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Kiwi of the Week

Robin Hyde

Robin Hyde packed a lot in to her short and often tragic life. She is best known today for her novels Passport to hell, Nor the years condemn and The godwits fly, but she was also a fine poet, a crusading journalist and an outspoken advocate for the downtrodden.

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Today in History

20 August

<em>Turakina</em> sunk by German raider in Tasman

1940 Turakina sunk by German raider in Tasman

It was the Tasman Sea's first naval battle. The New Zealand Shipping Company freighter Turakina was intercepted and sunk by the Orion nearly 500 km off the Taranaki coast with the loss of 36 lives. Twenty survivors were taken prisoner. more...