Security system hailed
Northland Police have recommended those thinking about installing a home security system should go through with it and protect their property. It comes as images from a security system in Whangārei provided police with enough evidence to conduct search warrants on Tuesday and arrest a 49-year-old Whangārei man
for offending over the weekend. The police acknowledged their is a cost associated but posted the images, with parts blurred, on their Facebook page to show what quality can be achieved.
Power station upgrade
Top Energy is about to begin its refurbishment of the Omanaia substation, to improve the reliability of the power supply to the South Hokianga area. The first phase, extending the substation switch room, is scheduled for completion by Christmas. Chief executive Russell Shaw said the project was part of Top Energy's 10-year, $260 million investment in improving the reliability of the power supply in the Far North. The aim was to reduce the duration and scale of outages, the extension enabling electricity to be "back-fed" from other parts of the network while crews restore the supply. Once the first phase was completed, refurbishment of the substation yard and reconfiguration of the high-voltage 33kV lines would get under way, early next year. To reduce the local impact of the works, two 1MW diesel generators would be installed at Omanaia over the summer, to maintain the supply to 1600 southwest Hokianga customers.
Teen charged again
The Kaitaia teenager who police allege was driving the car that crashed into two parked vehicles in Awanui on Monday, was on bail, granted in April despite police opposition, on charges of assault with intent to rob and wilful damage at the Kaitaia courthouse. Amaru Tipene was remanded in custody when he appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court on Tuesday facing fresh charges of theft of petrol from GAS Cooper's Beach, unlawfully taking a car, dangerous driving and failing to stop. He is due to appear again on Monday on those charges, and for sentence on the earlier matters.
Rat trapping a success
Bream Head Conservation Trust ranger Adam Willetts is spreading the ''awesome news'' that in August there was a zero per cent ''residual tracking index'' for rats in the reserve. That translates to a zero per cent chance of trapping a rat in the reserve in one trap over one night. There are a few rats still around, however the chance of getting one rat in a trap in one night is very slim indeed, he said. A busy August by volunteers and Willetts included monitoring tracking tunnels, traps and toxin and laying manuka slash laden with seeds at the Home Bay planting site. The trust has also been busy with intensive mice control and monitoring of threatened species, checking on the cliff dwelling grey faced petrel and planning for a survey of the whitehead/popokatea population, running children's bush craft workshops, building retaining walls, developing architectural plans, discussing signs, surveying flax snails and judging the regional science fair.