APRIL
PAENGA-WHAWHA 2023
125 years celebrated Muritai School’s kapa haka group took part in the formal welcome to visitors to the school’s 125th celebration, on the weekend before Easter. Following a gala dinner the night before, Saturday saw a day of boutique stalls, a museum set up by librarian Sue Fieldes and Eastbourne Historical Society’s Ali Carew, in the school
library, and classrooms full of artworks showing what the ākongo had learned about their history in the weeks leading up to the Covid-delayed celebration. The birthday cake was cut by Bruce Connelly, whose mother cut the 100th and grandmother the 75th anniversary cakes. Principal Stu Devenport says 125 was
certainly was a special weekend. “It was awesome for the school to connect with the community, including past students, whanau and staff.” Verity Mackintosh, who managed the event, and Jo and Carole in the school office, get special thanks, in addition to a big team of volunteers.
Wave Defence System still a goer, despite failure by Louise Parry The current wave defence system will continue being used in the Windy Point construction of Tupua Horo Nuku, despite its failure during a recent storm. During public comment at this week's Eastbourne Community Board meeting, ex-ECB chair Ginny Horrocks said the community wanted more information about the construction of the shared path. There had been "mad rumours", including
that the seawall will be carried right through Days Bay, she said. Construction manager John Pritchard said the wave defence system suffered a "minor failure" in November which resulted in it being removed. The system, which is usually used for flood protection, is being used to hold back water from the new Windy Point foundations – a first in the world. The system, which was under 2m tall, failed to hold the sea back from the construction
site and, because of a lack of staff, its skeleton had not been removed when a weather bomb which was "worse than we expected" made it too dangerous to continue. “We had some dramas,” Mr Pritchard said. ECB member Emily Keddell questioned why the system failed. "I don't recall a huge storm," she said. Mr Pritchard said a combination of high tides and big swells had applied pressure both to the front and back of the structure. Continues on Page 2