1

Community Contact is compiled from the contribu�ons of the people of South Westland. Ar�cles, items,

news, recipes, stories, etc. from everyone are most welcome. All personal opinions should be signed and

publica�on is at the discre�on of the Community Contact team. The views expressed in Community Contact

are not necessarily the views of the CC board. Send your ar�cles or adverts to your contact or e-mail to

weegerm@hotmail.de by 15TH June to be included in the July issue.

ADVERTISING RATES

Full Page $150.00 1/2 Page $80.00

1/4 Page $40.00 1/8 Page $20.00

Address: Brenda Monk - Lake Paringa Post Centre, South Westland 7834

We prefer online banking payments directly into the Bank Account:

Community Contact 12 3166 0042300 02 with your name & what the deposit is for. Please do not send

cash.

Kids! I have hidden a little mouse somewhere in Community Contact! Can you find it?

Do you enjoy reading Community Contact?

Do you think we could do

things better?

What are you doing on June 18?

Community Contact AGM

June 18, 7pm, Franz Josef Medical Centre

Everyone welcome! Whether you have an idea or sugges�on for Community Contact, or are thinking

about coming aboard the commi>ee, come along to the

annual general mee�ng. Any input, feedback, and ideas are

very much appreciated!

karyn@swas.ac.nz

2

Bruce Bay JUNE 2014

Jacobs River School Reunion-Waitangi Day Weekend 2015

A reunion for ex-pupils, teachers and anyone associated with the Jacobs River School will be held over

Waitangi Day weekend, 6-8 February 2015, at the school, Bruce Bay Hall and the marae. Keep an eye

out for more details over the next few months. Contact Helen Rasmussen 03 750 0030 or the

Makaawhio office 03 755 7885 for more informa�on.

Are you an organized person with an

interest in community events?

If you are then the Bruce Bay Community Hall

would love to hear from you.

We are looking for expressions of interest for

someone to take on the role of Event

Coordinator to oversee the organisa�on of the

Bruce Bay Sports Day and Ball on the Sunday of

Labour Weekend.

You would get lots of help from the Bruce Bay

Hall Commi>ee but we need the right person to

help us make this year’s event the best one

ever.

Remunera�on will be by way of an Honorarium

and reimbursement of expenses.

If you would like any further informa�on and for

copies of the Posi�on Descrip�on please contact

Carol Sco> Secretary Ph 037510898 email

pine_grove@xtra.co.nz or Jacqui Low email

jacqui@internet.co.nz or Ph 03 751 0095

Applica�ons close 15th June

The Bruce Bay Hall Commi>ee is looking for

expressions of interest to paint the

interior of the Bruce Bay Hall.

If you’re interested in supplying us with a

quote, please contact Jacqui Low by June 15

for the details.

Ph 03 751 0095

email jacqui@internet.co.nz

There is a defibrillator at the Bruce Bay Hall now.

It will be based at the hall, but will some�mes be

at the Marae. Should this be the case, a note will

be leI in its usual place.

The people in the permanently inhabited houses

opposite the hall can assist with access and loca-

�on of the defibrillator.

FREE TO GIVE AWAY

Large, modern dining table. Black

veneer. Eight matching chairs.

Contact 03 751 0170

Winter treat: Alice’s Rich and Moist Chocolate

Cake

1 cup flour 2 cups of sugar

1 cup cocoa 4 eggs separated

1.5 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk

100g bu>er

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven at 160 degrees

Cream bu>er & sugar. Add egg yolks one at a �me, then vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients alterna�ng with milk. Beat egg

white un�l soI peaks form. Fold in cake mixture.

Bake un�l dry when inser�ng a knife in the middle. (well over an hour!!!)

Ice with bu>er and chocolate chips (melt about 150g of bu>er with 200g of chocolate chips)

Enjoy!!!!

3

Franz Josef Police Report

There was recently a report of someone damaging the post/courier box/mussel buoy near the Okarito turnoff. If

anyone saw something near this area about the 6th May that was suspicious let us know.

I have recently come across 4 cars where the registra�on had lapsed as it had not been put on hold or renewed for

over 1 year. I have these number plates at the sta�on now as it is illegal to leave them a>ached to a vehicle. I also

know of 3 other cars being driven around town that should not have the number plates a>ached. I will be visi�ng

these addresses soon to upliI the plates. Vehicles should not be driven on the road unless they are warranted and

registered, plain and simple, if you con�nue to drive you will be stopped and �cketed and I will write the vehicle off

the road.

We s�ll seem to be gePng a lot of seizure warrants coming through for unpaid fines. If you think you may have fines

that are not being paid ring the courts and get a payment plan in place. The number is 0800 4 FINES, which is pre>y

easy to remember. $10 a week is be>er than having your car of flat screen TV seized and auc�oned off for a frac�on of

what you paid for it.

I was asked about the new rules in place for agricultural vehicles being used on the road. The NZTA has an Agricultural

vehicles guide on their website that covers most of the rules and regula�ons. I am trying to get my hands on the paper

version that is released as a booklet. It covers things such as what vehicles need to be registered and which ones need

licensing and warrant of fitness inspec�ons. With tractors and farm machinery gePng larger there is a good possibility

it may need over dimension warning panels or oversize signs. All agricultural vehicles registered now must have an

amber beacon that is visible for at least 100 metres in front and behind the vehicle. If you have any queries give us a

call and we will a>empt to find an answer.

We have also had issues recently with spot lighters and poachers especially south of Fox Township. Again we will be

targe�ng these offenders and recommending revoca�on of firearms licences. There are a few offenders who con�nue

to act in a dangerous, inconsiderate manner that give everyone else a bad name. In 2013 I revoked 5 firearms licences

and sent 4 firearms for destruc�on. There are consequences for ac�ons and people need to understand this.

On a much happier note the Franz Josef Badminton club are organising a disco to help raise funds that will help go

towards the up and coming young members of the club. I am assis�ng with this and am trying to locate a disco ball or

coloured flashing lights. I have looked and the patrol vehicle will not fit through the doors into the hall. This disco is for

primary school kids and this invite goes out to kids in all parts of Westland. The date is set down for Friday the 13th of

June 2014 and will be fancy dress. More details will be sent to a school near to you closer to the date.

Remember to stay safe out there, Bill Parker

Licensed Building Practitioner

New Homes, Additions, Renovations,

Concrete Work, Gib Stopping, Tiling

and Finishing Work a Specialty

Phone: 751 0170 Cell: 0272 751017

Email: deancaldwell@getrheel.co.nz

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Inland Revenue

Inland Revenue will be continuing to visit

Franz Josef and Fox Glacier throughout

the WINTER on the following dates:

Franz Josef : 1 July and 2 September, 1pm-

3pm, St Johns rooms

Fox Glacier: 17 June and 19 August, 11am-

1pm, Fire Station

We will resume our monthly visits in October

Appointments can be made by ringing Juliette

on 03 906 0317 or Tina on 03 906 0307.

GLACIER

CONCRETE

For all your concrete

needs in Westland

Call Tim Gibb on 0211584043 to

discuss your requirements.

Driveways, dairy sheds, lime bins,

foundations, pole sheds, animals

shelters, standoff areas, farm race

ways etc.

Now might be the time to add a concrete

patio or pathway.

Glacier Contracting can also provide

gravel , sand, large stones for soak holes

etc and can do your site preparation

work. Call Tim for a free no

obligation quote. Email

glacierenterprises@xtra.co.nz

For all your electrical

and heat pump needs.

• Servicing of heat pumps

• Freeview TV

• Installing heat pumps

• General electrical work

• Fujitsu accredited Installer

DAVE DELORE

027 291 6699

Email: david_delore@hotmail.co.nz

5

Whataroa JUNE 2014

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Whataroa JUNE 2014

LOST!

ALUMINIUM STEP LADDER DURING THE WIND

CIVIL EMERGENCY BORROWED & LEFT

OUTSIDE HANSENS CORNER WHATAROA ON

GRASS VERGE TO BE RECOLLECTED. HAS

‘GORDON KELLY’ ENGRAVED & PAINTED ON IT

IN MULTIPLE PLACES Have waited for it to be

returned, could the ‘UPLIFTER’ Please return

to either Gordon 0275314907, Adrian, Dougal

Phelan Or leave @ Whataroa shop veranda

anonymously. Or if anyone knows where

about, it is, please advise. The boys are having

to pay for its replacement. Thank you

Easter Storm Damage

We would like to sincerely thank all the

wonderful people who helped and

supported us during our �me of need when

cyclone Ita hit the area. We are most

grateful to Daimon O’Donahue and his

team who were on the job swiIly and

saved our building from more extensive

damage. We appreciate the work, phone

calls and support from each and everyone

of you. By the �me this note goes out we

should have been in touch with you all.

Shirley and Ken Arnold

White Heron Sanctuary Tours.

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Fox Glacier JUNE 2014

FOX GLACIER NEWS

THANK YOU to those who put so much �me and energy into making this year’s “Fox Big Day Out” such a fun day.

There were record entry numbers in all the run/walk and biking races and then the awesome mud run showed just how fit

the kids are, running lap aIer lap, as well as how compe��ve some of the adults can get!!

So well done to those of you who did a lot or a li>le, and of course to all who came along and enjoyed the fun community

day that it is.

CONGRATULATIONS to Marius Bron, Jonathan Ha>rell, Richard Bo>omley and Sam Innes, who were awarded the NZSAR

Gold Award for Opera�onal Ac�vity.

Back in March 2013, a woman named

Sabine fell while climbing with her

partner on Glacier Peak in the Fox

Neve. She ended up in a crevasse with

a broken arm and ankle, and so her

partner went to get help. The Fox/

Franz ACR team were called and

undertook a rescue that required a

high level of flying skill by Sam, and

then for Marius, Jono and Richard to

reach Sabine and stay with her during

the night in extreme condi�ons that

included poor visibility, cold, al�tude,

and all in steep glacial terrain. She was

flown out by helicopter the next

morning when the weather cleared.

The team chose to carry out the

opera�on at a calculated personal risk.

If they had not done so, Sabine would not likely have survived the night.

Farewell to Kate, Emily and Tom Hodges, who leI us back at the start of May, and headed to Hanmer Springs. We hope

Hanmer treats you well and that you have fond and fun memories of Fox Glacier. But yes you s�ll will have seen Andy out

mowing those lawns as he divides his �me between Fox and Hanmer. Happy travelling Andy!!

School news...

The kid’s first day back was one of school photos and windy, wet weather as well as slightly smaller class numbers. Emily,

out of the senior room, and Tom and Hayden out of the junior room, bringing the role down to 24.

Fond farewell to Sue Moore, who is leaving to travel around NZ with family and friends. You will be missed! Have a great

holiday Sue!

Welcome to Sarah Hickson who will take over from Sue as the new teacher aide in room 2.

A reminder that the school library is also the community library, and has a range of books on loan from the Hoki�ka library,

so feel free to get in there and make use of this resource.

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Fox Glacier JUNE 2014

In Other News...

Social Netball is well under way and being played on Thursday nights @ the Franz hall, so if there is anyone else

keen to get in and have a good run around then get hold of Beth (0272067741)

Start thinking about where you can find the heaviest possum that you can enter into the very pres�gious possum

weigh- in day held at the DOC centre in Fox on the 8th

June.

If possums aren’t your thing then bring a weed and take home a na�ve!

Greetings good people of Fox Glacier

On 11th November 2013 Karol London sent out an e-mail via the C.D.O.’s regarding a push to have the West Coast Wilderness Trail extended to the Glacier Townships. A public meeting was held in Whataroa on the 29th January 2014. Approx. 30 people attended this meeting including Tanya Winter and Peter Anderson from W.D.C., Paul Deveraux from Opus and Jim Little from Tourism West Coast. At this meeting a Steering Group was formed with a representative from townships along the proposed route to push this project forward. We also have a representative from Opus, DOC and Ngai Tahu. At the moment the only township we do not have a representative from is Fox Glacier. This is a plea from the Steering Group for someone from Fox Glacier to come on board and help with the planning of this worthwhile project. Someone who has good knowledge of the surrounding area between Franz and Fox and who knows of any old pack tracks, cattle tracks or tramways etc. would be a great benefit. But anyone enthusiastic about this project would be great. The benefit of extending the Cycle Trail to the Glacier townships cannot be underestimated, all one needs do is read the stories of the successes in areas like Central Otago, the Hauraki Plains and closer to home, the opening of The Heaphy Track to cyclists in winter. And with The Old Ghost Road and the West Coast Wilderness Trail to be opening in their entirety in the near future we see this project as an added activity for visitors to the Coast as well as for locals. The idea is to follow the coast line as closely as possible and to utilise any current tracks/roads where possible and/or resurrect old tracks. If you are interested in coming on board then please contact me (address below) or Karol London at wildernesstrailsouth@gmail.com Cheers Gerard Oudemans Wilderness Trail South gaba.oudemans@xtra.co.nz c/- Holly Homestead B&B Franz Josef Glacier (03) 7520299

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IAN HARTSHORNE CONTRACTING

Machinery Hire (with or without operator)

Small equipment hire: Concrete cuPng and breaking,

Weed-eaters, lawn mower, compactors, water

blasters,

and much more.

Site works/Contrac?ng

Farm drainage

Landscaping

Track work

New gravel screen for all your landscaping material.

Area distributor of MORRIS OILS, BLACKS bolts/nuts/washers

NEW STORAGE SHEDS TO RENT

Ask us for an obliga�on FREE quote

Ian: 027 695 6988

Kathy: 0274 741 306

Dave Waters: 027 6956989

Franz Hire 14 Donovan Drive ph 752-0244

info@franzhire.co.nz

To Rent

Now only two

leI!

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Franz Josef JUNE 2014

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Haast JUNE 2014

Haast Community Library

Open Saturdays 1pm – 4pm

at the Hall in the Haast town-

ship.

Books are issued out on a three weekly basis,

And we are lucky enough to get 100 books

changed over every 3 months

from the Hoki�ka Library.

Haast Playgroup

Monday 10:30am to 12:30pm

Wednesday 11:30am to 1:30pm pre-school

for the big kids with Karyn

Thursday 10:30am

Wear your high visibility vests when on the road.

Worst times to see you are early morning and late evening. Be seen!!!

Haast Happenings

On Friday 8 May the school was lucky to be involved in the release of a kiwi chick into the

sanctuary on the Arawhata River. On a lovely sunny day we went down to the release

point. The chick is fi>ed with a transmi>er and will be tracked on its journey within the

sanctuary.

The children sang a chant to welcome the kiwi

to its new home. They also enjoyed mee�ng

Poppy, the kiwi dog.

This month 15 Haast Allstars went to the Cray

Pot for lunch. Meg put on a wonderful meal which was up to her usual high

standard. Thank you Meg for your generosity and support that you have given

the Allstars over the years. We would also like to thank Sheri Wright for her

help making our trip to the Bay so enjoyable.

The group also plan a trip on the

Trans Alpine Train to Christchurch which will be on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of July

2014. They will have two nights in Christchurch and one night in Greymouth.

On the way home they are going to have lunch at the Tree Tops Restaurant.

Rural Broadband Upgrade

Our community is awai�ng the comple�on of the new faster broadband

network for our community. A receiving tower is up at Haast School and there

are a whole series of these to be installed in the community. This is a large

project that has taken a long �me to get off the ground.

There have been some concerns raised regarding emissions form the tower but

there is very li>le radia�on from it. The new tower will likely be a small point to

point radio system which will have a very direc�onal antenna to concentrate

the transmi>ed radio waves to a narrow beam to use minimal power and to get best signal to the distant receiver. You could

liken this to a torch where the light bulb reflector concentrates the light into a beam and not much of that energy escapes

from the concentrated beam. When this new tower receives the radio beam from the distant end of the radio path quite a

bit of the energy has been lost in transmission so the received radio

waves are quite low in power and probably no more harmful than

those picked up by a household FM radio .

For more informa�on regarding the project you can follow this link

The Ministry’s website has informa�on at this link

h>p://minedu.moe.govt.nz/NZEduca�on/Educa�onPolicies/

Schools/PropertyToolBox/StateSchools/DayToDayManagement/

CellTowersOnSchoolSites.aspx

and the Ministry for the Environment has info at this link

h>p://www.mfe.govt.nz/publica�ons/rma/radio-freq-guidelines-

dec00.html

The view north from the top of our new 20metre broadband tower

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14

Okarito JUNE 2014

*Need a painter?

*Need a Gib Stopper?

Kevin Hansen Painters

Whataroa 0275 753405

Permanent &

Casual

Commercial &

Household

HARI HARI TO

FOX GLACIER

(03) 753 4151

South

Westland

Rubbish

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Hari Hari JUNE 2014

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Hari Hari JUNE 2014

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Hari Hari JUNE 2014

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Hari Hari JUNE 2014

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Ross JUNE 2014

Live in Ross?

Got the goss?

A rare and unprecendented opportunity has arisen to take over the very

special job of compiling the Ross Ramblings for Community Contact. If you

are interested, ring up Annie Hughes (7554147) or Lynley Hargreaves

(7554227) with your full CV or best knock knock joke.

Ross Ramblings

Close to one hundred people have already purchased trees for the plan�ngs planned to commemorate fallen Ross

soldiers. Stories about the soldiers are also star�ng to come in, and these may form the basis of a future book. A recently

found booklet apparently lists 140 conscripts from Ross for World War One, and this informa�on is also being put to good

use.

More trees are likely to be purchased between now and the expected August community plan�ng day, so along with this

year's oak tree plan�ngs and the planned future Chinese garden we in Ross can look forward to beau�ful and historic

park-like area to explore in future years.

If you'd like to purchase a tree to remember a local soldier get in touch with Biddy Manera at WRENIS (the Westland

Regional Environment Network) on 7554193. The loca�on for each individual tree will be noted with GPS, so families

know where their tree is. The Ross Community Society has put in $1000 of beau�fica�on funds to help the project along.

The lake area is also providing a great circuit for the approximately two hundred children expected to take part in the

Ross Interschool Cross Country in late May. It's a true cross country course, with a creek crossing at the Jones Creek

diversion into the lake, and plenty of finishing mud and water provided courtesy of the Fire Brigade. The outcome of the

event is not known by this correspondent at the �me of wri�ng, but Ross students have been training hard under the iron

thumb of local constable Jon Woodward. Senior students at the school have also been improving their mental and

physical toughness with a morning CACTUS programme led by polymath and bus driver extraordinaire Wayne Jones. Go

Ross!

Ross School students are also busy learning about ancient Egypt – with the seniors doing Egyp�an maths – for a school

musical produc�on which will be on at the end of Term 2. The school already has live music lined up to accompany the

songs with the talented Kristen Marken on piano and Trevor Listor on banjo. Keep an eye out for more details next

month, it should be great entertainment.

Fundraising for next year's summer ac�vi�es in the pool con�nues with the good folks running housie nights. There's

some great baking up for grabs whenever this is on – you can go along to the Empire Hotel in June on the nights of Friday

the 6th and Friday the 20th.

Indoor ac�vites are s�ll con�nuing for young and old alike. Remember:

-fitness sessions at the gym 5.30 Tuesday and 11am Friday lead by Eileen Jones.

-Dance lessons at Ross Playgroup for 4-6 year olds on Thursday aIernoons 2.00pm-3.00pm cos�ng $5 a session. Contact

Lisa Morgan on 7554072 for more informa�on.

-Melody Makers for preschoolers at playgroup with Sally Richardson once a month on Mondays

-gymnas�cs sessions for preschoolers may also start at the hall on Mondays – contact Lisa Morgan on 7554072 if

interested.

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Astronomy JUNE 2014

Planet Watching

June night skies con�nue to be dominated by four of the five bright planets. Jupiter remains big and bright in

the evening sky, although is now falling rapidly towards the Sun and will be difficult to see by month end,

sePng only 85 minutes aIer sunset. On June 1st

it will be joined by a thin crescent moon, 5° to its upper leI.

Mars con�nues to be a prominent object in the evening sky throughout June, shining red and bright in the

northern sky. It dims a li>le as the month advances, but will remain brighter than any star in the immediate

vicinity and will be easy to recognise. Early on the evening of June 8 the Moon will lie about 3.5° to its right.

Further to the east, Saturn is less splashy than its red inner cousin, but will will be a prominent object

throughout the evening. It is now more or less in the middle of Libra, and by the end of June will lie almost

directly between Libra’s two brightest stars, the splendidly named Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali.

Venus, in the morning sky, will rise just over 3 hours before the Sun on June 1st

dropping to 2 hours before it

on the 30th

. It will thus appear steadily lower as the month progresses, but will remain easily the most

prominent object to the northeast in the dawn sky.

The austral winter sols�ce occurs on June 21st

, with the Sun furthest north at 10.52 p.m. In South Westland

this makes for dark mornings: for those of us in Haast, the winter Sun does not rise un�l 8:20 a.m., 25

minutes later than in Wellington and 45 minutes later than Auckland. The morning darkness con�nues

throughout July: not un�l 1 August does the Sun rise before 8 a.m.

June is also the month of Matariki, the Māori (and in fact Polynesian) New Year. Like Easter, Matariki is a

movable feast, its exact date in any one year depending on the vagaries of the lunar calendar. Its �ming also

varies among iwi: for some tribes, the dawn rising of Puanga (Rigel in Orion) signals the start of the New

Year. This year Matariki is unusually late, beginning on June 28th

with the rising of the first New Moon aIer

Matariki (the star cluster known in western culture as the Pleiades) first becomes visible in the dawn sky.

Irrespec�ve of the precise date, an event well worth watching for occurs three mornings before this year’s

Matariki begins. On June 25th

, look to the east at around 7 a.m., when the pre-dawn sky will s�ll be almost

completely dark. There, strung out in an almost horizontal line, will be Matariki itself (at far right; see the

graphic below), followed by Venus, the crescent Moon, the bright red star Taumata-kuku (Aldebaran), and –

almost due east – the three stars of Tau-toro (Orion’s belt). To my mind, spectacular chance alignments like

this are among the finest naked-eye sights in the sky.

Mar�n Unwin Hannah’s Clearing unwinm51@gmail.com

Matari-

22

CHURCH SERVICES—June 2014

Catholic 1st 8th 15th 22nd 29th

Hari Hari 9am 5pm Sat 9am 5pm Sat

Whataroa 10.30am M.Tea

after

9am 10.30am 5pm Sat 9am

Franz Josef 5pm 5pm

Fox Glacier 11am 9.30am 11am

Haast 5pm

South Westland Catholic Parish: Contact Fr. Michael Mahoney, 0210333746 or 037534140

Note: This mass is the normal parish schedule. It is wise to check that a mass has not been changed for some special reason.

Anglican 1st 8th 13th 22nd

Ross

Hari Hari 9.30am 9.30am

Whataroa 11.15am

Franz Josef 3pm

Jacobs Riv-

er

Haast 6pm

Anglican Contact: Rev’d Vivien Harber (03) 755 5125

Ross 10.30am 10.30am

West Coast Rural Support—

Dianne Milne 0800 787 254

Lifeline – West Coast Toll Free 0800 353 353

Kidsline – 4pm – 6pm every school day

0800 543 754

AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) (03) 7534005

HEALTHLINE – FREE 24 HR

HEALTH ADVICE 0800 611 116

SUPPORT, HELP, ADVICE?

West Coast contact numbers are:-

Westland Victim Support – ask for

Victim Support (03) 755 8088

Arthritis Foundation (03) 768 7254

Women’s Refuge (9am – 3pm)

(03) 7898025 AH 0800 208 339

Child Support Agency – queries re

child support 0800 221 221

Disability Information Service

0800 100 946