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Six months ago, I wrote a column about the five local referenda which defeated the attempt of five district councils to foist separate Maori wards on their districts. And about the open letter which Local Government New Zealand had written to the Government urging it to change the law so that citizens would no longer have the right to have a say on this issue. I decided to give…

Annette Lees grew up in Whakatane and now lives with her family in the Waitakere River valley, close to Bethells Beach. A wild swimming enthusiast from childhood, she has just written a book that celebrates our national obsession with water – Swim: A year of swimming outdoors in New Zealand. Annette’s book chronicles her year-long odyssey to swim every day – without a wetsuit! –…

Many of us dream of living in a tiny house. Small, compact buildings that offer an appealing way to live more sustainably, providing smart, energy-efficient housing at low cost – one solution to meeting the challenge of New Zealand’s housing shortage and the financial shackles of long-term debt. People from all walks of life are now choosing to downsize; either to reduce debt or…

Gold Bullion, Uranium, Loot… What really happened? Will we ever know? The ‘Monsun Gruppe’ Before continuing my attempt to reconstruct what I believe to be the fate of the crew of U-196 after they reached New Zealand, it might be useful to give readers an overview of the events surrounding U-196 at that time. Beginning in December 1942, the German navy had been requested to make a…

by Shelley Hedges In the first article of Simplifying the 1080 Evidence I looked at technical aspects of the scientific research, the effects on aquatic fauna particularly freshwater trout and eels, and at the 1080 concerns raised in the 2007 ERMA report. This article looks at how 1080 kills and potential impacts on human and animal food and health. Death by 1080 is an…

She’s a bouncing black and white ball of fun, with the soul of an artist but aspirations to be the next Maradona. “Our five month old border collie puppy, Davinci, loves to play soccer any chance she can get her paws on a ball - inside or outside,” say her owners, Sara and Tom. “Border collies have so much energy, they really need something to keep them amused, and Davinci's…

elocal, is 100% locally owned, unlike other publications in the area. The whole team, including owner Mykeljon live locally and buy locally, we like to support local businesses, because you support us. Every month, the team at elocal work tirelessly to bring you stories that will interest, educate and sometimes confront you about issues that our national media tend to shy away…

It's impossible to miss the massive building that houses Tuakau ITM. At 50 metres long, covering 1300 square metres, it looms large over the town. For Glenn (Podge) Graham, the third generation owner of the bulding supplies company, it's a dream come true. The new building is his baby; he conceived the design and watched it grow. “I used to sit in my old office and envisage what…

In 1963, somebody dug up evidence that man may have been in the Hawkes Bay area 4500 years ago, and instantaneously his revelation was buried. Surely not, I hear you say to yourself, if somebody unearthed indisputable evidence, wouldn’t that be enough? Surely the entire history of this country would be rewritten, wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t. Let’s learn about some scientists who…

In 1968, Murray and Pam Guy, a young couple with a bright future decided to pack up their life in Auckland and make a go of it in, what was then, a small town called Papakura and start a business. Who would have thought, that what they created would still provide the people of Papakura with a level of service, professionalism and care second to none and now run by son Michael and…

The Conveyancing Shop Lawyers walked away with two major Awards at the Westpac Auckland Business Awards this year for Excellence in Community Contribution and Excellence in Strategy and Planning. This is quite an achievement for a small family run business who were up against much larger players. Finalist in their categories included DHL Express NZ Limited, Manukau Urban Maori…

It’s probably not surprising, considering we live in one of the most isolated countries in the world, that us Kiwis love to fly the coop and travel around the world to far flung destinations and there’s nothing we love more than visiting warm climates for the summer, where we can lay on the beach, get a tan and check out the stunning views. While places like Rarotonga, Hawaii and…

New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine’s Rob Campbell passed away 17th of September 2018. Rob Campbell, to me earned his title “Rodfather Rob” due to his influential role in the formation of organised hot rodding in New Zealand. Rob was part of the small team which started the New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine in 1967 but prior to that Rob was already an avid hot rodder when hot rodding first…

While our warmest seasons are gearing up and thoughts of spending more time outdoors is on everyone’s minds, The Auckland Motorcycle Club will instead be mourning a loss on the now closed KartSport Mount Wellington. For forty years, The Auckland Motorcycle Club has been prominent figures in all aspects of motorcycling and road racing, especially Karting, Bucket and side car…

When Michael Walters' father arrived home with his son's birthday present, it wasn't just Michael who got a surprise. For his mother, Helen, it was a day she wouldn't forget in a hurry. “I'd taken Michael to school the morning of his birthday but had a call at lunchtime asking me to pick him up. He'd come down with chicken pox. “I collected Michael, picked up our other son,…

In edition 211 there is an article on medical marijuana, in the 'looking abroad' section it talks about Sweden’s choice to have a zero-tolerance policy against drugs which as stated had a backlash of drug related deaths. I am confused why you used a negative example while talking about healthy drug control and use. However, Portuguese would be a positive example of change, their…

Each year the debate intensifies as supporters and detractors line up on opposing sides of the fence. Both sides are equally passionate in their presentation of evidence, and fervent in their claims to be preserving our native wildlife. This article seeks to give a simple, easy to read explanation of the scientific evidence offered. The Department of Conservation (DoC) and…

In recent months, we have seen a rash of strikes – teachers and nurses in particular, with other sectors suggesting that they may strike also unless the people who work in those sectors get a substantial wage or salary increase. Of course, people say, that’s what you’d expect when we have a Labour- New Zealand First Coalition Government. They’re a worker-friendly government, so…

Ian Austin was born in the UK and enjoyed a high-octane career with the Hampshire Police, including serving as a tactical firearms officer and covert surveillance operative, before migrating to New Zealand in 2003. After a stint with the NZ Police, Austin turned his hand to writing and is now the author of three novels, including The Ideas Man (2011), with more in the works.…

Born to Indian parents, food writer and school nurse Ashia Ismail-Singer was raised in Malawi and the UK. Her grandparents moved from India to Malawi in the late 1940’s, when India and Pakistan were partitioned, and Ashia grew up in a large Indian community in Malawi. Aromatic, spicy, tangy and sweet . . . these are the words that describe Ashia Ismail-Singer’s earliest food…