Regal and viceregal
Head of State — Queen Victoria
Governor — The Earl of Ranfurly GCMG
Government and law
The Liberal Party is re-elected and forms the 14th New Zealand Parliament. The number of MPs is increased to 80.
Speaker of the House — Sir Maurice O'Rorke
Prime Minister — Richard Seddon
Minister of Finance — Richard Seddon
Chief Justice — Sir Robert Stout replaced Hon Sir James Prendergast
Leader of the Opposition — William Russell, (Independent).
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland — David Goldie
Mayor of Christchurch — Charles Louisson
Mayor of Dunedin — William Swan followed by Robert Chisholm
Mayor of Wellington — John Rutherford Blair
28 September: Prime Minister Richard Seddon asks Parliament to approve the offer to the imperial government of a contingent of mounted rifles and the raising of such a force if the offer were accepted and thus becoming the first British Colony to send troops to the Boer war. The first New Zealand Army contingent leaves for South Africa before the end of the year.
2 November: Balloonist David Maloney (alias Captain Charles Lorraine) is blown out to sea after taking off from Lancaster Park. The balloon crashes into the sea and although Maloney is seen to survive by the time rescuers arrive there is no sign of him and his body is never found. This is the first aviation fatality in New Zealand.
6 December: General election.
19 December: Māori vote for the general election.
The Government legislates that from 1900 Labour Day will be a public holiday.
British expedition led by Carstens Borchgrevink, including several New Zealanders, establishes first base in Antarctica, at Cape Adare
Kauri gum exports peak at 11,116 tons.
National champions, Men
100 yards — George Smith (Auckland)
250 yards — W. Kingston (Otago)
440 yards — W. Kingston (Otago)
880 yards — C. Hill (Hawkes Bay)
1 mile — S. Pentecost (Canterbury)
3 miles — P. Malthus (South Canterbury)
120 yards hurdles — George Smith (Auckland)
440 yards hurdles — George Smith(Auckland)
Long jump — R. Brownlee (Otago)
High jump — R. Brownlee (Otago)
Pole vault — Jimmy Te Paa (Auckland)
Shot put — O. McCormack (Otago)
Hammer throw — W. Madill (Auckland)
National Champion: No tournament held in calendar year (see 1898)
The National Amateur Championships were held in Wellington
Men — Arthur Duncan (Wellington) — first title
Women — K. Rattray (Otago) — second title
Auckland Trotting Cup (over 2 miles) is won by Billy Wilson
New Zealand Cup — Seahorse
New Zealand Derby — Seahorse
Auckland Cup — Blue Jacket
Wellington Cup — Daunt
Top New Zealand stakes earner — Screw Gun
Leading flat jockey — C. Jenkins
National Champions
Singles — W. Carswell (Taieri)
Pairs — T. Mackie and W. Carswell (skip) (Taieri)
Fours — A. Luoisson, H. Nalder, A. Bishop and W. Barnett (skip) (Christchurch)
Savile Cup winners — Oroua
National Champions (Men)
Coxed fours — Picton
Coxless pairs — Wellington
Double sculls — Star
Single sculls — P. Graham (North Shore)
Provincial club rugby champions include:
see also Category:Rugby union in New Zealand
Ballinger Belt — Bandmaster W. King (Oamaru Rifles)
Provincial league champions:
Auckland: Auckland United
Otago: Roslyn Dunedin
Wellington: Wellington Rovers
National champions (Men)
100 yards frestyle — T. Edwards (Canterbury)
220 yards frestyle — J. Hamilton (Wellington)
National championships
Men's singles — C. Cox
Women's singles — Kathleen Nunneley
Men's doubles — C. Cox and J. Collins
Women's doubles — Kathleen Nunneley and C. Lean
25 March: Burt Munro, record-setting motorcyclist
26 July: Charles William "Bill" Hamilton, inventor of the jetboat.
Philip Connolly, politician.
Philip Skoglund, politician.
Thomas McDonnell, public servant and military leader.
