Te Awamutu FAST RURAL BROADBAND Find out more from the team at Published Tuesday & Thursday THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 Couurier TE AWAMUTU Your community newspaper for over 100 years EXTRA COPIES 40c 1/119 Alexandra Street | 07-8706031 10286049AA Plan to deter vandals Favourite cycle trail BY CATHY ASPLIN The Otago Central Rail Trail has been named New Audrey Kaihe has a Zealand’s favourite place to passion for netball and cycle. loves running the Te Kiwis voted for their Awamutu Netball favourite cycle-spot during Centre. New Zealand’s annual But the recently re- elected president is celebration of cycling, Bike saddened by the ongoing Wise month (February). amount of graffiti and Rotorua Redwoods was a vandalism to the Paper close second for the national Plus sponsored centre top honours and the on Mangahoe Street. Queenstown Trail was third. “We have been pay- ing thousands of dollars Talk about each year to deal with tagging in particular. the weather “During the off- Climate Change is a season, which is the end controversial, topical subject. of August to the start of Dr Ron Smith, a stylish, March, we have to pay fluent speaker, will express someone on a weekly his views on this at the basis to clean up or meeting of the Te Awamutu cover up the graffiti. Continuing Education Group “That money should on Wednesday, March 16. be going into running of A frequent speaker for the the centre and develop- group, Dr Ron Smith always ing netball in Te Awa- mutu.” attracts a large audience. For Ms Kaihe and her more information, see the committee have been advertisement in today’s determined to see these edition. problems sorted out and have put a plan in place Correction to curb the attacks on An incorrect phone the netball centre. number was provided with an After talking to police article about Te Pahu Pre- and council representa- School’s outdoor education tives several areas were TC100316CA01 which featured in Tuesday’s identified for improve- TE AWAMUTU Netball president Audrey Kaihe hopes steps being taken to edition. ment. improve the Mangahoe Street centre will deter vandals. If you can help with The first was adding During the sponsoring wet weather gear security cameras to ern Trust to help pay for eventually be sealed many talented artists in deter people from the fencing, but we still once more funding has the Te Awamutu area.” ‘off-season or would like further information about Te Pahu breaking in, tagging or had to employ a contrac- been sourced. Ms Kaihe says the (the end of Preschool, contact Maree vandalising the building tor to put it up. “We are very grateful courts will be resurfaced August to the Lawn or Tracey Edgar (07 and/or courts. Two courts, adjacent to Mitre 10 Mega Busi- in June, so she hopes start of 825 9908). “We have already to the car park, are not ness Development that when the centre is identified some fenced off and are still Manager Gavin Scott- “all spruced up” vandals March) we offenders by using the open to the public. Peterson for his assist- will be less likely to have to pay cameras.” “We recognise people ance and Mitre 10 Mega attack it. The next step was want to use the courts at Te Awamutu, as they are someone on new fencing, which was various times, so the donating all the painting ■ The month of March is a weekly recently completed, bottom two courts will supplies.” Keep New Zealand basis to linking the existing remain available for After the building is Beautiful’s Paint NZ fencing to the netball community use.” repainted the centre Beautiful Month — an clean up or centre buildings. Next stage in the plan eventually plans to awareness campaign cover up the “We hope that will to improve the centre is invite the community to aimed at protecting public graffiti. help reduce the number painting the exterior of submit designs for spaces, combatting of break-ins and stop so the building. murals that will be graffiti and celebrating TE AWAMUTU’ much tagging of the “The Paper Plus Te added to the walls. graffiti-free communities. NETBALL building. Awamutu Netball “We would like some Next week is Graffiti-Free PRESIDENT “We were lucky to Centre is being painted community involvement Week. For more details see AUDREY KAIHE have a grant from South- next week and will and I know there are article inside (page 3). You’ve heard of UV- but how about blue light? • Too much blue light can lead to eye strain, eye fatigue and sleeplessness • Blue light is also a risk factor for Macular Degeneration • Special lens coatings can help block the effects of harmful UV and blue light • Ask our experienced team about Crizal UV and Prevencia coatings for your next glasses T: 07 871 7741 335 Alexandra St, Te Awamutu E: [email protected] F: 871 8555 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, March 10, 2016 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CourierTe Awamutu Community Newspaper of the Year 2014 Tell government we Can they stuff up the road Your community newspaper for even more than they have? over 100 years. want to be heard Circulated free to 14,055 homes through Te Awamutu I saw advertised in the Cour- your house. and surrounding districts. I want to totally support doing for many years to their ier there was an information day So imagine that you live CIRCULATION 14,055* (7136 urban, 6919 rural) Vern Wilson’s stand on the citizens. Luckily we haven’t all at the Te Rahu Hall to release between Jary Road and Masons TPPA. New Zealand can stand been brainwashed and many future plans for SH3. Garden Centre (on that same We welcome letters - preferably via email. They on its own, we don’t need thousands of people have taken I went, thinking what on side of the road) and you wish to should be under 300 words and must have the ‘protection’. to the streets. earth can they change now? drive to Hamilton. You will need sender’s name, address and phone number. No Just looking at the bullying These people are highly in- Maybe a round-about at the Te to turn left out of your drive and pseudonyms are accepted and names will only be tactics the big companies like telligent, whatever the media Rahu Road cross roads? They’ve travel up to Thompson Road or withheld in special circumstances at the discretion Monsanto and the big Pharma portrays. In the States the me- stuffed the road up already so further to use one of the turning- of the editor. Letters are not usually acknowledged are doing in the States already. dia is owned by these multi presumably they can’t stuff it up bays before you can cross over and may be edited, abridged or discarded. We want to stay clear of that. national companies. I am not any more? to the north-bound lane and MANAGER I am not sure if anybody else sure about New Zealand. Wrong — they plan to. travel to Hamilton. Alan Price noticed that the flag issue is the Time we tell our government Stage 1. Wire Rope Barriers Like-wise if you are travel- [email protected] white rabbit we were supposed that we do want to be listened full length down both sides for ling home from Te Awamutu to look at, while secretly the to. Call your local MP or write the road from Te Awamutu to you will have to drive past your EDITORIAL government was trying to sign to them and just let them know Ohaupo (with gaps into house and carry on down to Jary Dean Taylor (editor) the TPPA deal. This is the kind where you stand. driveways). That’s bad enough Road, enter Jury Road, negotiate [email protected] of tactics the USA have been SIGGI HENRY on its own. Absolute overkill. the turning bay, re-enter Jary Cathy Asplin (journalist) Anyone would think that there Road, re-enter SH3 south-bound [email protected] are a number of vehicles run- and go home. Simple. Colin Thorsen (journalist) Honouring Tokanui’s patients ning off the road every week, I can see me organising a [email protected] running into the paddocks caus- public meeting on this if they My eldest brother spent many other family members. ing death and mayhem. still wish to carry it out. Anyone ADVERTISING Dorinda Williams many years in Tokanui Hos- Whenever I visited him in Stage 2. Another Wire Rope got a venue? Maybe sponsored [email protected] pital (through no fault of his hospital (a two-hour trip) he Barrier installed from Te Awa- by a legal firm if they can help own). However, he was given a always appeared to be well mutu to Ohaupo down the with a Court injunction? Ange Holt Christian burial at St george’s cared for so I am pleased that so middle of the road (without Spend ‘our’ roading money [email protected] Anglican Church in Thames many others have now been driveway access) but they will where it is going to do some Bookings and was then buried at Totara remembered and honoured. create ‘turning bays’ so that you good. [email protected] Cemetery with our parents and CORALLIE HUTCHINGS can turn around and go back to KEN BROUGH CLASSIFIEDS Rhonda Oosterman, Tania Cortesi-Western, Julie Montague Looking into Te Awamutu RSA’s long history [email protected] Some time ago, you were been ‘Debs’ at the ball or from project and would love to hear passed on, It’s hard to get a DELIVERY QUERIES 0800 111 200 kind enough to publish an their family members.