Copyright © 1995 Brian Harmer
This week, I have had my mother visiting us, and on one
wild and wet day, I decided we should get out of the house.
We set out on SH2 over the Rimutaka hill, and down into
Featherston, where we paused for a look at the Fell Railway
museum, and the adjacent museum which details the history
of the military base at Featherston. Of course most public
attention is focussed on the Japanese POWs who were shot
there but there is more to it than that. However, we moved
on from there and after a pleasant lunch at a trendy
restaurant in Greytown, decided to make the trip to Ngawi
and beyond. The pleasant back road from Greytown to
Martinborough passes through rolling pastoral land which
was delightfully green at this time of year. In seasons of
drought, this area is bleached white and dry. From
fashionable and over-priced Martinborough, we took the road
south to Lake Ferry and Pirinoa. The weather came and went,
and as we reached Pirinoa, an intense hailstorm clattered
on the windscreen and gave me pause as to the wisdom of
continuing. However, the cloud passed and as the road came
near to Whangaimoana, we had a view of the waves thundering
in to Palliser Bay, row on row of foaming white waves. The
road hid the sea from view for a while, until at last the
road dropped down to the coast near Putangirua where the
sandstone pinnacles are to be found. Ironically, the
spectacle of the view was not easily enjoyed by the driver
since the road signs warn in increasingly shrill terms of
the need for extreme care as the road traverses an active
slip. Indeed in recent times, the local school bus operator
has stopped and required the kids to walk the dangerous
section so as not to carry a busload of them with the bus
in the event of the road's collapse. Once past the
slippery grey sandstone and the heavy machinery striving to
restore a more or less normally safe road, we were down at
sea level, on a gravel road pinched between the sea and the
narrow strip of flat farmland which butts against the
southern walls of the Aorangi Mountains. Eventually we came
to the tiny but picturesque settlement of Ngawi, where all
the world's old bulldozers come to earn their keep in their
last days by launching the village's fishing vessels down
the steep pebbly beach. Each boat is nestled in a steel
framed trailer attached to one of these old tracked
vehicles by a massively long tow bar. Rust is everywhere,
but the cradles and their tow bars are so massively
constructed as to make this unimportant. A few kilometres
on the road crosses a tumbling stream and passes by Black
Rocks (the name of a place on the map). From there on, in
conditions that can only be described as wild and majestic,
thundering waves hurled themselves to shreds on the jagged
rocks which emerged dripping and triumphant from the
backwash of each new blast. And right next to the road, on
the arm green grass were dozens and dozens of NZ Fur Seals.
As the car went past, they lifted a bleary eye, and yawned,
close enough to reveal sharp yellow teeth and the fishiest
case of halitosis you could wish for. A little further on
is the lighthouse on the headland above Cape Palliser. The
end of the public road means that the only option from
there is to turn and go back the way we came.
(Apologies for the lapse in posting last week, but life got
busy, and something had to give! - BH)
All news items (except where noted otherwise) are
reproduced by kind permission of copyright owner, IRN Ltd.
Any text above this point, and all subsequent material in
parentheses, and concluded with the initials "BH" is the
personal opinion of Brian Harmer as editor of this
newsletter, or occasionally "HH" will indicate an opinion
from Helen.
In all cases they are honest expressions of personal
opinion, and are not presented as fact.
This week's formatting is sponsored by a donor in New
Jersey who chooses to remain anonymous. Thanks, good
friend.
On with the news:
(Sorry about the lack of Monday, my computer has been a bit
bung lately. - HH)
Home mortgage interest rates look set to become less volatile as a result of an agreement signed by the Government and the Reserve Bank today. The Policy Target Agreement is the Bank's instrument for controlling inflation and is more flexible than the last one. New Reserve Bank Governor Dr Alan Bollard does not believe the new agreement will make the bank more popular, a view shared by his political boss Michael Cullen. The new target will mean from time to time the upper limit will be breached and Dr Cullen acknowledges it will also force the bank to look more into its crystal ball. He says it is not the bank's job to be popular as it does not have to win votes. Meanwhile, the Bank of New Zealand thinks the change at the top of the bank will make as much difference to how the Reserve Bank handles inflation as the new Policy Target Agreement. BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander believes the new inflation targets will not make much difference. He expects Dr Bollard to take a more considered approach that he hopes will deliver superior economic outcomes. Dr Bollard officially takes over on Monday.
The Building Industry Authority denies the report into the leaking building problem has been modified before being released to the public. The report was commissioned by the authority after hundreds of recently built homes, mainly in Auckland, were found to be defective, leaking and rotting. The lengthy report has been reviewed by the Government and today was made public with 20 recommendations on how to prevent a repeat of the crisis. Authority chief executive Bill Porteous says allegations that it left out a recommendation on compensation for the home owners from the Government are totally untrue. He says their job now is to act on what the report recommends and deal with all parties involved in construction so the changes can be implemented. Meanwhile, Internal Affairs Minister George Hawkins says court action over the leaking building crisis can be avoided if people are prepared sit down and talk through the issues. Mr Hawkins says a meeting has been organised with all the industry players and he hopes some solutions can be reached. He says if people talk they will be able to solve the problem.
(To set the scene, many modern homes in New Zealand have suffered from various forms of decay due to defective weatherproofing. I think the cause is a combination of architectural styles inappropriate to New Zealand's climate, and insufficient detailing around places where water can get in to ensure a dry dwelling ... estimates of the problem have ranged between $12 Million and $400 Million - BH)
Iraq's decision to re-admit UN weapons inspectors has had an immediate effect on world markets, although New Zealand has been slow to benefit. Crude oil dropped in price to $28. 32 a barrel in after-hours futures trading, a drop of more than four-and-a-half percent. Analysts say the market had been working on the assumption that war was imminent, bringing oil prices up by $4-$5 a barrel. Gold has fallen by more than $3 thanks to a reduction in the need for a so- called 'safe haven' for investments. Tokyo's Nikkei stock average has jumped by more than 3 percent, while Australia's ASX is up by more than 0. 6 of a percent. The SE40 - which has been relatively unaffected throughout the crisis - has risen very slightly. The Australian dollar has jumped back above 55 US cents but the New Zealand dollar has dropped slightly to 47 US cents.
Meat and wool levies will be collected and administered by a single body in future. Sheepco's Mike Petersen and Meat New Zealand's Jeff Grant have signed an agreement on behalf of their respective boards to establish a new organisation to do the job. The two chairmen say this is a significant step forward for sheep and beef farming in New Zealand. In their joint statement, the organisations say Farmers have been telling them they want a single organisation managing all levies related to sheep, cattle and goat farming. Jeff Grant says the move makes sense as the two organisations share, by and large, a common constituency. Mike Petersen says a single organisation will be able to manage investment of the various levy streams more efficiently while still accounting for how each levy has been spent. He notes that a single organisation also means significant savings in overheads. A single process of farmer consultation and business planning will lead up to a farmer vote around the middle of next year over the future of beef, sheepmeat and wool levies.
The Government has executed a u-turn today on the decision to ditch two Maori Affairs select committee inquiries. Last week Labour's three MPs on the committee voted not to continue with the inquiries into the Waitangi Fisheries Commission and the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. Opposition MPs were unhappy about the decision and had sought to have the inquiries picked up again. Today Prime Minister Helen Clark has announced the inquiries will continue. She says in particular the committee should finish its inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. She says it is close to the end of its oral hearings and is not far off being able to finish a report.
(The reversal was due to the government not having a majority on the Maori Affairs Committee, and the other members would have forced the change if the chairman had not elected to do so - BH)
A crater at a thermal attraction six kilometres out of Taupo is erupting. The main crater at the Craters of the Moon is spewing ash and pumice forcing Conservation Department staff to close a section of the walking track. The eruption has opened up two blow holes. It has thrown pumice up to 200 metres and coated the walking track in 25 centimetres of ash. The department is seeking advice from geologists on whether any further action is necessary. Around 100,000 people visit Craters of the Moon every year.
The government is getting a grilling over the way New Zealand's youngest killer was looked after. National MP Nick Smith says it was completely inappropriate for 13-year old Bailey Junior Kurariki to have been receiving education by correspondence. Kurariki was yesterday sentenced to seven years in prison for the manslaughter of pizza delivery man Michael Choy . He was twelve when he took part in the ambush of Mr Choy. Dr Smith says the government should have established special residential schools for children like Kurariki. Social Services Minister Steve Maharey is defending the way the teenager was managed. He says Dr Smith's argument has the benefit of hindsight. Mr Maharey says correspondence school is an appropriate place to put a young person who is continually skipping school.
The Prime Minister is defending her view that Foreign Affairs officials misled Prime Minister Bill Rowling over the invasion of East Timor in 1975. Official papers from the time show New Zealand turned a blind eye to the invasion at its outset. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Frank Corner has accused Helen Clark of trying to rewrite history by blaming the incident on officials. But Miss Clark says officials gave Bill Rowling advice to issue a press statement in November of 1975 that there was no confirmation of an invasion. However she says that was not the case as the Ministry received a secret cable in late October 1975 that there was an invasion. She says that was not fair on Mr Rowling.
(I fear it is even more unfair on good civil servants like Mr Corner, and most accounts I have seen tend to support the view that the decision to turn a blind eye to the invasion was made by Mr Rowling against the advice of officials - BH)
Another teenager has been charged with murder. The 16-year- old has been arrested in connection with the killing of Rotorua woman Tanya Burr. The teen was charged at the Porirua police station this evening. The body of the 21- year-old was found by her flat mate yesterday morning. Police say Ms Burr suffered a frenzied attack and was stabbed several times in the back, neck, chest and abdomen.
An admission from an author of a report into rotting new homes, that in some cases greed is the reason corners were cut during construction. A report has been released today on the problem. Former State Services Commissioner Don Hunn is one of three asked to look into the matter on behalf of the Building Industry Authority. He says while there are a number of reasons why this has happened, in some cases there are corners which have been cut. Don Hunn says other problems include design faults and the materials used. He admits they still do not know how widespread the problem is. He says part of their task was to see how big the problem is but concedes that is nearly impossible because the problem is literally hidden in the walls of affected buildings and people are reluctant to come forward out of a fear that real estate prices will fall. Mr Hunn says there are also confidentiality agreements which prevented them from getting all of the required information. There are 20 recommendations in the report. Building Industry Authority chief executive Bill Porteous says his organisation will now be working with all those concerned to prevent this type of thing from happening again.
A fashion commentator believes Hugh Wrights has been swamped by lifestyle clothing outlets, leading to its demise. The men's clothing chain has today gone into receivership. The 98-year-old brand has 19 stores around the country. Fashion industry consultant Paul Blomfield believes Hugh Wrights lacked the ability to adapt to a changing market. He hopes the Hugh Wright brand is picked up and relaunched as it leaves a gap in the market for a well-priced men's suit. Receiver Rob Pardington agrees the company had difficulty adjusting to a changing market but says there was no one single reason for its demise. He says there were several factors which combined in bringing down the firm.
Three top executives from the American investments manager Perry Corporation have been told they must turn up in person to give evidence to a New Zealand court. The court has ordered the three executives to give evidence in the on-going case brought against Perry Corp by another investment company, Guinness Peat Group, over shares in the forestry company Rubicon. GPG claims that Perry Corp did not reveal the full extent of its holdings in Rubicon during the acrimonious battle over the Central North Island Forestry Project. GPG claims Perry has, as a result, failed to comply with New Zealand's Takeovers code. The judge in the case has decided the evidence to be given by the Perry executives is so important, that it must be given in person rather than via a video link from the United States.
The Government has today defended its justice policy from opposition claims that it is soft on violent criminals. Acting Justice Minister Lianne Dalziel told Parliament the fact that killers can now receive a sentence of less than life makes sense. She cited the case of an elderly man who killed his wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease as the result of a death pact. Ms Dalziel says man got an 18 month jail term, whereas under the old law he would have got life for murder.
A grim picture of a neglected childhood has been painted by Daniel Luff's lawyer in the High Court at Palmerston North today. The 17-year-old received a life term prison sentence with a 17-year non-parole period for the fatal shooting of Feilding police officer Duncan Taylor. Luff shot Detective Constable Taylor dead, and injured his partner, Detective Jeanette Park, during a hostage drama at a farmhouse near Rongotea in July. Mr Taylor's body lay outside the farmhouse for several hours until the stand-off was resolved. The Crown had been asking for a minimum 20 years, saying that a message needed to be sent about the killing of a police officer. Luff was also sentenced to ten years in prison for the attempted murder of Detective Park, along with five years for shooting at another officer during the standoff, and seven years for two charges of kidnapping regarding the two occupants of the farmhouse who were held hostage. He will also serve sentences of five years and two years on burglary charges. The sentences will be served concurrently. His lawyer Roger Crowley says that despite Luff's parents being addicted to drugs and in and out of prison, he had done remarkably well. Mr Crowley says Luff was reunited with his mother when he was eight, but he himself took on the role of parent. Background references described Daniel Luff as a polite, single-minded, intense and dedicated student who caused little trouble. The first example of a normal family life was given to him when he became involved with Stephanie Cocker - whose family owned the farmhouse where the siege drama took place in July. Mr Crowley says Luff became obsessive and made a failed attempt at suicide after Stephanie broke-off their relationship. His behaviour then turned to aggravated burglaries - which was where Duncan Taylor stepped in to try to help. Police say the sentence received by Luff is irrelevant. Central Districts commander Mark Lammas says it is police policy not to comment on prison sentences. He says for varying reasons the sentence is not significant, although he concedes others will have a different view as they try to move on with their lives.
The National Party is denying Bill English offered his resignation as party leader. Labour's deputy leader Michael Cullen claimed in Parliament today Mr English had become so despondent he put his resignation on the table at the party's caucus meeting yesterday. He claims Mr English asked if any of his colleagues wanted the job, but no one put their hand up. Dr Cullen says that is no surprise, given there is no one in National who is suitable. However, a spokeswoman for Bill English says Dr Cullen's claims are complete and absolute rubbish. She says the leadership issue did not even come up at the meeting.
Fletcher Building has announced what it is calling 'a significant expansion' into Australia. The company is set to purchase The Laminex Group, Australia's leading manufacturer and marketer of decorative laminates and decorated woodpanels for use in commercial and residential applications. The agreed price for the acquisition is $754 million, and is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. Fletchers' Chief Executive Officer Ralph Waters says the purchase will provide Fletcher Building with a substantial and high-quality exposure to the Australian residential and commercial building industries. It is understood Fletchers has been working on the deal since April. Mr Waters says Laminex has performed very strongly, and has export markets in Asia and a manufacturing and marketing position in New Zealand. Its brands include Laminex, Formica and Formex. The company has six production facilities spanning the eastern and western states of Australia, and one plant in New Zealand. It has a national distribution network of 43 outlets in Australia, including 30 specialised service centres, and distribution throughout New Zealand. Funding for the acquisition is by a combination of bank debt and a placement of 43. 7 million shares to institutional investors in New Zealand and Australia. Trading on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges was suspended at the company's request today, pending the Laminex announcement and the book-building process for the placement.
Students claim banks are discriminating against customers with student loans when it comes to deciding who gets a home loan. The New Zealand University Students Association says that some banks are rejecting applications for mortgages based on the size of graduate's student loan debt. The Banking Ombudsman and the Government say that the size of a loan debt should not be taken into account when seeking finance. However the Students' Association's research shows that student loans had been a factor for 51% of respondents when finance was declined. NZUSA Co- President Andrew Campbell says it is fair that graduates should disclose that they have a student loan but they should not have to reveal the size of it. He says at the moment, graduates are being given less of a chance to buy a house or start a business. Mr Campbell says it is hard enough to save for a deposit on a house when 10% of your income over $15,000 is going on your debt, without having a home loan refused as well.
National is demanding a public inquiry into the leaky homes crisis. A report by the Building Industry Authority this week found multiple causes and made recommendations to prevent it happening again. National's Housing spokesman Wayne Mapp says a full inquiry should look at building codes, standards and the issue of compensation. He says it is unreasonable to expect home owners to spend around $20,000 pursuing a case through the courts. However, the Government is telling people to go to law to decide who pays. The Consumer's Institute is promising owners of shoddily-built homes it will lobby on their behalf, even though house purchases are not covered by the Consumer's Guarantees Act. Institute spokesman, David Russell says he has read the Building Industry Authority report. . He is pleased with what he has seen but feels it fails to address the problems facing current owners and their push for compensation. Meanwhile, the finger is being pointed at Treasury over the rotting homes crisis. An eastern Bay of Plenty building inspector says the problem goes back to Treasury's desire to lower the cost of home-building, and the 1991 Building Act. Blair Wilmshurst says making the building code less restrictive on materials and techniques was cost-driven. He says while everyone wants better value, sometimes what starts as a lower cost at the beginning becomes a much higher one in the end. Mr Wilmshurst says he has also came across a case of structural steel imported from India and China. He says it was rejected for use on large buildings in Wellington because it failed to meet New Zealand standards. Mr Wilmshurst says a lot of the steel was sent to the provinces where inspectors were not aware of its status. They had to identify it and make sure it was not used for structural components.
Palmerston North police will not be commenting on the sentence imposed on the teenager who killed Constable Duncan Taylor. Daniel Luff received a life sentence today with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. Central District Commander Mark Lammas says police will be making no exception to their policy of not commenting on criminal sentences. He says regardless of the sentence, Melanie Taylor has been left to raise her son Campbell alone. Mr Lammas says he expects the sentence will be reviewed by the Solicitor General as part of the judicial process.
Auckland's Force Entertainment Complex is to get a new name along with a new boss. The name changes reflect the brands of the majority shareholder, Sky City Entertainment Group. The Force Corporation will become Sky City Leisure Ltd, and the Force Cinemas will become Sky City Cinemas. Sky City Metro will be the new name for the Force Entertainment Complex in the central city. Sky City Entertainment Group Managing Director Evan Davies says the new names add to the positive recognition the organisation has already developed in New Zealand and overseas. The new brands will be phased in over coming months. Mr Davies has also announced the appointment of Wellington-based corporate lawyer, company director and arts administrator David Gascoigne as Chairman of Sky City Leisure. He is the Chairman of the New Zealand Film Production Fund and a previous Chairman of the New Zealand Film Commission and has been awarded a CBE for his services to New Zealand film. Sky City Leisure Limited is also consolidating its ordinary shares on the basis that 25 existing ordinary shares will be consolidated into one new ordinary share. The consolidation will reduce the number of shares on issue from the current approximately 155 million to approximately 6. 2 million, assuming no further shares are issued in the interim.
One politician appears to have encountered the leaky building crisis first hand. The Government Administration Committee has today been asked by the Minister of Internal Affairs George Hawkins to investigate the leaky building crisis. But New Zealand First MP Winston Peters asked Mr Hawkins this afternoon if the inquiry would extend to his party's own offices at Parliament. He says the 16th floor in Bowen House - which is part of Parliament - is leaking like a sieve. Mr Peters says one room collected half a bucket of water alone this morning. Mr Hawkins says he is not aware of any leaks in Bowen House.
The lawyer representing a Cambodian woman who gave birth to a Downs syndrome baby eleven months ago says the child is central to his case to let her stay here. Chantou Lim arrived in Nelson in 1999 with her teenage daughter and applied to stay here as a refugee and then as a permanent resident; both applications have been turned down. Her son is able to stay behind if she is forced to leave as he is a New Zealand resident because he was born here, but the woman is unlikely to want to do that. Her lawyer, Stephen Zindal says his main concern is for the welfare of the baby, and what will happen if his mother is forced to return as she will take him with her.
Authorities are being asked to nip truancy in the bud, by putting various agencies in the same work-space. The call follows the high profile case of convicted killer Bailey Junior Kurariki, who was out of class from the age of ten. The Napier Truancy Committee wants police youth aid, truancy officers and CYFs working in the same office. Chairman Robert Mortensen says at present it takes too long to identify a problem, and get children back in class. He says the sooner they are off the streets and away from bad influences, the less likely they ?? Robert Mortensen says truancy needs to be elevated in importance, in light of recent high-profile court cases.
The Greens claim New Zealanders are being exposed to chemical residues in meat that are banned overseas because they might cause cancer. Greens' Health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley has told Parliament New Zealand allows two veterinary drugs to be given to pigs and chickens that are illegal overseas. Food Safety Minister Jim Sutton says the two drugs are allowed to be used here, but are managed by appropriate controls and testing. He says our authorities are meticulous in this matter and influenced by pure science rather than campaigns by non-governmental organisations which simply want to cause alarm.
While the bad weather eases off around the country the MetService is forecasting more of the same for the rest of the month. A front has moved across the country today causing heavy rains and strong winds. The weather has created havoc right across the North and South Islands. Worst affected by the rain has been the west coast of the South Island where there has been 200 millimetres of rain in 30 hours. Winds of up to 120 kilometres an hour have caused problems in the upper South Island and lower North island. The strong westerlies are forecast to continue for the rest of the month, while the south west of the South Island is in for more wet weather during that time.
The Maori Affairs select committee has confirmed it will continue its inquiries into two treaty organisations worth almost one billion dollars. Last week Labour's three MPs on the committee voted not to continue with the inquires into the Waitangi Fisheries Commission and the Crown Forestry Rental Trust. Opposition MPs were angered by the decision and Prime Minister Helen Clark responded by saying she would like to see them continue. The Committee met today and agreed to continue with the same inquiry into the Crown Forestry Rental trust as it was almost completed under the last Parliament. However the inquiry into the Waitangi Fisheries Commission will be slightly different. The Committee will hear evidence on its new allocation model and then consider terms of reference for an inquiry.
Confectionery maker Pascall is recalling a batch of marshmallows because there may be tiny metal particles in some. The recall covers 180-gram Family Packs with the batch code 232RThey were sold in supermarkets throughout the North Island. Pascall says customers should return the bags for a refund. Anyone wanting more information should ring Pascall on 0800 184 030
New Zealand is contributing up to 10 defence force personnel to the UN weapons inspection commission to Iraq. The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspections Commission has been established to ensure Iraq complies with Security Council resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. Prime Minister Helen Clark says our medical and communications personnel will be leaving within the next few weeks. She says a member of the New Zealand defence force will go to Vienna early next month to take part in a basic training course for the Commission. Miss Clark says that person will then come home to train the other members of the team before it leaves for Iraq early next month. She says the UN Commission has undertaken to give 60 days notice to contribution.
Police are on the trail of a scam involving fake Chinese driver's licences which are then traded in for genuine New Zealand ones. Advertisements selling the licences are appearing in Chinese language newspapers. Detective Tim Chao of Auckland's Asian Crime Unit says it is difficult to tell the fakes from the real ones, because of language and because not all Chinese licences look the same. He says immigrants come here without a licence but find the New Zealand licensing system is restrictive and lengthy so they look to easy alternatives. They are able to drive around on their fake licences for a year before having to trade it in for a New Zealand one - and because they already own a full license - albeit a fake one - they only have to pass the theory section of the New Zealand test.
Next Wednesday has been declared 'No Internal E-Mail Day'. A document management company which specialises in helping big organisations communicate better with customers won't allow any e-mail messages other than those essential for business operations. Datamail says it wants to highlight and reduce some of the misunderstandings that can and do occur as a result of short, sometimes sharp e-mail messages. It will be enforcing the rule across its four sites and more than 400 staff. Staff members are directed to either pick up the telephone or walk to a colleague's desk to conduct a good, old-fashioned conversation. Messages requiring back up documentation will be faxed. Datamail's chief executive officer Wes Brown says the organisation generates several thousand internal e-mails on an average day, many of which could be replaced by a quick chat. Mr Brown says the day is a bit of fun that encourages people to seriously reflect on the most effective way to communicate.
(A total non-event, I think - BH)
Another New Zealand movie is launching an assault on the all-important US market. The North American rights for South Pacific Pictures' "Whale Rider" have been sold to Newmarket Films, after winning the prestigious AGF People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Previous recipients of the award include "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "American Beauty" and "Life Is Beautiful". "Whale Rider" is written and directed by Niki Caro and adapted from a best-selling novel by Witi Ihimaera. South Pacific Pictures Managing Director John Barnett says Newmarket will ensure Whale Rider is seen by the widest possible audience in North America and he is thrilled to be working with them. Set in a small coastal community, Whale Rider tells the story of a young girl's fight to prove her love, her leadership and her destiny. It was shot on location in Whangara, on the East Coast. Newmarket has been involved with more than 75 features, including such well-known titles as "The Importance of Being Earnest", and "The Usual Suspects".
The depositions hearing for a man accused of murdering his foster child is underway in Hamilton today. Michael Waterhouse is charged with murdering three-year-old Tamati Pokaia, who died in April. The court has heard from a worker at Huntly's Early Childhood Centre. Tamati and his brother Billy attended the centre while in Waterhouse's care. Supervisor Joan Craig says she recalled an instance when Tamati came to the centre with a bruise on his face. She says it was a month or so before his death. The hearing is continuing this afternoon.
The man arrested in connection with an attack on a mother and son in Auckland earlier this month has had his charge upgraded to murder. Forty year-old Zhen Huan Li has made a second appearance in North Shore District Court today. He is charged with the murder of 10-year-old Wenda Zeng who died last week in hospital. Li is also facing a charge of assaulting Wenda's mother Hua Dai. She remains in a critical condition in hospital. Judge Barbara Morris has today remanded Li in custody until the middle of next moth for a pre-depositions hearing.
Two child sex offenders have been dealt with at the High Court in Wanganui today. One was an historic offence, the other has been described by the Judge as depraved and abhorrent. One 39-year-old man has been sent to prison for 14 years for 13 sexual offences against children. Justice Warwick Gendall described the charges as the most disturbing and gross breach of trust. In the other case a 41-year-old man, who committed crimes against a five and an eight-year-old, more than twenty years ago was given 18 months in prison. The offences only came to light in November last year and the judge took into account the historic nature of the charge.
Bad seamanship was the cause of a potentially fatal near- collision between two ships in Tory Channel last year. That is the conclusion of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission's report into the incident involving the Cook Strait freight ferry Arahura and the cargo ship Kent. On the 14th of September at about 3. 30am the ships encountered each other at the eastern entrance to Tory Channel. The outward-bound Kent gave the inward-bound Arahura permission to enter. However the master of the Kent then had trouble maintaining control at low speed and strayed into a restricted navigation area, endangering the Arahura.
A man in his twenties has been charged with murder after a man died in Dunedin. Police were called to a half way house in High Street just before 8am Friday. They then located what is believed to be the weapon used to inflict the fatal wounds. A young man has appeared in court charged with murder and has been remanded in custody.
A controversial name given to a baby boy has been slated as 'emotional abuse' by the Children's Commissioner. Roger McClay has received a complaint about the naming of Triple M Rogue. The name is short for Mighty Mongrel Mob Rogue Chapter. Mr McClay says the inevitable obstacles arising from the name equate to subjecting the boy to psychological abuse. He says parents should not be allowed to give children names that detract from the dignity of the child. Mr McClay is unable to take action over the issue but believes it is time for Parliament to look at setting guidelines for naming children.
(As the Dominion Post pointed out, spare a though for Frank Zappas kids. Not only is there one called Dweezil, but there's also a Moon Unit - I'm not kidding. -HH)
Officials are heading overseas next week to sell Taranaki's deep water petroleum exploration potential. The Government is holding the first auction of the previously unexplored Deepwater Taranaki Basin. Crown Minerals' business manager petroleum Clyde Bennett says they are expecting mostly overseas interest. He says internationally deep water is being seen as the place to go for undiscovered oil and gas reserves. Mr Bennett says because exploration and development of the sites will be expensive, it is likely to be the major international companies that will be interested. Clyde Bennett says the Taranaki sites look promising but until drilling begins the potential is unknown. The promotional roadshow includes stopovers in Houston, London and Singapore.
The National Party is organising a public meeting on the leaky building issue. Housing spokesman Wayne Mapp says the meeting in Auckland this weekend, will give the public an opportunity to have their say. He says a parliamentary select committee inquiry will not address the key issue of liability or give those affected, real answers. Dr Mapp says experts and a prominent lawyer will address the meeting and the public will have the opportunity to ask questions. He says the meeting will also propose an action- plan to deal with the problem. The meeting is being held this Sunday at the Horse & Trap Conference Centre in Mt Eden starting at 2. 30pm. Meanwhile, the Master Builders Federation is calling for a group to be formed to help the owners of homes affected. Federation chief executive Chris Preston says the Parliamentary inquiry announced by the Government yesterday will not help solve the current problem for the home owners. He says he would like to see a mediation service set up for the home owners to at least address the problems they have and get it sorted out.
There is astonishment all round at the results of the latest asthma research. An Otago University study reveals children who have been breast-fed for four weeks or more are twice as likely to develop asthma later in life. The result is not what the researchers expected, and also comes as a surprise to the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation. Chief Executive Jane Patterson says while the research does not lead to any firm conclusions, it is another bit of information that will eventually get the right answers. The common belief that the children of asthmatic parents should not be allowed near animals have also proved to be incorrect. Research team leader Professor Malcolm Sears says in many cases, it is back to square one. He says one thing is for certain, however - smoking around your child can definitely lead to asthma.
Winston Peters has defended his decision not to call the police following an early morning incident where fellow New Zealand First MP Brian Donnelly was attacked. The incident happened outside a Wellington restaurant at about three o'clock on Thursday morning. Mr Donnelly was punched to the ground when he stepped in between a group of young men and his leader Mr Peters. Mr Peters says the group had started hurling abuse at him, which prompted Mr Donnelly to intervene. Winston Peters says the men were a group of "yobbos", and he has no idea what provoked them. He says the incident began with a personal barrage from "a loony tune" in the group. Mr Peters, whose party campaigns on the issue of law and order, says he told the restaurant staff at the time that going to the police was a 'no-win' situation. Mr Peters says he will talk to Mr Donnelly over the weekend and consider whether to lay charges. And Mr Peters adds he has no intention of curbing his fondness for nights out on the town.
A dispute between the makers of Viagra and an Auckland doctor has been resolved, with the doctor paying an undisclosed sum in damages. The doctor has also agreed to conditions laid down by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and will stop bringing in an Indian-made, generic version of the drug, which helps correct erectile dysfunction. Pfizer General Manager Mark Crotty says it is a matter of protecting the company's investment in patents for newly discovered drugs. He says in New Zealand the effective patent life is 15 years, compared with 20 years in other developed countries, including Australia. Mr Crotty says most drugs take up to six years in development before getting to the market, eating into the 15 year patent life.
A chemical truck is on fire in Hamilton and has forced emergency services to close part of the area. Police say the truck is ablaze at the intersection of Normandy and Cobham Drive, and the public is being asked to steer clear of the area. It is not yet known what chemical is involved, but police say the situation is serious. Ambulance officers say no one has been hurt.
The name of a 14-year-old boy who is thought to have drowned near Nelson on Friday night has been released. Mathew Gardiner was reported missing by his family early on Friday evening after he failed to return home from riding his four wheel motorcycle near the Wai-iti River. His bike was discovered in the middle of the river a short time later and a full police search and rescue operation was launched. Searchers discovered the teenager's body about a kilometre down stream from where his four wheel farm bike was found.
The full takeover offer from Auckland electricity network company Vector Limited will be mailed out this week to all United Networks Limited shareholders. The pack contains the offer, United Networks' response and the independent directors recommendation. Most shareholders should receive their copy by the end of this week. VECTOR is offering $9. 90 a share, a price which independent advisers Grant Samuel and Associates says should be considered fair. The price of $9. 90 a share has already been accepted by majority shareholder Aquila in relation to its 70. 19 per cent shareholding. That acceptance is conditional upon Aquila obtaining consents from its banks. With these consents received, VECTOR's full takeover offer will become unconditional, and payment will then be made within seven days to shareholders who have accepted the VECTOR offer. An information hotline for shareholders, 0800 739 739, will operate from Friday. The offer is due to close on 23 October 2002.
A salvage team has spent the day removing up to 800 litres of diesel from a fishing vessel stranded in Mangonui Harbour in the Far North. Zambucca hit McGregor's Rock last night. Harbour master Ian Niblock says workers have managed to contain diesel leaking from the fuel tank and he does not believe any marine life has been damaged. He says most of the diesel has evaporated, or is being cleaned up by absorbent booms.
Local Government New Zealand has put together a proposal to deal with leaky building syndrome. Council representatives from all over the country met in Wellington today to discuss the issue. Local Government chief executive Peter Winder says the meeting has resulted in a package with four key elements. A group of building inspectors would provide a national estimate of the repair costs. A mediation service would be established for home owners to deal with possible liable parties. A special bench of the district court would deal with the litigation. And a community fund would be set up to help those who cannot find a solution. Mr Winder says the proposal will now be put to Government agencies.
The controversial chief executive of the Problem Gambling Foundation, Ralph Gerdelan has been suspended. Ralph Gerdelan has come under fire after the Foundation ran up credit card bills totalling $280,000 in the past year. The Foundation's board told a media conference shortly before 5pm that Mr Gerdelan has been suspended for not adhering to its directive that he not make cash withdrawals. It says Mr Gerdelan made cash withdrawals on two Foundation credit cards amounting to $32,000 between July last year and this August. He has been suspended on full pay while an investigation is carried out. It is hoped an interim chief executive can be appointed by Wednesday.
An Auckland City Councillor says our building industry should take a page from the United Kingdom's book. A Building Industry Authority report shows the problem of leaky buildings is widespread and could cost around a quarter of a billion dollars to fix. Councillor Victoria Carter says homeowners who will not pay for properly treated timber deserve to live in mouldy houses. She wants New Zealand to introduce a building insurance warranty system similar to the one in Britain. She says Council and ratepayers should not have to pay out compensation for the shonky work of fly-by-night builders. She says a warranty would ensure that the people who build a house remain responsible for it afterwards. Victoria Carter says Council must assess the risks of approving permits for people to build "dog boxes" made from untreated timber. She says one builder told her how one client refused to spend an extra $480 on treated timber. She says those people deserve to have a mouldy house, and would like to see Council stop issuing permits for buildings made from untreated timber.
Jim Anderton is welcoming a new survey which shows Kiwibank's star is continuing to rise. Figures released by the University of Auckland business school, show the bank's approval rate has gone from 31 to 43 percent. However the number of people likely to switch to Kiwibank has fallen from 40 to 13 percent. Progressive Coalition leader - and the politician who pushed for the bank to be formed - Jim Anderton says that is not a huge worry and the bank has a lot to celebrate. He says over 500 people are joining every day and the bank attracted 60 thousand customers in six months.
Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with the robbery and bashing of a Paralympic gold-medallist at a property in the Auckland suburb of Mount Wellington. The men are charged with multiple offences, including aggravated burglary, wounding and robbery. Dean Booth won gold at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics in swimming. He was beaten around the head with a baseball bat earlier in the month. His wheelchair-bound girlfriend was in the bedroom during the 90-minute ordeal. It is thought the two men, who allegedly demanded drugs and money, had gone to the wrong address. They will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow.
Enrolment numbers at nursing schools are high but many new graduates are leaving the profession after just a few years. A survey of existing nurses show a third want to leave their job within a year. They blame poor management and under-resourcing. Massey University Professor of Nursing Jenny Carryer is surprised so many people are still enrolling at nursing schools. She says New Zealand does not yet have declining enrolment rates but nurses leave their jobs as soon as they start working. Some years the nursing industry loses up to 60 percent of new graduates.
National is calling for the head of the Problem Gambling Foundation to step down while investigations are carried out into his spending. Ralph Gerdelan has come under fire after the Foundation ran up credit card bills totalling $280,000 in the past year. National's Internal Affairs spokeswoman Judith Collins says Mr Gerdelan should step aside until an investigation has been completed. She says his presence in the office will make it difficult for staff to provide information to the auditors. Ms Collins has also hit out at the Foundation's auditing processes. She says a large portion of its funding comes from the taxpayer and there should have been more regular auditing of how that money was being used.
Act says raising the legal drinking age will not solve the problem of alcohol abuse by young people. A group of senior cabinet ministers is investigating the possibility of raising the age back to 20, after it was lowered to 18 three years ago. But Act MP Gerry Eckhoff says the lowering of the age is not the only reason for the teen drinking problems. He says the introduction of pre-mixed bottles of alcohol mixed with soft drinks and allowing supermarkets to sell wine and beer are also to blame. Meanwhile, an anti- drugs campaigner says young people are killing themselves on tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and pills - in that order. Vesta Boswell of the organisation Pryde Hugs not Drugs says alcohol is still our society's drug of choice, and she would like to see parents who supply their teenagers with liquor made accountable. She says adults have created the unsafe environment in which our children grow up, so it is not the child's problem, but the parent's. Vesta Boswell says she had parents on the telephone in tears when the drinking age was lowered.
Forestry company Rubicon has told Guinness Peat Group Forests Ltd that it is prepared to accept the variation that GPG wants in its partial takeover offer. GPG has asked to amend the form of the partial takeover offer attached to GPG's notice of intention to make an offer dated 28 August 2002. GPG says if it determines to make the offer, then it will dispatch it to Rubicon shareholders on Friday of this week. Rubicon says on this basis, it has advised GPG that it approves the variations. GPG's revised offer would be for 40% of the outstanding Rubicon shares that GPG does not already own at a price of 75 cents per share, conditional on achieving acceptances which would leave GPG holding more than 50% of Rubicon.
Sixty thousand jobs could be under threat across the Christchurch region if Lyttelton Port fails to persuade unions to allow it to provide a round-the-clock service to shipping companies. Lyttelton Port Company says it has initiated bargaining with individual unions covering the separate business units at the port. It says that the priority remains a negotiated settlement to achieve efficient 24/7 services at the container terminal. The Port says its current inability to provide round-the-clock services, particularly at its container terminal, makes it less attractive than other ports. Managing Director David Viles says the port wants to negotiate a new agreement with unions that reflects the needs of the modern shipping world which he says has become increasingly competitive. He says the container terminal business - where most of its workers are employed - is chiefly under threat. Mr Viles says the company believes that negotiations with the Combined Unions all three unions who have negotiated together for all business units are now over. He says it is important for Lyttelton to be an effective port , as 60,000 jobs in the greater Canterbury region are dependent on exports and imports.
The National Party has failed to claw back support since its devastating general election loss. The latest TV3 NFO Opinion Poll shows Labour with 64 percent support, still a long way ahead of National on 25 percent. The Greens and New Zealand First have retained their popularity, on 11 percent and 13 percent respectively. Helen Clark remains far and away the preferred Prime Minister, scoring 42 percent support. Her nearest rival is Winston Peters with 11 percent. In third place is Bill English on eight percent.
Helen Clark has taken another swipe at Robert Mugabe, after another failed attempt to have Zimbabwe suspended from the Commonwealth. Australian Prime Minister John Howard has been blocked in the latest attempt, by the presidents of Nigeria and South Africa. The three countries make up a Commonwealth troika which was formed in March to deal with Zimbabwe. The meeting at which the decision was made was boycotted by an angry Mr Mugabe. Helen Clark says the issue is not going to go away despite the latest setback. She says it is clear Robert Mugabe believes harsher action is on the horizon.
A Chinese man is this afternoon helping Christchurch police with their inquiry into a suspected homicide last night. Police have removed the body of a Chinese woman from the incident scene just off the Summit Road on the Port Hills. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Long says her body was found around eight metres from the road. He says the white Honda Prelude in which she and the man are believed to have been travelling is 80 metres further down the bank. Detective Senior Sergeant Long says the body's location is inconsistent with what they would expect to find in a motor vehicle accident. He says detectives will tonight try to piece together the events that led to the woman's death. A Chinese man is talking to police through an interpreter. Detective Senior Sergeant Long says the man is only helping them with the inquiry so far and he will not refer to him as a suspect. He says further information will be available after a post-mortem examination has been carried out.
A spokesman for a Wellington theatre company says self-help is the key to artistic survival. Creative New Zealand's calling for an extra five million dollars annually for existing and new arts organisations. It comes on the release of post-election briefing papers that emphasise the important role of the arts in our communities. Circa Theatre spokesman Ray Henwood says it is troubling that cultural funding depends on people buying Lotto tickets. He says there must a balance between private and public subsidies.
Put another log on the fire - a cold snap is upon us. The MetService says a front is expected to move northwards through the whole country, bringing with it gale-force winds and bitterly cold temperatures. Forecaster Graham Rye says we should brace ourselves for a brief but chilly spell over the next 12 to 24 hours. He says there will be snow over central and eastern parts of the South Island down to about 300 metres, and in the North Island to 600 metres. On the credit side, the cold front is expected to pass through fairly quickly, with fine weather forecast for Thursday.
(Man how it blew! - BH)
New Zealand First is backing a call to raise the legal drinking age back to 20. A group of senior cabinet ministers are reviewing the 1999 decision to lower the legal age from 20 to 18. There have been widespread calls for the age to be raised because of claims it has given young teenagers easier access to alcohol. New Zealand First MP Ron Mark has introduced a private member's bill to restore the age to 20. His caucus has today backed the bill. Mr Mark says lowering the legal age has proved disastrous with drunken children now on the streets.
Occupational Safety and Health inspectors have been at the scene of last night's chemical explosion in Hamilton. The northern section of Cobham Drive remains closed after a truck and trailer unit laden with chemicals erupted in fire last night. Formaldehyde, pesticides and paint were among the chemicals on-board, some of which spilled into the Waikato river. Waikato's OSH manager Kevin Webby says inspectors will be ensuring the correct paperwork and storage procedures were followed. He says they need to analyse what occurred and see if there is anything they need to be concerned about. The chemicals which have spilled into the Waikato River are potentially fatal. Short-term exposure to one of the known chemicals in the spill, formaldehyde, can result in death. However, the odour threshold is low enough that irritation of the eyes is likely to happen first. Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen and has been linked to nasal and lung cancer. Environment Waikato staff are crossing their fingers that a bunch of dead fish and eels will be as bad as it gets for the Waikato River. The Regional Council is surveying the extent of damage to the river after the chemical spill. Already some dead fish and eels have been discovered in the river near the site of the fire. Environment Waikato spokesman David Stagg says they are hopeful a worst case scenario will not result. He says they are confident most of the chemicals at the site of the spill have been contained and taken from the river. Local authorities downstream of the Hamilton chemical spill have been told to stop taking water from the Waikato River. Environment Waikato water scientist Bill Vant says the slug of contaminated water is making its way down river, but has yet to pass Tuakau where water is taken out for the Auckland supply. He says they have taken the worst case scenario in all their estimations of how dangerous the water could be. Watercare Services says it is not taking any water from the Waikato until it is completely convinced it is safe.
Sky TV's Sundance art-house movie channel is to be re- branded with a kiwi theme. The all-new Rialto Channel is to launch on Sky's Digital platform from November 1, and will feature a mix of movies, documentaries and entertainment programming. The company says the re-brand and re-launch heralds a closer relationship with Rialto Entertainment, the driving force behind the channel's sister cinema chain Rialto Cinemas and independent film distribution company, Essential Films. Founding shareholder Andrew Hawken says the channel is committed to showing proven quality films as well as gems discovered at the festivals around the world. The channel has already scored screening rights to the hit movie "The Blair Witch Project", and the critically acclaimed "Gosford Park". It also plans to screen documentaries such as the most watched documentary series ever to be screened in America, Ken Burns' "Baseball". The channel says it is committed to supporting young New Zealand filmmakers by screening short films from various technical institutes & film schools throughout the country. It will also feature locally made product, such as Christine Jeffs' "Rain" and the 2001 Best Film of the Year, "Snakeskin".
A package put forward by councils to fix the leaky buildings crisis has been branded laudable but misguided. Local Government New Zealand's solution provides for a team of assessors, and mediation to say who pays. It puts the cost of fixing the buildings at $36 million, or around $1700 per home. But the figure has been described as an absurdity by a prominent building consultant. Prendos Founding Director Greg O'Sullivan says it has no basis in proper research. He says the Government must legislate the return of rot-resistant framing.
The Nelson police staffing situation has prompted the local MP to call on the Minister of Police to review the short term transfer of staff out of the region. Nelson is currently dealing with its worst period of crime ever with inquiries underway into two homicides, a serious assault, an aggravated robbery and an indecent assault. That comes at a time when three teams of five local police will each spend five weeks in Auckland assisting to fill gaps in the Northern region. MP Nick Smith says that scheme needs to be re-thought. He is blaming Police Minister George Hawkins for cancelling three police college intakes for the problem and says Nelson is now being affected by that decision.
Mainfreight is commending the actions of one of its truck drivers following the overnight chemical explosion in Hamilton. A large section of Cobham Drive was closed after the truck, laden with a cocktail of chemicals, exploded last night. Mainfreight's Hamilton Branch Manager Alan Allport says the driver called the fire brigade as soon as he realised there was a fire in his unit. He then detached the trailer and drove to safety in the cab. Mr Allport says Mainfreight drivers are specially trained if they are carrying hazardous goods. He says if the truck had been closer to the city there could have been serious consequences. The clean up following the explosion is expected to take several more hours to complete. Firefighters are still at the scene, trying to remove the chemicals from the gutted trailer unit. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Martin Berryman says clean up efforts have been hampered by the cocktail of formaldehyde, pesticides and paint. Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the incident.
The three men charged over an alleged conspiracy to kidnap a Wellington businessman have been further remanded. John Burrett, Simon Phillpott and Matthew Payne were arrested in July and reappeared in the Upper Hutt District Court. Police allege the men concocted an elaborate scheme, including building a bunker in a park north of Upper Hutt where they hoped to hold their intended victim. The trio have all been remanded in custody for a depositions hearing to be held in Wellington on October 29.
Shell New Zealand is to sell part of its stake in the Maui gas field to an Austrian-owned company. Shell had concluded a sale and purchase agreement with OMV New Zealand for 10 % of the Maui Joint Venture, including all associated infrastructure, and the Maui gas contract. OMV NZ is ultimately owned by OMV, Austria's largest listed industrial company, and the leading Central and Eastern Europe integrated oil and gas group. OMV has refining and marketing activities in 12 European countries and international exploration and production activities in 13 countries. Also announced is a separate transaction involving the sale of Shell's 49% joint venture share in the Maari exploration permit and its potential oil field development, also to OMV. The sale of the Maui interest completes the disposal of the physical assets required by the undertaking given to the Commerce Commission when Shell acquired Fletcher Challenge Energy (FCE) in March last year. The sale will see Shell's stake in Maui reduced to 77. 5%, with Todd Petroleum Mining holding 12. 5% and OMV 10%.
Police are on the lookout for a cache of valuable watches, stolen from the Auckland home of yachtsman Brad Butterworth. The Parnell house was broken into on August the 2nd, and a portable safe was stolen. Police believe the break-in was the work of a professional. Inside the safe were several watches, three of which are rare and distinctive, hopefully making them easier to identify. One was a silver Corum watch, engraved on the back with the words "Admiral's Cup 1987". The two other distinctive pieces are Citizen watches, engraved with the words "America's Cup".
The embattled executive director of the Problem Gambling Foundation has resigned. Ralph Gerdelan was suspended while auditors investigated cash withdrawals of $32,000 on Foundation credit cards. The overall credit card bill for the Foundation was up to $280,000 for the past year. Mr Gerdelan was suspended for not adhering to the Foundation's directive that he not make cash withdrawals. The board has been meeting in Auckland this afternoon and has accepted his resignation. In a letter he said he was terribly sorry for any embarrassment he caused the Foundation and acknowledged using cash advances in its credit cards for his own expenses.
The head of the School Trustees Association says children today are not as well behaved as they used to be. A paper at the annual Post Primary Teachers Association meeting shows nearly 500 students were suspended last year for assaulting teachers. Union members say physical and verbal attacks are a widespread problem. STA head Chris France says schools must be internally alert to violent situations. He says students today are less disciplined than in the past because church, God and country are not held in such high esteem. Mr France says top administrators must act as the first line of defence against violence in schools, and it is up to individual schools to ensure both staff and students are safe. He says that begins with school principals and management.
Auckland lines company Vector is to issue up to $350 million in bonds to finance its purchase of United Networks. The offer opens next month and the company says it is confident of strong support. If the takeover goes ahead Vector will own the electricity distribution networks in Auckland and Wellington and Auckland's gas supply system. That will make it the third biggest player in the field, with more than 600,000 customers. The Auckland Energy Consumer Trust has welcomed the announcement. It says if successful, the takeover will see $2. 3 billion in strategic electricity assets come back into New Zealand ownership. Karen Sherry, chairwoman of the AECT, said the transaction represents a triumph for all beneficiaries of the Trust. She says on one hand, this transaction should ensure development of earnings for Vector, with growth over time for the Trust and its income beneficiaries. On the other hand, she says the expansion of Vector's business is good news for the Capital beneficiaries who will eventually be handed over the Trust's investments.
Air New Zealand says 358 passengers on board on one of its flights which had to be aborted, were never in danger. A Boeing 747 bound for Los Angeles returned to London 90 minutes after takeoff from Heathrow. Crew reported loud bangs and excessive temperatures in engine number three. The captain shut down the engine and dumped fuel before the unscheduled landing. Air New Zealand's Managing Director, Ralph Norris, admits that at around 30,000 feet, the experience would have been stressful. He says the airline will work with engine makers Rolls Royce and the Civil Aviation Authority to identify the problem. Mr Norris says Air New Zealand's engine shutdown rate is one-sixth of the worldwide average. Air New Zealand says this is the same plane that recently lost part of a wing flap over south Auckland, but engines are rotated among planes and the incidents are not related.
Anti-smoking group ASH wants Janice Pou's fight to continue after her death. The Invercargill woman, who is taking legal action against two tobacco companies, lost her battle with lung cancer yesterday. The 51-year-old was seeking $300,000 from British American Tobacco and W. D and H. O Wills. ASH director Trish Fraser says if her family approves, the fight should go on. She says Janice Pou's courage has led the way for other New Zealanders. Ms Fraser is urging those considering similar action to support Janice Pou's cause, and start litigation of their own. She says she has confidence in the case and believes Janice Pou could still win. Ms Pou's lawyer, John French, says the case will continue.
(I have yet to find a person who believes the action should be funded by the taxpayer. - BH)
A 16-year-old Gisborne youth has been found not guilty of murder, but guilty of the manslaughter of his sister's boyfriend. Mairangi Niania was 15 at the time of the death of 45-year-old Peter Ropiha, in the driveway of a house in the town in late January. Niania told police he did not get on with Ropiha, whom he said regularly beat up his 16-year- old sister and he wanted him to feel the same pain. He told police he did not intend to kill him. Niania stabbed the victim once in the chest with a butcher's knife as he sat in his car. The knife found the pulmonary artery, causing fatal bleeding. Niania has been remanded in custody for sentencing at the High Court in Gisborne on October 18th.
Six further charges have been laid against a 67-year-old East Coast man, already facing multiple indecency charges involving boys. Gisborne police say the man now faces more than 50 charges relating to acts of indecency committed against boys aged five to 14, in the period from 1966 to 1989. The man has so far pleaded guilty to 45 of the charges against him. Ruatoria District Court has already imposed a suppression order on the man's name, where he lives, and any information relating to the institution where he worked at the time of the offences. He is due back at the High Court in Gisborne tomorrow morning.
A controversial anti-whaling group is in Auckland preparing to face Japanese ships in the Antarctic. Sea Shepherds uses a fleet of vessels to travel the world, shadowing whaling ships. The Farley Mowat is in Auckland Port, due to depart for the Antarctic in early December. Captain and Sea Shepherd president Paul Watson says the group uses any means necessary to stop whaling. He says the ships have hunted down, rammed and sunk whaling ships. Captain Watson claims to be a pacifist, and says he does not believe ramming the vessels constitutes violence.
Canterbury man Kevin Harmer has been sent to jail for at least 14 years. The sentence was handed down to the 48- year-old at around 12. 30pm in the High Court in Christchurch. Harmer was convicted last month of murdering his wife Jillian Thomas, whose body was found in the couple's burnt-out Landrover. This morning, the Crown asked the court for a 15 year minimum non-parole period, saying the killing was brutal and callous. Justice Chisholm agreed with the Crown that there was an element of pre-meditation in the murder, and that the incineration involved dreadful indignities as far as his wife's body was concerned. However Justice Chisholm agreed with Harmer's lawyers contention that Harmer had an outstanding record until the murder took place.
British researchers have discovered potential heart attack victims can be identified as early as in their teens in come cases. The MRC Childhood Nutrition Research Centre in London reports in the Journal of the American Heart Association that it was possible to see changes in the structure of blood vessels due to a hormone called leptin. High levels of the chemical, which regulates appetite and metabolism, have been linked to obesity and damage to blood vessels. In their study of nearly 300 otherwise healthy teens, elevated levels of leptin were found to be associated with the artery walls losing elasticity, which is an early sign of cardiovascular disease. If the artery walls are too stiff, the heart has to work much harder to move blood around the body. The researchers say their study suggests that preventing even moderate obesity in childhood may have a long-term benefit against the risk of heart disease.
A New Zealand family of four is believed to be among six people killed in a plane crash off the North Queensland coast. The six died after their light aircraft crashed and exploded into flames shortly after takeoff from Hamilton Island. The single-engined Piper Cherokee was believed to have been on a charter flight, although details of its destination are unclear. Tracey Nelson from Queensland Police says an American and the Australian pilot also died. "Those on board included four New Zealand citizens, one American citizen and the pilot was an Australian man. Details of the age and sexes of the others on board are not yet available. "Peter Gibson from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority says the cause of the accident is unknown. "At this stage it is impossible to say what caused the accident. Clearly the pilot lost control of the aircraft shortly after takeoff, and the plane unfortunately hit the ground with some impact and exploded into flames, killing the six people on board. ""There are crash investigators on the way to the scene and they will begin their crash investigation in the morning. They will begin by looking at the forensic evidence at the wreckage itself and interviewing all witnesses to start the lengthy process of examining and working out what went wrong. "The crash happened at about 5. 20pm, and weather conditions at the time were described as good. Suzanne Boyd, from Hamilton Resort says the local community is in shock. "It is a horrible time for everybody on the island. It is a very close knit community and everybody is devastated. "Police say it may take some time to formally identify the victims.
Police in Rangitikei now say there were two simultaneous drive-by shootings in the nearby town of Marton this morning. No-one has been injured in either incident, which are believed to be gang-related. One of the incidents happened when a person in a black ute fired at a house, with one shot hitting the house. The other shooting shattered the windows of a car parked in another street in the town. A man in his mid 20s from Marton has been arrested and appeared in the Wanganui District Court late this afternoon. Another man is continuing to be questioned by police. Police are continuing to look for a blue Mirage car, with the registration number JJ 1710, seen in the area at the time.
The country's dairy farmers are applauding the attack on trade subsidies launched by Fonterra CEO Craig Norgate at a meeting in Paris. Mr Norgate was speaking at the International Dairy Federation Symposium in Paris. Dairy Farmers of New Zealand chairman Kevin Wooding says the removal of production and trade distorting subsidies empowers farmers to respond to consumer and market demand and to choose the production system that best suits their skills and farm type. He says trade liberalisation offers New Zealand the prospect of spectacular economic gains. Mr Wooding was cautiously optimistic about Mr Norgate's statement that domestically the outlook for the rest of the season is "encouraging". He says while Mr Norgate's comments are heartening, farmers will not be happy until they have the money in the bank.
A Bay of Plenty police officer says the genie is well and truly out of the bottle, as far as "P" is concerned. "P" is the street name for an extremely pure form of methamphetamine in crystal form that is being successfully pedalled by the gangs. Sergeant Dennis Murphy of Rotorua police says the crystalline substance is smoked and gives the user an instant high. But he says coming down from the highly addictive drug can create psychotic episodes and violence. He says it can also do irreparable damage to the body. He says it is called poor man's cocaine, but the damage that it does is even greater than cocaine.
Bill English says a new tribunal could be dealing with leaky buildings before Christmas. National is proposing the tribunal be set up under the Construction Contracts Bill before Parliament. He wants the bill referred to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee to include the necessary legislation. Mr English says homeowners could choose to go to the courts or to embark on mediation involving all parties. He says if mediation failed a panel would make a binding decision. Mr English says he will be seeking the support of all parties.
New figures show 35 percent of all people have received some income from investments in the previous 12 months. Statistics New Zealand says the average weekly income from all sources was $518, while the average weekly income from investments was $25. This is the first time income from investments has been included in the New Zealand Income Survey. Groups receiving the highest average weekly investment income were those aged 55 years and over, males, and those in the European/Pakeha ethnic group. Those in the 55 to 59 year age group received an average of $66 in income from investments while 15 to 19 year olds received just $1. Males received an average of $29 compared with $22 for females, and those in the European/Pakeha ethnic group received $31 compared with $15 for the 'Other' ethnic group, $3 for Maori and $2 for Pacific peoples. Excluding investment income, the average weekly income for all people from all other sources was $494, an increase of 4. 2 percent on the previous year. Average hourly earnings for those receiving income from wage and salaries was $16. 68, and the median hourly earnings was $14. 50. Average weekly income for all people was highest in the Wellington region at $597, followed by Auckland at $559 and Waikato at $506. The lowest average weekly incomes in the June 2002 quarter were in the Otago region at $432 and the Northland region at $438.
The Consumers' Institute says Telecom's price hike could mean good news for competing phone companies. Telecom is raising costs on some of its Smartphone and operator services in November. Smartphone features include Call Waiting, Call Minding and Caller Identification. The company says the increase is due to increased infrastructure costs and the level of service some calls require. Consumers Institute spokesman David Russell says consumers have a choice of phone providers. He says there are half a dozen alternatives that should offer competitive rates. He says that is particularly true for people who frequently call the same number. He says he has heard Telecom's justifications time and again.
The Auckland pizza worker who was murdered earlier this year during an armed robbery, has been posthumously awarded a degree. The father of Marcus Doig received the Bachelor of Commerce Degree on behalf of his son at a ceremony at Auckland University this afternoon. Marcus Doig was shot dead during a robbery at a Pakuranga pizza shop in May. One man is serving a life sentence for his murder. Three others charged in connection with his death and that of bank worker John Vaughan, are due in court in March next year.
The Greens say the Government is opening the door to a GE- future for New Zealand. Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says a government discussion document containing proposals to amend legislation covering genetic modification, will make it easier to release GE organisms here. She says the suggestion that we should think about creating a new category of conditional release of GE organisms, is very dangerous. Ms Fitzsimons says it is like setting up buffer zones between GE and non-GE crops, which she says doesn't work.
Canterbury manufacturers say they are increasingly concerned at the impasse at Lyttelton Port. Port managers say Lyttelton is losing custom because it has been unable to negotiate with unions a deal to provide round-the-clock service. The Canterbury Manufacturers Association says the continuing failure to adopt an efficient 24/7 service at the container terminal will reduce the ability of manufacturers to compete internationally. CMA President Glenn Keen says manufacturing contributes more than 21 percent of the regional economy. He says the likely outcome of the port losing the contract with the shipping line P&O would mean Canterbury goods would end up being taken to other ports for export. Mr Keen says the Port Company and unions need to be reminded that if exports become unable to compete substitute products from elsewhere will take their place. He says if Port Lyttelton does not compete, the world and its shipping will pass Canterbury by.
Police are beginning to fill in the gaps in the picture of what happened to a Nelson man prior to his death at the weekend. Twenty-five year old Hayden Kelly was bashed and left for dead on an inner city bridge around five on Saturday morning. Detective Inspector John Winter says sightings of Mr Kelly in the early hours of the morning have come in, and now police have a better idea of the route he was taking through the city centre. He says the case will feature on tonight's police Ten-Seven programme.
The name and profession of an East Coast man who has pleaded guilty to 45 counts of indecency against boys has been revealed. The suppression order on 68-year-old retired school teacher Euan Trafford Hovell, of Te Araroa, was lifted when he appeared in the High Court at Gisborne today. He has been further remanded for sentencing in Auckland next month. Hovell has admitted committing indecent acts against boys aged between 5 and 14 when he was a teacher at an East Coast primary school between 1966 and 1987. Police are hoping the release of Hovell's name and details will encourage other complainants to come forward. They expect to lay more charges.
The Government is seeking feedback on proposals to amend the law controlling new and genetically modified organisms. It has released a discussion document on changes that might be needed to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. The paper also includes proposals in response to recommendations of the Royal Commission on genetic modification. Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says the government wants the public's views on any changes. She says the paper covers a range of areas, and is a significant step towards ensuring that all necessary policy is in place before the GM moratorium is lifted in just over a year.
A new HIV treatment drug is set to enter the second phase of trials. Local biotech company Virionyx has developed a drug that may provide a breakthrough in the treatment of HIV. The drug has passed the first phase of tests at Harvard Medical School and almost $9 million is needed for the second phase. Last week the company appealed to investors on the basis of financial, medical and humanitarian payoffs. Virionyx Chief Financial Officer Paul Young says they have been successful in raising the necessary capital. He says the next stage is a multiple dose trial in the United States.
The Prime Minister is confident the government has no liability for leaky building syndrome. The government has received a Crown legal opinion on whether it would be responsible for footing the bill for the thousands of home- owners affected by the problem. A spokesman for the Prime Minister says she has not seen the full opinion but understands the Crown has no liability. The issue will be considered by Cabinet on Monday and ministers will look at how a resolution can be facilitated.
Name suppression has been lifted for the man accused of the 1992 rape of an 11-year-old girl. He is 31-year-old Nicholas Reekie of west Auckland. Earlier in the week he entered no plea to four charges including rape and unlawful sexual connection. David Dougherty was wrongly convicted and imprisoned for the crime. The request for name suppression was declined by the judge but the defence had 48 hours to appeal. Defence lawyer Allan Roberts says he did not lodge an appeal. The accused has been remanded in custody until a depositions hearing on October 7.
(I would really like to see Sir Doug Graham have the grace to apologise to Dougherty. As I recall it, when the original verdict was overturned, the then minister declined compensation on the grounds that a verdict of "not guilty" was not conclusive proof of innocence. - BH)
The Commerce Commission has approved Genesis Power's application to acquire the retail gas customers of Natural Gas Corporation Holdings. Genesis is a State Owned Enterprise that generates and sells electricity. It has also been providing billing and other services for NGC's retail gas customers. Chairman John Belgrave says the commission is satisfied the proposed acquisition will not substantially lessen competition in regional markets.
Dental records have been called for, to help formally identify the New Zealand family killed in a light plane crash in Australia. Joanne and Kevin Bowles, and their young children Sophie and Michael, died when the Piper Cherokee they were in smashed into a hill and exploded in flames shortly after takeoff from a Queensland holiday resort. An American tourist on board, and the Australian pilot were also killed. Mr Bowles' brother-in-law Graeme Casse says the family had been enjoying a brief break during the school holidays. He says they had been at Club Med on Lindemann Island, and were due back in Auckland tomorrow. The Bowles had two car repair businesses in the Mount Albert area of Auckland. Meanwhile, Teachers at an Auckland primary school are in shock at the tragedy. Hillsborough Primary Principal Grant Manley is having discussions with a specialist department of the Ministry of Education, over ways of helping pupils deal with the tragedy. He says they will be taking advice on how best to ensure the children and staff go through the grief process. Mr Manley says both parents were great supporters of the school. He says Mrs Bowles was chairwoman of the school's fundraising committee and had done a wonderful job. Schools return from holidays on Monday week.
A new smokefree policy at Auckland Hospital is aimed at raising the health profile of Auckland. The policy will take effect in August 2003 when the new hospital is opened. Smoking will be banned from all buildings, grounds, vehicles and offices. Human Resources General Manager John Woods says staff and patients will be provided with the necessary resources and support to quit smoking. He says the issue of how to enforce the ban has not yet been dealt with.
Economists are welcoming today's second quarter GDP figures, which came in well above market expectations, rising 1. 7 per cent. A stronger-than-expected primary export performance was the main influence on growth, supported by positive consumer spending and investment growth. Deutsche Bank says today's GDP outcome confirms that the economy has performed extremely well, and in fact even better than had been suggested by a raft of indicators over the past three months. The Bank of New Zealand expects that over the remainder of 2002 the domestic sectors of the economy will continue to propel the economy forward. However, the Bank is expecting GDP growth in the September quarter to be much more modest in comparison to the previous two quarters. National's Finance spokesman Don Brash says the government should be disappointed by the result. He says the three and a half percent growth is short of the Government's target of four percent. Dr Brash says for the country to get back in the top half of the OECD, the Government needs to adopt policies which will foster sustainable economic growth. Council of Trade Unions spokesman Paul Goulter warns that rising imports and falling exports mean the economy could weaken in the next year. He says developing skills and innovation within the labour market will be a crucial factor in the year ahead. Mr Goulter says agricultural and manufacturing exports have performed strongly but investment income deficits are rising. Today's GDP release is the last major local indicator before next week's OCR review. The review will be the first conducted by new Reserve Bank Governor Dr Alan Bollard and the first under the Bank's new inflation mandate, with the target for inflation now between one and three percent. Deutsche Bank says it believes the OCR will be on hold for an extended period, and the Bank of New Zealand agrees that interest rates will stay the same until next year.
Police have busted a methamphetamine laboratory in Rotorua. Detective Sergeant Dennis Murphy says they discovered a fully-operational lab, in the final stages of manufacturing the drug commonly known as speed. Detective Sergeant Murphy says they arrested eight gang members who have been charged with manufacturing a Class B controlled drug. Mr Murphy says because of the nature of the lab, four officers were affected by the fumes and two had to receive medical treatment.
The US Ambassador to New Zealand has today met with three New York firefighters involved in the World Trade Centre rescue operation on September 11. The trio are touring New Zealand this week to show their thanks for the support the New York Fire Department has received in the past year. Ambassador Charles Swindells spoke to the firefighters at the US Embassy in Wellington. He says it is a real honour to meet three men who were involved in the September 11 tragedy. Mr Swindells says today has been one of the proudest days in his life as he was able to meet the three heroes.
The Inland Revenue Department has shelved plans to survey MPs about their tax-free allowances. The department announced two months ago that it would ask around 70 MPs to keep a diary of their expenses, to help determine the extent to which they should be taxed. The move followed revelations the government had been sitting on an IRD report from October 2000, which recommended MPs should pay tax on the allowances they receive. Parliamentary Services head John O'Sullivan says after considering the practicalities of completing the survey within a reasonable time, it has been decided the survey should be canned. He says the matter has been referred to the Higher Salaries Commission and a decision on how to deal with the issue is expected within the next fortnight.
Mike Moore says a free-trade agreement with America makes not only economical sense but also strategic sense for the United States. The former Prime Minister and more recently former World Trade Organisation director is visiting Washington DC in his capacity as part-time special trade envoy for the New Zealand Government. Mr Moore says a US-NZ free trade agreement would be an effective reminder to the world that free trade provides significantly more benefits than drawbacks. He says while his preference is for multilateral agreements, regionalism and bilateral agreements can be useful stepping stones to multilateralism. He says there are significant strategic benefits in such an agreement for the United states including restarting and accelerating the momentum of trade liberalization and inducing other trading partners to participate in that renewed liberalization. Mr Moore says a comprehensive study undertaken by the Institute for International Economics found that under a free trade agreement, US merchandise exports to New Zealand would rise by about 25 percent and virtually every sector would benefit.
The Civil Aviation Authority says it is up to flight operators to make sure their pilots are properly trained. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has just released its report into the light plane crash that killed six people near Milford Sound in January. It says mandatory training could have safety benefits. CAA spokesman Bill Sommer says his organisation rejects the call for mandatory mountain training. But he says mountain training should be targeted at pilots who will use it. However, the organisation supports the call for increased awareness of challenging flying conditions. Mr Sommer says the CAA oversees operator training of pilots.
The so-called party drug Ecstasy has been revealed to have the potential for far more dangerous long-term effects than previously thought. A US study shows people who use Ecstasy for just one night are risking developing Parkinson's Disease. New Scientist magazine reports that monkeys and baboons given doses similar to those nightclubbers might take suffered "profound and severe" damage to some of their nerve cells. The damaged cells in question produce a chemical called dopamine, and are the ones which are lost in Parkinson's disease. The researchers also claim some people who have been diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease may unknowingly be victims of taking Ecstasy. However, Britain's Parkinson's Disease Society says they have no evidence - yet - linking Ecstasy with the condition.
Independent directors of the forestry company Rubicon are unanimously recommending that shareholders do not accept a partial takeover offer from Guinness Peat Group Forests. GPG Forests is offering to buy 40 percent of the Rubicon shares that it does not already own for 75 cents a share, to take it to a 50 percent control position. An independent Appraisal Report states the full underlying value of Rubicon shares is between $0. 98 to $1. 28 per share. The report concludes GPG's offer is below the range and says there does not appear to be any compelling reason for Rubicon shareholders to accept a takeover offer that is significantly below full underlying value. Unless GPG extends its offer, Rubicon shareholders have until 5. 00pm, October 24 to accept it.
The official report into the light plane crash which killed six people near Milford Sound is calling for mandatory mountain flying training for pilots. All onboard the Cessna 207 died when it crashed into a mountainous valley in January. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has released its report into the tragedy. It says pilot Andrew Robins probably left until too late a decision to turn back in order to gain more height and cross the Gertrude Saddle. The commission says there could be safety benefits from mandatory mountain-flying training.
Date: 28 September 2002 Brian Dooley Wellington New Zealand
The rates given are for telegraphic transfer.
To Buy NZD 1.00
To subscribe to, or unsubscribe from the WYSIWYG News E-mail list visit: WYSIWYG Subscriptions
To find it on the WWW go to the WYSIWYG Archives