Friday, April 4, 2014
After everyone caught their flights and busses out, Amy and I were left back on our own. We toured the Parliament building in the afternoon, and while politics have always been over my head, I did learn a couple of things. I do appreciate that New Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote, but the reason behind doing so was really unique. Apparently the Kiwis have always enjoyed overindulging on the booze, and when they were trying to pass prohibition, the government allowed women to vote in hopes that they would support this decision.
Ever wondered how Wellington became the capital city? If I followed the story correctly, this is how it goes. Way back in the day, Auckland use to be the capital. The representatives from the South Island had a very long commute to meet, something like taking a boat from the South Island to Sydney, then Sydney to Auckland. They got tired of it, and wanted a compromise. When they voted to move the capital to more centrally located Wellington, those from Auckland voted against it. Everyone from the South Island resigned because of it, and since they comprised such a large number of politicians, in essence, the New Zealand government ceased to exist. In order to fix this massive dilemma, the Kiwis offered the Aussies $4,000 to make a decision for them. Australia chose Wellington. Pretty neat story, aye?
Steph Dobson 