Irish leader to Waitangi
Irish president Michael D. Higgins is due to visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds today for a powhiri at Te Whare Runanga (the carved meeting house) followed by a tour of the historic site and the new Museum of Waitangi. Mr Higgins, 76, is coming to the end of a six-day visit which has included a welcome at Government House in Wellington, a visit to Parliament, wreath laying at Pukeahu National War Memorial and Christchurch Earthquake Memorial, Irish community events and a speech at Auckland University. He also made a presentation to NZ Rugby in memory of Dave Gallaher, the Irish-born captain of the 1905-06 Originals, who died at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. Mr Higgins is a poet, sociologist, author, broadcaster and former Labour Party minister. In 2014 he was the first Irish president to make a state visit to the United Kingdom.
Sentencing deferred
Sentencing for a man who terrorised night workers at The Warehouse in Dargaville in May has been adjourned to allow for restorative justice to be completed. Kaipara Anderson, 18, appeared for sentencing in the Whangarei District Court this week but he was remanded in custody to reappear on January 26. Anderson has pleaded guilty to five charges of kidnapping, and charges of aggravated robbery and possession of cannabis for supply. Two others allegedly involved in the heist are still before the court and cannot be named. More than $242,000 worth of jewellery and nearly $28,000 in cash and cheques were stolen during the robbery, where staff were bound and threatened.
Fiji election registration
Registration for the Fiji elections that was scheduled for today has been postponed to November 5. The registration was to have been held at the St John hall on Kamo Rd from 10am to 6pm. The general election in Fiji will be held some time between April and November next year.
Festival rules relaxed
Organising small-scale, one-off events in the rural Far North has been made easier by changes to district council planning rules. The new Temporary Activities Rule means holding festivals and events for up to 500 people is now a permitted activity on Rural Production Zone properties, which make more than 70 per cent of the district. Acting strategic planning manager Bill Lee said the change recognised that boutique festivals and events were an increasingly important economic activity for many in the district. Farming, forestry and horticulture would remain the key economic contributors but the council could help improve the resilience of rural communities by making it easier to develop other income streams. The main criteria for the Temporary Activities Rule were that events could only occur once a year and organisers had to provide a traffic management plan. Other changes to the district plan include making it easier to to build a second, small home in the Rural Production Zone for family members or extra income.
Emergency safety day
Police cars, fire engines, ambulances and rescue helicopters will all be part of the Summertime Safety Day in Whangarei. Also in the mix are great prizes, a children's combat challenge and live demonstrations from emergency services and other agencies at the free family fun day on November 12 at Kensington Park. It starts at 10am.
Artworks bonanza
Bold, vibrant, subtle and moving describe the artworks in summer exhibitions at Mangawhai Artists Gallery. November features paintings by four Mangawhai artists, the themes including people and places. Colour and Texture by Pauline Gough and Umbrellas by Bevan Lawrence opens today. Clay Library - Our clay, Our composition, Ourselves, by Rebecca Clist and Linda Hobbs, opens on Thursday, November 9. The four artists are members of Mangawhai Artists Inc (MAI) which runs the Moir St gallery.
Seal gets around
The male leopard seal, nicknamed Hatea, who had been spotted around Whangarei's Town Basin several times this week, was last spotted on Thursday at dusk at the Whangarei Cruising Club, where he had flopped himself onto one of their docks.