1154 days ago

Auckland man earns long service award

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Peter Cooke has worked in the same job for 49 years.

The 73-year-old is the longest serving staff member at Mount Eden's Community Corrections service in Auckland.

The probation officer has been recognised with a long service and good conduct award.

It all started in 1971 when Cooke joined the probation service after gaining his law degree at Auckland University.

The probation service "seemed a good place to start and much more exciting than being a lawyer," he said.

"(I) stayed because I still have some of the idealism left and the criminal justice system is still an exciting place to work in."

In 1971 the Probation Service, as it was known, was a division of the Department of Justice.

This changed with the establishment of the Department of Corrections in 1996.

In Auckland, there was a main office in High St with reporting centres in the suburbs, Cooke said.

"I looked after Henderson and you were at the reporting centres at night on your own.

"In addition, probation officers collected fines and reparation as part of a special condition of probation, and a cash box with a float of money accompanied us."

Cooke was the sole charge district probation officer at Kaikohe.

He recalls travelling on his own to do home visits for most of the rural caseload.

Cooke has seen many changes over the years.

People under probation orders were now much more difficult to manage and more unpredictable, he said.

Before the 2002 Sentencing Act, there was a national Parole Board for those sentenced over 7 years Imprisonment and a District Prisons Board for each prison deciding release for those serving under 7 year sentences, Cooke said.

"They also decided on back end Home Detention before Home Detention became a separate sentence. "

Image
More messages from your neighbours
4 days ago

Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

Image
Does the building consent process need to change?
  • 91.4% Yes
    91.4% Complete
  • 8.2% No
    8.2% Complete
  • 0.4% Other - I'll share below!
    0.4% Complete
1193 votes
S
1 day ago

Chicken Gizzards!

Sunita from Royal Oak

Kia ora Neighbours

I purchased a pack of chicken gizzards from Pak n Save, Royal Oak on Fri 19 April 2024. The net weight of the packet was 1.280Kg. Up on cleaning the gizzards before cooking, I removed 330g of inedible portions. I consider this as fraud because the store charged me for 1.280Kg of gizzards but sold me 950g for the price (photos attached-inedible bits circled in blue).

I took up with matter with Pak n Save, Regional Office and they forwarded my complaint to the Royal Oak store for investigation. The Royal Oak Pak n Save have advised that they are discussing the matter with their supplier, Tegel. During the communication, it was stated by the store that in the week beginning 15 April, they sold 104 packets of chicken gizzards and have not had any other complaints.

If anyone else has purchased Chicken Gizzard from Pak n Save, Royal Oak, have discovered inedible bits in the packet and think that this practice needs to stop as it is resulting in customers being overcharged, please raise the issue with Pak n Save, Royal Oak.

Thank you!
Sunita

1 day ago

Lest we forget...

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

On this ANZAC Day, let's take a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

Tell us who are you honouring today. Whether it's a story from the battlefield or a memory of a family member who fought in the war, we'd love you to share your stories below.

Image