Martinborough Senior Reserves have worked hard this season to due reward. After finishing 4th in the final round to make the playoffs, Marty knocked over #1 seeds Tuhirangi 25-19 in the Semi finals to make it on the park for the finals. … Continue Reading
Wild storms the threat of bridge wash outs couldn’t stop the lovely team of Rural Women holding the BALLENTYNES Fashion Show at the Martinborough golf course. A week later than the original planned event, but safety and sensibility were paramount during the stormy week…! The Fashion Show was to help raise money for the Wellington@Heart Mums
This event was a huge success because of a team of remarkable women who see a need and help make it happen and run smoothly…the incredible ‘World Famous Dessert Bar’ was jaw dropping and I unashamedly went back for thirds, though had made sure I had no lunch or dinner leading up to the event! ..special thanks must also go to the Martinborough Golf Club for the kind use of your venue. … Continue Reading
Six years ago the Star ran an item in which I pointed out changes the Fran Wilde led Regional Council had introduced which clearly ran counter to Wairarapa’s interests. With the Regional Council, still led by Ms. Wilde, again making a proposal which will impact on Wairarapa it may well be propitious to remember what happened last time. So, here is what was written in 2007:
‘Last year the decision was made to reduce Wairarapa’s representation on the Wellington Regional Council to a single person. This decision was made solely on population basis, taking no account of the fact that Wairarapa covers 75% of the land area the Council is responsible for and proved a lion’s share of the region’s production.
With only a single rural councillor and twelve city councillors the Regional Council is now clearly city based. Previously the two Wairarapa Councillors could work together to move and second an item to at least get it on the agenda. Our lone councillor is now finding great difficulty in getting rural matters discussed.
A further blow came when the Council also moved to depose Wairarapa’s lone member, Ian Buchanan, from the position as Chairperson. The support for the new Chairperson, Fran Wilde, came from four new members three of who have no local body experience whatever.
Mr Buchanan commented “ I have to say that I am bitterly disappointed at the way things have worked out”. The position of Chairman gave the Wairarapa member access to people who matter when it comes to getting things done. Sadly that too has now gone.
The new Chairperson, Fran Wilde, points to the fact that she has property at Morison’s Bush as her interest in the Wairarapa. However as a former Wellington member of Parliament, mayor of Wellington and chairperson of Wellington Waterfront Ltd. It is clear that her interests are really in city matters.
This was clearly illustrated by her first action as chairperson – a revamp of the standing committees which included the abolishment of the Rural Services Committee and Wairarapa Committee, a major snub to the region.’
So, going on the Regional Council’s past performances, it seems highly unlikely that any proposal from that body will prove to be advantageous to the Wairarapa.
Today one of my young sons (three and a bit) was having a moment of frustration with his father’s stubbornness/stupidity/inflexibility, and trawled through his ever-expanding vocabulary for a phrase that might adequately convey his rage. Eventually, hands balled into determined little fists, he pronounced,? ‘You wrote a bad song, Petey.’ ?I laughed, and then he laughed, and the moment passed, as the childish moments do.
For those of you who don’t recognise the line, it’s from the brilliant film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox. It’s uttered by Michael Gambon, to the hapless folk singer (played by Jarvis Cocker, of Pulp fame) and is one of a series of superb moments in the film. If those are the sorts of insults my boys are going to settle upon when feeling fraught, I couldn’t be happier. … Continue Reading
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