Aboriginal Protection and Its Intermediaries in Britain's Antipodean Colonies by Samuel Furphy Amanda Nettelbeck

Author:Samuel Furphy, Amanda Nettelbeck [Samuel Furphy, Amanda Nettelbeck]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781032092133
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2021-06-30T00:00:00+00:00

Concluding Remarks

The complexity of Māori land tenure, the amount of time and effort required to investigate or supervise sales, and the difficulty of acquiring large tracts of land for settlement culminated in tension, protests, and conflict. The regular reports of Chief Protector George Clarke give an overview of the changing relations between Māori and Pākehā during the first five years of the colony. In his first half-yearly report, dated 30 September 1841, Clarke described harmonious relations, due to ‘forbearance exercised by both parties.’ He noted that inter-tribal wars had almost completely ceased, and that the Christian religion was ‘diffusing its humane principles’ among Māori.59 Yet, even then, all was not well. There was trouble north of Auckland over land, while north of Wellington Māori ‘violently’ resisted the claims of the New Zealand Company.60 By the end of 1843, Clarke’s tone was sombre. Land had been the cause of a number of disturbances, the most serious of which was an affray in the Wairau valley between Māori landowners and New Zealand Company surveyors that had resulted in deaths on both sides.61 In July 1844 Hone Heke cut down the flagstaff at Kororareka in the north. This act would in due course result in Hone Heke sacking Kororareka in March 1845, followed eventually by war between Hone Heke and his allies on one side and Waka Nene and his allies plus government troops on the other side. Twentieth-century historians have analysed these events and given various reasons for Heke’s actions. Shortland’s reasoning most closely resembles that of Claudia Orange, who explains Heke’s cutting down of the flagstaff as an assertion of Māori sovereignty, because Heke believed that the flag was a British claim to the exclusive mana of the land.62

In August 1845, Shortland sent a letter of resignation to Chief Protector Clarke. The previous year he had already indicated his intention to leave. FitzRoy had decreased his remuneration and Shortland saw no further career prospects.63 Clarke acknowledged that Shortland had long indicated a wish to return to England, and that he had remained only out of a sense of duty, ‘on account of the critical state of the colony’ and because his services ‘were much required.’64 FitzRoy accepted his resignation ‘with much regret’ because he knew that Shortland was ‘one of the most able and valuable officers in the colony.’ Shortland would not leave the country just yet, however. He was prevailed upon to act as translator and adviser for Colonel Despard, commander of the British troops, during the peace negotiations with Hone Heke. Before the northern war was over and a peace concluded, Governor FitzRoy was replaced by George Grey, who arrived at the end of November 1845. Shortland left New Zealand on HMS North Star late January 1846. Before he left New Zealand, Shortland and the new governor discussed Māori affairs. The two men did not necessarily see eye to eye on all issues, but Governor Grey respected Shortland’s expertise and knowledge.

In 1846, Grey remodelled the Protectorate Department, the governor taking more direct control of Māori policy.

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