Trick or Treat!

[b:78f73cd3da]Sparks fly but Government won?t ban fireworks [/b:78f73cd3da] [img:78f73cd3da]http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/feuer/a230.gif[/img:78f73cd3da]

03.11.05

The Government has no plans to change the law relating to fireworks, despite increasing calls from concerned groups for them to be banned. Environment Minister David Benson-Pope, whose responsibilities include fireworks, said Parliament debated the issue in 1994 and in 1996 but decided that a few irresponsible people should not prevent others using fireworks.

It instead passed regulations limiting the strength of fireworks and putting an age limit of 14 on their use. Mr Benson-Pope said he hoped New Zealanders would play it safe and "use their commonsense" with fireworks this year, and encouraged people to attend organised fireworks exhibitions.

"They?re better value, safer and provide people with spectacular displays," he said. "Those still wanting to let off their own fireworks should do so safely - respecting other people, their pets and property."

Despite a survey released by the Fire Service this week, which showed 54 per cent of New Zealanders thought private sales should be banned, and 82 per cent said the age limit should be raised, there is no political will to act. Neither the Greens, National nor New Zealand First backed the call for a ban. The Maori Party and United Future did not respond.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which has failed in previous bids to get a ban, will be making a fresh push to get the law changed by Guy Fawkes night next year. National chief executive Robyn McDonald said New South Wales had banned personal-use fireworks and it had worked. Only two Australian states now allow the private sale of fireworks. She said fireworks caused hundreds of fires and injuries every Guy Fawkes night, as well as the deaths of many frightened animals.

"When you start to count the cost the figures are absolutely appalling."

Animal welfare shelters around the country will be collecting statistics on the numbers of animals injured during Guy Fawkes to strengthen the SPCA?s case.

- NZPA

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[b:a746201b22]Fireworks leave trail of destruction [/b:a746201b22]

04.11.05
By Errol Kiong

A barrage of fireworks blasts and property destruction throughout the country are driving a groundswell of support for a ban on sales to the public. Fireworks have caused 65 fires in the past few days, including a house blaze in Christchurch that forced a family to flee for their lives. The trail of damage led yesterday to local councils and medical professionals backing a call by the Fire Service and the SPCA for a ban on sales.

Health experts at a national conference in Wellington said fireworks should be retained only for public displays.

"The spectacle would still be there, but in a safe environment," said Injury Prevention Network chairwoman Sandra James. "The Government's refusal to consider such a move seems to be out of step with public opinion, and is unnecessarily exposing people to the risk of injury."

Plastic surgeon Chris Adams expects to treat children and young people with burned hands and faces - some of whom will be scarred or otherwise maimed for life. "It makes me angry because it is so pointless," said Mr Adams, who works in the burns unit at Hutt Hospital. "Personally, I would support a ban on private sales of fireworks because I think the risks far outweigh the 'fun'," he said.

North Shore Mayor George Wood and Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis said their councils had been inundated with noise complaints and safety worries. Mr Wood said the situation was "out of control?. ?The noise is just resounding around neighbourhoods. New Zealand should look at places like Sydney, where you just can't go into a retail shop and buy fireworks. You have to get a permit over there and it's not easy to get a permit."

?The easy availability of fireworks was at odds with local government's ability to set up bylaws and bans?, Mr Wood said.
"This is really something that indicates that we have become real soft in our approach to things such as maintaining public order and maintaining quality of life. The Government has really been remiss in the way they've handled it."

But two senior politicians say the present law is adequate. Former Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said that during her time as minister she received between five and 10 letters a year calling for a ban. She believed an outright ban was not justified. Her replacement, David Benson-Pope, said Parliament debated the issue in 1994 and 1996 but decided that a few irresponsible people should not prevent others using fireworks. It instead passed regulations limiting the strength of fireworks and introducing an age limit on buying them. Mr Benson-Pope said people had legal responsibilities to use fireworks in a proper manner.

National chief fire officer Paul Baxter said the Fire Service had always favoured a total ban on public sales.

"We don't want to be killjoys but we want people to be safe," he said. "We don't want to see damage to people, property or pets, but what we're saying is the public perception is that the legal age should be raised to at least 16 or 18."

Mr Baxter cited a recent survey conducted for the service which found 80 per cent support for raising the age restriction from 14. The number of blazes caused by fireworks had tripled in the past four years, and he felt this year's tally - 65 so far - would top last year's 350 incidents.

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hehe you nutter. Can't believe you're still trawling the NZ sites rather than feeling sorry for yourself watching crap daytime TV. Fair Play that woman.

Don?t have a TV to watch daytime cr@p on, Stevey, so I just sit here with my wounded leg up on the desk typing away (not easy, I can tell you) to pass the time until I?m released from my cast, which, I must say, is a very fetching shade of blue. I'm safer sitting at the desk rather than tottering round on crutches, as I'm more in danger of hurting myself doing that.

I can't take time off to feel sorry for myself or someone else might grab my spot as intrepid reporter for Movetonz.

[quote:fb194a646c="Glenda"][quote:fb194a646c="jamesthecarman"][quote:fb194a646c="nattydread"]

i thought guy fawkes would be a [b:fb194a646c][color=blue:fb194a646c]british only[/b:fb194a646c][/color:fb194a646c] thing..

i suppose its a throwback to [b:fb194a646c][color=red:fb194a646c]days of old.[/b:fb194a646c][/color:fb194a646c][/quote:fb194a646c]

Yeah, [color=blue:fb194a646c]4th of July,[/color:fb194a646c][color=red:fb194a646c] 1776[/color:fb194a646c]. Sore losers :icon_twisted: :icon_lol: :icon_razz: ... had to copy us, and name it after a guy that failed!!! [img:fb194a646c]http://www.movetonz.org/forum/images/smiles/023.gif[/img:fb194a646c][/quote:fb194a646c]


You Americans rewriting history again? :icon_wink:

Know you are just pulling our legs ... I mean [i:fb194a646c]everybody[/i:fb194a646c] knows that 5th November 1605 was before 4th July 1766. :115: :icon_biggrin:

Guess we should all celebrate that parliament was not blown up ... even when we sometimes feel like doing it ourselves. :icon_lol:

:icon_biggrin:[/quote:fb194a646c]

Yeah, but who started using fireworks as a part of the respective celebrations at first? :icon_razz:

Ok, I really don't know the answer to that. Someone want to tell an American he's wrong again? I mean, we are right so many times, it's good to be wrong now and then. :icon_cool:

were the chinese not the pioneers of fireworks as we know them today..?

i might be wrong.

I know it definitely WASN'T the Americans..

No, I believe you're right, Nattydread. Of course James will claim he knew it all along, won't you James? :icon_razz:

The firework hazard must be part of why so many Kiwi houses have metal roofs. It's something to keep in mind. That, and water the house & garden when it's fireworks season. Hopefully NZ doesn't have the brain trusts who shoot their guns into the air, like we get for 4th of July and New Year's. Nothing like finding a bullet in the roof. We stay inside at times like those.

Heard it was the Chinese too. :023:

Quite frankly, I am not looking forward to the celebrations tonight. It was 25 degrees yesterday and 19 when we went to bed. It is just as hot today and the day has been tiring. Still, guess we have to celebrate the onset of the good weather!!!
:icon_cool:

[quote:33bc3a1ba2="selchie"]Hopefully NZ doesn't have the brain trusts who shoot their guns into the air, like we get for 4th of July and New Year's[/quote:33bc3a1ba2]

Yes, I remember this from Kuwait. Any excuse for a celebration and they were out in their cars firing off their guns willy nilly. We were at a crossroads one night when some idiots in a car on the adjacent road fired a barrage of bullets. First thing we knew was a stream of red hot bullets passing across our car bonnet. Bit too close for comfort. Shortly after that we heard that a couple had been hit when bullets entered through their car window. Can?t quite remember whether it was a fatality or not. People also got hit by bullets fired into the air and then returning to earth. Talk about living in the Wild West.

Anyway, here?s a link to The History of Fireworks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firewor...y_of_fireworks

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[quote:e7077f5e03="Mother Bear"][img:e7077f5e03]http://www.my-smileys.de/generator/signs2/a1e879629c43bb0980f7475366032860.png[/img:e7077f5e03][/quote:e7077f5e03]

[color=blue:e7077f5e03]A bit late, but never mind.[/color:e7077f5e03]

[b:e7077f5e03]More Britons believe in ghosts than in God, poll says [/b:e7077f5e03]

Associated Press
Oct. 31, 2005 10:31 AM

LONDON - Here's one to ponder on Halloween. A new survey says more people in Britain believe in ghosts than believe in God.

A poll of more than 2,000 says 68 percent believe in ghosts and spirits, while 55 percent say they believe in the existence of God.

Of the ghost believers, 12 percent claim to have seen an apparition. Seventy-six percent say reality television shows and films about the supernatural are part of the reason they're convinced ghosts are real.

The poll was conducted by retailer Choice UK. It also finds that about 26 percent believe in UFOs and 19 percent believe in reincarnation. But just 4 percent think the Loch Ness monster is more than a myth.