Historic NZ events in July
Jul
1988 Bastion Point land returned
The government announced that it had agreed to the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendation that Takaparawhā (Bastion Point) on the southern shore of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour be returned to local iwi Ngāti Whātua.
Read more...1978 Beatrice Tinsley made professor of astronomy at Yale
Tinsley became the first woman to be appointed as Professor of Astronomy at Yale University in the United States
Read more...Jul
1938 Electric trains come to Wellington
On 2 July 1938, Minister of Railways Dan Sullivan and Wellington Mayor Thomas Hislop officially opened the electrified rail line between central Wellington and the northern suburb of Johnsonville.
Read more...Jul
1963 DC-3 crashes in Kaimai Range
The 1963 crash of a National Airways Corporation DC3, with the loss of all 23 people on board, remains the worst air accident within New Zealand.
Read more...Jul
1902 New Zealand Boxing Association formed
The New Zealand Boxing Association was formed to promote and foster amateur boxing in this country. After drawing up its rules and obtaining parliamentary sanction, the association staged its first New Zealand championships in Christchurch later in 1902.
Read more...1868 Te Kooti escapes from the Chathams
Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki of Rongowhakaata was arrested near Gisborne in 1865 after allegedly helping a ‘rebel’ Pai Mārire force. He became one of hundreds exiled to the remote Chatham Islands.
Read more...Jul
1881 Poll tax imposed on Chinese
Parliament passed the Chinese Immigrants Act, which introduced a ‘poll tax’ of £10 (equivalent to nearly $1700 today) on Chinese migrants and restricted the number allowed to land from each ship arriving in New Zealand.
Read more...Jul
1923 Main Trunk Line express train disaster
The Auckland−Wellington express ploughed into a huge slip that had slumped across the tracks at Ōngarue, north of Taumarunui in King Country.
Read more...Jul
1916 New Zealand Labour Party founded
What is now New Zealand’s oldest political party emerged from a joint conference in Wellington of the United Federation of Labour, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and local Labour Representation Committees (LRCs).
Read more...1924 'Tom Watson' wins bronze for New Zealand
The character in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of fire (1981) was based on Arthur Porritt, who won a bronze medal for New Zealand in the 100 m at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Read more...Jul
1862 New Zealand’s first prize fight?
The boxing bout was fought in an improvised ring on the banks of the Waimakariri River near Kaiapoi after police were ejected from the scene. London prizefighter Harry Jones defeated labourer George Barton over 30 bloody bare-knuckle rounds for a purse of £100.
Read more...1893 New Zealand Racing Conference meets
The New Zealand Racing Conference was formed to control the thoroughbred horse-racing industry in the colony.
Read more...Jul
1986 Homosexual Law Reform Bill passed
Wellington Central MP Fran Wilde’s private member’s bill, which removed criminal sanctions against consensual male homosexual practices, was passed by 49 votes to 44.
Read more...Jul
1967 New Zealand adopts decimal currency
Pounds, shillings and pence were replaced by dollars and cents − 27 million new banknotes and 165 million new coins.
Read more...1985 Rainbow Warrior sunk by French secret agents
A crew member died when French secret agents mined the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior in Waitematā Harbour, Auckland.
Read more...Jul
1877 First woman graduates from a New Zealand university
Kate Edger became the first woman in New Zealand to gain a university degree and the first woman in the British Empire to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA).
Read more...1983 Lorraine Downes crowned Miss Universe
Lorraine Downes became a household name overnight and spent the next 12 months travelling the world accompanied by a chaperone, carrying out the duties of Miss Universe
Read more...Jul
1863 British forces invade Waikato
British troops invaded Waikato by crossing the Mangatāwhiri Stream, which the Kīngitanga (Māori King movement) had declared an aukati (a line not to be crossed).
Read more...1889 First women's trade union formed
The first women’s trade union in New Zealand emerged in the late 19th century in response to poor working conditions in the clothing industry.
Read more...2001 New Zealander wins Tour de France stage
The first stage win by a New Zealander in the Tour de France came in a team time trial. Although Chris Jenner didn't finish with the core of his Credit Agricole team, he shared in the stage win and got to stand on the podium.
Read more...Jul
1916 Vivian Walsh obtains New Zealand’s first pilot’s certificate
Following the establishment of the New Zealand Flying School at Ōrākei on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour, Vivian Walsh became the first pilot to obtain an aviator’s certificate in New Zealand (several New Zealanders had earlier qualified as pilots in England).
Read more...Jul
1853 New Zealand's first general election begins
For such a symbolic moment, the events of 14 July offered little drama – the first member of New Zealand’s inaugural Parliament, Hugh Carleton, was elected unopposed at Russell in the Bay of Islands.
Read more...1950 Death of Sir Apirana Ngata
Ngata had contributed hugely to the revival of the Māori people in the early 20th century. His intelligence, tact, persistence and political skill helped him promote Māori culture and identity.
Read more...Jul
1915 First Gallipoli wounded arrive home
The first large group of Gallipoli wounded to return to New Zealand arrived in Wellington on the troopship Willochra as part of a draft of around 300 men.
Read more...1933 Lovelock smashes world mile record
Jack Lovelock's run at Princeton University broke Jules Ladoumegue’s record for the mile by 1.6 seconds. The race was dubbed the 'greatest mile of all time' by Time Magazine.
Read more...Jul
1965 New Zealand artillery opens fire in Vietnam
Gunners of 161 Field Battery fired New Zealand’s first shots of the Vietnam War from their base at Bien Hoa, near Saigon.
Read more...Jul
1939 Death of Paddy the Wanderer
Paddy, a ginger and brown Airedale terrier, became a national celebrity because of his exploits on the Wellington waterfront and beyond during the 1930s.
Read more...Jul
1855 New Zealand's first postage stamps go on sale
These adhesive, non-perforated stamps for prepaid postage were the famous ‘Chalon Head’ design, showing Queen Victoria in her coronation robes.
Read more...1924 Flock House youth training farm opens
The governor-general, Viscount Jellicoe, officially opened Flock House station, near Bulls. This training farm was established using surplus profits from wool sales during the First World War. Read more...
Jul
1982 Privy Council rules on Samoan citizenship
When the Privy Council granted New Zealand citizenship to Western Samoans born since 1924, the government did not accept this decision.
Read more...Jul
1892 Steam locomotive sets world speed record
The Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) Company’s locomotive No. 10 established a world speed record for the narrow 3 foot 6 inch (1067 mm) gauge, averaging 68 km per hour on a two-hour run and hitting a top speed of 103 kph.
Read more...1965 Riots rock Mt Eden prison
The disturbance followed a botched escape attempt and lasted into the next day. Prisoners took several warders hostage and fire gutted part of the prison.
Read more...2023 Football Ferns achieve historic win at FIFA World Cup™
The Football Ferns’ 1–0 victory over Norway at Eden Park, Auckland was the first win by a senior New Zealand team at a World Cup finals tournament.
Read more...Jul
1865 Capture of Weraroa pā
Governor George Grey led a small force that captured a Pai Mārire (Hauhau) pā at Weraroa, near Waitōtara. The pā had long lost its strategic significance, and its small garrison had seemed willing to surrender.
Read more...1925 Te Haahi Rātana established as church
Founded in 1918 by Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana (1873–1939), the religious movement that bore his name gave hope to many dispossessed Māori and later became a political force.
Read more...Jul
1987 Lotto goes on sale for first time
Outlets opened to long queues, with a first division prize in the inaugural draw of $360,000 (equivalent to more than $760,000 today).
Read more...Jul
1851 Maria wrecked near Cape Terawhiti
Twenty-six lives were lost when the barque Maria was wrecked near Cape Terawhiti. This provided more ammunition for Wellington settlers who were trying to convince the government of the need for a lighthouse.
Read more...1952 Yvette Williams leaps to gold at Helsinki
Yvette Williams (later Corlett) won the long jump to become New Zealand’s first female Olympic medallist.
Read more...Jul
2000 New Zealand soldier killed in Timor-Leste
Private Leonard Manning was the first New Zealander killed in combat since the Vietnam War.
Read more...Jul
1981 Anti-Springbok protesters block Hamilton match
Anti-tour demonstrators invaded Hamilton’s Rugby Park, forcing the abandonment of the Springboks–Waikato match.
Read more...Jul
1863 Floods kill 25 miners in Central Otago
Approximately 25 gold miners died on the Arrow diggings, north-east of Queenstown, in a series of flash floods and slips caused by 24 hours of heavy rain. Read more...
1865 Parliament moves to Wellington
The capital moved from Auckland to more centrally located Wellington on the recommendation of an Australian commission. The former Wellington Provincial Council chamber became the new home for Parliament.
Read more...1928 Kiwi boxer fights for world heavyweight title
In the midst of boxing's golden age, Gisborne-born Tom Heeney took on Gene Tunney in front of 46,000 spectators at Yankee Stadium, New York. Although he was defeated, his title bid had aroused tremendous interest in both New Zealand and the USA.
Read more...1984 Ann Hercus becomes first Minister of Women's Affairs
Ann Hercus became New Zealand’s first Minister of Women’s Affairs following the election of the fourth Labour government.
Read more...Jul
1953 Armistice ends fighting in Korean War
After lengthy negotiations, representatives of North Korea and the United Nations signed an armistice on the ceasefire line between North and South Korea.
Read more...1963 Pioneer aviator George Bolt dies
Bolt was an outstanding figure in the development of commercial aviation in this country. Among his many achievements were taking New Zealand's first aerial photographs in 1912 and delivering its first official airmail in 1919
Read more...Jul
1893 Massive women’s suffrage petition presented to Parliament
The monster suffrage petition contained the signatures of more than 25,000 women. A dozen other, smaller petitions were also submitted around the same time.
Read more...Jul
1897 Tasmania sinks off Māhia with suitcase of jewels
On the afternoon of 28 July, the Huddart-Parker steamer Tasmania left Auckland for Dunedin via Napier, Wellington and Lyttelton. At around 11 p.m. the following night, with a strong south-east gale blowing, the ship struck rocks off Table Cape, Māhia Peninsula.
Read more...1981 Police baton anti-tour protesters outside Parliament
Up to 2000 anti-Springbok tour protesters were confronted by police who used batons to stop them marching up Molesworth St to the home of South Africa's Consul to New Zealand
Read more...1981 Kiri Te Kanawa sings at Royal Wedding
For six minutes New Zealand opera star Kiri Te Kanawa took centre stage at the highly anticipated wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Read more...2003 Moana Mackey joins mother Janet in Parliament
Twenty-nine-year-old Moana Mackey entered the House of Representatives as a Labour Party list MP. She joined her mother, Janet Mackey, who had been a Labour MP since 1993. They were the first mother and daughter to serve together in New Zealand’s Parliament.
Read more...Jul
1979 Carless days introduced
Carless days for motor vehicles were introduced to combat the second ‘oil shock’ (petrol shortage) of the 1970s. They did little to reduce consumption and were scrapped in May 1980.
Read more...Jul
1843 Foundation stone laid for New Zealand's first purpose-built theatre
Laying the foundation stone for the Royal Victoria Theatre on Manners St, Wellington, Alderman William Lyon welcomed the new amenity – ‘a theatre [was] a necessary concomitant of an advanced state of civilization.’
Read more...1976 John Walker wins gold in Montreal
Following in the footsteps of Jack Lovelock and Peter Snell, Walker won gold in the Olympic 1500 m. Black African nations boycotted the Games in protest at the All Blacks' tour of South Africa
Read more...