1840 in New Zealand

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1840 in New Zealand:

Other years in New Zealand

1837 • 1838 • 1839 • 1840 • 1841 • 1842 • 1843

1840 is considered a watershed year in the history of New Zealand: The Treaty of Waitangi is signed, British sovereignty over New Zealand is proclaimed, organised European settlement begins, and Auckland and Wellington are both founded.

Contents 1 Population 2 Incumbents 2.1 Regal and Vice Regal 2.2 Government and law 3 Events 3.1 January - June 3.2 July - December 3.2.1 Undated 4 Arts and literature 5 Appointments and awards 6 Sport 6.1 Cricket 7 Births 8 Deaths 9 See also 10 References

[edit] Population

The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1840 is 80,000 Māori and 2,050 non-Māori. ^[1]

[edit] Incumbents

[edit] Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State - Queen Victoria
• Governor of New South Wales – Sir George Gipps
• Lieutenant-Governor – Captain William Hobson

[edit] Government and law

[edit] Events

[edit] January - June

• 3 January – The Cuba arrives in Port Nicholson with a survey party to prepare for the New Zealand Company settlement.^[2]
• 22 January – The first shipload of New Zealand Company immigrants arrives in Wellington on the Aurora and lands at Petone.^[3]
• 29 January – Lieutenant-Governor Captain William Hobson arrives in the Bay of Islands.^[4] With Hobson are the members of the Executive Council, Colonial Secretary Willoughby Shortland, Colonial Treasurer George Cooper and Attorney-General Francis Fisher and the Legislative Council comprising the Executive Council and three Justices of the Peace.
• 5 February – Māori chiefs assemble at Waitangi to discuss the terms of the Treaty.^[4]
• 6 February – Hone Heke is the first to sign the Treaty of Waitangi at Bay of Islands.^[4]
• 19 February – French settlers under the command of Captain C. Lavaud, unaware of the Treaty of Waitangi, depart France in the L’Aube on their way to Akaroa.^[5] (see 1838)
• 1 March – Governor Hobson suffers a stroke.
• 24 March – The first bank in New Zealand, the Union Bank, is opened in Petone (then known as Brittania).
• March
  • – Jean Langlois leaves France in the Comte de Paris with more colonists for Akaroa.^[5]
  • – Johnny Jones sends the first settlers (as opposed to whalers or sealers) to the South Island. They land from the Magnet and settle behind Cornish Head at Waikouaiti.^[6]
• 6 April – George Clarke is appointed Protector of Aborigines by Governor Hobson.^[7]
• 18 April – The New Zealand Gazette and Britannia Spectator prints its second issue in Petone, becoming the first newspaper published in New Zealand. The first issue was printed in England the previous year. The paper publishes weekly, changing its name to The New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator a few months later.^[8]
• 21 May – Governor Hobson proclaims British sovereignty over New Zealand.
• May
  • – First capital established at Okiato, which is renamed Russell.
  • – Reverend James Watkin, sent by Johnny Jones, arrives at Waikouaiti and starts the first mission in the South Island.^[6]
• 15 June – The New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette begins publishing in Kororareka. The newspaper publishes its last issue on 10 December 1840.^[9] It was suppressed because of anti-government tendencies.^[10]
• 16 June – HMS Herald, Captain Joseph Nias, arrives at Port Underwood with Major Thomas Banbury to obtain signatures from southern chiefs to the Treaty of Waitangi. The final signatures are added the next day.^[11][12]
• June
  • – Later in the month (see above) the Herald arrives in Stewart Island. Major Banbury formally takes possession of the island in the name of Queen Victoria.^[13]

[edit] July - December

• 14 July – The first hotel licence in New Zealand is issued to the Duke of Marlborough in Kororareka.^[10]
• July
  • – The L’Aube arrives in New Zealand. Lavaud is made aware of the Treaty of Waitangi.^[5]
  • – Governor Hobson sends HMS Britomart under Captain Stanley, along with 2 British magistrates to Akaroa.^[5]
• 10 August – HMS Britomart arrives in Akaroa.^[5]
• 11 August – Union Jack is flown over Akaroa.^[5]
• 13 August – William Brown and John Logan Campbell take up residence on Browns Island (Motukorea).^[14]
• 15 August – French settlers on the L’Aube arrive in Akaroa.^[5]
• 16 August – The Comte de Paris arrives in Akaroa.^[5]
• 15 September – The Anna Watson arrives in the Waitemata Harbour from the Bay of Islands to establish a new capital for New Zealand.^[15]
• 18 September – The British flag is raised at the fort on Point Britomart on the southern shore of the Waitemata Harbour marking the foundation of Auckland.^[16]
• September
  • – After discovering their original site is prone to flooding, the Wellington settlers move around the harbour to Thorndon, the site of the present city.^[3]
• 20 October – 3,000 acres (12 km²) is purchased from local Ngāti Whātua chiefs for the Auckland settlement.^[16]
• November
  • – Queen Victoria signs a Royal charter for New Zealand to become a Crown colony separate from New South Wales.

[edit] Undated

• – The first post office in New Zealand is established in Kororareka by William Hayes.^[10]

[edit] Arts and literature

[edit] Appointments and awards

[edit] Sport

[edit] Cricket

[edit] Births

[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 1840 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1840

[edit] References