ROSLYN BLOKE HOSES DRY DRIVEWAY DURING HOSE BAN, CITES "MORALE"
Council says no. The driveway has never looked cleaner.
A Roslyn man has been openly hosing his driveway in the middle of Palmerston North's level-two water restrictions. He told The Daily Yarn it was "purely for morale".
Trevor Bask, 58, was spotted on Tuesday afternoon in stubbies and jandals, working a kink out of the hose. Behind him, half the lawn was the colour of weet-bix.
"Lawn's rooted, mate. Been rooted since November," Bask said. "Can't save that. But the driveway? Driveway's a winner. Gives you a reason to get out of bed."
A neighbour two doors down, Glenys Patterson, said she'd seen Trevor out there three times this week. She'd stopped reporting it because "the council bloke who answers the phone sounds more tired than I am." She added that Trevor had also hosed her driveway on Sunday "as a favour".
A Palmerston North City Council spokesperson confirmed restrictions remained in force and fines of up to $500 applied. Pressed on enforcement, they conceded it was "complaint-driven" and that staff were "stretched". Asked whether morale counted as a permitted use, the spokesperson said they'd "need to take that one on notice".
Bask was back out on Wednesday morning. The hose was good. The driveway was bloody spotless.
Trevor Bask, 58, was spotted on Tuesday afternoon in stubbies and jandals, working a kink out of the hose. Behind him, half the lawn was the colour of weet-bix.
"Lawn's rooted, mate. Been rooted since November," Bask said. "Can't save that. But the driveway? Driveway's a winner. Gives you a reason to get out of bed."
A neighbour two doors down, Glenys Patterson, said she'd seen Trevor out there three times this week. She'd stopped reporting it because "the council bloke who answers the phone sounds more tired than I am." She added that Trevor had also hosed her driveway on Sunday "as a favour".
A Palmerston North City Council spokesperson confirmed restrictions remained in force and fines of up to $500 applied. Pressed on enforcement, they conceded it was "complaint-driven" and that staff were "stretched". Asked whether morale counted as a permitted use, the spokesperson said they'd "need to take that one on notice".
Bask was back out on Wednesday morning. The hose was good. The driveway was bloody spotless.