North Canterbury News: January 22, 2026
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Thursday, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong> | Issue 1179 | www.starnews.co.nz<br />
Waimakariri<br />
Hurunui<br />
15 MARCH <strong>2026</strong><br />
Seeinsidepages 39-47<br />
Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Woodend, Pegasus, Cust, Oxford, Ashley, Sefton, Amberley, Waipara, Waikari, Hawarden, Cheviot, Culverden, Waiau, Hanmer Springs<br />
Alast hoorah for Muscle Car organiser<br />
ByROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Muscle Car Madness <strong>2026</strong> is Craig<br />
Stare’s last hoorah as the manincharge<br />
of organising the worldrenowned event.<br />
Craig only envisaged it running for a<br />
couple of years, but it took on its own<br />
momentum and has rumbled on in the<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> town of Rangiora for<br />
more than three decades.<br />
This weekend is the 36th anniversary<br />
of the Trillo Metals Muscle Car Madness<br />
event, with Craig steering the show<br />
which has ahuge economic impact to<br />
the town, for the last time.<br />
He has sold MCM to former All Black,<br />
and car enthusiast, Brodie Retallick,<br />
who is plying his trade on the rugby<br />
fields of Japan.<br />
He takes over ownership at the end of<br />
March.<br />
‘‘Its time to go,’’ says Craig, who finds<br />
the endless red tape in this day and age<br />
challenging.<br />
‘‘Brodie was born in Rangioraand has<br />
extended family in Amberley.<br />
‘‘This will be life after rugby.<br />
‘‘He has been coming to the showin<br />
Rangiora since he was achild, and he is<br />
really excited about his new venture,’’<br />
Craig says.<br />
Craig began the event 36 years ago,<br />
thinking at the time it would be agreat<br />
spot for afamily picnic weekend.<br />
Atotal of 44 cars rolled into town.<br />
Today the tally reaches well over 1000<br />
and rising.<br />
‘‘It just kept doubling in size.<br />
‘‘I never expected it to still be going 36<br />
years on,’’ the busy organiser says.<br />
‘‘When Istarted it up, Ithought it<br />
would be cool if it lasted acouple of<br />
years.’’<br />
International recognition through<br />
magazine exposure boosted its<br />
popularity even further, and it has been<br />
hard to put the brakes on it since.<br />
‘‘So, if you are apetrolheadofany age,<br />
this is the place to go, smack in the<br />
middle of the South Island at the A&P<br />
showgrounds in the beautiful country<br />
town of Rangiora, just 27 kilometres<br />
from Christchurch,’’ Craig said back in<br />
the day.<br />
He is not turning his back on the show.<br />
He will be about forthe next one as a<br />
‘‘mascot onthe bonnet of acar, or aflag<br />
on an aerial’’, he jokes.<br />
But organising the event has been<br />
anything but ajoke for the past decade<br />
or so.<br />
The hurdles he has had to clear, police<br />
demands over the twin town cruise<br />
through Kaiapoi and Rangiora on the<br />
Thursday evening, and having to placate<br />
afew neighbours of the showgrounds at<br />
times, has taken alot of joy out of the<br />
event.<br />
The final straw is now having to apply<br />
for aResource Consent to hold the<br />
event.<br />
Fortunately the council has helped<br />
with the cost of this paperwork.<br />
‘‘It is such aspectacle for the area.<br />
‘‘Rangioradoesn’t really have any<br />
other draw card, and has put it on the<br />
world stage,’’ he says.<br />
But the after 36 years, Craig says it has<br />
lost abit of its ‘‘sparkle’’ for him.<br />
‘‘I love it when it all begins to happen,’’<br />
he says. But he is not afan of modern<br />
technology, and tackling the internet to<br />
run the business, bookings, and organise<br />
the event.<br />
‘‘That is all beyond me.<br />
‘‘It has been fun, but it is time to go.’’<br />
Muscle Car Madness show opens on<br />
Saturday, <strong>January</strong> 24, and Sunday,<br />
<strong>January</strong> 25, 9am to 4pm. Adults $20,<br />
under 16 free.<br />
The ‘‘Twin Town’’ cruise is on this<br />
evening, Thursday, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>. It starts<br />
from Rangiora High School just before<br />
7pm and heads to Kaiapoi, then back to<br />
Rangiora.<br />
Time to go ... Craig Stare (right), seals the<br />
deal to sell Muscle Car Madness to former<br />
All Black, Brodie Retallick.<br />
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Waimakariri<br />
Hurunui<br />
NEWS<br />
2 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
The ARC leads to new project<br />
ByROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Establishing The ARC, ashared<br />
women’s housing community in<br />
Rangiora for women, has beenfar<br />
more ‘‘rewarding than it has been<br />
challenging’’, says founder Cara<br />
Gullick.<br />
The shared living concept, offering<br />
comfort, stability, and independence,<br />
follows the transformation of the<br />
former Mangatere Alternative<br />
Education Centre,which hasproved<br />
popular.<br />
But Cara says The Arc,where there<br />
are one or two vacancies, hasnot met<br />
the demand for accommodation in the<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> town.<br />
Having to turn somany away<br />
because they were were not single<br />
women has now led to asecond<br />
project.<br />
Cara says this project, will offer an<br />
opportunity for acheaper alternative<br />
retirement option to aretirement<br />
village, will cater for all genders, and<br />
couples.<br />
‘‘I am helping with managing the<br />
redevelopment of ablock of units.<br />
‘‘We will have affordable selfcontainedand<br />
furnished studio units,<br />
and onebedroom units becoming<br />
available from midtolate February.<br />
‘‘These units are suitablefor all<br />
genders and are availabletoboth<br />
younger and older people.’’<br />
Cara says the units will be ideal as a<br />
retirement option, with no buyin or<br />
exitcosts.<br />
She says both the ARC and the new<br />
accommodationare conveniently<br />
located within walking distance of<br />
Rangiora’s main street.<br />
‘‘The properties offer offstreet<br />
parking and are very close to bus stops<br />
and local amenities, providing easy<br />
access to everything needed for<br />
comfortabledaytoday living.’’<br />
Waimak Mayor takes on new role<br />
By DAVIDHILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Reporters<br />
ShelleyTopp<br />
027 404 6137<br />
John Cosgrove<br />
021 195 0284<br />
Advertising<br />
Amanda Keys<br />
027 536 6<strong>22</strong>4<br />
amanda.keys@ncnews.co.nz<br />
Claire Oxnam<br />
claire.oxnam@ncnews.co.nz<br />
027 387 0464<br />
Glenys Sheehan<br />
027 285 6893<br />
glenys.sheehan@ncnews.co.nz<br />
Get in touch<br />
Phone:03313 2840 or 03 3148335<br />
14 Ashley Street, Rangiora<br />
www.starnews.co.nz<br />
Editorial&Advertising:<br />
info@ncnews.co.nz<br />
Distribution:deliveries@alliedmedia.co.nz<br />
15 MARCH <strong>2026</strong><br />
Dan Gordon is confident his new role<br />
with Local Government New Zealand<br />
(LGNZ) will not detract from his work as<br />
Waimakariri mayor.<br />
Mr Gordon was elected LGNZ vicepresident<br />
late last year by the<br />
organisation’s national council,<br />
following the resignation of president<br />
Sam Broughton, who lost the Selwyn<br />
mayoralty in October’s election.<br />
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stolz has<br />
steppedupfrom vicepresident into the<br />
topjob.<br />
‘‘My priority will always be to the<br />
people of Waimakariri, who have<br />
elected me, but this role will allow me a<br />
position of greater advocacy for our<br />
residents,ratepayers and for the whole<br />
region,’’ Mr Gordon said.<br />
‘‘This is an unprecedented time in<br />
local government with the tsunami of<br />
central government reform that is<br />
sweeping over us.<br />
‘‘I had not expected it, but Ihad the<br />
opportunity to be elected by the national<br />
council and Iwas encouraged to do it,<br />
and Igave it alot of thought.’’<br />
He said his role is to support Ms Stolz,<br />
in her role as president<br />
Mr Gordon previously stood for LGNZ<br />
president in 2023, but was defeated by<br />
Mr Broughton.<br />
He has served as zone 5(top half of the<br />
South Island) chairperson, arole which<br />
has seen him serve on the national<br />
council.<br />
‘‘Having been the zone 5rep on the<br />
national council, Iwas aware of the<br />
workload, soIfeel Ican manage it and<br />
continue to prioritise the local<br />
community.’’<br />
Apriority for LGNZ will be appointing<br />
anew chief executive, following the<br />
resignation of Susan FreemanGreene<br />
last year.<br />
Advocating for local government in<br />
the face ofchange will be afocus for the<br />
new vicepresident.<br />
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Several councils around the country,<br />
including Auckland and Christchurch,<br />
have withdrawn their membership from<br />
LGNZ.<br />
But the Waimakariri District Council<br />
has stood firm in its support for the<br />
national body, Mr Gordon said.<br />
‘‘Now more than ever, LGNZ must<br />
return to being the highly effective<br />
advocacy body it once was.<br />
‘‘One that elevates the voice of local<br />
government clearly and credibly to<br />
decision makers.<br />
‘‘With the pace and scale of reform<br />
under way, the best outcomes for our<br />
communities will depend on how well<br />
we work together and present aunited,<br />
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collaborative voice. Ibelieve Ican help<br />
bring us together.’’<br />
Mr Gordon’s first public engagement<br />
as LGNZ vicepresident will be<br />
representing the national body at<br />
WaitangiDay commemorations at<br />
Waitanginext month.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
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Thursday,July31, 2025 | I sue 157 | www.starnews.co.nz<br />
By DAVID HI L,<br />
LocalDemocracy Reporter<br />
It was hailed as a ‘onestop shop ’ to<br />
make it quicker and easier to build<br />
major projects when it pa sed into law<br />
last December.<br />
But none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects included in the Government’s<br />
Fasttrack A provals Act have<br />
progre sed beyond being ‘listed ’<br />
projects in the fasttrack proce s.<br />
They were among 149 projects listed<br />
in the legislation.<br />
In astatementreleased last w ek,<br />
Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop<br />
and Regional Development Minister<br />
Shane Jones said around 50 of the 149<br />
projects had lodged substantive<br />
a plications with the Environmental<br />
Protection Authority (EPA), since the<br />
a provals regime was established in<br />
February.<br />
Of those, none have b en a proved so<br />
far, with the first eight expected to be<br />
signed o f by the end of theyear.<br />
Proposed housing developments at<br />
Ōhoka, W odend and west Rangiora<br />
were listed in the legislation, along with<br />
the W odend Bypa s and the Amuri<br />
I rigation Company Ltd’s Balmoral<br />
water storage facility and fish scr en.<br />
An EPA spokespersonhas confirmed<br />
none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects have lodged substantivefasttrack<br />
a plications.<br />
Developersofalisted projectcan<br />
a ply to the EPA where an ‘expert<br />
panel’ wi l a se s the projectand<br />
consult with ‘directly a fected groups ’.<br />
Panel convenors determine the extent<br />
of the consultation, meaning the is no<br />
guarant e local communities wi l have a<br />
say.<br />
There isnotimeframe foralisted<br />
projec to lodge an a plication, the<br />
spokesperson said.<br />
When the project list was a nounced<br />
in October last year, Mr Bishop pointed<br />
the finger at councils for creating the<br />
housing crisis.<br />
‘Speaking in general terms, councils<br />
have contributed to our housing crisis<br />
by being overly picky about where<br />
houses can be built, ’ he said a the time.<br />
The W odend and west Rangiora<br />
developments have since b en included<br />
in the new WaimakaririDistrict Plan<br />
adopted last month, meaning theymay<br />
not n ed to be fasttracked.<br />
Amuri I rigation Company<br />
chairperson David Croft said the<br />
company anticipated aresource consent<br />
would be granted by Environment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> (ECan) in the next few<br />
months, after it was lodged in 2023.<br />
‘It l oks like the normal consenting<br />
proce s wi l be faster.Insome waysit<br />
would be the ideal situation because<br />
everybody has had the chance to have<br />
their say in asystem they are familiar<br />
with. ’<br />
A$20m loan from the Government’s<br />
Regional Infrastructure Fund was<br />
a nounced earlier this month for the<br />
Balmoral water storageproject.<br />
The proposed Ōhoka development<br />
was rejected from the District Plan,<br />
after aprivate plan change request was<br />
rejected by an independent<br />
commi sioner in November 2023.<br />
It issti l subjec to an Environment<br />
Court a peal.<br />
An Environment Court spokesperson<br />
said the a pe lant, Carter Group, has<br />
b en directed to advise the court by<br />
August 2 ‘how or whether it intends to<br />
proc ed ’.<br />
Waimakariri District Council<br />
development pla ning managerMa t<br />
Bacon said under the new District Plan,<br />
the site of the proposed Ohoka<br />
development is zoned rura lifestyle.<br />
It mean the farmland could be subdivided<br />
into 4ha lots, but not into an<br />
850home development as proposed.<br />
Carter Group was contacted for<br />
comment but areply had notb en<br />
received by the time the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> wen to print.<br />
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency<br />
has b en completing geotech reports as<br />
it continues scoping work for the<br />
proposed W odend Bypa s.<br />
LDR islocal body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
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Kaiapoi, Rangiora, W odend, Pegasus, Cust, Oxford, Ashley, Sefton, Amberley, Waipara, Waikari, Hawarden, Cheviot, Culverden, Waiau, Hanmer Springs<br />
Few utilising fast-track process<br />
Local government ... Kaikōura Mayor Craig Mackle (left), Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon, Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey, Hurunui Mayor<br />
Marie Black and Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith.<br />
PHOTO: FILE<br />
AGreater Christchurch mooted<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local DemocracyReporter<br />
AGreater Christchurch unitary council<br />
is ‘‘inevitable’’, says Waimakariri MP<br />
Matt Doocey.<br />
Mr Doocey, who is also aGovernment<br />
Minister, said in his view, the<br />
Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri<br />
councils should work towards forming a<br />
unitary council to replace Environment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>.<br />
‘‘In my view anew Greater<br />
Christchurch council is inevitable and a<br />
result of evolution rather than<br />
revolution.’’<br />
The <strong>Canterbury</strong> Mayoral Forum has<br />
been reviewing options for the futureof<br />
local government in the region and<br />
discussions have taken on some urgency<br />
since the Government announced its<br />
intention to abolish regional councils in<br />
November.<br />
Regional functions will fall to the<br />
mayors, who will have two years, from<br />
when the legislation passes, to develop a<br />
regional reorganisation plan, which will<br />
need to be approved by the Local<br />
Government Minister.<br />
The Christchurch City Council has<br />
previously proposed aunitarycouncil<br />
forthe city and Mayor Phil Mauger said<br />
the council was open to exploring a<br />
Greater Christchurch unitarycouncil.<br />
Hesaid the boundaries of a‘‘super<br />
city’’ had not been considered and there<br />
would need to be adiscussion with other<br />
councils and communities.<br />
‘‘Our council is considering the<br />
options and no decisions have been<br />
made yet. We will examine the options<br />
and consult with our community.’’<br />
MrMauger said <strong>Canterbury</strong> needed ‘‘a<br />
more integrated and efficient system’’.<br />
‘‘It is the right time to be having this<br />
conversation especially with the<br />
proposed rates cap, which will put more<br />
pressureonustofind efficiencies.’’<br />
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said<br />
no decisions have been made and all<br />
options are on the table.<br />
‘‘What we do know is that as acouncil,<br />
we stay veryclose to our communities,<br />
and we have astrong understanding of<br />
how much people value their local<br />
identity and local decision making.<br />
‘‘Our residents identify strongly as<br />
partofthis district, and that sense of<br />
connection matters.’’<br />
Mr Gordon said the council has<br />
established alocal government reform<br />
working group to consider the<br />
Government’s proposals and prepare a<br />
response.<br />
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black, who is<br />
the <strong>Canterbury</strong> Mayoral Forum’s deputy<br />
chair,said the region’s strength was its<br />
unity.<br />
‘‘I’m confident that as <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
mayors we would look at it with a<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> lens.<br />
‘‘In reality there are urban issues and<br />
thereare more rural issues, but that<br />
doesn’t mean we need to be divided and<br />
create athem and us scenario.’’<br />
She said whatever structure was<br />
settled on, there needed to be aregional<br />
perspective.<br />
‘‘River management crosses<br />
boundaries, it doesn’t separate from one<br />
district to the next, and when it comes to<br />
emergency management we work best<br />
when we all work together.<br />
‘‘It would seem to me there’s not a<br />
great deal of wisdom in separating it<br />
out.’’<br />
Kaikōura Mayor Craig Macklesaid<br />
change is coming, but the devil will be in<br />
the detail.<br />
‘‘A tsunami of change is coming and<br />
we haven’t got enough information to get<br />
our heads around it yet.<br />
‘‘I’m not opposed to anything. Just<br />
show me that it works and that we are<br />
not going to be worse off.’’<br />
Mr Mackle said regional functions<br />
could be delivered across the region<br />
through shared services between<br />
councils.<br />
Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith said he has<br />
seen ‘‘firsthandthe benefits’’ of a<br />
unitary council through the<br />
Marlborough District Council.<br />
‘‘It has delivered efficiencies and<br />
helped keep the focus on core functions,<br />
which is something Ibelieve is crucial.<br />
He suggested the Kaikōura and<br />
Hurunui councils could ‘‘work well<br />
together under asimilar approach’’.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
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Housing . The Waimakariri District Planhas a lowed forupto 17, 0 more houses, meaning the Government’s Fasttrack A provals<br />
Act may not be n eded. PHOTO: DAVID HI L<br />
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NEWS<br />
4 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Young artists sought<br />
By JOHN COSGROVE<br />
Wellknown mural artistMel Eaton, of<br />
Rangiora, is seeking young artists<br />
(aged 15 to 20 years) interested in<br />
learning the ins and outs of creating<br />
murals.<br />
‘‘We have amentoring opportunity<br />
for aproject we are undertaking in<br />
Kaiapoi, and Off The Wall Murals NZ<br />
are invitingyoung artists to join us on<br />
this project.’’<br />
She says it will be an excellent<br />
opportunity for young artistsinthe<br />
district to learn the basics of mural art<br />
and public art processes asthey work<br />
alongside experienced mural artists.<br />
‘‘They will learn how to design for<br />
the space they are working with, how to<br />
go from asketch to the fullsize<br />
enlargement, what colours work and<br />
which don’t on amural, how to apply<br />
for funding and how public art works<br />
are constructed and created.’’<br />
Thanks to the support of Creative<br />
Communities funding, Off The Wall<br />
Murals is inviting youth artists to jump<br />
in on apublic mural project for the<br />
Chris Ruth Centre in Kaiapoi, which is<br />
beingundertaken this February.<br />
‘‘If you’ve ever thought “I’d love to try<br />
mural paintingbut have no idea where<br />
to start… then this is your moment.<br />
‘‘We’ll be mentoring you on the job,<br />
showing you the ropes and helping you<br />
buildconfidence with realworld<br />
mural skills.’’<br />
Mel says it is agreat way to be part of<br />
ameaningfullocal project. ‘‘Come for<br />
the full week oreven just one day and<br />
have some funasyou learn.’’<br />
She says there is asmall<br />
participation fee (the details will be<br />
provided on enquiry), and there may be<br />
more opportunities across the painting<br />
season too.<br />
‘‘Depending on the weather in<br />
February, it should only take aweek or<br />
acoupleofweekends to complete.’’<br />
Send yourexpression of interest<br />
telling Mel abit about yourself and<br />
your art to: offthewall.<br />
muralsnz@gmail.com. Spaces are<br />
limited.<br />
From nought to<br />
more than $34,000<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Ever wondered how much it costs to run<br />
for the job of mayor in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>?<br />
According to election expense returns<br />
filed by local mayoral candidates in the<br />
October 2025 elections it can cost from<br />
absolutely nothing up to $35,000,<br />
depending on where you live.<br />
Kaikōura Mayor Craig Mackle has<br />
declared azero budget.<br />
In contrast, Waimakariri Mayor Dan<br />
Gordon declared campaign expenses<br />
totalling $34,945.81, while Christchurch<br />
Mayor Phil Mauger spent $68,015.<br />
All three <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> mayors<br />
were reelected for athird term —<br />
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black being<br />
returned unopposed —while Mr Mauger<br />
won asecond term.<br />
Under the Local Electoral Act 2001,<br />
candidates have spending limits based on<br />
population.<br />
The spending limits were $3500 in<br />
Kaikōura, $14,000 in Hurunui, $40,000 in<br />
Waimakariri and $70,000 in Christchurch.<br />
Donations in excess of $1500 also<br />
needed to be declared.<br />
While Mr Mackle had azero budget for<br />
his 942 vote majority, his opponents John<br />
Diver spent $1117.80 and Dave Anderson<br />
spent $916.50.<br />
None of the Kaikōura mayoral<br />
candidates declared any donations.<br />
Mr Mackle said he ran alow key<br />
campaign where he reused his old<br />
billboards.<br />
‘‘I went to the candidate meetings and I<br />
figured ‘they know me and if they want me<br />
they will vote for me’.<br />
‘‘I’m always out in the community —I<br />
don’t really do the office. You get to<br />
understand your community better if you<br />
are in amongst them.’’<br />
But he acknowledged this strategy<br />
might not work in alarger population<br />
area.<br />
Kaikōura had the highest percentage<br />
turnout in the country, with more than<br />
60% of votes returned.<br />
‘‘I guess when things get bigger, people<br />
feel less heard. It’s human nature,’’ Mr<br />
Mackle said.<br />
Mr Gordon defeated his rival Paul<br />
Williams by 10,634 votes.<br />
He declared total donations of<br />
$15,476.15, including inkind donations<br />
(the use of acar, timber and fittings for<br />
billboards and campaign resources<br />
provided at no cost), opting to declare all<br />
of his individual donations —even those<br />
under $1500.<br />
Mr Williams stood as part of team of six<br />
candidates, known as Standing Together<br />
for Waimakariri, which collectively<br />
declared expenses of $34,640.37.<br />
The Standing Together for Waimakariri<br />
candidates declared $19,789.98 in<br />
donations, which were all under $1500, so<br />
were not declared.<br />
The donations were apportioned across<br />
the six candidates, with each candidate<br />
also making individual contributions to<br />
the campaign.<br />
Only one of the team of six candidates<br />
was successful. Tim Bartle was elected to<br />
the council from the KaiapoiWoodend<br />
ward.<br />
Mr Mauger won by 19,604 votes over his<br />
closest rival Sara Templeton.<br />
He declared $116,000 in donations.<br />
Ms Templeton spent $67,927.52 and<br />
declared donations of $29,463.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
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Visitors enjoyHanmer Springs<br />
ByDAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Hanmer Springs is enjoying abusy<br />
summer, even if the weather isn’t<br />
always playing ball.<br />
Hurunui district councillor Tom<br />
Davies, who is basedinHanmer<br />
Springs, said heavy rain just after<br />
Christmas and recent high winds had<br />
‘‘put afew people off’’.<br />
But the town appeared to be busy.<br />
‘‘The roads have been busy and<br />
when the weather’s been good, it’s<br />
been fantastic.’’<br />
Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools &<br />
Spa general manager Sarah Wiblin<br />
said she has found the summer<br />
weather alittle cooler than expected,<br />
after moving back to <strong>Canterbury</strong> from<br />
Auckland last year.<br />
‘‘The numbers have been<br />
reasonable considering it’s the middle<br />
of winter, right?<br />
‘‘I don’t think anyone would say that<br />
it’s been agreat start to the new year<br />
weather wise, but the rest of <strong>January</strong><br />
is looking great.’’<br />
Ms Wiblin said some new initiatives<br />
have been introducedtospeed up the<br />
queues to get visitors into the pools<br />
quicker and reduce wait times at the<br />
pool cafe.<br />
The village has been recovering<br />
from the October wind event, which<br />
flattened trees and closed numerous<br />
mountain bike trails.<br />
Hanmer Springs Mountain Bike<br />
Club chairperson Graham Frith said<br />
most of the trails were now open,<br />
including the popular Conical Hill<br />
Walk.<br />
But the Hanmer Springs Heritage<br />
Forest was closed while Matariki<br />
Forests Ltd conducts aharvest anda<br />
general clean up.<br />
Mr Frith said new trails were being<br />
Ready foraction... Graham Frith has been among the volunteers working to get the<br />
mountain bike trails open, following the October wind event.<br />
PHOTO: FILE<br />
created andnew events were planned,<br />
including the Hanmer Springs<br />
Mountain Bike Backyard Ultra<br />
beginningonMarch 7.<br />
Competitors will be required to<br />
complete a10.5km circuit and be<br />
readyonthe hour, every hour for the<br />
next circuit until one rider is left, he<br />
said.<br />
‘‘We’re hoping to get 60 to 70 riders.<br />
‘‘It’s going to be alot of fun.<br />
‘‘The local riders have been doing<br />
the circuit in 45 minutes, which means<br />
they will get a15minutes rest.<br />
‘‘But who knows how long it will take<br />
them after afew hours.<br />
‘‘It’sall about pace, not race.’’<br />
Mr Frith said he anticipates some<br />
riders willgofor 36 hours or longer.<br />
He said the town has been enjoying<br />
abusy summer.<br />
‘‘There’s been alot of people in town<br />
and alot of day trippers, and the<br />
accommodation providers have been<br />
looking full over the weekend.<br />
‘‘It’s been starting to ease up abit,<br />
but we’re hoping for some fine<br />
weather over the remainder of the<br />
school holidays and Waitangi<br />
Weekend.’’<br />
While she had not ventured to<br />
Hanmer Springs over the Christmas<br />
holiday period, Hurunui Mayor Marie<br />
Black said she has heard reports of the<br />
camping grounds around the Hurunui<br />
district being well supported.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
Her hip had otherplans<br />
Rosemary had plans for her retirement.<br />
Morning walks with friends, afternoons in<br />
the garden, weekends chasing grandchildren<br />
around thepark. Herhip hadother ideas.<br />
“It started gradually,” the 68-year-old<br />
recalls.“FirstI’d feel it afterlong walks. Then<br />
after short ones. Eventually Iwas feeling it<br />
just lying in bed trying toget comfortable at<br />
night.”<br />
Her hips began dictating her days. She’d<br />
decline invitations, knowing she’d pay for<br />
it later. The garden grew untidy. Visits from<br />
grandchildren became something to manage<br />
rather than enjoy.<br />
“My world was shrinking,” she admits. “I<br />
wasbecomingsomeone whosat andwatched<br />
rather than joined in.”<br />
Her daughter had noticed the change and<br />
left a bottle of Koru FX on Rosemary’s<br />
kitchenbench afterreadingabout thenatural<br />
cream in herlocal paper.<br />
“I wasn’t expecting much,” Rosemary<br />
admits. “But Imassaged some into myhip<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong> 5<br />
Call to stand for<br />
MainPower Trust<br />
The MainPower Trust is gearing up for its<br />
elections, which take place every three years.<br />
The trust oversees MainPower New Zealand<br />
Limited –the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> lines company that<br />
distributes electricity to homes and businesses<br />
across Waimakariri, Hurunui, Kaikōura and<br />
Stewarts Gully/Kainga.<br />
The Trust oversees MainPower’s performance,<br />
community involvement, and appoints<br />
MainPower’s directors. Made up of local<br />
representatives (Trustees) who own 100% of<br />
MainPower’s shares on behalf of people on the<br />
MainPower network (beneficiaries), Trustees<br />
ensure that rebates and discounts are returned<br />
and that initiatives that support the MainPower<br />
community are funded.<br />
Trust Chair Kevin Brookfield says the elections<br />
are agreat opportunity for community minded<br />
people with some governance experience to make<br />
areal difference in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>.<br />
‘‘MainPower’s network extendsfrom just south<br />
of the Waimakariri River in Kainga and Stewarts<br />
Gully, to Kaikōura.<br />
‘‘With more than 46,000 connections delivering<br />
power to around 90,000 people, the job of the<br />
MainPower Trust isn’t one to be taken lightly.<br />
‘‘The business has just brought in anew Chief<br />
Executive and is navigating alot of growth and<br />
change in the industry.<br />
‘‘As the Trust, we oversee the company’s<br />
performance and act on behalf of the shareholders<br />
—each of those 46,000 connections.’’<br />
Trust member Gary Walton says the work isn’t<br />
necessarily onerous, but it is very important.<br />
‘‘As amember of the Trust, it’s beholden on us to<br />
know what’s going on in the electricity sector and<br />
particularly how it affects MainPower.<br />
Every three years, three of the Trustees are<br />
retired by rotation, and those three spots are then<br />
open for public election.<br />
This year, while Mr Walton is one of those<br />
retiring, but is standing again. Nominations for the<br />
Trust close at 5pm on Friday, <strong>January</strong> 23.<br />
Elections for the Trust open on Monday,<br />
February 9, and close Friday, March 6.<br />
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She began applying it before her morning<br />
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“Last weekend Ispent three hours atthe<br />
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“He says he’s got his wife back,” Rosemary<br />
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She keeps bottles throughout the house<br />
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“It’s not about being twenty again,”<br />
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NEWS<br />
6 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Acareerwoven in coloured wool<br />
ByROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Beverley Forrester dismissed the<br />
official notification she received, asking<br />
if she would accept aNew Zealand<br />
Order of Merit in the New Years<br />
honours for her services to the wool and<br />
fashion industries, as ascam.<br />
She was busy getting organised for the<br />
Royal A&P Show of New Zealand,<br />
hosted by the <strong>Canterbury</strong> A&P<br />
Association in Christchurch, and<br />
decided she would deal with it when she<br />
got home after the three day November<br />
event.<br />
‘‘They rang just before Iwas going,<br />
and said they would send it again,’’ says<br />
Beverley.<br />
She coped with the show, came home<br />
on the Saturday, and had agarden full of<br />
70 people on the Sunday for the<br />
Leithfield Garden Tour raising funds for<br />
the local community library and<br />
CommunityCentre.<br />
Then she dealt with her mail.<br />
Beverley Riverina Forrester, of<br />
Leithfield, became aMember of the<br />
New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in<br />
the New Year’s honours for services to<br />
the wool and fashion industries.<br />
‘‘It is overwhelming,’’ says Beverley.<br />
‘‘You do all the things you do because<br />
you enjoy it. You don’t think about<br />
anything in the long term.<br />
‘‘Everything has just evolved,’’ says<br />
Beverley.<br />
Her CV reads like there isn’t aday that<br />
goes by when she is not winging her way<br />
to afashion show, to judge at ashow,<br />
working from her Leithfield base<br />
marketing her products locally, across<br />
New Zealand and the world,ortackling<br />
anew project, the latest of which is coownership<br />
of acrossbred wool<br />
processing manufacturing unit in South<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>.<br />
Product from it is being laid in<br />
vineyards, and gardens, supressing<br />
weeds.<br />
Abit of a‘‘mistake’’ in processing the<br />
mats led to Beverley launching another<br />
product —wool coats made from the<br />
matting that had taken on some unusual<br />
colours and patterns.<br />
She lives by the mantel her father<br />
taught her: ‘‘Every leader has ateam,<br />
and every team has to have aleader.’’<br />
‘‘I just get on with things and people<br />
give me ideas.<br />
‘‘I take them and don’t park them.<br />
Things just evolve,’’ she says.<br />
She is proud of the local people in her<br />
business who have skills she doesn’t<br />
have herself.<br />
Her ‘‘gang’’ of local knitters,are her<br />
trusted, loyal workers and friends,along<br />
with those who devise the patterns,sew<br />
the woollen garments, or tackle the<br />
every increasing online business<br />
This<br />
Week<br />
Sun<br />
Fishing<br />
Guide<br />
Moon<br />
Wind<br />
Ok<br />
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday<br />
Jan <strong>22</strong> Jan 23 Jan 24 Jan 25 Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28<br />
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Woollen fashion ... Beverley Forrester (MNZM), and some of the products her team knits,<br />
and crafts from natural, undyed coloured wool.<br />
PHOTO: ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
sending product, via the local mailman,<br />
to places throughout the world.<br />
‘‘It all justevolved and has its own<br />
momentum.’’<br />
Beverley has been aloyal and key<br />
member of Rural Women NZ, cutting<br />
her teeth in raising awareness of<br />
women’s strengths and achievements,<br />
via Country Girls Club, and going on to<br />
hold many positions in Rural Women,<br />
including Glenmark branch President.<br />
She was honoured for her work<br />
receiving the Rural Women New<br />
Zealand Enterprising Woman Award,<br />
2011, and was runner up in 2009 for the<br />
Enterprising Rural Businesswoman<br />
Award.<br />
Wool, and fashion, are just one part of<br />
Beverley’s busy life that has taken her to<br />
52 countries.She lectured at the 8th<br />
WorldColoured Sheep Congress, in<br />
Paris in 2014.<br />
‘‘I havebeen such afortunate person<br />
to meet wonderful people in New<br />
Zealand and overseas,’’ she says.<br />
However, her roots are firmly in the<br />
land and her local community back<br />
home in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> where her<br />
involvement goes well beyond her<br />
business ventures.<br />
Ok<br />
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When the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong><br />
visited she was preparing to be a<br />
hammer hand building aramp at the<br />
local community centre in Leithfield,<br />
and she speaks highly of the neighbours<br />
and locals who provide company, share<br />
food and contribute to helping provide<br />
highquality,undyed and sustainably<br />
processed wool products and hand<br />
knitted garments spart of her business.<br />
She also goes to linedancing once a<br />
week.<br />
‘‘Lifeisabout prioritising. That is my<br />
time out. You have to have balance.’’<br />
Beverley is proud of her rural<br />
heritage, and saysthe strangest thing is<br />
she is still very much apart of asmall<br />
rural community,where she is right at<br />
home.<br />
In the early 2000s, Mrs Forrester left<br />
her occupational therapy career after 32<br />
years as an occupational therapist<br />
within the New Zealand Health system.<br />
Twice she set the New Zealand final<br />
year examinations in psychiatry and<br />
physical medicine, and did apost<br />
graduate course at St Batholomews<br />
Hospital London.<br />
In New Zealand Beverley did postgraduate<br />
courses in music therapy,<br />
RANGIORA OCEANWATCH<br />
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neurodevelopment therapy and also<br />
qualified as aNew Zealand polytechnic<br />
teacher.<br />
Following this she partially converted<br />
afourthgeneration sheep and beef farm<br />
to black and coloured sheep near<br />
Waikari, and today her little business<br />
deep in Hurunui is flourishing. Tour<br />
parties can see first hand the wool<br />
products available, and can buy from<br />
The Wool Barn in Leithfield, ared shed<br />
at Beverley’s home, where she moved<br />
after moving from Black Hills near<br />
Waikari.<br />
Knitting kits, including skeins of wool,<br />
patterns and needles are available from<br />
the barn or on line.<br />
‘‘Today there is no body doing<br />
anything in all honesty with natural<br />
coloured wool like me,’’ says Beverley<br />
who has protected her products and<br />
fashion with Trade Marks marks.<br />
Beverley exhibits her woollen crafts<br />
internationally, and is involved in every<br />
aspect of yarn production to the export<br />
of the final product.<br />
After her husband Jim died, and her<br />
cousin visiting her from England, one of<br />
whom wanted agarment, it opened the<br />
gateway her natural coloured, chemical<br />
free wool business began to grow.<br />
She began selling her products and<br />
knitting kits in the United Kingdom in<br />
2007, later opening physical shops,<br />
which she has now closed, preferring<br />
online sales today.<br />
In 2003 she won the HerBusiness<br />
Network Award at the Businesswoman<br />
of the Year Awards, and the 2006 New<br />
Zealand Century Farm and Station<br />
Award, winning again in 2021. She<br />
launched fashion label Beverley<br />
Riverina Knitwear, which featured at<br />
New Zealand Fashion Week, has knitted<br />
agarment for Princess Anne, and held<br />
fashion shows in England, Melbourne,<br />
and New York, and even one on acruise<br />
ship.<br />
She took the whole team to Australia<br />
with her to join her on the cruise ship<br />
because ‘‘they had all contributed’’.<br />
Beverley is alongserving member of<br />
the <strong>Canterbury</strong> Agricultural and<br />
Pastoral Association and is anew<br />
Zealand and international sheep judge,<br />
judging at the United States Sheep<br />
Show, and in the United Kingdom and<br />
repeatedly in Australia.<br />
She has attended three World<br />
Hereford Cattle Conferences, four<br />
Country Women of the World triennial<br />
conferences and been guest speaker at<br />
the GalaDinner of the ACWW South<br />
Pacific Area Conference.<br />
In 2015 Beverley wrote ‘The Farm at<br />
Black Hills: Farming alone in the hills<br />
of <strong>North</strong>ern <strong>Canterbury</strong>’, with the book’s<br />
royalties creating three RWNZ<br />
scholarships.<br />
Swell<br />
Pegasus Bay<br />
Tide Chart<br />
3<br />
2<br />
NE 2.0 m NE2.1 m E 1.8 m E1.5 m E 1.4 m E1.1 m E 0.9 m<br />
3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9<br />
1<br />
0<br />
Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows<br />
Waimakariri 8:02am 2.3 1:50am 0.6 8:48am 2.3 2:34am 0.6 9:37am 2.3 3:20am 0.6 10:28am 2.3 4:09am 0.6 11:20am 2.3 5:03am 0.6<br />
6:01am 0.7 12:42am 2.4 7:03am 0.6<br />
Mouth<br />
8:26pm 2.2 2:20pm 0.6 9:14pm 2.3 3:04pm 0.6 10:04pm 2.3 3:51pm 0.6 10:54pm 2.3 4:40pm 0.6 11:46pm 2.3 5:33pm 0.6 12:14pm 2.3 6:28pm 0.6 1:10pm 2.3 7:25pm 0.5<br />
Amberley 8:02am 2.3 1:50am 0.6 8:48am 2.3 2:34am 0.6 9:37am 2.3 3:20am 0.6 10:28am 2.3 4:09am 0.6 11:20am 2.3 5:03am 0.6<br />
6:01am 0.7 12:42am 2.4 7:03am 0.6<br />
Beach<br />
8:26pm 2.2 2:20pm 0.6 9:14pm 2.3 3:04pm 0.6 10:04pm 2.3 3:51pm 0.6 10:54pm 2.3 4:40pm 0.6 11:46pm 2.3 5:33pm 0.6 12:14pm 2.3 6:28pm 0.6 1:10pm 2.3 7:25pm 0.5<br />
8:01am 2.0 1:48am 0.6 8:47am 2.0 2:32am 0.6 9:36am 2.0 3:18am 0.6 10:27am 2.0 4:07am 0.6 11:19am 2.0 5:01am 0.6<br />
5:59am 0.7 12:41am 2.1 7:01am 0.6<br />
Motunau 8:25pm 1.9 2:18pm 0.6 9:13pm 2.0 3:02pm 0.6 10:03pm 2.0 3:49pm 0.6 10:53pm 2.0 4:38pm 0.6 11:45pm 2.0 5:31pm 0.6 12:13pm 2.0 6:26pm 0.6 1:09pm 2.0 7:23pm 0.5<br />
8:13am 2.3 2:01am 0.6 8:59am 2.3 2:45am 0.6 9:48am 2.3 3:31am 0.6 10:39am 2.3 4:20am 0.6 11:31am 2.3 5:14am 0.6<br />
6:12am 0.7 12:53am 2.4 7:14am 0.6<br />
Gore Bay 8:37pm 2.2 2:31pm 0.6 9:25pm 2.3 3:15pm 0.6 10:15pm 2.3 4:02pm 0.6 11:05pm 2.3 4:51pm 0.6 11:57pm 2.3 5:44pm 0.6 12:25pm 2.3 6:39pm 0.6 1:21pm 2.3 7:36pm 0.5<br />
8:10am 1.6 1:52am 0.3 8:56am 1.6 2:38am 0.3 9:45am 1.6 3:26am 0.3 10:36am 1.6 4:18am 0.3 11:29am 1.6 5:12am 0.3<br />
6:09am 0.3 12:48am 1.6 7:09am 0.3<br />
Kaikoura 8:33pm 1.5 2:29pm 0.3 9:20pm 1.5 3:15pm 0.3 10:08pm 1.5 4:02pm 0.3 10:59pm 1.6 4:50pm 0.3 11:52pm 1.6 5:41pm 0.3 12:24pm 1.5 6:33pm 0.3 1:20pm 1.5 7:27pm 0.3<br />
*Not for navigational purposes. Wind and swell are based on apoint off Gore Bay. Maori Fishing Guide by Bill Hohepa. www.ofu.co.nz www.tidespy.com Graphic supplied byOceanFun Publishing Ltd.<br />
RANGIORA
Apilot, alibrarian and an artexhibition<br />
BySHELLEY TOPP<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
7<br />
Anew exhibitionatKaiapoi’s Art on<br />
the Quay Gallery is acollaboration<br />
between two friends who met at The<br />
Drawing Room, aChristchurch art and<br />
craft supplies shop.<br />
The Works by aLibrarian and aPilot<br />
exhibition showcases art by Neil<br />
Fitzgerald, aretired librarianfrom<br />
Waikuku Beach, and Oxford’s Jonathan<br />
Marett, aretired Air New Zealand<br />
pilot.<br />
The exhibition was initially intended<br />
to be asolo exhibition of Neil’s work,<br />
but he invited Jonathan to join him.<br />
Jonathan was ‘‘honoured’’ to do so<br />
and has included aportrait of Neil in<br />
his collection of exhibits.<br />
Neil and Jonathan are now both<br />
members of the Christchurch Portrait<br />
Group in Opawa and the Woodend Life<br />
Drawing Group, who have both<br />
exhibited their work separately<br />
before.<br />
Jonathan’s tribute exhibition to<br />
recordbreaking New Zealand aviator<br />
Jean Batten, who died in 1982,<br />
achieved adream result for him when<br />
it was shown in her home town of<br />
Rotorua during 20<strong>22</strong>.<br />
All 18 pieces in the exhibition were<br />
purchased by one of Jean’s admirers<br />
who has agreed to keep the collection<br />
available for public display in Rotorua.<br />
Neil, who recently turned 86, had an<br />
enjoyable career ‘‘very much in my<br />
comfort zone’’, working in the<br />
Christchurch CityLibrary system from<br />
1968 to 2005.<br />
During that time he spent ayear<br />
travelling around the South Island as a<br />
Country Library Service driver, which<br />
took him to ‘‘some great places to paint<br />
and draw’’, including afew of his<br />
favourites —Reefton, the Denniston<br />
Plateau and Lake Ohau.<br />
Art collaboration ... Waikuku Beach artist and retired librarian Neil Fitzgerald, left, with retired Air New Zealand pilot, Jonathan Marett,<br />
of Oxford, during the opening of theircombined art exhibition, Works by aLibrarian and Pilot, in Kaiapoi’s Art onthe Quay Gallery last<br />
Thursday evening.<br />
PHOTO: SHELLEY TOPP<br />
His lifelong passion for paintingand<br />
drawing, which began as achild with a<br />
``fixation" for the images in Arthur<br />
Mee’s Children’s Encyclopedia, has<br />
also taken him much further afield<br />
around the world where he has visited<br />
theMusée Delacroix in Paris, the art<br />
museum andstudio of Eugène<br />
Delacroix, leader of the French<br />
Romantic art movementduring the<br />
1800s. Neil has alsovisited Cezanne’s<br />
Les Lauves Studio in the city of Aixen<br />
Provence, in France, andEngland’s<br />
famous Sandham Memorial Chapel in<br />
the village of Burghclere where a<br />
``very special" collection of largescale<br />
murals by Sir Stanley Spencer,<br />
an acclaimed war artist who died in<br />
1959, are on show. The Works by a<br />
Librarian and aPilot exhibition closes<br />
on February 12.<br />
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NEWS<br />
8 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Amberley man’ship pain‘‘excruciating’’<br />
By SHELLEY TOPP<br />
An Amberley retiree who is<br />
suffering from ‘‘excruciating hip<br />
pain’’ has had to wait more than<br />
ayear for amedical<br />
appointment to assess the<br />
problem.<br />
John Crichton, aged 71, who<br />
ran asuccessful engineering<br />
business in Mason's Flat near<br />
Hawardenfor 30 years, initially<br />
approached his Amberley<br />
doctor in <strong>January</strong> last yearto<br />
see what could be done to<br />
relieve the pain and restore his<br />
mobility.<br />
The doctor told John he would<br />
refer him to Te Whatu Ora/<br />
Health New Zealand for an<br />
assessment under the public<br />
health system.<br />
On March 14 John received a<br />
letter from Te Whatu Ora/<br />
Health New Zealandtelling him<br />
that he would receive an<br />
appointmentbyMay 3, 2025 for<br />
an assessment.<br />
When that never happened<br />
John waited three or four<br />
months before returning to his<br />
GP offering to go private to<br />
speed things up.<br />
John’s wife Lyndahad had<br />
successful private hipreplacement<br />
surgery about<br />
seven years ago and he asked<br />
his GP if it would be possible to<br />
have that same surgeon do his<br />
surgery.<br />
Areferral was sent to the<br />
surgeon,but on July 1last year<br />
the Amberley MedicalCentre<br />
received his reply declining to<br />
do the work because he said<br />
John was a‘‘complex patient<br />
with anumber of comorbidities’’<br />
(two or more medical<br />
conditions).<br />
The surgeon also said because<br />
of this he would be<br />
‘‘uncomfortable managing John<br />
at Southern Cross Hospital’’,<br />
and that John had been referred<br />
to the (Burwood) orthopaedic<br />
department which is<br />
‘‘appropriate as he will require<br />
amultidisciplinary approach’’.<br />
The letter was disappointing<br />
for John and made him think of<br />
all the years he had paid for<br />
medical insurance, only to be<br />
told that private surgery, in this<br />
case, is not available to him.<br />
It also made him feel for other<br />
patients who do have health<br />
insurance, but may also find<br />
themselves in asimilar<br />
situation.<br />
Once it became clear to John<br />
private surgery was not an<br />
option he resigned himself to<br />
the reality of an extended wait.<br />
Late last year with his pain<br />
levels intensifying and his<br />
mobility decreasing he decided<br />
to take the ‘‘squeaky wheel’’<br />
approach and contacted the<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> to see if<br />
making his story public would<br />
take him closer to the surgery he<br />
needed.<br />
Two days after contacting the<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> last<br />
December he received<br />
notificationfrom Te Whatu Ora/<br />
Health New Zealand offering<br />
him aclinical assessment<br />
appointment on February<br />
2, ‘‘after acancellation’’.<br />
Theappointment seemed a<br />
long way off to John but he<br />
willingly accepted it only to<br />
be told earlier this month<br />
his appointment has now<br />
been pushed further away<br />
and it has now been<br />
rescheduled for February<br />
16.<br />
Johnsays he realises the<br />
public health system is<br />
‘‘stressed to the max’’ and<br />
many people are facing<br />
long waits for surgery, he<br />
would like to see the the<br />
wait times significantly<br />
reduced because living a<br />
life in daily pain is not<br />
something he would wish<br />
on anyone.<br />
New look forSpecsavers Rangiora store<br />
Specsavers Rangiora has opened its<br />
new look store in High Street.<br />
Specsavers, which has been serving<br />
the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> community for<br />
more than nine years in eyecare, and<br />
more than five years in earcare, says its<br />
commitment to providing morespaceto<br />
see more patients, prompted the<br />
refurbishment.<br />
‘‘We have been growing steadily as a<br />
local business. As such, we have<br />
invested in acomplete reconfiguration<br />
and refurbishment of our storefrom<br />
floor to ceiling,’’ says May Young,<br />
Optometrist Director Specsavers<br />
Rangiora.<br />
The reconfiguration has added an<br />
additional test room allowing the team<br />
to see more patients.<br />
In addition, the store boasts abigger<br />
waiting area, new lighting and<br />
illuminated displays for frames to<br />
increase the customer experience when<br />
in store.<br />
‘‘Our care values extend to supporting<br />
the local community in particular<br />
Community Wellbeing <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> whom we have partnered<br />
with for more than six years.’’<br />
May says she and Jenny White, the<br />
retail director, both live in Rangiora and<br />
are committed to continue serving our<br />
community.<br />
Lis Lintvelt (Regional Training<br />
Manager Specsavers NZ), May, Deirdre<br />
Ryan (Manager Community Wellbeing<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust), Waimakariri<br />
Mayor Dan Gordon, Toni Paratene (team<br />
member), Misty Bonnett (team member),<br />
Gareth Hunt (Head of Retail Support<br />
Specsavers NZ), and Caitlin Luscombe<br />
(team member), attended the opening.<br />
Other team members include Lucy<br />
Walsh, Claudia Murray, Yeji Kim and<br />
Daniel Beech.<br />
Eye examination ... Waimakariri Mayor<br />
Dan Gordon has an eye examinationat<br />
Specsavers.<br />
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NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
11<br />
Company begins shift Uncertain times won’t<br />
stop Canty planning<br />
On the Move ... Rangiora’s skyline is changing subtly with the shifting of the Luisetti Seeds<br />
seed cleaning equipment and silos from the Rangiora yard to its new base in Ashburton.<br />
Many of the more than 30 large and small seed silos, which have stood for years between<br />
Edward and Blackett Streets in Rangiora, have begun their journey south as part of the<br />
company’s planned move of their seed cleaning and manufacturing operations.<br />
Managing Director Edward Luisetti said it is an exciting time, and he looks forward to what<br />
comes next, as the company begins its plans for the future development of its central<br />
Rangiora sites.<br />
Mr Luisettisays they are looking at the plans they have for the future of the land surrounding<br />
their headquarters at 20 AshleyStreet. ‘‘We have been working closely with the Waimakariri<br />
District Council as we want to create something special for the town.’’ PHOTOS COURTESY EDWARD LUISETTI<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Planning for <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s future will<br />
not stop, despite an uncertain future,<br />
Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong> chairperson<br />
Dr DeonSwiggs says.<br />
Dr Swiggs said staff are continuing<br />
to work on this year’s annual plan and<br />
next year’s 2027/37 Long Term Plan<br />
(LTP), despite Government plans to<br />
abolish regional councils.<br />
The Government announced plans<br />
in November to abolish regional<br />
councils and pass the responsibilities<br />
on to mayors,aspart of local<br />
government and Resource<br />
Management Act reforms.<br />
But Dr Swiggs said it was business as<br />
usual, as staff navigate the proposed<br />
changes.<br />
‘‘Our focus remains on ensuring any<br />
structural changes serve <strong>Canterbury</strong>'s<br />
unique environmental and community<br />
needs.<br />
‘‘Regional decisions require<br />
regional accountability, and we're<br />
committed to evidencebased<br />
governance that protects what matters<br />
for Waitaha <strong>Canterbury</strong>.’’<br />
Council staff have signalled a2.9<br />
percent average rate rise in thisyear’s<br />
annual plan, which is due to go out for<br />
public consultation next month.<br />
‘‘We recognise the uncertainty from<br />
Government proposals, and we are<br />
focused on stability and continuity and<br />
delivering essential services, while<br />
preparing for change,’’ Dr Swiggs said.<br />
‘‘Planning for <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s future<br />
cannot stop.’’<br />
Staff have also begun work on next<br />
year’s LTP, which will need to account<br />
for future changes decided by the<br />
community and Government, he said.<br />
Priorities in this year’s annual plan<br />
include ‘‘transparent financial<br />
stewardship’’, sustainable and<br />
equitable regional transport and<br />
building residence to natural hazards.<br />
Dr Swiggs said staff and councillors<br />
are continuing to consider the<br />
proposed reforms and will be<br />
finalising submissions next month.<br />
‘‘I think it’s fair to say councillors<br />
are feeling determined to do what we<br />
were elected to do –lead on behalf of<br />
the region and ensure delivery of<br />
essential services for our communities<br />
and environment.<br />
‘‘We are concerned the proposed<br />
reforms appear to be one size fits all<br />
and focused on lines drawn on amap,<br />
instead of considering principles and<br />
outcomes that best serve our region<br />
into the future.’’<br />
The council was also concerned<br />
there are ‘‘unintended consequences’’<br />
in the Government’s proposals, he<br />
said.<br />
He said he looked forward to<br />
working with the community, local<br />
councils and the Government to find<br />
the best outcome for Waitaha<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
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MOTORING<br />
12 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Motoring Guide<br />
QualityatNCCollision Repairs Kaiapoi<br />
There is only one New Years resolution<br />
for the staff at <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Collision<br />
Repairs Kaiapoi —continue providing<br />
customers with the same high standards of<br />
service in <strong>2026</strong> as they did in 2025 —<br />
leading the way with passion, talent, skill,<br />
and location.<br />
Despite arecent name change,longtime<br />
employee and now new ownerLee<br />
Marsh says he and his staff at the Kaiapoibased<br />
repair facility will continue to offer<br />
their <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> customersthe<br />
same high levels of quality workmanship<br />
they are wellknown for delivering.<br />
‘‘We have been here for over25years,<br />
meeting the region’s paint and panel<br />
repair needs,’’ Lee says.<br />
‘‘We will continue to offer all insurance<br />
work and repairs for vehicles, from<br />
everyday bumps and scrapes to major<br />
smash work.’’<br />
He says they have always done this type<br />
of work, and their staff are all very highly<br />
qualified and trained to handle the myriad<br />
of issues an unfortunate collisioncan<br />
produce.<br />
‘‘Motor vehicle owners forget they have<br />
achoice when it comes to collision<br />
damage repair.’’<br />
Lee advises <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>people<br />
not to be swayed by insurance companies<br />
demandingthey get their damaged vehicle<br />
repaired in Christchurch at their<br />
facilities.<br />
‘‘Recommend us for all your paint and<br />
panel repairs, as it is your car and your<br />
choice. We are right here on hand in<br />
Kaiapoi.’’<br />
The business deals with all insurance<br />
companies, offers free quotes, and has a<br />
fleet of courtesy cars so owners don’t have<br />
to be stranded when their car is getting<br />
repaired.<br />
They also offer free pickup and<br />
delivery.<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>Collision Repairs<br />
Kaiapoi continues to invest in technology<br />
and training to ensure it uses the latest<br />
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Located at 90D WilliamsStreet in<br />
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look after customers from start to finish.<br />
Respect for customers’ vehicles is<br />
paramount, and afriendly, forwardlooking<br />
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Contact Lee Marsh on (03) 327 3028 to<br />
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021 247 2660.<br />
They are also availableon<br />
kaiapoi@nccrc.co.nz.<br />
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BACK TO SCHOOL<br />
16 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Students<br />
building<br />
skills<br />
Two Cheviot Area School pupils<br />
have learnt some valuable<br />
skills making alarge octagonal<br />
shaped outdoor picnictable for<br />
fellow pupils.<br />
George and Baxter spent two<br />
hoursevery Friday afternoon<br />
working with tutor Simon<br />
Chester from the Cheviot<br />
MenzShed, to create the table,<br />
which was delivered to the<br />
school before the last day of<br />
term last year.<br />
It is hoped the partnership<br />
between the school and the<br />
MenzShed will continue this<br />
year, with not only woodwork,<br />
but engineering on offer too<br />
from ably qualified MenzShed<br />
members.<br />
George and Baxter were<br />
guided through the build and<br />
completed all the measuring,<br />
machining and construction.<br />
Simon said both lads showed<br />
akeen interest to learn and<br />
picked up on tasks very quickly.<br />
He said they were apleasure<br />
to work with.<br />
Simon is proud of their<br />
efforts and believes the skills<br />
they have learned along the way<br />
will be abenefittoboth as well<br />
as any prospective employers in<br />
the future.<br />
George and Baxter are also<br />
proud of their achievement<br />
along with their parents.<br />
The table is an asset to the<br />
school and it’s solid<br />
construction means it’ll be<br />
around for many years.<br />
Big achievement ... Cheviot MenzShed tutor Simon Chester, (centre), with<br />
George (left) and Baxter and the finished outdoor picnic table. PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Waimak schools<br />
growing rapidly<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Three Waimakariri schools<br />
facing booming rolls are<br />
hoping to open new<br />
classrooms soon.<br />
The Ministry of Education<br />
has announced work will start<br />
on new classrooms at Sefton<br />
and Woodend schools in term<br />
one as they cope with rapid<br />
growth.<br />
Planning isalso under way<br />
for new classrooms at Kaiapoi<br />
<strong>North</strong> School, but no date has<br />
been set.<br />
Kaiapoi <strong>North</strong> School<br />
board of trustees chairperson<br />
Greg Thompson said the<br />
school was next to the<br />
growing Beachgrove subdivision.<br />
The school passed its<br />
maximum rollof540 at the<br />
end of last year.<br />
While term one will begin<br />
with 490 students, growth is<br />
anticipated to continue over<br />
the next few years.<br />
‘‘We are teetering on the<br />
edge,’’ Mr Thompson said.<br />
‘‘We just have to keep<br />
talking to the Ministry and<br />
constantly update them on<br />
our numbers so they are fully<br />
aware of out situation.’’<br />
In the meantime, the school<br />
has been getting on with some<br />
other projects including<br />
installing anew fence and<br />
improve accessibility around<br />
the school.<br />
Upgrades have been made<br />
to classrooms including<br />
replacing LED lights,<br />
acoustic wall linings, some<br />
window and door joinery and<br />
carpet replacement.<br />
Woodend School has been<br />
bulging at the seems for<br />
several years on the back of<br />
the booming Ravenswood<br />
subdivision, with the school<br />
roll set to pass 600.<br />
Ministry of Education head<br />
of property Gary Anaru said<br />
late last year staff have been<br />
working with school’s board<br />
of trustees to plan for eight<br />
new classrooms.<br />
He said the first four<br />
classrooms were due to be<br />
handed over at Anzac<br />
Weekend.<br />
But as last year ended,<br />
principal Andrew Retallick<br />
said he was waiting for<br />
confirmation on the dates.<br />
Sefton School principal<br />
Heidi MoellerKemp said<br />
some prefabricated<br />
classrooms arrived onsite<br />
before the end of last year and<br />
will be refurbished during<br />
term one.<br />
‘‘It will be interesting to see<br />
how they put it all together<br />
and make it look nice.’’<br />
The school has arollof138,<br />
but is in agrowing zone, with<br />
anew subdivision, and is<br />
expected to pass 150 students.<br />
LDR is local body<br />
journalism cofunded by RNZ<br />
and NZ On Air.<br />
DatesFor <strong>2026</strong><br />
Monday 26 th <strong>January</strong><br />
12.30-3.30pm<br />
Course Confirmation Y11-13<br />
-Selectedstudentsonly<br />
Wednesday28 th <strong>January</strong><br />
2.00 -4.00pm<br />
Kahui WhetūDrop-in<br />
Session<br />
Thursday 29 th <strong>January</strong><br />
9am-AllStudentsStart<br />
11:30am - Mihi Whakatau<br />
(Welcome)GPHall<br />
Welcometothe new<br />
school year,and new<br />
Students, Staff and<br />
Families.<br />
Buses will runfrom29<br />
<strong>January</strong><strong>2026</strong><br />
Establishing ameaningful<br />
connection with your child's<br />
teacher is essential.<br />
We invite youtoour Drop In<br />
sessiontomeet your Child's<br />
Homeroom Teacher,Learning<br />
Mentorsand Deans for<strong>2026</strong>.<br />
This is agreat opportunity to<br />
seetheirLearning spaces,drop<br />
off stationery and to askany<br />
questionsyou mayhavein<br />
preparationfor theupcoming<br />
year.<br />
AllYear Levels Welcome.<br />
Date:Wednesday28<br />
Jan2pm -4pm<br />
No appointment needed<br />
Haere mai ki tewhānau oTeKura Tuatahi oKaiapoi<br />
We are excited towarmly welcome students back toschool on<br />
Monday 2nd February <strong>2026</strong> at 8:55am<br />
starting with amihi whakatau in our school hall togreet<br />
our new staff and whānau.<br />
We invite you toour open classrooms and Technology Centre on<br />
Thursday 29th <strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong> from 11am- 12pm.<br />
The school office will be open on<br />
Monday 26th <strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong><br />
for new enrolments and general enquiries.<br />
Please email office@kbs.school.nz<br />
for anenrolment appointment
BACK TO SCHOOL<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong> 17<br />
Commitment to pathways<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Kaiapoi High School is committed to offering vocational pathways,but is coming under<br />
increased pressureasstudents stay on for longer due to youth unemployment.<br />
Board of trustees presiding member Belinda Smith says the school would like to offer<br />
more trades classes to meet agrowing need, but these tend to be the most expensive to<br />
rundue to the materials used and the specialist buildings required.<br />
‘‘We would love to be able to add more [trades] classes so we can provide more students<br />
access to these courses, butone of the challenges is finding teaching staff with the<br />
expertise to teach them.’’<br />
The Government is placing agreater emphasis on vocational pathways, including the<br />
trades and landbased subjects, as part of an overhaul of secondary education.<br />
At the same time, other subjects like art history could be phased out.<br />
KHS offers trades and vocational pathwaysinhospitality, building and construction,<br />
automotive and engineering.<br />
Other specialist subjects like food and nutrition, health and physical education were<br />
offered as academic pathways. Students choosing landbased subjects can access them<br />
through the gateway programme.<br />
In class ... Amuri Area School principal Matt Barlow visits students at work.<br />
AmuriAS cramped<br />
By DAVIDHILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
A<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> school is hoping to<br />
get started on ascaled back building<br />
project this year.<br />
Amuri Area School has been<br />
anticipating aredevelopment of the<br />
senior part of the school for several years.<br />
But principal Matt Barlow said the<br />
school’s board of trustees has had to<br />
revise its expectations following a<br />
Ministry of Education review in 2024.<br />
Based at Culverden, the Year 1to13<br />
school serves alarge rural area including<br />
Rotherham, Waiau, Mt Lyford and<br />
Hanmer Springs.<br />
‘‘It is business as usual for us and our<br />
roll continues to trend upwards,’’ Mr<br />
Barlow said.<br />
‘‘We generate enough growth to be on<br />
the list (for building projects), but we<br />
never quite meet the priority threshold<br />
because we don’t have the samelevel of<br />
growth of other schools.<br />
‘‘But we are getting abit cramped for<br />
space.’’<br />
Amuri Area School finished last year on<br />
370 students and Mr Barlow anticipated<br />
the roll could be higher at the start of this<br />
year.<br />
‘‘We are tending to have bigger groups<br />
staying at school, with more than 20Year<br />
13s for the last two years previously we<br />
only had 15 to 16 Year 13s.<br />
‘‘We had abig Year 8cohort last year<br />
with 42 students.<br />
‘‘While we will lose some to boarding<br />
school in Christchurch,wewill get<br />
students from Hanmer Springs coming<br />
into Year 9this year.<br />
‘‘So right across the board we are having<br />
quite high numbers.’’<br />
PHOTO: FILE<br />
The school was one of more than 300<br />
schools caught up in a2024 review,which<br />
saw many building projects placed in<br />
limbo or scaled back.<br />
Mr Barlow the school’s board worked<br />
with the Ministry last year on arevised<br />
plan.<br />
‘‘We’re looking at more of amove to<br />
prefabs and refurbishment of existing<br />
buildings.’’<br />
He said the board has been setting aside<br />
funds from its fiveyearlyfunding<br />
allocation towards the project and is<br />
waiting to see what funding the Ministry<br />
has available in next year’s Budget.<br />
‘‘We won’t know the actual cost of the<br />
redevelopment until them, but we are<br />
hoping will get abit more.<br />
‘‘But at least we’ve got some certainty<br />
and we can get on with some of the work.<br />
‘‘We will look to get some projects under<br />
way from the funds we have over the<br />
summer.’’<br />
The school suffered damage in the<br />
October wind event so it was eligible for<br />
someemergencyresponse funding from<br />
the Ministry.<br />
It will help pay for roof reports and a<br />
new skylight, while trees were also blown<br />
over.<br />
Ministry of Education head of property<br />
Gary Anaru said late last year the Ministry<br />
had been working with the school’s board<br />
of trustees to consider the options.<br />
Planning was under way for the<br />
upgrade of classrooms, the gymnasium<br />
floor and changing rooms, he said.<br />
Mr Barlow said the board was planning<br />
for the replacement of the gym floor to<br />
coincide with the April school holidays to<br />
minimise disruption.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
Ph 03 313 3638 Director: DrG.Dykes<br />
rangiora@kipmcgrath.co.nz<br />
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Te Kura Tuarua oRangiora<br />
Start Dates for<strong>2026</strong><br />
Naumai haeremai.<br />
Welcometothe newschoolyear.<br />
2444038<br />
28 <strong>January</strong> New Enrolment Day<br />
9.30am-11.00am fornew non-enrolledYear9-13students<br />
28-29 <strong>January</strong> Teacher Only Days<br />
30 <strong>January</strong> New Student Orientation Day<br />
Thefirst dayfor Year 9and anynew Year 10-13 students<br />
2February First dayofclassesfor allYear9-13students<br />
5February House Sports Day<br />
6February WaitangiDay<br />
More detailed informationon<br />
our<strong>2026</strong> start dates is available<br />
on the<strong>News</strong>&Events page at<br />
www.rangiorahigh.school.nz<br />
Proudof<br />
ourpast.<br />
Focusedon<br />
ourfuture.
NEWS<br />
18 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Operation Coverup warming shatteredlives<br />
ByJOHN COSGROVE<br />
When the volunteer knitters involved<br />
with Operation Coverup watch the<br />
videos of recipients in Eastern<br />
Europe receiving the many knitted<br />
items they have donated, there is not<br />
adry eye in the place, accordingto<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> coordinator Maureen<br />
McQuarrie.<br />
‘‘The recipients are honestly in<br />
tears when they learn someone from a<br />
small country on the far side of the<br />
world from them cares enough to<br />
make and transport woollen clothes<br />
and knitted blankets that will help<br />
them survive the severe <strong>North</strong><br />
Europeanwinters.<br />
‘‘It truly tugs at your heartstrings<br />
when you read about how amazed and<br />
grateful they are,’’ she says.<br />
At ameeting held in Rangiora over<br />
the weekend, many of the volunteer<br />
knitters involved with Operation<br />
Coverup,had achance to catch up and<br />
talk about the latest updates on<br />
conflicts in EasternEurope.<br />
They also discussed the types of<br />
knitted clothing itemsneeded, watch<br />
and read about where their clothes<br />
are going, and meet others, who like<br />
themselves, knit with apassion to<br />
help others.<br />
‘‘The clothes and blankets they<br />
create with donated and bought wool<br />
are transported by Mission Without<br />
Borders to Eastern European<br />
countries such as Moldova,Romania.<br />
Bosnia, Serbia and of course<br />
Ukraine,’’ says Mrs McQuarrie.<br />
‘‘It is very humbling seeing the<br />
gratitude these people expresswhen<br />
the clothes are given out.<br />
‘‘I have been doing this for 26 years,<br />
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Surrounded with colourand love ... Operation Coverup <strong>Canterbury</strong> coordinator Maureen McQuarrie (left) and Maureen Braun are<br />
surrounded by amultitudeofcolourful woollen blankets knitted by over 300 knitters based in the South Island,which were onshowin<br />
Rangiora over the weekend.<br />
PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE<br />
and I, like all our 300plus volunteers<br />
here in the South Island, still havethe<br />
passion to use what skills we have to<br />
make someone else'slife just that<br />
little bit easierand more<br />
comfortable.’’<br />
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She says the warmth of love is the<br />
feedback they receive from the people<br />
they have helped.<br />
All the wool the knitters useis<br />
purchasedfrom the sales of recycled<br />
clothing at Mrs McQuarrie’s small<br />
shopinRangiora.<br />
Annually, two shipping containers<br />
are sent from Auckland to be<br />
distributed to orphanages, lowincome<br />
families, the elderly and<br />
street people in Eastern Europe.<br />
Community key to<br />
vocational pathways<br />
By DAVID HILL.<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Community partnerships is the key<br />
offering vocational pathwaysatanarea<br />
school, says Oxford Area School board of<br />
trustees presiding member Aaron<br />
Campbell.<br />
‘‘We try to offer as much as we can if<br />
the demand is there. For asmall, rural<br />
school we are batting above ourweight,’’<br />
he said.<br />
The Government is placing agreater<br />
emphasis on vocational pathways,<br />
including the trades and landbased<br />
subjects, such as agriculture and<br />
horticulture, as part of an overhaul of<br />
secondary education.<br />
At the same time, other subjects like<br />
art history could be phased out.<br />
Mr Campbell said agriculture was a<br />
popular subject with students, while the<br />
school works with tertiary sector and<br />
community partners to offer<br />
opportunities in the trades.<br />
‘‘Being in arural, agricultural<br />
community, there’s alot of interest from<br />
our students because of their life outside<br />
of school and it seems to be growing.<br />
‘‘We have good community partners<br />
and we are always looking for more.’’<br />
Principal Mike Hart said how<br />
agriculture was offered varied from year<br />
to year, depending on the needs of<br />
students.<br />
‘‘Some years we offer avery practical<br />
hands on course, taking students on farm<br />
with the support of local farmers, and in<br />
some yearsitismore along the lines of<br />
agribusiness.<br />
‘‘Because of our small numbers, we<br />
have to be flexible and be able to adapt<br />
to what our students need every single<br />
year.’’<br />
The school has partnerships with Ara<br />
and the National Trades Academy to<br />
offer trades courses.<br />
Oxford Area School developed<br />
CASAtech (<strong>Canterbury</strong> Area Schools<br />
Association Technology Group) in 1994<br />
with other <strong>Canterbury</strong> area schools,<br />
offer online collaborative learning<br />
courses.<br />
It evolved into Cantatech and has<br />
since been replaced by NetNZ.<br />
‘‘In an area school you’ve got to be<br />
innovative and collaborative,’’ Mr Hart<br />
said.<br />
‘‘We work with arange of partners,<br />
where they be other schools, provides or<br />
out in the community.<br />
‘‘Looking at the proposed changes for<br />
secondary qualifications, the<br />
Government seems to be looking<br />
vocational and academic pathways, they<br />
are two separate pathways, but they both<br />
need to contribute to qualifications.’’<br />
Ministry of Education schools policy<br />
general manager Jen Fraser said the<br />
Ministry acknowledged many schools<br />
willneed support to facilitate access<br />
industryled subjects for their students.<br />
‘‘This could be bothdirectly through<br />
teaching at school, or through atrades<br />
academy programme where the school<br />
partners with atertiary provider who<br />
delivers the learning.’’<br />
She said schools will continue to have<br />
the flexibility to offer students amix of<br />
industryled and Ministryled<br />
(academic) subjects.<br />
The Ministry was considering how to<br />
build on the support for students to<br />
access industryled subjects, including<br />
for those attending small, rural schools<br />
and wharekura.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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NEWS<br />
20 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
AED installed at <strong>North</strong>brook Studios<br />
Members of the variousclubs and<br />
organisations based at the <strong>North</strong>brook<br />
Studio area in Southbrook will now have<br />
access to an external AED (defibrillator)<br />
in the event of amedical event.<br />
The initiative for the installation of the<br />
device came from Howard Pettigrew,<br />
Chairperson of the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
Woodcraft Club, which has clubroomsat<br />
the Studios.<br />
‘‘While we have lots of teenagers among<br />
our wood turners, we also have many<br />
retirees and Ihad noticed that the other<br />
Studio users had manyolder people<br />
among their membership,’’ Howard says.<br />
He says while there were other AEDs<br />
within ashort distance of the studios,<br />
none were available outside of working<br />
hours, which is whenclubroomsare often<br />
in use.<br />
Leanne O’Mahoney,President of <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Musicals says it is an asset for<br />
the many groups that use its rooms—<br />
singing groups, dance groupsand the Step<br />
Ahead Trust, which is there three times a<br />
week.”<br />
Howard says he is grateful other groups<br />
were supportive,especially <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Musicals which was willing to<br />
have it installed outside its clubrooms<br />
where it is visible from the road and<br />
under security lighting.<br />
An application for agrant for the AED<br />
was made to the Aotearoa Gaming Trust,<br />
who have operating venues in the area.<br />
‘‘The clubs and organisations are<br />
incredibly grateful to the Trust and the<br />
Help at hand ... Howard Pettigrew thanks Courtney Elliot from the Brook Bar for their support of the AED, watched onbyLeanne<br />
O’Mahony, Musicals (left), Peter Edwards, Rangiora Players andDavid Thorne, RSA Club Brass Band.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Brook Bar for the successfulgrant<br />
application,’’ he says.<br />
‘‘We are just very happy to be able to<br />
extend ahand and help the wider<br />
Rangiora community,’’ Courtney Elliot<br />
from the Brook Bar says.<br />
Not only will this be available for<br />
<strong>North</strong>brook Studio users but also the<br />
nearby community and users of the 57<br />
hectare <strong>North</strong>brook Wetlands area whose<br />
walking tracks are very popular.<br />
‘‘Its wonderfulfor our patrons and our<br />
audiences and certainly for the local<br />
people here, and agreat compliment for<br />
the area,’’ Peter Edwards of the Rangiora<br />
Players says.<br />
The clubs and organisations are also<br />
very grateful to the Waimakariri District<br />
Council for its support.<br />
As David Thorne of the Rangiora RSA<br />
Club Brass Band says: ‘‘Let’s hope we<br />
never have to use it, but it is great to have<br />
it readily available at all hours if ever<br />
needed.’’<br />
Rangiora NewLife and St Joseph’sexpand<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local DemocracyReporter<br />
Stephen Walters’ office has suddenly<br />
become popular.<br />
The Rangiora New Life School<br />
principal has moved into amakeshift<br />
office in anticipation of the school<br />
admin block being demolished.<br />
Mr Walters’ office will double as a<br />
staffroom, complete with acoffee<br />
machine.<br />
‘‘We are all sharing space, so Idon’t<br />
mind. Any inconvenience is<br />
temporary.<br />
‘‘It’s certainly made me popular, as<br />
everyone pops in for acoffee.’’<br />
Rangiora New Life School is one of<br />
two <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Christian<br />
schools which obtained permission<br />
from the Ministry of Education last<br />
year to raise their maximum rolls.<br />
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School<br />
(Rangiora), ayear 18 school, will<br />
increase its roll from 175 to <strong>22</strong>5, while<br />
Rangiora New Life School, ayear 113<br />
school, will grow from 470 to 570<br />
students over the next three years.<br />
The roll increaseswill takethe<br />
pressure off other<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
schools,inthe face of apopulation<br />
boom.<br />
St Joseph’s board of trustees<br />
presiding member Emma Dangerfield<br />
said anew four classroom blockisdue<br />
to be open for term one and asecond<br />
two classroom blocklikely to be ready<br />
for term two.<br />
‘‘This is the first major capitalworks<br />
the school has had in 20 years.<br />
‘‘The buildings are an adaptable<br />
modular design used across the<br />
Diocese.’’<br />
Ms Dangerfield said four of the<br />
classrooms are Government funded,<br />
while the rest are funded by the<br />
Catholic Diocese from attendance<br />
dues paid by whānau.<br />
The school will be fundraising to<br />
fund landscaping and playgrounds.<br />
She said the 135yearold church<br />
buildinghas already been<br />
deconsecrated and will soon be<br />
dismantledtomake way for anew<br />
church.<br />
‘‘It will be sad to say goodbye to this<br />
historic building.’’<br />
It will be replaced by alarger and<br />
more modern building to meet the<br />
needs of agrowing community.<br />
Rangiora New Life School attracts<br />
students from the Waimakariri and<br />
Hurunui districts.<br />
Anew blockofseven classrooms is<br />
being built ready for term one,<br />
allowing growth in the primary school<br />
classrooms.<br />
The Gateway New Life Church is<br />
funding the build, recovering the cost<br />
through attendance dues.<br />
‘‘We’re not reliant on Ministry<br />
funding or oversight, so we just have to<br />
meet council regulations,’’ Mr Walters<br />
said.<br />
The growing roll means the school<br />
needs anew admin blockand<br />
staffroom, whichithopes to open in<br />
May.<br />
‘‘Our admin building was built when<br />
we had 200 students,sonow we need a<br />
building and astaffroom for aschool<br />
of 570 students,’’ Mr Walters said.<br />
‘‘We are moving from asmallschool<br />
to amediumsized schooland<br />
mediumsized schoolsneed to have<br />
economies of scale to manage their<br />
size.’’<br />
He said the schoolhad been<br />
carrying awaiting list for anumber of<br />
years.<br />
Long term, the schoolhas amaster<br />
plan to grow to 700 students on the 5ha<br />
Southbrooksite, with the potential for<br />
asecond site to support future growth.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
AMBERLEY
Looking for somethingfunto do on<br />
Waitangi Day, Friday, February 6th?<br />
Come and joinusatthe RangioraRacecourse<br />
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dayhosted by the AmberleyTrotting Club!<br />
This year’s meeting begins around 2:30pm,<br />
giving everyone plenty of timetoget their<br />
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intothe car for an afternoonand evening of<br />
entertainment.<br />
With racing held on the grass track,<br />
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and watch some of <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s top<br />
drivers compete across an exciting11<br />
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There’s something for everyage group, both<br />
on and off the track:<br />
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• The highlightevent: the <strong>2026</strong>Rangiora<br />
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• Twoheats of the popular Kids Kartz<br />
races, showcasing <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s young<br />
drivers<br />
Frocks at theTrots Fashioninthe Field<br />
In partnership with HRNZ, Amberley<br />
Trotting Club is proud to host thefirstheat<br />
of Frocks at the Trots.<br />
• Open to ages18+<br />
• Outfits must include atouch of teal in<br />
supportofthe Team Teal Campaign<br />
• More details available on theAmberley<br />
Trotting Club Facebook page<br />
Family FunZone Amberley Junior Drivers<br />
Area<br />
Located behind the main stand:<br />
• Children’sentertainer Neville Barry<br />
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Hopples<br />
Giveaways&Prizes<br />
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‘Summer at theTrots’ Heads andTails<br />
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On-Course Entertainment<br />
Enjoy livemusic frompopular <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> entertainer JonPalmer<br />
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ReserveaCar Park<br />
Get agroup together! Reserved car parks<br />
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Emailamberleytrottingclub@gmail.com for<br />
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The AmberleyTrottingClubcommittee is<br />
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RANGIORA RACECOURSE<br />
Friday 6th February <strong>2026</strong><br />
First race atapprox. approx. 2.30pm<br />
AMBERLEY<br />
TROTTING<br />
CLUB
Thursday,July31, 2025 | I sue 157 | www.starnews.co.nz<br />
By DAVID HI L,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
It was hailed as a ‘onestop shop ’ to<br />
make it quicker and easier to build<br />
major projects when it pa sed into law<br />
last December.<br />
But none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects included in the Government’s<br />
Fasttrack A provals Act have<br />
progre sed beyond being ‘listed ’<br />
projects in the fasttrack proce s.<br />
They were among 149 projects listed<br />
in the legislation.<br />
In astatement released last w ek,<br />
Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop<br />
and Regional Development Minister<br />
Shane Jones said around 50ofthe 149<br />
projects had lodged substantive<br />
a plications with the Environmental<br />
Protection Authority (EPA), since the<br />
a provals regime was established in<br />
February.<br />
Of those, none have b en a proved so<br />
far, with the first eight expected to be<br />
signed o f by the end of the year.<br />
Proposed housing developments at<br />
Ōhoka, W odend and west Rangiora<br />
were listed in the legislation, along with<br />
the W odend Bypa s and the Amuri<br />
I rigation Company Ltd’s Balmoral<br />
water storage facility and fish scr en.<br />
An EPA spokespersonhas confirmed<br />
none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects have lodged substantivefasttrack<br />
a plications.<br />
Developers of alisted project can<br />
a ply to the EPA where an ‘expert<br />
panel’ wi l a se s the project and<br />
consult with ‘directly a fected groups ’.<br />
Panelconvenors determine theextent<br />
of the consultation, meaning the is no<br />
guarant e local communities wi l have a<br />
say.<br />
Thereisnotimeframe for alisted<br />
projec to lodge an a plication, the<br />
spokesperson said.<br />
When the project list was a nounced<br />
in October last year, Mr Bishoppointed<br />
the finger at councils for creating the<br />
housing crisis.<br />
‘Speaking in general terms, councils<br />
have contributed to our housing crisis<br />
by being overly picky aboutwhere<br />
houses can bebuilt, ’ he said a the time.<br />
TheW odend and west Rangiora<br />
developments have since b en included<br />
in the new Waimakariri District Plan<br />
adopted last month, meaningtheymay<br />
not n ed to be fasttracked.<br />
Amuri I rigation Company<br />
chairperson David Croft said the<br />
company anticipated aresource consent<br />
would be grantedbyEnvironment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> (ECan) in thenext few<br />
months, afteritwas lodged in 2023.<br />
‘It l oks likethe normal consenting<br />
proce s wi lbefaster. In somewaysit<br />
wouldbethe ideal situation because<br />
everybodyhas had the chancetohave<br />
their say in asystem theyare familiar<br />
with. ’<br />
A$20m loan from the Government’s<br />
Regional Infrastructure Fund was<br />
a nounced earlier thismonth for the<br />
Balmoral water storageproject.<br />
The proposed Ōhoka development<br />
was rejected from the District Plan,<br />
after aprivate plan change requestwas<br />
rejected by an independent<br />
commi sioner in November 2023.<br />
It is sti l subjec to an Environment<br />
Court a peal.<br />
An Environment Courtspokesperson<br />
said the a pe lant, CarterGroup, has<br />
b en directed to advise the court by<br />
August 2 ‘how orwhether it intends to<br />
proc ed ’.<br />
Waimakariri District Council<br />
developmentpla ning manager Ma t<br />
Baconsaid under the new District Plan,<br />
the site of the proposed Ohoka<br />
development is zoned rura lifestyle.<br />
It mean the farmland could be subdivided<br />
into 4ha lots, but not intoan<br />
850home developmentasproposed.<br />
Carter Group was contacted for<br />
comment but areply had not b en<br />
received by the time the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> wen to print.<br />
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency<br />
hasb en completing geotech reports as<br />
it continuesscoping work for the<br />
proposed W odend Bypa s.<br />
LDR is localbody journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>22</strong> The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Proposed ratescap raising questions<br />
ByDAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Government regulations couldprevent<br />
councils from delivering afour percent<br />
rates cap, says a<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
council boss. Waimakariri District<br />
Council staff will present aproposed<br />
draft <strong>2026</strong>/27 annual plan to councillors<br />
on Tuesday, <strong>January</strong> 27, proposing an<br />
average 4.92% annual rate rise.<br />
Chief executive Jeff Millward said a<br />
chunk of the extra cost will be upgrading<br />
infrastructure to meet new water<br />
regulations.<br />
The Government has proposed arates<br />
cap range of 2% to 4% ayear across all<br />
general and targeted rates, which would<br />
come into effect in 2029.<br />
Local government minister Simon<br />
Watts has said the proposal was ‘‘about<br />
stopping the runaway rate hike’’.<br />
Mr Millward said the average general<br />
rate across the district, excluding water<br />
services, will be around 2.7%.<br />
‘‘We have pushed out some non<br />
essential works to get the costdown.<br />
Onceagain, we are looking to keep it as<br />
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Kaiapoi, Rangiora, W odend, Pegasus, Cust, Oxford, Ashley, Sefton, Amberley, Waipara, Waikari, Hawarden, Cheviot, Culverden, Waiau, Hanmer Springs<br />
Few utilising fast-track process<br />
Housing . The Waimakariri District Planhas a lowed forupto17, 0 morehouses, meaning the Government’s Fasttrack A provals<br />
Actmay not be n eded. PHOTO: DAVID HI L<br />
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affordable as possible.’’<br />
The council will need to spend money<br />
upgrading its water services<br />
infrastructure to comply with<br />
regulations from water regulator<br />
Taumata Arowai, including introducing<br />
ultra violet treatments in urban<br />
drinking water.<br />
It means urban ratepayers in Kaiapoi<br />
can expect an average rate rise of 5.6%,<br />
with similar rises in Oxford, Pegasus<br />
and Woodend, while forRangiora<br />
ratepayers it will be 3.9%.<br />
In contrast, rural rates where there<br />
are no council water services, will rise<br />
by lessthan 3% on average.<br />
While other councils were setting up<br />
council controlled organisations which<br />
will separate water services from the<br />
rates bill, Waimakariri is setting up an<br />
inhouse water services business unit.<br />
It means water services will remain on<br />
Waimakariri rate bills and Mr Millward<br />
said it was unclear how it will impact on<br />
the council if the rates cap is imposed.<br />
‘‘We may not have to include three<br />
watersinthe rates cap, but we are<br />
mindful ofitanyway because it is an<br />
affordability issue forour ratepayers.<br />
‘‘If we keep getting unfunded costs<br />
passed on to us forservice<br />
improvements and compliance it just<br />
adds to the cost.’’<br />
While Consumer Price Index inflation<br />
climbed back up to 3% last year, councils<br />
operated with construction inflation<br />
(BERL Business and Economic<br />
Research), which rose to 3.5%, adding to<br />
council costs, he said.<br />
‘‘Interest rates have dropped, which<br />
has helped to offset some of costs, but<br />
our costs keep going up.’’<br />
The council is proposing acapital<br />
works programme of $60m, down from<br />
the $73m proposed in the 2024/34 Long<br />
Term Plan.<br />
It includes nearly 200 projects, Mr<br />
Millward said.<br />
The council will consult on whether to<br />
proceed with the planned $19.7m<br />
Rangiora library extension and the<br />
proposed $37.9m Rangiora eastern link<br />
road, which is subject to aWaka Kotahi<br />
NZ Transport Agency subsidy.<br />
Both will be funded by amix of loan<br />
funding and development contributions<br />
Work is under way on the $4.1m<br />
Pegasus Community Centre, while work<br />
on the Mandeville resurgence channel is<br />
due to get under way this year stage one<br />
is expected to cost $2.3m and stage two<br />
$24.1m.<br />
These projects will be loan funded.<br />
Acommunity centre is also proposed<br />
for Ravenswood, while staff are also<br />
reviewing whether to bring forward<br />
work to upgrade the water mains on<br />
HighStreet, Rangiora, after two<br />
breakdowns with burst water pipes in<br />
the last year.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
Aglimpse below thesea at art exhibition<br />
ByDAVID HILL,<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
Fish, sea creatures and anything related<br />
to the ocean featured in aKaiapoi<br />
Borough School art expo held in<br />
November.<br />
Teacher Kaitlin Laing said the Moanathemed<br />
Art Expo brought the school hall<br />
to life with some fishy scenes.<br />
‘‘It was afantastic display of creativity<br />
that showcased the wonder of the ocean.<br />
‘‘Each classproduced apiece of<br />
artwork, with some creating<br />
collaborative pieces and others<br />
showcasing individual student<br />
creations.<br />
‘‘The students did agreat job and<br />
produced some highquality pieces.<br />
Overall,the expo displayed hundreds<br />
of pieces across all classes.’’<br />
Among the displayswas Ruma toru’s<br />
(room 3) ‘‘Amazing Anglerfish<br />
Creations’’.<br />
The classdescription said the<br />
students had been learning about ocean<br />
creatures that live deep in the Midnight<br />
Zone.<br />
‘‘We werefascinated by the anglerfish<br />
–itmay look abit scary, but it’s very<br />
clever.<br />
‘‘The femaleanglerfish has aglowing<br />
light to attract prey in the dark.<br />
‘‘Students painted and decorated<br />
their own colourful anglerfish using<br />
bright paints, vivid markers, toothpicks<br />
for teeth, and pipe cleaners for lights.’’<br />
Ruma tekau mā tahi (room 11)<br />
produced a‘‘Weaved Art’’ display using<br />
wool and embroidery thread to blend<br />
shades of blue and green, mimicking<br />
waves, currents, and shimmering<br />
reflections on the water’s surface.<br />
Ruma tekau mā ono (room 16) has<br />
been learning about the different ocean<br />
zones, including the sunlight, twilight,<br />
midnight, abyss and trench zones.<br />
‘‘The students chose their favourite<br />
sea creatures from different zones and<br />
used black vivid with metallic colours to<br />
Sea themes ... Artwork on display in<br />
Kaiapoi Borough School’s the Moanathemed<br />
Art Expo. PHOTO: KAIAPOI BOROUGH SCHOOL<br />
create beautiful ocean silhouettes.’’<br />
Ruma tekau mā whitu (room 17)<br />
produced a‘‘Foil Fish’’ display creating<br />
an oceanscape using salt, white pastel,<br />
and dye.<br />
Fish shapes were cut out and covered<br />
with either netting or macramé string.<br />
After covering the fish in foil, the<br />
students painted and decorated them<br />
with sparkles and an eye, before hotgluing<br />
them on to the oceanscape.<br />
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RURAL LIFE<br />
26 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Rangiora Toyota RuralLife<br />
Proposalsinvited<br />
for Molesworth<br />
as processopens<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Potential operators wanting to run a<br />
commercial farming operation for up<br />
to 30 years in the Rangitahi/<br />
Molesworth Recreation Reserve are<br />
invited to submit aproposal.<br />
DOC South Marlborough Operations<br />
Manager Stacey Wrenn says an<br />
experienced high country stock farm<br />
operator is being sought to take on the<br />
daytoday running of Molesworth<br />
Recreation Reserve.<br />
‘‘We’ll be assessing proposalsacross<br />
arange of criteria,including the<br />
operator’sexperience, skills and<br />
resources, how biodiversity and<br />
heritage values will be protected, how<br />
cultural values will be upheld, andhow<br />
public access will be improved and<br />
facilitated.<br />
‘‘We’ve worked with iwi to<br />
understandthe cultural values of<br />
Molesworth to inform the proposal<br />
process,’’ he says.<br />
Mr Wrenn says commerciallyfocused<br />
tourism opportunities such as<br />
guiding or use of existing buildings for<br />
shortstay accommodation to run<br />
alongside the farming operation will<br />
also be considered, where it is<br />
‘‘consistentwith the purposeofthe<br />
reserve’’.<br />
Rangitahi/Molesworthisaniconic<br />
drylands landscapewith ahistory<br />
familiar to many New Zealanders.<br />
Alongside along history of sheep and<br />
cattle farming in the reserve it holds a<br />
deep cultural significance for iwi.<br />
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Molesworth, abiodiversity hotspot,<br />
is home to arange of threatened plants<br />
and wetlands, and ahaven for native<br />
fish who thrive in several lakes free of<br />
predatory trout and salmon.<br />
It is also an important habitat for<br />
native birds and has braided rivers,<br />
which are globally rare.<br />
Mr Wrenn says proposals for<br />
activities likeexotic forestry, deer<br />
farmingand safari parks will notbe<br />
considered.<br />
‘‘We know how important this place<br />
istopeople, and how they value the<br />
naturing on offer. DOC expects farming<br />
to be the primary activity occurring at<br />
Molesworth.<br />
‘‘We’ll be looking at proposals<br />
carefully to ensure the future operator<br />
is chosen with the area’s significant<br />
values in mind.’’<br />
He says once DOC understands what<br />
the preferred farming operator is<br />
proposing, it will also call for separate<br />
commercial,recreation or tourism<br />
proposals that could fit alongside the<br />
successful applicant’s operations in<br />
<strong>2026</strong>.<br />
At 180,787ha, Rangitahi Molesworth<br />
Scenic Reserve is slightly larger than<br />
Rakiura/Stewart Island and larger<br />
than 10 of New Zealand’s 13 National<br />
Parks.<br />
Alltender applications must be<br />
received by DOC on, orbefore, March<br />
20. More details about the scope of the<br />
opportunity on offer and the farm<br />
tender process can be found on the<br />
DOC website.<br />
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Ewe fair ... Hurunui Mayor Marie Black (right) chats to stock agents Allister Orchard (left)<br />
and Duke Loe at apast Hawarden Ewe Fair.<br />
PHOTO: FILE<br />
Pastoral farmers<br />
welcome the rain<br />
By DAVID HILL<br />
Local Democracy Reporter<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s farmers will be<br />
hoping for some sunshine, after a<br />
variable start to summer, Hurunui<br />
Mayor Marie Black says.<br />
The rural sector took abattering in<br />
October’s wind event, with trees<br />
uprooted, irrigators overturned and fire<br />
breaking out, but Mrs Black said<br />
summer rain will have given farmers<br />
some relief.<br />
‘‘From aseasonal perspective, it’s<br />
been alittle bit up and down.<br />
‘‘It was cool through Christmas and<br />
New Year, but it would have been a<br />
welcome relief to much of our district.’’<br />
Mrs Black said pastoral farmers will<br />
have welcomed the regular rainfalls,<br />
but grain farmers waiting to harvest<br />
their crops will be hoping for some hot<br />
summer days ahead.<br />
‘‘It’s been typical of the weather over<br />
the last few years and we will probably<br />
get some incredibly hot days through<br />
February, when the kids go back to<br />
school.<br />
‘‘I’m pretty sure the pastoral farmers<br />
will be welcoming the overnight rain<br />
we’ve been getting, but they’re not so<br />
happy with the heavy winds.’’<br />
Mrs Black said the roads have been<br />
busy, as holiday makers have made<br />
their way to the popular spots,<br />
including Hanmer Springs, Kaikōura<br />
and the region’s beaches.<br />
Federated Farmers <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> meat and wool cochairperson<br />
Sara Black said it had been<br />
agood start to the season.<br />
‘‘The year has started off well, we've<br />
had some heat and now some<br />
reasonable tallies of rain.’’<br />
At her family’s Marble Point Station,<br />
there was 83mm of rain in the last week,<br />
while farmers in the Amuri Basin got<br />
around 60mm.<br />
‘‘This has helped farmers who haven't<br />
got their irrigation back up and running<br />
after the October winds, but now I'm<br />
sure everyone is looking for some heat<br />
to finish off lambs and encouragemore<br />
growth.’’<br />
Commodity prices remained strong,<br />
giving farmers plenty of optimism for<br />
the year ahead, Sara Black said.<br />
For <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> farmers,<br />
attention turns to the Hawarden Ewe<br />
Fair on Friday, <strong>January</strong> 30, and the<br />
Sheffield Ewe Fair on Friday, February<br />
13, ahead of the autumn A&P shows.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
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SPORT<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Trust’sprogramme helping young people<br />
27<br />
By DAVID HILL,<br />
Local DemocracyReporter<br />
Outdoor education is facing an<br />
uncertain future in schools, but asmall<br />
Kaikōura trust is doing its bit to train the<br />
next generation of leaders.<br />
Te Hā oMātauranga is running an<br />
outdoor education programme thanks to<br />
Sport Tasman’s Tū Manawa Active<br />
Aotearoa fund.<br />
The funding is allowing Te Hā to train<br />
20 rangatahiasleaders in three<br />
different areas rafting, marine<br />
activities and bush craft.<br />
Te Hā education lead Sarah<br />
Beardmore says rangatahi will complete<br />
afirst aid course and earn acertificate<br />
at the end of the programme.<br />
‘‘We are training up to 20 young<br />
people as leaders to create more<br />
opportunities for training other young<br />
people.<br />
‘‘It’s about helping people to<br />
experience the outdoors.’’<br />
While the programme is not aimed as<br />
vocational training, Sarah says thereis<br />
no reason why it couldn’t lead to more<br />
opportunities if rangatahi get inspired.<br />
The rafting programme kicked off<br />
towards the end of last year with eight<br />
young people being trained to be<br />
leaders onarafting trip with Clarence<br />
River Rafting.<br />
It will culminate in afour to five day<br />
rafting trip.<br />
The bush craft programme will<br />
include aleaders’ camp at Puhi Peaks<br />
Station, with rangatahi learning about<br />
flora and fauna, and further bush walks<br />
and camping planned.<br />
The marine programme will include<br />
boogie boarding, snorkeling and beach<br />
games.<br />
Te Hā operations lead Vicki Gulleford<br />
said the programme aims to help young<br />
people form relationships and build a<br />
reputation.<br />
‘‘Forayoung person it’s an amazing<br />
excuse to get off the phone and be<br />
inspired to get outside more.’’<br />
Out onthe water ... Rangatahi learn about<br />
leadership out in the raft. PHOTO: TE HĀ OMĀTAURANGA<br />
NC RESULTS<br />
Amberley Bridge Club<br />
<strong>January</strong> 12<br />
Lyn Edwards &Martin Pryde 1, Margaret<br />
Bean &Ken Fox 2, Judith Driver &Jan<br />
Roose 3.<br />
<strong>January</strong> 15<br />
<strong>North</strong>/South: Kaye Rowell &Penny<br />
Hepworth 1, Judith Driver &Jan Roose 2,<br />
Helen Thornburgh &Mary Bain 3. East/<br />
West: Ian Pettigrew &Caryl Brown 1,<br />
Diane Watson &Nola McKissock 2,<br />
Denise Lang &Irene Carson 3.<br />
Marching contest<br />
Team effort ... The victorious Rangiora fours bowling team —Trish Hannah (skip), Viv Schischka (3rd), Sydney Mulligan (2nd) and Julie<br />
Wood (lead) —receive the Cup from the President of Bowls <strong>Canterbury</strong> Sharon Wilson (left).<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Rangiorabowlers win fours<br />
Rangiora Bowling Club’s women’s fours<br />
are champions.<br />
Trish Hannah (skip),Viv Schischka<br />
(3rd), Sydney Mulligan (2nd) and Julie<br />
Wood (lead), won the <strong>Canterbury</strong>Centre<br />
Women’s Fours title for 2025<strong>2026</strong>.<br />
Rangiora played aday of section play,<br />
then aknockout day of two post section<br />
games and finally afinals days to achieve<br />
its<strong>Canterbury</strong>title last month. It beat a<br />
Christchurch Bowling Club’s fours team<br />
on its own green, 174, to take the title.<br />
Rangiora will host the 33rd Leisure<br />
MarchingNational Championships at<br />
MainPower Stadium in late March,<br />
welcoming 81 teams and 726 marchers from<br />
across New Zealand for two days of colour,<br />
music and movement.<br />
The event is beinghosted by McCullough<br />
Guards, aChristchurchbased leisure<br />
marching team, in partnership with the<br />
Pioneers of <strong>Canterbury</strong> Masters —the<br />
current national and South Island<br />
champions. The event starts on Friday,<br />
March 27, 9.30am. Entry to take in the<br />
spectacle is free.
WINGS WITH WHEELS<br />
28 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Oxford’sfifth annual Wings with Wheels<br />
Organisers of the fifth annual Wheels with Wings are<br />
over the moon at the supportthey received from<br />
motoring and aviation enthusiasts over the weekend.<br />
Spokesperson Dave McPherson says both the Oxford<br />
and District Lions Club and the Oxford Community<br />
Trust are very pleased with the large numbers<br />
attending their combined car and aircraft show<br />
fundraiser, held on Sunday on aproperty on the<br />
outskirtsofOxford.<br />
‘‘We did very well considering the rain at the start<br />
and the darklooking clouds near the end of the day. I<br />
have never seen the car park so full, as we had over<br />
1000 people come through the gates.’’<br />
He says that at one point, there were over 20 aircraft<br />
on the ground and hundreds of cars, trucks, and<br />
motorcycles parked onsite for people to inspect.<br />
‘‘It was too many to count.’’<br />
He says they are extremely grateful to all the<br />
members of the Mazda MX5 Club, the East Coast Air<br />
Cooled VW club, the Bambina Club, the Royal Enfield<br />
Owners group, the Triumph and Mini car clubs, and all<br />
the owners of the many custom and vintage cars, trucks<br />
and motorcycles who came along to show their<br />
vehicles, plus the many flying club members who<br />
supported them on the day despite the damp weather.<br />
‘‘They flew in from all over as we had aero club<br />
members from Timaru, Darfield, Rangiora and<br />
Christchurch attend.<br />
‘‘Their sports and general aviation planes were of<br />
big interest to all who came, and it was great to see the<br />
Fletcher Top Dresser, the vintage Auster onsite and<br />
the Spitfire flyover later in the day.’’<br />
Mr McPherson says they are already planning for<br />
next year's event and are keen to establish it as a<br />
regular show on the third weekend of <strong>January</strong> each<br />
year.<br />
‘‘It’s become very popular, and we want to thank<br />
everyone who took part this year as we raised valuable<br />
funds to support both community programmes.’’<br />
Old friend ... Having arest at the Oxford and District Lions Wings with Wheels show on<br />
Sunday was Dave Coakley, of Cust, with his 1930 Model AFord Sedan which he purchased<br />
in1971.<br />
PHOTOS JOHN COSGROVE<br />
Old is beautiful ... Gregor Kaiserand his sonMattis (11), of New Brighton, get aclose look<br />
at an immaculately restored vintage Auster Mk5D which was one ofover 20 aircraft which<br />
flew in for the show on Sunday.<br />
Historical flight ... Pilot Richard Collett, of Oxford, flew Roy Hill’s veteran 1972 Fletcher top<br />
dressingaircraft from its nearby Oxford base to show it off at the Wings with Wheels.<br />
Along way from home ... An extensive line up of aircraft were on show on Sunday, and<br />
included this Cessna 172B from Waihi and aPiper Pa14 from Rangiora.<br />
Isitstill raining? ... Motoring and aviation enthusiasts check the weather at the Oxford and<br />
District Lions Wings with Wheels show on Sunday.<br />
PHOTO: KATH COSGROVE<br />
Aircooled fun ... Mark Leeburn and Denise Palmer, from the East Coast Air Cooled Club,<br />
head off for adrive in Mark’s 1971 VW Type18car at the Wings with Wheels show.
WINGS WITH WHEELS<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
Showabigsuccess of rural community<br />
29<br />
Rain noworries ... Despite rain at the start of the Oxford and<br />
District Lions Wings with Wheels show, this custom car enthusiast<br />
snaps aphoto of a1954 Ford Popular rat rod on display.<br />
PHOTOS: JOHN COSGROVE<br />
Gently does it ... Pilots from Timaru, park their AlpiAviation<br />
Pioneer 300 sports aviation aircraft in the line up at the show on<br />
Sunday.<br />
PHOTO: KATH COSGROVE<br />
Keeping it tip top ... Paul Carson, of<br />
Hororata, cleans the raindropsoff his 1972<br />
Holden LJ Torana to preserve the shine.<br />
Exotic line up ... Hundreds of classic, vintage and customised cars, trucks and motorcycles<br />
lined up for people at the show.<br />
Pilot Ted ... Eleni Tsavousis and her daughter Toula (4), from New York, look over Ross<br />
Marfell’s Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 RS light aircraft with Pilot Ted at the Wings with Wheels<br />
show on Sunday.<br />
PHOTO: KATH COSGROVE<br />
On Show... Tony Kalksma’s heavily modified 1957 VW Beetle named Zombie, attracted<br />
alot of attention at the Wings with Wheels show on Sunday.<br />
Together again ... The annual Wings with Wheels show brings together motor vehicles<br />
and aircraft in Oxford.<br />
Reflections galore ... Despite the rain many custom cars arrived at the show adorned with<br />
highly polished chrome.<br />
PHOTO: KATH COSGROVE
GARDENING<br />
30 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
YOUR lOcalspecialists<br />
fORallYOUR gaRdeningneeds<br />
Rain beats sprinklersfor nurturing gardens<br />
Susie Shore advises on<br />
summer gardening chores.<br />
It has been one of the best<br />
growing seasons for along time<br />
—nothing like rain to beat<br />
sprinklers hands down.<br />
I’ve had lovely Jersey Benne<br />
potatoes, the gooseberries are<br />
looking quite fat and Ihave had<br />
the best strike of carrots ever.<br />
Soon it will be time to plant<br />
leeks for the winter, they are so<br />
easy to grow.<br />
Keep vegetables watered —<br />
the same for bedding plants.<br />
Strawberries need to be<br />
watered, and covered to keep<br />
the birds from eating them and<br />
lemons need to be fed and<br />
watered regularly.<br />
Aphids are about so keep<br />
them under control with a<br />
spray, but only spray in the cool<br />
part of the day so that the leaves<br />
are not scorched and bees not<br />
affected.<br />
It is such alovely time of the<br />
year —everything flowering<br />
and looking just so fresh, lovely<br />
and colourful.<br />
Lawns need to be cut alittle<br />
higher to keep the weeds down<br />
and also fertilised.<br />
Try to keep the greenery on<br />
your bulbs. It feeds the bulbs<br />
for next year and it also keeps<br />
the narcissi fly out ofthe centre<br />
ofthe bulb. They lay grubs and<br />
they eat the inside ofthe bulbs,<br />
especially daffodils.<br />
If you areplanting up<br />
hanging baskets include<br />
‘‘saturaid’’.<br />
It helps to keep the soil moist.<br />
Alsoput asaucer in the bottom<br />
ofthe basket beforefilling it<br />
with soil.<br />
Hanging baskets need to be<br />
fed with liquid fertiliser after<br />
watering, every 10 days.<br />
When your delphiniums have<br />
finished flowering, cut back<br />
and they willflower again<br />
which is abonus.<br />
Feijoas need adrink when<br />
they are flowering, as it helps<br />
with fertilisation. Also give<br />
them alittlefeed of<br />
nitrophoska.<br />
Peonies,hybrid clematis,<br />
sweet peas and lily bulbs are all<br />
popping up orflowering. My<br />
Sweet peas were planted in the<br />
autumn facing north.<br />
Ifed them with liquid<br />
fertiliser occasionally and its<br />
paid off. They are very lush and<br />
are just starting to flower.<br />
Don’t forget your hat,<br />
sunscreen and gloves when out<br />
gardening.<br />
Ihave just had an eye<br />
procedure which Iimagine is<br />
partly due to not wearing ahat<br />
in the early daysofmy<br />
gardening life which is along,<br />
long time ago —all is well with<br />
my eye thankfully.<br />
Happy gardening.<br />
It is good foryour figure and<br />
your mind and so rewarding —<br />
even just picking afresh lettuce<br />
is satisfying.<br />
Summer colour ... Rain has<br />
helped create fresh, colourful<br />
displays in many gardens. PHOTO: FILE<br />
TheOneStopShop<br />
ForAHealthy&<br />
Colourful Garden
WEEK COMMENCING THURSDAY, <strong>22</strong>ND JANUARY <strong>2026</strong><br />
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nearbycountryschools, Ohokamarket,equestrian &dog facilities,<br />
but still be abletoeasily connectintotownamenities.<br />
Feeatures:<br />
• Open-plan living +separate living +dining +master-bdrm living<br />
• 3x Heat-pumps +under-floor heating +diesel central-heating +<br />
HRV +solarhot-water<br />
• Kitchen butler’s pantry +induction cooktop<br />
• Pool-room +3-Car garaging<br />
• Bay barn +shed +3-phase power<br />
143 FLAXTONROAD FLAXTON<br />
4.13ha 4 4 3<br />
ForSale By Negotiation<br />
View online harcourts.co.nz/L37632801<br />
Contact<br />
MITCH & MANA<br />
027 413 0797<br />
mitch&mana@harcourts.co.nz<br />
Licensed AgentREAA2008<br />
VIEWINGTIMES<br />
Refertoinformation online or contactagents<br />
TOPSALES CONSULTANTS<br />
HARCOURTS F OUR S EASONS 2024 - 2 025<br />
Scan<br />
the<br />
QR<br />
code<br />
Four SeasonsRealty<br />
027 413 0797 |027 6262 824<br />
mitchandmana@harcourts.co.nz<br />
Licensed Agent<br />
REAA 2008<br />
Follow<br />
us<br />
on<br />
Four SeasonsRealty<br />
Scan the QR<br />
code to view<br />
more listings<br />
harcourtsfourseasons.co.nz<br />
Your home forlocal property
Rangiora’sPremier Eco-Friendly Community<br />
Arangeofsection sizes<br />
Services to the boundary<br />
Te Matauru PrimarySchool zone<br />
STAGE6<br />
Coming Soon<br />
Rangiora’sPremier Eco-FriendlyCommunity<br />
Situated in West Rangiora,Townsend<br />
Fields presents aliving spacethat<br />
enhances your outdoor experience<br />
with opencountryside, surrounded by<br />
reserves, waterways, nativeplantingand<br />
recreationalwalkwaysand paths. Simply<br />
put,itisthe town’s newest,eco-friendly<br />
locationtocallhome.<br />
Draft<br />
Contact Chris to makeanappointment or<br />
askquestions.<br />
Chris TALLOTT<br />
027 4906 042|03313 6158<br />
sales@townsendfields.co.nz<br />
For more<br />
information<br />
townsendfields.co.nz<br />
Four SeasonsRealty<br />
Licensed Agent REAA 2008
Leithfield 20 McleanDrive<br />
New Listing<br />
Scan for more<br />
Vendorshavepurchased-mustbesold!<br />
Committed to their next move, the vendors areselling -making this astandout buying opportunity.This contemporaryMike<br />
Greer Home combines style, space,and versatility,featuringthreebedrooms, twobathrooms,and generous open-plan living.<br />
Set on alarge,established section, it boasts two covered entertaining areas,aswim spa,and an impressive81m2 three-bay<br />
shed,plus aseparate two-bedroomdwellingideal formultigenerational families or potentialrentalincome -it's the lifestyle<br />
you've beendreaming of! Designed withfamilylivinginmindwith open-plan living area, asunny, separateloungeand stylish<br />
kitchencomplete with awalk-in pantryand SueKelly filtersystem.Year-round comfort is ensuredwith twoheat pumps, alog<br />
burner, heat transfer system, ceilingfansinall roomsand doubleglazingthroughout. Enjoyeffortless indoor-outdoor living<br />
withtwo coveredentertaining areasand arelaxingswim spa -perfect for hostingorunwinding. The extra-longdouble garage<br />
provides internal access, built-instorage,and attic space. Setonagenerous, private section withbeautifully established<br />
gardens.<br />
5 3 3 2<br />
Auction 1.00pm, Thu 12th Feb, <strong>2026</strong>, (unless sold prior)<br />
View Sun 25 Jan12.00 -12.45pm<br />
Web pb.co.nz/RU162595<br />
Kiara Tinirau-Philps<br />
M 027 545 4272 E kiara.tp@pb.co.nz<br />
Rangiora <strong>22</strong>4King Street<br />
NewListing<br />
Scan for more<br />
Opportunity not to be missed!<br />
Are you lookingfor an opportunitytoredecorateand add yourown magictoaproperty. Then look no further. Setonasunny<br />
corner section just ashort strollto theshopping centre, this super-sized home delivers space, versatilityand opportunityina<br />
highly convenient location. Withexcellent busconnections and close proximity to schools, parksand all town facilities, this<br />
propertyisperfectly positioned foreasy everyday living.Inside, thegenerous layout is idealfor familiesor those seekinga<br />
work-from-home or business opportunity.The hugelounge,warmed by alog fireset on araisedfireplace, providesa<br />
welcominghub for familyliving and relaxation. This space flowsseamlessly into theadjoiningdining area and family-sized<br />
kitchen, creating afunctional andsocial heart of thehome.There are twobedrooms, including one exceptionally largeroom<br />
featuring afullwall of cupboardsand extensive closet space,offering flexibility foramastersuite,studioorhomeoffice. The<br />
homeisserviced by amain bathroom plusanadditional separate toilet forconvenience. Practical featuresabound, witha<br />
walk-through laundryprovidingexcellent extrastorage.<br />
2 1 1 2<br />
DeadlineSale closes Tuesday10th February,<strong>2026</strong> at 1.00pm,<br />
(unless sold prior)<br />
View Sat24Jan 1.00 -2.00pm<br />
Sun 25 Jan1.00 -2.00pm<br />
Web pb.co.nz/RU161473<br />
Bev Wright AREINZ<br />
M 027 434 2486 E bev@pb.co.nz<br />
PropertyBrokers LtdLicensed REAA 2008 |pb.co.nz<br />
Proudtobehere
Amberley 5Newton Place<br />
Oxford 243Burnt Hill Road<br />
EffortlessAmberleyliving!<br />
Warmth and light greet you the momentyou step inside this<br />
welcoming, well-constructed family home,tucked awayatthe end of a<br />
quiet right of way. The interioroffersgenerous proportions<br />
throughout,withfourgood-sizedbedrooms including amaster suite<br />
complete with ensuite,walk-in robe anddirectdeck access.Atthe<br />
heart of the home,the expansive open-plankitchen, living anddining<br />
area flows effortlessly outdoors,while asecond loungewith logburner<br />
provides acosy retreat. Neutral decor, double glazing, aheat pump<br />
andthe woodburner combine to createacomfortablehome thatis<br />
easy to personalise.<br />
Domett 359 Hurunui Mouth Road<br />
4 2 2 3<br />
ForSale $920,000<br />
View Sun 25 Jan 2.30 -3.00pm<br />
Web pb.co.nz/RU219157<br />
Aaron Clark<br />
M 027 873 5121<br />
Anna Pethig<br />
M 027 913 4909<br />
Executive alpine retreat!<br />
Where sophistication meets self-sufficiency! Completed in 2023, this<br />
exceptional home embodies executive living with arareblendof<br />
sophistication, sustainability, and breathtaking scenery. Elevatedto<br />
capture panoramic views across the mighty Southern Alps and<br />
foothills,the property offers an unrivalled sense of space, peace, and<br />
privacy -yet remains within easy reach of Oxford, Rangiora, and<br />
Christchurch City. Every detailhas been thoughtfully considered.<br />
Underfloor heating via heat pump, wood fire andexcellent solargain<br />
ensure year-round comfort, whilea60,000-litre water catchment<br />
system delivers pristine, spring-like water, complemented by town<br />
supply access at the boundary.<br />
3 3 3 2<br />
For Sale By Negotiation<br />
View By appointment<br />
Web pb.co.nz/RL206896<br />
Megan Burridge<br />
M 027 281 9215<br />
Scan formore<br />
Dairy supportwith options<br />
Definitely worth consideration -we'repleased to present'Cranlea Farm', a192 ha (approx) multipurposeproperty<br />
strategically positioned in the thriving Cheviot area. Importantly, an adjacent125 ha (approx) property is also available for<br />
purchase,creating arare opportunitytosecureapproximately317 hectares in one strategic location. This neighbouring<br />
propertyhas demonstrated provenperformance andexcellent results,providing confidence in theproductivecapacity of the<br />
combined holding. Forastute buyers seeking scale,operationalefficiency, and genuinegrowth potential, this dual-property<br />
opportunityrepresentsexceptional valueintoday's strongruralmarket. Exceptional Dairy Support Capability: In amarket<br />
wherereliabledairy support is increasingly valuable, Cranleadelivers.The property features adependable irrigation system<br />
drawingfrom the Hurunui River, supported by twostorage dams ensuring consistentwater supply. Three pivot irrigators cover<br />
40 hectares, complimented by arobust 155 sprinkler,fixed grid system spanning 28 hectares -totallingapproximately 68<br />
hectares of irrigated flatsidealfor intensive grazing andwinterfeed production.<br />
4 3 2<br />
For Sale By Negotiation<br />
View By appointment<br />
Web pb.co.nz/RR217483<br />
Fraser Ibbotson<br />
M 021574 037<br />
Maurice Newell<br />
M 027 240 1718<br />
Cannan Elvines<br />
M 027 399 3<strong>22</strong>9<br />
E fraser.ibbotson@pb.co.nz<br />
E mauricen@pb.co.nz<br />
E cannan.elvines@pb.co.nz<br />
PropertyBrokers LtdLicensed REAA 2008 |pb.co.nz<br />
Proudtobehere
Boundary lines areindicativeonly<br />
Boundarylines are indicative only<br />
Amberley 442 Double Corner Road<br />
Land, layout, lifestyle<br />
•Positionedon4.66 hectares,this lifestyleblockoffersland, layout and amodernedge foraneasy step into rural<br />
Amberley living. Thehome delivers laid-back comfort,with its sloped roofline andglazing framing countryside<br />
views across open-plan living.Timber floors andalog burner anchor the space,with lounge zones adding<br />
definition, while the dining and kitchenflowtothe patio.<br />
•Three bedrooms andtwo bathrooms form abalanced layout. Aseparate laundry, floor-mountedheat pump and<br />
double internal-access garage boostpracticality.<br />
•Outdoors, twothree-baysheds-one enclosed -and two gardensheds expandworking capacity. Fully fenced<br />
into three paddocks withtroughs, and minutes from Amberley, it delivers rural scalewitheveryday convenience.<br />
bayleys.co.nz/5529240<br />
3 1 2 2<br />
DeadlineSale (unless soldprior)<br />
1pm, Wed 28 Jan <strong>2026</strong><br />
251-253 High Street, Rangiora<br />
View 10.30-11amSun 25 Jan<br />
Mark Pringle 027 4333334<br />
mark.pringle@bayleys.co.nz<br />
JackPringle 027 533 4820<br />
WHALAN ANDPARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDER THEREA ACT2008<br />
FINAL NOTICE<br />
Oxford 49 Mairangi Lane<br />
Superior<strong>Canterbury</strong>views,sunsets,and skylines<br />
Anexceptional contemporary styled home onanelevated 4.0035 hectaresoffering fabulous views. Highly<br />
functionalliving spaces, large countrykitchen andpantry,home theatrelounge, lofty ceilings, large windows, plus<br />
indoor-outdoorflowtodecks. Masterbedroom with ensuite,walk-in robe,spacious family bedrooms plus<br />
additional artstudio. Solar water heating, underfloor heating, double garage, extensive lawns, nativeplantings,<br />
children’sadventureplayarea,fruit trees, pony shelter and impressive threebay shed.Council water, excellent<br />
access,five minutes to Oxford,aneasycommutetothe city andrecreational opportunities on your doorstep.Call<br />
now!<br />
bayleys.co.nz/5529155<br />
4 2 2 2<br />
DeadlineSale (unless soldprior)<br />
1pm, Thu29Jan <strong>2026</strong><br />
251-253 High Street, Rangiora<br />
View 1-2pm Sun 25 Jan or by appointment<br />
Dean Pugh 027 335 6303<br />
Anna Bray 027 320 7457<br />
Alicia Lonsdale 027 428 0345<br />
WHALAN ANDPARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSEDUNDER THEREA ACT2008<br />
bayleys.co.nz
TRADINGHOMES<br />
SEASON1is comingsoon<br />
Buying intrading seasons isthe best time to sell your home and confidently buy your new<br />
one. We have two major sessions, the first being mid February, March, April then in Spring:<br />
late September, October and November.<br />
Selling early in each season is advised, that way you’re inacash<br />
position mid season ready for the purchase. Being acash buyer<br />
is the best way towoo the attention of any home owner.<br />
As aprofessional agent, my team and Istrive to be the best<br />
when representing your asset. Success leaves clues and after<br />
25 years of real estate experience, weunderstand that our role<br />
is making the transition as smooth aspossible. Real estate is not<br />
just taking pretty photos, whacking up asign and wearing shiny<br />
shoes. It’s about listening to our clients and making the correct<br />
recommendations. Insome cases we are preparing the sale of<br />
our clients aseason ahead toensure nothing is left to chance.<br />
Our marketing may appear high-end, but our costs are<br />
reasonable—and designed to maximise your outcome, not<br />
compromise it.<br />
Hear from those who’ve worked with us.<br />
“” “”<br />
Wow! We can’t praise Lance, Juliet and Aaron<br />
enough for selling our property, with great heart and<br />
professionalism, resulting inaspectacular outcome<br />
at auction, far exceeding our expectations.<br />
When we met Lance, wewere sold onhis kindness, humour,<br />
energy and passion for selling property. With his wonderful<br />
team, they came upwith anamazing campaign, wefelt<br />
confident toleave in their hands. Throughout the whole<br />
process, the team not only looked after ustirelessly but<br />
also looked after potential buyers with the same heart<br />
and professionalism.<br />
We are positive wewould not have gotten the same<br />
result with anyone else and highly recommend Lance,<br />
Juliet and Aaron to anyone selling their property.<br />
KIM &GORDON<br />
Lance, Juliet and Aaron are so empathetic of what<br />
tasks sellers face when going tomarket, from open days,<br />
property inspections, going through the legal requirements<br />
and the moving of your household effects. Their<br />
understanding of all the various stages and the support<br />
they provided when we needed help or guidance was<br />
simply superb. The idiom “a safe pair of hands” describes<br />
their dedication tosupport and guide you through the<br />
processes, and wehighly recommend this team.<br />
IAN &ROSEMARY<br />
Speak with ustoday<br />
Lance Farrant | Aaron Laing<br />
021 419 815<br />
Use your phone camera to scan the QRcode to view my latest references.<br />
WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008<br />
Residential /Commercial /Rural /Property Services
Live Auction Event<br />
Last Chance List Now<br />
Experience the auction event of<strong>2026</strong>, partner with Bayleys to<br />
get your property under the hammer. Benefit from our seasoned<br />
agents, award-winning auctioneers, and tailored marketing packages,<br />
to ensure nostone isleft unturned to find you the best buyer.<br />
bayleys.co.nz/canterbury<br />
Residential /Commercial /Rural /Property Services<br />
WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008
AUCTION<br />
73 Chinnerys Road, Woodend<br />
Offering the kind of space and opportunity thatwill excite<br />
many, this 6417m2 propertycould be one ofthe best<br />
landbanks or development opportunities in<strong>2026</strong>! Ourowners<br />
are on their next journeyand there isnoturning back, they<br />
want to see this one sold under the hammer!<br />
Zoned 'General Residential Zone' inthe PartiallyOperative<br />
Waimakariri District Plan.<br />
raywhitemorrisandco.co.nz/RAN31930<br />
Ray WhiteMorris&CoRealEstate Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)<br />
Auction<br />
4pm, Wednesday18February,<br />
<strong>2026</strong> at RayWhiteRangiora<br />
(unlesssold prior)<br />
View<br />
Saturday 2.00-2.30pm<br />
Sunday 1.00-1.30pm<br />
4A2B2L2J6417F<br />
Stuart Morris<br />
027 4<strong>22</strong> 6395<br />
stuart.morris@raywhite.com<br />
Daph O'Rourke<br />
027 883 7993<br />
daph.orourke@raywhite.com<br />
Open Home<br />
Open Home<br />
FORSALE<br />
46 Tiritiri Moana Drive, Pegasus<br />
4A2B2L2J730F<br />
FORSALE<br />
14 Rapaki Street, Pegasus<br />
4A3B2L1D2J701F<br />
This stunning lakefront property<br />
is an absolute showstopperperfectly<br />
positioned tomaximise<br />
breathtakingviews in every<br />
direction. Capturing expansive<br />
north-facing reservevistas and<br />
magical western lake sunsets,<br />
this home offers arare and<br />
remarkable opportunity!<br />
ForSale<br />
$1,495,000<br />
View<br />
Sunday2.00-2.30pm<br />
Stuart Morris<br />
027 4<strong>22</strong>6395<br />
stuart.morris@raywhite.com<br />
Daph O'Rourke<br />
027883 7993<br />
daph.orourke@raywhite.com<br />
4years ago, ourperceptive<br />
owners decided to create their<br />
own magic. They built a<br />
spectacular 'forever' home, but<br />
life threw them acurveball.<br />
Departure isnow imminent, and<br />
with it comes the rarest of<br />
opportunities, available nowfor<br />
the briefest of times!<br />
ForSale<br />
BuyerEnquiry Over<br />
$1,450,000<br />
View<br />
Sunday3.00-3.30pm<br />
Stuart Morris<br />
027 4<strong>22</strong> 6395<br />
stuart.morris@raywhite.com<br />
SusieLowe<br />
027918 9131<br />
susie.lowe@raywhite.com<br />
raywhitemorrisandco.co.nz/RAN32121<br />
RayWhiteMorris &CoReal Estate LimitedLicensed (REAA 2008)<br />
raywhitemorrisandco.co.nz/RAN32032<br />
RayWhite Morris &CoReal Estate Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)
RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL<br />
OPEN HOME<br />
ASHLEY 66 Boundary Road<br />
Unlock the Potential With This Versatile Lifestyle<br />
Set on 2.0234ha in sought-afterAshley near Rangiora,<br />
this lifestyle property offers space, versatility, and<br />
potential. The concreteblock and weatherboard home<br />
features open-plan kitchen/dining, spacious living with<br />
logburner, three double bedrooms, and two heat<br />
pumps. Outdooraccess, adeck, and mature trees<br />
enhance the appeal. Includes adouble garage, lean-to,<br />
expansive sheds, and fiveunits of county water.Ideal<br />
forrenovation,hobby farming,orpeaceful living in a<br />
prime location.<br />
3 1 2<br />
PRICE BY NEGOTIATION<br />
Plus GST (if any)<br />
VIEW By Appointment Only<br />
Peter Crean<br />
M 027434 4002<br />
E pcrean@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
Mark Clyne<br />
M 027 531 2964<br />
E mark.clyne@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
AMBERLEY 2Haydon Place<br />
Must Be Sold!<br />
Builttocapture thesun andrich in features, this<br />
substantial homereflects the vision our clients had<br />
when building, while offeringscope to further<br />
enhance. Located on theever-popular westside of<br />
town, close to theprimary school, preschool,<br />
swimming pool and domain. The open-plan kitchen,<br />
livingand dining features alog burner, heat pump and<br />
walk-in pantry. Asemi-separate lounge, three<br />
oversized bedrooms(primarywith ensuite), excellent<br />
storage, internal accessdouble garage, barn-style shed<br />
and ablankcanvas garden complete this generous<br />
2,302sqm property at 2Haydon Place.<br />
3 2 2<br />
AUCTION (Unless Sold Prior)<br />
12.00pm, Tuesday 3February -Onsite<br />
VIEW 12.00-12.30pm,<br />
Saturday 24 <strong>January</strong><br />
Maria Rickerby<br />
M 027 563 1733<br />
E mrickerby@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
Ruby Burney<br />
M 027 312 3533<br />
E ruby.burney@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
pggwre.co.nz/RAN42057<br />
pggwre.co.nz/AMB4<strong>22</strong>32<br />
ExperienceCounts,<br />
Contactthe<br />
Professionals<br />
Peterand Markscombination of experience,market<br />
knowledgeand professionalismhas established aproven<br />
track record of success.Their expertise will guide you<br />
every step of theway,achievingthe best possible results.<br />
Local knowledge<br />
Personalised approach<br />
Free,no-pressure appraisals<br />
PETERCREAN<br />
M 027 434 4002<br />
MARK CLYNE<br />
M 027 531 2964<br />
EXPERTS IN RURALAND LIFESTYLE SALES<br />
pggwre.co.nz<br />
PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under the REAA2008<br />
PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensedunder REAA 2008<br />
71 High Street,RANGIORA<br />
73 Carters Road,AMBERLEY<br />
Phone: 03 313 0610<br />
Email:rangiora@pggwre.co.nz<br />
Helping growthe country<br />
Formoregreat listings,visitwww.pggwre.co.nz
RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL<br />
NEW LISTING<br />
NEW LISTING<br />
AMBERLEY 3PembertonDrive<br />
Oasis in Amberley's Heart<br />
• Contemporary design with quality finishes<br />
• Kitchen with stone benchtops, premium<br />
appliances, walk-in pantry<br />
• Semi separate lounge<br />
• Open-plan living &dining withoutdoor flow<br />
• Expansive patio with electric rain sensor louvres<br />
• Double-sided gas fire &ductedheat pump<br />
• Primary bedroom with walk-inwardrobe, elegant<br />
en suite &patio access<br />
• Internal-accessdouble garage, garden shed,alarm<br />
system, and waterfilterincluded —plusmany<br />
more features.<br />
3 2 2<br />
DEADLINE SALE (UnlessSold Prior)<br />
Offers Over $949,000 Considered<br />
Closes11.00am,Thursday 19 February<br />
VIEW 11.15-11.45am,<br />
Saturday 24 <strong>January</strong><br />
Maria Rickerby<br />
M 027 563 1733<br />
E mrickerby@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
Ruby Burney<br />
M 027 312 3533<br />
E ruby.burney@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
AMBERLEY 16 Deans Place<br />
ARare Find!<br />
Finalsection in sought-afterDeansPlace! This 801sqm<br />
(more or less) freehold,flat site with titleissuedis<br />
ready for yourdream homeornextbuild.<br />
Located in Amberley’s popular OakfieldsSubdivision,<br />
backingonto areserve forspace and privacy, yetjust<br />
moments from SH1and ashort walk to shops,cafes,<br />
and amenities.<br />
Utilities to boundary, sensible covenants protect your<br />
investment andreflect thequalityofthe<br />
neighbourhood. Titled sectionsare rare -act fast!<br />
Contact Maria or Ruby today.<br />
$279,000 GST Inclusive<br />
Maria Rickerby<br />
M 027 563 1733<br />
E mrickerby@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
Ruby Burney<br />
M 027 312 3533<br />
E ruby.burney@pggwrightson.co.nz<br />
pggwre.co.nz/AMB42899<br />
pggwre.co.nz/AMB42896<br />
Your national team.<br />
PGG WrightsonRealEstateare your national<br />
team of trustedproperty experts, connecting<br />
people with rural, lifestyleand provincial<br />
residentialpropertyaroundthe country.<br />
Bookapersonalisedappraisalfor your rural,<br />
lifestyleorprovincial residentialpropertyduring<br />
<strong>January</strong>orFebruaryandyouwillgointhedrawto<br />
WINone of fiveWeber Family-Q barbeques.*<br />
WIN<br />
one of5<br />
Weber<br />
Family-Q’s<br />
Scanthe QR code to<br />
bookyourappraisal<br />
andenterthe draw.<br />
*T&Cs Apply<br />
PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensedunder REAA 2008<br />
71 High Street,RANGIORA<br />
73 Carters Road,AMBERLEY<br />
Phone: 03 313 0610<br />
Email:rangiora@pggwre.co.nz<br />
Helping growthe country<br />
Formoregreat listings,visitwww.pggwre.co.nz
Thursday,July31, 2025 | I sue 157 | www.starnews.co.nz<br />
By DAVID HI L,<br />
LocalDemocracy Reporter<br />
It was hailed as a ‘onestop shop ’ to<br />
make it quicker and easier to build<br />
major projects when it pa sed into law<br />
last December.<br />
But none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects included in the Government’s<br />
Fasttrack A provals Act have<br />
progre sed beyond being ‘listed ’<br />
projects in the fasttrack proce s.<br />
They were among 149 projects listed<br />
in the legislation.<br />
In astatement released last w ek,<br />
Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop<br />
and Regional Development Minister<br />
Shane Jones said around 50 of the 149<br />
projects had lodged substantive<br />
a plications with the Environmental<br />
Protection Authority (EPA), since the<br />
a provals regime was established in<br />
February.<br />
Of those, none have b en a proved so<br />
far, with the first eight expected to be<br />
signed o f by the end of the year.<br />
Proposed housing developments at<br />
Ōhoka, W odendand west Rangiora<br />
were listed in the legislation, along with<br />
the W odend Bypa s and the Amuri<br />
I rigation Company Ltd’s Balmoral<br />
water storage facility and fish scr en.<br />
An EPA spokespersonhas confirmed<br />
none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects have lodged substantivefasttrack<br />
a plications.<br />
Developers of alistedprojectcan<br />
a ply to the EPA where an ‘expert<br />
panel’ wi l a se s the projectand<br />
consult with ‘directly a fected groups ’.<br />
Panel convenors determine theextent<br />
of the consultation, meaning the is no<br />
guarant e local communities wi l have a<br />
say.<br />
There isnotimeframe for alisted<br />
projec tolodge an a plication, the<br />
spokesperson said.<br />
When the project list was a nounced<br />
in October last year, Mr Bishop pointed<br />
the fingeratcouncils forcreating the<br />
housing crisis.<br />
‘Speaking in general terms, councils<br />
have contributed to our housing crisis<br />
by being overly picky about where<br />
housescan bebuilt, ’ he said a the time.<br />
The W odend and west Rangiora<br />
developments have since b en included<br />
in the new Waimakariri District Plan<br />
adopted lastmonth, meaning they may<br />
not n ed tobefasttracked.<br />
Amuri I rigation Company<br />
chairperson David Croft said the<br />
company anticipated aresource consent<br />
would be grantedbyEnvironment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> (ECan) in the next few<br />
months,after it waslodged in 2023.<br />
‘It l okslike the normalconsenting<br />
proce swi l be faster. In some waysit<br />
wouldbethe ideal situation because<br />
everybody hashad the chancetohave<br />
their say in asystem theyare familiar<br />
with. ’<br />
A$20m loan from the Government’s<br />
Regional Infrastructure Fund was<br />
a nounced earlier thismonth for the<br />
Balmoral water storageproject.<br />
The proposed Ōhoka development<br />
was rejected from the District Plan,<br />
after aprivateplanchange requestwas<br />
rejected by an independent<br />
commi sioner in November 2023.<br />
It is sti lsubjec to an Environment<br />
Court a peal.<br />
An Environment Courtspokesperson<br />
said the a pe lant, Carter Group, has<br />
b endirected toadvise the court by<br />
August 2 ‘how or whether it intends to<br />
proc ed ’.<br />
Waimakariri District Council<br />
development pla ning manager Ma t<br />
Bacon saidunderthe new District Plan,<br />
the site of the proposed Ohoka<br />
development iszoned rura lifestyle.<br />
It mean the farmland could be subdivided<br />
into 4ha lots, but not into an<br />
850home development as proposed.<br />
Carter Group was contacted for<br />
comment but areply hadnot b en<br />
received by the time the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> wen to print.<br />
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency<br />
hasb en completing geotech reports as<br />
it continuesscoping workfor the<br />
proposed W odend Bypa s.<br />
LDR is local body journalism cofunded<br />
by RNZand NZ On Air.<br />
PROPERTY GUIDE<br />
42 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
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104.9 for <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
103.7 for Hanmer Springs<br />
andKaikoura<br />
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Letusknow!<br />
Send your news tips to<br />
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Send all letters to<br />
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SHOW HOME GUIDE<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
43<br />
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PUZZLES<br />
44 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
CROSSWORD<br />
1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />
8<br />
9 10<br />
434<br />
SUDOKU<br />
Every row, column and box should<br />
contain the digits 1to9.<br />
WORDBUILDER<br />
334<br />
N T I<br />
A E V<br />
11 12<br />
13 14 15<br />
How many words of three ormore<br />
letters, including plurals, can you make<br />
from the six letters, using each only<br />
once?<br />
No words beginning with acapital are<br />
allowed. There’s atleast one six-letter<br />
word.<br />
Good 21 Very Good 25 Excellent 29<br />
16 17 18 19<br />
20<br />
21 <strong>22</strong> 23<br />
24 25<br />
26 27<br />
Across<br />
1. Somnolent (6)<br />
4. Narcotic (6)<br />
9. Trick(4)<br />
10. Attentive, engaged (10)<br />
11. Groupofseven (6)<br />
12. Vital(8)<br />
13. Sluggish (9)<br />
15. Surprise attack (4)<br />
16. Imprison (4)<br />
17. Building(9)<br />
21. Memento(8)<br />
<strong>22</strong>. Idle talk (6)<br />
24. Exaggerated comicaldrawing of<br />
aperson(10)<br />
25. Shine(4)<br />
26. This one or that (6)<br />
27. Standing (6)<br />
Decoder<br />
Down<br />
1. Embracetightly (7)<br />
2. Throwout (5)<br />
3. Artist (7)<br />
5. Allow(6)<br />
6. Attacker(9)<br />
7. 55thwedding anniversary(7)<br />
8. Unadventurous person(5-2-3-3)<br />
14. Zenith (4,5)<br />
16. Reducetoashes (7)<br />
18. Salve, ointment (7)<br />
19. Disastrous (7)<br />
20. Leaveempty (6)<br />
23. Vision (5)<br />
Crossword<br />
Across: 1. Sleepy, 4.Opiate, 9. Dupe, 10. Interested, 11.Septet, 12.<br />
Critical, 13. Lethargic, 15. Raid, 16. Cage, 17. Structure, 21. Keepsake, <strong>22</strong>.<br />
Gossip, 24. Caricature, 25. Glow, 26. Either, 27. Status.<br />
Down: 1. Squeeze, 2. Eject, 3. Painter, 5. Permit, 6. Assailant, 7.Emerald,<br />
8. Stick-in-the-mud, 14. High point, 16. Cremate, 18. Unguent, 19. Ruinous,<br />
20. Vacate, 23. Sight.<br />
WordBuilder<br />
Ani, ant, ante, anti, ate, ave, eat, eta, etna, naive, NATIVE, nave, neat, net,<br />
nit, tai, tan, tea, ten, tin, tine, vain, van, vane, vat, vein, vent, vet, via, vie, vine.<br />
DECODER<br />
Each number represents adifferent letter of the alphabet. Write the<br />
given letters into all squares with matching numbers. Now work out<br />
which letters are represented by the other numbers.<br />
All puzzles copyright<br />
T H E P U Z Z L E C O M P A N Y<br />
www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz<br />
Sudoku
WaimakaririDistrictLibraries<br />
SURVEY 2025<br />
What’s happening in your<br />
community...<br />
BeachUsers Survey 2025/26<br />
Do you visit our beaches frequently? Keep aneye<br />
out for the bright pink signs at the entrance toyour<br />
favourite beach.<br />
Follow the steps onthe signs totake the survey and tell<br />
us about the things you enjoy doing atthe beach. By<br />
sharing your experience, you’ll help contribute towards<br />
the next review ofthe <strong>North</strong>ern Pegasus Bay Bylaw<br />
and play akey role inprotecting and improving this<br />
special coastal environment for everyone to enjoy in<br />
the meantime.<br />
Scan to take part<br />
Find OutMore<br />
waimakaririlibraries.com<br />
0800 965 542<br />
Does Your Pool<br />
FenceComply?<br />
Summer’scoming—is your pool<br />
barrier compliant?<br />
Make sure your pool meetsthe<br />
requirements of theBuildingAct 2004.<br />
Usethe ‘Homechecklistfor pool owners’<br />
on ourwebsite to check.<br />
Council carries out routine inspections<br />
year-round to ensure pool safety and<br />
protect children under five.<br />
Gotquestions?Call03311 8906<br />
Register your pool at waimakariri.govt.nz<br />
Search ‘Swimming Pool Registration’<br />
A Good Street to CelebrateRangiora’sHeritage<br />
Rangiora’s town centre has anew window into the past,<br />
with two large black and white heritage prints installed<br />
today inthe Good Street laneway courtyard.<br />
The images—showing 140HighStreet and108 High Street<br />
as they appeared in thelate1800s andearly 1900s—will<br />
give passers-by achancetopause,reflect,and seejust<br />
howfar thetownshiphas come.<br />
“These are snapshots in time—time’s little loopholes,”<br />
says Council’s Greenspaces Manager, Grant MacLeod.<br />
“Great community projects like this make people<br />
stop, think, and be inspired. There’s asaying that<br />
photos keep yesterday infocus’, and this project is an<br />
opportunity tocelebrate our history, acknowledge how<br />
far we’ve come, and think about what Rangiora might<br />
look like inthe future.”<br />
The heritage prints are part ofaseries, complementing<br />
those already on display along the BNZ bank building.<br />
Good Street was chosen for the new additions asitsits<br />
close towhere the original photos were first taken.<br />
Clean<br />
Clean pizza boxes<br />
without food scraps<br />
(oil andgrease is okay)<br />
go in your yellow<br />
recycling bin.<br />
Dirty<br />
Dirty pizza boxeswith<br />
food, sauceorcheese<br />
on them go in your red<br />
rubbish bin or bag.<br />
Digitise<br />
your<br />
memories<br />
Do youhaveold photographs,<br />
negativesorslides that you’dlike<br />
to digitise?<br />
Learnhow to transformtheminto<br />
digitalfileswithour SlideScannerat<br />
Rangiora Library.<br />
Book your introductory<br />
session viaour online<br />
Book aLibrarian form.<br />
The project, which issupported by the Rangiora-Ashley<br />
Community Board, has anestimated cost of $1,000<br />
to install.<br />
The original prints were sourced from the Rangiora<br />
Museum, who will also provide historical details<br />
about each building for plaques that will sit alongside<br />
the prints.<br />
ContactUs<br />
waimakaririlibraries.com<br />
library@wmk.govt.nz<br />
0800 965 542<br />
Council says these installations show public services<br />
are about more than bricks, mortar, roads and pipes—<br />
they’re about investing intown centres, fostering pride,<br />
and celebrating the stories that make Rangiora unique.<br />
Keep an Eyeout forToxic Algaethis Summer<br />
During the warmer months, toxic algae (cyanobacteria)<br />
start appearing inour rivers, lakes and other waterways.<br />
Our canine friends are most at-risk of the harmful<br />
effects oftoxic algae. The musty smell attracts dogs<br />
and itonly takes asmall amount being ingested tohave<br />
fatal consequences.<br />
If you think your dog has eaten it, the symptoms<br />
to watch for are panting, lethargy, muscle tremors,<br />
twitching and convulsions. Contact your vet straight<br />
away if you see these symptoms after visiting ariver<br />
or lake.<br />
Toxic algae can appear as thick dark brown/black mats,<br />
often with aslimy velvety texture. Make sure you know<br />
what to look for soyou can avoid it, and if in doubt, stay<br />
out and well away from the water.<br />
Helpingyou getback<br />
on your feet.<br />
NgāMahiamuri akenei<br />
A<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> based<br />
online support directory<br />
helping you take your next step.
Thursday,July31, 2025 | I sue 157 | www.starnews.co.nz<br />
By DAVID HI L,<br />
Local DemocracyReporter<br />
It was hailed as a ‘onestop shop ’ to<br />
make it quicker and easier to build<br />
major projects when it pa sed into law<br />
last December.<br />
But none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects included in the Government’s<br />
Fasttrack A provals Act have<br />
progre sed beyond being ‘listed ’<br />
projects in the fasttrack proce s.<br />
They were among 149 projects listed<br />
in the legislation.<br />
In astatement released last w ek,<br />
Infrastructure MinisterChris Bishop<br />
and RegionalDevelopment Minister<br />
Shane Jones said around 50 of the 149<br />
projects had lodged substantive<br />
a plications with the Environmental<br />
Protection Authority (EPA), since the<br />
a provals regime was established in<br />
February.<br />
Of those, none have b en a proved so<br />
far, with the first eight expected to be<br />
signed o f by the end of the year.<br />
Proposed housing developments at<br />
Ōhoka, W odend and west Rangiora<br />
were listed in the legislation, along with<br />
the W odend Bypa s and the Amuri<br />
I rigation Company Ltd’s Balmoral<br />
water storage facility and fish scr en.<br />
An EPA spokesperson has confirmed<br />
none of the five <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
projects have lodged substantivefasttrack<br />
a plications.<br />
Developers of alistedprojectcan<br />
a ply to the EPA where an ‘expert<br />
panel’ wi l a se s the projectand<br />
consult with ‘directly a fected groups ’.<br />
Panel convenors determine the extent<br />
of the consultation, meaning the is no<br />
guarant e local communities wi l have a<br />
say.<br />
Thereisnotimeframe for alisted<br />
projec tolodge ana plication, the<br />
spokesperson said.<br />
When the project list was a nounced<br />
in October last year, Mr Bishop pointed<br />
the finger at councils for creating the<br />
housing crisis.<br />
‘Speaking in general terms, councils<br />
have contributed to our housing crisis<br />
by being overly picky about where<br />
houses can be built, ’ he said a the time.<br />
The W odend and west Rangiora<br />
developments have since b en included<br />
in thenew WaimakaririDistrict Plan<br />
adopted last month, meaningtheymay<br />
not n ed to be fasttracked.<br />
Amuri I rigation Company<br />
chairperson DavidCroft said the<br />
company anticipated aresource consent<br />
would be grantedbyEnvironment<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> (ECan) in the next few<br />
months,after it waslodged in 2023.<br />
‘Itl oks like the normalconsenting<br />
proce s wi l be faster. In some waysit<br />
would be the ideal situation because<br />
everybody hashad the chancetohave<br />
their say in asystem theyare familiar<br />
with. ’<br />
A$20m loan from the Government’s<br />
Regional Infrastructure Fund was<br />
a nounced earlier thismonth for the<br />
Balmoral water storageproject.<br />
The proposed Ōhoka development<br />
was rejected from the District Plan,<br />
after aprivateplan change requestwas<br />
rejected by an independent<br />
commi sioner in November 2023.<br />
It is sti l subjec to an Environment<br />
Court a peal.<br />
An Environment Courtspokesperson<br />
said the a pe lant, Carter Group, has<br />
b en directed to advise the court by<br />
August 2 ‘how or whether it intends to<br />
proc ed ’.<br />
Waimakariri District Council<br />
development pla ning manager Ma t<br />
Bacon said underthe new District Plan,<br />
the site of the proposed Ohoka<br />
development is zoned rura lifestyle.<br />
It mean the farmland could be subdivided<br />
into 4ha lots, but not into an<br />
850home development as proposed.<br />
Carter Group was contacted for<br />
comment but areply hadnot b en<br />
received by the time the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> wen to print.<br />
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency<br />
hasb en completing geotech reports as<br />
it continuesscoping work for the<br />
proposed W odend Bypa s.<br />
LDR is local body journalismcofunded<br />
by RNZ and NZ On Air.<br />
CLASSIFIEDS<br />
46 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
PUBLIC NOTICES<br />
PUBLIC NOTICES<br />
SITUATIONS VACANT<br />
SITUATIONS VACANT<br />
EDUCATIONAL<br />
NoticeofElection<br />
MainPower Trust (the Trust) holds all of the ordinary shares in MainPower New<br />
ZealandLtd (MainPower)onbehalfofqualifying customersinthe <strong>North</strong><strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
area. The Trust’s purpose is to manage the shareholding ofMainPower and other<br />
assets forthe benefit of thosequalifying customers.<br />
TheTrust is governed by sevenTrustees,three of whom must nowretire by rotation.<br />
Allan Berge, JoAshby and Gary Walton are the retiring trustees. JoAshby has<br />
indicated she will not seek re-election. Allan Berge and Gary Walton can stand for<br />
re-election if they choose.<br />
To standfor electionacandidatemustbeaqualifyingcustomeron23<strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong>,<br />
which ingeneral terms isanelectricity consumer residing within the MainPower<br />
network area. The nomination must be supported by two other qualifying<br />
customers.Anominationformand candidate handbook areavailablebyphoning the<br />
Independent Returning Officer, on the free phone election helpline 0800 666 028,<br />
or from the office ofthe Trust Secretary at Koller &Hassall Ltd, 267 High Street,<br />
Rangiora. Completed nomination forms must beinthe hands of the Returning<br />
Officernolater than 5pmon23<strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong>.<br />
If more than threenominationsare received,anelection will be held by postal and<br />
internet voting. Voter packs will be mailed or emailed toall qualifying customers<br />
from 9February<strong>2026</strong>,withvoting closingat12noon on 6March <strong>2026</strong>. MainPower<br />
customers, except those who take supply from the network previously owned by<br />
Kaiapoi Electricity Limited are eligible tovote and will receive one vote for each<br />
separate powerconnection.<br />
Furtherrequestsfor information aboutthe election maybemadetothe ReturningOfficer.<br />
Anthony Morton<br />
ReturningOfficer -MainPower Trust<br />
iro@electionz.com<br />
0800 666 028<br />
WrightsRoadStorage Ponds<br />
Community Meeting<br />
Burnt Hill Storage Limited (BHSL) invites residents living between the<br />
Waimakaririand Eyre Rivers,south of WrightsRoadand northofthe Eyre<br />
Diversion toattend acommunity information meeting onTuesday 24<br />
February at 7pmatOxfordWorkingmen’s Club.<br />
The purpose of this community meeting istoprovide residents with<br />
informationregarding theWrights Road StoragePonds (tobelocated on<br />
thecorner of Wrightsand Dixonroads)and to facilitatethe establishment<br />
of aCommunity Liaison Group. Information will be provided on how to<br />
apply tobecome amember ofthe Community Liaison Group which will<br />
hold itsfirstmeetinginMarch. Constructionofthe WrightsRoadStorage<br />
Pondsisexpected to begininMay <strong>2026</strong>.<br />
As acondition of theresourceconsents, BHSL is required to establisha<br />
Community LiaisonGroup.The Community Liaison Groupistaskedwith:<br />
1. Facilitatingthe flowofinformation between BHSL andthe<br />
community.<br />
2. Identifying issues of concernthatarise during theconstructionof<br />
thestorage ponds.<br />
3. Identifying appropriate measures to addressissuesraised.<br />
4. Making recommendations to BHSL andits contractorsregarding<br />
issues raised.<br />
5. Providingannualadvisoryreports forresidentslivingwithinthe<br />
identified inundationzone.<br />
6. Ensuring that residents within theinundationzoneare awareofthe<br />
CLGand theavailabilityofassistance forpreparing andupdating<br />
HouseholdEmergencyPlans (aspartofthe EmergencyEvacuation<br />
Plan).<br />
In addition to the community meeting, BHSL will hold eight small group<br />
meetings over the weekend of Saturday 14 February and Sunday 15<br />
February forresidents to meet individually or in smallgroupsofuptosix<br />
people to discuss the Wrights Road Storage Ponds. The meetings are<br />
availableonthe datesand timeslistedbelow.<br />
Date<br />
Saturday 14 February<br />
Saturday 14 February<br />
Saturday 14 February<br />
Saturday 14 February<br />
Sunday 15 February<br />
Sunday15February<br />
Sunday15February<br />
Sunday 15 February<br />
Time<br />
10am–11am<br />
11am–12pm<br />
12:15pm –1:15pm<br />
1:15pm–2:15pm<br />
10am–11am<br />
11am–12pm<br />
12:15pm –1:15pm<br />
1:15pm–2:15pm<br />
To register for ameeting orifyou have any questions regarding the<br />
Wrights Road Storage Ponds please email Waimakariri Irrigation CEO<br />
Brent Walton at admin@bhsl.co.nz.If youwould liketoattend ameeting,<br />
please include the timeslot you prefer and names ofattendees. Please<br />
visitthe BurntHillStorage Limitedwebsite at www.bhsl.co.nzfor further<br />
informationonthe WrightsRoadStorage Ponds.<br />
CleanerWanted<br />
Dixons Road,Loburn<br />
Saturdaysand Sundays<br />
From 10am forabout 2.5hours<br />
Must be reliable,honestwith<br />
attentiontodetail<br />
KATE VALLEYLANDFILL<br />
COMMUNITY TRUST<br />
APPLICATIONS FORFUNDING<br />
ASSISTANCE<br />
The Trust invites applications from eligible<br />
groups orindividuals for grants from the 21st<br />
funding round.<br />
Application period isfrom 26<strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong><br />
to 27 February <strong>2026</strong>. Only applications on the<br />
<strong>2026</strong> form will be accepted.Forms areavailable<br />
from theHurunui District Libraryorbyemailing<br />
secretaryKVLCT@gmail.com.<br />
Ageneral information evening will be held at<br />
the Waipara Hall on Thursday 5th February<br />
<strong>2026</strong> 7:30-8:30 pm at which Trustees will<br />
explain the eligibility requirements and assist<br />
with anyapplicationquestions.<br />
Enquiries should bedirected toJulian Ball on<br />
021671 721.<br />
NOTICE OFSTOPPED ROAD<br />
Part of Adderley Terrace, Kaiapoi<br />
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to<br />
Section342(1)(a) of the LocalGovernment Act 1974and<br />
the Tenth Schedule thereto the road described in the<br />
Schedule to this notice ishereby stopped.<br />
SCHEDULE<br />
Phone Andrea 027293 2544<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Land District<br />
PUBLIC NOTICES<br />
Description: 145m 2 adjoining Lot 1000 DP 616097 (RT<br />
1236668); shown as Section 1onSOPlan 615196 (part<br />
Adderley Terrace); andDescription: 396m² adjoining Lot<br />
1000 DP 616097 (RT 1236668); shown as Section 2on<br />
SO 615196 (partAdderley Terrace)<br />
The road will be transferred to the adjoining owner<br />
and amalgamated with the land held in Record of Title<br />
1236668.<br />
Dated this 14th dayof<strong>January</strong> <strong>2026</strong><br />
JeffMillward<br />
Chief Executive<br />
Waimakariri District Council<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
Amessage to our<br />
45,000<br />
readers<br />
SHOP LOCAL<br />
BUYLOCAL<br />
SPENDLOCAL<br />
Waimakariri<br />
Hurunui<br />
Reach44,000<br />
potential<br />
customers with<br />
usevery week,<br />
see page2for<br />
contactdetails<br />
Kaiapoi, Rangiora, W odend, Pegasus, Cust, Oxford, Ashley, Sefton, Amberley, Waipara, Waikari, Hawarden, Cheviot, Culverden, Waiau, Hanmer Springs<br />
Few utilising fast-track process<br />
Housing . The Waimakariri District Planhas a lowed forupto17, 0 more houses, meaning the Government’s Fasttrack A provals<br />
Act may not be n eded. PHOTO: DAVID HI L<br />
NEW <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> PropertyGuide |Showcasing Local PropertiesfromAugust 7<br />
Please supportour advertisers,<br />
theheartbeat of ourcommunity<br />
Local<strong>News</strong>–LocalViews –Local People<br />
Teacher Aide @Southbrook School<br />
We arelookingfor an enthusiastic,energetic<br />
and funteacher aide to join ourteam for<br />
<strong>2026</strong>. Aknowledge of and or/experience<br />
workingwithneurodiversechildrenwouldbe<br />
an advantage.<br />
This is afixedtermposition, four days<br />
aweek (20hoursper week)for <strong>2026</strong>,<br />
beginningon4th Februaryand finishing<br />
16th December.<br />
If this sounds likeyou, pleaseemail our<br />
PrincipalJulie Walls your C.V. by 23 <strong>January</strong><br />
julie.walls@southbrook.school.nz<br />
SITUATIONS VACANT<br />
Adriel,Amberley.<br />
PermanentPartTime<br />
Supportive Partner<br />
TheSupportivePartner role deliversqualitycaretopeople<br />
living with Dementia,assistingthemwithdaily personal<br />
cares, mealsand activities that have meaningtothem.<br />
Adriel’s vision is to create aworkplace that reflectsthe<br />
culturally diversehistory of Aotearoa NewZealandand People<br />
living with Dementia andsupports inclusiveness&equitywith<br />
theemphasisbeing on attracting local&internationalstaff<br />
with relevant life skills (caringfor whanau/family,cooking),<br />
community engagement (Church,Local iwi, Pacific People)<br />
andgood communication skills.<br />
Thepositions availableare part time mornings or afternoons<br />
andinclude some weekends,job sharingisapossibility, with<br />
thepotential to work increased hourstocover staff leaveand<br />
theopportunity to gain qualificationsrelevanttoHealth &<br />
Wellbeing,First Aide andDementiaCare.<br />
Hourly rate rangesfrom$26 to $34per hour,depending on<br />
experience andqualifications.<br />
Please emailadriel@xtra.co.nz with coverletterand CV.<br />
TUITION AVAILABLE<br />
Primary and secondary<br />
(Math, English, Science)<br />
up to NCEA level 3.Each<br />
student on an<br />
individually tailored<br />
programme. Kip<br />
McGrath Rangiora has<br />
been serving the local<br />
community for 30+<br />
years. Give usacall (03)<br />
313 3638 or book your<br />
free assessment online<br />
https://www.kipmcgrath.<br />
co.nz/rangiora<br />
PUBLIC NOTICES<br />
AGM<br />
approaching, or<br />
SGMtobeheld?<br />
Advertise your club's<br />
upcoming AGMand<br />
SGM'sinour public<br />
notices.<br />
Ph 03 313 2840 to find<br />
out more<br />
Ph 03 313 2840<br />
to find out more<br />
SITUATIONS VACANT<br />
Rangiora High<br />
School<br />
Casual<br />
Cleaners<br />
Monday-Friday.<br />
Allenquiries<br />
andCV’scan be<br />
emailedto:<br />
wlj@rangiorahigh.<br />
school.nz.<br />
Class5TruckDriver<br />
Location: Waimakariri, <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
Full time,Permanent,pluspart-time on call drivers<br />
Transport RangioraLtd,amedium-sized transportand logistics<br />
companybased in Rangiora, is seekingamotivated Class5<br />
truckdriver.<br />
What We Offer:<br />
• Aprogressive company culturewithafriendlyteam of drivers<br />
• Astrong commitment to health and safety<br />
• Competitive pay ratesbased on experience<br />
KeyResponsibilities:<br />
• SafelyoperateClass 5trucksfor various transporttasks<br />
• Maintainahighstandardofvehicleappearanceand<br />
performance<br />
• Adhere to allsafetyregulations and company policies<br />
Requirements:<br />
• Valid Class5driverslicense<br />
• Strongsafetyrecord<br />
• Abilitytopassamedicalexaminationand drug test<br />
• Positiveattitude and prideinyour work and appearance<br />
• Current NZ visa and residing in NewZealand<br />
If this sounds likeyou, pleaseemail your CV through to<br />
admin@transportrangiora.co.nz<br />
Applynow forthisroleorget more informationby<br />
contactingthe office<br />
(03) 3136026
FIREWOOD<br />
OLD MAN PINE 3.7m<br />
$300, mixed hardwood<br />
3.7m $400. Phone 021<br />
993 497.<br />
FARMINGNOTICES<br />
BUYING TRACTORS and<br />
farming implements, I<br />
may also buy older<br />
tractors and implements<br />
for repair or to<br />
dismantle. What have<br />
you got? Phone 0274<br />
341 828<br />
FARMINGNOTICES<br />
MEAT<br />
PROCESSING<br />
BEEF • SHEEP<br />
• WILD GAME<br />
MEAT2U.NZ<br />
399 GRESSONS ROAD,<br />
WAIKUKU<br />
PH 313 00<strong>22</strong><br />
FORSALE<br />
SUV STORAGE<br />
DRAWERS, made in 2<br />
sections with alockable<br />
cabinet. Made of<br />
Triboard and could be<br />
altered. Was fitted in a<br />
Nissan Mistral /Terrano.<br />
Footprint ofthe drawers<br />
is available. Offers<br />
invited. Phone 0274 485<br />
633.<br />
FORSALE<br />
70 AMP 12 VOLT<br />
ALTERNATOR to suit<br />
Nissan 2.7 Diesel.<br />
$250.00, Phone 0274<br />
485 633.<br />
"AQUAPRO" 2.4m Rigid<br />
bottom inflatable dinghy<br />
with accessories and<br />
3.3hp Mercury<br />
Outboard. Asking price<br />
$1850. Phone 0274 485<br />
633.<br />
CANTERBURY HONDA<br />
LTD, Honda bikes,<br />
repairs, and power<br />
equipment. Friendly<br />
service, visitustoday,65<br />
Main <strong>North</strong> Rd,<br />
Woodend. Call 03 312<br />
7927.<br />
RANGE OF CAMPING<br />
gear including 4person<br />
Australian Tent, Camp<br />
Chairs, 2 burner Gas<br />
Stove, Heavy Duty<br />
Canvas Bag, Frame type<br />
Backpack, 12 volt Chilly<br />
Bin, self-inflating single<br />
mattress.<br />
inflatable<br />
other items as<br />
displayed. Offers invited.<br />
Phone 0274 485 633<br />
DOG<br />
FOOD<br />
SALE<br />
MEAT2U.NZ<br />
399 GRESSONS ROAD,<br />
WAIKUKU<br />
PH 313 00<strong>22</strong><br />
TRUSTED TRADES &PROFESSIONAL SERVICES /CLASSIFIEDS<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>January</strong> <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2026</strong><br />
FORSALE<br />
QUALITYBROWN<br />
SHAVERPULLETS<br />
Supreme efficient<br />
egglayers<br />
Pointoflay pullets<br />
Vaccinatedfor<br />
Salmonella andEDS<br />
$30 each for 3ormore<br />
Availablenow<br />
TXTordersto<br />
0272742945<br />
or phone<br />
03 3129 805<br />
PROPERTY WANTED<br />
WE'VE GOTAsection for<br />
everything! Find what<br />
you need and sell what<br />
you don't in our<br />
classifieds.<br />
TO LET<br />
Double<br />
mattress,<br />
SLEEPOUT HIRE<br />
Christmas special, from<br />
$60pw, free delivery on<br />
some sleepouts. Biggest<br />
range, best prices. Ph<br />
0274 741 723<br />
nzsleepout.com<br />
WANTED<br />
7”, 45’s, singles, eps<br />
records wanted, any<br />
amount top prices paid.<br />
Pennylane Records, 430<br />
Colombo Street,<br />
Sydenham, ring Dave<br />
021 <strong>22</strong>2 6144, 7days<br />
WANTED<br />
TOOLS, Garden, garage,<br />
saw benches, lathes.<br />
Cash buyer. Phone 355-<br />
2045.<br />
WANTED<br />
ALL JAZZ Records<br />
wanted: Kiwi and<br />
overseas artists, Blue<br />
Note, Prestige, Riverside,<br />
ECM, Verve, Impulse,<br />
CTI, Milestone etc; top<br />
prices paid for good<br />
titles. — Please phone<br />
Dave 021-<strong>22</strong>2-6144,<br />
Pennylane Records, 7<br />
days.<br />
PENNYLANE RECORDS<br />
always buying records.<br />
Excellent prices paid.<br />
430 Colombo Street,<br />
Sydenham, 366 3278,<br />
open 7days<br />
WANTED<br />
CARAVAN wanted with<br />
shower and toilet,<br />
needing repairs ok or<br />
any condition. Ph 027<br />
6<strong>22</strong> 0011<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
PLUMBER Since 1955,<br />
we’ve built an enduring<br />
reputation as areliable,<br />
honest, and professional<br />
home services team -<br />
respected, proven, and<br />
trusted by generations<br />
of<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
homeowners. Clyne &<br />
Bennie Ph: 0800 37 47<br />
37<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
FURNITURE<br />
REPAIRS<br />
Irepair andresurface<br />
furniture specially<br />
antiques<br />
PhoneDavid Brady<br />
03 312 0145<br />
ARBORIST qualified.<br />
Copper Beech Tree<br />
Services. Tree removal,<br />
pruning, height<br />
reduction, hedge<br />
trimming, shaping, tree<br />
planting, firewood. Free<br />
quote. Contact Angus<br />
Edwards 027 259 6741,<br />
copperbeechtreeservice<br />
s@gmail.com<br />
WOEF Warrant of<br />
electrical fitness $155.<br />
ROI Record of<br />
Inspection $160.<br />
General electrical work<br />
$120, $80 2nd Hr.<br />
Phone: 020 4069 1137<br />
sam@WRES.co.nz<br />
www.wres.co.nz<br />
AMAC BUILDERS Father<br />
& son with 40 years<br />
experience. Hurunui /<br />
Waimak based, New<br />
Builds, restorations,<br />
weatherboard repairs,<br />
farm sheds &more. No<br />
job too small. Call Andy<br />
027 3184400<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
GARDENING Tree,<br />
Hedges, Bush Pruning,<br />
Lawns, Weeding. Quality<br />
workmanship. CDDL<br />
Services Ltd. Ph: 021<br />
449 069<br />
STORAGE<br />
Rangiora, from $25 pw,<br />
ph027 823 0961<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
MOVEMEN<br />
LIMITED<br />
2men plus bigtruck<br />
From $179 +GST<br />
Kaiapoibased<br />
Call Gerard<br />
027668 3636<br />
movemen.co.nz<br />
PAINT & WALLPAPER<br />
SERVICES. Wayne<br />
Bryant, exterior, interior,<br />
qualified tradesman,<br />
free quotes. Ph 313<br />
5337 or 027 654 4568<br />
PLASTERER, Interior<br />
Renovations.<br />
Specialising in KITCHEN,<br />
renovation work, plaster renovations,<br />
board fixing &stopping, pergolas,<br />
stipple & skim coating,<br />
cornice & cove,<br />
registered tradesman.<br />
Call Mark027 438 0665.<br />
bathroom<br />
decking,<br />
fencing.<br />
Honest reliable licensed<br />
builders. Phone Don 027<br />
727 9162.<br />
ARE YOUA<br />
TRADIE?<br />
Let the district know<br />
what you have tooffer<br />
by advertising in our<br />
Trades &Services!<br />
Ph 03 313 2840<br />
to findout more!<br />
DEB'S PRIVATE<br />
TRANSPORT -<br />
Appointments, outings,<br />
shopping, airport<br />
transfer. Phone 021 289<br />
9256. Email<br />
dtooby.nz@gmail.com<br />
ANTHONY SYMONDS<br />
Plastering &Painting<br />
Services<br />
Locals with 30 years<br />
experience<br />
Allworkmanship<br />
Guaranteed.<br />
Phone021 344 023<br />
WINDOW TINTING<br />
tintawindow<br />
advanced film solutions<br />
99% uv block<br />
fade protection<br />
heat control<br />
reduce glare<br />
25 Years Experience<br />
privacy films<br />
frosting designs<br />
non-darkening films<br />
Workmanship Guaranteed<br />
Lifetime Warranties on Most Films<br />
UV<br />
block<br />
BUILDING and property<br />
maintenance, no job too<br />
small, 40 years +<br />
experience. Phone 0274<br />
978 3<strong>22</strong>. Email<br />
david.cartwright@xtra<br />
.co.nz<br />
House &Garden<br />
Property services Ltd<br />
Tree &hedge trimming<br />
Gardening<br />
Landscaping<br />
Gutter cleaning<br />
All aspects of<br />
property maintenance<br />
CALL us 03 260 4499<br />
Free Quotes <strong>Canterbury</strong> and Districts<br />
03 365 3653 0800 368 468<br />
TrustedTrades&ProfessionalServices<br />
2502479<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
47<br />
TRADES &SERVICES<br />
To book your spaceinthisguide,phone Amanda Keys 313 2840 or emailamanda.keys@ncnews.co.nz<br />
Decorators<br />
Air Conditioning<br />
Accountant<br />
Starlink /TV /Security<br />
•Local husband &wife business<br />
•Qualified Tradesman •40+ Years Experience<br />
•Painting •Wallpapering •Waterblasting<br />
•NoTime Wasted •Free Quotes<br />
Ph: Lyn 021 207 4499<br />
Wayne 021 731 817<br />
waylyn2@scorch.co.nz<br />
Concrete &Construction<br />
Counsellor<br />
TAX RETURNS<br />
Tax&AccountingConsultants<br />
Taxreturns,GST returns, rentalreturns &pay dayfiling<br />
10/65 PERCIVAL STREET,RANGIORA<br />
03 314 9480<br />
Panel and Paint<br />
NEW<br />
CLIENT<br />
DISCOUNT<br />
10%<br />
2647405<br />
• Starlink aerial mounting • Wi-Fiextensions<br />
• TV wall mounting • Home audioinstallation<br />
• Alarminstallation<br />
• Security camera installation<br />
Mark Hubball 03 595 6647<br />
www.tvsolutions.co.nz<br />
Spouting<br />
Seamless Spouting<br />
• 18 metre spray booth<br />
• Full Paint &Panel& Service<br />
Supply and Install<br />
of Seamless Gutters<br />
10 year noleaks<br />
guarantee<br />
Builders<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>ry<br />
Deck &Fence.<br />
Thelocal builders<br />
doing the local work.<br />
Free quotes<br />
phone<br />
021 428 206<br />
Engineering<br />
For your Engineering needs<br />
187d Ohoka Road, Kaiapoi<br />
Phone 03327 5246 |027 495 2821<br />
toppeng@xtra.co.nz<br />
• Insurance work<br />
• Repairs and painting -<br />
caravans, motorhomes,<br />
trucks, boats and cars<br />
• Full coachbuilding service<br />
8Seven Mile Drive<br />
Belfast, Christchurch<br />
Phone 03 3234115<br />
www.autobodyrepairs.co.nz<br />
• Continuous spouting made on site,<br />
largecolourrange available<br />
• .55Gauge NZ Colorsteel Used<br />
• Repair or replaceany type of gutter<br />
• Undertakeall insurance work<br />
• Independentlyowned andoperated<br />
• Competitive pricing<br />
Servicing <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Districts<br />
Call Marvin 027 371 4179<br />
marvinkwong@hotmail.com<br />
To book your space in this guide,phone Amanda Keys 313 2840 or emailamanda.keys@ncnews.co.nz
$<br />
18,990+ORC,<br />
$<br />
20,990<br />
$ 12,990+ORC<br />
$<br />
15,990+ORC,<br />
2016 MAZDA AXELA<br />
2000cc,Petrol, 92,000kms<br />
$<br />
13,990+ORC,<br />
2020 KIA SPORTAGE<br />
2000cc, Petrol, 125,000kms<br />
$<br />
7,990 7990<br />
2018 NISSAN NOTE<br />
1200cc,Petrol, 53,000<br />
$<br />
19,990<br />
2018 SUZUKI IGNIS<br />
1242cc,Hybrid, 44,000kms<br />
$<br />
17,990<br />
2013 SUBARU IMPREZA<br />
2000cc,Petrol, 42,000kms<br />
$<br />
12,990<br />
2009 TOYOTA IQ<br />
996cc, Petrol,104,000kms<br />
$<br />
34,990+ORC<br />
2017 SUBARU XV<br />
2000cc,Petrol, 94000kms<br />
$<br />
19,990<br />
2021 SUZUKI SWIFT<br />
1200cc,Petrol, 13,990kms<br />
$<br />
12,990+ORC,<br />
2017 SKODA FABIA<br />
1200cc,Petrol, 67000kms<br />
$ 17,990+ORC<br />
2020 TOYOTA HIACE<br />
2000cc, Petrol, 66,000kms<br />
$ 16,990+ORC<br />
2018 MAZDA CX-5<br />
2500cc,Petrol, 150,000kms<br />
$<br />
21,990+ORC<br />
2015 SUZUKI SWIFT<br />
1200cc,Petrol, 79,000kms<br />
$ 9,990 9990<br />
2015 TOYOTA COROLLA<br />
FIELDER<br />
2016 SUBARU XV<br />
2021 SUBARU IMPREZA<br />
Petrol,1500cc, 52,000kms<br />
2000cc, Petrol, 88,000kms<br />
2000cc,hybrid, 83,000kms<br />
Allpricesinclude on road costs, 12 monthregistration andnew WOF<br />
2017 SUZUKI ALTO<br />
660cc, Petrol,45,842kms<br />
*Safetyratingsare from year of manufacture*