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1943, Rail tragedy at Hyde
Jun
4
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February
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April
1 Apr 1773
First beer brewed in New Zealand
1 Apr 1965
TEAL becomes Air New Zealand
1 Apr 1974
ACC comes into operation
1 Apr 1978
Thermal insulation required in NZ homes
1 Apr 1981
New Zealand Film Archive launched
1 Apr 1987
State-owned enterprises are born
2 Apr 1915
Anzac soldiers riot in Cairo's Wazzir brothel district
2 Apr 1916
Arrest of Rua Kēnana
3 Apr 1943
Battle of Manners Street
4 Apr 1921
First school dental nurses begin training
4 Apr 2001
Silvia Cartwright becomes governor-general
5 Apr 1871
NZ's first overseas diplomatic post created
5 Apr 1932
Death of Phar Lap
6 Apr 1864
Pai Mārire ambush in Taranaki
6 Apr 1919
Maori (Pioneer) Battalion returns from war
7 Apr 1856
First state secondary school opens
8 Apr 1873
Julius Vogel becomes premier
8 Apr 1913
Smallpox epidemic kills 55
9 Apr 1850
Sisters of Mercy arrive in New Zealand
9 Apr 1932
Unemployed disturbances in Dunedin
10 Apr 1919
New Zealand votes for prohibition – until soldiers’ votes are counted
10 Apr 1968
Wahine
wrecked in Wellington Harbour
10 Apr 1973
Labour government cancels Springbok rugby tour
10 Apr 1984
Susan Devoy wins British Open squash tournament
11 Apr 1869
New Zealand's first royal visit
11 Apr 1916
New Zealand Division arrives in France
12 Apr 1902
Railway accident in South Africa kills 16 New Zealand soldiers
12 Apr 1913
HMS
New Zealand
begins tour of nation’s ports
13 Apr 1896
National Council of Women formed
13 Apr 1982
First kōhanga reo opens
14 Apr 1932
Unemployed riot rocks Queen Street
14 Apr 2018
Black Sticks Women win Commonwealth gold
15 Apr 1868
First Māori MPs elected to Parliament
15 Apr 1885
First sod turned for North Island main trunk line
15 Apr 2008
Mangatepopo canyoning disaster
15 Apr 2018
Black Ferns Sevens win Commonwealth gold
16 Apr 1892
NZ Rugby Football Union founded
16 Apr 1912
News of
Titanic
sinking reaches New Zealand
16 Apr 1973
Arthur Allan Thomas convicted of Crewe murders – again
17 Apr 1820
General Gates
sent to Sydney under guard
17 Apr 1880
First inter-city brass band contest
18 Apr 1840
Samuel Revans prints first newspaper
18 Apr 1847
Gilfillan killings near Whanganui
19 Apr 1884
First royal honour for New Zealand woman
19 Apr 1893
State buys Cheviot Estate
19 Apr 1967
Dave McKenzie wins the Boston Marathon
20 Apr 1958
Mormon temple opens in Hamilton
20 Apr 1981
Allison Roe wins Boston Marathon
21 Apr 1971
Court Theatre stages first play
22 Apr 1936
Rātana and Labour seal alliance
23 Apr 1979
Blair Peach killed in London
23 Apr 1983
Prince William meets 'buzzy bee'
24 Apr 1920
Prince of Wales arrives for New Zealand tour
24 Apr 1922
New Zealand's first poppy day
24 Apr 1941
Sinking of the
Hellas
24 Apr 1951
First New Zealander killed in battle in Korean War
25 Apr 1915
Gallipoli landings
25 Apr 1916
First Anzac Day
25 Apr 1963
New Zealand medics start work in South Vietnam
26 Apr 1943
New Zealand ship torpedoed in Tasman Sea
26 Apr 1945
Death of John Mulgan
26 Apr 2005
Civil unions come into effect
27 Apr 1806
Moehanga becomes first Māori to visit England
27 Apr 1893
Death of Premier John Ballance
28 Apr 1888
First British rugby tourists take the field
28 Apr 1941
Jack Hinton awarded the Victoria Cross
28 Apr 1995
14 die at Cave Creek
29 Apr 1864
Assault on Gate Pā
29 Apr 1881
131 perish in worst civilian shipwreck in New Zealand waters
29 Apr 1952
ANZUS treaty comes into force
30 Apr 1864
Pai Mārire defeated at Sentry Hill, Taranaki
30 Apr 1865
Former Governor FitzRoy dies by suicide
30 Apr 1917
William Sanders awarded New Zealand's only naval VC
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