IT'S SEVEN SHARP. IT'S NOT REALLY HUMAN TO STOP CARING. STILL SEARCHING FOR JACK. WE'RE WITH THE LOCALS REFUSING TO GIVE UP. IN THE SAME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, I'D WANT SOMEBODY TO BE OUT THERE LOOKING. PLUS ` READS: SOUTH ISLAND LIFE BEATS THE NORTH. IT WASN'T A SURPRISE TO ME. WELL, NOT FOR YOU, LIANNE, BUT, WELL... I'M GONNA THROW SOME NUMBERS AT YOU. AND FOR THE SOUTH ISLANDERS, I'LL TALK SLOWLY. AND WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OUT,... I USED TO WORRY. I HONESTLY USED TO WORRY. ...COULD YOU GET OUT? HAS THIS THING GOT AIR BAGS, ALAN? ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. Don't you love it in those openers ` Mike Thorpe was wearing SunniEs and it's a cloudy day down south. We have this big debate running tonight because a new study has come out saying that the South is better. Confirming that the South is better than the North. As viewers know, I am fashion forward. Pee-wee Herman. HERE'S WHAT CAUGHT OUR EYE TODAY ` 124 PEOPLE ARE NOW CONFIRMED TO HAVE A SERIOUS STOMACH BUG, WHICH IS SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. ANOTHER 18 ARE SUSPECTED CASES. IS CLIMATE CHANGE MAKING MEN EXTINCT? JAPANESE RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED A TREND LINKING WARMER TEMPERATURES TO A LOWER PROPORTION OF BOYS BEING BORN. AND SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU GO AWWW ` RESCUERS IN OREGON SAVED A DOG WHICH WAS PRESUMED DEAD AFTER A 60M FALL DOWN A CLIFF. A PASSING HIKER HEARD GRACIE'S BARKING, WHICH SPARKED THE MASSIVE EFFORT. Mean going extinct, it's nothing to get wound up about. It's a myth, that climate change (!) IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A WEEK SINCE LITTLE JACK DIXON WAS SWEPT OFF MT MAUNGANUI BEACH BY A FREAK WAVE, IN A TRUE FREAK ACCIDENT. THE SEARCH FOR JACK MIGHT HAVE DROPPED OUT OF THE NEWS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S STOPPED. THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE OUT ON THE WATER, COMBING THE COASTLINE, JUST TRYING TO BRING JACK HOME. EMMA KEELING JOINED THEM TODAY. THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN UP. THEY'RE NOT READY TO. THE LIFEGUARDS OF MT MAUNGANUI HEAD BACK OUT ON DAY EIGHT OF THE SEARCH FOR 5-YEAR-OLD JACK DIXON. EVERY TIME WE GO OUT, WE HOPE. WE WANT TO KEEP GOING AS LONG AS WE CAN. MONDAY WAS THE ONLY DAY PAUL TREANOR DIDN'T GO OUT. AIDAN WARD'S TRAINING TO BE A DOCTOR, BUT LIKE ALL VOLUNTEERS, HE MAKES THE TIME TO KEEP SEARCHING. AIDAN, WHAT KEEPS BRINGING YOU OUT HERE? IT'S GOT TO BE THE FAMILY. IT'S NOT REALLY HUMAN TO STOP CARING ABOUT THEIR CHILD AND THEIR SON, JACK, THEY'VE LOST TO THE SEA. THE SEARCH HAS BEEN SCALED DOWN SINCE JACK WAS SWEPT AWAY LAST WEDNESDAY. THE AMAZING THING ABOUT WEDNESDAY WAS THE WAY EVERYTHING CLICKED. HELICOPTER, POLICE... THE LAND SEARCH AND RESCUE GUYS WERE AMAZING AND HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH. AND OUR OWN PEOPLE HAVE REALLY BEEN INCREDIBLE. BUT THE WEEK HAS TAKEN A BIG EMOTIONAL TOLL. IN TIMES LIKE THIS, KENT JARMAN'S 48 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ARE INVALUABLE. UNFORTUNATELY THE OTHER DAY, WITH THE ANGLE OF THE SWELL COMING IN THERE, THE WAVES WERE COMING RIGHT UP TO THE GRASS. I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT THE FAMILY OUT. IT WAS HERE AT SHELLEY BEACH WHERE THE FREAK WAVE TOOK JACK. IT'S NEVER EASY. IT'S NOT EASY. HOW MANY SEARCHES HAVE YOU DONE? NOT SURE, QUITE A FEW. I PREFER TO DO IT THAN LET THE YOUNG GUYS GET INVOLVED IN IT AT TOO EARLY AN AGE. THE COMMUNITY HAS RALLIED FOR EACH OTHER, BRINGING FOOD, EVEN FREEZERS ` TAKING CARE OF THEIR LIFEGUARDS. SAM, HOW MANY SHIFTS HAVE YOU DONE SO FAR? TODAY IS MY FIRST SHIFT. SO, YEAH, THE FIRST CHANCE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME DOWN, HELP OUT AND DO MY BIT. THIS MORNING SAM SEARCHED WITH HIS DAD, JIM. YOU'RE OUT HERE WITH YOUR SON. YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR THE FAMILY. ABSOLUTELY. IN THE SAME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, I'D WANT SOMEBODY TO BE OUT THERE LOOKING. AROUND 2500 VOLUNTEER HOURS HAVE BEEN LOGGED SO FAR. TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, LAST SUMMER'S TOTAL HOURS REACHED 5000. WE WERE ACTUALLY AROUND AT THE BEACH ONLY A DAY EARLIER, SO IT'S JUST VERY POIGNANT. WE THOUGHT WE'D JUST GET INVOLVED AND COME OVER AND HELP OUT. KENT'S BEEN HERE EVERY DAY. HIS JOB COMES SECOND. HOW DO YOU HELP THE OTHER LIFE GUARDS DEAL WITH THE EMOTION THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH? I TRY AND SAY TO THE GUYS, 'JUST PUT YOUR EMOTIONS IN A LITTLE BOX. 'DO YOUR JOB, AND THEN AFTER IT'S ALL OVER, 'YOU CAN ACTUALLY PULL THE BOX OUT AND REVISIT IT 'AND TALK ABOUT IT, HAVE A LAUGH, TALK, HAVE A BEER, 'AND TALK ABOUT IT, HAVE A LAUGH, TALK, HAVE A BEER, 'HAVE A CHAT, HAVE A CRY. COS THAT'S A NORMAL HUMAN REACTION.' TODAY, AS USUAL, STARTED WITH HOPE. DRIVING UP ALONG MATAKANA, YOU'RE LOOKING AND LOOKING, AND YOU JUST THINK HE'S GOING TO BE THERE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY TODAY IT WASN'T THE CASE. THE MT MAUNGANUI LIFEGUARDS WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL THEY BRING JACK HOME. IT'S QUITE PERSONAL IN A WAY, BECAUSE, REALLY, WE WANT TO SEE SOME CLOSURE ON IT AS WELL OBVIOUSLY FOR THE FAMILY AND ALSO FOR OURSELVES, BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT, FOR US, IT'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THIS AFTERNOON JACK'S FAMILY SENT US THIS STATEMENT. It's such a horrible story. An amazing effort by the community. We wish you all the very best, all those involved. NEXT ON SEVEN SHARP ` HEATHER, THE NORTH ISLAND'S GREAT, RIGHT? TONI, IT IS SUCH A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. THINK OF ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE! I WILL TELL YOU WHY WE'RE TOTALLY BETTER THAN THE SOUTH ISLAND NEXT. OK, I CAN THINK OF SOMEONE WHO WON'T BE TOO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. COME IN, MR MIKE THORPE. NOW, THERE IS DIVISION IN THE SEVEN SHARP TEAM TONIGHT. SOME PEOPLE FEEL BETTER THAN OTHERS, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT GEOGRAPHY. Can I point out I lived for years In Christchurch? I sense there is not a great deal of balance. I on the other hand am completely bias free. I was born and bred in the South. I've lived in Auckland for a couple of years. A NEW REPORT SAYS THE SOUTH ISLAND IS BETTER. THAT CAN'T BE TRUE. WE SENT HEATHER TO CHECK. OH, HOW GENEROUS OF THE OECD TO SAY WE'RE MORE EDUCATED IN THE NORTH ISLAND. YEAH, BUT WE SAY, 'WHAT DOES THE OECD EVEN KNOW?' I'M GONNA THROW SOME NUMBERS AT YOU, AND FOR THE SOUTH ISLANDERS, I'LL TALK SLOWLY. NOW, BEFORE WE GET TO THE NUMBERS... MIKE THORPE, ALL I SAW IN YOUR STORY WAS A BUNCH OF WHITE PEOPLE. IT'S CALLED DIVERSITY. TALOFA. KIA ORA. HELLO. YEP, THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE UP HERE ON BEAUTIFUL TE IKA A MAUI. THAT'S WHAT WE CALL OUR ISLAND. WE'RE SO DIVERSE. OK, THE NUMBERS ` 11 ` THAT'S THE NUMBER OF CITIES WE'VE GOT. FOUR ` THAT'S YOURS. 2792 ` THAT'S HOW MANY SUNSHINE HOURS OUR SUNNIEST PLACE GOT LAST YEAR. 2411 ` THAT'S HOW MANY YOURS GOT. WE'VE GROWN THIS MANY ALL BLACKS. YOU, NOT SO MUCH OF A TEAM PLAYER, EH? INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS. WE'VE GOT MORE OF THOSE. WHICH IS HANDY, BECAUSE AS IT TURNS OUT, TOURISTS LIKE US MORE. WE GOT THIS MANY LAST YEAR. YOU ONLY GOT THIS MANY. AND WE'VE GOT THE... POWER. YEP, ALL THE POWER. AND... BETTER CELL PHONE COVERAGE. SO, AS WE SIT BACK AND BASK IN OUR AWESOMENESS AND THE SUNSHINE, AND OUR ANKLES ARE FREE FROM SAND FLY ATTACK, AND WE LOOK OVER YONDER, AND, AHOY, WE SEE YOUR SNOW, WE FEEL SORRY FOR YOU. AND FORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT 90KM OF SEA BETWEEN US. NOW, A KILOMETRE, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW... WE'RE TALKING TO YOU, SOUTH ISLAND. I don't want to argue, but I still use bug spray up here. Where do you live? It's all well and good for Heather the to say that, but she did file that report from Wellington. Will go to the South island is now. THE TEAM'S SOUTHERN MAN, MIKE THORPE. READS: SOUTH ISLAND LIFE BEATS THE NORTH. REALLY? NO <BLEEP>. IT'S NOT SURPRISING, NO. THIS NEW OECD REPORT CONFIRMS THAT WE'RE HEALTHIER, SAFER, AND WE'VE GOT MORE JOBS. AS MUCH AS OUR HOUSING COULD BETTER, IT STILL BEATS THEM UP THERE. atLOOK AT THAT ` FOUR BEDROOMS, FOUR ACRES. LESS THAN 300 K. #SOUTHLAND. APPARENTLY, THE SOUTH ISLAND IS LESS EDUCATED THAN THE NORTH, BUT OUR INCOME'S MORE BETTER, SO KEEP THE CHANGE. YOU'RE $2 SHORT! WE'RE ALSO LEADING THE NORTH IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. CHEERS, MAYORS. THIS GUY'S ONE OF OURS, AND SO ARE THESE. CANTERBURY NPC TROPHIES ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE. OF COURSE, THEY'RE NOT LEADING THE COMPETITION THIS YEAR. TASMAN IS. SOUTH ISLAND TEAM. #JUSTSAYING. They don't call us the mainland for nothing. #BLUFFOYSTERS, #NATIONALPARKS, #GLACIERS, #CANTERBURY. LOOK, LIFE'S NOT A COMPETITION, BUT WE'RE WINNING. We can go live to both our reporters. Why were you wearing shades when it wasn't sunny? We're optimistic down here. What Would make you move to the North Island? I am Hawke's Bay born and bred, so I am a transplanted mainland. The South Islande is beautiful. If you were Wellington right now, Heather, Mike couldn't put up his umbrella I would move down to the South island if they were prepared to start DNA testing people before they got married. You are not going down the gene line, are you? There are 3 million people in the North island. We are things called events on our calendar. What about the scenery? The scenery down south is nice. It's nice here too. It's beautiful. That a person there. We bump into other human beings in the North Island. I'm guessing you think the space down south is one of the best things. What about the weather? Harden up. All I heard from Heather was 'more, more, more'. How about 0 ` the number of wins Wellington had in the NPC. Am I listening to a skinhead? You pull the diversity card. What do you say, Mike we have geographical diversity down here. You can go from mountains 1 min to sunshine. What is the best islands to holiday in? Tough call. I do like the sun, so might be a turncoat. The North Island, obviously you are losing, Mike. We have the best places to holiday. I think it has to be left up to Jack and I. I didn't think of Hastings as a holiday destination. You are clutching at short straws when you pull out Hastings. I think line of the night has to be 'our income is more better'. Heather seemed a little bit angry. Heather, you can't beat the 'Naki. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` AM I MEANT TO PUT MY LIFE IN HIS HANDS? (LAUGHS) YEP, DEANO, BECAUSE WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, HE COULD BE THE ONE TO SAVE YOU. THERE WAS FOUR OR FIVE DISABLED PEOPLE GOT OUT OF THOSE TOWERS MINUTES BEFORE THEY COLLAPSED IN EVAC CHAIRS. I have a question for you ` would you wear this outfit down south? This is when you know you spent too much time in Auckland. Maybe I've been drinking from the Kool-Aid too much. Down south, you stick with your flannel shirts. I went to Lincoln University. It was stubbies and rugby jerseys. OK, SO, AUCKLAND LOST POWER EARLIER IN THE WEEK, THE LATTES WERE ON HOLD, THE TROPICAL FISH NEEDED LITTLE HOTTIES, THE PHONES WERE RUNNING ON PETROL. DISASTER. BUT AWAY FROM THE JOKES, IT WAS SERIOUS. BUSINESSES LOST PILES OF MONEY, AND THERE'S A REAL SAFETY CONCERN TOO. HOW DO YOU GET OUT OF A BUILDING QUICKLY WHEN SOMETHING LIKE A POWER CUT STRIKES? DEAN BUTLER FOUND THE ANSWER. AT 1.62M, 92 KILOS AND 72 YEARS OF AGE, ALAN ARMSTRONG DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOUR AVERAGE SUPERHERO. AM I MEANT TO PUT MY LIFE IN HIS HANDS? (LAUGHS) BUT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING. I BROUGHT SOMEBODY OUT OF THE SKY TOWER, AND I BELIEVE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT EVER DID. 45 STOREYS, 90 SETS OF STAIRS, THIS OLD COOT AT 70 TOOK A 100KG MAN DOWN IN 12 MINUTES. THE MAN CALLING ALAN AN OLD COOT IS YOUNGER BROTHER LES. HE IS TO ALAN WHAT ROBIN IS TO BATMAN. MUM SMOKED WHEN SHE HAD ALAN, AND, UM... YEAH, SHE GAVE UP. 8 INCHES. BOTH LAUGH WE READ HER THE REPORTS THAT SMOKING STUNTS BABIES, AND SHE SMOKED WHEN SHE HAD ME, SO THERE YOU GO. THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN YOUR TUMMY. OH. (LAUGHS) ALL BANTER ASIDE, THESE OLD BOYS AREN'T HERE FOR THEIR GOOD LOOKS AND SARTORIAL ELEGANCE. OUR WIVES MADE SURE WE'RE COMING ON` LAST TIME WE HAD THIS GEAR ON TOGETHER WAS HIS DAUGHTER'S WEDDING. YEAH, AND WE WON'T HAVE IT ON LONG WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN THOSE STAIRS. HORN BLARES THEY'RE HERE TO PROVE A POINT EXTEND THE HANDLES AND OPEN IT UP LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S READY FOR USE. FRAILTY AND AGE ARE NO BARRIER TO RESCUE WHEN YOU HAVE A BIT OF KNOW-HOW. JUST SLOW DOWN A BIT ALAN. OH CRIKEY. YEAH, NOW, JUST DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING. I'M NOT WORR` OH! HAS THIS THING GOT AIR BAGS ON IT? EH? (CHUCKLES) YEAH, YEAH. IT TAKES A BIT TO OVERCOME THE FEAR. JEEZ. IT'S REALLY SMOOTH. ISN'T IT SMOOTH? WHERE'S THE BUMPS? THERE'S NO BUMPS. IT'S LIKE SKIING DOWN A SLOPE. YOU SHOULD PUT A STEREO ON THIS THING, AL. (LAUGHS) BUT EVENTUALLY, YOU CAN SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY THE RIDE. IT GOES DOWN THE TOES OF THE STAIRS ON THESE TRACKS. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, ALAN. I WANNA ISSUE YOU A CHALLENGE ` TEST OUT THE SMOOTHNESS OF THE EVAC CHAIR. YOU WANNA RUMBLE? YEAH, I'LL RUMBLE. LET'S DO IT. LET'S SEE HOW SMOOTH THIS THING IS, EH? SAVING LIVES IS WHAT ALAN AND HIS EVAC CHAIRS ARE DESIGNED TO DO. ALMOST THERE. NOT A DROP SPILT, MATE. WE GOT SIX STEPS TO GO. WHO SAID YOU CAN'T TEACH AN OLD BOY A NEW TRICK? CHEERS, MATE. ALL THE BEST. (LAUGHS) NOT A DROP SPILT. BRILLIANT. ON MY NEW WARDROBE, AS WELL. PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALAN. That's cool, isn't it? Apparently the chair going down the stairs only weighs 10 kg. They can take someone who weighs 200 KG. It did look very cool. LAST WEEK I WAS ASKED BY THE HERALD ON SUNDAY, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER KIWIS, TO WRITE A HUNDRED WORDS ON WHY I LOVE LIVING HERE NZ, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOUR PREFERENCE IS THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH. ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID WAS THAT I LOVE OUR FOOD OPTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY. WE'RE DIVERSE, WE HAVE AMAZING RESTAURANTS, AND UNLIKE SOME PLACES OVERSEAS, WE DON'T HAVE THAT 'MASS PRODUCED' FEEL YOU CAN SOMETIMES TASTE ABROAD. TODAY, CONFIRMATION THAT WE'RE FOOTING IT WITH THE VERY BEST ` THE FRENCH CAFE IN AUCKLAND HAS BEEN VOTED FOURTH IN THE TOP-FIVE BEST FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENTS WORLDWIDE, AND THE BEST BIT ` IT'S BEEN VOTED BY THE PEOPLE, THE TRAVELLER'S WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AND USED TRIPADVISOR. I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE FRENCH CAFE, BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOST FOR OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY. AND FINALLY TONIGHT, WE'RE THINKING OF VEGEMITE. NOT COS WE'RE HUNGRY, ALTHOUGH TONI DOES HAVE SOME WEIRD CRAVINGS AT THE MOMENT. THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY PICKLES DIPPED IN RASPBERRY JAM WE CAN FEED HER IN THE AD BREAKS. NO, WE'RE THINKING OF VEGEMITE BECAUSE VEGEMITE IS CHANGING. THE HEALTH BRIGADE HAS REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF SALT IN THE ICONIC SPREAD BY 25%. WE WAIT IN ANXIOUS ANTICIPATION TO SEE IF THE MAKERS OF MARMITE MIGHT FOLLOW ON TOO. LIVING IN AMERICA AND SURVIVING ON CARE PACKAGES OF PINEAPPLE LUMPS AND SALTY SPREADS THAT'VE GOT ALL MUSHED UP IN THE MAIL, I'LL TELL YOU THIS MUCH ` WHEN LUMPS AND A YEAST SPREAD ARE YOUR TWO NATIONAL FOODS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH SALT YOU TAKE OUT. EVERYONE ELSE STILL THINKS YOU'RE WEIRD. THAT'S SEVEN SHARP. KA KITE ANO. CAPTIONS BY FINN SCOTT-KELLY AND ASHLEE SCHOLEFIELD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014