Why the body of a coalminer showed no sign of damage from the
massive explosion that tore through the Pike River Mine was
one of two enduring puzzles scrutinised at the Royal
Commission of Inquiry into the disaster today.
A German tourist's impromptu attempt at freestyle
rock-climbing came to grief yesterday when he plunged 4m on
to jagged rocks at Perpendicular Point, near Punakaiki.
Lawyers for former Pike River Coal head Peter Whittall are
considering applying to have some of the charges against him
dropped because of the timeframe in which they were laid.
Owners of baches built on public land will have to open up
their homes for other holidaymakers and allow their gardens
to be used as campgrounds under new Department of
Conservation rules.
