Morning Report

New Zealand's experienced pace bowlers repaid the faith placed in them on the first day of the opening test against England.

Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme and Neil Wagner bowled superbly before late hitting by Ben Stokes lifted the tourists to 241/4 at stumps.

RNZ's sports correspondent is Hamish Bidwell.

A brief update on the movements in the financial sector.

Floating platforms are being set up to help the chicks of critically endangered black-billed gulls, who have made a home in the ruins of a quake-damaged building in Christchurch. 

The birds, which are the world's rarest gulls, have been nesting at the site of the former PWC building in the central city since October.

Vanessa Mander is a DOC ranger in Mahaanui.

The Minister for Pacific Peoples has been fielding a flood of questions from the Samoan community in New Zealand about whether it's safe to go back home for Christmas during a measles outbreak.

Samoa has declared a state of emergency after the death of 16 children, making measles vaccinations mandatory and banning public gatherings involving children.

More than 1100 cases of measles have been reported with about 98 percent of those cases on the island of Upolu.

Minister Aupito William Sio told our reporter Jessie Chiang that people are very concerned.

It has not started yet but some schools are already looking for ways to get around the new system.

Principals have told our education correspondent John Gerritsen that some schools are setting up foundations so they can keep asking parents for money.

Kim Hill speaks to Whetu Cormick, president of the New Zealand Principals' Federation.

National's Nick Smith has not been shy in the debating chamber this week in his assessment of the secretive New Zealand First Foundation.

Now he's received an email from Winston Peters' lawyer Brian Henry - a trustee of the Foundation - threatening legal action with potential damages as high as $30 million.

In the letter, Mr Henry invites Dr Smith - as well as the National leader Simon Bridges - to either apologise or repeat the comments outside the House without the protection of parliamentary privilege.

The New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner admits he's not too sure how the Bay Oval wicket will play out over the next few days but concedes they'll need some early wickets today to remain in contention in the first Test against England.

Westland remains divided over a hydro-power scheme on the Waitaha River that was vetoed by the Environment Minister in August.

Oppostion leader Simon Bridges has stepped in with a promise to give the project the go-ahead if National's elected.

hat's being welcomed by electricity company Westpower and some locals, but exasperation by others.

Katie Todd reports.

Businesses on the central North Island's Forgotten Highway say they are desperate for the road to reopen ahead of the busy tourism season.

State Highway 43 has been closed since mid October after a massive slip came down at Tunnel Hill, 23 kilometres west of Taumarunui.

RNZ Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has visited the site.

Auckland University has raised nearly $400 million in New Zealand's largest fundraising effort.

More than 23,000 donations were made over the three-year campaign which closed at the end of October.

Stuart McCutcheon is Auckland University's Vice Chancellor.