Kīngi Tūheitia tangi, and Hamilton Gardens’ entry fee: the big stories of September 2024

Waka carry Kīngi Tūheitia to Taupiri maunga for burial. Photo / Mike Scott

As the year draws to a close, Waikato Herald is taking stock of 2024. What moved readers most? As part of a 12-day series, Waikato Herald reporter Danielle Zollickhofer looks at the top stories each month. Welcome to day 9: September.

September 2024 was another busy month.

Kīngi Tūheitia’s tangi was being held at Tūrangawaewae Marae and his daughter Ngā Wai hono i te pō was named as his successor.

Members of the New Zealand Defence Force helped to form the honour guard that guided the late Kīngi Tūheitia on his final journey at the banks of the Waikato River, while behind the scenes hundreds of marae staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to make sure food was never in short supply.

Meanwhile, the Philip Polkinghorne trial came to an end as the retired eye surgeon was acquitted of the death of his wife Pauline Hanna.

The Government unveiled its National Land Transport Programme, which included work on 17 “Roads of National Significance” over the next three years and Green Party MP Darleen Tana lost her bid for a judicial review of her party’s decision to expel her.

Winstone Pulp International closed down its Karioi pulp mill and Tangiwai timber mill, affecting 230 jobs in the Ruapehu District, as Oji Fibre Solutions announced it would close its Penrose pulp and paper recycling mill, leading to 75 job losses.

Te Papa National Museum’s $35 entry fee for international visitors came into place and StraitNZ ferry MV Connemara lost power while crossing the Cook Strait.

Local iwi and kāhui representative group Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa saved the Wairoa Star after the 103-year-old newspaper closed in May, while Whakaata Māori proposed job cuts due to budgetary constraints.

Hamilton Gardens' new entry precinct. Photo / Mike Walen

And New Zealand’s kākāpō population shrunk to 244 after three unrelated deaths in the South Island.

In the Waikato, an 8-year-old boy who was killed in Hamilton was allegedly attacked with a hammer while he and his father slept in bed.

Police also launched an investigation after a man was found dead on State Highway 23 in Raglan.

And the Hamilton Gardens turned over a new leaf as the controversial entry free for non-Hamiltonians came into place alongside the opening of the Gallagher Visitor Centre.

Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined NZME in 2021 and is writing for the Waikato Herald.

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