Ashburton Courier: April 23, 2020

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Page 6, Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday April 23, 2020 Challenging times, but ‘hang in there’ By Mick Jensen RodgerLetham will never forgetthe economic crisis,toughfarming years and the loss of his farm in the late 1980s, but he came through the other side and is urgingMid Cantabrians to ‘‘hangin there’’ because things will improve after the coronavirus lockdown. Now were challenging times for everyone, but new opportunitieswould emergeand life would get backto normal, and likely quicker than many imagined. Mr Letham said therewere new and different challengesassociated with Covid19, not least an unprecedented lockdown that affected everyone. The situationfaced by many New Zealand farmersmore than 30 years ago was very different, but would never be forgotten by those affected. The time of Rogernomicshad seen the end of farming subsidies, veryhigh interest rates and low commodityand land prices. ‘‘I took overthe mixed family farm at Lauriston on July1,1981 and for the next eight years we had three droughts. ‘‘Interestrates were 19.5 per cent and there was a24per cent rate on my overdraft.’’ The situationhad been very serious, and different from today’s pandemic,but it had tested people’s character and resilience. Mr Letham was forced to sell his farm. He cleared his debtsand took a$45,000 payoutfrom the Government. ‘‘At the time Ireally thoughtI’d never come out the other side.’’ Mr Letham said the blackhole he was in was something that somepeople were facingnow. Your dream laundryis easiertoachievethan you think! Our highlyexperienced teamishappytowork withyou on your renovation or new build. GREAT RATES The Renovation Experts PC Repairs, Set-up and Tutoring Icome to youday or evening! Talk to us now! Free Quote BOOK NOW 606 East St, Ashburton P: 307 7131 www.kitchenexpress.co.nz Rodger Letham. Laundry Dreams 9am-5pm Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm Sat NewPCs and Laptops forsale •PCRepairs/Sales •Networks/Servers •Firewalls/Security •Spyware Clean-up •Training 20 YearsExperience Microso Cerfied Professional NETWORKS FIREWALLS AND PCS LTD Robin Johnstone 67 Aitken Street, Ashburton P: 03 308 1440 C: 027 768 4058 robinbj@xtra.co.nz ‘‘There is light at the end of the tunnel and things will turn around,’’ he said. Stresslevelsand emotions werebeing tested, but therewas better support emotionally and financially todaythan there had been for farmers in the late 1980s. ‘‘I think the Government has handled the coronavirus situation pretty well. ‘‘Tough decisions have beenmade and the country has supportedthem because but they have been necessary.’’ Mid Canterburywas in abetter position thanother districts to manage and come throughthe other side because of its strongruraleconomy. ‘‘I couldn’t wishtolive in abetter town and in abetter countryinthe world right now, and I’m verythankful for that.’’ The Western Ward districtcouncillor reinvented himself after losing his farm and at the age of 45 took on anew career as arural real estate agent. He is still juggling that job 31 years later with his dutiesasafirstterm councillor. >> 2272206 2271216 Local news at www.starnews.co.nz Pizza delivery coming, says Domino’s owner Amit Thakar, of Domino's Ashburton, has been having ‘‘lots and lots’’ of meetings and discussions on what happens once life deescalates through lower Covid19 alert levels. He hasmissed working with Domino’s staff, and customers, as wellasthe ‘‘everyday hustle‘‘ but cannot believehegot to stay home all dayduring lockdown. There have beenmanyphonemeetings and Zoomsessions around theplanning for reopening and there are lists drafted, ‘‘we just havetohit send button’’. ‘‘Weare aware things arenot goingtobe samelikebefore,’’hesaid. ‘‘Aslongasweand the communityfeels ADC chief executive Hamish Riach safer there is not much we can predict. ‘‘The top priorityis... what we have achieved in lockdown, we shouldnot letitdown.Asfar as Domino’sservice... we will aggressivelybe taking saferfoodhandlingpracticesand deliveringzerocontactlessprepaid deliveryonlywithin thecommunity.’’ He saidcustomerscan restassured they will be able to resume gettinggood,tastyfood delivered whichwill havesafety at the forefrontfor peace of mind. Right: Domino's Ashburton owner Amit Thakar. New campaign launching to support our local economy For four weeks now, we have all been doing our bit to reduce the spread of Covid19 by staying home, keeping in our bubbles and washing our hands regularly and thoroughly. It was very reassuring to hear on Monday that those efforts have helped lead us to a point where the Government is satisfied that we can begin transitioning to alesser alert level next week, then areview and hopefully apossible further lower level two weeks later. The news provides some certainty to our community, particularly our workforce who have been unable to work during this time, and to the businesses who’ve had to close their doors and cease trade: certainty, in that we now have a timeline and information about when our economy might start opening up again. In anticipation of this recovery phase, the council has been quickly developing auseful Keen to get styling again Ashburton hair stylist Marc Auwerdahas adapted his routine and quiteenjoyed his forced lockdown, but he loves his job and is ready to get back to work. The ‘‘compulsory’’holiday has given him time to reflect on life, meant more time with his partner Anneand included aregimeof daily walks aroundhis neighbourhood. There’salso been countless games of the card gameFive Crowns,indoor golf, plenty of book reading and other activities. Aselfconfessedworkaholic, the Dutch born hairdresser has owned and operatedhis salon Mac & Maggies in Ashburtonfor many years. Latelast yearhemadethe decision to scale down the business and is now asole operator,working fromadedicated, customised space at thisAllenton home. ‘‘I’ve actually been enjoyingmy ‘compulsory’ holiday. It’s been a totally new experience for me because I’venevertaken that long off work before. ‘‘It’s been strange not getting out of bed in the morningand into the salon to cut hair and see clients.’’ Mr Auwerda saidhewas readyto start up againonce restrictions were lifted and he had spoken to clients and had afull appointment book. At his former salonatthe Countdown complexhehad employed staff and had more foot traffic, but he now worked from home, and was fortunate that he did not have to pay the commercial rent thatmany business owners had to pay. ‘‘I’m looking forward to catching Ashburton hair stylist Marc Auwerda in his home salon. up with clientsagain, hearing about theirlivesand,ofcourse, styling theirhair.’’ ‘‘I’ve known some clientsfor 30 yearsand they are like extended family.’’ Mr Auwerdasaid he believed the Government had managedthe Covid19 pandemic well. He had been pleased thatthe response had beenabout‘‘people rather than politics’’ andhe supported the decision that considered hairdressing not to be an essentialservice, unlikethe call made by the Australian Government. ‘‘Your hairgrows around 1cm each month, so Idon’t see how hairdressing can be considered an essential service. ‘‘Many of my clients are on five week cycles, so Iexpect to be very busy when things return to normal, whichhopefullyisvery soon.’’ tool and accompanying campaign to help local businesses and our community begin operating again. Mid Canterbury Open for Business is exactly what it says. It’s a free, online directory designed to help businesses communicate what days and times they will be open, what they are offering –especially as the alert levels may continue to place some restrictions on certain things, and what deals and specials they may have. For shoppers and people needing to access services, it will be an easy to use onestop shop to find businesses in their area. The idea of Mid Canterbury Open for Business is to encourage and help us all to find out which businesses are open, support local businesses wherever possible, and to help kick start our region’s economy after the lockdown. Mr Auwerda said he is much happier being in New Zealand than in his former homeland during the pandemic. Holland is the size of Canterbury, has apopulationof18million, and is the mostdensely populated country in Europe. He kept in very close touch with familythere, includinghis father who was over 90, but aplanned trip in June had now beencancelled, and rescheduling it ‘‘might not happenfor quiteawhile’’. MrAuwerda said he was looking forward to seeing more of New Zealand on future holidays, includingareturntohis favourite spot of the Marlborough Sounds. He was alsoanticipatingmore road trips in his weekendcar,ared Mazda MX5, as wellascatching up with family and friends and the freedom to walkCanterbury’s hikingtrails. If you have abusiness in the district, take advantage of this free resource by registering your business to be listed at MidCanOpen ForBiz.nz. Simply fill out the online form on the page. Likewise, if you want to know what is or will be open, or what products and services are available, head to the website and search for abusiness or category. The directory is in its early stages at this point and is growing every day. The council has been reaching out to many businesses to add them to the list, so you’ll continue to see the directory expand as we progress. We have begun launching the campaign this week, with the support of anumber of local media outlets who are getting behind the initiative to help spread the word. When alert levels begin easing, let’s work together, safely, to restart Mid Canterbury.
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday April 23, 2020, Page 7 Seltos offers great value for money By Ross Kiddie There’s no doubt sport utility vehicles are beneficial to families. Their practicality and often the option of seven seats make them particularly appealing for those with children in tow. However, as is often the case, those who would benefit most from an SUV aren’t in aposition financially to own one, especially those that Quality European Vehicle Servicing •Advanced Diagnostics •Experienced Technicians Bruce McIlroy Limited 309MethvenHighway,Ashburton7776 Tel: 03308 7282•E: bruce.mcilroy@xtra.co.nz MTAAPPROVED CANTERBURYVEHICLE COMPLIANCE Everything to do with vehicle inspections, we candoitfor you! • WOF •COF •Registrations • Removalofpink &green stickers • Complianceinspections forimported vehicles,lapsed registrations and motorcycles ... and alot more! From motorcycles,light and heavy vehicles, to agriculturemachinery, forklifts and other heavy vehicles. Your FULLYINDEPENDENT inspecting organisation. VISIT US NOW! 106 South Street,Ashburton Telephone: 03 308 2275 Email: admin@vehiclecompliance.co.nz OPENING HOURS: Monday–Friday8am to 5pm Saturday–8:30amto12pm www.vehiclecompliance.co.nz are new off the showroom floor. Enter, Kia’s completely new compact, fiveseat SUV, the Seltos. It has just launched here and in entrylevel LX form lists with a very special price – $25,990. To my way of thinking, that is amazing value for aquality, stateoftheart vehicle that will suit a young family. Of course the Seltos is available in four other Call us for a FREE QUOTE •Collection/Delivery ‘FreeofCharge’ in Ashburton 2267397 specifications, there’s even a fourwheeldrive model which tops the range at $46,990. Inbetween, the other variants list at $35,990, $37,990 and $42,990. Before you think the base model car lacks on kit, it doesn’t. Sure there aren’t all the hightech features of its stablemates, but there is enough specification to provide years of fulfilling motoring. Even though Kia calls the Seltos compact, it’s not really. Sure at 4.4m it isn’t large, but it does make good use of its proportions with high comfort levels, it has plenty of leg and head room in the rear passenger compartment. That area is not compromised by ahealthy load space – 468litres, expanding to 1428litres with the rear seats folded flat. I rate 2271856 2272453 the load space on any vehicle as to how well it houses the rather large cricket gear bag Iuse to coach aYear 8Sydenham team. In the case of the Seltos there was ample room to spare, and it has an easy load height. The LX variant gets cloth trim and that would far be my preference, there are no design surprises, the trim is fairly conservative but you get just enough goodies that go with the pleasure of buying anew car, some of the functions are operable through a central screen display. Even though the Seltos has yet to be crash tested, it would be expected to meet the fivestar Australasian New Car Assessment Program safety rating. In LX form the Seltos is powered by a 2litre, naturallyaspirated fourcylinder petrol engine, that’s opposed to a 1.6litre turbocharged unit fitted to the rangetopping fourwheeldrive Limited. I’d also opt for the base engine, it is avery sweet unit, quiet and smooth. Drive is channelled through the latest generation continuously variable transmission which is described by Kia as behaving like a traditional automatic transmission, acting as if it has regular gear changes. I’m quite excited about this driveline, you would hardly pick a CVT is transmitting power, while the seamless way it operates enhances driveline smoothness. Power is channelled through the front wheels only, yet the entire drive and chassis setup has benefited from a lot of development catering for the special needs of Australasian roads. The suspension is a good compromise of what is needed for occupant comfort, but there is balance and control when highcountry corners are :: ROBBIE :: KYLE :: WILLIAM Your safety is our concern! Don’t wait for your WOF to expire ifyou think there issomething wrong with your car! •WOF •Servicing •Tyres •Suspension •Steering •Brakes • Exhaust specialists •Batteries •Mechanical repairs Cnr Cass and South Streets, Ashburton P 03 308 9984 F 03 308 9910 M 0274 999 565 E undercars@robbies.co.nz OPEN SATURDAYS FOR WOF, 8.00am to 12 noon presented. Interestingly, the LX grade model gets just 16in wheels against 17in and 18in rims of higher grade variants. However, the benefit in LX grade is super quiet motion and a hugely smooth ride. The highprofile Kumho tyres (205/60) have a lot of sidewall flex, consequently, they just soak up the big bumps and contribute to tidy handling manners. Steerage is relatively precise and there is good feedback as to what the tyres are doing. Ienjoyed the way the test car behaved in acorner, and to my way of thinking the wheel/tyre setup in the LX is far from compromised. Ilike entrylevel kit and the Seltos in this form presents no surprises. Kia rates the engine with 110kW and 180Nm, if these figures look familiar that’s because it is much the same engine that powers Cerato and 2271198 Sportage from the Kia stable. Maximum torque is available from 4500rpm and peak power is reached at 6200rpm. They are quite high in the rev band and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s an engine which likes to have the revs up. However, one of the other benefits of CVT is that there are no gaps to fill between gearing. That being the case, the engine works the midrange, it isn’t flighty and feels strong beneath the throttle pedal. Of course, there is a sport mode if you wish to have the engine working harder but Iused normal mode most of the time I was in the evaluation car and it is most suitable in all situations. There is also an eco mode if you want to make maximum use of your tank of fuel. To me it’s abit numbing but if you drive casually then eco will earn you fuelsaving benefits. On that subject, Kia claims a 6.8l/100km combined cycle fuel usage average. That’s a healthy figure for an SUV which has a kerb weight extending to 1700kg. That being the case, Icouldn’t replicate Kia’s figures, however, when Itook the test car back to the dealership it was showing a respectable 8.8l/100km average, helped by a 5l/100km figure showing at asteady 100km/h, the engine turning over at 1800rpm in the tallest part of the gearing. I always like it when new cars land. Kia is capitalising on the worldwide demand for SUVs, its range is extensive and my only concern would be if the Seltos cannibalises sales from Kia’s own Niro and Sportage. At its price the Seltos is avery desirable proposition, I just hope that those who would benefit from owning an SUV recognise its value. If that is not tempting in itself, bear in mind the Seltos is sold with a fiveyear/ 100,000km warranty. Peace of mind really. Price –Kia Seltos LX, $25,990 Dimensions –Length, 4370mm; width, 1800mm; height, 1615mm Configuration –Fourcylinder, frontwheeldrive, 1999cc, 110kW, 180Nm, continuously variable automatic. Performance – 0100km/h, 9.3sec Fuel usage – 6.8l/100km
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Ashburton Courier: April 23, 2020

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