Letters 10 February 2012
Takaka Amateur Athletic Club History
The Takaka Amateur Athletic Club CD, containing the history of the club, is finally completed. The disc has a document containing a collection of newspaper articles and photos of athletes from 1887 to 2011, plus the many photos taken at the reunion. You can get your copy at Golden Bay First National for $12.
Takaka Athletics Club
Challenges to community living
I recall at least two of our political parties stating their political platforms were “freedom of speech, freedom of choice and personal responsibility”.
As I listen to the debate of the people who choose to live in a communal society in the Mapua Valley, the Tui Community in Wainui Bay and others, the challenges from the TDC, against these communities, make a nonsense of this political philosophy.
How can we be subjected to rigorous bureaucratic regulations, enforced by elected representatives, who are there to represent the will and aspirations of the community?
Something has gone wrong with our local government elected representatives, and the rules and regulations created by bureaucratic staff consultants. What has happened, and why do sincere people who choose to live a way of life different to that of the majority, have to fight for their choices?
There is a statement I recall of “Live and Let Live “. Frankly, listening to how these communities live in peace and harmony with their environment and how they respect the laws of nature and cherish them, I wish our elected representatives had the intestinal fortitude to stick up for them.
Reg Turner
NW Nelson granites
NW Nelson has at least nine types of granite each with its own chemical make-up. Separation Point granite (300 million years old?) and Pikikiruna granite (435 million years old) are on the Pikikiruna Range. The common chemical in these two is Biotite.
Pikikiruna granite is in an area including Horseshoe Bend to Rocky Angle to Fossil Point (pylon corner) on the Takaka Hill and there is schist boulders in the mix. Schist is memorphised (cooked) granite and the Pikikiruna granite has the chemical sillimanite in it which gives the shine to the schist boulders. This small area of granite/schist is unique to Takaka Hill (because of its age) in New Zealand.
How come only some of the granite is memorphised?
If we had a pot on the stove and the ingredients became too hot we end up with a hard material on the bottom of the pot. Over millions of years as the granite sank into the earth the pressure at the base of the granite pile heated (come say 300°) melting the granite to form schist. The same process that turned limestone into marble which is alongside the granite on Takaka Hill.
How did the granite and schist end up all mixed up on the Takaka Hill? When Pikikiruna range was lifted out of the sea by plate action (Pikikiruna fault line) 3-8 million years ago the layered hard schist was pushed up through the soft granite breaking the schist into pieces (boulders).
Mac Harwood
Sale of state-owned enterprises
The grinning, ex-Merrill Lynch multimillionaire who fronts this remote patch of Crown Property will be selling off state-owned enterprises as this was “...in the ’National Manifesto’”.
Prior to the election many parties declared their opposition to the sale of SOEs; these parties gained 51% of our votes. Key, Act and Libertarianz, all in favour of these sales, gained only slightly over 48%. A majority of Kiwis therefore cast their votes as being opposed to the sale of SOEs.
How is the sale of state-owned enterprises in any way democratic?
Mr Key says the sale of SOEs will enable “Ma and Pa” to profitably invest for their future by buying a stake in these money-making businesses. It was Ma and Pa tax contributions that bought and paid for the SOEs; why do they need to buy something they already own?
The Ma and Pa I know aren’t looking for copper–bottomed havens for their millions; they are trying to make ends meet. It is only the very rich, the likes of our PM and his 0.001% mates, who will be in a position to buy the SOEs.
Data per www.electionresults.govt.nz/
Bruce Collings
General Elections
One of the interesting observations resulting from the recent General Election, is the fact of the lowest voter turnout for 100 years.
One major reason, is the disconnection of the political parties, and their method of selecting candidates, from the public at large.
It does not exist. We have no say in selecting representatives for election. We have delegated this issue to the party boards who select their cronies, loyal party followers, or their mates in business, and from their school days. This protects the party infrastructure, and discipline by the whips.
Candidate selection is the privilege of the parry elite, who choose not only the list candidates but also the Electorate candidates.
The 99% of the voting public that have no say, how can they feel represented?
So why bother voting for candidates they do not know, or who will not truly represent their aspirations, hopes and future direction of the nation at large.
There has to be a change in the way we select our Parliamentary candidates.
Reg Turner
Gratitude after the Great Wainui Floods
I want to thank Mike Robertson and Sue King for their generosity, support and friendship during the overwhelming storms and floods, whose consequences are still being addressed in Wainui Bay. Mike was an inspiration in his ability to accept change, handle complex situations, prioritise and move on. Thanks to Jill and Darren Foxwell for their company, internet and phone. Thanks to Kevin Lovell for using his land around one of our creek crossings on the county road as did the DOC and others going to the Falls. Thanks to the GREAT, great heroes at Sollys and Fulton Hogan (and Mike’s Farmy Army)…those slips, the mountains of sand, the chaotic fountains of water from burst culverts, endless logs and debris, bridges under water, roads lifting up…you stood on the edge and faced the worst.
Thank to Martine Bouillir and Paul Sangster…and all the council workers…who immediately responded to Wainui residents. Hats off to Martine for her critically important, well-written newsletter.
Thank you all friends elsewhere who offered immediate assistance with whatever we needed: David, Roland, Felip and Sonia, Ellen and many others. It was so comforting to know we weren’t alone during the traumatic storm that changed our landscape and our lives.
Judith Hoch
Road maintenance on Birds Road
We just wanted to take a minute to express our thanks to everyone at the Tasman District Council, Civil Defence, Golden Bay Community Board and the crew at Fulton Hogan who have been working so hard to clear, fix and maintain Birds Road and all of the roads and infrastructure in the area that have been damaged due to the recent flooding and mudslides.
We have been impressed with how quickly and efficiently crews have been working on the road after each event, especially over the holidays. We have been touched by the support for those who were stranded on the hill and the offers of transport and housing for those stranded down the hill. It has been an extraordinary display of the very best qualities within human beings and makes up proud to be a part of this community.
We are most grateful for all of your hard work and effort and appreciate the many people who have gone out of their way to help ourselves and others at this time.
Kristen Connable and family and the team at Anahata Yoga Retreat
Collingwood Summer Food Fair
While I wish the Collingwood Football Club all the best for their endeavours with the Wild Food Festival, I doubt that I will be returning next year. I arrived at 5.15pm, after afternoon milking, to find that while the pleasant people on the gate were more than happy to accept my $25, there were only two stalls still with samples operating, one with pancakes, the other with barbqued hare.
I admit the atmosphere and the crowd there were excellent, but I feel that if the stalls are going to close or run out of provisions so early after opening, that should be stated in the advertising, not as it was this year with a 3pm till sundown time given. The hangi was excellent, it is a pity I never had the opportunity to try any of the other game that was there earlier in the day.
I sincerely hope the Collingwood Rugby Football Club address this issue, the disappointment I felt may have worn off by next year. Thank you
Warren Nash
Response: On behalf of Collingwood Rugby Football Club I would like apologise to Mr Nash for any disappointment. We have always been very conscious of not taking gate money after food starts to run out, however on this occasion we may have been mistaken. We made the gate free at 6pm.
We are perhaps the victims of our own success as people seem to be arriving earlier and earlier and with increasingly voracious appetites.
Besides the hangi, which Mr Nash mentions, there were two spit roasts also brought out after his 5.15pm arrival. And of course there was the live music provided for free too. After the tug-o-war more venison was also put out.
If Mr Nash would like to contact me via The GB Weekly, we will refund his entry fee.
Pete Watkins
Mystery Ride
Don’t make a Fool of yourself,
By staying at home.
The Mystery Ride is on April the First.
More music, fun, Fools and EASY options this year.
Hopefully no rain.
Certainly a new route,
And Belinda on a Bike!
April Fools Man of Mystery (What a Joker)
Corporate greed
Stand against corporate greed - an alternative to occupying Aotea Square.
We recently swapped our bank account from Westpac to Nelson Building Society. The service at Westpac has always been excellent. However now that there is a local branch of NBS who loan money locally, we were thinking about changing but were put off with the thought of all the hassles involved; particularly with auto payments and direct debits.
However the decision was made when Westpac paid their Australian CEO $5.4 million.
We would also comment that NBS have done most of the work in the swap over and have been most helpful to work with.
Paul and Shirley Marcussen
Dust in Pohara Valley - have a heart
Living on the corner of Haile Lane and Pohara Valley Rd, the dust has gotten so bad I can’t open my windows as dust has gone all over my stuff inside. It’s all over my veges in the garden and clean washing on the line.
I realise compared with what some people have been through with the floods this could be seen as a minor issue. However there is quite a lot of traffic going past my place, especially at this time of year, it’s not your typical quiet country gravel road.
Most of Pohara Valley Rd is tarsealed still, so when cars come down the road they hit the gravel by my place often at 50kms or more! Many drivers are mindful of the dust and drive slowly but many don’t seem to be aware at all and the clouds rise up high into the treeline. We have asked the council to put up signs and temporary judderbars but this hasn’t happened. If you are driving at 20kmph the dust stays on the road surface, 30kmph it begins to rise, over 30kmph and we’re doomed. Please watch YOUR speedo as you drive on that gravel and pass the word on to your visitors and friends. I won’t pray for rain, it’s so great to have summer sunshine, but I will pray the council tarseal the road real soon.
Ana Dorrington
Seeking Phyllida Mead
I have recently purchased two lovely paintings by Phyllida Mead from an antiques and art fair in Cirencester, in the Cotswolds, here in England. They are really good watercolours showing scenes perhaps in New Zealand or Scotland, and I would very much like to know where they were painted and how they might have found their way “Up Over”!
I see on the internet that Ms Mead has been mentioned in your publication, and would be very grateful for any contact details so that I could explore these points.
John Bate-Williams, Tetbury, England
email address: batewilliams@gmail.com
Pohara-Takaka Cycleway
I am very supportive of this proposal, for several reasons:
the safety benefits it will bring to cyclists
more opportunities for healthy exercise for locals
enabling increased but low-impact access to a beautiful and historic area (see additional comments on this below)
growing a Golden Bay off-road “slow” experience for visitors, so they stay longer
consequential economic benefits for other services (accommodation/food), following the proven model of the Otago Rail Trail.
providing access to/through a historic area:
The Motupipi area is one of heritage significance to both Maori (who were there first, from about 500 years ago), and Pakeha, who arrived in the early 1840s. The archaeological history of the site - eg terraces and storage pits, lime kiln and coal mine - has been well documented. The first school in Golden Bay was also situated nearby. It is therefore a very special area with a strong bicultural heritage and it is desirable to increase awareness of this.
Providing access to/through such a site will require sensitivity and great care. But surely this is not impossible?
I very much hope that representatives of both Maori and Pakeha interests in this heritage can work together to find a way through the cultural and practical challenges.
Penny Griffith
Russell Cup Inter-Club Athletic Competition
The Takaka Athletics Club is hosting the competition on Sunday 12 February at the Golden Bay High School field from 10am. The Takaka athletes compete against Marlborough, Motueka, Nelson and Richmond clubs for the much sort-after Russell Cup. Come along and support our athletes, you are sure to have an entertaining day out.
The Takaka Athletics Club
Mardi Gras
You have probably heard the expression, “If you hear hoof beats, think horse not zebra.” Takaka is well used to seeing horses in parades but this year the Taniwha and Mask Parade included a zebra.
It was a very busy weekend in Golden Bay with events all over the place and I’m sure we all had a wonderful time.
There are so many people and organisations who contribute to successful events. Please see the Mardi Gras thank you ad further on in this issue.
Dave Myall, Mardi Gras organiser
