1841 in New Zealand

Population

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

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

  Government and law

• Chief Justice – William Martin is appointed the first Chief Justice of New Zealand on 5 February but does not arrive in New Zealand until August.

  Events

• 31 March: The William Bryan arrives at Taranaki from Plymouth bearing 148 settlers to found New Plymouth.
• March: Captain Rhodes builds the first wharf in Wellington, in front of his store on the Wellington waterfront.
• 3 May: In anticipation of the Great Charter coming into force, William Hobson is sworn in as Governor of New Zealand.
• 1 July: Colony of New Zealand comes into existence, a separate Crown colony from New South Wales.
• 10 July: The New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette begins publication. The newspaper lasts less than a year.
• 27 September: Foundation of a school for Catholic boys, the first school in Auckland.
• 8 November: The Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist begins publishing. It continues with some gaps until 1845.

  Undated

• The Capital of New Zealand is moved from Okiato to Auckland.
• The first recorded mining in New Zealand as outcrops of manganese are mined on the coast of Kawau Island.
• George Selwyn is created the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand.

  Sport

Horse racing

• January: A hurdle race is run in January at Te Aro Pā, Wellington.

  Unknown date

• The Auckland Town Plate is contested at Epsom Downs. A committee of army officers and townspeople forms to control racing in Auckland..

  Yachting

• January: The first sailing regatta in the country is held as part of Anniversary celebrations in Wellington.

  Births

• 20 January : William Steward, politician
• 28 February: John Duthie, politician and Mayor of Wellington
• 9 March : Henry Suter, zoologist

• James McGowan, politician

  Deaths

• 23 November: William Cornwallis Symonds, prominent early colonist