Summary: It is the object of this essay to present a survey of public opinion respecting native policy in the year prior to the outbreak of the first Taranaki war. As European New Zealanders were in 1859 experiencing their third year of Responsible Government, the tone of public opinion is of particular interest, for theoretically the widely enfranchised public had it in their power to influence official policy by their votes. Although the field of Responsible Government did not, in theory, extend to Native Affairs, in practice this limitation was by no means absolute. Gore Browne�s power of ultimate decision was considerably modified by his avowed ignorance of Maori language, character, and customs; and by his dependence on the representative Assembly for funds to execute a positive native policy. He thus relied heavily on the Staff of the Native Department to supply his former deficiency; and agreed to allow a responsible minister to advise him on Native Affairs. This system in practice prevented the formulation and execution of a positive native policy, and involved a dangerous opportunity for irresponsible action. The equivocal nature of responsibility for native affairs was also a handicap to the development of public opinion, which was unable to concentrate on a supreme source of effective authority. For these reasons, the essay will contain particular reference to the question of divided responsibility.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/266191 |
| Date | January 1958 |
| Creators | Williams, Alison Margaret, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Otago. Department of History |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://policy01.otago.ac.nz/policies/FMPro?-db=policies.fm&-format=viewpolicy.html&-lay=viewpolicy&-sortfield=Title&Type=Academic&-recid=33025&-find), Copyright Alison Margaret Williams |
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