Battery hens teach lessons
They started life as egg factories, but nearly three months after arriving at O¯ pu¯ nake High School’s Chook Motel, Gigi, Tibbles and their ex-battery friends are thriving.
The school is doing a sustainability academy project rehabilitating battery hens, eight of which they adopted from a rescue centre in Mamaku, near Rotorua, in August.
‘‘I just think it’s amazing how much they’ve progressed really,’’ says student Brydee Hunt, 14, one of the leaders of the project. ‘‘I’m so glad we did it.’’
When the hens first arrived in August, they stayed in their hutch and run for about the first month until they got used to it, and now get their door opened each morning before being put to bed later in the day, but with their open-air run still available to them.
When people arrive, the hens all come out to welcome them, clucking all the way.
‘‘They’re so fluffy and inquisitive,’’ Hunt said. ‘‘I came over here one day during the holidays and they were all in here and when they saw us they came running out. They’re very happy.’’
The hens have made the kids more aware of what goes on behind the scenes in egg production, she said.
‘‘Since getting the hens and making them free range we only buy free-range eggs now and we support that. For us as a group, none of us knew what was happening. We didn’t really know much about the difference between caged hens and freerange hens.’’
They are still hoping to sell eggs but at the moment they don’t quite lay enough - getting on average two eggs a day. But they are looking at carrying on, says teacher Peter Clement - although the kids are very attached to their charges. World War 1: Mr R Hardley received advice that his son Private GR Hardley was reported wounded.
Palestine – The New Zealand mounted troops drove back a Turkish attack by a bayonet charge, inflicting heavy losses.
A farewell social at O¯ pu¯nake was held for Privates D O’Sullivan, Knofflock, Cox, Mulligan and J Fennell.
A welcome home social was held in the Mangatoki Hall for Privates Rawcliffe, R Parson and A Paskell and a ‘‘send off’’ for Privates OH Marx, A McCraken, D Johnson, CW Carlson and EH Whettam.
House Prices: Milmoe St, four rooms £600; Ramanui five rooms £700; Victoria Street six rooms
£500; Milmoe Street five rooms £450; Wilson Street six rooms £800; Disraeli Street eight rooms £1000. Agents James and Gillman, House and Land Agents, Ha¯wera.
At the Movies: Opera House – The Love Thief and The Iron Claw.
Public Notice: Look for the opening of new stables and motor car depot in Tattersall’s Horse Bazaar, entrance from Princes and Regent Sts.
Mrs Surgenor, Ota¯keho, received word from her son Private W Surgenor who has been a prisoner in Turkey since the Gallipoli days is presently working at his trade as a baker for the prison camp. Show home featured in The Star: 67 Waihi Rd, home opposite Pacey Avenue, Ha¯wera.
At the Movies: The Regent – Fireball 500.
Cricket: Third grade: Ha¯wera High School 124 (J Deuart 36, C Burrows 55, D Barclay 3-32) drew with Stratford 95-7 (R Powell 45, C Cumpitt 21, L Jordan 4-28).
Wedding Bells: Susan Jordan (Patea) married Graham Bootten (Ha¯wera); Moira Edith Couch (Manutahi) married Eric Lionel Tretheway (Christchurch); Helen Marjorie Pacey (Ha¯wera) married Ross Edwin Haughey (Whangarei); Alison Cochran (Manaia) married Jim Taha (Manaia).
George Edwards (Ha¯wera High School pupil) won the fourth form section of the national Ngarimu VC essay competition.
Ohangai School Calf Day: Leading calf senior Pauline Meuli; rearing senior Janet Robertson; lamb rearing Wayne Bailey; cooking coconut ice Carol Symes; art Robert Dickie.
The Egmont A & P Association held its 84th Summer Show with the final wind-up of the show starting at 7.45pm – North Island Tug-O-War;
FEI Olympic Jump; John Rogers and his trained pony; motorcycle racing.
RL Cameron (Patea) and HD Kennedy (Ha¯wera) qualified for the New Zealand open golf tournament.
Births: Lloyd, to Margaret and Arnold a son; Appleyard, to Janice and Dick a daughter; Yateman, to Lorraine and Bill a daughter.
Deanne Werder of Ha¯wera was selected for the New Zealand Women’s Indoor Hockey Team to play Australia in Brisbane.
Ha¯wera High School top scholars for 1992 was Simon Nicholas (dux) and Bronwen Laird (runner-up).
Cyril and Renee Thompson celebrated 60 years of marriage.
The new executive of the South Taranaki WDFF Provincial were: Anita Bourke (secretary), Betty Tarrant (past president), Beryl Willis (president) and Doris Bilton