1879 in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Regal and Vice Regal
- Head of StateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
— Queen Victoria - GovernorGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
— The term of The Marquess of NormanbyGeorge Phipps, 2nd Marquess of NormanbyGeorge Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby, GCB, GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Normanby between 1831 and 1838 and Earl of Mulgrave between 1838 and 1863, was a British Liberal politician and colonial governor.-Background:Normanby was born in London, the son of Constantine Phipps, 1st...
ends on 21 February. Sir Hercules RobinsonHercules Robinson, 1st Baron RosmeadHercules George Robert Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, GCMG, PC was a British colonial administrator who became the 5th Governor of Hong Kong...
takes up the appointment on 27 March.
Government and law
The general electionNew Zealand general election, 1879
The New Zealand general election of 1879 was held between 28 August and 15 September to elect a total of 88 MPs to the 7th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 1 and 8 September. A total number of 82,271 voters turned out to vote.The election came about when George...
is held between 15 August and 1 September. The 7th Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
commences.
- Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the New Zealand House of RepresentativesIn New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
— Maurice O'RorkeMaurice O'RorkeSir George Maurice O’Rorke was a New Zealand politician, representing the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed provincialist and was the eighth Superintendent of the Auckland Province...
becomes Speaker when his predecessor, Sir William FitzherbertWilliam Fitzherbert (New Zealand)Sir William Fitzherbert KCMG MLC was a New Zealand politician. He served as Minister of Finance, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Speaker of the Legislative Council.-Early life:...
, is appointed to the Legislative CouncilNew Zealand Legislative CouncilThe Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
. - PremierPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
— John HallJohn Hall (New Zealand)Sir John Hall was born in Kingston upon Hull, England, and later became the 12th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was also Mayor of Christchurch.-Migration to New Zealand:...
replaces Sir George GreyGeorge Edward GreySir George Grey, KCB was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony , the 11th Premier of New Zealand and a writer.-Early life and exploration:...
on 8 October. - Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (New Zealand)The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
— John HallJohn Hall (New Zealand)Sir John Hall was born in Kingston upon Hull, England, and later became the 12th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was also Mayor of Christchurch.-Migration to New Zealand:...
replaces Sir George GreyGeorge Edward GreySir George Grey, KCB was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony , the 11th Premier of New Zealand and a writer.-Early life and exploration:...
on 8 October. Grey had taken up the post on 10 July after John BallanceJohn BallanceJohn Ballance served as the 14th Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party .-Early life:...
had resigned on 1 July. - Chief JusticeChief Justice of New ZealandThe Chief Justice of New Zealand is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Before the establishment of the latter court in 2004 the Chief Justice was the presiding judge in the High Court of New Zealand and was also ex officio a member of the...
— HonThe HonourableThe prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
James PrendergastJames Prendergast (judge)Sir James Prendergast GCMG was the third Chief Justice of New Zealand. Prendergast was the first Chief Justice to be appointed on the advice of a responsible New Zealand government, but is chiefly noted for his far-reaching decision in Wi Parata v The Bishop of Wellington in which he described the...
Voting rights are extended to all males.
The term of parliament is reduced from five years to three years.
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of AucklandMayor of AucklandThe Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
— Thomas PeacockThomas Peacock (politician)Thomas Peacock was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Auckland, New Zealand.He represented the Auckland North electorate from 1881 to 1884, then Newton from 1884 to 1887, then Ponsonby from 1887 to 1890, when he retired.-References:... - Mayor of ChristchurchMayor of ChristchurchThe Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
— Henry Thomson followed by Charles Thomas Ick - Mayor of DunedinMayor of DunedinThe Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
— Henry John Walter - Mayor of WellingtonMayor of WellingtonThe Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
— Joseph DransfieldJoseph DransfieldJoseph Dransfield was the first Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand in 1870 after Wellington was declared a city. He was Mayor again in 1878. He had previously been Chairman of the Town Board until 1870, and represented Wellington City in the Wellington Provincial Council from 1863 to 1867.He was...
followed by George AllenGeorge Allen (New Zealand)George Allen was Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand for three weeks in 1879. He was a Councillor from 1876 to 1883, and again from 1887 to 1888.He was a member of the Wellington Provincial Council from 1861 to 1865....
followed by William Hutchison
Events
- 21 February: An explosion in the coal mine at KaitangataKaitangataKaitangata can mean the following:*Kaitangata, New Zealand, a small town near the coast of South Otago in New Zealand*Kaitangata , a character in Māori mythology...
kills 34 men. - 30 March: The Ross Guardian ceases publication. It began in 1866.
Appointments and awards
- Primate of New ZealandArchbishop of New ZealandThe Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
— Henry John Chitty HarperHenry John Chitty HarperThe Rt Rev Henry John Chitty Harper, DD was an eminent Anglican Bishop in the second half of the 19th century. He was born on 9 January 1804, educated at The Queen's College, Oxford and ordained in 1832. He was Chaplain of Eton College until 1850 then Vicar of St Mary’s, Stratfield Mortimer...
(Bishop of Christchurch) - Bishop of Auckland — William Garden CowieWilliam Garden CowieWilliam Garden Cowie was bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand, from 1870 to 1902. Although he succeeded George Augustus Selwyn in having jurisdiction in this portion of New Zealand, he was the first bishop to be known specifically as Bishop of Auckland...
- Bishop of Dunedin — Samuel Tarratt NevillSamuel Tarratt NevillThe Most Reverend Samuel Tarratt Nevill, DD was the first Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Dunedin in Dunedin, New Zealand....
- Bishop of NelsonDiocese of NelsonThe Diocese of Nelson is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the top part of the South Island of New Zealand, which is mostly the area north of a line drawn from Greymouth to Kaikoura.The diocese was...
— Andrew Burn SuterAndrew Burn SuterThe Rt Rev Andrew Burn Suter, DD was the second Anglican Bishop of Nelson whose Episcopate spanned a 26 year period during the second half of the 19th century.... - Bishop of WaiapuDiocese of WaiapuThe Diocese of Waiapu is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area around the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand, including Tauranga, Taupo, Gisborne, Hastings and Napier. It is named for the...
— Edward Craig StuartEdward Craig StuartThe Rt Rev Edward Craig Stuart, DD was the 2nd Anglican Bishop of Waiapu whose Episcopate spanned a 16 year period during the second half of the 19th century. He was born in Edinburgh, educated at Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1850... - Bishop of WellingtonDiocese of WellingtonThe Diocese of Wellington is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area between the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand up to the area of Mount Ruapehu....
— Octavius HadfieldOctavius HadfieldOctavius Hadfield was Archdeacon of Kapiti, Bishop of Wellington from 1870 to 1893 and Primate of New Zealand from 1890 to 1893. A missionary for thirty years, he was recognised as an authority on Maori customs and language...
Chess
- The first New Zealand Chess ChampionshipNew Zealand Chess ChampionshipThe New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879.Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine was born in Invercargill and was therefore eligible although he was domiciled in...
is held and was won by H. Hookham (ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
)
Major race winners
- New Zealand Cup — Chancellor
- New Zealand Derby — Hornby
- Auckland Cup — Ariel
- Wellington Cup — Maritana
Lawn Bowls
The first annual competition between clubs from different centres begins between Christchurch and Dunedin clubs.Rugby Union
- 26 July: The first union in New Zealand, Canterbury Rugby Football UnionCanterbury Rugby Football UnionThe Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
, is formed at TimaruTimaruTimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
, incorporating Christchurch, Christ's College, Temuka, North Canterbury, Eastern, South Canterbury, Ashburton, and Southbridge rugby clubs. - 20 October: The Wellington Rugby Football UnionWellington Rugby Football UnionThe Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
is formed, initially consisting of the Wellington and Athletic clubs.
Births
- 30 August (in London): Maud Ruby "Daisy" BashamAunt DaisyMaud Ruby Basham MBE , usually known as Daisy Basham or professionally as Aunt Daisy, was a well-known New Zealand radio broadcaster from 1930 to 1963. She was born in London, England, and her family emigrated to New Plymouth in 1891...
, radio personality.
Deaths
- 2 February (in England): General Sir Thomas PrattThomas Simson PrattSir Thomas Simson Pratt was a British Army general. He served in the First Anglo-Chinese War , in India from 1843 to 1855 where he was deputy adjutant-general at Madras, and was Commander of the British Forces in Australia from 1856 to 1861...
, commander British forces in NZ 1860–61. - 14 July: Thomas OuthwaiteOuthwaite Family, AucklandThe Outhwaite family were early settlers in Auckland and were an important family in the first eighty five years of the city's existence. Their influence still continues, especially in respect of two areas of land in central Auckland which are now Outhwaite Park and the site of St Peter's College,...
, first registrar of the Supreme Court.
See also
- List of years in New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand historyTimeline of New Zealand historyThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand and only includes events deemed to be of principal importance - for more detailed information click the year heading or refer to List of years in New Zealand.- Prehistory :...
- History of New ZealandHistory of New ZealandThe history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to discover New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman on 13 December 1642...
- Military history of New ZealandMilitary history of New ZealandThe military history of New Zealand is an aspect of the history of New Zealand that spans several hundred years. When first settled by Māori almost a millennium ago, there was much land and resources, but war began to break out as the country's carrying capacity was approached...
- Timeline of environmental history of New ZealandTimeline of environmental history of New ZealandThis is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand. These events relate to the more notable events affecting the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.-Pre 1800s:...
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaTimeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand's involvement with Antarctica.-Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries:1773*17 January Captain James Cook and the crews of his expedition's ships, Resolution and Adventure, become the first explorers to cross the Antarctic Circle1770s – 1830s*Sealers and...
For world events and topics in 1879 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1879