WELLINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Following are some of the lead stories from New Zealand metropolitan newspapers on Friday.
Stories may be taken from either the paper or Internet editions of the papers.
Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
DOMINION POST()
Signs of gloom for factories: New orders for manufacturers are dropping away according to a new survey, which the Green Party says makes a mockery of Prime Minister John Key's claim there is no "crisis" in the sector.
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Explosion of oil exploration in Taranaki: Close to 100 oil and gas wells are likely to be drilled in Taranaki over the next two years as exploration activity ramps up to its busiest in the region's history.
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Pyne's Project Tulip may be nipped in bud: Pyne Gould Corporation's strategy to make money from finance company litigation looks in doubt after tough action by the Financial Markets Authority.
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17pc profit boost for Scott Technology: Christchurch manufacturer of automated production systems Scott Technology has posted a 17 per cent rise in profit to $6.1 million.
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Ambulance sent 700km off course: A choking toddler's emergency treatment was delayed because an ambulance was mistakenly sent to Southland rather than a childcare centre in Lower Hutt.
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Smelter talks 'not broken': Reports that Meridian Energy walked away from talks with the owners of the Tiwai Pt aluminum smelter last week are simply false, says its chief executive Mark Binns.
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New radio platform: The Radio Network is launching an online digital radio platform that can been accessed through the world wide web, smartphones, iPads, and on Xbox.
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Big cities not always best for getting work: Jobseekers should not ignore rural New Zealand when it comes to looking for work as smaller areas have more opportunities in some industries, a Herald investigation has found.
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Haier blasts valuation: Chinese home goods giant Haier has taken a fresh swipe at the independent adviser's valuation of its takeover target, Fisher & Paykel Appliances .
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Manufacturing contracts: A barometer of manufacturing activity remains in contraction territory, but talk of an industry in crisis is overblown, says Bank of New Zealand economist Craig Ebert.
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Keywords: NEWZEALAND PRESS