W E L C O M E T O T H E H O C K E N Friends of the Hocken Collections B U L L E T I N N U M B E R 3 1 : March 2000

New Zealand’s Nine Provinces (1853Ð76)

N 30 June 1852, after half a century of constantly changing constitutional relationships with NSW and Great Britain, the passage by the British Parliament into law of the ‘Act O to Grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of ’ at last gave this country a settled, semi-federal system of government. New Zealand became divided into the six provinces of Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury and , each with its own legislature, built around the six original planned settlements or ‘colonies’. Above them was a General Assembly consisting of the Crown-nominated Legislative Council and a directly elected House of Representatives. Sir George Grey proclaimed the coming into force of this Constitution on 17 January 1853; the boundaries of the new provinces were gazetted on 28 February; and regulations governing the elections were gazetted on 5 March. Each province had a Superintendent and a Provincial Council, both directly elected by men aged 21 or older, with freehold worth £50 a year. Elections were held every four years, each Provincial Council electing its Speaker at the first meeting after an election. Amending legislation in 1856 provided for the appointment of a Deputy Superintendent when necessary.

New provinces W.P. Morrell’s The Provincial System in NZ The original Westminster legislation had always pro- 1852Ð76 (London, 1932; rev., 1964) describes how and vided for the creation of additional provinces, and when why the system came into being, the on-going the spread of settlement brought disaffection between relationships between the provinces and the central some of the original centres of provincial government government, the debates of Centralism v Provincialism and the outlying settlers, the General Assembly in which became prominent in 1867Ð68, the financial 1858 was persuaded to pass the New Provinces Act. problems which several of the provinces suffered, and Under it, any district of between 500,000 and 3 mil- the developing battles over immigration and public lion acres in extent, with a European population of no works. fewer than 1000, could petition for separation provided The crisis came when Vogel’s attempt to create a that at least 60% of electors agreed. Hawkes Bay sepa- major afforestation plan for New Zealand ran into dog- rated from Wellington on 1 November 1858; Marlbor- in-the-manger hostility from provinces unwilling to ough from Nelson on 1 November 1859; and South- allow even 3 percent of their waste lands to be trans- land from Otago on 1 April 1861. New Plymouth also ferred to central government administration for the changed its name to Taranaki under the same purpose. Once an ardent provincialist, Vogel became legislation. converted to the abolition of the provinces and public The provincial system came to an end under the opinion sided with him. Abolition of Provinces Act, assented to on 12 October For a compact view of the structure of provincial 1875. No further sessions of the Provincial Councils government, consult pp . 177Ð244 of NZ Parliamentary were held, though the Superintendents continued to Record 1840Ð1949 (Wellington, 1950), edited by Guy function until the Act became fully operative on H. Scholefield. In addition to a succinct potted general 1ÊNovember 1876. The provinces were then replaced history Scholefield records the developments within by the county system, which remained in being for the each province and provides full lists of Superinten- next 110 years. dents, Deputies, Speakers, Executive Councillors and Provincial Councillors, all with their individual elec- Background reading torates and dates of service. Also listed are the dates of Several sources provide useful guides to the provincial all the sessions held by the various provincial period. councils. In the 1950s, National Archives published a valu- able series of Preliminary Inventories of the material 2 New Plymouth (1853, renamed held from the various provinces, each with an appendix Taranaki 1858Ð1876) listing the province’s official publications. And in its General: Taranaki is fortunate in that an early New September 1990 issue, pp . 10Ð13, NZ Historic Places Plymouth journalist, Benjamin Wells carefully published a brief and somewhat incomplete article on wrote The History of Taranaki, a 311pp ‘standard the buildings the various provincial government used. work’ in 1878, only two years after the provincial Only those of Canterbury and Southland survive. period ended. Judith Bassett’s Sir Harry Atkinson, Two relevant PhD theses held by the Hocken Lib- 1831Ð1892 (1975) is a biography with much rary are D.G. Herron’s ‘The Structure and Course of NZ political relevance. Politics 1853–1858’ (1959), and G.A. Wood’s ‘The Newspapers: Taranaki Herald (1852Ð62, 1868Ð75, with Political Structure of NZ 1858–61’ (1965). Also see breaks). R.H. Ellis, ‘Sir George Grey’s petitions to the Gazettes. Vols XIÐXIX (1863Ð71), Vol.XX (1872, one Colonial Office over the abolition of the provinces’, issue only). OU thesis, MA (1968). Note also R.P. Hargreaves, Ordinances. Sessions IÐXV (1853Ð67). Maps in NZ Provincial Papers (1964). 3 Wellington (1853Ð1876) The Library’s holdings General: Only 3pp are given to the Provincial Superin- Besides an extensive range of the official literature tendents in the 1897 Cyclopedia of Wellington, but issued by the Otago Provincial Council, the Hocken A.E. Mulgan’s The City of the Strait (1939) pro- Library also holds, thanks to Dr Hocken’s energetic vides a centennial history of Wellington city and collecting, a range of basic material from the other province. Brief references occur in such books as provincial councils, and this is listed below. The lists G.M. Betts. Betts on Wellington; a city and its are accompanied by a selection of books, some dealing politics (1970). with specific aspects of the provincial machinery, Newspapers: NZ Spectator (1853Ð65). some providing a general historical background in each Acts. Sessions IÐXII (1853Ð65). province. Newspapers of the period and also a few Acts & Proceedings. Sessions IÐIV (1853Ð57), relevant biographies are noted, but considering that VIÐXVI (1858Ð68). more than 1000 prominent men served on the various Gazettes. Vols IV (1857), XVIIÐXIX (1870Ð72). provincial councils, 1853Ð76, the pool of biographical Journal of Proceedings. Sessions XXIÐXXII sources clearly offers scope for further study. (1871Ð72), XXIVÐXXVIII (1873Ð75). In conjunction with this bulletin, which deals with the published material relating to all the provinces, 3a Hawkes Bay (1858Ð1876) Bulletin 32 describes the unpublished material, gener- General: A handy introduction is A.H. Reed’s The ally on microfilm, relating particularly to the Story of Hawke’s Bay (1958), in which the provin- provinces of Otago and Southland. cial period is given 80pp, with events described in a series of four chronicles. Also worth consulting: 1 Auckland (1853Ð1876) I.W. Malcolm, Bibliography of Hawke’s Bay General: No general Auckland provincial history (1969); J.G. Wilson and others, History of Hawkes exists, but the 1902 Cyclopedia devotes 9pp to the Bay (1939, 1976 reprint); and Matthew Wright, Provincial Superintendents. Coverage can also be Hawke’s Bay, the History of a Province (1994). found in such books as J. Barr, City of Auckland Newspapers: Hawkes Bay Herald (1857Ð67, 1871Ð74, (1922), with a photo of the old Provincial Build- with breaks). ings; G.W.A. Bush, Decently and in Order. The Acts. Sessions IÐX (1858Ð66). Government of the City of Auckland 1840Ð1971 Gazettes. Vols I, II & IV (1860, 1861, 1864; looseleaf (1971); and Una Platts The Lively Capital, and incomplete), Vols VIIÐXII (1866Ð71, bound), Auckland 1840Ð1865 (1971). Vols XIIIÐXVI (1872Ð76; looseleaf and Newspapers: NZ Herald (1863Ð76, microfilm); NZ incomplete). Weekly News (from 1861, incomplete). Votes & Proceedings. Sessions IIÐXII (1859Ð67), Acts: Sessions IÐXIX (1853Ð1866). XVIII (1871), XXI (1874). Acts & Ordinances: Sessions XXVIII (Dec.1872ÐFeb.1873), XXIX (Feb.ÐJuly 1874). 4 Nelson (1853Ð1876) Acts & Proceedings: Sessions IÐIX (1853Ð1858). General: C.B. Brereton’s readable Vanguard of the Gazettes: Vols IÐIV (1853Ð1856), VIIIÐXII South, Nelson NZ (1952) devotes a couple of chap- (1860Ð1864), XV (1866), XVII (1868, incomplete), ters to the period; and see also the more recent XVIIIÐXXIV (1869Ð1875). Nelson, a Regional History (1997), by Jim Journals: Sessions XIXÐXXII (1865Ð1868); McAloon, and Edward Stafford, NZ’s First XXIVÐXXX (1869Ð1875). Statesman (1994), by Edmund Bohan. There is also Votes & Proceedings: Sessions XÐXV (1859Ð1863). coverage in Ruth Allan, The History of Port Nelson (1954), while a brief reference in J. Newport, Short Address of His Honor the Superintendent at the History of the (1966) mentions the Opening of the First Legislative Council of the impending demolition of the old Provincial Council Province of Canterbury, NZ, September 27 1853. buildings. Gazettes. Vols XVÐXXII (1868Ð75). Specific: H.F. Allan, The Nelson Provincial Council Journal of Proceedings. Sessions IÐXXI (1853Ð64), (1974, from a 1939 thesis). XXIII (1865), XXVIÐXXVIII (1866Ð68), Newspapers: Nelson Daily Examiner (1853Ð72, XXXÐXLII (1868Ð75). incomplete). Ordinances. Sessions IÐXLII (1853Ð75). Gazettes. Vols IÐXX (1853Ð71). Report on the Formation of the Canterbury Plains, Votes & Proceedings. Sessions IÐIII (1853Ð56; with with a Geological Sketch-map and Five Geological Acts for Session III, 1956; and Statistics of Nelson, Sections, by Julius Haast, Provincial Geologist, 1843Ð55). Session XXII (1864). Votes & Proceedings, & Acts. Sessions IVÐXII (1857Ð67), XIXÐXXVI (1869Ð75). 5a Westland (semi-autonomous 1868; autonomous 1873Ð1876) 4a Marlborough (1859Ð1876) General: Discovery of gold provided the impetus to- General: The provincial period is well covered in wards Westland’s independence from Canterbury, T.L. Buick’s Old Marlborough (1900), and gets and P.R. May devotes three chapters to the process three chapters in Marlborough, a Provincial History in his The West Coast Gold Rushes (1962, 1967). (1940), ed. by A.D. McIntosh. For the battle be- The story is taken further by both Philip May and tween Blenheim and Picton as provincial capital see Bernard Conradson in Miners and Militants. Politics H.D. Kelly, As High As the Hills. The Centennial in Westland 1865Ð1918 (1975), edited by May. History of Picton (1976), which includes illustra- Also worth reading is E. Iveagh Lord, Old Westland tions of the old Provincial buildings in Picton. (1940), while several of the other historical works Also Jeanine Graham, Frederick Weld (1983), and on Westland pay some attention to the Provincial Rex E. Wright-St Clair, Thoroughly a Man of the period. World. A Biography of Sir David Monro (1971). Newspapers: see Christchurch Press and the Nelson Newspapers: none local. Examiner. Gazettes. Vols IÐX (1860Ð69). Gazettes of the County of Westland. Vols. IÐVI (1868Ð73). 5 Canterbury (1853Ð1876) Gazettes of Westland Province. Vols IÐII (1874Ð75). General: In A History of Canterbury Vol.1 (1957), Journal of Proceedings, County Council. Sessions Section III, L.C. Webb describes the developments IÐXIII (1868Ð73). of the Canterbury Association and the introduction Journal of Proceedings, Westland Provincial Council. of the provincial system. Vol.II (1971) is given Sessions IÐII (1874Ð75). over completely to the provincial period, G.C. Hensley dealing with the Superintendency of 6 Otago (1853Ð1876) J.E. Fitzgerald, and W.H. Scotter covering the General: As the foremost province in the colony, Moorhouse-Bealey years 1857Ð68, and also the Otago fared well during the provincial period and eight-year Superintendency of William Rolleston lost much in political prestige when the provinces until the provinces were abolished. Other writers were abolished. In his massive The History of discuss the literature, music, education, art and ar- Otago (1949), A.H. McLintock devotes 277 pp to a chitecture of the provincial period, the appendices detailed coverage of the provincial era — a book in include details of session and members, and the bib- itself. Other standard works, such as Erik Olssen, A liography lists relevant theses and publications. History of Otago (1984) and A.H. Reed, The Story Among other relevant books: Edmund Bohan, ‘Blest of Otago. Age of Adventure (1947) deal with the Madman’. Fitzgerald of Canterbury (1998); period more compactly. A contemporary 19th cen- A. Selwyn Bruce, The Early Days of Canterbury tury view is provided in James Barr, The Old (1932); O.A. Gillespie, South Canterbury. A Record Identities: Being Sketches and Reminiscences during of Settlement (1958, 1971); W.D. McIntyre ed. The the First Decade of the Province of Otago, NZ, by Journal of Henry Sewell, 1853Ð57 (2 vols, 1980); ‘An Old Identity’ (1879); while the title of James W.A. Pierre, Canterbury Provincial Railways McIndoe’s A Sketch of Otago, from the Initiation (1964); A.H. Reed, The Story of Canterbury (1949); of the Settlement to the Abolition of the Province, W.H. Scotter, A History of Port Lyttelton (1968); with a Record of all the Important Events in its W. Downie Stewart, William Rolleston (1940). History Chronologically Arranged … (1878) speaks Specific: C.R.H. Taylor, Gothic Beauties and History for itself. Biographical references to the Provincial of the Canterbury Provincial Buildings (1929). Council range from James Adam’s Twenty-Five Newspapers: Lyttelton Times (1853Ð59, broken hold- Years of Emigrant Life in the South of NZ (2nd ings), The Press (1861Ð76, on microfilm). ed.,1876) to T.H. Brooking’s And Captain of Their Souls. An interpretative essay on the life and times of the Evening Star). of Captain Wm Cargill (1984), the first Superinten- Otago Provincial Council Election : Polling Paper dent, and Raewyn Dalziel’s Julius Vogel, Business (1853; F&J 13/29). Politician (1986). Supplementary Schedule and Synopsis of Otago Specific: Address Concerning Proposed Provincial Ordinances. Sessions IÐXXXIV (1853Ð75). Councils Ordinance (1851, F&J 1/39); Votes & Proceedings. Sessions IÐXXXIV (1853Ð75). Correspondence between the Honorable the Premier In addition, note the extensive listings of Provincial of NZ and His Honor the Superintendent of Otago Council ephemera on pp . 433Ð36 of W.H. Trimble’s on the subject of the proposed abolition of the Catalogue of the Hocken Library (1912). provinces of NZ (1876). Newspapers: Daily Telegraph (1856Ð64), Dunedin 6a Southland (1861Ð1870) Leader (1863Ð64), Dunedin Echo (1869), Evening General: Although the standard Otago histories pay Mail (1866Ð67, odd copies), Evening News some attention to Southland’s breakaway years, the (1862Ð64, odd copies), Evening Star (1872Ð75), most accessible account is to be found in F.G. Hall- Illustrated NZ News (1868Ð76), Illustrated New Jones, Historical Southland (1945). In addition to Zealander (1866Ð67), NZ Sun (1868Ð69, odd discussing policies and participants, Hall-Jones copies), Otago Daily Times (1861Ð76), Otago gives (p . 164) further sources not listed here. Mary Guardian (1873Ð76), Otago Mail (1864), Otago Stevenson’s biography of James (‘Speaker’) Witness (1853Ð66), Sandfly (1875Ð76, odd copies), Wilson, who chaired the Provincial Council for Saturday Advertiser (1875), Saturday Review eight years, is in The Advance Guard, Series II (1864Ð71), Southern Mercury (1874Ð76); and a (1974). wide range of Otago township papers, see Bulletin Specific: Historic Places, No.4, March 1984, p . 30 has No.3. a photograph of the Southland Provincial Building Unpublished: Anon. ‘OPC Country Members’ (1853, which the Historic Places Trust bought and pre- F&J 2/44, ms); A.P.F. Browne, ‘The Otago served. Goldfields 1861Ð1863, Administration and Public Newspapers: Bulletin (1864), Southlander (1862Ð76, Life’, OU thesis, MA history (1974); A.H. Cook, broken run), Southland Daily News (1863Ð69, ‘“The Slowly-Dying Cause”. A study of Otago 1873, 1875, 1876), Southland Times (broken run). provincialism after the abolition of the Provinces, Unpublished: A.R. Dreaver, ‘The 1875–1884’, OU thesis, MA (1969); Linda of NZ in the Days of Dr J.A.R. Menzies M. Cowan, ‘Immediate reactions in Otago to the (Superintendent, 1861–1864)’, OU History honours movement for the abolition of the Provincial Gov- (1929); June D. Marshall, ‘Southland’s Attitudes to ernment, 1874–1876’, OU long essay, PGDipArts the Abolition of the Province 1874–77’, OU BA (1972); W.P. Morrell, ‘The Provincial System of hons History (1975). Government in NZ with special reference to its Gazettes. Vols IÐV (1861Ð67). working in Otago’, Ross Fellowship (1921–22). Ordinances. Sessions IÐV (1861Ð63), XIIÐXV Bills. Sessions IÐIV (1853Ð55, loose), Session XVI (1866Ð67). (1862, loose). Votes & Proceedings, Sessions IÐXXIV (1861Ð69, Departmental Reports & other papers, 1875Ð76. compiled retrospectively by the clerk to the Otago Gazettes. Vols IÐXX (1853Ð76). Provincial Council and issued in 1874); Ibid, Order Papers, Sessions XXIXÐXXXIII (1871Ð74). Appendices. Sessions IÐXXIV (1861Ð69, compiled Otago Government Advertising Sheet, Supplement to by the clerk to the OPC and issued in 1875). Gazette. Vols IÐII (1864Ð70; indexed, with annota- tions as to where some missing copies may be found). Prepared for the Friends of the Hocken Collections, PO Otago Police Gazette, 1864Ð77. Box 6336, Dunedin, by George Griffiths, Otago Provincial Council Debates. Session XXVI with the assistance of Hocken Library staff; designed (1869; special session, mainly concerned with rail- by Gary Blackman. ways, taken verbatim and published by George Bell,