11 Jan 2011

Summer Report: local papers

8:09 am on 11 January 2011

Tuesday's headlines: Friday afternoon bandit' sought after three robberies at National Bank branches; 'rare sunny, windless day' reported in Wellington; Elton John tipped to be in Dunedin later this year.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald reports police are hunting for a 'Friday afternoon bandit' -who has robbed three National Bank branches in Auckland - all on Friday afternoons. He was armed with a knife on two occasions and a machete on a third.

The Herald reports the man has made no effort to disguise himself. It carries a series of security camera photos of the offender at each robbery.

Research by a major investment bank suggests smoking could 'virtually disappear' in New Zealand and many other developed countries within 50 years.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post covers the wall of water which ripped through Toowoomba in Queensland - with one man telling the ABC that a house lifted and floated away.

The paper reports that hordes of holidaymakers hit the beaches on what it describes as 'a rare sunny, windless, Wellington day' - with a high of 20 degrees on Monday.

However, some beachgoers may not have been too keen to go near the water - a 2.5 metre hammerhead shark was sighted off Worser Bay.

The Press

The Press says frustration is growing amongst Canterbury homeowners whose houses were damaged in the September earthquake.

A community group says people are being bounced between the Earthquake Commission and insurance companies and an independent advocacy service is needed to sort out the confusion.

The Canterbury region ranks 8th out of 15th in terms of average salary packages on offer - on just under $62,000. The data - based on positions listed on a job website - puts Wellington in top spot on $74,000.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times has the story of an experienced hunter who died in a fall while out in the mountainous area south of Fox Glacier last Friday. His wife is thanking the community and the police for their support.

In celebrity news: Elton John is tipped to be in Dunedin later this year. He's the first international act booked for the new Forsyth Barr stadium.