Nor'West News: February 08, 2024

Thursday February 8 2024 3
‘Businesses need to eliminate
begging as soon as possible’
• From page 1
Christchurch City Mission
community outreach officer
Joshua Gardiner was a part
of the guest panel at the
neighbourhood
association
meeting,
alongside
Spreydon Ward
city councillor
Melanie Cocker
and Wigram
MP Megan
Woods’ assistant
Alex Hewison.
Joshua
Gardiner
Said Gardiner: “This is known
as aggressive begging and you
need to call the police on 111 at
the time or on 105, documenting
problems as much as possible or
by email later.
“Some beggars are not
homeless and businesses need
to eliminate begging as soon as
possible.”
Gardiner said he can be
contacted directly by email at
josh@citymission.org.nz and
would talk to the people causing
problems should the community
need it.
“The problem exists in all
of Christchurch. A physical
address is no longer needed to be
able to receive the benefit. Some
churches and agencies act on
oN sAle Now!
behalf of the homeless, as some
have problems getting their own
bank account,” he said.
“Several one-bedroom,
boarding accommodation was
wiped out by the earthquakes
also.”
Other issues included
homeless people using cafe
toilets and leaving facilities
in a mess, sleeping outside of
private residencies, and using
and discarding point bags and
needles on the streets around
the area. Cocker suggested the
association provide a written
question to the community
board about funding an officer
to patrol Addington.
“There is other work
happening in the background
like the community patrol;
volunteers who observe and get
the police to problem areas,”
said Cocker.
Hewison told the residents to
HAVE YOUR SAY: Does Addington need a
community police officer? Email your views to
sasha.watson@starmedia.kiwi
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CAUSING PROBLEMS:
People have reported an
increase in aggressive
beggars in Addington
recently. PHOTO: GETTY
keep reporting any incidents as
“the more reports there are of
any problems, the more it shows
where the problems are” and it
“will eventually get changed.”
The panel also said people
experiencing homelessness are
sometimes ex-prisoners and
often have no bank account and
frequently live in cars as they
cannot rent a property.
“Short-term homeless are less
of a problem than long-term
homeless. Police need to push
them more towards social
services. One suggestion could
be to offer to call the Ministry
of Social Development on behalf
of the beggars, to get them some
more help – they are likely to
leave.
“Do not give them (beggars/
homeless) money or food as this
rewards their behaviour, causing
the individuals to repeat it.
“Please look after other people
in the community too, children
and immigrant women are
especially vulnerable. Positive
communities work together
better than negative ones.”
Geese
targeted
at lake
• By Sasha Watson
A MAN has been seen using a
slingshot to shoot large stones
towards a flock of canada geese
in the smaller lake at Westlake
Reserve.
Nic was a witness to the action,
which happened in Hei
Hei about 10am on Tuesday last
week. She posted her concerns
on Facebook.
“I noticed a man standing
close to the water near the rocks.
“The man, who looked to be in
his late 60s, seemed to wait until
none of the 20 families were
walking past before shooting his
slingshot. He advised me, when
asked, that he was “keeping the
dirty f**kers away”.
The post created “quite a
heated debate”, Nic said. It has
since been taken down as the
man was “identified and later
threatened” by a member of the
public. The large light-brown
geese with a white chinstrap are
afforded some protections under
the Animal Welfare Act 1999.
Nic sent the SPCA a letter
of concern and on Friday a
spokesperson responded, saying
the information provided was
not sufficient to progress an
investigation.
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