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Rangiora farmer Rodney Back is upset at being charged for water that he's not using.
In fact, no-one is using the water – the charges relate to empty sections he subdivided a few years back.
The Waimakariri District Council says it doesn't matter how much water is being used, or … View moreRangiora farmer Rodney Back is upset at being charged for water that he's not using.
In fact, no-one is using the water – the charges relate to empty sections he subdivided a few years back.
The Waimakariri District Council says it doesn't matter how much water is being used, or whether it's used at all, Beck has to pay a fixed charge.
As a protest, Beck turned on each water supply last week, allowing an estimated 10,000 litres of drinking water a day to run down the drain.
The 78-year-old North Canterbury farmer said he was a firm believer in user pays, but objected to paying for something no-one was using, and planned to leave the taps on until the council intervened.
Read reporter Keiller MacDuff's full report here (subscription required).
You nominated your most-loved locals - now it’s time to vote! We’ve managed to whittle down over a thousand nominations into regional finalists, so we need to know who deserves to win. Regional winners will go into the running for national titles, as judged by a panel led by Peter Gordon, so … View moreYou nominated your most-loved locals - now it’s time to vote! We’ve managed to whittle down over a thousand nominations into regional finalists, so we need to know who deserves to win. Regional winners will go into the running for national titles, as judged by a panel led by Peter Gordon, so make sure to get your votes in.
Head to stuff.co.nz/loveyourlocal to cast your votes, and go into the draw to win a Restaurant Association voucher.
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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury amateur astronomers are set to help in the tracking of space rocks as they fire through the earth’s atmosphere above Canterbury.
Oxford Area School has joined a nationwide network of meteor trackers by installing a fireball-tracking … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury amateur astronomers are set to help in the tracking of space rocks as they fire through the earth’s atmosphere above Canterbury.
Oxford Area School has joined a nationwide network of meteor trackers by installing a fireball-tracking camera above the entrance to its observatory.
Observatory volunteer Raul Elias-Drago said the camera was up and running and he could remote access it from his home.
There was just a technical issue to overcome, as it appeared the school’s firewall was preventing the uploading of images to the internet.
"It is exciting. You think - wow! It’s mounted, the hard work is done and now it is just a matter of resolving the IT," Mr Elias-Drago said.
The camera was pointing towards the celestial south pole, away from possible light pollution.
Observatories and schools throughout New Zealand were already part of the network with cameras installed.
The Canterbury Astronomical Society has mounted a camera at its observatory at West Melton, near Christchurch, which is pointing west, away from the Christchurch city lights.
The cameras captured the night sky on clear nights, being triggered by bright flashes.
Camera data was uploaded each day to the istrastream.com/rms-gmn/?country=NZ |Global Meteor Network|.
With enough cameras pointing at the night sky, it was possible to triangulate the trajectory, speed and mass of a space rock speeding through the Earth’s atmosphere.
This led to finding a meteorite in Dunedin last year.
It is believed that several meteorites landed in New Zealand each year, although only nine have been documented in the last 160 years.
The cameras were also capable of identifying meteor showers, with one camera capturing 400 meteors in one night last year.
Elias-Drago said the school hoped to use the images in science classes once the camera was fully operational.
Observatory volunteers were planning an event to mark the launch of the meteor camera next month.
Dear neighbours, every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of reader recipes using a seasonal crop. This month, we're on the hunt for cauliflower recipes! Send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by June 25, 2023. Every published recipe wins a copy of the August issue of NZ Gardener.
Reinvent an old picnic basket into a snazzy new sewing case with fresh Resene colours.
Find out how to revamp your own with our handy advice.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Woodend School’s student leaders are excited about changes to vaping legislation.
In the changes announced on June 6, the Government said it would put a stop to vape shops opening within 300 metres of a school or marae.
It would also cut down on … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Woodend School’s student leaders are excited about changes to vaping legislation.
In the changes announced on June 6, the Government said it would put a stop to vape shops opening within 300 metres of a school or marae.
It would also cut down on disposable vapes, restrict descriptions on product flavours, and prohibit enticing names such as "cotton candy" and "strawberry jelly donut".
Principal Andrew Retallick said the announcement by Health Minister Ayesha Verrall showed the stance by his student leaders in speaking out had paid off.
Student leader Jasper Rosewarne launched a petition earlier this year, after learning a vape shop had opened across the road from the school over the summer holidays, with the support of Retallick and the other student leaders.
"Jasper shared with us the government’s moves around vaping and we had a good discussion," Retallick said.
"It shows having the article in the paper and being on TV news made a difference.
"We were really happy when we learned of the announcement - it is a good start."
Jasper’s father, North Canterbury-based Labour List MP Dan Rosewarne, said having organisations like Woodend and Belfast Schools and the Cancer Society speaking out, made it easier to make a case to the Health Minister for change.
"It is a good shot in the arm for the kids at Woodend School," he said.
But Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said the changes were too little, too late.
"The shops are already there. Are they removing them?"
Kearney also questioned the restricting of flavours.
"Why do we need flavours? If it is a vehicle to stop smoking there does not need to be a flavour."
The Australian government recently announced a ban on recreational vaping, while the United Kingdom is considering a crack down.
The New Zealand government has ruled out following suit, but Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has directed the Health Minister to bring some suggestions to Cabinet.
For now the government’s priority was on the Smokefree 2025 goal, focused on tobacco.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to protect Oxford’s night sky are gaining momentum.
The Oxford Area School Observatory has met with local stakeholders and now plans to submit an application for dark sky park status with the International Dark-Sky Association.
The ultimate … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to protect Oxford’s night sky are gaining momentum.
The Oxford Area School Observatory has met with local stakeholders and now plans to submit an application for dark sky park status with the International Dark-Sky Association.
The ultimate goal was to become a dark sky reserve, volunteer Raul Elias-Drago said.
He said gaining dark sky park status for the 11,350-hectare Oxford Forest Conservation Area was a good first step.
"There’s no power, no light fittings, so it is very easy to gain accreditation and the Department of Conservation is supportive.
"We can use that to generate momentum and then continue the conversation with the council and local businesses, generate some funds and come back to addressing the lighting in the township."
A dark sky reserve would include the conservation area as the core and the township as the periphery.
Oxford-Ohoka Community Board chairperson Thomas Robson said the board was supportive of the project.
"It is something that has been talked about for a while and there has always been a desire to do it and hopefully it will bring people to the town.
"The observatory is such a great facility and the more well-known it becomes, the more volunteers and support it will generate."
Robson said there would be some challenges in getting a dark sky reserve application together, but he believed the initiative would have broad community support.
"The majority of us moved to Oxford to enjoy the rural lifestyle and part of that is the night sky.
"In the long term it will be a good thing for the community and it is nice to have proposals like this coming to the board which are good news stories."
Elias-Drago gave a presentation to the community board last week before meeting with stakeholders in the Oxford Town Hall.
Stakeholders included local businesses, sports clubs, schools, Oxford Gallery, the Oxford A&P Association, the Department of Conservation, Waimakariri District Council staff and Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC).
"It was a full house and we also had members of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand and the International Dark-Sky Association zoom in, in support."
Elias-Drago said there were questions around lighting.
He said good lighting policies could reduce light pollution, improve melatonin levels in humans and improve animal welfare.
"It is not about living in the dark. I want people to have a better life. It is about better living through better lighting."
A study commissioned by ENC suggested a dark sky reserve could generate $5.4 million in additional spending in the town and create up to 24 jobs.
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
Bylaws are ‘‘toothless’’ without enforcement, a Waimakariri district councillor says.
Al Blackie, a retired dentist and volunteer maritime safety officer, has vented his frustrations at boat users who he says are exceeding the 5-knot speed… View moreFrom local democracy reporter David Hill:
Bylaws are ‘‘toothless’’ without enforcement, a Waimakariri district councillor says.
Al Blackie, a retired dentist and volunteer maritime safety officer, has vented his frustrations at boat users who he says are exceeding the 5-knot speed limit on the Kaiapoi River, in violation of a local bylaw.
He said he recently photographed a jet ski doing repeated passes at speed.
“To be fair she slowed down when she got to the marina, and turned around, but she was beating it by the time she got to the coastguard building.
“We are between a rock and hard place because it is a navigation issue, which is Environment Canterbury’s responsibility, and it takes 45 minutes to an hour for them to get here and get a boat on the water, and by then they’re gone.
“One of these days there is going to be carnage.”
Local rowing clubs trained on the river from young children to adults, and it also had an impact on the Kaiapoi River Queen, Blackie said.
The problem was the council had no way of enforcing its bylaws, he said.
Signs were put up to warn of speed limits, but these were often removed, vandalised or used for target practice.
He wanted councils to be given the ability to issue fines.
Blackie said the council faced similar issues when trying to enforce the Pegasus Bay Bylaw.
The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group faced challenges from cats, dogs and vehicles, as well as rats and black-backed gulls, as it sought to protect native birds
“Often it is locals, and their fellow locals, who can be quick to moan about it, but they don’t report it,” Blackie said.
“It is going to take the good locals dobbing in the bad locals to get to the bottom of this.”
June is upon us, so it's well and truly time to hunker down for the colder temperatures. For some across Aotearoa, this just means a second duvet on the bed. And for others, it's defrosting your car windscreen daily and bringing out the heaters.
What do you do to prepare for winter? … View moreJune is upon us, so it's well and truly time to hunker down for the colder temperatures. For some across Aotearoa, this just means a second duvet on the bed. And for others, it's defrosting your car windscreen daily and bringing out the heaters.
What do you do to prepare for winter? Share your tips for staying warm and dry, and for making the most of the chillier season.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
7.30pm on Thursday 22 June at the Rangiora Museum, 29 Good Street, Bob Gumbrell, a local retired veterinarian will speak on WHY WE HAVE VETERINARIANS AND WHO HAVE THEY BEEN? All welcome, donations appreciated from non members and supper will be served. This will be an interesting community event in… View more7.30pm on Thursday 22 June at the Rangiora Museum, 29 Good Street, Bob Gumbrell, a local retired veterinarian will speak on WHY WE HAVE VETERINARIANS AND WHO HAVE THEY BEEN? All welcome, donations appreciated from non members and supper will be served. This will be an interesting community event in our cosy museum.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Recruiting young people into emergency services is back on the agenda for two North Canterbury councils.
The Hurunui District Council is bringing back its Youth in Emergency Services camp in July, while the Waimakariri District Council is looking to … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Recruiting young people into emergency services is back on the agenda for two North Canterbury councils.
The Hurunui District Council is bringing back its Youth in Emergency Services camp in July, while the Waimakariri District Council is looking to replace its successful cadet programme with a Youth in Emergency Management course.
Youth in Emergency Services (YES) was a national programme to introduce young people to volunteering in emergency services, until funding ran out five years ago.
The programme is being re-introduced in the Hurunui district thanks to the efforts of the Hurunui Youth Council
‘‘I was informed about the YES camp concept last year when I took the lead on the emergency services portfolio,’’ youth council deputy chairperson and Amuri Area School year 13 student Sam Bush said.
‘‘I decided it was something worth looking into and, through our youth council processes, it was voted on to proceed and planning began.’’
The youth council has joined forces with police, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR), St John and the Red Cross.
Funding has come from the Ministry of Youth Development, the Rāta Foundation and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM).
The YES camp will run during the July school holidays, from July 10 to 14, at the Hanmer Forest Residential Camp and is open to young people aged 16 to 19-years.
‘‘The camp is a good pathway for youth who are interested in becoming a volunteer or are looking at one of the emergency services as their future career,’’ Bush said.
‘‘It will provide them with an opportunity to experience some of what is involved with these organisations.’’
After running the YES programme for several years in collaboration with the Hurunui and Selwyn District Councils, the Waimakariri District Council’s CDEM team developed its own cadet programme.
But the programme became difficult to sustain during Covid-19, Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said.
‘‘It was an initiative that we were very proud to have developed, however, the past couple of years have provided a difficult environment in which to operate the programme.’’
Council staff reviewed it last year and decided they could not continue it in its present form.
‘‘After engaging with the cadets, their families and key staff, it was decided the best option would be to replace the CDEM cadet programme with a sustainable long-term programme for Youth in Emergency Management,’’ Gordon said.
The new initiative would run for eight weeks, instead of being run for the duration of the school year, with the potential to offer it up to four times a year.
The focus would be on Civil Defence training.
■ To apply for the Hurunui District Council’s YES Camp, go to hurunui.govt.nz/yescamp2023.
Hey Neighbours, don't let rising living costs and surging insurance premiums in 2023 leave you uninsured! Renewing your policies without first checking if the price has increased, could lead to bigger bills. Let's avoid that!
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