Today in history
Today is Tuesday, September 4, the 247th day of 2018. There are 118 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:
1781 — Los Angeles is founded by Spanish settlers and named El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles (The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels).
1863 — Huria Matenga swims with a line to the crew of the stricken Delaware off Pepin Island, Nelson. She later becomes known as ‘‘the Grace Darling of New Zealand’’.
1886 — At Skeleton Canyon in Arizona, Geronimo, Apache chief and leader of the last great Red
Indian rebellion, surrenders to General Nelson Miles.
1910 — Former residents of the ancient royal town of Musselburgh, Scotland, lay the foundation stone for the Presbyterian church at Musselburgh, Dunedin.
1926 — A fire during a race meeting at Wingatui completely destroys the stewards’ stand.
Although the building contained the jockeys’ dressing room and weighingin area, the meeting continued after a short 20min delay.
1939 — With New Zealand announcing its involvement following the declaration of war in Europe, Christian pacifist Ormond Burton is arrested after denouncing the war to a crowd outside Parliament. He and a number of others are sentenced to jail terms of up to two and ahalf years; GovernorGeneral Viscount Galway sends a telegram to Britain confirming New Zealand’s entry into World War 2.
— Japanese troops evacuate Milne Bay, New Guinea, the first defeat of a Japanese amphibious landing in World War 2.
1948 — Wilhelmina, queen of the Netherlands from 1890 and throughout World Wars 1 and 2, abdicates in favour of her daughter Juliana.
1962 — North Otago beats the touring Australian rugby team 1413 at the Oamaru Showgrounds. Tries were scored for North Otago by Bill Pile and All Black triallist Ian (Ghosty) Coe.
1964 — New Zealand deploys troops in Malaysia
after insurgents enter the Malay Peninsula.
1970 — In Chile, Salvador Allende becomes the first Marxist freely elected president in the Western hemisphere.
1974 — A state funeral is held for New Zealand prime minister Norman Kirk at St Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington. Prince Charles represents the Queen.
1990 — Mike Moore (Labour) becomes prime minister, after ousting Geoffrey Palmer in the leadup to the general election.
1996 — New Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes the hand of Yasser Arafat at a meeting on the IsraelGaza border to help clear the air of animosity.
2001 — Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji’s first ethnic Indian prime minister, is elected to Parliament along with George Speight, who overthrew Chaudry’s government 16 months earlier.
2003 — Around 400 farmers clog Wellington’s innercity streets with various farm vehicles and
‘‘No Fart Tax!’’ signage, as they present a petition to Government containing 64,136 signatures protesting a proposed tax on agricultural emissions.
2010 — A magnitude7.1 earthquake causes widespread damage to Christchurch, closing the central business district for days and necessitating a state of emergency to be declared, which stayed in place until September 16. Despite a number of minor injuries, there was no loss of life, partly attributed to the fact the earthquake struck at 4.35am. There was looting of affected businesses and opportunist burglaries of badly damaged homes; nine people are killed when a light aircraft crashes and catches fire when taking off from the airstrip at Fox Glacier. It is thought the cause was overloading.
Today’s birthdays:
James Hargest, New Zealand military officer and politician (18911944); Phil Amos, New Zealand politician (19252007); Dawn Fraser, Australian Olympic swimming champion (1937); David Liebman, US musician (1946); Robbie Deans, All Black (1959); Kevin Kennedy, English actor (1961); Darrin Murray, New Zealand cricket international (1967); Inga Tuigamala, Samoan and New Zealand rugby representative (1969);
Haidee Tiffen, New Zealand cricket international (1979); Beyonce Knowles, US singer (1981); Peter Hume, New Zealand musician (1985);
Elliot Dixon, All Black (1989).
Quote from history:
‘‘I’m like the boy that never grew up . . . I love what
I do . . . and people are like, ‘God, give this guy a valium or something, you know? Can’t he have a bad day?’ ’’ — Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, who was killed on September 4, 2006, aged 44, by a stingray barb through the heart while filming in waters off the Queensland coast.