Telecom’s network division, Chorus, today announced it had finished its year-long project to roll-out 28 roadside cabinets around Taupo, making it the first North Island town to get a full fibre-to-the-node makeover.

The so-called Whisper cabinets reduce the amount of slower copper wiring in your internet connection, by extending “fibre to the node” (fttn, in industry speak); that is, from the nearest full-blown phone exchange to a roadside cabinet.

Taupo’s iconic floating golf game business The Great Lake Hole In One Challenge is for sale as a going concern by auction.

Bayleys agent Gary Harwood is keeping mum about what the business may be worth and wouldn't disclose what turnover the popular tourist attraction generates.

He says he cannot share profit details without a signed confidentiality agreement, although he did say the sale includes assets totaling $92,708,81.

Will the next entrants on the NBR Rich List earn their place through pruning the unwanted facial hair of men the world over?

While PHR Global is not yet in Rich List category, the NZ Company’s product, the groom mate Platinum XL nose and hair trimmer was so popular on internet store Amazon.com that it was named the bestselling health care and grooming product of 2008.

Last year alone 250,000 men (and a few women) started using the battery free trimmer in their daily grooming routine.

A plan backed by former cabinet minister Richard Prebble to build a 2500-house town on the outskirts of Turangi has hit the skids.

Te Whenua Venture Holdings, of which Mr Prebble is a director and shareholder, went into receivership late last month.

It was planning a large development that would have been twice the size of nearest town, Turangi.

Te Whenua Venture Holdings, which is a Ngati Tuwharetoa subsidiary representing six hapu, paid $10 million for a 650-ha ex-Landcorp farm in 2006.

Apparently all has not been beer and skittles between the A1 Grand Prix organisers and the owners of the New Zealand venue for the event,Taupo Motorsport Park.

Motorsport Park, a private company, confirms that it had to wait to be paid for the use of the circuit following last year’s event.

The payments fall due the weekend of the event, but last year the Park did not receive the money.