Wairarapa Midweek Wed 17 April

programme bringing in an influx of young musicians to both its pipe section and drum corps.

It’s a truth commonly acknowledged that bagpipes are polarising – and loud.

To fans of the cacophonous Scottish instrument, however, they are pure magic: And a lively and dexterous group of youngsters are helping keep the magic of pipe and drum music alive in Wairarapa.

Wairarapa’s pipe band, the Fern and Thistle, has had a resurgence over the last 12 months, with its new learner

The Fern and Thistle, active in Wairarapa since the 1960s, started its learner programme last year, to help grow the band’s membership and pass the skill of pipe and drum music – a rich part of Scotland’s history since the early 17th century – down to the next generation.

To bring some youthful exuberance into the fold, the senior band members ran “a recruitment drive” to

reach out to young people: Delivering fliers, advertising on Facebook, and playing concerts at local schools.

The learner programme now encompasses about 20 “juniors”, aged between five and 14 [plus a couple of adult learners], all receiving tutelage from the band’s seasoned musos at weekly rehearsals. And the tamariki have proven their melodious and rhythmic chops: Going on to perform with the band at local events, and even playing on the competitive stage.

When Midweek called into a Thursday rehearsal at the Masterton District Brass Bandroom, the juniors’ practice session was in full swing. In fact, it was hard to be heard above the clatter of drumsticks on tables and the notes of the old favourites – “Scotland the Brave” and “The Rowan Tree” – sounded out on the chanter [“like a big recorder”].

Piper Mike Turner, who was working alongside eight-year-old Lexie Monks as she refined her rendition of “Amazing Grace”, said the

band previously had a mostly older membership – and the juniors have helped give it a new lease on life.

“I joined in 2016 – and I was pretty much the youngest member,” Turner, whose young son and daughters have now joined the band, said.

“We had to think about succession, and who was going to keep it going. So, we made a concerted effort to reach out to the kids.”

Continued on page 3

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

Youth breathe life into pipe band

Continued from page 1

Fellow pipes tutor Natasha Senior said it had been “fantastic” to see the learners’ enthusiasm, both for the music and their Celtic heritage.

“You either love or hate the bagpipes – but these guys are really keen. It’s a difficult instrument [to learn], but they keep turning up week after week,” she said.

“A lot of our juniors got involved because they had a family member who was a piper, or because they have a Scottish background. It’s cool to see them keeping their heritage alive.

“And the pipes are loud – kids love that! The neighbours always know when it’s time to practise.”

The hours of practice have paid off for several of the juniors, who have played alongside Fern and Thistle’s senior line-up at the Masterton and Greytown Christmas parades [in full tartan], and at a recent concert at a local rest home.

Last month, eight of

the juniors took part in the Pipes in the Park event – a celebration of Scottish music and dance – held at Waitangi Park in Wellington. There, they got to showcase the skills they’ve built up in their first solo competition.

Though it was a less formal affair, with no

awards or gradings, the tamariki were still excited to perform for and receive feedback from the judges.

“It was a great

Positive and practical solutions coming for Wairarapa parents

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

An upcoming parenting programme, designed with Wairarapa whānau and their children in mind, aims to help families tackle life together with big hearts, good humour and evidence-based solutions.

Parenting Today, delivered by the Wairarapa Safer Community Trust [WSCT] with support from Carterton District Council, will be held in Carterton

over eight weeks, beginning next month. The programme, facilitated by veteran parenting educator Sam Williams, is aimed at parents of children aged three to 12 years old – and focuses on building positive family relationships, and on pragmatic choices and strategies for managing parenting challenges that may arise.

Williams said the course explores topics such as encouraging cooperation, talking about emotions, setting healthy

boundaries, and building children’s self-esteem. The programme also provides a safe space for attendees to talk openly about the issues they face as parents and caregivers.

This is the third year WSCT has run Parenting Today in Carterton – and Williams said she has received “great feedback” from participants.

“Last year we had a wonderful group of mums and dads who all contributed to the success of the programme,” Williams said.

experience. They got to dress up in their uniforms and perform for an audience,” Senior said. “They introduced themselves to the judges

“Some of the feedback we got was that parents appreciated being able to discuss real-world scenarios, that it’s facilitated by people

Tuesday 7 May, 2-5pm

We are an integrated day and boarding school for years 7-13 with Anglican Special Character. Established in 1914, we have a rich history with strong traditions.

At years 12 and 13 our girls attend Rathkeale/ St Matthew’s Senior College.

afterwards, and got notes on what they can improve on. On the whole, the feedback was very positive.” Pipe and drum music is far from easy to grasp. The drum corps requires an impeccable sense of rhythm to “hold [a piece of music] together”, Senior said: The side drummers providing the intricate staccato beats, and the tenor drummers adding the timpani, with the twirling of their drum sticks [similar to poi] bringing a visual spectacle.

Pipers have to master playing tunes on the chanter, and use their arm to manipulate the bellows, while balancing the drones – which create the harmonies – over their shoulder.

“It’s quite technical –and they’ve got to do all that while remembering their music, keeping time with the rest of the band, and marching down the street. There’s a lot of coordination,” Senior said.

“It usually takes about six months to a year of practice on the chanter before you can move up to a full set of pipes.

who know what it’s like to be a parent, and that we approach things with humour. Because it’s really tricky to be a parent without a sense of humour!

“My aim is to help provide parents with practical, evidence-based strategies that really work — in a supportive, caring, non-judgemental environment.”

Williams has worked in parent education since 1988 – and has written and facilitated parenting programmes in Ruatoria, Dannevirke and Pahiatua. She has also delivered well-known programmes such as Incredible Years and Triple P. As a parenting educator, Williams is passionate

When we’re playing with the juniors, we slow the tunes down a bit at first. But we find they pick up the music really quickly.” The band is particularly proud of the growth of its drum corps, particularly its middle section [tenor and bass drums] – now consisting of young players Aoife Turner and Ellie Kerr, and veteran tenor drummer and tutor Chris Deterling, who spent several years with the New Zealand Police pipe band.

“Now that we’ve grown our middle section, it feels like we’re a completely different band. Our playing capabilities, our song choices, our confidence have all improved,” Deterling said.

“We can actually give a performance that makes people go, ‘wow, they’re from a small rural town?’ And the young ones are great – they’re giving us oldies a run for our money!”

• For more information, visit the Wairarapa Fern and Thistle Facebook page, or email fernandthistle21@ gmail.com

about delivering programmes that focus on issues most relevant to local communities. For many parents, she said, these often include social media influence, dealing with screen addictions, and navigating “confusing information” online.

In running this year’s course, Williams will be supported by her WSCT colleague, Dave Smith — an experienced youth coach and parent.

• Parenting Today will be held at Carterton District Council on Wednesday mornings from 9.30am-11.30am, beginning on May 8 and ending June 26. To secure a place, please text Sam Williams on 021 509 626.

ABOVE: Several of the young learners are now part of the band’s core membership.

RIGHT: The young pipers and drummers warm up ahead of the solo competitions at Pipes in the Park in Wellington.

PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

Dave Smith and Sam Williams will be facilitating this year’s Parenting Today programme in Carterton, delivered by the Wairarapa Safer Community Trust.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Family reunion marks 185 years

Lucy Cooper lucy.cooper@age.co.nz

A prominent Wairarapa family will celebrate 185 years in New Zealand this month – with over 100 people coming from across New Zealand and overseas this weekend to mark the occasion.

The founding father of the Tankersleys in New Zealand, Thomas William Tankersley, arrived on these shores in 1839, following what the family history – prepared for the 1989 reunion – describes as an “unpremeditated and unexpected” departure from England.

“TWT [as he is known within the whānau] was a bit naughty,” Lyn Tankersley, one of his great-great-grandchildren and organiser of the upcoming reunion, said.

But there was another side to TWT: “He did incredible things,” Lyn said. “He was an importer of wine and oil, and the importer of the first racehorses to New Zealand, which he rode in races himself.

“He owned Upland Farm, which became the botanical gardens in Wellington. And he opened pubs on the foreshore in Wellington and had his own ship pier. He was pretty on to it.”

TWT moved to Masterton in the 1850s after the 7.5-magnitude Marlborough earthquake in 1848, which caused substantial damage to the Wellington area.

Organising the two-day event, which will be hosted at Rathkeale College, has been a huge undertaking for Lyn, husband Hayden McGrail, and her siblings and cousins.

a big photo shoot of all the generations together, and we’ve got a website of all the family history,” Lyn said. “We are printing nice big family trees which have a lot of photographs included on them – they will be displayed on the walls.

Still, she is wellpractised at gathering the clans, having helped her father, Hector Tankersley [fondly referred to as “Tank”], pull together the 1989 event.

“Back then, we

had to post everything out to everybody,” Lyn explained. “There was no internet or computers. This time I’ve done five newsletters, and they’ve all been emailed.”

She has very fond memories of that reunion, which was widely covered in the Wairarapa TimesAge at the time.

“There were masses of

people there – we had so many people come. It was just fantastic, all the hugs, the smiles, meeting people for the first time. It was just very, very special.”

With family attending Saturday’s reunion ranging in age between six months and 90-plus, Lyn is excited for this latest gathering.

“We, of course, have got

“We’ve got a memorabilia room, and we are having a family quiz, and there will be lots of things for the children to do. Local historian Neil Frances is our guest speaker on Saturday night, and we’ve got the band Grafia coming in – so there will be dancing.”

Attendees will also be gifted commemorative fridge magnets and placemats, which Lyn has designed herself.

The reunion is also an opportunity to honour two ancestors who are buried locally at Masterton’s Archer St cemetery, but do not have headstones.

The second is to mark Sydney, one of TWT and Sarah’s grandchildren, who died at the age of eight in a house fire.

The remembrance is very important to Lyn, who wants “to know everybody’s got a headstone. I’m really, really proud of the fact that we have done that.”

“We are unveiling two headstones at the local cemetery,” Lyn said. “One is for Thomas Henry [one of TWT’s and wife Sarah’s four children]. He died in 1920 with no descendants.”

In addition to honouring relatives longpassed, the 2024 reunion is a chance to celebrate the younger members of the family, Lyn said.

“When we had the last reunion, we celebrated the oldest of the family who did this, and the oldest of the family who did that. This time we are focusing on the younger generations.

“And it’s going to be not so much about their heritage and where they’ve come from, but where they are now, and what their family means to them now. The legacy that has been handed on to them is very important.”

ABOVE: One side of the commemorative placemats that attendees to the Tankersley family reunion will be gifted. LEFT: Thomas William Tankersley arrived in New Zealand in 1839. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

A group photo taken at the 1989 Tankersley Family Reunion.

Waicare and Marists join forces

Lucy Cooper lucy.cooper@age.co.nz

A Masterton service providing activities for older people has been given a new lease on life – and new premises –thanks to a collaboration with a local sports organisation.

Waicare Day Activity [Waicare], a communitybased day activity programme for older adults who live with a carer or live alone, has moved to Marist Rugby Club and Sports Association [MRCSA] club rooms at Memorial Park on Dixon St.

Waicare was previously Wairarapa Care Network, which started in 2000, and Waicare manager and director Debra Hall was assigned the contract for the day activity in January 2023.

With her “excellent team”, Hall operates three days a week and offers a varied programme of quizzes, housie, live entertainment, indoor bowls, and seasonal events for older people.

Many of those who attend Waicare are connected to the service

through FOCUS, Wairarapa’s needs assessment service coordination agency, which supports people to be as independent as possible. People either get there under their own steam or Waicare will collect them from their home in the newly sign-written minivan.

“We would probably pick up between 20 and 25 people a day,” she said. “We have upwards of 30 people a day attending the service, and Thursday tends to be our busiest day, and we might

have 45 people here.”

Even though some things are still in boxes from the recent relocation, Hall said staff and clients are really enjoying the new space.

“We’ve got the big field [Memorial Park] outside we can use in the summer, there’s somewhere for our clients to park their mobility scooters undercover, and [the MRCSA] has installed two new heat pumps, which is fabulous.”

The heat pumps aren’t the only pieces of new kit

– MRCSA also installed a new dishwasher and oven, so Hall and her “amazing team” can prepare the snacks and home-cooked lunch and pudding served to clients daily.

On the day Midweek visited, roast chicken with all the trimmings was on the menu, followed by fresh cream chocolate eclairs.

Veronica, an energetic, table-tennis-playing 73-year-old, has been a Waicare regular for the past three years.

“I like the people,” she

said. “I like to have fun with them. And because I can’t sit in my chair for long, I help [the staff ] – filling up glasses, scraping the plates, and making myself useful.”

Graham, also known as Slim, enjoys the companionship Waicare offers, getting to know others and occasionally indulging in a little singing. He’s also a big fan of the kai.

“Excellent meals here. I take my hat off to them.”

The relocation to MRCSA’s club rooms

from Waicare’s former home at St Matthew’s Church Hall is an arrangement that’s been “good for all parties”, Tony Beech, MRCSA’s treasurer, said – and has revitalised what was “a grossly underutilised asset”.

“With this collaboration, we’ve discovered there is something we can actually do.”

“It’s a beautiful service [Waicare] provides, and it’s getting use for our club rooms, which normally sit empty apart from the cricket and rugby season.

“We can still use it on the weekends for our after-matches, and we can still use our changing facilities in the week.”

For Hall and her team, Waicare’s new home means they can continue to provide a service which aims to give older people “a great day”.

“That’s what we are here for.”

• Waicare is open Tuesday to Thursday from 8.30am to 2pm. For more information, contact Debra Hall at waicareactivities@ gmail.com or 027 315 7773.

Sta

PHOTO/LUCY COOPER

Celebrating kai for our tamariki

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

A keen group of Wairarapa whānau braved the miserable weather last Friday for a cozy morning of connection, celebration and [arguably the most important] kai – for all ages.

Wairarapa REAP’s Rangitumau room was filled with the chatter and squeals of excitable babies and toddlers, who had gathered, together with their parents, for this year’s Big Latch On [BLO] event on April 12. The event was one of several around Aotearoa, where parents meet to feed their infants and young children in community spaces. BLO events, promoted by charitable trust Women’s Health Action, are organised to support families on their feeding journey, by providing safe and accepting environments where they can nourish their tamariki – breastfed, or otherwise.

The Wairarapa event, organised by Breastfeeding Wairarapa and the Pēpe Ora network, attracted over 40 people, with children ranging from three weeks to four years. Parents and caregivers

enjoyed hot drinks, light refreshments and a catch up, while their pēpi [babies] fed to their heart’s content, and their older siblings got stuck into the colouring books and toys provided.

Breastfeeding Wairarapa coordinator and lactation consultant Julie Foley said the original BLO, now a global event, started in New Zealand in 2005, as an attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest number of women breastfeeding simultaneously.

BLO later evolved

into an annual event to promote and normalise breastfeeding, including feeding in public, as a part of everyday life.

Nowadays, Foley said, BLO events are open to families “on all kinds of feeding journeys” –whether they’re nursing, formula feeding, or a combination of the two.

“It’s an event to celebrate whānau who are feeding their babies –whatever that looks like,” she said.

“There are many potential ways to feed a baby or toddler:

Breastfeeding, bottle feeding, exclusively, mixed feeding, or solids. It’s important that we acknowledge the parents doing a great job caring for their babies in the way that works best for their family.

“Plus, it’s an opportunity for parents to connect with likeminded people and receive support from local services.”

Foley said BLO events have been held in Wairarapa for the past decade, usually during World Breastfeeding Week in Early August. The BLO

took a hiatus of several years during covid-19, but returned in 2023 –now held in April when the weather is typically warmer.

When not hosting community events, Foley provides breastfeeding support to new parents, both at Wairarapa Hospital and at home, and can also assist with bottle feeding, expressing breastmilk [manually or via an electronic pump], weaning older babies, and starting infants on solid foods. She also hosts the

weekly Little Latch On at Hōkai Tahi – where parents can connect with one another, and ask advice on anything relating to infant feeding.

• Parents unable to attend this year’s inperson BLO events can share a “brelfie” – a selfie photograph of them breastfeeding their pēpi – on the Big Latch On Aotearoa Facebook page, or upload it to the Women’s Health Action website [www. womens-health. org.nz/]

ABOVE: Kayla Burgess [left] and Evie Wood feed daughters Riley and Emmie, both 3 months old. LEFT: Vynessa Smith [left] and son Gryff Wright [7 months], with Pēpe Ora kaiawhina Gabrielle Morgan and Malili Waenga, and Gabrielle’s son Tuhawaiki-Paku Waiti [6 months]. PHOTOS/ERIN KAVANAGH-HALL

Hallelujah for community choir

Lucy Cooper lucy.cooper@age.co.nz

The Greytown Community Choir was established earlier this year with help from Greytown Little Theatre [GLT] and is “off to a strong start”, Alan De La Mare, vice president of the GLT committee said.

“This is a fun group,” he said. “People are here to have fun and to sing. They are a group of people doing what they love, together.”

GLT first started working on setting up a community choir in Greytown about 12 months ago, when a fellow GLT committee member explained he was looking for a new place to practice his passion for group singing.

“He is an older gentleman, and his

memory is not so good. The choir he was with decided to become more formal and learn their songs, not read them, so he left that group,” De La Mare explained. “The GLT committee started to wonder, ‘how can we help?’, and we decided to help facilitate a choir for Greytown.”

Initial public interest in the idea was high, with nearly 50 people attending the first community meeting on

the topic. The search for a musical director, however, proved elusive. Until this year, when De La Mare caught a lucky break.

“On one day, I received two separate, completely independent emails: One saying, ‘When will the choir get going’, and another saying, ‘I know someone who may be interested in the music director role’. And it all kicked off again.”

The first meeting of

the choir attracted 32 singers of all ages and abilities, De La Mare said.

“One person who came along the first night said, ‘I love singing in the shower’. Another said, ‘I love singing, but I can’t read music’, and one lady said, ‘I’ve never sung in a group, but I’d like to’.”

On the evening Midweek added its voice to the choir [in the soprano section], the light, bright space of St

Andrew’s was filled with about 20 singers being led through Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence”, followed by Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” by music director Lisa McLeod, and accompanied by Louise Aitken on piano.

Greytown local Judy had last sung in her school choir and “loved to sing”, and appreciated the choir being on her doorstep.

Nicole travelled in

from Gladstone, and had been encouraged to join a community choir after recently completing a course for non-singers.

“I love the harmonies,” she said. “It’s lovely to be together in harmony, to be bathed in harmony.”

The choir’s director, McLeod, has recently moved to Greytown from Wellington, and teaches music at Kuranui College.

“This is a fun choir. We are doing just a big selection of music from the 60s and 70s, and pop and reggae. Whether you can read music or not, or whether you can listen to it by ear, you are welcome,” she said.

Accompanist Aitken agreed: “All are welcome,” she said.

“We are trying to do music that is achievable, approachable, and generally songs that everyone knows.”

• The Choir meets on Wednesday nights, 7pm to 8.30pm, at St Andrews Union Church, 63 Main St, Greytown. Interested? Contact Alan De La Mare on 0274 417 539.

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Stand outside St Andrew’s Union Church on Greytown’s Main Street on a Wednesday evening, and you might hear “the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift” of Wairarapa’s latest musical ensemble.

The Greytown Community Choir, led by music director Lisa McLeod. PHOTO/LUCY COOPER

GardenYarn with GardenBarn

It’s Time To Plant

A Forest of Ferns

It can be hard to nd time to sit back and relax in this face paced world we live in, but it is very important for our mental well being to try and clear our minds and take time out for ourselves. The forest is a wonderful place to get some peace & quiet, so why not create your very own Forest of Ferns right in your backyard!

There are many ferns that are suitable for home gardens, and they can ll all sorts of areas. They offer fabulous foliage with different textures and forms; some grow into tall trees providing a lush canopy; some are ground covers; some grow in pots making an interesting focal point on a shady patio; and there are even types that grow happily in hanging baskets or indoors.

If you choose and plant wisely then they will be easy to grow and care for. Different varieties require different situations to thrive, but for all the amount of light & moisture received is very important. Most ferns are shade lovers. If they receive too much light their stems can thicken and the fronds go yellow; too dark and the fronds will be spindly and elongated. The right amount of moisture is also important, especially while they’re establishing. They don’t like to dry out so keep them moist, but don’t let them have wet feet. Watering deep into the root zone helps with this, as well as preparing the soil

Dicksonia squarrossa

Plants for colour

Spring Bulbs go in now

Dryopteris erythrora

Ferns for the Home Garden

Tree Fern/Ponga

Dicksonia brosa

 Reddish brown, very thick and distinctive trunk;

 Only grows 10cm per year;

 Sturdy with tidy appearance

 Tolerates sun (with mulch), dry shade, & cold

Brown Tree Fern/Ponga

Dicksonia squarrosa

 Hardy & fast growing

 Suits the smaller, shadier areas of the garden with smaller fronds & spread

 Will tolerate some full sun, drier conditions & light winds

Mountain Kiokio

Blechnum procerum

 A great landscaping groundcover fern

 Easy to grow, makes a good ller

 Forms a bushy clump that spreads slowly by underground rhizomes

 Bronze-orange coloured fronds

 Tolerates a range of situations from shady banks to open sun

Soft Tree Fern/Katote

Cyathea smithii

 Produces masses of very soft, delicate looking fronds

 Fronds spread horizontally from the crown

 Trunk is covered in chestnut coloured scales

Silver Fern

Cyathea dealbata

 Well known NZ icon

 The fronds form a shuttlecock shape & the underside turns silverywhite

Rosy Maidenhair

Adiantum hispidulum

 A great choice for underplanting & revegetation

 The fronds are a light red shade & can reach around 50cm

 Popular for indoors & outdoors

 Frost tender

 Mature height 1.5m

Water Fern

Blechnum uviatile

 Forms bright green fronds up to 50cm long

 Fronds stand erect from the centre of the plant

 Ground hugging growth habit

Plants for HEALTH

well before planting.

We recommend digging a hole twice the size of the root ball and lling with some Daltons Garden Mix, ican Real Blood and Bone and ican Slow Food. If your soil is heavy and drains poorly add in some gypsum as well.

Place the plant so it’s positioned level to where it was in the pot, back ll, then add some Daltons Mulch and Grow around the area (avoid the mulch touching the stem). This will help protect the shallow roots, conserve water, and help maintain humidity.

If planting ferns in pots it’s important to use a mix that has good drainage; make sure the pot doesn’t sit in water, and keep away from full sun and wind.

Elephant & Printanor Garlic bulbs

Plants for FOLIAGE

Deciduous Trees for Autumn colour

Cyathea smithii

Plants for PRIVACY

Large grades for instant screening

Annual event sprouts success Carterton

Freddie Wilkie freddie.wilkie@age.co.nz

The Lions Club of Carterton recently concluded its annual Spud N Bag competition for 2024 –with over 200 starchy entries vying for top of the potato podium.

The competition – a fundraiser for various community projects in the Carterton district – has been held since the 1990s, with some growers [and now several generations of their families] having taken part since the early days.

This year’s event was pitched at everyone –whether you were “an experienced potato grower who takes pride in their harvest each year” or have “never grown potatoes before in your life”.

Event organiser and veteran Carterton Lion John Fauvel said the 2024 competition actually kicked off in October last year – to allow people the opportunity to grow a good potato.

“Competitors were given a grow bag and seed potatoes about 100 days ago,” he said.

“They can grow the spud in any material such as soil, potting mix and straw.”

Once their potato crops had flourished, the Lions hosted the weighin, judging and awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, March 24.

“The competition is split into adults and kids categories. First and second prizes went to the highest total crop weight,” Fauvel said.

“There are also awards for the heaviest single potato, the most potatoes grown, most unusual in shape, and the

encouragement award for the smallest potato.”

With a bumper batch of entries to choose from, judges eventually arrived at two first prize winners, choosing Jonathan Smith for the adult section and Mason Fauvel in the junior category.

Coming in second were Dan Fauvel [adults] and Liam Fauvel [juniors].

Once the taters were examined and weighed, they were either given back to their growers or donated to the Carterton Foodbank, Fauvel said.

The competition had 34 sponsors from local businesses, and all profits went “straight back to the community.”

One winter’s day in 1988, Carterton Playcentre parents gathered up their kids and headed for a picnic in Greytown Park.

Many of these children will be heading toward their 40s now – and we won’t mention the grown ups’ ages!

Some are still living in Wairarapa. See who you can recognise.

Carterton Playcentre, on the corner of Howard Booth Park, was

officially opened in April 1980, after hearty fundraising by a team of enthusiastic parents.

The late Peter King was chair of the building committee and Peter Chisholm, as Carterton Mayor, opened the purposebuilt building.

The Playcentre has been the heart of early childhood fun and activities, and many long-term friendships have been formed there, both for children and the adults.

Some happy spud growers. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

What will the next 10 years look like?

Council proposes options for big decisions

Masterton District Council wants the community’s views on its proposed Long-Term Plan (LTP) for 2024-34. All councils are required to produce LTPs every three years spelling out what they intend to do – and how they intend to pay for it.

Over the next 10 years it is planned to spend $159.9 million on roading, $51.2million on water, $30.9m on wastewater, $12.2m on stormwater, $90.9m on community facilities and parks, and $1.2m on solid waste.

The impact on next years rates, based on the budgets in the proposed LTP, is an overall average increase in 2024/25 of 10.6 per cent. This varies between urban and rural - the average increase for urban ratepayers will be 9.3 per cent and the average for rural ratepayers 14.8 per cent. Changes in valuations will cause variations around those percentages.

Consultation has opened on MDC’s latest plan, called Tō Wāhi, Tō Mahere – Your Place, Your Plan. Some big decisions are required on options for Masterton’s old Town Hall, Masterton library and archive, and town centre improvements, as well as funding proposals.

Mayor Gary Ca ell says after a lot of work by sta and elected members to

develop the proposed plan, it is time for the community to have their say.

“You will see we are again asking for your views on some key decisions about a Town Hall, our library, and improving infrastructure in our town centre. These projects were included in the last Long-Term Plan in 2021, but increasing costs mean we believe a change of tack is required.

“We’re also proposing some e ciencies now to reduce the rates impact and have a range of reviews planned to ensure services are meeting our community’s needs and being delivered in the most e cient way.”

Three options for...

The Town Hall

Three options are proposed for the Town Hall building, found to be earthquake-prone in 2016: The Council’s Preferred Option – Demolish the Town Hall and Municipal Buildings and build a new Town Hall on the current Town Hall site, retain the Municipal Building façade, and expand Waiata House. Cost: $42.6 million.

Alternative Option 1 – Demolish the Town Hall and build a new Town Hall on the site; retain and refurbish the existing Municipal Building including façade; and retain Waiata House. Cost: $49.9 million (noting high risk and uncertainty around costs and feasibility).

The Council’s Preferred Option and Alternative Option 1 include provision and budget to retain the Municipal Building façade. The estimated cost to do this is $1.97 million.

The library and archive

The Masterton District Library building is currently no longer fit for purpose, and also has a range of maintenance issues that need to be addressed, including water damage, mould, and a leaking roof. The Council’s Preferred Option –Upgrade and expand the Library and consider in future a further extension to include the Archive. Cost: $10.75 million.

It’s your place. It’s your Plan. Have your say!

Alternative Option 2 – Demolish the Town Hall and Municipal Building and do not replace these buildings; retain Waiata House and the leased Queen Street o ce. Cost: $3.57 million. The 2021-31 Long-Term Plan included plans to refurbish Masterton’s town centre while carrying out essential work on the underground water main.

Alternative Option 1 – Upgrade and expand the Library and include the Archive now. Cost: $14.66 million.

Alternative Option 2 – Complete essential Library repairs and maintenance only. Cost: $2.3 million.

Town centre improvements

Costs to deliver the Town Centre Revamp project have escalated significantly since 2021, and the Council thinks this is no longer a ordable for our community at this time. But the essential infrastructure work still needs to be done.

The Council’s Preferred Option –Complete essential work to improve water and roading infrastructure in the town centre. There would be no other improvements to Queen Street. Cost: $6.48 million

Alternative Option – Complete essential work to renew water and roading infrastructure in the town centre, and redevelop the town centre to improve to ‘look and feel’ of that space. Cost: $14.12 million.

But wait, there’s more...

The Council is also proposing making funding for community groups and organisations contestable, and the following changes to services:

y reduce Wairarapa Economic Development (WEDS) funding

y cease funding for regional Walking and Cycling facilitation

y cease funding for regional Positive Ageing facilitation

y seek further external funding for Welcoming Communities facilitation beyond 2025

y increase the Community-Led Climate Initiatives Fund rather than funding Climate Activation facilitation beyond April 2026.

Opinion

A cold wind is blowing now

Is it me, or is it cold in here?

I’m not talking about the weather – surprising for a Brit.

I am referring to the current Leadership Empathy Deficit [LED for short], which, alongside the persistent cost of living crisis, is making me twitchy, upset, and desperate for a hug [figuratively speaking].

Coalition politicians have been peppering their pronouncements with a mix of aggressive rhetoric and chilling insouciance.

Shane Jones set the tone back in December last year, when he went for Mother Nature’s throat in his address to the House.

Who can forget this tubthumper: “We are going to extract the dividend from Mother Nature’s legacy on the DOC estate in those areas previously called stewardship land.”

And in case you didn’t get that at the back, he dropped this pearler:

The scoop with Coops

Lucy Cooper

“If there is a mining opportunity and it’s impeded by a blind frog –goodbye, Freddy.”

But recent policy announcements demonstrate you don’t necessarily need to raise a verbal fist to exhibit a loose relationship with empathy. The mic-drop that was the changes to purchasing rules for disabled Kiwis’ equipment and support services – which burst onto the scene with immediate effect and without consultation – is a good example.

But it didn’t take Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds long to lambast carers as a cheap way of justifying her failure to talk to those affected by the changes.

As reported on 1 News: “Asked why the Government didn’t first consult with the

community over the policy change, Simmonds said she understood ‘carers who have been using the funding for their personal care’ were ‘upset about losing that’.” Hmmm.

Then there’s Housing Minister Chris Bishop and his very recent announcement of changes to rental laws, which will enable landlords to terminate tenancies without a specific reason – called “no-cause termination”.

In an interview with RNZ’s Corin Dan, Bishop insisted that this move wouldn’t accentuate the power imbalance between landlords and renters, and even went so far as to call the changes “pro-tenant.” Green Party spokesperson for housing Tamatha Paul highlighted the potential emotional and

social impact of this move on tenants.

“Bringing back no-cause evictions will be a constant reminder to renters that they are at the whim of their landlord. It means constantly being on edge about whether you are secure in your home or not.”

Finally, Minister of Broadcasting Melissa Lee has shown how effective silence – or maybe that’s incoherence – can be in conveying apparent indifference.

The Spinoff ’s Stewart Sowman-Lund published an article detailing Lee’s “five most baffling moments” following the announcement Newshub was closing with the potential loss of about 300 jobs.

Sowman-Lund’s last example is of Newstalk ZB’s Heather du PlessisAllan accusing Lee of being “very weird and shady” in her refusal to talk about the Cabinet paper that might/might not have been written, which might/might not outline support for the media sector.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be

Please include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication.

Major roadworks for SH2 Chapel Street

NZTA Wellington Transport Alliance are upgrading sections of the road on Chapel Street, Masterton. This will mean significant disruption to residents, businesses and to people who will travel via Chapel Street, between April and June.

Work is set to commence Sunday 21 April and is expected to be completed by early June, weather permitting. The majority of roadworks will take place during the night when there’s fewer road users and we’ll need to close one side of the road at all times throughout the works.

During this time, vehicles will need to detour via Dixon Street as shown in the detour map.

These sections of road have reached the end of their life cycle and a deep reconstruction of the road is required to ensure road user safety and reliability.

We would like to thank the community in advance for their patience and understanding while we do this work. Please make sure you follow speed restrictions and respect the crew working on the road.

For more information, please visit nzta.govt.nz/wta-chapelstreet

surprised that the winds of political change are decidedly chilly.

According to a paper published in 2023, studies have shown that those on the left of the political spectrum report higher levels of empathy than those on the right.

But isn’t it enough that, according to the job cuts tracker maintained by RNZ, over 1500 jobs have been cut across the public service to date, that Aotearoa’s inflation rate will remain “relatively high” throughout this year, that the economy is cooling and the labour market is tight, and that the number of families in emergency housing keeps rising, without our elected representatives gloating about it?

For every job loss, every tenancy termination, every bill that lands on the mat and can’t be paid, people are affected. Real, live people, just like you, and your friends and your neighbours and your whānau.

The politicians might forget that – but you don’t have to.

The Wairarapa Midweek is subject to New Zealand Media Council procedures. A complaint must rst be directed in writing to the editor’s email address. If not satis ed with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council P.O Box 10-879, Wellington 6143. Or use the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz.

FIVE MINUTES WITH ...

MIDWEEK PHOTOS

As I child, I loved to… Create, paint, draw –anything art and craft.

Becs Reilly, artist and illustrator

My favourite thing to do on a rainy afternoon is… Get all snuggly and watch a movie.

Making art makes me

Challenged and free. I love experimenting and being surprised by the results!

I discovered I could draw when… I learned to hold a pencil. We can all draw if we can hold a pencil. But we compare ourselves to others and that’s

what makes you judge yourself harshly, and creates this idea that we “can’t draw”. Lies! We can all draw.

My friends and family would say I am… Mad as a hatter. Fiercely loyal. A terrible singer – I sing very loud when they say that!

The thing I love about Wairarapa is… The people and the views.

The best piece of advice I have ever been given is… Never stop learning, and love yourself –you’re wonderful.

care what it’s on.

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.

READER PHOTOS

My favourite comfort food is… Gravy – and I don’t

The superpower I would most like to have is…

Controlling the elements. I feel like that would be very practical and come in handy daily.

CONTACT US

Being involved in the Wairarapa Library Service StoryWalk® has been… So beautiful! I used to walk that path and read the stories when pregnant, and later with my baby, Maeve, in the pram. To be able to read the book I illustrated, Ziggy and His Wiggly Mind, to my kiddo is dream-cometrue material, and I feel very grateful!

You may share your opinion in print and online. To comment online, message our Facebook page and feel free to comment on any of the stories. Please email letters to midweek@age.co.nz or post to Wairarapa Midweek letters, P.O. Box 445, Masterton. Include name, address, and phone number. Noms de plume are not accepted. Letter writers’ town of origin will be published with the letter. Letters should be no more than 250 words, and may be edited for space and clarity.

Once again, there’s nowhere like Wairarapa when it comes to red skies! Reader Marlene sent in this stunning shot of the autumn sunrise above her home in Mikimiki.

PHOTO/MARLENE DITCHFIELD

A “breathtaking sunrise”! Reader Kathryn took this spectacular photo on an early morning stroll around Henley Lake in Masterton. PHOTO/KATHRYN WILTON

Becs Reilly is an artist, illustrator and owns Ventanta in Martinborough. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Extra

The quiet light of Sinclair’s landscapes

Masterton painter Jane Sinclair has finally finished painting her new works for her upcoming exhibition, “Quiet Observations”, on display at Aratoi from midApril until June 1. Sinclair has been inspired by the physical landscape of the mountains, hills, valleys, rivers, and coastlines of Wairarapa and New Zealand. This geology, combined with our country’s dynamic weather patterns, creates vast cloudscapes that affect how the light falls on the land and water.

“Quiet Observations” will be her first solo show in nearly a decade. With three solo exhibitions with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and two at Aratoi over 20 years, she is a master of her genre. The exhibition comprises 12 landscapes, some instantly recognisable and some a little more unknown. Her painting of Mitre Peak at Milford Sound immediately draws the eye.

“I don’t like to paint the same scenes as everyone

ROGER THAT! ARATOI

else,” she said. “I will try a different viewpoint, or paint at dawn or dusk. The colours and atmosphere are fabulous then.”

Aratoi’s Becky Bateman, who is curating the show, particularly loves Sinclair’s painting of the Whatataki Coastline in Wairarapa.

“I love how she has painted a different viewpoint of Castlepoint and the famous lighthouse. You can just see it in the background near Castle Rock, amongst the jewellike sea.”

Sinclair has borrowed some of her works from private collections around the region, as well as using some pieces that hang on her wall at home. She has also been busy painting several new works for the show.

“It has been six months of intensive painting, so has really tested me. But I’m looking forward to seeing a body of work on display, because I haven’t done a show in so long.”

Sinclair will be talking about her exhibition on Saturday, April 20, at 11am at Aratoi.

More awards for global connections

The Wairarapa Radio And Zello Enthusiasts [WRAZE] network has kicked off 2024 with another club meeting and another haul of awards for its members.

Club coordinator Shaun Evans hosted the prizegiving ceremony at the end of March, kicking off the night with the Echo Awards: Which celebrate a club member making “first contact” with fellow radio and Zello enthusiasts in New Zealand or overseas.

Ian Real, Josie Howells, Brian Hart, Rose Campbell and Peter Swain were all winners, with contacts made in Taynuilt in the

“All throughout art history, light has captured the artist’s eye, and I am no different. I constantly observe how light changes through the day and through the seasons. The quality and colours of the light alter, depending on the geology, the

latitude and the altitude. I’m excited to share my process in the talk.”

Earlier this year, Sinclair was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to art and education.

She has served as president of the Masterton

Scottish Highlands, Kentucky and Utah in the USA, Wolverhampton and South Yorkshire in England, and – a little closer to home – Bunbury, a coastal city in Western Australia.

The latest winners follow WRAZE members’ strong tradition of making interesting and diverse connections, with previous contact locations including the Bronx in New York City, Phoenix in the US state of Arizona, and Rotherham in England.

The “12 weeks of Summer”’ Bingo Net

Art Club and was the founding chair of ConArt Gallery and Studios. When she isn’t painting commissions, she runs painting classes for adults.

• Jane Sinclair’s “Quiet Observations” runs from April 20June 1.

made using the Zello app on Android or Apple smartphones.

The club has about 15 members, Evans said, and its focus is to raise awareness of what WRAZE does and steadily grow the group.

“We’d particularly like to reach out to people who are feeling lonely in our community,” Evans said.

Champion Shield went to Tara Jack, who received a certificate and prize.

The online club fundraiser – a “guess the lollies in the jar” classic – was won by Sonya Bateman, whose guesstimate of 93 lollies was the closest.

A special presentation

LOST YOUR DOG?

Has your dog gone for a wander? Let Animal Services staff know using the Masterton District Council website: www.mstn.govt.nz

You can also add a photo, which wil help staff keeping an eye out for the dog. Type ”lost dog” into the search bar on the homepage of the website. The link to the form for reporting a lost dog will appear at the top of the page.

Dogs that are registered and microchipped, and wearing a current registration tag, are more likely to be returned to their owner without being impounded, provided the owner contact details are up to date.

was made to WRAZE member Hayley Semmens, who is leaving the region for Feilding.

The evening was rounded off with a shared supper and video night.

At WRAZE, members learn amateur radio concepts and procedures, with all communications

“Even though we use [cell phone] technology, there is nothing better than using your voice rather than playing on tech. That’s what we are trying to do –promote people talking to each other.”

• For further information, call Shaun Evans on 06 377 5064, or email skaevans@ hotmail.com.

Jane Sinclair, First Light, Milford Sound, 2023, oil on stretched canvas. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Peter Swain scooped three Radio Echo Awards. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

Tara Jack was the winner of the summer seasonal Bingo Net Shield.

Lifestyle

There is nothing quite like a dotterel. If you are looking at a beach or riverbed, and something scurries at high speed across the sand, then freezes into invisibility, it is probably a dotterel. There are three species of dotterel that breed in Wairarapa: the New Zealand dotterel [tūturiwhatu], the banded dotterel [pohowera], and the black-fronted dotterel. The three species have different histories, habits and habitats. This article is a crash course in recognising and understanding these special birds.

First up is the New Zealand dotterel, the largest of the three: An attractive beach bird and a regular contender for New Zealand Bird of the Year. About the size of a tui, they have a very heavy short bill [for stabbing crabs] and long legs for running fast.

In the breeding season, the males sport a beautiful soft apricot breast. The rest of the year, they dress in a camouflage outfit of greybrown and white.

For most of the 20th century, New Zealand dotterels have been locally extinct in Wairarapa. Only in the last 20 years or so have they been slowly spreading southwards down the coast from Hawke’s Bay. They are now found at places like Mataikona, Castlepoint and Riversdale.

A comprehensive survey by Nikki McArthur, who walked the entire Wairarapa coast last year, found 26 birds. New Zealand dotterels are listed as “at risk”, recovering nationally with perhaps about 2500 birds, and they seem to be slowly recolonising their lost Wairarapa beach habitats.

Dotterels have an ingenious way of feeding called foot-trembling. They tremble the sand/ mud with one foot [think liquefaction in earthquakes], then spear anything they detect moving under there.

Meet the second dotterel – the banded dotterel or pohowera. They are named for the double-breast band in their breeding plumage: A rich rufous red across the breast and a thinner blackish band below the neck. Younger birds and non-breeding birds lack the breast bands, which can make identification tricky. Banded dotterels breed only in New Zealand, but some spend winter over in Australia [not a bad idea]. They are primarily a river bird, at home on the bare braided shingle and gravel banks of our rivers. You may hear their sharp “chip chip” call, anticipating danger,

Banded dotterel. PHOTOS/JENNY DEY

before you see them.

They breed and are found, for example, on the Ruamahanga, Waingawa and Waiohine Rivers, and particularly on the Opouawe River near White Rock. Their nests are unlined scrapes on open gravel.

They lay two or three camouflaged eggs, have camouflaged chicks, and closely care for them for five to six weeks until fledging. Eggs and chicks are incredibly vulnerable to floods, bulldozers, dogs, vehicles, and above all, to being eaten. Trail cameras reveal a nightly onslaught from rats, cats, stoats and hedgehogs. It is a wonder any make it through to adulthood.

Last year’s survey counted 433 birds in Wairarapa, but numbers seem to be in a slow decline. Banded dotterels are usually seen singly or in pairs, but some spend winter over in preferred sites. Flocks of up to 300 birds can occasionally be seen around the shores of Wairarapa Moana.

The third dotterel is the black-fronted dotterel, a recent immigrant from Australia [like many of our birds]. A black-fronted dotterel was first seen in Wairarapa on December 6, 1966, near the confluence of the Waingawa and Ruamahanga Rivers by Bob Stidolph, John Cunningham and Sir Robert Falla.

A slightly smaller bird, the black-fronted dotterel has a reddish bill and eyering, and a black eye-stripe and collar and V-shaped breast band. Quite different colouring from the other two dotterels. You might think they are in competition with banded dotterels for food and real estate, but the two species have different tastes. Blackfronted prefer finer silts and mud, whereas the banded like the stony braids further upstream. Black-fronted dotterel numbers are slowly on the rise, perhaps because their Australian heritage means they are more predator savvy. Next time you are at the beach, look and listen for

some of our most attractive and special dotterel cohabitants. We all have a role to play in ensuring they have a safe future. Firstly, by participating in Predator Free New Zealand trapping programmes, and secondly, by learning to share our rivers and beaches with these locals.

• The Feather Report is supplied by the Wairarapa group of Birds New Zealand. Our bird group is often out and about, seeing where birds are and what they are up to. If you would like to join us, contact Oliver Druce via email at birds.wairarapa@ birdsnz.org.nz

Banded dotterel with young.

Have your say

South Wairarapa District Council is consulting on our 2024-25 Enhanced Annual Plan. This will form the budget for the upcoming year and includes how rates are set.

This year’s proposed budget includes a total rate increase of 15.3% for the 2024-25 year. This continues a significant operational expenditure programme focused on core infrastructure needs, primarily in roading and water services.

To help Council determine what the next year looks like, we need your feedback on three specific consultation topics;

How much should we spend on operating and maintaining our water services?

How should we charge for water use?

How should we pay for the replacement of our assets?

KEY DATES

5 April 2024

Consultation opens

5 May 2024

Consultation closes

15 & 16 May 2024

Hearings

22 May 2024

Deliberations

26 June 2024

Adoption of Enhanced Annual Plan

www.swdc.govt.nz/ enhanced-annual-plan/

The details of these decisions can be found at www.swdc.govt.nz/ enhanced-annual-plan/

It’s important for South Wairarapa communities to have their say about the proposals in the consultation document. We want to hear from you about which proposals you support, and welcome comments on the other areas we’re focusing on. The online form is the quickest and easiest way to make a submission. We look forward to getting your responses, thoughts, and suggestions.

How to provide your feedback

Visit us at a community workshop

Join us at an upcoming community workshop, hosted by your elected members and Council staff. Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to join a conversation around each decision, along with time to ask additional questions.

Featherston:

April 20 | 10.30am – 12pm

Featherston Community Centre

Let us visit you

Do you host community events or meetings?

We’d be happy to visit you and talk about the Enhanced Annual Plan and what it means for you and your group.

Email submissions@swdc.govt.nz or call 06 306 9611.

Complete a submission form

Anyone can make a submission online at www.swdc.govt.nz/enhanced-annual-plan/ or by completing a paper submission form. These can be printed off our website or picked up at the Martinborough Council office or any of our libraries, and returned to us via;

ͧ In person: drop into to any of our libraries or to Council office at 19 Kitchener Street, Martinborough

ͧ Post: PO Box 6, Martinborough 5741

ͧ Emailing: submissions@swdc.govt.nz

You can present your feedback verbally at a hearing (with or without making a written submission first) – in person or via technology (which can be a live or recorded statement).

Talk to an elected member

Get in touch with one of your local elected members. You can find their details on our website.

Anzac Day THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2024

The history of Anzac Day from the RSA

The RSA’s website www.rsa.org.nz succinctly summarises the history of Anzac Day. We’ve replicated that, here.

“The Anzac legend began on 25 April 1915, when around 20,000 soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed under fire on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. For eight long months, New Zealand troops, alongside those from Australia and other allied nations, battled harsh conditions and Ottoman forces desperately fighting to protect their homeland.

“By the time the campaign ended, more than 130,000 soldiers had died: at least 87,000 Ottoman and 44,000 Allied soldiers. Among the dead were 2,779 New Zealanders. Gallipoli

was New Zealand’s first major battle in WWI, and the country was deeply affected by the massive loss of life and the return home of the injured.

“New Zealanders have marked the landings at Gallipoli since news of the event first reached our shores. Over time there have been changes in the way that Anzac Day is commemorated, reflecting the changing features and concerns of New Zealand society.

“Today, Anzac Day promotes a sense of unity and is a time for the nation to pay respects and acknowledge the many thousands of our military personnel who are serving or have served, and who are called upon to support New Zealand in times of war, conflict, and disaster.”

Support and comfort from the RSA

The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA) was initially formed in New Zealand in 1916 by returning Australian and New Zealand soldiers. From the beginning, its aim was to support and comfort service men and women, veterans, and their families. The organisation is underpinned by the principles of courage, commitment, comradeship, and compassion. RSA contacts:

MASTERTON RSA: Community Centre, 41 Perry Street, Masterton. Catherine Hill (Secretary) 027 221 6369. President Willie Simonsen: willie.simonsen@gmail.com 027 6154252

CARTERTON RSA: 29 Frederick Street, Carterton. Warren Whiteman (Secretary): 06 379 7774. President Rex Kenny: rex.kenny2017@outlook.com

GREYTOWN BRANCH OF THE MASTERTON RSA: 120 Main Street, Greytown. Susan van Pein (Secretary): greytownrsa@gmail.com

FEATHERSTON RSA: 57 Fox Street, Featherston.

Kirsty Tulip (Secretary): 022 165 3521. President Peter Jackson: fstnrsa@gmail.com

Reviving Tinui’s Anzac Day Services

Alan Emerson, Chair of Tinui’s Anzac Trust, anticipates about a thousand attendees at Tinui’s Anzac Day Service this year. The memorial begins with a march at 10.20am at the Tinui War Memorial Hall, and the Service itself starts at 10.30am.

Rev Steve Thomson will officiate the Service, supported by organist Caryl Forrest, soloist Emily Wellbrock, and piper Zavier Boyles. Vintage aircraft will fly over the proceedings. The event will also be filmed and simulcast on Wai TV. All involved are locals.

“The Trust is honoured to have Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, KStJ, presenting the address at the Service,” Alan said. Sir Jerry has a link with Tinui through his in-laws and brings a lifetime of experience in New Zealand’s services.

Joining the Army in 1972, he served with both battalions of the NZ Infantry Regiment and the Special Air Service in theatres including Lebanon, Bougainville, and East Timor. Sir Jerry went on to be Chief of both New Zealand’s Army and its Defence Force. On leaving the military he was made Governor General before becoming New

Zealand’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Following the Service, morning tea will be available from about 11.15am, courtesy of the Women’s Institute.

Tinui - a tiny settlement about 40 minutes’ drive from Masterton on the road to Castlepoint - has a proud Anzac history. It was the first place in the world to hold an Anzac memorial service, which took place on 25 April 1916. The Reverend at the time, Rev Basil Ashcroft, held the Anzac ceremony at Tinui’s Church of the Good Shepherd in support of the thousand or so soldiers in WWI who came from the district. He then erected a cross on top of Mount Maunsel, overlooking the village. The original cross has since been

replaced, but the original positioning remains.

A walk from the Tinui Cemetery up to the cross has always been a big drawcard. Closed following Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle, Alan is very pleased that the track reopened late last year and is ready for business on 25 April.

“It is about an hour and half round trip through native bush and farmland,” he says. “I’m 70-something and a bit asthmatic but I can manage it, so most people will be able to. For those who struggle we can drive you up.”

Tinui’s bar and café, under new ownership and remodelled following cyclone damage, will be open for hearty lunches.

Anzac Day

Wairarapa Anzac Day Services

MASTERTON , from 5.30am

An invitation to participate in the Masterton Anzac Day Parade is extended to all ex- and current servicemen and women, service organisations, and the public.

At 5.30am, ex- and current service personnel and service groups will assemble outside the Masterton War Memorial stadium/Trust House Recreation Centre in Dixon Street. People who are not marching are asked to assemble at the Cenotaph in Queen Elizabeth Park.

At 5.45am, the parade will march south along Dixon Street to the Cenotaph.

At 5.55am, the Service at the Cenotaph commences, conducted by Rev Merv Jones and Willie Simonsen, President of the Masterton RSA. Rev Emily Barlett will lead the karakia.

 Soldiers from the 5 Movement Company from Linton Military Camp will attend.

 Masterton’s 21 Squadron Air Training Corp Cadets will provide the Catafalque party (the guard) and flag orderlies.

 Mākoura College Services Academy will attend, and one of their cadets will recite the Ode of Remembrance in Te Reo Māori.

 The Masterton Brass Band and

the Fern & Thistle Pipe Band will provide music.

 Guest speaker will represent the Defence Force.

After the Service, the parade will march from the Cenotaph gate onto Park Street, down Queen Street, and then right into Jackson Street, where the parade will fall out.

At the conclusion of the service everyone is invited to the Wairarapa Service Citizen Club for breakfast, costing $5.00 per person if prebooked before 24 April or $10.00 per person on Anzac Day itself. Participants can make their way across the pedestrian crossing on Chapel Street to the carpark at the Wairarapa Services and Citizens club.

Kaiparoro, from 2pm

A Service will be held at 2pm at the Anzac Bridge on SH2, Kaiparoro. An afternoon tea will be available at Pūkaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre after the Service, at $5 per person. Parking is available at Miller Reserve and there is a walkway to the bridge.

Tinui, from 10.20am

At 10.20am, at the Tinui War Memorial Hall, the Anzac Day Service will begin with a march led by the Whakaoriori Air Scouts. Soldiers from Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles, the oldest unit in the NZ Army

officiating at Tinui, are organising the march.

The Service itself will start at 10.30am.

Rev Steve Thomson will officiate, supported by organist Caryl Forrest, soloist Emily Wellbrock, and piper Zavier Boyles. Craig McKelvey will film the event, with Alisdair Palmer on sound. All involved are locals.

Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, KStJ, will present the address.

Morning tea will be available from about 11.15am, put on by the Tinui Women’s Institute.

Carterton, from 10.45am

Carterton District Council assists the RSA to coordinate the Anzac Parade and Service for 25 April each year.

The Service brings a level of formality, with dignitaries and representatives attending including Mayor Hon. Ron Mark, New Zealand Defence Force, and the Australian and British High Commissions.

“Nevertheless, our Carterton Service is very much a community event with participation from local schools, churches, and community groups.”

All are welcome and invited. A range of core flute panels will be erected in Memorial Square, commemorating local soldiers.

The 2024 parade will assemble at 10.45am in Holloway Street and move off at 11.00am. The parade route makes its way along Holloway Street, right into High Street and will finish with the Service in Memorial Square.

The square and its central memorial were dedicated in 1921, commemorating 114 Carterton area men. All formalities take place in the square with the opportunity for some light refreshments and conversation at the Carterton Club afterwards.

Anzac Day

Anzac Day Services Continued Gladstone, from 5.30am

Gladstone’s Anzac Day Service is held at the Maungaraki War Memorial, composed of a Memorial Avenue of scarlet oaks and the Memorial Stone itself, inscribed with the names of locals who died during WWI.

The Gladstone Anzac Day Service is described as focusing on remembering the men who left the Maungaraki area and didn’t come back.

Parking is available all around the Memorial Stone at the south end of the Avenue, but the commemoration starts at 5.30am at the north end of the Avenue. Attendees walk in silence through the trees. As they walk, a nominated person calls out the names of each of the names on the Memorial Stone.

“Last year, more than 120 people attended the Gladstone Service,” Jamie Strang says. He is one of the original six who banded together to establish the local Service.

During the Service, a relative of someone named on the Stone steps up to talk about who that man was, where they came from, and where they were when they died.

After the Service, many or even most of the attendees retreat to a nearby home for bacon, eggs, and whisky. Everyone brings their own (food and whisky) and pitches in to help.

“It’s all about getting together as a community,” Jamie says.

Greytown, from 10.30am

The Greytown RSA Committee will conduct a public commemoration Service at the WWII Memorial, Kuratawhiti Street, at 10.30am on Anzac Day.

The parade will then march from Kuratawhiti Street to the South Wairarapa Workingmen’s Club and a short civic service will follow.

A traffic management plan will be in place, so short delays are likely.

Featherston, from 5.45am

Featherston, Dawn Service from 5.45am, Civic Service from 7.45am

Featherston’s Dawn Service is being organised by Peter Jackson, President of Featherston’s RSA. Peter and Vice-President, Stu Tulip, will officiate. Peter says the Dawn Service

starts at 05.45 sharp this year and is being held at the Cross of Sacrifice, Featherston Cemetery, Western Lake Road.

Featherston’s Civic Service is being organised, and will be officiated, by Stu Tulip, Vice-President of the local RSA.

Everyone taking part in the parade (including veterans, emergency services, scouts, girl guides, cadets, and others) will gather at Birdwood Street next to the Skatepark no later than 7.45am. At 8am, the parade steps off and marches to the War Memorial for the wreath-laying ceremony.

At about 8.30am, the parade will march to Anzac Hall for the main service, to be held at 9am in the Hall. A traffic management plan will be in place, so short delays are likely.

Martinborough, from 5.45am

Parade participants will gather at 5.45am outside Pain and Kershaws, moving off to the Square at 5.55am for the Service and laying of wreaths. Due to the early start, a torch is advisable. Coffee and tea will subsequently be available in the Supper Room of the Waihinga Centre.

Lake Ferry, from 10.15am

The Service at Lake Ferry will include involvement from iwi, schools, and local residents.

People participating in the parade for a 10.30am start.

Following the Service, a community BBQ will be held at the Lake Ferry Domain. Whanau and tamariki are welcome.

RSA’s role in welfare support and advocacy

The RSA is well-known for its role in remembrance. Its role in providing welfare support and advocacy is less well-known.

Willie Simonsen, President of Masterton’s RSA, says that we don’t need to be a member of the RSA to be able to seek support or help. Anyone who has served or is serving in the NZ Defence Force, and their families, can seek assistance from the RSA.

This is also the case for surviving spouses of deceased veterans. UK and Australian Veterans who reside here can also ask for support.

A spokesperson for Carterton’s RSA, agrees. If we have a connection to the armed services, we’re encouraged to contact one of the RSA offices if we’re in need or if we know of someone in need.

“We’ve recently helped a young widow obtain a qualification by paying for her tuition fees, for example.”

Widows or widowers who have experienced a big bill, such as for dental care, can approach the RSA to request a full or partial refund. Surviving spouses can be supported with free window cleaning and other odd jobs. Use of a telephone tree allows the RSA to carry out regular welfare checks on older people. Members can help drive eligible people to medical appointments if assistance is needed.

Hospital visits are common. Entertainment in rest homes is sometimes funded by the RSA.

Willie says, “every Christmas, we also hand deliver a small gift to about 80 people living alone in their own homes or in rest home villas.”

Welfare support is always on a case-by-case basis. We should always start by making contact.

Lifestyle

Jumping into better living

TaketheJump? What?

It is a phrase that, over time, can become a household term throughout the developed world and a key response, as humanity finally comes to grips with the climate change pickle it has created for itself.

A situation largely due to our overconsumptive lifestyles, our materialistic impulses, and habitual purchases of often throwaway items. All of which is underpinned by unchecked fossil fuel use that has thrown atmospheric greenhouse gases out of balance, causing our climate predicament.

This pattern of living, primarily in the

developed world, has put us on a collision course with the limits of Earth’s thermal capacity and finite resources.

Unfortunately, the extraordinarily good times that has enabled us to have [in material terms], is not sustainable and we must change tack to live within our planetary means. It will be a huge challenge, but we are, if nothing else, a smart animal and have been facing – and overcoming –challenges forever. So, we surely can do it again now – even if this challenge, is the mother of them all.

First, we need to have faith that we can and we will do it. To have in our hearts and minds, an “urgent optimism” and to look at it not as

all doom and gloom, but as an exciting gamechanging adventure. Technological innovation is part of the solution, but it is not sufficient. More fundamentally important will be behavioural changes in how we live.

Which is what TaketheJump is all about. It is a map, based on the best of scientific research, outlining just how each and every one of us as “Joe Citizens” can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by making small, manageable, cumulative changes to over-consumptive lifestyles.

TaketheJump focuses on encouraging us all to look at just seven modifications or “shifts”

in our behaviour. The science tells us that if we all get onboard, it could reduce global emissions by a whopping 27 per cent. That’s a big number and it’s well within the capability of each of us to do our bit and be a team player. Even if it still leaves a lot of heavy lifting to government and corporations. This movement is still in its infancy. TakeTheJump started in the UK [where there are already over one million followers], was then picked up here in Nelson, with Wairarapa as second cab off-therank.

Who knows? Little old Wairarapa could end up at the forefront of a global movement that will help save our world. So, just three

little words to keep in mind and follow to learn how you can make your contribution as an individual, family, or business: Take The Jump.

While it does not provide the total answer, it certainly seems like exactly the aspirational call needed to give ordinary people a stake in what could be the most important game we’ll ever be asked to play.

• To find out more visit: takethejump. org.nz/, or contact: waijump7@gmail. com.

• The Wairarapa Midweek has partnered with conservation groups to put a spotlight on conservation efforts locally.

MĀK OUR A Col lege

Sustainable Wairarapa

Council News April

Have your say at community workshop

Come and have your say at the Featherston Community Centre this Saturday between 10.30am and 12pm to give feedback on South Wairarapa District Council’s 2024-25 Enhanced Annual Plan. Morning tea and colouring for children will be provided.

As part of South Wairarapa District Council’s consultation, the workshop is the opportunity for our local communities to understand the proposals in the document and to provide valuable

Older adults fun and games

It’s been said that motion is lotion for our physical wellbeing, which is the theme at the Wairarapa Senior Regional Games 2024 on Wednesday 24 April from 10am to 1pm at Trust House Recreation Centre in Masterton. The half day event is free, open to everyone and focuses on light exercise, including badminton, chair yoga, dancing, pilates, board games and more. A light lunch will be provided and

feedback which will help Council make their final decisions for the next financial year, including how rates are set.

“Community feedback is an essential component of how council makes decisions so it’s incredibly important to us that we hear your views on how we manage our precious water resources and fund the replacement of assets operated by the council, so please come along,” says South Wairarapa Acting

participants are asked to bring a water bottle, togs and towel (if taking part in water aerobics) and wear comfortable clothing.

Find out more and register at www.nukuora.org.nz

Residents invited to planting day

Native plants may not grow on trees but 6000 have been specially cultivated for a South Wairarapa community planting day on Sunday 21 April from 10am. This initiative is the brainchild of the He Kōtare Native Nursery in Featherston and run in collaboration with Pae Tū Mōkai O Tauira and the Greater Wellington Regional Council Biodiversity group.

NOTICE OF MEETINGS

Mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter.

If you can’t make it to the Featherston community meeting, you can give your thoughts and feedback about the proposals outlined in the consultation document in a number of ways. These are outlined on our website, with consultation closing on Sunday 5 May 2024.

www.swdc.govt.nz/enhancedannual-plan/

Creative grants open now

Need a grant to get a creative project off the ground? If so, South Wairarapa District Council has allocation of funding for projects that benefit the community, grow outcomes and vision. The Featherston and Greytown Community Board Funds, along with two Creative Communities funds close soon.

Find out how to apply: www.swdc.govt. nz/community/grants/

The nursery has cultivated 6000 Karaihe sedge (Carex buchanaii) to be planted on the shores of Wairarapa Moana.The bronze coloured, tufted grasses grow to a height of about 60cm. They are considered at risk and grow on the foreshore at Lake Domain, Featherston.

Organisers invite everyone in the community to come along and to BYO garden tools and drink

Walk in the park celebrates diversity

Diverse thinking is being celebrated at Considine Park in Martinborough this month at StoryWalk, an event run by the Wairarapa Library Service.

The self guided walk’s current story stations focus on a book called Ziggy and His Wiggly Mind, which was launched at StoryWalk to coincide with Neurodiversity Celebration Week in March. Wairarapa librarian Sylvia Arnold describes the story as magical.

“It helps people understand others in a lovely way. It’s really positive, colourful, energetic and understanding.”

Ziggy and His Wiggly Mind was written by Australian author Bree O’Malley about her son Madden with illustrations by South Wairarapa artist Becs Reilly.

The current StoryWalk will be replaced on 20 April with The Eels of ANZAC Bridge, written by Ali Foster and illustrated by Viv Walker.

bottles. Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP if you want to attend: pae.tu.mokai.o.tauira@ gmail.com

If you can’t make it but want to give to the shores of Wairarapa Moana, donations are open online to buy one plant for $5.50 or five plants for $20. Donations can be made to account number: 03-0687-0032622-000.

Meeting agendas are available for inspection at least two days before the meeting at the district libraries, Council offices and at www.swdc.govt.nz. Please check our website for any changes to the schedule.

Public participation is welcome.

If you wish to speak during the public participation session at any of the below meetings, please phone 06 306 9611 at least 24 hours prior to the meeting or email enquiries@swdc.govt.nz.

The meetings and will be livestreamed on YouTube Channel, where possible. Please note that all meeting cancellations, changes to scheduled start times and/ or venues, and open workshops will be notified on our website: www.swdc.govt.nz.

April meetings

Assurance, Risk and Finance Committee – Community and Youth Grants Consideration

Wednesday, 24 April 2024 at 9am Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

Maori Standing Committee

Tuesday, 30 April 2024 at 6pm Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

May meetings

Strategy Working Committee

Wednesday, 8 May 2024 at 9am Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

Featherston Community Board

Wednesday, 8 May 2024 at 7pm

Featherston Community Centre, Wakefield Street, Featherston

Council – Enhanced Annual Plan

Hearings, Day 1

Wednesday, 15 May 2024 at 9am

Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

Council – Enhanced Annual Plan

Hearings, Day 2

Thursday, 16 May 2024 at 9am

Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

Council – Enhanced Annual Plan Deliberations

Wednesday, 22 May 2024 at 9am

Supper Room, Waihinga Centre, Texas Street, Martinborough

Greytown

Martinborough

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Dr Ti Logan, co-owner of True Dentistry in Carterton, is on a quiet campaign to encourage people to quit smoking. That’s because smoking wreaks havoc with the structures (gums and underlying bones) that support our teeth, in 80 to 90 percent of cases.

“The teeth become untethered like sticks standing up in mud,” she says. And then our teeth fall out or need to

Smoking almost always results in more dental plaque, faster progression of gum disease, and more di culty healing from gum problems. There’s also oral cancer to think about. On average, oral cancer occurs up to four times more frequently in smokers than in non-smokers, according to a 1990 US study of New Zealanders. A UK study, published in 1999, linked the combined e ects of smoking and alcohol to between 75 percent and 90 percent of all cases of oral cancer.

If you’re thinking it might be time

to quit smoking, you could talk to someone at Whaiora, based in Masterton. Whaiora o ers world class ‘stop smoking services’ including Hapū Māmā (for pregnant women, expectant fathers, and parents with tamariki up to one year of age), Nicotine Replacement Therapy in the form of patches, gum, or lozenges, and face-to-face support from a quali ed Stop Smoking Coach.

Ti says that the patches today perform signi cantly better than the options available even 10 years ago.

“I’m not very happy about the repeal of new parts of our Smokefree legislation such as requirements for denicotinisation, a reduction in retail outlets, and the generation ban,” she says, “but changes to vaping regulations are positive.”

She mentions vaping because it can be a great option to help quit smoking, but vaping avours are also bad for gums and teeth. From July this year, however, vape avouring must be generic. The maximum allowable nicotine strength in single use vapes is also reducing to make them less addictive for youth and non-smokers.

If you’re a smoker or a vaper but aren’t receiving regular dental checks, you might want to think again. An ounce of prevention is better than the possible negative outcomes such as teeth falling out.

Call True Dentistry co-owners, Dr Ti any Logan and Dr Trish Leabourne, on 06-379 8799 or email appointments@ truedentistry.co.nz.

Visit their website truedentistry. co.nz to nd out more about their Carterton practice.

STAY IN GOOD HEALTH

Introducing Beaver Tree Service – proud to serve our local community!

Recently Nick, Owner/Operator of TreeCraft, completed his ecology degree and is now ready to carry over his values of tree care and preservation into a wider environmental context. Nick searched carefully for a buyer of his business, he wanted someone with the same values, passion and commitment to look after his valued clients going forward, and, as of the 29th of February 2024, TreeCraft has become Beaver Tree Service.

Beaver Tree Service prides itself on being a local business employing local people, supporting local businesses and communities. We are passionate about trees, their well-being and health, and we love helping you, our valued clients, get the best out of your trees and outdoor spaces at home. We also frequently work with institutions like schools, rest homes and churches providing a free 360 health and safety walk through to ensure there are no risks to anyone using their grounds. We are really excited to be able to continue to provide the excellent service and outstanding tree work you have come to expect. We want to thank Nick for not only placing his faith in Beaver Tree Service, but for all the hard work he has done for the community over the last decade. He will be missed in the arboriculture society, and we wish him well in his new career.

Beaver Tree Service have a great team ready to answer any questions you may have. We not only pride ourselves on our outstanding tree work but also on our commitment to provide exceptional customer service, our communication is second to none. No job is too big or too small for Beaver Tree Service, and there are no silly questions! If you have any concerns about your trees, please give us a call. We also offer tree maintenance, including pruning and trimming, keeping your trees healthy and looking great.

We are proud to continue the legacy that Nick started, and we hope to not only live up to all his clients’ expectations but exceed them!

Give Beaver Tree Service a call today.

Avoid insanity with change

Midweek Musings

Tim Nelson

I don’t know how many times I have heard the saying, often attributed to Einstein, along the lines of: “Insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result”.

If this saying is correct, then I have been demonstrating a level of insanity in one particular area of my life. For months, I have carried on, hoping for and expecting that different result, but it never came. This has caused me considerable stress.

So, I have made a deliberate change and the result was instantaneous, with the sort of outcome I have been hoping for for months. I could look back with frustration, regretting I didn’t do it earlier. But instead, I’ll look back only to learn from a past mistake, while looking forward to a more positive future.

How things work

I have just started watching F1 racing. It is something I have tried to watch in the past but, to be honest, I have always found it a little boring and repetitive. Currently, the same driver, Max Verstappen, is absolutely dominating, which has taken a lot of the excitement out of the watching experience. However, something has recently changed: I am watching the races with someone who has a huge amount of knowledge about the sport, including the history of F1 racing. Now, rather than just a basic understanding, my knowledge of F1 racing has grown considerably. I have learnt things like why and how pitstops happen, why a driver

does dominate, the history of teams, and driver politics. All these things make the sport so much more appealing.

A greater understanding of pretty much anything makes whatever it is so much more interesting. Take the time to find out how things work, and you’ll open up a world of potential fascination.

Learning stuff

I’m pretty sure

I’ve written about the YouTube show Geography Now before. This is a show that has worked through informative episodes about every country in the world. I have just watched the new episode on Vietnam, so the show is coming to its conclusion as it gets to the last country, Zimbabwe.

I love Geography Now. The hosts are pretty hip and informative – they

really do make geography quite cool. Guest hosts often feature on the show, representing their own countries, and I love seeing how proud and passionate they are.

The thing I especially enjoy about the show is the way I learn new things. I love the facts and information presented, usually giving me a completely new perspective and understanding of whatever the feature country is. There’s no advantage to me learning what’s presented, apart from maybe the occasional quiz show answer. So the reason I watch is just to learn new things, expanding my knowledge and horizons along the way. Stand up for what you believe in I recently attended a meeting where I knew I wasn’t going to get the outcome I wanted. It would have been easy to go with the group –no one would have noticed and things would have moved along quickly.

However, I believe

that we should always stick to our principles, even when the odds are stacked against us. We may not be victorious on the day, but the sense of personal integrity will have us sleeping better at night – knowing that we might not have taken the easy and popular route, but we have done what we know to be the right thing to do.

• Tim Nelson is principal of Lakeview School and author of the book Small Steps for a Happy and Purposeful Life. He endeavours to learn something new every day by reading books, listening to podcasts, and engaging with a wide range of other content.

PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

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If you have been exposed to the harsh New Zealand sun it is important for you to check any new spots, moles & freckles. Stay sun smart and book in with one of our skin cancer specialists for your annual check up. We may offer excision or biopsy on site.

The Coalition Government’s agriculture ministers visited Wairarapa last week on the first stop of what is set to be a national tour. Called the “Woolshed Roadshow”, the 19-leg tour is scheduled to take place from the bottom of the North Island to Kerikeri, starting with last week’s Masterton visit. More destinations on the tour are expected to be added, including in the South Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said the farming sector had been

through a tough few years, dealing with high interest rates, adverse weather events, and increased costs.

He met with students at Rathkeale College, where he took part in a shearing demonstration with the Class of the Colleges team and the winners of the North Island annual clash of the colleges shearing championship.

McClay also met with local farmers at John and Helen McFadzen’s woolshed, where they discussed current challenges in the red meat sector, the recent drought declaration, and additional

support made available to farmers through the Rural Support Trust. Plans to revitalise the wool industry were also on the agenda.

“The immediate priority for the government is relieving the pressure that farmers have been feeling coming from unworkable central government policies. That is why we are getting out on the road to hear directly from farmers,” McClay said.

“The sector makes a critically important contribution to the fabric of our rural and regional communities.

New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is the

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay visited Masterton at the beginning of a national roadshow. PHOTO/FILE

Sue Teodoro sue.teodoro@age.co.nz

backbone of our economy, contributing over 80 per cent of our goods exports to feed an estimated 40 million people worldwide. A strong and thriving agricultural sector is crucial to the New Zealand economy.”

Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard said a priority was addressing unworkable and overly prescriptive regulation, so that farmers could focus on being the most efficient food and fibre producers in the world.

“These meetings will be a great opportunity to talk directly with farmers about issues affecting them the most. I understand the

DairyNZ Update

There are a few things on the go through the autumn period and it can sometimes be easy to lose focus of what’s most important.

Good grazing management through the autumn period is all about maximising the pasture you grow and utilise. The secret to achieving this is leaving consistent post-grazing residuals and grazing pastures at the right time (the 2½-3 leaf stage). Grazing ryegrass pastures too early will reduce autumn growth and too late will reduce pasture quality. Through the autumn, there’s a new leaf emerging every 8-16 days (temperature dependent). This ties in with a round length of 30-40 days. During May, the rotation length may be extended beyond this to continue building feed for winter. Prevent grazing below 7 clicks/1500kg DM/ha and if residuals are less than this, feed supplement to maintain herd intake and protect pasture. If farm cover is below where it should be (in order to meet target cover at calving), applications of nitrogen can be a useful tool to get growth back on track. For best effect, apply a lighter rate across a larger area of the farm and while soil temperatures are still above 12°C.

www.dairynz.co.nz – 0800 4 DairyNZ – 0800 4 324 7969

importance of listening and staying connected to rural communities, as it helps government determine the direction of travel,” he said.

Associate Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson said that, as the minister responsible for wool, he was working with farmers to rebuild the industry. He

said sheep farmers faced a particularly difficult time, with a large local supply of Australian lamb driving prices down.

“It has been a tough season for farmers, so we will be engaging with people from Northland to Southland, meeting in woolsheds to discuss grassroots solutions,” he said.

Our purpose: is for older people / kaumātua to live a valued life in an inclusive society.

Our Vision: To be recognised as a leading contributor to the wellbeing of older persons / kaumātua in our Wairarapa community.

Our Mission: Helping, connecting and empowering older persons in Wairarapa.

Our Values: The work of Age Concern Wairarapa is based on these values, with special reference to older people, koroua and kuia Being responsive, Respecting all, Caring, Being committed to wellbeing.

Our Guiding Principles: are that our services are accessible, appropriate and affordable, inclusive, culturally appropriate and equally available to all.

Enduring Power of Attorney

An Enduring Power of Attorney appoints someone (called an attorney) to make decisions about you or your property while you are alive but are unable make decisions for yourself. This could be due to having an accident where there is head trauma or health issues eg: stroke or dementia. There is an Enduring Power of Attorney for property and one for personal care and welfare.

Get an enduring power of attorney (EPA)

Many people assume that if they lose the ability to make decisions for themselves, their partner or a close relative will legally be able to make decisions for them. In fact, the law doesn’t work like that. If there is no EPA then the family court will appoint someone on your behalf. This process can be very long and it is very expensive.

An attorney will:

• make sure that your bills are being paid.

• Manage your property

• Discuss matters with your medical team

The attorney’s main focus is to always act in your best interests, consult with anyone else you have named in the EPA, and with you when possible, keep records of any financial transactions.

They must not make decisions that benefit themselves or anyone other than you.

Have a conversation around how an enduring power of attorney can be safely allocated to a trusted person or organisation. An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to plan for the future.

You can set up an enduring power of attorney through a lawyer or Public Trust

You will find us in the Solway Showground

55 Fleet St Masterton or give us a call on

AT THE MENZSHED

Their very ne carving was done by a Pakeha artist: George’s father, the late Bill Fink, a recognised carver of whakairo rakau [Māori wood carvings], whose work can be found throughout New Zealand. The ne detail is the result of a surgical scalpel, which Bill used for much of his carving work. The walking stick, which Bill made for his own use, came to George when his father died. The 30cm taiaha was made for a ra e for a fair at Ngaio School in Wellington. It was won by a young woman who, years later, returned it to George when she heard of Bill’s death.

• The Henley Men’s shed is open Monday to Thursday, 8.3am-2.30pm, excluding public holidays. For more information, email henleymenzshed@xtra.co.nz.

PHOTO/KEVIN BALL

These two pieces of traditional Māori carving, a walking stick [left] and a miniature taiaha, were brought to the Henley Men’s Shed by member George Fink to share with fellow sheddies.

Eddie Low Dennis Marsh Gray Bartlett Brendan Dugan

Jumbo crossword

ACROSS: 1 Buoys, 4 Stamp collector, 11 Allow, 14 Trout, 15 Predecessor, 16 Trapdoor, 19 Bargain, 20 Scout, 21 Vibration, 24

Tsetse fly, 26 Manage, 27 Accent, 31 Tempo, 32 Trickier, 34 Staggering, 38 Impasse, 39 Alkali, 40 Winter, 41 Memo, 42 Indoors, 45 Worshipped, 50 Swarthy, 54 Pews, 55 Frothy, 56 Relays, 57 Feather, 60 Lifeguards, 61 Location, 62 Unwed, 65 Velcro, 66 Taints, 67 Appetiser, 72 Overtaken, 73 Dread, 74 Jugular, 79 Inviting, 80 Reservation, 81 Divot, 82 Honed, 83 Sticks out a mile, 84 By-law. DOWN: 2 Uproar, 3 Young, 5 Tart, 6 Medical, 7 Cactus, 8 Loss, 9 Emotions, 10 Rarity, 11 Approached, 12 Lion, 13 Warrant, 17 Diets, 18 Frightened, 22 Merry, 23 Sediment, 25

Soprano, 26 Martini, 28 German, 29 Rivals, 30 Agrees, 33 Cello, 35 Glory, 36 User, 37 Swap, 42 Impel, 43 Downfall, 44 Scream, 45 Withdrawal,

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• Most brands – and servicing of everything we sell.

• Price matching – with other appliance stores in the Wairarapa.

• Delivery and installation of your appliances – by our friendly staff.

• Qualified electricians on staff – who can do everything from repairing a light switch to replacing your entire switchboard and old electrical wiring.

See us now for everything from your replacement light bulb to your brandnew fridge freezer. “We do everything that larger stores do, but with friendly personalised service added in,” says owner Michelle Wallace.

Drop into 34-36 High Street South, Carterton or phone 06 379 8930.

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Led by the philosophy of treating every customer as they would want to be treated. Joel and his team strive to deliver the best customer service in the region backed by a 10 Year “No Leaks” Warranty. Whether you have a query or want to request a free quote, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

THURSDAY APRIL 18

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 1.30pm start. Call Pauline Hodgson [027] 406-672.

Carterton Community Choir: 7.159pm, St David’s Presbyterian Church Youth Wing, 164 High St South. Call [0278] 205-801.

Carterton District Historical Society: 142 High St North, Carterton, open 2-4pm or by appointment. Call Vivienne 379-5564 or email carterton. hist.soc@gmail.com

Carterton Scout Group: At Rangatahi Hub [behind Carterton Event Centre], Scouts [11-14 years] 6.30-8.30pm. Contact Sylvia [027] 249-3395.

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

Digital Seniors Wairarapa: Call [0800] 373-646 to book or for advice. Martinborough: 9.30-11.30am, St Andrew’s Church; Featherston: 1.303.30pm, Featherston Community Centre. Fareham Creative Space: Also Fri/ Tues, open studio, 10am-3pm, 80 Underhill Rd, Featherston. Email: registrations@farehamcreativespace. nz Featherston Menz Shed: 61 Fitzherbert St, open from 6.30pm. Food Market: Food trucks, 4.30-7pm 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.

Housie: 12.30pm at Carrington Bowling & Croquet Club Carterton (behind clock tower), phone Jeanne Emery 379 5444. 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 Petanque Club: 2pm, in Queen Elizabeth Park. Call Myrna Lane 377-3064. Masterton Toy Library: 10am-12pm, 365 Queen St.

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

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 378-8888.

Pickleball: Masterton Rec Centre, 2 Dixon St, 5.30pm-7pm. All gear provided. Contact Sue [027] 449 0601.

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 by fountain Queen Elizabeth Park entrance, 9.30am. Contact David [021] 246-0295.

University of the 3rd AGE [U3A]: South Wairarapa Current Affairs group meets in the events hall of Roseneath Lifecare and Village, Carterton 9.30-11am. Call convener Paul Mallinson [021] 109-4652.

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 377-1135.

FRIDAY APRIL 19

Aratoi: James Bragge: Splendid Scenic Gems to May 5; Choice: Staff picks from the collection to May 5; Lisa Chandler: Landscapes of Loss to May 19; King Street Artworks to May 26.

Carterton Craft Market: Mon-Sat: 9am-4pm, Sun: 10am-3pm, 25 High St North, Carterton. Call [027] 787-8558. Carterton Senior Citizens: 12.303.30pm, play cards, Rummikub and Scrabble, at the old courthouse next to the library.

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

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

Featherston Friday Night Market: 6-9pm, food trucks, live music, facepaint/tattoos, 33 Fitzherbert St.

French Conversation: U3A-affiliated group, Education Centre, Dixon St, Masterton, 11am-1pm. For conversing in French, or improve speaking French. Contact Brett [027] 363-4039 or Robyn [021] 169-9415.

Greytown Music and Movement: For pre-schoolers, 10am, at St Luke’s Hall, Main St. admin@ stlukesgreytown.co.nz

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

Masterton Bowling Club: Funzie Friday, 12.30pm for 1pm start. Call 377-4664 after 4pm.

Masterton Croquet Club: 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.

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

Spontaneous Dance: Kiwi Hall, Featherston, 6.30-8pm. Call Pavla Miller [022] 075-3867.

Wairarapa Kids Choir: For children aged seven years up, 3.50-4.50pm, during school terms, Courthouse, Holloway St, Carterton. Call Jill [027] 347-5891.

Wairarapa Stop Smoking Service: Quit Clinic at Whaiora 9am-noon. Support across Wairarapa. Call Whaiora 0800 494 246. Walk and Talk: Meet outside Dish Cafe, First St, Masterton, 9.30am.

SATURDAY APRIL 20

Carrington Bowling Club: 57 High St, Carterton, behind clock tower. Call Pauline [027] 406-6728.

Cobblestones Museum and Heritage Village: Main St, Greytown. Open 10am-4pm seven days. [06] 304 9687. Crop Up Greytown: Fresh produce, seafood and kitchen creations from Greytown and South Wairarapa, from

9am, at Truckstop Greytown, 102 Main St. Check Facebook.

Featherston Heritage Museum: Behind the Featherston Library and Information Centre. Sat/Sun 10am2pm, other times by arrangement. Call Elsa [021] 263-9403.

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. Lions Book Sale: 9am-1pm, under the grandstand, Solway Showgrounds, Judds Rd, Masterton.

Martinborough Men’s Shed: Old Courthouse, 20 Cork St, 9am-noon. Call John [021] 314-2485.

Martinborough Museum: Open Sat/Sun at No 7 The Square, 10.30am2.30pm. Donation/koha appreciated. Masterton Croquet Club: Association Croquet 9.15am and 12.45pm behind Hosking Garden in the park. Call Carl Redvers 378-7109.

Masterton Tennis Centre: Organised doubles from 12.30 pm at 147 Dixon St, Masterton. Sue McRae [027] 449-0601. Parkrun: Weekly 5km run/walk. 8am start, at the Woodside end of the Greytown rail trail. Info: parkrun. co.nz/greytownwoodsidetrail Tinui Craft Corner and Museum: Open Sat/Sun 10am-4pm. Call Lesley Hodgins [06] 372-6433.

Toy Library: Masterton: 10am12pm, 365 Queen St. Featherston: 14 Wakefield St, 10am-noon. Wairarapa Cancer Society Supportive Care Services: For support after a cancer diagnosis. Call [06] 378-8039.

Wairarapa Farmers’ Market: 9am1pm, Solway Showgrounds, Judds Rd, Masterton. Women’s Self Defence: With Dion, 9am, band rotunda, Queen Elizabeth Park. Call [020] 4124-4098.

SUNDAY APRIL 21

Carterton Farmers’ Market: High St, Carterton, 9am-12.30pm.

Cobblestones Museum and Heritage Village: Main St, Greytown. Open 10am-4pm seven days. [06] 304 9687. Featherston Menz Shed: 61 Fitzherbert St, open from 1pm.

Indoor Bowls: Club Carterton, start 2pm. Rex Kenny 379 7303.

Masterton Park Bowling Club: Queen Elizabeth Park, bowls roll up at 1pm, names in by 12.45pm.

Centre: Social

9am

Blackboard

St,

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

Pickleball: Makoura College Gym, Masterton 5pm-6.30pm. Gear provided. Contact Sue [027] 449 0601. Rotary Sunday Market: 7-11.30am, 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 [027] 628-5889 or [027] 453-0182. Wairarapa Gourmet Toastmasters Club: 11am-1pm. Contact Carol [027] 600-1710. Wairarapa Model Aero Club: 9amnoon, at the Masterton Aerodrome.

MONDAY APRIL 22

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

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

Carterton

East Indoor Bowling Club: 7pm. Call Julie 377-5497 or George 378-9266. Featherston Music Club: 7-9pm. Call Shaun O’Brien [027] 672-6249.

Free Community Fit Club: Mon/ Tues/Fri, 6am and 11am, Carrington Park, Carterton. Call Di [027] 4987261.

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: For anyone dealing with a terminal illness. Call [06] 378-8888. Housie: 7pm, Club Carterton, Broadway. Call 379-8069.

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.

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

Masterton Food Bank: 9 Church St, Mon-Fri 10am-12.30pm. Call 370-8034.

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

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 Futsal: 6pm Clareville Showgrounds. Call Robyn [027] 235-8673.

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.

TUESDAY APRIL 23

Book Lovers’ Corner: 3.30-4.30pm on Arrow FM {92.7FM] and online www.arrowfm.co.nz/programmes

Caregivers Programme: Caring for your loved one who is unwell, at Hospice Wairarapa, 59 Renall St, Masterton. Call Kirsten 399-1050.

Carrington Bowling Club: 57 High St, Carterton, behind clock tower. Call Pauline [027] 406-6728.

Carterton District Historical Society: 142 High St North, Carterton, open 2-4pm or by appointment. Call Vivienne 379-5564. Central Indoor Bowls Club: 7.30pm, Hogg Crescent hall. Call Mathew or Graeme 378-7554.

Chair Exercise: Gentle chair exercises, 2-2.45pm, at St John’s Hall, Greytown. Clareville Badminton Club: Main Stadium at Clareville, 7.30pm -9pm. Call Steve [027] 333-3975. Dance Fitness: 6.30-7.30pm, at Fareham House Hall Featherston. Call Justine [0204] 105-2830.

Digital Seniors Wairarapa: Call [0800] 373-646 to book or for advice.

Carterton: 9.30-11.30am, Carterton Library; Greytown: 1.30-3.30pm, Greytown Library. 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 Literacy and Numeracy Classes: At Literacy Aotearoa, 340 Queen St, Masterton. Call Carol [022] 524-5994.

GirlGuiding: Masterton Pippins [5-7 years] 3.45-5pm. Call Chrissy Warnock 372-7646. Justice of the Peace: Masterton CAB 11am-1pm.

Knit and Natter: 3pm, Wairarapa Community Centre, Perry St; 7pm, Te Awhina Cameron Community House, 2 Stuart Cres, Masterton. Mah-jong: Carterton Memorial Club, Broadway, 1pm. Call Faye [021] 1606637.

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.

Masterton Judo Club: Tues/Thurs, youth class 5-6pm, adults 7-8.30pm, Nga Totara Dojo, 205 Ngaumutawa Rd, Masterton. Contact Simon [021] 248-6111.

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

Masterton Toy Library: 10am12pm, 365 Queen St, Masterton. [021]0716634.

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

Scallyrag Border Morris Dancing: 7-8 pm at the Auditorium, Kuranui College, Greytown. Contact Alison [021] 111-1894.

Social Bridge: At South Wairarapa Workingmen’s Club, 1.30-3.30pm. Call Lesley [021] 299-6389.

South Wairarapa Badminton Club: Featherston Sports Stadium, Underhill Rd, 7pm-9pm. Rackets available.

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

Wairarapa Modern Jive: Carterton School hall, 7.15-7.30pm Intermediate workshop; 8-8.45pm Beginners class. Contact Lance [021] 134-5661.

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 APRIL 24

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

Age Concern Wairarapa: Steady As You Go exercise class, 1.30pm, Carterton Baptist Church, 112 Broadway. $2 entry. Call 027 444 2463.

Athletics Wairarapa: Club night, 5.45-7pm, Colin Pugh Sports Bowl, Masterton. Cards: “500”, 1.15-4.15pm, at the Carterton Club. Call Barbara 379-6582 or Val 379-8329.

Carterton Cycle Group: From Belvedere Rd [weather permitting]. Call Irene [027] 634-9167 or Lesley [021] 299-6389.

Dance Fitness: 9.30-11am, preschoolers with parents or caregivers at Fareham House Hall Featherston. Call Justine [0204] 105-2830.

Digital Seniors Wairarapa: Call [0800] 373-646 to book or for advice. Masterton: 10am-noon, Masterton Library.

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

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

Greytown Menz Shed: 9am-noon. Call Paul Dodge [021] 0262-6595. Healing Rooms: Confidential prayer for healing or any situation, 2-4pm, at St Matthews Church Hall, Church St, Masterton. Call [027] 245-2819. Heart of Arts Wairarapa: A community gallery, 47 High St North, Carterton, Wed-Fri, 10am-4pm, 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 under-5s, 9.3011am, at St David’s Church, corner High and Victoria Sts, Carterton. Call Judy or Joan 379-8325.

Martinborough Men’s Shed: Old Courthouse, 20 Cork St, 9am-noon. Call Doug [027] 444-7331. Masterton Art Club: 10am-2pm, also print on Fridays, at 12 Victoria St. Call Elissa [0274] 706-528.

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

Masterton Park Bowling Club: Queen Elizabeth Park, 1pm, names in by 12.45pm. Call [027] 957-1012.

Parkinson’s Singing Group: 10am, at the South Wairarapa Workingman’s Club, Main St, Greytown. Call Marguerite Chadwick 379-5376. Pickleball: Masterton Rec Centre, 2 Dixon St, 9.30am-11am. Gear

provided. Contact Sue [027] 449 0601.

Rangatahi to Rangatira Youth Group: 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. For venue details, call Sue McRae [027] 449-0601.

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

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

South Wairarapa Caregivers

Programme: Caring for your loved one who is unwell, at a café in South Wairarapa. Call Kirsten 399-1050.

Taoist Tai Chi: From 5.30pm at St Mark’s Church Hall, 185 High St, Carterton. Contact www.taoisttaichi.

org Te Runga Scouts: Cubs, 6-7.30pm, 45 Harley St, Masterton. The Dance Shed: 450A Belvedere Rd, Carterton. Line Dance Class 6-7pm; Rock N Roll Dance Class: 7.308.30pm,

Events

If you need help with your rental property, call us today! We have preapproved tenants waiting for a home.

CARTERTON $520 234 High St North 2 PHONE 06 377 4961 OR EMAIL office@mastertonrentals.co.nz

MASTERTON PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LTD

ANZAC DAY

THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2024

FEATHERSTON

There are two services in Featherston on Anzac Day 2024. All are welcome to both. Dawn Service at 5.45am Cross of Sacrifice, Featherston Cemetery. Please assemble at 5.40am.

Public Notices

ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICE MASTERTON

Thursday 25th April 2024

An invitation is extended to all Ex-Service, Servicemen and Women, Service organisations and the general public to participate in the Masterton ANZAC Day Dawn Parade

5.30am All ex service perso nnel, service personnel and service organisations assemble outside Masterton War Memorial Stadium / Trust House Recreation Centre, Dixon Street. Those unable to march and the general public are asked to assemble at the Cenotaph at Queen Elizabeth Park.

5.45am Parade marches south along Di xon Street to the Cenotaph in Queen Elizabeth II Park.

5.55am Service

Civic Service at 8am Birdwood Street next to the Skatepark. Please assemble at 7.45am. This includes veterans, emergency services, scouts, girl guides, cadets and all taking part. The parade marches at 8am to the War Memorial for wreath laying. At 8.30am the parade marches to ANZAC Hall for the main service at 9am. Traffic Management Plan in place. Please expect brief delays.

If you would like to lay a wreath, please contact the RSA by 12pm on Monday 22 April. Phone 022 394 3695.

Stuart Tulip, Vice President Featherston Memorial RSA

GREYTOWN

Public commemoration service 10.30am

The Greytown RSA Committee will hold a public Commemoration Service at the WWII Memorial in Kuratawhiti Street on ANZAC Day, Thursday 25 April at 10.30am. The parade will march from Kuratawhiti Street to the South Wairarapa Workingmen’s Club for a short civic service. Traffic Management Plan in place. Please expect brief delays.

Susan von Pein, Secretary

Greytown RSA

MARTINBOROUGH

Dawn Service 5.55am

Everyone is invited to the Dawn Parade and Service on ANZAC Day, Thursday 25 April at 5.55am. Meet at Pain & Kershaw at 5.45am on Jellicoe Street to walk to the square for the 5.55am service and wreath laying. Torches advised due to early start.

Coffee and tea at the Waihinga Centre Supper Room after service.

Pam Colenso, Secretary

Martinborough RSA

LAKE FERRY

Public service 10.30am

The Lake Ferry service this year includes our iwi, schools and local residents. The parade will gather at the flagpole at 10.15am for a 10.30am start.

A community barbecue for all whanau and tamariki will be held at the Lake Ferry Domain after the service.

Everyone welcome.

Nigel Gattsche, Secretary Lake Ferry Ratepayer and Residents Association

Unique attraction to re-open

Closed for more than a year due to major slip damage, the Aorangi Forest Park’s iconic Wairarapa Pūtangirua Pinnacles, with its unique concrete-like sedimentary structures, is expected to reopen in time for summer.

A large slip about 100m from the car park in February 2023 has meant access to the three tracks in the park has remained closed.

Department of Conservation [DoC]

120,000 years by erosive forces like rain and floods that washed over scree and gravel.

Destination

Wairarapa Barbara Hyde said the Pinnacles have been very popular, and international visitors became aware of them due to their appearance in the “Paths of the Dead” sequence in Sir Peter Jackson’s third Lord of the Rings film, Return of the King, which premiered in 2003.

it would certainly be once again a popular destination and experience.

“It’s a great experience teamed up with walking up the steps of the Cape Palliser lighthouse.”

Before the slip, routes were open that led to the Pūtangirua Pinnacles and lookout, starting from the streambed, and included a two to four hour walk with views of Palliser Bay and Lake Ōnoke.

Wairarapa operations manager Kathy Houkamau said although it’s still not known when the Pinnacle tracks will reopen, DoC intends to reinstate visitor access before the end of the year.

Houkamau confirmed the Pinnacles are still intact and not visibly affected by the slip, which Doc is

not planning to clear. Instead, it intends to install improved signage and track markers, and consider alternatives for access instead.

“We know the Pinnacles are a popular visitor attraction for

our region, and visitors come from all over to experience them,” she said.

Tourists are attracted to the Pinnacles’ large pillar formations of jagged rock, which had been formed over

“Imagery of the Pinnacles, which are so dramatic and distinctive, always elicits a great response when used on social media –which we have not been able to do while it’s been closed,” Hyde said.

“Once reopened,

The scenic reserve walks are approximately a half-hour drive south of Martinborough.

Although the campsite remains open, visitors are advised not to attempt to either walk around or over the slip for safety reasons.

TOP: An aerial shot of the Pūtangirua Pinnacles rock formation. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM ABOVE: Tourists used to ock to the site by the thousands in previous years.

PHOTO/DESTINATION WAIRARAPA

Kate Judson

kate.judson@age.co.nz

Expert advice from The Vet Clinic Wairarapa

Toxic substances and poisoning in Pets

Wheels unveiled for Castlepoint anglers et Chat V

Most people are aware of the dangers and harmful toxic effects our common household poisons, rodenticide bait and slug or snail bait can have on our beloved pets.

As we enter the cooler autumn months and are more aware and conscious of rats and mice seeking out warmer snug nesting areas in or near our home, we need to be vigilant when reaching for the rat bait. Please keep these baits well out of reach of your pets, if possible in secure locked containers.

Rat bait is a common problem, these poisons block the animals clotting pathways, and can show no clinical signs for 3 to 5 days, then can lead to fatal internal bleeding. It is very important to know the exact name of the toxin and bring the packet into the clinic if possible when seeking urgent veterinary advice. Human medicines pose a real risk also and can be toxic to our pets. The most common toxicities seen in dogs and cats include Paracetamol, aspirin and Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen has a very narrow safety margin and can have severe toxic effect on dogs and cats, which in turn can potentially lead to kidney damage, stomach ulceration and neurological signs.

Please also make sure that any prescription human medication is stored well away from accessible places for pets,

not leaving them lying around. Human heart medication, contraceptives, seizure control medication, antidepressants, antibiotics, sleeping aid tablets can all have signi cant impacts on pets if ingested.

Common household items such as chocolate (All forms) can be toxic, call your vet as soon as you notice it has been consumed. Sultanas, grapes and raisins can cause kidney damage in dogs, avocado contains a toxin that leads to gastrointestinal irritation including vomiting and diarrhoea, macadamia nuts can cause weakness, tremors and paralysis in dogs, a toxic dose of roasted macadamia nut may be as little as one nut per kilogram of body weight.

If you suspect a poisoning call your veterinarian and have the following information ready:

• Exact toxin

• Approximately how much was ingested

• How long ago you suspect your pet was poisoned

• Approximate weight of pet

• What symptoms your pet is showing e.g. vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures

• Another excellent resource for emergency poisoning is National Poisoning Centre 0800764766, offering 24 hour advice.

The Wairarapa Sports Fishing Club [WSFC] in Castlepoint has unveiled a new four-wheel drive tractor for club members to launch their boats.

The vehicle will be kept in the WSFC clubrooms in Castlepoint, with keypad access, and is available to all club members free of charge and free of supervision.

The club members who wish to use this machine will be given a code for the door, and an induction course on how to safely use the machine.

WSFC resident weigh master Dave Cameron said the previous tractor

was “okay” but, as it repeatedly got wet, it was rusting.

“The steel on the old tractor got submerged in the salt water a lot because it was lower to the ground, causing it to rust,” he said.

“The new one sits higher up from the ground, meaning it shouldn’t rust at all.”

Cameron said it’s the first tractor the club has had that has four-wheel drive capability, further adding to its usefulness.

“It is the best option for launching boats, and it also has a better frame, making it stronger,” he said.

“The last tractors relied on the body of the machine to stay together, but this one has a drawbar

SOLWAY COLLEGE

that goes from the front axle to the back axle, making it stronger.

“It comes from a New Zealand company called Same that makes different tractors, mostly for farming.”

Observers will also notice the front of the machine has a custom design with the WSFC name and logo.

The tractor has been paid for through membership revenue and is debt-free, which Cameron said is the case for all of the club’s assets.

WSFC was established in 1989 and holds regular fishing competitions, such as the recent tuna and kahawai event and Battle of the Babes.

Freddie Wilkie freddie.wilkie@age.co.nz

MY PLACE, MY PLAN

I say the Masterton Ratepayers, 9324 Urban, 4091 Rural cannot afford to finance the BIG ticket items in this plan and I’ll tell you why.

MY PERSONAL SITUATION.

I am a retired ratepayer living in a modest 12 year old 3-bedroom urban dwelling on a 647sqm section in Masterton, and consider myself to be fortunate because the property is freehold.

However, when it comes time to pay my rates, I am forced to draw down on my life savings to top up my NZ superannuation.

Total annual income $24,934.52 of which my current rates 23/24 year $4,675.80 are 18.75% of total income. But wait it gets worse as you read on. By the way I am not asking anyone to start a Give A Little page for me, (well not yet!) I also think there must be thousands of Masterton Ratepayers out there in a worse position than I am ???

WHAT WILL IT COST ME

Note: I have based my years 29/30 to 33/34 on an average of 6.84%. This is the average rate increase on this property over the past 10 years. Also these figures don’t include GWRC proposed increases.

WHAT WILL IT COST YOU

I think the Council personnel who have projected, and proposed these “Nice to Have’s” don’t understand the hardship many ratepayers are facing. I suppose when you are receiving average incomes of $107,000 it’s possible to overlook the less fortunate. Payroll is 14.7m = 36% of total Rates 23/24 year 40.8m. (Elected representatives not included in this calculation).