In challenging times, it's great to know New Zealand's civic leaders throughout the nation show the way with innovative solutions to our cities' issues.

Take the mayor of North Shore, for instance, who has such a concern for the wellbeing of the public foliage in times of drought that he's ensuring Every Drop Counts.
Some people of course have taken a dim view of Mr Williams' dedication to nurturing and nourishing. Funny, though, when legendary motorcyclist Bert Munro was depicted offering the same drought relief to his citrus trees, it was somehow considered quirky, resourceful and even amusing.

Who is Nicholas?
In more trivial news, I was recently invited to a five-year-old's birthday party, which is surprising, since most of the parties I've been invited to lately have been political parties.
Still, the level of maturity was on a par, if not slightly better at the five-year-olds. The name calling was more advanced and the games were way better.
I was thrust into a position of responsibility fairly quickly, being the ‘weird old guy with the scissors.' This is quite a major role at a birthday party these days, because the Old Guy with the Scissors is required to help extract the birthday presents from the copious amounts of packaging that accompanies toys these days.
Such items apparently need to be strapped to cardboard packs with wires and cable ties; supported by plastic formed shapes to prevent movement during shipping or vigorous shaking while gift wrapped; enclosed in shrink wrap plastic; then all packed in a cardboard box, for good measure. Presumably this is so Barbie doesn't sue anyone in the event of her getting flattened in transit. But looking at her body shape, there's little left to flatten.
The most concerning aspect of the Barbie unpackaging, however, was the discovery that Fashionista Barbie has no underwear.
I hasten to add, that this discovery was made purely accidently while wrestling with her packaging and bondage; in no way was The Old Guy with the Scissors deliberately looking anywhere intimate on Barbie's person. Although the discovery did lead to a thorough strip search by the entire group of astonished party-going parents.
It was unanimously decided that this is the sort of pantless, skanky dress standards that got Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and even Donald Duck into trouble. I would have thought better of Barbie, in this PC world of ever-increasing standards of health, safety and rules.
If you can't rely on Fashionista Barbie to set some dress standards, who can you trust?
But as Mayor Williams now knows, you don't even have to lose your underpants completely to get into a lot of strife these days.
Unlike Barbie who was completely bereft of undergarments, Andrew Williams only had to loosen his drawers for a few moments, Right Here, Right Now in the wrong place, to end up in serious trouble.
Maybe the North Shore mayor was inspired by the new rugby song. Speaking of which, as long as we dont have to listen to any more Dave Dobbyn, we don't care what song they play for the rugby. Tiny Tim tip-toeing through the tulips would be preferable to being subjected to yet another whining (or whaling) of Loyal.
Perhaps since NZ has failed miserably to recapture the cup so many times, a more desperate theme song is more appropriate.
U2 could probably assist with 'We Still Haven't Found What We're Looking For” or maybe the Stones could crank out a Kiwi version of 'Can't Get no Satisfaction.”

Testing times
Your outpourings of emotions on the Moro issue has truly touched us, here at RR Headquarters. From letters to cartoons, phone calls, text messages and, probably most impressive of all, the offer from one woman to name her yet-to-be firstborn, 'Morogers Moronz The Third.”
The response from Cadbury Moro has been equally moving – with the induction of Rogers Rabbits into their official Moro Bar Taste Test Panel.
It's the most illustrious award I've received, not counting the nomination (every week) by Reader's Digest to win vast amounts of lottery money; and the infamous 25 yards swimming certificate.
I shall endeavour to uphold the highest standards of chocolate appreciation on your discerning behalf.
Well, at least try not to get any on my shirt.