Vol. 27 No 18, September 27, 2018 www.opunakecoastalnews.co.nz Published every Thursday Fortnight Phone and Fax 761-7016 A/H 761-8206 for Advertising and Editorial ISSN 2324-2337, ISSN 2324-2345 Inside Hawera honours its VC winners Eleven Victoria force and high school rep- Crosses(VCs) were awarded resentatives among others. to New Zealanders in World With John Grant having been War I and two of these VC a fi refi ghter, it was fi tting that winners came from Hawera. members of Fire and Emer- John Grant and Harry Laurent gency NZ were among those were awarded VCs while marching. serving on the Western Front “John Grant won his VC within less than two weeks of on the first of September, each other in September 1918 Harry Laurent won his on The CRA9 Rock as the war wrongly dubbed 12 September. Both were Lobster Industry As- the War to end all wars drew in Northern France from sociation answers the to a close. two separate engagements,” Opunake Boat and Un- Stratford already has a stat- said South Taranaki District derwater Club. Page 5. ue to honour its own hero of mayor Ross Dunlop. “There that war, Colonel William must have been astonishment Malone, who was killed at at the time when the fi rst was Chunuk Bair in 1915. awarded and the second came On September 15, two stat- just 11 days later.” ues to Hawera’s two Great Both men were treated like War VC winners were un- heroes when they returned veiled at a site near King to Hawera and a fi lm clip of Edward Park in Hawera, the reception which Grant along with the opening of received would be shown at the Victoria Cross Garden the mayoral dinner that night. Long serving rest home which commemorates their Mr Dunlop said the day’s trustee calls it a day. P 7. deeds. Also on display was a commemoration would try replica of the medal awarded to mirror the reception they to John Grant. received on their return to Unlike Malone, Grant and Hawera nearly 100 years ago. Laurent both survived the Nine vehicles from the Ta- war. Grant died in 1970, ranaki Military Vehicle Club aged 81, and Laurent died in were in the parade including 1987, aged 92, the last of the a bren gun carrier which has 11 New Zealand World War achieved its own degree of I VC winners to pass away. celebrity. Ian Baker from Within a short distance of Hawera had extracted it from their statues are streets which under a hedge in Patea back bear their names alongside in 1975 and restored it. Geoff Williams the Good that of Edwin Dixon, the “After the war they were Sort . Page 9. town’s wartime mayor. The sold off by the government,” three streets are laid out in a said Ian. “They were good for pattern intended to resemble hedge cutters as they had steel the Victoria Cross. tracks and didn’t get punc- The afternoon began with tures. I’ve had quite a number a parade from the Hawera of them over the years.” RSA, with a pipe band led by In 1979 he took it to Wel- 84 year-old former Opunake lington where it was part of man Bob Morris, still actively the iconic Dear John New involved with an Op Shop Zealand commercial about a in Whanganui and the local lovestruck soldier who hears theatre. Also in the parade via a song on audiocassette Recognise these Paul Laurent and his son Tyson from Townsville, Australia with the statue of relation were cadets, RSA, defence that his fi ancée had ditched people? See page 26. Harry Laurent VC. him. 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See us online at www.opunakecoastalnews.co.nz FOR ADVERTISING OR EDITORIAL PLEASE PHONE/FAX (06) 761-7016 2 NEWS AND VIEWS Thursday, September 27, 2018 OPUNAKE & COASTAL NEWS Send your your views to: I was involved in that in- my house, you WILL very Letters to the Editor LLettersetters ttoo tthehe dustry from 1981 to the early soon fi nd yourselves in court Hawera honours its VC winners 23 Napier Street, Opunake. 90’s solid, and on and off on defamation charges. So, Fax: (06) 761 7016 EEditorditor again through until 2005. get your facts right and I look email: [email protected] I worked for four differ- forward to your apologies. You are welcome to use a pseudonym but must ent Skippers and saw our Grant Hill really beginning to wonder crayfi sh fi shery collapse in Opunake supply your name and address to us. Tasman Street which is worse, being ad- the late ‘80s and early ‘90s dicted to alcohol and drugs or parking – with one local boat and the being addicted to technology, Keep four South Island boats like and when all three are com- Next issue October 11 2018 There is a shortage of park- Tempest and Tranquil Image supporting bined it produces a disaster in ing in Tasman St Opunake. among others, all competing the making. STDC own a large area im- for the same grounds until it James Surveys have been done and mediately behind Pastimes. became completely unviable. are going on, and there’s still Langton “Let’s create your business growth This is ideally placed for Back when we were the After reading the Sandford no clear answer to overcome extra town parking. Please only boat fishing here we Event Centre’s rules and strategy together” this huge bombardment of can the owner (STDC) up- were only running 90 pots regulations I really believe Your only local community accounting firm so much technology. Many grade this unused area for and catching 12.26 tonnes a they look extremely suspect. schools around the world extra town parking? Problem year, in three months and be- If an individual is selected to are now banning their stu- solved. ing only able to fi sh half the represent New Zealand, they dents from bringing any cell- Jean Roach days these big boats can fi sh. must reside between Okato phones, smartphones or any Opunake We left local reefs alone for and Otakeho. How long has other thing electronic, which Accounting for the future, today the locals, everyone was hap- the Langton family lived in is a good start. Smoke-free py and numbers were plenti- Opunake? I believe they have Hawera - Opunake - 06 278 4169 Tom Stephens ful. These guys are running lived here several years. OPUNAKE OFFICE Aotearoa New Plymouth OPEN EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 10am TO 3.30pm 200 pots each. So if anyone James has represented Smoke free Aotearoa 2025? thinks they’re fi shing for the New Zealand in boxing Hardly. People will pay the In response to future or trying to conserve and currently holds the funds to enjoy their addic- Embarrassed numbers you are kidding heavyweight New Zealand tions. And they are mainly yourselves, and it won’t stop professional title, and also the giving up tobacco for health A ssociate until they’re no longer cover- cruiserweight title. Does that reasons, not so much for ing their diesel costs. For me, make him eligible to be on fi nances... Well, doesn’t this letter it’s like Groundhog Day. It’s the Honours Board? I believe Marijuana or cannabis, plus stink of being written by a all happening again and we it does. gold, is cheaper than ciga- commercial fi sherman, or a have to sit by and watch it Does the Centre accept all rettes. The heavy taxing of very close associate of one. while the commercial fi shing top sports people representing tobacco means that there are I could almost see the scales propaganda machine rolls on. New Zealand if they are more ram raids/robberies from the cray bait falling off This guy says he dives. I amateur or professional? of shops. It is going under- the page. It’s propaganda don’t know where he dives The three Barrett brothers are ground, and is just another like this and a quota system but it must be in the bath- professional rugby players way of taxing the poor... that doesn’t work that has tub if he thinks our cray and James Langton is a It is time to legalise mari- led us to where we are now. fi shery is healthy or he’d be professional boxer. juana, it is reported to have A lot of people may not telling the same story I’m How many people are health benefi ts, amongst other remember that we also hearing from all our local presently on the Sandfords positives. had a commercial fishing divers – stories of beautiful Event Centre board? Happy Non-smoker, fleet in Opunake back in boulders, ledges and kelp Isn’t it time the honours Opunake the day, which was at it’s beds that used to be full of Board covered all sports with peak in the ‘80s.