New Zealand's Deadliest Roads: 61 Deaths so far this year

Source Stuff.co.nz
By Jonathon Howe - Manawatu Standard

"The first two months of 2009 have been the bloodiest on record for Central District roads, with the area accounting for more than a quarter of New Zealand's road deaths.

Of the 61 people killed on New Zealand roads this year, 17 died in the Central Police District, which includes Palmerston North, Wanganui and New Plymouth.

The number is the highest in the Central Police District for 14 years and the highest in New Zealand this year.

With eight deaths each, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato police districts were the second-worst affected areas.

The Central Police District experienced its lowest annual road toll ever in 2008, with 40 road fatalities."

School Bus Crash
Also in today's news, 8 students and a teacher from Gisborne High School were taken to hospital after their school minibus was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the Napier to Wairoa road. The fitting and wearing of seat belts in school buses is not required in New Zealand

According to a news report on Stuff

"Police said it appeared a car came around a corner towards the northbound mini bus and may have crossed the centre line.

The pupils suffered moderate injuries ranging from broken bones to bruising.

The car driver received facial injuries and broken bones.

The Lowe Walker rescue helicopter tried to land at the crash scene, but had to turn back because of bad weather.

The injured were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital in three ambulances.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged."

Polluted Tourist Attraction to Get Clean Up

Source: NZ Herald

The public are today getting the chance to comment on council proposals to clean up the Maketu Estuary in the Bay of Plenty and the Kaituna River, which could cost an estimated $1 million.

The waterways, which include the highest commercially operated white water rapids in the world are contaminated by nitrogen, discharges from waste water treatment and freezing plants, and run off from farms and septic tanks.

According to the NZ Herald the Maketu Estuary

* (Is a) popular eeling and whitebaiting spot. Fishing for kahawai and snapper is also common in the area.
* Currently receives 4 per cent (100,000 cubic metres) of the Kaituna River flow per tidal cycle via the man-made Fords Cut.
* Has had a decline in plant and aquatic species.
* Is heavily polluted by a freezing works, wastewater plant and farm run-off going into the Kaituna River.
* Development around the river, reduced buffers between the land and the water, stock grazing and silt have also contributed to pollution, reduced wetlands and fish spawning.
* A working group is proposing more water be diverted from the river to improve water quality.