Blenheim police have arrested a man following an incident where a visitor was shot in the leg.
The incident occured at a home outside the town at 5am on Boxing Day.
The 47 year old Blenheim man has been arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Police are trying to work out how and why the victim was shot in the thigh.
He called an ambulance just before 5am and was taken to Wairau hospital for surgery.
Police said the owners of the property were away on holiday, but would return home as a result of the incident.
They had arranged house-sitters to mind the property while they were away.
The victim is a 30 year old Christchurch resident who was visiting the property where the accused man was house-sitting.
He is in hospital and will need surgery for the gunshot wound.
