A good day to remember William Hardham, VC
It is 102 years since WWI ended and Armistice Day is a good time to remember William Hardham, VC.
Hardham received his Victoria Cross in the Boer War and was the first New Zealand-born soldier to get a VC.
Born in Wellington, he was a blacksmith by trade and a well known sportsman.
He played rugby for Petone and 53 games for Wellington.
Hardham volunteered to serve in the Boer War and held the rank of farrier sergeant major.
On 28 January 1901, Hardham was on a patrol in the Transvaal when it was ambushed by twenty Boers. Although the patrol was able to withdraw, one man was wounded and his horse was shot from under him. Hardham rode to his aid and pulled him to safety while under heavy gunfire.
Hardham was subsequently awarded the VC by the Prince of Wales.
He subsequently had a distinguished career in WW1. Wounded at Gallipoli he returned home before returning to New Zealand. He returned to Palestine and became seriously ill with malaria.
After the war, he suffered from ill health and had numerous jobs, including working for a newspaper.
William James Hardham VC died of stomach cancer in 1928 aged 51. His funeral was attended by Prime Minister Gordon Coates and he is buried in the Karori Cemetery.
The Hardham Cup is still played for by Wellington club rugby teams.
The Petone Rugby Club has a replica VC, his club cap, a citation by the then mayor of Petone and a photo.
What's our best winter activities?
Yes, we love our backyards and think our town is pretty cool but what is there to do?
Imagine you were writing a list for visitors/tourists and want to show them the best that your town can offer in winter. What would you suggest?
Limit rates rises to 3%
A campaign calling on the government to limit rates rises to 3% has been launched by the Taxpayers Union.
The Taxpayers Union is asking people to join them in sending a letter to the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister for Local Government Simeon Brown.
See: www.taxpayers.org.nz...
Poll: Do you believe in ghosts?
Just for a little bit of fun, we'd love to know whether Kiwis believe in ghosts. What goes on in our communities that we don't know about!
Perhaps you've seen a ghost or lived in a haunted home in New Zealand. We'd love to know, so vote in our poll and share your experiences in the comments below.
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56.5% Yes
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41.1% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
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