Latest news with #Taieri
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Potentate visits city
His Highness, the Maharaj Sir Bhawani Singh, Bahadur of Jhalawar, the first of India's princes to visit New Zealand, arrived in Dunedin from Christchurch by the express last Highness is accompanied by Lieutenant-colonel R.A E. Benn, the Administrator of Jhalawar, Dr Bhoratia, Mr Khan (ADC), and two Indian valets. Mrs Benn is also included in the party. The Maharaj is the guest of the New Zealand Government, and Mr A. Wilson, tourist agent, Auckland, is in charge of the tour. The Mayor (Mr H.L. Tapley) and Mr D.B. Theomin welcomed his Highness on his arrival at the railway station. His Highness expects to leave on Monday for Queenstown, and will return to Dunedin on Wednesday, and will leave on Thursday. During his brief stay in Dunedin it is anticipated that he will be able to visit to several of the leading industrial factories, and also to make a motor trip on the Taieri. When approached last night, Lt-col Benn informed a representative of the Otago Daily Times that his Highness would not talk on political subjects. He was making his present tour expressly for health reasons, and while in New Zealand intended to visit the various beauty spots in the dominion. He said that Sir Bhawani was a great traveller, and had visited most of the countries in Europe. He took a keen interest in scientific matters, and it was during a period when he was carrying out research work at Oxford that his health had given way and he had been forced to travel to recuperate. Sir Bhawani is a noted educationalist, having founded district schools in his State, and is a great lover of books. His is said to be one of the finest libraries in India, the collection comprising between thirty and forty thousand books. He is keenly interested also in various branches of science. He was a member of a large number of scientific bodies in London and Paris. After he left New Zealand he would return to England via Panama, and would proceed thence through Italy to India. Work-life balance A neighbour of mine says that he put on a casual labourer to do some digging —15 shillings a day of eight hours. The man arrived twenty minutes late, but had "started on time" — came from South Dunedin. At ten he held a stop-work meeting across the street fence with a friend who chanced to be loafing around; at eleven he appeared at the kitchen door for morning tea and smoke-ho; from twelve to one was his lunch hour; at three, smoke-ho again and afternoon tea. — by 'Civis' Oil company mobilises An extensive scheme of distribution in Australia and New Zealand has been adopted by the Vacuum Oil Co, and will involve an outlay of £2,000,000. The idea behind the scheme is to distribute motor spirit, oils and kerosene even to outback parts expeditiously and at a minimum of cost. This is calculated to facilitate materially the development of rural areas and to increase the means of transport. Bulk-handling depots will be set up at Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland and Dunedin. In all towns of over 5000 people, what are termed tank stations will be erected at a cost of £20,000 each. The oils and motor spirit will be transported from the central depots to the inland tank stations by means of tank trucks on railways. In this way supplies will be constantly passing to the tank stations, the capacity of which will vary according to the requirements of the districts. A fleet of tank cars and wagons will also be maintained by the company to expedite despatch to country districts. The manager of the company (Mr Cornforth) states that the fleet of oil steamers will carry cargoes to the principal ports where the company has established depots. Although the complete scheme will not be working until October, certain portions of it may be utilised as they become available. The elimination of tins and cases in the distribution of petrol and oils is an important factor of the scheme. — ODT , 18.7.1925
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Letters to Editor: Taieri electorate, growth, homelessness
Today's letters to the editor include focus on mental health staff, approaches to economic growth by government, and homelessness. Anderson pitch would be help, not hindrance When she fires shots Taieri MP Ingrid Leary should first check the background for potential damage. She labels "bizarre" the proposal to equitably relocate community mental staff (ODT 14.7.25) and unfortunately blows a hole in a big chunk of her electorate. Perhaps a shot in the foot? Advocating for continued disadvantage in Balclutha and surrounds, a significant part of her electorate, is not wise talk for the local MP. Clutha District has about seven community mental health staff HNZ currently. An equity distribution would make that 25 staff. For Clutha's population there should be 18 extra staff, Clutha's share of the available staff who are currently funded, but now in the wrong place. What Waitaki MP Miles Anderson proposes on her behalf is to the advantage of Clutha District. Why would Ms Leary seek to block 18 extra mental health staff in such an important chunk of her electorate? Ms Leary needs to appreciate that achieving equity takes more than fiery words. Sometimes it's simple sums. In Dunedin each staff member in this work group services a mere 443 people and in her Clutha District each staff member has to look after 2664 people. An outrageous maldistribution. (also in Waitaki it's one staff member for every 3000 people and in Central Otago Queenstown Lakes it's one staff to 2884 versus just one staff person to 443 in Dunedin). Such numbers are the realities, using the 2022 census, and numbers which Health New Zealand recently declined to update. The numbers will have moved a bit, but remain outrageous, and possibly are worse. I am happy to update Ingrid Leary further, noting I am in Central Otago, not "Queenstown-Centric". It's important that we do not pit towns in Otago against each other. Kerry Hand Bannockburn [Kerry Hand is a southern mental health services professional who operated the Miramare agency. Editor.] Clumsy but creditable Mayor Radich's Gaza letter is a somewhat clumsy attempt to express impartiality and avoid conflict, and as such is to be lauded. Seven councillors forced him into an impossible situation. International controversy is not the business of local governance and time/money spent in review or criticism of such topics is not part of the legitimate or moral concern in civic representation. This so-called "conscience" can be seen as antisemitism, Zionism, pacifism, humanism, xenophobia, bigotry, hypocrisy, fanaticism, ignorance or support for terrorism. Proximity to local elections suggests it is more likely to be lobbying or electioneering. International affairs are not within the closely circumscribed boundaries of the issues that are presented to city councillors. Viewpoints of intense debates on parochial topics should be unequivocally private, individual,- and not within the scope of civic business . Where there are strong feelings an approach to the PM, the Minister of Foreign Affairs or perhaps a local MP is much more likely to carry weight, provide relief and prevent neighbourly offence to those who do not support the same point of view. V. H. Markham Dunedin Community housing Until I read today's column by Councillor Marie Laufiso (Opinion ODT 10.7.25) I was not aware that Dunedin City Council had paused the building of new community housing in its nine-year plan. I would like to know where prospective mayoral and council candidates stand on this issue and if they feel the building of community housing should continue? G. Nicol Mosgiel Going for growth may not equal glittering gold Growth, Prime Minister Luxon is adamant, will replenish the government's coffers and ensure economic growth, with a special nod to 60 million tourists from China actively ready to visit. They will be planning to visit Queenstown, which has had around 150,000 visitors already this year. It was reported in the ODT that 400 Olympic-size swimming pools of waste water had been dispatched into Lake Wakatipu (down the Kawarau River and into Lake Dunstan) already this year. How many more Olympic-size swimming pools of crap will end up in Lake Dunstan with these tourists from China, plus other tourists from Australia and everywhere else, clogging up our infrastructure? Will the infrastructure cope with water for showers, toilet flushes etc or will tourists have to bathe in Lake Wakatipu and toilet in the bush? Will ratepayers be expected to pay the necessary extra infrastructure costs for tourists ? Tourists may bring dollars but what else will they bring that may clog up our hospitals and roads? Kathleen Moore Alexandra Understanding, not judgement In response to Paul Goldsmith's remarks about homelessness being a lifestyle choice, I want to share my personal experiences with a homeless friend named Ian, whom I met while studying and living in Auckland. Ian has spent much of his adult life living in tents in Auckland's Domain. Ian said that he did not like living within four walls and preferred the freedom of street living. Besides receiving a benefit, Ian has survived by scavenging through bins for food, food parcels and the occasional odd jobs. He makes it a point to avoid begging, regarding it as shameful. While he may regard this lifestyle as freedom, it has risks such as being exposed to the elements and criminals. Personally, I feel saddened that someone so friendly and resourceful has chosen to live outside of society. Ian has dyslexia and is deaf in one ear. These disabilities made it hard for him to succeed in school. His lack of formal education and difficult family circumstances were what drove him as a young man to live on the streets. He travelled through the country before settling down in Auckland. Mr Goldsmith was half-right when he said homelessness was a choice. While some may indeed see homelessness as a choice, this is because their world has been limited . Their choices are limited by a mixture of adverse circumstances and decisions. More understanding and less judgement is needed. Andrew Lim Shiel Hill [Abridged — length. Editor.] Kitty petting Lee Vandervis gets his re-election photo opportunity fondling grass on page 1, no less (ODT 12.7.25). What's next, incumbent councillors lining up to improve their chances by kissing babies and stroking kittens on camera? I dearly hope that Dunedin ratepayers are not so easily beguiled and, that in the coming elections, we all line up to vote for an end to profligacy and a focus on the absolute necessities. Pat Duffy Opoho
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
MP's View: Housing cut as homelessness up
We need more warm dry homes across Dunedin. Owning a home should be an easier option for people, and renting should be secure. Christopher Luxon has put property speculators first, handing them nearly $3billion in tax breaks while families struggle with rising bills. Housing projects under way under Labour to address the social housing waitlist in Dunedin were ruthlessly cut by the current government last month. The National-led government made the decision to cancel the builds of 40 one- to two-bedroom homes on Carroll St in Central Dunedin, along with a further 32 on Stafford St and 11 on Albertson Ave in Port Chalmers — 83 homes this city desperately needs. The Carroll St site already had extensive planning undertaken, including the demolition of 16 state homes — the site was vacant and ready to go. I wrote to Housing Minister Chris Bishop in April asking why the Carroll St development was still on hold at the time. The minister wrote back stating the government was working to deliver social housing where it was needed most. His response goes directly against the decision to cancel these builds. The units planned for Carroll St would have been the most sought-after size and close to the city centre and community services. This government also shows little to no regard for homelessness. It recently cut $1b from the emergency housing budget on the false pretence that demand for housing was reducing. Frontline housing providers know this is not the case and have frequently told politicians, including government ministers, that there are more people on the streets as a direct result of the government's policies. Changes to the criteria by a National minister about who can access emergency housing has directly led to more people sleeping rough. Changes to eligibility criteria mean fewer people are qualifying to get emergency housing. And at least a fifth of those coming off the emergency housing list are not going to warm dry homes of their own but to whanau, friends or other precarious situations. In Dunedin, this is apparent in the number of tents at the Oval increasing in recent months. Taieri MP Ingrid Leary and I are meeting a range of social services about these housing issues and will host Labour's housing spokesman, Kieran McAnulty, in Dunedin next month. Labour will put affordability first, making it easier to buy, better to rent, and building more homes. Dunedin needs not only housing but also social support. Many of the groups that provide this help have had their funding cut. Cutting funding while cancelling housing developments is a recipe for more homelessness.
Otago Daily Times
13-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Call to move health staff ‘bizarre'
Ingrid Learyy. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH A call to transfer mental health workers from Dunedin to Central Otago is "bizarre", Taieri MP Ingrid Leary says. The Labour Party MP responded to a provocative stance taken by Waitaki MP Miles Anderson, of the National Party, who suggested Dunedin's mental health staffing should be slashed by 100, and also that too much money was being poured into the $1.88billion regional hospital in Dunedin. Money should instead have been directed to the growing Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes districts, he said. Ms Leary said Mr Anderson had looked to pit Dunedin against Wānaka and his proposed solution to health shortages in Wānaka and surrounding areas was bizarre. "It is no secret that the lower South suffers from a shortage of mental health workers across the board and some of the longest specialist wait times, including in Dunedin," she said. "Moving health workers from one location to another resolves nothing." Ms Leary, Labour's mental health spokesperson, said the government appeared to be taking "a Queenstown-centric approach" to healthcare, including mental health. Mr Anderson had spoken of inequities between Dunedin and the rest of the region. "Those employed in the mental health side of things — Dunedin has 300-plus staff, and only another 100 are spread throughout the entire Otago-Southland area, so Wānaka have very few," he said. "So for it to be equitable, 100 need to be taken out of Dunedin and put into other areas." Ms Leary suggested the government ought to be more constructive. "Cutting pay equity claims for burned-out mental health workers will only exacerbate the mental healthcare shortage, so why doesn't Miles Anderson instead tell his Cabinet colleagues to reverse that short-sighted decision?" Construction of the new hospital in Dunedin started under Labour and the project was reviewed by the National-led government once it gained power in the 2023 general election. After delays, the government ended up approving continuation of the build and the project was not altered substantially. Mr Anderson said the people who planned the hospital "didn't give much thought to the outlying areas of North Otago and Central Otago". "The Dunedin hospital makes sense with the med school and specialists, but if they thought about it, did it really need to be as big?" Ms Leary said Mr Anderson seemed to lack understanding of the project. He appeared to have "no depth of knowledge regarding the Dunedin hospital and its role in the wider region, including the need for tertiary-level care and a medical training facility".
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Will there be more surprises?
And then there were four! As can happen in top-six playoffs the top three seeds, Taieri, Dunedin and Varsity, all got beaten to see Dunedin and Varsity bundled out of the semis. Taieri stay in the race by virtue of the fact they were the top qualifiers going into the weekend. Taieri, with their starting backline out in the quarterfinal, were always going to be a long shot to win at the weekend and so it proved. Their pack ground out a lead over Kaikorai but the lads from the high veldt scored two late tries to extinguish the finals aspirations of Dunedin and Varsity. Dunedin only have themselves to blame after leading the comp for the majority of the season, only to capitulate in their last two games. They gave up top spot with a sub-par display against the Eels a couple of weeks ago, then got destroyed in the second half by a heavyweight Southern pack after leading going into the break. They pulled their two biggest players off in the second half, Wingham and Palmer, and certainly paid a very heavy price. Varsity looked the favorites against Harbour to go through but the Hawks held their discipline, went out to a lead and deservedly held on to unbelievably end up as the top qualifiers. This means they get a home semi at the Cockabilly Cauldron and, as we know, it is hard to win down there. Southern host Kaik at Bog Bathgate and Kaik won't be looking forward to that. Tell me it's not so Otago have not named a squad for the season as yet and I hear it's because, once again, they are bringing players in from outside the province to fill perceived holes. The rumour is three players, one from Christchurch (possible midfielder) and two from Australia, one being a lock. It hasn't worked over the past few years — just look at our track record. How can our Otago board let this happen? Who is paying for this? I know I sound like a broken record but when are we going to wake up? All I hear is "pathways" and all I see are "no exits". The only upside is at least we are not Southland. They've named 31 players and how many of those are genuinely out of club rugby? Not many that I can see. Down on the farm Up North it's finals time with Excelsior, the defending champions, hosting Valley. This is the third year in a row (boring!) these teams have met with honours being even so far. There will be nothing in this final but I'm tipping Excelsior may make it two straight. In the deep South, Pirates Old Boys, the top qualifiers, take on Woodlands for the time-honoured Galbraith Shield and again it's hard to pick. POB have been the best team all year so I'll stick with them to win it all at Rugby Park tomorrow. In the South it's semifinals time, with top qualifier Clutha hosting the prison guards from Toko and the West Taieri Pigs at home to the Crescent Coalminers. In Central, defending champions Upper Clutha are hosting the Maniototo Maggots on the lake front. The Wanaka boys, who also hold the "Horse", have been the best team all year, and should just be too good for the Maggots. Wakatip host Alex in the other semi in Queenstown, with both teams coming off losses. Wakatip lost to Upper Clutha and Alex are on "oxygen support" after going down to the Matak mudfish, my new favourite team. The big news out of that game was big lock Chris Nolan unbelievably played his 300th for Matak. It would have been monumental in Omakau last Saturday night/Sunday morning in the burgh. Good on ya mate — stunning achievement. The victors' ale would have been sweet. Oh, by the way, Wakatip win — just. Clarification There has been a bit of confusion over what happened to the Arrow Bulls v Maggots game at the weekend. Stop ringing Maggots coach Charlie Hore because as per usual I have the answer. Arrowtown defaulted Tuesday week ago as they couldn't field a team. The Maggots offered to play Friday night if that helped but Arrow were still struggling for numbers. Stick with me I'll take you to the top!! Test-match rugby We have certainly been spoilt with Super Rugby this year as we have sped the game up. However, we have been living in a "false down" as we are now back under international rules. The game at the Greenhouse was at times farcical with the three disallowed tries and the time it took to come up with a decision. What's the point of speeding up the game when it took us nearly 10 minutes to make those decisions, especially when one of them was clearly wrong!! We are seriously in danger of spectators saying enough is enough and starting voting with their feet and wallets. Don't get me started on the fact that we have a TMO for foul play and another for general play — sheer bloody lunacy! This weekend You'll be pleased to know yours truly picked none from three in town last week — some expert. Soundly beaten for the second week in a row, this time by "Bilbo" from Speight's. Anyway, I'm back on the horse and up against the mein host of both the Mornington and Cableways, Arvi Singh, who, I'm assured, is not the biggest follower of rugby so I'll still probably lose! Harbour are at home to Taieri at Port so the conditions will not be good (they hardly ever are) and underfoot it'll be great for the geese. Taieri have Cam Miller back but there is no Sam Fischli or Matt Whaanga because Southland have not released them. Southland are fast losing all credibility in this town with their attitude to club rugby. It is nearly time for us to get really grumpy. So Harbour (12-) go into this game as favourites, especially with Hastie back at nine. The Taieri pack are as good as any but the Harbour pack are big and with Hastie and Miln running the cutter they may get it done, but the Eels will be right in it. Southern are at home to Kaik and on that track, with their heavyweight pack, go in as big favourites. Throw in Mackenzie Palmer directing traffic and the Magpies (12-) win. On the farm in Central last week I drew with Lyn Jaffray and I win all draws. On to the southern semis this week and up against Tom Hollows from Hollow Timber and a local rugby legend. I'm up against it but I go well in the country so Tom goes down. Clutha (13+) have been the best team all year so they will dispatch the prison guards from Toko comfortably. West Taieri (12-) are at home at the Market Garden against Crescent and in their jubilee year should get it done.
