It had the makings of a best-selling thriller — the heartbeat of a mythical creature, a group of high school pupils, a couple of roped-in onlookers and a wide open lake.
Love, education, safety ... everyone standing at the front of the room had their own reason for coming to New Zealand but they were united as the country’s newest citizens.
History lessons, accusations of bullying by councillors and claims of indecent haste flew around the Central Otago District Council chamber in Alexandra yesterday.