 | LOCAL HISTORY |
YEAR: 1929
February 14 - Ch-Ch - Lyttelton railway line electrification completed.
June 17 - Murchison Earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale occurred. 17 lives were lost, 10 in the Murchison area. The land which lifted five metres in some places was effected to such an extent as to be virtually uninhabitable. The quake was felt almost everywhere in NZ. The NZ Air Force airlifted supplies to the Murchison area thereby becoming the Air Force's first emergency relief operation.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1928
September 10 - Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew, H Litchfield, T McWilliams and C Ulm flew from Australia to NZ in a Fokker FV II monoplane. The time for the crossing was 14 hours 25 minutes. Eight months earlier, in January, G Hood and J R Moncreiff had disappeared while attempting the first trans-Tasman crossing.
The Canterbury Aero Club is formed.
The Canterbury Repertory Society holds it's first production.
St George's Hospital, the Civic Theatre open and the first NZ speedway takes place.
YEAR: 1927
March 12-15 - Visit of Duke of York (later King George VI)to Ch-Ch.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1926
May 29 - NZ's first sports broadcast - a rugby match from Lancaster Park. Commentator Allan Allardyce was soon to pioneer broadcasts of racing, cricket and hockey for station 3YA. He also gave live coverage of Kingsford-Smith's landing at Wigram in 1928.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1925
Radio Broadcasting Company of NZ incorporated in Christchurch - the country's first public radio company. The company became the major force in early radio, eventually owning and operating a chain of YA stations throughout the country.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1924
July 7 - The character in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire (1981) was based on Arthur Porritt, who won a bronze medal for New Zealand in the 100 metres at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
October 18 - First trans-global radio transmission to London. From the family sheep farm in Shag Valley, East Otago, amateur radio operator Frank Bell sent a ground-breaking Morse code transmission. It was received and replied to by London-based amateur operator Cecil Goyder
November 11 - Bridge of Remembrance opens.
A polio epidemic kills 25 people.
Quail Island's leper colony closes.
The 'Invincibles' rugby team leaves NZ for Britain where it wins all thirty-two matches.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1923
June 14 - NZ permanent Air Force established at Sockburn as the Government takes over the Canterbury Aviation Company. Included in the takeover was Sockburn Aerodrome, which was re-named Wigram a few days later. This was the former Plumpton Park Racecourse.
July 6 - Rail crash at Ongarue, north of Taumarunui when the Auckland to Wellington express derails after hitting a huge landslide on the main trunk line. 17 were killed and 28 injured.
August 11 - Ch-Ch Radio Society begins regular radio transmission with station 3AC.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1922
April 22 - New Zealand's first poppy day. A total of 245,059 small poppies and 15,157 larger versions were sold, earning £13,166. Of that amount, £3,695 was sent to help war-ravaged areas of northern France; the remainder assisted unemployed returned soldiers and their families.
July 10 - Hagley Park & Botanic Gardens included in city boundary.
November - Great Exhibition opens
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1921
January 31 - NZ's first regular airmail service begins between Christchurch, Ashburton and Timaru.
February 15 - Radio Society of Ch-Ch formed.
July 30 - Canterbury becomes the first NZ provincial rugby team to defeat the Springboks.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
YEAR: 1920
First Anzac Day observance, on April 25
May 13-15 - Visit of Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) to Ch-Ch.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
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