News in brief

Wakatu Lodge is on the move

The Wakatu Lodge on Waimea Rd in Nelson is being moved, piece by piece, to a new home in the Moutere where it will be restored to its former glory by its current owners.

The historic building has been in the city for 128 years and has most recently been run as a short and long-term accommodation provider.

In 1972, the Nelson Hospital Board opened it as a home for the aged and a rehabilitation centre.

Nelson Tasman rentals buck the trend

The Nelson Tasman region saw a 40 per cent increase in rental supply in March, despite an overall nationwide drop in supply.

Trade Me Property sales director Gavin Lloyd, says nationally, there was a 13 percent decrease in listings onsite year-on-year, but the regions were a “mixed bag”.

Nine of the 15 regions that Trade Me monitors saw an increase in the number of rentals on offer compared with this time last year, with the Nelson Tasman region having the second highest spike behind Manawatu/Whānganui.

Truck driver fined after shifting vehicle from yard

A truck driver was caught in breach of his logbook hours while shifting his vehicle from where it was parked in a yard.

But Keith Nigel Williams has avoided disqualification from driving because a judge used his discretion to label what happened as a technical breach caused by him moving his truck.

Williams, who has been driving trucks since 2005, admitted in the Nelson District Court on Monday a charge of being a driver exceeding 13 hours and not having 10 hours of continuous rest time. Williams went to move his truck from the StraitNZ Longhaul yard in Annesbrook, to make room for another vehicle due to arrive.

Because there was no parking on Quarantine Road, he decided to continue to his accommodation in Brightwater, where he planned to get his required 12-hour break.

He was pulled over en route, and the logbook breach was discovered. Judge Tony Zohrab said in convicting Williams that he had no history of driving offences, but warned him, “we can’t have tired drivers”. Williams was fined $200 on each charge and ordered to pay court costs.

Man arrested in Operation Cobalt

A patched Comanchero gang member is before the courts after the Nelson Tactical Crime Unit arrested him as part of Operation Cobalt last month.

The man was arrested on 23 April following an investigation targeting unlawful conduct by members of the Comanchero gang, which included a number of search warrants.

The 34-year-old man was charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply. A police spokesperson says approximately 441 grams of methamphetamine and $2,600 in cash was seized during the search warrants.The street value of the methamphetamine is estimated to be about $227,000.

Detective sergeant Ian Langridge says police are continuing to make enquiries into this type of offending and are committed to disrupting the supply of methamphetamine in the community.

“These drugs have a devastating effect on our community,” he says.

The harmful consequences of drugs are wide-reaching and go far beyond the individual user.”

The arrested man is due to appear in the Nelson District Court on 15 May.

Buses go blue

In preparation for Nelson City Council’s new electric buses, due to launch in August, three of the current buses have been painted blue.

If you see a blue bus on your route, it’s the right bus and it will still accept your Bee Card and take you to your desired destination.

Victory’s Matariki celebration returns

The Victory Matariki celebration will be back again this year and will be held on Friday, 21 July.

As with every Matariki celebration in Victory, there will be hāngi, school and community performances, fire poi, African drumming and the lantern lit hikoi.

If you would like to be involved, help with planning and preparation, with kai in the run up to the event, or even perform, then please email [email protected] or call 546 8389.