Followingthe receipt of several Digital SLR cameras for repair inrecent weeks, it has revealed some serial number tampering. The cameras in question have had serial numbers removed orforged. Following discussions with some customers, Canontechnical staff established that the products had beenpurchased from parallel importer outlets.

Canon NewZealand purchased 12 EOS 350D Canon cameras from parallelimporters retail outlets in Auckland and checked the serialnumbers to ascertain where the cameras had originated from.

The external serial numbers on the camera bodies of sixof the 12 twelve cameras were not legitimate Canon serialnumbers. Further checking showed that the internal serialnumber on the six cameras did not match the external serialnumber. In addition the packaging of the cameras was notconsistent with the standard factory output.

Canon NewZealand managing director Tony Wills was not at this stageprepared to speculate on why there are inconsistencies withthe serial numbers or packaging, but stated that Canon NewZealand were continuing investigations and will be workingclosely with the respective authorities in both Japan andNewZealand.

ENDS

THIS ISSUE Lead NZ News NZ Politics World News FeaturesNew Zealand News NEW ZEALAND LEAD: Education: Maharey Excoriates English For Inflaming Tensions Over Suspected Murderer - Bill English has misrepresented a highly sensitive situation involving the bail conditions of a college student, says Education Minister Steve Maharey. "Mr English's actions have put the school and the affected families in an extremely difficult position," says Steve Maharey. See... English undermines school for political gain ALSO: National - Suspected murderers should not be in schools

Art: Scissor Wizards Prepare For Festival Of Creativity - 19 finalists from around the country have been selected by a team of international judges for this year s Schwarzkopf Professional New Zealand Hairdressing Awards. The Schwarzkopf Professional New Zealand Hairdressing Awards Gala event will be held in Auckland at the NZI, Aotea Centre on Saturday 6th May 2006. See... Schwarzkopf Hairdressing Awards Images Part One

Conservation: No Tern, Tern, Terns -- Birds Under Threat From Housing - New Zealand fairy terns may be the most critically endangered bird in New Zealand, and perhaps even the world s rarest tern, new DNA evidence suggests. Research by Auckland University that suggests New Zealand fairy terns have unique DNA characteristics heightens concerns that a proposed subdivision of up to 2000 houses near Mangawhai Heads poses a serious threat to the terns survival. See... Coastal development threatens rare birds

Health: Big Tobacco Gets An Earful From Shane Bradbrook - My name is irrelevant but my culture is not! I am Maori, a native New Zealander. I am here to represent Maori in the matter of Philip Morris International using our culture to sell tobacco products. In 2005, it came to our organisations attention that PMI was selling a product in Israel called Maori Mix under the L & M brand. Let me tell you, this product called 'Maori Mix' was an absolute affront to my people! See... Statement to Altria Group From Shane Bradbrook

Scoop Power Report: Hydro Storage Looking Healthier - Recent rainfall in the South Island breaking the drought on the Taieri Plains and bringing flooding to Oamaru has had a clear upside for the rest of the country. Over the past five days the rain has also seen the Southern hydro lakes rapidly filling up. Since April 16 the level of storage in the hydro system has increased from 71% of average for this time of year, to 84% of the average (59% of the maximum). See... Risk Of 2006 Winter Power Crisis "Nearly" Over

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Electricity: Commission Draft Says No To Transpower Upgrade - Today the Electricity Commission has issued a draft decision to turn down Transpower s proposal to build a new 400 kilovolt (kV) line between Whakamaru and Auckland. The Commission will make its final decision on the proposal in July. Commission chair, Roy Hemmingway said, "Based on a wide range of advice and the analysis undertaken to date, there are alternatives that provide the same level of electricity security but are less expensive than the proposed 400kV line. Therefore, at this stage the Commission cannot approve the proposal." See... EC's Draft Decision On Transpower Application ALSO:Transpower - Transpower to seek positive outcome for NZNZ Govt - Comment on draft decision on grid upgradeNational - Govt can't keep deferring infrastructure questionsSustainable Energy Forum - 400 kV Grid Proposal should be RejectedNZ Govt - Comment on draft decision on grid upgrade

Chernobyl: A Kiwi Recalls Visiting The Cursed Earth Of The Ukraine - Seeing is believing. Just as seeing the Mona Lisa or the Pyramids makes them more real, getting close-up and personal made Chernobyl more real to me. Exactly a decade since my visit -- and 20 years since the accident -- memories of the time I spent at the site of the world s worst ecological, engineering and economic catastrophe still linger. See Keith Lyons: Chernobyl - A Thinly Wrapped Monster ALSO: Scoop Link -- John Roughan of the NZ Herald: Chernobyl Was Not that BadGreenpeace - Greenpeace Chernobyl Anniversary statementHarvey Wasserman - Chernobyl Kills While Bought Ex-Greenpeacer Shills UN - Chernobyl on road to recovery 20 years after

Education: Yet fewer people receiving student allowances - Information released by the Ministry of Education to the New Zealand University Students Association (NZUSA) under the Official Information Act highlights the decline in the number of students who receive a student allowance on a campus by campus level. See... Allowances going down, campus by campus ALSO:Otago Polytechnic Student's Association - Otago Polytechnic Hit Worse

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