Manawatu-Wanganui

Jamie Stratford's father's caravan was "absolutely flattened" by the reported tornado.

Man injured as caravan 'flattened' reportedly by Manawatū tornado

"Dad is OK, thankfully just shaken after a very traumatic ride," Jamie Stratford said.

Wed, Dec 3

Alister Thorby was jailed for two years and eight months after defrauding $1.8 million of Covid-19-response money. (Source: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham)

Former Covid response lead jailed after stealing $1.8m of DHB funds

Alister Thorby, 28, was arrested in July 2022 at Auckland Airport as he was about to leave New Zealand.

Tue, Dec 2

Dyeming said two years on he is fully functional back at work, but yet at full fitness away from the job.

KiwiRail fined more than $200,000 after worker injured

The employee who fell, senior telecommunications technician Myles Dyeming, suffered a torn artery, a torn liver, a broken sternum, a punctured left lung, fractured vertebrae, and five fractured ribs.

Sun, Nov 30

Mad About You was found in "very poor body condition" at the Ohakune property.

Man jailed after horse starved to death, two others found emaciated

SPCA said it received a photograph showing a horse lying dead in a paddock, along with reports that two others were thin and without feed in August 2021.

Fri, Nov 28

Dr Rāwiri Tinirau speaks from the paepae as the tekoteko Hāmama is returned to Rānana Marae.

Historic homecoming for tekoteko after more than a century

Hāmama, representing a Ngāti Hine tūpuna, was acquired by the Dominion Museum in 1912.

Thu, Nov 27

Man injured as caravan 'flattened' reportedly by Manawatū tornado

"Dad is OK, thankfully just shaken after a very traumatic ride," Jamie Stratford said.

Wed, Dec 3

Former Covid response lead jailed after stealing $1.8m of DHB funds

Alister Thorby, 28, was arrested in July 2022 at Auckland Airport as he was about to leave New Zealand.

Tue, Dec 2

KiwiRail fined more than $200,000 after worker injured

The employee who fell, senior telecommunications technician Myles Dyeming, suffered a torn artery, a torn liver, a broken sternum, a punctured left lung, fractured vertebrae, and five fractured ribs.

Sun, Nov 30

Man jailed after horse starved to death, two others found emaciated

SPCA said it received a photograph showing a horse lying dead in a paddock, along with reports that two others were thin and without feed in August 2021.

Fri, Nov 28

Historic homecoming for tekoteko after more than a century

Hāmama, representing a Ngāti Hine tūpuna, was acquired by the Dominion Museum in 1912.

Thu, Nov 27

August, 7, Hugo, 5, and Goldie, 1, were killed in a house fire in Sanson.

'Mum will love you forever': August, Hugo, and Goldie farewelled

Mother Chelsey Field shared memories of her three "beautiful, brown-eyed darlings" who she said were her "absolute world".

Tue, Nov 25

Sanson community mourn with Chelsey Field over the loss of her three children, belied killed by their father in a murder suicide.

Police hand Sanson property back to family grieving loss of 3 children

A scene investigation has been completed and police also released the full names of those who died in the November 15 fire.

Sat, Nov 22

'My babies were my absolute world' - Sanson mum's full statement

Four people died in the Sanson fire, with mother Chelsey Field identifying them as August, 7, Hugo, 5, and Goldie, 1, and their father Dean Field.

Fri, Nov 21

Mum of children killed in Sanson house fire speaks of 'devastation'

Chelsey Field said her babies "were my absolute world" following their tragic deaths.

Fri, Nov 21

Flames tear across the Central Plateau as the Tongariro wildfire burns out of control, forcing evacuations of trampers and residents.

'It felt bloody awful': Hope rises from Tongariro’s wildfire ashes

A devastating wildfire scorched 3000 hectares of Tongariro National Park but conservation leaders say the blackened landscape could offer a rare chance for large-scale native regeneration.

Thu, Nov 20

Alleged robber returned to scene by family

A youth alleged to have robbed a store in Taupō was returned to the scene of the crime by a family member.

Wed, Nov 19

Fatal Sanson house fire being treated as homicide – police

The bodies of three children and their father were found following the blaze on Saturday.

Tue, Nov 18

Three children died in a house fire in Sanson, Manawatū.

'Outpouring of love' for Sanson mum after deaths of three children

Police were continuing to probe the deaths of three children and their father in the fatal house fire over the weekend.

Tue, Nov 18

'Horror': Father who died in Sanson fire had no burn injuries

Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham this afternoon confirmed the children were aged 1, 5 and 7.

Mon, Nov 17

The three children who died in a house fire in Sanson

'Unbearable loss': Friends rally to support mother in wake of Sanson fire

Friends are rallying around a mother who lost three children in a devastating house fire in Sanson, Manawatū.

Mon, Nov 17

Emergency services were called to the property, southwest of the town on State Highway 1, about 2.30pm yesterday.

Police confirm four fatalities from Manawatū house fire

Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham said tomorrow would focus on recovering the body of the third child, and completing a meticulous scene examination.

Sun, Nov 16

Fatalities confirmed after Sanson house fire

Emergency services were called to the property southwest of the town about 2:30pm.

Sat, Nov 15

The Fitzherbert Tavern burns in Palmerston North on October 30, 2025.

Man arrested after Palmerston North tavern fire

Police have charged an 18-year-old man with arson after a fire at the old Fitzherbert Tavern forced the closure of schools and early childhood centres.

Wed, Nov 12

Drone footage reveals scorched landscape after Tongariro fire

Large tracts of Tongariro National Park blackened with ash from a huge wildfire over the weekend.

Wed, Nov 12

Fire crews continue work to extinguish Tongariro National Park blaze

Meanwhile, some tourism businesses in the park were feeling "apprehensive" about the closure of one of the main tourist attractions going into the peak summer period.

Tue, Nov 11

Tongariro National Park pictured on Sunday afternoon.

Full Video: FENZ provide update on Tongariro National Park blaze

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Incident Controller Nigel Dravitzki was speaking from the scene of the 2500ha fire in National Park Village/Waimarino.

Mon, Nov 10

Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe (left) and Horizons Regional Council chair Nikki Riley

What's happening with local council pay in Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei

The new rates reflect updated size indices for each council and revised governance remuneration pools that account for workload increases in some areas.

Mon, Nov 10