Two a penny

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A Wanganui toddler who died in unexplained circumstances over the weekend is the son of a gang member jailed for the 2007 shooting of another Wanganui toddler, Jhia Te Tua.

Two-year-old Karl Richard Arc Perigo-Check received severe internal injuries over the weekend.

Inspector Duncan MacLeod of Wanganui police confirmed the dead boy was the son of Karl Check, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for the 2007 murder, which happened after an altercation between the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs.

He was taken to Wanganui Hospital on Saturday afternoon, where he died.

While there were gang members associated with the case, police were keeping an open mind as to why and how the child died.

“We’re looking at the moment on behalf of the coroner to see how the death occurred,” he said. We’ve only been investigating since yesterday afternoon,” Mr MacLeod said.

“It’s early days yet.

Check, a father of seven, the drive-by instigator of the 2007 death, was found guilty of Jhia’s murder, along with the shooter Hayden Wallace and Ranji Forbes.

The investigation began after the post mortem “provided information which requires some explanation”, police said earlier today. .

Check had his case against his sentence heard in the Court of Appeal today. Not by disease nor by accident but by the malicious actions of those charged to protect and love him,” he said.

“The real scandal is that another child has likely been killed in this country.

“When are we going to protect these children? When are we going to get tough on derelict whanau, on deadbeat parents? Why do we tolerate this evil in our midst?”

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Animal rights activists are calling for Manawatu SPCA’s chairwoman to quit or be removed from her position because of her connection with live animal testing.

Debbie Chesterfield manages Massey University’s small animals research breeding facility in Palmerston North.

Protesters outside The Plaza shopping mall in the city on Saturday claimed her Massey role was in conflict with promoting animal welfare. More than 150 people signed it, spokeswoman Kali Sandbrook said.

Save The Beagles and the National Anti Vivisection Campaign promoted a petition calling for Ms Chesterfield’s resignation from the SPCA.

Testing on animals was a difficult area for the RSPCA, she said.

Ms Chesterfield couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday, but RSPCA national chief executive Robyn Kippenberger said the organisation was aware of Ms Chesterfield’s day job.

Ethics approval was required for any university experiments and there were SPCA animal welfare representatives on animal ethics boards, she said. The RSPCA national council did not see fit to oust her when she first became involved, Ms Kippenberger said.

Ms Kippenberger said Ms Chesterfield’s perceived conflict of interest had been raised before. They voted her chair.

“Her committee seem to be happy to have her.

That case was cut and dried, she said.”

The RSPCA national council’s decision was before Ms Kippenberger’s tenure, but she was aware of a case since then, when a poultry farmer who used caged birds had her SPCA appointment blocked. Ms Kippenberger said she did not personally approve of animal experimentation, but she was prepared to concede some good did come out of it in terms of medical and scientific knowledge. Ms Kippenberger said she did not personally approve of animal experimentation, but she was prepared to concede some good did come out of it in terms of medical and scientific knowledge. .

“It’s a hard one.”

Animal testing had reduced in the past 20 years, she said. She’s been on that committee for quite some time.

Massey’s research capability was also important for Palmerston North, Ms Kippenberger said. Protocols had also been tightened.

“If you’re concerned about animal welfare, then you’re not involved in live animal testing,” she said.

However, Ms Sandbrook said the issue was straightforward Ms Chesterfield should go.” The public expected SPCA to care for animals, she said.

“She shouldn’t hold any position with SPCA.

“That was the whole point [to highlight her day job].

“That was the whole point [to highlight her day job].”

THE THREE Rs

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The sentencing today of Christchurch dad
James Mason provides some clarity over the boundaries of the so-called
anti-smacking legislation, say police.

The musician escaped jail for punching his four-year-old son in a case widely seen as a test of the new law, with Mason publicly claiming he had done no more than administer a flick on the ear.

He was acquitted of two other charges of assault in respect of the four-year-old and another son.

The 49-year-old was sentenced in Christchurch District Court to nine months’ supervision and ordered to undergo anger management courses after earlier being found guilty of assaulting his son.

“Mr Mason was seen by two very credible witnesses to punch his child and he was subsequently charged with this offence.

Christchurch central area commander Inspector Derek Erasmus said that some media had incorrectly portrayed what was a “straightforward case of an assault”, reported by concerned witnesses, as a challenge to a parliamentary law.

The jury deliberated for 9½ hours on May 19, before returning the guilty verdict. .”

Outside the court today, Mason, a father-of-six, continued to deny he punched his four year old son.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Crosbie said: “This is not a case that would have been dealt with any differently prior to the legislation being changed. Kind of like ‘did David Bain kill his family’?”

Mason said the verdict would ”not really” change his behaviour as a father.

”Just because I’ve been convicted of something doesn’t mean I did something.

Judge Crosbie said the case was described by the Crown as an inappropriate response in a stressful parenting situation.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger had sought a discharge without conviction.

They were then scolded and one of them was assaulted by Mason, the jury found.

The children had gone down a ramp on a bridge on their bikes and one had fallen and hurt his head.

Latest figures show from between April 5, 2008 and October 3, 2008 police attended a total of 258 child-assault events, including nine smacking cases and 49 of minor acts of physical discipline.

The so-called anti-smacking legislation came into effect in June 2007 and remains under review by police.

– and

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There were four prosecutions of “minor acts of physical discipline”, three of which resulted in convictions

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Two burglaries in Methven today are thought to be the work of elusive fugitive William Stewart.

The burglaries came within about five minutes of each other, police said, and a vehicle sighted fitted the description of a 4WD ute believed to be in Stewart’s possession.

Stewart, 47, has been on the run since he allegedly threatened a police officer with an iron bar in central Canterbury on February 10 before disappearing into bush. .

There are five warrants out for his arrest and he is thought to have committed a string of burglaries and car thefts while on the run.

On March 21 Stewart eluded the armed offenders squad southwest of Christchurch before stealing a purple late model Ford Falcon XR6 and picking up hitchhikers.

He is believed to be a P addict and his burglaries include hauls of drug products from South Island pharmacies.

Stewart offered the hitchhikers a ride from Hororata, Mid-Canterbury, to a close toby motorcycle rally and asked them to get him the drug P.10am when a window was smashed to gain entry to Methven chemist’s shop, and a fishing rod was taken.

The man leading the hunt for Stewart, Senior Sergeant Stewart Munro, of Selwyn, said today the first burglary was about 4.15am the front door of the Mobil Service Station in Methven was smashed and a quantity of tobacco taken.

About 4.

The suspect vehicle was believed to be registration number ETU351, a grey 2009 Hilux twin cab, well side ute with a canopy.

Mr Munro said the vehicle sighted at both burglaries was a 4WD double cab ute, coloured grey. It was thought to be in the possession of Stewart. It was thought to be in the possession of Stewart.

He also advised farmers in the area to ensure that their properties, out buildings, farm houses, huts and vehicles were monitored and secured.

He asked that farmers and occupiers of properties in farming areas report any suspicious vehicle movements or people on their property to southern police communications on 111.

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Insect bites sting ACC for millions

– Sunday, 01 March 2009

Mozzies are costing taxpayers money.

BITES AND stings from mosquitoes, bees and other creepy crawlies have cost taxpayers more than $11 million over the past four years, as Kiwis troop to their doctors suffering from allergic reactions, infections and rashes.
Victims can claim compensation from ACC if the symptoms from a bite or sting are bad enough to be deemed an injury. And payments are on the rise. They also cover hospital treatment, often necessary if the area becomes seriously infected. The payments cover everything from doctor's appointments to antihistamine tablets, antibiotics and ointments, and adrenalin injections for the severely allergic. That's more than double the $1,496,957 it paid in the year up to June 2004. In the year to June 2008, ACC paid out $3,302,523 in insect bite claims.85m. The total over the four years from 2004 was $11. Bites from fleas, ticks and flies racked up almost $50,000 last year, while bedbugs were the least costly, with just five claims totalling $184 last year.
The stingers bees, bumble bees and wasps top the payout lists, with spiders second and mosquitoes third.
Auckland GP Jonathan Fox, head of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, said while most people won't go to the doctor with an "ordinary" bite, some need treatment for allergies. Another $2m in claims were attributed to "unspecified" creatures. I have seen some really unpleasant infected legs, and things like that, from infected insect bites. "But probably the most common thing we see is infection.
"If untreated, infection can be quite debilitating."
Any kind of bite or sting anything that breaks the skin can lead to cellulitis and other serious skin infections, said Fox. [The rise in ACC payments] may be a reflection of that that families have been taking children with infected insect bites to the doctor more often, knowing it's going to be covered by ACC. In areas such as South Auckland there have been major campaigns to try and cut down on skin infections. ."
ACC spokeswoman Stephanie Julian thought the increase could be due to a computerised system, and public awareness.

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Minister orders action on truants

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

The Government is demanding urgent action on truancy amid revelations that officials have little or no idea how many thousands of children cut class each day.
Education Minister Anne Tolley is instructing staff in her ministry to survey schools immediately to gauge national truancy rates and brief her on the fight against non-attendance.
Officials admit the latest national truancy figures up to 30,000 children each week are nearly three years old.
A biennial week-long survey of schools to collect crucial truancy figures, to have been held last year, was ditched while a new electronic attendance tracking system was implemented in some schools.
They could only guess how many children were absent on any given day, and had not delivered on reduced truancy targets, one said.1 per cent of the 750,000 primary and high school pupils were truant each week.
The last survey, in 2006, showed up to 30,000 children 4. It brought claims that the government was fighting a losing battle against a "truancy tidal wave". They are thought to represent a hardcore of young offenders before the youth justice system.
A further "lost tribe" of 2500 long-term truants are not even enrolled. Only about 250 of the 2700 schools are believed to use it.
The electronic tracking system will provide more accurate data, but problems have delayed its implementation.
"If that information had come out, we would have known what the attendance and non-attendance picture was," a ministry official said. Just a handful of schools took part in a trial of the new system late last year and the data was of little use, officials say. . "So we share the disappointment. We have nothing else"."
The ditched survey was "the only information we have nationally on attendance.
"This means the last solid data we have is from 2006.
Mrs Tolley said she was surprised and disappointed that Labour had not demanded last year's truancy survey, which would have provided up-to-date non-attendance figures."
Getting more children back in class was a priority, especially when an estimated 150,000 pupils were failing. That is unacceptable and I will be directing officials to undertake a survey as soon as possible so we can understand the true size of the truancy problem and work with schools and communities to ensure that more children are regularly engaged in school.
Labour education spokesperson Chris Carter said "snapshot" surveys did not provide accurate truancy information as figures were easily skewed by one-off events.
Results from this year's survey would not be available till 2010. "At no point was I asked about it.
He had not been responsible as minister for ditching the survey."
The electronic system would eventually provide a much clearer picture."
The electronic system would eventually provide a much clearer picture. "We know there is a truancy problem. No one's disputing that. But telling us how many kids are away isn't solving the problem."
Ministry senior manager Tina Cornelius said the electronic tracking system, which is not compulsory, was likely to replace the biennial survey, depending on schools' uptake.

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No better gift for dad

Friday, 26 December 2008

CHRISTMAS PRESENT: New parents Christopher and Nikki LaMonica with Olivia. Not due till tomorrow or Sunday, she sneaked in early, arriving at 12.57am yesterday at Wellington Hospital, the capital’s first Christmas baby.
Not due till tomorrow or Sunday, she sneaked in early, arriving at 12.

BabyOlivia LaMonica wasn't expected on Christmas Day but she is the best gift her father could have imagined. .57am yesterday at Wellington Hospital the capital's first Christmas baby.
But her father. "University students go on drinking binges on their birthday. Christopher LaMonica, a Victoria University politics lecturer, foresees an unexpected silver lining. I like that. But she'll always be home.720 kilograms (8lb 3oz), made it all worthwhile."
Despite the feast planned by Mrs LaMonica's mother, who is visiting from America being put on hold and their presents still at home unwrapped, the tiny sleeping bundle, weighing 3.
"It will be a very, very special day," Mr LaMonica said.
"It will be a very, very special day," Mr LaMonica said."

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Swim or sink: youth warned as pools close

, – Thursday, 18 December 2008

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WATER BABIES: Brooke Overend gets a helping hand from swimming instructor Eleanor Harrod at QE II Pool. Water Safety New Zealand says the recent spate of school pool closures around the country could lead to ‘appalling’ drowning rates as fewer and fewer children learn to swim.

Another school swimming pool has been lost, with water-safety experts predicting more youth drownings.
Water Safety New Zealand general manager Matt Claridge said closures such as the one at Shirley were a strong contributor to young people being consistently over-represented in drowning statistics.
The Shirley Boys' High School pool in Christchurch was yesterday filled with concrete, just as new research from Water Safety New Zealand showed 239 school pools closed between 2003 and 2005.
"We can expect 150 to 180 fatalities from drowning next year, and New Zealand already has one of the worst drowning rates in the world," Claridge said.
The mass of pool closures led to projections the country would return to the "appalling" drowning rates of the 1980s. "It's not just the students at Shirley Boys' High that are missing out, it's the outlying and surrounding primary schools and the greater community.
Repairs would cost far more than $1 million money the school could not spare, despite a $1. .
"Unlike the schools that have been around for a while and have got big foundations, it's a pretty modest support base, economically speaking, on this side of the town, so we couldn't do much about it," he said.28m cash injection from the Government that went towards upgrading other facilities."
Ministry of Education southern regional manager Michael De'Ath said it was decided with the school that it would be more cost-effective to demolish the pool and use the land for much-needed changing sheds. "All our avenues came to zero.
The ministry funded the $118,000 required to decommission the pool.
The ministry funded the $118,000 required to decommission the pool.
Claridge said this often led to the end of swimming teaching.
Laurenson said the closure meant many primary schools that had used the pool for learn-to-swim programmes and swimming carnivals would have to look elsewhere. A quarter of Year 6 pupils were not able to swim 25m or tread water.
New research showed the level of pupils' aquatic skills was falling.
Queen Elizabeth II Park Swimsmart co-ordinator Faye Gread said the demand from parents and schools for private swimming lessons was high.
Having no school swimming programmes meant parents looked to private coaches, who were overrun by demand. It's definitely grown," she said.
"We have been open now for three weeks and we have been sitting at about 80 per cent full for 2009 term one."
The swim school had scattered bookings through to 2011 as schools scrambled to secure lessons for children who otherwise would not get close to the water.
"We could fill more than that if I had more tutors, and it's pool space as well.
"Those with the money can book them in.
"Those with the money can book them in. Parents have to weigh it up, I suppose. What's more important piano lessons or a swimming lesson? You would hope most people would go for swimming," she said.
Parklands mother Lisa Overend decided to send both her children to private swimming lessons.
Daughter Brooke, five, had been learning for at least two years to supplement the lessons she got through her school, which consisted of two weeks of lessons every two years.
"When Brooke had the school lessons, there were some children that were not that comfortable with putting their heads under because they're not used to the water," Overend said. "When I went to primary school, we had our own pool. We were there every day in the summer and it was great."

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Habitat house is Christmas gift for hard-up mum

By TAMMY BUCKLEY – Sunday, 14 December 2008

Hard-luck mum-of-five Margaret Morunga has been given the ultimate early Christmas present -her own home.
Instead of spending Christmas in a cold state house, Margaret and her children will be opening presents in their new four-bedroom home, thanks to Habitat for Humanity; a global charity that helps low-income families to own homes.
For Margaret it is a dream come true. It's a security thing," Margaret told .
"It's anyone's dream to have a home.
"I'm very grateful.
Margaret and her five children aged between 16 and eight were handed the keys to their new home last weekend and she said they couldn't be more happy. It was a gift knowing that we were chosen in the first year (to get the house) and now it's a gift that we are in it."
The family also got numerous household items from Noel Leeming, who sponsor Habitat, and who provided volunteers to help build the home. This is my Christmas present.
"It was the phone call we were waiting for.
Margaret's dream began last Christmas when Habitat called her to say she would receive one of three homes the charity was building in west Auckland.
The youngest of eight, Margaret left school at 14 with limited literacy and worked as a seamstress and caregiver before having her first child at 21."
Home ownership was something Margaret never thought she would achieve.
The 28-year-old was a stay-at-home mum to her and her partner's children until 2000, when she left the relationship after years of domestic abuse.
The 28-year-old was a stay-at-home mum to her and her partner's children until 2000, when she left the relationship after years of domestic abuse."
So Margaret enrolled in the Waitakere Adult Literacy course.
"From that time I just wanted to better myself.
"There are still a lot of adults who deny they've got these issues.
"When I was young my dad taught us hands-on, not reading and stuff, but for my kids I wanted to do better."
She graduated from the course and studied to become a teacher aid, finishing in time to start building her new home in May."
"It's like they are ashamed but there's nothing to be ashamed of.
But Margaret doubled that, dedicating 1043 hours to building her new home.
Part of the conditions of Habitat is that families must pay monthly mortgage payments and that each family invests 500 hours of labour.
Margaret said helping build the house meant she could now do her own DIY and fix things.
"Because I had the time I wanted to be part of it," she said.
"It does mean more than just a house.
"It does mean more than just a house. My daughter is going to appreciate the walls better because she plastered them. .
"My goal is to look for work and pay as much as I can off my mortgage."

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Habitat house is Christmas gift for hard-up mum

By TAMMY BUCKLEY – Sunday, 14 December 2008

Hard-luck mum-of-five Margaret Morunga has been given the ultimate early Christmas present -her own home.
Instead of spending Christmas in a cold state house, Margaret and her children will be opening presents in their new four-bedroom home, thanks to Habitat for Humanity; a global charity that helps low-income families to own homes.
For Margaret it is a dream come true. It's a security thing," Margaret told .
"It's anyone's dream to have a home.
"I'm very grateful.
Margaret and her five children aged between 16 and eight were handed the keys to their new home last weekend and she said they couldn't be more happy. It was a gift knowing that we were chosen in the first year (to get the house) and now it's a gift that we are in it."
The family also got numerous household items from Noel Leeming, who sponsor Habitat, and who provided volunteers to help build the home. This is my Christmas present.
"It was the phone call we were waiting for.
Margaret's dream began last Christmas when Habitat called her to say she would receive one of three homes the charity was building in west Auckland.
The youngest of eight, Margaret left school at 14 with limited literacy and worked as a seamstress and caregiver before having her first child at 21."
Home ownership was something Margaret never thought she would achieve.
The 28-year-old was a stay-at-home mum to her and her partner's children until 2000, when she left the relationship after years of domestic abuse.
The 28-year-old was a stay-at-home mum to her and her partner's children until 2000, when she left the relationship after years of domestic abuse."
So Margaret enrolled in the Waitakere Adult Literacy course.
"From that time I just wanted to better myself.
"There are still a lot of adults who deny they've got these issues.
"When I was young my dad taught us hands-on, not reading and stuff, but for my kids I wanted to do better."
She graduated from the course and studied to become a teacher aid, finishing in time to start building her new home in May."
"It's like they are ashamed but there's nothing to be ashamed of.
But Margaret doubled that, dedicating 1043 hours to building her new home.
Part of the conditions of Habitat is that families must pay monthly mortgage payments and that each family invests 500 hours of labour.
Margaret said helping build the house meant she could now do her own DIY and fix things.
"Because I had the time I wanted to be part of it," she said.
"It does mean more than just a house.
"It does mean more than just a house. My daughter is going to appreciate the walls better because she plastered them. .
"My goal is to look for work and pay as much as I can off my mortgage."