The New Zealand Dog Agility Championships were held for the first time in Cromwell over Labour Weekend.

It was a busy day four days for competitors from across the country.

A young Canadian artist based in Dunedin is looking for human teeth with which to make her latest piece of artistic jewellery.

So far, she has made her jewellery with animal bones and animal teeth, but now she is hoping to creating a bracelet with human teeth.

Parishioners were set to gather for a final Presbyterian service at Papakaio Presbyterian Church, northwest of Oamaru on Sunday.

The service would mark the end of 125 years of Presbyterian worship at the church.

Around 10,000 specators attended the annual Waimate 50 car racing event north of Oamaru over labour Weekend.

Thanks to the hard work of 200 volunteers, this year's event saw more teams, more days and more race categories than ever.

This afternoon Aaron Hawkins was officially sworn in as Dunedin's new Mayor.

Family, friends, and members of the community packed out the first council meeting for the official swearing in of the Mayor and councillors.

Oamaru could soon be the monarch butterfly capital of New Zealand.

A newly formed group called Friends of the Monarch Butterfly say the first step is to grow more swan plants and nectar plants around the town.

Staff and students of the division of Marine Sciences at the University of Otago protested against proposed staff cuts this afternoon.

Submissions closed this afternoon on whether the cash-strapped department should down-size its staff numbers to save money.

New Cromwell resident Yannick Fourbet was already creating art in his native France, when he saw someone creating large pots with rope on wooden frames.

After supplying his mentor with red wine he was taught some secret techniques, which he now uses in Cromwell.

The Otago Polytechnic is developing an eye-sight testing programme that primary school pupils can do by themselves.

Occupational therapy professor Mary Butler says preliminary trials have found several who had been overlooked during the lastest Government tests of school children.

The Dunedin City Council is hoping to get up to 300 of its staff back in the saddle in a proposal to give workers pay advances to buy e-bikes.

The council's acting transport group manager says staff approached management with the idea, after seeing other municipalities offering the idea to staff..

Thousands of people are expected to turn up for a tulip farm open day this Labour Weekend.

100 hectares covered with more than 30 varieties of vibrant and colourful tulips are set to be available for viewing at the Triflor tulip farm in Edendale on Monday.

Five teenage students have built a go-kart resembling a bath tub on wheels, as part of their course at Otago Polytechnic.

Powered with a 200cc rotary hoe engine and capable of travelling at more than 50kmh, the mobile bath recently won four awards at the grass-kart champs in Gore.

The Otago Regional Council has elected a new chairperson at its first meeting since the local body elections were decided a week and a half ago.

Three of the council's members were vying for the role of chair with Marian Hobbs winning support from her fellow councillors.

A Dunedin bladder cancer patient is facing delays for critical tests, and is still waiting for an urgent but so far unscheduled operation.

Andrea Woodford has received 'unacceptable' care according to a scathing report on the Southern District Health Board's on its urology service.

A man has died after being struck by a truck in Dunedin's harbourside area on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the incident at the Caltex Fuel Stop in Fryatt St, where they treated a critically injured pedestrian.

A tarpaulin was put up as emergency services staff worked at the scene.

Police say their inquiries are continuing and WorkSafe NZ has also been advised.