Northland news in brief: Man who drowned at Ruakākā Beach named; scholarship applications open

Robert Allison, 72, from Milford, drowned at Ruakākā Beach (pictured) on January 18. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Police have released the name of a man who drowned after getting into difficulty at Ruakākā Beach on January 18. He was Robert Vaughan Allison, aged 72, from Milford. A service for Allison was held on Friday in Auckland.

Regional council scholarships

Applications for Northland Regional Council’s Tū i te ora scholarships have opened for 2024, with this year’s recipients set to receive financial assistance and paid work experience at the council next summer. The council is awarding six scholarships, each including $4000 to assist with study costs, along with paid full-time work experience with NRC from mid-November to mid-February 2025. Council chairman Geoff Crawford said the work experience opportunity has proven successful for both parties.

New Sport Northland CEO

Northlander John Wansbone has been appointed as the new Sport Northland chief executive. He has previously held executive leadership roles with Top Energy in the Far North and for the last six years at Northland District Health Board/Te Whatu Ora as general manager – planning, integration, people and performance. Wansbone takes over from Brent Eastwood, who held the position for 25 years, on February 12.

Matauri Bay house arson

A fire investigator says a single-storey house fire at a social housing development site in Matauri Bay was deliberately lit. Fire investigator Craig Bain said someone had deliberately broken into the lounge of the house and started a fire using an accelerant. The significantly damaged two-bedroom house was one of eight homes built by the Matauri X Incorporation as part of their social housing project.

$302k donated for rescue helicopters

More than $302,000 has been donated to the Northland Rescue Helicopter as part of the life-saving service’s annual fundraiser. Northland’s rescue helicopters flew 1015 missions last year and have responded to more than 28,000 callouts since beginning in 1988.

Kaipara rates up 37pc on average

Updated values for all 16,200 properties in Kaipara show an average increase of 37 per cent over the last three years. The average house value is now $843,000, while the corresponding average land value has increased 70 per cent to $473,000. The valuations were done by independent valuers Quotable Value on behalf of Kaipara District Council, to reflect the likely price a property would have sold for on September 1, 2023. The new values will soon be posted to Kaipara property owners.