Northland news in brief: Dolphin at Town Basin and kiwi aversion training

This dolphin was seen swimming around in the Whangārei Town Basin yesterday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A sole dolphin delighted people in Whangārei yesterday as it cavorted around the Town Basin in the inner Whangārei Harbour.
The dolphin was first spotted late morning and was still around as it got dark. While the outer harbour gets plenty of dolphins, it's unusual to see them in the Town Basin.
It may have been chasing mullet.

Kiwi aversion training
Free Kiwi Aversion training is being offered for all dogs in Northland, with dogs the leading cause of adult kiwi deaths in Northland.

Aversion training, combined with a good level of dog control and obedience significantly lowers the chance of dogs attacking and killing kiwi, DoC says.

Kiwi aversion training is required to obtain hunting permits for public conservation land in Northland. The training involves the dog being led past fresh kiwi scent in a forest/bush setting. If the dog reacts to the scent a short shock is delivered via an electric collar. The shock is like a low powered electric fence and DoC says aversion training is 70 per cent effective.

Kiwi aversion training is on September 7, at Purua Hall, Pipiwai Rd, Purua. Training takes 10 minutes per dog and you need to be registered to attend and a booking time will be arranged. To register email jbrady@doc.govt.nz

Gun buy-back
Police are holding a firearms amnesty and buy-back event in Kaikohe this weekend at the hockey stadium at Lindvart Park. The event will run from 11am-3pm on Sunday, August 25 and is one of 21 buybacks around Northland organised by police in the wake of a new law banning most semi-automatic weapons. The ban was brought in after the March 15 terror attack in Christchurch which killed 51 people. Gun owners are urged to pre-register at www.police.govt.nz if they can before heading to Lindvart Park to speed up the buyback process.

Meet the candidates
A meet the candidates evening is being held in the Paihia War Memorial Hall on Williams Rd from 7pm on Wednesday, August 28. Candidates standing for the mayoralty, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa ward of the Far North District Council, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board and the northern coastal ward of the Northland Regional Council have been invited to speak. Other candidates are welcome to attend. The meeting is organised by the Paihia and Districts Residents and Ratepayers Association, whose AGM at 5.30pm will precede the candidates meeting.

Looking for driver
Police are looking for the driver of a car who allegedly led officers on a short pursuit in Whangārei.

Senior Sergeant Brian Swann said police received a call from members of the public about the manner a vehicle was being driven in Maunu about 3pm on Thursday.

A police pursuit ensued along Central Ave and Western Hills Dr before the vehicle, with four occupants, crashed against a wall on Keyte St in Kensington.
Police arrested a female while three others, including the male driver who had a warrant for his arrest, allegedly ran off. The car was not stolen.

New cell towers

Spark has switched on wireless broadband and mobile services at new cell towers in the Far North, Whangārei and Kaipara with the company saying they will delivering new and better coverage to the areas.

Residents and businesses in parts of the Far North, Whangārei and Kaipara regions will benefit from the new 4G towers which will deliver better connectivity. Previously, many people in the areas were reliant on satellite technology to access broadband services and had no or poor mobile phone coverage.

Restoring waterways

The Ruakākā River is one of several local waterways Fonterra wants to help restore during World Water Week (August 26 - 30) as part of its Sustainable Catchments work.
The milk company has partnered with Whitebait Connection to fund planting days and build whitebait habitats at the catchment. The first planting day is on Wednesday, August 28, with Ruakākā School and One Tree Point School. Bream Bay College will take part in a planting day in early September.