Volunteers will collect 579 pairs of shoes to highlight each New Zealander who committed suicide in 2016. Suicide prevention groups and families and friends who have lost loved ones will line up shoes in more than 20 towns across New Zealand, beginning on August 26 at events in Cape Reinga and Bluff. At each event, a bereaved local will hold a pair of their loved ones' shoes, share their story and talk about the change they want to see. The final event will be at Parliament on September 10, which is also International Suicide Prevention Day. YesWeCare.nz and the Public Service Association, New Zealand's mental health union, are supporting groups and families running the events. People can find their local event at: yeswecare.nz/the-shoe-project/events.
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A 44-year-old man who failed to appear in court in July was arrested by police on Thursday evening. The man was found hiding in a house in Whangaruru at 8pm. Police said the man had been charged following a domestic violence incident in early July but when he didn't turn up to court in mid July, a warrant to arrest him was issued.
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A 53-year-old Whangarei man was arrested on Thursday evening after he made threats to an IRD staff member over the phone. Police said the threats were made about 3.15pm and they located the man about 9.15pm. He confirmed he had made the comments but said they were directed at the system, rather than the individual. The man was charged and released on bail. He is scheduled to appear in the Whangarei District Court on August 23.
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A fire which damaged an unoccupied house in Dargaville early yesterday morning is being treated as suspicious. The fire service received the call shortly before 3am for a property on Finlayson Park Ave. Dargaville chief fire officer Jeffrey Palmer said the fire was "smouldering away" when they arrived. He said the fire was in the hallway of the two bedroom house. Mr Palmer said they put the fire out and the damage was somewhat minor but the house was "not liveable". He said the cause is being investigated.
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A 14-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital after being hit on the shoulder by a tractor bucket. The accident happened at Waimamaku around 11am yesterday. Police said the boy was hit by the bucket which fell after the hydraulics failed. He was in a serious condition and had a suspected broken collar bone. Fire crews also attended the scene.
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Chorus has finished upgrading five rural cabinets in the Far North region, meaning more residents can now benefit from better broadband. The upgraded cabinets are in Waipapa, Motukaraka, Maromaku, Tapora, and Taumata and Paraparatoatoa Rds. This latest work means Chorus has now upgraded 108 cabinets in the Far North District under both the Government's Rural Broadband Initiative and Chorus' own separate cabinet upgrade programme. A further 191 premises in the district will now be able to experience increased connectivity.
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The Far North District Council is seeking an independent specialist to undertake a comprehensive review of its procurement processes. The council has advertised the audit position nationally on the Government Electronic Tenders Service, and is asking for appropriately qualified organisations to supply proposals on how they would undertake the review. The council announced an independent review of its procurement processes in June after it lost a dispute with a local contractor, Rintoul Group, in the High Court, Mayor John Carter saying at the time that he wanted to ensure that contractors, residents and ratepayers viewed the council's processes as fair, robust and transparent. Chief executive Shaun Clarke said the review should begin late next month, and would take about three months to complete.
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