Are you a fan of helium balloons?
The cost to fill them has risen - which you might have noticed if you've had one recently.
A worldwide helium shortage is behind the price hike, which is being noticed by David's Emporium in Hamilton.
It's not so bad if you want one standard latex balloon, manager Kim Owen said.
But it adds up when people book 30 or 40 balloons to be filled at once, so they're developing some alternatives.
Want to know more? Click here.
Poll: What do you think should happen with Chateau Tongariro?
The Government has refused to commit to saving the Chateau Tongariro Hotel, leaving demolition, decommissioning or private restoration all on the table despite strong community pressure to preserve the iconic building.
In a formal response to a petition led by Ruapehu District Mayor Weston Kirton, ministers acknowledged the Chateau’s cultural and economic significance but said no changes to current policy or legislation were warranted Chateau Petition response.
What do you think should happen with Chateau Tongariro? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
-
5% Demolish it
-
0% Decommission it
-
95% A private operator should restore it
-
0% Other - explain in the comments
Tamahere home in dentist case was once centre of accountant’s fraud
It’s been a feature in a recent Hamilton District Court trial , but a Tamahere mansion already has an complicated history.
The property in Woodcock Rd - notable for having a hydroslide in the back yard - the scene of now-disproved alleged sexual offending by Hamilton dentist Rahul Gautam - made headlines more than 15 years ago, when it was a focus in the case of accountant Gary Soffe.
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
-
60.9% Yes, supporting people is important!
-
23.5% No, individuals should take responsibility
-
15.6% ... It is complicated
Loading…