Petition opposes lower speed limits

By Frank Neill

A petition opposing Hutt City Council’s plan to lower speed limits on many roads – including many streets in Wainuiomata –was launched by Chris Bishop, National’s Hutt South candidate, and Emma Chatterton, National’s Remutaka candidate, on 21 May.

“We need better roads, not slower roads,” Mr Bishop and Miss Chatterton say.

“It makes sense to lower speed limits around schools, but blanket speed limit reductions will just make it harder to get around the Hutt.”

The petition is at https://www. national.org.nz/stophuttspeedreductions.

“The Hutt City Council is currently consulting on reducing the speed limits on streets in Lower Hutt,” the petition says.

“The council has proposed that many roads in the Hutt will be either 30 or 40km/h by 2027.”

The council is currently consulting on city-wide speed limits and details can be found on the council’s website, at https://www. huttcity.govt.nz/services/roadsand-parking/roads/speed-reviews.

Submissions on the council’s speed management plan close on 5 June.

Mr Bishop and Miss Chatterton will submit the petition to the council “and make sure your voice is heard,” they say.

The council’s plan to lower speed limits “is being forced on the Hutt by a Labour Governmentwhich has put in place regulations requiring every single council across New Zealand toreduce most suburban roads to 30 km/h.

“Chris Hipkins said he was stopping blanket speed limit reductions, but the truth is the opposite.

“Labour is treating Kiwis like fools by saying one thing but doing another,” Mr Bishop and Miss Chatterton say.

A map of the Hutt showing the speed reductions being proposed by the council. The council is proposing to lower the speed limit to 30km/h in the streets marked blue. Image: Supplied.

“Labour should be focused on fixing and upgrading our roads, not slowing us down,” they add.

Celebrating Matariki 2023

By Frank Neill

One of the early major events that will take place in the revitalised Queen Street – town centre will be Matariki at the Hub 2023.

This four day celebration will begin on 12 July and run to 15 July.

Matariki, which signals the M ori New Year, takes place on 14 July this year. That is when the constellation of stars, also known as Pleiades, first appears in the sky above Aotearoa.

It is a time for communities to come together and celebrate, and that is exactly what Matariki at the Hub will do.

Matariki at the Hub 2023 is being organised by Louana Fruean, who has run the Wainuiomata Matariki event for the last few years.

The event will feature market stalls, performances, a free h ngi, guest speakers, workshops, activities for tamariki and Tamariki Kapa Haka performances, and will be held at the Community Centre, the hall and on the new decking outside the Community

Centre.

Supporters of Matariki at the Hub 2023 include Wainuiomata Marae, Creative New Zealand, Hutt Mana Charitable Trust, Hutt City Council and K kiri Marae Health and Social Services and Love Wainuiomata.

Matariki is an abbreviation of Ng Mata o te Ariki T whirim tea (the eyes of the god T whirim tea).

According to M ori tradition T whirim tea – the god of the wind – was so angry when his siblings separated from their parents, Ranginui the sky father and Papat nuku the earth mother, that he tore out his eyes and threw them into the heavens.

Superstars on stage

Wainuiomata Little Theatre’s brand new production of Jesus Christ Superstar hits the stage next week.

People can experience the excitement of this show from 31 May to 10 June.

A talented group of 20 performers and band will bring to life the timeless musical based on the biblical tale of Jesus Christ’s final days, as seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

The show promises to both enter- tain and inspire, with unforgettable tunes, including the title track “Superstar”.

Performances will be held at the old Wainuiomata College Hall on Moohan Street, with evening shows at 7:30pm and a matinee on Sunday 4 June at 3pm. There will not be a show on Monday 5 June.

The $15 tickets are available online at Trybooking https:// www.trybooking.com/nz/events/ landing/9134.