New Zealand hasn't had a lot going for it in recent times, but it is still not a bad place to live in...

New Zealand leads the global race when it comes to honesty.

Anti-graft watchdog Transparency International (TI) ranked it number one in the world’s least corrupt countries, according to media reports.

New Zealand scored 9.4 points out of a possible 10.

The score is based on perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts.

Trailing New Zealand is Denmark, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland. Lawless Somalia and war-torn Afghanistan were the most corrupt.

TI's corruption index showed how countries devastated by conflict have become overrun by graft, with Iraq, Sudan and Myanmar accounting for the three other states in the bottom five of the chart.

TI's spokesman Huguette Labelle said the international community "must find efficient ways to help war-torn countries to develop and sustain their own institutions".

The most corrupt nation on earth remained Somalia, with a score of 1.1 points.

Come on over for a visit!

Acnowledgements: Msn Money

WELL THE AMERICA'S CUP IS OVER FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS.

Alinghi has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand by 5-2. NZ had a good boat compared to four years ago - the last one literally fell to pieces.

It was a mixture of a slight speed advantage, greater experience and superior sailing skills from the Alinghi syndicate; some bad luck, a few vital errors at the wrong times and some gear failure from Team NZ. Dean Barker continues to grow as a skipper and will improve even more by the next challenge, whenever it might be.

The New Zealand public continues to support Team New Zealand as a national icon, albeit a few levels below the All Blacks. The current New Zealand Government is prepared to financially support them once again, with an advance of $10 milion to get the next challenge under way. The team managemet can then retain those members it wishes to or needs.

There was a lot of emotional out-pouring at Valencia, not all of it was positive, but as they say - thats all history now!

Congratulations on a great team effort, not a success, but not something to be ashamed of either. Come on the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns!!

Just who was the sucker in this story from Down Under?

A tannery worker in New Zealand was accidently overpaid by his employer, receiving $201.00 per hour instead of the normal $13.00 per hour.

The error was discovered when another worker told management that his workmate was bragging about being overpaid.He was called in by his boss and was asked to repay the money. He agreed to repay the overpayment of $3620.00 at $75.00 a week, but then quit the job and refused to contine making repayments!

His employer made a claim to the Employment Relations Authority, who not only ordered the former worker to repay the money,but also ordered him to make a $500.00 contribution to legal costs.

Just who was the sucker?

We are now a team: Kiwi Riverman, Pete's Kiwi forum, and now Huttriver8.

Each blog will concentrate on different subjects. You will soon find out what's what!

Now I have an additional blog to go with this one - "Pete's Kiwi Forum".

I hope to post weekly on that one, and make it special. My problem is I have too many blogs, but half of them are to promote Adsense income.

Now I have some others you may like:

Http:// huttriver.21publish.com is actually my publishing site. You can go to http:// huttriver.21publish.com/kiwipete and read my posts on this blog. This blog is actually a selection of some of my better posts. Please visit and read them.

Another of my blogs is: http:// huttriver1.wordpress .com " A story from New Zealand". You are invited to visit and read that one too!

Bye for now,

The Kiwi Riverman

I am actually feeling my way in the blogging world and still not yet that experienced. What other way other than a blogroll can I promote all my blogsites at once? I will actually write up a complete list one day.