Tuesday's headlines: Standards of teaching skills bemoaned by secondary principals; dwindling rugby crowds and high stadium debt set to hit Christchurch ratepayers; temperature records tumble.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald proclaims this February to be the nation's hottest month ever, with 100-year records tumbling in unrelenting heat.
Alongside a picture of beachgoers frolicking in the waves, the paper presents statistics showing North Island temperatures to be 2 degrees warmer than usual, with the South Island's east coast 3 degrees up.
Also on the front page: the background to a funding flip flop surrounding the Maori Statutory Board and why it will be challenging Auckland Council in court.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post bemoans standards of teaching skills. Its lead story says secondary principals have found some teachers so lacking in literacy and numeracy they can't write adequate reports or do primary-school maths.
A Far North vegetable garden which produced only one pumpkin is at the centre of a Government investigation into community work schemes.
The Privacy Commissioner welcomes the demise of derogatory "doctors' slang".
On the way out are terms such as 'FLK' for funny-looking kid and 'Father Ted' to describe a confused elderly patient.
Unversity scholarship winner Lucy McLeod, 18, has albinism. Lucy says she's looking forward to the challenge, while coping with envy of her platinum blonde hair, with comments such as "You look like Lady Gaga."
The Press
The Press leads with gloomy news for Christchurch ratepayers, with dwindling rugby crowds and high debt from new stands at AMI Stadium set to hit them in the pocket.
The council-owned venue manager Vbase is struggling to service debt of $75 million.
A court has heard a policewoman feared her legs would be crushed when she was dragged by a stolen police car.
A jury has been hearing evidence about the incident, when the car sped away from an alcohol roadblock with the officer still clinging to its side.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times says Dunedin City Council could be facing a six figure claim, following accusations that it erred in signing off on a $500,000 leaky home.
