‘This is a

A couple who put their forestry company into liquidation after a worker’s death are doing fine. The worker’s mum can barely make ends meet, writes Tony Wall.

THEIR lives couldn’t be more different. Single mumSelina Eruera lives in a gang-ridden neighbourhood of Whakatane, struggling to raise her two teenage sons on a nurse’s parttime wages.

Across town towards Taneatua, Lawrence and Yvonne Harper have a modern home on a lifestyle block; a new car in the drive, a boat in the shed.

Eruera is not bitter, but some see their contrasting lifestyles as a slap in the face given that the Harpers avoided paying her family $75,000 in reparation for her son Eramiha Pairama’s death in a forestry accident in January, 2013.

In October 2015, a judge ordered Puketi Logging, of which the Harpers were the sole shareholders and Lawrence Harper sole director, to pay the reparation, plus a $25,000 fine. The company had been found guilty of failing to take all practical steps to provide 19-year-old Eramiha with a safe working environment.

But a month after sentencing, the company was put into liquidation at the Harpers’ request, owing the fines and reparation and $51,000 to trade and general creditors.

The move infuriated Eruera’s legal team as there had been no mention in court of an inability to pay. They questioned whether it was a deliberate ploy to avoid the order.

The company’s lawyer, Brett Harris, said at the time that suggestion was offensive.

He said the legal action had been devastating for the company and liquidation was the only option. He claimed the family had turned down an earlier offer of money in favour of litigation.

The Harpers had two companies, Harper Logging, established in 2000, and Puketi Logging, set up in 2012 for a second harvesting crew.

Eramiha was originally employed by Harper Logging straight out of school in 2009 but at the time of his death was working for Puketi.

After Puketi Logging went under, Harper Logging continued to operate and seemed to do well – an article in NZ Logger magazine a year after the court case showed it had taken possession of an expensive new piece of machinery.

At home this week, Yvonne Harper indicated she was unhappy with the way things turned out but referred questions to her lawyer.

Young Eramiha’s family have not seen a cent, and cannot afford even the dignity of a headstone for their son.’ TIM BRAITHWAITE