Political career Henry Sewell

1 political career

1.1 1st parliament
1.2 2nd parliament , premiership
1.3 executive positions , legislative council

political career
1st parliament

sewell s diary, published in 1980 sewell journal in 2 volumes, gives unique insight life in colony. journal s editor, historian w. david mcintyre, calls absorbing , undoubtedly fullest private manuscript relating new zealand in 1850s . in late july 1853, sewell decided stand parliament in 1853 general election; question whether should run in town of christchurch or christchurch country electorate. there 1 position filled in town electorate, , 2 in rural electorate. sewell sought counsel friends, recommended him stand in rural electorate, did not want oppose guise brittan, had declared candidacy. whilst brittan unpopular constituency, sewell thought useful have him in parliament. complication town electorate john charles watts-russell had received pledge majority of constituency, there rumours not stand, , known go travelling during time of election campaign. sewell talked brittan, supported him standing in town electorate, , brittan pledged brother-in-law, charles fooks, canvas him. sewell first advertised candidacy in lyttelton times on 30 july. in same edition of newspaper, james stuart-wortley , guise brittan advertised candidacy christchurch country electorate. jerningham wakefield reiterated candidacy christchurch country electorate in august upon return wellington. @ same time, fooks announced candidacy town of christchurch electorate. james fitzgerald, had been elected first superintendent of canterbury province, apparently in support of watts-russell, sewell decided withdraw contest, decided go ahead public meeting speak mind . on 4 august, held meeting @ golden fleece, hotel on corner of colombo , armagh streets, , addressed between 30 , 40 electors. discussed issues parliament should deal with, finished saying not available candidate, watts-russell had been pledged support of constituency. after awkward period of silence, richard packer stood , replied:

we in awkward position. here gentleman told [us] sorts of things representative ought attend , declined standing himself, because of candidate intentions no 1 knew about—and on point of starting excursion without giving 1 opportunity of learning sentiments anything.

the meeting expressed dissatisfaction watts-russell , not hold bound support him. fitzgerald spoke in support of watts-russell, not received. fooks spoke, attack sewell. following day, sewell met fitzgerald , discussed either himself or watts-russell should retire contest, if himself retire, watts-russell or @ least of friends should inform constituency intentions. fitzgerald s impression should watts-russell should retire. later day, watts-russell wrote announcement retire contest, published in lyttelton times on 13 august.

henry sewell in 1856

on 9 august, colonists society held meeting @ white hart hotel. christchurch s first hotel on high street (then called sumner road) , cashel street corner, michael hart proprietor. 50 60 attendees addressed sewell, stuart-wortley, , wakefield. result, committees formed achieve return of these 3 candidates. @ point, sewell thought brittan not have chance of getting elected, unpopular, , refused go canvassing. on next few days, octavius mathias, vicar of st michael , angels, sewell s main antagonist.

the nominations town , country electorates held on tuesday, 16 august. hustings erected in front of land office (these days site of our city). 3 candidates christchurch country electorate spoke first, stuart-wortley , wakefield winning show of hand, , brittan visibly offended, demanding poll. sewell proposed john hall, , seconded postmaster , storekeeper charles wellington bishop. fooks proposed joshua charles porter (a lawyer; later mayor of kaiapoi), , seconded publican michael hart. whilst sewell s speech received, fooks laughed @ , interrupted (sewell said fooks did him more service [he] have done [him]self ). show of hands in favour of sewell; no more 5 hands raised in support of fooks.

the election held on saturday, 20 august, between 9 , 4 pm. method of voting @ time elector tell returning officer choice of candidate. happened in public, tally of votes kept, , fooks ahead, within hour, sewell passed him. final result 61 votes 34 sewell, declared elected.

sewell s legal , financial skill of considerable use in parliament, although criticised elitist , aloof. in terms of political spectrum of day, ranged centralists against provincialists , sewell adopted moderate position, although later became gradually more centralist. regard new zealand self-rule, other major issue of time, sewell in favour. when acting governor, robert wynyard, appointed sewell , several other politicians unofficial members of executive council, sewell believed self-government begin. when became apparent wynyard regarded appointments temporary, , did not believe parliament assume responsibility governance without royal assent, sewell , colleagues resigned.

2nd parliament , premiership

a new governor, thomas gore browne, subsequently announced self-government begin 2nd new zealand parliament. sewell once again stood election, , successful. sewell asked governor form government, known sewell ministry. appointed executive council on 18 april 1856, , became colonial secretary on 7 may. dillon bell became colonial treasurer (finance minister), frederick whitaker became attorney-general, , henry tancred legislative council became minister without portfolio.

sewell s government short-lived, however, due strong centralist tendencies. leader of provincialist faction, william fox, defeated sewell s government on 20 may 1856. fox himself, however, did not retain office long, being defeated edward stafford, moderate. stafford invited sewell become colonial treasurer in new government. in role, sewell instrumental in drafting financial compact between central , provincial governments.

in late 1856, sewell stepped down treasurer , resigned seat, remained unofficial member of executive council, return england. there, negotiated number of deals new zealand. william richmond became treasurer in absence. in 1859, when sewell returned new zealand, became treasurer once again, stepped down again after month, leaving richmond resume role.

in 18 january 1860 by-election, sewell contested christchurch electorate against michael hart. resigned towards end of 1860 become registrar-general of lands.

executive positions , legislative council

in 1861, appointed fox legislative council, position held until 1865.

when fighting broke out māori in 1860 on land grievances, sewell attempted promote negotiation , compromise. sewell, mild pacifist, believed conflict māori resolved introducing fair method of land purchase, 1 did not involve coercion. end, twice proposed native council bill, have created māori-run institutions authority supervise māori land deals. both attempts failed. sewell later resigned post attorney-general on government s land confiscation policies. afterwards, published pamphlet entitled new zealand native rebellion, in explained views on causes of (and solutions to) conflict māori.

later in political career, sewell briefly held positions attorney-general, minister of justice, , colonial secretary (the latter being distinct premiership time).

during career represented town of christchurch 1853–56 (resigned) & 1860 (retired), , town of new plymouth 1865–66. defeated in 1866 lyttelton. served on legislative council 1861 1865.