More From the Herald
Winona Kent

By the way, another column with the map which doesn't seem to be in the online stuff said:

"Three hundred and ninety one days to go before the stateside release of  the first film. Add 12 more for its probable Boxing Day 2001 New Zealand opening"

(So this contradicts what Contact said)

Some more stats from this article:

1700 on the payroll
98% New Zealanders
77 speaking parts
145 computer wizards employed by Weta Digital
$200,000 worth of coffee per month
$200,000 spent on Cirith Ungol, including labour, 1000
cubic metres of polystyrene, 13,000 nails, 13,000
square metres of timber, 1,000 kilos of plaster, 2,040
litres of paint.

40 gold rings made by a jeweller in Nelson
900 suits of armour forged in Wellington
More than 100 locations used