Car club gets a big weekend surprise
A car club open day held a surprise even for the organisers.
Members of the South Canterbury Vintage Car Club were encouraged to bring their projects to Saturday’s open day. One member, Lex Westoby, brought the beginnings of a 1905 Helbe.
Westoby said that, while many people knew he was working on the car, ‘‘it was a bit of an eyeopener for a lot of them’’ to see how far the project had come.
On top of impressing visitors with his car, he also received tips on how to complete certain parts he anticipated as giving him trouble later.
‘‘That’s what the club is for. We’re here to help each other out,’’ he said.
Vintage Car Club of New Zealand South Canterbury branch chairman Ashley Milliken said the car was ‘‘a make I wasn’t even aware of’’.
He had no clue Westoby was bringing his work to the event and was wowed by the progress made.
‘‘All I saw was a pile of parts a couple of years ago,’’ he said.
‘‘I think it will be fantastic when it’s finished.’’
Milliken guessed it would be a few more years before the car was ready to roll.
The number of people doing projects like Westoby’s was ‘‘not enough’’ but there were plenty of parts out there to work with, he said. ‘‘We can get people to them no problem.’’
Club members had a ‘‘wealth of knowledge’’ to share with anybody looking to build or buy their own vintage car, he said.
Milliken, who spent a few years restoring a vintage car himself, said there was great satisfaction in finishing such a project and encouraged anybody who was keen to give it a go.
The open day went ‘‘quite well’’ with about 50 in attendance, Milliken said. ‘‘If we get two or three new members from it, we consider it a success.’’
Archaic clause
A land covenant preventing anyone but people aged 60 years or older, or who are on a disability benefit, from living in a trio of units in Pleasant Point is ‘‘archaic and inappropriate’’ and ought to be removed, a Timaru District Council manager says.
The covenant was placed on the land at 5 Horton St when the council sold it to a private owner in 1995, council property manager Matt Ambler says in a report to the Pleasant Point Community Board. The council owns six units at 7 Horton St and the covenant reflected council housing policy at the time. The conditions were archaic and inappropriate in today’s social climate, given the council had broadened its policy to consider those in need, beyond superannuitants, he said.
The Human Rights Act and the Residential Tenancies Act also say it is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age.
The change was suggested after a real estate agent confirmed one of the units at 5 Horton St would be offered for sale.