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A Summary of Principal Events.

(Culled from the Government Handbook.)

Dec. 13, 1642.—Discovery of New Zealand by Abel Jansen Tasman.

Oct. 8, 1769.—Captain Cool; landed at Poverty Lay on his first

1814—Horses, oxen, sheep, and poultry first brought to the Colony.

1825.—First attempt at colonisation by Captain Herd.

1831.—Application of thirteen chiefs for the protection of King William IV.

1835.—Declaration of independence of the whole of New Zealand as one nation, with the title of "The United Tribes of New Zealand."

May 12, 1839.—Departure of the preliminary expedition of the New Zealand Company from England.

Sept. 16, 1839.—First body of New Zealand Company's emigrants tailed from Gravesend.

Jan. 20, 1840.—First steamer arrived in New Zealand.

Jan. 22, 1840.—Arrival of first body of immigrants at Port Nicholson.

Jan. 29, 1840.—Captain Hobson, R.N., arrived at the Bay of Islands. On the following day (Jan. 30) he hoisted the Union flag, and extended the boundaries of she colony of New South Wales so as to embrace and comprehend she Islands of New Zealand.

May 21, 1840.—Date of proclamation of sovereignty over she islands of New Zealand.

Mar. 31, 1841.—Arrival of first New Plymouth settlers. May 3, 1841.—New Zealand proclaimed to be independent of New South Wales.

Oct., 1841.—Selection of site for settlement at Nelson.

Feb. 1, 1842.—Settlement founded at Nelson.

Aug. 28, 1846.—The New Zealand Government Act passed by the Imperial Parliament, under which a charter was issued dividing the colony into two provinces, and granting representative institutions.

Mar., 1848.—Otago founded by a Scotch company under the auspices of the Free Church of Scotland.

Dec, 1850.—Canterbury founded by the Canterbury Association in connection with the Church of England.

1852.—Discovery of gold at Coromandel.

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June 30, 1852.—The Constitution Act passed by the Imperial Parliament, granting representative institutions to the colony, and subdividing it into six provinces.

May 27, 1854.—Opening at Auckland of the first session of the General Assembly by Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, administrator of the Government.

Jan., 1855.—Very severe earthquake on each side of Cook Strait.

Nov. 12, 1855.—First members elected to House of Representatives under system of responsible Government.

Aug. 8, 1855.—General Assembly opened.

May 7, 1856,—Appointment of the first Ministry under the system of responsible Government.

Nov. 1, 1858.—Establishment of the province of HawKes Bay.

Nov, 1, 1859.—Establishment of the province of Marlborough.

Dec. 1, 1863.—The first railway in New Zealand opened for traffic.

1864.—Discovery of gold on the west coast of the Middle Island.

Mar. 3, 1869.—Termination of Panama mail service.

Mar. 26, 1870.—Commencement if San Francisco mail service.

Nov., 1872.—Establishment of the New Zealand Shipping Company.

July, 1875.—Establishment of the Union Steam Shipping Company of New Zealand.

Feb. 18, 1876.—Completion or the work of laying the telegraph cable between New Zealand and New South Wales.

Nov. 1, 1876.—"The Abolition of Provinces Act, 1875," came into full operation. Complete abolition of provincial institutions. The Colony subdivided into counties and municipal boroughs.

1882.—Frozen meat first exported in this year.

Jan. 26, 1883.—A direct line of steam communication between England and New Zealand inaugurated by the New Zealand Shipping of the famed Pink and White Terraces.

June 10, 1886.—Volcanic eruption at Tarawera, and destruction of the famed Pink and White Terraces.