1531 days ago

Was Bill Sutch a spy?

Reporter 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 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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More messages from your neighbours
3 hours ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

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1 day ago

Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.

What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?

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When should the tree go up? 🎄
  • 5% Second half of November
    5% Complete
  • 43.8% 1st December
    43.8% Complete
  • 16.6% A week before Christmas
    16.6% Complete
  • 33.2% Whenever you wish
    33.2% Complete
  • 1.4% Other - I'll share below
    1.4% Complete
1023 votes
17 hours ago

The Neighbourhood’s Brainiest: Can YOU Solve Today’s Riddle?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

You see a boat filled with people.
It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat.
Why?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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