Wellington  - New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits centre was ordered Friday to pay 480,000 New Zealand dollars (268,800 US dollars) in fines and compensation after six students and their teacher died in a flooded canyon.

The centre admitted charges that it failed to ensure the safety of a group from Auckland's Elim Christian College whose members were swept to their deaths April 15 in the Mangatepopo Gorge near Turangi in the central North Island.

Wellington, Nov 3 : A halloween pizza ad depicting Sir Edmund Hillary dancing in a graveyard has been criticized by his family and friends, who claim it to be in ‘bad taste’.

The animated Hell Pizza ad shows a mostly skeletal Sir Ed, along with actor Heath Ledger and the Queen Mother, emerging from graves to dance to Michael Jackson''s song Thriller.

It was posted on the Internet two days before Halloween, and has been dubbed ‘grotesque’ by Sir Ed''s son, Peter Hillary.

"I think it''s a bit disturbing ... a little grotesque. I don''t think it''s funny and I''m not very impressed," Stuff. co. nz quoted Mr Hillary, as saying.

Auckland, Mar 1: The ashes of Sir Edmun

Auckland (New Zealand), Feb.

London, January 12: Evere