Age Pension increases to £26 per year; however, eligibility tightened. 6 December: 1905 New Zealand general election. 1906 10 June: Richard Seddon dies and is succeeded by Joseph Ward as premier. 1907 July: Resolution passed to constitute New Zealand as a Dominion. Fire destroys Parliament buildings. Tohunga Suppression Act passed 26 September: Dominion of New Zealand declared. 1908 Auckland to Wellington main trunk railway line opens. First New Zealanders compete at the Olympics as part of Australasian team. Harry Kerr is the first New Zealander to win an Olympic medal (a bronze in the Men's 3500 metre walk). Blackball coal miner strike lasts 11 weeks. Ernest Rutherford is awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. New Zealand's population reaches one million. 17 November, 24 November and 1 December: 1908 New Zealand general election. 1909 "Red" Federation of Labour formed. SS Penguin wrecked in Cook Strait, 75 people die. Compulsory military training introduced. Stamp–vending machine invented and manufactured in New Zealand. 1910s 1910 Halley's Comet sighted in New Zealand. 1911 7 December, 14 December: 1911 New Zealand general election. 1912 William Massey wins vote in the House and becomes prime minister; Reform Government formed. Waihi miners' strike. Malcolm Champion becomes first New Zealander to win an Olympic gold medal. 1913 Waterfront strikes in Auckland and Wellington. 1914 World War I begins and German Samoa is occupied. New Zealand Expeditionary Force is despatched to Egypt. Huntly coal mine disaster, 43 people die. 15 August: Troops depart for Samoa. 29 August: New Zealand troops land unopposed in Apia. October: 8427 troops leave New Zealand for Europe. 10 December: 1914 New Zealand general election. 1915 New Zealand forces take part in Gallipoli campaign. Reform and Liberal parties form National War Cabinet. Britain announces its intention to purchase all New Zealand meat exports during war. 25 April: First landings at Gaba Tepe and Cape Helles on the Gallipoli Peninsula. 27 April: Counterattack launched by Turkish forces under the command of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. 20 December: Final withdraw of all troops from Anzac Cove. 1916 New Zealand troops transfer from Western Front. Conscription introduced. Labour Party formed. Lake Coleridge electricity supply scheme opened. 10 June: Passing of the Military Services Bill introduces conscription. July: Battle of Romani defaults Turkish force advancing towards the Suez Canal. 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, 3,700 New Zealanders killed. Six o'clock public house closing introduced. Lord Liverpool becomes first governor-general. 1918 New Zealand