HAMILTON EAST WHEELIE BIN LEFT OPEN OVERNIGHT, COOK STREET LOSES IT
Three notes, one text chain, and an email to council. All because Mrs Patterson's lid was up six inches.
A green wheelie bin on Cook Street in Hamilton East was left with its lid open from Tuesday night until Wednesday morning. Residents have called it "disgraceful" and "a rat magnet".
The bin belongs to Yvonne Patterson, 71, who put it out before bridge night and admits she may not have closed it properly. "I had the casserole on. I had Margaret in the car. The lid was not my priority."
By 7am Wednesday, three handwritten notes had been taped to the bin. One read "CLOSE YOUR LID." Another read "This is how we get rats." The third, unsigned, said "Cook Street is watching."
Neighbour Doug Etheridge, 58, four doors up, said he'd taken a photo for "the file". Asked what file, Doug said: "The file. There's a file. We started it during the green-waste roster dispute in 2021 and we haven't stopped."
A Hamilton City Council spokesperson said an open lid was "not an offence as such" but conceded residents were within their rights to be "quietly furious". The spokesperson added they'd had 14 emails about the bin and one phone call asking whether the army could be deployed.
Mrs Patterson has since closed the lid. The notes are still taped to the bin. Doug is still updating the file. Back in '74 you'd have knocked on the door.
The bin belongs to Yvonne Patterson, 71, who put it out before bridge night and admits she may not have closed it properly. "I had the casserole on. I had Margaret in the car. The lid was not my priority."
By 7am Wednesday, three handwritten notes had been taped to the bin. One read "CLOSE YOUR LID." Another read "This is how we get rats." The third, unsigned, said "Cook Street is watching."
Neighbour Doug Etheridge, 58, four doors up, said he'd taken a photo for "the file". Asked what file, Doug said: "The file. There's a file. We started it during the green-waste roster dispute in 2021 and we haven't stopped."
A Hamilton City Council spokesperson said an open lid was "not an offence as such" but conceded residents were within their rights to be "quietly furious". The spokesperson added they'd had 14 emails about the bin and one phone call asking whether the army could be deployed.
Mrs Patterson has since closed the lid. The notes are still taped to the bin. Doug is still updating the file. Back in '74 you'd have knocked on the door.