6 June[3] –
Samuel Leigh and William White establish the first Wesleyan mission at
Kaeo, near
Whangaroa, which they call 'Wesleydale' (var. Wesley-Dale).[2][4][5][6]
17 July – John Kent on the naval cutter Mermaid visits
Otago Harbour and, not knowing it has already been named, calls it Port Oxley.
23 June –
Phillip Tapsell is married for the first time, to Maria Ringa of
Ngā Puhi, by
Thomas Kendall. The bride runs away later the same day.[7][8] This is probably the first Christian wedding in New Zealand (as later claimed by Tapsell himself).
3 August – The Brampton arrives at the Bay of Islands. On board are
Samuel Marsden,
Henry Williams and family, and the Wesleyan missionaries John Hobbs and Nathaniel Turner (and family).[9][10]
The first church in New Zealand is built at
Paihia. The original, made of
raupo, is not replaced until 1855.[15]
John Kent on HMS Elizabeth Henrietta is the first identified European visitor to the
Taranaki. Traders and/or whalers had recently visited the area.[16] Others who visited this year include the
barqueWilliam Stoveld which is
reported to have traded at the
Waitara river mouth, and
John Guard in the Waterloo.[17]