KEY POINTS:
One man is dead and two others are recovering after losing consciousness during a night on the town.
Joshua Waho, a 35-year-old father of eight, died after being taken to Palmerston North Hospital with two friends, aged 36 and 39, early on Friday.
Police say the circumstances are not suspicious, but cannot rule anything out.
"At the moment there is nothing to indicate that there is any other party involved," said Detective Sergeant Grayson Joines.
"It's just unusual circumstances where three people fall ill, two recover and one doesn't."
Police had spoken to the recovering men. Mr Joines said the men appeared to have taken something and had an adverse reaction.
An autopsy has ruled out food poisoning, and police say alcohol is not the likely cause of death. They are awaiting toxicology results.
The three had been socialising at a Levin hotel. The other two, one from Ohau and the other from Waikanae, were unconscious for about four hours.
