December 22, 2024

1976: Final Lyttelton Wellington Ferry

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Once was a Lyttelton–Wellington ferry service. Run by the Union Steam Ship Company (1895-17 September, 1976) with the final dwindling 2 years bankrolled by The State. Somehow, the Labour 3.0 Ministry thought it was a good idea to pump $4,000,000 a year into a service that had become uneconomical. National 3.0 put an end to […]

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February 20, 2024

1873: When Auckland Took Fright

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Today in history, 17 February, 1873: The Kaskowiski Hoax was perpetrated on the people of Auckland by the new editor of the Daily Southern Cross newspaper, David Luckie. New Zealand is prone to periodic Russian Scares like this. Two others by 1885 led to significant investments in harbor defense forts like the one (image, left) […]

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February 17, 2024

1840: The Treaty of Poihakena

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

On 18 January 1840, William Hobson, Consul, set of for New Zealand on HMS Herald from Sydney. With him were 6 officials, 3 servants, and 4 troopers of the New South Wales mounted police. Before setting out for New Zealand, Hobson spent much time during the prior twenty-five days closeted with his superior, Governor of […]

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February 15, 2024

2014: Death of Charlotte Dawson

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Charlotte Dawson was celebrity New Zealander who died aged 47 by committing suicide on 22 February, 2014. As with her very public life, the death resonated through the Kiwi psyche. It was a terrific flame out involving component parts of Social Media, celebrity, women aging, bullying, and national pride. I first met Dawson when she […]

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February 12, 2024

1770: Christmas in Batavia

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Over 250 years ago now, James Cook and the crew of HMS Endeavour completed the circumnavigation of North Island- demonstrating it is indeed an island. It’s good to know and we South Islanders are still very grateful for it! On 9 February, 1770, an important point had to be proven. That, Nieuw Zeeland, as the Dutch […]

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February 9, 2024

1819: Maori Invasion of Rotuma

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Rotuma is a small island north of Fiji with its own ethnic identity though part of Fiji. By the 1830s it had become a whaling port so English was widely spoken there. The natives were subject to Tongan invasion and civil wars, especially in the 1870s, which were only coloured by the competing Catholic and […]

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February 5, 2024