Today in History

1798 – Ferdinand IV of Naples declares war on France and enters Rome.

1877 – Education Act establishes free, compulsory and secular education for all Pākehā children in New Zealand. Māori children can attend if their parents wish.

1893 – Elizabeth Yates is elected mayor of Onehunga, the first female mayor in the British Empire.

1922 – Archaeologists announce they have found fabulous treasures in the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt.

1929 – US Navy Lieutenant

Richard E Byrd, left, makes the first aircraft flight over South Pole.

1947 – United Nations announces plan to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab entities, with Jerusalem under UN control.

1949 – Iriaka Ratana elected first female Māori MP.

1981 – US actress Natalie Wood drowns in mysterious circumstances after a yacht party. 1997 – France passes a nationality law that allows citizenship for children born in France of foreign parents.

2001 – Beatle George Harrison dies, aged 58.

2005 – In the first major ruling of Pope Benedict’s reign, the Vatican imposes restrictions on homosexuals entering the priesthood, saying men must first overcome any ‘‘transitory’’ gay tendencies.

2008 – Danish architect Jorn Utzon – who designed the Sydney Opera House – dies at age 90.

Birthdays

Louisa May Alcott, US author (1832-88); C S Lewis, British author (1898-1963); Alister McIntosh, NZ diplomat (1906-78); Jacques Chirac, French politician (1932-2019); John Mayall, British blues musician (1933-); Don Cheadle, US actor (1964-); Ryan Giggs, UK football player/manager (1973-); Chadwick Boseman, US actor (1976-2020); Aaron Mauger, NZ rugby player/ coach (1980-).