Rural sales specialist Noldy Rust 027 255 3047 | rwteawamutu.co.nz Thursday, August 26, 2021 Rosetown Realty Ltd Licensed REAA2008 Cam Uden takes a turn at walking family dog, 2-year old Lucy, who enjoys a daily ramble. (Left) Dad Ryan Williamson out with his five girls, Aria, 7 (left), Maple, 1 (the pup), Indie, 3, Miley, 8, Tillie, 5, while their essential worker mum Melissa is at her job at Sanders Pharmacy. Ryan says Maple gets a walk most days, but loves the extra attention during lockdown. Photos / Dean Taylor More families enjoying dog companionship When Kiwis are stuck in lockdown, taking the pooch for a stroll is a fabulous reason to get out of the house Dean Taylor of Kiwi households have a dog as a to the streets for daily exercise. walks, others out and about during pet, companion or for work. We are also Robyn and I are dog owners — we level 4 we haven’t seen before. og ownership in Waipa¯has There are 9024 dogs registered in have two collie cross-breeds: 14-year- I asked owners about their habits risen by 12.3 per cent over the district, nearly 1000 more than naughty dog old Tammy and 9-year-old Gully. and it seems walkies are up during the past five years, five years ago. We are also naughty dog owners, lockdown, although many say they compared to a population In urban Te Awamutu there are owners, despite the despite the best intentions of regular do get out most days. Dincrease of about 9.1 per cent (Waipa¯ about 1550. exercise for ourselves and our dogs, Level 4 means extra long walks, or District Council statistics and Waipa¯ownership has one dog for best intentions of it is pretty much restricted to the odd walks with more of family members Infometrics). about every six people — and level walk in Te Awamutu and more regu- along — so for a dog, this is heaven. The trend parallels the rest of New 4 lockdown is the time to see those regular exercise . lar walks and runs at the beach. Zealand and means about one-third numbers at work as dog owners take We see some dogs getting regular continued on A3 Need a plumber? At Pratts, one call does it all!all! Essential Services Provider of plumbing, gasfitting and heating services. Fairview Te Awamutu 0800 PRATTS Offi ce 07 870 2455 A division of Pratts Murray 021 763 406 AVAILABLE FROM: 100 Roche Street, Te Awamutu 0800 772 887 | [email protected] | www.pratts.co.nz Your local heating specialist Other Showroom Locations: 6 Main North Road, Otorohanga | 10 Albert Street, Cambridge 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, August 26, 2021 OPINION Circulated free to over 14,000 homes in Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Why the rush Labour? CIRCULATION 14,180* Barbara Kuriger water schemes. changes is consultation with the PHONE: 07 871 5151 MP Taranaki-King Country National managed to secure communities they affect. POSTAL ADDRESS: some concessions during the No-one’s bothered to ask, 97 Sloane Street, PO Box 1, he pace of regulatory Select Committee process re prior to committing pen to change for rural this last bill, but we’re fearful of paper, as to whether any of the Te Awamutu 3840 communities has been it shows. the compliance costs and regulations are warranted and OFFICE HOURS: T relentless under the For the uninitiated, the list administration burdens this will workable. Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm current government. includes the National Policy create for farmers and growers, A lot of them purport to tackle Closed Public Holidays It’s the concern I hear most Statement on Freshwater while any supposed safety climate change and protect our when I move among them changed by Labour in 2020; the gains will be minimal. unique environments. DELIVERY QUERIES: 0800 111 200 around the country and speak National Policy Statement on So we’ll be voting against it But these broad brush EDITORIAL with rural advocacy groups. Indigenous Biodiversity, the and have launched a petition sweeps do not include regional/ Dean Taylor (Editor) It’s the reason why push for councils to enforce the we’d like you to sign — www. local differences or support the Groundswell NZ founders, Significant Natural Areas national.org.nz/stop-raining- hundreds of grassroots Ext: 67705 0274 819951 Otago farmers Bryce McKenzie policy; climate change regs-on-rural-nz initiatives, catchment, [email protected] and Laurie Paterson organised response proposals which are But this is just a sample of conservation and land care Caitlan Johnston Ext: 67710 a tractor protest in Gore against incentivising land change use the range the Government groups that have been working [email protected] the National Policy Statement and lucrative incomes as large wants imbedded in law. well for years, if not decades. Jesse Wood Ext: 67713 on Freshwater in November. areas of farmland are put under It does not include other Nor do they consider the [email protected] The group’s overwhelming trees; the Crown Pastoral Land proposals sweeping the voluntary work done by rural SPORT national support since then led Reform Bill affecting South country like Three Waters, communities, farmers and to the Howl of a Protest’ on July Island high country farmers; the freshwater farm plans and private landowners, who have [email protected] 16. Clean Car package — aka the winter grazing regulations so already placed thousands of ADVERTISING Agricultural, horticultural ‘Ute Tax’ — to incentivise the unworkable they have been hectares under covenants. Leon Green 027 2393864 communities aren’t the types to greater use of electric vehicles. postponed until May 2022. The common-sense thing is jump up and down, so when Then there’s the latest — the Some of my sample list is for the Government to do is … [email protected] they take to the streets in their Water Services Bill — where being enacted under the stop! [email protected] thousands, you can bet there’s the Government is, with its new Resource Management Act, Take one piece of whatever CLASSIFIEDS a reason. water regulator Taumata which the Government is you want to do Labour and talk Tania King Ext: 67708 Labour is raining regulations Arowai, aiming to register about dumping in favour of three to the people affected first. down on Rural NZ. 70,000 rural water schemes others. Then you might be able to [email protected] Since 2017, the Government across the land, each of which So why the rush? Has the draft something that makes We welcome letters - preferably via email. has introduced a raft of rules will require safety and risk Government not drafted sense to everyone. They should be under 300 words and drafted by people who management plans. legislation which tackles all must have the sender’s name, address obviously have no connection The bill will also affect their concerns? and phone number. No pseudonyms to rural communities at all, let holiday homeowners sharing a The biggest thing missing ■ See more on Three Waters are accepted and names will only be alone stepped on a farm. And bore, marae and subdivision from all of these legislative petition, page 5. withheld in special circumstances at the discretion of the editor. Letters are not usually acknowledged and may be edited, abridged or discarded. We’re online at nzmecommunitynews.pressreader.com ISSN 1170-1099 (Print) ISSN 2253-4975 (Online) *Print run as 01/04/2021 Shop online at www.stihlshop.co.nz/te_awamutu Thursday, August 26, 2021 Te Awamutu Courier 3 More families enjoy dog companionship This newspaper is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. Martine Underhill and daughter Riaan (left) out with pups Eric (left) and Riley. Daily walks during lockdown are a treat for A complaint must fi rst be directed in writing, within the pups — Martine’s busy job and family life normally means weekend walks only. Right: Crystal Young and daughter Chelsea walk 2-year-old Ziggy, who belongs to Crystal’s sister, Jo. Ziggy gets a walk most days — and every day during one month of publication, to [email protected]. lockdown. Photos / Dean Taylor If not satisfi ed with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council PO Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Or use the online complaint form at www.mediacouncil.org.nz. Please include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication. bayofplentytimes.co.nzgrabone.co.nz Riku, aged 7, is getting more exercise during lockdown, although owner Sharnae Rowlend usually takes the dog walking bayofplentytimes.co.n or running every day. On Tuesday it was a gentler walk to give them both a break. Right: The Vlasic family, Simon (right), grabone.co.nz Tatiana and Louis, out with 12-year-old Cocoa. The dog’s daily walk is a lockdown treat, although Tatiana says Cocoa still feels a young pup at heart and tends to get tuckered out. A funeral service is important A funeral service gives people a chance to share their feelings and to celebrate thee life of that person through stories and sharing memories. Let us guide and support you in your time of need with dignity and sincerity, honouring the person you are fareweelling. Rosetown Funeral Home proudly serves the people of Te Awamutu, Ōtorohanga and the surrounding areas. 07 870 2137 262 Ohaupo Road, Te Awamutu [email protected] www.rosetown.co.nz Jim Goddin - Helen Carter - Nikki Adamson - Jan Howie - David Espin 4 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, August 26, 2021 Thursday, August 26, 2021 Te Awamutu Courier 5 Resene DIY Card special! Te Awamutu’s all-but deserted main street during Small businesses level 4.