Big Cambridge welcome for royal couple
Seven-year-old suffers severe facial injuries and bites to her body when set on by four dogs, report Aimee Gulliver, Liam Hyslop and Libby Wilson. A Japanese girl savagely mauled by four dogs had just moved to New Zealand with her parents at the start of the year.
The girl, aged 7, was playing in the yard of a property owned by friends of her family in the Bay of Plenty forestry town of Murupara when she was attacked by four ‘‘mastiff-type’’ dogs belonging to the owner of the property yesterday afternoon, police said.
She suffered life-threatening facial injuries in the attack, and was taken to Murupara Medical Centre, St John Ambulance communications team manager Norm Ngatai said.
She was airlifted to Rotorua Hospital about 1.30pm in a critical condition and was being taken to Middlemore Hospital in Auckland last night. BayTrust Rescue Helicopter pilot Art Kowalski said a specialist team had travelled to Rotorua to transport her to Auckland.
The family was new to New Zealand, and the girl did not appear to speak English, he said.
‘‘My understanding is that they have just gained residency and moved here at the beginning of the year. Her father came with us and was translating back and forward between her and our paramedic.’’
The girl’s injuries were ‘‘extensive’’, and affected about 90 per cent of her face, he said. She also suffered puncture wounds to both arms, legs and hips.
Bay of Plenty police communications spokeswoman Kim Perks said police were informed of the attack after 2pm. All four dogs were put down by a vet, and a police investigation was under way.
Senior Sergeant Brendon Keenan said the owner of the dogs had been ‘‘very supportive of this very distressful situation.’’
No-one else had been in danger, he said. The girl had been a pupil at a Murupara school for the last month. Pem Bird, principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau, said she spoke no English but had settled well at the school.
Her parents planned to get residency and move permanently to Murupara. They had to return to Japan to sort out their residency.
Murupara is ready to support the family, two of its community leaders say.
The family had only been in the Bay of Plenty town for six weeks, community board chairperson Jacob Te Kurapa said.
‘‘What matters most ... is for the speedy recovery of the girl. The community will rally behind and support them,’’ Mr Te Kurapa said.
This could include seeking donations for medical treatment, he said.
Following the attack Mr Te Kurapa had received a number of complaints about roaming dogs in Murupara, and he said it had opened a wound as people thought back to when dogs in the street attacked local woman Virginia Ohlson in 2007.
Ohlson, a 56-year-old mother of one, was fatally injured when two dogs, a pitbull and staffordshire-cross, attacked her as she walked along Pine Drive in the town.
Mr Te Kurapa said people wanted justice and vengeance and they were worried the latest attack was similar to the one in 2007.
Feedback from the calls suggested people wanted better dog control laws.
While many dogs in Muruapara are used for hunting, the dogs involved in yesterday’s attack were believed to be pets.
Whakatane district councillor for the Galatea-Murupara Ward, Alison Silcock, said she understood the dogs were microchipped and registered, and the owners were responsible.
However she said the attack was ‘‘horrifying’’ for the local community.
‘‘It’s really a great concern to us as a community that this poor child has fatal injuries, or any injuries from a dog for that matter,’’ Cr Silcock said.
Waikato Times approached the house where it was believed the dog attack took place but was told by a person there to leave the property.
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce CEO Raewyn Jones outside town hall. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will make a flying visiting to our own Cambridge.
The royal couple announced their tour of New Zealand last year and Kensington Palace confirmed they would make four stops in Cambridge and Hamilton on April 12 for their one-day sojourn.
The news prompted the town to begin preparations – chamber of commerce CEO Raewyn Jones said the streets would be packed.
‘‘I don’t think there is anywhere in New Zealand that’s going to go off as much as Cambridge,’’ she said.
They prided themselves as a ‘‘very English’’ town and local residents had a penchant to get in behind royal events.
When the royal baby Prince George Alexander Louis was born last July, they lit the town hall and clock tower blue to celebrate.
‘‘It was just a big celebration for us because he is the Prince of Cambridge,’’ she said. ‘‘We’ll claim him as our own, we’re not above that.’’
Prince William last visited New Zealand in March 2011 after the Christchurch earthquake but it would be the first visit for Catherine Middleton.
Waipa mayor Jim Mylchreest said the details had not yet been finalised but the visit to Cambridge was special.
‘‘From a Waipa perspective, we are absolutely delighted to host the royals and particularly with that name association with Cambridge, maybe that’s what swung it for us.’’
Prince William’s first engagement will be with Hamilton aircraft manufacturer Pacific Aerospace, while the duchess, who is a patron of East Anglia’s children hospices, will attend Hospice Waikato’s Rainbow Place.
Pacific Aerospace chief executive Damian Camp hoped to unveil a new innovation in aircraft design on the day and said staff were keen to meet the prince.
‘‘Everybody is really proud to be of interest to the royal party,’’ he said. ‘‘We Royal visit: Wills, Kate and George are due in Camridge for the day on April 12. were lucky to make it on to the agenda.’’
Hospice Waikato staff were told of the news of Catherine Middleton’s planned arrival immediately after Prime Minister John Key’s announcement and CEO Craig Tamblyn said there was a lot of excitement.
Rainbow Place provides specialist care for children and young people to cope with life-threatening illness and the Roy- al visit coincides with the annual Gallagher children’s party.
‘‘Not only will she be able to look at the facilities that we’ve got, we are actually holding a party for children and their families on that day.’’
The official opening ceremony of the Home of Cycling Avantidrome would be a showcase of cycling in New Zealand and CEO Geoff Balme said it coincided with the royal visit in a ‘‘once in a generation’’ opportunity.
‘‘They won’t be here for the whole three hours, they’ll only be here for 45 minutes but it will be a high point of the afternoon,’’ he said.
Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker was pleased and proud that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would be visiting Hamilton during their tour. ‘‘This is very exciting for Hamilton,’’ she said.
Prime Minister John Key says a planned visit by the royals to Turangewaiwai Marae was canned, because Maori King Tuheitia wasn’t happy with the amount of time the couple could give.
For full details of the royal tour see www.waikatotimes.co.nz