Automatic merge from submit-queue (batch tested with PRs 48997, 48595, 48898, 48711, 48972)

minor adjustments in the sample apiserver around resource creation.

**What this PR does / why we need it**: This PR improves `NewREST` method to support an error and nor-error path. The method is then wrapped in a convenient function which panics on error.

**Release note**:

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NONE
```