Northland news in brief: Meet wild kiwi, crash victim named

People can meet wild kiwi up close before they are released.

Crash victim named
Police have name the girl who died after a crash in Ruawai, Kaipara over the weekend as Deziah Martin, 13, of Dargaville. Police said deepest sympathies were with the teenager's family at this difficult time. The serious crash unit is investigating the single-vehicle crash. Police said they were alerted about 2.20am on State Highway 12, Ruawai, last Saturday. St John said they treated six patients and transported five patients to Northland Base Hospital. Three had serious injuries, one had moderate and one minor injuries.
Kiwi encounter
A chance to meet wild kiwi up close before they are released is coming up on Friday on the Tutukaka Coast at 6pm. Three kiwi will be released at Tutukaka on the Kiwi and members of Tutukaka Landcare invite the public to come along. Accredited kiwi handlers Todd Hamilton and Cam McInnes will show the birds before they are released into nearby burrows. Please wear sturdy footwear as this event is on farmland – and a jacket in case of the wind and/or rain would also be a good idea. If you're heading northwards on the Tutukaka/Matapouri Bay Rd, Taurawhata Lane is the first road on the right after the Tawapou Native Plant Nursery. Any queries, please contact Mike Camm, the Tutukaka Landcare Co-ordinator or Ngaire Tyson, the Kiwi Coast Co-ordinator on 0274 250 249.
Pedestrian crossing upgrade
A pedestrian crossing in central Whangārei is getting a safety upgrade. Measures include slip-proof, exposed aggregate paving, yellow textured tiles to mark intersections for pedestrians with disabilities, wider pram crossings and making the fall from the footpath and rise on to the road smoother. The signaling has also been changed so it is more obvious which phase is for pedestrians and which phase is for traffic. There will be the usual pedestrian call button at each intersection as well as pedestrian count-down timers that make a noise and show the number of seconds left for pedestrians to safely cross.
Sundial maintenance
Whangārei's Town Basin sundial, believed to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, is to undergo some maintenance. Every year, when daylight saving starts, 12 45kg plaques that indicate the time have to be shifted forward. This year the plates have been moved, and now it is time for maintenance. Starting on November 4 scaffolding will be installed around the 22m gnomon, the part that causes the shadow and points to the hour. It will be sanded and repainted and any structural repairs needed will be done. The work should take about two weeks.