TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 DAIRY BATTLE PAGE 10 WELCOME ROBBERIES: CONTINUES HOME: HAMMER ATTACK AMID WAIATA, ON SHOP LAUGHTER’: TEARS FLOW ATTENDANT PAGE 3 PAGE 4 AT THE BORDERS VACCINATIONS UNDER WAY: Cara Lee Pewhairangi-Lawton is attended to by rural health nurse Gina Chaffey-Aupouri after receiving her Covid-19 vaccination at Te Puia Springs Hospital yesterday. She was among 90 health workers and kaumatua to be vaccinated, including, above, nurse Shirley Green and husband and Ngati Porou kaumatua Ben. Mr Green got the opportunity to receive a vaccine after all the health workers had been done. “No reason to turn it down. I can’t see the point, really,” he said. STORY ON PAGE 3 Pictures supplied Fears Hauora Amalgamation Tairawhiti will lose its ‘local voice’ in health imminent: Reti board merge by Wynsley Wrigley of up to 11 members. against health board amalgamation said the cost of amalgamating the health Dr Reti, National’s health caucus during the election and would continue boards would be expensive. TAIRAWHITI is about lose its stand- members Simon Watts and Matt Doocey, to do so. It was not known if the reforms would alone health board due to amalgamation and the party’s East Coast candidate in The “local voice” had previously been improve health outcomes and at what and the announcement will be made the last election, Tania Tapsell were in lost during the “consolidation”-orientated cost. by the Government tomorrow, National Gisborne to “learn about the health needs health reforms of the 1990s introducing Dr Reti referred to Professor Des Party health spokesman Dr Shane Reti of the area”. crown health enterprises and regional Gorman, of the University of Auckland, says. Hauora Tairawhiti would be affected health authorities, he said. who wrote in a New Zealand Medical The Health and Disability System by amalgamation as one of the smallest “We have huge concerns that Journal article published last week Review, better known as the Simpson boards in New Zealand. Tairawhiti will fare poorly from this.” that there was little hope the proposed report, was released last year and Health board reform was a matter Dr Reti conceded there was a balance Simpson reforms would make any recommends the country’s 20 health discussed with Hauora Tairawhiti board between economic efficiency and having difference. boards be amalgamated into no more chair Kim Ngarimu and chief executive a local voice, but said “show us the data, Dr Reti said there could be “functional than eight or 12 boards. Jim Green. show us the business case”. consolidation” benefits “but to take the The report recommends the end of They had not been officially notified He had asked Finance Minister and identity of an established health board health board elections, with all board about amalgamation but had consulted Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson out of its locality would not work”. members being appointed by the and consequently expressed a preference for a business case in the House last It had been suggested to him the Government. for amalgamation with Hawke’s Bay on a week. Mr Robertson said it was budget country lacked the expertise required to The Government presently appoints up whakapapa basis. sensitive. manage “mega boards”. to four members on boards, which consist Dr Reti said National had campaigned Mr Watts, the MP for North Shore, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Television ...........20 Racing ...............23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Picture page ......21 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World...... 13, 16-18 Classifieds .........22 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, April 20, 2021 THE END OF TWO ERAS Twenty-six years with ‘amazing’ Makauri team by Jack Marshall AFTER decades of early starts as a ‘IMAGINE BEING teacher at Makauri Rural Kindergarten, IN A JOB WHERE Sheryl Hopkins is looking forward to YOU DON’T HAVE staying up late and sleeping in more HUNDREDS OF often. CUDDLES A DAY’: Sheryl has retired after 26 years with the kindergarten. So says Sheryl “It’s going to be busy,” she says of Hopkins who will life from now on. “I’m going to be able miss the cuddles to have long coffees and go out for after retiring from lunches.” Makauri Rural Looking after 40 children under the Kindergarten after age of five can be challenging but for 26 years. Sheryl is Sheryl and the team it is another day at pictured reading a the office. story to (from left) “It’s lots of fun here — lots of tricks granddaughter and food.” Willow Hopkins, Sheryl, though, is no stranger to Thomas Robinson, raucous young ones. She has four “lovely Madee Wallace, boys”, who got up to plenty of mischief/ Alex Bruce-Hills and fun growing up. George Rosso. Three of them had children who attended Makauri kindergarten so were Picture by Liam Clayton looked after by their grandmother. One of her sons lives in Australia and she and her partner plan to take advantage of the recently-announced share the same philosophies. in the morning. with her colleagues. travel bubble and pop over “once we It has been a great job in a mixed She is also considering investing in a “We’ve been together for years, I’ve have our jabs”. community of country and town, and shed where she can further pursue her seen them more than I see my family.” Mrs Hopkins says her love of the children are amazing, Sheryl says. interest in painting, mosaics and Gisborne Kindergarten Association the children and their families and “Imagine being in a job where you wine-making. professional leader Christine Taare said Makauri’s “amazing teaching team” don’t have hundreds of cuddles a day? Her work routine, however, may be Sheryl had been exemplary in her role. were the reasons she stayed at the While the children and job are hard to break. “Sheryl always teaches from the kindergarten for so long. wonderful, she is ready for more sleep- “I said to the girls I’ll probably have heart. “You meet all the families and all ins. a party one night, wake up in the “The compassion, aroha (love) and their siblings come through.” Sheryl says she is up at 6am and morning and forget all about it and manaaki (support) she has shown to All the Makauri kindergarten staff “tuckered out” by 8.30pm so it will be drive to kindergarten.” many is a great example to us all. have been wonderful teachers who wonderful to stay up late and lay about Sheryl says she will keep in touch “We wish Sheryl and her family well.” Lynley’s done it all in 34 years at Ngatapa NGATAPA School mainstay families to get the school’s first Lynley Tumanako was given a computers — Commodore 64s. fitting send-off into a well-earned “Lynley even taught for two days retirement last week. in the classroom. After starting work at the school “When working in the office, she in October/November 1987, Lynley had to type from dictation, which retired on Friday and the entire she quite enjoyed,” Ms Johnston school gathered to show their said, appreciation. “Lynley has been driving the “Lynley has worked for around children to and from school for 12 principals over her time,” school 15 years — firstly for Hindmarsh principal Cheryl Johnston said. buses and then by the school “She has worked in and around when it bought its own bus. the school — in the office, as a “She has always been on time teacher aide, board of trustees and made sure that parents were secretary for six years, cleaner, home before leaving the children athletics day and pet day recorder, at their drop-off.” swimming pool cleaner, lighting “She even took her turn on the classroom fires early on the school board’s grass-cutting a winter’s morning when the roster.” principal was away, and bus The school and community JACK OF ALL TRADES: Lynley Tumanako cuts the cake while surrounded by Ngatapa School students at driving. farewelled Lynley on Friday, with her retirement celebration. Lynley has filled all sorts of roles at the school over her nearly 34 years. “She fundraised with two other her family in attendance. Picture by Liam Clayton LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • The key to hort harvest future home-delivered involves humans and machines working side by side – opinion piece. • Brett Loffler does the double in the hunts at the Waingake dog trials. • The AgriHQ report for the week beginning April 19. THE GUIDE TOMORROw THuRSdAy The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To fi nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, April 20, 2021 NEWS 3 Claw hammer attack during dairy robbery by Murray Robertson Det Johnson said the male with the hammer was wearing a vest with a brown A SHOP attendant was hit several times leather panel on the back, a black long- with a claw hammer in one of two aggravated sleeved hooded sweatshirt, black Adidas robberies in the city over the past few days. tracksuit pants with three white strips down The first robbery occurred at 8.30pm last the legs, and had Adidas slip-on scuffs.