Today in History

NZ force captures German Samoa

29/8/1914 - NZ force captures German Samoa

Colonel Robert Logan led a 1374-strong expeditionary force to capture German Samoa (afterwards renamed Western Samoa). The 80 Germans stationed there were in no position to offer resistance.

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Kiwi of the Week

  • second-maori-king.biog.jpg

    Tukaroto Potatau Matutaera Tawhiao (King Tawhiao)

    Tawhiao's father Potatau was the first Maori King, and on his death in 1860 Tawhiao inherited the kingship and the spiritual leadership of his people. He was king for the next 34 years, including the most turbulent period in New Zealand's race relations history.

Month Calendar View

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Aug

2

Protest as USS Texas visits Auckland

1983 Protest as USS Texas visits Auckland

The visit sparked anti-nuclear rallies on land and sea. The issue of nuclear ship visits became an election issue in 1984 and ship visits were later banned by the Lange-led Labour government. more...

Aug

3

Finnish barque Pamir seized as war prize

1941 Finnish barque Pamir seized as war prize

Following its arrival in Wellington on July 29, the Pamir was seized as Finland was deemed 'territory in enemy occupation'. The ship sailed under the New Zealand ensign until 1948. more...

Aug

4

Cook Islands achieve self-government

1965 Cook Islands achieve self-government

First included within the boundaries of New Zealand in 1901, the islands were governed by an NZ-appointed Resident Commissioner until 1946. Despite gaining self-government in 1965, Cook Islanders remained New Zealand citizens.  more...

Aug

5

Cartwright Report condemns cervical cancer treatment

1988 Cartwright Report condemns cervical cancer treatment

The report was triggered by Sandra Coney and Phillida Bunkle's Metro article, 'An Unfortunate Experiment'. Published in June 1987, this revealed that dozens of cervical cancer patients at National Women's Hospital were receiving inadequate treatment. more...

Aug

6

Lovelock wins 1500-m gold at Berlin

1936 Lovelock wins 1500-m gold at Berlin

Jack Lovelock won New Zealand's first Olympic track gold medal before Adolf Hitler and a crowd of 110,000 at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He led the 1500-metres field home in a world record time of 3:47.8.

more...

Aug

8

Wellington Battalion captures Chunuk Bair

1915 Wellington Battalion captures Chunuk Bair

Led by Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone, this attack was one of the highpoints of the New Zealand effort at Gallipoli. But a massive Turkish counter-attack on 10 August re-captured the position from British troops who had relieved the New Zealanders. more...

Aug

9

US 'Great White Fleet' arrives in Auckland

1908 US 'Great White Fleet' arrives in Auckland

The arrival of the 16 American battleships under the command of Admiral C. S. Sperry was greeted with much pomp and ceremony. An extensive programme of 'fleet week' entertainment was put on for the 14,000 sailors. more...

George Nepia plays last All Blacks test

1930 George Nepia plays last All Blacks test

Nepia was one of the stars of the 1924-5 All Blacks, playing in all 32 matches on the team's tour of the British Isles, France and Canada. He played the last of his nine rugby test matches in 1930, in the final game of a British Lions tour. more...

Aug

11

Picton ferry Aramoana enters service

1962 Picton ferry Aramoana enters service

The country's first roll-on roll-off ferry, New Zealand Railways' Aramoana revolutionised transport between the North and South islands. more...

Aug

12

Baby-farmer Minnie Dean hanged

1895 Baby-farmer Minnie Dean hanged

In 1895 Minnie Dean became the first (and only) woman to be hanged by law in New Zealand. Known as the 'Winton baby farmer', she had been convicted of the murder of baby Dorothy Edith Carter in a sensational trial in Invercargill. more...

Aug

13

Death of David Lange

2005 Death of David Lange

David Lange was New Zealand's youngest 20th-century prime minister. Renowned for his sharp wit and oratory skills, he is best remembered as the leader of the fourth Labour government from 1984 to 1989. more...

Aug

14

Women's vote petitions presented to Parliament

1891 Women's vote petitions presented to Parliament

These petitions, signed by 9000 women, contributed to the introduction of a Female Suffrage Bill in Parliament. But while it received majority support in the House of Representatives, it was defeated in the Legislative Council.

more...

Aug

15

Troop ship Wahine wrecked en route to Korean War

1951 Troop ship Wahine wrecked en route to Korean War

Carrying New Zealand troops to the Korean War, the 38-year-old Lyttelton–Wellington ferry Wahine ran aground in the Arafura Sea. There were no casualties but the ship became a total loss.

more...

The war is over!  VJ Day

1945 The war is over! VJ Day

Japan surrendered following the atomic explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the Second World War. More than 200,000 New Zealanders had served during the war and more than 11,500 died. more...

Aug

16

CORSO formed

1944 CORSO formed

CORSO was set up to support aid efforts in war-torn nations. It became increasingly involved in the developing world and also spoke out about poverty in New Zealand. more...

Aug

17

NZ Company ship Tory arrives

Aug

18

Edward Te Whiu hanged for murder

1955 Edward Te Whiu hanged for murder

The 20 year old was one of the last four people executed in New Zealand. He admitted to killing 75-year-old widow Florence Smith, but his underprivileged background and childlike mental state led some to question the appropriateness of the death penalty.

more...

Deadline for Vietnam pull-out announced

1971 Deadline for Vietnam pull-out announced

Prime Minister Holyoake announced to Parliament the decision to withdraw New Zealand's combat force before the end of the year. This coincided with a similar announcement by the Australian government. more...

Aug

19

Wakefield elected to Parliament

1853 Wakefield elected to Parliament

The brains behind the New Zealand Company was elected to the House of Representatives as the member for Hutt. Having only arrived in February, he quickly lobbied for the introduction of responsible government. more...

Aug

20

Turakina sunk by German raider in Tasman

1940 Turakina sunk by German raider in Tasman

It was the Tasman Sea's first naval battle. The NZ Shipping Company freighter was intercepted and sunk by the Orion 260 miles west of Taranaki with the loss of 36 lives. Twenty survivors were taken prisoner. more...

Aug

21

Auckland pedestrians begin 'Barnes Dance'

1958 Auckland pedestrians begin 'Barnes Dance'

Auckland became the first city in New Zealand to introduce the ‘Barnes Dance’ street-crossing system, which stopped all traffic and allowed pedestrians to cross intersections in every direction at the same time. more...

Aug

22

First 'Young Farmer of the Year' chosen

1969 First 'Young Farmer of the Year' chosen

Held at the South Pacific Hotel in Auckland, this competition was open to all members of the Young Farmers' Club. The inaugural winner was Gary Fraser from Swannanoa, Canterbury. The contest has since become an established part of the farming calendar. more...

Aug

23

Writer Robin Hyde dies in London
Assisted immigration resumes after war

1947 Assisted immigration resumes after war

Between 1947 and 1975, a total of 77,000 women, children and men arrived from Great Britain under the assisted immigration scheme. The first draft of 118 immigrants arrived in Auckland on the New Zealand Shipping Company liner Rangitata. more...

Aug

24

Wellington steam-tram service opened

1878 Wellington steam-tram service opened

The Governor, the Marquess of Normanby, opened the new service, which was reportedly the first to operate in the Southern Hemisphere. But the unpopular steam-powered trams were later replaced by horses. more...

Aug

25

Killer twister hits Frankton

1948 Killer twister hits Frankton

Three people were killed and about 150 houses and buildings damaged in what remains New Zealand's deadliest recorded tornado. Damage was estimated at more than £1 million. more...

Aug

26

Death of second Maori King

1894 Death of second Maori King

As the second Maori King, Tawhiao had led his people through the traumatic period of the wars of the 1860s. He was succeeded by his son Mahuta. more...

Aug

27

Pawelka's last prison break

1911 Pawelka's last prison break

Joseph Pawelka escaped from Wellington's Terrace Gaol. It was the last in a series of bold but seemingly effortless prison escapes Pawelka made over an 18-month period.

more...

Foundation stone for Victoria’s first building laid

1904 Foundation stone for Victoria’s first building laid

Victoria College (now Victoria University of Wellington) was founded in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee. Until the opening of the Kelburn building in 1906, classes were taught in rented accommodation. more...

Aug

28

'Heavenly Creatures' found guilty of murder

1954 'Heavenly Creatures' found guilty of murder

Pauline Parker, aged 16, and Juliet Hulme, 15, were convicted of the murder of Pauline's mother Honora at Christchurch on 22 June. Their story was later the subject of Peter Jackson's film Heavenly Creatures. more...

Canterbury's 'Big Snow'

1992 Canterbury's 'Big Snow'

Cantabrians awoke to find their region blanketed in snow. ‘The Big Snow', as the 1992 storm came to be known, was the region's worst for 30 years, killing more than a million sheep and costing farmers $40 million. more...

Aug

29

NZ force captures German Samoa

1914 NZ force captures German Samoa

Colonel Robert Logan led a 1374-strong expeditionary force to capture German Samoa (afterwards renamed Western Samoa). The 80 Germans stationed there were in no position to offer resistance. more...

Aug

30

Four killed by Rotorua geyser

1903 Four killed by Rotorua geyser

Guide Joseph Warbrick and three tourists were killed instantly when Waimangu geyser, then one of the largest and most active in the world, erupted unexpectedly.

more...

Aug

31

Death of Norman Kirk

1974 Death of Norman Kirk

Leader of the Labour Party since 1965 and Prime Minister from late 1972, 'Big Norm' died suddenly at the age of 51. He was the fifth New Zealand PM to die in office.
more...

Arbitration Act becomes law

1894 Arbitration Act becomes law

The brainchild of Liberal Minister of Labour William Pember Reeves, the new Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act made New Zealand the first country in the world to outlaw strikes in favour of compulsory arbitration. 
more...