National Radio Midday Report

Power Lines Crash - Crash Boss - Oil Production - Bulk Payouts - Waipareira Trust - Fishing Investigation - Mars Mission Cancelled - Israeli Pm - Nz-On-Air Drop - Cell Phone Tower - Exhibits Taken - Native Heritage Strategy - Hearing Begins - Cuban Boy

POWER LINES CRASH: A rescue helicopter pilot wants urgent progress on marking powerlines after five people died yesterday when a helicopter flew into power lines. The Director of the Civil Aviation Authority says work has been

CRASH BOSS: Meanwhile the owner operator of the helicopter service Fiordland Helicopters says the crash is a tragic loss to all concerned

OIL PRODUCTION: In Vienna oil producers have ended talks as to how much oil to increase production despite opposition from Iran who will not move on prices. The increase is expected to be at 1.7 million barrels a day. Iran says the decision not to increase production in oil was economic, not political.

BULK PAYOUTS: More than 2/3s of the country’s schools will receive a one-off cash payment if they are non-bulk funded. Schools welcome the move. Education Minster Trevor Mallard yesterday introduced legislation into Parliament to do away with bulk-funded schools.

WAIPAREIRA TRUST: The new chief executive of the Waipareira trust has denied that allegations over financial wrongdoing by the trust is affecting the business. Sources in the organisation say creditors have been scared by the allegations by the ACT party.

FISHING INVESTIGATION: The Ministry of Fisheries is investigating two South Island fishing boats for allegedly breaching their permits fishing tooth fish in Antarctic waters.

ISRAELI PM: The former Israeli Prime minister Bejamin Nehetenyahu has gone on television to deny allegations of fraud leveled against himself and his wife.

MARS MISSION CANCELLED: US space agency NASA has canceled it’s next Mars mission due to 2001 after an independent report released significant problems in planning and testing in previous missions which failed.

NZ-ON-AIR DROP: The amount of locally produced programmes produced on television has dropped much to the dismay of New Zealand On-Air. The drop which puts us well behind our Western neighbours is largely due a decision by both main network not to air as many repeats.

CELL PHONE TOWER: Residents opposed to the instillation of a cell-phone tower in a Christchurch suburb are anxious that the tower will not be moved even if the tower finds a more suitable home.

EXHIBITS TAKEN: A police officer in the Bay Of Plenty has been arrested pending an investigation into missing Police exhibits.

NATIVE HERITAGE STRATEGY: The Government will reveal how it plans to restore the native heritage in its Bio-diversity strategy to be launched this afternoon.

HEARING BEGINS: The preliminary trial for a man alleged of beating to death a police officer while attempting to burgle a water park in Hastings has begun today with over forty witnesses testifying in the case.

CUBAN BOY: The United States immigration and Naturalization services says it will meet one more time with a Cuban boy and his host family to seek assurances the boy’s grandfather will agree to act by the ruling of a US Appeal Court. The court is expected to uphold an earler decision the boy should be returned to Cuba to live his natural father.

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