MT MEE NEWS March 2009
by Ian Wells
With good rains continuing through January and February (as I write), the Mountain looks in wonderful order. This is how it was meant to be! But what a pity that returns to dairyfarmers and beef cattle prices are taking a hiding from the worldwide recession.
Despite the spring baiting program and the successes of Rod Thomas, Len Maroske, Ben Facy and others, there are still plenty of dogs about. I understand that Ray Johnson of the Council is planning some trapping activity on some of the known dog highways. Meanwhile, the Mt Mee Cooperative Dog Fund has been further depleted through the renewed activity of an invigorated Rod, whose leg injury is at last settling down. Since the inception of the fund last June, Rod has accounted for 15 adult dogs and 18 pups despite his incapacity. His payments (including $100 recognising his preliminary efforts) from our $1500 fund now total $1200, leaving a balance of just $300 plus a few cents interest.
If Mountain residents are to continue the arrangement with Rod, we will need to replenish the pot. Naturally, I strongly advocate this. Contact me on 5498 2104 to help out. I will again provide receipts for all moneys received. I don’t see the need for another dog meeting at this stage, but I am happy to arrange one if that is the wish. By the way, Rod recently worked out that his overall dog tally to date approximates 3150!
The new carpark across the road from the School and the Hall is proving to be a wonderful community acquisition. More than a car park at the hub of community activity, it has become a very popular picnic spot for weekend travellers. It is sheltered and sunny, the views down the valley are quite stunning and the proximity of good toilet facilities helps too.
Following an approach from the committee of the Church next door, Cr Adrian Raedel has set out to further beautify the area. Council is now keeping the grass adjacent to the Church grounds mowed and tidied and is about to install a picnic table there. There are plans to stabilise the banking at the back of the car park with shrubs.
To complement this, following survey by Andrew Jeays, Lenny Maroske and Clem Erhlich have fenced the true Church boundary line. Len donated his time, machines and the posts, the Amy Duncan clan donated the wire and the Wam Coop donated the gate. The Churchyard will now be landscaped – one suspects that Leigh Knight and Ian Chapman will have large hands in this phase. At the same time the Church will at long last install an additional water tank with a pressure pump.
Top marks and our thanks to the Church and Council for their planning and their energy. These developments will make an enormous difference to our central Mt Mee precinct.
On another subject, most will be aware that Cynon Lowe is heading up a district survey seeking candidate spots for registration as rescue helicopter landing sites. The Mountain currently has none, and landing sites have to be located and communicated to the authorities at the time of each accident, by whoever happens to be involved. Cynon asks that readers who can suggest any possible Mt Mee or Ocean View emergency landing spots ring her on 5498 2339.
And now, a few remarks on our month in NZ.
The weather was unbelievably atypical throughout, being warm (up to 30degrees) and sunny. We saw no rain. Some of the country is very dry, forcing livestock sales. The green rolling hills which were sunburned brown for Christmas are now bleached white.
Most Kiwis live very well indeed, although their balance of trade problem is many times worse than ours. The shops are full of imported goods, there is no shortage of luxury cars on the road. One in three Auckland households owns a boat and many, many of these are in the six figure bracket. The marinas are a spectacle beyond belief.
Housing affordability seems comparable to ours.
In amazing contrast to Morayfield, we saw almost no evidence of obesity, either in Polynesian or Pakeha. People on Auckland’s North Shore – (where we were staying), were really into exercise – walking, running and swimming. There was a daily cycle. Early in the morning the runners were on the street and beach – men and (especially younger) women. They were followed by a wave of young and middle- aged female walkers – most of whom I couldn’t keep up with. Then as lunchtime approached we saw my lot stepping it out – the old farts with sticks and walking frames, giving it their best!
Dairying is New Zealand’s number one and most successful industry, perhaps because it is vertically integrated. All processing and trading is done by the Fonterra Cooperative. So the Chinese melamine milk scandal is striking at the very heart of NZ – Fonterra owns 40% of the offending Chinese dairy firm. The Chinese principals are claiming that Fonterra was “in it up to the hocks”. Fonterra denies this, but the whiff of suspicion lingers. There are echoes of our recent AWB wheat trading scandal here!
The dairyfarmers are reeling anyway, because the collapse of the international market has already dropped their returns from about $8.00 /kg milk solids to $5.10 and prices are predicted to go lower.
Kiwis still play some great jazz.
The Aussie underarm odour is persistent and unforgotten. The entire country continues to nurture an intense hate of Australian cricket.
If Mountain residents are to continue the arrangement with Rod, we will need to replenish the pot. Naturally, I strongly advocate this. Contact me on 5498 2104 to help out. I will again provide receipts for all moneys received. I don’t see the need for another dog meeting at this stage, but I am happy to arrange one if that is the wish. By the way, Rod recently worked out that his overall dog tally to date approximates 3150!
The new carpark across the road from the School and the Hall is proving to be a wonderful community acquisition. More than a car park at the hub of community activity, it has become a very popular picnic spot for weekend travellers. It is sheltered and sunny, the views down the valley are quite stunning and the proximity of good toilet facilities helps too.
Following an approach from the committee of the Church next door, Cr Adrian Raedel has set out to further beautify the area. Council is now keeping the grass adjacent to the Church grounds mowed and tidied and is about to install a picnic table there. There are plans to stabilise the banking at the back of the car park with shrubs.
To complement this, following survey by Andrew Jeays, Lenny Maroske and Clem Erhlich have fenced the true Church boundary line. Len donated his time, machines and the posts, the Amy Duncan clan donated the wire and the Wam Coop donated the gate. The Churchyard will now be landscaped – one suspects that Leigh Knight and Ian Chapman will have large hands in this phase. At the same time the Church will at long last install an additional water tank with a pressure pump.
Top marks and our thanks to the Church and Council for their planning and their energy. These developments will make an enormous difference to our central Mt Mee precinct.
On another subject, most will be aware that Cynon Lowe is heading up a district survey seeking candidate spots for registration as rescue helicopter landing sites. The Mountain currently has none, and landing sites have to be located and communicated to the authorities at the time of each accident, by whoever happens to be involved. Cynon asks that readers who can suggest any possible Mt Mee or Ocean View emergency landing spots ring her on 5498 2339.
And now, a few remarks on our month in NZ.
The weather was unbelievably atypical throughout, being warm (up to 30degrees) and sunny. We saw no rain. Some of the country is very dry, forcing livestock sales. The green rolling hills which were sunburned brown for Christmas are now bleached white.
Most Kiwis live very well indeed, although their balance of trade problem is many times worse than ours. The shops are full of imported goods, there is no shortage of luxury cars on the road. One in three Auckland households owns a boat and many, many of these are in the six figure bracket. The marinas are a spectacle beyond belief.
Housing affordability seems comparable to ours.
In amazing contrast to Morayfield, we saw almost no evidence of obesity, either in Polynesian or Pakeha. People on Auckland’s North Shore – (where we were staying), were really into exercise – walking, running and swimming. There was a daily cycle. Early in the morning the runners were on the street and beach – men and (especially younger) women. They were followed by a wave of young and middle- aged female walkers – most of whom I couldn’t keep up with. Then as lunchtime approached we saw my lot stepping it out – the old farts with sticks and walking frames, giving it their best!
Dairying is New Zealand’s number one and most successful industry, perhaps because it is vertically integrated. All processing and trading is done by the Fonterra Cooperative. So the Chinese melamine milk scandal is striking at the very heart of NZ – Fonterra owns 40% of the offending Chinese dairy firm. The Chinese principals are claiming that Fonterra was “in it up to the hocks”. Fonterra denies this, but the whiff of suspicion lingers. There are echoes of our recent AWB wheat trading scandal here!
The dairyfarmers are reeling anyway, because the collapse of the international market has already dropped their returns from about $8.00 /kg milk solids to $5.10 and prices are predicted to go lower.
Kiwis still play some great jazz.
The Aussie underarm odour is persistent and unforgotten. The entire country continues to nurture an intense hate of Australian cricket.
