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Minnie Dean
In 1895 Southland's Williamina (Minnie) Dean became the first – and only – woman to be hanged in New Zealand. Her story exposed the stark realities of paid childcare and the lack of choice that many women faced in this period.
From childcare to baby farming
High-profile British and Australian court cases in the 1880s introduced New Zealanders to the sinister practices of baby farmers: paid caregivers who neglected children in their care, concealed their deaths or deliberately murdered the infants.
Attempted hijacking in Fiji foiled
An attempted hijacking of an Air New Zealand Boeing 747 at Nadi airport, Fiji, was thwarted when a member of the cabin crew struck the hijacker on the head with a whisky bottle.
Baby farmers
Baby farmers were paid caregivers who allegedly neglected children in their care, concealed their deaths or deliberately murdered the infants. The most notorious was Minnie Dean, who, in August 1895, became the first (and only) woman to be hanged for murder in New Zealand.
Reporting the Daniel Cooper baby farmer case
In 1923 the New Zealand Truth featured dramatic reports of the trial and execution of Newlands baby famer Daniel Cooper.
Reward notice in railway station
New Zealand Railways reward notice
The Maungatapu murders
The 'Burgess gang' murdered and thieved their way around the South Island during the 1860s. Their most notorious crime was five killings over two days in June 1866, on the Maungatapu track near Nelson. Now you can read their story in a new virtual comic book.
Further information - capital punishment
This web feature was written by Steve Watters and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team. Links Carl Völkner biography Maketu biography Mokomoko biography Notable trials People executed in New Zealand (Wikipedia) Books Sherwood Young, Guilty on the gallows, Grantham House, Wellington, 1998
List of executions
Between Maketu's execution in 1842 and Walter Bolton in 1957, there were a further 82 executions.
Further information - Maungatapu murders
Further reading and links to information about the Maungatapu murders
The first execution - capital punishment
On 7 March 1842 Maketu Wharetotara, the 17-year-old son of the Ngāpuhi chief Ruhe of Waimate, became the first person to be legally executed in New Zealand.
The last execution - capital punishment
Walter Bolton was the last person to be executed in New Zealand when he was convicted of poisoning his wife, Beatrice. He was hanged for her murder at Mount Eden prison. The death penalty for murder was abolished in New Zealand in 1961, and there were claims that this was due partly to the circumstances surrounding Bolton's case.
Capital punishment in New Zealand
The first execution in New Zealand was that of a young Maori named Maketu, convicted at Auckland in 1842. Walter Bolton became the last to be executed when he was hanged at Mount Eden prison in 1957. In total there were 83 verified executions for murder and one for treason in New Zealand between these dates.
The post-war family - children and adolescents, 1930-60
As a consequence of the post-war economic boom there was increasing demand for consumer goods. The 1956 census revealed that more than half of New Zealand homes possessed washing machines, refrigerators and electric ovens.
Bassett Road machine-gun murders
The bullet-ridden bodies of Frederick George Walker and Kevin James Speight were found in a house at 115 Bassett Rd, Remuera. Ron Jorgensen and John Gillies were convicted of the killings.
Fugitive Stan Graham shot by police
Graham died of his wounds the following day. He had been on the run since 8 October and was responsible for the deaths of seven people.
'Mr Asia' murder victim found
The mutilated body of Marty Johnstone, nominal leader of the 'Mr Asia' drug syndicate, was found by divers in Eccleston Delft, a flooded disused quarry in Lancashire. His execution had been ordered by Terry Clark.
Stan Graham runs amok on West Coast
Graham shot dead three policemen and mortally wounded two other men before escaping into the bush. One of New Zealand's largest manhunts ended when Graham was mortally wounded on 20 October.
Maungatapu murderers hanged in Nelson
Burgess, Kelly and Levy were hanged. Joseph Sullivan, the fourth member of the 'Burgess gang', received a life sentence because he had turned Queen's evidence and helped convict his co-accused.
William Sutch charged with spying
Economist Dr W.B. Sutch was charged with spying after what the NZSIS claimed were 'surreptitious and clandestine' meetings with a Russian diplomat. Despite his acquittal in 1975, speculation continues as to whether he was a spy.

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