7/29/2019 Steamed Up September Issue 3c

1/2

4

4

What makesyou tick?Safe drinking water An end to the Council spending spreeA strong recovery plan If youve ticked any one of these vote

ANNE HUNTThree terms Horowhenua District Councillor and your next Mayor.

TokomaruStore &

Takeaways

Orders welcome. Ph 329 8711

Steamed Up is a free monthlyindependent newsletter for theMiranui Ward and Tokomaru

community. Our aim is to inform the publicabout electoral issues and other

concerns in the Horowhenua District.Christine.toms@xtra.co.nz. Ph 329 8081

Authorised by Anne Hunt, 17 Nash Parade, Foxton Beach.

Stand upand be counted

VOTE

06 362 7872 9am-9pm

ROSS CAMPBELL

MIRANUIHusband, father, businessman,

former Chaplain/mediator,50 years Miranui resident.

Authorised by Ross Campbell,44 Margaret Street, Shannon

Remember back then?

In 1966/67 J ulian Ward worked for a year as ayoung chainman with a Tokomaru surveyteam, digging rods 25 ft down into the ground

to record precise land levels. During that timehe lived with survey technicians in a farmhouse at the dairy factory.

Julian Ward

Steamed UpIssue 3

September 2013Featuring Miranui Ward

and Tokomaru issues

WILD WESTHOROWHENUA

Some candidates feared for their safety onMonday 16 September, when the final pre-local authority election candidates meetingheld at Ohau erupted in discord. One hundred and eighty people packed the hall, alsoattended this time by incumbent mayor Brendan Duffy and candidates. Horowhenuasgrowing and dubious reputation as NZs wild west was once more in action, said aspectator-candidate who watched with horror at what he described as Hitler-like beermeetings. He said the mayors chosen councillors and supporters were pepperedamong the audience, deliberately whipping up mayhem It was just the same tactic as

was used in pre WWII Germany. Hes done this at every meeting hes been to. Some-one needs to expose this, he said. According to an eye witness, the meeting becameparticularly heated when Phil Tueke got up to speak. The Waiopehu Ward candidateand accountant was severely booed and heckled as he stood to answer a question.One woman sitting in the audience was heard to say: Who wants to listen to a Maori,anyway? They should go away and look after their own.

Levin candidate Bryan Ten Have said he also feared for his physical safety when agroup of rowers and pro-Duffy supporters insisted he remove the placard previouslypeacefully shown at a Levin meeting. Although all other dress which could be construedinsignia at meetings was banned, the rowers were allowed to wear their orange T-shirts. Police were on the verge of being called, but the meeting settled down.

Several primed participants jeered when mayoral candidate Anne Hunt mentioned

Tokomarus water. The last speaker at the final candidates meeting, Anne centred onestimated rates hikes caused by the current Councils debt; including the $4.1m dealunapproved by Council for Shannon farmland for treated human effluent disposal. Afterher speech Anne Hunt, Bryan Ten Have and Phil Tueke left immediately. It was a veryhostile meeting. There was a distinct possibility of violence, so we left quickly, shesaid.

In conclusion, Bryan Ten Have said the Ohau meeting was a turning point for voters .I felt the meeting was loaded by Brendan Duffy. But there was enough doubt so thatnobody pulled the trigger, Bryan said.

Photo from left: Miranui Ward candidates Piri-Hira Tukapua, Anne Hunt, (absent Brendan Duffy)Robbie Shaw, Bryan Vinsen and Ross Campbell settle back to answer questions at Tokomaru on8 September. The meeting chaired by Arthur Toms continued after mayor Duffy had fled the hall.

Tokomaru Meet the Candidates Meeting

7/29/2019 Steamed Up September Issue 3c

2/2

2

2

A Tokomaru resident who received a visit from incumbent cr and candidate RobbieShaw on Sunday 16 September questions political motive behind discussions aboutunder bench water filters. Doing the rounds in Tokomaru, Robbie told the woman(who didnt want to be named) there is nothing wrong with Tokomaru water. Butthey (HDC) put the boil water notice on so they could get money from Governmentfor upgrades. These remarks came in spite of qualified ESR test results and a letterfrom HDC Water Services Manager Sarah Stephen to say the water is unsafe.

Robbie Shaw then went on to discuss a single under kitchen bench water filterwhich would be available to all Tokomaru residents. He had previously said at theTokomaru Meet the Candidates Meeting these could be supplied by the HDCthrough your local Tokomaru Village and Community Association.

TVACA Minutes of 9 September state we have strong support within Council forthe filters to be undertaken once we have idea if funds are available. Possiblylook at getting the Fire brigade to help out, with installation. Steamed Up has sinceconfirmed there is no official Council support, approval or funding for the project atthis stage. Any mention of under bench filters could be seen as electioneeringorpork barrel politics. If, as he says, theres nothing wrong with the water then why isRobbie Shaw talking about getting us all under bench filters? questioned theTokomaru resident.

All fi lters arent equalUnder bench water filters will give you very pure water. But in the end theyre onlygood for a very limited supply of cold water, from only one tap. You still wont beshowering aloneyoull be sharing with some very nasty protozoa and chemicalsyou will absorb through your skin. While the best solution is obviously proper waterpurification of the main supply, the next best and very satisfactory solution is a very

fine filter in the pipefrom your toby to thehouse. Thatll supply allthe taps in your houseand garden at full flowrate.

Watch this space!

Arthur Toms

Beware Greeks bearing gifts!

(left) Letter from HDCWater Services Mgr

Sarah Stephen received

9 July 2013

Note:

Cr Robbie Shaw wasunavailable for commentat the time of going toprint.

3

3

Simply tick and stickHave your say in the Local Authority

Elections postal vote.

20 September to 12 October

A Miranui Ward meeting held at the Tokomaru Hall on Sunday 8 Septemberattracted only a few people from Tokomaru, including four members of the TVACA,but was seen as pivotal according to some of the candidates. Mayoral contendersBrendan Duffy, Anne Hunt and Piri-Hira Tukapua led the speeches, although first upand incumbent mayor Duffy instantly took to his heels following an outburst by NgatiWhakatere over the Lake Accord issue. Candidates Ross Campbell, Robbie Shawand Bryan Vinsen put their profiles to the audience. Another hot topic was the 2013Risk Management Plan for Tokomaru. This states that in the event of a death causedby contaminated water, HDCs one and only concern isadverse publicity and the perception of poor qualitywater. Anne Hunt said this is appalling, particularly as a16-month-old infant had been hospitalised that weekendwith a confirmed virus known to come from calves, human

contact and water borne contamination. Another case ofgiardia has been notified in Shannon, the town yet to tastethe benefits of upgraded town supply drinking water nowpermanently denied to Tokomaru.

Dont forget

to vote!

Tokomaru candidates meetingsmall but perfectly formed

Allegations of intimidation and physical violence have spasmodically characterisedHDC elections in the past. Former and present candidates say they have borne thebrunt of blows and humiliation, not least being Anne Hunts experience in a previouselection. We had a debate, which was already loaded one-side so that we couldntpossibly win and there was a lot of heckling. After my sides defeat, I was handed a(ready-made) bouquet of thorns and a bottle of faeces and urine, she said.Dumping her consolation prize, Anne walked calmly down the aisle and out of thebuilding.

Other candidates tell of physical assault, election photos gouged, death threatsand in one case an effigy of an older couple was made. Bryan Ten Have believesthe only way forward is to elect a new Council. There are things they dont want thepublic to know about until after the election, he said.

Here is one I prepared earlier