Busy New Year for police

The New Year went off with a bang at Auckland's Sky Tower. Picture / Martin Sykes

One man died, one was left critically injured and others were stabbed on New Year's eve last night, but police said alcohol bans may have averted violence at traditional trouble spots.

Numerous arrests were made around the country, although police say most of them were for breaches of the alcohol bans rather than for incidents of drunken violence.

In Wellington a 21-year-old man died after two men fell 15 metres down a bank in the suburb of Brooklyn. The other man was critically ill in hospital.

A homicide inquiry was launched after a 58-year-old man died in the South Auckland suburb of Otara a few minutes before midnight, but police this morning said he had died from natural causes. 

On the Coromandel Peninsula a person was taken to hospital in Auckland in the Westpac rescue helicopter after being stabbed at a camping ground. The victim had serious injuries but they were not thought to be life threatening. Another person was taken by ambulance to a medical centre for treatment to an ear injury.

In another Wellington incident, a man was stabbed three times in the chest as he walked near Manners Street and Dixon Street about 1am today.

He was reported to be seriously ill in Wellington Hospital.

At Wairarapa's Lake Ferry a man was stabbed in the neck and groin. He was flown to Wellington Hospital in a helicopter and the extent of his injuries were this morning unclear.

The Auckland-based police northern communications centre, which covers the top half of the North Island from Taupo to Cape Reinga, received 1338 calls for help compared with 652 for the same day a week earlier.

Inspector Kerry Watson said while it was "quite a busy night", ambulance officers said there were few incidents of injury from drunken violence.

One of the worst areas was at the Waikato township of Kawhia on the west coast, southwest of Hamilton, where about 100 youths were reported to be fighting.
The brawl began at the Kawhia Hotel about 1.40 am and an off duty policeman who tried to stop the fight was bottled. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

Many of the calls for help were made on the 111 emergency system but police said that was also abused overnight.

Waikato police said alcohol bans at various traditional trouble spots produced a relative trouble-free New Year's eve.

Tens of thousands flocked to holiday spots on the east coast on the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty, including Whangamata, Waihi Beach, Pauanui, and Whitianga.

At Whangamata more than 300 people were arrested, mostly for breaching the liquor ban.

Senior Sergeant Ross Adern, from the Whangamata police, said he was pleased with the general behaviour of New Year's eve revellers last night.

"The number of arrests is down slightly on previous years but once again they are mostly for breaching the liquor ban.

"But the tone of the town has been generally quiet all week and we are pleased that there was no major trouble," he said in a statement.

- NZPA