1856 in New Zealand
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The following lists events that happened during 1856 in New Zealand.
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[edit]
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[edit]
Regal and viceregal[edit]
Government and law[edit]
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[edit]
- 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[update].[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[edit]
Music[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 28 July: Arthur Remington, politician.
- 10 October: Florence Young, missionary.
- 27 December: Arthur Brown, Mayor of Wellington.
Deaths[edit]
- 13 April: Nōpera Panakareao, tribal leader, evangelist and assessor
Unknown date[edit]
- Te Kani-a-Takirau, Māori chief who refused to sign the Treaty of Waitangi
See also[edit]
- 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[edit]
- ^ 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 5 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008., in particular "A1.1 Total population.xls". Archived from the original (Excel) on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Te Ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand 1966 - Music:General History
External links[edit]
Media related to 1856 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons