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TODAY IN HISTORY
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1840, Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over New Zealand
May
21
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20 February
20 February
1914
Scotland crosses Southland in pioneering flight
J.W.H. Scotland flew a Caudron biplane from Invercargill to Gore, the first cross-country flight in New Zealand.
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1954
Yvette Williams sets world long jump record
Eighteen months after winning the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Williams set a new world record of 20 feet 7½ inches (6.29 m) at an athletics meeting in Gisborne.
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This Week in History
20 May
1773
New Zealand's first sheep released
21 May
1840
Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over New Zealand
22 May
1884
First New Zealand rugby team in action
23 May
1861
First major gold rush in Otago
24 May
1854
Parliament's first sitting in Auckland
25 May
1861
The
Press
goes to press
26 May
1926
Anna Pavlova dances in New Zealand for the first time