Northland news in brief: Disabled surfing day, Hookway elected to community board, and more

Andrew Donald leaves the water with the help of Gary Butt (left) and his mum Julie after his surf session at an earlier Ruakākā Surf Day. The event is on again this Saturday.

Disabled surfing day

Northland's Tiaho Trust is all about enhancing the full participation of disabled people and on Saturday it's giving the community a chance to catch a wave and have a go at surfing. The Trust's annual Ruakākā Surf Day - giving disabled a chance to "Catch a Wave" - will be held on Saturday, and participants are starting to get excited at having a go at surfing at Ruakākā Surf Lifesaving Clubrooms, on Ruakākā Beach, between 10am and 2pm. Registration is essential: contact Arlene at Tiaho Trust on 09 430-3406 or email arlene@tiaho.org.nz

Hookway voted on to board

Former Far North District Councillor Dave Hookway has been voted in to fill a vacancy on the council's Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.

Former Far North District Councillor Dave Hookway has been voted in to the vacant seat on the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. Hookway will represent the board's Kerikeri Subdivision and replaces Councillor Rachel Smith, who was elected to the Far North District Council in October 2019. Smith could not serve on both, so a byelection had to be held. Hookway received 1080 votes when voting closed at midday on Tuesday.

Returns for the other five candidates were: Tyler Bamber, 784; Doug Turner, 631; Bob Wolff, 301; Harko Brown, 223; Tim Crawley 89. There were five informal and five blank votes. A total 3118 votes were cast - 33.47 per cent of the 9315 eligible voters in the Kerikeri Subdivision.

Man in court after police pursuit

A 27-year-old Warkworth man who allegedly led police on a pursuit including down a stretch of Northland beach has appeared in Whangārei District Court. Nicholas Michael Moore faces charges of unlawfully getting into a Nissan Patrol, disqualified driving, reckless driving and failing to stop for police having at least two previous convictions for the offence. He was remanded in custody to appear again next Monday for a bail hearing. The police pursuit on Tuesday went for more than 150km, including an 18km stint along a Northland beach, before the driver allegedly tried to outrun a police dog and handler through sand dunes. A police spokesperson said officers patrolling State Highway 1 in Waitematā district signalled for the vehicle to stop near Te Hana about 12.06pm. An hour and 40 minutes later, a man was in police custody.

School cricket grant

Tauraroa Area School is ready to take its cricket training to the next level, after receiving new gear through an ANZ cricket grant. ANZ's cricket grant programme gives New Zealand cricket players, teams and schools the chance to apply for sponsorship to help them with their game. Tauraroa Area School applied because it wanted to ensure the passion for cricket continued at its school. Principal Grant Burns said the staff and students were grateful for the donation. "We now have an excellent opportunity to foster skills and love of the game with students of all ages, with the Area School environment perfect for this. Maybe we'll produce another player of the calibre of former pupil, Tim Southee, one day."