In March 2023 my brother died suddenly and completely alone in Canada. He was fit, a regular tennis player, aged in his early seventies, but he also had some health issues. Nevertheless, his death came…
In March 2023 my brother died suddenly and completely alone in Canada. He was fit, a regular tennis player, aged in his early seventies, but he also had some health issues. Nevertheless, his death came…
This week is Holy week in the Christian calendar. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday which celebrates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem – the hope of Israel enters the holy city. As Holy Week…
There was no hope for John and Elizabeth Finch of Paterangi in an Auckland explosion, or was there? Meghan Hawkes recounts the story. Masses of flames and smoke shooting upwards for hundreds of metres over…
The fourth eruption since December has been underway in the Reykjanes peninsula near the town of Grindavík, Iceland. Prior to this event defensive walls were built north of the town, with planned dimensions of two…
The Local Alcohol Policy submissions closes at 5pm tomorrow (Friday). This is an important submission to participate in if you care about our businesses and the well-being of our community. As of January 2023, Te…
The grounds of St John’s Anglican church in Arawata St hold an historical cemetery. It’s a closed cemetery, meaning that there can be no future burials there. I’m always surprised by the number of people…
Much is being made of ‘race’ today wherein some sides in the political debate refer to Māori being privileged as a ‘race’ of people; and others refer to Māori as being marginalised because of their/our…
Standing in South Crater, Ngauruhoe towers above you to the south and all around are thick, old lava flows. Along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing the path takes you up some of these lavas towards Red…
The flax mill at Ōhaupō again started operations after new owners updated the machinery. A washer and scraper, which washed and cleaned the fibre of all vegetation after it left the stripper leaving it ready for…
There were no smiling faces to be seen in Pirongia during a grim week in November 1899 when two of the Te Awamutu district’s residents died within days of each other. One was a popular…
