Category: NZ

Big Quake in NZ as reported by the Daily Telegraph

New Zealand earthquake: Powerful aftershocks keep rocking the country after 7.8 magnitude quake kills two in South Island

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed two people and caused massive infrastructure damage in New Zealand on Monday, as forecasters warned wild weather could hamper rescue efforts.

The tremor, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the quake-prone South Pacific nation, hit just after midnight near the South Island seaside tourist town of Kaikoura.

It triggered a tsunami alert that sent thousands of people fleeing for higher ground across large parts of the country’s rugged coastline before the threat abated.

Rescuers were left scrambling to reach Kaikoura in the South Island, which had no telecommunications and was isolated by landslips, making it accessible only by helicopter.

Civil defence minister Gerry Brownlee said a clearer picture of the scale of the damage was slowly emerging.

Isaac and Prizegiving succcess

20161105_062849Eleanor and Joe accompanied us to the Thursday evening event. Isaac has success last year and he knew he had won something.

img_20161103_192450He came away with a bumper crop. I think winning the Art prize was particularly good for him. A vindication of all his effort this year and the fact that he convinced me art was what he wanted to do two years ago.

And good for us is the prize that means there is a 50% reduction in the Catholic Board fees next year!img_20161103_221356

International Film Festival

The NZIFF has started. Yet again it will be a long run to the finish line for us. So far I have been to three films and Sara four, over the first weekend.

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The 5th Eye is a doco made in NZ and this showing was it s world premier (a little less grand that it may imply). It tells the story of the perpetrators of the damage to the spy station in Blenheim by the “Waihopai Three” in parallel with a broader coverage of the surveillance in New Zealand, how it was done illegally, the law was changed without popular support to give more power to the national spy agencies, while John Key was, as ever, sucking up to the Americans. All this allowing more spying on Kiwis and support for the US government’s international terror actions. An important topic but the documentary was too ling, insufficiently focused and its techniques did not work as well as hoped.

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I, Daniel Blake follows the misery of having to use the UK benefits system and I am sure has echoes of how other national systems work against individuals too. A Ken Loach film. A worthwhile one to watch and shows how badly the system treats people both those accessing it and those working in it.

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And into the foreign experience A Country of Mine   that recounts how German POWs at the end of WW2 are forced to remove mines from the Danish beaches. No one comes out well from war. the essentially boy soldiers at teh end of the war pay the price for the actions of their country and superiors. Are they responsible? Who can blame the danes for getting the perpetrators to clear up the mess rather than risk their own lives again after five years of occupation?

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No one looks good. I am sure that is part of the reason for doing the film. A good one to see.

 

Royal Visit

It almost seems like a waste of time to pass comment on the visit of William and Kate to New Zealand, with of course the bonny George. I would not expect it have much impact on me but I do not think that I am the only one for which the visit is passing by.

There is the impression that the UK press following from afar is more interested and excited that the local crew.

I poll in reported in the NZ Herald:

‘As an old republican, I find more convincing the results of the Curia market research poll conducted early last month for the NZ Republican Movement. It found New Zealanders more or less evenly divided, with 44 per cent supporting a New Zealander as the next head of state, and 46 per cent backing the British monarch to be our king.

The remaining 10 per cent were unsure or refused. It was a telephone poll of 1038 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.

What it does show is that support for the status quo is rapidly dying out, with only 26 per cent of 18 to 30-year-olds wanting to retain the British monarchy. Of the rest in that age bracket, 37 per cent supported the direct election of a local head of state, while 29 per cent preferred a local elected by a two-thirds majority of Parliament.

Support for the status quo leapt to 41 per cent of 31 to 45-year-olds, 45 per cent of 46 to 60-year-olds, and 53 per cent for those 61 and over.’

So it would seem that there are better places to shore up support for the monarchy. almost seems inevitable that a republic will arrive, just needs the older crowd to move on!

Possession of a restricted licence

 

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So today succeeded in passing his test. He has been learning for the last 13 months with me mainly, with some professional lessons. Today was attempt number two, and he passed. The pass rate is 53% nationally, so he is Mr Average.

It is so important to pass as he starts at Whiteria next week in Porirua and traveling by bus would have been  a hassle. So now some freedom.

The restricted license means he can drive from 06-00 to 22-00., no passengers who do not have a full license, and no alcohol. He can take his full license in 18 months, or six months earlier if he takes a safe-driving course.

Well Done Bro!

Bye Nigel

Nigel went to the grave today, having been put out of his discomfort yesterday. He had been failing fro a while but deteriorated quickly on Sunday. He had some nasopharyngeal tumour I think as he has developed progressive right sided cranial nerve palsies, along with his persistent shrieking cry.

Nigel had been with us for the last nine years. A large tiger in his prime, he has certainly faded recently. He now joins Spud in the garden.

Very Shaky

Well the place is called the “Shaky Isles” and over the last few days that has certainly been the case. We have had lots of earthquakes over the last three days; persistent and big ones- lots of movement of the house with items falling off the shelf. Magnitude was 6.8 this afternoon, and all the activity is just off the South Island in the Cook Strait.