TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY is Saturday, June 12, the 163rd day of 2021. There are 202 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:
1804 — James Cavanagh, a prisoner on board the Lady Nelson, escapes and becomes the first known European to live in Northland.
1845 — Hone Heke suffers his only defeat in battle, at Te Ahuahu, by forces led by progovernment chiefs.
1902 — The New Zealand Ensign Act passes into law, approving the use of the New Zealand Ensign with the Southern Cross as the national flag. Its description was gazetted two weeks later.
1942 — Eleven die when a B17 bomber crashes at the Whenuapai RNZAF base in Auckland; the first US troops arrive in Auckland in World War 2. Over the following two years, about 100,000 American servicemen would spend time in New Zealand, which became a rear base for the Allies’ counteroffensive against Japan.
1950 — Due to Seacliff Hospital’s unsuitable state, a start is made on a new villatype mental hospital at Cherry Farm, on the main highway south of Waikouaiti.
1964 — Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and other antiapartheid leaders are sentenced to life in prison.
1977 — New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon is one of the Commonwealth heads of government who endorse the Gleneagles Agreement. The document discourages sporting contacts with South Africa because of its policy of apartheid.
1989 — The Local Government Commission confirms new boundaries for local governments, the first since the abolition of the provincial government system in 1878. It splits North Otago between Otago and Canterbury, with five districts in Otago: Waitaki, Central Otago, QueenstownLakes, Clutha and Dunedin City.
1994 — Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman are found stabbed to death in Brentwood, California; her exhusband, former American football star O.J. Simpson, is later acquitted of their murder.
2004 — Graham Henry’s first match as coach of the All Blacks sees Dan Carter play outside first fiveeighth Carlos Spencer and score 21 points in the All Blacks’ 363 victory over the world champion England side at Carisbrook.
2006 — Crown prosecutors allege that this is the day twins Chris and Cru Kahui received fatal injuries in one of the most publicised cases of child abuse in New Zealand. Their father, Chris, received a notguilty verdict at his trial.
2011 — An ash cloud from a Chilean volcanic eruption forces the cancellation of a number of flights from New Zealand airports.
2014 — Otago’s Mark Craig becomes the first international cricketer to hit a six off the first ball he ever faced in a test match, against the West Indies, in Jamaica. New Zealand went on to win the first test of the series. He also took eight wickets, the most on debut by a New Zealander.
2018 — North Korean leader Kim Jongun and US President Donald Trump meet at a Singapore summit. It was the first time a North Korean leader and an incumbent US President have ever met.
Today’s birthdays:
George Bush, former US president (19242018); Anne Frank, Germanborn diarist (19291945); Rocky Burnette, US singer/songwriter (1953); Rebecca Holden, US actress/singer (1958); Philippa Baker, New Zealand rower (1963); Lorraine Downes, former New Zealand beauty queen and Miss Universe (1964); Paula
Marshall, US actress (1964); Frances O'Connor, English/Australian actress (1967); Rick Hoffman, US actor (1970).
Quote of the day:
‘‘I had a liver transplant, then I had a pacemaker put in, then I had a new knee put it, then I had a heart valve put in. I'm almost brandnew. I have a lot of new parts.’’ — Jim Nabors, US actor famous for playing the role of Gomer Pyle, who was born on this day in 1930. He died in 2017 aged 87.