Wellington,

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, on Port Nicholson, an inlet of Cook Strait, on the southern coast of the North Island, 180 miles by sea from New Plymouth, and 150 miles from Nelson. It was the first settlement of the New Zealand Company, and was planted under the direction of Colonel Wakefield, with a band of pioneer colonists, in 1840. The harbour is a fine expanse of water, 6 miles long and 5 broad, and has an excellent wharf, affording accommodation to ships of any tonnage. After the removal of the seat of government hither in 1865 the town made rapid progress; it possesses a number of good public buildings, including Government House, Houses of Legislature, government buildings, post-office, college, museum, hospital, and many banks, clubs, theatres, hotels, and insurance offices. The streets are generally wide, and have good dwelling-houses. Wellington is the seat of Anglican and Catholic bishops, and possesses two cathedrals, together with about twenty other places of worship. There is a railway to the interior. Wellington is also connected by steamers with the chief ports of New Zealand, and with Melbourne and Sydney. Amongst the industries are tanning, brewing, candle and soap works, boot-factories, meat-preserving, and shipbuilding. There is a public park, and the botanical gardens have an area of 100 acres. The suburb of Newton or South Wellington is connected by tramway with the older town. Pop. (1888) 28,000; (1891) 31,021, or with suburbs, 33,224.