Cook Strait Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast, and runs next to the capital city, Wellington. It is wide at its narrowest point, and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770. In Māori it has the name "Raukawa" or "Te Moana-o-Raukawa". "Raukawa" may mean "bitter leaves". In Māori legend, Cook Strait
Northern Division (New Zealand electorate) Northern Division (New Zealand electorate) Northern Division was a two-member parliamentary electorate in the Auckland Region, New Zealand from 1853 to 1870. The southern boundary went through the Manukau and Waitematā Harbours, but excluded the areas covered by the City of Auckland and Suburbs of Auckland electorates. The area south of the harbours was covered by the Southern Division electorate. In the north, the electorate originally went nearly as far as Whangarei on the east coast, and included the area around Dargaville on the west coast. The Electoral Districts Act 1858 established four new electorates. The Northern Division and electorates