Ashburton Courier: July 11, 2024

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2 Ashburton NEWS Courier, July 11, 2024 www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz Buildcustomers, sales and profits withus... Delivered to allhomes, lifestyle blocks and farms in MidCanterbury and Geraldine news Susan Sandys Editor 308 7664 027 628 7679 susan.sandys@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Reporters Toni Williams toni.williams@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Dellwyn Moylan dellwyn.moylan@ashburtoncourier.co.nz advertising Jann Thompson 308 7664 027 587 6351 jann.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Karen Gane 308 7664 021 510 804 karen.gane@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Mark Julius Sales Manager 027 524 6968 mark.julius@alliedpress.co.nz Hard times, businesses shut SUSAN.SANDYS @ashburtoncourier.co.nz Tough financial times and the cost of compliance have led to two Ashburton businesses closing. It comes as the latest NZIER quarterly survey of business opinion nationwide shows 35 per cent of firms expect adeterioration in general economic conditions. And 28 per cent report aweakening in their own businesses, with 10 per cent looking at reducing staff, which is the highest reading since the global financial crisis in 2009. North End Engineering and Adams Sawmilling both closed last month, laying off 10 and 12 staff respectively. North End Engineering owner PiersMingham said telling staff he was closing was ‘‘probably the hardest day of my life’’. ‘‘Because it doesn’t just affect me, it affects all their lives.’’ He was involved in the business for about24 years. Located on Range St in the industrial estate, the business specialised in structural steel engineering. It worked on homes, dairysheds and awide range of projects over the years, including many of Ashburton’s landmark buildings such as the Ashburton Art Gallery, Electricity Ashburton offices, Burger King, KFC and McDonalds. ‘‘It was arace to the bottom, everybody keeps undercutting everybody, there’s no money in any of the jobs,’’ Mingham said. It was tough times for businesses, particularly small businesses which had to compete against bigger companies, many outside of the district. And increasing rules and regulations wereparticularly hard on small businesses. He blamed the former government, Labour. ‘‘They have absolutely destroyed CLOSED: Adams Sawmilling (left) and North End Engineering. ❛Idon’t think we have reached the bottom yet, I think there’s more hurt to come ❜ —Piers Mingham New Zealand, borrowed lots of money, spent it on wokey crap,’’ Mingham said. ‘‘I don’t think Iwill be the last (business to close), Ithink there will be awhole load. Idon’t think we have reached the bottom yet, Ithink there’s more hurttocome,’’ he said. ‘‘In yearstocome, there will be no small businesses, because you can not compete.’’ Adams Sawmilling managing director Wayne Farr said the business itself was going well when he shutitdown. Located on Malcolm McDowell Rd, it had operated for 40 years. Regulations around compliance with WorkSafe new health and safety conditions and ECan new resource consent conditions became too Explosion from cylinder Itwas one of the more unusualcallouts ever attendedby the Ashburton VolunteerFire Brigade. Responding to ahouse filledwith steam, firefighters found afitting attachedtoaregulator had blown off ahot water cylinder. Chief Alan Burgess said what had occurred was effectively an explosion, due to high pressure fromthe water. It had blown ahole in the wall of the cupboard the cylinder was in, and cracked gib in awall outside the cupboard. ‘‘I don’tthink we have been to anythinglike that before,’’ rigorous. ‘‘We traded well, it was agood viable business, but we just couldn’t afford those costs,’’ Farr said. ‘‘Financially, it wasn’t viable to continue to comply with the conditions we were faced with.’’ It was asign of the times that compliance issues were just too much for some businesses. The two closures follow fellow Ashburton businessMacrocraft Furniture shutting its Wills St factory and showroom in April. Partowner Dayle Prichard said on social media at the time it had been a hard decision. ‘‘But with the tightening economy and spending, cheaper imports from China and Vietnam of wooden furniture, marketplace, etc, we decided to make the call,’’ Prichard said. The businesshad been manufacturing furniture for 30 years in Ashburton. In the early 2000s it employed 25 staff, but the introduction of cheaper imports saw this decline. Prichard is continuing today to make outdoor furniture and small items, as well as doing repairs. Burgess said. It had been in arelatively newly built house at Tinwald. The brigade ventilated the house in order to dissipate the steam. The callout was about 4.30pm on Wednesday last week. It followed acallout in the early hours of the morning that day, at about 1.30am. Afire was in some material stacked up beside ashed at the rear of asection. Noticed by amotorist, who phoned emergency services, the fire was caused by logburner ashes. Burgess said the fire was agood reminder for people to wait for five days before they disposed of ashes. get in touch Editorial susan.sandys@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Creative Manager murray.thompson@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Accounts accounts@alliedpress.co.nz Distribution/Deliveries mary.summerfield@ashburtoncourier.co.nz Office office@ashburtoncourier.co.nz 03 308 7664 199 Burnett Street,Ashburton www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz Alex 2.5Seater WAS$2,965 NOW$1,999 30% OFF FurnitureSale EVEN MORE DEALSIN-STORE BlackOak BokTable andPero Dining Chairs WAS$5,489 NOW$3,199 Making Mid Canterbury at home 30% OFF 40% OFF Alex 3Seater WAS$3,499 NOW$2,449 VisitUs: 174 BurnettStreet,Ashburton FURNISHING |FLOORING |INTERIORS www.redmonds.co.nz 03 308 5269
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz NEWS Ashburton Courier, July 11, 2024 3 Molly sets off for Tamworth DELLWYN.MOYLAN @ashburtoncourier.co.nz Ticking off country music goals brings asmile to the face of Molly Harrison. Next week, the 15yearold and her mother Jo are heading to Tamworth, the home of country music in Australia, for aoneweek course hosted by the Country Music Association Australia. ‘‘I couldn't quite believe it when Igot the message that I had got into the course,’’ Molly said. ‘‘It was early in the morning when Ilearnt of my acceptance, and Iran to wake dad up to tell him.’’ The Mid Canterbury Country Music Club member will be attending the coursefor 10 to 18yearolds, called Find Your Tribe, alongside 26 other students, all from throughout Australia. ‘‘I am looking forward to making music, learning more about song writing, and the next steps in furthering myself.’’ The Ashburton College student has acareer goal of one day being acountry music artist. Going to Tamworth is just the latest in what has been ayear of successes.She won big at the Aotearoa Country Music Awards late last year, recently made the finals at the Gold Guitar Awards, and is this year attending the SOLE Music Academy in Christchurch after winning an Advance Ashburton Community Foundation Colin and Alison Crampton Music and Arts Scholarship. She said the process to be accepted into the prestigious course at Tamworth involved submitting material and answering lots of questions. She had to tell the story of her journey in music and have a letter of support from her music teacher. The mentor taking an instrumental section of the workshop would be course alumni and country music performer Liam Kennedy Clark, who grew up in Ashburton. ‘‘It will be great to gain skills in song writing’’ Molly said. She released asong in 2022, called Always,inmemory of both her grandfathers. ‘‘I have other songs under way that the course will help me with.’’ She had raised funds for the Molly Harrison practices in preparation for the country music course in Tamworth next week. Inset Molly performs last year at the Aotearoa Country Music Awards in Palmerston North. ❛Iamlooking forward to making music, learning more about song writing, and the next steps in furthering myself.❜ —Molly Harrison trip by busking, and was grateful for financial support, including a$3000 grant from Creative New Zealand. ‘‘I have been fortunate to perform for Hinds, Ashburton and Geraldine Lions Clubs who have made grants for my trip. One of the Lions Club also gave me abeautiful pounamu necklace that is very special,’’ she said. Arequirement of her attendance at Tamworth was a parent had to join her. It won’t be aholiday for her mum Jo as she will spend the days with other parents learning about topics such as how to write amedia release, managing achild in the music industry, knowing when your child is ready to record, and expectations of avenue. Once she ticks off attending Find Your Tribe, there will be more goals to conquer on Molly’s list as she works her way towards her career goal. They include returning to Tamworth to perform, and playing at American country music destination of Nashville. IN BRIEF PM VISIT Prime Minister Chris Luxon reiterated his party’s promise to build Ashburton’s second bridge on avisit last week. He told media during his visit to the town on Friday, the government would keep the pre-election promise of starting construction in its first term. The coalition government was elected in October last year, so has alittle over two years to go before finishing its first term. The bridge is expected to be listed among projects to be funded over the next three years in the NZ Transport Agency’s Waka Kotahi National Land Transport Programme to be released in September. See pages 13 and 20 for more coverage of the PM’s visit. LUCKY TICKET ALotto second division Lotto ticket sold at Woolworths Ashburton brought its owner awin of$28,822 in last week’s mid-week draw. The winner was one of eight from around New Zealand. FETE FUNDRAISER Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust is calling on Mid Canterbury artisans, passionate gardeners, or a small business owner with unique products to book astall for the Rakaia Garden Fete. To be held at 282 Awaroa School Rd, Dorie, the fete is on November 21. Contact airrescue.co.nz/rakaia-garden-fete/ PAWTRAITS WANTED Make your pawsome pal an SPCA calendar star. Created by SPCA New Zealand, Pets of the Year is an annual fundraising campaign celebrating New Zealand pet cats and dogs. Aside from showing off your furry friends to the world, your entries raise vital funds to help the charity rescue, rehabilitate and rehome thousands of animals each year. Entries that raise $150 or more are guaranteed aspot in the calendar. Entries close July 28. To enter go to https://petsoftheyear. spca.nz/ FUNDING GRANTS Groups, organisations or schools making adifference in communities, cultural and societal causes may be eligible for entry in the 2024 Canon Oceania Grants programme. It is open to support groups, schools, clubs across education, community, environment and cultural categories. More information visit canon.co. nz/about-canon/community/grants More volunteers needed for group An Ashburton voluntary group helping people who have poor eye sight is calling for more volunteers. Ashburton Community Committee for Blind Low Vision New Zealand provides social activities for the more than 100 members based in Mid Canterbury, suchasamonthly get together at The Plains Vintage Railway &Historical Museum, aChristmas lunch and January barbecue. Committee members are inviting people to come along to their annual general meeting on July 24, at 11.30am, in the Lake Room of the Ashburton library Te Kete Tuhinga, or contact the committee. They are seeking people who can either join the committee or become avolunteer helper at meetings, held on the fourth Thursday of each month. The committee helps people who are either blind or have low vision in Mid Canterbury. They range in age from 10 to over 100. Committee members’ contact details are chair Alan Hall, 021 131 4984, and secretary Jenny Phillips, 021 234 6755. Get your wellbeing back on track to be the best youcan be.. Evexias Physiotherapyservicesinclude: •Physiotherapy •Headaches/Migraine treatments •Concussion and vestibular assessments •Orthopaedic Manipulative therapy •Occupational Health and vocational assessment •Pre-surgical strengthening and conditioning •Post-surgical rehabilitation •Sports and exercise therapy JULY OPENING SPECIAL No charge for your first visit. Limit, one per customer. 43 Alford ForestRoad ,Ashburton Phone: 03 974 9024 |Email: admin@evexias.co.nz Facebook: facebook.com/evexiasnz www.evexias.co.nz Mon: 8am–8pm, Tues: 8am–6pm, Wed: 8am–6pm, Thur 8am–8pm, Frid: 8am–4.30pm
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Ashburton Courier: July 11, 2024

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