Te Awamutu Courier
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Te Awamutu CourierPublished Tuesday & Thursday TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014 9638870AA Community Newspaper of the Year | APN Regional Media Awards 2014 EXTRA COPIES 40c Labour gets to grips Drivers needed Te Awamutu Wheelchair Wagon Trust urgently needs drivers to help fill all its rosters. If you are retired, or have a day a week spare, and a with local concerns clean licence you are welcome to call 871 6359 and offer your services. New pipes Work begins this week on the replacement of about 100m of stormwater pipes on Rickit Road in Te Awamutu. The work, which is expected to take until about the end of June, will mostly be carried out at night to ensure the least possible disruption to businesses and residents in the area. Council thanks the public for their patience while this essential work is carried out. Track racing Are you new to track cycling and want to learn how to race? Come and join in at the Avantidrome every Friday night 6pm to 7.30pm for schools and junior track racing. Under expert supervision, you will be taken through the basics of how to race, race etiquette and racing practice. A bike and helmet will be provided. Registrations ($5 per person) are open from 5.45pm. For further information phone (07) 823 1421. TC270514DT03 Wintry blast LABOUR TRIO: Health spokesperson Annette King (left), Taranaki/King Country candidate Penny Gaylor (centre) and Chief Whip and Social Development spokesperson Sue Moroney during one of their public meetings in Te Awamutu this month. Cold weather that has been sweeping the country Listening to the community In the morning the pair setting and it was agreed it was ance of rural maternity services. should make for a chilly week — that is what a Government visited Rewi Street Kindergar- informative and enjoyable. The final meeting was held at in the Waipa. should do, and what Labour will ten with a focus on Labour’s Hamilton based MP Sue Te Awamutu Plunket. While we’re not likely to do after the election, according Best Start policy, which is Moroney, labour’s Chief Whip The three Labour women see the heavy snow and sleet to Labour MPs and candidates designed to ensure that New and Social Development spoke with leaders of the com- that has coated the South visiting Te Awamutu this Zealanders are able to start their spokesperson, then joined her munity and interested parties Island, heavy frosts and chilly month. lives in the best possible way. colleagues for a meeting with Te on various health issues. winds are expected. Health spokesperson Annette The group then hosted a ‘Cof- Awamutu midwives with regard They discussed everything Temperatures overnight King spent a full day in town fee and Politics’ session where to moving forward after the from maternity issues surround- will be as low as -2°, with talking to groups and individ- Ms King and Mrs Gaylor were impending closure of Matariki ing the area and the perform- highs only likely to reach 16° uals about issues they faced. joined by Hamilton East candi- Maternity Unit. ance of the Waikato DHB, to later in the week. She was joined for the day by date Cliff Allen. The meeting discussed the wanting to tackle the likes of Taranaki/King Country candi- Supporters were able to chat options and challenges the doctor and dentists cost as they date Penny Gaylor. with politicians in an informal group will face and the import- continue to rise. 2013 HONDA TRX500 & TRX4TRX4202 IN THE ARCADE Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu Mon-Fri:Mo 9am - 5pm Thurs:Th 9am - 6pm Sat:Sa 8am - 2pm AAsksk AAboutbout OOurur h Clearance Deals Guaranteed happy, relaxed atmosphere NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY 462 Ohaupo Rd Ph 871 7317 www.thehondashop.co.nz 9644745AA 2 Te Awamutu Courier Tuesday, May 27, 2014 KAWHIA HIGH TIDES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ADD FIVE MINUTES FOR RAGLAN HARBOUR TUESDAY: 8.47am & 9.18pm WEDNESDAY: 9.32am & 10.01pm THURSDAY: 10.14am & 10.40pm Is politics overriding ratepayers rights? FRIDAY: 10.44am & 11.18pm SATURDAY: 11.33am & 11.55pm SUNDAY: 12.12pm MONDAY: 12.33am & 12.53pm On the proposed library, regardless of an overwhelming services. time frame. first councillors were told it majority of submissions being Why was the status quo not When is this going to hap- would be fully funded by Coun- against it. Is this democracy at an option on the library sub- pen? A lot of ratepayers are BACK IN STOCK cil. work or a case of politics mission? Is it not the commun- genuinely worried. Later Council were told rate overriding ratepayers rights? ity's right to say no to some- KEN GEORGE payers would have to contri- This was the first time that thing when they are paying the (Abridged) Kilwell bute $700,000 on a cost of $2.6 the community had an oppor- bill and have it considered? Council responds: No million. This was reported to tunity to make submissions on I believe the library project submissions to the 2014-2015 Backpack the previous Council at one of a firm proposal regarding the has been something of a fiasco draft Annual Plan were Tackle Bags their last meetings. This year library. of rising costs, misinfor- declared ‘invalid' including we are told the cost has gone Since the library was first mation, poor planning and those 28 people whose view was up 70 percent to $ 4.4 million. suggested the cost on water lack of democracy. that no money whatsoever At submission time only upgrading has gone up and up. Ratepayers are due an should go into a new library at three options were on the Many submissions against explanation. Te Awamutu. Nor is it correct to submission form and 28 building a new library stated Escalating costs of water say that councillors were submitters answered the sec- the money should be put upgrading are being drip fed to advised any library would be Range of tion that said ‘if you don't towards upgrading costs on the community via the press. fully funded. agree with any of the three infrastructure. It’s time Council spoke A ratepayer contribution Polarized options tell us why.’ Whilst I am in favour of a directly to the community on has always been signalled. These submissions were new library in 3-4 years I cost and options upgrading on Council is continuing Sunglasses declared invalid as not build- submitted in favour of option 3 all core services and also the discussions this week about ing a library was not an option. and having it built by a third potential effect on rates, items in the draft Annual Plan In other words a new party due to the increasing borrowing and depreciation and final decisions will not be library was going to be built costs of upgrading core over the next 10 and 20 year made until June. 166 Cambridge Rd, Te Awamutu Ph: 871 6793 Library ‘warm fuzzies’ tactic to get project going It was inspiring to read the detail is available and seeing it again. provide for a library which how much Te Awamutu they conveniently forget to All of this is with is already heavily needs a new library and how ask who does not want it borrowed money as the WDC subsidised, and that tenant Mr Hudson who left Te Awa- before putting it on the wish has no cash resources that will not be paying rent, it is mutu for ‘greener pastures’ list. have not already been not a business. It is a facility has now returned and thinks Next they start off with a allocated. that is a profligate want such a project could be low cost price so people come Expect to see a steering rather than a need. special. on board with the idea, then committee with a couple of The present library is With those ‘warm fuzzies’ the costs are ramped up to pushy councillors on it. quite sufficient. If the how long will it be before he beyond the original explana- Then they will come up readers want one then let is again working for the Wai- tion as there are hidden with a plan to fund the pro- them start the fund raising. pa District Council? I have agendas. Other things get put ject using a combination of An honest council would seen these tactics before. on the list. methods. This time they plan ask honestly who wants to I believe WDC staff make By the time anybody looks to hit up the builder to do it borrow more money and up their mind that they want carefully, the project is too on a rent to buy as they have spend it on a library. They something. They find ways to far advanced to stop, as no 30-year-old town hall fund would not pre-determine the 166 Cambridge Road serve it to the public as money has been spent. to spend. issues. Te Awamutu attractive and do-able, they We saw it all with the The talk is of a ‘business JAMES PARLANE REFRIGERATION ask who wants it before all of events centre and we are plan’ but the project is to (Abridged) Ph 871 6793 SERVICES LTD Tuesday, May 27, 2014 Te Awamutu Courier 3 It’s FIELD DAYS RETAILERS! Promote your specials SHOP T. A. FEVER and bargains for Field Days Route for new 110kV keep it local week in our Tuesday, June 11 edition. SPACES ARE LIMITED AND ONLY $99+GST power line revealed Phone Julie or Dorinda on 871 5151 and advertise your Field Days Fever Specials here! CourierTe Awamutu r TC270514SP03A IMAGE of the proposed line running through Anchor Park.