7 Nov 2012

Morning Report: local papers

9:20 am on 7 November 2012

Wednesday's headlines: Victoria Street is Hamilton's noisiest street; $120 million library plan for Christchurch; craft beer business sold to Lion.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald leads with the leaky home crisis.

It reports only 12 victims of the $11 billion catastrophe have received final payments from a $1 billion Government and council scheme. That's raised the ire of experts trying to help homeowners.

All Black Zac Gilford, 23, who has eased a self-imposed alcohol ban two months early, is pictured. He vowed to give up alcohol until the end of 2012, after a drunken rampage in the Cook Islands last November.

Waikato Times

The Waikato Times reports on Hamilton's noisiest street. Victoria Street is the new home of noise complaints. It received 172 complaints, with a single address on the street drawing 53 complaints alone. Hamilton City Council would not confirm if the property was commercial or residential.

The paper also interviews Hamilton-based Americans ahead of the election, with some sticking with their party, some remaining undecided and others considering switching sides.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post leads with a picture of the shattered skull of fire-fighter Peter Fisher. Mr Fisher, a volunteer fire-fighter, had gone to eject an unwanted guest from a gathering in Martinborough last week when he was attacked.

Top plastic surgeon Swee Tan headed a team of four surgeons at Hutt Hospital on Monday, and says the facial reconstruction surgery was like doing a five-hour jigsaw puzzle.

The Press

The Press reports on an announcement by the Earthquake Commission that all Christchurch land damage claims will be settled by the end of 2014.

The commission said that from January, 100 teams would begin assessing the 70,000 claims that include land damage.

The paper also outlines a $120 million plan to replace damaged libraries across Christchurch, with areas in the north and southwest of the city targeted first.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times reports on the sale of Emerson's Brewery to Lion, which will buy 100% of the shares in the award-winning craft beer business.

Founder Richard Emerson is assuring customers it will be business as usual, as the brewery would remain as a standalone business unit within Lion.

And fire gutted a commercial building in central Dunedin, destroying recently-installed printing machinery.