1879 in New Zealand

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Queen Victoria
• Governor – The term of The Marquess of Normanby ends on 21 February. Sir Hercules Robinson takes up the appointment on 27 March.

  Government and law

• Speaker of the House – Maurice O'Rorke becomes Speaker when his predecessor, Sir William Fitzherbert, is appointed to the Legislative Council.
• Premier – John Hall replaces Sir George Grey on 8 October.
• Minister of Finance – John Hall replaces Sir George Grey on 8 October. Grey had taken up the post on 10 July after John Ballance had resigned on 1 July.
• Chief Justice – Hon Sir James Prendergast

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Thomas Peacock
• Mayor of Christchurch – Henry Thomson followed by Charles Thomas Ick
• Mayor of Dunedin – Henry John Walter
• Mayor of Wellington – Joseph Dransfield followed by George Allen followed by William Hutchison

  Events

• 21 February: An explosion in the coal mine at Kaitangata kills 34 men.
• 30 March: The Ross Guardian ceases publication. It began in 1866.
• Education was being debated. In two by-elections the winner was described as a Secularist: David Goldie in the 1879 City of Auckland West by-election and Acton Adams in the 1879 City of Nelson by-election. They opposed Curtis's bill before parliament.

  Sport

Chess

• The first New Zealand Chess Championship is held and was won by H. Hookham

  Horse racing

Major race winners

• New Zealand Cup – Chancellor
• New Zealand Derby – Hornby
• Auckland Cup – Ariel
• Wellington Cup – Maritana

  Lawn bowls

Rugby union

• 26 July: The first union in New Zealand, Canterbury Rugby Football Union, is formed at Timaru, incorporating Christchurch, Christ's College, Temuka, North Canterbury, Eastern, South Canterbury, Ashburton, and Southbridge rugby clubs.
• 20 October: The Wellington Rugby Football Union is formed, initially consisting of the Wellington and Athletic clubs.

  Shooting

Births

• 18 January: Agnes Louisa Weston, politician.
• 30 August : Maud Ruby "Daisy" Basham, radio personality.
• 15 June: Miriam Cummings, activist.
• 28 December: Claude Weston, politician.

  Deaths

• 2 February : General Sir Thomas Pratt, commander British forces in NZ 1860–61.
• 3 March: Jerningham Wakefield, politician and pioneer settler.
• 24 April - John Munro, politician
• 14 May: Henry Sewell, politician.
• 14 July: Thomas Outhwaite, first registrar of the Supreme Court.