Scott Simpson resists the red wave to secure a fourth term
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Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 Phone (07) 866 2090 Circulation 8,500
Scott Simpson resists the red wave
to secure a fourth term
By Gillian O’Neill
The Coromandel’s newly re- and I’ve also seen the cycles that
elected MP has credited his happen within politics. When it’s
work over the past nine years your turn, it’s your turn.”
and his strong relationships with Mr Simpson maintained the
constituents for saving his job severity of the drubbing may
in the face of the “red tide” that even help National in the long
swept across New Zealand and left run as it would fuel the changes
his staunchly blue constituency required. “It’s an opportunity for
looking decidedly purple. us to have a good, hard look at
After last Saturday’s general ourselves,” he said. “I was part
election, Scott Simpson will return of the overview that was done in
to Parliament for a fourth term 2002 after what was our biggest
where he has vowed to continue ever loss. That was almost 20
to be a passionate advocate for years ago, so I think it is probably
the Coromandel. Alongside that, time, it’s a healthy thing to do,
he said, will be a major rethink especially now. There is nothing
and rebuild process for the like a big, punishing loss to focus
National Party after what was a your thinking.”
“crushing defeat.” Mr Simpson said he believed
For the first time since 2002, the review needed to look at
the Labour Party topped the everything from structures and
party vote in the Coromandel strategies, to staff and values.
electorate, attracting 43 per cent “We need to pretty much start
of voters, a massive jump from over and go back to square one,”
the 28 percent received three years he said.
ago. National took 34 percent, As attention now turns to what
a seismic drop from its 51 percent a Labour government with such
share in 2017. Although Labour a huge mandate can deliver,
candidate, Nathaniel Blomfield, Mr Simpson said the Coromandel
slashed Mr Simpson’s 14,300 needs more attention and he will be
vote margin three years ago to just loudly seeking it. Unsurprisingly,
4,200, the relatively comfortable roads are top of his list.
win remained a rare highlight “We (the previous National-led
on a bleak night for the National government) had two big road
Party that saw a long line-up of Newly re-elected MP for Coromandel, Scott Simpson, took the opportunity to say thank you infrastructure projects ready to
serving MPs ousted from their so-called true- for a fourth term in Parliament when he visited Coromandel Zipline Tours go, Pokeno to Mangatarata, the front driveway
blue seats. at Driving Creek Railway last Sunday. to the Coromandel, and Waihi to Tauranga
Mr Simpson ended Saturday night’s which were cancelled by the Labour Party as
count on 19,241 compared to 15,035 for Asked why he thought people who did not most beautiful place in the country.” soon as they got in,” he said. “We also want to
Mr Blomfield. The numbers may move vote National this time still gave him the tick, Acknowledging the support and see our rescue helicopter come back and then,
slightly when special votes are counted. Mr Simpson said, “I consider that a personal commitment of the hundreds of volunteers of course, we have the three one-lane bridges
The Green’s Pamela Grealey finished third compliment and I think it reflects the work who worked hard during the campaign, in Tairua which we want to see upgraded.
with 2,656 votes. and effort that I have put in over the past nine Mr Simpson said he was “sanguine” about I will be continuing to raise issues relating
“I’m feeling humbled and extremely years. I love my job, I love what I do. It is the outcome and his party’s poor performance to the Coromandel which has been neglected
grateful that we have been able to stave off the satisfying at a personal level to be able to help consigning him to the opposition benches for and ignored over the past three years.”
red tide in the Coromandel electorate during and assist constituents. Most of all, I love another three years. “I’ve been involved with In the meantime, it’s back to Wellington to
what has been a stunning result for Jacinda the opportunity to be an ambassador for the the National Party since I was a teenager,” talk about his party’s future and say goodbye
Ardern,” Mr Simpson told The Informer. Coromandel Peninsula, which I think is the he said. “I’ve seen plenty of ups and downs, to a large number of caucus colleagues.
Distributed throughout the Coromandel Peninsula, coast to coast from Thames to north of Colville - www.theinformer.co.nz
Antique barber’s chair ready for new
home after stunning restoration
By Gillian O’Neill
Built in America sometime around 1900, some kind of straw or filling, and then I realised
a pristine looking antique barber’s chair now it was hair,” says Warren. “It just kept coming,
sits in the corner of the break room at the it was unbelievable really, every colour you
Whitianga MenzShed. could think of - black, brown, ginger. It really
Bought for around $600 by local residents made me think about all the people who
Trish and Craig Hill in 1985, the Koken must have sat in the chair, hundreds, maybe
Congress Pedestal Hydraulic Chair No 147 thousands, all with their own stories to tell.”
has been on quite a journey over the past 35 But the chair did not have any further
years. But its life and times before the Hills secrets to share so where its working days
picked it up at a New Plymouth antique shop were spent and with whom remains a mystery.
remains a mystery. “Unfortunately, I didn’t find any more hidden
“I just liked it,” says Craig. “I thought I would clues,” says Warren.
restore it, so we bought it and I took it apart. In all, around a kilogramme of hair was
Then it sat in pieces in a box and travelled all removed before Warren set to work repairing
around the world with us until we sent it back the original framing, which he said was in
into storage in New Zealand in 2000. It has been really good condition given the chair’s age.
to Thailand, Singapore, Australia twice and lots “The biggest problem was the seat springs
of other places, so it has had quite the OE.” which were really bad, but I was able to revive
Eventually the chair settled in Whitianga the straw that was in there and build the seat
when the couple retired here in 2008, its fate back up and then reupholster it,” he says.
still undetermined, until a chance discussion Alan who first started to work on the chair
with neighbour, Mike Brown, chairman of the almost a year ago, is very happy with the results
Whitianga Sea Scouts. “We knew the Scouts of his labour. “I was doing bits on and off, then
were in need of money for their new den, so we we had the lockdown and we needed to find the
thought if we could get the chair restored it could right people for certain aspects of it,” he says.
be sold to help raise funds,” says Craig. “Then it all sort of came together quite quickly.”
Finding the expertise and knowledge for the Trish and Craig say seeing the chair back
job brought the MenzShed into the picture, to its former glory is amazing and they are
where committee member, Alan Hooper, took delighted it will now hopefully find a new home
it on. “I started getting the hydraulics and with someone who will love and appreciate it.
brake sorted,” says Alan, who was delighted “We’re just glad that it’s going to be able to
with the opportunity to put his engineering help these two great community organisations,”
background to good use. “Then we sent it off says Craig.
to get it nickel sprayed.” The money raised from the sale of the
One part was missing and Mercury Bay chair will be divided equally between the
Engineering came to the rescue. With the Sea Scouts and the MenzShed. A Trade Me
metal work complete, it was the turn of Warren auction is being considered, but Mike says
Brookes from Whitianga Upholstery to work Some of those who were involved in the restoration of an antique barber’s chair he is also very happy to hear directly from
his magic and in the process discover plenty of which is being sold to raise money for the Whitianga Sea Scouts and the Whitianga MenzShed. local buyers who may be interested in putting
evidence of the chair’s former life. From the left - Alan Hooper, Trish and Craig Hill, Max Laird (a young MenzShed supporter), in an offer. Anyone keen can phone him
“I started finding what I first thought was Warren Brookes and Mike Brown. on (021) 995 323.
What’s happening in the night sky? Night sky information
provided and sponsored by
Week of Wednesday, 21 October to Wednesday, 28 October - Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all still visible in the late evening sky. Mars is gradually
moving away from us, getting fainter… is it still brighter than Jupiter? Saturn is high overhead like Jupiter, a lot fainter but still obviously a planet as it
doesn’t twinkle like the stars. Venus is getting closer to the Sun, so is ever nearer to it and thus ever lower in the predawn eastern sky, unmistakable
with its brightness. It’s also a nice object in even a small telescope, but make sure the telescope never points towards the Sun or instant blindness can
result. This is a good week to observe the day-to-day movement of the Moon in its 28-day orbit around us… it rises about an hour later each day and
we can track its movement by watching it near Jupiter and Saturn each night. Wednesday, 21 October - Tonight the Moon sits just below Sagittarius,
which looks like an upside down teapot pouring its tea onto the Moon. Thursday, 22 October - The Moon lies just below Jupiter with fainter Saturn a bit Astronomy Tours and B&B
higher up in the evening and is just below the handle of the upside down teapot. Friday, 23 October - The Moon now sits just above Saturn with much Phone (07) 866 5343
brighter Jupiter a bit further down. Tuesday, 27 October - The International Space Station will just skim along the southern horizon starting at 9:56pm
in the SSW and will be quite faint as it will be 1,500km from us tonight. www.stargazersbb.com
Whitianga and Hot Water Beach tides Tides data sponsored by
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4 Dakota Drive
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Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Tel 07 869 5990
Page 2 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
Mercury Bay Club donation
to Whitianga Coastguard
The Mercury Bay Club was proud to hand on Friday last week a cheque of $500 to the Whitianga
Coastguard Unit. The club undertook earlier this year to donate all the gate takings of their 2020
Bounty of the Sea Festival to the Coastguard. Entry to the festival - which was held on Sunday,
27 September - was by way of gold coin donation.
“The weather on the day of the festival wasn’t good,” said Peter Berry, club president. “If it was
a calm, sunny day, we would have had many more people through the gates. We nevertheless
are pleased with how the day went and to be able to support our local Coastguard unit.”
Stuart Brown, president of the Whitianga Coastguard Unit, said they appreciate the support of
the Mercury Bay Club. “There’s always a huge demand on our finances and this donation will
help to ensure our crew have the equipment they need to do their job to the best of their ability,”
he said.
Pictured are those who were present when the cheque was handed over. From the left -
Graham Caddy (Whitianga Coastguard Unit), Stuart Brown, Sheryl Andrew (Bounty of the Sea
Festival organiser) and Peter Berry.
699 - 20
Issue 920 27 October
July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 3
Cash injection to help manage freedom camping on the Coromandel More than $650,000 will be pumped it’s at no cost to ratepayers,” said Mayor into managing freedom camping on the Sandra Goudie. Coromandel over the summer period “As we demonstrated from last year, following a massive cash injection from the huge [impact] all of this support had on the Ministry of Business Innovation and positive visitor behaviour and the effective Employment (MBIE). management of tourism has put us in good Thames-Coromandel District Council stead to receive significant funding for this received $656,566 through the Responsible year too. We’re extremely grateful to the Camping Fund, which will be invested in government for acknowledging this - and the signage, increased servicing of 60 public fact that the Coromandel is one of the most toilet facilities, education and information, popular areas in the country that people want and the employment of a team of ambassadors to visit over [the summer period].” to assist campers with making the most of While MBIE’s Responsible Camping their visit while also understanding the rules Research 2019/2020 does not include regional and their responsibilities. data on attitudes towards freedom camping, Although down on last year’s allocation of it reveals a high level of concern around the $721,774, it is the largest single chunk out of impact of the activity. Around 76 percent of the $8 million fund distributed across New New Zealand residents think that freedom Zealand, reflecting Thames-Coromandel’s camping has negative impacts on the local position as the most visited district in the environment. This view is shared by local North Island in terms of freedom campers council and Department of Conservation and the fourth most popular in the country. rangers in key camping regions who still According to research carried out by MBIE, face problems like ablutions in natural an estimated 127,000 individual camping areas, littering and misuse of waterways. Freedom campers in Whitianga on Saturday last week. nights were spent on the Peninsula in the Participating in a survey for the report, would like to see it banned altogether. In terms of visitor spend, domestic freedom 2019 calendar year. DOC also highlighted problems with people Overall, the research concluded that all campers spent an average of $43.50 per TCDC said it has been fortunate to receive trying to avoid paying fees at DOC camping districts have problematic freedom camping visitor night, with $14 being spent on food the money in order to manage what is grounds on the Coromandel Peninsula and sites due to high use and/or poor facilities. and drink and $12.70 on vehicle fuel and anticipated to be a very busy peak summer revealed shared powers enabling TCDC Some of the problems are caused by campers maintenance. When vehicle hire is excluded, period. “The indications we’re getting for rangers to also issue infringements at DOC who knowingly breaking the rules, while international campers who purchased their the summer is that we could have a 30 per sites were being looked at. others are due to mistakes or misinformation. own vehicles spent an average of $37.50 per cent increase in our domestic visitors to the Around 55 percent of New Zealand Resource constraints and the geographic visitor night, compared with $77.80 for those Coromandel, so this additional service is residents would like to see more restrictions spread of sites makes enforcement difficult who hired a budget vehicle and $83.20 for going to be really important and even better, placed on freedom camping and 10 percent for local council and DOC staff. those who hired a premium vehicle. Page 4 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 5
Chapman family legacy remembered
at Opito Sands
By Gillian O’Neill
There are tears in Sue Edens’s eyes as she talks
about her brother, Perry. The anguish of the
moment 50 years ago when she desperately
pulled his lifeless body from beneath the tractor
he had been driving along Blackjack Road
is still raw and vivid. “He was a really good
driver,” she says. “We think he missed a gear
and couldn’t brake. He turned the tractor into
the bank to try and stop it, but it tipped over.
We heard the thud and I ran down the road.
When the road workers arrived, they lifted
the tractor and I dragged him out. The only
thing we took comfort from is that he would
have died instantly.”
Perry was just 14 and his name now sits
proudly at the heart of the Opito Sands
subdivision alongside those of Sue’s parents,
Joyce and Skipper Chapman. Telling their
stories is important to Sue. The construction
of the children’s playground at the new Perry
Chapman Reserve marked the final stage of a Photo left - Joyce and Skipper Chapman. Photo right - Sue Edens at the Perry Chapman Reserve, which was named in memory of her brother.
14-year dream that has been both rewarding
and challenging in equal measure. “It was what we have achieved.” including some bottlebrush to help feed the damage the dune system like has happened on
deeply personal for me,” Sue says of the 76- With titles finally received at the end of April, birds over the winter months,” Sue says. other parts of the coast.”
lot development, established on part of what the first new homes have started to appear “At one point we had thousands of plants in Sue also hopes that work to redirect the creek
was her parents’ farm. “This is where I grew at Opito Sands and Sue says seeing people a nursery and we were constantly potting and will reduce the impact on the dunes and allow
up, my parents were one of the pioneering breathing life into her vision is satisfying. repotting. I also made a contribution of $76,000 more sand to build up over time. “I still go up
families of Opito Bay. I believed I could Despite battling through a variety of health to help with pest control to protect the dotterels. to the subdivision every day just to check in and
continue that legacy in a way that was careful issues, her hands-on approach has seen her That’s something that has just always been see how everything is,” she says. “I hope to build
and thoughtful, continuing to look after our pour hours of physical labour into the project important to me. Back in 1986, I even learned a house on the hill just behind it eventually.”
precious environment. Not everyone agreed, alongside the substantial financial investment calligraphy and made a sign, ‘Mother at work - It’s all quite a change from the family’s early
of course, and it was a tough journey. It is not she says was vital to make it everything she NZ dotterels,’ for out there on the dunes. beginnings at Opito Bay. “The old house had a
pleasant when you fall out with some of your wanted it to be. “There was also lots of boxthorn and other coal range stove, outside toilet and no running
neighbours, but we have worked really hard to “We planted 1,600 Pohutukawa and 12,000 weeds that we have been removing for years. water,” Sue says. “Often my Mum would say,
do something special here and I am proud of other plants on the hill behind the subdivision, Now we have beautiful boardwalks so as not to ‘There’s a thousand acres and three miles of
4
Page 6 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
Chapman family
legacy
beach, get out of my kitchen,’ so we spent all things were tough,” Sue says. “I had 13 trips
our time off exploring. As a child I rode all to hospital overall and several surgeries.
over Opito Bay with Linda Moore from the I eventually had a pacemaker put in and now
neighbouring farming family and later Joyce I’m feeling fit and healthy again.”
Stockley from Kuaotunu. We were allowed to A stint as Thames-Coromandel District
take milk and eggs, and make a fire on the rocks councillor from 1998 to 2004 and a role as
to cook. The milk usually turned to butter from chairperson of the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine
the motion of the horse ride and the eggs were Reserve committee are also proud achievements.
often undercooked.
“I like to be busy and I think it is important
“Blackjack Road was all metal, extremely
to make a contribution wherever you can,”
narrow and steeper than today. Mum used to
take Perry and me to Kuaotunu to catch the Sue says. A committed National Party supporter,
school bus, a trip that took 35 minutes (now she still volunteers regularly, even as recently as
15), including opening two gates. The concrete the run-up to last weekend’s election. “I even
causeway at Otama was often blocked when met Judith Collins back when Sandra Goudie
it rained, so there was no school those days. was MP for the Coromandel,” she says proudly.
After CRC was invented, Mum would spray the Looking ahead, Sue is about to embark on
carburettor to get the car going again when it got another project, a 25-lot subdivision in Taupo.
wet from the flooding.” “I learned so much with Opito Bay, it seems a
The family connections to the area run long shame not to do it again, but this one will be less
and deep through Skipper’s mother, who was personal, it will be more with the head, Opito
a Davis of the Ngati Karaua hapu of Ngāti Bay was definitely with the heart,” she says.
Hei and born in Kuaotunu. “Mum came from Travel, once the New Zealand border
Waitakaruru and she worked in the dining room re-opens, and more time with her family are
of The Whitianga Hotel, that’s where she met also on the wish list. But for now, Sue says she
Dad,” Sue says.
is proud of what she has created at Opito Sands
After Skipper passed away in 1992,
Sue continued farming at Opito Bay along with and credits architect Brian Sharp, surveyor and
her mum and then husband, Murray. Son Ross, planner, Phil Green, and Dave Hooker, who dealt
now a civil engineer in Tauranga, and daughter with the contracts, as huge contributors to the
Kim, an early childhood teacher, grew up in the project’s success. “It has taken many meetings,
little community and are still regular visitors discussions and frustrations in achieving this
supporting Sue through the development and lasting tribute to my family and an asset for the
her health issues. “They were amazing, they Bay,” she says. “But on those tough days I just
really helped out and took care of me when thought, ‘One day at a time and never give up.’”
Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 7
Strong visitor spending Emotional scenes as volunteers
boosts economic recovery battle to save stranded whales
Domestic visitor spending is boosting the Coromandel Peninsula’s economic recovery with the recent
school holidays providing a significant cash injection to the retail sector.
Marketview spending data released by Thames-Coromandel District Council showed visitors spent
$18.62 million across the district in September, which included the first few days of the holidays.
This represents a 40 percent increase on the same month last year. Of that, 72 percent ($13.48 million)
went into retail, food and beverage, and accommodation. Just under 98 percent of the spending was
attributed to domestic visitors, up 5.7 percent on the same month last year.
As per the trend to date this year, all areas of the Coromandel have shared in the spending increase
as border closures force more Kiwis to embrace staycations. However, eastern seaboard holiday spots
have seen the largest benefits. Northern Mercury Bay, which stretches from Kuaotunu to Whangapoua,
saw a massive 161 percent jump in visitor revenue in September this year compared to 2019.
For Southern Mercury Bay (Ferry Landing to Whenuakite) the rise was 41 percent, Tairua 51 percent,
Whitianga 38 percent, and Coromandel Town and Colville 37 percent.
Destination Coromandel is aiming to ensure visitors continue to flock to the Peninsula over the coming
months with their “Where Kiwis Holiday” summer campaign which is especially targeting the Auckland
market. The campaign has a strong focus on activities and attractions that even regular or returning
visitors may not be aware of in an effort to increase the value of each visit.
Pictured is Cathedral Cove. Photo courtesy of thecoromandel.com.
Community volunteers have been praised for their mammoth effort in saving the lives of more than 20
pilot whales who were successfully re-floated after becoming stranded at Colville Bay last weekend.
Locals were first on the scene early on Saturday morning where around 25 whales had beached,
with up to 15 more stranded in shallow waters. Trained marine mammal medics from Project Jonah
and Department of Conservation staff arrived on the scene to coordinate the efforts later in the day,
assisted by iwi and the local fire brigade. An estimated 200 people were involved in the physically
and emotionally draining task of tending to the whales, keeping them cool and wet for more than 12
hours until high tide at 9:00pm.
After successfully ushering the group back to sea, sadly overnight 19 of them split from the pod
again and stranded on a nearby headland where they died. They were blessed by local iwi before
burial. Meanwhile Project Jonah reported that the surviving whales had been monitored by DOC staff
in boats for several hours until they were safely out into deeper waters.
Whale strandings are relatively common in New Zealand. Any sightings of marine mammals in
distress can be reported to Project Jonah 24 hours a day at 0800 4 WHALE (0800 4 94253).
Pictured are some of the volunteers who helped on Saturday. Photo by Kimberley Knight.
Page 8 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
Issue 920
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27 October
July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 9
Page 10 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
Issue 920
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27 October
July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 11Spot the fake ad
and win!
There’s a fake advertisement in this issue of The Informer.
Spot the ad and be in to win a $100 voucher to spend at any one of the cafés, bars and
restaurants advertising with us. To go into the draw, email us (info@theinformer.co.nz),
send us a private message via social media or drop into our offices (14 Monk Street, Whitianga)
the name of the product or service promoted in the fake ad. Please make sure your name,
phone number and city/town of residence accompany your entry. We will accept entries until
5:00pm on Thursday, 29 October
Tip - Look closely at all the ads in this issue of The Informer. The fake ad can be any size and it
can be anywhere. But don’t despair, you will know the ad is a fake when you see what’s on it.
Have fun!
Page 12 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020Letters to the Editor
See page 30 for our requirements with regard to letters and contributions
Dear Editor - What do we call ourselves? water meters as the answer to water shortages. price, the likelihood of increased droughts do nothing to alleviate our water shortages over
With regard to the front page article in There are four main points on this topic of and that council does not have an alternative the busy summer period.
The Informer of 6 October about what we water supply. Every summer for the past five water supply or water reservoirs for Whitianga, The reasons for my opposition are -
call ourselves, I believe that shortening years there has been water restrictions imposed one would be excused for thinking that TCDC • Our water in Whitianga comes from a
or “Anglisizing” Māori placenames is on the residents of Whitianga. Councillor Tony would be taking firm, positive and urgent steps constantly flowing river, so the water
disrespectful. They are beautiful names worth Fox at a previous public meeting advised that to meet this potential disaster. we save today will not be available for
knowing in full. approximately one third of our residential rates But indeed just the opposite. Instead of future use.
So, for our beautiful part of the east coast of is applied to water supply. If this is the case meeting the demand for additional water • During our dry summers, water meters
the Coromandel, perhaps more of a friendly, indeed, it would seem that the residents are not supply, council prefers to try to limit the aren’t going to increase the flow rate of the
“jokative” name might be fun. “Coasters” come getting value for money with the regular annual demand for water by introducing water meters. river, so water restrictions will still need to
to mind as we live at the coast. It also has that water use restrictions imposed by council. And of course this will result in more cost to be implemented.
“cruisy” feeling and on top of this, coasters are Moving on to the four main points. us ratepayers, yet more council employees to • All water meters are going to do is putting
those cute things one puts under a drink. The Local Government Act 2002 provides administer water rates, etc, etc. a bigger burden on our pensioners and
The problem with Coasters, however, is that rules and requirements for the operation The remedy is obvious - investigate and put in lower income residents as those who can
it may cause confusion - West Coast, Hibiscus and administration of local authorities in place alternative and additional water sources, afford to pay will still use however much
Coast, Gold Coast, etc. Could we be “Mercury New Zealand. This applies to local and provide water storage reservoirs and ensure they want as they will feel entitled because
Coasters?” This sort of covers Matarangi all the regional councils. According to Section 130, sufficient infrastructure is in place to process they are paying for it.
way to Cooks Beach. “A local government organisation [ie TCDC] the water. But council cites the old chestnuts of • Water meters are just another revenue
I really think names like “Whitiangarites” or must continue to provide water services and environmental concerns and prohibitive costs grab.
“Ahuahians” just sound silly. But “Ahuahu” maintain its capacity to meet its obligations.” as reasons for not providing more water. • The government already has stated that
Coasters” has a nice ring to it, that would be The TCDC Vision Statement states, TCDC says it has 550km or water pipeline
“We will provide quality services and facilities you can’t charge for water. That is why
my choice. to maintain. It needs only another, I estimate,
Gael Johnson which are affordable, and delivered with a high water bottling companies get the water
9.5km of pipeline to bring water from the they take for free.
Whitianga standard of customer service.” Waiwawa River at Coroglen to the existing
Whether or not you agree with global • We already pay for the treatment of our
Editor’s note - Our campaign to find demonyms Whitianga source at the Whangamaroro River. water (including plant maintenance)
warming or climate change, we are having Surely this is not a big ask.
for the residents of Whitianga, Matarangi, and delivery to our front door as part of
hotter summers and more droughts. But our mayor and councillors prefer to sit on
Kuaotunu, Hahei and Cooks Beach will our rates.
The Whitianga water supply comes from one their collective hands and shake a big stick at us
continue until Wednesday, 18 November. What we need is a supplementary water
river and water reserves amount to one day of Whitianga residents and ratepayers for wanting
Suggestions can be mailed, emailed or hand source which can be accessed during the
water use. Should this river become blocked to water our gardens during the hot summer
delivered to us, or sent to us via social media. busy summer period. At the moment our
(eg a landslide) or polluted (as what happened months or to wash down our boats after fishing.
Thank you to everyone who has sent us their community is growing faster than our single
in Havelock North), then Whitianga has no Peter Mackenzie
proposals already. water source can handle and no amount of
water. Council has no water reservoir of any
Whitianga meters will help this situation. At the end of
Dear Editor - Whitianga’s water supply note and has no alternative supply of water.
I refer to the report in your issue of 13 October Bearing in mind the obligation of TCDC Dear Editor - Water meters the day, we can’t save anymore water than
2020 regarding Thames-Coromandel District under the Local Government Act 2002 to I would like to register my opposition to any what we did last summer.
Council ruling out investment in any new water supply water, the TCDC Vision Statement future intention to introduce water meters in Corinna Mitchell
supply for Whitianga and instead advocating to provide quality services at an affordable the Thames-Coromandel District as they will Whitianga
Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 13“Medicine” not the cure for miner who died at Mercury Bay hotel By Meghan Hawkes When James Glew died in his bed at the back at the Mercury Bay Hotel, barman Mercury Bay Hotel, it was a sad end to the Alexander McLeod gave him chicken soup. strange deterioration in health the 54-year-old Anne McLeod, servant, stayed with James miner had experienced over several days in until 1:00am or 2:00am on Thursday morning June 1875. attending him. He was breathing very heavily. James had been boarding at the hotel and as Before daylight she had a cup of tea, and was common with many hard working miners, bread and butter sent up to him. At 9:00pm was now on a drinking spree. Although he was on Thursday night Anne returned to James’s known to stay sober for three or four months, room. He was quite sensible and knew who he inevitably ended up on a bender for a was in the room, but he inexplicably died week or two. Alexander McLeod, barman, at 10:30pm. served James his customary port wine and An inquest was held at the Mercury Bay water. Unusually, the generally healthy man Hotel where it was revealed that James was began complaining of shortness of breath. known to drink chlorodine to make him sleep. When the hotel licensee, John Bunyan William Sharp had witnessed him drink a Ferguson, returned from a trip to Tairua bottle of it several days earlier and after that he noticed James was, as usual, drunk but he seemed to be in a bad state. Despite this, complaining of pain in his stomach. Sharp considered that, as James had been in A few days later, on the Wednesday, the settlement around 10 days drinking freely, William Cuthbert came into the settlement the liquor was the cause of his death, not the looking for James, who he had lent a pound chlorodine. to the week before, and found him in bed at Barman Alexander McLeod said James the Mercury Bay Hotel looking very bad. was only really sick for two days and he did Despite this, William told him to get up and not expect his death. come down and have a glass with himself A vague verdict was given that James and William Sharp. The three men then Glew died, but from what cause, for want started walking down to Thomas Carina’s of medical evidence, the jury could not Whitianga Hotel. say, but they appeared to blame alcohol. There were only two hotels in the Bay and They unanimously agreed that any publican a track led directly from one to the other. that kept or encouraged a man to remain on At night, a light could be seen from one place his premises in a state of intoxication should to the other. On the short walk to Carina’s, forfeit his licence. James had to sit down at White’s boatshed for James Glew, from England, had for 20 odd quarter of an hour. years been a miner both in Australia and New Chlorodine was once a patent “medicine” used to treat cholera, insomnia, neuralgia, They reached Carina’s about 10:00am Zealand. He was likely buried at the Mercury migraines, etc. Its main ingredients were laudanum (an alcoholic solution of opium), cannabis where James drank his usual port wine and Bay Cemetery at Ferry Landing, his grave and chloroform. It effectively relieved pain and acted as a sedative, but its high opiate content water. James was obviously unwell and once now unmarked. made it very addictive. Deaths from overdoses were a frequent occurrence. Page 14 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
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July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 15The Small-time Investor
By Whitianga resident, Max Ross
Tesla Week 4 - Batteries and energy
My shares have rallied a little. Currently I am we can only generate power when the wind
up $46.81, which is 3.26 percent. Not bad for blows or the sun shines, so we need to be able
three months of investing. It’s not the short to store this energy until it is required.
term that is important, but it makes it all much Tesla is providing shipping container-
more fun when my shares go up! sized batteries to meet this need. This could
This is the final week of my four weeks of be a huge business opportunity and another
investing in Tesla. Tesla is not only an electric growth area for Tesla.
car company, they also consider themselves There is also the potential that the battery
an energy company. pack within your Tesla car can be used to store
As well as cars, Tesla makes solar tiles for power. There is the vision that all the Tesla
the roof of your house, the Tesla Powerwall to cars plugged into the power grid overnight
store energy from solar and giant batteries to can charge up when electricity is cheap and
help store power for the energy grid. Tesla has sell that energy back to the grid when it is
a vision of providing the entire infrastructure expensive. Your car could be making money
for generating power for your house, storing for you while you sleep by trading electricity.
that power and using that power to transport Recently Tesla held a battery investor
you around. day in which they talked about their new
The Tesla solar tiles look more like roofing design for a larger battery cell. They have
tiles than solar panels. They are sleek black looked at reducing the cost and weight of the
glass tiles. batteries in their cars, as well as how they are
The Tesla Powerwall is a large battery that manufactured.
attaches to the outside of your house. It stores Tesla is currently leading the world in
power if you are generating power from solar battery manufacture and design. With the
or it can charge up from the grid allowing world transitioning to sustainable energy and
your house to ride out power outages and take electric cars, Tesla is well set to dominate the
advantage of cheaper off-peak power. rapidly expanding battery industry. For this
The giant-sized grid batteries are also really reason I bought another NZD100 of Tesla
interesting. As the world moves to renewable shares this week. I bought 0.1487 shares at
energy, we have an issue in that the current USD442.34
power grid generates power as it is needed. Please remember, I am not an expert. I get
When lots of us need more energy, more things wrong. I’m buying $100 of shares each
power plants turn on to generate the required week using Sharesies (an online investment
power. Currently spikes in demand are met platform) and I’ll keep you informed as to
with oil or coal powered plants which are bad how that works out for me. Be careful and
for the environment. With renewable energy, make your own decisions with your money.
Page 16 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020Skatepark on track for SeniorNet Update
completion by Christmas By Mavis Hicks
This is our last term of 2020. The year is almost that after the switch to fibre not all of their
over. By the time we start our first term next devices will connect to the internet. It might
year, summer should be well and truly here and be that you need to get back to your internet
we should all be switched over to fibre for our service provider and get their help to check
internet connections. your modem.
There has been some confusion among The number of scam phone calls and emails
SeniorNet Whitianga members of what fibre is are increasing. Remember the old saying, “If it
and how it affects us. Not all the information sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
sent to local residents is clear, so we will be There are several online sites that help with
running a workshop on Tuesday, 24 November warnings on how to identify scams. One is
to help with understanding the technology www.comsumerprotection.govt.nz and another
and some of the changes it might cause to site with helpful advice is www.spark.co.nz.
our internet use. There will be plenty of time Or just google “Scams NZ” and look through
allowed for questions. the sites that come up. One of the ways to avoid
One of the comments has been that fibre being caught out by an email scam is to check
installation goes ahead without consultation carefully that the “reply to” address matches
on where the house connection should be. that of the sender. Remember, do not give out
The connection is for the user’s convenience, passwords or bank details however persuasive
not that of the installer. Also, if your neighbours the caller or email is.
are switched on and you are not, get back to For more information on SeniorNet Whitianga
The new skatepark in Whitianga is continuing to attract a significant amount of community Chorus (the provider of the fibre infrastructure and our classes and workshops, and to join as
support. Since construction commenced a few weeks ago, underground infrastructure has on the Coromandel) and ask why you have a member, please phone Lorna on 866 4215
been installed and several hundred tons of brown rock are at the moment being shaped into a been missed out. (daytime only
rough outline of the park’s final shape. As we are expecting this workshop to be please).
“Five carpenters have started building boxing and shuttering, along with fabricating the popular, it would be wise to book your space
reinforcing steel in preparation for the first concrete pours,” says Chris Devenoges, one of the beforehand.
trustees of the Mercury Bay Skatepark Trust. “Weather permitting the project is still on track It seems that some internet users are finding
for completion by Christmas.”
The trust is continuing to raise funds for lighting at the park and has already received several
thousand dollars from the local community. “The cost of the lighting is expected to be around
$50,000,” says Chris.
To date, the following Mercury Bay businesses have contributed materials and services free
of charge or at a discount to the construction of the park - Coast2Coast Building Services,
Whitianga Plumbing and Drainage, PC Electrical, Carters Whitianga, PlaceMakers Whitianga,
Hireworx, Peninsula Hiabs, RMS Surveyors, and Coromandel Quarry & Contracting. The members of SeniorNet Whitianga
Pictured is the main bowl of the park as it looked on Saturday last week. meet at the Whitianga Social Services Building at 2 Cook Drive.
Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 17Coastal Bins the
Museum Musings “People’s Choice”
Where has the year gone? We are now on the and also discovered other parts of the museum.
downward slide to Christmas and the summer I’m sure it is safe to say our new microscope
season. Here at the Mercury Museum, we are is the most popular interactive part of the
gearing up for a busy summer with a lot of New new exhibition.
Zealand visitors discovering their own country On Friday this week (23 October), we are
and all the off-the-beaten-track places that are holding our annual “Night @ The Museum.”
out there. This is a chance to come into the museum when
It is also the last term of the school year and it is normally closed and the lights are off.
with a brand-new exhibition at the museum that You will need to bring a torch with you, so you
has all the lights and whistles, what better way can explore all the dark spaces. There will also
to spend some time than learning with local be a history mystery to complete while you
school children? are exploring.
Last week we’ve had junior syndicate classes Entry is $5 each (adults & children) and we
of Mercury Bay Area School visiting us. open the doors at 6:00pm.
The children learned more about our feathered Becs Cox
friends in our new “In our Backyard” exhibition Manager Mercury Bay Museum
Murray Bain and Michael Barlow, the owners of Coastal Bins, accepted on Tuesday last week the Hauraki
Coromandel Business Awards’ “People’s Choice Award” from Kate Rigg, the Mediaworks general manager
for the Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty. Kate handed the award to Murray and Michael at a function
that was held at the Thames-Coromandel District Council offices in Thames. The award was promoted by
Coromandel’s More FM.
Coastal Bins is a business providing solid waste solutions to private and commercial customers across
the Coromandel Peninsula and the Hauraki Plains.
“More than 1,500 people voted in the People’s Choice Award,” says Kate. “The Hauraki Coromandel
Business Awards Committee decided to run only the People’s Choice Award this year as the usual
biennial awards event, covering a variety of categories, was moved to next year due to COVID-19.
“The next Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards event is planned for September 2021.”
Murray says winning the award means their hard work is paying off. “We started Coastal Bins in June
2018 with two trucks,” he says. “The owners were the only employees and we now have seven trucks and
seven staff. Our vision has always been and still is to supply a refuse service based on exceptional service
with affordable pricing.
“The award is testimony to our great staff, who all buy into our expectations of outstanding service.
It’s what we pride ourselves on and without our fantastic staff, we would have never achieved this type
of recognition.”
The Mercury Bay Area School Room 18 students during their visit Four Square Matarangi received the second most votes in the award.
to the Mercury Bay Museum last week. Pictured is Kate with Murray (on the right) and Michael on Tuesday.
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July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 21Peter and Rhonda Hawley - unselfish dedication to the community By Jack Biddle At “community drinks” on Friday, 9 October, Automobile Association (NZAA) district the people of Hahei formally farewelled Peter councillor. His involvement in the NZAA and Rhonda Hawley, who will be moving began in the mid-1990s and continued up until to Havelock North after Labour Weekend, his recent decision to step aside. “The NZAA and thanked them for 20 years of unselfish is the voice of the motoring public,” says Peter. dedication to the local community and the “They are a trusted organisation and have wider Coromandel area. the ear of the politicians, so we do our best Peter and Rhonda’s love affair with Hahei to push for suggested roading improvements started way back in 1968 when Peter was and changes in the Bay of Plenty region, working as a surveyor for a large Auckland- which includes the Coromandel. In general, based company. “I was originally assigned to our roads are far from ideal on the Peninsula, survey a new subdivision being established but we keep beating the drum for ongoing in Dawn Avenue, which eventually led to the improvements which hopefully will be design and surveying of a 60-lot subdivision answered on a more frequent basis. along Grange Road,” he says. “In those days, “One win we did get not too long ago was Grange Road was a metal road provided by the the introduction of passing bays on hills Crown to the Cathedral Cove Reserve. At the such as the Kopu-Hikau and around Tairua, time the subdivision happened, the road was which I consider to be a major benefit for widened and sealed.” both locals and holiday makers. Drivers now While working for long periods in Hahei, need to be educated to pull over and give way home-away-from-home became a cosy cottage Peter Hawley (on the right) with Roy McDonald (on the left) and Phil Costello, before pulling out.” owned by Vaughan Harsant, a member of one who used to serve with him on the committee of the Hahei Water Supply Association, As a St John first responder, Peter has also of the area’s first settler families. “The cottage during the Hahei community drinks on Friday, 9 October. seen the benefits of the ongoing safety features was initially part of the radar station at Hot they could. “Everything we did was voluntary, responder, a trustee of the Kotare Reserve being fitted to motor vehicles. “It’s something Water Beach during World War II,” says Peter. but it was a great way to meet new people and Memorial Garden Hahei Trust and being the else the NZAA campaign for very vigorously,” “After the war, Vaughan had it cut into pieces become involved in causes and projects that only Justice of the Peace in Hahei. he says. and dragged it on a sledge to Hahei where it made a difference to locals and visitors alike,” Rhonda was a member of the Hahei “While a motor vehicle can look a complete was rebuilt and used as his farm house for says Peter. Community Centre committee for many years, wreck after an accident, often occupants have many years. Rhonda and I loved the cottage Some of the groups and committees Peter which resulted in Peter and Rhonda developing walked away with no major or lasting injuries and its location so much that we purchased it was involved in over the years include the and maintaining an email database of Hahei thanks to the deployment of airbags.” in 1969. Hahei Association (now known as the Hahei residents and property owners. “There were Peter says he and Rhonda decided to move “When we decided to move to Hahei on Residents and Ratepayers Association), almost 300 people on our database and to a retirement village in Hawkes Bay to be a permanent basis in 2000, the cottage was the Hahei Water Supply Association and they always got a reminder once per month closer to family. “While it will be very sad to relocated to the hill as you come into Hahei the Coromandel Coastal Walkways Society, of the upcoming community drinks at the move away from an area that has provided us and we built a new family home in its place.” which meant working with the late Ian Hopper Community Centre,” says Peter. for two decades with some fantastic memories Since they started to call Hahei home, on projects around Pauanui, Whitianga, Cooks In addition to his involvement in the and long-lasting friendships, we are both Peter and Rhonda have made it a priority to Beach, Opito Bay and Matarangi. To that Coastal Walkways Society, Peter served the looking forward to the next chapter in our help out in the local community as much as can be added 10 years with St John as a first wider Coromandel area as a New Zealand lives,” he says. Page 22 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020
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July 20162020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 25OCTOBER 2020 UPDATE
Welcome to all our visitors to town over Labour Weekend, we trust you all enjoy barge in place while it is working so it could access under the bridge.
your stay. Material that was removed was taken to an area at the northern end of the canal where
Summer Concert it has been allowed to drain.
A big week as Greenstone released the line-up for the up-and-coming concert. Enabling works have started on the next section of the canal up to the Whitianga
The arena is currently being prepped in readiness for the big day. The concert has Fire Station. These works will compete the retirement village site as well as
become a key date on the events calendar. releasing some development sites further north along the west side of Stage 8/9 -
The promoters are currently working through logistics and accessing the site and the Kupe Drive extension.
assumption is it will be like previous years. Watch for updates in local media as they In 2021, a further bridge will be constructed to access the island lots. This stage will
come to hand. Accommodation is always a premium, so make sure you get in quick if include a range of canal front and non-canal sections.
coming from out of town.
Access
This will be the concert’s final year at the Whitianga Waterways arena. Planning is well
underway to create another venue for the event to be held in the future. This is an opportune time to remind everyone that the entire site is a work site and
machinery can appear. Please stay out of the site unless accompanied by a Waterways
Joan Gaskell North (Stage 12) representative.
Over the last few weeks, the roading has been sealed. Remaining items include the
installation of rain gardens, footpaths, fencing and landscaping. Marlin Waters
Since the release of sections in early August, sales have been strong with a good Cove Construction is commencing work on another set of two-bedrooms units. Demand
number of private homes to be built and some homes that will be on-sold on for the development has been strong and new residents move in on a regular basis.
upon completion. Signs on Joan Gaskell Drive
Canal Works As development continues, it is now time to remove all the signs on the left-hand side
This past week has seen the excavator and barge complete the removal of the dam of the road as you come into town. If your community group has one there, please
north of the Joan Gaskell Bridge. This involved removing the spuds which hold the could you remove it over the next few weeks. Groups will be notified individually.
Our sales office is open 7 days, Weekdays 9:00am - 4:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays 10:00am - 2:00pm.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact our sales team on (07) 866 0164.
Email - wwloffice@whitiangawaterways.co.nz Website - www.whitiangawaterways.co.nz
Page 26 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020Issue 920 - 20 October 2020 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Page 27
First year uni student’s top tips for
others preparing to fly the nest
By Nikita Russell, former Mercury Bay Area School student
No matter what kind of personality you have, the thought of university is daunting. As a Year I didn’t focus enough on at MBAS and perhaps it could be better promoted. Self-directed study
13 student, you are one of the “big” kids. Being a fresher starting university, you’re back to is crucial at university, not only for exams, but on a daily basis.
being the youngest, trying to learn the ropes. The teachers at MBAS played a significant role in shaping the way I looked at education,
For me, the decision to uproot and move almost 1,500km down the country to the University the wider world and where I wanted to fit into that. They reminded me that there’s a bigger
of Otago was not easy. I was terrified, there were so many unknowns. Would I like my course? picture to look at beyond Whitianga and even New Zealand.
Would the people in my hall be friendly? Would I get homesick? To prepare for university, the best advice I can give every high school student is to research
There was no smooth transition for me, from living rurally in a small town to being one of what you want to study and where you want to go. If something feels right, go with it. Don’t
almost 5,000 first-year students at a university of 21,000 students. Mum and Dad dropped me be afraid to challenge yourself and step outside what is comfortable, because that is when
off at the airport, then a shuttle picked me up in Dunedin and took me to my hall in the middle you will find yourself achieve the best you can. The application processes for courses, halls
of dinner, leaving me standing awkwardly in front of 173 of my new hall mates. Orientation and scholarships is nerve-racking, but when you are in Year 13, don’t let that stop you from
week was a blur, mostly spent trying to remember names and match them to faces, although I appreciating your last year of high school with your friends. No matter where you go, what hall
will say that the Dunedin student culture lives up to its reputation. All my fears were quickly you get into or what you study, you will have an incredible time. Good luck and have fun!
erased, everyone was so friendly, I’d never met so many
like-minded people. The Dunedin campus is beautiful and I
enjoyed attending lectures.
However, this all came to an abrupt halt just three weeks
later when COVID-19 spread through New Zealand.
The changes that came next were difficult. In a span of just a
few days, all our lectures went online. We were to maintain
social distancing within the hall, no longer 100 people
queuing for dinner at 5:30pm, there was floor by floor dining
times with tape marking the floor allowing us to queue 1m
apart. One person per table was so different from the jam-
packed social dining room we had become accustomed to.
The university atmosphere became anxious and uncertain.
When lockdown was announced, the majority of us
returned home. It was an interesting change, it felt as though
my four weeks at university was just a camp. We watched
our lectures and practical demonstrations online, submitted
reports online and then sat Semester 1 exams online.
The experience definitely wasn’t easy, but no-one in New
Zealand had lockdown easy.
Moving towards to the end of an exciting but challenging
first year at Otago University, former Mercury Bay Area
School student, Nikita Russell, shares some advice with
others who are considering tertiary studies
after they have finished school.
University assignments and exams are far less cryptic than
NCEA. If the lecturer says something is important, then write
it down - it will be in the exam because the lecturer writes the
questions. The marks you get reflect the time and effort you
put into each assignment. While still in high school, I would
recommend having a go at those Level 2 and 3 standards that
you don’t particularly need. There’s nothing to lose, but so
much to gain. I tended to opt-out of assessments or classes
that I didn’t need credits for, but those would have formed
a solid base for a lot of the concepts that I found difficult
throughout my first year papers at university. For example,
I didn’t particularly enjoy chemistry at NCEA Level 1,
so didn’t take it at Level 2 or 3. Now, a lot of my papers have
some element of chemistry, which means I have to put in a
lot of extra time.
Besides this, NCEA Level 3 is a solid foundation for your
first year of university and Mercury Bay Area School uses
the NCEA curriculum really well to prepare you. I wouldn’t
say that the first year of university is a massive step up, it is
just a completely different way of learning.
Developing a good work ethic and study habits at high
school will make the transition much easier. This is something
Page 28 The Mercury Bay Informer - www.theinformer.co.nz Issue 920 - 20 October 2020You can also read
