PRESS DIGEST-New Zealand newspapers - June 24

WELLINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Following are some of the lead stories from New Zealand metropolitan newspapers on Wednesday.

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(www.stuff.co.nz)

Help for state tenants: State house tenants will be able to buy their homes from September.

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Sales soar in must-go big lottery: Nearly two million Big Wednesday tickets are expected to be bought today as Lotto fever grips New Zealand.

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Outlook for jobs not all gloomy: Recruitment firms say companies are hitting the pause button on savage job cuts and some are even hiring, despite economists forecasting another 60,000 unemployed in the year ahead.

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Shell to keep gas business: Shell says it is committed to keeping its upstream gas production business in New Zealand, though its downstream petrol stations are being considered for sale. - - - -

NEW ZEALAND HERALD (www.nzherald.co.nz)

Cheap Air NZ fares cash in on rival's woes: Air New Zealand AIR.NZ is offering cut-price flights to "distressed" Jetstar (QAN.AX) passengers seeking new flights after missing the budget airline's strict check-in deadline.

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Up and up - jackpot rises to record NZ$35m: A stampede for tickets has pushed the largest Big Wednesday jackpot to NZ$35 million, and the total could grow further today.

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Creditors irate at choice of receiver: Irate creditors of a failed printing and publishing group are taking legal action to stop a convicted fraudster from administering the businesses.

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Westpac defends bank industry: Westpac economists yesterday defended the banking industry against accusations it is insulating itself from the recession by marshalling data to support claims that funding costs remain high, net interest margins are narrowing and profits are falling.

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