Napier Old Boys' Marist fullback Patrick Hedley scoring a crucial second-half try in a 39-29 battle-of-the-greens win against Hastings Rugby and Sports in their Nash Cup match in Napier on Saturday Taradale, who had an average scoreline of about 68-14 across the first six matches of the round-robin, were kept comparatively in check in a 33-3 home win over Waipukurau club Central Old Boys Marist (OBM) had to work much harder for their 39-29 win over Hastings Rugby and Sport scoring the last 17 points after being down 29-22 with 16 minutes to go and with the winner claiming the Nash Cup for 2025 That will be with a match each the following weekend still to play before the top-six championship battle begins home side Napier Pirate scored 13 tries to beat Clive 81-0 to leapfrog Hastings Rugby and Sport into third place while Havelock North secured their top-six place with a 38-21 win over Napier Tech Old Boys in Havelock North MAC travelled to Dannevirke for a 50-29 win over hosts Aotea who are still to win a Premier game in 2025 The battle for sixth place will likely go to the wire with Central ahead of Tech by a single point OBM had two special heroes in lock Matt Monaghan They teamed up for the try and conversion that opened the scoring after four minutes dominated by OBM with a wind that looked likely to be a decisive factor with a try to first five-eighths Koby Deacon breaking away down the right flank Hastings Rugby and Sport were able to keep in touch with some stern defence amid a significant territorial deficit They would have been pleased to be down just five points at 17-12 when flanker and former New Zealand Under-20 representative Jeriah Mua scored a try converted just before halftime by fullback Oscar Sowman and ecstatic to be in front 19-17 when Sowman added another two points after Deacon’s second try four minutes into the second half OBM regained the lead just four minutes later when captain and hooker Dylan Homan scored in a well-executed lineout flying a little under the radar in the earlier rounds but with just a single loss to their name came back with a try to centre Perez Malo and a conversion and penalty to Sowman to take a seven-point lead and look a good shot to take out the battle of the greens with Hedley running into the line wide-out to score in front of his side’s clubhouse then Monaghan getting his second in his last act on the field with flanker Will Tremain sealing the outcome with a try four minutes from the end becoming the first to pass 100 in his 13th season at the level continued the heroics with an 18-point haul in Taradale’s latest win He has 125 points and 11 tries after seven games and is now three tries ahead as the top try-scorer and 33 points ahead of leading chaser Hedley’s 92 points as top points-scorer who booted two conversions before the kicking duties were taken over by first five Liam Batt Wairoa side Tapuae had their first loss in Poverty Bay Premier rugby since entering the grade at the start of last season being beaten 28-12 by Gisborne side YMP in a top-of-the-table match in Gisborne Napier Old Boys Marist 39 (Matt Monaghan 2 3 con) Hastings Rugby and Sports 29 (Koby Deacon 2 Hadlee Hay-Horton tries; Spooner-Neera 4 con) Central 3 (Tate Harte pen) Brendon Edmonds tries; Reiri-Paku 4 cons) Napier Tech Old Boys 21 (Elia Bari 2 Walter Schuster tries; Malaitai 5 cons) Aotea 29 (Donovan Godinet 2 Richard Stephenson tries; Stephenson 2 cons) Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 52 years of journalism experience The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years After big losses to the competition’s top two sides Taradale get the chance to recover with an ANZAC Day trip to bottom-placed side Palmerston North United and second-placed Wellington United Diamonds beat them 6-0 last time out Chances are Taradale will turn things around against Palmerston North United who are without a win after four rounds and have conceded 24 goals United produced good football in patches in their 3-0 loss to Waterside Karori last weekend and it shouldn’t be long before they get off the mark My prediction: This may be a week too soon for a United win who have put two wins together since losing the Nora Watkins Shield to cross-town rivals Wellington United Waterside Karori’s backline has a way to go to match that of the previous few seasons Moturoa are confidently expected to find the net also My prediction: Waterside Karori to win 3-2 Wellington United should have few worries protecting the Nora Watkins Shield when they defend it against Victoria University in Saturday’s match Losing stalwart Sam Senior to Karori hasn’t helped the University side’s season though Wellington United will be without captain Zoe Barrott and leading goalscorer Natalie Olson both away with Capital Futsal at the Ford Futsal SuperLeague finals series in Auckland My prediction: Wellington United to retain the shield with a 3-0 win Miramar Rangers host Palmerston North Marist at Dave Farrington Park Rangers are finding it hard going at the moment as they look to develop their side My prediction: The more experienced Palmerston North Marist side should prevail by the free-scoring Phoenix Academy side make the short trip to Petone where they will more than likely make short work of the locals Unbeaten Petone are third on the table but are likely to find the Phoenix too quick and too skilful up front Petone are missing the strength and experience of players like Rebecca Otte who is yet to return after breaking a leg last year and Dani Ohlsson who is now scoring on the rugby pitch Petone will be without defender Caelin Patterson and goalscorers Pepi Olliver-Bell and Libby Boobyer all at the Ford Futsal SuperLeague finals with Capital Futsal I tipped straightforward wins for Wellington United (say 4-1) against Taradale; Petone to beat Miramar Rangers 3-0; Waterside Karori to win 5-0 at home to Palmerston North United I think Marist and Moturoa will share a 2-2 draw Warren Olson is a Wellington-based enthusiast for and long-time follower of women’s football This story was first published on April 24 Here’s NZ Football’s 5-minute highlights reel from last.. Here’s NZ Football’s 7-minute highlights reel from last.. Auckland FC’s Guillermo May is the special guest on episode 17 of New Zealand’s weekly.. Auckland United have started the defence of their OFC Women’s Champions League title with a.. Dub Zone is back for another week of analysis Papua New Guinea have claimed the final place at August’s OFC U-16 Men’s Championship after.. A widely-admired former club and regional football administrator Here’s NZ Football’s 12-minute highlights reel from last.. May 3-9: OFC U-16 Men’s Championship – qualifying, Tonga (click here for details) May 5-18 (NZT): Auckland United at OFC Women’s Champions League, Tahiti (click here for details) May 16-18: Grand final, women’s A-League (click here for details) Monday May 19 (2.30am NZT): New Zealand U-16 men v Switzerland, FIFA Youth Series, Zurich (click here for details) Tuesday May 20 (2.30am NZT): New Zealand U-16 men v Guatemala, FIFA Youth Series, Zurich (click here for details) May 26-June 3: FIFA international window (women) May 30-June 1: Grand final, men’s A-League (click here for details) May 31-June 1: Second rounds of Chatham Cup June 2-10: FIFA international window (men) Thursday June 5 (7.30am NZT): Chile U-20 v New Zealand U-20, men’s international, Complejo Deportivo Quilín, Santiago (click here for details) Sunday June 8 (7.30am NZT): Chile U-20 v New Zealand U-20, men’s international, Complejo Deportivo Quilín, Santiago (click here for details) Sunday June 8 (11am NZT): All Whites v Côte d’Ivoire, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada (click here for details) Wednesday June 11 (9am NZT): All Whites v Ukraine, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada (click here for details) June 15-July 13: FIFA Club World Cup, United States (click here for details) Monday June 16 (6am NZT): Auckland City v Bayern Munich, FIFA Club World Cup, TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio (click here for details) Saturday June 20 (6am NZT): Auckland City v Benfica, FIFA Club World Cup, Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida (click here for details) Wednesday June 24 (7am NZT): Auckland City v Boca Juniors, FIFA Club World Cup, Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee (click here for details) June 23-July 1: FIFA international window (women) July 5-6: Quarter-finals of Kate Sheppard Cup August 1-14: OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, Samoa (click here for details) August 15-30: OFC U-16 Men’s Championship, Solomon Islands (click here for details) August 16-17: Semi-finals of Kate Sheppard Cup September 2-9: FIFA international window (men) September 17-24: University of Auckland at FISU Men’s Football World Cup September 20-24: OFC Futsal Men’s Cup September 21-October 4: OFC U-19 Women’s Championship September 27-October 19: FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup September 27-28: Season starts for men’s and women’s National Leagues October 7-15: FIFA international window (men) Wednesday October 15 (k/o TBC): Norway v All Whites, international friendly, Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Norway (click here for details) October 17-November 8: FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Morocco (click here for details) October 20-28: FIFA international window (women) November 4-28 (NZT): FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup, Qatar (click here for details) November 10-18: FIFA international window (men) November 17-22: OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League November 21-December 7: FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, Philippines (click here for details) 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Oceania qualifiers December 13-14: Grand finals of men’s and women’s National Leagues June 12-July 20 (NZT): FIFA Men’s World Cup © 2025 Friends of Football Site designed by Hurricane Press Ltd using - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP where an attempted burglary overnight was foiled by a fog cannon The Z service station in Taradale has been targeted by would-be ram raiders who smashed their way into the store when they couldn’t get their car through the door A police spokesman said police were called to a break-in at the Lee Rd property about 2am Wednesday A vehicle was first used in an attempt to gain entry but was unable to reach the doors because of protections around them The offenders then got out and broke the glass slider doors with an object They entered the service station and took various items before fleeing the scene in a second vehicle The police spokesman said they had recovered two vehicles involved in the incident and their inquiries were ongoing A Z Energy spokeswoman said the robbery caused significant damage to the site doors but the fog cannon was activated upon the offenders’ entry and they were “not able to take anything of value” A 14-year-old has been critically injured after a fight between two groups in Taradale and police are calling for information about what happened The brawl broke out about 12.40pm on Wednesday near the Bellevue Dairy in Taradale's Gloucester Street "A group of young people was approached by a male who had just exited a car with others" "The male then allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old in the group and a fight broke out between the two groups." The injured 14-year-old was taken to hospital with critical injuries By Thursday they were in a serious but stable condition and want to work out exactly what happened he said: "We know there were several other members of the public who were in the area at the time and we are hoping they have valuable information to share." Anyone with information was asked to call Police on 105, or to visit their Update Report page online at 105.police.govt.nz and quote file number 250227/9346. Information could also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or on their website Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Police have cordoned off Whangārei's Onerahi's Beach Road and people are being warned to avoid the area Tony Hughes was visiting New World Havelock North when he noticed the fire exit was blocked by trollies The woman was on an Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to New Plymouth A man was found dead on the doorstep of an Onslow Street house Dozens of residents from the Waipoua Settlement could be out of their homes for a week Top Stories RSS Follow RNZ News Police are appealing for witnesses after a 14-year-old boy was left critically injured after a fight broke out near Bellevue Dairy Police are asking for witnesses to an assault that left a 14-year-old critically injured in Taradale Police were called to a fight near Bellevue Dairy on Gloucester St about 12.40pm on Wednesday A police spokesperson said a group of young people were approached by a male who had just got out of a car with others “The male then allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old in the group and a fight broke out between the two groups.” The 14-year-old was transported to hospital with critical injuries where he remained in a serious but stable condition on Thursday Police want to establish the full circumstances of what occurred and identify those responsible for the assault “We know there were several other members of the public who were in the area at the time and we are hoping they have valuable information to share please use our 105 service and quote reference number 250227/9346 You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.” Taradale batsman Callum Hewetson has been a big part of their rise this season - This article is provided courtesy of Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association Two things stand out about the Hawke’s Bay premier men’s club cricket season: the unexpected rise of Taradale and the slight fall in the fortunes of Napier Technical Old Boys Both line up in Saturday’s MJF Shrimpton Memorial Cup semifinals Taradale have won nine games on the trot and meet Havelock North at Cornwall Park in the battle between third and second on the Shrimpton Cup ladder while Tech host Central Hawke’s Bay at Nelson Park in the other match Given CHB stalwart Angus Schaw has scheduled a weekend of wedding festivities it’ll be interesting to see what kind of team the visitors can muster Tech beat Cornwall by 46 runs in Saturday’s final round of the Laver & Wood competition with three or four losses in there which the majority of us aren’t used to,” Tech captain Todd Watson said having spent the second half of the season playing as a specialist batter due to injury courtesy of their six-wicket win over CHB on Saturday while Havelock beat Napier Old Boys’ Marist by 40 runs Tech secured the overall club championship some weeks ago and were so dominant before Christmas that they were never going to be overhauled as top qualifiers in the Shrimpton Cup But their form in the Laver & Wood competition has been patchy and they were bundled out of the recent Murray McKearney Memorial Cup Twenty20 playoffs by CHB “There’s been a lot of learning and some of us older guys realise it’s maybe not the Tech of old and it’s going to take a lot more to win these trophies,” Watson said “Someone said to me after the T20 semifinal ‘was that a bit of complacency?’ I looked at them and said ‘how can it be complacency when we’ve lost three out of the last four?’ It’s no longer the case that we’re unbeatable and other teams have shown that against us but now that target’s slightly different because teams know we’re beatable so we have to play even better cricket that we would have to usually.” Star opening batter Christian Leopard is available this weekend and should Tech beat CHB they’ll progress to Sunday’s final at Nelson Park against the winner of the Havelock and Taradale clash Tech’s performances might be perplexing them but Watson concedes they’ve been “good for the competition” “Taradale have been in great form since Christmas and they got some silverware in the weekend we’ve got the overall and it’s all adding up to a great weekend,” Watson said and is highly impressed with the cricket played by Taradale and Havelock this season Robin [Dodd] does a fantastic job and they’ve got belief They’ve started winning games and Sachin [Jayawardena] is playing a big part off the park as well from what I gather,” Watson said of Taradale “They’re a team where everyone knows their roles and they have the luxury of putting out a pretty consistent team each week “I think their culture has come a long way There’s no surprise they’re doing so well because they’ve always had a good team on paper it was just about having that little bit of belief.’’ [Sam] Cassidy has been unbelievable this summer and you’ve got the likes of Lovepreet [Padda] back Mabes [Oscar Mabin] is a great allrounder and has been a great addition to their team and then you’ve got Bettelheim up top,” Watson said “They’ve got big game players and role players and they’re a good unit “We always thought it would be between us and them at the end of the season and that might still happen Remote volunteering: "I don’t have to choose between spending time with my children and giving back." Video / Rafaella Melo - HBT Flaxmere's new supermarket opens tomorrow at 7am at the Flaxmere Village Centre A power box caught on fire after a crash in Greenmeadows Craig McDougall has transformed the lives of thousands of young people in Hawke’s Bay through boxing programmes Tim Clayton claimed a silver medal at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin The competition challenges operators with precision tasks opening a beer bottle and picking up an egg with a Hawke's Bay voice bringing Lord Farquaad to life Flyover of Napier in one of NZ's oldest passenger planes Cyclone Gabrielle floodwaters destroyed Waikato Gray’s Eskdale home in February 2023 staying on his ancestral land in a caravan and Seamore the Seagull compete at the mascot race at the opening of the 2025 North Island Colgate Games at Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings A former mushroom farm turned creative hub for local artists hosts its first night market Big guns await as Kieran Richards and Napier City Rovers eye potential National League grand final spot Watch emergency services responding to the bus crash carrying RSE workers Truck driver says the drive across the bridge is “un-nerving" as it creaks and groans Han Zheng said the man became angry over a 5G connectivity issue with his phone Witnesses say they think a tyre blew during the fire with an explosion that sent a plume of flame and smoke out including Mayor Tracey Collis marched to protest against the proposed toll on Te Ahu a Turanga Manawatu-Tararua Highway Customise your coffin with the Hawke's Bay Coffin Club members Neil Paton and Brad Edwards prepare for firefighting challenge Championship in Nashville Central Stags cricket team fundraising for Ozanam House Palmerston North and Cure Leukaemia UK Video / Michaela Gower / Hawke's Bay Today A ute rams Jonzy Brandt's unoccupied car during a late-night hit and run in Hastings Security footage captures the "Waipawa Prowler" on resident's property Rhys Tamanui shows what it takes to be a cut above the rest Seven-year-old Rocco Green needed walking aids to get around before he got Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery in the US thanks to fundraising Norfolk pine cut down along Napier's Marine Parade Hawke's Bay's Thomsen family rise from the mud after Cyclone Gabrielle Joanne Wills mum of 5 toddlers including quadruplets sits down to chat with Hawke's Bay Today reporter James Pocock Hawke's Bay Today reporter Michell Hageman also kind of known loosely as Mighty Mitch goes er toe to toe against Impact Pro Wrestling fly weight championship contender ACJ Demolition is set to be completed at the end of August A passerby captured the moment a roaming kekeno caught an eel in Taipo Stream near the Napier suburb of Taradale A Dannevirke family watched as their ute went up in flames The Leopard Family have spent 20 months on the road living in a caravan and have no plans on stopping Hastings Model Railway Club enthusiast Tony Simons is building a railway based on an old South Island coal mining village 11-year-old Lydia Clark and 15-year-old brother Finn chats to James Pocock from Hawke's Bay Today Cannon Williams chats to Hawke's Bay Today reporter James Pocock on his hopes to become a bare knuckle boxing champion this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read When Annie Ewart is not working or engaging in physical activities is the matriarch of Atawhai Retirement Village in Taradale The village in Taradale is marking its 50th anniversary and it still has its very first employee “It does not feel like 50 years,” Annie told Hawke’s Bay Today She has dedicated almost two-thirds of her life to the village and has never let time slow her down A passionate dancer and fitness enthusiast She started in the kitchen servery of the village but as a natural ‘helper and proactive person’ She said she was simply looking for a job that would fit within her children’s school hours But what was meant to be temporary became a lifetime career She enjoys her work so much that she often arrives two hours early Annie has watched many changes in the building and has formed deep bonds with staff and residents which suits me because I’m a fast person,” she says When asked cheekily if she sees herself as a future resident at Atawhai “They probably have got a bed for me here .. exploring several styles from bolero to salsa and now does Zumba four times a week Her energy is fuelled by the understanding that movement is medicine as she lives with a spinal deformity from an accident as a toddler The only time that bothers me is if I sit and do nothing.” Annie said she now has plenty of time to rest “I love reading and doing my code crackers You have to keep your brain active as well.” she came to Hawke’s Bay with her parents when she was 14 Atawhai Retirement Village is celebrating its 50th anniversary on April 5 and the wider community will gather to honour its history Among the highlights of the event will be a moment for Annie in recognition of her dedication and she brings a lot to the team and our residents It’s a pleasure to have her here,” village manager Deborah Dillon says The celebration day will happen on Saturday 5 Taradale RSA Concert Party ladies (from left) A source of entertainment seemingly of the past the Taradale RSA Concert Party is working hard to keep traditions and history alive as the last RSA Concert Party left in New Zealand The origins of the Concert Party date back to the days of the Tin Hat Clubs – a social club of ex-servicemen from World War I who held social gatherings put on concert parties and would become a group that entertained the troops during World War II Taradale RSA’s Concert Party has been performing for more than 55 years Group member Peter Rawstrome believes the reason for its success is that “there has always been a focus on maintaining a high standard of performance and professionalism with members making a commitment and giving their best” This year’s Concert Party cast is made up of 30 talented men and women with some members in demand to perform outside the group for private functions and cabaret Many have also been involved in the operatic and theatre scene Rawstrome said: “It is a big undertaking to put on a top-line show like Magical Times as it involves a rigorous rehearsal schedule that starts in April and finishes in July before the concert season begins each year.” The group’s first priority is learning the words and singing the songs as a group then they take on the dance steps and choreography A Concert Party show is brought together with solo performers going through their items and then joining the groups to put on a two-hour show “There is a lot of enthusiasm among the members and cast we would not succeed without the full co-operation of every member,” Rawstrome said the cast is supported by the backstage crew and dressers they have their own lighting and sound systems with everyone having their task and area to look after It takes roughly an hour to put up all the staging The Concert Party is putting on 16 shows across the country who has years of experience in show business and running other productions It involves the entire cast as well as solo singing Each musical bracket takes on a different theme “The show opens with a lively lineup of rhythm songs with lots of strong beats and energy-sapping movements,” Rawstrome said “The second bracket comes with a kaleidoscope of brilliant colours and popular songs These will give the audience a chance to join in and sing along the group comes back with a romantic bracket of love songs there is a group of songs called Magic Memories in which solo singers come forward and perform before a rousing finale “There is humour and antics with the songs and the comedy sketches and humour are plentiful and are guaranteed to bring a laugh,” Rawstrome said Taradale RSA’s Concert Party will finish the season in October and will return to Taradale to perform three concerts the shows at the Taradale RSA will be held on: To keep up to date with New Zealand’s last performing RSA Concert Party, follow the group on Facebook Top cop: 'I was always confident that we were going to get Mr Heremaia.' co-owners Jeff Tyler and Rajaa Mounir pride themselves on scones A Napier cafe is trying to find the best amateur scone baker in Hawke’s Bay by starting a competition that will give lovers of the floury treats plenty of cause for celebration The Local Cafe in Taradale is crazy about scones and has 10 different varieties available in its cabinet Co-owners and couple Jeff Tyler and Rajaa Mounir are behind the Best Scone Competition which will be staged at the cafe on Saturday Anyone apart from commercial bakers can enter and entry forms will be available from inside the business from March 1 (this Saturday) A five-strong panel will be tasked with scoring the scones “When we opened the cafe we were surprised at how much people loved scones – it was our best-seller “So we tried to come up with new flavours.” Scones have become a big part of the menu and Mounir said she and her husband thought it would be cool to host a competition scones were a “quintessentially Kiwi” part of a cafe menu Tyler said they wanted to do something different by running the competition and he hoped it grew into a popular annual event “We love being involved in the community and .. we just wanted to take an extra step and do something else to be fun and exciting and get some sponsors to put some prizes out there with the hope we can turn it into something every year.” there is only one category (the best scone) and entrants must enter five scones on the morning of the competition (one for each judge) second and third including a KitchenAid mixer valued at $899 for first place the competition will be restricted to a maximum of 100 entrants The Local Cafe has been running for two years on Gloucester St Cheese scones and mushroom and truffle scones are the best sellers at the cafe but the owners say their favourite is the Greek-style sconakopita with feta Two more judges are still needed for the contest preferably people who are well-known in the community Email jeff@thelocalcafe.co.nz if interested Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business Arriving in a 99-year-old Model T Ford before raising a glass of red wine Veronica Stephenson knows how to celebrate in style Not many people get to celebrate a century of life and even fewer make an entrance quite like Veronica Stephenson as she arrived at Mission Estate in Napier for her 100th birthday she stepped out of a vintage 1926 Ford model T And a good dose of “happiness and positivity.” Stephenson moved to Napier when she was 6 to live with her grandmother she has witnessed significant changes in Hawke’s Bay Taradale Rd had only one lane on either side and there were paddocks for miles My dad told me there were going to be houses built on either side one day.” She worked at a clothing factory on Hastings St in her younger years but now enjoys spending her days with loved ones “I feel like I’m having my second childhood.” Despite reaching 100 with a sharp mind and a playful spirit including multiple bouts of pneumonia and a fight with breast cancer she found herself in one of the safest places protected from the chaos outside with power kept positive and always came out the other side.” almost all of them gathered for the matriarch’s celebration “Best present ever was having my youngest great-great grandson born on my birthday such a great sense of humour and so cheeky Andrew Gardner made his 250th appearance for Taradale in this weekend's thrashing of MAC – This article is provided courtesy of Hawke’s Bay Rugby Relief was written all over Taradale lock Andrew Gardner’s face after Saturday’s sixth round in Hawke’s Bay’s Nash Cup Premier club rugby competition “There’s been so much build-up to this day and it was good to get the result we wanted,” Gardner said His team had just thrashed MAC 108-19 at Tareha Reserve It was Gardner’s 250th appearance for the team Red (Gardner’s nickname) made his debut for the team in 2009 and has captained the side on 210 occasions The 35-year-old is uncertain about how many more games he will play “It will be a week-by-week thing from now on Obviously I want to help Taradale retain the Nash Cup and Maddison Trophy this season and if I can’t do it on the field I will help out off the field,” Gardner said “This club has been so good to me over the years.” “They kept their heads up for the entire game.” Winger Flynn Allen celebrated his 50th outing for Taradale with a hat-trick Former All Black Sevens player Trinity Spooner-Neera scored 46 of the Mighty Maroons’ points with four tries and 13 conversions In his first outing of the season for MAC after Tonga sevens duty Flanker Solomone Kuli Kefu Fono and halfback Bronson Hokianga were also prominent for the visitors Havelock North gave winger Epeli Tanadroga a winning 50th outing with their 67-5 romp over Clive at Farndon Park on Saturday The closest game of the round saw Hastings Rugby and Sports pip Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 41-39 at Elwood Park on Saturday Napier Old Boys Marist maintained their unbeaten run with a 38-25 win against Napier Technical at Park Island on Friday centre Kere Penitito and prop Lee Moleli were the key architects in the hosts’ victory While we’re excited about the experience our youngsters are getting as we build for the future we know we’ve got three tough games with Hastings Taradale and Pirates remaining,” Napier Old Boys Marist co-coach Ellery Wilson said Texans manager Cyril Whitburn said the youngsters on their roster gained plenty of confidence out of their competitive effort and former Magpies prop Tim Farrell impressed with their powerful carries First five-eighth Leighton Shaw and centre Bogi Kikau were the best of the Tech backs Central kept their top-six hopes alive with a 37-19 win against Aotea in Waipukurau “We’re happy to take the five points after not having a good day in the previous round against Havelock North,” Central coach Rob Evans said afterwards “Aotea are very strong up front but we were able to get our lineout maul working well early We’ve given away three games during the last 10 minutes but tonight we were running well at the end of the game,” Evans added lock Dylan Wind and centre Ollie Wichman were all prominent in the tidy team effort from the hosts Aotea manager Bryan Te Huki heaped kudos on Central’s disciplined and clinical display “We had to defend for long periods and their defence was very good.” Openside flanker Te Rangi Williams and lock Jacob Stephenson were the best of the Aotea players Jacob Stephenson tries; Hoera Stephenson (2) cons) Napier Old Boys Marist 38 (Kere Penitito (2) Kane Ngawhare tries; Patrick Hedley 5 cons Manaaki Aranui tries; Leighton Shaw 2 cons Penisini Taufa tries; Alatasi Tupou (2) cons) Hastings Rugby and Sports 41 (Koby Deacon (2) Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 39 (Anaru Paenga-Morgan (2) The man took cash and left the service station on foot Police are investigating an aggravated robbery at a service station on Taradale Rd in Napier this afternoon Police were called to the Mobil at 1.30pm after a man entered the premises and threatened employees with a weapon which Hawke’s Bay Today understands to have been a tool A police spokeswoman said the man was wearing grey track pants and a red top with a hood and had a grey sweatshirt or t-shirt tied around his face or head She asked anyone who had seen someone matching this description to call police on 111 and quote event number P060238126 As part of a program to increase automated external defibrillators (AED) in the community The Hōhepa Shop in Taradale now has a brand new AED - or ‘heart re-starter’ - that is available 24/7 for the local community which has been generously donated by the Royston Health Trust is part of a long-term regional plan to increase AED accessibility and visibility to the public Located on the exterior of the Taradale Hōhepa Shop at 260 Gloucester Street the ‘heart re-starter’ is housed in a yellow Hōhepa Shop staff and volunteers were joined by Josh Kluts Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) Emergency Medical Technician and AED Development Lead for Hawke’s Bay at the official installation event on Thursday Kluts from St John explained that it is important that members of the public know where the nearest AED is located If someone nearby were to go into cardiac arrest someone else would perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the meantime.” “When the heart stops pumping blood around the body a defibrillator (AED) will read the heart’s rhythm and give it an electric shock to help return it back to normal because they come with pre-loaded voice instructions but it’s always worth doing a basic first aid course to boost your confidence in these situations.” Hōhepa Shop’s AED installation occurred during HHSTJ’S ‘Shocktober’ - an annual awareness campaign in October the ‘3 Steps for Life’ CPR and AED education programme is delivered to the public This programme includes free one-hour educative sessions which are designed to give people the confidence and awareness to act when someone suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest HHStJ Community Education National Manager Jacci Tatnell explained that ‘the Shocktober campaign highlights how anyone can play a vital role in responding to a cardiac arrest in the community and therefore give that person the best chance of surviving.’ the Shocktober community education team has successfully taught over 21,350 New Zealanders how to deliver CPR and administer an AED well exceeding the initial 2024 goal of 15,000 people A council worker was seriously assaulted on Taradale's Guppy Road Four males have been arrested after a serious assault on a council worker on Guppy Road have been charged with aggravated robbery and wilful damage Police said the victim was “seriously injured” in the Taradale assault on January 30 An 18-year-old is due to reappear in the Napier District Court on February 27 The remaining three are due to appear in the Napier District Court on Thursday Police confirmed they are not seeking anybody else in relation to the incident A well-fought battle between Napier Old Boys Marist and Taradale saw the Maroon's clinch another Maddison Trophy victory on Saturday The final scoreline of 28-15 capped off a stellar run for the club having previously achieved 15 wins with at least four tries scored in each game It’s the Maroons’ third cup title in four years Penalties seemed to be the name of the game when it came to Taradale’s Saturday success with Trinity Spooner-Neera clinching seven himself A 53-minute yellow card for Hunter Morrison in the second half had the potential to throw a spanner in the works and allowed Old Boys Marist to regain some momentum but two penalties after from Spooner-Neera helped cement the Taradale victory Taradale coach Namatahi Waa said he was “over the moon” with the win and proud of his teams’ efforts throughout the season We turned up pre-season and put the mahi in and it’s carried on throughout the whole season,” Waa said you go into the mindset that it’s finals foot from the first game in the Nash Cup to the Maddison finals He said a big thing the team would work on was discipline “One thing I would say was our boys had the attitude and the intent when it came to getting out there with all they had.” Two great tries from Kere Penitito and a conversion and penalty from Napier Old Boys Marist coach Ellery Wilson gave his team a fighting chance and highlighted their position as season standouts “I’m really proud of the boys how we continued to fight back after Taradale kicked a lot of penalties,” Wilson said “I think we were probably the closest someone has pushed [Taradale] all year.” with Ricky Hayes and Kade Manuel-Green also noted for their standout performances It’s the 10th time Taradale have won a final in the modern era of the Maddison Trophy They also beat rivals Napier Old Boys Marist 36-0 in the Nash Cup round in April and 52-24 in the Maddison Trophy round-robin stages last month In other finals results around Hawke’s Bay Tapuae won the Lee Bros Shield match 13-5 against Gisborne YMP and Wairoa Athletic clinched the Lew Patterson Cup 23-22 against Nūhaka The Tapuae women were beaten by Gisborne YMP 19-12 in the women’s matches CHB Colliers managed to beat M.A.C Enviro 31-24 Ōtāne Country won against the Napier Old Boys Marist Premier Reserves McLean Park in Napier wasn’t ready for club finals rugby this weekend after a period of planned re-sowing so games were held at other grounds across Hawke’s Bay Mystery surrounds the identity of a sign bandit in Napier who has been changing dozens of street names into crude words for months without being nabbed So far the handiwork has cost ratepayers more than $5000 for repairs Residents say the culprit might feel like a practical joker Taradale resident Jo Coffin thought someone was having a laugh when she saw a post about her street name on social media "I live in Cornwall Rd but in the post it said 'Pornwall Rd' I just thought it was a joke," Coffin said Other changes to street sign names seen by Local Democracy Reporting A spokesperson for Napier City Council said the vandalism was happening right across the network but Taradale appeared to be the latest target So far the vandalism has cost ratepayers about $5700 to fix The spokesperson said the spate of tampering started in August 2024 and since then they had replaced 30 street signs "An average double-sided street name blade costs around $190 plus GST depending on size and length of the street name." Coffin said she was expecting visitors from overseas when the sign was changed to Pornwall Rd "It's kind of embarrassing telling them to look for a street name like that," she said "Replacing signs because of behaviour like this is not a good use of taxpayers' money." "It's blatant unnecessary exposure to crude words ArtyAz shop owner Terri Dangen said most people will automatically think it's teenagers "But I don't think you would get a group of teenagers standing around scoping out suitable signs and traffic flow I'm leaning towards males 30 years and upwards "Whoever was responsible might think it's a practical joke but it's at the expense of the community." Napier City Council said the matter had been raised with police A police spokesperson said they hadn't been able to locate any reports in relation to the matter but it "would likely have been noted for intel purposes" LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air The latest wave of sign vandalism in the Far North is believed to be connected to new speed limits The Tasman Region has reaffirmed support for te reo Māori after repeated vandalism of bilingual signs Watch: Aucklanders says defacing the rainbow is "incredibly cowardly" and "petty" Businesses on the iconic street are fed up with the lack of public toilets with some having to clean up human waste outside their shops each morning There were several incidents of vandalism at the $10.8 million Hayman Park I Manukau Iho Noa playground and a further 15 in the local area have also been damaged Local Democracy Reporting RSS Rosie O'Grady's Taradale has gone into liquidation and shut its doors but could re-open under new ownership Publican Stefan Burt says a decision to put two of his Irish pubs in Napier into voluntary liquidation has been the result of “anything that can go wrong will go wrong” A sale process is ongoing for the Taradale pub which could potentially re-open under new ownership in time for St Patrick’s Day (March 17) at the earliest That sale process is yet to be finalised but a deposit has been paid by the prospective buyer Burt also owns a third pub and business which he said would remain open and was the group’s main “breadwinner” “It has been put under a bit of strain as well but I’m sure we can get through that,” Burt said “We are just retrenching into Hastings as a family and saying that is what we want to focus on.” According to the first liquidator’s reports Rosie O’Grady’s Taradale (HB Pub Company Ltd) and Rosie O’Grady’s Napier (HB Pub Company No 3 Ltd) owe over $500,000 each to creditors Most of that money is owed to Inland Revenue (IRD) and the two pubs were operating since 2021 and late 2022 respectively Some of the debt includes money advanced between the sister companies “There is no money owed to the employees at all “And pretty much all the trade creditors have been paid “So all the money owed is to IRD and to myself here in Hastings [as an associated company].” Burt said navigating the impact of Covid and Cyclone Gabrielle on hospitality He said it had felt like “a comedy of anything that can go wrong will go wrong” since opening the first of the pubs in 2021 “There is no secret that Napier was a struggle – we had delays but January was a disaster so we just decided to basically call it quits and walk away from the losses “Then Taradale was our next one to say ‘well we are one owner-operator and we are trying to run two or three sites going backwards and so we made the decision.” He said the Taradale venue deserved its own owner-operator to run it Rosie O’Grady’s Napier and Rosie O’Grady’s Taradale had about 10 staff between them before the liquidations There is also a Rosie O’Grady’s Irish Pub in Palmerston North one in a serious condition and one moderate One person is seriously injured after a quad bike crash on private property near Taradale The crash was reported near Springfield Road about 12.40pm on Friday one in a serious condition and one in a moderate condition A Napier cafe crash was caused by a driver hitting the accelerator instead of the brake while parking Customers and staff jumped from their seats and headed towards the back exit of The Coffee Club at The Crossing Napier as the car smashed through the front glass wall about 9.50am on Wednesday said the incident was a “complete accident” “So it looked like they were trying to park and as they got close they’ve accelerated instead of braking,” he said of the driver Lucas said there were customers in the store at the time of the crash “They sort of got a fright but quickly jumped up and got out of the way but they weren’t ever in any danger thankfully.” A police spokesperson confirmed that no injuries had been reported Lucas said there was “considerable damage” and he was unsure when the cafe would be able to operate again “Our goal will be to get the store up and running as soon as possible.” Lucas said customers will be notified of new opening times and dates when they are available Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region Alex Shanks turned up to sit on the bench for Gisborne Thistle’s first team and scored the equalising goal in the last five minutes against Taradale on Saturday Shanks has played for Thistle Youth A this year but answered a distress call from a depleted first team He went on 20 minutes from the end and set about making a nuisance of himself up front leading goalscorer in Central Football’s Federation League going into this game dropped back into midfield and set up the goal for Electrinet Thistle’s 1-1 draw at Childers Road Reserve beat a defender and crossed from the byline Shanks rose to head the ball in from seven metres The result left Taradale in fourth place and Thistle seventh behind New Plymouth Rangers on goal difference Only one game remains in the Federation League – Thistle’s home match against Havelock North Wanderers on Saturday – and plenty rides on it they would go above Taradale on goal difference and meet the seventh-ranked Capital Premier/Capital 1 team in the playoffs for next season’s Central League 2 competition But if Thistle drew with or beat Wanderers Taradale would remain fourth and Wanderers fifth and Thistle would rise to sixth and meet the fifth-ranked Capital team in the playoffs 6 v 5 and 7 v 4 – will be played at Massey University Thistle did well to foot it with Taradale on Saturday especially in view of the Jags’ continuing difficulties in fielding their strongest team Those problems were compounded three minutes from time when right-winger Samson Hotas was sent off for a second yellow-card offence The automatic one-week suspension for a red card means he will miss the game against Wanderers this week unless Thistle can get the card rescinded Thistle coach Tam Cramer said he thought his side deserved a draw “They got a massive bollocking at halftime,” he said “It [the first-half performance] was way below what I expect of us “They needed to turn it round and they did.” Cramer said he called Shanks into the squad on Saturday because of the number of players unavailable “He caused them problems and played with great heart.” Shifting Somerton back into midfield allowed him to get more of the ball and create chances for others “And Jimmy can play anywhere,” Cramer said Taradale coach Jamie Dunning said he was “a bit gutted” to concede right at the end We’ve just got to learn to manage the game better The man of the match was probably their goalkeeper He said his team would have to get themselves up for the Federation Cup final (against New Plymouth team Moturoa in Palmerston North) on Saturday and then the playoffs the week after Thistle keeper Hugo Lodewyk was indeed a standout performer Taradale striker Liam Percy-Fysh wriggled his way clear in the Jags’ penalty area and Lodewyk spread himself and stopped the shot with his foot Percy-Fysh got a shot away from close range then parried a follow-up from another Taradale player from the same distance The keeper had no chance with Taradale’s goal Right-flank midfielder Zac Madsen moved on to a ball played into the Thistle penalty area took it to the byline and cut it back into the goalmouth left-winger Ruben Garcia received the ball inside the Taradale penalty area and crossed early to Travis White Hotas made a run from right to left and passed to Garcia and Jags skipper Cory Thomson put the rebound wide Garcia and Somerton combined to set up Hotas for a shot that Healey did well to tip over the bar and in the 57th minute Percy-Fysh had the ball in the net a second time but the goal was disallowed for offside this time firing just past the far post from the left Things got testy towards the end as tired bodies tried to save the game or put it to bed Well-performed Taradale midfielder Nick De Maine was shown the yellow card for a rash challenge in the 72nd minute and Thistle’s Hotas was shown yellow for the first time in the 85th a second yellow (turning to red) for Hotas and then a first yellow for Taradale’s Jake Bryan centrebacks Junior Jimmy and Ziggy West-Hill Somerton was well-marked but made the match-defining pass Euan Cramer played good one and two-touch football in midfield Travis White looked for the telling delivery and fullbacks Te Kani Wirepa-Hei and Shai Avni put in steady shifts It was good to see Kaden Manderson and Jakeb Te Kani-Brown getting a run late in the game to see centre-back Jimmy incapacitated by a severe cramp late in the game In Jacques Markram and skipper Jackson Haines Taradale had one of the best young centre-back combinations seen at Childers Road Reserve this season Fullbacks Thomas Hall and Rory O’Mahony kept things tidy on the flanks and he had good support from midfielders Madsen Hawke’s Bay referee Gordon Harris kept a firm grip on a keenly contested game The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night Police have confirmed the death of a cyclist who was injured in a collision with a vehicle in Taradale during the weekend Police have released the name of a cyclist who was injured and later died after a collision with a vehicle in Taradale on Sunday Thought to be the first road toll fatality from an incident on Hawke’s Bay roads in over three months the cyclist died in hospital on Wednesday morning They are seeking witnesses to the incident which happened at the intersection of Church and Neeve roads A statement said Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the crash, or anyone who may have dashcam footage. Information can be provided to Police by calling 105, or online at 105.police.govt.nz using “Update Report” and referencing the file number 240721/6602. With three fatalities reported throughout the country on Wednesday and Thursday, the provisional nationwide road toll this year was 153 by mid-afternoon Thursday, the lowest at that stage of the year for about a decade. There had been 11 fatalities in July, with six days to the end of the month. The 12 recorded in April 2012 is the lowest monthly toll in the almost 60 years since comparable statistics were first recorded. The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years. 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 Summer has come early to Hawke’s Bay as temperatures rocket up across the region Wairoa and Taradale both hit 30C on Thursday afternoon while Hastings enjoyed 27.7C and Napier had a breezy 25C MetService forecaster Mmathatelo Makgabutlane said a southerly change is coming up from the South Island and will cool things off “That will be shifting the wind direction from a northwesterly and that will come in with cooler air,” Makgabutlane said “So maybe towards dawn Friday things might feel a little bit chillier.” where the hot and not so hot spots for freedom camping are in Napier will be discussed in detail early next year Submissions to the Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw 2024 close at 5pm Friday at sayitnapier.nz Napier City Council will consider submissions at a hearing in February next year Council said the proposals are aimed at enhancing the experience for visitors travelling in self-contained vehicles Eighteen existing and potential freedom camping sites have been assessed as part of the review of the current bylaw The option proposed under the revised bylaw is for the Westshore and Foreshore sites to be closed and a site such as the National Aquarium carpark or another high-ranking site identified in the assessment to be added Recent changes to the Freedom Camping Act by the Government are behind the review of the number and locations of parks available to mobile travellers have signed a partnership agreement to boost development opportunities for young players The clubs have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which they agree to work together in a number of ways In their joint announcement of the partnership both clubs acknowledge the investment local clubs make in developing young talent and have agreed not to engage in active player solicitation from one another “While players always have the right to choose where they play both clubs are committed to ensuring player movement occurs organically without external pressure or unethical recruitment tactics.” Main photo: Wanderers’ Aaron Hamilton (left) and Taradale’s Mike Baldwin Taradale president Mike Baldwin and Wanderers president Aaron Hamilton said they had both seen increased recruitment activity from clubs without strong junior programmes actively targeting players as young as 12 or 13 Aaron Hamilton believed Wanderers could offer the best junior development programme in the region with the recent appointments of former All Whites captain Chris Jackson as director of football and former US Virgin Islands captain JC Mack as the head of junior football READ MORE: Former All Whites captain Chris Jackson takes on new role in Hawke’s Bay >>>> Mike Baldwin said the clubs agreed on their development philosophy and Taradale’s football development manager had been in his role full-time for two years Dunning has an OFC/NZF A Licence and is an accredited NZ Football coach educator READ MORE: Taradale appoint full-time A-Licence coach to lead development programme >>>> “With Taradale’s support from MCL Construction as our main junior sponsor we have been able to concentrate on growing the quality of juniors within the club while encouraging the social aspects of belonging to a club at the same time offering them the best pathway to success,” Baldwin said The clubs say their partnership marks a new era for local football “As the two largest clubs in the region HNWAFC and Taradale AFC are taking the lead in shaping a stronger more unified development pathway for young players,” they said it is only right that we lead the way.” This story was first published on February 7 Neeve Rd will be closed "for some time" after a cyclist and car collided on Sunday morning One person was seriously injured after a car and cyclist collided in Taradale on Sunday morning A police spokesman said they responded to the incident at the corner of Church Rd and Neeve Rd about 10.55am An update from police said Neeve Rd had closed and was expected to be closed for some time “Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays,” a police statement said A Hato Hone St John spokesperson confirmed one person in a serious condition was assessed and treated before they were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital by ambulance Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has been left to clean up after a long-crashed car was likely pushed into a Hastings drain Police responded to the initial crash just after 2.30am on Saturday after a vehicle collided with a bridge on Riverslea Rd At the time no injuries were reported and police enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remained ongoing The car stayed in place for about a week before the Regional Council was notified on Friday that the car was now in the drain next to the road A Regional Council spokeswoman said staff had since used hydrocarbon booms to pick up the oil petrol in the drain and were working on a “recovery solution” for the car She said the Regional Council was not aware of who was responsible A Hastings District Council spokeswoman said the car had crashed into the bridge The spokeswoman said there were plans to repair the sight rails this week One person was injured in a small fire at a commercial property in Hastings on Friday Two fire trucks responded to a business on Omahu Rd at 7.49am A Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said firefighters were at the scene for about an hour A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said one person in a moderate condition was transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital Hastings senior station officer Mike Peachey said a worker in the NZ Frost Fans building had a partial burn to his hand The fire was out with only minor damage when firefighters arrived and they stayed on the scene to clear out smoke and dampen heat Peachey said he could not comment on the specific cause at this stage A passerby captured on film the moment a roaming seal caught an eel about 5km from the ocean up a Napier stream The passerby said he saw the seal in Taipo Stream around midday on Monday and started filming I stayed for an hour or two just to soak in the moment,” the passerby said “It was actually really fun waving people down to have a look too Everyone I talked to was so excited and it really brightened everyone’s day.” He said he called the Department of Conservation to let them know about the kekeno and he was told they had informed their local team to let them decide what to do “It had plenty of food in the stream (heaps of eels in that stream) so the cub won’t have to battle the waves while it’s in the stream.” DoC issued a warning to the public earlier this month about seal ‘silly season’ where juvenile and adventurous kekeno/fur seals and sea lions start exploring from June to September according to DoC marine science adviser Dr Jody Weir “Although they are usually found on rocky shores their natural curiosity sometimes leads them several kilometres inland,” Weir said in the statement tend to venture further afield during this period A young seal surprised a Hastings resident this time last year when he spotted it up Karamu Stream. Dr Weir said people should enjoy observing them from a distance and contact Doc only if they are in immediate danger, such as being on a road, severely injured, or tangled in debris. Behaviours like regurgitating, sneezing, coughing, or crying were normal for seals. Anyone who sees a seal that is severely injured, being harassed or in danger is advised to call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). A passerby captured the moment a roaming kekeno caught an eel in Taipo Stream near the Napier suburb of Taradale, about 5km from the ocean. Video / Supplied Flaxmere's new supermarket opens tomorrow at 7am at the Flaxmere Village Centre. Video / Rafaella Melo A power box caught on fire after a crash in Greenmeadows, Napier, on Thursday. Video / Wiebe Armand Marinus For 13 years, Craig McDougall has transformed the lives of thousands of young people in Hawke’s Bay through boxing programmes. Video / Rafaella Melo - Hawke's Bay Today Tim Clayton claimed a silver medal at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin. Video / Rafaella Melo The competition challenges operators with precision tasks, such as painting, pouring water into a glass, opening a beer bottle and picking up an egg. A classic film, now told in te reo Māori. Shrek returns to the big screen, with a Hawke's Bay voice bringing Lord Farquaad to life. Video / Rafaella Melo - Hawke's Bay Today Flyover of Napier in one of NZ's oldest passenger planes, a de Havilland DH-84 Dragon, to celebrate Art Deco Festival. Video / Gary Hamilton-Irvine Cyclone Gabrielle floodwaters destroyed Waikato Gray’s Eskdale home in February 2023. He refused a council buyout, staying on his ancestral land in a caravan. Video / Rafaella Melo Swoop the Magpie, Hawky the Hawk, and Seamore the Seagull compete at the mascot race at the opening of the 2025 North Island Colgate Games at Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings. A former mushroom farm turned creative hub for local artists hosts its first night market. Video / Rafaella Melo Big guns await as Kieran Richards and Napier City Rovers eye potential National League grand final spot. Video / Neil Reid Watch emergency services responding to the bus crash carrying RSE workers. Video / Supplied Truck driver says the drive across the bridge is “un-nerving" as it creaks and groans. Video / Michaela Gower Han Zheng said the man became angry over a 5G connectivity issue with his phone. Video / Han Zheng Witnesses say they think a tyre blew during the fire, with an explosion that sent a plume of flame and smoke out. Video / Margie McAleese Tararua District residents, including Mayor Tracey Collis marched to protest against the proposed toll on Te Ahu a Turanga Manawatu-Tararua Highway. Video / Hawkes Bay Today Customise your coffin with the Hawke's Bay Coffin Club members. Video / Michaela Gower Neil Paton and Brad Edwards prepare for firefighting challenge Championship in Nashville. Video / Michaela Gower Central Stags cricket team fundraising for Ozanam House Palmerston North and Cure Leukaemia UK. Video / Michaela Gower / Hawke's Bay Today A ute rams Jonzy Brandt's unoccupied car during a late-night hit and run in Hastings. Video / Supplied Security footage captures the "Waipawa Prowler" on resident's property. Video / Supplied Rhys Tamanui shows what it takes to be a cut above the rest. Video / Michaela Gower Seven-year-old Rocco Green needed walking aids to get around before he got Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery in the US thanks to fundraising. Video / Ashlee Green Norfolk pine cut down along Napier's Marine Parade. Video / Doug Laing Hawke's Bay Today reporter Michell Hageman also kind of known loosely as Mighty Mitch goes er toe to toe against Impact Pro Wrestling fly weight championship contender ACJ. Demolition is set to be completed at the end of August. Video / Paul Taylor A Dannevirke family watched as their ute went up in flames. Video / Annette Lilo The Leopard Family have spent 20 months on the road living in a caravan and have no plans on stopping. Video / Leopardsgowild: Michael Leopard Hastings Model Railway Club enthusiast Tony Simons is building a railway based on an old South Island coal mining village. Video / Warren Buckland Cannon Williams chats to Hawke's Bay Today reporter James Pocock on his hopes to become a bare knuckle boxing champion. Video Paul Taylor A lamp post landed on a van after being hit during a serious two-vehicle crash in Napier. One person was taken to hospital in a critical condition following the accident in rush-hour traffic on Taradale Rd about 8.05am yesterday, which saw a car roll and crash into another vehicle. A lamp post was downed in the incident. One person in a critical condition was transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital, a St John ambulance spokesman said. Another person was treated for minor injuries. Police later confirmed a 31-year-old man was arrested and charged with unlawful taking of a vehicle and reckless driving. Fire and Emergency NZ were notified of the blaze behind the Napier Refuse Centre in Taradale at around 1.40pm. Five trucks were in attendance as of 2.50pm with more on the way, a spokeperson said. The public is asked to stay away from the area as well as the Tutaekuri River which flows behind the centre. A fire burns behind the Napier Refuse Centre in Taradale. (Source: Dianne London) A helicopter is en route to help fire crews battling a grass fire west of Napier this afternoon. Iwi misses out on bid to buy back ancestral mountain The campaign to bring the Kahurānaki back into Māori ownership included a 10-day hīkoi from Māhia to Kahurānaki Te Ao Māori Vandals in 4WDs mow down The damage was done overnight on Saturday after the vandals first removed new vehicle barriers in front of the trees Crime and Justice Let them dance: Napier to retain 3am bar closing times Napier City Council has done a U-turn on a proposal to close bars an hour earlier New Zealand He's sold watercress on the street for 30 years – then a council officer saw him A Hastings man who has run a makeshift business picking and selling watercress on suburban streets has been told to stop until he pays more than $600 of registration fees Severe weather to lash both islands 'unusually strong' winds for Wgtn A low pressure system deepening and moving across the country today and tomorrow has sparked a huge amount of weather warnings and watches Cause of mysterious milky stream in Havelock North revealed A regular user of Guthrie Park says it’s not the first time she has seen the stream turn the colour of milk Environment Film industry anxiously awaits details on Trump's 100% movie tariff 7:17pm Search underway for Masterton man, 74, missing since Sunday 7:07pm Crooks, culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria 7:05pm Charges filed against Woolworths over pricing, misleading specials 6:45pm Police, experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising 6:33pm Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves 7:28pm 1US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway US prisons bureau has challenges — reopening Alcatraz is now another Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$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 helicopter is en route to help fire crews battling a grass fire west of Napier this afternoon Fire and Emergency NZ were notified of the blaze behind the Napier Refuse Centre in Taradale at around 1.40pm Five trucks were in attendance as of 2.50pm with more on the way The public is asked to stay away from the area as well as the Tutaekuri River which flows behind the centre Hawke's Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu has been unsuccessful in its bid to buy back the mountain Kahurānaki but the iwi says its connection to the land will always remain Kahurānaki Station - a 1156 hectare sheep and beef farm south of Havelock North which includes the peak of the mountain - came up for sale earlier this year and the iwi launched a fundraising campaign to buy it The campaign to bring the Kahurānaki back into Māori ownership was called He Maunga Ka Taea and included a 10-day hīkoi from Māhia to Kahurānaki It raised more than $95,000 on crowd funding platform koha.kiwi Hastings-based post-settlement governance entity Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Trust submitted a tender on behalf of the iwi Chairman Pōhatu Paku said the trust was the only local entity to tender for the Station and they were saddened and disappointed by the outcome The trust had approached the tender on the basis it was presented Paku acknowledged the young and emerging iwi members who had generated the groundswell of support for the tender and for the longer term status of the mountain ki tēnā o tātau e titikaha nei ki tēnei kaupapa I just want to acknowledge and mihi to everybody that has connected with this kaupapa Paku said the trust would be engaging with the station's new owners at an appropriate time to convey the iwi's history and also set out their aspirations "The continuation of the protection of our wāhi tapu (sacred sites) is significantly important to us Continued access to the mountain would also be a high priority "The previous owners were quite open for Kura for people running kaupapa and also those that wished to ascend the maunga they allowed that they identified that it was culturally significant to us all." Paku said Tamatea Pōkai Whenua will need to foster the groundswell of support and leadership that the He Maunga Ka Taea campaign had generated "The whakapapa connections and taonga that is Kahurānaki maunga remain our greatest advantage is that we live in perpetuity and our maunga and our tīpuna live with us and they continue to be ours "And like all of our tūtohu whenua (landmarks) our maunga carries our traditions and our identity and our histories and we remain uncompromising to act in the best interests of our tūtohu whenua both for this generation and for future generations." Paku said the trust may look at legal personhood as another avenue to protect the mountain but ultimately he said the maunga remains an ancestor and retains its own mana which no one can ever own rnz.co.nz Napier City Council has done a U-turn on its proposal to close bars an hour earlier with one councillor saying he wasn’t prepared to take the chance for young people to dance away from them Councillor Richard McGrath said he looked around the council table when he was making up his mind "The likes of the three o’clock in the morning is for 18- to 25-year-olds "And that’s not us," McGrath said “There is only one place in Napier open until 3am and it offers a point of difference – you can actually go and dance not my thing but for plenty of people it is and perhaps if we go back far enough around the table “I’m not prepared to take that away from our community who are growing up and doing their thing and learning about the world “How are they going to learn about the world sitting at home playing on a PlayStation?” The earlier closing time was a major part of the draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) which also included no more off-licences to be issued for bottle stores in Maraenui Mayor Kirsten Wise called for an amendment to the proposed LAP based on what she was hearing around the table “What I’m going to propose is an amendment to the officers’ recommendation yet to be debated is we retain the provisions in the existing LAP regarding maximum trading hours regarding the 3am closing for nightclubs and 7am selling at grocery stores.” 44% of submitters supported the proposed changes with their reasons including helping reduce the harm caused by antisocial behaviour and alcohol while 56% were against it with reasons including unnecessary pressure on the hospitality industry a publican who has been in the industry for 47 years had earlier said the proposed changes in the closing hours were crazy He said if bars had issues they were "not being run right spoke at the meeting about the importance of creating a safe environment using security and cameras Another issue identified by officers on the proposed LAP was consistency and alignment with Hastings District Council McGrath said he kept hearing about Hastings It’s about time perhaps Hastings looked at itself and said ‘hey actually Napier’s going to three if we think there’s a big enough issue with the different closing times “It doesn’t always have to be us going the other way Further severe weather is forecast to impact both islands tomorrow unusually strong winds for the capital and more disruption to transport A low-pressure system is deepening and moving across the country over the next 48 hours sparking a large number of weather warnings MetService has issued orange heavy rain warnings for Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki Canterbury between Amberley and Timaru including Christchurch and Banks Peninsula An orange strong wind warning is in place from tomorrow for both sides of Cook Strait coastal areas of Wairarapa and coastal Marlborough south of Blenheim Gusts of up to 130km/h could hit the capital and further disruption was expected to Cook Strait ferry services NZTA has warned motorists of possible lane closures on the Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow SH1 would be blocked in Northland at the Mangamuka Gorge overnight into Thursday morning Damaging wind is a real concern for parts of the lower North Island, including Wellington, later today & Thursday.Gusts may reach 120+ km/h.Likely impacts include:🌬️ Damage to trees🌬️ Risk of power cuts🌬️ Difficult travelStay on top of weather warnings from @MetService. pic.twitter.com/E4OPApFHoQ Orange heavy snow warnings were in force overnight for the Canterbury High Country with 12 to 20cm of snow expected to fall above 800 metres including heavy rain watches for the eastern Bay of Plenty Strong wind watches were also forecast for Auckland MetService's Heather Keats said the storm was "very widespread" "It's covering almost the entire country," she said "Most of us will get at least a little taste of this system." There was a "large amount of impactful rain" forecast for the east coast of the South Island including a high chance of a red warning for Canterbury north and about Amberley which was "not to be ignored" but she said it was at "unusual levels even for them" with southerly gusts approaching 130km/h alongside high sustained wind speeds possible "When the wind is combined with the swell there will be elevated impacts from this weather coastal inundation and erosion just to name a couple," Keats said It’s about to get properly windy for parts of the country over the next day and a half💨In the capital, this looks like more than just a typical Windy Welly day - unusually strong southerlies could bring gusts of 130 km/h, making trees and structures more vulnerable to damage pic.twitter.com/KotAHrhoFa She said it had been a "really wet and warm April" "We did have a relatively quiet start to 2025 so it does feel like all the rough weather is now pushing over us but we are well into autumn now and we can expect the weather to become unstable at times." Forecast swells of up to seven metres have forced a large number of cancellations on both the Interislander and Bluebridge over the coming days SH1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has been closed since yesterday due to a slip NZTA said the road would remain closed overnight "Contractors will be on-site with specialist machinery tomorrow morning to remove loose material above the slip site in a safe and controlled manner," a spokesperson said the agency said contractors were monitoring the movement of the hillside following recent heavy rain and another slip was expected "The geology and varying terrain through the Mangamuka Gorge mean it will always be susceptible to some movement during severe weather like what we’ve seen over the past two to three weeks." NZTA has warned drivers to prepare for the possibility of short-notice lane closures or reduced speeds on the Auckland Harbour Bridge "Wind gusts of 75-89 km/h are forecast for the bridge between 4am and 9am tomorrow potentially triggering a red alert," a spokesperson said "Wind gusts of 75-85km/h are forecast for between midday and 7pm The bridge will remain in a four-by-four configuration during peak traffic tomorrow speed limits may be reduced and some lanes on the bridge may close we close all lanes because it’s unsafe for any vehicle to be on the bridge and the bridge structure is vulnerable to vehicle impacts." Drivers of high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists were urged to travel around the harbour using the Western Ring Route via State Highway 18 Bay of Plenty east of Ōpōtiki – 29 hours from 10am Wednesday to 3pm Thursday Canterbury about and north of Amberley – 35 hours from 10am Wednesday to 9pm Thursday including Christchurch and Banks Peninsula – 32 hours from 10am Wednesday to 6pm Thursday Kaikōura coast and ranges – 44 hours from 10am Wednesday to 6am Friday Wellington – 21 hours from 3am Thursday to midnight Coastal areas of Wairarapa – 15 hours from 9am Thursday to midnight including the Kaikōura Coast – 21 hours from 1am Thursday to 10pm Canterbury High Country south of the Rangitata River – 12 hours from 9pm Wednesday to 9am Thursday Bay of Plenty about and west of Ōpōtiki – 11 hours from 10am to 9pm Wednesday Wairarapa – 8 hours from 1pm to 9pm Wednesday Wellington – 45 hours from 6pm Wednesday to 3pm Friday and Waikato north of Hamilton – 5 hours from 7am Thursday to noon and Hawke's Bay south of Hastings – 12 hours from 1pm Thursday to 1am Friday Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast – 13 hours from 9am Thursday to 10pm Marlborough Sounds – 18 hours from 6pm Wednesday to noon Thursday also the Nelson Lakes – 27 hours from noon Wednesday to 3pm Thursday A milky stream beside one of Havelock North’s largest parks yesterday was caused by a leaking water valve nearby The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Pollution Response team was at Karitūwhenua Stream in Guthrie Park yesterday after reports that Crombie was a milky colour A regular user of Guthrie Park said it was not the first time she has seen the stream turn the colour of milk But this time Lynda – who didn’t want her last name used – took a photo They were in and out of the water looking for rats," Lynda said "I always rinse them off after they have been in any stream and they were fine But I wanted to know why it was discoloured." A spokesperson from Hasting Council said water from the toby — a valve that shut off a mains water supply — caused sediment scouring at the site leading to murky-coloured water entering the Crombie Drain "This then flowed into the Karitūwhenua Stream affecting the water clarity of the stream as it flows through Guthrie Park "The repair was completed on Monday afternoon by a Hastings Council contractor and the stormwater team continued to monitor the situation." The council says if the public had any further concerns or spotted anything else "Let’s just say they help reduce the rat population." A search and rescue operation is underway for a Masterton man in his 70s missing since Sunday John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station about midday on May 4 The 74-year-old did not board a train and left on foot about 20 minutes later Matheson said it was possible Rafferty was staying with a friend but police and loved ones "want to know he’s safe" and John doesn’t have his cell phone or wallet," he said A search team and a helicopter has been out looking for the missing man "We are really keen to know that he’s safe." Police have released an image from CCTV showing Rafferty on a station platform on the day of his disappearance He was wearing a blue jacket with 'NASA' written on the back Anyone who saw him was asked to contact police on 111 or online at 105 if there was Information after the fact The next top cop of the troubled Victoria police force embraces his "outsider" status to curb its leadership malaise and has a stern warning for crooks Former New Zealand Police commissioner Mike Bush won the race to become Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes The 40-year police veteran steps into the role on June 27 with a five-year contract The Kiwi conceded the job will be no picnic with Victoria's crime rate hitting an almost decade-high in 2024 everyone knows that," he told reporters today "These crime issues are actually global they are quite similar wherever you go but it's not good enough just to turn up after the act Rising youth crime and high-profile cases of alleged offenders committing crimes while on bail spurred the Victorian government to strengthen laws in March Bush said he was familiar with the crackdown but bail laws were just one part of the solution to tackling youth crime along with a "prevention mindset" He retired from the NZ police force in 2020 after joining in 1978 and spending his final six years in the top job Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption and Covid-19 pandemic were among the biggest crises Bush confronted during his tenure Bush also made headlines in 2022 after it emerged he had a past drink-driving conviction when unsuccessfully applying to become head of the UK's Metropolitan Police Former New Zealand police minister Stuart Nash describedr Bush as hard but fair He said Bush regularly met with police forces across the Tasman in his previous role and recalled travelling with him to every district across New Zealand once a year to chew the fat with communities and then we all had biscuits and a cup of tea," Nash told AAP "Mike is someone who had deep credibility in policing." The state government has not handed the reins of Victoria Police to an outsider since former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon in 2001 The Kiwi was happy to wear the "outsider" tag and is already hatching plans to hit the ground running "I've got a lot to do to come up to speed," Bush said "Culture is a consequence of leadership." establishing relationships with community groups amid rising tensions and increasing police visibility on the beat were among his other top initial priorities Victoria Police was thrust into leadership turmoil in February with a no-confidence vote from officers costing chief commissioner Shane Patton his job Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent became acting chief and expressed an interest in making the move permanent before throwing in the towel in April Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill will serve in an acting capacity until Bush takes over Bush intends to speak with Patton before starting and said he wouldn't shy away from pushing back if he disagreed with the government Premier Jacinta Allan said a recruitment agency was hired and instructed to find a leader capable of addressing the "challenges" plaguing the force "Mike Bush is the best person for the job," she said whose union led the no-confidence vote against Patton following a bitter pay dispute admitted there was a disconnect between members and leaders The state police union secretary welcomed Mr Bush's appointment and pledge to listen to the mounting workforce concerns "We have a police force that is currently under-resourced that needs fresh officers," he said The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ for alleged inaccurate pricing and misleading specials that may have breached the Fair Trading Act The commission filed the charges against Woolworths in the Auckland District Court It indicated in December last year that it would be filing separate criminal charges against Woolworths and two Pak'nSave supermarkets the commission said there were ongoing issues with pricing in the supermarket sector and the operators may have breached the Fair Trading Act deputy chair Anne Callinan said operators should know what the expectations were "Supermarkets have long been on notice about the importance of accurate and clear pricing and specials and we're not satisfied with the continuing issues we're seeing across the industry "Pricing accuracy is a consumer right and an expectation of a competitive market well-resourced businesses that should invest the time and effort to get pricing and promotions right." She said the charges were filed to remind all supermarkets that they are expected to fix the pricing accuracy issues and implement better processes In a statement when the charges were announced Woolworths managing director Spencer Sonn said it was important customers could trust prices advertised at their supermarkets Woolworths said it has cooperated with the Commerce Commission's pricing investigation for some time rnz.co.nz Former prime minister Sir John Key says he remains optimistic about Donald Trump's domestic economic policy despite opposing the tariff strategy that has sent global markets into turmoil in recent months who served as prime minister for eight years was the keynote speaker at an Auckland business summit earlier today Sir John told 1News he believed Trump would ultimately take a more moderate approach to tariffs than initially proposed "I'm not a fan of tariff policies I don't think they really work," he said as I think the stock market is telling you at the moment that actually there will be a more sensible landing place for the tariffs that he's wanting to impose." Sir John said he "wasn't entirely surprised" at Trump's call to go ahead with the policy "They're just a negotiating point I think he simply put on widespread and high rates of tariffs on every country to give himself a leverage point and a negotiating point "What I think he actually grossly underestimated was the stock market reaction You can actually make the case that his own strategy hasn't worked The reason the markets have recovered is because he's taken those tariffs off the most part 'I'm going to negotiate case by case'." Sir John suggested Trump's economic policies could still generally be positive for the US but the tariffs could be trickier for the global economy Asked whether he stood by his October comments that Trump would be good for the economy he said: "Do I think he's going to reduce regulatory burden in the United States It depends on where things shake down in terms of tariffs." Sir John acknowledged that for certain industries Trump's policies could be "a really negative thing" particularly if the president's proposed 100% tariff on the film industry were to be implemented "I can't see how it would be cost-competitive to make a movie in New Zealand with a 100% tariff on it," he said noting that films such as The Hobbit would not have been made in New Zealand without government subsidies who now served as a director of US tech company Palo Alto Networks said he had "always been opposed" to Trump's tariff policies but believes they won't be the "dominant part of his economic solutions" "I don't think it's perfect from New Zealand's point of view but I don't think we should panic either and America will still be a very big market for us to sell things to," he said "There are growing markets around the world It's not a great thing from New Zealand's point of view We've got a very sound economy with lots of options in front of us." Sir John suggested a belief that the Republican Trump was was better "on balance" for the US economy than Democratic opponent Kamala Harris he expressed concerns about Trump's tariff approach: "China doesn't pay those tariffs middle-income consumers or consumers in America do because when a tariff goes on a good that you bring into a country He added: "I don't agree with the massive tariffs and I don't think you'll follow through with all of that and I certainly don't agree with this view on trade." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” 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 Eleven inmate deaths in less than two months A US$3 billion (NZ$5 billion) repair backlog a stunning directive from President Donald Trump for the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons to “REBUILD AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” — the notorious penitentiary on an island in San Francisco Bay that last held inmates more than 60 years ago Even as the Bureau of Prisons struggles with short staffing chronic violence and crumbling infrastructure at its current facilities Trump is counting on the agency to fulfill his vision of rebooting the infamously inescapable prison known in movies and pop culture as The Rock Trump declared in a social media post that a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” Alcatraz will house the nation’s “most ruthless and violent Offenders” Newly appointed Bureau of Prisons Director William K Marshall III said that the agency “will vigorously pursue all avenues to support and implement the President’s agenda” and that he has ordered “an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps” We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law and justice,” Marshall said in a statement “We will be actively working with our law enforcement and other federal partners to reinstate this very important mission.” an 8.9-hectare spit of land with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline was once the crown jewel of the federal prison system and home to some of the nation’s most notorious criminals including gangsters Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly But skyrocketing repair and supply costs compelled the Justice Department to close the prison in 1963 and the Bureau of Prisons has long since replaced Alcatraz with modern penitentiaries including a maximum-security prison in Florence The former and perhaps future penitentiary is now a popular tourist attraction and a national historic landmark It’s controlled by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area meaning the Bureau of Prisons could be in for an interagency tug of war if it tries to wrest away control of the island Trump’s Alcatraz directive is yet another challenge for the Bureau of Prisons as it struggles to fix lingering problems while responding to the president’s priorities on incarceration and immigrant detention includes taking in thousands of immigration detainees under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security The problems at the Bureau of Prisons transcend administrations and facilities An ongoing Associated Press investigation has uncovered deep previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons over the last few years including widespread criminal activity by employees and severe understaffing that has hampered responses to emergencies then-President Joe Biden signed a law strengthening oversight of the agency It remains the Justice Department’s largest agency 155,000 inmates and an annual budget of about US$8 billion (NZ$13.4 billion) but the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures have eliminated some pay bonuses that were credited with retaining and attracting new staff That has resulted in long overtime shifts for some workers and the continued use of a policy known as augmentation teachers and other workers are pressed into duty to guard inmates A Bureau of Prisons official told Congress at a hearing in February that more than 4000 beds within the system — the equivalent of at least two full prisons — are unusable because of dangerous conditions like leaking or failing roofs a 37-year-old Florida businessman who was found dead April 28 in a suspected suicide at a federal jail in Miami He was awaiting trial on charges that he kidnapped and killed his estranged wife in Spain inmate Ramadhan Jaabir Justice was killed in a fight at the federal penitentiary in Pollock where he was serving a nearly 11-year sentence for a conviction related to an armed robbery As Trump was ordering Alcatraz’s reopening correctional officers at the same Miami jail were fighting to curb the spread of tuberculosis and Covid-19 isolating inmates after they tested positive for the diseases immigration detainees at the facility ripped out a fire sprinkler and flooded a holding cell during a lengthy intake process the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin has sat idle for more than a year after the Bureau of Prisons cleared it of inmates in the wake of rampant sexual abuse by employees the agency made the closure permanent and idled six prison camps across the country to address “significant challenges crumbling infrastructure and limited budgetary resources” While Trump hails Alcatraz as a paragon of the federal prison system’s cherished past other facilities stand as reminders of its recent troubles They include the federal jail in Manhattan which remains idle after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide there in 2019 exposed deep flaws in its operations where 23 inmates have been charged in recent months with crimes ranging from smuggling weapons in a Doritos bag to the stabbing last month of a man convicted in the killing of hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay 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 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 Taradale No 6 Joshua Eden-Whaitiri breaks free to score one of his two tries against Hastings on Saturday If Napier Pirate can keeping playing with the heart they did in the second half against Havelock North, there could be a new team in the conversation for the Maddison Trophy come next weekend. A barnstorming comeback saw Pirate pull back a 21-point deficit on Saturday to win 41-38, a result Pirate player-coach Sheridan Rangihuna said was one of the better comebacks he’d been a part of. Rangihuna said Havelock North had come “out of the gates strong” and applied pressure through the boot of Will Cole, tactically and on the scoreboard. “Credit to our boys who showed massive resilience to overcome that and win in the dying minutes. “We haven’t pieced together the full 80 minutes this year and by all means were far from perfect, but I’m over the moon for our boys. “The fightback that was shown was true heart.” Pirate (on six points after the win) play red-hot Taradale next week, who are now the only unbeaten team after two rounds. They again bagged maximum points on Saturday as Joshua Eden-Whaitiri, Hunter Morrison and Majella Tufuga each scored a brace to help them bring up a half-century of points against a gallant Hastings. Hastings scored 26 points of their own, with Oscar Sowman landing three conversions to take his points tally for the year to 100. Rangihuna said Pirate were aware it would be a huge challenge but they were up for it. “We know we face a tough task ahead with Taradale next week. But we’ll bag massive confidence and growth from Saturday.” In the other Maddison Trophy match of the week, Napier Tech got their title defence back on track with a hard-fought win over Napier Old Boys Marist. Manaaki Aranui scored twice, while Xavier Mccorkindale, Pevelise Faumuina, Richard Buckman also went over as they edged Napier Old Boys Marist 35-26 and picked up an important bonus point to go with it. In Division 1 Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy matches, promoted sides Tamatea and Bridge Pā again found it tough going in their bids to step up to Nash Cup Premier rugby next season. Central beat Tamatea 64-5 in Waipukurau, Aotea beat Bridge Pa 55-26 in Dannevirke, and MAC beat Clive 45-41 in Clive. Meanwhile, Wairoa side Tapuae extended their unbeaten record by beating Gisborne side Ngatapa 50-19 in the first match of the second round of Poverty Bay Premier rugby. Nuhaka kept their sights on a possible all-Wairoa Division 1 final by beating Tapuae’s Second XV 55-10, while first-round winners Wairoa Athletic had a bye. NTOB: 35 Tries: Xavier Mccorkindale, Pevelise Faumuina, Richard Buckman, Manaaki Aranui (2) Conversion: Xavier Mccorkindale, Jacob Barry (4) NOBM: 26 Tries: Te Kahika Thompson, Michael Beech, Pouvi Fatialofa Conversion: Jonty Stewart Penalties: Jonty Stewart (3) Pirate: 41 Tries: Hugh Taylor, Tipene Maxwell, Nicholas Agnew, Jarryd Broughton, Sean Morrison, penalty try Conversions: Sheridan Rangihuna (3) Penalty: Sheridan Rangihuna Havelock North: 38 Tries: Oscar Ritchie, Epeli Tanadroga, Jesse Paewai, +1 (unknown scorer) Conversions: William Cole (3) Penalties: William Cole (4) TRSC: 50 Tries: Samuel Wye, Joshua Eden-Whaitiri (2), Hunter Morrison (2), Flynn Allen, Majella Tufuga (2) Conversions: Izaiah Tuliau (5) HRS: 26 Tries: Isaac Hinton, Jacob Devery (2), Troydyn Bird. Conversions: Oscar Sowman (3) Hat-tricks to Leach-Waihi and McKay in 10-try blitz Crews took two hours, 8000 litres of water in putting out blaze. He piko he tuna is about resilience and love the despite challenges of life. About 1200 delegates, including 340 travel buyers from 26 countries, will attend. Long-distance W1 national crowns went to Horouta's Hine Brooking and Akayshia Williams. Four people have been arrested and charged after a police pursuit. The seismic strengthening of Gisborne's West Lake Hotel is complete. GGisborne Boys' High First XI chasing first points in away clash. McMurray/Jackson top 69 in Wednesday competition The hīkoi starts at 8am on Monday, May 5, at Gisborne District Council offices. OPINION: Gisborne Council challenged on meeting attendance and state of Waimata Valley Rd. Sky TV outlines what customers need to do ahead of satellite switchover in mid-April. Settled weather boosts Gisborne's 2025 wine vintage 'Real celebration': Mini fans' charity drive raises thousands for KidsCan What remains of iconic Waipaoa Station is to go into pinus radiata trees. Closing lap fills 'whole 400 metres' of track as fundraiser exceeds expectations Kelsey Teneti helped the Black Ferns 7s win the world title in Los Angeles. BIZminton 2025 starts this week for social and competitive badminton players. Westpac Gisborne aims to beat last year's $15,000 local fundraising total. Gisborne's Pardoe and Smith make age group finals as next-gen showcase their potential. Improvement at the breakdown key to victory, says coach. Gisborne Engineering and their general manager named finalists in new national awards. Century of participation ends after YMP women fail to get numbers. Both sides go into Barry Park clash unbeaten so far this season Fine. Northwesterlies developing in the morning. Mostly cloudy, with the chance of a shower from morning. Northerlies developing for a time in the afternoon and evening. A few showers, turning to rain with heavy falls in the afternoon. Northerlies, becoming fresh. 'The team have nailed it – it’s a strategy that everyone can understand.' Mark Cameron, Richard Lindroos, Dr Frank Mitloehner, and Rick Ladd. After tragic cases, a new industry touted as a potential saviour has run into roadblocks. Chery is rolling its digital sales assistant out to dealerships this year. Mercedes-AMG has released a limited run with the livery of a fictional team from the movie The Rolls-Royce Phantom has turned 100 years old, so Rolls-Royce is looking back. REVIEW: Kim Mitchell 'owns the stage' as a small-time singer with big-time dreams. Four cups, including inaugural Boothby/Lynn Trophy, locked away. Principal Mark Harris said the win builds real pride in being part of Te Wharau. Waihape perfection highest start of night in TAK darts Clear division between top four and the rest after four rounds Music, enthusiasm and passion in tournament for Zimbabwean expatriates. Māori health provider gave 560 flu vaccines as part of a winter preparedness campaign. What's on in Tairāwhiti Gisborne this weekend; junior surf comp, musical and live music The consent conditions balance enabling forestry with protection of the environment. 'We need more doctors; we need more nurses.' The show, The Last Hard B*stard on Earth, hits Gisborne on May 11. The council consulted on excluding 'sensitive site provisions' in the CBD. Huge boost for London-based Gisborne judoka as she eyes LA 2028. A large number of mourners have travelled into Hawke's Bay for the funeral on Saturday afternoon, police said. Hawke's Bay Area Commander Inspector Lincoln Sycamore said police have continued engagement with the community, gang leaders and members, as well as the deceased's whānau over the past few days. "Our role remains to give mourners the respect and space to grieve, while also enhancing public trust and confidence and upholding the law." The deceased will lie in Percy Spiller Ave in the suburb of Maraenui overnight ahead of a funeral at the Napier Tech clubrooms at 1pm, followed by burial at Wharerangi Lawn Cemetery off Prebensen Dr from 3pm. Police said locals should expect "heavy traffic" as people travel between these locations. "The deceased's whānau have a Traffic Management Plan in place, and Māori Wardens and contractors will be assisting with this to ensure it runs smoothly." Sycamore said there will be "no tolerance" for breaches of the law, including the Gangs Act 2024, nor any unsafe or intimidating behaviour. "If police are not able to deal with breaches at the time, efforts will be made to follow up after the fact." Police at a checkpoint in Taradale on Thursday. (Source: NZ Police) Napier residents have been warned to expect heavy traffic tomorrow as police monitor the funeral of a prominent gang member with "significant community links" which is set to take place tomorrow. Crooks culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria Bush picked to take over as Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes Police experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising Technology has outpaced a currently underway review of the Arms Act and criminals are already taking advantage US prisons bureau has challenges — reopening Alcatraz is now another Juliana Herrera's family tell inquest: 'Stop repeating avoidable mistakes' was murdered in January 2022 by her neighbour Health Arrest after person assaulted A nurse leaving her shift last month was held up at gunpoint outside the grounds of the hospital Napier residents have been warned to expect heavy traffic tomorrow as police monitor the funeral of a prominent gang member with "significant community links" which is set to take place tomorrow A large number of mourners have travelled into Hawke's Bay for the funeral on Saturday afternoon Hawke's Bay Area Commander Inspector Lincoln Sycamore said police have continued engagement with the community as well as the deceased's whānau over the past few days "Our role remains to give mourners the respect and space to grieve while also enhancing public trust and confidence and upholding the law." The deceased will lie in Percy Spiller Ave in the suburb of Maraenui overnight ahead of a funeral at the Napier Tech clubrooms at 1pm followed by burial at Wharerangi Lawn Cemetery off Prebensen Dr from 3pm Police said locals should expect "heavy traffic" as people travel between these locations "The deceased's whānau have a Traffic Management Plan in place and Māori Wardens and contractors will be assisting with this to ensure it runs smoothly." Sycamore said there will be "no tolerance" for breaches of the law "If police are not able to deal with breaches at the time efforts will be made to follow up after the fact." A person is in custody after an alleged theft which left a person injured on the grounds of Palmerston North Hospital Police said officers were called to a Ruahine St carpark about 1.30pm on Tuesday Police said the alleged offender left the scene and was found a short time later "Police would like to thank the members of the public who witnessed the incident and intervened to assist the victim," a police spokesperson said That same night a staff member was knocked unconscious Staff have been calling for security improvements Health NZ MidCentral operations group director Sarah Fenwick previously told RNZ it was committed to making staff feel safer She said these included a security escort to vehicles increasing security services on hospital grounds and "opening up" access to the staff carpark for people working afternoon and night shifts "Lighting has been audited in all outside carparking areas to ensure it is well maintained," she said "Interim access to well-lit parking onsite with dedicated security for staff working afternoon and night shifts while a more permanent solution for out-of-hours carparking is developed." rnz.co.nz Vilikesa Waqanituva scores for Napier Pirate in Hawke's Bay Premier club rugby at Tamatea Park The class of mighty maroons Taradale forged a win against defending champions Napier Tech Old Boys 22-12 in the first round of the Bayleys Commercial Maddison Trophy Hawke’s Bay Premier Rugby Championship on Saturday In front of a crowd of over 1000 at Tech home ground Whitmore Park, Napier - with nine wins behind them in winning unbeaten the first-round trophy the Nash Cup - Taradale went up 10-0 after 20 minutes with tries to centre Nick Biss and flanker Joshua Eden-Whaitiri But Tech struck back with a try to prop Tim Farrell and then, perhaps sniffing revenge after being beaten 37-12 by Taradale in early April took the lead on halftime with a try to fullback Sam Kanthavong former Otago Highlanders and Hawke’s Bay Magpies star Richard Buckman Referee Nick Hogan had barely finished blowing the whistle to start the second half when Taradale hooker Dylan Gallien scored the third of Taradale’s 10th bag of four tries or more in 10 games to regain a lead to which first five-eighths Trinity Spooner-Neera added a try and conversion six minutes later Napier Old Boys Marist won the battle of Tamatea Park with a 46-31 win over Napier Pirate while in Hastings home-ground side Hastings Rugby and Sports drew 21-21 with Havelock North at Elwood Park OBM bolted out of the blocks with a penalty goal to first five-eighths Jonty Stewart and a try to centre Kere Penitito converted by Stewart to lead 10-0 after just six minutes but within just another eight minutes the Pirates led 12-10 with tries to wing Vilikesa Waqanituva and fullback Andrew Tauatevalu and a conversion to first five-eighths Sheridan Rangihuna The greens took charge with three more first half tries with a converted try response from the Pirates and each side scored two tries in the second half including Penetito’s second three minutes before referee Dan Waenga blew the final whistle Penitito heads the competition trysoring with 13 in Nash Cup and Maddison Trophy rugby Havelock took the early initiative with two penalty goals to lead 6-0 Havelock North regained the lead with a converted try in the first four minutes after halftime but lost the momentum after referee Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri sent a player for 10 minutes in the sinbin during which Hastings first five-eighths Oscar Sowman kicked two penalties When wing Patrick Lilo-Iosefo scored with 18 minutes to go Hastings led 21-13 but Havelock North came back with a penalty and a try to set-up a hectic last 10 minutes with neither side able to score again Will Cole completed the game with 16 points and the rare distinction of scoring in all four ways – a try Clive managed their first win of the season after nine Nash Cup losses with a 29-24 home victory at Farndon Park over brother club Tamatea for getting four tries and getting within seven points in the first stage of a comeback promoted after being relegated from Premier rugby at the end of last season and staged after being well out of the game for much of the second half staged a late fightback with the last 10 points of the game Central had a 29-20 win over Dannevirke side Aotea in the country teams derby at Central Park Hastings’ Sowman heads the race to be the first to score 100 points for the season Trinity Spooner-Neera tries; Spooner-Neera conversion) Napier Tech Old Boys 12 (Timothy Farrell Sam Kanthavong tries; Richard Buckman conversion) Hastings Rugby and Sports 21 (Isaac Hinton conversion) Havelock North 21 (Tony Lamborn Napier Old Boys Marist 46 (Kere Penitito 2 Wilson conversions) Napier Pirate 31 (Vilikesa Waqanituva Sean Morrison tries; Sheridan Rangihuna 3 conversions) Maiti Leef tries; Jayden Falcon 2 conversions) Tamatea 24 (Muli Tuanaki Reno Jardine tries; Oranga-Wairua Harris 2 conversions) Semi Vodesese tries; penalty try; Jordan Soli penalty 2 conversions) Aotea 20 (Te Rangi Williams Rangi Chase tries; Hoera Stephenson penalty Tevita Taufa tries; penalty try; Benidito Vakaruru 3 Hemi Waerea tries; Roger Paewai conversion) Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): MAC 52 Taradale 21 Division 2A (Neil Thimbleby Memorial Trophy): Napier Tech 55 Central 24 Division 3 (Ron Parker Memorial Trophy): Havelock North 36 YMP 26 Division 3A (AJ Gardiner Trophy): Taradale 71 Maraenui 28 Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Napier Pirate 36 Onga-Tiko 14 Napier OBM 50 Havelock North 29; Taradale beat Hastings R&S by default; Napier Tech OB a bye Women Big Barrel Championship): Napier Tech OB 55 Hastings R&S 0 Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering The Taradale Super Grans have a lot of fun wherever they go they take 186 pills a day and have a total of 206 grandchildren and great-grandchildren Their average age is 76 and they love nothing better than a good march They are the Taradale Super Grans, a leisure marching team who have been strutting their stuff for 33 years with the youngest aged 54 and the oldest turning 93 in July is one of the founding members and says she loves the comradeship that comes with belonging to a team Although Mitchell is not marching anymore due to health issues “I get a little irritated having to sit on the bench I have made so many friends through marching and am still involved in booking accommodation registering for events and sorting out the travel and the uniforms One of our funniest moments was when our bus broke down on the Taupō Road in freezing weather with only bush toilets The few travellers on the bus wondered what was happening when we boarded “We really kept them entertained being a bit noisy and hilarious “I think the driver was relieved to drop us off right at the gate just in time for the start of Taupō Leisure Day Mitchell comes from a Highland dancing background “I did a couple of years in a marching team but was very tied up in Highland dance I had to drop marching as it was interfering with my dancing so I feel lucky to have been involved with this team from the beginning.” The other founding members are Rita McGarvey recently attended the nationals in Invercargill “Our coach Heidi MacDonald is teaching the team a new routine at the moment She does a great job and is devoted to us,” Val said It’s also really good for keeping the brain active because you are listening to the music and counting the beats.” They fundraise for their trips by selling raffles and sausage sizzles the Taradale Super Grans will host the North Island Leisure Marching event at the Pettigrew-Green Arena Teams from all over the North Island will be attending “We are looking for sponsorship for the event,” MacDonald said they are preparing for a Leisure Marching Day on June 22 at the Indoor Bowling Centre Around 18 North Island leisure marching teams are expected at the free event You never know - you might just find yourself marching with us,” Mitchell said Linda Hall is a Hastings-based assistant editor for Hawke’s Bay Today and has 30 years of experience in newsrooms She writes regularly on arts and entertainment Taradale's Hunter Morrison getting past Pirate No 8 Michael Appert on his way to a try for Taradale at an encounter earlier in the season Napier Tech will have to do it the hard way if they want to win back-to-back Maddison Trophy titles Taradale coach Namatahi Waa, whose side on Saturday knocked Havelock North out of contention with a 38-7 away win said the goal at the start of the year had been to meet and beat Napier Tech in the final to atone for the last-play loss in 2023 “The boys really wanted to see them in the final and relive that moment so it’s a shame the cards have fallen the way they have and sometimes semis can be even harder than a final.” Taradale have yet to play a game where they haven’t taken a four-try bonus point but Havelock North made them work hard in what was a must-win for them Waa said their start was crucial and the pressure built by Trinity Spooner-Neera’s try assists and perfect day off the tee was also important Napier Tech co-coach Craig Wyllie said they would go into this year’s semis as underdogs with most picking Taradale to go all the way Wyllie said the key would be to find a way to stop Taradale’s all-conquering lineout He anticipated an “extremely physical” encounter and backed his Tech side to match up to what Taradale brought who have come on strong in the second half of the season face a mouthwatering clash with Napier Old Boys Marist (NOBM) Sheridan Rangihuna’s three successful conversions to Tech’s Xavier Mccorkindale’s one from three NOBM warmed up for the semi with a 63-17 demolition of Hastings which included four tries to Te Kahika Thompson Pirate won the Division 3 Big Barrel Ron Parker Memorial Trophy against YMP while Tamatea defended the Division 3A Big Barrel AJ Gardiner Trophy against NOBM Chaz Heke Conversions: Sheridan Rangihuna (3) NTOB: 17 Try: Xavier Mccorkindale Timothy Farrell Conversions: Xavier Mccorkindale Kere Penitito (2) Conversions: Josh McIntyre (2) Jessie Lesa-Sipaia Conversion: Koby Deacon Trinity Spooner-Neera Conversions: Trinity Spooner-Neera (5) Penalty: Trinity Spooner-Neera Havelock North: 7 Try: Avian Rihia Conversion: William Cole Charles Varcoe Conversions: Flynn Gallagher (2) Aotea: 28 Tries: Samuel Jones Fraser Taurima-Heperi Conversions: Benidito Vakaruru (7) Fraser Taurima-Heperi Tamatea: 12 Tries: Ethan Angitoa Brook Lone Conversion: Ash Robinson-Bartlett Conversions: Yasushi Katsuta (2) Bridge Pā: 24 Tries: Tawa Huata Taniera Miratana Conversion: Taniera Miratana (2) Andrew Gardner in the thick of it for Taradale as they clinched a Nash Cup victory on Saturday Despite a valiant effort from Havelock North Taradale’s sheer dominance was evident as they scored a resounding victory leaving the scoreline at 54-0 in their favour Taradale’s Hunter Morrison and Mikaele Tapili were the game’s top scorers and Iakopo Petelo Mapu also made noteworthy contributions with impressive tries “It’s another piece of hardware for the cabinet but we’re looking forward to the bigger picture,” Taradale coach Namatahi Waa said but you’ve got to give credit to all the boys who are buying into what we are trying to do.” “I’ve got to give props to the whole front row; they did a massive job.” Havelock North coach Adam Blake said the team knew it was going to be a physical game and he commended the players for their defensive determination in the first half but we couldn’t capitalise on the few opportunities we had inside their 22 the number of tackles we’d made took its toll on our boys and Taradale ran away with it in the end.” He said his team showed “a lot of heart” and really “stuck in” as long as they could we’ve [got] stuck in and fought really hard was to continue their Maddison Trophy campaign “It’s been a while since we’ve competed for that trophy so our main goal is making it to the top six We started really well and obviously didn’t want to lose these last few games Waa said Havelock put up a tough fight and credited their determination He said Taradale was focused on keeping their positive culture moving forward during the season “It’s about keeping humble and grounded but also lifting our momentum.” the Taradale Mineral Springs Festival is confirmed for Sunday March 9 from 10am to 4pm Awarded Mount Alexander Shire Community Event of the year 2024 the festival is a major feature on the central Victorian calendar for the Labour Day long weekend The Mineral Springs Festival Committee is planning to make this year’s event another memorable day for local families and day trippers Attractions will include over 70 stalls offering a wide range of food Committee president Matt Butta said the committee had worked for many months to assemble a great lineup of stallholders and entertainment for this year’s event “We have a raffle with over $8000 in prizes including a $5000 travel prize courtesy of Broadhurst Property All proceeds go towards Taradale Volunteer Community Groups to assist with local projects FREE digital editions and weekly newsletter direct to your inbox the Taradale Mineral Springs Festival is set to return this Sunday March 9 Awarded Mount Alexander Shire Community Event of the Year in 2024 the long-running festival is a major feature on the Central Victorian calendar for the Labour Day long weekend Attractions will include more than 70 stalls offering a wide range of food plus many children’s activities including a visit by Captain Koala Taradale Mineral Springs Festival committee president Matt Butta said they had worked for many months to assemble a great lineup of stallholders and entertainment for this year’s event “We have a raffle with more than $8,500 in prizes including a $5000 travel prize courtesy of Broadhurst Property The festival runs from 10am to 4pm and entry is just $5 “We are very grateful to our sponsors which include Andy Chapman and Girls The Stables Malmsbury and Watts Fresh,” Matt said The event is supported by the Mount Alexander Shire Council Event Grants Program two more GoBay bus routes will start next week Communications Advisor | E comms@hbrc.govt.nz | P 027 241 3345 Back to Home Te Whakapakari Tahi I Tō Tātau Taiao   Enhancing Our Environment Together info@hbrc.govt.nz Disclaimers, Copyright & Privacy More Contact Details Players from four decades will come together to play a special tribute match in honour of Taradale AFC’s David Greene who has been the club’s first team manager for 37 consecutive seasons will feature players selected by Greene from Central League and Federation League teams from the late 1980s to recent seasons Greene (54) has been battling a brain tumour has been receiving an anti-angiogenic therapy which is not funded by the health care system Friends and supporters of the Taradale club have raised almost $40,000 through a givealittle page to help Greene pay for the Avastin The fundraising page says of Greene: “He epitomises everything Taradale AFC is all about sisters or children playing at the club but is considered family by us all.” Long-time Taradale player Dan Ball said: “Greenie is an incredibly selfless man and it’d be great to give back to someone who has given so much to others.” The tribute match will be staged at Napier’s Bledisloe Park followed by an aftermatch function at the Taradale Sports Associaton from 3pm heart-shaped dam and indoor swimming pool intriguing home seekersAlesha Capone Prepare to fall in love with a house near Kyneton featuring a heart-shaped dam and indoor swimming pool offering views of the surrounding countryside Named Oronsay, the 6.6ha landholding at 62 Potts Rd, Taradale, is a true rural delight and even has a resident emu named Elvis who enjoys eating Weet-bix Cantwell Property Castlemaine director Tom Robertson who has the listing in conjunction with Ray White Kyneton’s Helen Jens says a former grain shed has been transformed into a an art gallery and studio used by one of Oronsay’s owners RELATED: Kyneton: Pride and Prejudice-style pad has dam perfect for Mr Darcy to swim in Kyneton: Restoration Australia home ‘The Lawns’ hits the market after massive reno “It’s a really great mix of the lovely light-filled house the shedding is fantastic and the pool is amazing,” Robertson says Large glass windows in the house’s dining room kitchen and living room look into the pool room which provides access to a southwest-facing private deck and grassed area The 18m-long pool and large glass windows are ideal to enjoy views of the green outdoor vistas “I think the owner swims everyday for the health benefits it’s pretty spectacular to be able to do that everyday,” Robertson says so to have a heated indoor pool is pretty great.” The 18m-long indoor swimming pool boasts green views visitors are welcomed by a group of silver birches near the driveway that leads to the white-coloured three-bedroom residence offset by striking black tiles Step inside to see the double-storey height entry a wooden panelled wall and stairs leading to the second level The kitchen is fitted with stone benchtops a dishwasher and an ILVE freestanding gas cooktop including an oven The dining looks out to the pool and the countryside and is fitted with an ILVE freestanding gas cooktop with an oven and a dishwasher A double-height ceiling and wood heater take centre stage in the living area that provides access to both the pool and a north-facing entertainer’s deck complete with an open fireplace the house’s second level has a sitting room and office The main bedroom features a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite with stone tiles and a spa bath an irrigated garden planted with roses and formal hedging There’s also a 12m by 24m garage with a toilet Enjoy the spectacular sunsets and sunrises There’s a 10kW solar system with a battery backup concrete flooring in the main living areas and ceiling fans Robertson says the property’s paddocks are ideal to run horses When Oronsay’s current occupants purchased the house in 2016 the previous owners informed them about Elvis’ love of Weet-bix Another bonus is that the house is almost totally off the grid thanks to its 48 solar panels with a battery back-up system The town of Taradale is 15-minute drive to Kyneton and Castlemaine 28 minutes from Daylesford and a one-hour commute to Melbourne Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: $10k home spend that could earn you $200k Victorian Homebuyer Fund: Scheme helping first-home buyers set to end by June 30th 2025 Caulfield North: Mid-century modern house undergoes a hip restoration third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Members of the Taradale Football Club and the wider Hawke’s Bay community are mourning for David Greene Greene was Taradale’s first team manager for 37 consecutive seasons was awarded a Lifetime Contribution to Sport award by Sport Hawke’s Bay he was born with a rare form of skin cancer which required ongoing treatment through his life and he survived two bouts of leukaemia as a boy Greene (54) was discovered to have a brain tumour in 2021 The esteem in which he was held was demonstrated in January 2024 when Taradale staged a special tribute match featuring 50 former players from Greene-managed teams Two large squads and a healthy standby roster ensured the match showcased the talents of former Taradale players whose collective appearances for the club approached 5,000 games players and supporters to share their affection for a man READ MORE: Former players rally for Taradale’s legendary team manager David Greene >>>> “Just because of the amount of stuff he’s done so we can enjoy what we do all while he’s had other things going on in his life “He wasn’t expected to live past 2-years-old and his oncologist and GP went to his 21st because he’s an absolute marvel.” Taradale FC have urged their members and supporters to celebrate Green’s life at the Taradale Club (which is not the football club) on Wharerangi Road “The family have requested that those attending wear a Taradale or a Liverpool shirt Smart shorts or jeans and trainers are the go,” the club says The following notice appeared in Hawke’s Bay Today: Much loved and cherished husband of Michelle Son of Maureen and Colin (deceased) and brother of Natalie Respected and adored friend and colleague to many We would like to thank the staff at the Taradale Masonic Residential Home for their love and care of David during his final weeks A service to celebrate David’s life will be held at the Taradale Club Messages to the ‘Greene Family’ C/- PO Box 7001 Friends of Football tries to recognise the loss of those who have significantly contributed to our game Click here for more obituaries >>>> It would be easy to look at the golfing history made by Taradale High School and think it was all down to Zack Swanwick Swanwick won the individual title at the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Final the University of Florida-bound 17-year-old really does appear to be a star in the making If anyone won Taradale this national teams’ title - hard on the heels of their maiden Hawke’s Bay championship - then it’s arguably her Van De Ven was not only the leading female player at Pleasant Point her rounds of 70 and 73 saw her finish in the tie for fourth overall With Swanwick shooting 5-under for his two rounds Taradale beat Auckland’s King’s College for the overall title by six shots Eight of the 19 competing schools had at least one female player in their three-person team “I honestly wasn’t expecting to be the leading female,” she said And I was definitely surprised at my final ranking for both the men and women.” The format saw the scores from two of each team’s three players count Van De Ven and William Rollings took the lead early on day one and never relinquished it Van De Ven said getting that far was an achievement for the trio The previous format had seen teams of four players That gave Napier Boys’ High School a bit of a mortgage on the Hawke’s Bay title Van De Ven and Swanwick were determined to make 2023 a memorable one for their school “I’m just very pleased that we won and we’re able to bring the trophy back home to Hawke’s Bay,” she said “I’m really happy that it’s mixed gender because “We’re just happy that there’s enough good players to have a team and to be able to get down to this We had the highest handicapper and the lowest handicapper [in the tournament] in our group and still managed to come out on top.” Her immediate goal is now the national under-19 individual girls’ tournament which starts at the Timaru Golf Club on Wednesday but has set her sights on a potential top-10 finish this time It’s all part of the Year 12 student’s longer-term aim of emulating Swanwick and earning a college scholarship in the United States Swanwick is the defending under-19 boys’ New Zealand champion with Tuhourangi Wilson and Maximillian Drescher the other Hawke’s Bay players in the field at Timaru this week Saul Barker and Cordell Henare are lining up in the under-16 division Hamish Bidwell joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2022 and works out of the Hastings newsroom Colter Yuile and Cole Johnstone are the First Lego League national champions More than 50 teams gathered in Auckland from all over New Zealand to compete in a national robotics championship after being crowned the First Lego League National Champions for 2023 a group of four students and their teacher from Taradale Primary School (TPS) will be heading over to the first robotics World Championships in Houston was made up of Year 6 students Cole Johnstone The group said attending the national competition was “nerve-racking but really exciting too .. we didn’t really know what exactly to expect” do decently well in the robot game (in which they built and programmed their own robots) and create a strong innovation project The core values the team had to show were discovery The team’s teacher and coach Greg English said: “What really impressed me was the way the kids kept their spirits up and made it fun and were really supportive of each other.” the Taradale Terminators had to find a passion they all shared While researching they figured out they all enjoyed music Once they had chosen music they had to find the problem stopping people from enjoying it then find a creative and initiative solution The group had heard of House of Science NZ in Tauranga and decided they wanted to do something similar to fix the music problem so they spoke to the House of Science CEO to get some tips for their innovation project The kids created a music box that could be taken around to teach people different kinds of music with different types of musical instruments in them The music box idea along with their robot builds and teamwork helped the group take home the win even when they thought they may have just missed the mark All four team members said they were in a state of shock and thought they had misheard the judges at first Still on a high of winning and with end of the school year the group is excited to get overseas and compete at the world championships All four students in the team have now finished primary school and are heading off to Taradale Intermediate next year they are all staying together and their teacher has already organised with the intermediate for their support in letting the kids go over to America and compete The Taradale Terminators belong to a wider robotics club and community called the Nauwhea Hawke’s Bay FIRST Robotics Nauwhea is the collective Hawke’s Bay Schools FIRST Robotics collaboration and competition team English said: “We couldn’t have done all of this without the help of everyone in Nauwhea throughout the year.” The Taradale Terminators wanted to say a big thank you to Chris Duggan They also wanted to thank Boeing for helping by sponsoring entry fees The group still has a lot of money to raise to get overseas so a Givealittle page has been made to give them a shot at getting over and winning the World Championships Check out the Givealittle page here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/nz-blackbots-get-ready-to-take-on-the-world Sue Siddles (left) and Alison Price spent the past couple of years researching the life of the Rev Philip Anderson Friends of the Taradale Library (FOTL) are more than just friends set up nearly 30 years ago to agitate for a new library supporting library staff and presenting activities such as Elderberry Tea with Tales and Read & Chat (under Covid level 1) What started out as an interesting research project has turned into a two-and-a-half-year mission for FOTL obtaining microfilm of diaries of the first vicar of All Saints Church "This morphed into an interest in Philip and his life which sent us on genealogical hunts and gathering as much biographical information as we could find about him," says Napier Libraries research librarian Alison Price The diaries first came to light when they were referred to in the Irene Lister catalogue so we inter-loaned the microfilm from the Alexander Turnbull Library (ATL)." a dedicated local historian and genealogist who contributed "an enormous amount to the retention and promotion of the history of Taradale" had already transcribed much of the diaries wherever we went on our journey we would find Mrs Lister had been there before us We even learned that ATL only had the film because she had insisted they purchase a copy from the Mitchell Library in Sydney which holds all of Philip's material in many ways Mrs Lister is the quiet hero of the whole project." The result is a substantial body of work with insights into the history of Taradale and wider Hawke's Bay during the 1870s The project has revealed a vivid day-to-day account of life in Waipawa "It mentions the names of many of the early European settlers of the area It also records local events and proceedings Alison says the project took as long as it did due to the impact of Covid-19 both here and in Australia where some of the information they were interested in is housed "The Anderson family descendants in Australia were also interested in our research and provided further insight into Philip's later life in Sydney The most difficult aspect of the whole project was deciphering his handwriting." Alison Morrison and Susan Siddles transcribed the diaries "Sue and I had many conversations trying to get to the bottom of Philip's family situation We were also greatly helped by Gail Pope and Cathy Dunn from the MTG Jill King from the Waiapu Cathedral Archives Robyn Delany from All Saints Church Archives Jana Uhlirova from Central Hawke's Bay Settlers Museum and Fiona Gray from National Library who also undertook considerable research on our behalf." met up for the project on an "as needed" basis "Once the transcriptions were done it was more Sue and I trying to find out who Philip was and that was a very time-consuming rabbit hole." The project also dovetailed into the purchase of a new cabinet bought by the FOTL with a donation from the Tamatea Community Church to rehouse the Irene Lister Taradale Historic Collection in a secure but accessible place "This also serves as a memorial to the contributions of Bob Twaddle and Julie Beech founder members of FOTL and without whose efforts the Taradale Library might not have survived." Sue says the project grew to include further research into Philip's early life in England his later church appointments in Akaroa and Christchurch and included his own reminiscences written in later life "We all became increasingly curious about this man We all just wanted to figure his family situation out Sue also made contact with the Australian descendants of Philip's second marriage who while they were no closer to solving the mystery than we were did shed considerable light on some of his history and character." Philip was 25 when he took up his post at All Saints Church in 1873 He had been living in the Waipawa area and started keeping a diary in 1871 "They were not 'diaries' as we would understand the word but blank books where Philip would just write as much or as little as he wanted and he also wrote the days and dates in too." Philip was born in 1848 and baptised in Bethnal Green His father was variously listed on documents as an officer serving in the East India Company and a Clerk in Holy Orders with EIC We never found a marriage between his parents nor could we locate his mother reliably on any record was born three years after Philip and they were both baptised on the same day Philip never mentioned either of his parents except when two rings from his father arrived after his first marriage to Kate." and travelled alone to New Zealand on the Ulcoats He had been a sickly boy and was advised by a doctor to take a long sea voyage "for his health" was a surveyor in Hawke's Bay and the letter informing Octavius that Philip was coming arrived on the same ship "He wrote in the diaries of various aunts and uncles that he corresponded with but these appeared mainly to be the Bousfield family." He maintained a close relationship with Madge even though he never saw her again after emigrating to New Zealand "Madge later married and emigrated to America and Philip was godfather to her son Alison believes the parish Philip presided over numbered in the hundreds Its boundaries were from the southern end of St John's Parish in Napier to Waitangi Bridge up to the Mohaka River and back down to the northern boundary of St John's Parish "There would have been many more farmers and homesteaders and every month Philip would do the 'rounds' by horse he was summoned to attend a dying child at a remote station Philip would hold a service each Sunday in Taradale Meeanee and Puketapu and would either walk or ride between each of the services In the later years Rymer's coaches made life easier "Once the Taradale Road and bridge were built in 1873 On one occasion the bridge was taken out by flooding which meant travel to Napier had to be by Meeanee again." Alison says one of the biggest differences between life for Philip and that of the present day was how a minister was paid "In Philip's day the vicar was paid by parishioners through a stipend This in the end is what they did for Philip Even though Philip was later shown to be in the right Alison says the group experienced "the sheer complexity" of the task ahead of them with all the minute details of life back then — "and the way something we thought would be straightforward became just so different and interesting" "We have gained such an understanding of life in those times and developed enormous compassion and respect for all they went through but that is probably what has been so compelling And also the lengths we went to trying to work his family situation out That has been the one lingering frustration but maybe someone will turn over the right stone at some stage." ■ The Taradale Library houses a substantial collection of local history material including books Anyone interested in early Napier and Taradale history will find references to many people and events A fire early Tuesday morning left heavy smoke damage inside the Taradale Rd Gull service station store A fire at a Gull service station in Napier scorched the store but left the forecourt untouched early Tuesday morning Emergency services were called to the large fire on Taradale Rd Napier senior station officer Jamie Nichol said three pump trucks from Napier and one from Taradale were at the fire for about two and a half hours “We had it well under control within 40 minutes but we didn’t leave the scene until a bit after four o’clock,” Nichol said He said firefighters believed the fire started in the storage room of the building but they did not know the exact cause “We have got a fire investigator looking at it this morning but it is not suspicious so it is just now determining what might have started it.” He said the attendant working overnight was the only person inside at the time and raised the alarm “The operators of the Night ‘n Day convenience store are currently resting after a rather stressful night,” Williamson said He said that sprinklers were not used on the forecourt as water was not appropriate for putting out fires where fuel is involved and the shop did not have sprinklers either for the same reasons “In the case of smaller fires that don’t present an immediate danger to people onsite chemical extinguishers are available to tackle the fire the instruction is to get as far away from the fire as possible.” He said that service stations were hazardous facilities and it was vital they were all designed and operated in a way that presented as little danger as possible service station design has meant that even in the event of a catastrophic fire where the above-ground assets are completely destroyed it is extremely unlikely and rare for the fuel underground to be at any risk,” he said fires are often contained and otherwise move relatively slowly through the site giving people plenty of time to evacuate while the shop sustained extensive smoke damage the fire itself was contained to the rear storage area of the building.” He said Gull will be investigating the incident we’re fully investigating both what happened and if there are any lessons for Gull and the industry from this event We will be working over the coming weeks to safely restore services to the forecourt to begin serving the people of Napier again as soon as possible.” Flynn Allen on his way to another try for Taradale at Tareha on Saturday Taradale Rugby and Sports Club began their quest for Hawke’s Bay club rugby redemption with a relatively comfortable win over Napier Pirate Taradale, who fell at the final hurdle in their bid to win a third straight Maddison Trophy last year started their Bayleys Commercial Nash Cup campaign on home turf at Tareha on Saturday Flynn Allen was the hat-trick hero for Taradale running in a couple of long-range tries on the right flank also dotted down twice and converted three of the six conversions as Taradale took maximum points Taradale assistant coach Simon Lord said the team had been “amped” before the game with memories of 2023 still fresh for some but while their play had been well-structured “We probably left 20 or 30 points out there but it was good to get on to the field and go through our processes.” Josh Eden-Whaitiri celebrated his 50th game for the club with a strong performance Pirate have welcomed the man who kicked the winning points of last year’s final for Napier Tech they were well behind before a second-half fightback Al Momoisea and the final try of the game to Andrew Tauatevalu weren’t enough to give them a bonus point as they head to next week in need of a win at home against Dannevirke-based Aotea Napier Tech were given a good scare by CHB before walking away with all five points from a 34-27 home win Havelock North tipped over Napier Old Boys Marist 24-12 and Hastings Rugby and Sports showed they could be a force in 2024 with a 55-22 dismantling of Aotea Dennis Tapusoa Conversions: Koby Deacon (5) Aotea: 22 Tries: Samuel Jones Cooper Flanders Conversions: Trent Hape (2) NOBM: 12 Tries: Tuli Faleiva Thomas Eden Conversions: Izaiah Tuliau (3) Pirate: 19 Tries: Luke Russell Andrew Tauatevalu Conversions: Sheridan Rangihuna (2) Tim Farrell Conversion: Bethel Luotele Malasia (2) CHB: 27 Tries: Kaliova Mocetadra George Macpherson Conversion: Jordan Soli (2) Penalty: Jordan Soli MAC: 71 Tries: Zedakiah Te Rongonui Kingi Awa Jayrome Mcgoon Conversions: Zedakiah Te Rongonui Benidito Vakaruru (7) Penalty: Benidito Vakaruru Clive: 15 Tries: Jayden Falcon Aminiasi Koroi Conversion: Jayden Falcon Penalty: Jayden Falcon