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Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
What's the hurry? Take your time like walking Croatian ‘crank'
We have all read about them. The intrepid travellers aiming to visit a hundred countries in a month. The New Zealand visit lasts a couple of hours and embraces the delights of the immigration counter and insipid coffee at Auckland airport before grabbing a plane to knock off Fiji before dinner time. What wimps. Give me the intrepid Joseph Mikulec any time. Joseph was a Croatian who walked the world. Born in 1878 on a farm, he set off in 1901 and over the next 30 years walked more than 300,000km through 33 countries. He spent June 1911 in New Zealand, arriving in Whanganui after working his passage on a ship from Australia and then walking from town to town carrying a swag and an autograph book, selling postcards and giving lectures to pay his way. He was his own PR man and visited every newspaper office on the journey. At the Wanganui Chronicle he displayed his autograph book which held letters by president Taft, vice-president Sherman, Theodore Roosevelt and the mayor and town clerk of each of the capital cities. The next days he added the signature of a rather more illustrious man, the town clerk of Wanganui. The Patea paper provided a fine thumbnail sketch of the walker: "A short, lithe figure, with a strong, keen face, in jersey and knickers, with a bag slung over his shoulders, he swung at a fast, easy gait on to the terrace where a speech was being made and, in a few seconds, took a 'snap' of the troops drawn up in square formation. His jersey was thickly hung with what appeared to be medals. On the whole he looked an unusual and particularly interesting personage." Joseph's "snaps" were planned for a book which "will be printed in five languages and will be obtainable in 1915". That book seems never to have been published but, as we shall see, another of his books became a collector's item. Thus, Joseph covered Taranaki, Auckland and Rotorua, sometimes getting a mention in the papers, but more often ignored as his visit was overshadowed by the coronation celebrations. True to form, Truth came out with, "Another walking round the world crank, one Joseph Mikulec (a Croatian, but naturalised USA citizen) has struck New Zealand. 'Mick' hopes to pick up $25,000 when he finishes in New York. Already he has covered 47,000 miles. As a Croatian, he intends visiting our gum-fields. Just so. He is not the first Croatian who has visited them, and remained there." In Christchurch, Mikulec took to the stage at the Empire picture theatre in Sydenham and gave the audience an account of his adventures. The ads read: "This man has encountered fearful hardships — was lost for nine days crossing bush-land in Brazil, received barbarous treatment by natives in Arizona, had narrow escape from being burnt alive, has been bitten by a snake. Mr Mikulec will relate his thrilling experiences which will astonish everyone who hears him." Further south, Mikulec passed through unreported until at Gore the Mataura Ensign ran a piece which hinted that the Sydenham picture-goers may have been taken for a bit of a ride: "Mr Mikulec was the centre of sundry groups of curious and doubtless awe-struck boys, who listened with intense interest to his many tales of adventure. Mr Mikulec refused to be interviewed in the orthodox way, but in real American style told the interviewer that he 'could make up some spicy yarns from his imagination'." At Invercargill, before leaving for Hobart from Bluff, Mikulec stayed at the Southland Club Hotel, a luxury suggesting a steady income from postcard selling, and sent a telegram to his original New Zealand contact, the Wanganui Chronicle , "Gentlemen, I will take a boat to Hobart on Monday, August 1st. My best greetings to all. I have very many friends in New Zealand by this time. It is the best country I ever was in. Good-bye to all. Yours truly, Joe Mikulec, globe-trotter." No doubt 32 other countries were honoured to be "the best country I was ever in" but Joe Mikulec's travels are worth commemorating and, indeed, there's a statue of him in his home patch. Even more impressive is the autograph book he lugged through all those miles. It weighs 27kg, is about 30cm thick, leather-bound and well worn. It hit the headlines at the weekend when the mayor of Mikulec's Croatian hometown Oroslavje bought the book for half a million dollars. Mikulec's entrepreneurial spirit is still alive and well and Mayor Simunic has announced the museum will have a replica of the book, but with the pages blank, to be filled by the people who travel to Oroslavje. "Mikulec went to see the world, and now the world can come to Oroslavje to see his story." Maybe you could walk there? — Jim Sullivan is a Patearoa writer.
RNZ News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Waitangi Tribunal pushes pause on seabed mine claim
The Tribunal parking the seabed mine claim is a rare setback for mana whenua who've resisted Trans-Tasman's plans since before the first application in 2013. Photo: Te Korimako o Taranaki The Waitangi Tribunal has rejected the application to halt a fast-track bid to mine the seabed off Pātea - but has left the door open if the process turns out to be unfair. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) has applied through the new Fast-Track Approvals Act (FTAA) to mine for iron, titanium and vanadium in the South Taranaki Bight. Multiple South Taranaki hapū and iwi sought a Tribunal injunction to block processing of the fast-track application, and an urgent hearing into alleged Crown Treaty breaches. But Tribunal deputy chair Judge Sarah Reeves agreed with the Crown that the fast-track needed a chance to be proven fair. The Crown argued a panel had not even been appointed - and that iwi will contribute to that selection and get a say once the decision-making panel is working. The Waitangi Tribunal grants urgent hearings in exceptional circumstances: applicants must be suffering - or likely to suffer - significant and irreversible prejudice from current or pending Crown actions. "I do not agree that the risk of significant and irreversible prejudice has crystallised, and the application is premature," said Judge Reeves. "The application does not yet meet the high threshold required to divert the resources and disrupt the Tribunal's inquiry programme that would result by granting an urgent inquiry," she ruled. "However, leave is reserved for the applicants to renew their application if circumstances change." Claimants said they had already suffered prejudice from their decade-long fight against TTR's mining application, right through to defeating the company in the Supreme Court. Mana whenua said government bias made the fast-track process unjust. Judge Reeves said the claimants believe "the Crown's vocal support of the [seabed mining] project and the FTAA appears to make meaningful engagement with the applicants or delay of the project to pursue alternative remedies 'highly unlikely'". On Friday in New Plymouth Shane Jones - the minister of oceans and fisheries, and of resources - called opponents a [ "belligerent, well-organised, rowdy] bunch of activists." He had previously dismissed mana whenua objectors as "pixie-like hapūs" - which many felt was an insult that still rankles in South Taranaki. Taranaki mana whenua claimants to the Tribunal are: Trans-Tasman Resources boss Alan Eggers says the seabed mine would bring jobs and riches without harming the environment. Photo: Te Korimako o Taranaki Other parties include Climate Justice Taranaki, Ngāruahine's school Te Kura o Ngāruahinerangi and from outside the region Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki who also face an FTAA application. For the fast-track bid to be rejected the mine's negative impacts must significantly outweigh national and regional benefits - meaning environmental and cultural damage must be deemed greater than the money the mine makes for Taranaki and New Zealand. Last Thursday the organisers of the fast-track decision process ordered TTR to [ show where it had updated its evidence] since losing in the courts. "Almost all of the technical appendices are dated 2015 and were obviously prepared to support the 2016 application. Only a handful of those reports were updated in 2023 or 2024," noted panel convener Jennifer Caldwell. "The Cultural Values Assessment report, prepared by an independent consultant in 2017, was not updated despite what must have been new information as to the Māori concerns." A month earlier panel conveners ordered the Environmental Protection Authority to dig into the proposed seabed mine's [ environmental and economic impacts]. Every day of operation for at least 20 years the mining ship would discharge 180,000 tonnes of unwanted seabed sediment, a recognised pollutant, into the abundant waters of the Pātea Shoals. TTR claims region benefits of: A report for the miners predicted annual national gains of: LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air.
RNZ News
16-06-2025
- RNZ News
Passengers trapped in fatal Taranaki capsizing
A witness to Sunday's tragic capsizing in Taranaki, which claimed two lives, has said the small pleasure boat was side-on to breakers at the Patea bar before being swamped. Paul Mandela said the boat's skipper was thrown into the water while his passengers were trapped in the vessel. A six-year-old child is believed to be among those who lost their lives. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
15-06-2025
- RNZ News
Search on for two missing after boat capsize off Taranaki
[rnz_online] One person was located in the water and received treatment. File picture. Photo: Supplied Emergency services and Coastguard South Taranaki volunteers are responding to an incident involving a boat off Patea this morning. About 10.15am, police were notified that a boat had capsized about 200 metres offshore, with three people on board. One person has been located in the water and is receiving treatment. A search is under way to locate the two missing people.
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Taranaki Regional Council rebuffs calls to oppose seabed mining
The seabed mining protest at the weekend. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Taranaki Regional Council has rebuffed calls for it to get off the fence and take a stand against a proposal to mine the seabed off the Patea coast. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) has approval to vacuum up 50 million tonnes of sand annually from the South Taranaki seabed for 35 years to extract iron, vanadium and titanium, but the company still needs consent to discharge 45 million tonnes of unwanted sediment a year back into the shallow waters. TTR - which is currently going through the Fast Track consenting process - says it can do this environmentally safely and that its project will significantly boost the national and regional economies. The regional council has twice made neutral submissions on TTR's proposal and at Tuesday's powerful policy and planning committee it chose again to walk that tightrope, arguing that to take a stance could jeopardise its future opportunities to influence the project. A 2024 hīkoi in Patea to oppose seabed mining. Photo: Supplied/ Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust Earlier it heard a deputation from Protect Our Moana Taranaki spokesperson Fiona Gordon - who helped co-ordinate a paddle-out protest attended by about 1200 people at west coast beaches over the weekend. She reminded councillors the TRC was the region's environmental watchdog. "Opposing seabed mining aligns with your statutory duty to protect ecosystems and coastal waters for the interest of future generations. The areas within your direct jurisdiction would be harmed and there is no safeguard, no accurate modelling that can really portray what will actually happen." Gordon wanted the TRC to unite with Whanganui and South Taranaki district councils who had come out in opposition of Trans-Tasman Resources' proposal. "Being neutral is not an option when you have a duty to uphold the care of our ecosystems and the well-being of our communities." Ngāti Ruanui iwi member and Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer also addressed councillors. She said TTR's application for Fast Track consents was no different than had been knocked back right up to the Supreme Court and all eight Taranaki were united in their rejection of the proposal. "Is this council going to stand with us, are you part of us or are you going to stand on the side on you're little island away from the rest of us who've been fighting this, away from the rest of us who have to confront this ... where do you belong." On Tuesday, the policy and planning committee was considering a new report on the issue: Fast Track Approvals Act and Taranaki VTM Project (Trans-Tasman Resources). A map showing the area covered by the South Taranaki Bight Project. Photo: Trans-Tasman Resources Following the deputations, committee chair Bonita Bingham outlined her reservations about taking a stance against the project. "I'm concerned that you are urging us to take a stance as a council to opposed seabed mining because we are in the privileged and lucky position where this organisation is going to be possibly or even probably one of the very few that get to submit to the hearing panel. "Now if we in the room approve a motion to oppose seabed mining that would create a conflict of interest and we will be immediately struck off that hearing panel which gives us no voice." In the report, strategy lead Finbar Kiddle, clarified that if the TRC took a stand against seabed mining it could jeopardise its ability as a "relevant local body" to recommend a member to the expert panel considering TTR's application. "The council will very likely be considered a relevant local authority for the Taranaki VTM Project application. This means council will have the opportunity to nominate a panel member and make comment on the application. "The council needs to approach its assessment of the application in a similar manner to if it was assessing a resource consent application. This means avoiding any inference of predetermination, undertaking a robust review of the relevant documents, and focusing on the regulatory tests set in the legislation. "To do otherwise, risks prejudicing council's engagement and undermining its input into the process. Predetermination, either for or against the project, would ultimately harm the position put forward." Councillors voted to receive the report and no motion to oppose seabed mining was put forward.
