1882 in New Zealand

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Queen Victoria
• Governor – The term of The Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon ends on 24 June. His replacement does not take up his appointment until the following year.

  Government and law

• Speaker of the House – Maurice O'Rorke.
• Premier – John Hall resigns on 21 April. He is replaced by Frederick Whitaker who becomes Premier for the second time.
• Minister of Finance – Harry Atkinson
• Chief Justice – Hon Sir James Prendergast

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – James Clark
• Mayor of Christchurch – James Gapes followed by George Ruddenklau
• Mayor of Dunedin – James Gore followed by James Bryce Thomson
• Mayor of Wellington – George Fisher

  Events

• 15 February: The Dunedin departs from Port Chalmers carrying the first shipment of frozen meat bound for Britain.
• 26 April - A telephone exchange is opened in Dunedin.

  Sport

Cricket

• 1882–83 New Zealand cricket season

  Horse racing

• New Zealand Cup winner: Welcome Jack
• New Zealand Derby winner: Cheviot
• Auckland Cup winner: Welcome Jack
• Wellington Cup winner: Hilda

  Rugby union

Shooting

Births

• 27 February: A. N. Field, white supremacist
• 1 June: Jim Thorn, labour leader and politician
• 24 June: Jim Barclay, politician
• 16 September : Freda du Faur, mountaineer.

  Unknown date

• Bernard Martin, politician

  Deaths

• 1 April: James Kelham, politician.
• 2 October: Francis Gledhill, politician.
• James O'Neill, politician.