1st New Zealand Parliament

The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election (held the previous year). It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election.

The Parliament sat for three sessions, as here :

New Zealand had not yet obtained "responsible government" (that is, the power to manage its own affairs), and so the 1st Parliament did not hold any significant power. At the start of the First Session it held a debate for two days that decided that New Zealand should have a single government, without provinces.

The 1st Parliament was held before the creation of either political parties or the office of Premier. There were, however, appointments made to the Executive Council (the formal institution upon which Cabinet is based). From 14 June 1854 to 2 August 1854, there was a four-person cabinet led by James FitzGerald, with Henry Sewell, Frederick Weld, and Thomas Bartley (a fifth member, Dillon Bell, also joined for a short time). Then, from 31 August 1854 to 2 September 1854, there was another four-person cabinet led by Thomas Forsaith, with James Macandrew, William Travers, and Edward Jerningham Wakefield. Some historians consider FitzGerald and Forsaith to be New Zealand's first Prime Ministers, but neither held any formal leadership role, and since "responsible government" had not yet been obtained, they had little real power. Henry Sewell, appointed shortly after the 2nd New Zealand Parliament opened, is more often considered to have been the first Prime Minister.

The 1st Parliament consisted of thirty-seven representatives representing twenty-four electorates. Two regions of the colony (the inland regions of the lower North Island and the northwest corner of the South Island) were not part of any electorate, and so were not represented.

Electoral boundaries for the 1st Parliament

Initial composition of the 1st Parliament

Changes during term

*Thomas Houghton Bartley, MP for City of Auckland, resigned on 11 July 1854. He was replaced by William Brown, who was elected on 4 August 1854.
*William Oldfield Cautley, MP for Waimea, and William Travers, MP for Town of Nelson, both resigned on 26 May 1854. Travers subsequently constested the Waimea seat that Cautley had vacated, being elected on 21 June. Travers' own Nelson seat was won by Samuel Stephens on 19 June.
*Samuel Stephens, MP for Town of Nelson, died on 26 June 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*Frederick Weld, MP for Wairau, resigned on 13 June 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*James Frederick Stuart-Wortley, MP for Christchurch Country, resigned on 18 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*Alfred Ludlum, MP for Hutt, resigned on 9 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*William Henry Cutten, MP for Dunedin Country, resigned on 23 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*James Kelham, MP for City of Wellington, resigned on 3 August 1855. His seat remained vacant.
*Isaac Featherston, MP for Wanganui and Rangitikei, resigned on 9 August 1855. His seat remained vacant.