WYSIWYG News - 23 June, 2003
Brian Harmer
list management and archiving handled by the good people
at Onesquared (see http://onesquared.net) . The
resurrected WYSIWYG will in due course have its own
domain name, and the archives from 1994 to the present
day will be on its website. As before, these weekly
bulletins will go out weekly on USENET (soc.culture.new-
zealand), via its own mailing list, and on the web site
(URL to be announced soon).
And so to the first burst of purple prose of the new era:
On one of those days when the bright sun tells lies about
the chilly air temperature, Mary and I boarded the
Interisland ferry "Arahura" en route to Picton and places
further South. A silky grey oily smooth harbour promised
a tranquil crossing, and despite the low air temperature,
we were tempted to sit outside in the open. The breeze
generated by the ship's passage soon altered that idea,
and we found a comfortable indoor location in one of the
many lounges. There we passed the time in conversation,
refreshed with occasional cups of tea or coffee. It seems
that the silky harbour lied too. From the moment we
cleared the heads, the bows began to lift and plunge with
the seemingly modest swells. Somehow, the interval
between swells was at odds with the rhythm of the rise
and fall of the bows. Thus the passage across the exposed
waters between Seatoun and the sounds was marked by a
mildly unsettling lurching and shuddering motion. It was
something of a relief to swing at last into the sheltered
waters of Tory channel. It was still too chilly for
comfort on the outside, so our view of the marvellous
Queen Charlotte sound was through the salt-crusted
windows of the lounge. Soon enough the pretty town of
Picton was in view and we were required to report to the
cavernous echoing vehicle deck, made more hideous by the
roar of the ventilation fans, there to wait the signal to
drive off into the other island.
Since it was mid-day, and we wanted to avoid the
inevitable herd of wandering trucks and campervans that
would be bunched up on the narrow road South from Picton,
we paused for lunch. Outdoor tables at the Dog and Toad
café in Picton's main street made a pleasant and sunny
venue. Replete, refreshed, and being in all respects
ready for the road, we ventured out onto SH1 in the
direction of Christchurch, through the pastoral
Marlborough landscape with its ever-expanding
viticulture. (I read this week that there is some concern
that the six million or so treated posts supporting the
wires on which the vines grow, will soon increase to nine
million, and there is some concern as to their effect on
groundwater). Driving along enjoying the spectacular
coastal journey towards Kaikoura. I swear I saw the
flukes of a whale sounding just offshore at one point,
but no one looked quickly enough to where I was pointing,
so I have no independent verification. We journeyed
through North Canterbury in the gathering gloom and
indifferent weather conditions until at last we arrived
in a very cold Christchurch in the early evening.
Since I had no decent map, I navigated my way towards the
house of my son and daughter-in-law on the basis of
imperfect memory. Finally conceding I was lost, I
acquired a map at a friendly dairy, and found the house
just a few blocks away. Happily there was a fire blazing
to match the warmth of our welcome, and an excellent meal
and much conversation followed.
On day two, I visited the fine folks who were the heart
and soul of nz.com in recent years, and who for so long
managed the mailing list and web archive of WYSIWYG news.
It was really nice to meet Tim and his crew after so many
years of cyber-collaboration.
Mary and I then visited Christchurch's splendid new art
gallery (see http://www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/).
My first impression of this controversial building is of
great curved walls of glass and stainless steel,
organised in an very imposing way. Inside, the scale is
more human, and the various exhibition spaces are quite
conventional. A collection of old masters on loan from
the Victorian Art Gallery in Australia was delightful,
and to be face to face with the genius of Constable,
Turner, Cézanne, Monet, Manet, and the like is always a
worthwhile experience. My own favourite exhibition of the
six concurrently display was that of the Canterbury
artist, W.A. Sutton whose magnificent summer landscapes
captured perfectly the great golden expanses of the
region. Te Puäwai o Ngäi Tahu was an interesting
exhibition of work by Ngäi Tahu artists. Some pieces were
very powerful and moving. Other exhibits I thought
trivial, while a few pieces, especially the video works,
I found just plain baffling . Some curatorial decisions
were irritating in that particular display, such as
having the explanatory labels in clusters, sometimes far
from the work described. Yes, I know the purists might
say you shouldn't depend on the explanation, but that's
how I cope with art that I don't understand. I also noted
with some displeasure, the marking of white lines on the
floor to keep viewers at a distance from the works on
display. Visitors were not permitted to put so much as a
toe over those lines on pain of being accosted quite
sharply by zealous security people. While in the US some
years ago, I noted in the National Gallery in Washington,
and in the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art, that no such
picky practices were in force. A Michelangelo was there
with no barrier whatsoever, provided you did not make any
move to touch. I think that, in general, if you give
trust, people will live up to it. Overall, however, I
think the new gallery is a wonderful building and I hope
people from Canterbury and elsewhere will enjoy the
experiences of great art on display in these handsome
surroundings.
We took family to dinner that night at Tiffany's
Restaurant on Oxford Terrace, where the food and service
were splendid and the atmosphere convivial. I recommend
it to anyone passing through Christchurch. Afterwards we
went to Bailies Bar where our niece Sophia was playing as
a member of "Dublin Street", a self described Celtic Rock
band. The fire was blazing, the beer was suitably cold,
and the welcome and the music were warm. The musicians
played with skill and enthusiasm even when over-played
ballads such as "Dirty old Town" were requested.
Next morning, as we resumed our journey down SH1, the
temperature was still in the "bleak" range, despite a
valiant winter sun. We were bound for the lighthouse
keeper's cottage owned by Mary's cousin Rosalie at Katiki
Pt., just south of Moeraki. Among other things, Rosalie
is the honorary ranger for the yellow-eyed penguin
reserve just below the lighthouse. The turnoff at Moeraki
led us up over a winding and dusty gravel road through
rolling farmland for several kilometres until at last
there was a view of the lighthouse and the nearby cottage
in the distance. After welcomes, greetings and unpacking,
it was now nearing four in the afternoon. Rosalie got us
to wrap up well against the chill wind, then led us down
the fenced path into the hide overlooking the beach. And
even as we arrived, the penguins began their afternoon
parade ashore. One after the other, the birds came
bobbing over the foaming waves, through the slipper surge
of broad brown fronds of kelp and onto the curiously
localised red sand of the beach. The yellow eyed penguin
(Megadyptes antipodes) is know to the Maori variously as
Tauora or Hoiho or which is a reference to its noisy
call. It is an endangered species and is amongst the
rarest of the world's penguins.
Clusters of these quite large penguins stood, seemingly
talking to each other like villagers discussing the
weather or the fish catch in the market place. Thirteen
birds were eventually gathered on the beach.
Occasionally, a pair of them would rush towards each
other with chests outthrust, and a vigorous collision
seemed inevitable. Amazingly the charging pair always
missed, and a brief confusion seemed to follow. After a
while the birds began to make their way up the steep hill
into the scrubby bush behind the beach, presumably
towards their nesting sites. Watching a penguin climb a
steep face is an astonishing. Imagine, if you will,
having both feet tied together, your hands tied behind
your back, and then being required to hop up the steeple
stairs of Christchurch's cathedral! Their fat pink feet
seem to be attached to the base of their body without any
intervening legs. When they walk, they lean forward, and
they stretch their flippers backwards to maintain
balance, and then they just waddle up the hill, hopping
from one precarious place to another. They were a joy and
delight to watch, until at last the evening fell and they
were no longer visible.
That evening, after dinner and much family talk, we went
out into the darkest coldest night I can recall, and
through steaming breath, looked up at the glittering and
most vivid night sky I have ever seen. Every star in the
universe seemed to be gleaming down at us, out of
absolute blackness. Far to the North, the lights of
Oamaru could be seen, and to the south, a few lights from
the settlements at Shag Point, and to the West, the
nothing but the occasional headlights of a vehicle on the
distant highway, but otherwise, the blackness was
absolute.
The next day was bright, clear, and cold. Masefield would
have felt right at home here in "the gull's way, and the
whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife".
Wrapped in as much clothing as I could manage, I joined
the others in a visit to the famed Moeraki boulders.
These massive concretions, up to a metre and a half in
diameter, sit on the beach, partially immersed, like
glistening dark armoured vehicles emerging from the sea
at the commencement of some monstrous invasion. If you
have ever read John Wyndham's "The Kraken Wakes" you will
have a sense of their appearance. The fact is, they are
going the other way, and the cliff is presently giving
birth to a previously hidden boulder which should see the
full light of day in about Across the bay to the South,
Moeraki port sparkled in the sun, and the little fleet of
fishing vessels anchored in its sheltered bay added to
the charm of the view. We chose to drive over there to
experience it at close quarters. It is a pretty little
place, well suited to anyone who does not need the
amenities of a town or city. The necessities are at hand
in the form of a store and a pub. What more could you
need? We went back over the peninsula to the cottage on
Katiki point once more. When the sun was low in the sky
and with the temperature dropping sharply (!!!) we made
our final visit to the hide above the penguin colony, and
were rewarded once more with a steady procession. Truth
to tell, it had the appearance of a convocation of the
great high committee of penguins considering the
strategic plan to rid the beach of intruders. They
gathered in important little clusters, forming and re-
forming in intricate patterns. They were just a delight
to watch. If you are tempted to see them for yourself,
either at Moeraki or elsewhere, make sure you go in the
early morning or late afternoon, and please leave your
dog at home as they are absolutely prohibited on the
reserve.
Next week, our grand tour will resume in Dunedin and
travel to some of the wild and wet places of the South.
---
Support Request
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In order to sustain the labour of formatting the news, I
need to seek reader contributions once more. I last did
this in March of 2001. I invite readers who find value in
receiving WYSIWYG to consider sponsoring one or more
issues. Each issue now costs NZD$40. Last time I appealed
for funding, a number of readers sponsored a single
issue, and a small number of very generous readers gave
lump sums which is why I have been able to keep going for
so long without seeking further support. If you would
like to sponsor one or more issues, please email me
direct at brian....@vuw.ac.nz to discuss how to go
about this (I should add that this newsletter has no
connection whatsoever with Victoria University of
Wellington).
-----
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.
All news items (except where noted otherwise) are
reproduced by kind permission of copyright owner, IRN
Ltd.
----
On with the news
Monday, June 9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TAPU LIFTING CEREMONY AT CRASH SITE
-----------------------------------
A blessing and tapu-lifting has taken place at the site
of Friday night's fatal air-crash near Christchurch.
Seven scientists from Crop and Food Research and pilot
Michael Bannerman were killed when their plane crashed
near Christchurch Airport. Two people survived the crash.
A local kaumatua led about 40 family and close friends of
the victims in a private prayer and blessing ceremony.
Crop and Food Research said the tragedy is a huge loss,
on both personal and professional levels. Executive
director of the Association of Crown Research Institutes,
Antony Scott says it is like a huge family at Crop and
Food Research in Lincoln, where seven of them worked.
He describes them as a "terrific bunch" of people, who
were dedicated to work and passionate about life. Antony
Scott says he is buoyed by the offers of support he is
getting from New Zealand's scientific community. The
family of one of the survivors, Richard Barton, say they
have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public
support. Barton and Tim Lindley were rushed to
Christchurch Hospital after being found alive amongst the
plane's wreckage. Mr Barton's mother, Ida, says her son's
family has been overwhelmed by the support and kindness
offered by the public. Richard Barton was put into a
drug-induced coma when he first arrived at hospital in a
bid to help a chest injury heal. This morning Dr Andrew
Vincent says that while he remains in a serious
condition, things have improved. Dr Vincent says Mr
Barton will require further surgery on an open leg
fracture and then further chest and shoulder surgery in
the next week. He says Mr Lindley, is doing well and the
injury to his eye will be reviewed later today.
Meanwhile, Air accident inspectors, investigating Friday
night's crash, are cautioning against jumping to
conclusions about what may have caused the tragedy.
Inspectors say it will be at least six months before
their report is finalised. The Transport Accident
Investigation Commission will not speculate as to why the
plane came down, and says that until all information is
assembled and interpreted, it would be dangerous to jump
to conclusions. It is now believed that fog, which was
originally thought to be a major factor, did not descend
until after the crash, although it did hamper rescue
efforts. There has been some thought that text messages
being sent to the passengers or the passengers making
cellphone calls may have interfered with the plane's
navigational equipment. However, the TAIC says that even
if it is proven that a non-aircraft phone or electronic
device was used during the flight, it might not have
necessarily contributed to the crash.
CONDEMNATION FOLLOWS SENTENCE HALVING
-------------------------------------
There is condemnation of the decision to halve the
sentence of a driver who killed a four-year-old girl.
Ding Yan Zhao has had his two-year sentence for dangerous
driving causing death cut after his family paid $40,000
in reparations. Zhao was sent to prison for the death of
Georgia McCarten-Graham. She died when Zhao lost control
of his car and ploughed into a service station at
Rangiriri in Waikato. New Zealand First's law and order
spokesman Ron Mark says someone who has committed a crime
causing death should not have the right to pay their way
out of jail. He says the court's decision sends an
unwelcome signal to the criminal fraternity that the
higher the reparation, the lighter the sentence.
(Mr Mark overlooks the other factors taken into account
in altering the sentence. Nevertheless, given that the
child was killed as a consequence of an unlicensed driver
losing control, the sentence is appallingly light. – BH)
MAN MAULED BY TIGER FAILED BY CARERS
------------------------------------
The Mental Health Service is defending its course of
action concerning a mental patient who escaped from a
ward, and ended up being mauled by a tiger at Wellington
Zoo. The independent review commissioned by the Capital
and Coast District Health Board has been released today.
The man scaled a 4.5 metre fence surrounding the tiger
enclosure, suffering serious injuries when he was mauled
by Rokan - a six-year-old male tiger. Clinical Director,
Peter McGeorge, says they delayed contacting police when
they discovered the 29-year-old had gone. He says the
patient was not deemed to be a major risk - either to
himself or others. Dr McGeorge says the report states the
patient had left the ward the previous day, and returned.
He says they believed this would be the case on the day
he was attacked by the tiger. Dr McGeorge says the Mental
Health Service accepts the man was in their care and they
failed to protect him. He says it is very difficult to
balance the patients' rights, against their need for safe
care and treatment.
(Happily, the foolish suggestion that the tiger should be
put down was ignored – BH)
LEGIONNAIRE'S ACTION TAKEN TOO LATE
-----------------------------------
The Police Association says action to prevent
Legionnaire's Disease has come too little, too late. Six
staff at Counties Manukau police headquarters have been
diagnosed with the potentially fatal disease - two of
them in the past few days. The disease is caused by
Legionella bacteria, which have been found in water
delivery systems and are able survive in the warm, moist,
air conditioning systems of large buildings. The bacteria
can cause anything from a mild cough to a serious
pneumonia, with an overall death rate of around 15
percent. Police Association spokesman Richard Middleton
says he is relieved staff at Harlech House are now being
moved out of the building. He says it is unfortunate more
staff now have the disease.
WARM START TO WINTER
--------------------
The MetService has confirmed New Zealand is having an
abnormally warm spell for the month of June. Eleven of
its monitoring stations have recorded 20 degrees or more
at some stage during the past nine days. They include
Whangarei, Auckland, Whitianga, Hamilton, Tauranga,
Gisborne, Napier, Oamaru and Dunedin. However, MetService
spokesman Bob McDavitt warns the figures do not give any
clues as to what is in store for the rest of the winter.
He warns the coldest days are usually in late July or
early August.
(HA! No sign of an abnormally warm winter in our drive
around the South! – BH)
NAME SUPPRESSION LIFTED
-----------------------
Name suppression has been lifted for the man accused of
last month's Hamilton double homicide. Twenty-two-year-
old Jun Jie Ying reappeared in court today and was
remanded in custody until July 17. He is accused of
murdering Wenbin Sun and Jia Ye on the 18th of May. Ying
was arrested when police found Ms Ye's body in the boot
of his car, four days after the slayings. They had been
looking for him since the discovery of Mr Sun's body, in
a Hamilton flat, two days earlier.
BULLY TAG FOR US
----------------
A former US ambassador to New Zealand is critical of
America's decision to attack Iraq. Carol Moseley Braun is
now a Democratic Party presidential hopeful. She says
America should be focusing on the war on terror, by going
after Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda instead of invading
Iraq. She says the war in Iraq was an unfocused
misadventure, which puts the US on a path which could
lead to further war against Pakistan and Iran. Ms Moseley
Braun claims America is bullying its way around the
world, without getting much justice for the September 11
tragedy. She believes Iraq should not have been used as a
scapegoat for the attacks. Ms Braun has had a later start
than most of her opponents in the nine-way race for the
Democratic nomination and is not considered a front
runner.
TRANZ RAIL SHARES RISE
----------------------
Shares in Tranz Rail have risen 24 percent in early
trade, following news of the Government's bailout. On
Friday, the Government announced it was injecting $44
million into the rail operator to stop it going bankrupt.
It will gain a 35 percent stake at a cost of $76 million.
Improving the network over the next few years will cost
another $100 million. Tranz Rail shares were put on a
trading halt prior to Friday's announcement. They leapt
19 cents to 99 cents at the start of this morning's
session, before settling back. Tranz Rail shares are also
the subject of a takeover bid at 75 cents a share from
Australian company Toll Holdings, which already owns 10.1
percent of the company. Tranz Rail shares are currently
up 14 cents to 94 cents. The Government sold off the
network 10 years ago. Under the current deal, it will buy
back the track for a nominal $1 and pay $50 million for
the company's assets.
WEATHER WARNING FOR MUCH OF NZ
------------------------------
Bad weather is on the way for much of the country. The
MetService says a band of rain moving south over the
North Island is likely to stall near Cook Strait tonight.
Heavy falls are expected between Wairarapa and Kaikoura.
Rain in eastern Bay of Plenty and north of Gisborne is
expected to ease this morning, but with another shorter
burst of heavy downpours forecast for tonight. Farmers
and trampers in the area are being warned to be prepared.
(They were right – BH)
HEART TREATMENT SHORTCOMINGS REVEALED
-------------------------------------
Heart patients are not being examined as carefully as
they should be, according to a national audit of
hospitals. The New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Audit
Group has studied the level of service provided in our
hospitals. It has surveyed the 36 hospitals that admit
acute coronary syndrome patients. Chairman Dr Chris Ellis
says the use of investigative techniques such as heart
scans, treadmill tests and angiograms is lower than
recommended by international guidelines. He says this low
level of investigation could have fatal consequences. The
survey also reveals that heart patients in rural areas
are failing to get the same treatment as people in
metropolitan centres. Dr Ellis says that whether they
live in a city or in the country, patients must have
confidence in their hospitals. Ministry of Health
spokesman Dr Colin Feek says the results are in line with
international studies. He says a working party is looking
into the findings.
Tuesday, 10 June
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
US VISA CHANGES MEAN NEW EXPENSE
--------------------------------
New Zealanders applying for an American visa will first
have to get to Auckland for an in-person interview. From
August 1, most people between 16 and 60-years-old who
need a non-immigrant visa must first be vetted by a
consular officer in Auckland. US Consul Doug Berry says
he expects some negative feedback from people spending
time and money on an interview that does not guarantee
them a visa. He says the new procedures are in line with
international changes and a tightening of security
worldwide. Mr Berry says a face-to-face chat can help
officials assess a visa application.
(I understand that most Kiwis heading to the US for a
tourism or brief business trips benefit from the visa
waiver scheme. Those who do need a visa will be
significantly inconvenienced. Perhaps we should
reciprocate. All tourists coming to NZ must fly to
Seattle, or some other out-of-the-way place to have their
face to face interview? – BH)
ASIAN POPULATION WILL DOUBLE BY 2021
------------------------------------
New Zealand's Asian population is predicted to reach
604,000 by 2021. Statistics New Zealand says that is more
than double the estimated population in 2001. Last year
the Asian population grew 13 percent, but that is
expected to tail off in coming years because of an
assumption that immigration from that region will
decline. The number of Asian children will double from
61,000 two years ago to 118,000 in 2021.
(It would be fairer to say that the number of children
with an Asian heritage will double. Many of them are more
Kiwi than their detractors, and a darned sight more
useful – BH)
GENESIS LAUNCHES NEW GENERATION PROJECT
---------------------------------------
Genesis Power plans to build a 40 megawatt open cycle gas
turbine at its Huntly Power Station in the Waikato in
time for next winter. It is the latest power company to
announce new generation projects in recent weeks. Genesis
says national electricity demand is growing at the rate
of 120 megawatts a year and the new turbine will meet a
third of that. Chief executive Murray Jackson says this
year's crisis is only part of the reason for seeking
extra generation. He says New Zealand's growth rate is
such that more investment in large high-efficiency plants
is needed to cope with demand.
GRIM NEWS FOR TOURISM OPERATORS
-------------------------------
Tourism operators meeting in Auckland have been given
some grim news about Asian visitors. Numbers are expected
to drop up to 70 percent because of SARS. Tourism New
Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton has told the TRENZ
tourism expo that visitor numbers overall for the next
quarter will be down eight percent overall. He says that
while the Australian and UK markets are not likely to be
affected, the Asian markets will be down significantly.
Mr Hickton says numbers from South Asia will fall 20 to
40 per cent, with North Asian tourists down 60 to 70
percent. However the news is not all bad. Mr Hickton says
that if the SARS crisis is confined, we should not suffer
a drop in annual figures. He says at least two airlines
have just announced additional capacity to New Zealand.
Wednesday, 11 June
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLANE CRASH VICTIM FAREWELLED
-----------------------------
Funerals are being held today for three of the eight
victims of last Friday's fatal plane crash. Private
services will be held for Howard Bezar, Richard Finch and
Margaret Viles in Christchurch this afternoon. The
families have issued a statement through police asking
the media to stay away. Christchurch police are also
cautioning the media to tone down their pursuit for
information into the investigation into the tragedy.
Inspector Derek Erasmus says he has received a number of
media requests for information about the two hours it
took emergency services to locate the plane after it
crashed. He says the search for the aircraft was
initiated promptly when police were notified, and there
is no question of any delay.
HORSES CAUSE MOTORWAY ACCIDENT
------------------------------
Two people have been hurt after their car collided with a
horse on an Auckland motorway. Police say five horses got
onto the north-western motorway after escaping from a Te
Atatu paddock, at around four o'clock this morning. The
horses were heading towards Auckland city when one was
hit and killed by the car. St John Ambulance says the
people in the car received minor injuries, which did not
require hospital attention. Police arrived shortly after
the accident, and within ten minutes had rounded up the
four remaining horses and put them into a nearby paddock.
RETIRING JUDGE HAS HER FINAL SAY
--------------------------------
A retiring judge has suggested the adversarial court
system may not be the best way to deal with sex crimes.
Retiring Auckland District Court judge Celia Rushton's
comments, made from the bench at her final sitting, are
reported in the Law News. Judge Rushton suggests that
putting the accused, complainants and their families
through a trial does more harm than good. She says a
different system might produce a clearer result. She
believes it may be that in less serious cases, a
complainant might want nothing more than an
acknowledgment of the harm done, a genuine apology and an
offer to make amends.
FIRST MEDICINE-PRESCRIBING NURSE APPROVED
-----------------------------------------
The Nursing Council has approved New Zealand's first
nurse to prescribe drugs. Paula Renouf specialises in
child and adolescent health. She will now be able to
prescribe medicines to children and teens without them
having to see a doctor. The Nursing Council describes it
as a significant milestone. Ms Renouf has completed a
Master of Science in Nursing in the United States and
worked there for 10 years as a paediatric nurse with
prescribing rights. She has completed further prescribing
training in Auckland under close scrutiny of doctors. She
says she has not had any negative reactions from doctors
to the idea of nurses prescribing. The new rules now
allow suitably qualified nurses to prescribe medicines,
but only in two areas, child family health and aged care.
THOUSANDS EXPECTED FOR FIELDAYS
-------------------------------
Motels are fully booked and farmers are out in force as
the Southern Hemisphere's biggest agricultural trade show
gets underway. The 35th annual Field days show opens at
Mystery Creek in Hamilton Wednesday and runs until
Saturday. The event attracts about 120,000 visitors from
throughout New Zealand and overseas. Field days
spokeswoman Nicola Boland says delegations from Australia
and the United States will visit this year's event, keen
to look at importing New Zealand products.
Tuesday, 17 June
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BREAKTHROUGH IN MANUREWA ROBBERY
--------------------------------
There has been a breakthrough for police investigating
the South Auckland liquor store shooting. The prime
suspect in the May 31 incident has been identified and
two vehicles seized. Police today issued a warrant for
the arrest of 44-year-old Gustavis William Job.
Meanwhile, forensics experts are examining two vans
located at a south Auckland address, yesterday. Enquiry
head Detective Sergeant Albie Alexander says Job is
considered armed and dangerous. He says Job is one of the
most wanted men in the country. Detective Sergeant
Alexander says a $10,000 reward is still in place.
ISLAND NOT AN ALTERNATIVE TO MEMORIAL
-------------------------------------
The Government is not interested in buying Kaikoura
Island as a memorial to Sir Peter Blake. The Hauraki Gulf
island has emerged as an alternative to the glass-encased
yacht memorial at Auckland's Maritime Harbour. The Blake
family is now having second thoughts, after initially
supporting the original proposal. But America's Cup
Minister Trevor Mallard says the Government does not like
the Kaikoura Island idea. Mr Mallard says he has spoken
to Sir Peter's brother about the issue. He says it could
be a question of reviewing the design of the interactive
display, dubbed the glass case, which has prompted
criticism from several quarters who think buying Kaikoura
Island is more appropriate. Both proposals are expected
to cost up to $10 million.
SEARCH FOR DIVER CALLED OFF
---------------------------
The search for a diver who disappeared while trying to
rescue a whale has been called off. Department of
Conservation diver Tom Smith was trying to free a
humpback caught in crayfish lines off the Kaikoura coast
yesterday. The whale has broken free but Mr Smith has not
been seen since and is presumed drowned. Police sergeant
Tony Yardley says the official sea and aerial search has
ended. He says police have reset nets in the hope of
recovering the body. Sergeant Yardley says the 38-year-
old may be on the sea bed, which is too deep for police
divers. Local Mayor Jim Abernethy says the Kaikoura
community is reeling at the loss of a respected local
diver. He says Mr Smith understood the danger of what he
was doing. Mr Abernethy says the diver had freed another
whale from lines in 2001 - and shook for two days
afterwards. A woman who worked with Mr Smith has praised
his efforts to help the trapped animal. The woman, who
wants to be known only as Fiona, says Mr Smith was the
sort of man who would have won a 'greatest New Zealander'
competition hands-down.
Meanwhile, Wellington's Westpac Rescue chopper has
plucked a diver in trouble from Cook Strait. The rescued
diver's brother swam to shore to alert police just before
five this evening.
The tired and slightly distressed diver was found about a
kilometre from the Island Bay beach. He was winched from
the water. Chopper pilot Brian Taylor says the diver was
lucky they found him when they did, as a few more minutes
and it would have been dark, making locating him much
more difficult.
ANOTHER PLANE CRASH IN CANTERBURY
---------------------------------
On a day when Christchurch farewelled the victims of one
plane crash, Canterbury has been hit by another. Two
people are dead after a light aircraft crashed in the
Loburn - Rangiora area. The plane, believed to be a
Cessna, went down in a paddock. It is understood the two
were the sole occupants of the aircraft. A memorial
service was held in the Christchurch Cathedral today for
the eight people who died when their Piper Chieftain
crashed 11 days ago.
VIRGIN CLOSER TO TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHTS
-------------------------------------
Australian cut-price airline Virgin Blue has inched a
step closer to flying the Tasman. It has applied to
Australia's International Air Services Commission for
permission to fly to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Zealand from
October. Spokeswoman Amanda Bulger says it is a step in
the process to becoming an international carrier. Ms
Bulger says they are aiming at October as a start date
because it is the start of the new tourist season, the
airline has got new aircraft coming in then, and it is
the lead up to Christmas. Virgin Blue has not specified
what capacity it wants on the trans-Tasman route yet,
because it depends on the outcome of the proposed Air New
Zealand/Qantas alliance.
EXPERT INVESTIGATES NORTH OTAGO RESCUE
--------------------------------------
An Australian expert has arrived in the country to probe
a rescue criticised by some as taking too long. Three of
five men on a fishing trip drowned after their small boat
was swamped off the North Otago coast last month. The
boat's emergency beacon was activated just after 10am.
But it was after midday before a Dunedin based rescue
chopper was sent to search the area, finding just two
survivors. The time-line and sequence of events is now
being investigated by John Bowdler, a former Deputy
Secretary for Transport in Australia.
GEORGIA REPORT DETAILS 10 CONCERNS
----------------------------------
The family whose four-year-old was killed by a speeding,
unlicensed driver has been told it does not have any
legal right to take the matter further. But Georgia
McCarten's family has commissioned a report detailing 10
areas of concern. It will be forwarded to the Solicitor
General in the hope he will take action. The family's
concerns include the driver's one year prison sentence, a
$40,000 payment from his parents to Georgia's
kindergarten, the quality of advice given to victims and
media responsibility. The family says it is also uneasy
to hear a "junior staff member" has already been singled
out for blame within the judicial system.
Wednesday, 18 June
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHORITIES COPING WITH AIR CRASHES
------------------------------------
The two men who died in Tuesday's microlight crash in
North Canterbury were 22-year-old Richard Jones and 21-
year-old Andrew McIlraith. Both men are described as
aircraft engineers and were from Christchurch. The men
died when their microlight nose-dived into a paddock near
Loburn. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority says its
resources are coping with the string of air crashes in
the South Island. Eleven people have perished in three
fatal accidents in the past 12 days. In addition to the
Loburn crash, eight people, including the pilot died when
an Air Adventures plane crashed near Christchurch Airport
on June 6. A man also died in a single engine plane crash
near Blenheim on June 9. CAA spokesman Bill Sommer says
the spate of crashes is not creating problems for them.
He says the CAA is investigating the microlight crashes
while the Adventures accident is being handled by the
Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
SAFE LANDING AFTER FUEL EMERGENCY
---------------------------------
A plane which was reported to be running out of fuel has
landed safely in Gisborne. Late in the afternoon, the
twin engined plane radioed that it was in trouble on its
way to New Zealand from American Samoa. The AirFreight
New Zealand plane touched down at Gisborne Airport
shortly after five o'clock. Fire, ambulance, coastguard
and police services were all in attendance at Gisborne
airport. The Convair plane had three people on board.
(A USAF C141 that was in the neighbourhood had sufficient
fuel to fly out and escort the lost plane home. As I
understand it, the problem boiled down to incorrect
coordinates entered in the Nav computers after crossing
the International date line. – BH)
CHARGES WITHDRAWN AGAINST TEENAGER
----------------------------------
Porirua police have withdrawn charges against a teenager
who received head injuries after police were called to a
noisy party in Cannons Creek last year. Tamati Selave
spent some time in hospital. Inspector John Spence says
the decision to withdraw the charges of assault, escaping
custody and resisting police follows advice from senior
officers, including from the Commissioner's office. He
says the offending is relatively minor in nature and they
feel Mr Selave has suffered enough from the incident.
Earlier, a police officer charged with causing grievous
bodily harm to Mr Selave was acquitted in the Wellington
District Court. The officer had been accused of causing
injury to Mr Selave by hitting him over the head with a
torch as he was chased from the party. The officer's
lawyer successfully argued that it was an accident and
that Mr Selave had spun around after being grabbed and
fell to the ground.
MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND ARSON
---------------------------------
A Tauranga man accused of killing his de facto partner in
a house fire is to stand trial later this year. Eddie
Tapsell has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and
arson. Edwina Graham died in the fire at their Papamoa
home last October. Tapsell is still receiving treatment
for injuries he suffered in the blaze. The week long
trial has been set down for the Rotorua High Court,
beginning on October 6.
OWEN, TOLL BATTLE FOR TRANZ LINK
--------------------------------
A bidder for Tranz Rail's trucking operation Tranz Link
says there is a good fit between the two businesses.
Owens Group has put its hand up as one of two bidders for
Tranz Link. The other is understood to be Toll Holdings,
which is currently battling the Government for control of
Tranz Rail and has been vehemently opposed to selling off
Tranz Link. Owens Group chief executive David Ritchie
says there are good synergies between his company and
Tranz Link, because they are both in the domestic freight
business. He says the benefits of a tie up would flow
both ways. Mr Ritchie says it is hard to know how this
battle will affect its bid. He says he recognises Toll is
a strong competitor in Australia, with a great desire to
get into New Zealand in a larger way.
INMATE IN COURT OVER OWEN ATTACK
--------------------------------
A prison inmate has appeared in the Auckland District
Court over an attack in Mt Eden Prison on one of the
owners of the dog that savaged Carolina Anderson. Joseph
Pere is charged with assault with intent to cause
grievous bodily harm. He is alleged to have attacked
Thomas Owen on Saturday morning as he began his two month
jail term. Owen was taken to hospital with serious
injuries. Pere entered no plea and has been remanded in
custody until the June 25. Meanwhile, the second man
charged with owning the dog that attacked Carolina
Anderson, Brian Hill, has been let out of prison after
completing his sentence.
AUCKLAND'S MOST WANTED MAN CAPTURED
-----------------------------------
A tip-off from the public has led police to the capture
of Auckland's most wanted man. On Tuesday police issued a
warrant for Gustavis Job in connection with the Manurewa
liquor store shooting on May 31 which left shop employee
Paul Taueli in hospital with serious injuries. Job, aged
44, was described as extremely dangerous and the public
was advised not to approach him. A photo of the wanted
man was also released, and a $10,000 reward had already
been offered for information leading to his arrest. Early
on Wednesday morning police raided a rural property at
Wainui north of Auckland and took away three people for
questioning. Police say they doubt they will be paying
out any of the reward offered for information leading to
Job's capture. Detective Senior Sergeant Albie Alexander
doesn't think anyone has earned the $10,000 dollar
reward. He says while the public helped, his inquiry team
deserves most of the credit. Job is in court this
afternoon, charged with aggravated robbery.
Thursday, 19 June
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEFENCE BOSS FEARS FOR TROOPS IN IRAQ
--------------------------------------
The Chief of the Defence Force has told Parliament's
Defence Select Committee of his concern for the welfare
of the New Zealand troops going to Iraq. Around 80
engineers will work with British troops on reconstruction
projects. Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson acknowledges US
troops are being killed almost every day by Iraqi
resistance forces. He says he is, and will always be,
concerned about the security for his troops as it is a
dangerous place. Air Marshal Ferguson says the New
Zealand troops will be armed and have the authority to
defend themselves on show shortly at the National
Maritime Museum in Auckland.
TEEN KILLED IN HUNTING ACCIDENT
-------------------------------
A Timaru teenager is dead after another hunting accident
in south Canterbury. The 19-year-old and three other
young men were hunting wallabies at the Hunter Hills near
Waimate at the time. The body has been flown out of the
area by a rescue helicopter and taken to Timaru Hospital.
The name of the teenager will not be released until the
family are notified.
MAN NOT GUILTY OF INCITING SUICIDE
----------------------------------
A High Court judge has instructed an Auckland jury to
find a man not guilty of inciting his partner to commit
suicide. Twenty-year-old Rochelle Thompson hanged herself
in the garage of the home she shared with her 53-year-old
partner William Tamatea last year. The tragedy followed a
heated argument, in which Tamatea is reported to have
said to Miss Thompson, "go find the rope...I'll help you
get up there". However Justice Salmon says there is no
evidence Tamatea intended to deliberately encourage his
partner to take her own life. He says the evidence
suggests the words were said in the heat of the moment.
Tamatea still faces charges of assaulting a female and a
child.
APPEAL COURT DECISION ON FORESHORES
-----------------------------------
The Court of Appeal has paved the way to allow Maori with
claims to the country's seabeds and foreshores to seek
redress. The court's decision gives the Maori Land Court
jurisdiction to preside over these matters. South Island
Maori already have claims in for ownership of seabeds and
foreshores in the Marlborough Sounds. In previous
submissions, the Waitangi Tribunal has said that the
tidal zone was important to Maori because it was a source
of food; not only sea food but also birds; and also as
walkways for coastal Maori to travel from one area to
another. Although in the past, there were occasions when
titles were granted on foreshores, the Harbours Act 1878
(revised 1950) put into law the statue that no part of
the foreshore was to be granted or given away other than
with the authority of a special Act of Parliament.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE
---------------------------------------
A Christchurch man has pleaded guilty to 16 charges of
possessing graphic child pornography. Clinton Gooch
admitted the charges in the Christchurch District Court
on Thursday morning. The Court heard how Internal Affairs
investigators found Gooch exchanging child pornography
over the internet. Some of them were of four to seven
year old children from a Russian orphanage. Prosecutor
Pip Curry told how Gooch's partner found the material and
confronted him about it. He has been remanded on bail
with the judge reminding him to return missing CD ROMs
containing child pornography if he wants his sentence
mitigated.
AIR NZ MOURNS DEATH OF COLLEAGUES
---------------------------------
Condolences and support are being given by Air New
Zealand to families, friends, and work colleagues of two
young trainee engineers killed in a microlight crash on
Tuesday. Twenty-two-year-old Richard John Jones and 21-
year-old Andrew Douglas Kenneth McIlraith died when their
microlight crashed in a paddock near the north Canterbury
town of Loburn. Air New Zealand spokeswoman Valerie Hayes
says the pair worked for Air New Zealand at its
Christchurch engineering base and the company is deeply
saddened about the accident.
HOUSING COSTS HIT LOW-INCOME EARNERS
------------------------------------
Increased housing costs are leaving the country's lowest
income earners in a worse situation. The finding comes in
the Council of Christian Social Services' latest Poverty
Indicator Report. Foodbank clients report spending from
$4 to $18 a week more on housing than last year.
Spokesman Campbell Roberts says those paying state house
rents are better off, but there is still a huge waiting
list for state houses. And he says as home ownership
becomes increasingly unaffordable, people are not moving
on and creating vacancies as they used to. However
Campbell Roberts says slightly fewer people are using
foodbanks, a sign that lower state house rents are making
a difference.
DOC DISCUSSING RESPITE FOR FLIPPER
----------------------------------
The Department of Conservation is meeting today with tour
operators to discuss plans to restrict dolphin watching
in the Bay of Islands. Twenty submissions have been
received on the plans which seek to limit the number of
tour operators and the times at which dolphins can be
viewed. The moves follow a study which found too much
contact with humans was having a detrimental impact on
the dolphins' behaviour.
JOB SCHEME PLACES 1200
----------------------
The Government is claiming success for an employment
scheme that is slightly outside the square. The Pathways
to Arts and Cultural Employment began in November 2001,
and has now placed more than 1,200 beneficiaries in jobs.
It operates in Work and Income's 13 regions. Associate
Arts Minister Judith Tizard says times have changed, and
so has the old idea that beneficiaries only take on blue-
collar employment. She says the PACE programme has led to
beneficiaries working in areas such as design, fashion
and film, with 77-percent finding long-term employment.
She says New Zealand's creative sector has grown in leaps
and bounds, and the PACE programme has given it a much
needed helping hand.
Financial Page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope to persuade my friend, Brian Dooley to resume the
gathering of interest rates next week.
Subscriptions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Details on how to subscribe or unsubscribe will be
included in next week's issue.
Regards
Brian Harmer
--
Brian M. Harmer
Enkidu
Cheers,
Cliff
On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:37:14 +1200, Brian Harmer
<brian....@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
>Hello people. WYSIWYG returns from the dead...
--
Signed and sealed with Great Seal of the Executive
Council of the Internet, by The Master of The Net.
Geoff McCaughan
> I also noted with some displeasure, the marking of white lines on the
> floor to keep viewers at a distance from the works on display. Visitors
> were not permitted to put so much as a toe over those lines on pain of
> being accosted quite sharply by zealous security people. While in the US
> some years ago, I noted in the National Gallery in Washington, and in the
> Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art, that no such picky practices were in
> force. A Michelangelo was there with no barrier whatsoever, provided you
> did not make any move to touch. I think that, in general, if you give
> trust, people will live up to it.
This was not my experience in the US. I found that every museum or art
gallery I visited, if I stepped back far enough to view an exhibit from a
comfortable distance, a bunch of people would push in front and block my
view completely.
Philip Crookes
"Brian Harmer" <brian....@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message
news:jbmcfv0sgtm1p2d3j...@4ax.com...
> Hello people. WYSIWYG returns from the dead, with mailing
> list management and archiving handled by the good people
> at Onesquared (see http://onesquared.net) . The
> resurrected WYSIWYG will in due course have its own
> domain name, and the archives from 1994 to the present
> day will be on its website. As before, these weekly
> bulletins will go out weekly on USENET (soc.culture.new-
> zealand), via its own mailing list, and on the web site
> (URL to be announced soon).
Welcome back.
You were sorely missed.
Philip
jasonr
> I also noted with some displeasure, the marking of white lines on
> the floor to keep viewers at a distance from the works on
> display. Visitors were not permitted to put so much as a toe over
> those lines on pain of being accosted quite sharply by zealous
> security people.
Perhaps they hired them from Germany. I have only ever encountered
zealous gallery security in Cologne.
Thanks for the marathon post.