A derelict Gisborne house caught fire in suspicious circumstances in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The house in Glasgow Cres, Kaiti, had been abandoned since a fire in 2020.

Police and Fire and Emergency NZ have an arson inquiry underway.

Fenz was called about 2.40am.

“When the first crew arrived the house was fully ablaze,” a senior firefighter said.

“This time it was gutted throughout and pretty much destroyed inside.”

The senior firefighter said the house had a fire in 2020 and had been unoccupied, sitting derelict since then.

“It had been boarded up to keep people out.”

“The cause was definitely suspicious and police and a specialist fire investigator were called in to commence an inquiry.”

The timber construction house was built in the 1960s or 70s, he said.

Fire crews were there until about 5am to ensure the fire was out.

About 1.40am on Thursday FENZ was alerted to yet another vegetation fire in driftwood and grass along Centennial Marine Dr.

There have been several similar calls recently.

“It shows how the district is drying out, and people are reminded about the Restricted Fire Season now in place, which means almost every fire in the open has to have a permit,” the senior firefighter said.

At 2.30pm Wednesday firefighters were called to deal with another vegetation fire near the Champagne Pools at Rere.

“It was only a small one but it was the second in that same area recently,” the senior firefighter said.

“Again it illustrates the increasing dryness out there and the public have got to be careful.”

Gisborne’s House of Breakthrough Church marks 10 years of aid in India

Gisborne’s House of Breakthrough Church has completed its 10th year of supporting a poor community of 150 people in southern India.

This year pastors Norm and Jess McLeod led a team of five church members on an eight-day tour to support poor Hindu, Muslim, Communist and Christian communities.

The church has worked with local government to build seven houses for widows and orphans of different religious backgrounds and worked with a private school sponsorship programme.

Hundreds of children have graduated including more than 30 who have escaped the cycle of poverty by obtaining Bachelor’s degrees and gaining employment.

Today the school, in Andhra Pradesh, has about 500 students.

The church sponsorship provides two meals a day, two school uniforms per child, all schoolbooks and homework tutors.

Pastor Norm McLeod said their work brought social transformative change “on a very real and practical level to thousands of people in these poor communities”.

This year Pastor McLeod provided leadership seminars and training while others raised funds to provide 350 lunch containers for Indian mothers to provide food when they or their husbands are working in the fields.

The House of Breakthrough team visited villages around the area every day, “bringing a Tairāwhiti taste of aroha,” he said.

Successful Gisborne cruise season continues

It’s five from five for the Gisborne cruise ship season after the National Geographic Orion made another port of call here on Tuesday - her third visit of the season.

About 70 passengers came ashore for the day and enjoyed cycle tours and excursions.

“Sea conditions were pretty good on a sunny Gisborne day so [it was] another successful visit,” an agent spokesman said.

The next cruise ship to call is the slightly bigger Le Soleal, which is due to dock on November 26. It has also visited Gisborne several times.

Le Soleal carries up to 264 passengers, is 142 metres in length and has a draft of 4.9 metres.

It was launched in 2012 and is described as an “ultra-luxury” cruise ship.