Flavour of New Zealand
NZ popular culture 1960 onward
NZ popular culture 1960 onward
Excerpts from Strange Facts & True about New Zealand should be seen as having validity as of its publishing date of 1981.
New Zealand is a high altitude landmass, with only one quarter of its area under 200 m above sea level. 1
Mr Tim Shadbolt of Auckland holds the world record for the longest speech ever given. Starting on 15 June 1979, he harrangued a crowd non-stop for 32 hours. 1
The first and only recorded instance of a telephone in a toilet was a distinction achieved by the Brown Owl Post Office, Upper Hutt. This odd combination of convenience was caused by a lack of space during Post Office alterations carried out in April 1976. The telephone ended up on one side of the wall, and that side was inside the toilet. 1
New Zealanders consume more butter than any other people in the world – 14.8 kg per head in 1977. The average American, by contrast, consumes only 2.18 kg of butter a year. 1