# New Zealand History/The Colonial Government

New

## The Colonial Government

!The Colonial New Zealand
flag
After New Zealand was annexed by Britain, it was initially set up as a
dependency of New South Wales. However, by 1841, New Zealand was made a
colony in its own right. As a colony, it inherited political practices
and institutions of government from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom Government started the first New Zealand Government
by appointing governors, being advised by appointed executive and
legislative councils.

In 1852, the British Parliament passed the New Zealand Constitution Act,
which provided for the elected House of Representatives and Legislative
Council. The General Assembly (the House and Council combined) first met
in 1854.

New Zealand was effectively self-governing in all domestic matters
except \'native policy\' by 1856. Control over native policy was passed
to the Colonial Government in the mid-1860s.

The first capital of the country was Russell, located in the Bay of
Islands, declared by Governor Hobson after New Zealand was formally
annexed. In September 1840, Hobson changed the capital to the shores of
the Waitematā Harbour where Auckland was founded. The seat of Government
was centralised in Wellington by 1865.

**Provincial Governments in New Zealand** !The boundaries of the former
New Zealand
provinces
From 1841 until 1876, provinces had their own provincial governments.
Originally, there were only three provinces, set up by the Royal
Charter:

-   New Ulster (North Island north of Patea River)
-   New Munster (North Island south of Patea River, plus the South
    Island)
-   New Leinster (Stewart Island)

In 1846, the provinces were reformed. The New Leinster province was
removed, and the two remaining provinces were enlarged and separated
from the Colonial Government. The reformed provinces were:

-   New Ulster (All of North Island)
-   New Munster (The South Island plus Stewart Island)

The provinces were reformed yet again by the New Zealand Constitution
Act 1852. In this constitution, the old provinces of New Ulster and New
Munster were abolished and six new provinces were set up:

-   Auckland
-   New Plymouth
-   Wellington
-   Nelson
-   Canterbury
-   Otago

Each province had its own legislature that elected its own Speaker and
Superintendent. Any male 21 years or older that owned freehold property
worth £50 a year could vote. Elections were held every four years.

Four new provinces were introduced between November 1858 and December
1873. Hawkes Bay broke away from Wellington, Marlborough from Nelson,
Westland from Canterbury, and Southland from Otago.

Not long after they had begun, provincial governments were a matter for
political debate in the General Assembly. Eventually, under the
premiership of Harry Atkinson, the Colonial Government passed the
Abolition of Provinces Act 1876, which wiped out the provincial
governments, replacing them with regions. Provinces finally ceased to
exist on the 1st of January 1877.

Twentieth Century

