Dannevirke: Push for cameras to stop vandals

Dannevirke Adopt-a-Highway volunteer Dave Pawson surveys the damage during an earlier act of vandalism at the northern entrance to town, after vehicles were driven over newly planted flaxes. Photo/Christine McKay

Sheer vandalism," is how Dannevirke's Dave Pawson describes an attack on trees and flaxes at Mangatera.

Mr Pawson has been the volunteer guardian for the Adopt-a-Highway project at the northern entrance to Dannevirke since it began almost a decade ago, putting hundreds of volunteer hours into beautifying the entrance to the town.

But, over the years, he has had to deal with thefts of plants and vandalism.

Now vandals have chopped a tree down, thrown it over a fence and thieves have stolen 44 well-grown red flaxes from the roadside.

"It browns me off and it's sheer vandalism," a dispirited Mr Pawson said.

"It seems these people just pull in, pull the flaxes out and are gone.

"Some of the flaxes stolen from inside the fence had been growing there for two years and were looking good. It's just easy pickings for them [thieves] when all I was trying to do was something for our town and it was looking good."

This is the second theft of red flaxes from the project in a year. In February last year 48 were stolen, with the 44 taken this time donated by Gwen Fairbrother to the project.

And while plans are under way for replacement plants, members of the Dannevirke Community Board, who sponsor the project, are considering installing closed-circuit security cameras in an attempt to deter thieves.

"The work Dave [Pawson] does down there is phenomenal and we're very thankful for his efforts," board member Tim Delaney said.

"We know how disappointing it is for Dave when plants are stolen. It's disrespectful of the work he and his helpers put in."

Dannevirke's Jake Todd has been helping with the project and has suggested miniature agapanthus as replacement plants.

"He reckons we should change tack and leave the red flaxes inside the fence," Mr Pawson said. "We've some flaxes donated by Gibbs Nursery when they closed down which have been repotted on a couple of times by Bernie Erskine of Kildrummie Nursery. We could plant them in clumps inside the fence and put in the agapanthus outside. They would be harder to pull out."

Bob Dresser, the chairman of the Dannevirke Community Board, said he would discuss CCTV cameras being installed with Tararua District Council.