Trials and Disputes in the Evolution of Self Government

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21647, 13 November 1933, Page 39 (Supplement)

Trials and Disputes in the Evolution of Self Government

TROUBLED period of Now Zealand history had reached a crisis when tho H ekatjD first appeared. War had blazed up with renewed fury, making earlier outbreaks seem small by comparison. Tho outcome of the Waikato campaign was not seriously in question, but no 0110 knew what price would have to be paid in lives and money before armed rebellion was stamped out and the hostile tribes were so far pacified that settlement in the interior might bo resumed. Under such stress the ever-present constitutional and political disputes within Llh) colony were forgotten for the time being. When one considers tho sea of troubles in which New Zealand was immersed for 40 years after the proclamation of British sovereignty in 1840, ami the many events that were crowded into the same space, it is not strango that tho average New Zealaiuler of to-day has rather confused notions of what happened in tho early adolescence of his native land. As Professor Hight points out, the process of the colonisation of New Zealand and its political development present an epitome of tho course of British colonisation from its beginnings iu the seventeenth century and illustrate the important problems and phases of British colonial policy during tho nineteenth century. Tho con-

gtitntional development of the Dominion, moreover, exemplifies nearly all the types of political experience ami institutions associated with tho history of British colonisation From the first, New Zealand offered an admirable field for European settlement. It was one of the few new lands that could truly bo called a white man's country. But the difficulties were formidable. Tho forest wilderness was very wild indeed. Tho inhabitants were a fine, warlike raco, but the stage of culture they had reached —neither primitive nor civilised—made it singularly difficult to deal justly with them. The Maoris recognised no central native authority; there were constant jealousies, feuds and wars between the tribes, and this strife was all tho worse because firearms had been introduced in great numbers since the early years of the century. Land was held communally, and a tribe or sub-tribe had a strong sense of ownership over its territory, whether the land was in actual use or not. Outside claimants were usually many, so that a European purchaser seldom knew whether he had satisfied all the alleged owners. The problem of fair payment was almost insoluble. Little wonder, then, that native land questions were an endless source of trouble to successive governments for many years. The scien-

tific study of native cultures and social organisations has done much in modern times to make easier the pacifying of primitive peoples, but in the early Victorian era anthropology and ethnology had scarcely passed the rudimentary stage. Even had such knowledge been available, it is doubtful if strife could have been avoided in New Zealand.

The charge has fairly been levelled at the earlier New Zealand governments that they made no systematic and sustained effort to guide and help the Maori in his struggles to adapt himself to the new social and economic order. It has been said that if governments had intervened to stop all inter-tribal wars, had upheld the authority of the chiefs and striven to preserve tribal organisation, the result would havo greatly benefited both races. However, it is admitted that the practical difficulties were enormous. The well-intentioned work of the missionaries did a vast amount of good, and despite all the blunders and tragedies of the past the condition of the Maori race to-day is a legitimate source of pride. Politically, many influences combined to make the Europeans almost as disunited as their Maori neighbours. There was the early conflict betweer. the Government, which was not primwily concerned with settlement, and tho Now

Zealand Company. The aims of tho missionaries were generally opposed to those of the settlers. J Jieso divisions apart, European activities from ISoO onward were scattered over the full length ot both islands and communication was difficult. It is recorded that a party of Otago members spent eight weeks on its way to attend a sitting or tho General Assembly in Auckland. Tho circumstances of the settlements differed widely. Canterbury soon won prosperity from its sheep flocks and later from West Coast gold. Utago established itself peacefully until tho discovery of gold in 1861 brought a great accession of population and wealth. In tho South tho nativo problem was negligible; in tho North it was ever present. Nearly all tho northern settlements in varying degrees and at different times, knew tho blight of war. Broadly speaking, tho tasks of tho Europeans in New Zealand were to make a livelihood from tho soil, to establish permanent relations with the Maoris and to develop political institutions. In 18G3 tho colony had made much progress with all three tasks, but there had been many setbacks, oven disasters. Economic development in tlio South Island and the pastoral areas of Wellington and Southern Hawke's Bay had been rapid, but elsewhere it had been held back by bucli natural obstacles as swamp and forest, by nativo land troubles and open warfaro. Taranaki in particular had suffered cruelly. For most practical purposes tho scattered settlements might have been distinct colonies, which, indeed, Sir William Fox called them in his book, " Tho Six Colonies of New Zealand."

In passing through successive governmental stages, New Zealand was first for some months a dependancy of New South Wales. Late in 1810 sho became a full-fledged Crown Colony, with a Governor, an Executive Council of salaried ofiicials, and a Legislative Council. In 1844 municipalities were created in Auckland, Wellington and Nelson. Two years later, the new Liberal Secretary of State, Earl Grey, put through Parliament a Bill conferring on New Zealand full responsible government and a most elaborate federal constitution, with provincial governors and legislatures, a Governor-in-Chief and a General Assembly. An education test excluded natives from the franchise, and provision was made for defining areas where Maori laws and customs were to prevail. . The Governor, Sir George Grey, objected to the segregation policy, as an infringement of the Treaty of Waitangi, and decided, with good reason, that the time was not ripe for placing a large native population under the control of a smaller number of European settlers. He therefore took the bold course of putting the new constitution in his pocket and making sue 1 representations to Earl Grey that the latter suspended the scheme for live years. The Southern settlements formed "Constitutional Associations and continued to agitate for responsible government. In 18-18 New Zealand was divided into two provinces. New Ulster and New Minister, but this modified decentralisation f^ as never elfeetive. The Southern settlers took no interest in their provincial council and it died of inanition in 1850. No council for tho Northern province was ever set up The modified federal or provincial constitution of 1858 was destined to have a career of 2.3 years, marked by all the political storms and tempests that might be expected in a struggling young democracy. Tho six provincial councils were established early in 1853, but the General Assembly was not summoned until tlio beginning of 1854, by which time Sir Ceo.ge Grey had departed to England on leave, lho provinces thus obtained a long start, i hey assumed the stvle and nearly all the functions tof national "Parliaments and undertook responsibilities which it had never been intended that they should bear. Moreover, they were ablo to send a strong provincial party to uphold them in tho General Assembly. Tho fir«t Parliament achieved nothing, because it found that tho constitution did not provide explicitly for a parliamentary Ministry upon whoso advice tho Governor was to act. Tbia caused a deadlock which was not ended

EARLY POLITICS

until 1856, when Governor Goro Browne called Mr. Henry Sewell to form a Cabinet and responsible government was at last achieved. Tlio troubled history of the provincial system cannot hero be followed in detail. In a few .years three new provinces wero created, and in 18(52 Parliament was given control over nativo affairs, which had previously been reserved to tho Governor. The tug-of-war between centralists and provincialists ceased after the outbreak of hostilities in Taranaki in 18(30, but was resumed as actively as ever when tho Waikato campaign ended in 18G4. Next year Wellington became the seat of government. Financial troubles multiplied. Some provinces prospered and went in for an orgy of borrowing; others became insolvent and all leaned heavily on tho Government for support. Sir Julius Vogel's ambitious policy of borrowing for public works and immigration reajly sounded the death-knell of provincialism in 1870, but tho system lingered on, amid increasing difficulties, until it was abolished in 187(3. Sir George Grey, who, with Edward Gibbon Wakefield, had been tho real author of tho constitution, emerged from his retirement and entered politics in a last-minute effort to save the provinces from extinction, but even the weight of his prestige could not avert the change. Provincialism broko down mainly through financial difficulties and tho vast economic inequalities between the prosperous pastoral South and the bush-covered, war-ravaged North. Still, some provincial governments, particularly Canterbury and Otago, did very good work, tho

system encouraged development and provided invaluable training for men who afterwards served the country well in Parliament. It gave an outlet to a healthy local patriotism which is still a feature of life in the Dominion. There were no fewer than 17 .Ministries in the 20 years during which tlie provincial system was fully operative. The General Assembly, liko the provincial councils, was fortunate in having among its members a large proportion of educated men of fine character and the highest degree of public spirit. Some, indeed, had begun to make names for themselves in England before deciding to try their fortune in a new land. Although the first session was marked by unruly scenes never paralleled in later history, the debates of the period had a distinction that the proceedings of Parliament can no longer claim. The clash of able minds and strong wills resounds loudly from the record. The complex characters and diverse achievements of Grey and of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who was a member of the first Parliament, cannot be dealt with even briefly. Sir E. W. Stafford, who held office from 1859 to 1861 and from 1865 to 1809, proved his power of leadership by that fact alone. He had a happy combination of good qualities. Sir Frederick Whitaker, Premier when the Herald was founded, is described by Gisborne as probably the most remarkable public man of his time in New Zealand. He was not at his best in the foreground, but from the background he exercised great influence upon the political aflairs of the colony. This quality of secretiveness lost him the full confidence of the people. Sir William Fox, four times Premier, is best remembered for his championing of total abstinence and woman suffrage in after years. Alfred Domett, the friend of Browning, stands out more as a poet than a politician, for lie was the author of the remarkable but little-read " llanolf and Amoliia." He was not a party man, but a good administrator. Frederick Weld, who became Premier in 1861, was responsible 'for the decision to make Wellington the scat of Government without delay, after a commission had recommended it. Sir Julius Vogel stands apart from the rest, a rather exotic figure. It has been said that ho represented the spirit of the adventurous gold-seekers of 1861 with whom ho arrived, rather than that of the English political tradition of the earlier colonists. As it recedes in perspective and as it is reinterpreted by younger historians, the period from 1850 to 1870 takes on a now interest. It will repay study by New Zealanders of to-diy.

THE provincial system of government followed quite as turbulent a course in Auckland as in any of the other five original provinces, and probably more so. Throughout its 2;? years, the Wellington Province had only two Superintendents, Dr. Featherston and Sir William Fitzherbert, the former of whom held office for 17 years continuously and then was succeeded by a close associate. Auckland, 011 the other hand, had eight Superintendents, only two of whom completed a full term of four years, and there were 12 elections for the office. Thirty sessions of the council were held, sonio lasting only a few days and others four or five months. The Superintendent occupied very much tho position of a president of a small republic. Ho was elected by popular vote and was the executive head of the Government. Ho did not sit in tho council, but was represented there by advisers chosen from among the 24 members. The first Superintendent was Colonel (afterwards Major-General) It. H. Wynyard. This gallant and worthy officer had arrived in 1842 in command of the 58th Regiment. At the time of his election in July, 1853, he was already Commander of tho Forces and Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster. Tho fact that he held tlieso offices was not considered at all incompatible with his contesting an election, and ho was buo«

eossftil by 102 votes against Mr. William Brown, merchant. Colonel Wynyard remained superintendent even alter lie had been appointed Act-ing-Governor of the colony upon the departure of Sir George Grey in December, 1853, and tho first General Assembly bad been called together, lie resigned in .January, 1805, when it was apparent that (Irey's successor would not arrive for some time further. Colonel Wynyard lias been term"d a " l'ooh-Bah" by some later historians, but he carried out his many duties with the greatest credit to himself and never lost the high esteem of the colonists. Subsequent changes were so many that tho course of events is best summarised by giving a list of the remaining seven Superintendents and their terms of office. 1 hoy were: .Mr. William Brown, 1855; Dr. (afterwards Sir) John Logan Campbell, 1855-5(5; Mr. John Williamson, 1850-02, 18(57-01) and 187:5-75; Mr. Robert Graham, 18(52(55; Sir Frederick W'hitaker, 1805-07; Mr. (afterwards Mr. .Justice) T. B. Gillies, 180!)-7:{; Sir George Grey, 1875-70. Mr. Brown found it impossible to work in harmony with a Council in which his opponents had a majority, and eventually secured a dissolution from the Governor, Sir Ihomas Goro Browne. Having to leave for England, whence he never returned, Mr. Brown persuaded his partner, Dr. Campbell, to stand in his place.

Dr. Campbell was elected, but he also had to leave on a trip to England the following year, and resigned after one session. Mr. Williamson served as Superintendent for nearly 12 years in all and died in oflice. Mr. Graham carried out a very progressive policy, beginning the construction of the Waikato Railway and inducing the General Government to build the Supreme Court, the Shortland Street I'ost Oflico and the Auckland Mental Hospital. Mr. Gillies held oflice successfully for a full four years and resigned to pursue other activities. Sir George Grey was elected unopposed on the death of Mr. Williamson, having emerged from his retirement and entered political life to defend the provincial system of government, of which he had been the principal author. Ho held oflice until the Council went out of existence in 1876. The Council had only three Speakers, namely, Mr. T. H. Bartley, 1853-57; Mr. William Powditch, 1857-65; and Mr. (afterwards Sir) G. M. O'Rorke. 18G5-7G. The first sessions were held in a budding in Official Bay, later the Council mot in the hall attached to the Mechanics' Institute, Chancery Street, and after the transfer of the fieat of government to Wellington, it spoilt tho final 12 years of its lifo in tho old Parliament, House in Eden Street.