Western News: December 04, 2025

FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Alana Powell
Ph: 027 535 6583
alana@alliedmedia.co.nz
Christmas at
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Alana Powell
Ph: 027 535 6583
alana@alliedmedia.co.nz
Ballantynes
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Annabel Judd
The Christmas window decorations and grotto are Ph: up 021 at Ballantynes 457 469 in Cashel
annabel.judd@alliedmedia.co.nz
Mall. Ballantynes supports Cholmondeley Children’s Centre and all funds raised
during the opening of the windows went to the charity
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Jenny Wright
Ph: 021 220 3484
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The Star, January 23, 2025
starnews.co.nz
The Star, January 23, 2025
starnews.co.nz
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A very Happy
Christmas &
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Paul and the team at Somerfield
Upholstery wish to thank all
their customers for their valued
support throughout the past year
Closing Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Reopening Thursday 22nd January 2026
Somerfield Upholstery Ltd
FURNITURE RECOVERY SPECIALIST
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starnews.co.nz
starnews.co.nz

The Star, December 4, 2025
starnews.co.nz
70 years of marriage despite bad
BY JOHN COSGROVE
Sid and Jan Dyer celebrated 70 years of marriage last week.
PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE
As Sid and Jan Dyer celebrated
their platinum 70th wedding
anniversary last week, Jan
recalls driving with her father
to the ceremony and noticing
a large cloud high in the sky,
looming ominously over the
horizon.
​"It was huge, it filled the
sky, so I asked dad if it was an
A-bomb mushroom cloud,” Jan
said.
"He just laughed and said I
shouldn’t be thinking about
things like that on my wedding
day."
It turned out to be smoke –
and lots of it.
On Saturday, November 26,
1955, as Jan made her way to
the Kaiapoi Methodist Church,
gale-force nor-westers had
spread the embers of a small
fire overnight in the Balmoral
Forest, south of Culverden.
It was the most disastrous
exotic forest fire ever to occur
within a New Zealand State
Forest, with 3152ha of trees
destroyed.
Those same nor’westers
howled through Kaiapoi, and
Sid remembers it was a job
holding on to his new bride
and stopping her bridal veil
from lashing his face while
the photographer snapped
their wedding photos at the
church. Fire would again touch
The fire at Addington Raceway on Show Day in 1961 broke out in the south-west
corner of the stand.
the couples lives when on
November 10, 1961, they joined
20,000 others to watch harness
racer Cardigan Bay, the first
standard-bred horse to win
$1 million, take to the track
– all while the main public
grandstand was on fire.
‘‘Amazingly, no one was
injured or killed that day. We
initially saw a little smoke,
then they asked everyone over
the PA to move to the middle of
the racecourse and from there
we watched it burn down,’’ Jan
said. When the couple met, Sid
was a mechanic in
Rangiora, and Jan was
employed as a dressmaker
for an exclusive frock shop in
Christchurch.
They locked eyes at a dance
in the Clarkville hall.
Jan was sitting with her
girlfriends when Sid walked in.
‘‘I pointed him out to my
girlfriend as I thought I
recognised him.
‘‘She said she knew him
because he had been to dinner
at her place a couple of times,
so I thought he was coming
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starnews.co.nz The Star, December 4, 2025
wedding omens
The fire, which completely destroyed the stand, was caused by the fusing of an
electric cable in the building.
over to ask her to dance.’’
Sid recalled Jan looking
"pretty tidy" so he decided to
ask her for a dance.
Jan later wrote in her
diary: ‘‘I met this wonderful
guy, he was such a lovely
dancer.
"It was like being in heaven
dancing there in his arms."
That fact would have
remained private, but when
Sid was later invited by Jan’s
mother to dinner, her younger
brother sneaked a peek at her
diary and then blurted out her
private thoughts about Sid for
all to hear. After two years,
the couple were married and
headed to Timaru for their
honeymoon.
“I hired a rental truck to tow
a caravan to Timaru, where it
poured down.
“The caravan leaked badly
and we got soaked inside and
out, so we packed up and drove
north to Rakaia, where we
spent the next couple of days
drying out everything."
Later on, with two of their
eventual three children in tow,
the couple moved to Cheviot,
where Sid worked in a
garage owned by a former
boss.
He later moved the family
to Amberley for 12 years to be
a service manager at a garage
there, before he and three
partners bought the Herron’s
Motors garage on High St in
Rangiora when it came up for
sale.
The couple worked together
at the garage, eventually
buying the other partners out.
The lease on the garage ran
out after 20 years, and they
moved their operation to Cone
Street in Rangiora, working
there until they retired nearly
30 years ago.
Keen golfers, Jan says Sid will
be 92 next year, and he still
plays four days a week in the
senior competitions.
"I love the challenge of it
and I’ve had many memorable
days on courses all over
Canterbury," Sid said.
Last Wednesday, Sid and
Jan’s daughter flew out from
Australia to spend the day with
her mum and dad to celebrate
their platinum anniversary,
a remarkable milestone that
symbolises the rarity and
significance of seven decades of
love and commitment.
When asked what the secret
to their long partnership, both
agreed it was "tolerance".
New community centre
opens at Lancaster Park
The redevelopment of
Lancaster Park is a step
closer to completion after the
new community centre and
changing rooms were opened.
​The facilities in the park’s
north-east corner were
officially opened on Friday.
Said city council citizens
and community general
manager Andrew Rutledge: "We
know sports clubs have been
excitedly waiting for work to be
completed.
"While they have already
been utilising the sports
grounds, having the community
centre and changing facilities
will cement Lancaster Park’s
ongoing position as a central
sporting, community and
recreational resource in the
city."
The community centre
includes a multi-use function
space for about 100 people, a
kitchen, a small meeting room
and three externally accessed
public toilets.
The centre will be available
for hire for a range of events,
including prize-givings,
fundraisers, community
activities and sporting events.
The changing rooms have
toilets and showers for teams
and referees to use.
Lancaster Park was first
opened in 1881. It has a rich
history and is an important
landmark in the city.
After being damaged in the
earthquakes, the stadium
was closed and eventually
demolished in 2019 when
planning began on the
extensive redevelopment of
the park.
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The Star, December 4, 2025
starnews.co.nz
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Western News
Hilary
Aug 19
14x8
NON FICTION
Book of Lives
A Memoir of Sorts
by Margaret Atwood
The life and times of one
of the most important
writers of our time
New Zealand
Place Names
by Peter Dowling,
A.W. Reed
Common, Contested
and Curious Names from
Aotearoa to Zalatown
FICTION
Summer Island
by Kristin Hannah
Beautifully captures the
essence of family, love,
and the journey toward
healing.
Nash Falls
by David Baldacci
When you’ve lost
everything, you’re
capable of anything
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Shop 1, Avonhead Mall
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starnews.co.nz The Star, December 4, 2025
REAL ESTATE
Freehold Townhouse in Prime
Location...
2A Antrim Street, Sydenham
Auction: Thurs 11 Dec at 11am (Unless Sold Prior)
2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 living, 1 separate toilet
124m² floor, 208m² land, 2 car garaging,
2 off-street parks - BE26899
Open Homes: Sat 6 December 11am - 11.30am
and Sun 7 December 12:30 pm - 1pm
ADVERTISING FEATURE
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Both bedrooms and the well-appointed bathroom
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main living areas. The internal-access double
garage provides secure parking for two
vehicles, elevating everyday convenience.
Designed for relaxation and outdoor enjoyment,
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Tucked away in a peaceful cul-de-sac, this
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to the city centre.
With the vendor ready to embark on her next
chapter, discerning buyers will appreciate
the exceptional reassurance this home offers:
YES - Motivated vendor seeking a SOLD result
YES - Located within highly regarded school zones
YES - Direct fix cladding
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A rare opportunity to secure a beautifully
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Phone 03 337 1316
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The Star, December 4, 2025
starnews.co.nz
The great date debate
​Love Food Hate Waste wants
us to take a minute to think
before we doom food to the bin
based on a “best before”
​We’ve all done it – grabbed a
tub of yoghurt, seen the date on
the lid, and tossed it without a
second thought.
But here’s the truth: much of
that food past its best before
is perfectly safe to eat. In fact,
more than a third of New
Zealanders (37%) misinterpret
at least one of the two main date
labels.
This confusion means tonnes
of good food and plenty of hardearned
dollars are wasted every
year.
Love Food Hate Waste NZ’s
Great Date Debate campaign is
here to settle the score.
The golden rule is simple,
“use by" dates are about safety
– they’re the deadline. Food
should never be eaten after that
date.
“Best before” dates on the
other hand, are about quality –
think of it as a guideline.
Food is still safe to eat after
this date as long as it’s been
stored properly. It might not be
quite as fresh or crisp, but that
doesn’t mean it belongs in the
bin.
Instead of relying only on the
label, try the three-step test:
check it, smell it, taste it. If it
looks fine, smells fine and tastes
as it should, then it’s fine to eat
or drink.
Take dairy as an example.
Milk is one of the most common
things to get chucked out the
morning after its best before
date, yet if it’s been stored cold
and sealed, it’s often good for
days past the date.
Pour a little into a glass, check
it for any separation and curdled
bits, give it a sniff to identify
any sourness, if it’s all looking
and smelling fresh, try a small
sip and taste it. If it passes the
test, carry on, enjoy it in your
breakfast, smoothie, or coffee.
Even milk that’s starting to
turn can be transformed into
pancakes and used in baking.
Yoghurt and cheese? Often still
delicious well beyond the date.
And instead of throwing them
out, use them up. That yoghurt
can be whipped into a marinade
or turned into simple homemade
pizza dough.
Sour cream edging past its best
before? It’s perfect for rich, flaky
pastry, tender scones, or stirred
into a hearty mushroom and
lentil stroganoff.
Cheese nearing its best before?
Grate and freeze it for a future
pasta bake, pizza night, or
sprinkle into toasties.
These small kitchen saves add
up to big wins for your wallet.
“Use by” dates are different,
they’re not negotiable. But you
can still avoid waste. If you’ve
got fresh meat, deli meats, or fish
you won’t get to in time, freeze
it before the date. Freezing hits
pause, keeping it safe until you’re
ready. Just defrost in the fridge
and eat within 24 hours.
The Great Date Debate is
about more than labels – it’s
about building confidence and
changing habits.
When you understand the
difference between "use by" and
"best before," you save money,
cut waste and help the planet.
So next time you hesitate over a
yoghurt, block of cheese, or a bag
of rice, don’t just read the date —
check it, smell it, taste it. Chances
are, it’s perfectly good to eat.
MUSHROOM AND LENTIL
STROGANOFF
Ingredients
2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow capsicum, diced
2 Tbsp butter (30g)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
​2 Tbsp plain flour
1 can brown lentils, drained and
rinsed
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved
in 1 cup hot water
Salt and pepper
½ cup sour cream
Optional garnish: chopped
parsley
Method
• Place a large frying pan on
medium high heat. Once hot, add
oil and onions. Fry onions for 3
minutes, stirring occasionally to
cook evenly.
• Add the mushrooms and
capsicum and fry for 7-10
minutes until mushrooms are
golden, stirring occasionally to
cook evenly.
• Add the butter, garlic and
paprika and cook for two
minutes until fragrant.
• Stir in flour, lentils, Dijon
mustard, Worcestershire sauce
and vegetable stock. Bring to a
simmer. Simmer for five minutes,
stirring occasionally until the
sauce is thick.
• Remove from heat. Season
with salt and pepper. Stir in the
sour cream until completely
incorporated.
• Garnish with chopped parsley
and serve on your choice of
pasta, mashed potatoes or rice.
TIPS
Leftovers can be eaten for
lunch the next day, used as a pie
filling, or frozen.
• Head to @lovefoodhatewastenz on
Facebook and Instagram for more on
the Great Date Debate or take our quiz
at lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/great-datedebate/
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starnews.co.nz The Star, December 4, 2025

The Star, December 4, 2025
starnews.co.nz
CROSSWORD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
11 12
13 14 15
16 17 18 19
20
429
SUDOKU
Every row, column and box should
contain the digits 1 to 9.
WordBuilder
WORDBUILDER
N B E
L E A
6
329 329
L E A
many words of three or more letters,
How
including
many
plurals,
words
can you
of
make
three
from
or
the
more
six
letters, using each letter only once? No foreign
How words or beginning with a capital are
from many
allowed.
the words
There's
six letters, of three
at least one
using or more
six-letter
each letters,
word.
only
including once? plurals, can you make from the six
TODAY
letters, Good using 10 each Very letter Good only 15 once? Excellent No 20 foreign
No words beginning with a capital are
words Solution or words 328: ego, beginning
allowed. There’s
eon, erg,
at
ergo, with
least
gen, a capital
one
gin, girn, are
allowed. six-letter
giro, goer, There's gone, goner, at least gore, one grin, six-letter groin, IGNORE, word.
word. ion, ire, iron, nog, noir, nor, ogre, one, ore, REGION,
reign, rein, rig, ring, roe. TODAY
Good 10 Very Good 15 Excellent 20
letters, including plurals, can you make
Solution 328: ego, eon, erg, ergo, gen, gin, girn,
giro, goer, gone, goner, gore, grin, groin, IGNORE,
ion, ire, iron, nog, noir, nor, ogre, one, ore, REGION,
reign, rein, rig, ring, roe.
21 22 23
24 25
26 27
Across
1. Procession (6)
4. Kiss (6)
9. Circular band of metal (4)
10. Sensible or business-like (2-8)
11. Dally (6)
12. Family member (8)
13. Occurring (9)
15. In cards, a three of any suit (4)
16. Extreme anger (4)
17. Tsunami (5,4)
21. Again (4,4)
22. Worn out, threadbare (6)
24. Devilish (10)
25. Clock face (4)
26. Vegetables (colloq) (6)
27. Boil with anger (6)
Decoder
Down
1. In proportion (L) (3,4)
2. Swift (5)
3. Underground prison (7)
5. Layer between earth’s crust and
core (6)
6. Depose (9)
7. The study of past events (7)
8. Stubbornness (13)
14. Porous (9)
16. Discovering (7)
18. Clear of blame (7)
19. Oscillate (7)
20. Powder found in flowers (6)
23. Financial inspection (5)
Crossword
Across: 1. Parade, 4. Smooch, 9. Hoop, 10. No-nonsense, 11. Dawdle, 12.
Relation, 13. Happening, 15. Trey, 16. Fury, 17. Tidal wave, 21. Once more,
22. Shabby, 24. Diabolical, 25. Dial, 26. Greens, 27. Seethe.
Down: 1. Pro rata, 2. Rapid, 3. Dungeon, 5. Mantle, 6. Overthrow, 7.
History, 8. Intransigence, 14. Permeable, 16. Finding, 18. Absolve, 19.
Vibrate, 20. Pollen, 23. Audit.
WordBuilder
Able, alb, ale, alee, anele, bale, BALEEN, ban, bane, bean, bee, been, bel,
ben, eel, elan, ENABLE, lab, lane, lea, lean, lee, nab, neb.
DECODER
Each number represents a different letter of the alphabet. Write the
given letters into all squares with matching numbers. Now work out
which letters are represented by the other numbers.
All puzzles copyright
T H E P U Z Z L E C O M P A N Y
www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz
Sudoku
Please join us for
‘A Christmas to Remember’
as we commemorate loved
ones no longer with us.