News in brief
More fame for John
John Fagan
John Fagan has become the first inductee into the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame.
Fagan co-founded the New Zealand Shearing Championships and Te Kūiti’s Running of the Sheep and is the only person to win both the Golden Shears and the Golden Pliers.
He was a 91-time open shearing winner and world record holder – but the Rural Sports Awards website noted his work as an administrator and innovator secured his place in history.
The awards were held at the Awapuni raceway in Palmerston North and saw the introduction of both a rural sports hall of fame and an award for contribution to mental health.
The evening honoured athletes whose 2025 campaigns conquered world stages and the supreme award went to axeman Jack Jordon of Taumarunui for the second year in succession,
Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger posted a picture of herself and Fagan at the awards – as this story was being written it has attracted more than 375 likes.
Body identified
Police have confirmed the remains of a person found off State Highway 3 between Te Awamutu and Ōtorohanga earlier this month were those of Colin Heath, a 47-year-old last seen in Te Kūiti in 2022. The death has been referred to the coroner and Heath’s family have asked for privacy.
Road works
A chip sealing programme for Te Kūiti and Benneydale roads will run to the end of the month. Waitomo District Council reports 24 streets in Te Kūiti and seven in Maniaiti-Benneydale are included in the work.
Rugby clash
Ōtorohanga College’s first rugby XV was scheduled to play touring Canadian school team Robert Bateman High at the college this morning.
Looking for leaks
Waitomo District Council contractor McIndoe Group is carrying out leak detection checks in Piopio this week. The work, between 8pm and 2am, involves turning off a valve at each street for a few minutes to check for changes in water pressure and is not expected to disrupt normal water use.
Appeal lodged
A $2.5 million damages claim against Waipā District Council for negligence has been dismissed by the High Court but it is now subject to appeal, the council’s Risk and Assurance committee heard on Monday. A second negligence claim in relation to the way council exercised its building control functions on a district dwelling is still before the court.
Centre established
Waipā District Council is establishing a recovery centre in Te Awamutu, as the clean-up following last month’s storms. “For Waipā and Ōtorohanga and other districts around New Zealand this is the first time we’ve been in recovery. So, it is a learning process for not only us but our communities as well,” Waipā District Council group manager Sally Sheedy said.
