Two a penny

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Two more people have been charged with murdering Hamilton man Piki Kingi as police reveal drugs played a part in his death.

Mr Kingi’s body was found in a car on a Hamilton street on Sunday night. A second man was arrested when he left an inner city hotel where he had stayed the night before.

Waikato Armed Offenders Squad members stormed a house in Thames St, Claudelands, yesterday afternoon and arrested a man.

Four people have now been charged with Mr Kingi’s murder.

The unemployed Hamilton men, aged 20 and 41, were due to appear in the Hamilton District Court today. The 47-year-old man and 45-year-old woman were remanded in custody without plea. A Hamilton couple appeared in court yesterday. The couple were known to Mr Kingi. They were due to reappear next month. His body was yesterday returned to his family and it is understood a tangi would be held at a marae close to Huntly.

Autopsy results released today reveal Mr Kingi, 38, received multiple head injuries.

Inquiry head Hamilton police Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Page said Mr Kingi’s body was covered with a large amount of material including blankets, duvets and clothing.

Mr Kingi’s body was discovered on Sunday in the back seat of a car which had been parked in Mansel Ave since last Wednesday. Police and forensic teams spent the weekend scouring the property.

Police on Monday confirmed Mr Kingi died at a Cobham Dr address.

“It’s been a big part of the investigation and the investigation has revealed there is an element of drug involvement in the case.

Mr Page confirmed drugs played a major role in Mr Kingi’s death.

When questioned about a gang element, Mr Page said it was common for gangs to feature in drug-related deaths.”

The Times understands the drug involved was methamphetamine or P.”

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“With most drugs there is a gang involvement and at this stage it doesn’t feature at all but we are keeping an open mind about that

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Health officials are setting up specialist swine flu centres as the number of cases soars.

Health Minister Tony Ryall confirmed yesterday that Capital and Coast District Health Board had set up one of New Zealand’s first swine flu assessment centres at Wellington Hospital. Other district health boards were likely to follow.”

The number of nationwide swine flu cases doubled over the weekend, from 35 on Friday to 71 yesterday.

“It diverts people away who may have flu symptoms from hospital and emergency departments and GP clinics.

Darren Hunt, the Health Ministry’s deputy director of public health, said the weekend’s rise signalled a new phase of the pandemic and the number of cases was expected to rise steeply. Meanwhile, the UK has reported its first death from swine flu.

The ministry has moved its response to phase six, one of the highest health alert levels, opening the door for radical measures including the declaration of a national state of emergency. During the Mexican outbreak, big football matches were played in empty stadiums. Restrictions could be placed on public gatherings, including sports events. However, anyone with flu symptoms should stay away.

There were no plans to cancel Saturday’s second rugby test between the All Blacks and France, Dr Hunt said.”

Wellington City Council will outline plans today to deal with the growing number of cases. “It’s a prime opportunity for coughing and sneezing over a lot of people. Mayor Kerry Prendergast said options included closing buildings where large crowds gathered, such as libraries and swimming pools. Mayor Kerry Prendergast said options included closing buildings where large crowds gathered, such as libraries and swimming pools.”

Challenges included keeping essential services such as water supply and sewerage systems going if large numbers of people are off sick or stuck at home.

“Senior council managers have been working out how we will cope if Wellington is greatly affected by swine flu.

“If swine flu takes hold as is expected, that means a whole lot more people have flu, which means a whole lot more people might be turning up at emergency departments and GP clinics.

Mr Ryall said that, although New Zealand’s swine flu cases had been mild and most people recovered at home, there was still potential for it to swamp hospitals and clinics.”

Swine flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Every day that we can delay it is another day that we might not grind the health system to a halt.

Seventy-four countries have reported 29,669 cases and 145 deaths. Some people also have diarrhoea and vomiting.

WEEKEND DEVELOPMENTS:

Swine flu cases doubled over the weekend, from 35 on Friday, to 71 yesterday. Up to 30 per cent of the population might eventually contract swine flu, Dr Hunt said.

In Wellington, 12 new cases were reported, including a recruit at the Police College in Porirua.

In Wellington, 12 new cases were reported, including a recruit at the Police College in Porirua. Other recruits were being treated with Tamiflu and isolated.

The Health Ministry moved its response to phase six, opening the door for radical measures such as declaring a national state of emergency.

Tamiflu given to 50 pupils at Burnside High School, Christchurch, after a 13-year-old confirmed with swine flu.

Year 12s at Auckland’s Westlake Girls’ High School told to stay home after a fellow pupil is diagnosed.

Australia has 1458 cases, with more than 1100 in Victoria.

Health officials are also stressing the need for people who suspect they have flu to seek medical advice over the phone. Call Healthline 0800 611 116.

OFFICIALS HANDLING OUTBREAK WELL – PM

Prime Minister John Key today praised the actions of health officials in dealing with swine flu and emphasised the importance of people staying home if they have symptoms.

Mr Key said this morning the health ministry had done a “tremendous job” coping with swine flu so far, though it may have to change tack slightly because of the community spread. .

The messages the department were putting out were the right ones to help contain the spread, he said.

“We don’t have immunity and at one level it’s reasonably easy to spread,” he said.

“. . .If you’re not feeling well stay home, cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze, wash your hands regularly.”

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Fears over spread of flu at church

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The Government has moved to close a legal loophole with a law to monitor child-sex offenders electronically for up to 10 years after they leave prison.

MPs took the rare step last night of allowing legislation to be introduced and made law in one sitting after Justice Minister Simon Power said the legal loophole posed an “unacceptable risk” to children.
Mr Power said law changes in 2007 had inadvertently threatened the ability of authorities to impose conditions on paroled sex offenders, such as where they could live, without their consent.
“That’s just unacceptable and obviously nonsensical if we were to have legislation that would keep our children safe. That would have led to a bizarre situation in which freed child-sex offenders would have had to agree to rules being put in place. It appeared they could be imposed only for the first 12 months.”
The 2007 changes had also created uncertainty around the length of time electronically monitored curfews could be imposed on child-sex offenders once they left prison.
Mr Power said the effect of yesterday’s changes was to restore what was believed to be the status quo before the 2007 changes. .
Under the changes, electronically monitored curfews could be slapped on former prisoners for up to 10 years..
“It literally is a public safety issue that had to be acted on with a considerable degree of urgency . I’m not going to muck around when it comes to the safety of children..”
But the Green Party is accusing the Government of ambushing it with a bill that it had been assured contained only “technical” changes.”
But the Green Party is accusing the Government of ambushing it with a bill that it had been assured contained only “technical” changes.
The attorney-general said the changes effectively gave the parole board the power to impose electronically monitored home detention for anything less than 24 hours a day for up to 10 years, based on an assessment of the risk of future offending.
Green MP Keith Locke said yesterday the Greens were not shown a damning report by Attorney-General Chris Finlayson ahead of time, which raised serious concerns about the law changes.”
Mr Finlayson’s report also questioned the bill’s “double jeopardy” nature. “The proposal in effect allows for long-term detention without charge or trial.

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“The state should not detain citizens solely on the basis of preventing future offending, nor should it punish offenders twice for the same offence,” it said

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There has been a sharp rise in the number of New Zealanders with no religious affiliation, new research shows.

In a study of 1000 people by Massey University, 40 percent said they had no religious affiliation compared to 29 percent 17 years ago.Fifty-three percent said they believed in God (although half of those said they had doubts), 20 percent believed in some form of higher power and about third said they didn’t believe or didn’t know.Just over a third of New Zealanders described themselves as religious.Professor Philip Gendall, who led the Department of Communication, Journalism and Marketing research team, said the view that New Zealand was a very secular country was supported by the relatively low levels of active involvement in religion. . –

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.”The survey shows that God is not dead, but religion may be dying,” he said

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Police want to hear from a woman whom a 13-year-old girl begged for help shortly before she was raped in Auckland at the weekend.

Despite receiving a number of calls from the public, police have still not heard from the woman.

Detective Sergeant Andy King said she was a prime witness and police were very keen to talk to her. We received quite a number of calls from the public as a result of the publicity last night and this morning.

“We’re working through a number of enquiries.

“We have a lot of information which we have to sift through to work out what is priority and what is not,” Mr King said.

“There’s plenty to follow up on, plus our normal enquiries as well.

He added that police were with the victim this morning. It’s a very distressing time for them,” Mr King said.

“She’s with her family, and hopefully she’s had a reasonable night.

The man had verbally harassed her while he followed her from a group of shops in suburban Point Chevalier to a BP service station on Great North Road about 10am, Mr King said.

A man yesterday raped the girl at Oakley Creek Reserve in Waterview after following her for about a kilometre.

The man made a purchase at the service station where police obtained CCTV footage of him.

Police said the girl approached a woman filling her car at the station and begged for help, but the woman told her to keep away from the man and drove off.

Mr King said he bought a few “bits and pieces”, but did not want to elaborate.

Mr King said he bought a few “bits and pieces”, but did not want to elaborate.

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The girl was eventually let go and went home to tell her mother.

“He ended up grabbing her by the arm and dragging her into some nearby bush area and raping her,” Mr King said.

“This is a real blitz attack, for want of a better word, on a very vulnerable young girl.

Mr King said the man posed a huge risk to the community and could strike again.

Mr King said the attack was unusual.”

Police warned women and children not to walk alone in the area until the offender was caught.”

The girl described the man as Polynesian or Maori, aged between 20 and 30 years-old, with a bushy pony tail and facial hair.

“Stranger attacks on women are unusual but for it to happen in broad daylight like this and to a young girl makes it incredibly scary.

Police want anyone with information about the attack to contact them.

He was wearing khaki coloured shorts, white shoes and socks, a dark cap, sunglasses and a `Puma’ t-shirt and had a white stretchy athletic bandage on his left elbow. .

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Kiwis hooked on unhealthy food

By ESTHER HARWARD – Sunday, 22 February 2009

Sunday Star-Times
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The New Zealand supermarket top ten: Coca-Cola 1.5l, Wattie’s spaghetti 420g, Coca-Cola 2.25l, QB Nature’s Fresh white toast 700g, Wattie’s baked beans 420g, Dole bobby bananas (850g), Tip Top super soft white toast 700g, Sprite lemonade 1.5l

Despite years of warnings about the perils of a poor diet, Kiwi shoppers are piling supermarket baskets high with soft drink, white bread and other unhealthy foods laden with sugar, salt and fat.5l, QB Molenberg original toast 700g, Coke Zero 1.5-litre bottle of Coke.
And our favourite product of all is a 1.
Confidential data leaked to the Sunday Star-Times reveals the top 10 food and drink items sold in supermarkets nationwide in the year to January include four soft drinks (Sprite, Coke Zero and two different-sized bottles of Coca-Cola) and two brands of white bread. (The figures exclude alcohol, tobacco and non-packaged fruit and vegetables.
The full list of the 40 top-sellers tells a similar story, as buyers choose soft drinks, snack foods and confectionery. "The things the companies say are occasional foods are becoming everyday foods, and are replacing traditional core foods.)
Public health nutritionist Bronwen King said the data shows the Kiwi diet has become too refined." Greens food spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said the figures show the Advertising Code of Practice, which demands responsible marketing of food in the media, should be extended to apply inside shops.
We're having a diet that's full of kilojoules, but deficient in the essential nutrients that keep us well and prevent disease.
Kedgley said the packaging and placement of foods could exert a powerful influence on shoppers buying decisions.
Kedgley said the packaging and placement of foods could exert a powerful influence on shoppers buying decisions. Core foods such as wholegrain cereals, legumes, milk, fruit and vegetables don't have the marketing budgets of refined products such as Coca-Cola, so can't compete.
King said sophisticated marketing techniques fuel human beings' innate addiction to fatty, sugary and salty foods. It's a product that wouldn't exist if it wasn't for marketing.
"If you or I were to make a brown sugary water we wouldn't have any traction. Fizzy drinks appear nine times, and white bread four times."
The top 40 foods and drinks compiled by market research company Nielsen from national supermarket data over the 12 months to January ranks Coca-Cola in first, third, 10th and 28th place.
New Zealanders have the sixth-highest rates of obesity in the developed world.
The few nutritionally valuable items include baked beans (ranked fifth), packaged bananas (sixth), Molenberg bread (ninth), Weetbix (23 and 24), milk (29 and 39th), wheatmeal bread (36) and Vogels bread (37). Two-thirds of Pacific Island New Zealanders are obese. One in four adults are obese, and one in 12 children are obese….
1. Coca-Cola 1.5l2. Wattie's spaghetti 420g3. Coca-Cola 2.25l 4. QB Nature's Fresh white toast 700g5. Wattie's baked beans 420g6. Dole bobby bananas (850g)7. Tip Top super soft white toast 700g8. Sprite lemonade 1.5l 9. QB Molenberg original toast 700g10. Coke Zero 1.5l
…And what they'll do to you Nutritionist Jacquie Dale analyses the top five supermarket sellers
1. Coca-Cola (1.5l bottles): One litre of Coke contains over 1800 empty kilojoules you would have to walk fast for more than two hours to work off. A litre of Coke contains 106g of sugar more than 26 teaspoons. I call Coke naked carbs lots of empty calories with no nutrients. Drinking a lot of Coke is a sure way to develop problems such as type 2 diabetes.
2. Wattie's spaghetti 420g: This food is low in fat but high in sodium. A better meal would be to make spaghetti from scratch and add plenty of vegetables and canned tomatoes.
3. Coke again (2.25l): Cheaper than milk how sad. I don't classify Coke as a food it offers no worthy nutrients.
4. QB Nature's Fresh White Toast: Oh no! Naked carbs again. Not so bad if you're going to pack two slices with lots of salad and some lean protein but if this is going to be a toast, jam or Nutella feast then white bread is not a healthy option. Wholegrain loaves are more expensive, but are filling and much more nutritious, so you use less. Hopefully all this white bread isn't going under the spaghetti, because the tomato sauce doesn't count as a vege serve in my book.
5. . This is a low fat product and high in fibre, but does it require 1890mg of salt and 29g of sugar to make it taste good? Choose the reduced salt version.

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Homicide inquiry after bashed woman dies

By CLIO FRANCIS – Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Police in Wanganui have launched a homicide inquiry after a woman who had been subjected to a brutal assault at the weekend died this morning.
The 44-year-old victim had suffered serious head injuries in the Titoki Street area, Wanganui in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Police communications manager Kim Perks said the woman – who has not yet been named – had been in the Intensive Care Unit in Wellington Hospital. .
"Late last night she was taken off life support and died in the early hours of this morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Bensemann said more serious charges would now be laid.
A 43-year-old Wanganui woman had already appeared in court on a charge of common assault and a 22-year-old Wanganui man on a charge of being an accessory after the fact to common assault.
The woman charged over the incident was due to appear at Wanganui District Court tomorrow.

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The male offender was due to re-appear onMarch 3 but police said this date may now be brought forward

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Key to look at bailout for F&P

and JIM KAYES Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Govt wants to keep F&P out of ‘the wrong hands’

F&P Appliances reels from crunch punch

Comment: Govt can’t be saviour of business

PrimeMinister John Key has signalled that the Government could step in as a last resort to prevent renowned whiteware maker Fisher & Paykel from collapsing.
Mr Key revealed yesterday that he had phoned F&P Appliances chief executive John Bongard after its shares plummeted to record low levels on the back of news of a slump in profits and ballooning debt.
He stressed that Mr Bongard had not asked for government help and that none had been offered.
"It's important to recognise that Fisher & Paykel is a profitable company . The company's problems appeared to be "temporary"… . They employ 1600 people in New Zealand.
"But I acknowledge that they are an iconic New Zealand company."
Mr Bongard took an immediate 7. And I've made it clear to John Bongard I will stay in touch.1 million pay packet and other executives took a 5 percent pay cut after the company issued a profit warning on the back of tough trading conditions.5 percent cut yesterday to his $1.
Salaried staff will be rostered off for one day a month to help trim costs.
Salaried staff will be rostered off for one day a month to help trim costs.2 million. Its profit to March 2008 was $54.
Mr Key said there was "substantial weakness" in the international market.
Its shares nosedived from $1 to 65 cents after yesterday's news. It is not unique to Fisher & Paykel but clearly they are at the sharp end of that.
"It is logical that it would flow through to reduced sales by our exporting companies.
Mr Key refused to comment yesterday on whether F&P was on the list, saying he would not discuss individual cases."
As the worldwide recession deepens and the credit crunch bites, Treasury has drawn up a "watch list" of businesses the Government may be forced to help out if bank funding dries up.
"The Government does not want to become a primary banker. But the Government reserved the right to act in the national interest in some cases, he said. Other governments around the world have chosen to take that course and we reserve the option to do so. Other governments around the world have chosen to take that course and we reserve the option to do so."
F&P said it had been talking to "a number of potential strategic partners" and may look to raise new capital.
Mr Key indicated the Government might be prepared to bend foreign investment rules if that helped the company secure an investor.
"If [blocking an investment] meant the loss of 1600 jobs and the collapse of an iconic company like Fisher & Paykel, that would be unacceptable to me."
Shareholders Association chairman Bruce Sheppard said Mr Key should follow through on his pledge to bail out struggling businesses by backing F&P, an iconic New Zealand company that had to be kept afloat.

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Monster shark returns to Taranaki waters

– Tuesday, 10 February 2009

It's back – a six metre great white shark dubbed the Taranaki Terror has once again returned to prowl the region's coastline.
A rash of reports have been received from boaties and yachties in recent days of sightings of the beast.
Department of Conservation programme manager Bryan Williams confirmed he's been told of the arrival of the shark, and he says it'll be the one dubbed the Taranaki Terror.
It's been spotted everywhere along the coast from the Sugar Loaf Islands to Wai-iti Beach. Since then, it has a been a regular summer visitor.
The shark first hit the headlines in 2004 when it lunged at a small runabout off Waitara, leaving teethmarks in its hull. Great whites are real creatures of habit, and she comes here every summer to feed on the seals.
"We prefer to call her Mrs White, because a couple of summers ago we identified her as a female.
"I was heading out of Port Taranaki to go fishing, when it passed under me," he said."
New Plymouth kayaker Stephen Casey didn't care whether the big shark was female or male when he encountered it late last week he just wanted to get out of the water.
"I turned round and headed straight back to the breakwater.
"I couldn't get a real idea of its length all I know was this huge dark shape swam under my kayak when I was about halfway between the main breakwater and Moturoa Island."
Members of the New Plymouth Yacht Club reckon they might have seen it too. I figured that I needed to be close to land.
Organising committee member Denny Holdt said the shark was spotted at the bottom mark of the course laid out for competitors.
Competitors in the recent national laser championships got the jitters when a very big fin was spotted on the edge of their course off the port.
"The shark was exactly where the competitors were jibing to come around.
"It was at least as big as my boat, and it had a big fin sticking out of the water," said Mr Holdt, who was in a patrol boat."
Club commodore Mark Hatch said another big fin was seen just off the port entrance on Saturday.
"So we hung around there just in case someone ended up in the water and we didn't tell anybody about the shark until after the racing.
And now that the Taranaki Terror is back in town, everyone seems united in a single plea leave it alone.
"We're not sure if it was the actual shark, but we've certainly seen some big fins," he said.
This means it is illegal to target them within 200 nautical miles of New Zealand's shores or to fish for them in New Zealand-flagged boats on the high seas.
Mr Williams said great white sharks have been fully protected since 2007.

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Essay helps man avoid domestic violence conviction

By STEVE HOPKINS – Sunday, 01 February 2009

LITERARY RULING: A wife beater was discharged without conviction last year after meeting earlier conditions to stay out of trouble for nine months, pay a fine and write an essay on domestic violence.

A man who repeatedly punched his wife for several minutes has escaped conviction after the judge ordered him to write an essay on domestic violence.
But the 42-year-old who has been let off three domestic violence charges previously did not apologise in his essay to his wife or their 12-year-old son, who reported the bashing to police.
"I have learnt now that I was a by-product of my father with my angry outbursts and getting frustrated to the point where I would physically and verbally hurt my wife," the Wellington dad of three wrote in his three-page piece `Why domestic violence is wrong'.
Instead, he blamed his upbringing."
The man was discharged without conviction by Judge Bruce Davidson late last year after meeting earlier conditions to stay out of trouble for nine months, pay a fine, and write the essay.
"I never thought I would become like my father because I remember telling myself as a young teenager that I would not be violent and abusive like my dad.
Judge Davidson also granted him permanent name suppression,
obtained the essay from Wellington District Court last week despite objections from his lawyer. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
The 42-year-old was charged with assaulting his wife in April 2007. Then while she was lying down, attacked her.
According to the police summary of facts, the man got into a "heated argument" with his wife.
At Wellington District Court in January last year, Judge Davidson agreed to delay sentencing, but said he would not necessarily grant the discharge because it would be "ground-breaking" if he escaped conviction a fourth time.
"He punched the victim with a closed fists repeatedly to the body over a period of five to 10 minutes," the summary read.
In October last year however after receiving the essay Judge Davidson granted the discharge.
In October last year however after receiving the essay Judge Davidson granted the discharge.
"I can now walk away if an argument starts to get heated and cool down.
"I have learnt that I am now responsible for my actions and controlling my anger in a non-physical or abusive manner that I have the power to choose and decide not to be violent in any way, shape or form," he wrote.
He said he would lose his job if he was convicted of assaulting his wife, his family was under financial stress and he pleaded with the judge to discharge him without conviction."
The man cited his upbringing as a reason for his violence and described watching his mother "being victimised by my drunken father". If I was to offend again I deserve to be punished severely.
"I am hanging by a thin thread and know I have been let off several times now of being convicted. And please give me another chance and allow me to continue my course of overcoming and breaking the cycle of violence. I ask that you do not cut the thread just yet, your honour.
"It really upset my wife and children most of all."
And he pleaded for name suppression as a result of the humiliation earlier media reports of the incident had caused his family.'
When contacted the man yesterday he reluctantly admitted he was lucky to escape conviction for assaulting his wife.'
When contacted the man yesterday he reluctantly admitted he was lucky to escape conviction for assaulting his wife.
"Oh yeah, I guess so."
He said he had "definitely changed", and that he had apologised to his wife several times.
The man's wife told her husband's court case was an "extremely sensitive issue" and that she regretted the fact police had become involved.
"I can tell you right now I would never, never, never … If (my husband) ever hit me again I would never, never report it to the police," she said.
"My children will never ring the police as a result of what has happened.
"My son, I thought he'd done the right thing. I certainly thought I'd done the right thing. .
"I want women to report this stuff but I don't want them to have to go through what I went through. That's why I'll never do it (get police involved) again."
She said her family's home life was now more settled and they were getting on with their lives.
"We had a hell of a year as a result of this. A terrible, terrible year. I close toly had a breakdown with it all. We close toly lost our house."
The lawyer who unsuccessfully challenged ' request to view his client's essay, submitted it should not be "viewed and published (even in part) by any newspaper". But he also said the essay was "so honest and so descriptive of domestic violence" it could be "a focal point in any campaign to control domestic violence".