From August keep an eye out for the hard-working Homersham reps out in their new vehicles. It's all part of the reduce, recycle, re-use ethos being practised at homershams.
After another great year, the Management team decided to both upgrade the vehicles and to go with a greener solution. Hence our reps will now be driving Hybrid Vehicles.
The hybrid engine, in this case the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) in the Camry Hybrid, is a fascinating technology and we felt it might be of interest to our customers/readers, to give a technical overview, as the instrumentation is quite wonderful.
We also wanted to ‘celebrate’ the small Eco choices we’re trying to make to encourage others. They’re small efforts, but as the mantra goes, “Think globally”, act locally” therefore we are endeavoring to Reduce, Recycle and Re-use".
A Homershams news update Thursday 28 July 2016
Dr Greg Walker, Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Otago, has received a $25,000 grant from the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Fund to aid his mission to protect our crops from pests without using harmful chemicals. The grant, awarded to help early career scientists with a clever new idea work closely with business to take it to market, is one of ten made possible by a donation from the Norman F. B. Barry Foundation.
Inspired by nature, Dr Walker has developed a spider web-like system for the protection of plants and crops against pests using his pharmaceutical knowledge. "Electro spun nano-webs are sprayed or draped over the plants like a spider web, but on a smaller scale. We're mimicking nature as the nano-webs, similar to spider webs, are not water soluble and are resistant to environmental conditions like rain and wind. In this way we can prolong the time the active agent, in this case the biocontrol, is on the plant to provide protection," he says.
The nature inspired system provides an environmentally friendly way to protect crops from pests without the need for harmful chemicals. The nano-webs, food grade polymers that are not harmful if eaten by humans, also carry bio-active compounds that are harmful to pests.
Dr Walker's mission is to now commercialise the technology. "I'm very excited as the grant will allow me to build a mobile prototype electrospinning device. This will enable us to carry out tests in the field and demonstrate the technology to potential horticulture and cropping industry players and bioactive suppliers. It will also allow us to perfect the bioactive formulations."
Jason Culbert, Head Grower at NZ Hothouse says, "We are constantly trying to find ways to combat pests. Greg's development program has the potential to provide a natural and effective way of doing this and it is of great interest to us."
According to Walker, the technology has the potential to offer several important advantages over conventional agricultural spray systems. "The nano-webs contain the bioactive compound which means the compound stays in contact with the plant longer, improving its effectiveness and reducing the effects of the weather. There is also no undesirable spray drift and run-off and because the nano-web is visible there is less chance of overspray, reducing costs to growers."
Gavin Clark, Director of the Research and Enterprise Office at the University of Otago says, "Greg has established a group dedicated to developing electrospinning as a way to deliver bioactives and is skilled in controlled release formulation science, including previous industry experience developing wound healing formulations. He's an ideal candidate for funding as he recognises the importance of working with industry partners and end-users in order to shape his product at an early stage.
"His technology also addresses a large market, New Zealand's horticulture sectors earns revenues in excess of $3.6B pa and all growers apply multiple sprays per crop, per year. If the technology proves successful it opens up other application areas such as biosecurity control where the web can deliver pheromones to trap unwanted incursions, pollution control by immobilising fertilisers, and for use in nurseries to encapsulate important microbes in the soil."
The Emerging Innovator Fund is intended to nurture innovative new ideas from scientists and support early stage prototype development. Available to early career researchers based at universities and Crown Research Institutes across New Zealand, the fund is designed to boost research with a community application at a critical time. It also enables researchers to partner with a business and refine their project for market.
Dr Bram Smith, General Manager of KiwiNet says, "The Fund was established thanks to generous financial support from the Norman F. B. Barry Foundation. MinterEllisonRuddWatts also played a critical part in pulling the programme together and Baldwins are assisting with IP advice. We're already seeing some great progress from our first three grant recipients."
A KiwiNet press release thursday 28 July 2016
Airways New Zealand and Aviation Australia have announced they will open a purpose-built air traffic control training centre for international students in Brisbane.
The joint venture is the first move under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between New Zealand’s air navigation service provider and Aviation Australia, a state-owned enterprise of the Queensland Government.
The agreement will see Airways delivering ab-initio air traffic control (ATC) training at Aviation Australia’s Brisbane training campus, Airways’ Head of Training Sharon Cooke says.
“We have similar training partnerships in place in Dubai, Puerto Rico and China and it’s pleasing to be adding Australia to that portfolio. Our track record in providing highly effective ATC training, combined with Aviation Australia’s wider educational portfolio, means this partnership is well placed for success,” Ms Cooke says.
A full suite of ATC training technologies will be available at the centre. Airways will install Total Control radar and aerodrome simulators which provide students with highly realistic tower and surveillance experiences via three-dimensional high definition graphics.
“Aviation Australia is pleased to be working with Airways New Zealand on this important training programme and we are very proud of being able to partner with a great organisation such as Airways to deliver world-class ATC training,” Aviation Australia CEO Bill Horrocks says.
The centre’s first intake, a group of 24 students from the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA), have now arrived in Australia to begin their training. The students will spend their first year studying English before beginning their 12 months of ATC training.
“Airways has a long history of providing training to GACA and has hosted its students in New Zealand for the past six years. We’re delighted that they will be the first students we host under this new venture in Australia,” Ms Cooke says.
Airways and Aviation Australia will partner on a variety of projects and initiatives across the training landscape under the MOU.
An Airways New Zealand press release Wenesday 27 July 2016
The Commission has received an application for the Wallace Group Limited Partnership (Wallace Group) to acquire up to 100% of the assets and business of Wallace Corporation Limited, Farm Brands. This comprises of Farm Brands Limited, Farm Brands Asset Management Limited and South Canterbury By-Products (2009) Limited) and Keep It Clean Limited.
The assets the Wallace Group is proposing to acquire include the rendering plants owned by: Wallace Corporation Limited in Waitoa (North Waikato) and Hororata (Canterbury); Farm Brands in Timaru and Mosgiel; and Keep It Clean in Dunedin.
Rendering involves the processing of animal waste materials into various finished products, such as animal feed and tallow.
The merging parties are each involved in the purchase and collection of animal waste material (including the collection of shop and casualty material), the toll processing of animal waste material on behalf of customers supplying the material, and the sale of finished product produced from rendering.
A public version of the application will be available shortly on our Clearances Register.
Released Thursday 27 July 2016
Instead of the canned beer typically available on airplanes, passengers of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines may soon be able to enjoy draft beer at high altitudes thanks to the company's partnership with Heinkein and a specialized keg design.Heineken’s product designer, Edwin Griffioen, had to come up with a keg design capable of fitting in the small space of an airline aisle without using the carbon dioxide cartridges often found home tap installations since they are prohibited on airplanes. The design also had to take into account the difference in pressure at high altitude, with lower air pressure on the airplane compared to sea level. Because of this, conventional beer taps would create too much foam if used on airplanes.
The key, according to Griffioen, is the balancing air pressure and the diameter of the tap.
“We managed to set the diameter of the tap and the air pressure to exactly the right combination, which delivers at 36,000 feet (11,000 m) exactly the same beer as you would get on the ground,” he said.The kegs also had to be compressed to fit into the airline catering trolley space, which meant sacrificing the cooling system.
To compensate for the lack of conventional refrigeration, the drinks trolley was redesigned to act like a thermos and keep the beer under 5°C. Heineken reports that the beer flavor is unchanged. Delivered cold to the Amsterdam Airport, four kegs can be loaded onto each flight.
“We are always looking for typical Dutch products to set us apart from other companies,” said KLM in-flight services vice president Miriam Kartman. “Heineken has been our beer partner for many years, and we both know that customers rate a beer from draught higher than out of a can.”
The good news for beer connoisseurs is that the on-tap beer is expected to be available within the next month. Launch of the tap service is pending until the airline obtains safety certificates from civil aviation authorities.
For a very different approach to in-flight beer, check out this two-stage beer keg rocket.
First published on engineering.com July 26, 2016
Wool pulled over eyes of English-speaking realm
MSC Newswire’s European correspondent explains the causes and effects of the emergency in France: -
Terrorism presents the picture of a permanent part of French life?Until Nice and the Thomas-a-Becket style assassination of the catholic priest you could almost say that it was becoming an accepted part of French life.
Explain?It is not yet understood in the English-speaking world that the very structure of France led inevitably to the kind of chaos we see today.
Fill in the gaps?The constant pull from France’s extreme left, the gauche de la gauche, as it is known, all the way to the officially sanctioned communist party means that successive governments have had to stand by helplessly as these immense and unmanageable ghettos get bigger and bigger and sustain the type of insurgency that we witness today.
There must though be some kind of official policy that has permitted this state of affairs to happen?There is and it is known as the rights of man or Les Droites de L’ Homme.
In itself this would not have made one of the West’s most advanced nations so prone to internal insurgency?It coincided with the pull of a number of current ideologies centred on diversity and multi culturalism that pretty much prevented the French establishment from intercepting the internal insurgency. For example until very recently you had this standardised official response in which each atrocity would be officially received as if it were a surprise, along with the well intentioned candle-lit marches and laying of wreathes.
So it is not a surprise?You have had this curious response in which the assailants are described as troubled individuals with marital problems etc when in fact they are components of a murderous collective intent on killing a people who hardly know that this collective, officially presented as being overwhelmingly benign, in fact even exists.
The state has its hands tied?The doctrines of diversity and multiculturalism that allowed the build-up of these huge underpinning ghettos also became infused with the notion of ecumenism which in turn became reinforced with the church’s determination to settle in countries like France and Belgium more and still more people knowing and let us at this late stage seek to be candid, that there would be trouble.
All this seems to be un-spoken?The English-speaking world cannot understand that in a country such as France the left, and the left-of-the-left-of -the -left have a simple objective. To their credit they do not seek to disguise it.
What is it?To capsize the government, in this case, of France. We have a situation, not unknown in the Europe of the last century, in which intentions are firmly stated, yet polite society refuses to acknowledge that these well entrenched people, entirely funded by taxpayers, mean business.
You say that after Nice and the assassination of the priest attitudes are changing?They are but too slowly to cope with an internal insurgency of this kind of internal dimension.
From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk Thursday 28 July 2016
The campaign to keep Hawke’s Bay GM Free took another step forward today with the Auckland Plan Hearings Panel recommending the adoption of similar GMO Free rules to Hastings.
The panel’s recommendations, released today, would protect the Auckland region’s GM Free status by prohibiting releases of GMOs for the life of the plan.
In May last year, backed by leading Hawke’s Bay food producers, Hastings District Council became the first in New Zealand to secure the territory’s GMO free food producer status under its district plan. Now Auckland is set to follow suit.
Pure Hawke’s Bay, a group representing food producers and exporters says the Auckland decision further confirms the robustness of the policy Hastings District Council has adopted.
Pure Hawke’s Bay chairman, Bruno Chambers says Hawke’s Bay producers and exporters welcomed the decision.
“Pure Hawke’s Bay is focused exclusively on outcomes for our region. Other regions must make their own call, based on the opportunities before them. However, we are pleased that Auckland agrees that the approach is sound and delivers net benefits for their community.”
“It shows that other regions around New Zealand recognise that being GMO Free can help grow regional economies by producing food that consumers in high value markets want.”
“As producers we can tell buyers and customers that produce grown in our fields is officially GMO Free. We need it to keep our competitive global advantage. It adds more value to our exports and creates significant economic benefits for our regions.”
Despite support for the GMO free district plan policy in Hastings, the change is being challenged by Federated Farmers in the Environment Court.
Pure Hawke’s Bay is backing Hastings District Council in court and has started a significant fundraising drive to raise the $150,000 needed to put forward a winning legal and economic case.
“We are confident we can secure Hastings’ valuable GM Free status in law and wider financial support is crucial to building a strong case to win this legal battle.”
A GMFree pure Hawke's Bay press release July 27,2016
A record number of Kiwis are deciding a career in the trades is the best way to build their future, with more New Zealanders in trade apprenticeships than ever before.
For the first time in the organisation’s history, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) now has 10,000 apprentices actively working towards qualifications in the building and construction industry.
BCITO Chief Executive Warwick Quinn says this is an extremely important milestone.
“This is the first time we have ever had this many apprentices in training at one time. But we need even more if we want to meet the current and future building boom” he says.
“As per recent Government announcements predicting an additional 50,000 construction jobs by 2021, we are expecting big growth in demand for skilled tradespeople. However, on top of new jobs, our construction industry has an aging population. When we add new jobs to replacement jobs, the total is quite astounding.
“Yes, we have 10,000 apprentices, and BCITO is signing up around 3,000-4,000 new apprentices each year. Unfortunately this doesn’t come close to supplying the number of skilled people industry actually needs by 2021.
“Given the fierce demand for apprentices, the time is certainly ripe for a career in construction” Quinn says.
Scott Fisher is the 10,000th apprentice to sign up with BCITO. Scott works at A J Saville Builders in Queenstown and believes becoming a carpentry apprentice has been a great way to formalise his skills and to cement his job prospects in the future.
“As an apprentice, I get the chance to put my skills to work. There are many opportunities to develop a great career. New Zealand has a very reputable construction industry and it’s fantastic to be a part of it!” he says.
BCITO has organised a range of nation-wide promotions in recent months to attempt to bolster supply of apprentices. These have included the Not Your Average Shed campaign, their annual Big Construction Tour and the Build-Ability challenge which is currently underway at secondary schools across New Zealand.
BCITO is the largest provider of construction trade apprenticeships in New Zealand. It is appointed by the Government to develop and implement industry qualifications for the building and construction sector. BCITO provide a range of apprenticeships across fifteen trades within the building and construction industry.
To find out more visit bcito.org.nz
Qantas will increase capacity from Christchurch to Australia to support growing trans-Tasman demand and to better link New Zealand to the group’s global network.
A new daily Christchurch-Melbourne service will begin from 4 December, timed to connect with onward flights to Dubai, London and a range of European destinations.
Additionally, flights between Christchurch and Brisbane will grow from three per week to daily from 30 October. These have been timed to connect to Qantas’ Asian and US network via Brisbane.
The changes are made possible by reductions in domestic capacity, which have freed up flying time within the airline’s Boeing 737 fleet.
Qantas regional general manager New Zealand, Pacific Islands and South America Wes Nobelius says the changes are about meeting demand in a flexible way.‘We’re delighted to be opening up more options for our customers on this popular Christchurch route,’ Nobelius says.
Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns welcomes the new services, and sees the airline as a strong international growth partner for the South Island.
The airline now offers the largest number of international seats it has ever provided into and out of Christchurch, he says. ‘South Islanders will have more connections to Australia, Asia and Europe.’Tickets will go on sale today and are subject to government and regulatory approvals.
A TravelInc press release July 27, 2016
The Human Rights Commission has said a report, launched today by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), serves as a timely reminder of the value of investing in human rights for New Zealand businesses.
The Responsible Investment Benchmark Report 2016 shows increasing consumer demand for investments that deliver strong returns as well as better social and environmental outcomes. It also shows that investments perform better when they are investing in sustainable companies and assets.
Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Dr Jackie Blue says the report demonstrates why human rights should be at the top of the agenda for kiwi businesses.
“Ultimately, by valuing human rights, businesses can add value to their bottom line. The ground swell for making human rights commitments is growing and Kiwi businesses will face increasing demand from their international partners and their consumers to be making those commitments.
“Now is the time for businesses to learn more about how human rights impact them and how they can assess the who, what, where, when and why of their products and ensure they are doing right by every person in their supply chain and organisation.
“To help Kiwi businesses do that, the Commission is bringing Shift, the organisation that helped craft the United Nation’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, to New Zealand to facilitate the first Business and Human Rights Forum from 9 to 11 August.
“The Forum will give New Zealand businesses unprecedented access to the world-leading experts on business and human rights and will be invaluable for businesses who have a focus on building their corporate social responsibility reputation,” Dr Blue says.
Rachel Davis, Managing Director of Shift says, “No business is immune from the new global expectations of the UN Guiding Principles, but those expectations are reasonable and they are achievable. Shift has worked with companies from all kinds of sectors and all regions of the world on how to meet their human rights responsibilities.
“The Forum is an important opportunity to share those practical tools and approaches to prevent and address human rights risks with New Zealand business, government and civil society stakeholders.”
The Business and Human Rights forum is being held from 9 to 11 August. The launch at Parliament and a Government Roundtable are both being held in Wellington and the CEO Breakfast, the workshop for investors and directors and the workshop for CSR practitioners will be held in Auckland.
For more information and to register for these events, please visit: www.hrc.co.nz/new-zealand-business-and-human-rights-forum
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242