A long queue of traffic in Waipū on Saturday as police began their programme of handing out vehicle stickers to Northlanders to get through the border without delay from Wednesday.
Sticker traffic snarl-up
A snarling traffic jam up to 1.5km long greeted motorists travelling near Waipū on Saturday as police begin their programme of handing out car stickers which they hope will make travelling through the northern border checkpoints smoother. Northland police opened two locations where locals can obtain car
stickers which are meant to ensure they can travel through the checkpoints between Northland and Auckland on Wednesday.
The pick-up spots were at a police van parked near the Waipū RSA and at the Dargaville Police Station. A police spokesperson said they received an "overwhelming response to its sticker initiative" with 2500 Northland motorists getting their cars fixed with the stickers. But one Northlander – who was travelling through Waipū on Saturday – described a scene of traffic chaos. "The line was at least 1.5km long," he said. He was also mystified why the stickers were needed. It's believed the demand was so great that police ran out of stickers and more will need to be produced.
Diving death
A 28-year-old man has died on Pareparea Bay in Whananāki following a diving event. The incident was reported to police just after 5.30pm on Saturday. The police confirmed CPR was done to save the man, but he died on the beach. Police are making inquiries in relation to the death on behalf of the coroner.
Fatal crash
