1880 in New Zealand

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Queen Victoria
• Governor – Sir Hercules Robinson leaves on 9 September to take up the position of High Commissioner in South Africa. The Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon becomes Governor on 29 November.

  Government and law

• Speaker of the House – Maurice O'Rorke.
• Premier – John Hall
• Minister of Finance – Harry Atkinson
• Chief Justice – Hon Sir James Prendergast

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Thomas Peacock followed by James Clark
• Mayor of Christchurch – Charles Thomas Ick
• Mayor of Dunedin – Archibald Hilson Ross
• Mayor of Wellington – William Hutchison

  Events

• September: The Waikato Mail begins publishing in Cambridge. The newspaper is produced three times a week. It ceases to publish in 1883.

  Undated

Sport

Horse racing

• New Zealand Cup winner: Le Loup
• New Zealand Derby winner: Sir Mordred
• Auckland Cup winner: Foul Play
• Wellington Cup winner: Foul Play

  Rugby union

Provincial club rugby champions

Shooting

Swimming

Tennis

Births

• 3 August: Arthur Hall, politician.

  Deaths

• 9 March: Edward Hargreaves, Member of Parliament.
• 12 March: Thomas Birch, Member of Parliament
• 27 July: David Forsyth Main, Member of Parliament.