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WELLINGTON - A Northland farmer has stopped a caving company running tours through caves on his property after a group of teenagers in the company's care had to be rescued when the caves flooded last year.
Norm Stevens said his lawyer had told him he could lose his farm to cover liabilities he could incur if people he permitted to use the caves were injured.
His Two Tone Caves - named after red and brown layers of limestone and greywake - are close to the Whangarei District Council-administered Waipu Caves, 12km south of Whangarei.
Six students from Auckland's Northcote College and an instructor had to swim under water for about two metres when trapped by a flash flood in the Two Tone Caves on September 21 last year.
Whangarei police raised concerns about the caving trip and asked the Department of Labour to investigate.
A department spokeswoman said the inquiry was in its final stages.
- NZPA