ISSN 1170-1099 Published Tuesday and Thursday THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007 010TC027-06 Circulated FREE to all households throughout Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Extra copies 40c. BRIEFLY Raindrops keep Beads signify brave battle By Cathy Asplin falling ... Samantha Turnwald looks much like your After a relatively dry fi ve or average four year old - bright, bubbly, beautiful. six weeks, rain over recent days Her eyes sparkle as the camera takes her photo has been welcomed by farmers and she looks a picture of health. and gardeners alike. But the beads around her neck tell a very dif- Kihikihi weather watchers ferent story - they represent how much she has John and Margaret Nicholls re- been through to make it to her fourth birthday port that they had more rain in on Monday. the last few days (28 mm) than Each pretty ‘bead of courage’ represents a they had throughout February part of her battle against cancer - one for each (21mm), as did most local areas. scan, one for hair loss, one for each blood trans- It was far from their driest fusion, one for each round of chemotherapy, one February of recent years how- for each visit to the operating theatre. ever, with 2000 seeing just 8mm When Samantha was just 15 months old and in the month. struggling to walk - unlike twin sister Lucy - Te Awamutu had 62mm this her parents Jo and Mark noticed the right side week, Pirongia 91mm and Te of her stomach was getting harder. Pahu 93mm. After doctors visits and scans Samantha’s parents were given the grim news that she had Seats replaced, a tumour on her liver called a hepatoblastoma and secondary spots on her liver. not lost She was the fi rst Waikato Hospital patient Waipa District Council has in 80 years to be diagnosed with a hepatoblas- approved Te Awamutu Com- toma. A biopsy confi rmed stage four cancer (out munity Board’s recommenda- of fi ve) and the prognosis wasn’t good. tion to have public seats in the SHOCK NEWS ‘BIT OF A BLUR’ main street area replaced. Mark says the news came as a bit of a blur. The proposal has generated “I remember wanting to cry and thinking this plenty of debate, although is like a death sentence. You don’t understand some of it caused by a misun- what’s happening and think you’ll lose your derstanding that the brick seat- child.” ing areas were to be removed Samantha left home at Ohaupo for Starship without replacement. Hospital in Auckland and started chemothera- The Board wanted them re- py immediately. placed with more suitable seat- Jo says once they could focus on her treat- ing. (See Hazel Barnes’ column REWI Street Kindergarten pupil Samantha Turnwald (4) shows the beads that document her battle with cancer. Support beads are a feature of this year’s Child Cancer Foundation ment plan and get into some sort of routine it inside today’s issue.) didn’t seem quite so overwhelming. Appeal and Sam is the ‘face’ of the appeal which launched yesterday. 074071AD “We were also very lucky that Sam responded Relay for Life so well to treatment.” Hamilton Relay For Life She received seven rounds of chemotherapy, kicks into gear from 4pm this Tax dodger owned dairy here with each lasting two to three days at a time. Saturday. She then had part of her infected liver and her The 21-hour overnight Inland Revenue has welcomed the six- mortgage and that he hadn’t declared that gall bladder removed. Surgery was followed by fundraiser for the Waikato/Bay month jail sentence imposed on the owner income in his tax returns. more chemotherapy. of Plenty Cancer Society is of the Dinsdale Dairy, prosecuted for hiding At a later interview he admitted to the The treatment has left her with some lasting also an important and fun turnover details. fi ndings of the investigators that he had in side effects, however. social event. Minesh Kumar Patel, aged 40, ran the fact failed to declare $365,055 from the vari- “Her liver doesn’t function at full capacity Erin Mitchell, event co-ordi- Dinsdale Dairy in Dinsdale Road, Hamil- ous dairies’ takings in his tax returns from and she has high-tone hearing loss. As her gall nator, says she is thrilled by ton. the time he started business in Auckland. bladder was removed she also has to be very the response from the people He had earlier pleaded guilty to 39 Neil Lewer, of Inland Revenue, said it is a careful with her diet. of the Waikato region with a charges of wilfully fi ling false returns for myth that tax fraud is a victimless crime. “She requires six monthly check-ups, but she record number of 150 teams GST, Income Tax and Family Support, from “Taxes fund schools, hospitals, roads and is in remission and doesn’t remember much taking part at Claudelands 1998 to 2004. The total sum of tax evaded other community resources. People who rip about the ordeal at all now.” Events Centre, including sev- was $142,195. off the system are stealing from the com- The Turnwalds say they received tremendous eral from Te Awamutu. In the Hamilton District Court on Friday, munity,” said Mr Lewer, Hamilton area support from family, friends and the Cancer The public can also take part Patel was sentenced to six months jail on manager investigations. Foundation during Samantha’s battle. in some of the relay’s special each of the 39 charges, to be served concur- The tax system in New Zealand relies on “That’s why we decided to put her forward as moments, such as the opening rently. He was granted leave to apply for honesty and ethical behaviour from taxpay- the face of this year’s appeal. Survivors’ Lap (4pm) and the home detention. ers. “We wanted to give something back to the Candlelight Ceremony (9pm), The court had earlier heard that Patel “When someone evades tax it makes it Child Cancer Foundation, in particular, for its without registering a team. En- and his wife set up a partnership in Sep- very diffi cult for honest businesses to com- practical support during her sickness.” try is by gold coin donation. tember 1997, and fi rst leased a dairy in pete.” SUPPORT BEADS Auckland, before buying the Dinsdale Dairy Anyone having trouble paying their tax People who donate $4 or more to the Child Savings over in December 1999. They also bought the Top should contact Inland Revenue, said Mr Cancer Foundation can receive a ‘support bead’ Daylight Saving ends on Sun- of The Town Dairy in Te Awamutu in Octo- Lewer. in return. day, with 3am becoming 2am. ber 2002, selling it in December 2004. “The fi rst thing you should do is fi le your They are available from Retravision, Mad Background information on At the fi rst interview with Inland Rev- returns, even if you can’t pay the tax owing. Butcher, JK Kids, Hyundai and Professional daylight saving can be found at enue, Patel made a partial disclosure that In most cases, we can arrange for you to Real Estate branches. www.dia.govt.nz he had deposited takings from the dairy pay your tax by instalments over a period Donation may also be made via the website into his home loan account to reduce his of time.” www.childcancer.org.nz Highland OPEN 7 DAYS Phone 871 4009 AAUTUMNUTUMN Scotch Cnr Sloane & Vaile Sts and Cola TE AWAMUTU SSPECIALPECIAL Fine 100% 6 Pack Offer valid until 19/03/07 440ml while stocks last Merino Knitwear $129.90 Ballantines Crazy Whisky Mexican 1 Litre 1 Dozen Stubbies 322 ALEXANDRA STREET, TE AWAMUTU $$30.9930.99 $$24.9924.99 PHONE 871 2180 $$14.9914.99 074TC005-07 072TC011-07 YOUR LETTERS Council’s job to draw lines LOW P RICE! The reason why young people or peo- percolate the main street, to break the street area. Sports bars on the main ple of any age for that matter congre- monotony of dull day of not talking to drag should close their windows. Cut- gate in the town and sit on the street people by driving into the town centre ting off smokers hands should sort that furniture is the same reason that truck to see a bit of leg and be seen in their problem out. drivers use the main street and also big trucks. It is normal that those who cannot birds and other species. If you want to kill the business in Te participate in the national sport of That is because they want to gather Awamutu’s main street even more, then drinking, would want to sit on the side- $3795 with others to communicate. I must go right ahead and chase everybody out. lines and watch. be getting old when I note that this Have nobody about in the ‘quad’. It is the District Council’s job to de- includes showing off their tattoos, body It is interesting that the taverns and cide where the lines should be drawn on DR-Z125 piercing and their cigarette packets cafes have encroached into the pedes- these issues. Ready for the trails. Try this one for size at a super friendly folded under black tee shirt sleeves. trian areas and landscaped these so It is also the Council’s job to keep Summerfest price. Yellow or black. Cool man. Heavy! that more people can congregate and public areas clean and tidy. They leave The whole purpose of having public enjoy each others company.