Missing In The Coromandel – Palmerston North Murder – Police – Taumaranui Murder Charges – NY Millennium Summit, SOWF, Getting There – Mangaroa Prison Abuse Apology and Compensation
MISSING IN THE COROMANDEL: A visit to an ancient Maori home in the Cromandel may have ended in tragedy. The visit was to the burial site of the commander of the Arawa Canoe. One of two men has been picked up by searchers after spending two nights in the bush. Another man Howard Barton was alive when left under ferns in a singlet and is still being looked for. The two men were warned not to take the trek by a ranger. Hope has been fading with the daylight. Descendants of the Arawa Commander say he will be watching over them on the mountain.
PALMERSTON NORTH MURDER: Relatives of the Palmerston North murdered mother and daughter have made a public appeal for assistance with the police inquiry. They asked people to bring information to the police, no matter how insignificant they might think it is. Police today described the murder weapon as heavy with a sharp edge. They would not be more specific. The bodies have been released to the family for a funeral tomorrow.
POLICE: Christchurch Police have said they may not charge anyone over the death of an elderly woman who suffered from dementia. The 93-year-old died in an incident described only as a “tragic accident”. Police won’t give any more details. An expert in mental health law says charges are unlikely. In Dunedin a pair of people have been charged with failing to supply the necessities of life.
TAUMARANUI MURDER CHARGES: Accused appeared in court charged with the murder of a Taumaranui woman last week.
MILLENNIUM SUMMIT: Leaders of the World are arriving at the UN in NY for the Millennial Summit. Jane Young says the PM has been moving through lots of issues. The actions of Australia have been causing the most attention. Australia has refused to sign a protocol on discrimination against women. John Howard says the issues are better decided inside Australia – and thinks this is also so in other nations. UN HR Commissioner Mary Robinson wants Australia to think again about its international instruments. Kofi Annan and John Howard are having a top-level meeting to talk about it now. This place is swarming with diplomatic speak. Helen Clark says she is hoping to meet with John Howard tomorrow. Privately she is “pretty annoyed”. (Not private anymore Jane – John Campbell). 188 countries are represented here today. Kofi Annan meanwhile means business from the top and has lots of instruments for people to sign.
SOWF: Earlier At the State of the World Forum George Soros speaking in a panel with PM Helen Clark says that currencies are like marriages. Fixed and floating rates both don’t work. Also on camera AFL boss John Sweeney warns that businesses around the world have to accept legislation like the Employment Relations Act.
ON THE WAY TO THE SUMMIT….: A German Minister arriving at the Pentagon today was smashed by an obstacle injuring the minister. In the past Russians and Chinese delegations have been attacked by the obstacle. In Frankfurt the North Koreans decided to go home after being frisked. In Japan for a visit on the way the Russian President Vladimir Putin practiced Judo with a young girl – allowing her to throw him. Earlier he threw two judo masters.
MANGAROR
COMPENSATION – APOLOGY: A mongrel mob member who stabbed a
policeman with a screwdriver is one of a group of men who
have been paid compensation for abuse at the hands of prison
guards at Mangaroa Prison in the early 1990s. The
compensation paid is confidential. Lawyer Tony Ellis says he
is concerned that no charges were laid against the prison
officers – 12 of whom were dismissed.