PRESS DIGEST-New Zealand newspapers - June 29

WELLINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) - Following are some of the lead stories from New Zealand metropolitan newspapers on Monday.

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)

NZ$600m and rising: Ratepayers face a soaring leaky buildings bill as the costs to councils rise. Six of the worst affected local authorities, including Wellington, now estimate their future leaky building liability at as much as NZ$600 million and rising.

- - - -

SOEs told 'think like a business': State-owned enterprises should act as if they face part-privatisation in two to five years, Stock Exchange boss Mark Weldon says, prompting suggestions he is acting as a stalking horse for the Government.

- - - -

Treelords deal leads to power plant plan: Maori are looking to create a NZ$2 billion geothermal power generation company off the back of this week's NZ$500 million Central North Island Treelords settlement.

- - - -

F&P Finance 'is not for sale': Fisher & Paykel Appliances (FPA.NZ) says it has no plans to sell its finance subsidiary despite statements in its annual report that it is seeking "indicative bids" for the consumer finance company.

- - - -

T&G fires first kiwifruit salvo: Produce company Turners & Growers (TUR.NZ) wants Prime Minister John Key to smash kiwifruit marketer Zespri's monopoly after it was locked out of a collaborative market agreement with the exporter in April.

- - - -

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

Economists: Ease rules on dole for couples: Two economists are calling for a fundamental rewrite of New Zealand's welfare system because of the numbers of people being made redundant who can't get the dole because their partners are still working.