1843 in New Zealand

← 1842 1841 1840 1843 in New Zealand → 1844 1845 1846
Decades:	1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 1843 in New Zealand.

Population

The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1843 is 75,400 Māori and 11,848 non-Māori.[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Queen Victoria
• Governor – Captain Robert Fitzroy arrives to take up the position on 26 December replacing Captain William Hobson who died the previous year.

Government and law

• Chief Justice – William Martin

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Wellington – George Hunter dies on 19 July. The runner-up in the election the previous year, William Guyton, is declared Mayor. News that the Borough of Wellington has been declared illegal by the British Government reaches Wellington in late September. The Borough is abolished as is the office of Mayor. (see also 1842, 1863 & 1870)

Events

• 22 April: The Southern Cross publishes its first issue. The Auckland-based newspaper publishes weekly, with a hiatus in 1845–1847, and from 1862 daily when it will also change its name to The Daily Southern Cross. It will eventually merge with The New Zealand Herald in 1876.[2]
• 8 July: An earthquake occurs in the North Island centred near Wanganui, with several fatalities.
• 2 August: The New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser ceases publishing after one year.[3]
• 26 August: A riot of armed New Zealand Company workers occurs at the Company office in Nelson, spurred by issues surrounding quality of life and payment of wages. Several are arrested, and many leave for New South Wales as a result.[4]
• 4 November: The Bay of Islands Advocate begins publishing. It runs for three months.[5]

Births

• 10 January Gilbert Mair, soldier

Unknown date

• (in Scotland): John Blair, Mayor of Wellington.
• (in Ireland): George Fisher, politician.
• (in England): Charles Hall, politician.

Deaths

• 17 June (Wairau Affray):

• William Patchett, early settler
• Arthur Wakefield, founder of Nelson

• 19 July: George Hunter, first Mayor of Wellington (b. 1788)

See also

• History of New Zealand
• List of years in New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment

References

1. Statistics New Zealand has collated estimates from a number of sources (interpolating where necessary) at "Long-term data series". Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008., in particular "A1.1 Total population.xls". Archived from the original (Excel) on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
2. "Daily Southern Cross". National Library of New Zealand.
3. "Chapter 2: Early Statistical Sources – 19th Century" (PDF). Statistical publications 1840–2000. Statistics New Zealand. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2007.
4. Davidson, Jared (2021). The History of a Riot. Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books Ltd. ISBN 9781990046094.
5. Dr. T. M. Hocken F.L.S. (9 July 1902). "Art. VI.—The Beginnings of Literature in New Zealand: Part II., the English Section—Newspapers". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868–1961. p. 107.