YMCA spring garage sale Whanganui YMCA is holding a Spring Extravaganza garage sale. Sell your quality second-hand goods to stop them going to the landfill. Sunday, September 2 at YMCA central, 125 Grey St. Set up stalls from 7.30am, sale from 8.30am until 12pm. Gold coin sausage sizzle. Call Tony on022 035 3877 to book a stall for $10.
Fonterra cuts dairy payout The Fonterra dairy co-operative is reducing last season's 2017-18 milk price from $6.75 per kilo of milk solids to $6.70 and its full-year dividend is likely to be just the 10c already paid in April. The drop was necessary to maintain a strong balance sheet, chairman John Monaghan said.
Action on farming consents Horizons Regional Council takes the first step towards solving its impasse over intensive farming consents at its strategy and policy committee meeting on August 14. Current One Plan rules are difficult for some farmers to meet. Staff are proposing to change maximum nutrient leaching figures to align with changes in Overseer's online measurement, give consent to farms that cannot meet the set limits and begin a staged overhaul of the council's approach to managing fresh water. The proposed overhaul would be complete by 2025. The suggested solutions would improve environmental results and reduce the number of unconsented farms, the committee agenda says.
Accused admits assault Kelvin James Linton pleaded guilty to a charge of male assaults female in Whanganui District Court on Tuesday. He will reappear in the court on October 31 for sentencing.
Ruapehu flood assistance Ruapehu property owners whose land slipped in the March rain event will benefit from an extra $300,000 the Ministry for Primary Industries has put into Horizons Regional Council's Sustainable Land Use Initiative. The money will provide free poplar and willow poles for storm-damaged land in the Ruapehu District, and riparian planting on 500ha of hill country across the region. It will also be used to assess the eligibility of poplar and willow erosion plantings in the Emissions Trading Scheme. Farmers have been keen to do the planting, and those who have missed out can contact the council to see what else it can offer.
