TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.70, RETAIL $2.00 PAGE 2 PAGE 6 CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK PAGES 14 CHURCH FIRE SIR BOB DROPS • SPIKE IN DEATHS AS COUNTING METHODS REFINED • FIRST DEATH REPORTED IN JAPAN CAUSE IDENTIFIED DEFAMATION CASE • VIETNAMESE VILLAGE OF 10,000 IN LOCKDOWN Making Shiloh’s little heart whole Shiloh McMillan, pictured here with mum Charlotte, has open-heart surgery at the end of the month in Auckland. It is going to make her heart whole again. Shiloh, 10 months old, was born with two holes in her heart, and one side of her heart bigger than the other. Valentine’s Day today is also known as Little Heart Day, for the 12 babies born every week in New Zealand with a heart defect. Her parents Charlotte and Neil McMillan will be based in Auckland at Ronald McDonald House for a month as their daughter recovers in Starship Hospital. A Givealittle page has been created to help this Gisborne family. STORY PAGE 2 Picture by Rebecca Grunwell KiwiRail ‘Bureaucratic inertia’ focus on rest of holding up rail plans network by Wynsley Wrigley focus currently on resilience through should proceed, then KiwiRail will be answer this question. the central North Island, along with directed to do a business plan, utilising “The charges discussed suggested rail KIWIRAIL is not yet working on a mitigating the impacts from weather the significant work already completed by would compete well with the only current business case for the restoration of the events on parts of our South Island BERL,” said Mr Thorpe. road option and provide significant Gisborne-Wairoa rail line. network. “The report has now been with the savings for local exporters. The business case is the vital next “We are, however, committed to various government agencies long enough “Bureaucratic inertia, other political step required before the Government can assessing the BERL report to confirm the for them to provide advice to cabinet priorities and a lack of available KiwiRail formally make a decision on whether to validity or otherwise of figures.” ministers, especially given many of them resources are also concerns for why our re-open the line. Rick Thorpe, a director of Tairawhiti attended the steering group meetings. project is not yet included in the New Frustration is growing among Rail Ltd (TRL), one of the parties “The KiwiRail representative at the Zealand Rail Plan — the Government’s interested parties about the apparent represented on the BERL feasibility last steering group meeting confirmed long-term vision and priorities for New lack of progress since the BERL study steering group, said there were no that based on BERL’s numbers, the Zealand’s national rail network.” feasibility study last year recommended funds left from the $600,000 feasibility container freight service would be viable.” Mr Thorpe said the feasibility study, by that the line be re-opened for freight. study, but a business case had never been Herald reader Wynne Brown has asked Wellington-based economic research and Kiwi Group chief executive Greg part of its terms of reference anyway. if the feasibility study had been a waste consultancy business BERL, confirmed Miller said KiwiRail had many priorities “There has been discussion that once of time. work previously done by KiwiRail and across the network, “with our primary the politicians agree the restoration Mr Thorpe said it was too early to CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 21950-08 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............12 Literature............16 Classifieds... 23-26 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............13 Television ...........19 Sport ............ 27-32 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World............ 14-15 Racing .......... 20-22 Weather .............31 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, February 14, 2020 CHURCH ABLAZE Fire caused by electrical fault The blaze that destroyed the nearly 100-year-old former Kaiti Presbyterian church in Rutene Road on Wednesday was caused by an electrical event in a switchboard at the rear of the building. Specialist fire investigator Derek Goodwin examined the remains of the church and established that as the cause. “The fire crews who tackled the fire did an absolutely fabulous job in cutting it off from the rest of the church complex and from the playcentre alongside,” Mr Goodwin said. “Whatever was going on with that switchboard was a slow progressive fire that people would not have noticed until they could smell smoke or see it. It was an old building and tinder dry.” Inset: A Gisborne Photo News shot of the church in 1974. Pictures from Gisborne Photo News and by Paul Rickard Major surgery to make little trooper’s heart whole by Sophie Rishworth “I’ve had a few visits to the doctor myself” A nasal gastric tube was also fitted, which says Charlotte who says her family have been a Shiloh still has today. A GISBORNE baby will have her heart made major support. She is also tube fed because a food aversion whole again during open-heart surgery at the end Her mother started up a Givealittle page back causes her to vomit even at the smell of food. of the month. in November. So far almost $8000 has been Charlotte and Neil were both shown how to Today, Valentine’s Day, is also Little Heart Day raised. give Shiloh food through a machine they have at to recognise the 12 babies born every week in “I have days where my heart breaks watching home, and also how to re-insert the tube if it gets New Zealand with a heart defect. her play, then days when I am so grateful she is pulled out. Shiloh McMillan is nearly 11 months old. Her mine. I go up and down a lot.” They expect to be away from home for a month parents Charlotte, 25, and Neil McMillan, 24, were Shiloh’s paediatrician advised her parents after the surgery on February 27. told during a routine scan their daughter would once this surgery was over that is not the end Neil works as a carpenter at McCannics, who have heart problems. Tests later confirmed those of it. have been “very supportive” about giving him the problems would be major. “There will be lifelong check-ups for Shiloh time off he needs, Shiloh was born with two holes in her heart, and maybe further surgery at three or four years Charlotte says New Zealand is “amazing” what and the left side is smaller than the right. old. She is never going to be sporty because she it can offer medically, but that some medications She has major heart surgery booked does not have the respiratory ability. are not covered by public health. for February 27. This operation will be the “All her little developments are major AMAZING: Shiloh and mum Charlotte Plus being away from home, and work, for a reconstruction of her heart. milestones for us even if they are a bit delayed. McMillan. At the end of the month Shiloh month, is costly. During surgery Shiloh’s heart will be taken out, We think everything she does do is amazing after will have major open heart surgery. They’re not “out there” people, says Charlotte. she will be placed on life support, and surgeons everything she has been through. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell Asking for help is hard but already they have will make her heart whole again before they place “I look at other children the same age who are been humbled by those who have donated. it back inside Shiloh. talking and almost walking. Shiloh doesn’t do a device that goes under her cot mattress to Charlotte’s mum sent out a few emails late “Basically it is making it into one whole heart. that yet. We are happy if she rolls over once or monitor her breathing. last year and the family was stunned and excited So that’s pretty scary.” twice — we’re like, ‘wow!’” “She is a delicate wee thing.” when they got $5000 from Mazda, which makes Charlotte says she and her husband will go Any money raised will go towards helping At six weeks old Shiloh had her first surgery up a big chunk of the $7882 already raised. for a long walk during the surgery as they will be Shiloh be comfortable, and towards her care. at Starship Hospital in Auckland. A band was put unable to sit still. For example, she overheats a lot, so an air around an artery to reduce blood flow, as one ■ To donate to Shiloh go to www. The worry takes a toll on the whole family, who conditioner to help keep her cool would be good. of the issues was that blood was going in the givealittle.co.nz/cause/shilohs-heart-fund- have good days and bad days, Charlotte says she would also love to get wrong direction. shes-a-little-trooper LOOKING AHEAD Get your TOMORROW FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • A call for farmers here to watch out home-delivered for the invasive pasture pest Chilean Needle Grass. 100 • A “great” number of entries for the Wairoa-Gisborne-East Coast Farmer of YEARS OF the Year competition - judging started. • Prices and comment from today’s weekly sheep sale at Matawhero - 500 ATHLETICS odd head on offer. TOMORROW 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: Grant Miller/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Friday, February 14, 2020 NEWS 3 Busy couple of COME ON TAIRAWHITI, days for chopper EAT SMART: Volunteer THE Trust Tairawhiti Rescue Helicopter team coordinator Alena Swannell have had two big days this week.