Thursday's headlines: Aftershock forecasts withheld so traumatised people in Christchurch would not be further alarmed; Mt Stuart wind farm work ahead of schedule.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald says earthquake experts held back forecasts of a huge aftershock for Christchurch after the Boxing Day quake, because they did not want to further alarm the city's traumatised population.
The paper also carries the story of Anneke Ryff who was born on the night of New Zealand's last Rugby World Cup victory in 1987. She's now dating Ryan Fox, the son of Grant Fox, the All Blacks' first-five-eighths in the 87 tournament.
Waikato Times
The Waikato Times leads with criticism of Hamilton's public spaces from a British television presenter. Design expert Keith McCloud says the city council's approach is 18th century and calls for more money to be spent on public libraries.
Oil-covered animal skins, bags and meat of timber have washed up at Waihau Bay from the wrecked Rena, as containers and debris make their way towards the East Cape.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says a homicide inquiry has begun after the discovery of the body of a woman near State Highway 2 in Napier.
Wellington businessman Lloyd Morrison is being treated for leukemia in a research centre in Seattle in the United States.
And there's a graphic comparing the average height and weight of 2011's All Blacks with those of 1905. In 1905, the average height was 175cm or 5 foot nine inches, and 81kg or 12 stone 10 lbs. Today it is 189cm or 6 foot 2 inches, and 105kg or 16 stone 7 lbs.
The Press
The Press devotes its entire front page to the flooding in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Heavy rain brought flooding to Banks Peninsula and closed the road between Christchurch and Akaroa. Thirty-five people were stranded by the rain and are being housed at the Little River Hall.
A front-page cartoon shows two windswept people with one saying: "Things are looking up, we are talking about the weather instead of earthquakes".
ODT
The Otago Daily Times leads with a $75,000 fine for Delta Utility Services on a charge arising from the death of an Alexandra lineman. The dead man's family describe this as just a slap on the wrist.
Queenstown looks likely to benefit from Air New Zealand's decision to buy up to 12 new generation French built aircraft. It should mean bad weather will affect fewer flights.
And work on the Mt Stuart wind farm is ahead of schedule and it should begin operating by the end of the month.
