title: Predator control improves nesting success in Waikato forest fragments

authors: Innes, John G.

subjects: artificial nests

abstract: Predation at nests contributes importantly to current declines of New Zealand forest birds. We monitored the survival of natural and artificial arboreal nests in small forest remnants south-west of Hamilton, where ship rat (Rattus rattus) and possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) abundances were also being measured in Summer 2008/09. Artificial cup nests (N = 77) were placed in replicated blocks with and without pest control, in both December and January. Natural nests (N = 11, five bird species) were observed from 13 October to 23 December 2008 in a forest with no pest control. Digital video cameras identified ship rats, brushtail possums and harrier hawks (Circus approximans) as predators of eggs and chicks. There was no difference between artificial and natural nests in daily survival rates monitored in December in a block with no pest control, suggesting that artificial nests are reasonable surrogates for natural nests. Bite marks on clay eggs, other diagnostic sign, and DNA swabbed from real and clay eggs confirmed ship rats and possums were the major introduced predators at artificial nests. Bite marks also confirmed that harriers contribute to nest failure. Removal of ship rats and possums in December improved the 14-day probability of survival of artificial nests, from P = 0.63 (95% CI 0.45–0.77) in the non-treatment block to P = 0.88 (0.74–0.95) in the treatment blocks. In January, the 14-day probability of survival in all three blocks was intermediate at 0.80 (0.69–0.87), and the variation between them could not be explained by including pest control in the model. The abundance of ship rats apparently declined even in the non-treatment block over this time, for unknown reasons. Our data from tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa) forest remnants confirm that control of ship rats and possums alone is sufficient to improve nesting success of small arboreal birds in North Island forests.

text: Predator control improves nesting success in Waikato forest fragments Predation at nests contributes importantly to current declines of New Zealand forest birds. We monitored the survival of natural and artificial arboreal nests in small forest remnants south-west of Hamilton, where ship rat (Rattus rattus) and possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) abundances were also being measured in Summer 2008/09. Artificial cup nests (N = 77) were placed in replicated blocks with and without pest control, in both December and January. Natural nests (N = 11, five bird species) were observed from 13 October to 23 December 2008 in a forest with no pest control. Digital video cameras identified ship rats, brushtail possums and harrier hawks (Circus approximans) as predators of eggs and chicks. There was no difference between artificial and natural nests in daily survival rates monitored in December in a block with no pest control, suggesting that artificial nests are reasonable surrogates for natural nests. Bite marks on clay eggs, other diagnostic sign, and DNA swabbed from real and clay eggs confirmed ship rats and possums were the major introduced predators at artificial nests. Bite marks also confirmed that harriers contribute to nest failure. Removal of ship rats and possums in December improved the 14-day probability of survival of artificial nests, from P = 0.63 (95% CI 0.45–0.77) in the non-treatment block to P = 0.88 (0.74–0.95) in the treatment blocks. In January, the 14-day probability of survival in all three blocks was intermediate at 0.80 (0.69–0.87), and the variation between them could not be explained by including pest control in the model. The abundance of ship rats apparently declined even in the non-treatment block over this time, for unknown reasons. Our data from tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa) forest remnants confirm that control of ship rats and possums alone is sufficient to improve nesting success of small arboreal birds in North Island forests.

year: 2015

title: Staying in Singapore?: New Zealand's third Labour government and the retention of military forces in Southeast Asia

authors: McCraw, David

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: At the beginning of the 1970s, three Western countries – Britain, Australia and New Zealand – had military forces stationed in Singapore under the Five Power Defence Arrangements for the defence of Malaysia and Singapore. Shortly afterwards, Labour party governments were elected in all three countries, and the Australian and British governments, against the wishes of the Singapore government, withdrew their forces from the island nation. Only the New Zealand Labour government of Norman Kirk was prepared to keep its forces in Singapore, despite having pledged at the 1972 election to negotiate a date for withdrawal. This article considers the question of why the New Zealand government pursued a different policy from its allies in regard to troops in Singapore, a policy which was in stark contrast to its attitude towards New Zealand troops in Vietnam and Cambodia, and one which was not supported by a section of the Labour party membership. Since Australia’s withdrawal policy has recently been examined for the first time, it seems worthwhile, and timely, to explore the different priorities underlying the New Zealand Labour government’s policy towards troops in Singapore.

text: Staying in Singapore?: New Zealand's third Labour government and the retention of military forces in Southeast Asia At the beginning of the 1970s, three Western countries – Britain, Australia and New Zealand – had military forces stationed in Singapore under the Five Power Defence Arrangements for the defence of Malaysia and Singapore. Shortly afterwards, Labour party governments were elected in all three countries, and the Australian and British governments, against the wishes of the Singapore government, withdrew their forces from the island nation. Only the New Zealand Labour government of Norman Kirk was prepared to keep its forces in Singapore, despite having pledged at the 1972 election to negotiate a date for withdrawal. This article considers the question of why the New Zealand government pursued a different policy from its allies in regard to troops in Singapore, a policy which was in stark contrast to its attitude towards New Zealand troops in Vietnam and Cambodia, and one which was not supported by a section of the Labour party membership. Since Australia’s withdrawal policy has recently been examined for the first time, it seems worthwhile, and timely, to explore the different priorities underlying the New Zealand Labour government’s policy towards troops in Singapore.

year: 2012

title: Māori in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: An analysis of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science data records from 1997-2002

authors: Ashwell, Allanah

subjects: Maori students

abstract: The Ministry of Education has compiled annual reports on the participation of Maori in
tertiary education. The 2002 report presented a comprehensive description of Maori
participation across all tertiary institutions within New Zealand in that year. The figures
show that Maori are markedly under-represented in tertiary institutions, particularly
universities.
The barriers encountered by Maori students can either directly or indirectly impact on
Maori participation, retention and success. The more disturbing outcome is that of
withdrawal or dropping out of higher education, is more likely when a Maori student
experiences and has to confront multiple rather than single barriers.
With this in mind, the aim of this study was to examine and identify trends apparent in
data records of Maori students enrolled in courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences at the University of Waikato between 1997 and 2002 and to make
recommendations to the Faculty about how negative trends might be addressed. Specific
areas for analysis are detailed in the report.

text: Māori in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: An analysis of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science data records from 1997-2002 The Ministry of Education has compiled annual reports on the participation of Maori in
tertiary education. The 2002 report presented a comprehensive description of Maori
participation across all tertiary institutions within New Zealand in that year. The figures
show that Maori are markedly under-represented in tertiary institutions, particularly
universities.
The barriers encountered by Maori students can either directly or indirectly impact on
Maori participation, retention and success. The more disturbing outcome is that of
withdrawal or dropping out of higher education, is more likely when a Maori student
experiences and has to confront multiple rather than single barriers.
With this in mind, the aim of this study was to examine and identify trends apparent in
data records of Maori students enrolled in courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences at the University of Waikato between 1997 and 2002 and to make
recommendations to the Faculty about how negative trends might be addressed. Specific
areas for analysis are detailed in the report.

year: 2003-06