新西兰英语 798 Botanic Gardens celebrate 150 years

Both the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and the Dunedin Botanic Gardens are celebrating 150 years this year. They were both established in 1863. This is quite amazing as the first European settlements were not until 1848 for Dunedin and 1850 for Christ

新西兰英语 797 Earthquakes shake Wellington

A number of earthquakes have shaken Wellington and the top of the South Island. The first big earthquake was 5.7 on the Richter scale, just after 9am on Friday morning. The centre was near a small town, Seddon, in the South Island about 50km across C

新西兰英语 796 The Royal Baby

The birth of the royal baby was important news for people in the United Kingdom (the UK) as well the Commonwealth countries. This includes New Zealand. The Queen of England is also the Queen of the Commonwealth countries. Listen to December 8th 2012

新西兰英语 795 John Key in Korea

The Prime Minister, John Key, is in Seoul at the moment for two reasons. One reason is to remember the New Zealand soldiers who were killed during the Korean War. This week it is 60 years since the cease-fire agreement between North and South Korea.

新西兰英语 794 GCSB

The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) is our spy organisation. At the moment, it can only legally spy on foreigners in New Zealand. However this organisation made a mistake spying on Kim Dotcom because he is a permanent resident. Also,

新西兰英语 793 Good health needed for visa

Immigration New Zealand will not renew the work visa of a South African man, who was a chef in Christchurch, because he is obese. He is 178 cm tall, weighs 130kg and has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40. Immigration New Zealand said that anyon

新西兰英语 686 Antarctic Summer season starts

During the weekend, about 10,000 people visited the US air force Globemaster at Christchurch airport. The Antarctic summer season opened today and the Globemaster was ready to take scientists and maintenance staff to Scott Base and McMurdo Base. Scot

新西兰英语 685 Child booster seats in cars

New Zealand will change the law to make it compulsory for children up to the age of 7 to sit in a booster seat in a car. At the moment, the law says it is compulsory for children up to the age of 5. Doctors at Starship hospital, which is the Auckland

新西兰英语 684 Shipping company pays for Rena disaster

A year ago today, the ship, the Rena, hit a reef in Tauranga harbour. The result was a disaster for the harbour, the beach, sea birds, exporters and local businesses. It probably destroyed the career of the captain and navigator also. They served thr

新西兰英语 683 John Key visits Hollywood

John Key returned yesterday from a quick trip to Hollywood. The purpose of his visit was to remind Hollywood movie companies that New Zealand is a good place for making movies. In return for making a movie which cost $15m or more, New Zealand would g

新西兰英语 682 Youth Wage

The government will bring back a lower starting wage for young people between the ages of 16 and 19. For the first 6 months of a new job, they will be paid $10.80 an hour. This is 80% of the adult minimum wage which is $13.50. In 2008, the Labour gov

新西兰英语 681 Stormy weekend

Although gardens tell us it is Spring, the weather does not feel like Spring at the moment. A storm hit many parts of New Zealand today bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and snow on mountain passes. The storm may continue tomorrow although the weath

新西兰英语 680 Frankfurt Book Fair

We New Zealanders regard ourselves as practical sports-loving people but we are also dreamers, writers and prolific readers. This is the beginning of the speech made by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany last we

新西兰英语 679 The Steamship Earnslaw

The Earnslaw is 100 years old this week and Queenstown is celebrating this vintage ship which they call The Lady of the Lake. It now takes tourists across Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. However, 100 years ago it carried passengers, goods and farm anima

新西兰英语 678 El Alamein

Twenty-two New Zealand war veterans, aged between 88 and 96, are in Egypt to remember the battle fought 70 years ago at El Alamein. Yesterday they attended a service at the cemetery where more than 1,100 NZ soldiers are buried. The Second Battle of E

新西兰英语 677 Diwali

New Zealand celebrated Diwali the last two weekends. Diwali is an ancient Indian festival of truth and light. It is celebrated with music and dance, exchanging gifts and sweets, decorating homes with lights, making patterns on the floor, and a firewo

新西兰英语 676 Predicting earthquakes

Seismologists scientists who study earthquakes know that they cannot predict earthquakes. They know areas which have more possibility of earthquakes. They can use computers to look at patterns of earthquakes around the world. For example, after the 7

新西兰英语 675 Christchurch – an exciting city

Lonely Planet, a popular tourist guide book, put Christchurch at number six in their list of the top 10 cities in the world for 2013. Number one is San Francisco. No other New Zealand city was on the list. Christchurch has had many big and small eart

新西兰英语 674 Spinal cord injuries

Many people who have an accident and break their back, never walk again. Your spinal cord is inside your backbone. It sends messages to your brain. It is part of your nervous system which controls your movements. In New Zealand, we have about one new

新西兰英语 673 The 25 Percent Group

This is a group of men and women who want to see more women on the boards of private companies. They want at least 25% female board members by 2015. In 2010, only 9.3% of board members were women. Of the top 100 companies listed on the stock exchange