Manawatu District briefs

Annual dog fees due

SIXTY percent of the 7000-plus dogs in the Manawatu District Council area have been registered for the 2011/12 financial year. Owners have until 5pm, Sunday, July 31, to pay their annual registration fees. The cost for neutered, spayed and working dogs over three months of age, and preferred owners, is $42 and for all other dogs $94. Penalties for late payment are $21 and $47. Owners are also reminded that dogs registered for the first time on or after July 1, 2006, must be micro-chipped.

Boundary meetings due to start

A SERIES of six public meetings on the Draft Boundary Reorganisation Scheme for Manawatu District and Palmerston North City starts next week. The first meeting is on Monday in the Missoula Room, Palmerston North City Council, followed by those in Ashhurst (August 2), Bunnythorpe (August 3) and Newbury Hall (August 4). All meetings begin at 5.30pm, with the final two in Feilding and Longburn on August 10 and 11.

Protecting the whitebait

A WHITEBAIT hui to discuss possible ways that the species can be protected is to be held in Rongotea next week. Massey University freshwater ecology student, Stella McQueen, will talk about the native fish species that make up the whitebait catch and the things that are threatening them. She is hoping other whitebait enthusiasts will join her and look at what can be done to help ensure there is whitebait around for future generations to enjoy. The hui begins at 6.30pm on Wednesday, August 3, in the Te Kawau Memorial Recreation Centre – 12 days before the next whitebait season opens.