Seven more years up Schitts Creek?

By Ray Lilley Eighteen months of repairs and a block on new sewerage connections – and only seven years to go to fix the mess. When? – 2031. That was the message from the little-known Joint Community Liaison Group’s meeting to report and review progress on the Martinborough and Greytown …

Pumped up and ready to go!

By Charlotte Harding This month we welcome the Trailpro team and officially celebrate a dream coming to reality as the Pump Track build starts! Martinborough Youth Trust members are thrilled to see this project come to fruition: “it’s been a long road but we finally got here!” With summer just …

Community patrol car goes Electric

Martinborough Community Patrol (MBCP) are now the proud owners of an Electric Nissan Leaf. The time had come to retire the old car, a Honda CRV, Claire Fleming, Coordinator of the Patrol, said.  “We wanted to on-sell it while it still had some value. The car had been a dedicated …

Another rural defibrillator installed

Wednesday, 28 August, saw a crowd of about 30 locals assembled at Ruakokoputuna Community Hall as an AED was installed and a CPR course held. AED? Automatic External Defibrillator _ in common language a heart reboot machine. CPR? An “incredibly worthwhile and hugely successful” Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation course, held for locals …

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SWDC had its hand in the Pain Farm till

August 12, 2024 August 2024 Comments Off on SWDC had its hand in the Pain Farm till

For the past 12 years South Wairarapa District Council has been quietly filtering excessive amounts of cash out of what are known internally as the Pain Estate accounts _ and has suddenly admitted its financial filching by returning $302,000 to the Martinborough Community Board. 

New council Chief Executive Janice Smith turned up the financial finagling by council officials, noting in a report last month to Pain Estate’s governors, the Martinborough Community Board, that the excess funds transfers began in 2011-12 “where a significantly increased level of internal charges occurred.” 

How it “occurred” was not mentioned.

“As the farm is leased as well as the dwellings, it is appropriate that some form of allocation of

administrative costs occurs but the difference that occurred between 2010-11 and 2011-12 was

significant at $14,384. 

“This increased level of allocation continued and increased over time until the total allocation in 2023-24 became $59,237. This level of internal recovery is not appropriate,” Smith wrote in a three-page report to the Community Board. … Continue Reading

Young players make the sound of music

August 12, 2024 August 2024 Comments Off on Young players make the sound of music

“It showed us what we could do in the future!” 

That was the excited reaction from Wairarapa Youth Orchestra player Kathya Meier (Kuranui College) after a recent workshop held by Martinborough Music Festival.

For 25 young Wairarapa students, the first day of the July school holidays was filled with the sound of music as they took part in a day-long workshop for string players — a first for the Festival as part of its community outreach programme.

Tutors Lucas Baker and Haden Nickel (violin), Lauren Jack (viola), Esther Lee (cello) and William Taber (double bass) started the day with a rousing rendition of the theme from Pirates of the  Caribbean—a favourite with the young players.

Separate sessions with the tutors followed for each of the string groups, preparing a piece to be presented at a brief concert for friends and family later in the day.

“I’m the only viola player in the Wairarapa Youth Orchestra and have been playing for 18 months,” said Kathya. “Today was about really improving my skills and learning how to sing with my viola.”

For Levi Martin, who has learnt the cello for seven years, meeting the tutors who had been through university training was the highlight of a hugely enjoyable day. “I got some good tips!” he said.

Alex Bunny (Tararua College) had come down from Pahiatua for the day. He has been learning the cello for just over a year, taking it up after listening to the Croatian performers 2cellos. He particularly enjoyed the Pirates theme, and the opportunity to learn from professional musicians.

Kathryn Seagrave, cello tutor with the Youth Orchestra and a volunteer with its organising committee, said a big plus for the day was for the participants to be with young professional music players so they can see there is a future in music.

“They were fabulous tutors and so approachable, making the day really exciting. The students were just soaking up what they had to say,” she said. “It’s an inspiration to have a day with others who are like you.

“We are a young organisation—just in our third year—and working with tamariki who have been playing their instruments for a short time. The strings workshop was such a shot in the arm for them and we are so grateful to the Festival for having something like this to come to.”

The Martinborough Music Festival’s outreach programme is an increasingly important part of the Festival. After several years of presenting free concerts for schools in the region, a workshop was seen as an important way of encouraging young players to continue their studies.

This year’s schools’ concerts take place during August, with the string quintet playing to 12 schools on 8 August, and a woodwind quintet playing to three schools on 22 August.

Plans are already under way for another workshop next year. 

Caption: Playing for friends and family in the concert at the end of the workshop, led by Lucas Baker.

Martinborough Golf Club

August 12, 2024 August 2024, Sports Comments Off on Martinborough Golf Club

A taste of what the new clubhouse will offer was provided recently to members and the Martinborough community. 

The weather also came to the party to give everyone fabulous views from the new bar /lounge area as well as the undercover outdoor space. Over 100 people took advantage of the walkthrough and around $2,000 was raised through donations and raffles.

“The opportunity to actually get into the building and get a sense of what it will be like on a

gloriously sunny day was fabulous and has created great excitement not only for club members but the community as a whole” said Emily Loughnan from the club committee.

The facilities will far exceed anything the club has had in the past with the aim to not only make it a place for the members and the community to use, as well as a destination for visitors to Martinborough. 

A café will provide food and drinks every day which will take advantage of the beautiful vistas. A great place to watch the golf and wait for family and friends to return from their round.

It is hoped the clubhouse will also be used by local community groups for meetings and regular activities as well as being available for functions outside golf hours. Discussions are also continuing with the Council for use of the facility as a civil defence hub.  … Continue Reading

Is Martinborough Community Board worth retaining?

August 12, 2024 August 2024 Comments Off on Is Martinborough Community Board worth retaining?

As part of its Representation Review, South Wairarapa’s District councillors have proposed scrapping the three community boards that make up part of the governance structure servicing this community.

This “disestablishment” proposal is out for community “consultation” and “feedback” until September 8.

Some councillors believe chopping the three boards will reduce costs and even strengthen local democracy, though at least one admitted the Martinborough Community Board helps do some of the work he can’t get done.

So as readers consider whether to address SWDC’s consultation request, The Star has set down 

some of the achievements of the current MCB over its first two years. … Continue Reading

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Lady golfers show Rosebowl winning ways

September has been an up and down month weatherwise for golfers, some beautiful early spring days followed by cold and rain. Thankfully for the important days the weather has mostly come to the party. Early in the month the Cotter Rosebowl was successfully defended at Carterton by Martinborough’s team of …

Stunning first 4 – 1 win for Marty Women’s FC

By All-knowing Football Reporter It was always going to happen. After a few draws, some losses the newly-formed MWFC won their first game. An impressive and resounding victory. It started with ‘The Fox in the Box,’ the striker who plays in the traditional Number 9 role of marauding the penalty …

Martinborough Golf Club

A taste of what the new clubhouse will offer was provided recently to members and the Martinborough community.  The weather also came to the party to give everyone fabulous views from the new bar /lounge area as well as the undercover outdoor space. Over 100 people took advantage of the …

Regular Features

THE STAR  BOOK  REVIEW  

By Brenda Channer –  Martinborough Bookshop “All the Colours of the Dark” by Chris Whittaker. …

EVENTS – October 2024

Discover Te Muna  WHEN:     Saturday, Sunday, October 19 – 20  TIME:      …

FROM THE MAYOR

By Martin Connelly As you will know the Council recently changed some of its rating …

THE STAR BOOK REVIEW

By Brenda Channer – Martinborough Bookshop Story-telling is possibly the most powerful and long-lived method …

EVENTS  – September 2024

Wellington Heritage Festival When: October 26 – November 17  Where: * Wellington Region – 140 …

Cartel Food Company “Home Grown in Martinborough”

By Lyle Griffiths Nine years ago, Jason and Melissa Phillips founded the Cartel Food Company …

Community servant Jake Hawkins hands over Helmet

Retiring Fire Chief Jake Hawkins joined Martinborough’s Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1994 _ 30 years …

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