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Town ‘not heard’
By Jesse Wood
The common themes at meet the electoral candidates’ sessions in Kihikihi last week were rates, debt and transparency.
And one candidate cited major cycleway additions in the town as an example of a community ‘not being heard”.
Candidates for Waipā mayor, council, Māori ward and the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi community board spoke alongside those vying for Waikato Regional Council WaipāKing Country constituency seats.
The meeting was chaired by Geoff Boxell and organised by the Kihikihi Residents and Ratepayers group. Candidates had five minutes to share their platform.
Ahead of the meeting, residents were encouraged to submit concerns about local issues.
Prominent topics included State Highway 3 roading - particularly extending the 50kph zonescycleways and the future of the historic Stockade Reserve.
A recurring sentiment was a perceived disconnect between the community and council.
Council candidate Shane Walsh addressed that directly.
“Kihikihi is a great example of not being heard, because you have the cycleways and the changes to the streets. It was consulted, there were 149 submissions and 70 per cent of Kihikihi people said, no, we don’t want that. But it was done regardless,” Walsh said.
He talked of a recent online poll where 90 per cent of the 400 respondents said they were unhappy. “If you consult with something and people are saying no
and you do it anyway – to me that’s a disconnect between understanding the needs of the community versus doing what you think they should have,” he said.
Māori ward candidate DaleMaree Morgan said she was ready to make magic and hoped everyone stood with her in the referendum to determine the future of the ward.
“A lot of people are having a go at the council about debt ceilings and things like that. I’m not sure if
anybody really realises how much central government take in taxed levies, 93 per cent of taxed levies are taken by central government. Let that sink in,” Morgan said.
“I know that we have iwi out there that are keen to make magic and we are keen to have great partnerships so we can bring rates down. But people don’t want us to be at the table to help bring that magic.
“It’s about us – when we talk about communities, they are us.
The outlook for Thursday...
Not just me, us. But if you take this voice out, you’re taking a whole community out and that is going to be tragic when we have a low turnout already in local government voting.”
The three mayoral candidates
- Susan O’Regan, Mike Pettit and Clare St Pierre - spoke at the end.
A few remarks from incumbent O’Regan likely stuck in the minds of attendees.
“Growth pays for growth,
we’ve used that motto for decades, but we’ve missed a word off it: eventually.”
She also acknowledged candidates’ courage in standing.
“I want to a share my appreciation with all the other candidates. It’s not easy putting your hand up for public service. They’re either very brave or very foolish, but this wouldn’t be a contest of ideas without people putting their hands up, so thank you.”
Dave Dobbyn might say your guess is good as mine, but these Waipā youngsters are hitting all the right notes. Maraeroa Te Kanawa, Zita Harpur, Ronan Hinchliffe, Frances Bowmar and Ryan Tonks make up Te Awamutu Intermediate School band Thursday’s Cancelled – and they have just completed a double. Thursday’s Cancelled stared at last week’s Rockshop Bandquest for the Waikato region – having already won the Band Slam regional competition last month. See story, Page 15.
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Letters…
Alcohol laws
I am writing in response to Senior Constable Deb Hann’s On the Beat (The News August 28) and in light of the government’s decision to loosen alcohol laws.
Deb Hann couldn’t be more clear when she points out that police are the ones who see the heartbreak that follows alcohol fuelled crashes. “We all have a role to play in keeping our roads safe,” says Deb. I agree, and I’d go further to say we all have a role to play in minimizing alcohol harm.
The government’s decision to loosen alcohol laws is a shameful betrayal of New Zealanders. As someone who gave an oral submission on alcohol harm, sharing the devastation it has caused in my own family, I am appalled to see once again that the alcohol lobby’s voice has been valued above the voices of ordinary people.
Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee says “most people who drink do not have a problem with it’”. That is misleading. The reality is clear: one in six adults drink hazardously, 17.5 per cent binge drink monthly, and 72 per cent of the harm comes not from “alcoholics,” but from so-called normal drinking. Alcohol causes 900 deaths, 1,250 cancers, 30,000 hospitalisations, and costs New Zealand $9.1 billion every year. Yes, I welcome one announced change
— banning delivery to intoxicated people — because it was something I personally asked for. But in the face of this enormous harm, it is nothing more than a token gesture. Alcohol is our most harmful drug. By loosening the law, this government has chosen industry profits over people’s lives. That is not leadership. It is cowardice.
Louise Allen Cambridge
Rates and more rates
A few years ago we were told we would have to pay separate rates for water usage and the less we used would mean we would pay less rates. What a joke. We are a couple of pensioners who use far less water than most families but still have to pay approximately $350 a year on top of our rates. We have had to cut back as have many other people especially young families - I don’t know how they manage. A 15 per cent increase in rates is pinching money from ratepayers. I and lots of other people, I am sure, are going to make sure anyone who wants to be on council had better do better than the existing ones. The ones on council at the moment must think we can print money just like they can. My rant over. (Abridged)
Brian Pitchford.
Te Awamutu
On the beat with Senior Constable DEB HANN
Lost... and found
Receiving lost and found property is one task undertaken by our Station Support Officers, at the Cambridge and Te Awamutu public counter.
Over the years we have had a wide variety of items handed in, from bicycles to jewellery, mobile phones, wallets or keys and once, even a live turtle!
Did you know that if you find an item that someone has likely lost, it is illegal to just keep it and make it your own without making every reasonable attempt to return it to its rightful owner? It can be helpful to initially post on local community Facebook pages with information of the find and this sometimes ensures a speedy return. At the same time however, this then places the onus on you to ensure that the person claiming it, is actually the true owner. When an item is handed into police, we are able to compare the description, serial numbers and other relevant information to any reports of lost (or stolen) property already received or that come in soon after. Sometimes stolen property is abandoned by thieves if they deem it of low resale value.
Where it is an item with a name on it, we can also check our systems and often find
Thanks, Michael
Long serving Ngaroma district JP Michael Williams, pictured, was presented a 30 Year certificate at the Te Awamutu Justice of the Peace luncheon on Sunday.
It acknowledged his community work in a large farming district while he served as the Te Awamutu JP Branch chair for two years while juggling his work as a farmer.
Current branch chair Janet Livingston presented the framed certificate, thanking him for his efforts in Ngaroma on behalf of those present.
On the web
Viewers to our teawamutunews.nz website are creatures of habit – they go straight to our home page to find out the latest online news, according to statistics from last month. Visits to the site - where stories are not behind pay walls - were up 10 per cent on the previous month and 35 per cent on the same month last year.
contact information to be able to get in touch with them directly.
If you are unable to get to the station or bring the item in to us, make a report to 105, either online or via phone.
When you hand something in you will be asked whether you consent to your details being released to the owner (for appreciation) and if subsequently unclaimed, whether you wish to have the found item returned to you. Where appropriate, items that are unclaimed after three months are sent to auction. In the past week, Cambridge SSO Lisa has had a ring and an Apple iPad handed in. If you lose something, do make sure you check in with us, we may just have received it.
In other news, Cambridge has had more attempted and actual car thefts this past week. Don’t forget that CCTV and forensic evidence are key to catching those responsible. If you find your car has been broken in to, do not touch anything with your bare hands. Be sure to report any interference or theft of cars and let us know if you have anything suspicious captured on CCTV.
After the home page News in Brief –which featured more stories about the LGNZ conference in Christchurch – came in second followed by the earlier story about council costs to the awards dinner at the conference.
Honouring our Op Shop saints was fourth and the story about why 22-year-old Jayden Corbett joined Federated Farmers rounded out the top five.
Candidates meeting
Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce – which represents 130 businesseswill host a forum next week featuring the three candidates for the mayoralty in Waipā –Susan O’Regan, Mike Pettit and Clare St Pierre, who are also speaking in Cambridge tonight.
Taking aims
Schools in the The News circulation competing at this week’s Aims Games in Tauranga include Ōhaupō, Ōtorohanga South, Piopio College, Rukuhia, St Patrick’s Catholic, St Peter’s School and Te Awamutu Intermediate, Hautapu, Cambridge Middle, Kaipaki, Korakonui and Maihiihi, Business News out
The September issue of Waikato Business News is out this week and features nine candidates standing for mayor in Waipā, Hamilton and Waikato. It also features an interview with former All Black Sam Cane and a Cambridge veterinarian turned theatrical costume and set designer. Sister publication Bay of Plenty Business News looks at the decision to scrap NCEA. More online and free at goodlocal.nz
Rep rugby returns
The Waikato women’s rugby team will play its Farah Palmer Cup match against Manawatu at Cambridge Memorial Park next week instead of the usual Waikato Stadium venue making the match accessible to the Waipā community for a gold coin donation.
New lake plan
Lake Ngā Roto retains its name in a new plan approved by Waipā district councillors for restoring it. Wairoto was identified by Apakura Rūnanga Trust as its traditional name in the plan but it has not been agreed with Te Rūnanganuio-Ngāti Hikairo.
I Am Me movement grows
By Viv Posselt
The ‘I Am Me’ structured programme created in Cambridge to support women who are victimsurvivors of family violence was introduced at a community forum in Te Awamutu last week.
The programme pilot launched in Cambridge late last year, with the first group of 15 women going through an initial eight-week course in early 2025, followed by an informal self-directed second phase.
‘I Am Me’ founder and developer, Violence Free Waipā’s Anne Morrison, said the time was right to take it further afield.
“We are bringing it to the Te Awamutu community, essentially Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kihikihi,” she said. “We found a few things we wanted to tweak as we’ve gone through the course in Cambridge and now we want women
here to get the benefits, to reclaim their mana and start rebuilding their future.”
She told those at the launch that reported cases of family violence in Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kihikihi were roughly double that listed for Cambridge, despite Cambridge being significantly larger in terms of population. Figures in 2023 listed 677 reported cases in the Te Awamutu area, compared to 368 in Cambridge, and for 2024 listed 745 in the Te Awamutu area, compared to 417 in Cambridge.
Figures for 2025 list 364 reported cases in Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kihikihi to date.
“Family harm reports to police for Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kihikihi communities combined continue to hover at high rates … with close to two reports on average each day,” Morrison said. “It’s
important to understand that these are reported cases only. The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey released in 2024 suggests that only 24 per cent of interpersonal violence is actually reported to police.
She said New Zealand’s rates of domestic and family violence was among the highest in the OECD, and Māori women in particular were at risk, more likely to be killed by a partner and less likely to seek help.
The programme was developed from the bottom up, built with the support of Cambridge women with lived experience and input from Debbs Murray, founder of the national Eclipse Family Violence Services.
“I looked at other models elsewhere in the country, but they seemed to have been developed along more academic lines,” Morrison said. “That is why we went on to develop our own programme.”
The initial structured phase covers numerous topics over eight weeks, including protection and police safety orders, parenting orders, digital safety, legal aid and navigating the Family Court system, accessing help and building skills, counselling, budgeting, mental health and wellbeing, spiritual and cultural support, and workplace preparation. Thereafter, participants go through a second phase of primarily self-directed support.
The women who went through the Cambridge course all completed it. They said it made them feel inspired, less alone, less judged and more empowered to move forward.
Morrison shared the programme’s aims with those at the community forum and invited Te Awamutu groups and individuals to become involved where they could.
“This is our chance as a community to get behind our women and see opportunities for how we can support them as they move through their healing journey and help break generational cycles of family violence.”
Following this initial meeting, she hopes to get the Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kihikihi ‘I Am Me’ programme off the ground at the Waipā Women’s Hub in Te Awamutu later this year, ready for an early 2026 start.
Julian’s jag is a real joy...
Two Hamilton artists took top honours at the IHC Art Awards, celebrating creativity and talent in New Zealand’s disability community, and work done in Te Awamutu was a people’s choice.
Renee Derix, from Grey Street Studio, won the overall award with her mixed media piece Underwater, which earned a $5000 prize.
Renee has been creating work at the studio for nearly a decade, and when Underwater sold on opening night it was an emotional moment for the artist and her supporters.
Julian Godfery claimed the People’s Choice Award for the second time, this year with his pen-and-ink piece The Jaguar. The artwork captured hearts across the country, receiving 3085 of the 9480 public votes cast for the 30 finalists.
Julian creates his detailed works at home, at the Enrich Plus day base in Te Awamutu, and in his mother’s Raglan studio.
Second place and a $3000 prize went to Amy Lewis for Angel for the People, a felted wool angel in a frame.
Amy Hall took third place and $2000 for Harriet: My Cat, a hand-sculpted ceramic vase which is a tribute to her beloved pet.
Funeral
Goss
Teri Keir
‘I Am Me’ founder Anne Morrison speaking in Te Awamutu last week.
The People’s Choice winner, Jaguar by Julian Godfery.
John Bertrand Collectables
Are Buying in Te Awamutu and Waikato Next Week
Once again, the gold and collectables buyers from Wellington company John Bertrand Collectables are visiting Te Awamutu and Waikato next week. Mr Tony Grant from the company says, “If you are downsizing or wanting to dispose of things because they no longer serve any purpose to you or your family bring them in”. “Next week will be a great opportunity to have any items you want to sell assessed by our buyers” said Mr Grant. Particularly wanted are Gold and Silver (in any of its forms) and Collectables such as Coins, Banknotes, War Medals, Old Wind-up Watches and other interesting Small Collectables.
“We are keen buyers, especially of the items in the list below” said Mr Grant.
“Nothing is too small for our consideration. We are just as happy buying 1 item as we are buying 1,000 items” he said. The buyers will be in Te Awamutu and Waikato next week. (see details below). As Tony Grant points out “If you are in doubt about any items you may wish to sell, bring them along for an instant appraisal.”
Gold & Silver At Near Record Prices
During these uncertain times
we have seen a sharp increase in the price of precious metals. The gold price in New Zealand is at near record levels so gather up all your unwanted items and take them along to the buyers. Tony Grant says “We can buy old gold items in all forms, including Jewellery (Rings, Chains, Brooches etc), Coins (Sovereigns and the like), Alluvial (River Gold), virtually anything, even Gold Teeth! We also need all Sterling Silver including Cups, Tea Services, Cutlery and Old Coins” he said.
Interesting Small Collectables Wanted
The buyers from John Bertrand (Collectables) Ltd, visiting Te Awamutu and Waikato next week, are happy to look at any interesting items, for example vintage pocket and wristwatches such as Rolex, Men’s Omega, Breitling and gold watches etc. Also wanted, pre 1950’s picture postcards, Maori and Pacific artefacts, old fountain pens and other small antique or historical items.
“If you have something unusual which you would like to sell, please bring it into one of our venues, we would like the chance to at least have a look at it” said Tony Grant, buyer for the Company. “We will consider anything which may be of interest to a collector” he said.
Some Big Dollars in Early Banknotes
Early New Zealand Banknotes dated before 1932 are currently fetching big money! This is according to Mr Tony Grant, author of the John Bertrand New Zealand Coin & Banknote Catalogue. Mr Grant is in Te Awamutu and Waikato next week on a buying trip for John Bertrand (Collectables) Ltd and would be very keen to see any of these issues. “We will pay at least $300 for any undamaged |Ten Shilling or One Pound banknote from a
New Zealand trading bank dated 1932 or before.
Denominations of five pounds and higher would be worth from $700. “Any banknote dated prior to 1900 would be worth at least $1000” said Mr Grant.
Also purchased are any Reserve Bank of New Zealand pre-decimal issues, especially 50 Pound notes. All overseas banknotes are also wanted, especially early Pacific Island issues.
Collectors Need War Medals
Currently, throughout NZ and the world there is a big demand by collectors for war medals. These cover all wars right through from the New Zealand Land Wars and the Boer War, to the First and Second World Wars and the later Korea and Vietnam conflicts. New Zealand Servicemen and Women first served overseas in the Boer War in South Africa around 1900 and the war medals awarded for this service are needed by the buyers, as are any other Medals from early New Zealand and the New Zealand Wars. General service medals from both the First and Second World Wars will also be purchased, but as can be imagined these were awarded in fairly large numbers. “If a group of medals has any special award for
Old Coins Can Toss Up a Rarity
Do you have a bunch of old coins sitting around in your drawers and cupboards? You just never know what rarities may be lurking there. The advice from Tony Grant from John Bertrand (Collectables) Limited is to “bring them in and let us have a look”. “No need to sort anything out just bring them in ‘as is’ and please don’t clean them! We can go through coin accumulations and collections fairly quickly” he said. The buyers are particularly keen to buy pre 1946 New Zealand Silver Coins for at least 20 times their face value (more for quantity). “In any event we will buy All Coins,” said Mr Grant.
Mr
(Tony)
Bertrand The Trusted Name In Numismatics Since 1965!
Rivals campaign together
By Mary Anne Gill
They may be facing off at the polls, but Yvonne Waho and Dale-Maree Morgan share a common goal - saving the Waipā Māori ward, which they say is essential for democracy in the district.
Waho and Morgan - joined by two other candidates with Māori heritage and Hamilton City councillor Anna Cox-Casey - gathered at the St Andrew’s Anglican Church roundabout on Saturday to show their support for the ward.
Waho, a last-minute nominee running against Morgan, believes fear is driving opposition to Māori wards.
“When you heed misinformation and give people a reason to be scared, they lose sight of its importance,” she said.
This month, voters will receive ballot papers asking whether or not they support keeping the Māori ward.
The binding poll is part of the coalition
agreement between National, ACT, and New Zealand First.
Waipā District Council established the Māori ward in 2021 following strong public support – of more than 900 submissions received, more than 750 were in favour.
The ward was created for the 2022 elections and reaffirmed by council last year.
“We will be working with our communities and working towards the same strategic plan. We will be on the same page,” said Waho.
Morgan said having the 18 per cent of Māori represented at the table had to be a good thing for Waipā as they had not been there before.
Morgan, who won a by-election two years ago to replace Waipā’s first Māori ward councillor Takena Stirling, said representation matters.
She also emphasised the potential of iwi partnerships to help address financial
challenges.
“We’ve chosen not to tap into the Māori economy. If we’re still at the table, we can. It’s one way to keep rates low.”
She emphasised unity and shared history.
Māori and European together made for a stronger district, she said.
“We stand (together) for Anzac, for Armistice. We dug the trenches just like everybody else. We were there to keep our lands free even though we were victims of our land being taken.
“We will still stand together. Together is better, being divided is not.”
Both candidates stressed the importance of youth engagement, especially given census data showing a growing number of younger Māori compared to European.
“We need a succession plan - and we need young people to vote,” Morgan said.
To reach younger voters, Waho and Morgan plan to visit marae and increase their presence on digital platforms.
Trio named on water board
By Chris Gardner
The mayors of the seven Waikato councils who are shareholders in a councilcontrolled water organisation have appointed an establishment board.
Waikato Water Ltd’s Shareholder Representative Forum, comprising the mayors of Ōtorohanga, Waipā and Waitomo district councils alongside Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, South Waikato, and Taupō have picked a three strong establishment board.
A past president of Engineering New Zealand Elena Trout, of Auckland, will chair the board as all but one of the councils prepare to hand governance and delivery of drinking and wastewater services over to the organisation.
Taupō has signed up as a shareholder, but opted to keep water services in house.
Joining Trout on the establishment board is Pukekohe-based chartered accountant Jaydene Kana and Christchurch-based former Watercare chief executive Jon Lamonte. The independent chair of Waikato Waters Ltd Shareholders Representative Forum Don McLeod said the establishment board had a broad range of professional and commercial governance skills. The establishment board will oversee $1.6 billion in assets and $155 million in revenue.
Waipa Maori ward candidates Dale-Maree Morgan, left, and Yvonne Waho, extreme right show their support with others in Cambridge.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Elena Trout
Jaydene Kana
Jon Lamonte
Chasing the votes
By Peter Carr
Observing the hustings in action is a cross between a third-grade rugby scrum and a beauty competition. The well-run Grey Power meeting last week became very boring - due to the repetition of the candidates going over common ground. Those with current experience as a mayor or councillor clearly had better facts at hand and this showed through very well during the subsequent question period.
That said, one current councillor threw away more than a bucketful of votes by leaving the meeting early without giving a reason. Another candidate, the current community board chair, immediately showed her grit, political nous and experience by (twice) declaring that she was there for the whole afternoon. One mayoral candidate jettisoned more than a modicum of support by droning on about her large family across two generations when she should have been using precious time clarifying what she was going to do to turn around the financial and communication woes of the council.
One Māori candidate did not front and there was a notable absence from a current regional council councillor.
Key items that did not surface during the prepared speeches were the regional council’s stupidity over a double vote on their Local Government New Zealand membership and a complete lack of any mention of the town’s hot potato – the third bridge. The latter, however, should surface more formally during the forthcoming work of the Cambridge Connections entity, but anyone who wants to produce a worthwhile debate still has time to put their foot into the fire.
The mayor made it clear that 20 to 30
council staff will transfer to the water entity, taking with them more than $230 million of (currently) council debt to their new group. This will improve the balance sheet of the council but will still come back to haunt the customers of the Water Done Well body when it sets its water rates. Ratepayers should not feel too comfortable for several years.
The devil in me ranked the presenters on a ‘scale of t10’ during their formal presentations where a minimal score of eight indicated a worthwhile aspirant. Two mayoral candidates scored 8.5 – the third did not make the minimum for consideration. Of the Waipā council candidates one – a very tall gentleman – came out well ahead at the top while another sitting councillor did not meet the threshold. The sitting regional councillor clearly had a good grip on the role and was well pursued (politically) by a well-known lady aspirant.
These are early days. There are a host of meetings yet to come – the next major one taking place at the town hall today. Voting papers will be in your mailboxes by next week and voting can commence. At the risk of being repetitively boring –your vote counts. Absolutely. There are a host of issues about which many of you find fault yet are not prepared to use your democratic right to put the right people in place at the public tables. These mainly earnest and honest people will never receive sufficient emolument to balance the huge amount of time that election to office will demand of them. Please recognise that by giving them a clear indication of your wishes.
Vote for Marcus
For several years I have been a dedicated voice for our community on Council .
MarcusWaipa
I’m a local business owner running an IT business, a trustee of Waipa Networks, member of the Institute of Directors and a Justice of the Peace.
It’s been a privilege having your support to make sure Te Awamutu and Kihikihi residents have a voice in Council, it’s important that our local voice is heard around the table and that we get a share of great projects happening around Waipa.
I am fully supportive of the Don’t Burn Waipa campaign, the waste to energy project has no place in our town.
I have been constructive on Council working collaboratively to make sure the district is well placed for the future, we have our Waikato Waters Done Well project under way with our local Council neighbours to ensure cost effective delivery of water.
Authoriser Marcus Gower 18A Carey Street, Kihikihi
We asked the Waipā mayoral candidates 10 questions. They included how they would cut “waste”, reforming the council, rates capping, transparency, community engagement, the role of local media and why they want to be mayor.
Their responses are on our website teawamutunews. nz and click on the Elections 2025 tab. Below are the two we asked them about amalgamation with other councils and who would they choose as their deputy mayor.
Waipā
Susan O’Regan – born in Rukuhia, former lawyer, award-winning farmer, first elected 2016, chaired Strategic Committee, last three as mayor. We need to do local government better. Rationalisation or regionalisation of local government is inevitable with the aggregation of water from July 2026. But that doesn’t necessarily mean wholesale amalgamation. It will mean having a wider discussion about how efficiencies might be found without the loss of local voice.
It is too premature to think about deputy mayor. The voters need to choose their representatives first. My role, whoever is elected around the table, will be to create a strong team using their skills and passions. Good leadership is about enabling and empowering all those around you.
Mike Pettit – born in Kawakawa, school principal from 2008, Cambridge Community Board from 2018
and council since 2019.
I believe amalgamation discussions will come, particularly once the water reforms are completed and the sector’s future is clearer. It is better to lead this conversation on our own terms, ensuring Waipā’s interests are protected, rather than risk being forced into a model designed elsewhere and forced upon us.
The deputy mayor must be someone with integrity, proven governance experience, and the ability to represent all of Waipā. Together, we must have synergy and importantly, form a strong leadership team. Location alone should not determine the appointment. The role is important for balance, continuity, and leadership across the district.
Clare St Pierre – born in Te Rore, first class honours in Business Studies, NZ Institute of Directors chartered member, council since 2013.
Yes. I have already been calling for Waipā to review what would be left of our business after water services shift to a joint CCO and it makes sense to look to the other councils in that CCO arrangement to join up with for more savings.
Location will definitely be important so a Cambridge deputy mayor is my plan. I want to be a mayor that’s seen in the community but having an experienced, respected and community-focused deputy mayor based in Cambridge as one of my closest advisors/ collaborators will create an incredibly effective leadership combination.
Asbestos breach revealed
By Mary Anne Gill
Asbestos has been discovered at a waste recycling plant near Leamington, in what council staff say is a breach of the facility’s resource consent conditions.
Earlier this year, ResourceCo - operating from a former sand quarry behind Aotearoa Industrial Park - denied neighbours’ claims that toxic materials were being dumped at the site.
Waipā District Council issued a non-notified resource consent to the company last year to divert 51,000 tonnes of construction waste from landfill to the plant.
Staff said the $6.4 million concrete recycling facility would have “less than minor” adverse effects on the environment.
The former quarry is at 3831 Cambridge Rd, between the river and Waipā’s Cambridge wastewater plant and borders a housing cluster on Kaipaki Rd.
Waipā District Council’s decision to grant resource consent for the rural site in July drew criticism when it was revealed earlier this year.
Another quarry site – on Newcombe Rd south of Cambridge – got the go ahead from independent hearing commissioners last week following a hearing where more than 350
submitters voiced their opposition.
RS Sand plans to extract up to 400,000 tonnes of sand a year for around 25 years. The quarry will operate weekdays between 7am and 5pm, and on Saturday mornings.
At peak, up to 200 truck movements per day are expected, with typical daily movements closer to 78.
In a letter to residents last week, Waipā District Council District Growth and Regulatory Services group manager Wayne Allan said asbestos had been dumped at the Leamington site by one of ResourceCo’s contractors.
“Following the discovery of the potential asbestos, the operator put into place isolation measures including ‘asbestos’ tape around the material,” said Allan. He confirmed
Continued next page
and conditions
Clare St Pierre Mike Pettit
Susan O’Regan
Waste at the plant with asbestos warnings around it. Photo: Supplied
there was photographic evidence.
The asbestos has since been moved to a licensed facility.
“Council enforcement staff are treating the investigation of this incident as a breach of consent conditions to ensure asbestos is not brought to the site again,” said Allan.
Concerns about asbestos at the plant were first raised by Cambridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kelly Bouzaid in June, after a truck and trailer carrying asbestos-contaminated material crashed on the Waikato Expressway at Tamahere.
There was no suggestion the truck and trailer was headed to Cambridge but Bouzaid said she was aware of marked trucks carrying asbestos were going in and out of the Leamington facility.
No applications for future managed fill activities had been submitted to either Waikato Regional Council or Waipā, said Allan.
It would need regional council consent.
“Managed fill” refers to material made up mostly of clean fill with minor contaminants, including construction and demolition waste like concrete, asphalt, tiles, and glass.
The only Waikato landfill site licensed to receive asbestos is at Hampton Downs.
Allan said he would keep residents informed of the council’s on-going monitoring at the Leamington plant.
Neighbours told The News the stockpile at the plant grows larger by the day, fuelling ongoing concern.
The plant secured a $2.57 million boost from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund to divert up to 72 per cent of construction and demolition waste from landfill.
Piopio-based director Henry FullertonSmith, who also runs a demolition and asbestos removal company, said the project was about managing waste better.
Answers on borrowing, boards
We challenged every council candidate to respond to 10 questions on issues such as borrowing to fund shortfalls, Ahu Ake, Cambridge Connections, 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, the level of consultation in Cambridge and Kihikihi, 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.
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?
Mayor Susan O’Regan
The assertion in this question that we are borrowing to fund operating deficits for the first three years is not correct. The forecast operating deficits are the result of not fully funding depreciation during those three years. While they are
forecast accounting deficits, they are not cash deficits and therefore no borrowing is required to fund the shortfall. As the depreciation funding shortfall is made up in subsequent years we felt the budget was prudent. It is an important principle that we try not to borrow to fund operations.
Clare St Pierre
Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Ward
Dean Taylor
Yes. While not ideal, I see it as prudent as a short-term affordability measure to keep rates lower. The shortfall isn’t entirely funded by increased borrowing. Operating reserves were used to reduce the overall rates requirement (and reserves aren’t counted in the balanced budget formula), some depreciation costs of about $1.5 Million per year were unfunded (catch up takes place in later years), and certain operating costs for projects like the District Plan and Ahu Ake - Waipā Community Spatial Plan were loan funded rather than rates funded was deemed acceptable due to the long-term nature of these plans.
Māori Ward
Dale-Maree Morgan
I wasn’t aware of this strategy, but as I read it, the borrowing is a short term measure brought about by the pressure of significant growth, followed by a slow-down of the property market, which has resulted in delays realising income in the form of fees from developers. I agree with protecting current ratepayers from these costs and spreading the load to include new ratepayers, but it should only ever be viewed as a temporary measure.
Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board
We asked should councillors sit on the two community boards and whether the boards should continue to exist.
Ange Holt
Borrowing can ease short-term pressure, but it’s not a permanent solution. We need clear priorities, continued cost control, honest conversations with the community about sustainable options before increasing debt or rates.
The current structure’s inclusion of councillors on boards is largely inefficient. Perceived conflicts of interest frequently undermine their effectiveness, preventing proper advocacy. While their relationships and institutional knowledge offer some benefits, we would be better served by independent boards, free from councillor involvement, optimising accountability and true representation. Community boards play an important role in the community and are a valuable asset to their council when treated as a respected partner that is making a worthwhile contribution. We are responsible for our towns while councillors focus on the entire district. We provide an independent voice to keep council accountable.
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Beekeepers draw a beeline
By Chris Gardner
A revised bylaw including guidance notes asking beekeepers to stop bees pooping on neighbours’ properties is being described by a leading beekeeper as draconian.
Ōtorohanga District Council updated its Animal Nuisance Bylaw last week, asking beekeepers in the Ōtorohanga and Kāwhia townships to manage bee flightpaths by repositioning hives to face away from neighbouring properties.
The bylaw is based on similar legislation passed by Waipā District Council in 2022.
Waikato Domestic Beekeepers’ Association president Dr Dara Dimitrov said instead of passing draconian regulations councils could be working with beekeepers and their hives to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“They treat bees as stock, and I don’t think they should,” Dimitrov said.
Such regulations were introducing an unnecessary layer of regulation on top of national rules for nearly 8200 beekeepers keeping nearly 520,000 hives.
“Councils should work with local beekeepers and find a middle ground. Councils need to take a more functional and operational approach to beekeeping,” Dimitrov said.
“It’s good for the community, it’s great for the environment.”
Bees are known to pollinate up to three kilometres from their hives. “That pollination service is free,” Dimitrov said.
She praised Hamilton City Council for working with beekeepers and publishing a list of swarm collectors on its website.
“Our members are happy to move those bees for free.”
Ōtorohanga bee keeper Natalie Southgate persuaded the council to tweak the bylaw.
She disagreed with the condition that beehives must be placed no closer than 25 metres from the property boundary or separated from the property boundary by a solid 1.8 metre fence.
“Instead of requiring a solid fence, I’d encourage the council to consider natural screening, like hedges or shrubs, as a valid alternative,” she said.
Council regulatory and growth group manager Tony Quickfall was happy to give
beekeepers an alternative to a solid fence by adding natural screening.
Southgate also disagreed with a condition that suitable water source must be provided near the beehives that is accessible at all times.
“This really should be optional,” Southgate said.
Enrolment at the school is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office.
The board has determined that nine New Entrant places, five Year 1 places, four Year 2 places and two Year 4 places are likely to be available for out-of-zone students in the 2026 year. The exact number of places will depend on the number of applications received from students who live within the school’s home zone.
Next year there will be four enrolment periods. The first enrolment period runs from Thursday 29th January 2026 to Thursday 2nd April 2026.
For students seeking enrolment within the first enrolment period, the deadline for receipt of applications for out-of-zone places is Wednesday 15th October 2025 at 3.00pm. Parents of students who live within the home zone and intend enrolling their child at any time during the next year should notify the school by Wednesday 15th October 2025 to assist the school to plan appropriately for next year.
A copy of the Out of Zone Enrolment Pack for 2026 can be obtained by contacting the School Office on 07 871 2844 or office@pokuru.school.nz or from the School’s website. Completed applications must be returned to the school office no later than 3.00pm on Wednesday 15th October 2025. If the number of out-of-zone applications exceeds the number of places available, students will be selected by ballot. If a ballot for out-of-zone places is required, it will be held on Monday 20th October 2025. Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.
Details relating to the second enrolment period are as follows.
Length of enrolment period: from Monday 20th April 2026 to Friday 3rd July 2026.
Deadline for receipt of applications: Friday 30th January 2026
Date of ballot: Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Details relating to the third enrolment period are as follows.
Length of enrolment period: from Monday 20th July 2026 to Friday 25th September 2026.
Deadline for receipt of applications: Wednesday 8th April 2026
Date of ballot: Tuesday 14th April 2026
Details relating to the fourth enrolment period are as follows.
Length of enrolment period: from Monday 12th October 2026 to Friday 11th December 2026.
Deadline for receipt of applications: Monday 27th July 2026
Date of ballot: Friday 31st July 2026
requirement or water could come out, as it was not related to bees being a nuisance, but mayor Max Baxter suggested it stay in, and natural water supplies considered too.
Southgate said the council should aim for practical and flexible rules based on realworld experience.
“We all support safe, responsible beekeeping — but it’s education and cooperation that lead to better outcomes, not overly rigid regulations,” she said.
“Let’s make it easier, not harder, for people to keep bees well.”
On the bylaw’s guidance notes Quickfall said: “Those are just guidance notes. While they are in the bylaw, there’s no regulatory control in those notes.”
“Bees are our friends, so we are not trying to control or manage bees or make it harder,” he said.
“Even when water is provided, bees will often prefer puddles, drains, or animal troughs. Open water sources like birdbaths or buckets can be hazardous — bees drown easily if there aren’t textured edges or safe places to land.” Quickfall said the
Quickfall said the council didn’t do proactive monitoring.
“The way this bylaw is intended to work, it’s if we get a complaint, and if we regulate, we are expected to respond and manage complaints,” he said.
“If someone complained to us that there was bee
excrement on clothing out on the washing line that’s hard to get rid of, or someone who’s living next to a beehive who might be anaphylactic, or sensitive like schools or rest homes. That’s what this bylaw is intended to cover.”
Beekeeping education and consultancy service business
Sarah C’s Bees founder Sarah Cross supported Southgate’s submission
“There is no way to manage flightpaths,” Cross said. “The fence is to make the bees fly up, so as not to fly directly into people walking past, but once they are up and out, they can, and will, go in every direction searching for food.
“The council needs reminding about the amazing work that bees do pollinating our food resources. I take bees into schools to add to the education that kids are receiving about the ‘paddock to plate’ and enviro school ideas. Our food doesn’t magically appear in the shops; there is a whole connected environment required and a huge part of that is bees and pollination.”
“Bees should be treated with respect and kindness because without them the world would literally starve,” Cross said.
term Waipa-King Country resident, I will make decisions that serve the best interests of our ratepayers and our local communities.
Ōtorohanga bee keeper Natalie Southgate persuaded her district council to tweak its Animal Nuisance Bylaw.
Authorised by Stu Kneebone, 271 Baker Road, RD4 Cambridge
Charting the unknown
By Janine Krippner
Right now, my work is focused on assessing geological hazards across vast expanses of the seafloor, encompassing volcanic activity and deposits, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and just about everything else you could imagine. The learning curve has been steep, which is just the way I like it.
Part of this work is understanding the data that I am using so that I am aware of the limitations. Some of the most important and fascinating data, multibeam bathymetric data, is the marine equivalent of looking at Google maps under the ocean, but with far less detail. This data is collected by technicians and scientists who spend long stretches of time on research vessels or ships.
A dear friend and colleague of mine, scientist Christie Reiser, has spent more than 1000 days at sea over the past decade. She kindly agreed to share what it’s really like to live and work aboard a ship.
Christie’s work was based in Alaskan waters, where the field season lasts six to eight months during the better weather period. That means spending every hour of every day with the same people, working 12-hour shifts and often under pressure, sometimes in life-or-death situations. Tragically, death is occasionally part of the reality at sea. Ships are dangerous places, and health and safety are paramount. Each person must not only look after themselves but also remain constantly aware of the wellbeing of everyone around them.
As of today, only about 27 per cent of the world’s seafloor has been properly mapped using modern instruments, according to the Seabed 2030 global mapping initiative. And even then, the resolution is not what we’re
used to on land. The main task of Christie’s cruises was to chart previously unmapped areas of the seabed, as well as re-map dynamic nearshore zones where human activity or natural forces, such as tsunamis, can modify or reshape the seafloor.
As a survey technician, part of her job was to work on the smaller boats that depart from the main ship, where she collected data and cared for sensitive equipment. The end result was the creation of nautical charts, which are crucial for marine navigation. These charts are vital not only for safe navigation, but also for understanding hazards at sea. What struck her most was just how much expertise, technology, and collaboration go into producing an accurate map of the ocean floor.
Even something as seemingly simple as knowing your position on the water is remarkably complex. A ship doesn’t just travel forward, it constantly pitches, rolls, and shifts. For mapping to be accurate, scientists must know the vessel’s position in three dimensions, down to the millimetre scale. They also need to account for tides, sea level, and the boat’s precise location on the globe.
With the enormous amount of physical things around you at this moment having at one point spent time on a boat, so much of our lives are dependent on the ocean. Accurate tsunami models also depend on this information, among many other things we take for granted. Mapping the ocean floor is more than just an academic pursuit, it’s a vital part of life on this beautiful, watery planet.
The Māori ward debate
By Samuel Pullenger, St John’s Anglican Parish Te Awamutu
The last two Te Awamutu publications have included letters on the endangered Māori ward seat in local government; one perspective in favour and another against.
I believe it is also important to add a Christian perspective to this conversation because of the role the Church has played in Māori-Pakeha relations in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
The Anglican Church played an important role in Te Tiriti O Waitangi, being involved in translation and in encouraging Māori to sign, with the hope that Māori would receive protection for their culture, customs and way of life.
As we know, though, Te Tiriti has been used and misused by the crown to take land and marginalise Māori in their own land since its signing in 1840.
The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, therefore, is committed to Māori-Pakeha relations and, specifically, to upholding Te Tiriti principles, seeking reconciliation and puretumu (redress).
However, many in New Zealand have asked, why is the Church involving themselves in politics?
Even going as far as David Seymour stating, “Get back to God.”
Unsurprisingly, the answer to Seymour is this is the work of God. To care for the value, dignity and voice of those marginalised in our communities is the most fundamental work of those who follow Jesus.
One of my favourite things that we see as we look at the life of Jesus is that he always takes the time to speak to those who are marginalised by the community.
Further, Jesus asks a, seemingly, strange question, “What do you want me to do for
you?” (Luke 18:35-43). It is strange because for the blind person who has approached Jesus, it should be obvious. However, what this question does is it gives voice and value to the one who has been marginalised for so long.
Jesus’ conversation, in the middle of a crowd of onlookers, enables the one who usually does not have a voice to be seen and heard.
Each and every person has a voice and it is important that we listen to it, this is the purpose of our democratic system of government in Aotearoa.
However, the Māori voice has historically been under-represented and under-valued, especially in our local government contexts. It is the role of the Church to come alongside those whose voices have been marginalised and seek to ask, “What do you need?” Not because we have power or authority in and of ourselves, but because this is the way of Jesus.
So, as Maria Low suggested, “maybe the real question is: why wouldn’t we want that voice included?” When we do not ask, “What do tangata whenua need?” we miss the opportunity, not only to gain a diversity of wisdom and knowledge that will complement and enhance Pakeha life as well, but we miss the opportunity to continue to bridge the divide caused by the colonisation of Aotearoa.
As we look to this election cycle and vote on the Māori Ward seat for this district I encourage us to vote for the voice of Māori in our local government. FAITH
Of gorse these wētā can survive
The wētā saved by – of all things – gorse - continue to multiply.
Almost 200 Māhoenui giant wētā have been moved from their man-made breeding ground – the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House - to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
The giant wētā is one of the world’s largest insects, measuring up to 7cm and weighing 15 grams and live exclusively in the North Island.
It was found on the Rauputu family farm at Māhoenui near Piopio in 1962 having taken refuge from introduced pests in gorse. A family member took one to school, the headmaster was intrigued and had it identified.
Gorse provides a sanctuary from rats, hedgehogs and possums and browsing goats encourages regrowth. So despite its unwanted status in New Zealand, gorse is still used as a haven for the wētā at Māhoenui.
Department of Conservation staff have been working with Ōtorohanga Kiwi House on a breeding programme and the last week’s release on Maungatautari followed an initial one about 12 years ago.
They have also been sent to private land at Warrenheip near Cambridge and Mahurangi Island off the Coromandel coast.
“Our hope is they breed with offspring of those Māhoenui
giant wētā released at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in 2012-13,” DOC Senior Biodiversity Advisor Amanda Haigh said.
The nocturnal wētā were released into selected locations across Mount Maungatautari.
Earlier this year the Kiwi House outlined its plan to release a total of 3000 wētā into the wild over three years. The aim is to establish biodiverse populations outside of the remnant population in Māhoenui.
A facility comprising laboratories and a quarantine devoted to raising the insects was opened at the Kiwi House in May last year. Marina and Ngātai Rauputu, on whose land the Māhoenui giant wētā was originally identified, were at the opening.
Marae in the Piopio, Āria and Māhoenui areas – the Mōkau ki Runga hapū – gifted the name ‘Taonga o Kawakawa’, the treasure of Kawakawa to the new wing at Ōtorohanga’s Kiwi House.
Kawakawa is the name of the land on which the Māhoenui giant wētā was found – it is now a scientific reserve.
Earlier this year The News reported the Kiwi House was applying for funding to grow the programme and recruit a full-time keeper.
The team at the facility hatched more than 350 wētā nymphs in January and February. In the previous breeding season it produced 140 nymphs and 110 were being released as adults.
Māhoenui wētā lay their eggs by pushing their egg laying tube into the ground. They lay small groups of up to 100 eggs which develop in the ground and hatch when the weather warms up, which can take up to 10 months.
Newly hatched wētā are called nymphs. It takes up to two years for the wētā to reach adulthood.
There are about 100 types of wētā – which are flightless crickets –including 11 giant wētā.
Earlier in August it was
announced two new species of wētā had been discovered on Stewart Island and in the northern Fiordland region. And in April 2022 six new species of wētā and three new subspecies of alpine cave wētā were also found in the South Island. Wētā played a key role before the introduction of mammals which preyed on them. They acted as ground dwelling predators, scavengers and herbivores –effectively doing the work of rodents.
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Ōtorohanga Kiwi House keepers Carly Hill and Paul Barrett were pictured earlier this year servicing Māhoenui giant wētā nymphs.
A Māhoenui giant wētā.
Photos: Chris Gardner.
Workshop reaps rewards
By Viv Posselt
A creative journaling workshop, thought to be Te Awamutu’s first, has ended with organiser Wendy Bellhouse ‘blown away’ by the imagination shown by participants.
Bellhouse secured a $1300 Creative Communities Grant to hold the workshop for the town’s young people. It ran from July 14 to August 25 at the Rosebank Art Centre.
“Being a home-schooling parent, I understand how it is sometimes difficult to find things to do that don’t need a big financial input, and there are limited opportunities for young people in Te Awamutu,” she said. “I wanted to provide an affordable opportunity for them to come together and make a journal or a book… to compile pages, create signatures, make books and built artistic networks.”
New skills taught included painting, collage, stitching and stamping, mixed media, mark making and sketching.
She charged $5 for each session attended. Six came along, aged between 11 and 16; four are students at regular schools while two are home-schooled.
A creative person herself, Bellhouse steered the group through the process of crafting a scrapbook, or journal, from scratch. She used cracker boxes, showed them how books were stitched, pages attached and gave them free rein to paint pages or add pockets, flaps and ribbons. They used materials sourced from opshops, including handmade paper and vintage stationery.
“A lot of the messaging is also about sustainability,” she added.
The workshop isn’t
Bellhouse’s first crack at doing something different. About a year ago, she started what are called ‘Craft Night at the Regent’ events where groups of enthusiasts bring their craftwork along to a movie night and beaver away under lights that are
Kenny’s bad joke
By Meghan Hawkes
Samuel James was in a state bordering on delirium tremens, known as the DTs, a severe form of alcohol withdrawal, when he arrived at Te Awamutu on an April Friday in 1882.
The 47-year-old bricklayer told James Devine that he had been drinking hard at Kihikihi. The DTs, also known as ‘the horrors’, had a range of ghastly symptoms including irritability, body tremors, hallucinations, heavy sweating, and seizures. Alexander Deally, a Te Awamutu tailor, gave the suffering Samuel a temporary home, but five days later he discovered him dead.
At the inquest the jury returned a verdict of death from excessive drinking. They were disturbed at the circumstances surrounding Samuels’s death and asked the coroner to add a rider
to their verdict. They were of the opinion that death was accelerated by the reprehensible practice of publicans supplying drink to those in a state of intoxication.
Around this time a Te Awamutu police constable, whose time was spent mostly dealing with the outcomes of over-indulgence in drink, told local publicans that if there was any more excessive drinking, he intended to lock up the publican responsible. This was treated as a joke by some.
Dan Kenny, Te Awamutu hotel publican, rearranged a part of his stables and built his own jail. When a customer overindulged, he would ply him with one or two more drinks until he became comatose. He then had him carried to the jail, where he was allowed to sleep it off. The place became known as ‘Dan
Kenny’s Dead-house.’
Orders could be made prohibiting people from drinking, but these rarely worked. Suggestions to solve the ruin caused by the excessive use of strong drink included granting hotel licenses only to men of good character. Their establishments should have several rooms of good height and dimensions, including bedrooms, bathrooms, a coffee room, public sitting rooms, a smoking room, and a large general room furnished with small tables and chairs.
Comfortable rooms of requisite height and dimensions for ladies should also be provided. Meals at reasonable prices should be available from the time of opening till that of closing. No bar, bar room, or barmaids would be allowed; all drinking would be done in the large room supplied with small tables and chairs,
just dimmed slightly.
“We do it on a weeknight during the school term –never during the holidays – and have a great time watching a movie and crafting together,” she said.
“It good for us and gets people into the cinema.”
where tea and coffee should be as readily obtainable as wines, spirits or beer.
Good outlook for Thursday
A Waipā band has continued a successful year by starring at last week’s Rockshop Bandquest for the Waikato region.
Te Awamutu Intermediate’s Thursday’s Cancelled earlier won the Band Slam regional competition in August. It is the first time a school has won both band competitions in a calendar year and Thursday’s Cancelled now moves on to the Bandquest national final, among the top 22 intermediate aged bands in the country.
Band members are Maraeroa Te Kanawa (vocals, guitar), Zita Harpur (vocals), Ronan Hinchliffe (guitar), Frances Bowmar (bass) and Ryan Tonks (drums).
Their winning Bandquest set featured a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way, as well as their own original song Against the Wall. Te Awamutu Intermediate’s other band this year, Don’t Feed the Bassist, has also picked up a range of awards, including the Star Vocalist award for Erin Stinton at Bandquest, first place in the ‘other instrument’ category at Band Slam for Cadence Pheng (violin) and a second in the keyboard section at Band Slam for Loretta Shaw.
The Te Awamutu Intermediate music programme has had a run of success – its jazz band and symphonic band, under the direction of Sue Germann, both received gold awards at the recent Waikato Primary and Intermediate Band and Orchestra Festival.
Teacher in charge of the Rock Bands Logan Kimber said it had been an exciting time to support and mentor children in music.
“Being in a band, making music and writing songs fosters creativity, teamwork, critical thought, relating to others, as well as the obvious instrument and performance skills. In a rapidly changing world these skills are more important than ever,” he said
This would do away with sly drinking, shouting drinks and standing at bars. Licenses should be for colonial wine, and beer under certain strengthlight wines and ales taking the place of the more fiery compounds. These measures would result in a healthier, more moral, sober people, but never gained traction.
Samuel James left hardly a trace except for the details of his death. He was quite destitute and was likely buried at Te Awamutu as a pauper.
Four of the workshop participants with their finished journals, from left, Vienna Seabright, Addi Brears, Sienna Derbyshire and Tayla McCown.
Is this the end of the Peace Cup?
A couple of weeks ago The News reported that Maniapoto had lifted the Peace Cup after a one-off challenge against Central Bay of Plenty in Rotorua. But the old trophy – a symbol of rugby sub-union supremacy which has enjoyed – or endured – a colourful life for more than a century, was never presented. Today Jesse Wood reveals why – and reports that there is a school of thought that suggests the battered old cup should be gracefully retired.
Many are calling for the historic Peace Cup trophy to be retired following a lack of competition teams and broken competition rules.
The “ugliest trophy in New Zealand sport” has been through the mill in its century of existence.
Hamilton accountant Richard “Dick” English donated the trophy to his local team after the culmination of World War I.
Sub-union rugby teams have competed for the cup since the start.
Thames were the first winners in 1920.
According to the New Zealand Rugby History website run by rugby historian Keith Gordon, “sub-unions are areas within a provincial union that join for matches against other sub-unions or play each other within that sub-union for local supremacy. It is a step up from neighbouring rivalry.”
The Peace Cup has been contested by sub-unions between from Taupō to south to Auckland in the north.
Previous winners include Te Awamutu, Hamilton, Morrinsville, Rotorua, Central Bay of Plenty, Thames, South Waikato, Matamata, Maniapoto, Tauranga, Pukekohe, Hauraki Plains, Paeroa, Western Bay of Plenty, Ōtorohanga, Waihi, Cambridge and Te Puke.
Hamilton were 2024 champions but chose not to field a team this season due to only two other teams putting their hands up – a Maniapoto team and Central Bay of Plenty sub-union.
“At the beginning of the year, there was a meeting of what should have been subunion representatives and parties interested in the Peace Cup,” Hamilton Rugby Union chairman Doug Hawkings said.
“Hamilton made it clear, that if there weren’t four teams, we wouldn’t enter a team.
“The Peace Cup is on its last legs and it’s been on life support for the last few years.
“Whoever participates in it plays on the proviso they are a sub-union or a combination of sub-unions.
“Piako and Matamata had joined together in the past. They didn’t have enough players, they hate each other but played Peace Cup together.
“The last three years we’ve had four teams at max and it’s just not financially viable.”
The Maniapoto side faced Central Bay of Plenty for the Peace Cup last month.
Hawkings said the collective sub-union representatives believed the Maniapoto team represented the Maniapoto sub-union team – but then learned it was a Maniapoto iwi team.
Founded in 1907, Maniapoto sub-union haven’t had a squad in many years and Waitete and Piopio are the last two senior clubs in their area.
“The game became null and voided - they weren’t a sub-union, and the players who played in their team weren’t all registered to sub-unions in the King Country,” Hawkings said.
“In the rules it says you can bring in four outside players who have connections, five wouldn’t really matter, but when it’s half the team, it’s not in the spirit of what the Peace Cup is about.
“At least seven players came from the Hamilton sub-union in 2025. They may have an enduring relationship with the iwi, but they’re not part of a sub-union team within the King Country.
“It was about the integrity of the Peace Cup, so that’s effectively what it came down
As the competition dwindles, Peace Cup tragics and representatives are calling for the trophy to be retired and put on display at the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.
“If we want to start a competition with other teams involved, I’d have no problem with that, but the Peace Cup should be retired and given the respect it deserves,”
Hawkings said.
“I don’t have any qualms from where I sit with Hamilton playing against the Maniapoto iwi team or the like, but the Peace Cup has been a sub-union competition for 105 years.
“If we had known beforehand, we would have had a meeting to discuss that and made a decision at that point as to whether the game should have gone ahead or not.”
Hawkings said if the team was a combination of North King Country and Maniapoto sub-unions, it would have been fine.
“It might have been representative of the King Country but it wasn’t representative of those two clubs involved in that sub-union, so the team shouldn’t have been in the competition.”
To be eligible to play in the competition, a player must have played or been registered to a club or team from within their team’s union/sub-union catchment area, during the current year.
Teams can play up to four non local club players. The understanding is that these players have a connection to the host subunion. If a loan player comes from a subunion within the current competition, the host sub-union must seek clearance from that players’ sub-union, to play.
Palmer picks Black Ferns, Waikato
By Jon Rawlinson
Despite their dominance at previous Rugby World Cups, the defending champion Black Ferns can’t afford to rest on their laurels.
Host nation England could derail New Zealand’s plans for a seventh Women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) title, former Ferns’ captain, Dame Farah Palmer, says.
“It’s always tough to beat the home team, and England will be boosted by their supporters, but they may trip up on the way to the finals, so it’s anyone’s tournament to win,” she told The News.
The Black Ferns secured a semifinal berth this week with a 62-19 win over Japan.
“The Black Ferns will be focusing on each game as it comes. If they can gel as a team in the pool games, and figure out who’s in the starting 15, I think they’ll have a strong chance against whoever they meet in the finals.”
Originally from Piopio, Palmer captained the Black Ferns to three RWC wins, including two finals against England. In total,
New Zealand has a 5–0 record in RWC finals against England.
The Ferns clearly expressed their intentions at the cup by opening with a 54–8 thrashing of tournament minnows, Spain. However, the victory came at a cost.
“They would have learnt a lot about how their set pieces, attack options etcetera are working, but the injury count is a bit of a concern,” Palmer said. “Their physio and medical team will be working hard to get players back to their best in time for the last pool match.”
The final pool match against Ireland on Sunday (September 7) will test the Ferns, Palmer said.
“Ireland will be a challenge – the Black Ferns lost to them at the 2014 RWC, and Ireland also plays in the Six Nations tournament, so they’re used to tournament preparation and performance.”
At home, while some of the best players are on RWC duty, Auckland, Canterbury and defending champs, Waikato, will all still be tough to beat in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) Premiership, Palmer said.
“Auckland has lost a lot of key players to the Black Ferns, but Canterbury is looking good. My pick is Waikato but Manawatū has some amazing players and could be a wildcard winner.”
Dick English’s grandson Duncan Johnstone with the Peace Cup (in its case) in 2020. Photo: Andrew Young
From 1992 to 2007, Palmer played eight seasons for Otago, seven for Manawatū and one for Waikato. The FPC Premiership final is scheduled for early October.
Dame Farah Palmer
Racing call controversy
By Jesse Wood
Corey Steele is at a crossroads as uncertainty looms following the government’s decision to shut down the greyhound racing industry in New Zealand.
The Te Awamutu-based thirdgeneration trainer and Waikato Greyhound Racing vice president trains his dogs on dad Wayne and mum Tracey’s property, Te Māwhai Racing Kennels.
He said he feels “deflated” and believes the human aspect of the ban has been forgotten.
“I lie here at night, I don’t sleep, constantly thinking about what tomorrow brings,” Steele said. “We’re still being tarnished with this terrible brush that we’re monsters.
“I enjoy what I do, I love the dogs like they’re my kids. I want to see them succeed and if they succeed, then I can continue doing what I’m doing. Now I can’t.”
In December, the government announced an intention to legislate to ban greyhound racing.
Following a cabinet meeting last week, Minister of racing Winston Peters released a statement confirming the government will be banning greyhound racing from August 2026.
Peters said the decision was driven by protecting the welfare of racing dogs. They confirmed
they would take on board every aspect of the Ministerial Advisory Committee’s report.
He says despite significant progress made by the greyhound racing industry in recent years, the percentage of dogs being injured remained persistently high and the time had come to make a call in the best interest of the animals. He said globally the industry was winding down.
The industry has called for a judicial review.
Recommendations adopted by cabinet include closure of an incorporated society and seizure of in excess $15 million in Greyhound Racing New Zealand and club assets; no compensation for the 1054 full time employees who lose their jobs; continuation of taking $223m ($48m profit) in bets annually on Australian greyhounds’ and after the dogs are rehomed, all GRNZ assets and future profit from Australian greyhound betting will be transferred to horse racing.
“Winston still hasn’t met with Greyhound Racing New Zealand or any industry participants – not one,” Steele said.
“You’re closing down 1054 people’s livelihoods. You’d think you’d at least stand up and front their questions, their concerns, the people.”
Steele said he and others like him have been investing in their properties for decades – now it
will all go to waste.
Owners are now expected to look after their dogs until they can be rehomed, he said.
“We’ll be forced to give up our dogs because of our loss of income. There is absolutely no way that I could work a nine to five job and be able to keep all my dogs as pets.
GRNZ chief executive Edward Rennell said it was “a disdainful approach to lawmaking and a particularly brutal way to treat people”.
“Their heartless disregard for destroying thousands of livelihoods of regional Kiwis to satisfy an urban elite and reward horse racing is frankly depressing.
“The truth is our people are honest, hard-working and look after their dogs. We meet all welfare requirements the government makes of us, endorsed by their own Racing Integrity Board.
“They’re up against a government that just doesn’t care about the loss of a 150-year-old sport, lifestyles, and jobs. The minister still won’t communicate or meet with us.
“Instead, they will shut down an incorporated society that hasn’t done anything illegal, seize $15m of the sport’s hardearned money, permit broadcasts of 48,000 Australian greyhound races and take $223m in bets.”
MIKE PETTIT 4 WAIPĀ MAYOR
Strong, proven leadership for the future of Waipā
“We can’t keep adding 10% to last year’s budget and call it a plan. It’s time to be brave, start fresh, make savings first and spend smarter.“
Kia ora Te Awamutu,
I’m Mike Pettit, and I’m standing for Mayor of Waipā District. I want to introduce myself to you and share why I’m putting my hand up to lead our district.
I’ve spent decades serving our community, first as a school principal, then on the Cambridge Community Board, and currently as a Waipā District Councillor.
I’m known for being calm, respectful, and focused on getting things done. I believe in leading with integrity, listening deeply, and delivering results that matter.
My campaign is built on three pillars: RELATIONSHIPS. REALISM. RESULTS.
I’ll strengthen relationships across the district, between council, iwi, community boards, and residents. I support improved communication with residents, the continuation of the Māori ward, and the establishment of Youth and Senior Councils so that everyone in Waipā has a voice.
I bring realism to council decision-making. Ratepayers deserve financial transparency and
smarter funding, not just more borrowing. I’ll push for line-by-line budget reviews and explore partnerships, grants, and philanthropy to fund key projects.
And I’m focused on results. I support the Te Awamutu CBD upgrade and want to see it delivered with strong accountability and community input.
I’ll ensure councillors are equipped with the skills they need to govern effectively and deliver outcomes you can see and feel.
I welcome the opportunity to connect with you directly. I believe the leader needs to be where the work is done, talking to residents, walking up and down our CBDs, ensuring the Council is doing a better job for the community. I’ll be encouraging our Councillors to do the same.
I’m ready to serve all of Waipā - not just one town or one group - and I’d be honoured to earn your vote.
Ngā mihi, Mike
Corey Steele fears for his and his dog’s future.
Photo: Rhian Farrell
A life of protecting nature
After 50 years in the sector, veteran conservation professional Ray “Scrim” Scrimgeour reckons there are four things every ranger needs.
“A good pair of boots, a chainsaw, a rifle, and a reliable truck.”
The Department of Conservation has launched its Always Be Naturing campaign during Conservation Week which runs from September 1 to 7.
“Scrim” was inspired to get into conservation after an Honorary Forest Service Ranger visited his school when he was a teenager “lucky enough to be growing up in Golden Bay, doing nature study on the beach”.
Now into his late 60s, he’s a familiar face to Maniapoto residents, having spent several decades living and working in Te Kuiti.
The ranger’s visit to Scrim’s school was profound. He remembers the ranger’s grim story of eating kākāpō during the Great Depression, and the famous parrots’ gradual disappearance.
“That really struck me – something like extinction of a species, which I’d always seen as being in the past, could happen in our lifetimes, and surprisingly quickly.”
Initially a “woodsman” with the Forest Service –“learning some skills in an environment I liked” – Scrim joined DOC when it was formed in 1987. He has been with the department ever since, in many different roles including many initial years in wild animal control with a team based in Te Kuiti, and more latterly in operations
with Jan Bilton
A craze for cottage cheese
Before ricotta cheese was introduced to our local market, we had cottage cheese. Cooks used it to replace ricotta in many enticing international recipes. To make its grainy texture smoother, the cheese was puréed before use. When ricotta became available, cottage cheese was almost history. However, cottage has made a comeback. Both cheeses are very high in protein, but because cottage has less fat, it has become the darling of social media health and fitness fanatics worldwide. It is also a hit with budget-conscious cooks. Gram for gram, it’s usually much cheaper than Cheddar.
High-protein, low-fat conscious cooks are adding cottage cheese to scrambled eggs, enjoying it in smoothies and salad dressings, blending it into dips, adding to pasta sauces, churning into ice cream, and including it to sweet and savoury flans. They say they stay fuller for longer. My faves:
Cottage Cheese Sandwich: fresh grain bread, cottage cheese, white pepper, sliced banana and lemon juice.
Dill Dressing: 1/4 cup each of cottage cheese and buttermilk, both puréed with added black pepper and one teaspoon of dried or fresh dill leaves.
Cottage Cheese Toastie: toast-thick bread layered with wilted spinach, seasoned cottage cheese, tomato chutney and chopped parsley, then cooked in the air fryer until the cheese starts to melt.
Baked cottage cheesecake
This small cheesecake is so simple to make. Vincotto (or vino cotto) is a flavoursome, Italian, non-alcoholic syrup that is produced by the gentle simmering of grape must. New Zealand-made vincotto is available. Gluten-free biscuits can be used.
Base: 12 superwine biscuits or similar, finely crushed
50g butter melted
Filling: 1 1/2 cups (375g) cottage cheese
1/4 plain Greek yoghurt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 teaspoon each: vanilla essence, finely grated lemon rind
Optional: 3-4 tablespoons vincotto
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly butter an 18cm springform cake pan.
Combine the biscuit crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press onto the base of the cake pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Combine the filling ingredients in a food processor. Mix until very smooth. Pour onto the cooked biscuit base. Bake for about 30
management and relationship-focussed positions.
“He’s met several Conservation Ministers and numerous Directors-General, and he points to his former colleague John Gaukrodger as a particularly strong influence.
He’s also worked in several different parts of the country, including stints on Raoul Island where his initial contribution was controlling goats – leading to significant subsequent biodiversity improvements there.
Work to protect kōkako and Mahoenui giant wētā was part of his initial biodiversity experience – and those efforts continue today in the Maniapoto district. The long-term kōkako work, which began in the 1980s, is a particular highlight for him as he helped pull the species back from the brink of extinction.
The greatest challenge he sees for conservation is climate change. He anticipates significant resource will be needed to address the impact of warming planet and what that will mean for species and habitats.
He sees great opportunities for “bright young people” to get involved in conservation through the advances of technology.
As he heads toward retirement, Scrim says much has changed in the conservation sector – in particular digital technology and the importance of GPS systems, and the relationships with iwi and communities – but those oldschool tools of “boots, chainsaw, rifle and truck” are still vital.
minutes, until the centre is a little wobbly. It will set when chilled.
Cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled or overnight. Great topped with fruit and drizzled with vincotto. Serves 4-5.
Savoury cottage cheese fritters
500g cottage cheese
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1 teaspoon each: dried coriander, sriracha
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large spring onion, finely diced
1 egg white, lightly beaten salt and pepper to taste
120g (about 2 cups) corn chips, finely crushed spray olive oil
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Combine the cottage cheese, panko crumbs, coriander, sriracha, garlic, spring onion, egg white, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Place the corn chips on a plate.
Take heaped tablespoons of the cottage cheese mixture and form into patties. Coat all sides with the crushed corn chips and place on the baking tray. Chill for 15 minutes or until just before baking.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Spray the patties with the olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and set. Stand for 2-3 minutes before serving. Makes12. Serves 4 as a light meal with salad and chutney.
Potato ‘lasagne’ with cottage cheese
1kg potatoes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500g cottage cheese salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups prepared tomato-based pasta sauce
1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil
125g grated tasty Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly oil a 30cm x 20cm baking dish.
Slice the potatoes into 7mm rounds. Steam, microwave or boil, until just tender.
Combine the eggs, cottage cheese, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Arrange half the potatoes on the base of the baking dish.
Top evenly with half the cottage cheese mixture, half the pasta sauce and half the herbs. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle with the cheese. (The dish may be prepared to this point, refrigerated for several hours and cooked just before serving.)
Bake for 35-45 minutes until hot and golden. Great garnished with fresh herbs and served with a crunchy salad. Serves 6.
Baked cottage cheesecake
Savoury cottage cheese fritters
Ray Scrimgeour sees great opportunities for “bright young people” to get involved in conservation. Photo: Department of Conservation.
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Records tumble in powerlifting
By Jesse Wood
Seventy New Zealand records and 18 world records were broken at Te Awamutu’s ASB Stadium during the Global Powerlifting Committee national championships.
The August event attracted 85 competitors.
Trainstation gym coach, event organiser and GPC New Zealand president Mike Smith said a third of the world records were set by Trainstation Te Awamutu members Sarah Guise, Caci Karam, Tracy Karam, Sean Logan, Chara Reti and himself.
Smith said Cyril Heywood from Blenheim and Logan are highly rated.
“Sean Logan hit the all-time biggest squat in New Zealand at 410kg. He already had it, so he evened it. So that’s out by about 30kg from anybody previously,” Smith said.
“He attempted the all-time dead lift record of 425. He missed that but he took a world record on his opener at 365 and cemented a 395.
“What Sean did, is something pretty special. In Te Awamutu, the biggest squat ever in New Zealand - and twice. He’s already got the biggest deadlift in New Zealand.”
Logan and Hayward will compete at the Australian invite only ProRaw powerlifting event in November.
“This was a stepping stone for them, kind of like a training day,”
Smith said. “Sean was only in prep, so whatever he does in Australia, I would say will be significantly better still.”
The Karam family are becoming a force to be reckoned with. All three Karam competitors now hold world records.
“Xavier didn’t get one this time, but he got one in 2023 and 2024. Caci has one and Tracey now has three,” Smith said.
“Tracey came and watched a meet 18 months ago, thought this looks fun. She dragged her family along and now they’re all setting world records.”
Seven Waipā powerlifters were also selected for the New Zealand team to compete in Brazil at the GPC worlds in October.
Reti, Smith, Tracey and Xavier will represent Waipa on the world stage, as will Hamilton’s Cat and
Jared Seeney who have close connections to Waipā.
Cambridge’s Ben Barrott and Elijah Morton-Jones also impressed.
Morton-Jones was second overall in the teens division.
“He beat guys that are 20-30kg heavier and set New Zealand records. Ben broke a New Zealand bench record. These kids are 16. Ben is 74kg and he benched 150kg.
Palmer eyes the title prize
By Jon Rawlinson
Waitomo’s roads should prove decisive as this year’s North Island rally series closes in on its final destination.
Taumarunui’s Quentin Palmer can wrap up the series at Rally Waitomo on September 21 with a round to spare. “I’m going in with the same attitude as I’ve had so far – to finish and collect as many points as I can,” he told the News. “I’m reasonably confident but I won’t take anything for granted.”
With three podium placings under his seatbelt, the Waimiha-based driver could secure the series even if he fails to finish on what is almost home ground.
“I can still win, even if I don’t finish, as long as I then finish the last round, Rally Bay of Plenty,” said Palmer. “I think we’ll be on the same road as the year before last, but as we get no notes, we’ll just have to take it as it comes.”
Running east of Piopio, the Waitomo course is no sprint but it won’t require a marathon effort either.
“Because the route flows nicely – it’s not too tight and winding – drivers will be clocking some fairly good speeds,” said Evans.
Four-wheel drives will dominate, but there’s fun to be had across the classes.
“Two-wheel drives aren’t as fast as the four-wheel drives because exit speed out of corners is slower. Having said that, my Mazda is quite light, so it can be more nimble and a little bit quicker on open roads.”
Sean Logan’s 410kg all-time best squat.
Photo: Supplied
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