No need for breakfast on Saturday because there’ll be a substantial banquet of delicious eats to tantalise the taste buds at the Howick Village Cultural Food Festival One of the Howick Village Association’s large outdoor-oriented summer events the Village comes alive on March 1 as Picton Street will be closed to traffic and well and truly open to food trucks and vendors in the street and through the Howick Village Market for people to enjoy their culinary delights all the many eateries in Howick Village will also be open offering their high-quality cuisine Howick Village Association manager Katie Treneman says the third annual Cultural Food Festival has a large and diverse programme of entertainment The main performance stage will have East FM DJ Phil Dark as the MC there are 12 displays on the programme including seven dance groups that vary from dragon lion and belly to Move Dance Group’s Moulin Rouge Wakaaranga School’s kapa haka group are also performing and a set of songs by accomplished musician Sarah van Zyl “We’re excited to be bringing you the Siva Afi fire dancers for the first time and they’re due to perform at 11am,” says Treneman “We have a dedicated family area set aside in Fencible Walk with child friendly eateries and old-fashioned games “The highlight is always the Great Goblet Race at midday down the Picton Street hill through the crowds “Let’s see if Tyler from Urban In East can retain his crown of two years He’s up for some stiff competition from some new business entrants “We’re grateful to the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs’ Development Fund and the Howick Local Board for their support of this event,” says Treneman an independently-owned publishing company based in East Auckland Keep informed with the latest breaking news Our digital papers are emailed twice month on a Thursday You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Howick's sports facilities are getting a major upgrade Thanks to Auckland Council’s Sports and Recreation Facilities Investment Fund, three local sports facilities received a total of $5,873,939 in 2024, with an additional total of $7,986,061 from the $14.3 million allocated in 2025 the Howick Pakuranga Community Sports Centre (HPCSC) serves as home to several local sports clubs it has also become the new hospitality venue for the Howick RSA To cope with growing demands for more indoor facilities the funding went towards building an expansion of their gymnasium to develop a flexible This will add two full sized courts designed to enable basketball Howick Local Board previously provided $42,000 for the initial business case PURC Chairman and HPCSC spokesperson Robert Neil expressed gratitude for the council’s support: “It’s relatively unprecedented to receive a grant of this magnitude showing that Auckland Council understands our vision to create a real community hub in East Auckland “Demand for indoor sports continues to rise yet East Auckland has a significant shortage of courts This expansion will help meet that demand.” Pakuranga United Rugby Club (PURC) to create indoor sports courts and additional facilities as part of an expanded development at Lloyd Elsmore Park Highbrook will soon host a regional watersports facility as part of the 2007 Auckland Regional Paddling and Rowing Facilities Study (ARPASS) The Local Board supported temporary facilities in 2018 and provided a $42,000 grant in 2022 for water supply A formal lease was granted in 2023 to progress the project The facility is expected to be completed in 12 months with further phases planned over five years The Highbrook Esplanade Reserve in East Tamaki will serve as the site of a new water sports facility Auckland Hockey Association Incorporated secured $350,000 for turf renewal and LED floodlight upgrades at the Lloyd Elsmore Park Hockey Stadium they received a further boost from the Recreation Facilities Investment Fund of $215,000 This will ensure that the 13-year-old turf can be replaced as it’s well past its typical lifespan of 10 years Lloyd Elsmore provides a regional and community hub for over 12,350 players For more information on eligibility and funding priorities, visit the Auckland Council website Sign up to receive our Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters. © Auckland Council 2025 All rights reserved For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please click the 'Find out more on the Auckland Council website' button. 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Sign up for our e-newsletter and be the first to know about exciting events and news. has six well-established retail and office tenancies.A trophy property in the busy East Auckland suburb of Howick is being offered to the market for sale and gives prospective purchasers the opportunity to acquire a split-risk investment with a strong tenant covenant Howick has six well-established retail and office tenancies spread across 910sq m of net lettable space The property is zoned Business – Town Centre Zone under the Auckland Unitary Plan and the landholding measures 539sq m This high-performing asset returns approximately $287,417 plus GST and operating expenses in net annual rental income The tenancies range in size from 64sq m to 363sq m a majority have leases that run well into the 2030s if all rights of renewal are taken up Howick village offers access to key arterial routes and public transport options while the area experiences high volumes of foot traffic The village continues to evolve with streetscape upgrades Panmure train station is approximately 8.7km away providing further connectivity to other areas of Auckland Colliers Brokers Logan Roach and Ben Jamieson have been exclusively appointed to market the property for sale via deadline private treaty closing at 4pm on Wednesday 14 May The tenants at the property provide a diverse mix that includes Piggy Bar tax and financial consultancy Bramwell Consultants boutique toy distributor Findlay Marketing and the stature of the property within Howick ensures continued appeal and reinforces this purchasing opportunity as one that will stand out to savvy investors “Buyers will be attracted to the steady rental stream that is underpinned by established tenants that have long-term lease agreements in place,” Roach says “All individual tenancies are popular local businesses that have CPI or market rent reviews in the future meaning there is potential built-in rental growth for the new owner.” Positioned between major commercial centres like Botany Downs and surrounded by affluent residential suburbs Howick’s local village benefits from a strong and loyal customer base and growing catchment continue to position it as a key destination for both locals and visitors in East Auckland Howick offers eye-catching natural beauty with appealing beaches and scenic coastal walkways Associate Director of Investment Sales at Colliers says properties within the Howick village are rarely traded “With limited new development opportunities within Howick’s tightly held village precinct well-positioned retail properties are becoming increasingly sought-after,” Jamieson says is expected to drive long-term value growth and capital appreciation for investors “Opportunities such as this one are seldom seen on the open market.” After weeks of going past and hearing renovation sounds we’re very excited to finally welcome Radhe back to the Village Howick has welcomed them into the new store at 65 Picton Street on April 12 with awesome opening specials and tasting platters galore feedback and comments are so positive; we are in deli and gourmet heaven The competition was for children aged five to 12 years old They needed to find the six Easter Rabbits hidden in shop windows and an exciting prize was won Uxbridge Arts and Culture ran a comprehensive Kids Holiday Programme from April 17-24 There were many workshops and full-day combo options available Its term two classes are available for booking and it offers a wide range of creative and fitness classes Keep an eye out for our Anzac Cross and Poppy display in Fencible Walk The Howick Village Association is currently considering expanding our BID zone and therefore membership to include “The Terrace’s” on the corner of Wellington Street and Fencible Drive all affected businesses and landlords will be hearing from us in the coming months as we explore the prospect of how best to serve and advocate for a broader membership base Outlet Plus (formerly Howick Trading Post) will be closing their doors at the end of May if anyone you know is interested in joining our retail community We’ve set the date for the Howick HOP and registrations are coming in We always have more cars than we can accommodate don’t leave it to the last minute and miss out Make contact and register your vehicle by emailing events@howickvillage.co.nz from our food providers including Angel Treatz For more information on what data is contained in the cookies please click the 'Find out more on the Auckland Council website' button Sign up for our e-newsletter and be the first to know about exciting events and news The idea of the Howick Returned and Services Association (RSA) using space and offices in the Howick War Memorial Building is still a possibility Howick RSA president Barry Dreyer has made a presentation to the Howick Local Board about the potential for its staff to do RSA work at the War Memorial and says he was well received The Howick RSA’s vision includes utilising the hall as a welfare centre to be used by it and other community service organisations “Our focus is to improve welfare availability in Howick,” Dreyer said “We have been at the welfare business in Howick for 92 years.” constructed in the 1950s in the Picton Street town square and known formerly as the Howick Information Centre is owned and managed by the Auckland Council At the Howick Local Board meeting on March 20 Dreyer showed the elected members details regarding bookings and the usage of the Howick War Memorial Hall obtained from the council by Official Information Request (OIA) The information Dreyer presented for a seven-week period to February 21 “The hall was well overbooked and seriously underutilised,” Dreyer told the board members “The usage is less than one day per week.” The other information Dreyer tabled for the board to consider was for bookings and usage during weekends “The hall was used 81 per cent of the time on Saturdays The Times reported last October of the Howick RSA’s then new executive committee vision for it to have a base at the Howick War Memorial Building “The hall is the most suitable Howick location for Howick RSA welfare activities,” Dreyer said “It’s after all a war memorial hall and it’s in the centre of Howick “Our generation can recreate a highly respected HRSA operation combined welfare and support shop front window to the people of Howick the elected members decided ‘the board adds to its workshop programme consideration of the evidence on the recent OIA of the Howick War Memorial Hall usage in order to consider best usage of the War Memorial Hall moving forward’ and adds the Howick RSA is “ready to move” as soon as it gets permission from the council to work at the War Memorial Building He says RSA welfare and administrative work is being done in one of its Sale Street Trust accommodation flats and that space could be freed up for a new tenant if they moved into the War Memorial because “there are a couple of other people” on its waiting list for welfare housing Dreyer said: “We see the hall as a general welfare facility for the people of our region “Used by other welfare-related organisations as well – including Howick Residents and Ratepayers Association It would be available for other non-welfare related use Wednesdays and weekends.” Dreyer also pointed out to the local board members the “downsides” our welfare assets will need to be spent in buying a property in the Howick Village precinct “This will significantly reduce the welfare support available to the community “This is not in the public interest,” Dreyer said “We look forward to concluding this important civic welfare step as soon as we can.” Students travelling to school in Flat Bush and Howick will now have safer journey options thanks to the completion of two road safety projects funded by Howick Local Board The projects were successfully completed in January - Valderama Drive in Flat Bush and Paparoa Road in Cockle Bay and create a more secure environment for school commutes “The projects aim to enhance safety by providing safer crossing points for students at Mission Heights Primary and Junior College in Flat Bush home to the local rugby league club in Cockle Bay.” The board has also emphasised how important it is to be able to fund key safety projects The improvement for Valderama Drive in Flat Bush is important because the area has developed rapidly but the transport infrastructure hasn’t kept up “What were once minor roads and intersections now serve growing communities that need them to be safe and efficient “The board is also advocating for local road enhancements and better walking and cycling infrastructure "Transport is more than just a way to get from A to B It’s the backbone of a connected community When done right it not only keeps our community safe but it unlocks opportunities for employment Summary of infrastructure installed for Valderama Drive: new raised pedestrian crossing to slow down traffic improved drainage for better stormwater control central islands to make crossings safer and shorter tactile pavers to help visually impaired pedestrians wider footpaths and pram crossings for more space new signs to warn drivers about the crossing Paparoa Road underwent similar improvements with the additional: new 6.0m raised pedestrian crossing to slow traffic and improve safety upgraded pram crossings on nearby Bledisloe Street for better accessibility Planned for delivery in February / March 2025 Michael Jones Drive planned providing speed calming for residential street Ridge Road and Picton Street planned for safer access to Stockade Hill with design improvements made in response to community feedback Approved in December 2024 for delivery in 2025 (subject to consultation) Kerrykeel Drive providing safer crossing for Ormiston Primary School Flat Bush School Road providing safer crossing for Te Uho o Te Nikau Primary School Sign up to receive our Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters Howick Local Board members recently embarked on an inspiring visit to four local Enviroschools where they saw firsthand the innovative environmental initiatives being embraced by students and staff Enviroschools is a programme that supports children and young people to plan design and implement sustainability actions Participating schools range from early childhood through to secondary school and beyond Enviroschools are a key part of the board’s Tō Tātou Taiao/Our Environmental in its local board plan This works alongside other Pest Free Howick initiatives including the annual Pest Free competition iwi-led restoration of Te Naupata/Musick Point Sustainable Schools Advisor Cate Jessep shares that the purpose of these visits is to highlight the significant outcomes of Howick Local Board's long-term support for Enviroschools in the area These visits allow the Board to see firsthand the impact of their investment in helping teachers and principals engage students in real along with new Enviroschools principals and key teachers including Pakuranga Baptist Enviro-Kindergarten Pakuranga Baptist Enviro-Kindergarten is buzzing with exciting activities From Outdoor Explorers walks to a bee water station recently explored Ohuiārangi Pigeon Mountain they have regular conversations about caring for Papatūānuku hands-on approach to environmental learning “Enviroschools in Howick have made a significant impact with over 1,000 students in the Pest Free Howick program and initiatives like the Moth Plant competition bringing the total to 33 out of 44 schools in Howick These efforts are creating a generation of leaders in sustainability with many students advancing to leadership roles in sustainable careers This is what we aim to showcase through these visits,” Cate adds Enviroschools is a nationwide programme supported by Toimata Foundation and a large network of regional partners Early childhood centres and schools commit to a long-term sustainability journey where tamariki/students connect with and explore the environment design and act in their local places in collaboration with their communities There are 1,629 enviroschools nationwide of which 343 are in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Integrating Enviroschools into school and centre life offers many benefits Economic: Fosters youth entrepreneurship and reduces waste Educational: Turns schools into learning hubs for sustainability Social and Cultural: Reduces litter and vandalism Sign up to receive our Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters this east Auckland company is shaping the future of construction and attracting international attention along the way but some of the world’s most advanced construction technology is being developed right here in our own backyard has quietly become a global leader in precision roll-forming machines – equipment that manufactures light gauge steel framing used in everything from homes and schools to resorts This Kiwi innovation has featured in some unexpected places: Behind these projects is a bigger mission: to revolutionise the way the world builds and more efficient methods that reduce waste and improve quality While over 95 per cent of Howick Ltd’s systems are exported to more than 80 countries everything is still designed and built in New Zealand has led to plans for a new facility just a short drive from the company’s original roots in Howick The new site will allow for expanded R&D and the hosting of Howick’s flagship industry event: STEEL HORIZONS STEEL HORIZONS brings together global leaders in construction innovation It’s more than a showcase – it’s a thought-leadership event that brings together industry experts and leading minds from around the world to share fresh perspectives inspire the industry and encourage more collaboration The next STEEL HORIZONS is set to be hosted right here in New Zealand So while you might not see many buildings in New Zealand framed with light gauge steel just yet Howick Ltd is driving that transformation globally and it’s doing it from right here in east Auckland It’s a local story of quiet innovation – with a global impact – and it’s only just beginning Howick Local Board staff are set to temporarily move from their office in Aylesbury Street to explore different office location options The current meeting room (which will be refurbished) used for the board’s business meetings and workshops at 7 Aylesbury Street and the public will continue to be welcome to attend public business meetings and workshops from January 2025 Staff will operate out of other council offices and utilise flexible working arrangements while a more affordable and suitable space for the local board which is expected to grow from nine to eleven members next year because of the recent representation review an office in Pakūranga has been rented for local board members and support staff Exiting this space will provide cost savings while alternative options are explored including utilising existing council-owned facilities “Anyone who has experienced the technology challenges in our meeting room will know that it’s well overdue for an upgrade This targeted investment will ensure that we’re able to conduct our meetings properly ensuring we can continue to serve our diverse community.” An announcement about the secured temporary location for the local board will be posted on the board's Facebook page we continue to be available to our community on email Staff will operate out of other council offices and utilise flexible working arrangements Local Board members will continue to meet in the existing boardroom Will the public still have access to board members you can still meet with Howick Local Board members by making an appointment so it could be at places like your local library you can easily connect with board members in a convenient setting Why is there a need to refurbish the boardroom The current technology is outdated and doesn’t meet the needs of the Board we need reliable functionality to run meetings effectively and efficiently What does ‘provide more cost-effective use of public funds’ mean Auckland Council intends to use facilities it already owns This approach means that public funds can be used to deliver services and support communities Will the board be relocating back to Pakuranga Town Centre in the future The Board will continue to meet at Pakūranga and there are no plans to leave Sign up to receive our Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters It was a memorable and fitting silence as Howickians stood quietly reflecting on what New Zealand’s courageous Defence Force personnel have done in the line of military service for this nation over more than a century The respectful moment was just after Howick RSA president Barry Dreyer had recited the Ode of Remembrance at the cenotaph on Stockade Hill and before Matthew Verrill there was a stilled hush in the crisp morning air not a sound from the few thousand people gathered for Howick’s ANZAC Day dawn service at 6am Australia and the United Kingdom fluttered in the gentle easterly breeze After the veterans and present Defence Force personnel marched onto the stockade in time with the beating drum – the only thing that could be heard along with marching feet – Dreyer made his opening address and this year marks 80 years since the end of World War II and Dreyer told the crowd that every dawn service since 1916 “has followed the same procedure” The history of the dawn service “was developed for next of kin to replicate a burial in the [battle] field” of services’ people who had died in war conflicts and in the line of duty Dreyer also recounted the history of ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) its origins from the ill-fated April 1915 World War I British-led campaign at Gallipoli on land “about the size of the Bucklands Beach Peninsula” where New Zealand suffered “80 per cent battle casualties” to the brave men who landed on those Mediterranean beaches and were met with fierce resistance from the equally courageous Ottomans also referenced the other participant nations whose troops also fought at Gallipoli alongside the British – Australia A highlight of this morning’s dawn service was the confident and detailed speech made by Kaesar Wu the young year 8 student of Bucklands Beach Intermediate School and winner of this year’s Howick RSA ANZAC Day essay/poetry competition Kaesar spoke of ANZAC soldiers’ bravery entering a theatre of war that they knew “every step might be your last” and that the ANZAC spirit is defined by “bravery perseverance and selflessness” as “their resolve never wavered” also talked of two former Howick men who had served and lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars respectively – Ernest Caddigan and Lynden Brassey whose names are on the plaques on the cenotaph wreaths were laid on the cenotaph by Dreyer and Howick Local Board chair Damian Light prayers were led by Reverend Raniera Bassett Howick RSA executive committee member and veteran Dean Clisby fittingly read the ANZAC Day dedication: Anzac received its baptism of fire and became one of the immortal names in history think of the comrades who went out with us to battle but did not return “Let us therefore once more dedicate ourselves to the service of the ideals for which they died “As the dawn is now about to pierce the night so let their memory inspire us to work the coming of the new light into the dark places of the world To which the Howick crowd replied: “We will remember them.” If people are unfamiliar with Cockle Bay Beach Reserve or they’re due to rediscover its beautiful tranquil environment they can attend a special community day there this Sunday The public is invited to the Cockle Bay Discovery Day at the beach reserve from 11am on May 4 staged by the Cockle Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association in conjunction with the Howick Local Board There is to be a special unveiling of signage relating to the Windross Walkways Loop at 11am with local board chair Damian Light and motivated Cockle Bay local Barry Wood Guided walks of the Windross Walkways Loop and the Cockle Bay Discovery Trail will be held award-winning children’s music creator Claudia Robin Gunn is to entertain and the Lions Club of Howick on sausage sizzle duties The Cockle Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association says Discovery Day is an acknowledgement of the work undertaken by the Cockle Bay Beach Reserve Planting and Restoration Project “It began in 2020 when a group of dedicated volunteers led by Barry Wood of Cockle Bay Beach carried out work on Cockle Bay Domain and decided to turn their attention to restoration work on the Cockle Bay Beach Walkways “With Cockle Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association involvement and successful funding applications to the Howick Local Board the volunteer group has carried out a coordinated and ongoing programme of invasive pest plant removal and maintenance such as mulching and spot weeding “The transformation has been remarkable due in no small part to more than 1470 of documented volunteer hours spent on the project to date,” says the association “More and more people are using these walkways and importantly the work carried out has also inspired some local residents to learn more and appreciate the benefits of the shared landscape we can all enjoy and it’s not uncommon to experience the sound of kereru birds through the Windross Walkway “The group is particularly fond of employing found materials such as the massive bamboo poles it has to hand to create protective edging along parts of the walkway and make interesting focal points “There is certainly a noticeable rhythm on the Windross Walkway “The Paa Fosse Walkway has also been replanted with a newly established fernery that was once overrun with agapanthus and ladder fern a rock wall revealed which has now a beautiful native fuchsia trailing over it “These plantings are revelling in their environment with the restoration team marvelling at the results and often remarking to one another how ‘it’s often hard to remember what it was like before all this started’.” Two male thieves are understood to have stolen tobacco products and what’s believed to be an amount of cash from the BP fuel station on Ridge Road in Howick this morning The Times visited the popular service station this Saturday afternoon and staff were friendly but reluctant to talk in detail about the incident because it happened on a morning shift that other colleagues had been working on The BP Ridge Road was open for business and trading as usual on Saturday afternoon with people coming and going making their purchases Some customers asked how the staff were and offered their sympathies for what had happened earlier in the day before sunrise Counties Manukau Police have told the Times: “Police are making enquiries following a report of a robbery at a commercial premises on Ridge Road Howick They add: “Enquiries are underway to determine the circumstances of the incident and to locate the offender.” BP Ridge Road staff told the Times on Saturday afternoon that two thieves were involved in the incident It’s understood they opened the locked tobacco cabinet and emptied it of its contents The Times has attempted to contact the owners of the business and is awaiting a response I’ve been in education as a teacher for 35 years which was quite an experience for a state schoolboy from Papanui High School It just happened to be the only history teacher job in the country at that point I moved to Whanganui High School as a head of faculty after five years at Collegiate and then to deputy headmaster at Westlake Boys High School and then have been a principal for the past 18 years at three New Zealand schools This time includes a stint in Melbourne establishing a new senior college from scratch I trained in Christchurch at Canterbury University and the Christchurch College of Education When did you become principal at Howick College What’s the best thing about being an educator and principal I got into teaching to make a difference to young people based on my own experiences I was lucky to have been taught by my mostly hardworking teachers who wanted to make a positive difference had high expectations and while they were friendly the thing I enjoy the most is when your efforts as a teacher result in learning happening in the classroom The look in a student’s eye or the expression on their face when they “get it” is worth all the hard work to get them there Of all the roles in a school the classroom teacher is the most important In education good teachers get promoted out of the classroom into offices as heads of faculty and then senior leaders I’ve not changed my main driver to make a difference These days as a principal I enjoy working with other adults to get school-wide improvements the joy of making a difference is still there it’s just on a larger scale and to achieve this you need a team of adults on the same page working together and going in the same direction This is a lot more complicated than doing what I did as a teacher and sports coach when I just had my students or football team to work with Because as in any organisation not everyone gets on board right away and change takes time as I’ve experienced in every school I’ve led it’s a great feeling to see the difference it can make across an entire school In my experience most New Zealand secondary schools have about 75 per cent of things that are the same location and teacher expectations are those things that involve the type of culture that exists at the school Howick College therefore is very similar to many New Zealand schools What’s special about it is that for a large school – 2300 students – it has a small school feel about it This is helped by its location close to the Howick Village and coast It has a positive feeling where students are happy and feel known It’s also a college that has a very diverse cohort of students While it’s not particularly multicultural there are many cultures and students with a wide range of abilities The special thing about this is how well all students’ needs are met no matter ability level or interest We do not have deficit thinking and have high expectations for all of our students regardless of backgrounds What improvements would you like to see in the education and school management sector the absence of any long-term plan in the education sector that’s established by people that actually understand each sector of education and don’t come with a political agenda would be really useful The last three governments have caused huge upheaval in secondary schools with their political agendas The previous government under Jacinda Ardern took us way too left and now we’re in a period of adjustment Keeping politicians and politics out of education would be a big step forward Secondary education is not that difficult to manage The removal of political agenda from our schools would make them so much easier to lead A long-term plan that we established and stuck to would mean that education would be off the political agenda and focussed onto what’s the most pressing problem in the sector – teacher recruitment Part of any long-term plan would be in my opinion a revisit to the Bali Haque-led review of Tomorrows Schools Many aspects of the David Lange-led Labour government’s reforms in the late 1980s have now gone well past their used by date The previous government had a chance to do what Labour governments always do and make sweeping generational and impactful reforms They opted out and instead chose changing the curriculum and NCEA both of which have been completely botched by very poor change management processes and particularly flawed thinking in the curriculum changes Political agendas also played their part in its failure the media should stop using the mistakes of teenagers at school as “click bait” and either start reporting the great and positive news that schools have or stay away completely How is the relationship between Howick College and its local community Howick College has always enjoyed a good relationship with its local community there are still some legacy issues we’re working very hard to change Our community has made it clear to us that they expect more in terms of better student behaviour Successive parent surveys have indicated very positive progress and we’re well on the way to meeting our community’s high expectations Our in-zone roll for this year is at a record high This is always a good indication of community satisfaction Other indicators we use internally are reporting back to us the same positive news businesses and community groups to foster strong relations Community development officer Kate Pike is leading the work of increased collaboration with our local community We work with all the local contributing schools in the communities of learning groups we belong to The seamless nature of the transition from year 8 into year 9 is testimony to the strength of these relationships What other suggestions have you for the education sector all government agencies and teacher unions need to review themselves to work out exactly what their purpose is and stick These would include the Ministry of Education and Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) should be solely focussed on the remuneration and working conditions of teachers not all the side issues they get involved in students with learning differences need more school-based support better training and significantly better remuneration I would suggest pay for all their university fees and then bond them for three years Howick Village is the place to be this Saturday for enthusiasts and collectors of vinyl records and other music products and memorabilia The next East FM Vinyl Fair is staged in the Howick Information Centre / War Memorial Building at the town square where the Howick Village Market is held Friendly vinyl record traders are coming from miles around to make available their excellent selections so the choice of 33rpm and 45rpm records for buyers will be extensive Buyers are advised that East FM has no EFTPOS facility at the venue though some traders have their own machines so it’s suggested that using cash is the way to make purchases Items on offer will be vinyl records – new and second-hand East FM Budget Breakfast show host Tony King will be broadcasting live from the East FM Vinyl Sale from 8am, on local east Auckland frequencies 88.1FM and 107.1FM, at www.eastfm.nz and the station is on the iHeart Radio app What a wonderful weekend to be living in east Auckland The Cultural Food Festival is on in the Village this Saturday with the Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show on Sunday at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga Picton Street will be closed on Saturday for our Cultural Food Festival event We’re really excited to be bringing you fire dancers for the first time this year and they’re due to perform at 11am We have a dedicated family area set aside in Fencible Walk with child-friendly eateries and old-fashioned games The highlight has always been the Great Goblet race at 12pm down the hill through the crowds Let’s see if Tyler from Urban in East can retain his crown of two years – he’s up for some stiff competition from new business entrants from 8.30am-2.30pm in the War Memorial Building did you know that Unichem and Life Pharmacy offer a free app receive reminders for when to take medications and manage the medications of others you care for We can’t wait to let you know who’s moving into what was the Vanilla premises at 65 Picton Street The fit-out is progressing well and we’ll have an exciting announcement for you shortly We’ve also been advised the premises at 60 Picton Street (formerly Tremor Audio) has been leased – more detail to follow We’re aware of prime premises on Picton Street If anyone’s interested in this opportunity There’s something about gleaming high-revving autos the best live music to get everyone dancing and the scent of great tasting food that always attracts east Aucklanders They can’t resist a hot-rod and classic car and rock n’ roll street festival This Saturday’s Howick HOP is sure to draw a sea of people again to Howick Village where all the shops and hospitality venues will be open and the Howick Village Market doing its usual roaring trade The Howick HOP has become in a few short years one of the biggest annual one-day events in east Auckland the Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show and the Christmas Fair and Christmas Tree Lighting “The interest in our HOP 2024 has been immense and we’re at full capacity for display vehicles,” says the Howick Village Association (HVA) muscle and hot-rod motors start rolling into position on Picton Street from 8am They have to be parked by 9am when Picton Street is closed at both ends so people can wander in the street and marvel at the dazzling displays “Coastguard Howick has kindly offered to assist with marshalling and parking,” says the HVA There are award categories for the displaying vehicles – Best in Show with those prizes presented at the main stage at 2pm One of Aotearoa’s best Elvis Presley tribute artists Johnny Angel – the Pacific Elvis – is MCing the main performance stage “We hope you enjoy the fresh range of entertainment we’re providing,” says the HVA “Howick Village offers an amazing and eclectic array of eateries and cafes as well as over 100 owner-operated retail stores “Take time to wander the Village and enjoy our hospitality.” main stage performers include Foxtail Rumble Band east Auckland’s dedicated volunteer-powered community radio station will also be broadcasting live from its caravan in Picton Street In the Howick War Memorial building (Information Centre) Howick College students are displaying artworks they created of the pristine vehicles that paraded at last year’s HOP Trade stands for the event’s sponsors will be in view and the Times team will be there too handing out copies of our latest print edition says he’ll have a parking spot filled up with tyres and specials Planning is well under way for the Cultural Food Festival on Saturday we have many international food trucks coming and Picton Street will be closed to vehicle traffic We have an exciting range of dancers and entertainment At 12pm the very popular Great Goblet Race will take place Our local hospitality businesses will go head-to-head racing down Picton Street to get to the finish line first without spilling their drinks the Good Home is holding its annual SPCA fundraiser East FM will have their Vinyl Sale in the War Memorial Hall Tuesday quiz night is back every Tuesday at The Prospect at 7.30pm The Barrel Inn has started its weekly Wednesday Quiz Nights so call 09 535 5540 to book did you know you can have the tamper-proof screws installed on your car number plate This service is available at the Howick Police Station car park at 76 Cook Street on Mondays and Thursdays between 8am and 3.30pm It costs $5 and payment is by cash only with donations going to Howick Pakuranga Community Patrol If anyone’s looking for co-working space, Alxemy House is in the heart of Howick and has smart, functional business space with meeting facilities, dedicated office spaces with flexible options as well. Go online to https://www.alxemyhouse.co.nz We’re very grateful to the Howick Local Board for assisting with the funding for our 2024 Christmas Fair and for supporting our Cultural Food Festival It’s all been happening over the past month at east Auckland’s busy Howick Club as its thousands of members celebrate its 40th anniversary The then-Governor-General Sir Paul Reeves cut the ribbon to officially open the club at a ceremony in 1985 “We’ve grown hugely over the years from the beginning,” club president Dawn Mills says “It was very difficult getting enough people together to form a charter club “That was all done by many of our long-term people They found and bought the land and decided some form of meeting place was required in Howick.” General manager Steve Flint adds: “They wanted it to be family-based and that’s something we’ve stuck with since then “We’re a place families can come to and we do loads of stuff for kids “On Sundays during winter we do kids’ discos and get 150 to 200 kids with their families and we put a DJ on for them and they dance away “We also do a laser light show which is absolutely amazing.” Since those early days the club has become one of the community’s key social hubs offering everything from line dancing to buffet meals Several well-attended functions were on the club’s calendar as part of its bustling anniversary celebrations Among them was a live concert by The Monroes giving members the chance to try out the full range of activities offered by its various sub-sections For members aged over 18 there was also wine tasting Flint says a recent raffle and silent auction of 35 teddy bears donated by a member raised about $500 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities which supports sick children and their families Each Christmas the club also gives away presents to hundreds of children It costs $250 to join the club as a full member and then about $100 a year after that which is a partner of full member and who doesn’t have to pay a joining fee,” he says “It’s half a sub so it would cost them $50 a year “And then we have youth members and senior members.” winners of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships held in Christchurch It’ll be remembered as one of the most dramatic finishes the National Secondary Schools Netball Championship has ever seen.. With just over two minutes to play on the main court of the Christchurch Netball Centre, Howick College led Avondale College 33-32 – that’s when their inspirational captain Avah Sila was sin-binned for dangerous play. “I was just like, ‘Oh, s***!’” says Howick coach Adelita Sotutu with a chuckle. “I looked at the clock – two minutes and 14 seconds. I was thinking, how are we going to do this?” Avondale pounced on the numerical advantage straight away, squaring the match with the following possession before going ahead 34-33. But Howick dug deep as their captain looked on from the sideline, somehow finding a way to get back in front with 60 seconds on the clock. “Today’s word was ‘together’, and those girls had her back, you know? It was a big call by the umpires to send her off, but I’ll just go back to our word was ‘together’, and they did it together,” a beaming Sotutu said. The final minute was chaos. Howick, clinging on to possession, moved the ball from mid-court to the backcourt and then all the way up to the shooting circle in a time-consuming zigzag. With time almost up they turned the ball over – giving Avondale a sniff at tying the game. It wasn’t to be. A wayward pass ended the match with Howick in front and Avah Sila in tears – the good kind. “She just jumped on her team and she was bawling. I just gave her a big hug,” said Sotutu. There were tears on the Avondale bench, too. The heartbreak of being so close to glory is painfully familiar for Rachel Rasmussen’s side in 2024. “Yeah, someone was just saying, ‘damn it, they got a clean sweep’. We thought we might be third time lucky, but it wasn’t to be,” said Rasmussen. The Howick vs Avondale trilogy began with the Auckland final (following a 38-all draw in the regular season), with Howick winning 40-37. Last month they met in the final of the Upper North Island tournament, Howick again emerging victorious – by the slimmest of margins, 40-39. Part three had the same result but Rasmussen reminded her group they had still had an incredible year. “My only thing to them was that as long as they can come off the court saying they gave it their all - that’s all I can ask for. So yeah, really proud of them and it’s okay to hurt. It’s a good learning,” said Rasmussen. Featuring seven girls from the 2024 New Zealand Secondary Schools squad, the final promised quality and it delivered so much more. “It was an awesome game. Both teams played beautifully, and that’s all you want,” said Rasmussen. That Avondale made the final at all is thanks to an inspired performance by Tawa College against Westlake Girls’ High School on the penultimate day. Westlake were in pole position for a final spot, having upset Avondale in the group phase 35-34. Even a bonus-point loss would’ve put Westlake through – but Tawa weren’t having it. A first-quarter blitz led to a commanding 47-32 victory. At the same time that was playing out, Avondale were dishing out a lesson of their own in a must-win match against a very capable St Mary’s College (Wellington). Rasmussen urged her girls to focus on their court and not the all-important Westlake game being played two courts behind them. By the time her team had their match in the bag, she was also peering over her shoulder, eventually allowing a smile. Howick had breezed through the opening rounds of the tournament without raising a sweat – but the beads were gathering as they entered the final quarter of their second-round match with St Kentigern College. Trailing late, Howick hit overdrive with a run of six straight goals turning a two-goal deficit into a three-goal win. That may have provided the scare they needed to banish any thought of complacency. Howick followed that win with a 38-21 thumping of South Island champions St Margaret’s College, before crushing Christchurch Girls’ High School 43-19. Leading into the final, Howick’s defence was conceding an average of just 23 goals per game. By comparison, Avondale’s defensive end was giving up 32 goals per game. The sides have distinctly different styles - as do their respective coaches. Sotutu admits she’s a bundle of nerves. “I think I don’t think my bottom stays still in that chair and my legs are flying. I’m off. Like every time that our goal shoot’s shooting, I’m going ‘push’, like I’m playing the game with them from the side,” Sotutu said jokingly. “I’m pretty intense. I love to get amongst it. But like I said to the girls, you know, my passion is for them to play some good netball, and I probably portrayed that a little bit on the sideline, and I’ve got the sweats from it!” said Rasmussen with a smile, before revealing how deep her connection is to her team. “Some of these girls that are leaving are some of my Year 9s that I’ve looked after since they came into college, and they’re moving on to the big world. Including my daughter [Avondale’s goal shoot and captain, Priscilla].” The two coaches embraced after the final whistle after a season of intense competition, agreeing on something any spectator at the final would also endorse. “We just spoke about how amazing our teams were, what amazing talent netball has within our country,” said Rasmussen. Mike Thorpe is a senior multimedia journalist for the Herald, based in Christchurch. He has been a broadcast journalist across television and radio for 20 years and joined the Herald in August 2024. Players and coaches assured of competition - but no broadcast deal yet. Yuletide season is officially underway today in east Auckland with the annual shopping and entertainment extravaganza the Christmas Fair in Howick Village. The Howick Local Board’s event, the switching-on of the Christmas Lights on the tree at Stockade Hill, also happens this evening from 6-9pm, Friday, November 15. Special in-store Christmas sales promotions start as soon as the shops “open from 9am and continue throughout the day”, says the Howick Village Association (HVA). Formerly known as Midnight Madness, the Howick Village Christmas Fair is recognised as an ideal opportunity for people to get their Christmas shopping started. As well as all the retail deals and culinary delights on offer at the village’s many hospitality venues, cafes and eateries, the Christmas Fair is known for its excellent selection of outdoor entertainment. That all runs from 5.30pm to 9.30pm on the main stage at the intersection of Uxbridge Road and Picton Street, with PA speakers playing the music and entertainment along the street. The HVA says “a large number of community information stands will also be joining us”. They include Cockle Bay Residents and Ratepayers Association, Pest Free Howick, Howick Coastguard, Times Media, Manna Manukau, the Rotary Club of Howick, New Zealand Fire and Emergency, the Inner Wheel Club of Howick who’ll be selling Christmas puddings, the Lions Club of Howick who’ll be selling Christmas cakes, Howick Pakuranga Community Patrol, and the Polish Heritage Museum. “The wonderful Manukau Concert Band and Pakuranga Choral Society will be performing Christmas music and carols, and there’ll also be performances from singer-songwriter Sarah Van Zyl, Uxbridge’s Zumba Gold, Howick Line Dancers, and our own Auckland Guitar School,” says the HVA. MC for the Christmas Fair is East FM’s Phil Dark, while saxophonist Bruce French will be playing outside 101 Home on Cook Street. “Children’s entertainment in Fencible Park includes a Ferris wheel and laughing clown trailer, while there’ll be train rides in the Moore Street area, and the Howick Brass Band performs in the park area,” says the HVA. “The teams from the Polish Heritage Museum and Saint Kentigern College’s Pipe Band will be roaming during the event. “Our Lady Star of the Sea Church Youth will be providing face-painting for the children outside the church in Picton Street near the New Zealand Fire and Emergency fire truck.” Event information and first aid paramedics will be situated in the area outside The Good Home / Prospect of Howick, while the East FM broadcast caravan is the official “lost children” point outside Wild Wheat next to Fencible Park. “The Auckland Food Truck Collective will also be engaging a number of varied food vendors for the length of Picton Street and providing tables and chairs for our community,’ says the HVA. “And of course our iconic Howick Village Markets will be in full swing.” The Times is published by Times Media, an independently-owned publishing company based in East Auckland, founded in 1972. Keep informed with the latest breaking news, sports, events & competitions. Our digital papers are emailed twice month on a Thursday. Photos supplied by Howick Photographic Society Emergency services were called to the scene near the intersection with Cook and Picton streets just before 6.30pm, police said. The sole occupant of the vehicle was critically injured in the crash. Their death was confirmed by police today. The serious crash unit was called to the scene. Police are making enquiries on behalf of the coroner. A car collided into a building in the Auckland suburb of Howick. (Source: 1News) A person has died after a car collided with a building in the Auckland suburb of Howick last night. Bystanders prevent attempted abduction of Auckland primary student Police said they were investigating the incident which occurred outside Rowandale School in the suburb of Manurewa at around 3pm on Monday Crime and Justice Homicide investigation after man dies in Auckland's Manurewa Emergency services were called to the property on Mahia Rd just before 10am to a report of a man "seriously injured" Blaze at McDonald's in east Auckland treated as suspected arson Counties Manukau CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Michele Gillespie said a scene guard has been in place at the restaurant overnight Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning New Zealand 'Wake up call': Businesses warned over lithium battery fires Authorities urge the public to avoid putting lithium batteries in the rubbish or recycling but have also told merchants to "take responsibility for disposal" Sheep killed more euthanised after stock truck rolls in Southland Police were called to the single-vehicle crash on Tokanui Gorge Rd Highway near Fortrose at around 7.45am on Monday Sullivan's four-try onslaught highlights Chiefs' vulnerabilities 20 mins ago Watch question time live as Parliament resumes after recess 30 mins ago Bystanders prevent attempted abduction of Auckland primary student 41 mins ago Homicide investigation after man dies in Auckland's Manurewa 49 mins ago Vandals in 4WDs mow down, destroy 38 pōhutukawa trees in Napier 1:14pm DOC apologises after non-toxic pellets spark warning at Nelson sandflats 4 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Kiwi motorcyclist killed in 11-bike British Supersport crash Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala Erica Stanford concedes use of personal email 'untidy' Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansSun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon A person has died after a car collided with a building in the Auckland suburb of Howick last night Emergency services were called to the scene near the intersection with Cook and Picton streets just before 6.30pm The sole occupant of the vehicle was critically injured in the crash The serious crash unit was called to the scene Police are making enquiries on behalf of the coroner Police say a fire at a McDonald's restaurant in Pakuranga is being investigated as a suspected arson Emergency services attended the fire on Pakuranga Rd just before 3pm yesterday Large plumes of smoke could be seen and explosions heard at the fast food restaurant which has "sustained significant fire damage as a result" "At this point in time we are treating this fire as a suspected arson "A scene examination is being conducted this morning and police will work alongside a fire investigator," she said Gillespie said part of these inquiries would be working to understand how the fire began She said police would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity prior to the fire Anyone with information was urged to contact police online or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning The single vehicle crash was reported to police shortly before 5am the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene," a police spokesperson said "Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted and police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear "We appreciate motorists' understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work." Police said the serious crash unit examined the scene this morning and an investigation was underway into this morning's crash on behalf of the Coroner This is in addition to an earlier crash on Auckland's northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency services responded to a two-truck collision on the northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge shortly after 5am New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said all lanes south on State Highway 1 were open again following this earlier crash with five lanes available on the Harbour Bridge "Allow extra time for delays on the Northern Motorway to slowly ease this morning three lanes going south were now open again between Onewa Rd and the Harbour Bridge," NZTA said A string of fires linked to highly combustible lithium-ion batteries has been deemed a "wake-up call" for waste businesses by Auckland officials with the public facing exposure to toxic smoke from repeat blazes Auckland Council is urging "industry vigilance" around the problem after a scrap metal company was fined $30,000 over a 2023 fire that released toxic smoke near Ōtāhuhu A fire at a recycling plant near Glenfield last month was also initially linked to lithium batteries although investigators were continuing to probe the blaze Auckland Council compliance field operations manager David Pawson emphasised "the importance of remaining vigilant despite the novelty of the issue" Authorities urged the public to avoid putting lithium batteries in the rubbish or recycling The batteries were inside most portable electronic devices Pawson said in a statement: "We recognise this is a new issue and we’re all finding our way with lithium-ion batteries and those handling them "But businesses still need to take responsibility for their disposal — this is their business Emergency alerts were issued to tens of thousands on Auckland's North Shore last month after the largest fire "for a few years" broke out at an Abilities Group recycling plant Residents were urged to close windows to avoid fumes and some beaches were closed due to chemicals released into waterways Takapuna fire station officer Steven Callagher said there were reports that flames broke out in the area of the facility where batteries were recycled and an official cause had not been determined Other recent battery-linked fires have broken out in rubbish trucks in Auckland caused by the ignition of a lithium-ion battery within a large scrap metal stockpile highlighted a "growing national and international issue surrounding battery disposal and fire risk," according to Auckland Council recognised the unique challenges posed by lithium-ion batteries He noted: "There has been considerable difficulty in finding a technical solution to the problems with batteries catching on fire "This is not only a national problem but an international one; these orders form a workaround solution until more technical solutions The judge described the situation as “a new and emerging issue" While acknowledging Sims Metal’s cooperation and the absence of intentional wrongdoing reduced from an initial starting point of $50,000 The enforcement orders issued require Sims Metal to implement several improvements at the James Fletcher Drive site in Favona "The orders are registered with the Environment Court and will remain in place unless superseded by conditions with a new resource consent," the council said Pawson said the council viewed the 2023 case as an "important precedent in balancing empathy for emerging challenges with the necessity of regulatory compliance "It also highlights the importance of proactive risk management and industry-wide collaboration to adapt to evolving environmental risks." A Sims Metal spokesperson said: "Following the May 2023 fire at our Favona facility we have implemented more stringent control measures to support the ongoing management of potentially concealed materials like lithium-ion batteries "We are grateful to the communities and businesses in and around Ōtāhuhu We want to reiterate our appreciation to FENZ and all those who acted diligently to extinguish the May 2023 fire safely and continue to refine and improve our processes." Sheep have been killed and others have had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled in Southland this morning The road was completely blocked and expected to be closed for sometime while the scene was cleared however the road is completely blocked," a police spokesperson said Southland District Council confirmed some animals were killed in the crash while others had to be euthanised due to injuries Fire and Emergency responded with crews from Waimahaka It's the second incident of sheep being killed after a stock truck rolled in Southland in a little over a week A small number of lambs had to be euthanised after a stock truck rolled near Balclutha on April 27 The Chiefs are putting their faith in first-five Damian McKenzie recovering from a hand injury in time to play the Crusaders in what is a pivotal game in Christchurch on Saturday But just as important to the Super Rugby Pacific leaders will be improving a defence which leaked 26 unanswered points in the second half of their 35-17 defeat to the Hurricanes It was an uncharacteristic defensive lapse by a usually highly consistent side who retained their place at the top of the table thanks to their superior points differential compared with the Crusaders the Chiefs face Moana Pasifika in Hamilton and the Highlanders in Dunedin in the run in to the playoffs – games very much in the winnable category although the former have surprised a few this season The Crusaders’ run-in features the Waratahs in Sydney the Highlanders in Christchurch and a potentially difficult trip to Canberra to play the third-placed Brumbies Every team has looked vulnerable at times this season The Crusaders’ two losses came against the Chiefs in Hamilton and a shock defeat to Moana Pasifika — both heavy although they did escape a Hurricanes’ comeback in Wellington in round nine They also needed two James O’Connor penalties in the final 10 minutes to beat the Blues a week later But the Chiefs’ downfall at the weekend was as unexpected as it was spectacular after they led 17-9 at the break Replacement wing Bailyn Sullivan made history when scoring all four of the Hurricanes’ tries after the break as the home side too easily unlocked the Chiefs’ defence via a long pass a break through Cortez Ratima and Shaun Stevenson close to the line an excellent wide cross-kick by Ruben Love and a shorter grubber kick by Riley Higgins Getting McKenzie back on the field after he missed the last two weekends for the Chiefs will be important for their game management but a Crusaders attack that ran in six tries against the Highlanders last time out will threaten them in different ways the Crusaders may be without All Black Will Jordan Jordan has played in all 10 Crusaders matches this season and head coach Rob Penney has been guarded about Jordan's rest plan of his All Blacks No.10 McKenzie: “Everything's tracking in the direction that he should be available but we won't count our chickens before they hatch.” the defending champion Blues must win in Suva against the Drua to force their way back into the playoffs mix after being overtaken for the sixth and final spot by Moana Pasifika Moana Pasifika beat the Highlanders 34-29 in Dunedin – their first win over the southerners in another Ardie Savea-inspired performance Vandals in four-wheel drives have mown down 38 pōhutukawa trees on Napier’s Marine Parade The damage was done overnight on Saturday after the vandals first removed new vehicle barriers in front of the trees She said the council was concerned at the behaviour and said an early estimate to replace the damage came to $20,000 "These trees were planted for our community by the Rotary Club as a gift over the past five years," Wise said "There are lots of community groups who work alongside us to make sure Napier has places and spaces that are beautiful and welcoming and Rotary is a key partner in projects like this one "It is heartbreaking to see community resources time and energy treated in this way," she said "The damage was done by people in 4WD vehicles after removing the vehicle barriers and driving over the trees Our parks' team is looking closely at the cost to replace them and at how to ensure the trees are kept safe." recently erected along Marine Parade to keep vehicles off the beach but there was no evidence to suggest the vandalism was related to that to be installed from the National Aquarium of NZ to the Pump Track were to prevent vehicles from tearing up the grass and destroying trees fishermen profiled in a Hawke’s Bay Today article last week said it was a case of blocking their access to prevent "idiots" "It’s not going to stop the idiots doing the damage," one noted Napier City Council has reported the incident to police Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air The Department of Conservation has apologised to Nelson City Council and members of the public after non-toxic pellets left behind following a drone trial sparked concern among residents who believed them to be poisonous The incident unfolded following a drone-based experiment conducted last week at the Wakapuaka sandflats located northeast of Nelson DOC terrestrial biodiversity director Hilary Aikman said the trial was part of an ongoing study to test the effectiveness of aerial detection methods "They used non-toxic pellets for this research dyed blue to make them easier to see," she said a drone was used to photograph the area where the pellets lay leading to a member of the public walking their dog reporting them to Nelson City Council on Monday The council issued a warning shortly before 3pm yesterday that green or blue poisonous pellets which were "highly toxic" to animals and humans had been located in the area "There is no indication of how they got there and the matter has been reported to the police," said community services group manager Andrew White in a statement to 1News last night once DOC had clarified the origin and nature of the pellets the council said this morning that the issue had been resolved "The area is safe for recreational users and dog walkers." Aikman said DOC would like to apologise to Nelson City Council and members of the public "We acknowledge the non-toxic pellets should have been removed on the day of the trial and we made an error in judgement by leaving them there." The team would remove any pellets remaining in the area today Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate The government is making it harder to make a claim for pay equity that will cut costs There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and resthome workers Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden announced the moves to raise the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued to support a claim on Tuesday saying changes back in 2020 had created problems "Claims have been able to progress without strong evidence of undervaluation and there have been very broad claims where it is difficult to tell whether differences in pay are due to sex-based discrimination or other factors." Claims were concentrated in the public sector with costs to the Crown of all settlements so far totalling $1.78 billion a year "The changes I am proposing will significantly reduce costs to the Crown," she said "The changes will discontinue current pay equity claims." Van Velden told Midday Report she believes in pay equity but the current thresholds were "a bit too loose" Asked how she ensure women were not hurt by this the minister said "I'm a woman and I support women who work" "I also support removing gender based discriminations from our workforces but what I don't support are muddied laws and unclear laws," she said "So these changes are better for all women who are working where we can genuinely say hand on heart that what they are finding with their claims is genuine gender based discrimination." Van Velden told reporters at Parliament any current claims would be stopped and need to restart under the new threshold to show "genuine" gender discrimination and make sure the comparators were right She gave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped as the legislation was put through under urgency "You have librarians who've been comparing themselves to transport engineers We have admin and clerical staff at Health New Zealand comparing themselves to mechanical engineers." Social workers had compared themselves to air traffic controllers "We don't believe we have that setting right." Any comparison would now be between female employees and male employees at the same employer "But you cannot go fishing for discrimination across the New Zealand workforce." All current settled claims would continue but the government was drawing "a line in the sand" "We're not stopping claims." The nurse's union has this year had at least 10 pay equity claims in play The PSA union has said pay equity claims and settlements had resulted in significant improvements in pay and working conditions for many workers The union said the changes would make it "impossible for people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly" "Women across the country will pay the price for this," PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said "The government's changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach "The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all." "This is a blatant and shameful attack on women," New Zealand Nurses organisation chief executive Paul Goulter said "Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify," he said "This move by the government will widen the pay gap between men and women." The union had at least 10 pay current pay claims across Aged Care These cover many nurses and support workers The E tū union also called the changes an attack on women and a green light to pay them less for work of equal value The government was pulling the rug out from under a 13-year-long fight in aged care "These changes are not about evidence — they are about saving money by keeping women underpaid," national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said in a statement A number of unions have called a snap rally at Parliament at 1pm today in light of the announcement the Council of Trade Unions and representatives of other unions say they will be "protesting the government's attack on women and the destruction of progress on pay equity..." rnz.co.nz Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Tyler from Urban in East will be defending his Great Goblet Race Crown in Howick Village at 12pm on Saturday It’s always a highlight so come along and watch members of local hospitality businesses race through the Picton Street crowd at the Howick Village Cultural Food Festival in conjunction with the Heart Foundation and Unichem will be offering free heart and diabetes checks in the Howick War Memorial Building during the market this Saturday Free health checks available this Saturday Don’t forget The Good Home is holding its annual SPCA fundraiser on Sunday Gastropub staging popular pet fundraiser Keko’s Cakes (one of your favourite Saturday market stallholders) and the new and not quite open Howick Village Vets (in Moore Street) are joining in and supporting this event. There will be pet photo shoots, giveaways, spot prizes, raffles and every dog gets to take home their own goodie bag! Did you know defibrillators are located at the Good Home, Life Pharmacy and Unichem Mainstreet Pharmacy in Picton Street, the centre of Howick Village? Are your IT systems causing frustration? Do you wonder if your business’s IT could be simpler and more effective? Simpl Solutions, an associate member of our association, specialise in supporting local small to medium business, and offer top tier IT support. Feel free to contact Simpl Solutions for a free, no obligation consultation and IT assessment at info@simplsolutions.co.nz or 021 083 8460. Keep your eyes out for Velvet – Beauty, The Laneway, at 60 Picton Street, opening soon (between 101 Design and the PO boxes, opposite Majestic Café). We’re very grateful to KGM New Zealand who are now sponsoring the awesome buskers each week in the Howick Village Market. KGM initially supported our 2024 Howick HOP. Korean Genuinely Made is a modern automotive brand fuelled by the legacy of SsangYong. Check out their Torres, Rexton and Musso Models at www.kgm.co.nz. Join us at Howick Library for a fun storytime and craft activity exploring different cultures in Aotearoa. By Tayla GraingerLooking for a lucky home with great bones and a welcoming family feel Thoughtfully renovated in 2022 with fresh carpets a stylishly updated kitchen with a gas cooktop this home is move-in ready for its next lucky owner the home boasts seamless indoor-outdoor flow to a private wrap around deck where you can unwind and take in peaceful valley views with a glimpse of the sea Three bedrooms all on the same level provide comfort and style tastefully tiled bathroom with separate toilet add a touch of elegance that just makes sense Practicality meets convenience with a double internal access garage garden - with room for a herb garden allows you to spend more time enjoying the things that matter most Positioned within walking distance to Howick Village and the recreational spaces of Lloyd Elsmore Park Commuters will love the proximity to Half Moon Bay Marina and the ferry terminal for a stress-free journey into the city this home is an excellent choice for families the opportunity awaits for another family to make it their own and continue the legacy The instructions are clear-this home will be sold Act fast to avoid missing out and make sure you're the one holding the keys on settlement day *Please note that photos have been virtually staged* Manukau CityPrice on Application214Affordable Entry-Level Howick HomeNestled in a handy position in Howick this stunning single level weatherboard home blends timeless character with modern conveniences With two light filled bedrooms and a stylish this home would be ideal for professional couples downsizers or small families looking to secure a spot in this popular location The dining area is open plan to the kitchen which has been designed for both style and functionality French doors open effortlessly to the private This is the ideal spot for a morning coffee weekend BBQs with family and friends or spending a lazy day in the sun Those with a keen eye for gardening will love pottering around the leafy front-yard The lounge offers a cosier atmosphere where you can relax after a hard day at the office off street parking and an additional room that would be ideal as a home office complete this wonderful package You are within easy walking distance to New World public transport is virtually at your doorstep and you are minutes away from the bustling vibrancy of Howick Village Meadowland shops or a short trip to Botany Town Centre which offers every amenity that you could possibly think of take a look to see if this is the one for you Manukau CityAsking price $1,390,000424809m²Prime Opportunity – 809m² Large Land PotentialNestled in the heart of Howick this property presents an exceptional opportunity for investors and developers Set on a generous 809m² (more or less) section this original 4-bedroom home has been cherished by the same family for nearly 30 years the home offers ample space and wide local views making it an ideal renovation project for those looking to create their dream residence on a rare Developers will also appreciate the potential for future development in this sought-after location Enjoy the unbeatable convenience of being within walking distance to Howick Village Howick’s beautiful beaches are just a short drive away while Owairoa Primary School( 350 meters away) and public transport options are within easy reach Don't miss out on this unique opportunity—whether you’re looking to develop See this listing on Barfoot & Thompson based on a borrower’s individual credit assessment.Canstar's Most Awarded Personal LoanGet a renovation loan up to $70K and bring your vision to life we can approve your home improvement loan quickly and get your renovation started THE BOOKSHOP DETECTIVES 2: TEA AND CAKE AND DEATH another case to solve for the number-one bestselling Bookshop Detectives When we opened Sherlock Tomes people warned us we’d made a terrible mistake but the one thing they didn’t warn us about was the murders … The Bookshop Detectives are on the case Garth and Eloise (and Stevie) must sniff out a prolific poisoner ahead of a vital fundraising event https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/fiction/crime-thrillers/the-bookshop-detectives-2-tea-and-cake-and-death The much-anticipated memoir by media personality Alison Mau Alison Mau wanted to be a journalist just like her dad straight-talking man who was rough around the edges but could quote passages of Hamlet at will he taught Ali everything from rabbit-hunting to throwing a punch and crafting a sharp sentence One day Ali’s sister called her out of the blue for a conversation 40 years in the making Ali recounts what happened when she reckoned with flashbacks of a buried past https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/non-fiction/biography-memoir/no-words-for-this Sleep Space is excited to announce it’s relocating to Howick early next year The date is not yet locked in and the location is hush-hush at present but the move is definitely on and we cannot wait What we can tell you is that at Sleep Space Sylvia Park we’ll be having a fantastic Relocation Sale from December 2 through to January Of special interest will be our floor stock clearance we don’t want to move all of our stock to our new location and so all floor stock will be heavily discounted until sold out What a brilliant opportunity to pick up a once-only bargain and of course all items will be available for immediate delivery During the Howick Local Board meeting on Thursday 27 June the Board unanimously voted to enter a conditional contract with Community Kids (trading as Howick Kids) to take on the license of Howick Kauri Kids The contract is conditional on the Ministry of Education approving the transfer of the Howick Kauri Kids license to Community Kids it is expected that Community Kids will take over operation of the centre from 1 October Howick Kauri Kids staff and families have been notified of the decision To protect commercially sensitive information and minutes for the Early Childhood Education item of the 27 June 2024 meeting is covered by confidentiality rules Information will be released once these reasons for confidentially no longer exist At an additional business meeting on 2 May 2024 Howick Local Board have agreed to continue the operation of the Howick Kauri Kids early childhood education centre until 30 September 2024 while they continue negotiations with third-party providers to take over the service the board agreed to fund the additional operational costs of Howick Kauri Kids to ensure continuity of service until 30 June 2024 it was agreed to extend the deadline until 30 September 2024 while we continue negotiations with third-party providers to take over the service and ensure continuity of service.” “We believe that the extra effort is worthwhile to protect this beloved community service and to continue to provide continuity of service for the tamariki Auckland Council’s governing body confirmed funding to the programme would be cut in its annual budget adoption leaving the local boards involved in the programme (Kaipātiki and Ōtara-Papatoetoe) with the tough decision as to whether they would try to support the programme from their own Sign up to receive our Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters https://bit.ly/42kdAlK Adults $10Children under 16 free when attending with a paying adult Discover more about your city on a tour through the Howick Village area. This heritage walk is led by a professional guide passionate about creative communities and local history. Starting at the World War I memorial at the top of Stockade Hill, you’ll enjoy stunning views across the Hauraki Gulf before exploring picturesque Howick Village. We’ll delve into local history with highlights from Ngai Tai ki Tāmaki, tracing Polynesian migration across the Hauraki Gulf. The walk includes a stop at Uxbridge Arts and Cultural Centre. Manukau CityBy negotiation211156m²Stand Alone & Affordable Modern Home in Howick !!Our highly motivated vendors have already bought and need this sold ASAP This 2-bedroom standalone home offers an incredible opportunity for first-home buyers low-maintenance living in a top Botany school zone • Freehold title – No body corporate fees • Pergola added – Perfect for outdoor entertainment • Amazing neighbors in a family-friendly community Opportunities like this are rare and demand is high See this listing on Barfoot & Thompson Registrations are now closed for our StarInsure Howick HOP. We’re full, with 240 vehicles expected in town. We’re thrilled to announce that KGM will be joining us – Korean Genuinely Made is fuelled by the legacy of SsangYong. They will have cars on site for us to drool over and we’re so pleased to have their support. Coastguard Howick assists with the marshalling for this event each year and we’re grateful for their assistance. We welcomed to the Howick Village Market a few weeks ago Anne’s Gourmandises who specialise in French baking. Anne makes amazing macaroons and bakes the most delicious baguettes on site. We also welcome back for the summer Pandora Bromeliads. Keep your eyes open for our new stallholder The Little Patisserie, who will be selling Mousse Cakes. We’ve tried them and can vouch they taste as good as they look! We welcome to the Village, Sukhjot Singh, the new owner of Domino’s. Purple Moon has now relocated to 5/219 Moore Street. Sadly, 5Loaves2Fish Japanese Restaurant has closed. They wish to express their deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported them for the past two years. There’s a lot of work going on in the old Mardell premises. A new store will be opening very soon. It’s very exciting! Keep an eye on our socials and we’ll let you know more detail as soon as we can. We’ve set the date for our Cultural Food Festival 2025. It will be held on Saturday, March 1. We’re collaborating with the Food Truck Collective for this event. A reminder for our members that our annual general meeting is on October 16 in our office, 6/1 Central Terrace at 6pm. Manukau CityEnquiries over $1,100,000311776m²Act Fast - Enquiries Over $1.1MNow is the time to VIEW Secure this 'move in ready' property in the highly sought-after suburb of Howick today This three bedroom weatherboard home is positioned on a generous 776m2 (mol) freehold section elevated to capture all day sun and natural light open plan kitchen/dining/lounge room including a renovated bathroom smart heat transfer ventilation system and the two heatpumps will ensure you will be cool in the summer and toasty warm in the winter Step outside and you will discover the most fantastic deck and entertainment space providing the perfect place to relax in the spa enjoy summer barbecues entertaining family and friends The single garage is located beneath the house you could consider converting this space to suit • Single garage plus ample off street parking • Large basement with ample of storage space • Walking distance to Howick and Highland Park • Zoned Howick Intermediate and Pakuranga College This home is an ideal option for first home buyers or investors with plenty of opportunities to explore all within walking distance to Howick Village and Highland Park Manukau CityAsking Price $820,000211Move in Ready!This is a beautifully renovated two-bedroom home where modern living meets comfort and style Step inside to discover a home that's been carefully updated and designed with quality in mind downsizers or even as an investment property • Solid brick and cedar weatherboard construction The perfect balance of space and functionality The heart of the home is a fully renovated kitchen that features modern finishes plus wooden shutters recessed into the wall letting in borrowed light from the separate entrance way Polished Matai flooring runs the length of the kitchen The master bedroom with plenty of natural light and ample wardrobe space The second bedroom is versatile; whether you're using it as a guest room has contemporary touches that make everyday living feel like you're at a retreat One of the standout features of this home is the smooth transition from lounge to the fantastic outdoor deck area The internal access single garage keeps your car safe provides large extra storage space and is where you'll find the laundry this home is just moments away from many local amenities When Grace inherits her late father’s beloved restaurant in Maiden’s Cove she returns to her childhood hometown with her young daughter Grace reconnects with her best friend Isla Grace and Isla were inseparable until the summer that tore them apart 15 years ago marked by countless midnight swims in the sparkling waters of the cove Grace pours her heart into reviving the family restaurant and as she forges this new life a familiar face from the past might reawaken her belief in love When Andie lands her dream job as a senior book publicist she’s ready to take the world of New York publishing by storm when she discovers her biggest author is Jack Carlson – the same Jack who ruined her life in university Who is not only still infuriatingly hot but incredibly successful And whose campaign she definitely cannot mess up the central part of this career-defining campaign is a book tour https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/fiction/romance/bad-publicity One of east Auckland’s most accomplished sports clubs has a new leader Howick Pakuranga Hockey Club (HPHC) says it’s “thrilled” to announce the appointment of Murray Yeoman as its new president A dedicated and long-standing member of the HPHC family he brings a wealth of experience and passion to the role as well as a “profound commitment to advancing our club’s goals and community engagement” “This significant leadership change marks a new chapter in our ongoing efforts to promote the sport of hockey in east Auckland and foster a strong sense of camaraderie within our community.” having represented Auckland in the sport in various age groups and at senior level winning four national titles along the way “His commitment to HPHC is evident from his extensive involvement in coaching both junior and senior teams,” the club says “He served as the HPHC Men’s Club Captain in 2008 and 2009 and has an impressive playing career with HPHC Premier Men’s team from 2000-2023 amassing 255 premier caps and becoming the most capped premier men’s player “His dedication to the sport extended to three years in the NHL and two years playing overseas in the UK Murray was awarded Life Membership at HPHC.” With Yeoman’s appointment as club president who served as president since 2008 and has been a member of the Hockey New Zealand board since 2023 “Her dedication and leadership have been instrumental in the growth and success of HPHC,” the club says “We are grateful for her many years of service.” HPHC is proud to be the largest hockey club in New Zealand It’s also home to numerous Blacksticks players including Hugo Inglis The club says Yeoman’s deep-seated love for Howick Pakuranga Hockey is unmatched and his leadership is expected to bring continued growth and success and sports makes him an ideal fit for the president’s role.” The Howick Local Board has allocated its share of the Crime Prevention Safety Initiatives fund to several partner organisations to address specific safety concerns in the area As part of the $2 million one-off Local Crime Fund made available by the Government announced in 2022 the funding supports and enhances current community-led partnerships that aim to prevent youth crime Following a decision of the Governing Body half of this was distributed to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) based on their existing spend on crime prevention with the Howick Village Business Association receiving $2,000 and Business East Tāmaki receiving $5,195 The Howick Local Board received $81,718 from the fund to go towards youth prevention initiatives or town centre improvements for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) measures The following providers received funding and offer the following: Business East Tāmaki received an additional $9,000, for their long-term placement of surveillance cameras and one-time consultation with Safer Cities “Business East Tāmaki and local Police have compelling evidence showing that these number plate recognition cameras have been very effective at deterring and solving crime Making sure they’re in the right place will help deliver the greatest return on investment and we’re pleased to be able to enable this,” says Light Funding of $44,718 will see a Neighbourhood Support Coordinator pilot programme to provide Flatbush with the dedicated resource It would also provide coordination support for Howick they will also provide designated support to ongoing neighbourhood initiatives and enhance crime prevention efforts in Ormiston A total funding of 28,000 is allocated to the following organisations / groups: In response to alarming reports of anti-social and risky behaviour among young people at Howick Library and Botany Town Centre particularly concerning considering Te Taiwhanga Taiohi – East Auckland Youth Space funding will allow Blue Light to enhance its programs tailored for young men aged 15-18 The board will collaborate with the library to identify schools in need of these initiatives Creative and community collaborator in operation of Te Tuhi - Te Taiwhanga Taiohi (youth space) Te Tuhi will be running responsive and self defence programmes Sowers Trust Youth Support will provide similar youth programs and will collaborate with Howick Library and youth workers to engage these young people positively striving for constructive change with sensitivity and accountability Report all crimes or suspicious behaviour to the Police: for emergencies, call 111; for non-urgent issues, use Police 105 (including the online option at www.police.govt.nz/use-105) Locals interested in getting involved could volunteer with local organisations like community patrols or Neighbourhood Support Be sure to sign up to receive the Howick Local Board monthly e-newsletters Finals Day for the recent Interclub 7’s and Auckland Cup was a successful day for the Howick Bowling Club in hosting the events and winning two of the titles Club manager Kashmira Umrigar says the women’s 7’s team played a very strong Auckland Bowling Club team in a thrilling final finished strongly in the last three ends to win “Our pairs team of Rosemary Ackerley and Pauline Johnson put up a brave showing in losing their match,” Umrigar says Kevin Hurren and Hans Vermeulen (sub) played well to reach the semi-finals which they lost to a strong Mt Albert Bowling Club side the Howick team of Colin Ayris-Webster (J4) and Tony Mitchinson beat St Heliers Gold in the quarter-final and Blockhouse Bay in the final to record a memorable victory “We have a large group of men and women one-to-five-years members – 58 in total – at Howick Bowling Club,” says Umrigar “Almost all of them started by coming to our weekly Monday and Saturday morning coaching sessions then joined the club and advanced from there “Most have been new to bowls and progressed quickly through our excellent coaching programme “A big thank-you to all our volunteers who organised the catering to the Bowls Auckland personnel who run these events.” The Howick Local Board office in Pakūranga will close at the end of November enabling council to recognise cost savings without impacting your access to us including utilising existing Auckland Council-owned facilities While decisions around office space are made by council staff the board is supportive of this cost effective and pragmatic approach We’re very conscious of ensuring public funds are wisely spent and we’re open to trying a new way of working Much has changed since the office was first opened with hybrid and flexible working arrangements more commonplace than they were 15 years ago We’re fortunate to have a great team supporting us and they deserve a decent workspace to operate from By utilising the facilities available in the wider council group we can achieve this quickly while providing time to establish a fit-for-purpose office in the future we’ll use other locations like one of our local libraries We’ll continue to meet in our meeting room at 7 Aylesbury Street for business meetings and workshops (open by default from January) Along with the Library and space provided to Citizens Advice Bureau and Pakuranga and Howick Budgeting Service this is owned by Auckland Council and managed by the Howick Local Board Anyone who’s experienced the technology challenges in our meeting room will know it’s well overdue for an upgrade We’re pleased to see there will be a targeted investment to ensure we’re able to conduct our meetings properly ensuring we can continue to serve our diverse community Website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/howick Monthly eNewsletter: https://bit.ly/42kdAlK or scan QR The new president of the Howick Returned and Services Association talks to PJ TAYLOR about RSA activities and his life before taking up the role. Born in Whangarei at the end of WWII, and the family moved back to Hamiton before I started school. Grew up there and in sleepy Raglan where there was a family house and bach. When did you join the New Zealand Army and why? I joined the Army at 16 from the end of sixth form, heading to the Royal Military College Duntroon in Canberra for four years. I had enjoyed School Cadets and with plenty of sport and outdoor living and some family military background decided on a career as a Regular Force Army officer. My graduating class is gathering back in Canberra in December to mark 60 years since our graduation in December 1965. How long did you serve in the NZ Defence Force and were there memorable deployments? You’ve been the new Howick RSA president for about six months. How is that going? You’ve signalled a change to the priorities of the Howick RSA, a focus on getting back to core business. How is that progressing? The changes are going well so far, and we should meet the reorganisation and financial targets for the end of March that we set ourselves at our AGM. We have just agreed our next set of plans to be achieved by August this year, and for our activities after August. We’ll also work hard to meet both these sets of targets. What did you do for a career once you left the Defence Force? Where are your favourite places in east Auckland and things to do? I have to say the Village itself. It has character, history and great amenities, and only gets better by the year. The Howick region is also blessed with lovely beaches, hidden gems of bush, a great sense of citizenship and a lively and interesting population. If there was one thing in New Zealand society you’d like changed, what would that be? How long have you been an educator, and where did you train? I’ve been in education for 23 years and trained at the Auckland College of Education. My journey has allowed me to work in a range of diverse roles, which has helped to develop a comprehensive understanding of both teaching and leadership in schools. When did you become principal of Howick Primary School? I started in term four, 2022. Howick Primary is my second principalship. I’ve lived in Howick for over 20 years and proud to consider myself a local. The opportunity to live and work in my community was very appealing and exciting, one I couldn’t let pass. I love being the principal of our school. What’s the best thing about being an educator and principal? What’s special about Howick Primary School? Is there anything you’d like improved in the education/school management sector? How is the relationship between the school and its immediate local community? Manukau CityAuction521494m²Spacious Versatile Family Living in Prime LocationAuction: 62 Highbrook Drive East Tamaki on Tuesday 6 May 2025 at 1:00PM (unless sold prior) Perfectly positioned in an exclusive and leafy enclave of Howick this unique five-bedroom home sits proudly on a 494m² (approx.) section offering flexibility Enjoy elevated living with lovely views across Howick and Cockle Bay including a glimpse of the water from the dining area — a peaceful backdrop for everyday living and entertaining a spacious family bathroom with separate toilet and an inviting living and dining area filled with natural light The modern kitchen enjoys tree-lined vistas and easy access via a wheelchair-friendly ramp adds practicality Downstairs presents incredible versatility — a semi self-contained flat complete with two additional bedrooms The covered balcony and deck provide a seamless space for year-round entertaining while taking in the tranquil views • Generous 494m² (approx.) section with development potential • Single internal access garage plus off-street parking • Separate entrance to downstairs – ideal for multi-generational living See this listing on Barfoot & Thompson Keen walker David Mallowes offers suggestions about fun and interesting routes people can take to get some exercise and enjoy the area in his new column This scenic one- to two-hour walk starts and finishes with the panoramic harbour views from Stockade Hill From there to Murvale Reserve then the McLeay Reserve and MacDonald Walkway to Mellons Bay From Mellons Bay up to Marine Parade for beautiful sea views Stockade Hill is a significant historical and commemorative site of Howick Murvale Reserve contains many short tracks Much of the McLeay Reserve and MacDonald Walkway was planted in native trees 30 to 80 years ago and volunteers have been busy for the last five years planting another 5000 Mellons Bay is a lovely beach popular with dog walkers and Howick Beach in summer is busy with families picnicking under the many Pohutukawa For a printed street/walkway guide annotated with 21 waypoints Extend through Macleans Park to Eastern Beach and around From Stockade Hill follow Mellons Bay Road then choose a beach loop maybe find the Nuns Walk behind the Sailing Club Well-formed tracks through the Murvale and McLeay Reserves continue past 31 Haseler to the entrance next to 90 Haseler) The MacDonald Walkway from Mellons Bay is wheelchair-friendly Playgrounds: Adjacent to the corner of Sale Street and Selwyn Road Coffee break:  We’re spoilt for cafes on this route there’s the Uxbridge Cafe in Uxbridge Road QR code – For an online route map to follow as you walk https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/draft-two-beaches-two-lovely-bush-walks-stockade-hill-4b7a555 Many more walks to be featured over summer including Mangemangeroa Walkers and joggers from the Pakuranga Athletic Club head out in slow to fast groups from the Cascades Road clubrooms at 9am Tuesdays and Thursdays New Zealand’s bestselling and most-loved cookbook author Chelsea Winter is back with her superb seventh cookbook It’s crammed full of scrumptious plant-based and refined sugar-free recipes that you can use with whatever additions work for your family Chelsea is renowned for her totally delicious putting her magical spin on favourites like pies and making them every bit as flavour-packed and nostalgic as the classics Tasty by Chelsea Winter | Paper Plus The most capped All Black in history speaks for the record about his storied career In this autobiography Samuel Whitelock speaks about leadership and how family and farming provided the bedrock for his global success https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/non-fiction/biography-memoir/view-from-the-second-row Howick Pakuranga Cricket Club (HPCC) has had no shortage of exceptional talent over the years and Colin Munro have represented Auckland and New Zealand throughout their careers Young Auckland Aces all-rounder Lachlan Stackpole is another HPCC talent who’s burst onto the domestic cricket scene debuting for the Aces in the 2025 Dream XI Super Smash competition in early January He’s been in and around the Auckland professional cricket circle for a while playing for the Aces’ development sides and representing the New Zealand development squad at various points during the 2024-2025 domestic seasons Stackpole was picked in the New Zealand U19 cricket squad for the ICC U19 World Cup last year showcasing his immense talent on the world stage The batting all-rounder scored 42 runs against Pakistan and 33 not-out against Ireland for the New Zealand side in the World Cup group stage It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for the 19-year-old who’s juggling his electrical apprenticeship with the cricket season Stackpole had been training with the Aces for a couple of weeks before his first call-up four games into the domestic T20 competition “When I heard I was going to get my first cap at Hagley Oval in Christchurch against Canterbury there was a whole load of emotions,” Stackpole says “It was pretty cool getting to phone mum and dad and tell them the good news.” Stackpole was thrown straight into the action by Aces head coach Rob Nicol getting his first career professional wicket in his second-ever over The professional environment has been something Stackpole’s been working towards for the last couple of years saying he’s learnt a lot throughout the first month in and around the team “It’s been really eye-opening to see the way the professionals go about it day in and day out “Obviously playing with someone like Martin Guptill has been amazing to learn from he’s been all over the world and I’ve been trying to soak up as many of those experiences as I can and apply it to my own game “The step up from amateur cricket to the professional environment exposes you to a whole load of new learnings “Probably the biggest of these being the level of detail that goes into each game scouting opposition players or within your own game trying to fine-tune and set up certain match-ups in the game.” it’s clear Stackpole’s cricket is at the top of his mind “The biggest goal at some point is to get a contract and cement a regular spot within the Auckland Aces in all three formats,” he says finishing my electrical apprenticeship is something that’s been going on in the background for a while now so to get those papers ticked off would be awesome and then keep working away with cricket and see what can come from it.” HPCC has seen many of its players go on to represent Auckland but the club’s general manager Francis Scordino says this one has a special feeling to it “It is very special for the club and that’s for several reasons we haven’t had an Auckland player for a couple of seasons and we’ve got a long history of having players in the Auckland side “From that perspective it’s always special to get a player to achieve that and get to that level “Having played at the club since the beginning of his cricket career Lachie has spent over a decade at the local club playing through all age groups “It’s also incredibly special for us because Lachie with the exception of when he went to college he’s essentially played all his cricket for HPCC “He started at HPCC in the midgets and has played every grade at the club all the way through to senior cricket and the Auckland side “He’s genuinely what we would consider a homegrown player I think that brings the club just that little extra bit of pride.” Scordino has been involved at the club for all of Stackpole’s growth and praises his calmness on the field I think one of the reasons he achieves well on the field is because he’s got a very calm demeanor on the field “It’s something he’s had since he was a kid “It doesn’t matter if you’re playing twilight on Monday or you’ve got the quickest bowler in Auckland coming at you “He’s got this very calm demeanor and I think that’s what gets him through coach Michael Tillett has coached Stackpole at different points of his cricket career saying that although his technique is unique “I wouldn’t say Lachie has a traditional technique That being said he has incredibly fast hands and good wrists “This allows him to hit the ball very hard but most importantly he hits the ball in different areas to most batters He’s capable of finding boundaries from bowlers’ best balls.” Tillett also puts Stackpole’s success down to his incredibly calm nature No matter the game situation you wouldn’t see a change with Lachie’s body language “Having him around in difficult situations you know exactly what you’re going to get from him which in a tournament makes him important to the group.” As Tillett coached the Auckland U19 squad that won last year’s national title he says Stackpole’s personality is just as valuable to the team as his skills on the field he’s able to help the team with his laid-back nature and also his sense of humour “He was vital in bringing the team together which helped us gain success.” Not only has Stackpole made his debut in the national domestic T20 Super Smash competition but he also recently opened the batting on debut in the one-day Stackpole’s cricketing career is only just getting started and if the last month is anything to go by