1855 in New Zealand

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1855 in New Zealand:

Other years in New Zealand

1852 | 1853 | 1854 | 1855 | 1856 | 1857 | 1858

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 1855 is 59,500 Māori and 37,192 non-Māori. ^[1]

[edit] Incumbents

[edit] Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State - Queen Victoria
• Governor – Colonel Thomas Gore Browne, appointed in 1854, arrives to take up his position on 6 September.

[edit] Government and law

The 1st Parliament is dissolved on 15 September in preparation for the 1855 general election. The election starts on 26 October and concludes on 28 December. The 2nd Parliament is not formed until 15 April 1856.

There is neither an official Prime mInister/Premier/Colonial Secretary or Finance Minister/Colonial Secretary in the government at this point in time. (see 1st New Zealand Parliament)

• Speaker of the House – Sir Charles Clifford
• Chief Justice – William Martin

[edit] Events

• January: The Māori language magazine, The Maori Messenger or Te Karere Maori resumes publication with a change to the Māori title. It stopped publication the previous year. Under this name, it continues until 1861.^[2]
• 23 January: The 1855 Wairarapa earthquake causes extensive damage but few deaths. The quake, estimated at magnitude 8.2, raises parts of the Wellington harbour foreshore by as much as 6 metres. ^[3]
• April: James McKenzie is found guilty of stealing 1000 sheep and sentenced to five years hard labour in Lyttelton. He is pardoned the following year. ^[4]
• July: New Zealand's first postage stamps are issued.

[edit] Arts and literature

[edit] Music

[edit] Appointments and awards

• Bishop of New Zealand - George Augustus Selwyn

[edit] Sport

[edit] Cricket

[edit] Horse racing

The Canterbury Jockey Club holds it’s first meeting, at Riccarton Racecourse, including the Canterbury Cup (which is run in heats).^[5] (see also 1854)

[edit] Births

[edit] Unknown date

• Walter Carncross, politician.
• William Whitehouse Collins, politician.

[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 1855 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1855

[edit] References