1851 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1851 in New Zealand.

Population
The estimated population of New Zealand at the end of 1851 is 64,350 Māori and 26,707 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 — Edward John Eyre
 * Lieutenant Governor, New Ulster — George Dean Pitt until 8 January. Robert Henry Wynyard from 26 April.

Main centre leaders

 * Mayor of Auckland — Archibald Clark

Events

 * Governor Grey issues a charter creating the Borough of Auckland. Archibald Clark becomes Mayor. (see also 1852)
 * 11 January: The Otago Witness begins publication. It publishes fortnightly until August, and then weekly until its demise in 1932.
 * 11 January: The Lyttelton Times begins publication. It will change its name to the Christchurch Times in 1929, and continue until 1935.
 * 1 November: First national census held in New Zealand, counting European dwellings and population only.
 * 24 December: The Governor Wynyard, the first steamer built in New Zealand, is launched at Freemans Bay, Auckland.

Undated

 * Wynyard Pier is the first wharf built on the Auckland waterfront.

Births

 * 31 March: Francis Bell, politician and 20th Prime Minister of New Zealand.
 * 11 September: Henry Samuel Fitzherbert, lawyer and politician.

Deaths

 * 8 January: George Dean Pitt, Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster
 * 29 January: Wiremu Piti Pomare, tribal leader
 * 28 October: Wiremu Hikairo, tribal leader