The New Zealand Herald

Sailing Cancelled- Immigration Harassment- Southerly Storm- Paper Darts - Worker Counseling- Parry Complaints Large- Kiwi Bravery- Casino Investigated- Tea, Coffee & Wages- Ballet Apology

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SAILING CANCELLED: Tranz Rail has announced its ferries will not resume sailings until there has been a significant improvement in the weather on Cook Strait. Sailings were suspended late yesterday afternoon when 90 knot winds and six metre seas were being experienced.

- IMMIGRATION HARASSMENT: The first time Pimthong Udumpun arrived in New Zealand she was stopped at Christchurch Airport, turned around and put on a 12-hour flight home without explanation. The second time the Thai woman flew in she was locked up for 2 1/2 days and says she was denied access to sanitary napkins or a change of clothes despite complaining of a heavy period.

- SOUTHERLY STORM: The vicious southerly storm that pounded the South Island and clipped the North with winds of more than 100 km/h yesterday forced people from their flooded homes and sank about 30 boats. A fisherman was lost at sea after his boat flipped on the Okuru River bar in Westland just before 7.30 am.

- PAPER DARTS: Teachers have been making paper darts to help them come to grips with the new student assessment system. A training course for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement devoted a quarter of a two-day session to making and assessing the bane of teachers' lives.

- WORKER COUNSELING: Tranz Rail intends to provide extra counseling for staff and take management precautions to maintain safety after decisions affecting 3400 workers this week. The company announced it would sell its long-distance passenger services and contract out engineering, maintenance and ship operations by the end of 2002.

- SUNNIES DEBATE: Don't worry about looking like a cheap reject from the last days of disco - those $5 gas station sunnies can save your eyes as well as a $500 pair of Gucci's. As the days get longer and the ozone hole grows, debate over what sunglasses to buy has resurfaced.

- PARRY COMPLAINTS LARGE: The Medical Council has received complaints from 30 more patients against Northland gynaecologist Dr Graham Parry. The Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday rejected the Northland Health surgeon's latest bid to be allowed to resume working.

- KIWI BRAVERY: A New Zealand pilot who pleaded with his girlfriend to save herself as he lay dying from dreadful injuries after a plane crash is in line for an Australian bravery award. Badly burned Geoff Henderson survived nearly two days in remote New South Wales bush while all the time lifting the spirits of Victoria Friend by explaining how rescue parties would be searching for them.

- CASINO INVESTIGATED: An investigation into allegations of dishonesty among Sky City casino staff has sparked an expanded inquiry into the actions of 17 "licensed" security and gaming employees. The latest investigation arose from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters' claims last month of dishonesty and a cover-up.

- TEA, COFFEE & WAGES: A battle is again brewing over the supply of free tea and coffee to Hamilton City Council workers, this time over their bulk-supply. In a bid to settle wage negotiations with about 90 parks and utilities workers, the council has agreed to supply free tea, coffee and sugar to each worker - in bulk.

- BALLET APOLOGY: Ballet teachers want a public apology from Marian McDermott if her survey highlighting bullying in ballet is proven wrong. Most of Auckland's ballet teachers met at an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the Torbay woman's survey, which attracted wide media attention this week.

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