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Proof needed to secure certificates
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Law changes designed to curb identity theft will come into effect this month.
From January 25, anyone ordering a birth, death, marriage, civil union or name-change certificate must offer proof of identity to obtain the document, unless the paper is a historical one.
The bill had a troubled passage through Parliament, and the previous Labour-led government took more than a year to secure enough support to pass the legislation. .
What had initially seemed a non-contentious proposal aimed at preventing criminals from obtaining the personal documents of someone else and using them for nefarious purposes was challenged by genealogists, historians and media concerned about the denial of access to previously public documents.
Older documents freely available without proof of identity include birth certificates from a 100 years or more ago, death certificates of stillbirths 50 years ago or more, marriage certificates dating from before 1929, and death certificates from before 1959.
When applying for a recent document, people need to sign a statement that proves their identity, and have the statement signed by a person such as a justice of the peace, doctor or teacher.
"While maintaining public access to the registers, these new requirements also provide better safeguards for people's personal information," Registrar-General Brian Clarke said.
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Violence of slaying shocks detective
– Wednesday, 24 December 2008
The beating that killed Christchurch prostitute Mellory Manning has shocked the detective in charge of the murder inquiry.
Ngatai Lynette Manning, 27, also known as Mellory, was found dead in the Avon River last Friday morning.
"Even with 29 years in the police, I was shocked at the level of violence that Mellory has been subjected to," he said.
Detective Inspector Greg Williams said she was strangled, stabbed in the chest several times and beaten about the head and legs with what appeared to be a piece of reinforcing steel.
"It is likely that Mellory was strangled, and this would have most likely rendered her unconscious," he said.
There were signs Manning had fought back, Williams said. It would be expected that there would have been significant blood loss at the time of this injury.
"Close to this occuring, she has sustained a number of significant blows to her head, resulting in severe head injuries."
Police had not ruled out the possibility of more than one attacker, Williams said.
"From these wounds and marks on her legs, it is believed that the weapon used is similar to a piece of reinforcing steel. A knife had been found in the river 150m upstream, but it was not known if it was involved in the attack.
Pathologists had indicated the weapon used to stab Manning was at least 16cm long and 2cm wide.
Police wanted to speak to their occupants, he said.
Williams said two vehicles seen in the Dallington Terrace area a four-wheel-drive and a white saloon were not the cars Manning was picked up in.
Neighbours said the house was often visited by police.
Manning lived in Upper Riccarton with her 41-year-old partner and his sister. In 2005, he lost an eye after being stabbed.
Manning's partner was jailed in 2006 for resulting in a trial to be aborted after he approached a juror.
Williams said people were ruled out only if they had alibis, and police were focusing on Manning's "last punter". The sister had more than 100 convictions for document fraud.
"We are concentrating on the vehicle that Mellory got into around 10.
The last vehicle she entered on Thursday night was still the focus of the investigation, he said. .30pm," he said. It had stopped at 10. It had stopped at 10.59.
"While we cannot be sure that this was the exact time Mellory went in the water at this stage, it gives us a time to work around," Williams said.
"I stress to the public that if they have any information about activities they may have seen between 10.30pm on Thursday and 6.55am on Friday, when Mellory's body was found, then they should contact us immediately."
Police set up a caravan close to the corner of Manchester and Gloucester streets last night and handed out flyers to passers-by.
Senior Constable Mike Withers said police had photographs of Manning, her jacket, boots and handbag set up on the footpath, which might help trigger people's memories.
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Collosal squid attracts monster fan club
– Sunday, 14 December 2008
A giant squid yesterday pulled in more than twice the usual number of Saturday visitors to Te Papa. Up to 6500 people queued for the first opportunity to see the world's only displayed colossal squid.
The squid, the largest of the museum's three specimens of the world's largest invertebrate, proved a gigantic hit.
About 100 people sprinted to the 495kg creature's 6m tank inside Wellington's museum when the doors opened at 10am.
"It makes me hate the sea," said Lena Riki, 20, of Upper Hutt, who took her children, three-year-old Iranui and 12-month-old Arapeta to the exhibition.
"It's huge," said a wide-eyed Inzimam Ali, seven, of Johnsonville, who pestered his parents for a week to visit the exhibition after seeing a billboard about it. It was clinging to a toothfish longline in Antarctica's Ross Sea .
Although the colossal squid is the showpiece, the exhibition also includes a short 3-D animation film, computer interactives, specimen and model displays and an audiovisual telling the squid's remarkable journey since being captured by the fishing boat the San Aspiring on February 23, 2007.
Te Papa staff said they knew the squid exhibit which runs until 2011 would be popular, but they were stunned by the huge turnout.
Lectures on the squid are also running over the weekend. . "Seeing queues like this is rare and it's a gorgeous day outside it just shows you how keen people are," project manager Lucy Ryan said.
A blogsite on Te Papa's dedicated website, www. When scientists thawed it in April, the BBC reported it was the most globally viewed internet story for the week.tepapa.squid.nz, had attracted interest around the world.govt.
. An 85-year-old couple from America wrote they were keeping a close eye on the project
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Soldier faces sex-case hearing
– Sunday, 07 December 2008
An army instructor is facing harassment charges, including an allegation he demanded a female soldier perform a sexual act on him in order to pass her course.
The instructor, a lieutenant-colonel, is understood to have been drinking when he allegedly made his indecent proposal to his female subordinate, who was training at Waiouru to become a major.
The Defence Force confirmed the man had been charged with a range of offences relating to several incidents alleged to have occurred at Waiouru and Linton military camps in 2006, but which came to light only recently. The woman was in a relationship with another soldier. "The army is taking this matter very seriously," he said. An army spokesperson said there had been more than one complainant. An army spokesperson said a commanding officer would then assess the summary of evidence and decide whether to proceed with a court martial.
The man, a chief instructor on the course the woman was taking, is understood to be continuing with his regular duties while the matter is at the preliminary hearing stage of the judicial process.
Bullying and sexual harassment have been a perennial issue for the military, with 27 complaints in 2005, 34 in 2006, and 27 in the first half of last year. .
A 26-year-old instructor was sentenced to two months in military prison and sacked for kicking and punching recruits at Waiouru last year, while in another case a woman in the navy was hospitalised after reportedly being bullied.
The military has a zero tolerance policy on harassment, and has trained nearly 600 staff as "anti-harassment" advisers in recent years.
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Mascot knocker says sorry
– Wednesday, 03 December 2008
MARK TAYLOR/
ATTACKED: Harold the Giraffe who was knocked over by 22-year-old Damien Gifkins in Hamilton’s Garden Palace. Gifkins was fined over his disorderly behaviour.
The man who knocked over Harold the Giraffe in Hamilton says it was an accident and wants to make it up to him and take the mascotout for a beer.
The charge relates to an incident last Friday in which 22-year-old Gifkins knocked over Harold while he was fundraising for Life Education Trust in Hamilton'sGarden Place.
Damien Gifkins – known as Shady1 to his friends – pleaded guilty in Hamilton District Court on Monday to a charge of disorderly behaviour and was ordered to pay $130 reparation.
The suit was being worn by Hamilton lawyer Murray Grant, who required medical treatment afterwards.
Harold went flying into a cafe table, scattering cutlery and plates.
Gifkins contacted the after reading an article about the incident in Saturday's paper. "I was excited to be back in Hamilton (from Christchurch) and was running down the road and did not see Harold.
"From my point of view it was an accident," he said. I got a bit of a fright actually. I bumped into him and bowled him over. There was no excuse 4 what i dun n i would like 2 make it up to u."
In a text sent to Mr Grant, Gifkins wrote: "Im sendn u ths txt 2 apoligise 4 my idiotic actions on fridae afternoon…
Gifkins said he tried to ring Mr Grant yesterday because he wanted "to take him out for a beer".by offering my services n help to raise fundz 4 a new class rm if i am allowd 2?". He was still in a lot of pain and had physiotherapy treatment yesterday.
However, Mr Grant told the he had no interest in meeting up with Gifkins.
"He texted me and offered to do some fundraising for the trust, but I'd rather he pay to fix the suit – approximately $500.
Mr Grant did not believe the incident was an accident – "that's crap"."
The trust needs about $100,000 a year to stay operational in Hamilton. .lifeeducation. People wanting to make a donation can do so via their website, www.nz/about-us/donate .nz/about-us/donate .