Edward Stafford
Edward Stafford was an influential political figure in New Zealand, born on April 23, 1819, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1843 after spending time in Australia, ultimately settling in Nelson, where he became deeply involved in public affairs. Stafford played a pivotal role in New Zealand's early governance as the first superintendent of Nelson Province and later as the country’s third premier in 1856. His tenure was marked by significant legislative achievements, including the County Roads Act and various education reforms, which laid the groundwork for the modern parliamentary system in New Zealand.
Stafford is also notable for his moderate approach to governance, which balanced the interests of both provincial and central authorities. His support for Māori land rights, although occasionally controversial, reflected a commitment to equitable treatment of indigenous populations amid rising tensions during the New Zealand Wars. Throughout his political career, Stafford faced numerous challenges and changes in leadership but remained a key figure until he resigned in 1878. He was later knighted and continued to contribute to various organizations until his death in London in 1901. Today, he is remembered as a foundational figure in New Zealand's political history, with a street named in his honor.
Subject Terms
Edward Stafford
Politician
- Born: April 23, 1819
- Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Died: February 14, 1901
- Place of death: London, England
Also known as: Edward William Stafford
Significance: Edward Stafford was a pastoralist who served in the provincial and colonial governments of New Zealand. A three-time prime minister, he was a moderate and stabilizing force in New Zealand’s early government and was the first premier to hold the government for a lengthy period.
Background
Born on April 23, 1819, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Edward Stafford was the eldest son of Berkeley Buckingham Smith Stafford and Anne Tytler Stafford. His parents belonged to the Anglo-Irish gentry, and Stafford grew up in affluent and intellectual environment. He received his early education at the Royal School, Dungannon and then studied at Trinity College in Dublin.
In 1841 Stafford left Scotland, and he traveled throughout Australia before making his way to New Zealand in January 1843. He settled in Nelson, where he had cousins, and briefly managed their sheep run at Aldourie. He then set up his own sheep run at Uptown Downs and imported sheep and cattle from Australia.
Stafford soon became interested in public affairs, and in 1848 he became a founder of the Settlers’ Constitutional Association in Nelson. The group was especially concerned with land issues for settlers in Nelson, and Stafford advocated for Great Britain to grant licenses to pastoralists for unused land designated for the original New Zealand Company settlers. In 1850 he authored a memorial to Henry George Grey, the British secretary of state for the colonies, calling on Great Britain to grant the colonists greater participation in their government by enacting universal suffrage.
Political Career
New Zealand gained self-government in the early 1850s, and provincial councils were established in 1853. Stafford was elected the first superintendent of Nelson Province in 1853 and served through 1856. His achievements include the County Roads Act, which provided regular steamer services and initiated a public works program funded by a land tax, and an education ordinance that later was expanded and folded into the Education Act for the entire colony.
In December 1855 Stafford was elected to the House of Representatives for Nelson, a position he would hold for over a decade. On May 7, 1856, New Zealand’s first official ministry was formed. Stafford recognized weaknesses in the first two ministries and refused to join the cabinets of either Harry Sewell or William Fox. Both quickly collapsed, and Stafford emerged as the most stable option to lead the country. On July 2, 1856, he became New Zealand’s third premier. In November 1856 he also became the colonial secretary.
Despite propounding a strong central government, Stafford avoided the extreme positions of his predecessors and took a more moderate stance that accommodated both provincialism and centralism. He passed numerous acts, including the Compact of 1856, which defined the financial relationship between the provinces and the colonial government and transferred the revenue from the sale of crown land and part of the customs revenues to the provinces. The New Provinces Act 1858 allowed for the creation of additional provinces in outlying districts. Stafford oversaw the establishment of three provinces: Hawke’s Bay (1858), Marlborough (1859), and Southland (1861). He also added cabinet ministries.
Stafford also supported Māori land rights and opposed forcing Māoris to sell their native land to meet settlers’ demand for land. He did, however, pass the Native Districts Act 1858 that gave the colonial government authority to regulate specific activities on Māori land. These regulations required Māoris to fence their land, control weeds, and take other actions that benefited the cattle and sheep settlers. He also passed an act that gave financial assistance to Māori schools. War broke out between the colonial government and Māoris in 1860, while Stafford was in England. Despite his personal objections, he supported the war effort through both Taranaki Wars (1860–63 and 1863–70). His support for native land rights, however, cost him support in the House of Representatives, and he lost the government on July 12, 1861, by one vote following a vote of no confidence. He was succeeded by Fox.
In 1865 Premier Frederick Weld resigned, and Stafford became premier for the second time that October. Much of his second term centered on the ongoing New Zealand Wars and Māori land issues. During that term, he at various times also held the posts of colonial treasurer, postmaster general, and colonial secretary. Stafford lost the government on June 28, 1860, following another no-confidence vote and was succeeded once again by Fox.
In 1868 Stafford resigned his parliamentary seat representing Nelson due to local disagreements. He was promptly reelected that same year to represent Timaru. Stafford regained the premiership on September 10, 1872, following a motion of condemnation against Fox, but lost the government just a month later, on October 11, following a no-confidence vote. He was succeeded by George Waterhouse.
Stafford resigned from the House of Representatives in March 1878. He moved to England a short time later, where he became the director of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company and several other companies. He also served as the commissioner for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. Stafford was knighted in 1879 and raised to the rank of Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) in 1887. On February 14, 1901, he died in London.
Impact
Stafford’s first term as premier was just over five years, far longer than the combined total of his two predecessors, making him an important stabilizing force in the early government of New Zealand. As premier he created a strong foundation for the parliamentary system and enacted a substantial body of laws. The education system he established in Nelson also became influential, serving as a model for the entire country when the Education Act was passed in 1877.
Stafford is remembered as a key figure in New Zealand history, a hardworking leader, and a skilled politician. Stafford Street in Taranaki, New Zealand, is named after him.
Personal Life
Stafford married Emily Charlotte Wakefield in 1846; she died in 1857. In 1859 Stafford married Mary Bartley, and they had six children together, three daughters and three sons. He outlived his second wife by a couple years.
Stafford’s interests included horseracing, jockeying, and landscape gardening. He created the gardens at Auckland’s Government House.
Bibliography
Bohan, Edmund. Edward Stafford: New Zealand’s First Statesman. Hazard Press, 1994.
Bohan, Edmund. “Stafford, Edward William.” Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, 1990. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1s22/stafford-edward-william. Accessed 2 May 2020.
“The Hon. Sir Edward William Stafford.” The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, 1897. New Zealand Electronic Text Collection, nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc01Cycl-t1-body-d3-d8-d4.html. Accessed 2 May 2020.
McLean, Gavin. “Edward Stafford.” New Zealand History, 8 Nov. 2017, nzhistory.govt.nz/people/edward-stafford. Accessed 2 May 2020.
Wakefield, Edward. Sir Edward William Stafford, G.C.M.G.: A Memoir. Walbrook & Co. Ltd., 1923. Early New Zealand Books, www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document/?wid=5475&page=1&action=null. Accessed 2 May 2020.
White, Amber Blanco. “Stafford, Sir Edward William.” Dictionary of National Biography, edited by Sir Sidney Lee, vol. 3, 1912, pp. 376–77. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.524461/page/n387/mode/2up/search/Stafford. Accessed 2 May 2020.