News snippets from Northland: Kerikeri land sold to Australian company; pets to appear on postage stamps

Northlanders could see their pets feature in a NZ Post postage stamp collection.

See your pet in a postage stamp

Northlanders love their pets and now they’ve got the chance to have their animals featured in a New Zealand Post stamp collection. NZ Post is giving Kiwi pet owners the opportunity to have their cherished companions appear on a new stamp collection with contest entries invited through its Collectables Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NZPostCollectables/. NZ Post’s head of stamps and collectables, Antony Harris, said pet owners are welcome to enter a good, quality photo into one of the competition’s four categories: Best Dressed, Cutest in Show, Cheekiest Rascal and Kiwi Spirit. The stamps will go on sale for the public to purchase from August 2. All entries will also go into the draw to win a set of the four Pets of Aotearoa New Zealand stamps. Entries must be made by the end of Friday, April 21 and the picture competition winners will be selected on April 26.

Electrical apprentice challenge

Northland’s electrical apprentices are being challenged to showcase their skills and compete in the 22nd Master Electricians Apprentice Challenge and the chance to take on the country’s best apprentices. The competition will take place in 13 different locations across the country, with the Northland challenge in Whangārei, at a venue yet to be confirmed, on August 4. The finals will be held in Auckland in late August where the best apprentices in the industry will be crowned the Master Electricians Apprentice of the Year. More information about the Master Electricians Apprentice Challenge is available on meapprenticechallenge.co.nz.

Crash causes hold up

A crash on State Highway 10 near Waipapa on Tuesday caused significant traffic hold-ups but only minor injuries. The two-car nose-to-tail crash occurred at about 11.30am near the Pungaere Rd intersection. One driver was treated at the scene for minor cuts and scratches.

Land sold to an overseas company

A property in rural Kerikeri has been sold to an Australian company which plans to manufacture and test high-tech farm equipment. The Overseas Investment Office reported this week it had approved the sale of 5ha of land at Ness Rd, Waipapa, to the mostly Australian-owned 180D Ness Road Ltd for $2.75 million. The land would then be leased to Australian IT firm Outcomex Pty Ltd, to develop its range of FarmDeck sensor products and software and develop new technology for the farming and horticultural industries, while plastic injection moulding company Electronic Industries Ltd would produce seedling containers and work with Outcomex to make the plastic components required in its products. A large warehouse would be built on the property as a storage facility. The sale was approved under the benefit to New Zealand test.

Alcohol purchases disappointing

A controlled purchase operation by police in Kaipara resulted in alcohol being sold to underage volunteers three times. The operation, which was carried out by police and Ngā Tai Ora - Public Health Northland, involved underage volunteers attempting to buy alcohol from 22 different outlets. Alcohol Harm Prevention Officer Sergeant Tai Patrick said it was a disappointing result. “It is worrying when licensees are caught selling alcohol to underage minors, the premises involved should have better systems in place to prevent such things from happening,” he said. It was important for premises to check the identification of anyone who looks under 25, he added. Controlled purchase operations are undertaken regularly to test compliance with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.