#746 ... Promotion

Sean and Leah doing some promotion for Telecom as the new sponsors of the All Blacks ... this sort of work is a nice little earner for students .. they were obviously enjoying the day .. and were happy to ensure that I had sent in my cellphone number for a chance to win a trip to Marseille ... YEAH RIGHT

#745 ... Big Wednesday

The television news cameraman filming the action as punters line up to get their Big Wednesday Lotto ticket ... NZ$25 million up for grabs ... but no one won .. so it jackpots to a must win draw for next Wednesday

Article on Problem Gambling
The Problem Gambling Foundation wants the size of lottery jackpots reviewed, saying winning is an impossible dream and they are a cruel hoax. It comes as punters queue in the hopes of netting a record Big Wednesday jackpot worth more than $25 million tonight. But the people who deal with the fall-out from what they call "an impossible dream" want the jackpots kept to a level below that at which excitement reaches fever pitch.

Chief executive Graeme Ramsey wants the current $30 million cap cut to $12.5 million. He says surely that is enough money for anyone in this country - and over that amount people get lured into spending more than they can afford on tickets. Sales can more than double during very large jackpots and some of the foundation's clients have spent hundreds on tickets after getting caught up in the hype.

Communications director David Coom adds record jackpots are an insidious way of sucking people into gambling who can barely afford it. He says it creates a culture of envy and greed at a time when many people are vulnerable due to the economic recession. The Problem Gambling Foundation is also calling on the Government to review the selling of Lotto tickets online, and for greater transparency of the chances of winning. Victoria University anthropologist Peter Howland says people are more likely to die in an plane crash than win Big Wednesday tonight. He says the odds of hitting the jackpot tonight are a dismal one in 38 million, making it a near certainty that if you buy a ticket, you will lose.

"Those odds are so astronomical they're outside of everybody's everyday experience . . . outside of everybody's ability to comprehend." Dr Howland says despite the unlikely odds, two million tickets were sold for Bid Wednesday last week alone.

#744 ... College Creativity

These images are from the Cultural Extravaganza last night at the Wellington Town Hall ... put on by some amazing talent from Wellington Girls College and the boys from Wellington College. The event included Kapa Haka, choirs, orchestra, Tamo o le Pasifika, Poly Club, Hip Hop, emerge Dance crew, Big Band and a re-run of the two Stage Challenge performances ... awesome and entertaining talent

#743 ... Super Subway

This group were having their lunch break from their training course .... looks like the favourite choice was Subway fresh filled rolls ... Midland Park

#742 ... Top & Bottom Sale

It is always interesting to see how the "window dressers" create the eye catching promos to make us buy ... this one is simplicity at the Bendon store on lambton Quay

#741 ... Vision

Getting ready for a fund raising event at the Civic Square .. for World Vision. These Wellington Girls' College students are continuing an event started by my duaghter's good friend Isabella Gawith in 2005,in support of World Vision. The girls take part in a morning of netball with various Wellington personalities and students from other schools ... with sausage sizzles, food and goodies ... With quirky colouful team uniforms, maybe this is also the training ground for the city guardians who keep our roads repaired. In the background is the City Gallery ... and you can also see the barbecue being set up. The netball court was marked out with tape on the brick courtyard of the Civic Square ... well done girls.

#740 ... Misty

A windless misty morning for Saturday ... an awesome magic beginning that unfortunately turned into grey mush for the rest of the day ... but what a way to start the day ... photo taken at about 8:30am of Evans Bay from Cog park

#739 ... Shadow & Light

Shadow abd light on the facade of the National Library building in Molesworth Street ... Wellington Anglican Cathederal in the background

#738 ... Eureka

Well not quite ... but someone struck water and it was bubbling up through the ground outside the office ...Pipitea Street ... perhaps we would have been much better off if it was the black thick oozy stuff.

#737 ... Tuhoe Treaty Settlement

All the way from Tuhoe country ... Maungapohatu ... to the High Court

The Waitangi Tribunal has rebuffed two groups challenging the mandate of the Tuhoe authority Te Kotahi a Tuhoe and the recently incorporated Tuhoe Establishment Trust in the iwi's treaty settlement. Supporters of Te Umutaoroa, a hapu grouping attempting to withdraw their mandate for Te Kotahi to represent them in treaty settlement negotiations; and Robert Pouwhare and Maaki Hokianga, on behalf of Ngati Haka Patuheuheu, lodged urgent applications with the tribunal.

Tuhoe is due to receive $66 million in July from its share of the $400m "Treelords" deal – the Central North Island Forests Iwi Collective settlement – and was required to establish a trust to receive its forestry assets. The tribunal found neither applicant group had showed how significant and irreversible prejudice would accrue to them from the actions of Te Kotahi or the establishment trust.

It also found there were provisions in the Central North Island forests deed of settlement and the establishment trust to resolve mandating issues within Tuhoe. There was also an alternative remedy in the form of High Court proceedings, taking place yesterday and today in Wellington, in which Te Umutaoroa is challenging the process adopted by Te Kotahi trustees for resolution of the CNI forest land claims, and the establishment trust's mandate and representation.

The tribunal said that additional dispute resolution processes had emerged and it understood Te Umutaoroa, Te Kotahi and the Crown had agreed to participate in them.

"Finally, the applicants have not clearly demonstrated that the Crown has an obligation in this particular circumstance to intervene in what seems to be a matter for Tuhoe to resolve internally."

However, the tribunal found a third application, lodged by Vernon Winitana, showed that Waikaremoana iwi Ngati Ruapani was likely to suffer "significant and irreversible prejudice," should it remain included in the Tuhoe Establishment Trust deed and that it should be removed. The tribunal agreed that Ngati Ruapani was scheduled to begin its own treaty settlement negotiation with the Crown and that any such settlement would value the benefit Ngati Ruapani received from the Central North Island forest settlement through its beneficiary status under the establishment trust. However, this situation ignored that Ngati Ruapani would not have had sufficient influence in the manner in which it might benefit from the forest settlement assets. Citing this, the iwi had last year secured the Crown's approval to withdraw Ngati Ruapani's mandate from Te Kotahi a Tuhoe.

"We recommend that the Crown immediately take all necessary steps to facilitate the withdrawal of Ngati Ruapani from the establishment trust and that the trustees of that trust and Te Kotahi take all necessary steps to co-operate fully with the Crown in that regard."

#736 ... St James' Theatre

This photo was taken on the night of the "STOMP" concert ... and WOW that was a great night

St James Theatre - A Building Ahead of its Time
When His Majesty's Theatre (later to become the St James) was built in 1912, it was the largest vaudeville and picture theatre in Australasia. Its designer, Henry White was an architect/engineer of exceptional skill who was well-known on both sides of the Tasman. Besides the St James, he designed 120 theatres, including the Auckland St James, the Hastings Municipal Theatre (now known as the Hawke's Bay Opera House) and The Plaza in Christchurch.

His Majesty's was the first entirely steel-framed and reinforced concrete theatre in this part of the world and boasted the latest theatrical and mechanical stage appliances. Designed for vaudeville, it was lower and broader than usual, allowing for greater intimacy between actors and audience. Inside, the auditorium was highly ornamental, featuring elaborate cherubs, plaster curlicues and painted and gilded lyres, horns, harps, dancing cupids and masks representing Comedy, Drama and Opera. In the mid 1980s, the St James Theatre, although recognised as one of the country's most valuable treasures, faced the threat of demolition.

The people of Wellington refused to sacrifice the theatre without a battle. The St James Campaign, prompted by photographer Grant Sheehan and led by the late Peter Harcourt, mobilised sufficient support to ensure the preservation of the building. The Wellington City Council formed the St James Theatre Charitable Trust in December 1993, and agreed to provide $10.7 million towards refurbishment and upgrading. Other founding sponsors, the Lottery Grants Board and the Community Trust of Wellington, provided funding, and the Trust was expected to raise further funds towards the estimated $21.4 million cost of the redevelopment.

On January 22 1998, the Trust announced Westpac as sole Gold Sponsor with naming rights to the theatre. This, together with other sponsorship and funding initiatives, brought the total amount raised for the redevelopment to $19.6 million. The rejuvenated St James now provides a permanent home for The Royal New Zealand Ballet and offers the best stage for dance in the country. The refurbished auditorium and back of house facility is of an international standard, achieved at a cost few originally thought possible.

Front of house, an impressive new entrance foyer leading to generous hospitality spaces on the first floor enhances the theatre experience for the public, sponsors and patrons. The Jimmy, a street level cafe & bar, open all day and into the evening, adds to the vibrancy of Wellington's Courtenay Place theatre precinct. Through diverse programming and partnerships with local and international tour promoters, the Westpac St James Theatre has once again become a focus for the performing arts of this country. The St James has been recognised by New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I building of outstanding cultural and historical significance and is considered one of the finest lyric theatres in Australasia.

#735 ... The Story

It's all about the story ... advertising for television news on the back of the buses ... bus depot by the Wellington railway station ... photo taken on 2mp iPhone ... as camera was in the car.

#734 ...Old & New

Looking east down Emmett Street in Newtown ... the old house in front is on stilts ... either ready for removal or the basement is being dug out ... behind is a new block of apartments. History in the making or "un-making"

#733 ... Inside Job

late evening inside the Victoria University "School of Architecture".. Vivian Street, Wellington

#732 ... The Word

St John's Church in Willis Street .. a delightful piece of religious humour .. the Lord hath spoken !

#731 ... GO GO GO Wellington

No explanation required!

#730 ... Maiden Wellington

St Mary's College students getting into theme for a week of Shakespeare celebration ... they were running around the grounds of Parliament posing for photos and enjoying the fun of dressup ... enjoy the week and thanks for stopping to be photographed.

#729 ... The Whole Hole

Boulcott Street ... the hole in the ground being dug for the foundations of the new Telecom building. At this time of the year with the sun being low in the sky ... and with this site being surrounded by tall buildings ... this hole never sees the sunshine ... like they say ... "a cold hole"

#728 ... No Name Rego??

Well this registration plate says it all ... REALLY !!

#727 ... the shirt off my back

This fascinating piece of machinery lives at the Mall Drycleaners in Johnston St by Midland Park. Costa, Costa, Staphos and the amazing staff .. who always have a smile and a good word ... run a business that keeps us looking sharp ... I get my business shirts laundered here ... as with a household of six adults, my shirts are generally at the end of the job queue. What is interesting is the machine that is used to dry the shirts and the way that it does it ... a bit like humans really ... by blowing a lot of hot air !!!!

"Sankosha manufactures machines to be sophisticatedly simple for the garment care industry. Our goal is for our customers to be able to produce the finest quality pressed product while experiencing our unparalleled reliability.

Sankosha has built a reputation based on innovative breakthroughs coupled with user-friendly finishing equipment which has become our legacy. Providing the dry cleaning industry with leading warranties and customer service is a top priority at Sankosha. "

The LP-570U
Single Buck Shirt Press
Product Features
•Steam Injection - A new steam injection system covers the entire body width and with a new heated buck body, processing time is reduced.
•Tuck Press - A new lower tuck clamp has been installed along with a tensioning function improving the tuck finish quality.
•Side Expanders - Improved side expanders open early to eliminate wrinkles.