Maori

Fay scored the first and last tries of the match, as well as producing a brilliant covering tackle when the game was tied at 12-12, just as the Indigenous looked set to score a length of the field try.

Co-captain Shannon Mato and fullback Gayle Broughton, on her way to the Trish Hina Medal as Player of the Match, also starred for Keith Hanley's side, as they won the annual clash for the third time. 

The Māori raced out of the gates to score twice in the first quarter, while holding the Indigenous to a penalty goal, but at half-time the gap had been reduced to 8-6. 

The Whanganui River, which flows 145 kilometres from the central North Island to the sea, was given legal personhood by the country's parliament on Wednesday.

The river is a sacred and revered waterway to New Zealand's Maori Iwi people and its interests will now be represented by an Indigenous group.

It will be jointly represented by a member appointed by the Maori community, and one appointed by the government.

The country's Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson said the passing of the Te Awa Tupua Bill was a battle hard fought for.

The Māori Dictionary app was launched last week by the Prime Minister, Henry Puna, who recalled a time when he would have been caned for speaking the native tongue at school.

But he says the language is now seeing a resurgence, with increased efforts to preserve Cook Islands Māori and get more people speaking the language.

The project was led by Anonga Tisam, which was awarded a grant to develop a database of Māori words two years ago.

Employers gathered in Auckland today to hear about a trades training programme aimed at plugging a predicted labour shortage in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

It is estimated 32,000 jobs will be generated in the next three to five years in New Zealand.

Auckland's Mayor Len Brown says the initiative will help address the high number of unemployed Maori and Pasifika people and boost the city's economy.