TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
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OCTOBER 1, 2026
Councils on the shelf
Waipā mayor Mike Pettit says councils have every right to be frustrated after being pushed to deliver Head Start proposals at speed, only for the government to pause the decision-making process. Pettit’s comments come after last week’s announcement that local government reorganisation will not be considered until after the general election. “Being given three months to come up with a Head Start proposal or have the decision made for us was a carrot or a stick ultimatum, and that makes this announcement hard to swallow,” Pettit said. “Councils have put a huge amount of work into developing these proposals in a very short timeframe and that has come at a cost to our ratepayers. In Hamilton the speed of the process prompted the city council not to offer a proposal and mayor Tim Macindoe said the government announcement was no surprise. “The delay confirms everything Hamilton has been saying throughout this process. The timeframe was too short, and a much more considered process needs to be followed.” Waikato Regional Council – a likely casualty of local government reform – has also taken a conciliatory view. “The pause the government has announced provides an opportunity to reconsider whether the best options have been proposed for the future of local government in the Waikato and how to meet the gaps that have been signalled,” chair Warren Maher said. Waikato mayor Aksel Bech was disappointed and called the
Inside today…
Fabulous Freda Viv Posselt meets octogenarian Freda Cavander who is honoured for 70 years of volunteer work. See story page 3.
Tim Macindoe
Mike Pettit
delay a pit stop. “We worked hard to an impossible timeline — but never-the-less managed to put forward our proposal that we believe would see benefits to our communities, only to see that put in the ‘hurry up and wait’ file for now, with an uncertain timeline from here.” Waipā, South Waikato and Waikato councils supported forming a Western Waikato unitary authority with Taupō District and Hamilton City councils. Taupō opposed the proposal. To the south, Ōtorohanga and Waitomo councils had agreed to a merger. Ōtorohanga mayor Rodney Dow said both councils had redirected staff to meet the Government’s deadline. “We have had people working on this when they could have been doing other stuff,” Dow said. “It’s what central government wanted us
doing. I guess that’s politics.” Dow said the work was not wasted, and the two councils would continue collaborating. “The positive is that they are not going to turn us into a super city. We will see what happens in the new year,” he said. Waitomo mayor John Robertson said he was disappointed but not surprised. “What do you say?” he said. “It’s a muddle. We did a lot of work on this.” Robertson said community feedback showed wide support for forming a King Country council. “I hope the Government recognises the passion in the King Country for the formation of one council,” he said. Pettit said Waipā would continue to work constructively with its regional partners while the government considered its next steps.
Aksel Bech
“We have continued to build some strong relationships through this process, and we will continue those conversations. Local government reform is too important to get wrong, and it needs to be informed by the people and communities who will ultimately be affected by any changes. “In the meantime, we have plenty of important work in front of us.”
We say… What a waste of time and money. Central government complained about council inefficiencies and introduced a cap on rate rises. At the same time it forced those councils to invest in an amalgamation process which may now hinge on an election result.
Eggstra, Eggstra! Read all about it… five eggs, and five double yolks. Jesse Wood calls into Betty’s kitchen – see the story on page 5.
Hot stuff Fundraising for Nepal has come with some spicy moments in Kihikihi. Read about it on page 6.
Business matters What’s in the latest Waikato and Bay of Plenty Business News from Good Local Media? See page 2.
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THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
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If you think business news is all balance sheets and boardrooms, think again. The latest editions of Waikato Business News and Bay of Plenty Business News are packed with stories about the people, projects and ideas shaping our regions. In Waikato, we spent time with new Waikato Diocesan School for Girls principal Angee Robertson, who has taken on the challenge of leading a $14 million restoration of the school’s iconic Cherrington House. We also met former Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan – who boarded at Cherrington and made friends for life - and her daughter Lily who is boarding at the school. It shows how school connections can span generations. Meanwhile, Waikato Museum’s new Ngāti Hauā exhibition is bringing treasured taonga and stories home. Over in the Bay of Plenty, we look at the enormous economic impact of the Aims Games and ask what happens when New Zealand’s biggest port starts turning cargo away because it has run out of capacity. We also meet young horticultural rising star Phoebe Scherer, profile the region’s forestry sector, and celebrate local people recognised in the Royal Honours. Both publications feature a mix of business, community, education, transport, tourism and people stories, alongside photo pages capturing events across the regions. For more go to goodlocal.nz
to go pink Eight Waikato landmarks will be lit up in bright pink during October. Hamilton’s SkyCity Hamilton Hotel and Victoria Bridge, the First World War Memorial in Paeroa, the Love Taupo Lakefront Sign and Hilton Lake Taupō, the Te Aroha Memorial Clock Tower, and the Gallagher Recreation Centre foyer in Te Kūiti are taking part in the Global Illuminations campaign, joining a total of 114 landmarks and prominent buildings glowing pink all across the country. The campaign is part of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Pink Ribbon Street Appeal on October 16 and 17. Thousands of volunteers will be out with their pink buckets, raising money to help fund breast health education, research, specialist nursing support and advocacy for faster and fairer diagnosis and care. Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Vanessa Sorenson said more than 3700 New Zealanders are diagnosed with breast cancer and around 650 die from it each year. “Behind every number is someone who matters deeply to their whānau, friends and community – and we know more of those lives can be saved.”
On the beat Holiday tips
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Readers’ contributions of articles and letters are welcome. Publication of contributions are entirely at the discretion of editorial staff and may be edited. Contributions will only be considered for publication when accompanied by the author’s full name, residential address, and telephone number. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers. The Te Awamutu News is published by Good Local Media Limited.
It’s school holiday time again. I hope the first week is going well for everyone. Holidays are a great time to remind everyone again to drive safe and to the conditions when travelling – this includes maintaining safe following distances and watching your speed. Local staff attended four traffic crashes in the last week, and I would like to thank those members of the public who found themselves on the spot, called for help and stepped in to assist with traffic until police arrived. If along your holiday journeys, you encounter traffic management due to a crash or roadworks, please be patient, pay attention to your surroundings and follow all directions given. Both scenarios will involve a temporary reduction in speed limit to keep traffic and emergency services staff safe. When passing a crash scene, the speed limit is 20kph. It’s important that you slow down accordingly on both the approach and when allowed past cordons. Crash scenes can be dynamic, and it makes our job a lot easier, when we don’t have to also worry about drivers speeding through the scene. The holidays and the arrival of daylight savings also mean more young people will be on the roads. Please look out for pedestrians, cyclists and those on scooters.
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The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra
Keep up the family discussions around safe riding habits, wearing a helmet and being considerate to others. We had a fantastic response to the recent Ride Safe, Stay Safe campaign, and hope to see that good riding behaviour continue. If you are going away in the holidays, remember to be burglar aware. Ensure all doors and windows are locked and that no valuables are visible from outside. Secure garden sheds and out-buildings too. Have a neighbour or friend check on your property regularly and ensure they have a means to contact you if needed. If CCTV is installed, most can be monitored from your phone for extra security. Should you return from holiday to find anything amiss, please call 105 and let police know. Finally, next Wednesday (October 7) we will celebrate International Coffee with a Cop Day in Waipa. If you and your family would like to meet and chat with local Police, make your way to either Red Kitchen, 69 Mahoe street, Te Awamutu between 9-10am or Leamington Bakery, 112 Shakespeare Street, Leamington, Cambridge between 10.30-11am. The team look forward to seeing everyone.
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TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 3
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
Briefs…
Value debated
Waipā councillors are questioning whether the district is getting sufficient value from its $150,000 annual contribution to Hamilton & Waikato Tourism. Concerns were raised following a presentation on the year ending June 2026 from Hamilton and Waikato Tourism general manager Nicola Greenwell at last week's Waipā District Council finance and organisational performance committee. At the same time, the council is supporting a national tourism funding charter that would return an estimated $219 million a year to regions managing visitor-related infrastructure and service costs. The New Zealand Tourism Funding Charter calls for a legislated national framework to provide predictable annual funding for councils and the tourism sector.
Piako on board
Matamata-Piako District Council hands over responsibility for drinking and wastewater services to the Waikato Waters organisation, which includes Waipā district, today.
Storm work
Waikato Regional Council is launched a $1.65 million resilience boost for the region’s flood monitoring network to give communities real-time information during severe. The programme involves repairing, strengthening or installing equipment at around 40 telemetry sites July 2028. The Government will contribute up to $990,000 through the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
Cash boost
The regional council has also voted to top up its budget to control an invasive weed in Lake Karāpiro. It has set aside another $85,000 for a 2026-27 hornwort spraying programme. Hornwort is regarded as the country’s worst submerged weed and Karāpiro Domain manager Liz Stolwyk has warned of a pending “perfect storm” as weed beds grow and invasive freshwater clam numbers rise ahead of an El Nino summer.
Celebrating fabulous Freda
By Viv Posselt
At 88 Freda Cavander is fast becoming a legend in her own time. The Te Awamutu octogenarian was the unequivocal star at last week’s celebration held to mark her astonishing 70 years’ service as a community volunteer. That accolade was bestowed by Volunteering Waikato, rather unusually outside their normal cycle of volunteering awards, simply because service of that duration is so rare. Freda’s 70 years sets a new benchmark for volunteering in the Waikato. It was that landmark number, and much more besides, that prompted her friend Vimala Devi Rengasamy to approach Volunteering Waikato. With the decision then made to recognise Freda’s service, the date was set for the event at the Te Awamutu RSA – offered as a venue because Freda is, of course, a longstanding RSA member. And what a party it was. What Freda lacks in height, she more than makes up for in pep. Celebrating with her were Kihikihi Ukulele Group members (she has played with them for ages), members of the Te Awamutu Light Operatic Society, or Talos, and the Woolshed Warblers (she is a longstanding member with both of those as well), plus well-wishers from her church and the various nursing homes where Freda frequently entertains the residents. Family members, nephew David Cavander, niece Alison Roberts and great niece Brooke Cavander, came down from Auckland for the occasion. Vimala told guests that when she met Freda some 15 years ago, she mistakenly saw an ‘adorable little granny’ with arthritis. “I soon realised that Freda was a powerhouse of unstoppable, magnanimous
energy. She is my singing leader, my mentor, my close friend.” Despite surviving illness through the years, then aggressive cancer, Freda remains a staunch volunteer entertainer, she said. She strums her old ukulele and leads the singing at rest homes in Te Awamutu and Putāruru, travelling distances with ease to entertain folk who are often younger than her. Freda’s involvement with Talos goes back to its early years. She has appeared in many shows, sung in harmony and played with their orchestra. She still sings with the Woolshed Warblers, and appeared at the group’s mid-year Christmas show in July to raise funds for the Te Awamutu Brass Band, and the Te Awamutu Boxing Academy. For 30 years, she has been a volunteer entertainer helping raise funds for sick children. She was also a counsellor with Victim Support Services, where she was awarded the Police Volunteers Medal, and was a member of the Waipā Youth and Whanau Inc Trust Board. Freda credits her wish to give back to her early years spent enjoying an idyllic childhood in Fiji. She came to New Zealand aged 19 and went teaching. Volunteering Waikato’s Certificate of Appreciation, presented by Volunteering Waikato general manager Michelle Rae, recognises a lifetime of giving. She was also presented with a plaque by Andrew Ross, president of the Te Awamutu RSA Motorsport Club, of which Freda is a member. Woven into the story she told of her life, Freda spoke of a blind aunt whom she would take by the hand and lead around. “I served as her eyes … that was the most fantastic grounding. I have also had my own health issues, but I believe that giving is the medicine that keeps me going.”
Freda Cavander started off proceedings with some music and song, accompanied by her fellow Kihikihi Ukulele Club members. Photo: Viv Posselt
Costumes given to museum By Chris Gardner
Costumes from the New Zealand Wars film Ka Whawhai Tonu have been gifted to Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum after two years on loan. The costumes were made by Te Ura Taripo-Hoskins for the 2024 film depicting the lead-up to the final battle at Ōrākau between March 31 and April 2, 1864. The film features Temuera Morrison,
Cliff Curtis, Miriama Smith, Paku Fernandez and Hinerangia HarawiraNicholas. The battle, fought between Māori defenders of the Kīngitanga and invading Crown forces, remains one of the most significant and painful conflicts of the New Zealand Wars. The costumes were loaned to the museum in October 2024 and have been on display alongside on-set
Ka Whawhai Tonu costume on show at Te Awamutu Museum.
photography by Cinzia Jonathan since then, first at the museum’s temporary Rickit Road home and then at its earthquake-strengthened Roche Street premises. The museum’s move back to its former premises led to discussions with the film’s associated companies and representatives Hīkoi NZ Ltd and Akeake Ltd. The aim was to keep the costumes in Te Awamutu so whānau connected to the battle could continue to view them. “It’s rare for film costumes to be retained with their whakapapa of use documented,” said museum exhibitions coordinator Henriata Nicholas. “This gift allows us to preserve those stories and highlight the relationship between history and contemporary Māori filmmaking. Ka Whawhai Tonu will be screened later this month at The Regent Theatre in Te Awamutu.
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4 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
BUSINESS SHOWCASE
KNOW YOUR SKIN, PROTECT YOUR FUTURE. Meet the new local clinic making skin cancer checks and care more accessible.
The speculation is over! The old pet shop building at 63 Shakespeare Street, Leamington is up and running as a one-stop shop skin cancer clinic. Skin in Focus offers Cambridge and its surrounding area a dedicated skin cancer detection and treatment clinic. It is a long held dream of Skin in Focus Medical Director, Dr Fiona Loan that she is thrilled to have brought to fruition. A passion for skin cancer care After finishing med school in 2009, Fiona spent five years as a surgical registrar between Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals, gaining extensive knowledge and experience in Plastic Surgery and Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery. She completed her GP Fellowship at Mahoe Med in Te Awamutu, and has balanced GP and skin cancer work in Te Awamutu, with a regular Head and Neck skin cancer job at Dunedin Hospital over the past 12 years. Fiona and her husband Matt Shallcrass (Women’s Track Cycling Coach at the Cambridge Velodrome) have lived in Cambridge since 2014, raising their three young children. “When our youngest turned three we realised this was the right time to pursue setting up a clinic for Cambridge, and Skin in Focus was born.” The statistics speak for themselves Skin cancer is set to grow exponentially in New Zealand, which has the highest rates of melanoma in the world. According to Skin Cancer New Zealand stats: • 100,000 kiwis are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. • 4000 people are diagnosed with melanoma every year in New Zealand. • Two in three New Zealanders will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. • 90% of skin cancers are preventable from childhood.
Dr Fiona Loan
Skin Cancer Doctor
“The first 15 years of a child’s life are when they are at the highest risk of having sunburn damage which may cause future skin cancers. Fiona is passionate about providing knowledge and education about sun safety for children from kindergarten to high school age, and would like to see our local schools on board. “Only 40% of schools nationally belong to the Cancer Society NZ SunSmart Schools (Ngā kura haumaru rā) Programme, which I feel is worryingly low. I have been actively working in this area to get more children and families taking simple precautions to prevent skin cancer later.” Fiona recommends applying SPF50+ sunscreen daily to the face and exposed areas to protect against UVA and UVB radiation and re-applying every two hours if outdoors. Making this part of your daily routine will protect against sun damage, and reduce early skin aging and skin cancer. “Wearing a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses, long sleeved tops and covering up, especially during the peak UV index times of 10am to 2pm is advised. “It’s Slip, Slap, Slop and Wrap….. from birth.” Highly qualified local staff As an Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor for the Australasian Skin Cancer College and a member of the New Zealand Skin Cancer Doctors network, Fiona was delighted to source her experienced and highly
Laura Williams Registered Nurse
SKIN IN FOCUS
Kelsey Abercrombie Registered Nurse
qualified staff locally. “I am one of three experienced skin cancer doctors working at the clinic and we are all Fellows of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (FRNZCGP). We all participate in ongoing skin cancer education, and keep up to date with best practice for detection and treatment of skin lesions.” Skin in Focus has three experienced surgical nurses and an admin team of three. There are two nurses dressing rooms, two consulting rooms for full body skin checks and spot checks, three surgical theatres for local anaesthetic procedures and a total body photography room. “Skin in Focus offers primary identification and treatment of skin lesions, whether it be using topical treatments, cryotherapy or local anaesthetic surgical procedures, including biopsies, simple excisions, skin flaps and skin grafts from the head, neck and torso regions. The majority of my training has been in facial plastics and I enjoy providing a high quality service with excellent surgical outcomes in this area.” “High risk cases are appropriately referred through the public or private system to specialists for higher level care, and we have good support for this in the Waikato region.” Fiona is excited to launch the new OptimaScan, the latest in AI-powered 3D Total Body Photography, that generates a 3D body reconstruction and precise lesion measurements in less than a minute. It’s
Briar McMorran Practice Manager
Dr Matt Yang
Skin Cancer Doctor
an effortless and quick way to capture new or changing moles in high-risk individuals. Creating a tranquil environment The team understands that many clients may feel anxious when they come in for a skin consult or procedure. Thought has been put into providing a friendly, welcoming, and relaxing environment for both clients and staff. Local businesses were used for the build. “We’ve chosen a relaxed, earthy décor using indoor plants, natural colours, and created natural flow with curved interior shapes to mirror patterns found in nature and reduce subconscious stress. “All our rooms are soundproofed, and have highly reflective windows and blinds for further privacy. Clients can choose their own music to play during procedures.” Skin in Focus is open four days a week from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm and no referral is necessary. “The welfare of our staff and their families is important to me. Our opening hours support our staff to be able to continue using their skills to the benefit of the community, whilst raising their families.” If you are concerned about your skin and have never had a skin check, Fiona encourages you to book in a 15 minute spot check or a half hour full body skin check. “We are looking forward to working collaboratively with local providers to treat and prevent skin cancer in our local community.”
Jemma Kimber Registered Nurse
Sophanny Bradford Receptionist
| 07 899 8171 | 63 Shakespare Street, Leamington, Cambridge | reception@skininfocus.co.nz | skininfocus.co.nz
TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 5
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
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Betty Allane Worthington discovers the fifth double-yolker from the same carton.
By Jesse Wood
Former Cambridge resident Betty Allane Worthington has travelled the world, and now she has made an eggs-traordinary discovery at her Kihikihi home. After receiving food parcels from Aged Care Waikato, Betty opened a carton of eggs. It contained five large eggs, the sixth was missing – and all five were very “orangey” double-yolkers. Double-yolkers are said to be one in 1000, so five in a box is remarkable. Betty and her dog Spot were pleasantly surprised at the additional yolks. “I was going to have two eggs. I cracked one and it was a double-yolker,” Betty said. “I said to Spot, ‘it’s got two yolks in it’ “I thought, I’ve taken it out of the fridge anyway, so I’ll do the second one too – another doubleyolker. “So Spot and I had the two eggs.” To answer the readers’ question in advance, they were fried with butter. As the days went on, Betty cracked the other three – the last in the presence of The News - to find the same. “It’s just unbelievable.” Although it was a Hen’s Choice carton, it’s likely the eggs were from a free-range source and the packet was recycled. At almost 90, Betty recalls growing up on a farm at Huapai, north-west of Auckland. They had many White Leghorn hens there and she helped looked after them. “Dad had 109 acres for a start, and then he cut the back piece of 10 acres off, Matua Rd to Tapu Rd,” Betty said. “I bought my own home with the money I earned on the farm and with
the chooks.” Even with her experience in the industry, she has never seen so many double-yolkers in her lifetime, let alone in the one carton. “I was shocked. I’ve never known that ever before,” Betty said. “We used to send crate loads of White Leghorn eggs and we only got one doubleyolker that I know of. “It was slightly bigger than the rest but nothing like the size of these.” Betty enquired with Age Concern Waikato, but the deliverer was unsure where the eggs originally came from. The package had been picked up from Citizens Advice Bureau Te Awamutu. “There was so many of them. Are these eggs kept specially? What type hens are laying eggs like this?” Betty said. “They’re very dark and their shells are very thick. What are they being fed on? “I’m very curious to find out why these eggs are so big and are they from around this area somewhere?” Fittingly, Pip Chrystall from The Egg Project in coastal Manawatu, wrote a blog post on September 9 about the very subject. “A double-yolk egg occurs when two yolks are released into a hen’s oviduct too close
Photo: Jesse Wood.
together and end up encased within the same shell similar to having twins,” Pip said. “Generally about an hour after an egg is laid the next yolk is released, but hormonal changes can cause an overstimulated ovary to misfire and release a yolk too early. “It’s more common in hens just starting to lay and again towards the end of their laying career. “It can also be genetic or hereditary and is more common in hybrids and heavier breeds.” Pip said the most known yolks found in one egg is nine. “I’ve personally seen four yolks in one egg myself, which was a genuine surprise cracking it open,” Pip said. There are also many superstitions in different cultures about what discovering a double-yolker means. “There’s some fun folklore around double-yolkers from around the world: Wiccan lore says they bring good fortune and luck,” Pip said. “In the spiritual community, finding one is said to indicate you’re about to meet your “twin flame.” But the mystery still remains unsolved, where did Betty’s quintet of doubleyolkers originate from?
Betty couldn’t believe how many double-yolkers she discovered.
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THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
Spicy challenge for Nepal Housing a ‘health issue’ By Jesse Wood
A partnership board representing 121,000 Māori in Tainui waka rohe is challenges political leaders to put healthy homes and Māori-led housing at the centre of the next government’s agenda. Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board wants political leaders to recognise housing as a health issue and commit to ensuring whānau across the Waikato, Hauraki, Maniapoto, Raukawa and Ngāti Hauā rohe have safe, affordable and secure homes. Its Tauāki Tū Position Statement on Housing released this week shows where whānau live, the quality of their home and their ability to afford it directly affects their health and wellbeing. “A decent home is not simply a roof over someone’s head. It is health infrastructure,” says Wayne Knox, a technical expert engaged by Te Tiratū to produce the analysis. “Cold, damp, overcrowded and unaffordable housing creates pressure on whānau and the health system. If we are serious about improving health outcomes, housing has to be part of the solution.” The latest data reveals almost 25 per cent of Māori report living in crowded housing, compared with 8.8 per cent of non-Māori. Forty-five percent report living in damp housing and 37.2 per cent report mould in their home. An estimated 4311 Māori in the Waikato Region are severely housing
deprived or homeless, while Māori account for 64 percent of Housing Register applications in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Waikato operational region as at September 2025, the report said. The Waikato Region had an estimated housing shortfall of 7,240 homes in 2023, and the average annual housing demand was projected at 2860 homes through to 2043. Te Tiratū says these figures should not be treated simply as housing statistics. “When whānau have to choose between paying the rent, keeping the power on, buying food, getting to work or seeing a doctor, housing becomes a health issue,” says Knox. The position statement calls for action across six strategic pou Knox has devised. They include reducing housing insecurity, ensuring safe housing for whānau in greatest need, improving the health and quality of existing homes, addressing rural isolation, improving affordability and pathways to Māori home ownership, and enabling Māoriled kāinga development. Te Tiratū also wants greater recognition by policymakers of the needs of rural whānau. Around 38 percent of Māori in the former Waikato District Health Board area live rurally, where distance, transport and limited access to services can compound housing and health pressures.
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Kihikihi Lotto Shop’s fundraiser recent event for Nepal was a hot topic about the community. Young and Susie Yeo held a spicy eve to raise almost $500 for those affected by floods and landslides in Nepal. Kihikihi locals who thought they could handle the heat, took part in the Spicy Korean Tteokbokki Challenge. “Just a few people cried on the street,” Young said. Tteokbokki is a famous Korean dish containing chewy, cylinder-shaped rice cakes cooked in a thick, sweet, and spicy sauce. There were three levels of spice, level 1 – mild hot; level 2 – bloody hot and level 3 – brave enough? At $5 per level, people were encouraged to try one or work their way through all three if enough. Funds raised went to the New Zealand Red Cross for the Nepal Flood Emergency Appeal. “Your generosity is helping Red Cross teams respond to the urgent needs of people affected by the devastating floods in Nepal,” a New Zealand Red Cross email to Young said. Earlier, the couple donated $150 to World Vision New
Young and Susie Yeo have been fundraising to flood victims in Nepal. Photo: Jesse Wood
Zealand on behalf of their customers. One of those customers is friends with the president of the Nepal New Zealand Waikato Friendship Society. “He told me many sad stories.” Hamilton couple, Mihir and Kinnari Patel, who own the Best Value dairy in Urlich Avenue, Melville, are still missing. “They went to Nepal for a holiday in their hometown and they’re missing. I was shocked, this kind of accident could happen to anybody. “When there was the tsunami
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in Japan 11 years ago and the Myanmar earthquake, we did some fundraising too. He said creating the challenge was a good way to get more people involved. “We’ve been here for a long time. Even though English is not our mother tongue, we feel comfortable to join the community in an active way,” Young said. “The weather was a bit of a shame. If we had better weather, more people would have supported the event. But I’m still happy. “I’m very happy to be a member of our community.”
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TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 7
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
Power review Expo day for seniors questioned By Viv Posselt
Q
ua N lifi ew ca ti on
The chair of the Waipā Networks Trust wants MPs to take a closer look at a government review of electricity distribution businesses, In a letter to Louise Upston (Taupō) and Barbara Kuriger (Taranaki-King Country) Sarah Matthews warns proposed regulatory changes could have the opposite effect to what consumers are being promised. She says the trust supports efforts to improve efficiency across the electricity sector but believes the current discussion document fails to tell the full story for community-owned electricity networks. The trust owns Waipā Networks, one of New Zealand’s 28 electricity distribution businesses and one that currently sits outside the Commerce Commission’s price-quality regulatory framework. Matthews said Waipā Networks increased its distribution target revenue by three per cent this financial year, equating to about 0.75 per cent of an average
customer’s total power bill because lines charges make up only a portion of overall electricity costs. By comparison, Transpower pass-through charges increased by 13.6 per cent over the same period. The trust argues public discussion around power prices often fails to distinguish between distribution costs, transmission charges, wholesale electricity prices and retailer margins. A key concern raised in the letter is that modelling carried out by Waipā Networks suggests it could be allowed to earn more revenue under the Commerce Commission’s regulatory regime than it currently charges customers. Matthews said that means regulation could potentially increase, rather than reduce, prices for consumers served by the network. The trust also highlighted its annual customer discount scheme, which will return $6.47 million this year, equivalent to 14.8 per cent of target distribution revenue. It says community
Sarah Matthews
ownership ensures benefits are returned directly to consumers while maintaining local accountability through elected trustees. Matthews wants a meeting with Energy minister Simeon Brown and any review to examine the entire electricity supply chain, including generation, transmission, wholesale and retail sectors, before new regulatory powers are considered. The trust says efficiency remains a shared goal, but any changes must be backed by evidence of consumer benefit.
A free community expo aimed at connecting seniors with local services, organisations, activities and volunteer opportunities is being held in Te Awamutu today (October 1). Believed to be the first of its kind, the Seniors Expo is being led by Te Awamutu Grey Power president Michael Cullen, with support from the Waipā District Council and various other organisations, including the RSA, Rotary, and Arvida Retirement Village. Cullen told The News that the event, being held at the Presbyterian Centre, is intended to increase awareness among seniors of the resources available to them. The 39 exhibitors include
organisations looking at various health topics, physical and online safety, leisure activities, volunteering opportunities, continuing education and more. In addition, there are seven seminars running throughout the day with experts presenting on topics such as neighbourhood support, legal issues, crime prevention and CPR training. “Across Te Awamutu, Pirongia, Ōhaupō and Kihikihi, people aged 50 upwards make up 35 per cent of the population and I believe that percentage rises to over 40 per cent in Cambridge,” Cullen said. We know many of them feel disconnected from their communities and are not necessarily informed about
Vigil for rail victim
More than 100 people attended a vigil on Sunday morning to remember the person died at the Te Awamutu railway stop last weekend. Emergency services were called to Station Rd at about 6.20pm on September 20 following the incident involving a Glenbrook Vintage Railway train. One person died at the scene. Police inquiries are ongoing and the The News understands the victim was a 17-year-old female. The Waipā District Council organised remembrance event held at Anchor Park was officiated by Te Awamutu Christian Centre
Michael Cullen
what there is out there that would serve to improve their lives.” The expo came out of a Waipā District Council advisory committee meeting. It is understood one could be held in Cambridge next year.
pastor Bruce Judd. Waipā mayor Mike Pettit , who attended, said the vigil was an opportunity for those involved to come together, to talk, reflect, grieve and to help with the healing process. “Because [the train ride] was such a unique experience, there were lots of people there. So a lot of people were affected. “There were 300-odd people on the train, but also many people interested in seeing it rumbling through Te Awamutu. Waipā District councillor Shane Walsh said the vigil showed the spirit of the Te Awamutu community, coming together and caring.
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8 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
ON SHAKY GROUND
All that lava
Space to grow By Karla Rose, Zion Church
By Janine Krippner
Around 65-66 million years ago an utterly enormous period of volcanic activity shaped an equally enormous part of our world. Our world looked different back then, and this was no ordinary eruption. In what is now central to western India, Deccan Traps lava flows cover around 500,000 square kilometres and in places reach about two kilometres. This is the exposed area; more lies offshore. For reference, Aotearoa has an area of around 268,000 square kilometres. This is one of the largest volcanic provinces on Earth with a volume of lava reaching up to two million cubic metres. This is a massive stack of many, many lava flows, including individual flows around 10 to 50 metres thick. This is what we call a flood basalt, which is the result of a large igneous province (LIP for short). Most of these look like the pahoehoe lava flows we see in Hawaii or Iceland. Other significant events happened around 66 million years ago. Firstly, a roughly 10km wide asteroid hit Earth, forming the Chixilub crater and triggering a massive tsunami. The second was a mass extinction event that resulted in the loss of around 75 per cent of species, including dinosaurs. Both the Deccan Traps and the asteroid have been hypothesised to have caused the extinction event. There is still more to uncover about these enormous events and how they both contributed to the extinction event. The link to the extinction event is because of potentially large amounts of climatemodifying volcanic gases.
FAITH IN WAIPĀ
But this depends on the timescale of the eruptions and when the largest amounts of gases were released. Earth looked different with dinosaurs roaming the landscape, but the landscape itself was also significantly different. The landmass that is now India was far from its current location. It was sitting much closer to Madagascar, east of the southern African continent. It had not yet pushed northwards into the Eurasian tectonic plate to form the Himalayas. That would start around 15 million years later. Back to all that lava. It takes a long time for this amount of material to move from below the Earth’s crust to on top of it. In this case, around 90 per cent of the lava was emplaced over around a million years. From start to finish, volcanic activity continued for up to 10 million years. We are not talking about a quick, catastrophic eruption here from one volcano. There were different eruption centres across the vast landscape. Understanding this colossal event that spanned millions of years and thousands of kilometres has taken decades of work by different researchers. While this is a relatively rare type of eruption, others have occurred around the planet like the Columbia River Basalts in the northwest United States and the Siberian Traps in Russia. Lessons learned from one can be compared to the others. As with many of our complex processes on this gorgeous planet, there is still a lot left to uncover for those who do the intricate detective work.
If you’ve had the privilege of living in, or around, Te Awamutu over the last few decades you will likely have seen a lot of change, or have seen some of the photos shared on a social media page that showcases the recent history of our little town. Te Awamutu Forever gives a nod to nostalgia, and catalyses in many of us memories of excitement at new stores arriving, the possibilities those shiny new locations opened up for us, and a clear indicator that Te Awamutu has grown and changed. It seems to me that in the healthiest places and people, change can be a sign of growth and development, it can be exciting, or even scary, sometimes it can be both at the same time. Change, and the feelings that come along with it, is why the Bible reminds us in Hebrews that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” so that even as the world around us shifts, at a sometimes-alarming rate, we have one constant, our God. We always have a safe, stable place to come back to when the world feels loud and frantic. In the same way that the Bible offers us a reminder of peace and safety, it also declares hope in the face of change. In Jeremiah it says that God knows the plans He has for us, and that those plans are for our good. Te Awamutu is growing, we can see that in the addition of new citizens who have settled here, and we can see it in the houses and subdivisions that have popped up, stretching
the borders of town into what at one time was farmland. Te Awamutu has a physical presence that is unlike any other town, we have a culture of hospitality and inclusion that I personally have experienced in few other places. We also have room to grow. As the physical, social and cultural landscape of our town expands and changes, we have an incredible opportunity to grow alongside it, we can learn to welcome and embrace new and different, without abandoning the core of who we are: hardworking, hospitable, inclusive Te Awamutu-ians. For those of us who are also Christ followers, we have an even greater opportunity to grow. New people mean more opportunities to be challenged, to encounter individuals who have more or less passion than us - people who help us to see if we are being lukewarm in our relationship with God, or if we are on fire for Him. We will encounter people who think or act differently from us, and we will see if, in the face of those differences, we can continue being who and how God called us to be, or if we need more support to become that person. As we grow, I would encourage all of us to keep a seat at the table open for somebody new, and be prepared to be challenged and stretched, because that is how we grow.
TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 9
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
College XV turned heads By Jesse Wood
At the culmination of the Te Awamutu College first XV rugby season, coach Carl Sheridan looked back with immense pride in his squad. The team placed second in the Under 18 Division One competition, fourth in Rugby by the Beach at Pāpāmoa and retained the Waipā Cup by beating Cambridge High School 47-0 during Pirongia Rugby Sports Club’s 150th anniversary weekend. They also held the coveted Tricolor Trophy for four games before losing it in the last round robin match. Representative wise, Cooper Gedye was in the Waikato Under 18 group and Nathan Dale was selected for the Waikato Under 18 Pasifika side. Dale, Sam Sheridan and Taylor Tata were all name in the Rugby by the Beach Tournament Team. “Through our connection and the way in which we trained, it gave us early hope,” Sheridan said. “Particularly after we played St John’s College second XV in the second round. The goal became, let’s make the division one final and we did that. “We also got fortunate because we got given the Tricolor Trophy at the first game because Matamata College had moved up to CNI (Central North Island). “Whoever won the first game
The Te Awamutu College first XV celebrate holding on to the Tricolor Trophy and the Waipā Cup on King’s Birthday weekend.
between us and Hamiton Boys’ High School fourth XV got to keep it. We managed to keep the trophy until the last round.” Sheridan said overall it was an exceptional season for the rural Waikato town side. “It just proves that connection is everything. Te Awamutu sides punch above our weight. “We turned heads in the way in which we played the game too, which was really nice.”
Making the final was obviously a highlight for the side but Sheridan said for him, it was the secondround fixture at home against St John’s College second XV. “If we won, and won with a bonus point, we would already make the final with three games to go,” Sheridan said. “They brought a well-stacked side to Te Awamutu but we beat them 52-14. “It’s what I’d describe as the best
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game I’ve been involved with as a coach. “Man to man we were probably 25 kilos smaller. But we were outstanding with the way we moved the ball, played the ball and everything that you build towards as a coach. “It felt like it all clicked that day.” The management have built an environment based around care based off the school values – responsibility, relationships and
respect. “If the players care at a similar level for each other, for what they’re playing for, for their family, community and the college,” Sheridan said. “When the boys take ownership of that, then the connection is strong and the outcome will look after itself. “We’re focused on looking after each other.” The squad was of mixed ages this year, including several Year 11 students. Of the other Te Awamutu College rugby teams this season, the boy’s development side finished fourth out of nine teams; Under 15 side was second; Under 14 finished mid-table; Under 55kg were fifth out of seven teams; the Under 17 girls had tough season with injuries but never gave up, drawing twice in 10 games and the new team Under 15 girls finished fourth out of 10 teams. Gabriella Mar and Miriora Crown were both selected for the Waikato Under 16 girls team, while Annaiah Gibbens and Brya Comins were with the Under 18 girls. Lydia Disher, Summer Hubay, Taylin Quinn and Nicole Kinston represented the Under 17 Harlequins team. “We’re now working on pathways to keep our talent within our region, to build our communities and build our rugby programme at the college and surrounding clubs.”
10 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
World champs for Waipā cyclists Waipā-based cyclists have again come to the fore, being named in the New Zealand squads to venture overseas in October. Cambridge’s Devon Briggs, Nicole Murray, Anna Taylor, Emma Foy and her pilot Jessie Hodges will compete at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. As part of a team of 14, Te Awamutu product Rebecca Petch will compete in the sprint and Cambridge’s Ally Wollaston will race in the endurance category at the UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai, China.
Other Waipā connected competitors in the New Zealand team include George Jackson (endurance), Bryony Botha (endurance) and Ellesse Andrews (sprint). The championships are priority events for both teams, marking the start of the qualification process for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Both teams will want strong starts to their Los Angeles campaigns and are built around the core riders who contested the recent Commonwealth Games. The endurance squads for Shanghai comprise the same five riders who were
selected in both the men’s and women’s campaigns in Glasgow. Paris gold medallist Andrews leads the women’s sprint group that includes double Olympian Petch, Hamilton’s Olivia King and Southland teenager Riley Faulkner. The women’s endurance team includes Paris Olympic medallists Botha, Wollaston and Emily Shearman, 2025 world championship medallist Prue Fowler and Canterbury’s Samantha Donnelly. The men’s endurance includes three of last year’s world championship medal winning team in Tom
Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood and joined by Commonwealth Games medallists Dan Morton and Jackson. The seven-strong Para cycling track team consist of recent Glasgow Commonwealth Games double gold medallists Foy and pilot Hodges; fellow gold medallist Briggs and podium placegetter Murray. New mother Taylor, a Paris Paralympic pursuit medallist, makes her return to top-flight competition, joined by 2025 quadruple world championship track medallist Siobhan Terry from Rotorua.
Thoroughbred property Fayette Park has been purchased by South African interests. Acting on behalf of the principal of South African betting Hollywoodbets, South African expatriate and now New Zealand-based Craig Ramsay has completed negotiations to secure the 132-hectare Okoroire property established in the late 1980s by David and Masey Benjamin and owned since 2005 by Gary and Linda Harding. Ramsay, who emigrated to New Zealand with his wife Tammy and their two teenage children in 2010, has been active at yearling sales in New Zealand and Australia over the past two years. He will oversee the operation, which will become part of the Hollywoodbets global racing and breeding interests. Coinciding with the Fayette Park acquisition, the first steps have also been taken towards establishing a resident broodmare band. Last week Ramsay signed for racemare Churchillian, winner of 11 races for trainer Tony Pike headed by the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap, Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes and Listed
Tauranga Classic. “We’re very happy to secure a quality young mare like Churchillian, who will visit Paddington,” Ramsay said. “The plan is to gradually
build a quality broodmare band at Fayette Park, with a goal of having around 20 mares.” The focus would be on assembling a broodmare band
capable of producing horses to race primarily in South Africa, with New Zealand and Australian bloodstock both forming part of that strategy. – NZ Racing Desk
New owners for Fayette Devon Briggs will feature at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.. Photo: Swpix
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TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 11
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Waipā households set to clear out hazardous waste safely Residents are encouraged to take a look around their homes and garages ahead of this year’s free Household Hazardous Waste drop-off day. The annual event alternates between Te Awamutu and Cambridge, and residents from across Waipā can register. This year’s event will be held in Cambridge on Sunday, November 1 from 8.30am to 2.30pm. Location and details will be confirmed on registration. Accepted items include garden chemicals, household waste (cleaners, poisons, paint), pool chemicals and automotive waste. Business or farm waste cannot be accepted.
Waipā events get backing to bring communities together From regattas and rugby to festivals and family fun, Waipā’s events calendar is bringing the community together. Council is proud to support these events. Waipā District Council’s District Promotion Fund has allocated $75,000 to support 29 events across the district, following strong interest from local organisers. In total, 45 applications were received requesting $358,620 in support, highlighting the passion and creative energy behind events in Waipā. The fund supports events that bring economic and community benefits to the district. That includes attracting visitors, encouraging spending at local businesses, supporting event suppliers and showcasing Waipā as the Home of Champions. Just as importantly, it helps create opportunities for people to come together, try something new, celebrate local pride and feel connected to their community. Among the events supported this year is Messam 10s, a new event to the fund, which received $10,000. Organised by former All Black Liam Messam, the event will celebrate club rugby while raising awareness and funds for the Last Chance Project, a charity supporting men’s mental health.
Maadi Cup, and the Waka Ama National Sprint Championships. Both will bring large numbers of competitors, supporters and visitors into the district, creating a buzz and a welcome boost for local hospitality, accommodation and retail businesses.
Mike Pettit Mayor
Jo Davies-Colley
Deputy Mayor
0800 WAPADC (924 723)
Registration is essential and closes Sunday, October 25. Book online at bit.ly/myhazwaste or call 0508 CHEMICAL (0508 243 642). The drop-off day is funded through the Government’s Waste Disposal Levy.
Fresh additions to this year’s line-up include the Underground Festival, The GJ Gardner Home NZ Beach Volleyball Tour, NZHRA Street Rod Nationals and the Waipā Creative Trail. Together, they add even more variety to the district’s events line-up and give residents and visitors new reasons to get out and experience what Waipā has to offer. Community favourites are also returning with support from the fund, including the Cambridge Cycling Festival, Barkfest, Cambridge Autumn Festival, Waipā Fun Run, Misty Flicks Film Festival and Stragglers Charity Car Show and Family Fun Day.
Mokomoko welcomed to Cambridge’s Pukemako Reserve Nine mokomoko, or copper skinks, have been welcomed into their new home at Pukemako Reserve. The release was part of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s lizard relocation as it extends the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere. Mayor Mike Pettit and Councillor Dale-Maree Morgan joined representatives from Ngāti Hauā, the Pukemako Reserve Joint Board, Council staff, NZTA and WSP for the release. Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust representative Makoha Pene led a karakia to bless the site and welcome the mokomoko. The event was a positive example of iwi, community representatives, Council and project partners working together to care for local taonga species and support the reserve’s wider ecosystem. Pukemako Reserve is the second release site for the programme, following the relocation of more than 200 mokomoko to Warrenheip Sanctuary.
Other high-profile events to receive support include the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Championships, better known as
Your Elected Members
Last year, over 200 Waipā residents took part. A whopping 9106kg of hazardous waste was collected for safe disposal, including 5kg of cyanide.
Get in touch: waipadc.govt.nz/our-council/our-team/mayor-and-councillors
Dale-Maree Morgan
waipadc.govt.nz
Mike Montgomerie
Clare St Pierre
/WaipaDistrictCouncil
Marcus Gower
Aidhean Camson
Roger Gordon
Dean Taylor
Shane Walsh
Pip Kempthorne
Les Bennett
12 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
Owners Pam & Ray Bestwick At Te Awamutu Funeral Services, our dedicated local team is here to provide compassionate guidance and care when you need it most - Offering generations of experience, with a personal touch. We understand that you may have questions. Pop in anytime for a relaxed chat over a cup of tea or coffee. We’re here to listen, support and help you understand your options.
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TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 13
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
with Jan Bilton
Go green Let’s talk about green vegetables — the colourful, crunchy heroes that often get pushed to the side of the plate! From spinach and broccoli to peas, beans, lettuce and kale, green veggies come in all shapes, sizes and flavours. And honestly, they deserve way more attention. Green vegetables are packed with useful nutrients that help keep our bodies healthy. They contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants that can support our immune system, digestion, bones and overall health. Spinach, for example, contains iron and vitamins, while broccoli provides plenty of vitamin C and fibre. The best part? Green vegetables can be surprisingly tasty. You can toss some spinach into an omelette, roast broccoli with a little olive oil and garlic, add peas (and mint) to pasta, or crunch on fresh cucumber in a salad. Even picky eaters might find a favourite when you cook vegetables in different ways. And don’t forget green herbs. They add pizzazz to many meals, and yes, they do contain health benefits. Parsley is one of the most nutritious garnishes, containing useful amounts of vitamin C. It also adds deliciousness when used in large quantities. Mint supports digestion and provides antioxidant benefits. Coriander is also rich in antioxidants, and it helps lower blood pressure. Go green! Irish Falafels 1 small red onion, quartered 1 each: large garlic clove, green chilli, seeded 1 cup each: packed coriander, parsley leaves, chopped 3 cups cooked chickpeas, well drained finely grated rind 1 lemon 1 tablespoon each: lemon juice, ground cumin 1 teaspoon each: ground coriander, salt, baking soda 2 tablespoons plain flour rice bran oil for frying Place the onion, garlic and chilli in a food processor and whizz until well chopped. Add the herbs. Process until finely chopped. Add the drained chickpeas, then pulse until finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients (except the oil) and mix well. Roll the falafel mixture into walnut-sized balls. Heat enough oil for deep frying to about 180°C in a small saucepan or wok. Deep-fry the falafel in batches for about 4 minutes, until brown on the outside. Drain on paper towels. Great served hot with light sour cream and /or lime wedges. Serves 4-6 as a nibble. Green Pea Gazpacho 2 1/2 cups (400g) frozen green peas 3 tablespoons chopped mint salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Irish Falafels
Green Pea Gazpacho
2 tablespoons each: lime juice, rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 small green chilli, seeded and diced 1-2 cups iced water Garnishes: diced cucumber, diced green capsicum, croutons, watercress sprigs Cook the peas and mint until just tender. Drain and refresh in icy water. Drain well. Purée the peas in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season. Add a little iced water if too thick. Chill. Whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic, chilli, and seasonings. Add enough icy water to the pea mixture to create the consistency of your choice. Add the lime juice mixture and whisk until smooth. Garnish. Serves 6 as a starter
Green Curried Eggs 400g spinach, washed and chopped 1 teaspoon oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1-2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste 1 cup coconut milk 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved Place the spinach in a bowl. Cover and microwave until limp. Cool slightly, then purée until smooth. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic. Cook on low until soft. Add the paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and spinach purée. Cook on low for about 5 minutes. Add the coriander and hard-boiled eggs and warm through. Serves 4.
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14 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
EXPERTS AIR CONDITIONING
Heat Pump Specialists
ARBORISTS
ARBORISTS PROUDLY OPERATING SINCE 1992
Total Tree Care The Professional Arborists
• Free quotations and home appraisals • Sales, service and installation
• Serving Cambridge, Otorohanga, Te Awamutu and surrounding areas Call today: 0800 772 887 Web: www.pratts.co.nz
BUILDERS
Chipping, Felling, Maintenance, Pruning, Removals, Stump Grinding, Hedge Cutting, Section Clearing & much more
All aspects of tree work, private jobs and large commercial contracts. Digger with grapple / chippers, stump grinding, mulch sales.
URBAN, RURAL & COMMERCIAL
QUALIFIED • FULLY INSURED
DENNIS CLEMENTS - 027 485 1501
@TotaltreecareWaikato www.totaltreecare.co.nz | totalnz@gmail.com
info@wilsontrees.co.nz www.wilsontrees.co.nz
ELECTRICIAN
EXTERIOR CLEANING SERVICE Cambridge Owned & Op Cambridge Owned & Operat Cambridge Owned Operate Cambridge Owned &&Operated
Cambridge Owned & Operated
DONE ONCE . . . DONE RIGHT! New builds Renovations Decks Outdoor areas ph: George 021 796300 e: foremanbuilding@gmail.com
027 514 0341 or contact form on website
For fast and quality service
HOUSE WASHING - ROOF TREA HOUSE WASHING - ROOF TREATMENTS
HOUSE WASHING - ROOF TREATMEN HOUSE WASHING - ROOF HOUSE WASHING - ROOF GUTTERS TREATMENTS - TREATMENT MOSS REMOV GUTTERS MOSS REMOVAL GUTTERS - MOSS REMOVAL 3 Residential 3 Commercial 3 Rural GUTTERSGUTTERS -SATISFIED MOSS REMOVAL - MOSS REMOVAL 100’S OF CLIENTS www.ewa 100’S OF SATISFIED CLIENTS www.ewash.co.nz 3 Solar 3 Ventilation 100’S OF SATISFIED CLIENTS www.ewash.co 100’S OF SATISFIED www.ewash.co.nz 100’S OFCLIENTS SATISFIED CLIENTS Phone MarkQuote for a FREE Qu Phone Mark for awww.ewash.co.n FREE CALL NOW! 07 873 7895
Phone Mark for a FREE Quote 870 3081 | 870 027 432 2412 3081 | 027 432 2412 Phone Mark for a FREE Quote Phone Mark for a FREE Quote 870 3081 | 027 432 2412 870 3081 | 027 432 2412 Proud to supportour local community admin@kiwitownelectrical.co.nz
870 3081 | 027 432 2412
L
FENCING
GARDENING
PAINTING
ANGSFORD – N&G AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTING–CARTING–FENCING
• Fencing • Security • Automatic Gates • Residential • Post & Rail • Farm Fencing b No jo ig • Electric • Post & Battens too b o • Any Repairs or toall • Retaining walls big & small. sm • Experienced team.
Ph Nick 027 473 0001 PLUMBING
ggworkz@gmail.com
FLOW FX DECORATING
WHERE COLOUR FINDS IT FLOW Interior & Exterior Specialists | 5 Year Workmanship Warranty Renovations & New Builds | Residential & Commercial FREE Quotes
022 544 6538
info@flowfxdecorating.co.nz WASTE REMOVAL
WAIPA ALUMINIUM SECURITY DOORS AND FLYSCREENS
• Bathroom Renovations • Gas Hot Water • Repairs, Service, Installation
Your local heating specialist
fruit tree care residential & commercial tidy up special occasions
SECURITY DOORS
Need a plumber?
0800 PRATTS
garden resurrection rose pruning hedge trimming maintenance
• Locally owned & operated • Over 28 years experience in aluminium A division of Pratts
AVAILABLE FROM: 100 Roche Street, Te Awamutu 07 870 5020 | teawamutu@pratts.co.nz | www.pratts.co.nz
Other Showroom Locations: 6 Main North Road, Otorohanga | 10 Albert Street, Cambridge
• Aluminum Window and Door Assessment and Repair Service
YOUR LOCAL WASTE SERVICE vvV
Simon Whale 022 469 2423 waipaali@gmail.com | www.waipaaluminium.co.nz
SKIP BINS
• 9m3, 6m3, 3m3 bins. • Household, building and hazardous waste services
WHEELIE BINS
• 240L general and organic bins • 240, 600 & 1000L bins for commercial services
www.cambins.co.nz | info@cambins.co.nz | 07 827 3375
To advertise your business with the Experts
Phone Daniel 020 4023 8018 or email daniel@goodlocal.nz
TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 15
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICES
SERVICES
TE AWAMUTU CONTINUING EDUCATION
Promote your business and gain customers with
Services Classifieds
Wednesday 7 October 2026 10am Entry: $4 on arrival Waipa Workingmen’s Club Speaker: Nicky White Topic: Friends of the St John’s Emergency Department. Everybody Welcome More info phone 07 870 3223
PUBLIC NOTICES
PROPOSED PRIVATE PLAN CHANGE 31 TO THE OPERATIVE WAIPĀ DISTRICT PLAN – TE AWAMUTU T4 GROWTH CELL Availability of Summary of Submissions and Further Submissions Clauses 7 and 8 of Schedule 1 to the Resource Management Act 1991 On Thursday, June 11 2026, Waipā District Council notified Proposed Private Plan Change 31 - Te Awamutu T4 Growth Cell (PC31). Submissions closed on Monday, July 13 2026. Council has prepared a summary of the decisions requested in submissions received on PC31, which is now available to view at www.waipadc.govt.nz/planchange31, or at Council offices and public libraries in Te Awamutu and Cambridge. Further submissions on PC31 can now be lodged with Council. The closing date for further submissions is 5.00pm Thursday, 15 October 2026. A further submission may only be made in support of, or opposition to, another person’s submission and can only be made by: • • •
Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest Any person with a greater interest in the plan change than the general public Waipā District Council
Further submissions must follow and provide the information required by Form 6 in the Resource Management (Forms, Fees, and Procedure) Regulations 2003. The further submission form can be accessed at www.waipadc.govt.nz/planchange31 Further submissions can be made: • • • •
Online: www.waipadc.govt.nz/planchange31 Email: districtplan@waipadc.govt.nz Post: Private Bag 2402, Te Awamutu 3840 In-person: Waipā District Council offices, 101 Bank Street, Te Awamutu OR 23 Wilson Street, Cambridge
You must serve a copy of your further submission on the person who made the original submission within five working days of lodging it with Council. Please email districtplan@waipadc.govt.nz to request the contact details of the original submitter. Notification date (summary of submissions): Thursday, 01 October 2026. Further submission closing date: 5.00pm Thursday, 15 October 2026. Steph O’Sullivan Chief Executive
CHURCH NOTICES
SITUATIONS VACANT
Gardening Work
garden resurrection tree care Gardeningfruit Work rose pruning residential & commercial Are you fit, enjoy working outdoors, looking for hedge trimming extra income? tidy up maintenance occasions If the answer is yes then wespecial have something for
Are you fit, enjoy working outdoors, looking you working in a small team 1-2 for days aextra week, possibly more for the right person. income? Please send your CV to If the answer is yes then ggworkz@gmail.com we have something for you ggworkz@gmail.com working in a small team 1-2 days a week, possibly more for the right person. Please send your CV to ggworkz@gmail.com or call 027 238 2517 and speak to Tess.
FOR SALE
PLANTS FOR SALE
PIRONGIA ggworkz@gmail.com TOPIARY Supporting our people for 25 years Open Fridays 10am-4pm 132 Sainsbury Rd Pirongia OR Phone Susan Ranstead
0274 176 379
PUBLIC NOTICES
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
CAMBRIDGE TOWN HALL COMMUNITY TRUST
CALF MILK WANTED
The Annual General Meeting of the Cambridge Town Hall Community Trust will be held as follows: Date: Tuesday, 27 October 2026 Time: 7pm Place: Victorian Room, Cambridge Town Hall – entrance off Victoria Street All welcome.
We buy milk!
Got reject or surplus milk? Call us today on 027 871 5075. We collect within 1.5 hours drive from Te Awamutu.
AGM
Our all inclusive packages $5,990 FULL BURIAL PACKAGE $2,990 DIRECT CREMATION PACKAGE See Nepia funeral services FB & website Jack Nepia 027 466 8166 Opposite Fresh Choice Te Awamutu
Jim Goddin & Teri Keir - Funeral Directors
Support when you need it most Saying goodbye is never easy, but our local, compassionate team is here 24/7 to guide you with care and respect.
07 870 2137 262 Ohaupo Road, Te Awamutu www.rosetown.co.nz
Missed Delivery? Phone 07 827 0005
SERVICES
TEACHER AIDE
FOR TELEVISION REPAIRS & TUNING
MAIHIIHI SCHOOL
• Television Aerial Installations & Extensions • Satellite atellite Dish Installation • Stereo Repairs
We’re looking for a caring, positive, and reliable Teacher Aide to join our friendly rural school team. • This is a term-time, school-hours position of approximately 12–18 hours per week, supporting students with their learning, health needs, and participation at school. Days and hours may be negotiated for the right person. • Previous experience is an advantage, but not essential – what matters most is someone who enjoys working with children, builds great relationships, and is willing to learn. • Pay negotiable, dependent on skills and experience, in accordance with the Teacher Aide pay scale.
For more information or to apply, contact Principal Lisa Smith at principal@maihiihi.school.nz or 07 873 2887.
CHURCH NOTICES
WESTEND ELECTRONICS Since 1990 871 5193
Garth Williams Funeral Director, Owner
Pam & Ray Bestwick Locally owned and operated
Our team is caring and compassionate. We give the utmost attention to detail in all aspects of our service. www.qikstop.co.nz
www.qikstop.co.nz
W.O.W
Presbyterian Church
All Welcome
5 Whitmore St, Kihikihi
Passed peacefully on 21st September, aged 78, at Waikato Hospital, with Lisa by his side. Cherished husband of Ailsa (Lisa). Devoted father of Matthew & Shelley, Cheryl & Gareth and treasured stepfather of Michelle & Mark, Natasha & Pete. Loving brother of Gemma, Maureen (dec) & Haddy, Stephen & Denise, Bob (dec) & Mary, James & Linda, Mary-Rose (dec), Gerry (dec) & Elaine, Martin (dec), Gabrielle & Peter and Peter. Special Father Joe to nine grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Sincere thanks to all the staff at OPR1 for their amazing care. Rest in Peace, Joe. A memorial service to celebrate Joe’s life will be held at 2pm on Thursday, 8th October at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 494 Grey St, Hamilton East.
SITUATIONS VACANT
Kihikihi
CHURCH SERVICES 10am 4th October Rev Ken Wall plus Communion
DEATH NOTICES WILSON, Joseph Paul (Joe) –
MOBILITY SCOOTER blue, brand new, $3500 ono. Ph 021 032 8676
WANTED TO BUY
Bocock’s Calf Rearing Pete 027 433 1440 Mark 0274746917
FUNERAL SERVICES
Family Notices • Engagements • Weddings • Births • Anniversaries • Bereavements • In Memoriam etc
Call Janine 027 287 0005 e: janine@goodlocal.nz
Lawn & Property Services
• No fuss premium Lawn mowing and Landscaping • One off get it under control or regular keep it nice • Scarification and lawn weed control • Handyman services • WINZ approved / GST registered Residential or Commercial, Big or Small. We do it all at WOW! Phone/Text/Whatsapp: PH 021 084 29261
16 | TE AWAMUTU NEWS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026
H TS 112
Make big Battery power lawns better
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 13.8hp - 38” / 95cm Cutting Width Compact yet powerful garden tractor offers intuitive operation and delivers excellent results on large open lawns.
PROOF
100% BATTERY POWERED
H TS 100i Garden Tractor
100% Battery powered Belt-free cm Cutting Deck Now is a good time to bring your gear in38” for/ 95 annual servicing 2 kWh battery
SAVE
$1000
you can trust
5,199RRP
$
H TS 114
H TS 100i
H TC 100i
L TS 218T
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 14.8hp - 38” / 95cm Cutting Width Reliable garden tractor delivers an exceptional mowing experience on any large lawn – even in narrow passages.
100% Battery powered - Belt-free - 95cm I 38” Cutting Deck 2kWh battery Optimised battery power for efficient mowing and easy riding .
100% Battery powered - Belt-free - 95cm I 38” Cutting Deck2kWh battery Battery-powered garden tractor with collector, dynamic mowing and power-conserving savE™ mode.
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 24.5hp - 42” / 108cm Cutting Width An efficient and ergonomic garden tractor with a powerful engine to maintain larger lawns easily.
H TS 112 Garden Tractor
5,699
$ Husqvarna Series™ RRP Engine - 13.8 hp 38” / 95 cm Cutting Width
$9,299 $10,299 RRP
SAVE
$400
L TS 216Tm Garden Tractor
10,299 RRP 42” / 108 cm Cutting Width
$Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 21.5 hp
SAVE
$400
L TS 220TD Garden Tractor $
SAVE
11,499
Husqvarna Series™RRP Engine - 26.2 hp 42” / 108 cm Cutting Width - Diff Lock
L TS 220TD
L TS 220TDF
L
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 26.2hp - 42” / 108cm Cutting Width High performance garden tractor with diff lock and comfort-enhancing features.
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 26.2hp - 42” / 108cm Cutting Width High performance mowing with ClearCut™ Fabricated cutting deck and diff lock.
Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 26.2hp - 48” / 122cm Cutting Width A powerful and comfortable side discharge tractor with ClearCut™ Fabricated cutting deck and diff lock.
$5,189 $5,589 RRP
TS 222TDF
7,299RRP
9,499RRP
L TS 354
$9,549 $10,049 RRP
9,990RRP
$
7,299
Husqvarna Series™RRP Engine - 26.2 hp 42” / 108 cm Cutting Width - Diff Lock
SAVE
$500
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 24.0hp - 54” / 137cm Cutting Width Premium tractor with ClearCut™ fabricated deck, heavy-duty transmission with electric diff lock and superior comfort features.
$8,229 $8,729 RRP
$6,599 $6,999 RRP
$
$500
L TS 220TD Garden Tractor $
11,999RRP
$
$
SAVE SAVE SAVE Z242E Z242F H L Z242F LL Z254F Onsite robotic$SAVE mower demo’s available. We also have preowned robotic mowers for sale. $ $ $ 300 200 Zero Turn 400 Zero 500 Zero Turn ZeroTurn Turn
H Z146 Zero Turn
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp / 108 cm Z146 H42" Cutting Width Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5hp - 46” / 117cm Cutting Width Cutting edge design, proven performance and new innovative features combine to make lawn maintenance an event instead of a chore.
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp 46” Cutting H/ 117TCcm 114 Width Husqvarna Series™ Engine - 14.8hp - 38” / 95cm Cutting Width Reliable garden tractor delivers an exceptional mowing experience on any large lawn – even in narrow passages.
$8,429 $8,729 RRP
6,999RRP
$
MZ48Zero Turn H L Z245i Garden Kawasaki FR Tractor Series V-Twin - 23.0 hp
SAVE
$1000
-100% 48” / 122cm BatteryCutting poweredWidth Delivers a powerful performance and comfort Width 42" / 107 cm Cutting with its commercial-grade build, ergonomic controls, heavy-duty ClearCut™ fabricated deck, and versatile mowing capabilities.
15,299RRP $15,449 $16,449 RRP $
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 24.0 hp 54"L/ 137Z254F cm Cutting Width
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5hp - 42” / 108cm Cutting Width Cut like a professional with true zero turn performance and heavy-duty ClearCut™ fabricated deck for land-owners with open lawn areas.
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 24.0 hp - 54” / 137cm Cutting Width 112 tough conditions with a rock-solid Built toTS withstand frame, powerful engine and high performance Garden Tractor ClearCut™ fabricated deck for a superb finish.
$9,849 $10,049 RRP
$
$10,459 $10,859 RRP
$12,939 $13,439 RRP $
R 200iX Rider H HR 214TC
H R 214TC Rider RC 318T
H R 316TsX AWD Rider
8,299RRP
$
100% BATTERY POWERED
Kawasaki FR Series V-Twin - 21.5 hp / 108 cm Cutting Width L42"Z242F
Garden Husqvarna Series™Tractor V-Twin Engine - 16.1hp -
kWh Battery powered 37” /294cm Cutting Width - 30cm Uncut Circle 103 cm Cutting Widthdeck that provides Features a combi cutting - 40 cmoptions Uncut Circle two cutting – BioClip® mulching and rear ejection cutting for higher, tougher grass.
$11,669 $12,169 RRP*
11,999
10,299RRP
SAVE
$500
refers to base unit only $*Price Optional decks available: RRPC94i, 94 cm $2,519/C103i, 103 cm $2,709. Plus optional Power Supply available: 300W or 900W. (sold separately)
12,499RRP
SAVE
LHusqvarna Series™ V-Twin Engine -
$500
16.1 hp 37" / 94 V-Twin cm Cutting Width - 30-cm UnHusqvarna Series™ Engine - 18hp CircleCutting BioClip®Width mulching and rear ejection 41 cut / 103cm Thiscutting systemoptions. efficiently directs grass clippings from the front-mounted cutting deck straight into the spacious 300-litre collection. Includes CRC103 deck.
RRP $18,380 9,439 $8,729 RRP
$
SAVE
$750
H R 200iX Kawasaki FS Series V-Twin - 13.2 hp 103, 112 cm Cutting Deck Cutting Width - 40cm Uncut Circle 2 kWhorBattery powered - 103cm BioClip® mulchinglow andnoise rear battery ejectionriders with Dynamic State-of-the-art cutting options. mowing for an even cut – BioClip®mulching and rear ejection cutting - and power-conserving savE™ mode intelligently optimises battery use for class-leading capacity and efficiency.
$$14,939* $15,689 RRP 14,389
*Price refers to base unitRRP only Optional decks available: cc103, 103 cm $2,739/ cc112, 112 cm $3,349
FINANCE OPTIONS AVAILABLE
LAWNMOWER AND CHAINSAW CENTRE Manager Charles Sutherland-Clark manager@lmcc.co.nz
Service Manager Clive Baldwin workshop@lmcc.co.nz
Parts James Bradley parts@lmcc.co.nz
Parts/Automowers Ben Mackie parts@lmcc.co.nz
Accounts/Admin El-marie Sutherland-Clark admin@lmcc.co.nz
07 871 8838 333 Sloane Street, Te Awamutu www.LMCC.co.nz