Political Change19th Century New Zealand

Recap- to 1840• Two systems of power functioned;• Maori Authority: Maori had no centralised system of

authority, their leadership was territorial-based. Relationships between iwi were based on kinship, warfare, rivalry and trade. Authority within iwi belonged to those with the most mana.• European Power: the British recognised they had no

legal authority in NZ. In spite of appointing Busby as “British Resident in NZ” in 1832, several acts of parliament and their recognition of the 1835 Declaration of Independence meant that fundamental changes would have to occur to power systems for Britain to intervene in the nation.

Becoming a British Colony• After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the

ultimate authority in NZ lay with the governors appointed by the British government.

• They were instructed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

• Under these governors, the British government began to.• Take power from Maori leaders• Control British citizens.

• The Governors also faced a number of problems.• Lack of resources and the difficulties of communication with

Britain• Settlers in NZ also communicated with Britain, often in

opposition to governors. They sought a role in the government from the outset.

Colonial Government 1840-1853

Governor in NZ- made important

decisions

Colonial Secretary in

London

Legislative Council (officials in the majority- could pass

ordinances)

Executive Council (made up of government officials)

Important Governors• Robert FitzRoy 1843-1845: Relatively

unsuccessful. He was judged for being “too understanding of Maori by settlers. He struggled to provide the government with income and had access to few troops. He was removed as a result of settler pressure.

• George Grey 1845-1853: Earned twice the salary and had more than twice the budget of FitzRoy. He supported settler demands for land and pursued British control over Maori. He was both admired and criticised.

• Thomas Gore Browne 1855-1861: Had two main tasks; to oversee the implementation of the New Zealand Constitution Act and to introduce responsible government.

Self Government• Although a Constitution was written in 1846, it was not

implemented, under the encouragement of Grey.• However it is still important as it shows the enthusiasm of

the settlers for self-government from the outset.• There were two reasons self-government was established

in NZ;• Britain was unwilling to continue to administer the

colony due to cost.• Settlers were seeking more say in government than they

had in Britain• The New Zealand Constitution Act was passed in 1852.• This led to the establishment of government at central and

provincial levels.

Central Government

• The General Assembly, or Parliament was created by the 1852 Act.• It was comprised of three parts;• The Governor• The Legislative Council (upper house)• House of Representatives (lower house)

• The two houses made up the General Assembly.• There were often differences of opinion.

The General AssemblyHouse of

Representatives• Members (MHR) elected.• Became dominant• Had 40 members in the

1850s• 5 year terms to 1879, 3

year terms after this.• Four Maori seats

introduced in 1867.

Legislative Council

• Members (MLC) elected.• 15 members originally.• Had an important role in

the 19th century.• Numbers fluctuated• Liberals made sure they

dominated the council to pass legislation in the 1890s.

Practising Self-Government

• The 1852 Constitution left the practice of self-government unclear.• In 1854 a Representative Government is set up.• The members came from the House of Representatives,

but the governor and his officials still held power.• In May 1856 Responsible Government was established. • This meant that ministers were responsible to the

elected House of Reps, not the governor.• The governor continued to control defence, foreign

relations and Maori affairs. Although these responsibilities too, were later transferred to ministers.

Results• The first parliament was held in Auckland in

1854. It was moved to Wellington in 1865.• The government represented all males over the

age of 21 who owned or rented property.• The excluded the great majority of Maori who

owned land communally.• The result of this was the establishment of a

settler government who worked to ensure their interests were looked after.• Maori were effectively excluded from governing.

The Establishment of Provincial Government• The interests of settlers were very regional in nature. • In 1854, under a new Constitution Act, six provinces

were established;• Auckland• New Plymouth• Wellington• Nelson• Canterbury• Otago.

• More provinces were added later. These included Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Westland and Southland.

How did they function?• Each province elected a superintendent and a provincial

council which had considerable powers, including land revenue, administration of land purchased from Maori, control of education and immigration.

• There was often provincial rivalry and in the 1860s, the speed of development differed greatly- particularly due to the discovery of gold in Otago and Westland.

• Many provincial governments got into financial difficulty.• There were no political parties until near the end of the

century. Politics were focused on individuals and small groups, so personalities and personal/business relationships were important.

• Shifting alliances were common.

Problems Facing Provincial Governments• Provinces were inherently inward-looking and often

objected to interference from the central government. • Provincial government thus resulted in a lack of broad

vision.• Rivalry between the provinces spilt into national politics

also, as a number of MHRs took part in local politics also.• Uneven development led to rivalry and jealousy between

provinces. • Land sales were an important source of revenue. However

there was not enough land for settlement in some areas. Maori remained reluctant to sell and large-scale pastoral farming occupied significant areas, without settling many migrants.

Julius Vogel• Vogel came to NZ in 1861

in pursuit of gold in Otago. • Here he became involved

in journalism and local politics.

• Vogel became an MHR in 1863 and actively upheld the interests of the goldfields and Otago as a province.

• He became interested in financial matters and became part of a ministry in 1869.

The Vogel Scheme

• As part of the ministry he joined in 1869, Vogel proposed a scheme of radical spending by the government to promote development in NZ.• He proposed the government borrow on a large scale in

order to undertake projects such as the development of a main railway line, extensions of roads in the North Island, purchase of land, telegraph works, provision of better water supply to the goldfields and promoting an extensive system of immigration.• This scheme was ultimately successful in the long term,

and by 1874/5, and made the central government more popular.

Abolition of the Provinces• The provinces became more unsuccessful in key policy areas during

the 1870s. Their financial problems in particular seemed insoluble.• The central government wanted control of land and revenue and

provinces were obstructing aspects of the Vogel scheme.• The possibility of abolishing the provinces led to polarising views,

opposition centring on Auckland and Otago as a result of fears of losing progress already made.

• Generally smaller, more rural towns and new migrants supported abolition.

• By 1875 political figures had accepted the need to abolish the provinces and this was easily achieved at the beginning of 1876.

• Regionalism still existed but the central government could dominate all aspects of politics.

Franchise Issues• Four parliamentary seats were established for Maori in

1867. these seats were regionally based, rather than tribal but all Maori men could vote for them.• Proportionally, this was not a fair representation but it

was an improvement. It did ensure that Maori had no way of influencing the government even if they did decide to vote.• The right to vote was extended to all Pakeha men in

1879, abolishing the property requirements.• Women achieved franchise in 1893 (both Maori and

Pakeha) thus NZ achieved universal franchise.

THE ELECTION OF THE LIBERALS 1890

Public Concerns from the 1880s

• A number of concerns emerged from the 1880s. Pakeha increasingly sought political solutions to these.• They included;• Working conditions for wage-earners• Impact of alcohol and male violence• Women’s suffrage• Land monopolies- settlers wanted great access to land

ownership which was a source of security and prosperity.• The role of banks- in the depression which occurred in

the middle of the century, much land ownership had passed into the hands of banks.

Increasing Government Influence

• In the latter half of the 19th century, the government came to have greater influence on society.• A number of background factors contributed to

this including;• Increased Pakeha dominance of land after the

wars of the 1860s.• The success of the Vogel Scheme• The abolition of the provinces• The increased need for rules to manage a

growing society/nation

Issues Faced by the Government of the 1880s• The Government of the 1880s struggled to address the

concerns faced by settlers, particularly the less well-off Pakeha.• The ministries under the leadership of Vogel and

Atkinson did make some attempt to legislate, but these were not far-reaching enough to cause real change.• Ultimately, the government seemed unable or unwilling

to tackle the social and economic issues facing ordinary NZers. • These issues, in conjunction with socialist ideas emerging

in NZ meant that many people were seeking a new attitude in government.

The Election of 1890

• In 1890 the Liberals were elected. • In the lead up to the election they had

proposed a more active reformist programme than the ‘Continuous Ministry’. • This appealed more to popular opinion.

The Liberals

• The Liberals were founded on a belief in the power of the state to run the country in a way that improved individual opportunities without favouring one particular group.• They were mostly immigrants who had first-hand

knowledge of poverty and working-class life. • Important members include:• John Balance• Richard Seddon• William Pember Reeves• John McKenzie

Richard Seddon

Liberal Policies

• They sought practical solutions to real problems.• They were willing to intervene in matters such as

land ownership, labour, employment and social conditions.• They felt the government should work for the

good of the people and the country.• They were very concerned with make land

available to settlers of modest means.

Significant Measures- Land

• Land and income tax 1891- graduated tax• Department of Agriculture 1892- to educate

farmers• Lands for Settlements Act 1893- state power to

repurchase land for closer settlement• Advances to Settlers Act 1894- state loans made

available to farmers for development.• Large-scale purchase of Maori land undertaken

to be made available for farming.

Significant Measures- Labour• Truck Act- 1891- worker must be paid in

cash not goods.• Department of Labour 1892- to inspect

conditions and help workers find jobs.• Factories Act 1894- restrict hours and

ensure a certain level of working conditions

Comparing Politics at Beginning and End of Century