The Star: November 08, 2018

The Star 3
News
Investigation into electrocution continues
• By Sophie Cornish
THE investigation continues
into the death of 30-year-old
electrician Tuainekore Uri-Ke.
Mr Uri-Ke is believed to have
been electrocuted on Friday
at a commercial property on
Victoria St.
WorkSafe is investigating the
incident.
Armistice billboard saved
Pulled from
a rubbish
burn-off in
the 1940s
• By Anan Zaki
WHEN RETIRED wool
merchant Keith Whitfield was at
a rubbish burn-off in the 1940s,
he saw a distinct piece of paper.
It was a billboard for The Star,
announcing the Armistice on
November 12, 1918 (NZ time),
which marked the end of World
War 1.
Mr Whitfield, 88, asked the
owner of the billboard if he could
keep it.
“He was just going to throw it
into the fire and I said ‘hey, I’ll
have that’,” he said.
“I thought it might be worth
hanging onto, not knowing I
would be here a 100 years from
the date of it.”
Mr Whitfield, who lives in
Fendalton, framed it and loaned
it to the Papanui RSA about 20
years ago, where it is still on
display.
His father Alex and his two
uncles, Harold and Herb, all
served in WW1. The three
Whitfield brothers all survived
the war. They served in France
and Egypt.
“They were very lucky. [My
father] was gassed, and coughed
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The Star understands
the investigation will
look into electrical
safeguards at the site
where Mr Uri-Ke died,
which are meant to
prevent electrocutions
when there is a problem
by switching off all
power to the building.
A funeral was held for Mr
his whole life,” he said.
Mr Whitfield never got the
chance to show the poster to
his father but it served as a
reminder of his contribution to
the country.
“Because my father fought in
the war, it’s a memoir of him
when I come to the RSA,” he
said.
Mr Whitfield said the RSA
was the best place to keep the
poster and does not intend to
sell it for profit. He has read The
Star his whole life. “It’s my sole
source of news, I enjoy it because
everything is local.”
•More Armistice Day, page 28
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
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Uri-Ke yesterday.
A death notice in The
Press said he was an
“adored husband and
cherished and amazing
dad.”
The building’s owner
and Countrywide Group
director Richard Diver
would not speak to The Star
about the incident.
“I have no comment to make
. . . I am a really busy man. I
am an incredibly busy person
. . . shut up please. Goodbye,”
he said.
A WorkSafe spokeswoman
said the investigation could take
up to a year to complete.
It is understood the entire
building lost power after the
incident.
HISTORY: Keith Whitfield holds The Star announcement
that World War 1 has ended. Parades were held
throughout New Zealand on Armistice Day.
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in brief
Two arrested over
pub ram-raid
Two people have been arrested
for the ram-raid of Bishop
Brothers Public House on
Friday. A stolen car was driven
through a window at the bar
in Bishopdale about 3.30am.
Video footage showed two
women, one dressed in a sheep
onesie, directing a car into the
window. Numerous bottles of
alcohol were taken. A man and a
woman were arrested later in the
morning.
Man charged over
fireworks incident
Charges have been laid after a
fire was started by fireworks shot
from a car in Rolleston. Police
have charged a man with intentional
damage for the incident
on Newtons Rd on Saturday
night. The man came forward
and spoke to police after the
incident was publicised. He will
appear in court on Tuesday.
Blaze may have been
caused by fireworks
A 10m x 10m grass fire in
Halswell on Monday night is
believed to be fireworks-related.
Fire and Emergency New
Zealand spokesman Andrew
Norris said crews attended the
fire on Carrs Rd about 9.45pm.
No one was at the scene, said Mr
Norris.
Cyclist injured in
Bealey Ave crash
A crash involving a cyclist
and a car on Tuesday at about
6.50am left a 45-year-old cyclist
with moderate injuries. St John
spokeswoman Chrissy Hamilton
said an ambulance attended
the crash on Bealey Ave and a
man was transported to
hospital.
Margaret Mahy
playground gets award
The Margaret Mahy Family
Playground has been named as
the Kiwi’s Choice at the Keep
New Zealand Beautiful
Awards.
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