1879 in New Zealand

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

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.

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]

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.

The first New Zealand Chess Championship is held and was won by H. Hookham (Christchurch)^[6]

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

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]

Ballinger Belt – Corporal W. Ballinger (Wellington)

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.