Pare has XŌtaki to thank for trip of a lifetime

Aristotle wrote: “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.” Aristotle had to wait another decade to get his hands on me, but the New Zealand rural lifestyle didn’t. I don’t much remember Mangaweka, but Tinui stays with me. It wasn’t just the large open spaces in which to roam, but also things like the regular trips... Keep Reading

A petition launched by the Finish Our Roads (FOR) group has gained several hundred signatures, says FOR chair Marilyn Stevens. The group was formed after the Transport Agency announced that a Peka Peka interchange on the expressway would not go ahead. FOR is working with Kāpiti Coast District Council to get the business case presented to the NZTA.. Keep Reading

The Latin America & Spain Film Festival at the Māoriland Hub from October 4-6 made organiser Fernandez Figuera a happy man. “It’s the second year we’ve held the festival at Māoriland and we love it,” he says. “It’s the perfect venue for showing our indigenous films. I am part Chilean, and we are very much a part of the jungle of... Keep Reading

Ōtaki College’s junior netball team finished the season unbeaten in pool games, comfortably winning the Kāpiti colleges competition. In the competition final on September 28, the girls played Kapanui Magic and won 28-9 at Te Ati Awa Park, completing the eight-game regular season unbeaten. Kapanui, however, had delivered Ōtaki its only loss... Keep Reading

James Spiers, or Jim as he was better known, was a huge supporter of Rāhui Rugby Club, always giving generously of his time and money to help out, and to improve the club and its facilities. He died on September 22, drawing tributes from the wider rugby fraternity. Jim was the only son of Karori (Kori) and Muriel (Tootie) Spiers. He was born in... Keep Reading

James Spiers, or Jim as he was better known, was a huge supporter of Rāhui Rugby Club, always giving generously of his time and money to help out, and to improve the club and its facilities. He died on September 22, drawing tributes from the wider rugby fraternity. Jim was the only son of Karori (Kori) and Muriel (Tootie) Spiers. He was born in... Keep Reading

The launch of the Lifting the Lid youth suicide project has raised $10,000. A lunch at Southwards Car Museum on Friday, October 4, raised the cash after a garden shed donated by Ōtaki College, artwork, a Hurricanes rugby shirt, an own-label gin prize and other items were auctioned. The Nikau Foundation also announced that it would provide $5000.... Keep Reading

The Ōtaki and Districts RSA will commemorate Armistice Day on Sunday, November 10, at Memorial Park in Main Street. “While the actual Armistice Day is the following day, the 11th, we have decided to hold the commemoration the preceding day to allow more people to pay their respects,” says RSA vice president Cam Ronald. “This is a recognition that Keep Reading

It was a matter of the lights going out and nobody to be found after an SUV collided with a power pole early on the morning of October 9. The crash happened in Waerenga Road near the entrance to New World about 1.45am. Police say the 2006 Mitsubishi Pajero was doing burnouts on Waerenga Road but the driver lost control and crashed into the... Keep Reading

It was supposed to be an interview over a coffee, but when the construction manager of the biggest project in Ōtaki’s history says “let’s go for a drive” you’re not going to turn him down. The “drive” was along the length of the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway in Steve Findlay’s grubby Jeep Wrangler – a sturdy 20-year old... Keep Reading

The dynamic nature of retailing continues to be evident at the railway shops. Often mistaken for the township of Ōtaki, the precinct on the highway contains several outlet stores and a mix of local and corporate retailers. The area will see a dramatic decrease in traffic flows when the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway is completed in 2021,... Keep Reading

The preliminary results of the local body election are in and little has changed in Ōtaki’s council representation – but what is emerging is a contest for the chair of the community board. Ōtaki Community Board member for the past three years Shelly Warwick has confirmed she will contest the chair, which will be decided at the first meeting... Keep Reading

I’m 42 years old and I’m in pretty good shape for a man my age. That’s no accident, by the way. Now before you roll your eyes at me, this month I’m talking to all the parents reading this. I got to thinking about what I was training for. My primary occupation a stay-at-home Dad to my very energetic 21/2 year-old. I also maintain the house... Keep Reading

One of Ōtaki’s tireless workers in the community has been honoured by having the museum reading room named after her. The Anne Thorpe Reading Room was opened officially on September 28 to make the museum’s historical resources more available to people. The public can browse the archives consisting of photos, oral histories, books, historical... Keep Reading

Last month I looked at the early history of soap making. I will pick up the story with the beginnings of the industrial-scale production of soap in the 1700s. The soap-making reaction (saponification) forms glycerine, a natural emollient and moisturiser. With large-scale production soap manufacturers started to remove the glycerine from soap as... Keep Reading