7 December Wainuiomata News

People asked him to stand

By Frank Neill

People asking him to stand for a seat on Hutt City Council is the reason Wainuiomata’s newest Councillor, Gabriel Tupou, chose that path.

“Why did I want to stand for Hutt City Council when there were

some career options?

“When I was weighing up whether to stand for council again … the feedback from the people in the community – the people on the ground – was: ‘we want you to stand’,” Cr Tupou told the “Wainuiomata News”.

Continued on page 2.

Cr Gabriel Tupou at the Wainuiomata Library. Photo: Frank Neill.

Phone (04) 587 1660

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Parents and grandparents inspired him

Continued from page 1

“If it wasn’t for the people asking me to do it, I probably wouldn’t have stood.

“The impetus came from the people themselves,” he said.

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Another driver was the influence of his parents and his grandparents, and the important community work they were involved in.

“That inspired me to want to serve the community. It was almost a call.

“My late grandfather, Orapai Stewart, ran holiday programmes throughout the Hutt Valley through the Pomare Camps Outreach Community Trust.”

The camps were started in the 1980s with the aim of investing in the leadership of young people.

“A lot of families from the Hutt were involved in those camps … and a lot of talent and success for people have come out of those programmes.”

His grandfather’s community work began in the 1970s.

“He had just come out of prison and he ran programmes in prison for the young M ori men.”

Orapai (also known as Bruce) Stewart was inspired by three people – Amster Reedy, Cliff Whiting and Mother Suzanne Aubert, who founded a religious order, the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion (also known as the Sisters of Compassion).

“There was an escalation of gang crime in Wellington City and it was all over the ‘Evening Post’. My grandfather ran a community workshop, where he was trying to teach young people by giving them wood working skills.

“Sadly there was an incident in Hopper Street

Making childcare more affordable for Wainuiomata families

For many working families here in Wainuiomata, childcare is one of the biggest household costs. That’s why, as part of our Government’s work to support New Zealanders with the cost of living, we’re making childcare more affordable for low and middle income families.

The Prime Minister just recently announced that we’re significantly expanding childcare assistance, cutting costs for working parents and supporting more children into early education. On top of this, we’re further boosting Working for Families and the Best Start payment, providing more support to help ease the pressure.

These changes will kick in from 1 April next year. The exact amount families will save on childcare costs will depend on the number of hours they work, the wages they are on, the number of hours of childcare per day, and the cost of their early childcare education centre.

For example, a Wainui family with two parents both working 40 hours per week on $26 per hour with two children under five who will not have been eligible for childcare assistance, now will be eligible for $252 per week.

Childcare assistance has been neglected for more than a decade, since income thresholds were frozen by National in 2010. I’m really proud that the changes we’re making will see thousands of parents given back the choice to do what’s best for their family – I know what a difference this will make.

By reducing financial barriers and better supporting parents who want to enter work or further training, we’re also helping fill labour shortages, which is good news for Wainuiomata families, local businesses and

our economy.

These next steps build on the work that our Government has already done to ease cost of living pressures on New Zealanders in the face of global inflation, including our cost of living package, which includes half price public transport, fuel tax cut and more.

We’re also taking action on supermarkets to make sure Kiwis are paying a fair price at the checkout, because we’re fed up with supermarkets earning $1 million a day in excess profits while people are paying a premium for the basics.

At a time when families are feeling the costof-living spike, our Government is investing in what matters most. I’m really proud that we’re now taking the next step to make sure childcare is within reach for parents and that families here in Wainuiomata have more support to cover other costs.

– the Hopper Street murder.” Two young M ori boys were taunted with racist remarks by an intoxicated man. They retaliated, and the man was killed.

“Along comes Sir Michael Fowler, the Mayor of Wellington at the time, knocks on my grandfather’s door and says: ‘what can we do about this crime?’”

Following the discussion with the Mayor, Mr Stewart founded the Tapu Te Ranga Marae in Island Bay – next to the Sisters of Compassion.

“It was about giving young people a place to stand and be confident in who they are in their M ori identity.”

Mr Stewart, who lived at Tapu Te Ranga Marae until he died in 2017, built the famous Wellington marae with the help of many whanau, friends, tradespeople, local young people and gang members.

His vision was to establish a marae that would serve as a place where unemployed and homeless young M ori could learn life skills and reconnect with their culture.

Cr Tupou’s mother, Faith, was also significantly involved in community work – especially with Playcentre.

Mrs Tupou is currently Regional M ori Advisor/Kaihononga M ori for Playcentre.

Soon after being elected as a city-wide councillor, Mr Tupou celebrated his 30th birthday on 14 November.

In that time he has contributed significantly in community service.

He was elected to the Wainuiomata Community Board in 2016 and served on it for six years, chairing the board for more than half that time.

Serving on the community board has been one of the highlights of his community service.

“There have been a lot of positive outcomes,” he said. Some examples were the introduction of a smoke-free policy, providing between $40,000 and $50,000 in grants to community organisations, and advocating on behalf of the community.

“I always saw it as a role of facilitation and adjudication – facilitating the discourse and dialogue that led to decision-making – and upholding the mana of the community.

“I would say there are two things I am personally proud of, apart from the community board.”

One is his service on the Maanaki Ability Trust, which provides vocational services for people with disabilities.

He was asked to join the trust’s board, and soon after he joined he was elected Chair.

The organisation was struggling financially and struggling with the reforms that were beginning in the disability sector.

“My first order of business as chair was rebranding.”

At the time, the trust was known as the Hutt Valley Disabled Resources Trust.

The rebranding involved a new name, a new logo, a new image and a new slogan – “we can”.

“We led a full financial consolidation and we invested more in terms of our staff.

“All the outcomes that we wanted came to fruition. That’s probably one of my proudest achievements,” he said.

Cr Tupou continues his service at the deputy chair of the trust’s board.

“My second proud moment is my appointment as a representative for the Hutt onto the Whaitua Committee.”

A committee of the Greater Wellington Regional Council, its purpose was to look at the future of water in Lower Hutt – the next 100 years of the city’s rivers and waterways.

Born in Auckland, Cr Tupou moved to Wainuiomata 27 years ago – when he was three.

After attending Wood Hatton Playcentre, he went to Wood Hatton School where he was at the school’s final assembly before it amalgamated with Wainuiomata School.

“In my years at primary school, music has always been an influence.”

One “noteworthy event” was a song contest called Moko Idol – based on American Idol –led by Ken Laban and Chazz Williams.

“I sang for the first time in public when I auditioned for that as a boy soprano, and I made it into the finals.

“One of the outcomes of that was that I was introduced to the renowned vocal coach and concert pianist Bruce Granfield.”

While he was at Wainuiomata Intermediate School Cr Tupou featured at the opening of the school’s whare nui, an opening attended by the Governor General, Dame Silvia Cartwright.

“I was asked by the school to lead the national anthem, with the Kapa Haka group supporting me.

“That was in 2004 and my father was diagnosed with cancer two months earlier.

“Because my father was on his death bed I was reluctant, but my aunt encouraged me and it was my father’s will that I sing.

“Dame Silvia came up to me and said she appreciated it. She said she’d learnt of my circumstances at the time.”

Dame Silvia followed that up by inviting Cr Tupou to lead the national anthem at Government House for the Waitangi Day reception.

Dame Silvia then invited Cr Tupou, his mother and his grandmother to the opening night of Carmen at the St James Theatre.

As a member of the youth choir in Carmen, Cr Tupou was featured on the front page of the paper, which Dame Silvia read at breakfast the morning after she sent the family the invitations.

“She thought it was quite amusing. For me that was quite a poignant moment. It showed me her grace and how down to earth she was.

“It was almost like she wanted to encourage my talents at the time and it was, for me, comfort as well.

“It really put the Crown in a human light.”

At Wainuiomata High School “I made the most of the opportunities that existed in terms of music tuition.”

He received vocal training, was taught opera singing, took up the violin, played the B flat trumpet in the college’s jazz band and sang in a barbershop group – “everything from performance to composition.

“My mentor and music teacher was Richard Prowse.”

Singing remains a part of his life, and Cr Tupou is asked to sing at different events, such as ANZAC Day services and Christmas community events.

His high school years were also the formative years in terms of leadership.

Cr Tupou was on the student council, was the student representative on the college’s board of trustees and was head boy in 2010 – the year after Mayor Campbell Barry was deputy head boy.

He was one of the three students who received the inaugural Tana Umaga Foundation Scholarship.

From Wainuiomata High School, Cr Tupou began studying at Victoria University. At first he planned to major in law, but then changed his plans to focus on politics.

He continues to work towards gaining a BA in political science.

Authorised by Ginny Andersen MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Ginny Andersen MP for Hutt South

With family, and that’s how it should be.

With my family. We will have a hangi.

Wainuiomata News comes to couple’s aid

By Frank Neill

Rosie Morunga and Dylan Ross did not have to move into a house riddled with black mould on Monday 5 December, after they told K inga Ora that they would speak to the “Wainuiomata News” about their situation.

Rosie and Dylan are living in Wainuiomata, having been moved into the valley so K inga Ora could repair the Moera house they were living in, which was badly affected by black mould.

On 29 November K inga Ora told them the Moera house had been repaired and they needed to move out of the Wainuiomata house by 5 December, Dylan told the “Wainuiomata News”.

When he checked the house they were supposed to move into, it was still riddled with black mould and he contacted K inga Ora and told them.

“You can smell the black mould as soon as you walk in,” Dylan said. “So we have to move back into the mouldy house. They [K inga Ora] are saying that Healthy Homes had said that the house was okay, but it’s not.

“They have covered it up with gib board, but there’s still black mould behind the gib board.”

There was also black mould on the carpet and as well as that the condensation in the house was very bad.

“If you were to walk past that address you could see that there is high grass and there is rubbish in the grass.”

When they were living in the Moera house before they were shifted to Wainuiomata Dylan said he was denied access to his children because of the black mould.

“I can’t have that, because my kids are my everything.

“This house that they are trying to move us back into is not good,” Dylan said.

“It’s a really scary situation,” said Rosie, adding that she was 31 weeks pregnant.

“I have been crying myself to sleep.

“Me and my partner are going to be homeless.”

What K inga Ora were doing had been “ridiculous,” she added. “It’s a really stressful situation.”

When Dylan telephoned the “Wainuiomata News” on Monday

morning, he said that he had been in discussions with both their case manager and K inga Ora’s team leader for Hutt South, and he had been told that he and Rosie would have to move out of the Wainuiomata house that day, or the Police would be called to evict them.

Dylan then told K inga Ora that he would be contacting the “Wainuiomata News” about their situation.

The “Wainuiomata News” contacted K inga Ora on Monday, and the Greater Wellington Regional Director, Greg Groufsky replied yesterday (6 November) saying that Rosie and Dylan will remain in the Wainuiomata home they are in while work is carried out on the Moera property.

“The well-being of our customers and ensuring they have a warm, dry and healthy home is our top priority,” Mr Groufsky said.

“When customers raise concerns about issues such as black mould we take these seriously and work hard to resolve them as quickly as possible.

“K inga Ora received reports that our property in Moera needed repair work. To ensure that our customers have a healthy, warm and dry envi-

ronment to live in, we have worked with them to move to Wainiuomata as a temporary solution.

“During that time, we have worked with our maintenance partner to address the mould issues at the Moera home.

“Mould is something that many landlords are faced with, and K inga Ora is no exception. We want to manage mould in our homes in a way that is well co-ordinated, consistent, and places the health and wellbeing of our customers at the fore.

“When we consider what can cause mould in our homes, there are a number of factors at play. Older homes make up a significant part

of our housing portfolio, and are more susceptible to mould compared to a newer home built to modern standards for warmth, dryness and ventilation.

“We have completed an assessment and our maintenance partners have confirmed there are no further signs of black mould in the house. However additional remedial works to fix rotten timber have been identified and will be carried out.

“In the meantime, our customer will remain in the home they are in, while the work is carried out on their existing property.

“We will continue to work with our customer to ensure a good outcome,” Mr Groufsky said.

Marc Priebee

We are going to have everyone over to our house for a family meal.

Javin Bridgeman

With a secret Santa. As a family we do this every year.

Te Awa Rangi Leat

Sylvia Carter

At my son’s and daughter-inlaw’s place in Wainuiomata with my family.

Max Bell

Robert Fiddes

We will have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve this year.

Black mould on the carpet of the Moera house Kāinga Ora asked Rosie Morunga and Dylan Ross to move into. The picture was taken on 5 December Photo: Dylan Ross.

New Wainui youth coach

By Frank Neill

Youth Inspire has a new Wainuiomata youth coach – Merelle Craig.

Her role is to plan pathways for young people into employment or study.

Merelle is passionate about working alongside rangatahi, supporting them into their chosen mahi whether it’s into a career or training, offering what’s needed to step into employment, offering in-work-support, plus planning ahead for study.

She has been working in this field for several years and loves the mahi

“It always gives me warm fuzzies and a smile on my face when a person I’m working alongside achieves their goal into employment,” she says.

Youth Inspire/Rangatahi

Mai Ki Te Rangatira is a Hutt Valley organisation which has a mission to see all young people aged under 25 years engaged in meaningful education, training or employment. As well as supporting young people with their education and work, Youth Inspire runs driver training – both a learner licence programme and a restricted licence programme.

December

GARDENING THIS WEEK

gardening: By Wally Richards

This week I received two emails which maybe of interest to some gardeners.

The first was from a gardening couple, which read;

Hi Wally, Your advice and weekly email’s worked great. I got first in the Veggie Section and my wife won in the Rose categories. Jerry.

What can I say? If you use natural products that enhance the soil, giving the plants all the possible minerals that they may need to be healthy and stop using chemicals that are harmful to both soil, plants and yourself.

Over the years I have received a few similar stories about how gardeners have turned their gardens into award winners by simply observing and using the above information.

The second email is of concern this time of the year and it read;

Hi Wally, I have a problem with a brown beetle infestation. I was finding the leaves of my newly planted plum trees and almond tree were getting stripped bare almost. I wasn’t sure what it was but think the culprit is this brown beetle.

I have since found hundreds (literally) in one of my raised beds and quite a few wherever I have placed the garden mix I bought a month ago.

Is there something I can do to get rid of these beasties? They are now attacking my raspberry plants and feijoa trees. Because they are in the soil - and potentially quite deep (some of them were 20cm deep) - I’m not sure how to fight them. Please help!

The writer sent me an amazing photograph which show hundreds of these brown beetles drowning in a container of water, along with photos of her plants badly damaged.

The beetle is the Grass Grub beetle and this is the time of the year that they emerge from pupating deep in the soil to feast on the foliage of a number of plants, mate and lay eggs back in lawns for future generations.

In my first book, Wally’s Down to Earth Gardening Guide, I suggest a trap to aid control of these pests.

the short space of time between dusk and early evening.

As they tend to fly towards light, you are most likely to know they’re there when the flying beetles hit your lighted window panes.

This very attraction for the light has become one of our best weapons in controlling the pest in its adult stage. You can set up a grass grub beetle trap by placing a trough, such as the one used when wall-papering, directly underneath a window near a grassed area.

Fill the trough with water to about two-thirds of its capacity, then place a film of kerosene on top of the water. Put a bright light in the window, the beetles fly towards the lit window, hit the glass and fall into the trough.

The kerosene acts as a trap, preventing the fallen beetles from climbing out.

You can extend this method to areas away from the house by using a glass tank, such as might be used for an aquarium.

Place the empty tank into a tray containing several inches of water (and the kerosene), and position a light inside the glass tank.

By adding a sheet of ply or something similar over the top of the tank, you will ensure that the light shines only through the sides of the tank above the waiting water and kerosene.

Spraying the plants that are been attacked with Wallys Super Neem Tree Oil will help to also control the populations.

This should be done late in the day after the sun is off the plants. When a beetle chews on a leaf they get some Neem into their gut and that shuts off their ability to eat.

Problem arises, if there are hundreds of beetles then there needs to be hundreds of bites.

With the likelyhood of more beetles emerging every day it is an on going battle over the next month or two.

Another way is to go outside just after dark with a torch and check your plants for beetles.

If you see a good number on any plant then a spray at that time with Wallys Super Neem Tree Oil and Wallys Super Pyrethrum added, sprayed to hit the beetles rather than the plant itself.

Another very good natural spray to use late in the day is a solution of Wallys 3 in 1 for Lawns.

This is a combination of Eucalyptus oil and Tea Tree oil, nice to use and deadly on pests.

To the Editor

Letters on issues of community interest are welcomed. A maximum of 150 words please.

Here is an extract from the book: ‘Grass grub adults emerge in October, and are active until about midDecember, depending on weather conditions and exactly where they are in New Zealand. The cooler the temperature, the later they emerge.

It is better to use a dome-shaped battery-powered light rather than an ordinary torch for this job as the bigger light makes the trap more effective.

If the tray and tank are raised off the ground and placed on something like a table, you will get an even better result.

If you repeat your nightly spraying and use a light trap also, then you will make a big dent in the grass grub beetle populations and thus suffer less damage to your plants and lawns.

The season is still poor weather wise which helps keep insect populations lower than normal but care should be taken with your potatoes and tomatoes by placing

not necessarily those of the Wainuiomata News management.

Letters/Opinions

The adults will start to emerge in mild conditions, when the soil temperature reaches about 10 degrees they then mate, fly, eat and lay eggs in

However you set up your beetle trap, this is a very good method to dispose of the pests. Simply get rid of all the beetles caught the next morning. Run this system (call it Wally’s

Broken pavement

Dear Editor, Thank you to the lovely mum and daughter who came to my aid on Friday 2 December when I tripped on broken pavement in Reading Street and twisted my ankle.

That footpath has been badly broken up for weeks, and is a danger to pedestrians, particularly us oldies!

I have written to Hutt City Council and I believe my neighbour has also contacted the council regarding this.

Averil

Fry

The “Wainuiomata News” referred Averil Fry’s letter to the communications team at Hutt City Council. Hutt City Council sent the paper the following reply.

“The safety of our residents is always a concern to us, and this issue was logged with our Transport Team when Averil emailed our Contact Centre on Friday morning.

“Our contract partners will assess the footpath this week and will add it to our work programme as a priority.”

Neem Tree Granules on the soil in the root zone and spraying the plants occasionally with Wallys Super Neem tree Oil.

Visit your local garden centre to obtain some good ideas for Xmas Presents.

Make each day count

Dear Editor, If you are planning to go overseas in one year or two it may not happen. Don’t put off what you can do today. No one knows what is on the horizon.

If you have anything against another person go to them and forgive them before it’s too late.

If you want to go for a nature walk do it while you can.

Whatever the future has for us all, don’t put today aside. You don’t need regrets.

Peter Wells

Grass Grub Beetle Catcher, if you like) from just before dusk to about 2 or 3 hours after sunset.’

Merelle Craig. Photo: Sally-Ann Moffat.

The badly broken up footpath in Reading Street. Photo: Averil Fry.

By Frank Neill

The expansion of dental grants announced last week by Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni and Health Minister Andrew Little “will be a big one for Wainuiomata families,” Hutt South MP Ginny Andersen says.

Dental grants have gone up from $300 to $1,000 a year. People who are on a benefit or have lower income qualify for the grants.

“With up to $1,000 available, it means that you can now get proper dental work done,” Ms Andersen says.

“Dental care is one of those things than can get in the ‘too hard’ basket when you are on a limited income.”

Ministers Sepuloni and Little made the announcement on 1 December at Hutt Dental Hub,

which has a very strong link with Wainui Dental, as it is owned by the same dentist.

“Increasing dental grants and changing the criteria was a key manifesto commitment and today we are delivering on our promise,” Ms Sepuloni said.

“In Budget 2022 we also increased the income thresholds for hardship assistance which means low income working people may also be eligible for support.

“This is the first time in 25 years the grant has been increased, and we have invested $125.804 million over four years to achieve this.

“Dental care is something that can be put off due to affordability difficulties, especially for lowincome households.

“We know that issues with dental health have a negative impact on people’s general health, financial health, ability to work, and quality

of life.

“This change will contribute to an improved quality of life for people.”

Changes to the grant are likely to help some 50,000 people get the dental care they need, Mr Little said.

“By providing more help to the people who need it most, and by widening the criteria for the type of work that can be done, we can help stop what are minor problems become major problems needing substantial surgery,” he added.

“Criteria changes ensure that these grants can be used for multiple visits throughout the year. We’ve also removed the criteria from ‘emergency’ to ‘immediate and essential’ care,” Ms Sepuloni said.

“These changes mean that people can get the dental treatment they need before it becomes urgent.

“Treatments that exceed the $1,000 limit may be fully covered by the grant where there are exceptional circumstances, which will be determined by MSD on

a case-by-case basis. Otherwise, people may be eligible for an Advance Payment of Benefit or Recoverable Assistance Payment to cover the extra amount.”

At the announcement of the dental grants expansion (from left) Andrew Little, Monique Watson and Ritika Bamba of Hutt Dental Hub, Carmel Sepuloni and Ginny Andersen. Photo: Supplied.

Wainuiomata’s Brodie Blackman received the opportunity to enjoy a taste of his dream of becoming a film maker recently.

Local production studio Scale Studios, based in Avalon Film and Television Studios, welcomed Brodie for work experience as part of Youth Inspire’s Employability Programme.

“It was a great experience to work at Scale Studios,” Brodie says.

“I enjoyed this fantastic opportunity to join such talented people who shared my optimism on filmmaking.

“It was so interesting to see a different side

dream

of the filmmaking process, very hands on and practical.

“It’s made me more determined to follow my dream to study film and not give up,” Brodie says.

“This is a hard industry to get into,” Scale Studios director Sam Cotter-Dephoff says.

“You really need experience to get experience in this industry.

“Brodie was really enthusiastic. He had a willingness and eagerness to learn.

“As a team we find it really rewarding to see younger talent coming through, guiding them with creative direction and giving them pointers on where they might go within the industry,” Sam adds.

Photo: Sally-Ann Moffat.

With Jacob Page

Finn in fashion and Guptill goes elsewhere

The Black Caps are in the Finn Allen business.

The talented, yet inconsistent Wellington opener is clearly the future in the position in coloured clothing but he is far from a finished product.

His half century in the final 50over encounter against India will have done him the world of good while also giving the fanbase some hope that he can produce meaningful innings’ on a regular basis.

The abrupt dumping of 36-year-

old Martin Guptill has had many questioning if team management and senior players have done the right thing by saying so long, farewell to one of New Zealand’s best ever limited-over batters.

Unlike Ross Taylor, who got a glorified farewell tour after more than 15 years of incredible service to cricket, there will be no such fanfare for Guptill.

Guptill, to his credit, has said he still hopes to play more interna-

tional cricket and force his way back into contention for next year’s 50-over World Cup in India.

He will look to earn favour by playing in Australia’s Big Bash League over the holiday period.

In reality, only a Finn Allen flop would get Guptill back in the team.

Finn, for his part, needs to take the confidence the team clearly has in him and turn it into runs, lots of runs because he has no one nipping at his heels trying to take his spot.

Local Black Sox perform well

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata’s two Black Sox, Joel Evans and Tane Mumu, both made some excellent plays for the New Zealand team at this year’s Softball World Cup, held in Auckland between 26 November and 4 December.

It was not enough, however, to put the Black Sox into the final rounds in a top placing, and the team finished the competition in eighth place.

Along with Ben Enoka, the best Black Sox player of the past decade, Tane starred in the opening game of the tournament.

The lead-off batter in the first innings, Tane scored a double and followed this up with another safe hit in the third innings, which saw him score for the Black Sox.

Playing in his first World Cup, Tane had an excellent debut, helping the Black Sox defeat the Czech Republic 3-1.

Joel recorded a safe hit in the third innings, and went on to cross the home plate to open the Black Sox scoring.

Joel also scored in the team’s 8-1 victory over the Philippines after Cole Evans batted him home in the third innings.

Tane provided one of the game’s highlights with a double after coming on as a substitute.

Joel led the way for the Black Sox batting with three safe hits from his four turns at bat in the match against Japan. One of his successful hits was a home run.

This helped the Black Sox outbat Japan 10 hits to seven, although that

was not enough for victory as Japan won 7-4.

Tane also starred in the game, hitting a double and then advancing on Joel’s second hit. Tane went on to

More Fire Brigade awards

Some of the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade award recipients were not listed in the article in last week’s edition of the “Wainuiomata News”.

The following people were also presented with awards at a ceremony at the Wainuiomata Fire Station on 26 November.

Josh Wealleans, Andrew Stupples

and Richard Krieg were made honorary members of the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade, along with Dawn Otter and Reece Buck.

Gary James was presented a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, along with Reece Buck. The “Wainuiomata News” apologises for these omissions.

score following a brilliant slide onto the home plate.

The loss to Japan meant that the Black Sox could not finish higher than eighth place.

To me, that’s not an ideal situation for cricket in this country.

A young player should be made to earn his spot and Allen has got there by showing glimpses at international level.

Now, those glimpses have been spectacular and game-changing at times, but as has been pointed out, he needs to find a way to control his aggression.

That’s no small feat, Brendon McCullum struggled to find that

balance for roughly a decade.

The benefit for Allen is that he does not have to worry about wicket-keeping or leadership at this stage.

Like McCullum, Allen can be a match-winner with the bat and that’s always an alluring commodity in any team but Allen is not a made man, far from it and he has a challenging mental task in terms of being the next guy after a made man in Guptill.

Wainuiomata cricket festival proves popular

Sixes and fours rained down on Bryan Heath Park as three teams of year five and six students participated in the Wainuiomata cricket festival last week. The focus of the day was to have fun smashing the ball as far as possible and score as many runs as possible.

This was easily achieved by all of the 180 cricketers from across the six Wainuiomata schools. It was the last of the Wainuiomata cluster events for term four, which also included the softball festival and another three teams to the inaugural K o Rahi event at Wainuiomata High School.

Joel Evans in action. Photo: Supplied.

Dawn Otter receiving her Honorary Membership of the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade from the brigade’s Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron. Photo: Supplied.

The Wainuiomata Cricket Festival proved popular with kids this year. Photo: Supplied.

Tane Mumu. Photo: Supplied.

Rod Wealleans receiving his Honorary Life Membership of the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade from the brigade’s Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron. Photo: Supplied.

Having a blast in training

In his civilian life, Wainuiomata’s William Stewart normally constructs things for Wellington Water but as a Combat Engineer for the New Zealand Army Reserve Force he gets to blow things up too.

Prompted by stories from his Regular Force brother about his experiences, the 36-year-old enlisted in 2020.

Already a qualified mechanical engineer and a fitter turner by trade, Sapper Stewart opted for a part-time Army career. The brothers are members of the same corps but work in different areas.

Combat engineers provide mobility, counter-mobility and survivability on the battlefield. This includes the creation or removal of obstacles using explosives, and using specialist equipment to conduct route clearance and search occupied/ unoccupied buildings.

Some of the skills they use on the battlefield, such as generating drinking water, can also employed following a natural disaster like the Kaik ura earthquakes or the Tongan tsunami.

Sapper Stewart recently completed the Basic Combat Engineer Reserve Force course, where the highlight was the demolitions phase.

“It’s the first high explosive you get to set up. It’s the classic explosive setup, you light the fuse and get clear,” he says.

“It was a brand-new skill to learn and fun setting off a big explosion.”

A keen hunter and diver, he enjoys the outdoors and says he’s lucky to receive good family support from his partner and

two daughters when he is away training.

Sapper Stewart confesses the job can be physically demanding and often in less than ideal weather conditions but knew it would be “fun to reflect on later.”

Search training was carried out at the Waiouru Military Training Area, where “luckily” it snowed on the first day.

The training involved route, area and building searches, focusing on explosive hazards, booby traps and items of interest.

Facing adverse conditions together formed a strong bond between members of the troop, enhanced camaraderie and encouraged the troop to work as a team, all skills that were paramount to success, Sapper Stewart says.

“If teamwork and communications are good, it makes some of the more physically demanding work easy.”

The military boating training, where sappers can earn a Royal Yacht Association Level Two qualification, was “really fun”, Sapper Stewart says.

“It was a mixture of boat handling like the figure of eights, high-speed manœuvring and rafting up. I used a boat, a dingy with an outboard, not long after we completed the training and it had made a huge difference to my skill level.”

Any Defence Recruiting enquiries can be directed to 0800 1 FORCE. Each Reserve Force company has its own training programme in line with its battalion’s training focus. Company level training typically occurs one weekend a month with platoon level training occurring once a week.

Food donations to Pataka Kai

By Frank Neill

K kiri Marae’s P taka Kai is seeking donations of food as demand increases in the wake of cost of living increases and in the lead-up to Christmas.

Koru Homes NZ has already answered the call for donations, and delivered a van full of food to P taka Kai on 1 December.

Koru Homes representatives Boon Tan and Arnold Lomax donated the goods to the provider of food for needy people alongside Hutt South MP Ginny Andersen.

"We know Christmas can be a tough time for some families so this is one way we can give back to the community," said Boon Tan from Koru Homes NZ.

“P taka Kai is doing such a good job for Wainuiomata,” Ms Andersen says.

“It reaches out and connects with the community, and it delivers food parcels to people in need.

“They are amazing.

“I have huge respect for all the workers and volunteers at P taka Kai.

“They are helping people who are having a tough time with the cost of living and coming up to Christmas,” Ms Andersen says.

This year has been particularly hard on families and requests for food donations have increased over the past few months, says one of P taka Kai’s co-ordinators, Tama Tua.

The food supplier is especially busy over Christmas as they are one of the only food banks open in the region throughout the Christmas and New Year period, only closing on the four statutory holidays.

The spike in recent Covid cases has meant they have

also been busy delivering to sick families in isolation. There is always a need for food donations, especially around this time of year, so they are particularly grateful to Koru Homes for their generous donation, Mr Tua says.

People willing to donate can contact P taka Kai on 0800 926 257. Dry goods are particularly welcome.

From its base at St Peter’s Church hall at 33 Wise Street, the staff and volunteers work to deliver around 300 food parcels a week – and even more at this time of year.

Unlike most foodbanks, P taka Kai does not require people seeking food to demonstrate that they may qualify, with a means test for example.

The organisation also runs a koha-based preloved clothing store on site and all proceeds go towards P taka Kai.

As well as providing food parcels for needy people, P taka Kai grows food to include in the giveaways.

Hutt City Council owns a strip of land behind St Peter’s Church hall, and the council has agreed that P taka Kai can use this as a garden.

As well as growing kai, one of the aims of the “urban farm” is to help teach people in the community how to grow food and also how to cook it.

St Peter’s Union Church has also contributed to the resounding success of P taka Kai by providing their community hall to the group free of charge.

P taka Kai is a member of the Te Awa Kairangi Kai Collective which was awarded Local Government New Zealand’s K inga Ora Home and Communities Excellence Award for social well-being earlier this year.

School camp a big success

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata High School’s year nine camp was a big success this year.

Around 100 students attended the camp, held at the Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre at the end of Moores Valley Road from 28 November to 2 December.

During their four-day camp, the students slept either in tents or in cabins.

A series of outdoor activities were held during the four days, including kayaking, riding the flying fox and completing a very muddy confidence course, thanks to recent heavy rains.

On 30 November the students climbed up to Lock Hut, on the hills above the Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre, where they would stay the night.

When they arrived at the hut, the students made tents out of sticks and tarpaulins as part of their wilderness experience.

Ignite Sport also added value to the camp, running series of activities, including team sports and team building games.

Ignite Sport is a volunteer-based youth development organisation that uses sport to encourage young people to consider character, values, balance and heart.

Both girls and boys attended the 2022 camp. This

was the second year that the Wainuiomata High School year nine camp has brought boys and girls together on the same camp.

NZ Army Reserve Force Combat Engineer Sapper William Stewart says the “really fun” military boating training phase has made huge difference to his skills in boat handling. Photo: Supplied.

Saveena Ioasa helping to pitch a tent at Wainuiomata High School’s year nine camp last week.

Photo: Frank Neill.

Hutt South MP Ginny Andersen, Boon Tan, Andrew Lomax and Tama Tua just after Koru Homes NZ delivered a van full of food to Pātaka Kai. Photo: Supplied.