and 20 unique food stalls using compostable packaging. These will be accompanied by music and fun activities for children, including painting a biodegradable wood fibre pot and taking home a native plant from Trees for Survival and BioGrow. Organiser Tania GaboritHaverkort says the event is a first for Envirohub – being run as part of Sustainable Backyards Month. She hopes it will become an annual

event on the month’s calendar if all goes well. Tania encourages everyone to come along and check out some of the workshops, which involve everything from solar power and permaculture to worm composting. “What better way to learn about the environment than to do it while having fun?” Spot prizes will be given away, Sport BOP is holding a scavenger hunt, and learning opportunities are through conservation activities with the NZ Landcare Trust and Forest and Bird. Envirofest is on from 10am3pm, Saturday, March 22, at Historic Village on 17th Ave. Entry is gold coin donation for adults, and free entry for children. The Sustainable Backyards Calendar is full of events until early April. Visit www.envirohub.org.nz By Corrie Taylor

Explore, discover, walk “It’s like looking up at the Milky Way,” says Tauranga outdoors enthusiast Ric Balfour.

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The Tauranga YMCA CEO is talking about one of the Western Bay’s “underrated gems” at McLaren Falls Park: the glow worms that sparkle in a canopy of overhanging roots on a track. This Sunday Ric is running a guided walk through the bush to the glow worms as part of Play in the Bay’s Walk Month. “It really is something special and it’s only a short walk up from the visitor centre and back, so it’s accessible for almost anyone.” The guided walk takes about 30 minutes each way up to just beyond the waterfall. It includes an explanation of the life cycle of fungus gnats – the larvae of which are known as glow worms. The walk will depart from the park’s visitor centre at 7.30pm, with participants encouraged to wear warm clothes and sturdy footwear. Small penlight torches or the glow from mobile phones are ideal for lighting up the track. For more details phone 578 9272. Sport Bay of Plenty recreation advisor Jen Riley is also encouraging anyone interested in taking part in regular social walks to join one of more than 30 City on its Feet groups, from Papamoa to Bethlehem, which meet weekly for a stroll in their area. For details visit www.sportbop.co.nz/cityonitsfeet or phone Jen on 578 0016. Walkers in Brookfield can join a new group being set up by the Brookfield

Community Centre (details: Rosslyn, 020 4028 9322 or brookfieldcommunitycentre@yahoo.co.nz). A ‘Yellow Brick Road’ walk (3km or 6km) at The Lakes with Wizard of Oz characters is on Saturday, March 22 from 10am-2pm (details: Eden, 027 353 4644). For more details on all walks go to By Hamish Carter www.sportbop.co.nz

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Greener season on show The grass is literally greener for Andrew and Robyn McLeod’s Farm Day this weekend. The couple is again opening their Papamoa farm to the public for Tauranga’s annual Farm Days event – with an entirely different experience on offer. Last year visitors were met with a brown, dry farm in the midst of a Bay of Plenty-wide drought. The drought had devastating effects on the 127 hectare family farm, and Andrew was milking once daily and using supplement feed. Things had never been so hard, says Andrew. “Last year, since the start of February, we started dropping off in feed and production rapidly, but this season has been a lot kinder to us. The cows – 357 being milked – are in better condition and we should be able to have a much longer season.” It’s the fifth time Andrew and Robyn are hosting

the event, designed to give families an opportunity to see how a farm works and have fun learning some of its processes. “It is a really fun day out, having everyone here and showing them what they don’t normally get to see,” says Andrew. “This year we’ll be able to milk during the day, so everyone can see cows being milked and some people can have a go themselves.” Also on offer is sheep shearing, a sheep dog display, horse riding, a static tanker display, and Rosie the Cow. “She puts on a dance, she goes around the country doing this; and this year she’s coming here. “It’s quite an entertaining show I understand.” Tauranga’s Farm Day is Sunday, March 23, from 10am-2pm at 1189 Welcome Bay Rd.

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Councillor Cowley tweeting the week away This week’s column is written as a bunch of tweets (social media mini blogs made up of 140 characters) to squeeze as much action into one column as possible. Here we go:

# Olympian Sarah Ulmer was #

#A Wellington institute

presented how Tauranga and NZ could be a place to grow, attract, retain and connect talent in a competitive world.

impressed with the stories of how the Foundation for Youth Development has turned young lives around in Tauranga. We’re planning to gift the Durham St carpark ($3.7m) to the university to ensure its long-term investment and provide education pathways for locals. Downtown Tauranga shared their issues and opportunities for building a city centre we’re

proud of. The 6000 office workers will be the key. Our draft annual plan for next year will be available for feedback on March 20 to April 20. An easy-to-read version will be in your letterbox. Councillor Clayton Mitchell and I enjoy the spectacle of councillors soap-boxing when adopting the draft budget. It’s a good sign we’re working well together. I'm so happy with people’s disappointment of Cyclone Lusi. We had lots of warning

to sandbag the city and sweep the drains – we’re very lucky! Win $9000 by entering your bright idea in the annual Young Innovator Awards by July 4. An ice cream cone drip-guard won a prize last year. The old i-Site in the Mount hasn’t been open for two years. A bakery was the top tenderer to use the building to bring life to Coronation Park. We’re going to review plans for our 119 reserves to ensure they’re still right for how they're used and they suit their surroundings. The art gallery wants to fundraise to attract bigger and brighter exhibitions. We supported the deed to form a foundation and attract funders.

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need to be more efficient to enable staff to do their job. But the media didn’t mention one six-figure decrease.

# Call me a geek, but excit-

ing changes to the city plan are coming up, including inner-city living and visitor accommodation densities.

Tourism Bay of Plenty reported 50 per cent of cruise tourists stayed in the western BOP. Tourists rank our i-Port as the third best in Australasia. Main streets around the city are doing well in tough economic climates to get people into their centres by focusing on fun.

Feel free to email me your thoughts (matt.cowley@ tauranga.govt.nz), call/text me on 027 6989 548, and follow me at www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice.

A doggy day out for pooches Dog-tastic news folks! There’s an awesome event for all dogs and their owners at Mount Maunganui this weekend – with all kinds of canine fun planned. We’re all invited to Showdogs’ free Dog Fun Day on Sunday, March 23 – where there’s an open-toall dog show, prizes galore, and sweet-smelling sizzling sausages. Of course the sausages will be for the humans, and I’ve heard they’ll get pizza and ice cream too, so I asked Showdogs owner Tatiana Fleury what treats I can hunt down on the day. She said I could try my luck at some of the competitions. There are categories for biggest dog, smallest dog, best dressed pet, cutest dog and best dog trick – even a live grooming competition.

Not that I need grooming, my coat is fantastic. There is also a free professional dog photographer. Tatiana says Marina Galiotto will be photographing canines with their owners, and giving the shots away at a later time – for free! How cool is that. Being a professional, Marina will know to get my good side. Who are we kidding? Every side of mine is good right? I hear the awesome folk from Mount Vet Hospital will have their ambulance there and are offering prizes for the competitions. This sounds like a great family day in the sun. It all starts at 11am at Coronation Park. The only rule is us canines must be on the leash. It’s so cool we are allowed to have these dog-friendly events – so let’s all keep to the rules. - Flo

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Vying for national community award Two Bay of Plenty community groups arriving in Invercargill today will tomorrow vie to win the TrustPower National Community Awards – and one has a novice way to beat 23 others.

Katikati Theatre Inc, regional winner of TrustPower’s Western Bay Community Award, and Tauranga Men’s Shed, regional winner of TrustPower’s Tauranga Community Award, have made a 1000-word submission on their community involvement, and they’ll each make an eight-minute visual and verbal presentation tomorrow. The award is decided 50 per cent by judges, and 50 per cent by each group voting for one other. Judging is 8.40am-4.15pm, with a winner announced tomorrow night. Katikati Theatre Inc chair Dave Woodhouse says his group’s presentation fits with its talents. “Ours is a more theatrical presentation – and we’re aiming to ‘wow’ the judges.” Dave will present with Julie Thomas and Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson. “It’s about what Katikati Theatre has done for Katikati – it highlights what we’ve done from inception to now and includes all productions we’ve performed so far.” “Let’s say some characters in our previous productions come to life.” “There’s somebody in Katikati that doesn’t say very much but is very well-known – he’ll be making a guest appearance.” By Merle Foster

Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson, Katikati Theatre Inc chair Dave Woodhouse and Julie Thomas imitate ‘Barry’ – a popular Katikati statue featuring in their awards presentation.

Shining light on sustainability – and neighbours When 24 people observed last year’s Earth Hour at Kati KaiWay, the only critique Jizzy Green received is everyone wished it had been longer. “We encouraged people to turn their lights off at home, ditch watching telly, and join us with their torches; we had torch games for the children and shared dessert,” says Jizzy, who organises working bees on the edible food highway in Katikati’s Gilfillan Reserve. This year the reserve’s Earth Hour event

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aims to connect people with sustainable living – and their neighbours. “It coincides with Neighbour Day, getting out and getting to meet your neighbours – and it draws people’s attention to climate change,” says Jizzy. “It’s the whole thing of getting people to just do something slightly different – save power and turn their lights off for an hour – and because it’s an international event, it shows huge energy saving across the world.” Earth Hour’s theme is ‘Earth Hour Blue – use your power to make change a reality’. “We’ve had organic goods donated us by Ceres Enterprises and we may raffle these

off to donate money to one of the causes.” Katikati Kindergarten initiated the Kati KaiWay Community project, as it fits in with the parents’ and teachers’ philosophy of caring for the environment. Next Saturday, March 29, the Earth hour is at Kati KaiWay from 8.30pm-9.30pm. Jizzy says the event will be kept to the international directive of just one hour. She encourages families to make a dessert, bring it to KatiKaiWay, with a picnic rug, eating utensils and torches. “There’ll be fire poi dancing with Kal Irwin and music to entertain by Ukati’s By Merle Foster ukulele band.”

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Not so joyous news

A media article on Monday heralded a $10 million building spurge to remediate the demand for new houses. But its not so joyous, however, for the increasing numbers of local residents who cannot afford to be entering this housing market or the market of any level. Take a stroll around the domain and you will quickly appreciate the raise in homeless locally and who camp out in the edges of the park. Recently, I was contacted and called to inspect a number of tenants from Jacaranda Close in Brookfield, owned by Housing NZ. This call joins a list of many in the last month.

independent

VIEWS

A tale of two cities

Tauranga may want to be two fundamentally different cities. First, is the retirement village that is gentle, genteel, safe, welcoming and supportive. It will likely have policies to deliver community services, easy enjoyment of an unspoilt environment, and the opportunity to live a simple life. This is the city the council attempted to capture in its analysis of the agedfriendly city. Second is the exciting business centre, competing aggressively for external investment and supporting economic opportunities. This is the city promoted by SmartGrowth.

Council: how big?

Sounds easy, but this is a really tricky question. Most council spending is on infrastructure – water, sewerage and roads. It’s big ticket stuff. Scale and expertise matter. So, should we have fewer and bigger councils – a series of mini-Aucklands to give us the size infrastructure needs? But what would this do to local voice? Across the world we know more and more people want to be part of council decisions, which affect where they live. The bigger the council, the harder this is. Put aside Auckland, and the average population of New Zealand’s district and city councils is still more than 45,000 people. What happens elsewhere?

Out and about

Elected members recently visited the Port of Tauranga. After a briefing of the Port’s operations and their future projects, elected members boarded a bus and were driven around the Port on both sides of the harbour bridge. We were fortunate to see the seventh crane being put together on the Sulphur Point-side. The crane will then be rolled forward on a Teflon-like coated base to its permanent position alongside the other cranes. Elected members called in to see some of the museum artefacts in storage. Dean Flavell and Fiona Kean explained their work, including their involvement with the centenary of the World War 1 commemorations.

Gannets galore On my recent sea trip, I was thrilled to see gannets galore. They are spectacular to watch but photographing a gannet in flight is not an easy task. I decided to turn the focus gear set on manual and shoot on motor drive; the theory

being that one image would be sharp. It worked and here is the result. The white water in the top of the image is a school of trevally feeding on the surface. Learn more about wildlife photography at Andy’s next photo workshop. Visit www.andybelcher.com or email photos@andybelcher.com

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Katikati gala prize-packed

3D sand sensations David Rendu, Constanza Nightingale and Jamie Harkins creating art on the beach. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Two Tauranga artists are making Mount Maunganui beach-goers look twice with their 3D sand sculptures.

skateparks and other geometrical shapes. They work for about two hours to make their creations, with help from friend David Rendu. Jamie Harkins and Constanza “Sometimes they can be half Tagini Nightingale create the a football field. We’re racing optical illusions on the shoreline against time pretty much before between Matakana Island and the tide comes in.” Mauao. To create a drawing, Jamie Inspired by a group of artists in gets an elevated view of the New York who can transform a beach from the sand dunes whole street into a three-dimenand imagines what the shape is sional world with chalk drawings going to look like. For perspec– Jamie wanted to create his own tive, he directs Constanza and version at home. David where to mark key points “That’s thousands and thouin the sand. sands [of dollars’ worth] of chalk Some of the artists’ 3D work. From there, the artists carve pastel and I didn’t have and sculpt the sand to create those thousands of dolanamorphic illusions. lars, so I asked myself “Both me and Connie like how I could do it for surrealism, so we really like free and we started stuff floating and big holes and doing it on the beach. surreal landscapes,” says Jamie. “I think we’re the To really trick the eye, Jamie first to do it in 3D on and Constanza stand on the the beach. I googled it drawings for a playful and but I haven’t seen any realistic effect. others anywhere else.” Although he doesn’t want to Using only garden give all away his secrets, Jamie rakes and a couple of – an artist for 20 years – says sticks, Jamie and Constanza create what appears to the sand has to be just right – “not too hot be a staircase leading into the ground, a diving board, and not too damp”. By Zoe Hunter

Haunted classrooms, cute babies, silent auctions, and children’s rides galore – it’s all happening at Katikati Primary School’s first gala in five years this Saturday. The action and prizepacked gala is set to be a cracker – and it’s all in the name of linking community and providing technology for the school. Parents Of The School member Leonie Gourlay says there’s plenty of entertainment, an auction and raffle drawcards. “We are raising funds for information technology for the school. “We’ve got bouncy castles, horse rides, lots of silent auction-type items ranging from Auckland accommoda-

tion and Kelly Tarlton’s and MOTAT passes, to a weekend in Rotorua with entry to the bird sanctuaries and Rainbow Springs. A hangi is on offer, with pre-sale $10 tickets at the school. But the must-see item is a haunted classroom – the brainchild of Year 5-6 pupils. Vote for the cutest baby competition was born from the junior school. Katikati Primary School’s gala is this Saturday, 10am-2pm, with free entry. Pictured: Year 2 pupils Hannah Gourlay and Jack Harray, with windmills they’ve made for this Saturday’s gala.

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Tub primed and ready for racing With plugs and helmets firmly in place, bath tub racers are geared for hotly-contested action at this weekend’s 2014 Bowentown Bath Tub Regatta. Postponed from its original date in early February, the event will see bath tub races sprint across Tauranga Harbour in Bowentown at speeds of up to 40km/h on Sunday, March 23. Event organiser John Fagan says tubbers are making their way from Tauranga, Whitianga and Auckland for the 11th annual event, where new and improved tubs are expected to set high standards. “Technology is catching up with it and there are new, faster bath tubs being built. But the same rules apply, you have to have a part of the bath tub in the water at all times

and the rim completely exposed.” The sport originated in Nanaimo, British Colombia in the 1960s and involves a bath tub boat and an eight horsepower motor. While quirky – it is hotly contested in Bowentown and Whitianga, says John. “It’s great to watch and everybody is looking for the odd thing to happen, and we see motors come off and bath tubs flipping over and all sorts happening.” There are rules to ensure all is fair and nobody is injured, says John, whose own three-year-old tub is ready for action in this weekend’s racing – hosted by Bowentown Boating and Sport Fishing Club. “My brother and I decided to build one and it caught on.” “This is our fourth one we’ve built; each one is better.”

All proceeds from the event go to Waihi Beach Coastguard. Registrations are on the day from 10am, with racing at 1pm. By Luke Balvert

School icing the cake There are high hopes among the Maungatapu School community its next fundraiser will bring in important funding to provide students with “icing on the cake” items.

e bl . la ore ith vai t m s w y a d ou lla or fin Vi at h to v t er abe ns liz co Call E

The Maungatapu School Twilight Gala is on Thursday, March 27, from 4pm-7pm and is the school’s main funding initiative for 2014. Mother and organiser Fiona Robinson says they hold one big fundraiser every couple of years and next week’s event will have plenty of food and entertainment for families to enjoy together. “There is plenty of exciting stuff on the field, including a big crane, pony rides, and a bouncy castle. One of the parents runs a laser tag, so they’re bringing that in for us.” Donations from local businesses have allowed for a number of raffles, including a luxury car for a weekend. Children will be hosting stalls, selling food, games and various items. There will also be local band Monkey Pilots and Zumba demonstrations. “Hopefully it stays fine and we make some money for the school,” says Fiona. “This is really important, with the funding we provide for things like library books, and mathematic packs, and sports uniforms. Just the icing on the cake items; and this year I think we’re hoping to improve the grounds.” By Corrie Taylor

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Tauranga lawyer and social justice campaigner Denise Arnold’s tireless work to help disadvantaged Cambodian communities has earned her Tauranga’s ‘Women of Significance Award’. Zonta Club of Tauranga director Trish Hanlen says the club’s annual award presented at the International Women’s Day celebration breakfast, celebrates a Western Bay woman who’s making a difference. “Denise was chosen as a truly inspirational woman who works tirelessly to achieve the best outcomes for Cambodian children and communities.” In 2008 she set up the Cambodia Charitable Trust which has since supported 4670 children to attend primary school. The trust’s aid shop in Bethlehem raises funds for the project.

Somervale

A furry new friend Many young mums with their litters of kittens are being taken into ARRC at the moment. Often these mums have been owned at some stage, but not been de-sexed and then left behind when people move. Come breeding season, they quickly get pregnant and deliver their kittens wherever they are able to find a safe place. ARRC has many delightful older kittens/young cats old enough to go to their new homes. They are all vet-checked, vaccinated and de-sexed and have a $60 adoption fee/donation. If you would like to adopt any of these kittens, or another loving cat, please contact ARRC’s fosterer Teena on 07 552 5028 or have a look at www.arrc.org.nz or their Facebook page.

The Weekend Sun

Budgeting service calling for help Officially the economy is growing strongly, but the picture on the street is different, with continuing demand for budgeting help in the Western Bay.

Alison Craig helps clients work on their finances at Tauranga Budget Advisory Service. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Clearing the slate Food and bills. Alison Craig remembers clearly just how hard it was for her five years ago when she spent almost every cent on getting out of debt. After groceries and her weekly ‘musts’ of rent and utilities, she poured everything into paying off

Ask Papamoa budget advisor Alison Craig if the tough economic times are really behind us, as the Reserve Bank’s interest rate rise suggests, and she says the queues for help are as long as ever. “It’s still very tough out there,” says Alison, who has been a volunteer budget advisor for two years. “It seems to be increasing. It’s just plain hard out there making ends meet.” The growing need for help – particularly from wage earners - has prompted the Tauranga Budget Advisory Service to call for more volunteers to train as advisors. Tauranga service coordinator Diane Bruin says the centre has about 1800 clients, a major increase on the 1000 it helped five years ago. Much of the increased work comes from clients working with budgeters on an ongoing basis with regular check-ins and money tracking. “This has led to much better results for our clients and makes the budgeters’ role more meaningful when clients take on board any recommendations.” “Clients always leave with a to-do list which helps them focus on the most important thing to do.” To help make budgeting support more accessible the centre plans to run drop-in clinics offering weekly

thousands of dollars in accumulated bills. “It wasn’t any fun. I was up to my boots in debt and made myself just chip away at them – just to get on top of them. There was never any money left over, I didn’t have a life, but I knew that would change once I got through it.” For the last two years Alison has

been helping others clear debt and develop good financial habits as a budget advisor. It’s a satisfying voluntary role she encourages others to do, with Tauranga Budget Advisory Service calling for people to enter its next training course. For details on training as a budget advisor or for help phone 578 0969.

Interest rates increasing, not good for all Last week the Reserve Bank increased the official cash rate from 2.5 per cent to 2.75 per cent. This is good for those with cash deposits at a bank – it is not good for those with mortgages, as floating rate mortgages will increase by at least 0.25 per cent. We have already seen some banks increase both fixed and floating rates. We believe this rate rise is premature. Housing markets are only strong in Auckland and Christchurch. In the rest of the country, they are reasonably flat. We have the highest interest rates in the OECD, and with a growing economy the OCR increase will push up our exchange rate – this is bad for our exporters. Our unemployment figures are still high – with six per cent of our workforce unemployed, in some provincial areas

this is about 10 per cent. We believe the Reserve Bank has increased its rates too soon and should have waited until the recovery was fully underway and unemployment had dropped further. So what to do if you have a mortgage? Make steps to manage your mortgage better, this means structuring your loan to suit your circumstances. Maybe taking a combination of fixed and floating

would not leave you too exposed to rising interest rates. Look at the term of your mortgage. Longer terms mean lower payments. Make use of redraw or revolving credit facilities if you have surplus funds. They can be powerful tools if used correctly. Above all, seek professional advice. If you’re concerned about rising interest rates, talk to one of our Planwise mortgage advisers.

budget advice sessions in Te Puna, central Tauranga and at the Pacific Island Community Trust. Clinics are already run in Merivale, Welcome Bay, Brook-

field, Greerton and Bayfair. The total debt owed by the centre’s clients is down from about $35 million to $20 million By Hamish Carter in the last year.

The Weekend Sun

Harvesting a community get-together For those who’ve been bent over in the garden this summer – or behind the stove bottling produce – tonight you can let your efforts shine.

Whakamarama Hall Committee is hosting a Harvest Festival as part of its usual ‘Thank Whaka it’s Friday’ community get-together tonight on March 21. Organiser Bryony Cross says residents can bring along their veggies, pickles, jam and flowers for judging to celebrate Whakamarama community’s green-fingered spirit. “This is just to do something slightly different –and it coincides with the end of the summer harvest.” Bryony says there’ll be prizes for fruit and vegetable categories’ biggest, brightest, prettiest and ugliest – “or the funniest someone has grown”.

Other categories include a garden tip, tool or invention, photos taken of local gardens, arts and crafts, and best musical performance for fruitiest song. There’ll be special prize for best short local gardening story. Judges are Ruth Mclean, who teaches organic horticulture, and Catherine and Neville Dunton-Macleod, who are teaching permaculture. And if people don’t think their produce is good enough for judging, Bryony says they can bring it along to swap or sell. Festivities start at 5.30pm, with judging at 7pm. Entries need to be in by 6pm. By Merle Foster

Lions’ firewood stacked for sale Experts at warming the hearts of the community – members of the Tauranga City Sunrise Lions Club are keeping up the act, while helping to warm homes this winter too.

The club is ready to sell its extensive collection of firewood to residents preparing for the colder months – and will be donating their profits back into local charities. Throughout the year, the Tauranga City Sunrise Lions Club has been collecting firewood, chopping down and cutting up trees, donated to them by the community. Organiser Ken Evans says it’s not a quick or easy process, but if the wood sells the result is worth it. “It’s a big project…we chop the trees down, ring up the wood into short lengths and load it onto a truck. It then goes to our depot in Pyes Pa, where we split the wood, stack it, and let it dry. And then we deliver it.” The club has about 150 truckloads of wood ready for sale.

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Members charge $150 to deliver 1.5 cubic metres of firewood. Ken says residents should choose their wood because “all of the money we earn, over and above our expenses, we give to worthy causes in the city throughout the year”. To order, phone Dave on 07 579 3088.

Conservationist talk The life and works of the late Kiwi conservationist Don Merton will be discussed in a lecture at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Windermere campus on Tuesday, March 25. Don, who retired in Tauranga in 2006 and passed away three years later, is famous for saving some of New Zealand’s birdlife, including the saddleback, black robin and kakapo. On March 25 at 7.30pm, natural history photographer and film-maker Rod Morris will give insights into what motivated Don and how his battle with bureaucracy and pests were overcome through his tenacity and ability to think outside of the box. Dave Richards, leader of the Mount Penguin Monitoring group, is promoting the lecture and says Don played a huge part in inspiring and motivating Dave and his children to work with New Zealand wildlife. He hopes the talk will inspire a new generation of Kiwis to make a difference. Phone 07 543 4398 for more information.

The Weekend Sun

Take to road and enjoy colours of the season Autumn is a wonderful time to take to the roads and discover the highways and by-ways, and enjoy the colours of the season, in a motorhome.

There’s often less traffic and the days are still warm enough to enjoy outdoor living. With modern caravans and motorhomes there’s no need to leave the comforts of home behind. Well insulated and heated, they are cosy,

comfortable and fully-equipped with kitchens, bathrooms and of course entertainment systems. Now is also a great time to upgrade existing recreational vehicles, buy a new improved

model, or hire a camper to enjoy off-peak rates. Repairs and maintenance carried out on camping gear and to recreational vehicles now also makes sense, as it means they’re ready for the summer ahead.

Time for a break – hire a motorhome Hire a motorhome and take a road trip this autumn. Coastal Campers, the family-friendly motorhome rental company offer two to six berth models that are certified self-contained and come fully-equipped. Simply take your clothes and food and enjoy the scenery. Great daily rates include insurance, road user charges and unlimited kilometres – and there are no hidden charges when you return. The team at Coastal Campers will spend time with you to make sure you know how to use all of the motorhome facilities before you leave; and the company has meeting points in Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland Airport as well as at the depot in Whitianga. A motorhome holiday makes it easy; your transport and accommodation is right there with you and if you want to stop for a cuppa and enjoy the view

you can. There’s plenty of space for your belongings and the insulated motorhomes have central heating systems for those cooler nights. Being easy to drive, with only a standard driver licence required, why not begin planning where your next road trip may take you. Call today or visit online at www.coastalcampers.co.nz Book now to grab the Winter Free Days Special… hire for seven nights and only pay for five.

One stop for all things motorhome

Motorhomes and caravans from around New Zealand and Europe are on display at the ‘one stop shop’ which is Country Caravans and Motorhomes’ purpose built RV Super Centre in Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui.

Country Caravans are agents for the iconic ‘Leisureline’ brand of New Zealand built caravans, together with Traillite Motorhomes built in Pukekohe. Used motorhomes come from the popular Maui, United and Kea brands while used caravans are sourced from all over New Zealand and Europe. Usually displaying in excess of 50 models, ranging in price from

$25,000 to $250,000, all stock is also available for viewing online. The workshop is manned by three full time staff, and is fully equipped to carry out everything from accessory fitting to selfcontainment and major insurance repairs. A well-stocked accessory shop also provides visitors to the yard with the opportunity to purchase the very latest in spares and accessories. Managing director Rob Axton has more than 30 years’ experience in the recreational vehicle industry both here in New Zealand

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as well as in Europe. “The team here at Country Caravans and Motorhomes have a wealth of knowledge and are happy to take the time, in a relaxed environment, to discuss our clients’ needs, whether they be a seasoned travelers or first time buyers. “Our yard is easily accessible from Hewletts Road and our stock is always open for viewing. If you can’t make it to the yard, check out our on line show room at www.countrycaravans.co.nz or visit our Facebook page. We hope to see you soon.”

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Custom-made for top winter travel Custom-made clear curtains are an effective way of continuing to enjoy outdoor decks and verandas this winter, says Richard Norris of Canvas Worx. “Clear curtains can turn an outdoor space into a beautiful sunroom to enjoy year round and clients I’ve installed them for just love them,” says Richard. “The curtains I make are a little different as they pull up with cords like a roman blind. However, there’s also the option to have more elaborate blinds, which are controlled by a hand winch or even with an electric winch.” The blinds are also popular to enclose outdoor spa pools, says

Richard, who has 30 years’ experience in the canvas trade. He has a reputation for designing and manufacturing custom caravan awnings for caravans, motor homes and camper trailers; and he also produces a wide range of canvas products and carries out repairs to tents, boat covers, trailer covers and shade sails. “A lot of canvas work is unique and needs to be tailored to a cli-

ent’s exact needs, so we provide a flexible and personal service which includes measuring and quoting, to ensure clients have the finished product they are happy with.” Richard says now is the time to have repairs to tents, awnings or boat covers carried out. “Too many people wait until summer. Do it now; and there will be no panic when holidays come around.”

The Weekend Sun

Turning something old into something new Bay of Plenty residents can learn how to turn wornout clothes into something fashionable at a special evening in Greerton, as part of the annual Sustainable Backyards event.

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Bubbles at the Last Stitch, on tonight, is an evening focusing on sustainable fashion, with demonstrations from guest speakers and fashion industry experts, including Debra Laraman and Robyne Dowel. Greerton Village Mainstreet manager Victoria Thomas says Debra will be demonstrating how to ‘upcycle’ old clothing. “She does this amazing thing where she

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takes two men’s shirts and turns them in to a skirt and a bolero – and they look amazing.” Robyne is bringing a pile of clothes from an op shop and will be styling them into “beautiful outfits”, says Victoria. “We recognise the fact that we’ve got seven op shops in our Greerton Village and that they have quite a good tie with sustainable fashion. “The whole thing is, if you are of the mind-set that op-shopping is a bit grotty, it’s just to dispel that feeling – because some of the clothes you can buy from op shops are amazing.” Participants are encouraged to dress in the theme of yesteryear glamour. Sustainable Backyards is a month-long initiative organised by Envirohub Bay of Plenty and invites residents to partake in environmentally friendly activities in March. Bubbles at the Last Stitch is tonight (March 21), from 6pm-8.30pm at Quality Curtains. Tickets cost $10. Refreshments are offered on arrival. Seats are limited, so people must register their interest at office@greertonvillage.org.nz By Zoe Hunter

Plans for a month-long battle display One of the groups preparing for the 150th Battle of Gate Pa anniversary is seeing it as the opportunity for Tauranga to re-examine and re-assess its beginnings. The Battle of Gate Pa Commemoration committee is planning a month-long display in Greerton Village hall that will present the narrative of the battle and the aftermath in a style similar to Te Papa displays using multimedia. The exhibition is intended to fill the gap in general knowledge about the Battle of Gate Pa, its aftermath, and the effects it had on development of Tauranga as the centre it is today.

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Speaking to Tauranga City Council’s Community Development Committee this month, former councillor Terry Molloy said Tauranga city is built on the battle of Gate Pa. “It had a huge impact on the Maori of Tauranga, who lost their economic base. “It had a huge impact on their cultural and spiritual base; it virtually made them a landless people for a while and they struggled for a long, long time. Terry along with fellow former councillor Mary Dillon, and the Te Papa style audio visual display’s producer Tereora Crane, put a request to the council committee to excuse the Greerton Hall's $7700 rental for the month-long exhibition on Monday. Terry says most of Tauranga doesn’t understand the significance of the battle of Gate Pa, and the sacrifices Maori had to make as a result of it. “The story needs to be told; needs to be understood.” Tereora says the Battle of Gate Pa is the founding narrative of the city of Tauranga, and few people know about it. For Tauranga to grow as a centre there had to be European settlement, which didn’t happen in numbers until after the Battles of Gate Pa, Te Ranga and subsequent land seizures, says Tereora. “Without that battle, there wouldn’t have been that European settlement. “People have not engaged about the story because of the emotions involved. I don’t think we have time any more to be gentle about it.” The exhibition will set up in the Gate Pa Village Hall on April 24. A request to be granted the use of the hall rent-free will be discussed by the council.

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The Weekend Sun

Riding around the world for bike safety have enjoyed it as a kid. And for me to go out there, and just make some noise and do some wheelies, the kids just get inspired I guess and excited,” says Peter. “Plus you can also put a few good themes along the lines about responsi-

ble use of your motorbike.” This week Peter shared his bike safety tips to children at Maungarangi Kindergarten in Welcome Bay, where teacher Natalie Bell says plenty of young riders keen were to follow in By Zoe Hunter Peter’s tracks.

Peter Broxholme. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

Cover story

Peter Broxholme has won races all around the world, and now he’s making it his job to teach keen riders about bike safety. The NZ Team Honda rider, commonly known as Broxy, established his Greerton-based company Broxy Rider Coaching in 2003 to teach safe riding techniques and encourage riders of all ages worldwide to reach their full potential. “I’ve covered the whole country, top to bottom, probably three or four times a year,” says the 32-yearold, who first took to the track at age 13. “I would’ve started much earlier but we couldn’t

Making Morry a home

My name is Morry and I am a super cute two month old male Staffy X. I was found with my six other brothers and sisters. We were left to fend for ourselves at the

beach near the Papamoa Surf Club. We were quite small when we first arrived so we have been spending time with a wonderful foster family until we were ready to be returned. We are now ready to find our new forever homes. We are bouncy, bubbly bundles of energy and will provide a family or someone on their own with tonnes of fun and companionship. Please come in and meet me if you would love to add an awesome new puppy and some fun and laughter to your home or phone 5780245 for more information. Ref no. 19704

afford a motorbike. I just rode my pushbike and I rode it every day as much as I could – and I loved it.” At age 12, Peter attended a high school gala, where he remembers paying $2 to ride a PW 50. “I must’ve talked about it so much that within a week my dad had built me a bike and the deal was they were going to get me into dirt bikes as long as I wasn’t ever going to ride a road bike, because they knew that if I crashed on a road bike it’s life and death,” says Peter, who has honoured his parents’ wish. At age 16, Peter became fully sponsored by Honda New Zealand; and six years later he began travelling the world to share his knowledge on the track. “It’s quite cool because I know how much I would

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The Weekend Sun

Programme turning down volume Rewards of horticulture A new school programme run by Tauranga Bay of Plenty Hearing Association is providing essential education for students on the damaging effects of listening to music at high volume levels.

The Dangerous Decibels programme, supported by a grant from the Acorn Foundation, uses a mannequin called Levi to demonstrate how loud is too loud. Toni Bielski runs the hands-on programme and says it’s a fun way for the children to understand DISTANCE LEARNING AND PART-TIME OPTIONS AVAILABLE

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how much permanent damage can be caused by loud music. “Levi is fitted with a sound meter; and when students put their ear buds on Levi, at the volume they would normally listen to music, the meter measures the volume in decibels. “Anything over 100 decibels can cause permanent hearing damage after as little as 15 minutes, and 80 per cent of the students in one class were shocked to discover the volume they usually played was over 100db.” The programme was run recently at Mount Maunganui Intermediate School. “They were very receptive to the messages we were sharing with them. It’s great – they are not only turning down the volume on their iPods, MP3 players and other playing devices, but they are going home and letting mum and dad know what is too loud as well,” says Toni. “We are so grateful to the Acorn Foundation for their support that assists us in running this vital programme.” Acorn Foundation operations manager Margot McCool says it’s another example of the grassroots support Acorn delivers to the community. “We are so proud to be able to support programmes like this, thanks to the generosity of our donors.”

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The Taratahi National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) is a fee-free programme generating plenty of interest among small block owners, keen gardeners and those intending to enter the horticulture industry. This NZQA-accredited, parttime programme can be studied from home and students can reap the benefits of a fantastic combination of distance and classroom/hands-on learning with the assistance of experienced and dedicated training facilitator Anne Parkinson. Anne will provide Anne Parkinson busy in the garden. regular support, which will include monthly workshops and weekly same passion for horticulture. tutorials to make the information more The minimum age is 18 years and relevant to students. there are no minimum qualification Practical activities and assessments requirements for mature students are required to be completed during aged 20 years and above. This Level the course of study; and to help fit the 3 certificate is run during 12 months. programme around work and family All programme material is offered for commitments all classes run during free online and students also have the weekday evenings and weekends. option of purchasing printed copies This hugely popular programme has for a fee. attracted people of different ages and This fully subsidised programme is an various walks of life, ranging from opportunity not to be missed. Spaces home gardeners to accountants and are limited, so enrol now for a doctors – all with the March/April 2014 start.

The Weekend Sun

Creating cross cultural exchange with art Plans to build strong links between the Bay of Plenty and China’s Nanchang city will see four senior Western Bay secondary students head to the city on art scholarships next month. Among those most excited about the scholarships is New Zealand China Friendship Society’s Tauranga Branch president John Hodgson, who hopes closer links can be built with Nanchang and the wider Jiangxi province in central China. “The Jiangxi Foreign Affairs Office is very interested in establishing a close relationship with the Bay of Plenty; and these scholarships are hopefully just the start,” says John, who was based in Nanchang for four years and has played a key role in driving the relationship. The first month-long art scholarships went to Otumoetai College students saxophonist Helena Jones, artist Simone Petero and pianist-singer Samara Somerville-Petch, along with

Tauranga Girls’ College singer Taylor Asher-Law. Three Rotorua students also received scholarships. “China is our biggest trading partner but there is still lot of misinformation about it,” says John. “Just by giving the students the experience, they will gain knowledge and understanding.” The scholarships enable students who have shown excellence in the arts to attend a secondary school in Nanchang for a month. Ultimately, John would like to see the Bay’s relationship with the four millionstrong Nanchang lead to more tourism, trade and education opportunities. Simone says she’s thrilled about the opportunity to immerse herself in a

Festive food funding

Otumoetai College is hosting its biggest PTA International Food Festival yet to raise money for a new school van tonight. The festival will boast 19 different international cuisine stalls, including food from South Africa, Taiwan, Uruguay, Chile and Kiwiana delights at the college quad from 5.30pm-8pm. Organiser Debbie Blair says it is the largest number of stalls the festival has had before and she hopes the evening will raise $5000. Entry is a $1 donation.

Cloud business expo

A free event teaching residents and businesses about ‘The Cloud’ software is in Tauranga on March 26. The event is showcasing how The Cloud works and why it is revolutionising the way people do business. The focus is on providing people with information to make an informed decision. The Cloud Business Expo is from 9am-2pm at the BNZ Partner Centre, Tauranga. To register, call 07 579 5011.

Top school award

foreign culture and learn traditional Chinese art techniques, while fellow Year 13 pianist and singer Samara is aiming to learn how they incorporate music in their culture. “I want to find

Papamoa Primary School is one of this year’s top schools for 2014 after taking out the competition for the first time. The team, consisting of Year 5 and 6 pupils, was crowned winners of the Comvita Top School 2014 competition at Paengaroa School at the weekend.

out about their approach to music and bring back that knowledge to share and apply it here. It’s such a great opportunity,” says Samara. Another scholarship programme on offer for the first time this year is seeing pairs of students developing research projects on China, with the best earning scholarships to complete the work in Nanchang. John hopes the scholarship programme, which is funded by the Simon Deng Cultural Exchange Fund, will be expanded and offered annually. By Hamish Carter

Arts scholarship recipients Helena Jones, Samara Somerville-Petch and Simone Petero are heading to Nanchang China for a short study trip next month. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

ACG Tauranga

Information Afternoon Wednesday 9th April, between 4pm & 7pm Trinity Wharf Hotel, Tauranga We invite you to our first informal information afternoon. Learn more about ACG Tauranga and our exciting plans to develop a new independent co-educational Years 1 to 13 school campus, set in spacious grounds on the corner of Keenan Road and Pyes Pa Road in Tauranga.

Find out how your child will benefit from our unique learning environment and the highly regarded Cambridge International curriculum. ACG Tauranga opens in February 2015 with Years 1 to 9.

Come and talk to the ACG academic and management teams.

Please phone 07-213 0100 for more information or email acgtauranga@acgedu.com

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The Weekend Sun

Bash rolling into town

The Every Little Boys Dream fire truck at Whakamaru School, one of the many schools visited along the Bash’s fundraising route.

After an action-packed week creating fundraising mayhem and madness, a convoy of 30 ageing cars and firetrucks will finish the annual Variety Trillian Bash in Tauranga tomorrow. Since leaving Rainbows End in Manakau last Sunday the teams have covered more than 1100km in their decorated vehicles on a route taking them from Waitomo to Rotorua and down to Gisborne before returning to the Bay of Plenty via East Cape. But for ‘The 8th Tribe’ – one of two Tauranga teams taking part – it looked like the rally was over before it barely began.

The 8th Tribe captain Morris Danks counted his team lucky to be still in the rally when speaking to The Weekend Sun, saying a fire in the truck cab on the first day stopped them from completing the day’s run to Waitomo. “It wasn’t looking good at all,” says Morris, saying an electrical fault burned the dashboard. Otorohanga Auto Electric came to the rescue, working through the night to repair the damage to their 1981 international fire truck, allowing the team to re-join the rally on its leg to Rotorua the next day. “It’s great to be back on the road handing out cheques and donations at schools; and hopefully that will be the last problem we have.”

As one of five fire trucks involved The 8th Tribe and fellow Tauranga crew, seasoned bash veterans ‘Every Little Boys Dream’, help entertain children at schools they visit along the way by blasting each other with their firehoses in exciting water fights. The Variety Bash vehicles arrive at Tauranga’s Historic Village about 1.45pm Saturday (after turning left at Te Maunga, over the causeway into the city). They’ll be on display at the village until 3.30pm. All funds raised on the bash are handed out in donations of medical or educational goods, or equipment to help Kiwi children overcome difficulties. For details, visit www.variety.org.nz By Hamish Carter

Bridge inspection work to begin Drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys as bridge inspections are carried out across the Bay of Plenty this weekend, with some delays expected on highway roads. The NZ Transport Agency reports the inspections will be carried out on selected bridges on State Highway 2 (between Katikati and Tauranga), and SH29 (between Tauranga and top of

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the Kaimais) from Saturday, March 22 until Monday, March 24. A temporary speed limit and a manual stop/go traffic management will be used to direct vehicles around inspection areas. These inspections will be carried out from a truck with a mobile platform to allow workers to access areas under the bridges.

The Weekend Sun

Campbell gearing up for rally big league With three weeks until the opening round of the 2014 National Rally series, Tauranga driver Phil Campbell is making the most of the National Hillclimb Championships to prepare.

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While ineligible for the national championships after missing an earlier round, Phil was happy with his performance at last weekend’s final round in Gisborne where he finished second in the gravel leg in his new race car, a Mitsubishi Evo 9. “That’s right where I think I should be. I’m pretty happy with how I went given the limited time I’ve had in the car.” Despite the change in power from his Ford Fiesta R2 (almost 170bhp) to his new Evo (more than 300bhp), Phil says the adjustment in cars from a 2wd to a 4wd was relatively smooth. “From the Fiesta, I’m used to cornering at speed because it was so light, so it’s just a matter of getting used to the added power.” Since picking up the car a few months

Photo by Jason Byrne www.alittlebitsideways.co.nz

ago he has raced it at a handful of events – including hillclimb championship events in Hawkes Bay and Waihi, along with the Motorsport BOP Day-Night Gravel Sprints at Te Matai Motorport Park, which he won on March 8. “We’re feeling good for the season ahead and have set ourselves the goal of finishing in the top five. It looks like it’s going to be one of the toughest fields yet, but we’re up for it.” Fellow Tauranga driver David Holder is also stepping up from the 2wd to 4wd

class in the New Zealand rally championship, swapping his Fiesta for a Mitsubishi Evo 8 previously owned by David’s mentor and top international rally driver Hayden Paddon. Talking about the new phase in his driving career, after a year competing in the national championship’s 2wd class, he says it was a dream only two years ago and expects it to be a “fairly steep learning curve”. The six round rally series begins with the International Rally of Whangarei on By Hamish Carter April 12.

Government clamps down on fine-dodgers Motorists with outstanding traffic fines could have their licence taken off them by the Government in its move to help recover the charges.

lot tougher for fine-dodgers. “If you’re not addressing your fines; that’s if you're not paying them off under arrangement; we’re going to take your licence off you. If you continue to drive, we’re

Imposing Driver Licence Stop Orders is aimed at helping to recuperate $40 million in outstanding traffic fines, says Courts Minister Chester Burrows “About 10 per cent of people owe about half those outstanding fines; and why should they get away with it?” Under current laws if you don’t pay your fines your car can be clamped, property seized and you can even be stopped from leaving or entering the country, but Chester says things are going to get a

going to seize your car.” Chester says this situation will remain until the fine is paid in full, or payment arrangements are in place. The Automobile Association reports the move is a good idea but that the overdue money collected should be used on road safety initiatives instead of going into the crown purse. “If they know that the money is being spent on road safety, they might be more willing to pay; and certainly if this road safety initiative is successful, then there will be a lot more money to be spent on things like flashing school zone lights and alcohol interlocks,” says AA spokesperson Mark Stockdale.

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The Weekend Sun

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The Weekend Sun

Spoilt for choice in the kitchen Bay of Plenty residents looking to modernise their kitchens will be spoilt for choice at Palazzo Kitchens and Appliances in Tauranga. Palazzo specialises in affordable German kitchens and kitchen design, offering 35 brands of international

kitchen appliances and 18 full kitchen displays. It is the largest specialist kitchen showroom in the country right here in Tauranga, says manager Ray Pullar. Ray says all products are designed in New Zealand before being sent to Germany to be manufactured. “What that means for the client is you get a true European product, which

is priced competitively [compared] to getting one manufactured here. “You sort of get the best of both worlds. You get the best of it being designed here, but the best of having a true European manufacturer.” The kitchens are all pre-assembled in Germany before being delivered to NZ, so clients don’t have the hassle of putting it together themselves.” Clients can chose to design their kitchen online with Palazzo’s design software, or visit the Elizabeth St showroom, where one of their in-store designers can create a picture-perfect kitchen concept free of charge. Their appliance consultants can also assist you to create the perfect package for a modern-day kitchen. There are six branches nationwide, but Ray says the Elizabeth St showroom is the first established in the By Zoe Hunter central to upper North Island.

Palazzo’s Ray Pullar, Maree Cooper, Micaela Lewis and Dawn Bowden. Photo by Chris Callinan.

Men’s Shed up for national award recognition From woodwork and carpentry for the home, to volunteer projects, Tauranga’s Men’s Shed provides an optimum solution to the city’s oftenidle retired male population. Based at the Historic Village, the shed is run by 26 core volunteers who collectively work more than 400 hours each week to provide a place where men of all abilities can get involved. This weekend, Men’s Shed representatives will attempt to

convince a panel of judges that their organisation should win the TrustPower National Community Awards, held in Invercargill. The Men’s Shed deals with continuous demand for its members to work on repairs for the Hospice

shops, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Red Cross, schools, churches, community garden groups, hospitals and more. They also complete projects for different organisations. Their efforts were recognised last year with the organisation being named the Supreme Winner of the 2013 TrustPower Tauranga Community Awards. Member Ray Crafts (pictured) says the only requirement is to be male and 65 years or older. See more about the awards on By Corrie Taylor page 14.

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rational

The Weekend Sun

Classic toys’ comeback One of Tauranga’s oldest toy stores, Childsplay, is back – teaming up with another popular children’s toy shop, after having to close its doors in December to be demolished. Childsplay and The Wooden Toy Box are banding together in an effort to ensure Downtown Tauranga retains a “good old traditional toy shop”, selling quality and educational children’s toys. “A lot of people were very sad when we left,” says Brian Godfery, who owned Childsplay for about 12 years and was devastated to close last year. “But we’ve joined with The Wooden Toy Box and are trying to keep a physical toy shop alive and going.” First introduced by a group of mothers as a play centre and educational resource shop, Childsplay operated for 30 years on Devonport Rd. Unfortunately for Brian the building had to be demolished, and coupled with a decline in sales, he closed shop doors on December 24. Brian says he and toy expert Debbie Currin sold “virtually everything”. “It was a really good end. People came in and supported us and said goodbye and didn’t want us to go.” When The Wooden Toy Box owner Peter Smith heard the shop was closing, he offered Brian and Debbie a job at his Durham St store, and they started work early-January. “We’ve got 70 per cent of really wonderful wooden toys that are really good prices; and 30 per cent is

going to be made up of the good stuff from Childsplay,” says Brian. Admitting to being saddened by his store’s closure, Brian says he’s now thrilled to still be working in the same industry. “It’s a fun industry. People come in and they really enjoy being in a toy shop. So we’re just thrilled that we can keep a toy shop going. “It’s something special. They’re just good quality By Zoe Hunter toys that last.” Brian Godfery and business partner Debbie Currin. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

40 years for Mount Playcentre At the end of every session, staff at Blake Park Playcentre used to pack away their equipment to make way for rugby players to use the rooms as changing facilities.

Mason Tulloch, 2, playing at Mount Playcentre. Photo by Chris Callinan.

That was in 1974. The centre was formed by a group of parents who wanted to be more involved with their preschoolers’ early learning years. They began with 10 families, set up in the rugby pavilion rented from the Mount Borough Council. Margaret Boyd was employed as the sole supervisor. Today the facility is known as Mount Playcentre – and no longer shares its quarters with a sports team. Since 1989 the centre has had group supervision, where parents

attending on the day plan and run the session. More experienced members and parental-education provided helps newer members take an active role in their own children’s education. The centre has been extended and numerous alterations conducted to the grounds and play equipment, funded by the hard work of the members fundraising or finding grant options. This weekend staff invite the community to celebrate 40 years with them, with an open session and morning tea on Saturday, from 10am-2pm. They welcome any past member to come and reminisce, and they’re interested in hearing from anyone willing to share memories and photos of their time at the centre, especially between 1993-2003. RSVP to Tanya Benge on 572 0660. By Corrie Taylor

The Weekend Sun

The shoe secret many don’t know When it comes to worn out shoes – the heel is the most common offender. At Shane Barr Shoe Repairs, heels are the most common repair on favourite shoes, but owner Shane Barr wants people to know they can fix any kind of heel. Often it’s the low, common heels that go unrepaired, he says. “Most people don’t realise it, but any heel from wedges, to flats, to the pointiest stiletto can be repaired. “It doesn’t matter how badly worn the heels are either, you can have the heel block repaired where it has been worn down, then a fresh grippy rubber heel put on top.” Shane says slippery, plastic heels can also be replaced for safer, Shane Barr Shoe Repairs branch manager Garry Hamnett repairs a heel. Photo by Tracy Hardy. longer-lasting heels. “While you are at it, you can add Both boots need to be brought Shane Barr Shoe Repairs has two stores, a wee bit more height, or get them lowered in for repair, so they end up the same one in Piccadilly Arcade, Tauranga, and one a tad to make them a bit more wearable.” height, says Shane. in Central Parade, Mount Maunganui. By Corrie Taylor

How to notice and deal with hearing loss Hearing loss is often associated with aging, but it can happen at any age.

HEALTH 2000 MT MAUNGANUI 194 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui 3116 PHONE: (07) 575 7002 www.health2000.co.nz

Taylor Burley

Kleiman

Some signs an adult may have a hearing loss are: • They struggle with women’s and children’s voices. • They always ask people to repeat things. • They accuse everyone else of mumbling. • They have the television volume turned far louder than anyone else in the family. • They find when they’re in a noisy environment, things sounds like jumbles. In children it can be: • Your child has experiences many ear infections. • You notice your child may not always hear you. • Your child’s teacher suggests your child should have his or her hearing checked. • Your child is slow in learning to talk. Having a hearing test will detect if there is a hearing issue but will also create a baseline so you can compare your original test with any future hearing tests. The future tests will show any deterioration in your hearing, so you can be treated appropriately. Having regular hearing tests is as important as regular eye and teeth checks. A hearing health test can be obtained for no charge, (should a full diagnostic test be required, there is a cost for this). Once a hearing test is obtained, and the recommendation is for hearing aids, one option is to call the Hearing Association to obtain more information on the NewSound hearing aids. These are low cost and good quality. To trial these hearing aids, a hearing test must have been performed in the last 12 months.

The Weekend Sun

Get hair to be stared at The girls at ‘hair to stare @’ pride themselves in keeping up to date with the latest hair styles and trends by attending fashion shows, courses and one-on-one training with the Matrix professional team.

Owner Corina Conn says clients are always complimenting them on the salon’s friendly atmosphere. “They love how we all work together as a team, helping each other where we can. We make our clients feel welcome, and we make sure all of our clients leave the salon Hairdressers Nikki Dawson, Corina Conn (back), Toni Cleaver, Nicole feeling relaxed and beautiful.” Smith and Leon Gregory. Photo by Chris Callinan. The salon is situated in the They offer free treatments and never charge for heart of Otumoetai with free blow waves for clients who have just received a parking right outside. Because they’re not right in town, or in a mall, they don’t have a large rent bill, so colour. Corina says they want to make sure the colour looks absolutely perfect before clients leave prices are welcoming too. the salon. “No-one walks out with wet hair.” They use the best quality colours and equipment, Regular clients are rewarded with discounts and including Matrix ammonia free colours and parabenloyalty cards. free shampoo, conditioner and styling products. To feel happy and comfortable with the salon you They offer men’s, women’s and children’s hairgo to, and to always step out feeling beautiful, visit cuts, as well as colours, permanent hair extensions, ‘hair to stare @’ on Grange Rd, Otumoetai. straightening and more.

Only as strong as the weakest link Everything is connected in the body. Although western medicine (including physiotherapy) has made incredible advances in health care, it has tended to isolate parts of the body and focus on the area giving pain or symptoms. But times change, and a functional ‘holistic’ approach to testing and treatment is happening more – leading to better long term results for patients. The different regions of your body work together like a team in a tug-ofwar. If one region is slacking off, the strain is passed to the other areas. They don't want the body to fall over, and will compensate in order to maintain balance. The body is amazing at doing this- but only up to a point. If the strain is excessive or carries on for a long time, the other regions can also start to break down. Take Mr T, who had neck pain on and off for five years. He told us treatment on his neck eased the pain, but it returned easily. Testing revealed Mr T had normal neck move-

ment, but his shoulders and mid-spine were extremely stiff. We gave him treatment and exercises to improve the movement in these areas, and he was able to get rid of his neck pain for good. In this case, his shoulders and mid-spine were slacking off and not providing his body with the movement it needed. His neck was compensating and becoming painful. This concept also applies to other systems in the body. For example, research has shown inflammation

in the gut can contribute to symptoms in the skin (acne, eczema), the brain (anxiety, depression, ADHD) and the immune system (rheumatoid arthritis, asthma). The tricky thing is all of these symptoms can occur, and you might not even notice any problem with your gut. You might be asking, “Where do I start?” Although science doesn't have all the answers, there is a lot of good research. Methods have now been developed to help identify and resolve the root cause or weak link in the body.

The Weekend Sun

Advice to get influenza immunisation early People who want to avoid the miseries of influenza this year can protect themselves, and those close to them, by being immunised before the start of winter. Influenza immunisation is free from a doctor or nurse for many people. “Just because we had a mild influenza season in

Health Minister and Bay of Plenty MP Tony Ryall shows he’s had his annual influenza shot, along with pregnant women.

2013 does not mean the 2014 season will be the same. Influenza is not just a cold – it’s a serious disease that can put you in hospital or even kill,” says National Influenza Specialist Group spokesperson and virologist Dr Lance Jennings. Lance is encouraging all eligible adults, including younger people who have ongoing medical conditions, to consider free immunisation. Children six months and older who have ongoing medical conditions are eligible for free vaccination. “Our research shows there is a degree of complacency among younger people in particular, which we need to overcome to protect them. Anyone can be hit by influenza – whether you’re young and fit or not.” Influenza immunisation is free from a GP or nurse until July 31, 2014, for New Zealanders at high risk of complications – pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, and anyone under 65 years of age with long-term health conditions. Protecting pregnant women, and newborn babies, is a special focus of this year’s seasonal influenza immunisation programme. Healthy, pregnant women are up to 18 times more likely to be admitted to hospital

when suffering from influenza than non-pregnant women. Influenza vaccine has been used for many years in pregnant women, with no safety concerns, and can be given in any trimester. “Influenza immunisation in pregnancy also offers protection to the newborn

Vitamin E is critical for heart health If I had to choose just one group of nutrients with the greatest impact on heart health, it would be the wider vitamin E family.

This is where things get a bit technical but bear with me. There are two groups of vitamin E compounds; the tocopherols and the tocotrienols. Each comprises of alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherols and tocotrienols making eight in total. We get vitamin E from nuts, seeds, plant oils and brown rice. The vitamin E family is central to cell protection and is particularly effective at helping the repair processes involved with inflamed and blocked arteries, blood vessels

damaged by strokes, and even damaged nerves. By repairing free radical damage to blood vessels, they can help make stiff blood vessels more supple – meaning the heart does not have to work as hard to circulate blood. This is very important for people with hypertension and high cholesterol. In the last decade, there has been significant research into tocotrienols. These are powerful antioxidants but have another important function in helping balance cholesterol levels by helping control liver cholesterol production. As a result, tocotrienols have a significant benefit for those with high cholesterol and those with higher heart disease risk. This is great news for people who cannot tolerate statin choles-

“Adversity introduces a person to themselves.” - ANONYMOUS We can choose to be a victim when we are challenged by life’s problems, or we can look at what we’re contributing to the problem that keeps it in play. Problems will always be with us, but our response to them can turn them into hidden treasures. For example, I had a habit I had difficulty breaking. Becoming more aware of

terol medications, or for those who prefer a natural approach. The US company Carotech (www. carotech.net) makes an excellent tocotrienol extract called Tocomin from red palm fruit. Other companies then use Tocomin in their formulations. My favourite natural cholesterol balancing supplement is Sytrinol, which combines Tocomin, with a tangerine extract to make what I believe to be the only natural product to really address the dangers of cholesterol imbalance and general cardiovascular health. Call me for more information, or back issues on this cholesterol series. To join my weekly newsletter, go to www.johnarts.co.nz and visit www.abundant.co.nz John Arts is a qualified nutritional therapist and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on 0800 423 559. To read more go to www.sunlive.co.nz

what caused certain reactions challenged me to look beyond what was happening to why it was happening. It is this process that helped me overcome this limiting habit, and I now call this process “mining for gold”. For example, new ways of learning about myself create new and more conscious choices. Question: How can you use adversity in your life to mine for your gold?

Abundant Health

baby during the first few months of life.” Anyone else can receive influenza vaccinations at surgeries and some pharmacies for a small charge. Many employers provide free vaccination to their employees.

Need help to name houses

Pest’s favourite target delicious young There seems to be a lot of white butterfly around at the moment. They are a perennial gardener’s curse, and seem to flap from plant to plant laying eggs for caterpillars to hatch from and munch on everything you grow.

Tauriko School is enlisting community help in naming its four new school houses, launched during a special school event last week (pictured above). The houses divide the school roll into four groups, offering components of leadership, belonging, challenge, success, competition, participation and excellence, says deputy principal Lisa Rose. The school is holding an online survey to name each house after something which represents the community and where they are from.

A teddy bear’s picnic event With their soft toys in hand, Gate Pa School children went down to the woods for Tauranga Girls’ College’s annual Teddy Bear’s Picnic on Tuesday. Each year, the college invites junior students from Gate Pa School to the ‘gully’ for a fun afternoon out with games and storytelling. Arts director Tessa Adams says the arts council dressed in St Patrick’s Day theme, while six others groups adorned themselves in “all colours of the rainbow”. Tessa says the children made their way to each activity with the idea to “find the treasure at the end of the rainbow”. “It’s just for fun, helping out the community and getting involved with other schools.”

The Weekend Sun

One family of plants that seem to attract a lot of attention is brassica, including broccoli, kale, cabbage; and some of the brassica chinensis, like pak choy and tatsoi that has the darker leaves. As I strive to grow microgreens as

Lights out: Mount Maunganui

Gourmet Night Market is returning for a one-off event next weekend – and it will be run completely without power. On Saturday, March 29, the night market is collaborating with Earth Hour

organically as possible, sprays and chemicals are out and net curtains are in. These outdated window decorations make ideal covers to try and stop the pesky butterfly getting to my microgreens. The great thing is microgreens are easier to cover than full-grown crops; and with pak choy and tatsoi they taste sweeter younger, so eating them as microgreens is ideal. There are many Chinese-type cabbages and ways to have them. My typical protein choice for cabbage is beef or pork. But this week I’m trying one of my favourite fish, gurnard, served with an Asian-style tatsoi and noodle broth. and Mauao Performing Arts Centre for a unique event for Bay of Plenty residents. The special Earth Hour event will see each stallholder run their stand without electricity, from 4.30pm to 9.30pm at Coronation Park.

SEAFOOD

Gurnard

with tatsoi in Asian broth Ingredients 3 gurnard fillets, cut into strips. 200g hokkien noodles 200-30g meaty fish frames 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped 1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded 2 cloves garlic 250g small tatsoi 1 small handful Thai basil 1 mild green chilli, sliced 1 red onion 1 red pepper, 4 Tbsp lime juice Salt and pepper 3L water 2 Tbsp dark soya sauce 2 Tbsp fish sauce Method In a large stainless pot, saute off the red onion, lemongrass, chilli, garlic and lime leaf. Add the fish frames and half of the Thai basil. Add the water and bring up to a simmer for 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve into another pot, adding the soya sauce, fish sauce and lime juice. Add the hokkien noodles and bring up to the boil. Meanwhile, season the gurnard fillets and seal off on a hot pan with some oil and the sliced capsicum. Quickly add in the tatsoi and stir-fry with the gurnard for 1-2 minutes. Spoon in a little of the fish stock, and turn off the heat. Cover to finish cooking through for another two minutes. Serve the gurnard on top of a pile of noodles, add a garnish of Thai basil, tatsoi microgreens, and a ladle or two of the fish stock.

Ph 0508 KIWIFRESH (0508 549 437) Tauranga Girls’ College hosted their annual Teddy Bear’s Picnic on Tuesday. Photos by Zoe Hunter.

The Weekend Sun

Jack reinvents himself through healthy eating A couple of weeks ago I made a presentation to a group of young people attending a leadership course at The Summerhill A1 Youth Academy up in the Papamoa Hills.

he was a pudgy 73kg, and one day decided it wasn’t the way he wanted to be anymore. So Jack stopped randomly eating anything that came his way and became Before far more particular.

Having completed an overnight camp either in a tent or in the woolshed, and probably missed out on a bit of sleep, I was impressed by their ability to take on board what I was on about, and their savvy questions. After the session, a young man came up for a chat. He told me he was 15 years old and that two years ago he was quite fat. Jack Gordon is certainly anything but, now, and is very slim and athletic looking. As a 13-year-old

No more fizzy drinks and cakes, he now eats more sustaining whole foods, which include lots of vegetables and a tasty breakfast smoothie made from porridge, honey, fruit and yoghurt. He also enjoys a few pieces of dark chocolate. Boxing is his key passion, and he also gets involved in extreme activities, including BMX and dirt jumping, and does up to 1000 sit-ups of After different intensities

Helpful and healthy hints for the kitchen Sometimes there is nothing more enjoyable than discovering a great piece of advice or a helpful tip. Here’s some of The Weekend Sun’s favourite food tips to hopefully offer everyone a little kitchen inspiration.

Pumpkin cutter

Nobody would debate pumpkin is not the easiest of ingredients to work with – being so difficult and dangerous to cut up. With winter on its way, and the appeal growing for pumpkin soup among other warm pumpkin dishes – here’s a tip to make chopping that orange vegetable easier. Place the pumpkin in a plastic bag and throw it hard against a concrete path. The pumpkin will split in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard, then cut the pumpkin into wedges, and trim off the skin.

Perfect brown rice

Here’s a helpful tip for cooking perfect brown rice. Brown rice is a healthier alternative to white rice and is a great way to add fibre to your diet. Place 1 cup long-grain brown rice in 2 cups of boiling water. Bring water back to boil with lid one, before turning down to simmer for 25 minutes. When finished, leave for 10 minutes to steam – this makes rice fluffy and not gluggy. Try not to stir the rice when cooking, keep the lid on instead – it’s all about steam. Add turmeric or stocks for added flavour.

Healthy sweet tooth

Many baking recipes use large quantities of sugar which can have detrimental effects on your health. Refined sugar lowers the immune system, promotes

the storage of fat and damages teeth – to name a few. But don’t get depressed – there are healthy, easy ways to sweeten your food. Use these natural sweeteners instead: Honey, dates, sultanas and other dried fruit, agave, apple/orange juice, bananas. Whether it’s to sweeten a dish, baking or smoothy, these sweet natural ingredients will do the trick!

Butter alternatives

Try some of the below instead of butter or margarine: Avocado does have a little fat but is an all-natural plant-based product. Hummus – either make your own or buy from the supermarket. Olive Oil is a nice alternative, get a little pourer bottle or even a paint brush dipped in a bowl. Flax Oil is high in the good omega fats, and is good on toast. Nut butters – there are many options but almond or cashew butters are probably the best ones. Miso is made from fermented soy beans and is very good for you. Spread some where you may have marmite or another salty spread.

every day. So, two years later and several centimetres taller, Jack weighs in at 65kg. Good on you Jack, you are a great role model for others to follow, and I’m sure proud parents Craig and Dianne agree. We will have our free national challenge underway before too long and

are looking for more stories like Jack’s to inspire others to positively reinvent themselves. Email me if you have a great story to tell. I now have some limited time available for personal consultations. Leigh is the founder of Eat for Keeps and can be contacted on 027 2941980 or by emailing katlee@xtra.co.nz

SLEEP FOR TOMORROW

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The Weekend Sun

Can we get equipment to make our own oil?

NZ oil products won’t benefit us Bill Capamagian (‘Forget protests we need oil’, March 14) rightly observes NZ needs to try to become more self-sufficient in oil. But sadly recent history shows the exact opposite will happen. The vast gas reserves of the Maui field were frittered away by Mobil making synthetic petrol and fertiliser at Motunui in Taranaki - in both cases the products were so expensive taxpayers had to subsidise the finished products which were exported. Meanwhile, the oil company skillfully managed to run down the gas field and ensure this country remains largely dependent on

imported petroleum products, instead of having a secure supply of Compressed natural gas (CNG) for upwards of 150 years. More recently, crude condensate worth hundreds of millions of dollars from onshore Taranaki wells has been exclusively exported rather than processed at our sole refinery in Whangarei, with a corresponding saving in overseas funds. Anybody wishing to verify this need only check Department of Statistics trade figures. I’e yet to hear any suggestion, aside from any paltry royalties that may be paid to NZ, future discoveries of oil or gas in our waters

will in any way benefit this country. More likely is products will be whisked away from under our noses. As for creating jobs - don’t make me laugh. How many New Zealanders are included in crews of deep water drilling rigs and support ships? Sorry. I forgot about cleaners in shorebases and cafeteria staff. Perhaps the Minister of Energy and Resources Simon Bridges would like to comment on safeguards in place to ensure any discoveries that may take place will be used to help make NZ more self-sufficient in oil? D H Blanshard, Welcome Bay.

While agreeing with correspondent Bill Capamagian that New Zealand should become self-sufficient in oil production (‘Forget protest we need oil’ The Weekend Sun, March 14), one wonders why the powers that be have never considered importing the technol-

ogy of producing “oil from coal” from SASOL (an international integrated energy and chemical company). We have the coal here and the process is far more environmentallyfriendly than drilling for oil in the sea or the fracking process. B L Drew, Poike.

Do you have an opinion on a letter on this page? Or maybe you have a concern you want to share? The Weekend Sun welcomes letters and photographs from readers. Preference is given to short letters (200 words), supplied with full name and contact details. Photos are best in high resolution, jpeg format. So come on, get writing! Then email your letter and photo to:

letters@thesun.co.nz

Oil use is killing our future Bill Capamagian (‘Forget protests we need oil’, The Sun, March 14) finds it ludicrous protestors are hindering NZ’s efforts to become self-sufficient in oil. This position makes sense if we believe that the oil will last forever and we can continue using the atmosphere as an infinite dump for our effluent. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, and current practices are threatening our children’s future. Even the World Bank warns us of a likely four degrees Celsius temperature rise, one metre sea level rise and radical changes in climate this century if we keep going as we are. If Bill was really concerned about NZ’s future, he

would be asking why we are not doing more to reduce oil consumption by demanding more efficient cars, encouraging biofuels, electric vehicles and cycling. He should discourage sporting activities, that use fuel, and other unnecessary activities that consume overseas funds so we’re not forced to exploit our environment so frantically in order to pay for them. We all need to realise the world is changing and many of our old assumptions, based on continuing growth driven by fossil fuels and over-consumption, are killing our future, not making it. G Southon, Tauranga City.

Don’t lump all overweight in same basket I can’t believe what I read in The Weekend Sun on March 14 from Ernest Izett ‘People need strong willpower when eating’. What a load of cow pie. Some people are overweight because they have serious health issues. Some (like myself ) have on-going back issues which walking or exercise exacerbate, causing excruciating pain, so don’t lump all overweight people in the one (take-out eaters) basket. I eat very healthily (with an occasional take-out, I must admit) and my own delicious baking. I’m not ‘fat’ just a little chunkier than I’d like right now. I have several friends and family members who have thyroid problems and can’t lose excess weight. We don’t all live on take-outs constantly. I was a very keen gardener until my health problem slowed me down, but I do what I can. As for your hideous comment: “we never saw fat

people in concentration camps”. Well of course you didn’t. The poor buggers were starved to death, or did you think they were just eating sensibly? I’m sick of ‘stick insect’ nutritionists on TV and people like you telling me what I should eat. At 65, I’m old enough to decide for myself. I don’t need anyone telling me what to eat. S Gussey, Omokoroa.

An unhealthy example Correspondent Ernest Izett (‘People need strong willpower when eating’, March 14), has gone too far using the victims of concentration camps as examples of people on healthy diets. Those that actually survived were walking skeletons, whose condition was caused by the monsters who guarded them, starving them to death, not because they ate healthy or turned away pudding. Of course he never saw (was he a guard?) a fat person in a concentration camp. What he would have seen is mountains of the dead, black smoke pouring out of crematorium chimneys. How dare E Izett use one of mankind’s most atrocious acts against a race of humanity to promote healthy eating. It beggars belief. W Jessop, Mount Maunganui. Come down to our Sustainable Coastlines Workshop! Lots of creative fun for kids to enjoy by turning trash into treasure. Trash to Treasure Workshop, Ocean Puzzle and Chocolate Fishing: Saturday March 29th, 10am-3pm

DREAM DOORS

The complete kitchen transformation service.

YOUR HOME FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Come on BOP, let’s black-out!

Has anyone else noticed the big black object that often flies over the Mount and lands at the airport? It is the twin-engined blowfly, the latest to join the Air NZ fleet, painted black following our love of everything black. Carrying on the theme, here are a few other suggestions for our national teams: The Post Office - The Black Mail The Boxing Team - The Black Eyes The Power Company - The Black Current The Cooking Class - The Black Puddings But we need more black, so come on golfers what about some black sand in the bunkers? And us old fellows could dye our hair black. Grey Power would be history, we would be the new Black Power. A Sheppard, The Black Sheep, Mount Maunganui.

The Weekend Sun

Flag change: Act of arrogance They all served under our current flag and are worthy of high accolade and greater respect than this. Change to satisfy minority noise-makers is not good enough. Leave our flag alone. I shudder at the thought of a shipmate’s coffin being draped with a black cloth with a white feather-looking object on it. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember

RE: Veterans and the flag. The majority of members within our Royal New Zealand Naval Association are very concerned about a possible change of our national flag. I consider the idea to be an act of arrogant disrespect to all of the members of the NZ Defence Forces who have served their country, and died for it, in wars, and in emergency and defence situations in foreign countries.

them. Lest we forget. Our members also express concern for the families, grandchildren and great grandchildren who now suffer from birth defects and disabilities due to their parent or grandparent, who served our country in conflicts such as JForce, Korea, Operation Grapple, Malaya, Vietnam and Mureroa. It may be timely to seek medical help or contact your local RSA welfare support people. The more who seek redress, the more the Government may take notice and react instead of being in constant denial. To all veterans and families, don’t take no for an answer to your claims or concerns. R Mead, Member WBOP RNZ Naval Association.

Our government: A job not well done Graeme Martin’s letter ‘Ensure welfare doesn’t sink us’ (The Weekend Sun, March 7) has left out some very important information in his support for the National Government. The Global Financial Crisis was not a hospital pass for National because the previous Labour Government left no net debt, as Graeme Martin acknowledges. Labour ran budget surpluses for nine years and saved $18 billion into the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. That was excellent economic management. The present National Government has had budget deficits for five years and borrowed more than $50 billion. It has also sold $6 billion of well-performing

assets for $4 billion. It has paid nothing into the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. That is poor economic management. It has given tax cuts to the wealthy to be spent overseas, with no benefit to jobs in New Zealand. It has increased taxes on low-paid workers, which have produced an increase in child poverty and ever more need for foodbanks. The present Government hasn’t done a remarkable job at all. It has had the opportunity to borrow large sums of money and it has done so with abandon, and no intention of paying any of it back. Peter Dey, Welcome Bay.

Drivers not sharing roads safely with cyclists The ongoing problem of motor vehicles coming into conflict with bicycles is something that affects me as a cyclist almost every time I go out on my bicycle. I feel one of the problems that seems to crop up on a regular basis is vehicles not able to deal with a cyclist in front of them, who has a parked car to ride past and also a vehicle to deal with, coming in the opposite direction. What I find is the vehicle approaching from my rear is not able to identify they have a situa-

tion in front of them they have to deal with. What happens is they just keep coming and overtake me while I am alongside the parked car. They cannot give me clearance because of the oncoming vehicle, so they just seem to drive through and assume I’ll survive the close call. I do not know if these drivers are aware a cyclist has to be on the look-out for parked cars opening doors unexpectedly and will need room to pass safely. I feel it is the responsibility of the

driver from behind to time their arrival at the situation, so as to allow me to negotiate the parked vehicle. I know there is an attitude out there that cyclists should not be on the roads, but the fact is we are and have to be dealt with like any other situation a driver has to deal with. The fact drivers are not dealing with situations can only come down to poor anticipation and a general lack of driving skills. S Turner, Pyes Pa. The Weekend Sun welcomes letters and photographs from readers. Preference is given to short letters (200 words), supplied with full name and contact details. Photos are best in high resolution, jpeg format.

letters@thesun.co.nz

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The Weekend Sun

Real politics lost in flag debate To better the future, one has to remember the past - and politics is the one place that affects all of our futures, but we never learn from it. Take the last 40 to 50 years, where political parties have been battling the same issues time and again. Education, health, crime - all with good intentions but to no success. They have also struggled with the overseas trade deficit, the country in debt, but again it always seems to be there. One government clears it and the other brings it back, only because there is no way this country can survive without borrowing. Our trade is not big enough to offset imports and all this with promises by all on how to fix all. They have been unable to fix it in the past under this system. Meanwhile, simple things like justice is played with, with no real intentions.

Those who have lost investments due to corrupt corporate managers, who get a light punishment only to keep there hidden ill gotten gains, have to go through life knowing they have funded greedy thieves. What a justice system we have. Tax laws are in a mess and in need of a serious overhaul. But all this is lost to the sounds of: ‘Let’s change the flag and spend more money on an uninteresting personal wants’. Fat cats get rich on the Treaty train; and all decent folk have to look forward to is the same old, same old.

Silver fern on black is best New Zealanders have led the world in many fields - and particularly in sports the black uniform and the silver fern has been synonymous with this country’s reputation and its perception by the rest of the world. Businesses use the fern as an emblem throughout the world. To suggest any other flag other than a silver fern on black would detract from our achievements and world recognition is wrong. Canada’s maple leaf is highly recognisable throughout the world and the silver fern on black would be right up there with it. New Zealand has led the world in many fields since the vote was given to women and throughout the years scientists, businesses, sports, politics and tourism have established a

name to be proud of and to go down in history. But, to countenance changing the name to Aotearoa and rename the North and South islands would be to change our history and to diminish those achievements. In fact, we’d be invisible as just another South Pacific island nation, who nobody has ever heard of, for the sake of an ethnic few. We’re a nation of many ethnicities. One of the highest diversities in the world. The silver fern on black would substantiate and symbolise this recognition of our own nationhood, and now could be the time to confirm what the world already knows. R E Stephens, Mount Maunganui.

To those hard-line supporters who have seen the past political adverts that have belittled the opposition, a toast to your hardline hate for anything else that may threaten your ignorance, your living in ‘Groundhog Day’, enjoy. We need less lies and promises and a real change for the better. About 1 million people did not vote last election, the media and politicians made it out to be laziness - but in my eyes, people have had enough of all that has not happened to correct the past. Richard Stewart, Te Puke.

Fly a kiwi on our flag With reference to the current interest in changing our flag, I support Rogers Rabbits’ proposal of displaying a kiwi - our national bird. But to finish it off, and hence illustrate the Kiwi can-do attitude, a piece of No 8 wire should be in its beak. Good idea aye, awesome, yea no. Lew Lawson, Papamoa. The Weekend Sun welcomes letters and photographs from readers. Preference is given to short letters (200 words), supplied with full name and contact details. Photos are best in high resolution, jpeg format. So come on, get writing! Then email your letter and photo to:

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E N T E R T A I N M E N T G U I D E MUSIC The ever popular guide to ‘What’s On’ in the Bay.

Saturday 22 March 27th Easter Book Sale Rotary

Club of Tauranga April 19-21 at 6 Triton Ave, Mt Maunganui (old Mount Action Centre). Deliver your unwanted books, magazines, records, CD’s, videos, DVDs & jigsaw puzzles to Caltex Welcome Bay, Bayfair, Greerton, 14th Ave. Z (Shell) Omokoroa, Bethlehem, Hewletts Rd. Ross 544 0817 or ross.prestige@ihug.co.nz Alcoholics Anonymous Women’s meeting at Mt Maunganui Primary School, Orkney Rd 10-11am. Children welcome.

Andre Rieu Friendship Group BOP

Monthly weekend gatherings to enjoy beautiful music & meet new friends. Pete/ Jennifer 574 4238 Art in the Park Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui 8.30am - 5pm, weather permitting. Tauranga Society of Artists offer for sale a variety of art to suit all tastes. Bay Association Sea Kayakers Motohoa Island and Hunters Creek. March 29 Waikato River. Grant 576 8885. Come Dancing Tonight Sequence & old time dancing. Great music & supper. Greerton Hall 7.30-11pm. Entry $5. Run by Tauranga Scottish Soc. Allyson 576 9194 EnviroFest 2014 Historic Village, 17th Ave, Tauranga 10am – 3pm. Family friendly day of market stalls, live music, good food, activities for kids & workshops on everything from solar power through to worm composting. Scavenger Hunt 11am – 1pm.

Katikati Health & Wellbeing Expo

Presented by Katikati Community Resource Centre & held at Katikati Memorial Hall, Main Rd 9am – 2pm. More than 60 exhibitors, live demonstrations, free health checks, entertainment, food & more. Free entry. Katikati Primary School Gala From 10am – 2pm. All sorts of fun things on offer, including silent auctions. Messianic Weekly Meetings The Way meet in the Kingfisher Room, Arataki Community Centre, Zambuk Way, Mt Maunganui 10am. 570 1438 Produce Share at Envirofest Bring along surplus garden produce, seeds, seedlings for the Ooooby (out of our own backyards) Share Table at Envirofest 10-3pm Historic Village. Carina 021 064 9814 Te Puke Art Gallery Open March 29 at Constables Gallery, Commerce Lane 10am - 1pm. Exhibition of animals in pastels by local artists. Tauranga Farmers Market Tauranga Primary School cnr 5th Ave & Cameron Rd every Sat 7.45am - 12pm. Fresh & artisian produced food. March 29 meet Julie Biuso, Peter Blakeway & more for Fresh Funky Food & the judging of the 2014 Summer Fresh Awards from 9am.. Trixie 552 5278 or www. taurangafarmersmarket.co.nz

News, reviews and opinionated raving on the music scene.

The Amazing City Race. A walking event to discover places of interest around the CBD. Suitable for all ages. Spot prizes plus prizes for most colourful outfit & best photo taken on the day. Meet at Library Arcade, 91 Willow St, Tauranga 9am. $10pp or $20 per team (2-5 people). The Sociables 30’s/40’ age group of males & females that meet once a week to socialise by dining out or participating in local activities & events. Email sociables@outlook.co.nz Variety Club Bash Starts 2pm. Gold coin entry, children free. Village Radio Community radio broadcasting from Tauranga Historic Village 1368 kHz AM. Music of 1920’s - 80’s weekends 9am - 5pm, weekdays 10am - 5pm. Specialty programmes. www.villageradio.co.nz or 571 3710 Walk the Lakes 2014 Family fun walk at The Lakes, Tauriko from 10am. $10 donation gets you in prize draw or walk for free. Two walk options 3km or 6km. Register on-line www.facebook. com?WalkTheLakes, email: e.hersey@xtra. co.nz or register on the day.

Sunday 23 March

Awareness Through Movement Class

(Feldenkrais Method) March 23 at the Katikati Resource Centre 10am – 3pm. Gisella 544 4823 or 027 286 0891 Bible Seminars Every Sun at Greerton Senior Citizen’s Hall, Maitland St, Greerton 1.45pm. Title: “Bible study tools”. Interactive, Q&A. Refreshments provided. Vic 543 0504 Bringing Out the Book in You At the Cargo Shed, Dive Crescent, Tauranga 10am – 12pm & 1-4pm. A drop-in session. Come & talk to an expert about becoming an indie author. Croquet Tauranga Domain Sun, Tues, Fri 12.45pm. Peter 571 0633 Glow Worm Walk Meet at McLaren Falls Park Visitors Centre 7.30pm for a guided glow worm walk through bush setting. Bring warm clothes, study footwear, torch. Huge Kids Gear Garage Sale Lots of preloved & new items at QE2 Memorial Hall 10am - 12pm. Gold coin entry. Tauranga Multiple Birth Group fundraiser. Jodi 576 1347 or events@tmbg.co.nz

Introduction to Nature Photography

University of Waikato CBD Building, 144 Durham St, Tauranga 9am – 1pm. Presented by Kim Westerskov, international award-winning photographer. An illustrated introduction to nature photography & demonstrates taking & processing photos. Register: nyree@waikato.ac.nz Kids Gear Garage Sale QEII Memorial Hall 10am – 12pm. Pre-loved & new kids & baby clothing, bedding, strollers, baths, highchairs, toys & more. Gold coin entry.

Mount Mainstreet Farmers Market

Every Sun in Phoenix car park 9am - 1pm. Fresh fruit & veges, breads, cheese, oils,

DVD MOVIES Reviews of DVDs, old and new, as well as other bits and bobs. plants & more. All home grown & home made. 575 9911 mountmaunganui.org.nz

O’Neill Aotearoa Surf Film Festival. The Endless Summer. 7:30pm Mt Maunganui, Mt Drury Reserve.

Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club Club championships.

Palm Beach Plaza Lions Market On the grass by McDonalds 7am – 12.30pm. Stalls must be set up by 7.30am. Great range of goods for sale including fruit & vege, arts & crafts. Fundraising stalls to support needy causes. $10 per car space. 542 2559 a/hs Prestige Singles 50+ Coffee afternoon 2.30pm. Mix & mingle with other like-minded individuals. Email: mixandmingle@xtra.co.nz or 027 439 3267 Radio Controlled Model Yachts Meet Sun 1.30pm & Thurs 5.30pm at pond behind 24 Montego Drive, Papamoa to race electron & similar 3ft long yachts. Graham 572 5419 Spiritual Centre, The Psychic Cafe

Greerton Community Hall. Doors open 7pm. Free refreshments, free access to psychics & healers, Q&A, meditations, workshops, friendship & fellowship. Door charge $10. 578 7205 Tauranga Brass Memorial Park, near playground. 1.30-2.30pm. Peter 572 4358.

Tauranga Rainbow Social Network For gay, bi, lesbian, trans &

intersex. Meet 2nd Sun of month 3pm. Kaye 021 239 7142 or 07 218 1411 Tauranga Rainbow Youth For gay, bi, lesbian, trans & intersex 25 yrs & under. Kaye 021 239 7142 or 07 218 1411 Tauranga Target Rifle Club Inc Open day at Legion of Frontiersmen’s Hal, Elizabeth St West 1-4pm. All training & equipment supplied. A great sport where people of all sizes & shapes can compete.

Tauranga Underwater Hockey Club Inc

March 30 AGM at Baywave in the Large Meeting Room under grandstand 1.30pm. Theosophical Society “The Karma Connection” at Tauranga Yoga Centre, Elizabeth St West 2pm. Entry by donation to cover costs. June 576 6106 Te Puke Forest & Bird Trip Kaimai summit to Hirinui Hut, 3 hrs return. Cathy 573 9566 Te Puke Spiritual Discussion Group 1st, 3rd & 5th Sun of month at Hair Linez Hair Salon, old railway station, Jellicoe St 10.30-11.30am. Meeting of spiritual minds, learning & growing from each other. Door entry $3. Elaine 573 5361

Wai/BOP Bisexual/Lesbian Women’s Group Trans & intersex welcome. Kaye

021 239 7142 or 07 218 1411

Monday 24 March

Achieve Toastmasters Feeling anxious

about that forthcoming presentation. Learn to speak with confidence. 1st, 3rd Mon at St Stephens Hall, Otumoetai 7.30pm. Fraser 544 4579 Badminton Tauranga Badminton Club every Mon & Weds at Bethlehem College

OUT THERE GUIDE Stories, snippets, strangeness, and general entertainment. Events Centre 7.30pm. All players welcome. Sue 021 194 4335 or www.taurangabadmintonclub.co.nz Bay Salsa Beginners salsa lessons 6.45pm. New intake every 4 weeks. Improver Salsa lessons, walk in classes 7.45pm. $15 per class. Otumoetai Action Centre. www.baysalsa.co.nz Bethlehem Bowls Every Mon at 7.15pm. First 3 nights free. Wendy 578 2585 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Martial art which teaches self defence techniques & boost self-confidence. Classes Mon, Weds, Thurs 7-9pm & Sat 10am-12pm. Kids classes Tues & Thurs 4.30-5.20pm. At 22/3 Macdonald St, Mt Maunganui. 021 264 3211 Cafe Scientifique Forum for discussing science issues. This week meet at Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Sulphur Pt 7pm. Entry $5. Refreshments provided. email: julia. banks@saffronconsulting.co.nz or www.ac.nz/go/cafescientifique Chess Mt Maunganui Mount RSA Chess Club every Mon at Mount RSA, 544 Maunganui Rd. Juniors 6.15-7.15pm during school term. Open club 6-11pm Noel 579 5412 Citizens Advice Bureau Free, confidential info & advice about anything call in Mon - Fri at 38 Hamilton St, Tauranga 9am - 5pm or freephone 0800 367 222. JP service every Weds & Thurs 9am 12pm. Weds CAB service at Welcome Bay Community Centre 9.30am - 12.30pm, Fri at Mount Library 11.30am - 1.30pm. No appointment necessary. Fire Brigade Bowling Club Club night at Greerton Hall, Cameron Rd 7.30pm. Bickers Rosebowl. Sharon 543 3929 Fitness League Safe effective, low impact fun exercise set to music using the Bagot Stack technique, designed for women of all ages & abilities. First class free. Every Mon at Settlers Hall Omokoroa 9.30am & Tues St Johns Anglican Church Waihi 9.30am. Dorothy 549 3378 Genealogy Friendly Group Meet in Mako Room, Papamoa Community Centre 1pm. Assistance offered to anyone with an interest in researching their family history. Daphne 575 467

Harmony a Plenty Barbershop Chorus

Every Mon at Bethlehem Community Church, Moffat Rd 7pm. New members welcome. 572 3345 or www.harmonyaplenty.co.nz Junction Mental Health Peer support & advocacy. Coffee & chat 10am – 12pm. 579 9890 Learn to Dance Te Puke Every Mon at St Pats hall, Beatty Ave, Te Puke 7pm. Sequence dancing for beginners & more. More male partners needed for our dancers - if interested please come along. $3pp. Gordon 572 0060 Meditation Free classes Mon 10am & Weds 7.30pm. Find peace, spiritual awareness & the meaning of your life. David 576 9764

The Weekend Sun’s guide to who’s playing and where.

Mount RSA Indoor Bowls Mon & Thurs. Names in by 6.45pm. New members welcome. Joy 574 8003 Otumoetai Indoor Bowls Graded Rinks (Alan Elliott Cup) Matua Primary School Hall, Clivedene St 7.15pm. New members welcome. Karen 576 0443 Parkinsons Society Exercise class weekly Tauranga, Te Puke & Whakatane. Red Tulip support meetings monthly Tauranga, Katikati & Whakatane. www.parkinsons.org.nz or Joelene 573 5668 Recycled Teenagers Gentle exercise for 50’s forwards, & injury or illness rehabilitation. Mon & Weds, 14 Norris St, Tauranga Senior Citizens Club, behind Pak n Save. Tues at St Mary’s Church Hall, Girven Rd. All 9 - 10.30am. Classes taken by qualified instructor. First class free. Jennifer 571 1411 Taekwon Do The Silla Club train Mon & Thurs at Te Puna School Hall. All ages welcome. Gwyn 0274 587 871 Taoist Tai Chi Pioneer Room, Community Hall, Te Puke 9.30-11am. 573 5560 or 027 575 3272 Tauranga Bridge Club Sessions Mon, Weds, Thurs 7.30pm. Tues & Fri 1pm. Social bridge Thurs 1pm. 252 Ngatai Rd. 576 5022 Tauranga Civic Choir New members welcome to join & rehearse every Mon 7.30-9.30pm. 574 6366 Tauranga Creative Fibre Every Mon at Arts Centre, Elizabeth St from 9.30am. Spinning, weaving, felting, knitting, crochet & more. Learn & share in a mutually supportive club. Also on Thurs evening twice a month. Joan 577 6781 Tauranga Rock n Roll Club

Monday club nights 8-9.30pm. Teenage lessons start March 24 7-8pm. Tauranga RSA Cameron Rd. Website: Taurangarocknrollclub.org Colleen 544 4676 Tauranga RSA Indoor Bowls Mon report 12.45pm for 1pm start. Weds 3.45 for 4pm start. Leanne 570 0154 Tauranga Senior Citizens Club Cards, 500 & Bridge Mon & Thurs. Indoor Bowls Tues, Weds & Sat at 14 Norris St, behind Pak n Save 1-4pm. Register by 12.45pm. $2 includes afternoon tea. New members welcome. Tauranga Senior Citizens Club Indoor Bowls Every Mon at St Columba Church Hall, 502 Otumoetai Rd 1-4pm. Names in by 12.45pm. $3 entry includes afternoon tea. New members welcome. 571 6663 Te Puna Indoor Bowls Every Mon at Te Puna Hall 7.15pm. Norma 552 5563 The Writing Project For people working on a piece of writing or wanting to. Kaye 021 239 7142 or 07 218 1411

Toughlove Parent Support Group

Every Mon at Totara House, 1428 Cameron Rd, Greerton 7-9pm. No need to register. 543 3194 Vision Probus Club Meets fourth Mon in the Washington Room, Armitage Hotel 10am. 579 2289

The Weekend Sun YMCA - ALFS (Active

lifestyle for seniors). Smooth Movers class Mon 9-10am & 10.15-11.15am at Matua Community Hall, Levers Rd. Also 9-9.55am & 10-10.55am at Arataki Hall, Zambuk Way (off Grenada St). Tues 9.15-10.15am & 10.30-11.30am at Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd. Weds 9.15-10.15am Welcome Bay Hall, Welcome Bay Rd. First class free. Thurs 9-10am at Otumoetai Action Centre, Windsor Rd. Also 10.30-11.30am at Bethlehem Hall, Bethlehem Rd. Fri 9.15-10.15am at Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd. Also Fri at Papamoa Library 10.20am. 578 9272

Tuesday 25 March

16 Sqn Air Training Corps (ATC) Every

Tues (during school term), Tauranga Army Hall 6.30-9pm. Lynn 027 291 6150 or email: atc16sqntauranga@ yahoo.co.nz 2014 Face2Face Coffee Group At 36d McDonald St opp Nosh Cafe 10am - 12pm. Gold coin donation for refreshments plus cheap preloved clothing available. Pauline 575 5556 ABC Avenues Badminton Club Every Tuesday at Tauranga Intermediate School sports centre. Juniors 6-7.30pm (term time), seniors (adults) 7.30-9pm. Club racquets & coaching available. Delwyn 027 2124 720. Badminton (Social) Every Tues at Otumoetai Baptist Hall 9.30am - 12pm. Racquets available. Lorraine 579 3229

Balmorals Leisure Marching Team

Ladies welcome to join aged 30-60 for fun, friendship & travel. Training every Tues at Greerton 6-8pm. Anita 571 4096 or 021 0257 6094 Bayfair Petanque Club Every Tues & Thurs at Bayfair Reserve, Russley Drive 1pm. Tuition & boules available for learners & visitors. Margaret 572 3173 Bethlehem Pottery Club Tues & Thurs at 13 Bethlehem Rd 10am - 3pm. Call in for info or ph Jane 552 0046 Bureta Garden Circle Monthly meeting at St John’s Church Hall, 94 Bureta Rd, Otumoetai 1.30pm. Visitors welcome. Colleen 576 7610

Body+Soul Fun Fitness for over 50’s,

Social events & guest speakers. Guest Speaker Jill O’Reilly Stroke Foundation Advisor. 10.15am Tues Wesley Church Hall, 13th Ave. Mon & Fri Greerton Hall Cameron Rd. Weds City Church cnr Otumoetai Rd/Sherwood St. All classes 9.15am-10.15am. First class free. For men & women. Dianne 576 5031 Qualified Instructor/ Cardiac Care Leader. Bokwa Fitness Tues at Bethlehem Primary School Hall. Mikki 021 773 657. Thurs at Omokoroa Settlers Hall, Omokoroa Rd. Both 6pm. Sarah 021 773 657. Dance your way to a healthier & fitter you. Easy steps to sign language. www.bokwafitness.com/ Excel Toastmasters Meet every 2nd, 4th & 5th Tues at Arataki Community Centre 6.15-8.30pm. Kaaren 572 5988

Fibromyalgia Support Group Meeting Hillier Centre 1.30pm Guest speaker: Linda. Maureen 576 3256

Free ESOL Christian Conversation Classes For all levels of English every

Tues during school term at Holy Trinity Church cnr 4th Ave & Devonport Rd 7.30-9.15pm. Janice 576 7839

Inachord Chorus Womens 4 Part Harmony Every Tues at Bethlehem

Community Church, 183 Moffat Rd 6.55pm. Enjoy the challenge of singing & performing varied repertoire. Cathy 579 2040 email: inachordchorus@ gmail.com Interested in Solar Energy? Tauranga Library, Willow St, Tauranga 12-1pm. A presentation designed to provide free independent advice on the benefits of solar, choosing the right system & supplier & what savings you can expect over the life of your system. Learn Taekwondo Korean martial art of self defence every Tues & Thurs 5.307pm. 2 weeks free trial. 07 562 0989 Line Dancing No beginners. Elizabeth St extension community centre 1.15pm. Fay 578 4081 Mount Aglow For all ladies at Salvation Army, 57 Eversham Rd, Mt Maunganui 9.45am. Join us if you need a new direction to your life. Guest speaker:

Testimony. Shared lunch to follow. Raewyn 574 6967 Mount Maunganui Scottish Soc AGM April 8 at 57 Wairoa Rd 6pm. Following the AGM, dessert & coffee will be served. Elizabeth 544 5633

Mount Morning Badminton

Every Tues at Mount Sports Centre, Blake Park 9am - 12pm. Social, competitive, all ages. Beginners welcome. Racquets available. Visitors $5 per session. Margaret 575 9792

Orange City Square & Round Dance Club Tues morning class 10am - 12pm.

Weds plus, Thurs club night. Beginners March 27 7.30pm. Frontiersmen’s Hall. 543 1063 Otumoetai Toastmasters Leadership skills, speaking skills. At Lyceum Club rooms, 68 1st Ave 7.15-9.30pm. Allan 544 5989 Papamoa Indoor Bowls Every Tues at Gordon Spratt Reserve. Names in by 7.15pm. First 2 nights free. New members welcome. Wes 572 1033 Petanque Tauranga/BOP Club. New piste at Club Mt Maunganui. 1pm start. Neita 572 3768 Sequence Dancing Tauranga Social & Leisure Club. St John’s Anglican Church Hall, 94 Bureta Rd, Otumoetai 7-9pm. Second Tues of month 3-5.30pm. Visitors welcome. John 578 9716 Shaolin Kung Fu New beginners classes. TMAA 1st Ave (Glasgow St end) Tues & Thurs. Children 4.15-5.15pm. Adults 5.306.45pm. 1st session free. Ray 0220 776 484 South City Indoor Bowls Club 9 Bowls Triples (Gee Cup). At Greerton Hall, Tauranga. Names in by 7.15pm. Mary 541 0687 Starz 10 Pin Bowling League Every Tues at 13th Ave 9.30am. Play in pairs. Tauranga Astronomical Society The observatory and hall will be open at Fergusson Park at 7.30pm. ‘Astrobiology and the Origins of Life’, is a recorded and informative lecture by Professor David Deaner. Telescope viewing if weather permits. Jonathon 576-1943.

Tauranga Acoustic Music Club

McSwiggan’s Irish Pub, 158 Cambridge Rd 7.30pm. Friendly jam sessions. Sing, play or just listen. Blackboard Concert 7.30pm. Paul 579 2346 or www.tamc.org.nz Tauranga Arthritis Group Meet at Raft Coffee Lounge 1pm. New members welcome. Peter 576 2753 Tauranga BMX Club Club nights every Tues. Registration 5.15-5.50pm. Racing starts 6pm at Tauranga MTB & BMX Park, 280 Cambridge Rd, Tauranga. $2 per club member. First 3 nights free to new riders.

Tauranga Morning Badminton Club

Meet every Tues & Thurs at QEII Youth Centre, Memorial Park, Tauranga 9-11.30am. New players & visitors welcome. Heather 574 0976 Tauranga Toastmasters Tga Lyceum Club 7.15-9.30pm. Confidence building, speaking skills, leadership skills. Alan 544 5989 Treasure Box Songs & stories for under 5’s every Tues at Changepoint, 131 Poike Rd, Ohauiti 9.30am. Morning tea provided. 544 2713 Widow & Widower’s Club For people living alone, meet at Arts & Crafts Centre, Elizabeth St 2pm. Margaret 576 5292

Wednesday 26 March

6 Week Social Beginner Dance Class

Weds 26 at Tauranga Primary School Hall, 5th Ave 8pm. March 27 at Greerton Hall, 1247 Cameron Rd 8pm. Learn waltz, rock & roll, cha cha & more. Sonia, Supreme Dance Centre 544 2337 or 027 322 1786 or just come along on the night. Age Concern Walking Group Meet at Daisy Hardwick, off Chapel St 10am. 578 2631 AvantiPlus Mt Maunganui Aquathon Series Pilot Bay (at the wharf/tug end) Mt Maunganui. Kids & adults welcome with short & long course options. 5.30pm registration with 6pm start. $5 entry. www.triathlontauranga. org.nz Email: info@triathlontauranga. org.nz or Todd 021 210 1515 Badminton Mt Maunganui Club night Wed 7.00pm to 9.00pm Mt Sports Centre, Maunganui Road. Past and new players welcome. Janice 5752438 or 0272010529.

Baywide Community Law Service

Drop in clinic every Weds at 63 Willow St 5-6.30pm. No appointment necessary. Free legal assistance. 571 6812. Every Tues morning at Te Puke Clinic. For appointment 573 5614. Every Thurs morning at Katikati Clinic. For appointment 549 0399

BOP Branch End-of-Life Choice

Aged 60+? Discuss spending last days. Grinz Cafe, 1st Ave 2.30pm. Ph/txt Tess 021 202 0565 or email: tess.nesdale@gmail.com Bipolar Support Group Support for people with bipolar 1-2pm. If you need a ride, or info, Junction 579 9890

Club Mt Maunganui Indoor Bowls Weds evenings - draw 6.45pm for 7pm start. New members welcome. Jim 572 1983

Cribbage Club Tauranga RSA Greerton New members wanted for

this long established club, all ages. Every Weds 1-3.30pm. Entrance $3. Robert 579 1342

Fernlands Spa Water Exercise Class

Weds 10.45-11.45am. Held rain or shine, but not during school holidays. New participants planning to attend, ph Jennifer 571 1411. Freemasons Gate Pa Lodge Meet at Hairini Masonic Centre. Ph/txt Glen 572 4972 or 027 918 9096 Gate Pa Indoor Bowls Club night at Mackay Shield vs Papamoa at Gate Pa 7.30pm. Plate for supper please. Kevin 543 4044 Guns & Roses Historic Walk Meet at Police Station Cliff Road. Visit historical sites around downtown Tauranga & learn the history behind them 10-11am. Frocks on Bikes Ride Meet at Maxwells Rd entrance to Daisy Hardwick Walkway, Otumeotai 6pm. Ride the 9.1km loop track around the Waikareao Estuary Reserve. Bring bike suitable for dirt, boardwalk & paved section. Frocksonbikes.tauranga@gmail.com

Greerton Gold Leisure Marching Team Seeking new ladies aged 50+.

Meet Weds at Morland Fox Park 8-9.30am. No experience required. Marion 578 1108 Healing Rooms Prayer for your healing. Bethlehem Shopping Centre, behind Paper Plus. 1-3pm. Faye 579 2636. Move Night Fund-raiser April 9 hosted by Diabetes help Tauranga Youth, designed to raise funds for local children & youth with type 1 & type 2 diabetes. Rialto Tauranga, Devonport Rd. 7.45pm nibbles, 8.15pm movie – Noah. Cost $25. Spot prizes during the evening. For tickets, Debbie 571 3422 Otumoetai Care & Craft Group Every Weds during school term at St Columba Church, Cherrywood 9am - 12.30pm. Dawn 576 7783 Scottish Country Dancing Weds at Senior Citizens Hall, Maunganui Rd. Fri at Papamoa Primary School Hall, Dickson Rd. Both 7.30pm. 573 5055 Table Tennis Tauranga Weds 1-3pm & 7-9pm, Fri 7-9pm at Memorial Hall, QEYC. www.sportsground.co.nz/ tabletennistauranga or Bill 578 1662

Te Puke Healing & Spiritual Centre

Constables Gallery, Commerce Lane, Te Puke 7.15pm start. Speaker: Angie Duffill - healing your inner child. $4pp. Delwyn 0274 253 526 Te Puke Toy Library 248 Jellicoe St, opp Atuaroa Ave, Te Puke Weds to Sat 9.30am - 12pm. 021 130 6476

Toastmasters - City Early Start

Toastmasters is the answer for building confidence, communication & leadership skills. Come along & check out this GenX GenY club. To find a club near you email: LaniDTM@kol. co.nz or 571 1545. http://cityearlystart. toastmastersclubs.org TS Chatham (Sea Cadets) Every Weds at TYPBC, Keith Allan Drive, Sulphur Pt 6.30-9pm. Lee 542 5377 or 027 291 6151 or email: leew.lynnc@xtra.co.nz Welcome Bay Tennis Club Every Weds 9am mixed social tennis for fitness & friendship. 577 0462

Yoga with Ocean Views

Every Weds/Fri Fergusson Park Sports Centre, end of Tilby Drive, Matua 9.30am. Join any time. Stella 021 0249 6390

Thursday 27 March

Age Concern Tauranga Monthly meeting at Tauranga RSA, Hinton Lounge, 1237 Cameron Rd, Greerton

10am. Guest speaker: Shane Southby, ANZ Bank “Financial scams, are you a potential target? Arm yourself with information & tools to protect yourself.” Cost $3pp includes morning tea before meeting starts. 578 2631 Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Salvation Army, Eversham Rd, Bayfair 7.30-8.30pm. ALFS YMCA Papamoa Summerhills Walk. Meet at Summerhill carpark, Reid Rd, Papamoa 9am. Walk across the Summerhill Farm with the option to walk up the summit of Papamoa Hills for fantastic views. Bring suitable walking shoes, sun hat, drink. Gold coin donation to Summerhill Farm. Army Cadets (WBOP Cadet Unit) Every Thurs at Tauranga Army Hall 6-9.30pm. Ages 13-17 youth development with a military flavour. Email: admin@wbopcu.org.nz Ballroom Dancing Every Thurs at Mount RSA 10am. Gil 574 6754 Club 55 Tenpin New members welcome to join a fun seniors tenpin bowling league. Meet Thurs at 13th Ave Tenpin 10.30am. Jenny 543 0539 Coastal Healing Rooms Weekly at Fashion Island, 42 Gravatt Rd, next to Esquires. First & 3rd Thurs 10.30am - 12.30pm. 2nd & 4th Sat 1.30-3.30pm. No appointment necessary. No charge. 574 1510 www.healingrooms.co.nz Community Bible Study International At 14th Ave Gospel Centre 10am - 12pm for a non denominational in depth Bible Study. Jack/Betty 544 3809 Fitness League Safe, effective, low impact exercise to music using the Bagot Stack technique, designed for females. All ages & abilities, complementary first class, every Thurs Central Baptist Church Hall, cnr 13th Ave & Cameron Rd 9.30am & Weds at Katikati Memorial Hall 10am. Pam 549 4799 or 021 117 170 French Connection For lovers of all things French. Meet like-minded people over a relaxed drink. Meet every second Thurs at Brooklyn Eatery, the Strand 4.30-6.30pm. Andrea: agohns@yahoo.co.nz

Keynote 4 Part Harmony Women’s Chorus Meet every Thurs at Wesley Church Hall, 13th Ave Tauranga 6.45pm. Sing for fun & health. Nora 544 2714

Ladies Lions Club (Harbour City) Meet at 2nd & 4th Thurs at

Lyceum Club, 68 First Ave 7pm & 6pm respectively. Visitors welcome. Wendy 576 2505 Mainly Music Every Thurs at Tauranga Salvation Army, cnr Cameron Rd & 5th Ave 9.45am. $3 per family. New members welcome. 544 2417 Mount Art Group Every Thurs at St Peter’s Church Hall, 11 Victoria Rd, Mt Maunganui 9am - 1pm. Visitors welcome. Merilynn 575 6777 Mt Maunganui Creative Fibre Meet every Thurs at Arataki Community Centre 9am - 1pm. Share & learn spinning, weaving, crochet, knitting, felting & other creative crafts. Visitors & new members welcome. Jan 574 1265 Petanque Tauranga/BOP Club Every Thurs & Sun at Cliff Rd venue 1pm start. Jo Ann 578 3606 Salsa on the Strand Presented by Bay Salsa. Intro class 8pm followed by social dancing. Thurs at Defy. Social, no partner required. $2 entry, members free. www.baysalsa.co.nz

Tauranga Friends of the Libraries

Feedback from Council meeting on the new Greerton Library. Villaggio Café, 1293 Cameron Rd, Greerton 10am. Tauranga Heart Support Group Class starts at 9.15am. Guest Speaker Jill O’Reilly Stroke Foundation Advisor at 10.00am. City Church, Otumoetai Rd/ Sherwood St. Men & women welcome. Dianne 576 5031 Tauranga Machine Knitters AGM April 3 at St Enoch’s Church Lounge, 16th Ave 1.30pm. Janice 576 9070

Continued...

44 ...Continued Tauranga Model Railway Club Meet every Thurs evening. Ed 543 1108

Tauranga Rock n Roll Social Dancers

50’s & 60’s music at 14 Norris St Tauranga (behind Pak n Save) 7.30-9.30pm. $3 entry. Maria 576 7326 Tauranga Storytellers’ Group Meet last Thurs of month. Learn how to develop your storytelling skills. Claire 577 7220 Toastmasters - Kickstart Club Have fun while learning to speak confidently. Breakfast meeting at Alimento Cafe, 1st Ave, Tauranga 7-8.15am. Guests welcome. Helen 571 6181

Friday 28 March

Alcoholics Anonymous Open meeting

every Fri at Hamner Clinic, 1235 Cameron Rd, Greerton (behind Tyremaster) 7.30pm. 0800 229 6757 for more meetings or assistance. Charity Quiz Night At Tauranga RSA 7pm. To raise funds for the Steenson Family. 6 person teams $10pp entry.

Spot prizes. Drink & supper provided. Limited spaces. Tickets available from RSA reception or 578 9654 functions@ tgarsa.co.nz Chess Tauranga Every Fri at Tauranga RSA, Greerton 6pm onwards for the whole family. Noel 579 5412 http://www. westernbopchess.weebly.com/ Documentary Nights Every 2nd Fri 7pm. Many interesting & though provoking subjects covered. Kim 576 9427 or 027 285 9611

Friday Friends 10 Pin Bowling League Join our friendly league

playing every Fri at 13th Ave 10 Pin 1pm (3 games). We play in pairs. New members welcome. Barry/Loris 571 5492 Free Immigration Clinic Every Fri - legal advice & information on immigration issues. For appointment, Baywide Community Law 571 68122

“What’s On” in the Weekend Sun is a free service for non-proﬁt clubs and organisations. Email julie@thesun.co.nz or fax 571 1116 or post to PO Box 240, Tauranga. Deadline 3pm Tuesday. Contributions should be less than 20 words.

M U S I C

The Weekend Sun P L U S

Sticking to it

By Winston Watusi

A lot of people play music for a while then give it away when the demands of the “real world” intrude. And there's nothing wrong with that. To embrace music in the long-term requires more than just being able to play. Like any long-term relationship it demands an elusive combination of single-mindedness and flexibility, as well as a serious lashing of dedication. Because of that it always feels good to be writing about someone who has stuck with it in musical terms, who clings to that unpredictably obsessive need to create, someone who is prepared to spend the hours – indeed the years - it takes to hone their craft, or their art, depending on how you view such metaphysical distinctions. I first wrote about Sean Bodley in 1999, reviewing his self-titled debut album. ‘Impressive first CD by Tauranga guitar man’ said the headline and, digging out that early CD with its still-striking silver design, it remains true today. Now Sean has produced another all-instrumental rock guitar album, Balance, and it's remarkable stuff, showcasing both his astonishing

Sean Bodley hosts the weekly Jam Night at Krazy Jacks on Thursday nights. guitar chops and also how far his skills as an arranger and writer have progressed. For aspiring guitarists out there Balance is a masterclass in both playing and the creative possibilities of a home studio. But first, a bit of history – let's catch up with Sean. As a 17-year-old his passion for guitar was sparked by a year-long course at what was then Tauranga's Australasian College of the Arts where he studied under local virtuoso Terry Varhalamas (last seen, I think, in London several years back). That led to playing in bands and in fairly quick order to that impressive debut album. The past few years have seen Sean continuing on this lifetime musical quest while playing in covers bands around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. There was Budokan, with Gavin Northcroft on bass and drummer Tom Roach, which after a shuffle of members and a move towards heavier covers comprised Sean, Tom, bass player Ian Clark, and singer Damien Cooper. He also has a ‘main’ covers band, Undertow, with Ian, guitarist Mark Wright and drummer Nick Ririnui and a second covers trio called El Scorcho with Mark and Nick. Confused yet?

Weekly jam sessions

featuring

And, if that's not enough, Sean plays in a two-piece acoustic duo with Mark and hosts the weekly Jam Night at Krazy Jacks on Thursday nights. He also teaches guitar from his home studio during the week and is the itinerant guitar teacher at both Aquinas College and Katitkati College as well as writing a monthly guitar column and reviews for on-line guitar website Six-String Samurai. As I've mentioned before in this column, a musician's road is not an easy one – be prepared to work! Reinforcing how highly-respected Sean is, he spent a lot of 2012 designing a guitar with luthier Ernie Taylor and his company ET Guitars in Australia. They are currently working on a signature model of sorts, due out later this year. Sean will be travelling to Sydney at the end of the year to oversee the operation and discuss future guitar builds. Very cool. The new album, Balance, is going well, more than 100 CDs sold already, with the official release on iTunes, Amazon and other on-line platforms on April 1. The first single, ‘Catalonia’, is out now and can be heard on Soundcloud, YouTube also locally on KissFM. The second single ‘One In The Chamber’ will be released this Saturday.

Original work

This is a deliberate push by Sean to put his original work front and centre: last year he played on Leilani’s debut album (produced at Welcome Bay's Colourfield Studio by Tim Julian), and he's currently recording tracks on Tim’s solo album, Southern Utopia, due out later this year. Things with his own originals will be also amping up, with plans to release his 2011 album Acoustic Soundscapes on CD within the next 12 months. I'll be reviewing Balance next week. In the meantime, CDs and information on Sean's music can be found at www.facebook.com/seanbodleymusic and the album can be pre-ordered on-line from Bandcamp and Amazon.com. And you can hear clips of the album on Sean's YouTube channel - just search “Sean Bodley Music.” - watusi@thesun.co.nz

The Weekend Sun D V D

M O V I E S

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

With Winston Watusi

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth Dir: Francis Lawrence

I was a bit down on the first Hunger Games flick, but this round is a big improvement, ditching some of the more straight-ahead teen tropes and combining a cynical – if fairly shallow – view of politics and society with a bang-up action bash. The first and most canny change is the move away from the angst of a teen love story. What looked like the inevitable love triangle is quickly ditched as Jennifer Lawrence’s character (yes, the one with the stupid name) basically walks away from both love interests because she has more important things to do. And quite rightly so. It’s a refreshingly sensible bit of behaviour. She’s sent on a publicity tour to quell potential trouble in the poorer provinces but, what with the

Machete Kills is Robert Rodriguez latest venture into extreme silliness, a sequel to a film based on a spoof trailer that accompanied his Grindhouse collaboration with Quentin Tarantino on Deathproof and Planet Terror. It's basically a vehicle for Danny Trejo to kick an outrageous amount of ass and improves upon the original by plunging even more relentlessly over the top. Along for the ride are Mel Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Amber Heard, Antonio Banderas, Cuba Gooding Jr, Charlie Sheen and even Lady Gaga, for a romp that skewers every B-movie genre going, finally ending in daft sixties sci-fi spy territory.

We Steal Secrets is the story of Wikileaks and Julian Assange, directed by Alex Gibney (Taxi To The Dark Side, Mea Maxima Culpa, Enron, etc), as fine a documentarian as is working today. It’s fascinating stuff, offering many good reasons for the existence of Wikileaks and shining light on many very dubious US government practices. Then, three quarters of the way in, things change and it explicitly separates Wikileaks from Julian Assange, asking some very tricky questions about the actions of the site’s founder. Nothing is black and white and this terrific film walks the fine line with great intelligence.

ruling dictatorship doing all sorts of nasty things, is unable to keep up the façade. So, in steps the President and changes the game rules yet again, this time so that all previous winners must duke it out (a popular tactic on Survivor, so I guess it makes sense) in a meticulously-prepared jungle environment. Complete with poison gas, threatening creatures, and all sorts of other deadly stuff. Once again Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful, a young female Brando with both the physicality and smarts, and she’s surrounded by a classy crew, from a brilliant Stanley Tucci to Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson and the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman. Popcorn movies should all be this much fun.

The Colony postulates a postapocalyptic future where the few survivors from frozen starvation live in bunkers under the snow. They’re not a happy bunch. A deadly flu-like illness infects the colonists (who include Bill Paxton and Lawrence Fishburne) and they’ve just lost touch with the closest remaining colony. Larry goes to investigate – trudging through the snow was rarely so dull – and finds... well that would fall into spoilers territory. Let’s just say

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Fantastic Not bad at all Dreadful

Cuban Fury

PLAYING THIS WEEK

THE MONUMENTS MEN

(M)

Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) stars as Bruce, a chubby Londoner who was once hailed as a teen salsa dancing prodigy. When his dance career is ended by a brutal bullying incident right before the UK Junior Salsa Championships, Bruce's once-promising life descends into a downward spiral. Twenty-two years later, out of shape and down on his luck, he tries to rediscover his long lost talent to impress his beautiful new American boss Julia (Rashida Jones). The Weekend Sun has two double passes to Cuban Fury for lucky readers who can tell us who plays the new American boss. Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competitions section. Entries must be received before Wednesday, March 26.

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Bad Things. Problem is, it takes an awfully long time before said Bad Things kick in, and the build-up is a bit on the boring side.

But sadly, compared to the excellence of the documentary, Bill Condon’s fiction film on the same subject, The Fifth Estate , is something of an anticlimax. Despite a riveting and surprisingly accurate turn from “thinking women’s sex symbol du jour” Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange, the film never quite decides what it is and consequently fails to gain any dramatic momentum. The ill-judged graphics illustrate the action poorly while the buddy-story-gone-wrong, with Daniel Bruhl sympathetic as the Wikileaks number two whose friendship with Assange is at the heart of events, lacks the insight of a Peter Morgan script.

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Matt Damon, George Clooney. True Story. Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper. MEGAscreen PLAYING NEW THIS THIS WEEK WEEK ININ 3D3D An unlikely platoon is tasked to rescue art. Fri 3:25, 8:30pm. Sat 5:35. Sun 8:00pm. NEED FOR SPEED (3D) (M) Adult Themes. Fri 1:00, 8:15pm. Sat 12:55, 6:00pm. Mon 6:00pm. Tue 3:10, 8:15. Wed 3:10. Stars Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul. Sun 3:15, 6:00pm. Mon 3:30, 6:10pm. An ex-convict on an illegal, POMPEII (2D) (M) Violence. Tue 12:45, 6:00pm. Wed 3:20, 6:00pm. revenge-seeking car race. Emily Browning, Kit Harington. Fri 6:00pm. Sat 3:15, 8:20pm. 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (2D) (R16) Fri 6:15pm. Sat 8:30pm. Sun 1:00, 5:55. Mon 3:30pm. Graphic Violence, Sex Scenes & Offensive Language. Sun 5:45pm. Mon 3:40. Tue 5:55pm. Wed 8:10pm. Fri 6:00. Sat 3:20. Sun 1:00. Tue 8:30pm. Tue 6:00pm. Wed 8:30pm.

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Based on the True Story.

Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto. Fri 3:35, 8:05pm. Sat 1:20, 5:35pm. Sun 3:45, 8:05pm. Mon 3:35, 6:05pm. Tue 3:00, 8:15pm. Wed 3:30, 6:10pm.

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A young slave races to save the woman he loves as the volcanic Mt Vesuvius threatens to erupt.

Fri 1:20, 8:45. Sat 1:00, 6:05. Sun 3:45, 8:40. Mon 6:20pm. Tue 1:10, 8:40. Wed 3:40, 6:00.

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(R16) Fri 3:40. Sat 10:50. Sun 10:50. SPINNING PLATES (G) DOCUMENTARY. 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (3D) FROZEN (2D) (G) Sat 10:50. Sun 10:50. Takes a look at 3 very different restaurants. Graphic Violence, Sex Scenes & Off Language. Fri 1:00pm. Fri 6:05. Sat 11:15. Sun 11:15. Tue 1:00. Sat 8:30pm. Sun 8:30pm. Tue 3:30. Wed 8:35. OSCAR WINNER. $10 TICKETS! References.

The Weekend Sun

Learning from the best All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, with coach Steve Hansen and assistant manager Gilbert Enoka.

A sought-after opportunity to learn the secrets behind the mental strength and endurance of the All Blacks is up for grabs next month. The man behind the mental power of the world champion team is coming to Tauranga to share his advice and tips with residents. Usually one to dodge the limelight, Gilbert Enoka has built a reputation as an internationally-renowned mental skills specialist and motivational speaker. In the All Blacks camp for more than a decade as the mental skills coach, and more recently as the assistant manager, he’s the one who helps players develop strategies to perform at their peak in the most intense situations. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has previously singled him out as being “the glue” within the team, and publicly commended him for his unique role in the All

Blacks’ historic 38-27 win over the Springboks last year. Gilbert is also highly respected and sought-after by the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns and the Canterbury Crusaders. On Wednesday, April 30, Gilbert is speaking at Holy Trinity Church, sharing tips and advice on how to increase mental strength and build resilience, and useful skills when faced with adversity, failures or disappointments. It’s not just on the field Gilbert applies his philosophy. He’s worked on performance enhancement leading companies and CEOs in Australasia, thriving on preparing people for the hurdles life puts in front of them, and in seeing others succeed. Tickets for the event, from 5pm-6.30pm, are available from Waipuna Hospice, Holy Trinity, Creative Tauranga, Waipuna Hospice shops, and www.waipuna-hospice.co.nz By Corrie Taylor Adults: $25, students: $15.

Quartet showing off the classics The first of Tauranga Musica’s 2014 Concert Series is on this month, beginning with audience members being serenaded by the saxophone. Hanumi Saxophone Quartet is opening the series on Sunday, March 23, at Tauranga Park Auditorium from 3pm. Tauranga member Michael Jamieson will play the soprano saxophone, alongside Harmke Seinen (alto saxophone), Miriam Kotter (tenor saxophone), and Lukas Stappenbeck (baritone saxophone). The group, which formed in 2006, will perform works by Singelee, Florio, Grieg, Debussy, and more. Michael says the saxophone is such a special instrument. “People associate it with rock and jazz, but it first appeared in classical music in the mid-19th Century. I think what is nice about classical music is that it often has a story to tell – and there is no better way to experience this story-telling than in a live concert. “I think people will enjoy the variety of music we have in our programme, and also appreciate the flexibility of the saxophone.” Tickets are $32 for adults and $10 for youth from www.tgamusica.co.nz or 07 575 8160.

Hanumi Saxophone Quartet includes Tauranga musician Michael Jamieson (right). Organiser Barry Ward is hopeful the series will reignite people’s passion for classical music. “We’ve been trying to encourage people to listen to classical music – but it’s a hard job. People don’t seem to be as interested.” Tauranga Musica is now in its 16th year and Barry would love to see residents give the genre a try. He says the first concert is special because the saxophone is an instrument not heard often enough By Corrie Taylor in today’s society.

The Weekend Sun

Hundreds to race for Pahoia More than 300 youngsters will swim, bike and run all over Omokoroa Beach Domain this Sunday in a Pahoia School fundraiser.

boys and girls by age-group. Its fourth year, Stephen says the triathlon has developed into a wellsupported event – and 2014 is its third time doubling as Sport Bay of Plenty’s Iron Kids triathlon. “We’re very keen to keep the Organising committee member entry fee as reasonable as possible Stephen McGregor says the aim [$17 per child], as our view is to is for the five to 13-year-olds to encourage as many children as participate in Pahoia School’s More than 300 youngsters will race in Pahoia School’s triathlon possible to give it a try. Give it a Try children’s triathlon, Each competitor receives a gel fundraiser at Omokoroa Beach Domain this Sunday. with the push being for children wristband, goodie bag, and a to have a go. during school hours.” medal on completion. Spot prizes include a “It is a fundraiser but our key focus is to get Stephen expects a 1000-strong crowd of bike from Koops Cycles. kids out and active – and to have the event entrants and spectators, saying last year’s Based on tides, the event opens 10.30am, on a Sunday enables dads to get involved, event pulled in 250 participants. with the first race at 12.30pm. Late registrabecause we don’t get to do this sort of stuff tions can be made on day. By Merle Foster “We’ll be running separate races for both

Families walk the ‘yellow brick road’ Families are encouraged to walk a local ‘yellow brick road’ for Tauranga Parent Centre’s family walk event.

Prizes are up for grabs, including $100 gift hampers, massage therapy sessions, cloth nappy starter packs, a term of swimming lessons, two terms of dance lessons at Dance Avenue, a children’s table and chairs set, a stroller valued at $889, and various baby goodies from Baby On The Move. All prizes will be drawn on completion of the walks.

Walk The Lakes, on March 22, is the parent centre’s annual fundraising event. This year’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’-theme walk sees families walking a 3km or 6km ‘yellow brick road’ around The Lakes. Along the way, children and their parents will find characters from the popular children’s movie. They can have photographs taken with the characters and collect a stamp to place on their chart for a chance to win a prize at the finishline. Tauranga Parent Centre president Bridget Coster says the event is for families to spend quality time Lion Georgia Pendred, 10, Scarecrow Ajah Cameron, together. 9, tinman John Tetley-Jones, 13, and Dorothy “We recognise that beginning a new Bethan Gilbert de Rios, 10. family creates a busy life for many young families today; and Walk The Lakes is about taking time out together to enjoy a family atmosphere and participate in family-oriented activities.” Event organisers Sue Macilwee and Eden Hersey are inviting families to bring a picnic and enjoy the walk as well as other family entertainment, including mini-horse rides, a super slide, clowns, a magic show, dance performance – and of course, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ characters from Dance Avenue in Greerton.

McSwiggans Irish Pub Tuesday 25 – Tauranga Acoustic Music Club jam night 7.30-9.30pm.

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Sue and Eden say participants don’t need to be fitness fanatics to enter. They can choose from a 3km “enjoyable stroll” or a more challenging 6km route. Both walks are suitable for strollers and prams. It is recommended children aged five and under are transported on the walk. If participants wish to bring the family dog to the event, organisers ask for the animal to be securely leashed at all times. Scooters are welcome – but no bikes. Walk The Lakes is on Saturday, March 22, at The Lakes. Walking begins from 10am at The Recreational Oval on Double Bay Rd, with registrations starting from 9.30am. To pre-register, visit www.facebook. com/WalkTheLakes or email By Zoe Hunter e.hersey@xtra.co.nz

Mount RSA Saturday 22 – Che Orton 7.30pm. Saturday 23 – Tim Armstrong 4.30pm.

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The Weekend Sun

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Cleaning the roof ‘saves money’

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The company has been cleaning Bay of Plenty roofs since 1971. Murray uses biodegradable, environmentally friendly products that are non-caustic, non-acidic and non-bleach, so customers know their house and rooftop is being cleaned in an environmentally friendly way. He also offers roof repairs and spraying of driveways, decks, motorhome roofs, cobbles and awnings. Prices are affordable, with a two year warranty offered on every roof clean, which includes a free gutter and spouting clean. By Zoe Hunter

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broken window handle? • • • • *finance available

doors • windows locks • hinges handles conservatories

for a FREE quote

07 571 4491

The Weekend Sun

trades & services

karaoke hire

health & beauty

personal

design

wanted

We Specialise in: • Continuous Spouting • All Metal & PVC Spouting systems • Long-run Roofing • Fascia • Repairs & Leaks • Spouting & Roof cleaning • Moss & Mold control Your local specialists

Call/text/e-mail us for a FREE no obligation quote Ph: 07 542 1016 Mob: 021 02051038 E-mail: kiwispout@kiwispout.co.nz

The Weekend Sun firewood

business opportunity

engagements

computer services

appliance service cars wanted for sale

mobility

financial Visit us. Visit us.

unganui.

need

cash?

cars wanted

Linsa Finance Ltd

Unsecured Loans up to $1000

Buyers of Damaged, Unloved & Unwanted Vehicles

Fast Approval Great NZ People who are Honest Vehicle Buyers

Same Day Cash

0800 382 828

All loans subject to normal lending criteria

0800 34 62 63

free stuff

www.linsa.co.nz

1 7 4 D E V O N P O R T R O A D, TAU R A N G A | ( 0 7 ) 5 7 8 7 7 1 7

financial FSP 20381

INTEREST FAST $500 - Cash loan approvals in 30 minutes - Establishment fee of $99 applies - 3 month term Terms and conditions apply. Subject to Instant Finance lending criteria and responsible lending guidelines. All Fast $500 loans must be approved and drawn down in branch.

0800 760 000 | www.instantfinance.co.nz

IF21657

The Weekend Sun

public notices

Hon Simon Bridges MP FOR TAURANGA

Simon Bridges MP will meet with constituents most Fridays at 184 Devonport Rd, Tauranga. Appointments necessary

P: 07 579 9016 | E: taurangamp@parliament.govt.nz

www.national.org.nz

Working Hard For Our Community

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view online

situations vacant

funeral directors

courses

deceased

Choose Legacy Funerals, and all the profits go to the local community.

Kiri Randall For more information, call

07 543 4780

PORSE In-Home Childcare . Training . Work

In-Home Educators Needed Enthusiastic Home Educators needed in Papamoa East, Te Puke, Pyes Pa and Bethlehem. If you have a passion for working with children, a safe environment and good communication skills we would love to talk to you. Contact our PORSE Offices A1915-AD

Mt Maunganui 572 3920 or Tauranga 578 8554

0800 023 456 www.PORSE.co.nz

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www.sunlive.co.nz/classifieds.html

PAPAMOA 32 OCEAN CRESENT, PAPAMOA This Saturday & Sunday rain or shine! 8am-1pm. Moving to oz all has to go! Toys, clothes, house hold things, tools! Grab a bargain all has to go. JUST $19 with FREE signs & price stickers!

art sale ART SALE March 21, 22 & 23 from 10am - 6pm. Large variety of paintings and drawings by established professional artist Garry Osborn. Garry’s Gallery 44 Westminster Drv, off Cambridge Rd. Ph 578 6496

arts & crafts ONE DAY MOSAIC WORKSHOP Sat 29th March 9am-4pm. A practical & fun workshop where you get to complete your own mosaic and hear all the tricks to making your projects work. Clay Art Studio, Historic Village, 17th Ave. Ph 571 3726

bible digest AND GOD IS ABLE to make all grace abound to you, so that in allthings at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-9

cars for sale

gardening

A NO DEPOSIT DEAL from $50 p/w. Cars, vans, & 4x4s. To ﬁnd out more txt ‘NEWCAR’ and your name to 9090. Learner licence welcome, some conditions apply.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE tree pruning, hedge trimming, rubbish removal, section tidy ups, odd jobs, WINZ quotes, affordable prices. Ph Philip 0800 334 453 or 544 5591 after 7pm. GARDENER, efﬁcient, experienced, knowledgable; maintenance, pruning, hedges, disease/pest control, rubbish removal, garden renovations. Ph Tita 027 654 8781 or a/h 542 0120

CAR FAIR – buy or sell any vehicle every Sunday at 11th Avenue Car park opposite Mad Butcher 8am-noon. Ph for more information 027 733 9686 or www.taurangacarfair.co.nz

computers COMPUTER GETTING you down? Problems, viruses, upgrades, internet, new or refurb PC’s tuition, or advice. Ph Bruce for a no obligation chat or quote 576 7940 or 021 260 9183 FREE ON SITE DIAGNOSIS & quote. We come to you & don’t charge extra for travel. Pensioner discounts. Ph Kyle at Tech Solutions 027 828 7078

dancing BALLROOM DANCE PARTNERS required, aged between 10-18 years. No experience needed. Ph 07 544 2337

for sale CHICKENS FOR SALE, Hyline, 21 weeks, laying, only Three left. $30 each. Ph 07 552 6283 today DRY FIREWOOD $80m³ Mix of hard and soft wood. Ph 027 462 4769 WOOD LATHE B-Line No 2, ¾ horsepower, 4 step pully system, novo cole jaws 100mm jaw 200mm back plate with stand and chisels. $550 ONO. Ph 544 6966

health & beauty EASE PAIN with bowen therapy, a gentle and effective treatment. Are you suffering from neck, shoulder or back pains, migraines, chronic fatigue or any other discomfort? Ph Hannelore on 548 0824. NATURAL NEW ZEALAND Health Products. Something for everyone. NZ Registered Natural Therapies & Natural Medicine Practitioners. Opposite BP Te Puke. Ph 573 5533 www.naturaltherapiesnz.com and www.kiwikitz.com

house sitter MATURE HOUSESITTER available from 14 April-28 April. Excellent references, love animals and plants. Ph Marie 021 2929 001

lifestyle coaching FEELING LOST? Want to reconnect with self. Regain purpose, clarity and joy each day. Ph Chris at Balanced Success Coaching 027 548 2548 chris@balancedsuccess.co.nz www.balancedsuccess.co.nz

RENTALS

and

THIS WEEKS GARAGE SALES!

livestock

situations vacant

trades & services

AC PETFOODS collect injured & unwanted cows & horses. Ph 0800 369 6269

URGENTLY NEEDED! Heavy Vehicle Finishers, Carpenters, Joiners, Panel workers, Painters, Assemblers for long term work with immediate start. Email CV to jobs@1cr.co.nz

driveways, paths, cobble & fences. Free quotes! Ph Mark 07 578 0302

ROOF PAINTING and maintenance. Roofs rescrewed. Waterblasting, moss removal. Free quotes! Ph Mark 543 3670 or 021 0273 8840

lost & found SPCA FOUND Te Puke, Ginger & White Male Cat, ref# 19869, Te Puke, Tabby Male Cat, ref# 19870, Papamoa, Tabby & Torti Female Cat, ref# 19872, Parkvale, Grey Male Cat, ref# 19883, Welcome Bay, Grey & White Male Cat, ref# 19889, Katikati, Ginger Male Cat, ref# 19899, Kittens, Various Ages, Colours & Locations, Welcome Bay, Tan & Black Staffy x Puppy, ref# 19888, Arataki, Black Sharpei Puppies, ref# 19892-19893 Ph SPCA 07 578 0245

mobility MOBILITY SCOOTERS & MORE. Visit our showroom, 29 Burrows St, Tauranga. Ph 578 1213 Mobility Equipment & Services. ‘Supporting your Independence’ STAIRLIFTS – Make life easy with a stairlift enjoy the home you love by installing an Acorn Stairlift. Ph us now TOLL FREE 0800 782 475 or www.acornstairlifts.co.nz

retail VINTAGE retro – shabby chic collectables. 2/22 Hull Rd, Mount Maunganui. facebook.com /vintagemtmaunganui www.vintagemtmaunganui.com

WE HAVE MULTIPLE ROLES for Welders and Panelbeaters, long term employment working on heavy vehicles. Are you trade qualiﬁed and experienced? Ph Nina now on 0800 463675 for an immediate start. WELDERS, LINO LAYERS Joiners, Finishers - multiple roles for long term employment working on heavy vehicles. Are you trade qualiﬁed and experienced? Ph Nina now on 0800 463675 or email CV to jobs@1cr.co.nz for immediate start.

trades & services BOAT BUILDING repairs and maintenance. Timber & fibreglass trade qualified, boat builder. Ph Shaun 021 992 491 or 07 552 0277 BUILDING / ROOFING Repairs, maintenance, spouting, cleaning, gutters, decks, fences & more! From alterations to new work. Registered Builder. Ph 575 8869 or 022 121 3356 ELECTRICIAN No hot water? Need surge protection? Heatpump installations. Plus 8kW single phase generator for hire. Ph today 0274 494 166 pete.res@xtra.co.nz EXTERIOR HOUSE WASHING with City Wide Roof Cleaning. Residential, commercial, rural,

GARDENING SECTION CLEAN ups, weeding, light pruning, plants planted, pebble gardens made, painting etc. Semi retired active gent. Ph Eric 577 1988 GUTTERING CLEAN and repairs moss removal. Experienced Certiﬁed Roofer. Free quotes. Ph Peter now 542 4291 or 0274 367 740 HANDYMAN - AVAILABLE to paint your house. Experienced and reliable. Ph Tony 027 418 1515 or 218 0229. Enquire about any other odd jobs too. HANDYMAN BUILDING and section maintenance, decks, fencing, pergolas, painting, water blasting, odd jobs. Free quotes Ph Rossco 027 270 3313 or 544 5911

PAINTER A1/ DECORATOR available. All interior & exterior work. Prompt, reliable, excellent references. Ph Paul 576 4793 or 027 689 6252

TIMBER RETAINING WALLS decks and all types of fencing. Excellent work at a competitive price. Ph Clive 021 048 2833 or 552 6510

PAINTER / DECORATOR Interior and Exterior, quality workmanship friendly services. Over 20 years specialising in residential and more. Quality paint at trade prices. For your best advice in all areas. Ph Shane Mount/Tauranga Decorators 07 544 6495 or 021 575 307

TREE SHRUB and hedges trimming, topping removal, rubbish removal, satisfaction guaranteed free quote. Ph Steve Hockly 571 5958 or 027 498 1857

There’s a gathering tide of good news in the region, short term and long. The number of Tauranga ex-residents returning from Australia is up 37 per cent on 2012, business confidence indicators are up, many school rolls are up, and there’s a resurgent “building boom”. Numerous major commercial, manufacturing and head office relocations are bringing concurrent positive job prospects for all involved. Increased job opportuni-

Tauranga 269 Cambridge Road Mortgagee Auction

This great 3049m² (more or less) site is zoned residential with an existing use for a workshop/ storage and has an 230m² (approx.) building on it. This would make a great site for a new home and provide a fabulous lifestyle. This is a must for visionaries. Contact Lynn Eagar or John Pope and for further information go to lynneagar.raywhite.co.nz.

Ray White Hamilton 07 839 7060 91 Victoria Street (Opposite Museum)

Mortgagee Auction

Mortgagee Auction 12.30 pm, Wednesday 26th March 2014 Conference Room, Bay Palm Motel at 84 Girven Road, Mt Maunganui View Sat 12.30 - 1.00 pm rwhamilton.co.nz ID# HAM25850

Lynn Eagar 027 458 1780 lynn.eagar@raywhite.com office 07 839 7060 John Pope 027 496 3111 office 07 928 5000

rwhamilton.co.nz Online Realty Ltd (Est 1999) LICENSED (REAA 2008)

TAURANGA Tandem Skydiving Best Buzz in the Bay, Gift Vouchers. Ph 574 8533

INSECT SCREENS Measure. Make. Mend. Ph Rob at Magic Seal 543 4940

Something for everyone

Open Home

STUMPINATOR STUMP Grinding free quotes & prompt service. Narrow machine to access rear yards. Ph 576 4245 or 022 076 4245

TILER QUALIFIED TILER references available free quotes all types of work done from kitchen splashbacks to full tiled bathrooms. Ph Nelson 021 609 289

REAL ESTATE

ties span trades, engineers, architects, financiers, valuers and many other allied professionals. The planned TrustPower new build in Durham St, due for completion early 2016 with space for additional business tenants, will breathe new life into Tauranga CBD.

ROOF REPAIRS metal or onduline gutters & down pipes clean or replacement chimney repairs. Certiﬁed Roofer over 30yrs experience Free quote. Ph Peter 542 4291 or 027 436 7740

transport DRIVING MISS DAISY relief for busy families. Let us take care of the transportation of your parents to appointments or outings. Safe, friendly, reliable service. Ph Jackie from Driving Miss Daisy 552 6614

travel & tours A SOUTH ISLAND HOLIDAY including staying at Franz Joseph, Arrowtown, Nasby & Mt Cook *Black Fern Wilderness Lodge *Cirque du Soleil Show – Auckland, Chathams Island plus many more inspiring tours. Door to Door. Free Newsletters or visit: www. hinterlandtours.co.nz - Click Newsletter. Contact The Hinterland Team of Hinterland Tours. Ph 07 575 8118 NO.8 TOURS receive your free Newsletter, enjoy VIP pricing for great day and overnight tours throughout NZ. Ph 579 3981

This will occur not only during construction but importantly in the long term, with 350 TrustPower staff working in the building. Eves throughout the region are dealing with the related increased demand for rentals and homes which accompanies this activity. Regardless of which suburb people choose to live in, the same checklist will apply relating to affordability, proximity to work, family, transport, schools, shops, recreation, and health facilities. Investing in a rental property right now is a great option. There is a good selection available and most real estate companies will be able to give an approximate rental appraisal. Combine this with interest rates being still relatively low, and money By Karen Worley, invested in property is Realty Services not a bad option.

TAURANGA TASTING TOURS Marlborough Winery Tour 7-12 April $1260.00pp. (Transport, tastings, accommodation) Ph 07 544 1383 www.tastingtours.co.nz

tuition wanted PATTERN DRAFTING Competent dressmaker seeks private tuition from professional to learn pattern drafting.Ph Anne 021 0834 2738 or 07 281 1357

wanted ANTIQUES, COINS, medals, china, glass, Kiwiana, Australiana, militaria, toys, anything old and interesting. 021 392 913 or 07 549 0139 mark.holwerda@vodafone.co.nz

work wanted 21 YEAR OLD MALE looking for paid work experience. Just completed cafe/hospitality & barista course at BOP Polytech. Quick learner, tidy, eager to exceed expectations. Ph Ben Schroder 576 3775 or email m.schroder@slingshot.co.nz

The Weekend Sun

Truth the basis for unity In John 17, Jesus cries out to His Father that those who truly are His disciples would be one, as He and His Father are one. This prayer of the Head of the Church is central to the vision of modern ecumenical and interfaith initiatives. It needs to be noted firstly, that Jesus defines who are His disciples in John 8:31-32: “If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free”. Accordingly, if we don’t abide in His Word and if we don’t hold fast to Christ’s teachings and live in accordance with them, we cannot claim to truly be His disciples. Disciples of Christ then are those who hold

to the truth of His Word. Secondly, truth is paramount in Christ’s cry in John 17 for oneness and unity among His disciples, specifically in verses 17 and 19, which speak about the disciples being sanctified (set apart) in the truth. Jesus adds: “Your Word is truth”. Scripture speaks about Christians being unified, but never at the expense of the truth of His Word. ‘Unity’ achieved through the compromise of biblical truth is not the unity taught in Scripture. Compromised truth is error, and the Bride of Christ will walk in truth and not error. Paul speaks in Ephesians 4:13 of the “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God”. Jesus will build His Church in truth and in the unity of the Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth. By Peter Whitcombe, Jesus First Church

God’s identification with pains By Richard Roodt, Bay Bible Fellowship

As a father of teenage sons, I sometimes hear these words coming from their lips: “But you don’t understand Dad, it’s hard to explain…”. I gently and lovingly try and reassure them I do understand some of what they’re saying. For some people, the idea that God, as their loving Heavenly Father, fully understands their situation, and fully identifies with the pains in their life, is a foreign concept. How can God, whom I cannot see, know what I am going through? Is He even interested? The good news of the Gospel is just that – good news. God says: “I know you by name” (Exodus 33:17; Isaiah 45:4). God knows when you are going through hardship (Isaiah 43:2) and He promises to be with you. Sometimes in life we are so focussed on, or consumed by, our circumstances or whatever is causing us ‘pain’, we forget to look upward to God. We too easily

forget that in His Son Jesus Christ, God fully identifies with us. At the Resolute Bible Conference 2014, we shall look more closely at how God identifies

with us in every way. Come along on April 12 and be both challenged and encouraged from God’s Word. Visit www.resolute.org.nz for registration and details.

Sunday Services 9:30am & 6:00pm Come along!

07 576 5387 252 Otumoetai Road www.citychurchtauranga.org.nz

www. www.

.org.nz .org.nz

Sunday Gatherings 10:00 am Mount Sports Club 51 Miro Street Blake Park The Mount

www.stlukeschurch.org.nz

MARU ST

HOLKING ST

HEWLETTS RD to Mount 

JEAN BATTEN DR

 to Bridge

The Weekend Sun