1856 in New Zealand:

Other years in New Zealand

1853 • 1854 • 1855 • 1856 (1856) • 1857 • 1858 • 1859

After several previous attempts, New Zealand finally achieved "Responsible Government", with a majority of the members of the House of Representatives supporting the Government.^[1]

Contents 1 Population 2 Incumbents 2.1 Regal and Vice Regal 2.2 Government and law 3 Events 4 Arts and literature 4.1 Music 5 Appointments and awards 6 Sport 6.1 Cricket 6.2 Horse racing 7 Births 7.1 Unknown date 8 Deaths 9 See also 10 References

[edit] 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.

[edit] Incumbents

[edit] Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State - Queen Victoria
• Governor – Colonel Thomas Gore Browne

[edit] 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. His government is defeated on 20 May and he is replaced by William Fox. Fox’s government is in turn defeated on 2 June and Fox is replaced by Edward Stafford.
• 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

[edit] 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^[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]

[edit] Arts and literature

[edit] 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]

[edit] Appointments and awards

The Diocese of New Zealand is split in two with the creation of the Diocese of Auckland and the Diocese of Christchurch. Bishop Selwyn continues as the Primate of New Zealand with the duties of Archbishop.

• Primate of New Zealand - George Augustus Selwyn (Bishop of Auckland)
• Bishop of Christchurch - Henry John Chitty Harper^[8]

[edit] Sport

[edit] Cricket

[edit] Horse racing

[edit] Births

• 10 October: Florence Young, missionary.

[edit] Unknown date

• Arthur Brown, Mayor of Wellington.

[edit] Deaths

[edit] See also

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

For world events and topics in 1856 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1856

[edit] References