One minute's silence

The Government has designated tomorrow the national memorial day for victims of the Asian tsunami.

* One minute's silence will be observed at 1.59pm, the time here when the Boxing Day earthquake struck, triggering the tsunami.

* An inter-faith service will be held in Auckland at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Parnell, starting at 1.30pm.

* At formal events and privately, New Zealanders will take that minute to remember those whose lives were destroyed or affected.

* Television channels and radio stations will go quiet for 60 seconds.

* Flags on Government and other buildings will fly at half-mast.

* Sky City's properties in Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown will officially mark the day by observing the minute's silence in their restaurants, bars and gaming floors.

* In Auckland, the Sky Tower will not be lit tomorrow night, except for air traffic lights.

* A Green Party Picnic for the Planet on Waiheke Island will raise funds for aid agency Oxfam's tsunami appeal.

* People will continue to add to the estimated $9 million raised so far by six of New Zealand's main charities.

Ingenuity fires aid effort

New Zealanders' cash donations to tsunami disaster relief agencies passed the $13 million mark yesterday, with no sign of contributions tailing off.

Oxfam New Zealand director Barry Coates said many donations were inspired results of kiwi ingenuity.

These included a sponsored attempt for a Guinness World Record on the 24-hour distance on a unicycle, an on-line auction of a home-cooked gourmet dinner, and a couple donating their weekly pension cheque.

Businesses had also found creative ways to contribute, he said.

Air New Zealand launched an online auction of 29 double airfare and special travel packages - with no reserve price. Bidding for the auction on TradeMe has begun and closes at 6pm on Sunday, January 23.

Telecom also said yesterday that it would extend the period of waiving charges on donations made through the 0800 and 0900 numbers of aid agencies until the end of the month.

What New Zealanders gave

APN $780,000 in New Zealand, Oxfam $1.2 million, Red Cross $6 million, Unicef $400,000, World Vision $2.75 million, TEAR Fund $1.2 million, Save the Children $600,000, Christian World Service $350,000, Caritas $758,000, Adventist Development & Relief $135,000.