TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 ■ MULLER CITES HEALTH REASONS SHOCK RESIGNATION ■ NATIONAL PARTY IN TURMOIL AS MPS DISCUSS WHERE TO FROM HERE AFTER JUST 53 DAYS PAGES 6, 7 $40M FOR POOL UPGRADE OLYMPIC POOL COMPLEX Shovel-ready project adds to ‘great things to do in Gisborne’ — PM A $45 MILLION boost to upgrade Gisborne’s “These shovel-ready projects, funded by the access between changing rooms to pool). were “just shy” of $35m. Olympic Pool Complex and Midway Surf infrastructure fund within the Covid Response Midway Surf Lifesaving Club will benefit GDC previously said the increase in cost Lifesaving Club premises will create jobs and and Recovery Fund, will not only add to the from construction of a purpose-built hub was down to a change in design processes. improve facilities for both locals and visitors, great things to do in Gisborne, they will help that will offer sites for two new hospitality Overall, the Government will provide $106m Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. place and keep people in jobs, and inject businesses, giving the club ongoing income on infrastructure and community facilities in “We know the economic recovery from the money into the area,” Ms Ardern said. and increasing the club’s appeal. the region to boost its post-Covid recovery. global Covid-19 pandemic is especially hard “This investment reflects the Government’s All approvals are in principle and subject to The first of these was announced earlier this on our regions, which is why the Government Covid economic recovery plan which is about contract negotiations. Investment values are month and will give $8m to Poverty Bay Rugby is making record investments to protect and investing in people, in jobs, preparing for also subject to change. Football Union to redevelop Rugby Park. create jobs and to inject much-needed money our future, supporting our small businesses, GDC had applied for $46m for the Other GDC-promoted projects still in the into regional economies,” Ms Ardern said. entrepreneurs and job creators, while also redevelopment of the Olympic Pool Complex. running for funding — upgrading the Waipaoa The council’s pool complex will receive up positioning New Zealand globally.” That amount is $17.5m more than was River stopbanks ($25.7m) and residential to $40 million for refurbishment, while the The pool upgrade will address maintenance originally planned for this project. wastewater and stormwater systems ($49m Midway Surf Lifesaving Club will get up to issues, meet demand for extra facilities, Councillors were due to see a full concept and $11.7m respectively) — have made it on $5 million for a purpose-built hub (see story including a dedicated learn-to-swim area, presentation in May after the project manager to a government short-list, with funding yet to page 3). and improve the configuration (for example, indicated late last year that estimated costs be confirmed. GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-4 National ............ 6-9 World............ 12-14 Classifieds ... 17-18 Births & Deaths ...4 Business ............10 Television ...........15 Sport ............ 21-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW Health...................5 Opinion ..............11 Racing ................16 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, July 14, 2020 GRATEFUL: Mangaheia Station near Tolaga Bay has sold to family businesses McNeil Farming and DW Briant farming. Picture by Kerry Fox Sale of Mangaheia hailed as ‘HUGE RELIEF’ confidence boost for farming by Murray Robertson “To me it’s just a beautiful property.” cultivated land meant substantial areas has described the sale to pastoral None of her daughters are farmers, of new pasture had been replanted farming and cropping interests as a THE sale of Mangaheia Station near and selling the station was “purely annually as high yielding perennials for “great tonic” for the region. Tolaga Bay to McNeil Farming from the succession”. finishing, enhanced by multiple varieties Another said it was a “real confidence East Coast and the DW Briant Farming The McNeil and Briant families say of winter and summer crops sown for boost” for farming, and a “huge relief” family of Gisborne has been described they are looking forward to their new cattle and lambs. that the outstanding property would as “a great tonic” for pastoral farming in venture and believe that it will strongly The station has around 22,600 stock remain a farm, as opposed to becoming a the region. complement their current businesses. units including capital stock of 800 forest. It comes at a time when the sale of “We are really excited about forming Angus cows and 10,500 ewes. Rere farmer and Gisborne District good pastoral farming land to forestry a partnership with the McNeil family,” It rates among the top 10 percent of councillor Kerry Worsnop told Radio NZ has become an increasing concern for Peter Briant said. “It is an added bonus farms in the district. Bayleys described it the news brought an “immense sense of many in this region, and around New to get the opportunity to share in the as a “world-class” property. relief, and probably a dose of gratitude Zealand. ownership of one of our district’s iconic Brothers Tennant and Burne McNeil towards the vendor”. Interest in the sale came from both farms.” have complimented the current She said there was definitely a high farming and forestry interests. Mangaheia Station was put on the Mangaheia manager Leo Edginton and degree of apprehension in the community But Annette Couper, whose family has market in March 2020 for the first time his predecessor Howard Ingles. about forestry interests buying the owned the station since her husband in nearly 50 years. “They, together with the foresight of property. bought it in 1977, chose to sell to the In pre-sale promotion material, the late Tommy Couper, have done a Possession date is July 24. McNeil-Briant partnership to keep Bayleys Real Estate said the 2720ha wonderful job of developing Mangaheia.” Bayleys Gisborne real estate agent the station in primary production and property offered a combination of More recently, Mrs Couper had been Simon Bousfield, who sold the farm on operating as a single unit. excellent farm management, significant instrumental in taking the presentation behalf of Mrs Couper, said a property Forestry had its place, Mrs Couper investment back into the farm and of the property “to the exceptional level like Mangaheia only came on the market told Radio New Zealand, but not on a favourable balance of contour and that it is today”. about once every 10 years. Mangaheia. climate resulting in a prime breeding Tenders for the property closed in mid- He had seen a big lift in forestry She said it had been an enormous and fattening unit. June, and the sale was confirmed two buying activity in the past two years — decision to sell the station , “and not an A focus on annual cropping and weeks ago. and that kind of money could be difficult easy one”. re-sowing of hundreds of hectares of One of the region’s prominent farmers to turn down, he said. LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • A new date set for the Gisborne-Wairoa home-delivered Farmer of the Year ield day. • Digital Fieldays opens with praise from the PM for the primary sector. • The weekly AgriHQ report for the week beginning July 13. 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: 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 • Tuesday, July 14, 2020 NEWS 3 New footpath to make Valley Road safer SAFETY improvements are being made along Valley Road, including a new footpath and cycleway between Shelley Road and Massey Road. Gisborne District Council is installing a new 1.5-metre wide footpath to make the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists TIRED: The 56-year-old Midway Surf Life Saving Club will and link to the existing Barkers Hill be demolished in October to make way for a new multi- footpath. purpose community lifesaving hub. File picture Other improvements include pram crossings at Barkers Hill and Massey Road, new vehicle crossings to some properties, sections of road widening and safety fencing at the Dryden Street stream crossing, as well as drainage improvements. During construction there will be a $5M FOR MIDWAY single lane closure under stop-go traffic management at times, along with a temporary speed restriction of 30 kmh for Club ‘thrilled’ at news of funding for hub the duration of the works. The work is scheduled for completion by staff reporters “It’s planned to have the new building lifeguards”. by the end of August, but wet weather finished by 2022.” The digitally functioning hub could could delay timeframes. FUNDING has come through for a $5 It will contain a restaurant, lounge generate rental and hire income to fund million Midway Surf Lifesaving Rescue area for club members, gear storage, a lifeguard services. Community Hub, which could be open kiosk, and other community facilities. Most club funding came from grants, for the 2021-2022 summer. In a presentation to Gisborne District which was becoming harder to source. GDC calling The money is coming from the Council last month, Midway Surf Rescue The facilities would be shared Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund. Community Trust member Matthew with like-minded coastal aquatic Midway Surf Lifesaving Rescue Pickering said the project would provide groups such as Gisborne Boardriders for civic award community hub communications “sustainable lifeguarding while community and manager Anna Roberts said everyone in excellence from Midway commercial groups could the club was “thrilled and excited about to the Waipaoa River”, The aim is hire facilities for activities nominations the announcement”.