Thursday 7 February 2013
Media release – for immediate use

Hissss – Time to release your inner snake
Year of the Snake predicts uncertainty and unpredictable weather

2013 marks the year of the snake, a thoughtful and charismatic creature, often introverted and always shrewd. So it is no surprise that many Chinese astrological predictions for 2013 focus on the global financial crisis and what is to come.

For New Zealand they predict more of the same with little to no financial growth but better outcomes than the northern hemisphere. They also predict that real estate and home renovation industries will have a good year this year.

Along with financial predictions they also predict more unsettled weather, with storms and floods in the northern hemisphere and droughts in the southern. To mark the beginning of the year of the snake Mainstreet Wanganui has once again teamed up with the Wanganui Branch of the Chinese Association to
co-ordinate Wanganui’s year of the snake celebration.

On Saturday 16 February Majestic Square will be the venue for a variety of cultural demonstrations, activities and performances between 10am and 2pm. The most important of which will the creation of a giant chalk pavement snake, “We have been working with local artist Pat Cush to design a snake for Majestic Square” says Elise Goodge, Marketing Manager for Mainstreet, “to complete it we will need loads of people to come down and colour it in, kind of like a giant colouring in picture.” There will also be a ‘Mob Karaoke’ competition.

“Mob Karaoke is huge in China,” Elise continues, “probably because it is so social, come down with a group of friends and perform together, there will be prizes on the day for best groups.”

There will also be food stalls on the day serving up a mix of traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese cuisine. In China the New Year is also the time to change your look with a new hair style or clothes so UGC Salon will be demonstrating Asian makeup and hair fashions. Practice your chop stick technique or take part in a Snakes and Ladders trail there is something in the programme for everyone.

Visit Mainstreet Wanganui’s website; www.mainstreetwanganui.co.nz, for further
details. Gong he xin xi.

Chinese New Year – Year of the Snake Celebration
When: Saturday 16 February 2013
Where: Majestic Square
Time: 10am – 2pm

© Scoop Media

"Unlawful, Unjustified And Unreasonable": Report Into Urewera Raids Finds Police Acted Unlawfully

Independent Police Conduct Authority Chair Judge Sir David Carruthers said today that the decision by the then Commissioner of Police to undertake the operation in Ruatoki Valley and elsewhere on 15 October 2007 was reasonable and justified.

“However, the road blocks established by Police at Ruatoki and Taneatua were unlawful, unjustified and unreasonable... Police had no legal basis for stopping and searching vehicles or photographing drivers or passengers,” he said...

The report also showed that the detention of the occupants at five properties examined by the Authority was unlawful and unreasonable. More>>