WYSIWYG NEWS - 17 July, 2006
news at wysiwygnews.com
news at wysiwygnews.com
Mon Jul 17 22:12:01 NZST 2006
Subject: 17 July, 2006
----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------
Copyright, Brian Harmer.
Sorry for the prolonged absence. I have been on the road! I
started to write this from the equatorial climate of Kuala
Lumpur, where I have been attending the 10th Pacific Asia
Conference on Information Systems. Like most great cities of
the world, Kuala Lumpur has much to recommend it, and aspects
of it are quite spectacular. Who could deny the Petronas
Towers their place in the annals of architecture? Indeed much
of the city's beauty lies in the spectacle of its
architecture, both old and new. Some brash high rise buildings
embody elements of Islamic architecture, and the national
mosque and the memorial where the bodies of former heads of
state are laid to rest are stunningly beautiful buildings.
Like most cities in this part of the world there is a stark
contrast between the ostentatiously affluent parts of town,
and the traditional back street dwellings. Indeed I believe
(tongue in cheek) that there is somewhere in every town in
Malaysia, a special hospital where they fix spinal or ankle
injuries and then erase the memories of the tourists. The
sights above normal eye level are often amazing, but these
take the eyes of the unwary from what may be some of the worst
footpaths on the planet. Each shop seems to have a length of
paving in front of it, set at the level of that shop's floor.
If the street is anything other than dead flat, that means
that the footpath (US: sidewalk) has a piece at a different
level for every shop. Further, some of these footpaths consist
of small slabs covering deep and swiftly flowing stormwater
drains, and every so often a slab is broken or missing. This
would be litigation central in some countries, but the sturdy
Malays seem inured to this state of affairs. Contrary to a
recent survey in the Readers Digest that received much wounded
coverage in KL, I found the local people to be friendly,
smiling and helpful, and interested in the welfare of their
guests and that more than makes up for the deficiencies in
their footpaths. "Welcome to Malaysia" was a common greeting.
If you insist on eating in restaurants that aspire to Western
appearances (tablecloths, silverware, wooden furniture, etc)
you may expect to pay tourist prices. If you are prepared to
go into a local food court where many makeshift kitchens ply
their wares, and where the furniture is mostly cheap plastic
moulded tables and chairs, where the only menus are on the
board near the cook then the food is both excellent and
astonishingly cheap. A main course and a glass of freshly
squeezed fruit juice may cost you less than NZD$2.50. A plate
of Nasi Lemak is RM1:00 unless you really insist on paying
RM14:00 to eat it in more elegant surroundings. If you like a
glass of beer or wine with your meal, then you need to seek
out Chinese restaurants, since the traditional Malay
"restorans" are likely to be owned by Muslims and no alcohol
or pork products will be on offer. Indeed two of the states of
Malaysia make it illegal for a Muslim to enter a restaurant
that serves either of those products. On completion of my
conference I chose to base myself in that fabled home of
pirates, Malacca, or as it is spelled locally, Melaka. I used
an excellent web service (www.wotif.com) to find a hotel that
met my needs and was fortunate to find the Hotel Puri, which
describes itself as a 50 room boutique hotel within a
beautifully restored Peranakan house in the Chinese part of
the historic town. If you are visiting Melaka, I heartily
recommend it for comfort and service, even though it has no
lifts or elevators (http://www.hotelpuri.com/)
More travelogue next week.
----
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, Newstalk ZB News. All
copyright in the news items reproduced remains the property of
The Radio Network Limited.
This edition of the news is sponsored by Chris and Marsha in
Los Altos, CA. Many thanks to you both.
----
On with the News.
Monday, 03 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MOTHER WELCOMES INQUIRY
-----------------------
The mother of a 16-year-old who was allegedly given alcohol by
Department of Conservation staff while on a taxpayer funded
course is relieved an inquiry will be held. National MP Paula
Bennett claims tutors from the New Zealand School of Outdoor
Studies allowed 12 students, three of whom were under the age
of 18, to drink while they were working on Conservation
Department land. She claims Department of Conservation rangers
even sold the youngsters alcohol. Ms Bennett says the mother
who raised the issue is pleased action is being taken. She
says the woman trusted the adults would care for her son, but
was let down. Conservation Minister Chris Carter is expecting
a report back this week.
(As I understand it, the students were given one can of beer
each, just so we realise that the department was not
sponsoring an orgy here. - BH)
ANOTHER BID TO SAVE SNAIL
-------------------------
A campaign to save the West Coast's endangered giant snail
intensifies this week. The Save Happy Valley Coalition will
lodge an application in the Environment Court, in a bid to
protect the remaining Augustus snails near Solid Energy's
Stockton mine. In April, the stated owned enterprise received
permission under the Wildlife Act, to move the snail colony
before drilling. Save Happy Valley spokeswoman Frances
Mountier believes she has overwhelming scientific evidence
indicating that moving the snails could lead to their
extinction.
STOLEN CAR BETTER THAN EVER
---------------------------
In a bizarre twist of fate, the victim of a car theft in
Christchurch has found himself better off. While he suffered
an initial blow to find his car had been stolen, there was
some good news after it had been recovered by police. The
thief had put in a new battery, new wheels, new steering
column and a new glove box. The car was running better than it
ever had.
ANOTHER COURT APPEARANCE FOR CANNABIS ACCUSED
---------------------------------------------
The man accused of stealing cannabis plants from a Tirohanga
property where another man was found dead reappears in the
Rotorua District Court today. Police allege Richard Anthony
Ell committed the burglary on October 9 last year, the same
night Stephen George's house was gutted in a suspicious fire.
A charred corpse found in the house was later identified as
being that of Mr George. In an appearance last month, Ell
entered no plea to the burglary charge and was remanded in
custody.
INFO FROM PSYCHIC BRINGS RESULTS
--------------------------------
The producer of the television series Sensing Murder is
pleased that police are taking psychics more seriously. Items
belonging to missing Palmerston North rest home resident Jim
Alexander were found on the banks of the Manawatu River
following leads provided by a psychic. David Baldock says
there was scepticism when he started the Sensing Murder
programme but he is pleased that there has been a positive
result from the information provided by the psychic and that
police seem to be more open-minded about the ability of such
people. Police divers may be called in today to help in the
search for Mr Alexander. It is thought his body will be found
in the river.
(Good grief! - BH)
TEEN ON TRIAL IN CONCRETE BLOCK CASE
------------------------------------
The trial gets underway today in the case of a teenager
accused of throwing a concrete block from an overbridge on
Auckland's southern motorway. Police allege the youth, who
cannot be named, threw an eight-kilogramme block from the
Prince's Street overbridge. Twenty-year-old Christopher Currie
from Taupo, was killed instantly when the chunk of concrete
smashed through his windscreen. The accused was 14-years-old
at the time of the incident. He denies murder, but his lawyer
has indicated he would plead guilty to manslaughter. The trial
is expected to last for two weeks.
MURDER ACCUSED GETS ULTIMATUM OVER BAIL BREACHES
------------------------------------------------
A woman charged with murder has been given a stern ultimatum
in the Rotorua District Court. Emily Blackburn was arrested in
Rotorua at the weekend for breaking her bail curfew. The 19-
year-old is jointly charged with Thomas Pira for the January
murder of 37-year-old Edwin Te Haara, who was gunned down in
Rotorua's Western Heights in January. In the Rotorua District
Court this morning, Judge Phil Cooper gave Blackburn a final
warning. He told her that if there was another breach, she
would be remanded in custody until her trial in November.
(What? On bail, not for theft or anything trivial, but for
murder, there should be no second chance. I am not even sure
there should be bail at all for murder. - BH)
BABY CLOTHES TAKEN FROM KAHUI HOME
----------------------------------
Police investigating the Kahui killings have taken baby
clothes and several other items from the twins' Mangere home.
The articles are now being tested by ESR scientists and the
examination of the Courtenay Crescent property has now
finished. Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant John Tims
says at least 20 members of the boys' immediate and extended
families have been interviewed. Officers have also spoken to
dozens of medical staff and others as part of their
investigation into how the three-month-olds were killed.
Detective Senior Sergeant Tims says pathology tests due next
week will give police a more accurate estimate of when the
boys received their fatal injuries.
STUDENTS DRINKING - INQUIRY CONTINUES
-------------------------------------
Investigations are continuing into the consumption of alcohol
by students on a taxpayer-funded conservation course. Twelve
students, one as young as 16, were undertaking training on
Stewart Island in April when they were offered alcohol by DOC
staff. The programme was organised by the New Zealand School
of Outdoor Studies, which was made aware of the incident when
a parent complained that her son was intoxicated while on the
trip. School General Manager Peter Dobbs says the students
each agreed before the trip that alcohol would not be
consumed. He says each student signed the document and he
feels let down by what happened.
CROWN - CUNNING CALCULATED ATTACK
---------------------------------
The Crown has described the killing of Christopher Currie as a
cunning and calculated attack . The 20-year-old was killed
when an 8kg concrete block was thrown from an overbridge onto
his car, as he drove along Auckland's southern motorway.
Prosecutor Aaron Perkins told the High Court that the 15-year-
old accused stood on the overbridge and timed the release of
the concrete block to hit a car passing underneath. He says
the accused cunningly positioned himself so the driver would
not see him and take evasive action . The accused ran from the
scene, and later bragged about his actions to schoolmates. The
Crown will call 36 witnesses, including three passengers who
were in the car when the concrete block hit the vehicle.
CRACKDOWN ON BENEFITS
---------------------
The Government's having a crack down on benefit abuse by
entire families in the wake of the Kahui case. During the
course of the inquiry it was revealed that multiple members of
the murdered twins' family are on benefits. Prime Minister
Helen Clark says the Government is looking at whether there
are clusters of households like the Kahui family, which can be
investigated to see if their benefits are being paid properly.
She says it is a problem which involves an extremely small
proportion of beneficiaries who get in a cycle of dependency
and do not work.
Tuesday, 04 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INFECTIOUS DISEASE INCREASING
-----------------------------
An infectious disease already prevalent in New Zealand is on
the rise again. Campylobacteriosis was made a notifiable
disease in 1980 and is proving to be a major health concern.
The disease, caused by the bacteria Camplyobacter, is found in
animals, the environment, foods and untreated water. Infection
rates in New Zealand are already higher than in other
countries and have recently rocketed with up to 300 cases
being reported a week. Principal Advisor of Public Health for
the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, Dr Donald Campbell,
says it is not known what is behind the increase. People who
become ill with Campylobacteriosis suffer diarrhoea, cramps,
stomach pain and fever within two to five days of being
exposed to the organism. The illness usually lasts a week but
can cause a serious life-threatening infection in people with
weak immune systems.
BRAVE NUNS TACKLE BURGLAR
-------------------------
A burglar who was tackled by nuns after allegedly stealing
from a rest home while mass was taking place, is typical of a
wider problem of people brazenly walking into public places to
steal. The 34-year-old woman is accused of taking wallets and
personal property from residents' rooms at the Nazareth House
rest home in Christchurch on Sunday. Three nuns claim she was
trying to hide the goods in a toilet, when they confronted her
and held her down until police arrived. Senior Sergeant Rob
Patterson says this type of crime, known as stair dancing, is
not uncommon. He says it is often seen in office blocks where
people boldly lift things from workplaces.
TEEN NOT GUILTY OF MURDER SAYS LAWYER
-------------------------------------
The trial of the 15-year-old accused of murdering a Taupo man
who died when a concrete block was dropped onto his car will
continue at the High Court in Auckland today. The youth, who
has name suppression, is accused of killing 20-year-old
Christopher Currie by dropping an eight kilogram concrete
block from an overbridge on Auckland's Southern Motorway.
Lester Cordwell, the lawyer for the accused, said his client
admits responsibility for the death and is not guilty of
murder but manslaughter. The prosecution has more than 30
witnesses to call and the trial is expected to last another
six days.
MAORI POISED FOR SUCCESS REVOLUTION
-----------------------------------
The Government is rejecting a suggestion from one of its
former ministers that Maori social agencies should have
control of welfare benefits for Maori. John Tamihere, who now
heads the Maori Urban Authority, believes welfare abuse is
endemic. He says benefits should be given to Maori agencies to
pay out to individuals so that it is spent on food, rent and
power. But Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia says Maori
are poised for a revolution of success thanks to the
opportunities available through tertiary education. He says
the next five to 10 years will be the most prolific in a
couple of hundred years for Maori. Mr Horomia likens it to
going from the horse and cart to the motorcar, or from Maori
bread to sliced bread. Mr Horomia says Maori want to better
themselves and that, rather than stereotyping as losers, must
be built on.
("poised for" is among the most fraudulent of government spin.
I use the word with a small "g" because it is not confined to
any particular party, nor indeed to the politicians. - BH)
ITALIAN FEMALE HAKA
--------------------
The Italians love it, but it is not going down so well in New
Zealand. Fiat is using female actors to perform the haka in a
television commercial which has just started screening in
Italy. The ad features a group of black-clad women taking off
"Ka Mate" as they surround a Fiat, while it finishes with a
boy in the back seat poking out his tongue. Foreign Affairs
spokesman Brad Tattersfield says the Ministry tried to
persuade the producers to change the ad, because of the
potential cultural insensitivity felt by Maori. He says they
wanted the haka to either be performed by a Maori group, or to
have a new haka designed for the women to perform.
DETAILS OF ASSAULT OF POLICE
----------------------------
Police have revealed details of an incident in which two
officers were assaulted in Tauranga. Detective Sergeant Paul
Basham says the officers went to the aid of a pregnant woman
at a Greerton address yesterday afternoon. The woman had
allegedly been attacked by her partner and had to be taken to
hospital. He says her partner took off with two children when
police arrived, but later returned. Detective Sergeant Basham
says it is at that point the officers were attacked, with the
policewoman receiving the worst of it. He says she does not
have any broken bones but has severe bruising to her jaw. A 28
year old man has appeared in court to face several charges
relating to the incident
ASIANS LOW USERS OF HEALTH SERVICES
-----------------------------------
New research shows that new Asian immigrants use health
services less frequently than the rest of the population. The
study has found that while life expectancy among Asians is
higher than average, they register a much lower take-up of
preventative and primary care. Health Minister Hodgson says
that is concerning because if people stay away from primary
care, they are less likely to get ahead of their health issues
before they become serious. He says the study has also found
that Asian people are less likely to have seen a doctor or
dentist in the past 12 months.
Wednesday, 05 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIRE AT HAMILTON SCHOOL
-----------------------
Firefighters are battling a blaze at Melville High School in
Hamilton. A two storey classroom block is on fire and seven
fire trucks are working at the scene. The fire began just
before 3am.
SLIP REDUCES HIGHWAY LANES
---------------------------
A slip on State Highway 2 in the Wellington region is delaying
northbound traffic. The debris, just north of Horokiwi between
Wellington and Petone, has reduced the road to one lane. Heavy
machinery is working to clear the highway. There is also
surface flooding throughout the Wellington region and police
are urging motorists to drive with care.
This slip was still blocking the highway when I arrived home
on Saturday 15th. Amazing. - BH)
CO2 EMISSION REDUCTION "POINTLESS"
-----------------------------------
A group of experts remains adamant the Government's efforts to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions are pointless. The Climate
Science Coalition says the greenhouse gas layer is made up of
95 percent water vapour. CO2 emissions make up less than four
percent of the layer, of which the manmade contribution is
minuscule. Former New Zealand chief meteorologist and group
spokesman Augie Auer says the bottom line is that the climate
cannot be changed through reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Climate Change Minister David Parker has released a Cabinet
paper about meeting New Zealand's obligations under the Kyoto
Protocol. Options include a carbon tax on thermal power
stations and some industries.
FOOD MESSAGES CONFLICTING
--------------------------
A health psychologist claims conflicting messages about food
and nutrition are causing anxiety. Professor Kerry Chamberlain
from Massey University says at the moment messages portray
food merely as a source of nutrition and fail to address the
social facets of eating, such as using food as rewards or a
form of entertainment. He says the different roles food takes
on, can pose a challenge for a mother who wants to give her
child a treat. Professor Chamberlain suggests public health
campaigns need to take account of the different roles food has
in society and allow for the fact that people will eat junk
food.
HUNDREDS STRANDED AS FERRIES CANCELLED
--------------------------------------
A decision on whether to resume ferry sailings across Cook
Strait will be made in a few hours. Interisland sailings have
been suspended because of seven metre swells and 70 knot
winds. Around 1100 passengers are stranded in Wellington and
Picton. A spokeswoman for Toll Holdings believes it is
unlikely ferries will be able to sail for the rest of the day,
but a final decision will be made early this afternoon. Police
are warning motorists in the Wellington region to take care
due to surface flooding.
(While all this was happening, I was basking in the 32 degree
warmth of Kuala Lumpur. - BH)
DISCUSSION PAPER ON BROADBAND RELEASED
--------------------------------------
The Ministry of Economic Development has released a discussion
paper on spectrum allocation for broadband wireless access. It
ties in with recent Government moves to force Telecom to allow
competitors to use its local loop. It aims to encourage
investment in and provision of, alternative telecommunications
infrastructure such as fibre, wireless and satellite networks.
The Ministry is accepting feedback on the matter until early
next month.
WHALE TRAPPED IN CRAYPOT LINES
------------------------------
There are fears the humpback whale entangled in craypot lines
off the Kaikoura Coast may not survive. A Department of
Conservation team was unable to cut free the whale on Sunday.
They are now trying to locate the whale and have another go at
freeing it. Ranger Mike Morrissey says a rope is wound very
tight around its middle with two buoys and a 35 kilogram
craypot attached. He says the worry at the moment is that the
whale may by-pass everyone and they will never see it again.
CLICK OF APPROVAL FOR HEELS
---------------------------
Put your feet up and rest easy girls, high heels have been
given the tick of approval from podiatrists, but only in
moderation. World renowned specialist in the field Professor
Keith Rome is in New Zealand. He says in an ideal world, women
would wear adequate footwear during the day then slip into the
high heels for just a few hours for social occasions.
Professor Rome says a 'sensible' high heel would be less than
two centimetres high with a reasonable width to the heel and
toe box and a buckle or lace to hold the show in place.
CONCRETE CASE CLOSES
--------------------
Closing arguments are underway at the murder trial of a 15-
year-old at the High Court in Auckland. The teenager is
accused of killing Chris Currie by throwing an 8kg concrete
block from an overbridge on Auckland's Southern Motorway.
Thirty six witnesses have been called at the trial, all by the
Crown. The Defence has indicated it will not be calling any
witnesses. One of the Crown's final witness was pathologist
Tim Koelmeyer who explained to the court that Mr Currie's post
mortem examination revealed that his aorta was ripped from his
heart effectively destroying it, killing him instantly. The
Crown is summing up its case at the moment. It is expected the
defence will also sum up its case this afternoon.
SCHOOL FIRE SUSPICIOUS
----------------------
Police believe a fire in a classroom block at Hamilton's
Melville High may have been arson. The fire started in a two-
storey computer block this morning, with one wing of the block
being completely destroyed. Just before midnight and only a
few hours before the blaze started, a burglary was reported in
a nearby building at the college. Police want to speak to
people who live near the school who may have seen people
acting suspiciously either late last night or early this
morning.
WELLINGTON AND WAIRARAPA'S WEATHER WOES
---------------------------------------
The heavy rain that has brought flooding to the Wairarapa is
expected to continue for the next few hours. So too are the
100-kilometre-an-hour gusts battering Wellington. MetService
forecaster Peter Little says rainfalls this afternoon in
Masterton have been measured at seven millimetres an hour.
Normal rainfall is around two millimetres an hour. Mr Little
says the rain should ease a little towards evening, but
unfortunately another low seems to be forming which could
bring more rain tomorrow afternoon. Linesmen have been
battling today's wind and rain in the Wairarapa to repair
lines toppled by trees. Power Network Operations Manager Ross
Dickson says residents in Castlepoint were without power for
around five hours. Around 80 homes in north Wairarapa were
also cut off for a time. It is also a busy day for Wairarapa
fire-fighters pumping out flooded homes and basements, with
five homes in the Masterton area having to be evacuated. In
nearby Carterton, Chief Fire Officer Laurie Juno says they
have been called to a number of homes with flooded basements.
He says all they can do is pump out the water and do some
sand-bagging. But he says it is often a waste of time because,
as fast as they pump the water out one end, it flows in the
other. Laurie Juno says their first call came just after 4am
to rescue two farmers caught between rising rivers while
trying to move stock. But the fire truck could not get through
the flooded river, then the road behind them was washed away.
The fire-trucks were stranded for several hours until road
crews cleared the road and a helicopter was sent to rescue the
farmers. Police and Transit are advising that State Highway
Two between Wellington and Petone will remain at limited
capacity for the rest of the day. A massive slip has reduced
the road to one lane in each direction, with Fulton Hogan and
the Fire Service struggling to clear the debris. Transit
spokeswoman Rebecca Collerton says the road will not be clear
in time for the afternoon peak, with delays likely to continue
into the night.
MAN'S ASHES GO INTO SPACE
-------------------------
One New Zealander with a personal interest in today's launch
of the Space Shuttle Discovery is Karen Thompson. Her father's
cousin's ashes have blasted off into space with the
astronauts, who will release the ashes into space in a
receptacle. Ms Thompson says her relative, Duncan McCulloch,
always wanted to travel into space and his widow has now paid
a considerable sum to make that wish come true. Mr McCulloch
was in his seventies when he died. Although he lived most of
his life in the United States, he did live briefly in New
Zealand during the 1990s..
MAN ESCAPES SEX CHARGES BECAUSE OF AGE
--------------------------------------
A man has escaped jail on sex charges because of his age. At
the Rotorua District Court today, Russell Warburton has
received 200 hours community service for burglary and unlawful
sexual intercourse charges. Warburton was 19 when he became
sexually involved with a 14-year-old girl. During sentencing,
Judge Phil Cooper told Warburton that early guilty pleas on
the sex charges influenced his decision not to hand down a
prison sentence. The now 20-year-old was then ordered to pay
$5,300 reparations in relation to the burglary matters.
(Sometimes the explanations handed down from the bench just
make no sense to the ordinary person in the street. - BH)
PIE CAUSES TRAFFIC JAM
----------------------
Wanganui motorists waited for 20 minutes at a railway
crossing, as alarm bells rang - apparently all for the sake of
a pie. No train came along but the barrier stayed down. Local
retailer Paul Edwards spotted an engine parked near a takeaway
bar alongside the railway line. One of the crew was in the
shop buying food and the other was in the engine . Toll Rail
spokeswoman Sue Foley says it is not normal practice for
employees to take an engine to get lunch - and the driver had
not realised they had triggered the crossing alarms. Toll is
conducting an internal investigation.
Thursday, 06 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MALL HOLDING ANTI-CHILD ABUSE VIGIL
-----------------------------------
The west Auckland community plans host its own vigil against
child abuse. South Auckland police organised a family violence
vigil on Mangere Mountain late last month as the public dealt
with news of the deaths of the Kahui twins. Now LynnMall
shopping centre wants to do its part. Centre Manager, Andrew
Wadsworth, says customers and managers alike feel as
individuals there is little they can do, but want to take a
stand. He says people will be able to make a gold coin
donation which will go to the Light One Life Trust to fund
speaking out against child abuse. The vigil will be held at
LynnMall next Tuesday night.
HOSPITALS UNDER PRESSURE
------------------------
The winter cold snap is putting pressure on the country's
hospitals. Auckland and Wellington Hospitals say there has
been a significant increase in the numbers of patients seeking
treatment for influenza and other winter ills this year,
compared with the last two years. They are encouraging people
who are not seriously ill, to stay away. Emergency medical
specialist at Wellington Hospital Dr Gabriel Lau says the
system works well when doctors are only dealing with true
emergencies, and people need to think about how serious their
condition is before going to a hospital. Ngaire Buchanan, the
operations manager for Auckland City Hospital says the
hospital is working hard to ensure that elective surgery is
not cancelled, but there may be may be some rescheduling if
beds are not available. Emergency Department numbers for the
first three days of July show that patient numbers are
significantly up, to about 40 extra patients a day. Up to 40
additional beds have been added to the total bed numbers for
adult services, and Starship has opened up another 15 beds.
The hospital says emergency departments should be used for
emergencies only and patients should visit their family doctor
early if they feel ill. Healthline (phone 0800 611 116) is
available for free health advice.
WARNING FOR DOCTORS OVER CANCER ISSUES
--------------------------------------
An Australian cancer survivor believes doctors could face
legal action if they do not start telling cancer patients
about alternative treatments. Ian Gawler has been dealing with
contemporary medicines for 25 years and is preparing to talk
to a New Zealand audience next month. He says there is a
strong body of research suggesting the benefits of lifestyle
factors, such as proper eating, exercise and stress management
are being ignored. Dr Gawler says doctors who do not inform
patients of alternatives, could put themselves at risk as more
people realise the benefits of lifestyle changes and question
why they were not told. Dr Gawler claims more than 85 percent
of all known causes of cancer are due to lifestyle factors. Dr
Gawler will address the International Australasian Integrative
Medicine Association's conference. He was diagnosed with bone
cancer in 1975 and had his right leg amputated.
EXCELLENT AUTUMN HELPS FONTERRA'S RECORD SALES
-----------------------------------------------
Fonterra is crediting excellent autumn conditions for
contributing to record sales. For the 2005/2006 season the
dairy giant says worldwide sales of dairy product in May
reached 316,000 tonnes. Sales in its biggest market, the
United States, topped $US1 billion. Fonterra says the month's
sales would fill a goods train stretching from Hamilton to
Taupo. Spokesman John Shaskey says the result has come on the
back of a record milk production year and a late surge of milk
due to a particularly favourable autumn. He says payments for
the last quarter will come in the new season and are likely to
have a temporary impact on cash flow and debt levels this
financial year.
JURY OUT IN CONCRETE BLOCK CASE
-------------------------------
The jury in the murder trial of the 15-year-old boy accused of
killing Chris Currie has retired to consider its verdict. Mr
Currie, from Taupo, died when an 8kg concrete block was
dropped on to his car from an overbridge on Auckland's
Southern Motorway. In summing up, Justice Helen Winkelman told
the jury up that she understands they will have strong
feelings of anger, but they must put those feelings aside and
concentrate on the evidence given in court. She says to find
the teen guilty of murder they must be sure he consciously
appreciated his actions would cause death.
ARSONIST RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHOOL FIRE
------------------------------------
Fire Safety officers have confirmed that yesterday's blaze at
Melville High School at Hamilton was deliberately lit. Two
computer suites were damaged, however firefighters say the
damage could have been worse. Senior Fire Safety Officer Dave
Jenkins says thankfully a second fire, which was lit in
another building 100 metres from the main blaze, did not take
hold. He says an accelerant of some sort was used to start the
fire on the carpet, but the flames burned out before doing
more extensive damage.
JUDGE RULES GANG KILLING PREMEDITATED
-------------------------------------
A High Court judge has ruled the killing of a former Road
Knights gang member was premeditated when sentencing two
Christchurch people to jail. Last month Kylie Southon and
Anthony Peters were found guilty of the manslaughter of Ricky
Burnard. He was found shot dead outside a Linwood property in
April last year. Today Justice Chisholm sentenced Southon to
seven years in jail, and Peters, who fired the shots, to 10
years. Despite the finding of manslaughter, Justice Chisholm
said he had no doubt that the pair intended to kill Mr
Burnard. He ruled both must serve at least half their
sentence.
RECORD LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE A MILESTONE
----------------------------------------
The Social Development Minister is describing as a huge
milestone the record low unemployment rate. At the end of June
this year, the number of people on the dole was just under
40,000. David Benson-Pope says the figures are an endorsement
of the government's supportive, work-focused approach. He says
the number of jobless has plummeted by around 75 percent since
Labour came to power. Mr Benson-Pope says the latest figures
are startling although there are still too many people out of
work.
AUDIENCE DEMANDED WITH POLICE MINISTER
--------------------------------------
An anti-taser group is demanding an audience with police
minister Annette King. The stun guns are set to be introduced
by police later this year. Attempts by the Campaign Against
the Taser Group to meet with the minister have so far fallen
on deaf ears. Spokeswoman Marie Dyhrberg says a face to face
meeting with the police minister is important given US
authorities are reviewing taser use because of deaths She says
that ought to signal that all is not well about their
introduction in New Zealand .
MAN CONVICTED ON PORN CHARGES GETS JAIL
---------------------------------------
A Rotorua man convicted on child pornography charges has been
jailed. Scott Jopson was sentenced in the Rotorua District
Court this afternoon to one year and eight months on 20
charges of possessing objectionable material. Judge Phil
Cooper also handed the 26-year-old a further one year and six
months for distributing objectionable material. Both sentences
will be served concurrently. Judge Cooper described the images
and movies Jopson had on his computer as repulsive and
abhorrent. Jopson was told home detention was out of the
question.
MISSING MEN, CHILDREN SPOTTED BY SEARCH CHOPPER
-----------------------------------------------
Two men and three children who set off an emergency locator
beacon in the Urewera Ranges of the eastern North Island have
been spotted. A break in the weather allowed a helicopter to
head back into the search area early this afternoon. The
chopper is hoping to find a clear spot nearby so all five can
get on board. The Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre says
if that is not possible they will use a strop hanging below
the helicopter to take them out one at a time.
PEACE ACTIVIST FACES SERIOUS CHARGES
------------------------------------
A Napier-born peace activist living in London is facing
serious assault charges. Thirty-year-old Christiaan Briggs is
charged with grievous bodily harm, following an incident
involving singer Billy Leeson in June which left him in a
coma. A Scotland Yard spokesman says an argument broke out
after Briggs made advances towards Mr Leeson's girlfriend on a
bus. Briggs is said to have followed Leeson off the bus into
Camden Road and punched him in the jaw, causing him to fall on
his head. Nineteen-year-old Leeson is said to be in a critical
but stable condition. Briggs is free on bail and is back in
court later this month. His father John Briggs, who lives in
Napier, has declined to comment. Leeson is frontman for the
up-and-coming indie rock band Les Incompetents.
STOLEN POT FROM DEAD MAN
------------------------
A Tokoroa man has been given community service for his part in
stealing cannabis from a dead man. Richard Ell was sentenced
to 180 hours in the Rotorua District Court today for one count
of burglary. The charge dates back to October 9 last year, the
same night Tirohanga man Stephen George was murdered and then
burnt beyond recognition in a house fire. Judge Phil Cooper
told the court Ell was entitled to credit for his early guilty
plea and this influenced the sentencing. Ell maintains he did
not step into the house and was involved only in the burglary.
No person has ever been charged in the Stephen George homicide
inquiry.
TWELVE ON DRUGS CONSPIRACY CHARGES
-----------------------------------
A two-month police operation has ended with 12 people
appearing in the Christchurch District Court on charges of
conspiracy to supply Ritalin and cannabis. The arrests follow
raids earlier this week on 17 addresses in Christchurch,
Amberley and Hawarden. The operation involved 56 police
officers, specialist search dogs and customs dogs. Police say
they have recovered a substantial amount of property they
believe has been stolen, including clothing, toys, household
appliances and liquor.
BOY GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER IN CONCRETE SLAB CASE
------------------------------------------------
A jury has found a South Auckland teenager guilty of
manslaughter. The 15-year-old was facing a murder charge after
dropping an eight kilogramme chunk of concrete from an
overbridge on the Southern Motorway on August 19 last year,
killing 20-year-old Christopher Currie. However jurors at the
High Court in Auckland have decided to convict him on the
lesser charge. Mr Currie, from Taupo, was driving on the
motorway at the time, with three other people in the car. He
was killed, but the others, all women, including Mr Currie's
girlfriend, managed to get out of the car after it crashed
into a lamppost. The trial of the 15-year-old began on July 3.
MANSLAUGHTER CONVICTION A DETERRENT
-----------------------------------
The detective who led the inquiry into the killing of a
motorist with a concrete slab believes the manslaughter
conviction handed to the teenager today will act as a
deterrent. Fifteen-year-old Ngatai Rewiti of Manukau has been
cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a High
Court jury in Auckland. He threw a block of concrete from a
south Auckland motorway bridge, which smashed through the
window of the car Taupo man Chris Currie was driving, killing
him. Rewiti has been remanded in custody for sentencing on
September 6. Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone says it
is an emotional time for Chris Currie's family and they do not
want to comment on the conviction right now.
(To be honest, I am not convinced that any penalty, up to and
including capital punishment has deterrent value. Even where
there is capital punishment, crimes still happen. - BH)
Friday, 07 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LABOUR CELEBRATING NINE DECADES
--------------------------------
Labour is holding a weekend of celebrations to mark its 90th
anniversary. The party is hosting functions across the country
to celebrate its achievements since its formation in 1916.
MEDIA ARGUES FOR MORE DETAILS
-----------------------------
The judge who presided over the case of the teenager who threw
a concrete block onto an Auckland motorway, killing motorist
Chris Currie, will decide today whether personal details about
the 15-year-old convicted of manslaughter can be released.
Ngatai Rewiti has been remanded in custody after the jury
delivered its verdict yesterday. Details about his mental
state at the time of the incident and about his family life
were not allowed to be reported during the trial. The media is
arguing its publication would enlighten the public about the
circumstances leading up to Mr Currie's death. However
Rewiti's lawyer Lester Cordwell says it goes against human
rights' covenants to publish such information. Justice Helen
Winkelmann will release her decision today.
KNIFE EMBEDDED IN VICTIM'S FACE
-------------------------------
A man is in a serious condition in North Shore Hospital after
being stabbed in the face early this morning. Police and
ambulance officers were called to a house in Albany at 1:30.
Ambulance spokesman Murray Bannister says the knife went in
below the eye. The victim was taken to hospital with several
centimetres of the blade still embedded in his face. The
handle had snapped off.
SECURITY AT PM'S DEPT OK
------------------------
An independent review of security in the Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet has found no problems. The review
was commissioned earlier this year after a Parliamentary
messenger leaked Cabinet documents about plans to regulate
Telecom. Department chief executive Maarten Wevers says the
review by former Inland revenue boss David Henry has found
DPMC's procedures are sound and robust. However there are
recommendations for improvements in security policy and
security awareness by staff. Mr Wevers says several measures
will be put in place over the next three months.
(I don't believe that a system that allows ultra sensitive
documents to be left lying around for someone to pick up at a
later time, and possible to carry them off-premises can be
regarded as sound or robust - BH)
HUNT FOR DANGEROUS OFFENDER
---------------------------
North Shore police in Auckland are hunting for a man who
stabbed another man through the face early this morning in
Albany. They are describing him as dangerous, and say anyone
seeing him or his car should call 111. His description is part
Maori, solidly built, 186 centimetres tall, with dark straggly
hair and a goatee type beard . He is in a gold 1997 Honda
Accord, registration number WM 7720. A woman and two-year-old
child may be travelling with the man. The 36-year-old victim
is in hospital having surgery to remove the knife, which is
lodged across almost the width of the man's face, having
passed behind his nose.
CHARGES AFTER HIGH SPEED CHASE
----------------------------
A 17-year-old is facing numerous charges after a high speed
police chase through the streets of Mount Maunganui in the Bay
of Plenty overnight. The driver was already on the wanted list
as a teenager who had escaped from custody. Acting Senior
Sergeant John Hicks says a police patrol gave chase when a
motorist, acting suspiciously, would not pull over, then sped
off. An attempt was made to ram the pursuing police car.
Eventually the driver fled from the vehicle and was chased by
police dogs. John Hicks says charges laid after the incident
include reckless driving and failing to stop.
BIG RED BUS CATCHES FIRE
------------------------
Passengers on board one of Christchurch's red buses got more
than they bargained for today when the bus caught fire.
Eyewitness Aaron Keown says he heard an explosion and looked
out the window of his home. He says the back end of the
Shirley bus was on fire, and passengers were evacuated. The
Fire Service says the fire was well involved by the time two
units got to the scene at the intersection of Briggs Road and
Innes Road.
FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLDS ARRESTED IN HAMILTON
--------------------------------------
Hamilton police have arrested two 15-year-olds in relation to
the fires at Melville High School earlier this week. They are
facing two charges of arson and burglary. Both were due to
appear in the Hamilton Youth Court this afternoon. Detective
Senior Sergeant Russell Le Prou says the fire has devastated
the local community, and not only caused a lot of damage but
also endangered the lives of firefighters. Hamilton police
treated the investigation of the arson like a homicide. A
fireman was hospitalised after a ceiling collapsed while
fighting the fire on Wednesday morning. He was released from
hospital that afternoon.
EVACUATION OF FLOOD AREA ASSISTED BY AIR FORCE
----------------------------------------------
The air force has been called in to help evacuate people in
the Whangaehu Valley. Peak flows on the Whangaehu River are
just starting to become evident. Rangitikei Civil Defence
controller Leigh Halstead says they have been evacuating
people from the Whangaehu catchment and township this
afternoon. He says an Air force Iroquois is in the Whangaehu
Beach Road, so anyone in that area should get in it to be
evacuated to Ratana Pa. Mr Halstead is also recommending
anyone on a low-lying property gets out before dark. He does
not expect river levels to drop for some time.
MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING PHARMACY ROBBERY
---------------------------------------
Police are praising the public following the arrest of a 40-
year-old Christchurch man, who has been charged with the
aggravated robbery of a Lincoln Road pharmacy at Addington.
The gun-wielding man entered the pharmacy this morning just
after eight o'clock demanding money and drugs. Police say
thanks to information from members of the public he was
quickly identified and the stolen property retrieved.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Rae says people who notice
things are not as they should be and who record details are a
great help when crimes like this are committed. He says this
is the latest of eight aggravated robberies that have resulted
in an arrest. The man will appear in the Christchurch District
Court tomorrow morning.
FARMERS RUN LOW ON STOCK FEED
-----------------------------
Farmers are beginning to worry about feed for stock, with
early snow affecting them in the South Island and floods in
the lower North Island. Federated farmers says some South
Island farmers are running low on winter feed, and are now
planning how to cope for the rest of winter. Vice president
Don Nicholson says they need to feed stock three to four times
more daily than they would normally. He says the concern right
now is about how to get hold of the extra feed they need. Mr
Nicholson says options include bringing in feed from outside
the district or transporting stock to farms where there is
feed. Don Nicholson says all the options are costly,
especially when some farmers are coming off the back of a year
that was not great financially. He says they will have to do a
lot of planning with their financiers.
Monday, 10 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POLICE SEEK IDENTITY OF HANDLESS CORPSE
----------------------------------------
Police investigating the brutal slaying of a man whose
mutilated body was found floating in the sea off Wellington's
south coast have no idea who he is. The corpse of a man aged
in his 60s was found at Red Rocks. His hands were cut off and
an attempt had been made to sever his head. Police do not know
whether he was killed at the scene or whether his body was
dumped there. Detective Inspector Harry Quinn says police
urgently need to identify the victim. He is asking anyone with
relatives matching the description of the man, to contact the
family member to make sure they are OK. Mr Quinn says it is
likely to be a long investigation, as there is little
information to go on at this point.
MAN IN COURT FOLLOWING STABBING
-------------------------------
The man charged with attempted murder after a 15 centimetre
knife was driven through another man's face will appear in
court today. Vance Tuheke was being sought by police in
relation to the stabbing in Albany, north of Auckland last
week. He was found at a house in Ruawai near Dargaville on
Saturday, with his estranged partner and two-year-old son.
Tuheke is due to appear in the North Shore District Court
today. The 36-year-old victim remains in a stable condition
after having surgery on Saturday afternoon to remove the
blade. It was left embedded in his face when the handle broke
off.
COMMUNITY CUT OFF FOR SOME TIME
-------------------------------
The Mangamahu community northeast of Wanganui will have to
cope for some time without its main access route after the
bridge into the district collapsed yesterday morning,
following last week's severe flooding. Wanganui District
Council Emergency Manager Max Benseman says up to 150 locals
are cut off as the northern access is closed by a slip. It is
likely to take several days to open a new access route through
a farm but Mr Benseman says it will be limited to four-wheel-
drive vehicles for locals needing supplies. Mr Benseman says
the bridge is significantly twisted and he is unsure whether
the existing structure can be repaired. Agriculture Minister
Jim Anderton will be in South Taranaki, Rangitikei and
southern Wairarapa today to tour the damage. He will fly over
the regions and discuss the relief effort with local
officials.
TEEN IN COURT ON MURDER CHARGE
------------------------------
A South Auckland teenager appears in court today charged with
murder following the stabbing of a man in Manurewa. An 18-
year-old died from a single stab wound to the chest after he
was attacked following a party early yesterday morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Gary Lendrum says the 16th birthday
party had been closed down because of a large number of
gatecrashers, but youths spilled out onto Mahia Street where
the attack happened. Police want to hear from motorists who
may have seen something. A 19-year-old Manurewa man will
appear in the Manukau District Court.
JUNIOR DOCTORS AND DHBS TALKING AGAIN
--------------------------------------
Junior doctors and District Health Boards are entering another
round of talks in an effort to resolve the dispute over pay
and conditions. Talks concluded at the end of last month with
an agreement to resume today. Neither party is interested in
commenting in any detail and the doctors' union has labelled
the situation as 'fairly delicate'.
FEW DETAILS AS TOP COP STOOD DOWN
---------------------------------
Police National Headquarters will not provide details on why
one of New Zealand's top police officers has been stood down.
Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald has been asked to take special
leave after a complaint from a colleague. Mr Fitzgerald spent
five years as road policing manager before being promoted to
oversee the 111 communication centres. A spokesman for
National Headquarters says an investigation is underway and it
is not known when Mr Fitzgerald will return to work.
COIN CHANGES LOOMING
--------------------
The Reserve Bank is using today's 39th anniversary of the
switch to decimal currency to remind people about another
looming change to our coinage. The current 50, 20 and 10 cent
coins are being replaced with smaller and lighter versions
from the end of the month. Five cent pieces are going
altogether. The new coins will retain the same heads and tails
designs. However the 10 cent coin will be copper-coloured. The
old coins can still be used in tandem with their new versions
until the end of October.
NO SUSPECTS IN MUTILATION MURDER
---------------------------------
Police divers, search dogs and the police maritime unit are
scouring the Wellington coastline as the search continues for
clues in the mutilated body case. Detectives are still trying
to identify the man's corpse, which has a partially severed
head, and no hands. Inquiry head Detective Inspector Harry
Quinn says finding the hands is the immediate priority. He
says they have no suspects and not much in the way of clues.
But he says police are in for the long haul. Detective
Inspector Quinn says the investigation team would love to
solve the murder in ten minutes, but even if it takes ten
months they will still solve it. He is appealing for calls to
a hotline set up for tips from the public. It is 0508
REDROCKS.
(Things must have moved quickly then because three days later
there was an arrest. - BH)
DEAD KEA FOUND IN PLASTIC BAG
-----------------------------
The discovery of three dead kea in south Westland has sparked
an investigation by the Department of Conservation. A farmer
found the birds in a plastic bag near Harihari south of
Hokitika. DOC spokesman Russell Squire has interviewed all the
farmers in the area and contacted the police. He says if the
culprit is found and convicted they could face up to six
months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Kea are a
protected species.
OTTER HEALTHY BUT SKINNY
------------------------
Jin the otter's extended holiday around Auckland has resulted
in dramatic weight loss. Jin was captured this morning at
Islington Bay near Rangitoto Island after nearly a month on
the run. Auckland Zoo senior vet Richard Jakob-Hoff says he
examined Jin this morning and says despite losing nearly a
third of her body weight she is in good health. When she left
for the jaunt she was 3.6 kilograms and this morning she
weighed 2.5.Dr Jakob-Hoff says zoo staff have been celebrating
her return with cake, and there may be a piece left over for
Jin to enjoy this afternoon.
HIGH ON DRUGS, NO EXCUSE
-------------------------
Being high on drugs is no defence if you commit a crime. That
is the message Tauranga District Court judge Christopher
Harding sent out when he sentenced a bank robber to six years
in jail. Adam Leatham robbed the Westpac branch at the
Cherrywood shopping centre in late May, brandishing a fake
pistol and threatening staff, elderly patrons and others.
Judge Harding acknowledged Leatham feared reprisal if he did
not pay an outstanding drug debt and that he had been high on
'P' and awake for 12 straight days. He said the 22-year-old
was out on bail when he carried out the robbery, the robbery
was premeditated, very inept and capture was inevitable.
FLYING FOX COULD DELIVER SUPPLIES
---------------------------------
A flying fox could be the solution for the Mangamahu community
which is still cut off after the main access bridge collapsed
yesterday. Attempts to clear the northern road of a slip and
to arrange an alternative route through farmland have both
failed, leaving Mangamahu isolated. Wanganui Civil Defence
spokeswoman Sue Dudman says surveyors have been out today and
senior engineers from Linton Army Camp will inspect the bridge
tomorrow. She says they are looking at a variety of ways to
get access and supplies to Mangamahu. She says helicopters are
an option, or some sort of flying fox across the stream.
POLICE HUNT MAN AFTER KNIFE FIGHT
---------------------------------
Christchurch police are hunting a man who is travelling with a
woman with stab wounds after a knife fight. The incident
happened at a house in Stanmore Road on Friday night. Police
say two women attacked each other with knives and one of the
women was also stabbed by Damien Keen. Both women were treated
in hospital, but both discharged themselves on Saturday. Keen
is believed to be with one of the women, a 20-year-old who has
injuries to her abdomen and back. Police say she needs medical
attention.
HUMAN FOOT FOUND AT BEACH
-------------------------
Police are investigating the discovery of a human foot at
Himitangi Beach near Palmerston North. The foot was discovered
by a member of the public on the beach about three kilometres
south of the entrance road. Detective Ashley Gurney believes
the foot has only recently been washed up. He says a search of
the surrounding area has not located any other items
associated with the foot. Detective Gurney says the foot,
believed to be the left foot of a man, is encased in a dark
blue Sketchers brand sneaker and black ankle sock.
POLICE HUNT MURDER VICTIMS HANDS
--------------------------------
Not only do police have no suspects and no motive, but they
still do not know the identity of the handless corpse found in
Wellington. The body of the man, thought to be in his sixties,
was found by a walker at Owhiro Bay yesterday morning. He had
been brutally beaten about the head, his feet tied, his hands
cut off and an attempt was made to decapitate him. Police
believe the victim's body was taken to Owhiro Bay, more than
likely in a vehicle, and dumped in the sea. Detectives and
specialist searchers are today combing the bay's coastline.
They are looking for the man's severed hands, other clothing
and also the weapons that were used to kill him. Detective
Inspector Harry Quinn says finding the man's hands will help
identify him and may also help lead to his killers. He says it
is a brutal and macabre murder. Detective Inspector Quinn says
somewhere in the city someone has cleaned up a very bloody
murder scene. So far more than ten calls have been left on the
0508 Red Rocks hotline set up by police.
MORE CHANGES EXPECTED FOR LABOUR
--------------------------------
Who is next is the question on the lips of ACT leader Rodney
Hide following the resignation today of Labour MP Jim Sutton.
The Parliamentary veteran is stepping down after 22 years in
the Beehive. He will be replaced in Parliament by Wellington
based lawyer Charles Chauvel. Rodney Hide is predicting Mr
Sutton is just the first to go and there will be other
resignations and retirements to come. He says Prime Minister
Helen Clark has signalled she is not happy with several caucus
members wanting them to move on so she can bring in fresh
blood Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper says Labour's
rejuvenation campaign is not surprising considering the party
brought in just four new faces at the last election compared
to National's 22. Mr Sutton lost his electorate seat last year
and fell out of favour with Prime Minister Helen Clark who
kept him on in Cabinet to manage the current trade round.
Barry Soper says new Trade Minister Phil Goff now appears to
be on top of the portfolio - making Mr Sutton dispensable. Mr
Hide is expressing concern about sweeteners for outgoing
Government MPs, with Jim Sutton taking up the chairmanship of
Landcorp. It has also been revealed some big offers, including
a Washington Ambassadorship, were offered to Mr Sutton to
hasten his departure. Mr Hide says that sets a bad precedent
as there is always a risk it will result in positions being
filled by someone who is not best qualified to do them. He
says it would be sad if such posts were filled by second
choice candidates because of political expediency on the part
of the Prime Minister.
Tuesday, 11 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CABINET RESHUFFLE PREDICTED
----------------------------
It is being predicted that Jim Sutton's resignation will pave
the way for a major cabinet reshuffle in the not too distant
future. The former Trade Minister will now take up the role of
Trade Ambassador. Political commentator Graeme Hunt says
Labour needs to make some changes to its pecking order. He
believes Finance Minister Michael Cullen will be the next to
go. Mr Hunt says Dr Cullen has not been particularly popular
over the issue of tax cuts and his dealings with the business
community. He says Dr Cullen would not leave politics
altogether but may pull away from Labour's inner circle. He
adds that Dr Cullen looks tired, worn out and ready for a
change. He says Trevor Mallard seems keen to step up to the
finance role.
HANDLESS BODY POSES QUESTIONS FOR POLICE
----------------------------------------
Police investigating the discovery of a mutilated body on
Wellington's south coast are turning their attention to a
particular vehicle. It had got stuck in the area 12 hours
before the handless body was found. Detective Inspector Mike
Arnerich says locals told police they towed out a dark
coloured Subaru Legacy sedan about 7 o'clock on Saturday
night. He says it had mag wheels, and possibly a big bore
exhaust, and had stickers on the rear bumper with possible
references to Te Reo Maori and the importance of "teaching
kids the language". The driver is described as Maori, adding
that he was polite and seemed embarrassed at getting stuck. He
was wearing a light coloured hoody and three quarter length
trousers. Police say they would like to speak with him, to
know whether he saw anything suspicious that night. Police are
finding it difficult to identify the corpse but they hope an
unusual belt may provide a clue as to the identity of the man.
The body was not only missing both hands but the head is also
partially severed. Detective Inspector Harry Quinn says they
have analysed the man's clothing, and found he was wearing a
belt which appears to be hard to come by. He says it is a
replica Dunhill item, and so far, they have been unable to
find any shops in the city which stock similar belts.
Detective Inspector Quinn says somewhere in the city, there is
a murder scene, which would have taken considerable effort to
clean up. He says it is likely more than one person was
involved.
KAHUI INVESTIGATION REMAINS UNDER WRAPS
---------------------------------------
After more than three weeks, police remain tight-lipped over
the Kahui investigation. Post mortem examination results for
Chris and Cru Kahui are being studied by a pathologist and
results are expected this week. Meanwhile the west Auckland
community is preparing to take a stand against child abuse in
a vigil at LynnMall shopping centre tonight, following on from
a similar event in South Auckland at the end of last month.
DEAD MAN'S IDENTITY REMAINS MYSTERY
-----------------------------------
West Auckland police are trying to identify the body of a man
found lying face down in a muddy creek. The discovery was made
in Henderson Creek yesterday afternoon. The body is that of a
European man thought to have been in his thirties, wearing
only a blue pair of shorts. Police do not believe the death is
suspicious. Officers are combing missing person files as they
try to identify the man. A post mortem examination will be
carried out today.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SUBDIVISION PLANNED
---------------------------------------------
A new environmentally-friendly subdivision in Hamilton will
act as a show case for future development of the city. The
project is part of the council's Cityscope strategy and will
house 63 sections near Lake Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage
Park. Council spokesman Mike Garret says the subdivision will
include unique features to help plan for sustainable urban
development. Mr Garret says the project will feature green
spaces, rain gardens, swales to deal with storm water and
energy efficient houses. He says the council plans to start
construction on the subdivision in February and should be
completed by the end of next year.
DEATH TREATED AS SUSPICIOUS
---------------------------
Police are treating the death of a Christchurch pensioner as
suspicious. 66-year-old Sydney Boyd fell or was pushed from a
second-storey window of a State Housing complex in Riccarton
in late May. He died last week in hospital. Detective Sergeant
Nigel Hughes says the incident is definitely suspicious but as
yet has not been upgraded to a homicide investigation He says
they are waiting for the results of the post-mortem
examination before deciding on their next course of action.
CHICKEN BAN COULD SEE IT OFF MENUS
-----------------------------------
A Wellington restaurateur believes the banning of fresh
chicken would see it taken off the menu in many restaurants.
Research by the Wellington School of Medicine suggests New
Zealand has one of the worst rates of food poisoning from
fresh chicken. Scientists are suggesting all meat should be
frozen, but Mike Egan, who is also president of the Restaurant
Association, says that could mean crossing chicken off the
menu. He says it is not that big a seller anyway, with most
people eating out opting for something they would not usually
cook at home, such as seafood or beef. Mike Egan says
restaurants rely on suppliers to bring in chicken that is in
top condition, and good eateries follow strict food safety
guidelines.
(I must confess that I regard chicken as a penitential food ...
something I eat if I have to. - BH)
BAIN "NOT WANTED" AT FUNERAL
-----------------------------
David Bain's family do not want him at his grandmother's
funeral. Ninety-five year-old Ethel Bain died in Otaki on
Saturday. Long-time Bain supporter Joe Karam understands a
family member who rang prison authorities to advise Bain of
the death also made it clear he was not welcome at the
funeral. Mr Karam says Bain would have applied for
compassionate leave and probably would have got it, but he
says there is no point if the family does not want him at the
service.
DOZENS CALL HOTLINE
-------------------
Police are working through dozens of calls to a special
hotline set up in Wellington's mutilated body case. A
spokeswoman says they have had around 40 calls to 0508
REDROCKS, and some of them are quite detailed. However, they
have yet to hear from the driver of a car that became stuck at
the Owhiro Bay beach on Saturday night. The body of the
unidentified man was found the following morning. Scene
inquiries are wrapping up and police hope to reopen the area
to the public later this afternoon. There is still no sign of
the unidentified victim's hands, despite an extensive search.
Police are using dental records to try to work out who he is.
FAMILY TREATED AFTER BLAZE
--------------------------
A woman and her two children are being treated for smoke
inhalation after fire destroyed their West Coast house this
morning. The Fire Service was called to the blaze in Cobden,
north of Greymouth, at eight o'clock. Acting Senior Sergeant
Allyson Ealam says the house was completely gutted by the
blaze which is thought to have started near a pot belly stove.
The mother and children are recovering in Grey Base Hospital.
DISCOVERY OF FOOT "NOT SUSPICIOUS"
----------------------------------
Police are not treating the discovery of a human foot at
Himitangi Beach in Manawatu as suspicious. The foot was
discovered by a member of the public on Saturday morning.
Detective Ashley Gurney says police have been working their
way through the missing person data-base but have failed to
find a match. He is appealing for anyone with information
about the possible identification of the foot to come forward.
Detective Ashley Gurney says a search of the surrounding area
has also failed to locate anything that might be linked to the
foot.
NURSE CLEARED OF WRONGDOING
---------------------------
A registered nurse has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a the
Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. Roy Johnson of
Hokianga was facing a professional misconduct charge after he
bought a house belonging a patient. In 1996 while Mr Johnson
was practicing at the Mental Health Services at Hokianga
Health, he purchased the home in question, in Rawene, from a
patient with long history of psychiatric illness. In March
this year a Professional Conduct Committee charged him with
failing to observe the financial constraints of this
profession. The tribunal says while it was clearly unwise for
Mr Johnson and his wife to purchase the home, but in this case
the nurse did not act negligently or commit malpractice.
GREENS WELCOME CANNABIS REPORT
------------------------------
An opinion poll showing support for the medicinal use of
cannabis is being welcomed by the Green party. A TNS poll
showed 63 percent of people would support such a law change.
It coincides with such a bill being proposed by the Greens
which is due for debate in parliament. Green MP Metiria Turei
says it is gratifying to see the level of public support as
debate about sensible drug law reform often gets lost in
emotive language and stereotypes.
NGAI TAHU GIFTS SI LAND
-----------------------
Ngai Tahu has today gifted around 33 thousand hectares of
South Island high country to the people of New Zealand at a
special ceremony at the mouth of the Greenstone River. The
land is known as Ka Whenua Roimata, or Land of Tears. It is
part of three High Country stations inland from Lake Wakatipu
which Ngai Tahu bought from the crown as part of its Waitangi
Treaty Deed of Settlement. Runanga spokesman Mark Solomon says
the land is being gifted back as a memorial to the suffering
of the Ngai Tahu people and because of its high conservation
value.
BREAKTHROUGH IN MUTILATED BODY CASE
-----------------------------------
A significant breakthrough for police investigating the grisly
death of a man found on Wellington's south coast. The man has
been identified as 62-year-old Anthony Stanlake of Karori.
Detective Inspector Mike Arnerich says police used palm print
details taken from a piece of skin on the remnants of Mr
Stanlake's hands to positively identify him. He says police
are still looking for his hands, the rest of his clothing and
the murder weapon. They will search his house to see if
anything there will help them establish his movements in the
time leading up to his death. Stanlake has two cannabis
convictions however they do not yet know if his violent death
is linked to drugs. A call to the police hotline from the 62-
year-old's ex-girlfriend helped detectives establish the
identity of the handless corpse. Mr Stanlake lived in Karori
and had returned from a holiday in China in May. Police are
appealing for anyone who knew him to come forward.
Wednesday, 12 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CYF CALL CENTRE CONCERNS MP
---------------------------
National MP Anne Tolley is asking how many other important
calls to Child, Youth and Family went unanswered yesterday
after an Auckland man hung up in frustration after twice being
put on hold for more than 10 minutes. He had been wanting to
report concerns about the safety of two pre-schoolers. CYF
says it was due to an unusual 15-minute bottleneck in calls -
and the average wait to speak to a social worker is two and a
half minutes. However, Anne Tolley says 5,000 calls to CYF
have been abandoned in the past six months. She says if the
government wants people to report abuse, it has a
responsibility to ensure there are enough staff to answer
their calls. However, Child Youth and Family is defending its
call centre, saying the average wait for people wanting to
speak with a social worker during the day was 2.5 minutes. A
spokeswoman says the Child, Youth and Family call centre
handles an average of 3,500 calls per day. Of those, around
250 are put through to the social work line. The man who made
the call was still waiting to talk to someone at seven-thirty
last night. Newstalk ZB had passed his number on to the
department which had rung him and left a message on his
cellphone, but his cellphone battery was running out and he
was unable decipher the message. Last night he was trying an
after-hours number supplied by Newstalk ZB.
SALLIES CALL FOR HELP FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
---------------------------------------------
The Government is being urged to target assistance to cushion
low income families from life's shocks. The call follows
Ministry of Social Development Research showing crises like
divorce, bereavement, job loss and imprisonment can
significantly cut a person's standard of living. The more
life-shocks a person suffers, the greater the impact. The
Salvation Army's Major Campbell Roberts says it is a vicious
cycle which has to be broken. He says chances are poor
families, perhaps crowded one or two families to a house, are
going to suffer more life-shocks than the more well-to-do.
Major Roberts says also worrying is the increase in the number
of Maori and Pacific Island families in severe hardship. He
believes a big factor is the fading kiwi dream of owning a
home of their own. He says home ownership is out of reach for
many of these families and accommodation costs are
contributing significantly to their hardship. Major Roberts
says as home ownership falls, so does the standard of living.
MAN CHARGED AFTER DRAGGING INCIDENT
-----------------------------------
A man is due in the Waitakere District Court on a raft of
charges today after a police officer was dragged along the
road by a car. The officer has a multitude of cuts, bruises
and abrasions after being dragged 40 to 50 metres yesterday.
Police say the officer had put his arm through the car window
to apprehend the driver, who then took off. His heavy duty
police radio saved him from serious injury as it provided a
buffer between the road and his flesh. Police had wanted to
speak to the driver about a hit and run in the West Auckland
suburb of Massey earlier in the day.
WOMAN DIES AFTER ACCIDENT WITH HORSE
-------------------------------------
An elderly woman is dead after the car in which she was a
passenger collided with a horse near Whakatane. The accident
happened on Edgecumbe Road in Te Teko just after ten last
night. Police say four horses were on the road at the time.
Their owner says they had been secure in a paddock, but
children may have let them out.
GANGLAND CONNECTION IN STANLAKE CASE?
-------------------------------------
Revenge could be the motive behind Tony Stanlake's murder and
macabre mutilation. The 62-year-old fire-fighter, whose
handless and nearly decapitated body was found on Wellington's
foreshore, has two cannabis convictions. Police say they are
keeping an open mind and do not know whether there is any drug
link to the killing. However, former police officer turned
private eye, Michael Rhodes, says the violent death and nature
of the injuries suggest a gangland connection. He imagines Mr
Stanlake has been treading on somebody's toes and has paid a
ghastly price. Michael Rhodes expects police to make good
progress now they know who has been killed. He says whoever
killed Mr Stanlake botched the job. Mr Rhodes says cutting off
the hands and head is a common way for the criminal underworld
to disguise a murder victim, but usually all that is found is
the torso. In this case, the head was only partially severed
and enough skin was left from one hand for police to get a
print. Michael Rhodes says any professional doing the job
would not have left the body in an identifiable state. He says
the killer also left distinctive pieces of clothing on the
torso, such as the Dunhill belt and shoes.
TWO ARRESTED OVER ELDERLY ATTACK
--------------------------------
Police have arrested two youths in relation to an attack on a
95-year-old near Napier. Elsie Jones was allegedly pushed over
and robbed while walking home from shopping in Flaxmere on
Sunday. A 16-year-old appears in the Youth Court today while
an 18-year-old will appear in the Hastings District Court.
Police are crediting district council video camera footage and
information from the public for the arrest of the pair.
PETITIONERS UPSET AT NOT SPEAKING
---------------------------------
A group wanting to present a petition calling on the City
Council to keep the Lyttelton Port Company 100-percent locally
owned, will not be fobbed off. Keep Our Port Public spokesman
Murray Horton is upset, after his group was refused speaking
rights when it handed over its petition to Councillors. He
says the council's secretary says the Mayor has sole
prerogative to grant speaking rights, and is suggesting KOPP
take the petition to the Port Company. Mr Horton says that is
nonsense because the petition is addressed to the City Council
and he says it will not be fobbed off when it is trying to
present it to an elected body. Nearly 3,000 people have signed
the petition, saying they do not want to see the port sold to
an overseas investor.
TREES DAMAGED AFTER KERB UPGRADE
---------------------------------
Ten Ginkgo Biloba trees will be removed from one Christchurch
street after an error in upgrading existing kerb and channels.
City Council Transport and Greenpeace manager Michael Aitken
says guidelines for construction work on Perry Street in
Papanui were not followed and the trees were damaged. He says
the trees' root structures have been deemed unstable by
council arborists. Michael Aitken says a further 10 trees on
Perry Street will be monitored on a quarterly basis and
another six are set to be replaced following kerb and channel
work.
CRAYFISH POT DISCOVERY CAUSES CONCERN
-------------------------------------
The Department of Conservation will increase patrols following
the discovery a crayfish pot. The commercial design pot was
found inside a marine reserve just north of Gisborne. DoC East
Coast - Hawke's Bay Conservator Peter Williams says fishing
inside a Marine Reserve has repercussions for everyone and is
unfair on those who make an effort to conserve marine life.
FOOD POISONING CAUSES HEAD SCRATCHING
--------------------------------------
A spike in the number of food poisoning cases reported in
Wellington has public heath officials scratching their heads.
The dangers of poorly handled chicken have been in the
spotlight recently, with scientists suggesting the only safe
chicken is frozen chicken. Medical officer of health Annette
Nesdale says since May, there has been twice the usual number
of campylobacter cases reported locally. She says basic food
hygiene rules should eliminate most cases of food poisoning,
such as keeping utensils and chopping boards clean and always
washing your hands. Annette Nesdale says winter is usually the
quiet season for food poisoning, so ESR are trying to see
whether there is a new strain of campylobacter causing
problems.
TEEN ROOKIE GETS GAME TIME
--------------------------
Tall Blacks basketball rookie Jeremiah Trueman is poised to
get some game time in tonight's opening international against
the Boomers in Napier. The 19-year-old has been named as one
of 12 players who will wear the strip for tonight's game.
Trueman and Waikato's Ben Hill was plucked from near obscurity
for the series. Dillon Boucher and Hill are the two players
rested by coach Tab Baldwin.
YOUNGSTERS CAUGHT SMOKING CANNABIS
----------------------------------
Dunedin police are investigating after two young children
smoking cannabis almost set fire to Halfway Bush School. The
nine and 11-year-olds ducked away from where they were
supposed to be yesterday to smoke the cannabis and ended up
setting fire to a tree at the school. Senior Sergeant Steve
Aitken says it is disturbing that children so young were able
to obtain drugs. She says police know who the children are and
have spoken to them and to their parents, to try to work out
where the cannabis came from. Senior Sergeant Aitken says
fortunately a local boy saw the smoke coming from the school
and called 111 on his cellphone. He says that probably saved
the school quite a lot of damage.
MORE RAIN A WORRY
-----------------
A close eye will be kept on rivers and streams in Wanganui
this evening as another band of rain moves through the region.
The district's Emergency Manager, Max Benseman, says the
amount forecast should not significantly affect catchment
areas. But he is worried the extra water will delay road
repairs underway after last week's flooding, especially as the
ground is still very wet and the roads slushy. Mr Benseman
says there is nothing they can do except wait and watch and be
prepared to move resources where they are needed.
DOCTORS FEES DOWN
-----------------
The Government has praised GPs saying they have responded
overwhelmingly to cheaper fees for 45 to 64 year olds. The new
fees structure came into effect this month and Health Minister
Pete Hodgson says there is virtually been a 100 percent sign
up. He says that means more than 690 thousand people will find
their fees reduced by 27 dollars. Mr Hodgson says it has been
the most successful phase of the Primary Health Care Strategy
roll out to date. He says in the future doctors fees will be
increased by negotiation.
ARREST IN MUTILATED BODY CASE
------------------------------
Police have made an arrest in the mutilated body murder case.
They have charged a 21-year-old man with murdering Tony
Stanlake, whose partly dismembered body was found at Owhiro
Bay beach on Sunday. The arrest comes after police found a
dark blue Subaru they had been looking for. The car was seized
at a house in Wainuiomata...forensics teams are now going over
it for evidence. Pleased with today's progress, inquiry head
Mike Arnerich has now revealed he thinks others were also
involved in the killing. He says there is still a lot of work
to do to find those other people, and he wants more
information about the movements of the blue 1995 Legacy, and
people who may have been using it since last Thursday.
Sightings of Mr Stanlake in the days leading up to his death
are also still needed. The hotline for information is still
open, on 0508 - 733762. The arrested man is to appear in
Wellington District Court on Thursday morning.
Thursday, 13 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MINISTER REJECTS CLAIMS SURGERY CLAIMS
--------------------------------------
The Minister of Health is rejecting National Party claims that
elective surgery targets are not being met. National's health
spokesman Tony Ryall has released figures he says shows more
than half the country's District Health Boards will not match
the number of operations they did last year. But Health
Minister Pete Hodgson says the report Mr Ryall quotes actually
shows DHBs may over-deliver on surgery targets. He says Mr
Ryall is either being lazy in the way he has used the
information, or is conveniently using the data that suits him
and has left out the rest.
FAMILY HOPES ARREST BRINGS PEACE TO MARTON
------------------------------------------
Police who have spent the past 18 months investigating the
killing of a Marton pensioner say they are feeling quietly
satisfied with an arrest in the case. A 42-year-old Palmerston
North woman appears in the Marton District Court this morning
charged with the murder of Mona Morriss. Inquiry head
Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Smith says the investigation
team has been resolute in its determination and focus to find
out who killed the 83-year-old, however they realise the
arrest is only the first step in the judicial process. Mr
Smith has thanked the Marton community and the Morriss family
for their support during the inquiry, but believes the arrest
brings mixed emotions for the family. He says the Morriss
family hope it will bring peace of mind to the Marton
community, their mother's many friends and others living in
the block of pensioner flats where she was killed. Family
members found Mrs Morriss' stabbed body on January 5 last
year. Police believe she had been killed two days earlier.
CALL FOR RETURN TO OLD APPRENTICE SYSTEM
----------------------------------------
The design industry wants a return to the old method of
training plumbers, in the wake of the Government sacking all
nine members of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers
Registration Board. Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen
says the move has been made because despite increased funding
for training, fewer people are qualifying as plumbers. Twenty-
four million dollars has been put into training over the last
six years but too many apprentices are failing exams set up by
the board. Ralph Hill managing director of Design Association
claims the whole apprentice training system is a shambles with
polytechnics and industry training organisations competing
directly with each other. He believes the entire apprentice
education system has been dumbed down. Mr Hill says the old
system whereby polytechs delivered the theory component of
courses and industry training organisations offered the
practical training worked better.
DETAILS UNDER WRAPS AHEAD OF COURT APPEARANCE
---------------------------------------------
Police are keeping tight-lipped over how long they have been
investigating the woman charged with the murder of Marton
pensioner Mona Morriss. A 42-year-old will appear in the
Marton District Court this morning, in relation to the brutal
stabbing of the 83-year-old in her home in January of last
year. Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan says until a
conviction has made, he cannot reveal how the Palmerston North
resident was pinpointed. He says there was no particular
breakthrough and the result has come from long hours spent on
the case. Meanwhile Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant Tim
Smith says the arrest is just the first step in the judicial
process. He says Mrs Morriss' family has mixed emotions.
PAKURANGA SHOP SELLS ULTIMATE LOTTO PRIZE
-----------------------------------------
A lucky Aucklander has won the ultimate prize, after first
division was won in last night's Big Wednesday draw. The
ticket, bought at Pakuranga Lotto will see the owner walk away
with $4.4 million, two luxury cars, $50,000 worth of travel
every year for five years, $250,000 on an American Express
card, a boat and a bach. This is the fourth time first
division has been won since the competition was launched.
RELIEF AS SEX ATTACKER PLEADS GUILTY
------------------------------------
Police are relieved a serial sex attacker has pleaded guilty
to numerous counts of rape and sexual assault. Frankie Edwards
of South Auckland has been convicted on 34 charges involving
the rape of three women and attacks on another three. The 30-
year-old's offending took place throughout Auckland earlier
this year. Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie is pleased Edwards
has admitted his actions, for the sake of the complainants,
who do not have to go through the trauma of telling their
stories in court. Edwards has been remanded in custody until
September 12, when a date will be set for his sentencing. He
is the older brother of Phillip Edwards, who is in prison for
the manslaughter of Aucklander David McNee, who was a
celebrity interior designer.
NEW PARK HAS "CHOCOLATE BOX" SCENERY
-------------------------------------
A new conservation park which covers more than 37 hectares of
rugged mountain country, beech forest and rivers has been
opened in South Canterbury. Association Minister of
Conservation Mahara Okeroa says the Ruataniwha Conservation
Park is absolutely amazing, with scenery like something from
the cover of a chocolate box. The ranges and valley border
lakes Ohau and Pukaki. Tramping, climbing, mountain biking,
skiing, horse trekking and four-wheel-drive activities are
catered for in the park
COMMUTER AIR SERVICE POSITIVE ABOUT FUTURE
-------------------------------------------
Regional air passenger service Air2There is sticking with
plans to land commuters in Wellington city. The Paraparaumu-
based airline has been issued with its full airline license,
giving it the opportunity to expand its fleet and services.
Chief executive Murray Cole says he has envisaged the use of
aircraft for commuter services for some time and had
previously suggested a service could be landed on the Fran
Wilde walkway at Westpac Stadium, as he has the aircraft
capable of landing on a short runway. Mr Cole wants to see his
plans become part of the greater region's transport strategy.
COURT APPEARANCE IN STANLAKE MURDER CASE
----------------------------------------
The man charged with murdering Tony Stanlake, whose handless
body was found off Wellington's south coast four days ago, has
appeared in the Wellington District Court. The 21-year-old has
been granted interim name suppression, which lapses on Sunday
afternoon. He has been remanded in custody to reappear at a
pre-depositions hearing on September 29. Police say their
inquiries into the murder of the 62-year-old former
firefighter are far from over. They are still searching the
dead man's Karori home and several other sites around the
Wellington region.
BROADBAND CONNECTIONS IN DOUBT
------------------------------
It is claimed there will be no new broadband connections for
many parts of the country due to industrial action being taken
by some telephone technicians. The Engineering, Printing and
Manufacturing Union says more than 300 frustrated workers are
refusing to install ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line)
connections in Auckland, Waikato, Nelson, Marlborough,
Kaikoura and Christchurch. National secretary Andrew Little
says all they want is a five percent pay rise and overtime
rates, and they are being offered two percent. He says while
the workers are employed by Transfield, their situation is a
direct result of Telecom's failure to invest in resources. He
claims the terms of Transfield's contract with Telecom do not
allow for a bigger increase. Mr Little says Telecom will have
to come to the party if it wants technicians to maintain the
network and broadband rolled out. He says the action will be
on-going.
ARREST GIVES PEACE OF MIND
--------------------------
Rangitikei Mayor Bob Buchanan says the arrest of a woman for
the murder of pensioner Mona Morriss has given the town peace
of mind. A 42-year-old Palmerston North woman was granted
interim name suppression when she appeared in the Marton
District Court this morning. She was remanded in custody until
September 7 for the pre-depositions hearing. Mr Buchanan was
one of many residents at this morning's court appearance. He
says the community has been living in fear for the past 18
months.
SECOND PERSON SOUGHT IN KILLING
-------------------------------
Police say they are looking for at least one more person in
relation to the death of 62-year-old Wellington man Tony
Stanlake. Inquiry head Detective Inspector Mike Arnerich says
he has never worked on an inquiry where things have moved so
fast. Yesterday he was keeping an open mind about the case but
late last night a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged
with murder. He has interim name suppression which lapses on
Sunday afternoon. He has been remanded in custody to reappear
at a pre-depositions hearing on September 29. There are nine
different forensic examinations taking place in the greater
Wellington region at the moment. They include Mr Stanlake's
house, his car, several addresses in the northern suburbs, the
Happy Valley tip and the site at Red Rocks at Owhiro Bay where
the body was found. Detective Inspector Arnerich says police
now need to establish the victim's movements on Thursday last
week, after he was last seem alive at Bunning's Warehouse on
Adelaide Road.
BAT MAY HAVE TO FRONT UP TO COMMERCE COMM
-----------------------------------------
British American Tobacco could have to front up to the
Commerce Commission. The Smokefree Coalition has lodged a
complaint against the company, claiming it has made misleading
statements about second-hand smoke, and light and mild
cigarettes. The complaint is supported by other anti-smoking
lobby groups, including the Cancer Society and the National
Heart Foundation. Coalition director Mark Peck says British
American Tobacco continues to understate the harm caused by
second-hand smoke. He believes the labelling on light and mild
cigarettes is in definite breach of the Fair Trading Act.
Friday, 14 July
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POLICE TRACING MOVEMENTS OF MURDERED MAN
----------------------------------------
Wellington police need more information on the movements of
Tony Stanlake in the days before his handless body was found
at Owhiro Bay on the city's south coast on Sunday. A 21-year-
old man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court
on a murder charge. He has been granted name suppression, and
has been remanded in custody until September 29, when a
depositions hearing will be held. Detective Inspector Mike
Arnerich says the last confirmed sighting of Mr Stanlake, aged
62-year-old, was at Bunnings Warehouse in Newtown last
Thursday. He says there are nine forensic examinations
underway.
FINE TO WEIGHT LOSS COMPANY SENDS WARNING
-----------------------------------------
The Commerce Commission says the hefty fine handed down to
Zenith Corporation is a warning to other companies marketing
weight loss products. Zenith has been ordered to pay $800,000
for making false claims in advertisements and infomercials
about its product Body Enhancer. The Commerce Commission says
the court finding is black and white - Body Enhancer does not
help people to lose weight or improve their health. It says
the size of the fine is a message to other businesses selling
such products that the consequences of misleading people can
be very, very serious. The distributors of Body Enhancer claim
the charges relate to an earlier formulation of the product,
which has since been changed. Deborah Battell, the
commission's fair trading director, says it was a long, and
aggressive campaign. She says the court case was particularly
involved. "It was immensely complex, it involved a lot of
expert evidence from overseas and the case was proven
conclusively."
ALARMING SURVEY ON DRINKING WHILE PREGNANT
-------------------------------------------
A new study is renewing concerns about the number of New
Zealand women who are drinking during pregnancy. More than
half the women surveyed by Otago University researchers
believe it is OK to drink some alcohol. Around 20 percent
admit to binge drinking while pregnant. The Health Ministry
and ALAC both recommend total abstinence for pregnant women
and researchers are concerned that message is not getting
through. They are calling for a targeted education campaign on
the negative impact of alcohol on the unborn child.
BANDANA COULD HOLD KEY TO WOMAN'S ATTACK
-----------------------------------------
Wellington police are trying to find the man who carried out
what a callous and cowardly attack on a young woman in Mt Cook
early yesterday morning. The 22-year-old student was walking
home along Wallace Street at around 2.30am when she was
grabbed from behind, had an object stuffed in her mouth, and a
scarf or bandanna pulled around her neck. She was then dragged
onto the garden of a nearby house and nearly strangled. Police
say the woman fought back using her keys and probably left
scratch marks on her attacker's face. She was treated in
hospital for cuts and bruises and discharged. Detectives say a
distinctive black scarf or bandana with white pirate
crossbones on it could hold the key to the case.
INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO OPERATION
-------------------------------------
The Health and Disability Commissioner has launched an
investigation after a Westport woman lost her leg following a
botched operation. Chris Townrow had surgery at Grey Base
Hospital in November. Soon afterwards she noticed the pulse
and colour of her leg had deteriorated and she was unable to
feel anything below her knee. Four days later the 48-year-old
was flown to Christchurch Hospital and told the surgeon had
badly damaged the artery in her leg, leaving doctors no choice
but to amputate. The surgeon, Robert Coup, has since left the
country. He is believed to be working in the US. Ms Townrow
says she made a complaint to the Grey Base hospital and was
shocked when she only received a brief letter of apology two
months later. She says she took the matter to the Health and
Disability Commissioner because she was dissatisfied with the
hospital's response. She says the surgeon did not
intentionally botch up an operation, but the loss of her leg
is still his mistake.
ABDUCTION ALLEGATION APPEARS UNTRUE
-----------------------------------
Auckland police believe a woman who claimed she was abducted
and set on fire, made it all up. The inquiry into the alleged
kidnapping is on-going, but Detective Sergeant Brett Batty is
confident there was no abduction. Earlier this month the woman
called police claiming she had been abducted in her own
vehicle, then she and the car were doused in petrol and set
alight. Police say the woman is still in hospital suffering
from burns received when her car was set on fire.
DIGGER AND TRUCK STOLEN
-----------------------
Porirua Police are appealing for help from the public to find
a truck and digger that were stolen from Pauatahanui
overnight. The truck, which was carrying the digger, belongs
to Evans Contracting and was driven through the closed gate of
their depot on the corner of Greys Road and Paekakariki Hill
Road. Sergeant Steve McCormack says the muddy tracks left
behind suggest the truck was driven over the Paekakariki Hill
Road. He says the truck has probably sustained some damage at
the front from breaking down the gate. Anyone who sees either
vehicle is urged to contact police.
DOLPHINS UNDER OBSERVATION
--------------------------
The Department of Conservation is keeping a close eye on a pod
of dolphins in a Far North stream, after one died. The five
bottlenose dolphins swam into the Oruaiti Stream on Wednesday,
most likely to escape pursuing Orcas. Community Relations
Programme Manager Carolyn Smith says staff are on the banks
making sure the others do not get into trouble. She says it is
not ideal for dolphins to be in fresh water, but they are not
stressed at this stage. Ms Smith says they are likely to use
boats to assist the dolphins back into the harbour, if they
are still there late this afternoon.
POVERTY LINKED TO CRIME
-----------------------
A Treasury report showing crime to cost the country nine
billion dollars a year, is being linked to poverty. The
National Distribution Union claims poverty and unemployment go
hand in hand with crime. National Secretary Laila Harre
believes the higher people's standard of living is, the more
they feel they have a stake in society, so the less likely
they are to offend. Ms Harre says reducing poverty through a
decent standard of living for beneficiaries and low-paid
workers is one of the most important forms of crime
prevention.
STANLAKE INQUIRY COULD TAKE MONTHS
-----------------------------------
Police investigating the grisly murder of Wellington man Tony
Stanlake concede it could be months before their inquiry is
complete. They have already arrested a 21-year-old Naenae man
with Mr Stanlake's murder. He has been remanded in custody
till September 29. Head of the inquiry, Detective Inspector
Mike Arnerich says three more houses are now being searched.
He says the investigation is growing wider by the day.
Detective Inspector Arnerich says police are continuing to
examine three cars, the beach scene at Owhiro Bay where Mr
Stanlake's body was found, the tip, and Tony Stanlake's Karori
property. He says police need the public's help to track the
recent movements of the 1995 model Subaru, which was seized by
police in Wainuiomata on Wednesday. Mike Arnerich says there
are still a lot of people out there who know Tony Stanlake and
police want to speak to them.
"DEGRADING ATTACK" LEADS TO 8 YEAR SENTENCE
-------------------------------------------
What a Christchurch judge has described as "a sustained,
violent and degrading attack" has resulted in a man facing at
least five years behind bars. Lorin Yarrall was today
sentenced to eight years in jail, with a minimum non-parole
term of five years on two charges of rape and sexual
violation. A 19-year-old woman was dragged off a Christchurch
city street and onto a riverbank in April. Police arrested
Yarrall after a DNA hit and the discovery of the woman's cell
phone in the 28-year-old's possession. This afternoon Judge
Abert told Yarrall aggravating factors included choking the
victim leading to her becoming unconscious, an attack which
resulted in four separate sexual violations and vulnerability
of the victim.
JAIL FOR DRUGS SMUGGLERS
-------------------------
Two men caught smuggling ecstasy into New Zealand have been
sentenced to prison in the Christchurch District Court this
afternoon. Shannon Dillion and Jade Rauhihi have been jailed
for three-years and nine months on a joint charge of importing
a Class B drug. Judge Abert gave them credit for an early
guilty plea, but says that does not negate the fact the pair
were caught red handed smuggling drugs in their stomachs. He
says while the offending was a one off offence, it was
significant because of the substantial quantity of ecstasy
valued at 100-thousand dollars.
POLICE INQUIRIES CONTINUE ON FOOT
---------------------------------
Palmerston North police trying to trace the origins of a foot
found washed up on Himitangi Beach say they are following
positive lines of inquiry. However they will not be revealing
any information until forensic tests on the foot are completed
and compared with other samples they have obtained during
their inquiry. They are not sure how long those tests will
take.
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