Two a penny

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United States police today released the name of a New Zealand pilot killed last Sunday when the glider in which he was a passenger crashed.

Timothy John Moxham, 29, was a pilot for an air ambulance, Midwest Medflight.

Mr Moxham died in a glider owned by the Sandhill Soaring Club and flown by the club president when it crashed close to Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Police said a delay in releasing details of his identity was because of the difficulty in reaching his parents in New Zealand. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

Preliminary investigation indicated a winch cable used to help the aircraft take flight may have failed on takeoff, police chief William Cook of the close toby Unadilla Township told the Daily Press and Argus newspaper. .

The glider pilot, Orrin Burns Beckham, 63, of Ann Arbor, is in a serious condition in a local hospital.”

Mr King said Mr Moxham’s desire to go gliding was recent.

“Not only did Tim love flying and love being a pilot, but he loved being a part of the (team) and getting people to the appropriate hospitals. It’s just you and (nature). He said prior to the trip, Moxham told him: “This is true flying.

He also held certification to an FAA standards on airframe construction and engine mechanics.”

The New Zealander had been flying for more than 15 years, starting at the age of 13 when his father taught him, and had logged more than 3000 hours of flight time, including flying offshore, corporate work and flight instruction. “He had such compassion for the job and the people we transported.

“People say we’ve lost a pilot, but he was so much more than that,” said another colleague, Medflight nurse Doug Berry.

“He touched the lives of hundreds of people,” Mr Berry added, choking back tears. He cared about people.”

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. “He was amazing

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Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples wants universities to consider open entry for Maori students.

He said in a speech last night Maori students had the lowest rate of progression from school to tertiary education of any ethnic group.

“We have seen how the dice are loaded against Maori, right through the school system,” Dr Sharples said. Reserved places for Maori have proven the ability of Maori students to rise to the challenge if they are given the opportunity.

“That is not any reflection on the academic potential of our young people.

He suggested a “quantum leap” in Maori achievement at tertiary level could be achieved if students were given open entry. .

Dr Sharples said that in 2007 only 63 percent of young Maori men and 67 percent of young Maori women left school with at least NCEA level one.

“Success at school is the strongest predictor of success after the first year of university, and success in the first year is the strongest predictor of continuing at university, passing courses, and completing a degree.

He said the rate for Pakeha was more than 20 percentage points higher – 83 percent of young men and 89 percent of young women.”

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Smacking vote prompts rethink

– National Homepage -

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The skipper of a boat involved in a fatal fishing expedition believes the police officer heading a bungled search and rescue operation should be charged after he “left us out there to die”.

Geoffrey Hampton, 19, died in his father Alan’s arms after they and another man spent about 17 hours in the Tasman Sea near Wanganui when their boat took on water and sank on February 23 last year.

She concluded that “many things could have been done differently by all parties involved”, and that had the boat had a locator beacon, the incident could have resulted in a different outcome.

In a report made public yesterday, coroner Carla na Nagara made six recommendations, including that it should be compulsory for recreational boaties to carry emergency locator beacons.

“He took on that role. . He should be dismissed from the police force,” he said. He was offered help and he refused it.”

Mr Billows was the only responding search and rescue officer, but instead of ordering a night aerial search, he went home, showered and had a meal, Mr Powell said. “Putting it bluntly, he left us out there to die.

The Central District area commander, Superintendent Russell Gibson, said he was pleased with the coroner’s findings as it “mirrored” results from an an internal police report.

In the report, Ms Nagara accepted that Mr Billows “could have been more proactive than he was” in assembling an incident team and said search and rescue authorities did not act with urgency because they believed they were looking for a boat, possibly with a flat battery, rather than bodies in the water.

“I accept the way in which he ran this search was not to the standard that I would accept,” Mr Gibson said.

However, he agreed there were some procedural parts of the search and rescue operation that “were not done well”.”

Mr Billows was removed from the search and rescue team immediately after the incident, returned to the police college and retrained. “We’ve learnt quite a lot from it.

“His [Billows'] perception was that he was looking for a boat in the water.

He is yet to be reappointed, pending an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation that could find him culpable.

Mr Powell said the coroner’s recommendations would not save lives in the future as, had he been wearing a lifejacket suited to open water conditions, he would not have received the warmth provided by the flotation device. When you start out with that perception, every decision you make after that is flawed,” Mr Gibson said.

“We were underwater within seconds.

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Although his boat was not fitted with emergency locator beacons, Mr Powell said he would not have had time to activate them anyway.

THE STORY SO FAR

-At 4pm the boat Hard Out was sunk by two freak waves.”

He also lashed out against Maritime New Zealand, saying he was considering defamation proceedings against the authority after claiming his character was attacked in a report on the incident.47pm.47pm.

-A single policeman, Senior Constable Barry Billows, headed the search after a text message sent to 10 other members of the Wanganui search and rescue team failed to raise any support for him.

-Mr Billow, who called himself “qualified and not that experienced”, ruled out a night aerial search. A rescue boat was launched at 9.52pm but stood down about 3am.

-The search began for a drifting boat, instead of the worst-case scenario of men in the water.

-An air search began at 7am and spotted people in the water, the Coastguard was alerted and the men rescued at 8.41am.

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Man still alert despite blade lodged in head

– National Homepage -

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Airbus pilot questioned fatal manoeuvre

– Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Graphic: Alistair Hughes

NZ Airbus crash report raises questions

Air NZ rejects pilot error crash explanation

Read the air crash report

Report into Air NZ Airbus crash

A report into the French Airbus crash illustrates a troubled flight with the pilot questioning whether to carry out the test manoeuvre that eventually led to the deaths of all seven on board.
The report published today by France's Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) shows that the flight which crashed into the sea in Perpignan on November 27 was also shortened after planned checks could not be carried out due to other air traffic.
The plane was at the end of a leasing agreement to German airline XL Airways and was being returned to Air New Zealand.
However, shortly after take-off, the German pilots were told they could not perform the first of the checks. .
“The en route controller explained to the crew that they could not undertake tests in general air traffic and that the flight plan filed was not compatible with the manoeuvres requested.
“A few minutes after takeoff, the crew requested, but was not authorised to perform any “360”,” the report said.”
The crew announced that they wanted to continue on the route planned in the flight plan and asked to climb to a higher altitude before turning back towards Perpignan.
“He even considered not performing it,” the report said.
The report said that while the co-pilot was reading back, the Captain indicated to the New Zealand pilot that the low speed test should be made later, during the flight towards Frankfurt.”
The report said the plane performed a low speed test at too low an altitude.
The Captain said: “I think we will have to do the slow flight probably later … Or we do it on the way to Frankfurt, or I even skip it.
Chief Executive Rob Fyfe said the report only partially outlined certain aspects of what occurred during the flight and not why the accident occurred.
Air New Zealand have angrily rejected claims that pilot error was to blame and have pointed to a graph in the report which show the failure of a set of instruments which could have warned of a stall.
"There is a combination of failures that will contribute to the cause of any accident.
"There is a combination of failures that will contribute to the cause of any accident."

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"We expect the full report, which may not be completed for some time, to have detailed analysis of all factors that contributed to this tragic accident, so that any lessons learned can be shared across the industry

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Interpol called in for jewel inquiry

Wednesday, 25 February 2009

A Romanian couple found with more than $100,000 in jewellery have been reported to Interpol.
The married couple were stopped for speeding near Bulls on Sunday.
Police found 42 pieces of gold and diamond jewellery in a handbag, Detective David Burmeister said.
Police investigating reports of thefts from jewellery shops in Tauranga, Napier and Hastings have laid charges of theft against the couple. .
Details had been given to Interpol to confirm the pair's identity and to establish their movements before they came to New Zealand.
"We have very little information and we are seeking information from jewellery shop owners," Mr Burmeister said.
Police said the couple's English was poor.
Ioan Kavec, 48, and his wife, Paulina, 44, have been charged with three counts of theft. They appealed for information on where they had been.

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They were due to leave New Zealand today but are now in custody and will appear in Palmerston North District Court tomorrow

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Abduction puzzles mum

By Wednesday, 18 February 2009

The mother of a Waihi toddler taken from his home three days ago by his father is worried about his welfare but does not believe the boy will be harmed.
Shannon Brady alerted police after two-year-old Logan was taken on Sunday night by her former partner, Charles Ronald Pourau, while she slept.
Waikato police spokesperson Andrew McAlley said Ms Brady feared the boy was in an environment not conducive for a two-year-old. He is believed to be driving Ms Brady's car, a 1992 Mitsubishi Eterna, licence number TX2872, with Logan inside.
Police began a search yesterday for Mr Pourau, 32, also known as Ronald Charles Bower. .
Mr McAlley said there was a reported sighting of the pair yesterday in Napier, where Mr Pourau had contacts. "He is not a violent person and the pair get on well together. "It is out of the blue that this should happen."
Mr Pourau had visited Logan regularly since he returned to live in Waihi in last August. "We don't live together but we are still kind of friends."
She was at a loss to know why he had taken her son."

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Windfarm breezes through hearing

and Saturday, 14 February 2009

A windfarm just approved for the central North Island will create 150 jobs and generate enough power for 50,000 homes, Meridian Energy says.
Horizons Regional Council said the state-owned power company had been granted all the resource consents it had sought for its "Central Wind" 52-turbine farm project on Hihitahi Plateau between Taihape and Waiouru. .
Though not a windfarm proponent, Rangitikei Mayor Chalky Leary welcomed the economic spinoff. The district had been suffering with recent job cuts, but this was an opportunity to prosper."
Opponents have 15 days to lodge an appeal, but a Meridian spokesman believed it had community support for the project, which would create 150 construction jobs and seven permanent positions. "It will give Taihape a boost and that's got to be good.
Construction would take up to 24 months, but the company was waiting to see if an appeal was lodged before setting a start date.
Hearing commissioners said the farm would have positive and negative environmental effects.
The completed windfarm would have a generating capacity of 120 to 130 megawatts enough to power up to 50,000 homes.

. Meridian must contribute to local habitat restoration and was limited to 52 turbines with maximum blade heights of 135 metres

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Credit crunch hits charities’ funding

By CATHERINE HARRIS Saturday, 03 January 2009

Community groups and charities are being hit by the credit crunch, which has sliced huge hunks out of trust investment incomes.
ASB Community Trust, New Zealand's biggest philanthropic trust, has lost about $155 million since April. .
The trust, valued at $811 million, handed out $61 million last year, but after a disastrous September, the trustees decided to focus on "vulnerable groups".
"You'll see a slowdown in community groups wanting to do museum extensions or build a new sports stadium or build a new theatre," chief executive Jennifer Gill said.
Some trusts are more insulated because they are funded from company dividends. This year's donations budget has been trimmed from $44 million to $33 million. The Tindall Foundation, which holds The Warehouse shares, donates money from the previous year's dividends and has not yet felt the credit crunch.
The smaller but strategic $55 million JRMcKenzie Trust is also reassessing priorities.
"However, we do anticipate possibly increasing overall social demand and decreasing philanthropic supply of funding, so we are being cautious in our assessment processes, especially seeing we have several multi-year commitments we must honour," manager Trevor Gray said.
Ms Gill said while the Government tended to pay salaries and operational costs for social services, philanthropic sources tended to fund buildings, innovations, equipment and special projects. Executive director Iain Hines said the trust received the same amount as last year from its holding in investment company Rangatira, but trustees will review the situation in the middle of the year.

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Cops shake up the suburbs

– Friday, 12 December 2008

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/
BUSTED: A man collected in a dawn raid by police yesterday kisses his partner goodbye before leaving with the arresting officer. Inset: Police at work during the raids, which netted more than 200 people. A man pauses on his front steps to do up his shoes, kisses his partner goodbye, and walks cheerfully into the new day.

It was, almost, the height of suburban normality.
And instead of heading off to work at dawn yesterday, he was leaving with Christchurch police; one of hundreds shaken awake by the long arm of the law.
Except that the man was wanted on several counts of threatening to kill, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and failing to appear in court.
By the end of the day, the operation, codenamed Justice, had caught more than 200 people.
More than 100 police swooped in dawn raids, targeting 730 people with outstanding warrants in Christchurch and North Canterbury.
Teams of police from all over the force donned stab-resistant body armour before hitting the streets.
Most of the warrants were for failing to appear in court.
With senior officers who usually spend their time behind desks or heading murder investigations back on frontline duties, it was possible to see something unusual senior detectives having to be shown how to work the plastic-bag machine by a junior constable.
By 11am, the watchhouse at Christchurch Central was bulging with offenders and their arresting officers.
The Courts and Corrections departments had been enlisted in the effort and a special court was set up for the afternoon to process those arrested.
The Canterbury police district commander, Superintendent Dave Cliff, who also hit the streets and hauled in a criminal, said the operation was an effort to send a clear message in the lead-up to Christmas that criminal behaviour would not be tolerated.
Cliff said this was exactly what should be occuring.
Word had even got out and some people wanted on warrants were arriving at the police station and voluntarily handing themselves in."
Cliff advised people wanted on warrants to turn themselves in and deal with their outstanding matters sooner rather than later.
"Don't wait until Christmas Eve for us to knock at your door. However, they looked around the house anyway and discovered him under a bed.
Stories from the front line included:
When police knocked on the door looking for Mr X, his missus told them he had gone out the back door when he heard the knock.
One police car returned with three offenders who were picked up separately and who had patiently waited in the car while the next address was visited.
Police attending one address did not find their man but they did find two others wanted on warrants, whom they promptly locked up. They said in their last search they had found a man hiding under ceiling Batts a big pink lump in an otherwise flat attic space.
A disturbed ceiling hatch made officers inspect the roof cavity of a house. However, the 95kg canine, which police said was from a "dangerous breed", obeyed its owner's instruction not to move towards police. However, the 95kg canine, which police said was from a "dangerous breed", obeyed its owner's instruction not to move towards police.
Another team was met at the door by a man with a machete. However, he was not being sought. . He was in the house on home detention with an ankle bracelet.
Several teams were threatened with letters to local MPs by people objecting to being woken so early.

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Cyclist who died in mountain bike event named

– Monday, 01 December 2008

Police have named a cyclist who died after crashing during a mountain biking competition north of Kaikoura at the weekend. .
Mr Kennedy was reported missing at 3pm on Saturday after he failed to finish the annual Moa Hunt mountain bike ride in Kekerengu Valley, 56km northeast of Kaikoura.
A Blenheim police spokesperson said the man's progress was logged at various checkpoints along the route and he was photographed about three-quarters of the way through the ride.
Distraught organisers of the back-country mountain-bike ride believe they have a safe event despite the death.
He was found dead, 20m down a bank, between 6km and 8km from the finish line.
A search by the event's organisers failed to find the man and police sent a helicopter to look. Police believe the man had failed to negotiate a right-hand turn on a moderate slope.
Halligan said the man was in the middle of the 600-rider field.
Ride organiser Pete Halligan, from Top of the South Events, said the death had left those involved in the race "pretty emotionally upset".
Halligan said the man was part of the "recreational ride" section of the field.
He declined to speculate whether anyone had seen the accident, but said he believed someone would probably have stopped if they had seen him.
It was for all abilities and included a challenging climb and a challenging descent, "depending on how fast you want to go".
The course was across private farm tracks and through native bush, he said.
Some farmers who provided access for the event were "pretty distraught", he said.
Some farmers who provided access for the event were "pretty distraught", he said.
Although the event's major sponsor was Moa Beer, there was no drinking before the event, Halligan said."
Despite the tragedy, Halligan said the company believed it had a "safe event" and at this stage he wanted to continue next year. They're just a sponsor like the Speight's Coast to Coast," he said.
"I don't want people to get the wrong idea.
– with