8 April

1873 Julius Vogel becomes premier

Julius Vogel was the dominant political figure of the 1870s, serving as colonial treasurer and premier on several occasions, and launching a massive programme of immigration and public works. Read more...

1913 Smallpox epidemic kills 55

By the end of the year the epidemic, which was intoduced by a Morman missionary, had killed 55 New Zealanders, all of them Māori. Read more...