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Community Contact is compiled from the contribu�ons of the people of South Westland. Ar�cles, items,

news, recipes, stories, etc. from everyone are most welcome. All personal opinions should be signed and

publica�on is at the discre�on of the Community Contact team. The views expressed in Community Contact

are not necessarily the views of the CC board. Send your ar�cles or adverts to your contact or e-mail to

weegerm@hotmail.de by 15TH May to be included in the June issue.

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cash.

Kids! I have hidden a little mouse somewhere in

Community Contact! Can you find it?

What an Easter! I hope this issue of Community

Contact finds you all well, with a roof over your heads,

and with electricity. The ‘one in five-hundred years storm’ has wreaked

havoc in the Grey District, and also in our communi�es of Hari Hari and

Whataroa. Homes, sheds, and glasshouses are damaged or

destroyed yet again. To top it off, many of us were without

power for several days.

But, as with the severe easterlies last year, stories of the

strength of our small communi�es prevail. Many people were sharing their

generators, others offered their neighbours hot showers. To everyone who

helped someone out over the Easter period: you are awesome.

On behalf of everyone in South Westland, I’d like to write a big, bold, and

hearDelt THANK YOU to all the power line mechanics who worked hard

right through Easter weekend to restore power to our households! We

might have been siEng in the dark at home, but you were out in the wet

and cold, away from your families.

Mother’s Day is Mother’s Day is Mother’s Day is Mother’s Day is

on May 11on May 11on May 11on May 11

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Edmund Burke, the 18th century poli�cian and philosopher, once wrote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of

evil is for good men to do nothing."

As most of you will know, the West Coast experienced a brush with shocking violence in late March when two

female hitchhikers were aGacked by a 38 year old man in a Nissan Terrano. One of the women received mul�ple

stab wounds, while the other suffered a broken pelvis as she was flung from the moving vehicle. If not for the

immediate assistance from the extremely capable local medical staff, this could have resulted in absolute tragedy.

The offender was subsequently pursued by West Coast Police, and there was a long tense standoff in Karangarua

where the man doused himself in petrol and threatened to self immolate. The Armed Offenders Squad aGended and

the incident was resolved by Police firing non-lethal rounds and using a Police dog to subdue the offender so he

could be apprehended.

The offender has been charged with a range of extremely serious offences, and is expected to be behind bars for

quite some �me, which most of you will probably agree is the least he deserves. Again, gra�tude and admira�on

goes out to our fantas�c local medical staff, who I believe saved a life that day.

Just as things were seGling down from that, of course we were lambasted by gale force winds which ripped down

huge trees, tore off roofs, busted bridges, played dominos with concrete power lines, knocked campervans around

like toys, and leK many of us stranded and with no power for several days. Personally I will never forget being just

south of Whataroa aKer one of many crashes, and seeing the wind roll quite a sizable caravan up out of a ditch,

through a fence, and roll it over and over across a paddock un�l it tore itself into six pieces and blew away in the

wind like it was nothing.

We are lucky that in the midst of this chaos no one was seriously hurt and lucky too that in �mes like these, the

strength of our small communi�es really shows in how everyone helps each other and helps rebuild what has been

broken. It's great to see.

Unfortunately even in �mes of mad weather, crime keeps happening. During the worst of the storm, when Franz

Josef Police would have otherwise served in a civil defence and public safety role, instead most of the aKernoon was

spent dealing with an offender from Fox Glacier who needed urgent Police aGen�on. This offender had a warrant to

arrest, was in illegal possession of a firearm while having a revoked firearms license, and is a strong suspect for the

theK of several thousand dollars worth of property from a hunter in the Copland Valley area. The offender is

currently before the Court.

This case is reminder to all of us that though we might like to think that no one will steal our expensive kit if we leave

it in a public hut while hun�ng, we will some�mes be quite wrong about that. It's definitely wisest to take it with you

so as not to put tempta�on in someone else's way.

That's all un�l next �me. Take care out there.

Guy Bradley

Franz Josef Police

Franz Josef Police Report

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Ross MAY 2014

Ross Ramblings

At the �me of wri�ng, Ross residents are out and about cleaning up aKer the pre-Easter storm. The rain was welcomed

by many, the wind that knocked over sheds and en�re rows of trees was not! Poor playgroup mums baGled the wind to

stop baking being blown right off the annual baking stall. Accommoda�on was busy in Ross as roads were closed further

south. Thanks to Hayley, Danny, Brenda, Mark and Suzie for cleaning up the trees that blew over at the school. And good

luck to everyone with repair work.

Luckily the new school bus shed that Charlie McBeath had just finished puEng up didn't blow away. But the official

opening has been postponed as the power was out in the morning and school was closed on the last day of term.

It was a busy first term at

the school, but the children

were seGled and working

well in the new two

classroom format. An

expanding junior classroom

has led to more regular

parent help, which is

proving popular with

parents, teachers and

children alike. Thanks to

Kristen Marken for

facilita�ng some fantas�c

works of art. One highlight

this term for the junior

school class was a very

successful trip to

Shantytown making

damper, buGer amongst

other ac�vi�es. Many thanks

to Mrs Edward there who gave the kids such great experiences.

Over at playgroup dance lessons will be con�nuing into the next term with Natalie Pickering. This is for 4-6 year olds and

will run on Thursday aKernoons, cos�ng $5 a session. Contact Lisa Morgan on 7554072 for more informa�on. The

Melody Maker sessions with Sally Richardson also con�nue every month on Mondays.

If autumn and rain is keeping you indoors you can join in with the fitness sessions at the gym 5.30 Tuesday and 11am

Friday lead by Eileen Jones.

The Ross School Junior class in character at Shantytown

Live in Ross?

Got the goss?

A rare and unprecendented opportunity has arisen to take over the very

special job of compiling the Ross Ramblings for Community Contact. If you

are interested, ring up Annie Hughes (7554147) or Lynley Hargreaves

(7554227) with your full CV or best knock knock joke.

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Permanent &

Casual

Commercial &

Household

HARI HARI TO

FOX GLACIER

(03) 753 4151

South

Westland

Rubbish

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*Need a painter?

*Need a Gib Stopper?

Kevin Hansen Painters

Whataroa 0275 753405

Licensed Building Practitioner

New Homes, Additions, Renovations,

Concrete Work, Gib Stopping, Tiling

and Finishing Work a Specialty

Phone: 751 0170 Cell: 0272 751017

Email: deancaldwell@getrheel.co.nz

Community Contact AGM coming up in June

Do you have an opinion on Community Contact? Do you enjoy reading it but think it could do with some

new ideas? Is there a par#cular issue you’d like discussed at our annual mee#ng? We really appreciate

your feedback and sugges#ons. Please tell or email your thoughts to your local contact or the compiler,

or, be'er s#ll, come to the AGM in June.

Date at this stage is June 18 in Franz Josef, but look for the confirmed details in the next issue.

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Okarito MAY 2014

The Ins and Outs of Okarito

We had a marvelous farewell party in Donovan’s store and in just a few

days �me we will be waving farewells to long �me and much loved resi-

dent Anne Hall. We shall all miss her conversa�on, her Shakespeare

nights, her wisdom and her friendship and her love and passion for

Okarito. It’s just a good thing she has a spare room in her new home in

Wellington as I think she will have a steady stream of visitors! Best

wishes to you Anne and know we will always be thinking of you!

We held a local volunteer work party in the Okarito Campground (many

thanks to everyone who came out and helped and to Anne for the lovely

warm cake just out of the oven!) on the infamous “Thursday of the

storms day” and as we went about cuEng out gorse, �dying up flax

bushes and trimming some trees, liGle did we know that mother nature

was going about her own business wreaking havoc up the road.

AKer a few people who had leK the camp returned shaken and rather

wild eyed with stories of caravans blowing off roads and trees with roots

the size of small houses uprooted we pa�ently told them they would be

fine here and relax in the camp while it blew itself out up the road. LiGle

did we realize just what was going on out there! The power went out and came on again, then went out again. The old

phones were plugged in and we carried on and then off they went as well. With people arriving from Nelson and Christ-

church and Hawea and beyond for their Easter holidays, it was a bit of a rush around to make sure everyone had candles,

water and plenty of food! Around fallen trees and downed power lines, s�ll they made their way into Okarito!

Now the worst for us has passed and we came through unscathed but our hearts go out to those who suffered so much

damage to their homes and property, par�cularly our hard hit neighbours in Whataroa. Our thanks go out to both our

locals (Ian James & Dave Gibson) who kept the road open when trees came down and to the local generator keeping our

freezers going. And to the magnificent spirit of all our holiday home guests who found their way through it all and perse-

vered with ingenuity to enjoy their Easter holidays in Okarito – roasts cooked on log burners and the Rayburn fired up,

and plenty of candlelit dinners!

And now as I write this we are looking forward to tonight’s Easter Sunday concert in Donovan’s Store – the amazing and

always entertaining Fiona Pears – can’t wait!

For the latest on Okarito, we have a number of websites and facebook pages you can visit:

www.okaritocampground.co.nz and www.facebook.com/okaritocampground

www.okarito.net and www.facebook.com/visitokarito

and for updates on events in Donovans: www.facebook.com/donovansstore

Fond Farewell to Dr. Anne Hall

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Haast MAY 2014

Haast Community Library

Open Saturdays 1pm – 4pm

at the Hall in the Haast town-

ship.

Books are issued out on a three weekly basis,

And we are lucky enough to get 100 books

changed over every 3 months

from the Hoki�ka Library.

Haast Playgroup

Monday 10:30am to 12:30pm

Wednesday 11:30am to 1:30pm pre-school

for the big kids with Karyn

Thursday 10:30am

Wear your high visibility vests when on the road.

Worst times to see you are early morning and late evening. Be seen!!!

19th

March 2014 - Makarora: Haast Community Allstars

On the 19th

of March the Allstars went out on a day trip to Makarora. On the way we stopped at Pleasant Flat and had a

cuppa in the rest area then stopped at Fantail falls to look at the new parking area and to stretch our legs.

Before our boat trip we had lunch at the Makarora Tourist Centre Café. Thank you to the staff and management who

put on a wonderful lunch for us and made us feel most welcome.

AKer we finished lunch we walked over to Wilkin River Jets where we got

ready for our boat trip on the Wilkin River.

The Allstars had a very memorable ride and enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you Wilkin River Jets for giving the Allstars a great day out. Cheers

Danyel for the excellent driving and good company.

We have now completed our patchwork quilt. What a great team effort.

Di has crocheted all the pieces together and it looks great. Thank you

everyone for your hours on the kniEng needles and those who donated

the wool. We will be leaving the quilt at the Haast Hall for everyone to use

and enjoy.

Our April meet will be at the Cray Pot on the 16th

April. We will be taking a

van which will leave the Haast Junc�on at 11.30am. Let us know if you need a ride.

Haast Happenings

The weather has changed bringing with it the shorter evenings.

Haast School welcomed the Kids Can Cook Kitchen team on the last day of

school. It was a great performance as Chris Fortune entertained the

children while managing to produce crepes an gnocchi with the help of

the volunteer "sous chefs".

The school hosted the South Westland Athle�c Sports on April 1st. It was a

great day giving the children the opportunity to compete with others from

the five schools. The weather cooperated and the parents of Haast School

put on. Good morning tea.

Once the points had been tallied and the scores averaged, Haast was once again the winner holding the trophy for the

third year thanks to the enthusias�c and determined efforts of all the children.

April has seen Haast move to the next step in technology. The Ministry of Educa�on and the Ministry of Business of

Innova�on and Enterprise have funded the provision of fast broadband for the Haast area. It has meant that four

repeater towers need construc�on to bring the connec�on. The tower for the school and Hannah's Clearing is up and

once the others are installed, we will have access to fast internet.

Most areas in New Zealand are connected by fibre op�c cable but for the most remote, it is not possible. Haast School

should be ready to join the Ministry of Educa�on's Network for Learning once the network is in place. It also means that

the people of the Haast area should have access to more affordable and much faster internet by the end of May.

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IAN HARTSHORNE CONTRACTING

Machinery Hire (with or without operator)

Small equipment hire: Concrete cuEng and breaking,

Weed-eaters, lawn mower, compactors, water

blasters,

and much more.

Site works/Contrac#ng

Farm drainage

Landscaping

Track work

New gravel screen for all your landscaping material.

Area distributor of MORRIS OILS, BLACKS bolts/nuts/washers

NEW STORAGE SHEDS TO RENT

Ask us for an obliga�on FREE quote

Ian: 027 695 6988

Kathy: 0274 741 306

Franz Hire 14 Donovan Drive ph 752-0244

info@franzhire.co.nz

To Rent

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Hari Hari MAY 2014

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Hari Hari MAY 2014

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Inland Revenue

Inland Revenue will be continuing to visit

Franz Josef and Fox Glacier throughout

the SUMMER on the following dates:

Franz Josef : 1st Tuesday of the month,

starting 1 October, 1pm-3pm, Medical Centre

Fox Glacier: 3rd Tuesday of the month,

starting 15 October, 11am-1pm, Fire Station

Appointments can be made by ringing Juliette

on 03 906 0317 or Tina on 03 906 0307.

GLACIER

CONCRETE

For all your concrete

needs in Westland

Call Tim Gibb on 0211584043 to

discuss your requirements.

Driveways, dairy sheds, lime bins,

foundations, pole sheds, animals

shelters, standoff areas, farm race

ways etc.

Now might be the time to add a concrete

patio or pathway.

Glacier Contracting can also provide

gravel , sand, large stones for soak holes

etc and can do your site preparation

work. Call Tim for a free no

obligation quote. Email

glacierenterprises@xtra.co.nz

For all your electrical

and heat pump needs.

• Servicing of heat pumps

• Freeview TV

• Installing heat pumps

• General electrical work

• Fujitsu accredited Installer

DAVE DELORE

027 291 6699

Email: david_delore@hotmail.co.nz

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Hari Hari MAY 2014

14

Hari Hari MAY 2014

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SOUTH WESTLAND INFORMATION AND ADVICE PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT TO 21 APRIL 2014

The South Westland Information and Advice Project took another step forward when a training and information day was held at Franz Josef on 12 April and prospective community champions, representatives of community organisations, and service providers explored how the Project should develop. The project aims to improve access to information about services for people in South Westland, from Ross to Haast and includes the following 5 elements:

1) Each community identifying one or more individuals in each community to act as “community champions” or local points of contact. The champions will build up knowledge of what services are available so that they can refer people to them. Community champions will also refer the needs and issues of their communities to the relevant service providers. 2) Each community selecting lead community organisations to help identify champions, support their work, provide an overview of community needs and issues, and maintain continuity of the network as champions change. 3) Encouraging service providers and local community groups to link into the network and provide and receive information from the community champions and lead community organisations. 4) WestREAP’s Community Networker and Westland District Council’s Community Development Advisor to available to support community champions, develop the network, and create links to and between service providers. 5) Using the Family Services Directory of the Ministry of Social Development website http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/directory/ to support the network.

The training and information day received confirmation that community champions would include

Hari Hari - Maggie Houston, Tom Clarkson, Bev Clarkson, South Westland Area School Whataroa - Kate Little Okarito - Judith Beuel Franz Josef - Natalia Yates (Community Development Officer), Judith Beuel Fox Glacier - Community Development Officer when appointed Bruce Bay - Carol Scott, Nicky Wilson-Harris Haast -Simon Jackson

Kristina Mattalova of Whataroa, as coordinator of the New Zealand-wide community notice board web-site www.LIVENoticeboard.co.nz, and Lisa Reinhardt of Mahitahi, as compiler of South Westland Community Contact, attended the training day and will also provide supporting networks for the Project. Support community organisations are Hari Hari Community Association and South Westland Area School, Whataroa

Community Association, Franz Josef Community Council, Fox Glacier Community Association, Bruce Bay Community

Hall Board and Haast Promotions Inc. Ross and Okarito community associations want to be kept informed of

developments with the opportunity to opt in in future.

Service providers currently supporting the Project include Cancer Society, CCS Disability Action, Community and Public Health, Department of Internal Affairs, Heartland Services Hokitika, Ministry of Social Development, New Coasters, Presbyterian Support, West Coast District Health Board, West Coast Primary Health Organisation, Westland District Council, Westland Rural Education Activities Programme (WestREAP) and Victim Support.

Next steps include enlisting more service providers, distributing information and guidelines to community champions,

sharing contact lists, and providing training sessions in Fox Glacier and Haast. The Project will then be launched and

promoted to the public with information about how to use the Project and contact Community Champions.

This project is funded by a Ministry of Social Development grant to Westland District Council which contracted

WestREAP to manage the project. The steering committee comprises representatives of the Ministry, WestREAP,

Westland District Council, and Department of Internal Affairs and will be strengthened with South Westland

representatives as the Project develops.

Individuals, prospective community champions, community groups and service organisations interested in

participating in this project are asked to contact: David Stapleton, Community Networker at WestREAP;

outreach@westreap.org.nz, PO Box 264 Hokitika, phones (03) 762 6515 or (027) 4848 722.

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Astronomy MAY 2014

Planet Watching

Four of the five bright planets remain prominent throughout the month. Jupiter remains big and bright in the evening sky, Mars and Saturn are visible throughout the night, and Venus continues to dominate the morning sky high to the east.

Jupiter will remain by far the brightest evening object, hanging low in the western sky. Under the right conditions it can be spectacular. This time last year, while driving down the Haast Valley a couple of hours after sunset, it appeared as an almost dazzlingly bright light just above the horizon directly ahead of me, made all the more spectacular by the contrast with the dark hills rising on either side.

Mars made its closest approach to Earth on 9 April and is no longer at peak brightness, but will still appear bright and visibly red throughout the month. During May you can use the Southern Cross as a rough and ready pointer: trace a line directly from the foot of the cross to its head, and then project that line right across to the other side of the sky until it comes to rest on a bright red object.

Venus remains bright in the morning sky, gradually sinking lower as the month advances. On the morning of the 16th Venus will lie just over 1° – about two moon diameters – from Uranus, giving binocular observers a rare opportunity to spot one of the more elusive outer planets. with the latter to the lower left of Venus. Uranus will be the only bright object in the same binocular field as Venus, below and to the left of Venus at about 7:30 on a clock face.

The show of the month belongs to Saturn, which comes to opposition (and hence maximum brightness) on 10/11 May. Four days later, on the evening of 14th May, there is a rare lunar occultation of Saturn just after 11:30 p.m., when the nearly full Moon passes directly in front of the ringed planet. Even if you only have access to a small telescope this event will be well worth watching: it will take about 25 seconds for the disc of the planet to disappear behind the Moon, and about twice as long for the full ring system to disappear. Start times are 11:32:43 (Haast); 11:35:11 (Franz Josef); and 11:36:51 (Hokitika). The graphic below (created using Stellarium) shows Saturn a few seconds before it starts to disappear.

Martin Unwin Hannah’s Clearing unwinm51@gmail.com

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CHURCH SERVICES—May 2014

Catholic

Hari Hari

Whataroa

Franz Josef

Fox Glacier

Haast

South Westland Catholic Parish: Contact Fr. Michael Mahoney, 0210333746 or 037534140

Note: This mass is the normal parish schedule. It is wise to check that a mass has not been changed for some special reason.

Anglican 4th 11th 16th 25th

Ross

Hari Hari no 9.30am

Whataroa services

Franz Josef 3pm

Jacobs Riv-

Haast 6pm

Anglican Contact: Rev’d Vivien Harber (03) 755 5125

Lifeline – West Coast Toll Free 0800 353 353

Kidsline – 4pm – 6pm every school day

0800 543 754

AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) (03) 7534005

HEALTHLINE – FREE 24 HR

HEALTH ADVICE 0800 611 116

SUPPORT, HELP, ADVICE?

West Coast contact numbers are:-

Westland Victim Support – ask for

Victim Support (03) 755 8088

Arthritis Foundation (03) 768 7254

Women’s Refuge (9am – 3pm)

(03) 7898025 AH 0800 208 339

Child Support Agency – queries re

child support 0800 221 221

Disability Information Service

0800 100 946

West Coast Rural Support—

Dianne Milne 0800 787 254