Flavour of New Zealand

16-Feb-1975
The trial began of Dr William Sutch, retired Secreatry of Industries and Commerce, on charges under the 1951 Official Secrets Act alleging that he had passed information to a Russian agent. Sutch was acquitted. ³

01-Apr-1975
TV-2 began broadcasting, choosing for its opening broadcast NZ's first telethon, raising nearly $600,000 for the St John's Ambulance. ²

01-Apr-1975
The NZ drama series Close to Home began. ²

01-Apr-1975
The NZBC was replaced by its component parts: Television One, Television Two, and Radio New Zealand. Each had its own board. TV1 was Wellington and Dunedin based while TV2 worked out of Auckland and Christchurch. ³

24-Apr-1975
Mount Ruapehu erupted and the Staircase Kiosk was damaged by a lahar. ²

01-Aug-1975
New Zealand roads now had metric speed limits. ²

12-Aug-1975
John Walker set a new world record for the mile of 3 minutes and 49.4 seconds and became the first to break the 3m 50s barrier. ³

13-Oct-1975
New Zealand's largest protest march, bearing the banner 'Te Roopu oto Matakite', arrived at Parliament having left Te Hapua in Northland on 14th September. The land march was led by 80-year-old Whina Cooper and carried a petition opposing the sale of any more Maori land. ³

01-Dec-1975
The one millionth New Zealand telephone subscriber was connected. ²

05-Dec-1975
New Zealand's first male kindergarten teacher graduated from Dunedin's Teachers' College. He was David Carmichael who had already been a lecturer at the Kindergarten Teachers' College. ³