GLENHOLME MAN HOSES DRIVEWAY EVERY NIGHT OF HOSE BAN — SAYS IT'S "FOR MORALE"
The driveway is concrete. The concrete is fine. The bloke is from Palmerston North, which he reckons explains a lot.
A Glenholme man who shifted up from Palmerston North last winter has been hosing his driveway every evening of Rotorua Lakes Council's hose ban, and told The Daily Yarn he's doing it "for morale".
Doug Frampton, 61, a retired drainlayer, said the ban came in three weeks ago after a dry stretch turned every lawn in the Bay of Plenty the colour of a Weet-Bix. His lawn is rooted. He has accepted this. The driveway is a different matter. "Concrete doesn't need the water, mate. I need the water. Forty years on the tools, you finish the day with a hose in your hand. Council can't take that off a man."
Neighbour Lorraine Tauroa, who lives across the road, said she'd watched Doug out there at six o'clock sharp every night "like it's a job". "Doesn't even aim it at anything. Just stands there in his hi-vis with the hose going and a pie in the other hand. Ten minutes, then he turns it off and goes inside. Bloody good on him, honestly. Palmy folk are a bit different."
A council compliance officer with a clipboard attended Tuesday and issued a written warning. Doug said the bloke was "alright once he put the clipboard down", and that they'd had a decent yarn about how the geothermal smell in Glenholme gets into a good pair of work boots and never leaves. "Reckon he agreed with me. Couldn't say so, obviously. Office people."
A Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson confirmed the restrictions remain in place and that "driveways do not have morale, and if they did, it would not be a permitted use". Asked whether the ban would be lifted, the spokesperson said a review was scheduled for "Tuesday", without specifying which one.
Doug hosed the driveway again Wednesday. It was dry within eleven minutes, which he said was "the whole point".
More yarns from Glenholme Weather Watch
Know someone this is about? Send it to them.
Reader Letters
★ Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, we knew how to conserve water without these bans. The council needs to focus on bigger issues rather than hassling a bloke for maintaining his morale. Wouldn't have happened in the '70s!
★ Trev_Hornby
She'll be right, Doug! Bloody clipboard munters don't know a thing about tradition and morale. It's rooted anyway, so keep hosing, good cunt.
BlitzSue
@Trev_Hornby couldn't agree more. It's more about principle than practicality with these bans. They should use some sense.
★ BarryBishopdale
Couldn't care less about the driveway. Council should sort out the cycling lanes before they worry about hoses! Bloody cyclists take up all the road.
eco_kiwi
Mate, the point is bigger than that. Council bans are protecting us from running out of water, not to spoil someone’s evening routine.
JoannePetone
Honestly, Doug's just doing what makes him happy. And in Rotorua's geothermal heat, that driveway would dry up pretty quick anyway!
tired_in_riccarton
Doug's just another relic from Palmerston. Palmies and their pies!
couchgremlin
Pies are sacred.
★ Margaret_F
Gerald would have had a chuckle at this. In our day, we didn't have many restrictions like now, but we understood the need for common sense. Today’s youth might find it difficult to appreciate.
laughing_larraine
Doug’s colorful ideas always crack me up.
Spotted something like this in your area?
Send us a photo and a sentence. We'll write the article.
SUBMIT A YARN →Free. Anonymous if you want. Takes 60 seconds.