Selwyn_Times: November 23, 2022

Selwyn Times Wednesday November 23 2022
8
NEWS
Driver who swerved to
kill pukeko ‘cruel, sick’
• By Susan Sandys
ROLLESTON residents are upset
about learning a driver veered
onto the opposite side of the
road to run over a pukeko on the
outskirts of the town.
While the distinctive ganglylegged
natives can be a pest on
farms and are renowned for their
total lack of road sense, residents
say it was “nasty,” “cruel” and
“sick” to run one over, especially
as it was believed to have young
nearby.
Police have weighed in, adding
that incidents of dangerous driving
should be reported.
On Tuesday last week a motorist
reported seeing a car driving
onto the wrong side of the road
to run over the bird.
“Just witnessed this so-called
human go on the wrong side off
Two Chain Rd to hit and kill a
pukeko. We enjoy seeing these
beautiful families down our road
with their babies, very bloody
nasty and cruel,” said the motorist,
posting anonymously on
the Rolleston community group
Facebook page.
The motorist and their
daughter had been in “total
shock” to see the incident,
and drove after the vehicle to
get a photo, posting it alongside
with the number plate blanked
out.
The following day the motorist
reported seeing one adult and
three chicks “luckily” remaining,
while another motorist said she
had seen the surviving adult
and a chick “distraught” at the
side of the road shortly after the
incident.
Police said they were concerned
about incidents of driving
on the opposite side of the road,
“and dangerous driving should
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be reported to police when it is
witnessed, via 105.”
The police spokesperson added
Animal Welfare Act offences in
which an animal was killed were
not usually in the first instance a
police matter, and were referred
to the appropriate agency.
“In this instance the Department
of Conservation advises
that pukeko are a non-threatened
native New Zealand species
considered to be game animals
under management of the Fish
and Game Council, which can
be hunted at certain times of the
year, with permits,” the spokesperson
said.
“However, DOC condemns
the deliberate injury or killing
of native wildlife in the
circumstances described.”
St John area chair Ann Shepherd (far left) and St John area
operations manager Ian Rex (second from right) are joined
by Property Brokers’ Jackie Derrick, Cam McRae, Holly
Siddon and Monty Marillier.
St John receives $11,436
from golf tournament
SELWYN ST John personnel
received $11,436 from Property
Brokers last week, after the real
estate firm held a fundraising
tournament at Greendale Golf
Club.
St John area chair Ann
Shepherd said it was the most
successful fundraising Property
Brokers tournament yet, with
the previous best having raised
about $7000.
Held on October 28 and
attracting 108 golfers, it was the
fourth golf tournament Property
Brokers branches in Selwyn had
supported.
Fundraising enables St John
to not only keep ambulances
running, but also increase
provision and maintenance of
defibrillators, and support St
John youth and St John therapy
pets.
“Our community businesses
were so generous, as they
are at every tournament,
with the prizes and auction
items they donated,” Shepherd
said.