A Timeline of New Zealand

By Tim Lambert

10th Century

The Maori arrive in New Zealand

1642

Abel Tasman arrives at New Zealand

1769

Captain Cook arrives in New Zealand

1773

Captain Cook sails to New Zealand again

1777

Captain Cook arrives in New Zealand again

1792

Sealers arrive in New Zealand

1814

Missionary Samuel Marsden arrives in New Zealand

1817

The laws of New South Wales are extended to New Zealand

1833

James Busby is sent to New Zealand as ‘official British resident’

1840

The Maori accept annexation by the Treaty of Waitangi. Auckland is made the capital of New Zealand

1844

Chief Hone heke cuts down the British flag and begins a 2 year war

1848

Dunedin is founded

1850

Christchurch is founded

1852

New Zealand is divided into 6 provinces

1858

New Zealand is given self-government

1860-72

A long war is fought with the Maori

1861

The population of New Zealand is almost 100,000

1865

Wellington is made the capital of New Zealand

1877

All men in New Zealand are given the vote. State education is introduced in New Zealand.

1881

The population of New Zealand is nearly 500,000

1882

A refrigerated ship takes meat from New Zealand to Britain

1893

Women in New Zealand are allowed to vote in parliamentary elections

1895

Minnie Dean is the only woman to be hanged in New Zealand

1898

Old age pensions are created in New Zealand

1907

New Zealand is made a dominion

1914-1918

17,000 men from New Zealand are killed in the First World War

1933

Unemployment in New Zealand is 12%

1947

New Zealand becomes completely independent from Britain

1951

New Zealand joins the Anzus Defence Pact

1975

The Treaty of Waitangi Act is passed

1983

The Closer Economic Relations Pact is signed with Australia

1984

A Labour government is elected and begin to roll back the welfare state

1993

Proportional representation is introduced in New Zealand

1997

Jenny Shipley becomes the first woman Prime Minister of New Zealand

2011

Christchurch is devastated by an earthquake

2017

The population of New Zealand is 4.7 million

Auckland