Memorial for Son Vandalised
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Three fires in Kai time for one week the kids P3&5 P10 Bridge St, Phone: 07 886 7882 www.facebook.com/ SweetRoseEspresso Open 7 Days South Waikato News 6841035AC Wednesday, May 11, 2016 SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1952 Memorialfor son vandalised TAMARA THORN A mother is grieving after a mem- orial site to her son was vandalised. The vandals threw away a photograph, flowers, and an obsidian stone that Launa-Anne Smith laid in her son’s memory in the South Waikato. It has been almost six years since Lani-Kohurangi Gore took his life, on August 12 2010. Smith still remembers when she heard the news. The 18-year-old worked as an apprentice mechanic at Tokoroa Service Centre, and was described as a sociable and mature person with a positive attitude. It was 6.30am that sirens rang through the town in August 2010, and word quickly spread that Replaced memories of Lani-Kohurangi someone had died. Gore after vandals destroyed the site. Smith prayed for the family who would soon receive the news obsidian stone tossed into the of the sudden death. water. ‘‘I didn’t know it was going to Smith said she didn’t under- be me,’’ she said. stand why this has happened. ‘‘My first thoughts were, oh no ‘‘There had been no problem another totara has fallen.’’ with it for the past five years, why Smith said a prayer for the per- now?’’ son, and also called her son in a To add to her stress, two days panic. after the discovery, contractors It was then that a mufti police cut down the tree. car turned up at her house, and South Waikato District Coun- she knew something was wrong. cil communications manager Now she is grieving again, five Kerry Fabrie said the council had years after the destruction of the concerns over the tree’s safety memorial near the children’s after one of its branches broke off playground at Lake Moananui. during a high wind. When she saw the vandalised Following an assessment coun- site Smith took to the Tokoroa cil staff had concerns of further Genuine Facebook page to branches falling. express her sadness and anger. ‘‘Due to the proximity to the ‘‘I have searched the lake for playground at the lake, staff the flowers, photo and cross but made the decision to remove the nothing. Blimin Vandals,’’ Smith tree for safety reasons,’’ Fabrie said. said ‘‘It was bare, there was nothing Smith said although she knew there.’’ the tree had to come down, she did The cross had been nailed into not expect it to be done so quickly the bark of a pine tree, and the after the memorial was Launa-Anne Smith is devastated that her son’s memorial has been vandalised. flowers were on the cross with his vandalised. photo, along with other little She said as a result of the site’s but everyone had been under- the remains of the tree to the fam- Smith said she would like to trinkets that friends had put there destruction and the tree being standing, and she described the ily. ‘‘Staff spoke with the family acknowledge the community sup- over the years. felled, she was grieving all over Tokoroa community as like and we understand they collected port and give back in a way by She frantically searched for the again. extended whanau. some of the wood from the tree ‘‘perhaps a talking pole on suicide mementoes, but only found the She said the process is hard, The council has since offered once felled,’’ Fabrie said. and suicide prevention’’. I want timber shutters BY THE ROUNDABOUT Ph:Ph: 07 88388 7309 I want PUTARURU them soon FURNITURE & MANCHESTER I want to save 15% AU-7238431AB 2 SOUTH WAIKATO NEWS, MAY 11, 2016 stuff.co.nz did YOUR PLACE, YOUR PAPER you know... 1. INTO THE EAST ‘‘E’’ Southland duo, Graeme Woller and Liv McBride, will play at The Plaza in Is the most commonly FROM Putaruru on Wednesday, May 18. used letter in the Tickets: $10 Students and Senior alphabet. THE Citizens, $20 Adults. EDITOR 2. 50 YEARS ON Waotu-Puketurua Playcentre will t is utterly appalling that a celebrate 50 years on May 15 from I memorial to a woman’s dead 2pm to 5pm at 1362 Waotu Rd. Cake CONTENTS son has been vandalised. 1 cutting at 3.30pm. Contact Conversations.................................... Page 4 Launa-Anne Smith laid the Bernadette 883 2733. Nadia Lim ...............................................Page 8 memorial in her son Lani- What’s on............................................... Page 11 Kohurangi’s memory, so for 3. BREAKFAST Wellbeing............................................... Page 6 someone to come along throw May 18, 7am at the Sweet Rose Puzzles ...................................................Page 14 away a photograph, flowers, and Cafe. Cost $25. RSVP to Danielle via an obsidian stone is disgusting. email [email protected] I can only hope that whoever or 07 886 3164 by May 13. did it reads this and takes a good hard look at themselves. to do list 4. PATCHWORK This newspaper is How would they feel if this was 2 3 Meet fortnightly on Mondays at 7pm subject to NZ Press done to the memorial of someone (Jill Sjaarda 07 8838622 ) and the Council procedures. they loved? second Thursday of each month A complaint must first I hope that this never happens 10am (Ann Jenkins 07 8835705) at be directed in writing, again and Launa-Anna can grieve within one month of the Rangiura Rest Home Hall. publication, to the editor’s email address. her son properly in peace. If not satisfied with the response, the In another shocking story this 5. SCOTTISH complaint may be referred to the week we have a chat to two Press Council. PO Box 10-879, families who lost everything in DANCE The Terrace, Wellington 6143. fires in Tokoroa last week. Or use the online complaint form at Club Nights, every Thursday at www.presscouncil.org.nz Please I know the community will be 4 5 Amisfield School Hall, Moffat Rd, include copies of the article and all rallying around to help them 6.30pm to 10pm. correspondence with the publication. during this dreadful time, as it has always done. But our thoughts are with them. Contact us SOUTH WAIKATO NEWS: (07) 886 9159; EDITOR: Nicola Brennan-Tupara, [email protected]; I’ll be off on holiday when you SENIOR SALES CONSULTANT: Frankie, [email protected]; read this, but look forward to REPORTER: Frances Ferguson, 0275207376, [email protected]; catching up with you all when I CLASSIFIEDS OR MISSED DELIVERY: (07) 886 9159 [email protected]; return. DIGITAL EDITION: southwaikatonews.co.nz; DISPLAY AD DEADLINES :4pm Thursday; – Nicola ADDRESS: PO Box 89 Tokoroa 3444 92/817((56 :$17(' CCALLALL NNOWOW &KDFKLQJ 7RNRURD FFOROR AALLLL YYOUROUR *HW EHKLQG WKH FRXQWHU DQG KHOS UDLVH IXQGV IRU D YLWDO FRPPXQLW\ VHUYLFH 6RUW GRQDWHG VWRFN SUHSDUH LWHPV IRU VDOH DQG OHDUQ FXVWRPHU VHUYLFH DQG FDVK KDQGOLQJ VNLOOV IINSURANCENSURANCE :LOG :HGQHVGD\ 3XWDUXUX 6SHQG DQ DIWHUQRRQ RU HYHQLQJ KDYLQJ VRPH IXQ 3ODQ DQG UXQ RREQUIREMENTSEQUIREMENTS DFWLYLWLHV IRU NLGV ZKR DUH ZRUNLQJ WRZDUGV VNLOO EDGJHV 6KDUH \RXU OLIH VNLOOV DQG KHOS RXU \RXWK WR JURZ XS JUHDW 6KRZ WKH ZD\ 3XWDUXUX :DQWHG« IULHQGO\ SHRSOH WR JUHHW RXU YLVLWRUV VKRZ WKHP DURXQG RXU IDFLOLWLHV DQG VKDUH WKH KLVWRU\ RI WKH GLVWULFW +HOS LV QHHGHG RQ D :HGQHVGD\ 6DWXUGD\ DQG 6XQGD\ $ ERRNORYHUV GUHDP 7RNRURD 7KHUH DUH PRUH ERRNV WKDQ ZH NQRZ ZKDW WR GR ZLWK DQG VRPH ZLOOLQJ KDQGV DUH QHHG WR KHOS VRUW DQG FDWHJRULVH WKHP -RLQ D IULHQGO\ FRPPLWWHH ZKR DUH RUJDQLVLQJ D ERRN IDLU 7R ILQG RXW PRUH DERXW WKHVH DQG RWKHU YROXQWHHULQJ RSSRUWXQLWLHV LQ \RXU DUHD SKRQH RU YLVLW Local Insurance Brokers ZZZYROXQWHHULQJZDLNDWRRUJQ] MARK GIBBS 3URXGO\ VXSSRUWHG E\ Phone 886-4963 • 0274 914 429 70 Mannering St, Tokoroa 7132586AA (Next to the Library) FOOD, LOOKING FOR WINE& UP TO OFF! 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Caters for individuals and small groups. Phone the tutor 021 294 5292 home. evenings. No charge. More than four hours was Adult Literacy – Sue Hope Forest View High School spent extinguishing a blaze that Class times are negotiable for adults wishing to develop their reading and ripped through the Tokoroa writing skills. Caters for individuals and small groups. Phone the tutor 021 294 5292 home overnight on Tuesday last evenings. No charge. week after a tea light left burn- Learner’s Licence – Libby Hale Tokoroa High School ing in a child’s room sparked the fire. The house-destroying Held Mondays and Tuesdays 5-7pm over 4 weeks. This course will thoroughly fire was the first of three that prepare you for the new learner licence theory test.