Two a penny

.

Hip-hop star Savage has revealed he lost 27 relatives in the previous month’s Samoan tsunami.

“It’s really personal for me,” he told the Samoa Observer newspaper.

Savage, real name Demetrius Savelio, hails from Lalomanu, the epicentre of the tsunami which killed 143 people in Samoa.

Savage’s relatives at Poutasi, further along the coast, lost their houses.

He told the newspaper of his connections with the Taufua family which lost 13 members and on his mother’s side which lost 14 members.

Some of the killed relatives and the beach at Lalomanu feature in Savage’s video made earlier this year, I love the Islands.

“All that put in a nutshell is hard to swallow,” said Savage. .

The Samoa Observer said Savage was in tears recalling the memories of pristine sandy beaches and breathtaking views of the south coast when he made the video. He helped organise ther recent fundraising concert in Auckland at Vector Arena, called I Love the Islands.

“It’s a video clip I take a lot of pride in.

“My single I Love the Islands was like the last raw footage of what the beach was like,” he said.

“It’s hard for us Samoans in New Zealand because we’re so far away watching the news in the comfort of our homes to see the devastation of our families and villages. To now see it on TV gives you a bit of sorrow and sadness because you know now what we were standing on back then is all gone,” he told the Observer. It was important for us to come back here. It was important for us to come back here

.

The US Federal Communications Commission will review the incident involving a fleeting glimpse of pop singer Janet Jackson’s breast during the 2004 American football championship.

Jackson’s right breast was exposed to almost 90 million TV viewers for a fraction of a second during the live 2004 Super Bowl football halftime show in what fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake later called a “wardrobe malfunction.”

Lawmakers and regulators were outraged and vowed a crackdown on broadcast indecency.

The order sent the case back to a federal appeals court in Philadelphia for further review in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld a US government policy that subjects broadcasters to fines for airing a single expletive blurted out on a live television show.

In May, the US Supreme Court ordered a lower court to reconsider a ruling that struck down a US$550,000 fine against CBS Corp television stations for airing the incident.

In a filing on Tuesday with the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the FCC asked the court to allow the agency to review whether CBS was reckless by failing to use a video delay technology, reasserting that CBS used a video delay for the 2004 Grammy Awards only seven days after the Super Bowl. .

“The evidence in this case strongly suggests that CBS had access to video delay technology at the time of the 2004 Super Bowl,” the FCC said in the court document.

.

CBS could not be reached for comment

.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested following an hour-long police pursuit of a stolen bread delivery truck through the Manawatu overnight.

The incident began in Foxton shortly before 3am, when a bread delivery man had his truck stolen by a man wielding a hammer, central police communications Inspector Paul Jermy said.

Shortly afterwards, police spotted the truck on State Highway 1, south of Foxton and attempted to stop it.

Despite the tyres deflating, the driver continued driving and the chase returned to SH1. .

The pursuit lasted an hour and five minutes – but did not exceed 110kmh as the truck was incapable of travelling any faster, Mr Jermy said.

The driver eventually stopped when the truck became more difficult to control.

A 25-year-old Palmerston North man had been arrested and faced numerous charges, including breach of bail, dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving whilst forbidden and robbery.

.

Wellington relinquished rugby’s Ranfurly Shield in timid fashion when finishing a poor second to Canterbury at Westpac Stadium tonight. . The writing was daubed on the wall in thick red ink by halftime when Canterbury had powered their way to a 26-0 lead, leaving the home side gasping for breath as they searched for answers. Wellington captain Jacob Ellison said the memory of such a comprehensive defeat would linger for a long time. There were none, however, because Canterbury continued to apply all the pressure in the second half as well to regain the shield for the first time since 2007. We didn’t fire a shot and up front we were not too happy. “We won’t forget that one, it will hurt us deep. “We just did not fire in the set piece.” His Canterbury opposite George Whitelock could not be accused of hyperbole when he described his team’s performance as “pretty good”. We have to go back to the drawing board and sort it out.” All Blacks first five-eighth Dan Carter accounted for 21 points with his goalkicking return of eight-from-10 attempts, which complemented tries by skipper Whitelock, centre Tim Bateman and replacement hooker Corey Flynn. “We really dug in and showed what we got. Having lifted the shield off Auckland with a stunning 27-0 result last season, Wellington’s tenure ended at four matches after they’d seen off the challenges of Wairarapa Bush, Wanganui, Otago and Auckland. Canterbury were all over Wellington at the set piece, both scrum and lineout, and were too physical for the home side at the breakdown where they turned over possession regularly. They were not even in the contest tonight, finding themselves on the back foot from the outset as Canterbury threw themselves into their work. They were not even in the contest tonight, finding themselves on the back foot from the outset as Canterbury threw themselves into their work. Whitelock scored in the 19th minute when Wellington attempted to run their way out of trouble, only to see wing David Smith swallowed up by red and black jerseys just out from his own line. The Canterbury loose forwards trio of Whitelock, Michael Paterson and All Black Richie McCaw swamped the home side in the tackle, and backed up by their tight forwards, the visitors had both the intent and the numbers to call the shots. Canterbury’s superior scrum gave them a solid launching pad in the last minute of the half and they made it count when Bateman scored after accepting a clever offload from second five-eighth Ryan Crotty, who attracted three defenders. The Canterbury forwards arrived en mass and Whitelock emerged with the ball. Wellington continued to play a bit-part role in the match despite late tries to Hosea Gear and Ma’a Nonu which could not hide their deficiencies. The challengers stayed on top during the third quarter, even if they had only one Carter penalty to show for it until replacement hooker Corey Flynn used his low body position to burrow over the tryline from a ruck.

. Canterbury’s intensity had slipped by this stage and the Wellington backs appreciated the open space as a breakout by Smith ended with Gear crossing before lock Daniel Ramsay surged down the right-hand touchline before popping a delicate overhead pass to Nonu

.

The 50 people who receive the most money in social welfare payments will be audited, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says.

More than 300 beneficiaries receive more than $1000 a week and many in the top 50 have more than eight children.

Among those to be audited are a couple, both on the unemployment benefit for 15 years, with 10 children who receive $1200 a week, the New Zealand Herald reported.

“Should we look at it, I think so.

Prime Minister John Key said he supported the audit of the top 50 beneficiaries. .

“I think the taxpayer is entitled to know, at least, it’s been properly distributed,” he told TV One’s Breakfast.

The family’s details became available following a question from Labour in Parliament, Mr Key said.

“I think it needs to be fair, so we are ensuring people are getting what they need, but not more than they are entitled to.

Ms Bennett said there were “isolated cases where it seems like a lot of money”.

–

.”

Labour MP Annette King said the 168 on the DPB getting more than $1000 a week were a small proportion of the 104,000 people on that benefit

.

A tearful 12-year-old girl’s interview about a sexual assault arranged by her father for $40 was all lies to get him in trouble, she told a court today.

The girl, who has name suppression, was the first of five children to give evidence at the High Court at Auckland via CCTV from an adjacent room.

She earlier fled from the room while her police interview was being played to the court, and the jury retired until she was found. He then forced her to go to the men, who placed her up against a wall in a Farmer’s car park and held her there.

During her police interview in September 2007, the girl said she saw her father talking to three men at McDonald’s in Manukau. .

She described one man who masturbated against her, while another man held her down and kissed her neck.

She said her father eventually got out of his car and told them to stop.

“He told me to get in the car and put my head down and stop crying. One of them said “she was good”, the girl said. My dad was really drunk,” she said. He told me not to tell anyone about what happened.

“I don’t want to be with him.

He was paid $40 then spent the cash on cannabis in Otahuhu after his daughter’s ordeal was over. I’m not safe with him,” she said. I’m not safe with him,” she said.

She said she did not know.

Mr Borich asked the girl if she made up the story because she said during the police interview that she wanted her father to go to jail. They have eight children.

Her 37-year-old father and 33-year-old mother, who both have name suppression, are charged with three counts of assault on a child, eight charges of cruelty to a child and one charge of intentional damage to a Housing New Zealand home in Manurewa. He is also charged with two counts of assault on his children.

The man is also charged with sexual conduct with his then 12-year-old daughter and injuring her with intent by inflicting repeated blows with a broom.

The cruelty charges include wilfully ill-treating the eight children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering, physical and mental abuse, generating a climate of fear, providing unsuitable housing, causing and maintaining poor hygiene and allowing them to go hungry. All charges related to events between January 2005 and September 2007.

During her interview in September 2007, the girl spoke about the drinking and drug habits of her mother and father.

The man pleaded guilty to one assault charge, while all other charges are denied. Afterwards, he gets ‘mental as’ and beats us up for no reason. Afterwards, he gets ‘mental as’ and beats us up for no reason. Sometimes he tells me to go up between the ceiling and the roof. I’ve been up there for two days nearly every week this year. I just have to lie down and I’m not allowed to make any noise. I get water but no food. I do a toilet up there too,” she said.

.

The death of a forestry worker in the Waikato tonight is the second workplace death in the area in 24 hours, police say.

Te Kuiti sub-area manager Senior Sergeant Rob Van Kalken said police and ambulance staff were making their way to a remote location in the Rangitoto Ranges, east of Te Kuiti, after reports of a forestry worker being killed about 5pm.Mr Van Kalken said police hoped once preliminary investigations were completed the body could be taken back to Te Kuiti and identified.There was little radio and cellphone coverage in the area and police were attempting to establish what had happened.A contractor working on a sewage line replacement was killed about 24 hours earlier after the trench he was working in collapsed.The dead worker’s name would not be released until next-of-kin had been notified. .Piopio father of three Mark Williams, 43, was digging a trench with colleagues on Williams Street, Te Kuiti, when the trench suddenly collapsed, burying him chest-deep in dirt about 5pm.Mr Van Kalken urged workers in the area to ensure their safety while working.Department of Labour inspectors were at the trench site today carrying out an investigation.”Obviously these incidents are unrelated, however we don’t want to be facing any similar tragedies and we’re asking people to ensure safety is their number one priority.”

-

.

A morbidly obese fraudster who argues he needs specialised medical treatment that can’t be provided in prison has lost his bid to be freed while he awaits further court action.

Max Heslehurst, who has been reported as weighing close toly 200kg, was earlier this year found guilty on 41 counts of fraud and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison a term partly reduced as a result of his obesity-related health problems.

But Heslehurst widely known as Mad Max or Fat Max has appealed the convictions, saying a note outlining one or more of his previous convictions was mistakenly handed to the jury. . He applied for permission to await the appeal’s outcome at home.

It was reported at the time of his sentencing in May that his obesity meant other prisoners had to help with his personal hygiene when he used the toilet.

Heslehurst had been found guilty by a South Auckland jury of fleecing at least 30 victims across the North Island of $344,000.

Meyrick told the Sunday Star-Times he would not appeal Heslehurst’s failed bail application to the Supreme Court, but his client’s condition meant he was “degraded” in the prison setting.

Heslehurst reportedly duped his victims including a solo mother, a dentist, a racedog trainer and a group of Hamilton bankers by offering to sell them cars or televisions for bargain prices. He did not believe the Corrections Department was equipped to care for prisoners like Heslehurst who effectively had a disability. But there were no televisions or cars.

He told one of his victims he could get seven wide-screen televisions cheaply because they had belonged to failed finance company Bridgecorp and were to be auctioned the next day. A treatment plan was in place which “covers all aspects of his healthcare needs and he has an appointment scheduled with a cardiovascular specialist at Auckland Hospital shortly”.

In opposing bail, counsel for the Crown said health workers were monitoring Heslehurst’s condition daily. There was also an emergency care plan to transport him to hospital if necessary. There was also an emergency care plan to transport him to hospital if necessary.

.

She added that evidence from Corrections Department health bosses suggested Heslehurst’s health needs were not enough to “tip the scales” in favour of granting bail

.

A memorial book for victims of the Mt Erebus air disaster in 1979 has been brazenly stolen from an Auckland church.

The book was taken yesterday afternoon from St Matthew In The City, in downtown Auckland, by a male wearing a cap.20pm, but it’s hard to identify the offender.
Church spokesman Clay Nelson told tonight the book was inside a glass case, which it appears was not locked, below the Erebus memorial windows at the church,
“We have security camera footage of it being taken about 12.
The leather-bound book contains the names of all the victims in calligraphic writing.”
The book was put together for a memorial service for the 257 people who lost their lives in the Air New Zealand plane crash on Mt Erebus, Antarctica on November 28, 1979. He said he was not too hopeful it would be returned.
Mr Nelson said the book had no value to the offender.
–

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

.

.

An inquest into the death of a loader driver on a Taranaki farm has been adjourned after the coroner took the unusual step of urging the Department of Labour to reconsider laying charges.

The inquest into the death of Paul Edwin Orin Robinson, 36, of Tapawera, 58km south-west of Nelson, was due to be heard in the New Plymouth Coroner’s Court yesterday.

She told the court she was “surprised” no charges had been laid by the department and put Mr Robinson’s former employers, Nelson-based South Pacific Movements Ltd, as well as the owners of the land where the fatal accident happened “on notice” that they might need to take legal advice. .

Forestry workers jumped into the water in an unsuccessful attempt to save their trapped colleague.

Mr Robinson died after his machine tumbled off a farm bridge and into the Mohakatino River, near Mokau, in June last year.

Ms Nagara said she was not prepared to proceed with the inquest, given the amount of evidence she had in front of her, and was concerned that proceeding with the hearing could prejudice the case.

Farm owner Ben Hutchinson was cleared in December of any blame, following an investigation by the Department of Labour, while no charges were laid against South Pacific Movements Ltd.

“The features of this case are such that I’m surprised that charges were not laid.

“I don’t consider I would do Paul any justice if I was to rush it [inquest] through,” she said.

Mrs Gichard then asked if the coroner had fresh evidence that the department was not in possession of.”

Department of Labour health and safety inspector Gail Gichard responded in court by telling the coroner that the case had been extensively peer reviewed before the decision not to lay charges was made.

“My concern is very much to do justice to Paul and get to the bottom of what happened,” she said, before adding that it was a difficult decision to adjourn the case, knowing that a number of Mr Robinson’s family had travelled from Nelson.

Ms Nagara responded that she was not prepared to discuss that in open court.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

Mrs Robinson said she did not want to comment on the coroner’s decision until after the case was closed.

Barbara Robinson, Paul’s mother, said after the adjournment that she “just wanted closure” to the case.

“The next step will be to discuss a number of issues with the coroner, and that’s pretty much as far as I can go,” he said.

Department of Labour Taranaki manager Brett Murray was also reluctant to talk about the decision.”

South Pacific Movements Ltd director Anthony Bamford, of Nelson, was not available for comment. “I don’t really want to say any more until I’ve discussed it with her.