news-admin
Sun, 27 Jul 2003 01:03:26 -0700
Subject: 27 July, 2003 ----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------- Copyright, Brian Harmer Okarito, even in wet weather, is my idea of heaven. There is a tiny community of really nice people, situated beside a beautiful lagoon, surrounded on three sides by magnificent forest, against the thundering surf of the West Coast. The lily is further gilded by the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps, though of course those are only visible when the rain stops. On our first full day there, the rain did stop, though the clouds didn't lift, and nor did the temperature. Scotty's cottage is equipped with a nice fireplace and there was ample firewood there. Happily for me, the blood of Paul Bunyan or one of his workmates seems to flow in Mary's veins, so she was out with the axe and splitting kindling sufficient to last an Alaskan winter! Added to that, she would put any troop of Scouts to shame in the speed at which she can get a fire going (I suspect witchcraft, myself :-). Regardless of its inefficiency, an open fire must score right at the top of the list for creating the perception of warmth, even before the thermometer begins to lift. Though we later walked with our cameras to the lagoon and to the beach, it was a bit on the bleak side for my comfort, so I spent a fair portion of the day near the fire with a good book. Occasionally the clouds would split, and faint glimpses of the Alps were granted to us, but, by and large, the day was spent in self-indulgence and relaxation. One of our friends was departing for distant parts the next day, so we spent a happy hour or so in front of her blazing fire, talking and sipping her very fine whiskey. Day two was different to any we had seen for days. It dawned with all the picture-postcard glory of a clear blue sky and the gleaming white peaks at the utmost top of the Southern Alps. The view, like the still chilly air temperature, was breathtaking. After breakfast that morning, Mary went walking while I drove back to Franz Josef to do some necessary e-mails at a cyber café. On the way, I passed Lake Mapourika again, and this time, unlike our glimpse on the way in, it was absolutely perfect. Every leaf of every fern, every blade of grass on its luxuriant shores was perfectly reflected in this marvellous mirror lake. After pausing to capture the scene photographically, I carried on to Franz Josef, where everything is dominated by the great mass of the mountains above it, and the blue-white rivers of ice flowing slowly down the side of Mt Tasman and adjacent peaks to the sea. I made my e-mail contacts, dumped my spam, and set out on the return journey, pausing once more to re-visit Mapourika, and to recall a moment from the Lord of the Rings. You may remember when Gimli emerges from the terror of Moria and beholds the fabled lake and recalls the loss of Gandalf. "'There lies the Mirrormere, deep Kheled-zâram!' said Gimli sadly. "I remember that he said: 'May you have joy of the sight! But we cannot linger there.' Now long shall I journey ere I have joy again. It is I that must hasten away, and he that must remain." Well of course, I was not beaten down by the tragedy of personal loss as was Gimli, nor do I intend that this should be my last visit to these lovely places. Nevertheless I think these Southern lakes reflecting the grandeur of the high places are as fair as any place in Middle Earth. I paused a second time on the Okarito Road to watch the tumbling waters of the Okarito River on its glittering journey down the hill toward the upper reaches of the lagoon. Various birds twittered and chirped as they flitted in and out of the overhanging bush and flax. In the afternoon, Mary and I walked along the beach, regretting the marauding trucks scooping vast amounts of sand from its Southern end for construction elsewhere. The locals, though cynical about a perceived disparity between the volume for which the resource consent was granted, and the amount actually carted away by the trucks are philosophical, since the sand renews itself in apparently never-ending migration from the South. Further up the beach, near the mouth of the lagoon, sand is all but invisible, giving way to rocks and pebbles. Glinting quartz, and the occasional trace of nephrite jade are just some of the colours in the endless variety underfoot. Around in the lagoon itself, the old wharf is reflected in the dark blue water. I guess the season is wrong to see the white herons or the royal spoonbills from the famous nesting area on the nearby Waitangiroto River. Other wading birds, shags and swallows abound. The latter have a marvellous time flitting over the water snapping up the infamous West Coast sandflies that abound even in these low temperatures. That evening, we dined and talked and wined with another old/new friend from the local community, met here in person for the first time, laughing at the oddities of human nature, discussing its problems, and enjoying each other's company. Good food, good wine, good conversation in a character-filled home in a wilderness wonderland, what more could you wish for? Here is a place where I would love to live, though perhaps not while I still need to earn a living, and not until broadband Internet is accessible. Next morning, even as we checked the security of the cottage prior to parting, we found a parting gift on the doorstep from our host of the night before. This will be much treasured and remind us of a very happy visit. So with some sadness we set out inexorably Northwards again. Did I mention that the rain had resumed? No? Well it had, and no mere drizzle this time, but steady and fairly solid rain. Whataroa, Ross, Hokitika all passed in a flurry of wintry yellow lights and shower of grey spray. Greymouth was our choice for morning tea near a wood fire in a pleasant coffee shop. Then out into the rain once more up Highway 69, though various little settlements once busy with coal, but now from the outsider's view, scarcely viable. Raupo and Totara Flat, Ikamatua, Waimaunga, passed by leading us to Reefton and on to Inangahua. There, on SH6 we had the misfortune to fall in behind not one, but two very large trucks. Now in normal circumstances, this road does not offer many opportunities to pass, but, if you will recall this was in steady rain, and the trucks ahead of us each had had 34 (count 'em, 34!) huge tyres pumping water off the road into the air behind it. It was like driving in thick fog. We could see the loom of the trailer ahead, and the ruby glow of its tail lights, but nothing whatsoever of the road ahead or the scenery to the side. Overtaking would be suicidal, so we endured a miserable stretch of road that may or may not have had some scenic value. All the way to Murchison, we followed these two monsters. There one stopped, and the other to his credit pulled over to let us pass. The road between Inangahua and Murchison offers very few places where such a large rig could safely have let us pass, so all I could do was toot and wave my thanks for the eventual opportunity and drive off into the distance. Without the blast of truck-generated spray, the road was reasonably visible, and now the rain eased to leave us with just low and oppressive cloud and occasional drizzle. The road follows the Buller River, and so did we, all the way to the Hope Junction where we left SH6 to rejoin SH63 on our way to St Arnaud. If you are a skier, or if you have the good fortune to visit St Arnaud in sunshine, I understand it to be a beautiful place. Our visit was less than impressive. The motel we had selected from the Accommodation Guide was a little out of town, and when we arrived there, it was wreathed in mist, and was cold and clammy inside and out. The little heaters provided struggled vainly to defeat the chill, so I spent the remains of the afternoon huddled under the covers of my bed which at least had an electric blanket. Later we drove back down into the township which seemed entirely dark and deserted so we came back to the motel where we prepared our meal and watched TV. And so ended the second to last day of our holiday. Next week, St Arnaud to Picton and the ferry Home. ----- 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. Collection and formatting of the news this week is sponsored by Amanda in Toronto. Thanks Amanda. 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. ---- On with the news Monday, 21 July ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DHB DENIES UNION CLAIMS ----------------------- Canterbury District Health Board is rejecting union claims it is closing down mental health services. The statement has been made by the National Union of Public Employees as the DHB contracts out the provision of some residential services to community-based providers. DHB mental health services manager Vince Barry says the 40 people affected by the decision will continue to get quality care once a new provider is selected. He says the union's concerns have been taken into account and the DHB will ensure quality and risk management processes will be included in the contracts of any new provider. CLINIC WILL KEEP GOING ---------------------- Hanmer Clinics remains confident residential treatment for those with drug and alcohol problems will be retained in its Queen Mary Programme. The provider has announced how it will proceed as transitional funding from the Ministry Of Health means it will not be getting any funding for patient beds by the end of next year. Hanmer Clinics chairman John Beattie says that does not mean there will be an end to residential services. He says they will provide treatment for private patients and there is a strong possibility some public beds will be able to be retained with potential funding coming from the District Health Board. He says it seems to them that there is a significant demand for the beds that the organisation provides. Mr Beattie says how widespread the demand is will be a matter of negotiation over the next few months with the DHBs involved. John Beattie says they still expect to run a 25 to 30 bed operation once Ministry funding ends. (Hanmer Springs, where the clinics are located, might have been a better choice for our last night on the road than St Arnaud, since it offers the warm comfort of thermal pools. - BH) NOSES TURN UP AT LAKE ROTOITI ----------------------------- Frustration at the unsanitary condition of Lake Rotoiti, near Rotorua, has boiled over for the National Party's environment spokesman. Nick Smith says proposed new rules, put to the Ministry for the Environment two years ago to help them stop cattle fouling the lake, are still not in effect. Dr Smith says the lake is a putrid green- yellow colour and smells awful, and the cynaobacteria bloom is causing people to become unwell. He says the problem could spread to other lakes, including Lake Taupo, if the bacteria is not brought under control. Nick Smith says the primary driver behind the pollution is animals that are still being allowed to defecate directly into the lake, as well as the range of sewage schemes, including septic tanks, that surround the lake. He says he will ask the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to intervene. (This is not the same Rotoiti on which the rain-soaked town of St Arnaud is situated. - BH) AUCKLAND AIMS TO STAY CITY OF SAILS ----------------------------------- Auckland city councillors are trying to ensure the City of Sails remains a port-of-call for international regattas. If losing the America's Cup was not enough, Auckland has also been axed as a stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race. This Thursday, councillors will vote whether to put in a bid for the Global Challenge round-the-world yacht race, where competitors sail around the world against the prevailing winds and ocean currents. There are two other New Zealand cities vying to be a stopover in what is dubbed 'the world's toughest yacht race'. Wellington, which has been a stopover in the previous challenges, has put in another bid, as has Tauranga. Auckland City councillor Scott Milne says the Global Challenge is due here in the summer of 2005, and the yachts would stay for six or seven weeks. He says some in the council are set to oppose putting in a bid when it goes to the vote this Thursday. There are also plans afoot for an Antarctica Cup - a race around the icy continent. Mr Milne says it will be run out of Auckland, and will feature prize money of about $10 million. CHAOS OVER KIDSAFE ------------------ A fundraising campaign for the KidSafe Foundation has been thrown into chaos because of its name. The foundation is running a 'Buy a Bear' campaign through TelstraClear customers for its work, counselling children in need. But a number of donors have confused it with Safekids, which runs the annual KidSafe week. Safekids director Ann Weaver says KidSafe Foundation does not raise money, but concentrates on highlighting injury accidents to children. She says this year it will focus on cycle safety and all-terrain vehicles, particularly in the rural sector. Ann Weaver says KidSafe Week is funded by the Government and other bodies. She says the public appears to be confused by the two names and she has had calls from people wanting to drop off donations. Ms Weaver says donations should go to the KidSafe Foundation. AQUACULTURE AND OWNERSHIP UNDER REVIEW -------------------------------------- Environment Canterbury is making sure clear distinctions are drawn between aquaculture planning and Maori claims of customary ownership. The move comes after the release of a Ngai Tahu report to Environment Canterbury in which the iwi claims customary ownership of parts of the South Island's eastern foreshore and seabed. However Ecan chairman Richard Johnson points out the report was done well before the current foreshore debate, and was carried out as part of developing an aquaculture plan for Canterbury. He says the report identifies which coastal marine areas are suitable for aquaculture from Ngai Tahu's perspective. RENTAL HOMES ARE INVESTORS' PICK -------------------------------- Investment in residential rental property appears to be all the rage. ASB Bank's latest quarterly Investor Confidence Survey shows that confidence in returns from rentals is at a record level. Sixty-eight percent of respondents expect a better return from their rental homes this year. The next closest investments were term deposits and bank savings accounts. In contrast, managed investments continue to drop to their lowest ever levels with just 10 percent of respondents believing they will give the best return. EARTHQUAKE FELT IN NORTH ISLAND ------------------------------- An earthquake has been felt across the central North Island. The quake was centred 40 kilometres northwest of Ohakune. The tremor measured 3.5 on the Richter scale, at a depth of 25 kilometres. It struck a few minutes before six o'clock on Monday morning. CHECKS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PREMISES --------------------------------- There has been a call for hospitals to review the buildings housing their mental health units after an inquest into the death of a Wellington man. The 21-year- old was being assessed by the Crisis Assessment Treatment Team in Thorndon in 2000 when he told a relative he was going outside for a cigarette - he was later found dead on the pavement. The coroner's report recommends that District Health Boards ensure that all their mental health units housed in multi-storey buildings have appropriate safeguards. Capital and Coast's acting mental health clinical director, Nigel Fairly, says the hospital is taking note of the coroner's findings. However, Mr Fairly says staff did not know that a window on a higher floor had been left unlocked. He says since the incident the assessment team has been relocated to a one-storey building at Kenepuru Hospital. QUIET NIGHT FOR ST JOHN'S AMBULANCE ----------------------------------- Staff at St John Ambulance are thankful for a quiet night. The service dealt with 86 emergency call-outs in Auckland on Sunday morning between midnight and six. Seventeen ambulances covering the entire Auckland district worked continuously throughout the night attending respiratory and cardiac emergencies as well as the usual array of Saturday night assaults and road trauma. However it has been a different case on Monday morning, and St John staff say it has been very quiet. But the service is warning there could be delays in attending minor ailments as a result of its increased workload. A spokesman says they have been getting busier over the past 12 months, and are now approaching a mid- year peak. VIDEO LITTLE HELP IN ARSON CASE ------------------------------- Information from members of the public has been providing a clearer picture of the Auckland arsonist than anything video tape has achieved. The unknown person who lit more than a dozen fires in the CBD last week is still on the loose. There is security camera footage of the offender at work but much of it is proving inconclusive and, although they can see the firebug, it is not clearly enough to release a description. Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant Jon Moss says that is why the public's help is so important. He says the hotline has been busy all weekend and that information will be followed up today. Detective Senior Sergeant Moss says they have not gone through all the tapes yet so it is hoped one of them will have a clearer picture. The job of going through them all should be finished by the middle of this week. Tuesday, 22 July ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BROOMSTICK STUDENTS GET HOME DETENTION -------------------------------------- Six Taradale High School students found guilty of sexually abusing one of their school mates are to serve the rest of their sentences under home detention. The Parole Board has confirmed this at a hearing in Napier. The attackers had all been sentenced to jail terms of between two and two-and-a-half years. The six were senior pupils at Taradale High School when they attacked and sexually assaulted another male pupil with a broomstick. Home detention will begin for one of the attackers next month, with three others starting in September. The remaining two offenders' home detention will begin in November. SITS VAC ADS ARE UP ------------------- The number of 'situations vacant' advertisements in the country's newspapers is up. The ANZ Job Ads series shows an increase of 5.6 percent last month. However figures are down more than 1.5 percent on the same time last year. ANZ chief economist David Drage doubts the June increase is enough to stop an interest rate cut. The Reserve Bank reviews the Official Cash Rate on Thursday. It is expected Governor Alan Bollard will opt for a quarter percent reduction, which would take the OCR to five percent. DIALYSIS PATIENT TO BE SENTENCED FOR ASSAULT -------------------------------------------- A Tuvaluan receiving life-saving dialysis treatment will be sentenced today for assault. Senee Niusila was granted a two-year temporary work permit earlier this year so he can stay in New Zealand to continue the kidney treatment. But he was arrested and charged in March after punching his wife Teremoana Nga. He pleaded guilty to the assault charge and appears in the Waitakere District Court today for sentencing. Wednesday, 23 July ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOSSETT GLIDER IN AIR NEXT WEEK ------------------------------- The American crew setting up Steve Fossett's next world altitude gliding record attempt in Omarama expect to have his glider up in the air by later this week. They have been preparing the glider at Methven before transporting it to Omarama. Operations manager for the Perlan project, Pat Seamount, says they are running slightly behind schedule after a few hiccups. She says they will be doing some ground checks when they get the glider to the site and then will begin test flying. MAN WHO SET FIRE TO HIMSELF COMFORTABLE --------------------------------------- The condition of a man who set fire to himself at the Palmerston North courthouse on Tuesday is described as comfortable. The 33-year-old was transferred to the burns unit at Hutt Hospital and has received treatment for burns to his neck, back and face. The man was waiting to appear just before midday when he set fire to his jersey. Police say he was appearing on an assortment of charges including threatening to kill and trespassing. FACE MASKS ISSUED AT HOSPITAL ----------------------------- Fears of infection are behind Christchurch Hospital's decision to issue Emergency Department patients with face masks. The move has been prompted by an increase in the number of people presenting at the hospital with flu-like symptoms. Emergency Department senior nurse Mark Newsome says the masks are simply a sensible precaution to protect staff and patients from cross infection. He says the masks will only need to be worn by people with coughs. FERRY CRASH REPORT COULD TAKE WEEKS ----------------------------------- A report on a crash earlier this week involving the Interisland ferry, Aratere, could take some time to complete according to the Maritime Safety Authority. On Monday night the ferry hit the link-span connecting the ship with the vehicle ramp, which put a hole in it about 4 metres above the water. Authority spokesperson, Helen Mojel, says an accident investigator took a close look around the ship yesterday morning and talked to the crew about possible mechanical problems. She says he now has several matters to consider and the report is likely to take at least a month to prepare. (This is the second berthing accident in two weeks for the Aratere. The first incident involved the ship arriving sideways in a gale to squeeze a wooden trawler against the wharf. On this latest episode, the ship arrived backwards with some force so that the "tray" or the adjustable link between the on-ramp and the ferry punctured the outer skin of the vessel. - BH) SOLDIERS SILL IN HOSPITAL ------------------------- Two soldiers from the army's Linton Camp remain in Palmerston North Hospital after a mortar fire accident near Waiouru yesterday. Three soldiers were injured at a mortar firing point during a live firing exercise at about 5pm. The incident occurred about three kilometres away from where 400 other army personnel were taking part in the exercise. The army says at this stage it does not know the exact cause of the accident, and it is investigating. HOLOCAUST THESIS AUTHOR DEFENDS HIMSELF --------------------------------------- The controversial author of a holocaust thesis which has re-emerged at the centre of a row at the University of Canterbury admits he made mistakes but maintains it was his right to do so. Joel Hayward's 10-year-old thesis challenges the extent of the Jews' persecution at the hands of Nazi Germany. The writing has been at the centre of much controversy, and most recently prompted the University of Canterbury to pull an article about the paper from a publication by its history department. The article talked about the way Dr Hayward's thesis was treated and was written by another academic. Dr Hayward says the pulling of the article amounts to suppression of his freedom of speech. He says every student expects their right to pose questions will be protected by the university. (It seems that the article at the centre of the present uproar is not itself of a holocaust-denying nature, but rather, describes the experiences and treatment of Joel Hayward. - BH) WARRANT ISSUED IN TANEATUA INQUIRY ---------------------------------- A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man accused of involvement in the Taneatua gang shoot-out. Gregory Hohua failed to appear at the Whakatane District Court today. He is one of seven men facing charges in relation to the confrontation which put three men in hospital. All seven are charged with unlawful possession of a sawn-off shotgun. Five of the men - including Hohua - are also accused of unlawfully being in a building soon after the incident. The six others who appeared in court entered no plea and were remanded on bail to reappear in two weeks. SIGHTING OF MISSING WOMAN'S CAR ------------------------------- There has been a development in the case of missing Kerepehi woman Sara Niethe. The 30-year-old mother of three disappeared on March 30 after visiting friends in the Hauraki Plains area. Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Dunbier says the investigation team has received a credible sighting of Ms Niethe's light blue Honda Civic on the night of her disappearance. It was seen being driven erratically along State Highway 2 towards Ngatea, and then in Ngatea itself. He says the car was on a route Ms Niethe would not normally have taken home. Mr Dunbier hopes the sighting will jog the memories of others who may have seen the vehicle. Thursday, 24 July ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AUCKLAND RATES REVOLT UNDERWAY ------------------------------ Pressure is mounting on the Auckland Regional Council following the recent rates rise. At least two of the region's local councils are joining their ratepayers in protesting against the rates hike, which has resulted in rises of more than 600 percent for some households. Three hundred people turned out at North Shore City Council's meeting last night, where councillors passed a motion to put pressure on the ARC. Many North Shore residents are angry about the extra money the ARC is spending on rail, a service which is not available to them. Glenfield Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman David Thornton believes the ARC will soon be left with little choice but to give way. The North Shore City Council will ask the ARC to call an urgent meeting and wants the Auditor-General to conduct a review of the way rates are set. It also wants the first payment deferred to September 15. The mayor of Rodney district, John Law, says his council will join the cause. FATAL CRASH IN SUMNER --------------------- At least one person is dead after an accident in Christchurch's Sumner area. Police say a car went off the cliff top on Summit Road while driving to Godley Heads. It is not yet known if anyone else was injured. CALLS FOR HARSHER CHILD PORN SENTENCES -------------------------------------- There are calls for stronger sentences for child pornography traders. Anti-child porn group ECPAT says that sentences for traders, such as the 300 hours of community service handed down to Aucklander Alan Price yesterday, trivialise the sexual violation of children. Spokeswoman Denise Ritchie says the sentences do not take into account the on-going exploitation, as the images remain in circulation long after the trader has been caught. She says ECPAT is calling for training of the judiciary. CLIMBER DIES ON MT TARANAKI --------------------------- An experienced climber has died on Mt Taranaki. The 51- year-old man was found near Humphries Castle after a thorough ground and helicopter search last night. It is believed he had fallen. The climber knew the mountain well, having been to the top more than 50 times. A rescue team will recover the body today. It brings to 63 the number of people who have died on Mt Taranaki. MAN MISSING IN GISBORNE ----------------------- Police and volunteers are searching a farm near Gisborne for a missing 70-year-old man. The man's relatives raised the alarm last night when he failed to return from tending stock. About 30 people searched for him through the night, and 50 more joined in at first light. The man is missing on a property on the Ngakaroa Road at Ormond, inland from Gisborne. His vehicle was found last night. POPULATION GROWTH 10,000 IN 3 MONTHS ------------------------------------- The population has grown by about 10,000 people in the past three months. The resident population reached four million in late April. Statistics New Zealand says it can now be broken into four age groups that have around one million each: zero to 16, 17 to 34, 35 to 51, and 52 and over. (Don't look at me. It's not my fault - BH) BARKER AND SMITH TO MARRY ------------------------- Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker and former New Zealand hockey rep Mandy Smith have announced their engagement. The pair have not yet set a date for the wedding, but it is expected to be within the next 12 months. They have been together for nearly three years. A recent survey placed the couple among the 'sexiest celebrities in New Zealand', with Smith at number two and Barker at number three. According to a recent interview with an Italian website, Barker says his bride-to-be understands the level of stress involved in being a professional sportsman. (I wish them every happiness and hope they will continue in their present mode of telling the media to mind their own business - BH) WHANGAREI WOMAN FACES MURDER TRIAL ---------------------------------- A 22-year-old Whangarei woman will stand trial on one charge of murder and 18 of causing grievous bodily harm. Julie Johnson's pre-trial hearing finished yesterday. Two JPs decided there were cases to answer. The charges arise from a party in Kamo in February year when a car was driven into a group of party-goers. Sixteen-year-old Renee Brown died when she was struck by the car. The court was told Johnson had been involved in a fight at the party about half an hour before the incident. A date has yet to be set for the trial. Friday, 25 July ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RATIMA DENIED PAROLE -------------------- Masterton mass murderer Raymond Ratima has been denied his application for parole. The man who killed seven members of his family in June 1992 appeared before a parole board hearing earlier this week. He has been in prison for 11 years. Local body and national politicians have opposed any early release, with Masterton mayor Bob Francis saying the victims' families and the community are not ready for his release. He says Ratima's prison term should reflect recent sentences handed out to other murderers. His victims' families have also made submissions against his release. The Parole Board will meet again in a month's time, when it will make a decision on a postponement order for Ratima for a period of up to three years, during which time he would not be considered for parole. The Board can make a postponement order on an offender under section 27 of the Parole Act 2002, if it "is satisfied that, in the absence of a significant change in the offenders circumstances, an offender will not be suitable for release at the time when he or she is next due to be considered for parole,". The Board must give Ratima at least 14 days notice that it is considering a postponement order, to give him time to make written submissions to the Board about whether the order should be made, and to engage legal counsel. GROUP ANGRY OVER ARC STANCE --------------------------- An Auckland ratepayer group describes as 'unbelievable' the regional council's decision not to review its rates. Chairwoman Gwen Bull says the council has followed the statutory process and revising it would incur considerable cost without any predictable benefit. Glenfield Ratepayers and Residents Association president David Thornton says that amounts to a declaration of war. He questions what Councillor Bull will tell those who are unable to afford $400-$600 in the next few days. Ratepayer groups will now meet tomorrow to plan their campaign against Auckland Regional Council rates. (I have the sense that an organ grinder's monkey could run against the present members of the ARC and win if an election were held now. - BH) KIWIS ASKED FOR PRINTS IN MURDER CASE ------------------------------------- Around 90 New Zealanders are being asked to provide fingerprints to the Australian Federal Police. The move follows the murder of Sydney woman Janelle Patton on Norfolk Island in March last year. Her body was dumped in a sheet of plastic on the island in March last year. Australian Police Detective Sergeant Bob Peters says police have compiled a list of tourists on Norfolk at the time. He says about 90 kiwis will soon receive a letter urging them to volunteer their prints, which can be organised with the New Zealand police. He says a number of finger and palm prints have been lifted from the plastic Ms Patton was found in. MAORI TRUST LOSES BUILDING LEASE -------------------------------- The lease of a building to a Maori trust in Central Hawke's Bay will be terminated early after revelations the building is being used for other than intended purposes. Te Whatuiapiti Trust leases the building in Otane from the Central Hawke's Bay District Council for 10 cents a year on the condition it was used for registered Maori health business. However, it is being used as a hair dressing salon by the sister of the trust's chief executive. Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Tim Gilbertson says the lease is up for renewal in a month's time, but it will be terminated before then. He says the district council should have monitored the lease more closely. Now, the Hawke's Bay District Health Board is looking at ways of making the audit into Te Whatuiapiti Trust public. The Trust receives more than $800,000 a year in public funding to improve Maori health in Central Hawke's Bay. The DHB is currently investigating three complaints about how the trust is run and how money is spent. DHB spokeswoman Karalyn van Dursen says an audit of the Trust has been carried out and the board is awaiting its report. She says it is not standard procedure to release the report but they may change that due to widespread public interest. SURF CLUB CONTESTS ARTIFICIAL REEF ---------------------------------- An artificial reef will not make Wellington's Lyall Bay more dangerous - at least according to the trust that is promoting the idea. The trust is applying for a 35-year resource consent. A local surf club contested at the hearing on Thursday that the reef, which would be 400 metres from shore, would increase the chances of fatigue and cramp as well as the chance of rips. Reef Trust chair, Tony Lines, says the reef would be for intermediate to experienced surfers. Mr Lines says the 400 metre paddle is not as far out as some breaks around Wellington but concedes surfers will need to be 'paddle fit' to surf there. LANDLORD "LET DOWN" BY LAW -------------------------- A Christchurch landlord who threw out a family of tenants says she was driven to take tough action after becoming frustrated at the lack of support for landlords under the law. Sue Evans removed the tenants' belongings from her Avonside property while they were out after discovering they had alleged inaccuracies in their references. She says that if she had not evicted the family, they could have stayed for up to three months rent-free while the matter went before the Tenancy Tribunal. She claims that when cases do come before the tribunal, the adjudicators tend to take the side of the tenants. She says she is tired of being ripped off by tenants who work the system under the Residential Tenancy Act. Ms Evans says all landlords want is for tenants to be honest, pay the rent and look after the property. NATIONAL BANK SALE TALKS UNDERWAY --------------------------------- The National Bank is one step closer to being sold. Its British owner has confirmed it is in talks with several companies about the bank's future. Lloyds TSB says a number of parties are expected to make contact with the Commerce Commission to discuss their ownership options. Last month, Lloyds confirmed it was undertaking a strategic review that could result in the National Bank's sale. Britain's fourth largest bank says further announcements will be made when appropriate. The announcement saw Lloyds shares close 1.3 percent higher yesterday. Australian banks such as the ANZ, Westpac and National Australia Bank are possible buyers, along with London-based HSBC. It is estimated the National Bank's price tag would be in the region of $3.9 billion. (As a NBNZ customer, I shall be watching closely who might succeed in a takeover. If either of the two lowest rated of the present banks look like winning, I shall almost certainly go elsewhere. - BH) HELPING HAND FOR WHALE RIDER ---------------------------- New Zealand film Whale Rider is one of four films to receive a box office boost in Britain to help them compete against blockbusters such as Hulk and Terminator 3. They have landed cash grants from Britain's National Lottery to help them appear in more cinemas and attract a bigger audience. The $1.1 million grant is part of a UK Film Council scheme to increase variety at cinemas by making sure more so-called 'art house' movies are shown. The other films receiving cash are Respiro, Goodbye Lenin and Raising Victor Vargas. The money will allow the movie's distributors to produce more prints of the movie, enabling it to show in more places at once and make the most of pre-publicity. PROGRAMME AIMS TO STOP YOUTH OFFENDING -------------------------------------- A new community-based programme to prevent youth offending has been launched in Christchurch and Auckland today. Twelve million dollars has been set aside over four years for the programme, which is a joint initiative between Child, Youth and Family and the Corrections Department. It will target 14 to 18-year-olds and will involve around 130 young people and their families. Associate Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson says it aims to reduce the rate and severity of youth offending and stop young offenders from becoming chronic adult offenders. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian Harmer does NOT administer the mailing list. Please do not send subscription related messages to him. Instead, visit the website listed below, where you can make changes as required. _______________________________________________ WYSIWYG News mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you wish to unsubscribe, please visit http://wysiwygnews.com/mailman/listinfo/news Mailing List services provided by OneSquared <http://www.onesquared.net/>