One Tree Hill – Americas Cup – Lamb Ruling – Curry Cravings – Baby Abandoned – Rugby Assault – Norm Hewitt’s Broken Arm
ONE TREE HILL: The pine tree on One Tree Hill is dismantled. A few people are angry and sad. Others saw it as a time to
move on, “it’s like the Berlin wall coming down”. Pohutukawa seedlings are taken from the base of the tree. Large bits
of the tree are going to be carved by local Iwi. And then there was nothing. The branches were turned into woodchips and
these may be returned to the hill. Bits of the tree were collected by onlookers. Meanwhile …THE JOSHUA TREE… which
features on the U2 Album cover of the same name (with the song One Tree Hill) has fallen over in Colorado.
AMERICAS CUP: A report says defending the Cup earned NZ $640 million, $470 million in Auckland. The money spent does not
include the value of publicity, but only the actual amount spent. Even more is expected to be spent next time round.
LAMB RULING: Sheep farmers are welcoming a WTO ruling against US quotas and tariffs on lamb imports. One farmer is
surprised. The government says the contents of the ruling remain confidential until there is time for an appeal to be
lodged. The US market is worth over $170 million a year to NZ but could be worth much more. NZ and Australian lamb is
cheaper. US farmers are not so happy. Former Trade Minister Lockwood Smith says that with the WTO we can get a fair go.
CURRY CRAVINGS: British scientists have found that curry is addictive.
BABY ABANDONED: A 34-year-old Auckland man has been charged with abandoning a baby by a rubbish bin.
SPORTS ASSAULT: Sportsman Mark Shaw has faced charges relating to an assault following a game.
NORM HEWITT: Norm Hewitt has been accused of being a poor role model for rugby fans by ACC minister Ruth Dyson. He
played with a broken arm in the NPC final. Dyson says that Hewitt was daft to do what he did. Hewitt says that adrenalin
took over. Murray McCully says that Dyson is talking nonsense.