The Riverman Reports - Inc. Huttz World

Saturday, June 07, 2008

THE MOST EXPENSIVE BLACK JUMBO WATERMELON IN THE WORLD...

TOKYO TODAY - A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record $6,100 Friday, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country — and possibly the world.

The 17-pound premium "Densuke" watermelon, grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido, was purchased by a marine products dealer who said he wanted to support local agriculture, according to Kyodo News agency.

In a country where melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts, the watermelon's hefty price tag follows another jaw-dropping auction last month, where a pair of "Yubari" cantaloupe melons sold for a record $23,500.

Read more?

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

HAVE YOU EVER READ SO MUCH UNADULTEREATED CRAP AS THAT RECENTLY EMANATING FROM LONGTIME ZIMBABWE DICTATOR, ROBERT MUGABE...

NZ City 4 June 2008
Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton says he refused to be lectured by Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe at the United Nations global food summit in Rome, so boycotted his speech.

Mr Mugabe blamed Britain "and its friends" including New Zealand, for crippling his country economically with illegal sanctions. He said sanctions have crippled Zimbabwe's economy "and thereby effect illegal regime change in our country."

Mr Anderton says it was an easy decision not to turn up for the speech. He says he has no time for Mr Mugabe given what he has put his people through and it would have been been a bit rich to have been lectured by him.

"If it wasn't so tragic it would be laughable. He took over a country that was renowned as the bread basket of Africa and now he has millions of people virtually starving. He was blaming everyone including New Zealand."

Mr Anderton speaks at the conference tomorrow and will call for a coordinated approach to the issue from the UN.

The Iranian president used the summit to attack Israel and America. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims US policy in the Middle East has been aggressive, yet he said that the state of Israel will certainly disappear.

Mr Ahmadinejad also slammed the West over its handling of the food crisis, accusing certain "big powers" of sometimes acting with "devilish" motives.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

THE MAN WITH NO FACE - MEDICAL SCIENCE OFFERS HOPE...

Medical offers new hope to face-eating tumor man.

Jose Mestre and his sister Guida in London. Pictures below story show Jose aged 14 when the tumor was still small, and as he is now.

A victim of horrific facial disfigurement - known as "the man with no face" - has been given new hope by the advancement of medical science.

Jose Mestre, from Lisbon, Portugal, has been losing his face to a huge growth for the past 35 years, distorting it out of all recognition - and it's still growing.

The tumor on 51-year-old Jose's face is a collection of blood vessels that have expanded, producing a raised red area on the skin.

Jose was born with a strawberry-coloured birthmark on his upper lip. At puberty it began growing, eventually smothering his lips, nose and one of his eyes. Now it is 33cm long and weighs 3kg.

But Jose's religious faith - as a Jehovah's Witness he refuses to accept a blood transfusion - has prevented him from having surgery to remove the growth.

Jose's rare condition was the subject of a Discovery Channel TV documentary 'The Man With No Face', part of the 'My Shocking Story' series.

It reveals how top medical experts in London have now held out hope of helping Jose, a well-known figure around the streets of Lisbon.

A leading British surgeon has offered to treat Jose using ultrasound waves to coagulate the blood before the operation.

This should remove the risk of heavy bleeding - satisfying his religious beliefs about blood transfusions in the process.

Dr Iain Hutchison, of St Bartholomew's in London, is confident an operation with a harmonic scalpel could make him look a lot more normal.

Full story and other pictures

Monday, May 26, 2008

OLD HOBBITS DIE HARD - FILM MAKER PETER JACKSON TELLS HIS FANS...

First published at Qassia:

Old hobbits die hard - film maker Peter Jackson tells his fans...

Peter Jackson said Bilbo films would like to revive the locations that made New Zealand such a perfect 'middle earth'.

The celebrated New Zealand film - maker who is currently involved in a remake of British World War Two classic, "The Dam Busters", wants to use those same New Zealand Lord of the Rings locations, and the same actors as well for his project, a two film The Hobbit and sequel that will be shot back to back in 2010.

There will be rebuildng of the elaorate Hobbiton village on a farm in Matamata in the Waikato which is now a tourist attraction.

Peter Jackson also revealed further plans for the US$150 millon project in a one hour "live chat" on the internet a few days ago with the films' director,Guillermo de Toro, in London.

About 5,500 people registered to participate - breaking the previous record of 5,000 for a live internet chat by the Spice Girls some years ago.

They asked about 7,000 questions, which were whittled down to about 20 questions, including whether New Zealand's beautiful scenery, one of the most praised features in the LOR triology, would be used again.

Peter Jackson said permission would be sought from the farm's owner to rebuild the Hobbit village in the same place. He also said that he doubted whether locations outside of New Zealand would be necessary. Casting has not yet been decided.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

12 MILLION BEES ON THE RUN...

Ugly scenes as 12 million bees escape after California crash

It must have been a driver's worst nightmare - cruising down the highway and suddenly running smack into millions of angry swarming bees.

The bees were on the loose in California after a truck in which they were being transported flipped on its side on the highway.

The California Highway Patrol said eight to 12 million of the honey bees escaped from the crates in which they were stored.

The truck was carrying over 400 beehives with 30,000 bees in each.

The bees stung police officers, fire crews, and tow truck drivers trying to corral them after the accident.

"People were being stung left and right. It was an ugly, ugly scene," one police officer said.

The great escape happened near Sacramento and the insects swarmed over an area of Highway 99.

For seven hours authorities brought in handlers who used smoke in a bid to calm the bees and coax them back into the hives.

Several beekeepers driving past the accident stopped to help the emergency services deal with the bees.

The highway had to be closed for a period.

Police did not know what caused the tractor trailer carrying the bees to flip over while entering the highway on its way to Yakima, Washington. But they said they believe the driver may have been driving too fast.

The bees had been used to pollinate crops in the San Joaquin Valley.

The honeybee is the world's premier pollinator and is invaluable to farmers for pollination.

But there has been a shortage of them in recent times because of "Colony Collapse Disorder". US beekeepers have been losing thousands of their bees, puzzling scientists. This has led to a rise in honey prices and has also threatened fruit and vegetable production.

After a seven-hour clean-up operation at Sacramento, police were unable to say how many bees remained unaccounted for. But they were not getting any calls from panicked drivers. "No news is good news," one officer said.

Thats Weird

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ATTEMPTED TO LAND UFO AT EAST ANGLIAN AIRFIELD IN ENGLAND...

First published at Qassia:

The most comprehensive British Government files on UFO activity are opened to the public for the first time today and they disclose that even airtraffic controllers and police officers have seen mysterious craft in the skies over Britain.

The sightings are recorded on official forms held by air bases and police stations, and were compiled by the Defence Ministry between 1978 and 2002.

Disclosed for the first time is a report from three experienced controllers who tried to "talk in" a UFO that landed on the runway before them.

The incident occurred on April 19, 1984, at an East Anglian airfield. The unidentified object came in at speed , made a touch and go on a runway then departed at terrfic speed in a near verticle climb, according to the files.

It was described as a "brilliant solid ball of light, bright silvery in colour". The file noted that "witnesses do not wish to be identified in case their professional integrity is questioned".

Over the next four years more than 150 files will be made available at the National Archive in Kew, southwest London.

Author: Telegraph Group

Contributor's Note:
The stories continue. Files have been opened after many years, some going back to the late 1940's and early 1950's.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

WORLD NO 1 RANKED RUGBY PLAYER'S FRENCH CONNECTION...

World NO 1 rugby player's French Connection...

First published at Qassia:

The world's No 1 ranked rugby union player, All Black Dan Carter from Canterbury and the Super 14 Crusaders franchise is negotiating multi million dollar deals for just six months work.
1/ $1.4 million dollars to play for just six months with former All Blacks captain, Tana Umaga's team.

2/$400,000 in bonuses and merchandise rights.

This $1.8 million dollar deal is subject to the French club Toulon being promoted to the first grade this year.

Dan Carter would move to the French club after the New Zealand All Blacks end of year Grand Slam tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2008.

The New Zealand Rugby Union is hopeful of convincing Dan Carter to return to NZ after his 'sabattical' in Europe and to play for the All Blacks again in 2009. Carter could be persuaded to continue playing for the All Blacks until the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in New Zealand. Similar annual deals are a possibility for the world's NO 1 rugby union player.

Such a deal has not yet been negotiated with any other New Zealand players. Dozens of All Blacks and first grade players have been lost to the NZ game in recent years.

Usually New Zealand players have to play in the southern hemisphere Super 14 professional rugby competition to be eligible for selection to the international All Blacks team. This may or may not set a precedent for future players, or just be an historical deal for arguably the greatest Number 10 in rugby history.

My Qassia

Saturday, April 26, 2008

SAUDI BLOGGER RELEASED AFTER FOUR MONTHS - DETAINED WITHOUT CHARGE...

A Saudi blogger detained without charge for more than four months after expressing pro-reform opinions has been released, a colleague said on Saturday.

Fouad Farhan was detained in early December after running an online campaign over 10 men arrested since February 2007 on suspicion of financing militant groups, but whose supporters say they are being punished for pro-democracy activity.

"I spoke to him and he's in good spirits. He said he was treated really well," said Ahmed al-Omran, who published the news on his website .

"It was surprising. After blocking his website, I thought his detention would go on longer. It's good news."

Read full story

Saturday, April 19, 2008

CHRISTIAN CULLEN, SOUTHERN CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS STANDARDBRED SIRE TO TAKE ON THE WORLD...

FIRST PUBLISHED AT QASSIA:

He's the sire of all sires in the southern hemisphere, now Christian Cullen is taking on the world.

Owner Ian Dobson will shuttle the champion standard bred champion to the United States in an attempt to prove he is the best sire in the world - a big task, perhaps, but not beyond him.

The all conquering sire will be flown to Kentucky in February after the upcoming breeding season here in NZ, becoming the first New Zealand or Australian bred stallion to go to North America for stud duties. He has made his decision after years of pressure from leading US studs.

Christian Cullen will be restricted to a book of about 125 mares and Dobson's marketing manager, Noel Kennard, said his stud fee would be near the top of the market, at $10,000.

Dobson wants to put the horse on an international pedestal.

Christian Cullen has set record after record in New Zealand and Australia and the media has called him a super-sire. Perhaps the best in the world - and now gets the chance to prove it.

There is a clause in the contract that if Christian Cullen's southern breeding season is in any way at risk he will stop serving mares up there in North America, and be brought straight home and not return the following season.

As well as a champion sire, Christian Cullen was one of New Zealand's greatest harness horses, a pacing champion.

In four seasons he wowed Australasian racing fans with his racetrack presence, winning 22 of 31 starts, and $1.25 million in stakes. In 1998-99, as a four year old, he was unbeaten in 12 starts,including a 20 metre, 1:54.4 demolition of his rivals in the Miracle Mile.

He was named 1998 Horse of the Year, and retired with 14 group one and group two scalps, including the prestigious New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup, both over 3200 metres.

He has stood at stud for eight seasons and earned $46,000 in the first and a record $25,000 during the latest.

His progeny have collectively won all of New Zealand's most prestigious races.

His yearlings $89,000 averaged last February at the national sales.

Your Qassia link

Friday, April 11, 2008

KIWI RIVERMAN

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

THE WAHINE DISASTER - WELLINGTON'S WORST EVER RECORDED STORM AND MARITIME TRAGEDY - LOSS OF 53 LIVES when CYCLONE GISELLE collided with massive southerly STORM FROM HELL on April 10 1968...

First published at Qassia:

On April 10 1968, the inter-island ferry from Lyttleton capsized on the rocks off Barrets Reef in Wellington Harbour during Wellington's worst recorded storm, with an eventual loss of 53 lives. It was one of New Zealand's worst ever tragedies.

The Wahine was less than two years old, having been built and delivered from Scotland. She was on her Lyttleton(Christchurch, South Island) to Wellington overnight run. Her cargo was mostly cars, 600 passengers and a crew of 125.

On this voyage to Wellington there was no idea of what lay ahead. The skies were a little overcast, the sea choppy but not rough, and there was even some mention of a Cyclone Giselle in the region.

But during the night things began to change for the worst: The seas began to build as the southerly winds increased. As she approached Wellington Harbour she met gale force winds and huge waves; she was pounded with her props coming out of the water.

When she approached Pencarrow at the Wellington Heads at 6-10 am, the winds were raging at 160km or 100 mph, visibility was extremely poor with the spray and sleat, and the high seas continued to buffet the ship. A sudden wave hit the Wahine and tore her apart and sent her careeing towards the rocks on Barrets Reef. The captain and crew fought valiantly to control the vessel. The captain then made the decision to try and leave Wellington Harbour and see out the storm in Cook Strait - but by then it was too late!

At 6-40am the Wahine hit the jagged rocks on Barrets Reef. She would eventually capsize. For the next few hours she drifted, with those shrieking winds and mountainous seas destroying her.

At 11am the tug Tapuhi managed to get lines to her, but they snapped like pieces of string. The Wahine was doomed and the captain and crew concentrated on abandoning ship and getting passengers off the Wahine. Four lifeboats full of passengers were launched, and many lifebuoys were thrown into the sea for struggling passengers, and they were followed by the crew.

The rest is history: People came ashore at nearby Seatoun Beach and over the other side of the harbour at Eastbourne over a period of many hours. Police and rescuers pulled them out of the water, many badly injured and some dead. Many a sad story has been written about them, and many more will follow.

The Wahine would lay in shallow waters by Barrets Reef for many months until it was cut up and sunk. The WORST STORM FROM HELL in Wellington's recorded history had taken a HEAVY AND DEADLY toll.

Read here

Sunday, April 06, 2008

NEW ZEALAND SIGNS FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA TODAY - AUSTRALIA NEXT?

The free trade deal with China has been signed in Beijing today; It's estimated to be worth $300 million to NZ.

New Zealand has scored a significant coup in China, becoming the first western nation to sign a free trade deal with the world's fastest growing economy.

Prime Minister Helen Clark says the deal is much more comprehensive than anticipated when negotiations began three years ago.

The FTA comes into force in October and will conservatively be worth around $300 million to New Zealand and just $90 million to the Chinese.

It covers everything from agriculture to services, like tourism, education, construction and transport where New Zealand will compete on a level playing field. Free trade will be phased in over the next 12 years.

The Chinese Premier has without explanation pulled out of a scheduled news conference with Miss Clark. However it is expected he does not want to face questions on Tibet.

Miss Clark believes the deal with China will be used by other countries as an example of how far the Chinese are prepared to go.

"The Chinese have negotiated hard, as we have, but I think they will be seeing this as a template - they want a deal with other western economies. So this agreement has to be high quality, it has to be comprehensive and it has to be balanced."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is due to arrive in Beijing in a few days when trade deals are expected to be on the table. Next to sign?

My Qassia Link

Saturday, April 05, 2008

DITA VON TEESE'S PORN PAST MIGHT BE CATCHING UP WITH HER - ITS HER OWN BAGGAGE...

Dita Von Teese starred in a pornographic lesbian film before achieving worldwide fame as a burlesque dance.

Dita Von Teese starred in a pornographic lesbian film, it has been claimed.

The burlesque performer is spanked and pleasured with a bizarre sex toy by her female co-star in the kinky adult movie - shot before she rose to fame - which has now been released on the internet.

In another clip, the 35-year-old beauty is shown romping with two attractive women wearing corsets, according to reports on website www.thesun.co.uk.( other stories here too!)

Dita has previously admitted to being a fan of pornography, saying: "Amateur pornography is a great thing. You can find anything for everyone on the internet. People love watching other people having sex. I'm no different."

Meanwhile, Dita has revealed the best thing about her divorce from goth rocker Marilyn Manson is living in a drug-free environment.

Dita, who legally separated from Manson last year, said: "There's a long list of things. But most of all I am happy to have the drugs out of my life."

Dita also revealed she had her engagement ring "transformed" following the split.

She added to The New York Times magazine: "I took my engagement diamond and had it transformed at Christian Dior in Paris into a beautiful ring. It's nice - it's big. I feel like I suffered greatly for that diamond, and it needed to be reborn into something better."

My Party Here

Saturday, March 29, 2008

THOSE HEROES THAT SHED THEIR BLOOD AND LOST THEIR LIVES...YOU ARE NOW LYING IN THE SOUL OF A FRIENDLY COUNTRY, THEREFORE REST IN PEACE.

First published at Qassia:

And, most important are the words for all soldiers who gave their lives for this land. These words were spoken to our enemies by Ataturk, group commander of Anafartalar and the founder of Modern Turkey.

" Those heroes that shed their blood and
lost their lives... You are now lying in
the soul of a friendly country, therefore
rest in peace. There is no differences between
the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they
lie side by side here in this country of ours...
You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away
countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now
lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having
lost their lives on this land they have become
our sons as well."
ATATURK, (1934).

In recent times Turkey and Anzacs(Australian and New Zealand Army Corps)and nationals have become friends, respecting the sacrifices of their young men, dating from the original ANZAC Day,April 25 1917.

We will remember them!

Anzac Day is commemorated on April 25 every year. It is a day of remembrance for both Australian and New Zealanders. It is a public holiday in both countres. In New Zealand, it is also regarded as a religious commemoration with dawn parades and memorial services during the morning.

Returned services veterans gather at Returned Services Association clubs during the afternoon and evening. Many sporting fixtures and horse racing meetings are also held during the afternoon. It is similar in Australia with their returned services members meeting at their RSL's - Returned Services Leagues.

Monday, March 24, 2008

THE RETURN OF THE GRIM REAPER OF NEW ZEALAND POLITICS - ROGER DOUGLAS - ACT TWO..

Sir Roger Douglas returns to haunt the nation in general, and the National Party in particular.

Dompost columnist Richard Long, part of the National Party's propaganda team during the illfated Don Brash-led National Party election campaign in 2005, was so nostalgic about the Rogernomics policies that weren't - 23% flat tax and over 300,000 Kiwis unemployed if David Lange didn't stop for that cuppa!

Without exaggeration we would have had a private health scheme - with a standard of health care dependant on how much private health insurance you could afford and charity hospitals for those with nothing, and ditto for education.

The one great and marvellous thing about the return of the 'grim reaper is that National would need the Act party as a coalition partner under MMP, despite the ridiculouslsy high polls for National in recent months, despite the utterances of John Key to the contary.

There will be demands by the white-haired New Right Marketeer for a seat at the Cabinet table, and policies such as privatisation of all remaining state assets, 15% tax, education vouchers and private health insurance for all! I presume the police and defence force will be privatised too - constables and privates purchasing their own equipment, perhaps?

Thursday, March 06, 2008

TUATARA DNA - SO QUICK TO EVOLVE - FOUND ONLY IN NEW ZEALAND...

Tuatara DNA - so quick to evolve - found only in New Zealand...

Published first On Qassia:

Tuatara are only found in New Zealand. They are apparently very slow growing and reproducing, and have a sluggish metabolism. They are an ancient form of lizard and the oldest living form of wildlife in New Zealand. Tuatara have often been called 'living dinosaurs' and have largely not changed physically over extremely long aeons of evolution going back millions of years.

But they have reportedly broken records for DNA evolution, something that has astonished New Zealand scientists. An analysis of their bones has shown their DNA has evolved faster than any other animal species yet studied.

An evolutionary biologist, Professor David Lambert, at the Massey University based team from the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, established through study of tuatara DNA that the reptiles have evolved very quickly.

Professor Lambert said recently it had been expected that the tuatara, which did everything else slowly, would therefore evolve slowly too, but the new DNA research questioned such ideas.

Scientists had recovered DNA sequences from the bones of tuatara up to 8750 years old and compared them to modern tuatara blood samples, to establish the speed of the DNA changes in the species.

There will undoubtably be more up to date information released in the near future, which is of great interest to the writer.

Tuatara are not only the oldest living species in NZ, but would rank with some of the oldest in the world.

Tuatara Site

Monday, March 03, 2008

HOW WAS I GOING TO PAY THE BILLS...HEY I'M RICH BROTHER!

How was I going to pay the bills... hey I'm rich!

I woke up this morning and thought about how wealthy I am; hey I'm actually as poor as a church mouse! Well, lets see how much there is in my wallet. I opened it and was nearly hit in the eye by a cloud of moths; I obviously hadn't been in there for a while because those moths had been settled in by the look of it!

I grabbed my bank statement, found my phone bank and account numbers and rang up. An almost metallic voice uttered, " You have sixty cents only." I slammed the phone down. I looked around at my unopened mail lying on the kitchen table. The power bill: $345 .00; the phone account including my internet, $398.00; my Farmers card account, $378.00. A repair bill for my car, $765.00. There were more envelopes there, but I didn't open them. What was the point?

I was in deep shit; I was broke; how the bloody hell was I going to pay these outstanding accounts? Get another personal loan from the bank? I owe them about five grand already! I could imagine myself going down to the bank and seeing that tightarse Harris, and the likely comments. " Are you serious Mr Hutt? You owe us over $5,000 and you are behind with two months repayments already! "

I looked out at the driveway, where my car should be. It wasn't there! God almighty, they must have repossessed it already. Yeah, I was behind on the payments alright. I went over to the fridge and took out a can of beer. I drank it down in a couple of gulps! It tasted good, and made me feel a little better. I felt even better after the next three cans.

I felt in my pocket and took out a handful of bits of paper. A betting slip for the horses. It wasn't any good, as I expected, A few receipts, load of rubbish really. What was this one, all screwed up? It looked like a Lotto ticket. I'd better check it out, though. Just for the record. I looked around for the Sunday paper and checked the ticket out... I skimmed through quickly... and through again more slowly. And again...I looked at six winning numbers worth a half a million dollars. I had shared first prize with somebody at the other end of the country.

I was rich... I was bloody rich and the bills, the bloody bills were going to be paid, and the prick at the bank, whats his bloody name...Harris, will get his money this week. And I can get my car car back too! Yahoo! I'm rich!

Saturday, March 01, 2008

THE ASHES OF SIR EDMUND HILLARY SCATTERED AT SEA IN NEW ZEALAND AND IN NEPAL...

The ashes of the late Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Mount Everest, were reportedly scattered at sea in his homeland of New Zealand, and at a special ceremony in Nepal where he is a legend bordering on a god.

Sir Ed as he was affectionally known in NZ, received a rare honour of a state funeral, normally reserved for prime ministers who died in office, or former Governor Generals.

Some of Sir Ed's ashes were scattered from the sailing ship SPIRIT OF NEW ZEALAND in the inner Hauraki Gulf in Auckland on Feb 29 2008, while at the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, another ceremony honoured the life and spirit of the legendary mountaineer and adventurer. It was described as a wonderful merging of two different cultures.

Sir Ed's body was cremated after a private family service, after his state funeral was attended by local and foreign dignatories. It was a moving service.

His widow, Lady Hillary, and his only son Peter, also a mountaineer and climber of Mount Everest,along with his surviving daughter,Sarah and other family members, helped to scatter his ashes in the waters of the Hauraki Gulf.

Sir Ed expressed his wish for his ashes to be scattered in his 1999 memoir VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.

The gangplank especially constructed for the ceremony aboard the siling ship, will be named the 'Hillary Step' and kept for the use by disabled trainees.

There is still one chapter to be written in the life and times of Sir Edmund Hillary - just how will a sad and emotionally moved nation honour him in the most appropriate way. The greatest icon and legendary figure outside of our war heroes.

Hillary History

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

STOLEN NEW ZEALAND WAR MEDALS RETURNED - BUT THE INTRIGUE CONTINUES...

Stolen NZ war medals returned - but the intrigue continues...

First published at Qassia:

While the stolen New Zealand war medals have been returned, and we as a society are extremely pleased about that, the intrigue continues.
There are a couple of questions doing the rounds here:

1/ Were the medals stolen knowing that New Zealanders were so irate and upset they would support a reward?

2/ Were criminal ethnic gangs involved in the burglary, or did they become involved once a reward was mentioned?

I'd like to comment on what the New Zealand media claims happened.

A former gang member was granted bail twice as part of a deal for the return of stolen war medals. He was first granted bail on January 18 from Mount Eden prison in Auckland City. He had been on remand on drugs charges.

It was allegedly part of an arrangement made for the return of the 96 war medals, stolen in a raid on the Waiouru Army Museum on December 2 2007.

The man reappeared in court on January 21 on another set of charges, and was bailed again on the same terms.

These revelations come after claims made by a named lawyer who stated he brokered the deal, using his contacts to find who had the medals and spending time getting their trust.

Police neither confirmed or denied what had been said yesterday, or revealed how long the man had been in jail before being bailed.

The man told a Sunday newspaper who will obviously be publishing a story soon,that he did it to be be with his "missus and kids" rather than receiving financial gain.

He said further that he was in prison waiting trial on charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply when he heard about the burglary of the army museum.

Through his contacts, the former gang member who has facial tattoos of the gang's name on his cheeks and its insignia on his forehead, has found out who is responsible. He has recently been linked with a another notorious gang,but claims he's finished with gang culture.

But other gang members had found out that this was an opportunity for monetary gain - after all they are opportunists like any other criminals.

The gang member did his part of the deal gaining the information for the lawyer who had brokered the deal with police and the Crown to get his bail.

Those responsible for the burglary and theft from the army museum have not been named, and the amount of the reward/ ransom also has not been disclosed.

The gang member involved will still face drug charges and could face a prison sentence for those crimes.

Contributor's Note
This is an intriguing story which still has one or two more twists to it before the truth is known.

Monday, February 18, 2008

THE CLANDESTINE NEGOTIATIONS SURROUNDING THE RETURN OF THE STOLEN NEW ZEALAND WAR MEDALS...

First published at Qassia:

The clandestine negotiations surrounding the return of the stolen NZ war medals...
While the missing war New Zealand war medals have been returned, what was paid to an unknown person or persons, was not a reward, but in reality a ransom.

The alleged NZ$300.000 put up as a reward has been paid into a bank account by the lawyer who conducted cloak and dagger type negotiations with criminals to get the medals back in one piece.The obvious risk was the thieves would destroy them if they felt the situation was getting too hot for them.

The lawyer has said he knew who was responsible for the burglary and theft of the medals within one week of the break-in at the Waiouru Army Camp Museum.

Using contacts within Auckland's maximum security prison at Paremoremo and Mount Eden Prison, the former policemen-cum - defence lawyer tracked down those who were involved within weeks of the theft. They were edgy and prone to mood swings, according to the lawyer, and at times disappeared into the criminal woodwork. It apparently took some time to build up their trust.

It was a prolonged process in which he alternated between meetings with the thieves and the police, all outside his business office hours. He doesn't know how many hours he was involved in the negotiating process - it just consumed him.

Days before the NZ$300,000 reward was offered, he arranged for the return of a set of medals, which included a George Cross, to be returned as a sign of good faith.

The lawyer said the reward was extremely helpful, but he always believed the medals would be returned without the reward. An amount of money has been paid, but not stated.

While he had kept things quiet, and would keep the thieves identity secret, he refused to supply any legal advice on how they should avoid detection.

After much negotiation and talking, the medals were returned by a third party last week. The lawyer claimed to have not had any personal benefit from the negotiations. It was now up to the police to make any future decisions, and for the NZ Army to ensure better security regarding those and other medals and valuables in the Army Museum.