Today in History

NZ troops arrive in Greece

18/3/1941 - NZ troops arrive in Greece

When the Germans attacked Greece on 6 April, they quickly outflanked the Allied defenders, who were forced into a hurried retreat down the peninsula.

What happened that day?

Kiwi of the Week

  • wiremu-te-rangitake-biography.jpg

    Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitake

    Te Ati Awa leader Wiremu Kingi Te Rangitake's refusal to give up his land at Waitara led to the outbreak of the Taranaki War. In later life joined the pacifist community at Parihaka

This WeeK's Quiz

Month Calendar View

previousHistoric NZ events in Aprilnext

Apr

1

TEAL becomes Air New Zealand

1965 TEAL becomes Air New Zealand

On 1 April 1965 Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), New Zealand's international air operator, was renamed Air New Zealand Limited. more...

Apr

2

Arrest of Rua Kenana

1916 Arrest of Rua Kenana

On the morning of Sunday 2 April 1916, 57 armed police invaded the remote Tuhoe settlement of Maungapohatu in Urewera. They had come to arrest the prophet Rua Kenana. more...

Apr

3

'Battle of Manners Street'

1943 'Battle of Manners Street'

The most famous of several wartime skirmishes between New Zealanders and American servicemen, the Battle of Manners Street saw hundreds of soldiers and civilians slugging it out in Wellington. more...

Apr

5

Death of Phar Lap

1932 Death of Phar Lap

Two weeks after winning one of America's richest races, the Agua Caliente Handicap, the Australasian champ died of a mystery illness in California. more...

Apr

7

First state secondary school opens in Nelson

1856 First state secondary school opens in Nelson

The first state secondary school in New Zealand, Nelson College opened in temporary premises in Trafalgar Street with a roll of eight boys.   more...

Apr

8

Julius Vogel becomes Premier

1873 Julius Vogel becomes Premier

Vogel was the dominant political figure of the 1870s, serving as Colonial Treasurer and Premier on several occasions, and borrowing heavily to invest in a massive public works and immigration programme. more...

Apr

9

Unemployed disturbances in Dunedin

1932 Unemployed disturbances in Dunedin

During the 'angry autumn' of 1932, in the depths of the Great Depression, unemployed workers in Dunedin reacted angrily to the refusal of the Hospital Board to offer assistance. more...

Apr

11

Soldiers' votes derail prohibition campaign

1919 Soldiers' votes derail prohibition campaign

A referendum held the day before gave prohibition a 13,000 majority, but the result was overturned by the votes of 32,000 troops still overseas or in camp. more...

Apr

12

HMS New Zealand begins tour of NZ

1913 HMS New Zealand begins tour of NZ

During its 10-week New Zealand tour, more than half a million people visited the battleship, which this country had gifted to the Royal Navy.

more...

Apr

13

NCW formed in Christchurch

1896 NCW formed in Christchurch

The National Council of Women of New Zealand was established in Christchurch by women who had been active in the suffrage campaign. Their aim was to secure reforms to improve the status and conditions of women. more...

Apr

14

Unemployed riots rock Queen Street

1932 Unemployed riots rock Queen Street

Hundreds of unemployed people rioted in Auckland's Queen Street for more than two hours. Trouble began after several hundred public servants marched to the Town Hall to protest against proposed wage cuts. more...

Apr

15

First sod dug for North Island main trunk

1885 First sod dug for North Island main trunk

Politicians and Maori leaders ceremonially turned the ‘first sod’ of the central section of the main trunk line – a project that would take 23 years to complete. more...

First two Maori MPs elected to Parliament

1868 First two Maori MPs elected to Parliament

Four Maori seats were established in 1867 and elections for Maori members were held the following year. Meant to be a temporary arrangement lasting five years, the seats became permanent in 1876. more...

Apr

16

Rugby Union founded

1892 Rugby Union founded

As the popularity of rugby spread, it was considered necessary to standardise the running of the game in this country. Despite some opposition, the NZ Rugby Football Union was created at a meeting held in Wellington. more...

Apr

18

Gilfillan killings near Wanganui

1847 Gilfillan killings near Wanganui

A Maori raid on the Gilfillan farm at Matarawa, near Wanganui, left four family members dead. The artist John Gilfillan and one of his daughters were severely wounded. more...

Apr

19

Liberals 'burst up' Cheviot Estate

1893 Liberals 'burst up' Cheviot Estate

In the 1890s the Liberal government was determined to break up big estates for closer settlement by small farmers. The first major purchase under this policy was the Cheviot Estate in North Canterbury. more...

Apr

21

First Golden Shears competition

1961 First Golden Shears competition

First held at the Masterton War Memorial Stadium in 1961, the Golden Shears competition has become an icon of the shearing and wool-handling industry in New Zealand. more...

Apr

22

Ratana and Labour seal alliance

1936 Ratana and Labour seal alliance

The alliance between the Ratana Church and the Labour Party was cemented at an historic meeting between T.W. Ratana and Prime Minister M.J. Savage on 22 April 1936. more...

Apr

23

Blair Peach killed in London

1979 Blair Peach killed in London

New Zealander Blair Peach was killed during a clash between police and protesters at an anti-fascism rally in Southall, London. more...

Prince William meets 'buzzy bee'

1983 Prince William meets 'buzzy bee'

The Prince and Princess of Wales played with their infant son Prince William and New Zealand's iconic children’s toy, the buzzy bee, on the lawn at Government House, Auckland. more...

Apr

24

New Zealand's first poppy day

1922 New Zealand's first poppy day

A total of 245,059 small poppies and 15,157 larger versions were sold, earning £13,166. Of that amount, £3,695 was sent to help war-ravaged areas of northern France; the remainder assisted unemployed returned soldiers and their families. more...

Apr

25

NZ troops land at Gallipoli

1915 NZ troops land at Gallipoli

New Zealand troops were part of the Allied invasion force that landed at what became known as Anzac Cove. Nearly 60% of the 8500 New Zealanders who served at Gallipoli would be killed, die from illness or be wounded. more...

Apr

26

NZ ship torpedoed in Tasman

1943 NZ ship torpedoed in Tasman

The Union Steam Ship Company freighter Limerick was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine off the New South Wales coast. Two of its crew were lost. more...

Civil unions come into effect

2005 Civil unions come into effect

Couples − heterosexual or homosexual − were now able to register their relationship as a civil union. All couples in New Zealand, whether married, in a civil union, or in a de facto partnership now had equal rights and obligations. more...

Apr

27

Death of Premier John Ballance

1893 Death of Premier John Ballance

Ballance was the first Liberal Premier. He laid the foundation for a government that supposedly made New Zealand ‘the social laboratory of the world’. more...

Apr

28

Assault of Gate Pa begins

1864 Assault of Gate Pa begins

With artillery and 1700 men available, the British began their disastrous assault on the Ngai Te Rangi stronghold of Pukehinahina (Gate Pa), which was defended by 230 warriors. more...

Apr

30

Ex-Governor FitzRoy commits suicide

1865 Ex-Governor FitzRoy commits suicide

Robert FitzRoy, the second Governor of New Zealand (1843-45), took his own life at his home in Surrey. Opinion on his governorship has always been divided. more...

Pai Marire defeated at Sentry Hill Taranaki

1864 Pai Marire defeated at Sentry Hill Taranaki

In what was one of their first military efforts, up to 300 Pai Marire warriors attacked the British redoubt at Sentry Hill in Taranaki. Scores were killed and wounded in the resulting defeat. more...