1874 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1874 in New Zealand.

Incumbents

1 January: Wreck of the Surat, carrying 271 passengers and 37 crew, on the Catlins coast. All survived.
5 January: The Poverty Bay Herald begins publishing in Gisborne. It is initially bi-weekly. The paper changed its name to The Gisborne Herald in 1939, and continues to publish as a daily.
15 January: The Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, first published in 1842, produces its last issue.
30 June: The Wellington Independent publishes its final issue, and is replaced by The New Zealand Times. The newspaper started in 1845.
18 November: Fire and sinking of the Cospatrick carrying emigrants to New Zealand near the Cape of Good Hope; one of New Zealand's worst disasters as only three of the 472 on board survived.
The Marlborough Times begins publication bi-weekly, and absorbs The Marlborough News. It became a daily in 1882. The Marlborough Express bought it in 1895 and closed it in 1905.
The Marine Department employs Capt. B.A. Edwin to provide weather maps and forecasts to ships, establishing New Zealand's first weather service.

25 May — Recorded by some sources as the date of first race meeting at Ellerslie.
The Auckland Cup is established at Ellerslie Racecourse.
The Wellington Cup becomes an annual race. The first winner of which evidence survives is recorded.