Wairarapa Midweek Wed 11th January

Rocks cradle secrets of dinosaurs and volcanoes

ERIN KAVANAGH°HALL erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz

A seasoned science educator is supporting Wairarapa youngsters to explore the wonders “right at their doorstep” — from ancient marine fossils at Palliser

Bay, to the volcanic history of humble river stones in the Ruamahanga.

Carterton-based Chris Hollis is one of the Wairarapa facilitators for Field-Based STEM: A national organisation helping schools and kura incorporate outdoor education

into STEM subjects [science, technology, engineering and mathematics].

Field-Based STEM, supported by the Ministry of Education’s professional development funding, organises outdoor learning programmes to connect

students and teachers with the natural world.

Programmes are focused on a range of disciplines — from entomology to astronomy — and usually include field trips, citizen science projects and climate education, and mātauranga Māori.

Educators are supported by facilitators to adopt their own field-based learning plans.

Hollis, a geologist and paleontologist of over two decades, works alongside five Wairarapa schools —

Pupils and sta˜ from Carterton School unit examine rocks in the Atiwhakatu Stream.

Hospital art ‘calming, soothing’

Erin Kavanagh-Hall erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz

The creatives behind a new indigenous art collection at Wairarapa Hospital hope its universal themes and “inspiring stories” will bring peace and solace to people of all cultures.

Last month, Te Whatu Ora Wairarapa unveiled its Kia Piki Te Ora Art Collection: 34 digitally printed artworks by a small collective of local Māori artists, displayed throughout the hospital corridors.

Kia Piki Te Ora was commissioned by the outgoing Wairarapa District Health Board to mark the transition from DHBs to Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora [Māori Health Authority], and to recognise the hospital’s commitment to Māori health.

The collection, curated by Pahiatua-based artist Sam Te Tau, was intended to uplift the wellbeing of all who passed through the building – staff, patients and visitors alike.

The artists’ brief specified creating works that would be “calming, soothing and inspiring” for the viewer –based upon the whakatauki [proverb], “kia piki te ora, piki te kaha, piki te wairua, piki te maramatanga”, meaning to nourish one’s physical, spiritual and mental health.

With input from hospital staff, artists drew on concepts central to te ao Māori: Including connection with the spiritual world, the soul of nature, whakapapa and genealogy, and traditional healing practices.

Their images incorporated various artistic media – including photography, digital painting, carving and raranga [weaving] – and printed onto 1m by 1.8m canvases.

Te Tau said it was important to him to make indigenous art more visible in the community — benefiting not just tangata whenua, but those from all backgrounds.

“I lived in the Bay of Plenty for years, and Māori art is very present. Whereas in Wairarapa, it’s not as widely seen in our public spaces.

“It’s important Māori feel they are seen and acknowledged and that they belong in our community — including within health services.

“But also, Māori art is full of inspiring stories: Stories of humanity and spirituality that can have an impact on all people. The stories within the hospital collection are universal –peacefulness, connecting with nature, and passing into the next world at the end of our life.

“You don’t need the same DNA to appreciate them. Māori art is for everyone.”

The collection is Te Tau’s second major community art installation in the space of two years – he was also one of the project leads for the new Whitipoua Bridge across the Waipoua River, officially opened in September.

The bridge is lined by 50 engraved paewhiri [totara boards] created by nine mana whenua artists in partnership with Fab Lab Masterton – representing native flora and fauna harmed by environmental degradation.

While working on the bridge, Te Tau was approached by hospital

Māori Health general manager Jason Kerehi to curate Kia Piki Te Ora, and assembled a team of artists: Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa students Kawana Rongonui and Hine Manaena, weaver Manaia Carswell, multimedia artist Hamuera Rimene and photographer Kendyl Walker.

Each of the works was created with the different hospital departments in

mind. For example, the corridor leading to Te Whare Marie [the morgue] is adorned with images representing transition from life to death, including references to Hine-nuite-pō, goddess of the underworld.

The Medical Social Work area now houses images of woven korowai representing whanau bonds, the chapel is flanked with white raukura

[feathers] symbolising higher spiritual power, and the Imaging department is home to traditional poutama designs –representing a “stairway to heaven” or gaining knowledge.

Nature is a recurring theme throughout the collection – including images of the flora most significant to Māori , such as harakeke [representing whakapapa and tipuna],

ponga [new beginnings], and kawakawa [a plant often used in Rongoā, or Māori medicine].

Te Tau said the opening ceremony for the collection, presided over by Wairarapa kaumatua Mike Kawana and Te Whatu Ora kaitiaki Tina Brown, was “an exciting moment” for the artists.

“Many of them hadn’t seen their printed works in person. Some of them had never had their works printed on such a large canvas.

“So it was amazing for them to see their works hung in the space — and the visual impact they make. It was so uplifting and satisfying for them.

He said he was initially concerned the project would inspire “some backlash”– especially after the signs explaining the carvings at the Whitipoua Bridge were vandalised.

“I got some interesting comments while I was hanging the pieces at the hospital. Some people thought it was ‘over the top’— and that non-Māori should have been more involved.

“I said, ‘well, if you look at the hospital as a whole, pretty much everything is non-Māori.

“But I’d say 95 per cent of people’s comments have been positive.”

A detail from “T˜ne M˜huta me pounamu” by project curator Sam Te Tau – representing connection to nature, the quest for knowledge, and the collective mana of Wairarapa M˜ori.

“Wairarapa” by Kawana Rongonui –telling the story of the discovery of Wairarapa by Haunui-a-Nanaia. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

Clues found in rivers and range

organising field trips exploring the region’s vast rocky landscape, from the Tararua Range to the Wairarapa Coast.

In fact, the latter site was recently found to house evidence of the tsunami that helped wipe out the dinosaurs — discovered by Hollis and an international team of researchers.

While visiting significant sites, students learn more about the natural history, evidence of climate change throughout the ages, and how to identify and mitigate natural hazards.

Hollis said programmes like Field-Based STEM allow young people to engage and interact with their own environments — and see how scientific principles play out in the real world.

“A lot of classical science hasn’t always been relevant to the areas we’ve grown up in,” he said.

“We learned about volcanoes in Hawaii, but not about volcanic activity in our own country and how it shapes our environment.

“Children should be able to learn about their own places — their

tūranagawaewae. For example, where a river goes when it floods, what a floodplain is and what happens when you build houses near it, the role of tectonic plates and fault lines, which plants in the bush have medicinal uses.

“Plus, there’s so much cool stuff in Wairarapa to discover. We’ve got some fascinating geology in the Tararuas – on our doorstep.”

In his two years with Field-Based STEM, Hollis, a former GNS researcher and current lecturer at Victoria University, has worked with Carterton, Kahutara and Pirinoa Schools, Chanel College and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa.

One of his favourite sites for outdoor learning is the Tararua Range— composed of different types of rock originating from ancient undersea volcanoes, pushed upwards by tectonic plate collision.

The evidence of the mountains’ origin, he said, can often be found in the Ruamahanga River: Rocks found further downstream are often “smaller and more rounded”, shaped

and worn by currents over thousands of years.

“Whereas rocks in other parts of the river are larger and more angular – meaning they’ve been deposited by recent tectonic activity.

“A lot of these things you don’t notice when you’re out hiking.

“Looking at the rocks tells a story and helps

unravel the history of the area.”

Hollis said the Tararua Range also has much to teach about native plants – for example, identifying the difference between lowland plants and those growing on mountain slopes, and learning to navigate an area based on the proximity of the different vegetation.

For field trips, he often teams up with fellow educator and environmental advocate Joseph Potangaroa, who provides a matauranga Māori perspective on native medicinal flora.

South Wairarapa pupils have learned about liquid erosion at the Putangirua Pinnacles, discovered fossilised sea

life embedded within Kupe’s Sail, and explored the beach terraces at Tora — composed of rocks formed in both deep and shallow waters, pointing to evidence of sea level change.

Tora’s rock formations also contain sediments deposited by a massive tsunami, most likely resulting from the asteroid which killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago— a connection particularly impressive to the children.

Hollis said he has enjoyed seeing teachers’ renewed appreciation for their surroundings and for teaching science – and has found their students’ enthusiasm especially gratifying.

“I was getting burnt out by my past work in science — as you’re often having to justify [to other scientists] why something is important.

“But science has inherent interest value. And the kids pick up on that — they enjoy it, because it’s interesting.

“I hope this will encourage them to pursue a career in science — or even just embrace science as a part of daily life.”

Summer kitten count explosion on repeat at Masterton SPCA

GRACE PRIOR grace.prior@age.co.nz

Masterton SPCA has close to 90 kittens, and counting, looking for foster carers and forever homes.

Last Friday, centre manager Rebecca Johnston said the Masterton SPCA had 88 kittens – and expected the number to grow.

“We had three dropped off this morning, and 10 yesterday.”

She said many of the kittens were coming from unsocial cats taking shelter on local farms.

Now, the SPCA is calling for foster carers for the kittens, and adopters for others that were ready for new homes.

Johnston said the

number of kittens being dropped in was normal for this time of year, although she “wished it wasn’t”.

“It is sad. It does get to the point sometimes where we’ve got cats or kittens everywhere.

“You get very good at playing Tetris and very good at moving them through.”

Johnston said December to May was “kitten season” when cats would be breeding – and it was when the onslaught of kittens being dropped to the SPCA began.

Cats could breed from about four months old and could have up to three litters per season.

“There’s a huge wild cat [population] that are born on rural properties

because you can’t handle them – you can’t get anywhere near them to desex them.”

As soon as the kittens were eating food on their own, they should be caught and taken to the SPCA so

they could be socialised and turned into “lovely pets”.

“If they’re left without human contact until they’re about 12 weeks old, it’s hard to make them friendly – and it’s really stressful for them to be contained.”

She said fosterers would be provided everything they would need to care for the kittens, and could have the kittens in their care as long as they were able.

Sometimes, fostered kittens turned into permanent pets.

• Application forms for adoption and fostering pets in Masterton can be found on the SPCA website: www.spca. nz/centre/mastertoncentre.

Johnston said many cats turn up on farms because there was a food source or a safe place to give birth.

Just two of the 88-plus kittens at the Masterton SPCA, awaiting fosterers or forever homes. PHOTO/GRACE PRIOR

Geologist and Field-Based STEM educator Chris Hollis works with students from Te Kura Kaupapa M˜ori o Wairarapa.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Rain no match for country spirit

GEORGE SHIERS george.shiers@age.co.nz

Despite the rain, the Wairarapa Music in the Country festival went ahead over the weekend, rewarding festivalgoers with three days of music, camping and lights.

The lineup of 13 acts on the Tauherenikau Racecourse stage included Kiwi country greats such as Barry Saunders, Kevin Greaves, and Wayne R. Heath. The headline act was singer/songwriter Jackie Bristow – born in New Zealand, but now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital of the world.

Attendees didn’t let the wet weather get them down after the event was cancelled last year due to covid restrictions.

Festival organiser Matthew Sherry said the weekend was “just incredible”.

“We’re over the moon. We were one of the only festivals in New Zealand not to cancel [because of the weather] and so many people came. We were very, very lucky with the grandstand.”

Sherry said a crowd of about 1500 people attended.

“Considering the conditions, it’s quite

phenomenal and goes to show the calibre of the artists.

“People wanted to go to a good show and they got a good show. So we’re very, very happy.

“They showed up,

wandered over in the rain and just had an absolute ball.”

Throughout the weekend, people could be seen dancing in the rain in ponchos, raincoats and even covered in fairy

lights.

Sherry said a personal highlight was the Dolly Parton Experience, which wrapped up the night on Saturday.

“When she came on not one person left – they were

all up dancing. It was still raining and they were up on the grass dancing.”

The festival had rebranded to The Wairarapa Music in the Country Festival to allow for a greater range of

artists while maintaining a country base. Sherry said the wider appeal was obviously working, as was reflected in the ticket presales.

“This festival is really getting noticed. We were expecting 5000 people if it hadn’t rained, the presales were so good.”

Organisers were already looking forward to the 2024 festival.

“We’re back on January 5-7 next year, and we’ve already got artists lined up,” Sherry said.

Melissa & The Dr put on a Saturday evening performance.

PHOTOS/GEORGE SHIERS

Dancers didn’t let the rain stop them.

Festival goers brave the rain and enjoy the music.

International talent hits the road

For the first time in two years, Wairarapa will welcome back international road cyclists as the Wellington region plays host to this week’s Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 New Zealand Cycle Classic.

The five-day event, the only UCI road race being held in New Zealand this year, begins in Masterton today and concludes five days later in central Wellington.

After covid-19 restrictions impacted the 2021 and 2022 tours, race director Jorge Sandoval has assembled an outstanding lineup of 15 teams: Featuring riders from 14 countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Thailand, Japan, South Africa and Switzerland.

Also taking part will be some of New Zealand’s top road cyclists, as well as several up-and-coming riders.

“It’s great to see the return of international cyclists to the New Zealand Cycle Classic and I extend a warm welcome to everyone,” Sandoval said.

“There are many teams who will be racing on New Zealand roads for the first time ever and several teams, such as KINAN Racing Team from Japan,

who are returning after a two-year hiatus.

“In addition, we’ve got a ‘who’s who’ of top Kiwi cyclists in action.

This will give them a great opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best riders, many of whom are beginning their 2023 racing season in New Zealand.”

Sandoval will welcome New Zealand riders from two newly formed teams – I Build and Pista Corsa Development – as well as Black Spoke Pro Academy [recently elevated to UCI Pro Teams rank] and the

New Zealand National team.

They will join teams making their New Zealand debut, such as Wheelsports-Metropol Racing from Germany.

“We’ve never raced that far away, and we’re really looking forward to it. All riders are super motivated,” Wheelsports team manager Bastian Jackel said.

“This will definitely be the highlight of the year for everyone. We are excited to see how the race will be run but expect a high level.”

The teams will zoom around the townships of Masterton, Carterton and Martinborough, as well on roads that pass through rolling rural countryside, vineyards and olive groves for the first three stages.

Stage one of the Cycle Classic will kick off at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Solway Park with a welcome to all teams – after which the riders will head northeast of Masterton into the countryside, travelling 158km and concluding with a 2km uphill to finish outside the Masterton

Golf Club.

Stage two will see riders head south from Masterton to Martinborough, finishing with an eight-lap circuit around the village, then completing the 155km “Queen” stage with its famous hilltop finish the next day.

“Stage three is renowned for its steep finish on Admiral Hill in Gladstone – one of the steepest climbs in Wairarapa. But for 2023, I’m putting a new twist on it, and making it even more challenging,” Sandoval said.

“I’ve added extra hill climbs before the Admiral Hill finish – so riders will climb a total of 2784 metres of altitude.”

Stage four is a circuit around Miramar Peninsular in Wellington, and the event concludes on Sunday with a fast-paced criterium around Lambton Quay.

Over the years, Sandoval’s tour has developed an international reputation for unearthing new talent and helping up-and-coming riders step onto a bigger platform.

Top New Zealand cyclists and Cycle Classic alumni Julian Dean, Chris Jenner and Hayden Roulston went on to claim the coveted Yellow Jersey, while many others have ridden in the Tour de France and Giro Italia.

The 2023 Cycle Classic is supported by local organisations such as Trust House, Wizwireless, Fagan Motors, and the three Wairarapa councils.

• A timetable for each of the stages for this year’s Cycle Classic stages is available online at cycletournz. com/stages. Wind and general weather conditions can impact racing, hence approximate finish times.

Stage three of this year’s NZ Cycle Classic will see riders take on the famous Admiral Hill climb -- with an added twist. PHOTO/DAVE LINTOTT

Arkie Celestine makes New Year’s entrance

on the 29th of December because I was induced, but then we were waiting for three days [for her to be born],” Jackie Lou said.

She said it was a long wait, but it was worth it.

to be the first baby born in Wairarapa in 2023.

Arkie Celestine’s mother, Jackie Lou Suyan, said her daughter was born at 3.25 am on January 1, weighing 3.14kg [6lbs, 9 oz].

She is the first child for Jackie Lou and partner Carl Patrick Zarate.

Initially, Jackie Lou had thought Arkie Celestine was going to be born before the New Year.

“I was in the hospital

“I was thinking, ‘maybe she’s waiting for 2023.’”

Jackie Lou said her labour went by quickly, beginning on the night of December 31.

“We went to the delivery suite at 1am, maybe 2am, and she came out just after 3am.”

She said the midwives were telling her right before Arkie Celestine’s birth that she was going

Jackie Lou said she had recently moved from Wellington to be in the same town as Carl Patrick, who has been living in Masterton for six years.

Her mother, Sofia Suyan, had made the trip from the Philippines to meet Arkie Celestine –celebrating both her and her new granddaughter’s first New Year in New Zealand.

Sofia would be staying until October to help with Arkie Celestine’s first months in the world.

“Being a dad is

multitasking. You have to wake up in the middle of the night,” Carl Patrick said.

Jackie Lou said their midwife had recently visited and thought Arkie Celestine was doing well.

“She’s drinking a lot.”

Arkie Celestine was named after her parents, with Arkie taken from Jackie and Carl, and Celestine meaning “heavenly”.

Jackie Lou said when Arkie Celestine found out she was the first Wairarapa baby born in 2023 when she was older, she’d be happy.

READER PHOTOS

Have you got a photo you want to share with Wairarapa?

Whether it’s a reader photo, a cutie, or a snap of you with your Midweek, email it to midweek@age.co.nz with ‘Midweek Photo’ in the subject line, and it could be featured in this segment.

Baby Arkie Celestine with mother Jackie Lou Suyan, father Carl Patrick Zarate, and grandmother Soÿ a Suyan.

PHOTO/GRACE PRIOR

Arkie Celestine Suyan Zarate held out until hours into 2023 to become Wairarapa’s first baby of the year.

Reader Nina sent in this beautiful and moody shot, taken on the beach at Castlepoint.

PHOTO/NINA TAIGEL

Reader Warren took this gorgeous sunset photo at home in rural Carterton – capturing the cypress trees re° ected in his bird bath.

PHOTO/WARREN CAMERON

GRACE PRIOR grace.prior@age.co.nz

No doubt you’ve heard in the media the prices of food, particularly fruit & veggies, has, and is expected to keep rising.

When you add the potential issues weather could cause to some crops, it’s no wonder more and more people are starting to realise the beneÿ ts of growing their own food.

Start small, just a few things in some pots or some herbs on a windowsill will hopefully give you the encouragement to expand when you’re ready.

Some things to begin now with could include:

Lettuce but grow somewhere that has afternoon shade to avoid it bolting (fast growing, loose leaf types are best at this time of year); Radishes; Spinach; Silverbeet; Asian Greens; Microgreens & Sprouts.

THE IMPORTANCE OF POLLINATION

Certain vegetables need to be pollinated by wind or insects for them to develop ‘fruit’. Pollination happens when the ˛ ower’s male sexual organ, the stamen, comes into contact with the female organ, the stigma.

Some vegetable plants, such as tomatoes, are self fertile, meaning they have both male & female parts on the same

SWAN PLANTS

Keep planting Swan Plants so the Monarch Caterpillars have plenty to sustain them.

˛ ower, and they are fertilised when wind or insects dislodge the pollen. Other plants, such as cucumbers and pumpkins, produce separate male & female ˛ owers. Pollination happens when insects (such as bees or hover˛ ies) collect nectar and pollen from a male ˛ ower before visiting a female ˛ ower of the same species.

The GardenBarn team were

Prevention is better than the cure, and this very true when it comes to keeping your plants free from harmful insects & fungus problems. Many of the sprays we recommend are not as ‘harmful’ as they sound, some are even certiÿ ed organic, so don’t let that put you o˛ maintaining your plants.

If you ÿ nd your caterpillars are chewing through the leaves too quickly, consider planting a few, but covering some with a quality bug netting (such as Cropsafe) to keep them free from eggs for a while.

Do you think you’ll have the Most Potatoes? Maybe you’ll have the Most Unusual? Find out at the weigh-in, Sunday 26 March.

Spray Passionfruit with a combination of Grosafe FreeFlo Copper, Enspray 99 Mavrik to control Vine Hoppers.

This same combination can be used on citrus plants to prevent Verrucosis (citrus scab) and pests such as scale, aphids, mealy bug and more.

Wind is needed for pollination of some food crops, such as sweetcorn. The pollen grains need to be transferred from the tassel (the male ower) to the reproductive cells via the silks for successful fertilisation. Planting corn in blocks of least help with wind pollination – going out and giving them a shake when the time is right may also help.

Spray Roses with Combat 3-in-1, an insecticide; fungicide and fertiliser all in one! This is highly e˛ ective in controlling problems such as black spot; powdery mildew; rust; aphids; mites; thrips and caterpillars AND the ÿ sh fertiliser in this product will provide a foliar feed but also has the beneÿ t of deterring pests such as possums.

fungicide and fertiliser all in e

We’ve had a lot of rain so far this summer but the next couple of months could be hot, dry and tough on your garden. Help your plants survive by:

Watering e° ciently – timers & soaker hoses are helpful;

Protecting roots and conserving moisture by adding a thin layer of mulch;

Boosting nutrients with a fast acting, all round liquid fertiliser such as ican Fast Food;

Increasing health & tolerance by using a seaweed tonic such as Seamite;

Keeping a watchful eye out, spraying & covering plants with netting to prevent pests & diseases taking hold

grateful to have a few days o˜ over the past couple of weeks, but now we’re raring to go and are looking forward to helping you grow your garden.

If you’ve had enough of lounging by the pool entertaining guests there is plenty of important tasks to be done in the garden. Here’s a few ideas but you’ll ÿ nd more ideas and inspiration on our website, Facebook & Instagram pages.

CARTERTON LION’S CLUB

Carterton

Blooming sunflowers for a good cause

GRACE PRIOR grace.prior@age.co.nz

Gladstone cropping farmer Lottie Rayner has swapped rainy sausage sizzles for sunflowers this summer to raise money for her son’s sports team.

She said there were between 25,000 and 30,000 sunflowers planted in her roadside paddock on Gladstone Rd – now christened the Gladstone Sunflower Patch.

Rayner said the idea for the sunflower field to support the Kuranui First XI Boys hockey team was a good alternative to “sausage sizzles in the rain” – and mentioned it to a family friend who put in an order and donated the seeds.

“The idea was just to get enough money for the team to go to tournament week which will be this coming winter.”

She said the tournament week cost about $850 per person for a team of 16 boys, and she hoped the fundraiser would take away some of the cost burdens on parents and the school.

Rayner said this was her first time planting a field

of sunflowers, and it had been a bit of a learning curve.

“We’re cropping farmers anyway, and Jacko our son is in the hockey team. His uncle [family friend] donated the seed, and my husband and I have done all the tractor work to get it in there and fertilised it.

“It’s been quite cool.”

She said she would try to save some of the seeds to plant the paddock again next year.

Despite not all flowers being in bloom, Rayner has already had massive interest and ideas for how to make next year’s sunflower patch even better.

Located at 117 Gladstone Rd, Rayner has tried to make the experience as affordable as possible for those wanting to frolic in the field and pick the flowers.

She said it would cost $2 to enter the field, and flowers would cost $2 each, $5 for three, $10 for six, and $20 for 12.

Rayner said she had

thinking about the daffodil field up the road from her.

“It’s pretty, it’s eyecatching as you go down the road.”

The sunflower field will be open for picking and gazing from Friday, January 13, from 1 pm. It will be open all day on

both days of the weekend until Sunday, January 22.

Rayner said flowers would also be sold at the Wairarapa Farmers Market on January 14 and 15, as well as at The

Offering in Greytown.

“Bevan Moorland who owns The Offering is the first XI hockey coach. He donates a lot of his time coaching the boys, and he does an amazing job.”

One of the ÿ rst sun° owers to bloom in the Gladstone Sun° ower Patch.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Be a water hero! Win some awesome water-wise prizes

We’re looking for Carterton’s

Water Heroes!

There’s plenty of water tips on our YouTube channel!

We want to hear from Carterton’s water savers. Are you a local water hero? Do you

have innovative ways to save or reuse water or tips to share with the community? Send us your water saving advice! Take a photo or a short video, or share it with us online!

How to Enter

Use the hashtag #cartertonwaterhero and

win great water-saving prizes. Email us at comms@cdc.govt.nz, on Facebook , Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook Messenger.

Visit cdc.govt.nz/water-hero for terms and conditions and more information.

COMMUNITY GRANTS FUNDS

Carterton & Districts

Returned & Services

Memorial Trust

Applications for grants are invited from people seeking help funding tertiary education expenses. Applicants must be Carterton District residents, students under 25 years of age, and descendants of veterans and service personnel.

Sport New Zealand Rural Travel Fund

Applications for grants are invited from rural sports clubs and rural school teams including young people between 5 and 19 years of age to help with transport expenses to local sporting competitions.

Applications close 24 February

Need A Form?

Visit cdc.govt.nz or pop into the Carterton Events Centre. Contact Sandra at sandrab@cdc.govt.nz for more information.

Ordinary Council,

WATER RESTRICTIONS NOW IN

Restrictions help manage the water supply to ensure there is enough for everyone. Water levels have frequently been above the District’s 2500 litres per day limit this summer, especially at weekends.

Saving water helps with the community’s reaction to climate change.

Conserving the supply is part of our consent

FORCE

requirements, and ensures supplies are available for ÿ reÿ ghting.

Visit cdc.govt.nz/ water for or more info about water use and restrictions.

Even with heavy rain, the supply needs to be managed and conserved.

HE PITOPITO K°RERO

Pukemangamanga

Audit

Policy

Committee

Pukemangamanga is a hill in the Maungarake range of hills that overlooks Waimana, a series of springs. These springs feed the waterways, a stream named Kouratahi, a dam named Kourarau and a waterfall named Maurioho. Puke can mean a hill, but in the context of the su˜ x of manga that changes a verb to a noun form. Puke is then more likely to mean welling up like the springs in the area of the hill.

Investment Committee Wednesdays 1pm, dates as above

Pukemangamanga then is the hill with a pull on water.

˛ RA SMITH

Back when I actually made New Year’s resolutions, one goal always topped the list: Give pottery a try.

When I started attending King Street Artworks in 2014, I was blown away by the ceramics artists – and, naturally, I wanted in. Giddy with inspiration, I made all the lofty plans. Start with reusable coffee cups, then work up to bespoke chess sets, then on to lifesize women’s bodies with animal heads – a critique of modern beauty standards. Exhibitions, an online shop, lucrative commissions ... the world was my beautifully sculpted oyster.

And yet, year

shelved. Before I’d even handled a lump of clay, I’d talk myself down – I couldn’t do pottery, because I’d be bad at it. Without the motor skills to produce an award-winning line of feminist statuettes, what was the point?

I’m not the only one who struggles with this. Our culture thrives on expertise and proficiency – and if you capitalise on proficiency, even better.

Start a new hobby, discover you’re halfway decent, set up an Etsy page/YouTube channel/self-publishing label, and watch the dollars come flooding in.

More recently, however, there’s been a pushback against the side hustle –with creatives refusing to commodify their passions, and partaking in their favourite extracurricular activities ... just because. And if they’re not particularly great at said activities? So be it.

Writer/editor Anna Rawhiti-Connell discussed this in her Spinoff article “The art of the plod”. After years of shunning new experiences for fear of “not being good”, RawhitiConnell took up running – and despite being “an objectively average runner”, she kept going.

“I have realised deep, soulful satisfaction can be found in being s***

at something and doing it anyway. I run for the freedom of knowing I can do something ... because I want to. It provides respite from a world that demands we be optimising all the time.”

Escaping optimisation isn’t easy – and experts blame nature and nurture. It starts in the brain: A sense of achievement releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, responsible for focus and motivation. If it’s rewarding, it’s worth our attention – including success. Conversely, fear of failure engages the brain’s threat system, triggering the “fight or flight” response. Our survival mechanisms are hard-wired to avoid danger, however innocuous – for me, a wonky pinch pot.

In the outside world, achievements are currency. We’re obsessed with exceptionalism. To quote a 2019 Guardian article, “Even the most ordinary institutions are expected to be nothing less than excellent. Companies want to be ‘world class’, schools have become ‘academies

of excellence’, and humble GP surgeries strive to be ‘outstanding’”.

Social media hasn’t helped. Neither has covid – with the economic fall-out adding pressure to commercialise one’s hobbies to make ends meet. Nevertheless, as people are discovering, there’s freedom in, as Rawhiti-Connell put it, “humbling yourself before your limitations”. Doing something not because you excel at it, or in exchange for money – but because it’s nourishing for the soul.

Last year, I finally tried pottery. Was I bad? Kind of. Will I do it professionally? Nope. Was it highly therapeutic all the same? Absolutely.

My challenge for you, Wairarapa – try something new, and suck at it. Knit a scarf full of holes. Warble tunelessly in a community choir. Burn your first batch of cookies. And if you had fun anyway, try again.

The world needs less greatness and more pleasure. A 2023 filled with pleasure, nourishment, and imperfect coffee mugs? I’m down.

Erin Kavanagh-Hall

dog. Ginavara Baumber Writing

book. Cath O’Driscoll own rental – so I can have stability with my daughter.

Sara Bryan darn thing in my house that never gets fixed.

Nikki King passion and a decent amount of self-care.

PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Have you got a photo you want to share with Wairarapa?

Whether it’s a reader photo, a cutie, or a snap of you with your Midweek, email it to midweek@age.co.nz with ‘Midweek Photo’ in the subject line, and it could be featured in this segment.

CUTIES OF THE WEEK

Now that’s a cool set of wheels! Four-year-old Bayleigh Stewart rides shotgun with cousin Conor Russell, 2, in the new toy car he got for Christmas.

Bayleigh’s mum Courtney Mount said the kids had a great Christmas with “lots of prezzies” – followed by a picnic in Queen Elizabeth Park on Boxing Day.

Happy New Year, kiddos! PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Friends make plans for 2023

One year leads to another for the Friends of Aratoi.

Although the last financial year proved to be bewildering and frustrating at times, the Friends of Aratoi can look back on their successes with some pride.

At October’s annual general meeting, chairperson Sandra Debney spoke of the challenges the year had presented. Because of covid, the Friends had to postpone or cancel many events. Thankfully, 2022 increasingly saw less disruption to the Friends’ plans. Both the self-drive Art and Architecture tour and the Bus Tour to Wellington went ahead, meaning that the Friends were able to continue financially supporting Aratoi, and exhibition openings and other events have once again featured Friends’ hospitality.

November’s Dursley Garden’s Little Jewels raised a record $21,235 through the sale of 86 works in a silent auction. All proceeds benefit Aratoi; this is made possible because participating artists donate their artworks to the exhibition.

The annual meeting brought some changes to the committee. Rose Miller has moved from Wairarapa and Megan Slight and Gay Butler stood down, though they have both agreed to continue volunteering for Aratoi.

Replacing them are Kathryn Seagrave and

Simon Dixie. Kathryn, who has moved to Wairarapa from Auckland in the last few years, volunteers at Aratoi, was on the board of the Kokomai Creative Festival and is a cellist. Simon has returned to the committee after having been on it before as treasurer. He also

volunteers at Aratoi and has a great interest in the Arts.

To deal with today’s increasing costs, those at the annual meeting decided to raise individual annual membership of the Friends by $10 to $50, with family membership rising to $70: A very reasonable subscription, especially given that for a time in December and again, some time in the winter, members are traditionally eligible for a 10 per cent discount at the Aratoi shop.

Sarah McClintock, Aratoi’s new director, said at the annual meeting that when she was contemplating her recent move, she looked out for a beautiful gallery which fostered interesting artists and interesting art. In this new year, the Friends will support Aratoi as it continues to flourish.

ExtraBetter connectivity on the way for remote South Wairarapa properties

Rural and remote South Wairarapa residents could soon be getting better internet connectivity.

In Parliament, National Party MP Melissa Lee asked the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark, what upgrades the area could expect this year.

Clark said a number of communities in South Wairarapa would get better connectivity under the Rural Capacity Upgrade programme.

“I understand that Crown Infrastructure Partners will soon be publishing a list of areas where works under the rural capacity upgrade are being undertaken, on its website.”

Clark said the second phase of the Rural Broadband Initiative was well underway, and many areas in South Wairarapa

already experienced better connectivity than before, including Cape Palliser, Ngawi, and White Rock.

“Ruakokoputuna and Stony Bay will have a new tower under the programme early next year [2023].”

He said some people could be eligible for the government’s new Remote

Users Scheme, funded via Budget 2022, and applications were now open.

A spokesperson for Crown Infrastructure Partners said the first phase of the Remote Users Scheme aimed to provide broadband internet service to an area by extending existing networks.

They said those still without coverage after the first phase had been completed may be eligible for a one-off grant of up to $2000 towards set up and installation costs of a suitable broadband solution.

“It is expected that new broadband connectivity infrastructure for eligible

areas and households can begin being built in mid2023.”

To be eligible for the Remote Users Scheme, the applicant should have a main residence in a rural or remote area.

Properties could include owner-occupied houses, tenanted dwellings, farmhouses occupied by share farmers, and occupied dwellings on Māori land.

The property should not already be capable of receiving a commercial broadband service or must have poor internet service.

“This will include both existing and planned coverage in the area.”

An application form for the scheme can be filled out on Crown Infrastructure Partners’ website: https:// www.crowninfrastructure. govt.nz/

Some of South Wairarapa’s most remote homes could be getting better internet connection

PHOTO/FILE

Kaitiaki looks after skatepark

GEORGE SHIERS george.shiers@age.co.nz

Masterton skatepark’s troubles could be behind it, with the park’s new kaitiaki saying things are “going really well”.

Sam Hill has been appointed to look after the park and its users over the summer holidays, providing oversight and safety, teaching kids how to ride and even helping out with equipment.

It was not his first stint at the park, having previously helped out after school during term time until 5.30pm.

“In the holidays kids get bored, and as soon as they got bored they get understimulated, and it turns to Lord of the Flies

“It’s really good to have someone here just to engage with the kids and the parents, and the parents can be reassured they can leave their kids here.”

Since it opened last year, the skatepark has been intermittently plagued by

reports of antisocial behaviour.

Hill, who has been skating for more than 20 years, said that since he had been at the skatepark, he had not had any trouble.

“Not everyone who comes here wants to use the skatepark for what it’s for, and if kids are loitering, I’ll move them along.

“But I’m not a security guard – if anything, that would make it worse. With kids, you’ve got to build a rapport with them. They appreciate the small gestures.”

He said it was good to see a lot of girls were also getting involved in the skate bowls.

“It’s nice to see the young girl skaters – this is not a boys’ club. I know all the everyday skaters, and we’re also starting to get people coming from over the hill.

“We’re so lucky to have the park, I was talking to three people who came from Kāpiti Coast just to skate it, so it’s great for the town.

“The next best park would probably be in Whakatāne.”

Hill said a number of competitions were planned to encourage kids to come down and show off their tricks. He said the initial

competitions were for local kids only, however, planning for a larger competition later this year was underway. He said Masterton was the only

skatepark in New Zealand to offer these types of competitions, with the next two currently scheduled to take place on January 13 and 17.

Sam Hill is acting as kaitiaki at Masterton Skatepark.

PHOTO/GEORGE SHIERS

Masterton Skatepark at its opening last year.

PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV

In the holidays kids get bored, and as soon as they got bored they get understimulated, and it turns to Lord of the Flies.

- Skatepark kaitiaki Sam Hill

Lifestyle

Oli˜ maintains dose of health

HELEN HOLT helen.holt@age.co.nz

With a tenure cursed with covid, Wairarapa’s health director was determined to stay positive.

Te Whatu Ora Wairarapa interim district director Dale Oliff is stepping down after three and a half years in the hospital’s top seat, her last day on December 31.

However, she will be staying at the hospital for another six months as the clinical lead of nursing.

There were many highlights and many challenges during her time. She said it was important to remain positive.

“Since I started, I cannot think of a time that I haven’t been happy to get out of bed.

“Wairarapa has very generous people. I’ve been in a really privileged position to lead in this community.”

She came to Wairarapa in July 2019 to be chief executive of the district health board [DHB].

Oliff was previously the chief operating officer, and later acting chief executive at Hutt Valley DHB.

Of her time in Wairarapa, she said she was proud of the strategy plans for Māori health.

“When I started, there were a lot of things I hoped to achieve.

“Hauora Mo Tatou, the strategic direction lined up really well. All the work around the Māori Health strategy was a really fantastic project. The Māori Health consultation, and the health plan to deal with inequity, which still exists in the health system.

“I had six months to get a strategic plan. First clinical plan given population growth, and the wellbeing plan. We did achieve all those things.”

She was also proud of the community response to the covid-19 pandemic.

“As a community in the covid response, we worked together with aged care, primary care, Māori and Pacific providers and pulled together. That’s how as a small rural community, we had a successful vaccination rollout.

However, covid also posed many challenges, especially keeping staff.

“The biggest challenges have been recruitment and retention. Delays in immigration, and closed borders have been a huge challenge, and it put pressure on our local staff.

“We had a number of staff off sick. The numbers were significant, we had all hands to the pump.

“The staff went above and beyond. We had administration staff working in the hospital.”

An MRI machine was given the green tick this year, after much anticipation.

Oliff was unsure when the MRI service would become available, but it was well on track.

“It would have been nice for it to arrive in my time.

A WORD ABOUT WATER

It’ll stop people having to driving to Palmerston North or Hutt. It is a service fundamental for a population like ours of 50,000. It’s really great for them to access this care.”

In the last six months, she oversaw the transition from 20 district health boards to one national health service Health NZ Te Whatu Ora.

A regional director will take over on January 31 to manage the former DHBs of Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, Wairarapa, Midcentral, Capital and Coast, and Hutt Valley.

Oliff said she was optimistic about the health reforms.

“Places like Wairarapa struggled to receive health resources when the system worked regionally.

“By removing the boundaries, it’s made it so much easier for patients, to communicate with the services in Wellington and Palmerston North.

“Change is tricky, but with great leadership, patients will access things much easier.”

It’s that thyme of year

cabbage moths.

Thymus vulgaris

Central Otago wild thyme [although initially transplanted by hand] made for a breathtaking backdrop along the Lake Dunstan cycle trail back in November.

Over 400 varieties of Thymus vulgaris exist. Gold miners were thought to have introduced it in about 1860.

Its essential oil being the most important component [mainly phenols] and a useful culinary herb.

Important things to know about thyme. It can be grown from seed or root division but will generally selfpropagate; It can be harvested for drying up to three times before flowering; Its flowers are a bees’ delight as they fly less for more;

It makes for a great companion plant for cucumbers as it will attract bees to pollinate and will inhibit powdery mildew –stake the cucumber so it will not shade the thyme, and plant it between fruit trees to attract bees and between cabbages to repel

Thyme used to be a commercial crop in New Zealand for the dried herb industry Cerebos-Greggs. Currently, New Zealand imports all its dried thyme from Spain and Morocco.

Artemis [a Dunedin-based medicinal/herbal provider] gathers Central Otago thyme for use in its product as its potency is one of the best in the world.

Their products, such as throat repair [oral spray] worked wonders for me. Or you can make yourself a cup of tea and sip to relieve a sore throat.

To do this, pour boiling water over a sprig of thyme, cover it with a lid and leave it to steep for 15 minutes. Sweeten with a teaspoon of honey if preferred. As the father of medicine said: “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

– WHS meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month 1.30-3pm in the Old Courthouse, Holloway St, Carterton. Contact: Christine Voelker 0272806739 or waiherbs@gmail.com

Summer weather could mean water restrictions in Masterton - dependent on flow levels in the Waingawa River, the source of Masterton’s drinking water. For the latest information on what restrictions are in place: y keep an eye on the billboards around Masterton y check out our website (www.mstn.govt.nz)

y download the Antenno App. It’s free and you’ll get the latest water restriction information sent directly to your phone. Scan the QR code for links to download for Apple or Android.

Thyme along the Lake Dunstan cycle trail in November.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

CAROLYN PETERSON

Former Te Whatu Ora interim district director Dale Oli˜ . PHOTO/FILE

twice

Motorcycles have become more popular, with a 60% increase in motorcycle travel on the road in the last 10 years.

Motorcyclists are 21% more likely to be killed or injured. In 2021, 55 riders and pillions died on NZ roads Crashes happen in an instant and can happen anywhere, but our rural

poses a real challenge

those not used to riding narrow, winding roads with changing surfaces, hidden intersections and narrow bridges.

AWARENESS FOR RIDERS

SAFETY CHECKS

MOTORCYCLE GEAR

Choosing the right safety clothing and helmet that meets standards and meet your budget is really important. ACC spends more than $120m per year supporting 7,000 injured riders and pillions. If more riders wore better safety clothing it would help towards less injuries and associated costs.

Manager of the Wairarapa Road Safety Council

Lifestyle

Wrapping it up in a quote

“I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinion I have no respect”

– Edward Gibbon

I thought to end the year and start a new one, I would share some quotes from my ever-growing collection.

When I hear or read something that hits a chord, I record it in a special book, and I often flick through it to remind me of the wise or funny words that have come out of people’s mouths.

My most-quoted quote, and the one I have known the longest, comes from my grandmother who died when I was in my early teens. She told me something one day that I have never forgotten.

“Show me your friends and I will tell you what sort of person you are.” Very wise and very true words.

Here are some other gems from my notebook:

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”

– Walt Disney

“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove you don’t need it”

– Bob Hope

“Conversations are much easier to get into than out of”

– Sophia Benolt

“Incessant company is as bad as solitary

confinement”

– Virginnia Woolf

“If you are busy trying to be someone else, who’s going to be you?” – Anon

“I won’t eat anything that has intelligent life but I would gladly eat a politician”

– Marty Feldman

“Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life”

– Robin Sharma

“Only dead fish go with the flow” – Anon

“Life is like a camel. You can make it do anything except back up”

– Marcelene Cox

“When my kids grow up, I’m going to their house and ask for food and then change my mind the second they give it to me” – Anon

“I don’t want to leave this world having just passed through” – Anon

“The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way”

– Josh Billings

“The best time to make friends is before you need them”

– Ethel Barrymore

“The saddest thing I can imagine is to get used to luxury”

– Charlie Chaplin

“The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder”

– Alfred Hitchcock. [Obviously said before the pause button was invented]

“You learn a lot about your family when you spend 12 hours in the car together. For example, I learnt that my family shouldn’t spend 12 hours in the car together”

– Anon

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see” – Edgar Degas

“The only creatures that have evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants”

– Johnny Depp

“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement”

– Rita Mae Brown

nerves”

– Sean O’Casey

“Never lend your car to someone you have given birth to”

– Erma Bombeck

“Is there anything more threatening than a friendly reminder?”

– Anon

“The amount of sleep required by the average person is 5 minutes more”

– Wilson Mizner

“A man is only insecure about losing his woman when he knows someone else can treat her better”

– Anon

– Anon

“Three stages of career development are: I want to be in the meeting; I want to run the meeting; I want to avoid the meeting”

“Money does not make you happy, but it quiets the

“He pursued his studies but never overtook them” – H.G.Wells

“In spite of the cost of living, it remains popular”

– Anon

And my favourite for 2022: “I intend to live forever. So far, so good!” – US comedian

– Steve Wright Happy New Year everyone.

Graeme Burnard

Comment – Pick ‘n Mix

“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove you don’t need it” – Bob Hope PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Māori in Business

SUPPORTING WAIRARAPA M Ā ORI IN BUSINESS

eHaus Wairarapa

The art of helping others, and the environment, via master building

Registered Master Builder Mason Cameron runs a building company with its focus set squarely on the future. The environment and mentoring of emerging builders are uppermost in this innovative ÿ rm.

Cameron Construction is a Wairarapa commercial and residential construction company which prides itself on its eco-friendly approach to all aspects of construction.

Mason Cameron is also proud to be the eHaus Wairarapa licensee. eHaus is a New Zealand owned and operated business which creates high performing energy e° cient homes based on German Passive House principles. Established in 2010 by Jon JoIli˛ e and Baden and Glenda Brown, the Whanganui based business is now multi award winning with 19 regional teams operating nationally – all carefully handpicked.

After moving to Wairarapa from Taranaki, Mason qualiÿ ed as a builder in 2011 when he was part of Amos Construction in Carterton. Keen to establish his own company, he has three apprentice builders, Steve Prime (3rd year); Diamond Karaitiana (2nd year) and Louie Manesa-anae (1st year). Amanda Mende completes the team as Manager.

Diamond and Louie are both former Makoura College students who were attracted to the building trade when Mason worked with students building tiny homes for Project Manaaki – a series of cabins to augment the homeless shelter in Masterton’s Elizabeth Street.

Mason has an innate sense of wanting to help others.

Mason’s iwi is Ng˝ Ruahine Ng˝ti Ruanui. Part of his Manaakitanga is helping those gain employment and skills, especially for M˝ori and Paciÿ c Island people. He is extremely proud to be able to o˛ er building apprenticeships as his business grows.

Mason is equally enthusiastic about building high performing houses which look conÿ dently into the future and are a healthy home for its owners. The philosophy of eHaus sat well with him. They are built around the ÿ ve Passive House principles of creating a space that maintains a consistent temperature of between 20-25 degrees all year round with energy savings of up to 90% (compared to a code build). Mason explains that for most code-built homes, up to two thirds of a home’s energy bill goes into heating the home and hot water (appliances and lighting make up the other third). But with an eHaus design, and construction the house can be kept comfortable with little, or at times, no heating or cooling. It’s a win:win for the environment and homeowners.

Every eHaus is based on the owner’s individual design and uses the energy modelling software Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). Mason says this can accurately predict how a house will perform even before construction begins. Local climate data is fed into the PHPP software to determine the level of insulation, glazing, and construction materials required to make the house as e° cient as possible. The build starts with a fully insulated slab to stop the house from losing heat into the

ground. Exterior walls contain two layers of insulation plus an airtight layer to stop draughts moving through the fabric of the building. Mason says the magic is complete with the Mechanical Heat Recovery Unit, which silently gently introduces fresh air and extracts stale air 24/7.

Mason has completed three eHaus builds in Wairarapa and owners report the joy of living in an even temperate environment.

eHaus is part of many Cameron Construction’s achievements.

Hear from happy clients: KAHUTARA EXTENSION “Mason was easy to deal with. He always kept us informed on where the job was at, and was a pleasure to have around. We highly recommend him to do any building work people require. He has a great standard of workmanship.” Andrew and Amanda Scott.

GREYTOWN

“We have been in our eHaus for a year and so enjoy the even temperature inside compared to our Wellinton home which is either too hot or too cold. We appreciated eHaus building is a bit trickier and it needs a builder with keen attention to detail and experience in this type of construction. Mason and his team excelled on both counts, and we are delighted with the quality of our eHaus.”

Chris. Co-owner.

CARTERTON

“We built our eHaus in Carterton two years ago and found Mason and his team to be all round top blokes. We were especially impressed with Mason’s community mindedness and commitment to his team. The eHaus is all we had hoped for and have no heating worries being cosy in winter and cool in summer. It is well ventilated and feels healthy.”

Wayne and Chris Hyman.

Mason Cameron.

Steve Prime.

Diamond Karaitiana.

Louie Manesa-anae.

A Greytown eHaus.

A race day record at Tauherenikau

GRACE PRIOR

grace.prior@age.co.nz

Tauherenikau Racecourse may have broken a record for most patrons on January 2, clocking more than 14,000 punters to the first race meeting of the year.

Tauherenikau Racecourse general manager Matthew Sherry said last year’s event attracted 14,000 people, and this year it was “that or more”.

He said the New Year Race crowd was “exceptional”.

“The front lawn was full from the birdcage right down to the public car park fence, and I haven’t seen that before. That’s massive.”

Sherry said the corporate marquees had sold out, with 26 scattered under the trees.

He said generations of people had come to the first Tauherenikau race day of the year, and they just kept coming back.

Sherry said the day was also packed full of 14 races.

He said the number of

considering the overcast and slightly drizzly weather.

“What could’ve we got if it was a sunny day?”

he

Grant said the day was “fuller than last year”.

“I’ve won something in

The day featured live music under the trees, bouncy castles, and a miniature train.

Motor camp managers

Grant and Helen Duguid said this was their third time at the event.

Grant said the day had been “fantastic”, and

and Helen had reconnected with friends while running the motor camp attached to the racetrack.

every race.”

PHOTO/GRACE PRIOR

More than 14,000 people ocked to Tauherenikau for the rst race of 2023. PHOTOS/RACE IMAGES

Uncovering a war camp’s history

The Polish Children’s Camp that housed recent New Zealand Order of Merit recipient Stanislaw Manterys was once an internment camp.

GRACE PRIOR takes a closer look.

Masterton resident Derek Bamford grew up on a farm in Pahiatua and remembered riding his pony to school when he passed a group of interned people gardening, under the supervision of the New Zealand Army, in 1941.

The people were being held at a specially-built internment camp in Pahiatua, which would later be re-purposed to house the Polish refugee children.

He said one of the people

spoke to him, but he was quickly told off by a soldier to “get away home”.

Bamford could not recall what was said, but wondered where the people went when the camp became home to the Polish refugees.

After some digging, Wairarapa historian Gareth Winter discovered that the people had initially been held on Somes Island in Wellington Harbour.

After a period of time at the Pahiatua camp, were returned to Somes Island.

Winter said a Manawatu Times article published on August 23, 1945, reported that Japanese people, supposedly on Somes Island, were keeping a watch out for the arrival of the Japanese fleets into the harbour.

“It says all but two of the Japanese have been brought from the Pacific. They landed at the end of 1941 and were shifted with the rest of the internees

to the Pahiatua camp in early 1943. Later, they were taken to Australia.”

The Department of Conservation [Doc] said Somes Island was an ideal location for New Zealand’s first inner harbour lighthouse, a human quarantine station, an internment camp, a military defence position, and an animal quarantine station.

In World War II, Doc said the island became an internment camp for a second time.

“While the prisoners were primarily German, there were a large number of Italian and Japanese nationals.

“They were moved to Pahiatua at the start of 1943 during the short period when the antiaircraft artillery battery was operational – but returned to the island in September 1944 when the guns were removed.”

Doc said while in Pahiatua, the internees were required to

do manual labour, such as roadbuilding, gardening, and fishing.

“For this, they were paid a small daily allowance.”

Bamford said the internees would have to walk about three miles to work, and back to the camp again, all the while being escorted by soldiers with rifles.

“There were maybe 20 of them.”

Winter said the Manawatu Times also reported on a Japanese escapee from the Pahiatua internment camp.

“One Japanese escaped from the camp and was at liberty for several days. He was found in the bush on the side of a hill by a nearby farmer who coaxed him down with food.

“When returned to the camp, the man said he escaped because he wanted to see whether he could see Japan from the top of the hill.”

It reported that the man showed the army how he

managed to get over the barbed wire fence.

“Soon after, the same man made another escape. He was over the wire when another guard spotted him and ordered him to stop. He made a break, and the guard gave chase.”

Another guard fired to wound as the man ran away, but the shot was poorly aimed and allegedly killed him.

In addition to the escapes in Pahiatua, Doc said some internees had tried to leave Somes Island by swimming or stealing a boat, but there were no successful escape tales from the island.

In 1942, four 3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft guns were mounted on Somes Island. The position was manned from January 1943 to September 1944, but was never called into action.

Carterton Medical Centre

High Street South Ph: 06 379 6592

During WWII, foreigners were moved from a camp on Somes Island in Wellington Harbour to Pahiatua. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

In the book ‘The Future is Analog’ by David Sax, an interesting stat around online shopping is shared that is contrary to what the widespread rhetoric seems to be. Sax gives the stats for online shopping in the United States before, during and after the height of the covid pandemic:

Before, total sales were 11 per cent of online sales; during which total sales reached 16 per cent; and after, they dropped back to 13 per cent.

These stats are both fascinating and promising for communities. I say this because, despite the huge advantages that online

companies had during the pandemic peak and the tragedy of many bricks and mortar businesses having to close down, people seem to still enjoy the act of shopping in actual shops. Sax shares many reasons for this, including being able to hold the fruit you want to buy, and interacting with store workers who are able to share their knowledge and advice on the spot.

I love supporting local businesses and will continue to do so, both at a personal level and

professionally, where I have influence as a school principal and district councillor. I hope many others avoid the online shopping bandwagon and instead support the businesses that make our community a better place to be. Remember, despite the size difference, Hedley’s Bookshop does much more for Masterton than Amazon ever will.

When you’re not wasting time On an episode of the Smartless Podcast I

heard today, guest James Cameron was asked by one of the hosts, Will Arnett, whether watching sports was a waste of his (Will’s) time. I really liked James Cameron’s follow up question, this being: ‘Do you enjoy doing it?’ Will‘s answer was ‘yes’. To which James then replied, ‘if you enjoy doing it, it’s not a waste of time’.

I loved this exchange. One of the reasons why is that James Cameron doesn’t enjoy watching sports, but this didn’t mean he’d judge Will for

Lifestyle

Tim Nelson

PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Lifestyle

‘Secrets’ require strategies

doing so. James simply thought that if it’s something Will enjoyed then he should do it without the guilt of thinking he should be doing something else.

The real secret

Many years ago I read Rhonda Byrne’s book, The Secret. Unlike many, who have seen the need to criticise or dismiss the message of the book, I actually quite like it. The key idea is based around the timeless belief of the power of attraction, this being that what we focus on and believe will happen; we essentially have the power to manifest what we want in our lives.

However, there is a key ingredient that’s missing, which the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson believes as his own secret to success, this being that, just like Rhonda Byrne’s secret, we should have something we want to happen for us, but there is a key addition – we need to also develop a deliberate plan then implement the steps of the plan.

For example, someone might want to be fit, strong and healthy. Just wanting this to happen through the secret of the law of

attraction isn’t going to get you anywhere. Yes, the goal is great, but that’s only the beginning; what needs to happen is the development of a diet and exercise strategy and then actually doing what the strategy entails consistently and over a long period of time. This is the true ‘secret’ that will take you from where you are to where you want to be.

Broaden your perspective

I recently read about how important it is to look at issues from a range of perspectives, particularly one different from your own. The author Jonathan Haidt is a proponent of this, discovering that those who have opposing views often have valid reasons for doing so, with us overlooking or simply never being exposed to these perspectives because all of our time is spent in the echo chamber of seeking out only those who share and reaffirm what we already think and believe.

After hearing Haidt’s view on this, I decided to listen to two interviews about quite different issues. Both of the interviewees were people I would normally ignore

and tiny specks do matter

time in which one person is alive in comparison to how long people have been on Earth, or maybe when looking up into the stars and thinking about how insignificant we are as a tiny speck in the universe.

at all, and make the point with this thought: how do we feel when someone does something to hurt us, either physically or mentally? Clearly, the answer is that we don’t like it at all. If this is the case, we should also know how much our own hurtful actions can impact others.

that if we can be hurt or hurt others, then it must be true that our positive actions, regardless of how small, really can positively help anyone, whether it’s someone close to us or a complete stranger.

or dismiss. What I found was that both did share ideas and knowledge that I normally would not have encountered, with one

being especially persuasive [although I found him to be not particularly nice] around one issue that I have spent a lot of time on

recently. We really do need to open our eyes and ears a little wider if we want to gain a better understanding

of the many issues that confront us. Failing to do so is, at best, only ever going to give us half the story, which isn’t

a good place to lay our foundations on.

What we do does matter I have heard people say on

many occasions how, in the great scheme of things, what we do doesn’t matter.

Perhaps it will be said when thinking about the

of the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who strives to spend just a small amount of his time trying to make the lives of others better. If we all did this, then the cumulative impact of all of our actions truly would be making the world a better place, regardless of the fact we’re just a tiny speck in the universe.

We are all more than capable of getting on with those we might sometimes disagree with.

PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Lifestyle

The first is to choose one thing that you have been putting off that you do want to do and make a firm commitment and plan to do it. The second is to identify something that you want to stop doing, then organise an exit plan and implement the plan to put an end to it. We’re not going to live

forever, so we should make the most of the time we have left, regardless of how much time this might be.

Disagreeing and getting on On

the Guardian Football

pundits, said that he texted Lars, another pundit, after a previous episode just to ensure that ‘they were still alright’ after having a disagreement during the show. Lars’s reply had a message we can all learn from, this being that ‘we

Imagine if the whole world shared Lars’s philosophy! There has been so much damage throughout history simply because of disagreements and differences of opinion, with the results ranging from relationships

of these occasions, the simple acceptance of a different perspective, as was the case with Barry and Lars, could have led to outcomes that would have been so very much more productive and positive.

We are all more than capable of getting on with those we disagree with.

It would seem we still enjoy going out to do our shopping.

PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

It’s clear plenty of people have a keen eye for an eye-catching picture. Here are a few pictures that hit the pix@age.co.nz inbox. Entries close on Januar y 22.

TOP LEFT: Please sir, can I have some more? Milking sheep in Te Ore Ore, Masterton.

T KING

TOP RIGHT: Ocean Beach.

BOTTOM LEFT: My sister having fun for the first time at Castlepoint.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Looking down from the Cape Palliser Lighthouse steps!

PHOTO/JANE

PHOTO/BECKY JOHNSON

PHOTO/KAYDENCE GREIG

PHOTO/ROANNE HAUTAPU

Considering international travel post-covid?

Martinborough resident and Times-Age reporter SUETEODORO

tested the water with a one-way ticket to Europe.

Along with many, I had been cautious about making long-haul travel plans, but after a twomonth trip to the northern hemisphere, discovered there was not much to worry about.

When the New Zealand border finally opened, I couldn’t wait to buy a ticket. This would not be just any ticket – it had to be the big ticket. I wanted to go everywhere. There were so many places on the list, it was impossible to decide. My entire family live offshore, so Italy and San Francisco were musts. There was a raft of indefinitely postponed destinations. Hikes in Spain, French bakeries, Roman ruins, open-air markets and art galleries in Europe, and the rest.

So, when the travel window finally opened, I bought a one-way ticket to

Rome. If all roads lead to Rome, once there, surely everything would fall into place?

However, while my plans were underway in July, there was an inconvenient problem. Covid remained among us and had been spreading fast. In New Zealand, case numbers were stubbornly high, with ongoing restrictions like compulsory masks and home isolation. Was the idea of an indefinite solo

trip without an itinerary completely wild? What if I got seriously sick? Would I die alone and friendless in some cheap, dingy hostelry far from home?

A bit like Oscar Wilde, but without the fame and talent. The thought was definitely unappealing, but not as unappealing as staying at home.

Until leaving New Zealand in August, I had been lucky not to catch the virus. However, this was not necessarily a plus.

On the contrary, it meant I would be an appealing target for the bug. My T-cells would not be

primed, and my immune system would be useless.

I consulted my GP, a practical and direct

person. He advised me I was too healthy to be prescribed Paxlovid [a treatment for covid

sicker than covid. Just go and have a nice holiday.”

If I were worried, I should mask up on public transport and in poorly ventilated, crowded indoor areas.

all over the world in the airport transit area were completely relaxed. I was going to have to adjust fast. The world outside New Zealand had moved on. Dubai and then Rome were the gateway to Barcelona and Pamplona in Spain and a journey over the Pyrenees to France. Five days of intense hiking meant staying in hostels and guest houses. Often sharing rooms with up to eight others after a day of hard climbing, spectacular views, and excellent coffee. The longdistance train to Santiago de Compostela marked the start of a further five-day hike along the Spanish coast to Finisterre, meaning ‘the end of the world’.

the Cinque Terre in Italy with checkout an hour away, no travel plans, no accommodation booked and no idea where I would be that night. I ended up in the idyllic medieval walled town of Lucca in Tuscany.

Taking whatever was the fastest, and most economical, route, I used a combination of planes, trains, and long-distance buses. Train travel in Europe is a dream, and my favorite way of getting around. It also has the important bonus of being environmentally friendly.

symptoms]. “Sue,” he said, “for someone like you, the side effects of Paxlovid would probably make you

Leaving New Zealand was easy, even if empty departure lounges in Wellington and Christchurch were a bit unnerving. At my first stop in Singapore, everyone at Changi airport was wearing masks and observing covid protocols. Reality hit me in Dubai. Maskless passengers from

Then, a change of pace, and the Italian riviera with its steep cliffs and inviting beaches, endless blue sea, delicious food and timeless charm. After Tuscany and Naples, it was back to Rome and then on to San Francisco and the Bay Area on the West Coast of the USA. I flew back to Auckland via Honolulu.

The freedom of the non-itinerary trip did have moments of anxiety. One morning, for example, I woke up in a village in

At first, after three years of not travelling, everything did feel strange. No masks and no restrictions were unusual for me. New Zealand is sparsely populated by most European standards, and the contrast after three years was even starker. But very soon, the crowds and packed public transport felt normal, and then good, and then incredibly good.

I followed my GP’s advice and masked up when necessary. I ate al fresco at every opportunity [why wouldn’t you?] and kept a distance from obviously unwell people. Apart from that, and being vaccinated, I took no other precautions. And, best of all, I did not get covid.

Sue Teodoro at the border between France and Spain in the Pyrenees. PHOTOS/SUE TEODORO Flower stall at the Campo di’ Fiori in Rome.

The Spanish Steps in Rome.

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Fighting for rivers and Maori

GRACE PRIOR grace.prior@age.co.nz

HOANA BURGMAN

Hoana Burgman has been awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and environmental governance. Based in North Canterbury, Burgman’s whakapapa is Ngai Tahu and Ngati Kahungungu ki Wairarapa.

“My great-grandfather Ihaka Karaitiana married into Ngai Tahu; he and his brother both came down and married two sisters – two Ngai Tahu women, and one was my greatgrandmother.”

She said the link between her and Wairarapa was generations back, but she had visited her lands in Wairarapa.

Burgman said she was overwhelmed when she heard she’d received the award.

“It’s a privilege that someone thinks it [my effort] has been worthwhile. It has to me; it’s just part of me.”

Burgman has been on the Ngai Tahu Tu Ahuriri Runanga executive since 1990, was secretary for 12 years, and has been kaumatua chair since 2016.

She said she had always been involved with the runanga [tribal council], but when the Resource Management Act was introduced in 1992, she put her hand up to represent Te Ngai Tuahuriri.

“I said, ‘oh well, I’ll give it a go’, only because my mother was always so concerned about the environment.

“The first place I ever remember going to was the river.”

Burgman was a founding member of Te Waihora Management Board and was involved in the establishment of a joint management plan for Te Waihora Lake with the Department of Conservation, and later the broader Te Waihora Co-Governance Agreement.

To add to her belt, she was a trustee of Te Kohaka o Tuhaitara Trust from 2006 to 2017, responsible for the restoration and ongoing management of 700 hectares of native coastal wetlands.

Burgman has been credited

as a key driver of taking a collaborative approach to Resource Management Act engagement by mana whenua, and she is a founding member of Mahaanui Kurataiao Shareholder Board.

She brought together the five surrounding papatipu runanga in Canterbury to form a unified company to advance kaitiakitanga [guardianship].

Additionally, she helped to re-establish the Tuahiwi branch of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and has been both president and secretary.

Burgman said everything she had done had the environment, rivers, and Māori in mind. As a child, Burgman grew up by the water, fishing with her family.

As time went by, she watched the much-loved braided rivers degrade until there were very few fish left.

“I tell my grandchildren that my father used just to have string wound around a stick

Lifetime of service

FLYNN NICHOLLS ˜ ynn.nicholls@age.co.nz

MARGARET BOURKE

Margaret Bourke has been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for her involvement and service in Wairarapa community organisations.

“I am honoured by the number of colleagues and friends from different organisations who wrote letters of nomination,” she said.

A speech-language therapist by trade, Bourke moved to Masterton in the 1960s.

From the 1970s, she held several positions at Lansdowne Kindergarten, Wairarapa Free Kindergarten Association,

Chanel College, and Wairarapa Secondary School’s Board and School Trustees Association, including president, vice president, chair, parent representative, and delegate.

“I was raising my children, so I was very keen to be involved in children’s organisations,” she said.

Bourke was a community board member and early childhood representative with Wairarapa Rural Education Activities Programme between 1986 and 2001.

She has held various positions with Wairarapa Plunket branch

with hooks, throw it into the river, and we’d get three or four hearings all in one go.”

Burgman said her mother would only take her and her siblings to areas where they could find food, be it fish or fruit. What had been teaming with life and kai [food] has now been destroyed by human-caused pollution.

“We saw this happening 25 years ago, but no one ever listened,” she said.

“All my whanau used to meet at the river, but that doesn’t happen now because they’re so filthy and there isn’t any water in them anyway.”

Burgman said the loss of rivers had affected Māori in every way.

“It’s our whakapapa, our whakapapa goes with the waters, with the rivers.”

She was hopeful for the future with young, environmentallyminded people coming into the mix.

Following in her father’s footsteps

HELEN HOLT helen.holt@age.co.nz

PATRICIA SMITH

Despite contributing 30 years of service to the Carterton community, Patricia Smith can’t believe she did anything to deserve a Queen’s Service Medal.

“When you’re doing these good things, you never think about anything else apart from helping.”

She also thought about her father, who got an MBE [member of the British Empire] for his service in the Wairarapa County Council.

Smith’s community service was spread among many Wairarapa organisations. She was Rotary Carterton president, Carterton Plunket President and New Zealand Plunket Society Wairarapa district representative [which covered Pahiatua to Lower Hutt]. She was part of Harlequin Theatre as frontof-house manager, executive and vice -president, and later awarded life member.

Among organising ushers, bartenders and tickets, she also transported elderly theatregoers – so many that she and her husband had to take separate

cars.

As part of Rotary Carterton, she organised the New ZealandAustralia Student Exchange and the international exchange.

It included a trip to the South Island with 31 teenagers of more than 10 different nationalities with two other adult helpers.

“There was a French girl who smoked, and she hid the cigarettes under her mattress. When we went bungy jumping, a Swiss boy didn’t want to and said, ‘I’m not that stupid’. The German girl did the bungy jump three times.”

Another trip involving a safari to Rotorua turned sour when a student got sick, but her host family were out of town when they tried to send her home.”

Until 2020, Smith and her husband also did voluntary driving for the Wairarapa Cancer Society.

“My friend had to travel to Palmerston North for treatment but I couldn’t find a driver. I said ‘don’t worry, I can take you’.

“Next thing I was driving people over the hill all the time.”

While some cancer patients were too unwell for car conversation, she met a few great characters.

senior role,” she said.

Bourke has volunteered at Wairarapa Citizens Advice Bureau for a decade, including four years as board secretary.

“The advice bureau is interesting work, and I really enjoy it.

She was a Parish Council member of the Catholic Parish of Wairarapa between 2018 and 2019 and has been a Lay Reader and church cleaner for more than 30 years.

since 1980, including president from 2003 to 2007 and president of the Wellington Area Society.

She was a member of the organising committee for Wairarapa Bride of the Year Contest, which ran for 50 years until 2019, raising money for Wairarapa mothers and children.

Bourke coordinated the design

and construction of a new building for the amalgamated Plunket services in the area completed in 2015 and is currently the organiser of the baby knitting fundraiser.

“I’d often begin as a local committee member and move up through the ranks; president of Wellington Plunket was my most

“I’d like to thank my husband and children for putting up with me all these years.

“I think I was constantly hurrying off to a meeting and leaving the dishes and the children for my husband.

“I am very grateful for their support,” Bourke said.

Lansdowne’s Margaret Bourke has been presented a Queen’s Service Medal for Services to the Community.

PHOTO/FLYNN.NICHOLLS

Patricia Smith QSM for services to Carterton Community.

PHOTO/HELEN HOLT

Hoana Burgman ‘It has to me; it’s just part of me.’

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Most Wairarapa rivers have been deemed not fit for swimming by Land Air and Water Aotearoa’s [Lawa] predictions.

All Wairarapa rivers are either marked as unsuitable for swimming because of a predicted E.coli status after rainfall in the Tararua Range, or caution has been advised for toxic algae blooms.

Floating mats of toxic algae have been spotted at the popular northMasterton Double Bridges swimming spot, while more of the toxic algae can be found growing on the side of littered plastic in the river.

Greater Wellington Regional Council [GWRC] had previously extended its concerns about

rubbish dumping in rivers across Wairarapa and the wider Wellington Region.

In 2021, GWRC called for a unified community effort to protect Wairarapa’s rivers, which were facing constant pollution, contamination, and desecration from ongoing rubbish dumping.

Various cleanups had included the removal of cars, household waste, concrete rubble, and rotting animal carcasses.

“The mindless rubbish dumping we’ve seen take place, especially along

Featherston rivers this summer, is a huge risk to water health, human health and the precious species that live in and around our rivers,” Wairarapa Committee chair Adrienne Staples said.

“Quite simply, this pollution kills wildlife and stops the community from connecting with our rivers - recreationally, through collecting mahinga kai or for general wellbeing.

“The damage to our rivers could be irreversible - they won’t

be the same for future generations if people continue to pollute,” she said.

The toxic algae smells vaguely like musty clothing and dirt, and is very attractive to dogs — however, it is highly toxic to animals and children.

Lawa said heavy rain flushed contaminants from urban and rural land into waterways, and it advised people not to swim for two to three days after heavy or prolonged rain – even at sites that generally have good water quality.

“Check that the water is clean and clear before taking a dip.”

It said potentially toxic algae could rapidly bloom to harmful levels, and not all freshwater sites were monitored for toxic algae.

“Play it safe — if you can see toxic algal blooms in rivers or lakes, avoid

contact or choose another site to swim.”

Potentially toxic algae, which is scientifically known as cyanobacteria [and isn’t classed as algae], are naturally occurring but some can produce toxins that are harmful to animals and humans.

Lawa said cyanobacteria played an important role in many land and aquatic ecosystems and could be found in both nearpristine waters and those more impacted by land use.

“In aquatic environments, cyanobacteria can multiply and form blooms suspended in the water [known as planktonic] or dense mats attached to rocks on river beds [known as benthic].

“Planktonic blooms are generally found in slow-

moving waterways such as lakes, while benthic blooms usually occur in rivers.”

It said potentially toxic algae differed from harmless bright green algae, which often formed long filaments [threadlike structures].

GWRC said the Hutt River was one of the first places in the Wellington Region to have warning levels of toxic algae.

“Toxic algae is deadly to dogs, and can make people sick.

“Dogs should be kept on leads away from the water, and children should be supervised,” it said.

“If you have been in contact with toxic algae and are feeling unwell see your doctor or ring Healthline on 0800 611 116.”

Take dogs to the nearest vet.

The Double Bridges swim spot is named after the sideby-side rail and road bridges.

Years of experience has given me the conÿ dence and the expertise to guide you, my client, through the process of selling your home.

Achieving an excellent outcome is all about putting your house in front of the right buyers.

With the most market share in the Wairarapa, our team is in the best position to do this. Being the best takes time and experience, and I know clients want commitment, consistency, and results – and that’s me - SoldOnJude! I guarantee you will have a positive experience and achieve a great outcome. Let’s sit down and have a chat about you, your plans, your needs.

THURSDAY, JANUARY

12

Alcoholics Anonymous

Featherston Community Centre, 7.30-8.30pm. Call 0800 229 6757.

Belly Dance for Beginners Kiwi Hall, Featherston, 6.30-7.30pm. Call Antonia Blincoe [021] 105-7649.

Carrington Bowling Club 57 High Street, Carterton,1pm for 1.30 pm start. Call Pauline Hodgson [027] 406-672.

Carterton Community Choir 7.159pm, at Carterton School, Holloway St. Call [022] 373-4299.

Carterton District Historical Society 142 High St North, Carterton, open 2-4pm or by appointment. Call Vivienne 3795564 or email carterton.hist.soc@ gmail.com

Danzability Class 11am-noon, at Studio 73, Greytown. Call physio. rachel.horwell@gmail.com or [022] 077-2654.

Digital Seniors Wairarapa Call 0800 373 646 for an appointment.

Martinborough St Andrew’s Church, 9.30-11am; Featherston Featherston Community Centre, 1.30-3.30pm.

Fareham Creative Space Open studio, 10am-3pm, 80 Underhill Rd, Featherston. Email: registrations@ farehamcreativespace.nz

Parkinson’s Exercise Class 1.30pm, at the Wairarapa Boxing Academy, Dixon St. Call Roslyn [027] 264-8623.

Patient Activity Programme At Hospice Wairarapa, 59 Renall St, Masterton, 10am-1pm. Call Kirsten 399 1050.

Red Star Table Tennis Club 5-7pm at Red Star Sports Association 10 Herbert St, Masterton. Call Peter [027] 566-4664 or Brian 377-4066.

Ruamahanga Club Cards – 500, 1-4pm, at Wairarapa Services Club, Essex St, Masterton.

Social Learners Bridge 1-3.30pm, Featherston Community Centre. Call Barbara [06] 304-9208.

Steady As You Go Falls Prevention and Balance Class, 9.30am, Senior Citizens’ Hall, Cole St, Masterton. Call Age Concern [06] 377-0066.

Thursday Morning Bikers Meet at the fountain at the Queen Elizabeth Park entrance, 9.30am. Contact (06) 216-2187

Wairarapa Fern and Thistle Pipe Band Weekly practice, Masterton Brass Bandrooms, Park Ave, Masterton. Email fernandthistle21@ gmail.com

Wairarapa Model Aero Club 9amnoon, at the Masterton Aerodrome.

Whakaoriori Shufflers Line dancing, Red Star clubrooms, Herbert St, Masterton, intermediate, 1-2.30pm. Call 377-5518 or 3771135.

Dance Fit At Carrington Park, Carterton, at 6-7pm. Text dance groove to [022] 321-2643.

Greytown Music and Movement

For pre-schoolers, 10am, at St Luke’s Hall, Main St. Contact email admin@ stlukesgreytown.co.nz

Fareham Creative Space Open studio, 10am-3pm, 80 Underhill Rd, Featherston. Email: registrations@ farehamcreativespace.nz

Free Community Fit Club 6am and 11am, Carrington Park, Carterton. All ages, all fitness levels. Call Di [027] 498-7261.

Justice of the Peace: Carterton library noon-2pm; Masterton District Court 11am-1pm; Eketahuna Library 1.30-4.30pm.

Kids Song & Story 9.30-10.30am, social hour during school terms for preschool children and their caregivers, Epiphany Church hall, High St, Masterton. Call Anne Owen 377-4505.

Masterton Croquet Club Golf Croquet 9.15am behind the Hosking Garden in the park. Call Russell Ward 377-4401.

Masterton Masters Swimming Club Club night 5.30-6.30pm, Trust House Recreation Centre back pool. Call Stu [027] 295-4189 or Lucy [021] 0204-4144.

beautiful gardens, bring a picnic to enjoy.

Featherston Heritage Museum Behind the Featherston Library and Information Centre. Sat and Sun 10am-2pm, other times by arrangement. Call Elsa [021] 2639403.

Featherston Weekly Market 8am2pm, 33 Fitzherbert St. Greytown Menz Shed 9am-noon.

Call Paul Dodge [021] 0262-6595.

Justice of the Peace Service centre available at Masterton Library, 10am-noon.

Masterton Croquet Club Association Croquet 9.15am and 12.45pm behind Hosking Garden in the park. Call Carl Redvers 378-7109.

Martinborough Museum Open Sat and Sun at No 7 The Square, 10.30am-2.30pm. Donation/koha appreciated.

Parkrun Weekly 5km run/walk. Measured, timed, free. 8am start, at the Woodside end of the Greytown rail trail. Info: parkrun.co.nz/ greytownwoodsidetrail Saturday in the Park Food trucks by the Skate Park, QE Park 10am2pm, rain or shine.

Tinui Craft Corner and Museum Open Sat/Sun 10am-4pm. Call Lesley Hodgins [06] 372-6433.

Featherston Menz Shed 61

Fitzherbert St, open from 1pm.

Masterton Park Bowling Club Queen Elizabeth Park, bowls roll up at 1pm, names in by 12.45pm. Call 377-5458.

Masterton Petanque Club Club day 2pm, in Queen Elizabeth Park. Call Myrna Lane 377-3064.

Masterton Toy Library 10am-1pm, 365 Queen St.

Narcotics Anonymous Featherston Community Centre, 7-9pm. Call 0800 628 632

Rotary Sunday Market 6.3011.30am, Essex St car park. Contact thehodsons@xtra.co.nz

South Wairarapa Pipe Band Practice at St John’s church hall, Featherston, 4-6pm. To confirm time please call Gordon [027] 414-7433 or [027] 628-5889.

Wairarapa Model Aero Club 9amnoon, at the Masterton Aerodrome.

MONDAY, JANUARY 16

Art for Everyone Featherston Community Centre, 7-9pm. Call Sandie [021] 157-4909.

High St South, Carterton. Call 0800 20 21 22.

Featherston Music Club 7-9pm.

Call Shaun O’Brien [027] 672-6249.

Free Community Fit Club 6am and 11am, Carrington Park, Carterton. Call Di [027] 498-7261.

GirlGuidingNZ Masterton Rangers, 12½-18 years, 6.30-8pm. South Wairarapa Guides [Greytown], 9-12½ years, 6-8pm. Call Sharon [021] 033-0550.

Hospice Wairarapa Support Services Free of charge for anyone dealing with a terminal illness. Call [06] 378-8888.

Justice of the Peace Masterton CAB 9.30am-12.30pm.

Keep Fit! 9.30am, Senior Citizens’ Hall, Cole St, Masterton. Call Age Concern [06] 377-0066.

Line Dancing 10.30am, Senior Citizens’ Hall, Cole St Masterton. Call Age Concern [06] 377-0066.

Literacy Aotearoa Free computing and digital device classes for adults. Call 377-4214.

Mah Jong: 1-4pm, Featherston Community Centre. Call Pat Hamilton [06] 308-9729.

TUESDAY,

JANUARY 17

Featherston Toy Library Featherston Community Centre, 9-11am.

Al Anon Do you need support for coping with alcohol problems in your family? Contact [027] 811-0006.

Masterton Toastmasters Meet in the Salvation Army Hall, 210 High St, Carterton, at 7.30pm. Call Ben [027] 892-0730.

Caregivers Programme At Hospice Wairarapa, 59 Renall St, Masterton, noon-1.30pm. Call Kirsten 399 1050. Clareville Badminton Club Main Stadium at Clareville, 7.30pm -9pm. Call Steve [027] 333-3975.

Carrington Bowling Club 57 High Street, Carterton,1pm for 1.30 pm start. Call Pauline Hodgson [027] 406-672.

Free Literacy and Numeracy

Classes At Literacy Aotearoa Masterton. Call Carol [022] 524-5994 or visit us at 340 Queen Street, Masterton.

GirlGuiding: Masterton Pippins [5-7 years] 3.45-5pm. Call Chrissy Warnock 372-7646.

Justice of the Peace Masterton CAB 11am-1pm.

Paint/draw From live model,10amnoon, at Masterton Art Club, Victoria St. Call Elissa Smith [027] 470-6528.

Masterton Alcoholics Anonymous 7.30pm, St Matthew’s Church Hall, 35 Church St. Call Anne 378-2338 or David [021] 116-5505.

Masterton Croquet Club Golf Croquet 9.15am behind the Hosking Garden in the park. Call Russell Ward 377-4401.

Men’s Group Meet for support and friendship, at the Salvation Army Village, Ngaumutawa Rd, Masterton, 7-9pm.

AA Meeting At 7.30pm, Epiphany church hall, High St, Solway, Masterton. Call [027] 557-7928.

Athletics Wairarapa Club night, 5.45-7pm, Colin Pugh Sports Bowl, Masterton, all ages and abilities welcome.

Cards “500”, 1.15-4.15pm, at the Carterton Club. Call Barbara 3796582 or Val 379-8329.

Carterton Cycle Group An informal group of ‘leg power’ and e-power cyclists, from Belvedere Rd [weather permitting] for 20km or 40-60km rides. Call Irene [027] 634-9167 or Lesley [021] 299-6389.

Garden in the park. Call Carl Redvers 378-7109.

Parkinson’s Singing Group 10.30am, at the South Wairarapa Workingman’s Club, Main St, Greytown. Call Marguerite Chadwick 379-5376.

Rangatahi to Rangatira Youth Group Join us for sports, food, and leadership, Carterton Events Centre. Text “R2R” to [027] 742-2264.

Recreational Walking Group 9.30am, Essex St car park. Call Ann Jackson, 372-5758, or Ann Duckett, 378-8285.

Scrabble Club 1-4pm in Masterton. Phone Sue McRae [027] 449-0601 for venue details.

Silver Ukulele Club 1-3pm, Featherston Community Centre. Call Jan [06] 308-8556.

Masterton Senior Citizens and Beneficiaries Association Meet for social indoor bowls, 500 cards, or a chat 1-3pm, Senior Citizens hall, Cole St. Call Ngaire 377-0342.

Dance Fitness 9.30-11am, preschoolers with parents or caregivers, music and movement and art, at Fareham House Hall Featherston.

Call Justine [0204] 105-2830.

Digital Seniors Wairarapa Call 0800 373 646 for an appointment.

Needlework & Craft Dropin 10am-noon, Featherston Community Centre. Call May [06] 308-6912 or Virginia [06] 308-8392.

Toy Library Masterton 10am1pm, 365 Queen St. Featherston 14 Wakefield St, 10am-noon.

Carterton Alcoholics Anonymous 8pm, Salvation Army Community Rooms, 210 High St. Call Bob [021] 042-2947 or Martin [06] 372-7764.

Masterton District Brass Band Rehearsals at 7pm, in the Band Room, Park Ave, Masterton. Call [022] 574-0742.

Play Gym St James Church Hall 116 High St, Masterton, 9.30-11am, for 0-3-year-olds.

Carterton District Historical Society 142 High St North, Carterton, open 2-4pm or by appointment. Call Vivienne 3795564 or email carterton.hist.soc@ gmail.com Central Indoor Bowls Club 7.30pm, Hogg Crescent hall. Call Mathew or Graeme 378-7554.

Masterton Toy Library 10am-1pm, at rear of Masterton YMCA, 162 Dixon St, Masterton.

Red Star Table Tennis Club 9amnoon at Red Star Sports Association 10 Herbert St, Masterton. Call Peter [027] 566-4664 or Brian 377-4066.

Masterton: Citizens Advice, 10-noon.

Free Classes Literacy, language and numeracy for adult learners. Call Literacy Aotearoa 377-4214.

Greytown Menz Shed 9am-noon.

Call Paul Dodge [021] 0262-6595.

South Wairarapa Caregivers Programme At a café in South Wairarapa, 10am. Call Kirsten 3991050.

Soulway Cooking and Crafts 10am-noon, High St, Masterton. Call Nikki Smith 370-1604 [church office].

Te Runga Scouts Cubs, 6-7.30pm, 45 Harley St, Masterton.

Featherston Menz Shed 61 Fitzherbert St, open from 6.30pm.

Food Market: Food trucks, 4.307.30pm outside the Masterton Town Hall, rain or shine.

GirlGuidingNZ Carterton Pippins, 5-7 years, 4.15-5.30pm. Carterton Brownies, 7-9½ years, 6-7.30pm. Call Sharon [021] 033-0550.

Justice of the Peace Masterton CAB 9.30am-12.30pm.

KeepFit! 10.30am, Senior Citizens Hall, Cole St, Masterton. Call Age Concern [06] 377-0066.

Masterton Art Club 10am-2pm, tutored classes available, also print on Fridays, at 12 Victoria St. Call Sue 377-7019 or Elissa [0274] 706-528.

Masterton Petanque Club 2pm, in Queen Elizabeth Park. Call Myrna Lane 377-3064.

Masterton Toy Library 10am-1pm, 365 Queen St.

Narcotics Anonymous 7.308.30pm, at St Matthew’s Church, Church St, Masterton.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

Aratoi Leah Vivienne Creaven: Land Girl, to Feb 12; Professional Weavers Network of NZ presents

Ngāhere – The Bush of Aotearoa to Feb 12; Look Closely and Tell Me

What You See: Photographs from the Collection to Feb 19; Julia Teale: Koha Presenting Plenitude to Feb 19; Masterton Museum: A Cabinet of Curiosities to July 2023.

Carterton Craft Market Mon-Sat: 9am-4pm, Sun: 10am-3pm, 25 High St North, Carterton. Call Desley [027] 787-8558.

Carterton Senior Citizens 1.304pm, play cards, Rummikub and Scrabble, Carterton Memorial Club, Broadway.

Cloth Collective Sewing Workshop: 10am-2pm, Kiwi Hall, Featherston. Call Sara Uruski [0274] 474-959.

Seniornet Wairarapa Computer/ cellphone help, 1-2.30pm, Departmental Buildings, 33 Chapel St, Masterton. Call John [027] 3835654.

Wairarapa Stop Smoking Service Quit Clinic at Whaiora 9am-noon.

Free support available across Wairarapa. Call Whaiora 0800 494 246.

Walk and Talk Meet outside Dish Cafe, First St, Masterton, 9.30am.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

Carrington Bowling Club 57 High Street, Carterton, 1pm for 1.30 pm start. Call Pauline Hodgson [027] 406-672.

Cobblestones Early Settlers VIllage Open 10am-4pm seven days. History comes alive with six heritage buildings, carts and carriages, set in two acres of

Wairarapa Cancer Society Supportive Care Services Free services for anyone needing support after a cancer diagnosis. Call (06) 378-8039.

Wairarapa Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm, Solway Showgrounds, Judds Rd, Masterton, under the grandstand and nearby redwood tree.

Wairarapa Genealogy Branch Family History Research Rooms, 5 Church St, Masterton, 10am-noon.

Women’s Self Defence With Dion, 9am, band rotunda, Queen Elizabeth Park. Call [020] 4124-4098.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

Wairarapa Gourmet Toastmasters Club 11am-1pm. Contact Carol [027] 600-1710.

Carterton Farmers Market Memorial Square, 9am-12.30pm. Call [027] 663-9011.’

Carterton Community Toy Library Events Centre, Holloway St, Mon-Sat during CDC Library hours.

Carterton Scottish Dance Club 7.30pm, at Carterton School Hall, Holloway St. No partner required. Call Elaine 377-0322.

Carterton Food Bank 10-11am Mon-Fri at Haumanu House. Call 379-4092.

CCS Disability Action Wairarapa Office 36 Bannister St, Masterton, 10am-1pm Mon-Fri. Call 378-2426 or 0800 227-2255.

Citizens Advice Bureau Free and confidential advice, Mon-Fri 9am4pm, 43 Perry St, Masterton. Call 377-0078 or 0800 367-222.

Creative Hands Programme At Hospice Wairarapa, 59 Renall St, Masterton, 10am-noon. Call Kirsten 399-1050.

East Indoor Bowling Club 7pm. Call Julie 377-5497 or George 3789266.

Epilepsy Support Group 11am at the Salvation Army office, 210

Chair Exercise Gentle chair exercises, 2-2.45pm, at St John’s Hall, Greytown. Dance Fitness 6.30-7.30pm, at Fareham House Hall Featherston. Call Justine [0204] 105-2830.

Seniornet Wairarapa Computer/ cellphone help 1.30-2.30pm, Departmental Buildings, 33 Chapel St, Masterton. Call John [027] 3835654.

GirlGuidingNZ Masterton Brownies, 7-9½ years, 5.30-7pm. Call Sharon [021] 033-0550.

Red Star Table Tennis Club 6-8pm at Red Star Sports Association 10 Herbert St, Masterton. Call Peter [027] 566-4664 or Brian 377-4066.

Senior Citizens Club Cards 1-4pm, Featherston Community Centre. Call Val [06] 308-9293.

Steady As You Go Falls Prevention and Balance Class, Featherston 9.30am, A/G Church. Masterton 1.30pm, Senior Citizens’ Hall, Cole St.

Call Age Concern [06] 377-0066.

The Dance Shed 450A Belvedere Rd, Carterton. Beginners Linedance Class: 6-7pm. Linedance Intermediate Class: 7.30-8.30pm. Call Wendy [027] 319-9814.

Troubadour Music Group 6-8pm, Wairarapa Community Centre, 41 Perry St, Masterton. Contact Stefan [027] 226-6019.

Wairarapa Services Club Cards –500, 1.30pm, at the club, Essex St, Masterton.

Wairarapa Stop Smoking Service Call a Quit Coach based at Whaiora 0800 494 246.

Digital Seniors Wairarapa Call 0800 373 646 for an appointment.

Carterton 3 Mile, 66 High St, 9.30-11.30am; Greytown Greytown Library, 1.30-3.30pm.

Fareham Creative Space Open studio, 10am-3pm, 80 Underhill Rd, Featherston. Email: registrations@ farehamcreativespace.nz

Featherston Amateur Wrestling Club During school terms. Classes are weight and skill dependent; Beginners, 5-9 years, 5.30-6.15pm; 10 years+ [including adults] 6.157.30pm.

Featherston Menz Shed 61 Fitzherbert St, open from 10am.

Featherston Wahine Singers 7-8.30pm, Featherston Community Centre. Call Susan [021] 246-4884.

Free Community Fit Club 11am, Carrington Park, Carterton. All ages, all fitness levels. Call Di [027] 498-7261.

Social Bridge At South Wairarapa Workingmen’s Club, 1.30-3.30pm.

Call Lesley [021] 299-6389.

South Wairarapa Workingmen’s Club Games afternoon. Call Doff 304-9748.

Wairarapa Genealogy Branch Family History Research Rooms, 5 Church St, Masterton, 1-3.30pm.

Wairarapa Services Club Cards –Euchre, 1pm, at the club, Essex St, Masterton.

Woops A Daisies Leisure Marching Team practice 4-5pm, at the Trust House Rec Centre Stadium. Call Cheryl [06] 370-1922 or [027] 6976974.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

Toi Wairarapa – Heart of Arts 10 Minute Bites, 12.10pm, BYO sandwich.

Healing Rooms Confidential prayer for healing or any situation, 2-4pm, at St Matthews Church Hall, Church St, Masterton, no appointment necessary. Call [027] 245-2819.

The Dance Shed 450A Belvedere Rd, Carterton. Line Dance Class 6-7pm; Rock N Roll Dance Class: 7.30-8.30pm, Beginners/Couple Coaching, Social/Competitive. Call Wendy [027] 319-9814.

Wairarapa Rockers Rock’n’roll. Couple inquiries to [027] 333-1793.

Heart of Arts Wairarapa: A community gallery, 47 High St North, Carterton, Wed-Fri, 10am4pm, weekends, 10am-2pm.

Juesday Art 10am-12.30pm, AOG Church, Birdwood St, Featherston. Call Julia [06] 308-8109.

Justice of the Peace Masterton CAB noon-2pm.

Kiddie Gym For 0-3-year-olds, 9.3011am, at St David’s Church, corner High and Victoria Sts, Carterton. Call Lorna or Abby 379-8325.

Masterton Art Club 10am-2pm, also print on Fridays, at 12 Victoria St. Call Elissa [0274] 706-528.

Masterton Park Bowling Club Queen Elizabeth Park, bowls roll up at 1pm, names in by 12.45pm. Call 377-5458.

Masterton Croquet Club Association Croquet 9.15am and 12.45pm behind the Hosking

Wairarapa Services Club Rummikub, 1pm, at the club, Essex St, Masterton.

Wairarapa Singers Choral singing, based in Masterton. Call Sean Mulcahy 379-9316.

Wairarapa Spinners & Weavers 10am in The Wool Shed, Dixon St, Masterton. Call Trish 378-8775 or Josie 378-6531.

Whakaoriori Shufflers Line dancing, Red Star clubrooms, Herbert St, Masterton, improvers 5-6.30pm. Call 377-5518 or 3771135.

Wisdom and Well-being Featherston Community Centre, 10.30am-12.30pm. Call Pauline [021] 102 8857.

Events Events

* To have an event listed please email event@age.co.nz by noon Thursday prior

Public Notices

Expressions of interest are invited for 4 people to be involved in a new Rural Advisory Group to be established. The Group’s advice will contribute to ensuring the wellbeing of the district’s rural communities and will be taken into account in Council policy decisions and planning for the district’s future. Meetings are held approximately 8-weekly on a Wednesday and begin 8 February 2023.

By 4 pm Wednesday 25 January email demservices@cdc. govt.nz with details of relevant background and experience.

CARTERTON DISTRICT COUNCIL

Last week’s crossword solution

ACROSS: 1 Agree,

As keen as mustard, 14 Laugh,

Mar,

Roost,

Mending,

Hibernate,

17 Cycle,

Sentry,

Ascending, 27 Bedeck, 28 Droopy, 33 Fraudulent, 35 Goo, 36 Streak, 37 Miss, 39 Sun, 41 Captain, 42 Angles, 43 Enchilada, 44 Orbit, 45 Betrayal, 50 Em, 51 Pleasing, 55 Acorn, 58 Reprimand, 59 Top ten, 60 Strolls, 61 Ash, 63 Sock, 64 Neared, 65 Urn, 66 Shimmering, 68 Pallid, 69 Unsure, 71 Sculpting, 76 Badger, 77 Itinerant, 79 Consent, 81 Ice, 84 Eyrie, 85 Immigrated, 86 Ennui, 87 Nadir, 88 Around the corner, 89 Acted.

DOWN: 2 Glower, 3 Eased, 5 Sink, 6 Elation, 7 Nausea, 8 Satin, 9 Updated, 10 Tack, 11 Racket, 12 Dummy, 13 Charity, 14 Lecture, 18 Insecurity, 23 Adieu, 24 Scarlet, 26 Shutter, 27 Blossom, 29 Origami, 30 Grease, 31 Agile, 32 Cancel, 34 Tint, 36 Snubs, 38 Slang, 40 Diva, 45 Birds, 46 Typical, 47 Aria, 48 Azalea, 49 Nomad, 50 Enthuse, 52 Estimation, 53 Sporran, 54 Nylons, 55 Adoring, 56 Spine, 57 Jets, 62 Filly, 67 Fiddler, 68 Patient, 70 Untried, 72 Centaur, 73 Terror, 74 Tragic, 75 Endure, 76 Beads, 78 Nymph, 80 Sonic, 82 Menu, 83 Here.