Local entanglements and utopian moves : an inquiry into train accidents

In 1996 after nearly fifty years in public ownership the British rail network was privatised. As a part of this what had been single organisation, British Rail, was broken into a set of different units which were individually sold off. Prominent among these were Railtrack plc (owner of the track, stations, signalling and other infrastructure), more than twenty train operating companies (TOCs) which received franchises to run trains (usually with government subsidies), and three companies which owned and leased rolling stock

New Zealand’s Diaspora and Overseas-born Population

Many New Zealand-born people migrate overseas, creating a diaspora, and many overseas-born people migrate to New Zealand. Both the diaspora and the overseas-born population in New Zealand may facilitate the international exchange of goods and ideas. Much discussion of international linkages has, however, been limited by a lack of data on numbers of people involved. Based mainly on place-of-birth data from national censuses, this paper provides estimates of the size and structure of New Zealand’s diaspora and overseas-born population, as well as comparisons with selected OECD countries such as Australia. A tentative conclusion is that the potential contribution of New Zealand’s diaspora may have been overestimated, and the contribution of the overseas-born population underestimated.International migration; diaspora; measurement; New Zealand; Australia; population; emigration; immigration

Trade, diaspora and migration to New Zealand

NZIER has always had a strong interest in understanding the way in which the New Zealand economy interacts with the rest of the world. We have a long history of producing research into trade liberalisation and globalisation. As the global economy becomes ever more complex, we are now turning our attention to issues such as services, investment, technology transfer and the role of people movement in promoting economic growth and productivity. NZIER is delighted to continue this tradition by funding this important and innovative piece of research by David Law, Murat Gen and John Bryant into the links between trade flows and the movement of people across borders. This research was funded by NZIER in celebration of our 50th Anniversary in 2008. During this very challenging period for the global economy, there has been a tendency for policy makers to implement inwards-focused policies aimed to protecting domestic jobs and promoting domestic economic activity. Such policies are politically popular, but can be economically inefficient and often come at the expense of deeper economic integration between countries. One particularly topical area of policy discussion is the role of immigration in promoting economic growth. New Zealand has long been reliant on immigration to boost its population and to fill gaps in the labour market. And many Kiwis love to travel overseas to gain life and work experience. Given these continual inflows and outflows, it is interesting to consider how people movements might affect the New Zealands exports and imports of goods and services, and thus how immigration policy might be used as a policy lever to boost our international linkages. The paper uses empirical techniques to investigate the links between trade, migration and New Zealands diaspora. It clearly shows that inwards and outwards migration has a positive effect on goods and tourism trade. This suggests that policy makers could design immigration policy with these links in mind in order to maximise the economic potential of migrants. If trade follows migration flows, then an important avenue for boosting New Zealands integration with the global economy may be encouraging migrants from important trading partners.Diaspora, trade, Migration, New Zealand, economic growth

Trade and Migration to New Zealand

This paper examines the hypothesis that a greater stock of migrants in New Zealand from a particular country leads to more trade between that country and New Zealand. The literature suggests that migrants can stimulate trade by lowering transaction costs, and by bringing with them preferences for goods produced in their home country. We use panel data techniques within the framework of a standard gravity model of trade. Our sample includes an average of over 170 countries for the years 1981 to 2001. Previous studies of trade and migration have not dealt satisfactorily with problems of unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias. We address these problems using correlated random effects and selection models. Results suggest that larger migrant stocks are associated with higher trade flows.

Trade and Migration to New Zealand

This paper examines the hypothesis that a greater stock of migrants in New Zealand from a particular country leads to more trade between that country and New Zealand. The literature suggests that migrants can stimulate trade by lowering transaction costs, and by bringing with them preferences for goods produced in their home country. We use panel data techniques within the framework of a standard gravity model of trade. Our sample includes an average of over 170 countries for the years 1981 to 2001. Previous studies of trade and migration have not dealt satisfactorily with problems of unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias. We address these problems using correlated random effects and selection models. Results suggest that larger migrant stocks are associated with higher trade flows.Migration; International Trade; Panel Data; New Zealand

Trade and Migration to New Zealand

This paper examines the hypothesis that a greater stock of migrants in New Zealand from a particular country leads to more trade between that country and New Zealand. The literature suggests that migrants can stimulate trade by lowering transaction costs, and by bringing with them preferences for goods produced in their home country. We use panel data techniques within the framework of a standard gravity model of trade. Our sample includes an average of over 170 countries for the years 1981 to 2001. Previous studies of trade and migration have not dealt satisfactorily with problems of unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias. We address these problems using correlated random effects and selection models. Results suggest that larger migrant stocks are associated with higher trade flowsMigration, Internatinoal Trade, Panel Data, New Zealand

Relative abundance and size composition of subtidal abalone, Haliotis spp., sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus spp., and abundance of sea stars off Fitzgerald marine reserve, September 1993

Data were collected at twenty-six dive stations at seven discrete latitudes along Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (FMR). Dive stations were targeted at three stratified depth zones: shallow (6.1 m), medium (10.7 m), and deep (16.8 m) in six of the seven locations. Two types of line transects, emergent and invasive, were completed by separate dive teams at each dive station. The area surveyed totalled 1,510 m2 for emergent and 560 m2 for invasive transects. Reef habitat dominated all depth zones, with moveable boulder and cobble increasing at medium and shallow depths. Encrusting coraline and surface algae dominated (49%), followed by turf (37%), sub-canopy (11.2%), and rare canopy (0.2%). Canopy was found only at shallow depths. Turf and sub-canopy decreased with depth. Only two species of abalone, red, Haliotis rufescens, and flat, H. walallensis, were found. Flat abalone were extremely rare with only two found on invasive transects (0.004 abalone m-2). Red abalone densities were low at both emergent (0.02 abalone m-2, s.e.=O.Ol) and invasive (0.07 abalone m-2, s.e.=0.03 ) transects. Red abalone concentrations differed significantly by depth and location. No abalone were found at deep depths and only one sport-legal (178 mm shell length) abalone was found at medium depth. One commercial legal (198 mm shell length) abalone was found on the entire survey. Most sport-legal abalone were located in cryptic habitat in shallow invasive transects (38%), compared to 7% on emergent transects. The only evidence of recruitment was found on invasive transects where three young-of-the-year (<=31 mm shell length) red abalone were found. Evidence from our survey and other sources suggests that sport and commercial fisheries are not sustainable off the San Mateo coast. Red urchin, Stongylocentrotus franciscanus, were more abundant than purple urchin, S. purpuratus, or red abalone. Red urchin densities were lower in emergent (1.08 urchin m-2,s.e.=0.04) than invasive (1.52, s.e.=0.06 m-2) transects. Densities of red urchin at deep stations in areas of lower algal abundance and potentially greater commercial fishing pressure were about one-half the densities at medium and shallow depths. ANOVA showed significant differences by depth and location. Mean Test Diameter (MTD) increased from deep to medium to shallow depths, while juvenile (<=50 mm) MTD showed an inverse relationship with depth. Shallow-depth invasive transects revealed a missing mode of 83 mm red urchin. This size mode was not found in emergent transects, probably due to cryptic habitat. Purple urchin were found at low densities at all three depth strata. Purple urchin densities were comparable in emergent (0.11 urchin m-2, s.e.=0.02 ) and invasive (0.09 urchin m-2,s.e.=0.03) transects. ANOVA showed densities varied significantly by location but not depth. 'Juvenile' purple urchin abundance showed an inverse relation to juvenile red urchin, increasing from deep to shallow depths. Purple urchin MTD of 84 mm (s.d.=23) was larger than reported for intertidal areas off FMR. Sea stars were found in high abundance off FMR. Bat stars, Asterina minata, had the highest densities (0.79 sea stars m-2, s.e.=0.03) followed by Pisaster sp. (0.47 sea stars m-2,s.e.=0.03 ), and sunflower stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, (0.11 sea stars m-2, s.e.=0.04). Pisaster sp. was the only group of sea stars where differences in density were significant by depth or location. (30pp.

The effect of continuous veno-clysis in the treatment of intestinal intoxication in infants

1. Continuous intravenous drip or veno-clysis is a safe proceedure which can be used in any hospital. 2. It promises to reduce the mortality in summer diarrhoea from approximately 35% by the most approved methods to as low as 10%. In our cases we had no mortalities. 3. The intravenous route offers numerous advantages of fluid administration and it seems that less fluid is needed by this channel to correct intoxication. 4. Veno-clysis enables withholding fluid and milk orally, gives the gas-too —intestinal tract a rest and makes us independent of the intestinal tract for nourishment. A 12-hour water starvation and complete milk and carbohydrate starvation is stressed during the infusion. Emphasis is also placed on a careful resumption of feeding. 5. Blood transfusion is beneficial in all cases but does not seem to be essential for recovery if veno-clysis is used, 6. All cases of intoxication should be considered seriously ill and veno-clysis given early