18 Jan 2013

Summer Report: local papers

8:10 am on 18 January 2013

Friday's headlines: Fires are still being lit in Canterbury, despite fire bans there; almost $90 million in fines were remitted by the courts last year; mortgage approvals at highest levels in almost four years.

The New Zealand Herald says mortgage approvals reached their highest levels in almost four years last month, as people rushed to make the most of low interest rates.

Waikato Times

The Waikato Times says almost $90 million in fines were remitted by the courts last year, with boy racers among the main beneficiaries.

The numbers have angered the Police Association president Greg O'Connor, who said the remittals are frustrating the efforts of police to curb boy-racer behaviour.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post says a mental health patient scaled a wall at Wellington hospital and was found dead a day after going missing.

The body of the man was found in a park at Melrose, near Wellington Zoo, three weeks ago.

Tobacco company employees are being encouraged to tell MPs they oppose plans to regulate for plain packing of cigarette packets.

The Press

The Press says fires are still being lit in Canterbury, despite fire bans there.

Fire crews in Selwyn and North Canterbury have put out four fires that were intentionally lit on rural properties since Tuesday, one close to last week's Prebbleton wildfire.

ODT

[The Otago Daily Times says a $1.6 billion Waitaki River hydro scheme is described by Meridian as New Zealand's best hydro opportunity, even though the project was mothballed because of a slump in electricity demand.