WYSIWYG NEWS - 22 February
bha...@matai.vuw.ac.nz
Someone mailed me with a request to subscribe to this list. I did not
keep the mail, so I have to answer here - there is no list. As far as
I know, I am posting it to soc.culture.new-zealand, and how far it
gets after that is entirely dependent on the feeds taken by various
sites. Sorry I can't help further with that request.
The International Festival of the Arts opens in Welington this week,
with lots of high-class acts (priced accordingly) sold out months
in advance. The local production of "Les Miserables" has been getting
rave reviews, and favourable comparisons with versions staged in
major world capitals.
The murder in Wellington has been the subject of intense speculation
with wild rumours of a "sicilian connection" to the older of the two
victims. The family are outraged by what they regard as irresponsible
reporting. Anyway, here comes the official news:
FATHER, SON SLAIN IN CITY OFFICE BLOCK
Two Wellington millionaire businessmen found dead at their office on
the Terrace last night both had a single bullet wound to the head,
police said today.
The dead were Eugene Nugent Thomas, JP, 68, of Oriental Bay, and his
son, Gene Alexander Thomas, 30.
Evening Post, February 17
TIRIKATENE-SULLIVAN STAYS, BROTHER LEAVES IN DISGUST
Southern Maori MP Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan's decision to stick with
Labour has split her politically from one of her chief supporters,
her brother who has left the party in disgust.
Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan said today she would not hesitate to follow
her brother, the Rev Rino Tirikatene and quit Labour if the party did
not act on key issues affecting Maori
Evening Post, February 17
THREATENED PENSIONER TO GET APOLOGY
Social Welfare minister, Peter Gresham has ordered his department to
apologise after a pensioner was told to inform on his son, or face
having his pension cut off.
Mr Grsham has ordered the Social Welfare Department's income support
service (ISS) to investigate how the incident occurred and ensure it
doesn't happen again.
Evening Post, February 17
ALLIANCE, NZ FIRST EXPLORE COALITION PROSPECTS
The Alliance, and NZ First are warming to the prospect of coalitions,
but not with each other.
Both party leaders made major speeches yesterday which referred to
options for changing strict party boundaries under MMP.
Alliance leader Jim Anderton said today he expected to hold possible
coalition talks with Labour before the next election
Evening Post, February 18
CAPITAL SCORCHES IN NEAR RECORD HEATWAVE
Wellingtonians sweltered yesterday in one of the city's hottest days
while the fire danger remained high and water weas in short supply.
Temperatures soared to 30 degrees C at Wellington Airport - just 0.6C
short of the record set in 1982. In Wainuiomata the mercury hit 34.5C
by mid afternoon, and in teh central city suburb of Kelburn a reading
of 29.1C was just short of its highest
Evening Post, February 18
(A typical Wellington day - at last :) - BH)
STRONG GRIP ON WALLETS
Shoppers are spending freely in Auckland and Christchurch, but
Wellingtonians are keeping a tight grip on their wallets.
Statistics New Zealand data released today shows that in the last
quarter of 1993 Wellington shop counter sales - a strong indicator
of economic activity - dipped 2.9 percent ... from the same quarter in
1992.
Evening Post, February 18
FIRE THREATENS KARORI HOUSES
The Westpac Rescue helicopter was helping 35 firefighters battle a
scrub fire that was threatening houses in South Karori early today.
Dominion February 19
STUDENTS WALK OUT IN PROTEST
Students and staff at Kuranui College in Wairarapa stormed out of
class yesterday and protested in the grounds after the board of
trustees voted to dump its student representative.
Principal Joy Halford said that the board had decided at its monthly
meeting on on Wednesday not to have a student representative with
voting rights on the board this year. TWo prefects would have speaking
rights instead.
...
A student said the protest meeting happened after interval. "We walked
out on the playing field and some teachers came out and said they were
on our side," she said. "We walked over to the soccer field and began
chanting, 'We want the vote'."
Dominion February 19
21 CAR PILEUP
Twentyone cars were involved in a pileup near Wanganui yesterday after
smoke from a controlled burnoff wafted across the road. ... There
were no serious injuries.
Dominion February 19
POOR SCHOOLS SHOULD GET EQUITY FUNDS - PRINCIPALS
Poor schools should get more equity funding to halt "white flight"
to rich schools, some Wellington principals said yesterday.
Porirual college principal, Austin Brooks said the abolition of
zoning had led to a "white flight" from poorer schools, and called on
the goverment to bring back zoning or boost equity funding.
Dominion February 19
STRIPPERS TAKE ON PROTESTERS OUTSIDE CLUB
Women paid to take their clothes off at a downtown Auckland strip
club yesterday defended their actions to four protesters picketing
the building.
Two of the strippers stood at the front door of the club and told
anti-pornography protesters they were willing participants in the show.
"We are all working here of our own free will," one said.
...
"All they are doing is taking money out of my pocket and my household,"
said the 22-year old single mother of two.
"At the moment, I'm just stripping, but if the show closes, I will
have to resort to prostitution," she said.
Dominion February 19
US RESUMES TOP LEVEL CONTACTS WITH NZ
The United States said today it was upgrading contatcts with NZ
restricted seven years ago in a dispute over nuclear policy.
A State Department official in Washington said that while the Clinton
administration had decided to resume senior-level contacts, this did
not signify restoring US defence obligations to NZ.
Evening Post Febrauary 19
RAIN TO RELIEVE PARCHED CAPITAL
Wellington has come to the end of its golden weather - at least for a
few days.
...
The region's 20-day drought will be broken by low pressure areas
bringing cloud, rain, and wind says met forecaster Peter Fisher.
Evening Post Febrauary 19
( *sigh* - :-( - BH)
NZ TOURISM FOCUSES ON SYDNEY'S GAYS
A gay Sydney couple is holidaying in NZ at the expense of the NZ
Tourism Board as the first step in a campaign aimed at targeting the
lucrative Sydney gay and lesbian travel market.
Andrew Stevens and Brian Barron have a photographer with them on parts
of their six day itinerary which includes the HERO dance party tonight,
wine-tasting, black-water rafting at Waitomo caves, and early morning
hot air ballooning.
Evening Post Febrauary 19
DB HAS 'STUNNING' SUCCESS IN UK AWARDS
Dominion Breweries mopped up more honours than anyone can remember for
a single company today in England's international brewing awards.
DB won all three classes for international bottled and canned lager
with DB Export Gold, DB Export Dry, and DB Pilsener, as well as
picking up one second and two third prizes.
DB Draught and DB Bitter were also first and second in one class
of international bottled and canned ales.
Evening Post February 19
NATS UNLIKELY TO ALLOW US SHIP VISITS
The Government, fearful that MPs would defect is unlikely to allow a
resumption of American Navy ship visits to match the United States
Government move at the weekend to restore top-level links with NZ.
As a result, though the top-level diplomatic and political dialogue
will resume, the defence hiatus will continue. NZ will remain
excluded from ANZUS council discussions and tripartite military
exercises with the United States and Australia
Dominion February 21
BANKS UPSET AT BOARD'S SYDNEY GAYS CAMPAIGN
Tourism minister, John Banks last night questioned the decision of
the Tourism Board to specifically target Sydney gays, saying
homosexuals brought health and social risks to the community.
Dominion February 21
NZ MINUS CROWE
It looks as if the NZ cricket team is going to do without top batsman
Martin Crowe for the rest of the summer. NZ cricket chairman Peter
McDermott said he thought Crowe's troublesome knee would not be
right until April
Dominion February 21
CRICKET RESULT :-(
NZ First innings 175
2nd innings 361
Pakistan 548-5 dec
WHITBREAD RACE
The fourth leg of the round-the-world yacht race got off to a
spectacular and dramatic start with up to 8 yachts recalled for
jumping the gun om Waitemata Harbour.
The yachts Brooksfield and Heineken ignored the recall and will
incur a 17 minute penalty on their times
Dominion February 21
COMPUTER SNAG FOR FISHERIES
Millions of dollars worth of value have been wiped off fishing quota
invoices sent out by MAF Fisheries because of glitches in computer
software. MAF Fisheries has had to re-issue hundreds of quota
invoices because new computer software wildly overestimated how much
the fishing industry owed the Government
Infotech Weekly
Dominion February 21
CAPITAL MAC SCORES AN APPLE COUP IN MYANMAR
New Zealand is sending Apples to Burma - Apple computers that is, as a
result of an unusual international sales venture.
Apple Computer in Palo Alto gave the Burmese distribution agency to
Wellington Apple reseller Capital Mac after an approach from Capital
Mac managing director Denis Win Thein who was born in Burma realised
the business potential when he was visting family and friends last
year.
Infotech Weekly
Dominion February 21
HOMICIDE INQUIRY PINPOINTS ONE MAN
Police now have one suspect - a middle aged Wellington businessman -
in the double homicide of father and sone Eugene and Gene Thomas on
Wednesday.
Inquiry head, Detective Inspector Brett Kane said police were now focusing
their inquiries on the man who had a range of business dealings with the
Thomases in the past.
Evening Post February 21
PM TIPS RETURN TO EXERCISES WITH US
Joint military exercises with the United States, run by a third country,
could soon be on the agenda, Prime Minister Jim Bolger said today.
The upgraded relationship between Wellington and Washington, news of
which came in a Friday evening phone call from the US Secretary of State,
Warren Christopher, to Foreign Affairs minister, Don McKinnon, could
open the way to joint military exercises run by a country other than the
US or New Zealand.
Evening Post February 21
TOP BATSMAN JONES QUITS TEST CRICKET
Andrew Jones has put an end to speculation and has announced he will
retire from international cricket at the end of the summer. He said
today he will not be renewing his contract with New ZEaland Cricket when
it expires on March 31.
Evening Post February 21
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