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Man, 60 goes missing – man, 70 still missing
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
KAIAPOI & GREYMOUTH – Canterbury police fear for the safety of a 60-year-old man who was last seen at a rural property in Taylors Road, near Clarkville, 5km southwest of Kaiapoi, at 3am Sunday 1st August.
Peter Tucker, who wore a hearing aid and glasses was last seen in a navy blue jacket, green short-sleeved shirt, brown trousers and shoes, police said.
His jacket has distinctive markings on the front left breast—the letters “PAC” in white. There are also markings on the rear—an outline of a plane with the word “Cresco” in it. Anyone who sees him is asked to contact police.
Meanwhile, Nelson police are investigating the disappearance of gold prospector Hugh McAllister will send a team of detectives to the West Coast in the next two weeks.
McAllister, 70, was last seen on January 21 at a mine site in the Greenstone River area near Greymouth.
Detective Senior Sergeant Wayne McCoy, of the Nelson CIB, said yesterday that Nelson police had taken over the investigation from Greymouth officers about a month ago because staff there had four murder inquiries.
McCoy was “keeping a very open mind” on the disappearance. Nelson detectives visited the West Coast two weeks ago and four detectives would visit in the next fortnight, he said.
Swine flu outbreak in Marlborough school
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
SEDDON – An outbreak of swine flu at Seddon School in Marlborough has started to wane after nearly half of the 107 students were affected.
At the peak of the outbreak last week, 46 students were ill, prompting an investigation from the Public Health Service.
Cases of the H1N1 virus were confirmed after swab tests were taken from sick children. Symptoms included upper respiratory tract infection, cough, sore throat and a fever. It is likely there are other cases in the community.
The Nelson Marlborough Medical Officer of Health, Doctor Ed Kiddle, says swine flu will be the most common strain of influenza this winter and he strongly advises immunisation.
The virus can be easily passed to other people through coughing and sneezing. Dr Kiddle said people should stay at home if they were unwell, cover coughs and wash their hands regularly.
People with underlying medical conditions should be especially vigilant and contact their GPs if they are not recovering. Pregnant women are also at higher risk of complications from influenza.
Last year, 35 people died of swine flu and almost a third of New Zealanders contracted the virus. This is the top of the South Island’s first confirmed outbreak of the virus.
Naked pie man gets in line, remains naked
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
PALMERSTON NORTH – Palmerston North residents can dine with ease, knowing that the city no longer has any D-grade food outlets.
On July 21 the Central Pie and Smoke Shop, run by Leighton Haar, aka Naked Pie Man, was named and shamed after receiving the only D in Palmerston North in the latest food grading released by the city council.
Mr Haar was unable to find the certificate from a food-handling course that was required for a B rating.
A local shopowner suggested he renew his food-handling certificate by completing a 50-question, $25 test online.
He passed with 96 percent on the following Friday.
City council environmental protection services head Wayne Jameson said the Naked Pie Man can proudly put up his B certificate.
“He was able to provide the evidence of training and he scored enough points for a B.
“Now we have no Ds left in Palmerston North,” Mr Jameson said.
He said there was no legislation that stated someone who was handling food must be clothed.
“The matter of community moral standards are not reflected in a food hygiene inspection.”
All food premises in the city were judged on conduct and practices, cleaning and sanitation, training and shop presentation, he said.
Party organisers operating illegally
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
HAMILTON – More questions about the sale of liquor to young people have been raised after an all-night party at a Hamilton warehouse was shut down on the 31st.
Up to 1500 people were expected to be at the abandoned warehouse in the Frankton industrial area, but organisers pulled the plug after police and fire services intervened.
The last-minute cancellation comes as concerns were voiced by neighbours and local business owners about the level of intoxication and damage to properties caused by such parties.
Prominent city bar owner, John Lawrenson said the parties ended with 14-17 year-olds “intoxicated on a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, [and]dancing in abandoned buildings ‘till the wee small hours of the morning”.
Senior fire safety officer Dave Jenkins said the disused building lacked sufficient toilets, exit doors and fire alarms for as many as 1500 people attendees.
Inspector Karen Henrikson, of Hamilton, said police were concerned about the impact of the large numbers of people the event could attract.
Ms Henrikson encouraged those who were interested in planning big events to contact the police at least a month in advance.
“We are quite happy to sit down with people and talk about things and what they will need to do.”
Teens take back town from drugs, booze
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
WHANGEREI – Pro-active Whangarei teens are working to change the image of their town.
Head prefects from the area’s five main high schools – Tikipunga, Kamo, Pompallier, Whangarei Girls’ and Whangarei Boys’ – have formed a local youth forum to tackle the issue that there’s little for young people to do except drink and do drugs.
That is the perception Whangarei’s youth leaders are working hard to change.
The group of 20 students now meet once a week to explore the issues raised by local youth.
Spokeswoman Charlotte Moss, 17 says “Youth are bored. They’re concerned about their safety and they don’t like the drugs and drinking culture in Whangarei – or the gangs,” she says.
The main focus of the forum is to give young people something fun to do and keep them away from negative influences.
Ideas include inter-school competitions, an Amazing Race competition for youth, movies, festivals and concerts. The first event will be a talent quest and the group are looking for support and funding for this.
Charlotte says there is a difference between events organised by adults for youth and ones run by the young people themselves.
“We know what we want. It’s cooler if it’s run by the youth.”
Two buildings razed by arson, pies stolen
MAGNETO NEWS by Saradha Koirala.
DUNEDIN – Dunedin police are appealing for witnesses to two fires that occurred within 24 hours of each other, both of which are believed to be acts of arson.
Kaituna Bowling Club in Serpentine Avenue was gutted by flames at about 2am on Saturday morning.
The second fire happened about a kilometre away at Bakers Dozen in the Mornington Shops on Longwood Ave. Emergency services were called after people spotted smoke coming from the building at 1.35am on Sunday.
The fire could have affected a large number of shops if it hadn’t been spotted, Dunedin Detective Sergeant Brett Roberts said.
It is not believed that the fires are connected, but scene examinations confirmed they were both deliberately lit.
Detective Sergeant Roberts says the second blaze was probably lit to conceal a burglary as the building had been broken into and pies had been stolen.
Meanwhile, Southland Fire Services were kept busy during the weekend as crews were called to two bonfires, two smoke alarms and a reported bush fire.
A Fire Communications spokesman said a smoke alarm was set off in a set of flats on Thomson St in Invercargill just after midday on Saturday when a pair of ‘’recreational smokers’’ began smoking in a bedroom.
New sportsground opens in Newtown
MAGNETO NEWS by Jared Nicoll.
It was eight months in the making but Mayor Prendergast officially opened Newtown’s new artificial sports field on July 24.
The $2 million ground spans 100m x 65m and includes changing rooms, floodlighting and a pavilion relocated from Cobham Park. Situated behind Te Whaea national dance and drama centre in Hutchison Rd, the former rubbish tip (Jam Tin Gully) and Wellington Showground car park, is the city’s third park made with artificial surfacing. Wellington City Council Parks and Gardens Manager Paul Andrews said the field will be able to be used in all weather conditions, meaning fewer game cancellations.
“Artificial surfaces can withstand more play than the most robust and well-drained grass fields. It will provide a fantastic new asset for the city and help address the growing demand for sports fields that can be used in all weathers,” said Mr Andrews.
The field is primarily for community sport but has been built to FIFA and IRB specifications. It has been earmarked as a supplementary training ground to the adjacent Rugby League Park for the All Blacks, South Africa, Australia and France during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Another five artificial sports fields are to be built in Wellington before 2019.
New sanctions imposed on North Korea
MAGNETO NEWS by Jared Nicoll.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced new sanctions are to be placed on North Korea.
The sanctions will attempt to halt Pyongyang’s arms trade, its acquisition of luxury goods and overseas businesses providing military funding.
Speaking at a news conference in Seoul, Mrs Clinton said the restrictions would “prevent North Korea’s proliferation, halt their illicit activities that help fund their weapons programmes and discourage further provocative actions.
“The sanctions are not directed at the people of North Korea but at the misguided and malign priorities of their government,” said Clinton.
The move comes in response to the alleged North Korean sinking of South Korean warship Cheonan in March, resulting in the deaths of 46 sailors. A South Korean-led investigation concluded a North Korean submarine fired the torpedo that sank the Cheonan. North Korea denied the action. Tension is increasing as US and South Korea continue engaging in joint naval exercises drawing heavy criticism from North Korea and China.
“North Korea can cease its provocative behaviour and belligerence toward its neighbours, take irreversible steps to fulfill its denuclearisation commitments and comply with international law,” said Clinton.
North Korea maintains one of the world’s largest standing armies despite its struggling economy.
Massey lands big medical training contract
MAGNETO NEWS by Jared Nicoll.
Massey University landed a contract with the World Bank to limit the spread of infectious diseases. The deal could be worth $35 million. The university plans to train 250 veterinarians and doctors across Asia and Eastern Europe to reduce the deadly effects of diseases like SARS, H1N1 (swine flu) and bird flu.
Following four years of negotiations, about 70 Asian students are already undertaking the course after Massey signed a $5.2m deal during the first phase of agreements.
Students in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal will graduate with a Masters Degree in Veterinary Medicine or in Public Health with a focus on biosecurity.
The Massey training combines veterinarian knowledge from the Epicentre in Palmerston North and health expertise from the Centre of Public Health in Wellington.
“The project was initially planned to be relatively small-scale but has grown as the relationship between the World Bank and key people within the University grew,” said Vice Chancellor Steve Maharey.
Further phases of the contract will offer the current English-language degree programme in Chinese and Russian, which may push the scheme’s value over $32 million.
“None of this is possible without the creativity, innovation and risk-taking behaviour that marks this project,” said Mr Maharey. “There is no doubt that the reputation Massey has built in areas like epidemiology, public health, biosecurity, veterinary medicine and distance teaching impressed the World Bank and led to the project growing in size.”
Deadly diseases such as AIDS, H1N1 and bird flu all originated from animals. Veterinarians will be the first to diagnose diseases that could potentially spread from animals to humans.
Other countries identified as potential beneficiaries of the agreement are Afghanistan and Bhutan.
