Northland news in brief: Film featuring late Eddie Hemara wins at Māoriland Film Festival

Musician Eddie Hemara was a stalwart on Northland's entertainment scene for about 70 years.

A film featuring Northland showman Eddie Hemara, who died last month, has been awarded a People’s Choice Award at the Māoriland Film Festival. Hemara played Papa in a Briar Pomana directed film called Papa’s Chair. The eight minute movie won best short drama in the festival.

Parrot population grows

A population of rare native parrots in a Whangārei man’s backyard continues to grow. Ethan Benney, who spent years predator-proofing some historic bush on his family’s rural property at Glenbervie, first noticed an adult pair of kākāriki (green parrots) in the area early last year. About six months later, he discovered the duo were raising a clutch of chicks in a hollow tree. Finding the little family was an exciting step for conservation in Northland as kākāriki were seldom seen on the mainland, Benney previously said. He suspected the adult pair were from a flock of about 40, relocated from Hauturu (Little Barrier Island) to a pest-free island near Russell in 2017. The birds must have been content with their new home because the process appeared to be repeating itself again this year, Benney said. He’d recently counted three adult birds and found another nest.

75th anniversary

New Zealand’s first Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses was opened 75 years ago this month in Waimā. Before it was built, the fledging congregation, formed in 1944, met in the home of Tom and Miri King, but the Bible-based meetings became so popular that attendees needed somewhere bigger. A 260-seat hall was built by an all-volunteer team with construction starting in 1949 and finishing in 1950. The hall was used for local Bible meetings and regional assemblies for 17 years until they moved to Kaikohe in 1967, where it remains to this day. The Kaikohe congregation has 78 active members, with an average of 90 people in attendance at meetings held each week.

Red Shield Appeal

The Salvation Army is launching its annual Red Shield Appeal and donations are needed to help fund the wide range of community-based social services such as foodbanks, financial mentoring and counselling, addiction services, supported accommodation and more. Donations can be made online at salvationarmy.org.nz, by phone at 0800 53 00 00, or via street collections from May 5.

Land Rover enthusiasts gather

Northland Land Rover enthusiasts are planning an informal get together in Whangārei on Easter Sunday, April 20. Meet from 9am at the public riverside car park adjacent to Hātea Dr and Victoria Bridge. At 10.30am drivers will head to Kauri to view a collection of vintage Land Rovers restored by a local enthusiast. All Land Rover enthusiasts are welcome.

Dog rego increase

Kaipara District Council has proposed to increase the one-off fee for keeping more than two dogs in a residential area from $84 to $180 per property. The non-working dogs annual registration fee paid by due date is proposed to increase from $76 to $78, and working dogs annual registration fee from $50 to $51, an increase of 2.2 percent. The increases are among several council is seeking feedback about for a month from today. Visit council’s website for more information.