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Central Leader
Friday May 7, 1999 Age and a walking frame no barrier to protest
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By Joanne Perry
Lorraine Finlay and Clara Preston aren't your typical banner-waving protesters.
Mrs Findlay is 82 and uses a walker because of arthritis while Mrs Preston is 79 and has a bad heart and diabetes.
But their passionate fight against Metrowater's wastewater charges is not hindered by their age or health.
The two Sandringham residents get their water off today if they don't pay their last quartely bill of which they are refusing the wastewater part.
" I have always been a stickler for paying bill but I am determined not to pay this" says Mrs Finlay.
"If one of us goes to jail the other one will be going too. It'll be probably be cheeper in jail anyway."
Mrs Preston says: "We'll be the oldest convicts but who cares. There's a first time for everything."The Pair each live on $212.69 a week and connot pay the wastewater bills that are now user-charges rather than coming from rates.
"We're just making end meet. Nothing ever comes down. Everthing goes up."The pair have enlisted the anti-Metrowater Water Pressure Group to reconnect if it cut off . They both want Metrowater dumped and water and wastewater charges to go back into rates and their not letting walker and bad heart get in th way of their protest.
"We've started this ,so we may as we carry it on. I rang my son in Te Awamutu the other day and he said 'good on you Mum for sticking up for your self '."
Metrowater communications manager Sharon Buckland say unless customers have a case before the disputes tribunal they will have their water cut off if they don't pay their bills.Water Pressure Group's Jim Gladwin says "more than 500 people have joined the wastewater boycott."
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