Thursday's papers: $2.2 billion tax payment by trading banks; biotech company Botry Zen in receivership; cruise ship carrying 2000 people to visit Stewart Island.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald leads with the four major trading banks, Westpac, ASB, BNZ and ANZ National, agreeing to settle their tax dispute with the Government by paying $2.2 billion.
Wounded police officer Jeremy Snow told his stepmother on Monday night that he did not want to go to work. It was that night that he was shot. Marian Snow says it was out of character for him and she believes he was tired after four night shifts.
Maori Party MP Hone Harawira penned an abusive email to Ministry of Maori Development officials in July over a brochure about the Maori flag. He's since apologised for expletives used in the email.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says Constable Snow's decision to put a notebook in his breast pocket was the difference between life and death.
Four major trading banks have given the Government an early Christmas present - they will pay $2.2 billion in a tax dispute.
Imogen Chapman, aged three years, is pictured with a 90cm, 10kg chocolate Santa Claus, the main attraction at a Christmas dinner in Newtown on Friday night.
The Press
The Press leads with a heritage report which says a proposed music school building in Christchurch is architecturally inappropriate.
An elderly woman who was mugged in a shopping centre car park says the arrest of her suspected attacker is the best Christmas present she could have had.
Alice-Louise Barker, 18, has been stopped from singing Christmas carols in a mall. She breached busking regulations by using a portable sound unit with a microphone and a backing track.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times leads with biotechnology company Botry Zen being placed in receivership after shareholders refused to inject new capital into the struggling venture.
A cruise ship carrying 2000 people is to visit Stewart Island next week.
And there's a photo of the crowds at the Otago Farmers Market seeking fresh food for their Christmas dinners.
