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Saturday, April 30

TVNZ's Chch headquarters being demolished

After standing for 85 years TVNZ's Christchurch headquarters are being demolished due to unfixable damage from February's earthquake. Built in 1926, the Gloucester Street building originally housed a radio station set up to communicate with dairy farmers. The station was bought by the government in the 1930s. It made the switch from radio to television in the 1960s. It will take about six hours to demolish the building, and the job should be finished Monday.
Source: ONE News



Heavy rain expected in Northland

More nasty weather is on the way for the upper North Island, MetService is warning. A severe weather warning has been issued for Northland as a rain band is expected to move over the region tomorrow and Monday, bringing heavy rain, and preceded by northeast gales in exposed places. Auckland and the Coromandel have also been placed under a severe weather watch.
Source: ONE News



NZPA to close at end of August

The New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) will close on August 31, with the loss of more than 40 journalism jobs and ending 132 years of news gathering. Staff were handed letters today, confirming a decision signalled by the board earlier this month. NZPA's owners, Fairfax and APN News & Media, made the decision after Fairfax decided to withdraw from the news co-operative. The closure of NZPA will bring to an end 132 years of news distribution. In recent years, the agency has encountered financial difficulties and has closed all but one of its overseas news bureaux. Until 2006, all New Zealand newspapers shared their news content, which was distributed by NZPA, but since then its journalists have produced independent content that was provided to all shareholders and was also sold to a number of third parties.
NZPA



One child in four in single-parent home

BRONWYN TORRIE
New Zealand has the third-highest rate of children living in single-parent homes, an OECD study says. This means nearly one in four Kiwi children are growing up in single-parent homes as more marriages break up and single women choose to enter motherhood on their own. Of 27 industrialised countries, New Zealand ranked third in the Doing Better for Families study, with 23.7 per cent of children living in a one-parent household, compared with the 14.9 per cent average across all countries. The United States ranked first with 25.9 per cent and Ireland was second with 24.3 per cent. In March, 46 per cent of single parents were aged 25 to 39, and 20 per cent were aged 18 to 24.
The Dominion Post



2.2m Kiwis watch royal wedding

About half the country tuned in watch Prince William and Kate Middleton marry last night. Data from Neilson TAM showed that 2,192,000 viewers watched the wedding at some stage between 7:30pm and 12:30am on TVNZ and/or TV3. The ceremony itself drew the highest audience of the night with 1,376,610 viewers watching the pair exchange vows live from Westminster Abbey between 10:15-10:30pm. The ceremony was watched by many more women than men with women making up 64 percent of the audience.
NZPA



Key: Wedding deepens NZ's support for royals


The Royal Wedding will strengthen ties between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said in London. Mr Key, who attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey with his wife Bronagh, spoke of the country's "overwhelming support" for the monarchy just before yesterday's service. "The Royal Family is very important given that the Queen is our head of state and Prince William himself has a very special connection with New Zealand. "He's been there twice in the last 12 months and the fact that he came and visited the 29 families of the Pike River disaster and also spoke for the Queen at the Christchurch Memorial Service, I think that touched lots of New Zealanders, and so I think lots of New Zealanders wish the royal couple the very best today and for the future." Mr Key added that the couple had brought a revival in monarchist sentiment among the young in New Zealand: "Unquestionably this continues to deepen the support for the royal family. They are going to be a very relevant young couple and they have a long future together. They're sure to be dominating the news headlines for the next decades to come. "My feeling is that many New Zealanders support the retention of the royal family as the head of state. It's not universal and never will be, but there is still an overwhelming support."
NZPA



Royal bride wants to visit NZ, says PM

Prime Minister John Key says the Duchess of Cambridge has told him she would like to visit New Zealand. Mr Key and his wife Bronagh attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, who has been made the Duchess of Cambridge, at Westminster Abbey in London on Friday. The Prime Minister said the highlight of the service for him was when the couple exchanged their vows. After the service, he and Mrs Key attended the reception at Buckingham Palace, where the royal couple met Prime Ministers who had attended the wedding. "The first thing Kate said to me is she wants to visit New Zealand ... so hopefully we can encourage her to come and visit some time very soon," Mr Key said.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Friday, April 29

Indian student numbers increasing in NZ

India has overtaken Japan to be New Zealand's third largest source of international students, having increased their numbers by almost 350 percent since 2006. According to Ministry of Education figures the number of international students in New Zealand increased by close to 3000 in 2010. The top source countries continued to be China and South Korea, which account for 38 percent of New Zealand's nearly 100,000 international students between them.
NZPA



Basketball - Breakers win Australian grand final

The New Zealand Breakers are the Australian National Basketball League champions after beating the Cairns Taipans 71-53 in Auckland. They clinched the title in a best-of-three final 2-1. The match took place in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,400 at the North Shore Events Centre. The win makes the Breakers the first New Zealand sporting team ever to win a major Australian championship.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Key, Prince Charles talk Christchurch recovery

Prime Minister John Key talked to Prince Charles about the Christchurch earthquake, New Zealand's sustainability policy, fishing stocks, and wool at a meeting at Clarence House today. Mr Key said he wished Prince Charles "all the very best for tomorrow" and said it was a privilege to see the Prince "the day before his son gets married". The pair also discussed the February's Christchurch earthquake and Mr Key said the Prince had charity which was more than happy to play a role. It was possible the Prince's charity could partner with the Government in the rebuilding of Christchurch. The Roman Catholic Basilica, law courts and ChristChurch Cathedral were among the buildings they talked of saving, Mr Key said.
NZPA



Effect of paracetamol on flu to be studied

Researchers are to study whether taking paracetemol to treat a high temperature does flu sufferers more harm than good. Medical Research Institute spokesperson Dr Kyle Perrin says that studies carried out on animals have found that the flu is worse when medicines such as paracetamol are given. However, there has never been a study on the effect on people, he says. He says 80 Wellington patients will be admitted during the first flu epidemic of the year to assess this. Dr Perrin says many human influenza viruses are killed at temperatures above 38°C, meaning it may be better to let the fever run its course as the body's natural defence to fight infection. To lower temperature, he says, may let the virus run away with itself. The study will be carried out at New Zealand's first inpatient clinical trials unit, which opened on Friday at Wellington Hospital.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



BioVittoria in deal with Tate and Lyle

Natural sweetener producer BioVittoria has struck a deal with global ingredients company Tate and Lyle. Tate and Lyle has taken an 11% stake in the Hamilton-based firm and in return will take the exclusive global sales and distribution rights over the company's Fruit-Sweetness product for the next five years. No price has been disclosed. The sweetener, which Tate and Lyle will sell under a Purefruit brand name, is the first natural, calorie-free, fruit-based sweetener to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Rugby - Carisbrook to host extra All Black test

Carisbrook has been confirmed as the venue for the All Blacks extra test this year with a match against Fiji on Friday the 22nd of July. All profits from the match will go to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal fund. As well, Canterbury residents, including the Canterbury rugby community, will also get the chance to buy tickets before they go on nationwide public sale. All Blacks Coach Graham Henry says the Test will be a key match for the All Blacks as the team prepares for their opening Tri Nations match a week later and then the Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks have played Fiji eight times since 1974, with the last Test in 2005 at North Harbour Stadium.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



NZ Oil and Gas looks overseas for opportunities

Energy company New Zealand Oil and Gas expects to secure some attractive exploration areas in the northern hemisphere within the next month. The explorer says the deal is part of its move to focus on overseas opportunities and ultimately set up two core areas outside of the country. New Zealand Oil and Gas says it will establish a branch office in the northern hemisphere to pursue opportunities there. Chief executive David Salisbury says it is a relatively small entry in that it is an exploration permit but the opportunity underlying it is quite a sizeable oil prospect. He says the company is also reviewing eight opportunities in Indonesia with a partner.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Exports hit record high in March

New Zealand's exports were at a record high level in March, leading to a $464 million trade surplus. Exports rose 11% to $4.5 billion in March compared to the same month a year ago, driven by higher quantities of milk powder, butter and cheese. Imports rose 17% to $4.1 billion, largely because of imports of aircrafts and parts. The result is a $464 million trade surplus for the month - which is the equivalent of 10% of exports. On an annual basis a trade surplus of $631 million was recorded for the year to the end of March compared to $775 million in February.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Pharmac to fund new epilepsy drug

Government drug-buying agency Pharmac is to fund a new epilepsy treatment from Sunday. Lacosamide will be fully funded for anyone whose epilepsy symptoms are not properly controlled by currently-funded medication as well as anyone who suffers adverse side-effects from those treatments. "Epilepsy is a condition that can have a profound effect on people's lives, Pharmac medical director Peter Moodie said. "Having a range of treatments to try is important, so it's pleasing to be able to widen the availability to include lacosamide." Pharmac estimated 400 people would be prescribed lacosamide over the next three years.
NZPA



What will Bronagh Key be wearing at royal wedding?

By Isaac Davison
No cleavage, a small hat, and not too much flesh - that's what designer Trelise Cooper had in mind when she created Bronagh Key's dress for the royal wedding. The Auckland designer has produced a one-off pink and blue outfit for the Prime Minister's wife, with careful attention to the dress code of a Westminster Abbey occasion. "I would describe it as ladylike, classic and elegant," Cooper told the Herald. "It's quite understated, and I think the occasion calls for that - the tension between something that's formal but still modern." The outfit took three weeks and four fittings to complete. The knee-length dress is marine-blue with a bodice of lilac pink, and includes a marine-blue silk coat, a pink clutch, gloves and a Dolly Varden hat. The fitting design and use of cotton lace brought it into line with current trends, said Cooper. Meanwhile, The Dress - Kate Middleton's - is due to be copied and on its way to the high street within four hours of its unveiling. The Farmers chain in New Zealand aims to have a recreated gown on display in its Westfield St Lukes store tomorrow morning. Bridal-wear designer Jane Yeh will spend tonight sewing the replica, which will be a prize in a New Zealand Woman's Weekly reader competition.



Dame Kiri Te Kanawa getting wedding fever

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is getting swept up in the excitement of the royal wedding. She says just like millions of others around the world she'll be tuning in to watch the nuptials. Dame Kiri says it will be a much more sober affair than the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana - at which she performed 30 years ago. She believes that's because people feel they know Kate Middleton because she's been on the scene for a while, as opposed to Diana who was relatively unknown.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Kiwi describes London as 'beyond words'

Beyond words. That's one New Zealander's description of the hundreds of people camped outside Westminster Abbey in the lead-up to the royal wedding. Michael McGowan's playing the trumpet at tonight's service, as a member of the Royal Air Force band. He's been practicing at the abbey in the past few days, and says it's been amazing to watch the crowds grow. "You really get a sense of what a big occasion this is not just obviously for the royal couple but for the country as a whole.
Mr McGowan is looking forward to playing a part in the big event.
By Kim Savage



Thursday, April 28

PM Key lunches with the Queen


By ANDREA VANCE
NZ Prime Minister John Key has received a warm welcome at Windsor Castle. Key had an audience with Queen Elizabeth in London, after which they shared a glass of champagne and chatted over a lunch of hollandaise eggs, beef, a "delicious" panna cotta dessert and some cheese. Royal protocol means Key can't divulge much detail of their conversation. "She was in great heart and cares very deeply about New Zealand." The Queen was very interested in the Christchurch rebuild and wanted to know what she could do to help, he said. "She has great passion and care for New Zealand and she wanted me to pass on her very best wishes to the people of Christchurch and the Pike River families.



Packard owners want to move to NZ

By Nigel Benson
It was hard to miss United States couple Lee and Paul Garlington in Dunedin this week. The commodity traders, who are from Carmel in California, were driving around the city in their 1948 Packard woody station sedan. "It's the only one in Australasia," Lee (73) said. The couple believe New Zealand is one of the world's most liberal and progressive countries and want to make their home here. They first visited in 2000. "We came here the first time for a week. Then we came back for two weeks. Then it was three weeks. Now, we're applying for residency," Lee said. "It's such a great place to live. New Zealand is so liberal and inclusive of everybody. You're the nicest bunch of people we've ever met." "New Zealand is a land where people have been raised right. It's like people were raised in the 1950s in the US. The thing I really enjoy here is the people. You're a very civilised country and you treat everyone as a friend."



Hawke's Bay residents wait to return home

It could be some time before home owners in flood-damaged coastal areas of Hawke's Bay are allowed back on to their properties. Helicopter crews are reporting major damage to coastal areas in Central Hawke's Bay. Six beach communities are isolated with all roads impassable due to slips from yesterday's heavy rain. Civil Defence authorities are checking each house for damage in Te Awanga, Clifton and Haumoana. More than 100 people spent the night in other accommodation after mass flooding in numerous coastal towns. Hastings Civil Defence spokesman Mike McGuire says no-one's being allowed back to their homes yet.
By Juliette Sivertsen, Annette Lunn and Newstalk ZB Staff



Niue prepares for general election

Niueans go to the polls on Saturday week but six of the 14 village seats have already been decided with just a single candidate contesting. The six are all current MPs - Andrew Funaki in Tamakautoga, Billy Talagi in Avatele, Vaiea’s Talaititama Talaiti, Liku’s Pokotoa Sipeli, Jack Willie Lipitoa of Namukulu and Fisa Pihigia of Tuapa. The chief electoral officer, Justin Kampala, says there are 17 candidates to contest the six common roll seats of the 20-member assembly. This group includes the premier Toke Talagi, cabinet minister Togia Sioneholo, the former high commissioner to New Zealand, Grace Sisilia Talagi, and veteran opposition MP, Terry Coe. A former premier Young Vivian faces two challenges in his seat of Hakupu.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



LA sends us $20,000

Kiwis in Los Angeles have raised $20,000 for the Christchurch earthquake appeal through fundraising events and donations. The 500-strong group of Kiwi ex-pats and friends of New Zealand living in Los Angeles raised some of the money with a red and black pub night at Sonny McLean’s in Santa Monica. The pub is owned by Christchurch native and classic car afficionado Grant Woods. A second, larger event was held at the residence of the New Zealand Consul-General, John Mataira, and featured Kiwi musician Greg Johnson and kapahaka group Tioata. Mataira also hosted a fundraising golf tournament on ANZAC Day.
The Press



Hide to stand down as Act leader

Act leader Rodney Hide has announced he will be standing down. Hide made the announcement at a press conference at midday where he arrived with leadership contender Don Brash by his side. He will stay on as an MP and continue to hold his ministerial roles. "I believe Don Brash is the best person to lead Act, I rang the prime minister last night and told," Hide said. "His membership will be approved by the board on Saturday." Hide had said only yesterday that would not give up the leadership.
Source: ONE News



Plunket supports rear-facing seats up to two

Plunket is supporting an international child health and safety authority in their new recommendations on carseat safety. The American Academy of Paediatrics now says infants and toddlers should remain rear-facing up to the age of two. Previously that age was just 12 months. Plunket's national child safety adviser, Sue Campbell, says the recommendation is a positive development as evidence shows that children under the age of two are 75% safer in a rear-facing seat. Mrs Campbell says Plunket will now alter its resources accordingly.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



New body to attract foreign students

JOHN HARTEVELT
A new Government organisation to attract international students is being set up as the industry rushes to deal with a drop in post-quake enrolment figures in Christchurch. Three bodies previously set up to attract foreign students to New Zealand will be merged into one from September. It will take the name of one of its predecessors, Education New Zealand, and will have a new board appointed to lead marketing and representation work overseas. Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said the new body would lead "an ongoing communications job" to keep foreign students flowing into the country after the February earthquake in Christchurch. The number of foreign students coming to the city had fallen significantly, Mr Joyce said. However, overall international student figures for 2010 issued this week show a continued improvement in the $700 million industry, with 99,880 enrolments last year – up 3 per cent on 2009.



Young Kiwis value space

CHARLIE GATES
The greatest fear for young New Zealanders is the prospect of living in a city apartment, a United Nations survey has found. Eight thousand people aged 18 to 35 in 20 countries were interviewed about their hopes and fears, but young Kiwis were the only ones to list a city apartment as a major fear. The New Zealanders were asked to name their worst fear, with 34 per cent of respondents fearing city apartment living, 28 per cent fearing a loss of autonomy and 16 per cent fearing financial insecurity. Hayward said young people feared apartment living because it would cut them off from outdoor pursuits. She said the fear could be a big challenge for planners and urban designers hoping to lure young people into inner-city apartments.
The Press



King Salmon seeks green light for big expansion

New Zealand King Salmon is applying to the Environmental Protection Authority for permission to double its farming operations in the Marlborough Sounds. The company currently has five hectares of water in which to farm salmon; it is applying to use another 10. If approved, the company would increase production from 7500 tonnes of salmon a year to 15,000 by 2015. King Salmon says the expansion would create 70 jobs in Marlborough.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, April 27

Volunteers sought to help clear away silt

Civil Defence in Christchurch is calling for volunteers to help remove silt from properties before its roadside collection service ends on Saturday. From May, people will have to dispose of their own silt instead of having a truck pick it up for free. Civil Defence director of infrastructure Michael Aitken says the volunteer service is for people who really need it, including the elderly and disabled. There have been at least 300 requests for help so far. Mr Aitken says volunteers will not clear silt from properties that are vacant or have a red placard, indicating that they are too dangerous to enter.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Kiwi designer to recreate Kate's dress

When Kate Middleton's wedding dress is revealed on Friday night, a New Zealand bridal wear designer will attempt to recreate it within 12 hours. Jane Yeh and her team of seamstresses will examine television footage and work through the night to produce an exact replica of the dress. She says she's looking forward to seeing what Kate with step out in. Ms Yeh says it's going to be a long and busy night, but she's looking forward to the challenge. "I'm very excited, it's a huge challenge for me and all my life I haven't done this before," she told Newstalk ZB. The dress replica will be modelled by a Kate Middleton look-a-like at Farmers St Lukes in Auckland at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



PM keen to discuss trade with French

Prime Minister John Key heads to France on Wednesday for a series of meetings with government leaders including Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr Key will meet with the French president for 90 minutes and says discussions are likely to cover Libya, Afghanistan and economic matters. Mr Key says he also wants to talk about trade, as along with Germany, France is the economic powerhouse of Europe. He says he will want to talk about greater access for New Zealand to their markets and progression of freer trade to Europe. During his visit, Mr Key will also meet with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, the Foreign Minister and Minister for Economy, Industry and Employment.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Cricket - Wellington close with Murali signing

Cricket Wellington believes its edging closer to signing Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan for next season's Twenty20 campaign. Spin-king Murali stated his desire to play domestic cricket in New Zealand during the World Cup. CEO Gavin Larsen says talks are ongoing, but it is difficult at the moment as Murali is concentrating on his IPL campaign with the Kochi Tuskers. Murali is the world's highest wicket taker with 800 in test matches and 516 ODI wickets.
Source: ONE Sport/Newstalk ZB



Global telethon for Christchurch planned

By Juliette Sivertsen - NewstalkZB
A 12-hour global telethon will be held on May 22nd for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, three months after the city was devastated by a magnitude 6.3 quake in February. 'Rise Up Christchurch - Te Kotahitanga' will be broadcast from Christchurch's CBS Arena as well as other main centres around the country by Maori Television. There will also be live crosses to Los Angeles, London and Sydney. The Prime Minister says the event will be a global fundraiser for the recovery effort. John Key says it's a fantastic opportunity for people to continue to throw their weight behind the Christchurch community.



New Zealand needs capital gains tax, says OECD

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) is urging New Zealand to introduce a capital gains tax, saying it could help correct a distorted housing market that harms the poor. In its latest biennial report on New Zealand, the Paris-based OECD notes that house prices remain high despite recent slight falls and that home ownership rates are dropping, unlike in most other OECD countries. It also notes that many people in rental accommodation have a job but still cannot afford to buy a house under normal banking rules. It blames this in part on the taxation of rental property, which it calls regressive or favouring the already wealthy. A capital gains tax was also proposed by the recent Tax Working Group, which said it could raise between $4.5 billion and $9 billion a year, depending on how wide the net was cast.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Parents unaware of severity of childhood illnesses

KATE NEWTON
Fading memories of how severe some childhood illnesses can be is one of the main reasons people reject immunisation, an infectious diseases expert says. Doctors and health officials are urging parents with questions or concerns about vaccination to talk to their GP about it during National Immunisation Week, which ends this Friday. New Zealand's rate of childhood immunisation has improved in the past few years to 88 per cent of two-year-olds being fully vaccinated, but it still ranks below most other OECD countries. Wellington Hospital infectious diseases specialist Tim Blackmore said one of the biggest myths about immunisation was that diseases such as measles and influenza were mild and not worth protecting people against. "We had some measles cases in the Auckland region some months back and the [public] response was, `So what?' But people forget that measles was one of the most common causes of blindness and lung disease – kids get really, really sick with it." Even chicken pox – which is not on New Zealand's immunisation schedule – could cause upheaval despite its usually minor symptoms.



Biofuel drive will 'fundamentally change' dairying

An agribusiness commentator says the drive to produce alternative fuels will lead to a fundamental change in dairy farming in the next five to 10 years. Stuart Locke, who heads Waikato University's Institute of Business Studies, says the need to free up land to produce ethanol will put pressure on farmers to house cattle and feed out supplements, rather than graze cows on open pasture. He says it will also force more consolidation in the dairy industry. Mr Locke says housing cows in barns will also significantly boost dairy production and the amount of whey produced, which can be used to make ethanol.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Peters deplores emergence of 'race-based' parties

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says there should be no room in New Zealand politics for race-based parties. Mr Peters says that if independent MP Hone Harawira launches a new Maori party on Saturday, there will be three parties set up on a racial basis - the Maori Party, Mr Harawira's Mana Party and the New Citizens Party, which targeted Chinese voters in the recent Botany by-election. "A party formed on the basis of race and looking out for only one type of voter, that is, mainly Maori, is not the best thing for our country," Mr Peters told Waatea News.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



New party launched to represents Aboriginals

A new political party representing Aboriginal people in Australia has been given the green light to run in the Northern Territory election. The Australian Electoral Commission officially registered the First Nations political party earlier this year, but that only gave the party the right to stand in federal elections. Now it has applied successfully to the Northern Territory Electoral Commission for registration. Party president Japarta Ryan says Labor and the Country Liberals have failed Aboriginal people, who make up about a quarter of the territory's population.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Weather latest - Hawke's Bay floods causing havoc

More people are being evacuated from parts of the East Cape and Hawke's Bay as heavy rain swamps the region. Rivers are at five-year flood levels and there are fears the situation may get worse with the next high tide at 1pm. The worst affected areas are the Hawke's Bay towns of Haumoana, Te Awanga and Waimarama. Residents are being moved out of an area between Maraenui Hill and Motu Bluff, and a number of roads in the region have been closed because of slips. Hastings District Council Civil Defence says around 30 Waimarama residents were evacuated this morning because of flooding around coastal areas. A number of other people have also left Te Awanga and surrounding areas and are biding their time at Haumoana School. Residents in the area near Ocean Beach Road say it is flooded and impassable with the main road to Havelock North soon to be under water as well. The township of Clifton is also isolated. People should call Hastings District Council if they need assistance.
Source: ONE News



$4.2 million rink for NZ showdown

$4.2 million ice rink is to be imported into New Zealand from Amsterdam to host the number one and two ice hockey nations in the world. Three exhibition games between the USA and Canada will be held in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin and will be the biggest games this country has seen of the winter sport. The two top-flight hockey nations will battle it out in the specially imported ice rink this July and August. The 60 by 30 metre portable ice rink, which holds 250,000 litres of water, is to be specially imported for the three-match series. Up to 50 staff will be employed to set up the giant rink, which will take 48 hours and cost $2000 a day to maintain while in New Zealand. The games will be held in Auckland's Vector Arena on July 23, Christchurch CBS Canterbury Arena on July 30 and the Dunedin Ice Stadium on August 3. All games will be filmed for international television and screened in New Zealand, Canada, the United States and Australia.
Source: ONE Sport



Flooding in Hawke's Bay

By Jenny Woods - NewstalkZB
Extreme caution is needed throughout Hawke's Bay this morning as heavy rain causes widespread flooding. Homes are being evacuated in coastal areas of Clifton, Te Awanga, Haumoana and Waimarama as slips and flooding cut off these communities. Flooding has blocked State Highway Two between Napier and Gisborne. Civil Defence spokesman Mike Adye says flooding is expected to continue for most of the day. "Rivers will continue to rise in the Heretaunga Plains and the southern part of the region for the rest of the day and extreme caution should be taken," he says. The army is being called in to help evacuate affected residents.



Quake exodus fears not realised

SAM SACHDEVA
Fears of an earthquake-driven exodus from Christchurch have been dispelled by a new study. At worst, up to 8000 people may leave the city in the year after the February 22 quake, the report said. Estimates soon after the quake suggested up to 70,000 people had temporarily fled the city, with some experts saying 4 per cent of the city's population – about 16,000 residents – could stay away for a year. The study found that population levels were likely to change by no more than 2 per cent in the year after the quake and could even increase as construction workers arrived for the rebuilding effort. The study's author, Tom Love, of Australasian consulting firm Sapere Research Group, said many residents had commitments in the city that could not be easily broken. "People are tied to their location through employment, home ownership and a whole bunch of things like that, and those are really strong ties."



UK PM praises New Zealand in meeting with John Key

ANDREA VANCE
The people of New Zealand have shown ''great grit and determination'' in the wake of the earthquakes, British Prime Minister David Cameron told Prime Minister John Key as he welcomed him to Downing Street. The pair are holding talks over dinner at No. 10, the British Prime Minister's residence. Cameron said it was ''very good to welcome'' Key. ''As well as being a great Prime Minister and showing strong leadership of your country he's also a great friend to me. ''Obviously it's the first time we've seen each other face to face since the Christchurch earthquake. Everyone in Britain is with the people of New Zealand. Not only feeling those condolences but also huge admiration for the grit and determination the people have shown in putting that great city back together and putting people's lives back together.''



No wine glut this year but prices still low

The wine industry says there will be no wine glut this year, but struggling growers will be hit by continuing low prices for grapes. The chair of New Zealand Winegrowers, Stuart Smith, says the harvest is down slightly in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Otago but up in Marlborough, which produces 70% of the national crop. Mr Smith believes the national target of 310,000 tonnes will be exceeded slightly, but not by enough to continue the gluts of the past two years.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, April 26

Get out of Syria, Kiwis told

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the travel risk in Syria is now extreme and all Kiwis not on essential business there should leave. The Syrian government has used tanks to try to crush pro-democracy protests in the city of Deraa and security forces have stormed two Damascus suburbs, a day after they swept into the coastal town of Jabla. Human rights organisations say hundreds have been arrested and dozens killed. The US is evacuating most of its embassy staff from Syria amid reports the Obama administration is considering sanctions against the Middle East dictatorship.
RadioLIVE



Ko youngest New Zealand amateur golf champion ever

Auckland teenage golfer Lydia Ko's become the youngest New Zealand amateur golf champion in the 117-year history of the competition. Ko turned 14 on Sunday and overcame two-time champion and good friend Cecilia Cho 4 and 3 at the Russley Golf Club in Christchurch.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Fishing boat found by Orion

An Air Force Orion has returned to Whenuapai after finding a fishing boat which set off a distress signal 50 nautical miles north west of Nuku Alofa in Tonga. The plane spotted the boat Predator at around 3am this morning. It had suffered an engine failure and was drifting towards coral reefs. The Orion's crew directed a nearby ship to take the Predator under tow.
By Lesley Deverall



Netball - Latu ruled out of Silver Ferns squad for World Champs

The Northern Mystics and former Samoa goal shoot Cathrine Latu won't be playing for New Zealand at the world netball championships in Singapore in July. Latu was last week named in the Silver Ferns squad for the tournament, despite being ruled ineligible by the sport's international governing body IFNA, as she'd played for Samoa at the previous tournament in 2007. Netball New Zealand applied to the have the case ruled on by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. However Netball New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle says CAS has told them it's now too late for them to rule on the matter and Netball NZ should have come to them when IFNA made its initial ruling in November 2009.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Solomons to open three more embassies

Solomon Islands is widening its diplomatic presence, with developments pending in three countries. The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports that two new foreign missions open next month, in Cuba and Geneva, Switzerland. The Geneva embassy is to maintain the Solomons relationship with the UN agencies and other international organisations based there. The foreign minister, Peter Shanel, says the Cuban embassy will look after the welfare of the Solomon Islands students studying there. The third development is in Suva where the interim Fiji government has allocated 1.7 hectares of land for the construction of a new Solomons mission.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Taupo power outage could last all night

By James Murray
Most of Taupo is without power after four major substations shut down, and the council are warning residents not to expect power to return tonight. Local power company Unison confirmed the outage to 3 News this afternoon. Taupo District Council emergency manager Phil Parker says residents should not go outside unless "absolutely necessary". He advised people to listen to the radio for information, use mobile phones sparingly, text instead of calling and to call 111 if there was an emergency. It is not known at present what has caused the outages, but Taupo is currently experiencing high winds. At least 20,000 people have been affected in the region including communities in Turangi, Reporoa and other rural areas.



NZ taking part in CensusAtSchools programme

By Juliette Sivertsen - NewstalkZB
School students are set to learn the value of statistics by taking part in an international children's census. New Zealand is one of eight countries where the CensusAtSchools programme is being run. It'll see Year 5 to 10 pupils take a range of measurements of themselves. Co-director Rachel Cunliffe says the children can then compare the data with others around New Zealand and the world. "Things from the length of their hair to the size of their fingers and all sorts of different things including the weight of their school bag, so they can use those in classroom activities with their teachers."



Skyhawks going to museums

Six of the RNZAF's mothballed Skyhawk fleet are to go to museums in New Zealand and Australia. Nine of the 17 aircraft have been earmarked for in museums, while the remaining Skyhawks are likely to be sold to commercial businesses which will break them down for spare parts. Tauranga's aviation museum, Classic Flyers, and Blenheim's Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre will each get a Skyhawk on permanent loan. Two other aircraft will go to the RNZAF museum at Wigram and another to the Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland. The sixth Skyhawk will be sent to a museum in Nowra, in New South Wales.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Bright planets to light up morning sky

PAUL GORMAN
Four of the solar system's five bright planets will put on a spectacular display in the morning sky over the next month. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be visible in the eastern sky for up to two hours before sunrise, given clear weather, until late May. Canterbury Astronomical Society spokesman Martin Unwin said the show could be seen with the naked eye, although binoculars would help to distinguish Mars' red surface. "Jupiter and Mars are closest on the morning of May 1, accompanied by a thin crescent moon. "Jupiter and Venus pass each other on May 12, with Mercury only slightly further away. "Venus and Mars make their closest approach on May 24, also with Mercury close at hand.
The Press



John Key to meet the Queen and UK PM

ANDREA VANCE
Prime Minister John Key will lunch with the Queen today - and then dine with British Prime Minister David Cameron. Key has been granted unparalleled access to Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince Edward in the week of the Royal Wedding. And he is the only Prime Minister to have dinner with Cameron, who will host him at No. 10 Downing Street tonight. Key will return the honour with an invite to the Rugby World Cup final. Key has a 45 minute audience with the Queen at Windsor Castle, where they will discuss the Christchurch earthquakes and the families of the 29 miners who died at Pike River. After their talks, Key's wife Bronagh will join them for lunch, along with Prince Edward. "The Queen has made some time to see me and I think it's a wonderful thing, but it's a great mark of respect for the people of New Zealand.



Horse Trials - Badminton title won by Todd for 4th time

Mark Todd has won the Badminton Horse Trials for the fourth time, riding NZB Land Vision. Todd, 55, returned to competition after eight years out of eventing, to become Badminton's oldest champion, 31 years after his first title there. He is preparing to compete in the London Olympics, chasing his third gold medal. With Land Vision only 10 years old, the Cambridge rider says there's no limit to his potential. Todd won individual Olympic eventing gold medals at Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, as well as a bronze at Sydney 2000. His other Badminton victories were in 1980, 1994 and 1996. New Zealanders Caroline Powell on Lenamore and Andrew Nicholson on Avebury were placed sixth and 10th respectively.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Monday, April 25

Alcohol policy criticised

The government is being criticised for opposing a health initiative in Thailand to put warning labels on alcohol products. Green Party alcohol spokesperson Sue Kedgley says documents from the World Trade Organisation show New Zealand trade officials have stepped into the trade dispute involving Thailand. She says the Thai government is trying to reduce the harm of alcohol by using warning labels, but New Zealand has opposed that, saying it would be a barrier to trade. Ms Kedgley says the government should not be interfering with the affairs of another nation trying to introduce a sensible public health initiative.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Otago wine heading for Italy

A northern Otago wine maker has cracked the Italian export market. Dr Antonio Pasquale returned home yesterday, celebrating the curious achievement of being an Italian selling to Italy wine he made in New Zealand, from Pinot Gris grapes which originated as Pinot Griggio in Italy. Pasquale said he was the only New Zealander at the huge VinItaly Fair and went there without any expectations. Pasquale said he will be airfreighting three pallets of wine to Italy next Tuesday and a container load by the first week of June.
Source: Newstalk ZB



Early memorial site recognised by historic trust

One of New Zealand's original Anzac Day memorial sites is now recognised by the Historic Places Trust. The Tinui Memorial Cross in Wairarapa was the site where people gathered on 25 April, 1916, to commemorate the first ANZAC Day. Thirty-six men killed at Gallipoli during World War I were from the Tinui area. The original timber cross was replaced with one made from aluminum in 1965.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Warning: wind, rain

MetService is warning of heavy rain and strong winds for the North Island. Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay can all expect downpours this afternoon. Many places will have more than 100 millimetres of rain and there could be some localised flooding. Tomorrow will be windy, with gusts of 120 kilometres an hour from eastern Bay of Plenty through to Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Youngest on Hillary's Everest team dies

Sherpa mountaineer Nawang Gombu, the youngest member of the climbing team that first scaled Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, died yesterday at his Indian home at the foot of the Himalayas. He was 79. Friends and family were at Gombu's bedside when he died after a brief illness in Darjeeling, about 650km north of Kolkata, his son Kursung Phinjo Gombu said.
- AP



PM finds Key grave in war cemetery

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key made an unexpected discovery during a visit to northern France for ANZAC Day commemorations. Mr Key went to the Somme battlefields and the town of Le Quesnoy which was liberated by New Zealand troops at the end of World War I. Mr Key also laid wreaths in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetary where 241 New Zealanders are buried. There is a memorial to 1205 who died in the battle, but whose bodies were never found. Mr Key said they are not just names, they are the sons of New Zealanders who never returned from war. The Prime Minister had said he did not think he had a family connection to the battle, but he visited a grave for an Earnest Key. His father was George Earnest Key. He says he may have to do a little investigating. Mr Key will attend ANZAC commemorations in London on Monday, including the Dawn Service in Hyde Park (4pm NZT). Later, Mr Key will lay a wreath at the Centotaph at Whitehall (6.55pm NZT), after which he will attend a Service of Ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Dawn Services held

ANZAC Day Dawn Services were held around New Zealand on Monday to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli. Hamilton was the first: the service there began at 5.40am at the Cenotaph in Soldiers Memorial Park. Five minutes later, the Wellington Dawn Ceremony of Remembrance began at the Cenotaph. Turkish ambassador to New Zealand, Ali Yakital, told those gathered that he is filled with special emotion for being part of the Dawn Service marking the 96th anniversary of the battle of Gallipoli. A vigil by personnel from the three services is now underway at the National War Memorial from 6am - 5pm. There was a sea of umbrellas in Auckland when the parade to the Cenotaph at Auckland Museum began at 5.45am. The Dawn Service followed at 6am. In Dunedin, the service got underway at 6.30am at Queens Gardens. In Christchurch, the Dawn Service at North Hagley Park began at 7am, at a specially-built cenotaph near a lone oak.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand





Sunday, April 24

Call for research into high rate of Maori imprisonment

The lobby group, Rethinking Crime and Punishment, says an independent centre should be set up to look at why the rate of Maori imprisonment is so high. Forty percent of Maori men over the age of 15 have been in prison or served a community-based sentence, and Maori are imprisoned at six times the rate of non-Maori. The group's director, Kim Workman, says he is concerned about the situation in poor areas where there is a high Maori population. He says research is needed into what he calls the disproportionate treatment of Maori within the criminal justice system.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



PM attends ANZAC commemorations in France

Prime Minister John Key will visit the town of Le Quesnoy in Northern France as it remembers New Zealand troops who captured the town near the end of World War I. Le Quesnoy was held by the Germans for most of World War I, but New Zealand troops took the town in one of their last actions of the war. Mr Key will meet the Le Quesnoy's mayor in the town square and take part in a parade, followed by a wreath laying at the French and New Zealand memorials. Mr Key will also visit the town of Longueval and the nearby Caterpillar Valley Cemetery. More than 1200 unknown New Zealanders who died in the Battle of Somme in 1916 are buried there.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Warning for gardeners

By Jacqui Stanford - NewstalkZB
If you are working out in the garden this weekend, there is a warning to remember the dangers of potting mix and compost. Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey says Easter is a popular time to get the last of that autumn planting and weeding done before winter sets in. However, he says it can increase people's chances of being exposed to a harmful bacteria which can lead to Legionnaires' disease. Dr Humphrey advises using scissors to open potting mix, wearing a face mask and gloves, potting in a ventilated area, dampening down potting mix with water and washing your hands with soap after being in the garden. Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease may include dry coughing, high fever, chills, diarrhoea, shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.



Christchurch Arts Centre stallholders set up in Ferrymead

Several hundred people visited the newly set up temporary site of the Christchurch Arts Centre market on Sunday. The historic arts centre was badly hit in the February earthquake, and it is not yet known when it will be able to re-open. About a third of the regular stallholders relocated to Ferrymead Heritage Park for Easter Sunday. They were due to be at the site on Monday, as part of a four-week trial of the market site. Some of Christchurch's historic trams were moved to the park.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Roll of honour taking pride of place

By John Gibb
The Otago Settlers Museum will be open after the Anzac Day dawn parade, at Queens Gardens, for visitors to inspect a roll of honour. This week, museum staff have been preparing for the Anzac Day activities, which involve the museum's opening immediately after the dawn parade, about 7am, and continuing until 5pm. Museum staff and Otago Settlers Association volunteers will serve tea and coffee, and provide Anzac biscuits, to about 800 visitors, who are expected flock to the museum after the dawn parade on Monday. The roll of honour, which is in banner form, commemorates the more than 2500 Dunedin men and women who died in seven wars or other military conflicts last century.



Australian Duopoly takes 40%

Australians are stunned by new figures showing 39 cents out of every dollar they spend in the shops, goes to either Coles or Woolworths. The firms have expanded beyond supermarkets into service stations, liquor stores, gambling, office supplies, electronics, insurance and hardware. Out of the $242 billion Australians spend in retail stores, Queensland's Sunday Mail reports more than $94 billion goes to one of the duopoly's portfolio of retail brands. The news is expected to strengthen calls for tougher anti-competition laws amid fears the duopoly could start manipulating prices so consumers end up paying more for goods.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Britain's cathedral gives to rebuild Christ Church Cathedral

Committee members at Britain's Canterbury Cathedral have donated more than $200,000 towards the cost of rebuilding Christ Church Cathedral following February's 6.3 earthquake. Christ Church Cathedral dean John Beck announced he had received a £110,300 ($NZ227,000) donation and a letter of support from Canterbury Cathedral, Prince William had given him when he visited in March. Canterbury Cathedral Appeal chairman Richard Oldfield said in the letter it was a personal donation from committee members in Britain. ''In the midst of our own large appeal for conservation we want to make a contribution to the vital rebuilding of Christchurch Cathedral, and send this donation with our sympathy and best wishes,'' Oldield wrote. The dean and chapter of Canterbury also donated a further Stg5000 ($NZ10,300) towards restoring the cathedral.
NZPA



NZ laws 'encourage criminals'

NEIL REID
An international law and order expert says successive New Zealand governments are to blame for the "scandal of the century" – a raft of offender-friendly legislation. In his newly released book, Badlands, NZ: A Land Fit for Criminals, former English National Criminal Intelligence Service analyst David Fraser says politicians should look back on their actions with shame. "The record of all governments in New Zealand since the 1950s in relation to crime prevention has been disastrous," Fraser writes. "The fact is that all governments since then have gone out of their way to introduce policies that have encouraged criminals to become more criminal. "Almost every piece of criminal justice legislation passed during the period has made it easier for judges to avoid sending criminals to prison, by expanding the number of non-custodial alternatives available to them. "In addition, other acts of parliament, as well as procedural and administrative changes, have put numerous obstacles in the way of finding, arresting and convicting offenders." Fraser spent 24 years working in the UK's Probation Service and visited New Zealand in 2007 to promote his first book, A Land Fit For Criminals: An Insider's View of Crime, Punishment and Justice in the UK. Badlands, NZ: A Land Fit for Criminals (Howling At The Moon Publishing), is on sale now.



Queen may visit if Labour agrees

ANDREA VANCE
The Queen could visit New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup if Prime Minister John Key can strike a deal with Labour. Queen Elizabeth is heading to Perth for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in October, which falls a week after the Rugby World Cup, and Key hopes to persuade her to travel to New Zealand for the tournament. But, as the Star-Times revealed last week, protocol dictates the royals cannot visit a Commonwealth country in the weeks before an election, to avoid being seen to support a political party. For that reason any visit by Prince William, an avid rugby fan, is likely to be declared "private", sidestepping the rule. But for the Queen to come, Key would have to secure the agreement of opposition leader Phil Goff.



Kerry Smith farewelled

Much-loved broadcaster Kerry Smith was farewelled at a private family funeral in Auckland yesterday, attended by her heavily-pregnant daughter Kimberley. The Breeze radio host died on Wednesday after a battle with melanoma. A public notice placed by Kimberley in yesterday's Weekend Herald described her mother as "the glue that kept us together, the light in our day, the love of our lives". MediaWorks stations, led by The Breeze, are planning a tribute show to celebrate Smith's life. She was well-known through TV roles on Changing Rooms and Gloss.
Copyright 2011, APN Holdings NZ Limited



No shopping today

Labour inspectors will be out again today making sure shops are complying with the Easter trading laws. Easter Sunday is one of the 3 ½ days when almost all shops are required to be closed under the Shop Trading Hours Repeal Act 1990. The inspectors visited 33 shops which should have been closed on Good Friday, and found 22 of them open. On Good Friday last year, 19 retailers were pinged. Shops face a fine of up to $1,000 if they break the rules. A limited number of areas, generally tourist resorts such as Taupo and Queenstown, are covered by exemptions to the trading restrictions. Some shops in these areas can open on restricted days, but only if the exemption order allows.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Tauranga digs jazz

One of the world's longest-running jazz festivals is using forward thinking and ingenuity to find venues for 600 musicians this weekend. Tauranga is hosting its National Jazz Festival for the 49th year. It brings more than 60,000 visitors to the city over Easter weekend. Director Arne Herrmann says finding enough places for the musicians to perform puts on some creative pressure. One solution has been a steam train, which is running three times a day with three bands on board. A local ferry has also been transformed to a riverboat with a jazz band, and a former historic village and museum has been turned into a mini New Orleans, with bands, buskers and stalls.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Hope and resurrection

By Jacqui Stanford - NewstalkZB
The Easter spirit is alive and well in a city which has a name synonymous with religion. Christchurch's Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews says plenty of services are being held in the city to mark Easter Sunday, just with a few alterations caused by the quake. She says as many of the Anglican churches are out of action, Easter is being celebrated in parish halls and at schools. Bishop Matthews says the change of venues is not dampening the joy of Easter at all, and she will give an Easter message of hope and resurrection today. The Bishop moved to Christchurch just in time to see it through some of its toughest years, but would not want to spend Easter anywhere else. Bishop Matthews moved from Canada to New Zealand to take up the post in 2008, two years before the first of two devastating earthquakes.She says she wouldn't want to be preaching anywhere else.



Saturday, April 23

Japanese troops 'could train alongside Australians'

SYDNEY (AFP) – Japanese troops could be allowed to train in Australian defence units, 66 years after the end of World War II, Prime Minister Julia Gillard was quoted as saying. Gillard is in Japan for meetings with counterpart Naoto Kan and told the Weekend Australian newspaper she was open to the idea of Japan's soldiers gaining direct experience from their more combat-ready Australian peers. While Japan's post-war military is restricted to self-defence and peacekeeping operations, Tokyo is reportedly keen to draw on the combat experience Australians have gained in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. Gillard said Australia had yet to receive a formal proposal, but she was open to the idea.



John Key to tread Western Front trail

ANDREA VANCE
His entrance won't be as dramatic as the Kiwi soldiers who scaled the fortress walls 90 years ago, but Prime Minister John Key can expect a hero's welcome in the tiny French town of Le Quesnoy tomorrow. Mr Key kicks off his week-long tour of Europe with Armistice commemorations in the area that became the Western Front during World War I. The citadel town was liberated from the Germans a week before the war ended, and 90 Kiwis lost their lives in the dramatic assault. On Anzac Day, Mr Key will attend wreath-laying services at Hyde Park and Westminster Abbey in London. "There is something quite nice about celebrating Anzac Day overseas. You never feel more patriotic than when you are overseas," he said. His trip will include top-level talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as meetings with the Queen and Prince Charles. The visit will finish on Friday with a glitzy climax: the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Dominion Post



Interest expected in medal

By Debbie Porteous
Up to 10,000 people in Dunedin and surrounding areas could be eligible for a New Zealand Defence Service Medal and there has already been a flurry of interest. Applications for the New Zealand Defence Service Medal (NZDSM) opened on April 14 for ex-service personnel who are more than 70 years old. The new medal, announced by the Prime Minister in October last year, formally acknowledges those who have served New Zealand, often behind the scenes and in support of others in operational roles, or who completed their compulsory military training (CMT) or national military service obligations - for which there has been little medallic recognition. About 160,000 people nationally are eligible for the NZDSM, so there will be a four-stage call for applications. Priority will be given to processing applications from the oldest living ex-service personnel first. This will be followed by a call for applications from people in their 60s, then 50s, and then families of deceased servicemen and women.
© Allied Press Limited 2007.



Hammer comes down on historic auction house

By Juanita Copeland
A Southland auction house is to have its last regular auction after 146 years. William Todd and Co's weekly auctions are a social and commercial institution in Invercargill, but with online auction sites growing and semi-retirement looming for the company's owner, it's time to call for last bids. Bill Todd and his hammer have sold millions of dollars worth of items over the 40 years they've worked together. Tools, machinery, livestock, antiques and even a coffin – the auction house has been calling for bids for 146 years. Founded in 1865, the Don St auction house is about to have its last sale, bringing the hammer down on a regular outing for locals. Mr Todd's regulars say they'll be sad to see the last weekly auction in June, but some are sadder still that for the first time in 50 years they'll have nothing to do on a Friday morning.
3 News



Fallen soldier records free to access over Easter

By Michael Dickison
A collection of more than 225,000 New Zealand soldiers' World War I and II records has been put online for the first time. Australian website ancestry.com.au has put the military records online and is allowing free access during Easter weekend. New Zealand Bomber Command Association administrator Peter Wheeler said that it had previously been hard to find records of soldiers unless they had been killed in combat or decorated. "For chaps who simply went, did the job and came home, it was always a bit difficult." The Auckland War Memorial Museum has a similar online database with about 122,600 records, mainly from World War I, and includes photographs and information provided by family members.



Mystery lottery winner still to claim $17.7m prize

By James Ihaka
The winner of half of the biggest Lotto Powerball first division prize is still to collect the riches - and is missing out on thousands of dollars in interest. After the April 9 draw, the holders of one of the two winning tickets, a Dannevirke family, presented it at Waipawa, to avoid being recognised. But the person who bought the other winning ticket, at the Take Note stationery store in Dinsdale in Hamilton, is yet to claim the enormous prize. Each ticket won $17.6 million from Powerball first division and $111,000 from Lotto first division.



Hillary Clinton praises Anzac spirit

The thoughts of the United States people are with Australia and New Zealand as Anzac Day approaches, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today. In a message sent on behalf of president Barack Obama and the people of the United States, Mrs Clinton honoured the Anzac spirit. "During my trip last year to Australia and New Zealand I saw firsthand the courage of your two nations as you continue to meet adversity with determination and resilience," she said in a statement. She said the country's thoughts were with "all Anzacs who are serving, those who have served, those who have given their lives and their families".
NZPA



Good Friday free-for-all at Pak 'n Save

KARLA AKUHATA
Opportunists took the chance to stock up their pantries when the doors to Hamilton's biggest supermarket opened for about eight hours early yesterday without a checkout person in sight. A security system computer glitch is being blamed for the doors opening and the lights coming on at Pak 'n Save in Mill St about 1am yesterday. Sergeant Guy Callahan said police were alerted at 9.20am by a member of the public saying loads of people were leaving the shop with "truckloads of groceries". "She said people were coming out the store with shopping trolleys full of stock and yet there were no people manning the checkouts and no-one was even in the store." Callahan said three police units were sent to investigate the situation. "When we arrived there were cars leaving all over the place. There were some people in the shop at the checkouts legitimately purchasing items [using the self-service facilities] and others in the store. "We couldn't tell who had paid and who hadn't and so our first priority was to close the supermarket and contact the owners."



Vintage fighter aircraft take to the skies

Up to 80 of the world's most famous war planes are taking to the skies over Blenheim this weekend for the tenth biennial Classic Fighters Easter display. Event director Graham Orphan says about 45,000 people are expected for the two-day event at the Omaka airfield. It features a World War II V-2 rocket replica and will have aircraft such as the Fokker Triplane, Spitfires, Kittyhawks, and a Focke-Wulf 190. Mr Orphan says Blenheim is booked out for the show weekend.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



New contraceptive leads to blood clot risk - study

Certain types of contraceptive pills lead to a higher risk of potentially life-threatening blood clots, New Zealand led research has found. The study, co-authored by Lianne Parkin of the University of Otago, found British women who took a combined oral contraceptive pill containing the progestogen hormone drospirenone were more likely to develop venous thromboembolism, which is a rare condition involving blood clots in the legs. Drospirenone is not widely used in New Zealand because it is not subsidised. It is found in Yasmin, Yaz and Yasminelle.
NZPA



Early map could help guide rebuilding

A Christchurch landscape architect says a map of Christchurch in the 1850s could help authorities in the decisions on rebuilding the the central business district. Di Lucas, who is a former president of the Institute of Landscape Architects, says the map shows the city centre criss-crossed with old stream beds. She says many of the buildings which collapsed in the 4 February earthquake, including the Pyne Gould building were sited on the sloping banks of these old streams and were hence particularly unstable in an earthquake. Ms Lucas says the map also shows old wetlands and other areas which are particularly susceptible to liquefaction when subject to the energy of an earthquake.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Vangahau Niue workshop highlights importance of language to arts festival

A co-ordinator of Niue’s biennial arts festival says a language workshop that’s preceeded the event is part of an ongoing drive to protect and promote Vangahau Niue. The week-long festival of performing arts, crafts, exhibitions and food starts this weekend and is expected to swell the island’s one-thousand-five-hundred strong population over the next couple of weeks by a third. Moira Enetama says workshop participants welcomed the opportunity to sharpen their knowledge of Niuean language by looking at the conventions and translation.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Friday, April 22

There will be no news Good Friday. Daily New Zealand News returns tomorrow, saturday.



Thursday, April 21

Hot cross bun sales at record high

By Adam Ray
Sales of hot cross buns are breaking records, with some bakeries selling up to 30 percent more than in previous years. The boom in bun sales is party due to those looking for cheaper treats, however there's also now much more varieties of the Easter favourite to choose from than ever before. Along with traditional cinnamon and fruit, there's fruitless, chocolate, mocha, and even sour dough flavour. But three quarters of all buns sold are the traditional ones - made with flour, water, yeast, fruit, sugar and spice. While no one is quite sure where buns originate from, many believe the cross marks Jesus' crucifixion. "I think Jesus would find it amusing we're even asking the question," laughs Clay Nelson. "I bet he'd like them all year round." Although Easter ends on Monday, many bakers will continue to bake the buns for a few more weeks to meet rising demand.
3 News



This is what happens when the Turkey votes for Christmas

Team New Zealand is bracing for a public backlash after confirming its entry for the 2013 America's Cup, with $36 million of government support. The government is contractually obliged to invest the sum into Team New Zealand for the 2013 America's Cup challenge in San Francisco. The Americas Cup is a yacht race for very rich people.
Meanwhile......
Director of the Downtown Community Ministry food bank, Stephanie McIntyre, says the situation is "dire". "We're seeing a huge increase in the number of people we're supporting even though our food bank is only open two afternoons a week," she said. A 44% increase in the number of food parcels handed out in the past three months means the food bank is very low. In fact, all that is left is two cans of tuna, three cans of beetroot, one can of corn, a few spreads and boxes of Weetbix.
Food Banks are for very poor people and have never received $36 million of government support.
(Comment provided by editor of Daily New Zealand News)



Concern some ports can't handle cruise ship influx

An advocacy group is concerned some of New Zealand's ports will not be able to handle an increase in larger ships as they prepare for a record cruise season. Ninety-six cruise ships berthed 552 times at New Zealand ports during the season which started in October last year and finished earlier in April. This coming season, 116 cruise ships are expected to make 690 calls, bringing 200,000 passengers. It is estimated they will spend $346 million. Cruise New Zealand spokesperson Doug Colaco says more cruise ships are visiting Australia and continuing to New Zealand. Mr Colaco says he is concerned ports such as Napier, Tauranga and Port Chalmers are already near-capacity and would need to improve their infrastructure to be able to handle the larger 300-metre plus ships.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Prisoners electing to go smoke-free

Five prisons have established voluntary smoke-free units in the lead up to a total smoking ban in correctional facilities. Otago Corrections Facility, Manawatu Prison, Rimutaka Prison and Invercargill Prison have one smoke-free unit each while Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility has two. Non-smokers, ex-smokers and those looking to kick the habit can choose to stay in the smoke-free units ahead of the outright ban on July 1. "Prisons are having no trouble filling these smoke-free units, which is a great indication that prisoners are getting on board with the change and taking positive steps towards improving their health," Prison Services acting general manager Brendan Anstiss said. Prisoners trying to quit smoking have access to nicotine replacement therapy with support from health services and Quitline.
NZPA



Punting resumes on Avon river

One of Christchurch's most distinctive tourist attractions, punting on the Avon River, is now back in operation following February's earthquake. The first punt rides by tour company Punting on the Avon began on Thursday morning with mayor Bob Parker the first to take a ½-hour guided tour. He welcomed the return of the key tourist attraction as a sign Christchurch is beginning to get back to normal. The company has spent the past two months repairing the boats and ramp, clearing the river and ensuring the water is safe. Tourists who were taking the punt tours said the earthquake had not put them off visiting and they were keen to be able to patronise tourist opportunities in the central city.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Cook Islands to establish retirement industry

The president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce says policy is being drawn up to enable the establishment of a retirement industry. Steve Anderson says the Prime Minister has announced publicly that a retirement industry policy will be implemented as soon as possible. Mr Anderson says there are a number of minor issues to be dealt with. “In terms of land tenure and immigration status and upgrading of medical facilities and medical insurance and so forth. But they are all relatively easy to deal with.” Steve Anderson says initially the opportunity to retire in the Cook Islands would be offered to New Zealanders.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Call for Pacific education plan

AMANDA FISHER
Poor university entrance rates among Pacific Island pupils have prompted calls for a national strategy to address their under-performance. NCEA results show that 73.7 per cent of Asian pupils – who make up the highest-performing ethnic group – achieved university entrance in year 13 last year. The rate for Pacific Island pupils, however, is less than half, at 36.4 per cent. The Pacific Island figures were lower than in 2009, while rates for Maori, European and Asian pupils all went up. Secondary Principals' Council chairwoman Julia Davidson said a national strategy was needed to develop a cohesive effort. "[In] some schools, Pasifika kids are doing well and why is that? What are those schools doing? "The thing we don't have is a national strategy. We don't have anything that says, `This has worked in this school and ... you all have to implement it."



Student volunteer leader heads to Japan

The leader of Christchurch's student volunteer army is heading to disaster struck Japan to see if the model will work there. The volunteer army of around 6,000 helped thousands of Cantabrians clean up after both earthquakes. They helped to clear a total of 260,000 tonnes of silt, deliver 21,000 chemical toilets, and drop off over 500,000 pamphlets, as well as laying sandbags. Around 80% of the student volunteers were students from the University of Canterbury and the remainder made up from community members, high school students, Christchurch Polytech and Lincoln University Students. Now Sam Johnson and a colleague are heading to Tokyo this weekend to see if a Japanese version could operate.
Source: ONE News / Newstalk ZB



Buildings alight in detention centre protest

Fires burned in buildings at an asylum-seeker detention centre in Sydney where a rooftop protest continued for a second day. The ABC reports a gas tank inside a medical demountable building at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre exploded early on Thursday morning, shaking people on the ground. The Refugee Action Coalition says the rooftop protesters comprise three Kurds, two Iranians and eight Afghans. It says two men mounted the roof at about 8am on Wednesday after a clash between detainees and guards. The remainder climbed onto the roof on Wednesday night and mattresses and furniture were set alight a short time later. They're demanding to speak with an immigration official about the time it's taking to process their applications.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Yachting - Team NZ confirms 2013 America's Cup campaign

Team New Zealand has confirmed it will contest the next America's Cup after clinching another big overseas sponsor for its campaign. Swiss espresso coffee maker Nespresso will join the sponsor line-up for the San Francsico regatta in 2013, as well as the upcoming world series. Team New Zealand becomes the first sailing team to contest both the Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race at the same time. Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton says completing the line-up of major sponsors will allow it to mount a catamaran challenge that can win against teams such as Oracle and Artemis.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Sorrow at passing of Kerry Smith

There's sorrow within the entertainment and media world at the passing of Kerry Smith. The actress, television presenter and radio host died yesterday from cancer. Miranda Harcourt worked with Kerry Smith on the 1980s television series Gloss. She says Ms Smith had an amazing capacity to have a long and valued giggle at anything. "I think the memory that I have of her is that she was very naughty which is a fantastic quality as an actor," she told Newstalk ZB. Ms Harcourt says Ms Smith gave her a lot of her wisdom. "People in the acting industry and people across journalism would be devastated to lose Kerry, I just can't believe she's been taken from us so early." Miranda Harcourt says Kerry Smith has been a friend to her listeners and a great friend and support to her personally.
By Natasha Burling



Two kiwi films selected for Cannes

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
Two New Zealand short films have been selected for the Cannes Film Festival in France. Meathead has been chosen for the Short Film Competition. It's directed by Sam Holst and is about Mick's first day of work at the local meat works and his struggle to get out alive. Blue has been picked for Critics' Week. It is directed by Stephen Kang and tells the story of a fluffy TV mascot who's now a waiter in an Asian restaurant trying to keep his job. New Zealand Film Commission short film manager Lisa Chatfield says the competition is so fierce it's a tribute to the directors their voices have been heard above so many others.



Humpback whales excellent navigators: study

Migrating humpback whales navigate with precision usually associated with jetliners, New Zealand-led research has found. The study, led by Travis Horton and Richard Holdaway of the University of Canterbury, confirmed the whales can travel in straight lines for thousands of kilometres despite strong sea currents. "One whale, moving southeast from Brazil towards the South Sandwich Islands, swam over 2200km during a 28-day period along a heading that varied by less than half a degree," Horton said. The data, which was gathered from 16 whales fitted with 30cm-long satellite-monitored tags, gave new insight into humpback migration, he said. However, it still remained a mystery how the whales achieved such precision. "The study advances our understanding of navigational behaviour during migration, yet it also raises several questions regarding the external orientation cues used by humpback whales and perhaps other long-distance migrants." The findings were published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters this week.
- NZPA



Progress in war memorial park project

The first stage of a $10 million dollar project to turn a derelict inner city site in Wellington into a national war memorial park has been completed. The park is opposite the National War Memorial museum. Two sections of lawn flanking an area of sand and a long white concrete bench faces the National War Memorial. The Government hopes to complete the National War Memorial precinct by 2015.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Sealord to invest $2.5m in plant upgrade

Seafood company Sealord is to spend $2.5 million on new packaging technology at its Nelson plant. The company says this takes the value of its upgrade of the plant to $13.5 million over the past two years. Sealord says its investment in equipment will further improve product quality, working conditions and efficiency. It says it will make it easier for staff to do their job.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, April 20

Broadcaster Kerry Smith dies after cancer battle

Broadcaster Kerry Smith passed away this morning following a battle with cancer. A former star of eighties television series Gloss and host on The Breeze radio station, Smith had been off work since January as she focussed on beating melanoma. MediaWorks Group managing director Sussan Turner called Smith "a respected broadcaster and a very treasured member of the MediaWorks family''. "Our thoughts are with Kerry's family and close friends at this incredibly sad time." Smith hosted the the 10am till 2pm show on The Breeze from 2006 until 2011, and also worked as a presenter on Radio Pacific and RadioLIVE. As well as playing Magda in Gloss, she worked as a television announcer, weather presenter, and was the host of home improvement show Changing Rooms.
- The Dominion Post



Hundreds attend oil exploration protests

Hundreds of people throughout New Zealand have turned out to protest against oil exploration off East Cape. Petrobras is conducting a survey of 12,000 square kilometres of seabed in the Raukumara Basin to determine if oil or gas are likely to be under the ocean floor in commercial quantities. The Brazilian company has a permit to conduct the search and a legal obligation to continue under the terms of an agreement with the New Zealand Government. The protests on Wednesday included delivering Prime Minister John Key an oil cake and were held from Auckland to Dunedin. An organiser of the Wellington protest, Dayle Takitimu, believes New Zealanders have not given the Government a mandate to drill for oil. A flotilla of protest boats has headed back to sea to further disrupt the exploration. Five boats with about 50 protesters will leave Hicks Bay on Wednesday afternoon.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



US investor gives $1m to quake fund

A high-profile US entrepreneur with New Zealand investment interests has made a $1m donation to the Christchurch earthquake appeal fund. Peter Thiel, the first outside investor in Facebook and co-founder of PayPal, has a keen interest in emerging New Zealand technology companies. He invested in Xero and Pacific Fibre through his New Zealand-based venture capital fund, Valar Ventures, which is focused on providing capital and assistance to New Zealand entrepreneurs planning to expand into the US market. "Now that we know the scope of the damage in Christchurch, it's time to start planning how to rebuild it," Mr Thiel said today.
NZPA



Easter forecast best in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay

By Paul Harper
Gisborne and the Hawkes Bay are the places to be this long Easter weekend, MetService forecasts. A cold front is expected to move slowly up the country, bringing rain to the South Island throughout the weekend, before weakening as it reaches the North Island. The North Island will get increasingly cloudy as the weekend progresses with rain forecast to arrive late Saturday for the lower North Island. The rain should arrive at Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty late Sunday, MetService forecaster Geoff Sanders said. Mr Sanders said the east of the North Island could have long, reasonably fine spells this weekend, with highs in the low 20s expected. "Gisborne and Hawkes Bay are the places to be this Easter Weekend," he said.



New chief historian named

A specialist in transport history has been appointed as the new chief historian. Neill Atkinson has written six books, including a social history of New Zealand's railways and the story of the New Zealand Merchant Navy. As chief historian at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage he will be responsible for overseeing the development of New Zealand's official histories.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Ancestry website free for Anzac Day

Families can explore their history and reconnect with distant relatives this Anzac Day weekend by searching their ancestry online. To commemorate Anzac Day, the family history website Ancestry.com.au is opening its collection of more than 40 million military records free of charge, from April 22 to 26. Records are from Australia, the UK, Canada, the US and New Zealand and can include a soldier's number, rank, unit, cause of death and date of death. This gives families the opportunity to learn about relatives serving in the First or Second World Wars, and possibly discover a long-lost relation, the website's content director Brad Argent said.
Source: ONE News



Endangered skinks moved to wildlife park

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
In a move to save a critically endangered species, the Department of Conservation is moving five grand skinks from the high country to a wildlife park in Christchurch. The lizards will be housed in a $100,000 enclosure at the Peacock Springs Park. DOC's Otago Skink Recovery Programme Manager Andy Hutcheon says they were caught from a tiny population near Wanaka. He says moving them to the park will enable them to grow up to a breeding age. If they stayed in the wild, they would only have a 25% chance of doing so.



Coal plant to be built in Buller

Buller Coal has appointed Brightwater Engineering to build a coal processing plant. The plant will process coal from a proposed coal project in the south of the Denniston Plateau in the Buller District. The Buller coal project is expected to create about 225 jobs and $30 million per year in salaries and wages, for Westport and the wider West Coast region.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Fiji still optimistic about securing All Blacks test

The Fiji Rugby Union says it’s still hopeful of agreeing a test match against the All Blacks in July. The proposed fixture was to be a warm-up clash for New Zealand ahead of the Tri Nations, and would double as a Christchurch earthquake fundraiser. Negotiations have been complicated by the travel bans on personnel who work for, or have connections with, the Fiji military. Fiji Rugby Union Chief Executive, Keni Dakuidreketi, says negotiations are still ongoing and they’re doing their best to satisfy the New Zealand union’s concerns.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Hunt for NZ's oldest TV

By Katie Bradford-Crozier
Do you have New Zealand's oldest working television? The hunt is on for just that, with the Broadcasting Minister today launching the Oldest Telly competition. It's part of the Going Digital campaign to raise awareness of the switchover to digital TV, and encourages Kiwis to rummage through their belongings for their oldest set. The winning entry will be converted to digital TV ahead of the first switchover in Hawke's Bay and the West Coast in September next year. Jonathan Coleman says it'll be great if we can unearth some early TVs and make them digital ready.



Coal emissions claim questioned

The Government is under fire for claiming the Emissions Trading Scheme will result in the phase-out of coal-fired power plants. A United Nations report on New Zealand's climate change response includes a Government prediction that by 2020, 7.2 mega-tonnes of emissions from coal will be avoided because of the ETS. But the Sustainability Council says there are no serious plans for new coal-fired generation for the ETS to deter. Executive director Simon Terry says New Zealand's only coal-fired station at Huntly is already being crowded out of the market by new generation, rather than by the effect of emissions trading.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Tiger's egg with a message

Oz the Sumatran tiger at Auckland Zoo has been given a giant Easter 'egg' to keep him busy. The zoo wants the egg to raise awareness about the issue of palm oil which is used in chocolate products. The Sumatran tiger and hundreds of other animal species including the orangutan, the Asian rhino and the Asian elephant are under threat of extinction because rainforests in Southeast Asia are being cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. Auckland Zoo says it hopes that when people see Oz playing with his colourful toy they will be reminded to choose palm oil-free Easter eggs. The zoo has a Palm Oil Free Easter Goodie Guide available at its website aucklandzoo.co.nz.
Copyright 2011, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Free smoke alarm offer by Fire Service

The Fire Service in Rotorua is urging Maori to take up an offer of free smoke alarms as winter sets in. Area manager Graham Fuller says Maori people make up a larger proportion of fire death statistics than anyone else. The service has been installing smoke alarms since the start of the year and giving safety advice to people who are most at risk of having fires in their homes. Mr Fuller told Waatea News that most fires in Maori homes are the result of unattended cooking and children playing with matches and lighters.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, April 19

Role of Family Court to be reviewed

A government review of the Family Court will look at whether or not it is properly serving the needs of women, children and other vulnerable New Zealanders. Justice Minister Simon Power has released terms of reference which will cover the court's functions, the role of the professionals involved and why court expenditure continues to rise. Mr Power says spending has increased by 63% since 2005 from $83.9 million to $137.1 million. That covers the running of the court, as well as providing family-related services such as counselling, legal aid and Care of Children applications. Mr Power says the increased spending suggests the system is not working as well as it should and, futhermore, there is little to suggest that more money has led to better outcomes, particularly for children.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Support urged for Poppy Day

New Zealanders are being urged to support the RSA's (Returned Servicemens Assoc) Poppy Day street appeal on Thursday. Veterans' Affairs Minister Judith Collins is leading the call, and says it acts as an important fundraiser for the organisation. "This is the time of year when we reflect and remember those who have served our country and who have given their lives in the name of peace and freedom. "The Poppy Day Appeal gives the RSA funds to provide a wide range of welfare support for all returned men and women in the area in which the funds were raised," she said. More than 200 RSAs will take part in Poppy Day. They are hoping to raise more than $1 million.
Source: ONE News



BOP companies fined

Two Bay of Plenty companies have been collectively fined nearly $50,000 for discharging contaminants into water. CMH Contracting Limited was convicted for disturbing a stream bed during forestry harvesting, and was fined $30,000. Harvesting took place near a stream resulting in significant volumes of sediment entering the stream, contaminating the water and destroying the aquatic habitat near Te Puke. In a separate case, Roy Vercoe was convicted for discharging dairy effluent into water and fined over $17,000.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Mixed bag for Easter weather

By james williams - NewstalkZB
Weather during Easter weekend will be a mixed bag. Weatherwatch.co.nz says Good Friday and Easter Saturday will be sunny and warm while Easter Sunday and Monday will be wet. Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says today's beautiful weather will last the next four days bringing temperatures in the high teens to mid twenties. But he says on Sunday and Monday a sub tropical low will affect the north while a cold front will hit the south. Mr Duncan says his place to be over the Easter weekend is either Hawke's Bay or Marlborough.



Skyhawks for sale: as is, where is

IAN STUART
If you fancy yourself as a budding jet fighter pilot, now is the time to dig deep. The Ministry of Defence is putting eight Skyhawk fighter bombers up for sale by tender, along with 20 spare engines and truck loads of spares. The Skyhawks are part of the fleet of 17 which was mothballed by the Labour Government in 2001 but which failed to sell in spite of a world-wide marketing programme. The other nine have been offered to aviation museums, mostly around New Zealand, with one going to Australia. When the Labour Government disbanded the Air Combat Force in 2001, it also canned an earlier National Government deal to replace the Skyhawks with a fleet of F16 fighters. The Skyhawks were on the market for nearly 10 years but in spite of one potential American purchaser signing a contract to buy them for $155 million, no money changed hands. The sale fell over and the aircraft chalked up a maintenance bill of more than $34 million.



Vaka fleet sets sail from Auckland

Five vaka (sea going canoe) skippers set sail for a 27,700 kilometre adventure across the Pacific to raise awareness of environmental issues. Foul weather had delayed the wind and solar powered 22-metre vakas departure from Auckland Harbour until today. The boats will battle huge swells and cold temperatures as they travel to North America, Galapagos, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Fiji. Vaka cultural advisor Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr said the voyage focused on developing sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices. "Crew members are committed not just to the country of their ancestors, but also have a commitment to environmental issues world-wide."
- Stuff



$62,000 from Vietnamese

A group of Vietnamese who studied in New Zealand over 35 years ago have raised $62,000 for Christchurch's earthquake relief fund. The group studied in New Zealand between the late 1950s and 1975 as private students or on a scholarship programme known as the Colombo Plan. In a joint statement the group said they wanted to establish a relief fund for Christchurch after spending their early years in New Zealand. "We were given not only an education, but also hospitality and love by the people of New Zealand. "We have been longing to have an opportunity to do something to express our love and gratitude to the New Zealand people who kindly and generously helped us in our education and training and also instilled in us a sense of personal responsibility," the statement said. They collected over $62,000 within a week from 100 former students and their families living around the world.
The Press



Unexpected snowfall likely to boost ski pass sales

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Unexpected snowfall in the central North Island is expected to see a spike in ski passes being sold. A cold snap which has been sweeping over over the country brought snow to the Desert Road yesterday. Mount Ruapehu Marketing Manager Mike Smith says the mountain's looking spectacular after the snowfall. He says while it is still a couple of months out from the start of the season, it is getting people excited.



China important new wine market for NZ

The New Zealand wine industry sees China as the key to diversifying its export markets. Twenty wineries participated in the first New Zealand wine fair to be held in Beijing last week, followed by another in Shanghai. France has the biggest share of the imported wine market in China. New Zealand wine sales there are currently worth about $10 million per year.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand


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