7 May

1846 Devastating landslide at Lake Taupō

A devastating landslide obliterated the Ngāti Tūwharetoa village of Te Rapa on the south-west shore of Lake Taupō. Read more...

1856 Henry Sewell becomes the country’s first premier

Sewell held the position for just 14 days before being replaced by his provincialist rival William Fox, whose ministry in turn lasted just over a week. Read more...

1888 Anti-Chinese hysteria in Dunedin

A meeting in Dunedin presided over by the mayor unanimously called for a ban on further Chinese migrants. Read more...