Copyright © 1995 Brian Harmer
Easter is upon us, and the break is great, no matter what the weather. Typically the weather has been extremely variable this week. On Monday and Tuesday, a complex weather system brought strong winds to the entire country, and "severe gales" in the Cook Strait area. No significant damage reported, though driving on the Hutt Road was more of pain than usual.
Thursday, Mary and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with lunch at the Cobar restaurant in Day's Bay on the Eastern side of the harbour. The bad weather had not entirely passed, and as we sat down, the scene was grey with sullen waves dumping on the beach across the road from our table. The city glistened in the aftermath of recent rain. A lone swimmer waded into the sea and swam lazily to the wharf and back. Then the distant cityscape just disappeared behind a new wall of rain. The sea went flat and milky, and the silver blue curtain of rain marched across the harbour, taking the little East-West ferry and then Somes Island from view. We watched fascinated as a veritable waterfall came towards us, changing the colour of the sea, and battering the waves into submission. Not since a downpour in Singapore have I heard such a din. The tables on the verandah slid towards the rails under the force of the squall, and the hapless waitresses had to brave the rain to stop them heading for the street.
As they say, if you don't like Wellington's climate, wait twenty minutes, and it will change.
Walter Little, second five-eighth for the All Blacks set some kind of record as the first All Black to be banned for taking a banned substance. A random test in Durban, South Africa, revealed the prohibited substance, propoxyphere. The chemical is an ingredient of the pain killer Digesic which was prescribed for Little by the team doctor, for tooth-ache. The drug is banned for its addictive properties rather than any performance enhancement. Despite the fact that the team doctor prescribed the drug, the NZRFU suspended him for two matches. The tribunal pointed out that the drug was explicitly mentioned on a list of banned substances which both the doctor and all top class athletes had access to.
The discovery of three male Papaya fruitflies in Auckland caused consternation among fruitgrowers around the country, who feared export restrictions would follow evidence of infestation. A week long search of traps revealed no further evidence of the pest.
It is suspected that the flies came in on undeclared fruit with an airline passenger.
Despite public opinion polls which indicate something like 86% of Wellingtonians don't want such a thing, a Wellington company has applied for town planning permission to build a casino and hotel on the property where the old Odlins warehouse now stands next to the Cable Street Ambulance depot(which is now a popular bar).
140 submissions oppose the application and three support it. Among the concerns voiced are that the building is out of scale with its neighbours, and that it presents some unacceptable dangers in the way it is integrated with the waterfront.
(We Wellingtonians prefer that such vulgar pursuits are kept in Auckland or Australia :-) BH)
Motorists slowed to a crawl near the ferry terminal this morning (April Fool's day) as a pod of killer whales appeared to have beached itself near the motorway. Pranksters had attached plastic dorsal fins to wooden floats and anchored them to the seabed. The resultant traffic chaos did not amuse police.
The Free Kindergarten association instructed its members to ensure that any hot cross buns served in kindergartens prior to Easter should have the crosses removed out of sensitivity to other religions.
(I have to hope that those who would be so offended have declined to take the holiday - BH)
Despite allegations of demagoguery and appealing to the "Archie Bunker" faction, the anti-immigration campaign mounted by NZ First leader Winston Peters has paid off royally in the polls. According to a TV3-CM poll, National now leads with 41% support, Labour has 26% and NZ First has taken votes from the Alliance to come third with 16%. The Alliance has slumped to 8%. Peters now tops the preferred prime minister poll with 25% compared with 18% for Jim Bolger.
Mr. Peters has continued to criticise immigration policies on the basis of his reading of permanent arrival statistics. Other sources have pointed out that those figures are distorted by returning New Zealanders, and that NZ has a net immigration outflow. Particular attention has been focussed on wealthy Asians in Auckland's Eastern suburbs, and in an ugly new turn, letterboxes have been destroyed and bricks have been thrown through the windows of the houses of Somali refugee families.
(Oh my country! I grieve over this obscenity - BH)
COUCH POTATOES UNITE!
(sorry - bad journalism, but couldn't resist! - BH)
Ratepayers in the wider Wellington region are mounting something of a revolt against the proposal of the Wellington Regional Council to strike a rate to fund the proposed sports stadium on the former railyard on Aotea Quay. They argue that the stadium is a private development and should form no part of the core business of the local bodies involved. They also attacked the validity of the survey in which citizens were polled, saying that the surveyors did not go beyond the person who answered the phone, even if it was child in some cases.
Headlines in the print and broadcast media report that the 14K triad from Hong Kong were seeking to hire one of New Zealand's Maori gangs to kill a senior police officer. A detective sergeant specialising in New Zealand Asian crime links is reportedly the target of the "hit" which is priced in the region of $150,000. Investigations are taking place in Auckland and Hong Kong.
Han Sangyoon, second officer of the Korean bulk carrier, "Pan Grace" has been charged in Korea with neglect of safety measures which resulted in the ship running down the 14 metre American yacht "Melinda Lee" on November 24, 1996. Michael Sleavin, 42, his son Benjamin, 9, and daughter Anna, 7, were killed in the crash. Mrs. Judith Sleavin survived, and drifted ashore on a life float.
The charge has resulted from analysis of paint chips on the ship's bow. Reports from Korea have revealed unwillingness to cooperate with other international maritime investigative agencies, and a general reluctance to bring charges. It is reported by analysts that if convicted, Han Sangyoon will not face any severe penalty.
At the end of the first quarter, the road toll stands at 116, the lowest in 17 years. Last year, the figure was 149, and in the worst year, 208.
Police attribute the drop to a number of initiatives such as increased use of speed cameras, the involvement of the wider community in reporting traffic offenses, and the programme to target drink-drive re-offenders.
The Engineers' Union have mounted a high profile campaign of half page advertisements in the national dailies and on TV, saying that the public was duped into giving up the right to sue in return for the Accident Compensation Scheme. They say the government has steadily eroded the benefits of the ACC and that they have "welched" on the social contract. They invite people who agree with them to clip coupons saying as much and send them to the Engineers' Union, National Office, Level 11, 178-172 Willis St. Wellington
Just one month after giving assurances that he had decided to remain loyal to the National party, Heretaunga MP, Peter McArdle has transferred to Winston Peters' NZ First party. Labour's Jack Elder also joined forces with Mr. Peters today, thus making the National Party's ability to govern more tenuous than ever. They now depend on the ever unpredictable Ross Meurant, and Trevor Rogers. In both cases, the Prime Minister depends more on their dislike of the other parties than on any affinity with National. Mr. Bolger still hopes to continue governing until a general election in November, and does not plan to call a snap election.
Despite their lowest level of public support in several years (8%) the Alliance are saying that the government should do just that.
For the second time in six months, the Commerce Commission chaired by economist, Alan Bollard has vetoed an attempt by Air New Zealand to buy a 50% stake in Ansett, the Australian parent of its principal competitor, Ansett New Zealand. DR Bollard used his casting vote to swing the split decision against Air New Zealand. The decision says to approve the proposal would give Air NZ almost total control of the NZ domestic market.
An armed robber attempted to rob the depot of the Birkenhead Bus Company on Auckland's North Shore, but went away frustrated when he could not make the short sighted women behind the counter realise that he was attempting rob her. In a scene worthy of Mr. Magoo, the robber indicated his mask and gun, but she could see neither clearly, in did not grasp what he wanted. He escaped dissatisfied on his motorcycle.
The Forestry Corporation's assets are valued at NZ$2.1 billion, and if sold will be the largest state asset disposal since Telecom. A point has been made by Finance Minister, Bill Birch that Maori would be welcome to bid, but would receive no special favours. It should be noted that the corporation does not own the land on which its trees are growing.
Thomas Edward Leigh, 48, a teacher at Warkworth's Mahurangi College was sentenced to 17 years in jail after pleading guilty to 30 counts including rape, sexual violation and indecent assault on 21 young people who were in his care as a teacher. Parents and victims were bitter at the leniency of the sentence. Confusing reports of his attitude variously indicate that he is contrite, or that he says that much of the blame lies with his victims.
Locals do not understand American TV star David Letterman's sense of humour according to reactions to the interview he did with young New Zealand Oscar winner, Anna Paquin. He offered US$10,000 if she could shoot a basket in his studio. After many other show business guests had failed, the young Hutt Valley thirteen year old took a firm grip on the ball, and shot neatly into the basket. The studio audience went wild, and Letterman handed over the wad of money. As she was leaving the studio, staff relieved her of the cash, saying that it was all a joke. She had no contract and this was a comedy show after all... she didn't expect to keep the dough did she? Jeez!
The publicity obviously embarrassed the show, so the $10,000 was eventually donated to the "Make A Wish Foundation" in Anna Paquin's name.
In a game which from the beginning looked as if it was going down the gurgler for the Kiwis, the New Zealand team were dismissed for a paltry 158 runs. Against the run of other games this season in which they have batted well and fielded badly, the team then went on to dismiss the Windies for 154.
The locals seem to have subsequently got their own back, when the team went to St. Vincent for its next game, none of their luggage arrived at the airport, including captain, lee Germon's contact lenses.
(a correspondent in Scandinavia asked me if there were any other sport than Rugby and Cricket, and why didn't I report it? Heck, I barely recognise them as a significant human activity :-) - BH)
$89 million was the price paid by the successful consortium for Radio New Zealand's commercial stations. Wilson and Horton, publishers of the NZ Herald are the New Zealand face of the partnership which includes Australian and American organisations. The consortium promises increased NZ music content, and the continuation of the popular "Sports Roundup" programme.
The retrial of Victoria Calder accused of the poisoning of Professor David Lloyd with acrylamide drags on in the Christchurch. Prosecution and defense have each produced expert witnesses who have given conflicting evidence on the issue of acrylamide in the blood. Defence counsel, Judith Ablett-Kerr QC has asserted that the crown has not even proved that the professor was poisoned. DR Maurice Owen, the defence's expert witness has been subject to rigorous cross-examination for several days after he criticised the procedures carried out by crown witnesses, despite the fact that these were the procedures he himself recommended at the earlier abortive trial.
(There were no newspapers on Good Friday - BH)
Official predictions indicate that within three years, population changes will require a further 3,700 teachers and 5,000 new classrooms. New Education Minister Wyatt Creech, for whose benefit the briefing was prepared, says the growth in demand seems to have "snuck up" on New Zealand.
(Teacher organisations ROTFL - that's net jargon for Roll on the Floor Laughing - BH)
For the second successive year, garden Centres have defied the law which requires all but a few kinds of shop to close on Good Friday. The Labour Department inspectors noted all the shops which defied the law, intending to bring prosecutions, despite the conviction and discharge of many last year which a judge described a s technical breach.
Current Labour Law requires all but a few classes of shop (not including garden centres) to close on Christmas Day, the morning of Anzac day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
The Kahurangi National Park, to the North West of Nelson is to be gazetted soon. The park includes 450,000 hectares of forest and limestone country. It extends from the Buller River to the base of Farewell Spit.
Date: 4 April 1996 Brian Dooley, Wellington, NZ CURRENCIES To Buy NZD 1.00 US 0.6874 UK 0.4506 AU 0.8782 CD 0.9331 JP 73.60 DM 1.0205 FR 3.4785 INTEREST RATES Call : 9.00 90 Day: 9.02 To buy NZ Investment Trust: 21 June 1993 $4.09 Today $5.87
Easter Monday is Fine with a light Southerly breeze, straight from Antarctica, and though I am looking out at a sunny landscape, I am wrapped up in woolly jersey and considering turning on a heater.
See you next week.
Brian M Harmer - Department of Communication Studies
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
email brian.harmer@vuw.ac.nz http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~bharmer
How can I be sure I succeeded
if I can't remember what I was trying to do? - Ashleigh Brilliant
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