1998: Constitutional Convention Bill
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That’s fairly interesting. After ‘handing’ over leadership of the Labour Party to Helen Clark the ex-Prime Minister Mike Moore had a bit of time still in Parliament. One of the things Mike tried to do was make a new law called ‘Constitutional Convention Bill.’ The timing was in the lead-up to Waitangi Day, 1998. Not […]
Read more..February 4, 2025
1960: Colorado River Campaign
By AHNZ
Today in history, July 4, 1960, Jon Hamilton led a team of jetboaters up the Colorado River in the Grand Canon. It was the first time anyone had ever taken a boat up-stream and apparently it still is even now. Jon’s father, Bill Hamilton, a Cantabrian, had invented the jetboat and this was a test. […]
Read more..June 4, 2024
2008: Harawene Immortalised
By AHNZ
She was a little stray dog named Harawene very well known in her time. So much so that when she died in April 2008 the community put up a bronze statue. Fiona Cairns led the erection of a cairn topped with the statue (it’s ridiculous how often people’s names match what they do…) I stumbled […]
Read more..March 28, 2025
1960: Toot and Whistle
By AHNZ
Rotorua history: The Toot ‘n’ Whistle miniature train was built by John Smale, who started it in 1958. It was opened to the public to ride in 1960. In 2004 the operator had to abandon it because Kuirau Park was becoming dangerous due to geothermal activity. Government’s fault, as per usual. “Once the local council […]
Read more..March 27, 2025
New Zealand English: A Conversation with Kelly Kahukiwa
By AHNZ
The following was a useful conversation with a visitor to AHNZ named Kelly Kahukiwa. Our topic was Is New Zealand English Endangered? Of course there is a Kiwi accent that is part of our cultural heritage. Being a new country our traditions are young too but that is how all dialects and language forks must […]
Read more..March 26, 2025
1874: Transit of Venus
By AHNZ
On December 9, 1874 an American observation party of 6 was led by Professor C. H. Peters to Queenstown. Time to observe the Transit of Venus across the sun and take photos! The scientist were very, very, well received by the community but no scientists were among them. No “formal” scientific “partnership,” as recently claimed. […]
Read more..March 25, 2025
1964: Washday at the Pa
By AHNZ
A great New Zealand book burning took place from August 1964 by The State. Our Government, the National 2.0 Ministry was in fact recalling and destroying its own books! From May that year 38,000 copies of a picture book had gone to the government schools of the nation named Washday at the Pa by Ans […]
Read more..March 24, 2025
1864: Monmouth Redoubt
By AHNZ
The Monmouth Redoubt was built by the 43rd Monmouthshire Light Infantry Regiment who had arrived in Tauranga in January 1864. It provided a refuge for women and children who slept on the floor fully dressed during this time, emergency rations and a bottle of water within reach. This and other fortifications cut enemy supply to […]
Read more..March 22, 2025
1902: Maori Parliament Shut Down
By AHNZ
Today in history, 21 March, 1902, Te Kotahitanga, the Maori Parliament, shut shop forever. The Maori Parliament (1892 – 1902) had been an exercise of self-government by Maori ‘from the Bay of Islands to the Bluff.’ Essentially it was a great conference hosted at different locations over those years. The idea was to agree to […]
Read more..March 21, 2025
1000 Years of Te Reo?
By AHNZ
There is an unattributed meme floating around about the Maori language (see image.) Specifically it says that “And people who complain about Te Reo Maori should remember that Te Reo has been spoken here for nearly a thousand years….maybe more.” Is it true? ‘Maybe more than nearly a thousand years’ is a long time. How […]
Read more..March 16, 2025
1841: Breaking Up With Okiato
By AHNZ
Today in New Zealand history, 13 March, 1841, William Hobson’s Gang relocated to Auckland. He came on a summers day bringing gifts from far away. The settlement of Okaito was a fine girl. “What a good wife you would be,” said Hobson. Ah, but his life and love and lady was Auckland from the very […]
Read more..March 13, 2025
