TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 PAGE 3 CAME, SAWED, CONQUERED BRING ON THE BUBBLE NO GIRLS ALLOWED PAGE 9 STATUES PAGE 16 HAIL SPACE- AGE Pencil firmly clamped between his teeth, Finn Johnson brings down the circular saw on one of the pieces of timber which made up his winning picnic table in the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge on Saturday. STORY ON PAGE 4 HERO Picture by Liam Clayton ONE-WAY SHAMBLES Consultation denied: ‘I haven’t heard a dickie bird’ by Wynsley Wrigley lack of consultation. for safety reasons but it was At the March 18 council pushed aside at times to allow FRUSTRATED property and meeting, the Mayor said: “I know construction workers and business owners affected by the we don’t have to (but) it would vehicles to pass through on to the new one-way Eden Lane next be best practice to talk to them new supermarket site. to the Countdown supermarket directly.” That would allow his business building site want a meeting Mr McMillan said Eden Lane to operate “semi-normal,” with Gisborne District Council. had been a two-way road in his although delivery trucks would They say the one-way road is 30 years of business at the site. continue to block Eden Lane. threatening their businesses. His customers, in cars and Mr McMillan said he had been Claims by Gisborne District trailers or utes, would come from asking for six months to have the Council staff at a council meeting the Disraeli Stret end, back into fence moved back. on March 18 that discussions had his property, unload and leave. The Disraeli Street end of been held with the businesses They could no longer do so. Eden Lane is closed due to have been adamantly rejected One customer had to drive drainage work for the new by Gisborne Honda owner Dave around the block four times in supermarket. McMillan and Tony Leach — an attempt to enter Gisborne Mr McMillan said the work the property owner of the sites Honda. was now overdue and his occupied by NZ Safety and the On her fourth attempt, livelihood was being threatened. Salvation Army. the road was blocked by a “We are being railroaded. All FED UP: “I haven’t heard a dickie bird,” Property owner Tony Leach (left) and Gisborne Honda different truck unloading at the we want is a meeting.” Mr Leach said. owner Dave McMillan want to meet with Gisborne District Council supermarket. His business has seven Both men spoke of each to discuss the changing of Eden Lane to a one-way street. “She left in tears.” mechanics, five other staff making “six or so” phone calls They deny they have been contacted by GDC staff and say it is Mr McMillan said he was members and about 2000 to the council. Mr Leach said threatening their businesses. Picture by Liam Clayton now unloading vehicles from customers. he called between February 11 Gladstone Road. Claims by the council that and March 4, and the person on us,” Mr Leach said.“There’s been other nearby property owners, He said he needed a temporary Eden Lane was not well used the other end of the phone said absolutely nothing.” they say. safety fence moved back two were not true, he said. Some of someone would contact him. But Their concerns about the one- Mr McMillan said Mayor metres to allow vehicles to come his customers were now going no one rang back. way Eden Lane road (towards Rehette Stoltz visited the site in and out of his property. elsewhere.“I hope some of them “They say they have consulted Disraeli Street) are shared by and expressed surprise at the The fence had been put up come back.” GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-4 Business ............10 Picture page .....20 Racing ................23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Television ...........21 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ..6-9,17-18 World....... 12,14-16 Classifieds ........ 22 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, April 13, 2021 NEW ERA FOR AN OLD SCHOOL OPEN FOR LEARNING: Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz cut the ribbon to open Tiniroto School’s new buildings. She is pictured with students Theo Alley, Serenity Lewis, Te Waihirere Kingi, Lexie Alley, AJ Kawenga, Rowena Lewis, Maia Law, Kaupariera Lewis, Tyla Kawenga, Aznar Stevens, Zavien Stevens and Bella Alley. Tiniroto School rebuild ‘will see us well into the future’ by Jack Marshall Tiniroto Hill overlooking the Lake Rotokaha in Evie’s original remembrance tree was 1893. The current school is situated near that damaged in the rebuild. AT over 128 years old Tiniroto School looks as site. “We’re all really happy with the new buildings,” sharp as ever, thanks to two new buildings on Tiniroto School was also used for church principal Sue Cuthbert said. the school site. services and dances before the Ruakaka Station “It’s a good, modern learning environment for A who’s who of the community attended the wool shed (now Tiniroto Hall) was built. the way we teach these days. opening of the buildings. “The school is an important and central hub “It’s not sitting upright in chairs looking at the “You don’t get a new school every day,” said for the community,” said Mrs Alley. front any more.” Tiniroto School board of trustees chairwoman It was an asset for nearby farmers to attract REMEMBERING EVIE: Below, Pam Jen Alley. workers with families, she said. Hamilton and Jenny Law replant a The school was in need of a rebuild, with the “We’ve also upgraded the court and got solar remembrance tree in memory of former previous buildings being over 70 years old, she heating for the school pool, and those are student Evangeline (Evie) Wicks at said. facilities the wider community can access.” the opening of Tiniroto School’s new The new structures are the third permanent Kaumatua Richard Niania blessed the school buildings. Pictures by Liam Clayton buildings for the school. and Gisborne Mayor One is a large classroom, the other an Rehette Stoltz cut the administration building with a kitchen facility. ribbon at the opening “It’s a great thing for our community,” said ceremony. Mrs Alley. “As a small rural community, it means Both were gifted a copy a lot to us that the Ministry of Education has of the book Tiniroto: A invested in our community.” Slice of Paradise, which Tiniroto School, about 45 minutes out of was compiled for the Gisborne, has a roll of 12 students from new school’s 125th reunion entrants to Year 8. in 2017. The highest roll the school has recorded is 38 The opening also students in 1998. featured the planting of “It’s pretty neat to have a new building with a camellia tree for former the facilities the kids need and deserve, and will student Evangeline (Evie) see us well into the future,” Mrs Alley said Wicks, a former student “We’re delighted. It’s a fantastic building and who passed away years OLD AND NEW: Tiniroto School’s eldest everything that we need. It’s something that the ago and whose parents student Bella Alley (10) and youngest Te kids and community are proud of.” were teachers at the Waihirere Kingi (5) cut the cake at the The first permanent school was built on school. opening. LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • Agri HQ’s weekly report. home-delivered • The 20th year of the Tiniroto Easter Game Hunt attracted record entries from as far away as Auckland. 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 13, 2021 NEWS 3 Travel bubble lifting family spirits by Sophie Rishworth He had also fielded his first inquiry for an Australian holiday and was hopeful queries THE two remaining travel agents in would only increase. Gisborne have had their spirits buoyed by Elliott Travel shrank from six staff to just the Covid-19 transtasman bubble. Mr Elliott and a part-time employee, with Hello World travel agent Dawson Hardacre hours reduced to 9am to 3pm weekdays. had already booked flights for Gisborne They were the only travel agent in town grandparents to leave on day one of the with a retail presence and the travel bubble bubble — Monday, April 19 — to see their had “lifted the spirits’, he said. new grandchild. The first planes could well be full of The bubble means air travellers between grandparents crossing the ditch, with one Australia and New Zealand do not have to local family looking forward to visitors from quarantine on either side of the Tasman. Australia. Mr Hardacre said it was a promising sign Mike Parsons and Sarah Hunter live in for his industry but it was a concern when Gisborne with their three children — Hamish border workers tested positive for Covid-19. (2), Alexandra (5) and Amelia (9). Since Thursday, two have returned posiitve Sarah is from Gisborne while Mike is from tests. Sydney. “There’s always a worry the borders can His parents live there and have not seen close down with very little notice and that is their grandchildren for more than two years.