More households are connected to the internet
Statistics New Zealand said more households are connected to the internet, with 3 out of every 4 homes having access during the 2013 census.
That was an increase of 34 percent since 2006.
The data, released today, revealed the Queenstown-Lakes district had the highest proportion of households with internet access, at 88 percent, while the Wairoa district had the lowest proportion, at 55 percent.
Meanwhile households with access to cellphones continued to rise, with traditional landline access numbers falling.
More using tap-and-go technology
A MasterCard survey involving more than 1000 people shows New Zealanders were using tap-and -go card technology more and more.
The survey results showed the technology was being used because it saved time and was easy to use for smaller value purchases.
Nearly half of those surveyed thought consumers would not be using cash in a decade.
Pace of house price inflation accelerates
The pace of house price inflation has started to accelerate again, led by Auckland.
Quotable Value said the nationwide average property value rose by 2 percent in the past three months, and 5.7 percent in the year to January.
Auckland's prices surged 11.6 percent compared with a year ago, which QV said reflected pent up demand following last year's election, a limited number of listings and falling fixed mortgage rates.
Gains were muted in other parts of the country, with Christchurch rising 3.2 percent.
Quotable Value's figures were based on completed house sales and are prepared on a three-month rolling average basis and therefore lag the Real Estate Institute's data by several months.
