Today is Saturday, August 1, the 213th day of 2026. There are 152 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date: 1498 — Christopher Columbus lands on mainland America, but thinking it is an island, calls it Isla Santa. 1560 — Scotland’s Parliament abolishes papal jurisdiction and approves a Calvinistic confession of faith, thus founding the Church of Scotland. 1714 — George Louis, Elector of Hanover, is named King George I of Great Britain after the death of Queen Anne. 1774 — British chemist Joseph Priestley identifies a gas which he calls ‘‘dephlogisticated air’’, later known as oxygen. 1793 — France becomes the first country to use the metric system of weights and measures, a byproduct of the French Revolution. 1798 — A British fleet commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson devastates its French opponents and wins the Battle of the Nile. 1831 — New London Bridge is opened by King William IV. It lasted 140 years and was then sold and rebuilt in Arizona. 1834 — The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect, abolishes slavery throughout the British Empire 1865 — Eight councillors are elected to Dunedin’s first city council. 1867 — Following negotiations with Ngati Maru, the Thames goldfield is proclaimed open. The first major strike of gold occurred in the Kuranui Stream nine days later. 1885 — Organised by Julius Vogel, the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition is opened in Wellington by Governor William Jervois. 1887 — The Kermadec Islands come under New Zealand jurisdiction. 1907 — Lieutenant-general Robert Baden-Powell conducts the first experimental scout camp at Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset. 1911 — A large crowd gathers at the opening of the Green Island Post Office by the Minister of Agriculture and future prime minister Thomas Mackenzie. 1914 — What will become a world war edges closer as Germany declares war on Russia. 1916 — The Military Service Act becomes law, clearing the way for the compulsory enrolment of European men between the ages of 20 and 46 for war service. Conscientious objectors are imprisoned; many are forced to go to the front. 1926 — The new Clayton steam railcar is given a trial run on the Oamaru to Kurow line. It is expected to reduce the 2½-hour travelling time on the line to 1hr 45min, including 14 stops averaging 1min each, and reaching speeds of up to 42mph (68kmh). 1934 — The first issue of New Zealand banknotes is released by the Reserve Bank. 1936 — Guaranteed prices for butter and cheese are introduced in New Zealand and all dairy products for export become the property of the Crown; the Dominion Museum and National Gallery opens in Wellington. 1944 — The Annual Holidays Bill, providing two weeks’ annual paid leave on completion of each year of service with an employer, becomes law in New Zealand; Dutch teenager Anne Frank makes her last diary entry. She and her family are arrested three days later. 1958 — Called ‘‘operation sunshine’’, the US atomic submarine USS Nautilus begins the first submerged transit across the North Pole. The mission was completed successfully two days later when Nautilus and her crew crossed under the North Pole. 1960 — The first television licences are issued in New Zealand, at a cost of £4. 1969 — In a locally built Airtourer aircraft, Hamilton pilot Cliff Tait completes a solo round-the-world trip that has taken 81 days. 1973 — Coached by Dunedin’s Eric Watson, the New Zealand Junior All Blacks defeat the All Blacks 14-10 at Carisbrook. 1983 — New Zealand wins its first ever cricket test in England, by five wickets at Headingley. 1984 — South Africa closes its consulate in Wellington after New Zealand prime minister David Lange severs diplomatic ties in disapproval of South Africa’s apartheid racial segregation. 1987 — The Maori Language Act comes into force in New Zealand, and Maori becomes an official language. 1989 — Visiting grape-growing expert Murray Paterson, of Auckland, rounds up a week visiting Central Otago by pointing out the region’s potential to produce good distinctive wines. 1996 — Fantasy author George R R Martin publishes A Game Of Thrones, the first volume of his A Song of Ice and Fire series. 2017 — After poll results showed just 24% support for the Labour Party, eight weeks out from a general election, Andrew Little stands down as leader and is replaced by Jacinda Ardern, who at 37 becomes the Party's youngest leader. Kelvin Davis replaces Ardern as deputy leader, becoming the Party's first Maori to take on the role. 2021 — The US passes the 35 million Covid-19 cases mark; California is the first state to record 4 million cases. 2022 — Invercargill cyclist Corbin Strong wins gold in the Commonwealth Games scratch race. Today’s birthdays: William Cornwallis Symonds, New Zealand public servant (1810-1841); Herman Melville, US writer (1819-91); Alfred Charles Hanlon, Dunedin criminal lawyer (1866-1944); Sybil Lupp, New Zealand racing car driver (1916-1994); Dorothy Daniels, New Zealand ballet teacher/director (1916-1981); Colin McCahon, New Zealand artist (1919-1987); Alf Budd, All Black (1922-1989); Dorothy Braxton, New Zealand journalist (1927-2014); Phyllis Guthardt, first woman of any denomination to be ordained in New Zealand (1929-2023); Sir Hector Busby (Heke-nuku-mai-nga-iwi Puhipi), Maori navigator and traditional waka builder (1932-2019); Elizabeth McRae, New Zealand actress (1936-); Yves Saint Laurent, French designer (1936-2008); Jerry Garcia, US musician (1942-95); Jim Hickey, New Zealand television weather presenter (1949-); John Britten, New Zealand mechanical engineer (1950-1995); Joe Elliott, English singer/songwriter (1959-); Andrew Nicholson, New Zealand horseman (1961-); Artis Leon Ivey Jr (Coolio), US musician (1963-2022); Sam Mendes, British film director (1965-); Cameron Rhodes, New Zealand actor (1967-); Samantha Warriner, New Zealand triathlete (1971-); Tempestt Bledsoe, US actress (1973-); Les Hill, Australian actor (1973-); Honeysuckle Weeks, British actress (1979-); Jason Momoa, US actor (1979-); Max Carver, US actor (1988-); Jack O'Connell, English actor (1990-). Quote of the day: ‘‘I'm one of those freaky people that actually reads books.’’ — Jason Momoa, US actor , who was born on this day in 1979. ODT and agencies
