Pest control warning
South Wairarapa Veterinary Services is warning dog owners to keep their animals away from the Waiohine River access at the end of Greytown’s Kuratawhiti St this month and next while the regional council conducts a pest rabbit control operation. It said the pest control methods were pindone poison applied to carrot bait and dyed green, and follow-up shooting as needed. Bait will be laid inside a fenced area only. Greater Wellington Regional Council has advised that poison warning signs will be displayed at all main access points to the operational area.
Weather warning
Wairarapa is forecast for a wet and windy day. Metservice has placed Wairarapa on a strong wind watch from 6am to 4pm today, with northwest winds forecast to approach severe gale force in exposed places. The Tararua Range is on a heavy rain watch from 4am to 4pm today. Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast, with rainfall amounts approaching warning criteria.
Booktown volunteers
Featherston Booktown has put out a call for volunteers for the annual festival in May. Volunteers will be needed for the young reader’s programme in schools on May 10-12, and for the Karukatea Festival Weekend from May 12-14. Last year Booktown had 134 volunteers and this year will need even more this year because the festival, which last year had 7000 visitors, expects to be even larger. This year there will be 55 events, 99 presenters, and 23 booksellers.
Eketahuna celebrates 150
A weekend of fun activities marked 150 years since European settlers first broke ground and worked with local iwi to build what is now Eketahuna. The anniversary was celebrated with the opening of a time capsule buried in 1990, historical walks through the town and Mangaoranga Cemetery, an 8-a-side rugby game between past and present players, and a dinner at the Eketahuna Club. Organising committee chair Corinna Carew said more than two hundred people attended the events.
