Today in history
Today is Monday, October 1, the 274th day of 2018. There are 91 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:
1800 — The Third Treaty of San Ildefonso, a secret agreement between the Spanish Empire and the First French Republic, by which Spain agrees in principle to exchange its North American colony of Louisiana for territories in Tuscany, is signed.
1831 — John Guard jun is the first European born
in the South Island, at Te Awaiti.
1834 — Forces from HMS Alligator shell Waimate pa on the south Taranaki coast, in the first action taken by British troops in New Zealand.
1853 — Having begun on July 14, the first election of 37 members for New Zealand’s House of Representatives is finally completed.
1869 — The world’s first official prepaid postcards
are issued by the Austrian Post Office.
1877 — The Mosgiel to Outram railway is opened.
1881 — New Zealand’s first manual telephone exchange is officially opened in the chief post office in Christchurch. The poles erected for New Zealand’s first telephone exchanges, late in the 19th century, were humorously dubbed
‘‘lemon trees’’ after Charles Lemon of the Post and Telegraph Department.
1887 — Made possible by the development of the railways, New Zealand’s first inland parcel post service begins.
1908 — Ford Motor Company introduces the
Model T, the first car to be massproduced.
1914 — Turkey closes the Dardenelles to the Allies
in World War 1. 1918 — Arab forces assisted by the British under
T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) capture Damascus from the Turks.
1923 — A team from Dunedin’s Seacliff Football Club defeats Wellington YMCA 40 at Wellington’s Athletic Park to become the first winner of the Chatham Cup, New Zealand football’s premier knockout competition.
1925 — New Zealand takes over administration of
the Tokelau Islands from Great Britain.
1928 — The Soviet Union inaugurates its first fiveyear plan to increase farm and industrial production.
1933 — The fourth Maori king, Te Rata Mahuta
Potatau Te Wherowhero, dies.
1941 — The Royal New Zealand Navy is created, with the country’s naval forces ceasing to be part of the Royal Navy; a goods train plunges from a bridge into the Whanganui River.
1949 — The People’s Republic of China is proclaimed in Beijing under Mao Tsetung, with Zhou Enlai as premier and foreign minister. 1962 — Sir Guy Powles takes up his role as New
Zealand’s first ombudsman.
1964 — Japan’s bullet train, running between Tokyo
and Osaka, makes its first journey.
1969 — An AngloFrench Concorde supersonic aircraft breaks the sound barrier for the first time in a test flight over France.
1975 — In what is called ‘‘The Thrilla in Manila’’, heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in 14 rounds.
1978 — The South Pacific archipelago of Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, becomes independent from Britain.
1979 — The Panama Canal Zone is formally handed
over to Panama after 70 years of US control.
1986 — New Zealand’s Goods and Service Tax (GST) comes into force. Initially adding 10% to the cost of all goods and services, it is raised to 12.5% three years later, and to 15% on this day, October 1, in 2010.
1987 — Fiji coup leader Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka
formally revokes his country’s constitution, saying he has replaced Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, with power to rule by decree.
1989 — Pakistan rejoins the Commonwealth after a 17year absence; Denmark becomes the first nation in the world to allow homosexuals to marry.
2006 — Families in northwest Nigeria are swept away in a torrent of water and at least 40 people die after a dam collapses.
Today’s birthdays
Henry III, king of England (12071272); Robert McNab, New Zealand politician (18641917); Francis Earl Johnston, New Zealandborn British Army officer and World War 1 (18711917); Bonnie Parker, US outlaw (19101934); Jack McLean, All Black (19232005); Jimmy Carter, US president (1924); Julie Andrews, Englishborn singeractress (1935); Rob Davis, English musician (1947); Sir Peter Blake, New Zealand yachtsman (19482001); Trevor Coker, New Zealand Olympic rower (19491981); Randy Quaid, US actor (1950); Athol (Joe) Earl, New Zealand Olympic rower (1952); Blu Cantrell, US singer (1976); Tom Donnelly, All Black (1981).
Thought for today:
Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real. — Jules Verne, French author (18281905). ODT and agencies