1951: Cave In at Waiuta
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Waiuta gold mine (est c.1905) was the West Coast’s last great gold discovery and the second most valuable mine ever. It never ran out of gold but I think it might have run out of political favour. In July 1951 a shaft collapse was never recovered from so the mine shut and Waiuta withered to […]
Read more..January 27, 2021
1912: We Have Got The Maxim Gun
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Victoria Square, Christchurch, has been a State preserve since about 1896. Prior to this it was known as Market Place, a commercial location for free market activity. Government literally, either deliberately or ignorantly, taxed Market Place to death¹ then claimed the site for a park for the glory of Queen and Crown. Soon, the square […]
Read more..January 26, 2021
1910: Radium Flour
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
The 18th Nelson A&P Show of 1910 had an interesting exhibit of radium flour. This was the product of one George Trapnell of Brightwater. Why radium? Ernest Rutherford was born in Brightwater, Nelson. In the year 1904 he won the Rumford Medal… “For his researches on radio-activity, particularly for his discovery of the existence and […]
Read more..January 25, 2021
1964: Keeping Sexual Deviants Cowed
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Today in history, 23 January, 1964, six teenagers killed a man and left his body in Hagley Park, Christchurch. All the kids (15-17yo) were junior tradesmen: A butcher, spray painter, baker, telegrapher, builder, labourer. There was no question whether they’d beaten the man, they admitted it. All were tried together for manslaughter. All were acquitted. […]
Read more..January 23, 2021
1955: An Increased Tourist Industry
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Philip Holloway was born in Hokitika, son of an Anglican parson. He became a MHR and served as a Minister in Labour 2.0. Prior to that, Phil had this to say about boosting tourism in New Zealand… “I doubt if the country is ready or has the right knowledge of what an increased tourist industry […]
Read more..January 22, 2021
1864: “White men are pitifully ignorant of the meaning of omens”
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
On 22 January, 1864, a comet had been glowing in the western sky for some days. This occurred right in the midst of the Waikato War which led to very contrasting interpretations. Young Herbert Meade (22yo) viewed the comet from his expedition to Lake Taupo. Meade, of the Royal Navy, had set out to investigate […]
Read more..January 21, 2021
1994: PHANZA
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
PHANZA (Professional Historians’ Association of New Zealand/Aotearoa)might be fans of history but they’re not fans’a grammar… “WORKING AS A HISTORIAN” Yeesh, PHANZA. The proper grammer is not ‘a historian’ but ‘an historian’. This lapse makes this professional historians association seem like a kid who flunked out of school. Or, an American! PHANZA was established in […]
Read more..January 20, 2021
1956: White Island Expedition
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
On 30 January, 1956, an earthquake radiated out of White Island. Caused, it’s safe to assume, by another of its many volcanic eruptions. The resulting quake was detected from the Waikato and Auckland too¹. Based on my inability to find any reporting it seems nobody was hurt and no damage worth mentioning. Except, for one […]
Read more..January 19, 2021
1824: The Gate Incident
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
The Gate Incident occurred on January 12th, 1824, at the Paihia Mission. It was a mighty battle of wills between two wizards, one Maori and the other English. They were Tohitapu of Ngati Whatua and Henry Williams of the Church Missionary Society. “Wizard” is a perfectly proper term for for a Missionary priest and a […]
Read more..January 18, 2021
1934: Whale Hunting With A Machine Gun
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
On 6th January 1934 an apex predator, a killer whale, started patrolling Nelson’s Tahuna Beach looking for something (or someone) to eat. Being that this was New Zealand in the 1930s, Nelsonians took to the waves and machined gunned the orca dead. Threat eliminated. How much of a threat the orca posed in the first […]
Read more..January 17, 2021
The “Myth of Taxpayer Money”
By NZB3
Dr Jonathan Barrett, Victoria University is concerned to point out that you do not own your own life, the government does. When the government that owns you takes your money it’s not theft at all because…well, let’s let him explain it? This should be good because Dr Barrett is the man responsible for guiding young […]
Read more..January 16, 2021
1830s: Wellerman
By Anarchist History of New Zealand
Fascinating and wonderful that a song that fit the lives of 1830s whalers still fits for the people today. The old whaler’s song Wellerman has had a big popularity spike in January 2021. It’s a New Zealand song (c.1860-70¹) that references the Weller Brothers’ station (1831-1841) at Otakou, Otago Harbour. The name Otago itself […]
Read more..January 16, 2021
