Raglan News Bulletin Monday 8th May 2023

A blessing was held at the location of the slip on SH23 over the weekend. Ngāti Māhanga Kaumatua held the blessing and it was attended by our district council Mayor Jacqui Church,  Pamela Storey Chair of the Regional Council, Nanaia Mahuta and council staff. 

Waka Kotahi have drilled 12m piles into the ground to stabilise it and installed a geosynthetic retaining wall which they backfilled and compacted.  Most of the work is complete with the roadside barrier already installed and just final surfing and road marking to be done. Hopefully we’ll be back to full speed across the divvy later this month.

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Pamela Storey paid tribute to the landowners who gave land to the temporary work, as did the Raglan Community Board who sent them a letter of thanks.

Raglan Area School has decided to close its doors on Thursday this week because of rolling strikes which are hitting our part of the country on the 11th. The strikes represent a continuation of the 10 month dispute between the PPTA and the government. 

The Raglan Area School BOT made the decision because they feel the school cannot provide normal teaching as well as supervision for the day, but are reminding the community that the strikes only affect secondary and area schools and that buses will still be running on Thursday for other schools in Whaingaroa.

There are also weekly age-group strikes planned throughout May and June with Year 12 not being taught this Tuesday.   

In local sport the Whaingaroa Whai Rugby league team lost their first official game of the season 12 - 34 to Turangawaewae in Taharoa but their supporters say they had a solid first game.

The bad start to the season has continued for the Raglan Roosters Football team, losing their 3rd match 3-4 to Deezciples in Hamilton on Sunday. This means the reigning champions have found themselves at the bottom of the first division table for the first time in a very long time.

It was another successful day for the 27th Whaingaroa Waka Ama this Saturday as rain stayed away and over 100 waka competed in 8 and 20 km races around the habour. Results from Whaingaroa waka include Te Ara Tawhiti Whaingaroa who came 2nd in the Junior Mixed W6 8km race.  Whaia Te Tika Whaingaroa were also racing and came 3rd in the Open Mixed W6 8km race.

Local groms were in the water on the East Coast this weekend at the Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro. Maya Mateja made it to the finals of the U16 girls but unfortunately knocked out Alani Morse and Lani Fazerhurst during the semis on her way through.

Luca Thomson made it to the finals of the U14 boys,  he had a great result in the semis but was unable to carry the form through to the final, finishing 4th.

Theo Morse made it to the quarter finals of the U16 boys. Luke Dymond made it to the quarters in the u18 boys event and also competing were Tawhia Welby and Jahmin Thomson.