TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 ENDEAVOUR MODEL CONSULTATION COVID-19 STARTS TODAY • Daily infections pass 250,000 for the first time PAGES • Masks made mandatory in Melbourne 5, 10-14 • 363 new cases, 3 more deaths in Victoria PAGE 3 PAGE 10 • Mutations could be making Covid-19 more infectious CLEARING THE MESS: The team at Gisborne Hiabs were busy yesterday helping to clear the slash and wastewood stacked up against Mangatokerau Bridge in Tolaga Bay as a result of the heavy rainfall that struck the region over the weekend. State Highway 35 between Tolaga Bay and Ruatoria was again closed overnight and Civil Defence is advising extreme caution on the roads and only to travel if it is essential. Picture supplied Extreme care urged as ‘EXPECT THE Coast road network suffers ‘considerable UNEXPECTED’ damage’ by Murray Robertson has suffered considerable damage. people should check the various council District council rainfall gauges “The state highway between Tolaga sites for road closures or for those roads recorded startling amounts of rain in CONTRACTORS resumed their battle and Ruatoria remains closed until under caution. places over the past week. to reopen State Highway 35 at first light further notice as slips continue to occur.” “We update our local road information The heaviest falls were at Te Puia this morning as the wait continued for There was still a lot of work to do to when it comes to hand.” with 476mm over six days — 224mm on East Coast people to get access between get the roads right again, he said. Pockets of rain yesterday made things Friday and 159mm on Saturday. Tolaga Bay and Ruatoria. “We are asking people to understand difficult for contractors. Hikuwai River at No.4 bridge recorded That section of the East Coast highway that the roads are incredibly vulnerable, River levels across the region began to 442mm across the week — 235 on Friday, was closed again overnight and Civil with slips, drop-outs and subsidence sites fall through the day on Saturday as the 111mm on Saturday. Defence this morning said it would in multiple locations.” rain eased but had risen again slowly Ruatoria has recorded 299mm in the remain closed “until further notice”. Mr Wilson said concern had been overnight. past week, Fernside 302, Hikuwai at More than 350 millimetres of rain was expressed about what could not be seen “But they are not at warning levels at Willowflat 277, Mangapoike 192, Mata dumped on the area north of Tolaga Bay and therefore what could not be planned this stage,” Mr Wilson said 257, Poroporo 205, Puketoro 289, Rip on Friday and Saturday. for, like hidden drop-outs and slips that The Hikuwai River at No.4 bridge Station 212, Waerenga-o-Kuri 217, “It’s been another wet night and our would still be moving. reached a peak of just over 12 metres Waikura 224, Wharerata 431, and busy contractors were out and about “People need to be incredibly careful early on Saturday morning. Gisborne city 118mm. on our roads this morning checking, on the roads and only travel if it is It was back to five metres last night The encouraging news is that assessing and clearing local and state essential. Furthermore they should but had since gone back up to six metres. MetService predicts five days of sunshine highways,” said Gisborne District expect the unexpected. We had reports The Waimata River at Goodwins across the region from Wednesday after a Council lifelines director David Wilson. yesterday of people going sightseeing Bridge reached just under five metres few further showers tomorrow. “Following assessment by roading and it caused all sorts of headaches.” and the Waiapu River got up to just teams yesterday it was clear the network Mr Wilson said before planning travel, under 5.5m. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............10 Television ...........16 Sport ............ 20-24 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Classifieds ... 17-18 Weather .............23 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ............ 6-9 World............ 12-15 Racing ................19 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Monday, July 20, 2020 PICK THAT ONE OUT OF THE NET GOAL: Lytton Old Boys NZ Fruits player Wade Manson celebrates scoring past YMP 2 goalkeeper Nick Roberts in Poverty Bay club hockey on the Property Brokers Turf on Saturday. Roberts’ team, however, had the last laugh. They won 6-4. ON THE CHARGE: A powerful run from Gisborne Boys’ High’s Kitini Taihuka in their first 15 clash with St Peter’s College at the Rectory. The visitors won 21-10. BROTHERS IN ACTION: Contract Consultants HSOB hooker Matekairoa McGuire, Pictures by Paul Rickard above, about to peel off the back and into the Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates defence in These and other photos are available premier club rugby game at the Oval on Saturday. The blue and whites won 26-10. for sale at The Herald or online — Below, GT Shearing Waikohu midfield back Tane McGuire — Matekairoa’s brother — is tackled by an Enterprise Cars OBM player in a premier game at the Oval. Competition www.gisborneherald.co.nz/photos leader Waikohu won 19-7. More on the rugby on back page. Get your INCOMNG: Horouta Gold Gisborne Herald wing attack Riria Franklin home-delivered about to catch the ball in front of Whangara Old Girls centre Raipoia Kawhia. Whangara won the premier netball game 36-26 at the Victoria Domain courts. Netball report on page 23. To nd out more call 869 0620 The Gisborne Herald • Monday, July 20, 2020 NEWS 3 Forestry industry apology THE forestry industry has issued an planning for this is under way, with a was incorporated into the silt in the mobilised. apology after heavy rain events over the view to commencing this work as soon as riverbanks and caught up in incised “Eastland Wood Council and forest past week and weekend caused flooding practicable. valleys. It has been remobilised by the industry representatives met with the and landslips in catchments of the Tolaga “Since the June 2018 flood, forestry current floods. Tolaga Bay community two weeks ago to Bay area, resulting in further woody companies have done a lot of work in “Flood events, such as we have talk about the origin of the debris, the debris on the beach. stabilising roads and landings in the experienced over the past week, swell the changes in forest work practices and to In a statement released by Eastland forest to mitigate woody debris being rivers so that the fast-moving water picks consult with the community on options Wood Council it said the forest industry mobilised offsite and resulting in slash on up the older deposited material, and and plans for cleaning up the beach. apologised to the community for the the beach. flushes it out with stormwater, eventually “The forest industry is committed debris on the beach, which had resulted “Companies have also changed their depositing it on the beach. This material to cleaning up the beach, as soon as from its operations and assured people it operating practices to prevent slash includes a large volume of poplar and possible, working with the community was “doing everything we can to mitigate being washed off the landings, and these willows debris, which have been washed and Gisborne District Council.” the volume of material mobilised during changes are evidenced by there being out of the riverbanks. Eastland Wood Council chief executive flood events”. very little freshly cut woody debris on “Woody debris material will flush out Kim Holland added: “The forest industry “The East Coast forest industry is Tolaga Beach, unlike 2018 . of the river from time to time, but it will recognises the need to work harder on committed to cleaning up the beach “The majority of the woody debris reduce significantly in volume over time building our social licence to operate and in conjunction with the community on the beach this weekend is largely as the improved operating practices in will be looking at ways we can engage and Gisborne District Council, and the old material from June 2018 that the forest reduce the material able to be with our communities.” HAVE YOUR SAY Community consultation over Endeavour models starts today GISBORNE District The consultation extends Council today opened a to the community through We recognise this is a sensitive subject new consultation with digital methods, flyers and the community about the drop boxes at the council’s ‘and we are listening to iwi and the general future of the Endeavour customer services desk and community models. HB Williams Memorial ’ — Mayor Rehette Stoltz Following community Library. feedback after a decision The council is also in May to reinstate the holding community THE community the Endeavour replicas”. WHERE TO GO? One of the controversial Endeavour rebuilt models, councillors drop-in nights at its consultation process comes Mayor Rehette Stoltz and models, which are now the subject of community consultation over where to put them. File picture voted again in June Awarua administration after district councillors last councillor Meredith Akuhata- to consult with the building at 15 Fitzherbert month rescinded their much- Brown — who was one of community about their Street from Monday, July disputed decision in May to three councillors to vote councillors who voted against replace the original models future. 27, to Thursday, July 30, install new Endeavour models against the May decision — the decision to not carry out erected in 1969 for the Cook “We recognise this is a from 5pm to 7pm. sensitive subject, and we The council has also on the sites of the original moved the motion to revoke public consultation.