TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.70, RETAIL $2.00 BIG BLUE HORROR PAGE 9 EARNS CORONAVIRUS WEEKEND ON • NZ LIKELY TO EXTEND TRAVEL BAN CREW • STH KOREA ON RED ALERT, ITALY REACTS TO SPREAD $10,000 NZ ROADS • VIRUS COULD COST AIR NZ $75 MILLION PAGES 6, 11, 13 PAGE 4 PERFECT TIMING ‘It’s absolutely welcome rain’ by Murray Robertson the past 6 days, as did the gauge in the Waikura Valley, while the gauge RELIEF poured over the district at Wharekahika (Hicks Bay) showed yesterday and today as rainfall 22mm. described as “perfect timing” went Other sectors of the Cape showed a long way to easing the stress bigger numbers — Rip Station and pressure on farmers, cropping, 76mm, Puketoro 48mm and horticulture sectors and those on Ruatoria township 34mm. household water supplies. The sector of the region from “It’s absolutely welcome rain north of Ruatoria across to Te Kaha and it’s going to have a massive and up to the top of East Cape positive effect for everyone,” was last week declared to be in a Gisborne-Wairoa Federated Farmers “meteorological drought” by NIWA president Charlie Reynolds told The (National Institute of Water and Herald this morning. Atmospheric Research). “It’s not going to be enough to “Hopefully this rain will become fully top up farm dams but it will more widespread across the region, provide a welcome lift for grass including more around East growth. Cape, as the week progresses,” Mr “Already we can see grass going Reynolds said. to a greener tinge than it was Like farmers, croppers welcomed yesterday.” the rain. Mr Reynolds said the soil was Glencore Grain regional manager “that hard” and this predominantly Dave Corrin said “it’s certainly gentle rain would be far better than going to be a major help”. heavy downpours. “It would have been nicer if it had “It will be really good for the soil come a couple of weeks earlier to and with more gentle rain forecast help our later maize crops. through the next four days, well, it’s “But it will certainly boost yields absolutely perfect.” for us and it will go close to seeing The region needed at least us through to harvest in late 100mm from this rainfall event, he March.” said. Squash exporter Omi Badsar from “If we can get it, it will certainly Coxco said the rain would set their alleviate the growing drought late crops up quite nicely. situation across most of the region. “The rain has got us out of jail “It really is perfect timing. when it comes to the rest of our “Everyone in the rural community season, and not just for squash, but was getting quite stressed our grain crops as well.” wondering what to do about stock Cedenco general manager Carla levels. This will ease a lot of McCulloch said from their viewpoint concerns and pressure for everyone.” the rain had been really good. Unfortunately the part of the “It’s going to be a positive for our region that needed rain most, the crops. FINALLY . RAIN!: It was a cool and rainy start to the school week with rain jackets and top of East Cape, had not received “At this stage it’s hard to say how umbrellas out but no one was complaining. An average of 30 to 40 millimetres of much- a great deal of rain up to this much good it’s done but we’re really needed rain fell across the district over the past couple of days. It ended a dry spell run of 33 morning. happy it has arrived.” days with virtually no rain at all. The outlook is for continued showers to Thursday, with the Gisborne District Council’s City residents were simply happy extended forecast showing a return to sunny weather next weekend. rainfall gauge at East Cape to see a break in the dry spell that MORE ON THE RAINFALL, PAGE 2 Picture by Liam Clayton Lighthouse recorded just 16mm in had resulted in water restrictions. GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Television ...........16 Sport ............ 23-28 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Racing ................17 Weather .............27 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World............ 13-15 Classifieds ... 18-22 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Monday, February 24, 2020 WEARABLE ART: Angela Daish models the multi- Where there’s coloured woollen outfit Rain ends being entered in a fashion competition as part of the 2020 Wearable Art Group Challenge at Sea Sun Fibre Fun in Nelson wool there’s a later this year. Made by 33-day members of Poverty Bay Woolcrafters, the fashion challenge was to create a wearable art garment that creative way focuses on the diversity of fibre skills and techniques represented by Creative dry spell Fibre. Picture by by Roger Handford end of the district, Ruatoria has Rebecca Grunwell now had around 30mm over the THE district’s dry-baked past six days, with Te Rata and soils have had welcome relief Tauwhare stations getting over delivered by a spread-out 44mm and Tutamoe 73mm in drenching from the south-east. the same period. Over the past couple of days The council’s rain gauge pasture and crops from Wairoa on the Waipaoa River at to East Cape have benefited Kanakanaia registered 50mm from an average of 30 to 40 and Wharekopae had 58mm millimetres of rain. over the past six days. This ends the dry run of 33 At Makaraka, a private days with virtually no rain at gauge recorded just over 30mm all. over the past two days, with Despite some heavy localised 10mm in a 10-minute downpour cloudbursts — 20mm in one yesterday afternoon. hour at Maraetaha No.3 bridge To the south, the Wharerata — no serious road or other hill country took the heaviest damage had been reported by getting just over 80mm and early this morning. Ruakituri over 77mm in the The Waioeka Gorge Cableway past two days. site recorded 50mm in a couple Fairview and Pukeorapa of hours but New Zealand stations each had over 40mm of Transport Agency has issued no rain while the general Wairoa advisories at this stage. area had around 30mm. With the colder wet weather Apart from those picking coming from the south-east, early grapes, many will be most of the heaviest falls were pleased the MetService outlook on the coastal hills facing that is for the south-east conditions direction, but even Matawai and showers to continue had 37mm by 5am this through to Thursday, allowing morning. the moisture to soak in and A THREE-DAY retreat run by Poverty Gisborne’s water reservoirs bring down soil deficits. Bay Woolcrafters was the perfect at Mangapoike had also been The extended forecast offers opportunity to show off the colourful boosted by 43mm by 5am. a return to sunny weather next creation being entered in an upcoming At the northern and drier weekend. Nelson fashion event. A multi-coloured woollen outfit Sprinkler ban still in place featuring a skirt and top, a tie-dyed felted parasol, woven flax kite, hand- A TOTAL sprinkler ban recent rain, the long-range made shoes and a blanket will be remains in place for Gisborne, forecast was picking a return to strutted on the catwalk as part of the despite recent rain. dry conditions in Gisborne. 2020 Wearable Art Group Challenge at The restriction, which Meanwhile, the council is Sea Sun Fibre Fun later in the year. came into force on February investigating a water leak The group attending the retreat were 12, would be reviewed again outside the public toilets treated to a special preview of the entry this week, based on the city’s in Marina Park, which was which was created by a team of 10 demand for water over the next spotted by a member of the Poverty Bay woolcrafters. few days, Gisborne District public yesterday. The woolcrafters have been working Council drinking water team People can report on the entry since September last year, leader Judith Robertson said. irresponsible water use to the using as many techniques as possible She warned that despite council via the GDC Fix app. to show off their skill and versatility. A donated fleece from Te Karaka was washed and carded, dyed and spun $200k still not claimed and knitted into the two-piece design modelled at the retreat by Angela Daish. THE Lotto prize of $200,000 won Saturday’s $35m Lotto Powerball Spinners, weavers, knitters and other by a ticket bought in Gisborne has prize was not won. crafters came together at the retreat to still not been claimed. Lotto NZ spokeswoman Marie take part in various workshops. It was sold at Pak’nSave Gisborne Winfield said the last time Powerball The “wool muster” was the chance and was a winner in the Wednesday was over $40m was in 2016 when a for like-minded people from across the live draw last week. couple from the Hibiscus Coast won district and further afield to share their Crowds are expected at Lotto a $44m jackpot. passion for fibre, wool and crafting. shops this week as Powerball hits “We’re expecting stores to $42 million — the country’s second- be really busy in the lead-up to largest Powerball prize. Wednesday’s draw so recommend The massive jackpot is up for getting in early to pick up your grabs in Wednesday’s draw after ticket.” LOOKING AHEAD Get your Gisborne Herald home-delivered FOCUS ON THE LAND TOMORROw wEdnESdAy The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O.