Northland news in brief: Minor injuries in Kaikohe crash, Ngāti Hine Roadshow BBQ and more

A woman suffered minor injuries in this Kaikohe crash yesterday. Photo / Debbie Beadle

Minor injuries in crash

A woman suffered minor injuries and had to be helped out of the passenger side of her car after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Wihongi and De Merle Sts in Kaikohe. The accident occurred in heavy rain about 9.40am yesterday when one of the vehicles failed to stop at a stop sign. A ute received frontal damage while the other vehicle was damaged along the driver's side. The ute driver was unhurt.

Roadshow fundraiser

Ngāti Hine will hold a barbecue in Kawakawa today to fundraise for the Te Ara Kōpuni o Ngāti Hine Roadshow. The roadshow, which starts this Saturday at Otiria Marae from 2pm, is a chance to discuss how Ngāti Hine can move together towards self-reliance as the iwi seeks its own mandate, separate from Ngāpuhi, to negotiate redress specific to Ngāti Hine. Today's barbecue, on the main street of Kawakawa from 10am, comes after the iwi held a buckets-up fundraiser last weekend.

Animal deaths in Whangārei

The electrical storm which caused dozens of injuries to horses and stock in the Bay of Islands also led to animal deaths in the Whangārei area. Iris van Velsen, of Piano Hill Vets just north of Kamo, said one of her clients lost two young horses and she had to stitch up another after it ran through a fence during Saturday night's storm. Another client's horse went into labour too early because of the storm and lost its foal. Other clients lost calves to injuries from fences, van Velsen said. Mostly younger animals were affected. There was little owners could do except stable their animals during severe storms, if they had access to a stable and the animals were used to it.

Gift shop theft

The Whangārei Museum and Heritage Trust is affronted that two people took advantage of an annual event to steal items from its retail shop. Whangārei police are investigating the theft from the Kiwi North gift shop while "The Barnardos Dad's" Day was being attended by an estimated 3000 people. "We are frustrated and affronted that two people took advantage of the crowds to steal several items from the Kiwi North gift shop on this special day," Kiwi North operations' director Allie Fry said. "Also, like Barnardos, Kiwi North is a charitable trust and to steal goods from our retail section is the same as if they had taken the donation box from the counter." CCTV footage has been supplied to police.

Two arrested after pursuit

Two people were arrested after a police pursuit in Whangārei that lasted about half an hour. The pursuit began in Tikipunga about 9.30am yesterday after officers in a police patrol car noticed a vehicle being driven dangerously. The driver led police on a chase through Mill Rd, Whareora Rd, Mt Tiger Rd, before it was spiked on Whangārei Heads Rd.
Senior Sergeant Brian Swann said a police car was allegedly intentionally rammed and a road workers' vehicle was also damaged. The driver is expected to face a number of driving charges.