1883: Auckland University College
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 21 May, 1883, the opening ceremony of Auckland University College. This took place in Old Choral Hall. Symonds Street. Being antique times they just called it Choral Hall back then. Today we call the institution the University of Auckland. Governor William Jervois officiated, at least nominally. His speech emphasised that tertiary education […]
Read more..May 21, 2024
1907: Standing in the Sunshine
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
What do women want? Well, after Suffragette Margaret Sievwright died they wanted a memorial for her in the middle of Gisborne. It was unveiled on Dominion Day, 26 September, 1907, the day the Colony of New Zealand was rebranded as the Dominion of New Zealand. According to the photo of the event (left) and the […]
Read more..May 21, 2024
Tall Poppy Syndrome
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
New Zealand’s Tall Poppy Syndrome takes its name from a passage in Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita (The History of Rome) written in the final years before Year Zero. According to Fischer (2012) the final King of Rome, Tarquin, had a problem to solve in the form of chiefly men who stood out from the rest […]
Read more..May 19, 2024
1977: Fair Go
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
The Government show Fair Go (1977-2024) was one of several long-standing television features on TVNZ. Current affairs show Sunday was out too as was the Midday News. The plug was also pulled on the Newshub platform on TV3 with some vestiges apparently to be outsourced to Stuff (probably bought it for $1.00) in July that […]
Read more..May 14, 2024
1985: Robin of Sherwood
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Robin of Sherwood (1984-86) was a British action-adventure TV series that fit right in to New Zealand’s KZ7 Honour Culture of the same time period. The show first aired on our screens on 12 May, 1985. Created by Richard Carpenter who was also the man responsible for popular show The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972-4.) […]
Read more..May 12, 2024
1937: House-Broken Labour
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
On 12 May, 1937, the Coronation of Geoge VI occurred. Then, as now, New Zealand’s Labour Government Prime Minister attended. PM Michael J. Savage wore the full court dress, including kneebreeches. According to Labour biographer, Hobbes, this choice marked a turning point for Labour. The first-term government had still been in ‘soapbox’ mode: unpredictable and […]
Read more..May 11, 2024
1871: Rangiora Literary Institute
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Rangiora Literary Institute was created this month in New Zealand history, May 1871. The building was opened on New Years Day 1873 and started to take over and extend executive functions of the North Canterbury community. According to Hawkins (1983) the founding principles were to preserve Rangiora’s supposed status quo of “general sobriety, honesty, industry […]
Read more..May 10, 2024
1945: VE Day
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 8 May, 1945, the New Zealand public started celebrating Victory Over Europe Day (VE Day.) World War 2, apart from a few more loose ends in the Pacific War, was now over. Our celebrations began without permission from the Labour 1.0 Government who insisted we wait until 1am the following day to […]
Read more..May 8, 2024
1822: Siege of Matakitaki
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
This month in New Zealand history, May 1822, The Siege of Matakitaki. Chief Hongi Hika of Ngapuhi tribe led an invasion force of 3,000 upon the Waikato Tribe led by chief (and future Maori King) Te Wherowhero. Both sides were very martially intelligent and organised but Hongi was rich in arms. The Waikato had just […]
Read more..May 4, 2024
