- 1840 in New Zealand
1840 is considered a watershed year in the history of New Zealand: The
Treaty of Waitangi was signed, British sovereignty over New Zealand was proclaimed, organised European settlement began, andAuckland andWellington were both founded.Population
The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1840 was 80,000 Māori and 2,050 non-Māori. [Statistics New Zealand has collated estimates from a number of sources (extrapolating where necessary) at cite web |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/tables/ltds/ltds-population.htm |title=Long-term data series |accessdate=2008-03-14 |format= |work= , in particular cite web |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/tables/ltds/ltds-population.htm |title=A1.1 Total population.xls |accessdate=2008-03-14 |format=Excel|work= ]
Incumbents
Regal and Vice Regal
*
Head of State - Queen Victoria
*Governor of New South Wales – Sir George Gipps
*Lieutenant-Governor – CaptainWilliam Hobson Government and law
Events
January - June
*
3 January - the "Cuba" arrives in Port Nicholson with a survey party to prepare for theNew Zealand Company settlement. [ [http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/timeline/3/1 Today in History | NZHistory ] ]
*22 January – The first shipload ofNew Zealand Company immigrants arrives inWellington on the "Aurora" and lands atPetone .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 499.]
*29 January – Lieutenant-Governor CaptainWilliam Hobson arrives in theBay of Islands .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 486.] With Hobson are the members of the Executive Council, Colonial SecretaryWilloughby Shortland , Colonial TreasurerGeorge Cooper and Attorney-GeneralFrancis Fisher and the Legislative Council comprising the Executive Council and threeJustices of the Peace .
*5 February –Māori chiefs assemble atWaitangi to discuss the terms of the Treaty.
*6 February –Hone Heke is the first to sign theTreaty of Waitangi at Bay of Islands.
*19 February – French settlers under the command of CaptainC. Lavaud , unaware of theTreaty of Waitangi , depart France in the "L’Aube" on their way toAkaroa .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 4.] (see 1838)
*1 March - Governor Hobson suffers astroke .
*24 March - The first bank in New Zealand, the Union Bank, is opened inPetone (then known as Brittania).
*March – Jean Langlois leaves France in the "Comte de Paris" with more colonists forAkaroa .:: - Johnny Jones sends the first settlers (as opposed to whalers or sealers) to theSouth Island . They land from the "Magnet" and settle behind Cornish Head atWaikouaiti .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 472.]
*6 April - George Clarke is appointed Protector of Aborigines by Governor Hobson. [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/C/ClarkeGeorge/ClarkeGeorge/en New Zealand Encyclopaedia 1966: George Clarke Biography] ]
*18 April - "The New Zealand Gazette and Britannia Spectator" prints its second issue inPetone , becoming the first newspaper published in New Zealand. The first issue was printed in England the previous year. The paper published weekly, changing its name to "The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator" a few months later. [cite web|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.NZGWS|title=New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator|publisher=National Library of New Zealand]
*21 May - Governor Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over New Zealand.
*May - First capital established atOkiato , which was renamed "Russell".:: -Reverend James Watkin, sent byJohnny Jones , arrives atWaikouaiti and starts the first mission in theSouth Island .
*15 June : The "New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette" begins publishing in Kororareka. The newspaper published its last issue on10 December 1840 . [cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/9E78F21A-EF20-4C82-934B-1587FC7489CC/0/StatPubschapter2.pdf|title=Chapter 2: Early Statistical Sources – 19th Century|format=PDF|pages=p 13|work=Statistical Publications 1840–2000|publisher=Statistics New Zealand ] It was suppressed because of anti-government tendencies.Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 388.]
*16 June - HMS "Herald", Captain Joseph Nias, arrives atPort Underwood withMajor Thomas Banbury to obtain signatures from southern chiefs to theTreaty of Waitangi . The final signatures are added the next day.Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 457.] Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 149.]
*June - Later in the month (see above) the "Herald" arrives inStewart Island . Major Banbury formally takes possession of the island in the name ofQueen Victoria .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p.405.]July - December
*
14 July - The first hotel licence in New Zealand is issued to the "Duke of Marlborough" in Kororareka.Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 388.]
*July – The "L’Aube" arrives in New Zealand. Lavaud is made aware of theTreaty of Waitangi .:: - Governor Hobson sends "HMS Britomart" under Captain Stanley, along with 2 Britishmagistrates toAkaroa .
*10 August – "HMS Britomart" arrives inAkaroa .
*11 August –Union Jack is flown overAkaroa .
*13 August – William Brown andJohn Logan Campbell take up residence on Browns Island (Motukorea).Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 45.]
*15 August – French settlers on the "L’Aube" arrive inAkaroa .
*16 August – The "Comte de Paris" arrives inAkaroa .
*15 September - The "Anna Watson" arrives in theWaitemata Harbour from the Bay of Islands to establish a new capital for New Zealand. [cite web|url=http://www.theviaduct.com/theviaduct/history/|title=History - Auckland City|publisher=The Viaduct]
*18 September - The British flag is raised at the fort onPoint Britomart on the southern shore of theWaitemata Harbour marking the foundation ofAuckland .Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p. 18.]
*September – After discovering their original site is prone to flooding, theWellington settlers move around the harbour toThorndon , the site of the present city.
*20 October - convert|3000|acre|km2 is purchased from localNgāti Whātua chiefs for theAuckland settlement.
*November -Queen Victoria signs aRoyal charter for New Zealand to become a Crown colony separate fromNew South Wales .Undated
* The first
post office in New Zealand is established in Kororareka by William Hayes.Arts and literature
Appointments and awards
port
Cricket
References
*
Births
Deaths
ee 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 1840 not specifically related to New Zealand see":
1840
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