Totara Park, Upper Hutt

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Whether it's a new building going up or a strange noise you keep hearing, ask your neighbours here.

1522 days ago

Our Father's Day Giveaway WINNER!

Neighbourly.co.nz

Thanks for all of your entries in our Father's Day giveaway! It was great to see all the love that Dads were getting across the nation.

It was a very difficult decision, but we want to say a massive congratulations to Elvi from Eden Terrace who took out the competition!

Don't worry … View more
Thanks for all of your entries in our Father's Day giveaway! It was great to see all the love that Dads were getting across the nation.

It was a very difficult decision, but we want to say a massive congratulations to Elvi from Eden Terrace who took out the competition!

Don't worry if you missed out, there's plenty more where that came from. Keep your eyes peeled for our next giveaway.

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1525 days ago

Poll: Do you support Matariki becoming a public holiday?

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

Labour is promising to make Matariki New Zealand’s twelfth public holiday. It would be the first new public holiday since the Third Labour Government made Waitangi Day a public holiday in 1973, although then Prime Minister Norman Kirk called it “New Zealand Day”.

Please mark any comments Not… View more
Labour is promising to make Matariki New Zealand’s twelfth public holiday. It would be the first new public holiday since the Third Labour Government made Waitangi Day a public holiday in 1973, although then Prime Minister Norman Kirk called it “New Zealand Day”.

Please mark any comments Not For Publication if you do not want to be quoted in a story.

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Do you support Matariki becoming a public holiday?
  • 65.2% Yes
    65.2% Complete
  • 34.8% No
    34.8% Complete
437 votes
1522 days ago

Brighten up your garden with a bird bath.

The Team from Resene ColorShop Upper Hutt

Brighten up a corner of your garden with this easy-to-build bird bath and paint it in a Resene colour to suit your exterior colour palette.

Make the most of this weekend with this easy step by step project idea from Resene. Find out how to create your own

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1522 days ago

Retrofit double glazing - good all year round

RetroFit Double Glazing - Wellington

We all know that Retrofit double glazing is good for winter, but did you know it's also good for summer too?
Check out our short video and look at the heat transfer from single glazing vs our Low E double glazing. Talk to our local team about how we can tailor a retrofit double glazing … View more
We all know that Retrofit double glazing is good for winter, but did you know it's also good for summer too?
Check out our short video and look at the heat transfer from single glazing vs our Low E double glazing. Talk to our local team about how we can tailor a retrofit double glazing solution for your home. Request your no obligation free measure and quote here or call 0800 658 658.

1522 days ago

Have you ever been really hungry?

Sisters of Compassion

The Compassion Soup Kitchen has been feeding hungry Wellingtonians since 1901.

At the moment, the demand is greater than it has been for a very long time. People are suddenly finding themselves unable to make ends meet, facing job losses and reduced hours. On average, we’re serving 150 meals,… View more
The Compassion Soup Kitchen has been feeding hungry Wellingtonians since 1901.

At the moment, the demand is greater than it has been for a very long time. People are suddenly finding themselves unable to make ends meet, facing job losses and reduced hours. On average, we’re serving 150 meals, six days a week, to both new and familiar faces.

Help out those who are doing it tough during the pandemic, donate to our Annual Appeal today!
Donate now

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1522 days ago

Vegepod $50,000 Giveaway

Jo McCarroll Reporter from NZ Gardener

We're giving away 100 Vegepods. To enter purchase the September issue of NZ Gardener, find the code and enter it online at Stuff.co.nz/vegepod Find out more

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1524 days ago

Poll: Should we ditch Labour Day for Matariki?

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

We can thank Wellington carpenter Samuel Parnell for the the eight hour day and our annual Labour Day holiday.
It has been held on the fourth Monday of every October since 1910. National Leader Judith Collins, however, has suggested that if we want Matarki as a public holiday, we should get rid of … View more
We can thank Wellington carpenter Samuel Parnell for the the eight hour day and our annual Labour Day holiday.
It has been held on the fourth Monday of every October since 1910. National Leader Judith Collins, however, has suggested that if we want Matarki as a public holiday, we should get rid of an existing holiday like Labour Day.
That is something the Labour Party is unlikely to agree with but what do you think?

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Should we ditch Labour Day for Matariki?
  • 18% Yes
    18% Complete
  • 82% No
    82% Complete
735 votes
1523 days ago

Son comes to rescue of pensioner about to lose his home

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

A pensioner about to lose his home for unpaid rates is resting easy after his son made an arrangement with the council that wanted him out.

Stuff reported on Thursday that 75-year-old retired engineer Justin Gregory was facing the loss of his house due to unpaid rates.

His home was one of two … View more
A pensioner about to lose his home for unpaid rates is resting easy after his son made an arrangement with the council that wanted him out.

Stuff reported on Thursday that 75-year-old retired engineer Justin Gregory was facing the loss of his house due to unpaid rates.

His home was one of two advertised as up for sale after Napier City Council gained High Court orders under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.

Another homeowner, Sharon McCleary, was also facing the loss of her home.

By mid afternoon, relatives of McCleary and Gregory, had contacted the council.

A council spokeswoman said “we are pleased that family members of both Mr Gregory and Ms McCleary have been in contact with council, and we are hopeful that a good outcome can be reached for everyone involved.”

1523 days ago

Was Bill Sutch a spy?

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

It has taken nearly 50 years but a new book on Bill Sutch is sure to spark debate in to an old controversy.

In September 1974, Bill Sutch was arrested and charged under the Official Secrets Act 1951, after a series of clandestine meetings with KGB agent Dimitri Rasgovorov, an official at the … View more
It has taken nearly 50 years but a new book on Bill Sutch is sure to spark debate in to an old controversy.

In September 1974, Bill Sutch was arrested and charged under the Official Secrets Act 1951, after a series of clandestine meetings with KGB agent Dimitri Rasgovorov, an official at the Soviet Union's embassy, in Wellington.

He was subsequently acquitted but documents later found in the KGB archive suggested he was a Soviet agent.

His son-in-law, Keith Ovenden, has now written a book, Bill & Shirley: A Memoir, looking at the life of Sutch and his wife Shirley Smith. Smith was a prominent lawyer and the first woman in New Zealand to be a full member of a university law faculty.

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1522 days ago

University meeting abandoned after online hack

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

Victoria University students’ association (VUWSA) has had their online annual general meeting hacked, with an unknown intruder sharing “racist, homophobic, and graphic content”.

The AGM was abandoned after the screens were hacked and distressing images and messages were streamed.

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1523 days ago

Love daffodils? Find your favourite variety here

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

There are literally thousands of daffodils here, where Ian Riddell has spent over 25 years in the business, from preparing the soil and planting bulbs to harvesting flowers and selling them.

1523 days ago

Cancer Rehabilitation Awareness Week

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

One in three people are affected by cancer in New Zealand. It is the leading cause of death, and although survival rates have improved with better treatment options, many people miss out on rehabilitation.

Often those diagnosed are not aware of resources available to manage pain and improve their … View more
One in three people are affected by cancer in New Zealand. It is the leading cause of death, and although survival rates have improved with better treatment options, many people miss out on rehabilitation.

Often those diagnosed are not aware of resources available to manage pain and improve their overall quality of life. Kiely Pepper was seeing the Petone physiotherapist after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

She had chemotherapy-induced pain and weakness in her hands and feet, pins and needles and reduced joint awareness, and crippling fatigue. For five years Kiely participated in regular rehabilitation, and two years ago, Kiely and her friends competed in a water sports event, and the same year her dragon boating team, Can Survive, finished second in Florence.

The following year, Kiely took part in wheelchair basketball and indoor rowing at the Invictus Games in Australia, even fitting in a chat with Prince Harry between cycling events.

This week, September 7 -13, is Cancer Rehabilitation Awareness Week, where people are encouraged to spread the word about the resources available to help recovery.

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1523 days ago

Corruption alleged at Upper Hutt prison

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

A major police investigation is looking into suspected staff corruption at Rimutaka Prison.

It’s alleged numerous staff smuggled contraband, including drugs, to inmates, laundered money through their bank accounts and forged official documents.

Much of the suspected illicit activity is thought … View more
A major police investigation is looking into suspected staff corruption at Rimutaka Prison.

It’s alleged numerous staff smuggled contraband, including drugs, to inmates, laundered money through their bank accounts and forged official documents.

Much of the suspected illicit activity is thought to have been for Mongrel Mob gang members, but there may also be links to organised crime groups offshore. The staff involved were allegedly given money as payment.

National Organised Crime Group manager, Detective Inspector Stuart Mills, confirmed the inquiry had been going since July.

”A large number of interviews have been completed with staff from Rimutaka Prison and the vast majority of these staff members have been co-operative," he said.

“The investigation remains ongoing and no charges have been laid at this stage.” He said an earlier police investigation prompted the inquiry, which also involved Wellington police and Corrections were involved.

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis said he was aware of the investigation, which related to “alleged offending that began some years ago".

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1523 days ago

Poll: Should we ban gangs?

Nicholas Boyack Reporter from Community News

Stuff movie reviewer Greame Tuckett loved Savage and suggested it is a film all New Zealanders should see.

"Savage is, in its best moments, a stunning achievement. And it is never less than heartfelt and engaging. Very recommended."

Directed by Sam Kelly, it takes a look at the life of … View more
Stuff movie reviewer Greame Tuckett loved Savage and suggested it is a film all New Zealanders should see.

"Savage is, in its best moments, a stunning achievement. And it is never less than heartfelt and engaging. Very recommended."

Directed by Sam Kelly, it takes a look at the life of gang leader Moses. Set in Wellington in the 1980s, Kelly suggests that we can trace the emergence of gangs in New Zealand to institutions like the Epuni Boys Home in Lower Hutt, where physical and sexual abuse was rife.

Tuckett was particularly impressed by the way Savage gets "behind the masks of gang life and talked to the lost boys and mutilated men" in gangs throughout New Zealand.

One of the highlights was the performance of James Matamua, who was discovered in a Upper Hutt boxing gym.

The movie will inevitably raises questions about attitudes to gangs and whether politicians should take a tougher approach. Tell us what you think?

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Should we ban gangs?
  • 83.6% Yes
    83.6% Complete
  • 16.4% No
    16.4% Complete
286 votes
1523 days ago

Activation’s G.O.L.D. is back for 2020!

The team from Upper Hutt City Council

G.O.L.D. Growing Old Living Dangerously, is the perfect way to unlock your backyard for a Summer adventure.

For our spritely 50+ age group, join the Activation team at Upper Hutt City Council for a series of days out and about in the Wellington region from October 2020 to March 2021.

View more
G.O.L.D. Growing Old Living Dangerously, is the perfect way to unlock your backyard for a Summer adventure.

For our spritely 50+ age group, join the Activation team at Upper Hutt City Council for a series of days out and about in the Wellington region from October 2020 to March 2021.

Breweries to coastal walks, there is something for everyone and plenty of friends to make along the way. Pick up a brochure from H2O Xream, Upper Hutt Libraries or Expressions and let the adventure begin!
Find out more

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