A Christchurch businessman, Stephen Graham Knight has been reportedly ordered to pay a fined and ordered to pay $150,000 for costs after pleading guilty to the illegally dump electroplating chemicals from industrial trade premises in North Canterbury.

Prime Minister, John Key has rebuffed suggestions that he has a conflict of interest since he owns shares in a chateau whilst the Government is bearing in mind liquor law reform.

TV3 News gave a report tonight stating that the blind trust in which Mr. Key put his material goods when he became prime minister was one of 11 investors in a Central Otago vineyard. Highwater Vineyard is fraction of Mount Michael Wines.

Today, further queries were put up regarding whether the awaiting execution of the emissions trading scheme (ETS) is being used to the fiscal profit of energy firms.

Retail increases that will put in 3.3 percent and 3.2 percent correspondingly to domestic power bills after July 1 on account of the execution of the ETS have been declared by Mercury Energy and Contact Energy.

Quality of living in Vienna is outstanding.

Seven cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been ranked among the 10 best in the world.

Vienna has the world's paramount class of living, according to global consultancy Mercer, with Zurich and Geneva just behind it and Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Bern also in the top 10.

The annual Queenstown Winter Festival is being celebrated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. It is a week-long party that includes wild activities during the day with wild parties at night. This town has the highest per capita number of bars in New Zealand. There is a 'Birdman' competition in the morning, where competitors jump into the lake in wild costumes in order to impress the judges and win prizes.

Growers in flood-stricken north Otago are delighted to see the rain, saying that it is carrying much-required respite following the recent drought.

The area has been hit by heavy rains over the last two days, with Oamaru mainly influenced, having been disconnected by obstructed roads.

Schools have also been coerced to shut down owing to overflowing with rivers and other channels exploding their banks.