1856–1861 Stafford Ministry

Last updated September 23, 2024

The First Stafford Ministry was the third responsible government to be formed in New Zealand, and the first to last more than a few weeks. It formed in June 1856, and lasted until July 1861. As the office of Premier had yet to be established, Edward Stafford served as head of the government, although initially Henry Sewell was the Minister who reported to the Governor.^[1]

Background

Stafford defeated William Fox 18–17 in a confidence motion based on the latter's proposal to give the provinces the bulk of state funding. He thereafter resigned the Superintendency of Nelson Province and formed a ministry including Henry Sewell, who was soon sent to London to negotiate a loan, and the detail-oriented William Richmond. Sewell became alienated from the ministry during his long absence and resigned a couple of months after returning in 1859. Meanwhile, Stafford followed a centralist policy: the government allocated a portion of land sale revenue to the provinces, ensuring that once the bulk of Crown land was sold, the provincial governments would struggle to raise enough revenue to survive; they also passed the New Provinces Act, permitting the break-up of the existing units into smaller and less powerful provinces.

The other main feature of the first Stafford Government was Māori policy, which was reserved to the Governor with the Ministry only being permitted to offer advice. In light of the rise of the Kingitanga, the Ministry favoured Francis Dart Fenton's scheme to create self-governing constitutional institutions for Maori, but was countermanded by Governor Thomas Gore Browne and his advisor, Donald McLean. In 1860 the First Taranaki War broke out over land sales conducted by the Governor's officials, leading to criticism of the Ministry's role. At the start of the 1861 session, Fox moved a confidence motion in the midst of the ramp-up of tensions in the Waikato, and won by two votes.^[2]

Ministers

The following members served in the Stafford Ministry:^[3]

Name	Office	Term
Edward Stafford	Member of Executive Council	2 June 1856 – 12 July 1861
Edward Stafford	Colonial Secretary	4 November 1856 – 12 July 1861
Henry Sewell	Colonial Treasurer	2 June 1856 – 4 November 1856
	Colonial Treasurer	25 February 1859 – 26 April 1859
	Member of Executive Council	4 November 1856 – 26 April 1859
	Commissioner of Customs	25 February 1859 – 26 April 1859
Frederick Whitaker, MLC	Attorney-General	2 June 1856 – 12 July 1861
William Richmond	Colonial Secretary	2 June 1856 – 4 November 1856
	Colonial Treasurer	4 November 1856 – 25 February 1859
	Colonial Treasurer	26 April 1859 – 12 July 1861
	Minister for Native Affairs	27 August 1858 – 10 November 1860
	Commissioner of Customs	1 January 1859 – 25 February 1859
	Commissioner of Customs	26 April 1859 – 12 July 1861
	Member of Executive Council	25 February 1859 – 12 July 1861
John Logan Campbell	Member of Executive Council	2 June 1856 – 24 November 1856
Henry Tancred, MLC	Member of Executive Council	5 August 1858 – 12 July 1861
	Secretary for Crown Lands	19 August 1858 – 12 July 1861
	Postmaster-General	3 November 1858 – 12 July 1861
Lt. Colonel Robert Wynyard, CB	Member of Executive Council	3 January 1854 – 1 November 1858
Col. Charles Emilius Gold	Member of Executive Council	3 November 1858 – 30 March 1861
Frederick Weld	Member of Executive Council	28 July 1860 – 12 July 1861
Frederick Weld	Minister for Native Affairs	10 November 1860 – 12 July 1861
Major-General Thomas Simson Pratt	Member of Executive Council	30 March 1861 – 22 April 1861
Lieut-General Duncan Cameron	Member of Executive Council	22 April 1861 – 6 August 1862

Notes

↑ Bohan, Edmund (1994). Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman. Hazard Press. p. 97.
↑ Bohan, Edmund (1994). Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman. Hazard Press. pp. 90–168.
↑ Wilson 1985, p. 61.

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References

Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

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[1] Bohan, Edmund (1994). Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman. Hazard Press. p. 97.

[2] Bohan, Edmund (1994). Edward Stafford: New Zealand's First Statesman. Hazard Press. pp. 90–168.

[FOOTNOTEWilson198561-3] Wilson 1985, p. 61.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Governments of New Zealand
Executives without power	Fitzgerald Forsaith
Responsible government	Sewell Fox (first) Stafford (first) Fox (second) Domett Whitaker–Fox Weld Stafford (second) Fox (third) Stafford (third) Waterhouse Fox (fourth) Vogel (first) Pollen Vogel (second) Continuous Ministry Atkinson (first) Atkinson (second) Grey Hall Whitaker Atkinson (third) Stout–Vogel (first) Atkinson (fourth) Stout–Vogel (second) Atkinson (fifth)
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