They saw, they conquered
The Lines Company has won the Innovation Award at the 2025 Energy Excellence Awards.
The annual awards recognise achievement, innovation and excellence in the energy sector.
TLC was named a finalist in the awards’ innovation category in June - a nomination earned through its helisaw, developed in partnership with Taupō’s Lakeview Helicopters.
Using saws suspended from helicopters enabled the company to trim trees near power lines faster, safer and more costeffectively, TLC chief Mike Fox said.
“We’re transforming vegetation management with helisaw technology. It’s a game-changer for the electricity and forestry sectors – keeping power flowing and people safe.”
TLC was also a finalist in the wellbeing category.
$10m water project
Hamilton based HEB
Construction has won the contract for the Te Kūiti Water Supply Resilience Project.
Waitomo District Council general manager Infrastructure Services Shyamal Ram says the contract award marks a significant investment in addressing longstanding issues with the town’s water supply network, which has been under increasing stress due to the current network setup and its storage capacity.
It will also be the first major project in the district to come under the umbrella of the new water entity Waikato
Waters Ltd. The loan raised to fund the project will be taken on by Waikato Waters Ltd and the new assets will be vested to the new council controlled organisation which Waitomo joined last month.
The project was approved by council in October 2022 and will improve the security of Te Kūiti’s water supply infrastructure after efforts to find an alternative water source was unsuccessful.
The total project budget is worth almost $10 million and will be the largest spend on three waters infrastructure over recent years.
“The current water
reticulation in Te Kūiti is configured to supply the properties first, with excess treated water filling the Hospital Reservoir for later storage,” Ram said.
“This means we do not have a direct filling line from the treatment plant to our reservoirs, which causes difficultly controlling our reservoir levels. This results in our reservoirs taking days to fill when experiencing major watermain bursts.”
The new setup would enable council to fill reservoirs at night when electricity charges are lower, and that in turn would decrease
operating costs.
“This critical infrastructure upgrade marks a pivotal investment in the future of Te Kūiti, delivering enduring improvements for our water network and communities for generations to come,” Ram said.
The contract was signed earlier this month by Hamish Dean, HEB Construction’s National Manager - Civil Construction and Ram on behalf of the council.
Work will involve constructing a new watermain to connect the main reservoirs to the water treatment plant, replacing the
existing reservoir next to Te Kūiti Hospital with a larger tank and expanding network storage to better manage peak demand and emergency situations.
These upgrades are expected to reduce pipe stresses and provide more water resilience to the community.
Construction is scheduled to start next February and be completed by December.
The announcement comes a week after The News highlighted issues with stormwater entering the wastewater network in Te Kūiti.
Waitomo District Council chief executive Ben Smit said sewer overflows happened in limited parts of Te Kūiti in isolated high rainfall events and there was no short term fix.
Shyamal Ram
The TLC team on stage at the awards – from left, Mike Fox, Bella Takiari-Brame, Craig Donaldson, Yvette Ronaldson, Simon Batters, Jason Gaukrodger, Liam Foster, Kerry Fabrie, Jill Searancke, Gerhard Buitendach and Romay Rundgren.
Tax and the facts
By Richard Steele
I have been fascinated to see the mayor of Auckland, Wayne Brown and ex-National party leader Simon Bridges calling for the Government to give their city a boost, as it is really struggling to make a financial success of itself at the moment.
easier to visit and attractive to visitors, would go a long way further than charging more for the dubious decision to go there in the first place.
Regional council’s conference cost
By Mary Anne Gill
Two Waikato regional councillors and chief executive Chris McLay (pictured) attended the recent Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference in Christchurch.
To
There suggestions include charging a bed tax, which I’d have thought would be just the thing to make me go and stay there.
In fact, the last time I stayed in downtown Auckland to go to a show, the stupid buggers that run the place were building a car park for Japanese imports between the hotel and my view of the harbour.
Another tax, just the thing. It’s already too crowded, too hard to find a secure place to park, rather vital I’d have thought when I’ve no option but to drive there.
Too much of the beautiful harbour is already blocked off from visitors by the port activities that should have been shifted out of town a generation ago. Too much of the downtown area, always a fascination to this country boy, is blocked off by endless earthworks, that have been on going half of my long life.
I heard from a top chef last week that Auckland has 24,000 restaurant seats available for diners, but that only 3500 were being used on any one night.
So I think another tax is not the answer, and if it is, what’s the question? Really, making the place affordable,
I remember reading in the crash of 1997, of reading in our biggest newspaper, now a mere shadow of its former self, about the best ways for people to save money, and these ways sound just as sensible today.
Top of the list was to not eat out. To stay home for dinner more often.
So how does charging the very people you want to attract help the cause of the struggling cafe or restaurant owners? Beats me.
I’m not a negative person, though more often than not, when I visit Auckland, my enduring impression is just how dreadfully lucky I am to live where I do. Those who choose to live in Auckland are part of the problem too.
Too often, civic leaders see raising charges as the way forward when the real answer is to fix the product you are trying to sell.
As a small footnote to rural people who made the decision to base the mighty Fonterra in Auckland. What could possibly have been wrong to have New Zealand’s biggest company based in the rural heartland, from where it came? Matamata or Morrinsville, Stratford or Hāwera, you choose - but Auckland ?
The council was a member of LGNZ at the time of the conference because even though they had voted to leave the organisation, there was a notice of motion signed by a majority of councillors proposing to revoke the decision.
Councillors Robbie Cookson and Warren Maher were also scheduled to attend but withdrew. However, because their tickets were non-refundable, the council still had to pay $3300 for their unused spots.
The bookings to attend the conference were made following a council decision in March, three months before councillors voted to leave LGNZ. In total, the conference cost the council $12,084.89, covering attendance by Angela Strange, Tipa Mahuta, and McLay.
This month, the council voted to rejoin LGNZ - on the casting vote of chair Pamela Storey. Taxpayers’ Union investigations coordinator Rhys Hurley criticised the spending, calling it “outrageous.”
“If councillors make the right call and walk away from LGNZ, they shouldn’t send ratepayers the bill for one last junket,” Hurley said.
“LGNZ has shown time and time again it doesn’t have the best interests of councils at heart. Waikato should have stuck to their original decision and stayed well away from the failing organisation.”
The team have had another productive week with further arrests and development in ongoing investigations:
Police responded to an incident on Friday involving an assault and wilful damage of a dwelling in Benneydale. A 29-year-old male was arrested and charged in relation to the event.
Further arrests have been made in relation to breaches of Court imposed bail in both Te Kuiti and Ōtorohanga.
The youth aid team are dealing with an incident in Otorohanga where an assault took place at a home address.
A 47-year-old male has been arrested and charged in relation to an indecent assault that took place in Te Kuiti earlier this year.
Over the past few months, we have
noticed a trend of online fraud where people have been posting fake listings for example for portable cabins. Offenders have been asking for a deposit, in some cases thousands of dollars. Victims have then turned up at the listed address after the deposit has been made, in some cases driving several hours, to discover the cabin never existed and occupants had no idea of the online sale.
We are reminding residents to stay vigilant when buying or selling items online, particularly on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Scams involving fake listings, non-payment, and fraudulent buyers requesting personal banking details or using false payment screenshots.
To protect yourself, meet in person in a public place when exchanging goods, avoid
prepayments to unknown individuals, verify buyer/ seller profiles – check how long they’ve been active and look out for warning signs, trust your instincts – if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is.
Please report any suspicious online activity to Netsafe or contact Police if you believe you have been scammed.
On a parting note - If you’re looking for a meaningful career or know someone who is, now is a great time to consider joining New Zealand Police. We are actively recruiting and would love to hear from individuals interested in making a real difference.
Policing is a challenging but rewarding career pop into a local station for more information.
with Constable Chris Aplin
Spedding joins
The Waitomo Energy Services Customer Trust (WESCT) has announced Sophie Spedding will replace Craig Richardson following his resignation as a director. Richardson’s terms will officially conclude at the end of September and his contribution has been acknowledged by the trust chair William Oliver. Auckland based Spedding, selected from a field of more than 30 candidates, brings experience in the financial sector.
Flying
high
Results of the Waitomo Aero Club annual flying competitions held throughout the 2024-25 season were: Most Improved Student Lindsay Smit, Landing Paul Grayson 1, Peter Voyce 2, Geoff Peake 3; Bombing John Carter 1, George Thompson 2, Paul Grayson 3; Navigation Ross Weinberg 1, Bruce Johnston 2, George Thompson 3; Forced Landing Chase Good 1, John Carter 2, Peter Mans 3; Best Bomb George Thompson; Senior Landing Peter Voyce; Club Champion on points John Carter; First solo award Rita Shaw, Lindsay Smit; New PPL Award Jason Inness; Catering Certificate Pam Voyce.
Read on New reading programmes are encouraging teenagers to make good use of Ōtorohanga District Library. While Library Legends challenges readers to follow characters from start to finish, beginning with the Harry Potter series, The Next Chapter sees them choose their own books. In both cases, there are badges to be won along the way.
Gym jams
ACC data shows that gym and fitness training is now the leading cause of sport and recreation injuries. Five activities make up 45 percent of all sport and recreation injury claims - fitness training, rugby, football, cycling and netball. In 2024, ACC accepted more than 60,000 gym-related injuries, at a cost of more than $63 million. Waikato totted up almost 5000 claims from gym related activities,- fourth by some way to Auckland’s 28,513.
McClay backs med school
By Chris Gardner
Agriculture minister Todd McClay has hit back at critics of the establishment of the University of Waikato’s Graduate School of Medicine calling it “a really good thing for rural New Zealand”.
The Government announced the opening of the medical school on July 21, as a response to the shortage of health professionals in rural areas.
Speaking in Hamilton on Friday, McClay said the best thing about the four-year graduate entry course was that it will be shorter than courses in other parts of the country.
“It’s a good thing for New Zealand, but really good for provincial New Zealand,” McClay said.
University of Auckland dean of medical and health sciences Professor Warwick Bagg questioned the quality and duration of the programme compared to the five-to-six-year degrees
at Auckland and Otago.
University of Otago vice chancellor Grant Robertson – deputy prime minister in Jacinda Ardern’s Labour-led Government said it would be more effective for Otago and Auckland medical schools to increase their intake.
“If it works overseas, it will work here,” National Party MP McClay said. “We don’t have enough doctors in New Zealand.”
McClay blamed the previous government, which Robertson was a part of, for the current shortage.
“As the minister responsible for agriculture, and as a rural provincial MP, it’s wonderful news and I am so pleased it’s here and you are going to see young people trained as doctors here in Hamilton.”
Kāwhia GP John Burton said the government should have made the decision to open a Waikato medical school years ago.
Meanwhile, associate health minister Matt Doocey
is preparing to visit Te Kūiti on September 24 for a rural health roadshow in which
he wishes to hear about local health care and how the Government can better support communities and people working in rural health.
Record entries for festival
By Chris Gardner
The home of the Tainui waka anchor stone will showcase the diversity and vibrancy of Maniapoto hapu at the largest Te Nehenehenui Tribal Festival since the event began in 2014.
Tainui Wētere Domain in Mōkau will host the second event since the pandemic enforced break
on September 12 and 13.
“Everybody is really excited,” said festival secretary Hariru Roa. “It’s wonderful to be able to hold an event at this end of our territory.”
The festival has attracted an average of nine haka teams from schools, marae and hapu across Te Nehenehenui, but this year the event has attracted 17.
New teams joining the line-up are Te Kura o Ōtorohanga, Te Tuhinga from Mōkau led by Sean and Moana Hamana, Pūāwhe led by Arana and Meti Hughes, Te Whare Haka o Rereahu led by Layelin and Stella Stewart, and Ngārauwharawhara o Te Korapatū from Hangatiki led by Ashleigh Papa.
Oparure Marae group Ngā Tapuwae o Kinohaku will return for its third appearance, highlighting an ongoing commitment to the event and its purpose.
The festival consists of three main sections— Karanga Tamariki (Junior), Karanga Rangatahi (Intermediate), and Karanga Pakeke (Open Senior).
Kapa (teams) compete in four disciplines: Karanga (ceremonial call), Whaikōrero (oratory), Haka Pōwhiri (ceremonial welcome chant), and
Waiata Tawhito (traditional chant). This approach contributes to the growth of tribal practitioners and leaders for the future.
Roa said the event was an expression of collective spirit, with participants attending from across the region.
“The festival is recognised as a chance to strengthen kapahaka, uphold tikanga, and build identity and leadership at the heart of the tribal community”, Roa said.
The theme of this year’s event focuses on the protection and preservation of customary practises along the Mōkau coastline. In conjunction with kapahaka performances, spectators and supporters can expect to enjoy traditional and modern cuisine from local stalls, sharing in the cultural identity of Mōkau and wider Te Nehenehenui.
“Through the art of karanga, whaikōrero, haka pōwhiri, and waiata tawhito, participants honour their tūpuna (ancestors) and inadvertently assume the role of protecting the practises of the iwi for future generations,” Roa said.
Roa said the event was not only for Māori, but also their friends and neighbours from across the territory.
Minister for Agriculture Todd McClay chats with Federated Farmers’ Aaron Letcher at the Hamilton gathering at Speights Ale House.
Photo: Chris Gardner
Hariru Roa
Gravity at work
By Janine Krippner
I am undertaking the brutal adjustment of coming from the oppressive, dusty heatwaves in Spain to mid-winter New Zealand - going from long, sunny days on the islands to frosty mornings.
familiar with the hazard that debris is cleared with remarkable speed. Driving around, we saw patches of concrete where heavy rocks had punched holes in the road surface.
Several weeks ago now, once the students had returned home and our projects were wrapped up, my focus shifted from volcanic resilience on Tenerife to the westernmost island of the Canaries, El Hierro.
I travelled there by ferry with colleague Sergio Alfaya to investigate rockfalls following our month of work with GeoTenerife. I had written about his research a few weeks earlier, and now it was time to see the geology for ourselves.
At one point we entered a stretch of road that was marked by a large yellow sign stating “Danger, landslides. Go on at your own risk”. Above the road were tall fences set to catch falling rocks, and at the most dangerous spot, a tunnel has been built for rocks to cross.
El Hierro took my breath away. Much of its northwest coast is dominated by an immense cliff that rises around a kilometre above sea level in an astonishingly short distance, exposing countless stacked lava flows. Above, the surface is dotted with scoria cones and younger lava flows, with more than 500 craters mapped across the island. The landscape is so spectacular that the entire island has been designated a Unesco Global Geopark.
It is also volcanically active. In 2011, a seismic crisis shook the island, culminating in a submarine eruption.
The uncertainty over where the vent might open caused major disruption for residents, providing lessons that later proved invaluable during the 2021 Tajogaite eruption on neighbouring La Palma.
Steep volcanic slopes and sheer cliffs make El Hierro especially prone to rockfalls. These range from minor tumbles to significant road-blocking events. Local authorities are so
Evidence of gravity’s relentless pull was everywhere: broken blocks of ancient lava littered the slopes, and one fence, several metres high, bore a deep dent from a boulder that had bounced its way downhill before smashing into the barrier. We didn’t linger in that section.
The scale of rockfalls and landslides is immense, from handfuls of fist-sized rocks scattered across a neighbourhood road to giant scarps carved by catastrophic events that sent debris far out to sea.
In fact, around half the seafloor surrounding the island, extending out to 60 km offshore, is covered in landslide deposits. Over the past 200,000 years, four giant landslides have stripped away roughly 10 per cent of El Hierro’s land mass. Thankfully, these massive collapses are rare compared with the smaller, but still dangerous, events that occur regularly.
We all live with our own geologic hazards but seeing them so starkly on an island of just 11,000 people was a powerful reminder of how closely some communities live with the forces shaping our planet.
St John celebrated
By Viv Posselt
St John members from around the district were celebrated at Sunday’s Waipā and King Country Service Awards ceremony in Te Awamutu.
Recipients were commended by Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan for their years of service to St John. “It is a wonderful privilege to be here to acknowledge your remarkable service.”
She said the awards represent more than just time served, but also countless hours given freely, shared compassion and a steady commitment to community.
“Each of you has made a difference, and we are extremely grateful.”
Ketrina Allen was awarded her second bar for 20 years’ service. She is Te Kuiti Area treasurer, a member of the Waikato Youth District Project team, and a Member of the Order.
The annual awards acknowledge service given to the Order of St John, both paid and voluntary, and 2025 recipients came from, Te Kuiti, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Putaruru and beyond.
Presenting them was Gary Salmon, who is chairperson of the Central Region Trust
Board and chair of the Regional Honours Committee.
After a welcome by deputy chairperson of the Te Awamutu Area Committee and Waipā King Country Regional Board member, Richard Hurrell, guests were addressed by Ross McGowan, chairperson of the Te Awamutu Area Committee.
Thirty-eight members were recognised with a service certificate and badge for having completed five years’ service with St John.
The Service Medal of the Order, awarded to those with 10 years’ service, was presented
to 22 recipients, seven of them involved with the Op Shop since it started.
Seven members were recognised with their first bar to the Service Medal for completing 15 years’ service and eight were recognised with their second bar for 20 years’ service.
Two members, Sharon Abernethy of Te Awamutu and Nita Brown of Taumarunui were awarded a third bar for 25 years’ service.
A further two staff were recognised for 30 years’ service with their first gold bar.
Jan ette Osborn e for Mayor
Change would cost
By Chris Gardner
Ōtorohanga District Council has been told it would face considerable costs if it decided to pull out of Waikato Water Done Well.
Kāwhia-Tihiroa councillor Kit Jeffries asked council chief executive Tanya Winter to explain her comments that the council would likely face substantive costs it if were to pull out at an extraordinary council meeting called last Tuesday.
Poring over a 250-page document including the council’s water delivery plan, Jeffries asked Winter to explain the paragraph that said reported the collective thinking on the basis for councils joining or leaving Waikato Water Done Well were further refined and “as a consequence, the ability for Ōtorohanga District Council to fully exercise its caveat with respect to becoming a Stage Two shareholder diminished and, although possible, is likely to come with substantive costs”.
Winter said the entity was being set up with the understanding that it would be funded by six councils and it Ōtorohanga decided to pull out it could face substantial costs payable to Waikato Water Ltd.
Engineering and assets group manager Mark Lewis said of the potential costs “we probably don’t want to test it”.
Councillor Rodney Dow, one of three to vote against joining Waikato Water Limited, asked whether or not the Department of Internal Affairs might decline Ōtorohanga’s water delivery plan. He was hoping for “a last-ditch attempt to get it back local”.
Lewis said the department, which required the plan by September, could question its contents.
Jeffries asked why capital expenditure to improve levels of drinking service jumping from $46,000 this financial year and $42,000 next financial year to $329,000 in 2027/28.
He also asked about the plan to spend $3.2 million next financial year to replace existing drinking water assets, another $2.6 million in 2027/28 and another $3 million in 2028/29.
Council finance manage Brendan O’Callaghan said Arohena Treatment Plant needed upgrading to make it compliant. The transfer of council businesses into Waikato Waters will be staggered.
South Waikato, Waipā and Waitomo districts will transfer their business on July 1, 2026. Matamata-Piako district will follow on October 1. Hauraki and Ōtorohanga districts will join on July 1, 2027.
The council approved the draft Water Services Delivery Plan at last week’s meeting
Te Kuiti’s Ketrina Allen pictured with husband Stephen. Photo: Viv Posselt
Kit Jeffries
“I’m so proud of New Zealand’s agricultural credentials which are fully on display throughout the country at the Fieldays and local A&P shows.”
Navigating Tariffs: A Perspective
by Barabara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country
Success doesn’t always have its rewards.
That is the perception some may have at the imposition by the USA of a 15 per cent tariff on New Zealand exports, while some of our principal trading partners, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, get only a 10 per cent tariff. The rationale for our higher tariff, we are told, is that, unlike Australia and the United Kingdom, we export more to the United States than we import. One way of looking at that, somewhat to our disadvantage, is that we, and I mean mainly our primary industries, are more successful at exporting and possibly have better products than those two countries and other countries that have secured lower tariffs.
And I think it’s going to stay that way, and here’s why: we produce a premium product; in the case of red meats, wool and wine, probably among the best in the world.
Yes, we may see a downturn at the lower end of the U.S. market, but at the higher end—the premium end—I think we will hold our own because those who appreciate quality will be, as they are now, prepared to pay for it. Those people know that New Zealand produces some of the best food and wine in the world. Our farmers and vintners do us proud. And while they maintain their quality output, that will be our main hedge and protection from that higher tariff. In a related vein, I was intrigued to learn about a new book titled “The Have and Have Yachts” by Evan Osnos. The book discusses the growing discontent among America’s affluent elite with the current socio-political climate, leading many to seek alternative places for living and investment. Notably, New Zealand is increasingly becoming their destination of choice, valued for its green landscapes and pristine environment.
In conclusion, while the tariff may present challenges, I am confident that New Zealand’s exceptional reputation and quality products will enable us to navigate these obstacles successfully.
Sad end for settlers
By Meghan Hawkes
Every Sunday Exley Roberts of Waitomo Valley Road rode his horse over to his neighbour Mr Edwards to get his bread. The 30-year-old had been in New Zealand for 18 months and his wife and child were about to join him from England.
But in early October 1907 Exley failed to collect his bread.
That afternoon his horse was seen with the bridle caught in some ti-tree stumps. It had no saddle.
It was in the same place on Monday, when a boy let it loose.
The next day Mr Wilson, surveyor, and his assistant Mr Wilkinson were working on the Waitomo Valley Road when they made the terrible discovery of a man’s body in a water hole beside a culvert.
Mr Wilson immediately sent Wilkinson to inform Constable Fraser, of Ōtorohanga, while he sought the help of Mr Cutcliff, a neighbouring settler.
Mr Cutcliff indentified the body as that of Exley Roberts, who had recently gone missing.
The scene of the incident was not that far from Exley’s house, and it appeared he had been attempting to cross the culvert during the height of a flood.
He had his oilskin and coat gathered up under his arms, as if he had been in the act of wading.
At the inquest the evidence showed that there would have been about three feet of water on the road, and difficulty would be
experienced in keeping to the centre of the culvert.
The road and fence for some distance were also under water.
The jury returned a verdict of accidently drowned. A rider was added, calling the attention of the Government to the dangerous state of the crossing where Exley met his death.
The accident led to appeals for the placing of white posts on each side of every culvert, or bridge that became covered with water during a flood.
Nine months later, in June 1908, a young Englishman named William Cass Stephenson and his brother had just completed the purchase of the same farm in Waitomo Valley Road.
The 27-year-old had been in the country about a year, living at Ōtorohanga from where he now left on horseback, carrying a cart saddle strapped to his back.
An hour later William was found by Walter Turner on the Waitomo Valley Road near his new farm lying face down in the mud, dead. Medical evidence showed that William had taken a fit and had fallen, dying from suffocation.
Where Exley, who came to New Zealand to make a home for his young family, and William, who was on the verge of a new life here, were buried is unrecorded.
Re-Elect Allan Goddard
The start of a farm in the King Country
Top dogs are heading our way
By Jon Rawlinson
The Huntly and District Kennel Association Championship Shows are coming to the King Country. It will be staged in Ōtorohanga for the first time next month.
“Just as any stockman values good breeding for his animals, we do the same with our dogs,” the association’s secretary, Claire Trevelyan, told The News.
“Within the King Country area, there are quite a few of us quietly getting on with breeding our dogs. We’re all striving to produce the best so people can appreciate what beautiful dogs we have in New Zealand.”
Claire and her daughter, Alice Trevelyan, the association’s president, live in the Ōtorohanga area and breed retrievers.
Approximately half of the association’s members are based in the Waipā and northern King Country regions.
Originally held in Huntly, then in Cambridge, the Huntly and District Kennel Association’s next championship will take place on September 6–7.
judges coming here from overseas.”
From movement, temperament and behaviour to physicality and presentation, judging is based on how well dogs conform to their breed’s standards. Training and handling are important, but it’s the dogs that take centre stage.
“It really should come down to judging against the standard for the breed, but if you have two beautiful dogs and one handler is getting that little bit more from their dog, that can make all the difference.”
The best dogs will fetch prizes, but it’s the ribbons that are priceless.
“We’re getting bigger and bigger,” Claire Trevelyan said. “We were in Cambridge for the last few years, at Cambridge Dog Obedience, but we’ve outgrown that now. The Island Reserve is a beautiful venue; it’s flat, ideal for camping and big enough for us.”
the pick of their litters to Ōtorohanga.
The event is run in association with the Waikato Gundog Club, the Hound Club of Auckland and the Waikato and Districts Collie Club, all of which will bring
Across various classes, a wide variety of pedigree pooches will be featured, such as great danes, chihuahuas, dalmatians, rottweilers, retrievers, beagles, collies and more.
“We’ll have popular breeds, but also rarer breeds exhibited at the show including a Slovakian wirehaired pointer from Te
Kūiti – there aren’t many of those in the country,” Trevelyan said.
The event is an important contest for Kiwi dog show devotees.
“Our entry number last year, 550, wasn’t too far off what the National Dog Show would expect.”
The 2025 National Dog Show is set for September in Rangiora, Canterbury.
While dogs and their
handlers will come to Ōtorohanga from across the region and beyond, judges are being flown in from Australia and South Africa.
“We support New Zealand judges, but there’s a lot of shows and they can only judge so many times before they’re judging the same dogs again and again,” Trevelyan said. “While many of our judges travel all over the world, we also have
“The dogs compete for challenge certificates, which identify them as champions, then go on to try and win their groups and even Best in Show.”
Although owners tend to make up the bulk of the crowd, this free event is also expected to attract spectators.
“Our shows make for a nice family day out. It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to meet passionate dog enthusiasts and see some of New Zealand’s finest pedigree dogs in the show ring.”
Boston terrier Cuba with owner Amanda Easterbrook and, left, judge Heather Morrison at the 2024 show.
Abuse a ‘stain on national character’
By Viv Posselt
The spectre of abuse in some New Zealand care institutions will remain unless those responsible are held accountable and a bipartisan government approach is taken to address the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic abuse in state and faith-based Institutions.
This was said recently by Judge Coral Shaw, who chaired what became the largest and most expensive Inquiry in New Zealand’s history.
Established in 2018 to investigate what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in care between 1950 and 1999, the Inquiry finally ended last year. Its 139 recommendations were delivered to Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden in May 2024.
Speaking to members of the Ōtorohanga Friendship Club, Shaw outlined the ‘staggering scale’ of the Inquiry, its findings revealing decades of sustained horrors, systemic failures, cover-ups and deflections. Many of those responsible for the abuse were never held accountable, she said, others had enjoyed the wider
institutional cover-up of their crimes while some had gone on to fulfil similar roles abroad.
“I have no confidence that such events will not occur again,” she said. “Most of us are just one or two degrees away from the tragedy. We need to know and recognise that it was not a case of a few bad people working in good institutions but rather it was the institutions themselves that hid the violence and neglect, thus attracting the bad people to work in them.”
Shaw, who as a district court judge in Auckland introduced a first fast-track system for family violence cases, also served as a judge of the New Zealand Employment Court and a judge of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal. She was appointed to oversee the Royal Commission into abuse in 2019, taking over from Sir Anand Satyanand. She lives in Pirongia. She spoke of being ‘haunted’ still by the face of a young woman who brought to the then new lawyer her own harrowing story of abuse in state care. Shaw reached out for information but couldn’t trace anything on the woman. The case faded away. It was her first brush with the mechanisms
put in place to hide information and shield the perpetrators.
During the almost six-year Inquiry, Shaw presided over four commissioners and teams involving some 300 lawyers, researchers, policy analysts, experts and more. Over a million documents were gathered from faithbased institutions.
“The scale was staggering. We estimated that from 1950 to 2019 about 655,000 people were in care, and of these 256,000 (well over
a quarter) were abused or neglected – an indelible stain on the nation’s conscience,” she said. “We conducted 13 public hearings and countless private sessions, where survivors spoke with raw courage about the trauma they lived with.”
Some 64 per cent were Pākehā, 44 per cent Māori and five per cent Pacifica. Shaw said the imbalance in the number of Māori represented was disturbing given that at its peak they were 20 per cent of the population.
With the final report, the Inquiry delivered seven case studies that focused on particular institutions where people had been abused. They were the Hokio Beach and Kohitere Boys’ Training Centre (a case study of the state’s role in creating gangs and criminals); the Kimberley Centre (an institution for people with learning disabilities); Van Asch College and Kelston School for the Deaf; Boot Camp – Te Whakapakari
Youth Programme; Jehovah’s Witnesses; the Order of the Brothers of St John of God at Marylands School and Hebron Trust; and the Lake Alice Child and Adolescent Unit.
An imbalance of power within institutions and a fear-based reluctance of bystanders to report incidences was key to much of the abuse remaining hidden.
“Our findings were unequivocal and quite horrible,” Shaw said. “State and faith-based institutions were entrusted to care for many children, young people and vulnerable adults. New Zealanders held the leaders of those institutions in high esteem. They had a duty to care for people and help them flourish … they failed. Instead, those in their care were exposed to physical, mental and sexual abuse and severe neglect. The true number of those abused with never be fully known as records were never kept or were destroyed.
“This gross violation occurred at the same time as Aotearoa New Zealand held itself up as a bastion of human rights. If this injustice is not addressed, it will remain a stain on our national character for ever.”
for
Judge Coral Shaw flanked by Ōtorohanga Friendship Club president Trish Neal, left, and club secretary Catherine Short.
Photo: Viv Posselt
Cash is a burning issue
By Chris Gardner
Global Contracting Solutions, the company behind plans to build a waste to energy incinerator in Te Awamutu is promising to pay its resource consent costs.
Following a three-week hearing, Environmental Protection Authority chief executive Dr Allan Freeth emailed 2173 submitters last Wednesday to say the incinerator application had been suspended because the applicant had failed to pay costs.
Ahead of The News going to press, payment had not been received by Monday afternoon.
Pressure group Don’t Burn Waipā submitted against the application during the inquiry in Hamilton in June and July and went public with the EPA’s announcement via social media.
At the same time, the EPA declined to discuss the issue and told The News to call back the next day.
Paewira waste-to-energy plant project director Adam Fletcher said on Friday he was aware of the EPA email and
Global Contracting Solutions intended to settle its bill.
“We have been making regular payments to the EPA all the way through. We have always intended to settle the bill,” Fletcher said.
He said payments were not up to date because costs had doubled one month before the board of inquiry began into the application in June.
“We are a bit bemused as to why they chose to do this now,” Fletcher said. “We are only two weeks away from the decision. It seems a bit non sensical.”
The cost of the application was confidential, Fletcher said.
EPA senior communications advisor Julia Scott-Beetham said the application was still suspended on Monday.
“Once full payment of all outstanding costs has been received, the EPA will notify all parties and resume processing the application,” she said.
Fletcher refused to discuss a further $40,665 outstanding resource consent processing costs owed to Waipā District Council since April 2024.
The application initially went to the council, before being called in to an independent board of inquiry by minister for the environment Penny Simmonds.
Under the Resource Management Act, the EPA may suspend the processing of consent applications if costs are outstanding, until payment is made in full.
Freeth said the suspension would pause all statutory processing timeframes, including the August 28 decision date.
“Due to the process being suspended, this decision due date will no longer remain valid. If processing is resumed, we will provide an updated date, in line with the remaining statutory timeframe, in which the board of inquiry must make a decision.
“If the applicant subsequently pays the costs recoverable by the EPA, we will lift our suspension on processing their consent application.”
Waipā District Council and Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board were
among submitters on the plan, the vast majority in opposition.
The EPA’s decision to suspend the application came as a shock to board deputy chair Kane Titchener and Don’t Burn Waipā spokesman Nick Cantlon.
“It is entirely reasonable that the applicants are required to pay first before receiving the ruling,”
Titchener said.
“The issue is that there is a considerable amount of
anxiety in the Te Awamutu and Kihikihi District because we were close to having certainty about the application. People’s lives, and in some cases businesses, have been put on hold. This delay is just another hold up.”
Cantlon said the decision had been anticipated in the next two weeks ”and to now be thrown into a state of limbo has been very disconcerting”.
“We had been planning to have a community event to acknowledge the board of
inquiry’s decision, but this is now on hold.”
Cantlon said the group had asked the EPA whether there was a statutory limit on how long the application could stay suspended.
“This process has been underway for nearly four years, and the final decision was only two weeks away, having the process stopped like this is very unsettling to the local community who would like certainty by way of a decision.”
Lobby group Don’t Burn Waipā – this photo comes from our files - was telling supporters about the Paewira application being suspended – while the EPA was telling The News to call back the next day.
Across 1. Sense (5)
4. Colour between blue and violet (6)
8. Very obvious (7)
9. Incite (3,2)
10. Topmost (5) 11. Complicated (7) 12. Excursion (6) 14. Pure (6)
17. Traveller’s bags (7)
19. Terminal (5)
Last week
21. Absolutely necessary (5)
22. Appalled (7)
23. Response (6)
24. Churlish (5)
Down 1. Work done for pleasure (6,2,4)
2. Clutch (5)
3. Humiliation (7)
4. Whole (6)
5. Reverie (5) 6. Protective eyewear (7) 7. Without warning (12) 13. Constrict (7) 15. Repulsive (7) 16. Appetite-whetting advertisement (6) 18. Let (5) 20. Card game (5)
Across: 1. Miser, 4. Remote, 8. Swollen, 9. North, 10. Extra, 11. Amateur, 12. Sussed, 14. Sudoku, 17. Revenue, 19. Graph, 21. Kiosk, 22. Granola, 23. Cradle, 24. Evade.
Down: 1. Masterstroke, 2. Snout, 3. Release, 4. Rental, 5. Mania, 6. Torpedo, 7. Thoroughfare, 13. Saviour, 15. Upgrade, 16. Reggae, 18. Naked, 20. Aroma.
COMFY CARE
Enjoy welcoming, comfy surroundings and a warm sense of belonging at our Resthaven on Burns Care Centre. We are a community charitable trust with a caring team and commitment to quality, affordable care for seniors.
• Our team are here to help you enjoy the life you choose.
• We offer rest home care, continuing (hospital-level) and memory (dementia) care.
• There is no premium daily room charge at Resthaven on Burns.
Funeral Director: Jordan Goss
Poetry to the people!
By Jon Rawlinson
Wise words have become larger than life in Ōtorohanga thanks to a new initiative, the Poets’ Billboard.
Located on Maniapoto Street, the billboard features a poem by Beattie Home resident Sylvia Beveridge. Titled ‘Walk Softly’, it extols the virtues of care, compassion and kindness.
Nicky Deeley, Ōtorohanga District Council’s manager of community development and wellbeing, said the billboard presents more than just a poem on a wall.
“I’ve always loved the idea of poetry turning up in unexpected places. This is a way to celebrate local creativity, showcasing voices we might not normally hear and creating a shared moment for anyone walking or driving past.
“Across the world, creative projects have real impacts towards improving mental health, social connections, tourism and local economies. In a world that can
feel busy and noisy, we all need more moments that make us smile, connect and reflect.”
Deeley was inspired by council to find ways to support creativity in the community.
“Earlier this year, I walked past a billboard that had been empty for a while and thought, as I’d seen poetry on walls overseas, why not start one here?” she said.
“The owner of the property, Bill Taylor, loved the idea and he has very kindly given us the use of the billboard for the foreseeable future. So, we will keep sharing local poetry for as long as we have words to fill it and it’s okay with him.”
Born in India, Sylvia Beveridge, 94, settled in the King Country 65 years ago, working at Ōtorohanga College until her retirement in 1990. She was also a volunteer and unofficial ‘in-house poet’ at the Citizens Advice Bureau (now Ōtorohanga Support House).
Beveridge’s book, ‘The Way Words
Live’, is available at Ōtorohanga District Library.
Her poem was the perfect choice with which to launch the project, Deeley said.
“Her words carry such warmth, wisdom and compassion. Walk Softly is a beautiful reminder to tread gently, with people, the planet and ourselves. Sylvia was absolutely delighted with the idea as are her children and the staff at Beattie Home.”
Beveridge’s poem will remain on the billboard until December when another work will take its place.
“This is a small project but creativity tends to snowball – one project often inspires others to join in,” Deeley said.
“We’ve invited submissions, including from all of our district’s schools. We have deeply imaginative, talented children out there, but anyone of any age can put forward their poetry to be featured. I’m really excited to see what comes in.”
PHOTO RIGHT: Sylvia Beveridge pictured with, right, Nicky Deeley
44 Ailsa Street, Te Kūiti
Welcome to your new sanctuary. This delightful three bedroom home is perfect for families seeking comfort, convenience, and a touch of rural charm.
Nestled on a generous 895sqm (approx) section, this property offers ample space for outdoor activities and relaxation. Enjoy the warmth and comfort of a separate lounge, ideal for cosy evenings in and the combined kitchen and dining is designed for both functionality and style to create a welcoming space for family meals and entertaining.
Stay warm year-round with a gas fire. With a front and rear deck you will follow the sun, perfect for summer barbecues and outdoor gatherings
The rear section is fully fenced for your family pets and the front for the keen gardener, also a convenient carport space for your vehicle and storage room for all your bits and bobs.
This property is ideally located close to local shops, schools, hospital and medical center making it a fantastic choice for families.
3 1 1 1
This property presents an incredible opportunity to secure a family home and add your finishing touches in a sought-after location. Don’t miss out on the chance to make 44 Ailsa Street your new address.
For Sale $430,000
View Saturday 23 August, 12.15 - 12.45pm rwtekuiti.co.nz/TEK30310
Buzz Linn 027 496 0053
buzz.linn@raywhite.com
Ōtorohanga sections (sizes are approximate)
Lot 1, 52 Old Te Kuiti Road, Otorohanga, 1876sqm, power and
Lot 2, 0 Old Te Kuiti Road, Otorohanga, 2716sqm, power and water
9 Sunset Close, Otorohanga, 750sqm in popular Westridge. Phone Lorraine
149A Old Te Kuiti Road, Lot 1, 5517sqm, easy covenants. Phone Lorraine
Lot 1, 627 Waitomo Valley Road, Otorohanga, 8105sqm rural lifestyle
Lots 90-108 Harpers Avenue, 486sqm to 962sqm, Westridge II subdivision. Phone John From $220,000ea 576C Mangawhero Road, Otorohanga, 1ha, fenced, sensible covenants. Ph Noldy Offers over $385,000 2/823 Ngahape Road, Otorohanga, over 6000sqm, elevated building site, rural views. Ph Noldy $450,000 Te Kūiti sections (sizes are approximate)
35 Robin Azariah Place, Te Kuiti, 1084sqm, handy to schools and hospital. Phone Buzz $250,000
54A Ailsa Street (Lot 1), Te Kuiti, 2159sqm, end of a
54A Ailsa Street (Lot 2), Te Kuiti, 1707sqm, end of a
10 Robin Azariah Place, Te Kuiti, 600sqm level section. Phone Buzz
Other sections (sizes are approximate) 71 Hone Street, Kawhia, 1012sqm bare section in Kawhia, freehold
Ōtorohanga 39 Rangitahi Street
Te Kuiti 21 William Street
As is, where is on William Street
A rare opportunity to secure a substantial 1,140 m2 (more or less) section in a central Te Kuiti location. The original home on the site has been severely damaged by fire and the property is now being sold as is, where is. The section offers excellent potential for those looking to rebuild, redevelop, or landbank. With services already on site and a convenient location close to schools, shops, and town amenities, this could be the perfect project for the right buyer. Don't miss your chance to explore the potential of 21 William Street. Contact us today for more information or to arrange a site viewing.
Benneydale
Waitomo 00 Pukerimu Road
on Pukerimu Road
Te Kuiti
Teacher Aide (1 position)
Fixed term position25 hours per week during term time
We are recruiting for a Teacher Aide to start as soon as possible. You will join our friendly learning support team, working in partnership with students, teachers and whānau to support designated students in their learning programmes.
You’ll need to have a high level of initiative and flexibility as you must be able to respond to the changing needs of the students you are working with. It is also important that you have excellent organisational and communication skills, combined with a high level of literacy and numeracy are essential.
Applicants for this position must have NZ residency or a valid NZ work permit and a full drivers licence. Please apply by submitting a cover letter and your CV.
Applications close Monday 25 August, 2025.
Please send your CV, and direct enquiries to: The Principal Te Kuiti High School Box 264, Te Kuiti principal@tkhs.school.nz
Septic Tank Cleaning
Administrator
We're looking for an individual with a great attitude, a solid work ethic and strong administration and customer service experience. We offer a competitive rate of pay and a comprehensive employee benefit package including medical and life insurance.
Do you:
• have a minimum of two years’ customer service and/or administrator experience?
• Display excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills?
• Have the ability to multi-task and prioritise?
Fencer/ General Maintenance
Pakeho is a 540ha grazing unit located 9km south of Piopio which has a focus on growing high quality dairy heifers along side some beef trading.
We have a fulltime, part-time position of 30 hrs per week to support the team with fencing and general maintenance on farm. Either drive in or a recently renovated 3-bedroom house is available as part of the package.
We require someone who is proficient in all aspects of fencing including proactive preventive maintenance and is a competent with machinery. Being able to operate a digger would be an added benefit but not necessarily required as a base competency.
We have a small, focused team who take pride in achieving great results in a safe working environment. We expect the same from any applicants.
If this sounds like you then we would love to hear from you. Applications close August 31, 2025.
Email admin@coullfarms.co.nz or phone Duncan on 027 472 7110.
Join a leading agricultural machinery dealership! Giltrap Agrizone Otorohanga are looking for a dynamic Sales Consultant to join our team and build strong relationships with clients while delivering expert advice and solutions tailored to their needs.
If you have experience and an understanding in, or exposure to the Agricultural equipment industry, seasonal demands and modern machinery operation, we want to hear from you!
You will be responsible for the end-to-end ownership of the sales process, from prospecting new customers to retaining existing customers. You will play a key role in achieving sales revenue and market share targets by quoting, selling and installing new and used agricultural equipment.
What we’re looking for:
• Minimum 3 years experience in a sales role.
• Genuine passion for the Agricultural industry.
• Understanding (and experience) of tractors & machinery, their uses and requirements for farming and contracting.
• A proven sales focus and a history of reaching & exceeding targets.
• A high degree of honesty and personal integrity.
• The ability to operate with minimal supervision, including ‘cold calling’.
• The ability to manage and operate within a territory.
• Excellent language/organisational/communication skills.
• The ability to network well, build strong relationships and have a strong customer focus.
• Have CRM experience? If so, then the Administrator role could be the job for you. Don’t delay. Come be part of our values-driven, people-first team and apply today! For more details regarding this role check out our webpage: https://www.thelinescompany.co.nz/ about-us/work-for-us/
If this sounds like you, email your CV to HR@gaz.co.nz or ring Bryan Ferguson for a chat on 027 551 1621
367 546 thelinescompany.co.nz
TE
Te Ahoroa Marae
Sunday, September 14, 2025 11am
AGENDA
1. Karakia Timatanga
2. Confirmation of a quorum
3. Apologies
4. Minutes of previous meeting
5. Matters arising from the minutes
6. Chairperson’s Report
7. Treasurer’s Report
8. Ratification of Trustees
9. General Business
10. Karakia Whakamutunga
All Enquiries to Ivy Lorimer: teahoroamaraesecretary@gmail.com
Google Meets
The link will be on the marae Facebook page or on request.
SITUATIONS VACANT
Āria Primary School
Do you enjoy singing?
Waitomo Caves Choir OPEN DAY
Saturday, August 30 – 9.45am – 12pm St. Bride’s Church, Ōtorohanga
The choir is non auditioned, however, to retain a good balance of voices, new membership is limited. For more information contact Katrin Woermer 027 203 6595, wcaveschoir@gmail.com
TE KUITI AND DISTRICT MEMORIAL RSA INC AGM
Sunday, August 24, 2025 at 1pm At the Waitomo Club
Business
ĀRIA SCHOOL
17 Barclay Road
R.D. ARIA
Principal: Pam Voyce Phone: (07) 8777857 E-MAIL: office@aria.school.nz Website: www.aria.school.nz
1. Apologies
2. Moment’s silence for those who have passed
3. Confirmation of minutes from annual general meeting 2024
4. President’s report
5. Treasurer’s report
6. General Business
Ratepayers and Residents of Otorohanga District
If you object to Otorohanga District Council’s decision to change the Kiwi logo without public consultation, then sign the petition at Origin Coffee counter, the Railway Station before 5pm on Monday August 25.
Section 101, Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012
PUBLIC NOTICE
Of an application for Off Licence
DAVID ANTHONY JONES, 21 Whitbourne Road, Ōtorohanga Director has made application to the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, Te Kuiti for the renewal of an off licence in respect of the premises situated at 39-51 Rora St, Te Kūiti known as Te Kūiti Supermarket Ltd, T/A New World Te Kūiti.
The general nature of the business conducted (or to be conducted) under the licence is supermarket. The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is (or is intended to be) sold under the licence are Monday-Sunday, 7am-9pm.
The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the office of the Waitomo District Licensing Committee, Waitomo District Council, Queen St, Te Kūiti.
Any person who is entitled to object and wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the date of the publication of this notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, PO Box 404, Te Kūiti 3941.
No objection to the issue of a licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 105(1) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.
No objection to the renewal of a licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 131 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. This is the second publication of this notice. This notice was first published on August 14, 2025.
Aria Primary School
• New Constitution (There is a copy on the RSA notice board at the Waitomo Club.)
Fixed Term Scale A teacher, year 2-4. 2026
One year (Study Leave) position commences beginning term one. Job share - a possibility.
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic teacher who will inspire and motivate students to learn. Must have a strong curriculum knowledge particularly in literacy and numeracy.
0.5 permanent + 0.4 fixed term Scale A teacher, NE – Year 3 Position commences when suitable applicant is found. Job share - a possibility. We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic teacher who will inspire and motivate students to learn. Strengths in working collaboratively, commitment to your own professional growth and strong classroom management skills are required. Our school has a passionate and supportive staff culture. We look forward to hearing from you.
Strengths in working collaboratively, commitment to your own professional growth and strong classroom management skills are required.
Light refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the meeting.
Please send CV plus covering letter and names of two referees to The Principal, Āria Primary School, 17 Barclay Road, to office@aria.school.nz. For further information, contact the principal Pam Voyce.
Our school has a passionate and supportive staff culture. We look forward to hearing from you.
Please send CV plus covering letter and names of two referees to The Principal, Āria Primary School, 17 Barclay Road, Āria 3979 or e-mail to office@aria.school.nz.
For further information, contact the principal Pam Voyce. Applications close Friday, August 29 at 4pm.
SERVICE TECHNICIANS WANTED WORKSHOP & FIELD BASED HEAVY DIESEL
Join a leading agricultural machinery dealership!
Giltrap Agrizone Cambridge are looking for qualified Service Technicians (Heavy Diesel) to join our experienced and high-performing team dealing with tractors & farm machinery. We have a workshop and a field-service role available.
If you’re passionate about agricultural machinery, thrive in a busy environment and enjoy working with industry experts, we want to hear from you!
Mechanical experience with tractors & agricultural machinery is required, as is a methodical approach and ability to problem solve with a customer service focus. What we offer:
• Full time positions
• Vehicle/laptop/phone/on-call & call-out allowances for the Field Service role
• Supportive team culture
• Ongoing training & development
• Competitive remuneration & benefits
If this sounds like you, email your CV to HR@gaz.co.nz or ring Jason Middlemiss for a chat on 027 5554 106
Notice of Public Annual Meeting of Beneficiaries
Availability of the 2025 Chairperson’s Annual Report, Financial Statements, 2025-26 Annual Plan, and Waipā Networks Ltd Statement of Corporate Intent.
I hereby give notice that on Friday the 29th of August 2025, commencing at 10.00am, a Public Annual Meeting of Beneficiaries (Connected Consumers) will be held at Waipā Networks, 240 Harrison Drive, Te Awamutu.
At the meeting the Trustees will report on:
• The operation of Waipā Networks Trust for the year ended 31 March 2025.
• The Financial Statements of Waipā Networks Trust for the year ended 31 March 2025.
• The performance of Waipā Networks Limited for the year ended 31 March 2025.
• The compliance of Waipā Networks Limited with its Statement of Corporate Intent for the year ended 31 March 2025.
• The Annual Plan 2025/26 of Waipā Networks Trust.
At the meeting the Beneficiaries will be given the opportunity to:
• Appoint the Auditor for Waipā Networks Trust for the 2026 financial year.
• Speak on all matters being considered at the Annual Meeting.
Please note that the above named documents are available for public inspection on the Trust website or at the offices of Waipā Networks Limited at 240 Harrison Drive, Te Awamutu during ordinary business hours.
K M Heeringa - Trust Manager
PUBLIC NOTICE OF TENDER OF ABANDONED LAND
Under conduct of the Registrar of the District Court at Te Kuiti at the request of the Waitomo District Council and in exercise of the power of sale contained in the provisions of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, the Waitomo District Council offers by public tender the property listed below: -
Mangarino Street, Te Kuiti
Valuation number: 0588422000
Lot 12 Deposited Plan 4572 and Section 63 Block XVI Orahiri Survey District and being all the land contained in Certificate of Title SA36B/345 approximately 1314 square metres more or less. The property is situated at Mangarino Street, Te Kuiti and is within the territory of the Waitomo District Council.
11 Rimu Street, Aria
Valuation number: 0585126100
Section 7 Block III Town of Aria and being all the land contained in Certificate of Title TN59/18 approximately 1012 square metres more or less. The property is situated at 11 Rimu Street, Aria and is within the territory of the Waitomo District Council
TENDERS CLOSE 4pm, 4 September 2025
Tender documents are available by contacting Debt Management Central (DMC), on 0508 436 269; dmc@mw.org.nz, DMC, DX PA84005, Feilding or from http://www.debtmanagementcentral.org.nz
Tender documents and all enquiries are to be submitted to DMC the agent for the Local Authority.
Late tenders will not be accepted.
This notice is authorised by: Ben Smit
Chief Executive
Waitomo District Council
30 June 2025
WALKER, Cole Joseph:
Ten years ago
We lost a special soul
Our loving son and brother
WHEELER, Trevor Sidney
We miss you so much Cole
You are now also an uncle and your stories often told How bold and brave you were and with a heart of gold Mountain biking was your passion and stole your life away If only we could turn the clock back before that fateful day
Ador Shoes
Our loving memories will never die as years roll on and days pass by Today, tomorrow, our whole life through, We will always love and remember you ♥ Greg, Rosalie, Krystal, Matt and families
– Passed peacefully at 96 years young on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 after a long illness, patiently borne. Dearly loved husband and soulmate of Betty and cherished father of Warren, Malcolm, Colin, and Lynda. Beloved Grandad of nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Trevor will be fondly remembered by all his family and friends. Sincere thanks to all the staff at Beattie Home and Hospital.
A private cremation has taken place and a memorial service to celebrate Trevor’s life will be held at St Bride’s Anglican Church Hall, Ōtorohanga on Friday, September 12, at 11am. All welcome. VJ Williams & Sons, Funeral Directors Association of NZ
MACKINDER, Charles Edwin 05/02/1935 – 28/08/2021
COWAN, Eric Lawrence (Laurie) – At Beattie Home, with family, on Monday, August 11, 2025. In his 104th year. Much loved husband of the late Joan. Dearly loved father of Joy (dec), Lynne (dec) and Erin and their families. Much loved by all his family and friends. In accordance with Laurie’s wishes a private cremation has taken place. The Cowan family would like to thank all the staff at Beattie Home for their wonderful care and friendship. All communications to Cowan Family C/- PO Box 241, Te Kuiti 3941. VJ Williams & Sons, Funeral Directors Association of NZ
CLEANER REQUIRED - for commercial and domestic with own transport and valid license. Contact sharmaladyssa@gmail.com or ph 021 732 609 2008
DELICA for sale – D5 Van, eight-seater, two x fourwheel drive, 12-month WOF, new tyres, brake pads, towbar $8500. Ph 027 9556243
HOUSE FOR SALE
Harvest Church Ōtorohanga
Sunday Service @ 10.30am 5 Tuhoro Street, Ōtorohanga Ph 07 873 8890 Mob 027 493 0117 Email harvest.pc@xtra.co.nz ALL WELCOME. Pastors Peter & Carole Coventry (An Assemblies of God Church)
St David's Presbyterian Church Ranfurly St, Ōtorohanga
Services
Sunday 10am
St David's Presbyterian Church Ranfurly St, Ōtorohanga Services Sunday 10am Session clerk Ph 07 873 8735 Room bookings Ph Nina 027 237 2382
Session clerk Ph 07 873 8735 Room bookings Ph Nina 027 237 2382
St Bride's Anglican Church Haerehuka St Ōtorohanga Sunday morning service 10am Ph 07 873 7006
Four years have passed since I lost your tender smile and your beautiful voice. How I long to see and hear you again - in Heaven in the future, no doubt, given the promises we have. Love always and forever Marilyn.
TUTTY, Linda Mary
Three years have passed since you left us on 20th August 2022, our very special wife, mother and nana, Linda. Your love remains constant in our hearts, a light that will never fade but will continue to guide us into the future.
“Forever in our thoughts.”
Colin, Karl, Aaron, Shaun, and families.
REED, Marlene Alice, (Nee Roberts) – Passed away whilst at Beattie Home, aged 92 years. Much loved wife of Lewis. Mother and mother-in-law of Wendy and Laurence, Raewyn and Allen and Ross and Raewyn. Loved sister of Paul Roberts. Loved grandmother and great grandmother. The family wish to thank the amazing staff at Beattie Home for the care and the compassion they showed Marlene.
Sunday
Sheridan St, Te Kuiti
Terry & Rowena Bradley 07 878 8694 021 703 008 An Assemblies of God Church We welcome you to our 10.30am Sunday service. www.journeychurch.org.nz
King Country Christians meet every Sunday in the Piopio Senior Citizens Hall, Weka Street, Piopio, at 10.30am
Phone Judy 021135946 Everyone is welcome! Phone Judy 0211359346
Guiding you with care
In life’s hardest moments, you don’t have to be alone. Our caring, experienced, and local team offers support, guidance, and a farewell that truly honours your loved
Available 24/7 – call us when you need us.
The Rosetown Funerals team L to R: Jim Goddin, Teri Keir and Jordan Goss
