Colonial Secretary (New Zealand)

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The Colonial Secretary of New Zealand was an office established in 1840 and abolished in 1907.[1] The position should not be confused with the Colonial Secretary of the former Colonial Office of the United Kingdom.

Along with the Chief Justice, the office was one of the first four created by Governor William Hobson when he arrived in New Zealand in January 1840. The Colonial Secretary's Office handled the creation of New Zealand's public service, and became the modern Department of Internal Affairs in 1907.[1] The Colonial Secretary became known as the Minister of Internal Affairs from then on.

The Colonial Secretary was considered the deputy of the Governor, until the granting of responsible government. For example, Willoughby Shortland acted as administrator of government following the death of William Hobson in 1841. Henry Sewell, who is considered by some as the first Premier of New Zealand, held the position for his short tenure as head of the government in 1856.[2]

List of Colonial Secretaries[edit]

Name Governor served Premier or Prime Minister served Took Office Left Office Party
1 Willoughby Shortland[3] William Hobson 3 May 1841 31 December 1843 none
2 Andrew Sinclair[4] Robert FitzRoy
George Grey
Thomas Gore Browne		 6 January 1844 7 May 1856 none
3 Henry Sewell[4] Thomas Gore Browne (himself) 7 May 1856 20 May 1856 none
4 John Hall[5] William Fox 20 May 1856 2 June 1856 none
5 William Richmond[6] Edward Stafford 2 June 1856 4 November 1856 none
6 Edward Stafford[6] (himself) 4 November 1856 12 July 1861 none
7 Isaac Featherston[6] William Fox 12 July 1861 2 August 1861 none
8 William Fox[6] (himself) 2 August 1861 6 August 1862 none
9 Alfred Domett[6] (himself) 6 August 1862 30 October 1863 none
William Fox (2nd time)[7] Frederick Whitaker 30 October 1863 24 November 1864 none
10 Frederick Weld[7] (himself) 24 November 1864 26 June 1865 none
11 James Richmond[7][8] Frederick Weld 26 June 1865 16 October 1865 none
Edward Stafford (2nd time)[7][9] (himself) 31 October 1865 28 June 1869 none
12 William Gisborne[10][11] William Fox 28 June 1869 10 September 1872 none
Henry Sewell (2nd time)[10] Edward Stafford 10 September 1872 11 October 1872 none
John Hall (2nd time)[10] George Waterhouse 11 October 1872 3 March 1873 none
William Fox (3rd time)[7] (himself) 3 March 1873 8 April 1873 none
13 William Reynolds[12] William Fox ? April 1873 ? none
14 Daniel Pollen[13] William Fox, (himself),
Julius Vogel, Harry Atkinson		 February 1876 13 October 1877 none
15 George Grey[14] (himself) 15 October 1877 18 October 1877 none
16 George Whitmore[14][15] George Grey 18 October 1877 8 October 1879 none
John Hall (3rd time)[14] (himself) 8 October 1879 5 March 1880 none
17 Thomas Dick[16] John Hall, Whitaker
Atkinson		 5 March 1880 16 August 1884 none
18 William Montgomery[17] Robert Stout 16 August 1884 28 August 1884 none
19 Edward Wakefield[18] Atkinson 28 August 1884 3 September 1884 none
20 Patrick Buckley[18] Robert Stout 4 September 1884 8 October 1887 none
21 Thomas Hislop[18] Atkinson 8 October 1887 10 September 1889 none
22 William Russell[19] Atkinson 17 October 1889 24 January 1891 none
Patrick Buckley
(2nd time)[20][21]		 John Ballance
Richard Seddon		 24 January 1891 20 December 1895 Liberal
23 James Carroll Richard Seddon 20 December 1895[21] Liberal

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b "History of the Department". The Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 3 July 2010. 
  2. ^ Former PM's – Official website of the Prime Minister of New Zealand[dead link]
  3. ^ A. H. McLintock, ed. (22 April 2009) [1966]. "SHORTLAND, Commander Willoughby, RN". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 28 November 2010. 
  4. ^ a b SINCLAIR, Andrew – 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
  5. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 31.
  6. ^ a b c d e Scholefield 1950, p. 32.
  7. ^ a b c d e Scholefield 1950, p. 33.
  8. ^ Cyclopedia of New Zealand – The Hon. James Crowe Richmond, NZETC 
  9. ^ History of the Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs 
  10. ^ a b c Scholefield 1950, p. 34.
  11. ^ GISBORNE, William – 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
  12. ^ Scholefield 1950, pp. 35.
  13. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 35–36.
  14. ^ a b c Scholefield 1950, p. 37.
  15. ^ Belich, James (1 September 2010). "Whitmore, George Stoddart – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 7 December 2010. 
  16. ^ Scholefield 1950, pp. 37–38.
  17. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 38.
  18. ^ a b c Scholefield 1950, p. 39.
  19. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 40.
  20. ^ Scholefield 1950, pp. 40–41.
  21. ^ a b "Cyclopedia of New Zealand – Colonial Secretary's department". NZETC. 

References[edit]

  • Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. 
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