The Grey Ministry was a responsible government that was formed in New Zealand. It formed in October 1877 and governed for two years until October 1879. From the outset, Sir George Grey served as Prime Minister.
Grey Ministry | |
|---|---|
| ministries of New Zealand | |
| 1877–1879 | |
 | |
| Date formed | 13 October 1877 |
| Date dissolved | 8 October 1879 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Victoria |
| Head of government | George Grey |
| Member party | Greyites |
| Opposition party | Conservatives |
| Opposition leader | |
| History | |
| Election | |
| Predecessor | Atkinson Ministry, 1876–1877 |
| Successor | Hall Ministry, 1879–1882 |
Background
editAs Premier, Grey was highly active in promoting middle-class liberalism to New Zealanders sponsoring ideas such as electoral reform, land taxes, breaking up large estates, regulation of wages and working hours and accessible education. However his ideas were too radical for many of his contemporaries. Grey's administration was perceived as defective and his leadership poor. As he never had a safe majority in Parliament, Grey unsuccessfully asked for a dissolution in 1878. Soon after the economy began to slide into recession, which caused much unemployment and as a result, unpopularity. The next year Grey's government lost a division in the House triggering an election. Grey and his followers failed to win a majority and in October 1879 Grey resigned.[1]
Ministers
editThe following members served in the Grey Ministry:[2]
| Name | Image | Office | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir George Grey |  |
Prime Minister | 15 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 |
| Colonial Secretary | 15 October 1877 – 18 October 1877 | ||
| Minister of Customs | 15 October 1877 – 12 January 1878 | ||
| 12 July 1878 – 8 October 1879 | |||
| Minister of Marine | 9 April 1878 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| Minister of Finance | 13 July 1879 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| William Larnach |  |
Minister of Finance | 15 October 1877 – 5 March 1878 |
| Minister of Public Works | 15 October 1877 – 5 March 1878 | ||
| James Macandrew |  |
Minister of Lands | 15 October 1877 – 25 July 1878 |
| Minister of Immigration | 15 October 1877 – 25 July 1878 | ||
| Minister of Public Works | 28 March 1878 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| John Sheehan |  |
Minister of Native Affairs | 13 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 |
| Minister of Justice | 13 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| James Temple Fisher |  |
Postmaster-General | 13 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 |
| George Stoddart Whitmore |  |
Colonial Secretary | 18 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 |
| John Ballance |  |
Minister of Education | 12 January 1878 – 1 July 1879 |
| Minister of Finance | 12 January 1878 – 1 July 1879 | ||
| Robert Stout |  |
Attorney-General | 13 March 1878 – 25 June 1879 |
| Minister of Lands | 13 March 1878 – 25 June 1879 | ||
| Hoani Nahe |  |
Member of Executive Council | 17 November 1877 – 8 October 1879 |
| John Nathanial Wilson |  |
Member of Executive Council | 2 November 1878 – 8 October 1879 |
| William Swanson |  |
Member of Executive Council | 17 April 1879 – 15 July 1879 |
| William Gisborne |  |
Minister of Lands | 5 July 1879 – 15 July 1879 |
| Minister of Mines | 5 July 1879 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| Minister of Immigration | 5 July 1879 – 8 October 1879 | ||
| James William Thomson | |
Member of Executive Council | 15 July 1879 – 8 October 1879 |
| Minister of Lands | 16 July 1879 – 8 October 1879 |
Notes
edit- ^ Sinclair, Keith. "Grey, George Edward". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 67–68.