{| class="infobox" width=330 |- | align="center" | '1868 in New Zealand: |- style="background-color:#f3f3f3" | align="center" | Other years in New Zealand |- | align="center" | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 | 1871 |} The following lists events that happened during 1868 in New Zealand. Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State — Queen Victoria Governor — Sir George Grey is recalled by the British government and is replaced on 5 February by Sir George Ferguson Bowen. Government and law The 4th Parliament continues. The first four Māori MPs are elected in 1868. Speaker of the House — Sir David Monro Premier — Edward Stafford Minister of Finance — William Fitzherbert Chief Justice — Hon Sir George Arney Main centre leaders Mayor of Christchurch — William Wilson Mayor of Dunedin — John Hyde Harris followed by Thomas Birch Events 1–6 February: The Great storm of 1868 sweeps across the country causing major damage and loss of life. 1 June: The New Zealand Advertiser, which had been absorbed into the New Zealand Times in 1867, is revived. It ceases publication for good in December. 13 August: A tsunami caused by the 1868 Arica earthquake in South America causes the only fatalities recorded from tsunamis in New Zealand, with about twenty people swept away in the Chatham Islands. 24 August: Wanganui Horticultural Society established. Nelson Football Club founded. 2 November: New Zealand Mean Time adopted throughout the colony; New Zealand may be the first country to have adopted a standard time throughout the country. Coromandel Gold Rush (1867–68) Sport Cricket The Basin Reserve is first used for cricket. Horse racing Major race winners New Zealand Cup: Flying Jib New Zealand Derby: Flying Jib Shooting Ballinger Belt: Sergeant Taylor (Otago) Births 23 February Sir Andrew Hamilton Russell, soldier. 19 March: Alfred Ransom, politician and cabinet minister. Full date unknown Asajiro Noda, seaman, cashier, gum-digger and farmer (d. 1942) Deaths 9 October: George Macfarlan''', politician See also History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Military history of New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica Timeline of the New Zealand environment References General Romanos, J. (2001) New Zealand Sporting Records and Lists.'' Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett. Specific External links