Wild Kiwifruit should be eradicated in NZ...

Image via WikipediaForest and Bird is calling for the eradication of wild kiwifruit vines in Bay of Plenty following an outbreak of the devastating PSA disease.

Thirteen Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards have been confirmed with the bacteria PSA, with 16 orchards quarantined
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Forest and Bird Kaimai Mamaku Campaign chairman Peter Maddison said wild kiwifruit vines could harbour the bacteria and should be destroyed.

"Now is an ideal opportunity to eradicate these vines and reinstate the areas as native wildlife corridors," he said.

"We recognise that the wilding kiwifruit are mainly the green variety, rather than the initially infected gold variety, but we believe the wild vines could still act as reservoirs for re-infestation of kiwifruit orchards."
Dr Maddison said other species of the kiwifruit family should also be checked for signs of PSA.

Acknowledgements: - NZPA

Related articles

• New Zealand aims to contain kiwifruit disease (reuters.com)
• Second kiwifruit orchard quarantined (nzherald.co.nz)
• New Zealand Quarantines Second Kiwifruit Vineyard (businessweek.com)
• Kiwifruit Disease Spreads as 20 N.Z. Orchards Put Under Scrutiny (businessweek.com)
• Funding cuts to blame for kiwifruit disease (nzherald.co.nz)

Bay of Plenty school principal's head kicked like a rugby ball outside bar...

Image via Wikipedia

An eyewitness to an attack on Bay of Plenty school principal and Environment Bay of Plenty councillor Hawea Vercoe, says his head was kicked like a rugby ball.



The 36-year-old Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti principal died after allegedly being assaulted outside a Whakatane bar last November.



Opotiki 21-year-old Isaiah Johnson Richard Tai has been charged with murder and has appeared for a depositions hearing.



One witness, Sarah Barlow, said she saw Mr Vercoe and Tai arguing outside the bar, the Daily Post reported.



Moments later she watched a man, identified by other witnesses as Tai, run and punch Mr Vercoe in the head, and while he was on the ground unconscious, kick him in the head.



"It was a huge kick, like someone taking a penalty kick in rugby," she said.



Ms Barlow said she put Mr Vercoe in the recovery position, but he was unresponsive.



Another witness to the alleged attack, Jemma Ellis, said she asked Tai why he had attacked Mr Vercoe, and he replied: "He deserved it".



Tai was due to appear in the High Court at Rotorua on April 15 for a trial date to be set. He has entered no plea.



Acknowledgements: - NZPA