Wairarapa Midweek Wed 22nd March

PREMIUM QUALITY JOINERY ° EXCEPTIONAL WINDOWS & DOORS

FAIRVIEW WINDOWS AND DOORS is premium quality joinery, who custom-make to suit all aspects of the demanding New Zealand environment.

TILES & PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME DESIGN PROJECT

SEMINARS

Attend our seminars for tips, ideas and advice from the experts:

Making your home yours

Saturday & Sunday 12.30pm

Presented by Mary-Ann Clark

DESIGNER COURT holds a number of exclusive agencies for products in the Wairarapa offering its customers a comprehensive range of exclusive tiles by Tile Space for kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, outdoor areas, and pools, and Torleys wood laminated flooring, cork and hardwood flooring.

CRAFTING SPACES TO SUIT YOUR LIFESTYLE HOME DECORATING SPECIALISTS

HELLO HOME is an interior design studio who craft spaces that are tailor made to match you, your circumstance, your life and lifestyle

PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY WASH

PROPERTY WASH WAIRARAPA, wash houses, decks, driveways and more. They cover rural, residential or commercial properties, Wairarapa wide.

RETROFIT INSULATION SOLUTION FOR YOUR HOME THIS WINTER

GUTHRIE BOWRON are home decorating specialists offering an amazing full range of decorating products including carpeting, flooring, paint, wallpaper, decorating tools, curtains, blinds and homeware.

CUSTOMISED AND CERTIFIED PLANS AND BUILD

COMPETITIVE HOMES Wairarapa is a family owned and operated business that has been building quality homes in the Wairarapa region for over 30 years.

HEAT PUMP CLEANING

Find out how to style your home with gorgeous fabrics, curtains, blinds and accessories that are unique and reflect your personal style

Take advantage of lower house prices

Saturday 1pm

Presented by Donald Stevenson

First Home Buyers or Investment opportunities. Prices are now much more affordable, now is the time to take advantage of this market.

Financing for your renovations

Sunday 1pm

Presented by Angela Matuszek

Are you looking to do some renovations for the home and not sure on the best way to fi nance them? Find out about taking advantage of the equity tht you have in your home that will deliver lower interest rates.

Creating your urban garden with native plants

Saturday & Sunday 1.30pm

Presented by Steven Harlen

Find out about how to use native plants to create a garden which attracts birds and is great for the environment. Steven Harlen shares a wealth of experience and knowledge and answers your questions.

Tips and tricks for decluttering your home

Saturday & Sunday 2pm

Presented by Jane van der Wilt

Are you battling to organise your space, downsizing, or moving and not sure where to start? Get fabulous tips and ideas from the professionals!

YOU CAN FIND:

INSULMAX is New Zealand’s largest and leading retrofi t wall insulation specialist creating more energy-effi cient warmer, drier, quieter and more comfortable places to live - all year round.

Heat pumps have become an integral part of many homes and should be professionally cleaned if they are to operate successfully.

Win $5,000 value of Resene Vouchers in the HomePrize Competition

curtains | blinds | art | decor | cushions | plants | wardrobes | home organisation | refrigeration and heating building | plumbing bathrooms and roofi ng | awnings | water fi ltration | water tanks | carpeting | kids play equipment | insulation | mortgages | fi nancing and more!

scale sustainable gardening

growing using permaculture principals, recycling and networking.

created Hattenburn Gardens at Carrington, 6km west of The three acres of fruit, vegetables, artwork, herbs and flowers opened to

Kingsley promoting creative ideas for

At the property’s gate on Hinau Gully Road, concrete gargoyles crouch on guard over Hattenburn’s fresh produce stall, where visitors to the garden use the same honesty box for self-guided tours. If the stall is empty, it’s because produce is snapped up as fast as Kingsley can put it out.

Bantams, golden pheasants and quails in spacious aviaries have survived predators such as stoats, weasels and ferrets. Eggs are like gold nuggets on the Continued on page 3

One of the gargoyles guarding the entrance to Hattenburn.

PHOTO/JULIA MAHONY.

Porscha gives gift of reading

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

A kind-hearted Masterton teen hopes her gift to Wairarapa Hospital will bring comfort and muchneeded distraction to sick children – and also inspire a life-long love of reading.

With savings from working extra hours over the school holidays, 17-year-old Porscha Futter bought close to $1000 worth of children’s books – which she later donated to the hospital’s paediatric ward.

Supported by Paper Plus Masterton, Porscha selected a miniature library for young readers – from classic picture books like The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Gruffalo, and Where’s Wally? to universally popular page-turners

from Roald Dahl and Dr Seuss.

She presented the books to the ward earlier this month, where they were excitedly received by staff and patients alike.

Porscha, a Wairarapa College student and children’s swimming teacher, said she was inspired to “give something back” to the hospital after losing a close friend – a regular visitor to the paediatric ward – to cancer last year.

It was also an opportunity for Porscha, a voracious reader from childhood, to share her love of the printed word with Wairarapa youngsters.

“For young people, everything’s all about screens and social media – so they might not get the same opportunities to read as I did,” she said.

“I wanted to help kids fall in love with reading and books like I did when I was young. I thought it would be awesome to share all my old favourites with them.

“And also, reading a book can be a good distraction when you’re sick and going through something so huge.”

At her tender age, it’s clear Porscha is a community-minded individual. As Head of Service at WaiCol, she is responsible for the school’s community projects, such as Students Against Dangerous Driving and the Student Volunteer Army, and is also a regular volunteer at the annual Breadcraft Kids’ Triathlon.

Nevertheless, her gesture initially took her family by surprise.

“I thought at first she

was saving up for a new iPhone, or some clothes,” mum Marina Sanders said.

“Young people can be a bit selfish with their money – but she proved me wrong!

“When I asked her about it, she said she wanted to give the children something she finds comforting. Porscha couldn’t help them get better, but she could help by giving them an escape – through reading and their imagination.”

When selecting the

Art and growing experiments combined

Continued from page 1

produce stall. An entire alley of flaming canna lilies; a ‘bubble bath’ made of succulents and other magical things hidden at every turn add texture and surprise.

But the creative gardening methods used at Hattenburn make it unique.

Kingsley’s background in horticultural science, along with her awardwinning artistic talents, allow her the confidence to develop old and new techniques in growing and propagating.

The garden utilizes over 1000 black tyres, which Kingsley describes as “ugly but effective” – they protect plants from frost, wind, rabbits and hares and hold down mulch to retain moisture. Reusable

organza bags protect fruit on the trees from birds.

Kingsley and Batchelor festoon fruit trees and use mound layering for berry plant propagation.

A high black-painted ‘hot wall’, made from recycled bottles and cement, is the backdrop for a curtain of passionfruit vines and avocado trees.

“Development of the gardens will never stop,”

Kingsley said. “There are at least 19 more projects on the To Do list.”

These include continuing development of a food forest, with its wood-fired hot tub –recycled, of course.

“Our food forest has been designed to show how you can keep costs to an absolute minimum,” Kingsley said. “Much of what we use, or plant is free, gifted, cheap, or we

propagated it ourselves.”

Using things that are of little value to others is a favourite – sheep dags from farms is one example of free mulch.

Kingsley and Batchelor have their lifestyle quirks – she distils and makes

books, Porscha was assisted by “super supportive” Paper Plus owners Selina Griggs and Richard Hamilton –who provided a discount and several items free of charge.

She made sure the collection included books suitable for various reading levels, as well as several of the titles that shaped her formative years.

“I wanted to include the ones my parents read to me – like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Very

Hungry Caterpillar “And, for older kids, series like Geronimo Stilton and Harry Potter.”

Porscha said the ward staff, including charge nurse manager Tess Geard, were “so excited” to receive their new library.

“We saw the books they had already, and they looked pretty old,” she said.

“It’ll be nice for the kids to have some new books – and it’s one less thing for the staff to worry about. They do so much for everyone.”

“Porscha’s very generous donation will put smiles on the faces of many children of all ages,” Geard added.

“On behalf of paediatrics at Te Whatu Ora Wairarapa, my sincere thanks.”

This is the hospital’s second recent donation from a young person –last year, Chanel College pupil Bridie Croucher raised funds for a new fridge for the paediatric ward.

gin, and he owns 24 elderly Massey Ferguson tractors. They live off-grid in an eco-friendly home, in tune with the Carrington river plateau environment at the base of the Taraura foothills, which can be

battered by wind and heavy rains.

Over 18 years, the couple has learned how to live and thrive there, with the produce stall proof of their success.

• Hattenburn Gardens are open for self-

guided tours every day of the year, dawn to dusk. Entry is $7 per person via honesty box or online. Follow on Facebook: Hattenburn Gardens and Produce Stall.

Porscha Futter [right] presents a new miniature library to Tess Geard, charge nurse manager at Wairarapa Hospital’s paediatric ward. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

A mosaic lounge suite for visitors to rest.

PHOTO/JULIA MAHONY

Echinacea ˜ owers are some of the many plants on display.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Worm wee is liquid gold for Jack

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

What started out as a lockdown dinner table conversation “about how to make money” has turned into a lucrative home enterprise for Carterton youngster Jack Newton.

The Year 7 pupil is the visionary behind Jack’s Worm Wee – a small online business specialising in organic, chemical-free fertiliser, sourced from the family’s worm farm.

Jack, then eight years old, began planning his new business idea during the first covid lockdown: Eventually starting his own worm composting operation, and selling the resulting water waste to garden-enthusiast neighbours and friends.

Worm wee, or “worm tea”, has been dubbed “liquid gold for the garden”. Produced from the worms’ diet of food scraps, it contains the nutrients and microorganisms necessary for a healthy soil profile.

Word about Jack’s product got around –and, before long, he and his parents were loading recycled wine bottles of worm wee

“onto the back of the ute” and transporting them throughout the region.

Later, Jack’s own stall at the local weekend markets kept the happy customers and the profits rolling in.

Mum Ces Newton said Jack’s Worm Wee came about after Jack announced that he “didn’t want to go back to school after lockdown, and was going to start [his] own business”.

His parents insisted he continue his education, but helped him narrow down a list of ideas – until he landed on one, inspired by a recent school project.

“He had been learning all about worm farms and natural fertilisers at Opaki School – and he decided he wanted to make some of his own,” Ces said.

“Jack’s always been an ideas man. Even since he was about three, he’s been saying, ‘Mum, I’ve got a genius idea!’ And usually, his ideas make a lot of sense.

“It’s been the coolest thing watching this take off. It’s great for him to see that ideas can take shape and come to life — and if you work hard, you get the treats.

“And he does enjoy making his own money!”

On hearing Jack “rattle off a whole lot of facts”

about tiger worms and their nutrient-dense by-products, the family’s first port of call was Central Wormworx in Cromwell – which services large operations, such as vineyards and orchards.

They ordered “an ice

Oath to King Charles by newest NZ citizens

Mary Argue mary.argue@age.co.nz

The ranks of Wairarapa’s New Zealand citizens have swelled by more than 50, after two recent citizenship ceremonies in the region. Masterton and Tararua mayors welcomed the new citizens in separate ceremonies.

At Te Ore Ore Marae in Masterton, 32 people took an oath or affirmation of allegiance to King Charles III.

The new citizens came from far and wide to Aotearoa, including from Samoa, Bahamas, Philippines, South Africa, Romania, Italy, Brazil, and India.

Masterton District Council said the group was twice the normal size for citizenship ceremonies, with Mayor Gary Caffell observing it was a “fantastic day”.

“What a thrill to preside over my first citizenship ceremony.

Fantastic occasion for all concerned,” Caffell said.

Meanwhile, Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis said it was “a pleasure” to welcome 20 citizens in a ceremony last Tuesday.

“New Zealand is no longer just your home. It is now your country,” she told the freshly-minted New Zealanders.

“You are joining the New Zealand family. New Zealand’s future and your future are woven together now.”

cream container” of tiger worms, delivered by a bemused courier driver.

After sourcing a worm farm from Mitre 10 and doing “a bit of Googling”, Jack got to work on raising his new bright-red wriggly housemates.

“They’re pretty easy to look after,” Jack, now at Masterton Intermediate School, said.

“You feed them kitchen scraps, like kumara and potato peelings – they munch through them. They quite like paper as well. But they don’t like banana peels or onion skins.

“You have to remember to give them water as well. I just use the hose.”

Once the worms are fed and watered, their waste can be collected every two weeks from the bottom tray of the worm farm. For the ideal consistency, worm wee must be watered down to “the colour of weak tea”.

As an experiment, Ces tried out the new product on “some previouslyneglected lemon and feijoa trees” and a houseplant “on its last legs”.

“They pretty much came back to life. The feijoa tree hadn’t done anything for years — and it was growing fruit and flowers. We were just like, ‘what the heck?!’”

Jack made his first sales to the neighbours in their small cul-de-sac: Earning rave reviews, plus donations of wine bottles to use as environmentallyfriendly receptacles.

Eventually, he advertised Jack’s Worm Wee on

Facebook Marketplace, and the fledgling business “snowballed”.

“People kept coming back and placing orders — they wanted more bottles, and then bigger bottles,” Jack said.

“They’d say things like, ‘we can’t believe what this is doing for our plants!”

Last year, Jack set up a regular stall at the Wairarapa Farmers’ Market — and, after a slow start, he built up an enthusiastic clientele.

“This one time, a guy came and said ‘I’ll buy the lot’. He bought about 30 bottles!”

Jack now has his own bank account, and is able to cover his business expenses outgoings — as well as treating himself to a new hoverboard.

He has also set up a Facebook page for Jack’s Worm Wee and, after a brief hiatus while the family moved to rural Carterton, is taking online orders, and hopes to hit the market circuit again.

“He’s very driven — he wants this to do well,” Ces said.

“Not many people sell worm wee on a big commercial scale. So he’s definitely hit on a gap in the market.”

Jack Newton harvests the worm wee from his worm composting operation -- later to be bottled and sold.

PHOTO/ERIN KAVANAGH-HALL

Masterton welcomed 32 new citizens at a ceremony at Te Ore Ore Marae. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

It’s ‘profound irony’

It probably went over Graeme Burnard’s head [Midweek, March 8], but there was a profound irony in a man being so offended by the ‘PC Brigade’ that his response was to whinge about it publicly – with a laundry list of things he finds offensive. Isn’t being threatened by words, and complaining about word choices, the exact thing he was trying his best to ridicule?

Amongst the incoherent ramblings was some classic dogwhistling bigotry, with stale and predictable gripes about “Adam and Eve becoming Adam and Steve”. Is that really the best he could do?

The world is moving on, Graeme. If progress so offends you, maybe it’s time to take a concrete pill and harden up, dear.

Emily Rosenthal Carterton

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.

The use of the term “Adam and Steve” is often used to deride homosexuality. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Expo for everyone

Spinning wheels spun, dogs were patted, shoes were fitted, and people walked through a giant inflatable bowel, at the Ageing with Attitude expo in Masterton last Friday.

Organised by Age Concern Wairarapa, the expo was well attended by hundreds of people

on a wet day. Colour and activity inside War Memorial Stadium ensured a bright event, with more than 50 stalls showcasing charities, community organisations, businesses and clubs. They included Probus, a social club for retired people; Fareham Creative Space, an arts and wellbeing community space in Featherston;

Walk This Way Podiatry; Grandparents Raising Grandchildren; Alzheimers Wairarapa; Digital Seniors; Wairarapa Spinners and Weavers; Henley Men’s Shed and many more.

Te Hauora Rūnanga o Wairarapa, which provides free support services, offered samples of kawakawa pesto and healing cream at the expo, while Retired Working

Dogs introduced friendly canines to the crowd. The charitable trust rehomes retired farm dogs, pig hunting dogs and dogs retired due to injury. The giant walk-through inflatable bowel was a hit with attendees, although Emma Mitchell, of the National Bowel Screening Programme, said many people didn’t realise what they had walked through

until they emerged at the other end.

“The inflatable is here to raise awareness of the importance of bowel cancer screening for 60-74-year-olds,” Mitchell said. Bowel cancer is the second highest cause

of cancer death in New Zealand and screening begins with a simple test at home.

Jenny Spring, of Masterton, dressed in full St Patrick’s Day regalia and spread Irish cheer around the stadium.

An expo attendee met a member of Retired Working Dogs.

Emma Mitchell, of the National Bowel Screening Programme in Wairarapa, with ‘Bella the Bowel’. PHOTOS/JULIA MAHONY

Jenny Spring of Masterton brought St Patrick’s Day cheer to the expo.

Mahony

Spinners Shanta Adair and Karen ten Hove gave a demonstration.

Dana Hill and Letty Henare of Te Hauora Runanga o Wairarapa.

Charity has event bins covered

A Wairarapa charity and community education programme has teamed up with the region’s three district councils to help cut down on waste at public events.

Using old vinyl advertising banners provided by Carterton Events Centre, Divine River has created reusable bin covers to be used at events throughout Wairarapa.

The purpose is to encourage attendees to use the event’s recycling and waste stations – with the aim of more mindful rubbish disposal and reducing event waste.

Each cover, designed to fit over most bins, was made by Divine River co-founder Joanna Hehir, with support from a team of local volunteers.

Thanks to the three councils’ combined waste minimisation strategy, community events in Wairarapa will now have designated recycling areas – which will be monitored to ensure no contamination of valuable recoverable goods.

“The aim is to change behaviours and make ‘reduce, reuse and recycling’ a normal occurrence at these events and hopefully change individual practices,” Cody Field, regional community zero waste coordinator, said.

“With the Solid Waste Bylaw now in effect, events with 1000-plus attendees must submit an event waste minimisation plan to their respective council.

“We encourage all events to provide a waste minimisation plan. It’s a simple process that helps with planning and events running smoothly on the day.”

Divine River provides regular workshops on upcycling and repurposing items, mainly centred around personal care and hygiene. The organisation donates reusable sanitary items to local schools and runs community programmes on making

sustainable personal care products.

“It’s about sustainability and encouraging community-led selfsufficiency,” co-founder Lisa Birrell said.

“If we all do our little bit and take the opportunity to learn about re-purposing, we can create a better environment, as well as more sustainable business models.”

Erin Banks, team leader at Carterton Events Centre Team, said the bin covers project was “a great way” to repurpose its used event advertising material and to “give it another life”.

“The arts have always been about re-purposing, reusing and being

MIDWEEK PHOTOS

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

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

resourceful,” she said.

Divine River has also introduced a Youth Enterprise Programme, in partnership with Youth 2 Work Wairarapa and the Ministry of Social Development. As part of the new initiative, young participants will undertake a comprehensive training programme with Joanna Hehir to make bin covers for Carterton District Council events and other eco-friendly products. These bin covers debuted at the Carterton School Gala on March 3. • More information about waste minimisation at community events can be found on the three councils’ websites.

Reader Warren sent in this amazing shot of the pre-storm skies above West Taratahi earlier this month. This photo was also featured on the 1News weather report on March 9.

PHOTO/WARREN CAMERON

Reader Vanessa took this awesome and atmospheric photo of the pre-storm clouds above her Carterton home.

PHOTO/VANESSA FRAMPTON

Carterton School principal Matt Jackett [left], Divine River co-founder Lisa Birrell, teacher Melanie MacGregor and zero waste coordinator Cody Field with one of the new upcycled bin covers at the Carterton School Gala. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

GardenYarn with GardenBarn

AUTUMN IS THE TIME TO PLANT SPRING BULBS

Bulbs are one of the easiest owers to grow.

The planting of spring bulbs takes place in autumn and early winter. You can begin planting as soon as the end of February with some bulbs such as Ranunculus and Anemone. Some bulbs are best to be chilled before planting, especially in areas where frosts are minimal. Tulips are a good example of types that thrive better under cooler conditions.

 Early spring bulbs include: Crocus, early Tulips, early Daffodils and Anemone.

 Mid spring bulbs include: Hyacinth, Daffodil, Freesia, Triumph Tulips and Ranunculus.

 Late spring bulbs include: Gladioli, Dutch Iris and Bluebells.

Check the instructions on the bulb packet for speci c instructions and timing.

When planting your bulbs ensure they have free draining soil. Digging in some Daltons

Premium Bulb Mix will ensure they get off to good start, and this can be used in the ground as well as pots. Some other additions to the soil can include compost or well-rotted organic material. In heavy clay soils where drainage is poor, or where roots from surrounding trees and shrubs are a problem, plant bulbs in raised beds. You can also add gypsum to your soil to help aeration, and to improve drainage.

You won’t see any growth for a few months, but underneath the ground they will be busy developing their roots and ower buds. When you see the rst set of leaves appear take care to protect them from slugs & snails. This is when you could add a side dressing of bulb food (take care if growing in pots that you use one speci c for container growing).

One of the earliest to ower with golden-yellow blooms with

DAFFODILS

Narcissus pseudonarcissus is the Latin name for Daffodil, and they would have to be one of the most obvious symbols of spring. They look great planted in bulk.

Daffodils come in many colours, shapes, forms and sizes, and can be planted any time from now until the end of May. When the bulbs are planted doesn’t often make a big difference to owering time, as this is often dependant on winter cold and spring warmth conditions.

CROCUS

These hardy bulbs do exceptionally well in areas with cold winters and are one of the few that will perform in shady damp areas of the garden, but well drained soil is very important. Crocuses are a fabulous addition to areas underneath large deciduous trees or in a cooler part of a rockery and are great planted in bulk. These are one of the rst spring bulbs to emerge and if the corms are left in the ground they’ll bloom even earlier. Crocus owers only open when there’s sun or light, closing up in rain and at night.

One of the rst indicators that winter is nearing an end and spring is on the way is the arrival of colourful & bright ower heads of spring bulbs emerging from the ground. Don’t miss out on having your garden & pots lled with owers, come and get your bulbs now and prepare the ground and pots for planting. Bulb stocks are limited. More varieties of bulbs will be arriving in at a later date.

BULB BASKETS

Not all daffodils are yellow, Professor Einstein has pure white outer petals and a red-orange cup that fades to yellow-orange.

DUTCH IRIS

These are one of the easiest, and hardiest, bulbs to grow and their owers last for weeks in a vase. They ower quite early in the season, have strong stems, and if left in the ground will come back year after year.

Dutch Irises can be planted from late March through until mid May and come in a range of bold colours.

GLADIOLI

Gladioli’s are also known as Painted Ladies and Nanus. These are perfect for pots or in borders, with their small, but hardy, dwarf growth habbit.

MUSCARI

Also known as Grape hyacinths, are great planted in masses in borders and pots, and look wonderful planted with late owering daffodils and tulips.

FREESIA

These have a delicious sweet scent and gorgeous coloured blooms. Growing freesias in pots is a wonderful way to enjoy their fragrance and beauty. They thrive in sunny spots and need protection from frosts.

LIONS CLUB OF CARTERTON

SPUD N BAG

WEIGH IN & JUDGING

SUNDAY MARCH 26

Drop your entries o° to Club Carterton, Broadway Street, Carterton, from 10am - Noon

There will be lunch meals available as well as fun $2 Spinning Wheel Ra˜ es. Don’t forget all funds raised go straight back to the community. For all enquiries please contact:

John Fauvel 027 686 5916

Paul Reid 021 511 816

Brian James 027 606 6963

If you’re going to lift your bulbs at the end of the season then planting in baskets keeps it simple and ensures you don’t leave any in the ground. Keeping them nicely contained also means you won’t accidentally damage hidden bulbs in the ground.

GROWING IN POTS

Bulbs do well in pots. Daffodils, Tulips, Freesias, Hyacinths, Grape Hyacinths, Bluebells, Crocus and Anemones are especially suited. Bulbs can be layered (ie stacked on top of each other) to create a massed effect. This means putting the larger bulbs further down in the mix near the base of the pot, and the smaller ones higher up.

PREMIUM BULB MIX

Daltons Premium Bulb

Mix is ideal for the garden or pots and contains:

 6 months controlled release fertiliser.

Calcium and Magnesium for bulb health.

Coco bre to increase moisture retention and to promote healthy root development.

CAR TOO SMALL?

Did you know we do deliveries every Thursday throughout Wairarapa? Come & see us for more info.

7 DAYS 8.30am - 6.00pm

Cream Beauty

Fire y

reddish-orange cups

Monal

Popular for its lovely scent and producing up to 4-6 polyanthus blooms per stem.

Geranium

Professor Einstein

Out & About

Hearty meals from around the world, Irishthemed games, performances, and plenty of green – St Patrick’s School’s food fair was a feast of cultural colour.

JULIA MAHONY called in.

Helpers go green in honour of St Patrick’s Day. PHOTOS/JULIA MAHONY

A young attendee gets some colour from the “Leprechaun” face painter.

Pupils enjoy the Irish-themed stand-in photo board.

Members of St Patrick’s Indian community share their home-cooked curry with the crowd.

St Patrick’s families, complete with green adornments, work the food stalls.

‘Magic Max’ entertained the crowd with colourful balloon animals.

ZIGGYS: WAIRARAPA’S GLASS EMPORIUM

With nearly 35 years in the glass business, Ziggys Glass is on the ascendency again. Having previously integrated Novus Auto Glass’s regional presence into the business, Ziggys has now amalgamated local ÿ rm Ewen Glass into its site at 119 Lincoln Road. Ziggys is now the region’s go-to store for all things glass.

This is a ‘local lad makes good’ success story, with Simon O’Donoghue, nicknamed Ziggy, starting his glazier training in 1984 and establishing the business in 1989. “I started out with an old Bedford van and a debt to my parents of $20,” Simon recalls.

Today, with a sta° of 15, Ziggys has broadened its range of products o° ered from glass for houses and buildings to also include repairs, replacement and recalibrations of vehicle windscreens, shop frontage and ÿ touts, aluminium window retroÿ t double glazing, showers, balustrades, splash backs, and so much more.

Gareth Hamill, with 20 years’ experience at Metro Glass in his back pocket, has been brought on as General Manager of Ziggys operations. Gareth and his family relocated to the Wairarapa over a year ago, ready to focus on Ziggys familyowned and community-focused business.

“Ziggys can now o° er a broader value proposition to our customers because of the integration on one site of all

our operations,” Gareth says. “And we’re proud of the fact we can continue to meet the requirements of a diverse range of customers.”

Ziggys strong retail focus, through which individual customers are well-served, sits alongside its business-tobusiness partnerships in the new build and renovations markets. Big national companies, local construction companies, and bespoke building and joinery enterprises are all customers of Ziggys. Pricing is important. “Buying glass products in volume allows Ziggys to stabilise prices to the market, as far as we can,” Gareth says. “We work hard in the background to procure well, and pass e˛ ciencies onto our customers.”

Simon and Gareth work alongside each other, with complementary personalities

and skill sets. Gareth brings energy and business acumen reÿ ned in the corporate environment to Ziggys expanding operations. Simon’s easy-going nature and commitment are perfect for managing big projects such as the expansion and upgrading of Ziggys site. Ziggys now reaches along an entire block, including a modern and newly roofed building for the Novus automotive glass aspect of the business, an adjoining car park, and a huge area for storing a multitude of glass products as well as glass cutting and retroÿ tting operations.

“As winter approaches and your bedroom feels colder, this is the right time to talk to us about having your aluminium-framed windows retroÿ tted with double glazing,” Gareth says.

“We don’t pull the windows out - we simply manage new

components in. You can do it in stages or room by room as a° ordability allows.”

Phil Jamieson manages Ziggys front of house - he’s the man to talk to about your glass requirements. Phil’s been with the company since 1997 and, because of his trade experience and qualiÿ cations, can comfortably move from talking with you about your needs to popping out the back and cutting the glass himself.

“The basis of our success over nearly 35 years has been our

sta° ,” says Simon. “We have a great team environment, and our customers are dealing with qualiÿ ed industry experts.”

Corey Miller manages the Novus automotive part of Ziggys. He’s been with Ziggys for over 20 years and has strong community connections through his sporting endeavours. Travis O’Donoghue, Simon’s son, works as second in charge to Corey and is also trade qualiÿ ed. Two pillars that have long underpinned Ziggys operations are its sustainability focus and its community involvement.

“We want to keep waste out of the landÿ lls,” says Simon. Gareth advises: “Ziggys recycles its glass, aluminium and cardboard waste and is committed to a sustainable future.” As for involvement in the community, Simon O’Donoghue will be familiar to many as a two-term elected councillor with the Masterton District Council. Ziggys also supports a multitude of local sporting groups and initiatives. Ziggys is dovetailing innovation with its legacy values and expertise. “We’re keeping true to our foundation principles with a consistent and recognisable brand. At the same time, new faces, expansion, and innovation are helping prepare Ziggys for its next 35 years of meeting Wairarapa’s demand for glass.”“Supporting customers is Ziggys priority.”

Frameless Glass Showers

The Ziggys Team

This Saturday, March 25, it will be three years since New Zealand entered its first covid lockdown.

I think it’s fair to say things haven’t been quite the same since.

I’m sure many of us remember where we were when we heard Level 4 was imminent. Me, I was floating in Cook Strait. My mum, stepdad and I were on the Bluebridge, on our way to North Canterbury for my grandfather’s funeral. We were barely half an hour out of Wellington Harbour when the Prime Minister made her announcement: Quarantine would commence in a little over 48 hours. Then, a text from Rangiora – the funeral was cancelled.

For the next two days, unable to get an earlier sailing home, my parents and I were holed up in a hotel room in Picton. In the end, our family was able to hold an impromptu online funeral:

Which we joined via FaceTime, with Mum’s iPhone propped up against the chilly bin. I read a poem I’d written for Granddad. Virtual services soon became the norm.

I digress. Lockdown came and went – since then, we’ve had more covid variants cross the border, more stays inside “the bubble”, the Traffic Light system, vaccine mandates, and government enquiries. There was a lot of working from home, several fractious social media discussions, and public displays of violence.

Three years on ...what have we learned from this experience?

On the whole, Aotearoa has been fortunate. As epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker wrote for

RNZ, the New Zealand government’s response strategy of elimination helped minimise infection and death in the first two years of the pandemic. The scientific community still agrees that high vaccination rates helped prevent more serious illness.

It has, however, emerged that the initial response and vaccine roll-out had their flaws.

During the first lockdown, New Zealand’s disabled community were left further isolated by a lack of accessible information and patchy access to care. The government was criticised for creating a “two tier” welfare system — with higher payments for those made redundant than for existing beneficiaries. The vaccine rollout

has faced censure for its inaccessibility to Māori, Pasifika, and rural communities.

The pandemic also highlighted our many systemic inequities: the housing crisis, food insecurity, and gaping holes in our health workforce, which the government is still scrambling to fill.

These are difficult conversations — but, if we’re going to face another pandemic, some introspection wouldn’t go amiss.

Speaking of – We’ve learned a virus can be policitised, and that public health measures can morph into “government control”. We’ve learned how easily conspiracy theories can proliferate. Which isn’t new — both the 1918 flu pandemic and the Aids crisis brought their fair share out of the woodwork. The internet just accelerates them.

It begs the question: Is it possible to police online misinformation, without further alienating those already feeling disenfranchised?

Unfortunately, covid has also revealed an

undercurrent of cruelty and violence within our supposedly progressive society. This was obvious not only during the Parliament occupation, but in the rise of intenet abuse towards women, people of colour, and religious minorities. Probably not a good time to shelve the hate speech legislation. Others will disagree, no doubt.

Taking stock of it all, I’m a little jaded. Covid has absolutely brought out the worst in some people. Not sure what my dear late Granddad would make of it all.

That said, New Zealanders are still prepared to come through for others. Whether that’s checking in on lonely neighbours, delivering hand sanitiser and masks to struggling whanau, and putting together care packages for exhausted health workers, there’s still plenty of good in our communities. Always cause for celebration.

It’s been a tough few years, Wairarapa. I hope the next few are a bit gentler on us all.

The Wairarapa Midweek is subject to New Zealand Media Council procedures. A complaint must ÿ rst be directed in writing to the editor’s

MIDWEEK PHOTOS

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

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

CUTIES OF THE WEEK

Miriam Coulter

Everything.

Jean Cretney Eggs and lemons.

Bex Johnson Cheese.

Nick Simon

Food that we grow down the road.

Maxine Smith

A quote to ÿ t a tow bar.

Cheryl Cavanagh

Kiwifruit.

Karen Jayne Shaw

Courgettes.

Phil Brazier Lamb. New Zealand

has plenty of sheep –so why the ridiculous price? Our lamb is cheaper overseas.

James Riley Magic the Gathering cards.

Karen Roberts Most dairy products.

Karen Lenz Food prices. There are watermelons for $16.99 each, and 10kg bags of spuds for $19.99. How the heck are people supposed to live?

Danielle Robinson Living life.

For many New Zealanders, the weekly trip to the supermarket is getting progressively more expensive. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

CONTACT US

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.

Something that is ridiculously overpriced is…

Reader Donna, from Masterton, sent in this gorgeous shot of her grandson Cooper [10] having some bonding time with his new baby sister Billie-Kaye. Billie-Kaye, who lives in Wellington with her family, was born 10 weeks prematurely, and is now three months old. A big congratulations to the family from all of us at Midweek!

PHOTO/DONNA GRAY

ARATOI VOICES

Fork’s name raises eyebrows

Inside one of our table cabinets in the Masterton Museum: Cabinet of Curiosities, lies a small and unusual looking object. You probably have walked past it as it is next to some fabulous Egyptian Ushbeti, but take a closer look, this object is really rather fascinating.

This week we will take you to Fiji and introduce you to the Fijian cannibal fork.

Yes, you read that right. A cannibal fork. As in a fork for eating people?

Cannibal forks originate from Fiji and were called ai cula ni bokola by the people there. Now cannibal forks are not used to eat just anyone’s flesh. They were an object of the ultimate taboo and were only used in rituals to feed chiefs.

When Abel Tasman, and later Captain Cook, first came to the Fiji, they found tribes who seemed to eat the flesh of their own for no other reason than hunger. This led to the islands being named the Cannibal Isles, and tales spread about the violent tribes who lived there.

However, further research of the tribes found a people who had mastered the art of agriculture and fishing. So, if the cannibal nature of the tribes was not a product of hunger, why did they eat each other?

The tribes of Fiji lived in almost constant warfare

Proposed wind farm is back on the table

Holmes asked for further explanation.

during construction and 40 ongoing jobs.

due to the lack of land on the islands and were constantly fighting for territory, space, and control. It was discovered that the cannibalism was a part of a ritual of humiliation and revenge. After a battle between two tribes, the victorious side

would eat the flesh of the fallen tribe.

The chief of the tribe was deemed too holy to handle the flesh of the dead. Therefore, these forks were made to feed the meat to the chief. In this way the chief was able to partake in the ritual while staying spiritually clean and holy. Because of the taboo nature of the cannibal forks, they were highly treasured and were kept in the spirit house, a temple of worship for the tribal community.

Thank you to Jen Copedo, Assistant Collection Manager, Humanities at Otago Museum for letting us share your research.

• Masterton Museum: Cabinet of Curiosities is showing until July 2.

A new consent for Genesis Energy’s Castle Hill wind farm could see it shift further into the Masterton district.

The proposed changes were discussed at the Masterton District Council’s [MDC] Infrastructure and Services Committee meeting last Wednesday.

The agenda said that Genesis Energy planned to change conditions and extend the timeframe of its existing consent for Castle Hill.

Committee chair David

MDC planning manager Christine Chong said a consent change would mean that most of the wind farm would be in Masterton District rather than Tararua District.

Castle Hill, previously planned to be built 20km northeast of Masterton, would be the largest wind farm in the country if Genesis goes ahead with the project.

In 2011, when Genesis applied for resource consent, the Times-Age reported the project could provide 185 jobs

The project was also forecast to bring $247 million into the Masterton and Tararua districts.

The Times-Age reported in January that Genesis Energy, as noted in its 2022 annual report, was investigating the possibility of a resource consent extension for a wind farm at Castle Hill. The original consent was approved by the Environment Court in 2013 and is due to expire this year.

The Castle Hill wind farm could double

COULD YOU QUALIFY FOR

25% OFF YOUR DOG REGO?

Does this sound like you?

y you live in urban Masterton (rural dogs are not eligible)

y property is fully fenced

y at least one door is accessible by visitors without encountering the dog

y dog is de-sexed and microchipped

y registration has been paid on time for two years

y dog has not been the subject of a substantiated complaint in the previous two years.

If the answer is yes, you may be eligible for our responsible dog owner status, saving you 25 per cent off your dog registration fee.

An application fee of $25 (non refundable) applies, and you can apply via the website or at the Queen Street Office. Applications close 31 March.

Note: Some dogs, including rural, menacing by deed, or dogs classified as dangerous, are not eligible. Further details available at: www.mstn.govt.nz

Genesis Energy’s annual renewable electricity generation – generating the equivalent power produced by at least 850,000 tonnes of coal each year.

When the consent was first granted, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges said the project was a “major boost to our continued confidence in renewables”, and showed that “companies are clearly willing to invest in progressing costeffective options to meet New Zealand’s future electricity needs”.

Chong said although

the consent allowed 300 wind turbines to be built on the site, the building has not yet gone ahead.

“Genesis Energy has now asked in a joint application to the regional councils and territorial authorities to re-consider extending the timeframe for [building], as well as changing some of the conditions of the previously received consent,” Chong said.

She noted Genesis Energy had been referred to the Environment Court, which granted the first consent.

The Fijian cannibal fork.

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Genesis Energy’s Castle Hill windfarm could be back on the table.

PHOTO/FILE

Lifestyle

When Myrtle ate venison

Castlepoint has never had a visitor like a tourist who visited the community 50 years ago, recounts Wairarapa

Archive’s MARK PACEY.

On March 1, 1973, Whakataki farmer Don Iggulden was heading into Castlepoint after a bleak day’s fishing when he noticed something odd in the water – a large shape with what looked like a fin protruding from the sea.

Was it a large shark?

When a second fin broke the water, he clicked. They weren’t fins, but the flippers of a sea turtle who was a long way from home but nonetheless apparently quite happy.

As Iggulden approached, he noticed “she seemed to be rolling on her back sunbathing”.

Not sure what to do with this creature, Iggulden and his crewmate brought her on to his boat and headed

into shore to try and find out what she was doing

off Wairarapa’s coast.

It’s not every day that a 70-kilogram sea turtle comes ashore so a call was made to Napier’s Marineland. Manager

Rod Abel – a well-known provincial rugby player and marine life authority – said the aquatic centre already had a turtle and advised Iggulden that the best thing to do with the unexpected arrival – who’d already been dubbed “Myrtle” – was to return her to the sea.

As it was getting late, it was decided to put Myrtle up for the night at Iggulden’s farm before putting her back in the water the next day.

After being loaded “snorting and sniffing” on to the back of a truck and driven to the farm, the sea turtle was placed in a shallow tank

her way to sea.

half-filled with water.

A turtle who’d come so far would have worked up quite an appetite, so feeding her was a priority – but what exactly?

On the basis that turtles swim all over the oceans, so their tastes are probably quite broad, Myrtle was treated to a meal of venison.

The next day, word about Myrtle and her

imminent return to her watery home had circulated Castlepoint’s community. Before the appointed hour of 4.30pm, the beach began to fill with spectators. Residents, holidaymakers, the school – they all wanted to see Myrtle off. Even the patrons at Whakataki Hotel were enticed away from half-

finished glasses of beer after they saw a flatbed truck with a very special cargo drive past, and Iggulden and Myrtle arrived at the beach with a convoy of vehicles behind them. The gathered crowd watched with anticipation as Myrtle was carried from the back of the truck and placed on the sand.

Wheezing and panting, Myrtle began making her way to the sea, but it was slow going. Very slow going. Deciding she needed a bit of help, Iggulden and friend Peter Pickett picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to the surf.

Myrtle pushed off and departed Wairarapa for the open sea. She lifted

her head out of the surf, took in her surroundings one last time and then dove back under, disappearing beneath the turbid waves. Later in the day Myrtle was spotted two miles out to sea by a fisherman, reportedly enjoying a lie in the sun before continuing on with her journey.

Castlepoint’s residents, school children, and holidaymakers all wanted to see Myrtle o˜ . PHOTOS/WAIRARAPA

HE TĀKAI KŌRERO MAI I WHAKAORIORI

MASTERTON MONTHLY WRAP

Message from the Mayor

We are now very much moving into the recovery phase of work after the extremely damaging e ects of Cyclone Gabrielle last month.

The Wairarapa Mayoral Relief Fund is now open for applications. It has been boosted by a $100,000 contribution from the Trust House Foundation, and nearly $17,000 from Ashburton District Council as part of Local Government NZ’s Adopt-a-community initiative, and has been well supported by donations from people across the region.

If you have been significantly a ected by Gabrielle, please do not hesitate to visit the fund website – www.wairaraparecovery.nz – and look at the criteria for the Relief Fund. The website also sets out other sources of financial assistance that you may be able to access.

Inevitably after the Cyclone, life must start return to normal and that certainly applies to Council business.

The big-ticket item coming up is our Annual Plan, which will set out what work the Council wants to

Annual Plan consultation

Next week will see the start of consultation to inform Council’s Annual Plan. The Annual Plan sets out our work programme and budget for the 2023/24 financial year.

The Annual Plan will be finalised by the Council at its meeting on 28 June and will determine the rates for the coming year.

Before then, the Annual Plan Consultation Document will be adopted at an extraordinary Council meeting on 29 March, with a month-long period of consultation with the community launching 31 March.

The consultation will explain what Council is proposing, and invites your feedback on several topics for both this Annual Plan, and to help shape consultation for the 2024-34 Long Term Plan.

POUTŪ-TE-RANGI 2023

MARCH 2023

Dog park up for discussion

do in the next financial year, and how much it will cost – and what that adds up to the rates.

Councillors have already discussed with sta how to limit the rates increase and at our 29 March meeting next week we will look at a draft Annual Plan that would lead to a rates increase of 7.9 per cent. After the draft plan is agreed, it will go out for a month of consultation.

Have your say!

All elected members and sta are very aware of the financial pressures we are all facing, and have worked hard to bring the possible rates increase down from double digits.

After next week’s meeting we will be asking our community what they want.

For the Annual Plan, we are asking questions about grants we o er and funding for a couple of bigger projects we are considering, as well as what activities could be more user-pays than rate-funded.

In preparation for next year’s Long-Term Plan discussions, we are also taking the opportunity to ask questions about a revised scope for a civic facility and the level of service that we should be delivering and at what cost. Once the results of consultation have been compiled and assessed, the Council will make its final decision on the work programme –leading to the final rates figure – on 28 June.

Recycling soft plastics

You can now recycle soft plastics at the following Masterton locations:

Masterton District Council will next month consider making land available at Henley Lake for a fenced dog park.

A report is being prepared for the 5 April Council meeting following discussions by Council sta with Rotary South and Rotary Masterton about making use of Council-owned grazing land by Henley Lake.

The Council’s Manager Community Facilities and Activities Corin Haines said the proposal was not expected to involve a cost to ratepayers with Rotary Masterton and Rotary South Masterton proposing to fund the cost of establishing the park.

“The idea of a dog park has been discussed for a number of years. The concept for consideration by elected members will be for the Council’s contribution to be limited to provision of the land.”

The roads to recovery from Gabrielle

The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on Masterton District’s rural roading network has been considerable and will last for some time.

The cost of the Initial response has been estimated at $1,350,000, with work expected to continue for most of March to bring major roads to a safe level of service removing slips, debris and trees.

Council Meetings

needed to achieve complete reinstatement. Reinstatement of roads to their pre-cyclone state will cost multiple millions of dollars.

Other weather events over 2022 and 2023 have generated significant damage to the road network with major costs incurred responding to these.

A separate consultation will also be running at the same time about the Council’s draft Speed Management Plan, which has a focus on changing speeds around schools, marae, and on high-risk roads.

Look out for details of pop-up dates and meetings on the Council website and on Antenno – the free app available from Google Play and the Apple App Store. We’ll also be advertising on radio and in print.

First celebration of Holi a success

Around 80 people gathered at Solway School for the very colourful Hindu festival of Holi, celebrated for what is thought to be the first time in Wairarapa.

To keep up-to-date and report issues, download Antenno from your Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Families from throughout the Wairarapa region took part in the event, organised by the Wairarapa Indian Association in collaboration with Masterton District Council’s Welcoming Communities coordinator Arti Kadian.

The Holi festival is celebrated according to the Hindu calendar as a way to welcome in spring, and is also seen as a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start afresh.

A bonfire is lit to symbolically burn away all the bad and give way to a colourful and vibrant new future. Participants throw powder dye into the air, covering all in attendance with vibrant colours.

y MDC Transfer Station, Nursey Road y The Warehouse, Masterton y Countdown, Masterton

Soft plastics include the likes of grocery bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, plastic wrappers of products such as biscuits, chips, and anything you buy that has a soft plastic sheath. More information is available on the website: www.recycling.kiwi.nz

Work has also involved reinstatement of bridge abutments and removal of forestry slash. Temporary tra c management will be required for the next six months on roads where dropouts and washouts require additional safety measures to be in place.

Professional services from specialist geotech teams and structural engineers will be required to design the works

While the Council’s Flood Damage Fund is projected to be carrying a significant deficit, the Council has other funds in reserves if immediate work is required as a result of a future weather event.

A provision of a nominal $500,000 from rates next year to begin to rebuild those funds back to being positive will be included in the draft Annual Plan (1.3% of the proposed rates increase).

The meetings of the Council and its committees for the coming month are listed below. Unless specified, all meetings will be held in the Kiwi Room at Waiata House, 27 Lincoln Road, Masterton. Members of the public are welcome to attend these meetings. The meetings will also be accessible to the public via the livestream on the Masterton District Council Facebook page. Agendas will be available on the Council website (www. mstn.govt.nz) and copies will be available for inspection at the main Council o ce, 161 Queen Street, and at the Library, 54 Queen Street, two working days prior to the meeting.

Opportunity for Public Comment

At the beginning of some meetings, a period is available for those who wish to speak or comment on any matter relevant to the meeting in question. Requests to speak at a meeting should be made to Harriet Kennedy, Governance Advisor, phone 370 6300 or email mdc@ mstn.govt.nz at least one clear day before the meeting.

What’s On

Wednesday 29 March 3pm Council Meeting

Friday 31 March

Annual Plan 2023/24 and Speed Management Plan consultations scheduled to open

Wednesday 5 April 3pm Council Meeting

Friday 7 to Monday 10 April - Easter

Tuesday 25 April Anzac Day

Wednesday 26 April 3pm Infrastructure and Services Committee meeting

Brackenridge expands accommodation choices

There is a new, exciting accommodation collaboration in Martinborough.

Brackenridge Country Retreat and Spa, on White Rock Road, south of Martinborough, is celebrating the addition of two new accommodation options, right across the road from their existing spot. Brackenridge and Whiterock Accommodation have collaborated to create additional accommodation for Brackenridge to provide to their guests.

One is a three-bedroom, twobathroom home featuring all the mod cons. The light and airy larger home has a full kitchen, dining room, and lounge, opening northwards onto a deck with views of lush countryside. Its companion building is a smaller, but equally luxurious one bedroom house – ideal for couples. The houses were built by Greenhaven Homes, a Kapiti Coast based modular ecohousing company with an emphasis on sustainable building.

Guests staying at the new houses will be able to access all the Brackenridge amenities on offer across the road, like the 20m saltwater pool, gymnasium, and spa, as part of their guest experience.

Manager of Brackenridge, Jill Murphy, says the new houses were transported to Wairarapa and opened for business in January this year. They have proven extremely popular augmenting the already popular cottages on the Brackenridge site.

After 23 years of operation, Brackenridge is recognised as a topclass wedding venue. It has an in-house event planner, Courtnay Fafeita, who helps make those special occasions seamlessly enjoyable. Brackenridge is also a great conference venue regularly attracting government personnel and

Dog park on horizon

Emily Ireland emily.ireland@age.co.nz

Masterton District Council will next month consider making land available at Henley Lake for a fenced dog park. A report is being prepared for the April 5 council meeting after discussions by council staff with Rotary South and Rotary Masterton about making use of council-owned grazing land by Henley Lake.

The council’s

community facilities and activities manager Corin Haines said the proposal is not expected to involve a cost to ratepayers, with Rotary Masterton and Rotary South Masterton proposing to fund the cost of establishing the park.

“The idea of a dog park has been discussed for a number of years,” he said.

“The concept for consideration by elected members will be for the council’s contribution to be limited to provision of the land.”

The council owns

about 215 hectares of parks and open spaces, including Henley Lake, Queen Elizabeth Park, neighbourhood open spaces, natural bush reserves, sports grounds, and a network of walking and cycling trails.

Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell shared the news on his community Facebook page ‘Masterton Matters’, which attracted lots of praise from residents.

Masterton has two private dog parks.

– NZLDR

• Public Interest

Journalism funded through NZ On Air

corporates, keen to grab a slice of peace in the countryside.

The name ‘Brackenridge’ came about because of the copious bracken in the area. It is also a nod to a small ridge with gob-smacking views of the lower south Wairarapa valley and hills. The retreat covers 5.6 hectares. The muted colour scheme matches summertime droughts, usually common in the area. There are 10 cottages, with private verandas and inside fireplaces cosy for winter stays.

Set well apart for privacy, they vary from two - four bedrooms, plus there are eight studio units.

The main reception is welcoming with comfy couches, fresh white flowers, and in winter there is always a fire burning in the open hearth.

Jill Murphy was appointed manager in July 2019 and is keen to emphasise the restful retreat aspect of Brackenridge.

“We want to focus on natural wellness, the rural aspect, sunshine and fresh air, which makes us quite unique.”

The new accommodation options provided through the collaboration with Whiterock Accommodation, and existing cottages, deliver on this vision.

A place where change is possible

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8am-5pm Tuesday 8am- 7.30pm, Friday 8am-4pm

P 06 379 8799

E appointments@truedentistry.co.nz

1A Seddon Street, Carterton (behind Carterton Medical Centre)

If you are experiencing troubling issues like anxiety, grief or depression, or if you’ve been affected by family violence, we can help. We offer a non-judgmental, respectful, caring space where we help people through their process of change.

P: 06 3775716

E: admin@changewairarapa.org.nz www.changewairarapa.org.nz

The Rotary park, to be called Barcley Park, will be free to access. PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

TOP: The new Whiterock accommodation. ABOVE: Jill Murphy in the larger of the Whiterock houses.

‘Shearing’ a message of non-violence

A weekend of watching some of the world’s top shearers and wool handlers was an exciting prospect for the Wairarapa Family Violence Network –but most exciting was the conversations created.

The network coordinates prevention campaigns around the region, working alongside services, schools and the community to help reduce incidences of violence. When the network was approached by Jills Angus Burney, local barrister and the former world record holder for women’s lamb shearing, to be involved in the Golden Shears, it was “an opportunity not to be missed”.

Following a serious assault at a Waimate Shears event in 2021, the Golden Shears wanted to be proactive and send a message to encourage and recognise good behaviour.

Partnering with Farmstrong, Wairarapa Rural Support Trust and The Salvation Army, the network went to work at the event: Having conversations with shearers, wool handlers, whānau, and overseas visitors about family violence and how it can affect many facets of the

community.

Wairarapa Family Violence Network aligned with the White Ribbon campaign of “Boys Will Be Boys” and worked with local iwi to have both English and te reo Māori t-shirts printed to be given to officials, door staff and top shearers.

“The Golden Shears committee has been

forward-thinking and courageous having us as presenters,” network coordinator Dannii Sargent said.

“It was great to see the message supported by Jills – but also by prominent shearers.

“With over 100 t-shirts worn, the event was a success. We hope to be back next year.”

Barrister and previous shearing record holder Jills Angus Burney and current shearing champion Brett “Kornie” Roberts [and his son] prompt non-violent behaviour at this year’s Golden Shears. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Wairarapa Station

Built for the community, by the community.

As the only emergency ambulance service covering the 8,423km’s of the vast Wairarapa landscape, we are embedding our service in the community by investing in a $7million purpose-built ambulance station.

The station will be at the corner of Queen and Russell Street in Masterton, on land leased from Masterton Lands Trust on a 99 year lease. The Station will house the 30+ emergency response crews, patient transfer o cers and rescue squad members who support the Wairarapa Community. Built to IL4 standards, Wairarapa station will also be a safe space for the region in the event of a civil defence emergency or disaster.

We plan to break ground mid-2023 and have the station operational by April 2024. Funding for this build is a partnership between Wellington Free Ambulance Trust and the community.

Donate online at: www.buildwairarapastation.org.nz

Donate over the phone: 0508 932 3733

“I am proud to lend my support to this crucial project. We are so fortunate to have a free and responsive ambulance service whenever we need them. Your donation will be helping your current community, friends and family for many generations to come.”

All donations stay in Wairarapa to support the station build.

www.buildwairarapastation.org.nz

Building a fit for purpose emergency ambulance station for our crew and community.

- Bob Francis CNZM QSO MBE JP Station Build Ambassador and former Masterton Mayor.

Tim Nelson Midweek Musings

I just read about Lou Gehrig, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. For many years he held the record for the most consecutive games played, 2130, always stepping up to the plate, figuratively and literally, making the most of the chance he had been given to play a sport he loved at the highest level.

Gehrig didn’t have the charisma of Babe Ruth, but he certainly lived a life that earned the respect and admiration of all who knew him, before the terrible ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig Disease, ended his life tragically short.

Gehrig showed us that we are capable of so much more than we think. He never looked for excuses, and always gave 100 per cent, while others would

often let the monotony of the game cause them to let their standards drop.

A significant reason for his success was the effort he put into his preparation, making sure that his body was in peak physical condition, day after day, season after season, prolonging his career, and even playing when, unknowingly, ALS had already set in.

Gehrig is an example to all of us. The streaks we set won’t be as professional baseball players, but they could be for things like exercising, learning a language, staying in touch with people we care about, eating well, getting outside … anything at all, really.

Lou Gehrig made the most of life Lifestyle

These streaks will help us to live rich and fulfilling lives, not with fame and fortune, but with a feeling

of knowing we have done our best to make the most of the lives we have been given.

How to improve

Some very good and simple advice from Aristotle about how to get better at things: “We become builders by building and we become harpists by playing the harp.”

This simple advice is so often overlooked, as we get sidetracked on the road to mastery, but the formula is the same now as it was over 2000 years ago; to get better at doing things we need to do the things we want to be better at.

It’s not fair, but it’s true I read in Ryan Holiday’s book Discipline is Destiny something we probably all know to be true, while also knowing it’s unfair, but if we acknowledge and address it we can use it to our advantage, this being that because of the position many are born into, there’s a need to work harder.

It really isn’t fair there’s so much inequality in the world. I know what it’s like, being one of 13 children. The feeling of not having things that others took for granted when I was growing up seemed incredibly unfair to me. Until my early 20s I was quite bitter about it, really just a resentful young man. However, I remember the time vividly when I

Mulled

realised it really was up to me to do something about it, and from that point I have always been a very hard worker and I am very happy with where this attitude has taken me in life. There are so many people who make what I have done seem like nothing at all. The likes of my sporting hero Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest distance runner of all time. His upbringing makes mine seem like one of absolute privilege, and his achievements are just

phenomenal, yet he came from a single parent family in one of the poorest areas of Kenya. The way out for him has been hard work, which has taken him to international stardom, but, being the class act he is, he still lives a happy life of simplicity and humility, never forgetting where he came from, while knowing that it was the “unfairness” of his upbringing that has made him what he is today.

Negative feedback

Yesterday I was told about some negative feedback

on social media about my school. It appeared on Facebook and was very unfair and, if others had the full backstory, completely unjustified. When I was told, I had the opportunity to read it, but I chose not to as it would only frustrate and annoy me more. It just so happens I have also been given a lot of very positive feedback from a wide range of people and groups about my school, in these cases by people who are very informed. When this

is shared with me it is reaffirming. However, it is easy to forget this in the face of one negative and uninformed comment.

I heard Joe Rogan discussing the idea of feedback he receives on social media for his posts. His strategy is to not read any of the comments people post, good or bad. He knows a vast majority will be positive, but is equally aware there will be negative and hurtful ones as well.

This is the approach I take, knowing there

will be a mix, with almost all good, and the occasional bad, and that it’s impossible to please everyone, especially when tough decisions are made others may not like, but are very necessary to make.

The good things

Often it can be very easy to be overwhelmed by negativity. This could be due to things that impact us directly, or it could be things on a much larger scale that we might see reported on the news, which, if we’re especially unfortunate, could impact on us too.

Times are tough and we are constantly reminded of this. The cost of living, natural disasters, conflict in other countries; none of these things are trivial, and it can be incredibly easy to get caught up in how bad things are right now. Without going into the details, as I don’t want to identify the person / people involved, very recently I came across two people who have had huge misfortune in their lives with something that can only be attributed to bad luck. However, these two were just so happy and positive, making me realise that in my own life I am blessed with so many wonderful things, as we all are when we truly take the time to reflect. Undeniably we all face many challenges, some much more so than others.

Despite this we should all take the time to stop every once in a while to count our blessings; there are plenty of people out there who would do anything to be in our positions.

Look for a reason

Things that other people do annoy us pretty much every day. These could be minor things, such as cutting in front in a queue, through to things far more significant that could have quite an impact on us. Whatever end of the scale, we’re likely to be frustrated, hurt and annoyed by their actions.

In my view there are some actions that are unforgivable. However, there will also be times when we could stop to consider why a person has done something we don’t like. If we did, perhaps even thinking back to a time when we have done something similar, then we might be able to look at the situation with compassion and understanding.

Life is finite, make the most of it I read about the causes and risks of procrastination. A significant factor is the feeling we always seem to have of time being infinite; we’ll get around to doing the things we want to do some time in the future, when the time’s right and everything is in place perfectly so that we can make it happen. The problem is, there’s

a good chance the stars will never align, but if we wait for them to do so we’ll never achieve or do the things we have been putting off.

This message was further emphasised for me when I attended The Big Bike Film Night Festival. One of the short films was about a family who travel Europe visiting mountain bike and BMX tracks. The two young boys have become exceptional world class riders. However, it turns out the most exceptional person, at least in my opinion, is the mum, who has a degenerative muscle disease that will significantly shorten her life and has already severely restricted what she can and can’t do. This incredible person is truly treasuring every moment, making the very most of every moment, knowing life is finite and we really should make the most of the time we have. It’s time to stop putting off doing the things that really matter.

• 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.

you continue to own and live in your home for as long as you wish.

The amount you can borrow depends on certain factors such as your age and the value of your home. You are not required to make repayments, but instead, the total loan amount, including accumulated interest, is only repayable when you move permanently from your home or when you sell your property and move into long-term care or the survivor of you dies.

How are Kiwis using their reverse mortgages?

Debt consolidaton - to consolidate debt and enjoy more of what life has to offer.

Home improvements - to future-proof and enhance your home for years to come.

Support your family to give your children and grandchildren a helping hand.

Day-today expenses to supplement your income and cover daily expenses with ease.

Visit family and friends to take a trip to see your children/grandchildren.

Car purchase to maintain or upgrade your car.

Medical and healthcare - to cover healthcare costs and aged care.

Travel and holidays - to tick off dream destinations from your bucket list.

[1] Lifetime occupancy - you can live in your home for as long as you choose.

[2] No negative equity guarantee - the amount required to repay the loan may not exceed the net sale proceeds of the property.

[3] Loan repayment there is no requirement to make any loan repayment until the end of the loan, although you are free to do so at any time.

[4] The security for the reverse mortgage is a rst mortgage over your property.

It is important that you are completely happy with the reverse mortgage. To ensure this, you must receive independent legal advice from a solicitor of our choice, who will represent your interests and make sure you understand every aspect of the reverse mortgage.

What you need to know

Who can apply? homeowners but subject to you satisfying any age conditions

Property criteria - your property must be residential, of conventional construction and in good repair. It must also meet minimum property criteria, including a valuation, if required.

You may be able to take out a reverse mortgage on an investment property or holiday home. Loans cannot be secured against Occupations Rights Agreements in retirement villages.

Interest - interest will be charged on your loan balance at the current reverse mortgage variable rate and will be added to your loan monthly.

The interest rate is variable, which provides you with exibility to make repayments at any time, without penalty.

The interest rate will change from time to time which depends on what is happening in the funding market and economy both in New Zealand and overseas, as well as changes to our own borrowing costs.

As a valuation of the property may or may not be required. Before you enter into a reverse mortgage you are required to obtain independent legal advice which can give to you.

If you with to obtain any further information about reverse mortgages, wills and enduring powers of attorney or any other legal matter please contact me.

The rst appointment to discuss the above matters, wills & enduring powers of attorneys is free

Freephone: 0800 249 529 Email: simon@thepropertylawyer.co.nz

222 Chapel St, Kuripuni, Masterton | www.thepropertylawyer.co.nz

Lou Gehrig whacks a double into left centre in a game at Yankee Stadium in 1938. Luke Sewell is the catcher for the opponent White Sox. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

YEARS

Grandparents / wh˜nau raising grandchildren

The charity Grandparents

Raising Grandchildren (GRG) estimates that over 17,000 children are in the care of their grandparents.

Not including the M˜ori tradition of children being raised by someone other than their birth parents (wh˜ngai), family breakdown is the primary cause of grandparents raising their grandchildren. Substance abuse may be involved, or a physical or mental illness, or the death or imprisonment of a parent.

Jonathan and Margaret Hooker (pictured) have been caring for two of their grandsons, aged nine and four, since 2018.

“The boys keep me active,” Margaret says. “What would we do without them?

We love them.”

“We’ve previously fostered children and helped improve people’s lives,” says Jonathan. “It was natural to take on ‘day to day care’ (formerly, ‘custody’) when our adopted daughter found she was unable to fully care for her two boys.”

Margaret says: “We did everything we could to support her as a mother, but her neurological disorder made it untenable for her. She visits the boys a few times a week, but our home is their safe harbour.”

Having raised, fostered, and adopted children, founded the Equippers church, worked in the police force (Jonathan) and as a nurse (Margaret), and taken on the care of two grandchildren, you’d think the couple would want to put their feet up. Not so. They’ve also picked up the baton to be coordinators of the Wairarapa GRG support group.

Looking for Retirement Options?

Lyndale Care offers two special boutique facilities for stage two care and specialised dementia care.

Wairarapa Village is a relaxing village retreat set in over three hectares of beautifully landscaped grounds, featuring hundreds of roses, beautiful walkways and a stream that runs through the village gardens.

Wairarapa Village is

About 60 families are on the Wairarapa GRG list, and monthly meetings in community venues are on the cards.

There are joys associated with caring for grandchildren. When asked what the challenges are, Margaret says: “Our age means we’re not going to be close to the mums and dads at school. Technology can be a stressor. We work hard to ensure our other grandchildren don’t miss out. And, just sometimes, we need time o˛ .” O˛ ering to childmind occasionally might be the best way for us in the community to give grandparents raising grandchildren some time out.

If you are a grandparent or wh˜nau caregiver, membership is free. Go to www.grg.org.nz to join up and ÿ nd information. Free specialist advocacy support is available for members: call 800 472 637 Contact Jonathan and Margaret Hooker on wairarapa@grg.org.nz or phone 06 377 1572 | 027 448 6645 | 027 284 476.

Left holding the babies

Steve and Tania Sale (pictured) have been raising their grandchildren for nearly 15 years. Their grandson joined the family when they still had two children at home: then aged 11 and 14. Their granddaughter came along nine years later, just after her second birthday.

“We realise we are in a better situation than some,” they agree. “Our grandchildren don’t have any issues - they are lovely, wellrounded kids. We were young grandparents when we started this journey, which helped. We hadn’t experienced the empty nest syndrome, got used to freedom, and then had children back in the house again. It was hard, however, going back to nappies, night-time feeds, and car seats.”

Like the Hookers, Steve and Tania have always been communityminded and compassionate. As well as running a business, Steve is chair of Masterton’s foodbank, a football referee, treasurer for GRG, and more. Tania works parttime for Steve, has also coached football, and now coaches netball: “our granddaughter plays”.

“GRG is great – it’s a local support network where you can talk to people who know what you’re experiencing,” Steve says. “You can learn about allowances and grants and get advice about the courts.”

The most di° cult time, Tania says, was before each of the grandchildren came to live with them. “The whole system seemed

to fail when our teenager daughter went o˛ the rails. Six years later, when she wasn’t coping with her second child, not a lot had changed. So many agencies were involved but nothing worked, nothing stuck. You experience grief for your own child, grief for your own plans that have gone awry, guilt, self-blame – the works. All those emotions were magniÿ ed after our daughter died.”

Another di° cult issue is when a grandchild ÿ rst arrives. Financial support may not be available until after day-to-day care or guardianship is ordered by the family court, and “for many grandparents, court appearances are not easy. We have to ‘talk smack’, as truthful as that is, about our adult child in order to be awarded care of a vulnerable grandchild.”

“We do it because we love our grandchildren and want the best for them. For most of us, the priority is to o˛ er stability and security. We’ve been left holding the babies, but we make it work.”

Our team’s aspiration for all residents at Lyndale is that each person is made to feel unique, throughHelping our residents make the most of every day

Lyndale Care is a special boutique facility that offers resthome and specialised dementia care

Lyndale care is a warm, friendly, homely place that allows residents to be independent and safe.

Lyndale care is a family

For all enquiries please phone 06

52/95 Cole Street Masterton

378 7059

Help recognise Wairarapa sporting success between 1 April 2022 –31 March 2023

Individuals, clubs, teams or schools can nominate themselves.

The Administrator, Volunteer and Lifetime Achievement Awards are not restricted to a speci c time frame.

The Awards night is being held on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at the Carterton Events Centre.

Nominations close Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 4.30pm

SPORTS AWARDS NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN NOMINATION FORM

NAME OF NOMINEE:

2022/2023 AWARD CATEGORIES

JUNIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

Open to primary/intermediate school teams that have achieved a high standard of participation in any sport.

YOUTH SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

Open to secondary school teams that have achieved a high standard of participation in any sport.

SPORTS CLUB OF THE YEAR

This award recognises the progress made by clubs in promoting their sports both on and o the eld.

JUNIOR

CONTRIBUTION

TO SPORT

An award acknowledging any person under the age of 18 who has made a signi cant contribution to sport including o ciating, coaching or volunteering.

SENIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

Open to senior teams that have achieved a high standard of participation in any sport.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

An award acknowledging people who have volunteered their time, labour and talents to improving Wairarapa sport. Recognises the volunteer’s entire career span.

OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR

An award acknowledging any person 18 and over who acts as an umpire, referee or judge.

AWARD CATEGORY:

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS:

(List of achievements in bullet point format is our preference. Please include any of the following achievements: Regional, National and International.)

JUNIOR SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Open to any primary/ intermediate school student who has achieved a high standard in any sport.

NOMINEE’S CONTACT DETAILS

PHONE:

EMAIL:

NOMINATOR’S CONTACT DETAILS

PHONE:

EMAIL:

Email your nominations to:

sportsawards@age.co.nz

Post to Wairarapa Times-Age, PO Box 445, Masterton 5840.

Hand deliver to Wairarapa Times-Age, corner of Chapel and Perry Streets, Masterton. Scan QR code to enter online.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE

Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 4.30pm

PARA SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Open to any para person who has achieved a high standard of participation in any sport.

MASTERTON

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

An award for Wairarapa residents to have a direct say as to what nalist they believe should be recognised for their contribution to local sport.

SUPREME AWARD

YOUTH SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Open to any secondary school sportswoman who has achieved a high standard in any sport.

SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Open to any sportswoman who has achieved a high standard in any sport, participating at national and/or international events. Limited to Wairarapa residents or representatives of Wairarapa Teams.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

An award recognising the lifetime achievements of anyone in Wairarapa Sports.

Recognises the Supreme Sportsperson or team of the Year chosen from the 15 category winners.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

An award acknowledging people who have contributed to the administration of sport. Recognises the administrator’s entire career span.

COACH OF THE YEAR

An award acknowledging people who have contributed to the coaching of sport. Recognises the coach’s successes of the past twelve months

YOUTH SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Open to any secondary school sportsman who has achieved a high standard in any sport.

SENIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

Open to any sportsman who has achieved a high standard in any sport, participating at national and/or international events. Limited to Wairarapa residents or representatives of Wairarapa Teams.

WAIRARAPA SPORTS EDUCATION TRUST

The Wairarapa Sports Education Trust is awarding three Scholarships - one of $1000 and two of $750 - to go towards speci c coaching or training costs for Wairarapa athletes. To apply, go to our Facebook page, or email wai.sportsed.trust@gmail.com for an application form.

Trust House will acknowledge each category winner with additional sponsorship.

Devonshire Teas at the Dickensian Bookshop

Eating scones and cakes one scrumptious morsel at a time while devouring a good book – that’s got to be the deÿ nition of bliss. You can ÿ nd it at The Dickensian Bookshop, owned by Dave and Patsy Adams and open Thursdays to Sundays.

“We’re proud to announce the opening of The Dickensian Bookshop’s tearoom,” Dave says. The tearoom is nestled within the bookstore which sells the very best of secondhand classic literature and modern works.

Patsy is the driving force behind the tearoom’s o° erings, bringing her Belgium heritage and love of baking. Devonshire teas include a pot of tea or co° ee and the lightest scones imaginable, served with delectable jams and cream that could double as mana from heaven. “I have a secret recipe,” Patsy laughs.

Every Saturday and Sunday, Patsy’s homemade cakes are also on o° er. “You might ÿ nd fruit cake soaked in kirsch, Victoria sponge with mascarpone cream and berries, crème brûlée, eclairs, baklava dripping in honey, or traditional Belgium vlaai,” she says. Made with a yeast dough, ‘vlaai’ can be stu° ed with seasonal fruits the same as it was back in Limburg, Belgium’s fruit region, or ÿ lled with sweet rice pudding or custard.

Dave grew up in Yorkshire, England and met his Belgium bride-to-be in Paris, the city of love. They chose Featherston, New Zealand, as the place to settle and create their business of complementary passions: good books and great food.

“Good literature has been a lifelong passion for me,” Dave says. “A good book can take you to places and new worlds that you never imagined. I often tell children that books are the true virtual world.”

Step into the enchanted space of The Dickensian Bookshop that caters for your mind, body, and soul.

A young artist exhibits his work for the first time and a well known art critic is in attendance.

The critic says to the young artist “would you like to hear my opinion of your work?”

“Yes,” said the artist.

“It’s worthless,” said the critic.

“I know,” the artist said, “but let’s hear it anyway.”

I don’t think it is fair to be critical of any art [unless it is offensive] because none of us, not even the experts, know what is really going on in the head of an artist.

We have over 70 works of art hanging in our house and I love them all for different reasons and no expert would change my mind for me.

I find it fascinating watching people in the art gallery I volunteer in. Some people will walk around in two or three minutes and be gone and I wonder, why did you bother coming in?

Others will take their time and if I see them lingering over a painting I will often go and ask them

can be foamy soil

tried watching the movie that was so successful at this year’s Oscars.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” swept the awards this year.

what is drawing them to that particular piece. Quite often I end up seeing something in the work that I hadn’t seen myself.

My first wife was an opera singer and she was once reviewed in a performance by an expert for a national newspaper. It was a good review too. The problem was, she wasn’t even performing. We were in fact both sitting in the audience about four rows behind the man in question.

Not long after that he reviewed a musical called “The Land of Smiles”. All the way through his review he called it “The Bandit Smiles”. His expertise was sadly lacking. I never quite knew what his qualifications were. Goodness knows what was going on in his head on both those occasions.

Some wine reviews really give me the giggles. This one took my fancy.

“Deep purple colour. Aromas of rich dark currant, nectarine skins, gushing blackberry, but lots of fragrant tobacco, rich soil, white flowers,

smashed minerals and metal. Medium-bodied and saucy but racy acidity stabilises the wine nicely with the robust tannins. Deep red currants and ripe cherries, laden with mocha, foamy soil, charred herbs, pencil shavings, roasted hazelnut. Dense like characters that make it perfect for cellaring, however it is drinkable straight away once you expose it to the earth’s atmosphere. This is a delicious Sonoma Cabernet.”

I’m sorry, but if someone flicked their cigarette or sharpened their pencil into my bottle of wine, I would be none too happy, [maybe that’s why I don’t drink alcohol.]

Now to me, the person who wrote that, is a plonker. However, a winemaker friend of mine

tells me that wines do in fact have very distinctive characteristics and some of these elaborate descriptions are quite true. [I think this one goes beyond reality though].

Talking to this very knowledgeable person, I was fascinated to learn a little bit about the science of wine flavours and he told me that if someone really knows their wines, they should be able to sniff a glass of wine and tell you what type of wine it is. That’s impressive.

Footnote: I have just made a cup of coffee. All I can smell and taste is coffee. I think I’ve been ripped off.

If I read a bad movie review, I usually can’t wait to see it. And more often or not I really enjoy it.

Again, it’s a personal choice isn’t it. We have just

We sat watching this thing shaking our heads. We even kept giving it “another five minutes” but in the end we agreed it was a load of rubbish. But people are raving about it.

I have been asked to write reviews for books, concerts and plays in the past. I am no expert, but I do have a lot of experience with theatre and music. I have never been cruel or destructive in any of my reviews.

Once I did come home from a play and said to my wife, “I don’t even know where to start with this one, it was so bad” but I managed to put something together that was fair without being horrid.

I don’t do reviews any more. It’s particularly hard when you are reviewing people you know.

What’s the old saying, “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”.

People tell me the jasmine flower smells beautiful, but to me it has a very unpleasant smell and it makes my eyes water, so there’s a good example of that. It’s the same with art, food, wine and music.

Graeme Burnard

Comment – Pick ‘n Mix

OUT OF ZONE SCHOOL ENROLMENTS

TERM

Far from a washout

The wet weather did little to deter the crowds at March’s Martinborough Fair. Convener Vivienne O’Reilly said although the sun did not materialise, the sales did.

“The stallholders said they had a great day.”

Contact

At Douglas Park School we believe in the importance of building strong relationships with our students, whānau and the wider community. We work hard to know our DPS whānau, to value their ideas and beliefs and incorporate students’ passions into our classrooms. Our core beliefs of Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Learner Agency and Creativity will ensure children leave DPS equipped to meet their future. This is why we Nurture their talents, Explore new possibilities and enable students to Create a better world.

O’Reilly said the crowd was not on par with previous blue-bird fair days where it was difficult to manoeuvre, but there was a general energy and good feeling.

“People weren’t complaining about the

weather, they just got on with it.”

O’Reilly also signalled a potential change to the fair schedule – with the exception of covid-19 restrictions last year, it is typically held on

the first Saturday in February and March.

“We will be gathering information and review the timeframe for future fairs. By the end of April we will have an answer.”

Martinborough Fair.

PHOTOS/FILE

Jumbo crossword

Sudoku

Last week’s crossword solution

ACROSS: 1 Smear, 4 On the breadline, 11 Doubt, 14 Trait, 15 Common sense, 16 Dissolve, 19 Cynical, 20 Steep, 21 Alcoholic, 24 Arbitrary, 26 Frosty, 27 Rivets, 31 Deign, 32 Aversion, 34 Misleading, 38 Stilton, 39 Gnomes, 40 Aliens, 41 Undo, 42 Broaden, 45 Sweltering, 50 Chevron, 54 Song, 55 Spaced, 56 Fiasco, 57 Dwindle, 60 Comparison, 61 Esoteric, 62 Clone, 65 Convoy, 66 Pagoda, 67 Identical, 72 Insincere, 73 Watch, 74 Capable, 79 Rebuilds, 80 Stock market, 81 Rowdy, 82 Taste, 83 Not up to the mark, 84 Weird.

Last week

DOWN: 2 Martyr, 3 Alibi, 5 Noon, 6 Hamster, 7 Banner, 8 Even, 9 Disallow, 10 Edison, 11 Dissimilar, 12 Ugly, 13 Trellis, 17 Habit, 18 Containing, 22 Brave, 23 Beginner, 25 Regalia, 26 Finesse, 28 Fester, 29 Dismal, 30 Clinic, 33 Renew, 35 Grown, 36 Joke, 37 Bali, 42 Basic, 43 Ointment, 44 Napkin, 45 Sacrosanct, 46 Eddy, 47 Taffeta, 48 Reason, 49 Niche, 51 Howl, 52 Vanilla, 53 Oblong, 58 Mayonnaise, 59 Giant, 63 Doorstep, 64 Final, 65 Culprit, 68 Decorum, 69 Hidden, 70 Warmth, 71 Glider, 75 Above, 76 Ibis, 77 Echo, 78 Bear.

Insert the missing letters to complete ten words — five across the grid and five down. More than one solution may be possible.

All puzzles © The Puzzle Company www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz

Questions to answer on funding for genetics

Grace Prior

Farmers are being urged to have their say on a New Zealand Meat Board [NZMB] proposal to continue funding a “ground-breaking” beef genetics programme.

The call comes as Beef and Lamb New Zealand expect farmer profitability to fall sharply because of reduced livestock prices and continued high inflation.

NZMB had said it hoped to continue funding the Informing New Zealand Beef genetics programme. Most Wairarapa farms are sheep and beef, which could benefit from the programme.

NZMB said sheep and beef farmers should have received a joint NZMB and Beef and Lamb New Zealand mail-out with information on the NZMB online annual meeting on March 24, including the board’s proposal to keep supporting the initiative.

“Informing New Zealand Beef is working to boost

the sector’s profits by $460 million over the next 25 years by giving farmers the right genetic tools to help produce great tasting beef and drive efficiency on farm,” NZMB chairman Andrew Morrison said.

He said the board had funded the programme, continuing to provide up to $1.4 million in funding from investment income as part of Industry Good Funding through the $77.8 million of financial reserves it managed on behalf of New Zealand farmers.

NZMB’s annual report said up to $900,000 could be invested this year in the Informing New Zealand Beef genetics programme.

“We’re keen to hear farmers’ views on whether we should continue to support it.”

Morrisson said the board existed to help New Zealand achieve optimal returns on beef

Farm proÿ t is expected to plummet.

and sheepmeat exports to international quota markets, overseeing $2.3 billion of quotas.

At the meeting, farmers will also hear from New Zealand’s special agriculture trade envoy Mel Poulton, a Tararua

farmer and Nuffield Scholar.

NZMB’s annual report said the board manages the farmer livestock reserves, a “rainy day” contingency fund to help New Zealand re-enter export markets after a biosecurity incursion or disruption to quota markets.

“In the event that happens, the benefits of these reserves would be huge for farmers and for our economy,” it said.

It said the importance of the “rainy day” fund was clear because of the foot and mouth disease

outbreak in Indonesia.

The fund stands at $77.8 million as of September 30, 2022.

The agenda said reserves from the fund were channelled into industry-good projects, like the Informing New Zealand Beef genetics programme. Previously, the fund has paid major investments in sheep genetics, pastoral genomics, market development in Germany and Britain, early funding of the National Animal Identification and Tracing [NAIT] scheme, meat processing efficiency, meat product quality,

and the Red Meat Profi Partnership.

What’s happening financially now?

Beef and Lamb said while the outlook for global sheepmeat and beef trade has been improving, it still expected prices to plummet.

Its mid-season update for 2022 to 2023 said that average farm profit before tax is estimated at $146,300, a 31 per cent decrease from 2021 to 2022 and below the average for the past five years.

Beef and Lamb said farm profi before tax was equal to gross farm

revenue minus total farm expenditure.

“Inflationary pressure is causing on-farm costs to increase sharply, eroding the benefit of what are still historically pretty good farm-gate returns,” said Beef and Lamb chief economist Andrew Burtt.

The forecast increase in global sheepmeat and beef trade was supported by “generally solid fundamentals” in key markets, with demand projected to recover while global supply levels remain tight.

Burtt said the increase in demand came after a “stark drop” in demand for sheepmeat at the start of the season before China relaxed its zero-covid policy.

“As 85 per cent of New Zealand’s mutton exports are to China, this impacted export receipts, which were one-third lower compared to the same period last season.”

He said a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy [BSE] in Brazil had added fuel to a tightening global beef market.

While falling prices led to a decrease in revenue, farmers have sought to reduce costs by deferring repairs and maintenance and reducing fertiliser use, but inflation and the increasing price of farm inputs are outweighing cost-cutting initiatives, Burtt said.

“Overall expenditure has

increased to an average of $531,500 per farm in 2022 to 2023.”

Beef and Lamb chief executive Sam McIvor, who is also chief executive of NZMB, said the significant financial pressures farmers have been facing were another reason the government should put brakes on its raft of environmental policy changes.

“Farmers are overwhelmed with the environment-related policy changes, on top of reduced revenues and high on-farm inflation.

“For some, they’re also now faced with having to rebuild their businesses after severe weather events like the cyclones,” said McIvor.

He said almost onethird of New Zealand’s sheep and half of New Zealand’s beef cattle are in the North Island regions that were subject to a state of emergency after the cyclones, including Wairarapa.

“When farmers are impacted in this way, it has a knock-on effect on the wider economy, including businesses that service farms like vets, trucking companies, shearers and many more. “This is the time to get behind the sector, so farmers can navigate this financially challenging time, plan ahead, and ensure their businesses remain sustainable in every sense of the word.”

Pregnancy testing is well under way for spring mated herds. Results will help determine culls and your spring calving pattern, but also highlight areas for improving next seasons mating. Look for patterns among empty cows, how did each age group perform? Perhaps heifers have an above average empty rate, were they grown out and at the correct BCS at mating? Are late calvers a problem group, or carry overs?

The Fertility Focus Report is a single page report that assesses current herd reproductive performance and shows which areas to focus on for improvement. The report uses existing herd data to calculate and present the key KPIs of herd reproductive performance. It then compares your herd’s performance against targets based on the performance of the top 25% of the industry.

The report is available via LIC, AmBreed and Infovet.

If you want help to identify gaps in your reproductive system, come to our Reproduction Workshop in Carterton on 23 March, visit Events – DairyNZ to nd out more.

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

COUNTRY LIVESTOCK

Report for Week Ending

17°March 2023.

Feeder calves

Simmental x bull 1@110

Sheep

Ram 1@100

Wether 1@107

Cryptorchid 3@50

Ewe 1@88, 3@50, 18@122, 11@92, 12@111 Lambs 2@140, 12@130, 15@81, 7@130, 2@80, 2@45, 6@60, 2@150

Cattle

R2 Sth Devon heifer 1@750, 1@470

Poultry

2yo highlines 6@25

PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

TOTAL EXTERNAL CLEANING SERVICES

Washrite Wairarapa offers a wide range of external cleaning services

- whether it’s a low-pressure house wash, an insect/spider treatment, a roof moss and mould treatment, gutter cleaning, decks, fences, or a pre-sale makeover - they’ve got you covered. They have specialist gear and use quality biodegradable cleaning products.

Whether it’s the family home, your commercial premises

or the bach, their low pressure soft-washing technique provides exceptional results.

They offer free, no obligation quotes, are certi ed for working at heights, operating elevated working platforms, and are members of Site Safe Association.

Baylee and Tim pride themselves on professional, prompt, and reliable service.

Forest harvesting and tree removal

Davy Garland & Sally Newcombe of Log Works

Limited bring a professional approach to forestry, sawn timber and rewood. They are looking for forests and woodlots to harvest, of any size and with any access. They also carry out tree removal work with their 48 ton tree felling machine.

Davy’s experience and skill, along with modern equipment and great people, provides pro table returns for landowners. As well as Pinus Radiata, they are also interested in alternative species like Macrocarpa & Redwood for their sawmill and rewood yard.

ROOF PAINTING

Accommodation

HOST FAMILIES WANTED

Masterton

Any

Employment SPORTS DIRECTOR

MEETING SCHEDULE.

Council Meetings – April 2023

Wednesday 19 April 2023

Policy and Projects Committee 9:00 am

Public Notices

Mahunga Golf Club AGM

25 March 2023

4.00pm

Upper Lounge Golf Club Rooms

Masterton District Brass Band AGM

Monday 3rd April 2023 8pm Bandroom, Park Ave, Masterton.

Notice of Special General Meeting

Masterton A & P Association

Financial Members are invited to a SGM to discuss and vote on a proposed land development sale.

Where: Solway Showgrounds, Masterton

When: Thursday 30th March 4pm in the P & P Hall

If you require any further information please email events@theshowgrounds.nz or ring 06 378 6247

The Wairarapa Secondary Schools Principal's Association are searching for an energetic and forward thinking individual to take up the position of Sports Director.

The successful applicant will be able to plan, coordinate and implement intercollegiate sporting opportunities for all secondary school students in the Wairarapa.

You will liaise with all schools and sporting bodies to continue to grow participation and engagement in sports and recreation. You will require strong skills in administration, computer literacy, communication, team building and relationship management, leadership, fundi ng procurement and budgeting.

You will be a people-person who is able to work flexible work hours and have a real passion for enhancing and developing spo rt and recreational activities for our students. Send your CV, application and direct any enquiries to: Simon Fuller principal@kuranui-college.school.nz

Applications close Friday 24 March 2023 at 3pm.

Meeting location: Meetings are at the Carterton Events Centre.

Agendas: Meeting agendas are available for public inspection two days prior to the meeting at the Carterton Library and on the Council’s website.

Attendance at meetings:

• You can attend the public section of Council and most committee meetings in person. Meetings are also uploaded to YouTube within 48 hours of the meeting.

• Members of the public who wish to participate in a public forum must register their intention with the Democratic Services Officer on 06 379 4030, or by email to demservices@cdc.govt.nz at least one full day before the meeting date.

www.cdc.govt.nz

28 Holloway St, Carterton. info@cdc.govt.nz

The following vehicles are for sale by tender: 2004 Mitsubishi L200 Utility, 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara and a 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Vehicle details, conditions of tender and Form of Tender can be found on our website at www.swdc.govt.nz or obtained from the Councils office (19 Kitchener Street, Martinborough) during normal business hours.

Vehicles can be viewed on Wednesday, 29 March & 5 April 2023, by appointment only by phoning Trish Drury on 027 706 4432 or email trish.drury@swdc.govt.nz

The tenders close at 4.00pm on Friday, 7 April 2023

Harry

Wilson

We are looking for lovely host families for Japanese exchange students. Police checks required, weekly board payments. Contact 0272871849 Public

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Pennyweka storms to Oaks victory

Pennyweka capped an emotional week for Wairarapa’a Wallace family with a brilliant win in the Group One New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on Saturday.

Members of the Galloping Wekas Jazweka Syndicate threatened to tear down the Trentham members’ stand when their pride and joy flew to a three-length win in the 2400m classic for threeyear-old fillies under the urgings of in-form jockey Ryan Elliot.

Included in the ownership structure are brothers Jim and Les Wallace, who bred the filly, their wives Mary and Janine, and about 70 other syndicate members.

Jim Wallace, who trains Pennyweka, had been confident the stars had

aligned for his charge after the Wallace family had assembled from all corners of the globe as part of a huge celebration of the life of Madeleine Wallace, the late wife of Jim and Mary’s son David, at Masterton’s Ardsley Stud on Friday. The gathering was only one day after Jim and Les’ mother Margaret passed away.

“Somebody asked me yesterday [Saturday] morning what did I expect, and I said I expect her to win and win well, and I was very confident,” Jim Wallace said.

“It’s been an absolutely

marvellous week for all the family. It’s the first time in about six years that all my children and their children have been together, and when they were all down there, they nearly brought the place down, and it has been very, very special.

“My mother was an avid racegoer, and my father was an avid racing fan, but he didn’t go that often. My mother travelled the world following the horses, and if she had been there we would probably still be there.”

Jim Wallace is unsure of the future plans for

Pennyweka but is not dismissing the possibility of travelling to Australia for rich three-year-old races in Queensland or South Australia.

“She will have a few days off, and we’ll have a ponder on it, and I will sit down with my brother [Les], and we’ll sort the layout going forward.

“I’m a little bit old school. I believe that if you have one target, you have a break and then set another one, but we will see. She’s come through it very well, so there would be nothing physically to stop her going, but I’m not sure if it’s the right thing for her going forward.

“I think there’s still maturing for her to do, and she might benefit from a little bit of time, but these are decisions you

don’t make quickly, and you think about them and work it out, so we’ll have a discussion later on in the week and sort something out.”

Training Group One winners is nothing new for Jim Wallace, who prepared the brilliant Cent Home, the winner of 12 races and $750000 prizemoney, including the 1999 Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings and Captain Cook Stakes. However, the veteran trainer believes it’s difficult to compare Cent Home to Pennyweka.

“She’s a different type of horse to him. He was very brilliant, he was a big strong masculine brute of a horse, and she is much more of a lady but has more than her share of ability, and she’s a very good horse, as he was, so going forward

if we manage her properly she might reach the heights that he did.”

The win also capped a sensational period for Elliot, who has now taken out a Group One event in three consecutive weeks and six for the season.

The Waikato rider was confident he had plenty of horse under him throughout the race.

“It was a little rough early doors, as we were in a place we didn’t want to be in,” Elliot said.

“At the half mile, I had to get out, and Jim had her ready and in perfect form.

“She travelled strongly throughout, and I just tried to weave my way through, and when I got clear air, she has really let down.

“It’s been a great season for me, and I just hope it continues.”

Giants stroll to championship

SOFTBALL

Chris

chris.cogdale@age.co.nz

Giants Blue are the Intercity Premier Two champions after cruising to a 7-0 win over finalists Demons at South Park on Saturday.

Giants exerted their dominance from the outset, firstly in the field, having Demons three up and three down, and then with the bat, scoring two runs in the first inning.

An automatic home run, the only one of the game, to Tarquin Karaitiana extended the lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Then it was all about game management. Good base running and key hits by player-coach Justin ‘Chunky’ Karaitiana, Blair Thompson, and Kortez Paku, scored four runs to end the game after five innings.

Giants stalwart Chris Feary felt that the Blues were on top from the first pitch.

“Demons didn’t play a bad game, they played a good game, and their pitcher pitched a good game, but ‘Chunky’ was

pretty dominant on the mound, and any hits that Demons did get, the fielding was pretty sharp, and there were a couple of peg outs on base by [catcher] Trey Feary, who threw a couple of players out trying to steal bases, “ Feary said.

“It was just an all-round good performance by the boys, they were pretty dominant, and it was a deserved win.”

Giants Blue’s only loss of the season was a 3-0 defeat to Cardinals in a doubleheader Sunday game in December, when they were without pitcher ‘Chunky’ Karaitiana because of injury.

There is frustration,

though, within the Giants club with how the season has concluded. Their Reds premier three team [second top qualifiers] were controversially defaulted from the semifinals by Intercity Softball, who did not accept the club’s dispensation to allow players to take part in the National Evergreens tournament.

To rub salt into the wound, Intercity Softball then scheduled a fifthsixth playoff match, which the Reds promptly defaulted. Then to top that confirmation that the premier two final would be played on Saturday did not come through until Friday afternoon.

Pennyweka’s trainer Jim Wallace and jockey Ryan Elliot.

Ryan Elliot has Pennyweka well clear as she cruises to an easy win in the Group One NZ Oaks at Trentham. PHOTOS/PETER RUBERY

Kortez Paku is all smiles as he safely reaches second base.

PHOTO/GRAEME BOWDEN