New Zealand's Anniversary Days

Their historical background and why they matter.

By @SonofZealandia

Today is the 184th anniversary of William Hobson’s arrival in the Bay of Islands aboard HMS Herald. Not that many would know it, or even care, such is the nature of these anniversary days. 

It is increasingly sad that the days themselves seem to be forgotten holidays; while we happily take the day off, few recognise their origins, let alone see them as worth celebrating. I argue that these anniversary days are worth celebrating, as these days commemorate important events in New Zealand history. 

There are thirteen anniversary days in the calendar: those of Wellington, Northland, Auckland, Nelson, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, South Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Canterbury, Chatham Islands, Westland. Some of these days commemorate settlement foundations (Wellington, Nelson, Taranaki, Otago), others commemorate provincial independence (Southland, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Westland), others still commemorate other historical events (Northland/Auckland, South Canterbury, Chatham Islands). These days have evolved organically over the years. 

Wellington Anniversary - 22 January

Wellington Anniversary Day commemorates the arrival of the Aurora in 1840, a week before the arrival of Hobson. One of the earliest New Zealand Company settlements, the Aurora landed at what’s now Petone where they sought to establish the town of Britannia. After repeated flooding they moved to what’s now Thorndon, where, interestingly enough, William Wakefield had always intended for them to settle. 

Northland, Auckland Anniversary - 29 January

This day has its origins in the arrival of William Hobson, though there was some historic push to move this to the next day, 30 January, as that was the day Hobson proclaimed British sovereignty. In any case, it is the arrival of Hobson which is commemorated on this day. 

As to why Northland has a separate anniversary, this is a lot more recent. In 1960, the Government passed the Waitangi Day Act, which was in effect a sneaky way to trade in their provincial anniversary day for Waitangi Day. No one took up the offer, though an amendment in 1963 gave Northland its own anniversary day on 6 February. Eventually, when Waitangi Day was introduced, Northland’s anniversary day was moved back to 29 January alongside the rest of the former Auckland Province. 

Nelson Anniversary - 1 February

Another one of the New Zealand Company settlements, this day commemorates the founding of the Nelson settlement with the arrival of the Fifeshire, the first of the New Zealand Company vessels to arrive there. In time the other ships, the Mary Ann, Lord Auckland & the Lloyds would arrive in Nelson. 

Otago Anniversary - 23 March

This day commemorates the arrival of Captain William Cargill & the first group of Free Church settlers of Otago aboard the John Wickliffe. The Rev. Thomas Burns, the settlers’ spiritual leader & nephew of Robert Burns, arrived about 3 weeks later with the second group aboard the Philip Laing. This settlement has its origins in the work of the Otago Association, founded by members of the Free Church of Scotland who wished to found a colony of like-minded Scots. 

Southland Anniversary - 25 March (observed on Easter Tuesday)

This is one of several anniversary days that are in fact provincial independence days. This is the anniversary of the 1861 proclamation whereby Southland seceded from Otago. Never mind that Southland would rejoin Otago in 1870. Since then, the day has been moved by the local government leaders to Easter Tuesday, a move that, in my view, cheapens the solemnity of these days & reduces it to a quirky day off. 

Taranaki Anniversary - 31 March (observed on the second Monday in March to avoid Easter)

This is a more traditional “settlement day”, the anniversary of the arrival of the William Bryan on that date in 1841 with settlers recruited by the Plymouth Company, a NZ Company subsidiary. Like a lot of these arrival dates, more ships came with more settlers over the following months; these dates commemorate the first of them. 

South Canterbury Anniversary - 26 September (observed on the fourth Monday of September)

Among the anniversary days, this one is somewhat of a curiosity; South Canterbury, like Northland, was never a province, though there were attempts at separation. This day is in essence a remnant of the old Dominion Day, the anniversary of New Zealand’s proclamation of Dominion status. As Dominion Day would eventually fade away from the popular memory over the decades, this would continue. In fact, in our day & age this is the last real remnant, especially after the renaming of the Wellington-based Dominion Post, a newspaper formed from the merger of two separate papers, one of which, The Dominion, was first published on Dominion Day. 

Hawkes Bay & Marlborough Anniversary - 1 November (observed on the Friday before Labour Day in Hawkes Bay, on the first Monday after Labour Day in Marlborough)

These, like Southland, commemorate provincial independence days. Hawkes Bay Anniversary Day commemorates their 1858 separation from Wellington Province, the first of three successful independence movements allowed under the New Provinces Act 1858. Marlborough Anniversary Day commemorates a similar separation in 1859 from Nelson Province. The New Provinces Act was rather curious, an acknowledgement that the provinces as originally defined were somewhat arbitrary, but would have developed more natural boundaries over time, had they not been abolished. 

Canterbury Anniversary - second Friday after the first Tuesday in November

Of all the days, this is perhaps the one most divorced from the original anniversary. The original date was 16 December, the anniversary of the landing of the Charlotte Jane & the Randolph, the first two of the First Four Ships of Canterbury Association settlers to arrive at Lyttelton, the other two (the Sir George Seymour arrived the next day, & the Cressy arrived 11 days later). In the mid to late 1950s, this was moved to coincide with the Friday of the Canterbury Agricultural & Pastoral Association Show. 

Chatham Islands - 29 November (observed on the nearest Monday)

This commemorates the arrival of HMS Chatham in 1791. The Chatham, commanded by William Broughton, was part of the Vancouver Expedition, & it was during the early part of the Expedition that they sighted the islands & named them after the ship while en route to Tahiti to rejoin Vancouver & the Discovery. 

Westland Anniversary - 1 December (observed on the nearest Monday)

This commemorates the commencement of the Province of Westland Act 1873, the culmination of a 5-year long process of Westland gaining independence from Canterbury, one that started with the initial separation of Westland County from Canterbury Province. 

The abolition of the provinces in 1876 has caused most of these days to fall by the proverbial wayside, & where it fell by the political wayside, it would fall by the cultural wayside as well. The remains of these days lie in events like the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, but I could guarantee you that a scant few know the history behind these anniversary days, let alone value the history behind them at all. Some of these days, such as Canterbury’s, have been repurposed, but the point still remains that, like almost every other holiday in our day & age, they’re not taken with much seriousness. Such remnants as they are, we ought to preserve them from those who seek to eliminate even them.