1804 in New Zealand

Most sealing is taking place in Bass Strait although the rookeries are declining as are those of Dusky Sound which is also used as a provisioning stop and rendezvous by sealers looking for new sealing grounds to the south and east of New Zealand. Foveaux Strait is discovered in December but its existence does not become widely known for some time. There is a marked increase in the number of whalers operating in the north of New Zealand, due in part to attacks on British boats in the South Atlantic as a result of the Napoleonic wars. [http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/HarvestingTheSea/Whaling/1/mi Te ARa Encyclopedia of New Zealand: Whaling] ] There is also an increase in American ships from New England.Salmond, Anne. Between Worlds. 1997. Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd. ISBN 0 670 87787 5.]

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State – King George III.
*Governor of New South Wales – Philip Gidley King

Events

*?March or July – The "Alexander" returns Teina to the Bay of Islands along with the gifts from Governor King including probably the first pigs in the area.
*May - In an attempt to maintain a British monopoly of trade in Australian waters Governor King prohibits the construction of unauthorised boats of more than fourteen foot long in New South Wales.
*June – James Cavanagh, a prisoner on the government vessel "Lady Nelson", Lieutenant James Symons, runs from the ship when it stops near the Cavalli Islands. He lives with Māori in the Bay of Islands but avoids any further European contact. [http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~teecee/1846table.htm Early European Visits to NZ] ]
*December – Owen Folger Smith on board the "Honduras Packet", Captain Owen Bunker [Cousin of Eber Bunker. See 1792 in New Zealand] , discovers Foveaux Strait which he names Smith's Strait.Wises New Zealand Guide, 7th Edition, 1979. p.106.]
** - Maa-Tara is recorded as crewing on the "Ferret". He has been sent by his father Te Pahi to visit the settlement at Port Jackson.

Undated

*Samuel Marsden becomes the local agent for the London Missionary Society in the Pacific. [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=1M16 Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Samuel Marsden] ]
*The first sealing gang is left on the Antipodes Islands by the "Independence", Captain Isaac Pendleton. The "Independence" and all its crew are lost in Fiji and the sealing gang is not rescued for over a year. [http://www.heritage-expeditions.com/travel/antipodes-islands/ Heritage Expeditions: Antipodes] ]

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 1804 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1804

References