Copyright © 1995 Brian Harmer
Last weekend, Mary and I rented a little house in the quiet little village called Lake Ferry. Situated on the Eastern shore of Lake Onoke at the Southern extremity of the Wairarapa region, the township consists of about fifty houses, a pub, and a camping ground. The nearest general store is sixteen km North at Pirinoa, and the nearest town is Martinborough which is 36 km away. Like most of the Wairarapa, the region is bleached almost white after several months without significant rain. The rolling hillside farms on the road from Martinborough to the sea are a patchwork of pale straw with the occasional thin patch of green where irrigation is available. Various forms seem to rely on bore water, since many of the creeks in the region are bone dry. The currently fashionable form of distribution seems to involve underground piping to a grid of nozzles that look like inverted "potties", from where a pulsating jet of water is squirted onto a ring of grass. But, on to Lake Ferry. The quietness I mentioned was one of the drawcards, though that wasn't always as absolute as we might have expected. For a start, the Pacific ocean crashes relentlessly on the stony spit that separates the lake from the sea. And then there is a colony of water birds at the head of the lake. They seem to be a mixture of black swans, Canada geese, and Paradise Shelducks. When they are disturbed the noise is astonishing, beginning with initial honks of alarm and followed by the thunder of a thousand wings as the motley flock relocates to a different part of the lake. Man-made noise is present too, as anglers putter across the placid waters, or worse, as the ubiquitous rural quad-bikes scurry back and forth between homes and pubs. For the most part though, it was quiet. On the Saturday morning, we walked around the Eastern shoreline to the head of the lake. It was a partially overcast and windless day. The water perfectly mirrored the grey and blue and purples of the cloudscape, and created a thousand opportunities for the photos of a lifetime. I did mention that I left my camera back in the house did I? Shags perched on disused piles with wings hung out to dry. What were the piles for? I speculate that they may have been used for some sort of shoreline retention scheme against the periodic flooding in the region. Despite it being the second to last weekend before the end of daylight saving, there were a number of tents on the camping ground, and to my surprise a number of caravans permanently attached to more solid buildings. These are not the sort of cabin you find in an American trailer park, but genuine single axle caravans that once roamed the country behind a car before coming to this last resting place. The house in which we were staying was comfortable, and equipped with all the necessities, including a complimentary bottle of wine from the owner. If anyone contemplates a similar retreat from city life, you can find the web site at http://lendale1.tripod.com/index.htm
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 http://www.kiaorathailand.com. Many thanks good people.
On with the news:
Public health officials are repeating warnings to the public to be careful about the food and water they consume. A letter sent to the New Zealand Herald newspaper warns of cyanide in home and motel water supplies, explosives and gas in cinemas. Police have linked the threat to earlier letters sent to the US embassy and Australian and British high commissions. Deputy director general of public health Dr Don Matheson says people should be aware of the taste of what they are eating or drinking. He says cyanide has an almond flavour and would cause a burning sensation in the mouth.
(I figure that by the time you are aware of the taste, you are dead! - BH)
The Ministry of Health has issued a strong warning to the distributors of an alternative remedy who claim it is a wonder drug. Sellers of the product Ambrotose claim it offers relief to sufferers of serious diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis. Medsafe Team Leader Compliance Peter Pratt says the Ministry is concerned about the claims, which are in breach of the medicines act. He says they have spoken to Mannatech, the company involved, and have sent them a warning letter.
The Medical Association is also concerned about alternative remedy Ambrotose. The pills, which cost about $70 for a two to four week supply, largely comprise of natural sugars. It is claimed these promote cell-to-cell communication, and hormone and energy production. Medical Association chairman Dr John Adams says it is another example of an alternative remedy that has not been subject to the same scientific rigour as medicines. He compares Ambrotose with Lyprinol, a mussel extract which was hailed as a possible cancer cure without the appropriate tests. Dr Adams says alternative remedies should have the scientific background to back up any claims, otherwise people are given false hope, and end up wasting their money.
The Multiple Sclerosis organisation is carrying out a thorough investigation of the processes followed at The Great New Zealand Horse Trek. The Taranaki trek, to raise money for MS, turned to disaster when around a dozen horses were killed in a stampede on March 2. Seventy riders pulled out of the trek after the incident. MS National Director of Operations Nola Rawson says the trek finished up on Sunday without further incident, and she will now be briefed by the organiser over the next few days. She says they want to talk to a number of other people involved with the trek before drawing conclusions about what actually happened and whether it could have been averted.
About 300 people walked through the Invercargill city centre yesterday in support of peace in spite of a looming US-Iraqi conflict. Spokeswoman for the march organisers, Judith Robinson, says the Have A Heart For Peace march was not just to protest against the possibility of war, but to get world leaders to look for new ways to resolve conflicts. Judith Robinson says a wide cross-section of people went on the walk and she was struck by the goodwill and solidarity of the walkers and supporters.
It has been another busy weekend for Invercargill police. Fifty-four people have been arrested since Friday night. Senior Sergeant Dave Raynes says this follows last weekend's very busy time when 72 people were arrested. Dave Raynes says many of those arrested were young males and alcohol was a significant factor in many of the offences. He says a wide range of mainly disorder offences were committed in the inner city over the weekend. Those arrested will be appearing in court through the week.
(Sounds like that walking for peace was not entirely effective - BH)
Eastern District police are launching a campaign to target seat-belt wearing. Inspector John Fairley says police are concerned that the district has a very high non-compliance rate. Inspector Fairley says the campaign is timely and will run for three weeks. He warns police will continue the crack-down till at least the end of the year. A seat-belt offence incurs an instant fine of $150, and police are adopting a 'zero tolerance'. The campaign will target both drivers and passengers.
Helen Clark is defending her government's support for an America's Cup challenge. Political opponents, as well as a number of sports and social welfare groups, want to know why $5.6 million of taxpayers' money is being spent on what they call a millionaire's game. But the Prime Minister says it is not about sport but branding and profile for New Zealand in the competitive global environment. She says it presents huge opportunities and will be good for the country. Helen Clark says the irony is Team New Zealand may find it easier to get sponsorship now the next America's Cup is being held in Europe.
(I have considerable sympathy for all the other groups who say that they could achieve similar results for their sectional interest with the aid of $5 million - BH)
Christchurch firefighters now have a fire on the Port Hills under control. The fire began on a spur overlooking Sumner at about four o'clock, and is thought to have been started by a spark from welding work being done on a nearby house. The blaze shot up the spur towards Godley Head Road but has since been brought under control.
The Drug and Alcohol Foundation is appalled by calls to loosen up alcohol advertising regulations. Lion Breweries, together with the Beer, Wine and Spirits Council has complained that the current rules are too tight. They would like the option of being able to advertise before 9pm on television. Drug and Alcohol Foundation spokeswoman Sally Jackman says they have evidence which proves the status quo should be maintained. "We do have evidence that young teenagers who remember and like ads tend to become heavier drinkers or have more positive attitudes about drinking when they are in their late teens," she said.
The discovery of an Australian huntsman spider in an east Auckland suburb has the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry baffled. The large arachnid was found in a garden in Bucklands Beach at the end of January. The home owner managed to kill it and sent it to MAF where it was confirmed as a huntsman. MAF biosecurity officer Amelia Pascoe says they alerted people in the area to the find and asked other residents to keep an eye out for any more of the large spiders. No more have been confirmed in the area and MAF is unsure how it turned up in the eastern suburb. Biosecurity officer Amelia Pascoe says the information they have is the spider is not poisonous, but it can hurt if a person is bitten by the larger ones.
The Whangarei teenager accused of driving a car into a group of party-goers at Kamo, killing one of them, has made another appearance in court. Nineteen-year-old Julie Johnson faces 27 charges, including 13 of causing injury and one of murdering 16-year-old Renee Brown. Police asked for the matter to be stood down while their inquiries continued. Johnson was remanded in custody to appear again in the Whangarei District Court on March 31 for a pre- depositions hearing.
Protests over Iraq are not expected to detract from Monday's focus on Closer Economic Relations in Wellington. John Howard is wrapping up three days of bilateral talks with Helen Clark. Our political editor says even though they disagree on the Iraq issue, the two prime ministers have a genuinely warm relationship. Barry Soper says protests outside the state luncheon are expected today, and security will be tight. A sizeable police presence is expected in the capital. Green MPs will join the peace protestors outside Parliament. Greens co-leader Rod Donald says he and the party's eight other MPs will not be at the state banquet. He says the luncheon may be seen as an endorsement of John Howard's stance on Iraq. At weekend talks in Auckland, Mr Howard and Miss Clark warned that all Pacific nations are vulnerable because of the rise of international terrorism. Miss Clark says it has been a strain for New Zealand to draw up legislation and find money for counter- terrorism activities since September 11. She says the pressure on smaller nations must be immense. Mr Howard said stronger nations such as Australia and New Zealand have a role to play in helping smaller Pacific states. Terrorism will be top of the agenda when the Pacific Island Forum meets in Auckland in August. And Helen Clark says the two nations have agreed to disagree on the looming war with Iraq. New Zealand is determined not to confuse issues in its attempts to secure a free trade agreement with the United States. Miss Clark says she is not tempted to alter her view that there is still a need for diplomacy, in the hopes of securing a trade arrangement. John Howard and Helen Clark do see eye-to-eye over Zimbabwe. Miss Clark says Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth because of its oppressive regime is bound to dominate discussion at the upcoming Commonwealth forum in Nigeria. As chairman of the Commonwealth, John Howard says it is logical that the suspension should be upheld until the August summit.
National does not see any need for changes to the way judges are hired and fired. The Government is proposing to set up two new statutory bodies to oversee the appointment of judges and the process for their dismissal. It says it will improve the independence of the judiciary. But National's Justice spokesman Richard Worth says the current system works well enough and the changes are not needed. He says they definitely will not make the judiciary more independent. Richard Worth says he also has serious concerns about a proposal to allow judges to work part- time.
(It's only when things go awry that the issue comes to the fore. I certainly do believe that vastly more transparency is required in the presently mystical process by which judges are selected and appointed. On the whole, the present system does seem to have given us some very fine judges, but the occasional glitch does have the public asking how this or that person got appointed to the bench. - BH)
The Auckland District Health Board is assessing its antidote stocks in light of the recent spate of cyanide poisoning threats. Letters sent to various embassies and to the New Zealand Herald have threatened to unleash the deadly poison in domestic water supplies or as a gas in cinemas. Wellington's Capital Coast Health has increased its cyanide-antidote supplies in case the threats are realised. The Auckland DHB already has supplies of cyanide- antidote as it is not a rare poison. But it is monitoring the situation and assessing its stocks in light of the recent threats.
An emergency beacon that has been activated in the Hawke's Bay region has the National Rescue Coordination Centre on high alert. The centre has been trying to track the beacon using a helicopter since two this morning. It is believed the beacon is currently in the Frimley/Tomoana area of Hastings. Police say it is probably an accidental activation on a pleasure boat. Senior Sergeant Greg Bradshaw's asking boaties to check that their beacons have not been inadvertently activated.
Recorded crime in New Zealand has risen slightly. Latest police figures show offences for 2002 were up 3.2 per cent on the previous year. The total number of offences was just over 440,000, compared to 426,000 in 2001. Police Commissioner Rob Robinson says the figure is not bad given that over the past six years overall recorded crime in New Zealand's dropped by 7.8 percent against a population increase of 4.3 percent. He says in the same period, the resolved crime rate has improved by five percent. Dishonesty makes up the bulk of the overall rise. Violent crime is up slightly, as are homicides and sexual offences.
Christchurch crime cameras are in line for an upgrade as police plan to turn up the heat on inner city trouble spots. Fifteen cameras are currently operating around the city with the focus on The Strip, the Bus Exchange and north of Cathedral Square. Crime Camera Manager Constable Dave Moore says technology has changed considerably since the first cameras were installed in 1996. He says the upgrade will mean more cameras and clearer footage.
Local Kurds have held a two-hour protest at the Turkish Consulate in Auckland. The rally was aimed at highlighting concerns that Turkey may move its military forces into northern Iraq in the event of a war. New Zealand Kurds Society spokesman Karwan Eskerie says it is a critical situation as the Kurds in the area will resist the Turkish troops by all means possible. Mr Eskerie says the group is trying to get across its concerns today.
Twizel residents are catching up on their mail, but it may be a little out of date. A postie in the South Island town has lost her job for failing to deliver the mail. New Zealand Post says more than 80 items were never delivered, some dating back five years. They included wedding invitations and cheques. Post spokeswoman Tanya Henderson says when they investigated, a number of mail items were found in the postie's possession. She says the mail has been returned to Twizel residents. Tanya Henderson says the reason for non-delivery is confidential.
Police are looking at a possible link between four separate attacks on women in the Tauranga area. In the latest incident last night, a nurse was confronted in her car at the intersection of 13th Avenue and Devonport Road. She had been on her way to work at Oakland Health when she was stopped by a youth standing in the middle of the road. Two other young men then wrenched open her car door and tried to pull her out. The woman reacted quickly by putting her foot hard on the accelerator and speeding away. One man is now helping the police with their inquiries.
Local Kurds have held a two-hour protest at the Turkish Consulate in Auckland. The rally was aimed at highlighting concerns that Turkey may move its military forces into northern Iraq in the event of a war. New Zealand Kurds Society spokesman Karwan Eskerie says it is a critical situation as the Kurds in the area will resist the Turkish troops by all means possible. Mr Eskerie says the group is trying to get across its concerns today.
The Waitakere City Council will not be taking legal action under the Health Act to stop the aerial spraying against the Painted Apple Moth. A group opposed to the Auckland spraying operation was advised by constitutional lawyer and former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer that they might have a case to stop the spraying. The Waitakere City Council then spent $10,000 investigating the option but has found insufficient evidence to press ahead. Council Environmental Management Committee chairwoman, Penny Hulse, says they are unable to prove anything which would be required under the Health Act to prevent future aerial spraying operations.
As the world prepares for a likely war against Iraq, aid agencies are readying themselves for the rush of refugees expected once the bombing starts. The Gulf War saw camps in the Middle East overflow with around a million refugees. Another US-led strike is expected to displace a similar number of people. World Vision New Zealand spokesman James Addis is in Jordan, helping set up three of the 10 camps which been established in Jordan, Syria and Iran. He says with the strong likelihood of chemical and biological weapons being used, a humanitarian crisis is pending.
The country's top policeman is being accused of being unhelpful in meeting his end of the bargain in a private prosecution against him. Commissioner Rob Robinson, along with his assistant Jon White and John Upton QC are facing charges of perverting the course of justice. The private prosecution is being brought by former Wanganui police superintendent Alec Waugh who was cleared last year on ten charges of making fraudulent claim expenses. His lawyer Rob Moodie says he keeps facing brick walls when trying to access information for his case.
The document, "Better Regulation of the Building Industry," sets out proposed changes to the Building Act to ensure there will be no more leaking homes. It also suggests changes to the industry's regulatory framework. Minister of Commerce Lianne Dalziel says it is important to realise that the weather tightness issue is the symptom of a far more fundamental and systemic problem that flowed from changes to the Building Act 1991, which came into effect in 1993. She says that ten years later, the results are being seen of the deregulated and "hands off" building environment. Ms Dalziel says the scope of the Act will be extended so that e is more emphasis on the interests of consumers and the need for buildings to be durable and fit for their purpose. She says the paper also puts greater emphasis on getting it right the first time, which will be aided by better building methods and products and stronger building controls. It recommends the strengthening of monitoring and enforcement and a more proactive Building Industry Authority. The document also raises questions about whether the building industry needs its own dispute resolution body and whether there should be broader options for consumer redress. Ms Dalziel says the document provides a brighter picture for new home-buyers with better methods, products and controls, as well as better people and quality regulations.
(It seems that the initial shock-horror headlines were a little overstated in their estimate of the number of houses actually affected. In any event, prevention is good, but is of no help at all to those whose houses are already damaged. - BH)
More details have emerged of the incident at Auckland International Airport which led to a full emergency being declared this afternoon. The tail of a Singapore Airlines jumbo jet struck the runway of the Airport during take-off. The 747-400 took off around 3.20 this afternoon bound for Singapore. It was forced to circle the airport several times and eye witnesses reported seeing the plane flying at extremely low altitudes before finally returning safely to the tarmac. One eye witness phoned Radio Hauraki and said he saw the tail of the plane scraping along the runway during take-off, and briefly catching fire. It is understood the passengers were forced to stay on board the jumbo jet immediately after landing because the crew were unable to power down the jumbo's engines. A spokesman for Singapore Airlines says all passengers have now disembarked. It is not yet known what went wrong during take-off procedures. Other flights have been diverted to other cities during the emergency.
(The bottom line seems to be that the pilot over-rotated to an angle nearer 20 degrees than the normal 12.5. As I read it, the pilot is a senior command pilot, but one who had just 100 hours on the 747-400 as opposed to Airbus and other Boeing types. Whether this is relevant to the incident is beyond my capacity to judge. I am just relieved that it was not an Air New Zealand plane, since that deprives media cynics of the opportunity to build further on their self-created myth of a systemically failing airline. - BH)
Police have been encouraged by the response to their public pleas for information on the cyanide letters. The letters - some of which contained potentially deadly cyanide crystals were sent to foreign embassies and the New Zealand Herald last month. More than 100 people have called the 0800 THREAT line since the discovery of the original letters. Several more people have also e-mailed the investigation's website. There has been a further influx in the past two days since police released information on a new letter making specific threats against water supplies and cinemas. Assistant Commissioner Jon White says the information has been largely useful.
Queues of children with packet noodles and last night's leftovers have forced one Auckland school to charge pupils to microwave their lunch. Laingholm School in West Auckland is asking parents to put a 20 cent coin in their child's lunchbox as a form of 'heat tax'. Principal Paul Heffernan says he was forced to introduce the charge because his teachers were spending much of their lunch break heating food and finding spare utensils. He says it has been putting pressure on the staffroom's sole microwave with around 15 pupils each day needing to use it along with the staff.
(It's nice to live in a country where this is a headline. - HH)
(While I take Helen's point, I am irritated that the parents involved think that the teachers and administrators involved have nothing better to do in their own lunch breaks than to provide individual room service to the little darlings. - BH)
Auckland health authorities are on alert after the discovery of two species of foreign mosquito. The larvae and several pupae were found by MAF staff in old tyres used to secure a piece of equipment on a container on board the ship Southern Cross 2. The ship's last port of call had been Pago Pago in American Samoa. The tyres and their surrounding area have been fumigated and mosquito traps set in the area. Australian experts have been asked to help identify the what type of mosquitoes they are and what threat they may pose.
A police dog in training has been destroyed in Christchurch after it bit a 13-year-old boy earlier this week. The dog, which was being evaluated for police work, was being exercised on the New Brighton property of a police dog handler on Monday night. It jumped a two metre fence and bit the boy on the hand, arm, and buttocks. The teenager suffered grazes and bruising but no puncture wounds. After an investigation, the dog was put down. Inspector Graeme Cairns says it was not suitable for the job it was being trained for. He says the boy's family laid no complaint and did not ask police to destroy the dog.
A new after hours medical and surgical service has been launched in Palmerston North and Feilding. Between 11pm and 8am general practitioners' telephones automatically switch over to the hospital's emergency department. Medical advice will be given by a triage nurse or a medical staff member over the phone, and if necessary, treatment will be given at the hospital's emergency department. MidCentral Health stresses the scheme is only for emergencies and the best time for people to see their own doctor is during normal working hours.
New Zealand is tightening security around the shipment of goods to its major trading partners such as the US. Customs Minister Rick Barker says international terrorist activity means New Zealand and its trading partners are looking for increased assurances about the security of shipments. Mr Barker says Customs is developing a proposal for a secure government export partnership scheme with business. He says that would include assurances around the packing and contents of shipping containers and the application of tamper indicator seals.
Nine Japanese students charged with murder have been remanded on bail at the Waitakere District Court. They have been charged in relation to the death of 22-year-old Nozomu Shinozaki, who was found dead at a private West Auckland academy at the end of last month. The nine students all face strict bail conditions, including a 24 hour curfew, and non-association with certain individuals along with surrendering their passports. They were all at the Columbus Academy where the 22 died, and in addition to murder are charged with kidnapping and assault. The director of the academy is also charged in relation to the incident, and stands accused of perverting the course of justice. All are due to appear in court again on April 10.
(I wonder when was the last time that such a large number of people was charged with a single murder. - BH)
Two people have been rescued from a yacht in trouble nearly 800 kilometres off the southern Queensland coast. The yacht has been taking on water and is believed to have a cracked hull after battling five metre seas and winds up to 50 knots. David Gray from Australian Search and Rescue says the New Zealand cargo ship Rotoiti has rescued two of the crew, but the skipper is staying on board against their advice. He says the man faces a sixty-hour sail to Lord Howe Island before he would be safe, in a yacht which was damaged enough for him to call for urgent assistance Mr Gray says he disagrees with the yacht's skipper's decision to stay, and considers the man is putting his life at risk.
(The yacht sank next day and the skipper had to ask to be rescued. I hope he gets the bill. - BH)
Singapore Airlines says the jumbo jet that scraped its tail on take-off from Auckland yesterday is not as extensively damaged as first thought. The first of a number of engineers has arrived from Singapore to begin assessing the damage. The plane had to make an emergency landing but no- one was injured. Airline spokesman Stephen Forshaw says initial reports that the damage is severe and would take months to repair are not correct. He says as soon as repairs can begin, they will take weeks rather than months. Meanwhile past tail-strikes will be reviewed by accident investigators trying to discover why the Boeing 747-400 scraped its tail during take-off from Auckland yesterday. Transport Accident Investigation Committee Chief Executive John Britton says all possible issues which may have contributed to the accident, including other relevant incidents, will come under scrutiny. He says tail-strikes are not unique, and others will be studied to see if there are any lessons to learn. The incident is also the subject of an internal Singapore Airlines inquiry. An air accident inspector has taken possession of flight recorders from the Singapore Airlines plane that scraped its tail on the runway during take-off from Auckland yesterday. Nearly 400 people were aboard the Boeing 747-400 which made a safe emergency landing, and they have now flown to Singapore in another aircraft. This flight left Auckland at 10.40am, and is expected to arrive in Singapore shortly after 3.00pm Singapore time.
Paedophile Barry Ryder has been sentenced to preventive detention. The 34-year-old appeared in a Christchurch court on Thursday on charges of kidnapping, indecent assault and sexual violation. Ryder admitted the offences in January. They relate to attacks on young boys. Ryder was out on bail and being supervised by a local mental health agency when the offending took place. The court has ruled that agency's identity should remain secret, in the interests of other people currently in its care.
(This case has received enormous attention since the perpetrator was the person named in 1994 by Neil Pugmire, a psychiatric nurse at Lake Alice Hospital. Pugmire predicted that, if released, Ryder would offend again. Unfairly, attention has focused on the parole system. The fact is that if a prisoner is released on completion of the full term, rather than at some earlier period on parole, then the state has no legal power to supervise since the person has "done the time" and the account is deemed to have been settled. In my opinion, the real culprit is the academically interesting, but societally flawed distinction between a mental disorder and a personality disorder. In terms of outcomes for the community, the distinction is too fine. If they are a threat to the community, they need to be in care until such time as the threat is abated. - BH)
A serious assault in Auckland has left a teenager fighting for his life. The 18-year-old is in a critical condition at Middlemore Hospital after the attack last night outside the Papakura McDonald's. Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Gutry says the young man left the restaurant around 11pm, and was involved in some sort of dispute that has left him with life threatening head injuries. Police want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time.
Confidence in the property market has dropped to its second lowest point since figures started being measured. The New Zealand Property Institute Property & Construction Confidence Index has halved in the last five months, from a peak of 110 in November 2002 to 50 in February 2003. New Zealand Property Institute CEO Conor English says this is a sharp decline. He says the index now lies below the results recorded after the September 11 terrorist attacks, and blames the threat of war in Iraq. The figures show Auckland is now less confident than Wellington on a three month rolling average, a reversal of the previous 12 months' data. Mr English blames the leaky building problem and the departure of the Americas cup, along with the recent financial failure of some construction companies in the Auckland region. The 12 months outlook has worsened on a three month rolling average with 20 percent believing things will "get better", 30 percent "stay the same" and 44 percent "get worse". Mr English says this fall in confidence may yet prove to be temporary if the international environment becomes more certain. The survey also reveals that the construction and property industry does not believe the current Government understands the key issues.
Concern from police at a rise in the number of car break- ins in Hataitai. Kilbirnie police have launched a special operation after a noticeable increase in house burglaries in the Miramar area. However Kilbirnie police boss, Senior Sergeant Ian McKeown says they are also disturbed that people are losing some very expensive items in the car break-ins. He says one victim lost over 200 CDs and others have lost laptops and briefcases, and he is urging people to play it safe. Ian McKeown says valuables should preferably be removed from cars at night, but if that is not possible, they should be hidden from view. Rape Crisis counsellors believe the rise in reported sex attacks highlights the massive problem of drink spiking. Police statistics reveal a 17 percent increase in sexual attacks in 2002, with on average, 48 attacks each week. Auckland Sexual Abuse Help Crisis Coordinator Caroline Day estimates that a third are drug-assisted crimes. She believes the statistical increase is partly due to more attacks, but also because more victims are coming forward due to greater public awareness. Ms Day attributes the awareness to a number of publicity campaigns, and cases such as the recent conviction in Rotorua of a man on drug sex attack charges.
The Building Industry Authority says a discussion document on the Building Act is an important step towards a more effective building regime. The document proposes changes to the act to ensure homes are fit to live in, through better people, methods, materials and controls. BIA chairman Barry Brown says the authority is keen to see improvements to the regulations and to see innovation and effectiveness addressed. He says it is willing to take a greater leadership role and that will be done through more expert staff and an accelerated work programme. Mr Brown says it is vital industry members read the document and offer input. In releasing the discussion paper yesterday, the Minister of Commerce, Lianne Dalziel said one of the key issues to come out of the report was the need for a more proactive Building Industry Authority.
The Waitakere City Council is eager to see a copy of a study into the health effects of the Painted Apple Moth spraying programme and will reconsider its legal action. Constitutional lawyer and former prime minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, told the council there was a clear argument against MAF's aerial spraying campaign and recommended that a case be taken on health grounds. However, the council decided not to take any action because the symptoms were not sufficiently serious for the prosecution to go ahead under the terms of the Health Act. Now new research undertaken by Auckland University shows there were some side affects reported by residents within the spray zone. The nearly 300 residents self-assessed their overall well being before and after spraying. The council's environmental committee chairwoman, Penny Hulse, says they have not seen the report yet, and have not shut the door on legal action. She says an invitation has been extended to the author of the study to speak to them about the findings. However, the researchers say some reported effects might not be caused by the spray itself but rather from the stress of low flying planes.
What the pilots of a Singapore Airlines 747 said as their plane scraped its tail on take-off from Auckland on Wednesday may never be known. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission says the cockpit voice recorder has stored the last half hour of the plane's operation, but it is after the tail strike while the plane was circling. It may hold some useful information but it will not provide the flight deck discussion at the time of the actual incident. However, chief executive John Britton says information has been extracted from the flight data recorder. He says a copy will be kept in New Zealand and another sent for decoding and printing out at the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau laboratory. Meanwhile, engineers repairing the jumbo jet are being reminded that one of the world's worst air disasters stemmed from a tail-strike. In 1985 a Japan Airlines 747 carrying more than 500 passengers crashed near Mount Fuji after an explosive decompression left the pilots unable to control the plane. It was caused by the failure of a rear bulkhead, which had been incorrectly repaired after the plane scraped its tail on landing seven years earlier. The repairs had been supervised by Boeing.
The Mental Health Commission says it still has some concerns about mental health funding, despite an audit of six DHBs indicating money has been spent appropriately. The ring fence protection project, a joint Ministry of Health/Mental Health Commission initiative, has found that money allocated in 2001/02 for mental health was being spent in mental health, or was earmarked to be spent in the next year. Mental Health Commissioner Jan Dowland says that reaffirms the Government's commitment to the ring fence policy and the importance of building more and better mental health services. However, she says the project raises some concerns. She says it found that in some DHBs, services were not being delivered to contracted levels with the level of delivery lower than expected from the funding allocated. It also showed that some non-government organisations that provide services are not being compensated for increases in costs and population growth despite this being provided for in the funding allocated. Meanwhile, Health Minister Annette King is concerned that boards are only providing about 96 percent of the services they contracted for. Mrs King says the most significant under-delivery was in the area of child and youth mental health services. She says a newly-established facility, the Werry Centre at Auckland University, will address that problem by providing first-class training and support for child and youth mental health workers.
A Porirua school teacher charged with burning a New Zealand flag has been remanded to reappear in the Wellington District Court in May. Thirty-seven-year-old Paul Hopkinson pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared in court this morning. He has also denied a charge of criminal nuisance. Police arrested him following a demonstration at Parliament this week over the visit of Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr Hopkinson was granted bail on the condition that he refrain from engaging in unlawful protest. Four other people charged with disorderly behaviour and obstruction were also remanded to re-appear in court in May.
With a threatened demonstration of capability two weeks away, police are appealing for more information about the cyanide letters. Letters sent to US, British and Australian diplomatic missions threatened action if Iraq is attacked. Another went to the New Zealand Herald warning of cyanide in water supplies, explosives and gas in cinemas. It also warned of demonstrations of capability in Auckland and Wellington on March 28. Assistant Commissioner Jon White says police have had more than 150 calls about the letters including information on suspicious people and activity. He says they need more information, and encourage people to ring 0800 THREAT.
Lower Hutt police are investigating the abduction and indecent assault of a young girl. The attack took place near the Naenae shops in Lower Hutt last night. Senior Sergeant Peter McKennie says the seven-year-old was with her brother when a man in his twenties approached the girl and led her away. She was taken to the river bank for two hours and indecently assaulted before returning to the shops. Senior Sergeant McKennie says the man is described as olive-skinned, clean shaven, medium build and wearing dark pants. Anyone who saw the pair should contact the Lower Hutt police.
A person has been arrested following an armed offenders squad alert in Balclutha. Police were called to a dispute between a landlord and his tenant at a rural address in Berwick at 10 am. The tenant is alleged to have made various threats after starting a chainsaw. The landlord then allegedly found a firearms cabinet on the property open and empty. He and another member of his family left the property, but it is thought a woman and child were still at the address. The stand-off ended at quarter to one, when a man was taken into custody. He will face a number of charges.
A Hamilton auto-repair company has been sentenced to pay $15,000 after a contractor was seriously hurt in an accident. The worker was hurt when a spray booth exploded, blowing a burner unit directly into his face with such force he had to have titanium plates implanted into his face and his teeth wired into his gums to prevent them falling out. The contractor suffered serious head and face injuries, a thoracic vertebrae fracture, hearing loss and was in an induced coma for seven days after the accident. Auto Body Equipment Limited was sentenced at the Hastings District Court by Judge Clarkson after being prosecuted by Occupational Safety and Health. OSH spokesman Murray Thomson says the accident occurred as a result of miswiring, which most likely would have been detected if an appropriately qualified and experienced person had been on site for the commissioning of the unit. He says the company failed to take all practicable steps to ensure that the contractor was not harmed while doing work which he was contracted to do.
Police are describing a road rage attack on a Waikato truck driver as vicious. Tom Adams was attacked by the driver of van on Horotiu Rd just south of Ngaruawahia yesterday afternoon. He had stopped his truck after the driver of the van, which was travelling behind him, kept flashing his lights. The driver told Mr Adams he had cut him off and began punching him. Sergeant Len Fox says the attack put the 58-year-old truckie in hospital. Mr Fox says a passing truck driver took down the registration of the van and police are now trying to track down the offender. Police hope sign writing on the van will lead to them to the person, after they were told the offender's van had the name of a Te Kauwhata business on it. Mr Fox says they are checking that out.
Police are guarding the scene of a major fire in Bluff, as investigators pick over the remains of the building. The P & O Logistics Coolstore was gutted by last night's blaze, which took several hours to put out. Goods worth millions of dollars are believed to have been destroyed. One man, charged with arson, is due to appear in the Invercargill District Court today.
(Apparently the coolstore contained vast quantities of carrots and export offal. The smell of that fire must have been something out of the ordinary! - BH)
A Victoria University lecturer is suggesting that workplaces need to be more feminised to balance the traditional strengths that men bring. Dr Ken Parry from the Centre for the Study of Leadership is running a seminar next week looking at workplace dynamics, communication and leadership. He says management skills are changing and the old-style macho way of running a workplace is no longer seen as the best way of encouraging staff to work. He says the new way is based around explaining to staff the reasons why they are required to do certain tasks.
(Hmmm ... with due respect to Dr Parry, who I understand to be shortly returning to his native Australia, some of the workplaces I have been in were much tougher more confrontational when managed by women than by men, so I am not entirely sure that machismo is the issue. Please note that I am not in any way shape or form opposed to women at any level of management. I just doubt that the environment is necessarily gentler when a woman is the boss. And of course corporate objectives are not necessarily achieved by a less aggressive workplace climate - BH)
Date: 14 March 2003 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
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