Extending Sovereignty: Land Purchases 1840s - 1860s Flashcards
What was Governor Grey’s key objective when he arrived in New Zealand in 1845?
To purchase land for the expected influx of settlers following New Zealand becoming a British colony.
How did Grey plan to acquire land for settlers without waging a war with the Maori, as mentioned in the text?
He suggested that Maori would willingly sell their lands for a “trifling consideration.”
Why did Governor Grey abolish the Protectorate of Aborigines, established by Hobson?
He abolished it to remove an obstacle to his land acquisition efforts, as the Protectorate was staffed by individuals who were suspicious of settler aims.
Who did Grey appoint as his Land Purchase agent to acquire Maori land, and what tactics were employed?
He appointed Donald McLean as his Land Purchase agent, and McLean used a combination of encouragement, persuasion, pressure, and occasionally trickery to acquire Maori land.
What new way of asserting mana over contested land emerged for hapu during this period?
By being recognized by the Crown as the party with the right to sell the land.subsistence difficult.
How did Grey justify the low prices at which Maori land was purchased by the government?
He argued that the “real payment” would come through the increased value of the lands that the Maori retained.
What were the consequences of the vast land purchases for Ngai Tahu in the South Island?
Ngai Tahu was left virtually landless, allocated only a small portion of their former estate in reserves.
By what year had almost all of the South Island’s land been purchased by the government?
By 1865, almost all of the South Island’s land had been purchased by the government.
How did the appearance of fences and draining of swamps signal changes in land ownership?
These signs indicated that new owners were taking control of the land and restricting access to its resources.
What was the impact of land sales on Maori communities in the North Island?
Resistance to ongoing land sales grew as Maori communities realized that the loss of land meant a loss of rangatiratanga (authority).
How did the settler population in New Zealand change from 1845 to the 1870s, as mentioned in the text?
The settler population grew significantly, with a rapid increase in numbers, especially in Otago and Canterbury.
