Biker Hapi spreads the message

Hapi Lomax aboard his CanAm Spider, and Hail the pitbull. Photo / Lin Ferguson

At 73, Hapi Lomax is still roaring along the open road on his Harley-Davidson Road King bike or taking it a little easier on his CanAm Spider (an old boys' bike).

He hits the road with fellow bikers frequently, and his family on the ancestral farm in Utiku are considering fitting his bike with a GPS tracking device.

Wife Kathleen said the family are talking seriously about tracking the "old boy" on his rides.

"He's not young any more, but he doesn't know that yet," she said.

Mr Lomax, known as Koro to his fellow bikers, said his mission and rides all over the country always have an important social message to korero with the people they meet up with.

Their main group is called RATS - Riders Against Teenage Suicide.

"Suicide is a big problem throughout this country and is particularly high among farmers, and too many young teens are committing suicide."

Teenage suicide was heartbreaking here in New Zealand, he said.

Last year in Taihape there was a spate of suicides.

"They were recorded as accidental deaths by the coroner because families had no idea their young teen was contemplating death. When the coroner asked them in court, the families had no idea why their young person had died - and they were suicides, all of them."

Across New Zealand there are 11 deaths by suicide a week. The most at risk are Maori aged 15 to 24, men aged 25 to 64 and people with mental health problems and addictions, a Ministry of Health report says.

Mr Lomax's friend, Auckland comedian Mike King, and All Black Sir John Kirwan are running campaigns to involve people in talking about what has always been considered a taboo subject.

Last year shockwaves reverberated around Taihape with the sudden death of a 16-year-old boy who was struck by a train.

Taihape Area School principal Richard McMillan had said James Hamilton, a student at the school, was very popular, academically gifted and a fine sportsman.

Mr Lomax said the "huge tragedy" of James's death had affected everyone at the school, (both students and staff) and throughout the community.

"The school was a very, very sad place," he said.

Even though counsellors were calling in to the school, Mr Lomax organised for his friend, and now mental health educator, Mike King, to come and talk to the students during the day and to the community at night.

"Mike really helps young teens cope with death."

The last big ride for the RATS was through to Gisborne in December, he said.

"It was very worthwhile to talk with the community over there on the East coast. There are families there who have it pretty tough with no work and trying to feed their kids."

Mr Lomax said too many times government described suicide victims as mostly having mental health problems. "That's not true and, to be honest, the Government should be doing more. And we must talk more among ourselves, which is what RATS is about."