Shears deserves Aratoi funds: Supporter

Masterton farmer Roddy McKenzie says the internationally-renowned Golden Shears should be put in line for community benevolence from the Aratoi Foundation. FILE PHOTO

Masterton is short-changing the loyalty and history of the Golden Shears with the $250,000 Aratoi Foundation sculpture suggested for the northern roundabout, a shearing supporter says.

Masterton farmer Roddy McKenzie says the Golden Shears should be featured in some way.

He said the competition had been going for 54 years with more than 100 volunteers, and Masterton was recognised internationally as the "Golden Shears town".

"I've been overseas, it's fairly well known," he said. "We've got iwi, Pakeha, working side by side, as volunteers, and I think I would like to see them have something done for them. They work bloody hard, and they haven't had their hands out for money."

Mr McKenzie said the things the community should be supporting such as Harlequin, MATS, the Golden Shears, got little public money.

"They rely on door charges, public sponsors. Aratoi Foundation wants to spend $250,000 to put something on the roundabout -- I think it's time the Golden Shears were recognised."

He said it would be interesting to see what support was out there, and whether people were really behind the sculpture idea.

The Golden Shears feature did not have to be at the roundabout. "It could be somewhere that people could stop and have a look."