WYSIWYG NEWS - 3 February, 2003
Brian Harmer
----- WYSIWYG NEWS -------------------------------
Copyright, Brian Harmer
Summer has been more generous than usual in our allotment
of sunshine and calm days this year, but just to make sure
we weren't forgetting where we were, on Friday we had one
of those rare days that ill-informed outsiders regard as
typical Wellington weather. It blew like forty thousand
banshees! Nevertheless, the sun smiled on, and from the top
of Salamanca Road near the weather office, the view of the
harbour was awe-inspiring. The entire vast expanse of Te
Whanganui-a-tara" (the great harbour of Tara) was alive
with surging white caps painting moving tracks across the
vivid green water. Squalls would occasionally disrupt the
green white hammer glaze, blasting down from the North West
to shatter the waves, turning the water into creamy white
foaming missiles hurtling down wind towards the open sea.
To my surprise, the Lynx was departing, though on this
occasion, her usual foaming wakes were lost in the greater
turbulence of the sea itself. I know the Lynx is
constrained from sailing when the sea-state gets above a
certain limit (I think about 2.5 metres), so the surface
motion clearly had yet to translate into the deep heaving
swells that Cooks Strait passengers love so much. The
Boeings were still approaching from the South, and only the
massive deflections and equally emphatic corrections
indicated that the passengers were have an exciting arrival
at Wellington's isthmus airport. A huge lenticular cloud
formed high over the Rimutakas gave witness to the power of
this wind, and for the next two days, our house bucked and
shuddered as the screaming found its way through every
joint and crevice. Monday once more, and the wind has
returned to a more normal steady breeze.
My sympathy to all who are grieving the loss of loved ones in the
horror of the Columbia disaster.
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 my favourite West
Coast whitebaiter.
On with the news:
Monday, 27 January
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BAIL REFUSED AFTER GANG ATTACK
------------------------------
A judge has refused bail for two Te Puke men, charged
following a gang-related attack that has left a man
fighting for his life. The two, both 21, have appeared in
the Tauranga District Court. They are jointly charged with
assaulting the 33-year-old, who has suffered critical head
injuries. Police say the incident involved internal
fighting within the town's 'Eastside gang.' They say
further, more serious charges will be laid.
POLICE NAME DEAD WOMAN
----------------------
Motueka police have released the name of a woman killed in
a road crash near Tasman yesterday. Thirty-two-year-old
Sandra Louise Vincent from Motueka, was the pillion
passenger on a motorcycle involved in a collision yesterday
with an oncoming car. The motorbike rider and sidecar
passenger are in Nelson Hospital with serious injuries.
TRAIN VICTIM NAMED
------------------
Police have released the name of a man hit by a train in
Taupiri. Wilhelmus Heremaia of Huntly was killed by a
passing train just before 7 o'clock yesterday morning.
Police say the 31-year-old had been asleep next to the
railway tracks. The incident will now be the subject of a
coroner's inquest.
MEAT INDUSTRY SEES BENEFITS IN EU AGREEMENT
-------------------------------------------
Meat exporters are welcoming the signing of a New Zealand-
European Union Veterinary Agreement. The six-year-old
provisional agreement between New Zealand and the EU has
been formally ratified by the two parties in Brussels. It
means New Zealand meat processors and exports can expect
fewer inspection visits and faster border clearing times.
Brian Lynch from the Meat Industry Association says the EU
is New Zealand's dominant sheep meat market, taking nearly
two-thirds of the country's total lamb and mutton exports.
Under current quota arrangements, that is about 225,000
tonnes each year. Mr Lynch says 95 percent of the meat
exports to Europe are in added value form. "With by-
products like hides and skins included, the EU market is
now worth $2 billion annually. When the agreement was first
initiated in 1996, it was worth barely half that value." He
says the agreement has promise for the future. Mr Lynch
says because European hygiene requirements are among the
most rigorous, the fact the EU authorities have recognised
New Zealand food safety systems as giving levels of
protection that match their own, will be a huge advantage
in strengthening the appeal of New Zealand meat products in
that fastidious market.
Tuesday, 28 January
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SCHOOL STUDENT NUMBERS UP
--------------------------
Nearly 9,000 extra students are expected to be enrolled at
schools this year. When schools open for 2003 this week,
around 743,000 young people are predicted to be enrolled.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard says the total number of
primary school enrolments will be more than 480,000 - up by
500 on last year. He says secondary enrolments are
projected to be around 256,000 - an increase of just over
8,000. Mr Mallard says half of the new entrants to school
this year will be in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty
regions.
(It seems that the solution may be swept under the carpet
by the simple expedient of having more kids in front of
each teacher than good practice calls for. - BH)
NINE BAFTA NOMINATIONS FOR LOTR
--------------------------------
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers has been nominated
for nine BAFTA awards. The British Academy of Film and
Television Arts has released its list for the 2003 awards.
The New Zealand-made movie has been nominated for best
film, against the musicals "Chicago" and "Gangs of New
York.". Peter Jackson has been nominated for best director.
His competition includes Martin Scorsese and Roman
Polanski. "The Two Towers" has also been nominated for
outstanding cinematography, production design, costume
design, editing, sound, special visual effects and makeup
and hair. Adrien Brody has picked up a best actor
nomination for "The Pianist" Roman Polanski's tale of a
Polish Jew who eludes Nazi oppression in Warsaw. Other
nominees for best actor are Nicholas Cage, for
"Adaptation", Michael Caine for "The Quiet American" and
Jack Nicholson for "About Schmidt". Nominees for best
actress are Halle Berry for "Monster's Ball" and Salma
Hayek for "Frida." The short list for the Film of the Year,
recognising the most commercially successful films of the
year are "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"; "Austin
Powers in Goldmember,"; "Die Another Day"; "Harry Potter
and the Chamber of Secrets"; "Men in Black II"; "Spider-
Man"; "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones."
Meanwhile, the UK is being flooded with illegal, high
quality DVD copies of "Lord of the Rings - the Two Towers",
a year before the film is due to be officially released on
video. It is believed the thousands of copies have all been
made from a disc sent to judges from the Motion Picture
Association of America for consideration for the Oscar
awards. The only clue that the copies are pirated are the
words 'for your consideration', which appear on the screen
every fifteen minutes. The copies are much higher than
normally found in pirated DVDs, which are often produced by
pointing a video camera at a movie screen during a
commercial screening.
PROTESTORS TARGET TE MANA
-------------------------
The Navy frigate Te Mana is set to get two types of
farewell when it sails from its Auckland base this
afternoon. Family and friends of the 163 ratings and
officers on board will be joined by a group of protesters.
Global Peace and Justice Auckland is organising the
demonstration against the deployment of the frigate to the
Arabian Gulf. The Government says the Navy is taking part
in the US-led War on Terror, launched following the
September 11 attacks. But the protest group describes that
as meaningless political drivel. It claims the frigate will
report through a chain of command directly to the US
warship Abraham Lincoln. The demonstrators say Helen Clark
is giving unambiguous support to President Bush and his
plans for war with Iraq.
(The demonstration, at least as seen through the eyes of
mainstream media was almost entirely ineffectual - BH)
CHARGES IN SWORD ATTACK CASE
----------------------------
Police are laying charges against Antonie Dixon in relation
to last week's sword attack in Pipiroa. Two women remain in
hospital after they were slashed with a sword in the
settlement near Thames a week ago. They have undergone
extensive surgery to their hands. Detective Inspector Steve
Rutherford says the charges will be laid at Dixon's next
court appearance on Thursday. He will face two counts of
attempting to murder Renee Hills and Simonne Butler. Dixon
is also charged with the murder of James Te Aute who was
shot dead in a Pakuranga car park early last Wednesday
morning.
SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS FOR TOUGH SWIM
-----------------------------------
One of the toughest open sea swims in New Zealand will be
the subject of special celebrations in Invercargill next
month. Five of the six people who have swum Foveaux Strait
are getting together to mark the first 30 kilometre
crossing by John Van Leeuwan on February 7, 1963. The last
successful swim was in 1989. The Foveaux Masters Swimming
Club plans to recall the story behind the successful
crossings during the reunion. Spokesman Roger Eagles says
Foveaux Strait is daunting for any swimmer.
LAKES DOWN, PRICES UP
---------------------
Wholesale electricity prices are creeping up as storage
levels in hydro lakes drop. Inflows into lakes in the North
and South islands are down to 64 percent of what they
should be at this time of the year. M-co, which runs the
wholesale electricity market, says the price has risen from
around two cents a kilowatt hour in late October, to
between six and eight cents. It peaked at ten cents a unit
just before Christmas, then eased before starting to rise
again. On Sunday, hydro lakes were at 83 per cent of their
average level for this time of the year. The volume of
water going into them is two thirds of normal flows.
CRIME RATE DROPS AT CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL
--------------------------------------
Parachute organisers have reported a reduction in the
number of offences at this year's Christian music festival.
The lower crime rate comes despite an increased crowd and a
drop in the numbers of security personnel. Twenty-three
thousand people are estimated to have attended the four-day
event, at Matamata's Totara Springs. Festival Director Mark
Mortlock says there were only minor incidents reported.
(If they have a crime rate at all, it would seem that the
battle is being lost - BH)
ASH WANTS RETAILERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE
-------------------------------------
The anti-smoking lobby ASH believes retailers have shown
they are no longer responsible enough to sell cigarettes.
Health authorities have carried out a sting operation in
Wellington, finding that eight out of 32 dairies,
supermarkets and petrol stations sold tobacco products to
minors. ASH director Trish Fraser says if retailers' poor
record of selling to minors continues, the privilege should
be taken from them. She claims some retailers feel
comfortable breaking the rules, but says there is no excuse
for being ignorant about the rules considering the years of
education programmes and prosecutions providing retailers
with warnings. Ms Fraser says the Government needs to
consider allowing the sale of cigarettes at licensed
premises only.
Wednesday, 29 January
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DOCTOR SAYS TIME TO ACCEPT DECISION
-----------------------------------
The senior surgeon at Kaitaia Hospital says it is time to
accept the facility's fate. The Northland District Health
Board is cutting after-hours surgery from the end of next
month. It will boost helicopter and ambulance services to
help accommodate the cuts. Senior Surgeon Dr Peter Dryburgh
says the decision comes as no surprise. He says personally,
he is disappointed by the move. But he says the board has
heard robust submissions from hospital staff and the
community at large. Dr Dryburgh says the only option now is
to accept the decision. Meanwhile, opponents of the move
are still deciding what, if any, action they can take over
the pending changes. Kaitaia Hospital Action Group chairman
Millie Srhoj is still upset over what he claims are double
standards. He is adamant Annette King promised him
personally that after-hours surgery would continue.
PETROL PRICES SET TO RISE
-------------------------
Three of the four main oil companies have put up their
prices for motorists today. Shell, Caltex and BP have all
increased their prices by between two and four cents a
litre. Only Mobil has not moved yet, saying that it is
monitoring the markets before making any decision to
increase its prices. The other companies say their prices
have gone up in the wake of the strong New Zealand dollar
and volatile commodity costs. It is also predicted that
fuel prices will fluctuate in the short term while there is
uncertainty in the Middle East.
(108.9 cents/litre when I last looked - BH)
POLICE SCRUTINISE ALINGHI DEATH THREATS
---------------------------------------
Auckland police say the Alinghi death threat letters were
composed by someone within the sailing community or by
someone who wants police to believe that. The letters
reportedly threatened members of the America's Cup yachting
syndicate and their families. One was posted from the south
Auckland mail centre and the other from central Auckland,
on December 17 and 18. They were typed on A4 letterhead.
Detective Michael Cartwright says police have had to deal
with a lot of rumours and speculation about possible
suspects and they are now down to a limited number of
inquiry lines. He says there are no firm suspects and
police are relying on cooperation from everyone spoken to.
Police are still awaiting forensic results on the Alinghi
letters.
MISUSE OF POWDER CAUSES CONCERN
-------------------------------
Specialty shops and the Internet are the source of the
latest recreational drug under scrutiny by the Ministry of
Health. BZP, or Benzylpiperazine, is a bovine worming
powder which has come to the attention of authorities.
Users of the drug experience periods of lethargy followed
by hyperactivity. It is believed several police call outs
on the West Coast have been caused by misuse of the drug.
It has also been linked to an incident in Ashburton and one
in the Nelson region. Ministry of Health senior advisor
Geoff Owen says BZP is sold as a so-called "legal high"
over the Internet. He says at this stage there is no
evidence of the substance posing a significant health risk
but that would not stop the Ministry from taking action
should the situation change.
MAN STABBED AT TEMUKA
---------------------
A South Canterbury man is in hospital after a stabbing at
Temuka last night. Senior Sergeant Mal Schwartfeger says a
29-year-old man is in Timaru Hospital with a stab wound to
his stomach. Police are talking to a 32-year-old Timaru man
about the stabbing.
LARGER CLASSES DUE TO TEACHER SHORTAGE
--------------------------------------
Unqualified teachers taking larger classes are the likely
consequences of a secondary teacher shortage according to
principals. Currently there are more than 300 secondary
teacher vacancies. Secondary Principal's Association
President Bali Haque says population growth is partly to
blame. He says a likely outcome is relieving or non-
qualified teachers taking classes until vacancies are
filled. Class sizes are also likely to creep up. Mr Haque
says recruiting teachers from overseas is not necessarily
the answer, as it could result in a lack of proper
awareness of New Zealand culture. One third of the
vacancies are for heads of department positions. Mr Haque
says the shortage in such a crucial area has worrying
ramifications for education as a whole, as middle
management teachers are those who become deputy principals
and principals in five or ten years. He says quality
applicants are hard to find and some principals are getting
just one or two replies for significant middle management
posts.
(Well goodness me! What a great prediction I made yesterday
- BH)
SUPERMARKETS PUSH FOR MEDICINES SALES
-------------------------------------
The country's second largest supermarket chain is making
another push to be able to dispense medicines. Progressive
Enterprises owns Foodtown, Countdown, Woolworths, Three
Guys, Price Chopper and Big Fresh. The company has outlined
to a select committee its arguments for a law change to
allow it to house chemist shops within its grocery stores.
Progressive's chief executive, Ted van Arkel, says
consumers will benefit because Progressive's bulk buying
power would make medicines cheaper. Supermarkets also have
the advantage of longer hours. Mr van Arkel says research
indicates shoppers want a one-stop shop which will
eventually mean being able to do things such as order
theatre tickets at the checkout. He says pharmacists would
still have jobs as supermarkets would be required by law to
have a pharmacist on site. Security will be in place to
ensure the public's safety. The current law requires a
pharmacist to own the majority shareholding in a pharmacy
and prevents a pharmacist from owning more than one
pharmacy. Legislation before parliament, and currently
being considered by the Health Select Committee, retains
the monopoly, but would allow pharmacists to own up to five
chemist ships. Progressive Enterprises claims such a system
is antiquated and anti-competitive. The company wants the
Government to consider partial deregulation by opening up
the ownership of chemist shops to non-pharmacists, and
adopting a licensing system.
(Hmm... I can't rely on some supermarkets to maintain
reliable supplies of ordinary commodities at times. Would
I trust them with life-sustaining pharmaceuticals? - BH)
FAMILY NOT HAPPY WITH PAROLE CONDITIONS
---------------------------------------
The Corrections Department has agreed to keep a convicted
killer out of the same street as her victim's family.
However, the department says it cannot move Renee Rooney
out of Kawerau, as her parole period is almost up. Rooney
was convicted of manslaughter in 2000, after lighting a
fire which killed Phillip Hunt and another man. She has
since been paroled, and has been staying next to Mr Hunt's
sister, five doors down from his mother. The dead man's
sister Melody Wharerimu is angry Rooney will still be able
to live in Kawerau for the remaining eight weeks of her
parole period. She is sceptical about a meeting Corrections
officials are organising between the two families. Melody
Wharerimu says a promised phone call from Corrections
Minister Mark Gosche still has not come.
Thursday, 30 January
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORKERS URGED TO TAKE A STRETCH
-------------------------------
Employers are being urged to recognise the risks sedentary
workers face if they do not take adequate breaks.
Wellington's Medical Research Institute has documented the
first case of work-related deep vein thrombosis, or blood
clots. The finding is based on the case of a 32-year-old
man who would sometimes be sitting continuously at a
computer for up to six hours. PSA National Secretary
Richard Wagstaff says the risks need to be taken seriously.
He says breaks often fall by the wayside when employees are
pressured to complete tasks. Mr Wagstaff says the onus is
on employers and employees to ensure health needs are not
ignored. He believes new health and safety legislation will
go some way towards improving the situation.
(I have often been told there is a clot at my keyboard :-(
- BH)
EMPLOYMENT CASE MAY SET PRECEDENT
---------------------------------
An employment law expert says it is too soon to regard a
judgement over the dismissal of a Maori mental health
worker as a precedent. Employment Court Judge Coral Shaw
has criticised Good Health Wanganui over its dismissal of
Heather Burberry and increased compensation to $15,000 plus
six months' lost wages. The judge found fault in the
dismissal procedure, and said that as the worker had been
welcomed with a powhiri, she should have been given a
similar ceremony upon her dismissal. Employment lawyer
Philippa Muir says the judge ruled that the claim of
whakama, or shame, is a relevant issue. Ms Muir says the
judgement sends a message that courts are taking into
account cultural as well as employment considerations. She
says there may be individual circumstances that stop Ms
Burberry's case from being a precedent. Maori lawyer
Annette Sykes says gradually tikanga Maori is being
recognised in all aspects of the legal system. She says
this employment court ruling reflects that evolution and is
to be welcomed. Annette Sykes' sentiments are not shared by
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters who has labelled it
as "sociological claptrap". Mr Peters says the ruling is
bizarre and simply shows what can happen when references to
Waitangi Treaty principles are placed in laws. Mr Peters
says it is political correctness gone mad and rules it is a
potential threat to Maori employment.
(I am seriously worried when I find myself in sympathy with
Winston Peters. Leaving aside the fact that the grounds for
this particular dismissal were challenged, I am astonished
to learn that someone who has been fired should receive a
ceremonial farewell commensurate with the dignity of the
welcoming ceremony. - BH)
TEEN COMES FORWARD AFTER FATAL CRASH
------------------------------------
Police have been interviewing a teenager who has come
forward following a hit-and-run in the Waikato town of
Huntly. The incident claimed the life of four-year-old
Aimee-Lea Marshall. She was struck by a car on Riverview
Road in Huntly last Wednesday. Detective Sergeant Michele
Moore says a 16-year-old turned himself in to police on
Wednesday afternoon. She says police have interviewed him
and are now considering what charges to lay. She says
police have seized the teenager's car and damage to it is
consistent with having been involved in an accident.
SWORD ATTACK ACCUSED BACK IN COURT
----------------------------------
Two charges of attempted murder have now been laid against
the man linked to a sword attack at Pipiroa near Thames
earlier this month. Antonie Ronnie Dixon is accused of
attempting to murder Renee Joy Hills and Simone Rachel
Butler. Dixon made a brief appearance in the Manukau
District Court this morning to face the charges in relation
to the attack on the two women. He had appeared last week
on charges of murder, kidnapping, aggravated burglary and
using a firearm against the police. These charges related
to other incidents which happened in the hours after the
Pipiroa attack. Defence Counsel Peter Kaye asked Judge Jane
Lovell-Smith to remand Dixon to a psychiatric institution -
the Mason clinic - until February 13. Dixon stood in the
dock, hands in pockets, showing no emotion during his brief
appearance.
LUXURY LINER SKIPS BAY OF ISLANDS
---------------------------------
The owners of a luxury liner say worries about
overcrowding, not Waitangi Day protests, are behind their
decision not to go to the Bay of Islands. The QE2 was due
to visit the Far North on February 6, taking its 1,700
passengers ashore. But the stop has been cancelled and
Northland MP John Carter estimates the expected unrest has
cost the local economy more than $250,000. But Cunard Line
spokeswoman Sue Marsh says protest threats have nothing to
do with it. She says the ship's owners simply did not
realise how busy the area would be. Ms Marsh says the
overcrowding would have been too much for their elderly
passengers. The QE2 will now sail straight to Hobart from
Auckland.
ARREST FOR POSSESSION OF SAMURAI SWORD
--------------------------------------
A man has been arrested in Wanganui after being caught with
a samurai sword. The 22-year-old was picked up in Victoria
Avenue at 10 o'clock last night. Police were called after
reports of a man hiding the sword up his shirt. The weapon
has a 60-centimetre blade, and had allegedly been stolen
from a nearby house earlier in the night. A man appears in
the Wanganui District Court next week on theft and
offensive weapons charges.
PHARMACY DEREGULATION UNPOPULAR
-------------------------------
Pharmacists fear the demise of the community chemist, as a
supermarket chain pushes for total deregulation.
Progressive Enterprises wants to be able to own a 100
percent stake in pharmacies and would set them up in
supermarkets. Progressive owns Foodtown, Countdown,
Woolworths, Three Guys, Price Chopper and Big Fresh.
Currently, non-pharmacists can own just 25 percent but a
bill before Parliament could lift that to 49 percent.
Pharmacy Guild President Richard Heslop says any more would
kill chemists in suburbs and rural areas by compromising
responsible pharmacy ownership, an example of which is
efforts to limit the sale of medicines used to make illegal
drugs. Mr Heslop says he is not opposed to pharmacies in
supermarkets, as long as they are pharmacist-owned. He
believes the push to totally deregulate the industry is
more about shareholders than consumers. He believes
supermarkets would offer selective discounts, and send
profits to off-shore shareholders. Meanwhile, Progresive's
Chief Executive Ted van Arkel, says consumers will benefit
because Progressive's bulk buying power would make
medicines cheaper. Supermarkets also have the advantage of
longer hours. Mr van Arkel says research indicates shoppers
want a one-stop shop which will eventually mean being able
to do things such as order theatre tickets at the checkout.
He says pharmacists would still have jobs as supermarkets
would be required by law to have a pharmacist on site.
Security will be in place to ensure the public's safety.
The current law requires a pharmacist to own the majority
shareholding in a pharmacy and prevents a pharmacist from
owning more than one pharmacy. Legislation before
parliament, and currently being considered by the Health
Select Committee, retains the monopoly, but would allow
pharmacists to own up to five chemist shops. Progressive
Enterprises claims such a system is antiquated and anti-
competitive. The company wants the Government to consider
partial deregulation by opening up the ownership of chemist
shops to non-pharmacists, and adopting a licensing system.
FEE SUBSIDY ON HOLD IN ROTORUA
------------------------------
Rotorua GPs have put the Government's new subsidy of
doctors' fees on hold because they say it benefits people
who need it least. Rotorua is due to receive the Primary
Health Organisation subsidy, which will reduce the cost of
a visit to the doctor to about $15. But chairwoman of the
local GPs' practice group Bev O'Keefe says because the
subsidy is tagged to an area, rather than individuals, she
estimates around 50 percent of Rotorua patients will get a
benefit they do not need. She says it means a professional
person earning a good salary will pay the same as a solo
mother of five children on a benefit. Dr O'Keefe says
Rotorua gets the funding just because of its broad
population profile. She says address is a crude measure of
deprivation.
ORION'S TOP MAN TO LEAVE
------------------------
The Managing Director of Canterbury's Orion electricity
network operator is leaving the company after 15 years at
the helm. Chris Laurie will head the Brisbane-based
renewable energy company, Energy Developments Limited. The
company's chairman, Linda Constable, says that under Mr
Laurie's leadership Orion has performed outstandingly. She
says Mr Laurie has successfully steered the company through
what she describes as the 'tortuous' energy reforms of the
last decade. Chris Laurie joined the company in 1988, and
managed the formation of Orion's predecessor, Southpower,
from the Christchurch Municipal Electricity Department and
Central Canterbury Electric Power Board. Following the
energy reforms, the Southpower electricity retail business
was sold in 1998 and the electricity network was rebranded
Orion. Ms Constable says the performance of the electricity
network has improved consistently over the last decade, and
the Christchurch City and Selwyn and Banks Peninsula
District Councils have benefited by some $650 million
through Mr Laurie's strong and innovative leadership.
Friday, 31 January
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ASYLUM SEEKER FAILS TO SECURE STATUS
------------------------------------
The Algerian asylum seeker, who some people believe has
terrorist links, has had his claim for refugee status
declined. Ahmed Zaoui has been in Auckland Prison at
Paremoremo since arriving in New Zealand early last month.
His lawyer Paul Coates says Mr Zaoui will appeal the
decision. Today the Crown gained another seven day
extension to the order detaining the Algerian. Mr Coates
says Mr Zaoui will have to reappear in court every Friday
until his appeal is heard
HARBOUR BRIDGE FLIES UNION JACK
-------------------------------
Aucklanders may be wondering why the Union Jack is flying
from the Auckland Harbour Bridge today. It is not an
attempt at re-colonisation but is in fact there to
celebrate the first Oyster New Zealand yacht rally. The
weather may be a little fresher than the Oyster Rally's
normal Caribbean venue but the boat's British designer
wants to make a fuss of McDowell Marine in Auckland, the
kiwi boat builder which is the only firm outside the UK to
make the yacht.
LUNG CANCER VICTIM WON'T GIVE UP
--------------------------------
A Tauranga man trying to get compensation after contracting
lung cancer is vowing to fight on. David Simm's claim for
$300 a week from ACC for lost salary has been turned down.
He has been looking for the compensation since he
contracted his terminal illness. He blames his condition on
years of sitting next to smoking work mates in the staff
lunchroom. Mr Simm says ACC has not heard the end of him
and he intends to appeal.
ICC DECISION RAISES QUESTIONS
-----------------------------
Questions have been raised over the security report used by
the ICC for its decision not to move the Black Caps' World
Cup match away from Kenya. The International Cricket
Council has turned down New Zealand's request for the match
to be transferred. The ICC says it is satisfied all
security concerns have been addressed. But cricket
commentator Bryan Waddle says the ICC has relied on the
same security report as the one the US Government has used
to warn its people to get out of Kenya. He says it seems
strange the same company has provided reports to the ICC
and US Government yet those two bodies have come up with
conflicting decisions. The New Zealand Cricket Board will
meet today to decide its next step. It may choose to
forfeit the match in Kenya which would result in a heavy
fine and the deduction of competition points. Former Black
Caps' test player now commentator Ian Smith says that will
be a tough decision. "New Zealand Cricket is now in a dicey
situation. If they forfeit the game then basically then
will forfeit the chance the win the World Cup," he says.
New Zealand is due to play the home side in Kenya, a match
New Zealand would be expected to win.
NZ SCIENTISTS IN BRAIN BREAKTHROUGH
-----------------------------------
New Zealand stem cell research has revealed the human brain
may be able to repair itself from disease. Richard Faull,
from the University of Auckland School of Medicine, says
the information may one day defeat diseases like
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's Disease and
epilepsy. He has told an Adelaide conference that adult
stem cells from a person's own brain could be used.
Professor Faull says that would overcome the major ethical
and technical problems linked with the controversial area
of embryonic stem cell technology. The term "neural stem
cell" is used loosely to describe cells that can generate
brain cells and are derived from the central nervous
system, have the capacity for self-renewal and can give
rise to cell types other than themselves through asymmetric
cell division. Neural stem cells exist in both the
developing and the adult brains of mammals, including
human. They have the capacity to generate cells of other
tissues.
THE FINANCIAL PAGE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 30 January 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 0.5544
AUD 0.9372
GBP 0.3369
JPY 65.74
CAD 0.8451
EUR 0.5136
HKD 4.3348
SGD 0.9620
ZAR 4.7777
CHF 0.7555
INTEREST RATES (%)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Call : 5.75
90 Day: 5.85
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brian Harmer does NOT administer the mailing list.
Please do not send subscription related messages to him.
ALL requests to subscribe or unsubscribe must be sent to
majo...@nz.com
To subscribe:
send a one-line e-mail with the following command:
subscribe nznews <e-mail-addr>
To unsubscribe, the message to send is:
unsubscribe nznews <e-mail- addr>
In either case, omit the angular brackets. Remember, to
unsubscribe, you must use exactly the same alias as you
used to subscribe in the first place.
New subscribers can add themselves to the WYSIWYG News E-
mail list by using the enrolment form at the Akiko web
site: http://nz.com/NZ/News/
--
Brian M. Harmer
Rob M
<brian....@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
>subject: 3 February, 2003
>----- WYSIWYG NEWS -------------------------------
>Copyright, Brian Harmer
[snip]
Always worth the effort, Brian.
Thanks.
Rob.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.paintball.co.nz/m3/
Paintball Manager Computer Game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------