Northland news in brief: Bill Subritzky wins by-election; and former NRC chair convicted over effluent discharge

Awanui businessman Bill Subritzky has won a by-election for a vacant seat on the Far North District Council's Te Hiku Community Board.

Awanui businessman Bill Subritzky has won a by-election for a vacant seat on the Te Hiku Community Board. Subritzky, who received 341 votes, was one of four candidates contesting the by-election in the Whatuwhiwhi Subdivision called to replace the late Lawrie Atkinson.
The other candidates were Eddie Bellas (298 votes), Boyd Rupapera (16) and Whetu Rutene (277). A total of 933 votes were received when voting closed at noon on Thursday, a turnout of just over 39 per cent.
Rupapera pulled out but was unable to get his name removed from the ballot form. Subritzky, who represented the Awanui Progressive and Ratepayers' Association, will be sworn in during the next community board meeting at the Mangonui Cruising Club on October 6.

Shepherd admits waste breach

Former Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd has been convicted and discharged and his company and former sharemilker fined, after breaching the Resource Management Act 1991.
Shepherd, his company Shepherd Farms, his 50:50 sharemilker Robert Phillip and his company Philip Farms admitted in the Environment Court to discharging untreated and partially treated wastewater from a broken pipe and a feed pad pond onto land in circumstances which may have resulted in the contaminant entering an unnamed tributary of the Wairau River.
The offences happened in July and August 2019. Shepherd stood for re-election to the NRC in October but missed out.
In the Environment Court At Whangārei yesterday Shepherd was convicted and discharged and Shepherd Farms was fined $27,200. Philip was fined $3000 and Philip Farms $33,600.

Home and Lifestyle show delays

The three-day Northland Home and Lifestyle Show, which was to have opened at Whangarei's McKay Stadium on Friday, has been postponed.
The organisers said yesterday the "difficult decision" had been made in view of the fact that the move to Covid-19 alert level 1 would not be absolutely confirmed until Monday, which did not allow sufficient time to prepare and plan.
The organisers were looking at setting new dates early next year.

Fire inquiry points to arson

Fire investigator Craig Bain has no doubt the blaze that destroyed a corrugated iron shed at Te Rarawa RFC's clubrooms on Sunday was deliberately lit. The shed had no electricity, he said, and none of the contents, including a substantial quantity of firewood, had had the potential to self-combust.

Bomb hoax passenger in court

A man charged after police were called to a flight at Whangārei Airport after a passenger reported there could be an explosive device in luggage will reappear in court on Monday.
Damien Tokutaahi Hadfield, 25, appeared in Whangārei District Court this week charged with breaching the Civil Aviation Act. He will be back before the court on Monday.

No new Covid cases

There were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand yesterday.
There are 54 people linked to the community cluster who remain in the Auckland quarantine facility, which includes 22 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and their household contacts.
With no new cases to report and seven additional recovered cases, the total number of active cases is 70.
Of those, 33 are imported cases in MIQ facilities, and 37 are community cases.
New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 remains at 1,458.