Ahipara beach 'so out of control'

Ahipara resident Jacquie Klever had only sympathy for the family of the 9-year-old Remuera boy, named by police as Rowan Willis, who died when the motorised cart he was driving rolled on 90 Mile Beach on Saturday afternoon. But there had been an air of inevitability to the tragedy.

"It's been bedlam here," Mrs Klever said.

"First the girls being hoons and doing donuts in a beach buggy and then having to be rescued [a woman was flown to hospital by rescue helicopter after suffering a broken arm when a buggy rolled in the same general vicinity on December 29], and now, sadly, a 9-year-old dying.

"Why was he allowed to drive a motorised vehicle on the beach? At the age of 9? Without a licence? This is so out of control."

According to police the go-kart rolled when it struck soft sand at Waimimiha, north of the Kaka Street beach access. Speed was believed to be a factor, and as 90 Mile Beach was officially a highway the death would be included on the region's road toll, Northland road policing manager Inspector Murray Hodson said.

Two ambulances from Kaitaia and paramedics arrived to find the boy receiving CPR from bystanders, St John Mid North manager Mark Going said.

"We continued with resuscitation attempts, supported by the local fire service, but the resuscitation was not successful."

Mr Going was unsure if the boy was wearing a helmet.

Meanwhile Mrs Klever has invited Mayor John Carter to see for himself the "madness that is going on" at Ahipara.

On Sunday she had watched a boy of about 12-14 riding a "souped up" quad bike, towing a couple of 'skurfers' aged around 6 or 7, while the beach was littered with debris.

"But you know what? If something happened then that is their problem. I can no longer worry about it."

She was critical of the police though.

"Over the past weeks, the only time I have seen the police is when there has been an accident," she added.

"Surely we deserve a presence. Of course they will say that they do not have the resources, but they would make a lot of money if they sat at Kaka Street and caught all the unlicensed drivers, unregistered vehicles and rust buckets.

"How many more kids have to die?"

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A rahui imposed at Waimimiha was lifted yesterday morning.