FAST RURAL BROADBAND Find out more from the team at TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014 THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015 TE AWAMUTU 1/119 Alexandra Street | 07-8706031 9876342AA Parlane’s purple patch Snap Happy Don’t forget to send in your BY CATHY ASPLIN summer photos if you would like to share them with Te Visitors are flocking to see lavender fields on Awamutu Courier readers. Brotherhood Road, yet some Te Awamutu people don’t Photos for our Snap even know they exist. Happy page need to be clear Alphra Lavender owners Ian and Bev Parlane started and high resolution. Please planting lavender 17 years ago on their 1.2ha property. include details about the For many years they harvested the lavender by hand — taking up to eight days with the help of family and photo (when, where, what, friends. who etc.) and your phone Today they have around 12,000 plants, but harvesting contact details. has been reduced to just a few days in recent years, thanks Sendyour favourite shots to a Chinese-made motorised tea harvesting machine. tocathy.asplin@teawamutu Mrs Parlane says the investment was probably greeted courier.co.nz with relief by their family and friends. “Harvesting using sickles was laborious and in the ND action middle of summer it was very hot. We have a much Te Awamutu pace bowler shorter harvesting period now and it’s much less labour Zak Gibson (17) is in the intensive. It allows us to complete our harvest and gather Northern Districts side better quality material.” contesting the National U19 The 4.5 tonnes of flowers are processed by passing cricket tournament this week them through a steam distillation plant. at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in The Parlanes plan to harvest at the end of this month Lincoln. — so if you haven’t already seen the lavender fields you The six sides each play only have a couple of weeks to do so. two two-day matches, three Visitors have been steadily arriving since late last year one-day matches and one — as many as 500 over a weekend — with buses stopping Twenty20 match. The team outside and up to 40 cars at a time parked around the property. with the most points across all Mrs Parlane says the majority of people are from formats wins the tournament. Auckland, while Asian guests particularly enjoy the beautiful fields of purple. Cup winner “They just love them and enjoy spending time Pricillas Girl rewarded its wandering amongst the plants. Some take photos, some many backers winning the Te dance or pose amongst the plants, while others even lie Awamutu Grass Cup at Waipa down in the rows. Racing Club. “They tell me they like to take in the peace and The harness meeting kicks tranquillity of the area, taking in the smells and the blue off the northern country circuit. skies. It gives me great pleasure too, to see people smiling Trained by Brian Hughes at and enjoying our lavender.” Ardmore, Pricillas Girl was Two of the visitors when the Courier arrived were Paul driven by Zac Butcher. and Vicky Huang from Auckland. The Te Awamutu Cup It was part of a 29th birthday outing for Mrs Huang and brings several newcomers to they came on the recommendation of a friend. the grass who have been “The lavender gardens are bigger than we expected racing at Alexandra Park and and they are very beautiful. It was well worth the visit — Cambridge. we came early to avoid crowds and we are so pleased we Brilliant weather resulted in did. We just love them!” Visitors also take time to stop in the Alphra Lavender both the on and off course shop, picking up products ranging from soaps, oils and turnovers being up. bubble bath to pillows, hangers and sachets. The Stihl sponsored “They all feature Alphra Lavender and we try to add a barbecue competition proved new product each year. I usually have to get up early to abig hit with the patrons. replenish stocks as some visitors buy in bulk.” The first 50 entrants, who Many of the visitors have also been taking photos for a all registered before race one, competition being run by the Parlanes. received a complimentary Amongst them was Ellen Ren who sent up a drone to lunch pack to cook on the take photos from the air (view the results on facebook: various barbecues on course. Alphra Lavenders, December 21 Photo Competition post/ An Otorohanga couple, comments). who have attended the last Local people can also take part in the competition seven Te Awamutu Cup which runs until January 31 — the winner receives a meetings, took away the brand basket of lavender goodies. new barbecue. TC150115CA01 BIRTHDAY BLISS: Auckland visitors Paul and Vicky Huang amongst the plants at ■ Alphra Lavender, 169 Brotherhood Road. 10am to 4.30pm Alphra Lavender on Brotherhood Road. daily until harvesting starts. We are now pumping 24/7 Te Awamutu g.a.s Rosetown Holden’s after hours selfpay is up and running. We accept the following cards: Eftpos • BP Fuel • Visa Vertical Mixer Wagon Mastercard • Amex • Diners RD1 • Farmlands • Cardlink Jaylor 4425 Evia • FF Card Single auger mixer comes with 16” skirt. ROSETOWN HOLDEN One owner. Why buy new. Savings here!! YOUR ONE STOP MOTORING SHOP Reduced for January only g.a.s $48,500 + gst. ROSETOWN HOLDEN Benson Road, Te Awamutu. Phone: 07 870 2411. www.powerfarming.co.nz 93 Churchill Street • Te Awamutu • Ph (07) 871 5143 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, January 15, 2015 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CourierTe Awamutu Community Newspaper of the Year 2014 Grey area in water charge issues Your community newspaper for over 100 years. Beware the charging system costs $31.33 (plus GST). worse, with councils using able for our future water Council will put in place if There is also a fixed charge water meterage as a cash cow. supply. Circulated free to 13,968 homes through Te Awamutu water meters go ahead. (for pipage etc) of $190 plus GST Government and ratepayer We pay to set the water and surrounding districts. Auckland's Water Core per annum. pressure then made them business up and then we pay Services charge on a two tier So a household using 745l revise their billing system. again so it can make a profit. CIRCULATION 13,968* (7059 urban, 6909 rural) basis — water used, waste per day, or 271Kl per year can I would guess that any Better to air these points water and a fixed charge. expect to pay the following over charges here would be consid- now than wait until it is too We welcome letters - preferably via email. They Waste water is charged in a 12 month period (2012 Auck- erably higher than my two- late. should be under 300 words and must have the addition over water used due to land prices): year-old figures due to our GRAHAM DUNN sender’s name, address and phone number. No treatment costs (not to be con- Water in (271 Kl @ $1.343/Kl) smaller population and dis- Editor’s note: As Waipa Dis- pseudonyms are accepted and names will only be fused with sewerage) and is — $363.95 tances to be covered. trict Council has responded withheld in special circumstances at the discretion based on 78.5% of what goes in Waste out (218 Kl @ Council will first have to previously, all councils in of the editor. Letters are not usually acknowledged comes out. $2.281/Kl) — $485.25 budget for meter cost, installa- New Zealand are forbidden and may be edited, abridged or discarded. So for every 10Kl of water Fixed charges — $190.00 tion, repair, additional staff, by law to make a profit from used ($13.43) they are also GST — $155.88 vehicles, possible contractors, supplying water to their MANAGER charged $17.90 as a waste water Total — $1195.08 a billing system and, of course, communities. Councils can Alan Price fee. Prior to these figures the the all-important management, recover the costs of supply- [email protected] Hence 10Kl of water used charging system was even before one cent is made avail- ing water, but that is all. EDITORIAL Dean Taylor (editor) [email protected] Community consultation is great Praise for Cathy Asplin (journalist) [email protected] Colin Thorsen (journalist) but no need for scaremongering Centre’s [email protected] ADVERTISING It is disappointing that happening in Waipa and does Consultation with the com- Dorinda Williams Councillor Wilson uses his posi- not build a stronger community munity is important and lately lifeguards [email protected] tion in the community to pro- but further inflames a distrust the Council has been more Sandy Pepperell mote misinformation and dog of mainstream medicine — with proactive about consultation — I wish to acknowledge two [email protected] whistle politics. particular regard to fluoride which I wholeheartedly com- of the lifeguards at Living- Councillor Wilson properly which if properly integrated mend — but when elected repre- stone Aquatics John Bookings highlights the importance of into our water system will sentatives offer any form of Rangitaawa and Nikki Eccles [email protected] community consultation in greatly improve public health. credibility to pseudo-science who were on duty at the pool CLASSIFIEDS decision making, but Binding referenda can be the entire Council loses respect, approximately 8.45am on Tania Cortesi-Western, improperly uses the concept dangerous and examples exist which is a shame. Monday, January 12. Rhonda Oosterman, Anna Holmes when he chooses to talk about where a binding decision made This year we will be They came to my assist- [email protected] issues that have been scientifi- today causes a number of issues discussing important issues ance in helping my friend cally proven (on multiple in the future.