Samoan students march against the local production of booze and cigarettes

About 1,000 students from around Samoa have marched in protest at the production of cigarettes and alcohol in the country. Talamua online reports that the march started from the British American Tobacco Samoa premises a few metres from the Vailima Breweries at the Vaitele Industrial Zone. Students held placards and banners with anti-smoking and anti-alcohol messages and singing. Uaea Laki Apelu, one of the organisers of the march says cigarettes and alcohol have contributed to the downfall of many Samoan youths. He says the Government should look at banning these products completely.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Illegal immigrants detained in Northland

By Lesley Deverall - NewstalkZB
Eight migrants working illegally have been detained by Immigration officers following a swoop with police in Northland. The one Malaysian and seven Thai nationals remain in custody in Whangarei pending deportation. Immigration New Zealand says the eight had originally come to New Zealand as part of the Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme - but were now working illegally.

60 Samoans out of 15,000 applicants off to Australia for seasonal work

The first group of 60 Samoan workers to take part in a pilot seasonal work scheme in Australia has been selected. 15,000 applications were lodged for the six-month-long seasonal jobs in South Australia to pick oranges. A source in the Samoa Prime Minister’s Office says the airfares for the first group will be met by the employer, with the workers to pay this back from their earnings. As many as 500 Samoans are expected to eventually work in Australia under the short term labour scheme.
© Radio New Zealand International

Government to close Stockholm embassy

The Government is to close the New Zealand embassy in Sweden as part of its drive to save $10 million from the cost of running the country's European posts. The Stockholm post was opened by the Labour government in 2008 and downsized by the current Government a year later. Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says while the relationship with Sweden is excellent, it is not always necessary to have a diplomatic presence to maintain that relationship.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand

Waikato Hospital celebrates 125th anniversary

Waikato Hospital celebrates its 125th anniversary today. The first patient ever to be admitted on May the 17th, 1887, was operated on by candlelight for a shooting injury. James J Daley's hand had been shattered by the barrel of a gun. His thumb and two fingers were amputated, and his brother stayed to look after him because there were no nurses. He recovered well.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Tongan church to go ahead with housing project

The Tongan Methodist Church is delighted it's been given the go-ahead for a substantial new social housing project in the Auckland suburb of Mangere. A $4.3 million Government grant has been awarded, to build 22 new homes on church land for up to 80 people. Reverend John Murray says the project has been in the pipeline for eight years, in an area where the church believes there's a lot of need.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

WW1 memoir wins Children's Book Awards

An author whose book is based on the first World War 1 diaries of his grandfather has won the country's highest honour in children's writing. The Children's Book Awards were announced on Wednesday. Winning entry Nice day for a War by Matt Elliott tells the story of his teenage soldier grandfather, Cyril Elliot. Other winners included picture book The Cat's Pyjamas by Catherine Foreman who won the Children's Choice Award. Debut writer Leonie Agnew took this year's Best First Book Award and also the Junior Fiction category for her novel Super Finn. The Young Adult Fiction category winner was Calling the Gods by Jack Lasenby.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

NZ teaching programme to go global

A Christchurch teacher has signed a multi-million dollar global distribution deal for software she designed for students with learning difficulties. Ros Lugg has taught people with learning difficulties for the past 10 years, and three years ago launched her computer-based programme STEPS onto the New Zealand market. The STEPS programme is offered in 400 learning centres and schools throughout New Zealand and worldwide distribution is expected to begin next month. Ms Lugg says the programme will be distributed to Britain, India, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand

Parents urged to get whooping cough booster vaccine

A public health expert says adults who are around infants need to consider getting a booster vaccination against whooping cough, which is at epidemic levels in New Zealand. Dozens of infants have been admitted to hospitals nationwide with the infection this year. Dr Nikki Turner from the Immunisation Advisory Centre told TV ONE's Close Up tonight a lot of people do not realise that they can catch whooping cough more than once, which can be passed on to young children. She suggested what is known as a "cocoon strategy," where adults who are around infants get a booster vaccine to build on their whooping cough shots from childhood. Vaccinations are easily accessible at any general practice in New Zealand and cost about $30.
Source: ONE News

Remote-controlled vehicle to identify Rena containers

A remote-controlled underwater vehicle is to be used in an attempt to identify about 50 objects on the Bay of Plenty sea floor that are thought to be containers from the Rena. About 300 containers remain unaccounted for since the cargo ship grounded on the Astrolabe reef last October. The salvage company Braemar Howells will complete an 800 square km sonar sweep of the seabed this week. Operations manager Neil Lloyd says the underwater vehicle will be fitted with a video camera to identify the objects. He says if they are confirmed as containers they will be tagged by the underwater vehicle and attempts will be made to retrieve them.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

More Maori to prescribe nicotine replacement therapy

More Maori will soon be able to help others to quit smoking under a new scheme at Te Puna Oranga - Waikato District Health Board's Maori Health Service. Quit card training is being offered to all Maori staff working within the Midland region, and it is intended to be taken up by those with Maori patients, whanau and community. Once the training is complete later this month, staff will be able to prescribe nicotine replacement therapy, where previously only health professionals could do so. Te Puna Oranga workforce development co-ordinator Natania Katene says once this happens, there will be more people able to encourage Maori to quit.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

Xtra email fixed, backlog remains

TOM PULLAR-STRECKER
Telecom believes a problem that delayed the delivery of Xtra email has now been fixed by its provider Yahoo, but said it would take some time until the "substantial" backlog of emails was cleared. The company refused to disclose what caused the problem but said it was not connected to last weeki's spam-related issue which saw email to and from thousands of corporate customers held up over a few days. "Customers will see their emails arrive as the backlog clears and service levels return to normal. Our technicians continue to monitor the situation closely. We apologise to customers affected by this issue," spokesman Richard Irvine said.

Government ministers head to the US

America is a popular destination for our government ministers this week, with three of them heading stateside. Foreign minister Murray McCully and his defence colleague Jonathan Coleman will be at the 25th NATO summit in Chicago - hosted by Barack Obama. Mr McCully will then head to Washington DC to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to discuss international issues. Trade minister Tim Groser will also be in DC, delivering a keynote address on food security and meeting with his American counterparts.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

NZ registers lowest number of births in five years

New Zealand has registered its lowest number of births in five years. New figures show there were 60,860 births in the year to the end of March, more than 2300 fewer than the year before. Statistics New Zealand says in part, annual fluctuations reflect changes in the population, the age at which women have children, and the number of children they have. But it says in turn, births also influence the future size and age of the population. The number of deaths registered during the year to March was 29,811 - up two percent from the year before.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Gov-Gen to visit East Timor

The Governor-General will visit East Timor for 10th anniversary independence celebrations. Sir Jerry Mateparae will be in Dili on Saturday for a state welcome at the Presidential Palace and a meeting with outgoing President, Jose Ramos-Horta. He'll be at the swearing in of the new President, Taur Matan Ruak, that evening.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Auckland Art Gallery celebrates 500,000 visitors

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
The 500,000th visitor has visited the Auckland Art Gallery since it was revamped in September last year. Secondary school teacher Lulu French visited the gallery on Saturday with her partner Jeremiah and son Rene. The Otara resident says they're impressed and feel art is for everybody to enjoy. She says she never thought she'd stand in front of a Monet. Ms French and her family were given free entry into the Degas to Dala exhibition, plus a free catalogue, T-shirt, notebooks and art gallery book Art Toi.

Christchurch building million dollar historical site

By Jarrod Booker
A prized piece of Christchurch's history is one of a select few sites worldwide to be backed in a multi-million dollar international heritage project. The earthquake-damaged Canterbury Provincial Government Buildings are one of six historic sites to benefit from $1 million in grants announced by the World Monuments Fund. It is the first allocation from a $5 million, five-year grant from sponsor American Express to support the sites listed in the World Monuments Watch list for 2012. Built in the mid-19th century, the High Victorian Gothic Revival buildings in Christchurch remained relatively unchanged through the twentieth century, and were an important tourist attraction. They were used as an educational and event space until the February 2011 earthquake caused the buildings' 1865 stone chamber to collapse and reduced large sections of the buildings to rubble.

Award for invention that helps poorest kids

A former University of Auckland engineering student is encouraging New Zealand graduates to dream big after receiving international recognition for his invention. Vinny Jeet, who finished his electrical engineering degree last year, has been named one of four recipients of this year's Alva Emerging Fellowship. Mr Jeet's technology enables the humanitarian organisation One Laptop Per Child to communicate with its users via radio broadcasts that can be picked up by the laptops. Mr Jeets company OneBeep's solution is to use radio broadcasts to communicate information, which can be converted into digital files on the laptops. The technology converts any digital file, such as a book or a game, and broadcasts it using an AM/FM radio tower. The broadcast can be picked up by a standard transistor radio.
By Teuila Fuatai

Ice Festival to be held in Chch

Another boost for Christchurch, with the New Zealand Ice Festival confirmed to go ahead in the city later this year. The Government's committed $800,000 for the biennial event in 2012 and 2014. Festival director Jo Blair says the Ice Festival will become a major event on the country's calendar, drawing on the city's role as a gateway to Antarctica.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Snow forecast for Wairarapa

By TIM DONOGHUE
Snow and hail is forecast to fall in on the Ruahine, Rimutaka and Tararua mountain ranges tomorrow. The MetService is prediction snow and hail to arrive tomorrow evening, which may not be good news for motorists driving over the Rimutaka Hill Road. Snow fell the Whakapapa and Turoa skifields today and is expected to fall again tomorrow. Snow, accompanied by southerly winds, is also predicted to fall to about 700 metres over the central North Island volcanic plateau tomorrow night. A MetService forecaster said snow was expected to fall on the Desert Road between Turangi and Waiouru tomorrow night. Snow routinely falls on Mt Ruapehu before Queen's Birthday Weekend.

Tui one of world's most intelligent birds

By Alex Bourn
An Auckland study into the native call of the tui has revealed its song ranks as one the bird-world's most complex. New research places the tui amongst a handful of intelligent birds that can produce more than 300 songs, with some singing thousands. Researchers at Massey University believe it can help improve the survival of the native bird by identifying the reasons behind their songs. Massey University masters student Sam Hill compared the sound of mainland tui to those in the Chatham Islands and discovered the species have regional dialects and accents. “We took a 2.5 hour sample from Tawharanui of continuous recording and found that there were 300 different songs, or song types, within a very small population, so maybe five or 10 birds, which suggests that possibly there could be at least 30 songs per bird.”
3 News

Snow falls on Mt Ruapehu

Snow is currently falling to 1200 metres on Mt Ruapehu as staff there gear up for the ski season. At least four centimetres of snow has fallen so far today and more is forecast to arrive throughout the week. The ski season is due to open on June 16 at Turoa, and June 23 at Whakapapa.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

NZ lobbies against Aust departure tax hike

New Zealand's tourism industry lobby has called on Prime Minister John Key to challenge a 17 per cent hike in departure taxes in Australia. Australia's federal government budget last week hiked the departure tax to $A55 ($NZ70) from $A47 ($NZ60) per person, effective July 1. That means a family of four departing Australia will pay about $NZ280 just to leave the country. "We have asked the prime minister to raise it with his Australian counterpart - and we have had a positive response," said Ann-Marie Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Tourism Industry Association. Tourism operators are concerned about the impact on the number of Australians coming into New Zealand since they are our biggest market."
Source: NZN

Youth offered concert in exchange for volunteer work

Christchurch's young people are being encouraged to do volunteer work in exchange for concert tickets. The Concert, A Concerted Effort scheme was launched yesterday by the Volunteer Army Foundation and in return for at least four hours of community work people will get a ticket to a special concert in Christchurch on October 6. Student Volunteer Army member Jason Pemberton said the project was an extension of the work volunteers had been doing and was a chance for all young people to help the community. The concert was expected to be held at the new AMI Stadium in Addington, and organisers were hoping to get 10,000 people. Details of performers would be released on July 16. A list of projects has been uploaded to the website www.theconcert.co.nz, and people can select a project they like and pledge their time. The Volunteer Army Foundation was set up last year by the Student Volunteer Army. Its core purpose is to encourage youth to engage in the community.
© Fairfax NZ News

Dedicated cancer nurses to aid recovery

Cancer patients believe a move towards new dedicated cancer nurses will really help their recovery. The Government has announced it'll put an extra $101 million aside for surgery, scans, and better cancer care services. It'll include funding for new nurses dedicated to providing cancer treatment. Cancer Society chief executive Dalton Kelly says it won't take so long to see a specialist, or to get access treatment. At the moment, some cancer patients can come into contact with up to 28 doctors, so having a single point of contact will speed up the process.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Cold fronts to sweep across South Island

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
South Islanders are being warned to brace for cold weather. A low that passed over the island overnight is pushing out to the south east of Dunedin. Weatherwatch says several cold fronts, each one colder than the last, will spread across the country. The lower South Island is expected to get snow down to 300 m tonight with hail showers to sea level. However, there's no snow forecast for any of the main centres, including Queenstown.

Supermarket to sell secret Marmite stash

By RACHEL YOUNG
Cantabrians will be able to get a taste of Marmite this week. Merivale Mall's Fresh Choice supermarket has about 900 jars of the Sanitarium spread, some of which will be available to the public on Thursday in return for a donation to charity. The supermarket was closed when Sanitarium said it was closing its Papanui plant, where Marmite was made, for earthquake repairs and that no more of the spread would be on shelves until the middle of the year. Fresh Choice brand manager Liz de Lange said about 150 jars would be available to customers in exchange for a bank note that would be donated to the Christchurch Women's Refuge. The supermarket's owner, Craig Grant, wanted to raise money for charity with the Marmite, of which the supermarket had a "secret stash". The jars would be available on Thursday from 3.30pm.
© Fairfax NZ News

Online bank calls for interest rate league tables

A survey by RaboDirect found 73% of New Zealanders now have cash savings compared to 47% in 2010, while the number of people not saving has more than halved to 11%. RaboDirect's general manager Melanie Templeton says there has been a profound shift in people's savings habits. However, 69% of respondents said they could not be bothered shopping around between banks or hunting out the best interest rates. Ms Templeton says standardised league tables showing the range of interest rates on offer could help savers make better decisions about where to invest their money.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

Home-based education programme for Pasifika families

An early childhood education programme in Porirua is training poor Pacific Island families to care for pre-school children. The Etu Ao programme provides access to 30 free hours of home-based early childhood education while a nominated caregiver receives training towards a certificate in caring for children. Once qualified, each educator then becomes a self-employed contractor, earning up to $400 a week providing childcare which was previously unpaid. The programme's director, Danny Mareko, says it also helps to bring caregivers' homes up to child safety standards by installing gates and locks for free. Thirteen people have graduated from the programme to date.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand

NZ photographer says African jail experience hell

A New Zealand-born photojournalist has described the time he spent in an African jail as "hell". Robin Hammond, who is based in Britain, was photographing the flow of refugees from Zimbabwe into South Africa on 16 April this year when he was detained by police and interrogated for four days. Mr Hammond says he was eventually arrested for being in breach of the Zimbabwean Immigration Act as police deemed that he was illegally working while on a holiday visa. He told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme on Tuesday he spent 25 days in prison in unsanitary conditions in a cell with 38 other men under violent and often drunk prison guards and police officers. He described the human rights abuses in Zimbabwe as some of the worst in the world and says inmates are subjected to filthy conditions and brutal beatings.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Fixed mortgage rates lowest since 60s

Fixed mortgage interest rates have joined floating rates at their lowest levels since the 1960s giving consumers more power to demand cheaper borrowing costs. Kiwibank is offering the lowest one-year fixed rate of 4.99%, followed by BNZ with 5.10% for 18 months and ANZ National with 5.25% for the same period.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

Record-high dairy prices boost cow population

New Zealand's cow population is rapidly increasing as record high milk prices lure a growing number of farmers to convert dry stock farms into dairy operations. The number of cows has doubled to six million in the last 30 years in the same time the national sheep population has halved to 35 million. Farming experts say the trend is the result of farmers eager to take advantage of record high dairy prices. The trend is likely to continue with another 70 dairy conversations estimated in the Canterbury region alone which is expected to boost employment opportunities. Farmers estimate for every 250,000 cows, an extra 1000 jobs are created in the dairy sector.
Source: ONE News

Kiwis saving more

More New Zealanders appear to be saving, but they could be missing out on higher interest rates by not shopping around for the best deal. A survey by the online savings bank RaboDirect found 73% of New Zealanders now have cash savings, compared to 47% in 2010. RaboDirect's general manager Melanie Templeton says there has been a profound shift in people's savings habits. However she says savers could earn more by shopping around for the best rates. She says at least 30% of people do not shop around at all.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

Air Pacific to be renamed

By ROELAND VAN DEN BERGH
Fiji's national carrier Air Pacific will change its name back to Air Fiji as part of a wider restructure of the airline and better reflect its national identity. The airline was known as Air Fiji till 1970 when it took on its existing name to reflect its greater Pacific region network including services from Nadi to Auckland and Christchurch. Managing director David Pflieger said reverting to the original name would more closely align the airline with its Fiji heritage and its position as the country's largest carrier, flying in more than 60 per cent of all visitors.

More Kiwis get the flu jab this year

More Kiwis have chosen to get the flu jab this year. Nearly 860,000 doses of influenza vaccine have already been distributed. That's around 28,500 more than the same time last year. National Influenza Specialist Group spokesman Dr Lance Jennings it's good to see New Zealanders have heeded the national advice to vaccinate before winter. He says flu cases usually start to rise about now with the onset of winter.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

One in seven Kiwis is 65 and over

One out of every seven New Zealanders are now aged 65 years and over. Those over the age of 80 represent 26 percent of the older population, making it the fastest growing segment of the age group. The over 80s population is growing at twice the rate of those aged 65 and over, and is meant to triple in the next 40 years. The figures are contained in latest population statistics released today which show New Zealand's population growth has slowed to its lowest rate in 11 years.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Mysterious packages from Paris, with love

West Coast police are baffled after being contacted by a number of Greymouth and Hokitika residents who've received mysterious packages from Paris in their mailboxes. Some of the packages contain up to one hundred euros, around $150, in cash - and others contain electric hair dryers and clippers. Each parcel has come from a different address in Paris, but each contains the message "thanks for being a true friend". Police say the benefactor has so far spent around $1,000. Police want to hear from anyone else who's received a similar package.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Indications Pacific cyclones decreasing in number but getting more severe

A principal climate scientist at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research says it appears that tropical cyclones are decreasing in number but gaining in intensity. In a typical Pacific cyclone season between November and May there are usually eight to 10 named storms. In the season just ended there were five named storms but only three, Cyril, Jasmine and Daphne, became cyclones that posed any threat to Pacific Island countries. Dr James Renwick says although of those storms only Jasmine caused any major damage, research suggests that in general, cyclones may be getting stronger.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Prescription charges to go up

Prescription charges are going up as the Government looks for savings in the health budget. From January 2013, the cost of a prescription will increase from $3 to $5 up to a maximum of 20 items a year. The increase is part of a pre-Budget announcement made on Monday by Health Minister Tony Ryall. He says it is the first time prescription charges have gone up in 20 years. The minister says no person or family will have to pay more than an extra $40 a year and there will continue to be no charge for children younger than 6.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand

Massey University to spend $75m on vet school

Massey university is to spend $75 million upgrading its veterinary school. The project will be rolled out over the next nine years, creating spaces for 180 more students at the Palmerston North campus. Head of the Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences Professor Frazer Allan says the upgrade will create graduates for a projected shortage in vets.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd

Services sector picking up, index shows

Activity in the services sector has picked up, reaching its highest level since November last year and pointing to further economic recovery. The BNZ-Business New Zealand Performance of Service Index shows activity in the service sector measured 56.7 in April, up 2.5 points from March. A reading above 50 indicates the sector is expanding. BNZ senior economist Craig Ebert says the index's result is promising and will calm nerves after the recent fall in manufacturing activity. "This is telling us that the recovery is continuing - and at a reasonably good clip - and it's encouraging, given the global context.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand

Internet provider shuts down global mode

TOM PULLAR-STRECKER
Sky Television says it had no hand in a decision by Auckland internet provider Fyx to suspend a radical new service that was designed to let people easily access online services that are not available in New Zealand. Fyx, which is owned by Auckland internet provider Maxnet, had offered to help people access such services through a ''Global Mode'' that masked customers' country of residence to websites. Its launch threatened to breach the walls in cyberspace that have prevented Kiwis from watching cheap American and European online television services, such as Netflix, Hulu and the BBC's iPlayer service. It withdrew Global Mode on Friday, a few days after its launch, saying there were ''matters that require further consideration before continuing the service''. Victoria University commercial law lecturer Susan Corbett said last week that Maxnet appeared to be doing nothing overtly illegal, after initially describing it as a ''grey area''.

Chinese mining plans worry Raglan locals

By James Ihaka
Hundreds of Waikato coastal residents have raised their concerns about the activities of a major Chinese mining corporation that has been drilling for mineral samples for months without scrutiny or consultation. The Ruapuke Kollective handed a 1200-signature petition to the Raglan Community Board this week about Sinosteel Australia. The company is an iron ore importer and a subsidiary of Sinosteel Corporation based in Beijing, one of China's largest state-owned enterprises. It has lodged exploration permit applications with the Crown Minerals Office but locals say it has been drilling for core mineral samples, primarily ironsands, on private farmland south of Raglan for several months.

Hansen introduces some new faces

The All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says they have 2 aims in the upcoming training camps... to prepare a side for the tests against Ireland and to have the opportunity to introduce and work with some young players. Hansen's 35-man training squad includes 21 of last year's World Cup squad along with a number of new players like Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Brad Shields, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr Barlow, Aaron Smith, Charlie Faumuina, Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna, Luke Romano and Luke Whitelock. The 30-man All Blacks squad for the Irish Series will be named on June 3rd. The first training camp starts in Auckland on Sunday with the second in Wellington a week later.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand

Samoa inter-island ferries to service the Cook Islands and Tokelau

The Samoa Shipping Corporation’s vessel, the MV Lady Naomi, will soon begin chartered services to the Cook Islands northern group, and also Tokelau for the next two years. The service of the Cooks Islands northern group will be twice a month. Samoa’s government says two more chartered services have already been booked to transport people between Rarotonga and the northern Cooks in July and August during the Te Maeva Nui Festival.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International