Wellington, Oct 27 NZPA - Five Chinese officials will get the chance to study in New Zealand under its "world class food safety regime", Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson says. The five will receive scholarships for post-graduate studies next year.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - Elective surgery increased by a record of more than 12,000 patients in the past year, Health Minister Tony Ryall told Parliament today. However, Labour is questioning whether easy procedures are getting a look in first, artificially boosting results.

Wellington, June 2 NZPA - Materials in modern homes mean house fires kill up to four times faster than in the 1950s, the Fire Service says.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - Fisher and Paykel Appliances expects its net profit to fall by as much as 54 percent amid a drastic tightening of overseas markets.

Wellington, July 7 NZPA - The Singapore-based renewable energy company which picked up Biojoule's willow-energy project for less than $4 million last year today said it will start selling cuttings of the trees to farmers and foresters.