Raglan Chronicle

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17th March 2011 - Issue #235

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Cover

Images from the Whaingaroa Environment Day Images courtesy of Gemma Chalmers Should you wish to aquire any images from this weeks Chronicle - please contact us on 825 7076 or email your request to info@raglanchronicle.co.nz

Aloha Market Place - Sushi Takeaway. 5 Bow Street..................................................... 825 7440

Costas Licensed Pizzeria. Dine in, Takeaway & Delivery. 2 Bow Street.......................... 825 0976 Te Kopua Camp Store. Takeaway.Te Kopua Domain......................................................825 8761 Harbour View Hotel. Dine in & Takeaway. 14 Bow Street..............................................825 8010 Marlin Cafe & Grill. Dine in. On the Wharf.................................................................. 825 0010 Nannies Takeaways. 35 Bow Street............................................................................. 825 8842 Orca Restaurant and Bar. Dine in & Takeaway. 2 Wallis St...........................................825 6543 Raglan West Store. Takeaways.45 Wainui Rd...............................................................825 8293 The Shack. Dine in or Takeaway. 19 Bow Street...........................................................825 0027

letters

Burger Shack Organic. Takeaway. 35 Bow St................................................................825 8117

The Raglan Club. Dine in or Takeaway. 22-24 Bow Street............................................ 825 8288 Zaragoza . Restaurant. Cafe. Dine in & Takeaway. 23 Bow St.......................................825 0205

RAGLAN TRUST HOSPITAL Caring for the ones you love 27 - 29 Manukau Road Ph. 07 825 8306 Fax: 07 825 8855 Email: raglantrust@xtra.co.nz

1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays in Raglan 2nd and 4th Saturdays in Te Mata Further information: Raglan 825 8135 Parish Priest Fr Anselm Aherne: Frankton 847 56 88

Dear Editor I am writing in response to the letter to the editor published in last weeks Raglan Chronicle regarding the subject of “Wahine Moe” I am totally amazed by this letter: there have been many paintings, many published postcards, many local tales recorded (personally I had a tale relayed to me when I first came to live here in Raglan 10 years ago from a local Maori) about the “Sleeping Princess” These have all pointed to the fact that the legend of Karioi (and even of that the neighbouring Pirongia the sister mountain) being female.

Thus the title recently derived of the new enterprise – may I add an excellent venture and addition to the Raglan tourist attraction being named the “Waihine Moe” is an excellent one.

I would like to know where the author of the letter in last weeks Chronicle got their information from, as they have stated, and I quote – “throughout my long knowledge of him, Karioi has always been rampantly male” Where have they based their research? I would love to read this for myself Can anyone else shed further light on this subject please?

G Hunter

Weather File

RAGLAN UNION CHURCH 3 Stewart Street

* * * A warm welcome awaits you there

Sunday Service

10am - 11am Communion every 4th Sunday Kids Club: Mondays 3pm-4.30pm Opportunity Shop Saturday in the Hall 9am - 11.30am

CHURCH OFFICE Ph: 825 - 8276

RAGLAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday Service: 10am, 48 Bow Street

SUNDAY SERVICES

10am Raglan Area School 7pm Te Uku Church Pastor Roger Peart ph 07 825 5199

www.surfside.co.nz Raglan Ink Ltd home of the Raglan Chronicle Office Open Mon to Fri 9am - 4.00pm, Wainui Rd, Raglan Ph: (07) 825-7076 Fax: (07) 825-7078 Post: P.O. Box 234, Raglan Email: raglan.chronicle@xtra.co.nz Advertising & Articles The

advertising and editorial content deadline will be Monday at 12pm week of issue.

DISCLAIMER

Opinions and views expressed in the Raglan Chronicle do not necessarily represent those held by the Editors or Publishers.

Every care will be taken in the preparation and placement of submitted material but the Editors/Publishers shall not be liable for errors or omissions or subsequent effects due to the same. It is the submitters responsibility to ensure material is not libelous or defamatory. The Editors/Publishers reserve the right to abridge, alter or decline any material submitted to the Raglan Chronicle to meet the constraints of space and/or maintain a reasonable standard of language and decorum.

2 RAGLAN Chronicle

Iconic raft race goes on come hell or high water Nothing got in the way of Raglan’s ninth annual recycled raft race last Saturday – neither bridge construction at Kopua Domain nor even a nationwide tsunami warning in the wake of the tragic 9.0 magnitude quake in Japan.

For quite a while there it looked like the hugely entertaining annual race, part of the Whaingaroa Community and Environment Day, wouldn’t go ahead to the disappointment of big crowds lining the beach and footbridge.

But with 19 rafts registered on the day, says Xtreme Waste co-ordinator Lindsey Turner, there was no holding back the colourfully dressed crews and their weird and wonderful assortment of craft even though they were officially advised not to race. In the end, with any impact on the west coast expected to be minimal at worst, the good keen paddlers simply refused to listen.

“They pretty much said no (to cancelling the event),” Lindsey told the Chronicle. “It’s a little bit iconic, really,” she explained.

Even so things were a little different this year, she says, because of the lesser space to the north of the Kopua footbridge, where a big crane now sits inside a large construction compound for the replacement bridge.

As a result, all the rafts were “parked” and judged on the adjacent soccer fields before being whisked down to the remaining bit of beach for the start of the mid-afternoon race.

However in the end it all “worked quite

Whaingaroa Community and Environment day

Whaingaroa Community and Environment day at Kopua domain on Saturday ran without a hitch, says project co-ordinator Tony Agar.

And feedback about the stage being placed on the playground side of the domain this year – because of the construction compound to the north of the footbridge – was “very positive”.

Highlights had to be the live music from Twisted Timber, Hand Me Downs, Jacquemo and Raglan Area School’s Smash on the Radio, says Tony, with the Zumba also pulling the crowds. well,” says Lindsey. Competitors still had enough space to line up along the beach and paddle out under the bridge once the starting hooter sounded. As a concession to the construction work, though, the finish was moved to the uncongested section of beach south of the footbridge.

Out on the water it was “Raglan Bill”, aka Jamie Edwards, who rowed his way to victory in Plastic Fantastic – a cleverly designed vessel made from the framework of an old canoe but

wrapped and waterproofed in the kind of plastic wrap discarded from packing pellets.

He was about due for a win, reckons Lindsey, having entered rafts “in various shapes and forms” for years. He was also last year’s runner-up with his Waka Puhara creation.

Close behind, wearing outlandish garb and long colourful Cheering the rafts on from the Kopua bridge. tinsel wigs, were father-and• Best paddles and best junior entry (under son team Sean and Leo Oliver, 12), Le Sinka – crewed by Amelia Penfold, paddleboard-style, on Stand Up Recycle which Ella McLeod Edwards, Jo and Corina won last year’s race. And in third place were schoolgirls Pania Stanway-Thorpe, Reeve Tweedie.

Harry-Wright, Terri Toxward-Nicolson and • Least likely to float (but they did and Kimi Solomon-Banks on Mizapa. finished 11th), Ruba-dub-tub – five kids The Pirates from Waitetuna School headed in a tub. home fourth with a dozen or so kids and a couple • Most interesting design, Solowaker of adults crammed aboard their barrelled-up – Gun Lai, hand-shaved and crafted from outrigger canoe. fibreglass.

Other results: • Best message and flag, Waitetuna Waka • Best raft, Waitetuna Eels – Angus – Andrew, Madeleine, Ronan Thompson MacDonald (raft builder aged 14), Keith and Lola.

MacDonald (10), Seumus MacDonald • Most impressive finish, Clean Sweep (adult) and Arden Andre (13). (sunk on the finish line) – Philip and Emily • Runner-up, Raglan Area School’s Hash Meek, Jo Meek, Damon and Maddie Brown – built by teacher Glen Rangitonga Alexander, Simon Thomson and Honey and five boys as part of a woodwork Armstrong. project.

• Most improved racers and most numbers • Best dressed, Kinaboy Tutus – all-boy crew of people on one raft, The Pirates – wearing pink tutus: Rudy Regnier, Muroki Waitetuna School.

Githinji-Pearsall, Puarere Kenehuru, Cabe Hartstone-Kereopa.

Edith Symes

Earthquake Appeal Gala tops $14,000!

Norman Curtis, Club Secretary/Manager announced at the end of the gala that approximately $11,000 had been raised – a fantastic effort and testament to the skills, enthusiasm and generosity of the Raglan Community.

However, in the days following a further significant Bronwyn, Norm, and Nin from the Raglan Club contribution was received and along with an update of funds raised on the day the total raised donated his lively auctioneering skills and in two hours sold goods for Christchurch is $14,000. and services to the value of over $7,000. Quick-fire raffles made Raglan Club proved the ideal location for the community event a further $1,600 toward the cause. Raglan’s Sports Fishing Club and gave Raglan people a fun and meaningful way to contribute to donated the use of their marque guaranteeing the gala would the earthquake disaster cause. “I thought what a wonderful resource proceed no matter the weather while the Raglan Club funded we have to be able to use our facilities and the services and skills of the cost of the delicious luncheon. our residents. The Raglan community has rallied around and been The $14,000 will be sent through Clubs NZ to Christchurch Mayor extraordinarily generous” commented Norman.

Bob Parker’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

The club received an enormous array of stunning goods and services to auction at the gala. Local resident Chris Leuthart Sue Russell

16-18 Bow St, Raglan 8 Bow St, Raglan.

Ph: 825 Phone: 825 8300 8300

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Chartered Accountants 7147948AA

The Christchurch earthquake relief fund gala held on Sunday March 6 at the Raglan Club has had its funds boosted after the event.

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RAGLAN Chronicle 3

The Karioi Clinic of Homeopathy

Janis Beet - Classical Homeopath Greetings to all in Whaingaroa.

With the change of seasons upon us now is the perfect time to learn how to deal with those winter coughs and colds naturally and effectively with Homeopathy.

The popular ‘Homeopathy for the Family’ course is being held on four Tuesday evenings starting 5th April 2011with a two week break for the school holidays. This course gives participants an understanding of basic homeopathic philosophy and teaches them to safely use a range of homeopathic remedies for first

home based child care

Available in Raglan • Babies to 5 years • Flexible hours • 20 ECE hrs for 3 & 4 year olds • WINZ Subsidies available We are also seeking motivated educarers to provide care in their own homes

Phone 0800 jemmas

Jeffrey Farnham

D.C., B.A.

Chiropractor t. 07 825 0369 f. 07 839 7917 m. 021 227 4537 e. drjfarnham@yahoo.com

aid, insect stings, burns and simple acute illnesses like fevers, coughs, colds and influenza. Teething and colic remedies for infants are also covered.

Homeopathy for the Family Course Venue The Karioi Clinic of Homeopathy 78 Upper Wainui Road, Raglan Dates 5 April, 12 April, 3 May, 10 May

Course numbers are limited so please register early.

People who have done this course in the past have found that it sets them on the path for thinking homeopathically and really empowers them to deal with many family ailments simply and efficiently with a small range of remedies at hand.

If you have any queries please phone Janis at 825 8004 or 854 8962 or text 0274598547

Time 6.30pm - 9.30pm Fee

$120 [deposit of $30 on registration]

Tutor Janis Beet, Classical Homeopath Phone 825 8004 or 854 8962 to register

Expansion for Whaingaroa Physiotherapy Whaingaroa Physiotherapy has opened a second room at West Coast Health Clinic in Wallis Street.

This expansion has come in response to an increased need from the community for physiotherapy services and in particular for those who are in severe pain due to injury.

“Many people were having to wait 7-10 days for a physiotherapy appointment, which I do not believe is a sufficient service for those who have a serious injury or suffering from

high levels of pain. I wanted to have a service that would allow people to get appointments if not on the same day than within 3 days” explains Ngareta Melgren (Principal Physiotherapist).

If you have pain, discomfort or injury and it hasn’t healed with time, it probably won’t. Ring Whaingaroa Physiotherapy to make an appointment to help you back to living without pain and dysfunction.

Whaingaroa Physiotherapy 12 Wallis Street (West Coast Health Clinic) Phone: 825 0123

Ngareta outside her additional clinic

Children’s Health Clinic Karioi Clinic Raglan Janis Beet

CLASSICAL HOMEOPATH Cert. N.T, Dip. Hom(NZ)

32 Boundary Road, Hamilton Ph 07 854 8962 78 Upper Wainui Rd, Raglan Ph 07 825 8004 Mb 027 459 8547 Email janisbeet@gmail.com

Call 0800 084314 Email:bizzybuddyz@xtra.co.nz www.bizzybuddyz.co.nz

4 RAGLAN Chronicle

Are you concerned about your child’s health? Did your kids have repeated illnesses last winter? Do your children have lack of energy and concentration at school, problems with skin conditons, allergies and asthma? Are they fussy eaters?

Our dedicated team of qualified natural health practitioners at ‘The Herbal Dispensary’ would like to assist you with your child’s health. We work daily with herbal medicine, nutritional supplements and other natural medicines such as homeopathy and the Heel range with great results. It is our wish to suit individual

needs and to design an ongoing health plan which is practical and easy to apply.

We offer Children’s Health Clinics every friday between 2-4pm. The appointments are free if your child is 10 years of age or under (prescribed remedies are of separate cost). The consults last for about 20 minutes and need booking in advance.

Take this great opportunity to enhance your child’s wellbeing.

The Herbal Dispensary....where you belong

Dr Oliver Russell Dr Gill Brady Dr Marcia Mitchley

10 Bankart Street, Raglan

Big boys toys brought in to Kopua Domain It’s still the Kopua inlet, but not as we knew it.

In the space of only a few weeks the north end of Kopua Domain has been transformed from tranquil recreation area to major construction site – complete with security fencing and a crane rising almost as high as Gun Lai’s fireworks – as preparatory work forges ahead on building a new footbridge across the inlet.

The arrival of crews and big machinery from HEB Construction, the same company building the new Kopu bridge at the gateway to the Coromandel Peninsula, follows closely on the resumption of activity across the inlet where Hamilton-based construction company Livingston Construction is pushing quickly ahead with building Raglan’s new $1.3 million museum and information centre.

The two big-ticket projects – combined with the controversial recent felling of a landmark stand of trees near the skatepark – will combine to give a whole new look before next summer to an iconic area of town hugely popular with day trippers and tourists.

The museum is scheduled for completion mid-year, while Waikato District Council water & facilities general manager Richard Bax says the contractors plan to have the footbridge finished by October.

Though the new footbridge at first glance may not look significantly different to the old link across the inlet, it will be sited just to the north and be slightly more imposing all

round with an extra 800mm in height, a 2.5 metre-wide path as opposed to 1.4 metres, and a greater length of 140 metres.

Richard says demolition of the old footbridge won’t begin until the new one is completed, so there’ll always be access between the domain and town.

He says the plan is for HEB – an Auckland-based company he describes as very experienced in this type of work – to demolish the bridge in sections, using cranes to lift pieces clear to minimise disruption to marine life and the harbour. The work is controlled by strict resource consent conditions.

The footbridge replacement project comes with a whopping bill: HEB’s successful tender for the work was around the $2.5 million mark, while the council has already forked out a shade under $350,000 for bridge design work

by Aurecon, formerly Connell Wagner.

Councillor’s Column

• Work was also to begin this week on another high-profile, though more modest, project about town – the building of a new lifeguard tower at Ngarunui Beach. A karakia by kaumatua Sean Ellison at the surf club last Sunday night cleared the way for a start on the replacement for the current rickety wooden structure.

Sublime Stairmand too good for opponents A move to Ruapuke Beach south of Raglan was not enough to stop local Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand from claiming the Rip Curl Pro presented by Nature Valley today (Saturday 12th March).

The Rip Curl Pro presented by Nature Valley is the fifth of six events on the SOL Surf Series with the final event to be contested in early April being an invitational event for the top rated surfers in New Zealand post today’s results.

It is the third time Stairmand has won the Rip Curl Pro, both previous victories (2008, 2009) coming at his more favoured break of Manu Bay. Today Stairmand had to contest small 0.5m – 1.0m waves fanned by light winds at Ruapuke Beach. The conditions could not be further from what is expected when Stairmand takes his place in the Rip Curl Padang Cup in Bali during July this year – an invitation he receives as a result of his victory today.

Stairmand surfed a near perfect final today scoring 18.25 points out of a possible 20 – the highest heat score of the entire event. His top two waves were 9.5 and 8.75 point rides, his highest comprising of two backhand re-entries and a trademark fins free backhand close out manoeuvre that brought the sun drenched crowd alive.

“I just went out and got that first wave and it flowed from there. I was relaxed and not thinking of the heats as a comp, just having fun with the boys kinda thing” said Stairmand.

Comparing his three wins post-final, he thought the win today on the beach break was “pretty amazing.” It is good to have it here, different waves etc, it makes it fairer in some ways” added Stairmand in reference to the options a beach break provides.

Stairmand will be unable to take his place in the SOL Super 16 as a result of his international commitments which see him fly to Australia immediately after the Gisborne event before then heading to Scotland.

Another local surfer in Leon Santorik placed third in the final, his best result of the SOL Surf Series this year scoring 14.50 in the final while fourth place went to Larry Fisher (Rag) who made his first final in some years after a great weekend of results.

Image credited to Silas / Kiwi Surf Magazine

The crane towering over the new bridge construction site

Raglan surfers also feared well in the other divisions with Alexis Poulter (Rag) placing third in the Open Women’s Division and younger brother Ben Poulter placing fourth in the Under 20 Men’s Division.

As I indicated in my last column 2011 is off to a flying start. You will no doubt be aware of activity around town at the museum and information centre site, the new footbridge and , soon - repairs to the wharf. WEL Networks are also building a sub-station on the corner of Hills Road and the main road. There are also upgrades to waste water reticulation, in particular the Nero Street rising main – that’s what all the painted marks on Wainui Road relate to.

The big issue for council as we go through the process of the Annual Plan is to try and keep rates to reasonable levels. The proposed general movement is just under 3% but some targeted rates have caused concern to councillors - water in particular. This has been brought about by not keeping up with fixed costs in supplying water. Although our water rates are less than some of our neighbouring councils the proposal to add another $87 per year is nevertheless a big increase.

The timetable for the annual plan consultation process will start on 11th April until 12th May 2011 with hearings taking place from the 31st May until 2nd June 2011. More information can be accessed from the district council website www.wdc.govt.nz where you can also get all the council meeting minutes. If you prefer you can make enquiries at the local council office.

Finally I would like to make some comments on Council’s decision to withdraw Variation 15.

The structure plan for Raglan was originally started to determine zoning and infrastructure needs for the future. As an exercise there are many components involved – projecting population growth is key to this process. The original scope of our area stretched from Whale Bay to Te Mata.

What the exercise revealed was that there were already more than enough sections for housing to cover population growth.

As a consequence the scope was reduced to focus mainly on the CBD area. The issues and options process did not identify a clear view of a way forward so consultants were called in to assist that process.

What we do know is that visitor and tourist growth is significant and options need to be provided to cater for that but without interfering with the essential character of Raglan.

It is always difficult to plan potential change into the future when most are comfortable with the current. To retro fit established areas is not easy particularly when people in those areas are not consulted thoroughly.

It is my view that two main issues prompted the large number of submissions: 1. Council should have put out a draft of the variation prior to it being notified for further consultation.

2. The scope of Variation 15 was too narrow to allow change to the notified variation i.e. other areas for inclusion.

There has been a lot of information gained from the process, and valuable lessons learnt.

Council will now scope a way forward including information gained and further input from the Community.

If you would like to discuss Council issues please contact me through the Council office on 8258129 or mobile 0211553778.

Regards Clint

RAGLAN Chronicle 5

Tsunami-village Samoans come in to the Raglan cold First impressions for four young Western Samoan men newly arrived here last week to train as lifeguards – just as the weather turned from sweltering to nippy – was that Raglan looked like a surf town. “Everybody’s got boards on their cars,” one observed.

And yes, it was “a little bit cold right now”, they reckoned on Friday night at a Sunset Motel barbeque organised in their honour by hosts Andy White and Brent Cederman who, with the collaboration of Trust Waikato and the Raglan-based Lalomanu Village Trust, have arranged their two-month stay.

The training is an integral part of plans, the moteliers and businessmen say, to set up a surf club this year in tsunamistruck Lalomanu -- and to try to avoid any further loss of life such as that of Andy’s then wife Maryann White, who drowned during the freak disaster there 18 months ago.

Already an illuminated escape path bearing Maryann’s name has been built in the village where the Whites and the Cedermans were holidaying when the tsunami struck.

The four trainees from the village, all in their 20s – Roma Hope, Meki Milo, Simanu Tusiga and James Me – have left their jobs to take up the challenge at Trust Waikato Raglan Surf Life Saving Club where club captain Debbie PhillipsMorgan has an “intensive” programme under way for them.

They are here to get their surf lifesaving guard awards (SLGA), first aid certificates and possibly attend an intermediate guard school as observers, she says. “It’s very intense.”

The four will also get some training sessions with other Raglan-based emergency services such as St John and the fire brigade, says Debbie.

If after six weeks they were to fail their SLGA exam, which includes a 400 metre swim in under nine minutes, they’ll be back for more training and a re-sit during their final two weeks in the country, she adds. Otherwise they get to holiday.

Debbie and her new recruits, L-R James, Meki, Roma, and Simanu

Weekends too for Roma, Meki, Simanu and James will be taken up with all-day training on the beach at Ngarunui where they’ll also learn how to teach the “nippers”, in preparation for running their own surf club back at Lalomanu.

“They’ll be the eyes on the ground every day (back in the village),” says Andy.

Funds from the trust – whose trustees are Andy, Brent and Raglan district councillor Clint Baddeley – have come

courtesy of local and nationwide donations in the wake of the 2009 tsunami in Western Samoa. The money will also finance equipment such as tubes and skiffs needed to set up a surf club there.

Uniforms for all ages will be recycled from New Zealand surf clubs, says Andy, and the trust will seek sponsorship to follow up on lifeguard training.

Edith Symes

Happy Feet Footcare Cross St resident’s

Tania Lattaney is providing a new service for Raglan people’s feet. This is a Professional Mobile Toenail Trimming Service that comes to your door, catering for men and women who know the importance of maintaining healthy feet for good comfort.

Tania was born, raised and went to Raglan School, I then went on to train and qualified as a Nurse. My work opportunities and raising a family meant I lived in various locations.

She worked as a Nurse for 43 years and has recently semi retired, back once again in paradise Raglan.

She considers herself fit and healthy with a great sense of humour. She enjoys kayaking, fishing, rock n roll dancing and gardening.

After much conversation with her daughter Teresa, who is also a Registered Nurse, she began collating ideas about contributing a service within the Raglan Community.

Happy Feet Footcare provides an opportunity to support and enhance your health and wellbeing.

Happy Feet Footcare Treatments include: 1 Toenail trimming 2 Exfoliation 3 Warm water rose or lavender soak 4 Warm water lavender or rose foot spa 5 Towel drying 6 Foot and calf massage 7 Apply foot and calf lotion Health and wellbeing benefits are: • Helps you to maintain stable mobility • Improves your foot health and hygiene • Relaxes sore tired feet • Stimulates and encourages good blood circulation • Softens your skin • Soothes aches and pains • Relaxes and rejuvenates your mind

She will pamper you with the TLC you deserve, for friendly service call today to inquire or make an appointment with Tania Lattaney.

Telephone: (07) 825-8345 Mobile: 027-521-1974 Email: happyfeetfootcare@xtra.co.nz

concern over road Already narrow and winding, Cross Street can often be hazardous and to add to this, residents have lived with a large crack on the road for the past 12 months. Measuring around three metres in length and a metre wide, the crack in the road is caused by the slumping of the earth underneath.

Ian Gooden, Roading General Manager for the Waikato District Council is responsible for around 2400km of roading – the fifth largest area in the country. “Often when a slump is moving, you want to wait and see, the road was topped up to see how much the earth was moving,” says Ian, responding to why the crack has taken over 12 months to repair.

“The crack has been like this for over 12 months, when it first started sinking the council used to just fill it up,” says Upper Cross Street resident Stu Wait.

“It would be good to sort it out,” says Melissa, but other residents are still concerned about the general safety of the road.

Despite the signage and road cones marking the existence of the crack, the narrow nature of the road has caused some issues with residents.

“My other concern is that down by the rugby grounds it’s really narrow, and during rugby season it gets quite busy with big busses and you see kids and families pushing prams. Because the footpath stops at the grounds, there’s nowhere for people to walk.

“It’s quite dangerous actually, I was on my motorbike the other day and there was a car coming the other way so I had to go further on to my side of the road and I almost fell in the hole,” says Chris Meek who has a workshop on Cross Street.

After a year living with the crack and watching it getting progressively worse, residents can now be comforted by the fact that the council intends to start work on fixing the road in upcoming weeks.

“We had a couple of strata guys come out two weeks ago and they came around to say they were doing something about it,” says Melissa Slatter, whose house is located closest to the crack.

Raglan Resident Pat Walker enjoys a foot massage from Tania.

Fixing the road will involve clearing some vegetation and also ascertaining where the water is coming from, which is causing the earth to slump.

A lot of cars drive really fast around this area, coming around from the other side you’re trying to get as far left as possible,” says Stu. “There are a lot of people pushing prams around here, including us. If they could extend the footpath a bit that would be good, “agrees Melissa.

Maki Nishiyama

The Cross St crack has been with us for over a year.

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            

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RAGLAN Chronicle 7

Schools and community Water restrictions to benefit from gala day lifted in Waikato A community gala day will be held at Raglan’s Kopua Domain next month to celebrate the completion of the Te Uku wind farm.

“We wanted to hold a fundraising event for the local community to celebrate the completion of the Te Uku wind farm,” he says.

Meridian Energy and local schools are working together to organise the event on Sunday 10 April.

The day will involve the gala, which will take place between 9am and 4pm at the Domain, and Meridian hosted bus tours of the wind farm between 8am and 3pm. Tickets for the bus tours cost $5 and will be on sale to the community from 21 March.

Proceeds from the gala day and the bus tours will go to the area’s four schools and community organisations.

Te Uku wind farm Project Manager, Robert Batters, says the level of interest in the project has been phenomenal

“A range of vendors, will participate in the gala, which will have free entry. It’ll be a great day to have a bit of fun together, while also giving back to the local community,” says Robert.

People wanting Te Uku bus tour tickets can contact either Te Uku School, phone 825 5815 or Raglan Area School, phone 825 8140. All proceeds from ticket sales will be divided evenly between Te Uku, Te Mata, Waitetuna and Raglan Area Schools.

Additionally, community organisations and companies wanting to book a stall for the gala day can phone 0800 838 589 to register their interest.

All water restrictions have been lifted in the Waikato District following a sustained decrease in daily water consumption.

Consumption levels have decreased quite significantly in line with the recent drop in temperatures, and Waikato District Council is confident that the demand on water will remain at acceptable levels without the need for further water restrictions.

Waikato District Council water and facilities general manager Richard Bax said it is great to see that people are making changes to the way they view and use water.

“Even though we have a large river flowing through our region, it is important to realise that water is not an unlimited resource. We all need to continue to take appropriate steps to conserve water wherever possible to ensure a consistent supply right throughout the year, including peak demand periods such as summer,” he said.

Council is confident that even with all restrictions now lifted, residents will continue to use water wisely and maintain sustainable levels of water usage in the months ahead.

Waikato’s water alert levels were introduced last summer as part of ‘Smart Water Use’ – a regional collaborative effort between Waikato District Council, Hamilton City Council, Environment Waikato and other territorial authorities throughout the greater Waikato. The initiative aims to encourage residents to regard water as a ‘limited and precious resource’ and promote proactive water conservation.

Inter Club Sailing Camp Weekend Lawn bowls upate Championship Fours: After having been rained off last weekend, twenty four players were greeted with perfect weather to challenge our Championship Fours event on Saturday/ Sunday 12/13th March.

Once again the teams were ‘drawn’ which was a new format this year. Being six teams, each team had to win two games to qualify for the next round of play.

After two rounds, two teams had two wins, two teams had two losses, and the other two teams had one win and one loses each, so they had to play off to see who would have two wins.

For Sunday’s play Denny Robertson’s team had a ‘bye’ first round, leaving Mouse Stephens and Harold Crake’s teams to play off. This was a very close game with Harold’s team being the victors.

The final was fought gallantly but it just didn’t come together enough for Denny’s team, leaving Harold, Maureen (Maws) Wahanga, Margaret Mead and Rangi Sundvick to claim the championship title for 2011. Congratulations, W. D. WESTERN 1000: This is our ‘Premier Event’ of the year! Twenty eight teams representing, Arapuni, Hamilton City, Hamilton Cosmopolitan Club, Cambridge Central, Huntly, Rewa, Putaruru, Taumarunui, Ohaupo, Otorohanga, Taupiri, Frankton Railway, a composite team, Hillcrest (2 teams) Te Awamutu (2) Frankton Junction (5) and six teams from Raglan, enjoyed the autumn-like sunshine with a gently breeze and swayed to the music (while not playing a bowl) in their quest to win.

A lovely ambience was enjoyed all round, including a fulfilling lunch , plus morning and afternoon tea.

The winning team was from Frankton Railway, Henry TeMoni, Neil Rendle, Dot and Leanne Curry, with 4 wins and 63 points. 2nd was Rose Harris’s team from Hillcrest with 4 wins and 55 points. 3rd

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Due to the success of last October’s Nautical Exhibition and themed Quiz Night, the Raglan Sailing Club will be hosting the Tarawera Sailing Club this weekend, 19th & 20th March, for a kids (and adults) sailing comp. This is a reciprocal event for a similar weekend well hosted by their Sailing Club at Lake Tarawera in March last year.

This will be a fun, educational weekend, especially for those may be unused to experiencing tidal changes and forces.

The camp will be based at Lorenzen Bay, from where, on Saturday following a briefing on the day’s specific conditions, they will have a ‘points of interest’ sailing harbour tour, extending their knowledge of how to sail with the differing elements of tide and wind, to reach a specific point.

Sunday morning will consist of several short races to cater for the many different classes of yachts they hope to have gathered for the Regatta. So if you’re around this weekend, look out for a fleet of sails gracing our versatile harbour.

Thanks again to al those who supported the Raglan Sailing Club’s exhibition and quiz night, to make this event possible. Let’s hope the weather plays fair!

Harold Crake seated, L-R Margaret Mead, Maureen Wahanga and Rangi Sundvick. was Graham (Mouse ) Stephens, Ross Turner with Richard (Blue) & Eileen Stephens, with 4 wins and 51 points . 4th was a composite team of Terry Green and Jim Ardern (Raglan) with Owen Henderson and Mike Gray (Hamilton City) also with 4 wins but 39 points. Congratulations . W.D. to you all.

We acknowledge our Sponsors; Raglan Four Square, Seddon Park Funeral Home, Chris Leuthart of PGG Wrightson, Warren Banks Electrical and Harold Crake Handiman for their generous support of this special event and say a big thankyou.

BUSINESSHOUSE BOWLS: The last night of this round will be on Tuesday 22nd March... the competition is getting down to the nitty-gritty stage. mmm indeed!

WESTPAC BANK HELICOPTER APPEAL: To be held on Tuesday 29th March at the bowling club, to be run like business house night All welcome to come and support this very worthwhile cause. Thanks.

Happy bowling...Eileen Stephens.

Jillian Lanksheer.R.S.C

‘Little Raggas’ return to the Old School The very popular music and movement sessions for Raglan pre-schoolers between 3-5 years is starting up again on Tuesday morning 29 March at the Old School Arts Centre.

This series will be led by Jenny Bond, a long-stay visitor to Raglan who is already helping Susanne Giessen Prinz with an after school pottery class on Monday afternoons - more about Jenny in next week’s Chronicle.

To find out more about the programme call Jenny on 021 082 00034 or emaillittleraggas@gmail.com, or call Jacqueline at the Old School 825 0023.

OPINION: Sting like a bee... by Patsy Zohs It wasn’t Muhammad Ali I took the blow from, it was an angry bee in my bathroom. I was there at one o’clock in the morning and noticed a dirt like deposit in a corner of the lino. I got the red dust pan and brush and sweep it up. Bee droppings?

A bee was ringside and delivered a red hot needle into a finger.I did some fancy foot work and scraped the sting off with the blade of a knife and applied copious amounts of vinegar. My hand began to swell and itch painfully and my fingers were becoming small saveloys.

I rang a talk back station and was amazed at the response at 2.00 am. People got out of bed to look up cures. “Rub on half an onion, lemon juice, baking soda, ice”. I frantically tried all of them and

the itching abated a bit. Next morning the doctor’s antihistamine and cold packs did the trick.

I had previously noted a flurry of bees around my rhubarb growing next to the down pipe from the bathroom. They were coming in through small wall gaps around it and through a bee sized hole in the toilet. A kind neighbour Leo, plugged up this hole with cloth and brown tape. It was impossible to address the outside, as part of the swarm was circling.

The Pest Control man came in full white regalia (the least attractive colour for bees) He administered a strong yellow powder inside and out. By the next morning they were vanquished. This had been a last resort. I’ve said goodbye to my rhubarb and adjascent strawberries and I feel sad about the knock out blow to the bees.

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OPINION: Living dangerously... by Ian McKissack It is very strange that if we heard that a shark had been seen off New Plymouth everyone would be eyeing the water carefully before going for a swim.

The chances of being attacked by a shark are very slim. But most days we venture out on to the roads with no thought for the fact that we are engaging in a very dangerous activity. Just the basic fact of two cars heading in opposite directions on a two lane road at a combined speed of 200 k.p.h. is fraught with risk. A moment’s loss of attention and there you are. Or there you were. Heading confidently towards a corner at the maximum limit, you take your life in your hands. What is round that corner, a stalled car? An accident? All right, you have to take the risk and not creep slowly round every bend. We have all been behind a driver who came near to doing this crawl every time the road curved and it is infuriating.

But remembering you are engaged in a dangerous activity is only sensible.

In the early days of motoring when the vehicles were few and slow there was a Red Flag act for about 13 years. An attendant had to walk 50 metres ahead of the vehicle , bearing a red flag. And this was for heavy traction engines travelling at a hair-raising speed 6.4 k.p.h. in the country and slower in the town. Now we just take the risks of high speeds as part of everyday life. This is not a good idea on the

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