Today in history
Today is Saturday, April 1, the 91st day of 2017. There are 274 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:
1861 — Southland forms its own independent provincial government after breaking from Otago.
1875 — The Times of London becomes the first newspaper to print a daily weather chart.
1883 — The Salvation Army has its inaugural meeting in New Zealand, gathering in Dunedin at the Temperance Hall. The first congress was held at the old Caledonian grandstand in South Dunedin.
1884 — The Maori king, Tawhiao (Potatau II), departs New Zealand for England in order to petition Queen Victoria for a separate Maori parliament and an inquiry into land confiscations.
1930 — Dunedin chocolate and biscuit manufacturer Fry Hudson merges with Cadbury; street lighting in Portobello is switched on.
1931 — In a desperate attempt to reduce government spending, New Zealand’s public service salaries and wages are cut by 10%.
1932 — New Zealand public servants suffer a second round of salary reductions and all state benefits and pensions are also reduced. In an attempt to compensate, the Government reduces rents, interest rates and other fixed charges.
1937 — The Royal New Zealand Air Force is made an autonomous branch of New Zealand’s defence forces.
1940 — Following the death of Michael Joseph Savage, Peter Fraser assumes office as prime minister. The former waterside worker and union official is quick to assert firm control on the nation’s finances.
1946 — A family benefit payment to parents or guardians of 10 shillings a week for each child under 16, or under 18 if still attending school, commences in New Zealand.
1947 — The governmentowned National Airways Corporation (NAC) begins operations following its purchase of Union Airways, Cook Strait Airways and Air Travel (New Zealand).
1958 — The PAYE (Pay As You Earn) income tax system is introduced in New Zealand.
1961 — The New Zealand Government assumes full control of TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd), taking over the 50% holding the Australian Government has had since 1954.
1963 — The Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council is founded to promote and develop the arts in New Zealand.
1965 — TEAL changes its name to
Air New Zealand. 1966 — The Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library Service and General Assembly Library combine to become the National Library of New Zealand.
1974 — New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Commission (now Corporation) comes into being. The scheme promoting safety, rehabilitation and compensation to victims of accidents is the first of its kind in the world and removes the legal right of injured people to sue in cases of negligence.
1975 — The functions of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation are split to create two television channels. Television One begins regular broadcasting in colour.
1978 — Air New Zealand and NAC merge to become the first New Zealand carrier to offer both international and domestic air services.
1979 — The Star Weekender begins publication and is distributed to 39,500 homes free in Dunedin.
1984 — A 30yearold man dies at Taranaki Base Hospital to become the first known New Zealander to die from Aids. He contracted HIV while overseas.
1987 — New Zealand’s StateOwned Enterprises Act 1986 comes into effect. The aim is to increase efficiency and profitability by making a number of government departments corporations.
1994 — New Zealand yachtsman Peter Blake crosses the finish line in the 92ft catamaran Enza to win the Jules Verne Trophy for fastest time around the world. His time of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds slashed more than four days off the previous record.
2003 — New Zealand declares Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) a notifiable disease.
Today’s birthdays
Prince Otto von Bismarck, German statesman (18151898); Sergei Rachmaninoff, Russian composer (18731943);
Jane Powell, US actresssinger (1929); Dennis Young, All Black (1930); Debbie Reynolds, US actressentertainer (19322016); Ali MacGraw, US actress (1939); Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican singer (1948); David Gower, English cricketer (1957); Stephen Fleming, New Zealand cricket captain (1973).
Thought for today
Pierre qui roule n’amasse pas mousse (A rolling stone gathers no moss). — French proverb
ODT and agencies