Kaikohe residents ‘gutted’ by woman’s death
WHANGA¯ REI: The people in the Northland community of Kaikohe say they are ‘‘gutted’’ after an elderly woman died on Thursday night when an intruder reportedly broke into a property.
A homicide investigation has been launched and police are working to establish what happened and find the intruder.
Local Colleen Brennan said the victim was known in the community, and was an elderly woman.
‘‘I’ve just heard that it’s one of our local kuias, one of our old kuis, and her children and her grandchildren will be devastated.’’
She said it had turned the community upside down.
‘‘Absolutely gutted that it’s happening in our town . . . This does not happen in our town.’’
However, she felt that the people in the Kaikohe community would support one another like they always had.
‘‘Our community will come together and pull together for the family that it’s affected because that’s how we are in Kaikohe. In doubt we come together.
Some neighbours said they heard screaming late Thursday night, and they had been left feeling fearful and terrified — knowing that the intruder was still out there.
One resident of the street, who has lived there for more than three decades, said it was not as quiet as it once was.
‘‘We’ve had those incidents with gangs and that not so long ago. That was quite frightening, but that settled.’’
However, the neighbourhood is not as tight as it once was, she said.
‘‘It’s just not the way it used to be, neighbours looking after neighbours — we don’t have that kind of support.’’
But other residents said the area was usually tightknit and safe.
RNZ spoke with Kerry Kilton, the trustee of Te Ara Hou, an organisation that offers training and employment in Kaikohe.
He said despite the circumstances, he still felt safe living there.
‘‘There will be some people I’m sure who are very concerned, but personally we’re not concerned for our safety at all.’’ — RNZ
BEGINNER (1 pt)
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The story of which veteran television presenter and naturalist is told in the documentary Life on Air?
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Which New Zealand band’s songs include Bliss, Walking in Light and Right First Time?
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What North Island town calls itself the Gumboot Capital of the World?
INTERMEDIATE (2 pts)
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Which Grammy awardwinning singer is the biological daughter of Indian musician Ravi Shankar?
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EXPERT (3 pts)
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What is the name of the British Prime Minister’s official country residence, located near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire?