In 1865, Wellington became the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland, where William Hobson had established his capital in 1841. Parliament first sat in Wellington on 7 July 1862, but the city did not become the official capital for some time. In November 1863 the Premier Alfred Domett moved a resolution before Parliament (in Auckland) that “... it has become necessary that the seat of government ... should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Strait.” Apparently there was concern that the southern regions, where the gold fields were located, would form a separate colony. Commissioners from Australia (chosen for their neutral status) pronounced the opinion that Wellington was suitable because of its harbor and central location. Parliament officially sat in Wellington for the first time on 26 July 1865. Wellington is the southernmost national capital city in the world, with latitude of about 41°S. It is more densely populated than most other settlements in New Zealand, due to the small amount of building space available between the harbor and the surrounding hills. Wellington has very few suitable areas in which to expand and this has resulted in the development of the surrounding cities in the greater urban area. Because of its location in the roaring forties latitudes and its exposure to omnipresent winds coming through Cook Strait, the city is known to Kiwis as “Windy Wellington.”
What’s in a Name
Wellington was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke's title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset. In Māori, Wellington goes by three names: Te Whanganui-a-Tara refers to Wellington Harbour and means “The great harbour of Tara”; Pōneke is a transliteration of Port Nick, short for Port Nicholson; and Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning “The Head of the Fish of Māui,” which is a more traditional name, derived from the legend in which the North Island was fished up by the demigod Māui Tikitiki-a-Taranga.
posted by Hills @ 2:13 PM
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