NEW COUNTY COUNCILLORS

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 24, 11 November 1986, Page 1

NEW COUNTY COUNCILLORS

Waimarino County has two new councillors to fill the vacancies left by the sudden death of Cr. Malcolm Whale and the recent resignation of Cr. John Martin. When nominations closed last Friday only two names had been received-- those of Kay Wallis from Karioi

and Bill Harding of Waiouru. Since there were only two nominees for the two vacant positions on Council both Kay Wallisand Bill Harding were automatically appointed councillors. No byelection was required. Kay Wallis is the first-ever woman to serve on the Waimarino County Council in its 83-year history. While she has had no previous experience with local authority administration she is well known in the Waimarino having been the district's public health nurse and chairman of the Ohakune Primary School Committee for a number of years. Kay Wallis with her youngest son William farms an 1 100 acre farm (800 freehold/300 leasehold) on Ngamoki Road off the Wangaehu Valley Road at Karioi. Two of her daughters are journalists. Bill Harding and his family farm Waiouru Station. The Hardings have had a long association with the area being one of the first farmers to introduce aerial top-dressing into New Zealand. Two of his brothers. John and Richmond, are owner-managers of Rangitikei Air Services and Wanganui Aero work.