The game displayed the great skill levels in Wellington club rugby, and proved to be crucial in the final results for this year’s Swindale Sheild.

Poneke won 25-17, putting them above Wainui in the table and making qualifying that much easier for the Jubilee Cup in the second round of the season.

This also means that Wainui have to win the remaining two games to ensure top eight qualification.

Aaron Meredith captured the game in pictures.

 

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

PRINCIPAL Joyce Adam has worked at Miramar North School for more than 20 years.

Ms Adam began as a teacher in 1992 and was promoted to principal in 1994.

The school dedicated their weekly assembly that week to Ms Adam in celebration for 20 years’ stellar service, featuring favourite memories and quotes recalled by the children.

As well as leading her school, Ms Adams has taken a leadership role in Wellington Regional Primary Principals Association (WRPPA).

WRPPA has been around since 2006 and according to its website, “is here to support and enhance the education of children at this crucial time in their lives”.

“Part of my role is to bring the principals in my cluster together,” says Ms Adam.

The cluster deals with issues such as national standards, Novopay and the direction of education.

Ten staff from Miramar North School have been affected by Novopay, “not as bad as it could have been”, says Ms Adam.

There are 20 other principals in the eastern zones cluster, which includes preschools, primary schools and intermediates.

“One of the main focuses within my cluster is the transition from each sector,” Says Ms Adam.

Should a learning difficulty be identified, the principals will work together to make the transition for that child as smooth as possible.

“This does not only benefit the child but also the school and upcoming teacher, as any extra resource needed can be organised beforehand,” says Ms Adam.

The idea of this focus is to be prepared for the needs of all pupils with or without special needs.

Ms Adam has served as the president for more than five years.

“It is a pleasure to be the president for my zone,” says Ms Adam.

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A MEGAPHONE and a crowd of protesters in front of Bunny street McDonald’s are what greeted people leaving Wellington train station about 8am yesterday.

Blocking the main entrance to McDonalds, striking union members led by Unite the Union Wellington organiser Heleyni Pratley showed their anger by singing, shouting slogans and holding up placards.

Ms Pratley led the protest with chants about poor pay and unfair rosters. Among the union members were four Bunny Street McDonald’s staff protesting about their minimum-wage pay and the fact that KFC workers earn at least a dollar more per hour.

“The employees have only been offered a 25 cent pay increase in two years,” Ms Pratley said.

She said all workers at this McDonald’s are employed as casual workers, not on a part-time basis, so they are unable to plan ahead because of the uncertainty of the hours.

McDonald’s spokeswoman Kim Bartlett said the collective employment agreement between Unite and McDonald’s broke down one month ago.

“Since then we have been in dispute, and the union have been exercising their right to industrial action, including today’s protest at the Bunny Street restaurant,” she said.

Unite have been negotiating with McDonald’s as far back as 2008 trying to get more pay for the employees and a changed status from casual to part-time.

“We are committed to continuing to negotiate in good faith with the union,” Ms Bartlett said.

Ms Pratley said the union was very committed and would keep protesting. “This is just the beginning.”

FOR the first time in more than 14 years, Newlands College will have a bowls team at a nationals schools championship.

Pair James Halpin, above right, and Micky Seefa, above left, have earned a place at the outdoor bowls secondary schools nationals.

The students qualified by winning the Wellington Northern Regional College Championships in March, and finishing as runners-up at the Central regional qualifiers.

Another Newlands pairs team made it to the semifinal, but Seefa and Halpin’s score qualified ahead of them.

Seefa and Halpin, both 17, were close runners-up at the following Central qualifiers.

“It really came down to points,” says Halpin.

They won only one of three games at Central, but their points differential put them ahead of other teams to qualify for the Nationals.

Halpin and Seeva will compete at outdoor nationals in Wellington from December 8-10.

The pair have also won a Wellington College Sport indoor pairs title in 2011.

Halpin was introduced to bowls at school camp in his first year at college.

“It was something I had never played before, and I decided to try it as it was something a little different.”

Later that year he won his first national title, the 2009 Indoor Bowls Secondary Schools Championship, with Teri Anderson as his bowls partner.

Halpin had been talked into entering by Anderson who under the rules needed a partner from her college, the New Zealand Indoor Bowls News reported.

When Seefa arrived at Newlands College in 2011, Halpin encouraged him to play bowls and they found they were good as a team.

“It was really satisfying to win this title. The previous title with Micky was great but this time it really confirmed it for me,” says Halpin about his sporting skills.

Halpin says there is a view that outdoor bowls has more prestige and generally people competing take it more seriously.

Since the championship started in 2000, the outdoor bowls National Boys Pairs title has only been won once by a college from Wellington.

“We are also involved in the indoor bowls season which is coming up soon,” says Seefa.

Halpin encourages people to get involved with bowls, a sport he says has “indie cred”, is affordable and which appeals to people of all ages.

He says they get support from the college and the Johnsonville Bowling Club, where they practise every week with bowls sets donated by the college.

Photo: NEWLANDS COLLEGE

TASTY TREATS: Natalie’s prototype dessert plate

AFTER fainting seven times during a cow’s eye dissection, Natalie Howell realised that veterinary wasn’t for her and decided to take up patisserie.

For the 16-year-old first-year patisserie student, the cooking competitions held as part of the Wellington Culinary Fair pose a new challenge for 2013.

After entering last year as a school student and competing against professional chefs, Natalie is making a second attempt.

“I came one point off getting a bronze certificate so I was pretty proud of that.” Natalie says.

Natalie says her sweet tooth comes from having to bake her own cakes and desserts when she was younger because her mum would never buy them.

Her dish for 2012 consisted of triple chocolate mousse cake with a berry brandy coulis and chocolate roses, vines and leaves.

“I’d never been in a competition before so I didn’t really realize how fancy most people do it,” she says.

This year she will be entering the cold-plated dessert category with poached pears, chocolate mouse in a “chocolate spiraly thingymajig” and almond and saffron cake.

“The easiest to stuff up would probably be the mousse, it’s so easy to over-whip it, which makes it dense.” She says.

Although other categories require contestants to prepare their food in front of the judges, Natalie says all she has to do is bring in all her food, put in on a plate and then walk away.

Last year the competition had about eight contestants, but Natalie is unsure of what to expect this year.

She says nobody managed to gain a gold level award as they were unable to meet the 90 to 100 points required to meet gold standards.

Other students in the Wellington Institute of Technology’s Certificate in Patisserie are also competing in the food competitions but are entering with novelty cakes instead.

Natalie says although the competition is not part of her course, her tutors have been supportive in helping to organise her entry and give advice.

Natalie plates up her 2012 entry

The fair will be held this Friday to Sunday at Westpac Stadium as part of the Wellington Food Show.Anita Sarginson, spokesperson for the culinary fair says they are expecting about 20,000 visitors to the food show and have about 120 contestants entered in all the competitions.

The judging will be in accordance to guidelines set out by the World Association of Chefs (WACS).

ALMOST THERE: The first of two new class rooms being built

LYALL BAY School’s youngest pupils will soon be learning in bright and airy new classrooms – the first one should be ready in a couple of weeks.

The school’s old junior block was demolished to make way for the two $700,000 buildings which will house the classrooms.

Year 1 and 2 pupils have been shuffled around to accommodate for the construction, which has been fairly noisy and dusty.

“Short pain for long gain” is how headmaster Dennis Thompson describes the situation. “This has been a massive building project and we’re hoping it will all be done by the end of this year.”

LONG GAIN: Lyall Bay School headmaster Dennis Thompson

The school sourced $300,000 from community grants, fundraising and accumulated funds for the project and the Ministry of Education contributed $2.3 million.The two new classrooms, with accompanying group rooms and activity areas, are being built around the perimeter of the school boundary and so have created an enlarged playing area, which be covered in astroturf.

Building the school around its landlocked boundaries “will get us double the playground space”, says My Thompson.

He says the school roll is 419 at present, 30 more pupils than last year’s numbers, which were already high, so the alterations are timely.

Mr Thompson is pleased that the work has so far come in under budget and to deadlines. “We’ve got a fantastic team here; we are lucky to have them.”

Mr Thompson says he is also grateful for the patience of teachers, parents, pupils and neighbours.

Concrete has been poured for the foundations of the second building, which is expected to be completed by the end of year.

COOL SCHOOL: First of the two modern classrooms

FERNLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL is turning 50 years old this year and is intending to celebrate the fact in November.

Headmaster Walter Gordon says “some great children have come through the school”.

These days, Fernlea has the children of former pupils attending the school, even grandchildren of former pupils.

This year, the pupils are learning how the school was 50 years ago when their grandparents were there, and how things have changed since the school opened.

“The school has a good name in the community,” says Mr Gordon.

He is hoping that the next 50 years brings more good timesand good pupils.

The jubilee is taking place on Friday and Saturday,  November 15 and 16, and the school is wanting as many people who have been involved with the school to attend.

Celebration plans include a mix and mingle night on the Friday.

A couple of classrooms will be open, as well as the school hal,l showing photos of the school and past and present pupils.

On the Saturday there will be a picnic for current pupils, which will include performances from the school’s kapa haka group as well as the choir.

A dinner is planned for that night — venue to be confirmed once numbers are known.

A NEW wave of fitness has hit the region’s parks with boot camps getting people out of bed and into action.

The work-outs which start as early as 6am attract numbers because of the timing and group style, say two trainers.

CQfit owner Chas Quinn, right, runs a training camp on the Petone Esplanade and says the friendly atmosphere of the camps attracts people.

“If you had a chat to a lot of the people that come, they’re here more for the social aspect of it,” Mr Quinn.

Nigel Tapsell, 40, is one regular at the Mr Quinn’s sessions.“If it wasn’t for the group, I wouldn’t be here.”

Each workout is slightly different but usually consists of a circuit of exercises varying from push-ups and weight resistance to sprints and sit-ups.

Scott Falconer, left, trainer for The Weights Room, runs boot camps in Petone Recreation Ground and Upper Hutt and says having the camps in cheap group sessions also attracts numbers.

“I think people like the personal training side of things, but to do it in a group is cheaper for them and it’s more fun because there is heaps of people to encourage and work alongside.”

Both trainers do their camps on both public and private grounds.

Mr Falconer has an agreement to use Silverstream School Hall and Mr Quinn uses the Empire Table Tennis hall for indoor sessions.

Similar activity in public parks on Australia’s Gold Coast prompted calls for curbs earlier this year, but Lower Hutt City Council is not concerned.

The council was not aware of training camps on public grounds but media and communications advisor Warren Inkster did not think it was a problem.

“As long as they are not disturbing the peace,” Mr Inkster says.

Jenny Woodward, a lawyer who attends the Petone Recreation Ground boot camp, is motivated by attending the early morning trainings.

“Someone makes me work at a boot-camp. At a gym you’re going by your own willpower.”

With many people having busy schedules, training early was a good way to get exercise done, says Mr Falconer.

Mr Quinn, who is against calling the trainings boot camp, believes there is no excuse for not exercising.“There is always time. It’s just how bad you want it.”

Mr Quinn says he enjoys the early morning sessions most when he sees someone achieve something.

“It’s exciting when you can see someone how elated someone is when they can achieve something so small. That’s exciting. That’s what gets me going.”

The trail ride is a fundraiser for the Wairarapa Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding Club.

The turnout is expected to be high because the recent drought has stopped many motorbike rides, says club secretary Frank Aldridge.

“I think it’ll be pretty strong. I think it’ll be somewhere between 250 and 300 riders,” he says

“There haven’t been many trail rides in the last few months because of the drought condition and fire risks in the forests,” says Frank.

Riders will be charged to ride the 25km Pirinoa farmland bush motor bike track.

“We’ll be charging adults $30 and kids $15 to come along and they can ride around as many times as they like,” he says.

Money is needed for the club to get officials in for endurance horse rides during the season.

“With endurance rides you have to have a number of officials at them.

“So that’s everything from vets through to people whose job it is to make sure the track is safe,” says Frank.

The funds will also allow the club to keep fees low and people interested in endurance horse riding.

“By running a fundraiser like this, it just means that we can do those sorts of things without actually making the ride fees prohibitive.

“That way we keep more people in the sport,” Frank says.

Wellingtonians are also contributing to the event.

“It’ll attract people from Wellington, it’s bringing those sorts of people into the area. It provides people who live in the city somewhere to ride a motorbike without having to open gates all the time,” he says.

Registration begins at 8:30am and gates open for riding at 10am for riders to take their first round.

“We want them to take the first lap a little bit easier so that they’re seeing any hazards,” Frank says.

Helping with organisation is the Ruakokoputuna Hall community.

“We’re organising it together, particularly when it comes to the track. They’ve got a lot of experience with these sorts of events.”

DRUG-USING tenants have cost two Wellington families potentially $65,000 on the sale of an investment property.

The couples have found that P users can do as much damage as P labs following the sale of the house, and they are warning others to be vigilant.

Their property at Horowhenua’s Waitarere Beach was often rented over the years, with a few people living there for three months five years ago, says one of the owners, who did not want to be identified.

He says locals prompted the real estate agent selling the house for the couples to do testing for meth, after rumour’s the property had been used to manufacture the drug.

The owners says testing showed only recreational use, not manufacture, had occurred but the damage had been done to the property’s value.

“This all happened at the same time it was on the market,” says the owner.

TESTING REPORT: The 20 areas tested at the property, with 0.5 and above being a fail result.

“P is looked at today like the aids of the 80s,” he says.

The initial test of five swabs turned up one partial indication and two positive results.

A second test of 20 swabs was then carried out and six places throughout the house tested positive for P. Testing cost $2000.

The testing service said there was no evidence of there ever being a methamphetamine clan lab inside the premises.

“In my opinion the levels detected could however be explained by consumption of meth by drug addicts inside the property,” says Ricky Lewer, manager of Drug Testing Services Manawatu.

With the knowledge of the testing, a potential buyer put an offer on the house of $300,000. The Government valuation was $380,000

“It did a massive hit on the price,” says the owner

The property sold to the same bidder for $315,000 still furnished.

The new owners also had the responsibility of cleaning the house, which was estimated to cost  $3500-$5000.

“I felt we lost money on it,” says the owner.

Insurance council operations manager Terry Jordan says there has been a growth in claims for the clean-up of contaminated properties over the last few years, although that includes labs.

“What has grabbed the insurer’s attention is that these claims have been increasing steadily over the past few years,” says Mr Jordan.

“No one can give me hard facts or numbers around this.

“Cover varies between insurers, home owners should be aware some will offer a sub limit of up to $25,000 for the clean-up and at least one company in NZ offers no cover,” Mr Jordon says.

One Horowhenua real estate agency spoken to outlined a procedure carried out by agents when faced with this problem.

“The police are involved straight away and the legal owners are also involved as these homes are usually rental properties with absentee owners,” says Chris Hirini, sales manager Harcourt’s Levin.

However neither he nor another real estate agent questioned says it is a big issue.

“I have come across a few rentals with a question mark,” says Rohan Teaz, of Property Brokers Foxton.

Property Brokers notify the police and home owners, which is the same procedure used by Harcourts.

Cases like these in the area are “few and far between”, says Sargent Jeff Lyver of Levin Police.

“But it won’t be registered with the New Zealand Police statistics unless an arrest is made,” says Mr Lyver.

The drug testing services document received by the owners state the district council may note the findings on a LIM report and issue reports.

Raewyn Parry, Horowhenua District council communications manager said in an email response to questions: “It is a very rare occurrence, we would receive on average less than one notification a year.”

“If Council is informed by the Police that a house is potentially contaminated we have a process to assess the risks and we may issue a Cleansing Order under section 41 of the Health act 1956,” Ms Parry said, citing council guidelines.

The Council may also issue a dangerous building notice which prevents anyone living or staying at the property until it has been cleaned and pasted a retest.

“A note would remain on the property file which would be included in any LIM reports until Council has been informed that the contamination has been sufficiently remediated.”