1848 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1848 in New Zealand.

Population
The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1848 is 68,300 Māori and 17,166 non-Māori.

Regal and viceregal

 * Head of State – Queen Victoria
 * Governor – Sir George Grey

Government and law

 * Chief Justice — William Martin
 * Lieutenant Governor, New Munster — From 28 January, Edward John Eyre
 * Lieutenant Governor, New Ulster — From 14 February, George Dean Pitt

Events

 * 23 March: The founding of the city of Dunedin and Otago Province, with the arrival of the John Wickliffe, carrying Scottish settlers, at Port Chalmers.
 * 23 June: Government House, in Auckland is burned to the ground by a fire believed to have started in the butler's pantry. Most chattels and Government documents were saved.
 * 17 September – The first attempt at photography is made in New Zealand. Lieutenant-Governor Eyre is unsuccessful in his attempt to take a daguerreotype of Eliza Grey, wife of Governor Grey.
 * 16 October – A magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes Marlborough, causing three deaths.
 * 13 December – Otago News begins publication. The newspaper publishes fortnightly until closing in 1850.

Cricket
Cricket is played on the present site of The Octagon, Dunedin. A team from Otago challenges Wellington to a match, but the challenge is not accepted.

Births

 * 29 April: David Buick, politician.
 * 26 August: Sarah Ann McMurray, woodcarver.
 * 2 October: (in India) G. M. Thomson, scientist.

Deaths

 * 17 June: Joseph Burns, murderer.
 * 19 September: William Wakefield, founder of Wellington.
 * 22 September (in Berbice, British Guiana): Samuel Martin, land claimant, magistrate, journalist and writer.