Northland news briefs: No suspects in suspicious lodge fire; and Hongi Hika's musket withdrawn from sale after authenticity questioned

Kohukohu's Masonic Lodge, a 130-year-old category 2 heritage building, was destroyed in a suspicious fire on April 30. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Police investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed a heritage building in Kohukohu have a few more people to interview but no firm suspects yet. The 130-year-old Masonic Lodge was razed in a ferocious fire that started around 4.30am on April 30. Only the efforts of volunteer firefighters — particularly Eva Walker and Lindsey Davidson — and a neighbour with a garden hose stopped the fire spreading to nearby cottages. Kaitaia Detective Sergeant Simon Wihongi said he planned to interview a few more people this week and urged anyone with information about the fire, or who had seen anything suspicious before the blaze to call 105.

Musket war

A musket purportedly given to Ngāpuhi leader Hongi Hika by King George IV has been withdrawn from auction. Authenticity concerns were raised after documents surfaced describing the gun given by the king as being different to the one up for sale. Webb's auction house also came under fire for trying to sell the musket, with members of Ngāpuhi calling for it to be returned to the rightful owners. Before it was withdrawn, the gun was expected to fetch between $100,000 and $150,000. It is unclear who the owners are, how they got the gun whether or not it did belonged to Hongi Hika.

Kerikeri students on top of the world

Kerikeri High School student Nimish Singh has again finished at the top of the world in an international language competition. The Year 13 student placed in the top 0.2 per cent of more than one million students from 50 countries invited to take part in the 2021 Education Perfect World Language Championships. Last year Singh was second worldwide in the ImmerseMe Games, a similar online contest founded by a Kiwi company. He studies Spanish at school and learns French and Chinese in his free time. Singh gained an elite award in the contest; Kerikeri High students Emma Betts, Gemma Griffiths, Sasha Marchant and Shannon Miringaorangi won gold awards.

Candle started fatal fire

The house fire that killed a woman at isolated Taemaro Bay, near Mangonui, on May 3 has been confirmed as accidental. Christiana Kiri Paul, 72, was rescued from her burning home by neighbours but died shortly afterwards, despite efforts by locals and emergency services to revive her. Fire investigator Jason Goffin said a candle, which Paul had used for lighting, was the most likely cause. Fire and Emergency staff were returning to the settlement next week to carry out home fire safety checks and install smoke alarms. With temperatures dropping and wood fires coming back into use he urged Northlanders to have working smoke alarms — ideally the long-life photoelectric variety — in their bedrooms, hallways and living areas. He also urged people to get chimney flues checked.

Northland on Aussie visitor list

Northland is the fifth most searched-for destination by Australians planning a trip to New Zealand since the transtasman bubble opened a month ago. Airbnb data shows a 400 per cent jump in Australians checking out accommodation. Their top five destinations are Queenstown, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Northland.