Author: Press Room

After 145 years in business, Auckland department store Smith & Caughey’s has announced it will close on July 31. In a statement posted to social media, Smith & Caughey’s said 98 staff would be made redundant when the Queen St retail and online stores close. Smith & Caughey’s closed its Newmarket store last year and reduced its CBD store to a single-floor format due to financial difficulties. The company cited increased competition from new shopping malls, continued economic uncertainty and low consumer confidence and spending power has contributed to their closure. Smith & Caughey’s also said many city office workers were continuing to…

Tuifa’asisina Sir Bryan Williams is calling on Aucklanders to keep Western Springs stadium in public hands.Auckland Council and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited have launched a public consultation on the future of Western Springs Stadium.Tuifa’asisina, former All Black and Ponsonby Rugby Club stalwart, is backing a community-led proposal to transform the stadium into a multi-use venue, as he fears a commercial redevelopment would erase a vital community space.”This is not just about rugby — it’s about preserving public access to one of Auckland’s most iconic community spaces,” Tuifa’asisina said. “We’re not looking to build walls or gates. We’re building access — access…

It was organised chaos this week at Costco when another delivery of butter arrived.This butter is not just any butter — while the other supermarkets are selling a 500g slab for up to $10, Costco’s butter is $9.99 for a kilogram.Jody Middleton was among the crowd waiting to stock up on Monday.”I have to say most people were pretty polite about it,” she said. “We all knew what we were there for, Costco staff came out and had a chat before they even opened the door, answering questions.”She said it was worthwhile braving the crowds. She bought 12 boxes of…

By Euronews Published on 21/05/2025 – 8:26 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTAt least three people have died and two remain missing after heavy rainfall and storms caused flooding in southern France since Monday. An elderly couple were found dead in their car in the Cavalière area, reported local media. Their car was swept up in floodwaters as they tried to leave their homes, public prosecutors said. Another woman was found dead in her vehicle in the commune of Vidauban.The rainwater caused widespread damage to the region, disrupting at least two regional trains, flooding streets and causing power and water outages. French President Emmanuel Macron posted…

Animal advocates are calling for a halt to future government funding of octopus aquaculture research, saying farming the wild, solitary creatures is an “atrocious idea”.In 2022, $1 million in taxpayer dollars was awarded to a three-year research project by the University of Auckland aimed at improving knowledge surrounding the rearing and feeding of the larvae of a native octopus species.Raising octopus larvae in captivity was described as a “bottleneck” to the viability of commercial aquaculture in the university’s proposal to secure the funding.Animals Aotearoa’s Jennifer Dutton said farming octopus would be “immensely cruel” as the animals were solitary creatures, which…

On the outskirts of Hamilton, in a sought-after suburb, the residents of Birchwood Lane are at odds over the road’s speed limit, and the traffic calming measures the council has introduced.Last Tuesday the residents of Birchwood Lane in Tamahere came home from school and work to find a “new road layout” that was announced by a Waikato District councillor on Facebook earlier that day.”Following evidence of continual speeding down this road — and many complaints from local residents and discussion at Tamahere Community Committee level, including hosting a Waikato Police presentation —the council is introducing traffic calming measures as a…

A real estate agent has been busy fielding inquiries about iconic Otago Harbour property Lewis Cottage which is on sale after being in the same family for nearly 120 years. Tall Poppy Real Estate owner Andrew Berryman said the property was on the market for just two weeks, during which time it received nine offers before deadline. “This has been my busiest-ever listing in nearly 10 years of real estate. “Over 120 Tall Poppy digital leads have been received, there were 38 email inquiries from other websites, there were 15,070 unique website views and 26 groups viewed the property.” The…

Neither the Whakatāne District Council, the Government, nor the board of Te Rāhui Herenga Waka are able to put a figure on how much money has been lost to a failed Whakatāne boat harbour project.Both the council and the ministry told Local Democracy Reporting that Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Whakatāne Board was now developing a wind-down plan, and part of that process would identify what had been spent to date and what might be available for redistribution to partners.When asked how long this was expected to take, Local Democracy Reporting was told the Te Rahui general partner was seeking advice…

A new pacemaker being tested in New Zealand could help patients with heart failure feel and move better.The device has been designed to copy the heart’s natural rhythm, speeding up and slowing down in sync with breathing.The first trial patient got one at Waikato Hospital just before Christmas.Cardiologist and University of Auckland medicine Professor Dr Martin Stiles, who was overseeing the trial, said the new pacemaker showed promising results in a study with sheep with heart failure.The university tested whether sheep’s ability to exercise was improved by a variable heart pacemaker.Sheep’s heart functions were similar to humans.”Sheep with this respiratory…

By Penny Miles of RNZ Skyrocketing butter prices have forced a commercial bakery in the dairy heartland of Southland to scour the global market for cheaper alternatives. Kaye’s Bakery in Invercargill sells Belgium biscuits, afghans and other sweet treats in supermarkets and dairies nationwide, often using butter from Australia to make its products. Luella Penniall owns the family business started by her parents Lois and Evan in the 1970s and says she orders in 10 tonnes of butter at a time. If the bakery is making large quantities of butter shortbread to order that increases the requirements. Penniall said it…