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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

3 February

1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake strikes

New Zealand's deadliest earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, destroys much of central Napier and Hastings, with the loss of more than 250 lives. more...

Internal links

New Zealand disasters timeline Hawke's Bay earthquake images Hawke's Bay's big shake - roadside stories

External links

The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake (Te Ara)
Hawke's Bay earthquake (Hastings District Council)
New Zealand disasters: Napier earthquake (Chch City Libraries)
Hawke's Bay earthquake (1966 encyclopaedia)
Hawke's Bay disaster film (Archives NZ)

1868 Killer storm sweeps the country

It was a Sunday afternoon when the storm swept across the country, beginning with little more than a steady drizzle. By the time it had ended the next morning, at least 25 people had been killed. more...