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MARCH 2008 SEPTEMBER 2015 InvestmentInvestment futureproofsfutureproofs MethodistMethodist dairydairy farmfarm By Paul Titus he old milking shed property, Maire Farm. features automatic cup on Robert Gibson Together, Totara and Maire removal. When a cow's milk Methodist Trust's Farm are 250 hectares, and stops flowing the milking Totara farm was each of properties has a 50/50 cups comes off by themselves. built 50 years ago sharemilker who owns a herd This eliminates the chance and had a of about 350 cows. that the cups continue sucking T reputation as one “We invested $1.65 when there is no milk to draw, of the 10 worst in Taranaki. million to purchase the Maire which can cause teat damage It used to take more than two Farm. While the milk prices or mastitis. hours to milk 180 cows each have been good we paid down A ceremony was held in morning and evening. that debt to about $250,000,” July to officially open and Now the old shed has been Bill says. bless the new milking shed. replaced by a state-of-the-art, Until two years ago, 40-aside herringbone shed, Totara Farm had two Bill says Totara Farm's and, despite the cloud hanging inefficient milking sheds each sharemilkers, Justin and over the dairy industry, of which handled 180 cows. Naomi Freek are delighted everyone is happier including In 2013 the decision was with the new milking system. the sharemilker, the Board of made to consolidate them A few glitches had to be Trustees, and not least…the onto a single milking worked out over its first cows. platform. weeks of operation but by The Trust oversees two “Our intent was to August 1st, when it was time dairy farms at Riverlea, one futureproof the farm,” John to start sending new season of which was a gift in says. “We sought the consent milk to Fonterra it was perpetuity from Robert of Conference to borrow the working fine. Gibson to provide financial money to invest in a new The financial pressures on support for young people in shed. the dairy industry are not the Methodist Church. “The cost of the new shed without concern to the Each year Robert Gibson is about $700,000, and we Trustees. John says when the Trust makes grants of about have made other decision to make the $160,000 for Wesley College improvements that have investment was made the scholarships, tertiary brought the total investment price of milk was about $5.25 scholarships, youth work in up to $1.1 million.” per kilo. Taranaki, and the upkeep of The other improvements “The price we need to be the Robert Gibson Hall in to Totara Farm's infrastructure financially secure is $4.25- Manaia. include new cow races, new $4.50 but the latest payout Bill Yateman is Robert water lines and a new effluent was $3.85. We believe that Gibson Trust chairperson and disposal system. John Chittenden is a member The effluent system has the price is unlikely to stay at of the Trust board. settling ponds, pond stirrers that level for a prolonged Bill says while Robert and a permanent spray period. With careful Gibson's original farm (now irrigation system that spreads management we should not called the Totara Farm) has the effluent onto paddocks so be adversely affected.” always stayed in the Trust's that none of it is discharged Despite the lower milk hands there have been a into streams. prices, the Trust Board has number of changes over the “It is all completely agreed that it will continue to years to the properties it owns. compliant with environmental fund its grants and bursaries Sharemilker Justin In 2004 the Trust regulations,” Bill says. to Wesley College and other Freek at work in Totara purchased an adjacent The new milking system institutions. INSIDE Farm's milking shed. METHODIST CHURCH IN MESSY CHURCH – PAGE 11 BRITAIN CONFERENCE – PAGE 2 KIRCHENTAG 2015 – PAGE 6 2 TOUCHSTONE • SEPTEMBER 2015 NEWS Green light for Wesley College housing development By Hilaire Campbell teamwork and thorough preparation. Chris Johnston is jubilant. The “We've had to fight bureaucracy Auckland City Council has all the way. Our advantage was that approved the Wesley College Trust we came to the hearing very well Board's application for a plan prepared. The Council hadn't variation to rezone its rural property anticipated, as we had, the projected to allow for a major housing growth in the Pukekohe area.” development. The next step is to gain As the Board's general secretary development consent. This is likely Chris has overseen the whole process to be just as difficult but should take with project director Ross Taylor. “Our less than eight months. “As I see it, team has battled for 10 years so we're we've got all the puzzle pieces, it's very, very pleased the hearing went just a matter of putting them together,” so well. It's a major milestone.” Chris says. Wesley College sits on a 30 “After that we just have to work hectare site at Paerata, near Pukekohe. out such details as how the houses Officials, priest and Auckland Zoo staff at Anjalee's blessing. Rev Prince Devanandan is third from right. It is surrounded by a 211 hectare dairy will look and the placement of internal farm which is owned by a charitable roads. Then we can start cutting dirt.” company, Grafton Downs Limited (a None of this has come cheap. It Multi faith blessing trumpets joint venture owned by the Wesley has cost $50,000 alone on the legal College Trust Board and the PACT hearing for the plan variation, and 2086 Trust). around $10 million to gain Anjalee's arrival Grafton Downs Ltd drew up the development consent. August 23rd was a big day for Anjalee the coming to New Zealand. She arrived in Auckland plans for the housing project. Chris But Chris says the returns will be elephant. Not only was it her ninth birthday, it on 21 June. says it might take 30 years to complete well worth it. Wesley College has a special obligation to students of Maori was also the day that the government of Sri Methodist Mission & Ecumenical director Rev “but within the next 15 years we will have the beginnings of a small town.” and Pacific Island descent, and those Lanka officially presented her to Auckland Zoo. Devanandan gave the Christian blessing during the The Council’s decision to rezone facing difficult family and personal Sri Lanka Consul General to New Zealand ceremony. the land raises its value from less than circumstances. Aruna Abeygooneseakera led the ceremony that Prince says the blessings were for all the animals $10/sqm to more than $80/sqm. The “The debate going forward is marked the handover. The ceremony included of the Zoo and the staff who work with them, as plan is for 4500 sections at a cost of whether or not to include a joint blessings by Sri Lankan clerics representing the well as a special blessing for Anjalee. about $250,000 a section. venture partner. The last thing we wanted to do was sell the land to a country's four major religions - Buddhism, “The ceremony included some delicious food The development, known as the Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Franklin 2 Precinct, is one of three developer,” says Chris. treats for Anjalee and Burma. The birthday Anjalee was born in the elephant orphanage in sites identified by the Council for Wesley College has been on its celebration also featured cultural dances depicting Pinnawala, Sri Lanka on 23 August 2006. The Sri development in the wider Pukekohe current site since 1923. Some buildings need seismic strengthening Lankan government gifted her to Auckland Zoo to the Sinhala and Tamil cultures, including one Sri area. The development will be fast- and others show leaky building be a companion to Burma, the Asian elephant who Lankan hip-hop dance.” tracked under its Housing Accord and The Buddhist blessing was done by Ven. Special Housing Areas Act to help syndrome. Hundreds of people were was already in residence. consulted in the development process, Kagama Chandawimala and Ven. Devalegama combat the city's housing crisis. Anjalee's journey to her new home began in “The Council has given priority including three local iwi and 48 March. She was first flown from Sri Lanka to Niue, Vineetha. Sri Venkatraman gave the Hindu blessing, to our proposal because it is a 'transit neighbours. where she spent a 90-day quarantine period before and Mohammed Nallar gave the Islamic blessing. oriented' development,” says Chris. Most were very supportive. The “We've got a disused rail station right only opposition has come from a on our boundary. When we reopen it, group of former students who want to residents will have a direct line to preserve the College's sacred school Auckland.” on Puhitahi Hill. The development will provide However Chris says development stand-alone family houses, terrace was inevitable due to the housing houses and apartments as well as shortage. The building that is being schools, a retail centre and hopefully saved is the College's historic chapel. a retirement village. In line with the It will feature in the new development. Council's vision of Auckland as a The Board plans to rebuild Wesley 'liveable city' the development will College on a site that retains its rural MEDICAL include 13 hectares for walking and character. cycling, as well as five hectares of If the Board did not have the neighbourhood reserves and 30 foresight to take the steps it did, Chris INSURANCE hectares of green riparian zones.

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