Te Awamutu CouPublished Tuesday & Thursdayurier TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 Your community newspaper for over 100 years EXTRA COPIES 40c Pathways a success Songbirds A new singing group called Songbirds is taking flight. BY BETHANY TIDDY Songbirds is for children aged between 7 and 9 years A programme which brings the feeling of old who are too young to join home to school has just been launched at Te Junior Talos. Awamutu Primary School. The singing group will be Pathways is a pilot programme recently held at the Woolshed theatre started by the Rosetown Community Services Trust. every Monday during the From 8.30am to 10.30am up to 10 pupils school term from 3.30pm to are based at Whare Ora — a refurbished 4.30pm. dental clinic at the school — instead of their Children will be eligible to usual classroom. join Junior Talos when they are The pupils begin their day enjoying a 10 years old. For more breakfast of Weet-Bix and milk — free to the information contact Fiona whole school. Miller on 0274 434397. Facilitator Ashlea Bennett then leads the pupils through different educational activi- Wet weather ties: arts and crafts, cooking, science, sports and exploration. halts events “I become mum for the morning,” she The rain caused a couple of says. cancellations last weekend. And the response from the pupils has Due to the weather the been “incredible”. Rodeo Committee postponed “I’ve had a mum email to say her son Saturday’s event in the interest can’t wait to come to school every day. of rider and animal safety “She says he’s waiting with his school bag The event has been on at least half an hour before needing to rescheduled for Saturday, leave the house.” After five weeks, another group of up to 10 March 11. pupils will go through the same programme. Gourmet in the Park on Te Awamutu Primary School principal Saturday was cancelled and Craig Pentecost says Pathways offers pupils will be on again next time in Te a positive start to the day. Awamutu on Saturday, March The idea for Pathways came from Te 18. Awamutu Primary School teacher Davina Sunday’s Shakespeare in Bron who saw a need to bring together the the Park presentation was children that teachers identified as needing postponed due to the extra support. continued wet weather. A Mrs Bron says the programme will break postponement date is being down the barriers often caused by social or investigated and will be family issues. advertised as soon as it is “There is not one specific process for confirmed. selecting children for the programme, it is open for all. Girl Guide “This pilot is just the beginning and we look forward to a long working relationship biscuits with the trust.” Plain, chocolate and mini The community has come to the party to Girl Guide biscuits will once support the trust. Carpet Court Te Awamutu donated carpet again be available from various and Sanitarium and Fonterra donates Weet- stalls around Te Awamutu. Bix and milk. Starting Saturday, February The trust hopes more community groups 25 at The Warehouse they will will come forward and support the pro- be available to purchase gramme practically and financially. throughout March. Rosetown Community Services Trust You can also purchase chairman Phil Strong says the trust is “here online or through the local Girl to help the community”. Guide network. “This is a very exciting and rewarding Girl Guides no longer sells programme for us to be running for Te the cookies door-to-door. Awamutu Primary School and hopefully For further details contact more local schools in the future,” Mr Strong 871 5362 or 0272 421 625. says. TC210217BT01 To get in touch with the trust contact FREE breakfast is available at Whare Ora every morning. From left, teacher Davina Bron, [email protected]. Pathways facilitator Ashlea Bennett and principal Craig Pentecost. FREE POWERSTEER ON KINGQUAD 500 ZERO - TURN MOWER Buy an LT-A500XL7 and we’ll give you the choice of taking an LT-A500XPL7 at the same price instead! HURRY! ZG Series ZG122, ZG125 $13,039+GST$13,039+ Heavy Duty Zero Turn with SAVE $2000 fabricated INC GST 48 or 54" deck ONLY 50 AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE Beat this for Value Offer ends 31 March or while stock lasts $ from 88490490+GST 2 Kihikihi Road, Te Awamutu TELEPHONE: P 07 871 3069 E [email protected] W www.wilkspenny.co.nz 07 872 0232 859 OHAUPO RD, TE AWAMUTU www.norwood.co.nz/teawamutu Farm Machinery Centre FINANCE 2 Te Awamutu Courier Tuesday, February 21, 2017 SALT WATER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SPORTS FISHING KAWHIA HIGH TIDES What’s life going to be like in 40 years? Add fi ve minutes for Raglan Harbour Tuesday 6.45am 7.22pm The other day I was reading few other unavoidable wealthy. You could buy a de- won’t dare ask what rents will Wednesday 7.47am 8.22pm a local paper and a young expenses they probably do cent house for less an $30,000 — be. Thursday 8.49am 9.12pm couple with a small baby were struggle. that’s about how much people Some even suggest that Friday 9.42am 9.57pm explaining how they struggled Looking back I remember in Auckland pay annually in pensions will be fazed out — Saturday 10.24am 10.42pm to live on just over a $1000 a when a tradesman’s wage was rent now and feel like they are unaffordable for central gov- Sunday 11.02am 11.25pm week. £12 10 shillings a week ($25) on a good wicket. ernment? Monday 11.40am - That’s $52,000 a year in and you could support your The burning question is The old saying ‘the only their hand. I’ll bet a lot of family and pay your mortgage where to from here, what’s life thing constant is change’ is people reading this will be on that. going to be like in 40 years right and with all the problems thinking I wouldn’t mind a Years ago I got a job in time? and uncertainties it’s still a $1000 a week. Wellington with an annual The mind boggles. wonderful world and great to Yet the sad fact is with the salary of $3200 a year and How much will a loaf of be standing on it. cost of food, rent, power and a really thought I was really bread and a pint of milk cost, I VERN WILSON A great range of fi shing knives for boning and fi lleting - from Prescription Rodeo poll result a surprise stainless steel to handmade charges high At the time of writing this I have had a that matter can be considered sport or in NZ and poll running on ‘the Neighbourly’ website acceptable also. sharpeners collecting votes for (continuing) and against There were seven comments left with the I totally agree with the comments made (banning) the holding of rodeos and related poll results. One in particular was of interest by Colin Walters regarding doctors’ animal activities in New Zealand. as it implied that for the remainder of the charges in Te Awamutu and I would like After nine days and with 48 votes cast the year the valuable rodeo animals were well to add the cost of repeat prescriptions. results are equivocal, being exactly 50 per kept but on rodeo days, harm was justified. A charge of $20 when you collect your cent in favour and 50 per cent against having I wonder if this can be related to the old repeat script is ridiculous. rodeos. ‘rule of thumb’ whereby a man was allowed When we retired to Te Awamutu six As the convener of the poll, I did not vote to beat his stock, his wife and his children years ago this was not the cost. myself, but am not in favour of rodeos. In with any rod no thicker than the king’s All the surgery have to do is bring up fact I fail to understand how whipping a thumb? Aaaah the good ol’ days? your file, check the medication you have horse to make it go faster or anything for JAMES PARLANE asked for and print it out. No more than a few minutes to do that. No wonder us pensioners avoid visits to our GP when paying for repeat prescriptions every three months cost so Keep eye out for for fake fifties much. Perhaps our local MP could take this up with the prime minister to reduce A Te Awamutu business spotted a $50 The transaction was cancelled and the cost of visits and free prescriptions for note that didn’t look right on Friday. police ask the community to keep an eye pensioners. The note was counterfeit but looked out for further potential counterfeit MOIRA STINSON like real currency, police say. notes. We welcome your letters - preferably via email. Letters should be under 300 words and must have the sender’s name, address and phone number included. The letter will be published with the writer’s name (no pseudonyms accepted) and names will only be withheld in special circumstances at the discretion of the editor. Letters are not usually acknowledged and may be edited, abridged or discarded. 166 Cambridge Rd, Te Awamutu [email protected] Ph: 871 3474 (FISH) FLAT UMMER SELL OUT S OUT $737 SAVE $162 Panasonic Microwave Oven $788 SUMMER SIZZLER! • 1100 Watts • 32 litre capacity • Genius Sensor Fisher & Paykel WashSmart • Inverter Turbo Defrost Panasonic 122cmv (49") Top Load Washer • One Touch Cooking Full HD TV (14 Categories) • Full HD (1920 x 1080) • 5.5kg capacity • 6 Wash Cycle • 340mm turntable resolution • 3 Spin speeds • 1000 RPM spin speeds • Stainless Steel fi nish • 50Hz refresh rate • Automatic lint disposal NNST671SQPQ • Freeview digital tuner • Automatic water level adjustment • Adaptive backlight dimming • SmartDrive • 3 Start water rating $ • Vivid digital Pro • Dot noise reduction 288 SAVE $41 • Media Player • 2x HDMI & 1X USB inputs WA55T56GW1 TH490400Z $ $129 or 79 $1244 SAVE $255 $375 SAVE $324 AFTER $50 CASH BACK! Brother Multi-function Colour Inkjet Printer LG Front Load Washer Electrolux UltraFlex Allergy • Print, copy, scan and fax • 8kg capacity Bagless Vacuum Cleaner capabilities • 1400 RPM spin speed • HEPA 12 fi lter • 1.8” TFT colour LCD • Inverter Direct Drive motor • AeroPro Extreme Technology • USB 2.0 • 6 motion wash technology Floor Nozzle • Automatic document feeder • TurboClean • 4 Star Rating • 12 metre cleaning reach system and duplex (two-sided) printing • 4.5 Star energy rating • LED display • 5 power levels MFCJ480DW WD1408NPW • 2 parking positions *Cashback via redemption.