Police say the woman found dead in Rakaia had been missing for a while.

A "chubby" thief dropped five-dollar notes all over the floor as he made off on foot after robbing a Dunedin dairy armed with a screwdriver.

Southland couple who have lost four babies - each about 20 weeks after conception - are appealing to find a woman willing to be a surrogate mother.

Investigations are ongoing after multiple fires near Selwyn River, south of Christchurch.

Police have arrested a man in his 30s following a fire at St Margaret's Church in Christchurch this morning.

A St John spokesman said an ambulance was called to the accident on Harington Point Rd, near Wellers Rock, just before 1pm.

A Dunedin student has undergone a successful surgery to his hands after a flat fire at 660 Castle St yesterday.

A melanoma gene mutation is far more common in South Islanders, raising new questions about excess sun exposure.

A bush fire over 1km long is raging in the Canterbury Plains this evening, the Fire Service says.

A scene investigation's underway south of Nelson after a milk tanker went off the road this afternoon, killing the driver, after he'd been stung by a bee.

MetService has issued severe weather warnings for some South Island areas as a large trough, preceded by a strong northerly flow, bears down on the country.

Students will be the big losers out of a decision to cancel two high school after-balls in Mid-Canterbury.

Dunedin resident Hayden Smith is "shocked'' he will have to foot the bill for repairs to a retaining wall damaged by last June's downpour.

A volunteer fireman, paged to attend a car fire, was shocked when he stepped out of his house and realised it was his own vehicle ablaze.

Ngapuhi leader Sonny Tau has admitted concocting a story with his daughter's partner about who shot five protected wood pigeons (kereru) last year.

Compared with the cauldron of scrutiny that is Parliament, club rugby seemed a walk in the park to Michael Woodhouse - or should that be run.

An unbelievably one-sided Dunedin premier rugby game was ended in mercy yesterday. One of NZ's greatest whistle-blowers suspects it's a world first.

A young woman had to fight her way free from an attempted abduction in Dunedin yesterday afternoon.

There will be no beers with burgers at Wendy's after the fast food chain withdrew their application for a liquor licence.

Dunedin home was a "dangerous and soul-destroying" place where social worker stole the girls' childhood, plying them with alcohol and cigarettes.

It's believed fireworks caused a large fire on Canterbury's Port Hills last night.

A man who threatened to blow up staff at a Winz office has today been jailed for nearly three years.

Housing New Zealand has sold 18 state houses on the West Coast over the past four years netting $2,852,600.

Animal cruelty charges against a West Coast man accused of setting a cat on fire have been dismissed.

A woman has died after being hit by a train in Tinwald, Ashburton, this morning. Police have confirmed the woman – aged in her 40s – died at the scene and her death had been referred to the coroner.

The helicopter that crashed in Central Otago on the weekend killing Liam Edwards has been removed from the mountain.

A Christchurch man who tried to sell his employer's car was arrested in Greymouth yesterday.

Dunedin parking officers will trial wearing a video camera from today in an effort to improve their safety.

A United States game developer will use his experience working on some of the world's biggest games to help an ambitious Dunedin studio make global blockbusters.