Roll out the barrow

IN COURT: The accused men, from left, Horaciao GabrielBandera, Roberto Mannel Pissano-Briaturi, Juan CarlosPissano-Briaturi.

Buggedcocaineaccusedin court

RAIL PROPS: Old-time costumes and a wheelbarrow were among the props when rail campaigners went looking for signatures yesterday. Pictured from left atOtorohanga were Bill Millar, Otorohanga District Mayor Dale Williams, Green MP Sue Kedgley, Anne Baxter and David Wilson, both of Oamaru. PICTURE: Bruce Mercerpotentially incriminate the trio.

By Helen Prattley Ms Clark said CarlosPissano-Briaturi talked to a

A Uruguayan cocaine ring man named Gaston in Uruguayworth more than $14 million and the plan was to bring 10kg Rail supporters collect 10,000 signatureswas smashed after police of cocaine into New Zealand bybugged houses and taped thou- impregnating it into clothing or

stops on the Wellington-Auckland first sod when the main trunk the service is lost.By Esther Harwardsands of conversations in Span- fabric.

route by the Greens’ associate line was extended through the Otorohanga Taxis owner Billish, a Hamilton court has been However, Bandera was un-told. transport spokeswoman Sue King Country. Millar, who has driven taxis inable to find one of the key in-

Rail supporters rallied on theJustice of the Peace Pat Kedgley. Meeting the train when it the town for the past 45 years,gredients — the chemical ether.Oettli was told in the Hamilton main trunk line yesterday to pro-Ms Clark said cocaine of 12 Insiders expect to find out to- pulled into Otorohanga was Wiki said the Overlander had lost pas-District Court yesterday of to 25 per cent purity had a test against what they fear could morrow or Thursday whether a Katipa — the great grand-daugh- sengers because its marketingplans to import and export co- street value of between $235 be one of the Overlander’s final reprieve will be given following ter of Maniopoto chief Wahanui, was poor.caine impregnated in fabric, and $400 per gram. journeys. weeks of talks between Toll and who allowed the government of “The main trunk line is a vitalthen extract it using a chemical The cocaine which the trio An estimated 10,000 signa- the Government. the time to build on the land. link for the whole of New Zea-process. allegedly planned to import tures opposing Toll New Zea- Otorohanga campaigners car- Smaller towns on the Welling- land. It’s a very scenic trip goingWIKI KATIPA: MetBrothers Juan Carlos would have been 90 to 95 per train at land’s plan to scrap the train on ried 700 signatures in a wheel- ton-Auckland route are worried down, you don’t have the hasslePissano-Briaturi, 45, and cent pure and later cut to 20 Otorohanga. September 30 were collected at barrow used in 1885 to turn the about taking a financial hit if of roads.”Roberto Mannel Pissano- per cent purity and sold atBriaturi, 32, along with their $320 per gram. It had a poten-friend Horaciao Gabriel tial street value of just underBandera, 39, each face one $14.5 million, Ms Clark said.charge of conspiring to import Lawyer Gavin Boot repre-the class A drug some time be- sents Roberto Pissano-Briaturi, Crashed Hamilton-built plane Meningococcal Ctween July 26 and October 19 Chris Tennet represents Carloslast year. Pissano-Briaturi and Bruce

They were in court yesterday Hesketh represents Bandera.for a depositions hearing. Mr Hesketh asked Detective had lost fuel for hours: report hits Huntly student

Crown prosecutor Tini Clark Senior Sergeant Chris Pagetold Ms Oettli police intercept- about the police search of the what to look for,” he said.director Brian Hare Hawaii. There, a refueller

By Justine TurnerBy Mary Anne Gilled phone lines used by the Lake Domain Dr home. Mr pointed out that fuel was run- Waikato medical officer ofsaid he had seen thethree men and planted audio Page said a Customs drug dog ning from a fuel tank cap. Mr health Anita Bell said includ-report and taken ondevices in homes in Te Aroha handler was involved in the A Hamilton-made A 14-year-old Huntly boy isStark said: “It’s okay, it will ing the current case, the hospi-board the recommen-St, Lake Domain Dr and search but no drugs were the latest person to contractplane which crashed stop as soon as I start up and tal had dealt with 17 cases ofdations in it.Heaphy Tce in Hamilton, and a found. the rare meningococcal C dis-into the sea off the meningococcal disease thistaxi.”The company wouldWellington house in Miramar The Pissano-Briaturi broth- ease after missing out on aCalifornia coast in year.The report says Mr Starkfit anti-siphoning de-North Rd. More than 8500 con- ers both came to New Zealand 2003 had been losing mass vaccination in the town One had been of the Cshould have noticed the prob-vices on the planes’versations, mostly in Spanish, in October 2002 and Bandera fuel for hours. last year. strain, 11 of the B strain, onelem before he took off and thenfuel caps from now onwere recorded. arrived the following year. He had been immunisedTauranga pilot Kel- was unknown and three wereagain in the air, but he did notand flight manualsA Customs officer translated The depositions hearing is vin Stark, 58, died on against meningococcal B. still being tested.report it until he had been inBRIAN HARE: would includeand police identified 312 con- expected to continue for at least December 26 after he The Huntly College studentthe air eight hours, by which Dr Bell said beingRecommendationsversations which they believe two weeks. warnings and descrip-crash-landed the Pa- was taken to his family’s doc-time he had no choice but to immunised would not stop ataken on board.cific Aerospace Corpo- tive material about tor last week and admitted toditch the plane into the sea. person from contracting the

ration 750XL. The plane and the fuel system. Waikato Hospital. disease but would help buildTravelling at 14,000 feethis body were never found. The report says the plane He is now recovering at up immunity.(4267 metres) without supple-

A Civil Aviation Authority was being flown from Hamilton home. “We are giving people thementary oxygen it was likely he

OffbeatCatholic officials were in panic onSunday before Pope Benedict XVI report out today suggests Mr to Davis University Airport in School principal Tim Foywas suffering from hypoxia and ability to fight meningococcalcelebrated an open-air mass for Stark was probably suffering California on behalf of its own- said the parents did every- disease,” she said.fatigue, which could be why he250,000 pilgrims: they could not from a lack of oxygen and cu- er Utility Aircraft Corp, which thing right.did not detect the problem ear- In early August a Waikatoopen a container holding the mulative fatigue. The report intended using it for skydiving The school had sent outlier, the report says. child died from meningococcal150,000 communion wafers. says they were probably signifi- operations. newsletters to students and B despite being fully vaccinat-Mr Hare said he hoped pub-Siegfried Kneissl, the Catholic cant factors in his failure to de- parents with informationMr Stark left Hamilton on ed. The child was the only per-lication of the report would givepriest organising the mass, said a

deacon had phoned him indesperation saying he could notopen the combination lock. Policewere asked to come with a powerfulbolt-cutter. ‘‘They didn’t need it,”Kneissl said. “As soon as theytouched the padlock, it flew open.Maybe it was divine intervention.’’ about the disease.tect the fuel problem in flight. December 22 and flew via Pago son in the region to die of thesome comfort to Mr Stark’s wife

disease so far this year.“It is about awareness andApril.Pacific Aerospace managing Pago and Christmas Island to

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