News in brief from the Far North: Awanui School’s 150th, freshwater plan and SH15 closure

Any good celebration needs a fine cake and cutting the cake to celebrate Awanui School’s 150th celebration on Saturday were Annie May Crene (nee Jones), Audrey Anderson (nee Gill) and twins Ocean and Eva Brough

Awanui School’s 150th

Hundreds of former and current pupils and their families celebrated the 150th anniversary of Awanui School on Saturday.

Pupils enrolled in 1873 at the first public Māori school in the North. The local Ngāti Kahu elders requested of the Maori Land Court the “cleverest teacher with the best qualifications” for the new school. John Francis Capper was appointed headmaster, with his wife, Agnes Capper, as assistant teacher.

About 200 people attended the day’s celebrations with around 150 attending the evening dinner that night.

Meanwhile, Awanui day will be held in the town on November 4.

Freshwater plan submissions

Northland Regional Council wants public feedback from November 1 on a draft Freshwater Plan Change that includes new rules and targets to improve the health of Northland’s rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and groundwater.

Changes to the way freshwater is managed is a requirement of the Government’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 which directs that freshwater health be maintained and improved where it is degraded.

The draft Freshwater Plan Change sets out what council thinks the new vision, outcomes, limits and rules should be.

People can visit www.wai-it-matters.nz for more information and to give feedback online, or email freshwater@nrc.govt.nz.

SH15 closure

The Twin Bridges on State Highway 15 in the Far North will be closed on two consecutive nights for repair works tonight and tomorrow. Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency said the Twin Bridges will be closed in both directions on October 26 and 27 from 7.30pm until 5am. There are no local detours and all motorists are advised to plan ahead and use SH1 or SH14/12 as alternative routes. The Waka Kotahi Journey Planner can help people plan the best alternative route

Search for missing diver

The search to locate the Northland diver missing for three days was still under way at edition time yesterday.

Around 10.30am on Monday police were alerted about a diver who was believed to have been swept out to sea near Herekino Harbour.

The search teams led by the police found a vehicle on the beach near the harbour that is believed to belong to the missing person.

Rest home certificate

The Ministry of Health has extended Kerikeri Retirement Village’s rest home certification for a further four years following an “excellent” audit. The ministry said the village continued to successfully mitigate the nationwide shortage of registered nurses impacting all aged care providers. This was the third consecutive four-year extension granted to the village. Kerikeri Retirement Village chief executive Hilary Sumpter said it was a real credit to clinical nurse manager, Jarrah Tuoro and the rest of the team.