Alfred Domett
Alfred Domett was an English-born poet and politician, born on May 20, 1811, in Camberwell, Surrey. He was the son of a shipowner and grew up in a relatively affluent household. Domett attended St. John's College, Cambridge, where his literary interests blossomed, although he left without a degree. After traveling extensively, he settled in New Zealand in 1842, where he became involved in journalism, notably as editor of the Nelson Examiner, and later took a strong political stance on land issues concerning the indigenous Māori people.
Throughout his political career, Domett served in various capacities, including as colonial secretary and premier of New Zealand. His time in office was marked by conflict over Māori land rights, as he advocated for colonial control rather than assimilation. After resigning from politics in 1863, he returned to writing and published notable works, including the epic poem "Ranolf and Amohia," which reflected on Māori culture and New Zealand landscapes. Domett was awarded the Companion Order of St. Michael and St. George for his contributions before passing away on November 2, 1887, in London. His legacy endures through geographical features named in his honor and his literary contributions.
Alfred Domett
Politician and writer
- Born: May 20, 1811
- Birthplace: Camberwell, England
- Died: November 2, 1887
- Place of death: London, England
Significance: Alfred Domett was a nineteenth-century British writer who immigrated to New Zealand and became a public administrator and a politician. He was the fourth premier (the term then used for prime minister) of New Zealand after it was granted self-government with the passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act in 1852.
Background
Alfred Domett was born on May 20, 1811, in Camberwell, Surrey, England. One of nine children of Elizabeth Curling and Nathaniel Domett, a shipowner and merchant who had spent some time in naval service, Domett grew up in a relatively affluent home. He attended Stockwell Park House before moving on to study at St. John’s College, Cambridge, between 1829 and 1832. Though he took an interest in literature during that time, he left without earning a degree, publishing a small poetry collection around 1833.
Domett spent approximately two years touring Europe, Canada, the United States, and the West Indies. Following his return to London in 1835, he studied law at Middle Temple. He published his second volume of verse, Venice, in 1839. Some of his poems, including “A Christmas Hymn,” were published in Blackwood’s Magazine. Though he was admitted to the bar in 1841, he never fully practiced law. Instead, he found himself drawn to the idea of settling in a new place and left for the colony of New Zealand in 1842.
Journalism Career
Domett arrived in Nelson, New Zealand, in 1842, where he had acquaintances with the New Zealand Company, a British company promoting the colonization of New Zealand. A broken leg kept him from accompanying head Nelson agent Arthur Wakefield, the brother of one of the founders of the New Zealand Company, and other colonists on an 1843 mission to confront local Māoris regarding a land dispute that resulted in the deaths of Wakefield as well as several settlers and some Māoris. Domett wrote about the confrontation for the local newspaper Nelson Examiner and became the editor of the paper, a position he held until 1845.
Domett shared the New Zealand Company’s desire for expansive land acquisition and, opposing land transfers, supported the idea of the colonists asserting control. A vocal critic of Governor Robert FitzRoy’s humanitarian views towards the indigeneous Māori people, in 1845 he included an appeal in the Nelson Examiner arguing for FitzRoy’s removal. The petition won wide praise for its argument and Domett gained recognition for his literary skills and analysis of colonial administration.
Civil Service and Political Careers
George Grey succeeded FitzRoy as the governor of New Zealand, and in 1846 Domett became his advisor. His primary responsibilities centered on administrative functions related to settler land. That same year, he joined the Legislative Council, a post he held until the colony gained self-government in 1852. For nearly thirty years, he simultaneously held public service posts and seats in provincial or national bodies. From 1848 to 1853, he was the colonial secretary for New Munster province. For a period beginning in 1851, he also served in the role of colonial civil secretary.
After New Zealand’s new constitution, which had been established with the British Parliament’s passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, was put into effect in 1853, Domett became the magistrate and commissioner of Crown lands for Hawke’s Bay. He returned to Nelson in 1855 and was elected to the House of Representatives from Nelson later that year. In 1856, he was made commissioner of Crown lands in the area. Still active at the provincial level as well, between 1857 and 1863 he held a seat on the Nelson Provincial Council and served as Nelson’s provincial secretary. Elected to Parliament again in 1860 for Nelson, he remained in that office until January 1866. Meanwhile, another of his accomplishments around this time was his significant involvement in the formation of the General Assembly Library.
Domett formed a government and became premier on August 6, 1862. Two years before his ministry started, war had broken out between colonists and Māoris over a disputed land sale at Waitara. Tensions remained very high, and Domett’s ministry was dominated by Māori affairs. Domett took the more uncompromising position that the colonial government should seek control, rather than assimilation, of Māoris and that the colonists should confiscate any desired Māori land and pay a minimal sum for it. Opposition to his views and proposed policies led to Domett resigning in October 1863.
After losing the premiership, Domett took on both the roles of the secretary for Crown lands and land claims commissioner in 1864. The following year, he became the registrar general of land. From 1866 to 1871, he served in the Legislative Council.
After Politics
In 1871, Domett moved to London. There, he picked up with his writing career once more and composed several poems. The most notable was Ranolf and Amohia: A South-Sea Day-Dream (1872), a long epic poem that contained philosophical musings and romanticized descriptions of Māoris, Māori legends, and the landscapes of New Zealand. A collection of poems, Flotsam and Jetsam: Rhymes Old and New, was published in 1877.
In 1880, Domett was awarded the Companion Order of St. Michael and St. George for his years of service. He died in London on November 2, 1887.
Impact
A keen administrator during New Zealand’s provincial and colonial periods, Domett is typically remembered more for his epic poem than his public service or political activities. His legacy includes a host of streets he named in Hawke’s Bay after literary figures such as Robert Browning, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and William Shakespeare. Mount Domett in Canterbury is named after him.
Personal Life
Domett and Mary George, a widower with two children, married in 1856. They had one son, Alfred Nelson.
Bibliography
Cowan, James. “Famous New Zealanders—No. 14 Alfred Domett.” The New Zealand Railways Magazine, vol. 9, no. 2, 1934. New Zealand Electronic Text Collection, Victoria University of Wellington, nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov09‗02Rail-t1-body-d8.html. Accessed 22 May 2020.
Graham, Jeanine. “Domett, Alfred.” Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, 1990. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1d15/domett-alfred. Accessed 22 May 2020.
Kenyon, Frederic G., editor. Robert Browning and Alfred Domett. Smith, Elder, 1906.
McLean, Gavin. “Alfred Domett.” New Zealand History, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 8 Nov. 2017, nzhistory.govt.nz/people/alfred-domett. Accessed 19 June 2020.
Stafford, Jane. “Alfred Domett, 1811–1887.” Kōtare: New Zealand Notes & Queries, vol. 7, no. 3, 2008, pp. 12–22.