Water crisis eases

All water use restrictions have been removed and schools are re-opening as New Plymouth’s state of emergency comes to an end. While a boil water order remains, all restrictions on water have been cancelled. After an enforced holiday last week due to water shortages, New Plymouth district schools were open for business today. Bottled water was to be delivered to schools this week. Five days ago, on Tuesday afternoon, a tree blown over by excyclone Gita smashed into a water supply pipe and effectively cut supply to 25 per cent of the district. A state of emergency was declared at 8pm that night and severe water restrictions and a boil water notice were issued on Wednesday. Thousands of home were without water for two days or more.

Beekeeper dies

A beekeeper has died after crashing his truck on farmland near Gisborne on Sunday morning. A police spokeswoman said police were called to the scene of the crash at 1.26am. The man crashed his truck at Motu while checking his beehives, the spokeswoman said. He was found dead at the scene.

Train victim named

A man who died when a train hit a quad bike in the Western Bay of Plenty was local man Matthew Paul Pettigrew, 53. The crash happened near Katikati at 8.20pm on Friday. Police confirmed that three people had been riding the quad bike at the time of the crash. One sustained minor injuries and the third was uninjured.

Industrial action

Rush hour is about to get more hectic for Aucklanders as rail workers start three weeks of industrial action. The Rail and Maritime Trade Union has given Auckland Transport notice of the action, starting today and running through to Friday, March 16. The rail workers have been in talks with French-owned multinational Transdev since May of last year.