Having come from the Wairarapa Times-Age in Masterton, I applied for the position of advertorial reporter at the Horowhenua-Kāpiti Chronicle. Dave Saunders had recently finished as editor of the “Chron”; before that he had been chief sub-editor at the Times-Age, and put in a good word for me. An interview with Bernie Wheelan and Stephen Bell saw me join the payroll as “chief” (and only) reporter for the Weekly News. My first job was to capture a class of “Dancing Dogs” at the Ōhau Hall.
The Horowhenua-Kāpiti Chronicle was a daily back then, while every Wednesday the Weekly News was tucked inside, full of local stories. I learnt regional reporting is a privilege. Being invited into people’s homes, to share their highs and their lows, meeting people at their most vulnerable, sharing their story and their life. Always striving to get it 100% right. The proudest moment must be the Chronicle winning the Panpa Newspaper of the Year, which was a huge deal.
At the demise of the Weekly News in 2007 I became a “general reporter” with the Horowhenua Chronicle. We covered the coroner’s court, regional and district council meetings, community board meetings – if it was important, we covered it. We also covered things that were specifically important to the community, including 100th birthdays – I even covered a lovely lady’s birthday for five more years after receiving her card from the Queen.
The Levin Borough Centennial celebration in 2006 was a glitzy and glamorous affair with a formal dinner and guest list of who’s who being held at the top of trig. Being “vertically challenged” at 150cm, and fearful of falling from a chair, I drew the short straw to cover the setting-up of the marquee from a hot air balloon. I was thankful it was a calm, sunny day, thinking it would be a quick trip up and back. I never knew balloons got “becalmed” and spent over an hour in suspended animation with the balloonist. I did manage to fire off some pretty spectacular photos, if I say so myself.
Speaking of photography, every paper I had worked on sent a photographer to accompany reporters to every job – which was extremely fortunate, as I have the artistic talent of an amoeba. First day on the job at the Chronicle, I’m handed a Canon “something” and told “put it on A for auto, you’ll be fine”. Out I head to Waitārere Beach to cover a newsworthy incident. Return to the office, head upstairs to download my pix, and save into the system. On returning to the office from another job, the chief reporter advises me I’m up for an award and promptly presents me with a certificate for “worst photograph ever submitted for publication”. A photography course and several years later, I was thrilled to see my photos picked up by the New Zealand Herald on occasion.
