The Hobson - November 2014

november 2014

the walkway opens • cricket • crims • crimson roses local news, views & informed opinions

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The November Issue 10

the village A change in zone request over Gladstone Park, news from the Local Boards and the Parnell Community Committee and much more

21

32

the defender In an extract from his new book, Peter Williams QC recounts hosting a murderer in his Remuera home

35

the opinion List MP Paul Goldsmith says thanks

the investment They’re hot, they’re not: the fluctuating fortunes of mobile phone companies

22

36

the district diary There’s plenty happening in November

26

the neighbourhood NZ Sotheby’s Debi Pratt weighs east against west

28

the plan The Newmarket Viaduct — a remarkable feat of engineering even today

30

the answers Remuera Business Association manager Laura Carr fills us in

31

the suburbanist Tommy Honey gives the tick of approval to the new Orākei walkway

the psyche Amrit Kaur reveals a quick fix tactic to changing behaviour

37

the second act Learning to love the benefits of a digital detox

38

the arts Leigh Melville enjoys public art of her new neighbourhood

40

the pretty Colouring in for summer

41

the wellbeing More is not necessarily better when it comes to physical fitness, says Lee Parore

WIN!

ˇ is the coolest new name in women’s Harman Grubisa fashion. “Ones to Watch” on Vogue Australia’s hotlist of Kiwi designers, lauded by Viva; Madeleine Harman ˇ elegant, sophisticated collection and Jessica Grubisa’s in beautitful fabrics won plaudits when they debuted this year. Harman ˇ would like to dress readers of The Hobson in style too, and are Grubisa offering three readers the chance to select a garment from the spring/ summer range to the value of $300. To win your choice of a Harman ˇ piece, email DRESSED in the subject line to business@thehobson.

Grubisa co.nz by 5pm Friday November 21. Three names will be selected at random. ˇ designs are sized 8 to 16 but not all items may Please note Harman Grubisa be available in all sizes. View the collection at harmangrubisa.com and watch our Facebook too for info about their pop-up retail and special shopping events. Photo: Adam Bryce

the hobson 4

42

the bookmark November’s recommended reading

43

the cinema What’s playing up the road

44

the plot Growing beans are one good reason to have a vege patch

45

the sound Skip this, play that: Andrew Dickens on new releases from big names

46

the heritage Well played sir! The earliest days of the Parnell Cricket Club

48

the expat The charms of Dunedin are slowly revealed to a transplanted Hobson local Don’t miss out! We also have two books to give away — St Cuthbert’s College 100 Years (page 16) and Peter Williams QC’s The Dwarf Who Moved (page 32).

Details on how to enter are at the end of each story.

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issue 13, november 2014 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Advertising Inquiries business@thehobson.co.nz Writers This Issue Kirsty Cameron, Josie Desmond, Zac Fleming, Peter Grace, Melissa Williams-King Proofreader Fiona Wilson Intern Josie Desmond Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham (The Second Act), Peter Bromhead, Shale Chambers, Warren Couillault (The Investment), Andrew Dickens (The Sound), Paul Goldsmith (The Opinion), Hamish Firth (The Plan), Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist), Amrit Kaur (The Psyche), Luke Niue, Lee Parore (The Wellbeing), Caitlin McKenna (The Cinema), Leigh Melville (The Arts), Debi Pratt (The Neighbourhood), Desley Simpson, Paul Thompson (The Plot), Melissa Williams-King (The Pretty), Gail Woodward (The Bookmark)

ave you walked-cycled-jogged the new boardwalk yet? It’s solid proof of the “if you build it, they will come” theory (bastardised, as that saying is, from Field of Dreams’ “build it and he will come”). On a sunny spring morning, the walkway, which links Orākei Basin and Hobson Bay, is a rippling tide of walkers, stroller-pushers, joggers and preschoolers learning to ride on wobbly wheels. Thanks are due from all of us enjoying this community asset to the tireless Desley Simpson and her Orākei Local Board team for the work they have put in to bring the walkway from plan to reality.

Desley writes of the official opening in her column (see page 12) and our architectural eye, Tommy Honey, gives it a complimentary tick in his column (The Suburbanist, page 31).

Ultimately, Council’s vision is for us to be able to walk our city coastline on pathways from St Heliers to Cox’s Creek at Westmere. The OLB has championed their part and the final link will be taking the walkway around from Wilson’s Beach, under Burwood Crescent, to the Shore Rd fields. A boardwalk/marked track starts again on the Parnell side of Bloodworth Park, but it’s challenged by high tides, and pretty much peters out by the time it gets to Awatea Rd. This is Waitematā Local Board area and board members will be showing us proposals for the coast pathway and rejuvenating Taurarua Point Resolution (at the end of St Stephens Ave) at their stall at the Festival of Roses on Saturday November 15.

Congratulations too to us — our March cover (below) was honoured with a Highly Commended, New & Current Affairs Category, at the Magazine Publishers Association awards. First place went to my old New Zealand Magazines’ friends at The Listener, so we were mixing it with pretty established company. Couldn’t have lost to better people and it was a great night catching up with many former colleagues.

Kirsty Cameron, Editor

Congratulations to Frank van Hattum of Remuera, winner of our September “Luxury Weekend” reader competition, courtesy of Jerry Clayton BMW and the Black Swan boutique hotel, Rotorua

Photographers Adam Bryce, Pippi Nola, Sara Orme, Stephen Penny, Simon Watts Cover The new Orākei/Hobson Bay walkway, looking southwest.

Photo: Stephen Penny 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 enquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheHobsonMagazine 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.

In our October feature, “Ghosts, Busted,” John Webster was referred to as the curator of Ewelme Cottage, a position he held for 22 years until 2010. He retains an interest in historical research, and Parnell, but no longer works at Ewelme. The Hobson regrets the error and apologises to John Webster and Heritage NZ for the mistake.

The Hobson is Remuera and Parnell’s community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafes, and at businesses including Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell.

For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook.

Distribution by

This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible papers.

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The Columnists

Left to right from top row:

The Hobson’s cartoonist, Peter Bromhead MNZM also writes for the New Zealand Herald. A long-time Parnell resident, his Gladstone Rd-based business, Bromhead Design, retails contemporary furniture.

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 a partner in and director of Richmond Investment Management, the manager of a boutique fund of hedge funds. 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. He is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. mthobsonproperties.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 and is a NZ-registered clinical psychologist specialising in helping children, families and young adults. She is part of the multidisciplinary KidzTherapy practice.

Leigh Melville (The Arts) is the art department manager at ART + OBJECT auction house. She has worked for several Auckland galleries and is co-chair of the Patrons of the Venice Biennale. She lives in Parnell.

Lee Parore (The Wellbeing) is an expert in executive health. A qualified naturopath and a personal trainer to elite athletes and executives, he works with both men and women at his wellness clinic in Newmarket. www.leeparorehealthlab.com Paul Thompson (The Plot) is behind www.podgardening.co.nz, and a passionate proponent of edible gardening.

One of New Zealand’s leading beauty and lifestyle editors, Remuera’s Melissa Williams-King (The Pretty) is a former editor of Fashion Quarterly.

Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket. A “forgiving reader” across genres, she belongs, and advises on selections, to book clubs.

the hobson 8

ABOUT SELLING AT AUCTION W

auction is deemed ‘cash unconditional’ and allows the seller to plan ahead with a set date. The process is typically around three weeks, as opposed to a price-tagged sale that can take anywhere from an average of 40 days to months if there is weak interest. In the instance that a property is passed in at auction, negotiations can continue with an adjusted expectation of what buyers are willing to pay.

While it seems the auction process is geared towards vendors, there are many buyer benefits as well. It is the most transparent and forthright way to purchase property. All other offers are public and equal opportunity is afforded to all bidders. Savvy purchasers can also nab a bargain as the process weeds out those put off by competition and the short time frame.

The beauty of auctions lies in their unpredictability. There is no science to the process, and the influence of emotional attachment and impulsivity on the bidding means the results can never truly be known until the hammer comes down.

hile the pressure cooker environment can seem overwhelming for both parties, selling at auction has long been recognised as one of the most effective ways to establish exactly what the market is prepared to pay for a property.

Throughout 2013 and the early part of this year, residential vendors have revelled in a heated market that has lent itself to the auction process. Basic supply and demand economics supports the theory that auctions work best in a market where there is relatively low housing stock and strong buyer competition.

Statistics released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand reveal that 30.2 percent of all Auckland dwelling sales in August were by auction, making up almost 70 per cent of total auction sales in New Zealand. The overall rise in the prevalence of auctions means buyers are becoming more accustomed to the fast-paced and competitive purchasing environment.

For those with a limited knowledge of the process, selling at auction can appear intimidating and stressful. The element of uncertainty and the public nature of the sale can sit uncomfortably for some. There are many myths that perpetuate this feeling among vendors, meaning some may dismiss the auction method and miss out on the opportunity to sell their property for its true worth. For those who have been through the process and sold, few would sell any other way.

An auction places the spotlight on a single property at one time and produces a competitive and high energy environment in favour of the seller. Interested buyers will be focused on the maximum price they will pay for a property, rather than the smallest offer they think will be accepted.

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the village

Town & Around

Gladstone Park Update A confederation of iwi in the process of being gifted land at Parnell’s Gladstone Park as cultural redress through treaty settlement, are attempting to have the park rezoned

by Auckland Council under the Unitary Plan.

The park includes the Gladstone Tennis Club, the neighbouring childcare centre and playground, and the Fred Ambler Lookout on the other side of Gladstone Rd. It is currently a reserve and would be changed to a Māori Purpose zone under the Marutūāhu confederation proposal. A rezoning would mean the land would be used to “provide for the social and cultural needs” of Māori with “site-specific activities and development”.

As previously reported in The Hobson, Marutūāhu is a confederation of five tribes from the Hauraki with links to several sites on the Auckland isthmus. The 1.18ha Gladstone site is listed with the Office of Treaty Settlements as part of a range of cultural redress instruments and measures designed to recognise the spiritual, cultural, customary, historical and traditional interests of Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Whanaunga and Te Patukirikiri.

Settlement is expected by Christmas, with the confederation then getting final agreement from member tribes.

Chris Finlayson, Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, previously outlined “bottom lines” for the park when concern was voiced around the treaty redress currently under negotiation.

The minister assured locals and concerned councillors: “Gladstone Park will always remain a reserve, and will not be subject to intensification or commercial development.”

He also confirmed to the Friends of Gladstone Park in early August that “I have been clear the land at Gladstone Park will always remain a reserve and therefore cannot be subject to intensification or commercial development”.

A spokesperson for Finlayson says if the park is rezoned by Auckland Council, it will have no effect on the minister’s “bottom lines” as there will be “effectively two layers” — the park’s reserve status will rank above any zoning classification.

However locals and councillors have voiced their concern over the requested rezoning, asking why the Māori Purpose zone is

The Gladstone Tennis Club, and the Fred Ambler Lookout. Photos: Stephen Penny the hobson 10

needed. Waitematā Local Board chair Shale Chambers says he does not support a change of zoning for the park to Māori Purpose.

“It’s difficult to see how a rezoning of the land under the Unitary Plan to Māori Purpose could be justified or right, even if the park remains subject to its overriding reserves status as intended,” says Chambers.

“Clearly remaining open to the community with a playground, creche, tennis club and open space, just as it is now, means the park’s purpose is more than for Māori purpose, as that zone change would imply.”

Waitematā and Gulf ward councillor Mike Lee echoes those concerns, saying a rezoning will make resource consent applications harder. Lee says if a Māori Purpose zone is placed over Gladstone Park, neighbouring properties’ resource consents will be subject to extra Cultural Impact Assessment obligations, as well as new costs including payment to iwi consultants.

Attempts by The Hobson to contact spokespeople for the Marutūāhu confederation were unsuccessful. At the time of going to print, no calls had been returned.

The confederation has also applied for other land it has been assigned to be rezoned, including Mechanics Bay and 35 Grafton Rd, next to the ASB Tennis Centre.

Hearings for rezoning proposals will take place on November 18 and 19 at the Unitary Plan Independant Hearings Panel at 205 Queen St, and will be open to the media and public as observers.

The Parnell Community Committee and Friends of Gladstone Park urge those opposed to the rezoning application to email the mayor to register concern: len.brown@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz — Zac Fleming p

Culvert Activity Auckland Council and Parnell Heritage’s annual clean-up of the Waipapa Stream discovered more than 250 bricks that had been washed downstream towards the culvert near the Cheshire St steps. At some time in the past, a protective brick construction or tunnel was built near the Waipapa waterfall, possibly when Parnell Borough undertook a major drainage project in the 1880s-1890s.

More recent rail-related earthworks may have dislodged bricks from around that structure. Parnell Heritage is keen to hear from anyone who knows about the original brick construction, and the source of the bricks. Whole bricks recovered from the stream by volunteers will be reused in a local project. Contact enquiries@parnellheritage. org.nz with any information. p

Remuera Market Day Saturday 8 Nov | 10am to 3pm Bring your friends and family for a great day out in Remuera with Market Day specials, live music, street entertainers, horse and wagon rides, face painters, a bouncy castle and more… www.remuera.org.nz

the village

¯ Local Board Orakei

Reporting in from the Orākei Local Board …

The official opening of the Orākei Point to Shore Rd Walkway was a wonderful occasion. We have received a tremendous amount of positive comments, including many congratulating us for incorporating student artwork in the design. The new walkway now gives everyone safer access to the Orākei train station and is proving extremely popular.

Cyclists are benefitting from recent work too. We are adding cycle racks at the Remuera train station, which will allow those keen on cycling to leave their bikes at the station while they use the train. The station has CCTV cameras and the stands will be

covered by this surveillance, giving peace of mind to users.

We do have some concerns about the Clonbern Rd car park, however. Auckland Transport (AT) have closed 16 car parks on the top level while they assess what maintenance may be required for its seismic strengthening. AT have recently advised us that engineers have agreed the building is safe and that restricting some car parking while the assessment is carried out is just an ‘extra precaution’. Our real issue though, was that this was done without any consultation with the board or the Remuera Business Association and as a result our work on the Clonbern Service Lane will be further delayed. We are trying to ensure that these

339 Remuera Road T 09 524 9663 W W W. D E SI G NQUART E R . CO . N Z

delays do not mean funding for this project will be removed, as has happened with some of our parks projects by the mayor and councillors as part of their ‘cost cutting’.

In January 2014, AT removed a large tree outside the Benson Rd Deli near the intersection of Benson and Upland roads as the roots were a safety hazard for pedestrians. Sight lines for traffic entering the intersection from the western side of Benson Rd were also compromised due to the tree.

It was always the intention of AT to replace the tree with a more appropriate specimen, but the process of removing the old tree revealed gas lines and other services. The board are still keen to improve the streetscape and address safety issues. We will update you as this project takes shape.

For those with dogs, the board has adopted minor changes to dog access rules for the area’s beaches and on Waiatarua Reserve.

The few changes effectively increase dog access in our area, and follow an extensive statutory process of public consultation.

The results of the dog access review reflect the need to ensure public safety and comfort and to provide for the needs of dogs, their owners and non-dog owners.

The adopted changes will start this summer. Be sure to look out for the new signs going up explaining the new rules.

Finally, with the end of the year rapidly approaching, please join me on Saturday 8 November, 10am-3pm for Remuera Market Day for food, entertainment and some early Christmas shopping.

— Desley Simpson, chair, Orākei Local Board p Pictured: Desley Simpson with Ngāti Whātua’s Matt Maihi and Bob Hawke, and with community representatives at the official opening of the walkway. Photos courtesy Auckland Council.

Free event

Festival of Roses 15-16 November, 10.30am- 4pm Parnell Rose Gardens

• live entertainment • kids activities • market stalls • special guest Ruud ‘the Bugman’ Kleinpaste

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Left in the Dark Local businesses hit hard by last month’s power outage could find themselves unable to receive compensation from insurers if they can’t provide proof of lost stock.

More than 85,000 homes and businesses were without power at the peak of the outage, with the entirety of Remuera and most of Newmarket blacked out.

The cost of the cut has been estimated in the tens of millions, and many businesses are reeling at not only having to throw away stock, but also having to pay staff on a day their business could not open.

Karen Stevens, Insurance & Savings Ombudsman, says she has seen claims go sour before.

“We’ve seen cases where people have replaced items from fridges and freezers, thrown all the spoilt food away, then had difficulty proving that the items were damaged.

“Or other cases where people incurred costs that they thought would be covered by their insurance, like alternative power sources, only to find they are not covered.”

For those without insurance, if Vector is found at fault it says any compensation would depend on a number of things, including whether it was a residential or business claim.

For residential homes Vector has what they call their “promise”, where they will pay $50 for any outage lasting longer than twoand-a-half hours.

Regardless of compensation, it was a tough few days for businesses in the area, with generators selling out from most suppliers by mid afternoon on the first day. A light in the dark for some was New World Remuera. The supermarket ran on a generator the entirety of the outage and offered up fridge and freezer space to anyone who needed it.

New World Remuera spokesperson Gay McIntyre says the store didn’t escape unharmed. “A lot of people didn’t realise we had a generator and didn’t realise the supermarket was open, and those that did obviously didn’t buy anything that needed refrigerating or was frozen.

“Our turnover died like everyone else’s did. We made around 40 per cent of a normal Sunday.”

Baker’s Delight Remuera was also badly hit, unable to trade for two days as by the time the power came back on during Monday, it was too late to begin baking.

Owner Chun Chung says it’s the first time in 15 years the bakery has been forced to close. Chung says the outage cost him “about $7000 in terms of trading, labour and ingredients”.

Gourmet Direct butchery owner Kate King counts herself “phenomenally” lucky compared to others, she says she “only” had to throw away about $400 worth of food. “If in doubt, we threw it out,” she says. “We managed to get a mobile freezer and mobile fridge and what I think was the last generator in Auckland to power them.”

Though King’s biggest worry is not the cost — she has a comprehensive insurance policy — it’s replacing stock. “It’s really hard to get good beef at the moment. We might not be able to replace it at all and that’s a really big problem for a business like us,” she says.

Over in Newmarket it was a “very challenging” 36 hours says Newmarket Business Association CEO Mark Knoff-Thomas.

The suburb was without power for longer than Remuera, and while some stores tried to remain open, they reported poor sales.

“Saturdays and Sundays are peak days for many of our businesses, and coupled with the school holidays, most were expecting very strong sales,” said Knoff-Thomas. — Zac Fleming p

waitemata¯ Local Board

Reporting in from the Waitematā Local Board . . .

Events of all types; civic, sporting, cultural or for pure entertainment play a vital part in developing strong, vibrant and engaged communities, and making a liveable city.

As a board we have also sought to support the growth in number of local events that are free, diverse, safe and environmentally responsible so that people can connect with each other and have a sense of belonging to their community.

The Waitematā Local Board has also this year introduced three-year funding partnership arrangements to support some signature local events to become more self-sustaining over time.

Some of the community-delivered events supported by the Board include: Festival Italiano (September 28, Newmarket), Artweek (from October 10, all over inner Auckland), Art in the Dark (November 13-16, Western Park, Ponsonby), Grey Lynn Park Festival (November 29), Franklin Road Christmas Lights (December 1, Freemans Bay), tennis’ Westend Cup (December 7, Coxs Bay), and the Auckland Fringe Festival (March 2015, city centre).

One event delivered by the Waitematā Local Board is Parnell’s own iconic Parnell Festival of Roses. Now in its 21st year, this event is arguably the biggest event in the Parnell area throughout the year and something that the Waitematā Local Board is very proud to support. Come to Parnell Rose Gardens, Dove-Myer Robinson Park, Parnell on November 15-16 from 10.30am to 4pm to help celebrate the new season blooms and enjoy a day full of live music, performances and fun for the kids. Ruud “The Bugman” Kleinpaste will be returning as our special guest speaker this year. We actively work towards this being an event that is accessible for all.

One of the earlier projects our local board was centrally involved in in its earliest days was the replacement of the

original 1930s Point Resolution footbridge that links Tamaki Drive and the Parnell Baths. The old bridge was at the end of its life and we got on with the job of building a replacement, and also funding replacement stairs and footbridge to Point Resolution Reserve. The results, I hope you agree, remain a striking example of what Council can do when it does something well.

In fact the Point Resolution Bridge designed by architectural firm Warren and Mahoney very recently won a prestigious international award — this year’s International Architecture Award, jointly run by Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies - to honour new and cutting-edge design.

The Board has recently completed for consultation a draft Point Resolution Tararua Development Plan, intended to guide the further development of the reserve and surrounding area, including the Hobson Bay walkway. The plan is available on the Waitematā Local Board page of Auckland Council’s website. Alternatively Board members with the plan will be available to hear your views on Saturday at the Parnell Festival of Roses. See you there!

— Shale Chambers, chair, Waitematā Local Board p Above: Crowds enjoy last year’s Festival of Roses.

Photos: Stephen Penny.

the hobson 15

the village

A 100 Year Splash St Cuthbert’s College has formally launched its year of centenary celebrations with the grand opening of the Centennial Centre for Wellbeing.

The new centre, designed by Architectus and built by Dominion Construction, is home to the Margaret Beale Aquatic Centre with an eight-lane 25m pool with a moveable floor, a learners’ pool and a swim school open to all. The complex also features a gym, sports department offices and the Beattie Centre, which houses the school’s pastoral care staff and senior deans.

The school has also launched St Cuthbert’s College 100 Years, a history written by awardwinning author Kelly Ana Morey, “I really enjoyed delving into the history of St Cuthbert’s and the lives of New Zealand women,” says Morey.

The book not only records the events and achievements of the school, but also tracks society and the changes for women over the last century. When St Cuthbert’s opened its doors in 1915 in Stokes Rd, Mt Eden (it moved to the present Market Rd site in 1925) it was progressive for its time, but girls still took classes in laundry and sewing alongside writing and drill practice.

Gems turned up in research for the book were rules around baths and hairstyles — boarders in the 1920s and 30s could look forward to two baths a week, ponytails were banned in the 1950s — and some daring behaviour during WWII, when girls were known to jump the fence to visit soldiers in neighbouring Cornwall Park.

Parents of present-day students may not be comforted to know that the fees for boarding and tuition in 1915 were £17 per annum, which, according to the Reserve Bank’s inflation calculator, would equal $2,500 today.

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Opposite: The opening of the Centennial Centre for Wellbeing featured a water ballet. Above: St Cuthbert’s boarders in 1925.

All photos courtesy of St Cuthbert’s College.

WIN!

The Hobson has a copy of St Cuthbert’s College 100 Years to give away: email ST CUTHS to business@thehobson.co.nz by 5pm Friday November 21 to be in the draw. One name will be selected at random. Books can be ordered via stcuthberts.school.nz for $49.95.

The website has information on upcoming centenary events. p Buon Appetito Parnell Italia Square, a food retail and dining destination, is to open in the street-fronting space of the Geyser Building, 100 Parnell Rd. The man behind it, Sean, was shy about giving The Hobson his surname or telling us what he’s done before, other than to say he’s had 24 years of hospo experience. He would say Italia Square, opening December 1, will include a grocery store, bar, cafe, gelato boutique and five-star restaurant. The gourmet food stop will be open seven days from 7am until 10pm. — Josie Desmond p

the village New Faces in Newmarket The Newmarket Business Association has announced its new board following the AGM last month. Elected were Greg Holland (Greg Holland Jewellery), Joanna Legat (Isabel Harris), Stephanie Murray (Westpac), James Nelson (Scentre Group), Megan Sadgrove (Smith & Caughey), Bridget Smith (Swarbrick Beck Mackinnon), Carl Sowter (Marley Loft), and Ryan Watkins (GrabOne).

“The AGM was upfront, transparent and had some great robust discussion,” says NBA CEO Mark Knoff-Thomas. “The great thing about the business people of Newmarket is that they care, they are passionate and are invested — in every sense —in what goes on in this precinct.” p

H2Obson Council contractors clearing ginger plants and other invasive weeds from around the edges of Hobson Bay have uncovered a natural water feature — pictured above — on the cliff face directly under the end of Crescent Rd, Parnell.

Located between two wooden stair structures along the walking track (accessible only at low tide), the water runs over what looks like a basalt surface. Local historian Rendell McIntosh believes the water is from a spring which originates in the Domain — it once marked the eastern boundary of the Domain — and has a known tributary that runs under St Stephens Ave, exiting at the base of the cliff under Judge St, near the Parnell Baths. “Now it appears there is another tributary that must come down St Stephens and veer right and head down the valley of Crescent Rd and Awatea,” he says.

If any scientists out there would like to test the water and let us know about its quality and any minerals, The Hobson would like to hear about it. p Woof the Hell?

Dog owners should be on the lookout for new signage around the area as new rules for off-leash exercising come into effect this summer.

The Orākei Local Board has adopted minor changes to dog access rules for local beaches and on Waiatarua Reserve.

“The few changes effectively increase dog access in our area relative to the status quo,” says Orākei Local Board member Troy Churton, who holds the board’s bylaw portfolio. The changes follow

between the wetland areas to better protect wildlife. Dogs will be allowed under-control on a leash, in the western end of the reserve containing the car park, playground, basketball court and skateboard bowl to better provide for public safety and comfort, particularly for children. The board will review dog access rules on Shore Rd Reserve and Wilson’s Beach in 2015 as some submissions raised items that were outside the initial scope of the board’s proposal. p News from the Parnell Community Committee:

A morning walk-out at the off-leash Shore Rd fields Photo: Pippi Nola

an extensive statutory process of public consultation, a proposal by the board, and then formal submissions and hearings.

“The results of the dog access review reflect the need to ensure public safety and comfort and to provide for the needs of dogs, their owners and non-dog owners,” says Troy.

“There are 36 off-leash areas, which is the most of any area of the former Auckland City Council.

“Although only 17.5 per cent of households own a dog in the Orākei Local Board area, we want to ensure that dogs and their owners can enjoy an active, healthy life.”

The changes include providing more time for dogs on beaches by adopting a shorter summer season starting Labour Day weekend, and ending March 31 instead of Easter, which will allow more under-control, off-leash dog access.

Also, dogs will be allowed on-leash and under-control on beaches for an extra hour — until 10am — in the morning during summer.

The board has also clarified dog access rules on Waiatarua Reserve by retaining under-control, off-leash dog access on the extensive grass areas and pond on the eastern fringe of the main wetland in recognition of the popularity of the reserve with dog owners.

The changes also prohibit dogs in the wetland areas of Waiatarua Reserve and require dogs to be under-control and on-leash on tracks

Angle parking under attack at Gladstone Rd This daft ‘let’s dream up some work’ proposal from Auckland Transport has rightfully been universally opposed by retailers, shoppers and adjacent residents. Yet again, the proposal letter from AT was very poor in its analysis of the situation and laid claim to risks to passing cyclists that we believe were not accurate or significant when assessed properly. We have also learnt that the vetting of community feedback is being done by the third party company who developed this proposal – just plain scary in our opinion.

Ports of Auckland – Unitary Plan update Parnell is the immediate neighbouring suburb of Ports of Auckland and has submitted on the Unitary Plan seeking the port be managed and developed within its existing footprint. In taking this position, Parnell Community Committee is conscious of the economic role of the port but also the environmental effects on Parnell of continued port growth in terms of traffic effects, noise, reduced air and water quality. Along with Heart of the City, Parnell Heritage and Devonport Residents Association, we are working hard to ensure the deck (excuse the pun) is not stacked more in Ports’ favour without appropriate checks and balances, especially from the community.

Cowie St residents are doing a truly amazing job Many would have seen the Campbell Live story on the battle to stop the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ linking Laxon Tce to Parnell Rd when the Sarawia St level crossing is decommissioned. From day one, we have been very suspicious as to why AT are hell-bent on a bridge (now estimated at $8 to $10 million) when they had the opportunity, at vastly less cost, to use Furneaux Way for vehicle access for the 57 affected dwellings. At considerable cost and a massive amount of time, Cowie St residents have lobbied the AT Board to 4

Spring Your garden is blooming.

Your home looks beautiful.

It’s a great time to sell.

At Kellands our properties are displayed and celebrated with a distinct Kellands flair, standing out from the crowd.

Call Fleur Denning on 021 0272 3624 for more information on realising the potential of your home.

the village give proper consideration to an ‘elegant’ underpass solution that is $2m less than a bridge and solves the problem where it originates. Let’s hope wise heads prevail.

Never a dull moment in our Parnell patch.

Email us on parnellpcc@gmail.com if you need to know more or have useful information. — News courtesy of the Parnell Community Committee p Holy Trinity’s Transformation The renovation of Parnell’s Holy Trinity Cathedral continues, with the removal of the bridge linking the nave and the chancel opening up a new view of the circular rose window on entry. The removal of the bridge allows for a new, custom-made English organ to be installed as well as creating a new line of sight for cathedral users. The “New Voice” organ, with its 532 pipes (artist impression pictured right), has been specifically designed for Holy Trinity and will be the largest church organ to be built in Britain since the 1940s. Fundraising for the $12 million renovation project is ongoing, says a cathedral spokesperson.

Donors can “buy” an organ pipe for $1500 and will be recognised on an inscribed plaque to be built into the church. For more information visit www.holy-trinity.org.nz and follow updates about the project on the blog at www.selwynsvision.wordpress. com. Building will start shortly on another phase of the renovation, the Fearon Haydesigned glass chapel extension which will open the cathedral to its gardens.

Although one of the most prominent cathedrals in New Zealand, Holy Trinity is also the only Anglican cathedral in the

the opinion country that has never been consecrated due to its incomplete build.

Due to funding constraints, the walls at the Newmarket end of the chancel were, until the renovation, covered in corrugated iron.

The completion of the project will be marked with a consecration ceremony in 2016. — Josie Desmond p

PAUL GOLDSMITH

T

A Sincere Welcome New principal Mike Leach was welcomed to King’s College with a powhiri at the start of term. Leach, pictured with board chair Ross Green, was honoured with the loan of a cloak by kaumatua of his former school, Botany Downs Secondary College. p Photo: Simon Watts

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his column is simply to say thank you to the people of the Epsom electorate, who gave the National Party such great support on election night.

Your support means a strong, stable National-led Government for New Zealanders for another three years.

A strong party vote for National across the country meant that I was comfortably returned as a List MP. I’m grateful for that, and will continue to work hard for you and for our communities.

National laid out a clear plan to keep New Zealand heading in the right direction and we remain focused on that. We will continue to create the conditions for a strong and growing economy.

National will continue to support businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs by delivering on our ten Business Growth Agenda priorities.

We know New Zealand families work hard and expect the Government to spend their taxes on things that matter.

So National established the Better Public Services (BPS) programme to focus on getting results that make a difference to people’s lives.

We will continue to support those who need it most and we’ll back people to get ahead on their own steam.

One of our BPS targets is increasing participation in early childhood education, as we recognise education provides the opportunity for any child from any background to get ahead.

At school, we’re focused on raising the quality of teaching and leadership to raise student achievement.

In health, we’re investing more so children can receive free doctors’ visits until they’re 13.

To help our exporters move their freight around the country, and help people travel easily around New Zealand, we will continue the Roads of National Significance programme.

We’ll reduce crime further by ensuring prisoners complete a 40 hour working week and rehab while behind bars, so they have a better chance of contributing to society when they are released.

Finally, we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Cantabrians as we complete the Christchurch rebuild.

There is a lot to do. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do it. — Paul Goldsmith Paul Goldsmith is a National List MP based in Epsom

the district diary - november

monday

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10

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tuesday

wednesday

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5

thursday

6

Nalini Signh The New Zealand writer will discuss her Psy/Changeling series 6.30pm, Remuera Library 429 Remuera Rd, Remuera Phone 520 2532 to RSVP

Sculpture on Shore opens, to Nov 16 NZ’s largest outdoor sculpture display, Vauxhall Rd, Devonport. nzsculptureonshore. co.nz Adults Book Group 10 - 11am, Parnell Library 545 Parnell Rd, Parnell

12

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Armistice Day Commemoration 11am, WWI Sanctuary Auckland War Memorial Museum

Parnell Remembers WWI 5pm - 7pm Returned Services Club 139 Parnell Rd, Parnell Dress for the time period Email enquiries@parnellheritage. org.nz to RSVP

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Tuesday Morning Social Bowls Open to all, 10am Remuera Bowling Club 6 Market Rd, Remuera

11

Armistice Day

Guy Fawkes Night

U3A Meeting 9.30am, Jubilee Building Parnell Community Centre 545 Parnell Rd

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26 Children’s Book Club 3.30 - 4.30pm Parnell Community Library 545 Parnell Rd, Parnell

Got an entry for The District Diary?

Community groups, schools, special events welcome.

Email details to hobsondiary@gmail.com

the hobson 22

27

friday

saturday

sunday

1

Parnell Market Day 10am -2pm, stalls and fun, Holy Trinity Cathedral forecourt Graeme Simsion at PaperPlus Newmarket The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect author will be in store talking and signing books, 1pm, Broadway

7

Best of luck: NCEA examinations begin King’s College Fine Art Sale to Sunday, visit kingsfineart.co.nz for information

8

Remuera Market Day 10am - 3pm Remuera shopping centre, lots of fun activities for all Victoria Azaro The writer will discuss her Saffron book series, 11am, Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd

2

ASB Auckland Marathon 6am - 1pm La Cigale French Market 9am - 2pm every Sunday La Cigale 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

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Remembrance Sunday The Auckland Girls Choir will perform to remember those lost in WWI, 11.30am - 1pm WWI Sanctuary Auckland War Memorial Museum

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World of Wearable Art Exhibition opens today Auckland War Memorial Museum

Walking Stars Cancer charities 21km fundraiser, 8pm - 2am, Auckland Domain, register at walkingstars.org.nz

Parnell Festival of Roses 10.30am - 4pm Parnell Rose Gardens 85 Gladstone Rd, Parnell.

Entertainment, food, music, plus view proposals for Point Resolution Taurarua, and the Hobson Bay walkway

Parnell Festival of Roses 10.30am - 4pm Parnell Rose Gardens 85 Gladstone Rd, Parnell

Parnell Farmers’ Market & Craft Harvest 8 - 11.45am, Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

28

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30 Farmers Santa Parade 2pm, Auckland Central

The annual Parnell Festival of Roses is set amid a kaleidoscope of colour in the Rose Gardens. Fifty of the bushes in bloom are a vibrant cerise floribunda called “Looking Good.” The rose was developed by Tauranga’s Glenavon Roses and named by the Look Good Feel Better charity. Glenavon donated the rose bushes to the Gardens on behalf of Look Good Feel Better, which helps women suffering cancer treatment deal with the side effects of hair loss and skin changes. LGFB will have a stall during the festival with information on how you can support the charity with your own “Looking Good”.

the hobson 23

notes

Simply Matching Pe

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If you are serious about selling your h

A selection of sales

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home before Christmas, call us NOW Remuera’s only “specialists”

We are Remuera’s only specialist real estate company - we KNOW Remuera. More and more people who wish to buy homes in Remuera come to us first. We take a brief of their requirements, and enter them onto our Register. This Register of Remuera buyers, and their needs, means that we can directly match them to properties that we list. The result is quite often an almost immediate sale.

Our business just continues to grow

In the last 12 months we have sold over $90m worth of properties. The majority of these have been sold to the first or second buyer we have taken through, which is a direct result of having the ‘right’ buyer already on our Register; the majority of sales have been to local buyers; the majority of sales have been for record prices in their respective areas and across the spectrum of price categories. From a two bedroomed apartment in The Grange for $940,000, to one of Remuera’s biggest sales in recent years - an Orakei Road property that we sold for almost $7m.

We sell by price

We agree values and selling prices with our vendors, and price properties accordingly. The majority of our sales have been for the agreed asking price, or close to it.

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the neighbourhood

Cooler on Price, Hot on Style

Compared with Auckland’s western edge, the east offers much in value

G

iven that the last two to three years of phenomenal growth in the real estate sector has seen some mind-boggling and stratospheric prices in such haloed beacons for the trendsetters as Herne Bay, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn, it’s no surprise that Remuera and Parnell have become a focus as a slightly more wallet-friendly alternative.

There is evidence to suggest that the section sizes are larger and the sale prices often significantly smaller than in the ubercool climes across the valley. Those scratching the surface of these established suburbs will find more than the famous Victoria Avenue and Parnell Rise to warrant their attention and even stimulate the desire to put down roots.

World-renowned and highly sought-after public and private schooling forms a driving force in the purchasing market here, but the benefits of these suburbs are more than that of a child’s education.

The Remuera village itself offers a relaxed and relatively low-key environment for shoppers looking for quality and recognisable brand names. There is a quiet appeal to the gastropleasers such as Banque, Remuera Local and several Euro-Asian inspired eateries. The lack of late-night drinking establishments and their associated noise and upset is a pleasant bonus for many concerned with a more conservative family atmosphere where the focus is on community and sporting endeavours.

A drive along Shore Rd on a Saturday with all the ‘whites’ on display is a nod to tradition, while the sideline lattes and yummy mummies in their gym gear make sure even cricket has moved with the times.

A walk up Mt Hobson or a jaunt to Mt Eden, Cornwall Park

and One Tree Hill gives instant and inspiring glimpses of our beautiful harbour and the easy accessibility of these vantage points are a drawcard to this leafy suburb. The sizzle of Parnell with the La Cigale French market on the weekend, its arguably slightly noisier drinking establishments and the ongoing quest for ‘coolest place to hang out’, caters to those leaning towards a more socially active lifestyle. Newmarket on the fringe supplies the hustle and bustle that is just as easy to duck out of as it is to dive into.

With an entry level of $450,000 to $500,000 (providing one to two bedrooms and small living), an average sale price of around $1.1 million for a moderate three bedroom home, and then the top-end multi-million dollar market enjoying steady activity that was a rare sight two to three years ago, the buzz surrounding the Remuera/Parnell precinct seems to amount to more than a passing fancy.

The new unitary plan is looming and land values are increasing — Remuera is becoming more attractive by the day.

Now that the collectively held breath of the property-owning nation seems to have been expelled with a gentle sigh after the events of September 20, property is again on the radar of many.

With the writer having five minutes to choose a destination from Remuera, she can be at the train station, on the motorway, in Parnell, or at the doctor – easy! — Debi Pratt The Hobson invited this commentary from Debi Pratt, North Island Sales and Talent Manager for NZ Sotheby’s International Realty

The view from the top: Mt Hobson to the sea. Photo: Stephen Penny the hobson 26

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the plan

The Newmarket Viaduct

An engineering feat of the ’60s would be unlikely to get a green light today

T

he Newmarket Viaduct, a vital link in Auckland’s Southern Motorway, snakes its way 45m above prime real estate in Newmarket. Completed in 1966, it was an innovative design and was the largest prestressed concrete bridge in New Zealand. Over 680m long and 27m wide, it was designed by the Ministry of Works for the National Roads Board at a cost of $2.26m. It was replaced in 2010-2012 at an estimated cost of $195m, due to concerns about its ability to withstand earthquakes and its inability to cater for peak traffic demand.

According to the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand, it was a very complex structure for its time. The IPENZ Engineering Heritage website describes 16 spans varying in length between 33.5m and 50m. It was designed to be constructed from each supporting column as balanced cantilever, progressively moving out from each side. As each new 3.2m long section was added, it was tied back to previously erected units by prestressing cables. This process continued until finally the cantilevering spans from adjacent piers were closed at mid span.

Further prestressing cables were then threaded into the units to tie the whole structure together. “Of particular interest in the engineering world,” the IPENZ site reports, “was a problem which occurred early in its life due to a temperature differential between the deck — which had a black bitumen wear coat — and the bottom of the beams, which were light coloured concrete. This caused some unacceptable cracking . . . The solution was to put in additional prestressed cables and place a light coloured stone chip on the black bitumen road surface” (source: Evolving Auckland: The City’s Engineering Heritage, ed. John LaRoche).

The Viaduct, while part of the existing environment, is a dominant structure. It required the removal of what today would be called heritage houses and it cut a suburb in half. It was built between the butt of both Mt Hobson and Mt Eden.

However it is a vital link that keeps traffic flowing and out of the suburbs to the tune of 160,000 vehicles per day. In my mind, we do not really notice the towering structures as we travel through Broadway to and from Newmarket. And from the vista of Mt Hobson, it is less dominant, as the Viaduct’s snake-like shape melds into the mid-ground around buildings that have risen up around the structure.

In short, we take this vital link for granted. At no time do I hear calls for its removal. In 1965 the construction of the Southern Motorway and the Viaduct was undertaken more for the future of the city and region, than for the needs of the less car orientated 1960s.

Contrast this with a recent similar proposal in Wellington: the Basin Reserve Flyover. Following the longest ever Board of Inquiry hearing, $11m was spent in a failed attempt to implement a proposed two-lane elevated highway that would take 40,000 vehicles of through traffic out of the suburbs. The flyover would have been 6m above the ground, 260m long and 13m wide. Currently the roads around the Basin Reserve act as a State Highway — a local road and a key transport route for freight, local travel, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

Opposition groups set up to oppose the project at every level. In early September, the Board of Inquiry voted three to one against the proposal, concluding in a 514 page decision that, in short and paraphrased, said the adverse effects on the heritage and open space and amenity values outweighed the transport benefits.

On balance that may be so, but future generations may well have taken for granted the separation of through and local traffic when the city expands and there is no other viable alternative. Over time the benefits would outweigh the negative conclusion reached by the majority decision of the Board. — Hamish Firth

the hobson 28

Right: The Newmarket Viaduct, 22 June 1965 Whites Aviation Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

The Viaduct under construction dwarfs Newmarket’s Clovernook Rd, 28 July 1964. Sir George Grey Special Collection, Auckland Libraries.

the hobson 29

the answers

Laura Carr

Laura Carr is manager of the Remuera Business Association, a role she has held for four-and-a-half years.

A transplanted Canadian, she lives in Parnell with her husband, Jeremy, and son Conor, 19.

What comes to mind when you think of Vancouver?

Trees, mountains, wild salmon and my family. Vancouver is a very green city with beautiful tree-lined streets — and there’s bike lanes now on many of them so it’s a great way to see the city.

Most of my family lives in Vancouver, so I try to go back at least every two years … and enjoy as much wild salmon as possible, as it’s completely different to farmed salmon.

What did you do before joining the RBA? I started my BCom at the University of Auckland when I was 25-years-old, and then worked in various marketing positions at American Express and Rainger Direct Marketing. Just before joining the RBA I helped to establish a small charity called the Nurture Foundation.

What is perfect relaxation?

Enjoying a glass of wine on Sunday afternoons while my husband cooks dinner!

What are some misconceptions about Canada?

One might be that British Columbia wine is undrinkable. It’s actually getting a lot better and some is even really good! The Okanagan area of BC has a similar climate to the wine growing areas around Arrowtown and will give the Central Otago pinot noirs a run for their money before too long.

A myth is that Vancouver has more rainfall than Auckland. It’s actually about the same amount of annual rainfall, it just falls on more days in Vancouver.

What makes you smile when you walk down Remuera Road?

Walking school buses in the morning – kids have such energy and enthusiasm! Seeing different generations spending time together.

Grandparents and grandchildren can learn a lot from each other.

What about Canadians?

Maybe that they have a reputation for being ‘nice’ and ‘polite’ which certainly isn’t true across the board. And that everyone speaks French certainly isn’t true either — Quebec is the Frenchspeaking province. Across Canada all products must be labelled in French and English, but French is not widely spoken in Western Canada. More kids are going into French immersion at school now, so that should lead to more French being spoken in Western Canada.

How did you come to be living in Auckland?

I met my husband, Jeremy, many years ago while we were both working at April Point, a salmon fishing lodge near Vancouver Island. I had already been to New Zealand and loved it, so moving here after we married wasn’t too scary. And I was young and naïve so probably didn’t spend too long thinking about the permanence of being so far away from my family. But Auckland has been a great place to live.

And what makes you frown?

Seeing near misses at the pedestrian crossings on Remuera Road. The traffic lights are very confusing and pedestrians are often at risk.

We would like these crossings to be much safer, and also to give priority to pedestrians during offpeak hours.

People would be surprised to know …

I am a keen gardener, propagate my own tomatoes and grow broccoli in our front garden in Parnell. And on occasion I beat my husband at tennis.

A perfect night out starts with ... A glass of French champagne.

What Remuera needs more of is . . .

Gardens, greenery and spaces for people to spend time. Adrian Barkla’s vertical garden outside New World is fantastic, and I would love to see more of these hanging gardens throughout Remuera.

How about Remuera becoming the specialty food/organic food suburb of Auckland? Already we have wonderful bakeries, fruit and veg, fishery, butcher and supermarket… Remuera could be the New York food capital of Auckland. And a few more bars and nightspots would be welcome too!

Laura Carr photographed in her Parnell garden. Photo: Stephen Penny the hobson 30

the suburbanist

I

A Board Forward Leap

n mid September the latest stage in the Hobson Bay walkway was completed, connecting Orakei Point to Shore Rd. A sinewy platform that floats above the mangroves, it breaks away from the coast on Shore Rd and rejoins Orakei Rd at its highest point.

The views are breathtaking along the way and highlight what a valuable asset this truly is.

A continuous walkway around Hobson Bay from Point Resolution in Parnell to Shore Rd was originally mooted in 1996.

Championed by the Orākei Local Board, it is a testament to the commitment of locals working for the good of the community that has a city-wide benefit. The vision of a connecting walkway along this area pairs nicely with the circular route around Orākei Basin – already popular with cyclists, joggers, walkers and their dogs.

Much of the walkway hugs the water’s edge. The original idea was to have a permanent boardwalk along the majority of its length, but the structure could have been visually imposing, especially at low tide. Although, given that most people would be standing on the walkway looking out than being on the harbour looking back, it is hard to see why this would be a problem.

There were appeals to the Environment Court, the walkway was redesigned and underwent further consultation.

The result is a walkway that is a mix of boardwalk and track.

Some of these tracks have degraded and washed away (and were never easy to negotiate with a pushchair). Prime among these is walkways on the Parnell side of the bay (which falls into the Waitematā Local Board area). The Orākei Local Board have identified sites for further development and hopefully continuity will return.

Planning is underway for the Burwood Cres section of the

walkway from Wilsons Beach to Shore Rd, with local schools and residents being consulted. Once constructed, this path will complete the missing link in the network of walkways. The Orākei Local Board would like to name this section the Tinana Walkway, as it is linked to a Ngati Whatua rangatira of that name who lived in the area before Pakeha settlement.

The first six stages of the walkway were completed in 2008 at a cost of $1.8m; the latest stage cost $900,000, which at first glance would seem like a bargain. While the main benefit would appear to be scenic, there are safety advantages too. The section of Orakei Rd leading uphill and away from Shore Road is notoriously narrow and busy; cyclists take their lives in their hands navigating this route, and it is used by many school children. The new stage of the walkway allows cyclists and children alike the chance to avoid this busy stretch of road and enjoy the view on their way.

Architecturally, this latest stage is a fine piece of urban design.

Its departure from the edge is a courageous move. Clearly, thinking has moved on in twenty years, and we are no longer intimidated about the visual impact of a boardwalk which is a statement about how we interact with our landscape, not how we threaten it. The edge has always been there and the brave and willing have always been able to negotiate it. What a boardwalk does is give access to the rest of us – eager, willing but perhaps, not so brave – in a way that is easy and accessible; this includes those confined to wheelchairs for whom accessing a coastal edge is never straightforward.

So bravo, to the Orākei Local Board, their supporters and those they consulted for allowing this stage to be built. Not so much a boardwalk – more a boardleap. Long may their boards dance above the mangroves. — Tommy Honey

The newly-completed walkway looking from the Orakei Rd end towards Shore Rd. Photo: Stephen Penny the hobson 31

the defender

Peter Williams QC, photographed by Sara Orme

the hobson 32

The Lore Report

Eminent criminal barrister Peter Williams QC has written a second volume of autobiography. The Dwarf Who Moved is subtitled “And other remarkable tales from a life in the law”. Throughout his career Williams has been concerned for the welfare and rehabilitation of prisoners. As a member and long-time chair of the Howard League for Penal Reform, he chaired the League’s monthly meetings of these ‘good people’ at his then-home at 202 Remuera Rd (the grand old house was used as a club for American officers during WWII). In this edited extract, Williams writes of the night his family hosted a convicted murderer.

I

knew the superintendents of the Auckland prisons quite well at the time, being a frequent visitor to those institutions for the purposes of taking instructions from clients. In those days, superintendents of prisons were much more open-minded and accessible than today, and, I believe, in many ways more humane. Mount Eden Prison had an annual concert, where all the participants were inmates.

There was the prisoners’ choir, accompanied by the prisoners’ orchestra. There was always a play put on by the prisoners, too, and individual recitations – of poetry, singing or instrumental pieces.

I would always attend these concerts, with many other members of the public. They were thoroughly enjoyed, and gave great encouragement and selfesteem to the inmate performers, and I can never remember the least bit of trouble.

To give you an example of the humane attitude of some, the superintendent at Mount Eden would take Juliet Hulme – the young girl who had been convicted of the notorious murder of her girlfriend’s mother – to his home on a Saturday night where she would join his family for dinner. This was never adversely commented on at the time, but imagine the howl that would come from the talkback radio hosts if that had occurred today.

On a visit to Mount Eden prison one day, Williams was asked by the superintendant to consider hosting a prisoner in his Remuera home overnight. The man, Jim Brown, was due for parole after serving 20 years for murder, and while considering him “a different man now” the superintendant feared his return to society would be difficult after two

decades behind bars, and he wanted him to know what it would be like to feel free. After discussing it with his wife, Patricia, Williams agreed to the visit.

It was a Saturday night when the prisoner arrived, about 5pm. He was a smallish man, middle-aged, dressed in a faded suit that did not fit him too well. He was obviously on edge, and carrying a small bag with his overnight gear inside.

My family made him very welcome. He was not given alcohol because that had been prohibited, but he was taken around the gardens and generally made to feel at ease and relaxed.

He was not a great talker. My children, however, took an immediate liking to him, and soon engaged him in a chorus of childish chatter.

Brown relaxed and after a convivial dinner followed by coffee, cigars and Frank Sinatra on the radiogram in the lounge, everyone retired to the upstairs bedrooms for the night.

At about five in the morning, my wife and I heard a noise.

‘What’s that?’ she said. ‘I’m sure I heard someone walking down the hall.’ We both sat up and listened intently. We heard the stairs creaking. ‘Why would he be going downstairs at five in the morning?’ my wife wondered.

Within a minute or so, we heard the front door opening.

‘For God’s sake,’ my wife then exclaimed, ‘we’ve got to do something! He’s escaping! Ring one of those telephone numbers the prison gave us!’

I was very concerned, but was not prepared to make a phone call at this stage. There was dead silence, no noise coming from the veranda. My wife told me that I should, at the very least, get dressed but I remained completely 4

The young defender, photo from the Auckland Star archives, circa 1960s.

the hobson 33

the defender

Help shape our Point Resolution Taurarua Development Plan

The Waitematā Local Board is producing a plan for Point Resolution Taurarua, including the Hobson Bay Walkway. The plan will provide a clear framework for short, medium and long term improvements to the reserve. We would like to hear what you think, so will be hosting an information table at the Parnell Festival of Roses, Saturday, 15 November 2014.

Have your say to help create the world’s most liveable city. shapeauckland.co.nz from Monday, 10 November.

For more information, phone 09 301 0101

still as if I had some sort of premonition that things would be all right.

Finally, after about thirty minutes, we heard the front door open and close again. We heard the footsteps of the prisoner climbing the stairs, the creaking of his footsteps along the passageway, and finally his bedroom door closing.

A little while later, we were all sitting down for breakfast in the big farm kitchen around the large table. Again, there was plenty of food. The prisoner was again dressed in his faded and ill-fitting suit. He had packed his overnight bag, and again his behaviour was beyond reproach. He, however, volunteered nothing about his nocturnal adventure.

Finally, I could not restrain myself, and said to him, ‘We heard you go out early this morning. We were a bit worried there for a while.’

The prisoner then looked up at us; his eyes were lit with a warm glow, and a beautiful smile came on his face.

‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘I did go outside. I couldn’t help myself. I just had to see the stars in the night sky. They were so beautiful – I hadn’t seen them for twenty years.’

Extract from The Dwarf Who Moved by Peter Williams QC. Reprinted courtesy of HarperCollins New Zealand.

Available now at Paper Plus Newmarket.

PAUL GOLDSMITH NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM

107 Great South Road, Greenlane PO Box 26 153 Epsom, Auckland 1344 P: 09 524 4930 E: paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz W: www.paulgoldsmith.co.nz facebook.com/PaulGoldsmithNZ Funded by Parliamentary Service and authorised by Paul Goldsmith 107 Great South Rd Auckland

www.national.org.nz

WIN!

We have a copy of Peter Williams’ book to give away courtesy of HarperCollins NZ. To enter, email “QC” in the subject line to business@thehobson.co.nz by 5pm, Friday November 21.

A winner’s name will be selected at random.

the investment

I

The Apple of My Eye

t has been 21 years now since I purchased my first cellphone. It was a Motorola “brick phone,” nearly the size of a shoebox with a stumpy black aerial protruding from the top. I bought it from a stockbroker colleague who was trading up to … a new Motorola about the size of today’s iPhone 5 but thicker and heavier. And its aerial telescoped down into the handset when not in use. Wow! All these phones could do was phone another phone and they cost a fortune. A couple of years later the “brick” was gone and all cellphones were a lot smaller, but were still only capable of making voice calls (still expensive). From memory, Motorola remained the primary manufacturer or brand. A couple of years later a new phone brand seemed to be taking over — Nokia — and soon thereafter it seemed as if Nokia made everyone’s cellphones.

I’m pretty sure SMS or texting came along at about the same time.

Nokia looked rather strong from the late 1990s through to mid-2000s with basically the same product with the same capabilities, but with progressively better features: cooler ringtones, predictive text for the SMS messaging, colour screens and I think at some stage, digital music storage ability. “Personal organisers”, which contained your electronic diaries and lists of contacts, were not typically made by the cellphone companies, but by companies like US Robotics’s PalmPilot subsidiary, and Texas Instruments. But Nokia ruled, and its company value topped US$245 billion!

Later on during Nokia’s reign, a Canadian company launched something weird called a Blackberry. This phone was wider than the standard Nokia of the time and, uniquely, had a full QWERTY keypad on its bottom half below the screen. Why? Blackberry not only embraced and foresaw the SMS phenomenon but it realised its phones, capable of making calls to other phones, would also be used for email messaging. This was very cool as you can probably remember — imagine allowing businessmen to check emails while at the coffee shop in the morning and (sadly) after dinner at home in the evenings.

I recall Nokia releasing various models with keypads, but never really making a dent in the Blackberry’s strong position. Motorola was fading too at the time, launching the Razr models but not seeing

much success. Sony Ericson popped up along the way but never really gained much of a foothold. I don’t think Samsung was doing much in the mobile market either.

The mid-2000s were quite stable with cellphones not really advancing too much beyond clearer screens, smaller handsets etc.

A second-tier personal computer and laptop company called Apple had just developed something strange called an iPod, which stored digital music that you could purchase and download via the web on something called iTunes (now the worlds biggest music retailer).

Then bang! In 2007 Apple launched the iPhone. A cellphone whose handset is all colour screen, whose full QWERTY keyboard is part of the screen, which contains an iPod, which connects to the internet, which has a web browser, which let me email etc (but does not keep my coffee warm).

Fast track to today and what do we have in the cellphone market?

Nokia collapsed and its phone division was acquired by Microsoft for “just” US$5.4 billion. RIM, the Blackberry company, was nearly acquired for “just” US$4.7 billion. Motorola is no longer involved in cellphones, having sold its phone division to a Chinese company for US$2.9 billion. And neither is Sony in the phone space now.

It’s all Apple, Samsung and Google these days. Apple has just released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, of which the many, many, features include bigger, brighter, denser, clearer screens. It sold 10 million in the first four days after its release! Apple’s share price at the time of writing is a tick over US$100 and its value is US$600 billion!! Please note this with relation to Nokia, RIM and Motorola’s values for their phone operations. Will Apple, the company that successfully and sexily integrated the cellphone with the Walkman and the personal organiser, and connected all this to the internet, continue to thrive let alone survive? Or will it suffer the same fate as some of the companies named above – lead the industry for a few years, then essentially die?

Personally I hope it continues to develop its hugely successful iPhone and iPad products (note all this is coming to your wrist next year with the release of the Apple Watch) because I love them – and I still own some shares in the company! — Warren Couillault

Proudly supporting the Hobson Bay community

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the psyche

W

Catch Them Being Good

hen parents are in the market for a quick fix to a child’s behavioural issue, the first piece of advice that comes to my mind is to “catch them being good”.

It works in many situations.

Teenager not putting his socks in the laundry basket? The one time the sock lands within spitting distance of the laundry pile you make a big deal of this. Say with over-the-top enthusiasm, “I love it when you put the socks in the basket”.

No guilt trip, no long lecture, and no naggy mummy. Just catching him being good.

Can’t get a younger child to stop lying? The one time she accidentally tells you the truth about the missing biscuits, you gush about how proud you are that she could tell you the truth.

I recently saw a wee boy with ADHD who has developed an enjoyable — for him — habit of hitting his two-year-old sister over the head whenever she interfered with his toys.

Mum was at her wit’s end, worried about the physical and emotional trauma he was inflicting. The intervention was — you guessed it — to catch him being good.

First the mum praised him every time he came close to his sister and didn’t hit, and then she moved on to praising him for resisting the urge to hit when she messed up his painting, or knocked over his Lego tower. The praise was accompanied by Minecraft stickers, or just two kisses delivered enthusiastically on the belly.

While we worked also to teach him better impulse control and some emotion regulation, this simple intervention worked a charm.

Most importantly perhaps, it reminded his mother to focus on the positive behaviours as much as the negative, and because mum was paying attention to when he was good, the little boy stopped seeming as much of an all round “problem child”.

While this may seem simplistic, there are few other interventions that have as much solid science behind them.

The scientific name for catching them being good? Differential

Reinforcement of Other Behaviour, otherwise known as a DRO. From the behavioural tradition of B.F Skinner and J.B Watson, this intervention has been studied and restudied amongst rats, pigeons, dolphins, and many humans. The principle applies consistently in all cases. If you want to change a behaviour, reward an alternative behaviour that is different, or incompatible with the one you want to see gone.

While I’ve had many parents tell me of the large monetary incentives they’ve “had” to offer to see changes, a reinforcement does not have to be big. With an affectionate four or five-yearold, two enthusiastic kisses may be reward enough. With a rambunctious boy, the reward may be mummy doing the funny walk.

Teenagers are no doubt harder, but not impossible to train in this way. The teen years are all about identity and self-concept, so the reward may be simply saying something that appeals to how they’d like to see themselves — “How mature of you to think of running the dishwasher after you and your friends made brownies.” (Never mind if they left crumbs all over the floor, or left the bench a mess in the process!)

Like teaching a dog to shake hands, it’s about slowly shaping the desired behaviour by rewarding closer and closer the approximations to it. (With dogs, you initially offer a treat anytime he raises his paw, even if he does this unintentionally, or for no reason. Once you can get him to raise his paw for a treat, you start providing the treat when he allows you to hold it. When he does that consistently, he gets the treat for putting his paw in your hands himself and so on.)

While this is not going to solve all your problems, give it a go.

For example, the next time your husband remembers to put the toilet seat back down, show him a little cleavage or blow him a kiss.

See if you can’t get him to weed the lawns and clean the gutters before Labour Day! — Amrit Kaur

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the hobson 36

the second act

T

Turning Off, Tuning In

ake the cellphone challenge – if you drive off leaving your smartphone on the kitchen bench, how far away from home can you be before you turn back? I live in St Heliers and have decided that my turn back zone extends as far as Fergs Kayaks in Okahu Bay, about seven kilometres down the road.

I’m not sure why I feel the need to go back, since I hardly use any functions on my iPhone5, aside from the phone itself, email and a few apps. I only found the torch function in January. But I like to be wired in, an irony that does not escape me in my hourly rants to my son requesting he gets off the iPad we had to buy as an educational requirement. I don’t want him wedded to screens, but an incident that happened recently revealed that maybe I am modelling some pretty bad behaviour.

I’ve often said in jest that my life runs off my Macbook Air. But I am almost too embarrassed to tell the black teeshirt, lanyard-wearing hipsters at Yoobee how little I know about driving it. It’s said that Macs are “intuitive” and indeed over the last two years my laptop has been warning me about lack of back-up – it knew something bad was about to happen. I had meant to get around to backing it up, really. So can you imagine my anguish when I turned it on and the screen flickered and died? I may have cried. My 1500 word university assignment, my work files, my photos, the presentation I was about to give, my life history … vanished into cyberspace.

It was 6.30am when that happened, which meant an agonising two and a half hour wait until Yoobee in Newmarket opened. I ended up hovering outside menacingly before opening hours then burst through the doors at 9am, raced up the stairs, and sat on the service centre buzzer to get the attention I didn’t deserve. The calm computer nerd had seen it all before. I felt like I was in a therapy session when he enquired — gently and knowingly — if I had backed up the information (read: my life’s work)?

Confessing my sin, I begged him to find a way through this mess almost as if one of the children was in intensive care. I could hear the faint voice of my inner-self telling me to get a grip. While the

calm man said he could probably save the information, doing so may take up to a week! A week without my laptop?! How would I cope? It was enforced Digital Detox. The universe had staged an intervention.

For those of you who heard digital publishing maven Arianna Huffington speak when she flew into Auckland recently, you may still be processing her strict rules on restricting digital to increase sleep. Her basic rule is get all screens out of the bedroom. Yep, you have to buy yourself an old fashioned alarm clock, and no more dual iPads in bed or scanning emails and Facebook in the middle of the night if you can’t sleep. Apart from the complete time-wasting aspect of scrolling through Facebook, there seems no real point in checking emails just before you go to bed. It’s a bit like reading the news — there is a higher chance of it actually ruining your sleep.

And Huffington’s key message is that sleep will get you further in life than screentime.

She also suggests long periods of no digital devices to give mind and body a break.

After experiencing this by force, I can attest to what opens up when you do.

Even with one screen down, I found I was a bit calmer and strangely more efficient. I think I delegated more at work (although the team suffered from hearing about my digital woes) and I was certainly more present to what was going on around me, rather than the world within my computer.

When I got my laptop back, I looked to see what it was that I would really be missing should the computer’s illness be terminal, and found that the situation was not as dramatic as I made it out to be, there is always a way through. As a precaution though I deleted a hell of a lot of files to get myself more of that “white space” I harp on about.

You can’t take all this information with you when you die — but then again maybe you can now that everything is now safely backed up in . . . The Cloud. — Sandy Burgham

the hobson 37

the arts

Getting to Know You H

aving just spent my first month as a bona fide Parnell resident, I feel I am getting to know the area and its environs better every day. I have enjoyed running the boardwalks of Hobson Bay in the mornings, or up to the Auckland Domain if the tide is high. It’s not so different from life in Takapuna after all.

Of course one aspect in particular has caught my attention; the variety of public sculpture that is available to be enjoyed around the neighbourhood. Most significantly, Parnell was the fortunate benefactor of Terry Stringer’s fantastic Mountain Fountain after it was removed from Aotea Square in 2008. In its new home outside the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Stringer’s sculpture enjoys a greater presence, with dramatic night-time lighting that showcases the angular lines of the sculpture against the steep pitch of the Cathedral roofline.

At the start of the new millennium a group of Auckland sculptors got together and formed an Incorporated Society, with the aim of installing new sculptures in the Auckland Domain, something that had not been done since mid-century. With funding from the PA Edmiston Trust, Auckland City Council and the Lottery Grants Board, Auckland Sculpture 2001 was successful in installing eight contemporary sculptures around the Domain by artists Greer Twiss, Louise Purvis, Neil Miller, John Edgar, Fred Graham, Christine Hellyar, Charlotte Fisher and Chiara Corbeletto.

Terry Stringer’s Katherine Mansfield, bronze, edition of 2, 2014, on Parnell Rd

OPENING ONE MORE DOOR FOR OUR GIRLS IN JANUARY

Due to the public nature of the works, the sculptors consulted widely, conferring with tangata whenua and of course, seeking approval from Council. Safety and engineering requirements were all adhered to, and the sculptors are due hearty congratulations for seeing the project through to completion; the works are a wonderful asset to the Domain. Two bronze figurative sculptures have recently appeared on Parnell Rd. Artis Gallery has installed a permanent sculpture plinth where artists are invited to exhibit sculpture, which may be enjoyed by the public, but is also available for sale. Currently on view is Terry Stringer’s evocative bronze portrait, Katherine Mansfield. The sculpture plinth is part of a determined effort, in association with Parnell Inc, the business association, to bring more public sculpture to Parnell Rd, including installations in Fraser Park and Heard Park. However I understand negotiations with the Council are proving to be difficult.

Across the road in the heart of Parnell’s old village, the family of land owner Les Harvey have unveiled a sculpture they commissioned in his memory by Otago sculptor Minhal Al Halabi. Harvey bought many houses and shops in Parnell and helped to create the village atmosphere that exists today. The sculpture is a humble depiction that reflects his nature, and it is placed outside Antoine’s restaurant, reputedly one of his favourite haunts and a Parnell institution. — Leigh Melville

Demand for a St Cuthbert’s education has always been strong, but this year has seen even greater levels of interest. To serve the potential of more girls, we’re creating a brand new Year 4 class for 2015.

To make an application for Year 4 or other year levels, call Julie Drew on 520 4159 (ext. 7603) or email admissions@stcuthberts.school.nz

the hobson suggests: lucy & the powder room

All the Gals Want Gels!

Lucy and The Powder Room are excited to launch Bio Seaweed Gel Polish alongside all our manicure and pedicure services.

Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, BHA and solvent-free, this new generation gel polish lasts up to two weeks with luscious colour and shine.

Price | Single colour | $55 Get your mitts in quick!

Lucy & The Powder Room: Newmarket (09) 524 6702, or Takapuna (09) 488 0585.

Jewellery by Love & Object at The Dressing Room, Level 1, The Department Store, 10 Northcroft St, Takapuna

the pretty

Looking So Hot Right Now Be holiday-ready with these summer treats, says Melissa Williams-King

L’Oreal Paris Extraordinaire by Colour Riche, $25.99 (10 shades).

These super smooth glosses contain fruit oils and feel fabulous on lips – they’re my new favourite. Life Pharmacy 277, Unichem Broadway

Go-To Exceptionoil, $54.95. I’m hooked on this body oil for its divine scent (monoi, a blend of Tahitian tiare flower and coconut oil). Created by a former beauty editor, it’s semi-solid in the tube but liquefies in your palms to glide on. www.gotoskincare.com

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt fragrance, from $110.

Inspired by the ocean, this crisp, subtle scent is ideal for holidays when a floral perfume might be too much. Jo Malone, Britomart

Kiri Organics Gradual Tan, $29.95.

Take it slow for a foolproof tan – this one’s all natural and 74 per cent Bio Gro certified organic (great for those with sensitivities to traditional fake tan).

Newmarket: Body Bronze, Hardy’s 277

Bobbi Brown Surf Eye Palette, $150. Brightening Blush, $110 (Both from the limited edition Surf & Sand range). Bobbi’s newest colour collection is made for glamorous summer days and nights.

Smith & Caughey’s Newmarket

ghd Curve Creative Wand, $250 (collection also includes another wand and two tongs). From the master of hot tools: perfect beachy waves with no swimming required. Newmarket: Rodney Wayne, Shampoo N Things, Blaze. Rogers Design Forum, Parnell

St Tropez Self Tan Express, $75.

When time is of the essence, this faux glow can be washed off after just one hour for a light tint (three hours is recommended for a deep tan). Beauty on the Strand, Bora Bora Day Spa, Parnell Pharmacy and Spa Parnell

Guinot Glamour Sun Gel SPF15, $50. The perfect accessory to take you from beach to bar, this protects from UVA and UVB rays and has a silky oil finish with a touch of shimmer.

Zen Face Body Soul, Ploy Beauty, Remuera

Clarins Shimmer Oil for Face & Body, $61.

This lightly scented oil imparts a subtle sheen – ­use it all over the body or as a highlight on cheek or browbones. Smith & Caughey’s Newmarket

the hobson 40

the wellbeing the hobson suggests

Dermaroller Collagen Therapy Have you heard about Dermaroller therapy and what it can do for your skin? The experts at Prescription Skin Care can answer your questions about this innovative treatment.

It’s an incredible skin rejuvenator The Dermaroller is a form of collagen induction therapy.

Its micro needles create tiny punctures in the skin to stimulate growth factors and your own collagen. This leads to wrinkle reduction and a decrease in pore size — up to 40 per cent after the first treatment. New skin cells are generated and blood supply enhanced.

It can help fade scars The Dermaroller is frequently used in scar reduction therapy. It can achieve substantial improvement in cases of acne scarring and other scars.

There’s virtually no downtime While the treatment requires a topical anaesthetic, it does not damage skin. For the first 24 hours, patients may notice some mild redness and occasional swelling.

More than 150,000 treatments have been performed worldwide, and not a single negative side effect has been reported.

There’s a specialist version for tricky areas While the Dermaroller is typically used on larger areas, the Dermastamp allows treatment on areas that are less accessible — the contours of the nose, mouth and eyes.

Quality and skill is paramount Beware of imitations — the Dermaroller is registered with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration and the FDA. It is made from the highest quality surgical stainless steel and gamma-radiated to ensure sterility.

(Cheaper brands tend to have thicker needles that make larger channels in the skin, increasing downtime and the possibility of side effects.)

At Prescription Skin Care, Dermaroller and Dermastamp are administered by highly-trained registered nurses.

The cost is $499 for a 90-minute treatment, with package prices available. All sessions include a soothing hydrating mask afterwards. A thorough consultation is always required before embarking on any treatment.

Prescription Skin Care are specialists in skin health, facial rejuvenation through Botox, fillers, laser, peels and facials and fat reduction. Led by Plastic Surgeon Stephen Gilbert FRCS, FRACS (plastic).

243 Remuera Road, Remuera. Phone 529 5784.

When Less is More

W

hen less becomes more, you’re winning. Nowhere is this more the truth than when it comes to your potency: physically and mentally.

Let’s start with exercise. You know the type — they smash themselves with exercise, day after day for sometimes two to three hours, and often twice a day. They strive full speed ahead with full commitment in the belief that ‘more is better’ in their bid to stay lean and mean, tough and durable. They’ll even look you in the eye and tell you that it’s the healthiest way to ward off disease and maintain a competitive edge at work.

Yet the truth is that unless you are a professional athlete, with the knowledge to train correctly through the science of periodisation — knowing when and how to load and unload training volume and intensity — then you’re setting your body up to fail.

In time, it will break down, with the very hormones that make you healthy and potent crashing, and the joints of the body complaining of advanced wear and tear. And it will only be a matter of time before the heart starts to misfire as a result of intense over-training.

It’s not long before someone comes along and convinces this person to try a magic pill or even recreational drugs to up their game.

You only have a limited stem cell supply to replenish the body.

And the harder and the longer you go, the quicker you use up what you’ve got. For most people, a maximum four to five hours a week exercise is sufficient to stay healthy and potent.

What type of exercise is right? That depends on your age, your current health and of course, what it is you want.

But, I hear you say, “if I get my nutrition intake right, then I’ll be indestructible. My body will handle the workload”. Some put themselves on either a low-fat/high carb diet, or a high protein/low carb diet, thinking that all is well.

The truth is that your brain requires a very specific set of nutrients to perform optimally to orchestrate the show, as does your heart.

The health of your gut requires a unique environment to digest and assimilate the food we eat optimally.

Oh, and there’s circadian biology, the big player that releases the right hormones in precise amounts at the right time. Once this system fails, all hell lets loose, and it doesn’t matter how much exercise you do, the excess fat just won’t go!

Perhaps those addicted to training or exercise simply aren’t satisfied with their lot in life. Maybe at a fundamental level they don’t feel like they’re living up to their potential. Or perhaps it’s someone else’s expectations that are setting the standard they live up to. So they look for the buzz through physical endeavours.

Your health and your potency is determined to a great degree by your mental processes: what we think of life, and especially of ourselves, at both the conscious and the unconscious levels.

Either way, there is an energy that flows through you that gifts you the power and potency of health. And everything you do has a profound impact on your body. Physical repercussions — unholy levels of fatigue, heart palpitations or a loss of sexual desire — can lead to you being vulnerable to illness and breakdown.

The key, it seems, is that we can either adopt the view whereby the body is seen as being collateral damage along the way — or it can be seen as being instrumental to all that we do. You are the one that must tend the garden in which health must sprout. So stand tall and be the steward of the vehicle of your own creation.

When less becomes more, you’re winning because you understand the rules of the game. — Lee Parore

the bookmark

The November Selection

the rosie effect — Graeme Simsion (Penguin) Welcome back Professor Don Tillman, the hapless unromantic but seductive hero of The Rosie Project. Now married to Rosie and domiciled in New York, he is facing the biggest challenge of his life – fatherhood. As he attempts to follow “traditional protocols”, along with seeking advice from all six of his friends, plus a therapist and the internet, Don is in danger of prosecution, deportation and professional disgrace. And of losing Rosie forever. Perhaps because we have met him before, and the author gives Don maybe one too many balls to juggle, it doesn’t have quite the impact of the first book but is still a highly enjoyable and provocative look at contemporary parenthood. miss carter’s war — Sheila Hancock (Bloomsbury) Although Hancock wrote an

extremely successful memoir about her life with the actor John Thaw (The Two of Us) I was doubtful of her skill as a novelist. I am happy to say she has proved me wrong with this engaging story of a latterday Miss Jean Brodie. It’s 1948 and Miss Margeurite Carter, SOE heroine, returns to England to be one of the first women to receive a degree from Cambridge and dedicate her life to teaching. This is a powerful panoramic portrait of Britain through the life of one very singular woman. This is “great story telling” and one for you to read over Christmas us — David Nicholls (Hodder & Stoughton) Nicholls, author of the bestselling romantic comedy One Day, returns to take a look at a long-term marriage falling apart. Douglas Peterson understands his wife’s need to rediscover herself now that their son is leaving home. He plans to make their last

family holiday into the trip of a lifetime that will draw the three of them closer together, only to discover life does not always go to plan. Longlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize, this novel has depth as well as humour, which is the strength of Nicholls’ writing.

reach — Laurence Fearnley (Penguin) Those of us who enjoyed the awardwinning The Hut Builder will again become immersed in Fearnley’s new novel. Instead of experiencing the plains and mountains of the South Island, Fearnley uses its coast and the ocean for Reach. Quinn is a successful artist creating new works while trying to negotiate her relationship with Marcus, a vet who has left his wife and daughter to be with her. Entering their lives is Callum, a deepsea diver with a love of the sea. He becomes the protagonist in the struggle between love and art. — Gail Woodward

Graeme Simsion Book Signing! in-store on Saturday 1 November from 1pm for a talk and signing session!

the cinema

Tall Tales,and True

the drop — director Michael R. Roskam. Starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini. In what would be his last role before his death, Gandolfini, aka mob boss Tony Soprano, plays Cousin Marv, the owner of the Brooklyn bar where criminals launder their money. When a robbery at Marv’s bar goes awry, employee Bob Saginowski (Hardy) becomes entwined in the resulting investigation — one that reveals the sinister secrets of the neighbourhood, and of those the bar has been supporting.

st vincent — director Theodore Melfi, Rated M. Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts. When Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), an undersized 12-year--old, and his mother (McCarthy) move to a new house, the boy finds an unlikely friend and mentor in their neighbour, the cynical, offensive, hedonistic, war veteran St Vincent (Murray, pictured above right). Mayhem arises when Vincent’s after-school activities include taking Oliver to the races, strip clubs and fight club-like training sessions. St Vincent recently premiered to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a runner up award for People’s Choice.

interstellar — director Christopher Nolan. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain. Nolan, director of Memento, the Dark Knight trilogy and Inception, reveals this kill the messenger — director Michael Cuesta. Starring highly anticipated, and highly secretive, movie this month. Set in Jeremy Renner, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. the distant future, the film chronicles the journey of a group of space Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb, the plot recounts explorers as they seek a way to save mankind from extinction. The how Webb became the target of a vicious smear campaign after he travellers, including a widowed engineer (McConaughey, pictured exposed the CIA’s role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua, and above left), must make a desperate leap of faith to leave behind their importing cocaine into the US. Driven to the point of suicide as the families as the world creeps closer to annihilation. As is Nolan’s campaign turned on his family, Webb was forced to choose whether trademark, little has been revealed about the film before it debuts. to go public with his evidence or stay quiet protecting his family, However there are high expectations, with many of us anticipating and saving his life. — Caitlin McKenna yet another immersive cinematic experience.

All films listed will screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket this month

Bring your knitting to the movies!

We’ll put the lights on dim so you can get through your project.

Monday 8 December 6:30pm BOOK ONLINE November2014.indd 1

10/10/2014 5:34:57 p.m.

the plot

Bean Stalking

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he Tall Blacks of the vegetable garden, climbing beans can scale heights of up to three metres. Kids love planting them for their “Jack and the Beanstalk” growing pace that can be measured almost hourly. Climbing beans like shade on their roots and plenty of sun for their high climbing, hard-working foliage.

They are usually grown on wigwams and other such structures made of bamboo or ti tree poles and these can take up a bit of space. Often this finds them at the southern end of a bed or garden where the shade that is cast by the leafy wall of their foliage is not a problem to other plants also seeking sunshine. Wind can damage climbing bean plants – especially as they extend their soft stems when starting to grow onto their supporting frame – so best to put them in a sunny and sheltered spot if you have one to spare.

Climbing beans need plenty of nutrition so fill your soil with the likes of chopped up seaweed, sheep pellets, compost, rotted horse manure and turn into the soil so it’s a bit like a muffin mix: full of visible ingredients.

Before sowing, to improve chances of germination it is worth soaking bean seeds overnight. Remove and discard any that float.

Next day place your beans in pairs about a hand length apart and push them gently into the soil at the base of your canes or other support. Push beans about a thumb depth into the soil – use two so that if one doesn’t germinate you have a back-up. It can be fun to watch the beans push their way through the surface and stretch upwards as they produce their first few sets of leaves.

You’ll find the shelves in your local garden centre vege section heaving with climbing bean seedlings around now if you decide not to sow.

As they grow, gently firm the soil around each plant and ensure you give them a good drink every few days. Using pea straw or you own home made mulch cover surrounding soil to about a

thumb depth to keep in moisture and keep out weeds.

If you are thinking of planting up a wigwam made from bamboo canes, then the canes of your wigwam need to be pushed into the soil around a circle with a minimum diameter of a decent stride – or a metre – at its base. If planting on a succession of crossed bamboo canes, then your two rows of canes should be about a metre apart again – at their base.

Climbing beans can be grown in containers. Half barrels are great for this. Make sure you provide a planter that can offer minimum soil depth and width of about a forearm’s length. You will still need to provide the support of something like a bamboo cane wigwam – this can look quite eye-catching over a big pot.

Hand watering is usually required for container-grown plants and it pays to mulch well once plants are in. — Paul Thompson

Recommended Varieties Shiny Fardenlosa: Grows to about head height and produces stringless, flat, glossy green pods.

Sutton’s Giant: Large green bean pods with purple beans – fun for kids as it gets huge.

Emu: Heritage variety that produces medium-sized, juicy rounded pods over a long period.

Scarlet Runner: Heritage variety and an old favourite with pods that are best eaten at around finger to hand length before they go stringy. Can eat the beans separately when they have matured in the pods.

Borlotti: Heritage kidney bean variety with red-flecked pods. Beans are shelled before using fresh or dried.

the hobson 44

the sound

Hope I Die Before I Become Irrelevant W

hen The Who sang those immortal lines that defined rock n roll, “Hope I die before I get old” in “My Generation”, I think we all got what they were really saying. It was the celebration of their youth, rather than a prediction of their future life preferences. Which is why they give short shrift to anyone who reminds them that they are now very old indeed.

Those seven words encapsulate the thrill of the moment, the open-mindedness of youth, the way anything could happen and it could be right now. It also predicts that youth and the vitality of thought and action doesn’t last for ever, and so the moment needs to be seized because eventually the fire dies down.

But now that some of the legends of popular music have got older and realised that at 50, 60 and even 70 they still have more to give, it’s been interesting to see how they have reacted. There’s been a spate of releases lately from artists whose glory days are a while back. That being so their releases went straight to number one, but that doesn’t mean they’re any good.

For instance, U2’s Songs of Innocence. It’s clear this band still hankers for the big time. That’s obvious from the much criticised hook up with Apple which saw that album foistered on all 700 million iTunes users, whether they wanted it or not. If you can’t sell it you might as well give it away and make sure someone else is paying.

The band have used five different producers and the more I listen to it the more it feels like Flight of the Conchords pretending, very well, to be U2. The very first note of the record is Bono doing “woh wohs”. The very trick they popularised and was then stolen by every other soft rock version of U2, ever. I’ve listened to it now eight times and I’m done.

If U2 were searching for relevance then maybe they should have looked more closely at Bruce Springsteen’s last album, High Hopes. There, the Boss enlisted Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine to give him a kick up the butt, and it worked.

Bruce also chose to reinterpret some minor songs from his past, and given the new burst of creativity, the new versions easily outstripped the old.

Barbra Streisand went back to reinvent her old material with her latest album, Partners. Again she sold truckloads, making

her the first artist to have a number one record in six different decades. But listening to inferior versions of her classics like “The Way We Were” and “People”, where the best bits are given to her male co-stars, and it becomes clear that her own voice, while still magnificent, no longer has the power or range. Good move commercially, not that she needs dosh, but a sad move artistically.

Someone who does still have the range and power is, surprisingly, Lady Gaga. It’s fair to say that her last album, Artpop, was pretty underwhelming by her all-conquering standards, so what a surprise to see her follow that up with a Great American songbook duet album with Tony Bennett called Cheek to Cheek.

It’s a really good record. Way better than Barbra’s, even though they’re similar. Tony is Tony, but who knew the power and delicacy of the Lady’s voice. Here Gaga is saying “I want to be known not just as a hit artist but a great artist, and singer and piano player!”

If you want a star who gets it, look no further than Aretha Franklin’s latest, The Great Diva Classics. It’s a cover record but the covers are interesting. Particularly her take on the newer stuff like Alicia Keys’ “No-One” or Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”. Her version of Adele’s “Rolling in The Deep” which she merges with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is already an internet sensation. She’s croakier but that doesn’t matter because the record is from her heart.

So how come 72-year-old Aretha got it and 50-something Bono did not. In a recent interview she was asked how she came up with a genuinely cool record. She said, “Instead of saying I want to go to the top of the jazz charts, or I want to go to the top of the pop chart, or I want to make this kind of hit or that kind of hit — make the best of the music.”

Apparently U2 are now planning to tour but the real news is that it looks to be an arena tour rather than stadiums. This, I think, would be a good thing. Get rid of the tricks and effects and get down to playing rock n roll in front of 10,000 people where you can see the whites of the front row’s eyes. Then maybe the U2 boys might learn that trying to be the biggest is not nearly as satisfying as being the best. — Andrew Dickens

Above: Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. Photo courtesy of Universal Music.

the hobson 45

the heritage

The Parnell Cricket Club - Then & Now

The Albert Barracks, circa 1861, where the Parnell Cricket Club played its first game.

Photographer unknown, Charlotte Ruck albums, private collection, courtesy of Jennifer Leatham and Stephanie Miller

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ricket was played from the very earliest days in Auckland. The Kent and Albion Clubs were in existence by 1842. Sides were formed within the clubs — married versus single men the most popular. Until 1845 matches were played on the Bosworth Field at Epsom.

The Cricket match between the Garrison and Civilians of Auckland came off at Epsom. There was some good play on both sides but the Garrison got terribly licked with 10 wickets to go down. A Bye match was then played and the whole party returned in high spirits.

— Abel Dottin William Best The arrival of the 58th Regiment in 1845 brought many more keen cricketers and matches between the military and civilians were often played on the barrack grounds — the only available flat piece of ground in Auckland town of a suitable size. Ladies were frequent and popular spectators, and a dinner was often held after the game.

Several gentlemen from Parnell took part in these early games — Frederick Whitaker, William Young, James Coates, George Elliot, William Leech, George Milner, Elmslie Stephen, Frederick Ward Merriman and Samuel Edward Grimstone — all of whom held responsible government or legal positions. William Young was the most outstanding and a strong promoter of the game. He was secretary of the Auckland Club and an excellent player.

The first match played by the Parnell Cricket Club took place on 17 March 1858, at the Albert Barracks ground. The Parnell side, described as the ‘Juveniles’, was made up of a group of youths who had the nerve to challenge the men of the Auckland Club to a match.

The club appeared not to take the young men seriously, looking upon the match with a little disdain but also with goodwill in allowing the Parnell team to be their opponents.

Surprisingly, Parnell won this match by an innings and five runs.

Members of the Parnell amateur side were John Kissling (aged 18), his brothers Theophilus Kissling (aged 14), and George Schwartz Kissling (aged 16, bowler); James Russell (aged 19), Gibson Kirke Turton (aged 19, bowler), Lyndon Howard Dobie (bowler), Shirley Whitfield Hill, Edmund James Cox, Charles Henry Moffit, Charles Ross Cholmondeley Smith and [Mr] Kirkwood.

By 1859 many of the early clubs had folded or merged with others and there were only three cricket clubs in Auckland — The Auckland, Military and Parnell.

Reproduced with permission from Parnell: A Choice Villa Site 1841 - 1859 by Carolyn Cameron. Carolyn has also published Mechanics Bay: The First Twenty Years of European Settlement.

Both books are available at Paper Plus Parnell.

the hobson 46

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oday’s Parnell Cricket Club is headquartered at the Shore Rd/Bloodworth Park fields where it shares a clubhouse with Grammar Juniors rugby and also oversees the running of the adjacent Terry Jarvis Centre, an indoor sports facility.

The club’s season started just a few weeks ago boasting more than 650 junior members, plus hundreds more in adult and premier grades.

Club secretary and stalwart, Bryan Haggitt, reports there are 58 teams playing with the club this 2014-15 season.

Haggitt’s been with the club since 1954 and lives close, nearby in Remuera. Over the years he’s held nearly every position there is at the club.

Parnell’s premier side came runner-up in all three competitions last season: one-day, two-day and 20/20.

“We’re hoping to do one better in all of them this season,” says Haggitt.

There’s no women’s team currently — word is other clubs poached Parnell’s players — but he isn’t interested in talking about that. There is a president’s grade, which has several people over 60 still playing.

The club itself is also thriving, but like most community sports bodies, it thrives and functions by way of volunteers. Other than Haggitt, who gets a “small gratuity”, a few coaches and one or two other administrators, everybody is a volunteer.

Some funding comes through Cricket New Zealand, a bit from Auckland Cricket by way of gaming trusts like the Lion Foundation, and from the club’s principal sponsor, Insight + Ascot Radiology. Apart from that, it’s subscriptions.

There is the bar too, which opens at 4.30pm when games are on. Haggitt encourages everyone to come down, watch, have a drink, and enjoy the sun. “There’s always pleasant company down there,” he says. — Zac Fleming For further information visit www.parnellcricket.co.nz Left and above: Cricket season at Shore Rd opened in spring sunshine on Saturday October 11. Photos: Stephen Penny

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the expat

Southern Charms

Until recently, writer Peter Grace had lived in either Remuera or Parnell for more than 20 years.

When the family decided to relocate from a villa in Bradford St for something even older in Dunedin, his appreciation for their new town began

T

here are many places to begin a story about why we moved to Dunedin, but I think I will start with the hermaphrodite painting. We hadn’t been in the city long before I discovered a rather smart, but small, antique shop on Princes St, run by Geoffrey and Ray. Geoffrey has a loud booming voice and says rude words a lot. He also likes to tell you who is sleeping with who, and which Maori Hill scion screwed over his siblings to get his hands on the family riches. Ray will look up from his furniture polishing, laugh and say “Geoffrey! You can’t say that!” We had just moved into the old — 1864 — former synagogue/Freemason’s temple in Moray Place, and the school hall-sized rooms seemed a bit bare. On the second or third visit Geoffrey took me to the back of the shop and pulled back a dust cloth on a very large painting, just the size for one of our many empty walls. There, like Manet’s Olympia, was a nude woman reclined on a chaise longue. Behind her was a pastiche of Oamaru Victorian buildings and, on second inspection, she was also a he.

“Don’t worry,” Geoffrey boomed, “if you don’t like the genitals I am sure the artist will paint them out for a bottle of scotch.”

Shortly before we moved to Dunedin we bumped into an old client in Bambina in Ponsonby. Malcolm, who in his late fifties looks a bit like Javier Bardem, has a cycling tan and the big charming grin of a man who has probably never put a foot wrong in his life. He had just sold his business and was richer by some tens of millions of dollars, so he had plenty to smile about. “Dunedin!” he laughed when he heard the news. “It’s a decaying city. Why would you move there?”

At the time I was a bit miffed by the comment, but now I think I agree with him.

Decay is part of Dunedin’s charm. The Dunedin artist Sam Foley paints very large photorealistic canvases of Dunedin alleyways at night, brick and bluestone, cobblestoned paths, a yellowish light hitting an old doorway, sometimes with a ghostly blue sky high above. They are views of the city you no longer see in Auckland, although they did exist once, in the covered alley between Victoria

St and Darby St where the Rip It Up offices used to be, or around Swanson St or Fort St. In Auckland they are a vanishing memory, in Dunedin they are part of the ever-present decay.

The City of Dunedin (a Gaelic translation of Edinburgh: ‘Eidyn’s City’) was of course once New Zealand’s largest and wealthiest town, and doing well, I am told, until the late ’80s, when it started to empty out. It’s also the home of the University of Otago.When the students are in town Dunedin’s population is skewed youthward, when they leave it becomes a much older city.

Dunedinites are considered a different breed of South Islander, ring-fenced by the hills, the sea and harbour, they have a quiet, gentle humour — except for Geoffrey — and they seldom get my self-deprecating and slightly stupid jokes. A woman at the checkout will ask you “how was your day?” and will be waiting for the answer, because they’re curious about people and have time to sit and talk. In the time I have been here I have never once been tooted at or yelled at for making a wrong turn into the wrong street. My fellow Aucklanders would be red-faced and spitting with rage, in Dunedin there is no hurry and if you want to stop your car in the middle of the road while you make up your mind, ok, we’ll sit here and wait too.

In the first few weeks we were here, I decided I needed a haircut and went across the road to the St. James mens’ barber. Errol has been in the same shop since 1974, he lives up on the hill, has a crib at Shag Point and drives a very smart old Mustang. He also has a degree in Theology. When it came time to leave, I pulled out my EFTPOS card and was told he didn’t take them. I had no cash on me. “Don’t worry”, he said, having never seen me before, “you can pay me next time”.

A few days later I went to Quality Tailors in Princes St to drop in some dry cleaning, and a button fell off one of Beth’s shirts as I handed it over. The woman at the counter grabbed a cotton and thread, and in a few seconds the button was sewn back on.

I asked her how much I owed her.

“Nothing,” she said, and then corrected herself. “The only cost is to tell others how good we are.”

“Studio Entrance, 20a Dowling St, Dunedin”, courtesy of the artist, Sam Foley. Oil on canvas, 150 x 120 cm Sam Foley is represented by Whitespace Contemporary Art, 12 Crummer Rd, Ponsonby the hobson 48

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