Bus stats down
School holidays saw a dip in regional bus statistics in both Te Awamutu and Cambridge last month. There were 8900 patrons on the Te Awamutu 24 service, down from 10,480 the previous month and 7847 on Cambridge 20, down from 9217. Similar drops occurred on the Tokoroa and Te Kūiti connector runs which stop in Cambridge, Kihikihi, Te Awamutu and Ōhaupō enroute to and back from Hamilton.
Objections to burn
Demonstration at the council building.
Waipā District Council has a legal obligation to consider a proposal to build a waste to energy plant in Waipā, its council’s district growth and regulatory services group manager Wayne Allan says. He was speaking after Waipā District Council received close to 900 responses on the proposal to build a waste incineration plant in Te Awamutu. It was the highest number of submissions the council had ever received on a resource consent application and the council expects to make them all publicly available by the end of the week.
Feather source tracked down
The source of a mysterious trail of white feathers seen scattered through Te Awamutu last month has been found. Police have issued the driver of a truck which is thought to have spread feathers up to 200km across the North Island – including through Te Awamutu – a $600 infringement notice for travelling with an insecure load.
Club broken into
Te Awamutu Club faces a bill of more than $5000 following a break in. More than 20 bottles of wines and several of spirits were stolen just after 2am last Monday, but club manager Jacqui Lees told The News the biggest cost will be replacing the club’s door after it was badly damaged as the alleged thieves forced entry into the building. A new door will cost $4500.
Lock your cars
Police have reminded Te Awamutu and Kihikihi residents to ensure they lock their vehicles overnight – and to make sure no valuables are left in them. The warning comes after six cars were broken into last week. Anyone wanting to investigate staring a Neighbourhood support group is urged to contact CommSafe
Book launch
The stories of the vibrant Te Awamutu branch of Menzshed have been told regularly told in The News – now the branch is preparing the launch of a book about it. “Sheddies” will be launched as a gathering in Te Awamutu next Tuesday.
Roads named
Pukehoua (pathway across the mountain from Pirongia to Kawhia) Lane is the new name for a private road in the DS Syndicate subdivision in Pirongia. The two public roads will be called Manatuu (a reference to a tree species whose inner bark was used for fishing net making) and Taraire (a tree species which provides berry for birds) have been approved by Waipā’s Service Delivery committee this week subject to Land Information New Zealand approval.
Student Concert
Following the success of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Te Awamutu Concerts Alive is hosting an Instrumental Student Concert at St John’s Anglican Church on Sunday afternoon, at which Waikato University’s Conservatorium of Music students will present a programme of chamber music. The performers are among around 40 students at the Conservatorium’s instrumental department.
Get voting
Voting opened this week for the 2023 Fonterra Board of Directors’ election, the Co-operative Council elections in two Wards, and 13 annual meeting resolutions. Two candidates are standing for two places on the board as elected directors – incumbent directors Brent Goldsack and Cathy Quinn. Because it is an uncontested election each candidate must gain more than 50 per cent support of votes cast to be elected. The two candidates are meeting Fonterra shareholders at eight sites this week and next and took part in an online meeting yesterday (Wednesday).
Susan Hassall
Resignation goes viral
Our “exclusive” story on Hamilton Boys’ High School headmaster Susan Hassall’s resignation went viral last week accounting for nearly a quarter of visits to cambridgenews.nz and teawamutunews.nz websites and hundreds of views and comments on our Facebook page. Hassall has lived in Cambridge for more than 30 years and at Hamilton Boys for 42 years. She was appointed to lead the school in 2000 and retained the masculine ‘headmaster’ title throughout. See: Hassall resigns.
Man charged
A 44-year-old Cambridge man has been remanded in custody to face a series of charges in court in Hamilton next month. Sergeant Ben Joll said a search of the vehicle the man was driving uncovered methamphetamine, cannabis, a pistol, knife and drug paraphernalia. He had been stopped after complaints from the public about erratic driving.
Roads named
Five private roads in the Patrick Hogan Ryman Retirement Village in Cambridge have been given names after consultation with Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Haua Iwi trusts. Mahi Tahi (to work together), Pukatea and Tiitoki (endemic trees at the site), Puriri and Kiekie (native trees/plants) have been approved by Waipā’s Service Delivery committee this week subject to Land Information New Zealand approval.
Costs up
Professional design services for the new Cambridge Wastewater Treatment Plant have been increased by $500,000 from $3.554 million which Waipā’s Service Delivery committee approved in May last year without any contingency. Hamilton-based Pattle Delamore Partners Ltd, an engineering and environmental consultancy, have undertaken unenvisaged professional services including additional physical groundwater monitoring and solar array design, Water Services strategic lead Robin Walker told Waipā’s Service Delivery committee this week.
Signs gone
Signs now gone
Chemist Warehouse removed signs which conflicted with district council bylaws following complaints, but signs promoting a breast cancer awareness event in Hamilton – and obstructed motorists’ view of pedestrians and crossings in Cambridge – were only removed on Friday following questions from The News.
Student award
Aaliyah Tiatoa
Karāpiro School pupil Aaliyah Tiatoa has received a Fred Hollows Humanity Award. The awards are made to students who actively contribute to the betterment of society. Teacher Dan Churstain, who nominated Aaliyah, said she exemplified the values of the foundation and was a compassionate and selfless young Māori leader in the classroom and school community.
Falcon spotted
A karearea – the native falcon
A karearea – the native falcon on the New Zealand $20 note, has been spotted at Lake Te Koo Utu in Cambridge. The bird is slightly smaller than the kahu – the harrier hawk – and significantly less common.
BMX qualifiers
Cambridge rider Leila Walker finished one spot out of making the semifinals of the Under-23 women’s event at the final round of the UCI BMX World Cup in Argentina last weekend. Clubmate Bennett Greenough was taken out in a heavy crash in the semifinal of the Under-23 men’s event and brother Jack reach the quarter final.
Funds raised
A series of fundraising lunches held at Café Oasis from May through August has raised funds for several community groups, including the Lions Club of Cambridge, Jumble Around Op Shop, Achievement House and the Salvation Army Food Bank. The Alpha Lodge has also given $2000 of meat packs to the food bank.
Roading update
Construction of a turnaround bay at Keeley’s Reserve continues. The reserve will be closed for the construction period, which is expected to take up to nine weeks, weather permitting. Once completed, the right turn out of Keeley’s Reserve onto SH1 will remain open until the turnaround at Tunakawa Road is built early next year.
Lodge change
Podium Lodge, one of New Zealand’s first social enterprise hotels, is changing hands. New owners Andy Huang and his family take over on December 1. The Brian Perry Charitable Trust – which has owned the 5ha property for five years – has sold it having created the Bridge Housing Charitable Trust, which is now completing its first affordable housing development, Peake Mews. Lodge manager Bill Heslop will continue in his role.
