FRANKTON NOTICEBOARD LEAF-BLOWER FEUD ENTERS WEEK SIX, NEW LAMINATED REPLY APPEARS OVERNIGHT

It was a Tuesday morning in Frankton. Nothing about that day suggested the community hall noticeboard was about to receive its sixth escalation in what locals now call The Blower Situation.

The corkboard outside the hall has hosted the dispute since early April. A typed note appeared asking neighbours not to use leaf blowers before 8am. By week two, a reply had been pinned beneath it. By week four, the reply had a reply, and the reply's reply had been laminated.

Resident Coral Whitmarsh, 71, has been monitoring developments on her morning walk. "First one was polite. Second one mentioned the Resource Management Act. Third one had a wee diagram. I don't know what the diagram was of, but it had arrows." Coral said it reminded her of a hydrangea dispute in 1974, which also ended in laminating.

By week five, a third party had entered the corkboard. They signed off as "A Concerned Ratepayer" and suggested both parties "take it to mediation or take it to the river". The note was gone within 48 hours. A fourth note replaced it, asking who had removed the third.

A Hamilton City Council spokesperson said the noticeboard was "a community-managed asset" and council had "no plans to intervene in interpersonal correspondence". Asked whether leaf blowers were permitted before 8am, they said that was "a matter for the bylaw team, who are in a workshop until Thursday".

A sixth note appeared on Wednesday morning. It is in a new font. Coral says she'll report back tomorrow.