Westland District, Hokitika

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Want to get to know your neighbours?

Check out our Know Thy Neighbour page here.

252 days ago

New Lottery, New Home ...

Heart Foundation Lotteries

For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home located in stunning Taupō, worth just over $1 million.

Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting to be loved by its new owner.

View more
For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home located in stunning Taupō, worth just over $1 million.

Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting to be loved by its new owner.

Make this property your permanent residence, a holiday home, a rental, or you can simply sell it! Get your tickets today at heartlottery.org.nz.
Buy tickets now

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252 days ago

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Team from NZ Compare

Thinking about going green this St. Paddy's?

Discover the different types of sustainable energy sources and how they combat climate change.

Don't forget to COMPARE your power bill with Power Compare - it's the easiest way to save money!

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254 days ago

Ryman residents tempted with exciting menus

Yvette Williams Retirement Village

The feel-good factor around a sumptuous meal served up professionally in the village dining room can help Ryman residents’ overall sense of wellbeing. Eating well and with pleasure will also help their health.

That is the view of Ryman’s Food Team and village Senior Lead Chefs who have been… View more
The feel-good factor around a sumptuous meal served up professionally in the village dining room can help Ryman residents’ overall sense of wellbeing. Eating well and with pleasure will also help their health.

That is the view of Ryman’s Food Team and village Senior Lead Chefs who have been planning mouth-watering recipes and food selections that will make up autumn, winter, spring, and summer menus for 2024.

Menu Development Chef Matt Orr alongside the Chefs Panel are working tirelessly to create a menu for all seasons.

Click read more for the full article.

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254 days ago

Raft of speed changes proposed for West Coast roads

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Almost every urban area on the West Coast is included in a raft of speed reduction proposals - some to as low as 30kph.

Under a newly released draft regional speed management plan for the region entire villages like Blackball and Moana will have … View more
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

Almost every urban area on the West Coast is included in a raft of speed reduction proposals - some to as low as 30kph.

Under a newly released draft regional speed management plan for the region entire villages like Blackball and Moana will have their current 50kph limit reduced to 30kph.

The Greymouth CBD is already down to 30kph.

But more of its suburban streets will drop around its school zones.

The draft proposes a wider blanket application of 30kph on more streets in the wider vicinity, rather than straight outside, the Blaketown, Cobden, John Paul II/St Patricks, Grey Main, Gremouth High School and Karoro schools sites.

This is in line with every one of the West Coast's 29 school zones being changed.

Submissions on the draft West Coast Regional Speed Management Plan have opened, with the end date being April 5.

The draft plan under the West Coast Regional Transport Committee (RTC) encompasses about 1900km of local roads controlled by the three district councils.

It also nods to the State highway network administered by the NZ Transport Agency and some roads administered by the Department of Conservation.

The draft identifies high priority local roads and high priority areas across the three districts to be part of the national Speed Management Plan.

However the timing for the draft's proposals is now uncertain following the new Government signalling its intention to change the settings of the Transport Policy Statement, including the mandatory settings for speed management, and the minister of transport having the final say.
In January the RTC decided to press ahead with public submissions anyway.

RTC chairperson Peter Ewen said today the final shape of the Government's signalled new transport policy impacting the draft's proposals is still "a $64,000 question".

However the scrapping of mandatory speed reductions from 100kph to 80kph on some State highways was a fair indication.

Ewen said the changed policy landscape is likely to be a hot topic at an upcoming meeting of South Island regional transport sector group next month.

"We've got to see what happens in the next 100 days."

The draft says 1099 people responded to a regional community transport survey from October December 2022, informing the draft plan.

Nearly 90% of the respondents considered the Road to Zero policy aim for speed reductions to be important or very important.

Respondents considered Road to Zero "as the most crucial strategic direction" compared to the options in the survey of zero carbon and emissions reductions, climate change, natural hazard resilience, and economic development.

High priority roads/areas under the proposal:
- Grey District: Blackball and Moana (30), Sumner Road at Gladstone (30).
- Westland: parts of Kumara, Arahura Pa, Hokitika, Ross and Franz Josef all down to 30.
- Buller: Kohaihai Road in Karamea (60), Little Wanganui (40), Gentle Annie (60/30), Powerhouse Road at Fairfield (60), Westport Palmerston Street (30), Omau at Cape Foulwind (60), Nile/Okari near Charleston (40/60).

It also includes speed reductions from 100kph to 20kph on three Department of Conservation controlled roads in Buller.

254 days ago

Bathroom makeover

The Team from Resene ColorShop Timaru

Bring out the best in your bathroom with a feature wall in your favourite Resene colour. Find out how to get started with our easy advice.

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254 days ago

WIN one month FREE Broadband

The Team from NZ Compare

March into savings with our epic Easter deals! SWITCH now to WIN a month of FREE broadband!

Simply switch your broadband or power plan using Broadband Compare or Power Compare by 2/4/2024 to be in to WIN!

T&Cs: www.nzcompare.com...

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255 days ago

We've got March savings for you neighbours!

Resene

Refresh your interior, get wallpapering, finish your floor, do your deck, fancy up your fence or re-stain your exterior… or you can do them all!

Bring out the best in your home with 20% off Resene premium paints, stains, wallpapers and accessories, on now at Resene ColorShops! Come in and … View more
Refresh your interior, get wallpapering, finish your floor, do your deck, fancy up your fence or re-stain your exterior… or you can do them all!

Bring out the best in your home with 20% off Resene premium paints, stains, wallpapers and accessories, on now at Resene ColorShops! Come in and visit your local Resene ColorShop for expert advice and great savings.
Find out more

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256 days ago

Think you know where NZ's biggest pothole is?

The Team Reporter from Stuff

Stuff is on the hunt for the biggest potholes in New Zealand and the list is growing. Got a local pothole doing your head in? Share it on Stuff!

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256 days ago

Council whitebait debt: ‘We’re not a benevolent society here’

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

Some of the West Coast's 650 whitebait stand holders owe the West Coast Regional Council for failing to pay their consent fees.

The matter came up as the council discussed its new policy to address non-rates aged receivable debt.

Council chairperson Peter Haddock said the combined … View more
Some of the West Coast's 650 whitebait stand holders owe the West Coast Regional Council for failing to pay their consent fees.

The matter came up as the council discussed its new policy to address non-rates aged receivable debt.

Council chairperson Peter Haddock said the combined whitebait debt more than three months old owed by standholders was unacceptable.

"We've got white-baiter debtors of $40,000-plus. I would have thought if you don't pay your licence, there is no licence.

"We're not a benevolent society here," Haddock said on March 5.

At the end of January, the council had $1.55 million in outstanding debt of more than 30 days old.

Of that, whitebait stand-holders collectively owed $44,076 of unpaid fees for 90 days or more.

This is despite whitebait stands on West Coast rivers being in hot demand and lucrative for holders in good years.

Individuals can in a good season earn tens of thousands of dollars from selling the delicacy.

Many stands have are held inter-generationally, with their right to keep it a recreational activity fiercely defended in recent years.

Council charges West Coast whitebait standholders an annual resource consent monitoring fee of $201.25.

The fees are usually invoiced in July each year.

Whitebait stand consent holders must also pay an annual administration charge of $115 for each individual whitebait stand consent file held.

Councillor Brett Cummings said whitebait and also gravel take debtors should have their privileges withheld.

"If they are not paying their gravel or whitebait fees, they should be removed."

Chief executive Darryl Lew said council was legally unable to withdraw a consent on the basis of non-payment.

However, acting consents and compliance manager Chris Barnes said it could for whitebait standholders.

Councillor Peter Ewen said the overall $1.55m debt currently owed to the council affected the financial bottom line.

He wanted to know the quantum of debt written off annually as an impact on the rates strike.

"All this reflects on our rates strike at the end of the year - our bottom line," he said.

Other overdue debtors, by more than three months at the end of January, included $91,846 for 'sundry debtors,' $133,856 for 'work order' debt, and overdue gravel compliance monitoring fees of $66,735.

Cummings said the debt backlog was unsettling.
"It's scary. You wouldn't run a business like this."

Councillor Frank Dooley said the council had to be highly active about debt collecting, although its new policy adopted in November had seen $100,887 recovered in one month.

Ewen said a significant problem for the council was payment for work funded by Government departments, which took time to flow through.

He said the 'aged debt' breakdown presented to the meeting should be itemised by sector so it was transparent who owed what.

"I would like to know what the Crown's outstanding debt is."

Lew said most of the Government agency payment debt was to do with the council's infrastructure programme via Kanoa.

Following negotiations recently it was now "proactively paying us ahead of time".

"We're not effectively bankrolling these things any more.

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257 days ago

Easter Gift Guide 2024

The Team from NZ Compare

Hop into Easter with our Gift Guide 2024! Whether you're spoiling the grandkids or surprising your closest pals, we've gathered delightful gifts to make this Easter memorable.

Explore now and find the perfect treasures to cherish the season with those you love. Don't leave it to … View more
Hop into Easter with our Gift Guide 2024! Whether you're spoiling the grandkids or surprising your closest pals, we've gathered delightful gifts to make this Easter memorable.

Explore now and find the perfect treasures to cherish the season with those you love. Don't leave it to the last minute – start shopping now from the comfort of your couch!

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262 days ago

Neighbourly Q&A: The Garden Guru

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Can't make your roses sing? Wanting to know when to start planting your broccoli? We are kicking off our Q&A series with Jo McCarroll in the hot seat answering questions on all things gardening from 9am Friday.

As well as being the author of Vege Patch From Scratch, Jo is also the … View more
Can't make your roses sing? Wanting to know when to start planting your broccoli? We are kicking off our Q&A series with Jo McCarroll in the hot seat answering questions on all things gardening from 9am Friday.

As well as being the author of Vege Patch From Scratch, Jo is also the editor of NZ Gardener magazine and has been for 15 years. She is looking forward to answering your gardening questions.

Whether you're dipping your toe in the soil or have seasoned green fingers, we welcome you to...
↓ Share your question with our gardening guru below... ↓

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261 days ago

Happy International Women's Day!

The Team from NZ Compare

Today, we celebrate the heroes living right under our roofs, who uplift and empower us every day – the wives, mums, daughters, and nans.

Take a moment to say thank you to these incredible women who shape your lives with their grace and courage.

Don't forget to use NZ Compare to … View more
Today, we celebrate the heroes living right under our roofs, who uplift and empower us every day – the wives, mums, daughters, and nans.

Take a moment to say thank you to these incredible women who shape your lives with their grace and courage.

Don't forget to use NZ Compare to brighten your household bills!

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261 days ago

Ryman Care - Your Free Guide

Yvette Williams Retirement Village

Choosing the right care centre is an important decision. To help you, we’ve put together The Ryman Care Guide to highlight the care, kindness and comfort that our care centres provide.

At Ryman villages, we offer care options customised to suit your needs. Our villages all offer rest home … View more
Choosing the right care centre is an important decision. To help you, we’ve put together The Ryman Care Guide to highlight the care, kindness and comfort that our care centres provide.

At Ryman villages, we offer care options customised to suit your needs. Our villages all offer rest home care, and most also offer hospital and specialist dementia care.

Our assisted living apartments are in the heart of the village and include services like housekeeping and chef-prepared meals to make life easier.

Discover the kindness and comfort of Ryman care, request your free copy today.

Click read more for your free guide.

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261 days ago

Laundry love

The Team from Resene ColorShop Timaru

Banish plastic and add style with painted cane and wicker baskets in your laundry in your favourite Resene colours. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.

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262 days ago

A note about community mail theft

The Team from Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast Police

Please follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
View more
Please follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
✉️ Install security cameras and/or security camera messaging near your letterbox or front of property
✉️ Where practical, consider click and collect over delivery
✉️ Send parcels to a work address or ensuring you're home when they arrive
✉️ Contact Police (111 for immediate issues or 105 if it is after the fact) if you see people loitering around vehicles or looking into car windows
✉️ Engage in neighbourhood groups so more people can keep an eye out for suspicious activity

These tips are being shared after a 44-year-old woman will appear in Pukekohe District Court on 28 March charged with theft.
An alleged mail thief in the Pukekohe area has hand-delivered herself into Police, following assistance from the community.
Counties Manukau South Senior Sergeant MJ Riddle says Police were aware of locals discussing a mail theft on social media. A report was made to Police at the time in January and had included enough detail including CCTV footage and a vehicle of interest. Following Police enquiries, the woman has brought herself into the Pukekohe Police Station a few days later.

“This is a great result for the community and a timely reminder to the public to continue reporting any thefts from letterboxes.”
Senior Sergeant Riddle says
“Our community should be able to receive parcels and mail without concern of interference but unfortunately there are people in our communities who take advantage of opportunities to commit thefts from mail boxes and front porches."

“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of dishonesty offending to report it as soon as possible,” she says."

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