1888 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1888 in New Zealand.

Regal and viceregal

 * Head of State – Queen Victoria
 * Governor – Lieutenant-General Sir William Jervois.

Government and law
The 10th New Zealand Parliament continues.


 * Speaker of the House – Maurice O'Rorke.
 * Premier – Harry Atkinson.
 * Minister of Finance – Harry Atkinson.
 * Chief Justice – Hon Sir James Prendergast

Main centre leaders

 * Mayor of Auckland – Albert Devore
 * Mayor of Christchurch – Aaron Ayers followed by Charles Louisson
 * Mayor of Dunedin – William Dawson followed by Hugh Gourley
 * Mayor of Wellington – Samuel Brown

Events

 * 25 July: By-election in the Ashley electorate
 * 4 August: Reefton Power Station begins operation
 * 1 September: 1888 North Canterbury earthquake

Undated

 * First sightings of the dolphin Pelorus Jack in Cook Strait.

Athletics
The first New Zealand Championships are held.

National Champions, Men
Source:
 * 100 yards – F. Meenan (Otago)
 * 250 yards – A. Williams (Canterbury)
 * 440 yards – A. Williams (Canterbury)
 * 880 yards – Peter Morrison (South Canterbury)
 * 1 mile – J. Field (Southland)
 * 120 yards hurdles – Godfrey Shaw (Canterbury)
 * Long jump – T. Harman (Canterbury)
 * High jump – F. Perry (South Canterbury)

Horse racing
The Auckland Cup of 1887 is moved to January 1888. Future Auckland Cup's are normally scheduled for New Year's Day.

Avondale Racecourse in Auckland is established.

Major race winners

 * New Zealand Cup – Manton
 * New Zealand Derby – Manton
 * Auckland Cup winner (January) – Nelson (Australian owned)
 * Auckland Cup winner (December) – Lochiel
 * Wellington Cup winner – Beresford

National Champions

 * Singles – G. White (Milton)
 * Fours – R. Churton, L. Oughton, W. Carswell and D. Mackie (skip) (Taieri)

Note: As the New Zealand Bowling Association at this time consists largely of South Island clubs, the first truly "national" championships are not deemed to have begun until 1914.

Polo
The first polo club in New Zealand is formed in Auckland.

Rowing
National Championships are held for the first time. They are held at separate venues; the single sculls in Wellington, the coxed fours in Wanganui. From the following year the Championships will be held at a single venue.

National Champions (Men)

 * Single sculls – J. Foster (Napier)
 * Coxed fours – Canterbury

Rugby union
The South Canterbury, Wanganui and Marlborough unions are formed.

The first ever British Isles rugby team tour takes place, visiting New Zealand and Australia. The visitors win all their New Zealand games except for one, losing to Auckland.

The first New Zealand Native team to visit Britain leaves at the end of the year.

Shooting
Ballinger Belt – Hon Major Purnell (NZ Volunteers)

Tennis
National championships
 * Men's singles – P. Fenwicke
 * Women's singles – E. Harman
 * Men's doubles – Richard Harman and Frederick Wilding
 * Women's doubles – E. Harman and E. Gordon
 * Mixed doubles – No competition

Births

 * 27 April: Daisy Osborn, artist. (d. 1957)
 * 21 June: Cecil King, rugby league footballer. (d. 1975)
 * 15 November: Cora Wilding, physiotherapist and artist. (d. 1982)
 * 29 November: Thomas Hislop (Jnr), politician and mayor of Wellington. (d. 1965)

Deaths

 * 3 June; Joseph Beswick, politician
 * 14 July: Samuel Revans, politician and journalist.
 * 18 August; James Menzies, politician
 * 30 August: George O'Brien, painter.
 * 18 October: Mary Ann Buxton, educator.
 * 28 November: William Meluish, photographer and businessman.
 * (in England, no date) John Bacot, politician.