Parliament is unicameral and is located in Wellington.
The House of Representatives has 120 members. About 1/2 are elected directly by popular vote. The rest are chosen on the basis of proportional representation determined by the number of votes that each party wins. 5 seats are reserved for Maoris. All serve three-year terms.
Governors and Governors-General
1840-1841 Sir George Gipps
1841-1842 Capt. William Hobson
1842-1843 Lt. Willoughby Shortland
1843-1843 Capt. Robert Fitzroy
1845-1853 Capt. George Grey
1853-1853 Sir George Grey
1854-1855 Lt.-Col. Robert Henry Wynyard
1855-1861 Col. Thomas Gore Browne
1861-1868 Sir George Grey
1868-1873 Sir George Ferguson Bowen
1873-1874 Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
1874-1879 George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquis of Normanby
1879-1880 Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson
1880-1882 Sir Arthur Charles Hamilton Gordon
1883-1889 Lt.-Gen. Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois
1889-1892 Sir William Hillier Onslow, Baronet, 4th Earl of Onslow
1892-1897 David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow
1897-1904 Uchter John Mark Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly
1904-1910 William Lee Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket
1910-1912 John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, Baron Islington
1912-1920 Arthur William de Brito Savile Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
1920-1924 John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Viscount Jellicoe
1924-1930 Gen. Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet
1930-1935 Charles Bathurst, 1st Baron Bledisloe
1935-1941 George Vere Arundell Monckton-Arundell, 8th Viscount Galway
1941-1946 Marshal of the RAF, Sir Cyril Louis Norton Newall
1946-1952 Lt.-Gen. Sir Bernard Cyril Freyberg
1952-1957 Lt.-Gen. Sir Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie
1957-1962 The Rt. Hon. Viscount Cobham
1962-1967 Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson
1967-1972 Sir Arthur Espie Porritt
1972-1977 Sir (Edward) Denis Blundell
1977-1980 The Rt. Hon. Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake
1980-1985 The Hon. Sir David Stuart Beattie
1985-1990 The Most Rev. Sir Paul Reeves
1990-1996 Dame Catherine Anne Tizard
1996-2001 Sir Michael Hardie Boys
2001-2001 Dame Sian Elias (acting)
2001-2006 Dame Silvia Cartwright
2006-2006 Dame Sian Elias (acting)
2006 now Anand Satyanand
Premiers and Prime Ministers
1854-1854 James Edward FitzGerald
1854-1854 Thomas Spencer Forsaith
1854-1856 (Vacant)
1856-1856 Henry Sewell
1856-1856 William Fox
1856-1861 Edward William Stafford
1861-1862 William Fox
1862-1863 Alfred Domett
1863-1864 Frederick Whitaker
1864-1865 Frederick Aloysius Weld
1865-1869 Edward William Stafford
1869-1872 William Fox
1872-1872 Edward William Stafford
1872-1873 George Marsden Waterhouse
1873-1873 William Fox
1873-1875 Julius Vogel
1875-1876 Daniel Pollen
1876-1876 Sir Julius Vogel
1876-1877 Henry Albert Atkinson
1877-1879 Sir George Grey
1879-1882 John Hall
1882-1883 Frederick Whitaker
1883-1884 Harry Albert Atkinson
1884-1884 Robert Stout
1884-1884 Harry Albert Atkinson
1884-1887 Robert Stout
1887-1891 Harry Albert Atkinson
1891-1893 John Ballance
1893-1906 Richard John Seddon
1906-1906 William Hall-Jones
1906-1912 Sir Joseph George Ward
1912-1912 Thomas MacKenzie
1912-1925 William Ferguson Massey
1925-1925 Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell
1925-1928 Joseph Gordon Coates
1928-1930 Sir Joseph George Ward
1930-1935 George William Forbes
1935-1940 Michael Joseph Savage
1940-1949 Peter Fraser
1949-1957 Sidney George Holland
1957-1957 Keith Jacka Holyoake
1957-1960 Walter Nash
1960-1972 Keith Jacka Holyoake
1972-1972 John Ross Marshall
1972-1974 Norman Eric Kirk
1974-1975 Wallace Edward Rowling
1975-1984 Robert Muldoon
1984-1989 David Russell Lange
1989-1990 Geoffrey Palmer
1999-2008 Helen Elizabeth Clark
2008 now John Key
