Ag 13 July 2020

Monday, July 13, 2020 Since Sept 27, 1879 Retail $2.20 Home delivered from $1.40 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY Back Hunters’ into fears bowls P2 P16 SCHOOLS TAKE PRIORITY IN ROAD SPEED REVIEW BY SUE NEWMAN support for change has seen the council cost of $120,000 through to the top version luminated, making it very clear to motor- [email protected] agree that change was needed. of active variable signs that came with a ists they were approaching a school zone. They may not get the top-shelf option, but More than 250 people submitted on the price tag of $1.4 million. Those signs would Schools currently had a range of signs schools around the Ashburton District will speed limit changes proposed and 14 opt- include flashing lights, display a speed lim- and councillor Stuart Wilson suggested us- be celebrating road safety improvements ed to speak at a submissions hearing. it and carry the words school zone. ing these to create a hybrid version could that will be put in place outside their front At Thursday’s infrastructure services The basic speed limit sign would mean work. gates. committee meeting they agreed to develop speeds outside a school would be reduced If a speed limit sign could be adapted When submissions were lodged on the school zone speed limits, setting these at at all times of the day and week, irrespec- and fixed in place under the flashing sign, Ashburton District’s proposed speed lim- 60km/h outside rural schools and 40km/h tive of whether children were around or this could achieve close to the same out- it review, there were a number of requests outside urban schools. The siting of signs not. Active static signs show the area is a come as the active variable sign, but at a from school communities for the council will be discussed with individual schools. school zone, the speed limit and the hours much lower cost, he said. to take a tough line on speed limits around When it comes to those signs, councillors the speed applies. The active variable signs schools. While these were not included in looked at options ranging from basic speed would be switched on before and after the original proposal, the weight of public limit signs that would come with a total school by a staff member and would be il- CONTINUED P2 Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe! News 2 Ashburton Guardian Monday, July 13, 2020 www.guardianonline.co.nz ■ TAHR CULL Boost for Hunters fear tahr cull plans addiction BY JAIME PITT-MACKAY Phillips said it was clear that [email protected] Conservation Minister Eugen- Mid Canterbury hunters are ie Sage was using her power to services echoing the national sentiment push her own personal agenda that a proposed cull of tahr that and fears that if she is success- has been taken to the high court ful in eradicating tahr from New BY JAIME PITT-MACKAY [email protected] would be devastating for both Zealand, other introduced ani- recreational hunters and those mals like red deer or pigs could The Government has commit- who make a living from the in- be next in the firing line. ted $32 million to boosting alco- dustry. “There is no reason why we hol and drug addiction services The Tahr Foundation has tak- can’t have good areas of alpine across the country but Ashbur- en the Department of Conser- plants and a good tahr popula- ton’s local service does not expect vation to the high court over the tion,” he said. to see much of it in the South Is- proposed cull, which it says will A judicial review hearing was land. effectively end hunting of the held at the High Court in Welling- Prime Minister Jacinda Ard- goat-like animal in this country, ton against DOC’s culling pro- ern and Minister of Health Chris resulting in hundreds of job loss- gramme of the goat-like animals Hipkins announced $32m worth es. in the South Island last week. of new contracts for services over Kelvin Phillips, who is the treas- It is hoped the plan would re- the next four years to help New urer of the Ashburton branch of duce numbers to about 10,000 Zealanders quit drugs and to sup- the New Zealand Deer Stalkers’ – which would hugely benefit na- port them in their continuing re- Association will be joining what tive tussocks and landscapes. covery. he hopes is a large number of However, the Tahr Foundation, However, Ashburton Commu- Mid Canterbury hunters protest- which brought the court case, nity Alcohol and Drug Service ing the decision in the Macken- believes hunters were not con- general manager Chris Clark said zie Country later this month. sulted. It said tourism operators she was unsure how much of an “The proposed tahr cull will were opposing the cull because impact those contracts would be a disaster if it goes ahead,” he Hunters fear a planned tahr cull will wreck tahr hunting for they stand to lose significant in- have on the South Island. said. both recreational hunters and those involved in the profes- come and the cull would put 500 “I don’t think we are going to “We are planning a protest ral- sional hunting industry. PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN jobs on the line. see much in the South Island ly on July 19 starting at the tahr Speaking for the Crown, David apart from maybe some extend- monument at the bottom of Lake lieved to be prior to the previous is being done to keep the popula- Laurenson QC said tahr must be ed community detox assistance, Pukaki and travelling up to Mt cull in 2018 where only nanny tion stable.” controlled and acknowledged which may be helpful,” she said. Cook to the point of release for tahr were targeted. Phillips said that DOC are aim- hunters played a part in that. Clark said a lot of the basic ser- tahr in 1904. This proposed cull would tar- ing for total eradication in the However, he said DOC had vices the organisation provided “There are certainly a lot of get all types of tahr, including Westland National Park which he taken official control because it were only partly covered by fund- people that I am aware of that bull tahr. believes would be a devastating could cull a larger number than ing from the Canterbury District are going and I hope that there “They are using bogus num- outcome. the hunters. Health Board, and that commu- are a lot more going that I’m not bers to make this cull happen, “There are a lot of people that He denied DOC had complete- nity funding played a key part in aware of.” they have done no scientific re- hunt as a social pastime and love ly disregarded the views of the allowing the service to run, with Phillips said DOC had already search which the Tahr Founda- to get into the hills and there are foundation and hunters, saying Covid-19 expected to impact the culled 18,000 tahr, and that when tion has been trying to get them people like hunting guides who their views were widely known level of community funding in they have been reporting num- to do for years,” he said. could lose their jobs,” he said. and thought about during the future. bers to explain this cull, they “If they cull another 5000 to “The Government should be implementation of the cull pro- “Funding is an ongoing battle,” have still been using the previ- 6000 it will be devastating. trying to support these people, gramme. she said. “It is already having an ous population of 35,000, which “Hunters are already reporting especially coming out of Cov- Justice Dobson reserved his impact and I would say it will for a was what the population was be- a lack in nanny tahr and nothing id-19.” decision on the matter. lot of community organisations.” Ardern said alcohol and drug addiction recovery services around the country have been ■ EDUCATION under pressure, fragmented and lacking consistency for a long time. “This Government is serious Schools take priority in road speed review about tackling our mental health and addiction challenges. Last year we responded to He Ara Or- From P1 meet the council’s new require- A school such as Longbeach, just one road frontage, Fauth anga: Report of the Government Roading manager Brian Fauth ments. where there were three roads in- said. Inquiry into Mental Health and said it would be a matter of work- What was needed outside each volved, one of of which had an A report will come to the next Addictions with an historic plan ing with each school to see what school would depend on the open speed limit, would likely council meeting on the cost of in- to invest in new and proven ser- they had now and to ensure they roading network around a school, need different options for each stalling a hybrid, variable speed vices for those New Zealanders had the appropriate signage to he said. road, compared to a school with sign at each school in the district. who need our help,” she said. What are the referendum questions? Know before you vote Authorised by the Secretary for Justice News www.guardianonline.co.nz Monday, July 13, 2020 Ashburton Guardian 3 Four-laning may alter second bridge site BY SUE NEWMAN ate discussion among staff and struction into its long-term plan.

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