Abel Janszoon Tasman reaches New Zealand.

Abel Tasman becomes first European to land in New Zealand.

Shrigley Abduction: Ellen Turner is abducted by Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a future politician in colonial New Zealand.

Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, establishing New Zealand as a British colony.

The Flagstaff War: Unhappy with translational differences regarding the Treaty of Waitangi, chiefs Hone Heke, Kawiti and Māori tribe members chop down the British flagpole for a fourth time and drive settlers out of Kororareka, New Zealand.

The ship ''John Wickliffe'' arrives at Port Chalmers carrying the first Scottish settlers for Dunedin, New Zealand. Otago province is founded.

Christchurch, New Zealand is chartered as a city.

The First Taranaki War begins in Taranaki, New Zealand, a major phase of the New Zealand land wars.

The Second Maori War begins in New Zealand.

The First Taranaki War ends in New Zealand.

''HMS Orpheus'' sinks off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, killing 189.

The Maori Wars resumes as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron begin their Invasion of the Waikato.

Time zone: New Zealand officially adopts a standard time to be observed nationally

The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson College and the Nelson Rugby Football Club.

New Zealand's provincial government system is dissolved.

Mount Tarawera in New Zealand erupts, killing 153 people and destroying the famous Pink and White Terraces.

Women's suffrage: in New Zealand, the Electoral Act of 1893 is consented to by the governor giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote.

Women's suffrage: in New Zealand, the Electoral Act of 1893 is consented to by the governor giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote.

New Zealand annexes the Cook Islands.

New Zealand and Newfoundland each become dominions within the British Empire.

World War I: Australian and New Zealand troops arrive in Cairo, Egypt.

World War I: The First Battle of Passchendaele takes place resulting in the largest single day loss of life in New Zealand history.

Guy Menzies flies the first solo non-stop trans-Tasman flight (from Australia to New Zealand) in 11 hours and 45 minutes, crash-landing on New Zealand's west coast.

The Hawke's Bay earthquake, New Zealand's worst natural disaster, kills 258.

World War II: France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia declare war on Germany after the invasion of Poland, forming the Allies.

Diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the Soviet Union are established.

The Ballantyne's Department Store fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 41 (New Zealand's worst ever fire).

New Zealand ratifies the Statute of Westminster and thus becomes independent of legislative control by the United Kingdom.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand sign a mutual defense pact, called the ANZUS Treaty.

Tangiwai disaster: A railway bridge is destroyed by a lahar at Tangiwai, in the Central North Island of New Zealand, sending a fully loaded passenger train into the Whangaehu River, and killing 153 people.

New Zealand's Special Committee on Moral Delinquency in Children and Adolescents reports just ten days after concluding hearings.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge, crossing the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand, is officially opened by Governor-General Lord Cobham.

New Zealand's first official television broadcast commences at 7.30pm from Auckland.

Western Samoa achieves independence from New Zealand; its name is changed to the Independent State of Western Samoa.

The Constitution of Cook Islands comes into force, giving the Cook Islands self-governing status within New Zealand.

Shipwreck of the New Zealand inter-island ferry TEV ''Wahine'' outside Wellington harbour.

The United Kingdom introduces the British fifty-pence coin, which replaced, over the following years, the British ten-shilling note, in anticipation of the decimalization of the British currency in 1971, and the abolition of the shilling as a unit of currency anywhere in the world. (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, etc., had already abolished the shilling in favor of a decimal currency with exactly 100 pence per pound sterling or dollar, whichever was applicable.}

Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.

The opening of the Summer Olympics in Montreal is marred by 25 African teams boycotting the New Zealand team.

Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet announces that 'the national anthems of New Zealand shall be the traditional anthem "God Save the Queen" and the poem "God Defend New Zealand", written by Thomas Bracken, as set to music by John Joseph Woods, both being of equal status as national anthems appropriate to the occasion.