West Coast Messenger, The

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Anglers excited for new season
Excitement is building among anglers as October 1 quickly approaches marking the start of the 2022-23 sports fishing season.
West Coast health care and freedom camping
In July this year, New Zealand's 20 District Health Boards were replaced by our new Crown health agency Health New Zealand.
Online Legacy for Non-ProfitsRunning
Running a community organisation can be a full-time job, after your real full-time job! Making sure the organisation has the right systems and procedures in place to ensure any personnel changes won't materially affect the organisation, is key. Often community groups use personal email accounts to conduct business or subscribe to online services on behalf of the organisation. Trouble is, if there are a number of people working on behalf of the organisation such as chair, secretary, accounts etc, each using their own email and document storage system, that is a lot of information scattered over many people. Should any number of that group unexpectedly leave the organisation all the communications, documents, login details to accounts could all be lost or difficult to recover.
Planning your new home
Light, warm, unique and very functional - this new four-bedroom home at Blue Spur near Hokitika promises to provide an ideal place to relax, work and play. Peter Blight, a Hokitika builder and owner of Stonewood Homes West Coast, says 15 to 20 homes are under construction from Hokitika to Haast so far this year. Customers can customise their new homes from a range of plans, choosing everything from wooden piles to concrete slab, roofing finish, kitchen appliances and paint colours."We have 100-odd plans in stock and work with clients to modify and make changes. Everyone wants to personalise a home he way they want it."The process takes 10 to 12 months from the time a buyer signs their contract to when they step into their finished home. Contacts are fixed price with provisions around timing - including selections on items like kitchen appliances and flooring styles - and include septic systems and rainwater tanks where required."We try to give the client peace of mind."Built for the sun, the homes feature double-glazing by Greymouth's Design Windows, to hold winter warmth and lock the heat of summer outside. Steeping into a Stonewood Home is a quiet experience. The front door closes smoothly to shut out the outside world. This Blue Spur home has a short entrance corridor off the front door, with a small private office lying to the left. A tall window shapes a view out to the driveway. While its finishing touches are nearly complete the home already holds the promise of good family times ahead. The entrance hallway opens into the kitchen and dining area - complete with an ample pantry and bench space and a wide breakfast bar, which looks through sliding glass doors to the sunny rural view. The lounge is off the kitchen though a wide entrance, creating a welcoming private space where families can share and enjoy their time together. The kitchen area also leads into the central hall with the double internal garage, and a cute laundry alcove lying to the left - ideal for getting people, groceries and pets into the home on wet West Coast days. To the right, the hall extends down the bedroom wing, where three sunny bedrooms host good-sized wardrobes.A double storage cupboard and the main family bathroom, with bath, shower and vanity and separate toilet and basin, also lay off the hall. The master bedroom is at the end of the hallway, with almost wall to wall sliding door and windows framing the sunny seaward view. Step out the door and straight into a semi-private and very sheltered space created by the angle of the bedroom wing and the kitchen/dining area of the main house, to an area definitely designed with relaxing and entertainment in mind. At the rear of the bedroom lays the en suite, again with a shower, vanity and toilet. Stonewood also does paths and patios, leaving it up to homeowners to create the landscaping they want to enjoy. And while the homes come complete with flooring and carpets, the curtaining choices are the domain of clients. Interior paint colours are also up to clients to chose, often with the assistance of Naomi Eyre, Stonewood Hokitika's office manager, colour consultant and quality controller."I think most people can be nervous about selecting interior colours. I can give them guidance," Naomi says. Life is busy for Stonewood Homes West Coast and its contractors, with more families moving to the Coast to enjoy the lifestyle and make the most of the cheaper land prices."We are still getting really good inquiries," says Peter Blight.
Ask a professional - Queen's Memorial Day
What am I required to pay my employee for Queen's Memorial Day - 26th September 2022?
Soup lunches extended in Hokitika
HOKITIKA Grey Power's 'Winter Warmer' soup lunch has been running throughout the winter, with plans now to extend service into the summer months.
Hiring the correct type of Employee
It's important to identify the right type of employee at the start of an employment relationship.
Waimangaroa water supply upgrade begins
A BULLER District Council contractor has started to replace the main water pipe for the Waimangaroa water supply along Conns Creek Road.
Framing and trusses - made to order in Greymouth
Greymouth Mitre 10 Mega Griffen and Smith Ltd is reinstating its frame and truss plant, so they no longer have to rely on others for supply.
SPCA brings Treat Week to Coast
New Zealand's largest and best known animal welfare charity, the SPCA, has replaced their annual Cupcake Day with Treat Week, and is calling on generous members of the public to whip up some baked goods - a slice, some muffins or even a cake - to be sold at Countdown Greymouth on Tuesday, September 27.