← 1879 1878 1877 1880 in New Zealand → 1881 1882 1883
Decades:	1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 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

The 7th New Zealand Parliament continues.

• Speaker of the House – Maurice O'Rorke.
• Premier – John Hall (New Zealand)
• 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.^[1]

Undated

Wellington Teachers College is opened.

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

see also Category:Horse races in New Zealand.

Rugby union

The Wellington Union is the first to hold a club championships.^[2]

Provincial club rugby champions

Wellington: Athletic

Shooting

Ballinger Belt: Sergeant Okey (Taranaki)

Swimming

The first swimming club in New Zealand, Christchurch Amateur Swimming Club, is formed on 11 October.^[3] It is soon followed by others throughout New Zealand.^[2]

Tennis

Prior to this year there are tennis clubs in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. As well as tennis club members also play croquet, bowls and archery.^[2]

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.