Forget Taupo or Hamner Springs - Ohakune might be the tourism hottie of the future.

An Ohakune property owner plans to drill down at least 450 metres to look for hot water under the town that sits above the volcanic plateau.

Senior Performance Day for Tuwharetoa Schools.
Programme of Performances
09.30am - Whakatau
10.00am - Mt View School, Senior
10.40am - Kawerau College
11.20am - Tongariro School
12.00pm - Taumarunui High School

01.00pm - Te Kura O Hirangi
01.40pm - Tauhara College
02.20pm - Hirangi Taitamariki
03.00pm - Taupō-nui-ā-Tia College
03.40pm - Ka Mutu

Junior Schools Performing on October 29th

Te Arahanga o Nga Iwi are running a Maori Business Expo at the Otaki Maori Racing Club which is run over 2 days from Friday the 3rd of September.

Friday the 3rd will be a Powhiri and formal dinner for Ministerial and invited guests while on Saturay, the Expo will be open to the public and invited guests from 10am till 4pm.

Approximately 100 exhibitors are expected to attend including 30 Art and Design 60 Maori businesses.

Further information can be obtained from Catherine Ropata

It's official - there will be more than 4000 runners and walkers in Sunday's Taupo Levene half marathon.

Registrations are still being accepted up to 8am on Sunday.

Public comment is being sought on a proposed plan being developed by Taupo District Council to guide development in the rural area west of Taupo between Acacia Bay and Kinloch.

The proposed Taupo West Rural Structure Plan, which is being publicly notified tomorrow, has been developed in response to unprecedented demand in the rural area for subdivision development of blocks below the current four hectare minimum size.

Race Relations Minister Trevor Mallard has declared himself, and other Pakeha, indigenous New Zealanders along with all Maori.

Last night, in an unheralded speech entitled "We are all New Zealanders now", he defended the amount paid out in Treaty settlements and told all New Zealanders to "get over the bad past".

An Auckland academic has been accused of putting a damper on Maori Language Week by describing Maori immersion teaching as a major cause of ethnic division.

Auckland University researchers are developing a computer analysis to measure how the pronunciation of Maori language has been modified by English.

Today a large group assembled to discuss the LTF investment strategies and to discuss the Web Portal.

The Crown Forestry Rental Trust has a new chief executive after a troubled year in which it faced severe criticism from a parliamentary committee.