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.
The oldest pub in New Zealand which is still operating from its original site is the Thistle Inn, on the corner of Sydney and Mulgrave Streets in Wellington. The Thistle Inn was built in 1840 and was opened between July and October of that year by the original publican, William Couper. 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
During 1971 there were more marriages solemnized than in any other year; 27,199 couples were married. 1
Robert Taylor of Greymouth broke the world record for filling a 508kg hopper with coal on 5 January 1980. His time, set at Westport, was 37 secs. 1