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What happened that day?
Maungatapu murders, 1866
The story of how the 'Burgess gang' murdered and thieved their way around the South Island. Over two bloody days in June 1866, they killed five people on the Maungatapu track near Nelson. more...
The death penalty
On 18 February 1957 Walter Bolton mounted the gallows – known as 'the meccano set' – and was hanged for the murder of his wife Beatrice. He was the last New Zealander to be executed for murder. more...
Baby farmers
Baby farmers were paid caregivers who neglected children in their care or even deliberately murdered them. The most notorious was Minnie Dean, the only woman to be hanged for murder in New Zealand. more...
