Newly planted trees on a median strip in Kihikihi have been cut off near ground level.
The 10 ginkgo biloba – also known as the Maidenhair tree - were on Whitmore St, part of an extensive pedestrian and cycle-friendly project which has received mixed reviews.
Whether it was a planned or random attack, Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board chair Ange Holt said she’s disappointed.
“It is really disappointing that someone has resorted to this, because regardless of how frustrated we all are, wrecking things or vandalism isn’t the answer,” Holt said.
“At the end of the day, it still costs us all, whether we’re rate payers or renters. These are additional costs for the Waipā District Council to either replace them or to clean it up.
“I’m definitely disappointed to see that this course of action has been chosen.”
In reference to the fact some people were annoyed the trees were planted on the median strip between the street and cycleway Holt said “unfortunately, sometimes these are the things that can transpire when people possibly don’t feel heard”.
This apparent sign of frustration with council projects follows on from issues over aging benches at the War Memorial Park in Te Awamutu where work to restore rather than replace them was described in a council media release as vandalism.
In early August a letter writer to The News, Geoff Boxell, lamented: “the financially strapped Waipā District Council is installing deciduous trees along the green strips that divide the unwanted Kihikihi cycle path from the roads”.
He said it was not just the costs of buying and installing the trees, it was the fact that they would eventually drop their leaves every autumn on both the cycle path and the road.
The deciduous tree reach seven metres with a two metre girth – which would be a tight squeeze on the strip it was planted on. They are relatively fast growing and have a strong root system which can damage paths and foundations – and underground services.
Small Ginkgo biloba trees can be purchased in Waipā for between $67 and $180.
The label on the cut-down ginkgo biloba trees report it is a “neat, narrowly erect form excellent for confined tight spaces... underutilised in New Zealand... and effective in narrow streets, avenues and small home gardens.
The issue has also been raised that trucks, tractors and other heavy machinery were already struggling with the street width before the trees were planted.
“I was quite surprised that they chose to
plant them there. We’ve already had lots of complaints,” Holt said.
“Technically, the road is wide enough but the perception is the road’s not wide enough for these big tractors and machinery - and then we’re planting trees on median.
“It wouldn’t have solved the leaf problem, but could we not have planted them between the cycleway and the footpath?”
Geoff Boxell told The News “if the council wants to beautify the unwanted and unneeded grass dividers cycleway and roads in Kihikihi, they should use low growing evergreens with small root
Saplings get the chop
patterns rather than deciduous trees that will drop leaves on the road and cycleway with the additional risk of roots possibly causing road surface damage”.
Holt said “when you think about it from a common-sense perspective, the big sweeper trucks that they use for the leaves, they’re not going to be able to get in there they’re too big to drive down the cycleway.
“I presume the only way that you’re going
The row of Whitmore maidenhairs after they were attacked.
Photo: Roy Pilott.
The saplings were cut down. Photo Roy Pilott
Expressway access
As I’m sure will many residents, I agree fully with the opinion of the Cambridge News that the decision of the Transport Minister Chris Bishop is short-sighted and begs the question as to the accuracy of the information he has received from NZTA officials.
The population of Cambridge has increased significantly over the past 15 years, with more or less half living in Leamington. Commuters here rely largely on a 100-plus year old narrow two lane bridge accessed only through the Cambridge township. This sees traffic almost at a standstill at peak times not only within the township but some significant distance along Hamilton Road and Victoria Street. Traffic through the Victoria St-Queen St roundabout is also now back to pre-bypass levels.
By any sensible measure the present roading options to Leamington are not fit for purpose and this will exacerbate over the next five to 10 years, even if all housing and other developments are placed on hold in this part of Cambridge.
As unpopular as this may be, this is a question that may have to be addressed by the new council later in the year. Cambridge quite clearly must have a solution to its roading situation quickly and not in another 30 years’ time. With the failure of Chris Bishop’s colleague and local MP Louise Upston to secure agreement to this measure council must up its tempo in dealing more directly and assertively with the transport minister.
I suggest Cambridge voters support only those candidates standing in the soon to be held local body elections who are committed in next three years to either pursuing the option of access to Leamington from the current bypass, or perhaps more preferably supporting a third bridge north of the township. It has to be one or the other.
Alan Hayward Cambridge
Māori Wards
I take issue with much of what Maria Low (letters, August 21) says. Maria agues two points, one that Māori have a different
Alcohol, driving don’t mix
This week I want to highlight a serious issue that continues to affect our roadsdriving with excess breath alcohol. With the evenings getting lighter and the more social seasons approaching, it appears a reminder of this is required.
it’s about doing the right thing. If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive.
perspective on our district, and it must be heard, and two, we who are not Māori, are visitors to her land. She is wrong on both counts, we all came to New Zealand, either by boat hundreds of years ago, or more recently by plane, even if we arrived yesterday if we become a New Zealand citizen then we all at that point, have the same rights. That is the strength of this country.
Of course, we may have a different perspective, as a member of the older age group mind would be different to a 50-yearold, or a 20-year-old, or indeed a woman. Or indeed those from other cultures who call New Zealand home.
We don’t, neither should we, have a ward for each of these groups, that would be foolish. As for Māori not being able to be elected, if they wish in general wards, that is also not correct.
We have currently more Māori in Cabinet, and in the government than ever before in our history. They had no problems getting people to vote for them. On the point of non-Māori being visitors that is downright insulting. My father was born here, I was born here as were my seven children and 16 grandchildren.
This is our country, as much as yours. None of us own New Zealand, we occupy it while we are here and we pass it on to the next generation. Stand for a general Ward and convince people of your views - that is the way to be heard, Maria.
Dennis Catchpole Te Awamutu
Overnight last Friday, the Police Impairment Prevention Team (often previously referred to as “the booze bus”) was in Cambridge conducting alcohol checkpoints.
Alcohol affects your ability to make good decisions, slows your reaction time and interferes with coordination. You might feel fine, but the truth is alcohol clouds your judgment. Drivers under the influence often misjudge distances, fail to notice hazards, and react too slowly to avoid danger. That’s a recipe for disaster when you’re behind the wheel.
Police are the ones who attend the crashes where alcohol is a factor, and we see the heartbreak that follows. There are also serious legal consequences. If you’re caught driving over the legal breath alcohol limit, you will face charges in court, may lose your licence and be fined or be imprisoned. This can impact your job and ability to support your family.
Beyond the legal requirements however,
Plan ahead - use a sober driver, call a taxi, or stay where you are until you’re safe to drive. We all have a role to play in keeping our roads safe. If you see someone about to drive who’s clearly under the influence, speak up. If they drive off, call 111. You might just save a life.
Finally today, a reminder for when the lights and sirens of emergency response vehicles appears behind you. Too often when we are hurrying to an urgent job with lights flashing and sirens, we are delayed by drivers who fail to pull to the left and make way for us to pass.
Last week in one such incident, a truck and trailer unit failed to give way for approximately 8km on Tirau road. When subsequently overtaken and stopped, the driver claimed that because of the insulation of his cab he hadn’t heard the sirens or airhorn of the police patrol car.
Any road user should be aware of their surroundings, checking regularly in their mirrors as well as being alert to sounds around them. The driver in this case was issued a fine for failing to make way for a siren and will no doubt be more attentive in future.
Candidates meet
The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce will host a meet the candidates forum in the Cambridge Town Hall next Thursday. The “conversation with the candidates” for chamber members will be moderated by The News columnist Peter Carr.
School wins
Cambridge High School won the Waikato Bay of Plenty School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa Readers’ Cup competition for the first time last week. The team of Blake Williams, Sylvie Keightley, Hannah Goodwin and Hunter Davis pipped St Peters School to the title in a field of 16.
In the picture
Waipa photographers Angela Murray and Charly Baty were both finalists in the 2025 NZIPP Iris Awards –described as the country’s top photography awards. Murray was named a finalist in the professional family photographer category and Baty a finalist in the professional wedding creative photographer category. Being named a finalist means placing in the top three nationally in each category.
Group needed
Expressions of interest are now open for people wanting to join the new Community Reference Group as part of the reset Cambridge Connections – Moving Forward Together project. It will be complemented by an open community ideas forum for anyone to share ideas, question assumptions, and provide feedback on the project.
Rates late
Rates invoices will arrive a little later than usual in Waikato district ratepayers’ letterboxes and email inboxes this financial year. Invoices will arrive by September 8, with the first instalment due on 22 September.
Mother, son escape inferno
By Chris Gardner
An octogenarian mother and son escaped with their lives as a fireball ripped through her Te Awamutu home of nearly 40 years.
The whānau, who have asked not to be named, had returned to the Hazelmere Crescent home and retired to bed before a call of nature roused the son at around 10.44pm on Saturday, according to a family spokesman.
He heard the ringing of smoke alarms over the crackle of flames which he saw glowing in the living room.
“His first reaction was to get his mother out.
“He got her to safety and went back in to get the cat, who was sleeping. He quickly realised that trying to fight it with a garden hose would be futile.”
Three fire appliances attended the scene, one crewed by volunteers from Hamilton, as Te Awamutu firefighters were engaged in a fundraising event at the town’s event centre when the alarm was
sounded.
“The house was well involved when our vehicles arrived,” said senior station office Lex Soepnel. “It was a massive fireball.”
Further support was needed from Cambridge and Ōtorohanga, bringing the number of firefighters in attendance up to 26 – far more than is usual for the type of fire.
Soepnal said firefighters were wary of falling concrete roof tiles.
Once firefighters had established the whanau was safe, they focused on extinguishing the fire from the outside and ensuring it did not spread to neighbouring properties.
Neighbour Graeme Corkin, a retired Fonterra factory worker, was heading to bed after watching a movie when the drama unfolded.
“I got a knock on the door and was told to get out of the house,” he said.
“I had to stand on the other side of the road and watch the place go up in flames.”
Firefighters were on the scene well into the early hours of the morning, with members of their
team supporting the whanau and explaining what was happening to the home.
A fire investigation team visited the scene on Sunday.
The whanau provided a statement in te reo with an English translation, to The News.
“We would like to take this time to acknowledge the waves of support that we’ve had from within our community. We would love to extend these acknowledgements to the emergency services who worked tirelessly through till the early morning to ensure our whare was no longer ablaze, to our whānau and friends who’ve wrapped around support and to those who continue to accommodate us. Though there are so many irreplaceable sentimental items lost in the fire, we’re very grateful that we were able to escape the emergency alive and well.”
“Papaki kau ana ngā tai o mihi ki ngā rau ringa i āwhina mai, i whai whakaaro mai ā i manaaki mai i a mātou te whānau. E ngā ratonga mate whawhati tata, tēnā
rā koutou i ā koutou mahi nunui. Ki ngā whānau i taetae mai ki te tuku aroha, tēnā tonu koutou. Kei te hunga e korowaitia ana mātou i tēnei wā tonu, kāre e ārikarika ngā mihi uruhau ki a koutou. Ko te mea nui ki a mātou kua puta mai ki te ora - e tika ana te kōrero ka taea te hanga whare, ka whatungarongaro te tangata.”
Tangi for candidate
By Mary Anne Gill
Waikato Regional Council Ngā Hau E Whā constituency candidate Maxine Moana-Tuwhangai has died and her tangi was held at Kāwhia’s Mōkai Kāinga Marae last week. She was taken to Kaipāpaka urupā to lay with her whānau.
Moana-Tuwhangai was a certified environmental commissioner, fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a chartered member of the Institute of Directors and a volunteer on the Justices of the Peace community health desk in Ngāruawāhia. She was a Priory board member for Hato Hone St John, Raukura Hauora O Tainui and the Ruapuha Uekaha Hapu Trust – the original owners of the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves.
She was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 with a New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to governance and Māori. Moana-Tuwhangai was one of two candidates in the seat. Sitting member Tipa Mahuta now retains her seat.
Funeral Director: Teri Keir
Graeme Corkin watched helplessly as his neighbour’s home burned.
Maxine Moana-Tuwhangai
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Clams conquer Karapiro
By Mary Anne Gill
The golden clam’s grip on the Waikato River has been laid bare.
Lake Karāpiro’s annual lowering exposed millions of spent golden clam shells littering the lakebed’s sand and gravel, mingling with scattered kākahi shells - native freshwater mussels already under threat before the arrival of their eastern Asian rivals.
Now the dominant visitorsfirst detected in May 2023 - are winning the battle for access to the river’s ecosystems, food and space and forming large populations at strategic positions.
The lake lowering - from 53.45 metres to 51.475m above sea level - revealed the clams’ widespread presence.
It also gave domain staff the opportunity to undergo critical maintenance and cleanup the site.
Mighty River Domain site manager Liz Stolwyk said there
were easily “double” the shell numbers from last year and in so many more locations.
“Every time you scrape the surface now, you’re finding clams.”
At the rowing start line, the clams were “healthy, plump and huge” and living harmoniously in a pristine environment in the sand and gravel below the native mussels.
“That’s the interesting thing and makes me wonder what the heck is that about. They’re really loving that environment,” she said.
“There’s less activity up there –the clams are able to live in peace – it’s quite a natural environment and they lead a quieter life.
“Is that how this is going to work, can they live harmoniously?”
The gold clam grows and breeds very quickly and can alter an ecosystem by reducing much of the phytoplankton, excreting nitrogen, and phosphorus, and physically dominating the available space on
the river or lakebed.
The clam now has the legal status of an Unwanted Organism under the Biosecurity Act and must not be knowingly moved or spread.
Clam shells have already been found in water treatment stations along the Waikato River including in Hamilton and Huntly.
Mercury staff confirmed last week at the community open day for the upgraded Karāpiro Power Station that clam shells have been found in the newly installed turbines.
Meanwhile, the lower lake level exposed areas where maintenance had become critical. Parts of the wooden retaining wall between the Sir Don Rowlands Centre and Rowing NZ showed signs of deterioration.
The domain’s long term planning includes replacement and the construction of a boardwalk along the lake front.
Contractor Paul Garland watched as Rob Curry drove a digger down the main boat ramp to clean up the area where powerboats launch into the river from trailers, start their engines and damage the concrete. It had been undermined and would also require further work.
“That’s quite normal, every two to three years we have to do a major concrete pour because over time there is a bit of undermining going on and that’s because of the
lake going up and down.”
Stolwyk said the annual lowering day was not only critical for her but for the various clubs and organisations who use the lake.
It also reveals the large amounts
of illegally dumped household waste.
In previous years, scavengers combed the exposed lakebed for valuables like gold or silver jewellery — but on Saturday, the shoreline remained undisturbed.
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Mighty River Domain general manager Liz Stolwyk scoops up golden clams from the lakebed during the annual lowering at Karāpiro.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Golden clams from Asia were first found in the Waikato River in mid-2023
Waipa Workingmens Club
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On the Hustings – with Mary Anne Gill
Last week we discussed how much – or little –Waipā District Council was spending on print advertising for the election campaign.
If your digital feed is full of Waipā adverts, that is where your ratepayer money is going. Soon your You Tube feed will be full too of ratepayer funded videos (see below).
And this week we can report one candidate got grumpy with us because they thought we were going to be providing “all the media with the elections” after asking if we would advertise a candidates’ meeting for free.
Digital coverage? Check out cambridgenews.nz and teawamutunews.nz and click on Elections 2025 to find free Waipā specific content.
Candidate videos
change?
Councils across the country are filming candidates this year in an attempt to get voter numbers up.
in the same paddock when she was campaigning for Parliament were eaten by goats.
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• Plenty of off street parking
• Delicious Food By Rafters
• Rafters Restaurant
• Full TAB Service
• Full TAB Ser vice
• Gaming Lounge
• Gaming Lounge
• Pool and Snooker Tables
• Pool and Snooker Tables
• Dartboards
• Dartboards
• Courtesy Van
• Members Draw Nights
• Kids Zone with gaming consoles and foosball table
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• Meat Raffles
• Courtesy Van • Members Draw Nights
• Covered outdoor dining area
• Meat Raffles
• Venue Hire at discounted rates
• Covered outdoor dining area
• Range of Social and sports groups available
Talking about the videos, filming starts Saturday on the Waipā District Council candidate videos. Each candidate will be asked the same four questions and there will be a 90-second time limit for all four questions. Candidates will have a timeslot of 20 minutes each with the council’s videographer.
• Venue Hire at discounted rates
• Best place to watch sport
The questions are: Tell us about yourself, what’s the biggest challenge facing Waipā, Why do you think you are right for the role and What’s one thing you admire about our community and one thing you would
Edible signs Livestock have taken a particular liking to Susan O’Regan’s election signs. She chose to use 100 per cent recyclable, environmentally friendly materials... which stock have taken a liking to and have now been fenced off. It is recreating history. O’Regan’s late mother Katherine O’Regan’s signs
Clean up time Te Awamutu-Kihikihi candidate Graham Jull celebrated Te Awamutu Rotary’s 80th birthday last week cleaning up the town’s welcome sign on Kihikihi Rd. Jull is acting president which means he gets the tough jobs. The club became chartered on August 20, 1945, and now has a membership of 35, a third of which are female.
• Range of Social and sports groups available
• Multi areas to view sports channels at once
Here’s the real scoop
Good Local Media promised you the best coverage possible of the election in Waipā and we are delivering.
We challenged every candidate to respond to 10 questions on issues such as borrowing to fund shortfalls, Ahu Ake, Cambridge Connections (also known as the Blue Blob), urban intensification, council expenditure, Māori wards, community boards, Te Ara Wai’s future, Lake Karāpiro and their vision for Waipā.
We asked community board candidates whether councillors should sit on boards, do they support a Māori seat, should CBDs be the main retail hub, what involvement should community board chairs have at council, lack of consultation in Cambridge and Kihikihi, secret meetings, decision making, discretionary grants and the future of boards.
Their answers are going up on our websites as we process them –cambridgenews.nz and teawamutunews.nz.
Click on Elections2025 and the answers to those questions are there.
It’s for Good Local Media readers and like this newspaper, it’s free – you pay nothing and it doesn’t come out of rates.
There are no paywalls – it’s an entirely independent unbiased presentation of the responses of candidates to questions we think are relevant to the district. Along with the candidate responses is breaking news around the election campaign as it heats up.
Elections in Waipā don’t come cheap – the district council is spending $284,000 on them this year. Ōtorohanga ratepayers are seeing their council pay $51,000 and Waitomo ratepayers $72,000.
Take an interest in these elections – check out what candidates think. Today we give you a snapshot of the responses received by 6pm Monday to some of those questions. • Tell us what you think email editor@ goodlocal.nz
What the candidates say
We asked the mayoral candidates and those people standing for council itself the following question:
Waipā is currently running operational deficits over three years, which reduces the annual rates increase by around 4%. To fund this gap, the council is borrowing an average of $8 million per year.
a. Were you aware of this funding strategy?
b. Do you agree with the approach of borrowing to fund operational shortfalls as prudent rather than raising rates to fully fund current operations? Why or why not?
* •See answers on the following page
Susan O’Regan’s husband John Hayward puts an electric fence around a billboard to prevent the cows from eating it.
What the candidates say…
MAYOR
Mike Pettit
Obviously far from ideal, as borrowing to cover operational deficits is not sustainable. Ratepayers expect prudent financial management. As mayor, I would require line-by-line scrutiny of budgets and/or starting with a zero budget in some areas, to look for operational efficiencies before passing costs to residents. At the same time, I want Waipā to explore mixed funding models — bringing in government support, business partnerships, philanthropy, grants and setting up trusts where applicable — so we are not so dependent on rates. Borrowing should be a last resort, used only when fully justified, clearly explained, and backed by strong governance oversight.
PIRONGIA-KAKEPUKU
Naomi Pocock
Generally, borrowing should not be used to cover operational costs, except in terms of transitioning to the use of new assets as part of overall investment costs. Local governments should lobby central government for fairer funding models on infrastructure development so the cost for investment isn’t borne by rate payers. Also, councils should be run efficiently, while still providing quality services to local communities.
TE AWAMUTU-KIHIKIHI
Lou Brown
Rates need to increase yearly to fund the current operational deficit. Unfortunately, rates are only charged to property owners, not the whole population. Central government doesn’t support local government with removing
GST and adequately funding new central government policies and requirements. Rate increases are also driven by servicing development infrastructure costs and the fact that Waipa is considered a Tier 1 council, also a central government policy. Rate increases must be balanced with debt and borrowing should be predominately for long-term infrastructure and development.
Marcus Gower
Yes, I was aware of this strategy. While I appreciate the goal of easing the immediate rates burden, I don’t believe borrowing for operational shortfalls is a prudent long-term solution. This practice pushes today’s running costs onto tomorrow’s ratepayers, with interest added. True fiscal responsibility means paying for day-to-day expenses from our current income, much like a household budget. My focus is on delivering core services as efficiently as possible and ensuring we live within our means, balancing affordability today with sustainable financial stewardship for the future of our district.
Graham Jull
I am aware of the funding strategy. While borrowing can sometimes be necessary for major infrastructure, I do not support relying on debt to fund ongoing operational shortfalls This places an unfair burden on future generations and reduces financial resilience. Ratepayers deserve transparency on the true cost of services. Council must re-examine expenditure priorities, use of consultants, in-house decision making and reduction of nonessential spending before borrowing or raising rates. There must be a balance between efficiency gains, better planning
and community input.
Shane Walsh
I am aware of the strategy and am concerned, as it highlights the dire financial issues facing council. This year’s 15.5 per cent rate increase is the third highest of the 78 councils in New Zealand – add another four per cent and it would have been the highest rate increase in New Zealand. Borrowing to fund operational shortfalls is not prudent, as the interest costs will become another burden for ratepayers. Council’s focus needs to be on eliminating overspending and the need to borrow.
Bernard Westerbaan
I am aware of this approach. I believe relying on debt to cover operational costs is stupid, not even for short term. Rates should reflect the true cost of services. Borrowing has to be reserved for long-life infrastructure where future generations benefit. Live within your means.
COMMUNITY BOARDS
We asked should councillors sit on the two community boards and whether the boards should continue to exist?
Te Awamutu-Kihikihi
Liam Bullen
No. Councillors should not sit on community boards as they are not elected for this role. Not having councillors will better enable the community board to independently hold the council accountable, challenge its decisions and be a strong advocate for the community. Community boards are an effective means of engaging with the community. The community boards can act independently and hold the council accountable in its decision-making on behalf of the community. The Te Awamutu-Kihikihi
Community Board needs to better represent the community and that’s why I am running.
Sharon Stirling
The poor communication between council and community board is an ongoing cause for concern. Currently the councillors appointed to community board sit as part of the board, but are not contributing usefully to the discussions, nor reporting community board concerns to council. This arrangement is unsatisfactory and must be reviewed. A very big yes to this. Council itself is far too big and cumbersome to attend adequately to local matters. Council has lost sight of its grass roots and must learn to accept and recognise the advocacy of our community boards.
John Wood
Councillors sitting on the community boards facilitates the flow of information between the council and the boards. They are often able to provide information to elected community board members because they have access to more in-depth information. Community boards provide an opportunity for residents to express their opinions and concerns regarding their community in a less formal manner rather than approaching councillors or council staff. The relationship between councillors, council staff and the community board ensures their voice is heard.
Meghan Hawkes looks back on life in Waipa in 1947
Calf club and remembrance
Paterangi School’s Calf Club Day was well attended by parents and friends. It was also the school show and in the two class rooms were samples of the children’s work in all subjects.
When the pets were assembled for judging there were 18 calves, two lambs, five cats and kittens, four dogs and one chicken. Lunch was set out picnic-style under the trees.
At 2pm the unveiling of the Roll of Honour of ex-pupils of Paterangi School began. Mr Germann said it was fitting that remembrance of scholars who served their country should be permanently honoured.
Mr Malone hoped those on the roll would always be remembered – not honoured that day and then forgotten. He then advised the children “Do unto others as you would they should do to you. Try to find the good, not the evil in everyone; think not of self so much, try to understand the other fellow, for only then will the horrors of war and the need of these Rolls of Honour be no longer necessary.”
A mouse baked into a loaf of bread was discovered by a Te Awamutu resident after four slices had been cut. A local baker was prosecuted by the Health Department for selling bread unfit for human consumption. He pled guilty
and was fined five pounds. The man had an unblemished record and since the occurrence had overhauled his premises and plant.
Te Awamutu’s Crusader Group, which met weekly in the lunch hour at the local High School, had its firstterm outing climbing Mt Pirongia. The boys were transported to the start of the climb in private cars and a resident of Pirongia acted as guide. The day’s steamy heat did not dampen the group’s enthusiasm, though it proved an endurance test. When the first peak was reached the billy was boiled on a portable primus stove and after lunch almost the whole party continued along the ridge. Unfortunately the view was spoilt due to haze. The descent was made in half the time, and the whole happy expedition was accomplished between the times of morning and evening milking.
A letter posted at Ōhaupō to the Te Awamutu Fire Brigade contained a 10 shilling note which the sender said was payment for a piece of old rope lent to him at the fire station one night to tow his car from Te Awamutu to Ōhaupō.
“That was years ago,” the writer said. “The rope was lost, so to square everything I am enclosing the money to be used for any fund or purpose, as you think fit. I don’t want to give my name.”
These rates are not high
By Peter Nicholl
As expected, the reserve bank cut their Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to three per cent last week.
This decision was reasonable. Both the Bank of England the the Reserve Bank of Australia had reduced their official interest rates by 25 points just a few days earlier.
What worries me is what was said in the bank’s accompanying statement. Their statement was described as ‘more dovish than expected’ with a strong indication that the bank was likely to make two more 25 basis points cuts before the end of the year, taking the Official Cash Rate to 2.5 per cent.
Though some other central banks are also reducing their official interest rates, the Bank of England’s official rate is currently four per cent and the Reserve Bank of Australia is at 3.6 per cent. The Unitied States Federal Bank has kept its official rate at 4.25-4.5 per cent all year despite pressure from Trump to lower it. So New Zealand, at three per cent is already significantly lower than most other countries.
The first time the reserve bank took the cash rate as low as 2.5 per cent was in response to the global financial crisis in 2009. Unfortunately, it did not increase the rate after the global financial crisis was over. It mainly stayed within the range 1.75-2.25 per cent from 2012-2020 - and then Covid came along. In response, the bank reduced the rate into uncharted low territory, taking the official cash rate down to 0.25 per cent.
The inevitable happened. The incredibly low interest rates quickly led to a surge in asset prices.
The value of the average house in New Zealand rose by around 40 per cent from 2020 to 2022. The low interest rates also led (more slowly) to a general increase in inflation, not
just in New Zealand but everywhere.
The reserve bank eventually had to put the cash rate into reverse and raised it from 0.25 per cent in 2022 to 5.5 per cent in 2023.
Over the past year, it has reversed the direction of the rate again and they have reduced it by 2.5 per cent and it is now down to theee per cent. With inflation currently at 2.7 per cent, this level is barely positive in real terms. Mortgage rates, other borrowing rates and deposit rates have all followed the cash rate down. Despite this, the media keep referring to current interest rates as ‘high’.
They are only high in relation to the incredibly low interest rates that the Covid pandemic induced. Those rates were very abnormal. They were induced by a pandemic of unpredictable dimensions. But they are being treated by many New Zealanders as the new ‘normal’ – the level interest rates should return to. That would be a disaster. I worry that there may be some in our reserve bank who are also thinking this way.
The period 2000 – 2010 is a more ‘normal’ period. During that period inflation was almost always within the RBNZ’s target range of 1-3% and the OCR was was within the range of 4.5% to 6%. The current OCR level of 3% is already well below where it was during that decade of moderate inflation.
What the RBNZ has done in the last nine months is appropriate. But if they keep pushing the OCR down another cycle of low interest rates causing asset price surges and rising general inflation is inevitable. The RBNZ needs to know when it has done enough and wait for the impact of what it has already done to work its way through the financial system.
Liz Stolwyk
for Regional Council
Who am I?
Liz Stolwyk.
– Grounded. Bold. Connected.
• I’m an Event Manager, a Farmer, and a straight-talker who answers the phone when you call. I’m proud of my strong community networks and I stay connected so I can advocate effectively for the people I serve.
• Co-ordinator & Committee Member –Ballance Farm Environment Awards – 7 years
• Former roles with Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, National Fieldays and Waikato Rugby Union
• My husband Andrew Reymer (Chair of Te Awamutu Federated Farmers), and I are proud dairy farmers raising three nearly grown boys. (And yes, we raise three beef calves a year just to keep them fed!).
What’s important to me?
• A strong economy and healthy environment aren’t mutually exclusive – we can achieve both.
• Our large towns deserve better internal public transport options to stay connected.
• Freshwater quality matters: Lakes Te Koo Utu, Ngaroto, and Parangi need urgent action.
• Plan Change 1 – fighting for practical solutions that don’t drain millions from our farmers.
• Rates control – standing for smart, sensible spending that respects ratepayers.
“Now is not the time for inexperience... I’m ready to hit the ground running — with energy, experience, and a deep understanding of how our communities and councils work.”
The worth of words
By Phil Strong, Proprietor Chair, Waipa Christian School.
I’m currently reading CS Lewis and loving his witty crafting of the English language to convey timeless wisdom and life-altering messages.
He argues against the folly of the flesh attempting to prove the strength of humanity, pointing to the inconceivable and illogical demonstrated by God’s design. His argument his proof, Lewis is someone I’m glad to call a teacher.
Words matter, friend, and we should weigh them carefully. Always. Talk is cheap, according to Bunyan, who wrote in 1692, “I know words are cheap, but a dram of grace is worth all the world.”
As an author, I judge myself most harshly as I choose locution and expression.
The Bible is clear in teaching wisdom for life, urging us to be careful to whom we give our support and attention to. Moses sought the advice of his father-in-law who told him he would wear himself thin if he were to attend to the all the complaints of the people.
What do we learn? Listen to the wrong people and you’ll suffer for it.
Read the paper and you may feel risk of yourself wearing thin, these pages often report complainers more than hard-workers. The lobbying against the Waste Recycling Plant is full of negativity and lacking constructive thinking. No wonder it’s going nowhere.
Jesus, the best teacher, said, “Out of the overflow of your heart your mouth speaks.” We can judge others by what they say as evidence of what they believe. We should do well to consider that wisdom as we consider our burden of casting votes.
King Solomon wrote, “do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself
will be like him.” This reminds me of the adage, “Wrestle with a pigcome away beaten and dirty.”
I’ve taken the view in my life that words are only worth the weight of the action behind them. We must judge promises made in this election season carefully and keep long memories.
Frivolous spending of public monies occupies more News column centimetres than is enjoyable, and yet again brings a highlight to the wise words of Solomon: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” In a rich region like ours, how can we be so upside-down under crippling debt?
Accountability demands consequence and this responsibility falls to the voter.
I’ve shared before the scathing accusation from the mouth of Jesus, addressing the church leaders of his day as “white-washed tombs.”
The meaning was not lost on anyone with ears and criticises all who would live a life of disingenuous duplicity.
In my experience, community service positions are often filled by those who have a desire to “do good.”
Unfortunately, that doesn’t qualify them to “do well” and their outcomes often give evidence to their lack of efficacy, meaning they miss the mark.
The recent published photo of the Welcome to Te Awamutu sign is fine evidence of this.
While I’ve never had the chance to visit Hades, I suspect the Welcome sign there is warmer than the one we now have.
Hidden music of volcanoes
By Janine Krippner
As we move through our days, much of our experience comes from different forms of energy, carried by waves.
We detect light with our eyes, temperature with our skin, and sound with our ears.
Sound is simply vibration that travels through air, water, or objects as an acoustic wave, or at least the portion that we can hear.
Listening gives us a rich tapestry of information about our surroundings. Do we hear another person? Animals? Traffic? Music? As someone who has music playing almost constantly, this is something I especially appreciate.
As a volcanologist, I also appreciate sound waves in a very different way.
When volcanoes erupt they produce a wide range of noises, including some that our ears cannot detect.
Acoustic waves below human hearing are called infrasound, defined as low-frequency waves under 20 hertz (Hz).
Humans generally hear in the 20–20,000 Hz range, so infrasound is literally below our perception. These waves are tiny fluctuations in atmospheric pressure that can travel great distances from their source and be recorded by instruments.
Infrasound monitoring is similar in concept to seismic monitoring. Seismometers measure energy waves moving through the ground, while infrasound sensors detect waves moving through the air. Just as a network of seismometers across a broad area can be used to locate an earthquake, an array of infrasound sensors can pinpoint where an explosion or eruption has occurred.
This technology is not limited to volcanoes. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization operates a global infrasound network to monitor for nuclear weapons testing.
The same system also detects large volcanic eruptions, meteor airbursts, and other processes in our atmosphere.
Letters…
Growth questioned
The Numbers Up reported in last week’s briefs raise some concerns for me. It states since 2016 the population has grown by 18 per cent from 52,000 to 61,400. The District Council staff numbers have increased by 54 per cent from 222 to 343. The council capital spend has increased by 363 per cent from $43.6m to $158.4m.
We used to have one council worker per 234 residents but now we have one per 179 residents. And the capital spend used to be $838.46 per resident but now its $2579.80 per resident.
Why has the council staff increased by 54 per cent when the population has only increased by 18 per cent? Why has the capital spend increased by 363 per cent when the CPI inflation has only risen by 133 per cent over the same period of time? Can someone please explain?
Tony Gibson Cambridge Park
lament
The original steel and mesh fence that bounds part of Mutu St War Memorial Park has had vegetation removed from around it and now stands ready to be removed and replaced by a $21,000 post and two rail fence.
The council reason for the destruction of this fence was given as “it has now reached the standard age where it needs to be replaced. We do not repair, we just replace with new”. No report was tabled assessing the actual state of the fence.
The RSA proposed to repair and restore
One striking example was the January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai, one of the most powerful explosions in recent times. Some of its pressure waves circled the globe multiple times.
A challenge is that many things produce infrasound, from storms to ocean waves.
Geophysicists carefully filter out this background “noise” to extract useful information about volcanic processes. Some have even described volcanoes as musical instruments.
There is even an interesting area of research where infrasound is used to study the sounds that animals, such as elephants, make. Unlike our voices, which fade away quickly, these low-frequency sounds can travel across many kilometres, making them a powerful tool for communication.
Herein lies one of the greatest advantages of infrasound monitoring - its ability to detect activity at great distances.
Remote volcanoes, such as those in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, may be thousands of kilometres from population centres but still pose a hazard to aircraft. Infrasound data can confirm eruptions and help classify whether they are producing ash plumes that may be a danger to aircraft.
Whether erupting or quiet, using a range of monitoring techniques including seismology, gas measurements, ground deformation, and satellites, can help us to get a clearer image of what is happening at and below volcanoes.
Infrasound is one more way of “listening” to the Earth, adding to our understanding of the complex processes at work.
The more perspectives we use, the better prepared we are to warn those who might be impacted
the fence for $600 with some donated materials, expert skills and labour, having assessed that the basic steel was extremely sound. The new wooden fence would last 30 years. The old steel fence had lasted 70 years without repair. With repair, it should last at least another 30 years.
The War Memorial Park Maintenance Group record that the council senior staff Community Services Team continue promoting their policy of destroying another original War Memorial Park Asset and replacing it, rather than restoring it for a fraction of the cost. The Community Board worked hard to have this decision changed and money saved. Which team do you trust?
Murray Downs Te Awamutu
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Speed zone plan unveiled
By Jesse Wood
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has unveiled plans to improve safety at an intersection near Hamilton Airport.
Public consultation opened this week on a series of safety proposals – and one is the introduction of an Intersection Speed Zone at Raynes Rd where it meets Airport Road, State Highway 21.
Intersection Speed Zones are designed to improve safety at rural intersections on high-speed roads. They detect when a vehicle is approaching on a side road and activate an electronic variable speed limit
sign to temporarily show a lower speed limit on the main road.
It is proposed to make a 500 metre section of Airport Road an Intersection Speed Zone and the limit would drop from 100 to 60kph when activated.
NZTA said the zones can reduce fatal and serious crashes by 69 per cent, while total crashes can be reduced by 28 per cent.
“People will be familiar with seeing intersection speed zones around the region. The signs are installed at rural locations where there is a high risk of serious crashes involving people turning in or out of an intersection,” regional manager of Infrastructure Delivery for the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Jo Wilton said.
“Reducing speeds through an intersection means that crashes are less likely to happen because people will have more time to react to mistakes and avoid collisions.
“By slowing oncoming traffic down, intersection speed zones also reduce the risk of someone being killed or seriously injured if a crash does happen. A small change in speed can make a big difference to the outcome of a crash.”
The other end of Raynes Rd – where it meets SH3 Ōhaupō Road, is covered by an Intersection Speed Zone implemented in September 2023.
The zone was introduced after more 30 crashes there between 2011 and 2021.
In August 2021, Kaipaki resident Sue Davies told The News of her experience –her car was written off after being hit by a vehicle coming out of Raynes Rd onto SH3.
Although the speed zone has improved the crash rate, Davies believes a roundabout or “no right turn” would be a better option.
“I still go past the intersection every day because that’s my way home from work in Hamilton,” Davies said.
“It has improved. People are slowing down, but at the same time, there’s still room for improvement. It always comes down to cost.
“I do feel that the 60 sign is working but it’s still a blind spot. I certainly think it should happen the other end though towards the airport.
“We go past there as well and sometimes
some people just pull out of Raynes Rd. They don’t even stop and think about who’s coming. That should be a slow down area too.”
Design and installation of a speed zone costs about $200,000.
An intersection speed zone would take around six months to investigate and complete, depending on procurement, access to power and related intersection improvements.
Public consultation will run to October 3.
Chinese culture embraced
By Mary Anne Gill
The fourth and final China Youth Art Exhibition and New Zealand-China Cultural Connection Book Fair was held in the Cambridge Town Hall on Saturday.
Organiser Dandi Wang made the announcement of its last appearance before the event, resulting in a good turnout of people who mingled with the Chinese delegation.
A presentation was made by her to acknowledge Cambridge artist Carole Hughes who has been a supporter of the event from the beginning.
More than 2000 English-language books from China were on display, covering a wide range of subjects. Young artists from both New Zealand and China also shared their creative works, fostering cross-cultural appreciation.
Deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk welcomed the delegation and guests who the previous day had been in Auckland where they met with
Arts, Culture and Heritage minister Paul Goldsmith. Spied there were books from Waipā author Amy Harrop.
And in a ceremony in Cambridge the night before, Cambridge guests had the opportunity to learn how to make dumplings.
“So much laughter in the kitchen as we prepared the food for today – of course we did quite a bit of taste testing too,” she said.
“While it is bittersweet to be saying farewell, today is also an opportunity to celebrate everything this exhibition and book fair have given us.
“Over these past years, we have been privileged to see the incredible talent of China’s and Cambridge’s young artists that has fostered creativity and strengthening relationships that will continue long after.”
In the past four years, the China Book Trading Company has gifted books to the community. “These donations have enriched our schools, our libraries, and our homes,” said Stolwyk.
Intersection speed zones improve the safety at rural intersections along high-speed roads. Photo: NZTA
Get Gardening
Spring is nearly here and we are seeing signs of new season stock coming available. Start the clean up of garden beds, add compost to enrich soil and gypsum if you have clay soil. If you planted cover crops get them turned over so they can break down. It is important to spray stone fruit trees with a copper compound to control leaf curl. Timing is very important, so apply before bud burst. It doesn’t hurt to put in a new run of winter vegetables and keep picking your silverbeet and spinach to help promote growth. Get salad crops in the ground or in pots, to prepare for the BBQ season. Early potatoes can start going in the ground, when their shoots are 2-4cm long. Mound the soil as they grow, to protect from frosts. Happy gardening!
Getting on the council radar
By Mary Anne Gill
It took a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request from The News to obtain reports that, until recently, were regularly included in Waipā District Council agendas.
On the Radar is the council’s fortnightly hub for what the council says is essential information, updates and reminders about upcoming projects and programmes.
The publication, prepared by council’s communications and engagement team, replaced the information only reports in agendas which publications like The News relied on to source news stories.
We made the LGOIMA request in July and received issues 1-12 – covering the period up to our request –which originally went to all elected members and senior staff.
We have since asked the council for the three subsequent issues. All received editions have been published on our websites: cambridgenews.nz and teawamutunews.nz.
We asked the three mayoral candidates – Clare St Pierre, Mike Pettit and Susan O’Regan - to comment. Only St Pierre responded,
describing the content as “very light”. Both she and Pettit – chair and deputy chair of the Service Delivery committee – had requested the reinstatement of activity reports.
“Councillors were not given any specific details or undertaking as to what information would be included in ‘On the Radar’ and so agreed to adopt the process on trust,” she said.
St Pierre raised concerns about the timeliness of updates, citing the example of the former Bunnings building in Te Awamutu - purchased by the council for the Te Ara Wai Museum - which lost its tenant, something which would usually have been reported at a committee meeting.
The building has been losing thousands of dollars a year since the council bought it for $2.05 million in 2021.
“One can get the impression that elected members may not be getting all the information they should and staff have the discretion as to what is included and what isn’t.”
Elected members receive On the Radar by email, generally fortnightly, and can submit questions via a portal. However, St Pierre said it typically takes about two weeks to receive a response, which slows the
flow of information compared to asking questions during meetings. She is concerned this delay hampers her ability to perform her governance role effectively.
On the Radar was introduced in February, following a council resolution on January 29 to remove the “information only” reports and shift meeting days from Tuesdays to Wednesdays, based on staff recommendations.
The new meeting times were advertised in The News a week before the formal council resolution.
St Pierre said the change in meeting day was agreed to as a short-term trial, not as a permanent shift.
The review was due in June but feedback only began earlier this month.
“The cost of producing On the Radar is likely to be lower than staff preparing full written reports for council meetings,” said St Pierre.
“Nonetheless, the reduction in information flow and ease of access by the news media and the general public raises concerns about the overall effectiveness of the changes, especially as we are trying to improve transparency.”
Another request we made to the council this month has also been treated as a LGOIMA request. We asked the
communications team to provide us with a copy of the Infometrics report quoted in a media release about event funding which said a recent report found three Waipā events generated $1.6 million in economic activity.
The report analysed the economic impact of the 2025 National Waka Ama Sprint Championships, Maadi Regatta, and Cambridge Autumn Festival.
The council said the Infometrics report contained commercially sensitive information of third parties so it would withhold the report. Cambridge Autumn Festival also requested a copy of the report as they had not read it either.
The News complained to the Ombudsman who is now investigating the council’s decision.
Plant plan still in limbo
By Chris Gardner
An application for a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu remains suspended, nearly two weeks after the applicant promised to settle its unpaid costs.
The Environmental Protection Authority suspended Global Contracting Solutions application on August 13 because it had not paid the authority undisclosed costs, just weeks before the Hamilton company was due to hear an independent board of inquiry ruling whether the Racecourse Road plan could go ahead.
The hub for Te Awamutu Business
Project manager Adam Fletcher told The News two weeks ago that the company intended to settle its bill with the EPA.
The company is applying to build and operate the Paewira energy from waste plant at 401 Racecourse Road and has met widespread opposition from the community.
The company also owes Waipā District Council $40,665 and Waikato Regional Council a further $63,297.
The Waikato Regional Council bill covers staff processing the application through various phases of the statutory process between April 2023 and April
The Te Awamutu Business Chamber are champions of local business, providing a range of support to the Te Awamutu business community. BE SEEN | LEARN | CONNECT | BE HEARD | SUPPORT
2024, publicly notifying the application with Waipa District Council and the summarising submissions before the application was called in.
The company filed its objection to paying resource consent costs on November 29, the day after The News reported Waipā District Council was drafting a submission against the application.
Global Contracting Solutions objected to paying $52,854 of the almost $101,811 fee charged by Waipā.
Global Contracting Solutions managing director Craig Tuhoro declined to comment this week.
Clare St Pierre
Farm owners, workers fined
By Chris Gardner
A Taranaki farm owner of a Waipā farm and its contract milkers have been fined a total of $27,000 for failing to ensure 230 cattle had sufficient food. The charges dated back to 2022.
JKD Farms Ltd, whose director and sole shareholder is James Dodunski of Opunake in Taranaki, and contract milkers Manu Opangai Sevaki and Phyllis Ada Sevaki were sentenced in the Te Awamutu District Court on August 20 after pleading guilty to the charge brought by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
The Sevakis worked on the farm on Whatauri Road, Wharepapa South during the 2022-23 dairy
season as contract milkers. Manu did the physical work while Phyllis managed the administrative part of their work.
“JKD Farms Limited owned and was in charge of the 230 animals. It failed to ensure there was sufficient feed available to their animals,” said MPI regional manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance Brendon Mikkelsen.
“Manu and Phyllis Sevaki were responsible for the day-to-day wellbeing of these animals, and also failed to take care of them, with many underweight and emaciated.”
In July 2022 they contacted a veterinarian clinic eight times to see to their cattle.
Testing found some cattle were suffering from milk
fever and a plan was provided detailing how to manage the issue with magnesium supplements, which are widely used on dairy farms.
The veterinarian also recommended three cows be euthanised to end their suffering from milk fever. An assessment of all animals was carried out by MPI animal welfare inspectors, along with a veterinarian and a further 12 dead cattle were discovered. It was likely they died from milk fever and calving problems.
The Dairy NZ website says milk fever is a metabolic disorder in dairy cows caused by insufficient calcium.
“Both contract milkers were experienced farmers, and we would have expected
RMA fines rise
Businesses that “interact” with the environment should be more vigilant in the wake of a ballooning of fines for offences, Waikato Regional Council compliance manager Patrick Lynch says.
He said the “very significant law change” puts a major focus on those who breach environmental regulation.
The changes to Resource Management Act include increasing the maximum penalties for offending.
A breach of the Act which could have
resulted in a maximum fine of $600,000 against a company is now exposed to a fine of $10 million.
Individuals who were liable to fines of up to $300,00 could now be fined as much as $1 million.
Despite those increases, courts rarely issue fines which are within viewing distance of the ceiling.
Among the other changes to the Act, the maximum jail term for breaching the Act is cut from two years to 18 months.
them to have been aware of the issue with milk fever and deal with it. They did not take adequate measures to look after their animals despite having expert advice from a vet.
“Likewise, JKD Farms Limited should have had better systems in place to ensure it was aware of the growing animal welfare problems at the farm, so they could be promptly addressed,” Mikkelsen said. JKD Farms Limited was fined $13,000.
Employee Manu Sevaki was fined $8000 and Phyllis Sevaki, also known as Amy Te Moni, was fined $6000.
A guilty plea was entered for failing to take proper care of 230 cows – including this one - on a Wharepapa South farm. Photo: Ministry for Primary Industries.
A wedding theme that focuses on you you and your wedding
Planning Tackling Process the
Getting engaged is a joyful time as you share your exciting news with family and friends. But the biggest party of your life can be overwhelming as you ponder how to make it all happen. Use our checklist below for inspiration on how to get started.
• Work out a budget and plan according to how much you have to spend.
• Start a guest list.
• Choose your wedding party.
• Reserve a date and book venues –decide whether the ceremony and reception will be at one venue, or at separate locations.
• Choose and book a celebrant, photographer and videographer.
• Book entertainment, a florist, and a caterer – then decide on menus. Purchase your wedding dress, or organise a dressmaker.
• Shop for bridesmaids’ dresses and accessories.
• Book accommodation for out-oftown guests.
• Launch a wedding website, or Facebook page.
• Select or design wedding invitations.
• Choose and book a cake.
• Plan your ceremony – decide on readings, speakers and toasts.
• Reserve structural and electrical necessities, such as outdoor seating.
• Organise official documents like your marriage license. Be sure to check your passports are current if you’re going overseas.
• Arrange transportation for the wedding party and guests.
• Plan your honeymoon.
• Start a wedding register if required.
• Schedule your hair and make-up artist.
• Book the rehearsal dinner venues.
• Assign seating.
• Choose your music. Is it a live band, a DJ, or is the music planned for during the ceremony, dinner or the entertainment.
• Purchase the rings.
• Print your menu cards and place settings.
The planning process can be overwhelming, but breaking down the planning process into bite-sized pieces will make it feel much more achievable and fun.
Choosing a wedding theme is one of the most enjoyable parts of planning your big day. Kiwis are spoilt for choice with stunning natural settings, diverse cultural traditions, and a wide variety of venues. A wedding theme brings all the visual and emotional elements of your day together – from invitations and attire to décor and music – and helps create a cohesive, memorable experience for you and your guests. Here’s how to decide on the perfect theme for your wedding.
Think about your personalities, interests, and shared history. Are you both outdoorsy and adventurous? Do you enjoy modern city life or favour a more relaxed, rustic lifestyle? Your wedding should be a reflection of who you are. If you both love the beach, for instance, a coastal or boho seaside theme might be ideal. If you enjoy vintage fashion and music, a retro or 1920s-inspired theme could be a fun choice.
New Zealand's seasons are distinct and will influence your theme. A summer wedding might lend itself to bright colours, outdoor ceremonies, and relaxed picnic vibes, while a winter celebration could inspire a more elegant, moody, or even alpine lodge theme. The location also plays a huge role – a vineyard in Central Otago naturally suits a romantic, rustic vibe, while a city rooftop in Auckland might lean toward modern chic or industrial themes.
If the venue is one of the important considerations, let it guide your theme rather than forcing a style that doesn’t suit the space. A heritage homestead
might lend itself well to a classic or vintage wedding, while a barn or garden setting is perfect for rustic or boho aesthetics. If you’re marrying in a Maori marae or incorporating Pacific Island traditions, a cultural theme celebrating heritage and family is both meaningful and beautiful.
New Zealand weddings often incorporate cultural traditions, especially those rooted in Maori, Pasifika, or European heritage. These can form the basis of your theme – such as using native flora like Pohutukawa or koru motifs, weaving in kapa haka performances, or wearing traditional garments. You can also build a theme around a colour palette – think coastal blues and whites, earthy greens and browns, or soft pastels for a romantic garden setting.
While it’s easy to fall in love with lavish ideas on Pinterest, choose a theme you can realistically execute within your budget. Some themes require more decoration, rentals, or specialised services than others. DIY and second-hand elements can be a great way to bring a theme to life on a budget, especially in creative or vintage styles.
Most importantly, the best theme is one that feels natural and meaningful to you both. Avoid chasing trends unless they genuinely resonate. Your theme should enhance your wedding, not overshadow the joy of the occasion.
In our beautiful country, where nature, culture, and creativity all collide, the possibilities are endless. Choose a theme that celebrates your journey together –and enjoy bringing it to life.
SAY “I DO”
AT JETPARK HAMILTON
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Cause, effect and the goal
By Viv Posselt
A celebrated Samoan-born businessman who made history as New Zealand’s first Pasifika computer science graduate and the first to earn an MBA, spoke last week on the value to his life of ‘cause and effect’.
Auckland-based
Uluomato’otua (Ulu) Saulaulu
Aiono ONZM spoke at the Cambridge Men’s Rebus Club’s monthly meeting.
Already the recipient of a New Zealand Order of Merit, awarded in 2012 for services to business, he recently became one of two ‘visionary Pacific leaders’ in New Zealand who received honorary doctorates. He was recognised by the University of Otago with an honorary doctorate of commerce, while his co-recipient, Dame Winnie Laban DNZM, was recognised with an honorary doctorate from the Victoria University of Wellington.
The latest is among a raft of awards Ulu, as he prefers to be called, has received. They include the Pacific Business Trust Enterprise
Award in 2015, his induction in 2022 into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame alongside Graeme Hart, and his presentation in 2023 of Auckland Grammar School’s ‘Augusta Award’, presented to former students at the top of their respective industries or specialities.
When he spoke at Otago University at the time his honorary doctorate was awarded, he credited the institution for changing his future. It was from Otago University that he graduated in 1981, becoming the first Pasifika computer science graduate in New Zealand. In 1986 he became the country’s first Pasifika person in New Zealand to earn an MBA.
The successful technology entrepreneur, businessman, civic leader and philanthropist said while his initial Otago degree kick-started his career, it was lessons learned through a book he read in 1994 that facilitated its expansion.
That book was Eliyahu M. Goldratt’s ‘The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement’ … Ulu
described its message of ‘cause and effect’ as lifechanging. By then, he had already founded the enterprise resource planning software company, Cogita, a company he and his Scotsborn wife Margaret Brown went on to sell in 2012 to Silicon Valley’s Epicor. By the time they sold Cogita, it was the top reseller of Epicor software in the world.
Ulu purchased two cartons of The Goal, distributed it to his office staff in Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington with the message they would all meet within a week to discuss how to apply that ‘cause and effect’ message in their business.
“If people understood how to more efficiently cause the effect that they are seeking… in their business, their relationships… they would find the shortest path to getting there,” he said. “Identify the effect you are seeking, then track back to find the most efficient way to get there.”
Ulu said that both The Bible – he came from a Christian family in Apia and
is now part of the Salvation Army Otahuhu Corps – and The Goal have guided his life. His family migrated to New Zealand in 1960. Life was tough and Ulu and his brother collected bottles to earn money.
Since then, he has amassed an impressive legacy in business and civic affairs, invests in companies and supports worthy initiatives.
He invested in Zuru, the multi-million-dollar firm founded by the Mowbray siblings in their Cambridge garage and has invested in a Kiwi biotech startup developing a non-invasive blood glucose measurement that could be lifechanging for diabetics.
Ulu has also been involved in various primary health organisations, the Pacific Business Trust, and for a time was a director with Habitat for Humanity. Since 2017 he has been involved with the RiseUp Trust, an organisation driving achievement while recognising one’s roots, and in 2023 he started The Cause Collective, aimed at equipping Pacific youth to enter the workforce or further training.
Ulu amused his Cambridge all-male audience with anecdotes.
Photo: Viv Posselt
A family that stays on track
By Jesse Wood
Cambridge’s Chris and Sharon Greenough have found the secret to spending time with their three teenagers – the whole family are immersed in the BMX scene.
“I really can’t overemphasise the family aspect of BMX. There aren’t many situations where 15-year-old and 16-year-old kids are happy to spend a weekend sitting under a gazebo with their parents,” Chris said.
“The sport is great. We love to see the kids complete. We love to see them getting rewards for the hard work they put in. But for us, it’s just a fantastic time for family to get together.”
St Peter’s pupil Lily, 17, and University of Waikato students Jack, 20, and Bennett, 22, are all prominent New Zealand riders.
The Cambridge BMX Club trio recently competed at the BMX World Championships in Copenhagen.
Lily won the junior women’s class, Jack was in the men’s under-23 final and Bennett raced in the men’s elite class for the first time.
“Cambridge has a strong club. It’s relatively small but has had a strong group of riders of all ages,” Sharon said.
“It’s one of the top clubs in New Zealand, many riders holding national titles and a good group of riders competing at the highest level.
Both parents also travelled to Denmark in administrative capacities.
Sharon is team manager for the New Zealand BMX age-group racing, the elite team, and the UCI world cup series crew.
Chris is the chairperson of BMX New Zealand and was the chief executive until last week.
He also looks after the team’s portfoliowhenever New Zealanders are representing the country anywhere in the world.
“We’ve been pretty involved in the BMX community for a long time now. All the way through from when the kids were little. We’re at the elite end now, it’s been an exciting journey,” Sharon said.
“It started when we moved back to Cambridge from Slovakia about 15 years ago and the kids were all young – six, four and nearly two.
“It was a great outlet for these energetic
young kids to ride their bikes. We went down to the Cambridge BMX Club to see what it was all about and the boys absolutely loved it.
“We couldn’t get them off the track. They rode round and round and round.”
After progressing through many years at club level racing around the Waikato, the family moved onto the national and international stage together.
“BMX has been the catalyst for some amazing family trips to racing events with friends and experiences that we’ve really valued as a family. We’ve made lifelong friends,” Sharon said.
“The secret to the kids’ success is having fun. They have always loved being on their
bikes and have enjoyed the challenge.
“We’re very proud of all of them. They have stuck at it and they’re incredibly determined. They work hard, show up every day and have given everything 100 per cent.”
Chris said it really helps being in the hometown of Cycling New Zealand.
“Access to the gyms, strength and conditioning folks, the life coaches, all that is reasonably plentiful in Cambridge because there’s so much high-performance sport based in Cambridge,” Chris said.
“The more top-level riders you have, the more top-level riders you’ll have because they train with each other, they race each other and get faster because of each other.”
There’s something in the sport for everyone. Whether it’s community or competition or learning life skills.
“BMX provides the foundation bike skills for many sports and helps children develop various attributes which are applicable to all aspects of life. Lots of resilience, lots of determination and learning to get along with others,” Sharon said.
“There’s successes and failures. Learning to deal with that is essential for life.”
Both parents echo that BMX helps people to develop as not just a rider but as a person.
“Growing up with all the different age groups. Everyone just helps everybody,” Chris said.
“It’s not just about riding your bike and winning all the time. It’s about learning more about yourself. It’s about getting better every day and being the best that you can be.”
Cambridge BMX family Lily, Jack, Bennett, Sharon and Chris Greenough.
Photo: Navada Photography
Trio take on world’s best
By Jesse Wood
Te Awamutu BMX Club trio Tate Burdon, Paul Luttrell and Brooke Penny represented New Zealand at the BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.
About 3500 riders competed across the July challenge, masters and championship divisions.
It was 11-year-old Burdon’s second world championships after competing in Rockhill, United States, last year.
The Year 7 Korakonui School student placed 16th overall out of 139 riders in the 11-year-old boys 20-inch class, making the semifinals.
This was about a week after finishing fourth in round nine and third in round 10 of the European Cup in Angelholm, Sweden.
“It was massive, it really stretched him as a rider to set up for worlds. He adopted a more assertive riding style. The Europeans will push you around without a second thought as Tate found out in the European Cup,” mum Anne Burdon said.
The 2025-26 season will be another big year for Tate as he prepares for the world champs in Brisbane in July.
The Mighty 11 trials for the New Zealand stage are on September 28 before the North Island Titles on Labour Weekend in Auckland.
Tate will also have a few trips to Australia in 2026 including the Oceania Champs in February, followed by the Te Awamutu-hosted BMX Nationals in March.
Luttrell was no stranger to Copenhagen, having raced there at the 2011 world championships.
“We also lived in Copenhagen from 2017-2022, so it will be a homecoming of sorts. This will be my 11th and final world champs,” Luttrell said before the event.
He rode in the 50 plus cruiser male category, competing against 99 other riders.
“After riding well and comfortably making the top 16, a small mistake in the semifinal saw my chances of making the final dashed,” Luttrell said.
“With the races lasting less than 40 seconds, split second reactions and decisions make all the difference.
Luttrell said the facilities at Te Awamutu BMX club were a fantastic advantage for their preparations and the club’s support was highly appreciated.
In the under-23 women’s class, Penny was pipped by just 0.06s in the quarterfinals.
She also fractured her scaphoid in a race at the start
of the trip,” Penny said.
“I did manage to get back on my bike and race at the world champs, however I wasn’t back to 100 per cent.”
Te Awamutu BMX Club president Rodney Prescott said the results proved Te Awamutu can foot it with the world’s best.
JOIN A CLUB
Youngsters show the way
Young indoor bowlers from throughout the country are gearing up for some major events.
In preparation for the upcoming events, players have been engaging in regular practice sessions and participating in open competitions.
Today (Thursday) Cruze and Calais Hardwidge will represent Te Awamutu College in the NZ Secondary Schools Championship pairs at the Waikato Indoor Bowls Centre Hall in Hamilton.
On Friday, they will be playing in the singles competition.
On Saturday, Cruze will represent King Country Indoor Bowls Centre in the New Zealand Junior Championship finals, also being played in Hamilton. He will be joined by Nate Harris, who was runner-up in the King Country Junior singles event.
Next Tuesday, 10 pupils from Te Awamutu Intermediate will commence their singles qualifying competition at the
Aims games in Tauranga, followed by the pairs qualifying event on Thursday.
Success on either of these days will see players enter a suddendeath playoff on Wednesday and Friday.
Cruze Hardwidge finished runner-up in the King Country Champion of Champions singles played at Pokuru last Wednesday. He was representing the Te Awamutu Junior Indoor Bowls Club. The title went to Bruce Grace.
Players from the Pokuru, Te Awamutu, Waipā and Te Awamutu Junior Club entered the King Country Championship Triples event held at the Waipā Club on Sunday.
Kelly Armstrong (Junior Club) playing at lead for skip Paul Walker (Pokuru) and Betty Herbert (Te Awamutu) won a nine-end playoff 8-7 against Pat Waghorn (Waipā), Andrew Gordon and Russell Vincent, who play at both Pokuru and Te Awamutu.
Kevin Marshall (Waipā), Nellie Harris (Te Awamutu) and John Hansen (Pokuru) also qualified.
Two junior club members. Taiwhenua Reuben and Cody Casey, playing with Paul Walker and Rod Ward respectively, qualified in the King Country Championship pairs last Saturday but were eliminated in the first round of post-section play.
The event was won by Gordon Lang and Lyn Martin of the Otorohanga Club. Arthur Pitcher and David Moore of the Waipā Club were runners-up.
Youngster Cruze Hardwidge pictured with Bruce Grace, who beat him in the final of the King Country champion of champion singles at Pokuru.
Paull Luttrell was no stranger to Copenhagen, having previously lived there.
Photo: Tony Nelson
Eti does the heavy lifting
By Jesse Wood
To say hard work led 19-year-old heavy machinery operator Dylan Eti to his Waikato provincial rugby début would be an understatement.
Dylan lives in Hamilton and works for Cambridge-based C & R Developments at the Graymont Oparure Quarry near Te Kūiti.
The Ōtorohanga-raised Hautapu lock started in the number five jersey at FMG Stadium on August 17, and played 80 minutes in the 27-26 win over Counties Manukau.
His family and friends were there to witness him don the red, yellow and black kit.
And last Saturday he was among the try scorers as Waikato – for the third time in 13 years – lifted the Ranfurly Shield from neighbours Taranaki.
Becoming the 1268th Mooloo man meant more than words could express to the youngster.
He spoke to Good Local Media after his debut game.
“It meant a lot to see a bit of reward for all the hard work over the past few years. It was so good to get out and make my family proud,” Eti said. “The skill set was much higher than club rugby, at a rapid pace and the physicality was also a massive lift.”
Eti moved to St Peter’s in Cambridge for his final two years of secondary schooling after attending Ōtorohanga College.
While boarding in Cambridge, dad Kiso “Tee” Eti would take annual leave to pick
him up for NPC training in Hamilton, then back to school before returning to Ōtorohanga.
After graduating, it made sense for him to continue playing club rugby with his friends in Cambridge.
Playing alongside clubmates – Hamilton Burr, Rui Farrant, Mitch Jacobson and Andrew Smith – helped the transition to NPC rugby.
“Those boys were very helpful in the lead up, it made it a lot easier to get stuck into it and back myself,” Dylan said.
Serious cereals with Jan Bilton
Is there a difference between grains and cereals? According to The Oxford Companion of Food written by food historian Alan Davidson ‘cereals are plants of the grass family whose seeds are used as food grains.’
In their natural state, cereal grains are whole grains. However, cereal also refers to commercial breakfast cereals consisting of refined grains. Hence, in this sense, there is a difference between grains and cereals. Rolled oats porridge — one of the most common and popular breakfast cereals — is highly nutritious with protein, thiamine, iron and soluble fibre available for nutritional wellbeing.
Credit is given to the American Quaker Oat Company which in 1877 steamed and rolled roughly cut oats allowing the morning munch to be cooked in a much shorter time. Although rolled oats are free from wheat, they do contain the protein ‘avenin’ which can adversely affect people with coeliac disease.
Cornflakes are formed from small, toasted flakes of corn, originally invented as a breakfast food to counter indigestion and are now one of the most popular cereals in the world. Rice bubbles are prepared from rice which is puffed to create its shape. This cereal often has sugar, vitamins and minerals added which means some of the ‘snap, crackle and pops’ are not entirely gluten free.
CRACKLES
225g butter, melted and cooled completely
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 3/4 cups plain flour
2 cups rice bubbles
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place the butter in a large bowl. Add the sugar, egg, baking soda, salt, flour and rice bubbles and combine well. Using a dessertspoon, place even dollops on the trays, allowing for a little spreading.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove and cool on the tray for 10 minutes then lift the cookies to a
Another familiar face was fellow Ōtorohanga product Taipari Quinn.
“It was really cool because we’re both from humble beginnings and have known each other from a very young age.”
Hautapu head coach Jackson Willison, also from Ōtorohanga, was “stoked” to see Eti’s progression.
Willison coached him at New Zealand Māori under-18, Waikato under-18, Chiefs under-20 and Hautapu.
He said Eti was probably their best player in the club rugby final against Hamilton
wire rack.
When cold, store in an airtight container. Makes about 30.
CORNFLAKE CARAMEL SLICE
Base: 250g packet malt biscuits, crushed
4 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup each: icing sugar, cocoa
50g melted butter
200g vegetable shortening (Kremelta)
Filling: 395g can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon golden syrup
50g butter
In a large bowl, combine the crushed biscuits, cornflakes, icing sugar and cocoa. Melt the butter and vegetable shortening together then add to the biscuit mixture.
Press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 20cm x 30cm slice pan. Refrigerate, until firm.
To make the filling, place the condensed milk, golden syrup and butter in a large heat-proof jug and microwave on medium-high for 3 minutes. Remove and stir, then microwave on medium power for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. The mixture should be thick and golden. Cool. Pour the caramel over the base. Top with the remaining crumb mix and return to the refrigerator. Cut into slices to
Marist last month.
“He’s got a massive future in rugby,” Willison said. “It’s a big testament to his family. The support I see them give him has been unbelievable. They’re at every game of club rugby that he’s playing.”
Mum Janna Gray said it’s heartwarming to know the hard work is paying off.
“It hasn’t been an easy ride. So much goes on behind the scenes. He holds down a full-time job, trains and also goes to the gym at 4am so he can get to work at 7am,” Janna said.
“In his first year out of school. Dylan was leaving home at 3am to drive to FMG Stadium to go to the gym, driving to the quarry for work, then driving to Cambridge for training before coming home.
“I’d be asleep when he left and I’d be asleep when he came home. He did that for six months before he moved to Hamilton.
“His dedication to his work is pretty special, like his rugby career, he really puts in the hard yards. He’s had that support to be able to do both too. His boss lets him and he doesn’t take that for granted.”
Dylan’s parents can see the connection he has with Waikato head coach and former All Blacks lock Ross “Flossy” Filipo.
“We love that Flossy has taken him under his wing. He’s got a lot of time for him,” Janna said.
Before his Waikato debut, Janna texted Dylan saying simply “enjoy your game son”.
“We’re so stoked for him. It was so humbling to see him go out there, go well and play his own game.”
serve. Makes about 16 pieces.
NUTTY ROLLED OAT COOKIES
Chopped walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts could replace the peanuts.
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup each: flour, rolled oats
1/2 cup each: lightly toasted peanuts, desiccated coconut
100g butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons boiling water
Preheat a fan oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Combine the sugar, flour, rolled oats, coarsely chopped peanuts and coconut in a large bowl. Melt the butter and honey on low heat. Dissolve the soda in boiling water and add to the butter mixture. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in the liquid. Take teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Place on the prepared trays. Flatten with a fork. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the trays with a spatula and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 40.
Dylan Eti, surrounded by friends and family after his Waikato NPC début.
Cornflake caramel slice
Crackles
Rallying to fund cancer help
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By Viv Posselt
Sleek lines and smooth curves dominated vehicle shapes at Sunday’s vintage car Daffodil Rally for Cancer event.
It was the New Zealand Vintage Car Club’s national day and hundreds of vehicles around the country joined the rally to raise money for their respective Cancer Societies.
The Waikato branch of the Vintage Car Club ran its event. It attracted owners from
all around the region, including Matamata, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Ngāruawāhia, Te Awamutu, Hamilton and Cambridge, who ended up at Cambridge’s VCC clubrooms in Maclean St. A number of vehicles owned by non-club members were also there for the enjoyment of enthusiasts.
Last year’s event raised $80,000 nationwide for the New Zealand Cancer Society and the Waikato branch raised around $6000.
Cambridge’s John Mead with his well-decorated 1938 Series 11 Morris 8 was there to support the event.
Some of the behind-the-scenes sloggers, from left, committee member Bryan Cossey, club treasurer Gillian Hayton, and club captain/event organiser Chris Hawkings. Photos: Viv Posselt
Te Awamutu’s Brodie and Lindie Howe were at the event for the first time. Brodie has taken almost two years bringing their 1968 SS Camaro back to sleek perfection.
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Advertising booking deadlines for Cambridge News, Te Awamutu News and King Country News is one week prior to publication day. Copy deadline for ad-make up is 5pm Friday prior to publication day. Advertiser is responsible to advise us of any copy changes before proofing deadline – anything not signed off by this time, ad prints as per the last proof sent. Advertising supplied in completed form (finished artwork or camera ready), deadline is Tuesday midday prior to publication day. Public holiday weeks, all deadlines move forward one working day. Cancellation deadline is one week prior to publication. If cancellations are received after the cancellation deadline, then full charge applies. All other publications and products see separate booking and deadline sheet. Advertising setting is free for up to two proofs, further changes will incur a production fee. Advertising copy set by Good Local Media Ltd is the property of Good Local Media Ltd and for use in Good Local Media Ltd publications only. If used elsewhere charges will apply, pricing available on request. If supplied ready to print, copy is owned by the advertiser. Publication day is Thursday for urban
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PIRONGIA MARKET
Pirongia Community Centre, Crozier St Sunday, August 31, 9am - 1pm
Last Sunday of every month
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NGĀHINEPŌURI GOLF CLUB
NOTICE
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
MONTOYA, Sheryn (née White) – Passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, 6th August 2025, in her 66th year. At Sheryn’s request, a private cremation has taken place. Messages to the Montoya Family, c/- 262 Ohaupo Road, Te Awamutu 3800.
SPENCE, Murray Alick 12.09.1943 - 27.08.2024
In loving memory of Murray. It’s been a year since you left us. Dearly loved father of Alison. Cherished Grandfather "Murray" of Cheyanne and Blake. We miss you in so many ways. We miss the things you used to say. And when old times we do recall. It’s then we miss you most of all.
DIXON, David John –Passed away on 24th August 2025, aged 49 years. Loving son of Fran & the late John, step-son of Murray Logan. Brother of Lonée & uncle of Keelan & Rylee. Special dog dad to Diesel. We love you Dave. A service for Dave will be held at The Te Awamutu Bible Chapel, Chapel Drive on Monday, 1st September at 1:00 pm followed by private cremation. The service will be live streamed please email office@ teawamutufunerals.co.nz for the link. All communications to the Dixon family, PO Box 137, Te Awamutu 3840.
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Notice of Special General Meeting of the Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club incorporated. The Special General Meeting of the Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club, will be held on: Saturday 6 September 2025 at 9:00 a.m.
The venue will be the Clubrooms at 24 Reid Road, Ngāhinepōuri. A Special General Meeting has been requested by the Committee for the purpose of passing the following resolution: That the Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club Draft Constitution be accepted as the new Constitution of the Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club. All full playing members of the Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club are entitled to vote as per the current constitution.
Sanjay Weerasinghe Secretary Ngāhinepōuri Golf Club E pourigolf@xtra.co.nz W www.countrygolf.co.nz
