Good news! Fans of news, information, primary sources, local history, and all things Ōtautahi Christchurch! The Press on Papers Past now goes from 1861 all the way up to 31 December 1995. This latest addition of the years 1990 to 1995 means you can explore the big news stories, dramas, and hot topics of the early nineties.
First things first, you look up yourself (if you're of the right age) and your family and friends ... Here is us! On the 18th of December 1993, the new Linwood Library opened. The next August, in 1994 the 250,000th item was borrowed by Lily-Renee Lomas and her mum Karen.
In 1995, we were in the news again because we were the first New Zealand library on the World Wide Web Library OPAC on Internet, Tuesday 13 June 1995:
In the first such move by a New Zealand public library, the Canterbury Public Library has put its On-line Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) on the Internet, and is the first to offer World Wide Web pages. The new on-line services are geared towards all library users. The aim is to provide the catalogue on-line and publish electronic information to complement the piinted information sources the library already provides, according to Research and Business Iibrarian, Paul Sutherland, who spearheaded the effort. Focusing on the general public as well as the local business community, the World Wide Web pages provide information about library services, as well as specific research services and database systems for businesses.
On a technology tip:
- On 20 May 1991, Canterbury Television (CTV) began test transmission with view of sunrise and Victoria Square being cleaned.
- 7 September 1995 saw the opening of Christchurch’s first cyber-café, Sachmo’s (formerly Rio’s), in the Shades Arcade, with free e-mail facilities.
The big snow: Thursday 27 August 1992
The "Big Snow of 1992" was Canterbury's heaviest snowstorm for 30 years. Snowfalls of 5cm to 30 cm fell in Christchurch and over 100cm fell on the Port Hills. Have a look at the front page on Friday 28 August. Find out more on our Snow Days page.
Politics
Geoffrey Palmer was Prime Minister until 4 September 1990, when Mike Moore became PM. After the General Election on 27 October 1990, the National Party swept into power with the new Cabinet including Canterbury MPs Ruth Richardson as Minister of Finance, Jenny Shipley as Minister of Social Welfare. National stayed in power in the 1993 General Election
Vicki Buck was Mayor of Christchurch from 1989 to 1998.
In December 1994, MP for Christchurch Central (and future mayor of Christchurch) Lianne Dalziel, was named in TIME magazine’s list of 100 young leaders for the new millennium.
Hard times
On Wednesday 21 November 1990, Christchurch’s first community foodbank opened by the Pataka Trust.
On 19 December 1990, the National Government's benefit cuts saw Family Benefit abolished and most benefits reduced by 25 per cent, sparking protests and dissent.
(read Protest over benefit cuts, The Press, 22 December 1990).
"Ruthanasia" was first mentioned in The Press on 14 February 1991 (quoting Ken Douglas from the Council of Trade Unions).
"The Mother of all budgets" was front page news on Tuesday 30 July 1991.
Also in the news:
There was a National Māori Day of Action on Wednesday 24 April 1991. In Ōtautahi, more than 250 people marched from Rehua Marae to the Square to give the government a strong message.
The president of the Post-Primary Teachers' Association, Ms Shona Hearn, said the Employment Contracts Bill, the benefit cuts and proposed cuts to Kohanga Reo funding, would impact severely on Maori people. "The Government needs to rethink its approach to economic and social policy before the present inequality is cemented into place for ever," she said.
Read: Protest March for Maori grievances, The Press, 26 April 1991, Page 3
Crimes
The first reporting of the Civic Creche case was on 2 December 1991. Four childcare workers arrested, was front page news in The Press, Friday 2 October 1992.
Peter Ellis was sentenced to 10 years in jail, as reported 23 June 1993.
The Bain Murders in Andersons Bay, Dunedin on 20 June 1994 were first reported: Five killings may be murder-suicide.
Also in the news:
- The Harris Gang (various crimes)
- Julie Sands (a 14-year-old schoolgirl murdered in Rangiora in 1992)
- Professor David Lloyd (attempted poisoning by his former partner Dr Victoria Calder)
- Gay Oakes (convicted of murdering her de facto partner)
In The Press, Saturday 6 August 1994, British murder mystery writer Anne Perry admits that she was the convicted murderer Juliet Hulme. The year before, shooting began for Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, about the Parker-Hulme murder.
Death and Disaster
On Wednesday 14 November 1990, thirteen people were shot dead at Aramoana, The front page of The Press on Thursday 15 November had headlines "Killer shot after night of slaughter", "Lawns moved in midst of mayhem", and "Bookshop owner alert to 'oddball'".
Billy T James' death on Wednesday 7 August 1991 at the age of 42 was front page news.
In The Press of 30 November 1991, it was reported that Warren Ruscoe was charged with aiding and abetting the suicide of his tetraplegic friend Greg Nesbit.
12 October 1993, it was front page news that Christchurch climber Gary Ball has died from altitude sickness in the Himalayas.
The Press on Wednesday 23 November 1994 reported on the death the previous day of Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, aged 86, the only combatant soldier in the British Empire to win VC and bar.
The front page of The Press on Saturday 29 April 1995 reported on the Cave Creek tragedy Cliff plunge at Cave Creek kills 14.
Christchurch engineer and property developer John Britten died on Tuesday 5 September 1995, and an article John Britten dies at 45 was on the next day's front page.
On Friday 20 October, the front page told the story of a hot air balloon disaster. On Thursday 19 October, a Japanese man and woman and a Taiwanese man drowned after a hot air balloon drifted off course in high winds at Waimairi Beach.
Famous People 1990 to 1995
If you picked up The Press in the 1990s, here are some more names you'd see:
- Tipene O'Regan Chairman of the Ngai Tahu Board
- Annalise Coberger Olympic skiing medallist
- Michael Tan got Bursary maths at the age of 7
- Carver Riki Manuel
- Sir Hamish Hay
- Broadcaster Ken Ellis
- The Hilary Morgan custody case was big news in 1990, when Hilary was found to be living with her grandparents in Christchurch.
There are 792 results for a search on cricketer Richard Hadlee!
The Arts
Pacific Underground was first mentioned in The Press on 10 December 1992. Read more about these local legends in Audioculture.
'The Piano' goes into territory rarely tackled by directors, reviewed by Hans Petrovic 20 September 1993.
Everything was coming up Peter Jackson
- Forgotten Silver was in the TV guide as a doco on 28 October 1995, but was revealed as a hoax on 30 October.
- Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, about the Parker-Hulme murder was first mentioned on 18 August 1992. The Press covers the next steps, from auditions and casting to the first screenings.
- In 1995, it was The Frighteners. On 5 May 1995, he had London Street, Lyttelton, cordoned off. Here's a look at what it was like to be an extra.
How Bizarre by OMC popped into the charts at #15 on 15 December 1995 ...
1990s Places
Nga Hau e Wha National Marae in Pages Road, Aranui opened on 26 May 1990.
November 1990 was a big month for local shoppers. On 4 November 1990, there was a Big rush for Big Fresh. On Thursday 15 November, the $30 million South City Centre opened.
19 September 1993 was the Women’s Suffrage Centennial. The Kate Sheppard National Memorial near Worcester Street bridge was unveiled.
Famous visitors
- Kiri Te Kanawa
- Elton John
- Victor Borge
- UB40
- Peter Ustinov
- Jon Pertwee
- Anne Geddes
- Dire Straits
- Tina Turner
- U2
- Assorted royals
- Air France Concorde supersonic airliner
- Cliff Richard
- The Eagles
There were queues for Elle Macpherson appearing at Arthur Barnetts.
Cool alert - did you know, Radiohead played at McCarthy's Saloon Bar on Tuesday 21 June 1994, Darren Sharp reviewed the show.
I'm also thrilled to know that British actress Jacqueline Pearce - Servalan in the tv show Blake's Seven was a guest at a sci-fi convention in 1990.
Want more 90s stuff?
- Read Christchurch in the Nineties by Geoffrey W. Rice (it's a chronology of events from The Press, 1990 to 2000)
- Browse photos and more from the 1990s in Canterbury Stories
- Do a Christchurch in the Nineties quiz
- Look at the 1990s timeline on New Zealand History Ngā korero a ipurangi o Aotearoa
Find out more
- Visit Papers Past to view digitised full-text New Zealand and Pacific newspapers, magazines and journals, books, and other formats.
- View The Press online 1861 to 1995
The Press is digitised by the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa. with the support of Christchurch City Libraries and Stuff Ltd.
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