1856 in New Zealand
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After several previous attempts, New Zealand finally achieves "Responsible Government", with a majority of the members of the House of Representatives supporting the Government.[1]
Population
The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1856 is 58,300 Māori and 45,540 non-Māori.[2] The total population reaches the 100,000 mark during the year.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
- Head of State – Queen Victoria
- Governor – Colonel Thomas Gore Browne
Government and law
The 2nd Parliament is formed on 15 April. The election of its members had in fact concluded on 28 December the previous year.
- Speaker of the House — Sir Charles Clifford
- Colonial Secretary — Henry Sewell becomes New Zealand’s first Colonial Secretary on 7 May. The Sewell Ministry is defeated on 20 May and he is replaced by William Fox. The Fox Ministry is in turn defeated on 2 June and Fox is replaced by Edward Stafford's Stafford Ministry.
- Colonial Treasurer — Dillon Bell becomes the first Colonial Treasurer on 7 May. When the Sewell government is defeated on 20 May he is replaced by Charles Brown. When the Fox government is defeated on 2 June Brown is replaced by William Richmond
- Chief Justice — William Martin
Events
- 31 July — By Royal Charter, Christchurch is proclaimed New Zealand's first city.[3]
- 18 September — The Wanganui Chronicle publishes its first issue. The paper starts as a fortnightly publication, moves to tri-weekly in 1867, and then to daily in 1871. It continues today.[4]
- 11 December — The Auckland Examiner begins publishing. It continues until 1861.[5]
- 26 December — The Otago Colonist publishes its first issue. The newspaper changes its name to The Colonist in 1862 and is absorbed into the Daily Telegraph at the beginning of 1863.[6]
Arts and literature
Music
- A choral society performance of Handel's Messiah is given in Auckland.[7] This the first known performance by such a musical ensemble in New Zealand.
- A Harmonic Society is formed in Dunedin in this year (or possibly earlier).[7]
Births
- 10 October: Florence Young, missionary.
- 27 December: Arthur Brown, Mayor of Wellington.
Deaths
- Date unknown
- Te Kani-a-Takirau, Māori chief (b. c. 1790)
See also
- List of years in New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand history
- History of New Zealand
- Military history of New Zealand
- Timeline of the New Zealand environment
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
References
- ↑ New Zealand Parliament - Parliament timeline
- ↑ Statistics New Zealand has collated estimates from a number of sources (interpolating where necessary) at "Long-term data series". Archived from the original on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-03-14., in particular "A1.1 Total population.xls". Archived from the original (EXCEL) on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ↑ Christchurch: a chronology - 1856
- ↑ "Wanganui Chronicle". New Zealand Electronic Text Centre.
- ↑ "Chapter 2: Early Statistical Sources — 19th Century" (PDF). Statistical Publications 1840–2000. Statistics New Zealand. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2007.
- ↑ "Chapter 2: Early Statistical Sources — 19th Century" (PDF). Statistical publications 1840–2000. Statistics New Zealand. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2007.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Te Ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand 1966 - Music:General History
External links
Media related to 1856 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons
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