New Zealand Trivia Quiz

Answer: Richard Pearse

Pearse, a farmer, was a self taught inventor and aviator.
On or around 31st March 1903 Richard Pearse climbed into a self-built monoplane and flew for about 140 metres before crashing into a gorse hedge on his Waitohi property. There is uncertainty about whether his flight met the definitions of sustained flight, but it came eight months before the Wright Brothers entered the record books at Kitty Hawk North Carolina on 17th December 1903.
Apparantly, his design is still used to some effect today, in what is more commonly called a 'microlite'.
So decide what you will!
Incidentally, the other 3 names are made up.

Answer: John Money

Alan MacDiarmid was an "Information Age Pioneer," MacDiarmid and his colleagues discovered that plastics could conduct electricity. Application of the research is seen to be the future of information technology. He was awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize for chemistry.

Ernest Rutherford, possibly one of the most famous kiwi scientists, creator of modern atomic physics and forerunner of the nuclear age, one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1908.

Maurice Wilkins, Nobel Prize winner in Physiology and Medicine in 1962. Research undertaken by Wilkins helped lead to the discovery in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick of the DNA molecule structure - the very essence of life itself. The discovery revolutionised biology and medicine.

John Money, 'sexoligist', hero or anti-hero? Pioneer in the science of human sexuality, this kiwi is "the world's leading successor to Freud, Kinsey and Masters and Johnson."

Answer: True

When Taupo erupted nearly 2000 years ago in the biggest volcanic eruption in history, people in Rome and China witnessed deep red sunsets and darkened skies.
In its place is New Zealands biggest lake, Lake Taupo.

Answer: Wood Pigeon

According to the legend, the Kiwi was the only bird who answered Tane Mahuta's call, thus sacrificing his wings and beautiful colours, but also then becoming the most revered bird in NZ. The Pukeko, was too scared of getting his feet wet, so it was then banished to the swamp, while the Tui was scared of the dark, so then had the distinctive white feathers under his 'chin' to show him as a coward.

If you want a 're-cap' of this legend, you can read it at this link.

http://www.kiwinewz.com/html/losewing.htm

Amazing the things you remember from your childhood isn't it?

Answer: Poor Knights

Beneath the surface of the Poor Knights, a world of diving has been compressed into a relatively small area, not too disimilar to the way so many extremes are crammed into New Zealand. The caves, arches, tunnels and sheer cliffs provide a great variety of habitats to explore.
Subtropical fish living in the marine reserve are found nowhere else in New Zealand, having found their way to Poor Knights on the subtropical East Auckland current.

Although there is most definately nothing wrong with the diving at any of the others, although the Three Kings is a little far out to be a diving spot, and is more a game fishing destination.

Answer: Canterbury & Wellington

Other unions soon followed, but it was not until 1892 that the New Zealand Rugby Footbal Union was formed to administer the game at a national level.

Answer: Auckland

Maori people are first thought to have settled in the Auckland region approximately 650 years ago. The name given by the Maori for the area, 'Tamaki', meaning 'battle', would seem relavent considering its temperate climate and fertile soils would have been sought after by the various tribes.

Answer: 1893

They played a 10 game tour of Australia, and with it, the birth of arguably the greatest rugby nation!
In many of the smaller rugby countries where people may not even know where New Zealand is, they would most certainly have heard of the All Blacks.

Answer: Matauri

The bay has become well known recently as the final resting place of the Rainbow Warrior. People come from around the world to dive on the Warrior and the nearby Cavalli Islands.
Apparently the French people were outraged at the bombing, not because of what they did, but because they got caught!
Prior to this, Matauri Bay was more renowned for its temperate climate, white sand beaches, and crystal clear water, and at times a great place to surf!

Matai Bay is a lovely little spot even further north, white sandy beaches, surrounded by Pohutukawa's.

Matapouri, a popular day out from Whangarei, or a stop at the 'dairy' for an ice cream on the way to Sandy Bay for a surf.

Mangawhai Heads is a popular surf beach, about 40 minutes south of Whangarei, and incidentally, a very tough 'links' like golf course!

Answer: False

Actually it's called "God Defend New Zealand", and if you need to brush up on it, or check out the full first verse, here is a link to it

http://nz.com/NZ/Culture/Music/NatAnthem.html