1 February – Māori elections are held for the first time in conjunction with a general election, although the first Māori MPs had been elected in 1868.
1 February: The Daily Telegraph begins publishing in Napier. It continues until 1999, when it merges with The Hawke's Bay Herald Tribune to form Hawke's Bay Today.[1]
5 July: New Zealand's first university, Otago opens its doors. It was absorbed into the University of New Zealand three years later.[2]
The Westport News begins publication. The newspaper continues to publish Monday-Friday.[3]
Sport
Athletics
The first amateur club is formed, in South Canterbury. Professional athletics is already well established.[4]
Horse racing
Major race winners
New Zealand Cup: Peeress
New Zealand Derby: Defamation
Rugby union
12 May: Founding of the Wellington Rugby club, the second rugby union club in New Zealand.[5]
^"The News". Westport News. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2008.
^Heidenstrom, P. (1992) Athletes of the Century. Wellington: GP Publications ISBN1-86956-044-2
^"RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL". from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.