1890s 1890 A maritime strike in Australia spreads to New Zealand, involving 8000 unionists. "Sweating" Commission reports on employment conditions. 5 December: 1890 New Zealand general election, the first election on a one-man-one-vote basis 1891 John McKenzie introduces the first of a series of measures to promote closer land settlement. John Ballance becomes Premier of Liberal Government. 1892 First Kotahitanga Māori Parliament meets. 1893 27 April: John Ballance dies John Ballance succeeded as premier by Richard Seddon. 19 September: All women given the right to vote, New Zealand becomes the first country to grant universal suffrage and plural voting abolished. Liquor licensing poll introduced. Elizabeth Yates, Onehunga, becomes the first woman mayor in British Empire. Banknotes become legal tender. 28 November: 1893 New Zealand general election. 1894 Compulsory arbitration of industrial disputes and reform of employment laws. Advances to Settlers Act. Clark, Fyfe and Graham become the first people to climb Mt Cook. Wreck of SS Wairarapa. 1896 National Council of Women is founded. The Brunner Mine disaster kills 67. Census measures national population as 743,214. 13 October: First public screening of a motion picture in New Zealand 4 December: 1896 New Zealand general election. 1897 First of series of colonial and later imperial conferences held in London. Āpirana Ngata and others form the Te Aute College Students' Association. 1898 Old Age Pensions Act. First cars imported to New Zealand. 1899 New Zealand army contingent is sent to the South African war. First celebration of Labour Day. 6 December: 1899 New Zealand general election. 1900s 1900 Māori Councils Act passed. Public Health Act passed setting up Department of Public Health in 1901. 1901 Cook and other Pacific Islands annexed. Penny postage first used. Union of the Synod of Otago and Southland with the Northern Presbyterian Church to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. Royal Tour – Visit of the Duke & Duchess of York and Cornwall. 1902 Pacific telegraph cable begins operating between New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Wreck of trans-tasman steamer SS Elingamite. 25 November: 1902 New Zealand general election. 1903 31 March: Richard Pearse achieves semi-controlled flight near Timaru. 15 August: The New Zealand All Blacks play their first Rugby Test Match against Australia's Wallabies at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. New Zealand win, 22–3. 1904 1905 New Zealand rugby team tours England and becomes known as the All Blacks. Old