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Cop had ‘seconds’ to decide
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Aformer top policeman who led a team in one of New Zealand's most infamous gun battles has backed the police involved in a fatal motorway shootout.
As debate rages about whether the police officer who fired the shot that killed 17-year-old courier driver Halatau Naitoko should be prosecuted, former armed offenders boss Murray Forbes has urged critics to lay off the police.
Mr Forbes, who led the team that killed mass murderer David Gray at Aramoana, close to Dunedin, in 1990, said the officer who fired the shot in Auckland on Friday had only a few seconds to make a decision. It happens so quick and it's all very well us talking about it a few days later, but he only had a few seconds to make a decision.
"The officer clearly thought the gunman was a danger. It was a huge mistake and the officer has to wear that.
"It would be devastating for the police. Whether it was justified, they've still got to wear it. But he should lose his job if it was proved he was "drastically wrong"."
It would be wrong to prosecute the officer, he said. Former police inspector and MP Ross Meurant also wanted the officer charged.
Tongan Advisory Council chairman Melino Maka said that, though the incident was not premeditated, it was still an unlawful killing. "I don't see how the Naitoko family are going to get any form of justice in this situation.
"In my dictionary, that means manslaughter," Mr Maka said.
"I think most New Zealanders would like to think that a law-abiding citizen, minding their own business, could not be shot to death by police in this country. .
"He'll be feeling guilty, he'll be full of remorse, he'll be second-guessing himself and he'll be wondering what impact this will have on his family. The incident would stay with him for the rest of his life. It doesn't take it away.
"These officers are extremely highly trained, but the training only reduces the risk.
The authority is called in to investigate whenever police have caused or appear to have caused a death or serious injury while carrying out their duties."
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has started an investigation, but a spokesman said he did not know how long it would take. The chairwoman is a high court judge.
The authority is independent from the police.
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Listening in on progress of pregnancy
Monday, 19 January 2009
/The
ULTRA CAREFUL: Mum-to-be Bronwyn Gregory-Hunt has concerns about ultrasound, so is keen to try this wide belt that listens to foetal heartbeat.
AKiwi researcher has devised a non-invasive way to measure foetal heartbeats that could provide an alternative to ultrasound.
The infant's heartbeat is then isolated from the mother's and from background noise using a technique called blind source separation.
The device uses sophisticated microphones embedded in a wide belt to listen for both the mother and the unborn baby's heartbeats.
"This is more like using the Pinard, the foetal stethoscope that midwives used before the invention of ultrasound, but it's much more reliable and easy to use.
The new system, tentatively called Pam (passive acoustic monitoring), was less invasive than ultrasound, said Dr Paul Teal of Victoria University.
"Many midwives report that babies aren't too keen on it either."
He said most clinicians believed ultrasound was safe, but anecdotal evidence suggested that many mothers did not like it, because it put energy into their bodies. Concerns over ultrasound meant that she did not have scans unless they were deemed necessary by her midwife."
Mum-to-be Bronwyn Gregory-Hunt said she would be keen to use the device."
Dr Teal is working with Wellington midwives to collect data from mothers using a prototype Pam device.
"They call it ultrasound but I'm not sure how ultra it is for the baby.
"Ultrasound can work from about 12 to 14 weeks, but the important stages are later in the pregnancy," he said.
It is hoped Pam will be able to detect an unborn baby's heartbeat from 18 weeks.
Wellington midwife Suzanne Miller said the prototype was hard to use compared to ultrasound because it was not hand-held.
The heartbeat of an unborn baby can give clues to its health and be monitored during birth."
She said many pregnant women would welcome the chance to avoid ultrasound. .We tend to use it as little as possible. "It's never been proven to be a danger, but it's never been disproved either."
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Kicking off the New Year with a baby
By CHARLIE GATES – Friday, 02 January 2009
KIRK HARGREAVES/
BUNDLE OF JOY: Rachael and John Creighton with their new son, John, who was Christchurch’s first baby of 2009.
"Everyone was having celebrations and she was having contractions."
That was how John Creighton described the New Year's Eve experienced by his wife, Rachael. He weighed in at a healthy 3.
John Creighton, named after his father, arrived three hours and 27 minutes into 2009 to become the first Canterbury baby of the year.
His Christchurch parents were enjoying a quiet evening watching a DVD when Rachael started contractions about 10.74kg.30pm. However, heavy midnight telephone traffic meant they could not get through until the third attempt.
At the turn of the year, the couple were trying to contact their midwife on her cellphone.
"We were pretty early; there were not many texts back that early," Rachael said.
Friends and relatives were told about the new arrival by text message early on New Year's Day, but many had not yet surfaced from celebrations to receive the exciting news.
"I am really tired, but feel really good," Rachael said. .
The proud parents felt New Year's Day would be a good birthday for their son, but were glad the day did not fall too close to Christmas.
The proud parents felt New Year's Day would be a good birthday for their son, but were glad the day did not fall too close to Christmas.07am.
That honour fell to Max Arthur Honey, born at North Shore Hospital in Auckland at 12.12am. Max narrowly beat a baby boy born to Wanaka woman Nicky Meissel in Dunedin Hospital at 12. Jenna Stephenson also came into the world at 12.
Half an hour later, Queenstown resident Natasha Caine gave birth to a son at Invercargill's Southland Hospital.
.42am, in Waikato Hospital
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Shoppers not seeing fuel savings
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Cash-strapped consumers continue to pay premium prices for goods and services, despite tumbling fuel prices.
Fares for public transport, taxis and airlines have risen in the past year because of the cost of fuel, but an immediate cut has been ruled out now that prices are dipping.
The freight industry also says it cannot pass the fuel savings on because it has had to contend with other rising costs that have cancelled out the fuel decrease.
"We are very concerned with the situation and have voiced our disapproval to the industries.
But Consumer NZ says the excuses are not good enough and has called for the various industries to pass on the savings.
On Monday, petrol dropped to $1. It's not good enough and we will continue to keep an eye on things," chief executive Sue Chetwin said.43.17 a litre. It was the 16th consecutive price fall since July 17 when petrol cost about $2.21 is still much lower than its record high of $1. Diesel, however, has been slower to drop, but at $1.
Foodstuffs spokesman Steve Anderson said fuel costs were a main contributor to grocery prices but it was too soon to tell if the drop in fuel prices would result in cheaper food.92 reached in July. "We would need to see the fuel price become more stable before we consider dropping prices, but if that happens they could drop within the next two months. "We would need to see the fuel price become more stable before we consider dropping prices, but if that happens they could drop within the next two months.
"The fuel decrease has taken some pressure off the industry, but it needs to drop even further before we can even think about passing the savings on. It was also battling increasing wages and compliance costs, and the weak New Zealand dollar had pushed up the cost of importing vehicle parts."
Freight operators had been copping plenty of flak from customers since fuel started dropping because they expected the savings to be passed on immediately. It's not as simple as people think. It does cause some tension, but there's not a lot we can do.
"A lot of clients are under enormous pressure with the way the economy is and they're looking to make savings wherever they can. "The transport industry is quick to put prices up, so I hope they bring them down just as fast."
Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said any gains retailers made from easing fuel costs would help reduce the stress on their bottom lines, rather than being passed on to customers. ..
The rising cost of diesel contributed toward bus, rail and ferry fares rising by an average 10.
The rising cost of diesel contributed toward bus, rail and ferry fares rising by an average 10.2 per cent in September. Greater Wellington regional council will review the fares till March, but it could bring another increase.
Spokeswoman Philippa Lagan said fares had to cover at least 50 per cent of the public transport costs. "Therefore, a fare increase could be triggered if it is found that fares are covering less than half of the cost of the services."
The cost of catching a cab has also crept gently up in the past two years, but the industry said it was unlikely fares would come down.
Wellington City Cabs increased its prices by 8 per cent in April, the first time since late 2006.
Arthur Attrill, former general manager of Wellington City Cabs – which is now in receivership – said that in close toly two decades in the taxi industry, he had never seen fares decrease and doubted he ever would.
Taxi companies were at the mercy of drivers over fare decreases because they paid for the petrol and other expenses.
There were also costs involved with reprinting fare schedules and regulatory processes, he said.
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Akld millionaire under citizenship microscope
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Auckland millionaire Yang Liu, wanted by Chinese authorities over alleged financial fraud, was granted New Zealand citizenship in August despite officials' advice to decline his application.
Mr Liu, who is being investigated in New Zealand for possible immigration fraud, did not meet the good character requirement of the Citizenship Act, Department of Internal Affairs officials told Shane Jones, the delegated Minister for Internal Affairs.7 million, using one of his companies.
Officials advised that Mr Liu was the subject of an Interpol notice for an arrest in China for allegedly committing serious financial fraud there totalling about $NZ2.
While officials clearly recommended that Mr Liu's application for citizenship be declined, Mr Jones ticked the option approving the grant of citizenship, and struck a line through the option to decline the grant.
It was alleged that Mr Liu had fraudulently obtained and used Chinese identity documents relating to another identity, including two false passports, according to documents released under the Official Information Act.
New Minister for Immigration Jonathan Coleman told that he had no comment on the matter, and was taking advice about it.
Mr Jones was not available for comment.
Mr Barker had been lobbied about the application by former Labour MP Dover Samuels, who considered Mr Liu a friend.
The minister, Rick Barker, had passed the matter to Mr Jones to avoid a perceived conflict of interest.
Mr Liu owned a Chinese restaurant in Auckland, and exported seafood through a joint venture with Talleys, Sealord and Sanford called Life Fish, Ms Wong said. Former Minister of Ethnic Affairs Chris Carter and National MP Pansy Wong had also supported Mr Liu's application for citizenship. He has given both Labour and National parties unsolicited donations of $5000.
Mr Liu had lived in New Zealand since December 2001, and applied for citizenship in 2005.
The immigration department is investigating his identity.
He claimed he was "stateless" because his Chinese passport and other identity documents had been seized after an Immigration New Zealand search warrant was executed.
Mr Liu was given the opportunity to explain about being wanted for arrest in China, and was given advice on how to resolve the matter by contacting Chinese authorities or going through the Chinese court system. If the investigation resulted in a prosecution, Mr Liu's residency could be revoked and his citizenship lost.
That explanation was not included in the documents.
He told officials there was a reasonable explanation for the difference between his identity as Yang Liu and the identity of Yong Ming Yan, who Chinese authorities considered him to be.
However, he had not provided any evidence.
Mr Liu rejected the allegations, and said he believed he was of good character and was working to develop trade and good relations between New Zealand and China.
"What is known is that Mr Liu remains wanted and subject to arrest in China, is unwilling to resolve the Interpol red notice matter .
"The Department is not in a position to know with any degree of certainty whether Mr Liu has committed offences in China as the issues have not been determined by the Chinese courts," Secretary for Internal Affairs Geoff May wrote to the minister in mid-July… is under active investigation by Immigration New Zealand and has allegedly obtained and used false identity documents."
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Time in cells the only takings for bungling burglars
By LYN HUMPHREYS – Monday, 27 October 2008
Six bungling burglars are cooling their heels in New Plymouth police cells after three failed efforts within five hours at the weekend.
In two of the three burglaries, police say it was quick action by astute members of the public that stopped the offenders getting away.
Two of the six arrested were found to be on bail for other offences at the time.
During the arrest, police discovered one of the burglars, aged 18, was on electronic bail awaiting a court appearance on earlier charges, Acting Sergeant Royston Betteridge said.
In the first burglary, at 8pm on Saturday, police were contacted when two men were spotted taking a TV and other property out of a Frankleigh Park house and into the house next door."
And at 9. .40pm on Saturday, the Westown Food Market on the corner of Tukapa and David streets, was targeted in a smash and grab.
Thanks to information from the public, a police dog tracked them to a lower Westown house. The offenders threw a rock through the front door and helped themselves to cigarettes.
"If members of the public hadn't pointed us in the right direction they might not have been apprehended. Three youths aged between 14 and 17 were nabbed.
When searched, police discovered the pair had thousands of dollars of camera gear in their backpack, stolen 20 minutes before from a car."
In the third incident, two men, aged 18 and 19, were stopped by police in Devon St for breaching the liquor ban.
The pair had helped themselves to a camera, lenses and a navigational device.
The pair had helped themselves to a camera, lenses and a navigational device.
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Shortly after, police woke up the owner of the gear and returned it to him before he was even aware it had been filched
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Drunk driver crashes into stationary police car
Monday, 08 September 2008
Police had to dive for cover after a drunk driver failed to stop at a checkpoint, smashing into a stationary patrol car.
The crash happened on Bridge St, just down from Hamilton's central police station early on Saturday.
"A man has turned off Grey St on to Bridge St and failed to stop for the checkpoint, forcing staff to take cover to avoid being hit," Mr Ruddell said.
Sergeant Phil Ruddell said the checkpoint was staffed by a number of police officers wearing high visibility safety vests and a patrol car with its red and blue lights flashing.
The driver had a alcohol limit of 1100mcg per litre of breath, nearly three times the legal limit.
No one was injured but the patrol car was badly damaged.
Mr Ruddell said 12 other drivers people recorded breath alcohol over 700mcg, an 18-year-old blew 547mcg – the limit for under 20 drivers is 150mcg.
He had been charged with excess breath alcohol and dangerous driving.
One driver was arrested for cannabis possession. Five disqualified drivers were also stopped.
"Alcohol is a contributing factor in about 31 percent of fatal road crashes in this country.
Mr Ruddell said the operation was "very disappointing" as it showed drivers were still not taking seriously the dangers of drinking and driving. Despite the risks people seem to still be willing to drink and drive."
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