1856: The Christchurch Club
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
The Christchurch Club (est. 15 March 1856) was an institution of the ‘Squattocracy’ during the era when this class of men were the power in New Zealand. Their 1860s building (left) is still on the corner of Worcester Street and Latimer Square in Christchurch today. In his Dune saga, science fiction author Frank Herbert moved […]
Read more..June 27, 2024
2000: The Waikato Connection
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 26 June, 2000: The Waikato Connection. Tranz Rail started this passenger service between Hamilton and Auckland on a 6 month trial basis. There were stops at Huntly, Pukekohe, Papakura, Middlemore and Newmarket. The service was halted as uneconomic on 7 October 2001. During these 15 months this ‘InterCity Rail’ part of the […]
Read more..June 26, 2024
1890s: The Villa
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Kiwis have a love/hate relationship with a form of domestic architecture called the Bay Villa or just Villa (for short.) Many of the homes in the New Zealand’s housing stock still date from this Victorian/Edwardian period between about 1890 and 1918. In the South Island, particularly Christchurch, straight-shooting real estate dealers called these a T […]
Read more..June 25, 2024
2018: The Provincial Growth Fund
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
The Provincial Growth Fund (2018) was initially a slush fund awarded to the New Zealand First political party to induce them to join the Labour 6.0 coalition. Having lost the 2017 election, Labour was determined to out-bid Bill English’s National 4.0 Ministry so for the ‘King Maker’ NZ First it was a seller’s market. Their […]
Read more..June 17, 2024
1914: Takanini
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Ihaka Takanini (1800 – 1864) was one of the titleholders of extensive land in what is now South Auckland. In 1856 Ihaka was one of 12 Maori chiefs to have his photo taken by John Crombie and sent to the London Illustrated News. Ref. Daily Southern Cross (1856,) Papers Past This picture (left) is from […]
Read more..June 14, 2024
1863: Darwin Among the Machines
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in New Zealand history, 13 June, 1863, Samuel Butler’s warnings about Artificial Intelligence were published in Christchurch’s Press newspaper. Butler was 27 years old, the newspaper 2 years old, and the colony itself just 12 years. Butler himself was a disenchanted Cambridge classics scholar who recoiled from the tracks laid down for him to […]
Read more..June 13, 2024
1840: Sovereignty over Stewart Island
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 5 June, 1840, British Sovereignty over Stewart Island was proclaimed. The usual legal rituals were performed by the expedition of the HMS Herald. These involved landing marines and ship’s officers, raising the Union Jack, and firing some guns. They also buried a bottle with the necessary paperwork and, perhaps, some coins (since […]
Read more..June 6, 2024
1960: Colorado River Campaign
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, July 4, 1960, Jon Hamilton led a team of jetboaters up the Colorado River in the Grand Canon. It was the first time anyone had ever taken a boat up-stream and apparently it still is even now. Jon’s father, Bill Hamilton, a Cantabrian, had invented the jetboat and this was a test. […]
Read more..June 4, 2024
Kea Calculus
By NZB3
New Zealand’s alpine parrot the kea (Nestor notabilis) was once hunted as a pest at the behest of The State. The government bounty was at “$120 a head at one stage. More than 150,000 were shot before the bounty was removed, and they were protected in 1986.” Ref. North & South (2020,) Wayback Machine These […]
Read more..June 3, 2024
1869: University of Otago
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 3 June, 1869, our first university was founded. The University of Otago. This was almost exactly 8 years after Gabriel Read set off the Otago Gold Rush that made the province powerful and wealthy. The next was the University of Canterbury (est. 1873) which was about 9 years after the West Canterbury […]
Read more..June 3, 2024
