Motorcyclist killed on West Coast

A motorcyclist is dead after a crash on the West Coast today, bringing the holiday road toll to three.

Police were called to the crash site, on State Highway 6 near Punakaiki, 42km northeast of Greymouth, at 12.58pm.

The male motorcyclist had failed to take a bend on the wet road, police said.

The serious crash unit was investigating.

The holiday period began at 4pm on December 24 and will run until 6am on January 5.

Picton man Murray John Roberts, 71, was killed on Monday when his car collided with another vehicle on State Highway 1 southeast of Blenheim.

Ngaruawahia man Paul McLaughlin was killed in a crash in Waikato early on Christmas Day.

He was thrown from his car after it clipped a guard rail, crossed the centre line and crashed eight metres down a steep bank on SH1, at Hopuhopu, 3km southwest of Taupiri, about 1.20am.