Clean Air plan given a black mark at hearing

A Tokoroa wife blasted the South Waikato District Council, saying she would not conform with the proposed Clean Air Bylaw.

The statement was heard during last week’s hearing at which resident Carol Smyth, who is reliant on heating to care for her ailing husband, said: ‘‘I want answers and I am not going to change my fireplace for this council.’’

The 62-year-old caregiver told councillors that she had a ‘‘perfectly good burner’’ which she had used for many years.

‘‘I have the fire chief Dave Morris come in and clean my chimney, I am always getting firewood, con- stantly. Now because my husband is injured I do it all myself.’’

At the hearing, Mrs Smyth reiterated her stance that she was not going to be told what to do.

‘‘I am not going to have a district council tell me, with the pressure I’m under, that I am not having a fire, that I will conform to what Council wants.

‘‘I am not going to sit back and do nothing. My husband needs heating 24/7.

‘‘I’ve had eight years of looking after him and I intend to do it for a damn sight longer. If the power goes off I have nothing.’’

She also invited councillors to experience her life.

‘‘Come and walk in my shoes, that’s how I feel. I don’t care who you are, come and live with me and see what it’s like to have a husband who is rigid because he’s cold’’.

Mrs Smyth said the main issue is fire merchants selling wet wood.

‘‘Some of you councillors need to get out and get around and see what does go on in the winter months here with the delivery of wood,’’ she said.

She added, ‘‘I am going to look after my husband and I don’t want to see him in his box before he has to be. You guys need to . . . jump on these wood merchants who are selling wet wood.’’