27 Oct:  A bad batch of fungicide has ruined apples in the Nelson region in New Zealand and some fruit will be destroyed instead of exported, a grower says. An apple grower in Nelson, said it was the active ingredient mancozeb causing the problem, damaging numerous orchards in Nelson and several in Hawke's Bay. He said in his orchard the fungicide has caused russet on apple skins, knocked fruit off trees too early, and damaged leaves, resulting in lower quality apples that he said would not meet export standards. New Zealand Apples and Pears chief executive Alan Pollard said the…

26 Oct:  South Port New Zealand Ltd, operator of the Port of Buff, has benefited from a long running positive economic cycle in the New Zealand economy which has supported growth in cargo volume and profitability, the Company’s shareholders were told at today’s Annual Meeting held at Bluff.  The Company’s Chairman, Mr Rex Chapman, indicated that the economic momentum has continued into the current 2017-18 year.  This 2017 result again emphasised the importance of bulk cargos to South Port’s business. "South Port is primarily a bulk port with a container operation. Bulk or break bulk cargos comprised over 2.6 million…

26 Oct: Avocado grower and Avocado Growers Association Representative Tony Ponder has been elected as the new NZAGA & AIC Chair.  "It’s an exciting time to be in the New Zealand avocado industry, with an incredible increase in industry value and the positive collaboration throughout the industry”, says Ponder. Tony has replaced Ashby Whitehead who stepped down as Chair at the Annual General Meeting in August. Ashby served as Chair since 2013 and as a Representative on the NZAGA Executive and AIC Ltd Board since 2006. “I acknowledge the leadership provided by the previous Chair, Ashby Whitehead, which has resulted…

25 Oct:  Engineering's  professional body IPENZ will now be known as Engineering New Zealand. The organisation that represents engineers in New Zealand have also launched a new Membership Pathway, which creates a professional home for engineers from all disciplines at all stages of their careers. While Engineering New Zealand currently has a record 20,000 members it wants to attract even more engineers so it can better speak out for the profession.  They want to encourage senior managers, academics, engineering geologists, technicians and technologists to join, as well as engineering professionals from the rapidly growing fields like mechatronics and software. With…

25 Oct:  Food manufacturers looking for pallet wrappers that deliver speed, reliability, economy and safety need look no further than the Octopus Ring Pallet Wrapper from Signode.  The last step of many food manufacturing processes, pallet wrapping helps ensure products are not only secure and ready for shipping but also that they arrive at their final destination in good condition. Businesses which use pallet wrappers want the process to be completed with a minimum of fuss and without putting staff in physical danger. In summary, they are looking for machines that are reliable, accurate, fast and safe. Haloila, a member…

Cryptocurrency hardware company Ledger has partnered with Intel. The partnership involves the implementation of Ledger’s BOLOS operating system into Intel’s Software Guard Extensions secure storage products. Through the integration, Intel aims to offer more secure cryptocurrency storage to consumers. This partnership will allow users’ private keys to be stored in an Intel secure enclave, lowering the risk of software attacks. Ledger said the solution will first be implemented within cryptocurrency software wallets like MyEtherWallet and Electrum. “Working with a leading player like Intel is a unique opportunity to keep providing our growing client base with innovative solutions for cryptocurrency and…

Housing Minister Phil Twyford has revealed to the Herald the first in-depth details of the incoming Government's new $2 billion KiwiBuild scheme, explaining how 100,000 new residences will be built in the next decade. So-far-unknown details about precisely how, when and where the much-vaunted Labour initiative is planned to become a reality have been announced, giving details of a plan to fulfil tens of thousands of New Zealanders' long-ditched home ownership dreams. The just-announced Housing Minister told the Herald how labour, skills and land shortages in the over-stretched, under-delivering, under-resourced high-priced housing market were planned to be resolved by his…

Inland Revenue’s new IT system, implemented in February for their GST services, has been a disappointment, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. According to official data from IRD, the time spent handling GST related enquiries increased by 50% when the system was first introduced in February earlier this year. As of August, months after implementation, there was still a 20% increase in wait times compared to the previous year. Matthew Rhodes of the Taxpayers’ Union says, “The point of investing in a new IT system was to make services more efficient at IRD, but this data shows taxpayers are receiving…

 Apple, the world's biggest technology company, has bought New Zealand wireless power developer PowerbyProxi for an undisclosed sum.  The change in ownership was confirmed by an Apple spokesman in an email, but he refused to provide any details or the terms of the agreement. Fairfax Media reported Apple senior vice president of hardware engineer Dan Riccio said the "team will be a great addition as Apple works to create a wireless future". PowerbyProxi officials were not immediately available for comment. Company's Office filings show Samsung Investment Corp, the global investment arm of the Samsung Group owns 9.6 percent of the…