Chris Gardner

Te Kūiti neighbours Clyde Jones and Gary McGougan dread torrential rain.

Every time the town receives heavy rain the manhole cover on McGougan’s section pops, causing sewage to flood the front of his section and spill onto his neighbour Jones’ property.

McGougan, a retired builder who moved to Ngatai Street with his wife Beth in 2023, said the sewer overflowed a couple of times a month.

“It’s getting worse,” McGougan said. “It’s caused by a smaller amount of rain now.”

The couple have called the council out on several occasions, but it has so far been unable to fix the problem believed to be partially caused by a small, 300mm aging sewage pipe, collecting unconsented storm water further up the line.

“It should be a closed sewage system, but it’s not.”

“They have been trying,” McGougan said. “They have had cameras down there and discovered two blockages caused by collapse.”

McGougan said he was considering asking the council for a rates rebate to compensate him for the regular mess.

“It’s not only an inconvenience, but also a health hazard.”

Jones, a retired construction company owner, moved into his home more than a year ago, is upset the problem was not recorded on the Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report supplied by the council.

“They are going to have to upsize the pipe,” Jones said.

“One hundred years ago the pipe was 300 millimetres, but now it needs to be two or three times that.”

On occasion, his chook house had been flooded.

Jones also suffered regular knee-deep stormwater overflow from the street, given his section sits below the road, until the council installed a recent drainage pit on his section.

Jones said he had threatened to withhold his rates from the council until the sewage problem was sorted.

Speaking at the council’s July meeting, councillor Eady Manawaiti said it was unacceptable for people to have to live among sewage.

“Weather events are going to be more frequent,” he said.

“The conversation around modelling and costs has to come back to the table. We don’t want to be behind the eight ball, because these weather events are not going to stop.”

Waitomo District Council chief executive Ben Smit said sewer overflows happened in limited parts of Te Kūiti in isolated high rainfall events.

“Wet weather overflow is caused by stormwater entering the wastewater pipes and inundating the wastewater network that is only designed to handle wastewater, not stormwater. Stormwater has a separate network,” Smit said.

“The inundation happens through several ways such as flood water entering the low gully traps; stormwater entering through manhole lids when the surrounding ground or the river level is high, cracks in pipes or faulty joints; downpipes from roof connected to wastewater; saturated groundwater entering pipes.”

Smit said wet weather wastewater overflows were likely to be a major concern for all councils.

“What is really unfortunate is that there is no short-term fix for them,” he said.

He urged anyone impacted to report inundations with the council as they happen for staff to investigate and lead the clean-up.

“Council staff will provide a report back to elected members on the extent and locations of the problems, possible long-term solutions which will likely require modelling of the wastewater network during dry weather and wet weather events and then considering options. An isolated fix in one area will likely move the overflow to another site. The problem is the wastewater system cannot cope with the level of stormwater entering the system, so the water needs to come out somewhere – i.e. up through wastewater manholes.”

In fear of rainy days

Jon Rawlinson

 * The online version contains some corrections to the print copy.

King Country rugby legend Noel McQuilkin, was honoured during a memorial event at his beloved Waitete clubrooms at the weekend.

A coach to many, Noel (aka Snagglepuss, Snags and Snappy) was an all-round ‘good boy’.

“That was one of his sayings,” his son, Kurt, told The News.

“When he was coaching or as a Rugby Development Officer, he’d pick someone and say: ‘you’re a good boy,’ or ‘you’re a good girl.’ It was one of his common calls.”

Noel, 86, died at Te Kūiti Hospital on June 3, surrounded by family including his wife of more than 60 years, Josie. Kurt, a former King Country rugby union general manager, flew from Ireland in time to farewell his father.

“My wife, Barbara, and I were intent on saying goodbye before he passed and, luckily, we got to do that. He had all sorts going on, but his ticker was the main thing, it just gave up in the end.”

Sharing his father’s dedication to rugby, Kurt is an ex-Bective Rangers, Leinster and Ireland centre. As a coach, he worked at Leinster and Dublin’s Greystones RFC. After more recent roles with King Country, he is again based in Ireland, picking up where his dad left off.

“As Dad finished his coaching career with Greystones, I guess it is quite fitting for me to take up the mantle again,” Kurt said. “From a McQuilkin perspective, there’s a fair bit of history there for sure.”

A builder by trade and, for a time, a Te Kūiti fish shop owner, Noel was well known in his community. He poured his heart and soul into rugby.

During his playing days, he represented Waitete RFC and clocked up 11 caps for his province in the early 1960s, alongside such illustrious company as the Meads brothers, Stan and Colin. Noel represented King Country in 24 first-class matches (1958-61, 64).

However, it was through coaching that Noel really made his mark. It began with Waitete, followed by a season with California-based Back Bay before he returned to New Zealand to coach King Country.

His first game in charge was 34-6 loss against Waikato in a friendly at the Island Reserve in Otorohanga on Anzac Day, 1989. His last was a 59-13 loss to Taranaki on June 14, 2000 at Piopio in another friendly.

Noel led King Country to a win the NPC’s Second Division in 1991. The union remained in the First Division for a further five years.

After moving to Ireland in 1992, Noel made a name for himself at Bective Rangers and Greystones. A second stint with King Country, for two seasons in 1999 and 2000, followed.

In 2000 he coached the Divisional XV that toured Samoa and Tonga beating Apia 47-11 and Western Samoa 30-23 but losing to Tonga 34-17. Two years later he capped off his coaching career by seeing his NZ Divisional XV draw 35 all with the John Kirwan coached Italy and then a week later go down 56-3 to Ireland in Timaru.

Despite this lengthy service, Noel was not one to rest on his laurels. He still had some work to do, helping the next generation of lambs become Rams.

“Even after he finished coaching, he did a bit of development work for King Country. Going around the schools and clubs, he still kept his hand in at grassroots level,” Kurt said.

“He had a great career, but all he’d probably say about it was that he played his part. With Waitete, with King Country and in Ireland, he just played his part.”

When the King Country Rams next take the field in the Heartland Championship, they may well wear their hearts, along with black armbands, on their sleeves.

“I don’t know, but I guess the board could discuss it,” said Kurt. “If that does happen, it would be a great thing for our family.”

 * See: Bective Rangers mourn Noel McQuilkin



Waitete honours rugby club great

Saving civilian lives cost James Stellin his own.

Now the heroics of this Second World War pilot are being remembered thanks, in part, to King Country’s Maraea Lammas.

Originally from Oparure, Maraea, aged 80, has lived in France for the past 16 years.

While watching a television programme about the Second World War, she was inspired to learn more about Stellin, an RAF pilot from Wellington.

“What moved us most about James Stellin’s story was his bravery shown by saving the village of Saint-Maclou-la-Brière and its people,” she said.

“Recently, we went to the village in Normandy and James’ resting place.”

“I looked online and found information about him. I discovered what an interesting story he has and I thought why had I not heard of him?”

Stellin’s is a captivating saga. This flying Kiwi was killed on August 19, 1944, in the wake of the D-Day landings.

His damaged Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber was on course to crash into of Saint-Maclou-la-Brière. Rather than bail out and save himself, Stellin manoeuvred his plane away, saving civilian lives at the expense of his own.

Stellin’s parents received a heartfelt letter from a C Jacobs from the French resistance, it read:

‘On realising the great destruction his plane would cause if it were to crash in the centre of the village, the pilot straightened up his plane with a vigorous and supreme effort, made a half-climb, then turning sharp left at an acute angle, it fell rapidly, crashing less than a mile away.

‘We placed the bier in state at the doors of the mayor’s office. Everyone brought armfuls of flowers picked lovingly in the gardens and left them with deep respect and infinite gratitude.’

Stellin was posthumously awarded the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme (cross of war with palms) for performing heroic deeds in combat.

Maraea Lammas (nee Paki) appreciates the value of civic responsibility – her mother, Rora Paki, was a foundation member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and received an MBE for services to her community.

Maraea’s first visit to a little piece of Normandy, which is ‘forever New Zealand’, won’t be her last.

“On November 11, Armistice Day, we will return to Saint-Maclou-la-Brière to remember this brave pilot,” she said. “Every Anzac Day and Armistice Day we will remember James and all the other brave men and women who served our country.”

A hero remembered

Staff Reporter

Waipā’s second Home and Leisure Show has created a raft of new projects and pastimes – from getting the house clean to getting on a bike.

The show – the second run by Good Local Media, which publishes the Waikato Business News, Cambridge News, Te Awamutu News and King Country News, attracted a steady stream of people through the doors from Friday to Sunday.

They included Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan and chief executive Steph O’Sullivan, who took particular interest in the display by Rotary’s Urban Miners. The miners minimise waste sent to landfill through recycling. (replace divert electrical component going to landfills.

About 75 exhibitors were at the Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karāpiro and autumn weather was kind to those who set up shop outside.

There was a touch of deja vu on opening morning as the first people through the doors were Marlene Prince and Graeme Hopkins from Highfield Retirement Village in Te Awamutu. They were also at the head of the queue for the opening of the inaugural show 12 months ago.

Other visitors included a group from Cambridge Resthaven and other retirement villages.

Feedback from exhibitors was that visitors were genuinely interested in what was on offer and wanted to discuss their requirements. They reported high quality leads and that visitors came out with specific questions and specific exhibitors they wanted to see.

“Exhibitors signed up for next year before they left the building, already talking about new stands they will build for 2026,” Good Local publisher David Mackenzie said.

The objective for 2026 would be to extend the size of the show so there is more to see.

Numbers were slightly down on 2024, which was a reflection of show numbers across New Zealand to date this year.

Organisers were encouraged by the fact that 95 per cent of visitors people were new to the show and there was strong support from the Te Awamutu, Morrinsville and Ōtorohanga communities.

“I love all of these products because I’m European and it’s all the stuff I’m used to,” Katarina Williamson of Advanced Trees Nursery said as she tasted Meyer Cheese handed to her by Hayley Meyer.

“I rushed here for the cheese before it shut.”

Hayley works in administration and accounts at the Meyer Cheese factory in Koromatua, a family gouda business started in Holland by Ben and Fieke Meyer. It was her first year at the show and she had enjoyed her first day, saying there was a “good selection of exhibitors”.


Day one is over

And with that, day one of the Waipa Home & Leisure Show is finished. Thanks to everyone who visited. If you didn't, doors open at 9.30am tomorrow. See you then.

And with that, day one of the Waipa Home & Leisure Show is finished. Thanks to everyone who visited. If you didn't, doors open at 9.30am tomorrow. See you then.


Waipa Show ... mark two

A total of 76 exhibitors will be promoting their products at the second Waipa Home and Leisure Show at Lake Karāpiro starting Friday.

The event, launched by Good Local Media last year, returns to the Mighty River Domain for three days – Friday to Sunday.

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 16-18 May - Click here for Exhibitors List & Map

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 8-page tabloid feature

“There is something for every member of the family no matter your age, your budget or if you just want a great morning or afternoon out at an affordable price with families or friends in a relaxed and friendly environment,” Advertising and Commercial director Janine Davy said.

“Huis Joinery, back for another year, decided to extend their stand, so that they could hang a barn door between their kitchen and laundry area. One barn door turned into two when they decided to give one barn door away at the show,” Davy said.

Exhibitors include home, building and renovation specialists. Stands will feature custom kitchens, laundry and joinery, carpeting and flooring, cladding, double glazing, garage solutions, solar panels and lighting, heat pumps and air conditioning, magnetic windows, fly screens, security doors, artificial lawns and turf, and professional painters.

Davy said it was an opportunity to support Waipā businesses “who have pulled out all the stops to impress” and national businesses which have travelled to Waipā so customers do not have to go to the main centres.

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 16-18 May - Click here for Exhibitors List & Map

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 8-page tabloid feature

waipahomeandleisure2025 #homeandleisure2025 #cambridgenewsNZ  #teawamutunews #waikatobusinessnews #kingcountrynews #Waipahomeandleisure #homeandleisure

Our exhibitors are:

 * OUTSIDE 1 - Advanced Trees Limited – Large grade specimen trees, landscape hedging, ornamental trees.
 * OUTSIDE 2 - Brandt Tractor Limited -Lifestyle equipment, Ride-ons, Compact Tractors.
 * STAND 3 + 4 - Air Conditioning Group – We supply and install heatpumps - best prices guaranteed.
 * STAND 5 + 6 - St Kilda Café & Bistro – We will be onsite at the show offering barista-made coffee and fresh food.
 * STAND 7 - The National Party - National Party membership.
 * STAND 8 - Roger Ramsey Building – Waikato renovation experts. Quality workmanship. No job too big or too small.
 * STAND 9 - Bamboo Sweets – Handmade premium chocolates including chocolate bars, bonbons and truffles.
 * STAND 10 + 11 - Outdoor Shade Solutions Ltd - Outdoor blinds, umbrellas, awnings, Shade Sails, Wave Shade, Pergolas.
 * STAND 13 - Kiwi Az Creationz - Indoor andoutdoor rustic wine barrel furniture.
 * STAND 14 - Resonate - Hearing health and hearing aid subscription service.
 * STAND 15 - Sentinel Pest Control – Rodent and insect pest control products.
 * STAND 16 - Wilsons Cambridge - Carpet, Flooring, Curtains, Blinds, Wallpapers.
 * STAND 17 + 30 - Mavis & Mick Shoes - Leather boots, shoes from Europe, plus clothing and bags.
 * STAND 18 - Wash Rite - Exterior house and building washing.
 * STAND 19 - Treetown Designer Kitchens - Custom kitchens and interior joinery solutions for homes in Cambridge, Hamilton and the greater Waikato.
 * STAND 20 - Step Flex Orthotics - Step Flex -flexing foot correctors.
 * STAND 21 - Hallmark Services - Better cleans with the Hallmark Team. Your trusted residential, commercial and carpet cleaners.
 * STAND 22 - Tiles on Devon - Showcasing a selection of our favourite tiles from our extensive range.
 * STAND 23 + 24 - Fowler Homes - Your local award-winning builders - let's talk about your project.
 * STAND 25 - Totalspan - Totalspan Waikato/King Country have you covered for garages, workshops, storage and more.
 * STAND 26 - Cambridge Tiles - Tiles for every style and budget, backed by local expert advice.
 * STAND 27 - Cambridge Solar - Solar panel systems, repair, cleaning, maintenance. General electrical services.
 * STAND 28 - Phiten Health & Performance - Natural products for improved health, sports performance, injury recovery, pain relief, skincare.
 * STAND 29 - Lawn Rite - The grass is greener when you mow it. Lawns, hedges & weed control.
 * STAND 31 - Bellberry Distillery - Gin and Vodka, plus fruit mixes (freeze dry mixes to have with the gin and vodka).
 * STAND 32 - Good Local Media Ltd – Show organiser - Information Desk located in foyer. Also, publishers of Cambridge News, Te Awamutu News, King Country News, and Waikato Business News.
 * STAND 33 - G. J. Gardner Homes – Residential construction.
 * STAND 34 - Double Glazing United - Retrofit double glazing into timber and aluminium joinery.
 * STAND 35 - Cambridge Real Estate -Residential, lifestyle and rural real estate - find your dream Cambridge property.
 * STAND 36 + 37 - Latitude Homes King Country & Waikato South - New home builds.
 * STAND 38 - Meyer Cheese - Locally handmade Gouda style cheeses.
 * STAND 39 - Bioptron NZ - Bioptron healing medical light therapy device and accessories.
 * STAND 40 - Seddon Portrait House – Family photographer celebrating your precious memories via wall portraits and albums.
 * STAND 41 - Alpha First Mortgage Investments - Offering wholesale investors stand-alone loan investment opportunities secured by first mortgages.
 * STAND 42 - Grinters Funeral Home/Rosetown Funeral Home - Pre-plan your funeral arrangement options with our funeral directors.
 * STAND 43 - Momentum Building Ltd - Building company specialising in renovations. Selling our building services.
 * STAND 44 - Daisy Garden Bags & Bins - Green waste collection service. Providing garden bins and bags.
 * STAND 45 - The Designers Colab – The Designers Colab is a collaborative interior design studio featuring industry leaders with decades of experience in residential design.
 * STAND 46 - Truestyle Improvements – NZ Swimming Pools - Fibreglass swimming pools, hard landscaping and concrete.
 * STAND 47 - EziRider - First choice best price fold-up E-bike.
 * STAND 48 - Straight Paint - Residential and commercial painting.
 * STAND 49 - Top Class Concrete Treatments Ltd - Turning ugly concrete into lovely concrete.
 * STAND 50 - NZ Sure Ltd - Life, Trauma, Medical, Income Protection, Mortgage Protection Insurance, Business Insurance.
 * STAND 51 - Cambridge Resthaven - 100% community owned retirement village, apartments, care centres and companion driving service.
 * STAND 52 - Scent with Love – Handcrafted home fragrance, including soy wax candles, melts, diffusers, and room sprays.
 * STAND 53 - Duzz-All Beeswax – Natural beeswax products for leather and timber, Bees Ease for pain relief.
 * STAND 54 - Carley's Kitchen – Affordable kitchen merchandise - your cooking and kitchen will be popping!
 * STAND 55 - Waikato Security Doors - Security Doors, Insect Screens, Magnetic Windows, Pleated and Retractable Screens.
 * STAND 56 + 57 - Cambridge Beds & Furniture - Offering quality furniture and beds for every home.
 * STAND 58 - First National Te Awamutu – We are passionate about helping you with your real estate needs.
 * STAND 59 - Versatile - Garages, farm buildings, sleepouts, cottages and homes.
 * STAND 60 - Bone & Body Blueprint Ltd - Accurate and scientific results for Bone & Body scanning.
 * STAND 61 + 62 - Unreal Lawns & Courts - Artificial Turf for Residential, Commercial, and Sport Court.
 * STAND 63 - Craftwork Garage Doors – New garage doors, including servicing and repairs.
 * STAND 64 - Yard Matters - Garden, lawn and landscaping services throughout Cambridge, Hamilton, Te Awamutu & beyond.
 * STAND 65 - Rotary - Urban Miners - Collecting E-waste, recycling, reusing and diverting it from landfill.
 * STAND 66 + 67 - Huis Joinery – Bespoke joinery - kitchens, laundries, barn doors, customer cabinetry.
 * STAND 68 - Mons Flavors - Six types of non-spicy spice blends, locally handmade, made in New Zealand.
 * STAND 69 - Masada Cladding - Premium NZ made weatherboard you never have to paint.


FOOD TRUCKS

 * STAND 72 - Black & Orange Catering - Low and slow cooked meats and delicious sides.
 * STAND 73 - Bratwurst Grill Cambridge -Bratwurst and legendary currywurst (sausage in curry ketchup), plus vegetarian options, loaded fries and wedges.
 * STAND 74 - Sawadee Thai & Asian Catering - Thai cuisine.
 * STAND 75 - Suzuya Japanese Fried Chicken - Japanese style fried chicken, served with a side salad rice balls (onigiri).

Another show stopper

Viv Posselt

Remko Pootjes is on a mission to save discarded pianos and spread the magic of music, and he wants Kiwi companies to help him roll it out.

For the past few years, Ōtorohanga’s piano man has been saving unwanted pianos from the landfill or the firepit by turning them into community pianos or bespoke merchandising display units to be leased out. Funds from those leases or sponsors go into providing piano lessons for children… hence his tagline ‘Pianos for Kids’.

“Schools today don’t teach piano in the same way they did years ago, so kids wanting to play need to have parents who can afford private lessons,” he said, “and not all kids want to limit their extra-curricular activities to sports.

“I believe piano lessons should be offered as a lifeskill, like swimming lessons, but when I approached 11 schools in the area asking them to support my concept of teaching kids to play, they all declined. It was either too expensive, the pianos were too heavy, or there weren’t enough kids interested. To me, even one student makes it worthwhile.”

Last year, Pootjes set up The Remiano Charitable Trust – a nifty play on his nickname ‘Rem’ and ‘piano’ – as a registered charity to ‘transform old pianos into new opportunities’ and help fund the free lessons.

He finds unwanted pianos from wherever he can, brings them to his workshop in Ōtorohanga, and either restores them to full playing glory or turns them into pieces of furniture. Some go into streets as community pianos, others become eye-catching bookstands or display units in shops.



Pootjes says there are hundreds of unwanted pianos in communities all over New Zealand. A quick internet search can unearth around 100 on any given day, some of them going for just a couple of dollars.

“It is amazing how many just get dumped.”

The trust doesn’t sell the pianos, it only leases them, he said. “People pay a monthly rental fee, but the pianos remain the property of the trust.”

Surprisingly, Pootjes doesn’t play the piano himself, but his partner does. The Dutch-born former engineer came to New Zealand in the 1970s, working in his field as well as in sales and in investigations. He is also a volunteer firefighter.

The idea to repurpose unwanted pianos came during Covid when a friend asked for helping in dumping an old piano. Pootjes wanted to salvage it … and so it started.

In just the past few weeks, Pootjes has launched a new website and is looking for a business partner who will help take his ‘Play Me Pianos’ to most New Zealand cities. He is also fast-tracking a new Piano Depot collection and workshop container concept that he wants to roll out near refuse dumps or zero waste collection points.

Through Pootjes’ efforts, people are tickling the ivories in towns all over the region and children who may not otherwise have had the means are learning to play.

“We are putting new pianos in towns all the time, and are looking at growing the entire operation,” he said. “There is a lot of interest, so exciting times ahead.”

The keyboard warrior

We are at Te Kūiti High School’s Services Academy where we meet the students looking for career options which allow them to serve their communities.

Plus we head out to Otewa to see the schoolhouse which could be moved into Ōtorohanga and our historian Meghan Hawkes tells a harrowing story about the loss of three Linton family members in World War I.

Read more

King Country News - out today

Whether by lining up a target through the sights of a sniper’s rifle, saving someone from a burning building, stopping speeding motorists or even just by instructing the young, there are many ways to serve our society.

While Joel Bradley has undertaken two of these roles, he says his students in Te Kūiti High School’s Services Academy will each find their own path.

“It's not a recruitment agency for the NZ Defence Force (NZDF). It's a lot more one-on-one based, focused on teamwork, discipline, physical fitness, leadership and all sorts of stuff that gets the kids outside of their comfort zone,” the academy’s director says.

“I'm here to support them with anything they want to do. It’s more about helping them find a career pathway and work with others in the school to help them reach that goal.”

The academy aims to encourage students to serve their communities, but this could involve joining the police, fire brigades or even simply by being good citizens.

Serving as a sniper with a reconnaissance platoon in Iraq, Joel appreciates the value of ‘path finding’ and he’s also an expert when it comes to training.

“We were training the Iraqi forces, giving them the skills they needed to take back their country from ISIS,” he says.

In the last year of his military career, he was part of the NZDF Youth Development Unit with his wife Deeanna Bradley.

“We ran Service Academy courses which gave me a lot of skills.”

Approximately 30 such academies are now running nationwide. While students are given a taste of military life, they are not boot camps. However, perceptions towards careers in the military have changed, Joel says.

“The kids went through a two-week induction course with the NZDF recently. They were straight into a strict military environment. We were all up at five with military physical training and drill. It was just amazing – the kids thrived!

“When we started, I think only one student put their hand up when asked if they wanted to join the military. Now, after seeing what military life can give them, more than half are interested and there’s been no pushing from me.”

The high school’s Services Academy mobilised at the beginning of term one, but it’s not a new initiative and Joel has practiced what he teaches.

“It first ran in 2010. When I was a student in the academy, it gave me the skills I needed to join the army, ones I was lacking such as academics.”

The school lost the programme about eight years ago.

Joel has been working with the principal Gareth Williams to bring it back.

The key to any successful programme run along military lines is willing participation.

“We provide guidance but the students really build the culture through their own camaraderie. If you try to force people into it and they don't want to be part of it, you’ll be banging your head against a brick wall. I won't take students that don't want to be here,” says Joel.

Students thrive in academy

A striking photo of her mother has won Piopio artist Ashley Tutaki a place in the finals of the 2025 Kīngi Tuheitia Portraiture Award.

Her work, titled Back to the Source, has Lina Goldsbury, wearing a long sleeve turtleneck, lying peacefully in water.

The challenge for entrants was to create portraits of their ancestors – tūpuna.

In her entry Tutaki wrote “as she is my mother, it is strange to think of her as “tupuna”, just as it is strange to imagine oneself as growing older and rising through the ranks of the generations”.

“But that’s life, and I believe this to be a true depiction of what a living ‘tupuna’ looks like in many whānau who lose their elders too soon.”

Tutaki, born in 1992, affiliates to the Ngāti Maniapoto and Rereahu iwi of Tainui and describes herself as a young photographer working towards launching her own freelance business to showcase and uplift Māori stories through photography.

The award, a collaboration between the Office of the Kiingitanga and the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakāta, was launched in 2020 to inspire new generations of Māori artists to create portraits of their tūpuna.

Artists are competing for a first prize of $20,000. The runner up and peoples’ choice winners will both get $2500.

Entries were open to Māori artists aged 35 and under who created an artwork within the last two years or specifically for the competition, using any visual medium, excluding AI-generated work, with whakapapa connections to the depicted tūpuna.

The shortlisted artworks were chosen by a panel of judges, including contemporary Māori artist Areta Wilkinson (Ngāi Tahu), Head Carver for Waikato-Tainui Iwi Renata Te Wiata (Waikato-Ngāti Māhuta, Te Arawa - Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara), and leading painter John Walsh (Aitanga a Hauiti).

The winners will be announced next month and the finalists’ artworks will then tour the country over the next two years.

Ashley’s angle makes the final

Two Te Kūiti dancers will be on stage at the World Dance Crew Championships in Auckland this weekend.

Alexi Hughes and Patea Tahana travel from Te Kūiti to Hamilton three times a week – a return trip of around three hours – to train with Street Dance Sessions and be part of their competition crews.

Alexi, 12, a Centennial Park School student, has been making the trip since early 2022, while 13-year old Te Kūiti High student Patea, who previously lived in Hamilton, began travelling at the end of 2024 after moving to Te Kūiti.

They will be among 15 dancers making up the Street Squad Varsity and Flawless youth crews at the international hip hop event, described as the biggest of its type and attracting dancers from Japan, Australia, the Philippines and the United States. The event will run from Sunday through to the following Saturday.

Street Dance Sessions was established in a Hamilton church hall in 2018 by Miriana Wetere-Ryder. She began tutoring “40 or 50 kids” – now there are about 200.

Alexi’s mum Naomi says both are passionate about dance and love being part of the Street Dance Sessions whānau.

“There are many reasons they choose to travel such a long distance each week, but it ultimately comes down to their love for dance, the opportunities available to them, and the strong bonds they’ve developed within the Street Dance whānau.”

The two Street Dance crews will also include one Te Awamutu, one Cambridge and two Huntly dancers.

Naomi Hughes said Wetere-Ryder was highly talented and choreographed routines that showcased individual strengths while continuing to challenge and develop dancers’ skills.

“Since joining Street Dance Sessions, both Alexi and Patea have seen huge growth in their technique, versatility, and confidence. So when it comes to the question of travel – spending a minimum of nine hours on the road each week – it’s absolutely worth it.”

Alexi and Patea hop on a world stage

King Country farms being burned to a crisp are being offered a $100,000 drought relief package, after the Government declared a drought.

The adverse event classification also unlocks tax relief for farmers and growers and enables the Ministry of Social Development to consider Rural Assistance Payments.

“West of the Waikato River it’s drought conditions,” said Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes.

“Areas like Tuakau, Piopio and Mahoenui aren’t getting any rain.

“Springs and wells providing stock water have dried up, and farmers are moving to once-a-day milking and sending stock to the works early.”

Sheep and beef farmers relying on income from grazing dairy cattle from eastern parts of the region are running out of feed, and some are having to send them back early in skinny condition.

“That’s a big hit on their incomes, and on the dairy farmers trying to capitalise on the strong milk prices,” Holmes said.

“Maize crops may look good, but with insufficient water, they’re putting on minimal cob and come harvest time they’ll have very little feed value.

Rotowai Farms sheep and beef farmer Natasha Cave said water was probably tighter than feed

“The King Country used to be summer safe, with fairly reliable rain, but no more,” she said of her Aria farm.

“We are making sure we have got good water systems in place.”

Taharoa sheep and beef farmers Chris Irons and Debbie Hastie are doing their best to fend off the drought on their 770ha farm, having received around half of the rain they usually do in January and February.

Around 70mm of rain fell on their Waitete Road farm in January, and 50mm of rain in February.

Irons, Waitomo Federated Farmers chair, said they were coping “due to good management” of more than 2000 ewes and 200 breeding cows.

“We are constantly asking ourselves if it does not rain in the next 10 days, what are we going to do?” Irons said. “Look after your capital stock first. It is what it is. We can’t control it.”

“Hill country farming in these conditions is very challenging,” said Waitomo mayor John Robertson.

“The hills throughout the district are very dry - the driest February that I have seen for many years. The few occasions where we have had up to 5mm of rain through this period have not been sufficient to adequately moisten the soils.”

“March forecasts do not look promising - a little rain, but not the many days of steady soaking rain we need.”

Across the border in Waipā Zane and Marie Kite expect to lose tens of thousands of dollars of milk production this season as they farm through extreme drought conditions.

Their Parallel Road farm, near Kaipaki, is one step ahead of the official drought declared for the region on Friday.

But there has been no rain, to speak of, since before Christmas and the Kites, who have run the family farm for 40 years, are looking at drying their 170-cow herd off a month early.

“I would call it a severe drought,” he said.

“There’s not one blade of green grass in any of our paddocks, but we have got to be positive.”

He has turned to feeding out silage to keep his herd going, and it is producing approximately 1 kg of milk solids per cow per day. Because of the lack of moisture, he’ll be drying his herd off a month early in March.

Holmes is chairing regular meetings with Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust representatives and the Ministry for Primary Industries to monitor the situation.

The group met on Tuesday.

Waiting for rain

Mary Anne Gill

A mystery adventure race that annually transforms Lake Te Koo Utu in Cambridge into a haven for mums, dads and children attracted 473 participants this year.

The XRace, held on a humid Friday afternoon last week, took competitors an average of one hour, seven minutes 17 seconds to complete.

The Korakonui duo of daughter Gemma and father Grant Honeyfield blitzed the field, completing the 10 mystery challenges in just 43 minutes and 18 seconds.

The New Zealand Home Loans-sponsored event which started in 2013, was created by Shane Hooks of Auckland. It went through many name changes before XRace was finalised.

This mystery adventure race pairs parents with children aged 6-14 to race together, locate and complete mystery challenges, and compete against the clock and other family teams. The challenges range from physical (like tug-of-war) to mental (like memory challenges) to knowledge-based (like music challenges), and they change from year to year and course to course.

No two XRaces are the same. Events are held in Whangārei, Devonport, Tauranga, Taupō, Napier, Hutt City, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Auckland.

Medals this year in Cambridge were presented by New Zealand representatives Zack Rumble (rowing), Bennett Greenough (BMX), Danielle Aitchison (Paralympian sprinter) and Becky Leigh (rowing).

Results:

Overall winners: daughter and father - Gemma and Grant Honeyfield (Korakonui), son and father - Harris and Adam O’Leary (Cambridge), daughter and mother - Jamie and Caitlyn Phillips (Hamilton).

Age Divisions

Junior (under 7) girls Zoe Gerritsen 1h4s, boys Marlow McDonald 56m44s, 8 year old girls Leina Kaelin 1h2m57s, boys Sam Panting 57m19s, 9 year old girls Chloe Blackstock 55m, boys Cian Moore 46m42s, 10 year old girls Charlotte Tate 50m21s, boys Harris O’Leary 43m25s, 11 year old girls Sophie Hickey 54m14s, boys Connor Moore 46m39s, senior girls Gemma Honeyfield 43m19s, boys Alex Simmonds 48m56s.



 

Honeyfields show X Factor?

Richard Steele

I’ve been enjoying reading Roland and Betty Clark’s biography, he was well known as the columnist Nor Wester for a generation of readers. l still remember some of the insightful observations I read 30 years ago, and I got to thinking of longevity, and of what I should write about myself.

I’d never compare my own observations, with anybody else’s, but I have a small problem. And that is this, while I’d love to write a column about what’s happening about me, and our very rural property, going into spring, my mind is consumed by what’s happening all around the world, events that put what’s happening in our small circle of life into insignificance.

One of my spring highlights is seeing the poplars burst forth, the new leaves develop, on some of the hundreds we’ve planted over the last 30 years.

Even though autumn shades get the rave reviews, they always seem to me as the colours of dying, of a season that’s gone, while the spring shoots show the prospect of new growth, warmer weather around the corner, of a brighter future, after the usual long winter.

Similarly, our 30 odd magnolias are doing their best to show why we love them so much, with an array of variety of colour that will keep us amused for a month. And that’s all before their leaves form and they flower again with the joy of spring.

I’ve just about given up watching the bloody news, something of an evening tradition for most of our lives, because of all the rotten stuff that’s happening everywhere.

Never mind that we appear to hate every political person, most of whom are trying their best.

We seem to elect them and to straight away start polling against them, rather than give them a fair go.

We are shown the devastation that is the civil war in the Sudan. The Israelis seem to be hell bent on blowing the Palestinian nationals to bits in another war I don’t understand.

The mad Russians are doing their level best to take over Ukraine, looking like a big bully after his neighbours riches, all the while blaming the other innocent party for its instigation.

And on and on...

Which all makes what’s happening to me down on the farm, all seem quite minor in the great scheme of things.

But I’m very lucky. As this is where I want to be, and spring holds a promise of good things to look forward to at a time when so many of those poor buggers all around the world seem to have nothing ahead of them at all.

Ah well, back to filling potholes in the drive, now the latest spring shower has passed.

Spring and savagery

Janine Krippner

“Tourists warned of volcano (in capital letters) alert in Spanish holiday hotspot as locals urged to leave homes”

This was a headline published a few weeks ago by Great Britain News, and I want to unpack it as a prime example of why we must be cautious when confronted with dramatic headlines.

If you have been reding my recent columns, you know that I just spent six weeks in the Canary Islands, the majority of which was on Tenerife - the island this headline was about. Two weeks of this was with a fantastic group of students working on a volcanic resilience project in the gorgeous seaside town of Garachico. The very town that this headline was about.

We were there because for quite a while now, an exercise has been planned by authorities to test their capabilities for an evacuation; a test-run that can also be applied elsewhere. This is part of a larger European Union effort to test emergency management capabilities for a range of disasters. A quick and simple Google search shows this being openly discussed back in October of last year. Any semblance of fact-checking could find this.

Garachico was chosen for this exercise because of its history. The town was damaged during the 1706 eruption, an event that was commemorated while I was there. Not because of an impending eruption.

And yes, if you keep scrolling it clarifies that this is, in fact, not related to some recent small earthquakes below the island. Which, by the way, are common for a volcanic island such as Tenerife.

Can you tell that I am absolutely fed up? I have been for years.

Headlines like this exist to get you to click on the link, generating profit with no consideration for who they may harm.

This kind of sensationalist headline is designed for one thing: clicks. Clicks mean profit. And unfortunately, this kind of misleading content is everywhere. More and more junk is flooding the internet, making it harder to find clear, factual information. As a volcanologist, I can spot inaccuracies quickly. But I worry about topics outside my expertise, how can I trust what I read when I see how often misinformation spreads in my own field?

Sometimes, misinformation is intentional; other times, it’s just poorly researched. But either way, it can look deceptively credible when sprinkled with enough technical-sounding language.

What can we do?

Firstly, seek out the experts. One silver lining of the social media era is that it gives scientists and specialists platforms to share knowledge directly. Look for blogs by researchers, articles published by reputable organisations, or commentary from qualified professionals. Be mindful of where your information comes from, and who is giving it.

Watch out for inflammatory language, especially if it’s in all capital letters. That’s a red flag. Even though I’m mad about this issue, my response is measured. Sensationalist headlines rarely come from trustworthy sources.

Now more than ever, we need to approach the news with a healthy dose of scepticism. It’s the only way to ensure we’re consuming facts, not fiction created to serve someone else’s agenda.

Panic in the headlines

Meghan Hawkes

When Rose Harding went missing in July 1905 mystery surrounded the affair.

The 50-year-old widow lived on a small farm with her family of four children at Oparure. She was said either to have gone in search of her children, who were late coming home with the cows, or gone out alone at night in search of cattle. She had not been seen or heard of since.

Search parties went out but found no trace of her. It was feared she would not be found alive, as the nights had been very cold, particularly the first night she vanished.

Rose had been married to Frederick Harding who had immigrated with his family from Bristol in 1867 when he was a child. Rose Brown, born in Worcester, arrived with family in the same year. They married in 1885 in Christchurch. Frederick was a farmer who moved about for work and their four children were born in the Taranaki and Manawatu regions.

The family arrived at Oparure around 1894 but nine years later tragedy struck when Frederick died in 1903 aged 45. Rose, with the children aged between 17 and 11, had carried on the farm.

Rose’s disappearance produced headlines such as ‘A mother lost trying to find her children’ and ‘The Waikato mystery’. The district was combed under the direction of Constable Matthews. The police dragged the river and streams in the vicinity of where it was thought she had wandered, and a large party of horsemen and footmen were organised in the surrounding districts.

Four days after her disappearance Rose’s tracks were found and it was seen that she had doubled on her route and lost her way. Two days later, a search party, headed by Constables Matthew and Fraser, again went out looking for Rose but was again unsuccessful.

Most of the searchers now thought it was hopeless. The country where her footmarks were traced was full of tomo which dropped to a great depth below the surface. It was thought she had fallen into one.

Some time after Rose went missing the children’s aunt arrived to check on the family. On discovering what had happened she sent the eldest boy to work at a lime works and took the three girls with her to Napier.

Ten months after Rose’s disappearance, in May 1906, two pig hunters in the bush at Waitepipi discovered what appeared to be her remains as well as a blue serge skirt and a cape. They came into Te Kūiti and reported the matter to Constable Matthews. He had no doubt that this was the unfortunate Rose who had been so long lost. She was buried at Te Kūiti’s old cemetery.

Questions lingered over Rose’s death – she was found above ground, so hadn’t fallen down a tomo. Perhaps she was disorientated in the dark, succumbing to a freezing cold night. Family lore says she was probably murdered, but by who and how and why are yet another mystery in the demise of Rose Harding.

What happened to Rose?

Supplied

Bed tax

I am concerned at Waitomo mayor Robertson jumping on the bed tax bandwagon to fund tourism support in Waitomo. Bed taxes to fund promotions are suitable for Auckland and similar urban areas that have a large accommodation base with the funds being utilised to support events and publicity.

This leads to increased occupancy in those hotels and thus benefits the accommodation being taxed. Most tourists coming to Waitomo are not, however, staying overnight but instead are having a quick trip through the caves before travelling on to their next destination. Taxing the small number of tourists and others staying in the area to support major tourism companies appears iniquitous.

A better model to follow would be Venice which has a similar problem with visitors bussing in for a quick look and then travelling to another destination to overnight. Venice has a day visitor levy which is charged to visitors, with those staying overnight exempt. Visitors are therefore encouraged to stay overnight and use local restaurants and accommodation. Substantive lobbying for a day visitor levy to be incorporated in legislation covering bed taxes would be necessary for this to occur, but local councils and industries have been successful in such lobbying in the past.

John Anderson - Waitomo Caves



Bed taxes
I write in response to John Anderson’s letter last week where he suggested a “day visitor levy” to fund regional tourism promotion.
He made the suggestion in response to the call for a bed tax to fund such promotion by industry players, something that he noted I had endorsed. I agree that the Venice model of a day visitor levy is another way to fund regional tourism. Certainly for our district it makes sense given the number of day visitors to the Waitomo Caves. Whatever the model - day levy, bed tax, or both - the current system is broken. Councils should not be rating farmers and households to pay for tourism promotion.
The announcement last week by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism to add a further $70 million over two years to promote regional tourism and major events is welcome. But for the long term a model of funding that works on a sustainable basis needs to be found.
John Robertson
Mayor of Waitomo

Letters to the editor

Right now, my work is focused on assessing geological hazards across vast expanses of the seafloor, encompassing volcanic activity and deposits, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and just about everything else you could imagine. The learning curve has been steep, which is just the way I like it.

Part of this work is understanding the data that I am using so that I am aware of the limitations. Some of the most important and fascinating data, multibeam bathymetric data, is the marine equivalent of looking at Google maps under the ocean, but with far less detail. This data is collected by technicians and scientists who spend long stretches of time on research vessels or ships.

A dear friend and colleague of mine, scientist Christie Reiser, has spent more than 1000 days at sea over the past decade. She kindly agreed to share what it’s really like to live and work aboard a ship.

Christie’s work was based in Alaskan waters, where the field season lasts six to eight months during the better weather period. That means spending every hour of every day with the same people, working 12-hour shifts and often under pressure, sometimes in life-or-death situations. Tragically, death is occasionally part of the reality at sea. Ships are dangerous places, and health and safety are paramount. Each person must not only look after themselves but also remain constantly aware of the wellbeing of everyone around them.

As of today, only about 27 per cent of the world’s seafloor has been properly mapped using modern instruments, according to the Seabed 2030 global mapping initiative. And even then, the resolution is not what we’re used to on land. The main task of Christie’s cruises was to chart previously unmapped areas of the seabed, as well as re-map dynamic nearshore zones where human activity or natural forces, such as tsunamis, can modify or reshape the seafloor.

As a survey technician, part of her job was to work on the smaller boats that depart from the main ship, where she collected data and cared for sensitive equipment. The end result was the creation of nautical charts, which are crucial for marine navigation. These charts are vital not only for safe navigation, but also for understanding hazards at sea. What struck her most was just how much expertise, technology, and collaboration go into producing an accurate map of the ocean floor.

Even something as seemingly simple as knowing your position on the water is remarkably complex. A ship doesn’t just travel forward, it constantly pitches, rolls, and shifts. For mapping to be accurate, scientists must know the vessel’s position in three dimensions, down to the millimetre scale. They also need to account for tides, sea level, and the boat’s precise location on the globe.

With the enormous amount of physical things around you at this moment having at one point spent time on a boat, so much of our lives are dependent on the ocean. Accurate tsunami models also depend on this information, among many other things we take for granted.

Mapping the ocean floor is more than just an academic pursuit, it’s a vital part of life on this beautiful, watery planet.

Charting the unknown

There’s a rising tide of opposition to carbon farming on our hills, and some of the opposition is justified, and some of it’s not.

I believe climate change is happening at an even faster rate than scientists predict. That’s not because I understand the science, but because I look out the window and see what’s happening.

Like the banana producing fruit each year at the bottom of the garden. I’m sure you shouldn’t be able to grow bananas in the King Country.

That amuses me, but much more serious, are the moths disappearing.

Remember moths on the windows at night, of not being able to leave the windows open, and the light on?

Sure, there a still a few about, only one percent though, of what there used to be, and why am I the only one to have noticed this?

Why are there no alarm bells ringing from the scientific community? What will the effects be on pollination of plants, of birds food, on whatever other things in the great circle of life, and moths’ part in that great circle?

I’m blowed if I know, but it’s a change that’s happening with climate change.

Then there’s the fact that rural communities were failing long before any hills were planted for carbon sequestration. Rural people don’t have to look far around them to see the small villages that have disappeared, of the small towns that struggle, and those factors have been changing all my long life, and long before this latest tree planting trend.

I agree that it’s sad to see good country vanish under pine plantations, but lots of farming on that same land has been battling to be sustainable for generations and has to compete with the economic circumstances that exist at the time. While prices are good at the moment, that’s not always been the case. For livestock only, that is, log prices are rubbish.

I’m more concerned that the trees should be looked after, so that they have timber potential in the future.

That the trees are only planted where the land is good enough to sustain the extra weight on the hills. Nowhere near it on our farm.

And that the pests breeding under the trees don’t become an ignored problem for other land owners. Lastly, that the increased fire danger is looked after.

In my own case, pest control in our relatively small plantations becomes an absolute priority. The shut up land to grow trees becomes a haven for goats and deer, a magnet for them if you like.

Uncontrolled forest becomes a haven, a resort, for possums, wild cats, ferrets, and stoats. We certainly didn’t win the battle over bovine TB to relent and let possums get out of control again.

Forestry companies used to have dedicated fire control people whose job was to see that fire breaks between forest blocks were not only established, but also maintained, and that there were adequate water resources to fight fires.

Do the carbon farmers have any such plans in place? We haven’t.

Planning those forests

Residents may have noticed an increased police presence around the King Country area over the last couple of weeks. Firstly, I want to assure the community there is no ongoing risk to your safety.

On Friday constables from Ōtorohanga located a stolen ute and trailer snooping around rural properties on Rangiatea Road. A resident observed the suspicious activity on their farm and promptly called 111.

Police then located the vehicle leaving the area. The vehicle was discovered to be stolen days earlier from Tauranga, the owner was grateful to see its return.

A male will be appearing in the Te Kuiti Court charged in relation to the motor vehicle theft.

A 22-year-old female in Te Kuiti was located and arrested for failing to return after being granted compassionate leave from prison.

Also on Friday Police conducted enquiries for a male at a property in Te Kuiti. The male threatened to shoot Police before running from the address. No weapon was located, the individual has a warrant for his arrest and police will continue attempts to locate him in the safest possible manner.

Significant media spotlight recently has focussed on an incident involving Tom Phillips.

Matters relating to the Phillips family are managed by a dedicated team not including staff based here. King Country police staff remain committed to the priorities within our district, and are focussed on responding to events in this area.

I would encourage any individual who knows they are sought by police to communicate with us, either by calling 105 or a local station. We are always open to discussion and negotiation to surrender peacefully.

However, we will continue to actively seek out those who cause harm in our communities and officers will do what’s required to safeguard themselves and the public. Police aren’t out here to hurt anybody - so please reach out to us and resolve whatever the issue is.

Wanted? Talk to us

News

A prognosis for Doocey

Meet the candidates - Kāwhia Community Board

Meet the candidates Otorohanga Ward

Warnings renewed as velvetleaf looms

Twin role announced for Jordan

Meet the candidates Rangiātea Māori Ward

Meet the candidates Te Kūiti Urban Ward

The clippers are being sharpened and the gloves will be off as the 2025–26 National Shearing Circuit begins.

Beginning with the New Zealand Merino Shearing Championships at the Alexandra A&P Show (October 3–4), the circuit will involve some of the best shearers in the business.

“I will be at the Alex’ show for the start of our national circuit,” Te Kūiti shearer Jack Fagan told The News.

“Points are taken from the heats for the national circuit, so qualifying for the top 12 at the Golden Shears in March is the goal.

Last year Fagan finished second at the New Zealand Merino Shears, progressing to qualify second overall for the circuit final at the Golden Shears in Masterton.

“The national circuit is the competition I want to win, to be the best multi-breed shearer is a massive title.”

Although it’s too early to tell who will make the grade, Golden Shears’ 2025 Open winner Toa Henderson (Northland), circuit winner Paerata Abraham (Masterton), Open Speed Shear champ Chris Dickson (Masterton) and woolhandler Joel Henare (Gisborne) could all make their presence felt.

The King Country should be well represented in Masterton if the likes of woolhandlers, Keryn Herbert (Te Kūiti) and Kelly Barrett (Kāwhia) and such shearers as Jack Fagan again rise to the occasion.

While the field is wide open, at least one rising star from King Country should shine on the circuit.

“I don’t think there are any clear favourites at the moment – anyone in the top 12 who puts in a strong performance has a great chance,” Fagan said. “Clay Harris (Piopio) is up and coming, though. He’ll do well if he sticks with it at the shows.”

Fagan has had little downtime since the Golden Shears and the NZ Shears in Te Kūiti earlier this year.

Along with Wairarapa’s David Buick, Fagan secured a clean sweep of a three-match series against a Welsh pair in New Zealand in March, before heading to Europe for a six-match tour, including three tests against Wales.

The Welsh pair won the series 2-1 against Fagan and Toa Henderson. However, the Kiwis claimed three from six tests overall and numerous individual wins, including Open finals and speed shear titles, along the way.

“Every time I competed in Europe, I gave it my best shot,” Fagan said. “I’ve been proud to wear the black singlet and I don’t take the job lightly – it’s an honour. We did well in Europe, but there’s still more to come.”

Welsh pair Llyr Jones and Gwion Lloyd Evans will compete against New Zealand early next year.

“They definitely are a tough team and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Fagan said. “I wouldn’t talk about our chances, but we will make sure we put in a strong performance.”

Here we go shearing again

Waitomo’s roads should prove decisive as this year’s North Island rally series closes in on its final destination.

All going well, Taumarunui’s Quentin Palmer will wrap up the series at Rally Waitomo on September 21 with a round to spare.

“I’m going in with the same attitude as I’ve had so far – to finish and collect as many points as I can,” he told the News. “I’m reasonably confident but I won’t take anything for granted.”

Having three podium placings under his seatbelt, the Waimiha-based driver could secure the series even if he fails to finish.

“I can still win, even if I don’t finish, as long as I then finish the last round, Rally Bay of Plenty,” said Palmer. “I think we’ll be on the same road as the year before last, but as we get no notes, we’ll just have to take it as it comes.”

Ordinarily, a good co-driver is worth their weight – literally. However, Waitomo is a clubman’s round. Consequently, Palmer and his co-driver, Michael Goudie, will be driving blind, event organiser and veteran driver Charlie Evans said.

“It’s called a clubman’s rally because it’s intended to introduce new drivers and co-drivers to the sport so they can get the feel of how a rally operates,” said Evans. “We’re not allowed any pace notes, so we have to drive the road as we see it.”

Although familiarity with the area will give the likes of Palmer and Evans an inside track, home ground advantage can backfire too.

“I plotted the course a couple of years ago but I avoid doing any recon, just to make it fair,” Evans said. “Knowing the lay of the land helps, but a little knowledge can be worse than none – you might be more careful, thinking that there’s a shit of a corner coming up when there’s not. It can be better just to find the corners and deal with them when you do.”

Running east of Piopio, the Waitomo course is no sprint but it won’t require a marathon effort either.

“Because the route flows nicely – it’s not too tight and winding – drivers will be clocking some fairly good speeds,” said Evans.

Four-wheel drives will dominate, but there’s fun to be had across the classes.

“Two-wheel drives aren’t as fast as the four-wheel drives because exit speed out of corners is slower. Having said that, my Mazda is quite light, so it can be more nimble and a little bit quicker on open roads.”

Despite being a defending champion in his two-wheel-drive class, Evans will be playing for pride.

“I’m out of the running this year because I elected not to do two of the rounds and I didn’t finish one due to a mechanical issue, but I’ll still be giving it a good go.”

Three rounds down and Palmer is, almost, a dead cert to win the series, Evans said.

“Quentin’s now leading by a long way – he won the first two rounds and he was second in the third, so he just has to maintain. If he does all right in Waitomo, he has it won.”

Rally title in Palmer’s hands

The Rugby Championship has been a tournament of more than two halfbacks for the All Blacks due to a slew of injuries.

Piopio’s Cortez Ratima has been out with a rib fracture and itching to get back on the field for at least one very good reason.

“I hope I’ve been making people back home proud,” he told The News. “The King Country community played a big part in my childhood and I really feel the love and support from them.”

A rib fracture suffered in the second clash against the Pumas in August has kept Cortez sidelined since.

Fortunately, it appears the plucky Chiefs scrumhalf could be back in action against Australia.

“The injury is progressing well,” he told The News. “I’ve been back into training now and hoping I’ll be ready to go in time for the Bledisloe matches.”

The Championship has proved a headache for All Black coach, Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson during to a growing butcher’s bill, especially at halfback.

Former St Peter’s Cambridge star, Cam Roigard (Hurricanes), and Hamilton Boys’ old boy, Noah Hotham (Crusaders), are yet to put in an appearance during the competition so far. This has left Finlay Christie (Blues) to shoulder the duties at the back of the pack, backed by rookie, Kyle Preston (Crusaders).

Despite this, commitment from the All Black squad should keep the Bledisloe Cup out of Australian hands and secure another Rugby Championship title in the process, Cortez said.

“I think we’ve shown some good signs, although there have also been times that we haven’t lived up to our own standards. But it was awesome to see the guys put out a strong performance against the Springboks (on September 13), he said.”

“We certainly don’t underestimate any of these teams – it’s been extremely tight in this year and any team could win any game. We just have to focus on the next game ahead and let the results take care of themselves.”

Cortez Ratima – no half measures

Jesse Wood

A couple of weeks ago The News reported that Maniapoto had lifted the Peace Cup after a one-off challenge against Central Bay of Plenty in Rotorua. But the old trophy – a symbol of rugby sub-union supremacy which has enjoyed – or endured – a colourful life for more than a century, was never presented. Today Jesse Wood reveals why – and reports that there is a school of thought that suggests the battered old cup should be gracefully retired.

Many are calling for the historic Peace Cup trophy to be retired following a lack of competition teams and broken competition rules.

The “ugliest trophy in New Zealand sport” has been through the mill in its century of existence.

Hamilton accountant Richard “Dick” English donated the trophy to his local team after the culmination of World War I.

Sub-union rugby teams have competed for the cup since the start.

Thames were the first winners in 1920.

According to the New Zealand Rugby History website run by rugby historian Keith Gordon, “sub-unions are areas within a provincial union that join for matches against other sub-unions or play each other within that sub-union for local supremacy. It is a step up from neighbouring rivalry.”

The Peace Cup has been contested by sub-unions between from Taupō to south to Auckland in the north.

Previous winners include Te Awamutu, Hamilton, Morrinsville, Rotorua, Central Bay of Plenty, Thames, South Waikato, Matamata, Maniapoto, Tauranga, Pukekohe, Hauraki Plains, Paeroa, Western Bay of Plenty, Ōtorohanga, Waihi, Cambridge and Te Puke.

Hamilton were 2024 champions but chose not to field a team this season due to only two other teams putting their hands up – a Maniapoto team and Central Bay of Plenty sub-union.

“At the beginning of the year, there was a meeting of what should have been sub-union representatives and parties interested in the Peace Cup,” Hamilton Rugby Union chairman Doug Hawkings said.

“Hamilton made it clear, that if there weren’t four teams, we wouldn’t enter a team.

“The Peace Cup is on its last legs and it’s been on life support for the last few years.

“Whoever participates in it plays on the proviso they are a sub-union or a combination of sub-unions.

“Piako and Matamata had joined together in the past. They didn’t have enough players, they hate each other but played Peace Cup together.

“The last three years we’ve had four teams at max and it’s just not financially viable.”

The Maniapoto side faced Central Bay of Plenty for the Peace Cup last month.

Hawkings said the collective sub-union representatives believed the Maniapoto team represented the Maniapoto sub-union team – but then learned it was a Maniapoto iwi team.

Founded in 1907, Maniapoto sub-union haven’t had a squad in many years and Waitete and Piopio are the last two senior clubs in their area.

“The game became null and voided - they weren’t a sub-union, and the players who played in their team weren’t all registered to sub-unions in the King Country,” Hawkings said.

“In the rules it says you can bring in four outside players who have connections, five wouldn’t really matter, but when it’s half the team, it’s not in the spirit of what the Peace Cup is about.

“At least seven players came from the Hamilton sub-union in 2025. They may have an enduring relationship with the iwi, but they’re not part of a sub-union team within the King Country.

“It was about the integrity of the Peace Cup, so that’s effectively what it came down to.”

As the competition dwindles, Peace Cup tragics and representatives are calling for the trophy to be retired and put on display at the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.

“If we want to start a competition with other teams involved, I’d have no problem with that, but the Peace Cup should be retired and given the respect it deserves,” Hawkings said.

“I don’t have any qualms from where I sit with Hamilton playing against the Maniapoto iwi team or the like, but the Peace Cup has been a sub-union competition for 105 years.

“If we had known beforehand, we would have had a meeting to discuss that and made a decision at that point as to whether the game should have gone ahead or not.”

Hawkings said if the team was a combination of North King Country and Maniapoto sub-unions, it would have been fine.

“It might have been representative of the King Country but it wasn’t representative of those two clubs involved in that sub-union, so the team shouldn’t have been in the competition.”

To be eligible to play in the competition, a player must have played or been registered to a club or team from within their team’s union/sub-union catchment area, during the current year.

Teams can play up to four non local club players. The understanding is that these players have a connection to the host sub-union. If a loan player comes from a sub-union within the current competition, the host sub-union must seek clearance from that players’ sub-union, to play.

Is this the end of the Peace Cup?

Despite their dominance at previous Rugby World Cups, the defending champion Black Ferns can’t afford to rest on their laurels.

Host nation England could derail New Zealand’s plans for a seventh Women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) title, former Ferns’ captain, Dame Farah Palmer, says.

“It’s always tough to beat the home team, and England will be boosted by their supporters, but they may trip up on the way to the finals, so it’s anyone’s tournament to win,” she told The News.

The Black Ferns secured a semifinal berth this week with a 62-19 win over Japan.

“The Black Ferns will be focusing on each game as it comes. If they can gel as a team in the pool games, and figure out who’s in the starting 15, I think they’ll have a strong chance against whoever they meet in the finals.”

Originally from Piopio, Palmer captained the Black Ferns to three RWC wins, including two finals against England. In total, New Zealand has a 5–0 record in RWC finals against England.

The Ferns clearly expressed their intentions at the cup by opening with a 54–8 thrashing of tournament minnows, Spain. However, the victory came at a cost.

“They would have learnt a lot about how their set pieces, attack options etcetera are working, but the injury count is a bit of a concern,” Palmer said. “Their physio and medical team will be working hard to get players back to their best in time for the last pool match.”

The final pool match against Ireland on Sunday (September 7) will test the Ferns, Palmer said.

“Ireland will be a challenge – the Black Ferns lost to them at the 2014 RWC, and Ireland also plays in the Six Nations tournament, so they’re used to tournament preparation and performance.”

At home, while some of the best players are on RWC duty, Auckland, Canterbury and defending champs, Waikato, will all still be tough to beat in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) Premiership, Palmer said.

“Auckland has lost a lot of key players to the Black Ferns, but Canterbury is looking good. My pick is Waikato but Manawatū has some amazing players and could be a wildcard winner.”

From 1992 to 2007, Palmer played eight seasons for Otago, seven for Manawatū and one for Waikato.

The FPC Premiership final is scheduled for early October.

Palmer picks Black Ferns, Waikato

Tate Burdon and former King Country rugby representative Paul Luttrell represented New Zealand at the BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen.

About 3500 riders competed across the July challenge, masters and championship divisions.

It was 11-year-old Burdon’s second world championships after competing in Rockhill, United States, last year.

The Year 7 Korakonui School student placed 16th overall out of 139 riders in the 11-year-old boys 20-inch class, making the semifinals.

This was about a week after finishing fourth in round nine and third in round 10 of the European Cup in Angelholm, Sweden.

“It was massive, it really stretched him as a rider to set up for worlds. He adopted a more assertive riding style. The Europeans will push you around without a second thought as Tate found out in the European Cup,” mum Anne Burdon said.

The 2025-26 season will be another big year for Tate as he prepares for the world champs in Brisbane in July.

The Mighty 11 trials for the New Zealand stage are on September 28 before the North Island Titles on Labour Weekend in Auckland.

Tate will also have a few trips to Australia in 2026 including the Oceania Champs in February, followed by the Te Awamutu-hosted BMX Nationals in March.

Luttrell was no stranger to Copenhagen, having raced there at the 2011 world championships.

“We also lived in Copenhagen from 2017-2022, so it will be a homecoming of sorts. This will be my 11th and final world champs,” Luttrell said before the event.

He rode in the 50 plus cruiser male category, competing against 99 other riders.

“After riding well and comfortably making the top 16, a small mistake in the semifinal saw my chances of making the final dashed,” Luttrell said.

“With the races lasting less than 40 seconds, split second reactions and decisions make all the difference.

Luttrell said the facilities at Te Awamutu BMX club were a fantastic advantage for their preparations and the club’s support was highly appreciated.

In the under-23 women’s class, Penny was pipped by just 0.06s in the quarterfinals.

She also fractured her scaphoid in a race at the start of the trip,” Penny said.

“I did manage to get back on my bike and race at the world champs, however I wasn’t back to 100 per cent.”

Te Awamutu BMX Club president Rodney Prescott said the results proved Te Awamutu can foot it with the world’s best. 

Trio take on the best

Norris Woodbine

After a spluttering start to their defence of the Lochore Cup the King Country Rams burst back into contention with an emphatic seven try winning performance against a committed Poverty Bay side at Taupo last Saturday.

With their forwards laying a great platform the young stars in the back line were given every opportunity to express their boundless talent and the result was some great running rugby.

There were few better on the paddock than Patrick Hedley with a personal tally of 22 points playing on the left wing, scoring two tries and nailing all but one conversion with his accurate boot.

This rising star is on loan from Hawke’s Bay and King Country supporters will be hoping that side suffers no injuries which require him to be called back.

Playing on the opposite wing Baven Brown Jnr was another who shone with one huge run back from a kick off gathered deep in his own half splitting the Bay defence leading to Hedley’s second try.

And it was Brown who scored the final try with his trademark side stepping ability and genuine pace leaving many defenders in his wake as he raced away down the embankment side.

Number eight Caleb Foote was another local player to the fore with his general play and strong carries complimenting a tidy lineout display while his loose forward partners Maximus Dunstar and Levison Gower were never far from the ball.

Piopio’s Isaac Griffin was injected into the pack at lock after the half time break and impressed with some huge carries of the ball and is proving to be a great addition to the squad.

As impressive as the Rams were on attack the coaches will probably be dissecting some defensive lapses especially early in the game as the visitors went toe to toe early on and half way through the first half the scores were locked at 21 a piece.

Earlier in the day the King Country Emerging Big Horns found the Waikato Divisional side a difficult proposition eventually losing by 46–19 on a difficult afternoon.

The side was bolstered somewhat with the inclusion of Rico Bell and Callum Hedley from the Rams but in the end a dominant forward pack proved too hard to overcome.

Young Kees Muller caught the eye with some great line out work complimenting his general play although playing at lock would have seen him in unfamiliar territory.

Liam Knight and Jayden Pari also enjoyed honest performances and continue to develop in a higher grade.

In other results the King Country Under 18 side defeated a Hawke’ Bay schools team 55-12 where by all accounts young Wiremu Harris was outstanding at hooker and Riddick Rangitonga also caught the eye.

The King Country secondary school girls were too powerful for Taranaki U18 girls, winning 32– 5 while the U16 boys lost to Waikato Pasifika 46–23.

A prognosis for Doocey

A prognosis for Doocey

Sport

Here we go shearing again

Opinion

Spring and savagery

Legal

Terms

Privacy

King Country News

About

Contact

King Country News, King Country Farmer and the King Country App are independently owned and published by Good Local Media Ltd – also publishers of the Te Awamutu News, Cambridge News and Waikato Business News.