Letters Friday 29 January 2010
Post a photo - save our back-country
Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act lists land considered to have the highest conservation value. We can not assume that national park status or inclusion in this schedule keeps Kahurangi safe from mining. There are exceptions to protection such as section 61(4) where conservation land may either be added or removed by Government ministers. Now this current Government wants to review Schedule 4 because this land is being considered for mineral extraction.
Join the Federated Mountain Club’s campaign. Find a photo of a conservation area, write on the back asking for it to be protected from mining. Include your name and address and send to: Tim Groser, Minister of Conservation, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. (It doesn’t need a stamp.) Or you can email your photo and comments to <t.groser@ministers.govt.nz>. Also write to Gerry Brownlee, Minister of Energy and Resources stating your concerns.
Linda O’Connor
Civil Defence
Collingwood Volunteer Fire Brigade has received generous support from the Golden Bay community to raise funds for our Civil Defence project.
The purchase of equipment is underway. The emergency generator will be housed on our Hino appliance and we plan to hard-wire two sites and three locations. The addition of a base radio, hand-held radios and fixed aerial will allow for greater communications in the event of a disaster. The options of a transportable repeater and satellite phones are under consideration. These enable communication if other methods have failed and if the link between Collingwood and Takaka is down.
The brigade will maintain operational service of this equipment. We hope that it will never be required but in the event of a Civil Defence alert to a catastrophic incident we aim to be as well prepared as possible.
Chief fire officer, Graeme Miller, Collingwood
Paynes Ford to East Takaka cycleway/walkway
Last Saturday Gav and I joined the working bee, building part of the new cycleway/walkway track, located along the river on Jamie and Andrea Ward’s farm in East Takaka.
What a fabulous initiative this track is and what an asset for Golden Bay when it is completed. Another beautiful track for walking or riding your bike along.
We plan to be back there this weekend and invite you and yours to join us. Come on guys; let’s get this track built so we can all enjoy it. For more information phone Wouter, 525 8199.
Jane Petterson
