1862–1863 Domett ministry

Former government of New Zealand November 2022 The Domett ministry was a responsible government which held power in New Zealand from August 1862 to October 1863. Although Alfred Domett was the head of the government, he was never appointed Premier as that office had yet to be established. Instead, he was Colonial Secretary and Secretary for Crown Lands.Wilson 1985 61–62 Background Domett's ministry has been described as a group of Governor Grey's "more pliant old friends",Bohan Edmund Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman Hazard Press 1994 176 with Grey even engaging in Cabinet-making by visiting Dillon Bell to recruit him as Native Minister. Grey’s own policy towards Māori was largely adopted by the ministry: troops invaded the Waikato intending to confiscate large tracts of land from the Māori iwi, which would then be sold on to military settlers recruited from Britain.McLintock Alexander Hare William Hosking Oliver M. A. (N Z. ) Taonga New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu SEWELL, Henry https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/sewell-henry 4 November 2022 An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. en To open up the market in Māori land to private investors, the Domett ministry also began to permit direct land sales without Crown pre-emption.Bohan Edmund Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman Hazard Press 1994 177 The Domett ministry was largely provincialist in character, relaxing previous restrictions on borrowing by the provincial councils.Bohan Edmund Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman Hazard Press 1994 179 Domett also introduced a bill giving provinces the right to legislate on Crown lands within their boundaries, which he admitted was unconstitutional.Bohan Edmund Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman Hazard Press 1994 183 The House of Representatives was split between four main factions which voted together in various combinations, with Domett variously depending on Edward Stafford, William Fox and William Fitzherbert to pass legislation. Even the ministry itself was said to have been only kept together by Domett’s "nonchalance and spice of humor".McLintock Alexander Hare David Oswald William Hall M. A. Taonga New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu DOMETT, Alfred https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/domett-alfred 4 November 2022 An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. en On one occasion, Stafford carried a vote to make the position of Attorney-General a non-political post outside of Cabinet, forcing Henry Sewell to resign in favour of the less politically outspoken Frederick Whitaker.Bohan Edmund Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman Hazard Press 1994 178 In 1863, the ministry collapsed when Bell recommended that the Waitara Block of land be returned to the owners who had possessed it before the First Taranaki War,Taonga New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Bell, Francis Dillon https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1b16/bell-francis-dillon 4 November 2022 teara.govt.nz en which caused the more hawkish Thomas Russell to threaten to dissent.Taonga New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Domett, Alfred https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1d15/domett-alfred 4 November 2022 teara.govt.nz en This precipitated Domett’s own resignation; thereafter he was replaced as Premier by Whitaker. Ministers The following members served in the Domett ministry:Wilson 1985 61–62 NamePortraitOfficeTerm Alfred Domett center|75px Colonial Secretary 6 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 Secretary for Crown Lands 22 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 Thomas Gillies center|75px Attorney-General 6 August 1862 – 23 August 1862 Dillon Bell center|75px Colonial Treasurer 6 August 1862 – 21 August 1862 Commissioner of Customs 6 August 1862 – 21 August 1862 Minister for Native Affairs 6 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 Walter Mantell center|75px Member of the Executive Council 6 August 1862 – 25 November 1863 Postmaster-General 6 August 1862 – 21 August 1862 Secretary for Crown Lands 6 August 1862 – 21 August 1862 Henry Tancred, MLC center|75px Member of Executive Council 6 August 1862 – 6 February 1863 Thomas Russell Member of Executive Council 6 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 Minister of Colonial Defence 22 July 1863 – 24 November 1864 Reader Wood center|75px Colonial Treasurer 21 August 1862 – 24 November 1864 Commissioner of Customs 21 August 1862 – 24 November 1864 Crosbie Ward center|75px Postmaster-General 21 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 Henry Sewell, MLC center|75px Attorney-General 23 August 1862 – 1 January 1863 See also New Zealand Government Notes References Wilson Jim Jim Wilson (librarian) New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Category:Ministries of Queen Victoria Category:Governments of New Zealand Category:1860s in New Zealand Category:Cabinets established in 1862 Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1863 Category:1863 disestablishments in New Zealand