Cambridge News | October 30, 2025

Homeless issue raised

By Chris Gardner

Cambridge businesses are calling on the council to solve the issue of people sleeping in vehicles in the town centre.

Residents had complained about instances of people getting changed in public and leaving their washing in the shadow of the town clock tower to dry.

One of the many vehicles parked around the green had not moved for nine weeks until the day The News spoke to police about the issue. It moved, but it was soon back.

Cambridge Community House whānau support team leader Jamie Kerr is working with a handful of homeless people sleeping in the central business district.

“They are homeless for a number of reasons,” he said.

The 2023 Census revealed more than 110,000 people were “severely housing deprived”. In June an advocate for homeless people, Aaron Hendry, spoke of “an escalating crisis”.

Cambridge Chamber of

Commerce chief executive Kelly Bouzaid wrote to Waipā District Council strategy manager Kirsty Downey and regulatory services manager Wayne Allan concerning “rough sleepers” in Jubilee Gardens and Lake Street over the last two months.

“The occupation of a central public space, in full view of both residents and visitors to our town centre, has raised concerns from members, businesses, and the wider community,” Bouzaid said.

“We understand that under the Local Government Act provide councils with the ability to act where there is an issue of nuisance on public land. The possibility of invoking these provisions to issue a ‘move on’ direction appears to be one of the limited mechanisms available in this case.”

Bouzaid said the situation brought into sharp focus the wider question of how Waipā District Council wished to manage issues of freedom camping and semi-permanent occupation

within central business districts.

“At present, there appears to be no specific bylaw that provides clear guidance or enforcement options when situations like this arise. We would respectfully suggest that consideration be given to developing such a bylaw, in consultation with stakeholders, to provide certainty both for those charged with enforcement and for the community at large,” she said.

The chamber chief acknowledged the sensitive balance between individual rights and community expectations.

“We also recognise that enforcement alone will not address the underlying causes of homelessness. Nevertheless, we believe that a framework is needed to ensure our town centre remains safe, welcoming, and fit for purpose for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”

Bouzaid said she would welcome the opportunity to contribute to any policy development process the council may initiate.

Star warrior

Battling the weather gods

Waipā has continued to avoid the worst of recent storm damage.

Roy

editor@goodlocal.nz 027

maryanne@goodlocal.nz

viv@goodlocal.nz

Labour Day – traditionally a time for getting summer vegetables planted - brought heavy and rain

Waipā District Council reported no major

issues – but the track and Lake Ngā Roto and a section of Cambridge’s Settlers Track remained closed – the latter dating back to July as a result of erosion caused by high river levels.

It has been a different story in Waitomo where mayor John Robertson has been on board with recovery efforts following earlier storms this month, particularly last week.

Mōkau and Awakino were among the first to receive ute loads of supplies as Waitomo’s civil defence team joined forces with police, Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) and the Ministry of Social Development to assist people worst affected.

“This was another massive weather event, inflicting damage that could very well be of a similar scale to Cyclone Gabrielle in January 2023,” Robertson said.

Waitomo businesses rallied to donate essential supplies backed by $500 from the council’s mayoral fund. New bedding, linen, towels, pyjamas, clothing, toys, toiletries and food were distributed.

Communities were cut off as a result of

Starting off with the week in review - after stopping a driver for excess speed in Ōhaupō, staff smelt cannabis. They conducted a vehicle search under the Search and Surveillance act, locating drugs, utensils, an offensive weapon and other indicators of drug dealing. A male will appear in court on related charges.

Late last week, Police received a report of an assault in Cambridge East. On arrival the alleged offender was cooperative and was duly arrested. He will also be appearing in court.

On Saturday night, a male was caught driving with excess breath alcohol. He was found to be breaching an alcohol interlock licence condition and then failed to remain stopped for police when required. His vehicle was impounded for six months and he faces associated charges in court.

On Sunday night, three youths were warned after a fight resulted from an apparent road rage incident near Waipuke Park, Maungatautari. Back in town, two separate retail businesses were targeted by a group of thieves who smashed their way inside, to burgle them. Investigations are ongoing.

Finally, on Monday night (Labour Day), we had a fresh spate of vehicle thefts. At the time of writing, that investigation is also

ongoing. As always, when you see anything suspicious, please call 111 at the time. If you review CCTV and observe activity of note, please also do let us know. This could involve people walking onto your driveway or property, especially overnight, looking into cars or trying car door handles.

In policing, every day and every situation is different. Last week I mentioned assisting a dishonesty offender to address the drivers of his offending. Offending stems from varied issues: addiction, mental health, peer pressure, or survival needs like homelessness. As police, our role is not always just about the arrest, but also the opportunity to assist people to address the root causes that lead them to offend in the first place.

In doing so, we can interrupt the cycle in which they may be stuck and improve their overall situation. This in turn, importantly, reduces victimisation in our community. Sometimes the court process can result in mandated rehabilitation programmes, or otherwise be the catalyst for a change in the offender’s mindset and willingness to accept help. The latter is where support organisations can be engaged to provide assistance.

In each case, it starts with the person’s selfmotivation and desire to change.

significant slips and flooding, council’s civil defence controller, Alex Bell, said.

“The recovery process is about more than just rebuilding infrastructure. It’s about supporting people to rebuild their lives and restore their emotional, social, economic and physical wellbeing,” he said.

He said all flood water was also potentially contaminated from such things as septic tanks, animal faecal matter, farm chemicals and road run-off.

Jolted

I am not from Cambridge but am babysitting friends’ house in Leamington, very near Wordsworth and Burns streets intersection.

I was jolted out of my bed at five minutes to four in the morning a couple of weeks back by one of the explosions people have been talking about.

Ali Tocker wrote (letters, October 16) they have been occurring since 2017. If that be the case, these explosions have been occurring for eight years and no one has ever reported property damage.

The explosion I heard was big - there was percussion with it.

Ken Wagner (Letters, October 23) suggested power grid network issues. Given the size of the explosion and no property damage I can think of nothing else it could be.

Failing that, UFOs breaking through a space-time warp over central Cambridge. John Morgan (presently) Leamington

Battery clearance

Waipā’s Urban miners – who divert electrical components from landfill – will hold a Halloween themed digital graveyard “tech or treat” tomorrow (Friday) – where they will recycle digital waste free of charge. The event will be held next to Achievement House in Wilson Street Cambridge and Waipā District Council has provided a grant to cover the costs.

New manager

The charitable trust that manages The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum has appointed Antoinette Van der Weerden as manager to replace former owners John and Dorothy Wakeling. The move is part of a transition of the park which is now owned by a foundation.

First meeting

The inaugural meetings of Waipā District Council and Cambridge Community Boards will be held tomorrow (Friday) at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre, Mighty River Domain. The date of Te Awamutu Community Board’s first meeting has yet to be set.

Scholars named Tiffany Walker (Te Papa-oRotu marae, Whatawhata) and Ryan Metcalfe (Te Kaharoa Marae, west of Ngāhinapōuri) have won Pokaia Nepia scholarships through Waikato University. A total of five recipients of the Pokaia Nepia and Taki Turner scholarships were announced last week. The scholarships were established to support Waikato-Tainui descendants in studies at the university.

Weeding out

Te Awamutu Lions and Waipā District Council are spearheading an attack on the South America introduced woolly nightshade, which is well established through the region. People will be encouraged to remove plant sand drop them off at the corner of Arawata St and Scout Lane on Saturday. The noxious plant has velvety leaves, yellow-purple flowers and purple berries – and an unpleasant smell.

Plan change fight starts

By Chris Gardner

New Waikato regional councillors want to stop a water quality plan change before, they say, it bankrupts farmers and sucks billions of dollars out of the regional economy.

Newly elected Waipā King Country ward councillors Garry Reymer and Liz Stolwyk, Waikato ward councillor Gary McGuire and Waihou ward councillor Keith Holmes were sworn in yesterday and are making discussions on stopping Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One top priority.

The plan is before the Environment Court and the council says it is bound by a statutory process - once it has a decision, it will have certainty on the policy and rules.

But the four are supporting a petition started by Act MP Simon Court calling on the council to immediately suspend work on the plan change and commission a full economic evaluation.

More than a decade in the making, the plan change is the subject of multiple appeals and is before the Environment Court. The council is advising farmers to start mapping contaminant loss, fencing waterways and review good management practices.

Holmes, immediate past president of Waikato Federated Farmers, said his calculations based on work done by consulting agricultural economist Phil Journeaux showed the plan change would rip $5 billion out of the Waikato economy.

“At a high level the

immediate financial effect of Plan Change One on the Waikato region even before the full roll out, is in the vicinity of $710 million,” Holmes said.

“Applying the standard multiplier effect being the way a farming dollar is recycled and spent within our regional economy is times 7.8 which equates to $5 billion.

“It will absolutely sidekick the Waikato economy by about 25 per cent of the gross domestic product.

“We may as well take all the farmers to the top of the cliff, and they may as well jump off,” he said.

“It is absolutely crucial that we back off on Plan Change One. It’s like asking someone to run 100 metres and then cutting their legs off.”

Reymer, formerly

Waikato Federated Farmers economics spokesman, said the impact of Plan Change One was “potentially colossal” and would hinder farms lifting production.

Stolwyk, former Waipā deputy mayor and farmer, said she and her brotherin-law Reymer were on the same page.

“The regional councillors have taken Plan Change One as our top priority,” Stolwyk said. “We intend to get together to put together a collaborative approach. “

McGuire said Plan Change One unfairly blamed farmers for ecoli in water ways when water fowl were to blame.

“Farmers are a dart board,” he said.

Cambridge Business Chamber chief executive Kelly Bouzaid said the chamber would be keeping an eye on the economic cost associated with the implementation of Plan Change One across the regional economy.

“The chamber’s position is that environmental progress and economic prosperity must move hand-in-hand, not at the expense of one another.”

Tunnel team sees the light

The upgrading of the major link road between Waikato and Taranaki reached another milestone this week.

Following more than eight months of work under the ground at Te Ara o Te Ata, the Mt Messenger bypass project, the team ‘broke through’ to the northern end of the tunnel on Tuesday.

The bypass is scheduled to open at the end of 2026, about the same time work on the Waikato Expressway extension to Piarere – reducing travel time to and from Tauranga - is set to start.

It will be a new two-lane 6km route between Uruti and Ahititi which avoids the existing steep, narrow and winding route over Mt Messenger on State Highway 3 in North Taranaki.

Waka Kotahi says it will provide much-needed interregional economic, resilience, safety and environmental benefits, including for local communities, businesses, freight and all SH3 road users.

An estimated $21m worth of freight uses the road every day – and one in five vehicles which uses is heavy commercial.

Crews will now go back to the start of the tunnel, and, together with the 110 tonne roadheader, named Hinetūparimaunga, will excavate down three metres to the future road level.

“The whole team has been excited about breaking through. It’s no mean engineering feat and our crews should rightly feel proud of their mahi,”

Project Manager Caleb Perry said.

The tunnel will be large enough to accommodate loads up to and including house removals.

“You only have to look up at the existing stretch of State Highway 3 to realise why this bypass is so important – the bypass will be a safer, more secure and resilient route, with less steep inclines and it will be a lot straighter, eliminating those tight bends that grind road users to a halt,” Perry said.

Butchers snag sausage awards

By Jesse Wood

Waipā butchers snagged gold medals at the Great New Zealand Sausage Competition awards in Auckland last week.

Pak’n Save Te Awamutu won the top prize in the beef category for their pure beef sausages and Artisan butchery Expleo were rewarded for their frankfurters.

Three Hamilton butchers were also finalists while Matamata-based Meat Matas Butchery won gold for their beef and blue cheese as well as honey and bacon sausages.

“We sent in our most popular sausage which we sell over 300kg of each week and my Nana tells me off when we run out in store, so they must be pretty good,” Pak’n Save butcher Brad Gillespie said.

“It is a massive achievement to get a medal in this competition.”

Gillespie said the awards capped off

an amazing year for their butchery in competitions.

“We were fourth and fifth in New Zealand butcher wars; fifth placed young butcher in the world, Waikato regional young butcher of the year winner, Waikato apprentice butcher of the year winner, New Zealand apprentice of the year runner up, New Zealand master butcher team of the year champions, and now a gold medal in the Great New Zealand Sausage Competition.”

Entrants sent their sausages to the judges at Retail Meat New Zealand.

“They judged the raw product, then chef judges judged them on the cooked product.”

Gillespie said quality ingredients were the secret to their success.

“Quality beef broken down from carcass instore makes a massive difference when making sausages.”

Hundreds took to Expleo’s Facebook post celebrating the butchery’s success.

“I’d say it’s been a pretty surreal journey,” Expleo’s William Nicholas said.

“All the hard work that’s gone into building Expleo to what it’s become today and to come away with results like these, were all absolutely stoked.

Warehouse on market

By Chris Gardner

Cambridge’s former Bunnings Warehouse store could soon change hands.

The 2616 metre squared building on a 6851-metre squared freehold site on Lake Street was being offered for sale by Colliers

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by deadline private treaty closing yesterday.

The Australian hardware and garden centre chain closed its Cambridge and Te Awamutu stores in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020 with the loss of 50 jobs.

Bricks and mortar retailers

are finding it tough, with competition from online stores and the cost-of-living crisis.

According to a recent Retail NZ survey, more than 60 per cent of retailers are not planning on hiring additional staff for Christmas.

Bydder’s family pledge

By Mary Anne Gill

Hamilton city councillor Andrew Bydder, a licensed architectural designer based in Cambridge, has pledged to uphold his family’s legacy of irreverence and a reputation for “getting things done.”

Bydder was censured last year after an independent investigation found he had breached the city council’s Code of Conduct in a submission to Waipā District Council regarding the Blue Blob site for a proposed third bridge in Cambridge.

Speaking at his swearing in at Civic Square last week, Bydder shared a story about his grandmother, Ella Bydder - the first and only woman elected to the Takaka Town Board in 1947 and later to the Golden Bay County Council in 1956.

“She got elected because she had a reputation for getting things done, despite treading on the occasional toe,” he said.

Bydder, who described himself as “proudly male, pale and stale” during his successful reelection campaign in Hamilton East under the Better Hamilton banner, finished second behind Rachel Karalus after new mayor Tim Macindoe’s votes were redistributed under the Single Transferable Vote system.

Bydder also played a key role in recruiting candidates for the Better

Waipā ticket after withdrawing from standing in both Hamilton and Waipā. Of the group, only Les Bennett (Pirongia-Kakepuku) was elected. The remaining candidates - Ian Hayton, Mike Cater, Hope Spooner (Cambridge), Bernard Westerbaan, and Lyn Hunt (Te Awamutu-Kihikihi) - were unsuccessful.

Bydder’s speech included a vivid anecdote from one of Ella Bydder’s early council meetings in Takaka.

A loud clanging outside the chamber prompted the entire council to rush out, only to find nothing amiss.

When the noise returned at the next meeting, the mayor grew suspicious and investigated.

He discovered that the source was a prank: Bydder’s father and uncles had chained an iron gate to the back of their Model A Ford and driven past the chamber during meetings.

At the following session, the mayor attempted to catch the culprits in the act. As the gate clanged down the street once more, he stepped forward to stop the vehicle - only to find his own son behind the wheel, having joined the prank for fun.

“I’m not sure of the moral of this story but I do have two family reputations to uphold: my grandmother’s for getting stuff done, and my father’s for irreverence.

“Thank you to everyone who

has supported me for those two reasons.”

The Civic Square inauguration also saw Macindoe sworn in as mayor.

Formerly deputy principal at St Peter’s School in Cambridge, Macindoe previously stood for United NZ in the Karāpiro electorate before joining the National Party and entering Parliament in 2008. He defeated Labour MP Sue Moroney in 2011- ironically both Moroney and fellow Labour MP Jamie Strange were also sworn in as city councillors last week.

Macindoe emphasised that party politics would have no place in the city council.

The day marked several historic firsts: Karalus became the first councillor of Pacific descent, and Leo Liu the second of Asian descent. Hamilton also voted to retain its Kirikiriroa Māori ward, unlike Waipā. Robbie Neha, who was unsuccessful in Ōtorohanga but was elected in Hamilton alongside Maria Huata, was welcomed by Tainui leader and fellow Ngāti Maniapoto member Tom Roa.

Networking on show…

Waipa Networks staff assisted in the aftermath of last week’s devasting storms in the South Island.

They had been competing in the Connexis Annual Connection Cable Jointer and Line Mechanic Competition in Christchurch.

“Three of the competition team stayed on to support after the event finished,” Tom Hemara, General Manager Delivery told The News.

“This came about after a conversation earlier in the week with Mainpower where we offered to stay on and support if the storm worsened. We then reached out to WEL Networks and Unison to see if they would like to support. It’s a great example of the collaborative nature of our industry.”

The North Islanders – who offered to help for a week depending on what work was needed - supported Mainpower in returning power to customers in their region.

The southern half of the South Island took a hammering last week and states of emergency were declared in Southland and Clutha – while high winds caused extensive damage in the southern half of the North Island.

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Artists celebrated at expo

By Viv Posselt

This month’s Art Alive Expo mounted by the Cambridge Society of Arts saw several of the society’s 90 members exhibiting for the first time.

The exhibition was held across three days in the Cambridge Town Hall.

Society president Lynn Waters said she was very proud of the quality of work in the display and grateful for the support given by Cambridge. She said while sales were down slightly on previous years, members generally find the event inspires them on their journey as artists.

Judging the exhibition was Waikato Society of Arts’ artist Caroline Peacocke, who described her task as an honour and a creative responsibility. She told those present at the opening night that she was used to having her own work judged and that she did not take the task lightly.

“The recognitions awarded may be a reflection of what appeals to me and be influenced by my background. Your opinion and what appeals to you may well be different,” she said, adding that those different tastes and perspectives are what means we don’t all end up fighting to buy the same work.

Also at the opening was Clive Gilson of Welcome Swallow Gallery in Hamilton East. He presented the

Welcome Swallow Choice Award to Joanna Holmes for her mixed media work entitled ‘Interesting, he said’, and went on to purchase it for his gallery.

Liz Stolwyk, a longtime supporter of the town’s art scene, opened the exhibition in what was her last official function as Waipā deputy mayor. She praised the Cambridge Arts Society’s input to the town from the time it started in the early 1960s and said this was a particularly meaningful exhibition because of the number of first-time exhibitors involved.

“There are pieces here done by people whom I know but had no idea they were artists,” she said.

The categories presented were oil/ acrylic, dry media, mixed media, watercolour and 3D.

Glenda Davis’ painting ‘Land Lady’ won both the Supreme Award, and the Best Oil Painting.

Other winners were: Best Watercolour - Jenny Cave for Westport Beach, Best Dry Media - Lynn Waters with The Kea’s Spectacular Plumage, Best Mixed Media - Annette May Wright for Circus, Best 3D -Leah Woutersen for The Happy Couple, Best Acrylic Painting - Noleen Sommerville for Tuesday’s Child and Hot Shots Printmaking Award - Diana Clark for Joan of Arc Statue – Paris.

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“Utterly Immoral”: The Scandal, the Secret, and the Search for Family

By Karen Payne, Cambridge Museum

U3A recently hosted a fascinating talk by Simon Keable-Elliott, who shared the extraordinary story of his grandfather, Capt. (Rev) Robert Keable.

In the 1920s, Robert shocked the literary world with his semi-autobiographical novel Simon Called Peter which was condemned by church leaders as “immoral” and “indecent.” The outrage only fuelled its success. Half a million copies sold, and Robert became suddenly wealthy.

Leaving his wife, he planned to move to Tahiti with his partner Jolie (“Julie” in the novel), who was pregnant with Simon’s father. But tragedy struck. Jolie died in childbirth in England. Unable to face fatherhood, Robert returned to Tahiti, where he later lived with a Tahitian princess who bore him another son. He died in 1927, aged just 40.

Robert’s first son – Simon’s father – never spoke about him, believing he had been abandoned. Only in retirement did Simon uncover his grandfather’s story – a tale of scandal, love and literary fame. He published “Utterly Immoral” about Robert’s life and literary success and now spends his time travelling the world on book tours.

Looking into your family’s history often uncovers surprises.

By Karen Payne, Cambridge Museum

Near the end of World War II, two Dutch teenagers witnessed a Spitfire crash near Onnen in Holland. They ran to help but the pilot could not be saved.

Before German soldiers arrived, the boys took two small keepsakes to remember the pilot’s bravery. They were a piece of cockpit glass and part of an oxygen tank.

The pilot was Cambridge man Donald Taylor. At Onnen, on an early morning attack on a German supply train, with eleven others, Taylor took his plane low, clipping a water tower and crashing into a house. In a letter to Taylor’s mother, Don’s Squadron Leader described him as “an experienced pilot and a skilful section leader. He was the youngest and one of the most popular members, not only of this Squadron, but of the whole wing”.

Don’s nephew Colin was contacted by Dutch researcher Dirk Munk in 2016. Colin knew little of his uncle and was surprised to learn of his heroism and high standing in Onnen. He travelled to Onnen in 2018 to unveil a memorial honouring Donald’s courage.

The keepsakes gathered by the two Dutch boys are now part of the Cambridge Museum’s collection. Donald grew up in Cambridge, in a home on the road that is now Donald Lane named in his memory.

Next time you pass by, take a moment to remember him.

AGE OF REASON

Views around town

By Peter Carr

Arrividerci hustings – I thought we would never get to that point. With the formal swearing in of newly elected representatives we can lurch out into the actions of promissory vote-catching utterances and measure subsequent fact with possible fiction. But give them a chance – they have a population-given opportunity to ‘give it a go’ and improve our lovely district. And I wish them all well.

So, time to take a fresh look at what is - or is not - happening around us and where better to start than the delights of Cambridge? It’s the town we all enjoy and support by earning the social spending that keeps the wheels turning in giving time in a plethora of social work and involving ourselves, as participants or volunteers, in the myriad highperformance sport that surrounds our town.

So, as is my usual twice weekly wont for the past 11 years, I was walking the upper surrounds of the velodrome out by St Peter’s School. Now, sitting almost hidden and somewhat shame-faced – is the new Cambridge Visitor Centre. This was, for many years, domiciled in a highly visible central position at the Town Hall but now, bereft of its council financial support, is an adjunct to a bicycle shop.

That said the lady ‘manning’ it is extremely helpful but notes that ‘locals’ no longer use the services of the office. I would dearly like it to return to the newly (and ongoing) refurbished 1907 Town Hall and retake its rightful place at the heart of our lovely town.

The town’s loveliness has been given the spring season flower bed upgrade by the excellent gardening/parks team of the Waipā District Council. These people are a collective gem, and we should stop and thank them when we have the opportunity.

OUTLET

But on a gentle perambulation along our ever-busy main street, suitably embellished with fresh colourful plants, I cast my eyes upwards above the verandas of the retail shops on the eastern side of Victoria Street. And all the good work of that lovely gardening team is torn to shreds by the shabby upper parts of the street-facing walls of the landlords’ income-earning establishments.

For some reason the east side delights in dragging the town down and those same landlords - clearly not known for philanthropic ideals as regards the town- should take note of the excellent refurbishment (as in painting) of the corner building at the entrance to Alpha Street opposite the well-retained ‘Nash’. Congratulations to the owner of that elderly structure and it is high time that others followed your lead.

A combined effort – we are essentially talking about water-blasting and fresh paint – would not be an enormous task on about seven architecturally-cluttered upper-building faces would visually bring that side of our well-visited retail area back to life.

Civic pride is not just in the eye of the beholder - it takes the beholden to play their part to match the continuance of a wellsupported area. As Abraham Lincoln once stated, ‘a dollar spent stays and recirculates locally up to six times before that dollar springs away elsewhere’.

The challenge is yours, but the benefitsand public plaudits where earned – will be greatly appreciated. This is not a Council matter - they have bigger fish to fry. The ball is firmly in your court.

Identity theft vigilance

By Murray Smith, Bridges Church

It’s increasingly common to have the violating experience of someone stealing or misappropriating your identity. Loopholes in modern technology, plus glitches within systems, necessitate us being alert to our identity being stolen, cloned or mistakenly attributed to someone else.

In the course of pastoral ministry, I’ve visited people in prisons. Meticulously observing protocols implemented by Corrections for gaining approval to visit inmates is essential. One day, reporting at a particular prison’s entry gates, I was stopped.

To my astonishment, I was prevented from entering. Regardless of having a pre-approved appointment, an officer told me matter-offactly, “You’re barred from further visits due to dishonesty about your criminal record”. I protested - I have no criminal conviction.

My request for further explanation went unheeded as I was unceremoniously instructed to turn around, return home and obtain a printout of my “undeclared crimes” from our police station.

Feeling peeved and frustrated over wasting a chunk of time, later that day I presented my driver’s license at the station to establish proof of my unblemished record. To my horror I received a printout connecting my identity to a criminal charge for ‘drunk driving’ prosecuted in the Whangarei Court in 1984. A police record dating back almost three decades had been ‘mis-attributed’ to my identity. Personal details - date of birth, place of residence, eye colour were all accurate but somehow, I’d been falsely implicated in someone else’s arrest, which had resulted in a conviction and six months driving disqualification.

Legal steps were initiated to remove this charge that had appeared. But getting it

‘expunged’ was very complex. It didn’t help that 25 different “Murray Smiths” were prosecuted in Whangarei Court throughout 1984. In addition, police headquarters in Wellington no longer held files to identify the real culprit… No physical description, fingerprints, nothing. Being able to demonstrate I was overseas at the time the offence occurred helped, since nothing existed to distance me from the charge.

It was surmised that when New Zealand’s controversial centralised electronic database, The National Law Enforcement Database was closing down in 2005, during manual transfer of data, human error attributed another ‘Murray Smith’s’ misdemeanour erroneously to my identity.

Signed affidavits eventually secured an ambivalent response from police who acknowledged a ‘mistake happened’ with agreement to pay my legal expenses.

Although distressing, my experience helps underscore the need for vigilance in protecting your personal information and identity from any form of misappropriation.

It highlights the even greater need for hypervigilance in the face of infinitely worse ‘identity theft’ imposed by a malevolent, sinister entity hell-bent on perverting and trashing our dignity and well-being.

Many scoff at the suggestion of ‘a devil’ and his cohorts being behind all evil in our worldnonetheless, in total opposition to God, this evil one lays siege to people, the objects of God’s love, attacking their identity and personhood, undermining their innate value. With satanic deceit, he’s ‘slimed’ multitudes with lies they’ve believed, causing pain and destruction.

Be vigilant. Live as one set free - not as harassed victims.

Our moving landscape

By Janine Krippner

Driving between Wellington and Te Awamutu last week, my geologist brain was on high alert.

I was unaware of the storm that had passed through the King Country on October 16, a few days prior, and it was quickly evident that a significant weather event had occurred. First and foremost, I hope everyone in the area is okay. I have heard of some of the losses and my heart goes out to you.

As a geologist and volcanologist, I am quick to notice rockfalls and landslides along the roadside.

My eyes are drawn to the clues scattered across our landscape, signs that tell stories of how it formed and how it continues to change. During this drive, I had to pull over a few times so I wouldn’t be distracted by the sheer number of fresh landslides and rockfalls. Flooding was evident, streams had overtopped and eroded their banks and there was debris from water crossing the road in several places.

I was impressed, though, at how quickly debris had been cleared from the main road. A huge thank you to everyone involved in that work.

It’s no secret that much of Aotearoa is prone to landslides, or “mass wasting”the downslope movement of rock and soil. This term covers a range of materials (rock, soil, or mud) and movement types (fall, slide, flow, or creep). Some events are so small they go unnoticed, while others can be large enough to tragically bury an entire town.

Mass wasting can be triggered by different processes, including earthquakes,

or in this case, a lot of rain. We can also make our landscape more prone to experiencing mass wasting, including land use changes like cutting down trees or bush, altering the landscape - such as removing the base of a slope - or altering drainage patterns. One of the most important factors that contribute to rainfall-triggered landslides is land use change.

It’s important to understand the warning signs of potential landslides. The Get Ready website has an excellent guide on what to do before, during, and after a landslide, including early warning signs that land may be starting to move. Monitoring slopes and acting on those signs, such as through timely evacuations, can save lives.

Cracks or bulges in the ground, roads, or paved areas may signal movement. If the land beneath a building begins to shift, new gaps can appear, and doors or windows may start sticking. Trees, retaining walls, and fences may begin to lean or distort.

Staying alert while driving is important, especially during or after heavy rain around our hillier landscapes.

I keep a go-bag with supplies in my car in case I am ever stuck somewhere, which I packed with landslides in mind. Small steps like this ensure that if we are ever caught out by our changing landscape, we are prepared.

We are not powerless and understanding what to look out for, and what to do, can make all the difference.

1st–2nd November | 10am-2pm

Join us for Village Talks at 11am each day, explore the nature reserve, learn about options for future care, and chat with residents to hear first-hand about the lifestyle you can look forward to.

Queen at museum opening

By Jesse Wood

Waipā’s new mayor Mike Pettit and Māori Queen Nga wai hono i te po attended the reopening of Te Awamutu’s museum last week.

And for museums and heritage director Anne Blyth it felt like going home.

The Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum reopened on Roche St on Wednesday following earthquake proofing, having been in temporary accommodation in Rickit Rd in the capacity of an education and research centre.

Ironically, a new Te Papa touring exhibition about earthquakes– Rūaumoko: Restless land - has been installed

“The biggest change was not having our collection to tell our stories with. We couldn’t achieve climate control, pest control and security,” Blyth said.

“Rickit Rd served a purpose and allowed us to keep a connection with our community, but to be back here, be able to tell our stories and share it with the taonga is amazing.

“We feel whole again.”

The project was completed under budget. The museum covers about a third of the building, the remainder, including the former library, is council staff offices.

Other than the specialist mount maker, community services manager Brad Ward said they didn’t engage any consultants or contractors.

Reusing and recycling has been a big part in keeping costs down.

New legislation being brought to the table regarding earthquake-prone buildings, but it’s likely the remediation work would have been carried out anyway.

Earthquake-prone buildings are those with

less than 33 per cent of the strength of a new build.

“We were at about 20 per cent when we closed and now we’re at 50 per cent. We are

a lot safer,” Ward said.

The improved museum comes with a wheelchair accessible lift for the mezzanine floor and a larger gallery for it pride and joy,

Uenuku.

Uenuku is one of the oldest known Māori carvings dating back to between 1200-1500.

The re-opening of the Roche St building was three years to the day since the closure and the new museum had a royal visit.

Te Arikinui Kuīni Nga wai hono i te po attended the blessing and rededication alongside more than 50 mana whenua from across the region.

“It was a huge honour to have that support to help us reopen the museum,”

Blyth said.

“To have mana whenua in here as the first ones, to appropriately bless the space, bless the taonga and bring everything back to life again was incredible. Then to have the queen here, it was hugely special.”

The rededication coincided with 50 years since the opening of the original building – August 1975 – and 90 years since Te Awamutu Museum was established as the first in the Waikato region.

More than 20,000 collection objects remain in community hands under the auspices of the Te Awamutu and District Museum Trust Board.

Board chair and newly elected councillor Dean Taylor said he was pleased with what the museum staff have achieved.

“Our role is to ensure that the collection is looked after and used appropriately,” Taylor said. “Our interest is the fact that the collection was put together by interested parties, historians and locals, all those years ago.

“They started the whole process of having the museum, got it to the stage where it’s a significant museum in New Zealand and one of only 11 museums in New Zealand that are a proper archival museum.

Cambridge Auto Airconditioning

Cambridge Tree Trust

Cambridge Tree Trust

www.treetrust.org.nz

www.treetrust.org.nz

Five-finger (Neopanax/ Pseudopanax arboreum)

Five-finger (Neopanax/ Pseudopanax arboreum)

This attractive small tree stands in the grounds of St Andrews church. Blossoming in late spring when the tree is already in leaf, it is nevertheless beautifully showy when in bloom. However, what appears to be four white petals are actually four spreading bracts below a cluster of tiny, inconspicuous yellowgreen flowers. In autumn the leaves turn a reddish colour, and the fruit is a pinkishred compound berry about two or three centimetres across. Although the rind of the berry is bitter, the pulp is edible, with a flavour similar to a fully ripe persimmon. However, it contains several hard, inedible seeds which attach to the pulp and must be removed first. The berry has been used

Cambridge

Cambridge

for making wine. I am advised that this is a Korean dogwood, native to east Asia, and found not only in Korea, but also Japan and eastern China. It is not easy to distinguish from its American cousin, Cornus florida, but differs in a number of respects. It will grow to eight or ten metres high, slightly smaller than C. florida. Also the tips of the flower bracts of C. kousa are pointed, while those of C. florida are rounded, and the former flowers usually a month later than the latter. Likewise, the fruit of C. kousa is a berry, that of C. florida consists of a cluster of two to ten red drupes about 10-15 cm long. The main advantage of the Korean dogwood is that it is more disease resistant than the American dogwood, and for this reason may be a better candidate for garden and street planting.

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From clone to tour guide

By Chris Gardner

It’s been a quarter of a century since Bodie Wheke Taylor was picked to appear before millions of Star Wars fans as a clone trooper.

But on Friday Taylor, who played a room full of clone troopers spawned by bounty hunter Jango Fett in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, picked an audience of three to share his passion for Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.

Taylor is the brains behind the ecological island’s new Moa Hunter tour – a two-hour experience designed to unpack the cultural significance of the mountain.

Taylor has created a moa hunter code which he unpacks on the tour, the first value being respect the teacher and teachings. Participants are taught stealth walking, and other skills. Listening to the furthest

sound of nature is encouraged as a daily practice.

“I am just wanting leave a legacy for mana whenua on the mountain,” Taylor said.

Taylor, who says he can whakapapa 35 generations to an ancestor who arrived in Aotearoa in 1350, was inspired to create the tour by the extinction of the moa.

“Lest we lose the treasure of the natural world, like the extinction of the moa,” he said quoting a Māori proverb.

When Taylor’s ancestors arrived, Aotearoa was covered in thick bush, and the only tracks were those carved by the giant birds.

“The mana of that bird was so big,” he said.

The tracks became trodden by Māori and, as more people arrived, many became roads.

Taylor laments the hunting of the bird to extinction.

Māori ate their flesh, used feathers and skin for clothing and bones for fish hooks and pendants.

Taylor is acutely aware of humankind’s impact on Aotearoa’s natural world, quoting Samuel Marsden, who established the first Christian mission in New Zealand, in 1814.

“The singing of the birds in the morning and evening is truly delightful,” Marsden wrote. “I have never heard anything like it. It is not only melodious but so loud that it is almost deafening.”

Birdsong is no longer deafening thanks to introduced mammals, but Taylor celebrates the rising volume of birdsong as it slowly returns to the mountain thanks to the predator proof fence.

So is the streamside para taniwha plant.

“Thirty years ago, you would not have seen this, but it is returning thanks to the fence,” he said.

The fence costs $5000 a day to maintain.

“It would be lovely to think that in 1000 years’ time it will be no longer needed,” he said.

Taylor grew up and was schooled in Hamilton but calls a number of Waikato marae home.

He is part Ngatai Tara Tokanui Te Whaka, on his mother’s side, and Ngatai Haua on his father’s side.

While Taylor was appearing in the stage production Ahorangi 2000 in Hamilton, actor Temuera Morrison coupled with a casting

director from Lucasfilm approached him to play a younger version of Morrison’s character in the film.

“I was on the plane to San Francisco, for two weeks,” Taylor said.

Taylor said Morrison, who filmed his scenes in Australia, was jealous Taylor got to work at Skywalker Ranch.

One size doesn’t fit

“I have only got a seven second scene,” Taylor said. “For some reason it’s a big deal.” To his workmates, Taylor is affectionately known as Bodie Fett in homage of the character he played.

Taylor travelled the world after the film, marrying his wife Te Aroha after a chance meeting in London.

“I

Next stop Christchurch…

By Jesse Wood

Things are heating up for the Special Olympics nationals in Christchurch after the Flame of Hope was carried through Hamilton on its journey south last week.

Special Olympics Te Awamutu, Thames Valley and Waikato athletes were escorted by the Waikato Police as they walked the Law Enforcement Torch Run from Grantham St boat ramp, along Victoria St to Garden Place.

The flame is a symbol of unity and inspiration.

“The last run is in Christchurch. It goes around each club and with the police, we run it around the city or area and it gets everyone pumped for the games,” head swimming coach for Special Olympics Waikato Lauren Bovaird said.

“It helps to try and spread awareness about the event.

Once we were at Garden Place, we had a few speeches and the Waikato police gave us a little police dog to take to the nationals.”

Bovaird said it was great to see how excited the athletes are getting for the

competition and how much these sorts of events get everyone “amped up and ready to go”.

New Hamilton City mayor Tim Macindoe greeted the athletes and give them a message of support.

Waikato Police youth and communities inspector Scott

Miller said it was a fantastic event to be part of and the spirit of the competition was alive and well.

He wished all athletes the best for the games.

“It was great to see the support from Waikato police and from the Hamilton City Council as well as the

cheer, the celebration and the excitement,” Bovaird said.

With less than two months to go, preparations are well underway. For several athletes it will be their first “away” nationals as the last one was staged in Hamilton.

“This time they have to travel and stay as the team

with all the coaches. It’s a cool experience for them,” Bovaird said.

The Waikato team is made up of 58 coaches and athletes

“It would be great to get everyone supporting the athletes. Whenever they see us out fundraising, give us a cheer or come see us. That’s

always good,” Bovaird said.

“The athletes always like hearing your support.”

Te Awamutu head coach Shelley Blair and support coaches Cherie Thompson and Bruce Blair will accompany their squad.

Since founding Special Olympics Te Awamutu in 2008, Blair has attended four national events.

Cambridge’s Keziah Clark and Jarrod Gilbert will join the Te Awamutu cohort of athletes and Hamilton’s Deshan Walallavita will also make on the journey.

Longtime Ōtorohanga resident Jennifer Clark, Peter Crawford, Sarah Griffin, Sarah-Jane Hudson, David Smith, Matthew Smith, Caitlin Thomas, Robert van der Wee and Ella Yarndley make up the rest of the squad.

“It will also be Deshan and Robert’s fifth – it’s a journey that all three of us have been on together. Bruce was also there at the first event in 2009,” Blair told the News in August.

“I get a big kick out of watching the athletes. I enjoy seeing them develop as athletes and making friends. Socially, it’s a big event for them all.”

Making friends around a fire

By Chris Gardner

Scouts made new friends and memories as they learned camping skills in Cambridge at the weekend.

Kirikiriroa and St Peter’s Scout Group’s scout section youth leadership team had asked for a traditional team (or patrol) camp where teams of scouts could camp independently with the support of kaiārahi (or adult leaders) at Cambridge Scout Group headquarters in Maclean Street.

Te Awamutu Scout Group’s scout section accepted an offer to join the camp where the first order of business on Friday was to erect team tents before the sun went down.

Scouts cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner on camp stoves and an open fire, many of them for the first time, with support from senior scouts and kaiārahi.

Teams were given a list of activities to complete over the course of the weekend, including seeking out kaiārahi who could mentor them in areas such as being prepared for the weather, packing the right gear and equipment and the seven principles of leave no trace.

Each team dug its own wastewater pit, complete with leaves and twigs as strainers,

as they learned to dispose of grey water properly.

“I loved learning new skills,” said Te

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scout Sophie Kaan, 10.

“Making a fire properly and cooking on it.”

Sophie joined scouts six months ago.

She joined a team that included Kirikiriroa and St Peter’s Scout Liv Cowie, 10.

“It’s been good to meet new people and learn what they do.”

“I loved making new friends,” said Liv. “I loved Saturday night’s campfire where we were singing different songs.”

Liv joined the movement as a kea, aged five, and has recently joined the scout section from the cub section.

She also enjoyed “time to be myself for a while”.

“It’s fun to learn new experiences,” Liv said.

It was a similar story for Jackson Brown, 12, of Te Awamutu scout section. He, too, joined the movement when he was five.

“Making food and cooking on the fire was my favourite activity,” he said.

Fellow Te Awamutu scout Jasper Salt, 13, loved meeting new scouts and kaiārahi.

The camp also helped prepare scouts for the 24th Aotearoa New Zealand Scout Jamboree planned for December 2026 and January 2027 at Mystery Creek.

Thousands of scouts will gather from all over the world to participate in youth-led, adult supported adventure filled activities.

TUESDAY

CAMBRIDGE

VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE CALLS OVER THE LAST WEEK

11:11am, 1 car MVA, Waikato Expressway 11:25am, Building alarm and evacuation, Duke St 3:51pm, Cardiac arrest, Thompson St

WEDNESDAY 1:18pm, Fuse box on re, Maungatautari Rd

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Chest of Drawers, Mahogany, Finely moulded Ogee Feet, 104cm high, 119 wide, 52 deep, End 18th, early 19th C, good condition.

87A Victoria St, Cambridge P: 07 827 6074 Mob: 021 65 19 49 W: www.alysantiques.co.nz

WEDNESDAY

2:59pm, Scrub re, Maungakawa Rd 5:53pm, Rubbish re, Waikato Expressway

THURSDAY

8:55am, Fire in the vicinity, Pukerimu Lane

11:52am, Power lines hanging down, Queen St 5:59pm, 2 car MVA, Robinson St

SATURDAY 6:26pm, Building alarm and evacuation, Clare St

9:55am, Cardiac Arrest, Bryce Street 1:09pm, Building Alarm and evacuation, Ruakura Road 11:56pm, Building Alarm and evacuation, Hautapu Road

SUNDAY 12:16pm, Bush re, Thirlwall Lane

FRIDAY 8:42am, Building Alarm and evacuation. Maungatautari Road

MONDAY 4:03am, Building re, Lake St 10:53am, Tractor re, Peake Rd 4:42pm, Tractor rolled, Victoria Rd

SUNDAY 3:53am, Medical assistance, Karapiro Road

TUESDAY 3:20am, Shed re, Macky Access Rd, Te Awamutu 6:12am, Cardiac arrest, Gillies St

Know rugbycan travel

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

Cambridge mum Michelle Santy says there are loads of “amazing travel opportunities out there” for young rugby players.

Her son Jordan is one of four former Cambridge High School students who have ended up playing together in the Netherlands on rugby contracts.

Jordan, Mikah Bear and Leon Mackey are play for Eemland Rugby Club in the city of Amersfoort and share a flat just out of town, in Baarn.

Another former schoolmate, Todd Silva, plays for Diok Rugby Club in Leiden, alongside fellow kiwi Leroy Neels from St John’s College in Hamilton.

Michelle said the former Cambridge High players, now all aged 22 to 25, all played U21 and premier grade club rugby after leaving

Get Gardening

school.

“It was a twist of fate that they all ended up in the Netherlands, three at the same club,” she said.

“Thanks to today’s technology, it’s so great as parents to be able to watch our sons play rugby together overseas, from the other side of the world. Even better, it gives us the perfect excuse to travel and cheer them on from the sideline.”

Her message for young men wondering what’s next after club rugby:

“Save your pennies, pack your bags, and head overseas,” she said.

“Build your rugby profile, record your footage, and apply online. There are opportunities in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Canada, Hong Kong and many, many more – they love us kiwis.

“The world is waiting for you!”

With Labour weekend now behind us its time to plant all your summer vegetables and herbstomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums, eggplant, melons and basil. Keep planting salad greens like lettuce, mesclun, coriander and herbs to have a constant supply through summer. Now is the time we turn our attention to making our gardens look gorgeous for Christmas. If you are wanting a beautiful show, plant annuals and perennials at least six weeks out to get the plants established and looking lovely. Also get busy refreshing hanging baskets and pots so you have a glorious display for Christmas. We love bacopa, petunias, lavender, begonias, daisies, pelargoniums and impatiens just to name a few.

Happy gardening!

A GARDENER’S GOLDMINE

Karter grew into jet skiing

By Steph Bell-Jenkins

Cambridge teenager Connor Brinck had been go-kart racing for four years before he slammed into a roadblock – his own height.

“I’d been competing at national level, but I had to change because I got too tall,” the towering 16-yearold said of the growth spurt that hit the brakes on his career in 2024.

“I’m now six foot four. It was really annoying. It’s something you can’t help, either. My knees were hitting the steering wheel and I was getting too heavy. I thought, bugger this.”

Luckily, a new opportunity was waiting.

“We’ve always had a jet ski growing up and we’ve got a lake house at Kinloch,” Brinck said. “I saw a race there in 2021 and thought I should give that a go.”

The former St Peter’s Cambridge student, who is now studying remotely, tackled his first competition in Rotorua last year and loved it.

He is now eyeing up moneymaking opportunities overseas, after achieving podium finishes at two international events this year.

“Next year my goal is to race in the P1 Aqua Series in America, and the World Series,” he said.

“The New Zealand scene isn’t the biggest but in the USA it’s insane, it’s crazy. If you win one World Series race it’s US$380,000.”

Brinck said his first major win

this year had come in late August when he beat 14-time Australian champion Darryl Apps to win the enduro and closed-course events in the naturally aspirated engine class at the Queensland State Titles in Australia.

Naturally aspirated engines are slower than supercharged engines but still reach speeds of up to

120km an hour.

“If you fall off it’s like concrete,” said Brinck. “Mum doesn’t even come to the racing because she gets so nervous.”

His success in Queensland was enough to win him a spot in professional American team Caldwell Racing.

“I emailed the dad, John

Caldwell, who created a team with his two sons – they have a YouTube channel – and sent him my story with karting, my results, my CV for racing and he said yeah, I’ve got a ski for you,” he said.

“I competed with Caldwell Racing at the International Jet Sports Boating Association World Finals in Arizona in early

October, and I was second in the naturally aspirated runabout class behind Anton Ignacio from the Philippines, who’s won the world champs four times.

“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest, so I just went out and drove my own race and did alright.”

Brink moved to Cambridge from Auckland five years ago with his parents, Hannah and Greg. He has a 21-year-old sister, Sarah, who loves water sports.

A competitive spirit and thirst for adventure ran in the family, he said.

“I basically grew up in motorsport because my dad’s a three-time national champion in motocross, powerboats and touring cars.”

Although the change of course from karting to jet skiing was unplanned, Brinck’s karting skills have proved invaluable in his new sport.

“My karting experience has really helped, because it helped me learn how to carry speed and momentum through corners.”

This season Brinck hopes to continue racing in the naturally aspirated class and in the faster, supercharged stock runabout class and “win more races in New Zealand”.

“I just like the speed and the adrenaline, the competition, screaming around courses as fast as you can, full throttle basically, the whole time,” he said.

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Forage customers love the healthy range of cold pressed juices, kombucha, tonics, nut milk, smoothies and raw slices with no additives, sugar, gluten or dairy used. Gut health is hugely important so a range of fermentation kits and culture starters are available. Explore Forage’s full range of products at 21 Empire St, or foragejuice.co.nz WAIKATO STONECRAFT

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JOE’S GARAGE

Joe’s Garage, at 107 Swayne Rd – “halfway between the high school and the motorway,” is part of a nation-wide franchise. From cooked breakfast, a good range of burgers, fish and chips, pizza, and steak meals, to a wide variety in the cabinet of sweet and savoury, hot and cold foods, Joe’s Garage open seven days a week, will have something to suit.

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Keeping a focus on light

Regularly checking your car’s headlights is essential for safe driving, particularly at night or in poor weather conditions.

You need to be able to see well while at the same time, not blinding someone coming toward you.

Headlights allow you to see clearly in low-light conditions, making them vital for night driving and navigating fog, rain, or other adverse weather. Dimming, lights that are set too high or conversely, too low, or malfunctioning lights, reduce your visibility, increasing the risk of accidents.

Working headlights make your

car visible to other drivers and pedestrians. Without properly functioning lights, other road users may not notice you, especially in low-visibility conditions.

In New Zealand, it’s a legal requirement that your vehicle’s lights are all operational. Driving with faulty lights can result in nes and may cause you to fail your Warrant of Fitness (WoF) check. It’s easy to check your headlights at home. Turn on your lights and walk around the car to inspect

both low beams and high beams. Ensure they are equally bright and focused correctly. Pay attention to any ickering, which could indicate electrical issues.

If you notice a bulb isn’t working, replace it immediately. Modern LED and halogen bulbs last longer but should still be checked periodically for wear.

Maintaining your headlights is a simple yet crucial task to ensure your safety and compliance on the road.

Across 1. Postpone (5)

Across: 1. Album, 4. Recall, 7. Ore, 8. Dinner, 9. Forage, 10. Substantially, 14. Idiom, 15. Extra, 18. Grin and bear it, 23. Embryo, 24. Uproot, 25. Tar, 26. Rarely, 27. Dowdy. Down: 1. Adieu, 2. Bonus, 3. Mortal, 4. Refute, 5. Circa, 6. Legal, 10. Sting, 11. Blini, 12. Later, 13. Yeast, 16. Snooty, 17. Absurd, 19. Rumba, 20. Nerve, 21. Arrow, 22. Irony. Last week

SLEET

SMOG

SMOKESIGNALS

SNOW STAR

STEAM

STREAMERS

SUNBEAM THRUSH WRENS

Lighten up with Jan Bilton

With warmer weather approaching now is the time to say ‘no’ to deep-fried foods, muffins for morning tea and snacks before dinner. If you want to look your best at the beach, then now is the time to start thinking ‘thinner’s a winner.’ Instead of nibbling on chippies it’s healthier to chomp on a carrot. It certainly curbs the appetite more efficiently and is much lower in kilojoules. A glass of water every so often will also add to that full feeling, as does a hearty helping of fresh vegetables with steamed or poached chicken or fish for a light meal at night. It’s healthier for you to enjoy a larger lunch than fill up just before going to bed.

Consider exchanging some or all of the (fattening) oil for stock or water in stir-fries. The steam generated by the water also helps to cook the vegetables more quickly.

Low-fat fish contain lots of goodness but are also ‘low-cal’. Check out the supermarket freezer for some economical options such as squid, mussels and shrimp. These are excellent in salads, stir-fries and many Asian recipes using stock instead of oil.

Eggs are also a good choice for lower-kilojoule meals, as long as they are not fried. A 50 gram egg has about 250 kilojoules, whereas a 50 gram meat patty (which has to be fried) contains about 500 kilojoules.

Venison & udon noodle stir-fry

Venison is low-fat and nutritious.

400g farmed venison for frying

200g udon noodles

1 tablespoon each: olive oil, finely grated root ginger

1 red capsicum, seeded and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

Pat the venison dry. Thinly slice into 1cm strips. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Heat a heavy frying pan or wok on high. Add the oil, swirling around the base and sides. Stir-fry the venison in batches until seared but still a little pink. Do not overcook. Remove

to one side.

Add the ginger, capsicum, garlic and black pepper, stirring constantly. Pour in the chilli sauce and continue stir-frying for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, venison and drained noodles. Cook for 1 minute to heat through. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Lemon chicken saltimbocca

2 medium (200g each) skinned and boned chicken breasts

freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 fresh sage leaves

4 lean rashers streaky bacon

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cornflour

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Season with pepper. Place 3 sage leaves on each piece then wrap in the bacon to secure the leaves in place.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Pan-fry the chicken on medium for about 5 minutes or until cooked, turning often. Remove and keep warm. Whisk the chicken stock, lemon juice and cornflour and stir into the pan. Cook

until thickened. Spoon over the chicken. Great served with lemon wedges, steamed greens and kumara. Serves 4.

Stir-fried squid with garlic & ginger

300g cleaned, whole squid tubes

2 tablespoons each: water, chopped garlic

1 tablespoon grated root ginger

2 teaspoons canola oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon each: oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Cut open the squid tubes lengthwise. Cut in half lengthwise. Place on a chopping board with the inside facing up. Score the flesh in a lattice pattern. Slice the squid into 4cm pieces Heat the water in a wok and stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add the oil and the squid and stir-fry until the pieces curl and become opaque. Add the black pepper, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and lemon juice. Heat through and add the spring onion.

Serve immediately with steamed vegetables and rice. Serves 4.

37 Swayne Road

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Rebekah

the River

Ihimaera Terrace, Leamington

- Spacious open-plan kitchen, dining & lounge opens to a sunny patio.

- Kitchen features a large walk-in pantry and generous bench space.

- Four double bedrooms provide plenty of room for everyone. Open Homes Saturday 12 - 12.30pm & Sunday 2 - 2.30pm Home, Income & Pure Rural Bliss

- Set on a beautifully landscaped 9,090m² (more or less) section.

- Five-bedroom, two-bathroom home well-appointed kitchen to twin lounges and inviting outdoor living areas.

- The standalone secondary dwelling (built in 2021) offers two bedrooms, full kitchen, laundry, and its own private setting.

Homes Saturday & Sunday 12.00 - 12.30pm

-

- Separate four-bay shed, and four well-kept paddocks and park like grounds all set on 2.4ha (6 Acres) more lor less.

Homes Saturday & Sunday 2.00 - 2.30pm

Taylor Street,

- There’s room for everyone with three bedrooms, including a master with ensuite, dedicated office, plus a separate lounge.

- Open plan living flows effortlessly to the large sun-soaked deck.

- Private section sets the scene with generous off-street parking. Open Home Sunday 12.00 - 12.30pm Modern Family Living Near

KARAPIRO 4/366 Karapiro Road

Premium Cambridge Further Opportunities

In the centre of a location known for horses and lifestyle farming, this farm is strategically positioned just 13km from Cambridge and approximately 36km from Te Awamutu. This exceptional property offers both rural tranquility and proximity to key Waikato hubs.

Currently operating as a productive dairy unit, this 168.4889 hectare (more or less) farm has been astutely managed to maximise output and soil fertility. With an average production of 256,856kg MS over the past six seasons.

Special attention has been paid to fertiliser application over the past 15 years, resulting in exceptionally fertile ash-over-clay soils. The rolling contour and neighbouring land use changes highlight the farm’s versatility, with potential for conversion to dry stock, equine, kiwifruit, or lifestyle development.

The elevated immaculately presented four-bedroom homestead, built in 2010 and recently refurbished, offers comfort and style in a peaceful rural setting. The home enjoys panoramic 360-degree views across the countryside, including vistas of Te Awamutu, Pirongia, Maungatautari, and even the distant Raglan hills.

Located in a region renowned for high-quality lifestyle developments, particularly around Cambridge and Lake Karapiro, this property presents a rare opportunity to combine productive farming with future development prospects.

TENDER Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 3.00pm, Thursday 13 November VIEW

10.00-12.00pm Monday 3 November

Rivers edge - Tamahere luxury lifestyle

An exceptional lifestyle property where luxury living meets the Waikato Rivers edge. Perfectly positioned between Cambridge and Hamilton, close to the expressway and airport, this 4.2ha rural retreat in Tamahere sits proudly at the end of a private, tree-lined driveway. The elegant 400sqm (approx), tilt-slab constructed, family home is well appointed with an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area that flows seamlessly to a separate formal lounge and a spectacular glass-enclosed portico featuring an impressive open fireplace with an inbuilt pizza oven. The master suite is a retreat, and with four additional bedrooms (one with its own ensuite), a family bathroom, separate powder room, office, attic rumpus or sewing room, and triple garaging with a mudroom wash-up area. Outside, you will find a heated pool with glass balustrades, in-ground trampoline, and a pool house complete with kitchenette, bathroom, laundry and entertaining area. The land is beautifully fenced with classic black, post and rail fencing, with a central race from the four bay implement shed to the river's edge where you will find a rustic cabin and open fire pit and bbq area. This property truly has it all. 5 5 2 3

Tender closes 4.00pm, Thu 20th Nov, 2025 (unless sold prior), 34 Victoria Street, Cambridge View Thu 30 Oct 5.30 - 6.30pm Web pb.co.nz/CBL209862

Chris Moore M 027 288 0563

E chris.moore@pb.co.nz

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Market Appraisal

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RATE CARD: Rates are based on advertising space only and are over a 12-month period starting from the date the first ad publishes. Rate bracket e.g. 6 insertions, 12 insertions etc. chosen allows ad sizes to vary within the rate bracket. If the number of insertions chosen is not met then a bulk charge will be applied at the end/cancellation of your schedule based on correct rate reflective of the number of ads published e.g. if you have chosen the 12 insertion rate and only publish 6 insertions, the bulk charge will be the difference in price between the 6 insertion rate and 12 insertion rate multiplied by the number of ads published. You pay the rate reflective of the number of ads you actually publish. INVOICING AND

payment is due by the 20th of the following month, otherwise payment is required by end of day Tuesday in advance of publishing. Accounts in arrears +60 days may be subject to a $95 + GST late payment fee per month. Advertiser is responsible for all debt collection fees. Cancellation deadline is one

ENTWISLE, Ronald Church

(Ron) – Passed away peacefully at Bupa St Kilda Care Home Cambridge on the 22nd of October 2025, aged 85 years. Husband of the late Dinah and cherished uncle of Pauline and Peter Carey, Peter and Heather, Colin and Vanessa, Gavin and Claire, and many great nephews and nieces. A service to honour Ron’s life has been held. Communications to the Entwisle family C/- Legacy Funerals Cambridge, PO Box 844 Cambridge 3450.

MCCLELLAN, Shirley-Anne

– Passed away peacefully at Waikato Hospital on Monday, 20 October, 2025, surrounded by family, aged 88 years. Loved wife of the late Alan. Cherished mother of Anne, Ian and Adrian. Very proud grandma of eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A Requiem Mass for Shirley-Anne has been held. Messages to the 'McClellan Family' can be sent c/- 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434 or in Shirley-Anne’s online tribute book at www.grinters.co.nz

Cambridge Veterinary Club Inc. Scholarships

Cambridge Veterinary Club invites applications from residents of the Cambridge area who are undertaking study in 2026 in the fields of Veterinary medicine/nursing or Agriculture/Animal Science with a focus on Production Animals or Animal Welfare. These scholarships are intended to assist with course fees/travel and/or accommodation expenses. While it is a 1 year scholarship, we invite applicants to reapply in subsequent years.

Applications are open and close December 1. They can be made by email to office@shelleytweedy.co.nz. Please include a C.V. and covering letter. Any questions to 027 244 1548.

Pursuant to Section 46 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 notice is hereby given that:

The following meetings will take place in October 2025: Friday, 31 October, 2025 11.00am Inaugural Council Meeting

1.00pm Inaugural Cambridge Community Board Meeting All the meetings to be held at: Te Manawa O Matariki Room, Don Rowlands Event Centre Mighty River Domain, Lake Karāpiro 601 Maungatautari

Steph O’Sullivan Chief Executive

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Phone: 021 277 1909

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Husqvarna

18V ASPIRE™ Range

digital user interface, automatic shutdown after 180 seconds, and a soft grip handle. X-Guard Bio Bar & Chain oil included