Mixed bag of news began 2019
This is the first in a 12-part series looking at the big events in South Canterbury during 2019. Herald reporter Joanne Holden summarises January.
A needle in a strawberry confession, job losses, a hospital lockdown and a battle to save thoroughbred horse racing in Timaru were among the headline-grabbing stories in South Canterbury during January 2019.
The region began the year with ACC announcing it would halve staffing levels at its Timaru office as part of a wideranging restructure.
As ACC prepared to concentrate its payment teams into two hubs – Dunedin and Hamilton – it cut 22 positions from the 43-strong workforce at the Timaru office.
ACC told Stuff at the time the move would ‘‘promote easier sharing of knowledge, management and integration with other specialist teams that do not work directly with clients’’.
Aoraki Development chief executive Nigel Davenport blasted the decision, labelling it ‘‘astounding’’ and contrary to the Government’s previously-stated goal of growing the regions, while South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wendy Smith said the changes ‘‘simply don’t make sense’’.
In late January Jaydean Lila Temperley admitted she lied about finding a needle in a strawberry she purchased at a Timaru supermarket. Temperley admitted causing loss by deception and making a false complaint to police and was later sentenced to five months’ home detention.
Pak’nSave destroyed $3565.92 worth of strawberries following Temperley’s false claim on December 10, 2018.
In major crime, two South Canterbury shops – in St Andrews and Timaru – were targeted by criminals in aggravated robberies within the space of a few days. Arrests were made in both cases.
Racing fans, meanwhile, kept up the fight to save galloping events at Timaru’s Phar Lap Raceway by signing a petition launched by Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon and the Phar Lap Trustees. The petition would pass the 5000 mark and was presented to the Government and racing industry leaders.
January also marked former pupils of Timaru South School’s Pareora Campus – closed by the Ministry of Education because of a dwindling roll and budget in December – starting at their new schools.
Twenty-two of the Pareora campus’ 25 pupils had been enrolled at St Andrews School, while three went to Timaru South School.
Timaru Hospital went into lockdown while treating two men stabbed in an early-morning gang fight on Dunkirk St. South Canterbury District Health Board spokesperson Stacey Scott told Stuff on January 12 that there was a heavy police presence at the hospital and people coming into the ward were being monitored.
Also in January, Timaru District councillors expressed concern over a $6 million backlog in unfinished projects which included a new roof for the Timaru Public Library and a Timaru CBD refresh. Nearly 12 months on, newly-elected councillor Stu Piddington stirred up fiery debate about the same issue.
Also in court that month was Kurt Daniel John, who admitted using methamphetamine before crashing his car into a milk tanker, killing his front seat passenger.
John pleaded guilty to causing the death of 30-year-old Paul Jon Hatherley while his blood contained evidence of a controlled drug. John would later be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for five years. Hatherley’s family told him they were struggling to understand his decision to take drugs and drive.