Henry Sewell

4.1. Entry into Parliament

In late July 1853, Henry Sewell decided to stand for Parliament in the 1853 New Zealand general election. He considered running in either the Town of Christchurch or the Christchurch Country electorate. The town electorate had one position, while the rural electorate had two. After consulting with friends, he was advised to stand in the rural electorate, but he chose not to oppose Guise Brittan, who had already declared his candidacy, despite Brittan's unpopularity. The Town of Christchurch electorate posed a challenge as John Watts-Russell had already secured pledges from the majority of the constituency, though there were rumors he might not stand and was planning to travel during the election campaign.

Sewell discussed his intentions with Brittan, who fully supported his candidacy in the town electorate and arranged for his brother-in-law, Charles Fooks, to canvas for Sewell. Sewell first publicly advertised his candidacy in the Lyttelton Times on 30 July. In the same newspaper edition, James Stuart-Wortley and Guise Brittan announced their candidacies for the Christchurch Country electorate. Jerningham Wakefield reiterated his candidacy for Christchurch Country in early August upon his return from Wellington, and Fooks also announced his candidacy for the Town of Christchurch electorate.

Initially, with James FitzGerald, the newly elected first Superintendent of the Canterbury Province, seemingly in support of Watts-Russell, Sewell decided to withdraw from the contest. However, he proceeded with a public meeting to express his views. On 4 August, he held a meeting at the Golden Fleece, a hotel at the corner of Colombo and Armagh Streets, addressing 30 to 40 electors. He discussed parliamentary issues but concluded by stating his unavailability as a candidate due to Watts-Russell's pledged support. After an awkward silence, Richard Packer expressed dissatisfaction with Watts-Russell, stating that the electors were not bound to support a candidate whose intentions were unknown. FitzGerald spoke in support of Watts-Russell but was not well-received, while Fooks primarily used his speech to attack Sewell.

The following day, Sewell met with FitzGerald to discuss the possibility of either Sewell or Watts-Russell retiring from the contest. FitzGerald's impression was that Watts-Russell should retire. Later that day, Watts-Russell announced his retirement from the contest, published in the Lyttelton Times on 13 August.

On 9 August, the Colonists' Society held a meeting at the White Hart Hotel, attended by 50 to 60 people who heard speeches from Sewell, Stuart-Wortley, and Wakefield. Committees were formed to ensure the election of these three candidates. Sewell believed Brittan had no chance of being elected due to his unpopularity and refusal to canvas. Over the next few days, Octavius Mathias, the vicar of St Michael and All Angels, emerged as Sewell's main antagonist.

Nominations for both town and country electorates took place on Tuesday, 16 August, with hustings erected in front of the Land Office. The show of hands for the Christchurch Country electorate favored Stuart-Wortley and Wakefield, with Brittan demanding a poll. For the Town of Christchurch, Sewell was proposed by John Hall and seconded by Charles Wellington Bishop. Fooks was proposed by Joshua Charles Porter and seconded by Michael Hart. Sewell's speech was well-received, while Fooks's was met with laughter and interruptions, which Sewell noted did him "more service than [he] could have done [him]self." The show of hands overwhelmingly favored Sewell, with no more than five hands raised for Fooks.

The election was held on Saturday, 20 August, from 9 am to 4 pm. Voting was public, with electors stating their choice to the returning officer. Initially, Fooks was ahead, but Sewell quickly surpassed him within an hour. The final result was 61 votes for Sewell to 34 for Fooks, declaring Sewell elected.

Sewell's legal and financial expertise proved highly valuable in Parliament, though he faced criticism for being elitist and aloof. Politically, he adopted a moderate stance between "centralists" and "provincialists," gradually leaning more towards centralism over time. He was a staunch proponent of New Zealand's self-rule. When Acting Governor Robert Wynyard appointed Sewell and others as "unofficial" members of the Executive Council, Sewell believed full self-government was imminent. However, when it became clear that Wynyard considered these appointments temporary and did not believe Parliament could assume governance without royal assent, Sewell and his colleagues resigned in protest, highlighting his commitment to genuine self-governance.

4.2. Premiership and Ministry Formation

A new Governor, Thomas Gore Browne, subsequently announced that full self-government would commence with the 2nd New Zealand Parliament. Henry Sewell successfully stood for election again. The Governor then asked Sewell to form a government, which became known as the Sewell Ministry. Sewell was appointed to the Executive Council on 18 April 1856 and became Colonial Secretary on 7 May 1856. Other key members of his ministry included Dillon Bell as Colonial Treasurer (Finance Minister), Frederick Whitaker as Attorney-General, and Henry Tancred from the Legislative Council as a minister without portfolio.

Sewell's government, however, was short-lived, lasting only from 7 May to 20 May 1856. Its strong centralist tendencies led to its defeat by William Fox, the leader of the provincialist faction, on 20 May 1856. Despite this, Sewell's brief tenure as Premier is historically significant as it marked the formal establishment of responsible government in New Zealand.

4.3. Ministerial Roles

Following the defeat of his premiership, Sewell continued to serve in various important ministerial capacities. Although Fox's government was also brief, Edward Stafford, a moderate, subsequently formed a new government and invited Sewell to become Colonial Treasurer. In this role, Sewell was instrumental in drafting a financial compact between the central and provincial governments, a crucial step in defining the fiscal relationship within the new self-governing structure.

In late 1856, Sewell stepped down as Treasurer and resigned his parliamentary seat to return to England, where he negotiated several important deals for New Zealand. During his absence, William Richmond served as Treasurer. Upon his return to New Zealand in 1859, Sewell briefly resumed the Treasurer role for only a month before Richmond again took over.

In the 18 January 1860 by-election, Sewell successfully contested the Christchurch electorate against Michael Hart. He resigned towards the end of 1860 to become Registrar-General of Lands. Later in his political career, Sewell also held positions as Attorney-General (1861-1862, 1862-1863, 1864-1865) and Minister of Justice (1864-1865, 1869-1872). He also served a second term as Colonial Secretary, a role that by this time was distinct from the Premiership.

4.4. Legislative Council Service

In 1861, Henry Sewell was appointed by William Fox to the New Zealand Legislative Council, the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament. He held this position until 1865, contributing to the legislative process and governance during a critical period of New Zealand's political development.

4.5. Advocacy for Self-Government

Henry Sewell was a staunch and consistent advocate for New Zealand's self-governance. His political efforts were primarily aimed at achieving greater autonomy for the colony from British control. He believed that the Parliament should have full responsibility for governance, as demonstrated by his principled resignation from the Executive Council when Acting Governor Wynyard treated appointments as temporary, rather than as a step towards full responsible government. His appointment as New Zealand's first Premier, albeit brief, was a direct result of the successful campaign for self-rule and marked a pivotal moment in the country's constitutional history, establishing the precedent for responsible government.

4.6. Policies on Māori Issues

Henry Sewell's views and policies regarding Māori issues reflected a progressive stance for his era, particularly concerning land grievances and conflict resolution. When fighting erupted with Māori in 1860 over land disputes, Sewell, who held mild pacifist views, actively sought to promote negotiation and compromise. He firmly believed that conflict with Māori could only be genuinely resolved by establishing a fair and equitable method of land purchase, one that explicitly avoided coercion.

To this end, Sewell twice proposed a Native Council Bill. This proposed legislation aimed to create Māori-run institutions with the authority to supervise all Māori land deals, ensuring greater autonomy and fairness in land transactions. Despite his earnest efforts, both attempts to pass the bill failed. His commitment to these principles was further demonstrated when he resigned from his post as Attorney-General over the government's land confiscation policies, which he found unjust. Soon after his resignation, he published a pamphlet titled The New Zealand native rebellion, in which he articulated his views on the underlying causes of the conflict with Māori and proposed solutions based on justice and fair dealing. Sewell's advocacy for fair land practices and Māori self-determination in land matters highlights his foresight and commitment to human rights in a period often characterized by colonial land appropriation.