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On November 16th, 1840, New Zealand officially became a separate colony within the British Empire, severing its link to New South Wales. North, South and Stewart islands were to be known respectively as the provinces of New Ulster, New Munster and New Leinster. · William Hobson had been appointed Britain’s consul to New Zealand in 1839. He was instructed to obtain sovereignty over all or part of New Zealand with the consent of ‘a sufficient…

There is a paradox at the heart  of Israel’s tactics in Lebanon. · While it steps up its bombing campaign in southern Lebanon, the assassination of senior Hezbollah leaders may actually pose a threat to its operational objectives.  · By eliminating the old guard, Israel has lost a critical element highlighted by Sun Tzu in The Art of War: to know oneself, to know the battlefield, and to know the enemy. Israel now faces an unfamiliar enemy – a…

The UN climate conference kicks off this week amid serious headwinds: average global temperatures in 2024 are on track to be the highest on record, and future US support for climate action could be in serious jeopardy with the re-election of Donald Trump as president.  · Extreme weather in the US, Europe, Southeast Asia and elsewhere has shown that the increasing intensity and frequency of storms, droughts, heatwaves and other events is part of…

Dunedin became the first New Zealand town with a daily newspaper when the first issue of the Otago Daily Times was published on November 15th 1861. · The English-born Julius Vogel (who later became premier of New Zealand) had been recognised as a talented journalist in Victoria before arriving in Dunedin, which was gripped by gold fever. He soon formed a partnership with William Henry Cutten, editor of the weekly Otago Witness. Both men thought…

The passage of the Social Security Amendment Act by Norman Kirk’s Labour government introduced a domestic purposes benefit (DPB) to New Zealand’s social welfare system on 14 November 1973, · The creation of the new benefit was one of the recommendations of a Royal Commission on Social Security which reported in 1972. The DPB was primarily intended to help female New Zealand residents with a dependent child or children who had lost the…

This isn’t called Forgotten Chicken because you’re going to forget about it. Quite the contrary, in fact,  once you try it you’ll remember it forever! It’s more that it’s so easy and hands off that you can forget about it if you needed to. ·  It’s a whole meal in a baking dish — flavorful rice and juicy chicken — and all you have to do is stir a few things together in a baking dish and pop it in the oven. · Ingredients · 2 cups rice · 1 can…

David Seymour has criticised media coverage of a recent hīkoi (protest march), questioning why reports fail to mention the organiser’s political affiliations. · In a tweet, Seymour noted that Eru Kapa-Kingi, the hīkoi leader, is employed by Te Pāti Māori in Parliament and was a candidate for the party in the 2023 election. · Eru Kapa-Kingi, a well-known Māori activist from Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi serves as Vice-President Tāne and advisor for Te…

For the first time, there's scientific evidence that a smaller, lesser known component of the cannabis plant – cannabinol – delivers better quality and longer sleep. It paves the way for finally having an effective sleep aid sourced from medical cannabis that's comparable to existing medications. · Researchers from the University of Sydney's Lambert Initiative have provided much-needed scientific evidence that backs anecdotal claims that an…

When a raging forest fire is approaching a community, a good rainfall greatly reduces the chances of the flames actually reaching the buildings. But if rain isn't in the forecast … well, that's where the RainStream tower is designed to come in. · Manufactured by Canadian company Wildfire Innovations Inc, the device takes the form of a telescoping steel tower that lies on its side (and shortened down) on an integrated trailer when not in use. It…

It’s Divisive – Yeah Right · Our Prime Ministerial puppet Christopher Luxon claims that there is nothing in the Treaty Principles Bill that he agrees with and in fact he claims it is over simplistic and will do great harm to the relationship between Maori and other races in New Zealand. · I call him a puppet on purpose because surely he has to be spouting someone else’s views on this bill; he can’t possibly be dumb enough to really believe…