nznews

Tuesday 16th March 10.   Which is worse, councils or government?

If you think those cafe tables that clutter city streets are solely for the use of paying customers, think again. Auckland woman Jan West feels that as the chairs are on the pavement, they should be available for use by anyone who wants to stop for a snack of their own making. And it turns out she is right. Auckland City Council environmental health and licensing manager Chris Dee says members of the public can use a cafe owner's seating without having to buy anything, as it is on public land.   Typical council nerd. The seats aren't owned by the public.     Article

The clean up process at one of New Zealand's most polluted sites is unlikely to cause long-term health problems, the Ministry of Health says. The ministry released a report into the effects of soil remediation on Monday - a process to neutralise chemicals - at Mapua, near Nelson. The 3.3ha site near the Mapua wharf included the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company and nearby land. Fruitgrowers made pesticides on site for 55 years, leaving the soil contaminated with chemicals such as the highly toxic pesticide DDT.   DDT used to taste wonderful when I was a kid. Just like tobacco.            Article

Thousands of islanders fled their homes as two massive cyclones tore through the South Pacific, flattening houses and villages.   Hundreds of Kiwis were among those hunkering down last night in hotels or evacuation shelters as the worst storm to hit Fiji in decades smashed ashore.   The most populated areas looked set to escape the worst fury, with the eye of one cyclone steering away from the Fijian capital, Suva.   However, officials are uncertain where the category four cyclones Tomas and Ului, which was hitting the Solomon Islands, will end up.   NZ is lucky, we rarely get cyclones. Government does most of the damage.                     Article

United Future leader Peter Dunne has labelled a policy to exclude prisoners and other convicted criminals from specialist addiction treatment as ‘archaic’ and ‘dangerous’. A new Canterbury District Health Board policy will severely limit the ability of prison inmates or other justice clients to access drug and alcohol addiction services. “Such a decision leaves one scratching their head, it really does. This is just archaic and quite frankly a dangerous policy all round,” said Mr Dunne.   For once Peter Dunne would be right.           Article