The Parliamentary Library was lit up on 26 September 2007 to mark the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of dominion status.
Anniversaries
Articles
Labour Day
Celebrated on the fourth Monday in October, Labour Day commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day, a right that carpenter Samuel Parnell had famously fought for in 1840. Our first Labour Day was held on 28 October 1890, and it has been a statutory public holiday since 1900. Read the full article
The Merchant Navy
3 September is Merchant Navy Day, which was first officially commemorated in New Zealand in 2010. The date marks the sinking of the first Allied merchant ship in 1939, just hours after the Second World War began. This is the story of the 'fourth service' at war. Read the full article
Page 7 - Merchant Navy timeline
An outline of some of the key events relating to the war at sea and merchant shipping in the Second World War, with a particular focus on New Zealand involvement.
Dominion status
On 26 September 1907 the colony of New Zealand ceased to exist. It became, instead, a dominion within the British Empire. Read the full article
Page 1 - Dominion status
On 26 September 1907 the colony of New Zealand ceased to exist. It became, instead, a dominion within the British
Page 2 - Becoming a dominion
New Zealand had its own reasons for wanting to become a dominion. Premier Sir Joseph Ward hoped the term ‘dominion’ would remind the world that New Zealand was not part of
Page 3 - The first Dominion Day
The first Dominion Day, 1907, was a holiday for public servants as all government offices closed to mark the occasion.
Page 4 - Demise of Dominion Day
Dominion Day, 26 September, never really took hold in New Zealand. Wellington was one of the few places that kept up ceremonies after
Page 5 - What changed?
What changed when New Zealand became a dominion in
Page 7 - Dominion status symposium, 2007
Read and hear the papers from the Dominion status symposium held at Parliament Buildings on Dominion Day - 26 September
Christmas in New Zealand
Christmas in New Zealand is less about snow and sleigh bells and more about sun, sand and backyard barbecues. Over the holiday season we explore the Kiwi Christmas experience – from Abel Tasman’s first New Zealand Christmas in 1642 to the declining reign of the Queen’s message Read the full article
Page 1 - Kiwi Christmas
Christmas in New Zealand is less about snow and sleigh bells and more about sun, sand and backyard barbecues. Over the holiday season we explore the Kiwi Christmas experience
