Black Watch

My friend Allen is excited by a new book soon to be released about the last days of the Black Watch in Canada. The world in 1951 was frightened enough about the Soviets to re muster the Regiment from five highland militia units. Although they only took the parade ground for less than 20 years it was the last gasp of military pageantry before the onset of unification and the army of 'little green managers' that formed Canada's military in the 70's and 80's.
Allen served in the Black Watch and I remember a story he told me about how it all ended. He was with the Regiment in Germany when word came down that the colours were to be struck and the unit made a part of the androgynous new Canadian Army. Describing the mood on that day as dark, the Black Watch were determined to go out with style, and organized a proper Change of Colours parade, complete with band and unit turned out. They waited and waited. Finally, a jeep rolled up and a little green man from Administration opened his briefcase and handed over the colours. It was the perfect metaphor for the attitude-of-the-day regarding all things military.

The Final Word on Winston

Winston Peters breezed into the Grey Power meeting in Kaitaia last week. The audience was as you would expect, old. His performance was too. He addressed all the issues that appeal to the geritol set; crime, superannuation, the conspiracy against him... all very predictable.
He was charming and wore a nice suit. Besides the donation made to him, I doubt that he walked away having gained or lost anything. I expect the same result from inquiries by the House Privileges Committee, or from the SFO. The former lack the subpoena powers to get facts and the latter, winding up their activities, will not want to go out on a controversial note. This leaves the media.
The media are waiting for someone else to do the investigative work. They lack the resources or expertise to do an investigative story that goes deeper than the clues provided by the whistle-blowers who sent the cancelled cheques to various members of the press some two years ago. In that time they have added nothing to the story. So, it will probably die a slow death. I expect New Zealand First will do badly in the next election. Winston is unlikely to win his seat in Tauranga, but will likely get enough second votes to get a seat on the list. A small part of me is frustrated at the injustice of it all. In the end, I expect regular kiwis don't care very much about the story. Like me, they figure that political life is a hell of a lot more interesting with him than without him.

Why Winston loves Grey Power

Letter to the Editor will see light.

Apologies to Northland Age Editor Peter Jackson. He assures me that the letter will indeed be published, the omission was due to a plethora of LOTE over the past two editions. Today I am attending the Grey Power meeting in Kaitaia where Winston Peters will address northland for 30 minutes. I considered laying a 'Citizen's Arrest' on him, but realized that I am not a citizen - per se.

Kaitaia Airport is the key.

Some time ago, Carrington Resort commissioned a study to find the most appropriate place to build an international airport in the Far North. The study identified Kaitaia as the only place where an international would be feasible. The Kaitaia Airport is held in Trust by the Crown and leased to Far North Holdings and the lease expired last year. Far North Holdings has been trying to get a 35 year lease on the airport but has been stalled because of Treaty Negotiations with the Iwi who lay claim to the land.

There are a group of people interested in a huge Far North development scheme for the pristine stretch of coastline called '90 Mile Beach. The Airport is the Key.

This is very deep indeed. And there is so much more to come....

Winston Peters visits Northland

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters is coming to Kaitaia this Thursday and I plan to be there. I am going to ask him why he won't come clean on donations to New Zealand First and I plan to ask him how much money is in the Spencer Trust. It's a Grey Power meeting so I will probably get thrashed with canes and rammed by the motorized walkers of his core supporters but I plan to be there anyway. I'm going to try and get someone to hold a camera as well so maybe there will be some pictures.