Tairāwhiti news digest: Protesters welcome Grey St changes

Protesters against the controversial Grey St project made their presence heard loud and clear again on Wednesday at midday. It was their 19th weekly protest action. Photo / Murray Robertson

Longtime protesters opposed to the Streets for People project in Grey St have welcomed the council’s move to reinstate the Kahutia St corner to normal traffic flow.

Contractors completed the work the other night, with traffic now able to use the corner in either direction, and either way.

Under the controversial trial project, it was reduced to a left-turn-only arrangement, which a report to the council indicated had created problems.

The protesters racked up their 19th weekly half-hour protest at the Grey St/Childers Rd corner on Wednesday.

Protest organiser Trish Atkins told the Gisborne Herald they were rapt with the decision to put the Kahutia St corner back to the way it was. Photo / Murray Robertson

One of them, protest organiser Trish Atkins, told the Gisborne Herald they were rapt with the decision to put back the Kahutia St corner the way it was.

“As one of our placards here today says - ‘Thanks GDC, half-way there’,” Atkins said.

“So it would be perfect if the council put the whole street back the way it was, though we acknowledge the need to slow traffic down around the skate park.”

Atkins said the protest group will continue their weekly action until the council revisits the whole trial project.

Ruatōria drugs arrest

Police in Ruatōria have arrested a woman accused of supplying Class A and Class C drugs in the town.

The 36-year-old Ruatōria woman was believed to have been supplying methamphetamine and cannabis since early this year and was due to appear in the Gisborne District Court on Thursday this week.

Sergeant Matt McVey said the arrest would help disrupt the supply of illegal drugs in the area.

“Ruatōria is a small community and we don’t need or want these issues here. Methamphetamine, especially, is a significant driver of crime and destroys lives and relationships," McVey said in a statement.

“People in Ruatōria are sick of the damage that drugs do and we’re encouraging the community to help us stop it.”

Sergeant McVey asked anyone with knowledge about drug suppliers or manufacturers to make a report online at https://105.police.govt.nz/ or call 105.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

According to Geonet, the magnitude 5.7 quake occurred 115 kilometres east of Te Araroa and 33km deep. Graphic / Geonet OpenStreetMap contributors

Minor earthquake off East Coast

Nearly 500 people reported feeling a light earthquake off the East Coast on Thursday morning.

According to Geonet, the magnitude 5.7 quake occurred 115 kilometres east of Te Araroa and 33km deep.

In total, 477 submitted felt reports, with their locations scattered across the North Island and clustered in Gisborne and Whakatāne.

A majority reported weak to light shaking, but one person rated the shaking at the second-highest rating of “severe”.