May 6, 2024 - The History of New Zealand through a Libertarian Anarchist lens. Please enjoy the ideas and let me know what you think.

1899: Boer War

By AHNZ

The South African Republic (1852) became an enemy of New Zealand and we fought the Boer War against them from October 1899 to May 1902. They were fighting for their home and their identity with everything they had, men women and children. Our victory involved deporting their fighting men to Bermuda, St. Helena, and British […]

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November 9, 2021

1900: Boer War Parade

By AHNZ

Back in 1900 New Zealand’s mainstream was well into the grips of high Honour Culture. Our Prime Minister¹ was Richard Seddon, a big tall brawling bear of a man. The time for effeminate pipsqueaks like Reeves being useful to the ruling Liberal Party had passed. By the time of this photo New Zealand’s 1st Contingent of […]

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March 30, 2019

1901: Shoot the Boer

By AHNZ

1901: A New Zealand Rough Rider’s grim work involved burning down farm houses and killing sheep. This picture has just been re-released in colourised form. War is hell. Apart from putting each other in the ground with bullets, Boer and British also took the war to livestock and shelters. My guess is this emaciated looking […]

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March 4, 2019

1896: Scientific Temperance Instruction

By AHNZ

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WTCU) was very organised. In 1885 many branches sprang up around New Zealand due to an American missionary, Mary Leavitt. Women now took over leadership of the cause of banning recreational alcohol consumption which by genius semantic framing they called Temperance. Another example of clever semantic framing in the 2020s […]

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May 2, 2024

2007: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand

By AHNZ

Today in history, 15 April, 2017, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand was opened in Wellington. Various VIPs were there to listen and talk. The Governor General Anand Satyanand himself was there and in costume as politicians will be whenever appearing with an elect audience (image, left.) The HCNZ was established in 2007 and continues […]

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April 15, 2024

1899: New Zealand’s First Aviation Fatality

By AHNZ

Today in history, 2 November, 1899, at Christchurch’s Lancaster Park, 25yo Captain Lorraine blew out to sea in his balloon never to be seen again. I’m delighted as a freedom lover that a man could take his life in his own hands without being stopped. And, that he could be ‘captain’ without some government or […]

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November 2, 2023

1893: Atalanta’s Britches

By AHNZ

On 18 August 1892 the Atalanta Cycling Club was formed in Christchurch as the first all-women’s cycling club in Australasia.  The cycling craze was on and there were many clubs but now young women were making it their own. The club’s first secretary was Anna Burn, aged 19. Club Captain Blanche Lough was 18 so […]

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October 26, 2023

1897: The British Zollverein

By AHNZ

The Victorian British Empire in Phase A was confident, outgoing, expantionist, and certain. Phase A Britain (1837-70) enjoyed a near-monopoly on the Industrial Revolution as the premier trading nation and was banker to the world.  Our Empire shifted out of this Achieved Identity into the Ascribed Identity of Phase B (1870-01.) A person, or a […]

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September 19, 2023

1901: Nationalised Nurses

By AHNZ

Today in history, 12 September, 1901, New Zealand nationalised nurses. We were the first country in the world to have The State take control of nursing. Naturally, we congratulated ourselves for being so Progressive and State History never looks back on the glorious Anarchy that once existed in the more free health system New Zealand […]

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September 12, 2023

1903: Dusky Sound to Lake Manapouri Road

By AHNZ

In early 1903 the Liberal Government initiated a surreptitious roading project to link the west coast at Dusky Sound with Lake Manapouri. Facts are sketchy as to whose idea this was or what goal was in mind but despite a good start the job was called off and abandoned. According to Lloyd Esler in the […]

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January 4, 2023

1909: Anna Stout’s Reasons

By AHNZ

Anna Stout got her voice back during a holiday to England after 11 years serving as wife to the Chief Justice of New Zealand. Prior to the New Zealand left-wing power couple of Anna and Robert being promoted to this post they had advocated for all sorts of Progressive, Feminist, anti-vice, Social Justice causes all […]

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November 14, 2022

1902: The Learned Eleventh

By AHNZ

One hundred twenty years ago today in New Zealand history, 4 May, 1902, The Learned Eleventh set out on their way to South Africa. Our country, along with others, had completed the conquest of the sovereign nation of South Africa and it had not been easy. The Boer wanted to retain their own group identity […]

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May 4, 2022