EVENTS

Matariki Rising from 29 June

Nine stars herald the New Year

Remutaka Hill Closures by NZTA

State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill

5 NIGHTS 16 – 21 June

Hau Ariki Marae

Free health Clinic

Saturday 8 June, 9:00 a.m – 12noon

Clinic will provide:

Free flu vaccines

Ccovid boosters

Blood sugar checks

Blood pressure checks

Clinicians available to speak to people.

The Tudor Consort presents

“REPAST” _ intimate mid-winter song fest

4:00 p.m.Saturday, June 8 

Martinborough Town Hall

Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/

Metlink fares increases  

Greater Wellington Regional Council is  

raising public transport fares 10% from July 1. 

Fares have risen 13% in the past decade, 

the biggest rise – 6% – last year.

First Church Winter Book Fair

Martinborough Town Hall (Waihinga Centre).

Saturday 22 June, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Sunday 23 June from 10am till 2pm. 

Join the shout-out to our Volunteers

By Angela Brown

Think for a moment about how important volunteers are in the community. 

So many people freely giving their time, energy, and resources to help positively shape where we live. June is National Volunteers Month and the theme of Volunteering New Zealand this year is Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together.

I had a catch-up with local legend Charlotte Harding to discuss an exciting community festival in the planning stages. And where did I find her on a Monday morning? Washing cars to raise money for the Martinborough Pump Track.

Since becoming a member of the community board, I have come across so many people selflessly volunteering in our community. 

They include: Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade and First Responders, members of Lions Club, the many foodbanks in the South Wairarapa district, Rotary Oceania, Community Patrols, the many community gardens, all of the South Wairarapa Men’s Sheds, senior coffee groups, toy libraries, community markets, Martinborough Museum and the South Wairarapa Biodiversity Group. 

Then there are sports groups, churches and school volunteers. The list is endless.

Volunteer Month in June sees an opportunity to acknowledge the amazing volunteers who we all know and the unsung heroes who often go unnoticed.

South Wairarapa District Council website and Facebook pages have more information. And, get involved by nominating a volunteer you admire. Why not seize the opportunity to become a volunteer yourself? 

It’s a great way to contribute and connect. It’s also rewarding.

Years of neglect?

Claims of years of Pain Farm neglect by councillors and officials emerged during the meeting.

One speaker told of the main farm house standing empty and untenanted for six months at a time when Martinborough was beset by an accommodation crisis. 

At other times officials had been slow to advertise for tenants _ losing estate income in the process.

Another spoke about the “disgusting state” of the farm itself, noting fencing, pasture and drainage as all being ignored by officials and lease tenants.

Martinborough Community Board chair Storm Robertson cited 2019 as the year the board formally asked council to provide financial and other records for Pain Farm. Nothing was handed over.

At that time MCB was designated “Governor” of the estate, hence the records request.

In January 2024 council CEO Janice Smith was again asked for the financial records and other documents. Four months later, still no response.

The meeting heard the only recent progress was council formally designating the whole 85-hectare farm for waste water dispersal. 

Determined Pain Farm public meeting wants answers

Pain Farm meeting says “yes” to removing council as farm’s trustee.

By Ray Lilley

More than five years after the Martinborough Community Board (MCB) asked South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) to see “the books” (financial records) for the 85-hectare Pain Farm Estate south of the town _ only the board members have changed.

Despite repeated requests to SWDC, they have seen no records, no leases or lease details for the land or houses, and have only confirmed that the council is using part of the land for its transfer station _ and paying nothing for the use.

MCB are designated by council as “governors” of the estate, responsible for its operation.

The latest request by the new MCB for the financials was made in January 2024, but board chair Storm Robertson told a packed public meeting in mid-May that “nothing” had eventuated.

Some 70 Martinborough residents crowded the Waihinga Centre Supper Room to protest council plans to use the farmland for waste water (sewage sludge) dispersal _ pumping from the town and spraying it onto the pastures.

Many ratepayers at the meeting claimed that Pain Farm was a bequest to the town by the late George Pain, so as “shareholders” in the estate they had the right to a voice in how it was used and where the money it made annually was dispersed.

Retired lawyer and local David Iggulden suggested that if the council is acting as trustees of the estate it was in legal jeopardy.

As trustees, “they can’t use trust income (from the estate) for their own benefit,” he told the meeting.  … Continue Reading