Gold Mine – Quake – Starving Stock – US Interest Rates – Macedonia – Community Services Card – Local Body Consultants – Invincible Rugby Jerseys

GOLD MINE: The Minister of Conservation Sandra Lee says she will not change her mind about a gold mine near Reefton. At a public meeting last night it was decided in Reefton to send a deputation to Wellington.

QUAKE: A seismologist says it is difficult to tell whether further quakes will be triggered by yesterday evening’s big quake situated under the sea. The quake was the biggest felt in NZ for two years at 7 on the richter scale.

STARVING STOCK: Federated Farmers says most sheep and cattle farmers are coping well with feed shortages. MAF has had to put down 2000 head of stock for welfare reasons. MAF is concerned problems will get worse.

US INTEREST RATES: The US Federal Reserve has cut the federal funds interest rate again by 25 basis points, the seventh cut this year, to 3.5%. The FOMC statement leaves the door open for more cuts.

MACEDONIA: There are growing indications NATO will go ahead with plans to send 3500 peace keepers to Macedonia to collect rebel arms. NATO Ambassadors have heard from military commanders about the operation. NATO’s decision came as an old church was blown up.

COMMUNITY SERVICES CARD: The Greens expect a nearly completed review of the Community Services Card to recommend its abolition. Sue Bradford says the Greens have not been consulted during the review. The review is on track to report in October.

LOCAL BODY CONSULTANTS: The MP for the North Shore Wayne Mapp says the council’s use of consultants is out of control. In June the council spent more on consultants than on its own staff.

INVINCIBLE RUGBY JERSEYS: A large sports store chain is defying a warning from Adidas about stocking Canterbury’s Invincibles rugby jersey. Stirling Sports says it objects to the tone of the Adidas letter.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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