A Hamilton man now facing burglary charges told businesses he was robbing he was after a job if he was confronted, say police.

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.

A young father was stabbed with a steak knife and bitten after he confronted two burglars - both young women - in an incident police say could easily have ended in tragedy.

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.