Provinces of New Zealand: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

(For the current top-level subdivision of New Zealand, see Regions of New Zealand)

Provinces in New Zealand were used from 1841 until the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on November 1, 1876.

Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts. Their only visible function today is their use to determine, with the exception of the Chatham Islands, Northland, and South Canterbury, the geographical boundaries for anniversary day public holidays.

1841 to 1853

• New Ulster (North Island north of Patea River)
• New Munster (North Island south of Patea River, plus the South Island)
• New Leinster (Stewart Island)

It is important to note that the provincial districts have different boundaries from the present day regions, for example, the Manawatu-Wanganui region is in the Wellington provincial district. They are also not to be confused with the use of the term in rugby's National Provincial Championship (NPC).

Some of the names persist in other contexts as well, eg health administration districts.

Some of the names of former provinces and current regions have a tendency to be preceded by "the", as, for example, in this extract from a recent Court of Appeal judgment: "At trial, there was evidence of a sticker ostensibly from the Manawatu on the courier bag."