Christchurch Chronology 1978 - Heritage - Christchurch City Libraries

1978

January 13-15: Visit by Crown Prince Reza of Iran.
February 25: New Brighton Mall opens.
June 8: Visit by Crown Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.
June: Tongan freighter "Kemphaan" towed into Lyttelton Harbour on fire. The ship was later taken out to sea and sunk by the RNZAF.
June: Christchurch City Council purchases Millers Department Store for Civic Offices.
September 29: Friendship Corner opens by the Bridge of Remembrance. After a heated public debate over whether the area should be used for parking, the Council decided to plant the area with trees representing Christchurch’s sister cities.
October 19: Visit by President Walter Scheel of West Germany.
October 28: Pioneer Sports Stadium opens. See 1879.
November 11: Radio Rhema, New Zealand’s first religious radio station, begins regular transmission.
November 29 (Wednesday): Concert at Q.E.II Park by rock singer David Bowie.
December: Restored time-ball station at Lyttelton opens to public.
December 30: Canterbury Orchestra disbanded. The demise of this professional orchestra ended 6 years of acrimonious dispute which profoundly disrupted the musical scene in Christchurch.