Greedy accommodation operators cashing in on next year's World Cup NZ risks tarnishing NZ's reputation as a fair nation, one travel executive says.

All Black Sione Lauaki admits punching a man in a Hamilton bar earlier this month, but will be available for the Chiefs' next match with the Brumbies.

Telecom shares sank to new a low on the NZ sharemarket today, while rises in Fletcher Building, Contact Energy and other leaders helped carry the market higher.

Some of NZ's first national standards-based student reports have been issued by a Hamilton school amid concerns from its principal.

John Key today slammed a newspaper "stunt" for testing Super 14 security with fake bombs, saying the paper "were comparing apples with oranges".

At least 60 firefighters were needed to quell a blaze understood to be the largest in Hamilton since a fatal coolstore explosion two years ago.

Sixty firefighters were this afternoon battling a blaze at a fibreglass boat builders in Hamilton.

A Sunday newspaper is defending an investigation that put reporters with fake bombs in sports stadiums, horrifying officials and angering police.

A newspaper has been widely condemned for sending mock terrorists into Super 14 rugby games last weekend.

A newspaper had no satisfactory explanation for sending people dressed as terrorist bombers into the AMI stadium, the head of the stadium says.

Judith Collins is fuming after the Sunday Star-Times sent groups of people dressed as terrorist bombers to Super 14 games.

Several people were lucky not to be hurt when a car was driven through the entrance to Hamilton police station.

The victim of an alleged hit and run aggravated robbery was left lying on the side of the road with his pleas for help ignored by passing motorists.

The mother of a Hamilton man who died after a paintball attack wants to know why no one was charged over his death.

Pat Baker, a $10 million landlady and grandmother, is bristling about being blamed for wrecking the economy.