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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..March 4, 2019
1979: Operation Midford
By AHNZ
In 1979 New Zealand contributed 74 soldiers to a monitoring force in Rhodesia and 2 observing Members of Parliament. It was called Operation Milford. The country had been one of our colonial cousins and its Prime Minister (1953-8) Garfield Todd was a New Zealander himself. Under international sanctions, Rhodesia opted for self-deletion and became Robert […]
Read more..October 1, 2024
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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..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 […]
Read more..November 14, 2022
