Marlborough

The fire tore through dozens of vehicles and rubbish on the rural property in Canvastown, half way between Nelson and Blenheim, on Wednesday.

Engineers and contractors had worked quickly to build a new temporary ultraviolet treatment plant.

At this stage there is no information to suggest the fire is related to the case, police say.

"Our numbers are going up but our financial supports are all down. There's just not enough of anything ‒ money, houses, people."

The idea was put forward by Jim Ward, the farm's former manager of 24 years, before he resigned abruptly in July.

It's the first time the not-for-profit has run an eight-day course for people aged 60 and over.

Police have charged two men with dealing methamphetamine after they were found with 1.5kg of the Class A drug in their vehicle.

It's thought to have swum at least 400 metres from a nearby island.

A red wind warning has been issued for Canterbury, while orange weather warnings cover much of the South Island and further north, as gale force winds and heavy rains loom.

Departing councillors have voiced their support for retaining the Māori ward in their valedictory speeches at the final Marlborough District Council meeting before the election.

"He maintains he is innocent": Watson has promised to take the case higher after the Court of Appeal ruled he received a fair trial.

The salmon company's processing will eventually move to the new site from Nelson.

The next day, Shamah Riley tried to strangle a prison inmate over a piece of bread.

More than 7000 people have reported feeling a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck in the centre of the country.

The man's body was found by a member of the public in Spring Creek on August 23.

The new opportunity would involve farming, but could also include other commercial activities like guiding or accommodation.

A formal identification process is underway, police say.

Contractors have been working to fix more than 780 faults across the road network caused by the storms in June and July.