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New Zealand bus company celebrates 75 years

New Zealand bus company Pavlovich Transport Solutions and Services is celebrating a major milestone this month, having reached 75 years of business. And it's safe to say the business has come a long way from small beginnings as the provider of the first school bus route between Whatawhata and Hamilton. Today, 75 years on, Pavlovich has grown to operate a fleet of more than 70 buses and coaches nationwide. Its major Hamilton bus routes, The Orbiter, the free CBD Shuttle and Northerner, carry...

KCE Tree to ‘shine a light’ on hundreds of causes

Te Kuiti will this year become home to the first tree in New Zealand to 'shine a light' year-round on multiple special occasions and awareness events. Local energy retailer KCE has secured approval from the Waitomo District Council to hang hundreds of LED lights among the branches of a Norfolk Pine on Te Kuiti's Rora Street. The purpose of the tree, which will be dubbed the 'KCE Tree of Light', is to highlight special occasions and awareness events throughout the year which are important to...

Rotorua Trust lends a helping hand to SPCA

The Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust is again digging deep into its pockets to help out a local charity – this time in the form of the Rotorua SPCA and helping to fund a de-sexing programme through the animal shelter. As part of their mission to ensure the numbers of unowned or uncared for animals are minimised, every cat and dog rehomed through the SPCA is de-sexed as part of its adoption process – but this comes with a cost. Rotorua SPCA manager Eve Johnson says ensuring every cat or dog...

Child speakers to hit home Buddy Day messages

"Every week there is some story on the news where a child has been hurt or neglected. "That makes me feel sad – and sometimes mum has to turn the TV off because I get so upset. But as grownups you shouldn't turn the TV off. You should be saying, "No, this shouldn't be happening and how are we going to stop it? "You can all make a difference and take responsibility for growing happy kids. It costs nothing. It starts with having conversations and changing your attitudes towards how children...

Hamilton market comes off ‘fever pitch,’ fewer Auckland investors vying for homes

Hamilton, New Zealand – Lodge Real Estate's managing director Jeremy O'Rourke, today said October saw fewer Auckland investors in the Hamilton residential housing market which affected volumes sold. "Just 375 homes were sold in Hamilton during the month of October, a sharp decrease from 463 sold in September. September was an unusually large month and it was expected that the market would return to a more sustainable number after such an aberration. "However an additional factor contri...

Prime Minister visits Southwell School for Buddy Day

This morning Southwell School was proud to host Rt. Hon. Prime Minister John Key to help raise awareness for the upcoming Buddy Day, on 13 November 2015. His visit was in response to a touching letter written to him by Southwell student Jack Austin, who may well be upcoming awareness event's youngest and most passionate ambassador. "All I want is to make everyone aware of how important kids are,'" Jack wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister. "Kids matter. We are special, we are tomorro...

Canterbury AI tech still on the job after 56 years

Fifty-six years is a long time to stay in any one job, but it seems an especially long amount of time to spend working with your hand up a cow's rear end. At the ripe old age of 80, it's no surprise that Kevin Bell has outlasted the original farmers he worked for at the beginning of his AI career all those 56 years ago. The original farmers may have handed over their farms, but Kevin is still working – not as fast as he used to, he admits – but he's still working. Due to turn 81 in Jan...

‘Peachy Princess’ teaches important lessons at Hamilton playcentre

The children and parents alike at River Downs Playcentre in Hamilton have immersed themselves in New Zealand's annual awareness event, Buddy Day. These Hamilton tots have joined children and youth from across Hamilton, Auckland, Tauranga, Ruapehu and Wellington to decorate Buddies in preparation for adults to 'care' for them on Buddy Day (13 November, 2015). 'Buddy Day' revolves around life-size cardboard 'Buddies' that are decorated by children and then adopted by adults, taken into communi...

Locals to name Hamilton Christmas Elf

The Hamilton Christmas Elf needs a name, and children at Fairfield Kindergarten were the first to have their say this week. The friendly life-sized elf has been introduced to Hamilton this year by the Hamilton Christmas Charitable Trust in an effort to make Christmas in Hamilton "even more magical" for local children and families. In the coming months, the elf is set to attend three renowned Christmas events: Carols by Candlelight, New Zealand's Biggest Christmas Tree and The Hamilton Christ...

More than $11,000 raised for chopper at KCE fundraiser

Members of the Waitomo and Otorohanga communities rallied together to raise a whopping $11,200 for the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter last week. The money was raised at a quiz night and auction fundraising event hosted by local electricity retailer King Country Energy (KCE) at the Waitomo Club on Thursday 29 October. KCE community relations manager Helen Peacock said more than 120 Waitomo residents attended the event "for a night of fun, laughs and goodwill". "Overall, 29 team tickets ...

Black Caps visit Hamilton holiday programme to meet Buddies

Black Caps' Tom Latham and Kane Williamson visited the Artmakers Holiday Programme in Hamilton yesterday to pick up their Buddies in the lead up to national awareness event Buddy Day on 13 November. Buddy Day, established in Hamilton in November 2011 by national child advocacy agency Child Matters, aims to start conversations and drive change about the role adults play in the lives of children – from preventing child abuse to providing great environments for children to flourish. In its fi...

New ATC CEO: “there’s no one size fits all”

New ATC CEO, Chris Hubbard, is stepping into his role with a promise to move away from a "one-size-fits all" approach to education. Hubbard was appointed at ATC last month and replaces founding CEO Trevor Wilson as head of the educational institution - one of New Zealand's largest Private Training Establishments (PTE's). ATC's four divisions are Vision College, TrainMe, Instant, and Leadership Development New Zealand. It has campuses in Hamilton, Christchurch Auckland and Pukekohe. And wit...

NZ gluten-free boom prompts new testing service

New Zealand's largest privately owned testing laboratory, Hill Laboratories, has announced it is offering a gluten testing service with the fastest turnaround-time in the Country. The company has introduced the service in response to the rapid increase in consumer demand for gluten free products, which according to Coeliac New Zealand Incorporated, is increasing in NZ by an estimated 26% annually-1. Technologist, Sam Marengo, said Hill Laboratories developed the test to ensure those purchasi...

Businesses shifting Health and Safety management systems online

Businesses shifting Health and Safety management systems online Waikato human resources consultancy, Everest Group, said a trend is emerging with many businesses switching from paper-based Health and Safety management systems to online tools. Karen Wells, who started with the Everest Group last month, said "We're seeing more and more businesses who are extremely concerned with ensuring their systems are compliant with the Health and Safety Reform Bill, which was passed by parliament last week...

eCoast scientists working to reduce tsunami risk in New Zealand

Raglan, New Zealand – Efforts in tsunami hazard mitigation by Raglan-based eCoast Marine Consulting and Research are in-line with recommendations found in a recent report produced by the New Zealand Earthquake Commission. Key findings from the EQC-commissioned report 'Tsunami risk facing New Zealand' released earlier this month include the need to complete evacuation planning, improve early warning and communication systems and provide better information for decision–makers during tsunami ...

Shifting the Kiwi ‘can-do attitude’ to ‘can-do safely’

Dairy Women's Network is shifting its members' Kiwi can-do attitude to a 'can-do safely' attitude with its new Dairy Modules titled 'Step up to Safety' being offered from late October. The Step up to Safety workshops are run by DWN members who are experienced in the field of Health and Safety and are supported by expert organisations Worksafe NZ and Hazardco. "The most important thing participants will get out of these free workshops is a 90-day Health and Safety action plan. They will lea...

Buddy Day used as tool to fulfil community transformation plan

In year five of running community engagement event Buddy Day, organisers are excited to announce Buddy Day is back on 13 November 2015 – now in five North Island locations. Local iwi Ngāti Rangi will host Buddy Day in the Central Plateau towns of Ohākune, Raetihi and Waiouru this year – further widening the spread of the national event's messages and learnings. Ngāti Rangi pou arahi (chief executive) Andy Gowland-Douglas was quick to sign Ngāti Rangi Trust up to locally host Buddy Da...

eCoast wins major research grant to study New Zealand surf breaks

Raglan-based eCoast Marine Consulting and Research has been awarded a major research grant to study New Zealand's famous surf breaks. As part of a consortium led by the University of Waikato, funding was awarded from New Zealand's Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment as part of its 2015 Science Investment programme. The three-year project entitled 'Remote Sensing, Classification and Management Guidelines for Surf Breaks of National and Regional Significance' will gather baseline d...

Free service boosts feed efficiency for dairy farmers

In a bid to help dairy farmers in tight times, GrainCorp Feeds has announced that 150 clients nationwide will receive free access to a feed forecasting, tracking and monitoring service. GrainCorp Feeds is working with technical specialists DairyClub to provide additional on-farm assessment, monitoring and technical support alongside Tracker™, an online tool which measures current milk production and shows how the farmer can use supplementary feed to achieve maximum return. GrainCorp Feeds...

Two new partners sign with DWN

Dairy Women's Network is thrilled to welcome two new partners aboard to assist the Network in offering education and support to dairy farming women. Farming cooperative LIC and ruminant feed manufacturer SealesWinslow have both recently signed on as partners to DWN, a not-for-profit organisation that works to support women in the business of dairying. DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers said the Network is extremely appreciative of the support provided by commercial partners to DWN, its m...

New business growth advisor joins Waikato Innovation Park team

Waikato Innovation Park's new business growth advisor Craig Purcell brings to the role a Waikato regional flavour, years of small business consulting experience and a passion for working with innovative and resilient people. Sitting within the Park's Business Growth Services team, Mr Purcell started in the role earlier this month, and says the businesses he will assist will vary greatly by size and industry. "Variety is one of the things l love about this field of work," he said. "It's the ...

NZ aviation company, Pacific Aerospace, gets huge profile boost in China

Hamilton, New Zealand - One hundred million Chinese are about to learn a whole lot more about New Zealand's own Pacific Aerospace and its flagship aircraft, the P-750 XSTOL. Six high-profile Chinese celebrities – two actors, a singer, a fashion model, television host and businessman –filmed two episodes of 'The Flying Man' in New Zealand this week. This popular aviation-focused reality TV show will air to 100 million Chinese viewers across 34 provinces and municipalities in late September...

Evita rehearsals underway in Hamilton

Cast from across the Waikato region have officially begun rehearsals for Evita; the next hit musical heading to Hamilton. The Hamilton Operatic Society's rendition of Evita (2006 London cast edition) will premiere at Clarence Street Theatre on Saturday 19 September and run for two weeks. The show stars approximately 40 cast and dancers from Hamilton and small surrounding towns. The lead role, Eva Peron, is played by Rebecca Wright from Auckland. Hamilton Operatic Society chairperson Rache...

Lodge City Rentals safeguards against potential ‘cowboy’ insulation installers

Hamilton, New Zealand – Lodge City Rentals general manager David Kneebone said the Government's new legislation that will see all rental properties fully insulated by July 2019, will undoubtedly bring out "cowboys" looking to make a quick buck through installation contacts. "If we take the same approach as Australia did when it introduced the Home Insulation Program in February 2009, contractors could be injuring and even killing themselves to quickly install insulation and keep up with dema...

First NZ Idol teaching teens in Waikato

Any New Zealander with access to television in 2004 will, without a doubt, remember Ben Lummis: New Zealand's first-ever 'NZ Idol.' Following his rapid rise to musical fame nearly a decade ago, Ben spent four years touring the world with his music before settling in Auckland to pursue a rather different, but equally heartfelt passion. For the past seven years Ben has given his all to youth social work at Auckland's Horizons Trust; a role he affectionately describes as "helping wayward teena...