november 2015
house music • heritage hearings • paddle power local news, views & informed opinions
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FRESH IN PARNELL
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155 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland T: 09 379 7399 E: info@metrix.co.nz
The November Issue, No. 23 8
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41
the editor’s letter
the magpie
the second act
10
Stylist Justine Williams finds more things to like this month
Sandy Burgham farewells her dream home for an invigorating next stage
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42
the columnists
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the hobson + remuera
the village Taking back Hobson Bay for paddlers, Parnell Heritage on what’s missing from the Proposed Unitary Plan, why Mark Thomas wants to be mayor, and more
the reps Columns from local MPs David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith
MP David Seymour elaborates on his bill to legalise euthanasia
the suburbanist Tommy Honey on the threat to cities from sand and water
the investment Warren Couillault won’t be backing an auto-parts business anytime soon
38 the pretty
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36 Remuera writer Elsbeth Hardie’s family investigation leads to a history-rich book
the issue
Urban planner Hamish Firth’s wish list for a new mayor
the cause
the author
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the plan
34 Sonja and Glenn Hawkins don't miss a beat to open their home for good causes
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A new feature highlighting the people behind the businesses in Remuera
Justine Williams’ pick of beauty treats available this month
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the hobson + prescription skin care Pain-free hair removal in time for summer
the sound Remember making mixtapes? Andrew Dickens never gave them up (though they’re digital now)
43 the psyche Dr Amrit Kaur say relax, it may not be all bad about kids and screen-time
44 the cinema The pick of what's screening this month, by Caitlin McKenna
45 the bookmark Reviewer Gail Woodward’s electic mix of titles to consider
46 the district diary What's going on in November
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40 the wellbeing Executive health coach and naturopath Lee Parore on hormone balance
the anzacs In our ongoing WWI series, Remuera Heritage honours Fred Airey
WIN!
The fine print: by entering a giveaway draw or competition, you agree that your name and email contact details will be retained by THE HOBSON for our own database purposes. We do not share this information with anyone else, but we may contact you occasionally regarding a survey or similar.
This month we have two great giveaways. The organisers of the Dio “Houses for Causes” tour day are offering two free tickets, valued at $70 each, including a goody bag, for a great day out touring beautiful homes on Friday November 20 (you need to transport yourself from house to house). To win, email business@thehobson.co.nz by 5pm, Wednesday November 11, with HOUSES in the subject line. One name will be selected at random. The winner will need to collect the tickets from our office in Parnell. We also have a copy of The Girl Who Stole Stockings, courtesy of Elsbeth Hardie. To win, email business@thehobson.co.nz by 5pm, Friday November 20, with STOCKINGS in the subject line. Please including your mailing address. A winner will be chosen at random. the hobson 4
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issue 23, november 2015 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Advertising Sales Sarah-Jane Cooper thehobsonads@gmail.com Writers Kirsty Cameron, Carolyn Enting, Margot Nicholson, Fiona Wilson Sub-editor Fiona Wilson Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham, Shale Chambers, Sue Cooper, Warren Couillault, Andrew Dickens, Hamish Firth, Paul Goldsmith, Tommy Honey, Caitlin McKenna, Judi Paape, Martin Putterill, David Seymour, Desley Simpson, Mark Thomas, Justine Williams, Gail Woodward Photographers Vanita Andrews, Stephen Penny Cover Mike Chunn and Sonja Hawkins, photographed by Stephen Penny at the Hawkins’ home, part of the Dio House Tour: Houses For Causes. See The Cause, page 34. THE HOBSON is published 10 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: TheHobsonMagazine T: @thehobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising inquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHobsonMagazine
THE HOBSON is Remuera, Parnell and Orākei's community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafes, and at businesses including the Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell. For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook. The content of THE HOBSON is copyright. Our words, our pictures. Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first. We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of THE HOBSON. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas.
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This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible papers.
a World oF possiBilities
Whatever your property needs are - With Bayleys it’s made possiBle. Need a bigger garden? Time to sell the family home? Or perhaps you’re looking for an investment property? It’s a world of possibilities out there, so it’s great to know that Bayleys can provide you with the market knowledge, knowhow and support to get the result you want.
ContaCt Bayleys remuera to Find out hoW We Can maKe it possiBle For you. rachel dovey, Regional General Manager Eastern Bays, 50 Remuera Rd Newmarket B 520 8888 M 0272685550 e rachel.dovey@bayleys.co.nz Bayleys Real Estate Ltd, Licensed under the REA Act 2008
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elcome to THE HOBSON. If you’ve just recently discovered us in your letterbox, it may be because you live in our new distribution areas of Orākei, or the triangle of Remuera between Peach Parade and Haast St. To introduce ourselves, we’re the “local” community magazine. We launched in September 2013 and have been appearing 10 times a year in letterboxes in Parnell, Remuera and Newmarket since. (We are able to be delivered to boxes with “No Junk” stickers, as we’re recognised as a community publication). Our brief is only to “be local”. We started the magazine because we didn't feel we knew enough about what was going on in our own community. THE HOBSON is local news, events, people, the stories that keep you informed about your neightbourhood, plus good reads and articles we believe you will be interested in. We have opinions, as you do, and like you, we don’t necessarily agree with the views of everyone we publish. Having said that, I do believe we have one of the best rosters of contributing columnists and writers of any magazine in this country, free or paid. I do like a focus-group-of-one conversation about the magazine — one favourite was with a Remuera man who told me he both loved the magazine, and “vehemently disagreed” with several columnists. Your opinions are important, and we love hearing from you, so please do get in touch with story ideas, or email about things you believe warrant following up, or just to share your thoughts. If you’d like to read some back issues, they’re available digitally on our website, www.thehobson.co.nz, and we post new issues that can be shared on Facebook too (The Hobson Magazine).
Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz 0275 326 424
WINNERS: The winner of our September issue Father's Day promotion was Jade Phillips. We asked entrants to tell us why a special man in their life should win the prize of a BMW Drive Experience, courtesy of Jerry Clayton BMW. Jade wrote — “They say nice guys finish last, but I'm hoping we can win this compeition to reward the caring, kind and all-round nice bloke that is my husband and the father of our daughter. No sob story, no intrigue, just a smart, funny, hardworking man, who demonstrates his love for us every day. We are lucky to have him and I hope he is lucky enough to live his speed demon dreams for a day!” Enjoy your day, Glen. Our other September issue winners were Gretchen Carroll, who won dinner to the value of $250 at the ever-popular Meadow restaurant, Jonathan McWatt collected the Taste of Grammar cookbook, and to Lindy Robinson, a copy of Carolyn Cameron’s latest history, Parnell: St Georges Bay & Judges Bay. Thank you to all who entered.
Congratulations to Elaynor Wong of Remuera, who won the weekend away prize in the May issue, courtesy of Jerry Clayton BMW and the Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel in Rotorua. Elaynor sent us the photo above, taken at the Black Swan, when she and husband Alan recently enjoyed their luxury weekend trip.
In this photo published in our October issue, we mistakenly assigned a new identity to the man standing between Helen Carter, left, and Polly Hudson at the fundraiser for the InZone programme. It’s Glenn Hawkins, not Ant Rainger, as we said.
the hobson 8
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The Columnists
Left to right from top row:
Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.sandyburgham.com Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is CEO of Richmond Investment Management, a private investment advisory partnership. He is a shareholder in and director of Generate Investment Management Ltd; manager of a registered Kiwisaver scheme and an adviser to S.AG Private. www.richmond.co.nz Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the host of Andrew Dickens’ Sunday Cafe on Sunday morning, from 9am, on Newstalk ZB. He is also the music reviewer on Jack Tame’s Saturday morning show on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera. Hamish Firth (The Plan) lives and works in Parnell and is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. mthobsonproperties.co.nz Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a former architect, Remuera resident and Dean of College at Parnell’s Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design. Dr Amrit Kaur (The Psyche) lives in Meadowbank. She is a NZ-registered clinical psychologist specialising in helping children, families and young adults, and is part of the KidzTherapy practice. Her column appears bimonthly, alternating with Judi Paape. Caitlin McKenna (The Cinema) of Remuera is passionate about the cinema — she majored in film, sociology and marketing for her conjoint BCom/BA. Judi Paape (The Teacher) is a parent, grandparent and highly-experienced teacher and junior school principal. A Parnell resident, her column appears bi-monthly, alternating with Amrit Kaur. Lee Parore (The Wellbeing) is an expert in executive health. A qualified naturopath and a personal trainer to elite athletes and executives, his wellness clinic is in Newmarket. www.leeparorehealthlab.com Justine Williams (The Magpie) is an interiors stylist, writer and fashion editor. The Remuera resident has been the editor of Simply You and Simply You Living. Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) of Meadowbank is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket. She belongs to, and advises on selections for, a number of book clubs.
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Dr Paul JM Salmon BhB MBChB FRACP FACMS AFFILIATED SOUTHERN CROSS PROVIDER
Fun for the whole family at the Parnell Festival of Roses. Come and join the fun at this year’s bigger and better one day rose festival! The programme is jam-packed with things to see, do, taste, try, smell and enjoy. Wander through the wide range of stalls selling speciality food and products, visit community groups providing learning workshops and gardening information, or lounge in the shade and enjoy live jazz and classical music amongst the roses. The gardens will be full of roving performers and entertainment for all ages. As always we strive to make this event accessible, Smokefree and zero waste. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about accessibility options email parnellroses@aucklandcouncil.govt or visit the Parnell Festival of Roses Facebook page.
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events
the village
Town & Around STRENGTH OF CHARACTER The Auckland Unitary Plan (AUP) will become the blueprint for the city, determining what can be built and where, how to make Auckland more compact, how we live locally, rurally and use our marine environment. THE HOBSON has reported over the months on local issues that have come to the fore as submissions on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) have been published, from the removal of tree protection, to bids for rezonings and reclassifications of town centres and roadways. With the submission period ended (this July), the Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) is now in hearings, considering and mediating on the more than 9000 submissions received. The IHP is scheduled to wrap up the hearings in April, and make its final recommendations to the mayor and councillors in July. “The Unitary Plan is a great example of why it’s so important to be part of civic engagement,” says Orākei Local Board chair Desley Simpson. “What people may not have realised – frankly, because it wasn’t made clear – is that if they did not make a submission on the plan when feedback was being sought during the five-month notification period which ended in February 2014, or the further submission period which finished in July 2014, they now can’t be part of the process as significant changes are being made to the rules.” “Now these rules are being confirmed, the Independent Hearings Panel will then decide in March 2016 where they apply.” Parnell Heritage Inc is one community body that has engaged with the process, with both monetary costs — the group donated to the Character Coalition, a coalition of heritage and character interest groups from across the isthmus — and many, many hours of unpaid time given by volunteer members to pore through the submissions, research, respond, and attend the relevant hearings. “It is fair to say that protection of heritage is in need of champions in the current political climate of uncertainty,” Parnell Heritage co-chair Maree Barry noted in her recent annual report. “The responsibility to protect our heritage buildings, parks and natural environments within New Zealand's first suburb is an important one.” And that focus has thrown up some surprises. Co-chair Julie Hill has taken the lead for Parnell Heritage in attending the hearings. Here, she writes for THE HOBSON on her experience so far, and the discovery of the paucity of protected buildings in a heritage suburb. I could never have imagined what lay in front of me when I attended a series of workshops, in 2012, for members of Auckland
city community groups. Christopher Dempsey of the Waitematā Local Board sought to explain the foundation concepts of the Resource Management Act (RMA) to a diverse group from heritage and residents’ organisations. These evening meetings were intended to prepare us for the Unitary Plan process — the pre-hearings, the mediations and the hearings before the Independent Hearing Panel that started in earnest in late 2014. In February 2014, Parnell Heritage submitted a five-page document that outlined our concerns with the PAUP and the relief that we sought. My paperwork now numbers several manila files and file boxes after attending many round table mediations and the more formal hearings. We could have fronted to so many more, but realised that our small number of volunteers had to concentrate resources. We chose to focus on Historic Heritage, Special Character and Pre-1944 Building Demolition Control Overlay. These controls were the result of thousand of hours of work over a period of several years by a wide range of planning, heritage and legal experts, and Parnell Heritage was proud to be counted in the team of heritage organisations who participated. We are realistic, and know the demolition controls are enforced only for the short term, and that detailed mapping of historic heritage and historic character is urgently needed for the future protection of many historic character-built places. Those places that are magnificent and notable are safe as they are to be found in the PAUP Schedule Part 1 : Historic Heritage Category A or B. In the main Parnell Heritage’s primary submission to the AUP expressed a vision that, while we recognise that the planned growth of Auckland towards a compact urban form is desirable, we could not agree to zoning rules that would allow development to destroy the fabric of built heritage. We believe that current and future Aucklanders should walk the streets of central Auckland and the inner suburbs and see not an isolated magnificent heritage home, but a streetscape that allows their imagination to be transported back in time. How best to ensure that our suburb of Parnell continues to attest to its byline of “New Zealand’s First Suburb” is a matter for lively debate at any meeting of our membership. We are not easily satisfied that granite footpath markers, white ceramic plaques or heritage walking tours via phone apps should stand as the only sign that here, at this address, stood a worker’s cottage, or here was Von Tempsky’s home, or here were the wool sheds that discharged their contents to the sailing ships ready to depart for the ports of the Old World. Of the 2652 scheduled places on the Heritage Schedule for the greater Auckland region, a mere 45 are located in Parnell and of those, only 19 are residential places. The remainder are places of national and regional importance such as the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Parnell Heritage asked the Auckland Council heritage team for assistance in adding to this schedule with a special emphasis on the area of The Strand and lower St Georges Bay Rd. We are told that this team does not have the capacity to undertake the research required. There are some bright spots in this rather gloomy picture. The Council team have provided support to the owner of 511 Parnell Rd to nominate his Art Deco flats for inclusion in the Heritage Schedule. This gem of a residential property was recently bought to media attention by Parnell Heritage, the Waitematā Local Board and Councillor Mike Lee. There is also a developing initiative to protect one of the remaining few two-storied villas on Gladstone Rd that gives a context of gentle grandeur in the area of the Parnell Rose Gardens. Our suburb is loved by many more than just its current residents. From wider Auckland we can count upon the descendents of Parnell’s early families as some of our keenest supporters. Parnell Heritage
the hobson 12
needs their stories to build the evidence required for scheduling. We have received considerable support from both members and Parnell residents who have made donations to our “fighting fund”. With this financial backing and with the support of volunteers, we will continue to do our best to be an effective voice for the protection of the built heritage and special character places in our suburb. — Julie Hill p
Parnell Heritage Inc can be contacted via: enquiries@parnellheritage.org.nz. Information, schedules for PAUP and hearings is available on the Independent Hearing Panel site, www.aupihp.govt.nz. Details on the PAUP can be found on www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
. . . AND MORE TO READ ON OLD PARNELL Parnell Heritage has launched the fifth edition of its Journal, devoted to the stories that make up Auckland’s oldest suburb. The latest edition, available for sale for $15 at Paper Plus Parnell and the White Heron Dairy, includes a profile on long-time Parnell-based fashion designer, the late Colin Cole. The new Journal was revealed at the AGM, with Christopher Parr as guest speaker. Parr’s grandfather, C J Parr, was mayor of Auckland and the creator of the Parnell Rose Gardens. The Gardens celebrate their centenary this year. p
ORĀKEI’S MAYORAL TILT Next October, Aucklanders will vote on a new mayor for the super city, as well as local board members and councillors. Right now, in backrooms and cafes all over town, there’s caucusing on who will be
Remuera Market Day Saturday 31 oct, Halloween | 10am to 3pm It’s Halloween so dress up and come along to enjoy free music, street entertainers, a Monster Mash dance-off, Pirongia Clydesdales, face painters, a bouncy castle, Market Day specials and more!
For full details visit www.remuera.org.nz
the village the candidates endorsed by centre-right and left. Names expected to be on the ballot paper include Labour MP Phil Goff, who will have the left’s backing over the current mayor, Len Brown — although Goff has indicated to The New Zealand Herald that he’ll be an independent candidate. There’s also a nascent coalescing of centre-right organisers to put forward candidates for council and the mayoralty under a new “Future Auckland” ticket. Mark Thomas runs a business consultancy, has a young family, lives in Remuera and has served on the Orākei Local Board since 2010, sharing the deputy’s role. He is, at the time of going to press, the only candidate to confirm he’s entering the mayoral race, though Goff has indicated he will declare soon. While Thomas has stood as a candidate for National Party selection in both Wellington and Tamaki, for the mayoral race he’s standing as an independant. THE HOBSON invited Mark Thomas to say why he thinks he should be mayor — and why he’s going it alone. “When I first arrived in Auckland in 1984 at the age of 17 (then on a working holiday break between high school and university), such political pursuits as standing for mayor were the last thing on my mind. When Wendy and I moved to Remuera 12 years ago, as we were starting our family, I had dabbled in national politics, but local government seemed mainly about too many councils spending too much money not getting enough done. Some things change, some things stay the same! When the decision was finally taken in 2009 to form the so-called “super city”, I could see both the opportunities and the challenges. I had spent more than 10 years working in large businesses in the energy and banking sectors, and could see the benefits that might come from better organisation. However, I then owned a popular Auckland restaurant — Prime Bistro — and could also see the risk of personal, day-to-day contact being lost. By 2010, as the super city was being established, I was part of a team trying to work with the Transition Authority responsible for setting it up, on the best way to “engage” with Aucklanders. At the same time, the majority of people around Auckland were expressing concern about the new Council plan. Almost all the former mayors, including our current one, opposed the idea. The authority decided it wasn’t really interested in engaging with Aucklanders on what was coming. It also looked likely Aucklanders would mainly elect people opposed to the amalgamation, and who were part of the existing councils. I thought if this change was going to work, Auckland needed some new thinking. I was privileged when you first elected me in 2010 and very grateful when almost 17,000 of you re-elected me in 2013. The last five years as one of the deputy chairs on the Orākei Local Board has been a real mixture of highs and lows. There is a lot of potential in the local board structure, and my colleagues and I have worked hard to deliver what we can within the constraints the mayor sets. But too many of the original opportunities that drove me to stand remain. Our roads remain congested, and this is getting worse. The city’s growth plans guarantee neither enough new houses, nor adequate protection of our heritage and character. The size and cost of Council is ballooning, with home owners now paying an average 10 per cent rates increase. I sat through the mayor’s budget proposal a year ago, and heard him plan to cut transport spending — Aucklanders’ number one bugbear — by 30 per cent, and parks and community spending by almost 40 per cent. Locally, this would mean no significant new investment in the Hobson Bay area, despite the feedback many of you gave us when we put together the Hobson Bay Action Plan in 2013. It means Remuera Rd and Shore Rd and many others will remain congested. It
means growth opportunities in our suburbs remain uncertain with inadequate character protection. I knew things had to change, and this had to start at the top. If we wanted Auckland to become more of a super city, we needed more of a mayor who could make that happen. I spent most of the last year discussing what Auckland’s key issues are with Council, political, business and community colleagues across the region. At the same time I kept asking people: “will you stand for mayor?” I’ve asked a number of you in our community! Time and again, the issues came back to the need to make Auckland more affordable, improving transport more quickly, and agreeing and getting on with our growth plans. Who would stand was tougher. For a range of reasons, some of the more obvious potential mayoral candidates were unavailable. I felt it was pointless looking for new leadership in Auckland, if I wasn’t prepared to have some skin in the game myself. Finally, enough of my Council colleagues around the region, including Orākei Councillor Cameron Brewer and my local board colleagues, encouraged me to stand. Auckland needs new leadership. We need someone who has both the business and community experience, but most of all we need someone who understands the terrific opportunities we have in Auckland, and who can lead Auckland Council to overcome the challenges. A bit about my working life that helps understand where I’m coming from. At 21, I ran the McDonalds restaurant in Queen St. I spent five years in banking, working for ANZ. My most interesting role was as head of the Restoring Customer Faith project, and subsequently becoming responsible for the retail branch network in
The Thomas family in The Domain. The candidate, centre, with wife Wendy Lai and sons Ahyrn, 12, and Reuben, 9.
Auckland and Wellington. At the time, ANZ had the lowest customer satisfaction of any bank, but we were able to substantially boost that. If elected Mayor, I’ll need to draw on that “restoring faith” experience to improve the relationship Auckland’s ratepayers have with council. Although I enjoyed my time in banking, I started my own business to work in areas I was more passionate about. While on my OE in London years before — I backpacked around China for four months on my way there — I worked for my aunt and uncle, who own the
the village
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Trinity Hill winery in New Zealand, in one of their restaurants. I greatly enjoyed the hour-by-hour, day-by-day challenges restaurants bring, and so for four years, I owned Prime Bistro in the PWC Tower on Quay St. It was hard work trying to maintain our Metro Top 50 status, but dealing with customers is much like dealing with ratepayers! Except we need an Auckland Council environment that treats ratepayers more like customers. I reflected on this recently as a member of Hon Paula Bennett’s Rules Reduction Taskforce. The Local Government Minister appointed us to hunt out loopy rules that are stopping New Zealanders just getting on with sensible things. I heard from hundreds of Aucklanders about their frustrations with council and parts of government. As part of our investigation, we discovered that although council chief executives are charged with looking after resources, staff and finances in the Local Government Act, the word “customer” doesn’t appear anywhere. I want to use my experience to bring a much greater customer focus to our Auckland Council. For the past three years, I have also served on the board of the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, which has been part of our community for more than 25 years. I want to use all these experiences and more to make Auckland more affordable, with better transport and with growth we can support.” — Mark Thomas For further information, visit www.mark-thomas.co.nz p
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Well-nourished children in the care of the Parnell Community Trust’s daycare centres have led to a new initiative for the Trust — dinners to go. The food served up at the Gladstone Park and Parnell Early Childhood centres have proved so popular that the Trust has launched a take-home service to the wider community. Healthy living, and eating fresh, healthy food is core to the centre’s programs. The meals made by “Chef Fern” — Cordon Bleu-trained Fern Pereira, pictured above, and picking herbs with helpers at Gladstone Park (right) — have won a Heart Foundation Gold Healthy Heart award. Branded as “KidsHQ Super Meals”, they are cooked at the Parnell Early Childhood Centre on Glanville Tce — the former Queen Victoria School site has a full commercial kitchen. “Parents reported that their kids asked for Chef Fern’s meals at home, instead of whatever the parents had cooked,” says Parnell Trust chief executive Lyn Fox. “So we worked on making the same nutritious, healthy meals available to time-poor parents.” Word of mouth saw hunger for the dinners spread beyond
the daycare community — who wouldn’t want to come home to Moroccan beef mince and kumara tagine with couscous, or poached salmon and broccoli pie with potato topping? “There proved to be a real demand for our Super Meals by both young, and unexpectedly, old”, says Lyn Fox. “So we’ve made them available to the community at large.” A regular menu of eight tempting, vege-rich, child-friendly/adultpleasing meals are available, plus two new specials every week. Available in two sizes, small (200g) for $4.50 and large (300g), $6, the meals are sold frozen. Orders are placed one week, and collected the following from either of the centres. For more information, visit www.kidshq.co.nz p
Parnell District School pupils made a very personal "thank you card" for the sponsors of the school's fundraising quiz night
Parnell School Fundraiser was Nothing Trivial
GETTING OUR SUBURBS MOVING
The Parnell District School community came together for a Nothing Trivial-style quiz night which raised a more-substantial-thantrivial amount of over $40,000 for PTA projects, and new classroom furniture. A crowd of more than 200 supporters filled the school hall for the evening, hosted by special guests and stars of the TV series Nothing Trivial, Shane Cortese and Blair Strang. The PTA, teachers and staff put a huge effort into the evening, with over 170 online auction items up for grabs. A range of live items also went under the hammer, with Mike Pero Real Estate auctioneer,
At a public meeting late last month in Parnell, Mayor Len Brown faced a small turnout of local residents interested in transportation. His grasp of Auckland’s transport achievements and challenges formed the basis of a useful community discussion. The underlying theme of transport strategy is re-invigoration through strategic investment, with a focus on roads for commerce, public transport for commuters, and walk/cycleways where feasible. The Mayor reported encouraging transport patronage statistics for each of the main modes of transport, data that supports key investment projects so vital in the battle against congestion.
Conor Patton, getting the bids as high as $1400 for the likes of a Greg Murphy Hot Lap, a girls’ night out at Marvel Bar with Cortese and Strang, a weekend away at Kauri Cliffs, and bottles of pinot noir from Prime Minister (and school neighbour) John Key’s cellar. Benefactors of the evening included platinum sponsors Karen Moore and Libby Jarvis of Mike Pero; Skin Centre’s Dr Paul Salmon, and local businesses Ubertech, BurgerFuel Parnell and the Parnell Baths, as well as the donors of many auction items, and the parents and friends who supported the event. p
the village Reference was also made to the appraisal of Auckland’s transport progress based on “State of the Environment” statistics. Summary: air quality/better, water quality/not good. He emphasised the importance of ongoing involvement with government transport agencies, and the need to agree on methods of assessment and data sources. Without this common-sense foundation it is hard to agree on anything, let alone the introduction of light-rail as a viable option to reduce congestion. Len Brown indicated that progress had been made with the Government in setting up a joint transport working party, a body to assist not only in the matter of how to spend, but also how to fund large public transport outlays, including public-private partnerships.
In response to a question about the performance of Auckland Transport, the Mayor spoke of AT’s capacity to get value for money and to get projects delivered. Questions were asked about the impact this approach has on community consultation, and democratic right to be part of the decision process. The Cowie St bridge experience was brought to his attention by badly-affected local residents. It was agreed that he would be open to further talks on this matter. — Martin Putterill Auckland Transport is seeking feedback to proposed changes to the Central Suburbs bus network, which includes the eastern bays, Orākei, Remuera, Meadowbank, Parnell, Newmarket and Epsom. Visit at.govt.nz/newnetwork p
¯ Local Board Orakei
W
elcome to the new HOBSON readers living in the suburb of Orākei. It’s great to have you on board, enjoying and contributing to THE HOBSON’s fabulous community content and style alongside our other ward residents in Remuera and Meadowbank. Just like Remuera, the Orākei suburb has a residents’ association and if you are not already a member, I suggest you sign up to hear all about local community events, activities and happenings. They have recently started a community market at the Orākei Community Centre, 156 Kepa Rd. The community market has delicious food, great coffee, fresh flowers, beautiful handmade arts and crafts and live music, and runs fortnightly on a Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Please check “The District Diary” calendar on page 26 for dates, or visit www.orakei.org for more details on the market and how to join the residents’ association. The Auckland Heritage Festival has been very successful, with a number of events and tours in our ward. Whilst many of us were pleased to be able to celebrate our heritage, many of you will also have been as disappointed as I was, at the demise of Auckland Museum’s longstanding exhibition, Auckland
1866 or “Centennial Street,” as it has been commonly known. The exhibition was gifted to the museum in 1976 by the Auckland department store Milne and Choyce, which had a branch in Remuera. There was very minimal notice to Auckland ratepayers that this exhibition was to be removed after 48 years and replaced with a computerised ‘virtual tour’ — ironically during the Heritage Festival period, and on the first day of the recent school holidays. The Orākei Local Board is, however, very supportive of our heritage, and just as we have done in St Heliers, been proactive in assisting the Remuera Business Association in installing more heritage plaques with QR codes which tell the stories of some of our historic buildings, such as the Remuera Library, and the old BNZ site, which currently houses Banque restaurant. You may have noticed the lemon trees and bay trees being installed in the Remuera town centre, all part of the Remuera Business Association’s beautification project. Local businesses have agreed to maintain them, so they come at no cost to residential ratepayers. With the spring weather giving us the opportunity to get out and about more, we are also looking to progress work associated with our Hobson Bay Action Plan and doing initial scoping work to remove some of the mangroves. Slow but sure progress is also being made on the design of a potential water access point for kayaks and paddle boarders on the southern side of Hobson Bay (I’m pictured on the bay, also see page 20). The cricket season has now started and I was delighted to receive communication from Auckland Cricket CEO Mark Cameron that the community cricket clubs have seen a significant increase in cricket registration numbers of about 20 per cent for the coming summer. Cricket players in the board area will be pleased to know that the premier wicket at Shore Road Reserve has been renewed and an extra artificial wicket has been installed. The cricket training nets have also been expanded to allow for more training. Mark kindly thanked the board for its support of cricket grounds, facilities and the game in general. Finally, it almost seems too early, but Christmas events are being finalised. I may well see you on December 6 at the St Heliers community Carols on the Green which will be held on Vellenoweth Green from 5.30pm, or at the Ellerslie Santa Parade held at 11am the same day. — Desley Simpson, chair, Orākei Local Board
waitemata¯ Local Board
T
his month marks the fifth anniversary of Auckland as a super city. It is also five years for Waitematā Local Board and the honour I have chairing it. Although there is always room for improvement with the structure still maturing, much has been achieved at board level in five years. Despite getting used to new shared governance in our first year, the board made early progress. A local highlight is the Newmarket Park Project, “the largest ecological remediation process in Auckland’s history”. Alongside the large earthworks, board and community members planted hundreds of native trees. That year the board also made an official commitment to support Fair Trade. In 2011–12, the board oversaw the refurbishment of the Campbell Free Kindergarten, a heritage building in Victoria Park, now a well-used space by the community circus, Circability. We declared all Waitematā sportsfields and playgrounds smokefree, and initiated a long-term project to make our coastal areas more publicly accessible with the Weona-Westmere walkway.
The installation of the award-winning Point Resolution bridge (an international architecture honour was awarded to designers Warren and Mahoney) spanning Tamaki Drive near the Parnell Baths, and the adjacent stairway replacement, was certainly a highlight in 2012-13 in reinvigorating the area. Nearby, Judges Bay was another of the board’s major projects that year. The much-needed facelift of Judges Bay improved accessibility, safety standards and the bay’s beauty. A longerterm investment of note was starting our roll-out of public water fountains throughout Waitematā parks. 2013–14 will be forever remembered as “the year of plans”. We seemed to be forever discussing various plans we initiated with the community. We are proud though that development plans were completed for Symonds Street Cemetery, Myers Park, Point Resolution Taurarua Reserve, Western Park, Grey Lynn Park, Ponsonby Rd, K Rd and Newmarket’s Laneways. These now guide short and future longer-term development. Another large project was the refurbishment of Studio One Toi Tū in Ponsonby, providing an accessible community art space for all. The year just been, (2014–2015), was another busy one. We saw Stage 1 of the Myers Park redevelopment come to fruition, with the opening of an award-winning children’s playground, which was recently awarded top honours at this year’s Resene Total Colour Awards. Waitematā was the first local board registered as ‘child friendly’ through the international UNICEF Child Friendly City accreditation process, and we celebrated 100 years’ important city milestones of the Tepid Baths, Parnell Baths and Myers Park. In this selection of highlights, we must mention our advocacy work helping save six heritage pohutukawa trees from planned felling along Great North Rd. All my fellow board members can say that working alongside our community to a successful and rightful outcome remains a five year highlight. We are part of Auckland Council, elected by our communities to speak on your behalf. We hope you will agree we have made a good start. We think so. — Shale Chambers, chair, Waitematā Local Board All five Waitematā Local Board Achievement Reports can be found on the Council website and links on our Facebook page.
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the village
Paddle-Powered Action Remuera resident Margot Nicholson enjoys using the Shore Rd parklands and has been for many years looking forward to getting onto the water on Hobson Bay. She, and others, watched the sewer line be removed and gave input to plans during the public consultation for the Shore Rd reserve and Bloodworth Park. She was delighted to read in the December 2013 issue of THE HOBSON that the Hobson Bay Action Plan (HBAP) included the installation of two public platforms from Shore Rd Reserve, to allow the easier access of kayaks and paddled craft to the water. It looked like the barriers were finally being removed. After nearly two years of waiting though, she wondered if there were other barriers she didn’t know about. Margot Nicholson (pictured below) takes up the story.
O
rākei Local Community Board members Desley Simpson, Mark Thomas and Kit Parkinson actively support the installation of these jetties or platforms, and say that they would love to see them completed. Significant investment has already been made in putting the sewer pipe underground, creating walkways, supporting the Terry Jarvis Centre and increasing carparks. The final link, so that the public can easily access the water on paddle craft, is still missing. The cost of the platforms is likely to be peanuts, compared with what has been spent already. However, competing priorities for funding has meant that to date, funding has not been allocated to the platforms. The local board needs evidence that this is a priority for Council funding, otherwise this project could fall between the cracks. It is bigger than say a park bench that “just happens” without significant consultation, but smaller than the development of a sports field that requires significant input from the clubs who use it, and significant money. It is dependent on individuals having their say and connecting with the Orākei Local Board, but that can be tricky, particularly when people don’t know there is a problem. As individuals we can make funding these platforms a priority. We can — 1. Tell our local board why we want improved water access 2. Give Auckland Council ideas so that the water access we get is fit for purpose, lasts long-term for the enjoyment of users, and requires only modest funding If we don’t, the final and crucial phase to provide paddle craft water access will be missed, as well as increased connection with the bay. The action plan will just be a pretty picture. On Sunday October 4, a group of friends and family and members of the Orākei Local Board literally jumped into the water, without the platforms, so that we could see how hard it is currently to access the water with paddle craft. We gathered some comments on why people wanted improved water access, and ideas for the platform. Some of those comments are included here. Your help is needed too. Please share your story of why you would like improved water access and your ideas for the platforms. Email margot@nfpworks.co.nz or contact the OLB direct — deputy chair Kit Parkinson can be contacted on 027 274 9688 or kit.parkinson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Or go onto our public Facebook page, Shore Road Water Access. To view the Hobson Bay Action Plan maps, go to our Facebook page: The Hobson Magazine
the hobson 20
Local voices in support “I have looked at Hobson Bay longingly for 17 years and wanted to kayak regularly on it. I have done it but the current access is tricky and tide dependent” — Max “With increased population, including aging population and housing intensification, we need to make the most of our green spaces and water ways. It is great for peoples' health to get out there and connect with nature and we need to make that as easy and safe as possible”. — Margot Nicholson “I keep reading about the problems they are having with cars unloading kayaks at the eastern beaches, and wonder why haven’t they done the platforms at Shore Rd”. — Mike “I have launched my kayak a few times to go fishing but it’s a scramble. I end up taking the car and launching elsewhere, but I would love to just walk down with my kids”. — Tony “I want to walk down the road with my kids and friends and have a kayak. The water is so peaceful. — Mike “I would kayak but lifting the kayak onto the car hurts my shoulder and is hard on my own. If people could access Shore Rd many more people could walk down and enjoy the bay”. — Elise
The community gathering on a sunny Sunday afternoon saw locals —and pets —take to Hobson Bay after launching their craft via a scramble down a muddy and slippery bank. Extra kayaks and stand-up paddleboards were loaned for the occasion by Fergs, Okahu Bay. Adding their support were local politicians, photographed top left with event organiser Margot Nicholson. From left, Remuera Residents' chair Iain Valentine, Orākei Local Board deputy Kit Parkinson, Margot Nicholson, Orākei Local Board chair Desley Simpson (who made her maiden kayak voyage) and MPs Paul Goldsmith (who kayaked with daughter Eliza) and Julie Anne Genter (who took to a paddleboard).
the hobson 21
the reps
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DAVID SEYMOUR
I
'd choose not to, if you've got a brain.” I wouldn’t normally write a column on one inadvisable quote from Auckland Transport, but this one’s part of a set. It’s not from a trainee, but a senior communications person, no less. A civil servant without civility or service. For full context, the spokesperson was referencing Albert St, in the CBD, where the Council is beginning work on the City Rail Link (CRL) without the guarantee of central government funding. And the previous time I expressed concern to the Council on behalf of Epsom electorate residents, a staffer said the residents need to “get a life”. Invited to come and explain the project in greater detail, this official revealed he hadn’t a clue what the economic benefits of the CRL might be, and he hasn’t followed up with the promised evidence either. He conceded that much intensification will have to take place to justify the CRL – it is a train seeking passengers, rather than passengers seeking a train. Oh, and he’s not aware if Council has considered the effects of said intensification on school capacity either. Such is the zealous work of those committed to bringing a CRL to supporters and opponents alike. Why would anyone oppose? Isn’t the CRL Auckland’s coming of age? Well, yes. As one Remuera resident put it, underground trains are needed in the same way that public art is needed. They’re impractical and unprofitable, but announce the arrival of a grown-up city. I respect that there are mixed views on the CRL, but Council’s proponents aren’t doing themselves any favours. Back on practical matters, I am fighting a Lilliputian battle with Auckland Transport (AT) on behalf of Manukau/ Ranfurly Rd retirees. It is to secure a single bus shelter down the road from the Epsom Village retirement community. These older residents want to use public transport without getting drenched, or having to stand for long periods. Small scale perhaps, but it equally serves as an insight into Council’s responsiveness. It’s been diabolical. Residents approached me after being fobbed off. Then AT claimed the footpath was too narrow. One of my staff measured it, showing it is wider than the path opposite, which has a shelter for southbound passengers. As the ridiculousness grows, I have had to write to the head of AT about a bus shelter. All of this leads to another one of life’s imponderables. How do the French, despite appearing to live on the verge of anarchy most of the time, maintain one of the highest standards of living in the world? They not only have a famous lifestyle, but the highest per-hour productivity of any economy in the world. One possible answer is that their local governments really are local, and responsive. The average French mayor presides over 1500 citizens, compared with 67,000 per New Zealand mayor and 1.5 million in Auckland. Perhaps it is time for us central government MPs to take some powers back from Auckland Council’s Albert St tower and give it to more human local boards? David Seymour is the MP for Epsom.
PAUL GOLDSMITH
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had some fun last month, travelling to the UK for a week to play for the parliamentary rugby side. Rest assured it wasn’t a taxpayer funded trip – we paid our own way, with some support from sponsors. Nine New Zealand MPs spearheaded the team (if that’s the right term), bolstered by an assortment of parliamentary staff, former staff, people with loose connections to parliament who could play a bit, and a couple of outright ring-ins. This idea of a parliamentary rugby world cup started with Nelson Mandela in 1995, when South Africa hosted the World Cup, and Mandela invited parliamentarians from rugby playing countries to play in a tournament the week before the official cup. Mandela’s vision was to use sport to build bridges between countries. Every four years the dream is kept alive, and I was very pleased to part of it. We played Wales, Argentina and France. The Aussies, English, South Africans and Japanese were in the other pool. I can report that we were unbeaten. In fact, nobody crossed our line. I scored a try from my position on the right wing, which was outrageously disallowed by an English ref. Such were the rules of the tournament, however, that Australia won the cup, because they also were unbeaten in their pool and had scored more points than us. So much, so frustrating, but I returned with numerous personal friendships with MPs from around the world. Who knows when and if those connections will prove useful, but as with so much in life, you ‘cast your bread on the
water,’ knowing that amongst all the wasted effort there will be some success. I went for several reasons. Partly to meet international MPs, and partly for the fun of it. Even aged 44, few things are more exhilarating than running onto the pitch with my band of brothers at Rugby School, the home of the game, against a passionate Argentinian team. But the best of it for me was the opportunity to spend time with my fellow NZ parliamentarians. Along with two of my National colleagues, Mark Mitchell and Alfred Ngaro, the team included Winston Peters and five Labour MPs: Stuart Nash, Peeni Henare, Kris Faafoi, Kelvin Davis and Damien O’Connor (I’m pictured above with Alfred, centre, and Mark at Rugby). Parliament can be a hostile and combative place. That hostility can often be very destructive and counter-productive. Sides are drawn, assumptions are made and people can fall into the habit of shouting past each other. I discovered after a week on tour that the Labour boys did not have horns coming out of their foreheads, and maybe they realised the same of me. I had a few late night sessions with our media manager, Mr Peters. Again, who knows what will result from the bonds of friendship and fellowship we forged, but I’m sure that down the line they will prove helpful as we work together in the national interest. In reality, New Zealand politics is not blighted by the extremes of partisanship evident in other parts of the world. That is something special about New Zealand, which I believe we should work hard to preserve and maintain. Sport has a funny way of drawing people together. Paul Goldsmith is a list MP based in Epsom and Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs
the hobson 23
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the issue
A Considered Ending Epsom MP David Seymour is introducing a private member’s bill to Parliament. His “End of Life Choice” bill asks MPs to vote on assisted dying, or the right for adults to determine their death. Here, he writes of his motivation to tackle this difficult, contentious issue.
I
do understand that within our community there are a wide range of religious and philosophical views which influence attitudes to this issue. What is unthinkable for some, is considered by others the most compassionate way to address the inevitability of end of life, and the realities of terminal illness. But it is clear that a sizeable majority of the public support moves to amend the law in this area. In New Zealand, we have had in Parliament two attempts at legalising assisted dying. The first, in 1995, failed by a large margin, the second in 2003 by only two votes. This year, when Lecretia Seales appealed to the High Court for a declaration that her doctor should not be prosecuted for helping her die humanely, the judge refused to legislate from the bench, saying “I would be trespassing on the role of Parliament and departing from the constitutional role of judges in New Zealand if I were to issue the criminal law declarations sought by Ms Seales”. Earlier this year the Canadian Supreme Court, in deciding a similar case in favour of legalising assisted dying, outlined the fundamental conundrum that people face. “It is a crime in Canada to assist another person in ending her own life. As a result, people who are grievously and irremediably ill cannot seek a physician’s assistance in dying and may be condemned to a life of severe and intolerable suffering. A person facing this prospect has two options: she can take her own life prematurely, often by violent or dangerous means, or she can suffer until she dies from natural causes. The choice is cruel.” Canada will join nine other jurisdictions which permit some form of assisted dying: the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and Colombia. In September, California legislators approved a bill that legalises physician-assisted dying for terminally ill patients, and on October 5, Governor Jerry Brown, a lifelong Catholic and former Jesuit seminarian, announced that he had signed the legislation
after thoroughly considering all opinions. The few public polls of this issue in New Zealand suggest that between 65 to 75 per cent of the public support some form of assisted dying legislation. I polled the Epsom electorate, using John Key’s pollster David Farrar, and found that 69 per cent of residents agree that Parliament should legislate to enable assisted dying. I believe that legalising assisted dying is the right thing to do. Morally, it is right to give relief to that “cruel choice”, as a growing number of jurisdictions are recognising. Legally, the High Court has been very clear that if anybody is going to act on this matter, it must be Parliament. My bill will allow Parliament to reconsider. The bill will allow those eligible to determine the manner and timing of their final days. Overseas experience indicates that, typically, this shortens the life of terminally ill persons by an average of around 10 days only. To be eligible for assisted dying, a person must be over 18 years of age and must either have a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than six months to live, or suffer from a condition that is irremediable and causing egregious suffering, and are in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capacity and be experiencing unbearable suffering. They must be independently examined by two doctors, who must be convinced that the person’s decision is a free choice, made without coercion. They must be of sound mind, and if either doctor is in doubt, they can refer them to a mental health specialist. All of this will be overseen by a new supervisory body and reported on to Parliament every three years. The fundamental tenets of the bill are choice and compassion. It explicitly states that nobody is compelled to take a role, doctor or patient. Nonetheless the compassionate thing is to give the minority of people who find themselves in this situation the opportunity, if they wish, to choose a dignified and compassionate exit. That is what I intend to do. — David Seymour For more information about the bill, visit www.lifechoice.org.nz
the suburbanist
Our Vulnerability: Water & Sand
D
idn’t we have enough to be anxious about without the recent news that we are at — albeit, an ever-so-infinitesimal — risk of being wiped out by an asteroid? Aren’t the volcanoes, hurricanes and earthquakes enough? Apparently not. For as violent and calamitous as these events may be, their momentary threat pales against the gradual disintegration caused by two naturally occurring substances: water and sand. Say what you will about climate change – yes/no, hotter/colder, man-made/natural, he says/she says, blah/blah – the world is changing. We should probably be more concerned if it wasn’t. Setting aside the arguments for a moment, we could look at the evidence we can see and, rather than search for a reason, look at the results. These results — with apologies to Kiribati and its threatened citizens — are most obvious in cities. The shifting sands of an unpopulated desert can reorganise and obliterate without being noticed, but such change in the streets of our cities would be catastrophic. One hundred years ago, Venice would flood about ten times each year. Now, the Piazza San Marco — at 1m above sea level, Venice’s lowest point — floods around one hundred times annually. Arguing whether the sea is rising or the land sinking is moot when your feet are wet one day in four. Ho Chi Minh City sinks about 2cm per year and Jakarta lowers by 10-20cm in the same time. This city has dropped roughly 4m in 30 years. There, they have pumped out so much groundwater to support the rapidly growing population, that the land above is drying out and compacting, creating a bowl. Rivers that used to flow through the city down to the sea have had to be diverted, because they can’t drain uphill. Most of Miami sits 3m above sea level and has more complex problems. In addition to the increasing number of tropical storms, the city sits on a dome of porous limestone, which soaks up the rising seawater, which in turn fills up the foundations of buildings rising up through drains, forcing sewage upwards and polluting fresh water sources. Long term, this could make the city completely uninhabitable. The Maldives are essentially islands that can barely keep their chins above water. Any change to this fragile relationship would spell disaster. The capital, Male, is 1.2m above sea level and has looked to the future by building a 3m high sea wall costing around NZ$100m, with foreign investment from Japan. Ultimately it will only ever be a holding pattern until the sea rises or the sand sinks. You don’t have to be close to the sea to be at risk. The great Sahara grows to the south by 50km per year encroaching on Mauritania. Here in the trading and religious centre of Chinguetti, sand piles up in the streets. It has been a place of pilgrimage for Sunni since the 13th century, but lately the population has dwindled from 20,000 to just a few thousand now. It is expected that within a generation it could disappear entirely under the sand, like many settlements before it. Who knows what lies beneath this great sea of sand, what secrets it holds, buried probably forever. With the recent discovery of liquid water on Mars, perhaps the sands there mask lost civilisations. Time, wind, sand and atmosphere gets everything in the end. Even Earth. Fighting nature is a mug’s game; working with it and accepting change is much more fruitful, even if it only delays the inevitable. — Tommy Honey
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the plan
Wanted: A New Mayor
T
he search for a new mayor and councillors to run and manage the Auckland Council will begin in earnest in the next few months, with local body elections less than a year away. The Council manages an annual rate take of $1.4 billion, servicing 1.5 million people. Len Brown has presided over the transition from the legacy councils to the “super city” for two terms. He was the voice of the super city, and has managed to get the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) to a point where it should be endorsed and approved next year. That is no mean feat, considering it took the former Rodney Council over 10 years to get its last planning document to the same point. He has also overseen the establishment of the Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) like Auckland Transport and Watercare. I doubt Len will be back, or if he chooses to campaign, that he will win. Firstly, and sadly. he will not win the popularity contest now required to be the Council flagbearer. Bill Clinton managed to become more popular after his dalliances – this will not be the case for Mr Brown. Secondly, we need a mayor who can work with the central government – who can make or break a council-led project. There is an art to massaging a governing body, and ideologies cannot get in the way of making things happen. It seems that Len and Wellington have not been able reach key agreements fast enough to keep up with the region’s growth rate. So who are the alternatives? Phil Goff has told Paul Henry it was highly likely he will stand, and to “watch this space”. Goff is a current and long-standing MP. He was a government minister from 1999 to 2008. He has the experience and the understanding to take the job on, but it feels like this is his retirement ticket — not a burning passion to lead and move the city forward. According to Wikipedia, he joined the Labour Party in 1969 and first got elected in 1984, when David Lange became prime minister.
I am sure a whole host of other candidates will put their hands up to be mayor [Orākei Local Board member Mark Thomas already has, see page 13]. Based on a 34 per cent voter turnout in the last election, maybe we don’t care, as long as the rubbish gets picked up and rates don’t increase by too much. Looking around for mayors who roll their sleeves up and get the job done, getting consensus and managing growth, we only have to turn to the former Manukau City mayor, Sir Barry Curtis. Curtis served for 24 years. He worked “hard to make Manukau the place it is today and creating the infrastructure and quality public services the community expects” the Herald reported on his retirement. Another long-standing mayor who managed a fast-growing city was Sir Bob Harvey. He managed the former Waitakere City for six consecutive terms as mayor, from 1992 to 2010. He put aside politics to get things done, and build consensus. What I wish for, is a mayor and a set of councillors united behind what is best for Auckland. We need a mayor who can manage the diversity and breadth that encompass the region — and be able to work with Wellington and get results which move the wheels, and get project money spent on second harbour crossings and other important infrastructure. Being a good politician may be essential for winning an election, but the paradox is those qualities need to be set aside once in office. The day-to-day running of the city may be done by the officials, but the perception is, the mayor runs the show. Whether it is the future of the port, the annual city budget or leading new intiatives, a successful mayor needs to set politics aside, and act in the interest of the constituents in a way that benefits a much larger audience over a longer term. — Hamish Firth
Moore is more
Get more from your property sale with Karen Moore, Libby Jarvis and the Mike Pero Team. With over 30 years of local knowledge and experience, unique marketing options and a more competitive commission* all backed by a trusted New Zealand brand why settle for less?
Karen Moore • 027 279 5983 Libby Jarvis • 0274 854 151 279 Remuera Road, Remuera Auckland 1050 *Our fees are 2.95% up to $390,000 thereafter 1.95% + admin fee + gst
Mike Pero Real Estate Ltd Licensed REAA (2008)
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the investment
The Real Drying Up of Oil
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ll the talk concerning oil, and the oil industry, over the past 40 years has centred on three issues. First, supplies running out and easy, cheap production coming to an end (you would no doubt have heard of “peak oil”). Along with this, any new added reserves will be difficult and increasingly costly to extract. Second, prices will rise extremely high because of the dwindling supply and increasing cost of extraction. Third, oil consumption is dirty, and the prime cause of global warming. In my opinion this talk has been all wrong. I don't think oil reserves are running out and I don't think oil prices will rise exponentially. I certainly don't think current and future oil consumption will contribute to greenhouse gases. Why? I think we have seen the peak of worldwide oil exploration, production and consumption and that the next 10 or 20 years will see low, low, low oil prices. The term “peak oil” which we seem to hear frequently, will actually come to refer to prices rather than supply. As recently as last year, the oil price was over US$90 per barrel (bbl), having spent quite some time over US$100 bbl with expert commentators calling it up to US$200 bbl. I even saw articles mentioning a $500 bbl price! Such folly was driven by hype. The hype of China’s economy growing at 8 per cent per annum forever, and continually sucking in all global resources. The hype of “peak oil”, whose protagonists have been wrong for 40 years. And the hype of disrupted oil supplies due to renewed Mideast political unrest. The facts are: — The oil price is now US$45 bbl since China's growth has stalled, as it always would. Her economy cannot grow perpetually from government-driven infrastructure projects, and the outsourcing of western manufacture to cheaper Chinese firms has come to an end. Moreover, it is arguably going back the other way. — The oil price is now US$45 bbl because the USA has dramatically increased its reserves over the past few years, and production followed too. In 2013 the US became a net exporter of oil for the first time.
— The oil price is now US$45 bbl because the OPEC cartel countries have seen the changes in China and the USA, and have stepped-up production to keep the desperately needed oil revenue flowing in. — The oil price is now US$45 bbl because the world knows that in maybe just a few years from now electric/battery cars will be widespread, thereby collapsing the demand for oil for the automotive industry. I've written here previously about autonomous self-drive cars coming soon, and the resulting effect on the way we use cars and the type of infrastructure necessary for these cars. As a result there will be big changes. But the biggest change of all will likely be in energy consumption and production, regardless of whether electric motors replace the combustion engine in driven cars, or whether driverless electric-powered cars become more widespread. I read last month that GM is establishing an autonomous vehicle testing programme base on the Chevrolet Volt, with shipping anticipated in just a few years. They are also soon to release the Chevrolet Bolt, a long-range electric car. Tesla has just released its allelectric SUV. So it is coming people. Auto consumption of oil, as in what fills up the tank, accounts for about 70 per cent of oil consumption worldwide. Imagine when that drops to nil? There will still be demand for oil for its many other uses but taking out the auto sector is a massive negative demand shock. Watch out for gradual realisation of a low for longer oil price, and the effects that will have on countries, economies, industries and companies. From an investment perspective, one would need to tread carefully when considering any company active in the oil sector, and certainly those that need high oil prices to make money. Further, we need to think about the broad affect of switching out the current vehicle fleet with electric cars. Auto part suppliers, companies involved in servicing requirements etc ... bye bye! — Warren Couillault
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the magpie
Turn it Up
Justine Williams likes what she's seeing, and hearing, around town this month The most beautiful fusing of form and function took place when Ted Fletcher — the man who was the audio technician for music greats including The Who, Mark Knopfler and Jimi Hendrix — teamed up with Frank Nuovo, the wizard behind the first Nokia mobiles. The portable, futuristic, 60 watt Bluetooth speaker Spaced360, $499, has summer sounds sorted. Available online at www.orbitsound.co.nz
We’re captivated by the possibilities of a Grit Rug from Artisan Flooring. Grit Line, Grit Net, Grit Link and even Grit Curve. What they are is a series of custom-made rugs using high quality, 100 per cent cotton laces with a wax finish. The laces are plaited, woven or curved to form the texture of your rug. Available in an enormous range of colours and matte or metallic finishes. Grit Rug collection at varying prices, from Artisan Flooring, now at their new home of 31a Normanby Rd, Mt Eden (opposite Bloc). www.artisanflooring.co.nz
A luxury retailer once told me that New Zealanders have an insatiable appetite for watches, and good watches too. Which begs the question “how does one store a good watch collection?” Design 55 has that sorted with this divine watch box. Watch tray with glass lid, $555, from Design 55, 55 Upper Queen St. www.design55.co.nz
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Not new, we know, but how often do you hear one of your all-time favourite products – ever – has come down in price? Yes, down. These vessels of deliciousness that have delicately scented our homes for years, and still fill our hearts with joy, are now available for $89 each. Oh, that was not the sound of angels singing, that was my tyres screeching as I head down to Mecca Cosmetica to stock up. Diptyque Figuier Candle, $89, Mecca Cosmetica, 264 Broadway, Newmarket. www.meccacosmetica.co.nz
The Louis Vuitton Dragon Key Holder in black calf leather is understated cool at its very best. Of course, it’s even better with a new BMW M6 coupé key attached to the end of it, but that’s a whole other story. Get in quick, before keys become a thing of the past. $420 from Louis Vuitton, 56 Queen St. www.louisvuitton.com
It has a signature blanket stitch that The Magpie can spot from 100 paces. It ruffles my feathers every time I spy a piece from the Febo family. The most delicious velvets, detailed with tonal, or sometimes contrasting, blanket stitch outlining the perfect lines of every piece they create. Not to mention they’re extremely comfortable – not that I’d ever let anyone else sit on mine. B&B Italia Maxalato Febo Armchair, $6772, and ottoman, $1797, by Antonio Citterio from Matisse, 99 The Strand, Parnell. www.matisse.co.nz
Comfort and style rolled into one perfect outdoor chair, and we love the cool blue colour. The Blue Natalie Chair is a fun, outdoor lounge chair with deep-seated Sunbrella® fabric cushions, Ecolene® Outdoor Weave bucket-seat and a powder-coated steel and aluminium frame, all designed for optimal outdoor style. Natalie Outdoor Relaxing Lounge Chair, $1099 from Design Warehouse, 137 The Strand, Parnell. www.designwarehouse.co.nz
The ultimate in off-duty summer essentials, the Delano is a chic slide/espadrille hybrid by Flamingos Paris (although actually made in Spain). Featuring rich black tubular leather on a rope platform, with turquoise outsole. $490, available from Runway Shoes, 24 Nuffield St, Newmarket. www.runwayshoes.co.nz
What bird doesn’t like a rosé? The Magpie’s summer tipple is now sorted thanks to another stellar recommendation from JC at Maison Vauron. La Vie en Rose is a new vintage by Chateau la Roubine, one of the top rosé producers in the Provence region. It’s light pink in colour, with a fresh, light-red berry perfume, mingled with floral notes. Enjoy it with beautiful New Zealand seafood. La Vie en Rose by Chateau la Roubine, $26.50, Maison Vauron, 5 McColl St, Newmarket. www.mvauron.co.nz
When Catherine Clifford and Robert Stall get together to make jewellery, incredible, beautiful, things happen. This stunning ring, at left, boasts 10 pink sapphires and 65 diamonds, all set in platinum. 693 Pink Sapphire and Diamond Garden Ring, $25,700 (tax free available). The Jewellers Gallery via www.thejewellersgallery. com, or call Polly Hudson, 021 772 482.
The spring/summer collection from Helen Kaminski has landed at Hedgerow. Raffia remains the material of choice but don’t go thinking this is a one-summer item. Kaminski’s handcrafted raffia hats and bags are renowned for their quality, unique styling and innovation in both colour and technique. Helen Kaminski Kirsten Hat, $185 from Hedgerow, 371 Remuera Rd. www.hedgerow.co.nz
Baby gear this cute nearly makes me want to nest all over again. Made from super luxurious, soft organic cotton, it’s perfect worn alone or layered up. And the handy press-studs make those inevitable quick changes much less hassle. Huxbaby Terrazzo Onesie, $49, from Superette, Nuffield Street, Newmarket. www.superette.co.nz
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the hobson + remuera live life local
Pearls of Wisdom John Lee brings a discerning eye and sophisticated style to Jems of Remuera
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he dictionary definition of “gems” is “a precious or semi-precious stone, especially when cut and polished or engraved”. The dictionary definition of “jems” is . . . well, there isn’t one. It’s not a word. But if you ask John Lee, owner/operator of Jems of Remuera, why he chose to name his shop Jems, his answer makes perfect sense. “Gems are just stones,” he says. “Whereas [the name] Jems encompasses that, and so much more – it means the best, the finest, pride, jewels, masterpiece, the crème de la crème”. Your range of products is eclectic – a mix of jewellery, antique and new items, décor and furniture. What is the concept behind Jems? With the changing times, and imports from China giving people more selection, we wanted to create a picture in peoples’ minds of how old and new can mix together, and how homes of today can look amazing with just one or two special pieces mixed in with contemporary furnishings. With Jems, we’ve created an environment, or a showroom, to do just that. Our exceptional range of jewellery, together with our custom-made jewellery, is a must to view. Bring in your ideas, and see how we can bring them to life for a treasure made just for you. Where do you source the items you sell? I do a weekly auction run, flying up and down the country, as
well as visiting trade fairs, antique fairs and markets. I travel internationally too, and have scouts based overseas. We also buy privately from people who bring items into the store. Why did you choose to open your shop in Remuera? Back in 1995, I owned Now & Again Antiques in Manukau Rd. A very good friend of ours who owned an antique shop was about to retire, and he suggested we come to Remuera and build on his clientele. It's a move we’ve never regretted! What do you love about being in Remuera? The people. The locals are very supportive, and we nurture our relationships with them, to the point that people become like family. We’ve made so many lifelong friends! It really is a family business — our customers are both family and our biggest asset.
SPECIAL READER OFFER Call into Jems in November to see the jewellery, antiques and décor pieces available. And if you mention this article in THE HOBSON, you’ll go into the draw for a pair of cluster diamond and white gold earrings, valued at more than $1500. To read more about John and Jems of Remuera, visit www.remuera.org.nz
Jewellery and antiques specialist John Lee behind the counter at Jems. Interviews by Fiona Wilson, photos by Vanita Andrews
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live life local
Our Daily Bread There’s no blackbirds but plenty of feather-light pastries and specialty bread at Clonbern Rd’s 4&20 Bakery
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ou won’t find the poetic four-and-twenty blackbirds baked into their pies, but over a cup of organic Havana coffee and a delicious cinnamon bun, we learned more about 4&20, Remuera’s organic bakery, run by Deborah Chait and Andy Tse. Why did you open your bakery in Remuera? We were drawn by the great community feeling, and we loved how people understood and appreciated organics and high-quality products. We’re grateful to many people with similiar philosophies; Adrian Barkla of New World Remuera, the Jack Lum family business next door to us, and Kim Wickstead from Victoria Avenue Butchery. We were really lucky as an old Remuera friend, respected food writer Lauraine Jacobs, knew us, tasted our bread, and used all her contacts to spread the word. What was your vision for 4&20? To create products from scratch that are delicious, using quality ingredients without preservatives or additives. Also using organic, free-range and local-sourced products where possible. We source different flours and ancient grains, including spelt and organic rye. Deborah, what are the challenges with organic baking? Sourcing organic products. They are considerably more expensive than most usual products. Organic flour is more
than double the price of regular flour. Is bread-making more complicated when it’s organic? Yes. As an unrefined and natural product, flour varies at different times of the year. The ingredients are simple — organic flour, organic sea salt and filtered water — but the process is complex. Flour and water is added to starter then left for 12 hours, before folding and moulding the dough by hand. It’s then fermented for 12 hours before baking. Doing this also breaks down the glutens – we’ve found that people with gluten intolerances can happily eat our bread. Do you have special Christmas treats planned? Definitely! An English Christmas pudding from a recipe which dates back to the 17th century, there’s our Sri Lankan spiced Christmas cake, and stollen, gingerbread houses, Christmas tarts. We’re also going to be offering birthday and celebration cakes in the near future.
SPECIAL READER OFFER Visit 4&20 in November, mention this article and receive a complimentary coffee when you buy a dozen christmas mince tarts. read more about 4&20 at www.remuera.org.nz
4&20's Andy Tse and Deborah Chait. The bakery was named for their son Charlie's favourite nursery rhyme.
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the cause
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Rock The House This month, 10 homes will open their doors and welcome you in as part of the Dio “House for Causes” day. At one home, there’ll be a little extra play for pay
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he Hawkins family moved into their brand-new Parnell home at Christmas, and since then, the music has barely ceased. Music, and art, is a passion, and the housewarming, a 21st birthday and the 50th birthday celebration they’ve held since then have all involved live performances. “It’s any opportunity to have performers here, “ says Sonja Hawkins. “My friends are probably sick to death of it!” Unlikely, they more likely just feel very happy to be part of the Hawkins’ circle, and all the sounds that brings. And this month the circle extends, with the house opening up to be one of the featured homes in the Diocesan tour. The tour on November 20 takes in 10 houses across the eastern suburbs. For a $70 entry ticket (with a goody-bag), guests get to eye some pretty spectacular architecture, art collections and at the Hawkins, be rocked along with it. The event is fundraiser for the school’s new $36 million Arts Centre, which commences its staged build this December, with completion in 2019. Each host home on the tour also nominates their own charity to support, and will hold raffles and shake the tins to aid that personal cause as well. Sonja and husband Glenn chose the Play It Strange Trust, which promotes songwriting and musical performance to young Kiwis. “Arts is a passion of ours, visual and performing,” says Sonja Hawkins. “The connection here is with the new Dio arts centre, which is an incredible facility with 25 practice rooms and an auditorium for over 1000 people. It will be an amazing facility for the whole community, and of course for the kids coming through.” Supporting both the school and Play It Strange “meant the two meld together, so we’ve got good things happening!” Mike Chunn concurs. The former Split Enz member and Citizen Band founder-slash-music industry exec heads up Play It Strange, and on November 20, he’s got a rota of musicians lined up and ready to rock, from buskers out the front, to singers inside. “We’re going to feature alumni and current students from Diocesan during the house tour,” he says. “The new breed of creative and performing and recording students there is wonderful to witness, and at Play It Strange we’re lucky, because we get to see and hear them. “So it will be a very special musical environment here at the Hawkins house.” It’s a special environment full stop. The work of Patterson Associates architects Andrew Patterson and Luke Douglas,
with the kitchen and bathrooms designed by Sonja (who has worked as a commercial interiors designer), the house is rich with personality and European-influenced style. The kitchen’s brass-edged shelving, with brass tapware sourced from Parnell-based Metrix — a sponsor of the tour, as is Pattersons — could well see a ripple effect of brass appointments appearing in Remuera kitchens. The glazed wall and door between the kitchen and conservatory/scullery is another stand-out feature in a house full of stand-out features. There’s the Dutch curved white wall tiles, feature walls of Moroccan tiles, the Patricia Urquiola bath, Bremich Cabinetmakers joinery allowing a vitrine display of loved objects. The house has already won gold awards for builders Lindesay Construction in the Auckland/Northland new build division of the Registered Master Builders House of the Year, with the national results to be announced mid-month. Other homes on the tour will offer different events. There’ll be a coffee stop pool-side at a spectacular Julian Guthriedesigned home above Hobson Bay; formal gardens to admire and architecture classic and modern to take in. One intriguing home opening its doors is 1865’s Bishopscourt, the private residence of the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, the Very Reverend Ross Bray and wife, Jacquie, a Dio old girl. The tour’s gift store will be set up in the adjacent Selwyn Library. “These are wonderful, inspiring homes,” says tour organiser Sue Gault. “We’re thrilled to be able to share them.” — Kirsty Cameron
Go to iTicket.co.nz to buy Houses for Causes tickets. THE HOBSON also has two tickets to give away: see page 4 for details. For more about the Dio Arts Centre, visit www.grandcircle.co.nz. The tour is sponsored by New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty, Winger New Zealand, Fuji Xerox, Metrix New Zealand, Matrix Security, Pattersons, Prudence Lane Design and Humphreys Landscaping. As well as Play It Strange, charities to benefit include Auckland City Mission, Children’s Autism Foundation, Dove Hospice, Holy Trinity Cathedral and GICI — the Gastrointestinal Cancer Institute.
A view of the award-winning kitchen at the Hawkins' Parnell home. Inset: Mike Chunn and Sonja Hawkins. Photos by Stephen Penny
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the author
A Colourful Past When Remuera author Elsbeth Hardie found her family roots were Australian, rather than Welsh, it started a historical sleuthing trip and the writing of a great tale
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he extraordinary life of convict Susannah Noon is recounted in The Girl Who Stole Stockings, a riveting — and true — account of Noon’s life. Not yet in her teens, Noon was arrested for trying to steal four pairs of cotton stockings, worth ten shillings, from a shop in Colchester, England. Her crime earned a sentence of transportation for seven years “beyond the seas”, and on 8 April, 1811, she was one of 101 female convicts who sailed for the young penal colony of Sydney on the ship Friends. Noon moved to New Zealand in 1837 to join her second husband, who was working on a remote whaling station in Port Underwood, Marlborough – three years before the establishment of Wellington as a colonial seat. The book’s author, Elsbeth Hardie, is a descendant of Noon, a fact she admits to with a little reluctance (and is not mentioned in the book) as she doesn’t want the publication pegged as a “family history”. It is so much more than that — a rich mine of information about the convict system in 18th and 19th century New South Wales, and both Australia and New Zealand’s early colonial history. The book has been in the making since 2007, though the idea for writing it was seeded when Hardie was a teenager. “It started when I asked my mother where we came from, and she always said ‘Wales’. I wanted to know exactly when we came to New Zealand, and realised she didn’t know,” she says. “When I traced [our family] back to a woman (Susannah Noon’s daughter) and discovered she was born in Sydney, we were stunned. We knew nothing about convict history and thought ‘what was the family doing in Sydney in the 1820s?’ That’s when we found out her parents were convicts. It was my first introduction to Susannah.” Hardie, a former journalist and graduate of the creative writing honours programme at the University of Auckland, has spent the past eight years weaving together the threads of Noon’s life, and of her fellow female passengers on the convict
ship Friends. And she has been thorough in her research. The book contains 55 pages of references and extensive footnotes, substantial information for anyone interested in colonial and convict history. Hardie has also launched an accompanying website, friendsconvictship.com, to tell the stories of the 100 other women onboard “because it couldn’t fit in the book”. “They all had great stories. There was a murderer on the ship — she killed a shoemaker. It was unusual that she was transported and not hanged,” Hardie says. “Some had lives of crime. One person had abducted a child, but most of them were transported for theft.” Her research found the often sad back-stories to the circumstances that tipped the women towards criminal acts, thieving in particular. “It was a very simple set of social conditions. There was no welfare system. The minute you moved away from your parish, you moved away from any support. A lot of women followed soldiers to London, or for work, and once they were cast aside or lost their job, they were out on the street and couldn’t pay their lodgings. The only way they could survive was to steal something, so theft was by far the largest crime.” It took Hardie “an embarrassingly long time” to realise her own ancestors had come from New South Wales, not Wales. “It’s curious that that tiny snippet of information got carried through the generations,” says Hardie. “Convict history wasn’t passed down. It was erased from your family record quite quickly, so it’s possible that even Susannah’s children didn’t know that their parents had been convicts.” Hardie travelled to Marlbrough, Australia and England – everywhere Noon had lived – in her research. Her most emotional experience was discovering jail records in Essex. “It recorded her stay in jail, and it made it really real to me at the time. I felt tears spring into my eyes, because she was only about 12,” Hardie says.
Elsbeth Hardie at her Remuera home, with some of her research material. Photographed by Stephen Penny
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The research was the hardest part, but also the most rewarding. Sometimes it would take a day and a half to write a sentence, “because you needed to find one thing” and Hardie “didn’t want to conjecture about anything”. “I drove the publisher crazy, I think, because it’s been in final proof stage for most of this year, but I kept discovering new things to add.” The girl on the cover is Susannah’s great-great-great-great-granddaughter, Hardie’s daughter, Sophia. Susannah herself died just before the new art of photography came to Nelson. “I was trying to work out how many people are descended from Susannah in New Zealand and there has to be thousands, because one of her daughters had 100 descendants when she died 100 years ago,” says Hardie. “As far as I was able to find out Susannah was the only one [from the Friends] who came to New Zealand. There must be at least 100,000 people-plus who are descended from these women, because there were only 5000 people in Sydney when they arrived.” She is hopeful more information will come to light about the women of the Friends via the book and website. “I think it is surprising to read about the lives that these people led. These were our forebears and we know nothing about it. The book provides a bit more understanding about what those early settlers went through, because that’s what they became. It’s part of our past.” — Carolyn Enting The Girl Who Stole Stockings is distributed in NZ by Potton and Burton, and is available at Paper Plus Newmarket. WIN THE BOOK! THE HOBSON has a copy of The Girl Who Stole Stockings to give away. See page 4 for details
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Z
the pretty
Party Favours
Get yourself armed and beautiful for the party season ahead, says Justine Williams
A slick of red can go horribly wrong, but we’ve found this gem from Revlon, with its LiquidSilk technology, to be a fantastic, trouble-free wear. Pure colour infused with moisturisers and vitamins A, C and E to protect and condition, the colour wears evenly. And we love the name. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Rich Girl Red, $23.50. Life Pharmacy, Remuera
If you’re a little hesitant in the art of self-tanning, this liquid bronze in a bottle is super-easy to apply. Exfoliate first, and then use a cotton pad to apply this light-as-water formula. Hey presto, tanned, soft and hydrated-feeling skin in a couple of hours. Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning, $51, from Life Pharmacy, Remuera
Nothing says “party-on” like shimmering eyelids. Bobbi’s most intensely shimmering eyeshadow to date comes in four stunning shades. The baked, densely-pigmented formula provides a lightweight velvety texture that applies easily. Plus, it’s housed in a chic compact complete with a mirror, making this the perfect party companion. Bobbi Brown Sequin Eyeshadow (shown in Star Beam) $70, from Smith & Caughey’s Newmarket
Meet MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation. An innovative foundation that delivers colour in an ultra-fluid, elastic gel serum, it feels like you’re wearing a tinted moisturizer. But with stay-true colour and sheer-to-medium buildable coverage, it softly blurs pores and fine lines. This is your new best friend for summer. $72, from Smith & Caughey’s Newmarket
Being French, the creators of this long-wearing cream eyeshadow stick refer to it as “an essential piece to create effortless allure”. Brimming with pigments, it glides on, and stays on like a dream. Available in eight shades, shown here in Taupe Quartz, the perfect smokey eye is applied in a flash. Ombre Hypnôse Stylo Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow Stick, $49, from Life Pharmacy, Remuera
Under the eyes is the first place to give away your secrets, especially if you’ve been burning the midnight oil. What’s so great about this under-eye concealer from Jane Iredale is that it doesn’t just conceal, it also works to nourish and reduce puffiness with vitamin K and buckwheat wax, while cucumber extract tightens the skin. Jane Iredale Active Light Under-eye Concealer, $53.60, available in six shades from Prescription Skin Care, 243 Remuera Road, www.prescriptionskincare.co.nz Love an industry secret? This 10-minute “facial in a jar” is reputed to be the go-to product used on stars during awards season in Hollywood, to achieve camera-ready, glowing skin. GlamGlow’s mud base is sourced from the Mediterranean Sea. Use it a couple of times a week as an exfoliating and tightening mask for your red carpet entrances, or just because you might get papp’d on the way to the dairy. GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment, $102, from Mecca Cosmetica.
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Re-Nutriv is the grande dame of all the Estée Lauder skincare regimens. So we weren’t surprised when this ultra-luxurious eye crème showed up, infused with energising Black Diamond Truffle Extract and breakthrough youth-sustaining technologies’ promising to ‘perfect the look of the eye area for a dramatically younger look.’ It does the lot! Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Energy Eye Crème, $349, from Estée Lauder counters from November 2.
Pain-Free Hair Removal
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rescription Skin Care has brand new laser hair removal technology that offers a pain-free, fast, and permanent solution to excess body hair. Using the most advanced systems in New Zealand, these safe, and highly effective, treatments are carried out only by Prescription Skin Care’s specialist nurses using stateof-the-art hair removal systems in a clinical, medical environment (every patient has their own applicator to ensure complete sterility). Permanent hair removal is suitable for both men and women, and for teenagers over the age of 16 with parental consent. For men, chests, arms and backs can be treated, with either all, or just a percentage reduction, of body hair removed. The laser can treat large areas rapidly, and there’s no downtime. Men also appreciate the discreet, clinical environment at Prescription Skin Care.
Poppies Remuera
‘My kind of bookshop’ Quality Books, Cards, CDs and much more Village Green 415 Remuera Rd, Akld 1050. Ph 09 524 4001
For women, now it’s easy to treat legs, arms, underarms and the bikini line with this fast and effective new technology. You’ll be able to cancel your waxing appointments and enjoy smooth, hair-free skin. Special Offer: Get one area treated, and another smaller area treated for free over your course of treatments. For ladies, this could mean a bikini line treatment, with underarms free. For men, pay for chest hair reduction, get shoulders free. Book your consultation today and see how you can greatly reduce body hair in time for summer.
Jewellery repairs and remodelling Watch repairs Free quotes on all work All work done on premise Friendly courteous service
piotr marcinski/shutterstock.com
Fast turnaround www.zlato.co.nz / 09 307 0339 125 Parnell Rd, Parnell Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm / Sat 10am - 2pm
Prescription Skin Care is led by Plastic Surgeon Stephen Gilbert FRCS, FRACS (plastic). 243 Remuera Road, Remuera Phone 529 5784 www. prescriptionskincare.co.nz
the wellbeing
Epsom Electorate Office Suite 2.4, Level 2, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket.
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PO Box 9209, Newmarket 1149. To contact me for an appointment please call 09 522 7464
David Seymour, MP for Epsom davidseymour.epsom@parliament.govt.nz
Promoted by David Seymour, MP for Epsom.
PAUL GOLDSMITH NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM
107 Great South Road, Greenlane PO Box 26 153 Epsom, Auckland 1344 P: 09 524 4930 E: paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz W: www.paulgoldsmith.co.nz facebook.com/PaulGoldsmithNZ Funded by Parliamentary Service and authorised by Paul Goldsmith 107 Great South Rd Auckland
Fit for Purpose!
www.national.org.nz
estosterone is the hormone of virility, stimulating sexual essence for both men and women. Testosterone’s power as an anabolic/regenerative hormone does more than just boost your libido. Testosterone motivates you to take initiative, and makes you assertive, audacious and mentally tenacious. The power of testosterone is to keep you on point mentally and physically, raring to go with energy! If there’s a steroid hormone that can keep you potent in the boardroom and the bedroom, it’s testosterone. And either way, too little is the same as too much. The big problem is dosage and intent — how much do you need, and for what purpose? Getting your testosterone right is essential if you want the cognitive and physical benefits. The brain, the most potent sex organ of all, comes saturated with receptors for testosterone — low levels will make you feel like you're lacking more than your libido. You’ll feel like your life force has gone, making you docile, and compliant. For men, erectile dysfunction, according to the Mayo Clinic can be an early warning sign of current or future heart problems, as is loose teeth and bleeding gums. Using a performance drug like Viagra on top of a weak heart could be a dangerous combination, with fatal consequences. Excess visceral fat — the fat that surrounds the organs in your gut — secretes inflammatory molecules that contribute to heart disease and diabetes. Low testosterone is also associated with prostate issues. For women, low testosterone may be a factor in a lack of sexual desire. Check the adrenal glands and your cortisol status to see if they are in balance. Cortisol, or the stress hormone, works to keep you ready for anything, and eager for action. In a worst-case scenario, your stress hormones can “steal” your sex hormones, and with that, your sex drive. Cortisol gone wrong makes your brain lose its sense of time in the circadian rhythms that control hormone production. Issues cascade into the thyroid gland, with rapid heart rate, low body temperature and autoimmune disease a risk. The best way to know your testosterone level is via a blood test. The secret sauce is not the lab tests; it is found in the interpretation of the results, and how they correlate with what’s best for your biology. Testosterone when right stimulates masculine energy, with the mind set of “leadership” to take charge of your life, and drive business towards a higher potential. It turns guys into marathon men and gals into Wonder Women, some people into super athletes, others into Tony Stark! And all with a vital energy as both brain and body get synced for power, and a zest for life. Getting testosterone right is like getting your brain rewired, and your sex life renewed. But you need to do it right. Meddling with testosterone replacement without attending to the causes of low testosterone can get messy. Exogenous testosterone can provoke negative feedback to the hypothalamus and pituitary, suppressing the 24-hour rhythm of the body’s hormone cascade. The better, safer way is to work with the circadian rhythms, the genetically pre-programmed cycles that regulate your energy levels, brainwave activity and hormone production. Evolution’s prime directive is survival of the species by reproductive fitness. With testosterone right, you truly come to love life! — Lee Parore
the second act
All I Want is a Room Somewhere
W
hen I was young and dreaming of what I wanted to be when I grew up, there was one constant amongst the changing line-up of fantasy careers. I was definite about one thing, and that was no matter what I ended up doing, I wanted to live in a “big house”. A “big house” would assure me of privacy, luxury, and above all else — it would mean I was “rich and successful”. This endured until I got one, and realised that it actually meant I was “mortgaged and ordinary”. But anyway, it was always part of the dream. Thus, our family home for the last 18 years has been a beautiful, large, house which we have lovingly restored as budget and time has permitted. In fact, we just put the finishing touches on it this year. It’s a mid-century masterpiece on a large section. I don’t think there has ever been a time that I haven’t thought on the approach up the driveway, that “God, this is a fabulous big house” — while underneath, my subconscious ego would be declaring “God, I’m clever”. The house has expanded with family, absorbed various businesses run from home, hosted a couple of vehicle restorations, easily accommodated guests for long periods, as well as parties for 100-plus; our DNA fusing with its materials along the way. We love this house like it’s a member of the family. “Oh this piece would look great in the house,” we’d exclaim. “Oh it’s good to be home”. “I love living here”. “This is the best house in the world; look at that view; we’ll never live anywhere else . . . ” And then one day, I changed my mind. As I have noted in a previous column (actually twice – I’m clearly sending myself a message) you spend the first half of your life collecting stuff, and the second half getting rid of it. So when I was vacuuming “the house” recently, rearranging “stuff”, trying to find other “stuff” that someone had put somewhere-but-where ... it suddenly dawned on me. This is all a bit over the top. I don’t need all this stuff. And my whole life is about transport to, and from, this house. I don’t want to drive 20
minutes to Rebel Sport to get my son’s sports gear. I felt sad and guilty about my changing feelings toward the house — but clearly not that guilty, as within weeks of that epiphany, we had bought an inner-city apartment, in a heritage building on Queen St. We will move in the new year, once some renovations are done. In the short term, we’ve rented it furnished, and I’m embarrassed to admit that we pretty much managed to set it up with extra “stuff” we already had. But downsizing is not just about de-cluttering. It’s also to do with losing the emotional baggage and associated trappings of self-image that you lug around before a metaphorical, and metaphysical, journey. I’m looking forward to living a less encumbered life. No garden to feel guilty about not weeding. Fewer rooms to mess up. No space to put anything new, which will cure me from buying stuff. A short walk to Rebel Sport. Buying food on an “as needs” basis from the metro supermarkets. Currently we live only 9km from central Auckland, but I’ll save eight hours in commuting time a week. That’s a whole day, or one university paper/a night’s sleep/a book to read/perhaps a whole yoga regime. I’m thinking of my life in experiences, not stuff. How do the family feel? My husband is away a lot anyway, there’s no sign of the older teen moving back home (hooray, and too late now) and the younger teen? All he wants is a room somewhere with wireless broadband. Big houses force you to look inward; small apartments outward. I don’t want to be “in here”, I want to be “out there”, getting amongst it. I don’t want us to turn into the silver-haired couple in the fancy retirement village. I’d rather be locking up and leaving, and exploring the world. And when I return? I’ll be soaking up every bit of energy from this vibrant town, as it becomes one of the most exciting multi-cultural cities in the world. Well, that’s my dream for this second act. What’s yours? — Sandy Burgham
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the sound
D
on't phone me for the next three months. I'm rebuilding my iTunes library. It will be a long and sad story, hamstrung by nostalgia and memory, but eventually there will be a happy ending, I'm sure. Already some people will be saying, “who on Earth still has an iTunes library, in this day of streaming?” Well, I do. I hate streaming. Firstly, I believe in buying what an artist produces. I don't pay a canvas company to buy art. All I get from streaming is that someone, who is not involved in the artistic process in any way, shape, or form, is clipping the ticket. The returns to the people that are making the stuff you want are negligible. It's a crime and I can't believe corporations are getting away with it. But secondly, and most importantly, I don't believe an algorithm can be a better DJ than a human. They're missing something .... um ... something important. Oh that's right. Emotion. Apple started it with their Genius playlists device and the streamers have continued with their banal, “if you like this, you'll like this” functions. But I'll make the playlists thank you Mr Computer, and you can wait until the Singularity to take control. Even then I've got some pretty good ideas for an apocalypse playlist. It's all because men are programmed to make mixtapes. In the absence of concrete human interaction and communication, we will make a mixtape to express our innermost feelings without divulging our weaknesses. It's what we do. I made my first mixtape when I was 15. It was a ramshackle affair, determined by the paucity of my record collection. Who else mixed tracks from Bowie's Aladdin Sane into tracks from Fleetwood Mac's Rumours? I say it's a mixtape, but there was no mixing. There I was, manning the Pioneer 3-in-1 stereo with my finger on the cassette's pause button, watching the record go round and calculating the perfect time to let the tape whirr. My mixtape career hit overdrive when I joined Radio B at the age of 18. We shut down broadcasting at midnight, so then there were studio hours free until breakfast. Two turntables with cue function. A mixing desk. A high-end cassette recorder. And most importantly, the choice of 2000 LPs. Just like in Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, the preparation of the mixtape was all. The song order was determined by the mood, or the recipient. Once a playlist was formulated, there were the calculations as to how many songs you could fit on a
C90 cassette — 45 minutes a side. Then it was time to perform. Wind the tape past the leader, and we're away. Stopwatch at the ready for the last-minute calculations as the 45 minutes counted down. One glitch and you started again. One side of a cassette successfully completed was a good night's work. I got so advanced in my mixtapery that I even took into account the key of the songs and the tempo. I remember one glorious mix from Duran Duran’s “Careless Memories” into The Sound's “Heyday” that was pitch perfect and on the beat. It was sublime, as I reminded anyone who heard it. A lot of the mixtapes were for girls. In fact any woman will hear alarm bells if a man starts burning CDs or making mixtapes or formulating iTunes playlists — and they're not for her. Mixtapes for girls are delicate things. The art in it is showing her you care enough to spend time making her your muse for an awesome mixtape, but not showing her you're obsessing, and could be a psychopath or a sexual predator. You don't lay down Marvin Gaye willy nilly. That's going nuclear. The Divinyl's “Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain” is a no go. What you aspire to is subliminal messages. It goes horribly wrong if you overthink it, which is what mixtape men often do. The mother of my children got a mixtape while I was AWOL in France that included Annie Lennox's “Why”. It's a song about the end of a relationship, but I meant it as a song about my regret at being temporarily apart. Whoops. Lost in translation. All my mixtapes are now in storage in the attic. Precious cassettes laden with power, even the power to get me some action. Their 30-year-old tape is possibly too old for another play on a cassette, if one could find that technology in any case. I regret having never kept the notebooks that documented their contents. But I have my memories, and I've spent 15 years trying to recreate the classics on iTunes. Which is where it all went wrong. In our recent renovations all our computers and their backups bit the dust, because of all the, well, dust. I have re-engineered the iPod back to the computer, but I lost all my playlists. So now is the time to attack the 3343 songs and recreate the 78 playlists that, frankly, were works of art. But I feel there were mistakes and I can do it better this time. No matter what I do, it will be better than some streaming service's robot could ever imagine. So, I may not answer your call until February, as this may take some time. — Andrew Dickens
the hobson 42
iravgustin/shutterstock.com
Mixtape Madness
the psyche
Child’s Play, Rethought
Y
ou’ve heard it before. Too much media use is making our kids violent, giving them ADHD, and worse, making them stupid. But some academics are now raising the alarm and saying that widely-held claims are often not based on a fair scientific appraisal of the evidence. Vaughan Bell, senior clinical lecturer at the Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, and two colleagues expressed concern in a recent edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ). They argued that claims that your child’s iPad use is responsible for his intellectual and moral(!) decline often confuse correlation for causation, give undue weight to anecdotes and poor quality studies, and are misleading to parents. They reviewed meta-analytic studies, studies that summarise the findings of many studies in a particular area. Here are some of the popular myths they hope to put to rest. Popular Criticism 1: Social media reduces empathy and social skills in teenagers. Used in excess, it results in autism-like traits. Researchers found that adolescents’ use of social networking sites enhances the quality of their existing relationships. Those who use social networks to avoid social difficulties have poorer wellbeing, while teenagers who use social networks to deal with social challenges have better personal and social outcomes. As for autism, Bell and his colleagues remind us that autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means you are either born with it or not! Popular Criticism 2: Video games reduce the attention span of children, increase their impulsiveness and promote aggression. Instead of reducing concentration, researchers have found small
improvements in the neuropsychological performance (measured in terms of auditory processing, executive functioning including attention, motor skills, spatial imagery, and visual processing) of teens who play video games. As for aggression, the evidence is mixed, and it appears that content matters above all. Aggressive thoughts and behaviours may increase in the short term after teens play violent games, but the evidence is not substantial. Instead of aggressive games, multiplayer co-operative games, which might lead to an increase in socially beneficial thoughts and behaviour, are increasingly popular. Overall, there is currently no evidence from neuroscience studies that typical internet use harms the adolescent brain. But it’s not time to throw away the media restrictions altogether — what the authors did express concern over was online safety in areas such as online bullying, and the non-consensual sharing of sexual pictures. Another reason to keep media use to sane levels is that online time may be taking children and teens away from other useful activities. While video games and social media use may not be harmful in themselves (as long as the content is positive), it’s important to consider what children are not doing in the time they spend playing. While there is little evidence that video games will “fry” a child’s brain, playing them when he should be studying will bring down his grades; the same goes for obesity. If your kids are glued to the Xbox, they might not be playing as much outside, and both their health and motor co-ordination may suffer. — Dr Amrit Kaur Send your questions or concerns to amritk@gmail.com
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the cinema
Bond, James Bond, and More SPECTRE - director Sam Mendes.
to her pension for her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Page). A touching true story, based on the 2007 documentary about Hester’s battle to be granted the equality offered to other officers.
Starring Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, Lea Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, Ben Whishaw. Let’s be honest — we all know what we’re getting when we see a James Bond film, and Spectre will not be any different, although it is notable for casting a, gasp, 50-year-old woman as a Bond babe (Bellucci). From the same director as 007’s last outing, (Skyfall) this cinematic escapade sees Bond chasing the ghosts of his past, as he and MI6 come to terms with the new M (Fiennes) after the death in Skyfall of the first female M (Judi Dench). Packed with the high-octane car chases, stunts, explosions, and Bondian humour, Spectre is one for date night.
EXPERIMENTER - director Michael Almereyda. Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, Taryn Manning, Anton Yelchin. In 1961, renowned social psychologist Stanley Milgram (Sarsgaard) conducted a series of behavioural experiments that tested the human willingness to obey authority, and to cause pain to unknown individuals. A study on the complexities of the human condition, this film is not for the faint of heart. SECRET IN THEIR EYES -
THE PROGRAM - director Stephen Frears. Starring Ben Foster, Dustin Hoffman, Chris O’Dowd, Lee Pace, Jesse Plemons. In what would later be described as one of the most calculated, covert acts of cheating in sports history, The Program depicts the schemes of the now-notorious cyclist and Tour de France champion, drug cheat Lance Armstrong. This is the first film to attempt to show how Armstrong and his associates got away with prolific doping, and for such a long period of time, without detection. Fun fact: In preparation to play Armstrong, Ben Foster took performanceenhancing drugs to better understand the
effects, and mentality of, an athlete taking banned substances.
FREEHELD - director Peter Sollett. Starring Julianne Moore, Steve Carell, Josh Charles, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon. When New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Moore) is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she fights the state for the right
director Billy Ray. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Dean Norris. When the young daughter of a rising-star FBI investigator (Roberts) is brutally murdered, a tight-knit group of colleagues are put at odds in their pursuit of the culprit. Years later, the team, still haunted by the event, must stop one of their own from taking revenge for a case never solved. Featuring an all-star cast, this thriller looks set to be a contender come awards season. — Caitlin McKenna All films listed will screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket during November
FILMS FOR
Wednesday 9 December Arrival 5:30pm Book online www.rialto.co.nz
Tickets*
$35
*$33 for Cine Buzz members. Sign up to Cine Buzz online.
the bookmark
The November Selection
NOPI Yotam Ottolenghi & Ramael Scully (Random House) This sumptuous cream and gold book includes over 120 of the most popular dishes from Ottolenghi’s innovative Soho restaurant, NOPI. It’s written with long-time collaborator and NOPI head chef Ramael Scully, who brings his distinctive Asian twist to the kitchen. All recipes have been adapted and made possible for the home cook to recreate. A collection to inspire, challenge and delight. A YEAR OF GOOD EATING Nigel Slater (Harper Collins) My personal favourite food writer-cum-cook, Slater gives us the third in his Kitchen Diaries series. In his own words: "Between these pages is a collection of good things I have eaten over the last few years. Recipes, moments and ideas I would like to share with you. Does the world need more recipes? I like to think so. Cooking doesn’t stand still, at least not for anyone with spirit, an appetite and a continuing sense of wonder." With Slater’s recipes and inspiring writing, this book will make eating a joy, every day of the year.
FOR THE LOVE OF A PLACE: The Stories and Cuisine of Otahuna Hall Cannon and Miles Refo (Random House) A celebration of a place and a way of living. In 2006, Cannon and Refo bought the Canterbury homestead, Otahuna. After extensive refurbishment, they opened it as a luxury lodge, bringing a spirit of bonhomie back to one of our grandest 19th century country houses. Rich in personality and anecdote, it celebrates the history of a house, its people, and rebirth as a lodge, with the sharing of many fine recipes.
SMALL HOUSE LIVING Catherine Foster (Penguin) An inspiring collection of NZ homes measuring less than 90m2. Family houses, baches and apartments are included in the line-up; all of them demonstrating ingenious ways to reduce space and cut costs within a designenriched environment. A book in tune with the current preoccupation with creating affordable housing solutions, anyone interested in living well with less will find inspiration in the homes featured.
TINTIN: Hergé's Masterpiece Pierre Sterckx (Bateman) Written by Belgian art critic Pierre Sterckx — and translated by British Tintin expert Michael Farr — this is the definitive book on the art of Tintin. The book illuminates Tintin’s progress from whimsical caricature to cultural icon, and reveals Hergé’s parallel development from cartoonist to artist. You don't have to be a Tintin devotee to love this treasure of a book. 30,000 YEARS OF ART: The story of human creativity across time & space Phaidon (Penguin) An accessible introduction to art history, from the prehistoric to the present day, revised and expanded from the original 2007 edition. This update includes new entries that expand the scope of the book further into this century. With 600 works across painting, sculpture, textiles, metalwork, ceramics, the art ranges from seminal masterworks to lesser-known pieces. And it’s all showcased with the high production values that Phaidon bring to their publications. — Gail Woodward
the district diary - november
monday tuesday wednesday thursday NOVEMBER IS .... Movember The hairiest month of the year. Support men’s health initiatives, via www.nz.movember.com Exam Time Good luck to all the students sitting exams this month
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Join the Rosy Reads Competition at the Parnell Library this month to celebrate the Parnell Festival of Roses. Borrow a gardeninginspired book and be in the draw to win a spring prize pack.
Book Group at Remuera Library 11am
St Cuthbert’s College 2016 new students’ orientation morning. New parents Welcome Reception, 6.30pm. Register at stcuthberts. school.nz
Book Group at Parnell Libary 10am
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NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams begin this week
Wriggle & Rhyme Active movement for babies to 2-yearolds, 9.30 - 10am every Tuesday in term-time, Parnell Library
Armistice Day Commemorative memorial service at the eleventh hour, Auckland War Memorial Museum
Project Botanicals The Bombay Sapphire pop-up bar and restaurant now open at James, Stanley St, Parnell. Gin cocktails and matched food, two weeks only, tickets from iticket.co.nz
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Book Group at Remuera Library 11am
Teen Book Club at Remuera Library 4 - 5.30pm
King’s School New parents evening, 6pm. kings.school.nz
Parnell U3A meets 9.30am, the third Wednesday of each month, Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Rd. Guest speakers, interest groups. Inquiries to Tim Carter, 309 9647
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Air New Zealand 75 Years From the earliest days of TEAL to now. Interactive, fun, exhibition now open at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Free with museum entry. Grammar Christmas Concert Centennial Theatre, 7pm
King’s School Asian parents morning tea to meeet new and existing parents, 11am. kings.school.nz
Rhymetime Songs, stories and rhymes for the 18-month to 3-years set, Wednesdays during term-time. 11 - 11.30am, Parnell Library
Celebrate springtime with gardener and writer Janice Marriott speaking at Parnell Library tonight, 6.30pm. Drinks from 6pm, register at the libary or via parnell.library@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Preschooler Storytime Stories and songs for 3 to 5-year-olds. Every Monday during term-time from 11 to 11.30am at Parnell Library
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The ARIA-winning Idea of North acapella ensemble perform at the Cathedral with All The King's Men, 7.30pm. Tickets at iticket.co.nz
30 Got an entry for The District Diary? Community groups, schools, special events, birthdays and anniversaries too if we have room! Email details to hobsondiary@gmail.com
the hobson 46
friday
saturday sunday
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October 31 is Remuera Market Day, with a Halloween theme. Dress up spooky style and enjoy market stalls, food and fun, 10am - 3pm
Scandinavian Christmas Market All things Nordic and festive at the annual market organised by Auckland’s Scandinavian communities. Held at the Danish Hall, 6 Rockridge Rd, Penrose, 10am - 4pm
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King’s College Fine Art Sale opens tonight with a cocktail party, and runs this weekend (free admission). Info and ticket info for the opening party, kingsfineart.co.nz
Orākei Community Market Today and every second Saturday, 9am - 1pm, Orākei Community Centre, 156 Kepa Rd. Run by the Orākei Community Association, see orakei.org
La Cigale French Market Saturday and Sunday mornings, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell
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Auckland Garden DesignFest Raise funds for Garden to Table, Rotary Newmarket projects and Ronald McDonald House by visiting some of Auckland's best private gardens. Info and tickets via gardendesignfest.co.nz
Parnell Festival of Roses Flowers, food, entertainment and activities for the whole family. 10.30am - 4pm, Parnell Rose Gardens, Gladstone Rd
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The Dio House Tour: Houses for Causes On today, to raise money for the school’s new arts centre, and homeowners’ nominated charities. Tickets from iTicket, $70
THE HOBSON December issue distributes this weekend!
Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix Watch 50 inventive/crazy pedalpowered machines race for glory and $10,000 prize money in The Domain. From 10am. More details on redbull.co.nz/rbtgp
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Auckland Grammar 2016 Third Form Orientation Day. See grammar.school.nz for details
Plunket Christmas Party Heard Park, 192 Parnell Rd, 10am to 12pm. Free face painting, balloons, bouncy castle. All welcome. Sausage sizzles and cake stalls too, and even a visit from .... Santa!
Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday, from 8am, Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd, Parnell
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the hobson 47
notes
the anzacs
Frederick Airey In a year-long series to mark the centenary of World War I, THE HOBSON is publishing articles by Remuera Heritage into the stories behind local servicemen and women. Written by Remuera Heritage chair, Sue Cooper
F
rederick Arthur Airey was a gifted scholar and outstanding sportsman in rugby, cricket, tennis and athletics at school and university. He was born in Auckland on May 9, 1892, the sixth son of Margaret Avon Airey and Walter Henry Airey, an inspector of schools for the Auckland Board of Education. He attended Remuera Primary School, Auckland Grammar School from 1905, and was a member of the College Rifles Rugby Football Club. Airey attended Auckland University College from 1911 to 1915, gaining an MA with first class honours in English and French. He was a popular student, and was appointed president of the Students’ Association. He was twice selected as the Auckland candidate for the Rhodes scholarship, but did not win that honour, the Evening Post noting that the soldier-scholar seemed most popular with the Rhodes scholarship selection committees. He was president of the Musical Society, editor of the university’s magazine, vice-president of the Literary Club, a life member of the University Cricket Club, and selector and member of the committee of the Cercle Moliere. He performed regularly with the Ponsonby Shakespeare and Rhetoric Club. During his time at Grammar, Airey had been a member of the school’s cadet corps, and in 1912 he was a member of the Auckland Infantry Signal Company, which was made up of many members of College Rifles. He returned to teach at Grammar as an assistant master, and had already passed the exam — with distinction — to become a lieutenant with the Territorial Force when war was declared, in August 1914. He enlisted in Auckland on July 24, 1916, in the 2nd Battalion, Otago Regiment, with the rank of Lieutenant. He sailed from Wellington as Lieutenant Airey with the 22nd Reinforcements E Company in February 1917, on the Mokoia.
The ship reached England in May, and Airey went to Sling Camp in Wiltshire for further training before being posted to Etaples, the main New Zealand base camp in France, in June 1917. In August and September 1917, he was wounded, once accidentally in his unit, and admitted to the Liverpool Merchants Mobile Hospital, also known as No.6 Hospital British Red Cross, set up in Etaples and staffed by volunteers from Liverpool. Twice he was returned to the field. But on September 30, 1917, while proceeding to reinforcement camp from base in severe fighting during the battle near Ypres in Belgium, he died, from a gunshot wound to the head. He was 26 years old. Fred Airey is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His name is included on memorials at Remuera Primary School and at Grammar, as well as St Luke’s Anglican Church in Mt Albert.
SED MILES, SED PRO PATRIA Of the long roll of old boys who have laid down their lives for King and Empire, none was more gifted and richer in promise than Lieutenant Frederick Arthur Airey. His school career was one long series of successes, both in classroom and out of doors; while his bright, modest and cultured character made him loved and respected by all with whom he came into contact . . . Had he gone in happier times to Oxford, Lieutenant Airey would without doubt in that old-world, scholastic atmosphere have brought to maturity the qualities of a literary statesman, with which he was endowed in an unusual degree. — Auckland Grammar School Chronicle, 1917.
Grammarian, College Rifle, Remuera local, Lieutenant Fred Airey. Image: Alexander Turnbull Library
the hobson 48
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