1893 in New Zealand

← 1892 1891 1890 1893 in New Zealand → 1894 1895 1896
Decades:	1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 1893 in New Zealand.

With the sudden death of John Ballance on 27 April the 13 years of Richard Seddon as prime minister begins. On 28 November New Zealand women become the first in the world to vote in a national election.

• Head of State – Queen Victoria
• Governor – David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow

The Electoral Bill granting women the franchise is given Royal Assent by Governor Lord Glasgow on 19 September, and women voted for the first time on 28 November (see Women's suffrage in New Zealand).

The Liberal Party is re-elected on 28 November and begins the 12th New Zealand Parliament.

• Speaker of the House – William Steward
• Prime Minister – John Ballance dies on 27 April and Richard Seddon becomes the new prime minister.^[1]
• Minister of Finance – On 1 May Joseph Ward becomes Minister of Finance, four days after the death of John Ballance.
• Chief Justice – Hon Sir James Prendergast

Leader of the Opposition – William Rolleston (Independent) until 8 November, then William Russell (Independent).^[2]

• Mayor of Auckland – William Crowther followed by James Holland
• Mayor of Christchurch – William Prudhoe followed by Eden George
• Mayor of Dunedin – Charles Haynes followed by Henry Fish
• Mayor of Wellington – Francis Bell

The first Australia and New Zealand Championships are held. Tim O'Connor (in the Shot Put) is the first New Zealander to win an event.^[3] These combined Championships are held biennially until 1927 except during World War I.

The hammer throw is held for the first time at a New Zealand National Championships.

• 100 yards – Jack Hempton (Wellington)
• 250 yards – L. Harley (Wellington)
• 440 yards – Norman L. Gurr (Wellington)
• 880 yards – Norman L. Gurr (Wellington)
• 1 mile – C. Rees (Canterbury)
• 3 miles – William J. Burk (Otago)
• 120 yards hurdles – W. Moir (Canterbury)
• 440 yards hurdles – D. Matson (Canterbury)
• Long jump – Ross F. Gore (Wellington)
• High jump – tie Ross F. Gore (Wellington) and F. Meyrick (Canterbury)
• Pole vault – W. West (Canterbury)
• Shot put – O. McCormack (Wellington)
• Hammer throw – O. McCormack (Wellington)

The second firm in the country to begin the manufacture of billiard tables does so in Auckland.^[4]

National Champion: Franz Vaughan Siedeberg of Dunedin. (his 2nd title)^[5]

The New Zealand Amateur Championships are held for the first time. They are hosted by the Otago Golf Club and staged at the Balmacewan course.^[4]

• National Champion – Men: J. Somerville (Otago)
• National matchplay champion – Women: Mrs. Lomax-Smith (Christchurch)

• Auckland Trotting Cup (over 3 miles) is won by Sandfly^[6]

• New Zealand Cup – Rosefeldt
• New Zealand Derby – Skirmisher
• Auckland Cup – Pegasus
• Wellington Cup – Retina

• Top New Zealand stakes earner – St Hippo
• Leading flat jockey – T. Buddicombe

National Champions^[7]

• Singles – W. Cowie (Dunedin)
• Fours – W. Barnett, C. Hulbert, H. Toomer and H. Thomson (skip) (Christchurch)

• Savile Cup winners: Christchurch

National Champions (Men)

• Single sculls – J. McGrath (Otago)
• Double sculls – Union, Christchurch
• Coxless pairs – Union, Christchurch
• Coxed fours – Lyttelton

• 1893 New Zealand rugby union tour of Australia

Provincial club rugby champions include:

Ballinger Belt – Private A. Ballinger (Wellington Guards)

Provincial Champions:^[8]

• Auckland: Alliance Auckland
• Wellington:Wellington Rovers

National Champions (Men)

• 100 yards freestyle – H. Hodges (Auckland)
• 220 yards freestyle – H. Bailey (Auckland)
• 440 yards freestyle – H. Bailey (Auckland)
• 880 yards freestyle – H. Bailey (Auckland)

National Champions

• Men's singles – M. Fenwicke
• Women's singles – J. Rees
• Men's doubles – Richard Harman and Frederick Wilding
• Women's doubles – Not held

• 30 January: George Yerex, wildlife conservator

• 23 January: Henry Driver, politician
• 27 February (in London): Sir Charles Clifford, 1st Baronet, politician, first speaker of the House of Representatives.
• 1 March (in Yorkshire): Mary Taylor, Wellington draper and women's rights advocate.
• 22 March: Theophilus Daniel, politician.
• 27 April: John Ballance, politician & Premier.
• 28 April: Thomas King, politician (born 1821).
• 15 December: Alphonse J. Barrington, gold prospector and explorer (born c. 1832).^[9]

• Women's suffrage in New Zealand
• History of New Zealand
• List of years in New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment

General

• Romanos, J. (2001) New Zealand Sporting Records and Lists. Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett. ISBN 1-86958-879-7

Specific

Media related to 1893 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons