Te Puke kiwifruit growers fear for crop due delay of temporary bridge
A bridge over Raparapahoe Stream on No 4 Road washed out on January 29 after severe weather, affecting the 30 properties above it. Initially, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council said a temporary Bailey bridge would be in place on February 9. Now, the portable truss bridge is around six weeks away – something those with kiwifruit orchards find “stressful” reports www.nzherald.co.nzOne grower has around 40 hectares of kiwifruit including 30 hectares of the gold variety that will be ready for picking in mid-April. Growers with the new red kiwifruit variety pick earlier than gold and there were a few hectares of that on the road as well. The grower estimated there were around 200 hectares of kiwifruit across the affected properties that could result in a loss of $15 to $30 million, depending on people’s yields.
Source:New Zealand Herald
February 16, 2023 13:18 UTC
'Legalised obstruction': Thorn defends rugby's 'uniqueness' after World Cup winning coach turns maul rat
In the stuff.co.nz piece the author, Mark Reason, began: “This is a polite plea from Wayne Smith to World Rugby. I hate it when coaches come up with this especially when it’s a big name like Wayne Smith. pic.twitter.com/6KjHBrBtr4 — Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) February 15, 2023It's a good job no teams Wayne Smith coached scored tries from rolling mauls? It would be hugely hypocritical if say the black ferns scored twice from rolling mauls to win the world cup? And what would Wayne Smith know?
Source:Stuff
February 16, 2023 06:21 UTC
Slip at water park sparks chopper callout
Kiwi Water Park. Photo: ODT FilesA helicopter was called to assist after a man slipped while visiting a Central Otago water park today. A Hato Hone St John spokesman said it was called to the Luggate-Cromwell Road at Lowburn about 11.10am today. Kiwi Water Park owner Emily Rutherford said the incident happened at the facility but did not happen on any equipment. The man had slipped while talking to a friend and injured his leg.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2023 05:48 UTC
Jet ski crash in Central Otago
Emergency services were called to an incident involving a jet ski on a Central Otago river yesterday. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said a call for assistance from St John was received about 3.45pm. Crews from Luggate and Cromwell stations attended the incident in Luggate-Cromwell Rd (State Highway 6). Upon arrival, firefighters discovered it was an accident involving a jet ski and were able to leave the incident in the hands of St John staff, the spokesman said. Police also attended.
Source:Otago Daily Times
February 16, 2023 03:37 UTC
Breakfast briefing; Stagflation still a real threat
Business activity continued to decline in New York State, according to firms responding to the February Empire State Manufacturing Survey. Certainly the overall Canadian housing market is in the doldrums so rising new home sales can't be sustained. The UST 10yr yield starts today at 3.80% and up +5 bps from yesterday. The New Zealand Govt ten year is starting today at 4.34% and up a minor +1 bp from yesterday. That all means our TWI-5 starts today back at 70.5 and down -20 bps.
Source:Stuff
February 16, 2023 02:52 UTC
Why we should bury our power lines
The cause is relatively obvious: many houses and buildings are connected to the power grid by overground power lines. But one solution is equally obvious: bury the power lines. https://t.co/CMq7X3c6u0 — Stuff (@NZStuff) February 13, 2023Costs and benefitsPerhaps the main argument against burying power lines is the cost. If the cost to households and businesses from a loss of power is also considered, the economics of burying power lines become much more palatable. Another argument against burying power lines is that in areas prone to earthquakes, underground lines are more vulnerable or more difficult to repair.
Source:Stuff
February 16, 2023 02:42 UTC
Actress Raquel Welch dies aged 82
Actress Raquel Welch has died at age 82 after a “brief illness”. READ MORE:* Raquel Welch's former mansion listed for $8.1 million* Raquel Welch named the hottest bikini body of all time, trumping today's starletsThe Chicago-native was born Jo Raquel Tejeda to an aeronautical engineer father from Bolivia. After a string of small roles, Welch had her big acting breakthrough in 1966, when Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. She had two children with husband James Welch, Damon, 63, and Latanne ‘Tahnee’, 61, before the couple divorced in 1964. She later married her agent Curtis from 1967-1972, before wedding French-American film producer André Weinfeld from 1980-1990, and finally marrying pizzeria owner Richard Palmer from 1999-2004.
Source:Stuff
February 16, 2023 01:39 UTC
The Daily Blog Open Mic – 16th February 2023
Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day. Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day. The Editor doesn’t moderate this blog, 3 volunteers do, they are very lenient to provide you a free speech space but if it’s just deranged abuse or putting words in bloggers mouths to have a pointless argument, we don’t bother publishing. EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist language, homophobic language, racist language, anti-muslim hate, transphobic language, Chemtrails, 9/11 truthers, Qanon lunacy, climate deniers, anti-fluoride fanatics, anti-vaxxer lunatics, 5G conspiracy theories, the virus is a bioweapon, some weird bullshit about the UN taking over the world and ANYONE that links to fucking infowar.
Source:Stuff
February 16, 2023 00:31 UTC
Stuff fundraising drive pulls $100k in two hours
The Spinoff is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. A complaint must be first directed in writing, within one month of publication, to info@thespinoff.co.nz. If not satisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz along with a link to the relevant story and all correspondence with the publication. (C) The Spinoff 2021
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 23:13 UTC
Cyclone Gabrielle: Fears cyclone death toll will rise, as body seen floating in water
Hawke's Bay man Kelvin Taylor and his son, Cam, have spent hours rescuing people using a chopper. They have spent 16 helicopter hours rescuing more than 120 people from rooftops in the Dartmoor and Waiohiki areas of Hawke's Bay. That's what it looks like here in Hawke's Bay. The body of the young person was located in Eskdale, Hawke's Bay shortly before 2pm today, police said. However, police had "grave concerns" for several people they confirmed were missing from the Eastern District - Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti.
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 23:02 UTC
All Black prop sticks neck out on new laws
New Zealand and Crusaders prop George Bower has warned of the risk of speeding up scrums as part of a raft of fan-centric innovations for the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific. Time restrictions on goal kicks, set pieces and a streamlined TMO process headline the changes set to make the competition faster this season. “I guess the international boys probably have a little bit more experience with a faster setup time. But it’s something we will have to tell our young boys to speed up… we’ve got to look after our necks. “It just means we will have to be a bit faster and fitter and more on our toes, as you’ll go from one play to another.”
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 23:00 UTC
House price earthquake ripples across New Zealand
Independent economist Tarric Brooker has published the below chart tracking New Zealand’s house price crash:According to the REINZ House Price Index, which takes into account changes in the mix of properties sold each month and is the preferred index used by the Reserve Bank, New Zealand house prices have fallen 16.3% from their November 2021 peak. House prices across New Zealand’s largest and most expensive city, Auckland, have plunged 21.4% from their peak, whereas Wellington’s prices have collapsed by 26.1%. “In Auckland, the median selling price in Rodney declined by $435,000 between January last year ($1,345,000) and January this year ($910,000), while the median price in Auckland’s leafy central suburbs declined by $332,500. “Within the Wellington region, median price declines over the year to January were particularly steep in South Wairarapa -$320,000, Wellington City -$175,000, Masterton -$170,000 and Kapiti Coast -$140,000”. Given more than half of all New Zealand mortgages will shift off cheap pandemic fixed rates this year, and will face large increases in repayments, significant further house price falls seem likely in 2023.
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 22:56 UTC
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Murder trial: Vanished Christchurch builder Michael McGrath stashed cash and lived outside society’s norms, court hears
David Charles Benbow denies murdering Michael McGrath and is standing trial at the High Court in Christchurch. Photo / Kai Schwoerer, Stuff, PoolDavid Charles Benbow denies murdering Michael McGrath and is standing trial at the High Court in Christchurch. Ex-prison officer David Benbow, 54, denies murdering Christchurch builder Michael McGrath who disappeared on May 22, 2017. Christchurch builder Michael Craig McGrath, 49, was last seen at his home in Halswell, Christchurch, in May 2017. He seemed very, very happy.”Michael McGrath’s brother Simon giving evidence at the High Court trial in Christchurch.
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 22:55 UTC
New Zealand 6.3 earthquake strikes near Wellington northwest of Paraparaumu
New Zealand has been rocked by a 'massive' 6.3 magnitude earthquake that was felt by 70,000 Kiwis across both north and south islands. The 'scary' tremor was centred around its capital Wellington on the north island on Wednesday at 7.38pm NZDT (local time 5:38 AEDT) around 50km northwest of Paraparaumu at a depth of 48km. New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency said there is no tsunami threat and no significant damage reported. A spokesperson from Fire and Emergency New Zealand reported no incidents related to the quake. Another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 also hit the country 20 minutes after the 6.3 tremor.
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 21:25 UTC
Fellow Kiwis – isn’t it time we were honest about climate change?
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.comFederated Farmers will continue to pretend Climate Change is ‘probably’ real as the planet burns. …I didn’t need any crystal ball to predict that we would see climate change wreck NZ and the usual push back from the industry that creates most of the climate change pollution because that’s the kind of denial we New Zealanders love. I believe we are at a turning point on climate change. For many of us, climate change has been a theoretical argument about something that might happen in the distant future. The supply side shocks caused by Covid and war are not going away, and they are being compounded by catastrophic climate change.
Source:Stuff
February 15, 2023 21:13 UTC