Poll: Do you think Santa parades are a core service for councils?
South Waikato district councillors will soon face the vexed question of whether Santa Parades are core council services, or simply “nice to haves”.
Last year was the first time in 35 years Tokoroa locals missed seeing Santa Claus roll down Bridge St after volunteers from the Tokoroa City Lions Club pulled the pin on their annual parade due to escalating costs for health and safety and traffic management regulations.
Do you think Santa parades are a core service for councils? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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21.4% Yes
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16.7% Not sure
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61.9% No
Poll: Does a savoury scone require cheese on top, or folded inside?
Help settle the great kiwi debate ... cheese on top, or folded inside?
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76.5% Inside!
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23.5% On top!
Unicorn Art Club
Join us these school holidays for a magical art session at Unicorn Art Club! Kids will learn how to sketch horses and unicorns step by step, then paint their own colourful unicorn artwork to take home.
This fun 90-minute workshop encourages creativity, builds drawing skills, and gives young artists the chance to create something they’re proud of in a relaxed, supportive class.
Dates & Ages
✨ 7 April: 5–7 years
✨ 14 April: 8–12 years
Time: 10.00am – 11.30am
Cost: $25 per child
Spaces are limited, so be sure to book to secure a place at artsforhealth.co.nz
A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
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