Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown, left, and Botany MP and National Party leader Christopher Luxon in East Tamaki in October drawing attention to the growing problem caused by potholes in the country’s roads. Times photo Chris Harrowell
Around 1000km of Auckland’s roading network is due for repairs, with Labour’s mismanagement likely to impact New Zealand’s largest city for the next decade, National’s Transport spokesperson SimeonBrown says.
“Documents released to National paint an ugly picture of the state of the roads in the Auckland region, pointing to more potholes as roads and motorways lose their waterproofing as Auckland Transport falls further behind on repairs.
“An update on the Auckland Transport Alignment Project states that around 1000km of roads are now due for renewal, with the backlog expected to take up to a decade to clear.
“The report is clear evidence that Labour’s anti-car ideology means New Zealand’s roads are in the worst state they have ever been, even though the public and businesses depend on the road network to move people and goods every day.
“While Labour has been fixated on trying to build a $30 billion light rail tram in Auckland, our roads are crumbling.
“The report should be a wake-up call to the Labour Government that trying to squeeze the National Land Transport Fund to pay for pet projects like a cycle bridge across the Auckland Harbour, or light rail down Dominion Road is the wrong approach to transport planning.
“Motorists pay road user charges and petrol taxes for the primary purpose of building and maintaining the roading network. Labour has let the roading network crumble while pursuing projects which are going nowhere.
“National will cancel Labour’s failed Auckland Light Rail project and invest in the roads that are needed to help move people and goods safely and efficiently around our cities and regions.”
PURC’s premier and premier development men both had tough losses to strong Ponsonby sides at the weekend. Times Photo / Wayne Martin
For two consecutive seasons, the Pakuranga United Rugby Club’s (PURC) U21 men have finished their campaign at the top of the ladder.
This year was a bit more spectacular than last however, with their win on Saturday marking their 12th consecutive victory- a faultless, unbeaten season.
They will be confident as they gear up for the top trophy in U21 club rugby, competing for the Arthur Bayliss Cup, a cup that they fell agonizingly short of in 2022, going down to Marist 20-6.
The season didn’t end so sweet for the PURC premier men and premier development men however, both losing to strong Ponsonby sides.
Despite missing out on contention for their second Gallagher Shield victory, the PURC premier men will have a semi-final of their own this weekend as they are favourites for the Jubilee Trophy (silverware for fifth place).
After their fifth-place finish in regular season, the premier men will host Papatoetoe in the Jubilee Trophy semi-final and, should they win, will play either Suburbs or College Rifles in the final.
With the PURC premier development men also finishing in fifth place after their season, they will compete for the Peter Fatialofa Cup as they face College Rifles in their semi-final.
PURC Weekend Results 08-07-23
PURC Premier Men vs Ponsonby
HT: PURC 3 – Ponsonby 14
FT: PURC 3 – Ponsonby 33
Other Premier Men Results:
Marist 5 – University 47
College Rifles 5 – Manukau Rovers 31
Eden 24 – Papatoetoe 27
Otahuhu 12 – Suburbs 23
Waitakere City LBD – Grammar TEC WBD
Auckland Club Rugby Premier Men Standings
PLACE
TEAM
PLAYED
WON
DRAWN
LOST
POINTS
+ / –
1
MANUKAU ROVERS
12
11
1
0
56
+ 462
2
PONSONBY
12
11
0
1
54
+ 195
3
GRAMMAR TEC
12
9
0
3
48
+ 288
4
UNIVERSITY
12
10
0
2
48
+ 273
5
PAKURANGA
12
8
0
4
39
+ 226
6
SUBURBS
12
7
1
4
35
+ 23
7
COLLEGE RIFLES
12
6
0
6
30
– 27
8
PAPATOETOE
12
5
0
7
27
– 94
9
WAITEMATA
12
4
0
8
26
+ 51
10
MARIST
12
3
0
9
17
– 204
11
OTAHUHU
12
2
0
10
11
– 321
12
EDEN
12
1
0
11
8
– 250
13
WAITAKERE CITY
12
0
0
12
0
– 622
PURC Premier Reserve Men vs Ponsonby
FT: PURC 25 – Ponsonby 36
PURC U21 Men vs Waitemata
FT: PURC 19 – Waitemata 12
Pakuranga Rugby Fixtures 15/07/23:
Arthur Bayliss Cup Semi Final 1 – PURC U21 Men vs Manukau Underdogs U21 Men – 1pm (Bell Park).
Peter Fatialofa Cup Semi Final 1 – PURC Premier Development Men vs College Rifles Premier Development Men – 1pm (Lloyd Elsmore Park, Field 5).
Jubilee Trophy Semi Final 1 – PURC Premier Men vs Papatoetoe Premier Men – 2:45pm (Bell Park).
The Howick Hornets Fox Premiers have won four games in a row after a Fatialofa ‘try’fecta helped them prevail 20-4 over Glenora last week.
It was a classic east vs west match-up last week for the Howick Hornets Rugby League Football Club as they found themselves on the road against the Glenora Bears.
The Howick-Glenora rivalry has been healthy for a long time, with the west Auckland club being around for the Hornets’ entire 62-year history.
The week kicked off for the Hornets premiers on the road in their second feature of Wednesday night league in front of the Sky Sport cameras.
It was a special occasion for the Fatialofa family with brothers Josiah and KaylissandUncle Manu Fatialofa all being named in the Hornets’ starting line-up.
The Fatialofas did not disappoint in front of the cameras, each picking up their own try as the Hornets stormed to a 20-4 win over Glenora.
Their win over the Bears adds to their late season run of four games in a row and retains their third-place spot on the ladder with just two rounds left in the regular season.
They will be confident heading into their next fixture against the 11th place Bay Roskill Vikings as they find themselves on the road again.
The Fox Premier reserves completed the clean sweep at the weekend as they thumped Glenora 40-18 to find themselves also in third place on their ladder.
Meanwhile, the Hornets premier women (‘Nets) are back in action this Sunday in their antepenultimate fixture in front of a home crowd against bottom of the table Taniwharau.
With three weeks before finals, the ‘Nets are sitting pretty in second place with six out of a possible nine wins under their belt.
Howick Hornets Rugby League Results
Fox Memorial Premiership
Howick Hornets vs Glenora Bears
HT: Howick 4 – Glenora 4
FT: Howick 20 – Glenora 4
Tries: Josiah Fatialofa, Manu Fatialofa, Nukurua Ngere, Kayliss Fatialofa.
Conversion(s): Phranklyn Mano-Le-Mamea (2).
Other Fixtures
Mangere East Hawks 0 – Otahuhu Leopards 76
Richmond Rovers 14 – Point Chevalier Pirates 14
Marist Saints 14 – Manukau Magpies 22
Mount Albert Lions 14 – Papakura Sea Eagles 30
Bay Roskill Vikings 12 – Te Atatu Roosters 28
Fox Memorial Premiership Standings
PLACE
TEAM
PLAYED
WON
DRAWN
LOST
POINTS
+ / –
1
PT CHEVALIER PIRATES
9
8
1
0
17
+ 180
2
RICHMOND ROVERS
9
7
1
1
15
+ 108
3
HOWICK HORNETS
9
7
0
2
14
+ 76
4
PAPAKURA SEA EAGLES
9
6
0
3
12
+ 55
5
OTAHUHU LEOPARDS
9
5
0
4
10
+ 120
6
MARIST SAINTS
9
5
0
4
10
+ 16
7
TE ATATU ROOSTERS
9
4
0
5
8
+ 7
8
GLENORA BEARS
9
4
0
5
8
+ 4
9
MANUKAU MAGPIES
9
3
1
5
7
– 20
10
MOUNT ALBERT LIONS
9
2
1
6
5
– 56
11
BAY ROSKILL VIKINGS
9
1
0
8
2
– 138
12
MANGERE EAST HAWKS
9
0
0
9
0
– 352
Fox Memorial Premier Reserve Grade
Howick Hornets vs Glenora Bears
FT: Howick 40 – Glenora 18
Women’s Premiership Fixtures
Howick Hornets – BYE
Otahuhu Leopards 10 – Otara Scorpions 12
Taniwharau 16 – Mount Albert Lions 22
Manurewa Marlins 4 – City 30
Women’s Premiership Standings
PLACE
TEAM
PLAYED
WON
DRAWN
LOST
POINTS
+ / –
1
OTARA SCORPIONS
9
9
0
0
20
+ 138
2
HOWICK HORNETS
9
6
1
2
17
+ 174
3
MOUNT ALBERT LIONS
9
6
1
2
17
+ 82
4
CITY
9
5
0
4
12
+ 58
5
OTAHUHU LEOPARDS
10
3
0
7
8
– 150
6
MANUREWA MARLINS
9
1
0
8
6
– 130
7
TANIWHARAU
9
1
0
8
6
– 172
Howick Hornets Upcoming Fixtures;
Round 10 Fox Memorial Premier Reserve Grade- Howick Hornets Premier Reserve Men VS Bay Roskill Vikings Premier Reserve Men at Blockhouse Bay Reserve – Saturday July 15, 12.45pm.
Round 10 Fox Memorial Premiership- Howick Hornets Premier Men VS Bay Roskill Vikings Premier Men at Blockhouse Bay Reserve – Saturday July 15, 2.30pm
Round 12 Women’s Premiership- Howick Hornets Premier Women VS Taniwharau Premier Women at Paparoa Park- Sunday July 16, 2pm.
Special Olympics Howick-Pakuranga track and field athlete Natasha Chang.
Special Olympics Howick-Pakuranga track and field athlete Natasha Chang returned triumphant from the experience of a lifetime after she represented New Zealand at 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin.
She achieved a personal best in the 200m heat, coming third in the 200m final winning the bronze medal and second in the 50m race gaining a silver medal.
Special Olympics Howick-Pakuranga trust board chairperson Laurinne Laing said, “During the stay in Germany, she was awarded the Tenei Au which was the special team award that was given to an athlete who had earned this for a special moment, something they did or by just being them.”
When the New Zealand team first arrived in Germany, they were hosted by the towns of Garching, Ismaning and Unterföhring near Munich. They were treated to sightseeing, cultural performances and amazing hospitality.
By the conclusion of the games, the New Zealand team of 39 athletes had plenty to celebrate after they earned themselves a record 34 medals, with five gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze medals.
“The Kiwis joined 7000 other athletes with an intellectual disability from 190 countries to mark the end of a memorable 10 days where the German hosts managed to elevate the Special Olympics World Summer Games to a new level,” Laing said.
“With hundreds of thousands of fans filling up world-class facilities to watch the 26 sports and with live broadcasts across the globe, Special Olympics has firmly moved into the mainstream consciousness, both in Germany and the rest of the world.”
During a recent session of Parliament, MP Grant Robertson paid tribute to the Special Olympics New Zealand team athletes for their achievements in Berlin mentioning individual PB’s and personal success stories.
Natasha appeared on Breakfast TV1 last Tuesday and presented a speech on her experiences to the Special Olympics Howick-Pakuranga Board that evening.
“Our thanks go to Pak’nSave Glen Innes for their donation towards Natasha’s costs and the donations made through online fundraising platform Givealittle,” said Laing.
During its recent annual general meeting, The Friends of Mangemangeroa honoured Jim Duckworth and Graham Falla with life membership in recognition of their dedication spanning more than two decades to the restoration of the Mangemangeroa Reserve.
Jim Duckworth, one of the founding members, played a pivotal role in establishing the society in 2000 alongside Austin Gate, Jack McKenzie and Allan Riley.
This award acknowledges Jim and Graham’s commitment, passion and invaluable contributions to the preservation of the unique ecosystem within the Mangemangeroa Valley.
Marion Skelton, chairperson of the Friends of Mangemangeroa, said their life membership was a well-deserved recognition of the countless hours they have devoted to planting and maintaining the reserve.
“We extend our appreciation for their unwavering dedication and invaluable contributions,” she said.
The premier men beat Manukau 26-16 and the reserves dominated with a 34-10 win.
While the Hornets’ women’s premiers the ‘Nets were given an unexpected week off heading into bye week, with Otahuhu defaulting, the premier men’s sides put on two entertaining performances in front of a massive crowd at Paparoa Park against the Manukau Magpies.
Those who saw the reserves game will have been blessed to see a few Hornet legends return to join the current ones, and they definitely didn’t disappoint.
The premier men beat Manukau 26-16 and the reserves dominated with a 34-10 win.
Howick Hornets Rugby League results July 1
Fox Memorial Premiership
Howick Hornets vs Manukau Magpies
FT: Howick 26 – Manukau 16
Other Fixtures
Bay Roskill Vikings 6 – Otahuhu Leopards 44
Mount Albert Lions 4 – Glendora Bears 22
Te Atatu Roosters 20 – Point Chevalier Pirates 28
Mangere East Hawks 0 – Papakura Sea Eagles 28
Marist Saints 8 – Richmond Rovers 36
Fox Memorial Premier Reserve Grade
Howick Hornets vs Manukau Magpies
FT: Howick 34 – Manukau 10
Howick Hornets Upcoming Fixtures;
Round 9 Fox Memorial Premiership- Howick Hornets Premier Men VS Glenora Bears Premier Men at Harold Moody Park- Wednesday July 5, 8pm.
Round 9 Fox Memorial Premier Reserve Grade- Howick Hornets Premier Reserve Men VS Glenora Bears Premier Reserve Men at Harold Moody Park- Saturday July 8, 2.30pm.
Howick Hornets Premier Women- BYE
Plein air painting by talented local artist Elise de Silva.
There is something really special under way in our region right now, and that’s the East Auckland Art Trail 2023.
“The art trail includes a range of activities and businesses where you can experience and appreciate art in all its forms,” East Auckland Tourism’s Annette Smart says.
“There is so much happening and you’d be crazy to miss it, like the Popn Birdz Hunt.”
“Follow the mystery clues to find the 11 Popn Birdz hidden around east Auckland and be in to win some awesome prizes.
“On the entry form, you will have to add the name of the business where each picture is found, as well as the name of the type of bird on that picture.”
The competition runs until July 23.
“Our Popn Birdz Hunt is an invitation to families to get out and about, find the Popn Birdz around the region with the help of our easy clues, and enter our competition,” Smart says.
Both Feed Your Eyes and Popn Birdz see a collaboration between local artists and local hospitality.
There’s plenty of reasons to get into Howick village and enjoy its numerous cafes and events. Times file photo Wayne Martin
We are now past the shortest day and on the trek toward summer.
The past month has seen plenty of activity in the village, albeit, not all positive.
Having said that, there were instances where unwelcome activity showed great examples of the co-operation between Howick Village Association [HVA] members.
Unfortunately, shoplifting continues to be a challenge for retailers.
The ‘Whatsapp’ group managed by Jane and Sarah from the HVA office again proved invaluable in not only communicating warnings to HVA members but it was also used to provide specific information to the local police to assist with tracking offenders.
HVA has recently received funding from the Government’s Crime Prevention Fund to be used for further prevention initiatives.
Jane is in discussions with Howick Police on the best area to use and optimise this funding.
Recent successful activities include:
Howick Rotary Blankets 4 Kids 4 Winter appeal in partnership with HVA
Commencement of upgrade of CCTV equipment and installation of additional CCTV cameras throughout the village (supported by funding from the Lion Foundation and Howick Local Board)
New tree resurfacing outside the Information Centre
Star Insure have joined as main sponsors for the HVA Village HOP for three years from 2023 – 2025
HVA’s Matariki activity books for children are available from this weekend.
Matariki art display in Fencible Park/Market Square – partnership with Arts Out East
East FM vinyl sale
The Mid-Winter Shop and Win promotion started on July 1 and runs for the whole month.
HVA encourages you to support Howick Village retailers in this.
The production Seussical Jr. featured an impressive array of colourful costumes, vibrant sets and catchy musical numbers, transporting the audience into the imaginative world of Dr Seuss. Photo Rob Oliphant
The magical world of Dr Seuss came alive at Farm Cove Intermediate as the students put on a mesmerising production of Seussical Jr.
The energy and talent displayed by the young performers last week left the audience delighted.
Directed by the school’s performing arts teacher, Chanelle Bulluss, the production featured an impressive array of colourful costumes, vibrant sets and catchy musical numbers, transporting the audience into the imaginative world of Dr Seuss.
The cast of Seussical Jr showcased their exceptional acting, dancing and singing abilities, bringing beloved characters like the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, and Mayzie Le Bird to life.
The production not only showcased the talent within the school but also highlighted the importance of the arts in nurturing creativity and fostering a strong sense of community.
Principal Dr Tamara Jones acknowledged the collaborative efforts of students, staff and parents who all contributed to the show’s resounding success.
“From the delightful harmonies of the show’s memorable songs to the hilarious antics of the characters, the audience was treated to an enchanting theatrical experience.”
Botany MP Christopher Luxon says the rising price of fuel will increase the financial pressure on Kiwi households. Times file photo Wayne Martin
By Christopher Luxon, Opposition Leader and MP for Botany
Kiwis already struggling to make ends meet were dealt another blow at the weekend, as the price of petrol was hiked by around 29 cents per litre.
The reaction was immediate, and it is easy to understand.
By suddenly ripping off the band aid, Labour pushed up the price of filling up the tank on an average car by about $15.
On the news on Friday, I saw footage of motorists in long queues, with some filling jerry cans of petrol in a bid to stockpile while they could.
It won’t stop there. A sharp increase in the price of fuel will lead to increases in everything else that is transported in the country, including already record high grocery prices.
Households, already hit by high inflation and soaring interest rates, will be hit hard, and the loss of spending power will likely hit the wider economy.
National would address the underlying drivers of inflation by restoring discipline to Government spending and help Kiwis cope with living costs by delivering income tax reductions of at least $960 per year for an average income earner.
To drive the economy out of recession we need to back businesses to grow. National will do that.
For New Zealanders struggling to feed their families, pay their mortgage or rent, or are worried about stories of large redundancies, things may look bleak.
But we have reason to be optimistic because New Zealand has immense potential.
To take advantage of our potential, New Zealand needs sound economic management.
New Zealand needs a government that will halt wasteful spending on bureaucracy, centralisation and endless reports, and focus on restoring law and order and improving health and education.
National knows you can spend your money better than the Government can.
That’s why we want to deliver tax cuts to help address the cost-of-living crisis.
There is a clear choice for voters at the 2023 election.
More of the same from Labour and their coalition of chaos, or a National Government that will put the country and its people first.
A National Government would open a new medical school in Waikato to boost the number of doctors being trained. Photo ernestoeslava
National will deliver more doctors by creating a medical school at the University of Waikato and increasing medical school placements, National Leader and Botany MP Christopher Luxon says.
“The health sector is experiencing a workforce crisis. Sick and injured New Zealanders are waiting hours in emergency departments, weeks to see a GP and months on surgical wait lists.
“Currently, New Zealand does not train enough doctors to meet the demands of our growing and aging population, or to replace our retiring health workforce.
“That’s why a National Government I lead will open a new medical school in Waikato to boost the number of doctors being trained.”
National will also increase the number of medical school placements at Auckland and Otago by 50 from 2025. This will be in addition to the 50 extra places already funded at Budget 2023.
“Together, this will see an additional 220 doctors graduating a year by 2030, compared to just 50 more under Labour’s plan,” says Luxon.
“The new medical school will have clinical training alliances with other universities and medical facilities around regional New Zealand – a model that will deliver more doctors committed to serving in provincial and rural parts of the country.
“Increasing home-grown doctors is vital to delivering the public services that New Zealanders deserve and National sees this as an essential and long-term investment.
“This medical school should have been started five years ago as the previous National Government planned. Labour cancelled it in 2018 and their short-sightedness means we will have to continue to rely heavily on immigration to increase our doctor numbers in the short term.
“A responsible government plans for the future, and that is exactly what a National government will do.
“National understands the importance of growing New Zealand’s health workforce. That is why we have already announced plans to boost nurses and midwives’ numbers by paying their student loan repayments if they enter a five-year bonding agreement, and make New Zealand a more attractive destination for international nurses.
“A National Government I lead will deliver better healthcare for New Zealand.”
University of Waikato welcomes third medical school announcement
The University of Waikato welcomes the announcement by the National Party that if the Party is successful in this year’s General Election it will establish New Zealand’s third medical school.
“This is a fundamental step towards addressing our health workforce needs and reducing our chronic reliance on importing our health workforce from overseas,” University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley says.
“The University of Waikato has consistently made the case for investment in a third medical school to meet the current and future workforce needs of our health sector. We are committed to establishing a medical school based here in the Waikato region but with partners in other parts of New Zealand, as well as to building a full range of allied health programmes.”
Quigley says a third medical school will provide a long-term solution to the relentless growth in demand for doctors, most keenly felt in general practice and psychiatry and in medical practices outside the main urban centres.
“The third medical school will put us on the pathway to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on importing doctors from other countries, which is unsustainable,” Quigley says.
“New Zealand cannot hope for better health workforce outcomes if we keep doing the same thing over and over. We need more doctors in training, we need to select students from a wider range of backgrounds who are committed to long-term careers in primary care outside the main centres, we need to place these students in the regions they are most needed, and we need a new curriculum that will prepare for a workforce consistent with the future demands of New Zealand’s health system. The University of Waikato is committed to achieving all of these things.”
Quigley says the university would establish the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine in partnership with other New Zealand universities. It would select up to 120 students who have already completed an undergraduate bachelor’s degree and provide them with four years of intensive, practical medical education.
This graduate-entry model is used by the very best medical schools internationally and is highly successful.
He says the University of Waikato has been building its capability in health and is proud of the success of its newly-established nursing programme, with the student intake increasing from 40 in 2021 to more than 210 in 2023, in response to severe staff shortages in the region’s health workforce.
The university is also currently developing programmes for other health professions in direct response to stakeholder needs within the region and the country.
Quigley says the University of Waikato is well placed to deliver a new and more socially accountable medical school and it has the widespread stakeholder support to do so.
The current housing market cycle is probably one of hardest Aucklanders have been through in recent years. Photo Nick Krause
It appears a sense of normality may have returned to the Auckland housing market with June property sales more in line with traditional pre-Covid sales patterns for the first month of winter.
“The current housing market cycle is probably one of hardest Aucklanders have been through in recent years,” says Peter Thompson, managing director of Barfoot & Thompson.
“And while it is still tough, there continues to be positive signs we are now entering into a period of more stability.”
“With 711 sales during the month, the market is once again comparable with the same month pre-pandemic and 3.9 per cent higher than June 2022, as sales numbers continuing to track back up following April’s record low.
“June’s average sales price at $1,097,896 was up 2.5 per cent on the previous month’s average and sat 1 per cent higher when compared to the average price of the three months preceding. The medium price at $995,000 increased by 4.2 per cent when compared to May.
“When all recent house price rises and falls are taken out of the equation, the only period we can meaningfully compare current house prices to is 2019 when we were last in a true market-driven cycle. Both the average and median sales price achieved during June are around 17 per cent higher when compared to the same month four years ago.
“We are seeing an increase in multi-offer bids on properties and our auction rooms have been busy throughout the month. Although the increased activity is not driving up prices, it does indicate confidence is returning, which is great news for both vendors and buyers.
“New listings continued to come into the market with 1266 during June which is in line with what we’d expect as we enter the winter period. This sense of familiarity is reassuring against the current back drop and is a further sign for cautious optimism.
“At month’s end, we had 4277 listings on our books, giving buyers an excellent range of properties across all price brackets.
“The high end of the market continued to show resilience with 48 homes over $2 million sold in June, knocking May off the second highest monthly sales spot in this category.
“Properties under $750,000 were also in high demand, with 180 sold during the month.
“There were 24 rural and lifestyle properties sold in June and, although this is relatively modest number, it’s the third busiest month of trading this year reflecting that buyers and vendors are getting closer in their thinking on what’s fair for market value.”
There was also more activity in this sector during the month, with new appraisals and larger numbers of buyers attending open homes.
Howick Police sergeant Brett Meale says several lots of stolen mail have been handed in to his staff in recent weeks. Times file photo Wayne Martin
Stolen mail and courier parcels being found dumped around east Auckland has police asking local residents to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Sergeant Brett Meale of Howick Police says over the past couple of weeks his staff have had mail that was stolen and then disposed of handed in on three occasions.
“Each time it had been found at a bus stop around the area,” he told the Times.
“The mail handed in to us has come from a number of houses in Cook Street, Rodney Street and Howe Street.
“The enquiries we’ve made are that the mail that was missing has been stolen, but the stuff that’s been handed in we’ve delivered to the owners with a letter saying their mail has been opened and handed in to us. So we’ve made contact.”
Meale says parcels a postie would normally deliver have also been opened and had items stolen from them.
“We’re asking for people to be aware of this and if they see anyone suspicious, maybe following the postie around.
“We’ve had other incidents of where a courier drops off a parcel on a doorstep and people are following the courier around.
“Sometimes they’re wearing a high viz-vest and go in behind and steal the parcel.
“We want people to be aware, and also if they can try and secure their letterbox so someone can’t steal the mail out of it.”
Meale wants east Auckland residents who have information on the mail thefts, or who have CCTV footage that may be relevant, or have had mail stolen or found mail that’s been dumped, to contact the Howick Police station.
“It’s not a huge number of letters,” he says of the mail that’s been handed in.
“Whoever is responsible has obviously gone through them looking for credit cards.
“Some of them have been opened and if the card inside is not what they’re after they’ve left it.
“We’ve delivered those ones as best we can.
“If people are missing mail, they may want to get in touch with NZ Post or the person who was sending it.
“Mail theft is not common, but we’ve noticed this is happening in the central Howick area as these are all local streets close to here.”
People can phone the Howick Police station on 105.
