1898: Old-age Pensions
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Today in New Zealand history, 1 November 1898, our expansionist State got its hooks on our oldest citizens by passing the Old-age Pensions Act into law. The State was setting itself up as the keeper of people in need- muscling in on the territory of family and church…. “WHEREAS it is equitable that deserving persons […]
Read more..October 31, 2019
1910: Grafton Bridge
By AHNZ
Today in Auckland history, 25 April, 1910, Grafton Bridge opened. Made of concrete and steel, it was the largest reinforced concrete arch in the world at the time¹. This was what construction was like in New Zealand before bureaucratic inefficiency really set in. The project took only 2 years and was done before the technology […]
Read more..April 25, 2023
1985: Robin of Sherwood
By AHNZ
Robin of Sherwood (1984-86) was a British action-adventure TV series that fit right in to New Zealand’s KZ7 Honour Culture of the same time period. The show first aired on our screens on 12 May, 1985. Created by Richard Carpenter who was also the man responsible for popular show The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972-4.) […]
Read more..May 12, 2024
1937: House-Broken Labour
By AHNZ
On 12 May, 1937, the Coronation of Geoge VI occurred. Then, as now, New Zealand’s Labour Government Prime Minister attended. PM Michael J. Savage wore the full court dress, including kneebreeches. According to Labour biographer, Hobbes, this choice marked a turning point for Labour. The first-term government had still been in ‘soapbox’ mode: unpredictable and […]
Read more..May 11, 2024
1871: Rangiora Literary Institute
By AHNZ
Rangiora Literary Institute was created this month in New Zealand history, May 1871. The building was opened on New Years Day 1873 and started to take over and extend executive functions of the North Canterbury community. According to Hawkins (1983) the founding principles were to preserve Rangiora’s supposed status quo of “general sobriety, honesty, industry […]
Read more..May 10, 2024
1945: VE Day
By AHNZ
Today in history, 8 May, 1945, the New Zealand public started celebrating Victory Over Europe Day (VE Day.) World War 2, apart from a few more loose ends in the Pacific War, was now over. Our celebrations began without permission from the Labour 1.0 Government who insisted we wait until 1am the following day to […]
Read more..May 8, 2024
1822: Siege of Matakitaki
By AHNZ
This month in New Zealand history, May 1822, The Siege of Matakitaki. Chief Hongi Hika of Ngapuhi tribe led an invasion force of 3,000 upon the Waikato Tribe led by chief (and future Maori King) Te Wherowhero. Both sides were very martially intelligent and organised but Hongi was rich in arms. The Waikato had just […]
Read more..May 4, 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
1990: One and Two-cent Coins Withdrawn
By AHNZ
Today in history, 30 April, 1990, one and two-cent coins were withdrawn from legal tender. They had existed since decimilisation on 10 July 1967 The value of government fiat currency was now so inflated that these lowest denominations now had no meaning. The 5 cent coin was to follow in 2006. It will be interesting […]
Read more..April 30, 2024
1926: The Wonder Man
By AHNZ
Died today in New Zealand history, 28 April, 1926. English-American daredevil and sexagenarian Bobby Leach didn’t make it out of Auckland alive. He had come here to cash in on his fame and publicise his next suicide mission: going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. He he slipped on an orange peel on Queen Street, […]
Read more..April 28, 2024
1915: Fiasco at Gallipoli
By AHNZ
Today in history, 25 April, 1915, we invaded Turkey from the Gallipoli Peninsula. It was a gamble, a fiasco, a disaster, and the object of a national propaganda exercise so complete that it re-framed our national identity. Colonial New Zealand had been a much freer place to live, almost Libertarian. The Millennial Age that followed […]
Read more..April 25, 2024
