Waimea Weekly
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Wednesday 20 September 2017
Helping families Page 4
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Rippa result
Election 2017 – the big issue
Daffodil growers on show Picking some champion daffodils for this weekend’s show should have been easy for world-renowned daffodil breeder John Hunter, but this week’s cold, wet weather is making things blooming tricky. John has been growing and exhibiting daffodils for more than 70 years after entering his first Nelson Horticultural Show as a nine-year-old in 1945. Since then he has won hundreds of national and international awards but says finding a champion bloom this season is proving challenging. “I’ve not known a year like it,” John says. “It’s been so cold and wet and the heavy rain we had early this week ruined all the flowers. We got one or two picked before the rain but everything out in the paddock got hit. It’s been a dreadful season.” However, John says there are still a few days for new flowers to open in time to be picked for the show which has attracted about 50 growers from around the country. The South Island National Daffodil Society Show is being hosted by the Nelson Bays Daffodil Group and the Brightwater Horticultural Society at the Hope Hall on Main Road Hope on Saturday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and Sunday from 9am to 3.30pm. Entry costs $4 with children free.
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Judene Edgar This Saturday, September 23, is General Election day – your chance to have a say in the government and the future direction of the country. Advance voting opened September 11, and as of Monday, over 445,000 votes have already been cast, nearly double the number of advance votes received in the 2014 election. The 1 News Colmar Brunton Poll for the period September 9 to 13 had Labour sitting on 44 per cent with National close on their heels at 40 per cent, and the Green Party on seven per cent. In the Nelson electorate, it’s a close race with Labour and the Green Party putting up candidates against MP Nick Smith. The Waimea Weekly asked the National, Labour and Green party candidates for Nelson and West CoastTasman “what do you consider is the single biggest issue facing the Tasman District and where do you stand?” Nelson Electorate Rachel Boyack, Labour:
Marie and John Hunter and Joan Heaphy, right, pick some stems for the South Island National Daffodil Society Show at Hope Hall this weekend. Photo: Simon Bloomberg.
“Tasman is growing, but we need policies to ensure the growth is sustainable, and that there is infrastructure to support the growth. As Labour MP for Nelson, I will
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