Waiting in Wellington

I have decided to evade the law and take my chances by staying in New Zealand.  I called the immigration NZ hot-line, and I was told that I could stay in the country for up to 42 days after my visa expires as long as I have a work visa application pending, which I do.  I can also claim amnesty, but to do that I would have to explain to the removal authority board that I was persecuted in the Unites States.  I am thinking of the options that I could claim to do this.  I am in Lower Hutt, a suburb of Wellington for the time being.  I have rented a room for another week to wait it out.