Southland Province

{{For|the current top-level subdivision of Southland in New Zealand|Southland Region}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Southland Province |official_name = |native_name = |native_name_lang = |settlement_type = [[Provinces of New Zealand]] |total_type = Region |motto = |image_map = File:Southland in New Zealand (1861).svg |map_caption = Southland Province within New Zealand |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = [[New Zealand]] |subdivision_type1 = Island |subdivision_name1 = [[South Island]] |seat = [[Invercargill]] |established_title = Established |established_date = 1861 |extinct_title = Abolished |extinct_date = 1870 |named_for = |coordinates = |area_total_km2 = |population_as_of = |population_total = }}

The '''Southland Province''' was a [[Provinces of New Zealand|province of New Zealand]] from March 1861, when it split from [[Otago Province]], until 1870, when it rejoined Otago.

==History== Following the passage of the [[New Zealand Constitution Act 1852]] by the British Parliament, New Zealand was divided into six new provinces in 1853, the southern part of the South Island was part of the [[Otago Province]]. Settlers in [[Murihiku]], the southernmost part of the South Island purchased from [[Māori people|Māori]] in 1853 by [[Walter Mantell]], petitioned the government for separation from Otago.<ref name="Murihiku">{{cite web|last=Foster |first=Bernard John |title=Murihiku|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/murihiku/1 |publisher=Te Ara |accessdate=23 October 2010 }}</ref> Petitioning started in 1857. The central government's [[New Zealand Parliament|General Assembly]] passed the New Provinces Act in 1858,{{sfn|Brett|2016|p=114}} and the Province of Southland was proclaimed in 1861.<ref name="Province of Otago">{{cite web|last=McLintock |first=A. H. |title=Otago Province or Provincial District |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/otago-province-or-provincial-district/1 |publisher=Te Ara |accessdate=23 October 2010 }}</ref> It was named Southland despite the wishes of many settlers and Māori, who preferred Murihiku.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grant |first=David |title=Southland region - Overview |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/southland-region/1?setlang=en |publisher=Te Ara |accessdate=23 October 2010 |date=2 March 2009}}</ref>

The province started to accumulate debt, whereas Otago prospered due to the [[Otago gold rush]]. By the late 1860s, most settlers wanted to become part of the Otago Province again, and this was achieved in 1870.<ref name="Province of Otago" />

==Area== The province was much smaller than the present-day Southland region. The area was bounded by the [[Mataura River]] (east), the [[Waiau River, Southland|Waiau River]] (west), and a line from Eyre Peak to [[Lake Manapouri]] (north). [[Stewart Island / Rakiura|Stewart Island]] was purchased by the Crown in 1863 and added to the area.<ref name="Province of Otago" /> The capital and largest settlement of Southland Province was [[Invercargill]].

==Railways== The Southland Province began a number of railway projects. The branch line to [[Bluff Branch|Bluff]] (which was known as Campbelltown until 1917) opened on 5 February 1867. It was built to international standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 feet 8.5 inches), wider than the national gauge of 1,067 mm (3 feet 6 inches) gauge. When the central government passed legislation setting a single standard for track gauges, the line was converted to the new gauge in a single day, 18 December 1875. The railway later became part of the [[New Zealand Railways Department]].

==Anniversary Day== Founded: 1 April 1861 [http://www.statoids.com/unz.html]

New Zealand law provides an anniversary day for each province.

==Superintendents== The Southland Province had three [[Superintendent (politics)|Superintendents]]:<ref name="Rulers.org">{{cite web|title=Provinces 1848-77 |url=http://rulers.org/newzprov.html |publisher=Rulers.org|accessdate=16 September 2010 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" width=45% ! No. ! from ! to ! Superintendent |- | 1 | 3 August 1861 | Nov 1864 | [[James Alexander Robertson Menzies]] |- | 2 | 13 March 1865 | Nov 1869 | [[John Parkin Taylor]] |- | 3 | 10 November 1869 | Sep 1870 | [[William Wood (politician, born 1827)|William Wood]] |}

==Legislation== * [[Timeline of New Zealand history#1860s|1861]] Breaks away from [[Otago Province]] * [[Timeline of New Zealand history#1870s|1870]] Reunited with Otago

== Notes == {{Reflist}}

==References== * {{cite book|first=André|last=Brett|title=Acknowledge No Frontier – The Creation and Demise of New Zealand’s Provinces, 1853–76|url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/press/books/otago614631.html|publisher=[[Otago University Press]]|date=June 2016|location=Dunedin|ISBN=978 1 927322 36 9}}

==External links== * A page containing a map of the old provincial boundaries is available {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060118140712/http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/Gallery/brit-nz/whereto.htm here]}}.

[[Category:Southland Region]] [[Category:Provinces of New Zealand]] [[Category:States and territories established in 1861]] [[Category:1870 disestablishments in New Zealand]] [[Category:1861 establishments in New Zealand]] [[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1870]]