Police and the Fire Service agreed on Sunday that the fire that destroyed a residential garage in Bonnett Road, Kaitaia bore all the hallmarks of arson.

No one was quite sure what to expect from the inaugural Far North Pacifica Beats competition, staged at Kerikeri's Turner Centre on Friday night.

The 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil kicked off to massive fanfare last Friday (NZ time) and already the event has delivered some exciting results and upsets.

RUGBY LEAGUE

Twenty-six schools were represented at Te Tai Tokerau regional Nga Manu Korero speech competition, hosted by Te Rangi Aniwaniwa Kura last week, and as always the standard was impressive.

Smoke and mirrors

Laurie Austen is not your average conservationist, but he is passionate about saving one of the Far North's most prized delicacies from extinction.

One of the less surprising results of this year's Reader's Digest list of most trusted professions was that doctors ranked highly once again.

A Doubtless Bay man who was already in custody over alleged sex offences against young girls has denied 17 new charges.

Spare us the claptrap

Dear Jenny Petera

Kaitaia police apprehended a 14-year-old local boy on Sunday morning, moments after he allegedly burgled Birdie's Cafe in the town's main street.

Anyone who thinks police officers spend their days walking around with their hands behind their backs saying 'ello 'ello 'ello would have abandoned that image if they were amongst the scores who toured their local Far North police station on Saturday.

An adult female Northland brown kiwi that was caught in a leghold trap near Waipapa four weeks ago has been released back into its home territory...

Few artists/craftsmen can say the first commission was ordered on behalf of their country's leader, but 17-year-old Dylan Hall can.

SO there he was, The Offsider, feeling a little out of sorts as he wandered aimlessly through winter's opening salvo wondering if the west coast was ever going to fire again.

Mangonui seniors

A happy patient

Doubtless Bay butcher Abigail Lane has been selected for New Zealand's national butchery team, the Pure South Sharp Blacks.

Owner - 'These little ... have just about finished me'

Lawn bowling

One notable aspect during last week's games in the Far North domestic darts competition was the rise and rise of Mussel Rock, this time around recording a 16-nil whitewash over the Kauri Arms Nuggets.

Sport Northland is hailing the success of a Kaitaia man in improving his health as evidence that the Green Prescription (GRx) process works.

The opportunity to sail aboard a 19th century whaling ship that once frequented Far North waters in the 1800s is about to become a reality for Jan Ferguson, who has a very special interest in the period and the whaling industry.

The farce continues

Doctors and nurses

For retired journalist Mervyn Cull, memories of the massacre of hundreds of unarmed protesters, most of them students, and onlookers in Beijing's Tiananmen Square 25 years ago, on June 3, 1989, have never dimmed.

Statoil warned by opposition

The Kahawai Bonanza fishing competition proved another very successful event for the 169 surfcasters taking part in ideal conditions on the first day of winter last Sunday.

After a successful debut season contesting the Cody's D1NZ National Drifting Championship, Waipapa brothers Tom and Joe Marshall are keen to return next season.