Police are investigating the theft of a brief case containing private information on almost 500 research staff from tertiary institutions.

A 20-year-old woman visiting New Zealand from China has been granted bail after appearing in court to face two counts of careless driving causing death.

Police have charged a 20-year-old woman visiting from China with two charges of careless driving causing death following a double fatal crash near Cromwell.

Two male motorcyclists are confirmed dead - and two young women are seriously injured - after a crash on the Lindis Pass this afternoon.

A 59-year-old farm worker died when his tractor overturned and plunged down a steep slope on a Teviot farm, near Millers Flat in central Otago yesterday afternoon.

The continuing obstinacy of courts, police and government is thankfully no match for the determination of Joe Karam, writes Sir Bob Jones.

Flying debris and trees and branches falling across roads could make it unsafe to be outside if predicted severe northwest gales hit Otago and Southland today.

Since the death of celebrity sheep Shrek in June 2011, a Queenstown taxidermist has been inundated with inquiries into the status of his most high-profile "client".

A truck driver was trapped in his vehicle when it crashed on Lindis Pass early this morning, blocking the major Otago highway for several hours.

Otago's Courtney Duncan is still beating up the boys, even though she reckons she's "not up to speed yet".

An Alexandra rest home resident who loved sweets choked to death on one of his favourites, Turkish Delight, the Alexandra Coroners Court heard.

Shedding staff cost the Dunedin City Council more than $600,000 in the last year, and more than half the money went to two senior managers.

An accounts manager who stole nearly $240,000 from the University of Otago was always warning his team to look out for fraud, a court has been told.

A safe containing almost $11,000 in cash has been found in bush in the Catlins - missed by thieves who took passports and jewellery in another compartment.

Herald Online reporter Paul Harper is making his way around the South Island by rail.