Delta blues . . . and Easy Rider

ONE News: Victim’s relative feels ‘sorry’ for Easy Rider widow
Published: 9:17AM Wednesday March 19, 2014
A relative of one of the people who lost their lives in the Easy Rider sinking in 2012 says he feels sorry for the woman charged over the tragedy. Judge John Strettell released his judgement today, finding Gloria Davis and her company AZ1 Enterprises guilty of three charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act and the Maritime Transport Act in relation to the tragedy. She originally faced five charges but two were dropped. Ms Davis is the sole director of the company that operated the fishing boat which capsized in Foveaux Strait on March 15, 2012, claiming eight lives, including Ms Davis’s husband, Rewai Karetai, who was skipper of the vessel. Link to Video/Article

Stuart McLauchlan

From the video:
The New Zealand Institute of Directors agrees the judgement serves as a warning. “When you take on a role as a director you cannot sit there passively,” says NZID’s Stuart McLauchlan. “You’ve got to understand what the risks are, you’ve got to understand the operations of the business, and ultimately you’re responsible.”

The same applies in the failed Delta land deals at Luggate and Jacks Point. Board directors for Delta Utility Services Ltd, Delta Investments Ltd (previously, Newtons Coachways (1993) Ltd), and Dunedin City Council’s holding company (DCHL) are ultimately responsible to Dunedin ratepayers for the multimillion-dollar loss.

Note: Stuart McLauchlan has been a director for Delta Utility Services Ltd since 01 Jun 2007; Delta Investments since 16 Jul 2009; and Dunedin City Holdings Ltd from 01 Jun 2007 to 31 Oct 2011. Altogether, this represents a “perceived conflict of interest” and more.

█ Inquiry into property investments by Delta Utility Services Limited at Luggate and Jacks Point. The Auditor-General’s Overview and Full Report are available at http://www.oag.govt.nz/reports/2014/delta.

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Related Post and Comments:
20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: tvnz.co.nz – video still re-imaged by whatifdunedin

Hotel We LIKE: Distinction Dunedin Hotel at former CPO

Reopening the former Chief Post Office building “marks a significant milestone for the restoration project, with more tenants, a three-level car park building and, eventually, the 120-apartment four-star-plus Distinction Dunedin Hotel, all to follow”. (ODT)

Dunedin Chief Post Office (1930s)

### ODT Online Tue, 25 Mar 2014
Office workers light up CPO
By Chris Morris
The return today of a commercial tenant to Dunedin’s former chief post office building for the first time in more than 15 years marks a significant milestone in the restoration project. About 145 staff from Silver Fern Farms are expected to start work in their new headquarters – occupying the first two floors of the partially-restored building – this morning. It was the first time the building had been home to a permanent tenant since closing its doors in 1997, building owner Geoff Thomson, of Distinction Hotels, said.
Read more

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Dogged controversy.
Submissions in opposition to the proposed waterfront tower hotel at 41 Wharf Street (LUC 2012-212) make frequent mention of a preference to see the old Chief Post Office restored and in use as a city hotel in The Exchange.
Dull criticism from the anti-heritage brigade has often been cast at the old building’s owner for lack of speed in making the redevelopment happen.
Geoff Thomson, a canny and diligent man, has proceeded with the retrofit of this very large government architect-designed building at the pace he can afford in the up-down market he faces. Geoff Thomson deserves significant praise for his passion and perseverance in seeing the project through as well as attending to quality tenanting and leases.

[history and significance]
█ Heritage New Zealand (HNZ) registration report: List No. 2145 (Category II)

Photo: Gerard O’Brien – Reroof, May 2011

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Related Posts and Comments:
22.6.13 Dunedin’s former Chief Post Office
5.3.11 Former Chief Post Office, Dunedin – magazine feature…
14.8.2010 No surprises with former CPO redevelopment
12.5.10 DScene – Geoff Thomson buys back former CPO
11.5.10 DCC Media Release – Chief Post Office
16.3.10 Planning the future of Dunedin heritage buildings [recent comments]
10.11.09 Dunedin public library services
24.10.09 Rodney Wilson: Dunedin as national heritage city
20.7.09 DCC + former CPO + others(??) = a public library (yeah right)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: rootsweb.ancestry.com – Dunedin Chief Post Office (1930s) re-imaged by whatifdunedin; odt.co.nz – Gerard O’Brien: CPO Reroof, May 2011 [screenshot]