31 August: Prime Minister Norman Kirk dies; Bill Rowling succeeds Kirk as 30th Prime Minister. Commonwealth Games held in Christchurch. 1975 4 January: Lynne Cox became the first woman to swim across Cook Strait. 14 September: Māori land march protesting at land loss leaves Te Hāpua 13 October: Māori land march reaches Parliament building in Wellington, Whina Cooper presents a Memorial of Rights to the Prime Minister Bill Rowling and Māori Affairs Minister Matiu Rata. The Waitangi Tribunal is established. Second TV channel starts broadcasting. 29 November: 1975 New Zealand general election. Robert Muldoon becomes 31st Prime Minister after National Party victory. 1975 in New Zealand television 1976 New Zealand's national day 6 February renamed from New Zealand Day to Waitangi Day Matrimonial Property Act passed. Pacific Islands "overstayers" deported. EEC import quotas for New Zealand butter set until 1980. Introduction of metric system of weights and measures. Subscriber toll dialling introduced. Lyttelton–Wellington steamer ferry service ends. 1977 National Superannuation scheme begins. New Zealand signs the Gleneagles Agreement. The 200 nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is established. 5 January: Bastion Point occupied by protesters. 21 November: God Defend New Zealand officially adopted as a national anthem (alongside God Save the Queen) 1978 Registered unemployed reaches 25,000. New Zealand Film Commission established. 12 February: 17 arrested after protestors led by Eva Rickard set up camp on the Raglan golf course. 1 April: National Airways Corporation merges with Air New Zealand. 25 May: Army and Police remove protesters from Bastion Point, 218 arrests are made. 25 November: General election, National re-elected. 1979 Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashes on Mount Erebus, Antarctica, 257 people die. Carless days introduced to reduce petrol consumption. 7 November: MP Matiu Rata resigns from the Labour Party to join Mana Motuhake Party. Nambassa 3-day music and alternatives festival held in Waihi. Largest event of its kind in New Zealand. 1980s 1980 Social Credit wins East Coast Bays by-election. Saturday trading partially legalised. Eighty-day strike at Kinleith Mill. 1981 South African rugby team's tour brings widespread disruption. 28 November: 1981 New Zealand general election, National re-elected for third term. 1982 CER agreement signed with Australia. First kōhanga reo established. First FM radio broadcast. Year-long wage, price and rent freeze imposed lasts until 1984. First New Zealand Football team to compete at FIFA World Cup Finals 1983 Visit by nuclear-powered United States Navy frigate "Texas" sparks