Highlights of a busy week.

Minnie, Maxine and Mauosamoa
talking housing in the warden's whare

The week started well with an opportunity to introduce Samoan pastor and matriarch Mauosamoa Fatialofa to Tu Tangata chair and trainee Maori warden Minnie Ratima to talk about housing.  

Christine Scott addresses the Grey Power meeting
along with Dave Pipe, Paul Bailey,
Pauline Elliot, Alan Dick.

It was great to have Mauo meet the Wonderful (Maori) Wardens at their whare and use Minnie's expertise in looking at housing options for her.

Tuesday was a meeting for Grey Power - and other members of the public - to hear the candidates standing for the three Napier seats on the Hawkes Bay Regional Council.  

All - Christine Scott, Tim Tinker, Alan Dick, Pauline Elliot, Paul Bailey and Dave Pipe (except for Alan Baldock who was unavailable) - acquitted themselves well, tackling some of the controversial issues such as the Ruataniwha Dam, Fracking and Amalgamation. 

An attentive Grey Power crowd
 listening to the candidates

I'd recommend you go to the election  site  www.vote.co.nz/ to find out more about their beliefs and what they are offering.  

It was nearly full house for us, with about 80 people attending, and the usual scrumptious afternoon tea.  

Inside the MTG or Tai Ahuriri at the opening

Grey Power is also offering cheaper electricity rates for our members with a new agreement signed between Grey Power and Pulse Energy.  

It must be good because I signed up and already my previous provider, Energy Online has rung me trying to take me back and offering me $100 tjo stay.  

Sorry, this horse has had enough of price increases from the power companies and I've bolted!

Early - 5:45 am - on Wednesday, I attended the powhiri/blessing opening of the new Museum-Theatre-Gallery - tai Ahuriri -  to witness the community's first look at this impressive building.  

Manuhiri representatives addressing the kaumatua

It was a Maori occasion, with the usual formalities and prayers so I left feeling the building had been blessed by tangata whenua and was ready to open. 

The public will be able to see it all from Saturday on, and though they are likely to be impressed, I am disappointed that the admission price is $15 which makes it inaccessible to many.  

Manuhiri representatives addressing the kaumatua

My efforts to have the fee reduced for pensioners and beneficiaries at the Council table were unsuccessful, though I haven't given up.  Vote Maxine!  and I'll take it up again with the new council!

Today I joined a contingent from the Keep Napier Beautiful committee that I chair and the National Aquarium staff in a beach clean up to commemorate Clean Up New Zealand week. 

The cleanup crew this morning after a couple of hours
cleaning up the foreshore along the Marine Parade.

Last year there seemed to have been more rubbish, and I even found a pink set of lady's underwear, but this year the only piece of usable clothing I found was a nice pair of jandals... You wonder how people manage without such footwear when they left the beach - and their shoes - behind.

So today is a full moon, and my dear friend Shirley U has invited me to join her and others at her house for a delicious meal to mark the Chinese "moon day".  Yum!  Any excuse to  partake of her delicious cuisine is good enough for me!!

The weekend looms and many of us will receive our voting papers, so the process begins... remember to check out the candidates on the website above, as we all have only 150 words to "sell" ourselves in the official booklet, and it's hard to get a real idea of who we are from that.