Thursday's papers: IRB against fern logo on uniforms for 2011 Rugby World Cup volunteers; student chosen for trip to Globe Theatre in London; boy drinker carried out of school on a stretcher.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald leads with a verdict of "not guilty" for a man charged with murder after shooting his friend. Alan Gundry told the paper: "He was my mate and I lost him."
The Prime Minister has told teachers to consider the option of foregoing part of their own pay rise so school support staff can get more.
The International Rugby Board is resisting a push by New Zealand to have 2011 World Cup volunteers wear a fern logo on their uniforms, saying it appears biased towards the All Blacks.
Dominion Post
Under the headline "Sad end to tale of two mates", The Dominion Post also leads with the court verdict. It says the victim's family reacted furiously, knocking down a Dominion Post photographer outside the court.
A boy was taken out of Horowhenua College on a stretcher after drinking rum and bourbon at the back of a classroom.
And there's a picture of St Bernard's student Sepelini Mua'au, a league-playing Shakespeare buff who's been chosen for a trip to the Globe Theatre in London.
The Press
The Press leads with Canterbury doctors welcoming the health system overhaul as a way of cutting bureaucracy.
A Christchurch drink-driver who challenged having to pay for taking a blood sample has won $9 off the medical costs from the Supreme Court.
Southshore residents are pictured tending to a beached whale which later died.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times reports a family's fears about lead contamination at their home in north Dunedin. It is one of 140 sites which Otago Regional Council has confirmed as contaminated. But the tenants had not been warned the lead levels were between two and nearly four times the safe limit.
A Queenstown home owner had to spend thousands of dollars on repairs after a short stay by US reality TV show contestants, who are believed to have erected a makeshift waterslide inside.
