1859 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1859 in New Zealand.

Regal and viceregal

 * Head of State — Queen Victoria
 * Governor — Colonel Thomas Gore Browne

Government and law
The 2nd Parliament continues.


 * Speaker of the House — Sir Charles Clifford
 * Premier — Edward Stafford.
 * Minister of Finance — William Richmond is briefly replaced by Henry Sewell between 25 February and 26 April.
 * Chief Justice — Hon George Arney

Events

 * 10 January: Pencarrow Head Lighthouse becomes the first permanent lighthouse in New Zealand. Its first keeper is Mary Jane Bennett, the only woman to hold the position.
 * 13 April: The New Zealand Advertiser starts publishing in Wellington. In 1867 it is incorporated into the New Zealand Times, but it is restored for six months in 1868.
 * 3 October: The Auckland Independent begins publishing. It barely survives into the following year.

Undated
The first wharf is built at Onehunga.

Births

 * 1 January (in England): John Dumbell, rugby union player.
 * 18 November (in Scotland): James Nairn, painter

Unknown date

 * Thomas Field, politician.
 * Charles E. Major, politician.

Deaths

 * 7 April – John Gray, soldier, politician (born 1801)
 * 20 April – James Kelly, Australian explorer who was involved in a feud on Otago Peninsula (born 1791)
 * 30 April – Henry Despard, soldier (born c. 1784)
 * 20 July – Alexander Shepherd, public servant and second Colonial Treasurer (born c. 1797)