← 1878 1877 1876 1879 in New Zealand → 1880 1881 1882
Decades:	1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 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

The general election is held between 15 August and 1 September; a law was passed to confirm the result in three electorates (Marsden, Northern Maori and Western Maori);^[1] and to clarify the law about electoral petitions (1880).^[2] The 7th New Zealand Parliament commences.

• 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

Voting rights are extended to all males.^[3]

The term of parliament is reduced from five years to three years.^[3]

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.^[4]
• 30 March: The Ross Guardian ceases publication. It began in 1866.^[5]
• Education (secular or denominational) 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 (Christchurch)^[6]

Horse racing

Major race winners

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

Lawn bowls

The first annual competition between clubs from different centres begins between Christchurch and Dunedin clubs.^[7]

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.^[8]
• 20 October: The Wellington Rugby Football Union is formed, initially consisting of the Wellington and Athletic clubs.^[8]

Shooting

Ballinger Belt – Corporal W. Ballinger (Wellington)

Births

• 18 January: Agnes Weston, politician (MLC).
• 25 May: Andrew Kennaway Henderson, illustrator, cartoonist and pacifist
• 30 August (in London): Maud Ruby "Daisy" Basham, radio personality.
• 15 June: Miriam Cummings (later Miriam Soljak), activist.
• 28 December: Claude Weston, politician.

Deaths

• 2 February (in England): General Sir Thomas Pratt, commander British forces in NZ 1860–61.
• 3 March: Jerningham Wakefield, politician and pioneer settler.
• 24 April – John Munro, politician (b. 1798/99)
• 14 May: Henry Sewell, politician.
• 14 July: Thomas Outhwaite, first registrar of the Supreme Court.