Daily News; White Plains

Citigroup, Paamco Teaming Up

NEW YORK (HedgeWorld.com) - Citigroup's wealth management divisions have teamed up with fund of funds Pacific Alternative Asset Management Co., Irvine, Calif., on a new joint venture designed to provide customized hedge fund portfolios for Citigroup's ultra-high-net-worth clients. The new venture, called Global Hedge Strategies LLC, formalizes and expands on a five-year agreement between the Citigroup Private Bank - which along with Smith Barney Global Private Client Group and Smith Barney Gl...

Brief Reiterates Sec's Adviser Stance, Calls Objections Baseless'

WASHINGTON (HedgeWorld.com) - Although some of the industry may have been in denial, it seems it was true all along that hedge funds are victims of their own success when it comes to registration. The Securities and Exchange Commission doesn't necessarily put it that way but makes clear in a retort to a legal filing its view that hedge funds must be brought into the fold with the rest of the asset management industry.

Wide Diversity Among Managers at Halsey's Conference

NEW YORK (HedgeWorld.com) - Strategies run the gamut at an upcoming capital-introduction conference in New York organized by Jane Halsey. There is an oil and natural gas royalties fund and a long/short biomedical fund. Geographically, Asia is well represented with a long/short Korea fund and a Russia and former Soviet Union investment vehicle, in addition to U.S. equities managers and a European distressed fund.

Family Heartened As Offers of Hope Flow in for Paralysed Teen

THE community has rallied to support a paralysed teenager who faces living alone in a New Plymouth flat because he is not eligible for ACC assistance. Kristian Duckett's mother, Philippa Oppenheim, fielded dozens of phone calls yesterday after her son's plight featured in the Taranaki Daily News.

Birthday Climb Turned to Tragedy for Tourist

IT IS a moment of triumph captured on film. Eighty-year-old solo climber Harry Vernon poses at the summit of Mt Taranaki holding a copy of his local newspaper and takes his own photo with a time-delay.

Attack On Chinese Students Earns Jail

AN ugly racial attack has earned a man more than two years in prison after he appeared in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday. Last September Bryce Donald Bennett (28) attacked two Chinese students and assaulted a man who came to their rescue. Bennett is already serving a four-year jail term for a separate unprovoked street assault.

Parties On the Agenda in Tour of Art World

GREG BURKE is off on a globe-trotting trip to schmooze the art world's most influential people. His mission as New Zealand Commissioner to the 51st Venice Biennale is to raise this country's creative profile and get the international art elite and journalists to visit the Kiwi pavilion.

Coroner Warns of Quad Bike Risk

FARMERS are being told to get rid of their lethal quad bikes and buy safer alternatives. The hard-hitting message was delivered yesterday at a Coroner's Court inquest in New Plymouth into the death of a 12-year-old boy joy-riding unsupervised on a Waitara farm while feeding the calves.

Nurses Among Success Stories in Retraining for Workforce

NEWLY-GRADUATED nurse Jean Berry is just one of the hundreds of success stories to emerge from Taranaki's latest plunging unemployment figures. With an unemployment rate of 3.6% for the March quarter, Taranaki currently has the second-lowest out-of-work figures in the country after Southland.

Raceway Death Prompts Coroner's Warning

THE failure to close a gate into the Pukekura Raceway track was the probable cause of a fatal accident last year, the Coroner's Court heard yesterday. On December 21, a young horse escaped through a gate, hitting prominent Taranaki funeral director and horse trainer, John Joseph Eagar (58).

Man On Kidnap Charge

A TAURANGA cleaner appeared in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday on a raft of charges relating to the kidnapping and rape of an Auckland woman. Phillip Anthony Curtis (29), of no fixed abode, is charged with two counts of rape, assaulting a female and kidnapping.

As Veges Go Down, Growers Feel Squeeze

AS VEGETABLE prices fall for consumers, small vegetable growers are being squeezed into near-ruin by a competitive and over- supplied market. New Zealand Vegetable and Potato Growers' Federation (Vegfed) president Brian Gargiulo is urging consumers to take advantage of a 9.2% decrease for vegetables in the monthly Food Price Index, painting a thin silver lining on a dire situation.

Closer to Home

Asset Rule Change Could Boost Numbers in Rest Homes

THERE was unlikely to be a major influx of elderly into Taranaki rest homes after a dramatic change in asset-testing in six weeks, health authorities say. On July 1, single people and couples who are both in care will be able to keep up to $150,000 in assets before they are required to pay for their rest home care.

Police Patrols Help Make Hawera Folk Happier at Night

EXTRA police patrolling Hawera's streets during weekends have made the town a safer place to be, police say. Operation Kia Kaha began in April to help curb disorderly behaviour in the South Taranaki town after dark.

Visual Arts Graduate Not One for Glamour

EIGHTEEN years since Polli Marriner first dreamed of university, she's got six kids, a blossoming art career and a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree. For the last three years, Polli and her husband Mike have reared their six kids on a student allowance so she can realise her teenage dream of completing her degree studies at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki. Polli's artwork, a creative mix of painting and photography, has been exhibited around New Zealand and got her an invitation ...

Waitotara `Moaners' Cop Trc Flak

WAITOTARA residents need to stop moaning and start recovering, according to some members of the Taranaki Regional Council's Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee. The small town of Waitotara has been the focus of debate and analysis since it was devastated by flooding in February 2004.

Foolhardy Ok, but Medically Unlucky Get Poor Treatment

THE CASE OF THE paralysed Waitara 16-year-old forced to live on his own because he is not eligible for ACC assistance highlights again one of the great anomalies of New Zealand's health system. Kristian Duckett lost the use of his legs and all feeling in his lower body through what is believed to be the equivalent of a stroke in his back. Had this occurred on a sports field or in a car accident he would almost certainly have been eligible for accident compensation. Because it is an unusual, b...

Gurney Set to Inspire Young Aspiring Athletes

NINE-TIMES Coast-to-Coast winner Steve Gurney has set about inspiring a new generation of multi-sport athletes. Gurney was in New Plymouth yesterday as part of his new role as an ambassador for the national funding body, sport and recreation (SPARC).

Golfer Eyes Return to Rep Competition

WAITARA'S Shane Grylls should have been celebrating his recall to representative golf this week. But golf hasn't been a priority for the 38-year-old since a nail flicked up and hit him in the left eye nine days ago.