Northland news in brief: Surf patrols start; Māori Battalion medals; five injured in crash

Lifeguards will start patrolling Northland surf beaches at Mangawhai Heads, Whangārei Heads, Waipū Cove and Ruakākā this Labour Weekend.

Surf patrols start

Northland’s four main surf beaches will have lifeguards patrolling from this weekend.

Lifeguards will patrol beaches at Mangawhai Heads, Whangārei Heads, Waipū Cove and Ruakākā from 11am to 4pm each day.

The patrols will go until Easter next year.

Lifeguards will start patrolling Ahipara Beach from December 9 to February 6 and Baylys Beach from January 13 to February 6.

28th Māori Battalion medals

A medal ceremony for the 28th Māori Battalion will be held at Te Whare Rūnanga, the wharenui on Waitangi Treaty Grounds, from 11am to 2pm today.

World War II service medals will be presented to whānau of personnel who served in the 28th Māori Battalion.

Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, will present more than 70 sets of medals to whānau, in recognition of the service and sacrifice of soldiers and officers of the 28th Māori Battalion .

New Zealand government policy after World War II was that former service personnel would have to apply for their medals, which would then be sent to them through the post.

The New Zealand Defence Force’s Personnel Archives and Medals unit, along with lawyer David Stone, identified about 500 sets of medals which were never claimed by former battalion personnel.

Five injured in crash

Five people received injuries ranging from moderate to serious following a single-vehicle crash on Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd, at Ahipara, yesterday.

Officers arrived at the scene at 1am on Friday and are investigating the crash. No further details were available at edition time.

Another Northlander to captain country

Kalani Going has become the second Northlander in a week named to lead a national team after being chosen as captain of the New Zealand Kiwis A side to face Mate Ma’a Tonga A at Eden Park tonight.

The 26-year-old follows in the footsteps of Hokianga-raised James Fisher-Harris who was unveiled on Sunday as the Kiwis’ new captain for their Pacific Championships campaign starting against Toa Samoa tonight.

The proud Northlanders were both opponents and teammates in their younger years when Going was at Kamo High School and Fisher-Harris attended Whangārei Boys’ High School.

Mayors back Pink Ribbon

Far North mayor Moko Tepania and Whangārei mayor Vince Cocurullo are encouraging locals to donate to the charity’s Pink Ribbon Street Appeal next week.

On Friday and Saturday October 27 and 28, 10,000 volunteers will take to the streets all over New Zealand to raise vital funds for breast cancer research, education and patient support.

“I am asking all Far Northerners to show their support for this year’s Pink Ribbon Street Appeal. I reflect on one of our whakataukī - Me aro ki te hā o Hineahuone, take heed the dignity of women. Breast cancer takes far too many of our Northland mums, nans, aunties and sisters. Showing support for Pink Ribbon will help the Breast Cancer Foundation save more of our wāhine toa,” Tepania said.

Cocurullo said: “I don’t think there’s a family in Northland, or New Zealand for that matter, that hasn’t been personally affected by the trauma of breast cancer. My own family has been deeply impacted by breast cancer, so I can speak from experience of the importance of early detection and treatment.’’

Donations can be made to the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal through volunteer collectors who will be out in force shaking pink buckets across Northland on October 27 and 28, or online at bcf.org.nz/streetappeal23