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WYSIWYG NEWS - 13 April, 2003
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Brian Harmer
Apr 13, 2003, 1:31:47 AM4/13/03
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Subject: 13 April, 2003
----- WYSIWYG NEWS -------------------------------
Copyright, Brian Harmer
To all who sent messages of support, and suggestions for
ways to continue, many thanks. Nothing is yet certain,
though there are at least three concrete proposals for
continuance and I will keep you informed as to how these
play out.
On our way back from a visit to Wanganui, Mary and I paused
in Foxton. Normally, we confine our association with Foxton
to some good coffee and one of the beautiful feather-light
muffins from the "Laughing Fox" on the main highway.
Occasionally we stop at Top Town Bacon to buy some of their
fine bacon steaks. Yesterday, however, we were intrigued by
the sight of the now completed windmill a few blocks back
from the main road. This is a full scale operational flour
mill of traditional Dutch design. You can see some images
of it on the web site of the trust that owns it at
http://www.windmill.org.nz/
Up close, this is an imposing structure, towering above the
modest houses in the surrounding streets. The base, up to
the balcony or reefing stage is brick. The main swivelling
structure above that is of wood. We were fortunate to
arrive just before they closed it for the day, and for a
"gold coin" donation were able to climb up the steep inner
stairways through several stages to the milling floor. The
quality of the engineering in wood must be seen to be
believed. Gigantic square shafts driving massive wooden
gear wheels are all built and finished to a standard that
speaks of true labour of love. If you are passing through
the town, don't miss it. The sails were a matter of some
interest to me. You will have seen a picture of a
traditional Dutch mill, and perhaps may not have realised
that when it is working, the mill has canvas sails spread
over the great lattice work arms of the mill. The mill at
Foxton has two arms that are of a more modern design, with
feathering wood and metal vanes in the structure. By
operating the appropriate controls from inside, the miller
can engage a series of rods and levers that will turn the
vanes so as to give the blade a proper airfoil section to
catch the wind. I asked one of the members on site to
explain the process to me, which he did. Unfortunately, he
got so enthusiastic about his subject that he reverted to
his native Nederlandse. I spent a bare three months in the
Netherlands, loving every minute of it, but didn't learn
sufficient Dutch to pick up more than a tenth of his
excited story. I think I understood that the other two arms
of the mill, constructed in the traditional wooden lattice
form, will deploy their canvas sails only when there are
very light winds. From the outside, you can see the furled
canvas rolled tightly against the blades, and I think there
is a strong similarity to the modern self-furling yacht
sails.
Enough of the technical. On our return to the ground, we
noted a group of people wearing what looked like shiny new
klompen (clogs), and after a while they began rehearsals
for the traditional dances to be performed at the grand
opening today (April 13). In the actual event, traditional
costumes will be worn, but for this occasion, ordinary
street clothes were sufficient. The rhythmic clatter of the
clogs on the paved pathway went very well with the sound of
a traditional Amsterdam street organ. I was a bit surprised
that so many people of Dutch heritage could be found in
Foxton, but on looking around, it can be seen that the flat
flood-prone plains of the Horowhenua and Manawatu regions
might provide a sense of familiarity for the Dutch people
far from their ancestral homes. They have made an enormous
contribution to the life and prosperity of this country,
and I really hope that the official opening by Her
Excellency the Governor-General went well today.
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 whitebaiter to
whom my thanks.
On with the news:
Monday, 7 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THREE CHARGED WITH INMATE'S MURDER
-----------------------------------
Three prison inmates have appeared in the Wanganui District
Court this afternoon charged with the murder of a fellow
prisoner. Thirty-year-old Christopher Hereora was found
badly beaten but fully clothed in a Kaitoke prison shower
block just over a week ago. He died the next day in
Wanganui Hospital. The three prisoners charged over his
death were handcuffed together in court. All were granted
interim name suppression. They have been remanded to appear
again on May 6. Christopher Hereora was serving a 14-year
sentence for a brutal home invasion and had been
transferred to Kaitoke Prison just 24 hours before he was
attacked.
SEX CRIME CHARGES AGAINST ISLANDERS
------------------------------------
A fifth of the population of remote Pitcairn Island has
been charged with sex crimes. New Zealand Crown prosecutor
Simon Moore has travelled to Pitcairn, home to just 45
people, to charge nine men with sexual offences against
children. Magistrate Gray Cameron has suppressed most
details about the complainants, defendants and the charges.
The accused will make their first court appearance in the
island's small town, Adamstown, on Wednesday. The trial
will be held in this country, where our Government has
passed a law allowing it to happen. Pitcairn, a British
colony, was settled by descendants of the Bounty mutineers.
POLICE IDENTIFY HIT AND RUN VICTIM
----------------------------------
South Auckland police say they have identified the victim
of a fatal hit and run. However, they are not releasing the
name of the woman until all next of kin are notified. The
woman's body was found on Bairds Road in Otara early
yesterday morning. Police say a post-mortem examination
found her injuries were consistent with being hit by a car.
The driver of the car has failed to come forward and police
are appealing for witnesses.
JURY RETIRES IN REFUGEE MURDER CASE
------------------------------------
The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial
of a Christchurch man charged with murdering a Mozambican
refugee. Hussein N'Dongo died of positional asphyxia after
being found assaulted and unconscious in Latimer Square
last January. Abraham Neho has admitted punching and
kicking him, but denies the charge of murder. The Crown
claims the assault was what caused the death, while the
defence has argued there is no proof it was substantial
enough to contribute to N'Dongo's death. Earlier in the
week, a witness told the jury the accused said "Welcome to
New Zealand", before kicking his victim in the head.
Neho admitted to police he had given the deceased "a real
hiding..." but he denies stealing his watch and later
throwing it down a street drain. The Crown Prosecutor told
the jury that the accused is a former professional boxer,
who clearly knew the fatal consequences such a severe
beating would bring about. He says that makes Neho guilty
of culpable homicide.
CONCERN GROWS FOR MISSING WOMAN
-------------------------------
Hamilton Police are continuing to investigate the
disappearance of a Kerepehi woman who has been missing
since last Sunday. Sara Louise Niethe has not been seen
after visiting friends in the Hauraki Plains area.
She missed one of her children's birthday last week, which
friends say is completely out of character, and her bank
account has not been touched. Detective Senior Sergeant
Glen Dunbier says police and search and rescue volunteers
have been searching roadside drains, streams and rural
roads in the Kerepehi and Ngatea areas. Detective Dunbier
says there is a possibility Ms Nieth may have crashed her
car and be injured somewhere. He says the New Zealand
Police dive team were called out yesterday, but found
nothing. Police are appealing for public help, and say
anyone who has any information should contact them on 07
862 8744.
RESIDENTS ASKED TO CHECK PROPERTIES
-----------------------------------
Police want Hastings residents to check their properties
for any weapons after a fatal stabbing. An 18-year-old died
after he received several stab wounds to his chest at a
party in Fenwick Street yesterday morning. Detective
Inspector Godfrey Watson says police are interested in
locating any knives or similar objects that may have been
discarded by partygoers. Mr Watson says police are working
through a list of more than 100 witnesses and are keen to
hear from anyone else who may have attended the party.
A 19-year-old man has been charged with assault and will
appear in court tomorrow.
INFO PACK HELPS KIDS COPE WITH WAR
-----------------------------------
The Mental Health Foundation wants parents and teachers to
be aware of children's reaction to the war in Iraq. It has
put together an information pack called 'responding to
children and young people's uncertainty in a time of war.'
The foundation says in the minds of children, the conflict
is very real and very close. It says adults must model
tolerance, compassion and respect as New Zealand's young
people grapple to create their own opinions about the war.
The information pack is available from the Mental Health
Foundation website www.mentalhealth.org.nz
SPOTLIGHT ON AIR POLLUTION
---------------------------
World Health Day will be used to publicise research showing
that exposure to air pollution in the first year of life
can mean a greater risk of dying from a respiratory disease
later on. The Auckland Regional Council, paediatricians and
public health experts are highlighting the information.
Medical officer of health David Sinclair says they want
people to consider the impact vehicle pollution is having
on children. Research shows that at times, Auckland exceeds
World Health Organisation standards. Dr Sinclair says
research also shows that pollution can affect the unborn
child, which is not surprising, given what is known about
the effects of smoking during pregnancy. He says New
Zealand's petrol and diesel emission standards are among
the worst in the industrialised world. Dr Sinclair says the
recent lowering of sulphur content in diesel is a step in
the right direction, but there does not seem to be the will
to improve standards further.
COMPANY WILL NOT STUB OUT FAKE FAGS
-----------------------------------
The company selling fake cigarettes that have anti-smokers
up-in-arms says it will not withdraw the product. Anti-
smoking groups and some politicians claims the replica
cigarettes, which emit a white powder, train children how
to smoke. But the managing director of the Two Dollar Shop
franchise, which sells them, says they are a joke item, not
a toy. Brian Salmon says the majority of people who buy
them are involved in the theatre, and do not want to have
to smoke real cigarettes on stage. He claims the fake
cigarettes do not teach children how to smoke because the
smoke-like powder comes out when the fake cigarettes are
blown, not sucked. Mr Salmon is also accusing the Greens of
being hypocritical with their call for a ban on the item.
Mr Salmon believes Green MP Sue Kedgley's energies would be
better spent stopping Nandor Tanczos from smoking dope.
He cannot believe her stance since cannabis is not only bad
for health, but is also illegal.
(Readers from other cultures may be unaware of the word
"fag" as slang for a cigarette. This particular usage has
no homophobic connotations - BH)
WELLINGTON RAILWAY STATION BUILDING FOR SALE
--------------------------------------------
The Wellington Railway Station building is up for sale.
Tranz Rail says it is currently in negotiations and the
sale is likely to go ahead in another two or three months.
Spokesman Wayne Collins says since the company moved its
operations to Auckland, the office space in the Wellington
Station has remained empty. However he stresses there will
not be any change to where trains arrive and leave from as
it is only the building that is for sale. He is remaining
tight-lipped about who the Railway Station's prospective
buyer might be.
(Media speculated that the potential buyer may in fact be
Victoria University of Wellington. I am aware that this has
been contemplated in the past, but am unaware of any
specific proposal at this time. Having been through some of
the dark and winding corridors of the railway station
building, I am struggling to see how these spaces could be
turned to educational use. On the other hand, there is a
desperate shortage of space in the vicinity of Rutherford
House and the Law School to further consolidate the
university's downtown activities. - BH)
AUCKLAND RESIDENTS OFFER ALTERNATIVE SITE
------------------------------------------
Parnell residents are asking the Auckland City Council to
buy a site earmarked for town houses, and instead build a
footbridge between their suburb and the Auckland War
Memorial Museum. The railway line together with the natural
lie of the land prevents people walking directly from
Parnell to the Domain, from Birdwood Crescent. Local
Community Committee chairman Roger Cole-Baker says tourists
spotting the Museum from the street often try to find a
path, and end up wandering down private driveways
Eventually someone tells them they have to take a one and a
half kilometre hike up Parnell Road. Mr Cole-Baker says a
council investing such huge sums in roads and public
passenger transport should also be encouraging walking.
Tuesday, 08 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NZERS ARRESTED IN SYDNEY PROTEST
--------------------------------
Two New Zealanders have been arrested after an anti war
protest in Sydney. Phil Woolham and Logan Petley were part
of a Greenpeace blockade on Sydney Harbour on Tuesday
afternoon, that tried to stop the frigate HMAS Sydney from
leaving to join the war on Iraq. Six others were also
arrested. Greenpeace New Zealand spokesman Steve Abel says
they wanted to draw attention to America's increasingly
aggressive foreign policy. A third New Zealander,
reportedly an underwater diver, was also involved. Mr Abel
fears New Zealand could be asked to join future wars
against Iran, North Korea or Syria. A New South Wales Green
Party MP was among those arrested in the unsuccessful bid
to prevent the Sydney from leaving. NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen
was also seized by police as he tried to paddle a surfboard
towards the ship. There were concerns the Sydney might have
to return to the Garden Island naval base to check for any
damage but it has since resumed its journey to the Middle
East.
MAN CHARGED AFTER FATAL STABBING
--------------------------------
A Flaxmere man has been remanded on bail this afternoon
after a brief appearance in court in connection with a
fatal stabbing in Hastings. The 19-year-old, who has
interim name suppression, is charged with assault in
relation to the death of Gavin Arthur at a party on Sunday.
Police say 18-year-old Mr Arthur had been stabbed several
times in the chest during a fight in Fenwick Street,
Hastings. He died soon after arriving at hospital. The
accused teen is due back in court on the April 19.
PRISONS CUT POWER CONSUMPTION
------------------------------
The country's prisons are planning to shave more than a
million dollars a year off their power bills. The
Corrections Department has signed up to an energy
management programme. Chief Financial Officer Richard
Morris says the department's energy bill comes to more than
$4 million a year. It has teamed up with the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Authority to conduct an audit
to find ways of trimming that. He holds Christchurch prison
up as a shining example, saying it has reduced energy costs
by half, from around $800 a year per inmate to $400.
STRICTER RULES FOR NEW FAULT LINE HOMES
---------------------------------------
More than 400 houses in the central Wellington suburb of
Thorndon will be subject to stricter building regulations
after the release of new information on the position of the
fault line. Research from Geological and Nuclear Sciences
shows that in some places the fault line is up to 30 metres
from where it was originally mapped. Councillor Andy Foster
says 244 properties move into the fault-zone and are
subject to stricter building restrictions. Thirty-four
properties move out of the fault-zone. He says there is a
meeting for affected land owners on Wednesday at the
Wellington Cathedral.
(Of course, the fault-line didn't move. It is just that our
knowledge of its whereabouts has improved. Did these houses
suddenly become more dangerous to live in than they were
last week? Of course not. I should add that our own house
is less than 500 metres to the West of the Wellington Fault
where it passes along the foot of the Western Hills in the
Hutt Valley. To the best of my understanding, it is many
hundreds of years since that particular fault actually
moved. It is apparently active every 600 to 800 years. May
it be many more hundreds of years before it does so again.
- BH)
GISBORNE COUNCIL EXAMINES REPORT
--------------------------------
The Gisborne District Council has analysed a report into
the grounding of the Jody F Millennium. The 22,000 tonne
vessel became stuck in Gisborne Harbour on Waitangi Day
last year, and it took several weeks to salvage her.
A Maritime Safety Authority report into the incident has
criticised all the authorities involved with the operation,
but did mention that there were freak weather conditions
which also contributed to the incident. Gisborne District
Council CEO Bob Elliot, says the council will use the MSA
report as a tool for continuing improvement of the port's
operations and facilities. However, the council along with
other organisations involved in the incident are denying
any liability in regard to a claim for damages lodged by
the vessel's owners.
INTERNAL CHECKS NAB COURIER STAFF
---------------------------------
New Zealand Post says it is internal checking systems
helped in the arrest 20 of its courier staff and
subcontractors. The group appeared in court yesterday
following a police raid across Auckland over the weekend.
It is estimated more than $1.5 million worth of goods had
been stolen from courier customers since the beginning of
last year. New Zealand Post general manager of courier
operations, Ian Hill, says the matter first came to light
through an internal security check. He says once security
staff became aware of certain patterns after packages and
items went missing the police were called in.
HOUSING MARKET STILL HOT
------------------------
ASB Bank's latest quarterly housing confidence survey shows
the housing market is still very active. Despite global
economic uncertainty and leaky buildings, a net 40 percent
of ASB respondents think it is a good time to buy a house,
compared with 20 percent who think it is a bad time.
Housing confidence is at a net 20 percent, three points
higher than in the last quarter. The majority of New
Zealanders, a net 56 percent, believe that house prices
will continue to increase over the next 12 months. But ASB
Chief Economist Anthony Byett says Auckland is out of step
with the rest of the country, with just five percent (net)
believing it is a good time to buy a house. "However,
considering house sales in Auckland have been bubbling
along over the last few months, the Auckland result shows a
difference between what Aucklanders believe and what they
are actually doing. "There are more people looking for
somewhere to live - that's the key driver in the housing
market at present and builders are working frantically to
catch up with this demand. This is not likely to change.
"What's more, there is keen investor demand in housing
also. Returns elsewhere have been low, house prices are
rising and so too are incomes and rents." The survey shows
that New Zealand's population growth, the healthy domestic
economy and low interest rates are keeping the housing
market buoyant. It says people are respectful of the
limitations they face but are also mindful of the cyclical
nature of price movements. The survey says this specific
measure of confidence amongst the household sector has not
fallen away as sharply as recent measures of business
confidence. Households are keen to spend and borrow money
due to rising wages, lower import costs and increasing
wealth via house price appreciation. If the Reserve Bank
eases monetary policy in the next few months, the ASB
predicts household confidence is likely to improve and the
spending and borrowing push will continue.
MINISTRY SEARCHES FOR ROGUE MOTH
--------------------------------
The Ministry of Forestry is not stopping its search for the
Asian gypsy moth, despite finding no new cases near
Hamilton. Samples collected by the Ministry and those
handed in by residents of Frankton have all tested negative
after a moth was found a week ago. The pest can cause
significant damage to trees. MAF's Project Manager Mark
Ross says trapping will continue for another five weeks. A
decision will then be made on the future of the programme.
(That headline gave me visions of a heavily armed and
masked moth causing havoc in the insect world - BH)
FIRE DIVERTS CHRISTCHURCH TRAFFIC
---------------------------------
Traffic on Christchurch's Colombo Street had to be diverted
after a fire at a bar on Tuesday afternoon. The Fire
Service was called to the Oxford on Avon premises around
1.30pm when a fire broke out on its lower floor. Traffic
was diverted away from the area as eight fire appliances
attended the incident. Senior Station Officer Barry Dent
says an electrical fault appears to have caused the fire
which was small and only caused limited damage. The scene
was cleared shortly after 2pm.
KAPITI REOPENS AS FIRE RISK EASES
---------------------------------
Kapiti Island is now open to the public after a week of
being closed due to the risk of fire. The Department of
Conservation's Kapiti manager Ian Cooksley says staff were
concerned about how easy it would have been for fire to
spread in the current dry conditions. He says it would take
time to get fire fighters to the island if there was a
blaze. Mr Cooksley says the biggest concern was the safety
of trampers on the island and how the department could get
them off in an emergency. He says the island has never been
closed before and with the dropping temperatures it is
likely it will be open for the rest of the season.
(If you can get a trip to Kapiti, it is well worth the
effort, especially if you are fit enough to climb the steep
paths to the summit. The magnificent bird life and rich
green bush really reward the effort and the cost - BH)
Wednesday, 09 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOG ATTACKS FOUR ADULTS
-----------------------
A dog has run amok in a Porirua street, attacking two
residents and two police officers, before being shot dead.
The Pit-Bull crossbreed bitch first attacked a woman
outside her home at about 5pm, and then turned on a male
neighbour who came to help. When police arrived, they too
were set upon, before they shot the dog dead. Several young
children were playing in the street at the time of the
attacks. The female victim sustained a minor injury, but
her male neighbour was taken by ambulance to Wellington
Hospital, and was treated for moderate dog bites. The
police officers were uninjured. Police say they have
located the dog's owner, and enquiries are continuing into
whether the owner is liable for the attacks.
PUBS DISPUTE SMOKEFREE CLAIMS
------------------------------
Anti-smoking proponents claim public support for smokefree
bars and restaurants is mounting. A survey of 2,000 people
carried out by the Health Sponsorship Council shows 88
percent of respondents would be more likely to visit bars,
nightclubs and pubs if they were smokefree. The survey also
found nearly 80 percent of people believe workers have a
right to work in smokefree venues. Leigh Sturgiss from the
Smokefree Coalition says the findings add to the weight of
evidence showing that becoming smokefree will not affect
patronage at hospitality venues. But the Hospitality
Association doubts the accuracy of a survey claiming there
is widespread public support for smokefree bars and
restaurants. Chief executive Bruce Robertson says if the
council surveyed bar patrons only, they would get a
different story. He says past industry experience shows
smokefree areas in bars are not popular. The Health
Sponsorship Council is a New Zealand-based social change
agent, marketing health messages. The Smokefree Coalition
is a charitable Trust consisting of 25 health groups aiming
to reduce death and disease caused by tobacco use.
(As far as I know, social life as we know it has not come
to a sudden end in California as a consequence of their
smoke-free legislation. I find it hard to believe that the
smokers will stay away for long, and people who value their
lungs should actually start coming out too. I think it will
result in more patronage, not less. - BH)
MAN NOT RUN OUT OF TOWN SAY POLICE
----------------------------------
A senior Tauranga police officer has flatly rejected
allegations a drunk man who became a hit and run victim was
being run out of town by police. Senior Sergeant Bruce
Glover has just completed an investigation into the
allegations. He says Taupo man John Hamilton was picked up
in the city on February 2. Senior Sergeant Glover says the
officers involved were experienced - and one has a nursing
background. They decided he was not heavily intoxicated,
and he was talkative and jovial on the way to Pyes Pa,
where he wanted to be dropped. Police say they watched him
walk off and then drove away. An hour and a half later he
was found dead. Bruce Glover says John Hamilton's widow has
declined his offer to sit down and discuss his findings.
Thursday, 10 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SMOKE ALARMS BECOME COMPULSORY
------------------------------
Smoke alarms will be compulsory in all new houses which are
built from next month. An amendment is been made to the
Building Code. The same rule will apply to existing homes
undergoing major renovations. The Fire Service is
delighted, having pushed for the change for five years.
National Community Safety Manager Jim Dance says the
amendment only requires battery-powered smoke alarms at
this stage. But he says alarms wired into the electrical
system are much more reliable. The Fire Service is now
pushing for new homes to have a combined smoke alarm and
sprinkler system installed.
NZ CHILDREN AMONG WORST READERS
-------------------------------
The results of an international reading literacy survey
make shocking reading for educationalists here. New Zealand
children rank near the bottom of English-speaking
countries, in terms of reading performance. Nine and 10-
year-olds in New Zealand ranked worst out of 35 countries
in terms of the gap between boys and girls, alongside Iran.
Massey University's Professor James Chapman says the
results are unsurprising, since the Education Ministry has
refused to change the way reading is taught. He says
phonics needs to be taught systematically and not on a
needs-only basis, as it currently is - he thinks - in a
haphazard way.
(There is a nightmare roller coaster quality to these
surveys. We are variously told that our reading programmes
are the best/worst in the world. As a tertiary educator, I
will concede that literacy standards don't seem to match
those that applied when I was turned loose from secondary
school. On the other hand, I am not seeing noticeably
better standards from other English-speaking entrants to
our programmes. Of course things could be better. I just
don't see that they suddenly got a lot worse. - BH)
SHOOTING VICTIM TRANSFERRED TO BURWOOD
--------------------------------------
One of the victims of a double shooting in the Hawke's Bay
town of Wairoa this week is being transferred to the
Burwood spinal unit in Christchurch. The 19-year-old is
paralysed from the waist down after a drive-by shooting in
the car park of the AFFCO Wairoa freezing works on Tuesday
night. The other victim, a 23-year-old, has been treated
for a minor shoulder wound and discharged from hospital.
Police believe the shootings were gang related. A family
friend of the 19-year-old says his mate was in the wrong
place at the wrong time. He had gone out to the car park
and got caught up in the shooting. The friend says he was
not involved with any gangs. No one has been arrested yet
in connection with the incident.
JAPANESE STUDENTS RETURN HOME
-----------------------------
Fifteen Japanese students from the Auckland-based Columbus
Academy have now returned to Japan. A number of Government
agencies, including the Serious Fraud Office, are
investigating the Japanese student hostel in west Auckland
after the killing of a student who lived there. Education
Minister Trevor Mallard says it has taken some time to
convince the students' parents that it is appropriate for
them to go home. He says even if a small number of the
allegations against the agency are correct it is a sinister
organisation. Nine students have been arrested and charged
with murder. The director of the academy is charged with
perverting the course of justice.
VICTIM'S MOTHER THANKS WITNESSES
--------------------------------
The mother of a victim of Alexander Clark is thanking the
teenage boys who testified against the sex offender. The
former cub scout leader has been jailed for two years and
three months after he admitted poisoning three boys with a
sex-related drug and indecently assaulting one of them. Pam
Hueston's 17-year-old son Tim committed suicide after
boarding with Clark and being exposed to drugs and gay
pornography. She is grateful to the boys who were brave
enough to testify against Clark and believes they will now
be able to move on with their lives. She claims other boys
were abused by Clark and hopes they will come forward when
they are ready.
COURT FOR ALLEGED KIDNAPPERS
----------------------------
Two Masterton men will appear in court today charged over
an incident at the town's Polytech campus. Police say a
student was allegedly removed from the U-Col Wairarapa
grounds against his will and forced into a van. Detective
Sergeant Graeme Reisima believes the incident is related to
a debt. He says several U-Col staff and students witnessed
the incident and were able to give a good description of
what happened. The two arrested men, aged 18 and 29, face
kidnapping charges.
ADVERTISERS SUPPORT MEDICINE ADS
---------------------------------
The Advertisers Association does not believe there is
anything wrong with the way prescription medicines are
advertised here. The New Zealand Medical Association is
calling for advertisements for the drugs to be banned
altogether, claiming they breach all the current rules. New
Zealand and the United States are the only countries in the
world which allow the advertising of prescription medicines
direct to the public. But Executive Director for the
Advertisers Association, Jeremy Irwin, says independent
studies show the advertisements are within the guidelines
and do not have a negative effect on consumers. He says the
feedback they have is that patients welcome being made
aware of the options available to them .
COMPANY FINED $14,000 AFTER WORKER STRANGLED
--------------------------------------------
An Auckland company has been fined $14,000 after a man was
strangled to death in machinery last year. The entire fine
is to be paid to the man's widow by Orthotic Centre
Limited, following the sentencing in the Auckland District
Court. The man was killed after his tie became entangled in
a machine, causing the immediate tightening of his tie
around his neck which pulled him down rapidly and caused
his death. Madeleine Setchell, spokeswoman for the
Occupational Safety and Health Service, says the company
should have ensured the worker was not wearing clothing
that could be caught in such machines. He was, in fact,
required to wear a tie because he dealt with patients as
well as with machinery. OSH says the company should have
ensured that the dress code for clinical orthotists did not
require ties to be worn. Orthotic Centre Limited makes,
imports and distributes appliances to reduce or prevent
deformity, provide support and relieve pain.
POWER PLEAS RESONABLE
----------------------
The Consumers Institute believes the nationwide plea to
save power is a reasonable ask. The Grid Security
Committee's Winter 2003 co-ordinator, Patrick Strange is
warning that household power consumption must be reduced by
five percent to avoid winter electricity shortages. He says
the risk meter is firmly in the amber zone which means
precautionary electricity savings must be made immediately.
Dr Strange says that after making inquiries into the
industry's capacity to supplement existing natural gas with
coal, oil and gas, he cannot guarantee that there will be
sufficient thermal electricity generating capacity if the
winter is dry and cold. "I acknowledge that there have been
excellent efforts by generators in recent weeks to improve
the thermal fuel situation by sourcing additional coal and
fuel oil supplies and to prepare their plants to use these
alternative fuels if required. That is the good news.
However, there is still uncertainty around these complex
and challenging efforts and it would be imprudent to count
on them all succeeding." Consumers Institute chief
executive David Russell believes the five percent target is
easy to achieve and will save householders money on their
power bills. He says if power becomes in short supply power
bills will skyrocket. Mr Russell says savings need to be
made now because in the medium to long term, power will be
considerably more expensive. He suggests people spend a
less time in the shower and make other small savings.
The National Party is accusing the Government of failing to
do enough to encourage power savings. Energy spokesman
Gerry Brownlee says National was warning of this scenario
last year but claims the Minister of Energy refused to
accept the advice. He says Energy Minister Pete Hodgson has
been dragging his heels on the matter. The Grid Security
Committee is made up of electricity company and consumer
representatives. Dr Strange was appointed a fortnight ago
as the independent coordinator of the industry's response
to potential winter shortages.
FORESTRY WORKER WINCHED TO SAFETY
----------------------------------
A forestry worker is being treated in Gisborne Hospital
after being struck by a falling tree. The 21-year-old
received chest and face injuries in the accident in
Wharerata Forest. A Hawke's Bay helicopter rescue crew and
St John combined efforts to reach the man. He was winched
into the chopper from the bottom of a 500-metre high bluff.
AOS CALLOUT ENDS IN ARREST
--------------------------
A man has been arrested and charged with threatening
behaviour following an armed offenders callout in
Wellington. Police were called to an apartment building in
Hill Street in Thorndon around 8.30am this morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Perry says it appears that
two men had been fighting over a woman. He says police
initially feared the situation was more dangerous than it
turned out to be, as their informant said he had been
threatened with a knife.
SWIMMING BAN DUE TO SEWAGE SPILL
---------------------------------
Two popular Hawke's Bay swimming holes have been placed
under health warnings. Medical officer of health Dr
Caroline McElnay is advising the public not to swim in the
Clive River or the Karamu Stream, south of Havelock North,
due to a sewage spill. She says routine infrastructure
monitoring by the Hastings District Council identified an
overflow from one of its sewage pumping stations.
Friday, 11 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ENJOY LATEST PRICE FALL SAYS SHELL
----------------------------------
Oil giant Shell says it is impossible to predict what fuel
prices will do in the coming months, but motorists should
enjoy the latest price reductions. Shell is discounting the
price of both grades of petrol and diesel by about five
cents a litre today and tomorrow. Other companies,
including BP and Gull, have followed suit. In Auckland 91
grade is selling at 98.5 cents a litre. Shell says it is
significant that the price of petrol is again below a
dollar Spokesman Simon King says the special discount it
has launched is not directly related to drops in the price
of crude oil overseas and future price movements cannot be
predicted because the international situation is volatile.
(I am really baffled by regional price differences. To the
best of my knowledge there are no oil refineries, rail
terminals or deepwater ports at Bulls, yet I filled up
there yesterday for 94.9 cents/litre. In Levin just a
little further South, it was 98.9 c/l while in Wellington -
which does have a deepwater port and a rail terminal - it
is still $1.03/l - BH)
NOTORIOUS WILDLIFE SMUGGLER KILLED
----------------------------------
Notorious wildlife smuggler Freddie Angell has been killed
in a car crash. The 43-year-old died in a three car pile-up
yesterday at Pukerau, near Gore. Freddie Angell was jailed
several times for poaching and smuggling rare tuatara and
lizards. A 65-year-old Gore woman, travelling in one of the
other cars, was also killed in the crash.
DRUGS CRACKDOWN IN NAPIER
-------------------------
Police in Napier have made more than 60 arrests in a crack-
down on alleged drug dealing. CIB head Bill Gregory says
over the past six weeks police have raided 56 houses in
Napier and Taradale, seizing hundreds of thousands of
dollars in property and drugs. He says they uncovered
several sophisticated indoor cannabis growing operations
and seized cannabis plants and oil, and methamphetamine.
Detective Senior Sergeant Gregory says 66 people have been
charged with a variety of offences including drug
manufacturing and selling.
DISCUSSION PAPER OUT ON GM LABELLING
------------------------------------
The public is being invited to offer its opinion on a
discussion paper on the development of a voluntary GM-free
labelling system for food and food products. The paper has
been released today and is the result of a recommendation
of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. Consumer
Affairs Minister Judith Tizard says the discussion paper
focuses on a number of issues including the purpose of a
voluntary labelling system. It also presents possible
options of a voluntary labelling system. The paper
specifically asks stakeholders to indicate whether they are
willing to contribute to the development of a labelling
system. Submissions close on may 30th.
VIRGIN BLUE EYES FREEDOM AIR
----------------------------
Budget airline Virgin Blue is seeing the light of
opportunity as Air New Zealand and Qantas head back to the
drawing board. Competition watchdogs the Commerce
Commission in New Zealand and the Australian Competition
and Consumer Commission have declined applications for an
alliance between the two airlines, saying the deal would be
anti-competitive and not good for New Zealand air
travellers. Analysts believe regulators would have to open
the door for Virgin Blue to fly at least 30 percent of the
trans-Tasman market and that Air New Zealand would have to
drop its subsidiary Freedom Air before any merger could
take place. Virgin Blue's Head of Commercial, David Huttner
says his company would be pleased to take over Freedom Air.
Meanwhile, airline industry analyst Simon Botherway,
believes Qantas and Air New Zealand would be wasting their
time applying to the regulators again. He says the ACCC has
given the airlines a pretty good steer that it is not worth
reapplying.
INL HALTS TRADING, IN SALE TALKS
--------------------------------
New Zealand largest media company Independent Newspapers
said today it was in talks about selling its New Zealand
publishing business to Australian media firm John Fairfax
Holdings. INL owns a stable of some 80 newspapers and
magazines in New Zealand including the Dominion Post, the
Sunday Star Times and the Christchurch Press.
INL said the New Zealand Stock Exchange had been asked to
suspend trading in its shares for two days. "It is expected
that a further announcement will be made before opening of
trading on April 15, 2003 and that trading will resume on
that day. Shares in INL, just under half-owned by Rupert
Murdoch's News Corp, last traded on Thursday at NZ$3.38.
The stock touched a two-and-a-half year low of NZ$2.80 last
December, having traded as high as NZ$4.05 a year ago.
John Fairfax shares closed on Thursday at A$3.03. INL,
which has a market capitalisation of NZ$1.4 billion, also
owns two-thirds of pay television operator Sky Network
Television. Last year INL sold its regional newspapers in
Australia. INL, which emerged from Wellington Publishing Co
Ltd in the 1970s, rapidly expanded through acquisition in
the 1980s and 1990s by buying a host of metropolitan and
community newspapers. It also owns 37 percent of the New
Zealand Press Association. The top-10 company made a net
profit of NZ$38.8 million in the half year to December, up
43 percent on the year earlier period. Fairfax has no
direct interests in New Zealand, but publishes leading
Australian newspapers including the Age, the Australian
Financial Review, and the Sydney Morning Herald. The
company made a profit of A$70 million in the half year to
December.
NZ IRAQI HEADING HOME TO HELP
-----------------------------
A New Zealand Iraqi returning to his homeland to lend a
hand in the relief effort is expecting to be greeted by
horrific scenes. South Auckland-based GP, Dr Ali Numan is
hoping to leave shortly for Iraq along with five medical
colleagues also from Iraq. He says the hospital system
throughout the country is in ruins after 12 years of
economic sanctions and resources are virtually non-
existent. Dr Numan says war casualties will probably be the
minority of his patients. He says with the water cut off
most of the drinking supply will be polluted, which will
cause disease.
TOURISM INDUSTRY IS IN FULL SWING
---------------------------------
The national occupancy rate for short term accommodation
has hit its highest levels since records began in 1996 -
proof that the tourism boom's in full swing. Motels, hotels
and hostels were 69 percent full in February. Total guest
nights for the month topped the three million mark, up six
percent on 2002. All 12 regions recorded more guest nights
in February 2003 than in February 2002. Guest nights in the
North Island were up 6 percent, while South Island guest
nights were 7 percent higher than in February 2002. This is
the third consecutive month that the South Island has
recorded higher growth in guest nights than the North
Island when compared with the same months of the previous
year.
CONCERN GROWS FOR MISSING DIABETIC
----------------------------------
Police want to hear from anyone who has spoken to a
Wellington man who went missing from outside his home in
the suburb of Northland last night. Michael Velvin, 26, had
gone to bring a wheelie bin up from the street about 9pm
Thursday and never came back. Constable Jo Holden says it
is vital police find him in the next few hours because Mr
Velvin is an insulin-dependant diabetic, due for his
medication. Police say there are strong concerns for his
safety. Mr Velvin is described as a Caucasian, around 1.8
metres tall, with shaggy brown hair and blue eyes. He was
last seen wearing a blue tracksuit and running shoes.
MCDONALDS NOT BEING INSENSITIVE
-------------------------------
Assurances from McDonald's that its franchises are not
being told to stop distributing issues of the youth
magazine "Tearaway" An article about sexuality linked to a
competition giving away condoms and lubricant has upset
some franchise holders and the company has written to the
editor expressing concerns about it. Labour MP Tim Barnett
says McDonald's is operating a defacto ban on the magazine
but McDonald's spokesman Liam Jeory says the decision rests
with the franchise holders. He says fewer than five percent
of McDonald's restaurants have chosen not to distribute
"Tearaway". Tim Barnett says he finds it amazing the
company has decided to insult a large proportion of its
customers. The Labour MP says he finds it intolerable
McDonalds should feed prejudice against young gays and is
asking the company to reconsider its position.
REASSURANCES GIVEN OVER COMPOST DUMP
------------------------------------
Environment Waikato has been assured the area will not
suffer an infestation of the painted apple moth after
compost from Auckland was dumped at the Horotiu landfill,
six kilometres north of Hamilton. The Biosecurity Committee
has been told a protocol has now been drawn up covering the
movement of vegetation from infected sites in west
Auckland. Biosecurity Group Manager John Simmons says the
council is confident the pest will not spread throughout
the region. Mr Simmons says the vegetation removed by MAF
was treated, shredded and treated again before being moved
to the Waikato.
PHARMACISTS THREATEN CLOSURE
----------------------------
Several pharmacists are considering closing their doors if
Pharmac goes through with a proposed change to medicine
distribution. The Government's drug buying arm is
considering a return to three month dispensing instead of
the current one month. The move would apply to 70 percent
of prescription drugs. The Pharmacy Guild believes the
change will be catastrophic for the incomes of pharmacists.
President Richard Heslop says pharmacists will lose two
months' worth of dispensing fees which equates to around
$70 million. He says more than 250 of the Guild's 800
members have indicated they will be forced to shut up shop.
Mr Heslop says most of the rest will have to lay off staff
or reduce services to survive. He says there are also
concerns that the elderly could end up with large
quantities of tablets if they were able to pick up three
months' worth of medication at once. Mr Heslop believes
that could increase the chances of accidental overdose.
THE FINANCIAL PAGE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 10 April 2003 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
CURRENCIES
~~~~~~~~~~
The currency codes given below conform to ISO 4217, which
can be found at http://www.xe.net/currency/iso_4217.htm.
The rates given are for telegraphic transfer.
To Buy NZD 1.00
USD 0.5529
AUD 0.9107
GBP 0.3536
JPY 66.59
CAD 0.8116
EUR 0.5146
HKD 4.3227
SGD 0.9885
ZAR 4.3950
CHF 0.7659
INTEREST RATES (%)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call : 5.75
90 Day: 5.79
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----- WYSIWYG NEWS -------------------------------
Copyright, Brian Harmer
To all who sent messages of support, and suggestions for
ways to continue, many thanks. Nothing is yet certain,
though there are at least three concrete proposals for
continuance and I will keep you informed as to how these
play out.
On our way back from a visit to Wanganui, Mary and I paused
in Foxton. Normally, we confine our association with Foxton
to some good coffee and one of the beautiful feather-light
muffins from the "Laughing Fox" on the main highway.
Occasionally we stop at Top Town Bacon to buy some of their
fine bacon steaks. Yesterday, however, we were intrigued by
the sight of the now completed windmill a few blocks back
from the main road. This is a full scale operational flour
mill of traditional Dutch design. You can see some images
of it on the web site of the trust that owns it at
http://www.windmill.org.nz/
Up close, this is an imposing structure, towering above the
modest houses in the surrounding streets. The base, up to
the balcony or reefing stage is brick. The main swivelling
structure above that is of wood. We were fortunate to
arrive just before they closed it for the day, and for a
"gold coin" donation were able to climb up the steep inner
stairways through several stages to the milling floor. The
quality of the engineering in wood must be seen to be
believed. Gigantic square shafts driving massive wooden
gear wheels are all built and finished to a standard that
speaks of true labour of love. If you are passing through
the town, don't miss it. The sails were a matter of some
interest to me. You will have seen a picture of a
traditional Dutch mill, and perhaps may not have realised
that when it is working, the mill has canvas sails spread
over the great lattice work arms of the mill. The mill at
Foxton has two arms that are of a more modern design, with
feathering wood and metal vanes in the structure. By
operating the appropriate controls from inside, the miller
can engage a series of rods and levers that will turn the
vanes so as to give the blade a proper airfoil section to
catch the wind. I asked one of the members on site to
explain the process to me, which he did. Unfortunately, he
got so enthusiastic about his subject that he reverted to
his native Nederlandse. I spent a bare three months in the
Netherlands, loving every minute of it, but didn't learn
sufficient Dutch to pick up more than a tenth of his
excited story. I think I understood that the other two arms
of the mill, constructed in the traditional wooden lattice
form, will deploy their canvas sails only when there are
very light winds. From the outside, you can see the furled
canvas rolled tightly against the blades, and I think there
is a strong similarity to the modern self-furling yacht
sails.
Enough of the technical. On our return to the ground, we
noted a group of people wearing what looked like shiny new
klompen (clogs), and after a while they began rehearsals
for the traditional dances to be performed at the grand
opening today (April 13). In the actual event, traditional
costumes will be worn, but for this occasion, ordinary
street clothes were sufficient. The rhythmic clatter of the
clogs on the paved pathway went very well with the sound of
a traditional Amsterdam street organ. I was a bit surprised
that so many people of Dutch heritage could be found in
Foxton, but on looking around, it can be seen that the flat
flood-prone plains of the Horowhenua and Manawatu regions
might provide a sense of familiarity for the Dutch people
far from their ancestral homes. They have made an enormous
contribution to the life and prosperity of this country,
and I really hope that the official opening by Her
Excellency the Governor-General went well today.
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 whitebaiter to
whom my thanks.
On with the news:
Monday, 7 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THREE CHARGED WITH INMATE'S MURDER
-----------------------------------
Three prison inmates have appeared in the Wanganui District
Court this afternoon charged with the murder of a fellow
prisoner. Thirty-year-old Christopher Hereora was found
badly beaten but fully clothed in a Kaitoke prison shower
block just over a week ago. He died the next day in
Wanganui Hospital. The three prisoners charged over his
death were handcuffed together in court. All were granted
interim name suppression. They have been remanded to appear
again on May 6. Christopher Hereora was serving a 14-year
sentence for a brutal home invasion and had been
transferred to Kaitoke Prison just 24 hours before he was
attacked.
SEX CRIME CHARGES AGAINST ISLANDERS
------------------------------------
A fifth of the population of remote Pitcairn Island has
been charged with sex crimes. New Zealand Crown prosecutor
Simon Moore has travelled to Pitcairn, home to just 45
people, to charge nine men with sexual offences against
children. Magistrate Gray Cameron has suppressed most
details about the complainants, defendants and the charges.
The accused will make their first court appearance in the
island's small town, Adamstown, on Wednesday. The trial
will be held in this country, where our Government has
passed a law allowing it to happen. Pitcairn, a British
colony, was settled by descendants of the Bounty mutineers.
POLICE IDENTIFY HIT AND RUN VICTIM
----------------------------------
South Auckland police say they have identified the victim
of a fatal hit and run. However, they are not releasing the
name of the woman until all next of kin are notified. The
woman's body was found on Bairds Road in Otara early
yesterday morning. Police say a post-mortem examination
found her injuries were consistent with being hit by a car.
The driver of the car has failed to come forward and police
are appealing for witnesses.
JURY RETIRES IN REFUGEE MURDER CASE
------------------------------------
The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial
of a Christchurch man charged with murdering a Mozambican
refugee. Hussein N'Dongo died of positional asphyxia after
being found assaulted and unconscious in Latimer Square
last January. Abraham Neho has admitted punching and
kicking him, but denies the charge of murder. The Crown
claims the assault was what caused the death, while the
defence has argued there is no proof it was substantial
enough to contribute to N'Dongo's death. Earlier in the
week, a witness told the jury the accused said "Welcome to
New Zealand", before kicking his victim in the head.
Neho admitted to police he had given the deceased "a real
hiding..." but he denies stealing his watch and later
throwing it down a street drain. The Crown Prosecutor told
the jury that the accused is a former professional boxer,
who clearly knew the fatal consequences such a severe
beating would bring about. He says that makes Neho guilty
of culpable homicide.
CONCERN GROWS FOR MISSING WOMAN
-------------------------------
Hamilton Police are continuing to investigate the
disappearance of a Kerepehi woman who has been missing
since last Sunday. Sara Louise Niethe has not been seen
after visiting friends in the Hauraki Plains area.
She missed one of her children's birthday last week, which
friends say is completely out of character, and her bank
account has not been touched. Detective Senior Sergeant
Glen Dunbier says police and search and rescue volunteers
have been searching roadside drains, streams and rural
roads in the Kerepehi and Ngatea areas. Detective Dunbier
says there is a possibility Ms Nieth may have crashed her
car and be injured somewhere. He says the New Zealand
Police dive team were called out yesterday, but found
nothing. Police are appealing for public help, and say
anyone who has any information should contact them on 07
862 8744.
RESIDENTS ASKED TO CHECK PROPERTIES
-----------------------------------
Police want Hastings residents to check their properties
for any weapons after a fatal stabbing. An 18-year-old died
after he received several stab wounds to his chest at a
party in Fenwick Street yesterday morning. Detective
Inspector Godfrey Watson says police are interested in
locating any knives or similar objects that may have been
discarded by partygoers. Mr Watson says police are working
through a list of more than 100 witnesses and are keen to
hear from anyone else who may have attended the party.
A 19-year-old man has been charged with assault and will
appear in court tomorrow.
INFO PACK HELPS KIDS COPE WITH WAR
-----------------------------------
The Mental Health Foundation wants parents and teachers to
be aware of children's reaction to the war in Iraq. It has
put together an information pack called 'responding to
children and young people's uncertainty in a time of war.'
The foundation says in the minds of children, the conflict
is very real and very close. It says adults must model
tolerance, compassion and respect as New Zealand's young
people grapple to create their own opinions about the war.
The information pack is available from the Mental Health
Foundation website www.mentalhealth.org.nz
SPOTLIGHT ON AIR POLLUTION
---------------------------
World Health Day will be used to publicise research showing
that exposure to air pollution in the first year of life
can mean a greater risk of dying from a respiratory disease
later on. The Auckland Regional Council, paediatricians and
public health experts are highlighting the information.
Medical officer of health David Sinclair says they want
people to consider the impact vehicle pollution is having
on children. Research shows that at times, Auckland exceeds
World Health Organisation standards. Dr Sinclair says
research also shows that pollution can affect the unborn
child, which is not surprising, given what is known about
the effects of smoking during pregnancy. He says New
Zealand's petrol and diesel emission standards are among
the worst in the industrialised world. Dr Sinclair says the
recent lowering of sulphur content in diesel is a step in
the right direction, but there does not seem to be the will
to improve standards further.
COMPANY WILL NOT STUB OUT FAKE FAGS
-----------------------------------
The company selling fake cigarettes that have anti-smokers
up-in-arms says it will not withdraw the product. Anti-
smoking groups and some politicians claims the replica
cigarettes, which emit a white powder, train children how
to smoke. But the managing director of the Two Dollar Shop
franchise, which sells them, says they are a joke item, not
a toy. Brian Salmon says the majority of people who buy
them are involved in the theatre, and do not want to have
to smoke real cigarettes on stage. He claims the fake
cigarettes do not teach children how to smoke because the
smoke-like powder comes out when the fake cigarettes are
blown, not sucked. Mr Salmon is also accusing the Greens of
being hypocritical with their call for a ban on the item.
Mr Salmon believes Green MP Sue Kedgley's energies would be
better spent stopping Nandor Tanczos from smoking dope.
He cannot believe her stance since cannabis is not only bad
for health, but is also illegal.
(Readers from other cultures may be unaware of the word
"fag" as slang for a cigarette. This particular usage has
no homophobic connotations - BH)
WELLINGTON RAILWAY STATION BUILDING FOR SALE
--------------------------------------------
The Wellington Railway Station building is up for sale.
Tranz Rail says it is currently in negotiations and the
sale is likely to go ahead in another two or three months.
Spokesman Wayne Collins says since the company moved its
operations to Auckland, the office space in the Wellington
Station has remained empty. However he stresses there will
not be any change to where trains arrive and leave from as
it is only the building that is for sale. He is remaining
tight-lipped about who the Railway Station's prospective
buyer might be.
(Media speculated that the potential buyer may in fact be
Victoria University of Wellington. I am aware that this has
been contemplated in the past, but am unaware of any
specific proposal at this time. Having been through some of
the dark and winding corridors of the railway station
building, I am struggling to see how these spaces could be
turned to educational use. On the other hand, there is a
desperate shortage of space in the vicinity of Rutherford
House and the Law School to further consolidate the
university's downtown activities. - BH)
AUCKLAND RESIDENTS OFFER ALTERNATIVE SITE
------------------------------------------
Parnell residents are asking the Auckland City Council to
buy a site earmarked for town houses, and instead build a
footbridge between their suburb and the Auckland War
Memorial Museum. The railway line together with the natural
lie of the land prevents people walking directly from
Parnell to the Domain, from Birdwood Crescent. Local
Community Committee chairman Roger Cole-Baker says tourists
spotting the Museum from the street often try to find a
path, and end up wandering down private driveways
Eventually someone tells them they have to take a one and a
half kilometre hike up Parnell Road. Mr Cole-Baker says a
council investing such huge sums in roads and public
passenger transport should also be encouraging walking.
Tuesday, 08 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NZERS ARRESTED IN SYDNEY PROTEST
--------------------------------
Two New Zealanders have been arrested after an anti war
protest in Sydney. Phil Woolham and Logan Petley were part
of a Greenpeace blockade on Sydney Harbour on Tuesday
afternoon, that tried to stop the frigate HMAS Sydney from
leaving to join the war on Iraq. Six others were also
arrested. Greenpeace New Zealand spokesman Steve Abel says
they wanted to draw attention to America's increasingly
aggressive foreign policy. A third New Zealander,
reportedly an underwater diver, was also involved. Mr Abel
fears New Zealand could be asked to join future wars
against Iran, North Korea or Syria. A New South Wales Green
Party MP was among those arrested in the unsuccessful bid
to prevent the Sydney from leaving. NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen
was also seized by police as he tried to paddle a surfboard
towards the ship. There were concerns the Sydney might have
to return to the Garden Island naval base to check for any
damage but it has since resumed its journey to the Middle
East.
MAN CHARGED AFTER FATAL STABBING
--------------------------------
A Flaxmere man has been remanded on bail this afternoon
after a brief appearance in court in connection with a
fatal stabbing in Hastings. The 19-year-old, who has
interim name suppression, is charged with assault in
relation to the death of Gavin Arthur at a party on Sunday.
Police say 18-year-old Mr Arthur had been stabbed several
times in the chest during a fight in Fenwick Street,
Hastings. He died soon after arriving at hospital. The
accused teen is due back in court on the April 19.
PRISONS CUT POWER CONSUMPTION
------------------------------
The country's prisons are planning to shave more than a
million dollars a year off their power bills. The
Corrections Department has signed up to an energy
management programme. Chief Financial Officer Richard
Morris says the department's energy bill comes to more than
$4 million a year. It has teamed up with the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Authority to conduct an audit
to find ways of trimming that. He holds Christchurch prison
up as a shining example, saying it has reduced energy costs
by half, from around $800 a year per inmate to $400.
STRICTER RULES FOR NEW FAULT LINE HOMES
---------------------------------------
More than 400 houses in the central Wellington suburb of
Thorndon will be subject to stricter building regulations
after the release of new information on the position of the
fault line. Research from Geological and Nuclear Sciences
shows that in some places the fault line is up to 30 metres
from where it was originally mapped. Councillor Andy Foster
says 244 properties move into the fault-zone and are
subject to stricter building restrictions. Thirty-four
properties move out of the fault-zone. He says there is a
meeting for affected land owners on Wednesday at the
Wellington Cathedral.
(Of course, the fault-line didn't move. It is just that our
knowledge of its whereabouts has improved. Did these houses
suddenly become more dangerous to live in than they were
last week? Of course not. I should add that our own house
is less than 500 metres to the West of the Wellington Fault
where it passes along the foot of the Western Hills in the
Hutt Valley. To the best of my understanding, it is many
hundreds of years since that particular fault actually
moved. It is apparently active every 600 to 800 years. May
it be many more hundreds of years before it does so again.
- BH)
GISBORNE COUNCIL EXAMINES REPORT
--------------------------------
The Gisborne District Council has analysed a report into
the grounding of the Jody F Millennium. The 22,000 tonne
vessel became stuck in Gisborne Harbour on Waitangi Day
last year, and it took several weeks to salvage her.
A Maritime Safety Authority report into the incident has
criticised all the authorities involved with the operation,
but did mention that there were freak weather conditions
which also contributed to the incident. Gisborne District
Council CEO Bob Elliot, says the council will use the MSA
report as a tool for continuing improvement of the port's
operations and facilities. However, the council along with
other organisations involved in the incident are denying
any liability in regard to a claim for damages lodged by
the vessel's owners.
INTERNAL CHECKS NAB COURIER STAFF
---------------------------------
New Zealand Post says it is internal checking systems
helped in the arrest 20 of its courier staff and
subcontractors. The group appeared in court yesterday
following a police raid across Auckland over the weekend.
It is estimated more than $1.5 million worth of goods had
been stolen from courier customers since the beginning of
last year. New Zealand Post general manager of courier
operations, Ian Hill, says the matter first came to light
through an internal security check. He says once security
staff became aware of certain patterns after packages and
items went missing the police were called in.
HOUSING MARKET STILL HOT
------------------------
ASB Bank's latest quarterly housing confidence survey shows
the housing market is still very active. Despite global
economic uncertainty and leaky buildings, a net 40 percent
of ASB respondents think it is a good time to buy a house,
compared with 20 percent who think it is a bad time.
Housing confidence is at a net 20 percent, three points
higher than in the last quarter. The majority of New
Zealanders, a net 56 percent, believe that house prices
will continue to increase over the next 12 months. But ASB
Chief Economist Anthony Byett says Auckland is out of step
with the rest of the country, with just five percent (net)
believing it is a good time to buy a house. "However,
considering house sales in Auckland have been bubbling
along over the last few months, the Auckland result shows a
difference between what Aucklanders believe and what they
are actually doing. "There are more people looking for
somewhere to live - that's the key driver in the housing
market at present and builders are working frantically to
catch up with this demand. This is not likely to change.
"What's more, there is keen investor demand in housing
also. Returns elsewhere have been low, house prices are
rising and so too are incomes and rents." The survey shows
that New Zealand's population growth, the healthy domestic
economy and low interest rates are keeping the housing
market buoyant. It says people are respectful of the
limitations they face but are also mindful of the cyclical
nature of price movements. The survey says this specific
measure of confidence amongst the household sector has not
fallen away as sharply as recent measures of business
confidence. Households are keen to spend and borrow money
due to rising wages, lower import costs and increasing
wealth via house price appreciation. If the Reserve Bank
eases monetary policy in the next few months, the ASB
predicts household confidence is likely to improve and the
spending and borrowing push will continue.
MINISTRY SEARCHES FOR ROGUE MOTH
--------------------------------
The Ministry of Forestry is not stopping its search for the
Asian gypsy moth, despite finding no new cases near
Hamilton. Samples collected by the Ministry and those
handed in by residents of Frankton have all tested negative
after a moth was found a week ago. The pest can cause
significant damage to trees. MAF's Project Manager Mark
Ross says trapping will continue for another five weeks. A
decision will then be made on the future of the programme.
(That headline gave me visions of a heavily armed and
masked moth causing havoc in the insect world - BH)
FIRE DIVERTS CHRISTCHURCH TRAFFIC
---------------------------------
Traffic on Christchurch's Colombo Street had to be diverted
after a fire at a bar on Tuesday afternoon. The Fire
Service was called to the Oxford on Avon premises around
1.30pm when a fire broke out on its lower floor. Traffic
was diverted away from the area as eight fire appliances
attended the incident. Senior Station Officer Barry Dent
says an electrical fault appears to have caused the fire
which was small and only caused limited damage. The scene
was cleared shortly after 2pm.
KAPITI REOPENS AS FIRE RISK EASES
---------------------------------
Kapiti Island is now open to the public after a week of
being closed due to the risk of fire. The Department of
Conservation's Kapiti manager Ian Cooksley says staff were
concerned about how easy it would have been for fire to
spread in the current dry conditions. He says it would take
time to get fire fighters to the island if there was a
blaze. Mr Cooksley says the biggest concern was the safety
of trampers on the island and how the department could get
them off in an emergency. He says the island has never been
closed before and with the dropping temperatures it is
likely it will be open for the rest of the season.
(If you can get a trip to Kapiti, it is well worth the
effort, especially if you are fit enough to climb the steep
paths to the summit. The magnificent bird life and rich
green bush really reward the effort and the cost - BH)
Wednesday, 09 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOG ATTACKS FOUR ADULTS
-----------------------
A dog has run amok in a Porirua street, attacking two
residents and two police officers, before being shot dead.
The Pit-Bull crossbreed bitch first attacked a woman
outside her home at about 5pm, and then turned on a male
neighbour who came to help. When police arrived, they too
were set upon, before they shot the dog dead. Several young
children were playing in the street at the time of the
attacks. The female victim sustained a minor injury, but
her male neighbour was taken by ambulance to Wellington
Hospital, and was treated for moderate dog bites. The
police officers were uninjured. Police say they have
located the dog's owner, and enquiries are continuing into
whether the owner is liable for the attacks.
PUBS DISPUTE SMOKEFREE CLAIMS
------------------------------
Anti-smoking proponents claim public support for smokefree
bars and restaurants is mounting. A survey of 2,000 people
carried out by the Health Sponsorship Council shows 88
percent of respondents would be more likely to visit bars,
nightclubs and pubs if they were smokefree. The survey also
found nearly 80 percent of people believe workers have a
right to work in smokefree venues. Leigh Sturgiss from the
Smokefree Coalition says the findings add to the weight of
evidence showing that becoming smokefree will not affect
patronage at hospitality venues. But the Hospitality
Association doubts the accuracy of a survey claiming there
is widespread public support for smokefree bars and
restaurants. Chief executive Bruce Robertson says if the
council surveyed bar patrons only, they would get a
different story. He says past industry experience shows
smokefree areas in bars are not popular. The Health
Sponsorship Council is a New Zealand-based social change
agent, marketing health messages. The Smokefree Coalition
is a charitable Trust consisting of 25 health groups aiming
to reduce death and disease caused by tobacco use.
(As far as I know, social life as we know it has not come
to a sudden end in California as a consequence of their
smoke-free legislation. I find it hard to believe that the
smokers will stay away for long, and people who value their
lungs should actually start coming out too. I think it will
result in more patronage, not less. - BH)
MAN NOT RUN OUT OF TOWN SAY POLICE
----------------------------------
A senior Tauranga police officer has flatly rejected
allegations a drunk man who became a hit and run victim was
being run out of town by police. Senior Sergeant Bruce
Glover has just completed an investigation into the
allegations. He says Taupo man John Hamilton was picked up
in the city on February 2. Senior Sergeant Glover says the
officers involved were experienced - and one has a nursing
background. They decided he was not heavily intoxicated,
and he was talkative and jovial on the way to Pyes Pa,
where he wanted to be dropped. Police say they watched him
walk off and then drove away. An hour and a half later he
was found dead. Bruce Glover says John Hamilton's widow has
declined his offer to sit down and discuss his findings.
Thursday, 10 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SMOKE ALARMS BECOME COMPULSORY
------------------------------
Smoke alarms will be compulsory in all new houses which are
built from next month. An amendment is been made to the
Building Code. The same rule will apply to existing homes
undergoing major renovations. The Fire Service is
delighted, having pushed for the change for five years.
National Community Safety Manager Jim Dance says the
amendment only requires battery-powered smoke alarms at
this stage. But he says alarms wired into the electrical
system are much more reliable. The Fire Service is now
pushing for new homes to have a combined smoke alarm and
sprinkler system installed.
NZ CHILDREN AMONG WORST READERS
-------------------------------
The results of an international reading literacy survey
make shocking reading for educationalists here. New Zealand
children rank near the bottom of English-speaking
countries, in terms of reading performance. Nine and 10-
year-olds in New Zealand ranked worst out of 35 countries
in terms of the gap between boys and girls, alongside Iran.
Massey University's Professor James Chapman says the
results are unsurprising, since the Education Ministry has
refused to change the way reading is taught. He says
phonics needs to be taught systematically and not on a
needs-only basis, as it currently is - he thinks - in a
haphazard way.
(There is a nightmare roller coaster quality to these
surveys. We are variously told that our reading programmes
are the best/worst in the world. As a tertiary educator, I
will concede that literacy standards don't seem to match
those that applied when I was turned loose from secondary
school. On the other hand, I am not seeing noticeably
better standards from other English-speaking entrants to
our programmes. Of course things could be better. I just
don't see that they suddenly got a lot worse. - BH)
SHOOTING VICTIM TRANSFERRED TO BURWOOD
--------------------------------------
One of the victims of a double shooting in the Hawke's Bay
town of Wairoa this week is being transferred to the
Burwood spinal unit in Christchurch. The 19-year-old is
paralysed from the waist down after a drive-by shooting in
the car park of the AFFCO Wairoa freezing works on Tuesday
night. The other victim, a 23-year-old, has been treated
for a minor shoulder wound and discharged from hospital.
Police believe the shootings were gang related. A family
friend of the 19-year-old says his mate was in the wrong
place at the wrong time. He had gone out to the car park
and got caught up in the shooting. The friend says he was
not involved with any gangs. No one has been arrested yet
in connection with the incident.
JAPANESE STUDENTS RETURN HOME
-----------------------------
Fifteen Japanese students from the Auckland-based Columbus
Academy have now returned to Japan. A number of Government
agencies, including the Serious Fraud Office, are
investigating the Japanese student hostel in west Auckland
after the killing of a student who lived there. Education
Minister Trevor Mallard says it has taken some time to
convince the students' parents that it is appropriate for
them to go home. He says even if a small number of the
allegations against the agency are correct it is a sinister
organisation. Nine students have been arrested and charged
with murder. The director of the academy is charged with
perverting the course of justice.
VICTIM'S MOTHER THANKS WITNESSES
--------------------------------
The mother of a victim of Alexander Clark is thanking the
teenage boys who testified against the sex offender. The
former cub scout leader has been jailed for two years and
three months after he admitted poisoning three boys with a
sex-related drug and indecently assaulting one of them. Pam
Hueston's 17-year-old son Tim committed suicide after
boarding with Clark and being exposed to drugs and gay
pornography. She is grateful to the boys who were brave
enough to testify against Clark and believes they will now
be able to move on with their lives. She claims other boys
were abused by Clark and hopes they will come forward when
they are ready.
COURT FOR ALLEGED KIDNAPPERS
----------------------------
Two Masterton men will appear in court today charged over
an incident at the town's Polytech campus. Police say a
student was allegedly removed from the U-Col Wairarapa
grounds against his will and forced into a van. Detective
Sergeant Graeme Reisima believes the incident is related to
a debt. He says several U-Col staff and students witnessed
the incident and were able to give a good description of
what happened. The two arrested men, aged 18 and 29, face
kidnapping charges.
ADVERTISERS SUPPORT MEDICINE ADS
---------------------------------
The Advertisers Association does not believe there is
anything wrong with the way prescription medicines are
advertised here. The New Zealand Medical Association is
calling for advertisements for the drugs to be banned
altogether, claiming they breach all the current rules. New
Zealand and the United States are the only countries in the
world which allow the advertising of prescription medicines
direct to the public. But Executive Director for the
Advertisers Association, Jeremy Irwin, says independent
studies show the advertisements are within the guidelines
and do not have a negative effect on consumers. He says the
feedback they have is that patients welcome being made
aware of the options available to them .
COMPANY FINED $14,000 AFTER WORKER STRANGLED
--------------------------------------------
An Auckland company has been fined $14,000 after a man was
strangled to death in machinery last year. The entire fine
is to be paid to the man's widow by Orthotic Centre
Limited, following the sentencing in the Auckland District
Court. The man was killed after his tie became entangled in
a machine, causing the immediate tightening of his tie
around his neck which pulled him down rapidly and caused
his death. Madeleine Setchell, spokeswoman for the
Occupational Safety and Health Service, says the company
should have ensured the worker was not wearing clothing
that could be caught in such machines. He was, in fact,
required to wear a tie because he dealt with patients as
well as with machinery. OSH says the company should have
ensured that the dress code for clinical orthotists did not
require ties to be worn. Orthotic Centre Limited makes,
imports and distributes appliances to reduce or prevent
deformity, provide support and relieve pain.
POWER PLEAS RESONABLE
----------------------
The Consumers Institute believes the nationwide plea to
save power is a reasonable ask. The Grid Security
Committee's Winter 2003 co-ordinator, Patrick Strange is
warning that household power consumption must be reduced by
five percent to avoid winter electricity shortages. He says
the risk meter is firmly in the amber zone which means
precautionary electricity savings must be made immediately.
Dr Strange says that after making inquiries into the
industry's capacity to supplement existing natural gas with
coal, oil and gas, he cannot guarantee that there will be
sufficient thermal electricity generating capacity if the
winter is dry and cold. "I acknowledge that there have been
excellent efforts by generators in recent weeks to improve
the thermal fuel situation by sourcing additional coal and
fuel oil supplies and to prepare their plants to use these
alternative fuels if required. That is the good news.
However, there is still uncertainty around these complex
and challenging efforts and it would be imprudent to count
on them all succeeding." Consumers Institute chief
executive David Russell believes the five percent target is
easy to achieve and will save householders money on their
power bills. He says if power becomes in short supply power
bills will skyrocket. Mr Russell says savings need to be
made now because in the medium to long term, power will be
considerably more expensive. He suggests people spend a
less time in the shower and make other small savings.
The National Party is accusing the Government of failing to
do enough to encourage power savings. Energy spokesman
Gerry Brownlee says National was warning of this scenario
last year but claims the Minister of Energy refused to
accept the advice. He says Energy Minister Pete Hodgson has
been dragging his heels on the matter. The Grid Security
Committee is made up of electricity company and consumer
representatives. Dr Strange was appointed a fortnight ago
as the independent coordinator of the industry's response
to potential winter shortages.
FORESTRY WORKER WINCHED TO SAFETY
----------------------------------
A forestry worker is being treated in Gisborne Hospital
after being struck by a falling tree. The 21-year-old
received chest and face injuries in the accident in
Wharerata Forest. A Hawke's Bay helicopter rescue crew and
St John combined efforts to reach the man. He was winched
into the chopper from the bottom of a 500-metre high bluff.
AOS CALLOUT ENDS IN ARREST
--------------------------
A man has been arrested and charged with threatening
behaviour following an armed offenders callout in
Wellington. Police were called to an apartment building in
Hill Street in Thorndon around 8.30am this morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Perry says it appears that
two men had been fighting over a woman. He says police
initially feared the situation was more dangerous than it
turned out to be, as their informant said he had been
threatened with a knife.
SWIMMING BAN DUE TO SEWAGE SPILL
---------------------------------
Two popular Hawke's Bay swimming holes have been placed
under health warnings. Medical officer of health Dr
Caroline McElnay is advising the public not to swim in the
Clive River or the Karamu Stream, south of Havelock North,
due to a sewage spill. She says routine infrastructure
monitoring by the Hastings District Council identified an
overflow from one of its sewage pumping stations.
Friday, 11 April
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ENJOY LATEST PRICE FALL SAYS SHELL
----------------------------------
Oil giant Shell says it is impossible to predict what fuel
prices will do in the coming months, but motorists should
enjoy the latest price reductions. Shell is discounting the
price of both grades of petrol and diesel by about five
cents a litre today and tomorrow. Other companies,
including BP and Gull, have followed suit. In Auckland 91
grade is selling at 98.5 cents a litre. Shell says it is
significant that the price of petrol is again below a
dollar Spokesman Simon King says the special discount it
has launched is not directly related to drops in the price
of crude oil overseas and future price movements cannot be
predicted because the international situation is volatile.
(I am really baffled by regional price differences. To the
best of my knowledge there are no oil refineries, rail
terminals or deepwater ports at Bulls, yet I filled up
there yesterday for 94.9 cents/litre. In Levin just a
little further South, it was 98.9 c/l while in Wellington -
which does have a deepwater port and a rail terminal - it
is still $1.03/l - BH)
NOTORIOUS WILDLIFE SMUGGLER KILLED
----------------------------------
Notorious wildlife smuggler Freddie Angell has been killed
in a car crash. The 43-year-old died in a three car pile-up
yesterday at Pukerau, near Gore. Freddie Angell was jailed
several times for poaching and smuggling rare tuatara and
lizards. A 65-year-old Gore woman, travelling in one of the
other cars, was also killed in the crash.
DRUGS CRACKDOWN IN NAPIER
-------------------------
Police in Napier have made more than 60 arrests in a crack-
down on alleged drug dealing. CIB head Bill Gregory says
over the past six weeks police have raided 56 houses in
Napier and Taradale, seizing hundreds of thousands of
dollars in property and drugs. He says they uncovered
several sophisticated indoor cannabis growing operations
and seized cannabis plants and oil, and methamphetamine.
Detective Senior Sergeant Gregory says 66 people have been
charged with a variety of offences including drug
manufacturing and selling.
DISCUSSION PAPER OUT ON GM LABELLING
------------------------------------
The public is being invited to offer its opinion on a
discussion paper on the development of a voluntary GM-free
labelling system for food and food products. The paper has
been released today and is the result of a recommendation
of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. Consumer
Affairs Minister Judith Tizard says the discussion paper
focuses on a number of issues including the purpose of a
voluntary labelling system. It also presents possible
options of a voluntary labelling system. The paper
specifically asks stakeholders to indicate whether they are
willing to contribute to the development of a labelling
system. Submissions close on may 30th.
VIRGIN BLUE EYES FREEDOM AIR
----------------------------
Budget airline Virgin Blue is seeing the light of
opportunity as Air New Zealand and Qantas head back to the
drawing board. Competition watchdogs the Commerce
Commission in New Zealand and the Australian Competition
and Consumer Commission have declined applications for an
alliance between the two airlines, saying the deal would be
anti-competitive and not good for New Zealand air
travellers. Analysts believe regulators would have to open
the door for Virgin Blue to fly at least 30 percent of the
trans-Tasman market and that Air New Zealand would have to
drop its subsidiary Freedom Air before any merger could
take place. Virgin Blue's Head of Commercial, David Huttner
says his company would be pleased to take over Freedom Air.
Meanwhile, airline industry analyst Simon Botherway,
believes Qantas and Air New Zealand would be wasting their
time applying to the regulators again. He says the ACCC has
given the airlines a pretty good steer that it is not worth
reapplying.
INL HALTS TRADING, IN SALE TALKS
--------------------------------
New Zealand largest media company Independent Newspapers
said today it was in talks about selling its New Zealand
publishing business to Australian media firm John Fairfax
Holdings. INL owns a stable of some 80 newspapers and
magazines in New Zealand including the Dominion Post, the
Sunday Star Times and the Christchurch Press.
INL said the New Zealand Stock Exchange had been asked to
suspend trading in its shares for two days. "It is expected
that a further announcement will be made before opening of
trading on April 15, 2003 and that trading will resume on
that day. Shares in INL, just under half-owned by Rupert
Murdoch's News Corp, last traded on Thursday at NZ$3.38.
The stock touched a two-and-a-half year low of NZ$2.80 last
December, having traded as high as NZ$4.05 a year ago.
John Fairfax shares closed on Thursday at A$3.03. INL,
which has a market capitalisation of NZ$1.4 billion, also
owns two-thirds of pay television operator Sky Network
Television. Last year INL sold its regional newspapers in
Australia. INL, which emerged from Wellington Publishing Co
Ltd in the 1970s, rapidly expanded through acquisition in
the 1980s and 1990s by buying a host of metropolitan and
community newspapers. It also owns 37 percent of the New
Zealand Press Association. The top-10 company made a net
profit of NZ$38.8 million in the half year to December, up
43 percent on the year earlier period. Fairfax has no
direct interests in New Zealand, but publishes leading
Australian newspapers including the Age, the Australian
Financial Review, and the Sydney Morning Herald. The
company made a profit of A$70 million in the half year to
December.
NZ IRAQI HEADING HOME TO HELP
-----------------------------
A New Zealand Iraqi returning to his homeland to lend a
hand in the relief effort is expecting to be greeted by
horrific scenes. South Auckland-based GP, Dr Ali Numan is
hoping to leave shortly for Iraq along with five medical
colleagues also from Iraq. He says the hospital system
throughout the country is in ruins after 12 years of
economic sanctions and resources are virtually non-
existent. Dr Numan says war casualties will probably be the
minority of his patients. He says with the water cut off
most of the drinking supply will be polluted, which will
cause disease.
TOURISM INDUSTRY IS IN FULL SWING
---------------------------------
The national occupancy rate for short term accommodation
has hit its highest levels since records began in 1996 -
proof that the tourism boom's in full swing. Motels, hotels
and hostels were 69 percent full in February. Total guest
nights for the month topped the three million mark, up six
percent on 2002. All 12 regions recorded more guest nights
in February 2003 than in February 2002. Guest nights in the
North Island were up 6 percent, while South Island guest
nights were 7 percent higher than in February 2002. This is
the third consecutive month that the South Island has
recorded higher growth in guest nights than the North
Island when compared with the same months of the previous
year.
CONCERN GROWS FOR MISSING DIABETIC
----------------------------------
Police want to hear from anyone who has spoken to a
Wellington man who went missing from outside his home in
the suburb of Northland last night. Michael Velvin, 26, had
gone to bring a wheelie bin up from the street about 9pm
Thursday and never came back. Constable Jo Holden says it
is vital police find him in the next few hours because Mr
Velvin is an insulin-dependant diabetic, due for his
medication. Police say there are strong concerns for his
safety. Mr Velvin is described as a Caucasian, around 1.8
metres tall, with shaggy brown hair and blue eyes. He was
last seen wearing a blue tracksuit and running shoes.
MCDONALDS NOT BEING INSENSITIVE
-------------------------------
Assurances from McDonald's that its franchises are not
being told to stop distributing issues of the youth
magazine "Tearaway" An article about sexuality linked to a
competition giving away condoms and lubricant has upset
some franchise holders and the company has written to the
editor expressing concerns about it. Labour MP Tim Barnett
says McDonald's is operating a defacto ban on the magazine
but McDonald's spokesman Liam Jeory says the decision rests
with the franchise holders. He says fewer than five percent
of McDonald's restaurants have chosen not to distribute
"Tearaway". Tim Barnett says he finds it amazing the
company has decided to insult a large proportion of its
customers. The Labour MP says he finds it intolerable
McDonalds should feed prejudice against young gays and is
asking the company to reconsider its position.
REASSURANCES GIVEN OVER COMPOST DUMP
------------------------------------
Environment Waikato has been assured the area will not
suffer an infestation of the painted apple moth after
compost from Auckland was dumped at the Horotiu landfill,
six kilometres north of Hamilton. The Biosecurity Committee
has been told a protocol has now been drawn up covering the
movement of vegetation from infected sites in west
Auckland. Biosecurity Group Manager John Simmons says the
council is confident the pest will not spread throughout
the region. Mr Simmons says the vegetation removed by MAF
was treated, shredded and treated again before being moved
to the Waikato.
PHARMACISTS THREATEN CLOSURE
----------------------------
Several pharmacists are considering closing their doors if
Pharmac goes through with a proposed change to medicine
distribution. The Government's drug buying arm is
considering a return to three month dispensing instead of
the current one month. The move would apply to 70 percent
of prescription drugs. The Pharmacy Guild believes the
change will be catastrophic for the incomes of pharmacists.
President Richard Heslop says pharmacists will lose two
months' worth of dispensing fees which equates to around
$70 million. He says more than 250 of the Guild's 800
members have indicated they will be forced to shut up shop.
Mr Heslop says most of the rest will have to lay off staff
or reduce services to survive. He says there are also
concerns that the elderly could end up with large
quantities of tablets if they were able to pick up three
months' worth of medication at once. Mr Heslop believes
that could increase the chances of accidental overdose.
THE FINANCIAL PAGE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 10 April 2003 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
CURRENCIES
~~~~~~~~~~
The currency codes given below conform to ISO 4217, which
can be found at http://www.xe.net/currency/iso_4217.htm.
The rates given are for telegraphic transfer.
To Buy NZD 1.00
USD 0.5529
AUD 0.9107
GBP 0.3536
JPY 66.59
CAD 0.8116
EUR 0.5146
HKD 4.3227
SGD 0.9885
ZAR 4.3950
CHF 0.7659
INTEREST RATES (%)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call : 5.75
90 Day: 5.79
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Philip Crookes
Apr 13, 2003, 4:21:01 AM4/13/03
to
>
> PUBS DISPUTE SMOKEFREE CLAIMS
> ------------------------------
>
> Anti-smoking proponents claim public support for smokefree
> bars and restaurants is mounting. A survey of 2,000 people
> carried out by the Health Sponsorship Council shows 88
> percent of respondents would be more likely to visit bars,
> nightclubs and pubs if they were smokefree. The survey also
> found nearly 80 percent of people believe workers have a
> right to work in smokefree venues. Leigh Sturgiss from the
> Smokefree Coalition says the findings add to the weight of
> evidence showing that becoming smokefree will not affect
> patronage at hospitality venues. But the Hospitality
> Association doubts the accuracy of a survey claiming there
> is widespread public support for smokefree bars and
> restaurants. Chief executive Bruce Robertson says if the
> council surveyed bar patrons only, they would get a
> different story. He says past industry experience shows
> smokefree areas in bars are not popular.
> PUBS DISPUTE SMOKEFREE CLAIMS
> ------------------------------
>
> Anti-smoking proponents claim public support for smokefree
> bars and restaurants is mounting. A survey of 2,000 people
> carried out by the Health Sponsorship Council shows 88
> percent of respondents would be more likely to visit bars,
> nightclubs and pubs if they were smokefree. The survey also
> found nearly 80 percent of people believe workers have a
> right to work in smokefree venues. Leigh Sturgiss from the
> Smokefree Coalition says the findings add to the weight of
> evidence showing that becoming smokefree will not affect
> patronage at hospitality venues. But the Hospitality
> Association doubts the accuracy of a survey claiming there
> is widespread public support for smokefree bars and
> restaurants. Chief executive Bruce Robertson says if the
> council surveyed bar patrons only, they would get a
> different story. He says past industry experience shows
> smokefree areas in bars are not popular.
Of course, this would be the same Hospitality Association of NZ that has
received substantial support in cash and kind from the tobacco industry. Are
we listening to Bruce Robertson speaking or is this his master's voice here,
I wonder. I note that a couple of years ago the HANZ conference was
addressed over a video link by the director of the California Licensed
Beverage Association, one Beverley Swanson. This person is well known for
her close connection with the tobacco industry.
It's also worth looking at the studies that were done in California before
and after the introduction of the smokefree laws there.
Contrary to the assertions of HANZ, the studies showed that while the
hospitality industry always predicts dire results, an analysis of profits on
a business by business basis showed that the smokefree law did not harm
business, and was associated with an increase in business.
Reference: [Glantz S, Smith LRA. The effect of ordinances requiring
smoke-free restaurants on restaurant sales. Am. I. Pub. Heolth
1994;84:1081-1085]
There's no case any more for allowing people to smoke anywhere that other
people don't want them to.
Philip
Peter Ashby
Apr 14, 2003, 6:56:14 AM4/14/03
to
In article <b7b6lt$cpnvh$1...@ID-89693.news.dfncis.de>,
"Philip Crookes" <philip_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
"Philip Crookes" <philip_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Contrary to the assertions of HANZ, the studies showed that while the
> hospitality industry always predicts dire results, an analysis of profits on
> a business by business basis showed that the smokefree law did not harm
> business, and was associated with an increase in business.
> Reference: [Glantz S, Smith LRA. The effect of ordinances requiring
> smoke-free restaurants on restaurant sales. Am. I. Pub. Heolth
> 1994;84:1081-1085]
>
> There's no case any more for allowing people to smoke anywhere that other
> people don't want them to.
Gosh, a reference in scnz. Nicely done Philip, not that such a study
will sway the doom sayers of course. If it is raised expect a dismissive
attack along the lines of 'what do academics know about the realities of
business' kind. Of course in any decent society such studies based on
evidence should rationally inform the debate in favour. If smokers which
to harm themselves that is their business, but since when should they
have the right to harm others?
The science is clear, smoking kills and second hand smoke kills too.
Therefore noone should be allowed to smoke in the presence of anyone who
objects. If chlorine gas gets released in a workplace there is a major
incident and health & safety legislation comes down hard on the
perpetrator. Yet bar and restaraunt workers can be legally told to work
in rooms you can barely see across for the smoke haze. It's a good job
there isn't an industry lobbyist with pots of cash telling us that
chlorine gas is perfectly harmless.
Peter
--
Peter Ashby
Wellcome Trust Biocentre
University of Dundee, Scotland
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.
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