Bay Harbour: September 25, 2019

Wednesday September 25 2019
News
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 3
Crossing the bar one last time
• By Christine Toner
SUMNER LIFEBOAT legend
Paul Lawson died on September
17.
He was a former coxswain and
president and his contributions
over 21 years with Sumner
Lifeboat Institution and
Coastguard New Zealand were
huge.
Paul was always destined for
a maritime life. At the age of 15
he attended a seafaring school
in England, joined the British
Merchant Navy and embarked
on a seafaring career across the
globe. Saving lives at sea became
a passion when he joined a busy
unit of the RNLI (the United
Kingdom’s lifeboat institution)
based near Plymouth.
The latter part of his career
was spent with Lyttelton Port
Company, most recently as a
tugboat master.
He joined the Sumner Lifeboat
Institution in 1998. Peter
McDonald, coxswain at the
time, said that Paul’s experience
was invaluable as the Thames
class lifeboat – Lyttelton Port
Company Rescue – arrived the
same year and was a sea-change
from the earlier lifeboats.
Paul helped train the crews on
the different techniques needed
to operate the new vessel. “Paul
was the right person at the right
RATE INCREASES ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE
þ Rates are projected to rise by more than 52% by 2028.
Over the last three years, average rate rises have hit 5.25%.
And that’s not factoring in the compounding effect of those
increases.
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REPAIR THE ROADS AND FOOTPATHS
Eight years on from the quakes we still have endless
roadworks, questionable sewage systems and fresh
water that is compromised.
I SUPPORT AN INTEGRATED WATER STRATEGY
Water supply, waste water, storm water and water infrastructure
are critically important. Our waterways and coastal water form a
major part of the landscape and lives of the community.
A CHANGE OF CULTURE IS REQUIRED
Ratepayers want transparency and accountability without
resorting to Official Information Act procedures. The Council
has been branded as “the most secretive in the country.”
LEGACY: Paul Lawson’s work with Sumner Lifeboat has saved
many lives at sea.
time for Sumner Lifeboat.”
As training officer then
coxswain, Paul led Sumner
Lifeboat crew on many a
challenging and rewarding
training session and was always
ready to give support and advice.
As leader of volunteer search
and rescue crew, his priority was
to provide good gear and to train
people well.
By 2005 he had led the
Darrell
LATHAM
Forü Council
I WILL SEEK
ACCOUNTABILITY
REVIEW ALL COUNCIL EXPENDITURE
þ Income and expenditure needs to be reviewed
with urgency. The Council needs to comprehensively
review how it manages assets to avoid soaring debt.
INNER CITY DEVELOPMENT
þ Central City residential developments are creating
masses of on street car parking. These developments
require off street parking areas.
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commissioning of a new,
purpose-built jet boat – Hamilton
Jet Rescue – refurbishment
of the buildings and facilities,
and acquisition of a new jet
ski, Southern Trust Rescue. He
also led the restructuring of the
management committee and a
constitution update.
Paul’s influence was felt in
Coastguard New Zealand too. As
a member of the southern region
board from 2003 to 2012 and
chairman from 2005 to 2011, he
oversaw significant changes in
the organisation.
He was also a National
Coastguard assessor and a
Coastguard search and rescue
adviser to the police.
In that vein, his lifeboat legacy
lives on. He was instrumental
in the planning, design,
commissioning and building of
Blue Arrow Rescue, Sumner’s
12.5m, all weather slipwaylaunched
rescue vessel.
This twin-water jet-propelled
craft was the first of the now
established Sumner Class
subsequently adopted by the
Bluff and North Canterbury
Coastguard units.
Paul’s lifeboat legacy will be
remembered, his influence has
been far reaching. His actions,
knowledge and his generous
giving of time has led to the
saving of many lives at sea.
CITY ACCESS, PARKING AND CONGESTION
A smart city is an accessible city. The Council must listen
to business people and road users and create a more
user friendly accessible city.
CLIMATE CHANGE
We need individual and collective action to minimise
climate change. Mitigation and adaptive management
strategies are part of that discussion.
In Brief
SUMNER ROAD WORKS
The road works which have been
impacting Sumner businesses
are set to be completed this week.
The Sumner Village Master Plan
enhancement work has been
pushing shop owners to the limit
since it began in March. Wakefield
Ave, which was reduced to one lane
during the works, is now open to
two-way traffic. Most of the seats,
cycle stands, planting and signage
is in place and the final stages are
due to be finished by Friday.
LEASE FOR SURF CLUB
A lease has been granted to the
Taylors Mistake Surf Life Saving
Club to facilitate its $3 million
club rebuild. The Linwood-
Central-Heathcote Community
Board approved the club’s use
of land at Taylors Mistake beach
last week. The new pavilion will
be constructed following the
demolition of the old, earthquakedamaged
clubrooms.
STUDENT GRANTS
Three Woolston students have
received grants towards upcoming
trips. The Linwood-Central-
Heathcote Community Board
approved $150 for Haddasah Timo’s
trip to Samoa from Sunday until
October 12. It also approved $200
to Linwood College students Mapu
O-Moungatonga Uasi and Sione Lei
Uasi for the southern zone rugby
league under-19 tournament in
Dunedin on Saturday and Sunday.
þDecisive
þDetermined
þDependable
Your choice
for
Heathcote
Better
Councils
Make
Better
Communities
Authorised by Dr Darrell Latham,
53 Colenso St, Sumner, Christchurch 8081