1901 in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Population
A censusNew Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
was held in March 1901. The population was given as 772,719 — an increase of 9.86% over the previous census in 1896.
The figures for the 1901 census revealed that the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
's population had exceeded the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
's for the first time since the Central Otago Gold Rush
Central Otago Gold Rush
The Central Otago Gold Rush was a gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand...
of 1861 — the two islands (plus their associated minor offshore islands) had populations of 390,579 and 382,140 respectively. Only 40% of the country's population was based in urban centres, and only two of these centres, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, had populations of over 25,000.
Regal and Vice Regal
- Head of StateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
— Queen Victoria, succeeded by Edward VIIEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910... - GovernorGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
— The Earl of RanfurlyUchter Knox, 5th Earl of RanfurlyUchter John Mark Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly GCMG, PC was a British politician and colonial governor. He was Governor-General of New Zealand from 1897 to 1904.-Early life:...
GCMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
Government
The 14th New Zealand Parliament continued. In government was the Liberal PartyNew Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
.
- Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the New Zealand House of RepresentativesIn New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
— George O'Rorke (Liberal) - Premier / Prime MinisterPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
— Richard SeddonRichard SeddonRichard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders.... - Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (New Zealand)The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
— Richard SeddonRichard SeddonRichard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
Parliamentary opposition
- Leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition (New Zealand)The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
— William RussellWilliam Russell (New Zealand)Sir William Russell was a New Zealand politician from 1870 to 1905. He was a cabinet minister, and was recognised as Leader of the Opposition from 1894 to 1901.-Early life:...
, (Independent) until 3 July, then vacant.
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of AucklandMayor of AucklandThe Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
— John Logan CampbellJohn Logan CampbellSir John Logan Campbell was a prominent New Zealand public figure. He was the son of Doctor John Campbell and his wife Catherine. He was described by his contemporaries as "the father of Auckland".- Early life:... - Mayor of WellingtonMayor of WellingtonThe Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
— John AitkenJohn Aitken (Mayor of Wellington)John Guthrie Wood Aitken was the Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand from 1900 to 1904.He represented the City of Wellington electorate from 1902 to 1905, and then the Wellington East electorate from 1905 to 1908, when he retired.... - Mayor of ChristchurchMayor of ChristchurchThe Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
— William Reece then Arthur RhodesArthur Edgar Gravenor RhodesArthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes OBE was a New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.-Life before politics:Rhodes was a lawyer in Christchurch... - Mayor of DunedinMayor of DunedinThe Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
— Robert Chisholm then George Denniston
Events
- 28 January — Captain William James HardhamWilliam James HardhamMajor William James Hardham VC was a New Zealander recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
became the first New Zealand-born winner of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
as a result of action in the South African War (Boer War). - 2 February — a day of mourning acknowledging the death of Queen Victoria brings the nation to a standstill.
- Union of the Synod of Otago and SouthlandSynod of Otago and SouthlandThe Synod of Otago and Southland is a synod of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand . Originally independent, the Synod merged with the northern Presbyterian church in 1901 to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.-History:...
with the Northern Presbyterian Church to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ZealandPresbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ZealandThe Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is the main Presbyterian church in New Zealand.-History:The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was formed in October 1901 with the amalgamation of churches in Synod of Otago and Southland with those north of the Waitaki River.Presbyterians had by and...
. - A the second visit to New Zealand by members of the Royal FamilyMonarchy in New ZealandThe monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
: the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (later to become King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen MaryMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
). - The New Zealand red ensignRed EnsignThe Red Ensign or "Red Duster" is a flag that originated in the early 17th century as a British ensign flown by the Royal Navy and later specifically by British merchantmen. The precise date of its first appearance is not known, but surviving receipts indicate that the Navy was paying to have such...
became the official flag for merchant vessels. - Founding of the New Zealand Socialist PartyNew Zealand Socialist PartyThe New Zealand Socialist Party was founded in 1901, promoting the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The group, despite being relatively moderate when compared with many other socialists, met with little tangible success, but it nevertheless had considerable impact on the development of New...
. - New Zealand rejects the proposalAustralia-New Zealand relationsRelations between Australia and New Zealand, also sometimes referred to as Trans-Tasman relations due to the countries being on opposite sides of the Tasman Sea, are extremely close with both sharing British colonial heritage and being part of the Anglosphere...
to become a state in the Commonwealth of Australia - Richard SeddonRichard SeddonRichard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
adopts the term Prime Minister rather than Premier.
Appointments and awards
See: New Zealand Order of MeritNew Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, Order of New Zealand
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity"...
- Archbishop of New ZealandArchbishop of New ZealandThe Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
- Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and PolynesiaAnglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and PolynesiaThe Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands...
, see appointments to Diocese
Golf
The 9th National Amateur Championships were held in Auckland- Men: Arthur Duncan (Wellington) — 3rd title
- Women: E.S. Gillies
Rugby
- The Earl of Ranfurly announced his intention to present a cup to the NZRFU, without stipulating what form of competition it should be awarded for.
- A New Zealand representative team won both test matches against a touring team from New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Soccer
Provincial league champions:- Auckland: Grafton AFC (Auckland)
- Otago: Roslyn DunedinRoslyn-WakariRoslyn-Wakari A.F.C. is an amateur association football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They compete in the ODT Footballsouth Premier League.-History:...
- Wellington: Wellington Swifts
Births
- 7 February: Arnold NordmeyerArnold NordmeyerSir Arnold Henry Nordmeyer, ONZ, KCMG , born Heinrich Arnold Nordmeyer, was a New Zealand politician. He was leader of the Labour Party for three years while it was in Opposition.-Early life:...
, politician. - 26 February: Leslie MunroLeslie MunroSir Leslie Knox Munro, KCMG, KCVO was a New Zealand lawyer, journalist, and politician of international standing.-Law and media:...
, diplomat. - 25 March: Raymond FirthRaymond FirthSir Raymond William Firth, CNZM, FBA, was an ethnologist from New Zealand. As a result of Firth's ethnographic work, actual behaviour of societies is separated from the idealized rules of behaviour within the particular society...
, ethnologist. - 10 April: Robert AitkenSir Robert AitkenSir Robert Aitken was a physician and university administrator from New Zealand. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand between 1948 and 1953 and of the University of Birmingham between 1953 and 1968.-References:...
, physician and university administrator. - 17 May: Robert MacfarlaneRobert Macfarlane (New Zealand)Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:...
, politician. - 13 June: John Cawte BeagleholeJohn Cawte BeagleholeJohn Cawte Beaglehole, OM, CMG was a New Zealand historian whose greatest scholastic achievement was the editing of James Cook’s three journals of exploration, together with the writing of an acclaimed biography of Cook, published posthumously...
, historian and biographer. - 15 June: Dove-Myer RobinsonDove-Myer RobinsonSir Dove-Myer Robinson was Mayor of Auckland City from 1959 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1980, the longest tenure of any holder of the office....
, long-serving mayor of Auckland. - 5 July: Len LyeLen LyeLen Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye , was a Christchurch, New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives such as the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Pacific...
, sculptor, filmmaker, writer. - 24 December: Nola LuxfordNola LuxfordNola Luxford was a New Zealand born film actress of the silent film era, and into the 1930s.Born Minola Adelaide Pratt in Hastings, New Zealand, Luxford relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in film acting. Her first film appearance was in the 1920 film The Tiger's Coat...
, silent film actress.
- William Stevenson, industrialist and philanthropist.