CourierTe Awamutu Published Tuesday & Thursday THURSDAY,THURSDAY JANUARYMARCH 22, 19, 2012 2012 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR OVER 100 YEARS CIRCULATED FREE TO 12,109 HOMES THROUGHOUT TE AWAMUTU AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS. EXTRA COPIES 40c. 8621895AA BRIEFLY Malachi gets on with life Be informed The next public meeting to FOCUS ON find out more about the Waipa District Council 10-year plan is EPILEPSY: tonight. Monday Kihikihi Residents and Ratepayers group will host the is Purple Day — meeting in the Anglican Church founded in the Hall, Kihikihi from 7.30pm. Following meetings are all in United States by April: Iwi Consultative Committee will host one in Te Cassidy Megan in Awamutu Council Chambers at 10am on April 4; two will be 2008, Purple Day is held in Cambridge the same day - one in the Cambridge celebrated Health and Community Centre at 2pm and one in the Council throughout the Committee Room at 6pm. The final meeting on April 10 world and strives to is in Te Awamutu Council Chambers at 6pm and will be raise awareness of, hosted by the Te Awamutu Community Board. and dispel the myths Lost album? associated with Did you have your wedding epilepsy. Here is the album in the vicinity of the Pirongia rugby grounds story of six-year-old recently. An album with a black Malachi Agnew, leather cover was found by a local resident who would like to who has numerous TC220312DT01 see it reunited with its owners. NEW HOME: Six-year-old Malachi Agnew, who has the rare Arnold Chiari Malformation, epilepsy and other If you think it may be yours health conditions, health complications, lives with his Mum Julie and older brother Maitlan in a motor home so everything they contact Te Awamutu Police need is ready to go in an emergency. Station (ph 872 0100). including epilepsy. dent was bad because he was and disc between to relieve the She didn’t know anyone in the League day BY DEAN TAYLOR sitting in the trolley with his legs pressure. North Island, but did have two Local league fans are through the holes and she The operation was successful, nieces about her age in Te Awa- invited to a special day on alachi Agnew is just six couldn’t lift him out. but Malachi failed to thrive. He is mutu — so this is where they March 31. years old (seven in May), He now sits in the trolley, still small for his age, and came. Visitors to the Rugby M but he lives with excru- which has raised a few eyebrows although quite tall, he is under- Her parents Brian and Mar- League Community Roots ciating pain every day and his and some comments — but that’s weight and needs special foods garet Sievwright also shifted here Carnival at Hopuhopu can rub family never know when things what she does so she can lift him if and supplements to survive. to support her and the boys. shoulders with league stars may turn for the worse. she needs to. More tests found he had intra- They rent a home and the Amongst other serious health The family is from Southland, cranial pressure, where excess Agnews live in a motorhome on Sam and Steve Rapira, Lance conditions, Malachi has epilepsy, where Miss Agnew worked as a fluid was squashing his brain. the property. Hohaia, Shaun Kenny-Dowall but if he is having a good day farm manager and AI technician. That also produced scoliosis, The boys are homeschooled and Ruben Wiki. Mum Julie likes to get him out She separated from her hus- twisting of the spine, and in through New Zealand Corres- The day is intended to be a and about. band prior to Malachi’s birth. December last year he underwent pondence School, and both are fun introduction for 5-12 year- He wears rugby headgear, not Malachi was fine until he was another operation to install a doing well. olds and their families. because she is a rugby mad Mum about four years old and started shunt to take those fluids away Miss Agnew says Malachi did The carnival kicks off at 9am as some people have asked, but to having seizures at Kindergarten. from the brain and into his stom- attend Pekerau School, and they with free breakfast, followed by help protect her son’s head should He had to stop attending and ach area where they are absorbed. were great, but it was too much fundamentals in coaching, age he have a seizure and fall. started undergoing tests. That isn’t working properly, for everyone. appropriate drills, family On a couple of occasions he has MRI scans revealed the rare and he needs another operation. ‘‘Homeschooling keeps the activities and games. You can had a seizure, such as the time Arnold Chiari Malformation — Malachi’s treatment started at boys together and makes life even have a photo with the they were shopping at The Ware- the base of the brain starts falling Christchurch Hospital, and while easier for us and others.’’ Rugby League World Cup. house and again at Pak’n Save. down into the spinal column, and Miss Agnew says the staff and Miss Agnew says the motor- All registered participants Miss Agnew says people look epilepsy. surgeons were excellent, the real home was a good choice, after first will receive a free pack with a in horror while she puts in him The brain crushes the spinal specialist treatment is based at renting a house. mouthguard and other treats. the recovery position until it is cord and causes paralysis. Starship. ‘‘We have everything we need For more contact John over, or carries him somewhere Malachi is one of two children Two major earthquakes didn’t at hand should we be out when Devonshire from Sports Force private, but those episodes are not with this condition in New Zea- help the situation, so the Agnews, something happens to Malachi, or life threatening and are part of his land. Julie, Malachi and his older if we have to go to Starship,’’ she (0274 757510 or everyday life. He had an operation to remove brother Maitlan, shifted to Te says. [email protected] She says the Pak’n Save inci- the nodes in the back of the neck Awamutu. ■ Continued on Page7. We install everything we sell! EXPERIENCED INSTALLERS • Wood Fires • Gas Heating • Central Heating ASSISTANCE WITH PERMITS It’s not too early to think about WINTER HEATING! Talk to us today THE 8621932AA BIGGEST Little Heating Shop In Town 07 870 5020 0800 772887 8621919AA 100ROCHEST,TEAWAMUTU100 ROCHE ST, TE AWAMUTU www.pratts.co.nz 2 TE AWAMUTU COURIER, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CourierTe Awamutu Rights, wrongs on the road CONTACTS How I choose to use the cyclists and equestrians. The unspoken safety rule cated set of case-by-case MANAGER public road is Pedestrians crossing the is that if an oncoming rules. unchallengeable, eh! road in the country to walk vehicle at an intersection With the confusion that is Alan Price Yet the road should be a safely on the right hand side, would hit the vehicle on the about to reign during our e: [email protected] place of total equality. join the ranks of the side that the person is sit- reversal of forward-thinking Regardless of high or low disenfranchised. Poop poop! ting, they give way. Con- legislation, we will need EDITOR social status, youth or age, Poop poop! versely, if the oncoming plenty of policy, because the public road is the only New Zealand, at the fore- vehicle would hit their rules and their interpreta- Dean Taylor means we have of getting front of international legisla- vehicle on the left, they keep tion will lead only to argu- e: [email protected] from place to place without tive reform since women going. ment. crossing private property. were seen to be human This is much too hard for Like the right that lets us REPORTERS Has current legislation enough to vote, has recog- anyone to understand des- use the road equally with been drafted by Toad of Toad nised that most motor pite being in use for 30 years others, the policy is old- Cathy Asplin Hall? Users of the ‘‘High vehicles have one person on — perhaps because it has fashioned, and has an old- e: [email protected] Way’’ with motors clearly board, sitting on the right never been presented as pol- fashioned name: courtesy. have more equal rights than side of the car. icy but instead as a compli- NICK EMPSON Colin Thorsen e: [email protected] ADVERTISING Time for Good for councils Wasting Dorinda Courtney e: [email protected] gratitude The new ‘‘better government managed in tight budgets. money plan’’ may well be the best Major sporting events Julie Jackson James Parlane needs to get his facts thing that has happened to would have to look elsewhere e: [email protected] right before writing to your paper. many local councils. for funding and not hit the I feel that I must Bookings He needs to be assured that foot It will give them tight poor old ratepayer’s pocket. write in to this great and mouth disease isn’t spread guidelines in which to oper- One concern I personally paper in support of [email protected] simply by ‘‘trucks spreading cow ate concentrating on core have is any suggestion of John Stewart (in faeces along our highways’’; the issues and managing rate amalgamating local councils.