TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY is Friday, May 27, the 147th day of 2022. There are 218 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:
1679 — The English Parliament passes the Habeas Corpus Act, protecting citizens against false arrest and imprisonment. The main principles of the Act were later incorporated into the United States Constitution.
1905 — The Japanese fleet destroys the Russian East Sea fleet in the Battle of Tsushima.
1909 — In the Dunedin Supreme Court confidence trickster and crossdresser Amy Bock pleads guilty to charges of false pretences, forgery, and making a false
statement under the Marriage Act. With a string of mostly minor fraud convictions dating back 23 years, and a flair for amateur dramatics allowing her to evade many more, she becomes the first New Zealand woman declared to be a ‘‘habitual criminal’’ (the forerunner of preventive detention). Her sham marriage was annulled in 1909, and Bock was released on probation after serving two years in jail. She had her final day in court, again charged with false pretences, in 1931, at the age of 72.
1914 — A Wellington to Auckland express train rearends a northbound freight train after it passes a faulty semaphore signal at Whangamarino in the Waikato. Three people are killed and five seriously injured.
1936 — Britain’s luxury liner Queen Mary begins its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
1937 — The Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco and Marin County, California, is opened to the public.
1941 — The German battleship Bismarck is sunk by the British navy off France in World War 2, with the loss of 2300 lives.
1950 — Otago’s Ron Elvidge captains and scores a late try in the All Blacks’ hardfought 9all draw in the first test of the series against the touring Lions at Carisbrook, before a crowd of 35,000. The referee was double All Black Eric Tindall.
1951 — Sergeant William Shore Hughes
is fatally shot by Noema Raana Rika, while trying to protect the female occupants within a house at Otaki. A short time later Rika gained access to the premises and killed all the occupants before turning the gun upon himself.
1965 — Prime Minister Keith Holyoake announces New Zealand will send an artillery unit to Vietnam. The commitment eventually extends to include infantry brigades, SAS and medical teams.
1973 — New Zealand becomes a member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
1987 — Rated as one of New Zealand’s most prominent artists, Colin McCahon dies in Auckland aged 67.
1990 — In Ranfurly, Senior Constable Peter Umbers is bashed to death with his own PR24 baton after he stopped robbery suspect Richard Thomas Lakich. Lakich later pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. For his bravery in the execution of his duty, Umbers
was posthumously awarded the George Medal.
1992 — The Clyde hydro powerhouse begins generating electricity continuously for the national grid.
1995 — Actor Christopher Reeve is left a tetraplegic when thrown from his horse during a jumping event in Charlottesville, Virginia.
2004 — Dunedin’s Greg Henderson wins the 15km scratch race at the World Cycling Championships in Melbourne.
2006 — Thick fog descends over Jade Stadium, Christchurch, for the Super 14 rugby final between the Crusaders and the Hurricanes. The match proceeds but television coverage is a virtual whiteout and commentary for both television and radio is restricted to halfguesses and admissions of complete ignorance as to what is taking place on the field of play.
2020 — America’s Covid19 death toll passes 100,000 (Johns Hopkins figures) equal to the number of US servicemen and
women who were killed in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan put together.
Today’s birthdays:
Sir Thomas Sidey, New Zealand politician (18631933); David (Allan) Highet, New Zealand politician (191392); Gordon Leggat, New Zealand cricketer/administrator (192673); Louis Gossett jun, US actor (1936); Graham (Jock) Edwards, New Zealand cricketer (19552020); Stephen Lovatt, New Zealand actor (1964); Joseph Fiennes, English actor (1970); Sara Wiseman, New Zealand actress (1972); Ian Winchester, New Zealand international discus thrower (1973); Tana
Umaga, All Black (1973); Jamie Oliver, British chef and television personality (1975).
Quote of the day:
‘‘We used to say that he who threw the biggest tantrum won the day.’’ — Neil Finn, New Zealand singersongwriter, who was born on this day in 1958.