political change 19 th century new zealand. recap- to 1840 two systems of power functioned; maori...
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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.
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
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