Thursday's headlines: Three children per week in Dunedin Hospital with alcohol poisoning; public almost evenly split over any rise in GST; Methven school hit by $20,000 water bill.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald says neither the Government nor Maori would own the country's beaches under a proposal to settle arguments over the foreshore and seabed.
It says a public domain idea is being looked at by the Government and iwi leaders.
A surgeon has been ticked off for swearing at a severely obese patient - a comment that she did not like the word 'diet' sparked the outburst.
And the Herald says TVNZ dumped Prime Minister John Key from a scheduled interview so former All Black Robin Brooke could apologise for groping a teenage girl.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says the public is almost evenly split on whether GST should be raised to fund cuts in income tax.
A Wellington man who had a heart attack at the Rugby Sevens is pictured with the doctor who saved him. Dr Laura Kwan is shown in her hospital uniform but at the time she was dressed as Nemo, a cartoon fish character.
Survivors of domestic violence are recommending steps the Government could take to help people leave abusive relationships.
The Press
The Press says police hold growing fears for a woman who's been missing for three days after being in the company of a suspect in a sex case.
Methven Primary School, which usually pays around $200 per year for water, has been shocked by a bill for $20,000. Ashburton District Council says there must be a leak somewhere and it's up to the school to find it.
And there's a report that safety systems will be made mandatory in taxis.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times reports three children per week, as young as 10 years, end up in Dunedin hospital with alcohol poisoning. The district police commander says tackling alcohol abuse in the city needs to start with programmes at primary schools.
A Mosgiel couple whose dogs died apparently after eating toxic algae in a stream, are pictured.
The paper says three companies wanting to build intensive dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas have other farming plans for the land if the proposal is not approved.
