Ashburton Courier: August 11, 2022

WHĀRANGI 2|NGĀ PŪKŌRERO OTEWIKI KI RAUKĀPUKA |TAITE, 11HERE-TURI-KŌKĀ, 2022
EDITORIAL
STOP PRESS As we go to print we hear that Geraldine Golf
Club has been awarded the 2022 NZ Golf Club of the Year.
In presenting the award, Dean Murphy, CEO of Golf NZ,
said to beawinner aclub needs to display innovation,
inclusion, [and] community impact ....
Well done, team.For more onthis breaking story, check
out next weeks edition. PHOTO: Facebook/Geraldine Golf Club
By thetime youreadthis, the Great Laugh will be only
three weeks away. The Home and Kindergarten
Committee has done agreat job securing nationally
acclaimedperformers and organisingthe event. Geraldine
businesses, not all of them with direct kindergarten
connections, havegenerouslyoffered their sponsorship.
These aretough economictimes;the sponsors deserve
ourthanksand supportwherepossible.
Talking with afew of the committee members, Hugh
was reminded how much our town appreciates our
early learning opportunities. One mum told him that
her child wasteaching her howtocountinMāori. Any
time we visit, we find ahappy hiveofpurposefulactivity.
It is acause worthy of our support, andthe eventpromises
to be afun evening.
Last week,the peaceofGeraldinewas disturbed by
abombthreatatthe high school. Thankfully, it appears
to havebeenahoax,but no less concerning at the time.
And while the event willhavebeen traumatic forsome,
we understandthat the studentsapplaudedConstable
Dave when the all-clear wasgiven.Weare not used to
bomb threats in Geraldine -nodoubt there will be
lessonstolearn.Thank you, ConstableDave, forturning
up with theappropriateequipment.Wehopethat staff
and studentscan settlebacktotheir core business and
thatthe policewillfind theperpetrators beforetoo long.
We are pleased to welcome Guri and his family as
newowners of the Village Inn.Wehope youenjoy your
tenure.Wealsolook forwardtomeeting with the new
owners of Cafe Verde asChris Watkins handed over
thereins on Wednesday -every goodwish forthe next
chapter. We liveinchanging times.
Hughisbriefly holding the talking stick(cellphone)
for Geraldine.nz until anew coordinator is appointed.
He had his first two minutes of fame on the Breeze
radioshowonTuesdayand is looking forwardtohanding
the phone on to the next coordinator. If youmissed the
advertisement last week, itcan be found on the
Geraldine.nzFacebookpage.
Haveagreat week.Keepwarm. HUGH &FI
Afew light taps upon the pane
made him turn to the window.
It had begun to snow again.
He watched sleepilythe flakes,
silver and dark, falling obliquely
against the lamplight.
FROM THE DEAD, BY JAMES JOYCE(1882-1941)
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Kiwirails main south line Rangitātā crossing. PHOTO: KiwiRail
Rail Safety Week: Stand back, look up, stay rail safe
Geraldines long-serving postie, Tony
Cameron, is known for his love of trains,
and while heisoften heckled with the
odd train joke, Tony says there is no joke
about being safe around railway tracks
and crossings.
The 2022RailSafetyWeekrunsfrom
8-14August, with the slogan: stand back,
look up, stay rail safe.Tony says, Rail
Safety Week is running its campaign on
the TV, in newspapers, and othermedia
platforms. Trains run 24/7, as well as
somemaintenance gear,sopeople need
to stay awareall of the time when theyre
around railway lines and crossings.
Trainsare fast, heavy, andlong. They
take avery long time to stop in ahurry.
Usually, there are four daylight trains
throughŌrariand night-time trains too.
We have the Ōrariand Rangitātā crossings
nearby, so Geraldine residents need to
know about railway safety.
Tonys advice at theuncontrolled rail
crossings is to please carefully look both
Police understand the attacks came from acyber bot located overseas (see article page 4). PHOTO: ABC/Reuters
ways before crossing over; if there are
stop signs,you must stop.Stop andlook
both ways ... when walking over rail
crossings with your headphones on. Be
aware that when there are two tracks to
cross, there may be atrain coming in
either direction.
Most importantly, keep asafe distance
back from thetracks when atrain is going
past -and give the locomotive engineer
awave. DEBBIE OLIVER
School communications under review after bomb threat
Geraldine High School (GHS) Principal
Simon Coleman says he has received
several phone calls from concerned parents
questioning his decision-making during
the recent bomb threat. He explains,
Once we made the 111 call, we were in
the hands ofthe police. Wewere told
to lockdown, and they arrived within
three minutes. After that, we did as we
were told.
I have since learned that different
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schools received different messages. For
example, Wakatipu received amessage
that the bomb was in the school, so they
took the decision to evacuate early. For
us, the implication was that the threat
may have been on the grounds, which is
why we were told to stay put.
GHS has issued afull statement in
theirnewsletter, in which Simon explains
that theschools communication system
failed and that texts they assumed had
been sent were not, in fact, sent. Other
schools use exactly the same system, and
it worked for them. He says the school
will do some tests to ensure the system
works properly.
The debrief continues aspolice and
theschool drawwhatcan be learned from
the incident. Simon says, We hope it
doesnt happenagain, but we have to be
prepared. HUGH MCCAFFERTY
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