264 days ago

A Winter Treat for NZ House & Garden Subscribers!

NZ House & Garden

Winter is the season for slowing down – flickering candles, warm interiors, and time to savour life’s little luxuries.

So why not make your winter even more indulgent? Right now, when you subscribe to NZ House & Garden for 1 or 2 years, you’ll receive a FREE Aura Gold Mānuka Honey Radiance Mask from Antipodes – valued at $76

This luxurious mask is made with sustainably sourced mānuka honey and showcases the very best of natural skincare. It hydrates, brightens and restores – a true winter glow-up, inspired by nature.

Treat yourself to a beautiful magazine and a self-care ritual, all in one.

Subscribe now!
From the team at Mags4Gifts

*T&Cs apply. Offer available to the first 200 people who subscribe for 1 or 2 years between June 23–July 28, 2025.
Find out more

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More messages from your neighbours
2 hours ago

Unicorn Art Club

Arts for Health from Arts for Health Community Trust

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

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3 hours ago

A reminder this hunting season

The Team from New Zealand Police

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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J
4 days ago

Mr Minit in Chartwell: Be wary

Jenny from Hillcrest

Hi all,
Just sharing my experience. I had the battery for my car key replaced in March 2025 at Mr. Minit in Chartwell. I was given a one‑year warranty, which seemed impressive at the time.

However, the battery stopped working early Mar 26. With the warranty card, I brought the key back to have it checked and replaced. What I didn’t realise was that the battery was *not* actually replaced. He only tested it with a meter. When I asked whether he had replaced the battery, he said “yes,” but that wasn’t true. He then said he had tested the battery level and there was no need to replace it. When I asked to see the meter, it showed the battery was in the green zone which means it was ok.

I was then advised that I might need to replace the entire key unit. I asked whether he had properly troubleshot the issue to confirm it was the battery and not the key itself. His reply was that he normally doesn’t do that, but I was a “special case.” That means, the warranty card was a misrepresentation and there was no real intention of replacing the battery when it was faulty.

After he finally replaced the battery with a new one, my key worked perfectly again.

**Lesson learned:**
Make sure you take a photo of your warranty card. I feel like the warranty is mostly for show — if I had lost it, I would have been charged another $20+ for a battery. Worst still, I would have to pay more to change the key unit unnecessarily.

Make sure you witness that they replace your old battery with a new one if it's still under warranty.