We Say, You Say: Seagull Colony
What do you think should be done about the newly-settled seagull colony in Blenheim?
A colony of seagulls has caused significant disruption to business owners in Blenheim after establishing their nest on the rooftop of Richmond House in the CBD.
UFS Pharmacy Christopher Furness first noticed the noise and the excrement. “Particularly when you are upstairs, you can hear the birds scratching on the roof. The other problem is obviously the droppings all over the sides of the building, the windows, the car park... Some workers don't park their car here any more because of the birds,” Furness said.
Owners and tenants of Richmond house decided to take action two weeks ago and clean up the roof. They were forced to stop when they realised that red-billed gulls are protected by the Wildlife Act. Those involved cannot resume the process without a wildlife exemption permit.
Share your comments below and don't forget to type NFP if you don't want your comments featured in the conversations section of the Marlborough Midweek.
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
-
89.1% Yes, it's fair
-
10.2% No, it's unreasonable
-
0.7% Other - I'll share below
Smoke in Mt Wellington
Smoke has been seen coming from the crater of the Auckland maunga Mt Wellington.
Images of the smoke began appearing on social media on Friday afternoon.
Around 1.45pm, Fire and Emergency (Fenz) shift manager Josh Pennefather told the NZ Herald a crew was fighting a fire of about 60 square metres in size.
”It’s spreading up hill … [but] there’s no property at risk at this stage,” Pennefather said.
Six fire trucks were in attendance working to contain a grass fire that's spreading up the maunga.
A helicopter was on its way to assist firefighting efforts, he added.
At 2pm, Pennefather shared that the fire was contained and they were working to extinguish it, including “keeping an eye on a whole bunch of hot spots“.