By Anonymous In the Wairarapa region, in the south-eastern corner of New Zealand's North Island, health officials have struck upon a novel yet effective way to treat often wary members of the local Maori population. Holly Else reports.

By NICHOLS, Lane; KATTERNS, Tanya MASTERTON'S Makoura College faces a fresh setback in its fight for survival, with new figures showing it has the highest suspension rate in the lower North Island.

Petroleum explorers are out to strike oil on a small block of Wairarapa farmland. Crown Minerals has given permission to Texas-owned oil company Discovery Geo Corporation, which is based in New Plymouth, to explore 2481 sq km of the East Coast Basin over the next five years.

By KATTERNS, Tanya A YEAR of lobbying has paid off for Wairarapa tourism developers, with Air New Zealand giving the region the thumbs up as a destination on its commuter network.

PHEW! That was a hot one. Temperatures approached record highs in and around Wellington yesterday, with the mercury hitting 27 degrees celsius in the capital.