Dentists chip in to give Auckland's Singing Cowboy his smile back
Auckland’s famous Singing Cowboy has got his smile back.
Entertainer Jock Hume, 74, was swimming at Tiritiri Matangi Island, off Auckland’s Whangaparāoa Peninsula, on March 24, when two of his teeth were knocked out by kids who were skipping pebbles.
“It knocked out two of my lovely front teeth. It was such a shock to me, I was stunned,” Hume said at the time.
Hume is a familiar face on the streets of Auckland, where he has performed country and western songs with his acoustic guitar since busking was first permitted in the 1980s.
Following Stuff’s story on the matter, Dr John Wright of Hibiscus Coast Dental rallied a group of dental clinicians and technicians to fix Hume’s teeth, free of charge.
Hume said he was “most grateful and appreciative” of his new smile, which he described as “the best Christmas present ever”.
Click 'read more' for the full story.
Video by Stuff's Abigail Dougherty
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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