The Hobson April 2016

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april 2016

plans for queen vic school • remuera's anzac heroine local news, views & informed opinions


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The April Issue, No. 27 6

25

44

the editor’s letter

the neighbourhood

the magpie

8

After decades of dormancy, apartment living is taking off in Auckland

This month, she’s renovating the nest!

the columnists

10 the village The owning trust requests a housing zone for Queen Victoria School, Grammar celebrates, local board news and more

18 the suburbanist + the plan Tommy Honey considers the history of Auckland's Urban Plan, while urban planner Hamish Firth looks at where we are now

20 the investment Warren Couillault analyses what’s causing unrest in the markets

21 the reps News from local MPs David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith

22 the second act Help your career, and your personal development, by appointing your own board, advises Sandy Burgham

23 the anzac Remuera Heritage chair Sue Cooper honours the service of decorated WWI nurse, Cora Anderson of Remuera

28 the hobson + remuera This month, meet Mainly Toys’ Kylie Watts and House of Travel Remuera’s Stuart Latimer and James Blankley

30

42 the appetite Gin & Lemon Cake and meringue morsels, from Sue Fleischl's kitchen to yours

43 the sound

the heritage

#AndrewDickens wonders about a #PopRevolution

Local historian Carolyn Cameron uncovers rarely-seen maps and information about Parnell’s historic Waipapa stream

44

34

Gail Woodward chooses books with Anzac Day in mind

the love story Meet the Blooms — pulled from the depths of despair by the arrival of ... a magpie

36 the pysche

the bookmark

45 the cinema What’s screening in April, selected by Caitlin McKenna

Pyschologist Amrit Kaur on a successful method to change kids’ non-compliant behaviour

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36

48

the pretty Justine Williams browses the beauty aisle

37

the district diary Happenings around here this month

the cryptic A hint: some of the answers are local (if you’re really stuck, there’s blog help too)

the hobson + prescription skin care It’s the perfect time of year to address skin concerns

WIN!

This month two lucky readers will win new season style from Kate Spade New York, courtesy of our friends at Hedgerow. We have two packs to give away: one is a tray, dinner plate and salad plate from the new melamine collection, with a combined RRP of $225. The other prize is a set of stationery, including notebooks and thank you cards, valued at RRP $173. Email business@thehobson.co.nz with KATE SPADE in the subject line by 5pm, Friday April 22. You can double your chance of winning by liking THE HOBSON on Facebook, and commenting on the giveaway post. Two winners names will be selected at random. The fine print: By entering this giveaway, you agree that your name and email contact details will be retained by THE HOBSON for our own database purposes, and shared with Hedgerow


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issue 27, april 2016 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Writers Kirsty Cameron, Louise Richardson Sub-editor Fiona Wilson Social Media Editor Sarah Lynch Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham, Carolyn Cameron, Shale Chambers, Sue Cooper, Warren Couillault, Andrew Dickens, Hamish Firth, Sue Fleischl, Paul Goldsmith, Tommy Honey, Amrit Kaur, Māyā, Caitlin McKenna, David Seymour, Desley Simpson, Justine Williams, Fiona Wilson, Gail Woodward Photographers Vanita Andrews, Stephen Penny, Dominique White Cover Queen Victoria School girls at play, with Hobson Bay in the background, date unknown — see story page 10. Photo by V.C. Cooper, Auckland War Memorial Museum Neg. B2971 THE HOBSON is published 10 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: TheHobsonMagazine T: @thehobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising inquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHobsonMagazine

THE HOBSON is Remuera, Parnell and Orākei's community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafes, and at businesses including the Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell. For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook. The content of THE HOBSON is copyright. Our words, our pictures. Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first. We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of THE HOBSON. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas. The Hobson Ltd is a member of the Magazine Publishers Association

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This publication uses environmentally responsible papers


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Z

oning, upzoning, overlays, submissions, PAUP, THABs, out of scope. Talk about feeling density. The lexicon of the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan — that would be the PAUP — has forced Aucklanders into an osmotic Planning 101 lecture. Those of us who are not by day urban planners, or resource management lawyers, grapple with the volume of information that will become the overall plan to shape our city. If you feel overwhelmed following the threads, you’re not alone. I was cheered when, in the course of researching the plans for Parnell’s Queen Victoria School site, I spoke to a man who’s spent years in property law. He told me it took him two days to track down the one Unitary Plan submission he was looking for. Council’s website and that of the Independent Hearings Panel, www.aupihp.govt.nz, is a mine of good information, if you have the fortitude and the hours to find what you seek. And once you find it, good luck getting through those 100+ page documents with your eyes still open at the end. A friend of mine is the principal of an urban planning consultancy in Sydney. What surprises her about the Auckland process is the lack of a design imperative, especially around apartments. In NSW, anything over three storeys — so pretty much any new apartment block — must be designed by a registered architect. I’m leaning on her to write about this for our next issue, to compare the NSW rules to our criteria. Another friend qualified in law 20 years ago, but has never practiced. She’s now back at university topping up on resource management law so she can be helpful to her ratepayers’ group in a small, semi-rural beach community. It’s come to that: planning has become so layered and complicated, you need another degree to feel like you’re keeping up.

Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz 0275 326 424 Facebook: The Hobson magazine Instagram: TheHobson

Cameron Bloom, above, is a lovely former colleague of mine from when I worked in Sydney. And that’s his family's little feathered friend, Penguin the magpie, photographed by Cameron in a shy (or is it heat-seeking?) moment. Cameron’s book, Penguin Bloom: the odd little bird who saved a family, is out this month and we’re proud to support it with our story, on page 34. Please read it, and please buy a copy. The Blooms need our good thoughts, and money always helps too. We also have copies to give away, so enter for that too!

Why am I getting THE HOBSON? If you’ve only just noticed us turning up in your letterbox, it may be because you live in Orākei or a part of Remuera which we have recently added to our distribution area. We launched in September 2013 as your local, community magazine — that’s our brief, to be local, inform and connect our community. We also put copies into the Remuera and Parnell libraries and various dairies and cafes around the place. There’s more about us on our website, www.thehobson.co.nz. the hobson 6



The Columnists

Left to right from top row:

Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.sandyburgham.com Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is CEO of Richmond Investment Management, a private investment advisory partnership. He is a shareholder in and director of Generate Investment Management Ltd; manager of a registered Kiwisaver scheme and an adviser to S.AG Private. www.richmond.co.nz Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the host of Andrew Dickens’ Sunday Cafe on Sunday morning, from 9am, on Newstalk ZB. He is also the music reviewer on Jack Tame’s Saturday morning show on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera. Hamish Firth (The Plan) lives and works in Parnell and is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. www.mthobsonproperties.co.nz Sue Fleischl (The Appetite) is a caterer and passionate foodie. She heads up The Great Catering Company, and also manages the heritage Abbeville Estate function venue. www.greatcatering.co.nz, www.abbeville.co.nz Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a former architect, Remuera resident and Dean of College at Parnell’s Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design. Dr Amrit Kaur (The Psyche) lives in Meadowbank. She is a NZ-registered clinical psychologist specialising in helping children, families and young adults, and is part of the KidzTherapy practice. Her column appears bi-monthly, alternating with Judi Paape. Caitlin McKenna (The Cinema) of Remuera is passionate about the cinema — she majored in film, sociology and marketing for her conjoint BCom/BA. Judi Paape (The Teacher) is a parent, grandparent and highly-experienced teacher and junior school principal. A Parnell resident, her column appears bi-monthly, alternating with Amrit Kaur. Justine Williams (The Magpie, The Pretty) is an interiors stylist, writer and fashion editor. The Remuera resident has been the editor of Simply You and Simply You Living. Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) of Meadowbank is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket. She belongs to, and advises on selections for, a number of book clubs.

the hobson 8



the village

School’s Out, Forever? An application to rezone Parnell’s Queen Victoria School to housing has local residents concerned for the site’s future. By Kirsty Cameron

T

he gates may be closing on the site of the former Queen Victoria School for Māori Girls in Parnell, and the clock ticking on pre-1944 buildings in the suburb, as Anglican Church-based trusts request the rezoning of local landholdings, including the lifting of heritage overlays. The St Stephen’s and Queen Victoria Schools Trust Board (SSQV) has submitted to the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) to rezone the Queen Victoria site in Glanville Tce from “school” to Mixed Housing Urban (MHU). The MHU zoning, which would allow for buildings up to 10m in height with unlimited density on that site, was an 11th hour backdown from the Trust, who had initially requested the high density Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings (THAB) zone, which would have allowed buildings up to six storeys. The change, at an IHP hearing submission on February 23, came after a swiftly-organised challenge by local residents. In a separate submission to the IHP, another Anglican Churchrelated entity, the General Trust Board of the Diocese of Auckland, cites the cost of upkeep of Holy Trinity Cathedral and maintenance of scheduled heritage properties, including Bishopscourt and

Neligan House, as some of the reasons to upzone to THAB land which includes two houses, at 9 St Stephens Ave and 1A Brighton Rd. It proposes the removal of heritage overlays (pre-1944) and the relocation of the houses from the site. While locals and heritage advocates have been long concerned over the dilapidated state of the double-story villas — see our April 2015 story at thehobson.co.nz — there was less awareness of the SSQV submission for a zoning change for the Queen Victoria site, which covers close to two hectares (5 acres) on Glanville Tce, bordered by Papahia St. Unusually, the property is currently zoned only as “school” and “hostel” — schools are often “residential” with an “education” overlay. Local residents had expected the Trust would use the Unitary Plan process to have the land rezoned for residential use, but were surprised with the submission for a high-density THAB. THAB, as local resident and property professional Evan Williams points out, is cited in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) as generally being applied within 250m of high frequency public transport routes and high-street retail centres, “nestled up against existing high density zones”. A THAB on the peninsula end of Parnell bounded by Gladstone Rd

Queen Victoria School students at play in the school’s earliest days, with Hobson Bay in the background. Photo: V C Cooper. Auckland War Memorial Museum, neg. B2971 the hobson 10


and Takutai St would have bought height and bulk to an established residential area of mostly single dwellings and some units, with one notable tower block of apartments. Williams, along with commercial property owner Miles Nathan and realtor John Bayley, was asked by other locals to help with an urgent response to the THAB submission by SSQV. What started as a conversation between the Parnell Community Committee and a few concerned neighbours grew to an email group of around 300 people. “We were very conscious of the fact that people are easy to label as NIMBYs”, says Williams. The residents were understanding, he says of a potential zone change, but it was the bulk of what was being proposed that was alarming. “The biggest problem was simply its sheer scale and height,” he says. “The Trust also has a problem that the site has a heritage building with a heritage overlay. Plus it’s in the Museum and volcanic cone viewshafts. “To say it was counter-intuitive is slightly understating it.” Evans says Council’s planner at the IHP hearing was in agreement with the residents’ submission that Mixed Housing Suburban (MHS) is a more suitable zoning. MHS on this site allows for buildings up to 8m in height, with one dwelling per 200m2 site. This could be approximately 100 new houses over the entire 2ha site. (For details on the zones, see aucklandcouncil.govt.nz). The IHP’s recommendation is now reserved until July, when it is bound to report to Council. Council can accept or depart from the IHP’s recommendations. Both the SSQV and Diocese trusts are represented by Trust Management, a company which offers management, investment, property and governance services for notfor-profits and charities. Trust Management CEO Grant Hope says he was taken aback by community reaction to the SSQV submission, and that he and the Trust Board only became aware of residents’ concern shortly before the IHP hearing. Hope says, categorically, that there are “no imminent development plans” for the Queen Victoria land and that as a landowner, the Anglican diocese is using the Unitary Plan hearings process to apply to maximise the value of its assets. “We have been working through the Council’s process,” he says of the Queen Victoria submission. “It’s not a private plan change — Council asked people to make submissions in 2013.” Hope could not comment on the final use of the Glanville land, but did say that as perpetual entities, “the [SSQV] Trust will never sell the land. There’s a desire of trustees not to be alienated from the land, to keep it protected for future beneficiaries.” As to criticism from residents over lack of consultation, Hope says “if the board had imminent development proposals, and it does not,

I am sure they would discuss it with the neighbourhood.” When he spoke to THE HOBSON, Hope was in the process of organising a meeting of representatives of the neighbourhood group to explain the Trust’s position. In 2013, it was reported that the Trust was commencing a yearlong study on the feasibilty of reopening St Stephen’s and Queen Victoria. SSQV chair Bernard Te Paa says the study is ongoing. “We’ve had a report that’s talked about the potential to reopen,” he says. “But it’s a work in progress, as we need a lot more information.”

The Trust deed (see box) is clear about its education purpose, which Te Paa says could mean even if the Trust didn’t run “schools per se, there’s the ability to support education”. Ngāti Whātua ō Orākei spokesman Grant Hawke said in 2013 that if the working group found reopening the school unfeasible, the land should be returned to iwi, who gifted it in the 19th century for use as a school. Today, tenants on the site are preparing to vacate as their leases end. Since Queen Victoria closed in 2001, the site has been used principally by other education concerns, including a Steiner school and tertiary providers, the Edinburgh Institute. It also housed Parnell

Top: the front of the protected (Schedule Category B) main building, designed by Diocese architect Edward Bartley. The chapel to the right and an office annex was added mid-century. Below: looking from the south to main building. the hobson 11


the village

Modernist carvings flank the entrance to one of the boarding hostels

District School’s intermediate department during renovations. Current tenants include the Parnell Trust’s Early Childhood Centre. Parents have recently been advised that the centre will be moving at the end of the year due to expiration of its lease. “Together with Gladstone Early Childhood Centre, the Glanville Tce centre, which we’ve owned since November 2008, forms a vital part of the Parnell Community Trust,” says Parnell Trust CEO Lyn Fox. “We are currently in negotiations to secure a new site in Parnell to provide a seamless transfer for the 50 to 60 families enrolled.” One of the hostel tenants, Thrive, is leaving mid-year as its services merge with the Regional Eating Disorders Service and Starship. The Edinburgh Institute leases the main hostel, with its distinctive pou, for foreign students. A spokesperson said the Institute’s lease was ending this year, but she did not want to comment about its plans. Local resident Stephen Goodman recalls attending a public meeting not long after Queen Victoria closed, where it was said that within 10 years, the Trust planned to re-open the site as a coed, non-boarding school. Goodman says the meeting was told that the Edinburgh Institute would be operating from the premises on a short-term lease. “Well that’s obviously changed,” says Goodman. “We’ve been lulled into a sense that their intention was to open a school. The first thing we hear is that the Trust is putting in an application for a lot higher density. What upsets the residents is that there’s no consultation. It just got sprung on us.” “It’s an incredible asset that was gifted,” says Evan Williams of Queen Victoria and its Edward Bartley-designed main school building, which is protected against demolition as a Scheduled Building (Category B). “For the local community it’s a major heritage asset”. But Williams also notes that the higher the development value of the land, the harder it is to argue the case for heritage and education uses. “It’s the modern dilemma of church properties and church trusts — “we’ve got these assets but we’ve got no money”.” Mike Lee, the local Waitematā and Gulf ward councillor, chairs Council’s Heritage Advisory Panel. He’s sympathetic to SSQV’s need to make money — “they have to make ends meet, but they’ve also inherited a building that’s part of our history and that’s a responsibility as well.” Lee supports the residents’ view that Mixed Housing Suburban is more appropriate for the site and the protection of the main building, “but that’s as far as it goes in my view. If you develop more intensively, you are going to compromise the whole site.”

And like local residents who miss the presence of the school in their community, Lee too questions why a school can’t be returned to the land. “It represented an older New Zealand of tolerance and progressiveness.” School neighbour Mary Timpany has watched “very sadly” the buildings deteriorate over the past 15 years. “The grounds are maintained, but nothing else,” she says. When the Timpanys moved in, “you could hear the girls singing in the hall and the bells ringing. We’d love to see a school back there again.” Whatever the IHP recommendation, the experience has left the church, in its role as a prominent local landowner, with divisions in its community. Emails seen by THE HOBSON refer to the irony of donating to Holy Trinity Cathedral’s building program, while also contributing to the whipround for fees for the planners and lawyers who gave residents expert advice for the IHP submission. “Many people in Parnell don’t have much faith in the Anglican Church,” says Stephen Goodman. “I was at the meeting when the church was moving St Mary’s across the road [to beside the cathedral]. Dean Rymer stood up and said that the St Mary’s site would remain open space. Within a couple of years it was developed.” p

the hobson 12

Kuīni Wikitōria Queen Victoria School was Parnell’s second boarding school for Māori pupils — St Stephen’s School for Māori boys started in Parnell where Parnell District School stands, before it moved south to Bombay. “Queen Vic” or “Wikitōria” as it was often called, was built on land gifted by Ngāti Whātua. Its opening in 1901 by the St Stephen’s and Queen Victoria Schools Trust saw it join a countrywide network of schools for Māori education — the girls’ schools were founded in part to provide educated wives for young men graduating from schools like St Stephen’s and Hato Petera. Wikitōria’s grandson, the Duke of York, later King George V, laid the foundation stone on June 12, 1901. According to the St Stephen’s and Queen Victoria Schools Trust Board site (ssqv.co.nz), its Trust Deed can be summarised as: “The advancement and propagation of education for children in New Zealand, principally for girls and boys of New Zealand Maori descent but including peoples of all races and denominations, principally through the provision and management of schools and the provision and continuing development of an integrated curriculum which features foundation teaching, learning skills and excellence and blends elements of Maori concepts and Christian values with the New Zealand education curriculum”. Rising costs, a falling roll and changing pedagogy saw the school close 100 years after it opened, and one year after the closure of its brother school, St Stephen’s. The St Stephen’s site at Bombay remains abandoned.


THE ART OF REMEMBRANCE AT TE PAPA Quatrefoil artworks by celebrated artist Max Gimblett ONZM created to support saving the historic St David’s church in Khyber Pass, have a new, more southern, home. Last month, the Art of Remembrance project was unveiled at Te Papa Tongarewa, The Museum of New Zealand. Several hundred of the distinctive brass quatrefoils, or “Pacific poppies,” are now on display where they will stay for the next three months, through Te Papa’s Anzac commemorations. The sale of quatrefoils raises funds towards the preservation of St David’s Presbyterian church as a community asset. The distinctive Oamaru stone and Kamo brick building was dedicated as a soldier’s church on April 25, 1927. The church has been closed for the past 18 months under the threat of demolition. A limited number of quatrefoils are still available for sale: see rememberthem.nz p

SCULPTURES AHOY

The series of tekoteko in Hobson Bay featured in THE HOBSON’s December issue has run aground with the authorities. Peter and Lizzie Coote purchased sculptor Ioane “John” Ioane’s 15-piece The Return of Manuruhi from Waiheke’s Headland Sculpture on the Gulf last year. With their cliff-top property enjoying riparian rights, the Cootes installed the carvings, beginning in the rocky shallows of Hobson Bay and advancing across the foreshore and up the cliff face. While locals appeared to be pleased about the installation — THE HOBSON received enthusiastic feedback about this shared “gift” to the neighbourhood — not everyone was a fan. A complaint to Council about the works in Hobson Bay has resulted in the Cootes hiring a QC and urban planner to apply for resource consent to have the work stay. The sculptures in the water need consent to occupy a Coastal Marine Area (CMA). “Council have said we don’t have to take the sculptures out during the application, which is a relief,” says Peter Coote. “We’ve had to have the harbourmaster look at it, and he’s ok with it. The six in the water are not a navigation hazard.” The paperwork has been filed, and the Cootes should hear within a month whether the works in the bay can remain in situ. If consent is granted, a CMA permit is for a maximum of 35 years. p


100mm AT FULL SIZE

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¯ Local Board Orakei

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ince the super city was formed in 2010, $1.24 billion has been spent on information technology (IT) — enough money to pay for the Council’s share of the $2.5 billion city rail link. Councillors have also recently voted to spend another $4.7 million to prevent stone cladding from falling from the relatively newly-purchased Albert St Council administration building, which has already cost ratepayers $128.5 million to buy and fit out. All while your Orākei Local Board struggles to find funds for local projects. It’s no wonder the ratepayers of this city are questioning how their money is spent. Thank you to all those who have submitted on the Annual Plan, giving Council feedback on what projects your ‘significant’ ratepayer dollars should be spent on. At time of writing feedback had closed but results were not yet available. Please contact our local board office or your local residents association for an update if you are interested. The Orākei Local Board however, has ensured the projects we deliver have been based on requests as part of our Local Board Plan consultation, and/or through our active residents’ associations. We have done a considerable amount of work over the past six years upgrading our sports fields. The benefit has obviously been for the many players who use them, however the Board has also looked to assisting the many residents who use our open space for walking. We have recently completed perimeter paths around sports fields at Madillls Farm, Glover Park and Michaels Ave Reserve.These paths also form part of our Greenways Plan (the Council term for walking links) and

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SCALES

ensure the sports field areas can be used as much as possible. Shortly we will begin another path, this time around Martyn Wilson Field in Remuera. The outcome sought for this project is to develop a shared path for pedestrians/cyclists that connects the Hobson Bay walkway to Remuera town centre, A1 ORIGINAL through Martyn Wilson Field — the plan is pictured above (image courtesy Auckland Council). This will provide an improved all-weather accessible off road pathway through the park that is currently wet in the autumn/winter seasons. The shared path is to be 2m wide and constructed with McCallum Chip aggregate concrete to match the existing path network. The path has been aligned with the adjacent stream, ensuring it does not impact on the playing fields or cricket nets. Construction work is scheduled to start at the beginning of April for a period of four to five weeks. Finally, I certainly do not apologise for advising our community of the significant “out of scope” changes made to properties in our ward as part of council’s Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan evidence to the Independent Hearings Panel. These changes were not based on any feedback at all. As a result of media attention following our ward-wide meeting on February 9, at the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, (which was billed by the Herald as the biggest local government meeting in 20 years), an extraordinary meeting of the Governing Body was held. Councillors voted 13/8 to remove the “out of scope” changes from their evidence. A vote in my opinion, for the democratic right to “have your say”. CLIENT

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the hobson 14

PROJ


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A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES


waitemata¯ Local Board

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t is local body election year, and the debate over the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan dominates. I was present at the recent large Council meeting as part of a successful delegation of local board chairs to support the withdrawal of Council’s “out-of-scope” upzoning proposals of December. The unfair procedural nature of the last minute proposals, where property owners affected were shut out of any opportunity to respond, did not seem democratic or right to us. But the debate over the city’s need to intensify well will continue. The past month has also been a particularly busy time for Waitematā Local Board elected members as we worked on the Annual Budget consultation. This is an important process, but can also be quite time consuming. We strove to encourage and attend as many community meetings as we were able, so that we could provide information on the details of your city’s plans, the local board priorities and how to negotiate the legal process for providing feedback and submissions. With that process behind us, I can now look back and see that despite the effort involved to engage with so many people, it was in fact a satisfying experience. There was a range of communities and individuals we spoke with and the conversations were enlightening. I always enjoy the opportunity to get to know what people understand about the work that we do, so thank you to everyone who got involved. Another big project for us that Parnell, Newmarket, and indeed all Auckland residents have been following closely, is that of the Domain Master Plan consultation. The local board is part of a joint governance Auckland Domain Committee that has developed the plan. The 20-year master plan outlines development goals and guidelines for this important historical park enjoyed by the region. Much of the discussion revolved around proposed changes to improve traffic flow, parking and pedestrian access. As deputy chair of the Auckland Domain Committee I was invited to speak on facilities and events in a three minute video which can be found on our Facebook page

(www.Facebook.com/Waitemata). I will report further on the outcomes of the feedback once known. Another issue vital to the future of Parnell is seeing the new Parnell Station opened, and connected to the surrounding area. This project has been a major priority for the local board, and councillor, Mike Lee. The works to install two platforms on either side of the tracks and a connecting path via the existing underpass to The Domain have been completed. Discussions with the adjoining land owner, Summerset, to connect the Ngahere Tce path links to the underpass continue positively. KiwiRail are obliged to return the historic former Newmarket station house to the site, and this is currently planned for October. My board looked at funding the internal refurbishment, but the timing meant this was not possible with budgets that must be committed before October 2016. The opening of the station is reliant upon completing construction activities and access routes, and network safety. Whether the Cowie St bridge needs to be constructed first is still under investigation (with disagreement over the network necessity for it). If it is said to be so, then the station cannot open until all legal challenges have been concluded, which may be two or three years away. Let’s hope not. Parnell has waited long enough. — Shale Chambers, chair, Waitematā Local Board Above left: Enjoying the Wintergarden, one of many attractions of The Domain

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the hobson 16

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the village A WILD SWING Aspiring mayoral candidate Phil Goff has made reference to using the Remuera Golf Course’s rolling acreage for 8000 new houses. Here’s the story set straight by THE HOBSON’S The Plan columnist, Hamish Firth, a consultant urban planner. “As is typical with a politician, this sounds laudable — get rid of those free-loading rich bastards and provide housing for the needy. “What he forgets is the 80-year-lease the golf club has. They don’t have to move, are not required to move and therefore this is not an option. Real solutions to Auckland’s housing shortage are what’s needed, not more pie in the sky claptrap.” p

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GRAMMAR CELEBRATES

Auckland Grammar’s Main Block was opened with much ceremony in April 1916, when the then-Governor General, the Earl of Liverpool, handed over a gold key to J W Tibbs, the school’s headmaster. The now-iconic and heritage-listed Californian Mission-style building was designed by architects Arnold and Abbott and built for a cost of 31,450 pounds. On Friday April 1, old boy (class of 1961) and eminent New Zealander, Sir Peter Gluckman ONZ, will host a service for all students to mark the building’s centenary. A time capsule created by students, staff and board members will be placed in the building’s Main Hall, to be opened in 2066. Sir Peter, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, will also be a special guest at celebrations in the Main Hall in the evening, where Main Hall Vintages, a limited edition chardonnay and a cabernet blend, will be launched in honour of the centenary. Bottled for the occasion, the wine labels have been designed by Grammar art master and artist, Justin Buroughs. The school will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2019. Tickets to the April 1 function are available at $35 per person through Eventfinda. For more information contact Melanie Esplin: m.esplin@ags.school.nz. p

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ALLA SALUTE! Remuera’s food options are widening. In recent times Spacca has opened at the Remuera Rd-at-Upland precinct, to excellent reviews. And soon, the team behind the successful Remuera Local Café Bistro, and its little sister, Laneway, will open Artusi, a new eatery in the Village Green, 415 Remuera Rd. Celebrating the art of eating well, Artusi’s menu will focus on seasonal Italian dishes, using organic ingredients . p

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the suburbanist

Another Fine Mess

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hen Noah came to rest on Mt Ararat, the first thing he did was let the animals off the Ark. The second thing he did was write a district plan and establish urban planning. Others have written about the schemozzle that is the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP), but has anyone asked why we should even have one? Let’s peel this onion, layer by layer. First things first: all councils are required under law to have a district plan that sets out the rules of what you can build, where, and under what constraints. Not all district plans are alike. This was particularly the case when the Auckland super city was formed, and the new conglomeration inherited a number of district plans that needed to be unified – hence the Unitary Plan. The new enlarged city can’t have different sets of rules for different areas. There are also pragmatic considerations. The previous individual councils were not obliged to think of the population growth of the whole region, nor be responsible for the bigger picture; they merely had to deal with what occurred within their boundaries. The new Auckland Council has this responsibility and is using the PAUP to address issues of growth, land supply and housing as they bring together all the previous disparate district plans. These bigger picture issues have — rightly or wrongly – overwhelmed and obscured the need for city-wide planning and consistency. This planning has been going on since the inception of the super city in 2010, and the development of what will become the Auckland Unitary Plan is a statutory requirement – there’s no escaping it. The council first developed a Draft Unitary Plan, which went out for consultation in 2013. The draft plan tidied up the planning and building rules and made them consistent – a pragmatic achievement often overlooked. Some areas experienced little or no change; for others it was more significant. For some, their zoning changed. Council – looking at the bigger picture of population growth – did two things: they set a limit of “greenfields” development at 40 per cent of overall growth; and created new zones to accommodate the 60 per cent of growth in existing areas. This latter growth can only occur through intensification, which was allowed for in new zones in some areas.

This was not universally well received, but there was a consultation process and thousands of people made submissions. As a result, changes were made to some of the details of the zones and where they applied. And then the wheels started to come off . . . Taking into account the changes as a result of the consultation meant that the city could not accommodate the amount of growth predicted. Council had two options: return to the drawing board and restart, or make the necessary changes and keep on track. Going back to the beginning would mean that Council would not meet the deadline of July this year to have this resolved. So they chose the latter option of making the changes to the zoning, and approving them, which they did in December. What they approved was a raft of changes (with a number of new sites zoned for intensification) that would be included in a submission to the Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) for consideration. This process ensured that Council could present their submission to the IHP and have their experts speak about why they thought the changes necessary. The IHP would still make the final recommendations. It also meant that the original timelines and deadlines could be met. But this path has left Council open to criticism of not following due process. After following a rigorous democratic process with the Draft Plan, they now appear to have ducked down a side road to get the latest changes through, and have found themselves in a cul-de-sac, from which they cannot escape, the way out blocked by hordes of rowdy citizens from all sides complaining about disenfranchisement. In an extraordinary meeting that lasted seven hours, councillors voted to withdraw the submission to the IHP that contained the proposed changes announced in December. Having voted to withdraw their submission, Council has foregone the right to appear before them as a submitter. This means that the planners and Council experts have been silenced, and the IHP will only have the earlier results of the Draft Plan consultative process to go on. With nothing in front of them about how to accommodate the growth opportunities lost in that process, they will only be able to guess what is in the Council’s minds as they plot a way forward. And we can only guess how that process will work. — Tommy Honey

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the plan

Pulling The Handbrake

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he apparent last-minute Auckland Council proposed “upzoning” intensification changes have been scrapped. Wellorganised voices have wound up suburbs to believe they had been “hugely upzoned,” and have won the day at the expense of people trying to get into the housing market, and the silent majority. I think it is a really bad decision made for political populist reasons, in an election year. And it goes against a process of the Auckland Unitary Plan — a process promoted by the same city councillors who have fallen on their swords. We live in a representative democracy, not one that turns on the dime of those that shout the loudest. Perhaps the process has been flawed from the start. When the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) was notified, one of the goals was to have a 30-year plan to allow for a greater range of housing choice to provide for the expected one million extra people who will call Auckland home by 2035. In theory, upzoning proposed by the new district plan covering the whole of Auckland, was to allow for 400,000 new houses with 280,000 of them within the urban boundary, not greenfields (urban sprawl) development. However as the process has gone on, Council officers reported that the plan would deliver only around 95,000 dwellings within the urban boundary. This is so far short of the target that “Auckland house price madness” will remain a popular Google search term for a long, long time. In short, the Council has bungled the process of the PAUP. The reasons are largely in the political sphere where the original Plan (as notified) was watered down, thanks to pressure from council politicians who would not support the well-planned intensification required to meet the objectives. But the concerns raised need to be given consideration, and there is validity in their cause. In many cases of the proposed suburban upzoning, there was no easily accessible overlay that would ensure infrastructure upgrades had been considered and would occur alongside any increased intensification. For example — how will the increase in school rolls be accommodated? Where is the Ministry of Education’s 30-year plan, which at least gives consideration to the planned growth? Ongoing indecision on where growth should occur over the past

30 years has contributed to the problem. This period has given us suburbs without appropriate infrastructure, not enough variety of housing typologies to cater for the broad spectrum of the community (mostly too big), a shortfall of close to 50,000 dwellings and insane house price escalation. To be the great city we want it to be, Auckland has a long way to go to make up for the seven disparate district plans that governed our part of paradise for far too long. We now have many decades of indecision and lack of master planning to make up for. And then there is the issue of “selling” the upzoning to the people it may affect. The media has been dominated by the doomsayers those that say this will be a disaster, and your suburb will be overrun by three-level apartment buildings. And again there is real concern as the rules to date have allowed ad hoc infill housing with no control over built form. So people who have just purchased a property in a leafy suburb to find it upzoned, panic. But development in these areas will not happen overnight and if the story had been led by the Council’s news team, then the following messages would have been propagated: • There will never be Auckland suburbs covered in ghetto apartments as a result of the new district plan. Fewer than 6 per cent of suburbs will have apartments with more than three storeys. • Many overseas examples of intensification and great design have created outstanding outcomes — look at Melbourne or Sydney. • The overall wins for the people of Auckland who want a place to call home, at a price they can afford, will far outweigh the losses. • A city the size of Wellington will need to fit into Auckland in the next 15 years. While this was happening a client rang to say that “the bloody Council” was upzoning his suburb. We did a quick analysis and found just two properties in a two street block which may have development potential. Fear of change has filled the void of the poorly told counter story. Council’s planning bosses are now tasked with coming up with another viable alternative to providing for growth that will happen, as Auckland is a popular city and a great place to live. Inaction will lead to higher prices and more of the same. — Hamish Firth


the investment

The Market Sell-Off

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DAVID SEYMOUR

hat a start to the year! 2016 has seen unrest in the markets continue from what we saw in late 2015, with global equities looking likely to post one of their worst opening quarters ever. Central to all this turmoil is China, whose market could now be rightly described as headed into bear territory. The key factors causing the uncertainty are discussed here. Oil prices have already fallen an amazing 75 per cent over the past year and a half, and Iran’s increased production has caused fears of oversupply. However, although the new lowish oil prices (probably likely to stay around current levels for a while) are a risk to many industrial sectors, they are actually a net economic positive, as the driver is rising supply rather than falling demand. Over time, lower oil prices do tend to drive an expansion of the economy from lower input costs, as well as benefit lowerincome households, which are likely to spend any gains they receive from lower energy/petrol bills. (As an aside, as China’s economy continues its structural shift from industrial-and infrastructure-driven growth, easing demand is likely to persist over many parts of the non-oil commodities market. In my view, raw materials, such as the traditional copper and iron ore, face long-term pressure.) Concerns surrounding China’s economic growth and renewed fears for her weakening currency have caused the same type of sell-off we saw last (northern) summer. Note that in spite of its transition, the Chinese economy still benefits from supportive fiscal and monetary policies, and her central bank will aim to keep the renminbi broadly stable for some time, ie no currency crisis. But watch the data! Tensions in the Middle East continue yet markets have, over many decades, survived the turmoil, provided oil prices do not spike. As I noted earlier, I don’t think a surge is likely save for a severe escalation in geopolitical tensions – say between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Remember that in markets, there are few certainties, but markets don’t lie. Concerns about China, oil and Middle East tensions have sent jitters through the markets. I expect slow but stable growth in the world economy – US led – and that continued “life” in the economic cycle will support equities markets. The resilience of consumers, record low interest rates and buoyant services activity in the US and dare I say it China, suggests some underlying health in the global economy. You will hopefully recall that I came into the year anticipating further market volatility. The current sell-off has not changed my outlook. In fact, I’d be on the lookout for decent buying opportunities as many good, healthy companies are now trading at attractive valuations, such as Apple. Risk assets like equities will experience periods of volatility as the current uncertainties work their way through the system. However, I do think that the correction will, over the course of the coming months, give way to a more stable, fundamentals-driven market which will eke out some modest gains by year end. Fingers crossed! — Warren Couillault

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ne thing that is sure in the Epsom electorate is that traffic congestion is worsening, and will continue to worsen, so long as Auckland grows and we remain at the centre of the city. If we can’t get out of a predicament with the same thinking that got us into it, then here’s a new solution from the Swedes. The Swedes are a paradox when it comes to government policy. Despite their reputation for being a left-wing, social democratic country, they can adopt quite free-market policies when it suits. The Stockholm congestion charge is a brilliant example of this. Very simply, they charge different amounts to drive at different times of the day. If you want to drive into the central city from 6:30pm to 6:30am, it is free. For the rest of the day there is a varying charge, peaking at 35 Swedish Kroners (about NZ$5) in the 7:30 - 8:30am rush hour. The effects have been enormously positive. Some people just pay the highest charge, which is their choice. But then a whole lot of other behaviours change. People leave earlier or later to avoid the peak. Some carpool to take a car off the road, whether they’re going to work or dropping kids at school. The overall results have been smoother traffic flows, lower exhaust emissions from less stop-start traffic, and altogether less frustration with trying to get around. I believe that Auckland should be considering the same, notwithstanding a few barriers. Auckland Transport is at war with people who drive cars. They even make you pay for advertisements that patronise drivers for you to listen to on your car stereo, but I digress. They may need an attitude adjustment but there are more reasonable concerns about charging for road use. Is it “just another bloody tax?” There would have to be conditions such as dumping the petrol tax in lieu of these new charges. The revenues would have to go into roads, not be siphoned into trains or some other mode of transport that you’d deliberately eschewed, or you wouldn’t be paying a road user charge in the first place. Congestion is a problem, if not the problem facing central Auckland suburbs, and it is going to get worse. I think we need to address our challenges bravely and creatively, without resorting to the too-hard basket. There’s no other service that we’d dream of making free to use all day every day, then wonder why there was never a balance between supply and demand. But that’s what we do with one of our most important assets every morning and every evening. We should all be entertaining the idea of ensuring the costs of building and maintaining roads are paid for by the people using them according to the time of use.

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David Seymour is the MP for Epsom.


the reps

PAUL GOLDSMITH

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tarting my political journey in public meetings round Auckland in 2005, the number one issue nagging at most people was the massive outflow of Kiwis to Australia. It was unnerving that so many young Kiwis were leaving. I regularly encountered bewildered parents lamenting that all three of their children lived offshore, and they didn’t think any would return. Starting my own family at the time, it was a real motivation for me entering politics. It’s enormously satisfying, a decade later, to be in government at a time when that distressing narrative has largely disappeared. Young people continue to head off overseas in great numbers, but there’s a reasonable confidence that a fair proportion will return. And, as is well known, we now have a net inflow from Australia. Of course our government can’t take credit for all of the transformation. The Australian economy is facing headwinds, and the dark clouds looming in many parts of the world have made staying in New Zealand relatively more appealing. But by providing stable, competent, fiscally sustainable and predictable government for New Zealand for more than seven years, this National government has contributed significantly to our country’s relative attractiveness. Regardless of commodity cycles or trading conditions, good government increases confidence, which leads to more investment, which leads to more jobs and greater opportunities. Another dynamic at play has been the growth of Auckland. Our city is starting to gain critical mass. And more young Aucklanders are concluding that they can achieve their dreams in this city. That’s why, notwithstanding all the problems that come with growth, I’m strongly in favour of Auckland continuing to expand. A lot of people want to live in dynamic, globally connected and diverse cities that can provide a wide range of lifestyles and opportunities. And you need size and scale to achieve that.

Getting back to Australia, our relationship has ebbed and flowed over the decades, much as the relative performance of our rugby and cricket teams. I’m proud to see our Prime Minister well regarded in Australia and successful in achieving real progress on the difficult matter of the treatment of Kiwis over there since 2001. At the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ meeting in Sydney, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that New Zealanders who arrived in Australia between 2001 and February 2016 would be eligible for permanent residence, then citizenship, if they meet certain criteria. Right now, fewer Kiwis might be leaving to go to Australia, but at least we can be sure that those who have left in the past 15 years have a pathway to citizenship, so that their contribution in that country can be recognised.

Meantime, I caught up with the Australian cricket team while they were in New Zealand. Though it pains me to admit it, I’ve always admired their irrepressible confidence (exemplified by opening batsman Dave Warner, whom I’m pictured with). That’s long been a general Aussie trait. The exciting thing is that more Aucklanders and New Zealanders, generally, are starting to share that confidence. Paul Goldsmith is a list MP based in Epsom and Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD ANSWERS (page 48) Across: 1/11 My favourite things, 9 Moon, 10 Hypnotises, 13 Wild geese, 16 Ellerslie, 19/29 Gladstone road, 21 Copper, 22 Pot roasts, 26 Artist, 28 Aspidistra, 30/5 Raindrops on roses. Down: 2/15 Yayoi Kusama, 3 Awned, 4 Outlets, 6 Test, 7 Mountainous, 8 Unusualness, 12 Houris, 13 Wheelchairs, 14 Lilliputian, 17 Rivers, 18 Ill, 20 Derider, 23 Orpin, 24 Aesop, 25 Te reo, 27 Tama.

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the second act

Your Personal Board

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am lucky enough to be on my fourth career reinvention, each one building on previous learning and experience. Having evolved into leadership development means I am also observing adult development and career development, both at once. A bittersweet observation I make is that at the same time as you’re becoming increasingly at home in your skin — and perhaps even realising what you do want to do now you’re grown up — there is a corresponding appreciation of mortality. (Darn, how much time is wasted in younger years caring what people think, wanting to do the right thing versus the right thing for oneself?) Because of the ticking time bomb we all live with, as we get older it is easy to justify “running away”. I call it the “yoga teacher in Bali syndrome.” When the going gets tough, wouldn’t it be better to go to Bali, live in a hut on the beach and meditate? While I have nothing against those who live that simple happy life, the question is are we running to something, or running away from something? If we are not really in tune with ourselves, or perhaps too wedded to our own ego, we can mistake our fears for real inner desires. So how do we test our own thinking and feeling, to lessen the risk of reacting to what life throws at us, versus creating a life of greater purpose, meaning and achievement? Enter the “personal board of directors”. I came across this phase a few years back and have adopted it as my own. We all have trusted advisors in our life, but to help navigate our working lives we need a diverse group of people who have our development at heart. Just like a company’s board of directors has retaining and growing shareholder value as a core intent, a personal board of directors prioritises future-proofing your professional value. They know you, believe in you, call you out when you are operating out of fear and limited thinking, and offer other ways of looking at things. They assess the risks, and test your thinking. Clearly you don’t need to call board meetings, prepare board papers and other formalities, a personal board is a loose arrangement! But, when it comes to personal and professional development, having a considered objective viewpoint on your work/life is hugely valuable.

There are four quite different female colleagues whose advice I call on either separately or collectively on work-based matters. Yes, they are friends as well, but I have particularly singled them out to help test my thinking on my own career development. I even have someone I fondly refer to as my Chair, a very wise experienced businessperson who is top of her game and really tests my strategic thinking on where I want to play. Then there’s my accountant, who knows more about my financial position than I do. She’s on speed dial. Then there’s a leadership coach, top of her game. She ensures I am experiencing what I give my own clients. And lastly, I share my thinking with a truly global player to ensure I am not being too parochial. Before you call me out on gender diversity, I also have a couple of male colleagues who I use as confidantes to give me another perspective. What is really important is that your spouse does not sit on your board. Spouses come with loaded agendas and tend to offer annoying commentary like “I told you so,” or “I could have told you that,” or have a viewpoint on your talents out-of-step with reality. Your BFFs may also not actually have enough relevant experience in your business world to give a balanced, objective opinion. And need I say it, avoid having family members whom as lovely as they are, can often with a passing comment call forth the inner 14-yearold who lies dormant in all of us. If you think this is all a bit egocentric and overworked, consider this. If you are still interested in having a rewarding career with meaning, if you want to keep progressing and achieving, then how do you know you are constantly evolving to retain market value? Enlisting the help of others ensures you are looking at your working life objectively versus subjectively, which often leads to worrying about what other people may think. It also means that you are not boring your other mates with career woes. And besides, how about taking the advice of Warren Buffett – respected investor and generous philanthropist. When asked for investment advice, he once famously declared: “The most important investment you can make is in yourself”. — Sandy Burgham

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the anzac

Remuera’s Nursing Heroine Cora Anderson survived a shipwreck to achieve a distinguished record in World War I. By Remuera Heritage chair, Sue Cooper

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ora Beattie Anderson was born March 4, 1881, one of eight children of Auckland City Council city engineer William Anderson and his wife, Annie. She attended Auckland Girls Grammar School. At the time of her attestation in April 1915 to join the New Zealand Army Nursing Service (NZANS), her address was given as 4 Roslyn (now Entrican) Ave, Remuera. Before she headed for the theatres of war, Cora Anderson endured a serious drama closer to home. In 1902, aged 21, she and her brother-in-law, Dr Robert Beattie (who was superintendant of the Auckland Lunatic Asylum at Carrington), were returning to Auckland from Sydney on the Australian passenger steamer Elingamite. Sailing in dense fog, the ship struck West Island, one of the Three Kings group, 35 nautical miles (65km) north of Cape Reinga. On board were 136 passengers and 58 crew. Forty-five lives were lost, and a consignment of 52 boxes of coins bound for banks in New Zealand. Witnessing the horror of drownings, Cora and Robert Beattie spent 25 hours in an open lifeboat with other survivors before they managed to come ashore at Houhora. (A later inquiry found the Three Kings islands had been wrongly charted).

It may have been this experience that led Cora to become a nurse. She trained and graduated at Thames Hospital in 1909, and completed midwifery training at St Helen’s Hospital in Auckland. In 1910 she was appointed matron of a maternity home in Gisborne, and in 1912, was a district nurse for Māori patients in Rotorua. After war was declared in August 1914, Cora was one of the first nurses selected for the contingent of 50 to be sent for service under the direction of the British War Office. She joined the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, and at 34, set sail on the Rotorua in April 1915, for London. Writing home from London in May, Cora reported “. . . We are all going to base hospital in Egypt and leave immediately ... I think there was a New Zealand mail on the Lusitania: and hope there was none for us. London is full of recruiting bands and enlistment advertisements and uniforms”. On June 3, the nurses sailed for Alexandria to be assigned to hospitals there and in Cairo. Nurses were badly needed to tend to the sick and wounded from Gallipoli. Cora was posted to the

Nurses and army officers at the No.1 NZ General Hospital in Cairo, 1915. Cora is in the third row, eighth from left. Photo from Auckland War Memorial Museum. Inset, her Royal Red Cross (First Class) medal, bearing the words Faith, Hope and Charity.

the hobson 23


the anzac No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital, Cairo. She wrote home of the beautiful flowers and gardens of Cairo, but to her brother, she wrote of the work facing the nurses. “We are right in the thick of things, wounded and sick coming in faster than we can take them,” she wrote in August 1915. “One hundred and fifty cases came in the day before yesterday, and 91 came in last night. Beds and mattresses are all round the corridors and verandahs. As every few patients go out a fresh batch is put in, and another surgical ward downstairs has had to be used for gastro-enteritis and dysentery cases. The men say it is just like Heaven to be here, and one feels that one cannot do enough for them. Some that we get are absolute wrecks, but a few days’ sleep and baths and feeding, books and papers and the chance of seeing some ordinary fellow mortals and a few women about soon set them right again, and they begin to look as if they had wakened out of a sleep. I go round and see that they are all shaved and tidy, etc, in the morning, and feel quite proud of my flock. When I went this morning I found men sleeping on mattresses on every available patch of the floor, 100 for whom we had no beds. I believe we are to make our accommodation up to 1000 beds. We feel that we are doing what we came for, and are all putting every available ounce of ourselves into the work. We have 650 patients in the hospital, and are discharging them by fifties and hundreds to make room for new and worse cases. We have them in tents, verandahs and corridors, and the doctors are operating from 6am till the heat of the day gets too great, then in the afternoon and right on into the evening and night. There seems to be a very great many head and arm wounds among them. The men who left here just a week ago are coming back now, wounded. They went straight into action when they arrived. It is said that they have done wonderful things at the peninsula, however, and our men get the very greatest praise.” The work of the Kiwi nurses was also praised, later described in official war records as working in conditions where “the heat was very trying; and working in tents and pavilions pitched on the sand tested their endurance. The serious cases of dysentery and enteric [typhoid] from Gallipoli necessitated nursing skill of the highest order”. During the war Cora was twice mentioned in despatches, once in recognition of valuable services towards successful conduct of the war, and the second time, in March 1917, for valuable services at Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital in Britain. Cora sailed back to the UK from Egypt on the Hospital Ship Marama in June 1916. She served as matron of most of the major New Zealand hospitals in England, both surgical and convalescent. Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital, known as Grey Towers, in Essex, accommodated 2500 patients, with a well-equipped physiotherapy department for treating 400 patients daily. By the end of 1918, about 20,000 patients had been treated at Hornchurch.

Cora’s professional stature continued to rise — in November 1917, she had been recommended by the Minister of Public Health to attend special training in the administration of anaesthetics, at a cost of £100, a responsibility normally given to doctors. These awards, acknowledgements and promotions recognise that Matron Cora Anderson was a very respected and capable nurse and nursing administrator. Cora received further decoration when she was made an Associate Royal Red Cross (2nd Class) in October 1917 in recognition of her valuable service in connection with the war, and in July 1919 was also awarded the Royal Red Cross, 1st Class. Her medals and badges are held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. In February 1919, she was diagnosed as suffering from stress and strain with low blood pressure, due to active service. The medical board recommended six weeks leave on full pay. Matron Anderson boarded the SS Rimutaka at the end of May to return home, but was in charge of all the nursing staff on board. On board, she was assessed as suffering from debility and put on extra leave for six weeks, with a recommendation of demobilisation. Cora arrived in New Zealand on 26 August, 1919, and was discharged from service but remained on the Service and Temporary Reserve of the NZANS until official retirement in July 1921. Cora had served overseas for more than four years. On October 1, 1919, Cora married Eric Roberton. Eric was a farmer at Tahora in Taranaki when war had broken out, and he was 39 when he enlisted in 1915. Sergeant Roberton was reported as receiving a serious thigh wound and was sent to the NZ General Hospital at Brockenhurst in England in October 1917. It was probably while recovering at Hornchurch that he met Cora. The Auckland Star reported that “a quiet and pretty wedding took place on Wednesday last at the residence of the bride’s mother, “Rahane”, Roslyn Avenue, Remuera, when Miss Cora Anderson, R.R.C, third daughter of Mrs. and the late Mr. Wm. Anderson, C.E., and Mr. Eric E. Roberton (Stratford), youngest son of Mrs. and the late Mr. John Roberton of “Royston” Remuera, were married. The Rev. Pattison performed the ceremony. The bride, who was given away by her brother, Mr. W. B Anderson, wore her travelling dress of fawn tweed, with fawn crepe de chine hat with touches of pink, mauve, and blue, and carried a big posy of primroses.” Cora and Eric would become parents to a daughter, Elizabeth, and son, Craig. The family farmed in Taranaki until 1948, and then moved to Auckland, firstly to Bucklands Beach before settling in Remuera. Her last address was 53 Upland Rd. Cora died in September 1962 at the age of 81. She is buried with Eric and Elizabeth (who also became a nurse, and died in 2014, aged 89) in Purewa. For more details on the redoubtable Cora Anderson, please visit remueraheritage.org.nz

Above: Cora Anderson as a young woman, undated. the hobson 24


the neighbourhood

The High Life It was only a few years ago that the choice of apartments in Auckland’s east was limited to a handful of buildings. Louise Richardson reports on the surging popularity of the high-rise life, and some of the new residential options in our part of town

St Marks Apartments

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ven with the numerous cranes that dot the skyline across contemporary Auckland’s central suburbs, it’s clear that heavy demand for apartments won’t be satisfied any time soon. In Auckland’s inner eastern suburbs, Bayleys notes a steady climb in median apartment prices over the last five years. In 2011 it was $560,000, ending in 2016 at $841,800. Prices look set to keep rising as supply simply isn’t coming on-stream fast enough. Apartment living in Auckland began in Parliament St, when Middle Courtville was built in 1914, then joined a few years later by Corner Courtville. This particular inner-city neighbourhood was to remain the heart of the apartment scene for many years, attracting a mix of artistic free-thinking types who wanted to be close to academia, alongside serious business people working in the CBD. Later, Epsom’s stately The Pines (1970) and the towers on Remuera Rd were built, but overall, apartments didn’t take off as a real estate choice for all. At the time of the share market crash in 1987, there were still only a handful of apartment buildings offering just 200 individual units in Auckland. As the result of the crash’s ensuing financial crisis, the city was left with dozens of empty commercial buildings. It wasn’t long before developers saw potential in dividing and repurposing them as living spaces. Soon, there was no looking back as pressure on resources saw Auckland joining other major world cities in terms of moving up, instead of out.

Now the market has escalated to a point where more than 450 buildings have been built or converted, and apartment dwellers occupy 26,000 units — with at least 4000 more to come in the near future. While modern developments are certainly appearing in the city centre itself, interest now spans further afield and new apartments are popping up in Parnell, Newmarket and Remuera, giving potential lifestylers, lock-up and leavers and families too, a myriad of choices. MAKE YOUR MARK St Marks Apartments, 10 St Marks Rd, Remuera Where Newmarket meets Remuera something exciting is happening as the St Marks apartments get underway. The brainchild of leading breast surgeon-turned developer John Harman, these will be truly family-friendly, with generously proportioned units designed by Patterson Associates Architects. The complex of three residential buildings, The Grove, The Mark and The Mac are partnered by the motorway-side The Blade, a commercial building housing the new St Marks Breast Centre and medical practices. Target market: Definitely families wanting to be in the double Grammar zone, and professionals who want to take advantage of the location. In-house: There will be a secure communal green for children to play, and the Hip Group will operate two eateries within the three apartment complexes. An onsite concierge/building

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the neighbourhood manager will offer a variety of services, including feeding the cat — pets are welcome — and collecting mail if you’re away. In the neighbourhood: Bustling Broadway with shops and cinemas is nearby, the eateries of the Newmarket laneways too. Top schools are within easy walking or biking distance, as is The Domain and fitness options at the Olympic, Les Mills or even closer, Remuera Rackets. Remuera town centre is also very accessible. Prices depend on the building and aspect chosen: there’s one-bedrooms in The Grove from $599,000; $1.956 million buys threebedrooms in The Mac. Occupation is expected in late 2017. www.10stmarks.co.nz CITY SIDE The Antipodean, Beach Rd A short stroll from the city’s early 20th century apartment buildings, Barfoot and Thompson Projects’ contemporary Paul Brown-designed The Antipodean is perfectly positioned for laid-back city living. Target market? Sophisticated urban types. In-house: It boasts a 20-metre lap pool, sauna, residents’ pavilion, full-time onsite manager and unit prices starting at $785,000 for a 66m2 onebed apartment, and from $960,000 for a 118m2 two-bed, both including balconies. Completion is expected mid-2018. In the neighbourhood: The universities, courts, ferries, Britomart shops and transport, Vector Arena, Albert Park, the Tepid Baths and plenty of dining. www.theantipodean.co.nz The Antipodean

RISE AND SHINE Ford Precinct, York St, Parnell In Parnell, two very chic new apartment complexes will soon be completed on the site of the old Model T Ford assembly plant, which employed up to 250 men in the early 1900s — they completed a car every 20 minutes at peak times. Ford Residences are family-sized, luxury threebedroom units, designed by Patterson Associates Architects; elegant and up-to-date while retaining a strong sense of the location’s historical significance. Ford Lofts also honour the original building materials with exposed brick, oiled timber and various metals, used throughout by influential architect and urbanist Nat Cheshire. Target market? Cool couples, urbanite families. In-house: Ford Residences has a leafy residents’ courtyard, a private cobbled access lane between Augustus Tce and York St, and generous living spaces with sensational views. Completion is due mid-July this year. The sub-penthouse is available for $5 million. Ford Lofts have large balconies and a sophisticated New York-style vibe with high-spec fixtures and fittings. Completion is the end of this year, prices range between $1.8 and $2.5 million.

The Ford Residences the hobson 26


In the neighbourhood: Parnell’s retail and dining strip, the Link bus, a shortcut down the Augustus steps to the Strand, the Rose Gardens, Parnell Baths, La Cigale French Market, Parnell District School. Double Grammar zoned. www.nzsothebysrealty.com CHIC SENSATION Onethree Cheshire, 13 Cheshire St, Parnell Completely contemporary and well-appointed, Onethree Cheshire has been designed by Richard Priest and Matthew Waterfall and offers 39 apartments backing on to Auckland Domain, with picture-postcard views from all the units. Target market: Urban professionals, possibly in business, the arts or healthcare (the Auckland city hospital precinct is nearby), and small families with older children. In-house: A generous central courtyard, usable allyear-round terraces with decorative screens, openplan layouts and built-in wardrobes with storage organisers. Prices are from $695,000 for a one-bed, to $1.025 million for two bedrooms, and you can start moving in from September. In the neighbourhood: Auckland Domain and the Museum, Auckland Hospital, the universities, the coming Parnell train station, shops and restaurants. Double Grammar zoned. www.onethreecheshire.co.nz

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the hobson + remuera live life local

Toy Story Kylie Watts loved Mainly Toys as a child. When she grew up, she bought the business

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s a child, Kylie Watts used to wander around an enchanted place of all manner of toys, books and games. That wonderland was Mainly Toys. Fastforward a couple of decades and two young children of her own, and Kylie is now the proud owner of that toy shop. How did you come to own Mainly Toys? It was more an opportunity that arose. I was on maternity leave from the corporate world with my first child when the shop came up for sale, and running a toy shop afforded me more flexibility with a young child, and one just around the corner! Your mum Raewyn works for you. Is it a family business? Rae plays a huge role in the smooth running of the store and in many respects is like the glue that binds everything together. We also have a fabulous team around us, headed up by Jess, our store manager. Interestingly, it was through mum working at Mainly Toys that I became aware that the store was up for sale, and given this solid relationship, the previous owners knew they could entrust us with their “baby”. Why did you move Mainly Toys to Remuera from Mt Eden? Whilst our Mt Eden store was a magical place for children, with all its nooks and crannies, it wasn’t so practical for their mums who were pushing the prams! It’s a big decision to fix something that isn’t broken, but here we have a much more customer-friendly layout, and we are a part of the village, rather than being purely a destination shop as when we

were in Mt Eden. What was your favourite toy as a child, and do you stock it in Mainly Toys now? Toy cars with traffic play mats. I probably got into them because my younger brother wouldn’t play dolls with me. We stock a huge range of them now, just different brands. Which toys have stood the test of time and are still popular with children today? Lego, definitely. Also Sylvanian Families. How tough is the toy market, when you are competing with online and overseas retailers? The market is definitely challenging however we feel that we offer something unique in our product range, which is quality educational toys that have that fun factor. And we have exceptional customer service. Our customers value the fact that they can pop into our store on the way to a birthday party, have a quick chat to one of the staff and be out the door again within five to 10 minutes, on their way to the party with a beautifully wrapped gift, confident in the knowledge it will be a hit with the recipient!

SPECIAL READER OFFER EMAIL YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER TO info@mainlytoys.co.nz, OR VISIT US AT 333 REMUERA RD, GIVE US YOUR DETAILS AND GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN A LE TOY VAN STABLES WITH HORSE PLAYSET, RRP $86

Mainly Toys' Kylie Watts in her store. Interviews by Fiona Wilson, photo of Kylie by Vanita Andrews the hobson 28


live life local

Life Journeys The team at Remuera’s House of Travel have the world at their feet

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he travel bug bit hard for House of Travel’s Stuart Latimer and James Blankley. Originally trained as a watchmaker and teacher respectively, Remuera locals and experienced travel agents Stuart and James say their “passion purchase” business is more a lifestyle than a job. Is travel a glamorous industry to work in? Yes and no. The whole team travels far and wide to some glorious locations, but we’re working at the same time. We specialise in providing holidays tailored around our clients’ dreams, designed to give them the best memories possible. So everywhere we go we are testing, experiencing, learning. We take our duty of care to our customers very seriously. How often do you travel? Once a year we do a big trip escorting clients – usually Europe and a luxury cruise – and we also try to take a tropical break at some point too. Is it restrictive, travelling with clients? Not at all! A lot of our clients have become very dear friends, and it’s quite special to be a part of their journey. One time in Santorini we asked a taxi driver to take us “somewhere there are no tourists” and we ended up at a restaurant in a remote fishing village. A gingham table cloth, the water lapping at our feet, the freshest seafood. Six months later we went back with clients, and the family who owned the restaurant recognised us, and we were treated like royalty. Our clients still talk about it now! It’s moments like this that remind us that we are creating lasting memories, and there’s nothing

quite like over-delivering on expectations! What’s your favourite destination? Definitely Europe, particularly France and Italy. The history and culture are just amazing. Next would be Thailand – it’s not an expensive holiday, and you can’t beat the diversity ... the people, culture and the food. What’s your favourite mode of travel? Five-star cruising. You get to your cabin and unpack once, and after that your every care is attended to. You’re waking up in a different port every morning to a champagne breakfast. What better way to start the day! Has the travel industry changed over the years? Absolutely. For a start travel is cheaper now than it’s ever been. It’s one of very few industries where prices have decreased. And of course technology has had a huge impact. The ability to go online and research a holiday before booking it with us has opened up many new avenues to people. We’ve also found that the types of holidays have changed. Holistic holidays, where people want enrichment and rejuvenation, are extremely popular now.

SPECIAL READER OFFER visit us instore at 351 Remuera rd, register for our email updates and go into the draw to win a $250 voucher towards international travel. the winner will be drawn may 31

Loving their work: Stuart Latimer, left, and James Blankley, right, on the Greek Island of Santorini. Read more about these local businesses at www.remuera.org.nz the hobson 29


the heritage

Above: The Waipapa gully, photographed by John Kinder, 1863. Image from Auckland Art Gallery Te Toi o Tト[aki: A/N 1983/22/35 Right: An early 1860s plan of the Auckland to Drury Railway, Parnell section, showing the centre of the proposed railway line passing over the Waipapa stream. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries: NZ Map 7035 [cropped with permission]

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Mapping the Waipapa Recently Parnell’s Waipapa stream has been “rediscovered,” with several innovative concepts proposed, such as stream daylighting, a cycle path, restoration of the stream and its part in the imminent Parnell train station. Local historian Carolyn Cameron considers two historic maps that shed new light on the historic waterway

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he historic Waipapa stream is of significance, as it formed the original north-eastern boundary of the Auckland Domain. Flowing from an underground spring in a hollow on Sampson Kempthorne’s leasehold land (Part Allotment 32A and 31A of Section 3, Suburbs of Auckland), between Domain Drive and Claybrook Rd, the stream meandered its way down a deep, narrow valley, where it was joined by the sister Domain springs and the Waiparuru stream (the north-western boundary of The Domain) and flowed into Mechanics Bay. The map of Sampson Kempthorne’s house, called Victoria Cottage, land and outbuildings in the 1840s, clearly shows the spring and the “rivulet leading down to Mechanics Bay” originating in a hollow part of the north-western part of his property. This drawing also shows there was a bridle path from Parnell to The Domain, via Kempthorne’s land. The 1856 Kinder Map also shows the stream originating from this location. The combination of the water sources provided enough velocity to supply the early Mechanics Bay industries – the flour mill (owned by Joseph Low and William Motion) and James Robertson’s rope works. The waters were channelled into a mill race. A major project was soon to change this beautiful valley beyond recognition. In 1862, tenders were advertised for the construction of the Auckland to Drury railway. The railway line would enter Mechanics Bay between the Swan Inn (the Strand Hotel) on the corner of Stanley St and Henry Nicol’s shipyard, and pass

over William Boyd’s sail loft (which would need to be moved), and the tannery, before following the path of a stream until it reached the rear of Hobson Park (Birdwood Cres), where the track would enter a single line tunnel, 228 yards (208m) in length. To accommodate the steep gradient in the Parnell section, the water courses would be diverted into large culverts and drains. An entrance to The Domain was via a footbridge at the rear of Hobson Park/Birdwood Cres. Shortly before the excavations, this picturesque spot was painted by Albin Martin and John Kinder. Photographs of this period show the footbridge sited amongst dense ferns and native trees. By June 1863 work had commenced on the excavation of the valley. All the bush and soil was removed and a deep cutting made, bordered by high embankments. A railway bridge would be required at Mechanics Bay, and businesses adversely affected by this would be paid compensation under the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1863. The Auckland to Drury Railway Act 1863 allowed land to be acquired from properties along the eastern (Parnell) side of the line. Compensation took several months to complete, with many of those affected disputing sums to be paid. Huge storm-water culverts were installed near the tannery and at the rear of Birdwood Cres. The latter culvert was 120 feet (36m) long and 3 feet (1m) in diameter, to accommodate the original water course. The wooden footbridge was taken down but later replaced. Maps do not show how deep the stream was, but photographs showing the massive earthworks make it obvious that the

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the heritage

Above: Map of Sampson Kempthorne's Victoria Cottage showing the stream originating lower right. National Library of Australia: Map RM 477B

stream was largely excavated away. Only one original section has survived, that at the back of Aorere St and Gibraltar Cres, where the stream deviated to the east from its central path, which, to the present day, is still intact. The unknown factor is whether the water coming from the small pipes next to, and through, the old tunnel into the present storm-water drain is from the original stream. The storm-water drains have been upgraded many times over the years, and considerable research needs to be undertaken to map the underground water courses before claiming the present culvert to contain Waipapa water. Claims that the stream was used for local baptisms, a trout fishery or that Te Rauparaha lived by the stream are unsubstantiated. (Avondale historian Lisa Truttman has documented the location of the fishery and Te Rauparaha’s house in her Timespanner blog). The Waipapa valley is in desperate need of rejuvenation, but with the railway line in such close proximity, this is a big ask. Two railway lines will not service the ever-growing population of Auckland for very much longer and the land should surely be reserved for future expansion of the transport system. p

the hobson 32


Construction of the Parnell section of the Auckland to Drury railway line, circa 1873. Kempthorne’s Victoria Cottage can be seen in the far distance above the tunnel entrance. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries: 4-1071

the hobson 33


the love

Love is a Many-Feathered Thing Generally, a story in THE HOBSON has a connection with our local community. This one doesn’t specifically, but it also has everything to do with all of us, because it’s about a god-awful tragedy, great love and the healing powers of . . . a magpie. By Kirsty Cameron

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n the early 2000s, I lived in Sydney, where I edited InStyle magazine. One of our regular photographers was a gorgeous Northern Beaches guy called Cameron Bloom. When Cameron wasn’t taking pictures, he was surfing (he sometimes did both at once). He became our photographer of choice for many red carpet events. He took beautiful photos and everyone loved him. He was a happy presence to have around the office. I never got to meet Sam, a nurse who was, in Cameron’s words, “my first, last and only serious girlfriend.” Cameron and Sam married and produced three gorgeous, sporty minime sons, Rueben, Noah and Oliver, now aged 14, 12 and 10. Before kids, the Blooms had been intrepid world travellers, and when their boys were old enough, they were keen to introduce them to adventures off the typical tourist grid. It was on their first family holiday overseas, to Thailand in January 2013, that everything, everything, changed forever. The Blooms had stopped in a small coastal village in the Gulf of Thailand, en route to the hill tribe region north of Chiang Mai. Admiring the view from a rooftop deck at their hotel, Sam leant back against the metal and timber post safety fence. Riddled with unseen dry rot, the posts collapsed, tipping her to the concrete six metres below. The accident fractured her skull, ruptured her lungs and shattered her spine just below her shoulder blades, leaving her a paraplegic, unable to feel from the chest down. Always independent and extremely fit and active, Sam suffered not just physical damage. Anger, and a deep and dark

depression also arrived in the year after the accident. And then, at Sam’s emotional nadir, into their lives tumbled a fluffy fledgling magpie who’d fallen from her nest and was rescued by Noah. Penguin came to live at Newport Beach with the Blooms and insinuated herself into the family. She became Sam’s feathered guardian angel, her squawking, singing cheer squad, and the subject of many photos by Cameron. Penguin’s antics became an Instagram hit, and are now part of Penguin Bloom: The odd little bird who saved a family, a book Cameron has created with The Blue Day Book bestselling author, Bradley Trevor Greive. Many of the pictures speak volumes, and the words will make you cry, and then smile. There’s no fairytale ending to Cameron and Sam’s story so far, but there is good news — Sam has found freedom on the water, and has become a world-class sprint canoeist. She competed at the sport’s world champs in Milan last year, ranking 14th in the world. We wish her every success possible. Penguin Bloom: The odd little bird who saved a family (ABC Books) by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive is on sale from April 1, RRP $29.99. A percentage of royalties will go to SpinalCure Australia. THE HOBSON has three copies of Penguin Bloom to give away. To enter, see our Facebook post about this story. You can see more of Penguin on YouTube, follow PenguinTheMagpie on Instagram, and at penguinthemagpie.com

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the hobson 35


the psyche

Time In, Time Out

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n the January-February issue, I talked about child behaviour problems and “Parent Child Interaction Therapy” (PCIT). Based on a mountain of research, PCIT is a proven method that works especially well for children who have a hard time complying with instructions. The research on PCIT has demonstrated that it’s effective particularly at rebuilding broken parent-child relationships, increasing the child’s desire to please, and reducing overall levels of conflict. It’s most effective for children between the ages of three and nine, and is now recommended for children with ADHD. PCIT is a two-phase treatment consisting of “Time In”, and “Time Out”. Time In, as I described previously, is all about attention, praise and deep listening. A child who has received daily Time In becomes attuned to positive attention, and will work for this. In a typical PCIT program, once parents are in a consistent routine of doing Time In for five minutes a day, the focus turns to getting the child to comply more easily to day-to day-instructions. While parents often come into therapy with a litany of complaints, PCIT advocates focusing on just one or two key problems at a time. As an example, parents often say to me that they wish their child would “just get dressed when I tell them to in the morning,” or that they would, “get off the iPad without a fight”. Parents are taught to use a neutral tone of voice and provide specific, positively worded instruction: “please brush your teeth” instead of “stop playing with your Lego,” or “stop wasting time.” Once such a “command” is issued, the parent then counts to three in their head, and determines whether the child complies. If the child is not actively picking up the toothbrush or at least walking to the bathroom at the count of three, the behaviour is non-compliant. It sounds simple enough, but often parents will go to a child two to three times, repeating the instruction. With this form of compliance training, the idea is to eliminate argument, and to be as mechanical as possible in carrying out your consequence. At this point, the parent is counselled to issue a two-point statement. “You can either brush your teeth, or you can go to Time Out”. If the child chooses to comply (after you’ve done that mental count to three), be enthusiastic with praise — “I love it when you listen!” If the child dawdles, or ignores you, it’s all systems go. “You

chose not to listen, and so now you have to go to Time Out”. Time Out is in a quiet spot in the house, a chair or stool facing a boring wall. The child may need to be carried to Time Out the first two or three times, and held gently in his seat. While there’s lots of argument over the length of a suitable Time Out, PCIT research demonstrates that three minutes is ideal. More than three minutes is not generally more effective, and anything less may not be enough for the child to calm down. The main idea of a Time Out is withdrawal from stimulation, or boredom in plain language. Time Out in bedrooms often defies the point, as it tends to be enjoyable with books and toys. After three minutes, check to see if the child is quiet. Never take a screaming, arguing child out of Time Out. Time Out only ends when a child has been as quiet as a mouse for three minutes. While this sequence may be familiar to many, the difference with PCIT is notable mainly in what happens after the Time Out. PCIT has the parent repeat the original instruction — “Please brush your teeth”. Non-compliance, and the cycle repeats itself. If the child complies, acknowledge the behaviour with a nod, but do not praise. Because PCIT is all about “over-teaching” compliance, parents are taught at this point to issue a second instruction. “Now, please bring me that pen.” This serves as something of a test, or a way of stressing the point that compliance is what you’re after. It’s also an opportunity to go back to being a loving, nurturing parent, and a way of resetting the parent-child interaction to a happier footing. If the child brings the pen, praise enthusiastically. If the child chooses not to listen, it’s back to Time Out. Although it does happen, it is rare for children to need more than two Time Outs, and professional advice would probably be good at that point. Try to be consistent in administering Time Out once every day in the first week until the focus behaviour ceases to be a problem. Never issue a command if you don’t have time to go through with the Time Out. Do keep doing Time In, or “special time” throughout this process. It’s all about balance, and it’s important to protect that bond between you and your child, and to provide a daily experience of closeness while you increase your demands for compliance. I’d like to hear of your experiences: amrit@kidztherapy.co.nz — Amrit Kaur

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the pretty

Oh So Pretty! Justine Williams discovers beauty just got a whole lot more girly As we slide into autumn, the European spring is all about candy-coloured pastels, with flashes of opalescence to delight us too. Fingers and toes are on point with YSL La Laque Couture in No. 69 Love Pink or No. 70 Peace Green, $48 from YSL counters

Manuka Doctor creates great skincare products, including a range of popular facemasks. So when they decided to make a beeline for hair care, it’s not a surprise that the first product is a mask too. Manuka Doctor ApiRevive Restorative Hair Mask, $39.95, is a rich and creamy conditioning treatment for tired, stressed and damaged hair. Available from manukadr.co.nz

Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but hands tell the truth about what you’ve really been up to. Protect with sunscreen when outdoors, and reward hard-working mitts morning and night with Dermalogica’s Age Smart MultiVitamin Hand and Nail Treatment. Packed with goodies to nourish skin and nails, there’s a 75ml ($48) tube for the house, and a 15ml ($14) one for your bag. dermalogica.co.nz

You never seem too old to get a zit, so it’s worth having Clarins Stop blemish control, $33, on hand. A neat little roll-on (you get two in the pack) that works to tighten pores and eliminate bacteria, it can be used alone or under makeup to keep on top of pesky skin eruptions. From Clarins counters

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Revlon are masters at compact makeup and the new Colorstay 2-in-1 Compact Makeup and Concealer is just like it says on the box. It offers coverage and concealer in a sweat-resistant formula, for fresh-looking makeup that lasts all day. $41.95 from Revlon counters

Elie Saab Le Parfum Rose Couture Eau de Toilette, 30ml, $102.
 The designer enhances his signature bouquet of white flowers with a whirlwind of rose petals. Inspired by his love of “couture pink”, Saab’s new fragrance is undeniably feminine, but more modern than roses of old. Smith & Caughey’s Newmarket With names like “Tiramisu” and “Passionfruit” — and that on trend crystal effect — we adore Estēe Lauder’s Pure Color Crystal Lipsticks, $57. Super smooth glideon formulation, and crystal shimmer a-plenty, we’re loving this new lip look. At Estēe Lauder counters

Bobbi Brown could write the book on how women want to look and feel – and she has, sharing her makeup knowledge and tips in several tomes. Her latest book is Bobbi Brown Everything Eyes, step-by-step makeup lessons for those who wear glasses. As usual, it’s brilliant. $25, from Bobbi Brown counters

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“To me, fragrance is an everyday luxury that enhances emotions, evokes memories and can transform any environment to feel luxurious,” says Chris Lim, the founder of the NZ-based MARACA scent and skincare range. Transform your space with this stunning MARACA Natural Soy Wax Candle in Roseraie, $54.95. Made in NZ, MARACA is available at Gladstone Pharmacy, Parnell. And courtesy of MARACA, we have three candles to give away. See THE HOBSON’s Facebook page for how to win


the hobson + prescription skin care

Autumn Repair Seize the day to fix summer sun damage, and kick-start your skin care regimen, with targeted treatments from Prescription Skin Care

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side-effect of the great Kiwi summer is increased pigmentation and sun damage to skin, no matter how vigilant you were at applying sunscreen. On the positive side, this is the perfect time of year to take charge and reclaim a glowing complexion, with the help of the specialist team at Prescription Skin Care. A consultation with one of our highlytrained specialist nurses ($70 for new clients, redeemable on products, and at no charge for existing patients) will quickly determine the best treatments available to suit your skin and concerns. Budget, timeframe and commitment levels also play a part in making these decisions. You may wish to start with just a gentle peel, or discuss an optimal rejuvenation program of combined treatments over the autumn months.

• Safe and effective IPL (intense pulsed light) to rejuvenate tired-looking skin and safely remove both red and brown spots and spider veins • Laser, such as Accutip, to spot-treat darker pigmentation • Medical-grade skin care products that are gentle on

sensitive, acne-prone and ageing skins, yet give real results. Prescription Skin Care can also prescribe the right brightening system, pigment serum and sunscreen for athome care

• Dermastamp or medical grade collagen induction therapy to stimulate collagen growth to restore youthful-looking, radiant skin. This can also reduce pore size and diminish red veins

Prescription Skin Care offers:

And don’t forget to look further than your face — the neck, décolletage and hands also show ageing and skin damage, but equally they respond extremely well to a number of the treatments listed above.

• Skin peels and relaxing medi-facials to hydrate and clear up mild sun damage

Prescription Skin Care is led by plastic surgeon Stephen Gilbert FRCS, FRACS (Plastic).

• Laser Genesis to stimulate collagen growth improving texture, tone and elasticity

243 Remuera Road, Remuera. Phone 529 5784 to book your appointment.

Say goodbye to stubborn fat with CoolSculpting® Permanently reduce fat on the stomach, back, inner thighs and arms without surgery or down time. Safe and effective for men and women. – The only fat reduction machine to be FDA approved – Over 2 million treatments world wide – Prescription Skin Care are the most experienced in NZ

Phone us today on 09 529 5784 Led by plastic surgeon Stephen Gilbert FRCS, FRACS (Plastic) 243 Remuera Rd, Remuera, Auckland | www.prescriptionskincare.co.nz


the magpie

A Feathered Nest The Magpie is in the mood for a few upgrades 1 Investment dressing deserves investment housing. Whether you’re hanging a Carrie Bradshaw-sized cache of couture, or an edited capsule collection, the team at Studio Italia can fit you out with the ultimate in luxury wardrobe systems from Poliform. The Senzafine system shown here is bespoke to need, and comes in a range of timber finishes. Studio Italia, 25 Nugent St, Grafton. studioitalia.co.nz

Diamond (shown here in parchment) from the US’s Stanton Carpets is woven with New Zealand wool, and a viscose and nylon blend. Hooray for a little razzle dazzle underfoot! Artisan Flooring, 31a Normanby Rd, Mt Eden (opposite Bloc). artisanflooring.co.nz

9 Take inspiration from some of the excellent books around on architecture and interior design. Life Style: Elegant Simplicity at Home by designer Tricia Foley illustrates with standout photography her approach to creating elegantly pared-down environments for home and workspaces (Rizzoli, $84.99). House Plus: Imaginative Ideas for Extending Your Home by Phyllis Richardson (Thames and Hudson, $39.99) showcases 60 projects, providing a rich source of contemporary ideas and inspiration. Both available at Paper Plus, 255 Broadway, Newmarket.

2 How glorious to sink into this Serpentine sofa by Timothy Oulton, $6769, at the end of the day. Classic styling allows it to work with almost any décor or interior style. The Magpie thinks it’s a beautiful statement as is, but you can make it your own with cushions and throws. From Timothy Oulton at Dawson & Co, 115 The Strand, Parnell. dawsonandco.nz 3 Display your treasures, cleverly divide a room – whatever your styling needs, The Mapgie dips her wing to the Citta Concertina Display Shelf, $2890. Mix things up with books, ornaments and indoor plants to transform a living space into a functional work of art. From Corso De’ Fiori, 8 George St, Newmarket. corso.co.nz

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2 4 Now this is a bath to fly home for. Designed by Philippe Starck for Duravit, the freestanding Cape Cod tub fuses material and form (as does the Cape Cod washbasin and other fixtures). A new material, DuraSolid (a robust, scratchresistant solid surface composition), means the finest details of Starck’s design were realised — thin bathtub rims, gentle curves and the integrated headrest. Metrix, 155 The Strand, Parnell. metrix.co.nz 5 Technological advances in carpet flooring have been amazing over the past decade, but what ever happened to colour or pattern? Talk about 50 shades of plain. This Hathaway

8 Kick back in a Copenhague outdoor suite for the ultimate in fresh air style. The work of Belgian design house Gommaire Cleybergh, this deep seating is beautifully constructed out of reclaimed teak, and topped with Italian fabric cushions. And because it’s sectional, you can configure it to fit your space. At Design Warehouse, 137 The Strand, Parnell. designwarehouse. co.nz

6 The Magpie loves the form of this Encore Bed, but more than that, loves that it can be personalised to taste with a huge selection of fabric and leather finishes. Priced from $4178 full finished, super-king size. From King Living, 535 Parnell Rd. kingliving.co.nz 7 The Magpie loves a luxe bedroom, and these velvety pieces from Bianca Lorenne, like the Ereganto comforter (200x150cm), $648, and cushion (60x40cm), $216, are calling to me. Mix up deep navy, rich rust and patterns for a happy place between a feminine and masculine boudoir. Harrowset Hall, 7/21 Nuffield St, Newmarket.

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10 Indoor plants are so now, it’s almost a style crime not to have them greening up your nest. Planted with verdant foliage inside, or veges or flowering shrubs outside, there’s a chic Elho Pot for every need. Start simply with Brussels Diamond Round pots, from $9.99. Sunhill Garden Centre, 317 St Johns Rd. sunhillgardencentre.co.nz 11 Make a style statement at the entrance to your home with the Arcade Console by La Galeria. Actually, this console would bring a modern spin to any room. Available in the black lacquer and silver leaf blocks shown, it also comes in white lacquer with ebony blocks. Sarsfield Brooke, opposite Milly’s on Level 2, 155 The Strand, Parnell. sarsfieldbrooke.co.nz


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the appetite

Distilled Delight Sue Fleischl serves home-baked treats with a twist for Easter entertaining

Gin & Lemon Cake Serves 8 240g butter 240g caster sugar 4 large eggs 90ml gin 1 ½ tbsp finely grated lemon zest 240g self-raising flour, sifted Syrup 2 cups water 2 cups caster sugar Glaze (optional) 2 cups icing sugar 2 tbsp gin 1 tbsp lemon juice, approximately Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin. Place the syrup ingredients in a pot and bring to boil for five minutes. Leave to cool. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the gin and lemon zest. Fold in the flour. Pour this mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 minutes. Rest in the tin for five minutes before turning out onto a rack. Place the cake rack over a baking tray and pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. If you’d like to add the glaze, mix the ingredients together with enough lemon juice to get the consistency you would like. Drizzle over the cooled cake. This recipe can also be made as 16 individual cakes or 30 mini muffin-sized cakes, perfect for afternoon tea

baking paper. Each meringue should be approximately 3cm across. Bake for 30 minutes, then allow to cool.

Passionfruit Curd Meringue Nests

Using a toothpick or a skewer, carefully punch out a hole in the top of each meringue, ready for the curd filling.

Mini Meringues 2 large eggs, whites only 120g caster sugar

Passionfruit Curd 2 eggs 125ml passionfruit pulp 80g caster sugar 60g butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 120C. Whisk the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl for one minute, then slowly add the sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. Pipe the meringues onto a tray lined with

Place the eggs, passionfruit and sugar in a heat-proof bowl over hot water. Whisk for approximately eight minutes until the mixture is thick — do not overcook. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter. Leave to cool, and then chill until needed.

Makes 30 dainty meringues

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To assemble, pipe the curd into each meringue nest just before serving. Meringues can be made up to five days in advance and stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to use them. The curd can be made up to three days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. You can substitute the passionfruit for lemon or orange curd, or even a white chocolate mousse. Sometimes I’ve topped these with pieces of fruit or edible flowers. Serving them in egg cartons always gets comments! Food photographed by Dominique White Photography.


the sound

#PopsSoGirl

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iversity, or the lack thereof has been the rallying call in the entertainment industry recently. Last year’s furore about pay equality in Hollywood between the genders was the start. Revelations over Jennifer Lawrence’s pay leaked in hacked Sony emails caused it all. With it came the disclosure that the top 10 men in movies in 2014 earned over 400 million between them. The top 10 women? Half that. There were surveys of the number of female roles versus male and starlet after starlet came forward with tales of wage woe. This year the debate moved to colour when not one black (or Asian for that matter) was nominated for a Oscar. Chris Rock hosted the event and pointed out that Leo DiCaprio gets a great role every year while Jamie Foxx sits around waiting. Mr Rock also said that if you want more black actors getting Oscars then have a black actor award. But then to point out that was a joke, he said this. “You have men and women, now there’s no real reason for there to be a man and woman category in acting – it’s not track and field; you don’t have to separate them. Robert De Niro’s never said, “I have to slow this acting down so Meryl Streep can catch up.” That was classic and I immediately thought what about music? Are the sexes competing equally? Well the Grammys used to have best male and female but in a rare moment of American enlightenment and action they discontinued that in 2011. So good on them. But the Brits, old thing, still have gender awards. New Zealand, the country that first gave women the vote, still persists with separate categories for men and women. With a market as small as ours you’d have to wonder why, though I guess it means more people end up with expensive and impressive paper weights. In Britain and New Zealand the genders come together to compete for Single of the Year. But Lorde and Adele always win those so . . . whatever. As a man do I believe that gender awards are still a good thing in 2016? Well if I was a male pop star I wouldn’t because they appear to be a dying breed. When did pop become so female dominated and why doesn’t anyone mention it? The top of the pop tree is a hard-out girl

grapple. It’s Taylor versus Rihanna versus Gaga versus Adele versus Beyoncé. Acts so dominant they only need one name. It’s Katy Perry versus Madonna versus Florence versus Lorde. And in the lower leagues it’s Ellie Goulding versus Rita Ora It’s left to milk sops like Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber to hold the men’s side up with side action from the latest One Direction escapee, currently Zayn. Thank God for Bruno Mars. It seems as though men join bands while women become stars. It’s the same in New Zealand music. Lorde versus Gin Wigmore versus Brooke Fraser versus the Runga girls versus Hollie Smith at the top of our charts and hearts. At last year’s NZ Music Awards the male nominees were Marlon Williams and Stan Walker, and then they had to resort to Unknown Mortal Orchestra. A band! My theory is that women’s voices have more range and just sound better. They win. Meanwhile on the other side of the diversity argument, are the different races treated equally in music? Well I think they probably are but it’s hard to figure out because everybody is stealing everybody’s stuff. I remember a fuss being made of the band In Living Colour back in the day. An all black hard rock band! How unique! As everyone casually forgot Jimi Hendrix. Then came Lenny Kravitz and of course Prince, who stole the white man’s guitar and shredded it on “Purple Rain.” Rap music was black music until Marshall Mathers realised it was actually just angry music and he ripped it up on white trash issues as Eminem. And now there’s Macklemore. Has there ever been a more vanilla rap act. Oh that’s right, Vanilla Ice. Elvis stole the black man’s music. Eric Clapton stole the black man’s blues. But then the black man stole it back. For goodness sake, Ray Charles even stole back country music. Then the Asians got in with Psy stealing from everyone for “Gangnam Style!” Music has always been a melting pot as Blue Mink sang (until a whole lot of Kiwi chicks called When The Cat’s Away stole that too). Much more so than movies. Though it does seems as though the girls have stolen pop. So maybe it’s time for some positive action. Not so much #OscarsSoWhite as #PopsSoGirl. — Andrew Dickens

One name to rule them all: Beyoncé. Photo courtesy Sony Music

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the bookmark

Inspired Tales of War THE REGENERATION TRILOGY Pat Barker (Penguin) Barker explores with absolute clarity of vision what WWI did to human beings, male and female, soldiers and civilians, in this heart-rending story that has become a modern classic. Seen through the eyes of army psychologist William Rivers and damaged soldier Billy Prior, during the last two years of the Great War.

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN Louis de Bernièrs (Random House) Extravagant, inventive, emotionally sweeping. Set on the Greek Island of Cephalonia, which one day wakes up to find that the tide of WWII has rolled onto the island's shores in the form of the conquering Italian army. Caught in the occupation is Pelagia, a beautiful young woman, and the two suitors vying for her love.

and the author, who survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer. With the creative verve of the greatest fiction and the intimacy of an autobiography, this is a testament to the men who risked their lives in America’s most controversial war. It is also a mirror held up to the frailty of humanity.

THE ANZAC PUPPY Peter Millett & Trish Bowles (Scholastic) In the middle of the night, in the middle of winter, in the middle of a war, a puppy was born. Inspired by the story of Freda, a Harlequin Great Dane and mascot of the NZ Rifle Brigade during WWI. It’s a simple story about the reality of war, hardship, friendship and love. For ages 5+

ANZAC HEROES

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

Maria Gill (Scholastic) Gill recounts the heroic tales of Australian and New Zealand men and women during WWI and WWII. There are army, navy and air force servicemen, and women who went to extraordinary lengths to aid the war effort. Some of the people represented in the book received the highest honours, several survived being prisoners of war, and several others died while serving King and country. For ages 9+

Tim O'Brien (Harper Collins) Depicting the men of Alpha Company,

— Gail Woodward

A SOLDIER'S TALE M.K. Joseph (Harper Collins) In 1976, Joseph, one of New Zealand's finest novelists, first published this stunningly simple yet devastating novel, a powerful story of love and betrayal you will find very hard to forget. It’s set in Normandy, 1944, in a small French village where a young soldier comes across an isolated farmhouse.


the cinema

April at the Movies SHERPA - director Jennifer Peedom.

Redzepi gives audiences a behindthe-scenes look into his restaurant. From the creation of a new menu, to the integration of new staff and the pressure of measuring up year after year, this doco shows a different side of the kitchen than we are used to seeing on our screens. Less hyperreality program, more a realistically functioning kitchen.

This moving study of the Sherpa people of Nepal has been dubbed “the most majestic-looking industrial dispute documentary ever made”. In the decades since the 1953 conquest of Mt Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, climbers and Sherpas have made many successful trips up the mountain, with the Sherpas’ role often undervalued outside of the climbing community. In 2013, a nasty brawl at 21,000ft between locals and visitors posed questions about the supposed harmonious relationship. Peedom and her crew were on the mountain in 2014, part-way through making their film, when an horrific icefall killed 16 Sherpas, a tragedy that became a tipping point in the dispute over Sherpa pay and conditions.

EDDIE THE EAGLE — director

EYE IN THE SKY— director Gavin Hood. Starring Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman. When Colonel Powell (Mirren) is placed in command of a drone operation to capture a wanted terrorist, the mission quickly changes as a nineyear-old girl enters the ‘zone’. When the order is placed to eliminate the target instead of capture, those involved face a moral dilemma — do they risk many lives for that of just one? Starring the late, great Alan Rickman in one of his final roles, the cast is a who’s who of British cinema.

Wednesday 13 April Arrival 5:30pm Book online www.rialto.co.nz

NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM — director Pierre Deschamps. “We’re not following a recipe, we’re creating a recipe!” This is the culinary philosophy of award-winning chef René Redzepi of Copenhagen’s Noma restaurant. Winner of the The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014, chef

Tickets*

$35

*$33 for Cine Buzz members. Sign up to Cine Buzz online.

Dexter Fletcher. Starring Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken. When tenacious, but physically hindered, young Eddie Edwards (Egerton) decides he’s going to be an Olympian, he stops at nothing to get there. After failing at almost every sport, ultimate underdog Eddie decides to become a ski jumper. “Eddie the Eagle” charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, but only after going into battle against the British Olympic Committee, who initially refused to let him enter for fear of embarrassment. Featuring Jackman as Eddie’s washed-up coach, this true story is a heart-warming portrayal of a real life boy who achieved his dreams. - Caitlin McKenna Films listed will screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket during April


the district diary - april

monday tuesday wednesday thursday Book now if you haven’t already: Grammar marks the centenary of the Main Building with a special event on Friday night, April 1. See story, page 17. Tickets $35 via eventfinda.co.nz

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The Toy Library opens Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 - 11.30am at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell (enter off Brighton Rd). Toys for indoors and out, games, DVDs. Info at FunAndGamesToyLibrary.org.nz

Wriggle & Rhyme Active movement for babies to 2 yearolds, 9.30 - 10am every Tuesday in term-time at Parnell Library

Rhymetime Song, stories and rhymes for 18-month to 3-year olds, Wednesdays during termtime, 11 - 11.30am at Parnell Library

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Have your say on the management of Auckland’s volcanic cones. Submissions are open to April 29 on the Proposed Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan. Visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/ tupunamaunga

Book group at Remuera Library, held every second and fourth Tuesday, 11am

Minecraft club at Remuera Library, 4.30 - 5.30pm, bring your own device

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Preschooler Storytime Stories and songs for 3 to 5-year olds. Every Monday during term-time at Parnell Library, 11 - 11.30am

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Parnell U3A meets today, 9.30am, Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd. Guest speaker, author C K Stead

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Anzac Day Dawn service at the War Memorial Museum, 6am, civic service, 11am. College Rifles memorial march and service. Leaves Remuera Rd/ Upland Rd shops 9am

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friday

saturday sunday

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Remuera Intermediate School open day, 8.45 - 11am. Meet in the Ascot Ave main foyer. No bookings required. Tours, morning tea and entertainment

Parnell Farmers’ Market, every Saturday from 9am in the carpark at the Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd

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Auckland Boys’ Choir sings with the NZSO, Town Hall, 7pm

La Cigale French Market Saturday and Sunday mornings, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

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Visit an exhibition of POW artworks and WWII cartoons at Kinder House, Parnell. It runs all month. info@kinder.org.nz

Cluny Kindy Gala Fun for all, with games, food, bric-a-brac, a cake stall and more. 74 Victoria Ave, 10am - 2pm

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Auckland Boys’ Choir sings tonight, 7pm, St Heliers Presbyterian Church

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Term 1 finishes: primary and secondary schools on holiday until Monday May 2

Auckland Girls’ Choir performs with the NZ Pops Orchestra, 5pm, Auckland Town Hall

St Cuthbert’s College Senior School Anzac service

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THE HOBSON May edition is in your letterbox this weekend

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Got an entry for The District Diary? Community groups, school news, local events welcome. Email details to hobsondiary@gmail.com

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notes


the cryptic by mĀyĀ

ACROSS 1/11 Vermouth, staying fit, almost getting wasted – possible cures for dog bites and bee stings? (2,9,6) 9 Maria may be found here (4) 10 Entrances not being included in plugs (10) 11 See 1 across 13 Fly-by-nights, one of 1/11 seen by Maurice hiding in bush to the east (4,5) 15 See 2 Down 16 Seller heading to the east to stay in place with many races (9) 19/29 Pleased tornadoes devastated a feature of Remuera? (9,4) 21 One who nicks a type of kettle, one of 1/11 (6) 22 Spooner's bunk supports, I'm told, may be eaten (3,6) 26 Creative person can finish this sentence: "The last letter of ______" (6) 28 Flowering plant stirs Ada's spirit (10)

29 See 19 across 30/5 Spooner's drains, or wild flowers on sprinklers, are one of 1/11 (9,2,5)

DOWN 2/15 Across Māyā, I ask you! Absurd to give clue for “dotty” Japanese 26 (5,6) 3 ... with a beard like wild grass. (Amazed no head included!) (5) 4 Shops for vents (7) 5 See 30 Across 6 Closely examine a type of match (4) 7 “Massive” is like “Massif” (11) 8 Oddity as organisation with its head in USA left headland (11) 12 Time one's with heavenly women (6) 13 Boss and heads of board provide transport for those unable to walk (11) 14 Flower – I hear world leader holds

one for little chap (11) 17 Flowers may be braided (6) 18 Down with Oberon's first word to Titania! (3) 20 Delaware horseman came to ridicule? (7) 23 Doctor Pink holds flowering plant (5) 24 Paper scoops regularly, thanks to fabulous writer (5) 25 Record player poking out tip of tongue (2,3) 27 Snarl back to a young man in 25 (4)

Answers on page 21

Simply Matching People With Property

Set by Māyā https://thehobsoncrossword.wordpress.com/ the hobson 48


Outdoor Furniture Manufactured with A-Grade Teak, Reclaimed Teak, Wicker, Concrete, 316 Stainless Steel, Sunbrella, Batyline, and Aluminum

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GOMMAIRE JOSEPH SET

GOMMAIRE CURVE DINING CHAIR BAY & EAST

BLOK CONCRETE

GOMMAIRE ELLE & NATURE COFFEE TABLE SOHO GRANDE

You’re invited to be inspired at our huge (6,500 sq. metres) and stunning showroom, Parnell’s old wool shed, as it is now full of new outdoor product. We cater to the most discerning buyer with the very best of taste. Everything is fully assembled and ready to take home for your outdoor space.

Ph: 09 377 7710

toll free - 0800 111 112

137/147 The Strand, Parnell/Auckland

sales@designwarehouse.co.nz

www.designwarehouse.co.nz

Wholesalers open direct to the public daily 9:30 - 4:30


Parks On Domain

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The name says it all. This stunning three bedroom home enjoys a magical park side setting amongst mature Pohutakawa and Plane Trees. Just one minute walk from your gates you have the Domain and Museum grounds with bush walks that will have you feeling you are miles from Auckland City. Centrally located and just a short walk to both Parnell Village and Central Newmarket the convenience of living here is very hard to replicate. Complete with three double bedrooms and three full bathrooms this home is very well set up as the ultimate lock up and leave, but also works very well for family living. With double internal access garage inside private security gates, this quiet and private home delivers a truly relaxed and tranquil living environment. Call today for a private viewing. PRICE: On Application

12B Domain Drive, Parnell | nzsothebysrealty.com/NZE10498

nzsothebysrealty.com

Ross Hawkins M +64 274 720 577 ross.hawkins@sothebysrealty.com

Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Browns Real Estate Limited (licensed under the REAA 2008) MREINZ.


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