Hold the celebrations, because the battle to retain the blossom festival is far from over, acting festival chairman Tim Cadogan says.

Weston and Enfield consumers could be buying their water from Oamaru, removing the need to spend $1.7 million to upgrade the towns' own supplies to meet new drinking water standards.

"Vulnerable" young Southlanders risk missing out on health care because the Southland District Health Board will not fund Invercargill's youth health clinic, Southland Youth One Stop Shop manager Jocelyn Johnstone says.

Industrial action by medical radiation technologists across the country looks set to continue and will include Easter in some places, including Southland.

A year 13 Dunstan High School pupil became one of eight teenagers who will compete for a trip to Gallipoli after winning the Otago-Southland final of a speech competition at the weekend.