STUART SMITH MP for Kaikōura stuart.smithmp@parliament.govt.nz 0800 STUART
Wednesday 19 February 2025
Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Stuart Smith MP, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.
Softball success
A new start Page 4
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We’re the A league of ‘kindest’ to their drone stray cats WILLIAM WOODWORTH
Marlburians are more than twice as likely to adopt a stray cat, according to a new survey. PetDirect found Marlborough has the highest ratio of pet cats which were adopted after the cat turned up unannounced. Twenty eight percent of Marlborough moggies are adopted this way, which is double the nationwide average. And while the high percentage of adopted strays may stem from a variety of causes, vets say former stray cats deserve the same amount of love and care upon adoption as a new kitten. “Adopting cats from the ‘cat distribution system’ is a complex issue, strays often have complex needs after a rough start to life”, adds PetDirect veterinarian Feargus McConnell. “They tend to be timid, are
more likely to engage on their terms and make themselves scarce around new people - however, some of the best cats I’ve met are former strays who often just pick a comfortable place at homes or businesses where our worlds cross over and settle there. “It also may just show that people in Marlborough are the kindest to cats.” Springlands Veterinary Centre’s Tash Luxton says cats have incredible survival situational awareness around finding steady sources of food, water and safety, because they’re always watching and tend to hang around close to where it is easiest for them to live. “Their response to humans varies between cats because of their varied personalities and experiences, so when a cat is adopted through the ‘cat distribution system’ it
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Skyworks owner operators Colin and Zoe Aitchison hope their DJI Flycart drone could help in an emergency response. Photo: Paula Hulburt.
Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s a super drone and its owners think its capabilities could be key in a crisis. Skyworks owner operators Colin and Zoe Aitchison from Waikawa have one of just three DJI Flycarts in the country. They hope the purpose-built cargo lifting drone could keep people living in isolated areas of the Marlborough Sounds connected with vital supplies in an emergency. Food, water, medicines and even fuel could be taken by drone and
distributed to people in need. For Colin, who grew up visiting his family’s bach near Arapaoa Island, being able to help complement community emergency response efforts makes sense. “We’d find out how we could best fit in with what’s already there. “It’d be interesting to run some trials and see how it [the drone] fits into the already existing eco-system. “This isn’t about replacing helicopters, we’re not trying to replace them at all, it’s simply about having another tool in the toolbox.” The experienced drone pilot, who has support from local business
Picton Foursquare for the idea, has been flying them for 12 years. He came up the idea after searching online how to stabilise his GoPro through his job as a freefall parachuter. “I was a freefall photographer tasked with capturing perfect imagery of what would be for many, a once in a lifetime experience as they tandem skydived from as high as 15,000ft. I was looking for something to stabilise the GoPro and ended up down discovering drones and could see their potential,” Colin explains.
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