News briefs from Northland: Indoor cannabis op and winning Lotto ticket

A small indoor cannabis operation was found in a Far North home.

Indoor cannabis operation

Two people have been arrested after police discovered an indoor cannabis-growing operation on a Totara North property. Acting Senior Sergeant Dylan Robinson said police were called about 2.30pm on Wednesday when a local resident thought a farm building had been broken into.

When officers arrived they detected a strong smell of cannabis so they invoked the Search and Surveillance Act and searched the property, finding a small-scale hydroponic growing operation along with a number of small plants in the process of being cloned. A woman aged 49 and a man aged 36 were arrested and charged with cultivation of cannabis. They are due in the Kaikohe District Court next week.

Second division win

A ticket sold in Whangarēi was among seven that each won more than $22,000 with Lotto Second Division on Wednesday. The ticket, sold at Corner Cardz N Magz won its holder $22,382 in the night's Lotto draw.

Parihaka work complete

The last of the work to upgrade Mt Parihaka's three main tracks has been completed. The Ross Track is now open, after 120 helicopter flights lifted gravel and other materials on to the track last week. The Drummond, Dobbie and Ross Tracks were closed and upgraded one by one, with work starting in February. The drainage and surfaces were improved, box steps were installed and the tracks were widened and levelled by contractors.

Maoriland on tour

Next week the Māoriland Film Festival is coming to Whangārei and Kaitaia to deliver free filmmaking workshop for rangatahi and will be screening films from the 2018 Māoriland Film Festival.

The festival is Aotearoa's International Indigenous film festival. Each March, Māoriland brings Indigenous filmmakers from around the world to celebrate their work with screenings, workshops, and other special events.

The festival, now in its fifth year welcomed 12,500 people to Ōtaki earlier this year. Māoriland is bringing a selection of films to the North with screenings and free two day filmmaking workshops for rangatahi in Whangārei (July 23-24), Kaitaia (July 25-26) and Auckland (July 31-August 1).

More information can be found on our website: http://maorilandfilm.co.nz/maoriland-brings-rangatahi-film-workshops-to-the-north/