New Zealand's top police have ignored a judge's recommendation and again denied diversion to an autistic man found taking light fittings in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake.

Quake-ravaged Canterbury and Auckland are clearly the two major infrastructural challenges facing New Zealand.

The Earthquake Commission has paid out $1 billion in claims from the Canterbury earthquakes.

"Girls' Day Out" trips to Ballantynes' small Timaru branch store are proving a huge hit.

Xiujuan Xu, 47, was a student at the King's Education language school in the CTV building.

Didi Zhang was last seen leaving for class at the King's Education language school in the CTV building on February 22, 2011.

A worker who hasn't been paid after his employer's business was shut down by the Christchurch earthquake has been awarded nearly $5000 in unpaid wages by the Employment Relations Authority.

AMI, Christchurch's largest residential insurer, could be uninsured as soon as Friday as officials scramble to put reinsurance in place in the event of a fourth quake.

The All Blacks are booked to play a test in Christchurch next year, but that match and the Crusaders' home fixture list remains in limbo.

The actual physical rebuild of Christchurch won't be complex but will remain frustratingly on hold until the aftershocks come to an end, says Fletcher Building CEO Jonathan Ling.