By the early 1840s the settlers had gained a foothold and although there was localised conflict with the Maori, particularly in Nelson and Taranaki, things were fairly safe as most Maori, who had an opinion, were of the belief that the settlers would stay on the coastal fringes and would not substantially change the way they lived or behaved. That reality however was about to change in ways that the Native population could never have foreseen, and it happened on several levels simultaneously, resulting in a huge demographic, social and cultural shift. The European population soared to 470,000 in the forty years to 1880, whilst during the same period the Maori population reduced, from a pre 1840 high of around of 135,000, to a low of 46,000.
This shift obviously had major ramification on the whole country, it's land, it's resources and it's people, but particularly its native people. There was some thought at the time that the Maori, as a race, would die out and all the land would eventually become available to the Europeans. Maybe some of the decision making at the time was based on that belief.
The key drivers of this phenominal growth, in no particular order, could be described in the following words, internal discovery, ongoing settlement schemes, land acquistion, farming, mining, organised government, development of infrastructure and war.
The New Zealand Wars had a double edged sword effect on population numbers, with loss of life on both sides countered, however, by thousands of British soldiers and their families arriving to defend the european population in the towns and fight the Maori in the rural areas. At one point Auckland had 30% of it's popualtion connected in some way to the military, with a number of 'fencible' townships developing on it's outskirts in Howick, Panmure, Onehunga and Otahuhu. These 'fencible settlers' received a free passage to New Zealand and the promise of land at the end of the hostilities.We will have a look later at the impact of the New Zealand Wars, but lets first have a brief look at the dominant factors contributing to this demographic, economic, social and cultural shift, during this relatively short forty year period.
Ongoing Settlements
The New Zealand Company settlements began in Wellington and quickly moved on to Wanganui, Nelson and New Plymouth. As a result of the methods used to acquire land all these areas were to experience ongoing conflict and land disputes over the following forty years. By 1850 the New Zealand Company surrendered it's charter to the government and ceased operations. EGW, the "puppet master" eventually emmigrated to Canterbury and in 1854, joined his son EJW as a Member of Parliament for the area.
Auckland alone of the main centres was established (in 1840) and grew largely without organised immigration, although two shiploads of Scotish settlers arrived in 1842, six years before the Scottish settlement of Otago. It's prosperity was ensured by it's location on an isthmus between two navigable harbours and by Hobsons choice!!
Two further ventures, the establishment of Dunedin as a Scottish Free Church (Presbyterian) settlement in 1848 and Christchurch as a Canterbury Association (Church of England) settlement in 1850, were however based on the New Zealand Company model.
The Canterbury Settlement The Canterbury Settlement had its genesis in a blending of the ideas and enterprise of two very dissimilar men – Edward Gibbon Wakefield, the colonial theorist and organiser of somewhat tarnished reputation, and John Robert Godley (see photo of his first house), a young Irish squire of deep religious convictions and with high connections in church and state.
It has sometimes been claimed that Wakefield's colonisation principles came closer to succeeding in Canterbury, compared to what was achieved in Wellington, Nelson, and Taranaki. Certainly a more serious attempt was made to apply these principles, and Canterbury attracted a disproportionate share of talented and educated young men, many of whom were to play a leading role in provincial and national affairs during the next 30 years. Of the 3,500 immigrants who arrived on ships chartered by the Canterbury Association, one-third were fare-paying cabin class passengers.
The prosperity of Canterbury in the 1850s however, owed more to the export of merino wool and to the unexpected development of an export market, for the products of intensive agriculture, to the Victorian goldfields, than to any colonising theories. Canterbury maintained something of an English class structure and a “landed gentry”.
Colonists with capital in the 1850s chose to invest it in sheep flocks on distant pastoral leaseholds, rather than purchase the freeholds of arable farming estates near Christchurch. In the later 1850s and the 1860s it was the “small men”, including artisans and labourers, who were the purchasers of freehold land in Canterbury.
Colonists with capital in the 1850s chose to invest it in sheep flocks on distant pastoral leaseholds, rather than purchase the freeholds of arable farming estates near Christchurch. In the later 1850s and the 1860s it was the “small men”, including artisans and labourers, who were the purchasers of freehold land in Canterbury.
The Otago Settlement
If the Canterbury settlement could be charaterised by the phrases "English gentry", Anglican and farming, then the Otago settlement was all about the "Scottish gentry", Presbyterian, gold and business. Dunedin's commercial pre-eminence was reflected in the number of mercantile companies that were established in the city. There was also a building boom on a monumental scale, which included the country's first university, founded by Robert Burn's nephew, Thomas, in 1869.
Many manufacturing, distribution and retail companies that later went national - Hallenstein Bros, Cadbury's and a number of Breweries, established their New Zealand bases in Dunedin.
Dunedin became New Zealand's first real city and developed a tradition of considerable private endowment particularly in education and the arts, flowing predominently from the fruits of the "gold rush". It was the centre of business in New Zealand until the end of the 19th century when the "gold rush" turned into a "gentle stroll" and eventually died.
Dunedin became New Zealand's first real city and developed a tradition of considerable private endowment particularly in education and the arts, flowing predominently from the fruits of the "gold rush". It was the centre of business in New Zealand until the end of the 19th century when the "gold rush" turned into a "gentle stroll" and eventually died.
Land Acquisition
When Govenor Grey's first term commenced in 1845, his administration approached the wider Maori matters and particularly as it related to land, with considerable skill and a strong sense of justice.
He went to great lenghts to ensure that the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi were observed by the Crown and he constantly assured the Maori that their land rights would be respected. With his Chief Land purchase Commissioner Donald McLean, Grey evolved a system of hui for the discussion of land sales to the Crown - a procedure that recognised the communal nature of tribal ownership and gave all interested parties in the negotiations the opportunity to participate.
Land bought in this manner was then on-sold to settlers at a profit to the Crown, the major method by which Grey generated government revenue.
In the period of Grey's first term some 30 million acres of land was acquired in the South Island and 3 million in the North.
Farming
The Government now had the land, particularly in the South Island, and the settlers were beginning to arrive in there droves. It was now a matter of putting the land to use and producing products that would generate export revenues.
The largest sheep-runs in the country were established on the South Island high country. Golden tussock grasslands were often ploughed or burnt over and sowed with English grasses. In the North Island, forest had to be cleared and burnt and grasses grown to make room and feed for sheep.
Sheep were the most favoured animal for farming, as wool was easy to transport and export, and by 1858 the country had 1.5million sheep, when the human population was just over 115,000. That population rose to 13.1 million by 1878 and contributed substanially to the growing economy, an reality that remains true to this day.
Mining
Land bought in this manner was then on-sold to settlers at a profit to the Crown, the major method by which Grey generated government revenue.
In the period of Grey's first term some 30 million acres of land was acquired in the South Island and 3 million in the North.
Farming
The Government now had the land, particularly in the South Island, and the settlers were beginning to arrive in there droves. It was now a matter of putting the land to use and producing products that would generate export revenues.
The largest sheep-runs in the country were established on the South Island high country. Golden tussock grasslands were often ploughed or burnt over and sowed with English grasses. In the North Island, forest had to be cleared and burnt and grasses grown to make room and feed for sheep. 
Sheep were the most favoured animal for farming, as wool was easy to transport and export, and by 1858 the country had 1.5million sheep, when the human population was just over 115,000. That population rose to 13.1 million by 1878 and contributed substanially to the growing economy, an reality that remains true to this day. As far as mineral resources were concerned, every region of New Zealand hoped to find gold or coal, the one seen as the basis for genuine prosperity, as experience in the Otago region, and the other as an essential fuel.
It was not until May 1861 when Gabriel Read first discovered gold in the Shotover River at Queenstown that the "rush" to "Gabriels gully" began. Thousands of diggers hastened to the scene of New Zealand’s first major strike. The gully became a canvas town overnight as diggers moved in to work the rich blue-spur rock where Read had uncovered gold ‘shining like the stars in Orion’. This discovery had a major impact on the region for decades to come.
Organised Government
As we have already seen copper was discovered on Kawau and Great Barrier Island in 1845 and gold on the Coromandel in 1852, that helped the Auckland region survive those early years. However those resources were not easy to access and therefore limited in their economic impact.
It was not until May 1861 when Gabriel Read first discovered gold in the Shotover River at Queenstown that the "rush" to "Gabriels gully" began. Thousands of diggers hastened to the scene of New Zealand’s first major strike. The gully became a canvas town overnight as diggers moved in to work the rich blue-spur rock where Read had uncovered gold ‘shining like the stars in Orion’. This discovery had a major impact on the region for decades to come.Organised Government
While the New Zealand Company settlements contributed only about 15,500 settlers to New Zealand's founding population, in the decade of the 1840s, they were disproportionately influential on account of being there first and establishing the ethos of the cities, three of which, with Auckland, would become and remain the 'main centres' and provide the foundation system of provincial government introduced in 1853.
The first meeting of the House was in May 1854. Three members of the House formed the first 'unoffical' Executive council, they were James Edward Fitzgerald, the Canterbury Provincial Super-intendent (and your mothers Gr Gr Grandfather) see ajacent picture, Henry Sewell and Frederick Weld. After seven weeks it became evident that these first three 'ministers' had no power and resigned, leaving room for Henry Sewell to become our first Prime Minister.
Over and above the provincial government there was to be a Parliament consisting of an elected House of Representatives of 24 to 42 in number. To be eligible to elect members to both the provincial government and the House of Representative, voters had to be male owners of property valued at 50 pounds or more. The new constitution effectively brought the 'Crown' to New Zealand and laid the foundation of government for the next 160 years. The right to vote was extended to Maori men in 1867 and women in 1893.
The first meeting of the House was in May 1854. Three members of the House formed the first 'unoffical' Executive council, they were James Edward Fitzgerald, the Canterbury Provincial Super-intendent (and your mothers Gr Gr Grandfather) see ajacent picture, Henry Sewell and Frederick Weld. After seven weeks it became evident that these first three 'ministers' had no power and resigned, leaving room for Henry Sewell to become our first Prime Minister. James Edward Fitzgerald, was by all accounts a good, well repected man in the community. He and Edward Gibbon Wakefield would end up being political foes in Canterbury and we have already seen earlier what he had to say about EGW, "the only security against Wakefield was to hate him intensely". There was obviously no love lost there.
Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure Development
In the 1850s provincial government schemes to expand economic activity saw many more arrive on our shores. However, it was the Central government campaigns of free passage for emigrants, particularly under Prime Minister Vogel, to build infrastructure such as railways, roading, power and government buildings that added 100,000 to the population in the 1880s. (This painting is of the building of the Gt South Road and was built during the 1860s to aid the supply lines for the British troops during the NZ Wars)
With the introduction of refrigeration in the 1880s New Zealand was to become "Britian's farm" and we consistently earned 80% of our revenue from the export of dairy products to the home country.
Despite minor cultural variations, New Zealand acquired a distinctly 'British' character as the nineteenth century advanced and was often referred to as being 'more British' than Britian, especially in expressing loyalty to the crown and a willingness to take part in imperial wars, but more of that later on.
So this is the country then, apart from the impact of the NZ Wars (which was particularly significant for those settling in the North Island), that the remainder of our early forefathers encountered when they disembarked from their ships. So lets go and meet a few of them........
Despite minor cultural variations, New Zealand acquired a distinctly 'British' character as the nineteenth century advanced and was often referred to as being 'more British' than Britian, especially in expressing loyalty to the crown and a willingness to take part in imperial wars, but more of that later on.
So this is the country then, apart from the impact of the NZ Wars (which was particularly significant for those settling in the North Island), that the remainder of our early forefathers encountered when they disembarked from their ships. So lets go and meet a few of them........
Source material and additional reading:
The History of New Zealand, Michael King 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment