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TODAY IN HISTORY
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1961, First Golden Kiwi draw
Dec
12
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31 March
31 March
1864
Rewi's last stand?
The last battle of the Waikato War began when the spearhead of a strong British force charged an apparently weak Māori position at Ōrākau, south-east of Te Awamutu. After two frontal assaults failed, the British besieged the pā.
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1910
Hocken Library opened at Otago Museum
Thomas Hocken’s priceless legacy of historical material is the most important collection outside Crown ownership in New Zealand.
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1967
Fred Ladd flies under Auckland Harbour Bridge
Well-known Auckland aviator Fred Ladd illegally flew his Widgeon amphibian aircraft under the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
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This Week in History
9 December
1867
First passengers traverse Lyttelton rail tunnel
10 December
1908
Rutherford wins Nobel Prize
11 December
1907
Parliamentary library escapes fire
12 December
1961
First Golden Kiwi draw
13 December
1642
First recorded European sighting of New Zealand
14 December
1843
First Auckland A and P Show
15 December
1915
The evacuation of Gallipoli begins