25 May 1861
“Christchurch Press” appears. The first editor was ex-Superintendent James FitzGerald, a bitter opponent of the proposed Lyttelton-Christchurch railway tunnel. He and supporters began the paper to air their views.
25 May 1903
Statue of Queen Victoria unveiled in Market Square, and the area is renamed Victoria Square.
25 May 1969
First pair of one-way streets (Lichfield and St Asaph Streets) in operation. With traffic signals eventually controlled by a computer, this was the beginning of New Zealand’s first area traffic control scheme.
26 May 1859
Public Library begins as the Mechanics Institute in Town Hall.
28 May 1840
Major Bunbury on HMS “Herald” visits Akaroa collecting signatures of Maori chiefs for the Treaty of Waitangi.
28 May 1955
First parking meters installed.
29 May 1967
Opening of the new Bank of New Zealand building in Cathedral Square.
30 May 1874
First rugby match played.
More May events in the Christchurch chronology: a timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European times to 1989.
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