Story: Colonial and provincial government

Public dinner celebrating independence from New South Wales

Public dinner celebrating independence from New South Wales

When New Zealand became British territory in 1840 it was incorporated into the colony of New South Wales. This was a transitional arrangement and later in the same year the Colonial Office in London made New Zealand a separate colony. The news reached New Zealand in April 1841 and a celebratory dinner was held in Wellington. However, the news of the ‘adjustment of Differences between the Government and the New Zealand Company’ was premature – some difficulties may have been sorted out, but many others coloured relations between the two entities over the next few years.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-B-POLITICS-1841-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Malcolm McKinnon, 'Colonial and provincial government - The crown colony, 1840 to 1852', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/35472/public-dinner-celebrating-independence-from-new-south-wales (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 6 Oct 2023