The mo will go - maybe

GOODBYE, FRIEND: Mayor John Carter will be more lippy than ever next week - if the money's right.

The Far North's best known, and at almost half a century old possibly longest-surviving moustache has joined the endangered species list. Mayor John Carter has offered to allow someone to shave his upper lip at Te Ahu in Kaitaia on Tuesday as part of a Shave for a Cure event.

Supporters/sadists can help ensure the moustache's demise by leaving donations at Te Ahu, Shackleton's Pharmacy or the Northland Age in Kaitaia.

Mr Carter has pledged to sacrifice the lip-warmer he has been cultivating for the past 47 years if donations top $1500. Proceeds will go to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

He will be joined by many other well-known Far Northerners at a fundraising event dubbed Kaitaia Krew Kutz, from noon to 2pm on Tuesday.

Mr Carter said he had worn his moustache since he was a lad of 18, so if he was going to lose it it would have to be in exchange for a worthwhile sum.

"But I'm a cancer survivor myself. It's for the community and a good cause," he said.

The other shavees will include Mana Movement by-election candidate Rueben Taipari Porter, who may have to endure the last days of the election campaign without his trademark long locks; pharmacist Eric Shackleton; district councillor Dave Collard, though he has precious little hair to give up; council customer services manager Nina Gobie; council planner Theresa Burkhardt; and Vince Rudolph, father of Te Amo-haere Rudolph, one of two Kaitaia teenagers who are currently battling cancer.

Many others, including cancer survivors, plan to join in with new shavees registering daily. Ms Gobie and Kaitaia Business Association chairwoman Shirley Williams are organising the event.

- For more information about donating or taking part, email shirleywilliams@xtra.co.nz, call (021) 0278 9896, or talk to the staff at Te Ahu. Donations can also be made online via www.shaveforacure.co.nz (search for 'Kaitaia Krew Kutz').

******

Meanwhile Te Amo-haere's mum, Annie, and neighbour Raewyn Jackson will submit their heads to highly proficient shaver Tawhina Shortland-Peat outside The Warehouse in Kaitaia on Saturday, some time between 10am and noon. All donations will be welcome, while sizzled sausages and raffle tickets will also be on sale.

All proceeds will go to Te Amo-haere's family.