Judd urges equality in setting up wards
one for the general population and one for Ma¯ ori.
‘‘To highlight out the Ma¯ori seat is divisive; it’s cruel,’’ he told the House of Representatives. ‘‘I know that from experience. I’m not talking from an ideological point of view. I’m talking from someone who lived this with my community.’’
Judd said he is realistic about the fact that things will take time.
‘‘The first thing that struck me was, I’d spent five years on the other side hearing applications and how fast 20 minutes go.’’
Last Tuesday, the Manawatu¯ District voted almost three-to-one against the council’s proposal to create Ma¯ori wards at the next election. Palmerston North’s poll on the same issue closed at noon on Saturday. Results from a binding poll came in on Saturday night, with 14,567 voting against wards for the city council and 6530 voting for.
The percentage was 68.87 against and 30.88 per cent for.
The turnout was at 37.21 per cent of eligible voters, and 49 votes were counted as blank and four ‘‘informal’’ votes received. Clifton fullback Liam Blyde set up the try of the weekend in round eight of the CMK Taranaki premier club rugby competition.
Taranaki Rugby releases the top five tries after each week on YouTube and Blyde’s try featured as the number one in their 13-12 loss to Stratford/Eltham at Victoria Park.
The try came after a patient build-up in the second half that allowed Blyde to access quick ball and use his speed to slice between two Stratford/Eltham defenders.
When he was tackled just short of the try line, Blyde fired the ball back in field to wing Meli Naholo, who scored.
Naholo’s try was one of four in the tightly contested match.
The second top try of the week featured in the cross-town rivalry between New Plymouth Old Boys and Tukapa at Vogeltown Park.
Jahmarl Weir dotted down for Old Boys, but it was from the vision of fullback Brayton Northcott-Hill who spotted a hole in Tukapa’s defence to set up an overlap for Weir to score untouched.
In a close game defending champions Tukapa won the match 27-25 and continue their bragging rights this season against Old Boys.
Spotswood United claimed their fourth win in a row beating competition leaders Southern 10-7 at Yarrow Stadium.
Spotswood’s recent run of form has been helped by the return of several key players and are now contenders for the top four.
At the Rahotu Domain Coastal continued their winning form, beating bottom of the table side Inglewood 28-7.
Next weekend’s action includes the top-of-the-table clash between Southern and Tukapa in Hawera, Clifton hosts Coastal at the Tikorangi Domain, New Plymouth Old Boys heads south to face Stratford/Eltham and Inglewood hosts Spotswood United.