After a major slip on SH4, a temporary road opened just in time for the holiday season. Photo / Bevan Conley
After a major slip on SH4, a temporary road opened just in time for the holiday season. Photo / Bevan Conley
December 14
Christmas comes but once a year, and that used to be once too often for one Whanganui man.
Now, Trevor Davies' Kotuku St home is literally lit up like a Christmas tree and his neighbours have joined the party as well.
Davies has inspired four of his neighboursto join him in entering the 2019 Versatile Light Up Your Home competition, making the Castlecliff street the most illuminated neighbourhood in the river city this year.
"Yes, he was a bit of a Grinch. But it was really the commercialism of Christmas that he objected to," Davies' stepdaughter, Bernadette Cutelli, said.
"He loves seeing how much the children enjoy his displays."
The scene that greets night-time visitors to Trevor and Elaine Davies' Castlecliff home. Photo / David Shaw
December 17
Whanganui iwi and hapū representatives are calling for the resignation of local councillor Rob Vinsen after they claim he made "racially motivated" comments at a council meeting.
Vinsen made the statements at a December 10 meeting which decided the name of a newly developed housing subdivision in the Springvale area.
Iwi and hapū had submitted the name Te Repo (wetlands) after internal discussions, as it reflected the history and was environmentally appropriate, Whanganui iwi leader Ken Mair said.
Expecting the name to be endorsed, Mair said that to his disbelief, another name had been presented - that of Joan Morrell, a local artist.
When presented with the submissions from local iwi, Vinsen said, "Well aside from the fact that 're-po' has an unfortunate connotation doesn't it?
"Re-po means short for repossession and I don't know whether I would like to live in that street."
Mair called the comments "extremely belittling and mocking" and said fellow councillors laughed at the statement, which added further distress.
Tupoho trust chairman Ken Mair has lodged a complaint about discrimination with the Human Rights Commission.Photo / Laurel Stowell
December 21
Almost three months after a slip cut off the main route between Whanganui and Raetihi, direct access between the two locations has been reinstated with a temporary road.
Local iwi held a blessing and karakia before the road was opened to traffic on Friday.
It's the first time vehicles have been able to travel between Raetihi and Whanganui directly on State Highway 4 since the road was taken out by a slip in October.
NZ Transport Agency regional transport system manager Mark Owen said he was pleased to announce the opening of the temporary road.
"There wasn't a huge turnout from the community and the weather was a bit marginal, obviously it's heading into that busy holiday season but it was certainly nice to take time out and acknowledge what's been achieved in the last two and a half months."
Owen said some vehicles were lined up to use the road following the opening ceremony.
A speed limit of 30km/h is imposed on the temporary road. Photo / Bevan Conley
December 28
A spike in homicides cases has put Whanganui's court system under pressure, leaving it "very stretched", a Crown prosecutor says.
In the week before Christmas four homicide cases - at various stages - related to Whanganui were heard in the High Court, while several other homicide-related matters continued to work their way through Whanganui's courthouse.
Whanganui has experienced 10 homicides in the past 18 months. Some offenders have already been sentenced for their crime, while other homicide cases remain before the High Court. One matter is still under police investigation.
Crown prosecutor Chris Wilkinson-Smith says the spike in homicides has left the court "very stretched".
"Normally what the High Court tries to do is give a trial date that's 12 months after the first time the person appears in court on manslaughter or murder," he says.
"For most of this year they've been able to do that, but for the last couple of cases they've had to say the trial will be in 2021."
Crown prosecutor Chris Wilkinson-Smith says the Whanganui courthouse is limited in the number and size of trials it can hold. Photo / Bevan Conley
