8 April

1873 Julius Vogel becomes premier

Julius Vogel was the dominant political figure of the 1870s, serving as colonial treasurer and premier on several occasions, and launching massive programmes of immigration and public works. Read more...

1913 Smallpox epidemic kills 55

By the end of the year the epidemic, which was intoduced by a Mormon missionary, had killed 55 New Zealanders, all of them Māori. Read more...