Selwyn Times: April 08, 2020

4 Wednesday April 8 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
News
Ransley gets his racing fix
• From page 1
“The boys from Racing
Sims in Christchurch have
given me this simulator for
the lockdown and I’ve never
experienced anything like it.
“It’s pretty much a race car
with no wheels and no roof
over your head.
“The pedal box, the wheel
and the same amount of force
and feedback is what you get if
Small psyllid devastating to potato crops
BACKYARD CRITTERS
Mike Bowie is an ecologist who specialises in
entomology (insects and other invertebrates).
Each week he introduces a new species found in
his backyard at Lincoln. His column aims to raise
public awareness of biodiversity, the variety of
living things around us. Check out the full list
of invertebrates found at www.inaturalist.org/
projects/backyard-biodiversity-bugs-in-my-lincoln-section
A NEW pest recently found on
my tomatoes for the first time
is the tomato potato psyllid
(Bactericera cockerelli).
The pest psyllid comes from
North and Central America
and arrived in New Zealand
about 2006 and is spreading
throughout the country.
The adults are about the size
NOVEL
APPROACH:
Jaden Ransley
behind the
wheel with
his in-home
racing
simulator
you were actually racing,”
he said.
“The seat is a motion seat
with traction loss so you
can feel the car sliding under
you and then you have a
50 inch curved screen so
you can see where you are
going.”
The series will run over
April and May with round two
set for late next week.
of aphids but look like miniature
cicadas. They have transparent,
membraneous wings and a
distinctive white band across
their abdomens.
The females lay yellow, oblong
eggs that are attached to plants
by small stalks.
Flat oval-shaped, scale-like
nymphs hatch from eggs and
Stock owners now
face prosecution
for crashes
• By Devon Bolger
A NEW stock driving
bylaw has come into
effect that may see
an owner face police
prosecution if their
animal causes a crash.
The bylaw, which
came into force on
April 1, is an update
of the one put in place
in 2008 under the
requirements to review a
bylaw within 10 years.
There are 25 minor
amendments from the original
bylaw to provide additional
descriptions, clarifications, or
updated information.
The changes from the original
bylaw include:
The owner of a wandering animal
can face police prosecution if
the animal causes a crash, while
the district council can recover
costs of removing an animal that
was wandering on the road.
Stock is not allowed to graze on
a road with a speed limit of 60km
or less and it has been clarified
attach to
younger
leaves,
usually, but
not always on the underside.
Although nymphs can move
around on their six legs, they
mostly stay motionless with their
sap-sucking stylets inserted in
host plants, commonly potatoes
and tomatoes.
Nymph colour changes as they
age from a pale yellow to tan and
Mark Chamberlain
that the district council
does not provide
financial assistance
for underpasses or upgrade
of a carriageway.
During public
consultation, three
submissions were
received.
They were
considered by a
bylaw subcommittee
consisting of
councillors Grant Miller and
Murray Lemon in November last
year, two submitters spoke to
their submission.
District council team
leader transportation Mark
Chamberlain said in a report:
“There was a consideration of
the submissions received, the
additional points raised by
the submitters and a general
consideration of the proposed
amendments.”
• To find out more go to:
selwyn.govt.nz/services/
roads-And-transport/stockdroving
greenish brown.
Development is temperaturedependant
and as many as seven
to eight generations can occur in
the Auckland climate.
The psyllid is also a vector
of a pathogenic bacterium
which turns leaves yellow or
brown and affects plant health,
quality and productivity of
vegetables.
SELWYN TIMES
Discussion
on rates
assistance
today
• From page 1
Individuals who have suffered
a loss of employment or have
qualified for the Government’s
wage subsidy will also be
eligible for the six-month
extension.
A financial update report will
also be tabled at the meeting
district council meeting today
outlining the possible impacts
of the coronavirus.
“It’s hard to assess to assess the
financial impacts at this stage. My
very high level best guess shows
our immediate cash requirements
being lower than previously forecast
and it is based on the impact
of the full impact of Covid-19
restrictions being felt over an
eight week period.
“The key message for council
is that we are in a strong financial
position, have sufficient liquid
assets to fund our cash flow
needs for the coming months
and we are in a good position
to respond to changing circumstances,”
it says in the report
Mr Broughton said it is
important to find a balance
between keeping the economy
going and understanding the
landscape has changed.
“An artificial lowering of rates
would mean we just have to
catch up in years to come which
I don’t think is a responsible
way to fund the council.
“We have to expect that fees
and charges would be down,
investment returns would be
lower and we would also
have to rely more heavily on
borrowing,” he said.
• HAVE YOUR SAY: Would
you like to see the district
council implement a form
of assistance for struggling
ratepayers? Email your
views to devon.bolger@
starmedia.kiwi
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