The volunteer group Predator Free Martinborough has caught in traps and despatched 166 introduced wildlife killers in the past year _ and 619 since it began more than three years ago.
The predators the group traps cover the full range: rats, possums, hedgehogs, stoats, weasels, ferrets, feral cats _ and “other” (unspecified in their newsletter).
Last November the group noted on Facebook, above a picture of a dead ferret: … Continue Reading
Martinborough Library (on behalf of the Wairarapa Library Service) congratulates 12-year old Polly Potts on winning third place in her age category in this year’s Upper Hutt Libraries short story writing competition.
A self-confessed bookworm who considers the library her home away from home, Polly was encouraged to enter this particular competition by Assistant Librarian Sylvia Arnold.
Polly’s A Christmas story was inspired by an advent calendar her mum had made featuring tiny characters including a hedgehog and a fawn. These are brought charmingly to life in Polly’s story alongside a cast of woodland friends. You can read her story online by going to https://www.upperhuttlibrary.co.nz/files/sharedassets/libraries/annual-events/short-story-competition/2023-short-story-competition-entries/copy-of-christmas-story-for-competition.pdf … Continue Reading
Well, here we are in winter, again. It feels like it happens every year. But that’s great for stargazers if the weather behaves itself. I often get asked ‘What’s the best time of year to see the stars?’. There’s not really a clear answer to that unless you’re actually asking ‘What’s the most convenient time of year to see the stars? In that case the answer is definitely winter. Unless you’re the kind of person who only enjoys seeing the milky way after 10pm as is the case in mid December. In June, you are able to see the milky way by 6pm, and that’s great for kids who need to be in bed by 7 or 8. Or kids who get up at 5am when the stars are still visible by 7. Maybe take them out to see the stars before the sun rises. … Continue Reading
The announcement of funding for new trains for the Wairarapa Line and the Capital Connection from Palmerston North should have been the biggest front-page story this month. Instead, it was over shadowed by news of train delays and cancellations due to a KiwiRail maintenance failure. This really was a great pity because the announcement of new trains simply was the best news we’d had for a long time.
You see, our old trains truly are coming up to their use-by-date and can’t be recycled anymore. They were built in the seventies and have been overhauled and refurbished multiple times. These trains were made well before many who travel on them were even born and replacing them was our top priority. When the pre-budget government funding for new trains was announced it’s fair to say that Greater Wellington Regional Council and Metlink breathed a collective sigh of relief as there was no Plan B, or at least not one that looked even vaguely affordable for funding by rates alone. … Continue Reading
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