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Events In History

Biography
George Gipps

George Gipps was governor of New South Wales at a time when New Zealand land was included in the boundaries of New South Wales.

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George Rusden

George W. Rusden, an Australian author, wrote histories of Australia and New Zealand that were highly critical of the Crown's policies towards indigineous peoples.

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Michael Joseph Savage

Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand’s first Labour PM, was probably also it's best-loved. His avuncular image hung in the homes of the Labour faithful for decades.

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Articles

Anzac Day

  • Anzac Day

    First observed in 1916, Anzac Day - 25 April - commemorates those killed in war as well as honouring returned servicemen and women. The ceremonies that are held at war memorials across the country, or in places overseas where New Zealanders gather, are rich in tradition and ritual.

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  • Page 2 - The AnzacsThe word Anzac is part of the culture of New Zealanders and Australians. The word conjures up a shared heritage of two nations, but it also has a specific meaning, dating from

Governors and Governors-General

  • Governors and Governors-General

    New Zealand has had 16 resident governors and 20 Governors-General. Two early governors were called governor-in-chief.

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  • Page 3 - Career pathsAs the job evolved over time, so did the type of person needed to govern successfully. Between 1840 and 1853, when governors ruled personally, they were junior navy or army

Sealers and whalers

  • Sealers and whalers

    A European population explosion first impacted on New Zealand in the closing decade of the 18th century when sealers and whalers began to arrive in their hundreds seeking to exploit local resources.

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  • Page 1 - Sealers and whalersA European population explosion first impacted on New Zealand in the closing decade of the 18th century when sealers and whalers began to arrive in their hundreds seeking to

British Empire

Go-betweens

  • Go-betweens

    An important feature of early cross-cultural contact in New Zealand was the role of intermediaries (kaiwhakarite) who acted as go-betweens – people from one culture who lived within the other culture and helped bridge the gap between the two.

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  • Page 4 - The first woman settler?Charlotte lived with a Ngāpuhi chief and refused to be 'rescued' on at least two occasions, before disappearing from the

The New Zealand Legion

  • The New Zealand Legion

    The year 1933 witnessed an unprecedented eruption of protest amongst urban businessmen and professionals in New Zealand. The most prominent manifestation of this protest was a radical conservative movement named the New Zealand Legion.

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  • Page 3 - The desire to 'do something'The New Zealand Legion was much more than a conservative protest against the coalition government. It was the focal point for a wide range of individuals, overwhelmingly from the

The 1960s

  • The 1960s

    Five decades ago most Kiwis enjoyed a standard of living that was the envy of other nations. During the 1960s the arrival of TV and jet airliners shrank our world, and New Zealanders began to express themselves on a range of international issues, including opposition to the Vietnam War.

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  • Page 8 - 1965 - key eventsA selection of the key events in New Zealand history from 1965

New Zealand cricket

  • New Zealand cricket

    Relive some of the highs and lows in the history of New Zealand's most popular summer team sport, cricket. Although the game has been played here since the 1830s, international success – especially against traditional rivals England and Australia – was a long time coming.

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  • Page 5 - Playing AustraliaKey moments in New Zealand's cricketing rivalry with