An Island Paradise for Sale: Pakatoa island

An Island Paradise for Sale

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Pakatoa Island

The nearest I got to a des-res was a day trip to Pakatoa island with my university flat mates, I, L and LG, in the late 1970s. We were among the rich and the not so rich but masquerading to be rich to get away from it all. We went in their private boat, swam in the swimming pool, drank from their bar and ate in the licensed restaurant. We watched people playing golf and tennis, and wished we were not day trippers but campers in their chalets.

Then in the 1980s, I worked for the Kerridge Odeon Corporation founded by the movie mongul Kerridge family who owned this island and paid their accounts. I rubbed shoulders with the captain of their private boat Kotuku. I didn’t get to go to the island but worked from their city office at 246 Queen Street building, and liaised on the phone with the managers of the resort and their store.

Companies sent their staff for conferences to what was a time for play rather than for work. Their most famous employees must be Russell Crowe. He was seventeen when he became the entertainments officer for Pakatoa Island Resort. He laughs when reminded of that time. "Yeah, it was lovely living on an island but I got sick of organizing Bingo tournaments.”

Alas, the corporation no longer belongs to the Kerridge family and Pakatoa Island was up for sale. A German con artist caused quite a stir in the late 1990s. Ralf Simon offered to buy the island with no money in his pocket or bank account. He was subsequently deported.

Now, the island is for sale for a mere $40 million dollars. It is approximately sixty acres and is only 45 kilometers from Auckland city. The weather is mild, and you can arrive in Auckland by air or by sea.

***Kotuku in Maori is a white bird, egret. By coincidence, my room where I teach ESOL is the Kotuku room***

Auckland 175th anniversary Day

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11391715

Auckland's anniversary is not the city's alone, it commemorates the colonial province that spanned the upper North Island from a line drawn through Lake Taupo. Every city and district north of the line is having a holiday today for a reason perhaps even less evident to their residents than it is to Aucklanders.
Nothing especially significant happened at Auckland on the last Monday of January, 1840. The true birth of the settlement was in September that year when emissaries for Governor Hobson reached agreement with the Ngati Whatua of Orakei for the Governor to establish his capital on a wedge of land between Mt Eden and the Waitemata. But the weather is better in January so this was the day later chosen for the provincial holiday.

Make a difference

The Kelly Tarlton bus picks visitors from Downtown.



When I was growing up in my parents' home. I ate almost anything you can imagine. As I grew older, many of those exotic things don't appeal to me any more. Shark fin soup is one. I saw on documentaries, when fishermen hacked off the shark fins and throw them overboard, sharks are unable to swim and they drown.

I have been teaching Under the sea with my juniors, and we made up a story that sharkie could be friends with a Tangiwha aka a sea monster.

Call to boycott 'cruel' soup
By Conor Whitten


New Zealand Forest and Bird is urging diners to boycott a popular Chinese delicacy amid concerns over inhumane fishing practices.

Shark-fin soup is a symbol of wealth and prestige in Chinese culture, selling for as much as $300 a serve in some local restaurants.

But Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said targeting sharks for their fins was a "barbaric practice".

Sharks in New Zealand waters can be finned as long as they are dead, but Mr Hackwell said there was plenty of evidence that live finning took place.

"We know it's going on. We've been asking the Government for quite a while to do something."

While the Government was set to review shark fishing regulations in 2013, the public could do something now by avoiding restaurants that had shark fin on the menu.

"People have power as consumers. We're the ones who buy the products," said Mr Hackwell.

Shark-finning is illegal in many countries including Britain, the United States and Australia.

The fins are the most valuable part of the animal. After they're removed, the shark is often thrown overboard.

Aucklander James Lawson saw a group walk out of the popular Grand Harbour Restaurant after a confrontation over the presence of shark fin on the menu. Attempts to get comment from the Viaduct eatery yesterday were unsuccessful.

"Finning is prohibited in Australia, the USA, the EU, but not here," said Mr Lawson. "This is abhorrent. Is this what we do in New Zealand?"

Another Auckland restaurant that sells the soup is Crystal Harbour. Its manager, Carlton Sui, said complaints were uncommon.

"I think it's just a real minority of people," said Mr Sui.

Shark populations are rapidly declining worldwide on the back of the $1 billion fin industry and as a "by-catch" of targeting other fish.

A Department of Conservation source said New Zealand tuna fishermen caught up to two and a half times as many sharks as tuna.

Greenpeace marine biologist Karli Thomas said: "A lot of these sharks are being taken in fisheries targeting tuna, but the value of the shark fins means they're a kind of target in themselves."


http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

write-up in German

http://www.deutsch-linien.de/ann_kit_suet_chin-chan

Ann Kit Suet Chin-Chan

Ann Kit Suet Chin-Chan ist eine malaysische Schriftsteller, die in geboren wurde Sibu .
Sie schrieb die folgenden Bücher:

• Tagebuch eines Hinterbliebenen Mutter: Good bye my baby - Veröffentlicht 2011 in Neuseeland
• Von China nach Borneo zu Beyond - Veröffentlicht 2013 in Neuseeland
• Mail Order Bride - Veröffentlicht 2013 in Neuseeland

Referenzen

Tagebuch eines trauernde Mutter, auf Wiedersehen mein Baby 丧 儿 记: 丧失 儿子 的 母亲 的 一 本 传记
Ein Hinter Mama schreibt Kolleginnen trauernden Eltern und andere zu trösten, um ein Verständnis für diejenigen, die Verluste erlitten haben, zu geben. Genre Selbsthilfe, Trauer, Tod und Sterben, Tod des Kindes, das Überleben
Von China bis Borneo Beyond 海外 华人 的 中国 魂: 从 中国, 到 南洋, 到 更远 Dies ist eine Zeitschrift von zwei Familien, die Chans und der Kongs. Er verfolgt den ersten Satz im Jahr 1907 von Kwang Zhou, China in den Dschungel von Borneo. Genre Geschichte ISBN: 978-0-473-23900-8
Mail Order Bride Buch 邮购 新娘 Dieses Buch ist die Verkörperung der dunklen Seite der heutigen Gesellschaft. Auckland Stadt ist wegen ihrer kosmopolitischen Features, sowie die Präsenz von Einwanderern, neue und alte entschieden. Es gibt Bräute aus der ganzen Welt. ISBN: 978-0-473-25414-8

• http://www.brudirect.com/national/national/national-local/8808-sibu-born-author-ann-chin-kit-suet-promotes-books
• http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/words-of-healing/3954293/ ,

http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sekolah_Menengah_Kebangsaan_Methodist,_Sibu* Alumni 1967-1973 ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Soon_Koh http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/10/13/author-chin-makes-cikgu-wong-proud/
Forever In My Heart Ausstellung, die an der Pfau-Kunst-Galerie, Upton Country Park ist vom 31. Januar bis 4. Februar 2013.
http://www.foreverinmyheartexhibition.com/134494020?i=64857969
Judy Lancaster-Bowen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk9w-uywAs&feature=youtu.be Es ist OK zu weinen

Externe Links

• Blog: http://annkitsuetchin.blogspot.co.nz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ann.chin.140

Keywords: Ann Kit Suet Chin-Chan, 

Kit Chan Suet Ann Chin is a Malaysian writer who was born in Sibu.

She wrote the following books :

    Diary of a bereaved mother: Good bye my baby - Published 2011 in New Zealand
    From China to Borneo to Beyond - Released in 2013 New Zealand
    Mail Order Bride - Released in 2013 New Zealand


credentials

Diary of a bereaved mother , goodbye my baby丧 儿 记:丧失 儿子 的 母亲 的 一 本 传记

A background Mama writes fellow bereaved parents and others to comfort , to give an understanding of those who have suffered loss . Self-help genre , grief , death and dying, death of the child survival

From China to Borneo Beyond海外 华人 的 中国 魂:从 中国,到 南洋,到 更远This is a journal of two families , the Chans and the Kongs . He follows the first set in 1907 by Kwang Zhou, China in the jungles of Borneo. Genre History ISBN: 978-0-473-23900-8

Mail Order Bride Guide邮购 新娘This book is the embodiment of the dark side of today's society . Auckland City because of its cosmopolitan features , as well as the presence of immigrants , new and old decided . There are brides from all over the world. ISBN: 978-0-473-25414-8

    http://www.brudirect.com/national/national/national-local/8808-sibu-born-author-ann-chin-kit-suet-promotes-books
    http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/living/news/words-of-healing/3954293/ ,

http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sekolah_Menengah_Kebangsaan_Methodist,_Sibu* Alumni 1967-1973 ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Soon_Koh http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/10/13/author-chin-makes -cikgu - wong -proud /

Forever In My Heart exhibition, which is on the Peacock Art Gallery , Upton Country Park from January 31 to February 4 -2013.

http://www.foreverinmyheartexhibition.com/134494020?i=64857969

Judy Lancaster Bowen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk9w-uywAs&feature=youtu.be It's OK to cry

external Links

Bethells drowning

 

Bethells Beach body identified as missing swimmer

4:32 PM Wednesday Jan 21, 2015

Police have confirmed that the body found on Bethells Beach on Monday is that of missing swimmer Johnny Perese Faitaua.
Faitaua, 23, was swept under waves at O'Neill Bay on Thursday afternoon while swimming with his girlfriend.
At around 11.40am Monday morning officers on board the police Eagle Helicopter saw a body in the water, just off the Bethells and O'Neills Beach peninsula.
The body was retrieved and has now been identified.
Police, including Pacific Liaison staff and Victim Support are supporting the Faitaua family.
Mr Faitaua's death will now be referred to the Coroner.

- The Aucklander

In my book, Finau drowned while fishing. 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11381321

Race tension over Uretiti Beach crab hunting

By staff reporters

1:35 PM Sunday Jan 4, 2015

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Don't take law into own hands, say police

LEFTOVERS: Pig heads and chicken carcasses are used as bait to attract crabs at Uretiti.

Anti-Asian sentiment is bubbling under the social media surface after pigs heads and chicken carcasses were left littering a beach where a crab hunter drowned on Christmas Day.
Website and Facebook comments have sent a strong message to hordes of Aucklanders of Asian descent heading to Uretiti Beach to gather paddle crabs - you are welcome, but take your rubbish home with you.
The tone of some messages is stronger, with references to the visitors being unwelcome at "our beach" and threats to "not hold back" if visitors were found with rubbish.
Police are warning people not to take matters into their own hands, after sentiment escalated following the discovery of a pig's head and numerous chicken frames that had been used as crab bait.
Paddle crabbing at Uretiti hit the headlines again these holidays after an Auckland man of Chinese descent drowned while paddle crabbing on the beach on Christmas Day.
Twenty other crab fishers also had to be rescued. The dead man was the second Chinese person to drown on Christmas Day at Uretiti Beach while catching paddle crabs in recent years. Hui Jin, 47, a cafe owner, drowned there on December 25, 2011.
But as well as the physical danger to people catching crabs on the beach, some of the fishers have also been leaving behind large amounts of dead animals on the beach, much of which is then washed into the sea, attracting sharks and also washing up on nearby Ruakaka Beach.
The mess has had residents up in arms, with the Ruakaka Beach Facebook page publicising the mess and garnering plenty of critical comments from upset Northlanders, with some threatening to physically confront anybody they catch dumping rubbish.
Senior Sergeant Rob Huys, at the Northland Police District Command Centre, said police had not received any complaints about activity on Uretiti Beach, but he warned anybody concerned about the situation not to take matters into their own hands.
"People should not attempt to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the situation," Mr Huys said.
"If they have any concerns they should ring their local police station and we will assess things and deal with it appropriately. The last thing we want is for something that's relatively minor, escalating into something more serious that could lead to negative outcomes for everybody."
Posts on the Ruakaka Beach Facebook page said the community welcomed visitors, but dumping animal carcasses on the beach was not on.
The posts did not condone violence, but said the situation was a concern. As well as being disgusting it was also potentially dangerous.
Ministry of Primary Industries Northland district compliance manager Steve Rudsdale said the daily limit for paddle crabs was 50, and there was no size limit.
Mr Rudsdale said honorary fisheries officers kept a close eye on the paddle crabbers and none had been found to have taken more than their daily limit.
He said some of the fishers were spoken to a couple of years ago about not leaving rubbish on the beach and the problem seemed to improve.
* Any suspicious activity in the marine environment can be reported to 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224).