Greytown resident in Gore court
A young man from Greytown has been disqualified from driving and ordered to pay over $1000 in emotional harm reparation. Stuff reported from the Gore District Court on Thursday that Noah Daniel French, 19, of Greytown, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to make an emotional harm payment of $1250 after he pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and causing injury on December 14, 2022. Stuff said the court heard French was driving at speeds reaching 160kmh when he pulled his vehicle’s handbrake. A passenger sustained a broken leg in the incident.
Reef rescue
An ill-advised adventure saw three people trapped on Castlepoint’s notoriously dangerous reef on Saturday. Castlepoint Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the rescue at 11.30pm. Fire controller Anders Crofoot said waves were breaking over the reef when the trio tried to return to the beach. “A couple of our crew managed to walk them back by timing the waves. Other than getting wet, it wasn’t too serious, but it does put other people at risk.”
Bonfire escapes
The vegetation might be green, but that does not rule out the risk from bonfires and burnoffs, with three fire trucks responding to an escaped bonfire in Wainuioru on Saturday. Masterton Fire Brigade’s truck and water tanker joined the Wainuioru Rural Brigade to extinguish a tree after it was set alight by embers from a nearby bonfire at 11.15am. Masterton firefighter Richard King said the crews were tied up for about an hour extinguishing the fire, which was likely spread by the wind.
Carterton rubbish bags
‘Black is the new green’ in Carterton, due to a supply shortage of standard green rubbish bags. Carterton District Council said black rubbish bags with authorised stickers would be used in the interim. The bags can be found in all the usual places for the standard $2.80 price. The council said green bags should be back in stock in the coming months, noting the current shortage served as a good reminder to make sure bags were completely filled before being left out for collection.
Multiple crashes
A truck driver has escaped injury after ploughing into a power pole in Masterton. Emergency services responded to the crash on Te Ore Ore Rd shortly before 8am on Saturday. Police confirmed there were no injuries, but the power pole snapped, and powerlines came down in the incident. Masterton Fire Brigade provided scene safety until the power was switched off, and the driver was able to exit the vehicle safely. Emergency services confirmed one person is in Wairarapa Hospital after a single-vehicle crash on Ponatahi Rd at 2.45am on Friday. Wellington Free Ambulance said one patient suffering moderate injuries was transported to hospital. Police confirmed nobody was injured in a separate crash on Thursday evening where a tractor-trailer overturned on Te Whiti Settlement Rd near Masterton.
CBD medical event
A person suffering a medical event in Masterton’s CBD was fortunate to have emergency services on the scene in seconds on Friday. Good Samaritans witnessing the event got the attention of Masterton Fire Brigade members, who happened to be driving through the area, around 2pm. Wellington Free Ambulance attended and transported one patient to Wairarapa Hospital.
Region’s roadworks
Roading contractors will continue to work on Waka Kotahi NZTA safety improvements on State Highway 2 between Carterton and Masterton this week from 7pm-6am with stop-go traffic control in place near the Norfolk and Wilton road intersections and near Hughes Line in Clareville. Stop-go controls will also be in place on SH2 near Camp Rd in Featherston from 8am-4.30pm tomorrow until Thursday for resurfacing. A speed limit of 30kmh will remain in place for two days and nights after completion. Traffic control will be in place tonight only on SH2 in Greytown near Papawai Rd from 7pm-5.30am for service connections, and north of Masterton near Lennies Rd on Friday from 8am-4.30pm for asphalt resurfacing.
MDC offices closed
Masterton District Council’s Queen Street office doors will be closed today for a staff training day. The office will be open as usual again tomorrow at 9am. The council apologises for any inconvenience the closure may cause.
