King Country News | June 18, 2026

King Country

Hospital cut explained

By Dan Tasker

Concerns surrounding Te Kūiti Hospital’s patient bed numbers have literally been put to bed by Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger.

Locals recently raised the alarm that Te Kūiti Hospital had decreased bed numbers, potentially jeopardising the capacity of localised care the rural hospital could offer.

Worried about what she was hearing from the public, Kuriger went to Health New Zealand (HNZ) to find some answers to the questions she was being asked.

Kuriger told The News Te Kūiti

Hospital’s bed numbers had recently decreased from 12 to seven due to lack of use in recent years.

According to HNZ statistics, eight or more beds were used just four times between July 2024 and May 2026, justifying the decision to decrease the bed numbers, Kuriger said.

“Because it’s below seven most of the time, they’ve drawn the line at seven, but they’ve assured me that if we need eight, nine or 12 at any point in time, they will ramp things up to make sure it happens,” Kuriger said.

“My main point to them was I don’t want anyone from Te Kūiti to be having to go out of Te Kūiti

if we could have had more beds there,” she said.

Based on the numbers, Kuriger said she was satisfied Te Kūiti Hospital wasn’t losing the level of health care service.

“At this stage, I feel reassured the beds will be there when people need them and they’ve landed on a good number,” Kuriger said.

“I’ll be watching in the future because I was really disappointed when I first started getting contacted. The announcement had just been that we were going to have cancer treatment at the hospital and I was like, ‘Why are they doing that and doing this?’. It just seemed a bit odd that we were

ramping it up and then we were cutting it back,” she said.

Waikato group director of operations Stephanie Doe said Te Kūiti Hospital’s bed capacity was based on demand and recognised the importance of rural hospitals to the communities they serve.

“We recognise the important role rural hospitals, such as Te Kūiti Hospital, play in providing closer-to-home care for their local communities,” Doe said.

“Te Kūiti Hospital is currently operating with the appropriate number of inpatient beds to meet clinical demand. This is around seven beds per day. No beds have been lost and demand and capacity are monitored daily, and if required, we can open additional beds to meet patient demand,” she said.

Kuriger said it was now up to HNZ to ensure a high level of health care for locals was maintained.

“I can see why people were concerned because I was pretty concerned when I first heard it too, but I’m satisfied; I’ll still be watching,” Kuriger said.

“The proof’s going to be in the pudding now that when it does go above seven, that no one’s travelling out of town. If we had one or two cases of that, we might end up forming another opinion, but at the moment, I’m happy they’ve got it under control with what they’ve told me,” she said.

A recent report from the Resident Doctor’s Association and Apex Union has highlighted “untapped capacity” in many rural hospitals that could limit the burden on New Zealand’s health system. The report suggested Te Kūiti Hospital was operating at 67.1 percent capacity, well under the 85 percent best-practice threshold for bed use.

On a lifesaving mission

They admit accosting women in the street and at work.

But it’s for a good – in fact a potentially lifesaving – cause.

And when Te Tokanganui-ā-Noho Maōri Women’s Welfare League in Te Kūiti set up shop in the New World supermarket this week members were shocked at how many women they met told their own stories of what happened when they were diagnosed with breast cancer.

The branch has been promoting breast screening for the past 18 months since accepting a challenge sent out by BreastScreen Aotearoa to all league branches.

The challenge was to spread the word that early detection of cancer saves lives.

BreastScreen Aotearoa is the national breast screening service and offers free mammograms every two years.

The Breast Screen Midlands screening caravan will be in Te Kuiti from next Monday to July 9 and league members will be encouraging women aged 45 to 74 to register and screen regularly. The higher age has recently been increased from 69.

League branch president Dede Downs says the target group for league branches has been Māori and Pacifica wahine.

She said statistics show they are amongst the lower percentage of registered and screened women – but the message the league is promoting applies to women of all ethnicities.

Among the dozens of women spoken to this week at New World several said they wished the free screening programme could benefit women younger than 45.

“We have spoken to women who had breast cancer in their 30s,” Downs said.

“The promotion this week went really well – and we also had men who came to talk to us and took home literature for their partners.”

She hopes this year’s promotion is as successful as last year.

“We had a great time learning about and spreading the information supplied by

BreastScreen Midlands in 2025,” she said.

“We were pretty successful. It’s fair to say we waylaid, accosted and engaged wahine in the streets, workplaces, shops, at events, sports days, kura and cafes with a smile and offers of support to begin, or continue, their screening journey.”

The Te Kūiti league will be promoting the kaupapa - the Tatau Tatau project - until the end of the year.

Felons and Fieldays CONTACTS

Another week in the King Country has kept police busy, with a number of incidents resulting in positive outcomes alongside the usual variety of work across the district.

Following a burglary reported last year in Te Kuiti, where a portable cabin was stolen, police executed a search warrant at a local address and successfully recovered the cabin.

In a separate matter relating to family harm in Te Kuiti, police located and arrested a 55-year-old man for breaching a protection order. During the arrest, the man attempted to assault officers, resulting in additional charges being laid. Police opposed bail and he was remanded in custody.

Police also attended a heated domestic incident in Kāwhia, where a male was reported to have suffered serious injuries.

Medical assistance was provided to the victim, and the offender was promptly

located. An 18-year-old female was taken into custody facing an assault charge.

Staff provided assistance to a young adult male in Waitomo who was experiencing a mental health crisis, he was safely transported to Waikato Hospital to receive the support from mental health services.

A 19-year-old man with an active warrant for his arrest was located in Kāwhia and taken into custody. The warrant had been issued by a court outside the district.

Police responded to a report of a suspicious male sleeping in a skip bin behind the old post shop. Officers located the individual and, after enquiries, arrested him on an active warrant along with other outstanding matters.

During a vehicle stop in Te Kuiti, a driver was found to be significantly over the legal breath alcohol limit (producing a result of

720). His driver licence was suspended, and he was issued with a summons to appear in court.

Police were also called to assist with a missing young person, who was located and safely returned home without incident.

It was a privilege to spend a couple of days out at Fieldays at Mystery Creek, where large numbers of people attended, including many across the Waikato district. It was encouraging to see strong interest at the police recruitment stand, and anyone considering a career is encouraged to speak with a local officer or visit the New Zealand Police recruitment website for more information.

As always, please continue to report crime and any suspicious activity. Take care on the roads, look out for one another.

TLC in running

The Lines Company is a finalist in the Distributor of the Year category of the 2026 New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards. It is the first time TLC has entered the category and makes the final alongside Counties Energy and PowerNet.

Gorge opens State Highway 3 through Awakino Gorge reopened last Thursday after checks were made on a slip site which had prompted an earlier closure.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said the gorge remained an “active worksite” and a safety plan remains in place.

Waiting for Matariki

A series of creative workshops for adults, running across June and July 2026, will be held at Whare Hau Tutū in Hamilton’s Pembroke St. Organisers say the series “creates space for adults to slow down, remember, reflect, reconnect, and look ahead through toi Māori, storytelling, whenua, taiao, and contemporary creative practice”. The Matariki public holiday will be on July 10.

Plan changes

The Environment Court has told Waikato Regional Council to make 20 changes to its proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1. The plan change, 14 years in the making, aims to reduce discharges of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment and microbial pathogens from farming activities and is part of a broader effort to improve water quality in the region.

Federated Farmers, which has raised concerns about the impact on farmers, said the court’s interim decision released last week appeared measured and balanced.

Corrections

The creative coordinator at the Ōtorohanga Museum is Rebecca Ngāpō. We attributed an incorrect first name to Rebecca last week. And for all those looking for Inside Arapuni’s hidden past on pages 12 and 13 last week, we were crowded out last week –the article runs today on Page 7. Our apologies to readers.

Fieldays all week mooted

By Mary Anne Gill

Fieldays must evolve beyond a four-day event and tell New Zealand’s story better to build resilience and long-term growth, chief executive Richard Lindroos says.

Lindroos is clear the focus is on positioning it as ‘New Zealand Inc’ and strengthening its role as a national showcase for the primary sector.

That includes shaping Fieldays into a full week of activity, improving quality and continuing to respond to feedback.

Queues and maintenance issues were among the most frequent complaints this year, and improvements will

include more facilities and upgrades to existing blocks. The direction follows one of the strongest events at Mystery Creek recent years. More than 132,000 people went through the gates across four days, the first time attendance has topped 130,000 in five years. Wednesday was its biggest opening day and Friday again proved the busiest overall.

Attendance was up about 20 per cent on last year and sites sold out well in advance. Lindroos said that reflected growing confidence in the rural sector and reinforced Fieldays as a “national strategic asset that brings together the best of our primary industries in

one place.”

On site, that confidence translated into strong sales and engagement. Fine weather helped, but a bigger shift was in the level of interaction between government, business and visitors. Ministers from across the political spectrum were on site, adding to what Lindroos sees as a stronger sense of Fieldays as a meeting point for national conversations.

Exhibitors also lifted their presentation, while investment in areas such as the speaker programme drew strong crowds. An upgraded function space hosted high-profile speakers and packed sessions.

Looking ahead, the focus

Te Kūiti’s band aid

By Dan Tasker

More than 100,000 Fieldays smart bands passed through Aunties Laundromat this year, marking the Te Kūiti business’ busiest event yet.

It’s the fifth year the laundromat has cleaned, bagged and dried the Fieldays smart bands, an RFID-enabled band visitors wear to interact with Fieldays exhibitors. RFID stands for Radio-Frequency

Identification

Owners Dave Crone and Donna Missen washed around 1.3 tonnes of the bands during the four-day event at Mystery Creek.

“It’s always around a ton and this year it’s

closer to 1.3 tonnes or just over,” Missen said. “It’s increased every year, but this year’s the best because of the weather.

“We’re farmers ourselves, we’ve always been dairy farmers until the laundromat, and we had visited over the years before moving here, because it’s the biggest of these events in the southern hemisphere.”

In years gone by, the smart bands have either been thrown away or taken home by event goers, but smart band designers and digital innovation company Satellite have taken a clean and sustainable approach in recent times.

The couple arrived in Te Kūiti at the end of 2020 from an East Gippsland dairy farm in Victoria, Australia, after two weeks spent in quarantine during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Crone and Missen took on the laundromat as a follow-on from the Aunties Laundromat Crone’s parents were operating in Te Awamutu. It led to their gig with Fieldays.

“They contacted my in-laws, but they said we’d be better equipped because we’ve got the big back area to work with in the room, where they don’t,” Missen said.

The couple still set aside the first day to see what’s on offer at Mystery Creek, before getting into their work for the week.

“They put the bands into wheelie bins, and we load up the trailer at the end of each day and then we bring it back here. We load up all the washing machines and wash then dry them, and then we bag them, weigh them, put them back in the bins, and then take them back the next morning… and we do that each day.”

will be on refining logistics, expanding infrastructure and shaping a broader Fieldays experience beyond Mystery Creek.

“We’ve got to keep delivering, but also think about the whole week, not just the four days,” he said. “There’s an opportunity to take more ownership of that and build something bigger.”

He also wants to improve how the sector’s story is told, ensuring Fieldays reflects its wider economic and social impact.

The full economic benefit of this year’s event will take time to emerge, but organisers are confident it will rank among the most successful on record.

Fieldays 2027 will run from June 16 to 19. Lindroos signalling the work has already begun to build on this year’s gains, and exhibitors are moving quickly to secure their places.

Lines for Lions food

By Jesse Wood

Piopio Lions Club members were among those serving food to the crowds at Fieldays.

One of only two Lions clubs with caravans on sitealongside Te Awamutu - the Piopio group attracted steady queues from eventgoers.

“We got lots of comments on Wednesday on how we had the best food at the Fieldays,” Sandy Dawson said.

“Various members of local groups that the Lions will donate some of the proceeds to also helped out.

“This is just one of the things Lions members give up time for to help our community, groups of children, other groups or people in our area achieve things in life they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.”

In recent months, the club has donated funds to the Piopio Fire Brigade for the purchase of training equipment, Mokauiti Hall for roof repairs and Piopio Pony Club for work on their arena.

The Red Lid Wheelie Rubbish Bin is finally available in Waitomo.

On July 1, Enviro NZ is rolling out its new Red Lid Bin Wheelie Bin Rubbish service in the Waitomo area.

At present, rubbish is collected in the more familiar yellow bags. However, for towns like Te Kuiti and Kawhia, the option of using the company’s bin service, and the convenience that those bins will provide, is being offered to locals with the yellow bags eventually being phased out.

The yellow bag service will still be available in Otorohanga for another six months or so and the bags themselves can still be sourced through designated local retailers as the Red Lid Wheelie Bin Rubbish service roles out.

There are several advantages to using the new red lid wheelie bins, says Enviro NZ marketing manager Jolyon Ludbrook. “People won’t have to deal with leaky or smelly bags anymore,” he said, “and using the bins means that everything stays contained in one place. Dogs and rodents can tear into the bags but won’t be able to get into the new bins.”

have a bin delivered free of charge. It will also be an on-demand service –customers can download an app and use it to schedule pick-ups. The app itself can be downloaded from all the online places that they are usually obtained from and is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices.

They also have the considerable advantage of having greater volume. The yellow bags had a capacity of about 60 litres while the bins can accommodate around 120 litres of waste.

Customers can call the company and

The app can be used to schedule pickups. “Customers only pay when the bin is emptied – it’s a pay as you go service,” said Jolyon. “If one week, customers do not need their bin emptied, then there is no charge.”

The price for each bin pick-up is only

$9.95 which is cheaper than using two bags. Enviro NZ are also offering customers who sign up for the new service, three free pick ups as a ‘welcome aboard’ to them.

Customers won’t need to wrestle with the old bags anymore or worry about them tearing or leaking - it will be just a matter of popping the top of the new bin and throwing in your rubbish. Job done! The Red Lid Wheelie Bin has become the go to rubbish bin service across many districts and councils in New Zealand. And finally, it is now available here in Waitomo.

Snapshots behind the lines

By Viv Posselt

Te Kūiti resident Dave Roebuck was so gripped by news of the commemoration of the 1941 Battle of Crete he contacted us with a curious

Daisy Garden Bags and Bins

More than 1700 British, Commonwealth and Greek soldiers were killed, and 15,000 captured. There were 670 New Zealanders fatalities and 2180 Kiwi prisoners of

His interest piqued, Dave contacted The News with memories of his fatherin-law, Charles Walter Dugleigh Tait – known to all as ‘Wattie’ Tait. “Wattie was also a member of the

motivational therapy. She died in 2013.

Dave kicked off the story of ‘Pops’, as he called Wattie, by saying he was one of many Kiwis labelled a ‘deserter’ after disobeying

finally settled in Te Kuiti in 1980. Dave worked on the railways for 40 years before retiring and Margaret (widely known as Bobbie), worked in seniors’

as he went to those taken by the dead German soldier.

Years later, Dave and Margaret had the films developed and offered the images to Waiouru Army

both in Crete and in North Africa.

Some show the action on land and in the skies, others are of major political players of the day, including

and the German commander Rommel, also known as ‘The

treasure of memories taken by a soldier who determined his future would unfold in New Zealand, no matter what, and are now a source of pride to his Kiwi family.

ON SHAKY GROUND

Underwater puzzles

By Janine Krippner

Volcanic island groups like the Azores in Portugal and the Canary Islands in Spain have been shaped by a lifetime of both submarine and subaerial (on land) volcanic activity. It begins below the ocean. As eruptions add more rock and material to the growing piles we call volcanoes, islands eventually emerge. At the same time, erosion and collapse work against that growth. Wave action wears away landforms below the ocean and along coastlines, while mass-wasting events, from small rockfalls to massive flank collapses, reshape them through gravity and time. These are dynamic environments, and the landscapes that attract residents and visitors alike are constantly changing.

Like any environment, we need to understand the land we live on so we can do so safely and work with natural processes in ways that reduce or eliminate harm.

What happens on the seafloor around volcanic islands also impacts communities. I have previously covered how submarine eruptions can produce earthquakes as well as deadly pyroclastic surges that can travel over water and onto the land.

Most of a volcanic island’s structure lies beneath the ocean. By studying marine cores, scientists build a picture of the processes occurring below the waves. A pipe or drill is pushed into the seafloor and brings back a column containing layers of sediment, rock, and anything else in that location.

Scientists use different techniques to determine the ages of those layers. These include radiocarbon dating tiny shells or the remains of microscopic organisms called foraminifera, studying pollen, or dating volcanic glass. Different methods are appropriate for different age ranges. For

example, radiocarbon dating is generally only useful for material younger than about 60,000 years.

Using these records, researchers can identify layers deposited by volcanic ash, pyroclastic flows, landslides, and turbidity currents that some landslides can transform into. Thin ash layers or scattered grains of volcanic glass can also point to large explosive eruptions that occurred far away.

Some of these processes can generate tsunamis that threaten nearby islands and can damage critical seafloor infrastructure such as internet cables.

Lava flows reaching the ocean can build lava deltas. These deposits can become thick and steep, creating potential for collapse and offshore landslides. Deposits can take decades, or even longer to become unstable enough to fail.

Each piece of information is part of a puzzle and reveals more of an ever-evolving picture. Where possible, the submarine record can be linked to processes observed on land.

Understanding these systems requires many research projects, involving different specialties and often spanning decades.

Scientists can also identify patterns through time. In some volcanic regions, periods of increased activity have been linked to times of sea-level change, which can alter the pressures acting on the Earth’s crust.

In the end, all of this fascinating work benefits those living in these environments and those who travel to experience them. The better we understand these systems, the better equipped communities, institutions, and governments are to make informed decisions about the future.

AGE OF REASON

Marking the quality

By Richard Steele

Every day we read of more cafes and restaurants closing, the troubled times the hospitality industry is facing, of the staff out of work and the money owed.

My wife and I love dining out. We enjoy meeting with locals doing the same thing, and the impromptu casual catchups. It’s part of living in a vibrant community that makes life so worthwhile. We are fortunate too, that the places we mostly frequent are well run by friendly people who enjoy their role in the hospitality industry and serve consistently good food and drink.

There is another element to our dining out that I have never discussed before in public, and that is that we measure every meal on a scale of one to 10.

Many years ago, I was briefly involved in a city magazine and got to enjoy their food and restaurant section. I’m not a competent critic, I simply know what I like.

We are spoilt with everything excellent at the Blue Hills cafe in Ōwhango, and by the same high standard set by the good folk who run Cage 75 in Taumarunui.

Elsewhere and around the country, in our regular travels about, we are not always so lucky.

So the rule is simply that we compare our meals, drinks, service and the ambience, and give them a mark.

If the meal scores more than a seven or eight, we always make a compliment, to whoever is waiting on our table. If the rating is less than four, we comment as well.

That’s the hard part, and we don’t

always comply with our own rules. When it comes down to it, we are out to enjoy ourselves first and foremost and creating a scene would not ensure that happening.

What’s surprising, is how few score above seven, and how many score under four.

So here’s the rub, we see and hear of so many going out of business, but so many deserve to do so. Sad but true.

There are other factors of course. People who want to save money stay home. And it’s a tough job being polite to customers all day.

That’s why I’m self-employed. Waiting on people doesn’t fit with me. I run most things I write past my best and most honest critic, and I listen to her as we have been married for many decades, and her comments include that whenever we enjoy good service, we always go back when we are travelling that way.

The good service we find results in better business for everybody.

I remember asking a friend 45 years ago how much it cost to fuel his new Jaguar car.

His reply has stayed with me forever. Don’t buy the car, if you need to ask that.

Don’t question how much the coffee costs, try to imagine how tough the hospitality business is, and how fewer people are making a go of it.

Inside Arapuni’s hidden past

Ghosts, unexplained noises and a century of history. Mary Anne Gill toured the grand old Arapuni Dam and met the man who keeps it all running.

There is something about Arapuni Dam that stays with you.

It might be the view from the top, looking out across the Waikato River. It might be the sense of scale when you start to understand what is hidden beneath the concrete.

Or it might be the stories.

Some of them are stranger than others.

Production technician Craig Russell says parts of the station are believed to be haunted and speaks of noises that cannot easily be explained.

It adds another layer to a place that already feels steeped in history.

Alongside the engineering and the past, there are people who have worked here for years who will tell you this place has its own character.

The dam and power station at Arapuni have been part of the Waikato landscape since 1929. Constructed between 1924 and 1929, it was the first government-built high dam on the river and remains an important part of the hydro system today.

Karāpiro, about 15 kilometres downstream from Arapuni along the Waikato River, is part of the same hydro chain. Between the two once stood the Horahora power station, built in 1913 and later swallowed by the lake when Karāpiro was created in 1947.

Arapuni can generate up to 806 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, enough to power around 100,000 homes. But keeping a structure like this running is an ongoing job.

Tom Newson, Mercury’s programme manager for the current upgrade, said the work never really stops.

“What we have concluded is that those

seepage treatments in the left abutment and the retrofits that were done in the 1930s have effectively reached the end of their life,” he said.

That is the reason for the latest project, which will see a new underground cutoff wall installed deep into the ground to manage water seepage.

The work will take between two and three years and involves highly specialised techniques such as jet grouting, where soil is mixed with cement to stabilise the ground before construction begins.

It is complex work, but it builds on a long history of problem solving at the site.

Engineers discovered water leaking through the left abutment soon after the dam was first filled in 1930. Fixes were put in place, and more work followed over the decades as engineers monitored how the dam performed.

In the mid-2000s, a major programme involved installing cut-off walls beneath the dam. That work has held up well, but changes in groundwater pressure were identified after distant earthquakes in 2016.

Newson said monitoring is constant.

“We’ve got about 120 real-time logged instruments in the abutment measuring groundwater pressures and seepage flows,” he said.

That level of attention reflects how the dam is operated.

“It’s a live patient,” he said. “We’re monitoring all the vitals as we’re performing the works in real time.”

One of the striking things about Arapuni is how the old and the new sit together.

Newson compares it to something familiar.

“I kind of liken it to grandfather’s axe,” he said.

“You replace the handle a few times, you might replace the head, but it’s still grandfather’s axe.”

That idea of continuity runs through the site.

The original dam was built by the Public Works Department using the tools and techniques of the time.

Photographs from the era show workers standing high on structures with little in the way of modern safety gear.

Today’s engineers are working with advanced monitoring systems, international contractors and specialised drilling rigs.

But in both cases, the aim is the same. Keep the dam working.

The work ahead will focus on the left side of the dam, where a new cut-off wall will extend tens of metres down into the ground to limit water seepage.

Before that can happen, the ground itself has to be strengthened.

Jet grouting will be used to create columns of stabilised soil, forming a base for the wall and helping prevent collapse during drilling.

All of this will happen while the dam continues to operate.

As Newson points out, Arapuni is only one part of a larger system.

“It’s part of a cascade system, it’s a very important link,” he said.

That makes shutting it down for long periods difficult, so the work is carefully staged to allow generation to continue.

The human side of the story is never far away.

Staff on site have their own history with the dam, and their own stories.

There is the climb known as the Stairway to Heaven, a steep set of 237 steps leading up toward the dam.

And then there are the stories that get passed around.

The records room is a case in point. Inside it are maintenance logs for every day of the station’s life.

Among them are entries from the Saturday I was born in nearby Putāruru. They show station operators keeping the turbines running smoothly by managing electrical switching, monitoring pressure and temperature, and controlling cooling pumps. Alarms were tested, filters cleaned and equipment adjusted as needed. Despite minor issues, the station ran steadily throughout the day.

It is a reminder that while lives begin nearby, the dam just keeps going.

For Mercury, the focus is firmly on the future.

The current project is a significant investment aimed at extending the life of the dam and supporting the wider hydro system.

“It’s about maintaining and operating a sustainable asset well into the future,” Newson said.

The dam will mark its 100th year soon, a milestone that highlights both how long it has been part of the landscape and how much work has gone into keeping it that way.

Standing on the dam today, it is easy to see why it matters.

It is not just a piece of infrastructure. It is a place where engineering, history and everyday stories all come together.

Rates Rebate Scheme

Signs of the times

Forty years ago Harrods of London sued Harry Harrods of Palmerston North asserting that in labelling his business Harrods he had breached the copyright they had on the name Harrods.

In support of Harry Harrods a number of Ōtorohanga businesses decided to re-name their businesses Harrods. The Ōtorohanga District Council joined in renaming their town Harrodsville for a week, attracting international attention and fame. Principally it seems in support of the ‘little guy’ but also for the fun of it. Harrods of London withdrew their suit.

This week local businesses in Ōtorohanga are celebrating that event by re-labelling signs in Ōtorohanga with the Harrods tag. For the fun of it. And again attracting if not international at least national attention, Readers, whatever their political persuasion, will be aware of the challenges to the coalition Government’s policies with regard to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what many view as a demeaning of mana Māori motuhake, tino rangatiratanga,

Principally it appears for the fun of it a group who might be labelled the Harrodsville Committee began to post Harrodsville signage over the top of Ōtorohanga signage following the example of those businesspeople of 40 years ago.

A group of young Māori locals seeing this happening felt it to be a further devaluing of Māori; privileging the English of Harrodsville over the Māori of Ōtorohanga. They ripped the Harrodsville signage from over the Ōtorohanga signage and threatened to undo the committee members’ work elsewhere in the town. The Harrodsville committee members confronted by these young Māori men felt intimidated and attempted to communicate with them to no avail.

Efforts over many years to correct the pronunciation and spelling of Ōtorohanga have borne some fruit. This activity of covering over ‘Ōtorohanga’ with ‘Harrodsville’ can be seen as undermining those efforts. A backward step. There are still sections of our community who persist with the mispronunciation misspelling - having little to no

By Tom Roa

perception of how this belittling of the Māori name and its proud history, privileging the English, is in fact not funny.

Māori King Tawhiao in the latter part of the 19th century decided to declare peace. He instructed 300 of his warriors to assemble in Pirongia and lay down their arms - muskets, mere, patu and taiaha. The King placed on top of this armoury roasted tui, parrots, and wood pigeons, alongside a kōkako. War is ‘tapu’ –sacred. Food is noa – not tapu. Tawhiao took away the tapu of war with these foods.

The kōkako however is particularly significant.

It is not a strong flyer, preferring to glide from tree to tree. It climbs a tree by flapping from limb to limb to get to the top. Travelling from Pureora to Pirongia is difficult, and very unusual.

The Pirongia kōkako has a different language and behaves differently from the Pureora kōkako. Yet they are exactly the same bird in every other way. Indeed it is only after exposure to each other after a long period of interaction and engagement that any meaningful communication can take place.

The metaphor with Māori and Pākehā should not be lost on our readership.

With effort and a commitment to a better engagement on the part of both parties, communication has improved but still has a long way to go.

Indeed, a communication on the part of the committee seeking Māori advice led to a suggestion to put the Harrodsville signage next to the Māori of Ōtorohanga.

Perhaps on the part of the young people a less aggressive approach with a call for the committee to recognise that in the present political climate Māori names of government departments are minimised, marginalised, if not obliterated all together, privileging English names, demeaning much of the poetry and history of the Māori version,

Forty years ago in the town mainstream Māori were invisible. Perhaps Tāhiao’s metaphor might be said to be bearing fruit today.

Going electric on the farm

By Dan Tasker

The future of farm transport arrived at the Fieldays last week with the New Zealand debut of an all-electric all-terrain vehicle.

Unveiled at Mystery Creek as part of Can-Am’s 2026 off-road range, the Outlander Electric is the first fully electric ATV from the Canadian manufacturer.

Can-Am ambassador and shearing legend Sir David Fagan, who was at the Fieldays for the Outlander Electric’s Asia-Pacific launch, calls the vehicle a game changer for the agricultural sector.

The 16-time world shearing champion has tested the machine on his property on the outskirts of Te Kūiti.

The launch comes shortly after the Government’s commitment of $437 million over four years to support the development and adoption of technologies aimed at reducing on-farm emissions, placing the new model firmly in the spotlight at the country’s largest agricultural event.

The electric ATV produces 47 horsepower and 72Nm of torque, offering up to 80km of range in ideal conditions, 50 km in work mode and it can recharge from 20 to 80 percent in about 50 minutes.

Among its key selling points for farmers are its quiet operation around livestock, 830kg towing capacity, multiple drive modes and reduced vibration compared with traditional petrol-powered machines.

COMING TO TE AWAMUTU

Arvida in Te Awamutu has a brand-new clubhouse and resident workshop underway, featuring a dining area, library, pool, gym, bowling green and outdoor fire. Our brand new townhouses are priced from $645,000 (license to occupy)*. And the nearby Frontier Estate is home to a pharmacy and medical centre. What more could you want from a retirement? Now’s the time to make the move.

Waitete primed for semi-final

By Dan Tasker

Waitete will host their first women’s semi-final this week after comfortably seeing off Hinuera 67-0 in the Waikato Women’s Championship quarter-final in Te Kūiti last Saturday. They will take on United Matamata Sports at Rugby Park on Saturday. Matamata won their quarter-final against Pirongia 43-10. Kihkihi travel to play Taupiri-Te Kauwhata in the other semi. It is set to be a beauty and

Matamata will have revenge in their sights after their narrow 24-22 last-minute loss to Waitete in Te Kūiti on May 16. Despite injuries to key players like Matewehe King, Chanelle Macrae and Tauvalea Law, Waitete went about their business in relentless fashion to bring bottom-placed Hinuera’s season to an abrupt end. The 10-try rout featured a hat-trick to rookie number 10 Shayla Turner, a double to number eight Nelly Te Tawhero and tries to Amber

Karipa, Paea Perawiti, Tara Kingan, Abbe Putaura and Kylah Stockman.

Co-captain Katelin Warren said Waitete is excited about the weekend, but know the team will need to be at its best to beat Matamata.

“We’re expecting it to be a very hard game against Matamata, a real fight-tothe-end kind of game where it could go either way,” Warren said.

“It means the world for us ladies to host a semi-final considering a couple of years ago we were the team at the

bottom. I’m very proud of our team and how far we have come, and hoping being on home turf we will dig deeper and give everything in our tank,” she said.

In Te Kūiti in King Country premier men’s club rugby action on Saturday, Piopio caused arguably the upset of the season to down Waitete 30-26 to not only take back the JR Shield, but also make amends for their disasterous 76-7 loss to the blue bellies on April 25.

Things were looking a whole lot worse for Waitete when they trailed a rampant Piopio 17-0 at half-time, but the home team stormed back in the second half to pull ahead 26-23 with 10 minutes to go.

Off the back of consecutive penalties, Piopio piggybacked their way into the scoreboard corner of Rugby Park, winning the lineout and mauling over to score the winning try in over-time.

It was almost a coming-ofage moment for the young Piopio chargers, winning the intense local derby to celebrate Stormy McCarthy’s 150th match in style.

For Waitete, things won’t be getting easier any time soon with unbeaten competition leaders Taupō Marist up next, followed by a crucial last-round match

against Taumarunui Eels which is likely to decide who fills the fourth semifinal spot.

Taupō Sports continue to make their march to the finals, dismantling Taumarunui Districts at home 40-12 to go level with them in second place on the ladder, while Marist saw off Waitomo 81-0 at the caves.

In the penultimate week of the regular season, Waitomo is at home agains the Eels, Waitete welcomes Marist to Te Kūiti, while Districts and Piopio face-off at the Taumarunui Domain.

In King Country under-13 rugby, Waitete (1) has finished top of the table at the end of the regular

season and will host Piopio (4) in one of the top-four semi-finals, while the Taupō Sports Vikings (2) will play Ōtorohanga (3) in Taupō in the other semi on Saturday.

In the bottom four, Taumarunui (5) plays Taupō Marist (8) in Taumarunui, and Tongariro (6) take on the Taupō Sports Spartans (7) in Turangi.

King Country premier men’s club rugby standings (after 12 weeks): Taupō Marist 52, Taupō Sports 39, Taumarunui Districts 39, Waitete 33, Taumarunui Eels 29, Piopio 21, Waitomo 5 (all teams received five points for a default win against Tongariro United in the first round).

B team wins

By Jesse Wood

Ōtorohanga Sports B beat Melville 34-17 at Island Reserve in their premier B championship WRU Trophy clash on Saturday.

The premier men’s golds side were awarded a 50-0 win over Melville, which did not field a team in the premier competition.

Right winger Gabriel Simpson scored a brace of tries in front of the blues’ home supporters. Other try scorers included halfback Zach Coles, number eight Jayden Whitiora-Te Uira and lock Zinzan Coop. Coles added two conversions off the kicking tee, for a tally of nine points.

In the women’s premiership division clash, the table-topping Hamilton Old Boys Huskiez beat Ōtorohanga Sports 39-5 at home.

Former Black Ferns front-rower Grace Houpapa-Barrett scored the sole try for Ōtorohanga.

Ōtorohanga sit in fifth spot on the table, clear of Putāruru and the winless Hamilton Marist/University.

This Saturday the men’s sides venture into Hamilton to face Hamilton Old Boys. The women will also head to Hamilton. They will take on third-placed Fraser Tech at Elliott Park.

3 Kawana Street, Piopio

Beautifully renovated and immaculately presented, this stylish three bedroom home offers modern comfort and relaxed living in the peaceful township of Piopio. Set on a generous 832sqm (approx) section and boasting a 120sqm (approx) floor area, the home has been thoughtfully updated with a stunning contemporary colour palette and quality finishes throughout. Warm, welcoming, and move-in ready, it is a property that immediately feels like home.

The light filled living spaces flow seamlessly to a large front deck, creating the perfect place to unwind while

taking in the lovely views. A separate office or studio provides valuable flexibility for those working from home, pursuing hobbies, or needing extra space. Completing the package is a single garage, ample outdoor space, and the charm of a friendly rural community. Whether you’re looking for your first home, a family retreat, or a peaceful lifestyle change, this beautifully presented property delivers comfort, style, and convenience in equal measure. A wonderful opportunity to secure a modernised home in the heart of Piopio.

For Sale $499,000 View Sunday 21 June, 10.30 - 11.00am rwtekuiti.co.nz/TEK30359 3 1 1 1

Buzz Linn 027 496 0053 buzz.linn@raywhite.com

Sam Baggott 027 855 8472

sam.baggott@raywhite.com

power, water, fibre, wastewater at boundary. Ph Buzz/Sam $220,000

9 Sunset Close, Otorohanga, 750sqm in Westridge subdivision. Ph Lorraine $175,000 149A Old Te Kuiti Road, Lot 1, 5517sqm, easy covenants. Phone Lorraine Offers over $250,000 Lot 1, 627 Waitomo Valley Road, Otorohanga, 8105sqm rural lifestyle section. Phone Julie $298,000 Lots 90-108 Harpers Avenue, 486sqm to 962sqm, Westridge II subdivision. Phone John From $220,000ea 576C Mangawhero Road, Otorohanga, 1ha, fenced, sensible covenants. Ph Noldy Offers over $385,000 Te Kūiti sections (sizes are approximate)

35 Robin Azariah Place, Te Kuiti, 1084sqm, handy to schools and hospital. Phone Buzz $250,000 Other sections (sizes are approximate)

0 Rotoiti Road, Oparau, 3389sqm, two separate lots on one title. Ph Julie.. $215,000 214 Okapu Place, Aotea Harbour, 700sqm, borders farmland, ocean views, covenants apply. Julie $290,000 171 Ngahape Road, Te Kawa, 5001sqm. Phone Nathan Kemp 022 093 9369

0 Raglan Road,

with Jan Bilton

Zesty winter winners

Winter in New Zealand brings a vibrant burst of goodness to menus. I’m talking about the delicious lineup of seasonal stars such as citrus, kiwifruit and tamarillos guaranteed to cure any cold-weather blues.

Ruby-red tamarillos definitely shout winter! They’re yummy peeled, sliced and sweetened on morning porridge, or added to savoury dishes for a punchy, peppery kick. Yes, they are expensive unless you grow your own. But they add vitamins A, C, B6, E, plus potassium to your daily diet. Tamarillos also add an exotic touch to special occasion meals.

Oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit are at their peak in winter. Their zesty flavours and high vitamin C content are great for boosting your immune system to beat the winter chills. I start the day with a glass of vaguely warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice. It certainly peps me up. But topping a casserole or dessert with a drizzle of citrus juice is another easy way to boost your daily C.

Kiwifruit are colourful treasure chests that are recognised around the world for their vitamin-packed goodness. I wish our local chefs would incorporate this wellness into more of their dishes. Kiwifruit are the perfect start to the day, scooped out after lunch or added with imagination to mains.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta With Tamarillos

Tamarillos: 6 medium tamarillos

1/2 cup red wine

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/4 cups water

2 x star anise

1 packet raspberry jelly crystals

White Chocolate Panna Cotta: 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatine

1 tablespoon water

150ml milk

300 ml cream

200g white chocolate, chopped.

Peel the tamarillos. Cut into 1cm thick rounds.

Place in a saucepan with the red wine, brown sugar, water and star anise. Bring to a simmer and poach for about 6 minutes,

until tender.

Drain most of the juice into a measuring cup, then add enough water to bring the total to 2 cups. Bring to the boil. Place the jelly crystals in a bowl and add the boiling mixture. Stir well, then leave until cold but not set.

Drain 6 slices of tamarillo. Place in the base of six 1-cup glass serving dishes or jars. Top each with about 4 tablespoons of the jelly. Refrigerate until set.

Pour the remaining jelly into a shallow pan to a depth of about 1cm. This will make the tamarillo jelly garnish. Chill until set. To make the panna cotta, soak the gelatine in the cold water until swollen.

Place the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the white chocolate and gelatine, mixing until melted. Cool. Pour evenly over the tamarillos in their serving dishes. Refrigerate until set, 4-5 hours or overnight.

Great decorated with more tamarillo slices and diced tamarillo jelly. Serves 6.

Mandarin Marmalade

1kg mandarins, unpeeled 1/4 cup lemon juice

4 cups water

5 cups white sugar, approximately

Combine the whole mandarins, lemon juice and water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Remove the mandarins from the saucepan but reserve the liquid. Coarsely chop the unpeeled mandarins. Discard any pips. Return the chopped mandarin to the reserved liquid. Measure the contents. Allow 1 cup of sugar for each cup of the fruit mixture. Return all the ingredients to the pan. Stir over high

heat without boiling until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, without stirring, for about 30 minutes, or until the jam gels when tested or reaches 104°C. Pour the hot marmalade into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold.

Kiwi Chicken Stir-Fry

This colourful meal is great served piled on boiled rice or noodles.

500g skinned and boned chicken

2 tablespoons cornflour

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

2 large firm but ripe green kiwifruit

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

Sauce: 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons each: balsamic vinegar, water

1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour

Slice the chicken into thin strips. Combine the cornflour and fivespice powder in a bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Place aside.

Peel and slice the kiwifruit into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or frypan over high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir-fry the chicken in batches, about 2-3 minutes, until cooked. Drain on a paper towel.

Wipe the pan clean, add the remaining oil and heat. Stir-fry the capsicum until crisp-tender. Place aside.

Combine sauce ingredients and pour into the pan, stirring until thickened. Add the chicken and heat through. Add the capsicum and kiwifruit and serve immediately. Serves 4.

PICK UP LOCATIONS

Middle East (6)

ACROSS

1 Take place (5) 4 Matching siblings (9,5)

Game fish (5)

Body organ (5)

69 Unhealthy preoccupation (9)

72 Come to rest (6)

73 Users (9)

75 German measles (7)

36 Invitation instruction (1,1,1,1)

38 Falsehood (3)

42 Coat part (5)

43 Ice cream flavour (7)

44 Overdue (4)

Factual TV programme (11) 16 Fort troops (8) 19 Comfort someone in disappointment, loss (7)

20 Upper

55 Pierce (9)

56 Crisp roast pork skin (9)

58 Auction items (4)

59 Snow runner (3)

60 Quiet spell (4)

61 With care, softly (6)

62 First note (3)

63 Sent (10)

66 Curtains (6)

67 A language of the

77 Encountered (3)

80 Policy reversal (1-4)

81 Betray (4,4,3,5)

82 Book (5)

83 Watercourse (6)

84 Periods off work (8)

85 Trivial (5) DOWN

2 Watcher (9)

3 Model (5)

5 Stratagem (4)

6 Feeling (7)

7 Departing rapidly (3,4,1,4)

8 Peer (5)

9 Strength (7)

10 Join line (4)

11 Missing companionship (6)

12 Rise (5)

13 Modified to fit a particular purpose (7)

14 Puzzle (7)

16 Pearl container (6,5)

22 Split (6)

23 Umpire a dispute (7)

24 Crime (7)

25 Defy (6)

27 Slippery (7)

28 Motor fuel (6)

30 Common sense (4)

32 Liquid (5)

34 Fake (5)

45 Tooth coating (6)

46 Overparticular (5)

48 Thanklessness (11)

49 Water bird (7)

50 Decay (3)

51 Signal with hand (7)

52 Bitter-tasting (6)

53 One displaying new clothes (7,5)

54 Unexpected slide (4)

57 Take a firm stand (6)

64 First-rate (9)

65 Fluster (anag)(7)

66 Hibernating (7)

68 Fruit flower (7)

70 Twisted (7)

71 Display ostentatiously (6)

72 Cooking/heating device (5)

74 Slender graceful young woman (5)

76 Deportee (5)

78 Gambler’s stake (4)

79 Sojourn (4)

68 Blossom, 70 Screwed, 71 Flaunt, 72 Stove, 74 Sylph, 76 Exile, 78 Ante, 79 Stay.

Gesture, 52 Acidic, 53 Fashion model, 54 Skid, 57 Insist, 64 Excellent, 65 Restful, 66 Dormant,

24 Offence, 25 Oppose, 27 Elusive, 28 Petrol, 30 Nous, 32 Fluid, 34 Bogus, 36 RSVP, 38 Lie, 42 Lapel, 43 Vanilla, 44 Late, 45 Enamel, 46 Fussy, 48 Ingratitude, 49 Pelican, 50 Rot, 51

DOWN: 2 Spectator, 3 Ideal, 5 Ruse, 6 Emotion, 7 Off like a shot, 8 Equal, 9 Potency, 10 Seam, 11 Lonely, 12 Stand, 13 Adapted, 14 Mystery, 16 Oyster shell, 22 Divide, 23 Mediate,

INVOICING AND PAYMENTS

E

63 Dispatched, 66 Drapes, 67 Arabic, 69 Obsession, 72 Settle, 73 Consumers, 75 Rubella, 77 Met, 80 U-turn, 81 Sell down the river, 82 Novel, 83 Stream, 84 Holidays, 85 Petty.

19 Stylish, 20 Dixieland, 21 Elated, 24 Obedience, 25 Oxygen, 26 Friend, 29 Profession, 31 Sap, 32 Foiled, 33 Numb, 35 Oil, 37 Plan, 39 Executors, 40 Threshing, 41 Elite, 42 Levelled, 47 Clippers, 51 Gouda, 55 Penetrate, 56 Crackling, 58 Lots, 59 Ski, 60 Lull, 61 Gently, 62 Doh,

9 Pestle, 14 Muted, 15 Generous to a fault, 17 Annoy, 18 Nap,

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

be the di erence 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 published. ADVERTISING

Copy deadline for ad-make up is noon Friday prior to publication day. Booking and Copy deadlines for Waikato Business News and Bay of Plenty Business News is on request. Advertiser is responsible to advise us of any copy changes before proofing deadline –anything not signed o by this time, ad prints as per the last proof sent. Advertising supplied in completed form (finished artwork or camera ready), deadline is Tuesday 11am prior to publication day. Public holiday weeks, all deadlines move forward one working day. Cancellation deadline is one week prior to publication. If cancellations are received after the cancellation deadline, then full charge applies. All other publications and products see separate booking and deadline sheet. Advertising setting incurs a production fee of $50 + GST for up to two proofs, further changes will incur additional production fees. Advertising copy set by Good Local Media Ltd is the property of Good Local Media Ltd and for use in Good Local Media Ltd publications only. If used elsewhere charges will apply, pricing available on request. If supplied ready to print, copy is owned by the advertiser. Publication day is Thursday for urban deliveries and Friday morning for rural deliveries. Acceptance of advertising and free productions services is at the discretion of the publisher. Acceptance of advertising for publication and free productions services is at the discretion of the publisher.

SPECIFICATIONS All images and advertisements to be 300 dpi. No crop marks or bleed. No spot colours. Fonts embedded or pathed. We prefer

high resolution PDFs as the ad file format exported using the compatibility setting: Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3). Please do not use/include overprint. Ideally, 10pt is the standard point size; however, in some cases with bold fonts 9pt can be used, depending on background. Black text should be 100% black[k]. All artwork submitted needs a border. Specifications for photos and logos – CMYK, high resolution jpeg (minimum 200dpi) pdf attachments. If finished artwork ready to print (Camera Ready) provided does not meet our technical requirements, your advert will be technically fixed, a technical report will be provided, and a $50 + GST production fee will be incurred. No proof will be sent as no design changes will be made. File formats: We will not accept PDFs created from Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, Photoshop, and Canva. However, we can copy your design and proof for your approval. Any artwork received in these formats must adhere to the copy setting deadline as they are not finished artwork or technically compatible to

4

ACROSS: 1

EXPERTS

Sunday 28th June 2026

@ 3.00pm

123 Rora Street - Te Kuiti - Staffroom

(Enter from rear of building off Taupiri St) Nominations are now open. Nominations to: The Secretary at tekuitimuseumandgallery@gmail.com

Closing date Thursday 25th June 2026

Held at the Te Kuiti Museum & Gallery Entry from Taupiri Street Light afternoon tea provided MEMBERS & NEW MEMBERS WELCOME

SITUATIONS VACANT

Building Control O cer

We are looking for a Building Control O cer to join our team and play an essential role in ensuring that Waitomo District Council meets its obligations under the Building Control Act 2024 and operates e ectively as a Building Consent Authority.

As a Building Control O cer, you will work across a diverse range of compliance, inspection and enforcement activities under the Building Act and associated legislation. You will be proactive, solution focused, have excellent communication skills, hold a relevant qualification and the ability to build positive working relationships.

Here at WDC, we are proud of the work we produce and the long-standing relationships we build within our community. As an employee of WDC, you will be part of a friendly, supportive and goal focused team. The work environment is varied, challenging, and rewarding.

Our people are fundamental to our success. We are a committed team and our values are the foundation of our organisational culture: teamwork, positivity, bold and brave, compassion, integrity and community minded.

Applications close 24 June 2026.

To apply for this position, please visit our recruitment website www.joinourteam.co.nz

Customer Support Advisor (Fixed Term)

We are looking for a highly multi-skilled and resilient person to join our Team. This is a fixed term position to 30 June 2027.

You will provide a high quality, responsive Customer Support Centre to external and internal customers, going that extra mile to provide a great customer experience.

This is a role for someone who likes variety, is a self-starter with a can-do attitude. You will be super organised, have exceptional communication skills, be adaptable and embrace change. You will also be computer savvy and have sound skills in Microsoft o ce products.

Our people are fundamental to our success. We are a committed team, and our values are the foundation of our organisational culture: teamwork, positivity, bold and brave, compassion, integrity and community minded.

Applications Close: 24 June 2026

To apply for this position, please visit our recruitment website www.joinourteam.co.nz

GENERAL MEETING of AORANGI B3C2B2A TRUST

to be held at The Business Collective, 12 Hinewai Street, Otorohanga on Sunday, 21 June 2026, commencing at 1pm.

AGENDA

1. Karakia

2. Apologies

3. Minutes of Previous General Meeting

4. Chair Report

5. Financial Reports - 31 March 2022 to 2025

6. Election of New Trustees

7. General Business

GENERAL MEETING of AORANGI B3C2B2E TRUST

to be held at The Business Collective, 12 Hinewai Street, Otorohanga on Sunday, 21 June 2026, commencing upon the conclusion of Aorangi B3C2B2A hui.

AGENDA

1. Karakia

2. Apologies

3. Minutes of Previous General Meeting

4. Chair Report

5. Financial Reports - 31 March 2022 to 2025

6. Election of New Trustees

7. General Business

Section 101, Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012

PUBLIC NOTICE

Of an application for On-Licence

PAL & HARRY COMPANY LIMITED, C/- Omega Hospitality, PO Box 50, Kumeu 0841 has made application to the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, Te Kūiti for the renewal of a on-licence in respect of the premises situated at 12 King Street East, Te Kuiti known as The Muster Bar

The general nature of the business conducted (or to be conducted) under the licence is Tavern. The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is (or is intended to be) sold under the licence are Monday-Sunday, 9.00am to 12.30am the following day

The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the office of the Waitomo District Licensing Committee, Waitomo District Council, Queen St, Te Kūiti. Any person who is entitled to object and wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the date of the publication of this notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, PO Box 404, Te Kūiti 3941.No objection to the renewal of a licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 131 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

This is the first publication of this notice.

Section 101, Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 PUBLIC

NOTICE

Of an application for On Licence

Yellowstone Holdings Limited, a private company having its registered office at 385 Papakura-Clevedon Road, RD2, Papakura, has made application to the Waitomo District Licensing Committee for the renewal of an on-licence in respect of the premises situated at 579 Fullerton Road, Waitomo and known as Roselands Resort

The general nature of the business conducted under the licence is a restaurant including conference and function centre and farm stay accommodation. The days and hours during which alcohol is sold under the licence are: For the restaurant, function rooms and adjacent outdoor dining area: Sunday to Wednesday, from 10am to 11pm; and Thursday to Saturday, from 10am to 12midnight. For the remainder of the premises including the gardens: Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 9pm

The application may be inspected during ordinary office hours at the office of the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, Queen Street, Te Kuiti. Any person who is entitled to object and who wishes to object to the issue of the licence may, not later than 25 working days after the date of the first publication of this notice, file a notice in writing of the objection with the Secretary of the District Licensing Committee at Waitomo District Council, PO Box 404, Te Kuiti 3941 No objection to the renewal of a licence may be made in relation to a matter other than a matter specified in section 131 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

This notice was first published on 11 June 2026. Filed on behalf of the applicant by Harkness Henry Lawyers, Private Bag 3077, Hamilton 3240.

TE RONGOROA FOREST & FARM TRUST

NOTICE TO BENEFICIAL OWNERS INVITING NOMINATIONS for ELECTION of ONE (1) TRUSTEE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following Trustee will retire by rotation at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to be held on Saturday, 5 September 2026 at Waimiha (Te Ihingārangi) Marae, 1736 Poro-o-Tarao Road (Service Road), Waimiha.

• Darron Reti

The Trust is seeking nominations to fill this vacancy resulting in a total of one (1) new Trustee to be elected.

Process

Nominations for the one (1) trustee position(s) must be made on the official Nomination Form available from the Trust Administrators. This also applies to any Trustee who has retired by rotation and is seeking re-election.

Completed Nomination Forms must be received either by email, post or delivered to the Trust Administrators, no later than 5pm, Friday, 17 July 2026. No nominations will be accepted past this date. Please be aware that nominations will not be accepted on the day of the AGM.

If the number of valid nominations received exceed the number of vacancies, a vote will be held. Candidate profiles and voting instructions (inclusive of voting dates) will be made available on the Te Rongoroa Forest & Farm Trust Facebook page, and emailed and posted to all beneficial owners who have either or both an email address or postal address on the owner database. Please contact the Trust Administrator (Aotahi Limited) if you need to update your contact details.

If the number of valid nominations received do not exceed the number of vacancies, he/she will be duly elected without a vote.

Ngā

mihi

Aroha Bidois

Returning Officer – Te Rongoroa Forest & Farm Trust

Post: Te Rongoroa Forest & Farm Trust - Trustee Nomination c/- Aotahi Limited, P O Box 340, Te Kūiti 3941

Email: heartlands@aotahi.com

In person: Heartland Services, 71 Rora Street, Te Kūiti Telephone: 07 214 1080

2026 Ownership Review

PUBLIC CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURE

In accordance with the Deed of Trust under which the Waipā Networks Trust has been constituted, the Trustees and the Directors of Waipā Networks Limited have prepared a joint report considering proposals and available options for the future ownership of Waipā Networks Limited.

The Trustees and the Directors propose that the Ownership of the Company should continue to remain 100% Trust owned on behalf of the Community.

The Trustees hereby implement a Public Consultative Procedure. Notice is given that the Ownership Review will be available for inspection by the public from the 1st May 2026, from the Trusts website www.waipanetworkstrust.co.nz or during normal business hours at the following location:

Waipā Networks Ltd 240 Harrison Drive TE AWAMUTU

Persons interested in the proposals are invited to make written submissions to the Trustees.

All mail submissions should be addressed to:

Submissions to the Trustees

Waipā Networks Trust PO Box 34 TE AWAMUTU 3840

All email submissions should be addressed to: info@waipanetworkstrust.co.nz

Persons wishing to make submissions should ensure that those submissions are received at the above address no later than 5pm 30th June 2026 (“the due date”). Submissions received by the due date will be made publicly available.

In due course, any persons who make written submissions by the due date will be offered an opportunity to be heard by the Trustees at a meeting open to the public.

KM Heeringa Trust Manager WAIPA NETWORKS TRUST

Saturday 20 June. Start 10am – 5pm. 28 Lawrence Street, Te Kuiti.

WANTED TO BUY

Any ute, van, 4WD, truck or car. Any condition doesn’t have to be going. Cash paid. Ph/txt Kevin 027 299 6165

WANTED TO RENT

Passed away peacefully on 13 June 2026. A beautiful uncle with so many stories to tell. We will miss you a lot! Fly high, enjoy the red wine and cigars. Deeply missed by the Macdonald family, Dana, Iain, Ashli, Conor, Keiton and Lara xo GARAGE SALE – Tools,

GARAGE SALE

Sunday June 21st at the OTOROHANGA

St John Ambulance Station From 9am - 2pm

If you would like to donate goods, please call Carol on 0273819069

Moa St Sunday 10am

St Peter’s by the Sea 25 Aria Tce, Mōkau 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sunday 2pm

Piopio contact: 07 877 8097

Mokau contact: 06 752 9123

PETERSEN, Wayne –

Harvest Church Ōtorohanga Sunday Service @ 10.30am 5 Tuhoro Street, Ōtorohanga Ph 07 873 8890 Mob 027 493 0117 Email harvest.pc@xtra.co.nz ALL WELCOME. Pastors Peter & Carole Coventry (An Assemblies of God Church)

Losing a loved one is never easy, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Our professional and compassionate team is available 24/7 to guide you through every step, ensuring a farewell that truly reflects their life. Call us anytime – we’re here when you need us.