Growth of the Colony
As a British possession, New Zealand was at first a dependency of New South Wales, with its capital at Russell on the Bay of Islands. In a few months the capital was moved southward to Auckland, and in 1841 New Zealand was proclaimed a crown colony. Immigrants came from New South Wales and from Britain. Wakefield's company established early settlements at New Plymouth and Wanganui in the North Island, and at Nelson on Tasman Bay in the South Island. The company also helped found two church-sponsored colonies on the South Island—Dunedin in 1848, and Christchurch in 1850.
| Important dates in New Zealand (1840-1852) | |
| 1840 | William Hobson became lieutenant governor and issued a proclamation to stop the buying of land in New Zealand. |
| 1840 | The Treaty of Waitangi, giving the British the right to govern New Zealand, was signed by Maori and representatives of the British Crown. |
| 1842 | The Nelson settlement was established. |
| 1848 | The Otago Association established a settlement at Dunedin. |
| 1850 | The Canterbury Association founded a settlement at Christchurch. |
| 1852 | The British government established a central government and six provinces for New Zealand. |
Sheep-raising was introduced early, and became a major occupation in the South Island. In 1852 New Zealand adopted a constitution, and in 1856 the colony became completely self-governing. In 1852 a modest amount of gold was found in the North Island. Many persons turned to prospecting, and in 1861–62 major discoveries were made on the South Island. Immigration, farming, and grazing all grew with the gold rush. Population increased from 59,000 in 1858 to 256,000 in 1871. The capital was moved to Wellington in 1865.
