Stress forces out Grey Power head

Colin Murray has resigned after a turbulent four months as president of Marlborough Grey Power.

Mr Murray said yesterday he handed in his letter of resignation a few days after a Grey Power meeting in Motueka on October 3 and 4, but members had not yet been sent official notice of this.

Mr Murray's resignation leaves the organisation without a leader as Maureen Bennett quit as vice-president in August because of the in-fighting on the regional executive committee.

Marlborough Grey Power will hold an extraordinary general meeting at 4.30pm on November 18 at the St Mary's Parish centre to elect a new president and more committee members.

Mrs Bennett said the committee was sounding out people about the available positions. "Hopefully there will be two or three [people] to put their hands up," she said.

A month after he became president of Marlborough Grey Power in June, Mr Murray was challenged by committee members. They accused him of being too political, while some members said they were concerned about some of his public comments.

Mrs Bennett called a vote of no confidence at an emergency meeting, but the meeting was never organised because Mr Murray would not accept the request.

Speaking to The Marlborough Express yesterday for the first time in several months, he said the decision to step down was based on the stress on his family.

"When a volunteer service impacts badly on family and family life, then it's time to give up volunteer service," he said.

He planned to remain a member of Grey Power, but said he was unhappy about its structure.

"The federation is not really democratic. It's not fairly representative of the people because the voting is weighted in favour of the smaller associations," he said.

"Smaller associations receive the same number of votes as the larger associations such as Nelson, which made it easy for the smaller factions to outvote the bigger ones. For this reason [Grey Power] will always struggle with governance."

Mr Murray was the only person nominated as president in June when Jean Wilson retired after two years in the position.

"They [Grey Power] were short of a leader so I stepped in. It's an experience I won't want to repeat."

He had not taken much attention of the executive committee before becoming president and would not pay much heed now, he said.

Mrs Bennett said Mr Murray had spoken to a few members about his resignation before giving the letter to committee secretary Jewel Perfect. Neither Mrs Perfect nor treasurer Dennis Paget would comment yesterday on Mr Murray's resignation.

The Express understands it is several months since the committee has had an official meeting because it has been unable to get enough elected members together for a quorum. The latest of those failed meetings was yesterday morning.

SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 29/10/2010

Warning for whitebaiters

Two people are being investigated by the Department of Conservation for allegedly breaching whitebait fishing regulations in Marlborough.

DOC communications adviser Trish Grant said one person was suspected of fishing with two nets instead of one, and another was believed to have started whitebaiting before the permitted 6am start time.

The whitebaiters' nets were confiscated and further action could be taken, Ms Grant said.

DOC South Marlborough community relations manager Colin Davis said whitebait had been running well in the past 10 days or so, with some "significant catches" being reported this week. That seemed to have led to some rule-breaking, he said.

"There's a lot of people out there really enjoying themselves, and a lot of people enjoying the opportunity to catch a feed for the family, but sadly there's people out there that are trying to beat the system."

Conditions on the river this year were far better than last year, he said.

Most whitebaiters spoken to by The Marlborough Express at the Wairau Diversion yesterday said they did not know of anyone breaking the rules, but said those who did were greedy and were not playing fair.

Shane Middlemiss, of Blenheim, said he had seen a few people with two nets, and saw DOC workers checking nets at the Diversion over Labour Weekend.

Mr Davis said DOC staff would continue to monitor Marlborough's popular whitebaiting spots to make sure everyone was sticking to the rules. "It's only a minority that will try to beat the system. However, any infringements will not be tolerated."

People who break whitebaiting regulations face fines of up to $5000. The whitebait season ends on November 30.

SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 29/10/2010

Shots fired close to camp

A Department of Conservation worker from Wellington, who was camping with his young family at a campsite in Canvastown at the weekend, was woken by a group of spotlighting hunters firing a shotgun near his tent.

DOC Sounds area manager Roy Grose said the department received a complaint from a family with two young children staying at the Butchers Flat campsite on Wakamarina Rd.

It happened the same weekend as teacher Rosemary Ives, 25, was shot dead by a hunter near Turangi while brushing her teeth at a campsite.

Mr Grose said the family at Canvastown were woken about 1.30am on Saturday by a gunshot not far from their campsite.

A vehicle drove into the camp and one of the people in it apologised, before it drove on and another 23 shots were fired from a 12-gauge shotgun, Mr Grose said.

Other people were also camped in the area at the time.

Mr Grose did not know what the hunters were shooting at, but said their actions were illegal, "downright dangerous and inconsiderate".

DOC received reports of spotlight shooting from time to time and he said spotlighting was becoming a problem.

"They seem to think they can do it wherever they like," he said.

Senior Constable Maurice Horne, of Havelock, said the shot was fired about 150 metres from the family.

Police had not been given a description of the car or number plate but were still making inquiries, he said.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson said the Marlborough incident was one of three involving spotlighting hunters shooting near other people at the weekend. The third incident was in the Wairarapa, where no-one was hurt.

Meanwhile, the father of the teacher shot dead by a hunter says the calls he has received have made him proud but sorry his daughter will no longer be able to share her unique personality with others.

Rosemary Ives was be farewelled on Rabbit Island, Nelson, today after she was shot by a hunter while brushing her teeth on a tramping trip near Turangi.

Malcolm Ives said yesterday the greatest tragedy was that his daughter could no longer share her kindness and passion with her students.

"Her feelings for the environment are matched perfectly with a similar feel for humanity and love for one another and care and concern and compassion for family in particular and, of course, she had a passion for her students.

SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 28/10/2010

Patience pays off for two couples

Friendships were formed on the cold, hard concrete of Market St as two couples waited out a sleepless night to buy early Christmas presents and engagement rings from Michael Hill Jewellers.

Two couples, Sarai Pedziwiatr, 18, and Wiremu Panapa, 17, and Charlene Hill and Bob Matthews, were in line for the pre-Christmas Crazy Day sale at Michael Hill Jewellers, which is selling rings for as low as one dollar.

The four, who had never met before, spent the night talking and playing games together and even made a pact not to buy the rings they each picked out.

Wiremu wanted to buy a ring for his mum who had been going through a hard time lately and also wanted to buy Christmas presents for his family.

Mr Panapa and Miss Pedziwiatr waited outside the store from 2am after finishing work, and found themselves first in line.

Unbeknown to them, however, the pair had taken the place of another couple who had gone to buy dinner.

Miss Hill and Mr Matthews, who have been together for 5 1/2 years, arrived outside the store about 9pm, because Mr Matthews wanted to buy an engagement ring for Miss Hill.

Throughout the night there was plenty to keep the group interested, including a drunk man pole dancing, a four-wheel-drive speeding down Market St and a newspaper delivery truck misjudging a turn and hitting a lamp post.

Miss Hill said the10 people behind them began lining up at 6am.

As the doors opened just after 9am the four got the chance to enter the store one at a time to buy the jewellery they waited an entire night for.

SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:13 28/10/2010

Burgling his mum spells jail for teen

A Blenheim teenager was sent to prison after admitting a spate of burglaries committed while on cannabis and drunk, which included stealing a Commonwealth Games medal from his mother's house.

Leighton Thomas Waite, 17, was sentenced to 13 months' jail on six charges of burglary, two of receiving stolen property, breaching supervision, breaching community work, failing to answer bail and possession of cannabis. He appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday. Judge Denys Barry said the crime spree happened between January and September, and Waite lived off the proceeds of his crimes.

The items stolen included four chainsaws, spray paint, a motorcycle, a digital camera, laptops and a silver Commonwealth Games medal from his mother's house.

Some of the items were exchanged for drugs or cash, Judge Barry said.

He said home detention was not an option because Waite had "burned his bridges" by burgling his mother's house.

"You not only tortured your mother by your crime but have also driven yourself behind bars, leaving those who care for you with a legacy of guilt," he said. "The reality is you have brought this on yourself despite the best efforts of those around you."

Defence counsel Philip Watson said Waite was on a "cannabis and alcohol bender" and stole to survive.

Waite had nowhere to go and no address that could be considered for home detention, he said.

Judge Barry said the aggravating factors were the repetition of the offending, the duration, the loss caused to victims and the intrusion on property.

Waite was also sentenced to one month imprisonment concurrent for receiving.

He was convicted and discharged on the other charges.

He was also ordered to undergo alcohol and drug treatment.

The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:13 28/10/2010

Mother in drug ring spared jail

A Blenheim mother has been sentenced to home detention for supplying ingredients for the manufacture of methamphetamine.

In Blenheim District Court yesterday, Shagin Celeste Cattermole, 26, a mother of three, was sentenced to five months' home detention on two charges of supplying material to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of cannabis and breach of community work.

Judge Denys Barry said Cattermole twice bought one-litre bottles of iodine from a Blenheim store and gave them to then partner Bevan Kelly, who was manufacturing methamphetamine.

Defence counsel Rob Harrison said iodine was a readily available product and cheap and the offending was unsophisticated.

Cattermole's main focus was her children, one of whom was about to start school and another who was two months old, he said.

Judge Barry said Cattermole had a troubled upbringing and her pre-sentence report "paints a picture where growing up, drug use was normal".

Mr Harrison said despite her upbringing Cattermole had a limited criminal history and had tried to keep her children away from Kelly's drug-using lifestyle and even lived apart from him.

A significant factor when looking at her background was that Cattermole "managed to avoid the pitfalls which plagued her parents", he said.

Judge Barry said Cattermole's role was as a "satellite offender on the periphery of the operation" and gave credit for her early guilty plea and limited history.

The offending was relatively unsophisticated, but was a vital ingredient in manufacture of a drug "that spreads misery amongst the community", he said.

"Despite having three young dependent children you still embarked on this offending which put their futures at risk," he said.

Cattermole was ordered to have alcohol and drug counselling.

The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:13 28/10/2010

Fake gun scared woman

A Blenheim man who aimed a fake pistol at a woman caused her to go into a state of shock, according to a District Court judge.

Ngatote Samuels, 21, appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday and admitted presenting the plastic pistol to the woman from the back of a ute in Lakings Rd, leading her to believe that it was real. He was sentenced to 90 hours' community work.

Judge Denys Barry said Samuels was riding on the back of the ute with friends on September 25. He pointed the pistol at the woman, whom he did not know, as she was waiting to cross the road.

Defence lawyer Tane Brunt said Samuels inadvertently pointed the pistol at the woman, and was remorseful.

Samuels also admitted two unrelated charges of driving while suspended, and was disqualified for 12 months.

Man and mates stole petrol

A Blenheim man was sentenced to community work for stealing petrol from a rural property when he appeared in court yesterday.

Brendon John Marzola, 20, admitted a burglary charge and was sentenced to 150 hours' community work by Judge Barry.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Frost said Marzola and two associates stole 120 litres of petrol from the Rapaura property on October 25.

Defence lawyer Philip Watson said all the petrol had since been recovered.

No plea to charge

A Picton woman entered no plea to an indictable charge of assisting a man to avoid arrest when she appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday.

Stacy Frances Field, 33, unemployed, was remanded on bail to reappear on November 8.

Drink-drivers

Drink-drivers in the Blenheim District Court yesterday:

John Gregory Robinson, 49, maintenance worker, Blenheim, eba 511mcg, $550 fine, six months' disqualification.

Karina Tiara Darleen Skipper, 20, administrator, Blenheim, eba 721mcg, 70 hours' community work, six months' disqualification.

The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:50 27/10/2010