Water needed for food producers Moko is mayor
At last, I have seen in writing in our local paper the fact that the Aupouri peninsular has, after rainfall, only one real source of fresh water. The aquifer!
The article about the helicopter survey states that there are “no major streams in the area” and also that “some of Northland’s biggest and most precious wetlands” and also the growing population need that water. But still, the council and goodness knows who else just barge ahead and set up the infrastructure to exploit that resource and take it to the town.
The people who are requesting to use this water for their farming activities, and paying huge sums of money to do that, are those who produce food in this world. Towns do not produce food.
Kaitaia has the option to take water from the rainforest area of Mangamuka which is no further from them than the aquifer.
The farmers and settlers and swamplands on the peninsular do not have any such choice.
Sylvia Bryan
Motutangi
Protest disrespectful
I was saddened, and disappointed, in the protest action that disrupted Kaitaia’s 2022 Anzac Day dawn service. Such action is not only disrespectful it is intolerable.
Protesting at Kaitaia’s (sacred) War Memorial during Anzac Day’s commemoration service was akin to “gate crashing” (not being invited) to a funeral service or tangi, or desecration in a cemetery or urupa.
Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are times for reflection and to show respect and gratitude to the armed forces past and present who had lost their lives fighting for our country.
Casualties of war include not only the dead but also those wounded, both physically and psychologically, whether sailor, soldier, airman, nurse, or the merchant navy. In other ways, families suffered too. As well, civilians and conscientious objectors also became casualties. They all need to be remembered.
As a boy growing up in Kaitaia and Ahipara in the 1940s and 50s, with others in the community, I acknowledged the casualties of war on Remembrance Day — the 11th of
November, at 11am (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month) the fire alarm sounded and Kaitaia came to a stop; vehicles ceased moving and pedestrians stopped walking — and faced towards the sun. After two minutes of silence, the siren sounded, and the movement of vehicles and people re-commenced.
In those years Anzac Day memorial services were conducted in Bank St, where the World War I Memorial and the World War II Shrine of Memories were located. Kaitaia College staff and pupils “marched” down from the school for the memorial service.
Remembrance Park is home to Kaitaia’s World War I Memorial which is of outstanding national historical and cultural significance. World War II and other memorials in the park are also significant in recording the names of those who died in service of their country and acknowledging the service of those who returned home. Many of the family names on the memorials are still evident among the people in our community today.
Kaitaia’s memorials are part of our community. We need to treat them with dignity and respect, and not condone protest action of any sort — particularly on significant occasions such as Remembrance Day and Anzac Day.
Strong initiative-taking, leadership from the community and police needs to be undertaken in order that
I did not think I would see a Mā ori FNDC mayor in my lifetime; I had a “Moko for Mayor” sign on my gate, and now Moko Tepania is the mayor! Congrats to deputy mayor Kelly too.
Community organising, support and direct action will be vital to making his term a success. Make no mistake, some NZ National Party fans are not happy about this result. I have lived in the Far North for long enough to know how they operate regarding the Far North District Council and the Northland Regional Council.
Moko ran a great professional campaign and won from the front.
Promoting housing via council planning including Papakainga, public housing in the spirit of Ricky Houghton, and other things that benefit the people in practical ways will help Moko win a second term too.
Alec Morgan Tokerau Beach