News, sport and weather.
Main stories:
In the Cook Islands the New Zealand Air Force carried out the first aerial survey of the outer islands struck by Cyclone Sally, accompanied by the Cook’s Prime Minister Sir Tom Davis. Meanwhile TVNZ has received amateur video of the weekend drama.
Violent crime has increased almost 50% in the last ten years according to Justice Department submissions to the Government inquiry into violence. The Committee was set up after a coupon campaign in a Christchurch newspaper last year sought tougher penalties for violent offenders.
Police are looking for two men who robbed the Albany Post office, north of Auckland, of about $55,000 this morning. The pair left the post-mistress bound and gagged as the made their getaway. Detectives say they have no way of knowing if this was connected to four other robberies in the past two months. There was also a gunpoint robbery of a suburban Christchurch Post Office.
Former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was buried today.
Other stories:
South Africa’s opposition parties say they’ll ignore the country’s latest censorship laws as they prepare for upcoming all white elections. Meanwhile, a multi-racial suburb there is under threat.
Several days of flow testing has confirmed that Petrocorp’s new gas field in Taranaki is a producer. It’s welcome news to the company which needs reserves to borrow money against as it consolidates its operation. Shares are soon to be sold in Petrocorp and its track record on wildcat wells is four times better than the world average. Speakers: Tom True (Operations Manager).
A seriously ill Russian seaman prompted a major helicopter mercy mission last night.
The Greenpeace Antarctic expedition ship left Lyttelton this evening for Ross Island, where the group hopes to establish a camp. Speaker: Peter Wilkinson (Expedition Leader).
Work has started on a new terminal at Wellington Airport to provide operating facilities for Ansett New Zealand. Speakers: Jim Belich (Wellington Mayor), Ross Keenan (Ansett Chief Executive).
Cyclone Sally has wiped out most of the Cook Islands’ export food crop and a bleak future is predicted for the island’s economy. Hopes now rest with tourism, the other main source of revenue, to help put the Islands’ economy on its feet again. Speaker: Bill Mathews (Go Pacific Travel).
Sport:
New Zealand’s Bruce Derlin has provided the first major upset of the Benson & Hedge’s Tennis Open in Auckland by knocking out the 8th seed Bill Scanlon in the first round.
Other B&H Tennis Open results.
Dennis Conner on his upcoming America’s Cup Challenger Series races with KZ7.
America’s Cup Defender Series.
National under-15 P Class sailing competition. Speakers: Ramon Davies (P Class Champion).
Shell Trophy cricket results.
Hansell’s Cup national inter-provincial women’s cricket results.
Weather.