The capital moved from Auckland to more centrally located Wellington on the recommendation of a specially appointed Australian commission. The former Wellington Provincial Council chamber became the new home for Parliament.
The location of New Zealand’s Parliament had been a matter of debate for some years. For South Island members the long sea voyage to Auckland was a genuine trial. The issue came to a head as the populations of Canterbury and Otago grew rapidly in the 1860s.
Eventually an independent commission chosen by the governors of the Australian colonies was charged with selecting New Zealand’s capital. After visiting Wellington, Whanganui, Picton, Port Underwood, Havelock and Nelson, at a cost of £4085 (equivalent to $450,000 in 2015), they opted for Wellington. The move – a substantial logistical exercise – took place in early 1865, at a total cost of £54,665 (nearly $6 million).
Image: detail from Parliament Buildings, 1906
Read more on NZHistory
The House of Representatives – The House of RepresentativesPolitical and constitutional timeline – Political and constitutional timelineFrederick WhitakerHistory of New Zealand, 1769-1914 – A history of New Zealand 1769-1914
External links
- Parliament House (Historic Places Trust)
- Government Buildings (Historic Places Trust)
- Government and Nation (Te Ara)
- Wellington City (1966 encyclopaedia)
How to cite this page
'Parliament moves to Wellington', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/parliament-sits-for-the-first-time-in-wellington, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 15-Jun-2016
