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Taranaki farmer electrocuted
By MATT RILKOFF – Saturday, 01 November 2008
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Family members comfort each other after the tragedy.
A Tarata farmer has been electrocuted and another man narrowly escaped the same fate in a tragic back-country accident yesterday afternoon.
It appears the dead man was running an electric fence line up a hill on his farm when the line came into contact with overhead powerlines.
Details of what happened at the Motukawa Rd farm to the east of Inglewood are still unclear.
The understands it was thought at first that he had suffered a heart attack so the dangerous nature of the accident scene was not realised.
An Inglewood doctor was called to the scene but was unable to revive the man, who is understood to be 43-44 years old and to have three school age children.
Senior Constable Alistair Balsom, of Inglewood, said the doctor used a polar fleece jacket and flicked the live wire away.
While the doctor was still in attendance to the dead man, an acquaintance of the victim took it upon himself to connect the fence and received an electric shock. If it wasn't for him the second guy would be dead," he said.
"Thank God for Dr Finnigan.
The Taranaki Rescue helicopter received notice of the first incident at about 3.
Last night the second man was in a comfortable condition at Taranaki Base Hospital. Just before landing at the accident site they were informed the man was dead.45pm and took off to attend the scene at 4pm.35pm.
The rescue crew talked briefly with medical personnel already there before flying back to base, arriving at 4.
When they arrived eight minutes later, the man was conscious and able to talk.
Just 25 minutes later they received another call that a second man had been shocked at the same location and they returned to the scene.
"It seemed he was running out an electric fence and we are unsure of what specifically happened but the man received an electric shock. . Soon after another man thought he would do the right thing, picked up the fence to connect it and did exactly the same thing. He collapsed and he couldn't be revived.
The body of the deceased man was removed from the scene by police at approximately 7."
He said the first call police received of the accident was from medical personnel and for a time they thought two people had been killed. A number of visibly upset family members and friends were at the location. A number of visibly upset family members and friends were at the location.
A spokesperson for the Department of Labour said they would be unable to comment on the accident until their investigation was complete.
The man's identity will not be released until family members overseas have been informed.
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Auckland: here comes the super-city
By ESTHER HARWARD – Sunday, 07 September 2008
Aucklandis likely to become a single super-city under the biggest shake-up of local government in two decades.
A decision on the future of the region's seven city and district councils and one regional council is due on December 1, but is widely expected to be delayed until April or May.
The country's longest-serving mayor, Sir Barry Curtis, is believed to be in line for a job as a temporary commissioner during 2010 and 2011 to oversee the transition.
Top-level sources within local government say the most likely outcome of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance is a single unitary authority with 20 community councils, as a way of ending rivalries within the region.
Alternative suggestions have included reducing the number of councils and retaining the status quo, but with region-wide organisations having more responsibility for building and running infrastructure.
Auckland Regional Council and Auckland City Council are the only local authorities in favour of a super-city.
National says it is waiting for the commission's findings before making a decision, although the Star-Times understands that opinion is split within the party.
North Shore mayor Andrew Williams is vehemently opposed to a single council and has lobbied National MPs to keep his city separate from the rest of Auckland.
"At this stage we will wait for the commission to hand down their decision later this year.
Auckland's mayoral forum chairman Bob Harvey said the possible role of Curtis as commissioner was "briefly discussed at the last forum meeting, but we decided not to deal with rumours". "I've never, never had any approach from any person or party regarding that position ."
Curtis told the Star-Times it was the first he'd heard of it…"
He said he was "always interested in taking on a new challenge . I've given no thought to any position now or into the future because that opportunity has never been given me, certainly not at this time…
Before he ended his 24-year stint at Manukau City Council, Curtis supported the option of a single Auckland authority with 20 community councils. Governance is certainly an issue that I continue to take an interest in".
He has also indicated he is keen on the job of high commissioner to the Cook Islands after Brian Donnelly quit two weeks ago due to extreme ill health. A former mayoral forum chairman, he is noted for uniting Auckland to support the Waikato pipeline and pulling the region together to host the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
Curtis, who has honorary residency in the Cook Islands, wanted the post before former foreign affairs minister Winston Peters gave it to Donnelly in February. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will advise the government within two months on Donnelly's replacement. "I've got to get through this . "I've got to get through this … it shatters your life and it'll take me a little while to get over it."