12 July Wainuiomata News

By Frank Neill

Photo: Supplied.

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Frank Neill

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The experience of a lifetime

Continued from page 1

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Zach says.

“I just love riding motor bikes, and going over the obstacles and having fun and winning.

“This will be the experience of a lifetime for me, and I will be extremely proud to represent my country in this competition,” he says.

Zach earned his selection after finishing a convincing first in the fourth round of the North Island Trials Championships this month. His victory came in a field made up of adult riders of all ages.

Following that victory, he was lying second in the competition after the first four of the six rounds.

Zach went on to win the North Island title, after securing victories in the final two rounds on 8 and 9 July.

In the upcoming Trans Tasman competition he will compete against Australia’s top riders aged under 13 years.

trials since 2019.

This is not racing, but rather a competition that is all about finesse, control and balance.

Competitors ride over an obstacle course of boulders, streams, hill climbs, logs, drop offs, and a variety of other challenges.

The riders have to follow a set course and they gain points if their feet touch the ground or an obstacle, or if they fall off their bike.

The rider with the fewest points wins.

Zack looks to be following in the footsteps of another Wainuiomata motor cyclists, Jake Whittaker, who is the three-time New Zealand Extreme Off-Road Champion.

Last year Jake not only won the extreme off-road title but he dominated the series, winning all four rounds, which finished on 27 November.

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“I’m rapt,” Zach’s father Wayne Furniss told the “Wainuiomata News” when asked his reaction to his son’s selection.

“Susan my wife and I are both very proud of Zach.”

As well as representing New Zealand, Zach will also represent his club, the Ixion Trials Club, which has members throughout the greater Wellington region.

Jake began his competitive career in moto trials. He has won eight New Zealand Moto Trials championships – the largest number of titles in the sport’s history – as well as being victorious in three Australian championships.

In this year’s Oceania event, the New Zealand team will be looking to reverse the win by Australia the last time the championships were held, in 2018.

New Zealand won the event in 2017 only to see Australia reverse the outcome a year later.

from Motorcycling NZ and the International Motorcycling Federation. If he does that will likely only cover half the cost.

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Zach began riding motorcycles when he was seven years old and has been riding in moto

Zach is currently fund-raising so he can meet the cost of competing in Australia.

He is hoping that he can get some support

He is hoping to receive sponsorship from local businesses, friends and family. His family has also set up a Givealittle page for Zack at https://givealittle.co.nz/ cause/help-get-zack-to-adelaide-torepresent-nz-in-moto.

Rating system is broken Mayor says

Local government needs to change Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry says.

"Our current structure is not fit for purpose."

Because of this, Mayor Barry is looking forward to working with councils around the country and central government to consider

the recommendations in the final report from the Panel of the Review into the Future for Local Government.

Many of the changes recommended by the independent panel would put councils and local democracy in a far better position for the future, Mayor Barry says.

A key part of the report is about affordability for ratepayers, and the recommended changes will ease pressure on communities through a more efficient and sustainable operating model.

"The current rating system is broken and becoming increasingly unaffordable for many of our residents.

"Quite often central government imposes unfunded mandates on local government meaning we are constantly doing more and are saddled with the increased costs associated with that.

"This means we’re using blunt tools like our rating system to ask ratepayers for more.

“By central government opening up new revenue streams to us through an annual transfer, rates on Crown property and climate change support, we will be in a better position to deliver basic services and make long term decisions.

"Local Government needs to be supported by significant and sustainable revenue streams to support our people, business and environment."

Mayor Barry says he is pleased to see the focus on partnerships, particularly with Mana Whenua, featuring strongly throughout the panel’s report.

"There is a need across local government to improve partnerships with Mana

Whenua. The suggestion in the report to make local government a partner to the Treaty of Waitangi will support this.

"In Lower Hutt we have seen immense benefit in prioritising and investing in our partnerships with Mana Whenua.

“This includes a renewed focus on social and environmental outcomes and delivering services and projects in an equitable and empowering way," the Mayor says.

"The panel’s report puts an important challenge to central and local government.

“I’m pleased that it outlines a clear roadmap to strengthen local government and devolve greater decision making to our communities and strengthen local democracy.

"It’s important that these recommendations are closely considered, and that we don’t kick the can down the road any longer," Mayor Barry says.

Zack Furniss. Photo: Frank Neill.

Mayor Campbell Barry.

Photo: Hutt City Council.

Q: With the election

Getting policies that actually matter – for example unemployment. They are not doing anything to alleviate the problem.

Great Wainui totara has fallen

By Frank Neill

The great Wainuiomata Rangatira Dr Ihakara Porutu (Kara) Puketapu has died aged 89.

The Te ti Awa leader lay in state at the Waiwhet Marae from 8 to 11 July and was buried at his homestead, Taumairangi in Wainuiomata, on 11 July.

To mark the falling of the great t tara, Hutt City Council lowered the flags on its building to half mast on 7 July.

Dr Puketapu was honoured on 25 May with the Exceptional Service Award at the Hutt Valley Sports Awards.

“The legacy of Kara Puketapu is immense,” the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said when announcing the award.

That legacy was immense “both in terms of his sporting contributions, but more so the legacy of M ori leadership, well-being and development – rooted in kaupapa and m tauranga M ori methodologies,” the Prime Minister said.

“Throughout his life he has empowered and led others, expressing rangatiratanga from a position of personal integrity, humility and authority.

He is “a formidable Te ti Awa Leader,” Mr Hipkins said.

“We are deeply saddened by his loss and we are incredibly grateful to have had his guiding light of leadership here in our community throughout his long and very rich lifetime,” Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry says.

“Dr Puketapu made an enormous impact, not only on Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, but around Aotearoa and in the M ori world.

“His contributions to M ori communities around the country, and our society, will continue to be felt for generations to come.

“Kara helped establish the K hanga Reo movement, his knowledge of indigenous peoples led him to become a relentless champion for his own people’s cultural development, he was a M ori All Black, with extensive involvement in sport throughout his lifetime, and received an award at the Hutt Valley Sports Awards recently to celebrate that.

“But it was his leadership that stands above all else.

“As a patron of the Wainuiomata Marae, he is held in such mana in our community, all those who come after will look up to his

There are too many problems.

I will judge it by a whole range of issues, not just one. These will include crime, law and order, tax, and how the economy is managed.

as the example to follow,” the Mayor says. Educated at Waiwhetu School and Wellington Technical College, where he was both Head Prefect and School Dux, Dr Pukepatu then attended Victoria University, gaining a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.

He began his career at the State Services Commission and in 1977 was appointed Secretary of the M ori Affairs Department, which was to become the Ministry of M ori Affairs and later Te Puni K kiri.

During this time the T T ngata/ Stand Tall Kaupapa was launched which promoted the success of M ori standing tall within their culture.

One of the most important initiatives to come out of T T ngata was the k hanga reo movement, which began at K kiri Pukeatua in Wainuiomata in 1982.

Dr Puketapu was a top Rugby player in his youth, playing as centre for the Petone premier team that won the Jubilee Cup in 1956 and 1957. He played in the Wellington provincial team, winning the Ranfurly Shield in 1956 and was selected in the M ori All Blacks in 1955 and 1956.

After hanging up his boots, Dr Puketapu moved into Rugby League administration and coaching. During his leadership, the Wainuiomata Rugby League Club was promoted from the second to the first division, won seven Wellington Championships, played in four national finals and won three national titles.

Dr Kara Puketapu. Photo: Supplied.

coming up what do you think is the most important issue politicians should focus on?

Don Henderson

Michael Harris

Sonya Chambers

The tax that is on food and petrol.

Marc Edmonds Education for the young.

Oliver Barns-Novak

The cost of living. It is just going up and up, and more could be done.

George Te Rauna

GARDENING THIS WEEK STARTING OFF THE NEW SEASON: By Wally

The daylight hours are slowly extending and soon dormant plants are going to wake up and spring will be just around the corner. Already I have been receiving phone calls from gardeners starting off seeds on their heat pads to have young plants to plant out in a month or so time. (Time waits for no one especially gardeners.) One gardener told me that seed raising mixes she has tried were expensive and not much good and I totally agree. The gardener said she preferred to sieve potting mix and obtain the fines to use as a seed raising medium. I told her to go a step further and buy a good compost such as Daltons Value Compost and sieve that for the fines. I use either Daltons Compost or Oderings as neither of them use green waste in their compost so no herbicide residue to harm baby plants. If preparing a seedling tray I firstly place a layer of straight compost in it to about half full; then onto that a sprinkling of Unlocking Your Soil after which I sieve more compost over that to create a nice bed of fine particles. Then I place the seeds which I spray with Magic Botanic Liquid (MBL) mixed at 20 mils per litre of non-chlorinated water. Once the seeds and the medium have received a good wetting I then sieve more compost over to cover, or sometimes prefer to use sharp sand as the cover. The cover is sprayed till nice and moist then onto the heat pad. The seedling tray needs to be sprayed 2 or 3 times a day to keep the medium moist. An easier way is to use peat pots. You first soak the pots (expandable ones to expand and the other type you fill with compost as for a seedling tray then to soak use the MBL in the water.. The meat trays that you get from the supermarket are ideal to sit the peat pots on. Place the trays with the peat pots onto your heat pad and once a day you pour some non-chlorinated water into the

Richards

dry tray. Best done each morning. The heat pad by the way should be sitting on a thickness of polystyrene sheet so all the heat is driven upwards and not wasted downwards. Dependent on the seed type there is quickly a show of germination and as soon as that happens out into the glasshouse on to the bench so the seedlings get overhead light and thus do not stretch and die. Window sill is not good enough as they will stretch to the glass. A wooden box with a sheet of glass over it is ideal to place outside for over head light. Now you need to be very careful not to over water or to dry out completely. Off the heat pad the seedling likely only need a misting once a day to keep them happy and the best time to do this is in the morning and check them late afternoon before tucking them in for the night with a little lullaby.

(Try adapting the words from Row, row, row your boat. Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. Life is but a dream. Change to: grow, grow, grow you little seedlings, gently during the day. Merrily, merrily, merrily Life is a real great plant.)

You maybe surprised at the results! Plus comments from neighbors. Light is so important to plants because that is what they use to make carbohydrates (sugars) which is their life blood to grow. Insufficient sunlight and plants suffer badly, they become weak, attacked by insects and diseases and likely die.

A little trick that I had forgotten about from commercial growers and in particular hydroponic growers and that is Panda Film.

Panda film is a 125mu film that is black on one side and white on the other.

The black side is laid on the soil with the white side facing upwards so it reflects light up into the plants. This does several things such as laid on soil it suppresses weeds and the white increases the amount of light the plant receives and

in this case to under the leaves. This means that the top of the leaf and the underside can both work to create energy for the plant’s growth.

(You have greatly increased the energy gathering area of the leaf)

Another advantage is that a number of insect pests hate the bright light from below and tend to be less a problem on your plants.

A 200mm strip would be perfect to plant strawberries into; cut X in the middle.

A Problem arises with too many hazy or cloudy skies these days. Last spring farmers had lots of grass here locally due to ample rain but found they had to buy in feed as the grass was sorely lacking and milk production was poor. Talking about Strawberries they are starting to wake up now so it is time to start spraying the foliage 2 weekly with Mycorrcin. This will get the plants pro-

ducing fruit earlier, obtain bigger better fruit and keep them fruiting longer than otherwise. You may also like to give them a little of Wallys Secret Strawberry Food about every two months which will give bigger berries and better flavor. For brown rot on stone fruit a 2 weekly spray after the fruit is formed using 4 products, Wallys Liquid Copper, Wetable Powder Sulphur WP, potassium permanganate and Raingard. Repeat till harvest.

Plum trees that have been getting a curly leaf problem for some gardeners is actually caused by an insect called the plum aphid. It only attacks the leaves as they are emerging; you do not realise it is happening and later the leaves become distorted as the reach maturity.

Once the first sign of leaf emergence spray with Wally Super Neem Oil and Raingard and repeat every week till in full leaf.

It is also a good time to clean up trees that may have lichen on the branches. Left too long these fungi like growths can damage your trees. Use Wallys Moss & Liverwort control at 25mils per litre of water. Spray the lichen to obtain good coverage. Never mix any other sprays with this product. Use it on paths for algae at 25 mils per litre, on gardens and buildings for liverwort at 50 mils per litre and adjust spray nozzle to make a jet and shoot it into the liverwort. Same applies for sphagnum type moss. Does not harm plants. It is a new season starting and there are plenty of things to do when the weather permits.

Phone 0800 466464 Garden Pages and News at www.gardenews.co.nz

Shar Pei pages at www.sharpei.co.nz Mail Order products at www.0800466464.co.nz

Big focus on learning about Matariki

By Frank Neill

Two amazing presentations, followed by a hautapu (fire) in the carpark at the back of the library will feature on the evening of 14 July as part of Wainuiomata’s celebration of Matariki and Puanga – Te Waka Rangi.

The hautapu is a time to remember people that have passed away during the year 2022-2023.

A memorial table will be set up in the Wainuiomata Community Hall and another in the library where people can write down the names of their loved ones.

Then after the hautapu has been lit people will be able to say the names, to a background of poi and taonga p oro (traditional M ori music).

The names will then be placed into the fire.

“That signifies that the people and animals have gone from Te Waka Rangi (the waka that collects up the dead) and turned into stars,” says Louana Fruean, who is collaborating with Love Wainuiomata, K kiri Marae Health and Social Sevices, The Wainuiomata Community HUB, and Wainuiomata Marae along with volunteers

in our community for this year’s Wainuiomata Matariki/Puanga four-day event.

Matariki (Pleides) is the tauihu (bow) of Te Waka Rangi and Puanga (Rigel) is the taurapa (stern).

Puanga sees out the old year, while Matariki sees in the new year.

Another group of stars, Tautoru (Orion’s Belt) is also an important part of Te Waka Rangi. This is where the waka navigator, Taramainuku sits. He casts out te kupenga (the net) to pick up the deceased. When Matariki dives back down below the horizon, the net is cast out and everyone turns into stars.

While Wainuiomata’s Matariki/Puanga event is a celebration, this year it has a strong focus on education about what Matariki and Puanga means, Louana says.

The first presentation will feature Poropiti, who will be speaking about both Puanga and Matariki along with taonga p oro.

The second presentation will be from Darcy Nicholas, an artist who has exhibited all over the world. He will present on the M ori of

yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The four-day Matariki education and celebration time will begin with a kaumatua (seniors) day from 10am to 3pm on 12 July. It will feature planned activities, games, and lunch for kaumatua. Markets and food stalls will be a feature every day.

Tamariki (children’s) day will take place from 10am to 3pm on 13 July. This will feature taonga p oro, schools kapa haka from 10.30am to 12.30pm, a free sausage sizzle and activities for tamariki.

There will be a longer celebration on the day of Matariki, 14 July, which will run from 10am to 8pm.

There will be a market; food stalls; live entertainment by Sianne, Under the Sun, Next

Generation, Uku and Araiyah; a Kaum tua waiata session followed by soup and fry bread; guest speakers prior to the hautapu ceremony.

Finally, there will be a Whanaungatanga day from 10am to 2pm on 15 July, with a performance by Poropiti’s band and a free sit-down hangi for lunch in the HUB, marae style.

“For the whole event we are asking people to bring their own drink bottles, to reduce our single use plastic waste. We will have water stations available for refilling,” Louana says. This is a community event – a collaboration of people who love Wainuiomata and is sponsored by Creative NZ and The Hutt Mana Charitable Trust.

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Concert features great songs

The greatest songs from the greatest musical theatre stages in the world will feature in Operatunity’s upcoming concert “From Broadway to Westend”. Numbers by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Lerner and Loewe and more will feature in the concert.

Operatunity Daytime Concerts and Travel is thrilled to announce that beloved Kiwi musical theatre star Tainui Kuru will be returning briefly from Canada, for Operatunity’s “From Broadway to Westend”.

The concert will showcase Tainui, alongside Bonaventure Allan-Moetaua, Alex Foster, Isaac Pawson, Vanessa Kelly and pianist Paul Carnegie-Jones, performing the greatest songs from the greatest musical theatre stages in the world in a singing, dancing, sparkling spectacular.

“From Broadway to Westend” will be performed at Hutt City Church, 22 Marsden St, at 11am on Monday 24 July. The doors open at 10am.

Fire brigade seeks volunteers

Need some extra cash??

Why not get fit while earning

Be part of our team from the Wainuiomata News and deliver newspapers to local houses. We require honest and reliable people aged 11 and older.

Interested? Please contact:

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade is looking for volunteers for its Operational Support Crew.

This important role includes managing traffic, attending floods and assisting the firefighters with hoses, food and keeping them hydrated during major incidences.

Operational Support Crew members do pretty much anything except actually fighting fires.

“It is very rewarding giving back to the community as well as gaining lots of new skills along the way,” says Brenda Janes, the brigade’s Operational Support Fire Fighter.

“We are all like wh nau and have awesome social activities throughout the year.”

For more information or to volunteer, email

Good news

The tenants of a Wainuiomata home have not only had their drive repaired, they have also been given three weeks rent free in replacement of the three car tyres they had to replace because of the condition of the driveway. (as reported in the 14 June issue of the “Wainuiomata News”.

the brigade at WainuiomataVolunteers@ fireandemergency.nz, message the brigade on its Facebook page, or ring Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron on 021 483 111.

In what has been a quiet period recently, the brigade was called to a house fire in Wainuiomata on 6 July.

The brigade was called after air duct units in the ceiling of the house caught fire.

“The fire was supposedly out on [the brigade’s] arrival,” CFO Heron told the “Wainuiomata News”.

However fire fighters noticed there was still some hot spots and dampened them down.

The fire caused a small amount of damage in the ceiling.

There had been a product recall on the air duct units, however the owners may not have known about that.

This is “good news,” says Wira Te Paa, who has been assisting the young couple renting the property.

“It was so good to be able to help these tenants, as they are trying to save for their own home.” Ms Te Paa says. “I am happy to help people that are renting and are having problems.”

49. Man’s tall silk hat(9)

51. Nimble(5)

52. Most vulgar(7)

53. Sheltered corners(5)

54. Of the side(7)

55. Doggedly(11)

DOWN

1. Harbour platform(5)

2. Instigators of illegal activities (11)

3. Artifically high voice(8)

4. Large sum of money; ‘king’s …’ (6)

5. Series of eight(5)

6. Decline(7)

32. Lyric poem(3)

33. Swamp(3)

38. Diplomatic etiquette(8)

40. Up to this place, point or time (8)

42. Foretell(7)

44. Lacking integrity(7)

46. Celestial body(6)

47. Lyrical(6)

48. Affray(5)

49. Gloss(5)

50. Attempt(5) Solution

Last Week: 5 July 2023

building(7)

30. Steers(6)

32. Lyric poem(3)

33. Charge(3)

34. Dwell(6)

35. In the middle of(7)

36. Stimulus(4)

37. Telepathic power(abbr)(3)

39. Compass heading(abbr)(3)

41. Be gloomy(4)

43. Windpipe(7)

45. Of the air(6)

48. Tower of London warder(9)

7. Tepid(8)

8. Illusion(6)

9. Stingy person(7)

10. Healing ointment(5)

16. Plan(7)

17. Most difficult(7)

19. Accustom(to hardship)(5)

20. Deep red colour(7)

22. Part of the nose(7)

24. Enemy(3)

26. At the right time, on (3)

29. Use divining rod(5)

31. Deceitful(11)

Some of the team at the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Briagde. The brigade is currently seeking volunteers for its Operational Support Crew. Photo: Frank Neill.

The bumblebee bat is the world’s smallest mammal

WEDNESDAY FACT

Wainui OCs beat Naenae

By Ryan Imray

A Michael Macphail hat-trick and a strike from Tatty Bee gave Wainuiomata OCs a 4-2 win over Naenae in Capital Foodtball’s Masters 6 competition on 8 July.

Played on a wet and muddy Naenae Park, the match was a catch up game due to a postponement earlier in the season.

With the Chatham Cup happening as well as the school holidays, it was a much shorter schedule last weekend. The premier team had the weekend off.

The Wainuiomata reserves took a giant stride to avoid relegation with a 3-1 win against Upper Hutt.

Despite a missed penalty for Adam Ross, strikes from Yvan Sapele, Andres Gomez and a first goal of the season for Ryugi Takayanagi who played in his final game for the club, helped Wainui beat the 10 men from Upper Hutt and avenge the

reverse fixture earlier in the season.

In Wellington 3, Halfbaked and Fiddick’s climbed to first and second on the table respectively with both sides winning their games.

Halfbaked had a convincing 3-0 win away to Miramar while the Fiddick’s had a tighter affair away to Victoria University but walked away with all three points following their 3-2 victory.

The Wainuiomata women’s team was unable to carry on the momentum from the previous week’s huge win and fell to a 2-0 defeat to Karori on a wet and windy Wakefield Park on 9 July.

It was fifth versus sixth on Monday night as the Roundballs played Marist to wrap up the weekend at Petone.

Wainuiomata finished the game as 4-2 winners which meant the Wainuiomata Football Club walked away with 15 points out of the 18 that were on offer over the weekend.

Ulalei upset win over Maidstone

Ulalei Aute caused a major upset in the Netball Hutt Valley’s Premier 1 competition beating top seeds Maidstone United 51-47.

Ulalei Aute avenged their first round loss against Maidstone with a strong team performance bolstered by the addition of Wainuiomata local Renee Savai’inaea.

The presence of the ANZ Premiership player immediately liftedthe morale of theplayers who were able to string together consistent passages of play on attack and defence.

The match went goal for goal right up to the end of the thirdquarter with Maidstone edging ahead to lead 37-36.

It was in the final quarter where Ulalei Aute turned over crucial ball and converted them into valuable goals.

Renee played at centre and was able to direct play on attack and defence.At the quarter breaks she provided valuable technical advice, and encouraging words to her team.

To have a player of this calibre return to grass roots netball, and to Ulalei Wainuiomata, gives the whole club and the netball community a real boost and sense of pride.

Her younger sister Jordin plays in the Ulalei Suni junior team – made up of year 7 and 8 players.

Ulalei Aute has now won four games on the trot, and the confidence and self belief of this team continues to rise.

Ulalei Moso’oiground out a strong a 39-35 victory over Hutt Valley Marist.

Ulalei Pualulu steamed rolled Hutt Valley Marist 49-38.

Ulalei Puataunofo fought strongly in a close game going down46-44against Naenae Collegians.

Ulalei Laga’ali played in a tightly contested match missing out 27-25 against Maidstone United.Ulalei Fuesina lost to Naenae Collegians.

There will be no games during the coming week due to Matariki celebrations.

Combat climate change contest

Students and innovators with creative ideas to combat climate change can win prizes up to $25,000 in a new competition.

The “Space for Planet Earth Challenge” is inviting students and innovators from New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands to participate. The Challenge seeks innovative ideas to combat climate change in the region.

The competition is open to two categories: high school level and university/ start-up level.

Auckland based organiser SpaceBase is calling applicants to specifically use satellite data, in combination with other data sources, to help develop scientific methods to identify target areas of methane emissions around the world.

“SpaceBase leverages incentive prizes and space-based technologies to solve grand challenges on Earth”, says CEO and co-founder Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom.

“We hope the solutions created will further R&D [research and development] as well as spark products and services in the realm of methane identification and monitoring in the region.”

Methane contributes about a third of global warming worldwide and traps heat 25 times more than CO2.

Qualified teams will be invited to participate in a three month incubator programme that will include learning about remote sensing and data analysis, as well as design thinking and prototyping.

Shortlisted teams after the incubator will be invited to pitch their ideas during the final event hosted in Auckland in March 2024.

The grand prize winners and finalists will win cash prizes up to $25,000 NZD, mentorships, and more. Proposals to participate in the incubator programme can be submitted online until 31 August. Full challenge applications are due 25 February 2024.

The challenge is sponsored through organisations like K1W1 Ventures, Callaghan Innovations, and the Auckland Space Institute.

For more information on submitting a proposal and other details, go to: https://spacebase.co/challenges/ space-challenge-2023or contact info@ spacebase.co

Michael Macphail scores his third goal.

Photo: Imray’s Snaps.

Renee Savai'inaea about to take the centre pass for Ulalei Aute. Photo: Supplied.

Grants for community groups

By Frank Neill

Four grants to community organisations totaling $8,399 were approved by the Wainuiomata Community Board at its meeting on 21 June.

The grants were made from Hutt City Council’s Community Engagement Fund, which supports local activities and events that directly benefit the communities concerned.

The Wainuiomata Marae Charitable Trust was awarded $3,000 to purchase a marquee, which will be used at the upcoming Matariki

event and as a continuing asset for community events.

The Wainuiomata Tennis Club was awarded $400 to purchase tennis balls to support the club’s junior mid-week and night leagues.

Arohanui Strings was awarded $3,000 to extend its programme to include Wainuiomata.

The group’s mission is to create social change through the power of music.

It operates in Stokes Valley and Taita, and has been looking at expanding the project into Wainuiomata.

Endo Warriors Aotearoa was

granted $1,999 to provide sanitary baskets for the Wainuiomata community.

Endo Warriors looks to bridge the gap created by period poverty. This was the first round of Community Engagement Fund grants for 2023. The Wainuiomata Community Board will consider making grants for the second round in September.

The community board also recommended the creation of four “No Stopping – At All Times” areas.

The recommendations will be considered by Hutt City Council’s

Traffic Subcommittee.

One no stopping area is located outside 5 Stanley Street, and would see 6.0 metres of broken yellow lines painted on the road.

Local residents were informed of the possible change and submissions sought but no submissions were received by the council.

Another was at 50 Wright Street, and would see 8.5 metres of broken yellow lines painted on the road. No notification of the change was required.

The third was between 11 and 15 Parkway, and would see 13.2 metres of broken yellow lines

painted on the road. No notification of the change was required.

The fourth was located outside 27 Parkway, and would see 14.7 metres of broken yellow lines painted on the road.

Local residents were informed of the possible change and submissions sought but no submissions were received by the council.

All four were recommended by council officers following complaints that people had been unable to drive into or out of their properties because parked cars had blocked the entrances.

Why has Kainga Ora changed its mind?

By Frank Neill

Wood Street residents met with Hutt South based MP Chris Bishop at his office on 6 July and voiced their concerns that Kainga Ora plans to increase the number of homes in the new development it is planning.

Following feedback from residents in 2019, Kainga Ora agreed to reduce the number of homes on its proposed Wood Street development from 44 to 35.

Kainga Ora announced that change in its January 2020 “Wood Street Development Update”.

It agreed to have 35 homes in the new development as a result of feedback from the community, Kainga Ora said.

In its latest communication, “New Housing coming to Wainuiomata”, dated May 2023, Kainga Ora now says it is “looking at building 40 public housing homes with a mix

of single or double storey 2, 3 and 4-bed homes.”

That announcement resulted in a Wood Street resident approaching Mr Bishop, asking him to organise a community meeting.

When organising the 6 July meeting, Mr Bishop invited Kainga Ora to send a representative or representatives to the meeting, but they declined.

“Kainga Ora are not being open and up front,” one of the residents said at the meeting.

“I wanted to ask the question: ‘why the change of mind?’” Because Kainga Ora had not fronted at the meeting, she could not ask them.

“There is no consultation,” she said.

“The impact of having 40 families across the road is immense,” another resident said.

Having 40 houses in the new development was not appropriate.

“The majority of Wood Street [residents] are elderly,” she said, adding that if the latest Kainga Ora plans were “cut and dried” it would be preferable if the new houses were allotted to elderly people.

One resident had been in conversation with a developer and it appeared that more than 40 homes may be in the final Kainga Ora development – maybe 45 or 50 new homes.

“I will write [the meeting] up and I will write to Kainga Ora and report back to you,” Mr Bishop said.

“I think that is a really important point about [the new houses being available to] seniors,” he said.

Currently there was a waiting list of 650 families seeking a home in the Hutt.

“There is a need for housing.”

Another factor leading to demand for Kainga Ora housing was the big increase in rents. “Rents are up $230 [a week] in the Hutt in the last

Rates will rise by 9.9%

A rates increase of 9.9% was set by Hutt City Council when it adopted its annual plan for 2023-24 on 30 June.

The average rates increase in the Hutt is $5.04 a week or $262 a year, the council says.

The annual plan came into effect on 1 July.

Mayor Campbell Barry says he recognises this increase will be tough for many people, particularly those on fixed incomes and already facing other cost pressures.

"It brings no one joy to present a rates increase in the current

economic climate,” he says.

“I have said previously that the rating system is fundamentally broken and leaves councils with few options.

“Locally, a lower rates increase would impact infrastructure delivery and result in cuts to services and I’m not prepared to go down that path."

The annual plan “is all about striking the right balance," the Mayor says.

"That balance is between doing the essentials, while being mindful of cost pressures for households

and businesses.

“Putting this plan together has not been easy given the challenges we face, but I’m convinced we have struck the best balance in the current economic climate.

"When we started putting this plan together we focused on finding savings and reprioritising, to offset what would otherwise be highly unaffordable rates increases.

"We’ve deferred a number of non-urgent projects and reduced budgets where we can, and have increased fees and charges to ensure that users are paying their

five years,” Mr Bishop said. His view was that there needed to be a second access into Wainuiomata and that there should have been housing development in Wainuiomata north – around Upper Fitzherbert Street.

“If we had built in Wainuiomata north in 2013 and you had 50 new

homes, you wouldn’t have [Kainga Ora’s proposed development at] Wood Street today.

Hutt City Council was “not interested” in a second access for Wainuiomata “but I am, and I’m still going to push it.

“It’s a resilience thing,” Mr Bishop said.

share of service costs - and that this isn’t being borne by all ratepayers.

"We’re not kicking the can down the road, though. We are continuing much needed investment in infrastructure.

“About half of the proposed household rates increase is going directly into repairing and renewing our water infrastructure, which we all know is critical.

"We’ve made a point to prioritise projects that have partner funding, like the $98.9 million we received from the government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund for valley

Heritage week seeking event hosts

By Frank Neill

Wellington Heritage Week is seeking organisations or people who wish to host an event for the week.

This year the week runs from Monday 23 October to Sunday 5 November.

It will be the seventh Wellington Heritage Week.

“We're making the most of this

by growing the variety of events our festival offers, and better representing the diverse communities ofTe Upoko-o-te-ika-a-M ui / the Wellington region,” the organisers say.

“We encourage eventhosts, new and returning, to showcase a unique and interesting story, person, or place from the Wellington region.

“This year’s event is being de-

livered by a partnership between Wellington Heritage Week and the Rotary Club of Wellington.”

More information and registration is available on the Wellington Heritage Week website, https:// wellingtonheritageweek.co.nz/ about/.

The organisation is also looking for “passionate volunteers to work with our team over the next few months to help organise

our festival.

“This is an opportunity to boost your CV, develop the festival and work with the Rotary Club of Wellington to build professional networks.

“We are aiming to fill two roles:

with event hosts and the heritage sector, manages email, and acts as the "face of the festival" for the press; and

floor water infrastructure.

“This means our city can enjoy the benefits of these projects at a lower cost to ratepayers."

Hutt City Council consulted the community on the proposed changes in the draft annual plan earlier this year.

The results of this consultation were considered by the council when making final decisions on the annual plan, and a summary of feedback is available on Council’s website. The full annual plan is also on the website.

administrator whomanages the social media channels and uploads content to the website.”

Both positions will require between 2 and 12 hours a week, with some weeks requiring more than others.

For more information or to register interest email info@wellingtonheritageweek. co.nz.

MP Chris Bishop at the Wood Street site where Kainga Ora now plans to build 40 new homes. Photo: Gerald Rillstone.