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Sleepyhead manufacturer the Comfort Group has a grand plan to build a company town in a rural Waikato location. But is it really such a good development? Company towns are an old-fashioned idea. Internationally and in New Zealand entire settlements have been built around mining or a mill or even a hydro-dam project. Twizel as a hydro construction town in the late 60s is but one example. But decades after the last big company town was built, Kiwi.
Internationally and in New Zealand entire settlements have been built around mining or a mill or even a hydro-dam project. Twizel as a hydro construction town in the late 60 s is but one example.
But decades after the last big company town was built, Kiwi bed manufacturer Sleepyhead is pouring new life into the concept.
Its billion-dollar 178-hectare development in the Waikato includes plans for a massive 100,000 square metre main factory, as well as a foam factory and 1100 new homes for the workers.
Last week those plans passed a major planning hurdle, with the re-zoning of the development site approved.
The bones were welcomed to Palmerston North with a karakia and a waiata.
Photo: RNZ/ Dom Thomas
At a pre-dawn ceremony today, those bones were uplifted from that site, and moved to Te Manawa, the Palmerston North museum.
They were carried inside wrapped up in boxes, then laid out on the floor - with iwi members, kaitiaki representatives, and Waka Kotahi Transport Agency staff sitting nearby - the bones were welcomed with a karakia and waiata.
When the ceremony was finished, the bones were then carried out, to the rear of the museum, into a storage room.
Many of the bones were too fragile and sensitive to be moved out of their boxes and remained wrapped up but three bones - two ends of a tibia and a femur - were laid out.