Robert FitzRoy

Vice Admiral Robert FitzRoy (July 5, 1805 - April 30, 1865) achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle and as a pioneering meteorologist who invented weather forecasts, also proving an able surveyor and hydrographer as well as Governor of New Zealand.

Governor of New Zealand

The first Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson, died in late 1842 and the Church Missionary Society, which had a strong New Zealand presence, suggested FitzRoy as his successor. He took up his new task in April 1843.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - William Hobson - Church Missionary Society - 1843

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was probably an impossible job. His instructions were to maintain order, protect the Maori and yet to satisfy the land hunger of the settlers pouring into the country. He was given very few military resources and very little revenue, mainly from customs duties.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of his first tasks was to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the Wairau Massacre. He found the actions of the Colonists to have been illegal and wisely declined to take any action against Te Rauparaha, wisely because he did not have the troops to meet him on anything like equal terms. However this left the New Zealand Company and the settlers feeling betrayed and angry. One outcome was to appoint a Government Superintendent for the area and establish a ruling presence. He also insisted that the piratical New Zealand Company pay the Maori a realistic price for the land they claimed to have purchased. Naturally these moves made him very unpopular.

Related Topics:
Wairau Massacre - Te Rauparaha - New Zealand Company

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Land sales were a continuing vexatious issue. Maori wanted to sell land and the settlers wanted to buy land but according to the Treaty of Waitangi this could only happen with the Government as an intermediary and this proved to be very slow. FitzRoy changed the rules to allow the direct purchase of Maori land subject to a duty of ten shillings per acre ($2.50 per hectare).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

However, land sales proved slower than expected. To meet the financial shortfall FitzRoy raised the customs duties then he abolished them and instituted a property and income tax. However, nothing really worked and quite soon the Colony was faced with bankruptcy and FitzRoy was forced to begin issuing promissory notes, paper money without backing.

Related Topics:
Customs - Income tax - Promissory note

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Meanwhile the Maori in the Far North, the Bay of Islands, who had been one of the driving forces in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, were feeling increasingly sidelined and resentful of the changes that had taken place in New Zealand. To signal their resentment Hone Heke cut down the flagpole at Kororareka. Rather than address the problems FitzRoy had the flagpole re-erected. Hone Heke cut it down again, four times altogether by which time the First New Zealand War, or Flagstaff War, was well underway.

Related Topics:
Bay of Islands - Hone Heke - Kororareka - First New Zealand War

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It soon became apparent that FitzRoy did not have the resources to bring about a quick end to the war. Meanwhile the spokesmen for the New Zealand Company were active back in Great Britain and FitzRoy's Governorship was presented to the House of Commons in a very poor light. As a result of this he was dismissed and replaced by George Grey then Governor of South Australia. Grey was also given the backing and support that FitzRoy had needed but was denied.

Related Topics:
Great Britain - House of Commons - George Grey - Governor of South Australia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~