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Kiwi of the Week

Vincent Aspey

When nine-year-old Vincent Aspey persuaded his mother to buy a violin he had spotted in a second-hand shop she was dubious that he would practice, let alone come to be described as ‘synonymous with orchestral development in New Zealand’.

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Today in History

15 April

1885 First sod dug for North Island main trunk

Politicians and Maori leaders ceremonially turned the ‘first sod’ of the central section of the main trunk line – a project that would take 23 years to complete. more...

Internal links

The North Island main trunk line Building the main trunk

External links

North Island Main Trunk Railway (Wikipedia)
Engineering heritage: The Main Trunk line (IPANZ)

1868 First three Maori MPs elected to Parliament

Four Maori seats were established in 1867 and elections for Maori members were held the following year. Meant to be a temporary arrangement lasting five years, the seats became permanent in 1876. more...