Ask Phoebe: The whites are out, but nobody's home

I was wondering if you could tell me anything about the old house at the intersection of Smales and Chapel Rds in East Tamaki. It was fenced off many years ago when the area was being developed. Who owns it and does anyone live there? I often see clothes strung along a makeshift clothesline. Julie Rogers, Auckland.

The cottage is owned and administered by the Archie Somerville Trust.

It was built in the late 1890s or early 1900s on land owned by the Reverend Gideon Smales. He had several farms in the area, and leased this part for grazing. The cottage was known as the "dairy factory manager's cottage", as it was occupied by the manager of a small milk separation plant, in the days before milk was separated on a farm. The house was leased by Archie Somerville, a Howick identity who also owned large farms in the East Tamaki area. He intended that the house should be let to community groups rent-free, and several groups have expressed interest in using the building.

Alan La Roche, a Howick historian, says architects' plans for the cottage have been drawn up, and the trust has enough money to put the plans into action. It seems that the trust administrator is somewhat reluctant to spend the money, and hence the delay in restoration.

Although once on a much larger section, the house now sits on about 500-600sq m, and has four rooms. No one lives there, but Mr La Roche hangs clothes on the line to try to deter vandalism and graffiti.

What, if any, are the road rules for skateboards? In Devonport and nearby we seem to have a lot of them. They come down the middle of the road, sometimes slaloming in a disconcerting fashion and at speed. They are often young men, not just kids, and they are really unpredictable. M. E. McArthur, Belmont.

It's not just Devonport. They're everywhere.

Skateboards come under the definition of wheeled recreational devices in the road rules, and there are indeed rules that apply.

They must not be used on the roadway if it is practicable to drive on the footpath. If driven on the footpath, they must be operated in a careful and considerate manner, which means not at a speed that constitutes a danger to other footpath users, such as pedestrians.

A person using a wheeled recreational device must give way to pedestrians, but equally, pedestrians must not unduly impede the passage of such a device.

Wheeled recreational devices also include foot-propelled scooters and mobility wheelchairs. At traffic signals, skateboarders and other users of wheeled recreational devices have the same rights and obligations as pedestrians.