News in brief
Rubber meets road
Cambridge based award winning business Treadlite New Zealand is talking to Selwyn District Council about constructing the country’s first rubber road. The council plans a rubber road surface trial in January in Glentunnel on State Highway 77, 40km inland from Rolleston in Canterbury, a Local Democracy Reporting story revealed this week.
Festival a success
Groups from across region gathered at Karāpiro on Thursday for the Te Wakatini Mid Central kapa haka festival.
Moana Rewi performs for Te Roopu Atawhai o Te Tairāwhiti
Six groups, including four containing members with intellectual disabilities, were supported at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre by Idea Services from the Waikato as well Gisborne, Rotorua, and Hawke’s Bay.
There was a huge turnout of whānau and community cheering on the performers.
Māori advisory group member Te Atakura Ryan Kaitakawaenga said participants took kapa haka very seriously. “It’s an important artform to the Idea Services community. It’s a taonga and it encourages connection to whakapapa and to each other,” she said.
Kapa haka rōpu leader Robert Smith said being a member of a kapa haka rōpū for many years had strengthened his understanding of Māori culture. “Since joining kapa haka, I’ve learned about visiting marae and the tikanga that comes with it,” he said. “It’s a celebration that brings people together through culture, music and performance.”
The organisation will return to the Waikato for a national event next year.
Hornet check
Biosecurity New Zealand has put extra staff on as it looks for more yellow-legged hornets on Auckland’s North Shore. Having been criticised for a slow initial response, the department said it had more than 20 people focused on “enhanced” searches and more than 100 staff across MPI involved in the response.” Traps, number “more than 180” were being checked daily. Nine queens have been found so far.
Police appeal
Police are appealing for information about a fatal crash on Te Pahu Rd, on October 18. Sergeant Steven Jones, Waikato Road Policing, said the crash on Waipā road just after 11am involving a motorcycle that appeared to have left the road between Whatawhata and Te Pahu. The rider died in hospital. Police believed the crash happened during a group ride involving motorcycles travelling around the area and want to hear from anyone who may have seen it or has dashcam footage around the time of the incident.
Dairy youth
Fonterra is increasing its support for 16-20 year olds entering the dairy industry with a new two-year programme piloted in Waikato and Bay of Plenty and delivered in partnership with Growing Future Farmers, a national charitable trust providing a hybrid farmer-led vocational training model.
Regional appointments
Garry Reymer, mum Betsy Reymer, and daughter-in-law Liz Stolwyk. Photo: Chris Gardner
Waipā-King Country regional councillor Liz Stolwyk has been appointed chair of the Waikato Regional Transport and deputy chair of Waikato Regional Council’s Strategy and Policy committees while her brother-in-law Garry Reymer is deputy chair of the Finance and Performance committee. The appointments were to be ratified today (Thursday) at the regional council meeting in Hamilton.
Waddell wins
Rob Waddell
Cambridge Olympic rowing champion Rob Waddell has won an award from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission, for his New Zealand Sport Collective business which connects schools, sporting organisations, sponsors and broadcasters to deliver sporting experiences.
The award was for incorporating bilingual commentary into their sports broadcasts.
Waikato posts
Crystal Beavis and Mike Keir have picked up committee chair roles on the Waikato District Council. The Tamahere-Woodlands councillors will chair Policy and Regulatory and the Roading sub-committee. Keir has also been appointed deputy to deputy mayor Eugene Patterson on the Assets and Infrastructure committee, one of three powerful all of council committees which provide governance oversight and decision-making authority on key areas of council business.
Cheers to the next three years – Tamahere-Woodlands councillors Crystal Beavis and Mike Keir.
Different Crossing
DOC Central North Island Operations Director Damian Coutts says the Tongariro Crossing, opened this week, will look different “from the scorch marks on the pou Te Ririo, to the blackened landscape, it’s a sobering view” DOC and Fire and Emergency New Zealand say they are confident the track is safe for visitors following this month’s enormous fire, but are monitoring for hotspots continues.
